October 2016

Not only is October the month of dressing up, it's a month for Big Bear, pumpkin patches, pumpkin spice candles, apple cider, Hocus Pocus, Harvest Festivals and Trick or Treating.  No wonder October is the best month of the year.  And in case you didn't know, October is the best month of the year.

Big Bear

Every year in October, we spend a few days in Big Bear.  We always love this tradition because it's a chance for our family to spend time together in the mountains.  Scott and I have a deep love for the mountains and want our boys to appreciate their beauty as well.  This year we had some complications with our trip.  The first being that only 10 minutes outside of Big Bear we came to an ubrupt stop and found that the road was closed for four hours.  The alternative was to drive an hour back down the mountain and come back up on the other side.  Just what you want to hear after being in the car for three hours.  We decided to forgo the alternate route and spend the day just south in Lake Arrowhead.  The town is very small but we found a pizza place for lunch and then explored some of the shops.  It was a much better option than being in the car for two more hours and it was fun to see something new.  We were very happy to get to Big Bear and our little cabin that we love so much.  We had Bella with us this year so she did the hikes and walks with us.  It was a great trip and one my boys will talk about all year long.

Discover Center-Foster plays while James dances.

Pretending to be spiders.

James walked Bella a lot of the time, well I should say that Bella walked James.

Two ants on a log.

Doing a little post walk yoga.

We took this photo to gross out the kids, which is did.  Now I post it to gross out everyone else.

We love walking the Alpine Pedal Path.  The boys can run wild and free.

Bella felt pretty wild and free too.

Big Bear Lake

Watching movies at the cabin.

Glow and the Dark Golf at Hot Shot Mini Golf

Hanging out on the deck of our cabin.  This was just before we went into town for some dinner at The Teddy Bear Cafe and shopped on Main Street.

Pumpkin Patchin'

Foster and I went to his pumpkin patch field trip with preschool at the Pinery Pumpkin Patch.  Say that five times fast!  It felt so strange that just last year I was there with James for his field trip and Foster seemed so little then.  Now he has his own field trip and is acting like one of the big boys.  Well almost, I did lose him in the corn maze OF COURSE and a couple of times in the pumpkin patch.  My little wild man has a zest for life and he was all about seeing every pumpkin on the lot. 

Foster and Charlotte

This was the pumpkin he chose.

Charlotte, Mrs. Arnold, Foster.

We visited the Mountain Valley Ranch pumpkin patch as a family and that was a great day too.  The boys each picked giant pumpkins for carving and we did both the hayride and pony rides.  This ranch has barn animals and giant rocks for climbing so it is little boy heaven.  And since it has endless rows of pumpkins, it is heaven for me too.

Foster did his best to pull the pumpkins but he needed a little help from dad.

Rock climbing!

Pony riding!

Family Halloween Party

I hosted my annual Halloween Party/ Tess and Haley Birthday Party this year.  Tess has been away at Santa Cruz and she flew in for her birthday so we wanted to make it really special.  Everyone came in costume and we had chili, cornbread, salad, pumpkin latte cake and chocolate cupcakes.  It was relish and lots of fun.  I hope my boys always remember Halloween as a special time in our household.  It is a highlight for me every year.

We went nautical this year.  From left to right: Sea Monster, Hammerhead Shark, Sailor, Shark dog, Pirate.

Brett the Crab and Haley as Sandra Dee from Greece

The Malfoy Family

Our Beach Bums

Mom and dad were cowboys. 

The Birthday Girls

Tess went back to Santa Cruz with the blanket I crocheted for her.

Halloween Day and Trick or Treating

Foster spent Halloween day at school as a farmer for the Harvest Festival.  He milked cows, decorated pumpkin sugar cookies and made crafts.  I was able to stop by his school and help with his class party.

Foster the Farmer!

Practicing milking a cow.

Foster and his buddy Cannon.

Horse rides on the wagon.

James spent the morning in costume as a Hammerhead shark for the Painted Rock Costume Parade and class party.  In class we made Frankenstein crafts and decorated sugar cookies.  It was a great start to the day.

Mrs. Gretna's Kindergarten Class

Shark on parade!

James and his buddy Hudson.

This year Scott really decked out the house and it was one of the best on our street.  Mi Ani joined us for Trick or Treating and when James had enough candy, he headed back to hand out candy at the house.  He even saw some of his friends from school trick or treating.  Foster of course kept going for more candy.  It was an exhausting day of fun and lots and lots of sugar. 

Foster was over being a pirate so he switched things up on Halloween and went as a dragon.

The boys before the sugar madness.

This pic doesn't do the house justice.  At night we had a movie playing on the house, ghosts projected on the wall and a strobe light.  

Sorting the candy

Other Fun Happenings

Trunk or Treat.  This year they asked me to create a spook alley for the activity.  It was A LOT of work but a lot of fun too.  The boys really got into it and I think it's something we won't soon forget.

James did an amazing job in the primary program.  We were very proud of him.

Soccer finished up in October.  James was on the "Big Foot" team.

James and Hudson

Foster played on the Hoppers team.

