Visit to Grandma D's

About a month ago we drove out to San Diego and visited my mom and my brother.  Its always nice to visit San Diego.  

My brother built a fence up a Cabrillo National Monument when he was earning his Eagle Scout.  We also took some classic family pictures up there - so we thought we would revisit and try to recreate some of the pics.  

I really don't think we got close, but to those of you who remember the photos.  You can be the judge.

Aunt Laura was with us!  

Then we went down to the tide pools to check out the sea life.....can't say there was much.  We did see a seal swimming at a distance.  But that is about it.

Of course - there was Rock Throwing.....of course.

After that we went up to the cemetery - where Grandma and Grandpa Downey were interred.  It took only a little effort to find the stone.  Here is Dane Courtney looking at his namesake.

Isn't it beautiful!  Love this place.

One of the highlights was riding on the trolley downtown.

We all still call the stadium Jack Murphy....can't help it.

While the kids had fun, I am sure the passengers weren't that excited to have excited kids aboard.  Oh well.

Of course we visited the Mormon Battalion - can anyone imagine the boys really carrying guns?  One of them almost did something dangerous with the bayonet.  I can't remember who though.

We had such a good time visiting with our family and cousins.  Love to make those trips!

Twins Playing Soccer

Just wanted to share some pics of the boys first soccer game.

They love it and I am glad they have somewhere "official" to run, push, fall, kick and mess around.  Coach does a good job keeping them in line and focused though.

They are fun to watch.  Two stories I can share:

1) The first game someone from the other team pushed Dane down.   Ben turned around and ran after the kid.  His hand was outstretched like he was Darth Vader using the force.  Luckily - no bodily harm came to the other kid.  Ben just let him know that wasn't okay.  I wasn't there, but I heard from the other parents that it was hilarious.

2)  The second game of the season the coach couldn't be there. So I coached practice and then the game.  Needless to say - I was so tired of hearing Ben say:  Mommy, mommy, Mommy - I told him he was only allowed to call me coach.  So for the whole game he called me coach.  Once - coach mom.  I nearly laughed every time he said it.

Kai's 8th Birthday

Happy Birthday Kai!

I just wanted to post a few pictures from Kai's 8th Birthday.

She chose the Theme:  The Boxcar Children....and at first I thought that it might be impossible.  Luckily, Kai was not short of any ideas.  So we went with it.

After much messing around with photoshop - this is the invite we came up with:

For the goody bags I printed the photo on a label and stuck it on some paper.

The good thing about the boxcar children is that they were all about cheap and easy.

Included in their goody bags were a bandana with their name on it and a little led booklight with a clasp.  They really loved these.

I found some great wrapping paper at the dollar store and made some banners.

I tried to decorate the table with little flowers - just like Jessie would.

Brett "built" me a Boxcar Theater down in the basement where the girls could come and watch a movie.

Kai decorated it with our quilts and couch cushions.

As the girls came in they started working on a craft so that we could get ready for the Scavenger Hunt.

They made Glass Lanterns - with tea lights.

They really loved this! 

We did our craft, had an easy dinner of Spaghetti and salad.  Then was the Scavenger Hunt.  I wish I had some pictures of this.  If it weren't for a friend helping - it would not have been so fun.  We hid Kai's presents and divided the girls up into groups.  Each group had to find their own presents that they brought by rhyming couplets for clues.  Some found them easy - some took some time.  The last clue was the same for everyone.  That's where they found their goody bags.  Very fun!

Then we had cake!  This year I made my own marshmallow fondant.  First time - and it wasn't so bad!  You can't see the cake, but Ben and Kai both liked it....I will probably do this again.

Anyway, it was a lot of work....as I look at the pictures, I think - where did all that time go?  It doesn't look very fancy.  But it was a lot of fun!
Happy Birthday Big Sweetus.

Here was Kai on her real birthday

Actual Bday!

Sorry - I forgot to include these photos of Kai's real birthday.  At our house you get to choose each meal (an idea I stole from a good friend).  She chose breakfast pancakes, Boxed Mac & Cheese for lunch (gag!) and of course for dinner - Chicken Pot pie.  

Breakfast Candles - a tradition at our house.

"I'm 8 sign from Kai"

Before church with Grandma Pam