Happy Valentine's Day!

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New York City Trip

Richard has had to travel to New York many times over the past year, so naturally New York has been a frequent topic of discussion at our house. Connor wants to read about it all the time, look at pictures, and watch shows set in New York. He has been dying to go there! So, we were able to arrange to take him at the end of one of Richard's business trips. My parents took care of Abby for us. Since I would be on my own some of the time, especially traveling in a big city, we decided this would be the best plan. It was extremely cold there also, and there is no way Abby would have liked that! It was really nice for her to have her grandparents all to herself! (A big thank you mom and dad! She had so much fun! Melanie also for the playdate!) I really enjoyed spending some good quality alone time with Connor. I can't believe he is about to start school, so it was so nice just to be with him! We had a blast on our trip! We were only there a few days but we saw so much and it was so much fun!

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Christmas Round-up

We had a great holiday season this year filled with lots of fun activities with friends and family!

It has become a tradition to go to the city tree lighting with our friends Christina, Darren, Ryan, and Matt. Connor loves Ryan and they have so much fun together! Here are some pictures of them climbing the fire trucks at the tree lighting. And yes, Abby brought a wand to the event. This particular wand she calls her "bippity boppity boo" wand. It is hilarious when she twirls the wand and says, "Bippity, boppity, boo!"

We went to church with Grandma and Grandpa.

What would Christmas be without torturing yourself and your children trying to capture the perfect picture in front of the Christmas tree? Actually, this year was fun. The kids were very silly and cute. (We bribed them with a treat of course!)




Another tradition we have is to go to the "Santa Train" with our friends Melanie, Ryan, Makena, and Brody. The kids always have so much fun riding the train to go see Santa. This year it rained so much and we were all so busy, we couldn't do until really late into December. Unfortunately, the same thing happened to everyone else. It was packed! But, we had a great time despite the freezing cold temperature. (OK, not freezing cold compared to places where it actually snows. But to us it was Arctic conditions!) As you can see from the picture, Abby is still a Santa fan in theory, but likes to admire him from a far! There were so many cute pictures, I made a slide show if you want to see more of them.

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My friend Lisa has a cookie decorating and craft party every year which is always a blast. The kids just love decorating cookies with their friends and doing fun holiday crafts. Check out how much stuff they piled on their cookies!

We also decorate cookies as a family every year. We have been doing it at Grandma's house with our cousins the last couple of years which has made it even more fun! Abby of course chose to frost her cookies with pink frosting. She was so excited about the pink sprinkles!

Christmas Musical Munchkins Shows

This year both Connor and Abby performed in a Christmas show as part of their Musical Munchkins class. They both did a great job and were super cute!

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Mommy Ornament Day at Preschool

I got to go to preschool with Connor during Christmas time for a very special day. We went to all of the different classrooms and made Christmas ornaments and projects together. We had a great time together. Connor really loves art projects so this was like a dream come true...Mommy all to himself doing art projects! It was so much fun!

Connor's Preschool Christmas Play

Connor was in the cutest Christmas play ever at his preschool. The kids got to choose their parts and he chose to be a star. He was so adorable in his puffy star costume. When he came out on stage, my heart just melted! He was so cute waddling on stage in his costume. The stars sang "This Little Light of Mine" into microphones. Connor was so loud and he was so adorable. You could even hear him giggle during the song. He was so excited and proud. He was especially glad that Grandma and Grandpa came. It was a really special night!

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving this year! We celebrated at home and my mom and I cooked together. It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious. We have so much to be thankful for but most of all for our family and wonderful friends!

Tickle Your Funny Bone

I need to update my blog. I need to update my blog. Well, here is the best I can do for now...some hilarity from our house...

We recently went to Disneyland with some friends. Connor and Abby were excited to go to the Tiki room for the first time. We sat down and Abby proceeded to take off her shoes and put her feet on my lap. She laughed and said, "Tickle me! Tickle me!" Apparently, she thought it was the "Tickle Room"! When the Hawaiian drum music started, Connor got up and danced all around, showcasing the dance skills he picked up in Hawaii!

I was recently shopping with Abby at the mall and heard "Dress You Up." I was shopping singing along a little. When the song was over, Abby kept asking me to sing the dress up song again. She thought it was about her favorite thing to play...dressing up! Not sure Madonna was singing about Princess dresses.

On Thanksgiving, Richard asked the kids what we would be eating for dinner. Abby happily responded "Pick up Stix!" Which is Chinese food...I'm sure that is just what the Pilgrims ate!

In the car recently, Connor and I were talking about Christmas...what he wanted...what he thought Santa should bring him. Then Connor said, "I wonder what we will get in our socks?" Abby, who had her shoes off, reached way down into to her socks and exclaimed, "It's my foot!"

When I was putting Abby to bed the other night, I asked her what she thought I should get for Christmas. I said, "How about a sweater?" She said, "No, that's silly!" I said, "How about some things for the kitchen?" She said, "No, that's silly!" So I asked her what I should ask for and she said "Princesses!" Oh, of course! Silly Mommy!

Trick or Treat!

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Happy Fall

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Holding Hands

I know I need to post the rest of the Hawaii pictures and I promise I will soon. I just had to share this quick story. This morning Abby decided to wear her ice cream dress. She loves dresses and basically wants to wear one everyday. She was very excited about her outfit. Then we got in the car to take Connor to preschool. He looked at her and said, "Abby you look so beautiful today! I want to hold your hand!" Then my two sweet babies held hands across their car seats. It was such a precious moment!

Aloha! First Day in Hawaii

The hotel has penguins and a turtle and koi pond. Connor and Abby had so much fun watching them feed the penguins. Then the kids got to pet a Penguin and feed the turtles and koi.

Connor tried to touch the fish!
The Beach and Lagoon

In the Swimming Pool
Dinner at Dukes

Leaving on Jet Plane!

After many months of anticipation, we finally left for Hawaii! Abby and Connor were so excited about the new rolling suitcases we got them. (In fact for the week before we left, they played vacation. They packed their suitcases with random stuff. then they rolled them all over the house. Then they would jump up on a chair or sofa and pretend it was a bus, train, or plane. Connor would pretend to load the "luggage" and then they were off. It was all very cute!) We did pretty well on the plane but it was a long trip. Abby got antsy but we made it! We are in Hawaii! Yeah!

Richard's Birthday

Connor and Abby were so ecstatic to celebrate Rich's birthday this year! They were so excited to help me pick out plates and napkins and cake making supplies. Connor was about to explode with excitement over the gift he picked out for Daddy (an automatic golf putt return contraption). Thanks to my parents, I was able to take Rich golfing with his new golf clubs. (Yes, I went golfing and it was fun and Rich said I did way better than he thought I would!) We had a lot of fun together! The kids and I also decorated a birthday sign for Rich and we made a cake. Ok, so I admit there is no future for me in cake making! But it was fun. We all went to Islands for dinner and came home for cake (which tasted yummy!). It was a happy birthday!

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Abby and Connor's Special Days

Recently, Rich and I each took one child and had a special day with them. Rich took Connor to the driving range to hit golf balls. Connor has been obsessed with golf recently ever since we took him to play miniature golf. (He really wants his own set of golf clubs and a bag!) They had a ton of fun hitting golf balls. Rich said that Connor kept wanting to go get their balls after they hit them and Rich explained that a machine would do that later. Of course, he told me all about the machine when he got home. Then, Rich and Connor went to an Angel's game together which of course they loved! (Sorry there are no pictures of Connor and Daddy's day. I had the camera!) I took Abby to Disneyland and we had a day all about Princesses! We met the Princesses and danced at the Princess fair. We also rode some of Abby's favorite rides (teacups, carousel, Alice in Wonderland...). Then we had lunch at Ariel's Grotto. We met Ariel when we came into the restaurant and then four Princesses visited us at our table while we ate. Abby was so excited! After lunch we went to the Aladdin show which was amazing. It was like going to actual theater! Then we watched the parade which has all of the princesses. Abby wore her Belle dress and red sparkly shoes from Grandma all day! She was so excited! It was a very special day!

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The Fourth of July

We had so much fun on the Fourth of July this year. We invited my family over and some friends to swim and barbeque. We also watched fireworks up on our balcony which has an amazing view. We can see all around the valley which means we could see fireworks being set off in several different cities. The kids were so excited! The only downer to the whole day was Connor was a bit under the weather. Luckily, he felt good enough to participate in most of the celebration. This is the second fourth of July he has been sick in his 4 year life. What gives?

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Grandma and Grandpa Whitlow Visit cont.

