Van Damme Camping (Trip #3)

 

 

 Van Damme 1st Annual Caldwell Group Camping trip on the Mendocino Coast was a success!!! There was plenty of food, good company and lots of exploring and bike riding for the kids. Once the kids were in bed it was adult time around the campfire telling stories and talking about the good ole days! 2 out of the 4 days we had sunshine!
 

Dinners were a nice time to cook together and share each others meals, there was never not enough food and nobody went to bed hungry. However, if you woke up hungry there was sure to be enough breakfast as well.



Even the big kids (Mitchell) played around on the bikes. Some were learning how to ride there striders and others were doing jumps and coasting downhill.



Manya brought Peanut Butter Nutella crispie treats, I brought goody bags for s'mores and homemade cookies! There was definately an endless amount of food, sweets included. 

Me and my boy! He loves to hold my hand, he will say "hold my han mama" I had to photograph that moment!



Breakfast, pancakes, eggs, linguicia, bacon and fruit, complete with lots of coffee and Oj, followed by Lego battleship and a good hike.



My Happy Campers! Slept through the night and missed most of there naps, and still continued to have fun! The last morning we were sure to help each other load up and clean up camp while eating delicious homemade cinnamon rolls! Thank you Nonna!!!

 

 

Let us know if your interested in next years group camping trip, we will add you to the email.

 



Happy 4 MonthyDay!

Dear Hunter,

You are too sweet! Still in love with your brother and a total Mama's boy. I cannot get over how chunky you are, Logan calls you his "Chunk a munk" , which means chunky monkey of course and he has to squeeze your cheeks when he does it. You don't mind, you are just fascinated by him. You started to only sleep about 5 hours a night, instead of 8 or 9 so it was a must to start you on rice cereal. You aren't too sure about it, but you are back to sleeping almost as much sometimes more. I just can't keep up with your weight gain, 6 month clothes already oh my! I have boxed up and given the hand-me-downs of 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes on, sigh sigh. You are still in love with being swaddled but I think that might be coming to an end in the next month or so, you are trying really hard to roll from your back to your belly always getting up on your side to watch mama give Logan a bath. You love to just lay there on the floor outside the bathroom and listen to us, always trying to chime in the conversation with your mumbo jumbo. Now when you aren't being listened to you start to make raspberries. It is so cute, by the end of it you are pretty frustrated and need an outfit change because you are so wet from drool.

Rice Cereal from Amanda on Vimeo.

You are starting to get a little routine down now too! Yes a routine, leave it to me to run a tight ship at 4 months old. Your day kind of looks like this:

6:30 / 7 am:          Wake and nurse

7 / 7:30 am:          Back to bed

9:30 / 10 am:        Wake and eat rice cereal, nurse

12:30 pm:             nurse

1:00 pm:               down for a nap

3:00 / 3:30 pm:     wake and nurse

5:30 pm:               nurse

6 pm:                    nap

7:30 pm:               nurse

8 pm:                    tummy time

8:30 / 9 pm:          bath

9:30 / 10 pm:        bedtime 

of course these times are all estimates and some days you catnap throughout the day but I am trying to get you on a close schedule with your brother so that mama can have some time to herself. Plus your big brother Logan is doing so well potty training he might be going to school soon so we have to prepare you for getting up and out. We love you so much and are having so much fun watching you grow.

Hugs & Kisses

Mama

Wolf Creek Camping (Trip #2)

Wolf Creek Campground on the Union Valley Reservoir is officially our favorite spot! The drive isn't too bad about 2.5 hours, and the weather, oh the weather is amazing!! High 80's to low 90's and the water is perfect for bathing and swimming. Yes, I said "bathing" there are no bathrooms at this campground. Aj and my parents came along for the trip and even Pa surprised Logan and came up for a night.

Night bike ride complete with head-lamps, they didn't come off the remainder of the trip. Thank you Boo-Boo for those! 

First full day we hit up the water for a nice relaxing swim and some soaking up of the sun to work on our tans. The boys had a blast, even Hunter relaxed in his little sun-room. He just loves to be laying around kicking his feet and talking away these days. Logan preferred to be playing in the sand with his dump truck.





The next day by the lake Uncle Mitchell thought it would be fun to teach Aj how to jump off the rock. At first Aj was a little afraid, he is a Cabral afterall, but once Uncle Mitchell held his hand and jumped with him there was no stopping him. Logan even jumped with them a few times. Thank goodness for the Caldwell jean, mama doesn't have it in her.

