happy birthday times 2...

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you... looking forward to our lunch date today.

(This picture is circa 1979...i think I was about four)

Happy Birthday Davin. Eight is going to be really great! I love you.

supah star.

Tonight I went to get some makeup at Mac. As I looked around attempting to self-serve, Avery was approached by an "artist" who offered to fancy her up. I was amazed how fast she jumped into that tall black chair. I had really wished I had my camera... it was a sight. The pictures just don't do those glittery purple eyelids justice. When we got home she pulled out everything purple she could find in her closet to match her "new eyes" as she called them.

girls are fun.

part shark

It didn't take a genius to figure something wasn't right with Hunter's mouth, when at the ripe old age of 9 he was still wearing his two front baby teeth. After an xray concluded that he had an EXTRA set of two front adult teeth coming in...it was decided that the babies needed to come out with a little help from Dr. Tanabe.
Pre-surgery:

What we weren't prepared for, was that while under anesthesia on Tuesday, the extra set of adult teeth (that had not even peeked through yet) would be pulled as well.
Post surgery:


4 teeth lighter, 3 stitches heavier...here are the results. Waking up out of the anesthesia and constant bleeding on day one was not Hunter's favorite. But wouldn't you know, he was back on his skateboard by Wednesday...
I can't wait for that fourth grade school photo!

L.A. zoo (kids' eye view)

With the exception of the group shot of the 7 of us, I let the kids take charge of the documentation on Monday's visit to the zoo.
It was fun at the end of the day to see what Hunter, Davin, Avery, and Tess came up with.





















I am not going to lie...it was HOT, and the bees were everywhere (not sure how we made it out without a sting or two), and unusually empty. But a fun final summer outing for sure.

Venice Beach

There was never a dull moment on our family outing today... so colorful and lively, to say the least.

The kids loved the street vendors...every pair of sunglasses imaginable...







The street performers were also a hit...

The Jamaican glass walker...

The metallic gold break-dancing Michael Jackson impersonator....

The Carribbean stunt team...

And you recognize this guy...Harry Gary? Or maybe its Scary Gary?
Avery wanted to know if he was blind...

Then just your general population of freak show people were in full effect...

My personal fave... I never saw him earn a single penny all day... great concept...which led Hunter and I into a discussion of the word on the sign starting with the letter "A" and was it a bad word or a good one... He quickly identified that it is a multiple meaning word... an animal, a body part, as well as sometimes a person! Way to go scholar.



I love the wall murals all over town. You could pay to add to these walls...

When in Venice... (Christmas Card 2009???)



Davin loved the outdoor gymnasium...rings, ropes, uneven parallel bars...he could have stayed there all day, however we left abruptly when the picket signs headed our way which read "National GO Topless Day"...men in bras and women in nothing from the waist up...yep it was a sight. It made for some intense conversation in the car ride home. So much for our "family" day out...

Venice really had its teachable moments today...ones I wasn't exactly prepared for.

making space...

...on my camera card tonight, for tomorrow's trip planned to Venice Beach.
I had over 1800 photos from this summer to delete...
I came across a few random gems from this event and that one... Enjoy.
Crystal Cove:

backyard:

Cushman Watt Scout Center

Bolsa Chica:

Seahorse Soccer Camp:

lunch time:



Las Vegas Airport (delayed for 4 hours)

Mission SJC:

Go Annika!

Not cooperating: hmmm...I see some yellow cards in this little kindergartner's future.

i'm hoping to capture some super colorful pics on our outing tomorrow...

baby talk.

more conversations from the back seat:

Avery: Davin, how does a baby get in a tummy?
Davin: Mom said God puts it there.
Avery: But how does God do that?
Davin: He does it when you're sleeping.
Avery: But how do you know the baby is in there?
Davin: You start getting fatter.
Avery: But I would wake up if I felt God putting a baby in my stomach.... wait a minute...
Mooooooommmmm....Does God have bones?
Davin: Avery, of course he doesn't have bones, he is see-through!

Whew! Good save, Davin.