tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64316191364871187842024-03-13T22:42:36.804-07:00The Hill Family BlogChristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-50105664009883310512017-01-02T19:53:00.001-08:002017-01-02T19:53:19.922-08:00We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our elf, Lloyd Christmas, returned after Thanksgiving and kicked off the Christmas season! This year was a good one because since Christmas and New Years fell on the weekend, Dave and I both had two long weekends of no work back to back which made for lots of lounging in our pjs and playing with new toys and building lots and lots of Lego sets.</div>
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We started off by riding the Christmas train at Irvine Park. We had never done this before and were so pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was! We will definitely be doing it again next year. It was really cold and crazy windy when we went so hopefully next year will be better weather. The boys loved meeting Santa and riding the train through the tunnel of lights. </div>
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We decorated our house early this year because Great-Grandma came all the way from New York for a visit. We decorated cookies, went shopping, and spent time together as a big family. It was so much fun and we were sad to see her leave!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for Great-Grandma at the airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Christmas cookies</td></tr>
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The boys had fun school parties and Carter's class sang some songs at their Winter concert. Christmas eve we spent with our cousins and we were so thrilled to see snowy footprints from Santa by our fireplace on Christmas morning. He also left a glove and his glasses! We'll have to remember to return them next year!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave's favorite present was a new guitar</td></tr>
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We had a blast watching Christmas movies this year. The classic "Home Alone" is now our boys' favorite and they giggle uncontrollably and now repeat lines from the movie. We love watching "Elf" so Torrey and I took Carter to see the musical. It was pretty cute and they even set up a candy bar for the kids to pack boxes full of candy to munch on throughout the show. Sugar high!<br />
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Last but not least... we ended 2016 on a high note with a little get-together with some friends. I told the boys they could stay up as long as they could... poor Archie made it till 11:30pm and crashed on the couch. He was so disappointed the next morning to discover we had done all the poppers without him! (And I felt terrible for not remembering to save him some!) Carter stayed up till 1:30am. He definitely takes after his night owl father because I am definitely not a night person. It was so cute to see Carter shout the countdown as this was the first year he ever made it past midnight.<br />
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Goodbye 2016... here's to hoping 2017 brings us health and joy and happiness and new family adventures!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-88800127235969774332017-01-02T17:28:00.001-08:002017-01-02T20:02:59.309-08:00Birthday Boys are 5 and 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Make a wish! 5 and 7 here we come!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday cake for breakfast</td></tr>
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Well, every year I get a little emotional when my kids turn another year older. But this year when I bought the 5 and 7 candles for their cake, I actually cried. How in the world did we get here so quickly? And the fact that my little Carter is 7 was the hardest because I feel like 7 years old is when I really recall being my own independent person. I remember my own childhood adventures at age 7... feeling carefree, riding my bike around our neighborhood, buying candy with my brother at the boat landing across the street, having slumber parties with friends, building forts and hideouts in our neighborhood... sigh. It feels like yesterday.<br />
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Carter Francis has become such a sweet young gentleman. He loves everyone in this world so deeply. He has so many friends and sees the good in everyone and every situation. He has definitely overcome any social anxiety and shyness he had as a young child and just seems to be the life of the party everywhere he goes. </div>
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Archer Anderson is the silliest guy ever and Dave and I just can't get enough of his personality. He is such a unique individual. He loves things that bring him comfort and joy which at this stage is mostly playing Batman and building Legos and spending time with his family. He is quite content to stay home and play... sometimes I feel like I have to bribe him to get out and do things that most kids would think are fun! His giggle is contagious and his sense of humor makes his daddy proud. His vocabulary is off the charts! He is only 5 but sometimes I feel like I am having in-depth conversations with an adult. He loves going to school and has made some friends of his own which is fun to see. He loves Carter more than anyone in this world and is fiercely protective of him which is the cutest thing ever. </div>
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This year we had a surprise birthday party at an indoor bounce house to kick off the birthday festivities!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slide is fun for kids of all ages!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie with my parents!</td></tr>
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For the boys' birthday weekend, we rented a historic beach cottage at Crystal Cove. It was so lovely and amazing and was honestly one of the best nights I have had with my family. I loved how simple things were there. We built Legos and played games and listened to the ocean waves. The kids played hide and seek, we walked for coffee and hot cocoa, and we flew a kite on the beach. I felt like we packed one night full of so many memories. My mom's birthday is 2 days after the boys, so my brother picked her up and we all had breakfast together. Archie daily talks about how much he loves our beach house and I'm eager to have a return visit soon!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite room in the whole cottage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning snuggles on a cold beach morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma Carol enjoying the front deck</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday brunch!</td></tr>
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-47244027131116201742017-01-02T16:58:00.005-08:002017-01-02T16:58:48.490-08:00Halloween 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Trick or treating was such a blast this year. I think we made it around the entire neighborhood. The boys were super excited to wear their costumes and Archie managed to keep his mask on nearly all night even though he could barely see through it!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spooky gingerbread house with Grandma Carol</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom rocks Halloween every year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowser and Lego Ninjago</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-72030030588669056892017-01-02T16:53:00.000-08:002017-01-02T16:53:23.901-08:002016-2017 School Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My littles aren't so little anymore. Carter is a big 1st grader... he goes to school all day long and is learning to read and write and solve problems and has become so independent this year. And Archie is finally in school! He is loving T-K and has the same teacher that Carter had (whom we absolutely adore!) and it's so fun to see him come home with stories of what he learned and the friends he plays with. This year has been a little challenging since they are at two separate schools that BOTH START at 8 AM. I can't wait until next year when they are in school together (although Archie will still only be half day!) When the boys are in school my house feels so quiet and a little lonely. I find myself counting down the hours until I can pick them back up!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This kid has style!</td></tr>
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Archie still comes home for lunch (and so does Dave) so our lunchtimes are always fun!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-70418535287820628832016-08-28T19:07:00.000-07:002016-08-28T19:08:01.470-07:00Summer 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So this year we decided to renovate our very run-down and depressing front and backyard. We are incredibly pleased with the final outcome after lots of annoying construction dust and noise. Since we are now paying for this lovely backyard, we opted for no vacation this summer and stayed home to enjoy it! We had fun roasting marshmallows and hanging out by the fire at the very start of summer but it's been too dang hot to enjoy it much lately. Cheers to future fall breezes!</div>
