The Thrill of the Hike

This morning we decided to go for a little hike at our favorite spot, Torrey Pines State Reserve. It was a beautiful day and the kids had fun running the entire 2/3 mile loop. They stopped often to look for dinosaur bones, stare at the cactus, and spot whale out in the water. Their joy for nature brings out the enthusiasm in all of us and reminds us that we should go hiking more often.

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. The kids must have been on Santa's nice list because they both got gifts from him. Paige received her KaiLan doll and Princess Jasmine costume and Nick got a big Tonka dump truck and a Buzz Lightyear. We enjoyed spending time with both sides of the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We have also been hanging out at home playing with our new toys and games. There's nothing like sitting in your pajamas all day with a cup of coffee and a fire roaring in the background.

My Somewhat Successful Holiday Photo Shoot

I had the brilliant idea to do the holiday photos myself this year. We picked a fine Saturday morning, dressed the kids up in their Christmas outfits, and took them down to Balboa Park. Little did I know there would be several other families taking their annual photos there, and with their professional photographers in tow making me question my choice. Paige was willing and ready to pose for me. She'd smile, play around, and do whatever I asked from her. Nick, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the entire situation. So, about two-thirds of my photos are of just Paige which made it tough to find a shot for the Christmas card; however I'm happy the picture I did pick for the card displays Nick's poutiness which will forever remind me of that day.

Pancake Breakfast

December has been flying by, but all for good reason. Last week all of us came down with colds, except for Brian (lucky guy) and the weekend was jam-packed with activities. A holiday party for Brian's work, pancake breakfast at Brian's work, Christmas tree decorating, and lots of rain to boot. The pancake breakfast that Brian's work puts on is a highlight of our holidays. They have an awesome Santa there, so you don't have to fight the crowds at the mall, cookie decorating, craft tables, face painting, and not to mention the mouth-watering pancakes, eggs, bacon, and my morning must-have...coffee. The key to entry is to bring an unwrapped toy per guest that go to needy kids in our area. Perfect. Paige is super into getting her face painted these days and was very happy to show it off for the camera.

Pillow Talk

For years, Nemo has been taking off the decorative pillows from the family room couch when we are not home. I'm always scolding him as soon as I walk in the door because, most certainly, he'll be cozied up to it, snoring away. It didn't dawn on me until recently that maybe I should buy him his own (tacky, inexpensive) decorative pillow. But, I wasn't sure, would he destroy it? Would he continue to steal the pillows from the couch? Looks like it's not going to be a problem. Here he is, cozied up to it, snoring away.

Tree Lighting

Legoland had a nice little ceremony for the lighting of their giant Lego Christmas tree. I thought it'd be fun to check it out since they were also going to have some entertainment, fireworks, and fake snow. And, I really wanted to see Tori Spelling who was supposed to flip the switch. Unfortunately Tori Spelling cancelled due to illness, so when they announced that an actor from Mad Men was coming out, I just about wanted to faint thinking Jon Hamm was going to strut on stage. Instead, it was Rich Sommer who plays Harry Crane, and seems like a nice enough man. Ali Landry was there as well. The best part of all was seeing Paige light up when the big jolly man himself came out to greet us. As he was leaving, she ran up and gave him a huge hug. Now, all she can talk about is how she wants to ride in his sleigh. Try making excuses on why that will never happen.

Rainy Day Saturday

The Rain Gods finally spoke and blessed us with some much needed rain over the weekend. We even got a little hail at our house. Paige was thrilled to be able to put her umbrella, coat, and galoshes to good use. Too bad it was a quick storm, we definitely could use more around here.

Thanksgiving

Brian and I enjoy hosting Thanksgiving at our house and this year was no exception. It was a beautiful Southern California day and everyone was in great spirits. Brian did an amazing job with the giant bird we got. There was plenty of moist, juicy turkey for everyone. Our family was very generous by each bringing a side dish made with love. I swear food tastes different when heart and soul is put in it, or maybe it's just all the wine I had beforehand.

And, finally a recent picture of me with my parents and my brother. I think the last one taken of just the four of us was on our wedding day.

I Did It!

Today was Nick's last day of gym class. When we arrived, he was so happy to be there, he ran around the place like he was a pro in his own mind. He clearly ended his gym experience on a positive note even though he started out shy and a little bit reluctant to try some new things. The video really captures his enthusiasm and joy. I wasn't planning on signing up for the next session which starts in January, but I'm rethinking after today.

Game Night

Paige is getting to the age where we can really start having fun with board games. We've been trying to play a family game each night after dinner and it's been so fun. She loves Candyland, probably because she wins every time. She's got some luck on her side. We've also played Memory, Old Maid, and Cinderella. Nick likes to watch and if we aren't watching him closely enough, he likes to swipe game pieces. All this game play gets me looking forward to my favorite games as a kid: Life, Monopoly, Stratego. My brother and I used to play for hours. Side note: This recent picture of Brian shows off his new smile. He's still dealing with a bit of swelling, but is very happy to be eating regular food again. I think he's eagerly awaiting Thanksgiving more than anyone I know.

