Jer and Stef: 02/2012

On New Years Day we visited 'The Lights at CALM.' It was awesome, much better than I expected! So many lights in all kinds of tricky ways, they had little 'lands' like dinosaur land and the north pole etc. There was also a merry go round and we rode the train. Lucky for us it was a rather warm night compared to recent ones.

THe girls and I have been doing some fun activities this month to slowly wind down from the buys holidays. We had play dates at Chuck E. Cheese, and pump it up. I got a little mom's night out at PF Changs too! I also got to take Ashlyn to a little sample music class while Ellia helped dad with a highway cleanup service project. It was pretty fun watching Ashlyn try the piano...I liked the freedom the teacher allowed, with just a little direction and structure. Play the black keys this time. Now rest (make hands into fists).

The one sad thing this month was saying goodbye as our good friends the Spencers packed up to move to Houston. I got to take Violet to swim therapy while Ginger waited for the movers, and it was so fun! I could tell Violet loved the water and it was very interesting to see the benefits swim therapy can provide.

As part of preschool Ellia got to take Share Bear for a weekend to see what life was like in our family. She came to chic-fil-a with some friends while husbands worked late or attened mutual etc. She also got to watch Ellia at gymnastics.

We sent Ellia's donated hair to Pantene Beautiful lengths.

One day after bringing Ellia home from preschool, the weather was nice and I was alraedy in my workout clothes so I got the girls all ready and we went for a run down the street. It was SO fun!! Ellia wizzed ahead of me and Ash as Ashlyn huffed and puffed to run her fastest. Ellia was doing so good and would get way ahead then just stop like it was nothing to wait for us. I decided to give her a little tip on bending her arms and Ash tried too. She didn't quite get the hang of it, and intead held them both bent at her sides with really tight fists. It was adorable.

Getting all dressed up for Haley's Fancy Nancy Birthday party. This was our fourth birthday party this month. We went to Giada's Hello Kitty party, Livia's Tinkerbell party and Maggie's Cars party.

So now the girls are loving dressups all over again.

The weather has been so nice we decided to take advantage of it and go to the beach with the Hunter's to spend the day and try some surfing...my first time!!!

It was great weather but we're learning that in California, the water is always cold.

My first time out surfing was so much easier than I expected! I always picture the crash part of surfing (maybe from movies I guess) where you fall off and just keep getting pounded down with wave after wave and tumbling around getting water up your nose etc etc. Well fortunately that was NOT my experience! I had a great teacher and a HUGE board so I was able to stand up after a few tries, not for very long though. I'd get close to shallow water and there were a lot of rocks and I kept picturing myself falling over and smacking my head so I'd just lay back down as the board coasted in.

While the Hunters were both out surfing we watched all the kids. Lilly and Toby had a blast climbing all over Jeremy.

See Lilly's feet on Jeremy's back?

We even got Ellia in a wet suit so she could go into the water with Jeremy and try out the board.

Then it was Jeremy's turn. Beth said they picked a bad time becasue it was so crowded, poor guy. They went far enough away that I couldn't even really watch him because at that point all I saw were a bunch of dark bodies.

After nap times.

still happy!

Finding shells.

Watching the sun go down.

I decided I better try one more time before the sun was completely gone. Beth went with me this time and it was more challenging, I did end up in a deep spot for a bit and kept fighting the water to get back out and up on another wave, but I still caught a few good ones!