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So all in all, we had a lazy summer. We stayed up late and slept in a little longer than usual...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went upstairs to go to bed and found two little sneaky stinkers had stolen my bed!<br />
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We spent some fun days at the beach! The boys made me a birthday cake out of sand and sang to me as I embraced turning 35!<br />
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And we spent a lot of time at Disneyland! It was hot and crowded, but still remained magical!</div>
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Archie loved having his big brother home all day. He had someone to help him play dress up and build forts and all the things that I'm no fun at!</div>
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The boys took gymnastics this summer and loved it. They were jumping and somersaulting all over the place! We spent a morning practicing at the trampoline park.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spy Carter?</td></tr>
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Lastly, our big adventure is Carter finally lost TWO teeth! He's been waiting forever to get a wiggly tooth and all of a sudden he had two and they fell out about a week apart. He is thrilled to return to school tomorrow to show all his friends!</div>
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Tonight we say goodbye to summer because school starts tomorrow for BOTH BOYS. I can't believe that Archie is finally starting school and he is thrilled and I am a little emotional because that means I will no longer have my little morning companion. I'm going to miss our Target runs and park days and lego building mornings. My house is going to seem very quiet for 3 whole hours a day, 5 days a week but I'm sure I'll survive it! :)</div>
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-3888859560903132952016-04-03T15:35:00.000-07:002016-04-07T12:06:35.482-07:00Spring Break 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We just got home from a glorious mini-vacation in Santa Barbara. It was so much fun to take the kids there but it made me feel kind of old.... has it really been 15 YEARS since I was in college there?! It was fun to walk down State Street and remember all the date nights Dave and I spent when we were so young... and throwing two wild boys in the mix definitely made me view the city in a new light!<br />
First, we checked into El Capitan Canyon campgrounds. I had heard great things about this place but had never been. After our brief stay I totally recommend it and am already trying to plan our return trip! The campgrounds are situated a little north of downtown SB, and although you are at the beach, the campgrounds are across the freeway and hidden in the beautiful hills and trees. This is NOT your average campground... it is "glamping" and it is glorious! There are cabins, yurts, and canvas tents. We stayed in a yurt and it was huge! Big tall domed ceiling, three beds, wood floors, electricity, a small fridge, and a heater. The boys were eager to get the firepit going and we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. I think my favorite part about this campground (besides the gorgeous scenery) was the market and restaurant. It was really nice to wake up in the morning and just run down to the restaurant for coffee and a really tasty breakfast! Next time we plan on bringing hardly any food and just ordering our meals from the market. (I know the true campers will think this is crazy but seriously, this is my style of camping!)<br />
We checked out the next morning and headed to the Santa Barbara zoo. It was breezy and sunny and beautiful and we had a blast. Then we checked into the Montecito Inn (designed by Charlie Chaplin!) and showered and relaxed before spending a fun evening on State Street. The next morning as we were having breakfast with the other hotel guests (who were mostly older people) Archie exclaimed loudly, "WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?!" The entire restaurant was laughing which of course egged him on and he asked that same question like three more times to my total embarrassment!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road trip ready!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our adventure yurt!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The campground had a great playground and even a pool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8B6uVa9y6Ic/VwFmPVDMvqI/AAAAAAAADZ8/babOmDQybEEgz6w8xwZGgJ1uX7ATnIbMg/s1600/20160330_191750_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8B6uVa9y6Ic/VwFmPVDMvqI/AAAAAAAADZ8/babOmDQybEEgz6w8xwZGgJ1uX7ATnIbMg/s400/20160330_191750_resized.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their funny face selfies always crack me up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Snx-CkYbtls/VwFmPg-x25I/AAAAAAAADZ8/dgXrTfcfUSAwwtv29bHcLpGfokS1QPuyA/s1600/20160330_193748_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Snx-CkYbtls/VwFmPg-x25I/AAAAAAAADZ8/dgXrTfcfUSAwwtv29bHcLpGfokS1QPuyA/s400/20160330_193748_resized.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing beats snuggles by a fire!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDniD8M0Meg/VwFmRCUWeaI/AAAAAAAADaE/dplO7Ufv2z8uYgoLToC-GLH0CphSGAFUw/s1600/20160331_063339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDniD8M0Meg/VwFmRCUWeaI/AAAAAAAADaE/dplO7Ufv2z8uYgoLToC-GLH0CphSGAFUw/s640/20160331_063339.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archie is an early bird. He's eating donuts in the morning while everyone else sleeps!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rzBpiC0h20/VwFmRcdvVJI/AAAAAAAADaE/M3tVBBM9b6YmXAqN5AJxmlBzG0o4HKdNw/s1600/20160331_065813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rzBpiC0h20/VwFmRcdvVJI/AAAAAAAADaE/M3tVBBM9b6YmXAqN5AJxmlBzG0o4HKdNw/s640/20160331_065813.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I woke up to the sunlight streaming in through the roof. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sbwYQgTBEFc/VwFmSOHwrFI/AAAAAAAADaE/x2DQ1WZ5pDs408MlzAoZuijG83C8UWhEg/s1600/20160331_073657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sbwYQgTBEFc/VwFmSOHwrFI/AAAAAAAADaE/x2DQ1WZ5pDs408MlzAoZuijG83C8UWhEg/s640/20160331_073657.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My early bird went to the market with me to get coffee and OJ! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NBGwR7lqLfg/VwFmUNdOy9I/AAAAAAAADaE/6nFWKqjfFBknytaRgO1teC62t3ZGkOlwg/s1600/20160331_095904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NBGwR7lqLfg/VwFmUNdOy9I/AAAAAAAADaE/6nFWKqjfFBknytaRgO1teC62t3ZGkOlwg/s640/20160331_095904.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing beats bacon, breakfast burritos, and pancakes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dPowN2c-dA/VwFmV1-ebGI/AAAAAAAADaE/Fvn78a8C30gqf7_V7FLMrg7hFNw1hNXUg/s1600/20160331_121545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dPowN2c-dA/VwFmV1-ebGI/AAAAAAAADaE/Fvn78a8C30gqf7_V7FLMrg7hFNw1hNXUg/s640/20160331_121545.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elephants are so cute!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDW9t6SfzGM/VwFmWh72uqI/AAAAAAAADaE/WwVz0yPW0bkHGlCSRUkgr9PFJHNN4JAZQ/s1600/20160331_131155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDW9t6SfzGM/VwFmWh72uqI/AAAAAAAADaE/WwVz0yPW0bkHGlCSRUkgr9PFJHNN4JAZQ/s640/20160331_131155.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Santa Barbara zoo grounds are beautiful! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBikt2TTkEk/VwFmXrDEZLI/AAAAAAAADaE/UftswEH9LkE8jJFBkxJJOFAIAozkAdXYw/s1600/20160331_135037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WBikt2TTkEk/VwFmXrDEZLI/AAAAAAAADaE/UftswEH9LkE8jJFBkxJJOFAIAozkAdXYw/s640/20160331_135037.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome hill with cardboard surfboards!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq9wMAquXs0/VwFmXcOOHYI/AAAAAAAADaE/cgcoA4z7b54ldcM1ZUp7HOtOynTw2dfqQ/s1600/20160331_150253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq9wMAquXs0/VwFmXcOOHYI/AAAAAAAADaE/cgcoA4z7b54ldcM1ZUp7HOtOynTw2dfqQ/s400/20160331_150253.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching cartoons in their undies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_cnLUXWEQN8/VwFmYf98RII/AAAAAAAADaE/p025OguZxaUKXkPP7xy5pcb9K9GuLlM1w/s1600/20160401_073544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_cnLUXWEQN8/VwFmYf98RII/AAAAAAAADaE/p025OguZxaUKXkPP7xy5pcb9K9GuLlM1w/s400/20160401_073544.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hotel was lovely and it felt great to relax!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xsu9lpmk1rg/VwFmYH00g9I/AAAAAAAADaE/rGTa84S4_Pkpi81GOWcciElTKoH1yPZpg/s1600/20160331_175846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xsu9lpmk1rg/VwFmYH00g9I/AAAAAAAADaE/rGTa84S4_Pkpi81GOWcciElTKoH1yPZpg/s400/20160331_175846.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super yummy ice cream!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rtSSewB0MlI/VwFmY_dgd-I/AAAAAAAADaE/YQQ0P2FDsZEmtobu1jgm4EVLVjiqiKdIQ/s1600/20160401_103050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rtSSewB0MlI/VwFmY_dgd-I/AAAAAAAADaE/YQQ0P2FDsZEmtobu1jgm4EVLVjiqiKdIQ/s640/20160401_103050.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather was absolutely perfect.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soaking up the warm sun!</td></tr>
