Rolling Over...Check, Crawling...Check, Walking...

...CHECK!

At 10 months and 2 days old we have a walker!

Check out my sheer excitement for this milestone.
Oh, what disaster and dismay awaits!

Sharing the Love

After I became a mom my dive log started collecting dust. In fact Sean has now logged more dives than me due to my pregnancies and lack of friends who are certified to go with. (Amanda W. lets go sometime soon!) Sean just seems to get out there more than me. We rarely go together anymore due to finding babysitters and my new outlook on the risks with two kids at home. However, I am grateful that we share the love of the ocean and both appreciate the amazing life and adventures that can be found beneath the surface! Sean took his buddy Shane out to Point Lobos State Reserve last Monday morning. It is known as "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world." Here is a glimpse into part of the underwater reserve called Cannery Wall.

Our underwater camera doesn't do the kelp forest justice! Notice the anemones and the bat stars.

Moon Jelly: The bell on this guy is pretty beat up, looks like the wave action got the best of him. The risks of a drifter. They do sting but not harmful to humans.
Sea Lemon: This relative of the snail actually has a fruity odor that deters predators. Nerve cell research is done on the neurons of this nudibranch because their neurons are bigger and more accessible than human neurons.
("nudi"= naked "branch"= gills, they don't have a shell to cover those frilly gills, hence called nudibranchs, or sea slugs)
Ling cod: Sean said this baby was at least 3ft. long. They can get up to 5ft. long and are ambush predators. Males have been known to attack humans while guarding eggs.

Decorator Crab: Shane showing the underside of this big guy. Decorator's actually do as their name implies, when they are smaller they decorate their shells by snipping off seaweed, anemones, or whatever they are living among, and sticking to their Velcro-like shells. Great camouflage! The bigger they are the less decor!
Fish-eating Anemone: while most species of anemone catch plankton suspended in the water, these guys can take down a shrimp or small fish.

Sunflower star: only my favorite invertebrate! I was able study these for a predator-prey research project back in the day. They are so soft and fast! They can move over 40 in. in a minute...now that is a speedy sea star! These guys have very voracious appetites. Snails, urchins, cockles, other stars, etc will "flee" when they sense its presence.
You guys still with me? OK, I just re-read this and I really am a dork! I just get so excited sharing my love with you and I didn't even go on this particular dive.

Alright, last but certainly not least, here is a self portrait of Sean, notice the harbor seal in the distance. They are super fun to dive with! When my little brother and his buddies came out last summer we had a little seal pup follow us around the whole dive. He was so curious and cute. They have been known to tug on your fins and pull regulators out of mouths. Fortunately, that hasn't happened to us yet.

This was the only underwater pic I got of the harbor seal pup that followed us around last summer.

Sun before the Storm

Ever since we have lived here there has been one week of gorgeous 70-80 degree weather in January! We have been hitting the beach the past few days to take advantage of it. These pictures were taken on MLK day. Sean did a dive that morning with his buddy Shane (I will post those pics next) and then he met us at Still water Cove.

I must say that my man is so great about finding hidden critters in the tide pools. An expert tidepooler if you will. All the kids on the beach gathered around him because they knew he knew where to look. Here are a few fun finds...
A Gunnel. He was the biggest one we have found yet, almost a foot long. A very eel-like fish that can get up to 18 in. and can breath through its skin.
A Northern Clingfish. They use their pelvic fins to form a suction disk and attach themselves to the underside of rocks for protection. Often cannibalistic.
Spiny Brittle Star. A cousin of the sea star. They usually bury themselves and leave one or two arms out to catch tiny particles of food in the water.
The name brittle is appropriate because those waving arms break off very easily when they feel threatened. Don't worry, they will grow back. This ends your brief intertidal identification lesson. Sorry, I get carried away sometimes.

Super Spa Savvy-less

If your husband likes giving you massages raise your hand. Those lucky girls with your hands raised, count your blessings! Sean DISLIKES giving massages and I LOVE receiving them! So for my Christmas gift he made up for his dislike and sent me to...

The Spa atThis place made me feel soooo out of my element because of its plushness! They provide you with a down robe, sandals, locker and tour. Then before and after your massage you can enjoy the jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, inhalation room, showers with multiple shower heads (the main shower head was the size of a large dinner plate. That was a massage in itself! Not to mention all the amazing shampoo, conditioner, shower and shaving gel provided), and let's not forget the soft warm towels, refreshing cucumber-lemon water and fruit to snack on. They also had a new sanctuary room that had a cozy fire-pit with lounge chairs surrounding it. Cranberries, almonds and cashews were provided to snack on accompanied by lemon-lavender water to keep hydrated. My massage was at 10am but I went at 9 and stayed until about 1 trying to take advantage of my relaxing kid-free time!