We had so much fun when Grandma and Grandpa visited. For their Anniversary, we went to eat at the Mission Inn. Connor and Abby were very excited to get dressed up and go out for a special night! Connor was dying to take Grandma and Grandpa to Disneyland, so of course we went. It was a great day! Abby was thrilled because we saw so many princesses, Ann and I were joking that "There were Princesses on a boat, Princesses on a float. There were Princesses at a Fair. There were Princesses everywhere!" We stayed late to see Fantasmic and it was amazing. I thought Connor might be a little scared but he loved it! He was just amazed! Halfway through he turned around and said very excitedly, "I am going to have to tell Makena about this!" It was very cute! Of course we also had a great time just hanging out and talking and playing (and eating way too much yummy food!). We spent a ton of time in the pool which was so much fun! It was just a perfect visit...except for the part when they left!

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A Day for the Boys

One day while Grandma and Grandpa Whitlow were vising us, Connor got to go to a Dodgers game with both of his grandpas and his Daddy. It was a special day and a lot of fun! Connor loved the game and of course enjoyed eating peanuts and all of the other junk food! What did the girls do? We went shopping of course!

2 Grandmas and 2 Papas

This post is titled "2 Grandmas and 2 Papas" because Abby kept saying that over and over when we went to my parent's house for dinner with all the grandparents. It was so cute because she kept counting them and she seemed very excited to find out there were two of each! Uncle Gary, Aunt Jessica, Gage, and Caitlin were there too, so it was a lot of fun. We ate outside under my parents new gazebo and the food was great of course. Connor thought the gazebo was really cool. The kids had fun playing with everyone. We all enjoyed the red velvet cupcakes again and Caitlin taught Abby the proper way to lick the icing off of the top. It was a great night!

Richard and his Mom

This is just a cute picture of Rich and his mom. We wish we could see his parents more often!

Grandma Ann's Red Velvet Cupcakes

The whole house was a flutter when Grandma Ann made her "famous" red velvet cupcakes. Of course the kids helped and really enjoyed testing the batter. Uncle Gary, Aunt Jessica, Gage, and Caitlin also stopped by and were able to enjoy the cupcake excitement!

Grandma and Grandpa Whitlow Visit

Grandma and Grandpa Whitlow came to visit us this summer and boy were we excited! Connor and Abby were so excited to pick them up at the Airport. Connor made a sign and he had me help him write "Welcome to Corona." It was really cute. Abby also made a "sign" which was very colorful. We were so happy to see them!

A Surprise in the Pool (A Good One..sort of...)

One day we woke up and found a family of ducks swimming in our pool. It was very cute and the kids were of course very excited. The little babies just swam along behind Mommy duck all around the pool. Abby and Connor were highly entertained. Obviously, we could not have a family of ducks live in our pool permanently, much to the disappointment of Connor and Abby. (Yes, kids we spent all that money on a pond for some ducks NOT in fact a pool for humans!) Well, Mommy duck could climb out but the babies could not get over the lip of the pool. I tried to help them but I got a lot of loud quacking from Mommy Duck and then she fluttered off. Then I thought, great now I not only have a very expensive duck pond in my backyard but I am now going to have to raise six baby ducks! Well, when I went back in the house Mommy reappeared. I ended up putting a bit of styrofoam we had out there, like a ramp. It worked! And that is how I rescued a family of ducks, saved a swimming pool, and trampled on the hopes of a 4 year old and 2 year old that were sure a family of ducks would make great pets!

Father's Day

For Father's Day we went to an Angel's Game and we all had a great time. Connor and his Daddy love baseball! It is their "special thing." Connor loves to watch a little bit of a baseball game with his daddy every night just before bed. It is really cute. So, it was a perfect thing to do for Father's Day.

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Abby's Birthday

Abby's birthday was a great day! In the morning she had her Musical Munchkins class with Ms. Cindy. She absolutely loves this class. She was very excited to show Ms. Cindy her birthday dress and her new shoes. She even had to check out her ensemble in the classroom mirror! After class, we met Makena, Brody, and Melanie at this super fun kids place called Kidzoo. It is basically an indoor playground with all sorts of bouncy houses and slides for the toddler set, Little Tikes play houses and cars, a train table, dress up area, ball pit...basically a kid's heaven. The kids had so much fun!!! After our naps, Connor and Abby had swim school. Then we opened presents. Abby was so excited about every present. She had to keep her hands on the previous gift as she opened the next gift. When she opened the present with the dress up clothes, we of course had to dress up right away! Finally, we all watched the Little Mermaid (still in dress up clothes of course!). Abby was so excited! When the mermaids came on she said, "There they are! Mermaids." And when Ariel came on she said, "There she is! Ariel!" She had all of her Ariel dolls right there and she was just so cute! It was a perfect 2nd birthday!

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The Magic Kingdom of Invisible Germs

Ok Disneyland was awesome! When I look at this picture I think of just a perfect day. However, I also think of invisible, horrible germs. Look at those smiling, happy faces! Who knew just 36 hours later Abby and Makena would come down with a horrible illness, followed shortly by Connor...and then me!!!! High fevers, throwing up, fun times! What do you think Mel, does that just about sum it up?

Abby and The Magic Kingdom

Our passes were not good on Abby's actual birthday, so we went to Disneyland the day before. Melanie, Ryan, Makena, and Brody went as well. (It was actually a double celebration as Melanie and Abby have the same birthday! How cool is that?) We had such a great time! Abby really loved all of the princesses! Of course she can name all of them and she is so excited every time she sees them. She LOVED the Princess Fair (show). I brought clothes for Abby and Connor to dress up at the Princess Fair and that was very exciting for both of them! Actually, I had a hard time getting Abby's outfit off. She wore the skirt around with her regular shirt and on top of her jeans for quite awhile. That got a few stares... Anyway, the look on Abby's face when those princesses walked out on stage was priceless! She was so excited! It was a wonderful day and we were glad to share it with such great friends!

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Pirates and Mermaids

For Connor and Abby's birthdays this year we had one giant Pirate and Mermaid Princess Party. It was so much fun. Everyone dressed up and it was a blast!

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Love at First Sight

When Abby's tutu came in the mail she would not take it off. It was love at first sight! She had to put it on right away, over her brown outfit. (Believe me I tried to convince her that I needed to change her shirt!) Then she needed to accessorize...a crown and yes, her Dora slippers. Now there is an ensemble! In the last picture I had stripped her of said glorious ensemble so that she could eat her dinner of spaghetti (Yes spaghetti of course! The messiest dinner ever...) She kept putting the tutu back on!

Santa Barbara Zoo

On our last day in Santa Barabara we met up with our good friends Jim, Sara, and Colin Peters. We had so much fun at our lunch at the harbor and then at the zoo. It was so great to spend the day with them!

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Santa Barbara Trip Continued...

After our naps, we walked down to the beach. I had this great idea that I would dress Abby in her pretty white dress (over her bathing suit) and try to get a few pictures. Well, I got a few and then she fell in the water and I fell in after her. (Not deep water, just enough to soak us both!) Of course those were the only clothes I had brought to the beach, so I had to walk back to the hotel to get us some clothes! The kids stayed at the beach and played with daddy and I got a good workout (while soaking wet)! Connor just loves the water. He has so much fun running in the waves. Abby loves the beach as well, so they had a great time. After playing at the beach, we walked down to a wonderful park across from the ocean. We rode the carousel and played on all of the neat play structures. The main structure was shaped like a boat and there was a giant clam, a lighthouse, and a little mission. It was a ton of fun. After the park, we walked down to the pier. Connor was so fascinated with the pier. He thought it was so cool how it went out over the water. We ate dinner at a restaurant on the pier. Connor was very impressed with the peanuts served in giant barrels and took many trips to get more peanuts. Even better, he could just throw his scraps on the floor! Wow, this was a concept he could get on board with! He also enjoyed plaing "Mr. Clam Man" with Dadd'y clam shells. Boy, those clams had a lot to say! We had a great time as there were many families eating at the restaurant and Connor of course met them all! We sang "Happy Birthday" Even Abby! It is on of her favorite songs!) and dessert was really delicious. The kids were exhausted when we got back to our room. A train ride, the beach, the park, a pier, peanuts, an ice cream cookie...it was a perfect birthday for Connor!

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Santa Barbara Train Trip

On Connor's actual birthday, we took the train up to Santa Barbara and stayed the night. Connor and Abby were so excited to ride the train! (As everyone knows Connor LOVES trains!) It was so nice because we could all sit there and talk and play rather than being locked in the car. The train was packed because of the Venture Strawberry festival. I am sure it is fun, but were surprised how many people went to the festival! We were lucky because we had 4 seats facing each other so we had a great time! Connor of course loved going to the "snack car" and looking out of the window. He thought the tunnels were really cool! The kids were very tired after the train ride (we left early in the morning). Connor fell asleep at the restaurant we went to for lunch and Abby followed suit quickly there after. So the first thing we did after we checked in was take a nap!

