Santa Barbara

We spent an amazing week in Santa Barbara with the Nords. When we were searching on-line for the perfect home to rent for the week, our requirements focused on keeping the kids happy (and therefore...keeping us happy). We wanted a pool and a yard. We got soooo much more than that with this home. It was absolutely amazing. Pool, hot tub, in ground trampoline, ping pong table, pool table, bocce ball court, huge yard on a cul-de-sac with room for riding scooters around. Safe to say, the kids were very very happy.

We also brought a lot of crafts/projects to keep them busy in the house when they weren't outside running around.

 a little wii bowling

 brent face painting

 even cormac got in on the marker action :)

As adults, we loved the indoor/outdoor living - with absolutely gorgeous weather all week, we were able to slide open the wall/door in the morning and not close it until we went to bed at night. And once the kids were in bed, we were fixtures on these couches by the fire..talking, reading and playing cards and taboo.

We made it out of the house a few times...we went for a few family dinner/ice cream and then we had babysitters twice for two adult outings. We rented a limo and did some wine tasting in Solvange. Let's just say by the end of the night  I was really wishing those babysitters had stayed the night so we'd have relief in the morning :) 

Right before leaving on the last day!

Location Scouting

I drug the whole fam out one night to scout a few locations I was considering for an upcoming session. Only Aidric and I got out at the first spot:

And then he pouted about something while I took pics of Cormac, Juliet and Chris at the second spot.

 awwwww.....

 I seriously love this one. SO her.

11 months old!

Way late getting this one up! I did actually take the picture within a day or two of him turning 11 months though!

Trying to remember exactly what he was up to at 11 months....he started regularly standing up without the assistance of anything to pull up on. He took 1-2 steps a few times. At a visit to the GI specialist, he weighed 21 lbs. and measured 30 inches. (And was switched from nexium to prilosec for continuing reflux issues...nexium was working fine but for some reason, its' not available from the manufacturer!) He seems to to be outgrowing his dairy issues. I'm slowly reintroducing dairy into my diet and he's had homemade popsicles a few times that I make with a mix of yogurt and pureed fruit and he seems to tolerate it well.

Having a hard time fitting his whole body in the frame with this set up! Ignore the motion blur on his hands...this was as good as it got so I had to go with it!

Can't believe there is only ONE more "month" picture to go!!!

Beach Day!

We're actually headed to the beach today....just waiting for the cousins (and their parents) to arrive before we head down. Seemed appropriate to post these pictures that I took back in August...

At some point during this past summer, it became not so fun to bring Cormac to the beach. First, it was eating sand, then it was his constant beeline crawl straight toward the water. We finally had the idea to bring something to contain him. This is the top of Aidric's old water table. Chris would lug it down to the water, fill it up and then haul it back to our towels. I can't say it kept him happy the entire time, but it definitely entertained him enough to make it worth it.

Aidric spent most of the summer upside down, after attending a few days at gymnastics camp. At the beach was no exception.

I bought a point and shoot under water camera and used it to take these. Under water pictures in the ocean..and in the waves...not so clear. But, it's still fun to be able to go into the water with a camera and get shots of Aidric bodysurfing and Juliet just hanging out with me with just our feet in the water. waiting for the next wave to take us in.