oceanside, ca

Our yearly beach vacations are what we look forward to most all year. Unfortunately, they always come and go way too quickly! We just got back from a great vacation in Oceanside with my parents. They graciously invite us each summer to spend time at a condo they rent for the month. We NEVER pass up the chance to go. Here are just a few reasons why....

Oceanside {August 2010} gorgeous Southern California weather . breathtaking sunsets . condo on the beach . listening to crashing waves 24/7 . breathing in fresh salty sea air . walks along the beach . watching surfers from the pier . chasing seagulls . collecting rocks, seashells & sand dollars . the park on the beach . sleeping with open windows . frisbee, smashball & boogie board rides with dad . fish n chips from the harbor . late afternoon swims at the pool . ocean breeze . shopping at the outlets . Ruby's on the pier . reading two books in four days . precious time with family . scooter rides . scrumptious dinners . building sand castles, sand volcanoes & sand towers . making memories . boys jumping, splashing, & falling in the waves . watching movies . getting sun-kissed . empty beaches . naps on the sand . picnics on the beach . playing War, Crazy 8's & Memory with the boys every night . loving every second spent with grandma & grandpa .

Thank you for a fabulous week!

dads

A few weeks ago we ran into a family friend of the MacGillivray's. She knew them long ago when they live in Torrance and Austin was just a skinny little curly haired boy. She was a nice as could be and had told me that she had ran across my blog some time ago and read it occasionally. She knew the boys names and told me about some of her favorite posts; like when Wyatt would sneak into the bathroom when he could barely walk, climb into the sink and turn on the faucet for his own make shift bath. Totally one of my favorite phases in his life too (insert sarcasm here). But it makes me smile because he is still so mischievous in that same exact way even now. For example, today after breakfast when he was supposed to be washing his syrup-y hands and face I walk into an empty bathroom, water on, plug pulled and soap dripping out of the soap dispenser. He had ran off to get his submarine figurine to give him a make shift bath. Classic.

As we were talking she said something that kinda struck a cord. She said that when she came across my blog she wasn't sure who I was married to. She saw our family name, MacGillivray, (and seriously how many people do you know with a name like that?) so she knew it was from the family she knew back in CA, but wasn't certain I was married to Austin. She said I never talked about Austin or posted pictures of him or mentioned him by name. It was all about the boys. She had to go back months and months to see a picture and find his name. I thought about it and realized she was totally right. I try and keep up on this blog as a journal for my boys. I hope one day they look back with happiness seeing how they spent their days, the corky things they ate and wore and said, our adventures in the backyard, the first night they slept in a big boy bed and wore big boy undies, the day they learned to ride their bike and became a big brother. All those things and a million more.

But how can I do all that without posting about their number one hero? Their dad. It would be a huge disservice to have this wonderful journal for them and not give their dad the praise he deserves.

Both boys are the same. They cry when their dad leaves the house and run to hug him when he gets homes. Me, not so much. They can barely turn their head to give me a kiss. When they get ready for bed and ask for a story, they ask for their dad when I try to lay down. We have officially started a rotation and worked me into the schedule....pathetic. When they scrap their knee, elbow, head, any everything else they scrap (and trust me they do) they go to their dad for comfort. I'm only lucky when he isn't here and I get to console them by default. They fight over who sits next to him at dinner, at Church, or at the movies. Basically Dax sits next to him and Wyatt sits on his lap. It's the same when they walk anywhere. Dax hold his hand and Austin carries Wyatt. That seems to please everyone for the time being. They want to be just like him. And why wouldn't they love him? Not only is he the greatest dad, but he takes them to get chocolate milk at McDonald's every Saturday and makes them huge pancakes every Sunday. I can not compete with that...not even close. (No really, I really suck at making pancakes....I'm a waffle kind of girl anyways).

This past week we were in Oceanside (more to come later) and the second we got to the condo my parents rent on the beach Dax was down playing in the water. I sat on the wall that separates the condo from the beach and snapped some pictures of the two of them playing with the biggest smile on my face thinking of a Primary song (I promise that was the only time I thought about Primary while I was there). Austin really is Dax's favorite pal. He really wants to be like him in every way. Dax loves him to the moon and back and I know that Austin loves the boys double that.

After they played their hearts out I was kissing Dax goodnight. As he's dosing off he looks at me square in the eye and says to me as sweet as any 4 year old in the whole world has ever sounded, "Mommy" and then he pauses I'm sure for dramatic effect, "I love daddy." I chuckle and smile and say, "Me too buddy, me too."

Young Champion

Dax has finished his first semester of karate. Last night we enjoyed a performance and awards ceremony where Dax advanced from his white belt to a yellow belt with a black stripe. He was so much fun to watch and I felt so proud of him! He worked so hard, learned so much and really wanted to do good all semester long. He is so excited about his ribbons he earned and his new belt color. We love this karate kid! Ki-ai!!!

