4th of July

In the past we have gone somewhere to watch fireworks in the sky... this year we stayed at my parents house and did our own fireworks by the pool while the kids swam.

So cool.

I spent $100 on fireworks, yah, I don't even know what got in to me. Really it was because Dallin went with Ashlin and I to the mall and I felt bad that he had to sit and wait in our girl stores for us forever... so on the way home when he begged to stop at a Firework Tent, I caved.

It ended up being so fun. Him and Bruce put on the show for us, Dallin lit them all, he loved it.

At first little Sophie wasn't convinced this was a safe activity, but then she embraced her inner patriotism and loved it. We really sang any patriotic songs we could think of as we watched.

And is there anything more patriotic then sparklers...

...maybe just sparklers in the pool!

Aren't we lucky to have all the freedoms we do?

WE LOVE AMERICA!

(and spending America's birthday swimming as a family is pretty awesome too)

8 is Enough

...aaaaaand the only family picture we got on the whole Cali vacation was the free one at the Mormon Battalion Museum in Old Town San Diego. THE END.

Ocean Activities

Every year my awesome dad plans some new thing to go do that we haven't done before. This year we did a kayaking "cave tour" on the ocean. We kayaked over by "Seal Beach" and saw the Sea Otters right up close. We saw big sea turtles, sting rays, and some cool fish below us. Little Logan was my kayak partner and really got to paddle, he did a lot better than I thought he would and was even good at steering our kayak out in that big ocean.

Then of course we walked to the park right on the beach for our packed picnic lunch... and ate too many Oreos while the kids ran around like crazy people.

Any maybe other people don't consider this an "Ocean Activity"... but of course WE go to church every year in Cali. I love going to church other places and showing my kids how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same everywhere. It's different people and a different building, but the Lords church just the same. (I really believe that with all my heart)

Cousin Vinny

One of the highlights of the Blake Family-Solana Beach trip is the social life. It is just awesome to walk around condo to condo each night filled with family (I think we have 11 condos between us all), looking for the best party and conversation going around. Its heavenly. Theres mini parties everywhere. From the little kids to us big kids, you gotta find where THE party is at. And swapping kids for sleepovers happens too.

Here's Calvin, AKA, Cousin Vinny, sleeping in our condo/pull out couch with Logan. (While the girls had a sleep over at Aunt Sissy's condo of course)

Yes, Logan is going to bed still in his bathing suit and swim shirt.

What do you do, it's vacation.

Vacation Walks

I love going on walks in California...

I am in love with this house below, dreamy.

Sophie loved going on walks too, especially because she ended up at Fletchers Cove each walk. Can you imagine a more beautifully situated park?

Let me tell you what Sophie is a little obsessed with right now... Birds. She finds birds everywhere and then tells us "birdie-birdie-birdie" over and over.

She didn't want anything to do with the playground when there was "birdies" to chase around, she laughed and laughed...

... until the birdies got away from her. I love this face captured below as she kept saying, "UH-NO, GO?"

Since the birdies got away, I convinced her to come to the playground...

but then she just wanted to sit and wave at the Spanish lady who was sleeping on the bench, for real. Ha ha.

Oh man we love this little sophe-a-loaf.

Beach Days

A few weeks ago was our ANNUAL BLAKE FAMILY

SOLANA BEACH TRIP

(this years t-shirt above)

I only took my camera to the beach one of the days, and some of my kids went up to the pool soon after I got to the beach. But it was good times. Ocean waves are mesmerizing.

Gender Issues

Funny Thing:

The other day my cousin Lancey Pants was over playing Rockband with the family... afterwards our kids and us were all sitting around talking about probably Veterinary Medicine (because Lancey pants is in Vet school to become a Vet just like Dr. Vernon)... and my 8 year son Logan breaks out and says:

"We've checked, and most our stuffed animals are girls"... then he pauses for a second and says, "well, actually, they are all girls"

It took me a sec to realize what he was referring to

and then I laughed and laughed. ha ha ha

Here is Logan last week at our Solana Beach trip...

with his little cousin Coop-a-loops.

Oh the wonderful beach days...