Saturday as a Family

Tim usually works on Saturdays, so it was nice that he was able to take it off this week so we could spend the day as a family.

Rachel spent the morning playing with (some may calling harassing) the cats. She was playing with them with their toy for quite some time and eventually climbed onto the couch to chase them down. She really loves them. She tackles Sarabi in this video in an attempt to hug her. Then she starts yelling mew mew mew mew, which is her meow. It usually sounds more like mow mow mow mow, but when she gets excited, it sounds more like it does on the video.

Becky and her family went camping in Mission Bay again and we went there for the afternoon. It was so nice for me because it was the first time Tim has gone to the beach with me. He saw firsthand how much Rachel loved to be in the water and how much you have to chase her around when she is at the beach. She is such a busybody.

Rachel and Grant hanging out. He still doesn't like the water, so he spent the whole time getting dirty in the sand and eating verrrry sandy Cheerios.

While Rachel was taking her morning nap, I went to Target and spent way more money than I should have (as I do every time I go to Target). While I was there, I got her a couple of new bath toys, which were both a big hit when we got home from Mission Bay. The first was bathtub markers. She really liked coloring in the tub.

The second was bubbles. She had a really good time playing with them in the tub. They were great bubbles because they were really sticky. She could catch some of them with her hands and play with them and they didn't all pop right away.

Dinner Party at the Stephens House

Last night we went to Doug, Marie, and Emma's house for dinner. We were joined my Jason, Kristyn, and Jillian as well. It is always so nice to get together with all of them.

Rachel's favorite toy of the night was Emma's golf club. She ran around the backyard hitting any ball she could find with it and thankfully didn't hit any kids.

The girls all played really well together. They sure do look like they are in deep conversation and that Rachel has something very important to say.

It only took about 15 shots to finally get a picture where they were all looking. Rachel has been going through a growth spurt recently and I think she caught up to Jillian (who is about 5 months older than her) in the past couple of weeks.

They all started eating dinner at the table. Rachel was trying to get up to run around and so she ended up in a booster seat.

This made for a much happier Rachel. Once she was in the chair, she was happy to eat and not run around.

She really enjoyed Emma's swing. Good thing she didn't know Emma was swinging in it naked the night before :)

They all enjoyed their pie and ice cream and I think Jillian even had seconds.

Annual Mission Beach BBQ

On Saturday, Rachel and I went to Moonlight Beach for the Annual Mission Middle School Beach BBQ. The thing I think about every year that I go is that is where I got stung by a sting ray about 10 years ago. After that happened, I thought I would never go back to that beach again...but yet I go back every year.

She had a great time on the dolphin. You had to be quick to get on these. We were standing by one and I was picking her up to put her on it and a boy hopped on, and of course his parents were nowhere to be found.

She thinks that slides are there only for climbing up.

But she has to slide down to get the opportunity to climb back up.

She has become so fast. I spent the entire time chasing her. She wanted to go in the water so badly and it was just to cold out to go in. She was so mad at me when I wouldn't let her go in.

17 Months

Rachel turned 17 months on Monday.I didn't get very many pictures because I had to work on Monday, but here is my happy little girl watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse before bed. Next month, she will be one and a half. Wow, she is growing up so quickly! Next time I turn around she will be starting kindergarten.

Brianne's Going Away Parties

Last weekend we to two going away "parties" for my sister who moved to Idaho this week. The first one was at my brothers house with my nieces and nephews.

Rachel and the boys played a lot of chase around the table and had a great time. They are so good with her, especially Kyle. He plays with her a lot and she really enjoys him.

Rachel got a birthday present from them (only 5 months after her birthday). It was a really cute ladybug toy.

Nathan is such a ham. He kept running by as I was taking the picture.

We also celebrated Allison's birthday (only about 2 months late).


Then on Sunday, we went to my moms and had the whole gang there. It was extended family and friends as well.

They are so happy to start this new adventure of theirs.

A big part of the group.

As usual, Rachel and Grant had a good time playing together. They hung out in the dog bed,

wanted to climb outside the window and play outside,

finally made it out there and had a good time on the swing,

and then posed for a picture on the chair.

Overall, I had a good time at the "parties", until it was time to leave. It was so hard to say goodbye. She has always lived within 30 minutes of me and is now so far away. I am happy for them because they are happy to be starting this new adventure, but I am sad that they are so far away. Good luck Brianne and Chris! We love you!!!

Beach Trip

Rachel, Brianne, and I went to the beach two weekends ago. Brianne has been really wanting to go to the beach one last time before she left California and Rachel and I were happy to oblige since we both love the beach.We stopped and got some sand toys on the way since we didn't have any. We made it all summer without since every time we went, we had gone with others who had sand toys that they shared with Rachel.

The water was decently cold, but that didn't stop us.

She just loves the water and the waves!