VACAtion!

Once a year we get to take a mini vacation. We stay in Temecula at a friends guest house. We usually go to the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park but this year we decided to go to Sea World! I haven't been to Sea World since middle school when I went with the marching band. Yes, I was a bando. I played the flute like nobody's business. And by that I mean, I pretended to know how to play the flute for four years but really I barely knew how to play the b flat scale. Kevin hasn't been since he was a wee lad. So we cashed in our coins (roughly $119!) and went to Sea World!

Brody was beyond excited at the thought of going. Every time the commercial comes on he begs me to take him. And Cohen, well, Cohen still poops his pants so he doesn't really care.

 
Here are the boys at the entrance to Sea World. Yes, I dressed them alike the entire trip. Kevin's loves it.... not really.

 

 I was really excited to get a picture of Brody with the star fish. I have a picture of me at Sea World holding a star fish when i was his age. Sadly, for us, but fortunately for the star fish, you aren't allowed to pick them up anymore.

 Took me forever to get a picture of Brody sitting by the glass. He was so scared at first. I think he was afraid that the fish were going to get him. 

Sharks!

Then it was time for SHAMU! Is the whale still called Shamu? Didnt the real Shamu die years ago? This must be Shamu the 13th or something like that.

 

I will be honest and say that I was super excited to see the show. I remember it from when I was little. Makes you feel like a little kid ooooing and aaaahhhing over a whale. But we did NOT sit in the splash zone. No thank you!

Brody was super impressed with the show. Really, he wasn't paying attention half of the time and when the whale would jump out of the water he would miss it and say, "what just happened?"

This is his impressed/I'm not paying attention face. 

 

Turtle's in a half shell, turtle power! 

 I love the colors here

 

Brody wasn't scared to stand in front of this one! 

I also have a really cute picture of my brother Adam and me in front of the flamingos when we were little. I was hoping to reenact that photo. I even brought my red ruby wizard of oz shoes for Brody to wear... not really.  But now there is a lame fence around the flamingos. Apparently, Sea World cares about the safety of their animals.

Some more photos from Sea World. Don't be fooled by Cohen sitting in the stroller. He wanted to be held most of the day. 

Grandpa came with us!

I was surprised Brody actually went on this ride. And who knew that Sea World had rides now!?

My boys and me waiting for the sea lion show to start. You can kind of tell here that I am really burned. 

Kevin and the boys

The Beluga Whale is probably my most favorite thing in the ocean. They are so beautiful. Sadly, my pictures of them are horrible. They were swimming by me way too fast. 

 

It was a long day at Sea World but very fun, with the exception of the HORRIBLE UV sunburn I got. I wont post a picture of that... its too disturbing. 

Sea World was just day 1 of our super fun vacation. Day two was a trip to Professor PennyPickles Workshop and Kid Museum in Temecula. Our friend told us that this place was a must. The museum is a house, Mr. Pennypickels, full of science and discovery. Lots of fun for the kids!

Exploring!

Discovering!

Cohen in the music room

The random toilet paper display

Mommy and Cohen

PennyPickles was super fun! 

On our third day of vacation we went to Old Town San Diego. We visited the Sheriff Museum.... because it was free! 

Baby Helicopter. So silly, babies dont fly helicopters. 

 

Brody Picking out his first gun

What's this guys name? Scruff Mcgruff? Something like that. Cant remember the name but he's the reason why I never did drugs.

Uh Oh. Daddy got in trouble! Brody had too much fun putting Kevin in handcuffs but refused to let us put him in handcuffs.

C.H.I.P.S.!

Brody locked us in jail. We let Brody take a few pics of us in the cell but knew they wouldn't come out very good so we had the lady at the museum take one for us.... She is just as good at taking pictures as Brody is. So here is our blurry picture.

After maybe 20 minutes Brody was finally brave enough to go in the cell

 He even let us lock him in! He was smiling so I told him that jail isn't fun and he isn't allowed to smile. This is his attempt at not smiling.

Brody in the back of the cop car. I told him this better be the only time he is ever in the back of one. Again, he was smiling so I told him to make a sad face. He really does look sad! I sat in the back of it. Talk about no leg space! And its not like I need a lot of leg space at 5 feet tall. Guess they didn't design those things to be comfortable. 

