Day 1: Clubhouse Fun Zone, or as Ali calls it, “the bounce bounce playground” with my mom, Michelle and Hannah. On Monday night Ali prayed to go to back to the bounce, bounce playground soon. At least she knows where to go with the really important requests!

That evening we got some quality TV watching in with our neighbors Corey and Jen, as we continue our ongoing Chuck marathon with them.

Day 2: Road trip to beautiful Bakersfield. We spend a couple of fun hours with my friend Davi and her Band of Brothers where her two oldest boys taught Ali how to use a light sabre, while I enjoyed talking to Davi and left wishing we had more time to chat.

From there to a 50th anniversary party for Lanny and Joyce Lloyd. It was so peaceful being in a room with so many Ridgecrest (or more specifically Immanuel) people, and it was a tribute to the guests of honor, just how many people made the trip.

Next, the required swim at the hotel pool. I was so happy to be someplace warm enough to swim. Those who spent this summer in Ventura and Oxnard know what I mean.

This is where our weekend hit a speed bump.

Actually, it was not a speedbump it was the corner of a door frame, and it was not our weekend it was Ali’s head. 

Matt got us to the nearest ER to have her forehead glued back together, and despite their lack of pediatric consideration they did have us in and out of there pretty quickly. The wound is usually hidden by her mega-bangs, but if you ask Ali will be happy to show you her new “bonk”.

Day 3: Took it easy after the excitement of the day before. Returned home.

Day 4: Spent the morning hiking towards (not to) the punchbowls. Since we are not Ventura County natives we had never made this hike before, but we were happy to find the first stream crossing not too far up the trail.

There was much fun to be had right there at that spot, so we did not bother to venture any further and just lingered where we were.

The rest of Day 4 was made up of all the stuff that gets crammed into a few hours whether your weekend is one day or four days long. Groceries, laundry, cleaning etc.  We’ve got to be ready for another week.

Amy

Kerri is pretty much everything I want to be. Passionate, interesting, informed, and fun!

The girls had fun taking pictures and posing for pictures between sessions of climbing all over the cliffs.

Ali absolutely adores Zoe. She followed her around and watched/copied her every move.

Then the boys got involved.

Kanoa’s weapons came out and the beach became a battlefield.

It was a perfect opportunity for Ali to begin her training in weaponry.

“Ok honey, go in low and keep shooting”

Or some other equally fatherly advice.

We then moved on to the hand-to-hand combat portion of our afternoon.

I can’t be sure, but I think Matt won!

Amy

We clearly have a love for these things, as we have attended dollar day two years in a row.

I think I am ready to break up with dollar day next year and go to the fair on a less discounted but less crowded day. We also learned a valuable lesson this year about the free shuttle bus to the fair that departs a block from our house – don’t try it, at least not on dollar day. We gave up on the shuttle and drove, which is a choice I think we all were happy with. We wanted to do the right thing and use public transportation, but we also wanted to actually get to the fair!

That being said, I came away happy because we had a mish-mash group of friends, family and adorable little girls with us making for good conversation and sweet moments.

Hannah, Ali and Cora.

Have I mentioned how happy it makes me that my daughter has an abundance of sweet girlfriends to play with and grow with?

It makes me really happy.

The girls are still at the age where most of our focus at the fair is on visiting the livestock. We rode one ride and checked out some kid-friendly exhibits, but mostly it was all about the animals.

These are definitely city girls. After the fair, Ali told me she saw an elephant – I think she meant a cow.

The picture books just don’t do them justice.

We were still smiling on our way out the back gate.

I think we got our money’s worth.

Amy

and she said that she did not need to get a picture with her camera because I am good at sharing the pictures that I take. Whether or not I am good about sharing pictures or not is up for debate, but I was sitting at the computer tonight and decided I just did not want to let her down.

By the way, David’s wedding was a wonderful evening. It was great to be with aunts, uncles and cousins and to get to know the sweet family that he married into. It was quite beautiful and the food was great too!

The day after that wedding my mom had a get-together at her house. One of the highlights for Ali was spinning Ruthie around in the desk chair.

My daughter is so lucky to have such a fun and adoring Aunt!

Love ya sis!

Amy

Well, maybe one.

And she said, “Challenge accepted.”

 That climbing wall did not know what hit it. My newly sixty year old Momma shimmied up that wall like it was nothing.

It was a beautiful thing.

I am so proud of my Mom!

love,

Amy

Ali made sure they are all tucked in, and even gave Asha her pink bear-bear to cuddle with.  One little puppy fell fast asleep, but the big one was restless.

This resembles Ali’s nap today, tossing and turning, playing and saying “I not sleepy”, then all of the sudden…..

Out like a light. For now.

Asha sleeps through everyone else’s restlessness.

Except in the early morning. She knows what time my alarm goes off and a few minutes before its scheduled alert, she is there at the side of the bed, stretching her little body up to remind me that it is time to get up.

How do you explain weekends to a dog?

But now, she is enviably relaxed.

Hmmmmmmm.

Amy

I think it turned out great, and at the end of the weekend I did not want to leave. Ali and the dogs were so happy out there, I would say they were easier while camping than they are at home. We went to Santa Margarita Lake, and for a Memorial Weekend trip it was a good choice (you can see the holiday crowds on the lake behind us).

We joined the Baums, the Kiners, the Pecks and the Vanolis, which meant that we got to camp with these three two year old girls.

Hannah, Annabella and Ali. So much fun, adventure and cuteness!

Matt said we brought our own petting zoo.

Although I am not sure that Asha was completely happy to serve that purpose.

Besides enjoying being with my family and being outside for a few days, what made the time great was being with some amazing girlfriends.

For Matt, I would guess his favorite part would be……..

 Now I can’t wait to go camping again!

Amy

Ali loves to be in the water. On this particular day a friend had to point out that she had taken off running straight to the water, and when we were finally done she was shivering and shaking and begging to go back in. Too cold is not an option.

I feel so blessed to live near the beach. We don’t get there nearly often enough, but we always have fun when we go, and we definitely go to the beach a lot more than I did when I was a kid.

Note to my parents: that is not a complaint, just a fact

So what is the most fun at the beach when you at two years old?

Flying!

Amy