I Don't Mean to Brag, but...

I have this really amazing friend who throws the best parties ever! Her daughter turned 10 and my twins got to celebrate in style...
Here's the invite...

They got custom t-shirts...

Awesome take-home goodies...

A beautiful cake...

All designed by my friend Britt.
AND, get ready for it...
They got to go to San Francisco on a photo scavenger hunt!!

Um, crazy...cool...and completely "off the hook"! (Notice the birthday girl right up front! D'ya think she's enjoying herself?! I love our cousin Mason's face on the right too. Awesome!)
First, they got to ride the BART train in!
Apparently my Jake (with the red sleeves) could not stop talking about the views from his window pointing out every fast food place along the way. Hannah (in the back with the pink puff vest and glasses) was along for the ride.

Then they walked around the city collecting photos of things on the list... (I was told they found everything except Hello Kitty paraphernalia, which they later spotted on the train home.)

Making words with their bodies..."Hi !"

And "Funny"

Photographing landmarks...

Dancing with their shadows...


Stopping at Blondie's Pizza for lunch...

Hitting the slides...

Hanging out...

The ride home... (I love Clay's yawn! That's gotta sum it up!)

A-ma-a-zing! Did I mention she does photography too? Check her out here!
Thanks Britt for giving my kids an adventure they'll never forget. Thanks Maren for turning 10!

And So It Begins...

Forest Home Farms

Field Trip.
The twins are learning about the history and geography of the San Ramon Valley this year. They were able to tour an old farm and homestead and I got to drive them. We even got all dolled up in farm clothes for the occasion!

The best was the excitement and anticipation as they waited in line that morning at school. Everyone dressed up and chatting and ready to go. There was a buzz in the air!



We got to the farm and separated into small groups and this was our tour guide...

I couldn't help but notice his tag...

We visited the grand old house...

the farm, the meat house, the out house, the granary, the barn full of tractors and old trucks, the garden full of ripe vegetables that they got to eat, the chicken coop, the beehives, everything...




They grew attached to the chickens...




They got to squeeze fresh orange juice and darn socks...

They got to shell walnuts, grind wheat, and drill holes using an old drill...


They got to learn about gardening and smell different herbs and try different vegetables and eat sunflower seeds right off the sunflower. They got to shovel compost and dig for worms...

They got to pump water and learn about irrigation and recycling and saving water...

They also learned how to make jams and jellies and preserves and marmalade and design their own jars.

It was such a great day and I was so glad to be a part of it!


It was so great for the kids to learn about how people used to live and how hard they worked each day for their livelihood. They had to milk the cows for milk each day and churn the butter and bake their own bread and pluck their own chickens and skin their meats and grow their own vegetables and craziest of all...pee in a bowl in the middle of the night..that they then had to clean out each morning! The kids were fascinated and dumbfounded and most of all...thankful!

End of the Year Soccer Parties

I didn't take very many pictures of them playing this year. Isn't that terrible? With 3 kids playing on 3 different teams, John and I had to divide and conquer a lot! I didn't always have my camera with me. I did take pics of the parties and awards though!
Hannah was an Earthquake this year and her team was awesome and nearly undefeated! We had the #1 scorer for the whole age group on our team. Hannah never actually scored (bummer. so close!) but she assisted several exciting shots to Miss #1 who then kicked it in and was a great little midfielder getting the ball down the field! We love her coaches and she has been on this team for a couple of years and improves so much each year.






Love this shot below. Another mom took it and totally chopped John's head off, but it's the only family pic we got!

Jake's party was a quick one. We couldn't stay as long because we had some other commitments so I didn't get a team pic. He was a Leopard and also had a great team and some great coaches and has improved so much this year. The funniest moment for him this season was when I was yelling from the sidelines (I guess I tend to get a little excited) and said ,"Jake that's your ball, Get the ball!!" as he was running towards it. I must not have been to one of his games in a while (again, divide and conquer) because he stopped mid run, put his hands up in frustration and yelled back at me, "I AM!!" Towards the end of the season they realized that mom wasn't yelling at them, she was yelling for them! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE watching soccer.





Gotta love soccer! (Alex's last game and party is this Saturday)
P.S. Did you see the sketchy (downright evil) moves against BYU women's soccer by a certain New Mexico player? Cra-zy!