Pablo Gus Harold Gharring

Meet our new tortoise, notice we had a hard time naming him. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult, why do my kids have to have such strong opinions. Luke really won because Pablo was his choice and is his first name (anyone watch the Backyardigans should realize why he chose that name!). Pablo is 5 years old he hasn't grown in 3 years but we are hoping he will start growing again now he lives with us and has a bigger yard to roam around in. He is an African Spurred tortoise, so he doesn't hibernate like our previous desert tortoise, he likes the heat and they can grow really big.

About a year and a half ago our beloved Tootsie the tortoise ran away - well slowly walked away - and I have been quite upset about it ever since. We had him for about 3 years, tortoises are the best pets they just roam around your backyard and eat your grass. You can occasionally feed them grapes, lettuce, strawberries whatever and really are low maintenance, they poop a little but it isn't stinky and it is easy to clean. I have been really sad that he was gone, he got out before and actually my neighbor one day saw him walking toward our house from the end of the street, so I keep thinking 1 day he may return, I think it has been wishful thinking!

My friend Lisa also has tortoises and knows my whole story so she knew of someone that was moving to Colorado - way too cold for an African tortoise - and here we come in! I am so happy, my kids love i, Chad and I love it and our goal is for it to keep growing. It is really big right now, there is no way this one will dig out of our yard - but they can get up to 100 pounds and that is what I am aiming for!

Flashback!

It seems like just yesterday that I was doing this same thing with my friends - standing in front of the mirror primping and getting ready. Ok there are a couple differences - Hayley and her friends are getting ready for school (they have a late start) and I would never do hair or makeup for school, I went to a private all girls school with uniforms and you could never wear make up and the hair thing was very strict too. Then I dont think I was doing this primping thing until I was a little older - they are only 12 and 13, oh my I am getting old! Just listening to and watching these girls completely took me back to the days of stake dances and firesides that we would completely hang out for and borrow each others clothes and spend forever listening to music and getting ready!

Got Cake?

Hayley and one of her BFFs Claire have started taking a cake decorating class for 2 hours each week at Joannes. They are using it as one of their value projects for YW and then plan on doing the refreshments - a beautifully decorated cake for one of their activities like YW in excellence. I think that it is the cutest idea, I take no credit for any of it because it was Claires mom that initiated it all and organized it -thank you! Each week they take an already frosted cake and then they learn different techniques to decorate, then they are brought home for us to enjoy eating - everyone wins! So notice the cute aprons they are both wearing, Claire and her mom just happen to be super crafty and talented when it comes to sewing, so they just whipped these up for them to wear each week, aren't they so cute! I have zero talent in the crafting arena - really I don't have one crafty bone in my body, luckily I have friends that do! I love gifts that I can use as well, every time Hayley isn't around I have enjoyed wearing her new apron, which looks so good hung up in my kitchen.



Not bad for her first attempt!

Birthday and a Baptism

Well its official my little Abby finally turned 8 on Friday and didn't have to wait too long until she was baptized, it turned out to be the very next day. It was a beautiful day, well it started out really windy and was pretty dang hot, but all the important stuff was beautiful. After 2 soccer games, Luke scored 5 goals and poor Abbys teamed was creamed, getting the house and food ready we were off to the baptism. Abby was baptized at our fairly new stake center where a few years ago she was able to help break ground at the actual spot of the font where she would be baptized, so we thought that was kind of cool. She also shared the day with 2 other kids from her primary class, Jacob Child and Laura Sandstrom. We kind of had a Grandad/grandpa theme, so they did all the talks and prayers. The three children did the musical number and sang I am a Child of God, it was so sweet they all sang a solo for each verse and then all came in for the chorus which they not only sang but signed as well, it was so special. The rest of the program was beautiful and Abby was one excited girl. Afterwards every one came back to our house for dinner, how wonderful it is to have such great family and friends to support us and love us. We feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people. We had my parents come from Australia and other family members completely change vacations just to be there for Abby and this important day - Thankyou!

All in their whites ready to get wet!

Blowing out all 8 candles!

Hayley and her friends had fun hanging out and making music videos - scary!


The boys played all sorts of games into the night including capture the flag

How long have we lived here?

So we have been residents of Temecula for 9 years now and not once have we visited Santa Rosa Plateau. We have heard about it, been told to go, some of the kids have even been on field trips to it and still never been. Well all that has changed. With my parents here and it being the last official day of spring break, we wanted an adventure! We are always wanting to go places and see new things and we were told that at this time of year the wildflowers were in full bloom. We were not disappointed. I couldnt believe that such a short distance from our house was this beautiful area that felt like we were in the middle of the sound of music. In all we hiked just over 3 and a half miles. We hiked to the vernal pools which were full and Abby and Luke were in heaven. Not only were they full of tadpoles, but they were also full of Garter snakes. Really there were so many snakes swimming in the water and then they would come up onto the boardwalk to get some sun. They were very cool to watch, Hayley and my mum didnt think so but the rest of us did. Then we hiked to the adobes where we had lunch and turned around again. WE had to stop by the snakes again on the way back and then I couldnt rip Luke and Abby away from them.
All in all a fun day and now I am proud to say that I have visited Santa Rosa Plateau and it was really fun and beautiful - it only took me what 9 years!

Starting off on the hike

Mun Dad and Trent, with Abby in the background, it was so green!

At lunch Luke kept carrying around this big broken branch from a tree, he is pretty strong!

Hayley climbing some of the rocks by the adobes

How sweet is this!

Told Ya!

Dont worry they are completely harmless.

Santa Barbara

Yeah yeah yeah I know I am a horrible blogger, you will just have to get over it! I just noticed that I didn't post for the whole month of March, no wonder I started getting so many rude comments. So I am very far behind and have skipped a ton of happenings, I apologize!

Its spring break and my parents are here again, this time for Abbys baptism which takes place next week. We wanted to do a little trip like we usually do when they come, I suggested we go to Santa Barbara. I have always wanted to explore and spend some time there after driving past it a few times on our way up the coast. I am now happy to say that I have now been there and done that. We left on Monday and Chad was able to come with us, even though he was technically still working and really did get stuff done, and then we returned home on Thursday. What a cute little town it is. We stayed at a perfect spot right on the coast in between the pier and the harbor and basically explored the whole time. It was really nice and relaxing, it got a little cool at night and then on Wed it rained a little but that didn't stop the kids from playing volleyball on the beach or swimming in the pool in the rain!



In front of the hotel!



Walking along the pier after dinner and then watching the sunset. We got the biggest kick out of watching the pelicans catch fish, it was almost addicting to watch!

We played at the beach, the water was freezing, while we watched a pod of dolphins play in front of us, Luke built rock castles!




We swam in the hotel pool every day, even Granny and Grandad swam too!

We went fishing at the end of the pier 2 times with no luck, not for lack of effort or wanting, we were quite disappointed with the results!



This is our 3rd time riding these crazy bikes, it is almost a tradition with Mum and Dad and us now. The first time was in Monterrey, and then we went along the Swan River in Perth on our last visit. It is always good for a lot of laughs and alot of hard work. We even randomly saw giraffes across a lake, we are guessing there was a small zoo, it was quite weird to see!

We walked along beaches and climbed rocks, finding shells and getting very wet, Luke was in heaven.


So there you have it our Spring Break trip, hopefully that long post made up for my lack of posts in March, I promise I will try and be better!