Staycation 2013

I look forward to the last week of August all year long.  The kids daycare is closed for the week so I take the whole week off and we just stay home in San Diego.  Why go anywhere for vacation when we live less than 10 miles from the beach?!  I never get this much time off in a row and I love being able to hang with the kids at home with no one around, more than anything.  Usually every minute is planned and accounted for and i feel like we are always rushing somewhere or having to do something.  It is so nice to not have to be rushing somewhere all the time.  Josh took some time off this year too so it has been a family staycation!  We've been busy and having a ton of fun.  Of course it has been 90 degrees and super humid.  Our summer really starts now.  We've been to the beach a few times already, the water splash pad, out for ice cream, to the aquarium, and just hung around the house.  One afternoon Ryan actually snuggled on the couch with me and Emmy (which he NEVER does) it was the greatest afternoon ever. And we still have a few days of the weekend left!  Boy, is it going to be tough going back to the real world on Tuesday but I feel so lucky to have had this week and to spend so much time with my amazing kiddos.  My poor sister just told me today was her last day off for the next 14 days.  I will never complain about my schedule again.  Hang in there Jules....

Here are a whole lot of pics from this week.  Yes, I am a little obsessed with the camera but I never want to forget a moment. :)

A true Southern California Boy already.

Finally someone for Josh to throw the football with at the beach!

Owning a pair of flops is pretty much mandatory in our house.  I bought Ryan his first pair this week.  We put them on and he was cruising no problem.  Emmy was the same way.  Flop wearing genes :)

Emmy is always trying to pick up Ryan and he is always very annoyed.

Spray pad!  Ryan didn't love it or hate it.  It is a little intimidating but of course Emmy jumped right in.

Anne, Finn and Sophia met us there.  Buddies feeding the ducks!

 

Baroo chasing the ducks...

My little stinker up to no good.

Snuggle time!

Another beautiful San Diego beach day.  How lucky are we?!

Only my daughter decides to go swimming in about 6 inches of water with her goggles on.  Pretty sure she will be snorkeling by the time she is 6.

Hands down the best part of the day.  Emmy digging in a huge castle (that someone else abandoned), Ryan following her every move and the two of them jumping rolling and playing in the mud.  Then Josh and I looked at each other and said how the hell are we going to get them home now?! 

Look at this kid! 

After yesterday, we needed a little break from the beach so we went to the aquarium.  

All Ryan kept saying was "wow".  So cute.

"Wow"

View from the Scripps Aquarium.  Not too shabby.  

Peekaboo!

Sunset from our backyard.   Such a beautiful night for some after dinner fun

Emmy loves drawing and has been practicing spelling.  This was what she wrote yesterday all by herself.  My sweet little smarty pants.

Josh had to work the other night so we went to get ice cream!  Ryan just kept walking around the fountain yelling.  He knows how to draw attention to himself :)

My little beauty.