Four's Paradise

Little Piano Man

2012-02-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

Jack started piano lessons a few weeks ago, and here he is at his lesson last week. Bob & I have been excited to get him started in lessons, so the piano in our living room is no longer just a decoration!. Right now, Jack is a whiz at finding 'middle C' and is practicing 'Twinkle 'Twinkle Little Star. He's also exploring all of the black keys with 'Kangaroo Hops' and 'Katie Kicks'.

When I watch him play, I can't help to think how good it is for his reading skills! He's not reading music just yet, but he has to track the notes across the page and play the corresponding numbered fingers. So, essentially, he is reading his numbers! It's so fun to watch him learn and grow!

Kids & Technology

2012-02-05T11:06:00.001-08:00

I spent one day last week at an iPad training because we are going to get new iPads to use in our special education preschool classes. During that training, we discussed what a powerful tool technology can be, even when working with young children. To illustrate, here's Luke doing what he loves-- playing on what he thinks is his "iPad" (really a Kindle Fire).

Buc to Mom

2012-01-30T05:37:00.000-08:00

Jack gave me this adorable picture when I picked him up from school recently. On the back it says, "Buc to Mom". :) Hope it brightens your day like it did mine!

Monster Jam!

2012-01-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

Bob took the boys to Monster Jam in Anaheim yesterday, thanks to our neighbor, Brian. He got us some tickets, so the boys loaded up and hit the road to go check out some big trucks! Bob said that Luke was in heaven and Jack said he loved the tricks!

Look closely and you'll see Jack!


Luke on a giant tire!

Behind the wheel!

Monster truck!

Big jump!

Big Bear Getaway

2012-01-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

We kicked off the last week of winter vacation with three nights away in Big Bear. We found a great little cabin named Abigail's Cottage, and enjoyed having a small taste of Winter!

Abigail's Cottage- Big Bear City

The boys were so excited when they went into the back yard and found some snow! It was a little frozen, but it was good enough or a snowball fight!

Luke likes it!


Snowball fight!

The next morning, we geared up to go skiing at Snow Summit. Jack was so excited to go to their Little Bear Ski School for his second try at skiing. It was a half-day lesson, and when we picked him up we were surprised to see him gliding gracefully down the hill and going up the beginner lift! Last year, he only made it up the "magic carpet"!

He looks the part!

Getting started-- on the blue team!

Here's Jack heading to the lift

Smooth!

Lunch time!

Here's a video to so you can check out his moves for yourself!

While we were skiing, Luke spent the day with Miss Toni at Precious Cargo Christian Childcare. He had fun playing with her son, Levi, and another little boy named Luke!

At Miss Toni's

Hanging in the cabin

On Saturday morning, we went to Big Bear Snow Play. It was CROWDED, but they have a really cool magic carpet lift that is enclosed and would be great on those really cold days!

The boys were so excited to go down the hill!

Hee! Hee! I have a snowball!

All smiles after coming down the hill!

Luke didn't really enjoy sledding-- I think the hill was a little too high. So, he pulled his tube all the way back and we went inside to the arcade. He had his eye on the video games the whole time!

Later that day, we went to the Big Bear Zoo in Moonridge. We had never been there before, and they had a variety of exhibits. Despite it being cold, we had a great time. The bears were really big up close, and we also loved the Timberwolves, Mountain Lions, Bald Eagles, and the Snowy Owl.

In front of the bear exhibit


Jack was being silly-- notice Luke's hat... He insisted on wearing his "skateboard hat" all weekend long!

After the zoo, we hit the Big Bear Fun Plex before dinner. Luke loved playing basketball and riding in this Hummer. Jack and I had fun playing some shooting game that we probably shouldn't have been playing! At the end, we cashed in our 215 tickets for some sidewalk chalk and fake lizards. LOL!

Christmas Day

2011-12-31T23:16:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from Christmas day! We had a great time opening all our gifts from Santa, friends, & family!

Opening gifts & searching in our stockings

Putting together the skateboard park

He finally got his growth chart! LOL

Tennis, anyone?

He skates!

It's Wiggles time! Luke got a microphone & a CD player!

Jack didn't get his iPad, but he did get a Kindle Fire to share with Luke & Daddy!

Christmas Fun!

2011-12-22T22:07:00.000-08:00


The boys with our family Christmas tree

We spent last Sunday at a very special Christmas party hosted by the Lovell family! There was a bounce house, cookies, and Santa even made an early stop to read a story and pass out a few gifts! I'm also happy to report that Luke actually GOT CLOSE to Santa and did not cry! Hooray!

I'm not quite sure what Jack's trying to tell Santa, but I did hear him say he doesn't like candy canes

Luke got close and told him he'd take two!

Listening to 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Santa's touching Luke and there are NO tears! :)

Here are some fun shots that I took when we picked out our Christmas tree at the Rancho Community Church Christmas tree lot. We used to go out to a real tree farm, but convenience called this year!

Luke doesn't seem too happy here


Hiding behind Frosty

Making sugar cookies with Mom

He's Five!

2011-12-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate your 5th birthday than a party at Pump It Up??? Jack spent a fun Friday night with 36 of his closest friends (yes, 36!) at his "Lights Out" party a week before his "real" birthday. This was intentional, as we wanted Cousins Avery & Sierra to be able to celebrate in his special day. Since it was an evening party, we had everyone dress in their pajamas. When his friends arrived, the lights were dimmed, guests were given a glow in the dark necklace, and the bouncing fun began!

JP, Aaron, Jack, & Hunter= trouble

Playing air hockey with Jack S.

Luke is really inside of all that gear!

One of my favorite pics from the night-- Luke is going in & one of the twins is coming out!


Party room!

Happy 5th Birthday, Jack!

If you look closely, he's so tired-- it was almost 10pm by the time we got home and he opened his gifts!

Here's Jack all smiles on the morning of his "real" birthday-- Friday, December 16th. He got to wear his #5 birthday shirt to school and opened his presents from Mom, Dad, & Luke. He got a shiny new red scooter, some checkerboard skateboard shoes, and a Ed Emberley Drawing Book and a Doodle Pad.

That night, he got to choose ANY restaurant for dinner. He chose his favorite-- Pizza Factory! All because they have an arcade with those silly tickets and prizes! It's fun to be 5!

I have some tickets! He cashed them in for a tiny finger skateboard!

We ended the night with our new tradition-- birthday Ding Dongs!

