Weekend of Family, Friends, and Fun!

(I apologize ahead of time for SO many pictures, but our weekend was definitely picture worthy!)

After a very busy and somewhat stressful week, we had a great weekend with family and friends! Friday was Jonah's school's mid-annual Family Picnic Day where all the kids in the entire school met up with their families on the lawn and enjoyed a nice picnic.  (They're both wearing red to show their school spirit!)

Shortly after DJ, Rachel, Jake, and Dylan came to visit for the weekend.  We were SO excited to have them!  I feel like we haven't been able to see enough of them in the last 6 months or so, so it was good to have them all to ourselves!  

Jakey was a cowboy the whole weekend (and this is definitely the place for one!).  This was so cute - Jake would shoot the gun at Jaxon and Jaxon would cover his mouth with his hands and giggle - so cute!

Dylan is growing up so fast!  He's crawling all over and just such a happy baby!  Here he is with the monkey towel I made him.

Friday night we met up with DJ & Rachel's friends Todd, Laura, and their 2 little girls (yes, girls!).  Laura was competing in her first triathlon, so we met up with them at the lake while she registered.  The kids loved seeing all the deer, the lake, and just running wild with other kids.  Afterward we headed to Pismo for dinner - we took up the whole restaurant!

Saturday was the day of the triathlon, but unfortunately it rained, so we all (except DJ) opted out of dragging our kids out of bed at 7am and braving the cold, wet weather.  We were bummed that we didn't get to go cheer on Laura and our good friend Tyler Wilson on their first triathlons (they were in different races - Tyler's was like twice as long), but in the end it was better for our kiddos.  With the rain and mud and cold and all, Tyler did awesome, but poor Laura hit a pot hole right at the end of the bike portion and biffed it really hard, so she didn't get to do the running portion.  Laura, even though you didn't get to finish the race, I still think you're awesome!

We were sad to see Todd & Laura go home, but I'm sure it was much better for her!  We headed to San Luis for some delicious clam chowder to go at the all famous Splash Cafe and headed to a nearby park.  Jax spent all of his time driving...

...while Jakey climbed to the very top...

...and Jonah talked to Rachel & Dylan through the pipes.  Fun stuff.

After lunch we headed to Avila.  What a beautiful day it was!  

We took a walk down the pier - Jake was so cute - he walked so carefully making sure not to step on the cracks - he thought he was gonna fall through (brings back memories of when I used to do that!)

When you get to the end of the pier, you can take the stairs down underneath where they have this big area you can walk around in, so that is what we did.

It was pretty windy under there and right as they were posing for a picture, the rose up and got my boys all wet!  They didn't know what hit 'em!

Jonah thought it was so cool (that's because he was wearing his rain boots)!

After the pier, we went over to the pirate park.  My favorite was seeing David go down the slide with his boys (you can kind of see Jonah's hands holding on to David's shoulders)

That night we all went down to the theater and watched a movie - it is just so nice to be able to go to a movie theater and let our kids run around and make as much noise as they want and even pause the movie if we have to go to the bathroom - we're so lucky!  

Sunday morning the boys all grabbed guitars and had a little kid jam.

Shortly after DJ & Rachel headed home.  Thanks for coming - we love you guys and had lots of fun this weekend!  We hope to see you here again real soon!

Late Sunday afternoon we decided to take a little drive.  We have been thinking how we have all of these wonderful places all around us that we don't ever get to enjoy.  So we got a move on.  First we drove up the way to Huasna Townsite.  It is just so beautiful out here!  Of course we had to stop by and see the old Huasna School.

I forget how much wild turkey is out there!  

A few weekends ago David's parents came to visit and David unknowingly took his dad on the adventure of his lifetime.  There is a back road from Lopez to Pozo, which starts out paved, but turns into sketchy dirt roads...they took his parent's Camry...not a good idea!  They had no idea that it turned into dirt and they certainly had no clue the car would not only bottom out a couple times, but get stuck.  To make it up the hills, everyone had to get out while David maneuvered up.  It's only a 15 mile stretch, but it took them almost an hour and a half to get through.  

So my adventurous husband decided he wanted to take his family up it, but this time take our car.  It really wasn't bad at all and we made it with NO problems, but I have NO idea HOW the Camry made it through!  I was a little wary at first (because of their adventure), but I am SO glad we went!  It was so beautiful - I have never seen this side of the Central Coast before!

I don't know why these were so mesmerizing to me, but they were EVERYWHERE!  The flower-things on these trees looked just like ones from a Dr. Seuss book - like the one that the Who's live on in Horton Hears a Who.

We took this side road that led to a vacant camp ground, so we got out and stretched our legs.  It was so beautiful and peaceful!

Up a few miles past the campground was an open area with the most incredible view I have ever seen in my entire life!  I wish that our camera could have captured its beauty, but it doesn't even come close!  On one side of the road we had a view of the mountain range north back behind Santa Margarita, which was beautiful, but the southern view was just so majestic!  We could see miles and miles of mountains and Lopez Lake, and we could even see all the way to the A.G. Mesa and to the ocean.  Wow!  And to think this is less then 15 miles from our house!

Of course the boys favorite part!  We drove through that same spot on the creek like 6 times.

What a fun weekend!  Lets do it again next week!  Anyone want to join us?