The Williams Family

Santa and Del Osso

2011-12-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

We are lucky enough to have Del Osso Farms, practically in our backyard. We go every year for the pumpkin patch and the kids love it. There is so much to do!!
This is the 3rd year that they have had Holidays on the Farm. The whole place is turned into a Winter Wonderland!
Inside the country store they had pictures with Santa. The line was a little long but ended up being soooo worth it. Better than any mall Santa anyday!! Marco was excited to see Santa from far away but up close he wasnt so sure. The lady taking the pictures was so patient and aware of her audience. She let me sit in the slay for a few min to warm Marco up to Santa. Santa gave the boys cupcakes and opened Marco's for him as he talked to him. Just a few minutes later I sat him on his lap and he LOVED it. Mateo was excited to tell Santa what was on both their lists!! And reminded him that there would be cookies for him at our house. He spent the time to listen and we got a ton of pictures!!
They had a huge fire pit where they were making Smores that was pretty cute too.
We saw some reindeer and the boys were in awe. And then we were off to the hightlight of the night. The train ride through the lights. The boys LOVED it is an understatement. Marco has since asked to go back so many times. We just might go back for a ride before they close!
Such a fun place to go and hard to believe it took us until now to make it their for their holiday setup. Definitely a must go to from now on. And next time, I think we'll try the snow tubing!!

Marco was so excited to see Santa he was waving to him from his spot in line!

Santa waving back!! Marco loved it! Fast forward a few min and when it was time to sit on his lap...mommy had to sit too for a few min while Santa warmed him up!! gave him a candy cane and opened it for him. Santa and Marco = new best buddies!

The best Santa we have seen yet.
So interactive and friendly with the kids!!

Definitely not a mall Santa!!

They had a mailbox and paper to write letters to Santa so we whipped one up in a minute to make sure Santa didn't forget (and since we forgot our list at home).

He smoked the other kids!! So much fun but poor Marco was in tears cuz he was too little to ride. Hopefully next year!

Santa Pics (the ones they took)

2011-12-11T10:08:00.000-08:00

Loved the lady taking the pictures at Del Osso. She let me sit in the sleigh while the boys warmed up to Santa~
Better than that, she even took a few pictures~
(she said, "you don't wait all that time in line for your little ones to have a melt down and you (the mama) starts sweating hoping to get a good picture".)
Obviously a mama herself
And the BEST part, all the pictures go on a CD for only $10!!

Johanna's Birthday

2011-12-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today the boys had a blast spending time with Johanna and celebrating her birthday! Lots of playing and lots of sweets, little kid heaven!

Catching up

2011-10-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

So so sooo much to catch up on. Sadly blogging has been put to the bottom of the priority list, sleep going to the top. With that said, I have TONS of catching up to do. We've been doing so many fun things and these boys have been keeping us alive with their energy, growing, learning and changing. But better get a handle on it now...the holiday season is here!! woo hoo

Boys Fishing trip

2011-10-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning Jeff took Mateo fishing, just the two of them. Mateo was so excited, he woke up way too early and reminded me that he and daddy were going fishing.
The two of them left before the sun came up. Headed out to the lake and fished for hours. Unfortunately, no fish were biting, but they had a great time. Lucky boy, Mateo even has an Optimus Prime and Spongebob bobber (had a little run in with the OP bobber and a snag, which made Mateo so upset, but thanks to Iphones and internet service, it was replaced in no time with a quick search of ebay). They ended their day with a stop at Bass Pro Shops and brought home Marco his very own first Tackle Box, Cars of course

5 years old = Rites to your very own Library Card

2011-10-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

So who knew ~ 5 years old came with a rite of passage and being able to have your very own library card?? Mateo's school is only a few blocks from the library and they get to take walking field trips to the library, so went to get him his very own library card. A very exciting day for a little boy and his mommy!
Oops, pic is backwards but very first time checking out his own books!