Cousin's Trip Part II- Sea World & Breakfast With Santa

2011-12-17T16:00:00.001-08:00

We took Avery & Sierra to Sea World and had a great time! It was all decorated for the holidays, plus we went on a Monday so there were NO lines! We had a fun checking out the new Turtle Reef, riding rides in the Bay of Play, and watching the Shamu show! We even got to see a real reindeer!

Jack & Avery at the entrance

Luke's first ride at the Bay of Play

Avery, Bobby, Sierra, & Jack on the ride that's sure to make you sick!

Luke & Avery taking a break

Shark teeth

This was neat- you could ask the diver questions about turtles and he would answer from a microphone under water!

The whole gang!

On Saturday, we attended the City of Temecula's Breakfast with Santa. It was the Saylor family's last day with us, so it was a great ending to a fun week.

We took up a whole table!

Funny pic!

My little boys

Luke really doesn't like Santa!

Decorating cookies in Santa's Workshop

And here are a few family pictures we took throughout the week:

Cousin's Trip Part I- Old Town & Early Christmas

2011-12-11T21:16:00.001-08:00

Last Friday, Aunt Katie and her family arrived from Massachusetts to spend a fun-filled week in California. We spent our first few days close to home, and took a day trip to the Old Town Root Beer Company!

Jack looked through this hole and said he could see the kitchen of the Swing Inn Cafe!

Swing Inn

Inside the Old Town Root Beer Company

It was so hard to choose a root beer or drink! I remember these from when I was a kid!

Hamming it up in a hat

Mmmm.. blueberry!

Trying them out

Cute pic by the wagon wheel

The parrot rescue let Avery land a parrot on her head!

Cute kids!

We also celebrated an early Christmas on Sunday. The kids spent the morning relaxing in their pajamas, and also making ornaments for our little tree.

Hanging out in their jammies

Making ornaments

Proud artists!

The whole gang getting ready for presents!

"This is how you do it..."

Playing Twister

Making pizzas with Sierra

Thanksgiving in Pictures

2011-12-01T05:54:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2011 was spent quietly at home with our two little Indians!

Smiling at the table

Trying to eat Jack's Fruit Loop necklace!

Cheeseburger!

Yummy spoon!

With Mommy

Papa carves the turkey

Playing games with Nana

Last Game

2011-11-13T21:03:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was Jack's last soccer game of the season. We had a great time and are so proud of the way he has grown as a player. Coach Sandy game him an award for his "Leadership-- being a take charge player". He was so funny when he received it, because he had to stand up on a bench in front of everyone to accept his trophy and his award. When his coach was speaking about him, he just nodded his head like, "Yeah, I know.". Bob was dying and I was trying so hard to video it. I am attaching a short clip so hopefully you can see!

He's all business

Going after it!

He's trying so hard!

Purple Panthers Line-Up

The two Jacks-- in action!

Halloween & Such

2011-11-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

We did our best to make Halloween fun, but unfortunately Jack and Luke were both sick. Jack had a fever, and Luke a terrible cold. It all started on Saturday after J's soccer game, and we had a neighborhood Halloween party that we attended that night. Jack was OK, but definitely not himself, and it was all downhill from there.

Headed to the Halloween Party

With Sophia & Ariana

Attention!

Our Bat Family

You can't tell an almost 5 year-old that he isn't going trick or treating, so we went out around our cul-de-sac and over one block. It was actually perfect, because our neighborhood was pretty busy and the boys got just enough candy to last them awhile without it being too much.

Right before we begin!

Our neighborhood pals--Sophia, Dallas, Hunter, Cameron, Jack, & Luke

I love this shot-- Into the night!

Bob & the neighbors were watching the Chargers game & passing out candy in the driveway!

Enjoying our treats!

I also hate to admit that we never "truly" went to a pumpkin patch together as a family this year. All of our weekends were jam-packed, but I did make it out to Peltzer's Pumpkin Patch one day with the boys when we were trying to meet up with Hiroki. At least we got a few pictures!

I always see this side of Luke-- he's fast!! :)

LA Adventure

2011-10-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you can live someplace for so long and never really explore all that it has to offer. That's why Bob and I decided to spend our 8th anniversary in Los Angeles. We've only been there mostly to fly out of LAX or meet friends every once in a while for a night out. We decided we wanted to take time to actually SEE the city, so what better way than a 32-mile bike tour? :)

We arrived on Friday and hit The Grove for lunch at The Farm, went to the famous Farmer's Market (AMAZING if you've never been), and saw an afternoon showing of Moneyball (ahhhh... Brad Pitt!). Afterward, we checked into The Garden Cottage, a lovely bed & breakfast near North Hollywood. It was all we could have asked for and more...

Our private terrace

That night, dinner at the romantic Little Door. Best. Scallops. Ever.....Bob spotted Ben MacKenzie from the OC. That's how my celebrity luck goes. :)

Saturday morning was the big bike tour. The information that the bike company sent said it was an average 2000 calorie burn and to eat a good breakfast. I usually eat something small like a Balance Bar, but that day I decided to eat full-on eggs, toast, fruit, yogurt, you name it. The bed & breakfast served a yummy meal and I ate it. Not a good idea.

It was off to Hollywood to meet up with our guide at the Bikes & Hikes office. Our guide was Alex, and we were also taking our tour with Ellie, from London, and Monsie, from Spain. I figured I was in good company with two other women in the group.

I look the part, right?

We leave the office and I'm out front. I'm enjoying the sunshine, talking to Alex, passing by Marilyn Monroe's home, and then we start up these hills. In Beverly Hills. I couldn't figure out if it was my bike's gears or me, but I was having a hard time. I didn't want to be the weak link, but then my breakfast wasn't settling so well. If you know me, I am pretty competitive. It killed me, but I had to stop. :(


Marilyn Monroe's house-- no idea why there are so many garage doors!

The good news is, I never got sick. I powered on, we took a break at Greystone Mansion, and I made it through the entire trip. I found out that I had muscles in my legs that I've never used. And that I'll never be a cyclist! :)

Greystone Mansion

At the Gardens at Greystone-- where Wedding Crashers was filmed!

I took this photo for Luke-- he loves turtles!

City view

The whole group-- Monsi, Alex, Me, Bob, & Ellie

Humphrey Bogart's house-- it was one of my favorites-- right across the street from Lucille Ball!

We made a pit stop at Whole Foods in Brentwood

Then, we biked to Santa Monica, and this is what it looked like when we got there


The canals in Venice-- who knew?

Official School Pics 2011

2011-10-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

My mom made me wear this. And she makes me go to school!

I don't really want to be here, either.

