Let the SUMMER begin!

Summer is here, I can't believe it...this year has really just flown by! This last week was full of big events for us:

• Caydree had her last day at Ms. Linda's, her loving daycare provider, whom she has been with since she was 6 1/2 weeks old! We will miss her dearly and know that Caydree has truly had the best experiences there. She will be ready for Kinder in August, whether they are ready for her or not!
  
• Calder learned how to go on the slide all by himself (videos to follow) and now enjoys falling onto the bean bags off of the couch...the kid is FEARLESS. He also got a "big boy" haircut, and looks pretty darn cute!
  
• Shane has been working on his motorcycle. He got brave and decided that he wanted to get some things done on it, and was going to do it himself! He is pretty much dominating the garage right now, but is making progress. :) We also made our annual trip to the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival...FUN!
  
• I finished my 1st year teaching 5th grade, and survived the entire thing! HA HA! This included a softball game in which I hit a triple, a fun "shop 'til you drop" event that gave me tattoos and blue hair, a promotion ceremony with parade, a teacher dance to "Footloose" and a luau. Did I mention it was a busy week?

Summer plans? Well, a mommy and daddy trip to Vegas, Caydree's 1st dance recital, my parents' big move back to Tucson (yay for being closer!!!) and a probable visit, beginning speech therapy for Mr. Man, and hopefully lots of swimming, lots of fun with friends, and lots of patience for mommy! ;) Those who know me well, know why I am a working mom.

Calder's big boy haircut. Yes, that is spiked with "product"...

Our fun evening at the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival...

What a cutie, posing for mommy in the backyard!

Little Man found some new, fun games to play...only gave mommy
a heart attack the first couple of times. :)

Christmas #1

This will probably be the first of a couple of holiday posts...I've not uploaded any of my other Christmas pictures yet, though I need to!

Little Man in his "fake tie" shirt! ;)

Love this pic, just captures the curiosity and mischief in him...

Grandma and Grandpa came on the 23rd, we couldn't wait, and it's been fun and busy since they've been here!

They do more than I could ever ask, and make life so much more fun for the kids, and easier for me...words can't really express how much we love them, and how sad we will be to see them go later this week. I will try to get more pictures up and spend a little more time writing later on, but I'm going to bed before midnight for once this week!

Making a list...

Or not, is it really almost Christmas? Am I already out of school? Do I still really have shopping to do? I desperately need to make a list! It's time to prioritize...

Big news first:
~Calder's hand healed up perfectly from the 2nd degree burns, hardly even any noticeable scars...SO grateful that he is beyond that injury!

~Since then, he has fallen down the stairs and bumped his head a few times...this kid never quits?! I'll be the one in the hospital, he will probably give me heart failure one of these times.

~Had a great Thanksgiving

~Managed to decorate most of the house...now if we could just get the rest of it cleaned up? :)

~Somewhat successfully visited Santa (pictures to follow)

~Getting ready for our favorite out of town visitors to come for Christmas: Grandma and Grandpa, and Uncle Aaron, Stephanie and Caleb!

I hate that I haven't been on here as often as I'd like. My goal was to post once a week...maybe that can still happen. For now, some new pictures to enjoy!

Calder showing Wally the love...and sharing Sophie the Giraffe!

Thanksgiving at Mamma and Pappa's house.

Looking for trouble...

How could this little cutie be naughty? ;)
Grandma sent these pajamas, they pretty much say it all!

FINALLY, the Santa pictures:
Calder didn't really enjoy this, but it made for a few keepsake photos!

Good...

Better...

BEST!

I don't know who I feel worse for...Santa, or Calder?! My poor little monkey, hopefully these pictures will be his only memory! Before we went up to Santa, he was a total ham...waving, laughing, arching to get down and get closer...GO FIGURE!

If I don't get on here before this weekend,
Merry Christmas!
Remember the real reason we celebrate...God's blessings to all!!

More October...

These are in order from earliest to most recent!

Here are Caydree and Nicelle at our school's Fall Festival!

Mommy and Calder at the festival...my little skeleton!

Took little man to get his first "real" haircut, because Mommy and Mamma are not really the "professionals" we'd like to believe we are. I pretty much gave him a "Dumb and Dumber" chop job...poor thing! As luck would have it, he played the typical 1 year old and wouldn't sit still, cried, threw a big fit...and got NO haircut. Mommy got some advice, that's about it. ;) Maybe next time. Doesn't he look SATISFIED in this next shot? Turkey.

