little buddies

There is something so wonderful and special about watching your children's friendships.  I think because I have been blessed with such amazing friendships in my own life, I want so much for my children to have those meaningful, fun-filled, supportive connections to friends as well.

Here are the little buddies in April having looking for creatures in the stream.  A bath and new clothing was required after this play date!  A sign of a lot of boy fun!

Jack wants nothing more than to be with his friend, Cameron.  Like most early childhood friendships, they are close in age, they live in the same neighbor and his Mom is a dear friend of mine.   So....it is only natural that they too would be pals.  And they really are.  I love watching Jack's excitement when he gets to have a "play date" with his pal.

On this day it was warm and Cameron's Mom had invited Jack over to play in the sprinkler.  Oh boy, Jack was geeked up!   He was so excited that he didn't even fight me over the sun-screen application.   He couldn't get there fast enough so he asked if he could ride his little 4-wheeler to Cameron's.     

Look at him all big boy and adorably excited at the same time on his 4-wheeler, with his space monkey back pack, Lightning McQueen swim wear and baseball cap.   Can't get more big boy than that!

I was somewhere between giggling-with-glee and tears as I saw Jack drive off to the "lane" where they meet up between our houses.  (The "lane" is the perfect little off road grass path between our properties...perfectly situated for our two families)

There at the end of the lane Cameron was already waiting and jumping around when Jack approached.   

Life isn't always so simple.....but on this day, at this moment it simply was.  These two pals, just being the best of friends and playing outside together.

friends...

"The Den of the Brav Boys" = friends.

My boys have those neighborhood friends that feel like an extension of their brotherhood (not all of them pictured). A couple years ago they made this sign to put out by their "fort", aka an area under a group of pine trees.  It is perfectly secluded and secret.  I was not to enter.  The sign is still there.

The Paper Mama

Boys will be boys!

I have to share these photos of Drew and his best buddy, Charlie from last Friday. I was inside checking on them and noticed they weren't by the play area or babsketball hoop...oh,oh, I had a feeling.
I went to look down by the stream and saw them- so I ran back in for my camera! They were pretty much having a ball in the mudd. Their feet and shoes suctioned into it. After I got a round of pictures I helped them out. They did ask to go back in for another shot...why not!

Escape to San Diego!!

Jack and I just arrived home last night from a 4 day trip to San Diego to visit our dear friends, Angie, Art & Parker (12 months) Behnke! What a wonderful time we had. The Behnke family will soon say good-bye to beautiful San Diego for a new adventure in Newport, Rhode Island and so this trip was about witnessing their wonderful life and embracing all San Diego has to offer! Having the "insiders" tour of San Diego was wonderful and experiencing it with my dear friend made it even better! Angie and I also had girl time (thanks to Kemia, their babysitter and Art) to have delicious fruitty curry, shop in Mesa (where I left with a new outfit on!), tour the city, hike the bluff overlooking the pacific (amazing view!) and have a margarita mid-day and mojitos with Angie's friends in the evening. San Diego is a wonderful mix of sun, beach, canyons, beach towns and sophistication. I loved it and hope one day that we can meet the Behnkes there for a vacation and make it back there as a family! It was the perfect mix of girl time and time with our boys!

Jack was a great traveler and played well with sweet, jovial Parker, who is 5 months younger. Jack has never been with a baby younger than he, so I think he quickly realized he was the big boy. He would hug Parker and sometimes sit on him if he was crawling...just like his big brother Drew did to him! They had fun being together (like their Mommies) and Angie and I just relished in seeing our boys together. As you can see in the photos they both loved bath and play time.

With life as it is today...it is a small wonder that I was able to jet off to San Diego and didn't happen without a supporting crew! First, Thank you Andy for supporting me in getting this weekend in. I love you for it and so many other things!! Omie and Opie...couldn't have done it without you taking my place at home with the kids during the week. Thank you! Andy and the boys so enjoyed their weekend with you! Thank you to Art for watching the kids so Ang and I could have such amazing time together. Also, for being a great Dada figure, which Jack clearly needed. And my love to Angie for embracing every minute together. I just loved seeing you and Art in action as loving parents to your sweet boy and feel so fortunate to have witnessed this very special place in your lives. Love to you..miss you already!

Cabo San Lucas

Andy and I had a week away last week to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with our dear friends, Dan & Marcie! What a blast we all had! It is a beautiful location on the Sea of Cortez and cusp of the Pacific Ocean. The rock formations, a.k.a. the arch, is a beautiful site. We enjoyed ourselves at the all-inclusive Riu Palace...where they gave us too much of their awesome food and drinks. I loved the guacamole that was even served at the breakfast buffet! Also, the "miami vice" mix of pina colada/strawberry daquiri was a favorite drink by the pool. The ocean there was beautiful, but had a very strong current, not good after a few too many miami vice drinks!! We loved whale watching and really got quite close to a mother and baby sperm whales. Now that is a sight! The dune buggie 3 hour tour was rough...I knew it wouldn't be my thing once I had googles, helmet and bandana on my face. After a long ride through the desert I was never more excited to be poolside! More than anything, Andy and I enjoyed having time to ourselves. We missed the boys terribly and it was awful to know that Jack was having the very difficult time with us away. But we all survived the seperation. We arrived home at night and the welcome the next morning was beautiful. The boys were so full of smiles, hugs..and so were Mommy & Daddy! It was wonderful and may have been the best part of the trip!