Easter 2015

Nothing like an eight month break to get back on the blogging bandwagon, right? I will (hopefully)(maybe) catch up on all of the past events but I figure I should keep up with the current goings on.

Which means Easter photos!

A neighbor is kind enough to arrange a mini Easter egg hunt in her backyard for some of the neighborhood kids. The weather is always chilly and wet, but we still have fun. This year it was the day before Easter.

Hannah was a little slow in borrowed Crocs. Josie helped her out by sharing some of her eggs.

Josie!

Xander!

 We were actually able to get seats at Easter Mass this year. Granted, we didn't get to sit together. But at least we weren't huddled in the back, letting people squeeze through. However, Hannah's favorite church activity is going to the restroom. It was so crowded that I squeezed her through the crowd and hustled her over to the school restroom. Twice.

Happy Easter! It's Xander's first tie and he's obviously very serious.

Chris dyed eggs with the kids this year. They tried a couple different techniques including rubber bands, tape, and different colors. These were the eggs that were hidden throughout the first floor Easter morning. This was a first for me because I always had plastic eggs hidden.

Not pictured was another egg hunt and kite flying at the grandparent's house. Needless to say, the kids were pretty tired by the end of the day.

I Forgot about Easter

I can't believe I never posted our Easter pictures. Not that there is anything to be impressed with. Still I went through all of the effort to make my family presentable and find a spot to rest the camera and figure out (again) how to turn on the timer and then get everyone in frame.... How do people do this all of the time??

To get us started, here is Hannah modeling her outfit from her godmother. It has a matching coat (not featured) and those styling shoes were donated by a kindly friend.

Next up we have the father strapped into a button down shirt, Xander is his classic (aka go-to) sweater vest and Josie wearing the bright colors of the season.

Finally, here is the happy family together.

(This whole lighting, framing, aperature, shutter speed thing is for the birds.)(I need to find some birds to take better family pictures for me.)

Christmas

Ah, Christmastime. It was just busy enough to make me exhausted this year. The kids loved, loved, loved it. Even now, three weeks later, Josie will ask where the Christmas tree went and Xander will ask what Santa is doing now.

Before sending out the Christmas cards, I attempted to take some fun holiday pictures of the kids by the tree to include. Unfortunately, I don't fully understand how to use my fancy camera and the kids were extra squirmy. So most of the pictures turned out blurry.


Some of the pictures featured someone stealing the spotlight.

And some of the pictures were a bit too goofy.


Once Christmas arrived it was visiting, visiting, visiting. We went to Chris's uncle's for Christmas Eve where Josie cried and ran away from Santa Claus while Xander ran up to give Santa big hugs.

Christmas day arrived with a guitar for Xander. That was what he really, really wanted from Santa.
Ok, funny story time. Chris and I woke up before the kids and were downstairs getting breakfast when we heard Xander get up. Chris walks to the back door and slides it open and yells out "It was good to see you, Santa, see you next year!" Then he walked over to the stairs and told Xander he just missed seeing Santa Claus and he might see him out the window. Xander raced back into his room and looked out the blinds and then burst into tears that he missed Santa Claus.

That's right, Chris started Christmas Day by making Xander cry.

It did get better once we coaxed him downstairs. He was excited that Josie was getting a bike and then realized that he also received a bike. Josie had fun ripping off all of the paper of her gifts. It was fun.



We did visit my family that day and the bikes were brought along and ridden in the basement. Xander immediately ripped the bows off of his handlebars but Josie refused to take her bows off.


Over the next few days we had several different visitors and I know at some point we Skyped with Chris's mom. The kids love doing that, especially Xander because he could stop talking.

Halloween

Halloween has come and gone but I still need to document it, right? Just like I still need to document the well checks in August and the ultrasound in September. I'll get caught up eventually.

This Halloween has definitely been the most fun so far. Xander is old enough to have fun with it and Josie is old enough to know that if Xander is having fun, she should too. First up, we attended the Trunk or Treat event at school. Xander wore a Buzz Lightyear costume and Josie was a butterfly. Surprisingly, they both chose to wear the same costumes as last year. Well, Xander did have to get a bigger size, but a friend let us borrow one.

