Dinner

I lacked the energy and motivation tonight to come up with a well organized and thought-out meal.
and so this is what happened.
(oh, and I don't typically make dual dinners. the kids eat what we eat or at least a version of it. but exceptions are fun, too).
I finally made my way into the kitchen and decided to make my favorite Plutos salad for the third night in a row along with Trader's Joe's most scrumptious cornbread. because that's what sounded good. and for the kids: french toast with morning star breakfast patties and fresh strawberries.
and everyone was happy.
especially micah and I with our salad.
(this is supposed to read, "especially me and micah with our salad" or "micah and me..." isn't it? but I can't bring myself to write that).

in case you're interested, the salad includes:
fresh spinach leaves
mixed with hearts of romaine
sliced beats
garbanzo beans
Gorgonzola crumbles
raisins. lots of them.
persian-style cucumbers
strawberries
slivered almonds
tossed with a combination of
Balsamic/Gorgonzola vinegarette
YUM!
and all the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe's.
my favorite grocer.

Big Sur

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

but don't think you can get down to the beach--it's just to look at.
(and it's very clear that if you have to be rescued trying, you will be fined.
reminded me of my dad telling me as a child that if I rode my bike out of the circle of our cul-de-sac and got hit by a car, I'd get a spanking before going to the hospital).

Limekiln State Park

if you live in CA and have never been, you really should go!
Big Sur is SO beautiful.
but going when you're 32 weeks pregnant probably isn't the BEST time.
trying to sleep is pretty annoying with a pregnancy bladder but other than that,
it was FABULOUS!

The boys were in heaven and totally in their element.
we're glad we live so close and in the non-summer months, it's much easier to get reservations.
There is a beutiful creek flowing through the campground into the ocean
so you get to cross a lot of logs on the hike up to the waterfall
(my balance was also a little compromised--
there were no incidents but I felt a little wobbly with my extra weight up front)
having hannah with us was a dream.
that extra body and set of eyes was so much help with 5 kids!
THANK YOU HANNAH!
the adults even got Sat. night out once we returned from camping.
she will be missed!!
Micah testing his skills trying to get to the upper pool of the waterfall.
going up wasn't near as intimidating as the way back downThe Faithful Limekiln Campers
Our Family.I'll have to post some better pregnancy pictures soon.

Please remember that this is the work of

Team Scott and Shelli, who did all of this in 2 days--
we cannot take any credit for their skills
nor can we adequately express our gratitude for their care and kindness!
(and be advised that if you ask me to come over to help you decorate, you would be sorely disappointed with my ability--numerous friends have made such flattering requests but this talent my friends is not genetic)

The Master
The Blue Bathroom
(and I mean BLUE)

Charger Found!!

So here are some pictures of the house

(though it's very hard to capture the rooms in segments):

The guest room

The Living/Dining Rooms
a few more later...

"You're Grounded!"

an account by micah:

I learned tonight that it may still be too early to start "grounding" Jaden; or at least to use words like that without a more precise definition . . .

After receiving a plate of cookies from a neighbor a few days ago, Beckam and I made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for all FOUR of our neighbors (that's right, there are only four neighbors on our cul-de-sac). While out delivering and visiting, Jaden and Beckam were slowly overcome with wildness. Nothing terrible, just not what we wanted our first impression to be.

For example, Jaden started playing the piano without asking first; He and Beckam were literally running crazy around another backyard; and Beckam began throwing fistfuls of little rocks from their gravel bed.

In re-telling it, it doesn't sound so bad, but it really was embarrassing. I suppose the impression they left must not have been too bad since both offered to watch the kids anytime and for them to come back to play whenever (or perhaps they were just being gracious).

So anyway, upon returning home I told them that their behavior was unacceptable and that if it happpened again they would be "grounded." I elaborated by explaining that the neighbor boy couldn't come over (which he has pretty much every day since we moved in), that he couldn't watch any movies or have any other privileges.

All of a sudden, he ran off to his bedroom, jumped under the covers (covering his head) crying great heaving sobs.

When I went in to talk to him, he managed to get out: "You said you'd ground me. You're not supposed to ground people unless they do really, really bad things like stealing." He wondered if being grounded meant that he would never ever be able to play with Daniel again for his whole life. He was sure if he were to be grounded it would kill him because he wouldn't be able to drink water and you die without drinking water.

I reassured him that being grounded doesn't mean you can't eat and drink, only that you lose fun privileges like watching movies or playing with friends.