Keeping the sun off my baby was a little hard in this heat, he was pretty much in a diaper the entire trip. A little vitamin D is good for you, right?

 Butt Crack!!!

    Logan: 2 1/2 Years    Hunter: 3 Months

Yes, we got a flat tire and the boys learned how to change it. There was alot of "Why"
 and "I do it" going on during that 20 minute tire change. Thank goodness Boo-Boo was napping. 



Fabulous trip! Fabulous Weather! Fabulous company! Can't wait for our next camping adventure.



Happy Birthday Finn!

Finn!

Happy 1st Birthday to one of the cutest, sweetest and cuddly boy we know! We love you so much and hope that your day is as special as you are. I am sure that mommy has some fun and special activities planned for you today.

     Finn Michael Kelly (11 days old)

Mama did an amazing job on capturing your circus theme for your birthday party. The decorations were amazing, complete with a photo booth, with props to capture the silliness in everyone!





A bundle of April babies and a new June baby! 

Finn you are so special to us, and we know that you are going to grow into an amazing boy! We are just lucky enough to be part of your journey! 

Hugs & Kisses!

Love,

Uncle Mitchell, Auntie Dee, Logan and Hunter



Tomales Bay Camping (Trip # 1)

Tomales Bay Camping trip at Olema campground, the first family camping trip of the season! The weather was suppose to be in the low 60's so we packed for cold weather but as it turned out we had high 70's to low 80's. It was fabulous! Just a two night trip and the boys both did wonderful! Logan played in the dirt and in a circle of trees that the boys called "the jungle" and didn't get off their bikes except to eat and sleep.

 Osorio Family 2012

 Caldwell Family 2012

 Hunter's favorite place the trailer sink for bath time, it got pretty cold at night so this was perfect to warm him up.

 Stinson Beach

After the beach Aaron made the short drive in to Hog Island Oyster Co. to pick up a few dozen oysters to BBQ! They were delish! Shower time for Logan in the trailer to get all that sand from the beach "out of his little crack", his words not mine.

 Evening ride with all the kids around camp, yeah there was sure alot of them, this lasted for a couple of hours. Too cute!

Stay tuned for camping trip #2!



Full Throttle

A little peak at my boy growing up so fast! Daddy teaching him to do the throttle on his dirtbike all by himself.

Dear Logan,

you are too sweet! Growing up so fast! I can't get over how much you talk and all of the cute things that you say everyday. Like "Hey you guys, I love you!" or "May I havvvvveee juce, PLEEEEEEEAAAASE." Just like that too! or when you invite people to come play in your room with your legos. Or when you give kisses after dinner everyday. I am so proud of you all of the time, I just can't get enough of you. Watching you ride your dirtbike yesterday truly showed me how fast you are growing up. Slow down, life is too short!

Love you to the moon and back!

Mama

Hugs & Kisses

Throttle from Amanda on Vimeo.

Happy 3 MonthDay!

Dear Hunter,

You are SO sweet!!! We are so in love with you. You have become an amazing traveler, although it is alot of working packing two diaper bags something always gets forgotten. You have become quite the sleeper at night too, for about the past month now you go to bed around 10:30 or 11 and usually don't get up until around 6 or 6:30. Which is very nice! I am a spoiled mama! You are still very much enamored with your big brother Logan. Anytime you are crying and I ask Logan to talk to you, you instantly pay complete attention to him. He is quite the helper that big brother of yours. He will wipe your mouth if you spit-up or come and get me, and he is always sure to tell quite a story about why you are crying too! It is pretty sweet. You have become quite the chatter-box too! Your favorite time to talk is after bath while I am getting you ready for bed, or if daddy is holding you, you two will have some pretty in depth conversations. Mostly about Fire Engines or dirt bikes, sometimes daddy sneaks in a funny story about mama too! I think you are getting close to rolling over, you sure can get up on one side, as you so demonstrated today.

Your many faces, my favorite is the one on the left, your sleepy face. I know it all too well. 

How can you not love the confectious smile of yours too! One can't help themselves but smile back at you when you grin with every muscle in your face. 

We love you to the moon and back baby Hunter!!!! Happy MonthDay! 3 months wow!

Love you,

Mama

Hugs & Kisses