My Purple Panther

2011-10-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Jack look so grown up in his soccer picture?? Well, that's until you take notice on how big the ball is next to him! He is the cutest Purple Panther, ever!!!

Our "Big Brother" Hiroki!

2011-10-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting Hiroki, a student from Gunma Kokusai Academy in Japan. This is the second time we have hosted a Japanese student, and we were very pleased that Hiroki had great English skills. Before he arrived, I emailed him to let him know that it had been really hot and to bring his swimming trunks so he could use the pool. Wouldn't you know it, that the day he arrived it was the first cold and rainy day we've had in months! LOL

Hiroki's arrival!

Jack & Luke had Hiroki playing with their Army men as soon as he got to the house!

While he was here, he spent time at Great Oak High School getting to know more about American culture. We took him to Richie's Diner for a school fundraiser, he went to Jack's soccer practice, and we capped off our week with a day at Disneyland!


At Richie's Diner

Making S'mores in the backyard

Entering Disneyland

Letting Jack Drive!

Mickey Mouse led the parade!

Luke's Photo Shoot

2011-10-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at some of my favorite pictures from Luke's 2 year-old photo shoot! They were taken by Heather Anderson of Tendershootz Photography, and she did a great job capturing Luke's personality! The whole family even jumped in for a few! Enjoy!

Jack's First Award

2011-10-03T11:51:00.001-07:00

Jack earned his first award at school last week, for spelling 'September'. It was a little tricky for a 4 year-old, so we made a song/chant out of it. Now, he's already practicing 'October'! Way to go, Jack!

Apple Pickin' Time!

2011-10-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we headed to Julian after Jack's soccer game for the annual Apple Days celebration! It was our first time there during apple season, and we haven't been there since before the boys were born! We met Nana and Grandpa downtown and started the day with a yummy lunch at the Rong Branch Cafe. They had good food, and even better, cheap toys for the kids to play with. It's not every day that you find a 99-cent Spiderman!

After lunch, we headed to Menghini Winery for the Apple Days celebration. There were booths with antiquities, a bounce house, pie-eating contests, and of course, Apple Pie! The weather was warmer than expected, and we ended the day by picking a bag of Golden Delicious from Raven's Hill Orchard, right next door. It was a great way to spend the first day of October!

Lunch at Rong Branch Cafe, Julian, CA

Of course, this corn playland was the first thing they found!

This cute horse was for sale!

This was some sort of sophisticated apple-peeling machine

Luke loves his lemonade!

Two monkeys in a pumpkin patch!

This is what I was looking for!

Two boys can't walk past a tractor, even if it's old and rusty!

Apple Pickin' Time!

Looking for a good one!

...and he ran off into the sunset!

Birch Aquarium at La Jolla

2011-09-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

I took the boys to La Jolla this morning because they are part of research project at UCSD's School of Language and Development. I am dorky like that, I know! Anyhow, we finished quickly, so we set our sights on heading to the Birch Aquarium because it was super-close and we had never been there! I thought it would be slow on a Monday morning, but thanks to a number of school tours and groups it was a busy place to be!

Jack was the only one who would pose out front by the whales

Luke touches a sea cucumber

This is a toy octopus, of course!

"California Dreaming" of the beach below!

Learning about how water flows

Jack was excited to see the sharks!

Mountain Fun

2011-09-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

We spent Grandparent's Day in the desert having fun with Nana & Grandpa! On Sunday morning, we decided to trek up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to lose the 100 degree heat and check out the mountains. Honestly, it's probably been about ten years since I've been up there, and now there's a new rotating tram! Riding the tram made me a little nervous, but it didn't phase Jack & Luke a bit. We had a great time and there's nothing like that fresh mountain air! The boys had fun hiking around and exploring, but I couldn't tag along for long because I had only packed flip-flops! LOL

Jack was so funny with his "walking stick"!

I added this one for fun!! We also visited Toys R Us! :)

Soccer Starts!

2011-09-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's here! Another soccer season! But now that he's almost five, Jack is part of the Temecula Valley Soccer Association and has his own team-- The Purple Panthers! He is actually coached by a couple that we met last Fall in one of the city programs, and there are lots of familiar faces on his team. In fact, he has three teammates from his T-ball team, and one teammate from preschool!

So far, I'm enjoying the relaxed demeanor of the season (practice on Fridays, games on Saturdays) and watching the kids develop their skills. I'm trying to control myself on the sidelines (I hate to admit that I'm one of THOSE moms), and Bob and I have been dividing and conquering " the Luke situation". We have to keep an eye on Luke, or he will end up on a neighboring field playing a game all his own!

The Panthers line up

Coach Sandy gives them a pep talk before their first game

Ready!

That's Jack in the middle-- he's number 7

The two Jacks-- sweeper & striker!

Luke Goes to School!

2011-09-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

That's right, my big boy started school! He entered the two year-old program at Jack's school on Tuesday. The transition has been going pretty well--every day has been a little easier, and he gave me a break the first couple of days with no crying at drop-off! He was so cute yesterday because he got to take his new lunchbox, and he loves going to pick up his big brother after school. In fact, Jack keeps asking to go to the 2 year-old room because he wants to check it out!

All smiles before school-- don't you love their matching shirts??

Donuts & Motorcycles

2011-09-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

It's always a challenge trying to figure out what to do for the boys' birthdays. Luke's birthday is always a little easier, since he was born in late Summer and we can do an outdoor party. This year, I decided to combine two of his favorite things-- donuts and motorcycles!!

I decided upon a donut party because I knew I wanted to have the party in the morning. I didn't want to take the chance of having it be 100 degrees on the big day (which, by the way, it was!). I also came across a great deal on Zulilly of some felt party hats and banners fitting the motorcycle theme, and I used good ol' Google to help me find some pictures of donut cakes and towers. After a trip to the local donut shop, my plan was set!

Hanging on the trampoline before the party

Being silly with Bubba

Party room!

My yummy donut tower

Playing in the ball pit


I'm flying!


With Amber, Sarah, Zach, Abby, & Jack


Blowing out my candles!

Carly, Brock, Riley, Jack, & Tyson

Jack & Tyson
Playing with my cycle

This donut makes a great ramp

Time to take a swing at the pinata!
Jack's turn-- it finally broke when Hunter hit it!

With Nana

And Riley

My first skateboard-- from Big Hunter

A book about trucks!

After everyone left, we made a giant ramp out of boxes and gifts!

Our family on Luke's special day!

He's Two!

