One of my Favorite Pictures

I've been going through a lot of pictures lately trying to fill up my walls, make gifts etc. and I found this gem.  Everyone's looking at the camera and mostly smiling, and our clothes even coordinate:)  Too bad Justin's not in it.  Don't my kids look freakily alike?  We have one mold over here.

 And some more outtakes.

Esplin Family Beach Trip - Playing Catch Up

 For the last 2 years we have gone to California with my family during the US Open surf competition.  It is so fun.  Be prepared for a million pictures.  This is our hotel.  It is awesome.  We discovered it on our trip with friends last May.  a full hot breakfast and two rooms -  mostly, some of the rooms have the pocket door removed, but two rooms is AMAZING when you have little kids.  I'm all for hanging out in the hallway, but you know:)

 The kids also like to chase each other around outside.  I'm not sure how appreciated it was... we tried to only allow it during decent hours.

 Lots of boogie boarding...  wet suits are a must if you want to have fun in the water, at any age in California.

 Max was amazing.  He took decent naps in his stroller and loved the sand, luckily he was not mobile yet...

 Adam is the rockstar uncle.  Even Max gets excited when he hears Adam's voice.

 Best buddies.

 The surf competition.

 
 Nap time.

 Love birds, still boarding in their old age....

 Papa and Max love each other so much!

 My parents gave us this awesome tent.  it's great for naps and to get out of the wind, and at t-ball games:)

 Adam can pull off the surfer hat  Justin's head was too little:)  And Justin was so bugged that when he went back to California in October, he searched until he found one he could pull off.

 Josh is not loving being buried in the sand.  Which reminds me of the time my parents buried Amy and I and then went in the water.... and we couldn't get out.  Just passing along the love to my children.

 Don't mock my stylish sun glasses.

 Becca was fascinated by this trash can.  Maybe because it had Nemo on it?

 You can mock Anna's stylish swim suit.  I can't remember what the story behind that one was.

 I have this exact same picture with Adam and Anna....

Grams takes a turn in the sand.

 Anna is quite proud of her perfect cartwheels.

 Loving on Kelsie

 Justin helped the kids dig a sweet hole.

Notice Adam in the background....

Which was awesome to watch fill up with water.

Debating where to go in....

And most of these pictures were taken by my sister Amy, I stole them from her along with these gems of her darling girls Natalie, Becca, and Kelsie

Missed you Jessie!!!  Hope you made it through the whole post so you don't yell at me for not mentioning that you couldn't come....

I love Conference

I have been feeling frazzled today.... I haven't quite figured out yet why I seem to have less time with my two oldest in school for a couple of hours in the morning....  I seem to have so much more to DO lately.... not sure why.  Part of it is that due to school schedules and nap schedules I rarely have more than 45 minutes to run errands.  I try to run right when Max wakes up from his nap.  Which usually results in my driving too fast to the store, running through the store like a mad woman - Max really likes to "fly" through the store, we'll see how he does when I'm not so rushed if that ever happens.....-and forgetting at least one key item, oh and spending too much money... don't talk to Justin about how much our food budget has increased.   Anyways... errands was not where I was going with this.... This morning I got Max down, got primary calls made, and then debated, do I start laundry so I'm not distracted and can focus on my kids when they get home? or do I take a minute to write on my blog, or even in my kid's journals which is so theraputic for me....? I decided to download some pictures while I started laundry, all about compromises.  20 minutes later I couldn't get any pictures to download and I'd wasted a significant amount of time.  I was frazzled and annoyed... Until I decided to listen to conference while I folded laundry, instead of catching up on the Castle that I had missed this week:).  It was just what I needed, calm down, refocus, and remember....My soul has been craving this spiritual nourishment lately.  It calms me down significantly.  My life is so busy, and I sometimes think, really, you're going to use your spare time to listen to conference? - yes I still have a little of the self-conscious teenager in me.  But I feel happier, more purposeful, and able to savor more of my family and of life:)  So it's not morning, it's now afternoon, but after listening to conference I've decided that it's ok to sit and write for a minute, even if it means my kids are sitting in front of the TV for awhile - just to be clear the talk I listened to did not say let your kids watch TV in any way shape or form, but it's all about personal application you know:)
And furthermore....
 I have been thinking a lot about spiritual gifts since Elder Eyring's talk in priesthood.  No I was not at the priesthood session... yes I still listen to those talks since while Justin takes copious notes so I don't bug him endlessly, it's rare I get anything super in depth out of his notes:)  So I have been looking up scriptures about spiritual gifts and pondering, deeply, in the five minute increments that I have what my gifts and those of my children could possible be...and I am going to take whatever time is left in Rescue Heroes to write some of my thoughts in their journals - before you become too impressed with me, the stellar mom who keeps journals for her kids - because I know that's what people are thinking - I haven't written in them since March and Max's journal has maybe 3 entries tops.....
And while I couldn't get any pictures off my computer, here are some off my phone...

 Max took his first steps while I was out of town this weekend.....good think he's darling or I would be mad.

 Don't know... Justin just texted it to me:)

And a walk down Venice beach.  Please look closely at the picture... yes we did have a guy say "don't hesitate! medicate!" to us.  He was obviously heavily self medicated.... more to come on the girl's trip, oh and Halloween, and the millions of small things I've been wanting to post about:)

PS I am so stressed about the election......I may or may not be up all night.  Which is a significant statement coming from me:)