Zoo Camp 2014

Connor attended Zoo Camp at the Sacramento Zoo from July 7-11th. He had an absolute blast! His friend Lilliana attended too and he enjoyed it just as much as last year. Madeline also enjoyed exploring the zoo one day after we picked Connor up from camp! I was amazed that she was brave enough to pet the animals! We also really enjoyed attending the art show at the end of camp, in which all of Connor's art projects from the week were displayed. He is very creative and a beautiful artist!

Happy 4th of July!

We had a great 4th of July this year! We started the day out in Clarksburg at a little country parade. It was very small and cute and just perfect for our kids. Connor left with pockets full of candy and Madeline enjoyed seeing the "horsies." Madeline got a lot of attention in her festive dress that Mimi got her... in fact two strangers stopped us and asked us if they could take photos of her. That happens often actually... I'm thinking I should start charging. :-) We then went over to The Old Sugar Mill and had a picnic with our neighbors. The dads were so nice and played with the kids outside while Rachelle and I went inside and tasted wine. We had a great time. Then we came home so Maddie could get a nap in. Mandy, Chad, and CJ came over, along with our neighbors for a bbq and some water play outside. We then did fireworks and ate dessert outside. We thought about driving to see the big fireworks display at Raley Field, but there were so many big fireworks going on near our house, there was no need to drive anywhere. It was a fun-filled, perfect day! 

Our 9th Wedding Anniversary

We celebrated our 9th year married this past week. It's hard to believe it's been that long, although it seems like we've been together forever... in a good way... a very good way! I feel blessed to get to share my life with Michael. He makes everyday bright, happy, and wonderful. He fills my life with so much joy! I know we're not newlyweds anymore, but it still seems exciting and awesome to get to spend my life with him. We celebrated by having dinner at the Melting Pot and going for a massage afterwards. It was a great night!

Another week of summertime...

This past week was our first week of summertime in which Connor didn't have any organized acitvity besides swim lessons. We filled the week with lots of fun! Here are some of our adventures:

Monday- we met dear friends in Roseville for lunch and some playtime. I love that our kids are growing up together, even if we can only get together every so often. The kids play as if they see each other all the time. 

Tuesday- we drove to Mare Island and checked out Mallory's new place. It's beautiful, and in a very quiet, quaint neighborhood... perfect for studying! We then headed to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and put our season passes to good use! The highlight of the trip was Connor being picked to go on stage during the Looney Tune Show. He got to dance with all the characters to Beyonce's "Shoulda Put a Ring on It." It was hilarious! I admire his brave, outgoing personality!

Wednesday- we met friends at the movie theater. During the summer, the theaters offer previously played kids movies on Tuesday and Wednesdays for $1. It was Madeline's first movie and she did pretty well! It's a perfect time to try out the movies because it's all families and many of the kids walk around or talk during the show! We saw The Lego Movie, and although I only saw parts of it, I thought it was a great movie. It was a fun outting with good friends!

Thursday- we stuck around town. The kids went to the gym daycare while I had some mat time in yoga. We then went to Jamba Juice and ran our errands to prep for the 4th of July. We finished the day off at rec swim and at Connor's swim lessons. He's doing great swimming and loves jumping off the diving board. 

Here's a cute pic of the kids getting cleaned up in prep for the 4th of July festivities. :-)

Giants Game in Honor of Gigi

The Louis Family all met for a Giant's game to honor the life of Grandma Mary by sharing some family time watching her favorite team. Grandma Mary would often watch the Giants play on her TV and Michael and she often talked about the Giant's season together. We miss Gigi everyday, but this was a great way to celebrate her long, beautiful life. 

Grub and Wine Festival at The Old Sugar Mill

Last weekend, we went to The Old Sugar Mill and enjoyed some wine, food trucks, and live music. It was a hot day, but we all had a good time. I feel fortuante that we have so many wineries and beautiful places to visit so close to our home. 

Friday Night Bowling

We went bowling as a family last Friday and had the place to ourselves. We snacked on happy hour snacks while playing a couple games together. Madeline even got into it and had a lot of fun! Michael beat us all both games, with Connor coming in at 2nd place. Maddie and I came in last but it was a close call.  I love nights like these... our family has so much fun together. We ended the night with an ice cream cone from Thrifty's in Rite Aid. Yum!