Hungry Hungry Hippos

Xander is really liking this game:

3am

I think I need to use the potty
-Xander, 3am in the morning after having been asleep for quite a while with no prompting from us.

Gingerbread

Saturday night a few friends came over and we built a gingerbread house. There's more pictures over at flickr. Also, at one point Xander was dancing the Funky Oven (he cam e up with name on his own). Here's video:


At this point I'm asking for limits on the Christmas cookies that are made since I've already got a tummy ache from the gingerbread and there's still a week and a half to go to Christmas.

Holiday Parade

Last night we took the kids to the holiday parade downtown. We had planned on getting dinner after the parade which was a mistake since the parade was a two hours long -- not the thirty minutes we had expected -- so dinner ended up being at 8:30 instead of 7. And that was after we cut thing short by walking three blocks up State street so that Xander could see Santa at the end of the parade. Xander had a good time; he claims that his favorite part was the giant gingerbread man balloon but based on he's been making us parade around the house as he plays his candy-cane balloon as a horn this morning I'd say that he liked the marching bands better. At least he hasn't asked me to float around the house like a giant gingerbread man balloon yet.

Caught on Film

Tonight we caught the elusive Quinn rollover on film. She rolled over three times: the first we missed as she waited for us to be looking away (as usual), the second she actually did in front of us, and by the time she did the third rollover I had the camera out. Unfortunately she was not as happy the third time she pulled it off as she was the other two times; it seemed like she was getting frustrated about not being able to get Fuzzy Bee and Friends in her mouth as easily as she does when she's on her back.

First Halloween Casualty

This guy didn't make it to Halloween but we've got some replacements lined up. More pictures at Flickr.

Pumpkin Patch!

We hit up the pumpkin patch today and Xander was gutsy enough to try the Maize Maze this time. More pictures available at Flickr.

sick day

When you are resting up so you can go camping (even though you have a cold) it is best to do so WITH your plastic lawnmower.

Xander's playdate

Xander and Donovan partied hard on Friday afternoon.

sleepy Quinn

The kids this morning...

Gram Babs in baby heaven

19 days to go!

I am feeling very large and very uncomfortable.  This week I weighed in at 156 and feel every extra ounce on my legs and back.  I sleep with 3-5 extra pillows — all insulating and making me sweat.  Plus I wake up about 3 times a night to pee.  Needless to say, I am excited for her to finally be here.  Perhaps having a newborn will be easier than the last couple weeks.  At least I won't feel like I am dragging a medicine ball on my belt.

Xander has had too great quotes of late:

"Mommy needs to poop baby sister out like a big poop."

"When baby sister comes I want to catch her."

Not quite sure where he has gotten those ideas since we haven't really explained the process to him much.

Memorial Day in Temecula

Just a few highlights from our Memorial Day trip to Temecula.

Xander did some trike riding and if you watch the video long enough you can see him pedal all by himself for about 10 seconds.


Tera also rode the trike with entertaining results:


I headed up to Hurkey Creek, which is in the San Jacinto mountains near Idyllwild, on saturday to do some mountain biking. I had been hearing great things about the trails up there and they lived up to their reputation. It was about an hour's drive but totally worth it.



We also had dinner with Hank and Donna on Sunday night which was nice. Other than that we just hung out. Xander's movie for this tip was WallE which he watched five times.

Sunday with Sophie

First we tortured her by going to the Farmer's Market for a really long time.

But then we went to the park to fly kites.

It wasn't very windy so after a while she lost interest and came over the the blanket with me, to "read". She "read" out loud making up a story based on the picture on the front of the book and she kept shushing me when I laughed.

Rope Swing

At the JustServe retreat, 4-30-09.

The great-grandkids.

Of course, no one is looking in the same direction... but at least they are all accounted for!

Funny pictures from Easter.

Here are Shelby and Xander in their respective chocolate stupors.

and through the tulip fields!

More Deception Pass

More Deception Pass

Camping at Deception Pass

This is the most magical place to go camping. I want to bring Xander here to throw rocks on the beach. There's also trails in the woods full of mosses and lichens and liverworts and sedums and mushrooms and little fairy orchids.

Great Weekend!

We partied HARD. Sunday morning, there was snow! And the Hoglesbally's ate a lot of donuts.