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Connor's Birthday Dinner

We let Connor open his birthday presents from us on the night before his birthday because we were taking him on a special trip the next day. His present was too big to take with us! Connor was so excited when he came in the door and saw the huge package. Of course he was thrilled to open his presents! He was very happy to receive the "roller coaster" toy that he has been dreaming about. He has been asking everyone to get it for him for his birthday. It was always #1 when anyone asked what he wanted for his birthday. So he is very pleased. Connor and Abby had a great time playing with it!

Disneyland with Grandma

My mom and I took Connor and Abby to Disneyland for Connor's special birthday trip. Connor was so excited to wear his little Happy Birthday Disneyland badge. (In fact he was so excited he had to wear it to preschool the next day.) We had so much fun riding the trains, carousel, Alice in Wonderland, tea cups, Winnie the Pooh, and Pirates of the Carribean. Connor and Abby were excited to meet Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore. Abby would not pose for the pictures because she was too busy hugging them. She was basically glued to them in a great big hug! We also went to the Mickey Mouse Clubhuose show which Connor and Abby love! It was great day!

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Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day this year. Connor was so excited to give me the picture frame he had made for me at Daddy night at preschool. He was so proud to give me his picture frame. It was so cute! Richard took us to breakfast and later we had my mom and dad and Gary and Jessica over to our house. I made a roast and we had a great time eating, talking, and just hanging out. Then Grandpa and Grandma got in the pool with us and it was so much. Connor and Abby were so excited to get in the pool! The water was so perfect! It was such a nice Mother's Day because we got to spend such nice quality time as a family!

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Untold Stories

Ok, so I often think of posts I want to write as I go through my day. I store all of these ideas in my head because I can never go post these little anecdotes immediately because my blog is never up to date. So here are a few:

Recently Connor was sick and he came into our bed in the middle of the night. As he was laying next to me cuddling, Rich snored really loudly and Connor said in a concerned voice, "Daddy just made a strange noise!"

Abby loves to get in the pool! She gets so excited when we get ready and does her happy "Yay, yay, yay!" dance. Then she says, "Yay! Bathingsoup!" (Bathingsoup means bathing suit.)

Connor has this big floaty for the pool shaped like an alligator. He asked me to blow it up the other day. After it was blown up, he was playing with it in the house while I got Abby ready. Pretty soon I heard "du, du, du, du...du, du, du, du" (Jaws music) as a big inflatable alligator headed my way. It was so funny! Connor has never seen the movie obviously but I guess I have done it enough that he caught on.

Abby LOVES the color pink. She also loves to shop. When we go to the grocery store (or any store), she walks down the aisles (she NEVER wants to be in the cart) and shops. She brings me everything that is pink. Pink lotion, pink laundry detergent, and yes that's right pink boxes of tampons. As she hands them to me she says very excitedly..."Abby's!"

Air Show

We went with Grandpa and Grandma to an Air Show. Connor was so excited! We had to go by the mall in the morning and he told everyone that he was going to the Air Show. Abby and Connor had a great time exploring all the different airplanes and helicopters. They also enjoyed frozen lemonade. Abby was adorable sharing her lemonade with Grandpa. The best part was watching the Thunderbirds fly and do all of their tricks. It was just like I was 5 again. My mom and dad took me to air shows all of the time when I was a kid (my dad organized them when we lived in Iowa). The Thunderbirds were my favorite! It was awesome that my parents got to go with my kids. Abby and Connor were so excited that they were there. It was a great day! (Except that we parked in like Siberia and had to walk forever to get to the flight line and forever to get back to the car!!!!!! But it was worth it!)

Blog Loser

Aaaaaaahhhhh! I can not keep this thing up to date! I really do try but...do you really want excuses? I will try harder. I promise. However, dear reader, you should know I have also promised to exercise regularly, eat less desserts, keep my house cleaner, keep the laundry from piling up to the point that I have to spend a whole day washing clothes, put my makeup on BEFORE I leave the house instead of really quickly in the car...etc. But I am happy to report that I am doing great at the thing that matters the most...spending wonderful, quality time with Connor and Abby (Richard too!). There will be plenty of time to be great at everything else when they are grown!

The Beach

I love the beach! Why oh why when I live so close to the beach do I rarely go? (Ok...Mealnie and I have a pact...we will go a ton this summer!) When my dear friend Melanie's parents were visiting recently, they rented a condo in Solano beach. And because Melanie is such a wonderful friend, she invited us to go down with her to spend a day at the beach. It was the best beach day ever! The beach was so beautiful! We parked ourselves in this little cove and it felt like we were on our own private beach! Makena and Connor had so much fun running and screaming through the waves. Abby was tired at first and it was so funny because she laid herself down on our mat to have a little rest. Then she played in the sand and water too. Melanie's dad met us down at the beach and we went for a little walk to some tide pools. We saw some cool sea urchins and Makena and Connor played in the waves with Melanie's dad. Abby jumped around in the waves too. It was so nice because when we were done, we were able to go back to the condo, clean up, watch a gorgeous sunset, and eat before driving home. It was a perfect day!

Oh yeah...I forgot to mention all the dolphins we saw swimming a little way out. And speaking of sea life...Solano beach is also the beach where the man was recently killed by a (cue the music) great white shark! Yes, he was killed shortly after we were there. (If you remember when this happened you will realize how terribly behind I am in posting!) So, kind of scary. But really the kids were only on the shore, safe I'm sure. However, I know this event will be running through my mind everytime we go to the beach...which as I mentioned is not often enough!

Photos of Beach wildlife:

This is a pod of dolphins.

This is the dog that Abby met and fell in love with at the beach. She loves dogs!

Two beachlovers in their natural habitat!

Easter

We went to church on Easter and then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had a fabulous time! My Uncle Dale and Aunt Jo were there as well, and it was great to visit with them. The kids had a great time playing in the backyard and hunting Easter Eggs. Sorry some of the pictures are blurry. Someone touched the lens with sticky fingers!

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Dying Eggs

Here we are ready to dye Easter Eggs. Connor and Abby were so excited! But first Connor needed to give Abby a kiss!

Here we are coloring the eggs which is very serious work! Abby was very excited to make (you guessed it) PINK eggs! Then Abby added Princess stickers to her eggs. She pressed so hard that she kept cracking the eggs. I guess she wanted to make sure they stuck. She covered every inch of those eggs in Princess stickers. Connor used stickers that made the eggs into different vehicles (police car, bus, fire truck, and ambulance). He thought it was really cool because the eggs rested on these plastic wheels that made them roll like little cars. Very fun! While I was busy helping in the "auto shop", Abby preceded to remove all of the Princess stickers. Go figure!

Easter Egg Hunt

This year we went to an Easter Egg Hunt at Connor's preschool. Connor was very excited because Makena was there of course and we brought his good friend Ryan! Connor was a man on a mission at the hunt. Please notice how his shirt is already filthy in these pictures. I am not sure how he managed that, but it is not too surprising. This is why he is not wearing his dressy clothes at this hunt. However, Mommy did want him to wear actual shoes. He insisted on his Crocs! I relented with the agreement that on Easter we would wear our nice shoes. Well, seeing as Connor had on Crocs, guess who else thought she needed hers? Yes, Abby thought her pink Crocs would look just perfect with her beautiful Easter dress. (Which is so funny because at home she was twirling and showing off her fancy shoes!) Obviously, Mommy did not give in to that! Abby was really excited about the hunt but she had a very different strategy. Once she found her first egg and realized there was candy inside, her priority became convincing mom and dad to open the candy. There are some cute pictures of her as she gets her candy opened. Also, there is a picture of her doing one of the crafts after the hunt. She was really into the project. Her cross was absolutely covered with glitter, jewels, and sparkles! We came home with a ton of eggs, candy, and two very happy children!

Captain Connor

Here are some cute pictures of Connor playing in his pirate suit. He was waiting for Grandpa and Grandma to come over when these pictures were taken. He was so cute!

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Dinner at Grandpa and Grandma's House

We recently went to dinner at my parent's house. Connor and Abby had so much fun playing with their grandparents! They love to play in the backyard. Feeding the birds is always a favorite! (My parents must have some fat, happy birds at their house!) This time Abby made up a game with Grandpa. She would climb the stairs to their upper patio (and count them!) then she'd run to the edge and jump to Grandpa. She played this game repeatedly for a long time! When Grandpa went inside for something, she went up to the patio and called, "Grandpa, where are you?" Connor and Abby also love to play the piano. I got some great video of Abby playing the piano and singing "ABCD" and "Twinkle, Twinkle". She doesn't know all of the words but she knows a lot of them and it is so cute!

