Little Surfer Girls

 

Last summer I took the girls to see Soul Surfer at the theater. Fabulous film.. If you've not yet seen it, check it out. Ever since then, our girls have had their sites set on learning to surf this summer. Thanks to a wonderful uncle who has two soft long boards, they finally got their chance!  Elise, Chloe, and Grace all had opportunities to stand on a board, and the older two got to enjoy the thrill of riding some waves.  Too bad they can't do much surfing in AZ!

It's Not Quite Christmas in July, but...

A new milestone - all four girls are now in school!

Some people enjoy Christmas in July.  Here in Arizona our girls enjoy(?) their first day of school in July!   Yes, it's true.  Today was back-to-school day for all of our girls.  The big change this year is that all four of them are now in school as Brooke has made the leap to a big Kindergartener.  While Christmas sounds much more appealing than the first day of school, given the heat & humidity of July in Arizona (it's now monsoon season), being back at school with friends really is a great thing!

Pier Therapy

Janelle & the girls with their Nana & Papa on the Redondo Beach Pier

Who doesn't need a little therapy now & then?!  For us, one of the best forms of therapy is an evening stroll around the Redondo Beach pier.  We hit it just right tonight - a school of bait fish rolled in right by the pier, attracting the attention of nice pod of dolphins, some sea lions, and lots of pelicans.  They all put on quite a show for us as they enjoyed their feast.  That along with some churros and chocoloate-dipped soft-serve ice cream left us relaxed & ready for tomorrow's drive back to Arizona.

"Just one more...."

Waiting for one final wave

With our return to Arizona just a day away, we had to make the most of our remaining time here in the South Bay by hitting the beach one more time.  Grace couldn't resist staying in the water till the sun set to enjoy a few last thrills in the water.  That's our little Soul Surfer!

One more reason...

Enjoying another fabulous Redondo Beach sunset

Just one more reason we enjoy our visits back in California! 

Enjoying Some Virginia Green

Elise & Grace testing their balance on a fallen tree

A real treat for Brad, and for all of us, while in Virginia is being able to enjoy big trees and lots of greenery - a nice change from the desert scenery of Arizona (which we've also come to enjoy).  We took time out this morning to enjoy a brief hike in one of my favorite spots in Virginia Beach:  First Landing State Park (formerly Seashore State Park - the name was apparently changed in 1997).  The girls enjoyed hiking some different terrain, seeing some critters (including a small water moccasin), and testing their balance on fallen trees - all in the shade of a beautiful forest just minutes from the ocean.

A Taste of Georgetown (Cupcakes, that is)

 "Please, Daddy?!  Please?!"  Who could resist?  Besides, it was my birthday, and being on the road for the day, I figured this was my one opportunity to enjoy some cake on my big day.  So we took a detour on our way from No.Va. to Richmond and headed to D.C. to see if Georgetown Cupcake (made famous by their DC Cupcakes show on TLC) was worth all the hype.  God blessed us with a coveted free parking spot just a block away, and with an arrival just prior to the huge crowds.  The girls were in food heaven as they chose their flavors, then enjoyed them while watching the cupcake chefs work their magic for the long line of customers that had amassed after us.  The verdict?  Delicious!  Almost as good as my 10-year-old Elise makes at home (and that's quite a compliment to Georgetown Cupcake!).  Our recommendation, based on our limited sampling:  go with the Lemon Berry.

Springtime Fun in Arizona

Things heated up unusually early this year here in the Phoenix area, but we were able to enjoy a visit from Janelle's parents during a wonderful, brief reprieve from the early heat.  We took advantage of it one day by heading up to nearby Canyon Lake, a man-made natural area created by dams on the Salt River.  We threw in our cheap (but fun!) little inflatable kayak so we could do a little exploring.  We've only been up to this lake a few times, but it is always a lot of fun!  The winding road through the foothills surrounding the Superstition Mountains is part of the fun with great vistas and some very cool rock formations.  And, of course, no trip home from the lake is complete without a quick stop at the Goldfield Ghost Town.  Come visit us sometime.  We'd love to show you around and have another excuse for some Arizona fun!

 

Kayaking Canyon Lake

Enjoying Goldfield Ghost Town

Perhaps this could have been theirs had they been born a 100 years earlier!

The view form Goldfield Ghost Town

Signs of Spring: England

A recent trip to England found me enjoying some unseasonably warm, dry, sunny weather that made the daffodils only too happy to bloom.  Here are a couple creative shots of the blooms...