The Beach - Picture Overload!

This year we got to go to Justin's family reunion at Carlsbad Beach.  We didn't go last year, and so everyone was excited to go again.  Spencer loved the sand and was wary of the water.  Ellie dared to go out for a little body surfing this year.  Meg and Grant splashed and looked for shells and had a great time.  We all enjoyed seeing family.  Thanks for the Beach Grandma Duck and Grandma Paula and Grandpa Mark!

Our view in the mornings (and yes, I did move Spencer into the bed each morning to get another hour or so of peace):

Spencer is a little obsessed with himself lately.  When he sees me holding the camera he sticks his head close to it and poses like this:

This, I think, is my favorite picture I took this year:

Meg's eyeballs got a little sunburned so we tried to convince her to wear sunglasses.  She insisted on wearing them above her eyes so that she could see.

Random Photos

Meg does Spencer's hair.  If only my girls had ever had this mop.

Riding the rides in the park.  I don't usually do videos, but these are funny.  The first is the kids on a ride while Spencer watches.  (He was too little.)  The second is him trying to crawl under the fence to get to them on the ride.

He finally gets a turn riding the train:

Meg's gum in Spencer's hair after she tended him while I took a shower.  I cut it out.  Peanut Butter seemed too time intensive, and he has enough hair to take the loss.

Pirate Party

Grant thought of lots of strange themes for his birthday this year, themes I couldn't really figure out how to do anything with when it came to cakes or favors or invitations.  Finally he said "pirates" one day, and I ran with it before he changed his mind and went back to "motorcycles." I'm sorry, I cannot make a motorcycle cake.  This was also the first year Grant had friends over, and he was so excited to have a real friend birthday party.  I planned everything and then Justin ran the show.  He is much more exciting (and convincing as an underwater squid) than I am.

Grant's cupcakes, which had pirate toppers, actually caught on fire, which everyone thought was very piratey.  We played "pin the tail on the parrot." Meg colored the parrot and parrot tails for me.  And then we had a treasure hunt.

Visiting with Grandma

After we got back from New York we had a few days left with Grandma Paula.  We played in the dirt, went to get ice cream at Dane's Dairy, and traveled to Nauvoo for the Nauvoo Pageant.

Ellie was able to carry Spencer on her shoulders: Meg.... not so much.

Grant turns 4!!!

Grant has been waiting FOREVER to have his birthday.  He was so excited when it finally came, especially since he was actually feeling better after being sick all week.  The girls made him special presents. (Ellie sewed hers, quite the involved project.  She made him a blanket with a baseball on front wearing a pirate hat and patch.)  Grant is a fun four-year-old.  He loves his sisters and does his best to please them (even almost picking birthday presents they liked instead of presents he really wanted).  He likes to ride bikes, play swords, wrestle with Spencer, play Wii with Daddy, tease his sisters, and bust some crazy dance moves.  He's been begging me to learn to read (poor, neglected 3rd child) and so we will start working on that soon.  He loves to have a cuddle and give hugs and kisses, and makes our home a happy place.