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Pirate Party

Connor and Abby recently went to Disneyland with our good friends Christina, Ryan and Matthew. Connor and Ryan had so much fun together! Connor and Ryan especially enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. After the ride, we went into the pirate shop and Ryan and Connor just had to have the pirate pistols. They had so much fun with them. We had a great time singing "Yo, ho, Yo ho! It's a pirates life for me!" on the way home in the car. The next morning when Abby woke up I told her to tell her dad about Disneyland and she sang, "Yo, yo, yo, yo! Pirate Meeeeee!" It was so funny. Well, this trip was shortly followed up by Connor and Abby's friends, Devon and Charley's pirate birthday party. We were told to dress the part. It was a lot of fun! So here are some pictures. (Abby actually had a hat but she did not want to wear it.) Oh, and Connor had a puffy pirate shirt that went with the costume. It's so funny because I knew that Rich would not like that part of the costume. Guess who else did not want to wear the puffy shirt? Connor! Somethings are genetic I guess!

The Park

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Who is this?

I am sorry, but who is this big boy riding the bike? He looks so much like my little baby boy but he is WAY to big! But, no, this is Connor and he is a big boy! Connor finally decided he wanted a "real" bike. We have been trying to talk him into one for about a year. But at Christmas he said he did not want a bike, he wanted the red trike (which Santa brought him). Well, I think he finally decided he want a big bike because Makena had one. So here it is...Connor's new bike. And he is already riding it so fast. (Yes, he wears a helmet! Not in this picture because we had not gotten him a new one yet and his old one was just too small.) Anyway, he LOVES his new bike. Don't worry, he also loves his red trike. For this little, I mean big, boy there can never be too many bikes. He always has time to ride!

Brother and Sister

This is just a cute picture of Connor and Abby playing together. I love these two precious babies so much!!!!! (Ok, I know they are getting big and are not really babies. But they will always be my babies!)

Grandparents Day

Connor brought his Grandma to school with him for a very special visit. His school had a "Grandparents Day." Connor was so excited! They had so much fun together! First, they played outside which obviously included a lot of bike riding. Connor just loves to ride bikes! They also did a special craft, played inside and got their picture taken together. They also went to chapel which is something his class does each week. I think Pastor Roberts talked a little longer than normal because Connor informed Grandma, "This is taking a long time!" After preschool, we took Grandma to lunch. Connor chose Chinese (he loves Chinese food!). Then we had ice cream and Grandma helped us plant a few more flowers in our garden. It was a very special day and Connor was very lucky to be able to spend it with his Grandma whom he loves very much!

Connor and Abby's Garden

We have had so much fun planting our garden this year. Connor was full of ideas on what we should plant. Basically, he believes we live on a farm and can plant a whole field of vegetables and fruit including corn, watermelon, peas, carrots, and pumpkins! Well, seeing as their garden is about 4 x 6, these grand plans were not going to come to fruition. However, we did plant baby carrots, strawberries, sunflowers, snapdragons, pansies, alyssum and geraniums. Connor and Abby were so excited about the whole project. They loved "preparing" the garden space which was very messy and mostly focused on digging and raking dirt and hunting for worms and rocks. They actually helped me plant most everything but I have to say their favorite part is watering the plants. Oh boy they would happily water the plants for hours! (So over watering is obviously a concern!) Abby also likes to water the bird bath but I'm not sure what she is expecting to grow. It was great because Grandma got to help us plant some of our flowers which was very special. Oh and big surprise here...she also got to help us water them! It was so funny because the day we planted everything Connor woke up from his nap and said, "What are we doing this afternoon? Is it time to pick vegetables?" Of course I had to explain it would take a while! We also went to the library and got some fiction and nonfiction books about plants and gardens and Connor is really enjoying reading them. He even insisted on taking a flower book to school to share with his class. He is very interested in the parts of the plant and how they grow. He loves to tell people about plants and recently had a very serious conversation with his friend Christopher over whether a pinto bean they found outside was a bean or (as Connor insisted) a seed. Abby is pointing out flowers all over the place now as well. Every time we go to Connor's preschool, she points to their snapdragons and pansies and "tells" me about them because we have some at home to. It's been a great project and of course they are both very proud of their garden!

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More Fun in the Snow

We had so much fun playing in the snow with Jim, Sara, and Colin! It was a beautiful day and we found a great spot to play (Thanks Lisa!). Connor wanted to do everything he did last time, again. We also took his skis with us so he could ski a little bit more. Connor had a great time sledding and so did Rich. (Good thing he got that Radio Flyer sled he wanted for Christmas when he was little!) This time Abby wanted to sled as well and she thought it was great. After playing for awhile, Abby decided she needed to take her boots and socks off. I know, not the best idea in the snow but there was no stopping her! I had to hold her after she realized how cold the snow was because she still did not want to wear her boots! It was a wonderful day and we are so happy that we were able to share it with Jim, Sara, and Colin! We look forward to many more visits with their family!

Connor and Colin

Our good friends Jim, Sara, and baby Colin came to stay with us so that we could all go up to the snow. Connor just loved Colin! It was so cute to watch him play with him. He was so excited! We had a great time playing with him as well. He is too adorable! It was also a lot of fun to catch up with Jim and Sara! We wish they lived closer so that we could see them more often!

Connor's First Time Skiing

One of the moments Richard has been waiting for since Connor's birth finally arrived this year. We took Connor skiing! Connor was so excited about this trip with Mom and Dad. (Grandma had a special day with Abby at home.) He was just a little ball of excitement when we went to pick up the skis at the store. Then all the way up the mountain he was watching out the window for the snow and eagerly anticipating our day. When we reached Snow Summit it took us forever to get us all ready to ski. By the time we actually got to the slope, Connor's enthusiasm had waned and we were not sure there would be any skiing going on. (OK, I just have to say that this is one of those moments when I thought to myself...Connor is soooo my child! I love skiing but I absolutely hate all the effort involved in actually getting on the slopes!) We coaxed Connor on to the slope to watch Daddy go down the slope a couple of times. Connor thought that was pretty cool. I think Connor was a little afraid of the lift and when we explained that we could just walk up the hill a little bit, he agreed to give it a try. That's all it took! He had a great time going down the hill with Daddy holding on to his little ski backpack leash thing. It was fun to watch him grow in confidence. It was a lot more fun when we realized there was a little conveyor belt we could ride up to go down a small portion of the bunny slope. Connor skied for a good while. We stopped for a late lunch at about 2:00. Connor fell asleep in my lap before Daddy could even get the skis locked up. Rich and I ate some lunch while Connor napped. Then Rich went and skied a little bit while I sat with Connor while he napped. I called Grandma and Grandpa Whitlow and told them all about our day. After Connor woke up, Daddy took him down a few more times while I went to get the car. We all had a great time and I know it was only the first of many ski trips in our future!

Valentine's Day

Here are some pictures of Connor and Abby on Valentine's Day. Notcie Connor had to have his harmonica in the picture! It was really cute because this year Connor decided to make Valentine's cards all on his own accord. He made one for Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, Abby, and Makena. It was very cute to watch him as he made each one and decided (by himself) who they would be for. On Valentine's Day Connor had a special day at preschool and Abby had music class. That night we had a special dinner at home.

Making Cookies with Grandma

This year we made Valentine's cookies with Grandma. Connor and Abby had a lot of fun making and decorating cookies with Grandma. (And even more fun eating them! Abby LOVED the M&M's. She kept saying, "More chocolate please!") They also had a great time playing in the backyard. They rode their bikes and fed the birds. After we finished making the cookies, we went and delivered some to Uncle Gary at his classroom. Connor and Abby had a great time playing in his room. They especially liked his blackboard and whiteboard. Then we went to Grandpa's classroom and delivered some cookies. They were so excited to see Grandpa! We stayed for dinner and went to John's Incredible Pizza Company which is like a Chucky Cheese times 3. We had a great time eating pizza and ice cream in the cartoon room. The room has tv's with cartoons on and it is decorated with a cartoon theme. Then we played games and rode the little rides. Connor really liked the bowling game. He also like the train ride which I have to say was more like a mini roller coaster. It went so fast! I thought he might be scared but we had a great time laughing together during the ride. Abby liked riding the Thomas the Train and the little carousel. It was really sweet because when it was time to turn in our tickets, Connor wanted to get something for himself and something for Abby. He got himself a harmonica (he believes one can never have too many harmonicas!) and a princess wand for Abby. I thought it was very sweet! He was so excited when he gave it to her!

