Thanksgiving Happiness in California



We are so happy to be in California for Thanksgiving. Mike stayed in Tennessee for the first time so it's just me and the kids. Boy these babies are having so much fun with all their cousins! It took them a good day and a half to adjust but they are on a good schedule now. :) This morning the kids got up earlier than the sun (again) and since other family members are also visiting I decided ahead of time I'd take them on a walk. I left them in their spooky Halloween PJs and off we went for a fun stroller ride. Here they are in front of my parents house. We had a nice time. I've enjoyed getting up 'early' with them and will try to continue this habit when I get home.

Before food, my brother Bennett and his two boys let Evan and I tag along for a walk to look for Geocaching locations? On our way, we stopped to see some goats and burros. The boys also got to see real life horses. That was new for Evan and he wasn't even scared. He would have hugged those horses if I'd let him. :) As we walked further, back on the regular road...

... I let Evan walk in a drainage ditch. They can have gravel and be slippery and he decided to run despite my warnings. Well, he fell. He brushed himself off and continued without a word. Tonight after dinner and dessert, I noticed a part of the scratches by his wrist and upon further inspection saw this horrible road rash. :( He was such a good sport. We cleaned it up and sent him on his way. Thanks Aunt Jenalyn for hugging me while mommy put ointment on my bump. :)

The trough. :)

I had to try to feed all three of us off one plate. It was somewhat successful and all the way yummy.

Trampoline jumping of course. :)
(please excuse the runny noes, getting used to being in California has been rough on both kids)

Becoming a pro jumper and the sweetest boy ever. Evan has been hugging everyone randomly and telling them he loves them. He's been sleeping in the bed with me for the first time in his life and every night leans over, flings an arm around  me and says, "mommy, I love you". :) ahh. Travelling alone with two kids IS worth it. :) xoxo More later but there's your tease. We're off to Sacramento for the rest of the week with my brother Bennett and his family to see my brother Jesse and his family but Cora Grace will also get to see her 21yr old birth 1/2 sister Jessica. You better believe I will take lots and lots of pictures.

We look forward to sharing more of our vacation with you all but may be a couple weeks.

ECZEMA Baby

I had to document this. Isn't it so sad what this beautiful babies back looks like? At the end of the summer Cora started getting dry skin and patchy skin. It wasn't to bad at first then as a month went by, it expoded! I unfortunately didn't know what I was dealing with and just hope she doesn't have this discoloration all her life. Then again, it's on her back (and a little on her arms and a leg) so hopefully she won't care. I know I love her dispite her minor imperfection. :) We love every inch of you baby. xo

back post

Birthday Boy

Monday Photo Shoot. Just Because.

For no reason at all except the weather being unseasonably warm and I wanted to experiment with some new photo ideas I've stored away and that I've recently found through Pintrest. I took these pictures of the kids before the previously posted wedding dress ones but was so excited about the dress ones, I edited and posted them first. WORTH IT! :0) Again, here Cora Grace has way more pictures because she's super photogenic at this age... and she's a girl so she likes mamarazzi. :) Evan was being so sweet standing behind the rocking chair, (until he wasn't and tried to rock her off! lol) and trying to stand still. Throwing the leaves at the end are my favorite because it was really his reward for being so cooperative.

{see the hanging chandelier? I know it's hard to see and is why I either shot closer ups or removed it in most pictures}

"let's see.. how can I get down from here..."

before 'rocking' her...

after 'rocking' sister. lol

Signing "all done". lol

 

fin.

Going to the Chapel and She's, Gonna get Married...

