Amusing Weekends

The past couple weekends were filled with amusement parks. The company Brian works for rents out one of Southern California's amusement/theme parks once a year for all their employees. This year it was Knotts Berry Farm. This was the first year we were able to take the kiddos along for the fun. Just Brian and I took them, and despite the upper 90's temps, we whirled and twirled the afternoon and evening away. I packed extra clothes just in case of accidents and was very pleased to not have to break into them at all!!! Our kids are a bunch of adrenaline junkies and were eager to go on any ride they fit the height requirements for.

The only picture proof that I was there too!!

Waiting patiently for Snoopy's bounce house - Dylan, Brooklyn, Connor and Hailey

Daddy, Brooklyn and Hailey(hanging out the window), going for a ride on the Semi's

Connor and Dylan honkin' their horns

Just hanging around waiting for our turn on the big steam engine train.

Dylan was fascinated with the steam engine and stopped to talk to the cowgirl/outlaw that walks through the train with a gun, pretending to "hold up" the train. Dylan wanted to hang around until the train left again so he could watch the engine roll away.

The following weekend Brittney came home for a weekend visit, so our family along with Uncle Stephen, Aunt Heidi and their kids headed to Castle Park for some carnival type rides.

Brittney and the crew

Dylan, Connor, Brooklyn and Hailey

Daddy, Brittney and Uncle Steve taking on the "big kid" ride

Brittney with Hailey and Daddy with Brooklyn. Every time Connor sees this pic he says, "That spider ride made me dizzy!!"

Hailey and Brooklyn getting ready to take off

Brooklyn

Connor

Brittney and Hailey were joined at the hip during this trip. Uncle Steve in the background.

Dylan

Cousin Devin and Dylan. Riding buddies. They went on this ride over and over.

Britt and Hailey
Dylan
Uncle Steve and cousin Logan. Poor little guy could only go a few of the rides.
Rounding out the evening in the arcade with some skee ball, tickets and prizes.

Time Flies

We have been sooooo busy these past few months and I have not been keeping up with getting my blogs posted. After the kids birthday waaaaaay back at the end of March, we have SURVIVED potty training, laughed and cried with Brittney as she GRADUATED High School and MOVED to Aliso Viejo to go to college. (All posts I have to get finished) We visited with Auntie Beth when she came back from England for Britt's graduation. Transitioned the girls from a room with the boys into Brittneys old room, as well as getting them into big kid beds and CEASED TO HAVE NAPS. :( Throw in a few summer vacations and all the regularly scheduled activities and time flies!

The quads just finished their first Vacation Bible School last week (at Grandma Nancy's church) and I was really suprised how they took everything in stride. OK, maybe not everything. Going into the week, I was sure we would be taking a break by Wednesday, but every morning as they got up and I asked who wanted to go to VBS, they were all excited. After a few mornings of apprehension in an unfamiliar place, they boys finally settled in and loved every moment. (The girls had no problems from the get-go) They came home every day with projects they had made and excitedly told me stories of Super Cooper. (The puppet show they adored)

One of the days, the kiddos story time was about the birth of Jesus and how the angels appeared to the shepards. So they brought home material and rope to make shepard hats. Brooklyn, Hailey and Dylan all wanted to wear their hats while playing at home. I asked Connor if he wanted to wear his. His reply, "No. I still have my wild curls." This boy does NOT like to dress up in ANYTHING.
Another cute interaction between the kids: Dylan was wearing his shepard hat and was swinging around his head a little turtle he has on a "leash" (shoestring tied around the turtles neck). Hailey came up to him and said, "Hey Dylan, you're 'only a boy named David' (from a song we sing about David and Goliath).

Capistrano Beach 2010

Yes, its that time of year again. Our annual family vacation to Capistrano Beach. This year was GREAT!! Each year with the kiddos gets a little bit easier and this year it was fun playing with them in the waves, building sand castles and even getting to SIT BACK AND RELAX a little while they played. The first two days we spent mostly at the beach, but I forgot to take my camera with me, so I didnt get as many beach pictures as I wanted and didnt get any of the great sand castles we made. (Boo Hoo) We would start the day with a relaxed morning, head to the beach for a few hours, hit up the pool and spa on the way to the room and end the day with the kidddos in bed and some quiet time for me and Brian. AHHHH! Vacation time.

We took a break from the beach a few days for a picnic in the park and a whale watching boat trip.

All the kids enjoying the fun slide!
Connor

Dylan

Brooklyn

Hailey

Daddy and the kids before the whale watching trip. Which, by the way, the whales and dolphins were all taking a nap on our trip. But we did get to see a few sea lions and had a blast trying to walk around the boat while cruising over the waves. (The boat company did give us our tickets back so we will try again next year and maybe we will have better luck)

After the boat ride we drove over to Dana Point to see if we could find any tide pools, but it was high tide at the time. So we just had fun playing on the rocks.

Brooklyn was still finishing her ring pop from the boat. She fell asleep and didnt get it until we were leaving the boat.

Finally a few beach pics...

Dylan, meet sand. Sand, Dylan.

The picture Hailey made me take of the waves. Every morning Hailey would ask me if we could go play in the waves again.

Daddy and the boys.

Brookie

Hailey

Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Walt came down and stayed a night and day with us. They had a blast with the kiddos in the pool.

Daddy, Dylan and Grandpa in the back.

Grandma with Connor

Grandpa with Hailey

Family

Cousins - 19 with one more on the way!!!!

Family pic before Britt heads off to college

Me and my sistas - Christine, Me, Mom, Jen, Amy and Norma

Silverwood Lake

We had a fun, but exhausting weekend. We took the kiddos camping for the second time and they loved it. Every time we go, I say I am never doing this again and why did we go in the first place. But then I see the fun and adventures they are having and the memories we are making and all the WORK is worth it.

We went to Silverwood Lake with Grandma and Grandpa Jarrett, Uncle Steve and Aunt Heidi, and Auntie Beth.

Their last rides on the jet ski.....so sad :(

Marshmellow fingers