What happened to May...

I had so much to catch up on a month ago and now I have been MIA for so long I have 50 times more stuff.  We have been pretty busy as of late.  We moved into our new house (on base) and we are loving it.  Gil's commute to work is now 5 mins and the days he isn't in the field he can come home for lunch again.  We are quickly settling in and coming up with all sorts of projects for the house.  The big project is new curtains for the living/dining room.  I am going to attempt to make them myself.  I just bought fabric this weekend and am very excited to get started.  We have already completed a few minor projects around the house like adding some shelving and baby proofing the sliding pantry door.  Thanks to pinterest I come up with new projects regularly.

Grandma D came to visit this month for a week.  We had a blast.  B is at such a fun age I am glad Grandma got to spend some time with her at this age.  Gil had a four day weekend so we used that time to show Grandma around our new stomping grounds.  We spend a day in Palm Springs with brunch at Cheeky's and a trip up the Aerial Tram.  We also went to Sea World for the first time.  It was a beautiful day; nice and sunny but not too hot.  B's favorite was the Shamu show and the penguins.  We hope to make another trip to Sea World when our friends visit for 4th of July.  Grandma got to attend My Gym with B and her friend.  It was fun for Grandma to see her interact with all the other kids and see how happy she is doing all the different activities that the teachers set up.  On Grandma's last day, I took her to our local market which was bustling with vendors.  They seem to be gearing up for summer and there were so many more vendors and customers.  It was a lot of fun.  We both ended up leaving with all sorts of goodies, vegetables, fruits, flowers as well as hand woven baskets from Ghana (thanks again, Grandma.)  Grandma didn't fly out till Saturday night so we went back to Palm Springs for a wonderful seafood dinner at Pacifica.  It was our first time there and we will definitely be going back...and hopefully soon.

Lately, I have really been getting into sewing.  I want to learn to quilt and plan to take a quilting class later this summer.  I have a few projects that I want to attempt this summer, including a shirt for B, a family quilt for picnics, and a baby blanket for a friend.  We will see how it all goes.  I will keep you updated on all my little projects.

We are really looking forward to this summer.  We have our high school reunion this June in Vegas.  It is very exciting to think we will be able to catch up with friends who we haven't seen in almost 10 years.  So many of us are married and have kids now it will be fun to meet their families.  Also, some military friends of ours will be visiting for the 4th of July and my parents will be coming out at the end of July for a few days.

Shortly after summer we will be celebrating B's second birthday!  I can't believe it.  It is just around the corner.  Time has flown by.  She is growing into such a little toddler.  She is starting to vocalize her opinion and it won't be long before she is talking up a storm.  We just bought her big girl bed...which just seems crazy!  The big reason we bought it so soon was because it was on sale.  I am hoping she won't be ready for it until her birthday but who knows.  She is changing everyday and you just never know what will be next.  B's hair is finally getting a little longer.  Sadly she is not a big fan of my playing with it.  I have managed to get pigtails in once, which was too cute for words!  I think once it gets a little longer she won't mind so much because it won't pull...at least that is my hope.  She loves going to the playground which is across the street from our house now.  She likes to go on the swings then always tells me to go sit down and swing.  It is really cute.  She is becoming a pro at the slide as well.  She is so proud of herself when she goes down all by herself.  Her personality is growing and changing everyday.  She definitely knows what she does and doesn't want.  Her favorite things right now are spaghetti (just about the only thing I can get her to eat right now), her new doll stroller from Grandma (which she puts clothes and cups in instead of dolls), and playing in the water, whether it be the hose in the backyard or the pool.  Also another favorite thing of hers is playing with her friend M.  They both just light up now when they see each other.  It is really fun to see the friendship grow between the two of them.

 

We recently got a taste of the summer heat (it hit 113 the other day) and I think we will be spending a LOT of time at the pool.  We went to the base family pool the other day and surprisingly B loved it.  She doesn't seem to like the splash pad but the pool she loved.  It took a little warming up but by the end she was jumping/stepping off the edge right into the pool.  For a girl who hated the pool not even 6 months ago, I was amazed!  We hope to make it a weekly summer activities with our friends.  I think we will have to...it is the only way to make the heat bearable.

Well, that basically catches me up so here are a few more pictures of our life lately.  Think of it as a really big non-Friday photo dump.

Sorry for the crazy layout of photos.  Still trying to figure out the new setup at blogger.

A Day of Cuteness

On Wednesdays we always head to Palm Springs for My Gym with our friends.  After class we stop for lunch then run errands/shop at Target, Marshalls, Babies'R'Us...the list goes on.  This week we had lunch at a Mexican Cantina.  The girls were in a bit of a mood but at the same time B was filled with cuteness.  

Here are a few photos from our day.

Playing Peek-a-boo with her chair cover

 B learned how to undress herself...in public.

 She also helped Daddy with the basket at the grocery store.

Birthday Weekend

We had a great time in San Diego. It was a very easy city to navigate and everything was so close. It never took more than 8 minutes to get wherever we were going.

