Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

Summer vacation in our house is kind of a joke. Ron's busiest time is during the summer months... when I am off of work. 

Yes- it's tricky. 

Naturally, we try to get away for a family vacation at the end of August as Ron wraps up and is relaxed and ready for vacation; and just as my anxiety level is at its peak because school is starting and I am back to work! Stress and all, we had an amazing week away together in the Monterey area. We had many adventures, played, discovered new things, visited friends (and even made some new ones!)

First stop: Carmel Beach. We basically opened the car door and let the girls jump out and run. They were tired of being in the car.

Picnic at Point Pinos Lighthouse

Santa Cruz and Big Sur

Monterey and the Aquarium

This is a park where I used to play as a kid. It still had some of same toys!

Can you say, tourist?

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

(the girls had such a great time here)

Fun times with Laura and Mike Robinson-Harbert

Bass Lake 2012

At the beginning of August we took our annual trip up to Bass Lake with the Hunts. As always, it was an amazing time together. We basically played, swam and ate all day long. It was great. We did visit the Pizza Factory a few times and even took a hike to Nelder Grove in which Erin and I got totally lost, were almost trampled by a herd of cattle and then Erin got stung by a Yellow Jacket... but man, those trees are huge! Unfortunately, I hardly took any pictures. 3 of the 4 pictures that I did take involve some kind of eating. That's how we roll. I keep waiting for my sister to update her blog so that I can steal some of hers :)

Update: Erin did update her blog with Bass Lake pictures, as promised. Take a look!!

http://lucychristine.blogspot.com/

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Rosie's 5th birthday party was last week 

8 little girl friends (and Henry Hunt)

jammies

lots of giggling

tiaras

Grandma Eckert's handmade bed

fancy nails and princess tattoos
a court jester with an edible juggling routine

twinkle lights and tulle 

popcorn and fairy treats

tiny sandwiches shaped like glass slippers 

Cinderella under the stars

 rainbow "pollyanna" and Cinderella cakes (thanks mom and erin)

pure joy

happy birthday, rosie girl

Rosie's 5th

(yes, this is my time to brag about my daughter)

Dear Rosie,
Holy cow. You're 5. I'm trying hard not to focus on how fast this time has flown, or how quickly you are growing up but seriously we just brought you home from the hospital! Yesterday, you were just days old.. both of us a little weepy, awkward and unsure. What happened? You became a little girl- right before my eyes.

What an amazing little person you are, Rosie. You are so very smart, funny, capable, silly, sweet, full of wonder, bravery and courage. You knocked the socks off your dad and me this summer when you stated that your goal was to learn how to ride a 2 wheeler bike. We suited you up and anticipated days of practice and crashes as we had experienced when we were kids. Daddy held on to the back of your bike for  few cruises around a basketball court and guess what? You just rode away! You caught on  and away you went. Just yesterday I jogged next to you as you rode easily from the cabin in Bass Lake to Bass Lake school 1/2 mile away. Amazed at you, Rosie! Last week you bravely sat on the front of dad's paddle board and rode around the harbor. Just this morning you jumped off of the pontoon boat into Bass Lake. I think I was 25 before I had enough courage to do that!!
Some of the other things that have been your favorite this year have been swimming in the pool, taking walks, reading books, lots of make believe, jumping rope, coloring, Disneyland, writing new words, preschool (especially Owls with Mrs. Apin) and playing with friends. You have always been full of compassion and wonder and this year was no different. You asked astounding questions and left your dad and I will lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes on many occasions. You asked us over and over again why our homeless friends don't have a cozy place to rest? What happened and what can we do to help? After selling lemonade one afternoon with Great Papa Welch you designated 3 dollars of your earnings for the church and 3 dollars you gave to dad to help send kids to camp. I am confident that those 6 dollars help accomplish the will of God. There are no words, Rosie, for the joy a mama feels when she sees her children sharing their blessings with those around them. YOU are proof that we were created by a good and loving God.

In just a few weeks you'll be starting kindergarten and I can hardly stand it. I am so excited for you, Rosie. I'm excited for you to make new friends and learn new things and be surrounded by people that will shape you to be the Rosie that God created you to be. I have to admit that I am grieving some a little a lot too. There is much that I will miss about the last 5 years as you head to school. My prayer  is that you will continue recognize the needs of others around you. I pray that you will continue to be full of wonder and joy and I pray that you will continue to know how much you are loved by us, your family, your friends and your community... but most importantly that you will know (and act out of) the love that your God has for you. He has amazing things in store for you and I'm so grateful that I have the gift of being in your mom.

As always... I love you as deep as the Pacific Ocean and as high as Half Dome.

XOXO,
Mommy

Fair Time

Rosie filled her piggy bank over the course of the year and decided that the OC Fair was the place to squander it all away. We rode the bus, we ate the food, saw the animals, ate more food and went on a few rides.

But, it isn't a successful Eckert fair experience until Ron wins the girls a stuffed animal and then someone steps in barf.

Both things happened... so we went home.

The end.