Aptos.

My mom treated the clan to a trip to Aptos in July (yes, I'm really that far behind in blogging). She wanted to rent a house, and we had the option of either a teensy house on the beach, or a big house about 5 minutes away from the beach. We chose the latter so we could all be together. It was such a nice trip, and I'm so appreciative of her for doing this for us. I have yet to send her a 'thank you card. Pathetic, I know (I still haven't mailed out wedding 'thank you's, either).

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

Uncoopertive children for an after-church picture.

Minute To Win It after church boardom.

Lots of this.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

We only know "dry and shriveled lizards" in the Arizona desert, so this was a fun surprise

The view up the driveway to the house.

...and more of this.

Beach Babes.

The Mystery Spot. I was nauseuous the entire time we were here.

Cousin Love.

Freeeeeedommmm!!

School's back in sesh. Halelujah. I think I'm the only momma out there that is ecstatic (I've patiently waited 12 years for this day), however... my kids were just as stoked. Like, as in, couldn't-fall-asleep-til-2-in-the-morning-stoked.

Don't get me wrong. We had a very fun-filled summer. I only heard the words "I'm bored" just a handful of times. But it was time.

Swayze said it was "The best day Ever!" Her favorite part of being a Kindergartner? "Two whole recesses!"

The one thing that does make me a little sad is that I wish I had spent more quality time with Swiggles while I had her, instead of pawning her off on babysitters and running needless errands with her.

My walk home from the kids' school wasn't nearly as dramatic as William Wallace. That is... until I got home and realized I was locked out of the house. Bad karma for being a little too excited?

I have a feeling it's going to be a good, good year.

p.s. I find Tag's shirt quite fitting...

The Ride There Is Half The Fun, No?

The Destination for 10 days (aaaahhhh).

Pit Stop at QT.

The "Zonie" invasion on California.

Yep. Watching "Rainman" on the iPad wilst driving and getting mad at ME for being mad at HIM.

A little fighting.

Pee, on ice (it's Tommy's. I'm not that talented. My talents lie elsewhere)...

The token windmill picture.

Asian Lady drivers are the best.

I promise my mother and sister, I will be current on my posts by the weekend.

I Have No Idea Where She Gets It.

Miss SassyPants got a snazzy new haircut.

The other day, I took the girls shopping and while I was trying on different things, I asked them for their expert advice on a shirt and Swiggles says,

"Well, it's a cute shirt, but my new haircut is WAY cuter!"

Summertime.

Sprinkler Love (because we can't afford a pool).

Lots of yard work.

Mom gets suckered into taking them on expensive field trips.

Sleeping in.

Eating out. Lots.

My "Apache Junction" nail polish.

We've been partaking of lots of these.

About the no pool thing - we've been to too many of these to get out of the heat. "Free popcorn Mondays" are just a bonus.

Our scorpion friends like to show up for the occasional visit. It's a good thing we have machetes on hand to do them in, "Lord of the Flies" style.

Swim Lessons.

Lake Powell trips.

Day excursions to Vegas.

Have I mentioned how much I {heart} Instagram?

I'm Not Laughing...

I'm a born and bred California girl. I married an Arizona boy. Arizonans don't leave Arizona (at least that's what Tommy's dad says. He calls Arizona "Zion").

The temps hit 113 today. I've been told many a time that it is a "dry heat." Dry heat, my arse. Hot is hot. My makeup is already starting to melt, and that is a bad, bad thing.

So why the lovely saguaro cactus picture above? Well... every time I drive past one, it seems to look as though it's flipping me off, rubbing it in my {melted foundation} face that I have to deal with this dreaded heat for the next 4 months.

I vow to grudgingly embrace this "Dry Heat" bologna.

Happy Belated...

To the best Father a girl could ask for.

Happy Daddy's Day.

Always The Funny Guy...

At my expense (as usual)...

Tommy and I had to make a late-night Wal-Mart run. We're checking out and the above picture is what the guy standing behind us is buying. I lean over to Tommy and tell him, "I bet that's for his wife. He's a nice husband!"

Remember THIS post from a while back?

Well, sure enough, the guy says, "My wife wanted this stuff. The Monster is for me."

So, leave it to Tommy to announce to the entire check-out line,

"Looks like you're gonna have a good night tonight. I'm buying tampons for my wife. Sucks to be me."

The Birthday Goose.

She's spunky. She's smart (did I mention she got straight A's all 4 quarters this year)? She's happy and content. She has the most contagious laugh. She looks just like her daddy, that his friends tell him 'she looks so much like Tommy, Tommy doesn't even look like Tommy. She has millions of little freckles we like to refer to as "Angel Kisses." She's a tad bossy at times, but hey - the girl knows what she wants. And she turned 9.

Her Birthday Breakfast of Choice? The ever-fabulous, ghetto Waffle House, of course!

She's my little gem.

We Call It Missionary Work...

So, my neighbor on the left of us says to our neighbor on the right of us, "So... why do all you Mormons have pictures of Joseph Smith plastered all over your walls?" Neighbor on the right says, "Dude that's not Joseph Smith - that's Jesus."

I'm still laughing.