Happy New Year!

I'm back!!! I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year...I know we did! We just got back yesterday after spending a week in Long Beach with my family. I just never can get over the weather there this time of year! It was in the upper 70's the entire time, except for one day when it rained. It's so nice when the kids can spend all day outside and run around barefoot! How I miss that!

So I went a little crazy with the photos...it's just so hard to choose.

We left for Long Beach the day after Christmas. The drive was great...weather was perfect! Although we did see -13 degrees somewhere in the middle of Utah on our way...glad I don't live there! The kids did surprisingly well...only the last hour gets a little nuts.

Sunday morning we had another little gift exchange with the family. The highlight being two horses my parents bought for the girls. These things are awesome!! The girls can actually ride them (there are wheels on the hoofs) like a horse by bouncing up and down on the seat. My brother created a scavenger hunt for them to go on with the horses being the big prize at the end. Needless to say, they went crazy for them! Morgan promptly named hers Bessie (Haley says that's a cow name, but that doesn't phase Morgan) and Haley named hers Jewel.

Monday evening we had another gift exchange with grandparents...I know the fun just never ends! My mom created an English feast! Standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding! We started the meal by popping our crackers...hence the reason we are all wearing the funny hats. And yes, we ate the entire meal with our hats on.

For the day it rained we spent it at the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro. A perfect outing for a rainy day!

During our visit my brother, Andrew, was in the process of moving out. He's moving into the cutest little house!! A two bedroom, with a little studio off of the living room for him to do his artwork. I'm so proud and excited for him!

I had to post this picture of his dishes in the kitchen cabinet. You know a artist lives in this house!

I'm very jealous...he has an orange tree in his backyard!

Another day we took the girls to Bolsa Chica wetlands. And after hiking around a little bit, we took them over the beach. They have been wanting to get back to the beach for months!!

I love, love, love this next picture! That's Ryan and Haley if you couldn't tell. And I love that you can see Catalina in the background!

Of course I forgot swimsuits, and it didn't take long for both of them to fall into the water. Since Morgan is still young enough we just stripped her down...at least she had pretty new Princess and the Frog panties on to show off! What a cutie!

We also spent an afternoon in Newport Fashion Island. We basically drive out there so the girls can ride on the Carousel and mom and I can get our Almond Twists at Pain du Monde...yum! Unfortunately, the bakery was closed when we got there so we had to go with Gelato...not a bad second choice!

Don't worry the horses made the trip back to Utah too! Oh yeah...you gotta love a Passat Wagon's trunk space! The girls loved looking up and seeing their horses looking over them during the drive home.

I'm anxious to start the new year! This year will bring a new little life into our home and with it, full of change and new beginnings!!