Friday Ice Cream Day

There were two little muchachos that thought the all-girls trip to the Ice Cream Museum was kind of the worst, so we made up for it in a big way with a massive first Friday Ice Cream Day of the school year. I can't believe it's been four years since we started this weekly sweet tradition, and I love to see how it's evolved into something bigger and way more fun than I could have ever imagined. Good friends and good food, that's what life is all about, and we're blessed to have both in abundance.

T decided he wanted a little extra swoosh in his hair for school. He's so laid back with his appearance so I always find it adorable and hilarious when he has an opinion in this department.

This kid never ceases to amaze me with his fashion choices. He's still in a high-sock phase and loves to wear the same color from head to toe. When he came out dressed like this on the third day of school he said, "I wook awesome. So much bwue, isn't it da best?" I turned "I'm Blue" on my phone and we danced around the house!

Happy to hug (and wrestle to the ground) while waiting for their big sibs to get out of class.

Two tubs and six gallons of ice cream meant every child had something they adored on the table. They each got one cone with two scoops and there were only smiles to be seen, even after the ice cream was gobbled up. (But that could have been because it was quickly followed with apples and popcorn and cheese and peppers and so much playing!)

A few fun hours later this messy little thing was on her way to the tub when I made her stand against the fence to memorialize the dirt caked to every inch of her model bod. The picture just doesn't do it justice! I love dirty babies at the end of the day because it means they've played hard, an important job for a kid. 

While I was snapping pictures of Quinny, Coco silently backed up to the fence, watching Quinny to see how to act and then waiting for me to take a picture of her. Cora is just the sweetest little girl.

Happy first Friday Ice Cream Day everyone. If you are local, you're always welcome. If you don't live close, please come visit. If there's one thing I excel at it's buying treats and I'd love to share them with you!!!

Museum of Ice Cream

If you want to learn anything about ice cream--the history, the process, the marketing strategies or most popular flavors--well, then the Museum of Ice Cream is not for you. But if you want to eat ice cream for a solid hour and take a million instagram-worthy photos then ding! ding! ding! this place is meant for you. And so it was with me. I could have spent all day taking pictures of my little ladies and eating the YUMMIEST ice cream (Churro from Cream was to die for, and that chocolate covered cherry was bonkers). I felt a little guilty because I'm still going strong with my no sugar month, but it was my one cheat and it was worth it! 

The 1970's called and said they wanted their outfit back and I was all, not a chance! I am soooo feeling the recent trend of no clothes actually touching your body! The more it flows and feels like pajamas the better.

Cora's always looking up at/to these girls and I couldn't be happier that she has two of the greatest to call hers (one by blood, and one nearly so!)

This was basically my level of excitement at that moment as well!

I'm not kidding, this was the BEST ice cream I've ever had in my whole 32 years of ice cream trying and adoring. It was churro ice cream (or if you ask the kids, Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream) and the chunks of churro were the perfect amount crispy and chewy and I WANT MORE!

I love these women and their babies and I love adventuring with them. 

Don't take candy from strangers, Cora. Unless they're wearing a silly hat, go by a silly ice cream-themed name and offer you mint chip mochi (nothing silly about that flavor, yum!) 

There were two tweens ahead of us in the museum who were taking thousands of duck-faced, perfectly posed pics and it was hilarious to watch Quinn stand on the wall right after them and point up at the words in the same way. Two going on twelve, this one.

To some people a pool full of sprinkles sounds like heaven. Cora is not one of those people.

Yep, she basically hated it! Maybe it's because she knew her dress camouflaged with the sprinkles and she feared being left behind? Or maybe she's just one and who knows why one-year-olds decide that cool things are not cool--like sprinkle pools, and sleep.

This little one, on the other hand, spent her whole time in that pool swimming and making sprinkle angels and smiling big and nonstop. Quinn really is so, so fun to adventure with.

She won't smile for sprinkles, but put a binky in front of this baby and she'll give you a good one. Addict!

Pink pancakes with homemade vanilla in between ftw. If at this point I wasn't stuffed with five other kinds of ice cream I would have eaten two. There's truly nothing like a really good vanilla.

Bucket list item checked! I'm so grateful to live in such a cool place and have the opportunity to go on fun adventures like this one. Museum of Ice Cream, you done good!

First day of school! First day of school!

Usually it's Adam Sandler's voice that repeats in me old noggin this time of year singing, "Back to school, back to school, to prove to my Daddy that I'm not a fool!" but in 2017, I've got Nemo on my mind. Remember how he wakes up his Dad with more energy than one person (or fish) should ever contain screaming, "First day of school! First day of school!" and is a whirlwind on his way out the door? Well Nemo and my boys must be reading the same script because there is SO MUCH ENERGY over here! Sure, there was some serious sadness over the end of summer because we had such a blast, but at the same time my kids love their friends, their teachers and learning new things so they were stoked at the Back to School feast on Sunday, on the first day of school, and even now a week later they are loving it. I'm so grateful for such a wonderful environment for their brains to bloom. 