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When we got home, Dave and I had a fun day date (just the two of us!) at the Segerstrom Center and watched the Book of Mormon musical. Sadly, today is Sunday and I am having a hard time getting this family back in our reality routine of work and school. We sure did love spending this week together... I'm looking forward to planning another getaway soon!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a wrap!</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-4544741783110283002016-01-23T15:17:00.001-08:002016-01-23T15:22:28.088-08:00Holiday Highlights 2015/2016Once again, I lag when it comes to updating this blog. But I'm busy busy busy which at least means life is not boring and dull, right? (Always trying to be positive!) My personal motto for the year is achieving a happy and healthy balance in my life... more exercise, more fun time with my family, and less overall stress and anxiety. Cheers to that!<br />
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We had an absolutely awesome Christmas season this year. The build-up to Christmas day was the best... baking, decorating, movies, Christmas stories, etc. Christmas morning was fabulous... the boys were thrilled with their gifts from Santa, we ate yummy food, watched Christmas Vacation, baked cookies, and snuggled on the couch in our pjs all day. Perfection!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our elf was a huge hit this year! Such fun!</td></tr>
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Carter had a holiday performance at school. His teacher was concerned that he might get stage fright (as he tends to be a little soft spoken and sometimes shy) but he memorized his speaking part and did great!<br />
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We have Disneyland passes and are making good use of them! I took the boys after school the other day and the park was wonderfully non-crowded and we had a blast. Carter got to participate in the opening ceremony for the Wilderness Explorer ceremony:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Churro and ice cream sandwich=best after-school snack ever!</td></tr>
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Oh and did I mention how thrilling the new Star Wars movie was?! We loved it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fancy movie theater by our house!</td></tr>
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And to top it all off, Dave and I celebrated 10 years of marriage! It's been a blast and I'm looking forward to all the many years to come!<br />
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-45436708857722920302015-11-22T14:20:00.000-08:002015-11-22T14:20:01.358-08:00Birthday Boys are 4 and 6!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 and 6 but yes, they still ride in a stroller!</td></tr>
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I can't believe another year has flown by! (And yes I say this every year but seriously... it's insane.)<br />
I have lost my blogging momentum as the years go by (also because Instagram and Facebook are much easier) but the kids love to go back and watch videos and see pictures of themselves so I've at least got to keep up with the important things... like BIRTHDAYS!<br />
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Carter Francis Hill... 6 years old! I will never forgot what he looked like when he was born. It's burned into my memory... especially because I had to wait days before I ever got to hold him in my arms. Today, he is thriving in life. He has many friends, loves Kindergarten, is learning to read and write, and is becoming more independent each day. He is definitely a mini-Dave and loves to tell jokes and even scare and surprise people. But he is sweet and empathetic and always makes sure everyone is happy and having fun.<br />
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Archer Anderson Hill... 4 years old! This kid is pure excitement and energy and he definitely has the most amazing memory. He makes us laugh daily with the silly things he says. He still loves all things Batman and Star Wars and knows everything about every character and every story line. He is super outgoing when he is comfortable but tends to get very shy and reserved and grumpy when he is feeling out of sorts or nervous. He is starting preschool next month for just a couple of weeks as a trial run. We'll see how he does away from home and me and in a new environment!<br />
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The best attribute of both boys? Their love for each other! They are truly each other's number one defender. They both have the "don't mess with my brother" attitude and honestly, they really do get along very well. I hope this lasts forever!<br />
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This year we bought Disneyland annual passes for the boys' birthday. It's been a year since we've had passes and with the crazy price increase, this will be our last year of Disneyland (at least until the new Star Wars land opens up!). The magic hasn't faded but the crowds are a little crazy which can make things frustrating (I refuse to wait in a line that's longer than 30 minutes!) When I told the boys that instead of a party, we'd be going to Disneyland, they were thrilled until they realized that we were the only ones going. They were bummed that they didn't have friends joining us.<br />
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So I pulled together a very last minute birthday party in the park. In the midst of a horribly hot fall season, the day I chose to have the party was freezing cold and nearly rainy. It turned out great though as the kids pretended to be jedis and ran around the park for hours and never complained once about being cold (us adults were freezing though!) We had some humorous moments (I made light sabers out of bubble wands by painting the handles chrome. They looked awesome but the silver spray paint stained everyone's hands! Not sure why but oh well. Pinterest fail.) I also brought a Keurig machine to make hot cocoa and coffee to combat the cold weather but despite all of our valiant attempts at getting electricity, we never managed to get enough power to brew one cup! Ugh. That being said, everyone had a blast and the boys were so pleased to get to spend some time with kids and not just boring old mom and dad!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebel Alliance cupcakes vs Dark Side cupcakes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Wars snacks, decorations, and bubble wand light sabers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I laugh every time the kids wear this mask!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basketball with the guys</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone looks ridiculously bored here but it really was fun!!!</td></tr>
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Disneyland was a big hit too because they opened Seasons of the Force in Tomorrowland. Dave ate a Jedi chicken sandwich served out of a Han Solo carbonite box, we had popcorn served in a tie fighter, and we watched a cool Star Wars video and explored all the new Star Wars merchandise. We met Lord Vader and the boys were super nervous to talk to him! The biggest hit of the day was Archie's first ride on Star Tours. He is still under 40 inches and isn't a fan of fast rides so he's never cared that he can't go on certain rides. But he begs for Star Tours. So we gave him some boots, put extra socks and an orthopedic lift inside, spiked his hair, and told him to use the Force and stand as tall as possible. He was height checked twice and they were extremely hesitant to let him ride but we managed to get him on! He LOVED it. Seeing his grin as he got in his seat and put on the 3D glasses was priceless. Definitely my favorite part of the day.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave's multi-tasking skills--can steer a ship, <br />check his phone, and hold his kids at the same time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both boys love "Jack's house" which is the Haunted Mansion <br />turned into Nightmare Before Christmas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter had a full conversation with Spiderman but Archie wouldn't even look at him!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potential Christmas card? Merry Sithmas?!</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-89446260283781833472015-09-08T17:34:00.003-07:002015-09-08T17:34:34.672-07:00School's in Session!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kindergarten has begun! We decided to try out the tiny little school in the canyon. When I mean tiny... there are only three classrooms and a hundred kids in the whole school. The school opened in 1879. Pretty awesome, right? So far I am completely in love. Driving down into the canyon in the morning is so serene. There are huge pumpkins growing in someone's garden along the roadside and the school has its own farm (with animals!). The campus is beautiful and there are big shady trees and pine cones everywhere. It's so fun to watch the kids swinging on the swings as the rooster crows in the background. We gather together as a group in the morning for the announcements and the pledge. It feels like a little community.<br />
