Doing bad things

As Lance was finishing up his clerkship last month we went down to see him do his thing in court. While we were waiting for the judge to come into the courtroom, I sat with Mikey and Luke. Mikey started asking about why people had to come to court. So I started telling him about how sometimes people have disagreements and need a judge to work them out. Then I talked a little about people doing things that are bad and how the judge helps to decide what happens to those people.

Mikey sat and thought for a second, then whispered to me, "like guys who get their ears pierced?"

Yes, Mikey, yes. If you pierce your ears you will go to jail. I'm sticking with that. 

Pioneer Day!

I know it's late! I'm running about a month behind on all my blogging...

For the 24th of July, we had our usual neighborhood parade and neighborhood breakfast. Lance takes all the kids in the parade and I watch. (They actually ask that some of us stay behind so that there are more people watching the parade.)

Here they come down the street! That's Luke coming down behind Lance.

 

 There's Luke! (Mikey went by too fast for a picture.)

And there's dad with the little ones.

Here are Joey and Elise in the bike carrier, clearly having fun together. Elise has her usual pigtails...

 As soon as the parade passed I followed after and caught up with them at the breakfast. The minute I walked up, I noticed that Elise's hair looked funny... Then I noticed Joey had a tight little closed fist....

This is what he did!

 I pried open his hand and there were two hair bands and her two little flower clips. He just reached over and pulled her little hair bands right out! That Joe. Luckily she didn't seem to be too out of sorts over it.

Hair bands returned and happy as a clam :)

 Happy 24th of July!

California or bust!

We have been planning this trip for a LONG time. But we finally made it to the lovely CA! (The last attempt we made at this trip was last fall, but my little pregnancy complication put a damper on our plans.) So here we are! We saw two of my best friends and played lots! (Sadly, I totally suck at taking pictures of everything and didn't get any pictures while playing at my friend Kristen's.) Most of the other pictures are of Disneyland and CA Adventure Land. And they aren't entirely in order, but oh well. So here we go:

THE DRIVE:

The kids were actually really pretty good.

 

My little Joe. What a cutie :)

  

They were just so cute sitting outside the fast food restaurant while I sat in the car nursing Elise.

DISNEYLAND! 

 The only thing better than being at Disneyland was that we were there with some of our favorite people on the planet :)

 The kids were in heaven! I believe this was waiting in line for Peter Pan.

 Daddy, Mikey, and Elise on Dumbo

 Suzanne and her little cutie

 Oh how cute. The dads enjoying every minute together on the carousel ;)

 I don't think we ever got a picture of these two looking at the camera at the same time! But this one was pretty close.

 THIS one is a little more typical of Luke/Gavin pictures

 Joey LOVED Mickey's Toontown!  

 Elise and her Bestie! Oh how cute they are.  And what do you know? They have the same outfit!

 And the funny thing is that we both received them as gifts from different people!

 The older kids couldn't stand by and watch a mini photo shoot and NOT be in it. So we had to let them jump in. (PS-"one of these things is not like the other...." Yet somehow two of those are mine. My little ethnic baby :)

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE LAND:

This day was just us. 

 (Can't get the picture to flip around...)

 Yay! Woody!

 Yes. We bought the little monkey backpack leash for Joey. Judge if you will. There were just a few times when we just couldn't manage without it. Yes, I was embarrassed. But at least we still have Joey!

 Cute Elise :)  Almost asleep...

 ...and asleep.

 Joey waiting in line for Buzz Light Year. It was a long line. 

 Almost there! The glasses were half the fun

 The boys got to get up with the Toy Story soldiers. They loved it!

 My cute boys!

Cars Land

 So fun!

THE BEACH:

 The little baby-ladies just chillin' in their own personal shades

 Best beach picture ever. The sand covered trail of boogies are the best part :)

 The kids dug this hole with Lance and then just wanted to stand it all day

 Elise's first double piggies. Lance finally convinced me to try the two pigtails and they were adorable so I had to get a picture.