Aiden: Last day of first grade!

This dude! From sight words last year to chapter books this year.... He is simply a growing machine! Not to mention pretty amazing at football as well!

And our yearly funny face collage continues....

End of first grade.

End of Kindergarten.

End of preschool. 

I cannot believe in a week and a half this kid will be seven. My goodness, time flies when you are having fun & as busy as it gets!

Family Photos: 2016

Now that Christmas cards have all been sent off and the holiday season has settled down, I can finally post these photos! I love, love, love the way they turned out! When we are back in southern California I will definitely be reaching out to Shane York Photography!

Sometimes at night I find myself just looking over these photos and they make my heart so full. My favorite little people all behind one lens, how magical!

HaLLoWeEn 2.0.1.6.

We have been incredibly fortunate when it comes to weather this fall. It has probably been in the 60s, 70s, and sometimes 80s every day since the beginning of our Indian Summer! I have to itch to decorate for Christmas, and planned on doing it on November 11th because I have that day off from work, but I couldn't help but put up our brand new tree tonight! I can't wait to share pictures with you once I get it all decorated!

This year we took some amazing beach photos while we were on vacation and I love them so much! I am using some for our Christmas card, so those will stay a secret, but here are a few that I am just smiling big smiles for....

We were also able to carve pumpkins outside which completely avoided messing up the inside of my house... pumpkin guts can be so sticky! They also scare Leila... when she is afraid, she covers both of her ears. I think that is kind of smart, obviously, you need to see the fear to make sure you are a safe distance away...

And because it was so warm and we carved our pumpkins three days before, they rotted before halloween actually came. Then, squirrels may or may not have gotten to them. Life.

This neighbor gave out jello shots. He was our favorite. 

IT IS NOVEMBER! Let the decorating begin! <3

What we have been up to... the last two months!

I have been bad at blogging. I am still trying to find a workable work/life balance. I think I am doing pretty well, I LOVE my new job, and I haven't forgotten a lunch yet! (I may have forgotten about school pictures, and Berto got them dressed, Aiden was wearing a blue athletic shirt, black athletic shorts, with a nice snowy background - thank goodness for retakes!)

Luke started soccer this season. At first he hated it, but liked his coach a lot. There were a few games with tears, and then finally the last two games he turned it on and scored a few goals each game! I really need to jump on the 'girl mom' train and stop hating on how little girls play sports. I think I will just put Leila in dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading so I do not find the need to be super competitive. Well, who am I kidding, I still will be. I cannot wait for the day they separate boys and girls for sports. I know, I am awful! 

Aiden started his second season of flag football and asks me every day when he can play tackle football. His brother has gotten the brunt of his want/need to tackle more times than I can count. Poor, Lukey. 

And we went to Disneyland! 

And to Newport and Huntington Beach!

And Luke jumped off of a 7 foot playground and was limping for two weeks. We finally took him to the doctor to get an X-ray, nothing was wrong. Maybe some slight ligament damage. But, he has growth plates that are very far apart and they told us he will be tall! He is already as tall as Aiden was this time last year and they are 2.5 years apart! 

Leila learned to climb. Everything. 

We planted some bulbs so they bloom in the spring. She had this bow in for 2.2 seconds. She is over bows. Which makes me cry on the inside, and maybe outside too. 

We watched lots of football practice. 

Watched lots of games. 

Luke just wanted some shade to watch other kids play with toys on YouTube. 

And that is that! I am hoping to get back to sharing decorating, but, no promises. I did buy a new Christmas tree which I am super excited about! I am just barely staying afloat. But I am half-drowning, happily!