Latest layout

Here is another layout I made in my Jessica Sprague class:


The Journaling reads:
Goodbye old friend . . . we’ve spent a lot of time together, and the memories are dear. You’ve held and kept safe my four most valuable treasures for nine years, with never a day off. We’ve had many late night visits. I’ve leaned against your rails for comfort while holding tight and rocking those treasures. You’ve heard my many melodies and songs. You’ve listened to my many whispered prayers. You’ve held strong through wrestling and bouncing, sometimes
holding up even though more than one treasure was visiting you. It’s very hard to say goodbye to such a dear friend, but we must. Goodbye, old friend . . .

Alorah's birthday

Alorah celebrated her ninth birthday on Thursday. SHe of course spent the day at school and I came down at 1:30 to bring her birthday treats in. She shared root beer floats with the whole class and they all loved it! Then that evening we made her favorite dinner (macaroni and cheese with hot dogs) and had the grandparents over for ice cream cake. Alorah opened presents and just had an all around great time being nine! Here are a few pics from the evening.



Deep breath to blow out those candles . . .


With Papa and Gram
With Grumps & Mammy
With Nanny
with Poppy D

scroll down . . .

The slideshow is now up ;0)

Point Reyes trip

We spent the past extended weekend in Point Reyes having a wonderful camping trip with our family and Mammy * Grumps. It's a tradition we've been doing the past 6 years and I think this was the best trip so far. The first night we set up camp and had a grumpy Micah on our hands. He basically cried from the time we arrived at 6:30 until 9pm when he feel asleep from exhaustion. At that point I was a little worried that it may be like that every day of the trip. But he got up that next morning chipper and happy.

Friday we spent walking the earthquake trail. It is so cool, with a walk right along the faultline of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. You can see where the ground shifted and split open like 10 ft. It's amazing. We had some of Mammy's fabulous sandwiches and then we went over to Drakes beach . . . only to find it flooded, with no sand to play on. Since there was no where to play we climbed a bluff over looking the whole area, just beautiful ( i've got video of that) Next we had some hot chocolate because the air was a little nippy and then went on our way to get oysters on the other side of town. The kids were quite interested in the oysters as you'll see in the slideshow. Everyone tried one, but Isaiah LOVED them he ate 3 bbq'd and 3 raw. I was astonished and Mammy was just thrilled to have another foodie in the family.
We roasted marshmallows and smores by the fire. Micah sang happy birthday to everyone, then asked "Where's my cake???" then off to bed for another action packed day.

Saturday we left the site around 10 am for our hike out to the bluff. It was a mile hike there and then a mile back. The kids of course complained the whole way until we made it out there. IT was BEAUTIFUL, just at the tip jutting out into the ocean ~ amazing. We saw quite a few deer up there and even some bucks. Isaiah's first question for Grumps was "did you bring your guns". I don't know where the kid gets this stuff!!!
Then we drove an hour away to another beach called McClure's beach. It's about a mile hike down a ravine to get to the beach, but it's so worth it. It's tucked away between fog covered cliffs and it was just gorgeous. Again, check out the slideshow. Micah would run to the waves and when they came up the beach he would run away yelling "The Ocean is coming'. It was really quiite adorable. We built sandcastles and the kids played catch with Grumps & Daddy. After we hiked up the ravine, (which I didn't know if I was going to make) we headed for our campsite an hour away. We got back and did sauages for dinner then showers for the kids (even though we were filthy by the time for bed rolled around) and once again smores & marshmallows roasted away in the fire. Everyone was pooped so it was an early night.

Sunday we woke u and broke down camp. We made it home by 2:30 and then worked on cleaning up ;0)

On a side note you'll see Isaiah wearing a 49er bandana (courtesy of Grumps) throughout this trip he has decided that the 49ers are the "baddest" team there is and he wants to be a 49er when he grows up. At first Ev told him he couldn't go watch any of his games if he was a 49er but Isaiah announced that Papa and Uncle Tom would love to come watch his games! So now he wants to be a 49er when he grows up!

Check out the slideshow, some of the pictures Isaiah took but I had to add them in, I'm just excited to have little budding photographers ;0)

Off to the fair

Alorah, Isaiah and Alaina spent the day at the California State Fair today. Every year Nanny and Poppy take the kids to the fair along with their cousins Josh and Rachel. This is an event that's anticipated all year long. THey talk about it a million times through the year, and save up all their money for it. Nanny & Poppy picked them up in the morning and didn't bring them back until late afternoon ~ a welcome relief for mom & dad. They all came back with prizes and tons of stories about their favorite thing.

Alorah's favorite was a puppy ~ Her cousin Josh (the sweetest kid in the world) won a prize and gave it to her. She's talked about it about a million times and has kept that puppy close by (i'll post a picture later)

Isaiah's favorite was some kind of jet ride, where you lay on your stomach and fly through the air. He also loved the swings and came home with a batman as big as he is.

Alaina's favorite part of the fair was the Dora she bought, the carousel, and the fact that Poppy pulled her through the whole fair on top pf a wheeled cooler ~ she told me it was a "free ride" at the fair.

Mr Micah stayed home with us today and helped redo his room with his big boy bed (i'll do another post about that experience) and clean out the garage. Ev has his garage meticulous again and is over the moon about it ;0)

Overall it was a great day, but we're all pooped! No where near as exhausted as poor Nanny & poppy I'm sure!!!!!!