2011-09-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Luke turned two last Thursday! I'm happy to report that we only had to practice asking, "How old are you?" for one night and he quickly caught on to answering, "Two!". He is such a joyful boy and a barrel of fun! We celebrated on Thursday night by presenting him with his new Skuut Balance Bike and with our new tradition of having "Birthday Ding Dongs" for dessert. He is so funny with his new bike, as he hasn't quite figured out how to ride it, so he pushes it all around the neighborhood. He used to do that with his scooter, and it didn't take him long to start riding it!

Daddy had to lower the seat

Ready to go!

Some of Luke's neighborhood friends

Funny!

Time for birthday Ding Dongs!

New gifts!

Luke also went to the doctor on Friday for his two year check-up and is doing great. His height and weight are both in the 50th percentile, but his head is in the 75th. LOL, both of my boys have big heads! Anyhow, his pediatrician gave him the green light to start preschool (he begins on Tuesday) and he noticed Luke's fun demeanor as well. When he was checking Luke's reflexes, Luke said, "Funny!". Later on, our doctor commented, "This one has a sense of humor!"

We had a big party on Saturday, so check back for another post soon!

A Yee Farewell

2011-08-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Our family is sad-- our good friends, The Yees, are moving to Chicago. I love Chicago, but I hate how it keeps taking away our friends! First, The Millers, and now The Yees! I know they will be happy there, but it doesn't make things any easier. Plus, Ella is Jack's best friend-- REALLY-- and that is making everything more difficult. I am trying to remind myself that it will be a good opportunity for Jack to practice writing by being a pen-pal, or that this is just the push we need to get ourselves to Chicago to visit all of our friends, but as I gave Ella a little squeeze today it's hard to believe that they are leaving tomorrow.

Here's what I'll miss... swimming lessons with Ella, watching Owen toddle along as he takes a few steps, seeing the kids play together at Miss Jayme's, last-minute play dates, Vacation Bible School, Jack & Ella arguing about who is better at something, trick-or-treating each year, trading trashy magazines, and having yummy coffee drinks, sodas, or corn dogs with Jess.

Last playdate before the move

Friends

Ella shows Luke how his new birthday gift works

Swimming at the farewell BBQ

The boys
All of the girls

Del Mar Day

2011-08-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, we hadn't been to the beach all summer until Friday! We went down to Del Mar to meet some friends visiting from Arizona, and had a great time basking in the fine August day. Jack was super-excited to try out his new boogie board and Luke was happy to play in the sand and seaweed!

"It looks pretty fun out there, Luke."

Going out with Dad

Chasing his board

Chasing Daddy

Bob catches a wave

My mom tells me not to do this

Gotta run!

Hanging with my brother

Hanging with the seaweed

Dinner with Paul & Henry at En Fuego!

Luke's Scoot

2011-08-14T10:04:00.001-07:00

Luke can now ride a scooter! Not bad for an almost 2 year-old!! :)

YouTube Video

Nini No More!

2011-08-07T09:40:00.001-07:00

It's been a full week since Luke last used his "Nini"(pronounced nee-nee) or pacifier! He had only one left, and he had sucked on it so much it was starting to crack at the base. I was worried to death about it being a choking hazard, and I refused to buy more. So that was it, I cut the tip off and told him it was broken!

The first nap he took without it was a little rough, but honestly, since then he has been fine. Every so often he will ask for it, but I just remind him that it broke. He seems so big now!

When Jack stopped using his, I had a collection of photos to post because he always had that thing in his mouth! Luke never seemed to be quite as addicted, but here are a couple:

Playing Batcave with my nini

At the zoo with my nini

In Tahoe with my Nini

First Days

2011-08-04T21:23:00.001-07:00

It's that time again! I headed back to work on Tuesday, which means Jack & Luke headed off to school and the sitter's. Jack is excited because he is now in 'Advanced Pre-K'. Luke still goes to Miss Jayme's house and loves playing with all of the kids! Summer went by way too fast!

Luke loves Miss Jayme's daughter, Sara!

Miss Misa!

2011-08-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome time with our Japanese exchange student, Misa! Miss Misa (as Jack & Luke called her) spent the last two weeks of July with our family, courtesy of the California School of English. She was fairly busy during the week, attending English classes every morning at the school and getting a taste of American culture with afternoon activities. We had a fun time introducing her to the delicacy of S'mores and going to Sea World. We even had her friend, Natsuko, stay with us for three days while her host family was away! Misa & Natsuko loved playing with the boys, which reminds me that fun is universal!! All in all, a great cultural experience that I would highly recommend to any family!

Bob, Natsuko, Jack, & Misa having dinner in the backyard

Roasting marshmallows for s'mores! Misa's caught on fire and her and Natsuko couldn't stop laughing!

Yum!

Misa feeds the sea lions at Sea World

A group shot

Making traditional Japanese dinner with Jack

Yum again!

At the CSOE Sayonara Party

"Suko" and the boys

Dance fever!

The American Ambassadors

Tennis Camp

2011-07-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

When I asked Jack what he wanted to do this summer, he told me he wanted to learn how to play tennis. So, being the tech-savvy mom that I am, I Googled "Temecula Tennis Camp". Sure enough, there was one right out in wine country! Unfortunately, it said it was for ages 5 and up, but I emailed Coach Heidi and she said he could attend. Hooray! Jack has been going to tennis camp since late June and today was his last day. I am amazed that my boy has the hand/eye coordination to complete the drills, and he is even returning volleys! Last week, he was "Champion of the Court" (sort of like "Around the World"--tennis style)!

Today, I had the chance to participate alongside him and had a great time. It has been YEARS since I've played, but I'm thinking I might have to get myself a racket and practice with Jack. Maybe I'll even challenge Bob! LOL Anyhow, if you're looking for something fun to do with your kids, or want to pick up a racket yourself, I highly recommend Coach Heidi and temeculatennislessons.com

With Coach Heidi Betts on the first day

Tap, tap!

The foot course

Ham

Warming up with Mom

Playing his first match

The Whole Gang-- Moms included!

Lake Tahoe Vacation- Part 2!

2011-07-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the rest of our vacation pictures! I'm pretty sure Part 2 is larger than Part 1! There was so much fun to be had-- Bob & Jack went on a fishing charter, we took a cruise on the Tahoe Gal, spent some fun times in Truckee & Donner Lake, went roller skating, hit a golf tournament, plus much more! Enjoy!

Jack was "fishing" for minnows in this bucket during the trip!

Daddy & Jack with their catch!

