Zollingers + Harts = FUN

I love this picture! Look at the length of Jake's tongue. woa! I went on my first mom-and-ALL-4- kids-without-Dad trip last week. We went to Long Beach to visit our great friends the Zollingers whom we have missed since our move to Bakersfield FOUR (how time flies!) years ago. I was mostly worried about Jackson and how much crying he'd do and how much sleeping he would do, but he was great. Made me more hopeful and optimistic about our two trips coming up -- one to the beach and one to Utah. The kids had a great time playing and I had a great time talking and hanging out. We have to do it again soon.

When we are with the Zollingers, we have to have Jeanette braid Jacey's hair (and mine). She is the only girl out of the seven kids, so we have to play beauty shop with her. I love french braids. I need to really concentrate and learn how to do them, especially as tight and great looking as Jeanette's.

Pur-ty

We went to the park for a picnic lunch

Jeanette and Jackson

The park had some water spray toys. Jacey is waiting for a bucket of water to fall down on her.

Jaden and Spencer wait for the same thing

After, warm and cozy in a towel.

Elijah -- the only child who was fully dressed and didn't want to get wet that day.

Spencer

Back at the house - The Zollingers have a Chocolate Lab and my kids are crazy afraid of dogs; have been like that since birth, although I think it's getting better. The first day we got there, Jacey needed an escort as she moved around the house, Jaden stood far back whenever Oliver moved around, and Jared hid in the bathroom. By the 2nd day Jacey and Jaden warmed up to Oliver and were even asking to let him in. Jared was still hiding in the bathroom. The only one that was NEVER afraid of the dog was Jackson. He is our first kid not to be crazy scared of animals. He could totally be on the ground playing and Oliver would walk by and it didn't even faze Jackson. He loved him. Jackson would also chase the cats around trying to grab them. This is a definite first for the Hart Family.

Happy Baby