ranch

my fabulously fabulous friend lara just started a blog for all mama's to share fun adventures and ideas to do with your kids for the summer.. and beyond!

please participate!

this could be real good stuff!!

imagine the possibilities??

visit by clicking  HERE..

and put er' in your fav's!

let the adventures begin!

i can't wait to hear what everyone brings to the table!

so.

 for my tiny part..

here is a tid bit..

i am so excited to share with everyone one of my favorite spots..

leo carrillo ranch!

for all tho locals.. it is right here in carlsbad, california..

it is a california historical landmark..

it is sooo beautiful..

27 acres of beautiful stone arches, bright colored doors, rustic barns, bridges, screaming peacocks galore, a swimming pool, windmills and all the nooks and crannies that even "alice" would love to explore.

it is FREE and a great place to pack a picnic, stomp the grounds and of course snap some great pictures!

memories

makena and i were on an evening bike ride and it was just so peaceful out..

such a great way to end our busy summer day..

she looks up at me with her humongous orange helmet and little legs pedaling as fast as fast can be and says..

"mommy! today i learnnnned to swiiiiiiim, i have my first REALLY wiggy tooooth,

i can ride my bike soooo fast..

AND.

i am going into the first grade soon!"

she had the biggest pearly white smile on her face and you could see she was just..

 SO HAPPY..

it made my heart sing..

i am so sure that, that night, that moment with the sun setting..

 will be with her forever..

i could just tell that was a BIG MOMENT for her....

and me.

father's day

father's day weekend was amazing..

how beautiful was the weather?

seriously..

kinda not fair to be honest..

mother's day weekend was gloomy mc' gloomerson..

i'm just sayin'..

ahh-hmm.

anyway..

we started off the weekend with a sunset hike around the lagoon..

we went to a fairy festival and then to have smores at the campgrounds with our best friends..

and on father's day we went to the beach

and of course the day was allll about food..

breakfast in bed with coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, bacon, fried eggs and toast..

lunch was caprese sandwiches on the beach..

dinner was carne asada tacos..

 big stick popsicles and an evening bike ride topped it all off..

it was a well deserved beautiful day

for my most fabulous hubby..

 and wonderful daddy to our precious girls..

thank you for asking me to be your wife..

:)

summer is here

it's officially summer!
beach days..
fish tacos..
bbq with friends..
bike rides..
 after dinner swims...
*love*

practice practice

these girls are so good...

how often am i in their faces with my camera??

ya.

alot.

i am learning a lot right now..

there is a lot to know..

i am practicing..practicing.. reading..then practicing some more..

 then..

 boom!..

i get these 2 shots..

i am learning some tricks!

sooo

exciting!

my little acrobat

our little girl has 2 days left of kindergarten!

whhhaa???

it goes so fast.. i am so trying to savor every second and it is still just zooooming by..

so sad..

yesterday was her BIG end of year CIRCUS performance..

 she has been practicing so diligently..

she wouldn't dare tell us what her costume looked like because it was " a surprise"..

 she was singing circus tunes all around the house for weeks..

ohh! and the somersaults?? we had to do a lot of work on those..

they had to be perfect..

it allll paid off though!

look!

my little acrobat..

i can't look..

 she is tooo cute!

i want to squeeze her!

me- proud as pie...

{is that a saying??}

                                                  

we brought big yellow flowers to present to her after the performance..

as if she was on broadway ..

chloe clapped and clapped for her sister..

she was sooo very proud too!

my handsome hubby and then me smothering as usual..

her b.f.f. maddie was a clown..

these two l.o.v.e. eachother..

so cute.

*sigh*

off to first grade?

really?

but she was just in my belly?

bangs!

snip snip..

i can not believe how adorable she looks..

it's like she should of had bangs all along!

homework..

 

ever since i was gifted my fabulous camera..

 i have loooooved taking pictures and playing around in my art-sy fart-sy way with it..

but.

i have now decided to really buckle down and LEARN my camera.

i know. i know. i have said it before (ali, you are prob saying uhh-huh..ya. right)

but.

i went nuts at the library and i purchased a great book and i joined an online course..

ha!

i am determined..

now for my brain to retain any information?

is that possible?

i am seriously wondering..

the parker..

ohhh. the parker..

sigh..

it.

was.

so.

so.

so.

ah-mazing....

girl's trip..

we dolled up for dinner...

i was in 4 inch heels..

(could seriously hardly walk, but i went for it and actually didn't fall on my face once.. yay me!)

we relaxed..

and we relaxed a lot more..

so much eye candy..

the decor was fabulous fabulous fabulous.

                                                                   the pool was freshwater..
                                                          the raspberry mojitos were divine..
                                                                              no music allowed.
                                                                all girl talk and magazines.
                                                                            oh! and a POP!

                                                        

did i mention the decor?

*swooon*

and the food..

i got the banana flap jack's for breakfast..

i die..

i seriously had a bit of drool on the corner of my mouth at first bite.

no lie.

i want one of these chairs..

so

bad.

2 days of pool, sun, best girlfriends and great food!

thanks for indulging with me ladies..

and thanks to my wonderful hubby for the fantastic mother's day gift!

love u!

when life gives you lemons..

you play bocce ball..

happy weekend!!!

ombre..

i wish for that hair..

ombre..

isn't it dreamy?

image via this is glamorous

3 days at the beach and more

this was a great long weekend..

it started with these

multi grain muffins and the fam inhaled them

 recipe here

we went to the beach everyday..

the girls play, play, play and we can now lay, lay, lay..

so exciting.

do you now what a huge milestone that in itself is????

we got our first popsicle from the ice cream man.

Damian spotted an AMAZING vintage steamer trunk down an alley on our way home from the beach yesterday..

i have wanted one of those for as long as i can remember.

we shoved it the back along beach chairs, shovels and our cooler and we were off!

picture coming once i figure out where? to put it.

we had a great neighborhood party..

the last 10 or so kiddos all crashed around 11pm watching a barbie movie on the floor..

 don't you take a lollipop break when riding a bike...

me and my oldest..

open house for my soon to be graduating kindergartner..

best dad ever.. he is volunteering in her class next week..

she is so happy and he is in for it..

:)

soon it will be summer again..

hip hip hooray!!