Thanksgiving Week

The Saturday before Tgiving Jim surprised me by taking me out to dinner and a movie. Of course, while we were out, Aidan was horsing around with the babysitter and ended up face planting into a wooden side table. Bad....we won't know for a bit but there is a good possibility his front tooth (that was already chipped) and the next one over may fall out or have to be taken out. They are loose but seem to be doing ok. He goes back for another xray later this month.

We went down to my parent's house in So Cal for Thanksgiving. Decided to go a couple days early so we could take the kids to the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits. Both kids really enjoyed it even though the museum dino exhibit was not out since it is being redone. The Page Museum (tar pits) had a bunch of skeletons from the Ice Age which Aidan loved looking at.

My sister Melissa and her boyfriend Ben came from New York. My grandparents and Aunt also drove up from Riverside and Yucaipa. This was the first time my grandparents had met Makena so that was great. We had a wonderful dinner and it was great to spend time with my family. The two things missing were my sister, Cyndi who couldn't make it down, and my other Grandfather who recently passed away.

Also got to visit some of my long time friends which is always fun. And there is a park near my parents so we went there a couple times to get the kids out of the house. Of course the weather was great...except for the wind!

The one negative thing was that both my kids got bit by my parents dog. Of course we can't have a trip without any injuries can we? Nothing bad but not fun for either. Makena is still talking about it ("hunter bite").

The kids did wonderfully on both plane rides so that is always a relief.

In about three weeks we get to do it all again, but this time to Colorado for Xmas!

Halloween 2009!

I have been such a slacker when it comes to blogging...so instead of trying to catch up (and never doing it) I am just going to start fresh with Halloween - and if I can get back to some older good stuff I will post! My goal is to post at LEAST once a month!

Usual Halloween stuff -

going to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins:

carving the pumpkins:

going to the halloween carnival - Aidan was a Ninja and Makena was supposed to be a fairy but she got too tired and didn't go.

and of course trick or treating! Aidan was a knight, his dog was a devil, and Makena was a dragon (hand me down from Aidan!) Gabe Messer came over as Bumblebee. They had a great time until some neighbors were doing scary tricks and then Aidan wanted to go home. :)

Look who's 4 - and a first...

Wow, Aidan turned four on Sunday...crazy! I still remember vividly being in unproductive labor for 29 hours that ended in a c-section four years ago! How time flies.

We took a couple pictures on the day to commemerate (you can see the cooperation gleaming in his eyes), but will obviously have many more from his party this coming weekend.

He got some great dinosaur gifts from his Great Grandparents, Aunt Di, Patty. He also was able to purchase his own items (mostly dinosaur related) from gift cards he received - which he really enjoyed!

On his birthday, we went to his friend Reese's birthday party - she turned 4 on the 8th. It was a bowling party and Aidan had never bowled before! He had a blast and bowled a 70!

Here is a video of the master in action:

(if getting this via email you will need to access the blog to see the video)

Visit from Grandpa Jim!

It was great to have Jim's dad out (Grandpa Jim) for a visit a couple weeks ago. Sad that Lois and Tod couldn't join them! Saturday Jim and Grandpa took Aidan to see "Night at the Museum 2" which they all enjoyed. I unfortunately had to take Makena to the clinic because a cut on her palm got infected!

We had really nice weather so on Sunday we went to NorthWest Trek - a local place where they only have animals native to the NW. The best part is the tram ride that takes you around the 400 acre open space! The massive bison were RIGHT NEXT to the tram in many spots along with their cute little babies. If you were allowed, and were so daring, you could actually put your arm out the window and pet them - that is how close some were.

We also saw mtn goats, big horn sheep, elk, caribou, deer. Makena would actually see some things before I did - especially the sheep - and would tell me by pointing and saying "baaa!". It was very cute.

I didn't get many shots but here are a few - do you see the bison in the background?

They have bears, wolves, big cats and more (basically all the carnivores) in enclosures too. The two furry brown lumps in the background here are grizzly bears playing. It really is hard to get shots of animals AND people!

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing in the backyard.



Grandpa Jim had to leave too soon for our liking!

Sunny days and new tricks

Been meaning to post for a few weeks...but here are some pics of recent great weather days.

And one of Makena's many new tricks - climbing! The other is opening doors...fun!

Easter!

We had our first ever Easter Egg hunt this year - but of course, true to WA, we had to have it inside because it was pouring rain and cold.

Aidan had fun looking for all the eggs, especially finding ones with candy or money! Makena found some on her own as well.

Grandma Lois made a beautiful dress for Makena - I wish we had more places to have her wear it!

Taking pictures got a little old for both of them, but we got some good shots! Keepers!