I have been itching for a photo shoot. Specifically, I've found an idea to take a picture of your daughter in your wedding dress then at their wedding, display it (i don't know about that part). Lucky for me, my efforts to mentally find a new home for my dress failed! :) As you can see, Cora didn't exactly love being in the dress. What kind of girl IS she!!?? :) lol. I had a great time despite her being irritable at first. She is also teething as you will notice when both her hands are in her mouth. Later on she calms down and focuses on her multiple pearl necklaces. :) You'll have to try to pick your favorite so I know which one to blow up for her wedding. he he he. P.S. the dress was obviously gigantic on her so I used utility clamps in the back. It's very "Say Yes To the Dress" that way, you know? ;)

{Katie A. you have GOT to do this with your girls on the beach!}

{the teething I was talking about. so sad!}

This side shot is just an excuse to document her curls. :)

These are some other pictures I set the camera on timer, ran with CG and Evan into the Forest and posed so I could have a few with the kids. I have a recent injury to my legs I have to get looked at so by the time I took pictures with Evan, I really couldn't hold him for long cause he's so GIANT now! Sorry buddy. Tomorrow I hope to edit and load the other pictures I took of the kids together where I attempted to hang a chandelier off my forest trees, adding whimsy. I'm not sure it worked out but we'll see tomorrow. :). Last thing, it was all overcase today at 12 when I took these but as soon as I put the kids down for a nap at 124p, the sun came out! Rrrr. That's ok, it would have made me sweat, it was unseasonably WARM for fall already today the sun likely added 20 degrees of heat. The next few days should be raining so I'm glad I snuck these 'fall' pictures in. Enjoy.

Predators Date Night & Wellness report

Despite the fact that our entire family has been in major quarentine for the past 3 weeks more or less... Mike and I went on a date! Yes, it's true. We paid a babysitter and everything so we could do to a Predators game Saturday night (they lost in O.T. to the Canadians. boo). We went with Matt and Nanci and had our typical fun time :). We are so glad we went, even if I was falling asleep during the game for being up since 6am and worked all day. Also, we left Evan at home with Heather with a 102 temp. I felt very guilty but he was in very capable and knowlegable hands. Heather Elam is the best! (she was paid generously. he he) Thank you for arranging our date Michael, you are the best. Looking forward to next time.

WELLNESS

In other news... Our family has been down for the count in the last 3 or so months, for the following: Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, Allergies, Teething, Strep Throat (for 3). Since the kids entered school/day care in mid August, Cora Grace has had a Black eye and HFMD, twice (currently recovering from 2nd bout). Evan has been bit 2 times (in 3 places, one left a visable and lasting scar near his left armpit), scratched twice (the one on his neck/collar bone has left a big scar), HFMD once and something wrong with his eye last week. Unrelated to School Cora Grace has eczema, therefore making her skin VERY sensitive to everything she touches. She got contact dermetitis from playing on a school playground - we've treated it with cortesone creme and lotion. She has been teething so bad. For the longest time, she's only had 8 teeth; four on top, four on bottom. Now she is getting 2 molars on top that are coming down sooooo slow! She has been miserable. Chewing to wounding her finger"S", runny nose all over her face, cough and sneezing from drainage, TIRED from pain, pain, irratable, runny diapers, LOTS of messy diapers and loss of appetite (all symptoms also from HFMD btw so she's had a double whammy. lovely.) I haven't been to church in a month and would have missed this past Sunday, teaching my class but it was Stake Conference. I would have missed because... After I got Strep Throat a week and and a half ago (started penecillin on a wed), Mike got diagnosed with it the next week and a few days later on Friday, poor Evan got a positive swab so he got a shot! He's had an off and on fever ever since and has had a diet of fruit popsicles, electrolyte drink, saltine crackers, ginger ale, waffles, cream of wheat and water since Friday. He had CG have lived off Childrens Allergy med, tylenol and ibuprofin. I have never experienced so much distruction in my life! :) I really hope and PRAY PRAY PRAY we stay well as we have a trip coming up that we cannot bare to lose time being sick for. Good news: after literally 2 months of runny nose and a week of booger/snot face when she wakes up in the a.m., Cora Grace has woke up the last two mornings with a dry nose! Whoo hoo!! Also, thank goodness teething tablets are back. They work like a dream!!!!!!!! So, to sum up, we are all currently WELL. CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!! :) lol.

