Flying South

We've Flown the Coop!
Flying South for a Visit to Grandparents in Coalinga!

Maybe we'll visit the Iron Zoo....

See you next week!

Walk With Pride

Every year the schools here in Pacific Grove have a Walk With Pride event where the kids go down to the Recreation Trail that runs along the coastline and they have a 1 mile stretch where they can ride their bikes or run or walk or ride scooters back and forth to raise money for their classrooms. I like it because it's a fun activity to do on a Saturday and gets them out of the house and they love to see their friends down on the Rec Trail. Plus, they raise money that goes directly to their own classroom. Linnea walked, Gavin rode his scooter and I ran.
Micah gets the Royal treatment as usual.

Gavin and his good buddy stopped to look at the seals down on the beach.

Halloween Decorations

Well, this first picture isn't a Halloween decoration but he sure is cute.
I bought this dragon costume for Gavin when he was one but he was afraid of it and wouldn't wear it. (He ended up wearing his sock monkey sweater from Anthropologie and looked so cute in it.) So, I thought I had better try it on Micah and make sure he would wear it and wouldn't be afraid of it. He liked it!

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very extravagant with any decorations of my house and especially for holidays. I think I would like to if I had more time and money but it doesn't seem to be a priority of mine right now. Anyhow, we have fun with little decorations and of course my favorite are the crafty ones the kids make.
Below we found this cute thing at Whole Foods Market.

Gavin made this awesome skeleton at school. He traced his own hands for the skeleton hands. I love the accordion style arms and legs. And I love the face. Kinda spooky.

We have lots of little pumpkins around the house. I don't like to buy big pumpkins until right before Halloween because its so moist here that they mildew super quickly. So, almost every time we go to the store I consent to the kids picking out a small gourd or pumpkin.

This is a Rite Aid 99 cent special.

This year I went to World Market and got some cute things for our mantel--the owl, fall garland and pumpkin...

...and mushroom and hedgehog. I wanted fall decorations rather then just Halloween so I could leave them up in November as well.

Now, if only the weather would cooperate and really feel like fall. Some days it does and then other days are beach days.
I do love fall.

Life is Precious

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations. – George Bernard Shaw

{via Bits of Beauty}

We Were Boo-ed

So, Monday night I was putting Micah to bed in the back room and when I came out the family was so excited about being Boo-ed. I didn't know what they were talking about at first but then I heard several accounts at once and was shown SO many fun Halloween things. So, here is the scoop on it. A family creates a bag or basket of fun Halloween treats or decorations or whatever and then prints out an explanation and leaves all this on the doorstep of a neighbor or friend and then knocks on the door and runs. Then, since we were boo-ed, we are supposed to "boo" two other families, which was extremely exciting as well. What a fun Halloween family activity!

Here is one of the many links on line if you want to start this activity in your neighborhood:

http://www.beenbooed.com/

My Morning Start

I love to start my day with this breakfast-- Muesli (Thank you Shauna)
raw oats, plain yogurt, a little almond milk, berries and banana

I feel like it's so nutritious and filling after a nice run and such a great way to start my day.

Speaking of run, my running buddy, Sarah, and I were totally jumpy today running in the light of the moon through the forest. Sarah saw a bobcat on her way to meet me for the run. Then we almost stepped on road kill in the middle of the road and screamed so loud I think we would have scared away any bobcat in the area. Are we crazy to run in the dark? It was a great run though and I'm glad we did it. Next time I'm going to try taking my dog. Hope he's up for it!

The good news? I'm down 3 lbs from last week. Yay!

Monarch Butterflies!

The reason we are called Butterfly Town U.S.A. is because the butterflies migrate here every year. This is a tree in the butterfly sanctuary.
To celebrate the migration of the butterflies, we have a Butterfly Parade. All the school children dress up as various fun things. The kindergarteners dress up as the covetous butterflies. Linnea and Gavin were both butterflies in years past.

Gavin and his friend. They were darling Moon Jellies!

Linnea and her friend dressed up patriotic.

The middle school and high school bands marched. Here is Jacen in the high school band. He is in the picture (center right) on trumpet.

Albert and Micah at the parade. (Micah eating his fruit leather.)

Micah and I at the Butterfly Bazaar. This was the beginning of the bazaar. I didn't look so happy at the end. Next year we will go to the parade and then listen to the bands play and then we are going HOME! I get so frustrated every year with a crying tired baby and too long of lines. (Sorry, I had to vent.)

After the parade, both middle and high school bands create a circle and then each take turns playing a song. They each played about 4-5 songs. It was great and totally kept Micah's attention as well. I was so proud of Jacen. I LOVE hearing him play and him play with the band. They were outstanding. I wish he loved it as much as I do.

Workin'

Around here we work 'em young.
Micah loves to help me put the silverware away...

...and water the plants...

...and recycle.

Yum

So, I'm working on a goal of losing 5 lbs by Halloween. I started this past Sunday.
I've lost 2.5 lbs already--lets just hope it doesn't reappear again!
This tomato salad has been SO yummy and totally okay on my healthy diet.
Albert thought it was really weird that I was just eating tomatoes pretty much by themselves but I think it's delicious!

Heirloom tomatoes
olive oil
raw organic vinegar
basil
salt and pepper

Heaven!

Beach Bonfire

Stillwater Cove
Pebble Beach

One of the neat (and hard) things of living here is that it is a very transient area. We love meeting the newcomers and learning about them and from them as they come from all over the country and the world. At the same time, it's hard to say goodbye.

Last Friday we said goodbye to some friends, meeting together for a beach bonfire--one of our favorite activities!

Micah is already showing his sweet little personality and I love taking note of it. I was watching him playing and the other little boy (who really is a sweetheart) kept taking his beach toys. Micah just watched him take them from him and then would hold out his hand because he wanted them back. That's all...just hold out his hand. After a few minutes I would give him back a beach toy only to have the same scenario happen again. I couldn't help but thinking that Gavin in that situation would have taken a swipe at the other child the first time. Micah, no. He simply watches and lets it happen. It's just so interesting how children are so different.