Blake turns 31

Blake did not want hoopla. He wanted chill, free family time. 

and so he got it.

They found a lobster shell, it was nasty.

Happy birthday Blakie, you're wonderful and ridiculous and we love you!

Santa Cruz with Becky and Lincoln

I love that our family is here with us. And I love that that family is Becky and Lincoln (and Quinn too).

I love that Becky calls as asks "Want go somewhere today?" and that we decided to drive almost two hours to Santa Cruz just to hang out and be there. 

Lincoln's not walking yet, but he stands like a champ.

This creepy "Sal" was posted outside the arcade and giving me the heebie jeebies.

There was this super cool mural inside right above their indoor/multi level miniature golf course.

We decided to hang out on the beach for a while and the weather was awesome. Getting my stroller down the stairs and around on the sand was a total B.
But anyway, I brought Kaleb's plastic "CARS" kite and tried to fly it for while. I kept crashing it to the ground.
Then Becky's like "oh I've never flown a kite before." so I handed t over to her and all of a sudden shes Top Gun / Master of the sky.

Lincoln helped too

Becky took these and I'm so happy!

Then Kaleb decided to eat some sand (Lincoln did too, but I have no proof)

So we had to get some of the most delicious ice cream ever.

It was a very good day

The cousins are here! (version 3-12)

This past week has been awesome/exciting. 

Becky, Quinn and Linc came down to visit along with Jill, Becca and Paul!

They all arrived late on Thursday, so I didn't get to see them until Friday morning. 

Blake, Kaleb and I went over to Mom and Dad Green's (where everyone was staying) that morning and had a breakfast with everyone. 

I asked the sisters if they wanted to go with me to Target later that day. 

After I dropped Blake off at work, I came back and we (happily) left the little ones with Grandma (and daddy/uncle Quinn)

We joked about how going to Target was now a makeup worthy outing and something fun to do. We shopped for bathing suits and looked at baby clothes. It was so wonderful to with these ladies. My sisters. My family. 

I feel so blessed to be born into the family I was. I love my parents, grandparents and all extended family dearly. And it is so wonderful to find that I can love my Green family just as much; enjoy them just as much. I am blessed and I am thankful.

Anyway, when we got back there were plans to go to the beach later that day, so I took Kaleb home for a nap promised to be back to drive with Becky and Linc (Quinn and Blake had to work)

The Beach was pleasant. All the boys were in their new swim get-ups their mom's (us) had purchased earlier that day at Target. (Paul and Kaleb were even rash-guard-twins)

Kaleb was not a fan of the ocean.

He barely tolerated the moist sand, but when the waves hit his feet - oh my goodness - you would have thought he was being tortured. 

So I held him for a bit, then Grandma held him, and he decided he liked watching the waves but NOT touching them. Every time one came up and lapped around Grandma's feet, he would cling to her and stare down, but when it receded, he would do the sign for more and point to the water. 

 Becky and Jill with their baby boys.

 Tentative steps into the water. (he screamed right after this)

I got to hold Lincoln while Mom had Kaleb and Becky was ... hanging out... in the water. 

 The cousins brought the ocean inland and everyone seemed to function MUCH better this way.

This is Paul. He's a cutie.

 Becky and Lincoln, looking adorable.

 I love these of me and Kaleb. I so rarely get in front of the lens, I need to change that. 

This is Kaleb's "Rude" face. There's a book we read called "Peas and Thank You". Its a Veggietales book and its all about the very polite peas and the very rude beans. On one of the pages the bean is making a scrunchy face... this is Kaleb's interpretation of that face. 

 Can you believe Lincoln?! Look at those teeth! 

Dad found a sand crab. It was big.  

Pappa dished out the snacks. He knows how toddler affection works!

I love this image. The misty beach, the random surfer, the foot print dunes and the sand. And my little boy, running around in his fishy robe.  

When we got home it was time to wash off that sand!

Bath time buds!   

 The next day, most of the family went to a wedding and I was the designated "awesome aunt babysitter" (I just gave myself that title). I took the kiddos (sans Lincoln, who was at Becky's parents house) to small park. Becca and Kaleb had a grand old time, but Paul wasn't having it.

He doesn't know me very well, and doesn't like to be away from his mom anyway. The only way to chill him out was to put Yo Gabba Gabba on on my phone and step away from him.

The babies fell asleep in the car, so I took Becca to McDonald's and we got the fruit and yogurt plate and sang some Yo Gabba Gabba songs (She really liked "Don't Bite Your Friends!")

When it was time for Paul to eat, he still was screaming if went anywhere near him. So Becca, the perfect little niece (*wink to Jill), sat on the couch and gave him spoonfuls of food while watching Aladdin. 

We then went outside and dyed eggs. It was pretty fun and the first time I was the grown up and was in charge of the dying. I messed up the dye though. I added water to the vinegar, which you are not supposed to do, but it made these little bubbles and fun designs on the eggs anyway. 

When Grandpa came home he got about 5 seconds of a big group hug. 

Later that evening, we all played Uno and Bang! and laughed and talked and spent time with one another. It was a wonderful visit and made me excited to live right next door to Becky and Quinn this summer.