First day of School!!

The 2011/2012 school year has started! Abby has started Pre-K this year! She missed the cut off for Kindergarden so she will start next year. Abby is very excited to go to Pre-K! She is also very excited that this year she will turn 5 which makes her BIG. She says she is still little because she is 4 years old. Savannah started "Infant Room B" on Monday too! This is the "Big Baby" room. These babies are about 6 months, can sit up and eat baby food now. We are just waiting for the other babies to show Savy how to crawl. She has already made new friends and is having tons of fun!

First day of Pre-K in my new dress!

On my way to school to go to Infant Room B!

Summer Vacation 2011 - Carlsbad

Our annual trip to Carlsbad, CA was so relaxing this year….even with two kids! We got over to Carlsbad on Friday night, August 5th and stayed until Saturday, August 13th. The weather was perfect. Cool 72 degrees and the marine layer burnt off around 10-11am every day. 

On Monday we decided to go to Sea World! That was so much fun! Abby loved watching the dolphins and Shamu. The park wasn’t too crowded so that was nice. Savannah was a trooper. She just hung out in the stroller and napped here and there. I think she enjoyed seeing the animals too. Then on Tuesday night we went to dinner at Patty and Rod. Patty is an old friend of Nana Barbara’s. It was fun to see their house and chit chat!

Abby with a Sea Turtle at Sea World

Abby with Sesame Street Friends at Sea World

Aunt Amy and Uncle Eric joined us for vacation on Wednesday night. Nick played golf on Thursday and we went and saw the Sea Lions at La Jolla on Friday! All the time in between and during the week was spent at the beach! Abby played in the sand, jumped in the waves and searched for seashells and rocks. This year Abby didn’t go out too far in the ocean. It took me all week to get her out far enough to float in the water. Savannah spent the time at the beach mostly napping. I think she really enjoyed the cool weather and ocean sound. We would have lunch and then she would always lay down for a nap. She didn’t really like it when we would put her feet in the ocean. Too cold for her.

Lunch at Ruby's on Oceanside pier

On the way to the beach!

Mommy and Savy


Abby

Savy playing in her beach tent

Abby relaxing at the beach!

Savy napping at the beach

The last morning before heading home we all went to the Del Mar Racetrack. We had breakfast there and got to watch the horses warm up and train. That was a fun experience. The food was good and Abby really enjoyed seeing the horses. The racetrack was fun to check out too. There was hardly anyone there so we practically had the place to ourselves!

At Del Mar racetrack

"Daybreak at Del Mar" - Breakfast

It was so great seeing Abby and Savannah have fun on vacation and create new memories. We can’t wait until next vacation!

Family Picture at the condo - taken by Amy Schroff

6 Month Checkup!

Savannah had her 6 month check up last Wednesday! She weighs 20 pounds (97%) and is 29 inches long (over 100%). She is already 2 pounds heavier than Abby was at this age. She is our little chuncky monkey!! She had 2 more shots, but she was good as always and only cried for a second. Savannah also got her first tooth last week. She is very drooly and we can tell her gums are bothering her. She likes to chew for relief, but so far she has not been too fussy. We will see what the other teeth bring.


Off to California this Friday! We all cannot wait! Time to get out of this heat and do some relaxing!

Circus

Last Sunday we went to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus! This was Abby's first time to the circus. Savannah is still too young so she stayed and played at Nana's. Abby loved it. There were horses, zebra's, tigers and elephants. The elephants were Abby's favorite. The show was really long, but was so entertaining that Abby sat and watched the whole thing. Well...as usual she sat on Daddy's lap for most of it! We were very impressed by the circus and hope we can go again sometime.

Abby's new stuffed animal that she liked to put on her head!

Dance

Last Saturday was Abby's first Dance Class! She is taking a combo dance class of Ballet and Tap. For her class you must wear either a pink or black leotard, pink tights and have your hair pulled back. You may also wear a pink or black dance skirt. You would think this is too formal, but pretty much all dance studios have this dress code. Abby had a great time at dance. She loves her tap shoes so I think that the tap dance portion of the class was her favorite! The class is 6 weeks long. If she likes it then we will sign her up again. If not then it will be on to the next thing!

Abby ready to go to class!

Abby tapping during class

Vacation Bible School / Sedona

On Saturday June 18th we took Abby up to Munds Park, AZ to spend a whole week with Granny Annie. Granny signed her up for Vacation Bible School. From Monday through Friday she went to Vacation Bible School in the mornings. She did a lot of coloring and crafts. Not sure if she understood some of the Bible stories, but she enjoyed everything that they did. In the afternoons she went swimming or would go into Flagstaff with Granny to see a movie. Granny and Abby went and saw Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer 3 times!! Abby really liked that movie. During the nights she would get a little home sick and cry, but was always okay in the morning. On Friday, when it was time to come home she didn’t want to leave Granny’s cabin. Once she saw us she was very excited to come home though. She kept telling us, “God loves us all” and, “God is watching us”. Once she even told us, “God was watching us with his glowing eyes”! Hmmmm…..not sure where she picked that one up. Over all I think Vacation Bible School was a hit and I know she is looking forward to going again next year!

The girlies before we left to take Abby to Granny's

Now…..while Abby was gone the parents got to play….a little. That first weekend Nana watched Savannah so we could go play with Nick’s golf group in Sedona, AZ. Our friends Carl and Amy came and played with us. We met them up in Sedona after we dropped Abby off at Granny’s. We went to the Oak Creek Canyon Brewing Company and several other interesting Sedona places and just enjoyed ourselves!! We stayed overnight and the next day we played golf at Seven Canyons in Sedona. It was a very difficult course, but Nick ended up coming in first place in the tournament!

The next week was weird without Abby around, but we got to have a whole week with just Savannah. It was strange to just have one child again…..and much more calm since Savy is still so young. Mostly we sat around and watched movies for 5 days straight! It was great, but we missed Abby and we were very glad when she came home!

Carl and Amy Rider, Me and Nick

Seven Canyons Golf Course

More pics of our Girlies!!

Savannah is 5 months old (well....tomorrow she will be)! She rolled over at daycare last Thursday, June 9,2011, back to belly. We tried all weekend to get her to roll over, but she wouldn't do it. Of course on Monday she rolled over at daycare again! I guess that is one of the downsides of being a working parent.....you miss some of the "firsts". :( Maybe she is just waiting to show us until the perfect time!

Last weekend we went over to Uncle Eric and Aunt Amy's house for an early Fathers Day/Nick's Birthday celebration with Grandpa Dan and Jaci. we all went swimming and Aunt Amy took some updated pictures of them.

Next week Abby is going to go up to Munds Park, AZ to spend a whole week with Granny Annie! This will be Abby's longest trip away from Mommy and Daddy. She is going to go to Vacation Bible School in the mornings and then spend the afternoons at the Pine Wood Country Club, swimming with Granny! Since this is the first time being away from us for so long we are not sure how she is going to do. Hopefully she won't be too home sick and have tons of fun!!

Daddy and Savy

Savy 5 Months - I found my toes!!
whacha doing Aunt Amy?
Oh hi!!

Abby - 4 1/2 Years old

Happy Birthday Daddy!