Final Countdown

I hate when Summer ends. We live for this time of the year. Owell, that's life. We are trying hard to squeeze the last week together and end with a bang.

We just returned from AZ for a week long family reunion with a million cousins. So good to see everyone on the Dray side. We wore out the kids with some fun times (cave exploring, little olympics, hikes, swimming everyday, etc).













Last few days of snorkeling, surfing, and just having so much time together - until school steals my kids away again.

Summer Fun

Life is going great. We've had the best Summer so far. It's just going too fast. Lot's of cousins, swimming, beach, and family fun.

Tyler took Sara and Cora camping in Doheny last weekend. They had fun with all their cousins. Not a bad campsite, right on the sand.










We just got back from spending a few days in Big Bear with Tyler's brothers family. Never a dull moment there. We hiked, played, explored, and the boys shot bows and arrows and even shot a squirrel. Here's where Craig and Tyler were skinning it and cooked it up. Actually pretty tasty.



















Last night Tyler and I went on a
hot date to the Wedge. Waves were
so big. There were so many people watching
that we got stuck for several hours down in Balboa
(till almost midnight). Not a bad place to be stuck in traffic (and not bad company). We just chilled at the beach till it mellowed out. We tried hard to get on TV with the News casters there. Next time, dinner first.







US Open surf competition this weekend. Over 100k people here in HB watching it. I think we're done fighting the crowds for a bit, but we had a blast.
























Poor Brock split his chin open on a hike. We discovered Liquid Bando today which is like super glue with anticeptic. A few hours later, Alex ripped his toe open and we used it there. How did we survive without it? Every family needs this stuff on hand. Hopefully, no more stitches anymore.

Death of the Trampoline

The other day the kids were jumping on the tramp and the whole thing ripped in half. It's a gonner. We have been fortunate not to have any accidents on it yet. Rare, I know. A million close calls though. Are we mean parents if we don't replace it? The kids are ticked and are planning a revolt. "But Dad, everyone has a tramp... We won't ever get hurt...". Yae, yae, yae. We told them that they'll have so much more fun without it. Hiking, skating, biking, exploring, beaching... We'll see.















Alex is trying to figure how this camera grew in the garden. Weird.














Come on Max, I get whatever I want!

Joshua Tree

We just returned from camping in Joshua Tree with our great friends, the Billings. We haven't been the biggest campers for the last few years. Newborns...and all. We had such a blast together. Kids all were so great and haven't stopped talking about their adventures.

Here's everyone all piled in.

Both families brought propane stoves but no one remembered pans. Oops. We got a little creative by cooking our eggs and pancakes over the fire, in orange peels. Somehow worked. Good memory.

Fun night hike looking for coyotes in the light of a full moon.

Getting a little desperate for an escape from the heat.

Good, now stay there.

The only shade we could find. Frogs and tadpoles in green, stagnating water....appetizing?

Escaping from the heat with a popsicle and loitering in front of Staters. The manager showed his appreciation for our popsicle cheer (to the customers) by giving us the boot. Tyler's head was just spinning.

Shopping at the outlets.

Spring

We've been too lazy to blog, or too busy. One of the two. Anyways, life is peachy. We've put in a few gardens around the yard and they are jamming. We can't get tomatoes to grow, but we're not giving up. The kids have had so much fun with the yard these days. They beg their dad every day to go work together in the garden. Jumping on a shovel is more fun than jumping on the tramp I guess.











Brock and Tyler fishing together. After a while of not catching anything in the ocean, they started fishing in the tide pools and caught a bunch of little ones.














Alex's new favorite hobby. Archery. This will be interesting.




I wonder where Aaron gets his ideas from. hmmm. poor duckie.

The Tree

I like trees as much as the next gal, but for years I wanted our big sycamore down. It's the messiest tree ever, puff balls and leaves are never ending. It grows over the wires, the neighbor's yard and over the back wall. We had another tree belonging to the city just behind the back wall that hides the wires and we don't have to take care of it. So, the other day I was just done. I wanted it out, that day. I saw an opportunity and took it! I knew Tyler would understand about being spontaneous (of all people). He agreed. So, we called up our good friend/neighbor Ed, who is the pro-fix-everything-guy. He was kind enough to offer! After a few hours and a whole lot of help from fearless Ed, it is gone.