Friends

Check these pictures out! They show our Valentine's fun with Makena, Grace, Christopher, Kendall through the years. (Brody and Camryn are not pictured in any of these :( ) Connor and Abby are so lucky to have such good friends that they have known since birth!

February 2005 Playdate
Look how small they are!

Shopping at Victoria Gardens With Melanie and Makena
Valentine's Day 2005

Connor and Makena were shopped out
Valentine's Day 2006
I don't have any pictures of a playdate from this

Valentine's Day. (Of course I was very pregnant, moving and

my brother was very sick.) So here is one of me and Connor.

Valentine's Playdate 2007

Valentine's Playdate 2008

Valentine's Party

As is our tradition, we had a little Valentines playdate with Grace, Christopher, Kendall and Camryn. (Makena and Brody could not come because Melanie's sister was in town. We missed them!) We played outside and everyone enjoyed riding bikes and playing in the playhouse. We also made Valentines bags and passed out Valentines. Then it was time for everyone's favorite part. We decorated cookies! Everyone had a great time! It was the perfect way to celebrate our friendships on Valentine's Day.

Playgroup

Abby goes to a playgroup class every week. Every week she does an art project, plays with toys, has music time, plays outside, has snack, and has a short circle time. We have a great time every week playing together. It is also a great time for her to play with some peers. These pictures are from Valentines week. She loved swinging in the swing! She also got to pass out Valentines to her friends.

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Water Fun

Here are some picutres of Abby and Connor playing outside with their water table. We filled it with water and bubbles and "washed dishes." It was so much fun. They love the water table so much! (Thanks Lisa and Melanie!) Then we painted on the driveway with water. Connor really loves to paint circles.

Mini Me

What do you think? Is Abby a mini Katherine? Most people say she looks just like me. Here she is posing with my sunglasses. She loves sunglasses!

Night Night Baby Dolls

Recently my mom gave us some of my old baby dolls and doll furniture. Connor and Abby have really enjoyed playing with them. One day while I was washing dishes in the kitchen, Connor and Abby were busy playing with the dolls. It was so cute because Connor told the dolls it was nap time and put them in the bed. Then all on his own he went and got his "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" book and began reading it to them. It was so adorable!

Playing with Ryan

Connor loves to play with his good friend Ryan!

Our Little Engineer

Connor loves to play trains! Here he has dressed for the part. I love his addition of an apron (from our play kitchen) as the engineer's overalls! It is really cute to watch as he lines up the people at the station waiting for the train. When the train gets to the station he says, "Doors, doors, people, people." It is hilarious to watch and listen to him act out his imagination!

Fun in the Rain

Connor and Abby thought the rain was a lot of fun!

My Birthday

I had a great birthday this year. I am 25 again which is awesome! Connor knew exactly what he wanted to get me, a card that plays music. Let me just tell you that card was well played with! Melanie wanted to take me to lunch as is our ritual dating back before kids. Well, I thought we should go somewhere where the kids could play and have fun and then Melanie and I could talk. So where did we go? (No, not Chik-Fil-A, but that was a good guess!) We went to Chuck E. Cheese and we had a great time! It was fun to watch the kids play so happily! Then Richard, Connor, Abby and my parents took me to dinner at Wood Ranch. It was very delicious! Then we braved the cold to go on the "tunnel" bridge. The kids loved that and were excited to see a duck. It was a great birthday!

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Our trip to the snow

At the end of January we went up to the mountains for a fabulous day of playing in the snow. It was so perfect because the mountains had just been dumped with snow. Connor and Daddy went sledding and Abby and I played with buckets and shovels in the snow. We also built an awesome snowman! Connor thought we should name it Cali. I have no idea where he heard this name but he uses it all the time recently to name things. Abby called it "Frosty Noman." She calls all snowmen Frosty and she loves the song as well. It is very cute. She gets very excited whenever she sees a snowman and points and says "Frosty Noman!" We had a great time in the snow!

Fun with Makena

Connor and Makena have so much fun playing outside together. I thought it was really cute that they figured out a way to both ride the car. (Of course now they can both ride in Brody's super cool new black truck!)

Playdough Snowmen

In January (Yes, I know I am really far behind updating my blog!), we made sparkly white playdough and made playdough snowmen. Here are some of our creations. Check out Abby's "snowman". Do you think it has enough body parts? Maybe just one more arm and a couple more ears...

Supermarket Sweep

Connor recently built a grocery store in our living room. We have played this game many times, but this time he decided he needed to make signs. At first, he just scribbled a little on the paper and declared it a sign. Then I suggested that we write some letters. He was skeptical about this at first because he thought he would have to "know" how to spell the words. I explained that we could just say the words slowly and write the letters he heard. He gave it a try and made 3 great signs that read: "APL" (apples), "CFE" (coffee), and "QIT" (quiet, Yes at his grocery store you must be quiet. This of course is ironic because he is rarely quiet at the grocery store!) Mommy was vey proud of Connor's writing! Then we hung our signs and arranged all of the play food on the coffee table and end tables. We set up the cash register and we were open for business. (Also we were able to use the receipts Connor had suggested we save from our last trip to the grocery store, a great idea I thought!) Abby and Connor had a great time playing grocery store! Imaginary play is awesome!

It's a Beautiful Day!

Currently, I am working on updating my blog which is seriously behind! However, tonight I have to take a break to write about something more timely. I am lucky to have the best parents in the world who amongst many other wonderful qualities, babysit our kids frequently. Tonight Rich and I went on a fabulous date! We went to see the U2 3D movie. This was an awesome date because 1. It was with Rich, without kids. 2. It was U2!!!!!!!!!! 3. U2 has historic relevance for us. On our first date, Rich pulled out his guitar and played for me. My favorite song he played was "One Tree Hill" by U2. Also, on another early date he took me to see a U2 laser light show. Thank you Mom and Dad! It was a great night for us even if the sound needed to be way louder and they did NOT play "One Tree Hill." Maybe if I am really lucky Rich will play it for me...
P.S. We are going to a Live concert next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another historical date...twice! I am so excited and we are going with some very dear friends and it will be awesome!!!! I know, I know, I've been here before...

Mickey Mouse Club

Connor and Abby went to Disneyland with their friends' Christopher, Grace, Makena, and Brody. We had a great time! We are so fortunate to have such wonderful friends! (And yes I know the Mickey Mouse picture is sideways! It is saved in my folder facing the correct way I promise. However, when I load it, it turns this way. I have tried it a million times and have finally given up before I throw the lap top across the room! So, sorry, you will have to crank your necks to see that one. I like to think it makes my blog interactive!)

Palm Springs Vacation

Before children, Richard and I once went a weekend trip with some friends to Palm Springs in August. It was so hot that we have since referred to the trip as "our vacation on the sun" and we haven't been back. Well, in January we got a really good deal on a weekend trip to Palm Springs. We had so much fun! This time the weather was absolutely perfect! Connor was so exited to go on our trip. He was especially excited about our hotel room. It was so cute how he ran around the rooms (it was like a minisuite with bedroom, bathroom, and living room/kitchen). He had to check it all out and then tell us all about it. We loved the super fun pools with slides! We had so much fun swimming! Did I mention it was beautiful weather? We were swimming in a pool in January! It was like 80 degrees out and it was so cool because we could see snow on top of the mountains in the distance as we swam. I love California! Another thing Connor loved about the hotel was the breakfast buffet. He just thought it was the best thing ever invented! He had pancakes and sausage, fruit and his new favorite Lucky Charms. Marshmallows in cereal? Why have we never had this before? The hotel had beautiful grounds and we had fun walking along pathways and over bridges. Abby loved the ducks! We also went to a great children's museum while we were there and we had a ton of fun playing! It was great to get away with our family!

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Amen to that!

This story is for Melanie who laughed so hard and said I just had to post it.

Connor is really in to praying. He decides to pray on his own all the time. One day when we were in NC, Connor was very busy playing with his cousin. All of the sudden he realized he needed to go to the bathroom. He had to run because he had waited too long. So he runs into the bathroom, sits down and says:

Dear God,
Thank you this potty was so close.
Amen!

I would like to thank God as well, seeing as I hate cleaning up stinky messes!

Christmas Trip to North Carolina

A few days after Christmas, we flew to Grandma and Grandpa's house in North Carolina. Connor was very excited about the plane ride (and of course seeing all the family!). We took a red eye and the kids did great sleeping on the plane. When we got to NC, Abby and Connor had so much fun playing with Grandma and Grandpa, aunts, uncles and COUSINS! They really loved Grandpa's Christmas train. We also went bowling which was a lot of fun and it was Connor's first time. He thought it was a ton of fun! Abby even rolled a few balls down the lane. Apparently, I have forgotten everything I ever knew about bowling! After a slow start, Richard did great. Connor had so much fun bowling that he has been setting up his own bowling alley at home with empty bottles and a ball. (Abby thinks this is a great idea too!)

