Weekend Restoration

Our weekdays are often crazy busy with Jason overwhelmed by meetings, events and never ending work.  The boys and I try our best to accomplish our school goals, run the errands, and keep the house in order.

The weekends are for fun activities so we can just enjoy our family.  Often this means momma and daddy are left just as tired as during the work week.  Not this past weekend.  We didn't really do anything spectacular, but it felt surprisingly restful to me. What a blessing.

Saturday we had a slow morning of video games and coffee.  We went out briefly for lunch, but returned home for epic naps.

For dinner we went to the coast for dinner. You know, we can do that now, just head to the beach for dinner!  We even had Mr. Dusty with us,  one of our Alabama folk who the boys adore.

The boys ran on the beach before and after dinner.  We had great seafood and the naturally relaxing beach atmosphere was delightful.  

We were in Half Moon Bay, which Lydia hasn't visited since she was a little 8 week old secret in my womb.  I'd say she enjoyed it much more this time, I know I did.

Sunday morning we stayed close to the house.  We watched our Birmingham church online.  We are not great at getting out of the house on Sunday mornings.  It seems Lydia always has a rough night, or someone doesn't feel great, or we forget to look at the clock or some other first world problem. But this week staying home is just what we needed.

My Brother and his family were visiting close by so we met them for lunch and even ran into some friends at the restaurant   You cannot know how good that makes me feel; to just randomly see familiar faces. It's becoming home, so comforting. 

Back to lunch with Matthew, Elaine, Evie and Atticus. 

I mean, look how darling they are.

We had a great lunch, got ice cream and coffee and basked in the reality that we live close enough for these things to happen.

Sunday afternoon I dialed back into church, so good y'all, you should listen. Really. Here's the link: My Sphere of Influence.

While listening, I made Mrs. Kristine's bodacious blueberry muffins, which I would make for nothing but Walker's enjoyment.  He seriously encourages my baking with his thankful heart.  But we did deliver some to our back yard neighbors who might be the sweetest people on the planet.  They invited our crew to dinner sometime soon and as I looked at their house, which looks like a fancy furniture showroom, and I quietly hoped for a BBQ so we could just throw the kids over the fence.

A highlight of the day was a google hangout with my sweet Birmingham girls group.  I love them so dearly and seeing their sweet faces is so valuable.

Dinner time and bedtime was crazy, but then we all feel into bed and I felt fantasticaly ready to face the week.

Thank you sweet Jesus for giving the gift of this weekend.

Staying Cool at the Beach

We are having somewhat of a "heat wave" in the bay area.  Days of 80-90 degree temperatures are fine, when you have central air conditioning, but when you don't you find as many ways as possible to be out of the house in the afternoon and evening hours.

One such solution is heading to the beach.  I know, it's a tough life out here.

After a slow Saturday morning where baby and hubby let momma sleep in (!), we grabbed a quick lunch and headed down to Santa Cruz.

It was perfect California beach weather: just warm enough, clear skys, a light breeze and as much fun as the boys could stand.

And on Miss Lydia's third trip to the beach she actually touched the sand.


{knee rolls - I die}




And she really liked it until mean ole daddy let the icy cold wave crash over her feet.  Then she was done with the ocean.

Post rude Pacific Ocean awakening, she did just fine hanging with mommy in the tent or the sling.  I made Jason take another picture of her in the sling, napping.  He cannot imagine why I need so many, but in about 4 seconds she will be running around with her brothers and wont need to be in my arms.



He punished me by not warning of the impending wave.
So he got us both.  Turkey.

The boys however have passed the point of caring about water temperature because running to and from the waves is so much fun!











And no one loves it more than our surfer boy.  He has the biggest smile the entire time he is at the beach.  Even if Jason and I didn't enjoy it as much as we do, we would haul the entire crew to the beach for his joy alone.






We arrived home far too late, but the house had cooled down and we all (parents included) promptly fell into bed.