You Call This Winter?

Ok, now that we are home I vow to wrap up all of my vacation posts shortly! Especially since I've got a sweet new set-up... but more on that later ;)

So, since we were in CA for 3 whole weeks, we had plenty of "down time" to spend with our family! The kids had SO much fun playing with their grandparents, and Walter has been asking to go to Grandma's house all day. Poor little guy! Of course, Kylie is more than happy to explain to him that we are in Ohio now, and Grandma is in CA. Such a helpful big sister! Oh, and for future reference and for blogging purposes, at least, my parents will be referred to as Grammy and Papa, and Darren's parents will be referred to Gma & Gpa (inspired by a game of scrabble... which a few of you will know what I'm talking about!)

The week after Christmas, the weather was GORGEOUS. Everything I wished for as I fought off the frostbite during our countdown to our vacation. There were a couple of days that I actually felt bad that I had only packed long sleeved shirts for the kids, because it was t-shirt kind of weather. We just had to get outside and soak up that good weather because we knew what was awaiting us in Ohio (I refuse to refer to Ohio as home... because it is not. It's just our temporary.) And I'm sorry for the surplus of pictures, but I took SO many good ones and I just HAD to use them!

Kylie got real rollerskates for Christmas and couldn't wait to try them out. Unfortunately, she since we had no elbow/knee pads, we told her that she had to hold Darren's hands until she got the hang of it.

Throwing a fit because she wanted to do it herself


Skating her first steps!
(Darren later had to change out of his sweater because he was too hot!)


Skating down the street


She ended up on her bottom quite a few times, but didn't let it get her down


Walter-bear kept himself busy on the slide.
That little tin in his hand was full of Micro Machines and he would send them one-by-one down the slide, and then follow them down, pick them up, and do it all again.


The art studio Grammy had set up in the garage

Every time we brought a diaper bag, Walter insisted on wearing it. I guess he considers it to be his since we used it as his carry-on item when we flew.

Sliding through Grammy's legs


Kylie showing off her mad Kettcar skills (This car used to be my brother's when he was little... now he's almost almost 18 and finishing up his last semester of highschool!)


Grammy, Walter-bear, and Kylie (notice the fistsful of Micro Machines in Walter's hands)


Poppin' wheelies with Papa


Walter's sweet ride


Bumper cars


Kylie was so confused when I told her she could ride her bike in the street (my parents live at the end of a cul-de-sac). We NEVER play in the street. She was so excited that she finally asked me if she could stop riding bikes and 'just run and jump and play'

Back at Gma's house, we couldn't bring ourselves to stay inside. It seemed like the whole neighborhood was out playing. And come to think of it, Darren's parents live at the end of a cul-de-sac, too.

Watching the boys play football
Kylie, Ashlyn, Walter, and Lauren


Are kids just inbred with the desire to roll down grassy hills?


Walter LOVES to run around outside!
(Oh how will we ever survive another Ohio winter?)

But of course, there were plenty of good reasons to stay indoors. I just had to include these cute pics of the kids getting cozy with Gma!

Walter loves Gma!


Gma & Walter-bear treated us to a duet while Kylie worked on her interpretive dancing


Kylie LOVED reading books with Gma and I found them together like this quite often.