Fallen

Fall is in full swing and I have been completely taken over by the household chores, gearing up for Thanksgiving, and shopping for the holidays. I don't like leaving anything to the last minute, it gets me way too wacky. I believe in being prepared and ready for anything. We are hosting Thanksgiving again this year which we absolutely love to do, but with that means the house needs to be in tip-top shape. I also love making little placecards and scouring new recipes. I've also started my Christmas shopping. It started last week when I went with Brian to a conference he was attending in Indian Wells. The kids stayed with my parents and I was able to get started on my shopping. I was amazed with how much I accomplished with two days to myself. So, my oh-so-long to-do list has left me with little time to post anything new here, but I'll be back to it soon. Until then, gobble, gobble.

Big Boy Bed

After weeks and weeks of struggling with getting Nick to nap, we caved and got him his big boy bed. Crawling out of his crib is no longer an exciting thing to do. I really thought we'd be able to keep him in his crib until about three, but here we are. Nick has a case of being child number two and, to him, he wants to do everything sooner than Paige did. So, the crib is sitting in our garage awaiting our nephew's arrival in March. That's very exciting news for us, we're going to be an aunt, uncle, and big cousins! We cannot wait! Look how peacefully he's sleeping in his new bed. If only he were an angel like that all the time...

Turning Four

As Paige turns four, I've been reflecting on how much of a little girl she has become. No more toddler sizes, sippy cups, or tricycles. She's moving on up faster than I ever thought possible. She loves all things sparkly, bright, and fun. She dreams up games for all of us to play. I think Brian might actually start to believe he is Prince Phillip soon and I, Maleficent. For a quiet, somewhat shy girl, dancing and swimming bring out the best in her. Sitting on her bed with a pile of books and stuffed animals bring her comfort, but a hug makes everything better. Paige's affection warms up all of us and we are so blessed to have her as daughter. We gave her a purple bicycle for her birthday and she has been riding around the cul-de-sac. It's a little big for her, but know that she'll grow into it sooner than later. I asked her what she liked most about being four and her response was, "I run faster."

Halloween & A Birthday Too

Paige's birthday falling on Halloween lends itself to a pretty easily planned birthday party. We had a few friends and our family come over to play some games, eat some cake, and have some fun. The weather cooperated beautifully. It was a gorgeous day! But, best of all, Paige enjoyed her day from start to finish and is still beaming about turning four.

Lily won the "Who can wrap their parent like a mummy the fastest" game.Cinderella ties in nicely with Halloween given the pumpkin factor and all. Going out trick-or-treating was great especially for Paige. I think she practically ran the entire loop of the neighborhood and at one point asked if I'd hold her bag of candy because it was getting, "so heavy!"

Cupcakes at School

We took cupcakes to Paige's school today to celebrate her fourth birthday. It was so fun seeing her in her element as her schoolmade crown glittered with the number four. She loved having all her school friends sing to her and felt proud sitting next to her little brother. Paige shares the same birthday with a boy in her class. He brought in rice krispie treats for everyone. After cupcakes and krispie treats, do you think they'll eat lunch today?

Botanical Gardens

This was our first time visiting the Quail Botanical Gardens. I wish we had visited sooner, what a great place to walk around with the kids. We only explored about a third of it, so we'll be planning a trip to return soon. I also would like to take part in some of the kids' activities they provide during the week. Paige had most fun walking through the tree house and kids' area. And, Nick enjoyed the freedom of running around in a safe environment.

Operation Cinderella Costume

Over the weekend, we went to Legoland's Brick or Treat Party. They do all sorts of Halloween activities and we had fun walking around, in the fog (courtesy of Mother Nature), with Peter, Nicole, and Terry. Paige was all too excited to wear her Cinderella costume for the first time. Yes, the dress is finished! Although I did buy the fabric, sewed the bodice and lining, and parts of the skirt, the true work of the dress was done by my mother-in-law, Cathy. The fabric was really difficult to work with and we had tons of bumps along the way: needles breaking, thread breaking, wrong tension. Cathy was bound and determined to get this dress finished in time for all of our festivities. Paige beamed when she got to put it on. She twirled and twirled in front of the mirror in our bedroom. So, thank you Cathy for making an awesome and beautiful princess gown...you're a true fairy godmother! As a bonus for me, I got back into sewing and am excited about tackling some easier projects. I plan to take better pictures of the dress come Halloween.As for Nick, he won't have anything to do with wearing his Knight costume. He just yells, "No costume, no costume!" Hopefully, he'll learn that no costume will also mean no candy come Halloween night.

