spring break

This week Caleb's on spring break. Oh goodness how nice it is to have all my boys home with me all day, everyday. It started with a dance party Friday, some pool play this weekend, and lots of just being together. I don't know when we took these pictures at the beach. probably a few weekends ago, but in honor of a week at home I'm posting some treasures I found on my camera at the beach, our very favorite place to be.

 noah's walking and talking now. I'm hoping to post a video of this guy soon. he is mr. busy and oh how we love him.

 oh lucas :). carving your own path amidst your big and little brother. my cheerful and easy going middle child. we put lucas in a 3 yr old gymnastic class on Mondays and he is really beginning to enjoy this special activity that is just for him :)

 noah has some pretty wild dance moves I've discovered. he loves to swing his arms up, wave them around to the beat and rock his entire body. let the music move you :)

 and our tender-hearted caleb. he's doing well in school, even with a sub for the month of march, he adjusted and we are glad his teacher will be back next week :). we are hoping to take a break from occupational therapy and physical therapy this summer (possibly for good) and to put him in a 5 year old gymnastic class and possibly swim as well for both of the big boys. We're looking at schools in the fall. Either our neighborhood school or a dual-language academy in Hollister. We're praying and waiting to see what the Lord has planned for this next phase. But currently he's bursting with curiosity and loves to write words, names, lists, numbers. He adores counting to 200 and reading books to us. He loves creating things with objects around the house. I'm loving this stage of knowledge he is in. It is so fun to have the world open up to him in books, numbers, writing. It is just amazing what he is learning and the friendships that are developing. I'm just so happy for him, it's been an awesome TK year for our sweet Caleb.

  Dave captured a sweet cuddle moment with noah. I know I'm not in enough pictures with my boys, but I love the ones that manage to get caught on camera :)! Love you my sweet Noah Samuel.

 In other news....I started a new (very-part-time) job. I'm training to be a dance instructor for little ones. It's more of a rhythm and movement class for 2-3yr olds and mommy and me classes. I'll be training, then subbing, and then eventually teaching my own classes here in Hollister at a dance studio. The owner is really sweet and I'm hoping to eventually cut down my case in Gilroy from twice a week to maybe none at all. The 2 classes I've been training with her in are only 45 minutes so I am able to feed the boys dinner, give baths, and tuck them into bed. It seems I'm in a busy season with a case twice a week, and my dance class training twice a week. But it is temporary and I'm really happy to be beginning something new. The kids are adorable and it is really nice to have a change from what I've been doing the past 6years with my special need kiddos and the behavioral therapy. I'm also on a break this week and next for spring break so it is the perfect chance to refresh and just get extra time with my boys. Dave's work is going well, he just finished up a big project and all the testing went really well. I know he's happy it is done with!

In other news there is a race in july that Dave and I are signing up for. It's a 10k and I'm excited to do another race and it is even more fun to have dave there in front of us :)

I wanted to share a couple awesome books I've read recently that have really met me right where I am in this season.

The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst, and Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed by Lysa Terkeurst. Honestly I can't say enough good things about these two books she has written. Right now we are studying the life of Moses in BSF (bible study fellowship) and wowee am I learning so much! Dave and I have started a marriage bible study together (just us two at home) and we are working out of this book called A Couple After God's Own Heart by Jim and Elizabeth George (book and study guide) we study 10 couples in the bible and it has been amazing and really helped our communication and given us a better understanding of our strengths as a wife and husband and what godly characteristics we should emulate in our marriage. It really touches on a lot and we are really enjoying it!!! Lysa Terkeurst also has two other awesome books we have read called Capture His Heart and Capture Her Heart. They are great too and I felt like they really helped me get a better understanding of my handsome hubby and ways I can encourage and build him up.

As for a children's book I love that we picked up at the library last month...Why God Gave Us Easter....It is going in their Easter baskets this year. I love it and I think it does a great job explaining Easter for kids who are a little bit older and can begin to understand what Easter is really all about!

Well time to go do some puzzles with my big boy while his little brothers keep napping and to enjoy the rest of the week with my boys.

Hope you have a wonderful week and a blessed Easter!

Morro Bay 2015 Camping Adventure

Heaven is this...

Montana de oro

 family time, beach time, exploring, camping, tide pools, smores, campfires, hiking, and kayaking. 24 hours packed full of sweet moments I'll always cherish.

Montana de Oro tide pools

 

We camped at Morro Bay State Park.

 The boys couldn't wait to set up the tent, roast their hot dogs around the campfire and eat their smores. It is the little things in life :)

 The boys slept awesome our one and only night there! This was probably the best night of sleep we have ever gotten in our many camping adventures we have had with them. I'm hopeful for the future with our little campers. They are getting better with time :)!

 I loved waking up to their sweet, sleepy faces. Noah woke the crew up and the first words out of caleb's mouth were "Hi Noah". They were happy just to be together. And that is one of my favorite things about camping. Waking up together as a family :) (I'm usually so thankful for this after a restless night!! Ha. But they slept great this trip which was nice!)

 The boys were in heaven around the campfire. They were busy bees all morning adding paper into it to make the flames go higher. Oh boy, I tried not to think too much about their fascination with fire.

 And certainly the smores were a highlight!

Morro Bay Museum

 We did a little exploring Saturday afternoon at the Morro bay museum. It was such a gorgeous day over the bay!! You can't help but feel overwhelmed by God's beautiful creation. I was soaking it in.

 

nothing fancy about this picture, except that I love Dave's laughter captured and the hand holding. These are the little things I love to look back on and remember.

Saturday morning was gorgeous! My dad was set on kayaking. I was a wee bit nervous to attempt this with little ones! Even more so with noah. Well the big boys had a ball. And noah wanted out of the boat and into the water. He was trying to splash and wiggle out of my arms. And the life vest. He hated it.

 But before long the waves rocked Noah to sleep and I was able to enjoy the view and the boys' smiling faces.

We had a delicious brunch at this yummy café after our water adventure and then headed to Montana de Oro for a hike to explore the tide pools.

 Lucas is being a stinker not wanting to smile for the camera here :) he's blending into the trees tucked behind my legs.

 however he can only put on his stink face for so long before his smile gets the best of him :)

 my mom was in heaven the entire time. each time we go to slo she talks about morro bay and her trip with my dad in their early days of marriage. Well her dream to go back came true, and all her grandbabies were with her to boot :)! Her joy was contagious :)

I was most excited to take the boys to the tide pools. Not sure who had more fun, me or them :)....

 

It was such a fun weekend and I'm so glad we made it happen!! We had an almost no go when caleb woke up Friday night and threw up! Our weekend incidents have continued into February I'm afraid :) That's two breathing treatment weekends and two cases of the stomach bug this winter; all for caleb!! Thankfully It was a one time deal on Friday and he woke up happy as can be on Saturday (valentines day!) So we risked it and I'm so glad we did. It was such a special weekend and I'm thankful for such sweet memories made.

I love being able to bring the boys back to a favorite place of ours. San Luis Obispo/ Morro Bay/Montana de oro/ Pismo/Avila, each place  holds such special memories of our college days and being able to share our favorite spots with the boys is so fun.

Home sweet home now and enjoying a week home with my boys and so thankful for a week of no school to rest and recover from the car shuffling/nap coordinating/school drop off/pick up craziness. love having all my boys home with me!!!  Dave's flowers are in bloom and our yard smells scrumptious!

Happy Tuesday!!!!