Pa!!!!!!!

Having a blast with Pa in town.  We met up Friday night for dinner in the harbor.

What a bunch of goons our kids are:

We laugh each time we see this......sea lions out in the middle of water.....looks like they're waiting to be discovered for a chance at Sea World.

Maybe my favorite picture ever of Pa and Lainey.  These two have birthdays one day apart.  Pa told Lainey that she was one day older than him because hers on the 14th and his, the 15th of September.  A little confusing for a 3 year old.

Must figure out how to incorporate this picture in a card.  And, must continue to thank the restaurant industry for letting us in the door every now and then.

Looking for sea life.  Lainey's looking to make Pa laugh.  She's good at it.  We've started referring to her as Kristen Wiig.  Seriously funny.

What?  Everyone looking at the camera and smiling?  Frame it!

Look Mae Mae!  We bought the doggies some beach gear.

Love the sea lions the cruise around the harbor.

We watched several seagulls battle over this "sea snake". We're not sure sea snakes exist, but it was bigger than a worm.  And, alive during the struggle.

Sting ray!

We ate dinner, went for ice cream, walked along the water, hit the beach and then returned to the car.  On our way back, we watched these guys empty their catch.  Sea urchins!

Pa headed back to the condo with Carter for the evening.  He stayed there on a previous trip and it's such a great little place.  Ocean view, walk to the beach and market, etc.  Kids love it.

They returned to the house and we relaxed on the patio for a bit.  Enjoyed every one's favorite dip ever.  Olive oil, feta, green onions, cherry tomatoes and Cavender's Greek Seasoning.  Yum.  I sometimes add black olives, too.

Poor Batman.  Lainey learned how to pick him up and cart him around the house.  She giggles the entire time.  Batman does not.

Finally made it out to Legoland.  We already have passes to Disney, the zoo and the aquarium in La Jolla.  Didn't want to spend the money on another.  OK, I did.  Blake did not.  However.......it is only minutes away and since our last visit 2 years ago, they built and aquarium and a water park.  So, we indulged.  No pool in our neighborhood.......so this will do instead!

Pa is now a card carrying member of both Disneyland and Legoland.  And, he lives in Dallas.  Awesome.

More than for the park itself, we bought the passes so we could hear Jack say, "Wegowand" all summer.

For Sass!

New Star Wars section of Miniland.  Sand sculptors created this set up in honor of the unveiling.

Only when Pa comes in town does Jack leave with a dinosaur as big as him.

And, Lainey......a mama and a baby giraffe. 

Legoland just oozes cuteness.  This is the storybook ride.  The dinosaur came, too.

Three little pigs.

Because we don't have enough at our house, Lainey befriended a snail while at the park.

Jack was less than enthusiastic about it riding in the stroller next to him.

Legoland is hard to understand until you go.  Try to see the scale of these structures......all made with Legos, of course.......several stories high!

OK, wait.  Maybe this is my favorite.

Pa took the punks back to the condo for the night, so Blake and I went to dinner.  Mid-meal, we realized this would likely be our only 11 Year Anniversary celebration.  Cheers, babe!

We're waiting on the crew now to arrive at our house, load up the surf board and hit the beach. 

Later!

A Little Sweetness On Saturday

Not funny or all that exciting.......but a special 30 seconds captured on film. Lainey wants to dance anywhere and everywhere.....and Pa happily obliges.....even while waiting for a ride at California Adventure.

Disneyland, Pa's Visit and A Table for 12

A whole lotta Starnes today, peeps. Fair warning.

How cute are those little piggies? Love Laine's relaxed manner as we approach the happiest place on earth.

Did you know that the happiest place on earth has the best corn dogs on earth? Yes, even better than the Texas State Fair. Promise.

Hand holding as we enter the kids' favorite.......Jungle Cruise.

Disregard the typo here and enjoy the little tale. (I'll have a letter out this week to HR.) President-pardoned turkeys often end up at Disneyland.

For Coco. Some Fort Worth lovin'!

Casey's Circus Train is Jack's fave. Shocker.

Lainey enjoyed it, too! Love her little hands up here.

Disneyland, in general, is picturesque. This ride has some of the best landscaping.



Punkin Carter does look younger with his hair shorter. Which makes me happy.

Cookie time.

In her little 3 year old mind, this castle belongs to Lainey. Even Jack will chime in with, "Wook, Wainey. It's your castle!"



Fairy Godmother sighting!

Laine did a little dance while she signed her princess autograph book.





We took the ferry over to Tom Sawyer's Island. Hadn't been since 2003. Super fun and lots to do.

It's like a whole other world.



More hand holding. Melts my heart.

The sun started to set and we prepared for Pa and Daddy to join us after they finished work for the day.

He's here! He's here!

Since Pa is now a card carrying Disneyland Passport holder, we headed over to California Adventure for a few of our favorites. Bug's Life 3D movie was on the list. Soarin' Over California, too. Pure awesomeness.

Lainey and Pa danced before we went in. Precious.

Carter convinced us to go into the Tiki Hut.......such a weird, weird place.



We ended the evening with Buzz Lightyear's ride.

Lots of fun.


Carter went with Pa to a condo near the beach for the night, and then we all attended Carter's basketball game Saturday morning.

Donna brought the kitty ear headband for Lainey. Perfect! Glad they came. Carter had a great game with 13 points scored, no turn overs and 2 qty 3 pointers!!!!!!!!!!!




That evening, we ventured into Carlsbad Village. Love this place.

For Ryan! Caroline, bring him on your next visit.

Lovely old buildings and lots to see & do.

Had dinner at Las Olas. Seriously good Mexican food.

Pa snuck in a picture with grumpy Jack. Awesome.

The Davidge family joined us for dinner. Later, after ice cream for the kids, their oldest lost a tooth! Pretty exciting.

Pa and Lainey. These two are so goofy together.





This is what it looks like when our families get together. 7 kids and 5 adults. Fun, crazy chaos!

The boys, outside. Such a mess.


Pa took the Starnes kids to his condo after ice cream and the Davidges headed home. Blake and I stayed out. Our first date since July, I think. Had a great time bar hopping in the village!

Back to routine this week.

*Basketball practice and a game.

*Thank you notes. (Doing them right now! Still can't find Carter's school pictures, but I'm sending them out anyway. What kind of mother loses a kid's pictures?!)

*Work. Had fun at the studio on Sunday for our Valentine shoot. More to do from home now.

*Bunco with Holly, hopefully.

*Meeting at school for Carter's Spend-The-Night Field Trip in February. How cool is that?

*Valentine's Day prep.

*Wreath making.

*Painting 2 walls in the house!

*Preparing for 2 upcoming visits......Sass next Monday and then her sis that next Saturday. Cannot wait!