Posing on the dock

After fishing, we went to play miniature golf at Magic Carpet in Tahoe City.

The next day, Jack went to Adventure Camp at the resort

And Luke made a stuffed raccoon!

We had a fun morning shopping & eating in downtown Truckee

And later, we went for a cruise on the Tahoe Gal

Luke & I were all smiles on the top deck!

What's Jack looking at??

Jack painted this dog at the ceramic shop in the village

Roller skates!

Luke couldn't skate, but he could sure push them around!

Jack's airborne!

We took a break from skating to roast some s'mores

Yum!
Luke called it a night!

The next morning, we went to Donner Lake

Throwing Rocks

Fun family shot

Before heading home, we went to the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament

Luke liked sitting on Bobby's shoulders

We took pictures with celebs (Coach Herm?)

I chatted with Javier Colon about Xenia

And Luke got "stickered"!
We drove half-way and then stopped in Independence, CA for the night

It was a fun little town!

I love this picture of Jack behind the motel

Bob's masterpiece

Ready to go back!

Lake Tahoe Vacation- Part 1

2011-07-16T15:46:00.001-07:00

My original aspirations of blogging from my phone while we were away fell a little short. Way too much fun, way too little time! We spent our days relaxing and exploring all that North Lake Tahoe had to offer! There are so many pictures, so I am going to share the pics in parts. Let's start with arriving at Northstar, golfing in Incline Village, and a day at King's Beach!

Luke being silly in the car

Posing outside of Jack's Restaurant in Bishop, CA

Exploring the Village at Northstar

On the balcony of our condo

Playing Baggo in the Village-- they had tetherball, too!

On our first day, we took the gondala up to the top of the mountain and watched the mountain bikers. Luke was in heaven watching all of the "geikels"!

When we came back down, this was the first thing Jack wanted to do!

The next day, we went golfing in Incline Village

Family Tee Time!

After dinner at Captain John's

Beach Day at King's Beach!

Uh-oh! I may have lost it... That water's COLD!

Brothers that play together...

With Mommy

My first time on a peddle boat!

The view from the water-- see our blue tent!

Jack met a new friend-- Lola!

What are they doing down there?

The ice cream truck came to the beach!
Luke got a Push-Up!

Funny Faces!

Hanging out in the Village

Scootin' Around!

A Short Hike

2011-07-11T23:46:00.001-07:00

Day 2 of vacation was spent hiking behind our resort...

We heard water so we thought we'd take a trek in the woods to find it!

On our way, this caterpillar got stuck to Daddy's shirt

Luke is a good little hiker!

We found the creek! Look to the right!!

After our hike, we went for a swim at the pool.

Jack & Dad hit the hot tub

Then, we played with the billiard balls on the pool table!

Jumping Jack- Tahoe Style

2011-07-11T23:34:00.001-07:00

I'm going to try my luck at blogging while we are on vacation from my phone. Would be great if I can get ahead of myself so I'm not so far behind when we return home!

Day 1 in Lake Tahoe was spent getting acquainted with our new digs, hanging at a pizza place in the village, and spending way too much money for Jack to jump on this bungey trampoline!! BUT, the smile on his face is priceless!!

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4th of July & Bicycles! Video Included!

2011-07-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

I'd love to say we had some magnificent plans for the 4th of July, but we really took it easy around home. Some highlights included: sweating our tails off at the annual parade in Old Town, cooling off in the pool diving for plastic fish, watching Jack ride his bike without training wheels for the VERY FIRST TIME (see video below), watching Luke scoot around the neighborhood on his trike, playing with party poppers, celebrating Jack's first ride at Yogurt Island, and watching the fireworks from our deck while the kids were asleep (well, Jack did come out to see a few)!

Corn on the cob on Sunday night

Daddy surprised us with ABC pancakes before the parade

Luke found a shady spot in Old Town

But, we had to move to get a good view

Kettle corn!

This tank was large & loud!

The Great Oak High School Drum Line

These little cheerleaders were cute!

"Hey, Mom! Did you see those girls?"

Cooling off at Yogurt Island

Trying out party poppers

Luke didn't care about the party poppers, he just wanted to ride Jack's Razor big wheel

Jack riding his bike for the first time-- please excuse my loud yelling and silly comments!

Luke had a few moves to share on his trike, too! He scoots around on this thing like a mad man!

Riding Tractors

2011-07-03T16:55:00.001-07:00

Ok, so they're really riding lawn mowers at Lowe's, but it sure made for cute pictures!!! Happy 4th of July!!

Swim, Swim!

2011-06-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from Jack & Ella's swimming lesson this week! Miss Maddy has been coming to the house a few times a week to work with the kids on their skills. Jack & Ella are becoming quite the little fish and are now learning how to breathe when swimming!

Listening to Miss Maddy

"What does she want us to do?"

While Jack & Ella swim, Luke & Owen play in a dry sandbox! LOL

Look at Ella float!

Being silly with Mommy after lessons!

Luke rides!

2011-06-16T12:29:00.001-07:00

Luke rides his trike in front of the house. He so wants to be a big boy!!!

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Self-Portrait

2011-06-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

Jack's first self-portrait!! He drew it this morning at Learning camp-- it makes my heart sing!!

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Filly Rays End of Season Party!

2011-06-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting Jack's baseball team's end of season party! Almost all of the Filly Rays came with their families, and we had a yard full of kids! We had a great time watching the kids play together, and it was ADORABLE watching them each get their trophy from their coaches. Fresh & Easy provided all of the food, as our team was one of five that won a free Fresh & Easy party for collecting receipts throughout the season. After the kids got their awards, we even capped off the day by everyone hopping in the pool!

The jumper was too big for the backyard!

Jump House Fun

Practicing for soccer season already!

Sienna & the cheese puffs

Coach told the team how proud he was of how much they've grown! When they started, most of them didn't know how to find 1st base!

Jack receives his first trophy

Thank you Fresh & Easy!

After pictures, everyone hit the pool!

Luke loves Riley-- here they are playing in the loft

Coach Erica made this great cake & cupcakes!

Temecula Berry Company

2011-05-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

We happened upon a new fun favorite around town-- The Temecula Berry Company! We spent Memorial Day picking blueberries straight from the vine, and the boys had such a good time! Bob used to go blueberry picking when he was a boy, so we thought we'd give it a try. Farmer Mike greeted us at the gate, and gave Jack specific directions on how he should ONLY PICK THE BLUE berries! We laughed out loud when Jack gave us a bucket full of red and green ones!

