iphone photodump

 I actually uploaded all the the photos from my phone onto the computer!  Its a small miracle.  

So I'll dump a few on you...

There is this little play house at the park across the street from our house.  Maddox LOVES playing it it.  

 Two weeks ago at gymnastics they had the kids doing flips on the bar.  I was really impressed.

Maddox has tree trunks for legs.  Not a cankle, just a huge calf that goes into the ankle.  I'm almost positive he got them from Jorge and Daren.  It's nuts.    

Happy Valentines Day!  Our computer was in the shop so there was no Valentines Day post.  But the boys wore red and Carson had a ton of sweets.  Here he is all amped up after our Stroller Strides 

V-Day party.    

Maddox has just become obsessed with books.  He loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear and kisses the teacher at the end (he missed her lips in this picture though...awkward!)  It is so freaking funny.  

Carson asks everyday to go to the beach.  I've been trying to get the boys to the beach as much as possible because I know I will be missing it.    

all aboard the choo choo train

We are trying to check a few things off of our bucket list before we move out of California.  Less than a month from now and we will be shacking up with Miles and Caroline in Texas.  We should have done some of these things before the chaos of a cross county move and major job change.  So now we are trying to fit some things in over the next few weekends.  I just hope we don't move and have regrets about not seeing and doing everything we wanted to in California.  

I saw something the other day that said "I got all adventurous for a second and then I looked at my bank account."  So true!       

One thing we have been wanting to do was ride the train along the coast.  Both boys love watching the train at the beach and we have never done it.  So we took the Coaster to Old Town San Diego today.  

Old Town is a historic state park where the city of San Diego began.  They have preserved the buildings from the 1800's and it is a unique little place to have lunch and spend an afternoon.

  

      I really wanted to steel the navy and white planters and succulents that we saw outside of one of the restaurants.  They would look really good on my new door step in Texas.  But we ate churros and bought some beef jerky instead.  

After walking around for a few hours, but before jumping on the train home, we had lunch at Cafe Coyote (one of the dozen or so Mexican restaurants within a block of each other).  It's one of those places where the old Hispanic woman is making the tortillas in the middle of the restaurant.  Then they bring them to the table and they are all warm and chewy.  Probably some of the best tortillas I've had.  I could seriously just eat the flour tortillas as my main dish.  

It was a really great Sunday afternoon in San Diego with my boys.  I am sure going to miss Southern California and all that it has to offer.  It is such a beautiful place and I remind myself often that we are so lucky to have lived here for the past six years.  But I guess its not about where you are it's about who you are with.           

Christmas: part III

We had three different places to spend Christmas and we actually broke it up enough that I didn't feel too rushed.  

Our first Christmas was at my Mom's.  Santa actually came early (Christmas Eve morning) and Carson was so happy to see that Santa had eaten the cookies and drank the milk we left out.  However, he really wanted to know why none of the reindeer ate the food we had left outside for them.  I had suggested someone go out and mess with it a little bit but they all thought he wouldn't notice.        

We were able to see my Aunt Linda, Uncle Tim and my cousins.  It has been awhile since I saw them last and they were able to meet Maddox for the first time too.  They are also my God parents and as a child, every Christmas, gave me an ornament until I had kids.  Now they give ornaments to both boys.  This a tradition that I have started with our God child, Finley. And I hope that he can continue it when he becomes a God parent. 

(On a side note, Carson did not want to take any pictures.  So he made his "mad" face in almost ALL of them.)   

Next stop was my Dad's.  We arrived to a mountain of gifts, no joke.  Carson was enthralled.  The one gift he had really been asking for was a fire station and of course Grandma and Grandpa Smith delivered!  Maddox got this little egg set and he loves to play with it.  

Baby in a box-the best gift of all!

It snowed Christmas Eve night and the guys went out for a little "ABC" (as Carson was calling it) ride.

Christmas Day we headed to Madison to celebrate with the Spelldalgo's.

I know I had my Camera with me but it must have gotten put down in the basement, where we were staying to never be taken out.  So we have no pictures from our Christmas with them.  Andrea made an amazing prime rib for dinner and we sat up playing Texas hold'em.  I lost big time!  

Of course our kids had round 2 of the flu and gave it to my nephews and niece.  Ugh.  I hate being that parent.  I guess that is what winter in the mid-west does to you.  They were all impressed with Carson's mad skills to make it to a trash can to vomit.  I have him trained well.  He tells me all the time "we throw up in toilets and trash cans."  ha!

We hit up one of Jared's favorite spots, Culver's and of course also got the grand tour of Wilde East Town Honda.  It is a beautiful dealership and I cannot wait to get a brand new 2013 Honda Pilot.  Hint hint, Jared.       

  

currently

Some random bits from what's currently happening...

Loving this LOVE print.  I've had my eye on it for sometime now.  Maybe I will gift it to myself for Valentines day. 

Reading The Night Circus.  I actually just finished it today.  It was very well written but I wish the first 400 pages had been as good as the last 100.  Also there were far too many characters to keep track of as a result I feel like I never had the chance to "know" or like the main charter's   

Waiting for the medical bills from chemo to stop coming.  Seriously. Stop.

Excited to take the boys to Disney before we move.  

Trying to keep up with the blog but I have no desire to finish part 3 of the Christmas post. 

Enjoying my little book club.  It's just some friends and I and we take turns picking books and hosting  the discussion.  We don't read anything too serious and the best part is you get to wear pj's to book club.  Next we are reading Tina Fey Bossypants.  I will miss my little book club...hopefully I can follow along in TX.

Using these SQUOOSHI pouches.  Once I realized how much I was paying for the baby food and applesauce pouches I had to find a solution and they are working quite well actually. 

Wearing my hounds-tooth and leopard scarves.  They go with everything.  I think I mainly like them because I miss my hair so much and the help fill the void of where hair once was.  

Planning a move.  Ugh...

Wanting some new throw pillows for the couch.  I like these from zGallerie but $90 a pop!  They must be kidding right? 

Needing a cleaning lady.  We had one during the 4 months I was going through chemo and boy oh boy, do I ever miss that! 

Listening to Thomas and Friends since Carson does not nap and I need a little break.  

Wishing to find the perfect starter home, in a nice neighborhood near good schools. 

Doing the dishes and sweeping the floor 24/7 it seems.

Dreaming of a vacation with Jared.  Without kids.  To some place tropical.  Turks and Caicos maybe?