Farewell 2010

Without a doubt, 2010 has had it's ups and downs but thank goodness we are all healthy and happy.  Some of the highlights for me have been our vacation to Disneyland in February, our vacation to San Diego in October and our numerous camping trips.  As wonderful as those trips were, I truly cherish our quiet relaxing days home when we are all off together and just 'hang out'.  As difficult as my kids can be at times, they really are fun to be around ... and make me laugh for sure. 

The only resolution I have for 2011 is to live one day at a time.  My recent health scare has taught me to cherish each day because you just never know what the future will bring.  I'm not paranoid, just more aware of how precious our health is.  During the past few months I've discovered something about myself, that I'm a worrier.  I think I've always been that way ... and I'm learning techniques on how to change that.  I guess at 37, I'm still a work in progress. 

I'm ending the year with some of M's artwork.  I'm so proud of both of my kids.  M's doing great in school.  He's a whiz at math, getting A's on his spelling tests, passed all of his 1st and 2nd grade words (and is now working on enrichment words) and is reading.  Really reading, it's amazing.  What I didn't realize is that while I read to the kids at night, he is reading right along with me.  Last night he actually corrected a word that I misread so I tested him a little later in the book and said frightened instead of scared and he stopped me in my tracks and said, "it said scared, Mom!"  If there's one thing I'm most proud of as parents, it's that Brian and I read to our kids every night.  We may skip it on nights when we come home really late or something but that's very rare (I like my kids to go to bed EARLY).  We started reading to the kids right after they were born. 

K's doing great in school as well.  She can write her entire alphabet and whips through preschool workbooks with ease.  She knows beginning sounds very well and is working on ending sounds.  She loves going to school and is also a big help around the house.  She actually likes doing chores ... one day I made the mistake of punishing the kids for fighting with chores.  She finished hers right away and then asked for more chores!  M ... not so much!  She's not afraid to get dirty and really scrub.  She also enjoys feeding and helping with Lucy and Roscoe ... even cleaning the litter box.

This is a ceramic tile that M painted in school and gave us for Christmas.  He was very proud that he did it all by himself and even wrapped it.

M made this in Art Class.  How cute, huh?

2011 ... bring it on!!!!

Bowling

While visiting my mom in Coalinga, we took the kids bowling for the first time.  Both kids enjoyed it very much and did well.  They even beat me the second game!  Can you believe that?  Other than Wii Bowling (which I'm very good at), I haven't bowled in a very long time.  I should have asked for bumpers also.

When K first started, she was dropping the ball from way back and almost throwing it into the other lanes because she didn't want to foul.  Towards the end, she started walking out further but would drop and kick the ball down the lane.

M did a great job and absolutely loved it.  He took it very seriously of course.

M loves Chrissy so much that when we decided to go bowling he said, "Can Chrissy come too?"  It's wonderful to have extended family.  The kids wanted nothing to do with me while Chrissy was around ... it was fabulous.  ;)

They both got a good giggle out of the shoes.

How embarrassing.  Look at how pathetic I did.  I'm Missy for those of you that know me as Melissa.  K bowled at 109 in her last game!

Chrissy's Zoo

Every time we go to Coalinga to visit my family, we make a trip out to Chrissy's (she a long time family friend - like family to me really).  They have a huge pig, chickens, birds, tons of dogs and alpaca's.  They have a baby alpaca and her mom refused to feed her.  She got very weak so they took her to the vet clinic and she got a blood transfusion and now they are bottle feeding her goat's milk.  She doing great ... I guess it's amazing that she even survived - not getting her mother's antibodies.  She's precious and follows Chrissy and Larry around like a house pet. 

K loved feeding her.

M enjoyed it also and got a real laugh out of what a messy eater she is.

She's such a good girl.

The bird got on K's shoulder and she got tickled and bent down.

Uh-oh, where's the bird going.  K stayed calm ... I was surprised.

M just loved it.  He had a huge smile the entire time but was worried about the bird climbing around on him.

Love it.

We had such a great time.  Thanks Chrissy for everything.  Here's the link to the photos from the last time we visited Chrissy.  Hard to believe it was 1 1/2 years ago.

One of my favorites

I used this photo for our Christmas Cards this year and just wanted to be sure it gets into my blog book.  Are they adorable, or what?

Yosemite Valley

On our way home, we drove through Yosemite Valley and I couldn't resist taking a few photographs.  It was such a gorgeous day.

This coyote came right up to our truck and just stood there for several minutes.  We rolled the window down to talk to him and he moved his ears around like he was listening.  It was awesome and we were all in awe at how beautiful he was.  He really was this close.

