{phfr} California Summer Edition

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As our time in California draws to a close I've been snapping even more pictures of some of our favorite places.  One is a school that has a great playground that is almost entirely enclosed, that we love to play at:

 

 

 

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Maggie loves twirling around on the cement looking up at the birds in the sky above her and giggling. 

I try not to notice that they're giant turkey vultures circling overhead.  

 

 

Sadie wanted me to chase her all over the playground to get her picture (as in yelling "Get me!  Try to get a closer picture!" as she would sprint off).  I got this one:

 

 

Patch has been reminding me of how different a parent with my third two year old than I was with my first.  

 

 

And James sat up yesterday for about twenty seconds with the help of a basketball.  

 

{funny}

 

Patch is obsessed with basketballs at the moment.  He probably says the word basketball fifty times before ten am.  

 

But he abandoned playing ball with me and went to the corner to count to play hide and seek (he hides and counts loudly... not quite getting the concept just yet). 

I put the ball down and suddenly disaster struck (from Patch's point of view):

"We aren't playing with it anymore!" was met with outrage. 

Maggie put the ball down and did a little victory dance around it.  You know, pretending to be a bird and all.  Patch was not having it.

 

Maggie, who is totally indulgent with both her brothers and gives them just about any toy they want, watched as he raced over and, after a pause to see why he was so upset, kept doing her little bird dance.

 

 

Disaster averted.

 

{real}

 

You'd think I would learn, right? 

Group pictures just don't work around here.

I might they might be good for a laugh... but getting a picture to send to Grandma and a copy for Nani to put on the wall here?  Just not happening. 

Because I can dress them up... but... they're still the same kids.

Earlier this week I saw a sign that said "Please pardon the mess the children are making memories." But the "are making memories" part was crossed out and instead it said "feral" and I was like "I NEED THAT SIGN!!! FOR MY HOUSE!!!! I NEED IT!!!" and of course I didn't get it but I will say that the quote popped into my head when we were trying to take these yesterday and no one was cooperating. 

 

 

Ah well.  The pictures still make me smile.  Because this is so them. 

 

For more {phfr} head over to Like Mother, Like Daughter.

 



{phfr}: A Trip to the Zoo and Ocean

Yesterday we took a two hour drive out to the coast, to get away from the super high temperatures that were expected (it was still above 100 as we were driving back... after 7 pm).  We planned a trip to the local zoo and a walk down to the beach so that James could see the ocean for the first time (and Patch could see the Pacific Ocean for the first time). 

And here are some of my favorite pictures we snapped along the way:

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Sadie had a blast in the little splash area at the park:

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This little room in the barnyard area was definitely a highlight.  There was a statue of a goat that you could pretend to milk, a horse to ride and a tractor to sit on:

Then the girls pretended to be spiders on a giant web (which was right up Maggie's alley):

And then it was on to the petting zoo, which was, without a doubt, the highlight of the trip:

Maggie was shy standing next to the sheep until she saw Sadie pet her.  And then Grumpa had to stop her from trying to climb on for a ride:

The under water tunnel was another wonderful moment.  I think Mae would have stayed there for ever if she'd had the chance.

{funny}

I thought that this series of pictures was hilarious.  James obviously felt like such a big boy, sitting in the stroller.  I kept having to push him back, because he kept leaning forward to look at the wheels and getting stuck, but otherwise it was going really well.

When we got inside the zoo he decided he wanted to hold Patch's hand.  Patch let him... but apparently when he saw me snapping pictures he had to give me a grumpy frown:

{real}

After a couple stops at stores it was time for a trip to the beach.

I'll admit, I was a little nervous.  I knew Maggie would want to go in.  We were only going to get our feet wet, but we put a life jacket on her just in case, since she's so strong and so determined.

I was also nervous because I don't really trust the beaches on this part of the coast, with their treacherous undertows and sleeper waves (so I knew we'd all have to be super vigilant).

Still after researching family friendly beaches we headed to one that's known for having less of an undertow.  And when we got there Maggie was super excited.  She raced towards the water with Nani and Sadie, while Patch made his way down to the water more slowly with Grumpa:

It was a workout keeping Maggie from throwing herself into the waves.

Patch was content to stop where the sand was wet, far beyond where the waves were reaching at that moment:

Maggie plunged into the ankle deep water without pausing to take of her tights, which is notable because normally she is meticulous about keeping her tights dry and screams if they get a drop of water on them.  She spent a lot of time trying to go all the way in.

Once I was thoroughly exhausted we headed back to the car... which brought on a meltdown of epic proportions that I'd like never to repeat again.  Let's just say that the hundred plus yards to the car couldn't have possibly felt any longer than it was with a mermaid determined to get back to the ocean to swim away.

Once we got to the car things calmed down and we made our way home after twelve hours of fun.  And today our mermaid is back in her pool.

For more {phfr} head over to Like Mother, Like Daughter.

{phfr} Sword Fight and Cuddles Edition

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I just love this picture of Maggie and James.  

Maggie is absolutely enchanted with her littlest brother.  

Patch is her playmate and sometimes I wonder if having the two of them together is kind of like having twins.  They're in very similar places developmentally (who's ahead in spoken language seems to go back and forth depending on the day) and they're very funny together.

But James gets Mae's unwavering attention and affection throughout many of his waking hours.  

{happy}

Patch brings me my phone and asks that I take our picture together, so these were captured when I agreed to capture a few snapshots. 

He's such a ham and is constantly saying "cheese" whenever he sees anything that looks vaguely like a camera.  

{funny}

I found these swords in the dollar section at Target and after the little mermaid and dinosaur bags they were the biggest hit at the birthday party.

The porch has been the scene of many sword fights since they arrived.  

Even young James was enlisted in their adventures (or at least managed to swipe a sword for a few moments).

{real}

As you may know if you live on the west coast, we're in the midst of a bit of a heat wave.  On Friday the news says it's going to be around 113 degrees.  

Which I would say is miserable, except I'm still really appreciating the fact that the heat here is dry, and so when I've been sitting outside in triple digit heat it hasn't felt all that bad.  I'm sure when it climbs over 110 though that will change, as it always does.

James, our littlest Michigander, is not a fan of the heat and this afternoon I found that he'd managed to wiggle over to a vent and was sitting next to it feeling the cool air blow on his hands:

Pretty good for such a little guy.

And now he's sound asleep after another long day of playing hard on the porch.

For more {phfr} head over to Like Mother, Like Daughter.