SUMMER 2013: Week 10 (FINAL WEEK!)

So, this was an important week for our family.  We moved AND the kids started school.  I can't believe summer is over!  Granted, if we were still in Portland, they would have had 11 "extra" days, but alas, school starts earlier here.  We made it just in the nick of time!

SUNDAY -- Alayna, my friend Maria, and I headed to CA at about 5am.  We made it to AG by 7:30pm.  Peter and company had the van unpacked by 9pm.  Yeah!

Park fun with Maria the night before take off.

HOME!

First stop!

A couch fort

While J's room is being painted and aired out, this is his room....

Our door.  Gryffindor represent!

Nick being MacGuyver-like 

MONDAY -- Today was about unpacking and organizing.  Enrolled the kids in school.  Dinner with the Mike, Zabrina, Nick, and May.

TUESDAY -- Mostly continued organizing and unpacking and shopping.  Peter and the kids painted Jeremiah's room.

These sunsets will NEVER get old.

WEDNESDAY -- Peter headed back to PDX for a few more weeks at work there before he starts here.  We had a beach afternoon and had dinner/dessert with friends.

Game time with Maria

Pismo!

California kids!  

Born in Santa Cruz; he's definitely a beach brat!

Making friends with tourists.

Burying her brother!

 Dinner/dessert with one of our favorite families!

THURSDAY -- Kids first day of school!!!  Read about it HERE.  (Maria left for Portland.....  :/ )

FRIDAY -- Alone in the house without Peter or the kids for 7 hours.  I did some reading and blogged.  Did Yoga and took a 5-mile bike ride.  I could get use to this. (But, actually hoping to for either a job or to transfer back in to a nursing program here....SOON.)  Plus, a quick trip to the beach after school.

It was fairly cold and very windy.  He was the only one in the ocean for a time.

You can see him all by his lonesome out there in the distance.

Not bad for a Friday afternoon.

SATURDAY -- Ezra's Eternity Day.  Read about how we spent it (with photos) HERE.

What an awesome summer!  This will be the last weekly recap until next year.  It's been fun!  

5 Years Later

Yes, it has been 5 years since Ezra's death.  Hard to believe.  I reflected on some stuff on my other blog (HERE), so this is just a post about how we commemorated today.  We drove to Morro Bay and sprinkled ashes there.  It was a quick afternoon trip.  Peter is in Portland for another few weeks, so he didn't join us.  It was a great day and the kids even got along for most of it (without electronics).  We miss Ezra so much.  But, we know lots of celebration is happening in eternity.

The New Abode

So, we're still renting (we have a one-year lease), but we are really liking our new place.  It is 4 blocks from the kids' school, a few blocks from a grocery store, 2 miles from the beach, and it's got so....much....space.  We won't be able to buy for a few years yet (the goal is before Jeremiah starts high school....), but we are really thinking this is the neighborhood we want to live in long term.  It's great!  The house is pretty much unpacked and organized.  Just a few more photos to hand, a futon and coat rack to buy, and Peter to be home for good (he's staying in Portland to work until he gets an official start date here).  The garage needs to be organized, but we can fit one car at the moment so that will do until we have to get another car.  It's good to be back!  Here are some photos of the house.

Front!

Courtyard as seen from front door.

Livingroom as seen from entryway

Livingroom as seen from dining room

Kitchen

Dining Room

Hall Bathroom

Alayna's room

Master 1

Master 2 (His/Her Closets!!!)

Master Bath (There's a shower stall, with a bench.)

 Office/Guest Room (going to get a futon or sofabed)

Jeremiah's room

Backyard (that's an avocado tree!)

Back porch

We love it!