Pioneer Day!

Oliver liked being able to run all over the cultural hall without being made to sit down. Next week's sacrament meeting is going to be interesting trying to break him of this sliding across the room move.
The girls picked out their pioneer outfits. It was the first year we didn't just fake it. They were so excited to have real bonnets. Too cute!
Somehow, I don't think glitter mary janes were the most common footwear for pioneer girls, but very cute!
......they walked, and walked, and walked......

Wading Pool

There is a cute little park up in Burbank that has this little wading pool. The kids had fun for a 1/2 hour, then they were done. But at least they got to cool off!

4th of July

We went to a great park for 4th of July, it was even red white and blue, just to make my pictures cute! Here is the little bike gang!

Oliver loves swinging from bars!

William & Allie




Ben grillin.. and Mike being silly. He loves me taking thousands of pictures:)

Red, white, and blue.
All twisted up!
The little guys didn't like this pose.


Whistling with grass.
Hide 'n' Seek

Oliver loved playing rough with his boy cousins. He loves there house because it is all boy toys!


Happy 4th of July!

Camping at the Beach

We met up with my brother Mike and his family at San Elijo beach for a night of camping on the beach with cousins. I showed up first with my 3 kids. I decided that I was superwoman and could start setting up my huge tent by myself, no I take that back, I tried setting it up with 3 kids running off across roads and into other peoples campsites. I thought I was doing pretty good until the elderly neighbors sent their husbands over. When people say, "Are you alright, it looks like you could use some help" you know you must look like a complete mess. So, I said that's okay, I should have guy her in a second. Sorry feminists.



So, Mike and Stef showed up next. I have to say they are much more capable at the whole tent setting up thing. Sorry, everybody knows I am not a nature girl. But, I want my kids to be well adjusted, so camping we went! We set the kids up with bikes and let them cruise around the campground. They looked like a little gang off of "Sandlot" or "Little Rascals". They were so cute.
Now this was hard for me too. Anyone who knows me, knows I have issues with letting my kids out of my sight. I have never just let them go ride bikes (although this was a little circle around the campground) I still couldn't see them for like 5-10 minutes. So, I felt like I took I took a big step in relinquishing control. Although, Andrew is 10 and he was watching them, so that mad me feel better. Tthe little ones took over the campsite. They were like little pests, getting into all of the snack and tracking dirt into the tents.
Ben met up with us right as chicken enchiladas were coming out of the campfire (Thanks Stef!) Then it was time for smores, yum!



The next morning we played on the beach. It was a little overcast. But it was still warm enough.

Uncle Mike took the girl's out on their first surfing lesson. Nathan and Izzie look like a scene out of "Gidget".
Here is Allie, right before......
...WIPEOUT! Daddy to the rescue ;)
Mike and Ben
Andrew, Izzie, and Nate at the beach!
The whole gang!
Time to go home, I need a shower!

Horseback Riding

The girls have been begging to go horseback riding for months. Nani was their fairy godmother rescuing from their life of "boredom" and "endless work" according to Isabelle. So, they started horseback riding lessons at Silver Spur Stables in Burbank for the summer. They absolutely love it. There are preteen girls everywhere in their riding gear. The girls were in heaven. Isabelle's horse is "Princessa" and Allie's horse is "Arian". Isabelle was riding on her own and learning to post by the end of her first lesson, and trotting by her second. Allie loves to just go around the arena in circles singing to herself. It is so cute! So, a big thank you to Nani and Papa. You always come to the rescue to these little princesses caught in their drab life of chores and boredom. I am just glad that at least on Wednesdays I don't hear "I'm soooooooooooo bored by 10 am :)








Oliver loves to play with the goat, sheep, and cats while the girls ride!

They decided they want to move anywhere that they can have their own horse!

Oliver is 18 months!

These pics were taken in a half hour session, believe it or not, in downtown Pasadena. Ashley with White Balance Photography did a great job! Here is Oliver at 18 months!








I got him dressed to head home...but he wasn't done. I thought it would be cute to get a couple in his favorite shirt. Oliver has a complete obsession with two things: Daddy and Elmo. So, here he is in all of his Elmo loving euphoria:

This was his response to me asking, "where's Elmo?"

Here is the link to all of the pics:
http://whitebalancephotography.com/Client/Karren/