January Visits

January at the beach is so pretty and clear...when it isn't raining :)

Lucy's best friend from Boulder came for a visit and we had so much fun with her!

love our Mackenzie

(or cousin Mackenzie as she has been nicknamed)

Next up the Quimby entourage came for a week! 

They got some rain but it still exceeded any January day in Alaska :)

hanging out at Vasquez Rocks with

Clay and Mandy

oh the joys of a season pass at Magic Mountain, we were able to get them all in free. Perfect day, no lines!

Wesley and Chester rode this little coaster a number of times together, haha

Another beach day but this one was more typical of a

  January day up in Ventura

We did the Getty much to some boys chagrin.  

Lucy proves to be my favorite museum buddy.

 Her and Audrey see things that I don't notice and I love that about the both of them.

Even though it might be hard for this sport-o-holic...I make him find one painting he likes. Good choice with the Van Gogh!

and then this is what Henry does at museums....

being weird in public is something he is fine tuning

cousin stew

Tom and Mandy

they are the coolest

it was so good to see them!

Note: we hit up Boba Time every.single.day

we bought a used car for the kids...

not this one!

but it is red:)

Round 2 for Alaska cousins, Marcus and Charlie at Magic Mountain

Got Grandpa on the Goliath

(he played it cool)

And on the Twisted Colossus.

 It is the best coaster there and we were not going to let him leave without riding in the front!

January sunrise.

 Goodbye January. 

The whole long month of January is pretty much basketball games for Lucy and Chester and me barely making dinner or ahem, getting a christmas tree down on the 16th.

Anyway,

I love supporting them, watching both perform, picking them up when they don't have a good game and telling them to move forward.

 I didn't realize the life lessons they could be getting out of all of this until I started learning them myself. 

I admit, I don't know all the rules, I don't hug all the other moms, and I really need one of those seats with a back the older ladies bring! but I cheer hard for the team and try and stay positive through it all. I do stomp my feet, I do yell "come ON Lucy!" or "Chester, PICK IT UP!" 

The girls made it to the CIF playoffs. So here we go.

I have only yelled once at a ref...okay, maybe twice :)

But something did happen this month.

 I drove the road up to my house like I do a zillion times a day and my heart just spoke to me. 

You are happy here.

We left what seemed ideal for something unknown.

 But I won't pretend I don't love California.

 I know all the ways people say it is going downhill.

Or is the worst. 

 That does not deter me.

 It welcomed us back.

With wide open warm arms.

 There is so much good here and good to spread :)

"you can have what you want, or you can have something better."-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Onward February!