Evan: 3 years - 20 questions

Yet another idea from Pintrest. If I remember to do it, I'll ask the same questions every year around his birthday and see how they change. There's no point in asking them before they are 3. ;). As you see, he didn't want to answer them all.

Evan: 3 years - 20 questions. Sunday November 6, 2011

                        

                      
1. What is your favorite color? YELLOW… AND GREEN (LOOKS AROUND THE ROOM) AND BLACK AND YELLOW AND RED.
2. What is your favorite toy? LOOKS AROUND FOR AN IDEA UMM…(I SUGGEST THE ‘TUMMY’ DOLL IN THE ROOM THEN THOMAS) TUMMY… AND THOMAS. (WHAT A SURPRISE)
3. What is your favorite fruit? GREEN
4. What is your favorite tv show? "PENQUINS" (HAPPY FEET), YO GABBA GABBA
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
6. What is your favorite outfit? PAJAMA’S.
7. What is your favorite game? NO
8. What is your favorite snack? BANANA CHIPS
9. What is your favorite animal? PENGUINS
10. What is your favorite song? LONDON BRIDGES, HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES AND TOES
11. What is your favorite book? GOODNIGHT MOON
12. Who is your best friend? CORA AND EVAN AND MOMMY AND DADDY, AND CORA AND EVAN AND MICHAEL AND LILA AND EVAN.
13. What is your favorite cereal? APPLE JACKS
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? PLAY IN THE SAND.
15. What is your favorite drink? HOT OVALTINE
16. What is your favorite holiday?
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? LITTLE BLANKIE, SPOTS, BIG KISS (PINK HIPPO OF CORA’S)
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? CEREAL AND APPLE JACKS (HE NEVER GETS COLD CEREAL FOR BFAST AND HAS HAD APPLE JACKS 3 TIMES IN HIS LIFE AT THIS POINT. THEY MUST HAVE REALLY ROCKED HIS WORLD. LOL)
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? DON’T WANT TO GROW. NO. YEAH.

Why we're thankful for you

Another self indulgent journal entry from mommy. There are of course many thankful moments but this happened tonight. After a long day at 'school', you and your sister came home with daddy, made time to turn the front room into a tornado in 2 seconds flat - including you stripping your clothes off before jumping into pajamas while daddy made you yummy yummy spaghetti-o's. You and poor snotty nosed cg were enjoying apple sauce by the time I walked in the door and both cheerfully greeted me. Ahhh :). You both got baths and first put Cora down. I hadn't realized the time and was distracted with putting Cora down and daddy making he and I some dinner when I came back to the front room to you "buzzing". You have been making the craziest noise recently, kind of like a horse baying or something. Anyway, you do it a lot (and have taught your sister to do it when you're acting up or bored in the car) and when you do, it's over and over... and over. I didn't even look to see if it was 8 yet because I knew your 'tell', it was time for bed regardless. You were sitting on the couch after having wrapped yourself in "mommy's big blankie" and sucking on your finger, intermittently you were bleating. lol. I told you it was time for bed and when you put the blankie down from your face, you had 4 baby spoons in your hand that you have recently become attached to. lol. After I laughed, I told you to take them with you to bed (to avoid the eminent argument if I took them away) with a stern warning that I would take them away if  you talk or sing after you get into bed. You repeated what I said and committed to follow the instructions and... you did it! You fell immediately asleep :(. As your mom, I'm secretly sad you didn't talk or sing before bed but it keeps you up soooooo late and you need your sleep. I admit, I hoped you would disobey and sing "head shoulders knees and toes or London bridge" or talk to yourself out loud about your day. You are very precious. Since I missed an opportunity to come in to scold you, (lol) I instead snuck in your room in hopes to find you still holding your spoons. I brought my camera just in case and although you weren't holding them in your hand anymore, I found 3 of them near your feet. Your cute little feet and your sweet little toes that daddy played 'little piggies' with yesterday to entertain you and your sister while I got diagnosed with strep throat :(. I love you, We love you. Keep being such a precious growing boy. xoxoxoxox - Mommy (and Daddy)