El! Ay!

...and when you return from said oregon road trip, exhausted from packing and unpacking your sweetmess 10 times in 10 days and the city in which you currently hang your hat is STILL over 100 F nearly 24 hours a day, what then?

what is a momma of four homeschooled "humans in training" supposed to do? i mean, really people?












well, first, you style your hair in your best "up do"...

and then you load up that trusty mini van and head south....till you get to pt. dume! (think half dome, but at the edge of zuma beach in north malibu!)

and once you have watched dolphins and seals play in the surf and soaked in all the sand and sun one little body can contain...you hit a local burger joint with 8 kids, 12 and under, for wild fun! (including a splits contest! nathan rocked the straddle splits!)

since "back home" is still way too hot, you stay the WHOLE week in an AMAZING house that is graciously offered to you while your dear friends {the owners} are on vacation!! that way you have loads of time to climb trees with friends, play at all your old favorite parks, enjoy the views while you lay flat on your back doing NOTHING...

and conquer a long standing fear of heights!

                               

                                         (yup! that's right folks, those are jeans...in august!)

and no vacation would be complete without a little face painting with good friends!!

If you've not yet experienced the street lights exhibit at the LACMA, really, you must go! (i know a few folks you could stay with!!)

and while you are visiting the exhibit, the try playing hide and seek in it after the sun sets, with 12 kids!!! a total blast! but, count heads before leaving...we nearly left one behind!

 lastly...in order to best prepare yourselves for re-entry back into the reality of life in the dry, hot central valley, a few rounds of twister in the old neighborhood are a must!

as we crested the grape vine and descended back into the new life He has graciously called us to i shed a few tears over the life i had been called to leave behind. but there were also tears of joy as God reminded me of how many ways He has already refined our family into more of His likeness during the past 12 months.

His grace IS always sufficient.
His mercies ARE always new.
His ways ARE always perfect.
His will IS always right for my life...even this, even now, even here...in stinking hot fresno...and so we WILL rejoice!