Calleigh:  Mommy, how old are you?

Andi:  I'm 36 years old.  (feeling a sense of accomplishment that I actually remembered how old I am.)

Calleigh:  WHEW!  At least you're not almost 80!

Andi:  (thinking. . .do I look almost 80?!  It's all a matter of perspective.)

Calleigh Sense

Background:  Carson got a new bouncy ball at the pediatrician yesterday that glows in the dark and looks like an eyeball.  

Setting:  In the car on the way home from the pediatrician.

Carson:  UUUGGGHHH!  My eyeball fell out! (one eye squinted shut tightly)

Calleigh:  No it didn't.  You still have your eyelashes on!

Makes total sense to me :-)

Happy Easter!

Just a day in the foothills. . .

One Sunday a couple of weeks ago, we took a hike in the foothills near our house.  It was a perfect, blue sky, sunny, warm day for a hike.  The kids had a lot of fun.  They are great little adventurers!

Andi and Calleigh walking on the path at the base of the foothills.

Carson looking out over Simi Valley.  Notice the Indiana Jones hat, satchel, and walking stick.  It's his exploring gear.  The satchel was great for holding all of the rocks he collected along the way.  And there were a lot of rocks!

Some cool rocks along the way.  See those foothills in the background?  We climbed those.  It was really cool!

Looking back across the path we traveled.  You can see the path on the left side of the picture.  The scenery was beautiful.  I can't help but wonder about how this area was formed.  This was supposedly the bottom of the ocean, but now it is full of mountains and foothills and rocky formations.  Just another reminder of God's great power in His creation.

Taking a break.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Calleigh's class went on a field trip today to Underwood Farms.  They turned a group of kindergarten kids and their parents loose in the strawberry fields to pick (and eat) fresh strawberries.  It was a lot of fun and I plan to return with the family to pick more fruits and veggies.  This is the sort of field trip that makes you want to have this stuff right in your back yard.  The strawberries were great.  The weather was great.  The kids were great.  It was a great day!

No, haven't fallen off the map

I know.  I know.  It's been too long since I last blogged.  I guess you can say we've been a little busy around here.  Here is a glimpse of the what we've been up to.  .  .

Michael took the kids on their very first hike.  They had a BLAST!  Calleigh made it her job to tell everyone when to take a rest.  Carson was designated as the guide.  At the top of the hike, they could see the whole valley below them.

 Calleigh and Michael went on their very first camping adventure.  Granted, they set up camp inside the church auditorium with lots of other daddies and their preschool/kinder kids.  Calleigh was so excited to pitch a tent and sleep in a sleeping bag (we had to buy her a new pink one!).  They had a great time just spending some much needed daddy and Calleigh time.

I started a new job after spending almost a year of just being mommy and acclimating to California.  It's really cool how God's timing played out in this adventure.  Around Christmas time I started feeling the desire to go back to work.  I had no idea what that would look like, but I knew I did not want to resume counseling others and I wanted to work around the kid's schedule.  I just gave the desire to God and trusted that He would lead me to that perfect job.  Three weeks ago I was presented with the idea of a temporary job, working part time at our church helping out with administrative duties.  It was a prayer come true!  I am able to work part time while the kids are in school.  I am working for our church in a great environment.  I am working for two really great men who are genuinely seeking God's plan in their work world.  And I am getting the challenge of organizing and creating procedures and making things efficient.  If you know me, then you know this is RIGHT up my alley.  I don't know how long this gig will last, but I am having fun.  

Michael is busy with work but really enjoying all the challenges and is being so helpful, helping me adjust to my new schedule.

That is us in a nutshell.  I will try to post more frequently.  Once I get my work/home groove going, I'll be back more often.  Until then, hugs to all!

Happy Early Birthday, Calleigh!

Calleigh's birthday isn't until June, but she received an early birthday present this weekend.  Memi and Grandaddy were in town visiting and enjoying some time with Carson and Calleigh.  The weather was beautiful - blue skies, low 70's, bright sun.  Naturally this weather meant lots of outside play time for the kids.  

Carson and Calleigh wanted to ride their bicycles this weekend, but. . .alas. . .they both had flat tires.  Thankfully Michael and Grandaddy came to the rescue and aired up the tires.  When we moved, we sold Calleigh's old bicycle in a garage sale.  It was too small for her and we had one of Carson's old bicycles that she could ride in the interim.  This bicycle did not have training wheels, so Calleigh required the help of one grandaddy to happily push her around the yard on her bicycle.  After looking up at Grandaddy with those beautiful blue pleading eyes and asking for some "girlish" training wheels, we loaded up the car and headed off to Walmart.  Who could resist that?!  Once at Walmart, Memi spotted a new princess bicycle with training wheels and just knew that Calleigh needed it for her birthday.  :-)  It just makes sense to buy her a present now, something that she will love, and not have to worry about shopping and shipping later on.  After a few minutes of consideration, Calleigh was joyfully riding her new bicycle down the aisle at Walmart as we all sang Happy Birthday.  It was fun.  And she enjoyed getting a bicycle of her own.  So, when June 13 rolls around, we'll have to sing Happy Birthday to her again as she rides around on her princess girly bicycle.