Last Call

August 2012

The last weekend of August it occurred to me that we would be starting school the next week. I panicked as I realized that I wanted to squeeze in one last summer adventure. Well the hubs was scheduled to work so if I wanted to do it, it had to be on my own. I packed up the Pilot with some sleeping bags, bathing suits, and a tent. Yes, you are reading correctly. I packed a tent. And yes, for the record, I do vaguely know how to operate it.
The girls and I hit the road for a girls only camping trip. We stayed pretty local as it was a very last minute thing. We drove up to Lytle Creek to a small camping resort that we frequent.
It was hotter than you know where, but being that there are a couple swimming pools and a giant creek, I knew we could tough it out for just a couple days. We had a blast together; no cell phone/ipod coverage so the girls had my undivided attention and I had theirs too. ;) We did so many things together, but the best part was the time we spent just walking around looking at stuff and talking to each other. I love my little people. Here are some of the things we saw and did:

 pitched a tent.....

captured crawdads.....

ate ice cream....

 

paddled on a pond...

enjoyed beautiful skies...

 dipped our toes....

 hiked down a creek...

 picked blackberries...

 picked more blackberries....

 lost a shoe...

 had a picnic...

 

 picked more blackberries...

 pondered our thoughts...

 woke up to this....

 spied on birds...

 played cards in the dark...

 I lost...

 wondered what this is...

 played in the meadow...

 chased bunnies...

 cooked nothing...

 played UNO...

ate dessert...

 avoided bees...

My favorite picture of our mini-trip......

It's my favorite because this is the last picture I have of Katie in elementary school. The next day was her first day of Junior High. She's growing so fast. I'm so glad we made this trip happen, even though it felt like a crazy thing to do at the time. It gave us a few more quiet moments before the hustle and bustle of school work and activities takes over our lives. I felt like this year is a transition for her and it seemed important to me that I was able to embrace that last moment of childhood with my oldest.

San Onofre

August 2012
San Onofre, CA

WOW. I haven't visited here all summer. Mostly because we enjoyed a very quiet, restful summer. The last couple months of school were very hectic so when school let out, so did I. Well, when August approached, I realized how boring we had been and quickly booked us up! We started out the month with one of the best vacations we've ever had.
The entire Davidson (and Fisher) clan packed up our camping gear and hit the beach. We drove out to Camp Pendleton where we stayed for a week at one of my favorite spots...San Onofre.
Earlier this year we reserved our camping spots, but unfortunately we were unable to get three spaces next to each other. Of course the lady working the front desk at SO that day could not have been more unaccommodating to our conundrum. We ended up with two tiny spots on the bluff overlooking the ocean and one giant spot squeezed in between some cottages with only pieces of an ocean view and what we were told would be full hook-ups. (One can only guess what I am getting at here) We decided to keep all the kids at the one giant site and Mom and Dad would take one of the ocean view sites. The other we abandoned. I think Mom and Dad were happy to be able to get away from all of our noise at the end of the day! Unpacking proved to be quite the task as we set up our campsite to service three families! Mom, Dad, and Chelsea set up our galley while Jeff and I unpacked the trailer and the kids played.

 I can't believe how much STUFF we all brought! This family definitely doesn't travel lightly. Even Derenger looked a little alarmed about all the happenings. Once we got unpacked and set up it was time to play!

And time for Mom to cook! Chelsea was our family organizer and kept us all on track all week. She organized who brought what food, who should cook it, and kept our camp space clean all week. what would we have done without her? I'm sure we may have starved and been very dirty. ;)

 I say that this was one of my most favorite vacations for many reasons. It was a peaceful, restful time full of family laughs and memories. We didn't have a schedule and everyone seemed at peace with each other. It seemed like we were just there hanging out, accepting each other for who we are, and truly enjoying each others' company. This vacation did not have one giant, amazing, fun moment, but was made up of many, many sweet moments that I always want to remember. Here are a few of them:

There is something very special about watching Hub play with his daughters. He is the "fun parent." When I first met him, he had a little 2-year-old cousin who love, love, loved him. The way he played with his cousin told me that he would be a good dad....and I was right.

Uncle Noah is a great Uncle. He is patient and kind and generous with his time. He treats my kids like people, not just kids. I appreciate the time he spends with them

Talking my girls into a surfing lesson was high on Noah's list of priorities that week. And he was successful!