September 2016

September was a long awaited month, mainly because Foster started preschool in September and boy was he ready!  He had such a hard time watching James go to school everyday and not be able to go himself.  Once he started preschool he was a much happier little guy.  We also started some of our fall traditions in September like visiting Julian for apple picking.  We spent a day at Disneyland and I celebrated my birthday for an entire week....of course.  38 you guys.  I'm old.

Foster starts Preschool

Foster is going to preschool at Pomerado Christian, where James attended last year.  His teacher is Mrs. Arnold and his best friends in his class are Charlotte Warren and Cannon McEwan.  His first month of preschool was an adjustment for him.  He had to get used to the idea of listening to the teacher and following the rules.  There were a couple of times while on the playground, he would hide from his teacher so he wouldn't have to go back into class.  He is a strong-willed, vivacious boy that after a few weeks is learning the ropes.  His teacher loves him and he loves going to school everyday.

Foster decorated his preschool bucket three months prior to starting preschool.  He was sure excited to start using it!

Apple Picking in Julian

We love the fall, even if it means apple picking in 100 degree weather, which is what we did.  It was our first time apple picking and the boys loved finding the reddest and biggest apples.  We had apples for weeks after our trip and of course, it's not trip to Julian without coming home with a pie. 

Our bag of apples was overflowin'

Scott helped the boys get the hard-to-reach apples.

One of our best picks.

Such a beautiful day spent with the boys.

My Birthday

I was seriously spoiled this year.  My friends through a dinner party for me at BJ's Pizza which was so much fun and I'm sad we did not get a picture.  I always think that's a sign of having too much fun, when you forget to stop and take a photo.  Scott took me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants Piati in La Jolla and surprised me with Disneyland passes for the entire family.  I was not the only one excited about my birthday present.  A few days after my birthday, the kids skipped school and we went to Disneyland.  Overall a wonderful birthday and wonderful month.

Foster is now old enough to ride Star Tours.  He had so much on the ride, I almost cried.  He just kept screaming "This is Awesome!"  A ride I'll never forget.

Older brother showing him the ropes.

The boys first time riding Radiator Springs Racers.  They both thought it was FAST but fun.  Can't wait to ride this one again.

Other Fun Happenings

Scott took James to the Air Show and I'm sure you can guess how he felt about it.  He was willing to walk 2 miles in the 100 degree heat without complaint just to see these jets.  And why walk 2 miles in the 100 degree heat you ask?  Because that's how far away they had to park.  Mom is not sad she missed this one.

Scott took the boys to a Dodger Game with Rob.  The boys had a great time and came home with some Dodger swag.  This meant mom had the entire day to herself.  She came home with some swag from Urban Outfitters.  

James' interest in sharks is still going strong.  He can name just about every one.  He had been begging to go to Sea World to see the sharks so we thought September was a great month to do it as a reward for all of his hard work at school.  

August 2016

In August we said goodbye to summer and hello to the new school year.  After a truly amazing summer full of memories and wonderfully happy days, it was hard to pack away the bathing suits for the backpacks.  I think our entire family will always look back on summer 2016 as one of our best.  We finished out the summer with a beach camping trip that we plan on repeating next year, James started Painted Rock and both boys started soccer.

The Last of Our Summer Days

We had so much fun exploring San Diego this summer and doing activities out of the ordinary.  We also got to spend a lot of time with Haley and Tess which was a treat.

Bayfront Water Park

Haley and tess joined in on the action.

Even dad stopped by for a bit.

One last matinee.  The movie was pretty lame but the company was good.

Petersen's run.

Beach Camping

We had this trip planned for months and truth is, I almost forgot about it since it was the week before school began.  It ended up being one of the best things we did all summer.  We joined a handful of families from our ward at the Carlsbad State Beach campsite and camped for three nights.  Our campsite faced the ocean so we heard the waves as we slept each night and we spent our days playing in the waves with friends. I haven't spent so much time in the ocean since before I had kids, it was so much fun to boogie board and play in the waves with the other moms and some of the teenagers.  It was a reminder of the beautiful place where we live and the wonderful friends we have in our lives.  I consider myself so lucky.  We hope to do this tradition every year.

Foster, James and Hudson McEwan

Foster and Arden Tilley

Scott set up an outdoor movie each night we were there and it was a hit with all the little campers.

The Crew

Foster and Tess

Our Campsite

Our View

All the Kiddos

I spent my downtown crocheting while listening to the waves, not too shabby!

All the excitement wore this one out!

Nap times with Mom

James Starts Painted Rock

Starting kindergarten and leaving Preschool behind was a big step for James.  His teacher's name is Mrs. Greenan and she is so sweet and aware of James and what a special little soul he is.  James was fortunate to be in the same class as Hudson McEwan and Jacob Whitehead, two of his friends from church.  He is learning his new routine and even though he feels anxious about school and some of the social interaction there, he is doing his best to be brave and go everyday.  We are very proud of him.

The day before school started, James and I went to In N Out for a special mother and son lunch.  While we were there he lost his first tooth.  Talk about feeling like my baby is growing up too fast!  Since then he lost another tooth, also in an In N  Out Burger.  Who said biting an apple helps you lose a tooth?  Around here, we bite cheeseburgers!