We survived Thanksgiving! We had 18 people and managed to seat them all in our little house. It took some creative arranging and a little squishing, but it was nice to have everyone in the house and seated for dinner. In the morning, Mike took all the men and kids on a Thanksgiving Day hike at Oso Flaco Lake (This, I think, is a great new tradition). This left only the women, one napping baby, and Gary (who stayed at home to read Twilight), at home to prepare dinner. We were able to get most of dinner going and the tables set while they were gone. Gary is a great help because he is tall and strong and cooperative. He brought in tables and chairs and moved things and reached things and read whenever he could. (A teenage son can be so useful.) It was a nice weekend. The cousins played well together and the adults all played nice also. Pop made pancakes for Breakfast on Friday and we all had pancakes and pie for breakfast. In the afternoon we went down to the butterfly grove, we walked along the beach and looked at butterflies. I just love that we get Monarch Butterflies just down the street from us, they overwinter here in the central coast from October to March. Well, we enjoyed having everyone here and miss you all.

My little girl is trying to grow up too fast. Today, she was invited to a birthday party. The party is for a little boy that is in her school and church class. She was really excited to go, but was upset to find out the I intended to stay at the park during the party. She wanted to just be dropped off at the party. She came up with what she thought was a "great idea". She wanted to take my cell phone and just call me when the party was over...I'm am still speechless....I took her to the party and stayed. What a crushing blow to my sweet little girl (Insert tears and whining). I was really surprised to see that the only other Mothers there had daughters. Mothers of boys dropped them off and came back, but mothers of girls stayed and sat in the hot sun, watched the kids play and chatted with each other. Is this a double standard or was it coincidence that the nervous mothers had girls?

For fun tonight, Mike is taking Gary and our nephew Konner to the roller derby in Paso Robles. (Yes, I said Roller Derby.) I wasn't interested on going myself, so I am staying home with Jenessa and Gavin. Since Parker is at the lake with a friend and his family, it is just me a little ones. I am not sure what to do with only two kids and a whole evening with nothing to do.

Here is Parker on his 10th birthday. I made a volcano cake 4 layers high. I scooped out the middle, put in a cup and then put in some dry ice and water, which made a cool effect, but kept putting the candles out. This picture is the second round of lighting the candles.

Here are my little loves at the church Halloween Party. Gavin's costume is the easiest to figure out, a hand me down from Parker and a new trick or treat bucket from the store. Jenessa wanted to be scary and chose to be a vampire, but the final result is not quite scary. Her costume was free vampire teeth form the treat box at work and clothes from her dress up trunk. Parker's costume was a little difficult for people to figure out. He came up with the idea himself and then Mike and I worked together to make it. We purchased a Walmart sheet and black iron on fabric. Can you tell what/who he is?

We are still house hunting, 3 offers on 3 houses and we haven't won the race yet. I know they say it's a buyers market but in our price range and area it is still very competitive. We still love it here and want everybody to come and visit. Today it is 78 degrees and sunny. Gavin is across the street running through the sprinklers with his friends.

By the way, Parker is the Carlie Brown ghost with too many holes in his sheet, not the holy ghost as Josh and April guessed.

Well, My Birthday was on the 17th. We celebrated on the 19th by taking the kids to dinner at Marie Callendars. We were seated in the sun room at the back of the restaurant and were able to watch the sunset over the ocean. We all had pie for dessert so I didn't have to make my own birthday cake. It was a very nice evening. Mike took me shopping for my birthday present and I bought new curtains for our bed room. I'm so happy with them and every time I walk in the bedroom I say to Mike "Don't they look pretty?" His answer is "I don't care." He does care though, because they let light in the room and he can't sleep. I am going to have to buy some black out curtains to use as liners.

We are house hunting and made an offer on a house on my Birthday. It is in much better shape then the first house we offered on, but it doesn't have the ocean view. I guess we have been spoiled by the house we are renting, but we cannot afford to buy in this neighborhood. Anyway, it is a short sale and we are not sure when we will hear from the bank. I will certainly let everyone know as soon as we hear anything.

It's the first day of school...and here are the kids in their new clothes and back packs. Gary left for school before anyone was awake, so he isn't in the picture.
Parker picked out this back pack, it has loads of pockets and zippers and yet it is a very simple and elegant black goes with every thing style.
Jenessa's style is less pockets and more flare. She loved this floral and saw it when we were shopping for Mike's Birthday. Later, when we went school shopping, she knew exactly which shop and what back pack she wanted. I did try to talked her into a purple and pink one but she wasn't the least bit interested.
Gavin was sure he needed a new "packpack" and found this little one with a cute cars motif at Walmart for five dollars. Mommy, as always the sucker, also bought the matching hat.

I will have to post pictures of Gary later, he was gone when I got up, but the cloud of cologne was not.

House of Mallory

We love the beach and go every chance we get. Avila is where Taft Ward would have their beach day and we live just a few minutes away. Here are Mike and Gavin...

Jenessa is turning into a true beach bum. She doesn't mind the cold water, or sand in her swimming suit.
Parker has a wet suit and still complains about the cold, but he has discovered body surfing and the cold doesn't seem to be as much of a problem.
Gary has a surf board and a wet suit, getting to the beach is his only problem. He is working and soon school will start.
I love this picture...I have a similar one of Gary jumping the waves when he was little.

Our family is doing wonderfully and the central coast is a little bit of heaven on earth. You are all invited to come and visit anytime. Our guest room has an ocean view (aka Gary's room)...we just make Gary sleep in the garage:)