Sunday, November 30, 2008
The REAL Santa Claus?
We took the kids to meet Santa Claus on Saturday. Nicole and Isaac did great. These were the kids replies to Santa's age old question. Nicole--set of her own beads. Isaac--a race car. Ryan--candy. We spent the 5 or so minutes before it was Ryan's turn to sit on Santa's lap explaining that he would get a candy cane if he could sit on Santa's lap. He didn't smile, or really even move that much, but he didn't cry either!! Nicole and Isaac have spent the last day and a half discussing/arguing over whether that was the real Santa or just one of his helpers. Isaac says it was the real one, Nicole thinks it was a helper. Ryan has since added chocolate cake to his Christmas wish list.
Happy Thanksgiving Day
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with great friends and delicious food. The weather even cooperated enough for us to eat outside even though it had rained all day the day before. Some highlights from the day, the post feast soccer game, kids getting to help decorate the yummy pumpkin/banana tart pie (I forgot the real name, but it had a graham cracker crust and was pretty mouthwatering), the game of pin the hat on the turkey, setting up the Christmas tree, and video chatting with Great Grandma Peterson, Grandma and Grandpa Peterson, Gary, Sabrina, Traci, Scott, Grace and Clair. I asked Isaac why we have Thanksgiving. "So we can have Christmas!" Of course.
Nicole AKA Pocahontas
I know, not a great picture, but Curt had just hopped off a skateboard he had ridden for 80 feet or so and around the bend in the pathway carrying both boys like that!! He's got skills.
Nicole AKA Pocahontas
I know, not a great picture, but Curt had just hopped off a skateboard he had ridden for 80 feet or so and around the bend in the pathway carrying both boys like that!! He's got skills.
I'm thanful for my children's artwork . . .
Ryan spends lots of time "doing homework" with Nicole, and drawing with Nicole and Isaac. Recently he's become much more serious about his work (see below picture) His favorite things to draw are the little people (faces with legs, and sometimes arms--he calls them whatever he feels like calling them that day, bunnies, friends, family, giraffes etc,) he also can draw an S, O and A and H on demand, and always asks me "what's next" like his four year old brother does when he's writing words.
Ryan's masterpiece
We had a big turkey on our wall that the kids added feathers to throughout the month with something they were thankful for on each feather. These were a few choice picks of Isaac's. He also was thankful for bikes and cars--no drawings so I didn't scan. Prophet, food, friends, seashells were a few others that he named.
This is a drawing Nicole did. She was looking at a statue of an Native American child we have out for Thanksgiving.
Ryan's masterpiece
We had a big turkey on our wall that the kids added feathers to throughout the month with something they were thankful for on each feather. These were a few choice picks of Isaac's. He also was thankful for bikes and cars--no drawings so I didn't scan. Prophet, food, friends, seashells were a few others that he named.
This is a drawing Nicole did. She was looking at a statue of an Native American child we have out for Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Camping & the Beach on NOVEMBER 15!!!
Curt called me up from school Monday morning and asked if I wanted to go camping. Of course I did! We didn't get to go at all this summer--besides the father and sons and father daughter campouts--because of our busy schedule. My only concern was that it was November and we might freeze overnight. He said the weather was supposed to be nice and close to 80 this weekend so we booked our campsite. We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful camping trip!! The kids were so excited to roast marshmallows, wield a flashlight and sleep together in the tent. After we roasted marshmallows we took a late night walk down to the moonlit beach and watched the waves. The next morning after breakfast we went down to the beach around 8:30 or 9am and had the beach mostly to ourselves until noon. We dug a huge hole, played in the waves, boogie boarded, found seashells, explored the beach, and searched for sandcrabs to name a few. A CA friend once told us the reason everything in California is more expensive is that we pay a weather tax on the awesome weather here. Well this weekend I was more than happy to pay our weather tax. It was AMAZING!!
(BELOW--Curt couldn't contain his excitement to be going camping)
TOP LEFT--a few feet beyond this fence was a sheer drop off down to the beach. Our campsite was 50 yards from this fence. We went to sleep to the sound of the waves. It was SO COOL!