So, after the haircut, we went to our favorite "beach park" instead! Much better time there, I must say.

Waving to the kids...

laying in the sand...

The following week we carved our pumpkin! Daddy did most of the hard work.

She thought it was "SO spooky"...

I haven't uploaded much of Caydree lately, this is a new video of her singing! This is pretty funny, and she normally CAN count, but I love her confusion in the 2nd song...ahhh, my little funny girl...don't grow up anymore, I'll keep you just like this forever!

We went to a Harvest Festival at Tom's Farm in Corona...that was really fun. Caydree loved the ferris wheel! Here we are at the very top! Mommy got to hear some of her favorite Christian bands play, Calder got to dance, we had a good time!

On Halloween I took Calder for some good old Sears pictures today too...wanted to get some of him with the "1". He did alright...and I know I just need to call on all of my amazing photographer friends when I get the picture itch...so from now on, that's probably what I'll be doing. Such a hassle at Sears. :/

Halloween...the night was rushed, and we didn't get to do all we wanted to, but on the whole had a good time.

Caydree dressed up like a "black kitty cat ballerina", and the little while Calder
was dressed, he was a monkey.

I want to go trick-or-treating too!

End of the evening...we'd call it a success!
Happy Halloween!

pumpkin pickin'

We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend, to pick out some pumpkins. So, what happened to the good "old fashioned" patch that basically consisted of pumpkins? Thankfully, the one we went to only had a petting zoo, pony rides, a train, a big corn maze, pig races and an ice cream truck...and yes, pumpkins. Holy moly, all we really wanted was a pumpkin! ;)

We were happy and the kids had a good time! Caydree found the perfect pumpkin...shared a cold treat with baby brother...

Calder found the perfect pumpkin...

I've gotta say, I can't get over how quickly he has healed up and gotten back to his normal, stubborn, little feisty self. He is a handful, and I love EVERY bit of it!

4th of July...vacation in Washington

So, apparently, I'm not very good about staying on top of this. :( I'm posting some 4th of July pics from our trip to Washington to visit Uncle Aaron, Aunt Stephanie and cousin Caleb. We had a great time, despite the lack of schedule and being out of our "element"!

I love my family!

Here we are with Uncle Aaron, Aunt Stephanie, and cousin Caleb!

Mommy and Caydree at Lake Cushman...self-taken. ;)

Calder in the water, trying to eat the rocks...yum!

Caydree on the boat with her noodle!

Sister at the playground...

Little man and mommy after a wet afternoon in the fountain!

Trying on mommy's sunglasses on the ferry ride to Seattle!

With daddy on the deck riding to Seattle...

Mommy and Caydree at the Seattle Center, riding the carousel.

The group...at Pike's Place Market...watch for flying fish!

Great view of the fireworks from Port Orchard at Aunt Stephanie's parents...thanks!!

Getting ready for the fireworks, but tuckered himself out and missed them all!

It wouldn't be the 4th of July without some sparkler action!

Some new pictures...

This was our first "get in the sand" beach trip...and maybe mommy's last. What a pain!

Don't really know how much sand we left at the beach, lots in the mouth and lots in the diaper, but he had a great time.

We went to San Diego to watch the Rock and Roll Marathon, waiting to see Nikki, Jessica and Stacy...it was windy and kept lifting the comb-over up!

Caydree on her first pony ride at the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival. She will also tell you she got to pet a llama (her favorite) and that we bought some of her favorite dip for bread (balsamic vinegar flavored with fig)...she is our interesting girl.

Here is little man watching the band Vertical Horizon at his first real concert! The Gin Blossoms also played that night, and he loved it. (Balloon and Wine Festival)

Mommy finally couldn't stand the comb-over anymore and cut it off. It was about an inch and a half that I actually trimmed...yes, I admit to using "product" on him now!

POOL TIME!

1st time at the pool for the summer! Caydree, Nicelle and Calder going for a swim!

Even got a smile from the girl...love her!

This was the only picture he actually looked at me for...all the others he is just having a blast in his swim float. ;) He loved the water!!

The video clip is from Father's Day, but sorry daddy, has nothing to do with you. This happens daily in our house, Calder can't get enough of Caydree, and she is becoming quite the entertainer! All I can say is that I LOVE my kids...