Eight!!

My goodness Bryson is EIGHT YEARS OLD!!! Let me just tell you a little about this crazy kid. For the past 3 weeks he got up every morning at 5:45 - set his own alarm, got dressed and his clubs ready - woke his dad up to hit some balls or play a practice round before school. Then he would come home from school and practice sometimes too! All in preparation for the Monterey Challenge. He got invited and spent his birthday weekend in Monterey with his dad and grandparents (and his aunt and Don and Don's parents went too!) and got to play all kinds of golf and eat all kinds of seafood (his favorite- the kid ordered mussels(!) what? ) and play with his new bey blades and basically have an awesome time.

His birthday celebrations actually lasted almost a week starting last Wednesday at Farmer's Market with our other November baby friends - cupcakes and snacks and plenty of friends to kick soccer balls around with, or hunt for crabs on the rocks with - we live in a pretty amazing little community and what a special time it ws to be with other awesome November babies!

Then on Thursday I took my baby out to (his pick) Sushi for a birthday lunch. I was feeling a little sad that I would not be with him on his actual birthday (first time EVER) and wanted to have a little alone time with him. I gave him an Angry Birds watch and he was sooooo excited. he tells me what time it is now approximately every 10 minutes.

Then he left early Friday morning to drive up to Monterey to play a practice round before the big tournament. He played really well - placed 10th (out of 16), which earned him an invite to Pinehurst, which before Monterey Bryson told us was his "life's dream" to be invited to Pinehurst. I think a lot of people may think my husband is driving this crazy golf train, but let me just point to exhibit A - his bedroom wall. The boy is obsessed. He is so self motivated and has worked so hard - I am beyond proud...I know I complain a lot about golf, but really - what a great sport for Bryson - it teaches integrity, patience, self-composure, good sportsmanship...really just a good fit for his temperament I believe. 

The party didn't stop there - since Bryson had a party last year, this year he got to go somewhere special with a friend, so on Monday Bryan took Asher and Bryson deep sea fishing! Again - bryson's idea. He caught a big surf perch and ate it up as soon as they got home. I had a bite and it was delicious! So fresh - not fishy at all! And now...exhale...and listen to the boys fight over the bey blades...I overheard Bryan saying something anti-bey blades and I just reminded him, "This too shall pass"...hopefully sooner rather than later! 

Happy Eighth Birthday Bryson! I have big hopes for you this year! And I can't wait to see what new thing you dive head first into next! Your spirit is contagious and your ambition is inspiring - we love you to pieces!
Love, Mom and Dad

Camping at Cachuma - Part One

(I say part one, because there are a ton more (even better) pictures...mainly on bryan's phone that i have to share!)

Last weekend we went camping with the Hurleys at Lake Cachuma. Jeff is Bryan's best friend since high school and we havent been able to spend quality time with them since i was (very early) pregnant with Bobby...so its been a while. We planned this weekend before summer started and i am so glad we did. Summer tends to fill up fast! There is nothing easy about camping with small children...it is a lot of work, but boy is it also a lot of fun!

Bryson will not stop talking about this trip. Even while we were camping i have not seen him smile so big! he kept saying things like, "man, camping is the best!" if you asked him why he would tell you the fishing and the smores...definitely the smores. it is some kind of camping sin if you dont have them! Declan is like the best marshmallow maker too, but unfortunately he doesnt like marshmallows...but, fortunately for me, he loves making them! child labor - love it!

This wasnt our first pick of camping sites around Santa Barbara, but the nice thing about Cachuma is that you can get a site and you dont have to occupy it overnight. So Solera went up on Thursday and was able to reserve us a site. The greatest part was the lake was a short walk from our site and was so gorgeous! the kids loved just throwing rocks in the water all day long. boys are so simple sometimes it makes me marvel at them...we fished on saturday at a day use area around the lake...no luck with the fish, but bryson fished the whole day. he is a pro at casting now.

There are things for kids to do around Cachuma beside fish - playgrounds and a swimming pool, but we just stayed in the sun on a rock bed basically all day...because we are smart like that...and also married to fish-a-holics.

Solera and Jeff have a 9 month old Beckett (along with their 4 year old Declan) and poor Solera could not put Beckett down anywhere all weekend, save for the tent. Plus he didnt want to sleep...like ever. I think it is pretty impossible to keep to schedules camping...especially with the sleeping outdoors thing.

To our surprise, Bryson and Bodie slept in their own tent! i was so shocked that Bodie was down for that...but it solved our small tent problem! we borrowed one from my sister and set it up right in front of our tent and it worked out perfect!

Part 2 to come...

TMAFI 2012

Every year as we make our way up the winding highway 168 up into the Sierras that overshadow Bishop...i cant help but exhale deeply and breathe in deeper and feel a little like we have come home. I love this little area of California so much. We have some roots here - my grandpa worked a mine not too far from Bishop and our family would take yearly trips up to Mammoth. Bryan grew up going to Tahoe (just the other side of the mountain) so it is familiar ground these Sierras. And this little fishing trip - TMAFI - started out just an excuse to get an awesome campsite (see second to last photo) and has turned into an excuse to spend quality time with friends cities away. 

Little did i know when TMAFI began it would turn into what it has. This year was a rather small turnout, but most years we have had around 25 people. I am hoping for a big crowd next year since it will be the 10th one! But this year was so nice to have a small group. The kids stayed with Bob and Kathy at our house, so Bryan and I got to have some (much needed) alone time. I have been on trips and stuff, but never have i felt so completely relaxed. i prayed...a lot...i read books...i sat and thought. when was the last time i sat and thought? i couldnt even answer that...i am so continually distracted on a minute by minute basis at home. There is always something i am neglecting - be it laundry or work or cleaning or sometimes my children or husband...there is always responsibility here - it isnt a restful place. so its nice to be able to get away where cell phones dont work...where road trips spark awesome conversation, where the air is crisp and fresh and the stars come out for a show every night. its nice that my husband and i both love it too...it wouldnt be quite as fun if we didnt. we enjoy each other's company very much...it helps. i still think he is the greatest guy i have ever met.  And even though i wanted to win something awful this year...i secretly hope he gets a turn - because he is almost as good a fisher-person as me :)