Weekend Bliss

What a lazy weekend! Saturday was full of house crap that was supposed to get done long ago and lazy movie watching.  We totally squandered a beautiful day here on pure laziness.  I hate it when that happens! But, really Travis hates it more than I do.  So we had to make up for it today.

Church was a good reminder today.  God is convicting me to pay attention to moments when I can be of service, not waiting for the perfect moment but using what I have already. Good stuff.

After lunch we headed to Pa's Pumpkin Patch.  It's such a cheesy, fun place.

A few fun carnival rides, jumpers, carnival games, tons of pumpkins and hay.

What's not to love.  Beau won himself a little toy doing this basketball game.

Jack took a fun ride on this swirly ride.

Maizie jumped till her little heart was content in the gigantic jumper.

Theo slept.  Beau & Maizie each picked out teeny, tiny little white pumpkins (Jack was too cool and Theo slept). Since our children are so financially conscious, they decided that we could just get our regular Halloween pumpkins at the grocery store because they were cheaper but we should get one white pumpkin just because they look cool.

I will definitely be posting when we carve up these bad boys which doesn't look like it will be happening until Tuesday?  What?!

blog update time? I think so.

This twice a year blogging is not a good idea! I forget everything that has ever happened in my life.  Well, to recap, we had a very fun summer and are now in the throws of elementary school and holiday season.  We are enjoying some serious tear producing fourth grade homework, fun third grade writing projects, and figuring out what to do with a first grader who tests out of homework every week.  It's  actually really nice to be home with just a 22 month old all week.  I feel like I haven't had much time in the past to just enjoy Theo and so it's such a treat to have him all to myself.

I have joined a women's bible study with my friend, Michelle.  It meets every Thursday morning and has child care for the fat boy.  It has been a blessing to really dig into the Word and it gives me some accountability in that area.

Since the kids are involved in a ton of activities and I am with Theo all day, I have found something for myself to do so that I don't lose my science brain and my desire to commune with nature.  I have decided to become a Whalewatch Naturalist at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.  I am in class every Tuesday night until March learning the biology of every marine mammal, bird, fish... that inhabits or migrates through our lovely area of the ocean.  So far the classes are quite intense and there's a ton of information.  I love every minute of it.  I also totally love all the hippies in my class and their passion for these beautiful animals. If I pass my test in December I will be able to lead groups on the whalewatching tours that the aquarium offers...ON BOATS! I know, cool. So, it's something different and new.

Hopefully it will ease a bit of the discontentment I feel sometimes with being home all the time with the kids.  They're such a blessing and a challenge, but I need a bit more connection with the world... and I do love to learn!

So, there's a quick update about the fam....er mostly me.  But, hey, I am writing this thing after all!!

Random Beau

This picture totally sums up Beau.  Only half of his body is in this picture because he has so wildly projected himself off the swing I couldn't capture it in time.  However, it turned out perfectly.

Jack Got Baptized!

Yesterday was a big day for the Wade family! We were so pleased to watch our oldest fella get baptized! He has been thinking about it for a long time and finally felt like he was ready to show everyone his commitment to Christ.  He has such a love for God and others, we are excited to see what plans God has for him!

Our pastor from Light & Life Christian Fellowship North in Long Beach, Larry Walkemeyer, and Travis  walking out into the water with Jack.  We are so blessed to have the Pacific Ocean in our backyard!

Jack was so excited!

WOOHOO!!!  

There were about 15 other people from our church getting baptized there on Cherry Beach also! It was awesome!

Theo's First Steps Today!!

Theo took his first steps this morning! Yey! Go Theo Go!

Maizie was home sick today so she got to see this. The boys are going to be so excited when they get home from school!!

Sunday Beach Day

Most perfect beach day on Sunday! It was finally a warm enough weekend at Hermosa Beach! Yey! 

The boys could NOT wait to get in the freezing cold water!

There was a really cool sand bar that all the kids played on

Theo loved the sand!

ready to go home?? ;)

Superman!

I was there too!

Camping at O'Neill Regional Park

AWANA Family Camp trip to O'Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon! Theo & I were going to go but unfortunately Theo got a high fever on the day we were supposed to leave :(  But Travis stepped up to the plate and took the kids by himself (which is what he had to do last year when I was almost 8 months pregnant!).  They had a really great time sleeping in a tent and hanging out with their AWANA friends.  But it was COOOOOLLLLDDD!

Who gave this kid a mallet?

on a hike with Daddy!

Maizie and her bff chilling out together!

handsome guy!

Beau and an accomplice doing something crazy I'm sure.

on a mission

Maizie and her best buddy again enjoying a game of UNO!

I love these guys!! They're about to come home - tired and ready!

Maizie's camping hair - awesome!

Quiet Christmas Day

We had a nice quiet Christmas...ahhh.  It was really nice.  Travis made his delicious, decadent, delightful cinnamon rolls! We opened presents and had a nice day with each other.  I will assure you that Travis & Jack did have presents to open but for some reason there were no photos of those poor suckers.  Oh well, next year.  :)

Reading the Christmas story from the Bible

Theo opening a present!

Me opening my new Toms shoes! Holla!

Maizie opening her new camera!

Beau opening some new Ninjago lego toy! 

Chillin' on Christmas Eve!

This Christmas was super quiet for us, which was nice after a long vacation that was overwhelmingly busy and fun.  We relaxed and enjoyed each others company along with some awesome Christmas movies.  

Our Christmas Eve

The kids checking out their presents - planning out the fun tomorrow!

Theo knows there's cheese cakes in there for tomorrow!

Enjoying some appetizers while we watch some Christmas movies.  I think it was the Grinch (the cartoon) and Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  

These kids love their Rockamole!

Even Theo was zoning out to Christmas movies! Great, he's ruined already.  

Colorado Visit part Six: Random Fun Pics

Ahhh, it's come to an end, almost!  Here's the last of the fun in Colorado! We enjoyed mostly every moment!

Deckin out the tree with Pappy!

Having breakfast with my cousins!!  It was so great to catch up with everybody and laugh together, which is what we do best!!

The kids and their Grandma!

us cuties!

At Christmas brunch at the Weizeneckers! And it's always Nail Salon time in Maizie's eyes, luckily she had a willing participant - cousin Annie!!

All the Wade/Weizenecker men or boys really!

And us girls!

On our way back to CA we had another overnight in Rifle and had to stop at the fire station and see Uncle Steve's trucks!!

I guess this means Travis is done with vacation??