Sea World!!

While we were in San Diego (the next several posts will start with this phrase) we went to Sea World with the Alexanders. The kids had a BLAST, despite the not so great weather. They even braved the water ride and Addilyn took an hour and a half nap in Kenzie's stroller. Thanks, Kenz!

The water ride that SOAKED the boys.

Addilyn was brave enough to touch the sting rays... Carter? Not so much.

We fed the dolphins. The kids LOVED that but were a little too scared to pet them.

Flipper even smiled for me. :)

Carter and Blakers. These two have been friends since their daddy's were in high school... They just didn't know it. But they play so well together and I'm sure will be best buds forever.

Two Months Old!!

Now that Preslee is approaching three months I suppose I should post a few of her two month pictures. I need to be more on top of my blog... but alas, life happens. She's just the cutest little thing and starting to get a personality and smiling. She's even doing the grunting giggle thing that babies do before they really laugh. I love it. And I'm enjoying every last moment.

La Playa

Obviously growing up I spent a fair amount of time at the beach. But I wasn't the usual SoCal beach-goer. I liked to swim in my pool during the day (more convenient and FAR cleaner) and go to the beach at night. Don't get me wrong, I have fond memories of ditching high school to go to the beach (even once getting caught by the cops... good thing I was already 18 that time), but there's nothing like the beach at night. Calm, lit by the moon and bonfires, the sound of the waves, and the smell. I LOVE the smell.
Anyways, since I'm a Nazi about getting the kids in bed around 7 (or 8 if we're on vacation) the beach is more of a daytime event for us right now. I am really excited to take them at night for a bonfire in the future, but for now, it's daytime trips and sunset smores. Plus, my kids are Zonies and they don't mix well with the cold. Once the sun is gone, the beach is chilly, even in July. So, we headed to the beach one day while we were in San Diego. It was so fun and Carter LOVED the water... as long as it didn't pass his ankles. :) Addi preferred the sand and food. Preslee preferred Nona. We had a blast playing with Josh and Allie and their mommy. While I'm sad they moved it's SO fun to spend really quality time with them while we're visiting. I love my family!!

Granky and Gigi

Last week the kids and I headed to San Diego. I have been wanting to get out there since Preslee was born so she could meet my grandparents. As I have mentioned several times on my blog, I have the most awesome grandparents on both sides! I am lucky enough to have my dad's parents live only about 30 minutes from my parents. So, every time we go home I make sure to go and bug them at least once. They are so fun. Always have been. My kids absolutely adore them... although it takes Addi a little while to warm up. Not Carter. He often talks about them when we're in Arizona asking when we can go see them again.
Granky is now using a walker. I told him we need to totally trick it out. You know, get a load obnoxious horn, paint flames on it... stuff like that. He took Carter on walks up and down their hallway while Carter sat on the seat of the walker. He thought it was the coolest thing! He talked about it the whole way home. Granky even let Carter push it around their house.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to spend time with my kids. I know kids are hard (and LOUD!) but I hope you both know how much they adore you. You're the most amazing grandparents and I love you even more watching you adore and pine after my children. If only they knew how lucky they are to still have you two around.

Meeting Preslee for the first time.

These pictures are so very priceless. I wish I had pictures like this with my great grandparents.

A "lug" for Gigi. Carter chillin' in the walker.

Preslee's Baby Blessing

We blessed Preslee two weeks ago (September 27th). It was awesome. I always love blessing the babies, having friends and family over, and buying an overly expensive dress that I love and that Bryan rolls his eyes over. (Totally worth every cent.) Bryan blessed her and my dad, his dad, Bishop Livingston, Runkin, Uncle Matt, Uncle Jon, and Ryan Alexander all stood in. Thank you everyone for coming. Even though Preslee slept through the lunch afterwards, she told us she was really happy everyone celebrated for her. :)
I love my wide angle lens. You get too close and people look funny. HA!

This picture of Preslee and my dad is one of my favorites.

Don't mind the chub-a-lub which is my post pregnant body. Seems not even a baby in a huge white dress can mask it. We're working on it.

Nona holding Preslee.

Isn't this picture so sweet?

A friend of mine, Erika, makes amazing cakes and was kind enough to make one for the blessing lunch. It turned out PERFECT! I absolutely LOVED it. (And it tasted great.)

Cookie Monsters

After we tatted it up with the kiddies, we decorated cookies. You know, that's a messy sport with kids. And not super sanitary either. But they LOVE it. Every time we decorate cookies, they enjoy themselves... and eat just as much as they decorate. I love it too. I love watching them take it so seriously and be so thrilled with their "masterpieces."

Abby
Gracie

Kelly and Preslee... who got decorated. :)

Carter

Addilyn just ate as she went. :)

Tats

Before we left for San Diego Kel came over with the Ladies to play. I am REALLY going through withdrawls from the Ladies. They are in Kindergarten this year all day so I feel like I NEVER see them. I honestly sucks. They're the coolest little girls ever and I really enjoy having them over. Anyways, we wanted to make/decorate Halloween cookies but before we did that, Kel brought over some tattoos for the kids to wear. This was the day before Preslee's baby blessing so I made Addilyn get hers on her tummy so they wouldn't show in her church dress. Carter got one on each arm. They loved them. This was Addi's first experience with a tattoo so she was all kinds of thrown off when she couldn't peel it off like a sticker. It was a really fun day. I am so lucky to have such killer nieces. (Their mom's not bad either...)

Abby with her Halloween mouth. We discovered that all the kids were just a little too young for these. ("No, don't bite them." "They're not meant to taste good." "Just hold them in your mouth.")

Everyone with their new tats. Kel even put one on her ankle. I was busy doing the cookies so I didn't get one.

Above: Abby Rae; Below: Gracie Girl