TOP RIGHT--Nicole and Isaac examining Rolly Pollies--or pill bugs of which there were plenty. This was a nice feature as there is a lot of poison oak in these parts, and the bugs kept them out of the bushes.
BOTTOM LEFT--Nicole and Isaac on the trail down to the beach from our campsite.
BOTTOM RIGHT--the trail from our campsite down to the beach.
I was playing with the panaramic setting on our camera. Do you notice anything unusual about this picture? Nicole is a twin!!
Our own little sand crabs
Quite a few big waves came up over the small ridgeline of the beach. We are usually safe at the top of the ridge, but today after moving our shoes and snack bag and blanket multiple times we got smart and put them on our chairs . . . not sure it mattered at this point, they were all soaking anyway!
Our big hole is a pool now!
After several big waves coming up over the hill onto our spot, Ryan was carrying the boogie board around and very concerned about "my board!"
Digging/searching for sandcrabs . . .
Curt skim boarding in our pool
Nicole says "Mom come see this piece of seaweed, it's moving!" Upon closer inspection we think a small trumpet fish was washed on shore for us to see!! It was trying to escape from our bucket, so Nicole speedily threw it back.
After we checked out of our campsite we headed over to the Santa Cruz pier for our ritual ice cream cone and watching of the sea lions.
(BELOW--Curt couldn't contain his excitement to be going camping)
TOP LEFT--a few feet beyond this fence was a sheer drop off down to the beach. Our campsite was 50 yards from this fence. We went to sleep to the sound of the waves. It was SO COOL!
TOP RIGHT--Nicole and Isaac examining Rolly Pollies--or pill bugs of which there were plenty. This was a nice feature as there is a lot of poison oak in these parts, and the bugs kept them out of the bushes.
BOTTOM LEFT--Nicole and Isaac on the trail down to the beach from our campsite.
BOTTOM RIGHT--the trail from our campsite down to the beach.
I was playing with the panaramic setting on our camera. Do you notice anything unusual about this picture? Nicole is a twin!!
Our own little sand crabs
Quite a few big waves came up over the small ridgeline of the beach. We are usually safe at the top of the ridge, but today after moving our shoes and snack bag and blanket multiple times we got smart and put them on our chairs . . . not sure it mattered at this point, they were all soaking anyway!
Our big hole is a pool now!
After several big waves coming up over the hill onto our spot, Ryan was carrying the boogie board around and very concerned about "my board!"
Digging/searching for sandcrabs . . .
Curt skim boarding in our pool
Nicole says "Mom come see this piece of seaweed, it's moving!" Upon closer inspection we think a small trumpet fish was washed on shore for us to see!! It was trying to escape from our bucket, so Nicole speedily threw it back.
After we checked out of our campsite we headed over to the Santa Cruz pier for our ritual ice cream cone and watching of the sea lions.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Blogger Deliquency--Past Month's Highlights
HALLOWEEN
We felt especially safe this year with our little superhero's around!! Just warning you--lots of pictures, maybe I should have made a slide show . . . too late now.
Ryan still says several times a day "I Spiderman to the rescue!!"
Ryan and his best buddy
Ryan's friends cheering him on
Isaac drew and helped cut out is own jack-o-lantern face this year. Notice his cool tie-died pumpkin shirt too!
I got to help with Nicole's Halloween party--aren't these pumpkins we made cute!!
He still has his fingers in his mouth all the time??--he's two!!
GRANDMA COMES TO VISIT
Grandma came late Thursday night, watched the kids all day Friday, overnight and Saturday morning, so that Curt and I could steal away for a much needed together time! Thanks so much Jan, it was a wonderful birthday present!!
AAAHHH, SO SWEET--The kids were eating their sandwiches after church, Curt was relaxing on the couch with his guitar. After a few minutes of eating, Ryan gets down from the table taking his plate with him, sits as close as he can to Curt, leans over on him, and continues to eat his sandwich.
CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS . . . AGAIN!
We drove into SF to see a really cool art exhibit, stood in line (with all three kids) only to be told the tickets we would be buying would get us into the exhibit at 3pm (it was 10am!) We then went to plan B which was to go see the butterflies which Nicole has been begging to do since she missed out the first time, at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Sorry, more butterfly pictures!
