We did it!

I've never dared take all four kids to the beach before. I feel bad even saying it, but I hate the beach. I don't like sand, I don't like being dirty, I don't like the hot sun, and I don't like the cold water. And what's worse than actually going to the beach?... taking your kids to the beach! But it had to be done and with the help of my friend Rebecca, we did it!

Max and Doman both thoroughly enjoyed it. Lincoln seemed to be more like me... he couldn't stand just his hands having sand on them and he wouldn't touch the water. Cali did alright just hanging out on Brit's blanket... but of course she had to add something to the experience by blowing out of her diaper!

All my friends were so nice to help me even though they've got their own kids to watch. But it sure made the experience enjoyable. And now I can check it off the list! :)

Holding hands walking through the waves of the ocean... isn't this romantic? :)

Max loved the water... I guess you just get numb after a few minutes! Hopefully he got his fill of the beach! :)

Doman and Lincoln just playing in the sand... note that Lincoln is holding sand! But then he kept begging me to get all the sand off his hands the rest of the time!

A picture of me and Cali before we left showing that we survived. :)

The 5th of July :)

July 5th... the anniversary of our very first date. We wanted to do something with the kids during the day. And then of course that night we had a babysitter so that we could get ice-cream at Dairy Queen. Oh- and Dan gave me the Wicked CD... love it!

So we took the kids to the Lafayette Reservoir. It was a lot of fun and not far away. There is a nice playground and a big, pretty lake. All the kids loved it! But take Marie's advice and go on a cool day!

The highlight was riding the pedal boats.
I got to take the boys out first... they loved it and it was so pretty.

Then Dan took out the boys and let Max do the pedaling while Lincoln was trying not to fall out the back!

This would be a great place to take a nice walk or run around the lake... a big nice paved trail.

Cali's too wiggly to go out in the boats, but she stayed happy in the stroller. :)

The Berkeley Bucket List

On the flight home from London we saw The Bucket List. I probably wouldn't have watched it had I not been stuck on a long flight, but it turned out quite interesting. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are these two old men who are dying. Instead of crying about it and staying in the hospital for treatments, they make a "bucket list" which is a list made up of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket". And then throughout the movie they go on to do the things on their bucket list.

Dan and I have just realized that we may possibly only have one year left here at Berkeley. And despite how incredibly happy that would make me, I'm already starting to have regrets! Hence... our Berkeley Bucket List. We've made a big list of things we'd like to do before we "kick the bucket" at Berkeley. Everyone knows we're kind of rigid with schedules around here... how else are we supposed to stay sane? :) So, some naps are gonna have to be skipped and bedtimes will have to be ignored. But we're gonna have fun!