Idyllwild in January

The boys, my mom, and I drove up to Idyllwild, CA for the day on one of my mom's furlough days. It was a really nice, easy drive with minimal traffic. Sunny day in the 70s made doubts of any lingering snow existing in the mountains for the boys to play in, but I packed extra sets of clothes just in case. After approaching about 5000 feet, patches of snow hidden in the shadows of trees started to be seen, and sure enough, there was just enough snow for the kiddos to play in! We visited the faerie shop (lady of the lake) and soap shoppe (lady of the lake soaps), ate our packed lunches, walked around for a bit and then let the boys PLAY! A nice gentleman who had some land fenced off let the kids play there -- there was a LOT of snow for them to play in, make snowballs, and just have a good time. We stopped in town for some old fashioned ice cream and snowcones before heading back down the hill. Thinking of maybe renting a cabin in the future, it is SO beautiful in Idyllwild!!! Here are some pics from the day! Can't wait to go back, maybe with more snow!

Charlie's first time at the 'snow' (or shoveled off left over snow)...

Charlie trying to figure out if he can eat it

the boys standing near a big wooden boot!

Grandma showing the kids rainsticks
jackson and charlie playing rain music
The boys with a big bear!

Lunch Time! Jackson snagged Grandma's yogert.

Charlie enjoying his lunch.


Grandma taking pictures of the boys eating their lunches.

Charlie playing with ice-snow. He destroyed this wanna-be snow/ice man.

The boys playing in a patch of snow.

Jackson and his Snowball. He wanted to take it home ::tear!::Charlie is very happy about his snowball! Charlie enjoying his snowcone and snowball. It's all snow, right? Charlie posing in front of the giant ice cream sign. Jackson and Charlie love ice cream. Jackson is amazed at how big this ice cream is! Charlie on a bench with his name on it! The boys enjoying the rest of their snowcones. Thanks Grandma!

Christmas 2010

Christmas was a lot of fun! The boys came downstairs, all groggy eyed after "sleeping in" until 7am (that's LATE for them!). They came downstairs, and there was a big train table and presents under the tree, and the cookies and milk were eaten! ("where'd it go?" Jackson asked) We had a great day with family. Kathryn and Zoey spent the night at Grandma and Grandpas house and we went back and forth between the two houses playing and having fun. We ate dinner at our house and had fun just hanging out!

Jackson checking out his 'loot' from his stocking :)

Jackson's FIRST day of "School"!

Jackson was accepted to go to speech therapy through our school district! yay! So the school district has his speech therapy twice a week at an elementary school.. so technically he 'goes to school' right? (yea yea it's speech therapy, I get it!) He was so excited about his first day of 'school'! Even though it isn't 'real' preschool or anything, we still think of it as a big day for our little guy!

Daddy and Jackson!

Mommy and Jackson!

Jackson and Charlie on our way to School!

Rainy day at Disneyland

We had a very rainy day at Disneyland on Auntie Mallorys birthday, Dec 20th. The weather had reported it to be not as heavy with the rain on this day so the boys and I ventured out to brave the rain and the crowds at the park. Well, the crowds were few, but the rain was in excess! The boys rode the Rocket ship ride and the Buzz Lightyear ride, and then we took shelter in a very crowded store to get something warmer to wear (gloves) and to protect the boys from the rain better (ponchos). Pretty soon after getting the gloves and ponchos we decided to go home - the boys were MISERABLE! So was Grandma and Mama :) Here are some pics from this fun day. Lessons learned: do NOT go to a rainy theme park without some type of rain slicker, poncho, gloves, hats, puddle splashing boots and plenty of extra clothes for the kiddos! (and adults!)

Charlie looking at the big Christmas tree at Disneyland on Main Street

Jackson and Charlie in front of the Christmas Tree at Disneyland waiting for Grandma Susan and Auntie Mallory to show up!

Charlie waiting as patiently as he can for the rocket ride in Tomorrow land.. in the RAIN!

Mama and Charlie ready to take off on our rocket!

Auntie Mallory and Jackson waiting to take off in their rocket!


A very soaked, but quasi-happy and exhausted Jackson waiting to take the tram back to the car.


Grandma ready to go home!!!!

Birthday girl Mallory and her beau Ryan :)

Charlie passed out waiting for the tram. Everyone else had the same idea as us to leave at the same time. He just couldn't stay awake any longer!

Jackson's 3rd Birthday Party

We celebrated Jackson's 3rd birthday this past weekend with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme! Sean took the boys out to the park while I frantically finished last minute details in preparation for his party. Luckily the whole thing came together by the time Jackson got back from the park with Sean and Charlie. The first thing both Jack and Charlie noticed were balloons in the living room and got to playing with them right away. They had a blast! Soon, guests started to arrive and we got to playing games. First game was 'pin the nose on Mickey'. The kids seemed to love the game, and a 'prize' was make-your-own mickey mouse ears. The second game was 'Donald Duck gooey fishing'. The prize was swedish fish in a baggie. Jackson wanted to play this game over and over. We then opened presents and afterwards Jackson blew out his candles and we all had cake. The party was short and sweet, but everyone seemed to have a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Banner and Table

Water bottle labels on mini-water bottles

#3 Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Gooey Fishing! (Sweedish Fish!!!)

Jackson's Third Birthday Cake (#1)

Birthday Cake again

Blowing out the candles!

Auntie Mallory and Charlie enjoying cake

Jackson, Zoey and Ben enjoying cake and lemonade!

Park Trips Fall 2010

A few pictures from a trip to the park. Jackson and Charlie LOVE this park! It's great having them play together more and more as they both get older. Hopefully their friendship with grow and they'll be really close brothers :)

Firehouse Open House 2010

Here are a few pictures from our visit to Tustin Fire Department Open House from Fall 2010. We had a blast! walked there with Grandpa (Frank), visited the firehouse, and then walked home. On the way home it started POURING huge rain drops all over us! we had no umbrella, poncho, nothing!

Of course by the time we got home we were all completely soaked! The boys loved visiting the fire house and we'll be back next year!

Jackson's 3rd Birthday Party

Tomorrow is Jacksons third birthday party. He'll be 3 on Dec 16th. Why and how does time fly so fast? He was my newborn baby boy, and how he's almost in preschool!

I passed my pharmacology class (YAY) so now I wait out a semester and start nursing school in July 2011.

Will work, I promise, on putting pics up soon.

:)