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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2007

Well, it's mid January and I am finally going to start updating my blog with some Christmas pictures. This Christmas was really special because my whole side of the family spent the night at our house. Connor and Abby were very excited to have their grandparents, uncle, aunt, and cousin at our house. It was a lot of fun and a very special Christmas! Connor was very excited because Santa brought him a trike and a remote control helicopter. (Daddy was very pleased with Santa as well!) He also loved the Geo Trax train station from Grandma and Grandpa. Abby loved her new kitchen from Santa and her vacuum from Uncle Gary and Aunt Jessica. It was a very happy Christmas for us all!

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Connor's Christmas Music Performance

Connor's mucis class performed a Christmas music show and Connor was very excited! Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Gary and Aunt Jessica all came to see his performance. He was just so excited and very cute. He did a great job! Abby had a fun time clapping and dancing along in the back with Grandma!

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Amazing People

Yesterday a wonderful lady, Barbara, passed away. She was a kindergarten teacher at the school where I used to work. I loved Barbara! She was a perfect kindergarten teacher! She was well loved and just an amazing, good person! She will be missed. Since Barbara died of a brain tumor, it reminded me of two other amazing people. The first is Donna, another teacher from my school. She had a long and difficult battle with cancer. She was an inspiration to us all. She was always so positive and she had so much faith! What I remember about Donna (besides her faith and positive attitude) was laughter. She always seemed to be so happy. I can remember being on duty with her after school (not a fun job) and she would make me laugh. She touched so many lives. I think of her often.
The other amazing person I am reminded of is my brother. Two years ago we found out he had cancer (on my birthday no less!). It was a throat cancer. Unfortunately, the statistics for throat cancer are not good. They said it was quite advanced, they found it in a some lymph nodes, and they weren't sure where it had originated. I, along with my family, were distraught. I was so afraid for him. I think I kind of shut down for a while. I was very, very depressed and scared. But, Gary was amazing. He faced his trials with so much strength, determination, and even humor. He had to undergo a horrible surgery to his neck which they call a "radical neck dissection." As he said at the time, anything with that name can't be good. It left a painful wound on his neck. Then he had to do chemo and radiation. During the radiation treatments, he had to wear a face mask and it caused him to be very anxious. His treatments caused the skin of his neck to be burned as well as the inside of his mouth and throat. He lost all sense of taste and had to have a stomach tube to get nutrition. It was a horrible, horrible time. Gary was amazing. He calmed and reassured all of the rest of us. He is in good health now and we are very thankful. He continues to amaze us with his positive attitude. I love my brother very much and I am thankful for his example. I do not think I could face cancer and the treatments that go along with it, the same way he did. (Or Donna and Barbara) Some people are just amazing!

Stroller Shopping Revisited

After I posted that last post about the stroller a hilarious memory popped in my head. Recently my friend Melanie and I thought we could go try on clothes with all 4 of our children in tow. Yeah, it was a brilliant plan! We had out strollers (see previous post) but no one wanted to be in them. It was chaos! (However, I am sure we will do it again!) This memory just popped in my head because I went back to the same store the other day and the lady said, "O, I remember you!" Abby was screaming (in said stroller) at the time which I think helped jog her memory!

An Observation

Here is my question...how was shopping possible before kids? Obviously, it was more leisurely. However, there was no stroller. How do you shop without a stroller? The basket underneath is absolutely essential for holding packages. Did I really carry my own purse? (It too belongs in the stroller!) My parents watched my kids for me so I could do some shopping awhile ago, and my arms were seriously about to fall off my body from toting packages and my purse through the mall! Plus what do you do with all that stuff while you are trying to look through a rack of clothes? Well, it was a lot of work but I had so much to do it was a blessing that my parents watched the kids so I could get things done. I may have missed the stroller, but I did not miss the impatient screaming and kicking that would have been going on inside of it!

Connorism

When you have two kids it is always difficult to figure out which kid to get out of the car first. Once one is out, you have to make sure they are safe while you get the other child out. The other night we ran to the grocery store and I got Connor out first. While I was getting Abby out, I checked to make sure Connor was safe and reminded him to stay put. He replied, "I'm holding my horses Mommy!"

The Santa Train

This year our good friends Melanie, Ryan, Makena, and Brody joined us for our annual trip to ride the "Santa Train." At a nearby (relatively) park, you can ride the train through the park past lighted Christmas decorations. Halfway around the Santa train stops and you disembark to visit Santa Claus. Then you get back on the train and go through a tunnel of lights as you head back to the station. It's a lot of fun...that is until someone gets hurt. Unfortunately, as we were waiting the kids were playing and Makena bonked her chin. As the wound was somewhat gaping and reminded Melanie of Ryan's own recent trip to the ER, it was decided that they would take Makena to the ER just to be safe. Makena was fine thankfully! As we were at basically the front of the line when all this happened, Connor and Abby still saw Santa. Connor was very excited and told Santa he wanted...oh come on take a guess here...trains! No surprise that Abby wanted no part of Santa and cried. So while the excursion was not a complete failure, it was certainly a bummer that Makena was hurt. (We just felt awful!) Next year I hope we can all go again without any injuries!

Rockin' around the Christmas Tree

Here are some pictures of the kids when we decorated for Christmas. They were so excited as we pulled out the ornaments. Connor enjoyed putting them on the trees. Abby was very excited about her Santa hat. The highlight for Connor was of course setting up the train around the tree.

Connor the Entertainer

Connor is a very funny little boy. He really loves knock, knock jokes. Unfortunately, he doesn't know any knock, knock jokes. This does not stop him, however. He just makes up his own which he believes are very funny. Connor has also decided he is a magician. Again, he doesn't know any magic tricks, but he is happy to make up his own! The other day he said,"Mommy watch my trick." Then he took a whole bunch of hangers and connected them one by one to make a very long chain, which he held in the air. His showmanship was excellent. He also has many "jumping" tricks in his repertoire. Tonight he lined up several shells for a "trick." I thought this was very interesting and wondered where he saw that game. Connor has recently decided he really likes to take showers. While in the shower, he puts on quite a "fireworks" show. He says, "Mommy, watch this. It is time for fireworks!" Then he fills cups up with water and throws the water at the glass door. This of course causes a splash resembling a firework. I thought this was very clever. As mentioned in a previous post, he loves to play with his instruments and we frequently have a marching band through the house and also at preschool (which he organizes by passing out the instruments). Connor is very entertaining to us all!

Abby is 18 months old!

I can't believe Abby is 18 months old today! She is a beautiful girl and we love her very much. Every day she amazes us with her vocabulary. She will repeat just about any word you say and has a very long list of words in her own regular vocabulary. The other night Abby had on a pair of pajamas with a cupcake on the front. She started pointing to it and said "birthday." Then we sang the birthday song (she helped a little) and she pretended to blow out the candle. It was very cute. The next morning she was laying in bed with us and says, "Abby birthday!" I guess she decided it was her birthday. We of course sang the song again and blew out the candle followed by clapping and "Yeah!" Now we frequently play this "birthday game." Anything that looks kind of like a birthday cake she will point to and say "birthday" and starts to sing the song. In fact Abby really loves to sing. She loves the song "The Wheels on the Bus!" She turns her arms around and around when we sing it. She also loves the part about the mommies on the bus..."Shh! Shh! Shh!"
Abby has become fascinated with the letters of the alphabet. She points out letters everywhere we go and starts to sing, "ABCD." That is as far as she can get but gets so excited when I start singing with her and finish the song. Abby is also very independent. When she wants a snack, she will frequently walk in to the pantry and pick something out! Or if she is thirsty, she will go to the cupboard with the kid's dishes and get a cup and say "Water!", "Milk!" or "Apple Juice!" (All juice is apple juice to her.). She is not great about saying please however. When I tried to work on with her in the past I would say "Please." and she would respond with "Thank you." She loves to say "Thank you." She says it all the time which is hilarious. Her inflection is just too funny!
When I pull Abby's shirt over her head, she always says gleefully "peek-a-boo" as her head comes through the hole. Then she starts saying "Socks! Shoes! Socks! Shoes!" She loves her shoes. Often when she gets them on, she jumps up and says, "Outside!" She loves to play outside! Recently, she has fallen in love with her swing. Her grandpa pushed her in it for about 45 minutes the other day.
In the car when I put a movie in, she always says '"Push it!" meaning to start the movie. Recently, we went to see a movie. Every time the rating screen came up before a preview, Abby would shout out "Push it!" It was so funny! When we go shopping, Abby can spot any baby doll or Little Einstein or Dora product from a mile away. She then shouts the corresponding name so I'll take her over to see it. Abby also loves animals, particularly doggies and kitties. She can name most farm animals and tell you their sounds which she loves to do. She says all of the sounds very enthusiastically which is very cute. She likes to play with blocks, dolls, and her brother's trains, she loves to read books, and she sleeps with a lavender and green blanket every night. It's very cute because Connor can't wait for her to wake up in the morning or after her nap. He even sneeks in her room sometimes to "check" on her. Abby is loved by all of her family and we are so proud her!

