Big Sur Camping Trip

We had the most WONDERFUL family camping trip this past weekend!

We ventured down to Big Sur to the "Big Sur Cabins & Campgrounds" for two nights.

The kids are the perfect age for tent camping, and enjoyed every minute!!

The moment we got home yesterday and pulled into the garage they both asked when we are going again.... :) MEMORIES!!!

We went camping with our close Navy friends Dan & Jessica and their kids Kolbey (4) and Beau (2), and another couple with their baby girl (9 months)! The kids all had a blast! Adults too!! (especially once they were all in bed for the night!!)

 Setting up camp! We arrived around 1pm Friday! Fire roaring shortly thereafter!!

 The rear view from our camp site! Directly on the river at the water hole!

 Kolbey and Maddy

 We brought the kids bikes! SO much fun riding through the campground each day!

 1st Night of S'MORES!!!

 Maddy wasn't a huge fan, no surprise! She just wanted the marshmallows plain!

 We had visitors both nights! The neighborhood skunk rolled into our camp about 9 or 10pm both nights scavenging! 

 And when we awoke there was evidence of racoons!

 Breakfasts!

 The campground had the most amazing kids playground! Which included this giant spider climber!

Needless to say, the kids were VERY well entertained!

The guys took the kids down stream a few times for some rock/nature hunts

 Stomp rockets!

 Fun in nature! Abby spotted these gorgeous Blue Jays and wanted to offer them some food! They took the bait.

 

 2nd to the Spider Climbing, their favorite park feature was the TIRE SWING!!!

Too bad it doesn't swing itself or they would have been on it more!!

 On our second day we went down the road on Hwy 1 a few miles to Pfeifer Beach!

It was a beautiful day, high 60's low 70's, and this place was a find!! Popular too with minimal parking. One in, one out! So there weren't any crowds because of this.

 Dan & Mike

 The scenery of rocks, water and beach here were amazing!

Holes in a few rocks lead to great views!

 Maddy on her rock pillow

 To keep the kids extra busy, I brought some craft paint/brushes along so they could paint a souvenir camping rock to bring home!

 Campfire nights!!

Our little camping family!! The girls (and us) survived two nights in the tent!!

 The Krause Family

 Our camping crew! So glad we had a chance to do this trip before the summer crowds!!

Loves to read and write!

Abby has learned so much this year already, and her reading and writing skills just keep improving!

Of course there are harder/trickier words she struggles with on her own, but she gets the point across!

At school they often have the kids draw a picture and write a sentence! Abby has been expanding hers to two sentences these days by choice. I particularly love her friends in this picture!

School friends

 This past Friday at Abby's school was "Stuffed Animal" day. So each kid brought their favorite to share and cuddle all day! Here are some of her classmates!!

And yesterday Maddy was invited to a boy's party from her class!! This is her and one of the classmates!! Everyone loves Maddy!! She's quite the tomboy!!

Aquarium Afternoon

This past week Abby's school had early dismissal for teacher conferences so I treated the girls to an aquarium visit and ice cream (Dip N Dots---their favorite!!)

My kids.....

 No exaggerating here......this is how Abby sleeps most days! I went in to wake her for school and found her fast asleep with her eye mask on!! Time to wake the princess!

 Sisterly game of rock, paper, scissors!!

Goofy Maddy right out of the bath!!

Pancake Saturday

Frogs!!

Well after it rains.......you should look for frogs!

 The girls heard this one croaking outside our front door and we quickly found him hiding on the porch! Abby LOVES bugs and critters!

Princess Style

Last weekend the girls attended their first Princess Birthday Party!

We had to arrive dressed the part!

Both girls let me doll up their hair so it was fun!

 Here Maddy said she looked like George Washington!! (we don't know where she gets this stuff!!)

 Abby loved it and only feared my curling abilities slightly!

Maddy's hair wasn't quite as curl-friendly!

Time for Wine!

Two weeks ago my neighbors and I ventured out to our wine bar on a Thursday afternoon while the big kids were still in school!

 Maddy and Zachary even got in on some cheers!

Rain!

We've had a few off/on rainy days.....any chance to wear her rain gear!!

No where better to RUN!

Well I've started a new hobby of running......and two weeks ago I ventured out to run with both girls in the stroller at the Wharf! They challenged me! Their 75+ pounds in the stroller gives quite the resistance! But it was fun. And the view and weather was perfect (the usual around here these days!!)

And luckily they still fit in the stroller, and actually love to go with us on runs. I got to the end of my run and stopped and Abby turned around and asked "Mom why did you stop"....They've always been great stroller kids :)

 Looking out at the boats and seals