Decorating the Christmas Tree!

Can you spot Zach?!?!








The picture Zach took of me!






On Saturday night we listened to Christmas music and put up the Christmas tree! I'm not sure how it is going to go this year with a one and a half year old in the house, but we got some shatterproof Christmas ornaments and decided to give it a try. Zach loved showing Ava how to put the ornaments on the tree. We made sure to put the sentimental, fragile ones on the top of the tree. It's a pretty funny looking tree, but it's ours and the kids really enjoyed owning it by doing it themselves.

11/27/2009 Bye Bye Eugene :(

Taking the Eugene airport by storm!






A beaver in ducks clothes! You have to be a fan to understand!


On the airplane and no sleep in sight!

We headed for home on Friday. We took an afternoon flight, which was nice because we didn't have to rush around in the morning. The only part that was rough was the over 3 hour layover in San Francisco and the fact that neither kid slept for any part of the adventure. Ava gets this new found energy when she is overtired. Andy and I vowed not to travel with her again for a quite some time!

11/26/2009 Thanksgiving Day in Eugene!

Family Pic!


Zach sitting on his cousins!


The ham and the ham (Ava is eating ham and Zach, the ham, jumped in the picture!)


The whole cousin crew!




Livia and the "nother" Grandma!


Ava loves to swing!

Thanksgiving day was great! It was so nice to be with family for the first time in years. Ava started the day with a swing to get her metabolism going :) The whole family came over around 4 and we had a wonderful dinner together. I'm not much of a cook so I just sat back and watched the masters. The kids had such a good time playing with their cousins. Zach only ate mustard and dessert, but Ava at least tried everything that was on her plate.

11/25/2009 Eugene Trip

Well, no pictures were taken this day. It was actually the 6 year anniversary of Andy and I meeting. We met on the eve of Thanksgiving in 2003. The story of that will need to be told in person and not on the blog! We went to see New Moon during the day and spent the evening with friends at a local dive bar. It was great to see everyone. Andy still has a lot of friends in Eugene. I love the closeness of the friends and family there.

11/24/2009 Eugene Trip!

Today Andy and I met up with a friend for lunch and Grandma and Grandpa took the kids to the park. We met up with them later and they were just having a blast. The park is great and it's right on the river, but not too close so that a running toddler could escape! I tried to get some cute shots of the kids by the water but they weren't having it. They did pose for some other pix though and I love that Ava is starting to follow Zach's lead and want to be photographed, as long as she is in the right mood. She is almost bribable so picture taking will start to get easier soon :)

11/23/2009 Eugene Trip!

We did family pictures while in Eugene. It was quite the experience. 6 kids and 5 of them are under 5! Enough said. These pictures are of our time before the pictures. By picture time the kids had already had enough.

11/22/2009 Eugene Trip!

Ava popping bubbles on the ground!






Ava watching her addiction that her brother passed on to her!


Ava's bed head!

Today the kids played in the backyard with the dogs and some bubbles! Ava also showed that she can have a bad hair day and that she can pop bubbles just like the dog can.

11/21/2009 Eugene Trip!

Today the kids were able to spend more time with their great grandmother Helen. Zach likes to call her "the nother grandma". He just loves her to pieces!

11/20/2009 Eugene Trip!

Today the kids practiced their culinary and musical skills :-)

11/19/2009 Eugene Visit!

Livia the birthday girl!




Zach and Ava's cousin Jordan


Uncle Mike and Livia


Cousin Jarrett

We arrived in Eugene in the evening and then we celebrated Livia's first birthday! It was great to be able to see all of the family in one place, even if we were a little tired from the days traveling adventures.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is a day to give thanks, but I am truly thankful every day of my life. I am thankful for the breath I take in the morning that lets me know I am alive. I am thankful for the home I have that keeps me safe and warm. I am thankful for a job I love that also provides for me and my family. Most of all, I am thankful for my family. For my husband that loves me without abandon, for my son that is healthy and able to express himself, for my daughter who now calls me mommy instead of mama. To wake up to "mommy, mommy" is a blessing I will be forever thankful for.
I hope that all reading this will be able to find something to be thankful for today! Enjoy your day.

Opportunistic Boy and New Moon!

I finally convinced Andy to go see New Moon with me. I was bummed that it came out the week that we were on vacation and he knew this. He is such a great husband. I have to say that Jacob was H-O-T. He is not yet legal, so I think I should be careful. That is why I spelled it out (teehee!) Tonight we went to hang out with Andy's friends, but I left early to come home to put the boy of a million fits to bed. I think his parents are pretty worn out from all of this live in grandparenting. I get home at about 9 and Zach has been asking for marshmallows for about two hours. Grandma stuck to her guns and said no. So we are all talking and Zach says "what did you say, Grandma? That I can have marshmallows?" We both laugh at how opportunistic this child is. He couldn't help but see a change in the situation and go for it! Now he is standing next to me and just asked me why I kicked him. I DID NOT kick him. I giggle and he asks, "Hey mom,do I crack you up?" Then comes out with another "why you mad?" Where the heck does this come from?

Late Post

Sunday November 15th was the 4 year anniversary of my father's passing. It is sad to know that he will never know my children and they will never know him. I know he is watching over us though and helping to keep us all safe and happy. To honor him I took a bit of Italian culture from my good friend Aurora. One day in November they honor those that have passed by celebrating the children. They tell the children about those that they have lost and the children receive a gift that is "from them". I changed the day to the day of his passing and took the opportunity to show them the picture on the fridge and tell them that he would have loved them very much. I also gave them each a little toy to celebrate his life. Yesterday was also his birthday, so this month is sort of bittersweet for me. So much celebrating and giving thanks, mixed with a little sorrow as well.

Fondue!

Andy made it back safe and sound from Sweden and Israel. He came in on Friday night and life is starting to get back to normal. I took advantage of his guilt from being gone and planned a night out with the girls on a Monday (usually basketball night!) because it is ladies night and I usually can't go. We had so much fun! Four courses of food and lots of laughs! The flaming turtle chocolate fondue was to die for. I can't wait to go back!