Weekend full of crafting

2011-10-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

I always have big ideas and big plans...they sit somewhere in the back of my head or on a note on my iphone somewhere. Always wishing I had the time to do them, or just making the time. Well, one of my new loves and addictions ~ pinterest. Have you been there? If not, it's a must. Love hooking new people on to it!! Well it has simplified yet complicated my life. Needless to say, it does give me some motivation to get some cool stuff done. This is only the beginning, got lots of fun stuff to add. The kids are loving it too!
Teo did dat! (Marco's newest famous words)

Sorting pasta to color

Our halloween countdown calendar
This is the back with all the magnets to choose from
The front, all magnetic and removable on a cookie sheet (yes, I can't wait to make one for Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Lots of fun projects

Silly boys

2011-10-01T10:24:00.001-07:00

Turning balloons into fun hats. (started out as an airplane and a sword)

Soccer Pictures n Smiles

2011-08-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Soccer picturs this time around, such a different experience than T-ball. For sure. I'm thinking so far soccer might be Mateo's favorite. He gets excited about practice, and can't wait until he starts playing games. So today, he woke up excited and ready to take soccer pictures.
It was like a preschool reunion of sorts! All the soccer teams met around the same time (all the 5 year olds that is, girls and boys.) So we saw so many of his friends from preschool, looking so grown up!
Best part is, when it came time for the pictures, he flashed a big cheesy grin and smiled like the happy little boy he is!! Made for a happy mama and a nice picture~~
Ended it with fun times with fun friends, bouncing, wrestling and just having fun being boys and enjoying the beautiful day!!

Marco and puzzles

2011-08-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

Recently Marco has been interested in puzzles. He usually likes the Big Boy ones and Mateo helps him. He's actually getting pretty good.

But when he's solo he keeps himself pretty busy doing puzzles that match!
Can't believe how fast this little guy is growing up and learning so quickly~!

Kindergarten cuteness

2011-08-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after picking Mateo up from school I asked him how his day was and what he did. Usually the first repsonse is always, PLAY and I dont "remember" what else. Obviously the most important part of his day. LOL.

Then usually as time goes on he starts "remembering" things they did at school .

Today, he was telling me about "personal space". That when you are standing on a flower or a polywog, that is your personal space. So I asked him what "personal space" is, and he proceeded to tell me it's when noone else is supposed to get close to you and get in your personal space. Hmmm might need to use this one at home~!!~

A day at the lake!

2011-08-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Initially we were supposed to go camping for 5 days with some friends. Fast forward to Mateo and starting Kindergarten and we were not going to be able to go. At least not during the week cuz he would be in school (everyone else around here starts 2 weeks after us). Plan B had been to go up on Friday night until Sunday and still have some fun camping time. Then it turned out daddy wasn't going to be able to go, then Melissa had something come up and couldn't go, and then when I really started to think about it, I decided that it just might be too much for one little boy in one week.
I figured, a full week at school (the 1st week too), then a whole weekend away and right back to school. Figured it would be too much. So I adjusted a little. Instead of staying 3 days, I decided the boys and I would just go up for the day to visit our friends on Saturday. It was the best idea and we had a great time.
We left early in the morning. Made it there around 9:30. Hung out at the campsite and the kids decided that later in the day they were going to look for Bigfoot. Too cute. Until then tho we headed to the lake/beach. The kids played in the water, built sand castles and had a blast. Ended it all with a yummy ice-cream from the snack bar. Then back to the camp site to prep dinner ~ thanks Amanda for the yummy food!
The kids and I headed out, Marshmallows in their pockets, to find Bigfoot. You see, he likes marshmallows. Bet you didn't know that. Well, needless to say, he was nowhere to be found...probably deep in the forest somewhere.
So we finished the day with a yummy dinner, more playing and then we headed home. Boys were out quickly in the car. Made for a nice drive home for me.
We had promised Mateo that since we werent' camping there we could camp out in the back yard. So daddy had the tent all set up and we slept outside, in our tent, in our own little campground. It was super fun and the boys loved it.
And best part about it, you just step right inside for the bathroom and kitchen to make a yummy pancake breakfast. All in all, a super fun weekend.