Family Pictures

Using the self timer on my little camera, we got a decent picture of us.

Just as we were leaving, the cleaning lady came and took a picture of all of us in front of the cabin.  This one turned out great (except for the kids ... you can't have everything).  Still my favorite.

A closer one of all of us.



We had such a great time up there, I'd love to celebrate Christmas in Yosemite every year.  We are truly blessed.

Playing with their toys ... and miscellaneous

K is a wonderful little mommy to her Baby Alive doll that she named, Sarah.

M had a great time with his Imaginext Space Shuttle.

Granny helped K diaper Sarah.  She poops a lot.

She definitely not the most gentle.

Early morning fun with Model Magic (don't look at me).

Cooking S'mores with Lacie.

M went for a walk with Lacie instead of having S'mores.  They stopped by the Tenaya Lodge and had some ice cream.  Can't you tell?



Santa Came!!

The kids slept in (if you can call it that) until 6:45 or 7:00 on Christmas Day.  I was surprised.  I told M that I thought I heard jingle bells during the night and he said, "Me too!"  I love it.

His exact words.  "Is this what I think it is???"  Pure joy.  He got a Nintendo DS.

K got the Mobigo (a portable gaming system) for littler ones.  She didn't really know what it was at first but liked it once she started playing with it.

A giant Hershey Kiss.  "Oh, yeah!!"

"A Baby Zhu-Zhu Pet!!"

Figuring it all out with Dad.

Learning how to use her Mobigo.

Quiet time for Mom and Dad.

Christmas Eve - Opening Presents

M sat like this for quite a long time waiting to open his first present (the one from his friend and neighbor).  We had to tell him over and over again that we were going to eat first.  I remember how hard it is to be a kid and want to tear into those packages SO BAD.  They were both patient.  We open our gifts from each other on Christmas Eve and Santa's on Christmas morning.

Pouty face.

Okay, it's time!!

K's first gift.  I didn't take a lot of pictures this year, instead I opted for video and I am so glad I did.  When K opened this one she SCREAMED, "Oh my gosh!!  It's Go-Go Doggy.  It's what I always wanted!!  Can you believe it??"  Also did a little dance around.  It was adorable.  She acted like that just about every time she opened a gift.  Precious.  I know she won't be this excited when she gets older so I need to cherish these younger years.

M was very excited with his gifts as well.

Great gift by the way ... she has created so many monsters already with this.



I would say that M's favorite gifts were his Nintendo DS from Santa, all of the Lego sets, the Hot Wheels Stealth RC Car, and his Imaginext Space Shuttle.

K loved them all but was especially excited about her Squinkies, surprisingly the Baby Alive Doll, Go-Go Doggy and her Vet Clinic.

I got some great gifts this year as well.  My absolute favorite was the iPad from Brian.  That was such huge surprise too.  I also love the Keurig my mom got me and my new slippers.

Snow Fun

We had to celebrate an early Christmas this year because Brian worked on the 24th and the 25th.  So this year, we had Christmas Eve on the 21st and Christmas Day on the 22nd.  We rented a cabin in Yosemite in 2008 and loved it so much, we decided to do it again.  We were hoping for snow.  They had been having tons of rain in the weeks leading up to our trip but no snow.  We were bummed ... it just isn't the same.  Lucky for us 2 days before we headed up there they had a huge snowstorm and we even had some on our way up there.  Plenty of snow to play in and of course, have a snowball fight (M's favorite part).  We had snow for our first 2 days and then rain. 

He loves it!

K was much braver this year also.  Top right - K went down the hill will Lacie (they were cracking up by the time they got to the bottom).

My mom and in the middle picture, my brother-n-law, Jim.  He thought he was being funny and spun my mom around so she would go down backwards in the 3rd photo.  She wasn't amused.

Good times.

Love, love, love this picture of Lacie (my niece) with my mom.  I wish someone would have taken a picture of me with my mom.  I love you guys so much.

M's Classroom Christmas Party

M's class had a Christmas Party on their last day of school.  I was able to go in for the party and take pictures.  What a blast and I got some great pictures of all of the kids. 

They got the biggest kick out of making toilet paper snowmen.  I wasn't paying attention here as they were smothering covering her mouth and nose!

Using oats and glitter they made 'Reindeer Food'.  I asked M if he wanted to eat some and he gave me this face.  We sprinkled it out on Christmas Eve and the reindeer actually ate some.  M ran out and checked first thing.

Beading project.

They all decorated sugar cookies.  Kids really like sprinkles don't they?  Yum.

These kiddos are on a tight schedule everyday.  Busy, busy.  I love his school!