Cole's Christmas Performance

Cole's preschool put on their annual Chrismtas performance in December and it was the cutest thing ever!! Imagine 200 adorable 3 and 4 year old's dressed in their Christmas best, singing their little hearts out to songs they have been practicing for 3 months.....just precious. It seriously brought tears to my eyes. One of those "defining" moments as a mom. He was able to see us as he walked down the isle to the stage and was so excited! He just kept waving to us and giving us thumbs up throughout their performance. What a special day!!



 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

Santa's Adventure

I wasn't able to get our family tickets for the Polar Express this year at the time I wanted, so we decided to go check out "Santa's Adenture" at a local ranch nearby. It was a little pricey for what you got and I definitely like the Polar Express better, but the kids had a fun time none-the-less. The place was decorated beautifully and we were able to make it on a pretty warm night and the kids were beyond excited to visit with Santa and sit on his lap. The hightlight of the night was when Santa asked Olivia what she wanted for Christmas and wasn't able to understand her response, so Cole gladly helped out and managed to come up with two things: 1. A lollipop and 2: Christmas lights. What? Totally random but I think Santa can make that happen this year!!


 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Decorating the tree

I managed to snap a few pictures of the kids decorating the Christmas tree. They had such a fun time and were so excited to get the tree and house all decorated for Christmas. They are at such a fun age for all of these holidays :-)


 
 
 
 

This was Olivia's foot 2 years ago. Such a tiny little thing :-)
 

Christmas Caroling

Some of our friends in our PG got together to sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home. They were so cute, all dressed up with their reindeer noses and jingle bells and I think the audience really enjoyed watching the little ones perform.

 
 
 
 

Thanksgiving in beautiful San Diego

We decided to spend Thanksgiving with my family in San Diego since we are going to spend Christmas up here this year and we haven't been able to spend a Thanksgiving with my dad since we moved up here in 2007. The whole family flew down on Monday evening and we almost didn't make it. I realized the night before we left that somehow I never remembered to buy airplane tickets for the kids. Jim and I had used our frequent flyer miles on Southwest and I totally spaced on the kids. So several $$$$ later, I was thankful that they still has 2 seats available on the same flight and it was a mistake I will not make again. Jim can assure you all of this :-)

We spent the majority of the week at my dads house in Point Loma and we had an amazing time. Such a beautiful house and a beautiful city! We were able to spend a lot of time with my sister and her 2 sons (including my brand new nephew, Liam) and it was go much fun to see the cousins all playing together. Jim's family came down the Friday after Thanksgiving and took the kids for a day (and night!) which gave Jim and I some time to relax, catch a movie, and even sleep in. All in all it was a great trip! Thank you dad and Carolyn for your great hospitality and all of your amazing cooking, as well as putting up with us for a week :-) Love you guys xoxo

The first picture of all 4 cousins together (Alec - almost 3, Olivia - 2, Cole - 4, holding Liam - 2 months). They are all so cute!!
 

The kids with Grandma Carolyn at the Midway in San Diego
 

Daddy fulfilling his flying dream! Flying a fighter jet simulator all throughout San Diego and attempting to land it on the aircraft carrier. Not sure his experience flying airwatch for so many years paid off :-)
 
Mommy with my kids while Daddy and Grandpa were busy flying
 

Making a gingerbread man (and woman) and Grandpa and the kids. They found these great kits for the kids for $3 at Trader Joe's. So much easier than making them from scratch and just as much fun. They loved it!
 
 
 
 

The cousins at my sisters house playing around. It was a rare occurence to find them all smiling, having fun with no one in tears!
 

Here they are showing me how old they each are.
 

Uncle Jim bonding with little Liam.
 

Cole holding his cousin
 

Thanksgiving Day at my Dad's house

My handsome little dude
 
My two handsome men
 
 

Mommy, Grandpa and Cole
 

The view from the "kids" Thanksgiving table.
 
 
The cousins with their second cousins
 
 

 
The kids "toasting" one another
 
 

The Hotel Del Coronado ice skating rink at the beach, sooooo pretty!
 

 
More of the cousins
 
They were playing ring around the rosey.
 
"And they all fall down!"
 

The kids getting ready to go swimming in Grandpa's jacuzzi
 
Daddy and O walking around Seaport Village
 
 
 

We went to Seaport Village and went on the San Diego Seal tour, which is basically a boat with wheels. You get to go on a 45 minute driving tour around the city, followed by a 45 minute boat ride around the bay. We got on the boat at 1:00, which is Olivia's nap time so she fell alseep about 5 minutes into the ride, but Cole and the rest of us had a blast. It was so cold, but so much fun! I'd definitely recommend going on it if you ever go to San Diego.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
The whole crew: My dad and his wife, Carolyn; my brother, Eric, and his wife, Michelle, my sister, Kristen and her husband Enrique with their two kids, Alec and Liam.
 
The kids getting ready to go see Santa with their cousins and Grandma (our annual tradition)