At least is Doesn't Feel Like July!

Don't get me wrong ~ I am not complaining about the weather. I LOVE Southern California weather. I could live here for the rest of my life kinda LOVE.

However, I had a pang in my side as I pulled out of the driveway yesterday. I saw an older woman walking along the sidewalk and I just desired so much to be near family. To have that woman be my mom just walking over to say "Hello!"

This Christmas is the first year we will be spending it.....Just Us. And don't get me wrong again. I'm kind of excited about a Just Us Christmas. We've never done it. We have time to think about what traditions we'd like to begin and ones we'd like to pass down from our families. We've got our handy video chat and have promised to be connected when certain gifts are being opened! But, we will certainly miss everyone dearly as well!!

Our parents are in that prime of life so to speak. They are wise, relatively healthy. We can get out and explore together. We have lively conversation and storytelling. We play games after the kids go to bed. ...And well, that's only going to go downhill. I'd hate to live so far away all these years only to fly home during an emergency to a vacant stare or a voice saying, "I'm ready to go home."

How morbid is that last sentence! And not to sound even more despairing, but sometimes, Camlon thinks through how many more times he is likely to see his parents before they pass on and at the current rate we are able to see each other (once or twice a year), it is not that many times!!! We are definitely going to have to enjoy all our times together!


I do have many pictures to post. We've had a couple visitors stop by, we've decorated the house. We purchased a video camera and already have a few fun ones to share.

However, today, I'm just going to post some photos from a walk we took with MomMom.

First we got ready to walk by taking the kids on a razor and flying down our street...



Since this is on the internet, I must also state that should you choose to do this particular activity, I'd recommend a helmet! I won't even tell you how fast they are going except to say that last photo is pretty blurry!



Eric LOVES it! (Raise your hand if you think someone will mail us a helmet for Christmas!! Or, they might just hit us up side the head)




Bikers were now warmed up and ready to ride! Sometimes, it is tricky to get Finn excited about going outside. He just likes to be home and to play inside. But, once he gets going, he has a blast. MomMom probably wished we got out more. We love her shirt from the "Portland, ME Triathlon": Lobsta, Chowda, and Beerya









By December, some of our trees did start to turn.









We took a break to view the mountains.



Ally discovered a little hiding place under the palm branches.




Finn went on ahead of us and when I looked up the street, I only saw his bike. Where was Finn??




He said he got so bored waiting for us, he decided to take a nap on the sidewalk. Honestly.....




Camlon teaching Eric the meaning of, "DUCK!"



And by the final turn home everyone was wiped out. Look at MomMom stepping up to the plate.

Yes, Finn has a boy's bike!! I got this pink one for Ally. But, it's too big for Ally and Finn's is still a little too big for him to ride, so we are still on the trike and the beautiful Barbie bike(courtesy of San Diego Freecycle). Sign up for your local area's freecycle group today. All that stuff you are getting at Target, you could have gotten for free!