Carpinteria State Beach

Okay, so the Spendlove Family finally got to go camping on the beach. Thanks to my wonderful cousin Linda who can plan ahead. She reserved a couple of campsites months in advance and invited us to come along. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

We were running a little late the day we left. We had dentist appointments that morning that we had been waiting for for months that I didn't want to cancel. I wish I would have though; the family came away with 7 cavities and only 2 of us have none. Then Rachel forgot her swimsuit so we made a quick stop for that. BUT we did get there before it was too late and didn't have to eat and set up camp in the dark.

It was also a nice surprise to see my Aunt Virginia and Uncle Bob there visiting. They stayed for dinner and then drove home for the evening.

We all had fun cooking our different meals. Steve cooked up his awesome dutch oven meal and we had S'mores. I learned a few tricks from Linda and her cooking. We will now put cumin in our refried beans (YUM!) and to make taco meat go a little further add some potatoes. They also had some delicious foil dinners too. We enjoyed staying up by the campfire and we all slept great.

Dinner & Camp

Searching for crabs

My Uncle Bob & Aunt Virginia

Candle Making 101-One thing Steve wanted to make sure we did on this camping trip was make sand candles on the beach like he used to do as a kid. We brought some big candles to melt and we ended up putting some sand in a bucket, hollowed out a mold and lined it with some shells that were individually selected by the kids and then we poured in the hot wax. It turned out pretty cute!

Beach Time - We woke up to a few clouds that didn't disappear until almost noon, but that doesn't spoil any of our kids' fun at the beach, with the sand, crabs and seaweed. I just stayed bundled up in a jacket while I chatted and people watched. We watched a lady dance in circles all the way down the beach until we couldn't see her anymore and then she came back. Not only did she look silly but, wouldn't you be a little dizzy?


The Ocean Dam (It started out being a hole then a little wall that turned into a 10 man made Dam along with mote to deter the water from the damn that was protecting the hole being dug to find other water.)

Ethan mastered his skim boarding techniques with his Freaky Tiki

Our little surfer girl

This has to happen at least once while you are at the beach.



Thanks Aunt Virginia for your FB pictures and Linda for your blog pictures!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

After working out harder than I have been in a long time and still gaining weight. I began to wonder if I was sick, if I had some kind of tumor. I had also been so busy trying to get us settled in to our new home and having fun decorating, organizing and getting rid of things we didn't need, when all of a sudden I just had no more energy. Well, duh!!!!! I went to bed one night thinking, what if I am pregnant. So just to make sure I WASN'T I took a test and then another test and SURPRISE!!!!! That tumor is our baby #5.

Here is my first ultrasound in April. I HAD to have it for proof that there really was a baby and that it was only one baby. I wasn't a believer then.

Here he is as of now, June 16, 2010. According to the technician, weighing in at 9oz. and 12 in. long. I am now a believer. Isn't he cute? The whole family was there for the ultrasound to see the baby and to find out if it was a boy or a girl. Even though everyone had their different votes, they were all excited to see their new baby brother. It was fun having them all there.

And proof that we really are having a BOY!

He is due November 10.

Once Steve and I were a little more adjusted to the idea of having another baby we told the kids. I was little nervous about what their reaction might be. We sat them all down and told them we had a surprise or a gift for them and gave them each a pair of baby booties wrapped up. They opened them up and it seriously took them at least 5 minutes to figure out what this was all about. And again to my SURPRISE, they were all excited and immediately started thinking of names and wondering where the baby was going to sleep.

We are excited for the joy this baby is going to bring into our home.

Visitors #7 SBAI

So these cute little guys came to visit us, oh yea and their parents came too. ;) We didn't get any fun pictures in the pool with them but we sure had a great time with ALL of them. Thanks Shawn & Brooke for making a stop in Bakersfield.

Ethan's Tenderfoot, 2nd Class & 1st Class

Ethan has been a hard worker. I love the excitement in him. Sometimes, however, I feel like it is all a race with him. But, hey, whatever works. He just earned his Tenderfoot, 2nd and 1st Class. Congratulations Ethan! He is so excited to head off to Boy Scout Camp and to turn 12.

Austin & Isaac Time in SP

We stayed Saturday night at G&G Spendlove's house and were able to also visit with SBA&I & Aunt Sarah. We all went to church together, as always had some yummy Tri Tip dinner together and some great conversations around the kitchen table.

This was also the visit that I discovered a Sleep Number pillow. Grandpa wasn't using his, so I borrowed it for the night and loved it so much I bought one. Lucky for me they were 40% off, but either way it is worth it.

Cousin Time-Okay, actually it was CARS time. The little twins love this movie. We were all so entertained just watching them watch this movie with all their noises and dances. So Cute!






And a visit to Grandma & Grandpa's is not complete without a few lizards. Ethan was a little busy this time.