A little kids heaven

My sweet little man ~ love this picture

My boys

Just "hanging" out

Mateo the photographer does a pretty darn good job!

Fun back to school stuff!

2011-08-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

A little preservation of this time that will pass so fast!

Mateo's 1st day of Kindergarten!!!

2011-08-01T21:55:00.001-07:00

Wow! Wow! and again Wow! Do I really have a Kindergartener? Yup, today was living proof. Woke up, got ready for school, left, parked, walked him up, dropped him off, and he literally walked away, happy, not sad and a Kindergartener!! Was away for the longest day, from 8-3:30...picked him up and he was still smiling, and talking, and wired. Where was the little boy we expected to be beat, tired and maybe not wanting to go back? Still looking for him.

If you know Mateo, you know he can be a moody little dude. And you can NEVER predict what his mood will be like when he wakes up. Add to that, a little boy who clung onto me for the 1st month of preschool as a 3 year old, and cried the 1st few days as a 4 year old. I have been tearing myself up, dreading about and thinking about this day, and hoping it would go well. We have talked up Kindergarten like you wouldn't believe. He has talked about wanting to go back to his old school and not go to a new school. He wanted to go where his friends would be. We talked about how fun it would be, how cool it was gonna be to make new friends, how he was going to learn how to read and could read books to Marco pretty soon. At his new school the kids gather with their class outside the gates in the morning and walk in as a class. Parents are NOT allowed to go in with them to ease the transition. I have been thinking about this for weeks. They warned us at back to school night, walk away quickly, it will make things easier...really...uugghh!

Now fast forward to today. Last night we took baths early, picked out clothes, prepared his backpack and lunch box, got ready for bed and struggled to get to sleep. Finally, he slept! This morning, I so wanted him to wake up in a good mood...and YES, he was happy, slept good, and ready. We got dressed and had breakfast. Breakfast of champions - Fruit loops and "white" donuts. Yum! (if you remember we had white donuts on his birthday too, definitely a special occasion food). Daddy even stayed home today for the big day. We got ready, left for school, parked, walked him up, (not once, ok maybe one time kinda he mentioned not wanting to go but I think he was more doing it to get my reaction) passed him off to his teacher, he found a friend to talk with, and daddy and I were history. He never looked back. (And just a little note for me to remember, as we passed the high schoolers walking in, that is what brought tears to my eyes first, fast forwarding to that day....uggh...lol). Probably would have been in tears but wanted to spare him so he wouldn't want to turn back.

Fast forward to 3:30. Got to the school, lined up with our cards to pick him up. Saw him walk out of the gates with that look on his face to see if we were there but still smiling. Got to the front of the line, his teacher brought him up and said he had a great day. And he started talking and never stopped.

Went to dinner at Black Bear. Had chocolate chip pancakes again. Was surprisingly wired.

Then ended his full day with the 1st day of soccer practice, which he went to happily. Practiced, had fun. Got to play at the park for a little while and finally home. And still wired and not tired....WHAT?

After a bath and books...finally the little man passed out. Says he's ready to go back tomorrow...fingers crossed!!!

Breakfast of Champions!

1st school lunch

Still smiling (much to my relief!)

Not crying, just rubbed his eyes

Walked right up, my big little boy

The end of the day and still smiling!

Basically, Keep out~!

Little man's choice for dinner

1st day of soccer practice, they're so darn cute out there~!

Marco wanting to try on Mateo's shin guards

Mateo's 1st Kindergarten project ~ now proudly displayed in his room

Wheew! That was a long day

A date with my little man

2011-07-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today Mateo and I had a "Teo and Mommy day". Something he loves. Me and all my attention all focused on just him.

We started it with haircuts for both of us. Mine cause I needed it and him,

a fresh do for school.

Then we went to Black Bear Diner for pancakes. A new favorite for him (yes, you will see this again in tomorrows post as it's where he picked to go for his 1st day of school dinner too). He had yummy chocolate chip pancakes, and I had a cubs meal, yummy.

Followed by yummy dessert.

Then to the grocery store to buy stuff for lunch.

A whole new concept, eating lunch at school every day.

