They love Water {CA}

Bathing suits or not these girls found something they both loved- playing with water





and snacking on cheese sticks

PCH to the 'Bu {CA}

One of our first stops while home was the beach. Why did we drive all the way down PCH to Zuma Beach? Because my sister Ashley had a YSA activity down there and she invited us along. It was a beautiful drive and a beach is a beach, no matter if it is 5 mins away or 35 mins away. We weren't complaining. Looking at these photos now looks so refreshing. It's been nothing but hot and humid here in the east. We are missing the beach.

Side note: My sister Stephanie had her baby girl yesterday. They named her Dixie Marie. All are doing well. She has about an inch of dark black hair. That's something unusual for a baby in our family to have. She is so cute. I can't wait to meet her. Congrats Steph and Jason!!!






Aunt Ashley (who by the way just got accepted to BYU! Congrats!!!)





My awesome Dad- rappelling (I don't think there are many sports he wouldn't try)

Zuma Beach, Malibu

Missing the fam

Over the last month Sophia has enjoyed spending time with extended family. Her and I spent two weeks in Ca with my side of the family and then a week after coming home Rob's brother and family came to stay with us. Sophia has had so much fun with her cousins. She still talks about them everyday and talks about how she would like to try Grammie and Poppie's house. It's hard to explain that everyone lives far away.

With that said, I have a lot of blogging to catch up on. I just finished editing 55 more favorite photos (out of around 400) from our Ca trip and I plan to post them all. That is, the 55 of them. Then there is Sophia's 2nd B-day photos and the ones of Rob's side of the family. Several more posts to come.

Coldplay {CA}

If one ever gets the time, money, and opportunity to experience a Coldplay concert, don't pass it up. Chris Martin and his band perform a rock'n show. The best show I have ever been to. From the sound quality, to the lighting, to the giant yellow balloons falling, to the confetti, to the band running out into the crowd to play a couple songs (including Billy Jean by Michael Jackson) there was no disappointment (well aside from the horrible opening band that is.)

Guess what song they are performing here?

Ashley and her bf D-o-u-g came with

Spray Park {CA}

While visiting my sister in Ca, Sophia decided that she liked spray parks. This entire summer I have taken her only to hang out around the edges watching all the other kids play. While this day in the photographs started out the same, but ended in a new way. Look at all the fun she had been missing.











Cousin Bree

Mornings {CA}

We usually woke quite early with the time change and after a sippy of milk Sophia was asking to go outside. (You know you live in an apartment when your daughter thinks that Grandma and Grandpa's backyard is a park. Very sad.) She loved being able to open just one door and have a big wide open space to play. Coming from hot and humid Virginia we forgot to pack sweatshirts. You need them in the mornings and evenings even in the summer at my parents house. That's what makes the weather there so wonderful. So she borrowed Aunt Ashley's until we could borrow one from cousin Bree.

She would then proceed to eat breakfast about 3 times. First with Poppie, then with Ashley, and then with Grammie. Each breakfast only consisted of a couple of bites and is very consistent with the way she eats at home. Sophia kind of grazes through the day. Eating several very small meals/snacks. I guess that is suppose to be a little healthier anyhow.



Her favorite breakfast was chips with Grammies homemade salsa. (it wasn't very spicy)

Our little Mexican.

Where does she get her hair?

Me.

Sophia gets her dishwater blond hair from her Mommy. While I was back home at my parents house I found this photo that brings proof to what I have been telling people. My Mom says my hair didn't darken until I was close to starting grade school.