So the Trunk or Treat consisted of pizza, trick-or-treating in the parking lot and then a costume contest. My friend Mandy helped us out and the dinner went well. We were headed outside for the trick-or-treating when something strange happened. Josie stopped. I tried to coax her out the door and she just shook her head and backed up. I looked around to see if someone had a scary costume that freaked her out but didn't see anything. Again with the coaxing followed by head shaking and backing up. I finally asked her what was wrong and she replied "No outside. Trick-or-treat." To which I explained that the trick-or-treating was outside. "Oh? Trick-or-treat outside? Okay!" and she took off.

The kids had fun and it was definitely entertaining to see how all of the car (van, trucks) were decorated. Josie was most mesmerized by the disco van. Xander was too busy racing around with Chris for me to know what he thought.


Next up, Xander's class at school had a Halloween party. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to wear the Buzz costume because it was a one piece suit and not restroom friendly. So after I repeatedly asked him what he wanted to dress as for school he decided to be a super hero. He already had the cape. I pondered making a mask, cuffs, maybe a utility belt. Then the day before I realized that I wouldn't have time. So we picked up a shirt and some iron-ons to make a Super Xander shirt.

He was thrilled with it. And the shirt can worn as a regular shirt, so I feel like it was a win-win situation.

We picked up six pumpkins at the nearby nursery but didn't get to carve them until just before Halloween. We only carved one each, so there are two left over to continue the seasonal vibe until Thanksgiving. From left to right we have Chris's, Josie's (she mostly scribbled on hers and said she wanted circles), Amanda's and Xander's pumpkins. The kids were extra excited when they had candles inside them. And Xander was also excited to try toasted pumpkin seeds.

Side story: In Xander's class they counted out pumpkin seeds and glued them to a picture of a pumpkin. I'm fairly certain that Xander tried eating some of those seeds.


Finally it was time for trick-or-treating in our neighborhood which fell on Halloween this year. We nearly didn't go due to van test driving (there's another post I need to catch up on) but we got our act together at the last minute. Josie was decked out as a butterfly again, my favorite part is putting her hair into little pigtails for antennae. Xander decided to wear his super hero costume.

We needed an air traffic controller with the flying children in our house.



Some people seemed confused by Xander's costume (what, it's a homemade, original? we didn't spend oodles of money on a cheap costume that would immediately fall apart but was easily recognizable?) but that didn't deter him from flying down the sidewalks with his cape billowing behind him. Josie's little wings were a little slower, so we ended up splitting up.

I finished up the block with Josie. It took a little practice but she eventually got that she wasn't supposed to reach into the bucket and grab candy. She was hesitant to say "Trick or treat" but was always quick to say "Thank you" which earned lots of aaaaaaaaws. There were a few costumes and decorations that scared her. She would stare at something and cling to me. I tried to reassure her it was pretend but I found it was just easier to pass up the houses with scary decorations or costumes.

Meanwhile, Chris took Xander a little further out. Xander's bag became so heavy that Chris had to unload some of the candy.

When we had all returned home, the kids were allowed a treat and sent off to bed. Then Chris and I delved in and helped ourselves. Because, really, we did just as much work as they did.

Easter Celebration

Easter seemed to last a very long time for us this year. We had two different Easter egg hunts in the house. The first was when their uncle and aunt visited at the end of March. The second was when their grandma and grandpa were here the week before Easter. We were going to have another on Easter day but I decided against it. They didn't notice.


During Holy Week we had a couple different activities. We colored eggs. They were fascinated. And it wasn't until Chris opened one that they realized they could eat the eggs. That led to eggshell and squished yolk everywhere.


We made a couple cards to send to the grandparents. Xander wanted to make a rainbow so we spend lots of time mixing paint to get the colors right.

In an effort to find some traditions to start with the kids, I found this neat recipe for Resurrection Rolls. Xander loved making them and they turned out super sweet (but not as pretty as on the website).


