Stage One

Grandpa came to help while the movers packed us up and we stayed far far away from the chaos in a SUHwEEt hotel :)
Thnx Dad!Fun at Pebble Beach

"Okay, I'm weddy!"

Our first leg of the journey...
I wish I could say I put them up to this!

Ah man! Do I really look like a peacock?
Why yes. Yes you do.

About the only thing we saw worth taking notes between Reno and SLC.

A tribute:

Ah ha! There you are! I knew I smelled you over here.

Classic

So Don't ask how it started, because it was completely platonic.
I swear.
AnywAyz... Luke and I got into a wee wrestling match at the casa tonight.
My nose itched...in a BAD, gimme-a-gummybear-or-I'll-punch-you-I'm-on-a-diet-sorta way.
Luke had me pinned on the floor so I couldn't even reach my hand to my face.
I cried out to Porter, "Porter! Come scratch my nose. PLEASE PLEASE!"
To which he responded, "Not tonight, Mom. Not tonight."

Hiatus

.....That's what WE'RE on!
Stay tuned until we get settled in Europe.

Yup! That's right. Don't be hatin'.
'Cause I love you!

After an all-day museum trip

But ....I.......
NEED..............
to................
daaaaaaance....




*Luke thought he's introduce Porter to R&B...great keep-awake-strategy honey!
*You gotta watch reeeel close

Happy Easter!

(After 3 hours at church, we have zombies for children.)
(Oh, and I swear Afton has ears...she was just tryin' out her "Aunt Jemima" look")

Lake Tahoe vs. Yosemite

Lake Tahoe:

Yosemite:

HAS ANYONE BEEN TO EITHER???
Please help us decide!
We have the option to go to (for sure) one of these spots...
If we're lucky, both.
If you've been to either and can suggest anything like:
what part of the lake
where to stay
what not to do
where not to stay....
or where would be best with two kidaroos at this time of year
Please help me plan our trip!

I'll repay you by thinking happy thoughts of you being with us on our magical journey!

A Night to Remember!

We went out to dinner with our friends Shaunjustin and CarrieJon.
(Cooinsidental names, I know!)
Poor Carriejon...I didn't want to tell him.

We went to this quaint restaurant built into a mountainish hill.
The food was taste-y but a wee bit inflated on the price.
(Sorry Nepenthe.)

We laughed so much it hurt.
Or......maybe that was just me.


Nope.

B-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-t
SRSLY.
Why am I the ONLY one looking off into the distance imagining myself weightless, swimming with tiny little seahorses?
I dunno
Thanks everyone, for the memorable night!

Jealous?

Arrrrrrr. What goes there!?
Whales?


Why No. No, it's not.
Why it's our good friends Shauna and Justin.
Poor saps.
They lost their lunch. x37


But our vommitous voyage was not in vain!
We saw a bunch of Humpback Whales.
And then I hit the deck.

Stuff I'm NOT Saying

I LOVE my Lucas!!!

Lucas doesn't like it when I say things like:
"Guess what everyone! He passed his English and Math CLEP exams so he can earn his Associates Degree!!!"
Yeah, so I won't say that.
He also doesn't like it when I say things like:
"He did all that in the midst of his break-neck pace German courses and exams."
OR
"He's pretty much the top student in his German class.
Yup, he is."
OR
"He's studying German at the Defense Language Institute...which pretty much kicks the trash of the MTC."
(With all due respect of course. 'Cause he would NEVER!
Okay...I'll go repent now)
OR
"I'm so proud of him!"
I just wanted to NOT share that with everyone.
Anywayz... that's all.
Oh yeah. I forgot. He is FREAKIN'
HILARIOUS!!!!
And he's MINE ....AAAALL MINE

This is how he decided to burst through the door of another language course going on...

Nice Tighty-whities, honey! You're saggin' a little on the right tho. I'm preeeeeeetty sure your butt cheeks don't look like THAT.

P.S. "Lucas" isn't really his name...FYI....smth my lil' sis started calling him bc she thought "Luke" was "too short." Just in case you were thinking to yourselves, "I didn't know she married a Latino."

...

Yes, these are the same children.

NOT aliens from the planet

Glorebeegimmesomeicecreamerilleaturface

But SRSLY! How fun would that be to have 2 little aliens running around. You could make 'em pluck ur eyebrows 'n stuf.

Tennis

So we played tennis for the first time since having kiddaroos!
Yes, I know. Waaaaaaaaay too long.
Excuse #1 - No rackets. Too expensive. That is UNTIL...
one of my infamous Target escapades whereupon I discovered our $30 rackets for $4!!!
don't be hatin'
Excuse #2 - No easily accessible courts (that's what we told ourselves so we could continue being lazy)
Excuse #3 - Kids
Then we found THIS court! A single, fenced-in court nestled amidst a playground-park!!! The kids loved it and so did we. They're DEF going to be the next Tiger Woods-es ...of tennis

Daddy's Ace Tennis Ball Getter

Tiger

And Pullin' up the rear, our little explorer.
She played with cans, leaves, rocks, and paint chips the entire time.
Does that mean anything?

When you have no hair...

It's NOT a brush!
It's a microphone!ahhhh shucks!

Good Bye, Ol' Friend!

Though we've only known eachother for 9 months, I will miss your glorious hot pink ribbons draped over my shoulder and the perfect size-ology of your pockets de interior.
I will miss your white-picketfence-esque exterior pockets of 2 for my coupon obsessions and planner-oh-so-blue.
Your outer side pockets that held my keys so faithfully, but still I felt the need to ask "but where are my keys?" and search all other 8 FIRST...EVERYTIME!
Silly pockets!
Oh your vinyl-lined interior was such perfection for me...because I AM Queen Spillsalot.
I loved that you were a DIAPER BAG but looked like such a big trendy purse. No one knew. Except a select few...and for that I thank you!
For that was one of my biggest hangups about becoming a mommy.
But alas, all good things must come to an end.
And because I lazed about, neglecting your bath to get that dreadful mysterious stain of grossness off of your white-picket-fence, you betray me.
I placed you near the shower because I was going to bathe you!
Right after my tasks....
and LOST...
and my bag o' popcorn...
and bag of Sweedish Fish...
and my naked run through the zoo...
NOT because I thought it was okay that you become a chia-pet for mold overnight!
You know what this means?
No, you obvsly don't.
This means I have to cut you up and use you for parts. (sigh!)
Yes, and the rest will be talking to the raccoons.
Goodbye ol' girl! You were good to me!


p.s. I don't run naked...
p.p.s. I don't run through zoos. You can get in to trouble

Pfeiffer Beach

AKA: Purple Sand Beach.

Saturday was the first day in possibly weeks, that Luke has been home, it hasn't been freezing and rainy and dreary and we've not had to-dos.
YIPPEEEEEE!
So, we headed down to Big Sur and checked out the famous violet sands that come from manganese garnet particles...
hmmm, sounds like some fancyshmancy stone...
maybe I could find one and use it for my missing ring. (sigh)
Don't mind me, I'll be digging.

Along the way

This isn't my daughter.
No. No it's not.
Poor boy.
It was SO windy and cold!
Like a mermaid, I would love to come back and play in the purpley sand when it's hot...

And don't think I didn't have my gold panning equipment in my back pocket.

And don't think I wasn't ready to take out anyone if they tried to pann for my new purpley ring stone!

Who's feet are cuter?
No.
Wait.
They are totally mine, I know.

My Boys...

Anyone for a visit now?