San Clemente, Ca

Our annual beach camping trip has come and gone. So sad. It's been 10 years since we've started this tradition. Usually there is a theme, usually there are 60 family members, usually there is a huge group campsite on the bluff busting at the seams with tents, trailers and kids, and usually there is an abundance of sun. This year things were different. There was no theme, there were only about 20 immediate family member's, there were three smaller campsites rather than one group one, and there was the classic gloomy June weather even though it was the end of July. Yes, definitely different. But, I'll tell you what, it was all okay by me because the beach was still there. And the beach we went. Even if the sun came through only on our way back up to camp at 5:00 in the afternoon, even if the water was seriously ice cold, and even if we sat in our beach chairs, sunglasses on, book in hands...and towels covering our legs, I still wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

so glad

I am so glad we decided to put Dax in karate this summer. It has kept us busy during the hot days and he has loved it!! In two weeks he'll be tested for a rank advancement...yellow belt here we come! But, there were other reasons for enrolling Dax. It's been teaching him hard work, good listening skills, social skills, and discipline, and helped him out with coordination, technique, and practicing lots. He's learned about self-defense and stranger danger. His sensei is strict, but fun, educated, but so good with the kids, patient, but firm. I especially loved it when he taught the kids how to do the sleeper hold last week. That was fun! (insert sarcasm here). In case you don't know what that is, we'll show you! Dax's cute opponent? Wyatt of course...who else?

1. Get behind your opponent and "put your claws in". That means to wrap your legs around their waist and secure your feet in their legs.
2. Wrap your arms around your opponents neck pressing the bicep against one side of the neck by grabbing your right bicep with your left hand.
3. Use your right hand to push your opponents head towards the crook of your elbow.

4. Lay back pulling your opponent with you and squeezing the neck extremely tight.

5. Make sure your opponent is a good sport and knows how to "tap out".

6. Last but not least, always always remember Sensei Bernie's rule that you get kicked off the team if you practice these techniques at school or at home. They are only meant for bad guys and bullies, not friends, brothers or moms! I promise...you're kids are still safe to come play here! Look at this face...he wouldn't hurt a fly!

4th of july

We go camping every year. To the beach. Not to the mountains or forest, but to the beach. And we'll go to the beach in a few weeks, but compare beach camping with wilderness camping and there is a big difference. Instead of sand, there's dirt. Instead of flushing toilets and showers, there's a portapotty. Instead of the sounds of ocean waves breaking along the beach in the middle of the night you hear.....nothing. Total silence. It really freaked me out. Especially when I had to run like the wind to the bathroom at 3am all the while scaring myself silly because I can hear something along the dirt path and think I am being chased by a small animal. I was sure I was going to have an awesome story to tell in the morning how I braved a huge...chipmunk or something, but, come to find out, it was just my untied shoelace and I'm just a little ol' scaredy cat like I've always known I've been.

But, the one thing that's the same not matter where you camp is the good times and family. We headed up to Canyon Point last Friday to camp with my side of the family. It was so much fun! We had wonderful, open campsites that were covered with pine needles, logs for jumping over, tree stumps for climbing on, lakes and rivers a few miles away for fishing and a firework show in Heber that goes down as one of the best I've seen in history.

The big boys went fishing almost every morning and took the kids almost every afternoon. There was not much success, but they had a blast anyway. In fact, the only two things caught were by two of the kids. Way to go Cole and Kobi!

I had to take pictures of the boys in these silly hats. We went to the dollar spot at Target before we left town so they could pick our some festive 4th of July things, and this is what they came up with. They are so funny and wore them all day! The fireworks were amazing. It was so fun being cuddled under a blanket rather than sweating back in the valley watching a firework show.

The kids loved being with their cousins. My twin sister and her family were with us for the whole week and Dax loved being with his cousins who he hardly sees. This is Jamie's oldest, Gabriella. Dax and Gabriella have the same birthday one year apart.

The weekend was perfect....as long as you don't count the incident with the axe. It has nothing to do with Austin. Or his foot. Nope, nothing.

Good thing there is a doctor in the family...and my poor husband is okay thanks to some butterfly bandages and a technis shot on our way home. Besides, what's camping without some sort of good story to come away with??

mondays.

You gotta love Monday's when.....

You're still recovering from a long, draining, exhausting Sunday the day before (besides it being a wonderful Father's Day!)
You're required to log at least 6 hours on the computer for work and the rest of the department is on vacation so you're covering their work too
You have mounds of laundry, piles of dishes, toys seeping from the cracks of your house (where did they all come from?) and you still have to clean the bathrooms....the worst chore on the face of the planet
There are bills to pay, mail to go through and countless unattended emails
You can't stop thinking about leaving town for 4 days at the end of next week even though you just got back from a 5 day trip to California with your mom and sisters
and
You're trying to work your 6 hours at home with two boys because their favorite playmate is away at Girl's Camp and they are left to fend for themselvesHey, you might be laughing but this was a good hour of entertainment. I'll take what I can get!

All in a days work

Waking up early. Donuts in the car. Gardening service. At the Mesa Temple. On a (blistering) Saturday morning. With the boys I love.

I'm so blessed.