Front of the Class

Remember the kids in school who always had to sit in the front row, right in front of the teacher? Well, that will be Abby! Connor and Abby have both been going to a class called Musical Munchkins since they were 6 months old. The teacher plays the guitar and sings and the kids clap, play instruments, and move to music. It is so much fun. Abby just loves this class! When we pull up in the car, she starts kicking her feet and saying, "Yeah, music class!" When we go in we sit on the rug in a semi circle. I try to sit on the edge closest to the teacher but sometimes we have to sit somewhere else in the circle. I guess it doesn't really matter because Abby goes and plops down right in front of the teacher. It is hilarious! When the teacher starts playing the guitar she gets so happy. The best part is the song the teacher plays where the kids have to do different things like clap and pat their knees until she stops the music. Abby loves the part of the song where they stand up and bounce their knees. I swear it is the cutest thing you have ever seen. She bounces so enthusiastically. I laugh every time! Bouncing is followed by spinning and swaying which she also loves and does so excitedly that she falls frequently. Of course she also has to help Miss Cindy with the song by "singing" along and loves the part when she can yell "stop." Honestly I can not really describe the cuteness involved.

Connor also loves music class. I have so many fond memories of taking him when he was so little. I can't believe that now he goes in without me. It has obviously made a big impression on him because he loves plaing with musical instruments. We spend alot of time playing band at home. He passes out the instruments to everyone and then we march around the house. Abby loves this too of course. His preschool teacher says he is always starting a band at preschool too. I miss going to music with Connor but luckily I get to go in and watch a little bit of his class at the end of each "semester." And guess what? Abby has to go sit right next to her brother!

Thanksgiving

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house. It was a lot of fun and very nice for the kids. They had their toys to play with and their beds to nap in. It was a good thing since Abby fell asleep before we got the food on the table. I guess she had too much fun playing outside! We had a great time with everyone. It was a special day! (We only wish Richard's side of the family could have been here, and Gage and Caitlin!)

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A Day with Grandma and Grandpa

Connor really loved going to the mountains to go apple picking. Since going, he talks about it all the time and even plays "apple picking" frequently. So, we decided we wanted to go back up to the mountains and he was really excited! To make the day even better, Grandma and Grandpa came with us. It was absolutely beautiful up there! This time we ate a barbecue lunch in the barn. A band was playing and Connor and I decided to dance. Then Abby and Grandma joined us. It was really fun twirling and clapping with Connor and Abby. Next we made some apple cider. Abby had a lot of fun washing the apples and Connor helped turn the press. Connor has been dying to go on a hay ride and we were able to take one around the farm. He was very excited! We went to another farm and ate apple pie. Connor spied the train so of course we went for a ride on that as well. It was a great day with Grandma and Grandpa!

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Connor's Card

Today Connor and I worked on a project for preschool. It's called "Operation Christmas Child" and basically you fill a shoebox with gifts for a needy child. We went to Target today and picked out gifts. Tonight Connor worked on a card. While I was busy trying to fit everything into the shoebox (no small task), Connor worked on his card on his own. He decided to draw a family portrait. When I looked over I was very impressed with what he had drawn! It is very interesting to see the details he included. (Those are teeth on his smile.) The arms out of the head are so classic for beginning preschool drawings! After he was done he told me who everyone was. Then he turned over the paper and said, "I'm going to write my name." Now he has been able to spell his name verbally for a long time. While he writes/paints letters on his own, he has not attempted to write a word. We have not worked on writing his name either. I didn't prompt him or provide any guidance. He wrote backwards c, o, o, backwards r. It was so exciting. Needless to say we had to start working on a new card for "Operation Christmas Child" as this card is priceless!Ahhhhhh...I wrote this post on November 12 and it has taken me 2 weeks to post it because our card reader broke!!! Then it took us forever to replace it. Now I have so many things to post on here! I can never stay up to date!!!!!

Where did you get me?

When I put Connor down for his nap, we spend a lot of special time reading, cuddling, and talking. The other day as we were cuddling and talking, I was telling Connor how much I love him and how we are so glad to have such a wonderful and sweet boy. He was giggly at this and then he said very seriously, "Well, where did you get me?" So, I laughed and said, "Oh we got you at Target for $19.99." He thought this was very funny and laughed and said, "That's silly mom!" So I said, "God gave you to us and you grew inside Mommy's belly. Remember how Abby grew in Mommy's belly?" He thought about this for awhile and said, "Was there water in there? And food?" I showed him his belly button and explained that he used to be connected to Mommy by a tube and that is how he got his food. He gave me a strange look and said, "Mom! That is too ooey!" I guess that was more information than he wanted!

Trick or Treat

This year we trick or treated with our good friends Melanie, Ryan, Makena, and Brody. Connor and Makena were very excited about trick or treating! Abby had a good time too after she got over the trauma of being put into her costume. She was very busy playing with all of Makena's wonderful girl toys (especially her vacuum) when Mommy forced her to stop and dress up like a ladybug. Needless to say she was not impressed! But all was well again thanks to a lollipop which was unfortunately blue. Guess who else was blue? And very sticky which was shared with Mommy. Connor and Makena believed that trick or treat was some sort of race and ran to every house. Their pumpkins were so full of candy that Connor's handle kept breaking. Abby also became a very good trick or treater and said something close to "Trick or treat!" and of course "Thank you!" which is one of her favorite phrases. I wish I could type the inflection she uses when saying it because it is very cute. As we wound down our trick or treating marathon, Connor kept saying, "Just one more house, just one more house!" What a great night!

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Carving Pumpkins

Halloween Party

Our annual Halloween Party, which we hold with some good friends, was very exciting this year. With all the fires in our area we weren't sure if we would be able to have it. It was actually raining ash! But, the fires avoided us and we moved the party inside (the air was smoky outside)! We had a great time playing games, eating, and talking with friends and family. The kids were adorable!

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Happy Halloween!

A Very Special Birthday

Our family recently got together to celebrate my mother's birthday. We rode the Palm Springs tram to the top of a mountain. Connor of course was very excited! He thought the tram was very cool. Once at the top, we got to go on a hike. Connor was so excited that he barreled ahead full steam. Abby also enjoyed the hike but she wanted to stop and sit on every rock and log we passed. Needless to say this made for slow going. After the hike we ate dinner at the top of the mountain with an amazing view! It was a special birthday for a special mom!

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The Pumpkin Train

Connor and Abby went to Irvine Regional Park to ride the "Pumpkin Train" with their friends Makena, Brody, and Christopher. We had so much fun! First, we rode the ponies. There was a little wait but the kids had no trouble occupying themselves. (They climbed fences and hay bails!) Connor thought the pony was great but Abby said, "No, no, no!" She walked around with Connor and me and we had fun singing pony songs. Next, we rode the pumpkin train. Connor and Abby were very excited for the choo choo. Connor was afraid I was going to miss the train because I was taking pictures. He kept waving me on. After our train ride, Christopher and Connor went through the "haunted house" (just cobwebs, spiders, and black lights) a million times! We also ran through the hay maze and climbed a tree. The kids jumped out some of their extra energy in the bouncy house and we picked pumpkins of course. Before going home we had a picnic and ate cookies. The kids loved that of course! Abby was so tired she fell asleep eating lunch! It was a great day with great friends!

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Night Swimming

Daddy heated up the pool and we went swimming for probably the last time until next summer. The water was so warm and we had so much fun! Connor did a great job swimming! We love our pool and will miss it!

Abby the Artist

Abby had a little too much fun when we were painting with apples! She thought painting herself would be a much better idea! It was hilarious!

Apple Fun

Connor and Abby's friends Makena and Brody came over for some fun with apples. We made very yummy apple muffins and applesauce. Then we made some apple prints with paint. Everyone had a great time!

Soccer

Connor enjoyed playing soccer this fall. He mostly enjoyed running around the soccer field with the other kids. He wasn't so sure about the stealing the ball from other kids part. The first time we played a "game", he ran over to me and said excitedly, "Mom, we need more balls!" Abby was Connor's biggest fan. She enjoyed yelling, "Kick it!" right along with mom. She wanted to play soccer too, so she always found her own ball to kick. Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed watching Connor's final game. Connor had a ball!