One of the things I did not bring with us from Ohio was Easter baskets. So I collected all of the Easter type toys to display on the table along with a few presents.


And of course I had to get the kids dressed up for church.


"Give each other a hug!"


Look at Xander's disappointment at not getting a hug from Josie.


After Easter mass, we went to brunch where the kids devoured Mickey Mouse pancakes and I enjoyed a healthy parfait with a side of hot chocolate and chocolate chip muffin. After that we headed out for a hike, which I'll post separately.

My Little Valentines

To prepare for Valentine's Day, the kids made cards for all of their aunts, grandparents and great-grandmas. Let me tell you, it was exhausting helping a three year old cut out 2o-some hearts and then gluing them to paper.

For the kids, I just wanted to make the cookies that my mom always made for me. They are heart shaped cookies with a cherry filling. After scouring the internet and making a couple calls to my mom, I had the recipe. Then I managed to nab the last heart shaped cookie cutter from Michael's.

During lunch today, I put the cookie cutter to good use.


For the cookies, I made the filling and the cookie dough ahead of time. This afternoon we invited Xander's friend Dusty, his mom and sister over to help make the cookies. They helped with the cut outs and taste testing.


Those cookies are just as delicious as I remember. The kids love them. I guess we have a new tradition.

Holiday Travels - Overview

I figured since it was well past the middle of January, I should finish up the holiday posts. I know we still have our little tree up and all of our cards up (since we weren't here to enjoy them) but I think most of you have probably moved on by now.

We stayed at our home in Ohio during our visit, which was awesome. We really, really miss our house. The only hard part was that we lent out our television and DVD/VHS player and were left with an old TV that did not pick up the digital television signal (we sold our converter box) and a small DVD player. Oh, and all of our child appropriate movies were in California. So when my parents came to visit the first day back and asked if we needed anything (they probably meant food) we kindly asked to borrow a few movies. Xander greatly enjoyed Cars, Robots and the Incredibles a couple times each.

We made several day trips. On Christmas Eve day we visited one of Chris's uncle's families. That was one place we saw Santa Claus.

On Christmas Day we visited another of Chris's uncle's families. We found the greatest babysitter ever: someone else playing Nintendo DS. It's Killian who is Chris's cousin's son, which I think would make Xander and Killian second cousins. Am I off base there? Anyway, Killian was an awesome sport for letting Xander hover on his shoulder the Entire Day.


A neighbor also lent Xander a Leapster with one game. Xander carried that thing with him everywhere for the rest of the trip. And as much as Xander enjoys technology, I'm happy to have just have our blocks, board games and PBS online for now.

We spent a few days staying at my parents' house and celebrated a late Christmas with my family there. That is where the true chaos of gifts came in.


And of course the gift bags were as popular as the gifts. Also, Rowdy the dog was a big hit.

It worked out well that my parents, siblings, sibling-in-laws and niece were all able to make it and celebrate together. Xander and Josie were showered with attention and even now Xander will say he misses them. Just yesterday he says he misses Uncle Mark and Uncle TJ (at which point I kindly remind him that it is Aunt TJ). The day before it was Uncle Lee and Aunt Andrea and Rowdy (at which point he would sit down and scratch his ear with his foot, just like Rowdy).

Chris especially had a good time with our niece Adyson. He played 'Kerplunk' with her, which is always a hit with our kids. It's basically dropping her and catching her, but safer than it sounds. We also tried teaching her how to hold our hands and climb our legs and flip over. Hopefully she'll remember when we return in August.

We also managed to visit my sister down in Cincinnati. Most of our two weeks in Ohio were in below freezing temperatures with a little snow, but the temperature actually reached 60 degrees during the last couple of days. We'd planned on going to see the Fantasy of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo, so it was nice that the weather cooperated.

Holiday Travels - Santa

Xander and Josie were lucky enough to meet Santa twice in Ohio. There was one time in California that they nearly met him, but he was out doors on a chilly evening and we decided to wait. By the time we returned to the car and were buckled in, it dawned on Xander that he didn't get to talk to Santa. This turned into a long, teary saga of "But I really want to talk to Santa!" all the way home. This from Xander who wouldn't go near the big guy last year.

