Madd Max Takes To The Page

 A note to the tooth fairy from Madd.

A note to the parents for Back to School night - please note the signature.

The Scrapper Is Like Dad

Shoes taken off upon arrival and lined up by the coffee table.

Big shoes, little shoes.

Slappy Gets Some Recognition

In the Planned Parenthood newsletter, where she got called out for her fine stamping skillz.

Madd Max Continues The Party Circuit

 With Taisie's 75th!!!

Celebrated with a game of Clue.

 And Sam's first attempt at homemade pizza - that dough was yummy.

Followed by birthday cake w/ one candle to grow on.

Madd Max Hits The Party Circuit

 First, Stella's birthday party, where you could take a surfing lesson - the kiddos declined.

Maddie instead used the time to build a wall around Trump.

Sand castles.  

This time Sam brought a trowel.

There was crazy wind on the beach (making it ridiculously chilly), so the kids sang to imagined candles.

Leaving the shivering behind, the fam headed to the Valley to the other extreme, where there were over 100 degree temps, for Jackson's birthday party.

This time, singing with candles.

Madd Max Has Just Another Summer Day

Swimming and noshing with friends.  The type of day Jess hopes the kids remember fondly as a summer well spent.

Madd Max Watches The Solar Eclipse

 Taisie had gotten the kids eclipse glasses way before they ran out because she is on top of it.

 She also came to school and took them out of class onto the front lawn at the peak of the eclipse.

Sam took his welding shield to work and made Jess this eclipse box for hers.  Pretty neat!

Madd Max Celebrate Caroline

With a BBQ pool party.

Happy Birthday, our big 3-year-old.

Another ridiculously insane, awesome cake by Marissa.

Madd Max Head To Ojai

For a parents only overnight.

Where Sam and Jess did a 15 mile bike ride down the Ojai Bike Trail from Ojai to Ventura, that started in trees like this.

Then fields like this.

Interlude of a cool bridge.

Then beach like this.

And boardwalk like this.

After being picked up by the bike shop, it was time for some wine and cheese around the pool.  Not bad at all.

Madd Max Makes Mango Ice Cream

What happens in the office break room when a Set Designer, aka Sam, brings in homemade ice cream and it needs assembly instructions.

Madd Max Has An After School Playdate

Where Phoenix and Max did the typical 8-year-old boy activity of playing a game of chess. 

And Maddie, Suzie and Ashley made small clay charms.

Madd Max Has A First Day Of School

3rd Grade and 4th Grade.  Sigh.

All weekend Max was nervous and Maddie was ready to go.  Morning of, they changed places.  Look who's super excited about his turn with Mrs. Boyle.

Madd Max Visits The Tide Pools

Of Corona Del Mar.

Crabs and tiny fish abound.

As do mini-cliffs to slip down, over and over again.

Madd Max Hits The Fun Zone

Bungee jumping.

Madd flipped on her first try, which was oddly harder then it looked.

Top of the ferris wheel.

View from the top of the ferris wheel.

The other half.

Madd Max Heads To Balboa Island

Walking the bay.

The quintessential banana split and root beer float.

Family selfie.

Sam teaches Maddie (and Jess) the beauty of the sudoko.

While Max crossword puzzles.

Slappy Plays New Dominoes

At Toby's, Maddie finds a new way to play with Dominos - build temporary furniture.

Madd Max Has A Last Summer Friday

A beach afternoon digging in Zuma.

Madd Max Is So Photogenic

How lucky are we?

Slappy Reviews The Summer

 It was "awesome."