First camping trip of 2009...Idyllwild!

So we didn't think we would make it but after trying to come up with a ton of excuses we packed up the truck and headed to the mountains! I made a bunch of reservations in January for parks all over...we wanted to have some commitments so we would camp more this year! It worked this month!

We keep all of our camping gear in two tubs in the garage so all we have to do is dump those into the truck and off we go! It makes things really easy!

Natalie brought her new sleeping bag and slept in it all by herself. She was so excited to set up the tent and lay out every body's sleeping bags...it kept her busy for a whole hour! The other big hit was her own flashlight...thanks to the Bowden's for a great Christmas Gift!

I made the menu pretty simple...hotdogs/brats for dinner and oatmeal for breakfast...along with donuts...YES donuts! I am a complete BOSS over no junk food for my kids but when I grew up we always had yummy junk food camping and I want Natalie to get the same food fun while in the forest...so I threw the rules out the window and she probably had 4 donuts...yikes!

Thank goodness Steve and Debbie brought the percolator...it was a cold morning and I needed the coffee!

The campsite was great - close to town but still well wooded...perfect for the kids! And the grown-ups too.

Next month...camping in Palomar! Yahoo!

Is it a windy day?

Natalie is now fascinated by the wind. We recently bought some kites at Cost-Co and she is so excited to fly her fairy kite...the first attempt we didn't have enough wind and we made the mistake of going to a really exciting park with swings and lots of kids...she only paid attention to Ben and the kite for 1.5 minutes before jetting off to make a friend and swing...

So the next time we used what we learned...waited for wind and headed to a park without swings or kids...it was a success! We had such a great time and can't wait to go back!

Itis hard to tell, but in the picture with me, Natalie is flying her kite ALL BY HERSELF!

Here is Ben...doing things Ben's way..does anyone think this is cool? I told him he was a dork...but Natalie is one of his biggest fans!

Getting ready for my 1 year old...

I don't know if I am sad or excited...the thought of leaving the baby days behind...and the thought of watching two little princesses toddle off hand in hand...both sound a little nice...

Ally is getting her own little personality and is developing her sense as part of our family. It is so funny to Ben and I to watch her react to Natalie and see how how she relates to all of us...even Gordon the cat. She has learned a few tricks (she still isn't walking - but I think that keeps things easier).

She is lifting her leg in an attempt to climb things...

She self feds almost all foods and is unhappy with anything that resembles "baby food".

Drinks through a straw - we discovered this while camping accidentally...

Signs "more" - again.

Says ma ma and some sound that means doggie.

Likes to spin around...finally.

Its a bird, It's a plane...It's the Strader's flying by....

The Flight School....
Check out the Sierra's outside Natalie's Window...

This is the prop being photographed in slow motion from my camera's settings...
The plane doesn't require FULL HANDS ON ALL THE TIME so we are not in danger having Ben hold Ally...the plane gets "locked" into a route...not when we are flying over LAX - but we were over the 395 ...no one was around!

So I guess we are a full blown flying family...the fear has worn away and I sense the feeling of shock when I both describe and show pictures of what it is like to fly around all over....

It is as safe as car travel and way more convenient then commerical air travel..so what is the big deal? If anyone is curious please have Ben take you for a ride..wine country is an awesome flight...did you realize we had HUGE MANSIONS...just in our little Temecula? If we see any celebrity wedding we can even shoot some pictures and sell them to the magazines...

We fly as a family, on dates and Ben pretty much flies EVERYDAY for work...he has a lot more experience then people realize...working with all sorts of students. Even me, yes I will be begin my flight training VERY soon...I don't plan on flying solo but it would be nice to know what to do if I needed to land the plane...

Here are some great flying pics...enjoy!