We went to Coronado and walked the boardwalk and ended back there for dinner at a great family friendly sushi place. Our first full day we spent at Balboa Park. What a great park! There is so much to do I could have spent all weekend there. We saw a marionette puppet show, went to the science museum and rode the carousel outside the zoo. That night we drove out the Escondido and had a table full of crab. I don't consider myself a big lover of seafood but this was delicious! Our final day we woke up and went to a crepe place we saw earlier in the Gas Lamp District. Unknown to us, B was coming down with a bad cold, so breakfast was quit dramatic. Either way, the crepes were delicious and had B been feeling better I am sure she would have loved the idea of chocolate for breakfast. After breakfast we headed out to Carlsbad to see the flower fields. It was amazing. We were there right at peak, so all the flowers were in bloom. It was small but beautiful. I wish we were able to get a good family photo but B really wasn't feeling well so we walked the fields then headed home; not before I bought some bulbs and fresh flowers to take home.

All in all it was a great weekend. It was nice to explore a new city. It definitely confused me though. It didn't seem to have an identity. Boston and New York seem to have such a personality and San Diego seemed like a hodge-podge of stuff. There seems to always be things to do and tons of activities for families but the city itself was just confusing. Anybody else been to San Diego and felt that way? Or am I just missing something?

Here is a few photos from our weekend.

B checking out San Diego from Coronado.

Walking the boardwalk with Daddy.

Sushi Dinner

I love B's smile here. She seems so grown-up.

Marionette puppet show. This was 'How Much is that Doggy in the Window?'

Lunch outside the Science Museum

Playing in the Geometry Playground

B thinking she is going to get some of Mommy and Daddy's crab

Chocolate for breakfast, yum!

Pretty Flowers

I thought this was adorable!

To the market we go

I haven't been to great at blogging lately. I have several ideas and some even started and saved but just haven't taken the time to sit down and write. We all got a cold after our San Diego trip and B is better but Gil and I are still trying to kick it. Hopefully I will get some of my posts written soon. San Diego and Easter posts are next on my list.

But until then enjoy this photo of B headed to the market.

San Diego, dancing and precious kisses

Our bags are packed and we're ready to go.

We are off to San Diego tomorrow. I am super excited for my birthday weekend. We plan to spend some time at Coronado Island, a whole day at Balboa Park (visiting parks, museums and seeing a Marionette Puppet show) and on our final day we will be visiting the Carlsbad Flower Fields. We also plan to eat a lot of fish tacos, crab and sushi while we are away.

Hope you all have a fun filled weekend.

And to send you off to the weekend with a smile. Here is little B dancing away (apparently she can only dance with her mouth wide open.)

On top of dancing anytime she hears music; just today she started kissing EVERYTHING! The cabinets, the dishwasher, mommy's booboo. Not only is she doing that but they aren't the big wet opened mouth kisses. They are sweet little ones where she puckers up and makes a little kissing noise. It is super cute. I am really enjoying all her little kisses she keeps sharing.

Friday Photo Dump:

Little Ballerina

I think we have a little ballerina in the making. I have noticed recently that when she stands on her tippy-toes she curls them under; kinda like a ballerina in toe shoes. I think it is adorable and can picture her in a little ballet class with little girls all dressed in pink running around with their toes pointed; or maybe a tap class stomping around.

If you know me at all this is very odd because I hated those classes as a kid and am not super girly but I guess you have to try it and let your kid decide whether they like it or not. Either way she would look adorable!

We have also started prepping for the hot weather to come. We got some new bathing suits since she grew out of hers from last year also a new sun hat and a floaty vest for the pool. She has been very excited about all the new things. Before we even leave the store she want to put it all on. She has been in a pool before but not in a while so I hope she enjoys it when we go. There are several pools on the military base here and they are heated so we might go soon. I plan to sign her up for swim lessons this summer which will be a fun activity. I have a feeling we will get a lot of use out of summer pool clothes this summer while trying to escape the sweltering heat.

B couldn't wait to get her new swim suit on so it went on right over the clothes.

B's new sun hat.

She loves to show you that she knows that hat goes on her head.

San Diego Here We Come

Well, I am happy to announce I finally know what we are doing for my birthday. Gil has a 3 day weekend leading up to my birthday so we are headed to San Diego to explore for the weekend. I am really excited. I have started to research things to do but still have a lot more to do. I know for sure we will be going to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. I am REALLY excited about seeing all the flowers in bloom. I have looked into Catalina Islands and a few of the different neighborhoods within San Diego but nothing else is set in stone yet. If anybody has any ideas of what else to do in San Diego other than the different parks, I am open to them.

Aubrie is loving her My Gym class. It is so nice to go with friends each week. Nice for the moms to share the driving responsibility and for the girls to know somebody in class. Both the girls love to explore the whole room but Aubrie loves the stairs. She goes back and forth walking up and down. If she wonders away and another kids gets on them she gets upset...she obviously things she owns the stairs. She is more difficult to rally for the circle time than she was when she was little but what can you expect. She has been doing really well with the other kids so far too which I am happy about. I am happy to say she is not the hitter of the class. After class we go and grab lunch and run errands/shop in the area. It makes for a nice day. I like having a set day that I know we will be getting out of the house.

The weather has become really nice lately. We still have some pretty windy days but are temps are starting to rise and rise fast! We have been playing outside and at the park a lot lately. Aubrie loves to be outside. We leave porch door open now and she loves to walk in and out and play with Kai in the dirt. We might have to get some type of water feature to play in come summer.

That's it for now. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Friday Photo Dump: