a couple of things

About this time last week, Jr, Joe and I were preparing to leave California for the drive back home.  We had a great time, which you will see if you scroll through the many pictures I'm planning to post below.  I thought I would post about the four beaches we visited, the tasty food we shared, the early celebration of now two-year-old Leo, and much more. 

But then we got home and I remembered the other thing I'll be posting about--the installation of the hardwood floor/remodel/havoc & chaos at home.

Holy cow had Jack been busy.  I could post the pages and pages of lists of steps we needed to complete.  Or I could post lots of pictures of things we've worked on--before and after shots.

But seriously, who wants to see pictures of or read about a home improvement show on this blog, right? 

Instead, I'll just say one thing and post one picture and then we can get back to the pics from Cali.

Let me say that since we returned, it has been non-stop remodel, so much that I actually went to the grocery store the other day just so I could sit somewhere comfortable for a few minutes.  In my car.  Because all of the furniture has been moved to the garage and there is no place to sit but on the bed.

Okay, to be honest, we were out of the necessaries--i.e., bread, milk, bananas, and most importantly, diet coke. 

But it felt oh so good to be back in my comfy car seat.  Which might seem odd if you consider that we'd just spent twelve hours driving only two days before. 

That's how much remodel we've done.

Okay.  So here's the one remodel pic.  It's the pile of hardwood that arrived today.

And for the fun stuff, here's the shots from Cali.

If you get on the road by this time in the a.m.:

You can get there in twelve hours.  And this will happen:

This is the look you get from California girls when you say they're going to the beach:

This is the look you get from Utah boys when you say they're going to the beach:

This is the beach.  Obviously.  But so great.  Did I mention we saw whales, dolphins, and sea lions just barely off the shore?  Awesome.  That's what that was.

This is Joe getting instructions on the house he agreed to build for these two.  I think it was to have bedrooms, a kitchen, a sitting area, and a roof.

Jr loves building castles.  Period.

His castles are not silly little things.  Not at all.

This is part of the two-year-old Leo's early birthday celebration.  She loves putting together stuff.  Really.  That was a genuine happy smile.

And he loved his new car thingie.  This is a genuine smile from him, not one where I said to say cheese--it is the one from the first time he watched a car go from the top to the bottom.  Notice his sister has already put a princess and prince on the car thingie.

This is another day at the beach.  Again, Joe is trying to follow the designs while Jake works on his castle creation.

She was giving him a lot of instructions.  Hilarious. 

Incredible day at the beach.  Overcast and then, BAM! the clouds part and it is sunny.

More directions.

Required beach selfie.  Love that he'll do this with me.

Bravely splashing in the water where the sea lions live.

Did I mention the sun coming through the clouds?

Yes, that is his castle she is standing on.

Waiting for him to notice.  Or to bring a bucket of water to finish the job.

Love this girl.

Both of them.

And this one too of course.

I said it was a lot of pictures.  It was a lot of fun.  Of course.

Cannot hardly wait for them to all be back living here.  Soon.  So soon.