Grammy and Grampy Arrive

Giant, very loud train pulling into the station. 

We are all just too excited to have them here! 

Umbrellas, PJs & Rain Boots

When they asked can we go play in the rain... 

"Yes" was the answer.

Bikes with Buddies

Happily, we had a chance to play with our good friends Kate, Klaudia, and Maya. 

Liv and Klaudia took turns riding each other's bikes. 

Kate took Mikey for a spin on the scooter.

How typical is this??? 

whatcha got? whatch eatin'? can I have some? hunh? can I?

Visit to the Park

One evening a few days after we got Bella, we all took the "go-go" (golf cart) to the park. 

Check out the silly bow! hahaha - I love being the alpha. LOL

I think maybe she was wishing she'd never left the farm. 

Camila found a big kid's very cool nerf gun at the park (they were playing war games and had stashed caches of weapons). she chased them around for a few minutes - they were great sports! it was pretty funny.

FLYING!

Do you remember these pictures of Liv swinging and watching everyone else from last year (no wait,) almost two years ago!?  (holy flashback!)

Lauren's Birthday Party

We were honored to have been invited to a friend's 4th birthday party. It was a beautiful party for a lovely girl, and an absolutely delightful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. 

The three little girls (Lauren, Liv & Mimi) played together, while the grownups visited. 

Then when it was time for presents, Liv got the important job of helper (she helped pick the next present to be opened & she cleared the scraps of wrapping paper. 

She did very well - she was enthusiastic, helpful, and didn't get jealous or distracted or... at least not too much. :)

Lauren got some great new dress-up clothes!!

Liv the Fearsome Pirate!! 

Pretty birthday girl!

Day One with Dog

Yesterday the family drove half way across the state to go meet this dog that Jeff found on an adoption/rescue website. (There is a whole crazy story that I won't go into, here.) 

We don't really know anything about the dog except she is female & a mutt of some kind. There is a suspicion of some small poodle, and some type of terrier. Her age is estimated at 4-5 months.
Someone named her Marabella (which we probably won't change). And I'm guessing she weighs 10 -15 pounds. 

She smelled like a dirty dog, was shedding like crazy, and had obviously been playing outside. Our very first stop was a pet store to get shampoo and a brush, (well, and some puppy food, a harness & leash).

next stop was pizza & beer 

stop three: the tub.
(girls first, then dog)

she actually did pretty well  - for a totally freaked out dog.
(she doesn't know it yet, but she's getting another one tonight!)

 Mimi got caught in the shaking, wriggling, rubbing fest that followed. 

So, day one with a rescue dog. Yes, she is stressed out; yes, she had an upset tummy; yes, she ended up sleeping in the garage; yes, Jeff and I were up more than a couple times each during the night to visit with her.
But she doesn't chew (yet), doesn't lick (much), doesn't bark (at all), doesn't whine. I guess over all we're doing just slightly better than I had expected.

This is where 'Bella can be found at any given moment - under my heels.

Today it's cold and clear and windy, we bundled up & headed out to burn some energy on a mini hike.

Mission accomplished! Tired Puppy. (asleep next to my chair as I type this)

MOCHA Adventure

I've had my eye on this place, MOCHA, in Oakland, part of what they do is have an open art studio for a drop-in fee. I have been planning a trip since Camila turned 18 months.  Well, I finally decided to put it on the calendar and go! It was a mighty adventure for the littles. Here is the plan: 

Long car trip (same exit as Super Franks), then the BART train (exciting!) - switch trains - and then a short walk through the city ... to a kids art studio and museum!   Wow. 

A play dough table - "mud" play dough on a rainy day. 

Oil pastels and "rain" watercolor wash

There was a project set up at this table,
but there was also a pile of scrap paper for Mimi to practice cutting and gluing.

As we were packing up to go, the girls found boxes of building blocks and built wonderful towers.

Then as they were putting away the blocks Liv found train tracks! 

Tired kids waiting for our train.

Very tired kids. :)

We bought a container of purple glitter play dough.
oh my goodness! how fun is THAT?!