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Archie is stuck with me all day but we are making the most of it!<br />
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Labor Day weekend was lovely. It was hard to get back to work and school today. Yesterday we had a BBQ with my mom and then spent a fun afternoon bowling with the cousins. I'm excited that my boys like bowling. I have some fun memories of bowling when I was younger. It's a sport that I can handle!</div>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-39293055565202608572015-08-29T11:26:00.001-07:002015-08-29T11:26:47.649-07:00Summertime 2015Well, this was the shortest summer ever. Carter's last day of T-K was the end of June and his first day of Kindergarten is on Monday! It just whizzed by! T-K was an amazing year. Carter made friends, I made some great mommy friends, and we both had a blast. I got to volunteer each week in the classroom and loved to see all the fun projects they did. Carter had the most amazing teacher and I am keeping my fingers crossed that Archie will be in her classroom for the 2016 school year.<br />
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Our summer was fairly uneventful. Dave started a new job (we are so proud of him and how hard working he is) but that meant no summer vacations for us. So instead, we had lovely long mornings spent in our pajamas, playing video games and toys. We spent time at the beach, parks, and the pool! The boys were in swim lessons all summer long and they are finally both feeling pretty comfortable in the water. I plan on continuing lessons for one day a week throughout the year so that they don't forget all the things they have learned. I'm still dreaming of a family vacation to Hawaii but Dave insists that both boys be able to swim independently before we can go!</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We found a new favorite beach (Aliso) that made it really easy for me to take the boys to since it was a short drive (less than 30 minutes) and easy parking/walking. And they have a cute playground where the boys pretended to be Batman and Robin, scaling the tops of buildings in </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The loves of my life</td></tr>
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Besides swimming, Carter started playing basketball this summer. Archie is so bummed that he couldn't play but as soon as he turns 4, he is going to start T-ball with Carter. It'll be so fun for him to FINALLY get to be part of the action instead of watching from the bleachers!</div>
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Archie is growing up so fast and is desperate to keep up with Carter. I decided to "homeschool" him for preschool with another little friend of his for at least the start of the school year and then I might put him in preschool starting in December/January. He is currently obsessed with Batman. He loves the old cartoons and has a million Batman toys (thanks to Imaginext who needs to make a new Batcave every darn month). We bought him a Batman costume and it is the cutest thing ever to see him put the mask on and actually embrace the character of Batman (deep voice and all.) When he takes the costume off, he becomes very serious and says, "Mommy, I am now Bruce Wayne."</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How can you not smile when you see this?!</td></tr>
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-75577288387834525912015-04-09T14:16:00.003-07:002015-04-09T14:25:51.285-07:00Easter 2015Time keeps zooming by! Work and school and activities and life just all seem to be on fast-forward right now. I had been looking forward to Easter weekend for weeks as just our chance to slow down a bit. We are now on Spring Break and loving every second of it... more pics and posts on that to come. For now, here are some pictures from our Easter weekend this year.<br />
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We kicked off the weekend by lounging around at home. Archie was sick so Carter got to make (and eat!) all the Easter cookies. He has been seeing a GI Specialist in order to gain weight and has managed to gain over a pound in the past month or so! (His love of cookies has definitely helped!) Carter then got to play video games with his Daddy and Uncle Brian all day. My brother bought them the new Mario Party game and Carter was thrilled!<br />
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Thankfully, we all woke up feeling pretty good Easter morning. My Grandma sent the boys giant Peter Rabbit eggs full of treats. The Easter bunny hid a present for each kid and so we spent the rest of the morning playing Batman jail and Angry Bird Trouble. We went to Dave's brothers house for dinner and the kids had a really fun Easter egg hunt.<br />
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My mom got the kids a new bubble machine and they spent the other morning in their pajamas popping bubbles all morning! I love it because I don't have to do anything!<br />
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Happy Easter! Hope yours was as relaxing and enjoyable as ours!</div>
Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-8692769989917525442015-01-10T09:19:00.001-08:002015-01-10T09:35:00.644-08:00Crystal Cove Cottage AdventureI am learning to roll with the unexpected and try not to get upset when things don't go as planned. Take this trip for example. I booked us a cottage 6 months ago for Dave and I to celebrate our 9 year wedding anniversary. It was just one night away from the kids. I thought that would be easy enough (Side note--we very rarely leave our kids overnight. I think the last time we did was a year ago when we were in Hawaii.) On Tuesday Archie was coughing and running a fever. A trip to the doctor assured us it was just a cold virus. Thursday morning (day of our trip) Carter woke up with a fever. I considered cancelling our room but it was too late to get a refund. So we dropped the boys off with Grandpa and headed to our cottage. Both boys looked a bit miserable but they were just tired and at that moment fever-free. Here's the happy part of the story. Dave and I stayed in cottage #45, which is at the start of the historical district. It was the old Soda Shack. It was absolutely charming and adorable. There are no TVs or phones. Just an old-timey radio and some really cool books. I pretended we were in Boardwalk Empire (think of season 1 when everything is still happy.) We watched the sunset and ate a very decadent dinner at the Beachcomber.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our kitchen table... so cute, right?</td></tr>
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After dinner, we called to check on the boys and Carter's fever returned at over 103 degrees and he did not sound well. I felt terrible. We packed up some stuff and hiked to the top of the hill where we had to park our car. We gave him Motrin and took the boys home and put them to bed. Friday morning we had to go back to get the rest of our things and checkout. It must have been the refreshing ocean air and the excitement of being on the beach because the boys seemed to have a blast for a few hours. We managed to grab a late breakfast at the Shake Shack but by that time the boys seemed to remember that they felt miserable. So our fun weekend is now being spent watching movies and wearing pajamas. But hey, we did manage to have a few hours of fun and Crystal Cove is my new favorite beach and we are planning on returning as soon as we can!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cottage had a private back deck overlooking the creek.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archie hates the water. Carter begged the whole time to go swimming.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy teaching the boys how to skip rocks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My three favorite people.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family selfie. Archie makes goofy faces when he can see himself in the camera.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful January morning.</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-76333282331282735492015-01-04T21:32:00.001-08:002015-01-04T22:02:23.037-08:00Holiday HighlightsWe are now in 2015 and I guess I will start the year off posting about all the lovely holiday events that happened last year. For anyone who didn't receive our Christmas card, here are some updated family photos taken by my friend Lauren who is not a photographer but really should be. (She also made their superhero bow ties!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We will be celebrating 9 years of marriage this week!</td></tr>
