Busy Busy Busy!!!!

As I mentioned in my last post we are having Chinese Students from Chengdu until July 30 and then on July 31 we leave for Hawaii until August 10-- so, we are going to be very busy for the next number of weeks. Our students arrived safe and sound yesterday and they are now with us. We have two wonderful 16 year old girls who are just as sweet as can be. Their American names are Yulin and Daisey. We have a whirlwind of activities planned for them so I will make sure I take pictures of each event. Tonight we are taking the girls to Midevil Times which is a 11th century dinner show where we eat with our hands and watch a tournament with jousting, horses and lots more. It is a blast and the boys as well as the girls are very excited to go. I will post pictures tomorrow but my actual writing in my posts may be kind of short for time sake but I will try. Since I cant post without posting a picture, I thought this picture with Mia and the diet coke was cute. I love this little Ralph Lauren bathing suit that I picked up at Marshall's with a cover up for $12.99-- I love that place. Anyway, have a great weekend and I will post soon.

WARNING- QUESTIONABLE MATERIAL!!!

So before you continue, please know there are woman's undergarments involved in this post!!!! OK, now that you have been warned I will proceed.

I have been going crazy around the house trying to get things ready for our Chinese students to visit. Every year our church hosts 100 Chinese students from Chengdu Sezchuan China. It is a wonderful experience and we have hosted for many years but last year we didn't because it was too close to Mia coming home from China and we were not prepared to host. Anyway, this year we are hosting 2 high school students as well as our friends Brian and Heather and Dave and Kimberly are both hosting students as well. We really plan on showing them a great Southern California (Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Beach in a Limo, Sea World + more) time since this will more than likely be their only time ever being able to come to the US. Plus, this year is different from other years mostly since Chengdu is where so many were affected by the earthquake so more than likely these students will know someone or many people who died in the quake or were greatly affected. They will be with us from July 18 to July 30, so they leave the day before we leave for Hawaii-- life is going to be crazy!!! Anyway, this is going to be a great year with the students-- they are going to love Mia-- but all that means i have to get their room ready. I'm putting them in Owen's room because it has a bathroom in it but that means i had to get Owen's room ready which was a production!! It also meant i needed to get the loft ready (where all the toys and computer and couch and TV are) as well as clean my bedroom. Anyway, back to the post. In the middle of cleaning my room and folding laundry, Mia decided she was going to put on my pile of thong underwear. If you remember, Mia is fond of putting on my bras but she has never attempted to put my thongs on so this was definitely photo worthy!!! Another warning---- she is nasty-- covered in food and drool and still in her PJ's!!!

Putting the undies on

Attempting to stand up and run around with them on

Whoops-- they fell off-- now I have to get them back on

Trying to sort through this pile is just hard work!!

Fun At The Beach!!!!

**A FEW OF YOU HAVE ASKED WHERE I GOT MIA'S SWIMSUIT. ACTUALLY, IT WAS GIVEN TO MIA FROM AVA. AVA WORE IT LAST SUMMER AND I BELIEVE LAILA BOUGHT IT FROM GYMBOREE LAST YEAR. YOU PROBABLY CAN FIND IT ON EBAY.

We went to the beach yesterday and it was great fun. I forget what a production it is to head out to the beach. Although the beach is only 45 minutes from our house, we don't go very often because it is such work-- but this time i gave in and we headed to Huntington Beach.

The kids just had a blast. As you will see in the pictures, Mia loved digging in the sand, Owen played in the water as well as played on the sand and Ethan, being the big kid he is, spent all his time in the water with the older kids (we went with a bunch of our friends).

Mia just loved digging in the sand. She dug for hours and did not even get a nap but was pretty much happy the whole time!!

Sand in motion.

Mia loved the warm sand. Surprisingly with all the heat we have had in Southern California, this day was a very mild day so the warm sand felt really good.

So pretty!!

Owen boogie boarding and playing with Mia in the sand.

