Oso Flaco

If you come to visit us, we'll probably take you to Oso Flaco. It's a "hike", or more of a walk. You start out on on a dirt train surrounded my trees. And then you get to a Lake. A bridge gets your across. However, if we go with you, I will not be walking with you on the bridge. I will be FAR ahead of you, pretty much sprinting across the bridge. {Bridges are so not my thing.} And then you hike along a boardwalk for a while until you reach the ocean. Usually it's pretty secluded. It's a bit windy there, and it's not the best laying out or surf beach, but it's the ocean all the same! We love it there. We love where we live. We took Carol on this excursion.

photo courtesy of Macie Photography

Usually we take the stroller along for the ride, but this was our first attempt without it. If Jacob can walk the 2.5 miles roundtrip, anyone can! He loved being able the just run like Noah and Macie. He's getting far too old, far too fast! 

So, who's next?

little fish

We stayed at the Residence Inn in Camarillo for Adam's training. It was a two day training, Monday and Tuesday. It was a bit chilly, and the pool was outside, but that didn't stop my little fish from going swimming. There was a hot tub that wasn't that hot where they spent a lot of their time. They don't really swim distances, so the small space was just fine for them!

LA Fabric District.

Have you ever been? You need to. Everyone should experience the Fabric District in downtown Los Angeles at least once in their life. Seriously. It's an experience different from any other. My friend Jennifer had a link to a blogpost of a blog that I frequent, but hadn't ever noticed THIS post. I was convinced. I HAD to go. I am looking for fabric for curtains, and the fabric stores around here have astronomical prices, so I thought I'd have better luck at the fabric district. After we picked up Carol in Long Beach we headed there. Thank goodness for Mom's who have the internet to look up directions, and Navigation to get me places!! I studied that blog post. I knew where to park, I knew where I wanted to go, I knew what I was looking for, I had cash in my pocket in small bills, I had my envision in my head, and I was ready to go. And then we got there. Oh my heck, talk about OVERWHELMING. There were blocks and blocks of fabric rolls. EVERYWHERE. There was shiny, glittery, minky, velvet, linen, and lots of crap as well. And there were people. Lots and lots of people. This is not a fabric store by any means, it's crazy. And when we got there, all of my research was shot. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, where I was going. And so we wandered. Macie loved the textures of all of the fabrics. The wheels were turning in her head as she was redesigning her bedroom with all of these fabrics. She's definitely my daughter! It was a bit scary with three kids. {I had also read that this was not a place to take kids...but what was I supposed to do?} We walked into one of the last "shop" along our route {which we shortened due to attention span of toddlers}. It looked like it had decent fabric. The shop owner was sitting at a desk peeling an orange saying, "Good prices, very good prices" over and over again. I found some fabric that I liked, but didn't love. He told me it was "Leanin" I laughed. I answered back, "Yeah, it's leaning toward me." Thinking he was saying I should buy it...you know, being witty. Yeah, no. These people don't speak English very well, I forgot that minor detail. So again he said, "No, Leanin." It took a while until I realized, oh...LINEN. Yes, it was linen. Or linenish. I felt pretty stupid, and started walking out, it was still $12/yard, more than I wanted to spend. However, if I just would have told him I wanted 6 yards, I'm sure we could have bargained, but I didn't. We left without buying anything. There were millions of rolls of fabric and I didn't get ANYTHING. Maybe next time. Maybe next time. 

{by the way, I didn't take pictures because of that blog, I found out that they don't like you to take pictures there, and I was very scared. Yes, I live in California. But, hey, I'm still an Idaho girl at heart. LA does still scare me!}

Nana visits.

We picked up Nana on Monday, April 18th in Long Beach. Adam had a training in Camarillo, so we went along for the ride, the hotel stay, and being closer to Long Beach to pick up Carol! It was worth the trip! Her flight was supposed to arrive at 1:05. After a few loops around the parking garage, I finally found a spot, it was 12:50. We rushed to the gate to see when her flight would be there. I guided Noah and Macie to the screen, while Jacob kept saying ,"There's Nana." I a frenzy of just getting there and worried about all these people getting off the plane and losing my kids, I didn't acknowledge him. He kept saying it. I finally saw on the screen that the plane had already arrived. And then it donned on me that these people were probably from Seattle. So, I moved closer to the door, which Jacob got louder and said, "THERE'S NANA, RIGHT THERE!" I looked over, and yes, there was Nana. My 2 year old found her before anyone else. Far before anyone else! It was quite comical. She did have the cutest welcoming committee there was, or is! We finally retrieved Nana and her luggage and left the airport. 

