Zoo Camp

Zoe and Maddox were on Spring Break last week. We signed Zoe up for Zoo Camp last Friday! This is the only picture Francis was able to get when he dropped her off.  Her bff, Charlotte, is to her right  :)

Not the cleanest eater

Here adorable little Maddox all nice and clean after his bath.  Getting ready to eat dinner. He looks so happy and innocent, doesn't he? Little did I know what he had in store for me.

I turn around for 2 minutes ...

So ashamed...

I guess it's nothing a baby wipe (or 4) can't fix!

Shed Building

Mimene and Fanfan came down to Santa Barbara to visit last weekend.  Dad helped Francis build a shed while mom and I had lots of quality time with the kids.

Such a beautiful weekend!

Zoe had dance class on Saturday morning...

...she insisted at leading the class. Type A, anyone?

The men enjoying a breakfast of champions.

The men were hard at work while we played with the kids

Maddox sharing his milk with Fanfan

The moment these two realized that there were .. omg! ... POWER TOOLS!

Observing and taking notes...

Z helping out

Maddox's turn

It wasn't all work and no fun for Fanfan,- here he is having a little fun with his grand kids.

Playing hide and seek with Mimene

Trying to find Zoe...

Where could she possibly be..?

The finished product.

 Thanks again Mimene and Fanfan for coming down to help!!  We have more space in the studio now for you to enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

The Avila girls wish everyone a very happy St. Patrick's Day!  We celebrated by wearing green, doing a little shopping and having a play date with our neighbor, Siena. No green beer. Well ... not yet.

17 months!

Happy 17 month birthday, Maddox (7 days late)!

He loves to wipe his mouth with a napkin, play with Maya and is starting to talk more and more. He is much more cuddly than Zoe was  at this age and such a momma's boy. He loves to be outdoors and asks to go outside and on walks all the time. Don't let that smile fool you though, he can have a temper tantrum with the best of them.

Teeth: 7 with the latest addition having just come in last week! We can see and feel most of the rest so this month should be a ton of fun  ;)

Princess Day

Today was princess day at the zoo!  Zoe met her best friend Charlotte there - these two are inseparable and just too cute. Once we got there, Zoe decided that she had no desire to meet or take pictures with any of the princesses. Figures!  There's always next year  :)

A Day at the Park

It was really hot a couple of weeks ago so we decided to take the kids downtown to Alice Keck Park.  This is definitely one of the best parks in town. It has ducks, turtles and fun winding trails for the kids to explore.  I'm ready for warm weather again...

 

Why do both of my kids look like they are about to throw up in this picture?

My boys.

Birthday (60!) Weekend

Mom and Dad came down to SB mid February to celebrate Dad's 60th birthday.  I was really sick that weekend which was such a bummer but we still managed to have a great time.  The highlight of the weekend was dinner at Bouchon (sans kids) followed by an evening at The Painted Cabernet.

Painting is very serious business.

The final products!

This picture cracks me up.  I think they both need glasses. 

We took advantage of the great weather and spent a lot of time outdoors.  We went to the beach, took walks around the neighborhood, swung in the backyard and painted Zoe's birdhouse.

 

 Maddox loved reading his new book with Fanfan and Mimene.

 

And Zoe loved showing Fanfan how to get playdough everywhere. :)

 

Hairstyles

I am so incredibly behind on updates. Many to come soon....and, while you wait, here is a silly post of one of the ways I torture my son...

I figured if David Beckham can pull off a headband, so can this handsome guy.

This may or may not have happened after a glass of wine ;)