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2014 was pretty much the best Christmas we have had together as a family. It was the first time that both boys were really excited about Christmas and Archie was old enough to understand the whole "Santa" story. Last year he came downstairs on Christmas morning, ignored the presents, and sat and ate what was left of Santa's cookies! This year, practically every single morning in December, the boys raced downstairs to see if Santa had come. I had to show them the calendar every day as we not-so-patiently counted down each day. Our beloved Elf, Lloyd Christmas, returned this year and the boys loved searching for him each morning to find out what trouble he had gotten himself into!<br />
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Carter had two weeks off school and we really made the most of every day! Archie was thrilled to have Carter home all the time and the boys loved decorating the house, going to see Christmas lights, baking cookies and treats, and singing lots of Christmas carols. On Christmas Eve, we had dinner with Dave's family and all the grandkids received new pajamas. It was so cute to see them all together.<br />
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Christmas day was perfection. Carter was up first, around 6:30am but we made him wait till 7:00 to wake up Archie. The first thing Archie said when he came downstairs was, "Where's Santa?!" I think he expected Santa to be waiting for him. They were so excited to open their presents... lots of Legos this year! I made breakfast burritos and my mom and brother came over to join us. We watched White Christmas and built Legos all day. Dave even managed to take a three hour long nap! We wore our pajamas all day. It was glorious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa's cookies and reindeer's carrots</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave bought me a heated blanket--these two love it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving their Legos!</td></tr>
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<i>* Video should be titled 2014 but I just realized that and am too tired to fix it!*</i><br />
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After Christmas we went to my Dad's house and continued the Christmas celebrations. The boys got some really fun Captain America weapons and loved chasing after Phred.<br />
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We hope your Christmas was as merry as ours! New Years proved to be equally awesome in that it actually SNOWED in Orange County. Dave headed out for work in the morning and called me and said, "There is so much snow on the mountains I am sure if you drive up the street you will find some." That was all I needed to hear. I put jackets on the boys, loaded them in the car, and we went on a "snow hunt." It didn't take long! Just a few miles down the street we found snow! It was absolutely freezing cold and windy but we were so excited!</div>
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Our Disneyland passes expire next month and we have been trying to make the most of them. I think we are going to wait to renew until Archie is tall enough to ride most of the rides. I will definitely be sad to say good bye to Disneyland as we have been having so many wonderful adventures there!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two are still best friends... really hoping it lasts forever!</td></tr>
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School starts up again tomorrow and we are back into the routine of things. I'm not ready! We have truly enjoyed sleeping in and staying up late. Carter and Archie are growing up so much and so quickly... I am trying hard to track these moments as best as I can, through blogs and photos, so that the boys will be able to look back at these some day and hopefully remember some of these wonderful times. We are incredibly blessed as a family. I am so in love with all three of the boys in my life and try very hard to not take things for granted. Our home is comfortable and secure and (most of the time!) is a place of peace, joy, and laughter. All is full of love!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-64772468486750996992014-11-23T20:39:00.002-08:002014-11-23T20:44:44.921-08:00Birthday Boys are 3 and 5!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute birthday shirts made by Aunt Jackie!</td></tr>
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Time really does zoom by... I am still wrapping my head around the fact that my boys just turned 3 and 5. No longer babies, no longer toddlers, no longer "little" ones... These handsome young gentlemen are fun-loving, creative, inquisitive, and energetic. They love each other so much and the bond they share amazes me. They still seem to love sharing a birthday so that makes my life easy--one party per year! </div>
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Carter Francis...this kid touches our hearts daily. All of the obstacles he overcame early in life seem such a thing of the past. He loves being in T-K, has made so many friends, and while he doesn't seem to be shy or timid at all anymore, he has managed to retain his sensitive and sweet spirit that charms Dave and I to the point of tears. He is thoughtful and generous and despite turning 5, still loves a good cuddle with his parents. He loves playing video games (Super Mario World being his favorite) and is now so good that he doesn't even like playing with me... "Sigh... Mama! You keep dying too much! Ugh!" He loves roller coasters and is finally tall enough to ride most of them. The faster, the better! He is adventurous and creative and is definitely a "think outside the box" kind of kid. I volunteer in his classroom once a week and the class was playing "Simon Says." Each kid would get up and say things like, "Simon says stand on one foot. Jump up and down. Put your hands in the air, etc." Carter gets up to be Simon and says, "Simon says catch a butterfly!" And then demonstrates what "catching a butterfly" should look like. His next command: "Simon says drink chocolate milk!" And proceeds to pretend to slurp chocolate milk up a straw. His teacher and I could not help but laugh at how cute he is! And lastly, one of the most important traits Carter shows is the role of big brother. He sets a great example for Archie to follow and is protective, kind, and loving to his little brother.</div>
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Archer Anderson...this fiery, power-packed little stinker keeps me on my toes. He is so mature for a 3 year old. He is sweet and kind like his big brother but pairs it with endless excitement and energy. This boy is always on the go and has developed an obsession with Star Wars that surpasses his big brother. Archie knows EVERYTHING about Star Wars... from detailed plot points to the names of every character and every planet and every ship. He memorizes everything! I am blown away by his vocabulary and the things he comes up with at age 3. He is incredibly bright and I am so excited to see where his capacity for knowledge will take him. At dinner tonight we were watching "Cosmos" and Archie exclaimed, "What is this guy talkin' about!?" We laughed so hard because that show is beyond my comprehension at times and I didn't even know how to explain it but he was totally intrigued. Maybe he will grow up to be an astrophysicist! He loves to pretend to be different people. He will run into the room and say, "Mama, can I be Luke Skywalker?" All I have to do is say "Yes!" and he is transformed instantaneously into Luke and is pretending to be training with Yoda on Dagobah. Unlike Carter, who could play for hours alone, Archie needs a partner in crime. He begs for Dave and I to play legos with him or to have light saber battles or to play Star Wars guys. His imagination is always working overtime. Despite being 3, we still can't get enough of his chubby baby cheeks and try to kiss him all the time!</div>
