Presidents' Weekend in Santa Cruz

Man and the sea

or

Eric enjoying the ocean view

Colton is growing up and has discovered the sand.  He loves exploring and dipping his fingers deep into the sand buckets.  I act as though no other child has ever liked to do this, but he's my first boy!  I'm amazed at everything he is learning!  Boys are so physical and into the elements.  It's awesome.

Anna and Ella had a blast throwing the frisbee

Uncle Ben, Waverly and Emerson were in the cabin next door!  Now that is a great time!

Eric and I love camping, but in the morning, everyone is pretty tired!  Why is it that we can't wait to go again?  I guess you forget.

http://youtu.be/ly2fonUp4WM

Ella at the beach

Oh, that is hilarious.  This video is about 5 seconds long.  I must have deleted Ella showing off the shark jaws and teeth she found. bummer

My Valentines

Eric asked me to marry him a week before Valentine's Day, in 1999. 

Our last Valentine's Day, 13 years later was spent at Mad Fish, with our three girls and baby boy, getting sushi and then hitting See's next door for a big Valentine's heart shaped box of chocolates.  And we spent our night doing what we've done best for the last thirteen years, eating chocolates and watching a movie when we should be sleeping.  I have loved every second being married to Eric.  He is the most wonderful friend, companion and valentine anyone could hope for.

We killed ourselved making 90 sandwich cookies for Olivia and Ella's class.  But it was all worth it to see the girls share them with their classes.

Olivia and her cousin Emerson went to a free darling Valentine Tea Party at Pottery Barn.  It was adorable.  How did we know about it?  Because Library Day with Grandma Nan has morphed into shopping day and we've been hitting Stanford Shopping Center almost every week.  We've found out about all the going-ons and have also managed to buy matching boots while the kids wait and watch us.

And the kids always want to play pretend games at Pottery Barn Kids as they stroll the mall with those wonderful Sees suckers.

I am grateful for family and friends, and especially my husband, as we watch another coming and going of the Day of Love.  Happy V-day everyone.

Checking in with ella

http://youtu.be/SebdF-cXpCk

I'm kind of confused on how to post videos on here, but this is a link to the song Ella played at my piano recital 2 weekends ago.  I wish it was from her actual performance, but she played it for me one more time at home.  Next time, I'll figure out how to tape and post videos from the real thing.

Ella is busy playing Upward Basketball and averaging a couple of baskets a game each Saturday.  Thanks to that coach of her's yelling encouragment from the sidelines.

More excitement!  Ella's first paycheck.  I forgot to take her picture doing the work, but here she is showing off her, yes, $70.00 paycheck for trying different kinds of juice at Tragon.com in Redwood Shores, where they pay you to do taste tests.  Apparently, all the juice tasted great, the cookie at the end wasn't bad either, and she let me know that her work schedule is open for future taste trials.  So fun.  She's already opened her first bank account, deposited the money, paid the tithing, and spent $20.00 on clothes at Target.  Tragon, you had better call us again.  We are burning through this money.  We're proud of Ella for keeping up with her busy schedule and living large, or at least living with a  large personality.