I Can't Believe We Live Here!

I was driving home from Vons on this warm summer night, 

and I thought, 

'I can't believe we live here.'

I was sitting at the beach on Friday, my baby asleep on my chest, 

our twins body surfing in the waves and I thought, 

'I can't believe we live here.'

I was swimming in the pool tonight, 

watching my kids play with new friends and I thought, 

'I can't believe we live here.'

We attended a birthday party today in shorts, sandals + sunscreen.  

It was warm + lovely outside, just as it has been every day since we've been here.  

I thought, 'I can't believe we live here.'

We have an enormous fondness for the NW.  

A most special place indeed.  

It's with great pride that we share where we are from.  

But we are happily enjoying our new home.  

We are ever so thankful to be in SoCal.

I can't believe we get to live here!

Beach Bums

A new friend invited me to join her at the beach today.

I was scared.

Me and my 3 kids.

On a beach.

But you know what, it was lovely.

Colt ate loads of sand.  Crawled all around, made new friends and enjoyed the water.

The twins were in heaven. 

 Splashing, jumping, body surfing, sand castle building, baseball, treasure finding, collecting and meeting new people.

It really was magical.

I was too busy to take many pics, but I will forever remember our first SD beach day.

Weekly Colt

So far

A few random observations after our first week in San Diego:

1.  Our house smells like vacation.  

Sweet jasmine as you enter the front door.  

Heavenly.  

2.  There is a reason you never hear anyone complain about San Diego weather. 

Gracious, it's lovely.  

As my dad says, 'the season of perpetual bliss.'  

3.  We have met the loveliest people so far.  

I certainly wasn't expecting such a warm welcome from the SoCal peeps.

4.  The landscaping is so colorful around these parts.  

Our eyes are adjusting from green.

5. I love eating outside.  At home and at restaurants. 

 Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

6.  Downsizing and purging feels good.  

Real good.

7.  Blue skies, I really do love waking up to the blue sky.  

(Truth be told, when the sky is blue in the NW, it's a much deeper blue than this for sure.)

8. I miss the extra couple hours of summer light in the NW.

9. My kids skin is darker and their hair is already lighter than ever.

10.  Swimming every day is good for the soul.  

And bedtime.

11. SoCal, damn you and your fleas. 

Fleas were not part of the plan!

12. Organization makes me happy.  

I thrive in organization.  

This is not currently the state of our affairs...(!!!!)

13. Sunscreen.  

I'm adjusting to the sunscreen application. 

Every time I'm at Target I throw in another bottle or 2.  

14. Sometimes I look at the beauty of our surroundings and find it hard to believe this is our home.

15. There is not a 'one size fits all' way to do life.  

The more people you meet, 

the more you travel, 

the more we remove ourselves from our comfort zones...it just becomes so clear.

(READ: meet more people, travel more, stretch and grow ourselves regularly.)

I could write and write on that topic, but I'll leave it at that.

Weekly Colt

I've fallen and I can't get up!

Well, I've fallen behind in the Weekly Colt pics anyway.

Colt is the easiest baby to love ever.  

Joyful, playful, funny +loving.

A snuggler.

Mama's boy.

He is hysterical.

Strong + determined.

He engages and talks with strangers.

He loves food.  (Just not baby food.)

But he is also the hardest baby ever.

He wants to m.o.v.e.

He's into everything.

He also puts anything and everything (with the exception of baby food!) in his mouth.

He is fearless.

He loves to be held, by me, when he is not tearing things up on the floor.

He adores all of the littlest pieces of Lincoln's toys.

He wakes up twice a night.

Glad he's a Swisher.  

So very glad.

My guy.  

39 weeks.  

Officially out as long as you were in.

Our game-changer.

A Little of This, A Little of That

It's been one week since we moved in our new home.

One week!

Things have been busy trying to unpack, organize, play + explore, begin a new job, etc.  

Also, it's summer!!!

So I've been trying to squeeze in summer-y things too.

Like some strawberry jam for instance.

I have to be honest though, today I forgot to take my patience pill.  

Ugh!

There's a lot going on. 

[Understatement.]

A lot.

But honestly, I wish my tone of voice had sounded a little more graceful + loving at times today.

But alas, Lila forgot to take her no-whining pill + Lincoln forgot to take his listening-the-first-time pill and Colt forgot that he wasn't 10 years old.

We were a hot mess.

But we spent the afternoon at the pool, grilled some steaks for dinner +

took a walk around the 'hood before bed.

We are all ready to start fresh tomorrow.

Thank God.

In other news, we hiked on Daddy Day.  

I think we have been to approximately 6 parks in the last week.

In-N-Out for his day.

His choice, but we all felt it was an excellent decision.

Colt was awake for the summit and crashed on the decline.

This pool does not suck friends.

It definitely does not suck.

Our baby, well he does not think he is a baby when it comes to water.

He is all in.

Our home.

Happy to be here.

Tia

Missing my sis tonight.

Man, do I miss her.

This girl drove from Marin to SD with me and my 3 kids and crazy dog.  

In fact, she actually drove the entire way so I could sit in the back seat and entertain Babyzilla and help the twins.  

When we stopped for lunch in crazy-hot central California, she helped

shuttle the twins to-and-from and back again to the bathroom in 103 degree heat, walked the dog and held the baby whenever I needed to attend to other matters.  

All while we sweated our brains out.

She stayed the week and helped me unpack and organize.  She fed my baby, rocked him to sleep and got on the floor and played with him time and time again. 

 She helped me find the basics...Target, grocery store, pool, neighborhood parks, Trader Joes, the beach, In-n-Out, and the local fro-yo joint. 

We registered the kids for school in the fall.

She spent many hours giving my twins individual attention.  

Without being distracted by any of the many things that needed to be done.  

They so needed that.

Lila made a new BFF that's for sure.

And we had fun.  

As we always do when we are together. 

She made this hectic/stressful week loads + loads of fun.

I love that girl! 

I told her the only way to repay her and show her how meaningful her help was...for her to move to SD so she can experience it firsthand.

(*wink*)

I wanna be her when grow up.

I really, really do.

She Says

Lila said to Lincoln tonight after tripping him;

'Im sorry. 

I forgive me. 

Do you accept it?'

This girl is too much.

California Love

Welllllll, we done-did it.

We are Californians!!!

We have been reunited.

And it feels so dang right!

Our 3 kids have been ah-maze-ing(!!!) these last few weeks of displacement.

And my folks and my sis + bro have been beyond gracious in hosting our busy family of 5 plus beagle.

But we are back together again, in our lovely new home, ready to start this adventure. 

Clearly the twins are having a rough time with the adjustment. 

 (***wink***)

B's new office is working out quite nicely too. 

Weekly Colt

How big is Colt???

Too damn big.

Lover of people, good times, trouble and all-night parties.

You like to demonstrate your Houdini skills on all 5 point harness systems.

You like anything that is NOT a baby toy.

You love flirting with and engaging strangers.

You also love pulling hair, breaking necklaces, biting shoulders and scratching faces.

You sound like baby-Lincoln with your gut-busting laugh.

You're eyes are brown.

Just like daddy's.

Just like Buddy's.

My guys.

You are mama's boy.

Weekly Colt

First road trip...check

First full week in California...check.

First taste of a Popsicle....check.

You, my boy, have a good life.