Spring Break in San Diego, Ethan Turns 5 and Poppi Comes to Visit!

While the kids were out of school for a week in April for Spring Break, I decided we should get to San Diego and visit the family.  It has been a while since we had been there and I am so glad we went  and enjoyed good friends, family time and as always...great weather.

First things first, a stop down at Kelloggs Beach, our favorite Point Loma hang out.  All smiles when we are here looking for shells and enjoying the boats and wildlife.

A visit to the San Diego zoo with our friends Maggi and Vanessa and their kids was so much fun! 

We were so lucky that my dad had come to California during this same time and made it into San Diego for a great hike at Torrey Pines Reserve.  What a beautiful spot!  I could hang out here anytime!

Maddie and Ethan loved hiking all the way down to the beach and climbing up on the rock formations.

However, hiking back up....not so much fun for the kids...Poppi had to offer one of his famous shoulder rides to Ethan.

Ethan turned 5 while we were in San Diego so we had a family dinner to celebrate.  It was so nice to have my whole SD fam there!

As a special outing for Ethans Bday, I took the kids to a new place called Inflatable World in San Diego. Man oh man...this was super fun for them.  I had to drag them out of there kickin' and screamin' when it was time to leave!

We can't wait to come back to SD in July!!!

Upon our return from San Diego, it was time to celebrate Ethans birthday with his friends. Party time at our house!

Evidence of a successful birthday party below....

April was super fun and to top it off we got a visit from Poppi back at our house.  He stayed for 5 nights and we did so many fun things!

Just my dad and I took a drive out to Tomales and ate fresh oysters by the water at Hog Island Oyster Farms followed by an great lunch in Point Reyes!  We brought a huge bag of oysters home and cooked them on the BBQ - that was a first...and they turned out SO GOOD!  Ofcourse, lots of eating, drinking and laughing when my dad is around.

We planted a vegetable garden in our backyard...I am so excited about all the yummy heirloom tomatoes and herbs I will have this Summer for cooking!

Ethan was totally into this project and was so excited to dig in the dirt!  Love it!

Our Girl is 9!

Yesterday we celebrated our precious Maddie's 9th Birthday.  It was a fun day!  This year she wanted just a few of her best friends over to watch her favorite movie, Coraline after going out to dinner for sushi.  I know, so grown up already and only 9 years old.  But before I post photos from her special day...I am going to scratch the sentimental itch.

Aaaah, aint she cute?

This was way back when she actually liked her brother!

Probably my most favorite Maddie pic of all time.  She was at a preschool called "Babies Place" here and her teacher caught this moment.

I believe we were at the zoo here.

Just a regular day back when she was 4 years old...always dressing up. And of course posing to impress any potential Prince Charming. 

Now, here are some photos from her birthday celebration yesterday.

I am still a little worried that Maddie is completely obsessed with the movie Coraline, aka the creepiest kids movie of all time. But hey, it was her day!

The delighted guests - Laslya, Kaila, Alexa, and Larissa.  Maddie has a thing for friends only of other nationalities.  Alexa is my friends daughter and the only Causcasian to make the cut.

Sushiholic is our favorite sushi place in town.  YUM!  Maddie ordered sashimi ofcourse.  Her friends were very brave and gave it the old college try.

Happy Birthday Maddie!  We love you!

A Simple Saturday

One of our favorite activities to do in Marin is hike.  This Saturday we took the kids on a short one to the waterfall at the end of Fairway in the Country Club neighborhood in Novato.  They loved it!!!  It was so great to just be outdoors with them and to watch their little legs in action running down the trail.  I told them there was something VERY special at the end of the trail, so they were both enthusiatic about getting to the end.  And when we arrived, this is what they saw...

Their first reaction was "WOW"!  I have finally embraced life in Northern Califormia after wishing to move back to San Diego for so many years.  And good thing I have done so because now I am stumbling upon beautiful surprises everyday.  I truly love Novato now and all this lovely town has to offer.  Finally, it feels like home.

Sugar doesn't mind all the hiking here either! 

Nope, we aren't still in Hawaii!  This spot is in our own backyard.  Love it!!!

The MuckDogs

Ethan just began T-Ball.  Pretty darn presh!  These are the moments that make parenthood worth it.  I think I actually shed a tear when he first got out on the field.  More pics to follow once he can actually hit the ball off the T!

One Very Sweet Boy

Last night I decided to introduce Ethan to American Idol.  If you know about his performing skills, you completely understand why I would think this would appeal to him. 

The first contestant of this episode did not make it through to Hollywood...and she left the audition weeping ferociously.  Ethan turned to me in complete bewilderment and said..."I don't like that."  As we continued to watch, several performers made it through and burst out the double doors with smiles and hugs for their loved ones.  But sweet Ethan just could not knock the fact that some people just weren't good enough and throughout the entire hour he kept mentioning how sad he was for the girl that cried.  Finally at the end of the show Ethan looked at me with those gorgeous eyes and those huge lips and so innocently said, "mommy, I do not like it when people do not make it through to Hollywood...and I am not ever doing that competition!"

Ethan never ceases to amaze me.  While he is 100% boy and can throw back the craziest ninja moves all day long, his innate sensibility for others always shines through.  He has that sparkle that is so unique...he is kind and I love that about him.  I hope he never loses that - I don't think he will - I think it is just part of his core.

10 Years of Marriage

This last year marked the 10 year wedding anniversary for Stephen and I.  Wow...I can't believe it has been that long.  I can remember clearly the day we went on our first date - it was a blind date...and when I opened my door back on Baker Street in San Francisco, I was so relieved that A) he was handsome, B) that he was tall and C) that he smiled right back at me.  I knew so quickly that he was the one for me.  By the end of our very first date I had a very strong feeling that we would be friends for a lifetime.  Here we are, 10 years later with 2 kids, a home we made together and our sweet newest addition, Sugar (our dog).

I would be lying to say that it has always been perfect.  There is no perfect marriage, but I do believe it has worked out well.  I count my blessings and I know I am so lucky to have a man that always has my back no matter what.  He is my rock.  I am grateful for him and I often have pings of guilt, thinking that I don't deserve someone so great to be on my team.  But because of him, I am realizing that I do deserve it and damn, I love that man!

Maui, Hawaii - January 2011

We just got back from our first big family vacation to Maui.  Usually the kids don't come along unless it's to San Diego to see the grandparents or the occassional trip to Disneyland.  This time we decided to be brave and take the two little monsters with us and I have to say it was absolutely wonderful!  We had such a blast.  Going to the islands together is now going to be a family tradition.  The tropics agree with us all!

Who would have guessed that this photo session was kind of a nightmare?  Ethan was running around acting like a dinosaur and Maddie was very upset about the wind and then later...the ocean water stinging her legs!

What can I say?  I think it is so clear in this photo how I feel about my boy!

The sun came down and the whales bobbing in and out of the ocean only added to the magic of Maui!

Maui was amazing - it did miraculous things for our kids...they got along just like this the entire time...no fighting, it was awesome!

Maddie, our first born, shown here age 8 1/2....this photo completely captures her spirit and who she is.  I love it!