Family Photos

 We won a photo shoot in Carona Del Mar in December...perfect timing for Christmas Card photos!

 This is one of my favorite family shots

 This my favorite couples shot with my LOVE!

 Noah and Dean both have funny expressions. Ha ha!

Such is our life. All smiles. Lots of fun.

Christmas Program

 Noah performed in his first Preschool Christmas Program titled, 

"Who's Coming to our House?"

I can't even tell you how much joy we got out of this event.

 To the children, this was a huge affair. They prepared for weeks, dressed to impress, followed their teachers' every cue and used their best manners. Truly, the children may have enjoyed it, but to the parents, I can't explain...I was so proud of Noah. So so proud!

 Noah sang "Away in a Manger" and he shouted it!  He also did all the hand motions he was taught. That is part of what makes a preschool parent so proud. That their baby is growing up, a little, but enough to be taught something, remember it, perform it, and along with that he enjoyed it and was proud of himself. These little songs and gestures are examples of what will some day be biology tests and swim meets or whatever our children decide to do and be part of.

Deep into his singing and motions, LOVE IT!

 This one is when Noah finally noticed mom and dad watching. How cute is that face?

 All who joined for the evening (minus Aunti B, Uncle B and Hunter who must have ran home for bed time)

This face says, "I did it!"

One thing our pediatrician tell us, is, that during these beginning years it is most important to impress upon our children that they are the coolest thing in the world, that they matter to us, that they have no worries and just need to play and have fun. I think this night made Noah feel all those things!

Hunter Rose

 I love this little girl

She will be kept on a short, tight leash once she reaches her teenage years, yep!

Cool Dude

Whats Up?

Boys get a haircut

 Yep, that is the best picture I got.

Dean has his shirt off because the cut hairs were itchy, Noah...well, that's Noah.

So easy, no crying

 Anything for a lollypop!

Dean on the other hand, he fussed every two minutes.

(this is his fake cry face)

Then was happy for two minutes...

Then fussed for two minutes...

Until it was finally over!

LOVE THOSE EYES!

I am Noah

I am the new preschooler in town, I am 3, I do what I want to do, not what mom asks me to do!

Tanaka Farms In Fall

 That's the best picture I get with a 3yr old, a 1yr old...and a mustached hubby.

 The farm was larger then I had imagined. It offered too many shaped and sized pumpkins to choose from. But it was a quite fun for Noah to run around and point out all the small (baby) ones, broken, smashed and rotten ones. Why didn't he want to point out the many beautiful ones, large ones, amazingly warted ones?

Dean Machine hung out in the stroller for a while, he was happy as can be.

Why don't kids smile when told? Isn't that what they are supposed to do? Ok, ok, I know they are cute no matter if they are smiling or not. Fuzzy head. He is stinkin cute!

Ha ha ha, can you tell I bribed Noah to smile in this picture below?

 We met our good friends, the Snyders. Isn't their son Cole adorable?

Cole is about to turn 2. He was a perfect example of a two year old boy. He was sweet and smiley.

He was kind and gentle.

 

Even more so than Noah, who is very afraid of goats.
(traumatized from our last visit to Zumar's Farm)

Its amazing what your hubby will do when he becomes a dad. Before kids, he would laugh at all the people popping their heads through the holes of these boards. Now look at him. Happy as can be, with his two boys, his best friend and son. Silly!

Cole is thinking...you said I was a perfect 2 yr old. Just wait!

We took a wagon and tractor ride to and from the petting zoo. 

(Four good looking guys right there!)

Dean, he is good looking too. He is in a new phase that includes clapping at everything he does. Good or not good, he will clap his way around anything.  

 These two are wild. But they had a great time together!

Over all the night was great.  The kids got exercise and a new experience, Dads and Moms connected and enjoyed fellowship with friends, fresh air for all and a great dinner to fill our tummy's.  

The wonderful things you don't see pictured are, Cole throwing and kicking pumpkins and trying to run away, Noah throwing two fits over hand sanitizer, both toddlers screaming and climbing all over the piles of hay and pumpkins, me with a migraine and Noah peeing his pants. Don't you love how perfect life seems through the eye of the lens. I guess I shouldn't ruin it by telling the truth. SMILES!

Little Hands

 These little hands. They are getting bigger. They explore so much these days.

 These hands are still small in comparison, still have so much more to see and feel.

What Kids Do

 They run in sprinklers. Didn't you as a kid?

 

A little of this.

 

A little of that.

A lot of this, from that one.

Children of Different Worlds

On October 5th Noah's Preschool had a parade where the students could dress up as children from different parts of the world. There were many Hula Girls, Japanese Girls, German boys in their Lederhosen and Mexican Sombreros floating through the rooms. Noah decided he wanted to be an Indian. So, without the headdress, bow and arrows, he wore his little Indian outfit proudly for the day. 

Noah is in the youngest class, so they were the first to start the parade through the halls as all the parents watched, cheered and clapped along with the music and instruments the children played while they marched. Above is his class. His teacher Mrs. Newton is facing Noah as she led them through the school. All the people along the walls were parents.

How cute is he?  And those little chubby cheeks?

Macy, Noah's sweet friend, was not so sure about all the attention and noise, but was beautiful as always!

It was such a simple little parade for the kids, but it is amazing how much they love these "simple" things. It was obvious that to the children, this was a BIG day, and they felt important. Isn't that one of our jobs as parents, to make our young children feel special and important...like they are the coolest thing in the world? I think so. The world is so cruel, so keep them positive and build their self-esteem as long as we can and as soon as we can.

**please excuse the quality of the photos. These are littereally the only ones I got as I had a screaming baby in one hand and the camera in the other. The best part is, after the parade, Dean spit up all over the carpet, I dropped the camera, and that afternoon I came down with STEP THROAT...the beginnin of a VERY rough two weeks.

So I am thankful for the few shots I did get

DUKE & DEAN

Duke. Our first baby. He is the sweetest dog I have ever known. He never does anything to complain about...except lick. Yep, he doesn't chew, doesn't pee in the house, doesn't play with the kids toys, doesn't lay on the bed, he listens well and never complains when I feed him late, but, he loves to kiss us. 

We call it DRIVE BY LICKIN

 Eric and I often comment on how Noah just doesn't really seam like Duke. He isn't mean to Duke, Duke isn't mean to Noah. They just don't pay any attention to one another. We find that strange.

 This little man though...

 ...he searches for Duke everywhere he goes. He says Doh Doh (Dog Dog) and huffs twice for a bark. Its so cute.
He loves his DUKE!

 Noah, he cries when Duke licks him and would much rather play in his "house" than with the dog!