March 30, 2017

Ronald Reagan Library

Also over Spring Break Nora and I had a girls day with Barbara and finally went down to visit the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley.

Here's Nora checking out her future ride, Air Force One.

 Just taking a ride with 'ole Ronnie.


We had a great day and enjoyed a fabulous pulled pork sandwiches for lunch. Nora loved the grounds and all the flowers and Barbara and I just had the best time chatting all day.


March 26, 2017

Spring Beach Break

The first week of Spring Break (yes, our kids get TWO weeks) was cold and rainy but the second week was beautiful and sunny so we took the kids to Ventura Beach with friends one day. We enjoyed a gorgeous day in the sun with friends and it just got us that much more excited for summer!





Poppies

With all the rain we've gotten this winter the poppies in the AV are gorgeous!

We went for a visit to the poppy reserves and a super windy day and tromped all around the fields. I've actually never seen them so wide-spread, the fields were orange for miles!









March 22, 2017

We got a dog! And a go cart!

We've been talking about getting a dog for some time now. The boys read Where the Red Fern Grows and Benji kept telling us that he was saving $50 to buy a pair of bloodhounds. He's the cutest!
I had promised the kids we could get a dog after Nora was potty trained and ever since we got rid of the diapers (hallelujah!) they keep bringing it up.

The weekend before Nora's birthday we went to the animal shelter and found a beautiful new dog for our family. Meet Bruce!
He's about 2 years old and some sort of Australian/German Shepherd mix and so good. We looked at so many dogs and he has been amazing. He's house trained and doesn't jump on the furniture and is so good with the kids. 
Nora follows him around near constantly saying things like, "oh, you a good doggy! I love you doggy!" Bruce puts up with her laying on him hugging him pretty nonstop, it's adorable.
I keep finding her covering Bruce up with blankets and reading books to him. Awww




That same night, Travis came home with a go-cart for the kids. He's been wanting to get one for awhile now and the kids are in heaven.
 Nora thinks she should be able to drive it by herself.

Extra points are given if you can drive it in a princess dress.


 Peter and Benji are pretty hilarious drivers -- Peter espeically is a bit of a speed demon and they have the best time tearing around the desert.
And yes, we did get the kids actual helmets :)

March 18, 2017

Nora turns 3

Pi Day came around again this year...oh, and it was also Nora's 3rd Birthday!

Nora was so excited to open all her birthday presents. The boys were super excited to help her open them :)


Showing off her new Sleeping Beauty dress

Nora is hilarious. She loves books and is extremely girly - 9 times out of 10 she wants to wear a dress (usually princess themed) but she also is the first to start wresting with the boys or chase after them on the bikes.


She loves to be outdoors and will literally climb over every play structure at the park. She has no fear!

 The week of her birthday, I took her with me to see the new Beauty and the Beast movie. She loved it and was dancing in the aisles. I loved having a mommy-daughter date with her.


 Once again, she loves the pink and frilly, but she also isn't afraid to live dangerously.

We always joke that we've never been able to eat an entire sandwich since Nora has been born because as soon as you start eating some, Nora will ask, "Can I have some?" And basically forget about getting any back after that. So for her birthday party we got six feet of sandwiches.


and a bouncy house

 Lizzie, Nora, Lily, and Olivia

 She wasn't too keen on the pinata, but could hardly wait to eat her birthday cake.

trying out her new ballerina dress from Lily and watching Peter and Travis' co-worker play his Nintendo Switch.

Who knows what this girl will do next! She's adventurous and smart and crazy and extremely stubborn. But we love all our different Nora faces.