Thanksgiving 2011

We had an amazing Thanksgiving!!!

We went back and forth about doing the Turkey Trot in Long Beach but with 3 kids and possible rain, we decided against it.  I thought it would be cool to meet up with our "south bay" friends for a run and some play time.  I sent out an email and within hours, we had a fun morning planned.  Meet at the Manhattan Beach pier at 8:15 run a short 10K and then grab coffee and breakfast on the way to play.  

The other mommies and I decided that the beach would be kind of annoying with the sand so we met at a park.  I provided donuts, pastries, OJ, champagne and Jess and Seth picked up the coffees which were much needed after the run!

We stayed at the park until 11:15 because the kids were playing so nicely and we had mimosas in hand.  We got home, put the girls down and got ready for the Little family to come over for dinner!

We moved the DVD player out to the garage so when the adults were eating, the kids could watch their 1st Xmas movie of the season.  Polar Express was last years favorite and so we started with that one.  Jeremy and Kira were so cute together and it was a very pleasant evening!  

This picture didn't turn out like I wanted but the crowd in the kitchen was classic.  Happy Thanksgiving...another one in the books!

I'm THANKful for...

...my little man.  There is nothing like a mother son relationship and you know what I'm talking about if you have one!  Unreal.

...my daughters!  And sisters!  I'm lucky to have one daughter, let alone two and I'm even luckier that they have a sister!  Hope you are as close and supportive of each other as your aunties.

...My girls

...my partner in crime and the best daddy in the world.  They LOVE their dad like crazy and so do I.

...candid pictures.  Even more when I'm in them because I'm usually the one behind the camera!

...our families, our health, the roof over our heads, friends, neighbors, food, coffee, paychecks, school :) and so much more.  

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  

Thank you Ann for these amazing pictures!!!!

New head shot

We got a new shot for ya!  Biz has been really slow but she had her first audition in months yesterday for Old Navy.  I had to wake her up from her nap to get there and she did alright.  Doubt they'll book a kid who says, "I don't want to" when they try to take her picture but she sat for the video session :)  We'll see how this goes but I would be surprised if she booked it.  

We have a family photo shoot on Friday so I really hope to have some good ones of the kids from that.
ps...picture below is from the same shoot but the photographer who took that sent me that one as a sample of what was to come.  The above photo was the best.

Wow, almost 2!

In one month, my "baby" will be 2!!!  I can't believe it.  I have been thinking of this milestone since she was born because your name sake Auntie Courtney told me that the light at the end of the tunnel gets very bright once your youngest is 2!  Life should become a little easier right?  I shouldn't have to watch every move or worry that you're getting into trouble right?  But wait, if you're 2, lord knows kids don't get easier at 2.  And you my little one may be my "easiest baby" but you've got quite a trouble streak.  So before I go into all the things you do so well and I love about you, let's talk about your trouble side.

You love to push the kitchen chairs around to get what you need out of cabinets or off the counter.  I still find toilet paper completely unraveled in the bathroom and you love to open the back gate and escape to the front yard (don't worry, there is a padlock on it so she can't anymore).  You hide things...my keys, my phone ear piece, Jeremy's shoes and anything you can get your hands on.  I have watched you pick something up, open a closet and put it to the way back of the closet and then close the door.  Stinker. You want to do EVERYTHING your brother and sister do but unfortunately you're not old enough so you get very upset.  You like to throw your food to Luna if you don't want it and steal from your siblings if they have what you want.  And the biggest current nuisance is the way you climb onto the dining room chair, open my computer and just start pushing buttons.  Sometimes I want to put you in a cage but most of the time I want to eat all of you up.  On to the funny, cute things you're doing now...

You're a LOVER through and through.  Your daddy and I love the way you always have to give a hug after you give a kiss and not just any hug, a "pat your back and then rub" kind of hug.  And you will always say "hug" and then go in for it.  Your newest thing is to make mommy and daddy kiss and hug.  When one of us is leaving, you will say "daddy" and then point to mommy's cheek and daddy has to kiss me on my cheek.  Then you will point to the other cheek and if either one of us starts to leave, you will remind us that we need to hug with a "pat".  

You're so mellow...if you want something to eat in the car and I don't have anything and I tell you to wait until we get home, you always say "okay" and that's it.  No crying, whining, etc.  Dreamy.  You are SO social and I think you will have tons of friends.  You current best friends include; Jack, the security guard at the gym who you high 5 every time you see him, all the kids at Jeremy's school who get waves every time we pick him up and "grandma" at the gym who is this nice older lady who told Mabel she was a grandma once and now every time Mabel sees her she yells, "hi grandma".  You're funny.  Everything about you is funny and sweet and we could watch you for hours.  Keep entertaining us and loving us the way you do because you are a dream come true Miss Mabel!

Impromptu

You gotta love it when an impromptu "hey, you want me to pick up Jack and Annie from school"turns into a trip to the park and a "hey, Madeline and Eleanor are here" and then "no way, Emily and William are here too" kind of day!!!!!  

Madeline and Elaenor are between Jeremy and Jack and Annie's best friend Porter is between Jeremy and Annie.  William and Emily showed up after the picture.

The kids had a blast!

Well, except for Amelia who was run over by a kid on a scooter going way too fast.  I even told these kids to slow down when we first got there and then one of them ran over her.  Her shin was bleeding in 2 places, swollen lump on her shin bone and a very shaken up little girl.  I was SO mad that I almost went over and told the kid I told him not to ride around like that but he came over first crying, with red eyes and explained how he tried to turn to avoid her.  Turns out he goes to Goethe. Small world.

Another visit from Auntie Jacqui and kids!!!

Uncle Nick's team played in the Western Conference Championship this weekend so Jacqui booked a trip home to go to the game and lucky us, we get to hang out some more!!!!  Yeah us and yeah for cousins!!!!!  

This picture is a little blurry but I couldn't resist posting it.  I love how the kids are alternating...one big happy family!

On Saturday, we took the kids to the top of Kenneth Hahn park for a nature walk.  They loved it!!!!  Some cute pics!

Miss Benny Rose

Auntie Jacqui walking with the little girls!

 

Group shot with downtown LA in the background!

It was raining when we woke up this morning so I took the kids to play in the rain!  I ended up carrying 3 umbrellas, a rain coat and one child by the time we got down the block and back.

Uncle Nick's team lost tonight but it was a good game and we're super proud of Real Salt Lake!  You'll get 'em next year.  Now, we just have to wait until Thanksgiving to see Auntie Jacqui and kids again!!!  Counting the minutes...