The three amigos pose in a giant pumpkin made of legos. So cool!

Picking Pumpkins

Besides the 90° weather out in Valley Center today, we had a very good morning picking pumpkins at Bates Nut Farm. Going on a Friday was a little bit different, no bbqs, tons of field trips, and to Paige's disappoint the jumpers were not inflated (I'm assuming because of the field trips). So, next year we'll probably head out on the weekend again. We did, however, enjoy the petting zoo and climbing all over the big macs. And although Brian isn't feeling a hundred percent yet, he did troop it out. Cathy joined us and bought this hilarious wax moustache for Nick to wear. He wanted nothing to do with it, but Paige didn't mind getting goofy.

Playing with a View

Brian is working from home this week, getting more rest from his jaw surgery which occurred almost two weeks ago now. He's doing very well. The swelling has come down quite a bit and he's able to speak more clearly. He's on a soft diet, but has a great sense of humor about it. Today he joked, "Well I can't decide if I want a burrito for lunch, or broccoli cheese soup...I'll go with the soup." It's kind of hard to know when's he's kidding because he can't smile very well yet. At least, he's still got a good chuckle.

We went to get a little bit of fresh air this morning and took the kids to Powerhouse Park. They had a great time climbing, swinging, and cheering on the trains. This has got to be one of the best parks with a view in our neighborhood.

Princess on Ice

Paige and I went to Disney Princess on Ice yesterday. Paige and her friend dressed as Sleeping Beauty and I'm glad they did because just about every girl in the audience was gussied up. Paige said her favorite was "Cinderella, and the stepsisters ripped her dress...I liked that part." The ice skating was very good and all the songs were the originals from the movies. Even Mickey and Minnie were there. All in all, a very entertaining show. And spending some girl time with Paige was the icing on the cake.

Tumbles

Nick had his second day of Tumbles class. Today was definitely better than last week when he acted so shy around the young teachers. I told them that this was all for show, and trust me, this kid is not shy. He loves hanging on the rings and jumping on the trampolines, but his absolute favorite is the colorful parachute. He has no qualms about running underneath it or sitting on top. I love having my one-on-one time with him while Paige is in school and I think he does too. Several times throughout the class, he would stop what he was doing just to run to me for a big hug. Now that's happiness.

Birthday at the Beach

My parents rented out a cabin at Camp Del Mar in Camp Pendleton for Nick's birthday weekend. It was the perfect place to have a relaxing celebration. Coincidentally, it was also the 67th anniversary of the assault amphibious vehicle battalion, which was my dad's crew while in the Marines. They drove in several tanks that morning and had them out for everyone to visit. The kids and the adults had a good time checking them all out. For the little boy who loves huge trucks, Nick was in heaven! There was no shortage of sand activities, playing in the water, and bonfires. Unfortunately, Nick was also stung by a bee, but he handled it like a trooper. We cannot wait to go back and spend more time there. Please visit our photos.

Nick's 2nd Birthday

I Two!

Nick turned two over the weekend and we couldn't have been more excited to celebrate. He has been singing the Happy Birthday song for weeks, so he was thrilled to hear it sung to him by all his family and friends. Nick has brought so much fun to our household. He loves to be goofy and to make everyone laugh. He adores Paige and misses her when she's at school. He runs to Brian every evening when he comes home from work. He always seems to know when I need a hug. He really knows how to make us feel special. He loves pretending to be a monster and runs around saying, "I gonna get you!" Thomas the Train has become one of his favorite shows and things to play. As soon as we're in the car, he makes a request for "If You're Happy and You Know It". One thing's for sure, Nick has a zest for all things fun.

At 2 1/2 months.One Year Old

Now Two, Oh how you've grown!

Three Little Birds

My mom asked me if I would make a few cards for her to send to her aunts in Costa Rica. I immediately said yes because a) I love making cards and b) I would walk across hot coals for my great aunts. I knew right away that I wanted to use my three little birds image (now should pop in a Bob Marley song). They are so fun to color and can be used for many occasions. This was my first time using chipboard which I found both fun and tedious. Seriously, I need to cut around these tiny corners? I'm happy with the way they turned out, and if I can bring a little smile to mis tias then my job is done. Then being my frugal self, I used the rest of my paper to create these scrapbook pages for our trip to Dallas. We joined Brian on a business trip in the spring of 2007, so that Paige and I could visit my cousin Sharon, her husband, Todd, and their sweetie pie, Isabella. They had a blast playing with each other and we're so excited that they are visiting us this weekend, yay! We're also going to be meeting Gabriela who is only one month younger than Nick. I can't wait to see what those two will get into.

We are about to celebrate Nick's second birthday. I look forward to posting pictures from our birthday weekend at the beach.