Lexi & Liana 4th Annual Reunion

It's the 4th annual Lexi & Liana Reunion! We picked up Jodie & Liana on Saturday July 25th amid squeals of excitement as the girls saw each other at the airport. Liana ran up to Lexi with a present...the outfit they are wearing above! Of course the very next day, Lexi and Liana decided they had to be twins! Saturday afternoon was just relaxing and playing in the pool. We tired those girls out well!

Watching the girls play truly amazes me each time. They never seem to fight...of course they each have their moments when they seem to need their alone time (as only children often do) but for the most part, they really play and act like sisters. They would play in Lexi's room for 1/2 hours at a time without needing any comments from the parents! And their conversations are just too precious!

On Sunday, we took Liana and Jodie on a mini tour of Sacramento which included the walking tour of Old Sacramento. Everywhere we went, we got the comment/question: "Are they twins?" Jodie and I laughed every time! And of course Jeff's comment...They're Chinese...they all look alike :-p! After the tour and lunch, we headed back home since the girls both still took naps. Our daily routine was out and about for the morning and lunch and back by 2 for naps. After naps, we let the girls go swimming, both in the little wading pool and the big pool.


Monday was a trip to Funderland...Lexi's first trip! OMG they had a blast! At first they wanted Jodie and I to go on the rides with them. As they got more and more brave, they started going on them without us!


The car ride was their favorite...I think they went on it about 7 times... in a row!

Tuesday, at breakfast, Lexi asked, "Is Liana leaving tomorrow?" "Yes." "I'm going to miss her! I think tonight I'm going to dream of her because I am going to miss her." What an amazing child!

Tuesday was water day. At first we were going to go to the beach at Folsom Lake, then a water park...in the end Jodie and I decided on a park with a water feature. Free and less work for the Moms! AND the kids didn't really seem to care...they just wanted to play together!


Wednesday was teary and sad for both the girls. As I got ready for work, Lexi and Liana enjoyed one last breakfast together. When Jodie was packed, we loaded the car up with the luggage and the girls. First we dropped Lexi off at daycare...not a fun time. She was so weepy and sad and wouldn't leave my side. Apparently, at the same time, Liana was in the car weeping as well. As much as Jodie and I love these visits, apparently they are going to get harder as time goes on...especially when it comes time to separate for the rest of the year!

Well...Jodie and I already have tentative plans for next year's visit! Hope that makes the girls feel better! But until then...we'll just keep up the drawing-pal program!

July Fun Times with the Lott Family

Seems that we have set up some annual celebrations with the Lott family. Easter, July 4th, Halloween and Christmas seem to be what we celebrate together.

July 4th Celebration usually entails swimming, dinner and then our own fireworks in the street with our own pyromaniac...Jeff.

Lexi...still learning to swim...but no water wings this year!

In past years, we have headed home afterwards or put Lexi to bed there, had our adult games of poker or other games, and then taken Lexi home in the early morning hours. This year, we were planning big, to spend the night so that the adults could relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, Jeff was a bit under the weather so only joined us for dinner and fireworks and only Lexi and I spent the night. But we still had a fun filled night!



These kids don't like each other at all - ;-)!

This has been the first year that Lexi hasn't been afraid of the fireworks or the noise! That was so great to see the growth in her!

The following weekend, The Lotts and the Pudoff's started their new annual Camp Trip! We decided early on to keep things simple and kid friendly and camped at The Campground by the Lake in Lake Tahoe. There was a playground next door and the Lake across the street for activities with the kids. It really was a lot of fun!

The weekend started off with Lexi supervising our setting up camp! Too funny!

Mandy and Chuck didn't arrive until later in the evening so we supervised the children while they set up their camp. Once their tent was up, it was clear that all five of them could not fit in their tent. So we decided the girls would have the other half of our tent sleeping side by side. Darn it if I never took a picture of that scene! Grrrr!

On Saturday, we decided to take the kids to the playground, have an early nap before heading to the lake for the afternoon.

Hannah, Spencer & Lexi...Just Hanging out!

Hailey & Lexi Chillin' - Too freaking cute!

Tire Swing...Woohoo!

How completely strange that this is actually the first time Lexi has been to Lake Tahoe?!? At first she was a little scared of the lake...it was fairly windy that day and the waves were ocean-like waves. But then she warmed up and as she says, "got brave"!

Making "Birthday Cakes"!

Starting to lose her fear of the waves...

Fear? What Fear?

Just to show you how brave Lexi became!

As we were leaving the beach, we could see some clouds building up in the distance. Both Mandy and I had to stop at stores on the way back to the campsite and by the time I arrived it was drizzling. By the time Mandy and Family arrived, it was raining. Mandy and Chuck had the smarts to bring along their portable DVD player, so we set the kids up in our tent to watch a movie while the adults made dinner. It would rain, stop, drizzle, stop, and then rain some more. Mandy really wanted to pack the kids up and take them to McDonald's, but Chuck and I managed to convince her to stay and tough it out. Chuck manned the grill for the adults' dinner and I worked on the kid meals. Lucky for us, Jeff and I had just purchased our new tent - the monstrous 2 bedroom with a front screened in porch! So while the kids were in the tent with the movie, we set up dinner out on the porch. Once the kids ate their dinners, it was back inside for more movie while the adults enjoyed their dinner. By the time dinner and dishes were done, the rain had stopped and the stars had come out! Very cool in my book...and the tent held up incredibly well in the rain!

Sunday...it was pack up and move out! Mandy took the kids over to the playground while the rest of us broke camp. I think we were out of there by 10:30 AM...a feat in itself without kids! And while it was a lot of work, we are definitely on for next year...but hopefully for a 3 day weekend.