{come visit us, and you may get your very own flag and sign. Just sayin'}

two wheels.

Noah is officially a bike rider...without training wheels! He got his bike for Christmas two years ago, and after some traumatic falls and pushes down the hill, he decided that riding his bike was not something that he wanted to do. He resorted to training wheels for a while, and didn't have any desire to ride that thing again. In fact, the morning that he did ride without training wheels he told me that he was going to be 12 and still have training wheels because there was no way he would ever take them off. Ha, what a little bribe of Yogurt Creations can do! {and it didn't help that technically Macie did it first...eventhough she won't do it again, and Adam didn't see her, so we'll give the credit to Noah for being the first!}

He started off on a littler bike, but now has transitioned to a bigger bike and loves riding his bike. Unlike his father, he always wears his helmet, don't worry! It's quite a huge thing to ride a bike. Good job, Noah Balboa! You did it!

and the verdict??

We went in for the big ultrasound today. Macie has been very insistent that this babe is a girl. Noah, on the other hand, is very insistent that it is a boy. Jacob thinks it's a birl. And if you tell them otherwise, it's drama in our house.

When the ultrasound guy said, "It's a girl!" Macie smiled, Noah, however, did not. "I'M NOT EXCITED! I DON'T WANT ANOTHER SISTER!" Sorry, bud, you will! Jacob was just content to have a baby, and the fact he's going to be a big brother!

We are very excited to welcome another little girl into the world! However, the little bugger did have her legs crossed, but MOST LIKELY a girl! There weren't any other appendages, and I've watched it several times! I think it's safe to say that we'll have an even count: 2 boys, 2 girls!

...

april fool's.

It's a...

...are you ready for this??

A BOY AND A GIRL!

While cleaning up before pajama time, Noah started throwing something away that apparently was important to Macie. She chased after him, which "caused" Noah to hit her.

MACIE: "YOU ARE THE MEANEST GUY!"

NOAH: {in tears} I'm a boy, not a guy!

He never disagreed that he was the meanest, however. Just that he isn't a guy.

They may fight...a lot. But, what siblings don't? They do love each other, I promise.

green patrick's day

Noah and Macie have been looking forward to "Green Patrick's Day" for a very long time. Seriously, they asked about it everyday, I would have to show them the calendar and tell them that it was like months away! But, it finally did arrive. With Noah in school, it was even more hyped up! A few years ago it was called "Hulk Day" in our house, Noah really likes green!

Since the kid are getting older, I try to be more festive and decorate for each holiday. It's kind of fun, really. The kids were so excited for Green Patrick to come {He's not a "Saint" here, I guess...just green!}. They anticipated what he was going to do. They had heard that some leprachauns make messes, that was the big thing before bed, if he was going to make a mess! 

They woke up to shamrock confetti all over their pillows and beds, which their "leprachaun" quickly regretted. And then the found the mess of magical confetti all over the table and hearth. The sneaky little leprachaun even tried to take the gold, and ended up tipping the pot and spilling all of the gold. The best part was when their juic magically turned green in their cups. They were amazed as they watched me pour their apple juice into their empty cup {they couldn't see the drop of green food coloring on the bottom} and it magically turned green. However,  mine didn't turn green. Oops. But, Macie informed me that it was because I wasn't wearing green. And I wasn't. Phew, good save! ;-) And then we enjoyd green pancakes, which my kids are not fans of. They loves regular pancakes, but when they are green, they are so not appetizing!

We finished the night off with friends, rainbow jello, mini pizzas with shamrocks and gold {or pineapple}, reuben sandwiches, irish cheese fondue, and rainbow cake coated in clouds. It was all good food for a good night! Who knew this would be one of our most celebrated holidays??

I wonder what the leprachaun will do next year...