We planned on taking the kids on a weekday morning while at the mall in Ohio. There was still a line, but it wasn't long. That didn't stop Josie from getting squirrely, so I distracted her with pretzel goldfish. When it was our turn, Xander ran right up and sat down. Josie threw a fit. They snapped a picture. Look closely if you'd like to see what partially chewed up pretzels look like.


After the picture, I picked up Josie and let Xander chat with Santa.
Santa: What would you like for Christmas?
Xander: Presents!
Santa: Oh? What kind of presents?
Xander: ...New presents!
Hugs: Would you like a ball?
Xander: Yeah!
Santa: What kind of ball would you like?
Xander: A new Ball!

We spent Christmas Eve with Chris's uncle and his family. Santa Claus made a surprise appearance there. Xander has been working on his vertical this year and showed it to Santa.


This time while talking to Santa, Xander said he wanted a Hide and Seek Jo Jo. Which is what his cousin, who went right before him, also asked for.


Once again, Josie would not go near Santa without the comforting presence of Mom.


Santa left presents for the kids at our house in Ohio which included blocks and books. Xander and Josie both had a blast building (and knocking over) the blocks. Xander's ability with symmetry surprised me, then he'd surprise me with a completely lopsided building, then he'd be completely creative. This was the island he built for me.

Upon returning to California, the kids found that Santa had left a baseball mitt for Xander and a baby stroller for Josie. The kids also received Chutes and Ladders, Candyland and Hi-Ho-Cherry-O. Josie's a little too young to play, but Xander cannot get enough of them. I'm really happy they've enjoyed the gifts this year.

Holiday Travels - The Airports

We spent two weeks in Ohio over the holidays. That of course involves taking planes cross-country with a three year old and eighteen month old.

From California to Ohio we had to get to the airport early and had a layover in Las Vegas. For added fun, the airline asked for proof of Josie's age while we were checking in. Oops, we'd never been asked for that before so I didn't bother to bring it. We ended up having to buy another ticket since her obvious size and language skills were not enough to make her a lap passenger. That actually worked out well because we had some extra room. By the end of the day, Chris was sprawled across three seats while Xander played.

However there was panic before the return plane ride. It occurred to us the day before our flight that we needed to get proof of Josie's age. We didn't have an birth certificates in Ohio. The county offices to get birth certificates were closed. We called to check and there were no tickets available. We were able to get copies of some paperwork from the doctor and, thank goodness, the airline accepted them.

The ride to Ohio went fairly well and was uneventful. We'd been prepared with food, books, toys, kid phones and iPhone apps. Josie was also able to fall asleep while I was holding her without much fuss.

The return ride was a lot more difficult. We left the house at 9 for our noon flight. We had a short flight first and made it through that and even arrived at our layover early. Which sounds great on paper, but meant that we had time to kill with two squirrely kids.*

So we took our time, let Josie and Xander stop and look at things, and kept a lookout for things to do. I've heard that some airports have kid play areas. Las Vegas didn't seem to. Instead they have shiny, bright, loud, blinky slot machines. We had to repeatedly explain to Xander that they were adult games and he couldn't play. We found moving sidewalks and took a lot of time going back and forth on those. We looked out the windows at the airplanes and practiced out trust falls. We even splurged on ice cream.



Josie didn't get a nap in and within an hour of being in the air on the second flight she was losing it. Nothing made her happy. I had to walk the aisle with her. After a while of walking, I wondered if she'd fallen asleep. A couple people actually gave me a thumbs up that she was asleep. And no one gave me dirty looks, thank goodness.*

By the time we arrived back, Josie was ready to lose it again and I tried to walk her around. Fortunately she was distracted by some birds that had come in and were hanging around baggage claim. She and Xander and some other kids chased them around and had a blast, it was very cute. After we packed up, the kids zonked out. They didn't even realize that Santa had left presents in the house here when we arrived.

*Yeah, I was tired when I wrote this. The first leg was the long one with Josie losing it. The second leg was short and uneventful.