Super fun time spent together and may need to incorporate this into a monthly routine.

(Don't worry, Marco and I will have our Marco and Mommy time on a daily basis

while Teo is in school).

State Fair

2011-07-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

Last year we went to the State Fair for the 1st time. After that we said we would make it a yearly tradition (only downside, the heat....bleh). This year I chose that date to be a Tuesday. Initially I chose it because Choo Choo Soul from playhouse disney was going to be there and I new the boys would love it. Then I thought it sounded like a good idea cuz it was a weekday and might not be as crowded. Well, I was WRONG...who knew that Tuesdays are kids get in free days at the fair along with $1 rides. Well apparently the rest of the state! Because let me tell you, they were ALL there! Some lines were longer waits then Disneyland... Really??

Well it ended up that daddy couldn't get it off and had to work, so the boys and I headed up with our good friends and had a great time...despite the crowd.

I know Mateo was a little in awe with the show. Mainly because he has only seen them on TV and was a little surprised to see them in real life~!

The kids rode a pony (not Marco tho, poor little guy, still too small). Played with hay, pet fish and turtles, almost got to watch a cow deliver a calf (still got to see a new calf tho), ride rides, and eat yummy fair food. All leading up to some very tired children!!

Working on trees with daddy

2011-07-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Mateo has been wanting to work on trees with Daddy. So daddy let him pick out a tree that would be just his. One he gets to work on, trim, water, take care of etc. And spend time with daddy doing it. He had so much fun and loved showing off what he could do~!

The before

Real concentration

This is serious business

Mateo's bday invites

2011-06-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

As we all know, I am a crazy person when it comes to birthday parties. I love the details and the planning. Well here we are again. Mateo's 5th birthday is creeping up on me. I have had the idea in my head for months, well really probably since his last birthday. And here I was thinking I had all this time and now we're almost there.

Well I have been searching for ideas, shopping, planning etc etc for a few weeks. I have so many fun ideas planned I hope they all work out. Only problem is, this won't be a 2 hour party...so I hope his guests are ready to have a GOOD time.

Here we are in the beginning stages and I have all ready made two boo boos. One, i forgot to add one key word in something I ordered, so my mistake and I have to reorder. I'm sure I will use the wrong ones at some point for another party (as I know there are many in my future).

Boo boo #2 ( now you have to realize, I spent most of our vacation (at night) working on the invitation with an incredibly patient lady). So here we are at home, final invite received, I send them to Costco...all is going well, and when Jeff picks them up.... WRONG DATE! Ugghhh, I uploaded the wrong ones!! So now, I have the envelopes ready, part of the invite ready and on hold for the second part as it was too late to have them reprinted today. I guess the postives to that are 1)costco will take the "wrong" ones back, so no $$ wasted, only time and 2) I am still pretty ahead of the game in timing for sending them out.

But I must say, this is one of the funnest parties I have planned so far. I can't wait for the kids to enjoy themselves and see how it all turns out. Lots of fun stuff, surprises, treats and more!!

I mean who doesn't love the CIRCUS!!

And with all this said, I will still be scrambling the last few days before~~

Disappointed

2011-06-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

So it seems our t-ball season has come to an end. Unfortunately it ended the same way it started ~ a little disappointing~!

The 1st 2 games were cancelled due to rain, uncontrollabe, I understand.

Our team was VERY disorganized, unfortuanately as a result of our coaches. I know, not nice to say, but true. We managed to have practice every day of the week, including Saturday. No set practice days. Never new when practice was for the week until a few days before. Hard to plan for in general, not to mention when you work nights.

I believe primarily, due to all this, our team wasn't very "tuned" in. An unfortunate thing for the few who really wanted to play. One being my Mateo. We missed one game (due to it being a make up and we were out of town). Still mangaged to make it to the disorganized practices. Again, you could tell how disorganized our team was once we were on the field and watching the other teams. One of our coaches managed to miss more games than us.