We were worried about the landing. One mistake, it would go through our wall and hit a car, or our even worse, our house. It took out a few of our other trees on the landing but we'll take it. At least we still had the city's tree.

Well, 2 days later, the city came and chopped all their trees down. oops. We're feeling a bit exposed. ha. I'm still so happy to have that sycamore gone. (Yes those are my maternity jeans, and nope....)

With all this wood, we have a goal to cook dinner over an outside fire once a week. What do you eat for dinner besides chili dogs and foil dinners? We will have to start getting creative I guess, or just pull out the smores!

With all this tree stuff happening, time for some good tunes. About trees of course. Tyler wrote this song back in the good 'ol days and it's always been a favorite of mine and the kids! Especially this week. (click the widget below)

Apple Tree.mp3

Hosted by eSnips

Fairwell Circlepix

After nine wonderful years here at CirclePix, I am now passing the torch and hanging up the gloves to move on to another new and exciting challenge. I've accepted a position to work with my 2 brothers in the home healthcare arena, working with the elderly.

As I have been slowly packing up my office over the last few weeks, so many memories of the early days have flooded my mind. Crazy. We started this company with just a few people in Rob's upstairs bonus room. Just a few of us buddies banging things out trying to figure some way to make things work. We went from just a few tours a month to over 10,000 tours a month, with over 400 photographers nationwide and somewhere around 150 employees in our corporate office, at one point. Although I'm so proud of all that we've accomplished together, the sweetest thing is the many friendships and memories that were made along the way. So thankul for all I've learned from everyone, past and present, at Cpix. I expect great things for the future of the company and wish everyone the best- and please keep in touch.

Thanks for the AMAZING ride!!


Tyler

Slingshots

We just took the kids out hiking in the Laguna Beach canyon. They were able to get their new slingshots all worn in. I think Santa really scored on these puppies. Out of all the toys and clothes they received, nothing holds a flame to these wrist rockets. Brock is sleeping with his. He wants to take it to the beach to nail seagulls. What has Tyler created? They are already talking about their next weeks adventure in the woods with their new slingshots.

Christmas Eve

For me, there's nothing like Christmas Eve! Greatest feeling in the air, good food, family, singing, gazoos, bells, skits, stories, kids all wired wondering if Santa is going to come through or not... Christmas Eve just simply rules! This year we had 40+ family members in town and all met at my sister Kim's house in Corona. They were amazing sports but I feel bad for her neighbors. Good times- Thanks Kim and Eric!

Merry Christmas

Things have been a little busy and we've slacked on posting anything. Here's a couple things we've been up to. Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Making Christmas gingerbread men.

Tyler just got released from his calling and called to be a ward missionary and to serve on the activities committee. The kids are so excited to sit with him again at church.

Sara and Cora as Costco "sample girls". (career night lesson - fhe)

Sara turns 11 on us. Happy Birthday Sara!! Our little baby is getting too old!

Then Christmas morning of course.

Poor Trevs!

Change of plans. Well, whatever they were, now Trevor has pneumonia. Yesterday, we took him in for a possible ear infection and came out 4 hours later with 3 perscriptions to treat him for pneumonia. Yikes. We spent last night doing laps together and snuggling. So sad to see him so sick. He's already seeing tons of improvement and we'll see what the dr says today at his next apt.

The kids have found creative ways to get him to sleep. They call it the "magic blanket train". I'm all for it.

The "Fun Zone"

We just spend the afternoon at the Balboa Fun Zone. We found this little tide pool museum and the kids thought they were at Sea World. Hope that counts for this year.

A while back, Tyler taught Brock how to catch a pigeon. I thought they were lucky the first time. Now, Brock catches them where ever he goes. It's hilarious, but this time the bird was trying to fly away so hard that half his tail ripped off. oops. The girls were ticked, but dad reassured them that pigeons are just like lizzards -their tales come and go as they please. huh?

Final Days of Maui

Karen wanted a coconut real bad. It had to be fresh. What do you do?














Sean challenged me to an all out eating competition. It was time to see once and for all who is the king. We ordered the "Bonanza" Burger which was like 1.5 lbs of meat.














As you can see, I got schooled. I guess I'm not a kid anymore. Nice work Sean.

Us, agonizing over leaving this place. I guess all great things must come to an end.

Thanks Rob and Lisa, Sean and Jen, John and Michelle. Couldn't have made sweeter memories!

