Ah, summer!

So, I know in Morro Bay, summer is not much different than any other time of year, except maybe with more fog than usual.  However, we have no school!  So, I sat down with the older boys and  made our list of things to do this summer.  So, because there is no way I can keep track of a piece of paper and so that any of you can weigh in on which activities you want to do with us, here it is (with crossed off ones being the ones we have already done in the last 5 days):

1.  Swimming lessons
2. Camping
3.  Karate or paragon
4. Bob Jones Bike Trail
5. Painting
6. Manufacturing camp with the lertwacharas
7. Play with Logan and Colin
8. Play at the beach
9. Climb up sand mountain (hazards overlook)
10. Hide and seek (Carter requested on the sand dunes, I have to decide whether that would be feasible, safety-wise)
11. Go to the zoo
12. Go to the waterpark
13. Have a water fight
14. Play at Mavericks
15. Play with Ben and Daniel
16. Play at Avery's
17. Waterfall and cave hike (Reservoir Canyon)
18. Mad science (camp or on our own)
19. Children's museum
20. Cut Ethan's hair
21.Go to Drive-in theatre
22. Go to garage sales
23. Invent something
24. Music in the Park
25. Play games
26. Climb bishop peak
27. Cal poly design village hike
28. U-pick peaches
29. Go to the swimming pool
30. Ride the trolley
31. Kayaking (dinosaur caves in pismo?)
32. Bowling
33. Fishing
34. Mid-state fair
35. Play tennis
36. Carter's birthday
37. Watch fireworks
38. Build a sand castle
39. Library summer reading
40. Luffa farm tour
41. Eat at restaurants
42. Play with Legos
43. Big Falls/Little falls hike
44.  Have lessons every few days to learn about rocks, waves, sign language, chinese, plant picture hunt, and music

We thought it would be fun to have 104 things, in honor of the phineas and ferb theme song, but we do still have to eat and sleep and all that, so we shot for 50.  This is our list so far, with a few maybes like touring the piedras blancas lighthouse, a trip to see some redwoods, and to sacramento, and going to the temple.  But I have absolutely no intention of going anywhere very far away this entire summer.  So, tell me what you will be joining me for, and we'll make it happen!!!

Also, I still haven't decided whether to add "Move to Atascadero" to this list.  And "I" was the correct pronoun to use in this sentence, rather than "we."  Everyone else in this family of mine seems to be on board.  We actually have an application in to a place, but told them I was not 100% sure yet.  It is just what we want, I just am not sure I can leave all the things that I love so much about living where we do in Morro Bay.  It's keeping me up at night.  Dylan played this on my phone for me on the way home from the concert in the park we went to last night. 

Sticks and Stones

Here's the highlights reel from the last few months:

Broken Bones

I think you probably know about Tanner and his broken elbow, but for posterity's sake and what-not, we have spent the last month with our one-year-old in a cast because he is one expert climber, but he went down with Carter when Tanner pushed him off the toy bookshelf.  And Thursday, the cast came off!  All healed!!  I am greatly relieved.  Okay, I know there's that whole "yay, his elbow's healed" but for me, it really was "yay, I can give him a really good bath."  It just had gotten stinky, and I am happy to submerge that little blond head and get him spotless for the first time in a month. 

Some More Mud

Ammon came out for my second mud run, although I think adventure race is a better name for this one, because I actually ended it soaking wet, but not really muddy.  Anyway, it was a lot of fun.  In fact, fun enough that I wrote a thank you email to the creators and the event site owners to encourage them to do it next year.  The obstacles were very cool, and I never thought I would get to say this about a running event, but there was a surprising amount of swimming. 

I actually haven't done any running since then, unless you count freeze-tag and running to the bus stop, but I will certainly do another one of these mud runs.  They make running worth it.  I am hoping there is one that conveniently will be in Utah when we go out for the Perkes family reunion, and if not, we will have to create one.  Because I am going to this reunion, no matter what.  I do not want to be disowned by my grandma for missing three in a row.

Mud Hole

So, for the first time in a long time, I am actually considering moving away from Morro Bay.  Dylan has been trying to get me to move to Atascadero (translated to Mud Hole in Spanish) for years now, and I have been extremely resistant because of how much I love it here.  But we truly need a yard.  I have been looking every week for about six months now, and have found nothing here that has a yard and would not cost us $3000 per month or more.  And that is really sad to me.  And so I have softened a little on Atascadero and have been doing my research this week.  I mean serious research.  I have researched school district maps and test scores, had a principal give me a tour of a school, driven past probably 15 houses for sale or rent, talked to four families that have lived in both places, tried to convince my close friends here to move with me, and compared average monthly temperatures.  For those who are unaware, Atascadero is about 1/2 hour away from us up a winding road away from the beach.  So, I would be leaving beach, hikes, friends, and walking everywhere.  And gaining oak covered hills, an actual summer, less cost, and a substantial yard.  However, I have decided that they must have a city-wide ordinance requiring oak cabinets, gold accents, and a brick/stone fireplace in every home.  Ya know, for conformity and all.  So, I'll let you know.  If we moved, I would want to move this summer before school starts.  We went to tour one of the homes and while we waited for the realtor, my boys had such a great time chasing lizards, playing with sticks, and exploring.  So, we'll see.

That's about it around here!  Our summer officially starts on Friday.  I'm not really sure what we are going to do with ourselves.  All I have scheduled so far is swimming lessons and lots of playing outside!  I welcome any visits!!!