Mia took the digging very seriously!!

Mia enjoyed eating the sand as well.

Mia also enjoyed picking shells out of the sand.

Too cute for words!!

My friend Heather snapped this picture of Mia and I on the beach.

Owen looking handsome as can be.

Mia and Owen playing in the sand. Owen is such a good big brother.

Trying to get warm!

Playing volleyball at sunset.

Mia attempting to play with the older kids.

As the day came to a close we headed to the fire pits and we had a big fire with all our friends. The kids played volleyball and we all just sat around, ate pizza and had a great time. The fire pits close at 10pm so we left at that that time-- with Mia freaking out because of the lack of sleep. We had a great time and plan to do it at least one or two more times during summer.

By the way, many people have commented to have fun in Hawaii and I'm sure we will but we don't leave until July 31. We will be gone from July 31 to August 10 and we will spend the whole vacation on Maui. Anyway, I wanted to clear up any confusion :)

A Day On The Farm

As many of you know, my brother Brad and his family live on a farm about 20 minutes from our house. It is a unique life that they love!! Since Brad is the head chef instructor at the Culinary School in Pasadena (and the head wine instructor) he is able to invite students to the farm to see real farm life. The farm is a working calf ranch where they raise baby dairy cows till a certain age and then send them back to the dairy's. Amy, my sister-in-law, created a field trip design for the farm where schools can come and see real farm life including feeding the baby cows. Well, that was about 10 years ago and it has since turned into a huge field trip business. Almost all the schools in the area-- and out of the area (Orange County, LA County, SanBernardino County-- plus farther than that) come to the farm at one point during their school years. Anyway, the boys grew up going to the farm and Mia has been a bit but today we went down and spent a bit of time hanging out. Mia loved it and the boys stayed down there and are spending the night and working on the farm tomorrow (they actually work really hard and actually get paid-- they love it).

Nathan and Mia hanging out!

All the kids. Brad and Amy have 5 kids but their oldest son who was the same age as Ethan (far left) passed away at 3 weeks of a virus. Since Brodie went to be with Jesus, Brad and Amy have had 4 more beautiful children. Pictured-- Ethan (almost 10), Savannah (turned 1 on May 29), Christian (8-- same grade as Owen), Owen (almost 8-- 2 weeks), Mia (20 months), haileyanna (3) and Nathan (4). That is the Bock/ Owen clan :) (Owen was my maiden name-- so all Brads kids have the last name Owen-- confuses the workers at our church-- we all go to the same church)

Savannah looking as cute as ever!!!

I was trying to take a picture of Amy with all her kids but Mia ran into the picture and would not get out. So, Mia is part of the Owen pic! Can you believe Amy has had 5 kids-- crazy!!!

Mia was not sure about Jelly Bean. She didn't know if she should cry or laugh-- she did both!!

Ethan and Mia in the chicken coop collecting eggs. Amy gets about 2 to 3 dozen eggs a day.

Owen with the eggs he collected-- yummm!!!

I love this picture-- sitting on a rock-- too cute!!!

All the girls together. It was so cute-- Mia was trying to hold Savannah's hand and Savannah wanted nothing to do with it so Mia put her hand behind her back and patted Savannah the whole time-- too cute!!!

Our cute little -- and big-- girls!!

I put this in just to show you Owen's corrected tooth. They just bonded it back on and it looks great!!

Owen with the goats!

Haileyanna feeding the goats.

Mia desperately wanted Savannah to get up and play with her but Savannah was not into it. Mia came up to her and grabbed her hand and tried to lift Savannah up. Problem is Savannah weighs more than Mia so.....

Mia pulled

And pulled

But never got Savannah to get up-- oh well!!!

Owen feeding the goats.

Ethan feeding the goats.

Ethan and Nathan taking a break!

We had a great time on the farm!!

If you live in Southern California you too can visit Amy's Farm (if you do you must call me and I will meet you there-- fun!!) at http://www.amysfarm.com/