Beach Time with the Stephens

Oh my goodness. One of the best parts of our trip was when we got to see Allie, Brad, Kai and Baby Caden where they live in Carlsbad. (San Diego).

Allie and I met at CU freshman orientation and ended up as dorm neighbors...then roomies. And as we know, being roommates creates a bond unlike any other. We have memories of sharing a love for holidays (st. patricks day parties and pumpkins thrown through a window after our epic Halloween party), study breaks with our special "concoction" (apple cider and peach tea and honey), nights at Borders Book Store and a THE.MOST.AMAZING. Spring break trip (hiking in the Grand Canyon, waterfalls, meeting Australians, then Phoenix, the Mexico, then Lake Havasu...all in one trip). We ran The Frozen Foot 5K together every winter/spring at CU and hoarded Bride magazines in our little green Grove Street house. She stood up with me in my wedding. And we hadn't seen each other since Mimi was around 18 months. We really hadn't talked since she was pregnant with Kai (her first born), but somehow that never seems to matter.

I was giddy and over the moon to meet Allie as a MOM! And to meet Brad AND to hold that baby Caden. 

It was just as special as I imagined...and more. (Our kids frolicked with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop..pretty amazing).

(I think this is how Mimi felt about being the ONLY girl. But Allie's sweet present of a grown girl coloring book and pencils helped...until she warmed up, of course :)

 When the rain stopped, we couldn't wait to walk to the beach. 

\

So sweet. Mimi is so blessed by my friends who love her too xo

Brad was such a good sport with me trying to capture every moment of their life in the short time I was there...

Then we spotted a SEAL! We had never seen one in the wild before! 

Bode had the most fun throwing mud into the ocean.

Love you Al!

Thanks Stephens! Let us return the favor sometime!!!!

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Bode's Field Trip

I have a field trip curse.

I know that if you name something, you're giving it more credibility...(like "beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice.." or something like that). So I'm not trying to be dramatic, I'm just trying to face the facts. And I am in fact cursed on field trip day. (Also dance recital day but that's a whole other story).

***

Click on this link to see proof of where my field trip curse started...

http://teamturrill.blogspot.com/2011/09/off-to-farm.html

There's more evidence too, but I'd like to just forget it.

With all of that in my past, you can imagine how hard I tried to make Bode's field trip morning a success... I wasn't going to let flying solo without Benny this week hold me down. I was ULTRA-prepared...(as evidenced by the slew of post-it note reminders scattered around the counter and doors). Everything was in place for me to be on time, with warmly dressed kids, a bag of snacks and a charged camera. 

Then Mimi got a bloody nose. And another one. And ANOTHER one. 

(then threw a fit because she thought I said she could go on her brother's field trip and in fact said she couldn't . And ANOTHER bloody nose hit...this time it was anger-induced. Awesome. With every bloody kleenex tossed on the floor of the garage I saw my chances at breaking my awful field trip streak becoming less of a reality. I'm a walking "busy mom" cliche. I CANNOT arrive on time. I fit too much on my plate. Even when I try really hard, I just can't be the cool, calm, collected mom. So, I was put on this earth I suppose to make everyone else feel less like a mess and better about themselves (or maybe just less alone). You're welcome. )

***

AFTER said "bloody child" was escorted angrily calmly to school we made it to our field trip. And it was fantastic. Precious preschool memories solidified by dust, firetruck rides and horse slobber. Just the way it should be.

(Bode fed a horse once. That was good for him. Me, I'm addicted to those soft, sweet horse whiskers).

Bodes and his buddy. 

(When your kid is closing his eyes, but you still post it because you like this picture of yourself better...)

(sometimes the littlest siblings of preschoolers are the best. And P.S. how awesome and "anything goes" is preschool?! Siblings welcome!)

More apples please!

It is EXTREMELY hard for me not to share all of the pictures I took...there were some precious, shiny, smiling faces on the fire truck ride. (but I can't go posting other peoples' kiddos..:)

So I'll post mine ;)

(and a few side faces of others :)

The sweet owners of this farm gave Bode a ride on the fire truck to the bathroom.. xo

Then we fed fish at the pond where I used to stop and feed fish when I was little...

(remember Grandma and Grandpa?! With Ambrose!?)

I think at the end of every field trip I say, "All's well that ends well."

xo