Luke was hilarious in his own right, as at first he just wanted to run up and down the aisles and get dirty. Once he figured out that those berries hanging on the vine could be EATEN, he decided to stuff himself silly right there. Every time he picked a berry, it went straight to his mouth. I even caught him eating a few off the ground-- YUCK! Anyhow, I am more than sure he ate a good pint right out in the farm, so I think we got a pretty good deal.

Four pints of blueberries later, we headed home for nap. And I made a blueberry cobbler!

Jack got the hang of it quickly

Once Luke figured out how to pick them...

and eat them,

Uh, oh! Caught red-handed!

All the boys pickin'

Farmer Jack

Farmer Luke

Miller Time!

2011-05-31T20:32:00.001-07:00

Our friends, The Millers, moved to Chicago in December and came back to visit a few weeks ago! A big group of us met up at the park with our kiddos for a giant play date! It's really difficult to get a decent picture of six kids, but here are a few:

(L-R) Luke, Ella, Luke, Jack, Sienna, Sophia

Just had to add this one so you can check out Luke's face!

Last Game of the Season!

2011-05-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots that Grandpa took at Jack's last game of the season! It was so fun to watch him and the other kids on his team grow with their skills--from not knowing where first base was to hitting off the pitch! Although it kept us incredibly busy and was hectic at times, I am so happy that we took the opportunity to be part of Temecula Youth Baseball this year! I would highly recommend it to any parent!

This position is called, "Baseball Ready"

"Hey, throw it to me!"

Getting ready to make contact

He runs with his tongue out!

Love this shot-- full of fun!

"Um, getting bored out here..."

Potty Ready?

2011-05-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Luke said this afternoon, "Mama, went potty". I replied, "You went potty?". He said, "Uh-huh". I checked his diaper and he was right! That's my boy at 20 months! We haven't even really tried to talk to him about going to the bathroom, but this is the first step! Good job, Luke! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T21:15:00.001-07:00

Here are the boys and I at Nana's house for Mother's Day! I was surprised in the morning with a beautiful yellow flowering plant and a gift card for a massage--can't wait! Bobby even went out to Starbucks to get me a skinny caramel macchiato, and made a stop at Wendy's donuts for a vanilla sprinkle donut-- YUM! Jack also made me the lovely blue flower brooch that I'm wearing in the photo, too!

Later that morning, we headed to Palm Springs to have an early dinner at Nana & Grandpa's house. We were a bit disappointed because although the temperature was great, it was quite windy. However, it didn't stop the boys from playing in the backyard:

These 3-D bubble glasses were a gift from Ed & Barbara!

Eating fudge sticks in the sunshine

Daddy & Nana

Happy Mother's Day, Nana!

Papa got some hugs in before we drove home in our pajamas!

Easter Fun

2011-05-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

We decided to have a "casual Easter" this year, with lots of food, friends, and FUN! We started the day at church, and Jack was such a big boy and went to Sunday School all by himself. Luke sat in the sanctuary with us, and made it almost all the way through the service! He loved the music, and we only spent the last ten minutes or so in the nursery. It was a gray, drizzly morning, so the all-church egg hunt had to be relocated inside, but the kids still had a ball. Luke was a little tricky because every time he found an egg, he wanted to open it and stop to eat whatever was inside. He didn't understand the idea of the more eggs you find, the more candy you will have. That boy is all about instant gratification!

After church, we hosted a potluck-style brunch at home for our friends and family. We had a smorgasbord of goodies, complete with a Honeycutt Farms ham! The kids also got to hunt for eggs again, and had lots of fun playing outside. All in all, a great day, and I would do "casual Easter" over "fancy Easter" again any time!

Coloring Easter Eggs

Our Easter baskets--we were so good that E.B. brought us two each!

Jack checks out the birds with his new binoculars

Luke only has one thing on his mind!

Our family pic

The kids' table

Getting ready for the hunt

Game on!

Jack & Ella looking cute

"Say cheese, Bubba!"

"All I really want is this candy, "
Our Easter Sweets Table

A Day in the Life of Luke

2011-05-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos our friend, Jen, took of Luke one afternoon while she was watching him. I love all the backyard shots, and it truly shows how busy our little guy is! Thank you for sharing, Jen! :)

I must be getting another tooth!

I've now mastered the slide!

All smiles on the swings!

Trying to work Jack's pitching machine

Do I have to go in???

Snack time!

Is there any dessert in here?

You've got mail!

I know I'm not supposed to do this...

Ready for nap!

Texas Trip

2011-04-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

In the back of my Uncle Danny's pickup

Bob & Jack took a trip to Texas a few weeks ago to visit Uncle Danny & Aunt Linda at their home in Dripping Springs. As it turns out, Dripping Springs has a big Founder's Day celebration every year where there's lots of fun, food, and BBQ! Nana and Grandpa have went the past few years and always rave about the good time, and this year the boys decided to tag along!

At a real, Texas baseball field!

Even though he missed a game at home, he was still practicing miles away!

Playing in the yard with Cousin Trevor

Getting ready for some BBQ!

At the parade

Some sort of bungy/sling shot contraption at the carnival

That's my baby flying through the air!

Yes, Daddy let him do this!

Livin'

Papa joins the fun

NY Pizza in Texas?

At the state capitol, in Austin

Bunk Beds!

2011-04-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Jack got his wish-- new bunk beds! Well, his wish is really for he & Luke to share a room (poor Luke can't tell us if he likes that idea or not), but since his toes were touching the end of his toddler bed we went on the search for the perfect bunk bed! We finally decided on a set that can be broken down into two twin beds (if Luke decides to tell us one day that he does NOT want to share a room with his brother!), and so far so good...

Luke was just happy to play with a big box!

Now, it's time to play on the bed-- but, no jumping!!

Funny Hats

2011-04-17T09:18:00.001-07:00

I took these at Target this morning and just had to be sure they made the blog!!

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Coffee Love

2011-04-07T13:05:00.001-07:00

Sorry if you already saw it on Facebook, but this is what I love to do with my boys in the morning-- hit Starbucks!! We get our pink birthday cake donuts, kid's hot chocolate, and iced apple juice-- yum! The best part is that Luke no longer has to sit in the stroller--he was a big boy today!!!

Don't we look like little men????

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Jack's Artwork

2011-04-05T19:29:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since I posted some of Jack's art, and since I publish our blog into a book every year, it's a good way to preserve some memories!!

