Coming home from HK

Noah and I are chilling at the airport about to hop on flights home from HK. We had an awesome trip, but can't wait to get home to the fams! Here are a few pics.



Waiting for the double decker bus at midnight when we arrived.



View from our hotel.



Nice name for the smoking floor!



Playing hoops with the local kids.



Crazy tall buildings everywhere.



Getting our tailor made suits!



Enough said!







On top of Victoria Peak.



Hong Kong temple. Our session was in Mandarin.



Crazy hats from the biggest night market ever!



Three wolf moon.

Missing the Fam

I had a business trip to San Diego the past two days and am so excited to get back to Ashley and the kiddos! It's crazy how much you realize your love for family when you are away from them!

I can't wait to see Jackson lift both arms over his head and coming running at me! He is really into wrestling lately and will just randomly come up to me or Ash and try to push us over. It's fun to see him play with Brooke and Liv - I'm so glad our kids get along so well. I hope we can keep that closeness for life!

See you soon guys!!! Time to hop on the plane!

Shadow Cliffs

It was 80 degrees today!! Spring is here!! Or should I say almost summer. Although it seems it has been raining forever, the hills are my very favorite color! Unbelievably fluorescent green! Driving back through the canyon it is so lush and beautiful!

With the beautiful weather we headed to Shadow Cliffs with some friends. Thankfully Ben was working from home today, so he took Brooke to school (and on a daddy date to lunch before dropping her off so she wouldn't feel so bad) and Jackson and Livy and I headed to pleasanton. It was so fun. I know my body had been craving that sunshine. I was so bummed though when i realized i had forgotten my camera. Livy and the twins (Tatum and Kale) were all three in striped swim suits about the same color and they looked so adorable running around together and burying each other in the sand. Jessica and I commented so much about how we used to do that together at Rio Del Mar. Even though Jackson was a bit grouchy and actually hated the sand it was still a perfect day. I hope i can remember all those kids running around with no one on the "beach" playing so hard and smiling so much and Jake and Jackson fighting (grunting) over the water bottle and Annie, Jessica and I just soaking in the sun and good conversation! Can't wait for summer (and spring break!).

The Dentist

Livy went to the dentist for the first time today. I guess I should say, I tried to take her to the dentist. Totally opposite to Brooke's first time, Livy freaked out before we had even gotten into the hygienist's room. There was no calming her down. After about 15 minutes of screaming and kicking I walked out of there with Livy kicking in one arm and Jackson on the other hip and told them i would call another time and reschedule. I was proud of myself that I didn't get ruffled. I didn't even get mad inside. Usually I would have been fuming...but I think it was because I totally expected that reaction. And Livy never disappoints when it comes to screaming and wailing.

Brooke is way excited to go to the dentist on Friday, so i might try and take Livy with me just so she can see that it isn't that bad. But who knows, she might start screaming even before we get in the waiting room since she knows where it is now.

Fun FHE

Although tonight wasn't one of our best FHE's, we have had some fun one's the last couple of weeks. One being a fun s'mores night with our fire pit my parent's got us for Christmas. It was a lot of fun!

Livy day

Livy Day

Yesterday Emma, Brooke and Tyler came home from Emma's house and surprised Livy with a super cute bag with fur on it, pictures they had colored, two lollipops, a bakugan card, and a plastic spider and declared it a LIVY DAY! In true Livy fashion, Livy hid behind the door and let out these crying screams. Until they finally pulled out the lollipops she ate one, then she was so happy. It was so cute and nice of them.

This morning when Ben saw the pictures and and "purse" on the table (he has been gone all weekend at a Conference) he asked why the picture said Livy Day?

As I was about to tell him about it, Brooke piped up and said, "It was Livy day yesterday. We let Livy play with us all day. So now it is Livy day on Saturdays." (Yesterday she is explained it to me as: Livy can play with us on saturdays, but Emma and Tyler and me get to play alone on the other days.)

Ben said, "That is so nice. Who's idea was that?"

Brooke, "Emma's. It was so nice of her. I almost started to cry at her house when she told me."

Ben, "Cry because you were happy?" Brooke, "Yeah."

Ben, "Did Livy like it?"

Brooke, kind of smirking, "No, she cried."

Ben, "You cried because you were happy for Livy day, and Livy cried becasue she was sad for Livy day....did she like it after you showed her the presents?"

Brooke, "No, not until we showed her the lollipops inside."

Moral: Livy hates a lot of attention, but loves candy.