And I guess the icing on the cake, Again due to uncontrollable circumstances we missed our final game due to rain ( I know, who'd of thunk, rain in June). Not to mention that it was my snack turn and I made baseball brownies that I now have in my freezer. Well we were told make-ups would most likely be the following Saturday (this upcoming Sat) and we agreed to cut our vacation short so Mateo would not miss his final game and the pizza party where their awards would be passed out.

Well I did say the season ended in disappointment as well ~ the make-up game was tonight, Wednesday, and he missed it all!
I didn't tell him, lucky enough he probably won't remember to ask (watch him prove me wrong). And yes, yes, I know, it was all due to weather....but really, a WEDNESDAY night??
Sigh, we can only hope next season is better, especially since he loved it so much and was one of the few who actually loved to play the game let alone get distracted in the dirt!

Woo Hoo~ Our Summer Vacation officially begins~~

2011-06-06T22:48:00.001-07:00

Today is day one of our "summer vacation" (not from school, but for our family). The original plan had been to go to Hawaii, but after a lot of thought and some sadness on my part, we are choosing to wait until next summer! Marco will actually be able to enjoy it more and better all around for all of us ~ so we went with another plan.
We have many "trips" planned this summer but this is our 1st. Our trip to San Diego (a former home and love for me) and Legoland. Mateo has been counting down the days.
Our ride down actually went pretty quickly, but Marco didn't enjoy it too much. And yes, notice the pup in the picture. I guess he's part of the family right??

This is how we roll on a road trip :-))

One of my all time fave places to eat!

Yum... fresh tortillas

Mateo had to have a picture of these balloons

What I call, Marco's "chillaxin" pose

I found these super cute chairs in the grocery store here buying snacks and Mateo was so happy

I'd say Mateo is "chillaxin" here too

Now off to tons of fun this week!! Who's more excited? the boys? or me??

Derek's 8th Birthday Party

2011-06-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

Derek had his bday party at Chuck E Cheese. What kid doesn't love that. Fun for the boys, but exhuasting for mommy and daddy!! Marco's getting an early jump start and loved it! We can't wait to spend time with them this summer while both the boys are out of school!!

Random May cuteness

2011-05-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

Someone found something yummy

Nonno Time

This is why we can no longer leave food and water down for the pup at the same time

Poor pup

My little monsterss

Had to be sleepy falling asleep eating a lollipop

What is this!!!????!!

May Birthdays

2011-05-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the May birthdays at Auntie Evonne's this weekend. Daddy, Auntie Evonne (today), Uncle John and Marc. This kids had a great time. Playing together, with bubbles, coloring the back wall, playing piano, playing air hockey, trains...etc, etc. What else could be more fun. And ice cream cake to end the night. Yum~!

Upgrading our Family Room ~ Weekend Project

2011-05-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

Our family room carpet is horrible to keep clean! With 2 little boys, make that nearly impossible. So Jeff put down new floors for us. A whole lot easier to keep clean. And looks pretty nice too. I just realized though I forgot to take "after" pics. Will do that soon, after I vacuum~!
Jeff did a great job, new paint, new floors and our window opening is now a "picture window". Thanks honey.

Daddy's Birthday

2011-05-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Jeff's Birthday fell on a Wednesday. Since he had to work at the office, not his favorite thing to do. The boys and I decided to drive to work and meet him for lunch. They liked seeing where daddy worked and all the big machines. We went to Round Table. Pretty simple, but yummy.
Since daddy works by the outlets, we took advantage and the boys and I made a pit stop before heading back home. Again, it was a pretty gloomy day. Rain, wind...really in May?
But daddy came home to a home cooked meal and some yummy cake, not to mention a not to shabby bday present.
Happy birthday daddy~!

Daddy's Request, Linguine and clams

Super yummy cold stone cake

Mateo's "Pretend" Birthday at School

2011-05-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Since Mateo has a summer birthday, his teacher, Miss Kathleen, let the kids celebrate their "pretend" birthdays at school. Mateo was super excited and we got to bring yummy chocolate cupcakes. (I think all the kids but 2 just ate the frosting)!. He LOVED wearing the his hat, which is unusual for my little guy. He even wore it at home. It made for a fun day and lots of happy kids with yummy treats! Marco even got to join in. He loves sitting with Mateo for circle time.

