Adelina is three!

Three years of awesomeness with this one! She always brings a smile to my face. We decided to start doing fun experiences for birthdays rather than traditional parties. We did cupcakes before church with friends the week of Adelina's birthday. I made her some Doc Mcstuffins cupcakes because she loves the show. She's wearing a Doc Mcstuffins headband here.

On her actual birthday, we first went to Build-a-Bear and Adelina picked out a unicorn. She named it Horsie.

She had never been to a Build-a-Bear store and had fun watching the process. She was so happy after!

Next up was Krispy Kreme!

After our yummy treat, we headed over to Griffith Park. Adelina's been asking to ride a train, and I knew she would love it.

All three kids have enjoyed playing the old game The Oregon Trail, so they were really excited to see a wagon!

After the wagon ride, Adelina climbed out the back and said, "Hey, no one died!"

The pony rides were a big plus, and all three kids enjoyed them.

She had an awesome day and was pretty tired after.

We had some strawberry shortcake when we got home, so we got to sing happy birthday to her all over again.

I can't wait to see how this little one grows over the next year!

Big change!

One HUGE change for us this year was our move! We loved our old house. We moved into that house, updated everything, and we were really happy that everything was done, just the way we wanted it. At the same time, though, we were on the lookout for a home with a larger space in the backyard for the kids to run around, and we were looking into pools, and I really needed a space dedicated to homeschool so that our dining table wouldn't be covered in books and a hundred other things every day. We told ourselves that if we didn't find a house with all three of those things, we wouldn't be moving.

We found the perfect fit in our new home. On hot days we're in the pool (one of the first things we did was have a pool fence put in), and on cooler days the kids run around and ride their bikes around the cul de sac. Both big kids learned to ride their bikes without training wheels after we moved. We absolutely love it here and we have great neighbors, with several friends for the kids to play with.  

Moving with kids is quite a task. I still can't believe we did it. The last time I moved it was from a tiny apartment, before kids. Here you can see Elena and Samuel getting ready to spend their first night in their new room!

Man, they loved running around the empty rooms!

The biggest update we did here was the downstairs flooring and kitchen refinishing and countertops. We also added cabinets and countertop in the back.

Before

After

I love cul-de-sacs.

And now that it's summer and it's hot, we're in the pool!

I don't know who loves the pool more . . . Jorge or the kids?

One of my favorite spaces in our new home is our schoolroom! It also serves as the playroom because it's a big space.

Moving is so stressful, but everything worked out for the best. We love our new area and the space the kids have to play, and I love that our dining table isn't a huge mess every night. It's a win for everyone!

Oh, how they've grown!

I took a long hiatus from the blog. It wasn't planned at all, there was just so much going on all of the time. It still feels that way. My last post was the summer before Elena's first grade year, and this fall she's going into third grade! How does that even happen?!

Time flies with kids, that's all I can say. Especially with a toddler . . .

So, here's a quick update on the kids!

Elena will soon be 8, and she is as sweet as they come. She's tenderhearted, compassionate, a natural caretaker, and a voracious reader. She's artistic, creative, and always wants to help others. She loves to play with dolls, do puzzles, draw, and do crafty things like make bracelets or keychain lanyards. She's been homeschooled from kinder until now, and we'll soon be starting her third grade curriculum. And she's really into Bethany Hamilton!

Samuel is a little boy with a strong will, he loves to manipulate things with his hands, he's always moving, he adores animals, and he loves reading both fiction and non-fiction books. You might just find him sitting by himself, reading an encyclopedia! He's going into kindergarten this year (homeschool), but he's reading at a second grade level and right now is devouring the Magic Tree House books, along with the Flat Stanley series. He's incredibly affectionate and sweet. He's also incredibly smart and is naturally math-oriented, if that makes any sense.

Adelina is just a bundle of joy! I cannot believe how this little one has completed our family. She's funny with a great sense of humor, loves books, and plays great with both her sister and brother. She loves looking for snails in the backyard, riding her bike, and floating around the pool. She resembles me most out of the three kiddos.