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Arizona vs UConn

2011-03-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

Check out these pictures of the boys at the NCAA tournament! Ok, when I say 'the boys', I really mean Jack, Bobby, & Grandpa. Poor Luke had to stay home with me! Anyhow, everyone had a great time watching Arizona take on U Conn as one of the Elite Eight. It was unfortunate that they lost by two points in overtime...

One cute sidenote, Jack took his "Hello, Wilbur" book in hopes of getting Wilbur (Arizona's mascot) or Coach Lute Olsen to sign. Grandpa carried a Sharpie, but they had no luck. Oh well, maybe next time!

Popcorn with Papa

Warming Up

Watching hoops with my Dad

Baseball Carnival

2011-03-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Brock & Jack before team pictures

Here are a few pics that I wanted to share from the TYB baseball carnival! We had a fun day full of team pictures, bounce-house fun, snacks, and we even won a cake and a carnival basket! Jack got the cake after his very first "cake-walk" because they gave a prize for the best dancer. He didn't dance, he just walked so SLOWLY during the cake walk that they gave him a prize! LOL! He also won two 2-liter bottles of no-name soda pop at the ring toss! For some reason, I have no pics of those notable events, but here are a few others!

Brothers

I really don't know what the object of this was-- human rubberband??

This was cool-- air was pushing the ball up so you could practice hitting!

Luke's Basketball Love

2011-03-18T19:01:00.001-07:00

Luke loves basketball. Every day, without fail, he heads out to the patio to shoot some hoops. When we go to the park,

he stalks the people on the basketball courts. With the NCAA Tournament this week, he's Daddy's little sidekick. I will be completely surprised if this kid doesn't play someday.

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Jack's First T-ball Game

2011-03-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Jack had his first T-ball game of the season last Saturday! The Rays took on the Cardinals, and the game ended in a tie (all T-ball games end in a tie b/c they don't keep score!). His team looked great all decked out in their new uniforms, and Bob had a great time helping the kids on the field. I, on the other hand, kept quite busy chasing after Luke! :)

Jack's got his game face on

This is what Coach calls, "Baseball Ready"

While Jack played ball, Luke enjoyed petting Scout

Waiting in the dugout

Batter Up!

Listening to Dad

Here's what I saw most of the time!

Good game, guys!

When do I get to play???

Around The House

2011-03-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

What do we do around the house?? Bang on the piano, and build with blocks to name a few! Just thought I'd post a few random pictures that I've taken lately of my boys having some fun!

With a pic

2011-03-06T21:01:00.001-08:00

Let's see if I can post a fun pic from my phone, too!

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My New Phone

2011-03-06T20:59:00.001-08:00

I did it! Finally joined the rest of the world and got an I-Phone. How did I live without this thing??? Supposedly I can blog from it, so this is a test. If this works, I am even more in love....

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This Face!

2011-02-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

How could you not love this adorable cookie face?

T-ball Time!

2011-02-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

Jack's first day of T-ball was yesterday, and he is " officially"on the Rays. He thinks it's the Stingrays, so we'll leave it at that. LOL He was very excited-- we ordered him some cleats from Amazon. com, and Bob took him to Big 5 to get a new bat. Santa brought him his glove, so he was ready to go! Bob is going to help as an assistant coach to the team, so now you know where we'll be twice a week! I was like, "twice a week for 4 year-olds?" and then Bob reminded me that this is the big-time, baby. Temecula youth sports.

Warming Up-- Jack is 3rd from the right

Big throw!

Getting pointers from my dad at 3rd base

Snowy Days in Boston

2011-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

Paradise Family at Harvard University--rubbing John Harvard's foot for good luck!

It's been just over a week since we returned from eight fun-filled days in and around Boston. We went to see my sister-in-law, Katie, her husband, Cory, and our nieces, Avery & Sierra. We spent the first few nights in the city, checking out the sights. It's easier to tell the story in pictures, so see below:

Jack's first glimpse of the snow was at Boston's Logan airport. He threw snowballs at us!

The next morning, we went to Boston Common and there was more than enough snow to play!

Someone had already built this snow fort, so we decided to use it!

With the statue of Paul Revere-- Jack was pouting in the back b/c he wanted to throw more snowballs!

My three boys!

Every once in awhile I get a great picture, and this is one of my favorites of Jack. He was playing on some equipment near Frog's Pond. We really wanted to go ice skating, but once the boys saw the playground, that's all they wanted to do!

Luke had some fun, too!

Acting silly after dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe-- Luke loves to dance!

We rented an apartment, and here are Jack & Luke eating Pop-Tarts and playing dollhouse!

Here are the boys and I at Harvard University-- we thought we'd get them excited about college at a young age!

Jack's getting ready to go into his first Physics class

What a beautiful campus!

Huge Harvard gates!

Eating lollipops after lunch

After lunch, Jack & Daddy went to the USS Constitution Museum while Luke napped.

Posing with "Old Ironsides"

We ended up leaving Boston a night early because a big snowstorm was coming. So, the very next morning we woke up at Aunt Katie's house to this:

Lots of snow to shovel with Cousin Avery!

Luke & Daddy in the snow

"I need a break!"

Luke gets to go sledding in the driveway

Later that day, we beat the cold by going 'Candlestick' bowling with Cousins Sierra & Avery. We used tiny balls and the pins are set up a little differently than standard bowling.

While we were away, Jack even got to try his hand at skiing! We spent a day at Wachusettes Mountain with our family, and Jack & Avery took lessons at ski school!

Listening to our teacher (Avery is in blue)

Jack & Daddy go up the "Magic Carpet" (aka the bunny hill)

Here's the whole gang-- Aunt Katie, Uncle Cory, Ami, Bobby, Avery, & Jack

More snow play the next day with Cousin Alex

Our sweet Avery turns 5! Complete with a swimming party!

Luke's party hat

Fun Cousins-- Stacy, Jack, & Alex

Our last day-- another cousin photo, minus Sierra :(

Luke with his Godparents-- Aunt Jenna & Uncle Joey

Our attempt at getting the whole Paradise family! All in all, we had an AMAZING time! Jack even says he's a "Boston Boy" now!

My First Hockey Game

2011-01-11T23:03:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to go to my first hockey game last weekend! The Anaheim Ducks played the Columbus Blue Jackets and won by a landslide! The game was lots of fun-- we sat in the 3rd row and went with some of Bob's friends from work. I always knew that fighting was notorious in hockey, but I didn't realize that they actually ENCOURAGE it. Can't wait to go back sometime and take Jack-- I think he'd love it! Not the fighting part, but the hockey... LOL

Fight on the ice

Human hamster race-- I wish I could have been a contestant, the winner received a Mountain Dew prize pack! LOL

Me with the girls (Kathy & Kim)

Me with the boys (Jason, Bobby, & Darren)

Our Merry Little Christmas

2010-12-31T21:09:00.001-08:00

We celebrated our first Christmas in our new home! We started the holiday week out by making these adorable Santa cookies that I found on the Taste of Home website:

Jack was great at adding the mini-chocolate chip eyes and red hot mouth!