Finally some sun worth playing in

2011-05-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

See what happens once the sun shines?
I bought these fun, easy to use soaker blasters and the boys (all of them) had a blast. I'm not sure who was having more fun. Can you see the water dripping off Jeff's face that Marco is trying to catch?

Last t ball pics

2011-05-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

LIttle did I know these were going to be the last t-ball pics I took. I really had saved some pictures I wanted to take for the last day...but we all know how that story turns out~

Rainy day fun in May

2011-05-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, still raining in May. Nanna came and brought the boys a cool play house they could color. As you can see, while I was sleeping, they deemed it a "secret Club House", but luckily I was allowed in. This with some legos and funny masks, can keep any boys busy. But really, nice weather where are you?:?

Is it really May?? Boys will be boys~

2011-05-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

This weather has been crazy is an understatement. We have probably had one nice hot day so far this year. And mostly a bunch of rainy, gloomy days. This weekend, just when we were hoping for things to warm up...here we go again. But the boys still managed to have fun and "play in the water", no sun needed!! Boys will be boys~!

Relay for Life

2011-05-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend was "relay for life" in our town. We headed out to support our friends and our friends we have lost. Unfortunately it was a windy day with little peeps of sun, and it rained during the night with all those troopers continuing to walk and support. Mateo filled a luminary for my dear friend Kim that we lost a few years ago. Mateo's 1st relay for life was when he was just 1 month old with our dear friend Kim!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I had to work on Saturday night. So most of my Mother's Day was spent sleeping. But before I went to bed the boys surprised me with my mother's day gifts. Jeff got me some new Coach glasses and the boys made me the cutest frame (and Jeff took the cutest darn pic of the boys, both smiling, freshly bathed and all)). After my "nap" we went to an early dinner and then headed out to see the movie "Rio". Such a great movie. Then the good news, I got to be on call all night. All in all, a nice Mother's Day!!

Silly boy

Just a few pics from the day before

Preschool Mother's Day Breakfast

2011-05-09T15:17:00.001-07:00

Mateo's preschool class had a "breakfast" to celebrate Mother's Day. It was super cute. He served me a bagel with cream cheese, orange juice and fruit. Too cute. He made a special card and planted some seeds in a personalized pot. He was so excited and so proud! Makes me such a proud mama!!

Building Sand Castles

2011-04-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

What's more fun for the kids than a sandy day at the beach. And actually pretty fun for mommy too once I got over the sand getting everywhere! We spent HOURS playing in the water, building sand castles and playing! They can't wait to go again!

Trip with friends to Long Beach

2011-04-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

My friend Melissa invited us to go to Long Beach for the weekend. Just to get away, no plans, no timeline, and no husbands, just fun. We all had a great time, yummy food, lots of children's laughter, swimming, sand castles, movies, and just more fun! We'll definitely have to do it again!

how kids keep themselves busy these days

Donuts with DADS

2011-04-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

Since Father's Day isn't until June, Mateo's class celebrated early with a Donuts for Dad's Breakfast. Mateo was so excited to take his daddy. He was proud to tell me he ate 2 whole Huge powdered donuts! He made a super sweet card and a framed picture. (I need to take pics)

Yummy treats

2011-04-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Mateo LOVES rice crispie treats, and this time he got to help make them. We made them for our trip. They came out super yummy.

Easter

2011-04-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Easter was filled with a super fun, super busy day! This kids woke up to an egg hunt, so much fun because it was Marco's 1st year of really participating. Then they found super fun baskets, followed by yummy Bunny pancakes by Daddy! And then off to see Nanna, Nonno, Tete and Pastitsi Nanna. And...more baskets, another egg hunt and a super yummy Easter dinner!! We are all so lucky!

Coloring Easter Eggs

2011-04-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Mateo wanted to color eggs for weeks. Me, knowing that it was only going to happen once, kept waiting. And in my usual fashion, waited to the last minute. SO after a busy day of basketball and a birthday party, we colored eggs before I headed out the door to work! The boys had fun and made a mess like usual!