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The Park

The other day Connor had a play date at the park with his friend Ryan. It was so funny because we also ran into his friends Christopher and Kendall. (Unfortunately, Kendall had to leave.) He was so excited to see so many of his friends. It was so funny to watch the boys play! They played firefighters and "drove" the firetrucks which were the play structures. They ran all over the park making noises like fire engine sirens! Abby also had a good time sliding down the slides and swinging. It was a lot of fun!

We Found Nemo At Last!

The other day we went to Disneyland for a few hours in the evening. Connor has been dying to ride the new submarine Nemo ride. He has talked about it so much. We have gone to Disneyland several times since the opening of the ride but the line has always been too long. Well, finally the line was down to "just" an hour wait. So, I decided I was absolutely going to wait in line! Connor was so excited that he wanted to wait with me. Rich took Abby to ride some rides while we waited. Connor was perfect! We talked and read the Disneyland map. We watched the submarines go by and Connor told me about all the things we would see under the water. Rich and Abby joined us when we got close to the front. Connor was just bursting with excitement! One of the workers noticed Connor's excitement and Abby's cuteness and talked to us while we were waiting. Finally, Connor's moment arrived and we descended the stairs into the sub. Connor could hardly contain himself he was so excited. Connor and Abby both loved the ride! They both had their faces practically plastered up against their porthole. Abby was so funny because she kept saying, "Bubbles, bubbles!" She was so excited about them. The animated portion of the ride was cool. Connor was excited to see Nemo and especially Crush. So, thank goodness, after the long wait, the ride was a hit. When we got off, we told the friendly Disneyland worker how much the kids enjoyed the ride. He replied, "Enough to ride it again?" I said, "It was fun but the line was too long." He said, "No, I mean we'll let you go again!" So, to Connor's sheer delight, we got to ride the submarine again! After riding again, Connor was very happy and declared, "I'm going to tell Makena!"

Oak Glen

On Saturday we went to Oak Glen with some good friends to pick apples and pumpkins. It was an absolutely perfect day!

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Baby Dolls

It has been so much fun playing cars, trucks, and trains with Connor. Abby loves all of Connor's toys as well. She has been playing trains practically since birth and is an expert at pushing the train along the track and saying, "Choo, choo!" (Unfortunately she also likes to take train tracks apart which is not a big hit with Connor!) But I am so excited because Abby has discovered baby dolls. She loves baby dolls! She carries them around and pats them on the back. She feeds them bottles and makes little drinking noises. She pushes them in her stroller and talks to them. Her grandparents bought her a bath Dora doll which she loves. It's so cute when she calls her "Dora! Dora! Dora!" as if she's her best friend. She is obsessed with putting Dora's "shoes" on which are actually flippers. The other day we bought her a new baby doll that says things, cries or laughs when you push different spots on the doll. She played with the doll all through Target and kept saying, "Push it! Push it!" so we would make it talk. When we got home she played with it all day and had to take it everywhere we went. The doll is almost as big as her so it was hilarious!

The San Diego Zoo

The San Diego is a very nice zoo. We have gone twice in the last six months with Grandma and Grandpa. The first time, Connor was dying to see the giraffes which of course are like the furthest animals from the entrance of this very large zoo. What a workout! He was a boy on a mission to get to those giraffes! We bought him a little stuffed giraffe to remember the day and it is one his favorite animals to sleep with. The second time we went to the zoo we were able to take a slightly more leisurely pace and even took the bus tour and tram. Outside of the zoo there is a train which Connor and Abby love to ride of course. There is also a wonderful little train museum which Connor adores! Both days were full of fun and very special because we shared them with Grandma and Grandpa!

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Baseball

Connor played t-ball this summer which he absolutely loved! His team was the Purple Pirates. He had so much fun learning to catch the ball but hitting it and running around the bases was his favorite part. (Oh and the snacks and Gatorade after the games!)
Richard surprised Connor one night with tickets to 2 Angels games. The look on his face was priceless! We went to one night game and one day game. Connor had so much fun! It is so cute to watch him clap and cheer when anything exciting happens. He now has an Angels hat, shirt, and pennant and enjoys watching games on TV with his dad. He is an official fan!

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Family Band

While I was cooking dinner the other night, Connor and Abby became very busy in my pots and pans cupboard. Soon, they had the pots all lined up and Connor and Abby were hitting them like drums. I offered them some plastic spoons and they really went to town! It was so cute because it was so spontaneous and it was entirely their idea. It was cool to watch them explore the different sounds each pot made. Is this the beginning of our family band?

Connor's First Baseball Game

Connor went to his first baseball game with his Dad, Uncle Gary, and Cousin Gage. It was a Dodger's Game and Connor thought it was very cool. It was so cute how he clapped enthusiastically every time the crowd clapped. He was very excited to sing "Take me Out to the Ball Game" and of course loved all the junk food. During the game his dad told him that Russell Martin is the catcher for the Dodgers. Now whenever anyone talks about the Dodgers or he watches a Dodger game on TV he says, "Hey, Russel Martin is on the Dodgers!" Gary bought Connor a pennant and he has proudly displayed it on his wall. Needless to say, the baseball game was a big hit!

Florida Vacation

This summer Richard's cousin Barry got married in Florida. This happy occasion afforded us the opportunity to vacation with not only Richard's parents and siblings, but his extended family as well. We saw so many family members that we had not seen in so long! It was so much fun to catch up with them all. Connor loved his 2nd (or is it 3rd?) teenage cousin Carly. She was so great with him! Everytime we went to any of the get togethers or down to the beach or pool he would want to know..."Will Carly be there?" Connor especially loved dancing with her at the reception which was very cute! (Daddy also danced with Abby which was adorable!) Connor and Abby also loved to spend time with their grandparents and their cousins. Abby's cousins bestowed her with some nicknames. Ethan couldn't quite say Abby so he called her "Abba" and Ilias liked to call her "Baby Abba" or "Abigirl". (Connor still pulls out an "Abigirl" every once in awhile.) Connor also enjoyed hanging out with Emma who was super cute and always wanted some of Connor's snack!

While in Florida, we got to stay in a wonderful hotel right on the beach. We had a balcony that looked out over the ocean. This came in handy because the first thing Connor would do each morning is run to that sliding door and look out the window to make sure that the beach was still there. Then he would proclaim, "I want to go to the beach!" So, obviously Connor LOVES the beach. Abby enjoyed playing in the sand with her bucket and shovel and she really thought the beach chairs were cool! Abby also started really taking her first independent steps while we were there which was very exciting! Oh yeah, thanks to Mike, Abby had her first lollipop. She thought that was awesome! (Mike is her new best friend also.) It was hilarious to watch her eat it...drool was everywhere and she was so sticky! It really was a wonderful trip filled with many happy memories!

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Preschool, already?

Ok...I'm a teacher. I knew this day was coming but it was still with mixed emotions that Connor started preschool this summer. I was so excited for him but what happened to my little baby? What's next...a girlfriend...college? I'm not ready for this! To say Connor was excited about his first day would be an understatement! He couldn't get in his classroom fast enough. I am very glad that he felt so happy and secure but I barely got a "Bye, Mommy!" Not that I wanted him to cling, but some small demonstration that he was going to miss me as much as I knew I would miss him would have been nice. But, he is well adjusted, happy, and secure so you can't beat that right?

I have to say that we are very happy with our choice of preschool! His teachers are loving and sweet. He loves them! We are pleased with that the "curriculum" is child centered and focuses on active exploration and PLAY!!! The materials in the class are outstanding because they encourage imaginative play and discovery. There are no worksheets here! Even the art projects focus on the process rather than the product. Also, Connor's very good friend Makena attends the same school which makes him very happy! His first question everyday is...Do I have preschool today?

Birthdays, Candles, and Cakes, oh my!

Our summer started with nearly back to back birthday parties. This May was Connor's 3rd birthday. We can't believe how fast three years flew by! So what kind of birthday party did Connor want? A train party of course! Lucky for us Connor owns almost every type of toy train ever invented. We had train sets everywhere for his friends to play with and a Thomas bouncer too. Everyone thought it was so much fun. (When his friends came for playdates after his birthday, I think they expected to see all those trains set up!)

Abby's birthday followed Connor's very quickly. We can't believe our baby girl is already 1! Connor and Abby's Musical Munchkins teacher came over to our house for a special interactive performance for Abby's birthday. Everyone had fun clapping and singing with her guitar! Abby absolutely loves her music class so it was perfect! Abby only "sampled" a few small bites of her cake but Connor had pink frosting all over his face! Birthdays are a lot of fun and we are glad our kids have so many wonderful friends and family to share them with!