Our finished product

We also whipped up some of my favorite fudge, and Jack helped me make some peppermint bark. He wouldn't eat it, though, because he says that candy canes are "spicy"!

We had fun decorating our new house... We got out all of the old decorations, and Nana brought us a fun dishwasher cover and Santa hat valance, too!

Christmas Kitchen

On Christmas Eve, Jack said he couldn't sleep because he heard reindeer on the roof. In the morning, he awoke to find...

Our stockings were hung, but now they are full!

Loads of presents!

Santa even brought the boys their own new kitchen!

Luke's new wheels!

Doesn't every boy want a Spider-Man Battle Truck?

Caught in the kitchen!

A new baseball glove!

And Luke got his very own swing!

I'm sad that I never took a picture of our holiday table, but Omer joined us for dinner and then was gracious enough to take this family picture afterward:

It's impossible to get everyone looking at the same time!

The next morning, we decided to head to Old Town to try out the new ice skating rink in front of City Hall. We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't very busy, and Jack was very excited to try ice skating for the first time!

Finding his feet-- he was soon trying to skate on one foot and even did some little jumps (while hanging on to us, of course!)

Luke watched from the side and snuggled Nana

A posed pic on the ice

A family photo in front of the new Temecula City Hall

The boys got this 'Crazy Forts' set for Christmas, and it's really cool! We set it up and we ALL fit inside! Happy New Year!

Jack's 4th Birthday!

2010-12-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Jack's 4th birthday in style on Sunday with a party at Chuck E. Cheese. That's right, we hung out with the big mouse! The kids loved playing all the games and collecting tickets for little prizes, and Jack was just so happy to be four!

We've got tokens!

Racing cars with Braden

Smiling with Abby & Ella

The whole gang!

Blowing out the candles

With the Famous Chuck E. Cheese

Getting ready for the ticket blaster!

This was as close as Luke would come to the mouse

With our birthday boy

We opened presents at home--A new game!

Jack's "real" birthday was on Thursday, and we celebrated by having dinner at his favorite restaurant-- Noodles of the World! Before we went, he opened a gift from the Boyd family and insisted on wearing it to dinner...and the next day.... Needless to say, it was a hit!

Before

After!

In full costume at dinner

We're all smiles!

Luke stole Jack's headset

And Daddy did, too!

Deck the Halls

2010-12-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! We started decorating for Christmas last weekend, and things are coming along. I thought I'd share a few pics of the boys getting things in the holiday spirit!

What's with the pepper?

Hanging ornaments with Papa

Luke tried his first candy cane-- and liked it! Which is great, because Jack doesn't. More for Luke! :)

An annual tradition-- making a gingerbread house

Breakfast With Santa

2010-12-12T21:04:00.001-08:00

I know I blogged about it last year, but the City of Temecula's annual Breakfast With Santa is seriously the best deal around! You get a fully-served breakfast, goody bag, free pictures with Santa, and cookie decorating for cheap! Enjoy our pics, and make sure to sign up and join us next year!Closing his eyes and wishing for Santa to appear...

Here he is! Posing with our family!

Decorating cookies with Daddy

Yum!

Let the Move Begin!

2010-12-03T22:28:00.001-08:00

We did it! Our home closed today and we are going to start our move tomorrow! Here is a picture of us out front right after we got our keys!

And here's a picture of the boys playing in their new "park"! :)

Thanksgiving Time

2010-11-28T08:25:00.001-08:00

What am I thankful for?? Bob, Jack, and Luke have shown me this year more than ever that the people in our life are the most important. Needless to say, sitting in our packed up home, and being ready to move with no idea of when it will happen put quite a damper on our Thanksgiving plans. We thought we'd be in our beautiful new home by now! Our family and friends have stepped up to help out, offer a dinner, lend a hand or listening ear, and for that I am thankful. For each and every one of you...

The moving mess aside, we kicked off our Thanksgiving Break with the ARES Turkey Trot on Saturday, November 20th. The weather was soggy, but we had a great time! There was a large turn-out, yummy pancake breakfast, and a fun raffle (we even won two prizes!). Jack impressed us by actually walking and running the entire thing-- we didn't have to pick him up once! He was super-competitive with everyone and kept saying, "Mom, let's beat that girl (or boy)." He even had a friendly competition going with Mr. Belcher!

A soggy race

Could he get any cuter?

Nothing like pancakes with Daddy & Papa!

Family photo (Luke had to stay home b/c of the rain)

On Wednesday, Jack had a Thanksgiving Feast at school. He and his classmates shared in the joy of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. He also made this politically incorrect Indian headband:

We spent Thanksgiving Day with my boss, Christy, and her family. Thankfully, they were willing to take us in since we are all packed up. We had a great time, good food, and the kids had lots of fun playing together.

On Friday, we just couldn't hang out in our empty house any longer, so we jumped in the car and headed down to the San Diego Zoo. We had so much fun checking out the exhibits, and for whatever reason, got to see many animals at feeding time. This trip, my favorites were the koalas (who are usually sleeping, but were ADORABLE as they were eating), and the cheetah with its companion dog. It's not every day that you see someone walking a CHEETAH on a leash! Luke was adorable, as he was walking/climbing/running everywhere!

Dad with the big python

The boys watching an otter

The cutest little bugs!

I love this mouse!

Luke on a mission

Cute koala

Cute boys

Little Navigator

This cheetah and its companion dog, Bear, were just sitting on the sidewalk. The zookeepers took them out of their exhibit, walked them up the street, and here they sat. It was pretty cool!

The Cow Says Moo!

2010-11-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

Watch this cute video of Bob teaching Luke how to imitate a cow! :)

Furlough Friday Fun

2010-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

I had yesterday off as a furlough day, so the boys and I hit Child's Play! Luke is so fun to watch explore and he had a smile that you just couldn't wipe off! His first experience on the trampoline was priceless! Jack loved showing Luke how to do things and shared all of his "tricks"!

Jack joins the special forces

Luke jumps!

The one shot I got of the boys together

Ok, this picture wasn't from Friday, but it was too cute not to post! Luke LOVES this parking garage!