Memorial Day Weekend

Our Memorial Day weekend started off on a somber note.  As I was reading our friend, Kelli Campbell's Facebook page, I clicked on an article she posted that a friend of theirs had written about Memorial Day.  As I'm reading it, I see a familiar name listed.  I asked Shawn if he knew if he had died and he didn't.  We began searching the internet and unfortunately found out that he had.  Jeff Bland, was in the same program as Shawn at ISU.  They spent time together and we had a double date with him and his girlfriend at the time, Heather.  They married in 2002 and had a 15 month old daughter when he died.   He flew Cobras in Camp Pendleton and their helicopter hit a bird and crashed in 2011.  It's a very strange feeling, one, to find out someone you knew died in a crash and two, that it's been 6 years and we never heard about it.  It sets a lot of things into perspective.  You experience a full range of emotions in a matter of minutes.  And all we can do, is pray for his family and continue to be grateful to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.  Not only that, but be forever grateful to the families who live Memorial Day everyday of their lives.   

Saturday, we headed to LA for our first Dodgers game.  

And who were they playing??

The CUBS!!

 Dodger Stadium is pretty awesome and as usual, the view didn't disappoint!

 Bitty with a bobble head.

 Terry Crews (actor) threw out the first pitch and read the starting line up.

It was a nail-biter!

 Only in LA do they frequently show pictures of their own town :o)  

 It was a pretty boring game, but the Dodger win!

 Sunday, we headed to church then bought an inflatable pool afterwards.  The kids froze their butts off the rest of the day and we ended it with a fire and s'mores.

Monday morning Shawn went out for a Memorial Day hike, while the kids and I stayed home.  Later that afternoon, we headed to our friends, The Kinser's, for a bbq.  

They had a pool for the kids too, but it clouded up and they were popsicles again. 

Caleb, Kihren, Amelia and Falkon

 A little game of duck duck goose.

We had a great weekend!  Now, it's onto end of the school year things!!  I can't believe we only have 13 days (2 of which are half days) of school left!!  

Camping at Lake Casitas

This weekend we drove about a half and hour away to Ojai, to go camping at the Lake Casitas Recreation Area.

 We are in love with our tent!  It only has three poles and sets up in no time.  Our spot was in a good location to the bathrooms and the playground (meaning, we didn't have to go and keep an eye on them overtime they went).

 We decided to try out one of those logs that says they burn for 2 hours.  It was actually pretty nice and there was never any smoke to deal with.  

 Saturday we took a little hike to the marina to check out their fishing and boating.  The walk ended up being a little longer than anticipated and it was pretty hot!

 We even got to see baby woodpeckers in a tree.

Shawn and Caleb rented a canoe for an hour.  Amelia didn't want to go, so we walked back up with Wrigley and sat in the shade with some ice cream while we waited for them.   

 Caleb forgot his hat, so he picked out this orange camouflage Lake Casitas Marina one :o). 

 This picture does a good job of showing you just how bad the drought is here.  I'm pretty sure these steps used to go down to the water/dock.  That brown line is where the water is supposed to be and we think it is down by half!

 Since there is no water and no rain, everything is completely dirty and dusty and there's no way getting around it.  

 Wrigley was worn out after that walk in the heat!

 Caleb's worn out too!

 Relaxing after our walk.

This park has a water park that wasn't opened yet.  And although it's another $14/person, it probably would have been worth it since it was 92!  This was a nice little (close) getaway, but we hope to get out a little farther next time.

Mother's Day

Shawn left this morning for Florida. He'll be gone until early Thursday morning.  

I took Amelia to the doctor last night and was given medicine for an ear infection and strep throat. 

So, after Shawn left, I laid out in the sun, the kids played inside, then outside, then we watched TV, made smoothies, had a lunch of strawberries and popcorn and then laid out in the sun a little more. 

I ordered Mexican for dinner - because why should I start cooking at that point in the day?  

 And once the kids get to bed, I'm watching La La Land. 

Happy Mother's Day!!

(Our Mexican indoor picnic)

Brady's 11th Birthday

On this day 11 years ago, Shawn and I sat in a hospital room surrounded by our parents and dear friends, awaiting the arrival of our first child.  It was an amazingly beautiful day in the PNW, with the  Kentucky Derby playing in the background. The weight of grief sat heavy in that place.  We didn't know if our child was a boy or a girl. What we did know was that I would give birth to a baby with no heartbeat.  That we would only hold him for (what felt like) a second. That we would hand him back over to the nurses and begin planning a funeral.  

We learned that day that grief is a very real thing that can paralyze you.  In that grief though, we saw the love of God reach down and pick us up. We felt the peace of God transcend all of our human understanding.  We knew what it meant to hope in the Lord.

"The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope." Lamentations 3:24

Eleven years later, we are still being carried by our Savior!  Our grief is less despite the hole in our hearts.  For that, we will forever sing His praises!

That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  LORD my God, I will praise you forever. 

Psalm 30:12

~Brady Harrison Capps~

We love you!