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Carter went to school on his birthday and Dave took the day off work. We picked him up and all went out to lunch and spent some time visiting Grayson at the cemetery. Being at the cemetery is never sad... it honestly brings me a sense of completeness and peace but this year, the kids understood more about Grayson and what had happened and sigh... those were some hard conversations to have. The next day when we went to pick Carter up from school, Archie said, "I want to pick up Grayson from school today." That was definitely a hard moment for me. I am working really hard at coming to terms with Grayson's death but I never really thought much about how it will affect my children as the years go on. That being said, our trip to the cemetery was beautiful and seeing my boys talk lovingly about their brother or having Carter practice reading the words on the gravestone... was all very touching.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate donuts for birthday breakfast!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday lunch at Wahoos, of course!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made a Captain America cake</td></tr>
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This weekend the boys had a big birthday bash at Scooter's Jungle. It was a huge success and despite my very frantic morning baking cupcakes and making sandwiches and racing against the clock, we arrived and got everything set up and it was so much fun! We bounced and played air hockey and slid down the huge slide as many times as we could. It was the perfect day and everyone (adults included!) enjoyed it!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crafty Aunt Jackie made these superhero masks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The zip line was a big hit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superhero Cupcakes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great minds think alike!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain America and Iron Man!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to try out the zip line!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Archie tried it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening presents with the cousins</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite picture from the day... this was captured during the Happy Birthday song.</td></tr>
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This is what bedtime looked like after the birthday party and the boys got new light sabers!</div>
Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-69169927724126263182014-11-23T18:16:00.000-08:002014-11-23T18:16:03.224-08:00Camping TripWe did a one night camping trip with the Wright family at O'Neill park. The weather was absolutely perfect... it felt like fall and we had such a wonderful time. We made s'mores, roasted hot dogs, snuggled around the fire and hiked around the canyon and riverbed. The best part about it? We only did it for one night. I am totally not the extended camping adventure type and even after one night we were amazed at how dirty the kids were! But it was such a blast that I am sure we will plan some more camping one-night adventures to come...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot chocolate and pumpkin muffins by the fire for breakfast.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathering acorns for my fireplace mantel</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-17018769908874311822014-11-23T18:04:00.000-08:002014-11-23T18:04:41.040-08:00Halloween 2014The boys were so excited about Halloween this year. It was the first time that they managed to make it all the way around the neighborhood (and collected quite a bit of candy!). I was a little nervous about Archie and his peanut allergy but we quickly sorted through the candy when we got home and he was very happy with his stash of skittles, nerds, and lollipops! Archie dressed up as his beloved Captain America and his costume has endured many hours of wear and tear. Carter chose to be Luigi and equally loved dressing up and jumping and bouncing off all the walls! The boys really got into the Halloween spirit this year and helped decorate the house, carve pumpkins, and watched A LOT of Nightmare Before Christmas!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trunk or Treating with cousins</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain America devouring his cheeseburger</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trick or treating at the mall</td></tr>
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-50091498468571971802014-09-06T07:46:00.005-07:002014-09-06T07:46:35.892-07:00School's In Session!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: center;">Carter started Transitional Kindergarten this week (the first year of a two-year Kindergarten program for kids who are not yet five years old). He was fine but I was a bundle of anxiety and nerves. He is going to a big elementary school with so many kids (during the overlap there are 32 kids in his class!) I can't imagine how his teacher handles this but she does! Carter's teacher is Mrs. Reddick and he loved her right from the start! What a relief. She is very sweet and kind and after his first day of school he told me that his favorite things were Mrs. Reddick and that they had a fun slide on the playground! Yesterday he came home chatting about building blocks, playing with teddy bears, and reading books. So far it has been a success and he is really happy so whew! Archie is NOT happy about Carter being in school all day. He cried when I told him he couldn't go until he was 4 years old. His response: "Look! 1, 2, 3, 4. See?! Now I am 4!"</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though he is growing up, his cuteness factor seems to exponentially grow right along with him.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Mario Brothers backpack!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His first assignment was to decorate this puppet to look like himself to share with his class.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archie HAS to wear Carter's backpack after pickup.</td></tr>
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After I picked Carter up on Friday we decided to head over to Disneyland to celebrate the end of a great first week! We met my friend Joanna and her little boy Mateo and explored the happiest place on earth. It was SO EMPTY! After a crazy crowded summer we could not believe how short the lines were--nothing over 15 minutes. It was wonderful! Archie rode his very first rollercoaster ever--the ToonTown one--and loved it! But the highlight for my kids was meeting Thor and Captain America. Archie looked at Captain America and said, "You are my favorite!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jungle Cruise with Mateo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing video games</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting in line for the roller coaster!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that the night was a success!</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-62724345153167301782014-09-02T20:14:00.000-07:002014-09-02T20:20:22.440-07:00The Mystery of the Candy Creatures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight we solved a mystery. A very elaborate mystery concocted by an imaginative 4 year old. Carter asked if he could have a piece of chocolate after dinner tonight. (We keep a candy dish on our fireplace mantel.) When he looked inside the dish and only saw three pieces left he exclaimed, "Who has been stealing all our candy?" I looked puzzled and said I didn't know. He then proceeded to tell me what had happened...<br />
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<i>Three creatures came into our house at night and stole all our chocolate. </i><br />
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Then Carter grabbed a magnifying glass and spent the next hour on a creature hunt with Archie as they looked for clues to solve the mystery. He came up with steps to finding the creatures. Step number one was to find the missing candy. Step number two was to find all the creatures. Step number three was to get our candy back and eat it. When Carter said he saw creature footprints leading into my bedroom, Archie burst into tears. He did NOT want any creatures to be in our house ever and kept saying that he was so afraid of candy creatures. I texted Dave on the way home from work and told him to put the remaining chocolates in his pocket. That way, he could show Archie that there were no creatures and that it was just Daddy all along who had been eating the candy. Archie was so relieved when he saw the chocolate in Dave's pocket that he burst into giggles. The idea that the candy creature was Daddy was the best news ever! Carter on the other hand, burst into tears. He was truly disappointed that his creature mystery was turning out to not be true. We pulled Carter aside and said that it still might be a creature mystery after all (but to keep it a secret from Archie) and his imagination once again went wild. We took a recap video and had the boys explain more about the creatures.<br />
