'Tis the Season...

...for getting SICK!!! I think we are back from our nearly week long stomach virus. I realized it's been a while since the last post, but Sean got sick Tues night and then each one of us caught it, so with all the sick laundry to do there hasn't been much time for blog posting. Kind of put a downer on all the fun activities we had planned last week, but now we're back!

Last night, despite the threat of downpour and all of us still recovering from our illness, we bravely took the kids out to downtown Kensington to see the same Santa that Caityn visited her first two Christmases. I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, Caityn wouldn't cry this year. We had been hyping up the whole tell Santa what you want thing. I kept asking her what she was going to ask for...a pink seatbelt car (powerwheels) that she had tested out at Toys R Us. I think she was more fascinated by the seatbelt than the fact that the car actually moved. Good thing she never did get a chance to ask for that because Santa is not bringing that this year. Although, someday I would like to get her a Powerwheels. I always wanted one as a kid too.

I didn't get a chance to take a picture with my own camera. They had a "professional" photographer there who charged a $10 sittting fee with Santa and they are supposed to email the photo to us. Haven't gotten the email yet, but I can tell you that the photo will look something like this:


and this:
times 2!!

Here is a photo I took looking at our neighbors very impressive light display on our walk back home in the sprinkles. Sean is always holding his blankie in his mouth like a dog!


Now, if the weather cooperates tonight, maybe we'll go see the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. I miss it every year and I really want to go see it! Also on our list of holiday to do traditions is going down to the local Home Depot parking lot and selecting a fine pine from the pile of dying dried out trees all tied up in twine. I can see my country-born friends cringing at the thought of such a city-born tradition.

Family Photos

Thanks to our good friend Amber of Life Art Photography, we were able to get some really good family photos taken last month. Here are a few of my favorites.

Christmas is coming...

...so I entered for a chance to win this great prize from Cinnamon Sticks. Christmas gifts for everyone!

Captain Danger!

Man...boys sure are different than girls! Sean is learning how to climb and get onto chairs, but he doesn't really know how to get down yet.

Captain Danger throws his head back to see if Mommy freaks out. Notice the table behind him is still intact.

Next, he stands up and sees what happens if he rocks the chair back and forth.

Well...this is how his adventure ends.

This is not the first this that has been damaged or broken since Sean came into the scene. Stay tuned for Captain Danger's next big adventure.

Click...Take a pic!

Ugh...I have that little song from Go Diego Go! in my head along with tons of other little songs. We watch way too much Dora and Diego these days. But here are the latest photos taken of my little couch potatoes. I'm excited I finally got photos of them together, and now Caityn has decided that she LIKES having her pictures taken.

Friday Flashback

As I start planning for our first trip to Disneyland with the kids in January, I'm remembering the last time I was there. It was December 2004 when my sisters and I had the rare opportunity to dine at the famous Club 33 in New Orleans Square. I didn't realize at the time what a special treat it was. I wish I had taken better pictures, but here is a glimpse into the exclusive restaurant if you've never had the chance to see it from the inside.

The unmarked door next to the Blue Bayou is the entrance. You ring a little doorbell and tell them your reservation name.

Kerry and Kelly inside the restaurant

Breean and I near the windows that overlook the main sidewalk near the lagoon.

Posing with Mickey and Pluto

The glamorous ladies room

Kerry checks out the fancy toilets

The last time I was at Disneyland I was so sick of the crowds and the heat (it was December!) that I swore I wouldn't go back until I had kids of my own. Well now that I DO have kids, I'm getting kind of excited to go back with them. Hopefully it won't be too crowded this time.

Tuesday Tow day

Coming home from my mom's house this afternoon I hit the curb on a weird slow-down turn thing in the middle of the road. (If you've driven down Corral Canyon you know what I'm talking about.) Instantly, I knew something was wrong with my tires. I pulled over to the side of the road to have a look, and for some reason, I only looked at the back tire. It looked all bent out of shape, but not flat. Luckily, I was only about 5 minutes from my mom's house, so she came down to help me watch the kids while I called for a tow truck. It wasn't until I got out of the car for a second time that I looked at the front tire and saw the horrible damage to the tire. I don't know I did this. I've driven through the curve zillions of times before. It may have been the over tired 2 year old complaining about her sticky fingers that distracted me from slowing down enough to make it through.


Thank goodness for the iPhone I was able to look up a towing company to come and change my flat tire. Yes, I do not know how to change a tire, and even if I did, I would still call someone to do it for me. That looks like a dirty, sweaty man job. I made it home on the spare, and now tomorrow I've got to go and get a new tire. Fun times :)

Sean found a toy car in Grandma's car to keep him busy.

Caityn didn't seem to mind missing her nap.