Wouldn't be normal if there wasn't a mess involved

Who needs an egg holder

Parties and Egg Hunts

2011-04-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

The boys were invited to a Super Fun Star Wars Birthday Party with an Egg Hunt included. They bounced, n played, n ate, n hunted for eggs and played some more. Made for 2 very tired boys!!

Easter Celebration at School

2011-04-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

The kids had a fun Easter Celebration at school. Another egg hunt to add to the list and lots of candy. What could be better?

The hose vs the Squirt bottle

2011-04-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Mateo loves to play with his squirt bottle in the backyard. So he was trying to get daddy wet, and pretty soon, it turned into the squirt bottle vs. the garden hose. I think you can figure out who won!

Love tball games

2011-04-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

My little 1st baseman

Hi 5 daddy

Field trip to Go Bananas

2011-04-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

For the end of the year field trip the kids went to Go Bananas. A local jump house place close to home. They were all super excited and had such a great time. It made for nice sleepy kids too! (lots of blurry pics but they were always in fast motion)

Marco, enjoying the bubbles

Crazy boys

div>

Buddies

2011-04-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

New Puppy

2011-04-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

How it all went down. We have been talking about getting a puppy. I just thought it was going to be later this summer.
Jeff has been wanting a weiner dog. So I told him to do some research and we'd go from there.
Well he did his research a lot sooner than I had expected. I had worked the night before so as I was sleeping, Mateo came upstairs to wake me up. He was super excited and telling me to wake up so we could go get our puppy. WHAT?!???
So to make it short and sweet, we headed towards Sacramento and by 6 pm were heading home with a pup. And mommy was NOT prepared. But things settled into place and I had 3 happy (make that 4 now) happy boys!

All the pups

Pozzie's Mama

1st T-ball game!

2011-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Finally Mateo's 1st t-ball game. It was "a battle of the bay", Giants vs A's. And Mateo's little buddy Steven is on the A's. It was SO MUCH FUN to watch and just makes me so excited for our world of sports to start! He had such a good time and they all did so good. They are so darn cute out there!

So grown up, how did that happen!

Mateo meeting his buddy Steven at 1st base

Super cute SF cupcakes for snack

Learning to cook with Pastisi Nanna and Titi!

2011-04-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I have been eating my "nannas" Macaroni. (It's nothing like any "macaroni" you've ever tasted!). It's a million times better.
Well, you know my Mateo (he doesn't eat much) but my Marco, LOVES it just like his mama does. And here he was paying close attention. Maybe he'll make me some next time!
Paying close attention

Good little helper

Yummy. Forgot to get a final cooked picture tho!

Spending time with Nonno. What boy doesn't love a mountain of dirt!

Basketball

2011-04-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

In the fall, Mateo played basketball and by the end he loved it. So on his own he asked if he could play basketball again. It's pretty cute. Usually they don't have "leagues" or teams for the little ones but luckily we have a group called "Future Sports Stars". The little guys can start playing at 3. (and they have football and tball too, perfect for Marco pretty soon).
Well unfortunately it only lasts 4 weeks, and it happened to be during tball season, but Mateo said he wanted to do both so we signed him up. A busy season, but so much fun!!

Our 1st hot day of the year

2011-04-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

We had our 1st hot day and the boys were in the water in no time. These boys are like little fish and could live in water. Kept them busy and loving the fresh air!

And what happens the next day when the water is still there and you have a little boy who is a magnet to it! Shoes and all!

Mateo's class Field Trip to SaveMart

2011-03-31T12:53:00.000-07:00

Mateo's pre-school class went on a field trip to SaveMart ~ Yes, SaveMart! Not my idea of the funnest field trip but the kids had fun.
We walked from school, which was not that short of a walk, but they were all so good.
They all got "hats" and a pretty cool tour. They got to go into the bakery, into the freezer and into the loading dock! They actually learned some pretty neat stuff too!

