A Very Schatzel Visit!

We were so lucky to get to host my sis and her 3 babes for a week full of fun in the California sun!  We loved having them here.  We rented a huge, black Suburban for their visit, and we drove that bad boy around all over town.  We went to 3 different beaches, spent a day and evening at the Santa Monica Pier, went out to eat, did yoga at the beach, walked to the park, went for ice cream, played Ticket to Ride, watched Finding Nemo and the Chipmunks, went to a friend's swimming pool, had some backyard play time, went to a toy store, and drove to Long Beach to see Lo's friend and hit up the Aquarium of the Pacific (pics of that day in later post).  Although Jess was absent for most of the week working long hours in Hollywood and spent 3 days shooting in San Diego, he was able to stay with the kids while Lo and I had an epic sister date at Piccolo off the boardwalk.  It was Dine LA week, so we got a good deal on a 4 course fancy Italian dinner and delicious wine.  It was so nice to talk one on one with my sis…it has been forever! 

B got all dolled up and was so excited to greet her cousins when they arrived by taxi from the airport! 

She was yelling at all the cars driving by to "Slow down!"  

Yay!  There was lots of couch time, movie time and cartoon time. 

It was so hot the week they were here, but the schatzels were troopers…even though we don't have AC.  they were always sprawled in a different position of the house when they slept.  sometimes on the futon, sometimes on the floor, sometimes on the couch and one time in bed with me. It even rained all day one day while they were here…which is so weird!  It was the most it has rained in over a year.  

They ate their meals around B's little table.  so cute. 

walking to the park

Arcade games, junk food, booth games, and an epic ferris wheel ride! 

The boys won a ton of stuffed animals at the booths and even gave G and B the my little ponies they won =) 

The boys wanted to jump in the ocean so bad but it was cold and the sun was going down!  They were eager to hit the waves…we finally convinced them that we had all week to jump in the water. 

Lo and the boys went to play more carnival games while the girls and I relaxed on the sand and waited for the Pier concert to start.  

Sunset football game while we listened to the tunes. 

Friday morning was yoga on the beach in Playa Del Rey.  We hit up one of my fave breakfast/juice bar spots, Señor G's, before.  Delicious!  The kids played so good while Lo and I got to do an hour of yoga with my prenatal yoga instructor.  We stuck around after class for more beach fun.  

The held hands the whole way to the car! 

We had a late afternoon ice cream treat after rest time (we had to have rest time every day…for this prego and the kids! most everyone would end of sleeping for up to 3 hours…we must have been having fun!)

these 2 cuties took a couple of baths together.  They played so cute the whole week.  They chased each other and giggled and joked.  B was telling the boys to "go away!" by the end of the week, but she wanted to play with G the whole time! 

Cousin movie pallet! 

This was the night Jess baby sat all 4 kids so Lo and I could go on our sister date.  We came home to Des asleep like this on the couch! 

This was the day before they left…a day in Long Beach.  More aquarium pics later!  

We of course did not get a cute pic of the whole crew, but we were going and blowing the whole time and just trying to keep up with 4 crazy kids =)  I wish these cousins lived closer…they love each other so much!  We cannot wait until our Farm trip in September to reunite!