"Where's the alligator? WHERE?" Ryan couldn't quite see the whole picture . . .
Check out that proboscis!!
The picture below makes me laugh. If you'll notice in the background Curt is almost to the car, Ryan wants to be with Daddy, and is following close behind, but is concerned that Nicole, Isaac and I are not with them. Curt says we are complete opposites in this facet of our personalities. I stop to smell too many flowers (and take too many pictures) and he doesn't stop to smell enough, or any. Hopefully we are helping each other meet somewhere in the middle!
ROCKETS, FIGHTER JETS, AND CANDY OH MY
We got Isaac a model rocket with a solid fuel engine that goes 1000 feet into the air for his birthday. He's hooked. The one on one time with Dad, decorating it, putting it together and blasting it into the air might add to it's appeal. After several launches on a particularly windy day, his rocket set a record for heighth and distance, never to be found. One heartbroken kid, and a new rocketship later, the first thing Isaac did was put his name and phone number on his new rocket with stickers. We've still got it!
His other new obsession is fighter jets. He got to see the Blue Angels perform this last month. Now, when the kids get an opportunity to watch something he is always begging for fighter jet documentaries. When he does get to watch one, he is telling us how much he loves to watch the fighter jets for the next few days.
Candy. Well he's always been obsessed with candy, and thanks to Halloween . . . need I say more?
We felt especially safe this year with our little superhero's around!! Just warning you--lots of pictures, maybe I should have made a slide show . . . too late now.
Ryan still says several times a day "I Spiderman to the rescue!!"
Ryan and his best buddy
Ryan's friends cheering him on
Isaac drew and helped cut out is own jack-o-lantern face this year. Notice his cool tie-died pumpkin shirt too!
I got to help with Nicole's Halloween party--aren't these pumpkins we made cute!!
He still has his fingers in his mouth all the time??--he's two!!
GRANDMA COMES TO VISIT
Grandma came late Thursday night, watched the kids all day Friday, overnight and Saturday morning, so that Curt and I could steal away for a much needed together time! Thanks so much Jan, it was a wonderful birthday present!!
AAAHHH, SO SWEET--The kids were eating their sandwiches after church, Curt was relaxing on the couch with his guitar. After a few minutes of eating, Ryan gets down from the table taking his plate with him, sits as close as he can to Curt, leans over on him, and continues to eat his sandwich.
CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS . . . AGAIN!
We drove into SF to see a really cool art exhibit, stood in line (with all three kids) only to be told the tickets we would be buying would get us into the exhibit at 3pm (it was 10am!) We then went to plan B which was to go see the butterflies which Nicole has been begging to do since she missed out the first time, at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Sorry, more butterfly pictures!
"Where's the alligator? WHERE?" Ryan couldn't quite see the whole picture . . .
Check out that proboscis!!
The picture below makes me laugh. If you'll notice in the background Curt is almost to the car, Ryan wants to be with Daddy, and is following close behind, but is concerned that Nicole, Isaac and I are not with them. Curt says we are complete opposites in this facet of our personalities. I stop to smell too many flowers (and take too many pictures) and he doesn't stop to smell enough, or any. Hopefully we are helping each other meet somewhere in the middle!
ROCKETS, FIGHTER JETS, AND CANDY OH MY
We got Isaac a model rocket with a solid fuel engine that goes 1000 feet into the air for his birthday. He's hooked. The one on one time with Dad, decorating it, putting it together and blasting it into the air might add to it's appeal. After several launches on a particularly windy day, his rocket set a record for heighth and distance, never to be found. One heartbroken kid, and a new rocketship later, the first thing Isaac did was put his name and phone number on his new rocket with stickers. We've still got it!
His other new obsession is fighter jets. He got to see the Blue Angels perform this last month. Now, when the kids get an opportunity to watch something he is always begging for fighter jet documentaries. When he does get to watch one, he is telling us how much he loves to watch the fighter jets for the next few days.
Candy. Well he's always been obsessed with candy, and thanks to Halloween . . . need I say more?
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