Leo Carrillo Adventures

Real tent camping hasn't been a major family activity for us...we do it now and then with family and friends, but this is the first time in a long time I booked a reservation for just us.

I grew up going to Leo Carrillo with family, friends, and with other families. It's a great little beach camping spot (actually, dirt camping, beach across the street) in Malibu with the coolest little tidepools and cove, rocks to climb, and scenery. Labor Day Weekend we took the kiddos and had our little adventure.

We saw families of starfish, big crabs, did everything 'camping style' and loved it. I got 7 thumbs up for the camp food we prepared... it was truly YUM! I only wish we'd been able to stay and take some more school off. The prep that goes into a trip like that really warrants at least 4 nights of camping even if we have to fight with spiders, winds that stir the dirt up our noses and spray a layer of yuck over everything, pests that eat our muffins and ants. At least we had flushing toilets and running water.

The only downside wasn't for us, but for the groups surrounding us because they had to listen to LOUD children. I mean, OUR loud children. We're really loud. I had to apologize ahead of time just so we didn't get the looks if Vivs decided to scream at the top of her lungs or if Monson and Kenz antagonized Izzie, who is just as loud.

We've decided that it would be a great investment to buy an old clunker RV and spiff it out so that we can have some comfort and a little more cleanliness while enjoying the outdoors. Why would we want that? Vivs won, hands down for kid who can get dirt into every crevice including up her nose in the form of dirt boogers for DAYS after. They just kept on a'comin!

Anyone care to come along and be our camping buds next time?

Family Fun

We had a full house the weekend of Brayden's birthday ...and what a great time we all had hosting them all! Izzie and Mattie discovered that they're kindred spirits.

Lexie, Izzie, and Mattie stayed up until 1:30 am just having girl talk and a regular 'ole slumber party. Pretty fun stuff for 4 and 5 year olds! We got to meet cousin Reddin for the first time and McKenzie really misses having a young baby in the house to mother. She and Reddin became fast buds. The little girls just get annoyed when she tries to mother them!

We had a beach BBQ...or at least we tried. The pits were all spoken for, so we borrowed one next to us and had yummy Costco hotdogs with all the fixins. The kids & U. Brett enjoyed the water and of course a beach BBQ isn't complete without managing to get sand in all the food. Everyone came home super dirty and covered in sand--doesn't that mean that they had a great time?

We took the kiddos swimming at our community pool...

And the adults managed to escape for sushi.

Sunday was a bit hectic because everyone was running every which direction to get back to their responsibilities, but I think a nice weekend was had by all...

How we appreciated all the support and love for Brayden's big day being ordained a deacon in our church and receiving the priesthood. I can hardly comprehend that I have a son that old! My brain just isn't catching up to how old they say I am.

We need more cousin and aunt/uncle visits! Who's next?????

Sushi...

Kenz is in heaven with Reddin and he apparently thinks those are momma's!

Pops & Bray

Ama sliding down the stairs with the girls

ice cream ice cream we all scream for ice cream!

Hanging out in the loft for an x-box tournament

U. Kevin & Bray

The gang that ordained Brayden

proud parents

Beaming Dad

TOOOO cute cousins with matching dresses made by Ama

All day tea-party

YUM. I made our famous cinnamon rolls.

Aunt Brooke getting down & dirty with the little ones

Izzie & Mattie chowin' down sandy hotdogs

she likes beer. Rootbeer.

cute cousins

the cousins that came (we're missing 7 1/2 that are in Boston & Tacoma)

...and this is how we all felt when the weekend was over

Has it really been 12 whole years?

It's been almost a month since the big guy's birthday, but we did celebrate for about a week!

Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Ama, and even Pops came to town to be here for Brayden's milestone in receiving the Aaronic Priesthood.

The Birthday weekend brought all sorts of fun festivities to be continued.... But for now, the Birthday continues on my blog since I was on a Summer hiatus.

Bray's Faves:

Color: Blue

TV Show: Saturday Football, really.

Sport: Football

Animal: dog

Holiday: Easter

Song: Light On, (David Cook)

Celebrity: Ben Roethlisburger (Big Ben), Steelers QB

Teams: BYU, Notre Dame, Steelers, Gators, Patriots, Dodgers, Celtics, Heat (is that enough? So the boy loves sports)!

Subjects: Math & Language Arts

Car: Corvette

Restaurant: In-N-Out

Food: shrimp

Dessert: chocolate cake

Candy: butterfinger

Temple: Salt Lake City

Thing to do: watch sports & draw

Movie: Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Place to go: Utah

Books: Fiddle of Fire, Football Genius, Cover-up

Scripture Story: 2,000 Stripling Warriors

Bray's big goal is to continue to advance in scouting to earn his Eagle at 14

and to learn to type fast.

Birthday Celebration at Pat & Oscars

Bray had a few of his close friends over to celebrate his bday before school started

We L-O-V-E you, sweet Brayden!

If ever I need to smile...

I pull out my kids' artwork. Works every time.

I especially love the eyelashes... and all the sunshine.

I love this artwork

where I can see the world through my four-year-old's eyes

where everyone is happy and dancing.

Where there is so much brightness, hope.

Izzie has that affect on me...

and I especially needed to smile and see the simplicity of life through a child's eyes this weekend.

I got the sad news that a friend that was once very dear and close to me was killed in a freak car accident. He was only 42. His sweet family survived...all four boys and his wife.

When my friend sent me the news, I fell to my knees. I'm so thankful for the simple beauties in life. The simple joys, the little things Curt does to make me happy, the things the kids say that make me laugh out loud, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our eternal families. My heart goes out to this family as they pick up the pieces and try to move on with a perspective that one day they'll see their beloved dad/husband again.

I love the new song my kids have been singing and humming around the house... It's such a simple message based off the

The Family: A Proclamation to the World and goes like this:

Izzie's portraits leave me in stitches...

and leave me with a smile in appreciation for the simple bounties...and families.

Shout from the rooftops!

It's Back to School!

Going to school when it's still triple digits outside just doesn't seem right. I know the kids would echo my feelings that the rest of August really should have just been pool and beach days. That being said...

Oh, I still did my happy dance...those day time hours are back when I can actually, quite possibly, just maybe get things done (okay, maybe not...I still have Izzie & Vivs to play with).

They all started new schools, in a new city, with new faces, a new routine, and loved it. phewww.

Kids are happy...mom is happy...everyone's happy

(Brayden's unsure...7th grade can be cruel, but he's great now).

I can hardly believe my little Lex is growing up and has one little foot in the world of big people. If I could freeze time, I would. Miss snappy pants (her new nickname) is wanting to be done with pictures already because everyone is watching. She's the embarrassed kind...oh, what fun we'll have with that!

and now I can breathe, organize, breathe some more and rest easy knowing that she's in a good place and loving life.

As a side note on tradition: Every new school year Curt gives each of the kids a father's blessing of comfort as they step into a new school year with all the unknowns. In our family, it's a line-up and takes a good chunk of time. This year, he finished with Lexie and then Izzie demanded to have one as well (even though she isn't going to school). So she sat quietly for hers, and then Vivie jumped up into the chair and wanted her turn. These moments are so special as they learn to appreciate the blessings of having a worthy father that can perform such sacred ordinances. They have the comfort of knowing that all they have to do is ask. How I'm grateful that there's not even a question in our children's mind if their dad is able to be that conduit because of the life he has chosen to live. Love you, babe!