We walked around Old Town some more and went into the Wells Fargo Museum... I could help but sing the song when I walked in... "Oh the Wells Fargo wagon is a comin down the street. Oh please let it be for me!" Wow, that takes me back to the my 4th grade music show. Here is Cohen next to a HUGE horse... don't worry, its fake. I know it looks so real.

I tried to explain to Brody that before cars, this is how people got around. He wasn't interested. 

Then we went to lunch and this happened... and it was A-MA-ZING! 

Mommy and Brody being silly

Wish I had taken more pictures but its a lot of work when you are yelling at a 5 year old to stop touching everything and trying to entertain a baby. But our trip was super fun and we are definitely going back next year for another mini vacation.

I'm On a Boat!

Another event marked off our Summer Bucket List. We are on a roll! We went on Grandpa's (my father in law) boat! We always make plans to go on said boat but it never happens. So, I knew if I put it on our bucket list, grandpa couldn't say no ;)

Here is Brody looking awesome on the boat. He's too cute! 

I dont normally like to be in pictures, I'm usually taking the pictures for fear of my face breaking the camera, but I'm afraid my kids are going to think I was never around so I occasionally allow a picture of me to be taken. Here is one of those amazing pictures. Fake smile? No way!

It was Cohen's first time on grandpa's boat, well, any boat for that matter. I thought for sure he would hate it because he had to wear a life jacket but he didnt complain and I actually think he enjoyed it. 

Cohen and Grandpa

 

Oh look, I jumped into another picture. But as you can see, I covered myself with kids. Again, not wanting to break the camera. 

Daddy and the boys. Yes, Cohen and Brody are always hanging on each other. 

 

It was a beautiful day to cruise around the harbor looking at the billion dollar houses. Can you believe that some of those houses are just vacation homes? Silly. I would have taken pictures but they are just too depressing to look at. 

Another picture of Brody hamming it up for the camera. He is definitely my kid. Love him. 

Boyz II Men

First, let me start off by saying that this post is not about the 90's singing sensation Boyz II Men. Sorry to disappoint you, ladies. This is about a little boy, Cohen, who got his first haircut, and now looks like a little man. 

I don't know what it is about the first haircut that makes a mommies heart so sad. It feels like once that hair is cut, they are no longer a baby. Those with girls are so lucky because they don't have to worry about that first haircut for quite some time. But those of us with boys either have to cute their hair or start dressing them as a girl. 

I got lucky with Brody. He didn't need a hair cut til he was about 20 months. That kid was so bald! And its not like he had a lot of hair, its just that the little amount of hair he had was getting long. Here are some pics of Brody (now 5) getting his first haircut.

 He was such a good boy

Now, Cohen is a different hair story. That kid was born with hair. We were shocked. We were expecting another bald baby. I probably should have cut Cohen's hair around 9 months but I didnt want to see him with little man hair. That would have been too sad. So i waited til his hair was in his eyes and he had a mullet. But man did he rock that mullet! 

            Here is a before picture. Total mullet. And yes, we took Cohen to the same place and had him sit in the same plane.

          He was pretty excited about flying the plane. He's always wanted to get his pilots license. 

 Cohen was much more serious during the haircut. I remember Brody being curious and smiling. 

Overall, Cohen did a great job and neither of us cried.
 And for being so brave, Cohen got a lolly and I got a bag of Cohen's baby hair.

4th of July and Fire Works

Yet another thing marked off our bucket list, watching fireworks. And we had the best seat in the house! We were invited over to a good friends house, Jamie Lynn, who lives right across the street from where the fireworks go off. Her backyard was perfect for viewing! 

 

Here are some of the goodies that Jamie Lynn made

 

    Cohen refused to stay still and keep his eyes open during a picture. Little rascal. 

 

No 4th of July is complete without fun with sparklers 

 

 It also wouldnt be 4th of July without Brody handing me a used sparkler the wrong way and me burning my finger. FUN! 

Yes, my children are gorgeous so naturally I make them pose for pictures they dont want to take. Here are a few...

Cohen's first 4th of July was a great success! So fun to spend America's birthday with family and friends. Because after all, we love America....? Maybe not so much this past year. Better luck next year, America.