They got to choose our menu for this year's Back to School feast so it was tomato basil soup, rolls, watermelon and grilled corn with special lemonade to drink. We also had lunch lady brownies for dessert because the pinterest title seemed fitting and gosh, they did not disappoint. 

Everett lost his two front teeth two nights before his first day of first grade. I can't get over how darling I find his toothless grin and his little lisp. I love first graders and this one is no exception!

We were running late on the first day of school because morning's are even crazier than we remember so this is the only picture I got of these super cute brothers. For the most part they are the best of friends (with a few major brawls in between) and it makes me happy to see them side by side and off to school together.

Cora cheesed and waved and "hiiiiiiiiiii"ed the masses all the way to school! 

Someone is getting bigger and more independent by the second. His attitude is a little spicy lately, but he held my hand on the way to class and wanted to give me a hug and a kiss before I left so I think we're still good!

Chase and Ever are in the same class--hooray!

And so are T and Carmine! The best news!

I walked home with Quinny and Coco and started a whole new world with me and these fun little ladies. Quinn wasn't quite sure about leaving her brothers (and frankly, wanted to stay with them) but we've been saying our "Girls are Awesome" cheer and having the best time with each other. 

After school cookies and real talk was as good as ever. This is such a fun and easy tradition and endless extra large cookies means those boys stay and chat forever...which is exactly my plan!

The first day of school has come and gone again so here we go. (And PS, the stores are already starting to sell Halloween decor and I'm planning Thanksgiving. Basically, goodbye 2017!)

Rats and Rory and yes, this post is Random

Want to hear a disgusting story about a weird smell in my house that kept getting worse and worse and then today when my Orkin man came over was discovered to be two decomposing rats in my attic? No, you don't? OK, fine.

In other news, my tear ducts are working just fine after finishing the seventh and final season of Gilmore Girls tonight. I'm already mini crisis-ing about my babies growing older and leaving the roost and then Rory goes off on a bus with Barack and I'm hard-core sobbing. It's hard to find a series that feels like family but this one definitely does. How have I lived without it?! Other shows I crush over? This is Us, duh. And oldies like White Collar and Psych. I miss Shawn and Gus!

As if the rat situation wasn't enough nastiness for one household we've had the barfs. Or more specifically, the girls have had the barfs. Cora and Quinn are waking up at all hours of the night and crying all hours of the day and just when I think they're both feeling better they both seriously freak out. And I went off sugar this week so clearly the timing is perfect. Or maybe I might die.

Tonight I was filling out emergency cards for the boys' school and it had me thinking about two years ago this week when we moved to LA from NYC and immediately drove to the school to enroll T in first grade. I had not a friend to my name and when the secretary said it was mandatory to include an emergency contact, I cried and wrote my Mom's name down (and then spent weeks praying that nothing bad happened, because what was she going to do from 300 miles north?) But tonight, I had a handful of fine friends to choose from when I was writing down names and my heart felt so much peace and gratitude. I am home, and I love it here.

Except for the rats.

It started and ended with the beach.

Our last week of Summer vacation that is. Tears, tears, sadness and tears because the kids went back to school yesterday and the best Summer break we've ever had is officially over. I totally thought by the end of this crazy summer I'd be ready for them to go back to school but I'm pretty heart-sick about my buddies being gone all day again...and the crazy schedule we're welcoming back.

Luckily the last week of Summer was a total success and as mentioned in the title, started and ended with days spent boogie boarding and castle making at the beach (with lots of fun in between). Uncle Chase and Aunt Meghan were staying with us that week so they were along for the ride and even though our fridge broke, we had sick babies and our packages were stolen from the front steps it was a rocking week.

Summer, we loved you more than you'll ever know. School year, bring it!

Uncle Chase's sand castle skills are unmatched, and the kids couldn't get enough! They'd build and build and build and then Quinn would smash the heck out of it and smile ear to ear!

The Autry Museum was awesome, but our stay was short-lived because of a fever for poor Hunter. 

These three loved panning for gold, T could have done this all afternoon!

Meghan asked me to braid her hair and it was so fun, especially after only braiding Quinny's little locks for so long!

Our Wednesday night BBQ was even awesomer than normal this week thanks to this water slide and bouncy house. The kids were in HEAVEN!

Cora started doing this recently and I laughed so hard that she knew she had me wrapped, the little yogi! Now she does it all the time and looks at me and smiles extra big. SOOOOOO cute!

Our last Friday beach day of the Summer was a little overcast, had perfect waves for boarding, showed us a huge school of dolphins and basically was amazing in every way...especially when this little sister decided that she LOVED the waves and ran in and out of them all day. I love the beach, I love our Summers and more than anything I love this crew.