Showing posts with label playtime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playtime. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Catching Up on November

Brian and I recently saw "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."  So, so good!  But, that's not the point.  There's a line in the movie that I liked.  It's at the very end, and Walter has traveled all over the world in search of a picture (and the photographer).  He finally finds him, high up in the snowy Himalayas, trying to catch a picture of a snow leopard.  When it finally comes out of the cave, the photographer pauses, watches the cat, and never snaps a single photo.  Puzzled, Walter asks him why he didn't take the picture.  Here's his reply (the line I liked): "Sometimes I don't.  If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don't like to have the distraction of the camera.  I just want to stay in it."  

So, sometimes, I take out the camera to get a picture (probably still too often!), but, a lot of times, now, I don't.  I just want to enjoy the moments.  Because, I'm starting to realize, that, as much as I'm excited for them to grow (I'm loving having NO babies around!), my kids are only little for so long.  And, I want to remember getting on the floor and playing games with them.  Not the picture I took of them playing...without me.  


But, these pictures are all from before I saw that movie.  And, they're cute and fun. So, I included them on our blog!  


With both the girls in school, it's usually just Carson and Mommy at Costco.  I can pass on a lot of things at the food court, but not the Churro.  And, Carson also shares my love of Costco churros.  "My Chew-yo!"

I remember this being an especially challenging morning.  My only thoughts were: "He's not the only one praying for a good nap!"

 We will sure miss our Disneyland passes when they expire in April.  It's been such a fun year!

We spent Halloween in AZ.  For Trick or Treating, the kids went with our good friends, the Hursts.  Our kids line up almost perfectly in age and we all have so much fun together!  Wish we lived closer, though.


 Here's Sadie and Grandma Boring cutting the potatoes for hash browns.


 We went to a train park and the kids wanted to ride in the caboose.  After a LONG (wasn't really, but they thought it was) trip around the park, they said next time they'll let someone else have the caboose.


 The high school does a fundraiser each year and the elementary school kids attend a cheer workshop and get to perform at a high school football game.  Here are our cheerleaders and their biggest fans!


Only in California will you find kids playing at the splash pad in November!   

 And, then, sunbathing afterward, because mom didn't bring towels!


 Isn't he so handsome?


 To Sadie, Lulu is more than a stuffed animal.  She's a dear friend.  A comfort and companion.  I love how she makes her bed and makes sure Lulu is comfortable for the day.  Makes my heart smile!  :)

 Oh, you know, just another Disneyland trip!  We've had an exhausting year, but so much fun!

 Stone soup.  Yum.

 Sadie's Thanksgiving pilgrim hat from her Kindergarten feast.

 Because riding a scooter inside is okay if you remember your helmet?


 That boy!  What else can I say?

 Me and my cute girls!


 Love these kiddos!  


 Our rule is if we make it through Disneyland with NO tantrums, we stop for a treat.  This day, they picked ice cream at Ghiradelli.  Excellent choice, but interesting selection of flavors (they chose!).



Our annual "Thankful Tree."

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Spring Time (a lot late)

Wow!  A lot happens when I get behind!

Daddy and Carson cutting strawberries.  What would normally not be a blog-worthy occasion.  Check the next picture, though.

Yeah.  I wonder just how many he stole before breakfast got on the table.


Daddy and his little helpers!


 The water table--endless, wet fun for all ages!

April 2013:  Twin Day at school!

POPCORN!!!

I've all but given up on my old, slow shutter speed, pain to drag around camera.  But, I haven't given up on taking pictures and capturing memories.  Yet, I still don't have a smartphone (mixed emotions about that one), so I carry around the next best thing--my iPod touch.  So, the picture quality may not be great, and there is no flash (remember, no smart phone), but, I get to capture all the memories I want, because it's so convenient.

So, please hang in there, as I attempt to "catch up" on 2013.  Chances are, you've seen most of this already on Facebook or Instagram.  But anyway, here goes!

Carson, our little "fix it" man.  He loves to tinker with anything and everything!  Always curious about how things work!


The countdown chain for (hopefully) Brian's last test, began in January.  We all had fun watching it shrink over the next 4 months.  He took the test on May 1st, and, results came July 12th!  HE PASSED!!  Brian completed his ASA, EA, FSA and CERA credentials!  Way to go, sweetie!


One morning, I came downstairs to this precious sight.  Morgan and Sadie were having a "reading party", as they called it.  Sweet big sister, Morgan, was reading to little sister, Sadie.

Only this kid can pull off a pink helmet and a purple tricycle!

Trains, trains, trains!  Oh, how he loves to build!
Our friends from Colorado were in CA to spend a couple of days at Disneyland (back in Feb).  We met them for dinner and then took them over to the Big Orange Balloon at the Great Park!  Thanks for a fun night, Wrights!


Left:  My version of organizing Legos; Right: Sadie's (according to the Lego brochure) version of organizing Legos.  And, sure, enough, if you look in the booklet, step one shows a picture of all the legos in a pile.  Below:  Sadie followed the instructions and built this car entirely by herself!  





Carson and his "blankie".  Sometimes, I won't let him drag the big one all over the house, so he finds a suitable replacement: the burp cloth from the same print, and cozies on up

Even though he has very little hair, Carson insists on fixing it with Mommy!
We made a city one morning for the cars to drive on.  Such a hit with this girl!

California "snow" (i.e. hail).

As I was talking on the phone with my sister one afternoon, Sadie proceeded to pull out a random assortment of ingredients, solutions, objects.  She was "experimenting."  Good thing powdered sugar and soap don't react to water!

My new shoes!  Love them!

Carson watches his sister practice piano every day.  So, he decided to join in with his own book, The Napping House.

Countdown to Daddy's (hopefully) last exam!  (Which, it was!!!)

Every spring, when strawberries go on sale, I stock up with 24 jars of freezer jam!  By the end of the day, I don't want to look at strawberries for a long, long, time, but, the year's worth of jam is done!

At Easter time, Sadie and I were talking about how Jesus died on a cross.  I'm sure the conversation went much deeper than just that, but, apparently, that's the main point she got out of the lesson!

This water table is a big hit, with EVERY kid!

Puzzle time


April 30, 2013.  ONE day left!

Don't you sit in the laundry basket to watch a movie?

Morgan's (age 7) drawing of Christ.