On the way~

Took just a few pictures of the Valencia fire on the way to Bakersfield a few weeks ago.  Crazy and sad, but also kind of beautiful in an ominous way.  

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Finally Four!

He's so precious!

Ahh, my sweet baby.  I thought the baby was supposed to stay the baby.  Not happening here.  But something about a sleepy little one that makes them look younger.

Birthday Breakfast donut!  He picked the one covered in sugar!

We celebrated his birthday with dinner at Wood Ranch BBQ because they do a very yummy sundae for birthdays.

This was from his birthday celebration at Papa's house.  He had been talking for months about getting a green, race car cake for his birthday.

He decorated his own cake=)

Showing off his big muscles!

My sweet four year old boy!  He loved his green cake sooooo much!

Another one from his birthday morning.

He was so sad at Christmas when Santa didn't bring a space station.  Santa really didn't know what the heck that was, but with a little help from google we figured it out.  He was just a little excited about it.;)

Playing with the excavator/playdoh toy he bought with his birthday $ from Grandma Frieda and 

G&G Penner.  He kept opening his mouth at the same time the excavator opened.

The playdoh very quickly became "burgers" and he kept shouting, "Burgers are ready guys!"  Just like daddy does.

He had so much fun with all his birthday celebrations and is so proud to be four! 

 We all love you so much Landen!!!!

Austin Thomas~

I had the privilege of taking my nephew's senior pictures.  Isn't he such a handsome young man!?!  For some reason when I try to make the pictures on my blog x-large lately it makes them a little fuzzy, so I'm back to smaller ones.  Just FYI, 18 year old young men don't want special photo shoot locations, or outfit changes, or props.  They are just fine with a little comb of the hair and finding some spots around the backyard on an overcast day. ;)  And yes, basically all of my nephews could be models.  And btw, it just so happens I was present at his birth and watched him grow into a fun, wild, athletic, loving, handsome, young man!

 We love you Austie Tommie and are so proud of you!!

Brothers~

I had big plans to do a special photo shoot for Zach when he turned 11.  I had a couple places I thought would be fun to go, but there just never seems to be time.  He's also not really "into" it.  But yesterday he looked so handsome in his new blue shirt he wore to church I begged him to let me take "a couple" pictures by this beautiful hedge across from our house.  He actually said ok!  His 5th grade spring pictures for school were ok, but his hair was flying up on top from the wind so we needed new ones anyway.  He will be having his 5th grade culmination as well, plus getting the Presidential award and a GATE math league award.

 This little guy never really wants his picture taken, "but monkey see monkey do"and he was wanting a picture too!

Typical Landen rubbing something with his fingers.  Usually it's someone's ear, but I guess this was good enough!

 I was happy to oblige.

Can't believe he will be four in about 3 weeks!

Mother's Day~

For Mother's day all I wanted was to go to the beach.  We haven't really been since September.  We tried to go about a month ago and it was cool and overcast and gloomy.  We went to Carpenteria and it turned out to be a beautiful day.  Sunny, slight breeze, and about 80 degrees.

Landen doing his best to not look at me and smile.  

He is just in heaven when he gets to play in the sand.

He even ate some sand this time.=)

Mikayla loving life!

Finally getting to use their new boogie boards.

I think I see a mermaid!

So fun!

She did it!

This is what happened most of the time.

He really didn't want to get salt water in his eyes!

The water was a beautiful shade of turquoise all day.  That was the color of the day.  Jeff and the kids got me a turquoise wallet, frame, and baking dish.

Landen kept singing over and over, "I'm making waaaaaater mud. I'm making waaaaaaater mud."

You can see how much he loves playing with his "sissy princess."

Zach and daddy trying to swim out to the kelp.  It was a little too far.

For some strange reason Landen kept saying  shouting, "My brother's going to have a baby!"  Then he pretended to pull the baby out of Zach's tummy.  We've been looking at Landen's baby book lately and talking about how he was born and for some reason this reminded him of it.  We were all cracking up and slightly embarrassed.

Jeff arranged for some dolphins and whales to swim by again this year.  So spoiled!

Channel Islands in the back ground.

There were actually three whales!

View behind us from the beach.

This sweetie made me a momma!

Looking very beachy, but I love my three and am so blessed to guide them through life.  Poor  Zach and his blue lips, he's still cold from swimming in the ocean.

Some pictures of the charred mountains from the fires last week. Hard to see but the ones on the left didn't burn and the ones on the right did.

It was a wonderful day!