This was a beautiful moment that I don't want to forget. Laying on the beach with Katie, I "threw her a bone" and turned  Taylor Swift Radio on Pandora. Katie loves to sing to Taylor Swift and I love to listen to her do it. Watching the waves come in, sitting next to my daughter, and TS crooning in the background made me so very thankful for all I have and grateful for the God who has given it to me.

This is a face I want to remember. He woke up from his nap and came down to the beach. He was so happy to see us. I pray he is always this happy to see us!

Watching the boys stack rocks at dusk on the beach while the kids played on the playground. Big Sigh. So relaxing.

This one just makes me laugh! Olympic basketball USA vs. Spain on the ipad. The boys just couldn't live without it.

Did I mention we brought A LOT of stuff?

Natalie reading to Nolan. I love how he is just splayed out on the bed! SO relaxed!

Our last night on the beach with Mom and Dad

Deren and I hanging out on the beach. He looks thrilled.....lol

Did I mention we brought a lot of stuff?

This is how I will remember this trip....peaceful

 This was such a sweet family time. I will especially remember how we brought so much food! How the kids got so dirty! How we brought way too much stuff! How we took so many naps! And how we played cards by the fire and Mom cheated so blatantly and terribly all because she wanted to get the game over with and to bed! We laughed so hard that night. Good times. Very good times.

Ballet Recital

June 2012
Chino, CA

This is Natalie's first year taking ballet. She is so excited and it has been so much fun to watch her grow in her talent. At the end of the school year she performed in her very first ever ballet recital! She looked so beautiful (I may be biased) and she did such a great job! We are very impressed by how far she has come this last semester!

Rosie and her teacher

Rosie & Jenny

Rosie and Daddy

Sole Hope

Tustin, CA
June 23, 2012

Pieces of shoes soon to make a long journey!

Last weekend we had an awesome opportunity! We received an invite to come hang out with our old friend Natalie from CCO. We jumped at the chance, not just because we hadn't seen her in quite a while, but also because it was for a great cause that is near and dear to her heart.
We entered Natalie and Micah's backyard which had been completely transformed with Natalie's sweet and delicate decorating touch. Vintage fabrics abounded and the tables were decorated with sweet tea filled mason jars adorned with striped straws, handmade fabric garland hung from above, long work tables ensconsed in quilted cloths, tiny color coordinated cupcakes teetering on dishes, and a large table inundated with chic and amazing trinkets ready for raffle. The area in itself was delightful, but the decorations were not the best part. Brightly colored fabrics and scraps of old denim jeans long forgotten by their owners littered the tables. People hovered over their sissors and pinking shears, working at cutting out tiny patterns that would soon make the long journey from this idyllic backyard, across the ocean, to be put into the hands of Africans who will sew them together and make them into shoes.
Here we were introduced to an awesome young charity, Sole Hope. Sole Hope, concerned with the health and well-being of African children who are affected by jiggers, sand fleas, and general poor health conditions, works to not only create closed toe shoes, but to provide them to those in need. The beauty of the whole operation is not just found in the provision but in the idea of teaching a trade and giving independence to those who do not have access to such opportunity...teaching people "to fish" if you will. Sole Hope employs widows and those in need to assemble and sew shoes using donated cloth uppers and recycled material soles. The shoemakers are provided with machines and tools and paid a fair wage to assemble the shoes. The feet of the children are cleaned and given medical attention and they are given closed toe shoes to protect their feet.

The breeze wafting in under the canopy, the sweet decor, cold sweet tea, chatting with friends, and the feeling of doing something worthwhile all contributed to a wonderful afternoon! Natalie and Micah's shoe cutting party was a huge success, and a lot of fun. I was grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside Katie and visit with friends that we had not seen in a while. Katelyn enjoyed the project so much that she is planning on putting a shoe-cutting party together very soon.

Katie's job was to assemble all of the pieces into a pair, ready for transport.

Natalie, being a little too young to cut patterns, instead employed her "baby whispering" skills by helping with adorable Elsie. It was so nice to see little Elsie as we have not seen her since she was a baby!

Shoe pieces and sweet tea....good combo on a hot summer day!

 Meanwhile, Natalie had so many donations that she will be raffling the remainder HERE. Stop by and take a look at these gorgeous items, knowing that the proceeds are going to a great cause! Also, you can purchase Sole Hope products HERE. Be on the lookout for Katie's invite!