Japanese Tea Gardens with Our Besties

Our dear Mrs. Hannah and Mr. John were visiting our fair Big City.  The kids and I were able to meet them at the Japanese Tea Gardens at Golden Gate Park.  We had not ever been and I was feeling brave.


(aren't they just stupid cute???)

The boys enjoyed it more than I would have thought, and I survived (a) driving into the city and (b) parking in the city.  All wins.





Then we all loaded up in the van, which means Hannah and John got to take turns sitting on the snack catcher seat between the big boys in the way back, and headed over the Golden Gate Bridge.  Because everyone needs that picture right?

Unfortunately, we had waited a bit too late into the afternoon and the fog had rolled in.



Promise the bridge is down there...under all that San Francisco fog.  This just means they have to come back for another try.

The Visit Our Hearts Needed

My very favorite MongoHQ business trip is the one that brings my dear friend Kristine to the West Coast. She was one of my favorite people long before she was running things behind the scenes for Jason. This time she was able to bring her two adorable sidekicks with her.  There are no words for how much the boys and I needed this week with "our people."

We made the most of our time together and basically turned the week into a mini vacation for ourselves.

We started out Sunday with a trip to our favorite family theme park Gilory Gardens.  Jason drove our crew solo and let me ride with Kristine, thus entitling me to an hour each way of chat catch up time. Such a gift, thanks again dear!

A few other of the work families joined us and our big group had a grand time.

The "boy table" at lunch.


And the girl table.


The ride attendant said Lydia could ride, but she had to sit beside me.


And she did, such a big girl.


And the boys rode all by themselves without falling out and mostly followed the rules.


It is nice to venture a bit southward where it is warm enough to enjoy the splash pad.


And of course sticky theme park snacks


Then, because there had to be some work to make this whole thing reasonable the Toone kiddos played with us while momma went and got some work done during the day.



The boys love making new friends, but there is nothing like picking right back up with familiar folks.


Sweet Analise made the boys beds, twice. Which means that is twice in the past month they have been made. Worth a picture.


She was also quite helpful in keeping Baby Lydia happy.  She is growing up so quickly; becoming quite the young lady. {gosh, time}

We ventured out to our favorite park at Coyote Point.  You can see planes landing at SFO and the bay, but we couldn't get anyone to leave the playground. :)



Another day we joined the Mackeys to visit the tide pools at Moss Beach.  This is something we have wanted to do for a while and I'm so glad we all got to go together.


It was gloriously sunny and warm, which is quite the exception at this particular local.



These three have been growing up together for so long...



Here is a quick flashback to touch our momma hearts (4.5 years ago).



For our final night we moved our regular Thursday night girls night out to Wednesday so Kristine could go with us.  We had a so much fun in Palo Alto with a fancy dinner and homemade ice cream sandwiches and hopefully enough conversation to hold us over for a few months.



I miss her already.  She makes me a better mom, friend, wife and always points me to Jesus. So thankful for this time we were given.

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.

Anniversary of the Hard

My arms are filled with this precious baby.  All day everyday. I am thankful.

But today my arms were desperately missing the little one I never got to hold.

Honestly four kids is hard.  They are quite a bit of work and particularly with the youngest so young, but what I wouldn't give to be chasing a toddler in this mix.

Two years ago the grief began and today it still cuts deeply.

Trusting the Lord in his perfect plan even when it hurts and comes with so much sadness.

Colin's 4th

I cannot believe my snuggly, chubby, blue eyed baby is four.



There were early morning presents.  Picked out by daddy and probably influenced by the fact that this is the first birthday since the move.









There were chocolate waffles for breakfast



There was jumping with our new found friends.  He has been asking to go the "jumpy place" since we arrived.







The "theme" and I use that term loosely chosen by the birthday boy was Star Wars, Mario, and baseball.  And this is the most bored looking birthday boy ever.




But he perked up once daddy finally got the candles lit.



Then the day ended with more birthday present playing.





On turning 3,  and 2, and the big 1st birthday,  and tiny (well not so tiny) Baby Colin.