CALIFORNIA

My mom, sister, the kids, and I planned a trip for spring break this year.  We have a great family friend who works for a hotel in Santa Monica and was able to get us an awesome deal.  Our hotel was right on the beach and just down from the Santa Monica Pier.  We stopped and stayed in Vegas on the way down and back.  It was SOO nice to have a week without having to worry about laundry, cleaning, or running errands.  We ran, played in the sand, soaked up the sun, shopped, and ate way too much!  The kids loved seeing the ocean and playing all day long.  Although the drive was LONG, the kids were generally pretty good.  Brooke whined and asked when we would be there A LOT and Bailee cried a couple times.  Minus the time we didn't exit the freeway fast enough and Cole pooped his pants, he was an ANGEL.  He'd sit in the back seat looking out the window or sleeping, just content as could be.  I could go back for a few more weeks.

Merry Go Round at Santa Monica Pier

Sand Angel.  This was the night we got there and he was so excited about the sand.

Swinging at the park

So tired!  She didn't take nearly enough naps and crashed like this just about every night.

Playing on the patio of our hotel room

The beach!

Grandma was brave enough to get in the ocean with the kids.  It was FREEZING!!!

Santa Monica Pier

Hotel Casa Del Mar

More at the beach!

Snuggled in bed.

Bai loved just laying in the warm sand.

Building a sand castle

Cheese ball

Mommy and Brooke

Mommy, Cole, and Brooke getting ready to go to dinner and shopping

Hollywood

In front of the hotel

M&M in Vegas.  Cole wouldn't stand close enough to get a picture.  Vegas was CRAZY with people and SUPER windy.  I was terrified of losing one of the kids.  So glad we weren't there long.

Bai and her night night in the car

March

Seems like time always slips away so fast.  It feels like I just updated and then I look and a month has already passed.  You should be happy to know the last few weeks have been much better than my last negative post.  My attitude totally affects my kids but there are just those days.  I'm very much feeling the need for a change in my life... just not sure what it is yet.  I struggle when I don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing.  I want what is best for my kids and the thought of Brooke starting kindergarten in the city scares me.  Not to mention I'm feeling very clausteric phobic in our tiny apartment with no where my kids can play outside.  I'm so used to a small town life where I know everyone and everything about everyone :)  School will be out in 6 weeks and so I just endure and keep praying and hoping an answer will come.  In the mean time... here is what we've been up to the last month.

Crafts

Crafts
I made one of these cute aprons for my friend for her birthday and Brooke really wanted one.  I had left over fabric so I made her one and me one.  They were super fast and easy.  So fun!

Brooke had to take a special St. Patricks day treat to school so we made these green rice krispie pops shaped like shamrocks.  I went to and called about 6 different stores before I finally found a cookie cutter.  Who would have guessed?

Somewhere I have a cute cupcake tier that I made at a craft  night... somewhere.  I needed one for Brooke's birthday so I improvised and made this cheap one.  More birthday pictures to come...