Balboa Island

One exciting thing about living in So Cal now is sharing with my kids the places I went as a kid. One very special place to me is Balboa Island. I grew up going in the summers and for many years have enjoyed time with our families. The kids have not been for awhile, so the four of us ventured out...and we had a blast!!!
They rode their scooters around the island, we went on the Ferris wheel (Logan's first time:), many arcade games...but the best was the rock climbing. I was so proud when they tried their hardest to reach the top and ring the bell. I didn't know they were so agile.
Good times make for a faster summer break

Quick Update

It was a crazy weekend and Monday...
Over the weekend we had a couple offers on our house and decided to accept one.
So we are in the process of doing the paperwork and praying that all goes smoothly.
This is obviously a huge relief and I can't get over the timing that God has. If this works out we can try to find a new house of our own right in time for Samantha to start school.
And...just a few short hours after all of this was going down my baby brother welcomed his first child into the world. Oliver Walden Savona was born yesterday July 28 at 12:14 YEA! Samantha and I were there when they announced it was a boy and his stately name :) Just another wonderful feeling and confirmation that we are suppose to be here.
We are settling in sort of, our belongings arrived last Thursday and we started to unpack, but now we are in stall mode. Living amongst boxes is not new to us so we will take it one day at a time. The kids have become themselves again and have enjoyed their new room and more importantly the beach! I love summer!

It's all about family

Since we have been away from California and specifically family for 9 years these past two weeks have been soaked with catching up. I feel like I want to be with people whenever and wherever...and it wasn't until last night that I realized not only am I not leaving and that we will be seeing people all of the time, but I also remembered that it is nice to have routine and consistency for the kids!
Other than maybe two days, we have been leaving in the morning and carrying them in sleeping at night. Our days have been filled with pools, beaches, church, cousins, friends, house hunting...all things that are exciting.
Now I am ready to settle down, relax, and enjoy what is around me. I think the hustle and bustle of New York still is roaring inside me and here it is definitely more calm and mellow.

I have two very pregnant sisters-in-law and I am waiting for the excitement of having even more family close :)
See Jonathan and Quinn's blog left below for baby bump comparisons
Can't wait to see their faces

Transitioning

Well we moved to California on Tuesday and it has been an adventure ever since. It was so exciting at first to get off the plane see my dad and father-in-law, sun shining, energy up...
We went to our new place and the kids jumped around we unpacked a little then my parents took the kids for a couple days as I got the place ready.
This was before jet lag, organizing, grocery store, buying a car, exhausted kids, time change and just general moving craziness.
Don't get me wrong we have family here and without them the stress would have built up, but I never quite expect the emotions that arise whenever we move and reality sets in.
I am so thankful to be here and yet the "newness" of it all sets in and I find that I miss what I had a week ago (or month ago) the familiarity of life.
So I am adjusting along with the kids and with the help of wonderful parents, brothers, sisters, and nephews :) (and our view of course) we will settle in.

Miss you NYC friends, more to share later!

countdown

It's official it is our last weekend as residents of New York.
Wow
Not to be melodramatic but is is hard to believe that we will be leaving Tuesday morning on a one way to Southern California.
So this week we have enjoyed the weather and my mom's help and company by breaking up the packing with trips around the city.
We spent a day downtown at the South Street Seaport, we awed the waterfall installations and had some pizza on the pier...we even took a quick peek at the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. (which we hadn't done since our first month here :)
We also ventured to Central Park for a fun day at the fair, a wonderful dinner at the Boathouse and a leisurely walk home. All of the things you take for granted become strangely exciting.
Can't wait to see family and friends next week