The PERFECT Package!!

Mike had a box delivered yesterday and it just so happens to fit TWO girls!

When life gives you a box of packing popcorn......your kids want to get in it!!!

 Hmmmm.....where should we send them.........???!!!!

Out to Dinner FUN

Yesterday we were in San Jose for Abby's dr. appt (Finally got into a Stanford Pediatric Dermatologist.....nothing serious, just getting the skin condition under her arm assessed; all is well)

The BONUS was we were in a real "big" city and could eat and shop!!

Monterey is great.....don't get me wrong.....but it lacks many of our favorite CA stops!!

A real mall......IN-N-OUT.......CHEVYS.....and many others!!

So we indulged at Chevy's, and went shopping!

Duck, Duck......Miss Piggy???

 The girls were playing duck-duck-goose the other night before bed....with their stuffed animals!

They are creative and have the best built-in playmates!!

Spirit Days!!

 Every Friday Abby has spirit day at school!

= one less day I have to battle what to wear with her......school shirts are AWESOME!!!

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park & Waterfall

We took a day trip down to Big Sur this past Sunday

Destination was the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

It has a 1/4 mile trail to walk out a waterfall view

Gorgeous day with beautiful scenery!! A must see if you are in the area!!

Pacific Grove- Tide Pools

My sister-in-law took some great photos over their visit here Labor Day weekend!

Here are some from our morning trying to explore the tide pools in Pacific Grove!

Our big finds were lots of sea anemones and a TON of hermit crabs ! Abby's favorite to catch and hold, play with......she would have taken a dozen home if we'd let her!! (no starfish, Maddy's favorite)

Abby and cousin Ethne were the most adventurous with the sea creatures!

Almost half (5 of 11) of the Smith grandchildren on one rock

 And US!!

Sunday Family Bike Ride

After my dad left this morning, and Mike finished up writing a paper......we ventured off on the bikes again! This time we rode North of Monterey, and did 12 miles round-trip!

We finished it off, locked the bikes up and treated the kids to a beach visit, which was right off the bike trail! A Monterey first for us!

Gorgeous day......and they loved it! Maddy loved the sand and Abby loved the kelp!

First Soccer Game

Abby's team the "TIGERS" had their first soccer game yesterday!

We were VERY impressed, and the team did much better than we thought.....contrary to our projection of the kids swarming around like wild chickens.....they really knew what they were doing! SUCCESS!! And it was a big win for the team! Abby is #4

 Sometimes you go down......she even got kicked in the head with the ball, but got right back up with no hesitation!!

 Maddy was the sideline cheerleader, and official crow chaser!

 Oranges for the halftime snack

 This kid really had a great time playing! 

Huge change from a month ago......so we are proud soccer parents!

Grandpa Ron's Visit

Grandpa Ron and Kathy came to visit for the weekend.

They rode down on his motorcycle for a nice getaway!

 We escaped without the kids on Saturday to the Monterey Oktoberfest celebration!

It was a beautiful afternoon filled with beer and bratwurst :)

First School Assembly

We are officially part of a public school!

And we had our first school-wide assembly, celebrating Patriots Day last week.

All the parents were invited to attend while the kids sang us Patriotic songs. Pretty impressive given they've only been in school 5 weeks! It was nice to be able to attend this for Abby together!

Great-Grandparents Visit

We had a wonderful visit with my Grandparents this past weekend.

We started off with a visit to the Aquarium. They took the kids, and Mike and I got some alone time to browse Cannery Row and do our usual wine tasting. Gorgeous and warmest weekend yet.....I say warmest.....mid/high 70's!

 After the aquarium we stopped on Cannery Row for traditional Chowder Bread Bowls! Mmmmm

We sat down near the water in the shade to enjoy them!

 

Then we toured them around Mike's school. The kids posed outside and inside.

 

 The Historic Del Monte Hotel.....now the Navy Lodge

 Sunday morning we headed to a lake just North of us for some fishing....

The kids had fun.....but there were no fish to be had. They did perfect their casting though!

Both girls can now cast all on their own.....so long as they don't get tangled in each others lines :)

 We will have to find a lake with actual fish in it next time!