Day 4

Karen and I got up early and went to Iao Valley which is up in the rain forrest. We found a sweet trail and went hiking a few miles. It was amazing. We picked fruit off the trees and had a fun picnic. Can't believe how beautiful the mountains are here. No one to be found, except a few local skinny dippers. (I didn't look, but I think Karen peeked)




















We found the coolest little, private beach on the way home and went snorkeling together.









Here we are cooking up a few of our fish we speared. Good stuff. Not quite as good as The Melting Pot restaurant where we went afterward. Man these guys know how to eat right. I'm new to all these restaurants, but they are teaching me the ropes.

Day 3 Maui

Each day, we've been getting up at like 6 am (3 hours difference). We all go on a long walk along the beach. So fun hanging with everyone.

We had breakfast at The Plantation, which is a real famous golf course with the best views.

Karen and I went spearing at Black Rock. We nailed 3 different eels but all beat us and got off. One was huge and had a perfect shot in the neck. We had quite the audience underwater and everyone was screaming and freaking out at the fight. When it finally wiggled it's way off, he turned around and went after me and almost bit me. I haven't been that scared for a while. We got to swim with 2 huge turtles. Karen was in heaven.

This sweet Hawaiian dude appeared from nowhere to light the torches. He looked like he needed a hand.

Maui Day 2

Today we all cruised to Honolua Bay. Such amazing snorkeling. Rob put this little video together of all of us. Later, Karen and I went snorkeling right in front of our resort. After teaching her how to use the spear, she swims down and nailed a huge puffer fish. oops. I was dying.

Maui Day 1

We finally arrived in Maui. What a dream. Karen and I, a bunch of friends, no responsibilities staying at Rob and Lisa's Marriott resort (water front with a dream view). We had Karen's mom lined up to babysit all the monsters, then she had some last minute health problems. She's out. My parents were all set. A few hours before our flight out, my mom gets nailed by a car on her bike and ends up with a broken foot (both moms are okay). Sheesh, she's out. We were seconds away from canceling everything and my brothers all pulled together and insisted on making it all happen. They are the greatest ever. They're even keeping them all together the whole time. We feel so blessed to be here!

Splash in the Fountains

Water is just so entertaining. We spent some time at Fashion Island on Saturday. "Leave the poor fish alone." Yells one "free thinker".

















"No horse play around the ponds." Yells another "free thinker."
















"Leave the money in the water." Yells another "free thinker."
















Go work for your money girl! Whoopsie Daisy! Paige was working a little too hard...reaching a little too far. Luckily the nice security guard ran to the rescue and pulled her out of the water directly behind where Tyler and I were sitting. (Oops!)

Tagged Dangit

Linda Crawford just tagged me, because she rules, I will comply....

Joys

1. Holding and watching my sleeping babies.

2. Taking in the sunset, especially over the ocean.

3. Reflecting on childhood memories with my immediate family and grandparents.

4. Refinishing a trashed piece of furniture.

5. Reading to my kids.

6. Hearing my Mom and Dad laugh.

7. Eating warm brownies.

8. Holding Tyler's hand in the movies.

9. Diving off the diving board.

10. Laughing hard.


Fears

1. A tragedy that steals Tyler away from me.

2. Getting Pleurisy (again)

3. Cockroaches

4. Medieval tortures

5. Failing a college class that I didn't know I signed up for. As a result, that kept me from graduation. (I already graduated!!! Why do I keep having that same dream/nightmare!!!)

6. Starving to death.


Current Obsessions

1. When is our house going to sell?

2. Where are we going to move?

3. Should we add on to our house we have here?

4. Is Trevor getting all the love, nutrition and knowlege he deserves?

5. Ditto #4 for the other SIX children.



Surprising Facts

1. I used to twirl a flag.

2. I hate dark chocolate.

3. I am an excellent closet dancer.

Now I tag Tyler. Please make me laugh.

Camping, anyone?

We were so lucky to spend last week camping in San Diego at the San Elijo campground with some of Tyler's brothers and their families. Our kind of camping -right on the beach, perfect waves, snorkeling, showers, a little market right on site... Couldn't be better, except for the loudest train that kept honking every night. Unreal. Trevor sure loved it. Anyways, we had the best time. Good way to end the summer together.





















Tyler preping the kids how to tuck in the barrels.





















We ended the trip in Temecula for the last day.