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Dave especially thought this candy creature mystery was hilarious because it reminded him of the stories his parents told about him as a child and how creative his imagination was too.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IFg_qE1XLAM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-30687078563871931402014-08-31T16:24:00.002-07:002014-08-31T17:18:01.307-07:00Summer Is Almost Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This summer has truly been amazing. We had some lazy days where we played legos, practiced writing and coloring, built block towers, created new worlds out of playdough, and watched movies (Mickey House of Villains, DuckTales, and the Lego movie are the current favs in this house). We had adventurous outdoor days at new parks, swimming pools, and the beach. (I had hopes that Carter would learn to swim this summer... while he isn't quite there yet, he is definitely more confident and less nervous in the water so we are slowly making progress!) We had many Disneyland days and Carter (with the help of some big boots) is now tall enough to ride most of the rides so going on Thunder Mountain, Star Tours, and Radiator Springs Racers has been a blast. We went to the circus, Angel game, hung out with friends, played t-ball, had karate lessons, played in the sprinklers, had some epic lightsaber battles, and just really enjoyed spending time together. Carter starts Transitional Kindergarten next week and while I am so thrilled and know that he is going to love it and make new friends, it is definitely hard on me to send him off to school 5 days a week. I will miss snuggling in our pjs in the morning without a care as to what time we get dressed (oh the joy of working from home!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with Uncle Brian at t-ball practice</td></tr>
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Jumping in the pool!</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Our Aquarium passes expire next week so today we had one last hurrah with all the sea animals. Grandma Carol and Uncle Brian joined us and we all had a great time touching the rays and sharks. I am not a fan of the birds but was brave enough to go in and made my brother hold the nectar for the birds. Immediately a flock of birds came to him and then two more swooped down and landed on his arm. I laughed so hard because that would have terrified me. Carter is cautious like me and liked to stand back and watch but Archie jumped right in and begged to have a bird stand on his arm and was so excited when one finally did! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I captured the look on his face! Priceless. Pure bliss.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny jellyfish!</td></tr>
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Life with Star Wars fans...they make the best sound effects.<br />
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-49794770201042625982014-06-22T17:01:00.000-07:002014-06-22T17:01:40.248-07:00June Highlights!This month has been so wonderful! It's been a fantastic start to summer and we are loving every minute of it. Many milestones were had this month. Carter is a preschool graduate! It's amazing to see how much he has learned and how much he has grown. My once quiet and shy guy made many new friends (including his new best friend Cole!) and learned lots of new skills. I was a little sad that preschool was over because we love Miss Aimee so much and I am really hoping that his kindergarten experience will be just as great. I get a little emotional when I think of far this kid has come. He overcomes every obstacle that comes his way and just continues to touch our hearts every day. He is so sweet and kind-hearted and full of joy and love. He currently loves all super heroes (especially Captain America, Spiderman, Iron Man, and Wolverine) and playing video games with his Daddy. He is an amazing big brother and cares for Archie so much. The two of them play together all day long, making my life as a mom quite easy. Archie wanders around miserable whenever Carter isn't around. (How am I going to get through 5 days a week next year with Carter in school?!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So proud of our graduate!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter receiving his medal from Miss Aimee and Miss Sylvia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auntie Torrey brought balloons and stuffed kitties--best present ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugs from Grandma</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At graduation dinner we learned that "Everyone loves Archie"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebratory ice cream for our graduate</td></tr>
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And just so we don't leave Archie out, this month was a HUGE milestone for him! Potty training was an immense success and our days of diapers are long behind us. I am thrilled!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading books in their underwear</td></tr>
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For my birthday we went to CA Adventures and had a wonderful time. Ate lunch at Ariel's grotto, rode our favorite rides, and Dave, Carter, and I went on Radiator Springs Racers for the first time (so awesome!)<br />
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What a great start to summer! I am determined to teach the boys to swim (or at least be comfortable in the water). We are going back to Hawaii in 2015 and I want these boys snorkeling with sea turtles!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making silly faces with his best buddy Cole.</td></tr>
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-86570201875968396292014-05-12T18:53:00.000-07:002014-05-12T18:53:24.931-07:00Happy Mother's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there who are shaping the future of our world by raising the next generation of leaders, innovators, educators, entertainers, athletes... Being a mom is an incredible journey and I am loving this roller coaster ride! I had a wonderful weekend thanks to my sweet husband. The boys gave me a Keurig machine, a Glen Ivy gift card, and a brand-new cell phone! Woohoo!<br />
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We spent Saturday at Disneyland where Carter was FINALLY able to (with the help of socks and big boots) get on Star Tours. Dave got to take him so I didn't get to see his reaction but apparently he loved it! 40 inches is the magic number at Disneyland so now he can get on most of the rides. I can't wait to take him on the next ride!<br />
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Sunday we had dinner at Dave's parents house with all the cousins and then Dave and I sneaked out and headed for the Hollywood hills! We saw a concert at the Greek theater and got to snuggle under the moonlight. It was lovely. I sure do love and appreciate these boys with all my heart and although being a mom is tiring, stressful, and my anxiety levels have drastically increased... my heart is so full of love and happiness for my boys that I am so thankful for every single second that I get to be a part of this family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter made me this lovely headpiece for the Muffins with Mom party at school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This kid gets away with nearly everything just because of this sweet face</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is my wild child... 100% boy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding the train (Archie is scared of the dinosaurs!)</td></tr>
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<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-6857011664546298022014-03-02T12:29:00.000-08:002014-03-02T13:29:45.751-08:002014 Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I realized I have had this blog for over 4 years but each year I blog less and less. Sometimes I wonder why I do it at all (you know because I have oodles of free time) but I remembered that this blog is for my kids. I really want them to go back and read random posts as they get older and giggle over the memories and I hope they will treasure these sweet times as much as I do. That being said, we are now in the month of March and I haven't posted since December--yikes!--so here we go...<br />
Southern California seemed to forget it was winter this year so we had a lot of fun, sunny day adventures in January and February. Dave and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary (woohoo!) and Dave celebrated his 34th birthday.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They must put something in the food at Wahoos. My kids are addicted. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful beach day with Torrey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completely content digging in the sand...HATES the water. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Valentine's Day!</td></tr>