His response: It would be impossible to drink water or eat if Iwas buried in the ground.----OHH, my poor little man! How could he possibly imagine that we would literally GROUND him as a means of disciplining!?

He had a preconceived notion of what grounding was, despite my best efforts to further elaborate on what "grounding" really is (kind of like a time-out that lasts all day). Then I even told him that he needn't worry about it because he wouldn't be grounded until he was older and that his good decisions would prevent him from getting grounded anyway.

He seemed okay and so I finished putting them to bed.

Shortly, I heard the sobs again so I went back in. He was STILL crying about the threat of being grounded. He said, "If I do it just one more time I'll be grounded - I don't even get any chances?" After discussing it a little more he asked:
"So do people that do really bad things like stealing get grounded and put in the ground?"

So the point is, be careful using terms that may have literal connotations to a five-year-old.

We Are Alive

And Well!!

Sadly, in the last month between extended vacations to Bakersfield and the move, we can't find our camera charger, hopefully it's just temporarily misplaced but I have no pictures to post as a result. But after a month, an update is in order pictures or not!

First and foremost, Micah finished the BAR!! We'll know November 16 (Jaden's birthday), if he passed, although Adam claims to have already received a call from the Bar Assoc. to say a congratulations is in order.

We are now not only living in our new place but after only 9 short days are feeling quite settled thanks to the 15 members of my family that so kindly came to help us. We are loving the space and were able to pack 13 people in here overnight--the other two weren't so brave.

My mom and 14 year old nephew, Shawn were such troopers--they came two days before we moved to help us and stayed with us for 3 days after. They didn't stop working until their heads hit the pillow each night. My dad and Sandy were also so kind to come the day we moved in to deliver some new furniture we needed to fill our living room and were also a great help. Scott, Shelli and all 4 kids plus Grandma Doris as a bonus surprise, also came to deliver yet more stuff--washer/dryer, refrigerator (since the house came with one, I now have TWO, one in the garage. VERY exciting!), dressers, etc. I'm a very lucky girl, Scott and Shell wasted no time getting the decor in place, which included at least 5 trips to various stores for new stuff.
YOU will have to come visit to experience the coziness for yourself. I'm severely lacking in the creative/decorating dept. and my sister is truly gifted and also extremely thoughtful.kind.generous and I'm so grateful for Team Scott and Shelli in my life!!!
They relieve so much stress and make things beautiful. Even down to how she situated the furniture--ways I would have never even considered. sad but true.

About the house, we have three bedrooms, 2 baths and a good size living room along with a two car garage--washer and dryer inside and a huge (unlandscaped. who cares.) backyard. Micah is only 2 miles from his office, we're 5 min. from the beach AND only three blocks from Jaden's school--what more could a girl ask for?! We're HAPPY!

Jaden has already started school. Originally we weren't supposed to move until Aug. 6 but when we came to find our housing and found the school he would be attending, we realized they have year round school here and it started Aug. 6! So we up'd our move date to the 2nd--exactly one week after Micah finished the Bar. It's been crazy busy to say the least but with all the help we've had, it's been amazingly smooth and low-stress. Jaden is happy at his new school even though it's all day kindergarten, 8-2, which makes me so grateful that he had last year to prepare! He's starting off this year in a good place. He was excited about hot lunch for the first 3 days until he realized that cafeteria food wasn't all that delicious, except maybe Pizza Wednesdays!

The fam. left last Sunday and on Wed. we were able to welcome our first visitors, The Kearns, BYU-Hawaii friends from Utah. We enjoyed a fabulous visit with them and have spent the last three days showing off this beautiful new area we get to call home. I'm even really enjoying the weather!! I thought I'd freeze but it's proving to be a pregnant girls dream starting out around 60 degrees in the morning and reaching the low 70's by afternoon some days. Luckily, we live in the sunbelt so we get the most sunshine in the area!

Oh yeah, I am still pregnant. I have to keep reminding myself--the third one is a little different. I'm only 8 weeks away and hope to find a doctor this coming week. I'm feeling very good (except a nasty cold or something that's been hanging on for almost a month now) and looking forward to getting things ready for the arrival of this little guy since I've done nothing so far. I had such a lovely baby shower before I left that's made me more anxious to get things in order.

All right. I think that sums it up. Please send camera charger vibes our way so you don't have to suffer through so much writing in the future and can just enjoy a picture journal.