A few things I learned and where my LACK of spa savvy shone through:

* Apparently it is NORMAL to go clothes optional in the jacuzzi and the steam room.

*A LOT of older women in this area have had "work" done (Probably more info than you wanted but true).

*No need to bring mouthwash, deodorant, hair gel, blow dryer or anything else you might need to get ready. It is ALL there for you...including Q-tips and brushes!

*The inhalation room has PURE, CLEAN air flowing through it not the hallucinating kind as the name implies.

*The iced cucumber face towels are for AFTER the steam room and those cucumbers are not for eating!

NOW, you will be prepared for your next spa visit. Whether your husband gives you massages or not. This is definitely worth trying just once. Be warned you might become addicted!

B.F.F.'s

Whether riding the lawn mower to each others house, throwing black cat fireworks at cars, or dancing to "Don't Worry, Be Happy" on the trampoline, my Best Friend Forever Nikki has been a constant in my life since the 2nd grade. In fact it is her house where my love of Dr. Pepper and sports took root! You can understand how excited I was to have her come visit from New Mexico...However, there was an alterior motive (I don't think she will mind me saying so), she also came to see Sam in San Jose who we also grew up with. Cool thing about it, he was actually her first kiss in the I won't say grade! I was there! How cool is that to be reconnected?! It was so much fun to see Sam a.k.a Sammy again too. I hadn't seen him since good 'ol CHS. (A whole 10 years, dang has it been that long?) I am a little upset with myself because I kept forgetting my camera everywhere we went. I did catch a few of the sunset at Asilomar Beach. We had a blast playing the Wii, seeing the aquarium, and touring Carmel.
Sam, Daisy, Lily, Sean, and Nikki

Can't go see the sunset without catching a few critters in the tide pools. Hermit crabs anyone?Lily took this next picture of Nikki and Sam. She kept calling them Tom and Mary because she currently watches an old Disney movie over and over called Babes in Toyland (a classic I used to watch as a kid) and the main characters are Tom and Mary.
Alright Nik, now you have an excuse to come and see us more often. Next time we are hitting IKEA!

Friends, Fondue, and French Cake

Happy New Year!!! We had a Fondue party at the Laflan's house this year. It is such a great way to mingle and eat and get full faster than you would at a regular meal. This allows more room later for the chocolate fondue!

Sarah, Me, Andi, and RochelThe boys played some Wii while we got things ready in the kitchen. We later laughed so hard as we all tried the Wii fit. Ski jumping, downhill skiing, head-butting soccer balls, and also a bowling tournament. Andi killed us all with her superior wrist action.

Next we did a French tradition that my mom adapted into our family during Christmas. Everyone cuts the cake until a charm is found. Whoever cuts into it is the King/Queen of the New Year.
This is serious stuff..concentrate!
My concentration failed me. Sarah and Tony ended up getting the charms. All hail the King and Queen of the New Year! :) Notice the massacred cake.

Then we rang in the New Year. Gotta love those confetti poppers! I am surprised they didn't wake up all the kids! We had fun pretending to party in New York after the ball dropped. I was so excited I almost swallowed my gum. (gotta have fresh breath for that kiss) Rochel and I (is it 1 in the morning already?).
With all the sparkling cider sprinkled with pop rocks and chocolate fondue we could have partied all night...well at least until 2 or 3, but alas we had to get our kids to their own beds.

More Aftermath

The day after Christmas the storm passed and left beautiful, fresh fallen snow.
More walks in the snow with Grandma Muffin Never know what you're gonna find in Grandpa's closet...Daisy agrees!

More intertubing and more face plants in the snow...brrr!Collecting icicles,
and making magic potions with them.
Snowboarding at Shirley Meadows

One of our funnest dates ever!This one needs some explaining...if you have seen Fiddler on the Roof you are familiar with the song Sunrise, Sunset. "Is this the little girl I carried...I don't remember growing older...now is this little girl a bride...soon the full circle will have come to pass...etc." It really is a beautiful song. Well my dad is becoming sentimental in his mature years and wanted my Grandpa to play this while we sang. Then, my mom had Lily come out in my veil. Anyway, it was a fun time and I couldn't pass up wearing my veil again.
Speaking of sunsets, on our way home there was a gorgeous one.
A wonderful way to end our Christmas holiday.