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And we finally decided to renew our Disneyland passes! It was a great expense but so far I am so excited for all the fun adventures we will have this year. Disneyland really is magical and my boys are so lucky to get to go as much as they do.</div>
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Carter is in a karate class called Little Ninjas. It's only once a week but he loves it so much! He wishes it were every day. I am so proud of how much he has accomplished. The class focuses on discipline, listening, and following directions. I love it!<br />
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Last month was career day at Carter's preschool and Dave gave an excellent presentation on pest control. It was hilarious to see the reactions to the bugs he brought. Some kids screamed but other kids were eager to touch the bugs.<br />
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Lastly, February ended with what seems like the start of winter. We finally got some much needed rain! I wasn't sure how the kids would feel about being cooped up indoors but we came up with a lot of fun activities and spent a lot of time in our pajamas!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making indoor sand castles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the rain storm</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making homemade soft pretzels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They turned out really yummy!</td></tr>
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To end... my kids say some pretty hilarious things at times. Whenever they play Star Wars toys together, I overhear conversations that sound like this: "Come to the dark side!" "No Darth Vader." "Well just play with me then." "Here Darth Vader. Eat some chips." "Okay fanks." "Pew, pew, pew!" Apparently the chip eating commences a battle.<br />
Last night we were trying to put Archie to bed. He kept saying, "I don't wanna fall to the sleep. I just don't wanna fall to the sleep!"<br />
While doing dishes this morning, a bubble floated up from the sink. I said, "Hey look Carter! A bubble! Where did that come from?" Carter: "From the bubble store, Mama."<br />
The boys are obsessed with playing Super Mario Brothers with their daddy. Archie runs around telling Carter, "You be Marwee-o. I will be Wa-wee-gee." (This drives Carter crazy because Daddy has to be Mario and he has to be Luigi.)<br />
Today Archie took two chairs and placed them side-by-side. In a high falsetto voice he exclaimed, "Aww wook! Wook! They are best friends! See, Mama?"<br />
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And while I am not a strong believer in the terrible 2s, Archie has been testing my patience lately with some really random tantrums. He hung from the freezer door for 30 minutes screaming because I would not let him have a popsicle for breakfast. Then this morning, he asked for his beloved "chockwit nilk" (chocolate milk) and I gave it to him in a cup. This caused a complete meltdown because he wanted it on a plate! Yes, a plate. I tried to explain why I couldn't serve him milk on a plate and offered a bowl instead but by that time he was beyond reasoning. Gotta love it!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-48089683134136875702013-12-28T14:49:00.002-08:002013-12-28T14:52:28.771-08:00Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This post will be short and sweet... much like our Christmas was this year! It was a bummer that it fell on a Wednesday which really gave us one day to cram everything in... it left us all a bit exhausted. Santa answered many wishes this year and the boys got a WiiU system, lots of Star Wars toys, clothes, shoes, toys, cars, legos, science kits, and much more. It sure was exciting to see their little faces light up with excitement! The funniest moment was when the kids came downstairs, Archie saw the plate by the fireplace with a carrot for the reindeers and cookies for Santa and immediately starting eating what was left of the cookies. They were more appealing to him than all the presents!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naptime at 5pm!</td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HLpi10UZ1to" width="420"></iframe>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-31673860731110257952013-12-28T08:21:00.000-08:002013-12-28T08:21:16.920-08:00Hawaii!Dave's company has a manager's retreat at the end of every year. Last year he went to Mexico and I stayed home with the kids. Boo, right? Well this year the wives were invited to tag along on the Hawaii adventure. Dave left a few days earlier to attend meetings and such and then I got to travel with the lovely Harmony, who makes traveling quite easy because she did everything. I just tagged along on my free Hawaii adventure.<br />
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We stayed at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore in Oahu. It was so beautiful. I loved every second of it... the heat, the humidity, the sound of the waves crashing. I loved that we could go to the local farms, sit on a bench and eat fresh food that they had grown and prepared. (Highlights: coconut shrimp, veggie panini, salads with grilled pineapple, fried banana bread covered in coconut cream sauce...) My favorite adventure was snorkeling (even though I was a bit awkward at it) and getting to swim with a gigantic sea turtle. I also really enjoyed the walk through the botanical gardens to the waterfall where they filmed some scene from Lost. My journey lasted five days and I know everyone thinks I am crazy but it was too long. I missed my boys and really wished they had come with me. I can't wait to return to Hawaii someday but with my little adventurers in tow! (Although sleeping in, enjoying adult dinners, and not changing any diapers or dealing with any tantrums was quite nice!) Thank you to my friends and family who took such great care of my kids. I really appreciated it and it felt great knowing they were in loving and capable hands!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mornings began with sunrise, coffee, and my Kindle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sand at Lanikai is like a smooth white powder!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss this</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best spot to lie in the sun and read!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My absolute favorite moment<br />
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Since it was the rainy season, the sky would open up, dump a few buckets of rain, then stop and the sun would start shining again. It was so odd and so different than the weather we are used to here.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QcyEsJpDDO0" width="420"></iframe>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431619136487118784.post-4478955340078225472013-12-13T17:41:00.004-08:002013-12-13T17:43:15.364-08:00Grayson's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Grayson,<br />
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Today was your day. I love that it is the one day a year that we set aside as a family to honor you... but I hate it all the same. I wish you were living in my arms and not just in my heart. I wish that it got easier to think about you. I wish that when I thought about you I could feel pure peace and no pain. I have read a lot about grief and the steps we are supposed to feel but maybe I am different. Instead of one emotion at a time, I still feel the mix. Four years ago today was when I held you in my arms and watched you take your last breath. And I still feel pain, anger, frustration, guilt, failure, and fault. There are triggers that randomly make me think of you and sometimes I am caught off guard when the tears come. We went to Disneyland today and when I saw my boys' eyes light up with amazement, magic, and wonder...my heart ached for you. Your brothers are growing up so fast. I wish I could picture your face as it ought to be... 4 years old. I wonder if you would still have dark hair, unlike your very blonde brothers. I wonder if you would be calm like Carter or wild like Archer. I wonder what your voice would sound like... what it would be like to hear you giggle under the covers at night with Carter... telling secrets and sharing a bond that only twins can share. Today I asked Carter if he remembered you. He said yes. I know it is because we show him your picture and talk about you. Today I told him a story about how when you were both together in my tummy, I could feel you kick and poke each other, like you were playing a game. He laughed and thought it was so silly. I hope he will treasure that story in his heart as he grows up.<br />
I recently listened to a song that I have heard many times in my life. But one line pierced my heart as such truth that I cried. "I'll say it loud here by your grave/those angels can't ever take my place."<br />
I love you Grayson. Now and forever you will always be mine. And I will always be your mommy. And that thought brings me peace.<br />
<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292283266398715296noreply@blogger.com0