My handsome little dude

Heading into the bakery

Learning about Lobsters and Crabs

Buddies

Some random cuteness!

2011-03-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Pink marker mouth ~ look at that brow

Mateo measuring the Power Rangers so he can draw them

Sometimes they can be sweet together

Good times and playdates

Playing ball~ one day they'll keep each other busy for hours doing this!

Rainy day fun

2011-03-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

How else do 2 little boys keep busy on a rainy day?? Jump in muddy puddles of course! And look for bugs...My oh my what you'll find under a rock! Gives me the heebie jeebies, but total excitement for the boys!

The pretty blooming tree in our backyard! EEEWWWW

T-ball cancelled again!!

2011-03-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

UUGGHH ~ again due to our crazy weather and non-stop rain for most of the week, T-ball was cancelled again. Hoping the weather gets better in time for our next game.

Building with Daddy

2011-03-20T10:25:00.001-07:00

Jeff's been waiting for the time when Mateo would be old enough to start really using tools! He bought him his own "real" tool set (so real the saw had to be put away til he's about 12), and a bird house kit to go with it. Mateo was so excited and they had so much fun building it!

The final product! Building a model car ~ Mateo loves doing this stuff with daddy! This is the "Not another picture" grins!!

1st T-ball game rained out~!

2011-03-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

We were all excited for Mateo's 1st T-ball game. Unfortunately this crazy weather has left the fields all wet and the game was cancelled. 1st game next week.

Check ups

2011-03-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

UUGGHH...I dreaded this trip to the Dr's Office. Marco had his 18 month checkup, for him, it's routine! But for Mateo, it was his Kindergarten checkup. Hearing test, no problem, vision test, no problem...shots....UGGHH!

We talked about it for a few days leading up. Poor little man, I know what kid wants shots, but still it was so hard. I wasn't sure how many he had to get, was getting nervous about that cuz he basically was only willing to do 2 max. The appointment went well, and then time for the shots. He was ready to leave. And while we waited..and waited...and waited, it didn't help. He was ready to leave. Then she comes in and, YIKES 3 shots. He was ok with the 1st, upset with the 2nd and the 3rd...well he screamed and had to be held down...I swear next time it's Jeff's turn. Hmmm think we'll send him for the blood draw!

Marco had just 1. Screamed too and then that's when the back up came in. Too funny.

All in all a trying visit. But from the Dr's office, to pick up a friend, to the movies. Now that's worth a trip the the Dr's office, isn't it?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Daddy started the day off with the boys since I had worked. Mateo had a fun "green" day at school and then home to yummy Green pancakes for lunch. If I was talented enough I would have made them into Shamrocks! And then, the traditional corn beef for dinner! Super fun and yummy day! I love starting these fun tradtions with the boys! And love to watch the excitement with all the fun stuff!

Making new friends!

In preparation for St Patty's Day we made super yummy rainbow cupcakes. They were easy and fun to make and came out super cute, at least we think so!! Unfortunately I didn't have the frosting to make the clouds, we'll save that for next year!

Allergies??

2011-03-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Got home Sunday from our weekend away and from out of nowhere Mateo starts itching, and scratching, and scratching. At 1st thought it was no big deal, then came the welts. And more itching and more scratching. Gave him some Benadryl, got ready for bed and waiting. Hoping it would go away. The next morning, it seemed to be pretty clear, then I went to a meeting, Nanna was here with the boys and she calls. Poor Mateo is crawling out of his skin itching and now it's progressing to his poor face. In to the Dr we go. And basically, it's allergies. Not something he ate or touched, but basic seasonal allergies.. and he's not the only one she's seen. In the end, got some medicine that led to quick relief and the next day gone again...only to start coming back again out on the baseball field with fresh cut grass....uggh. Luckily it only lasted a few days and we are not looking forward to it returning!! And these are the good pictures the day after...the previous day was worse!

Baby Cousin Will's Baptism

2011-03-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy, fun filled weekend. Straight from opening day of T-ball to cousin Brennan's Birthday Party, then a fun afternoon playing with cousins, off to the hotel room to rest and then Baby William's Baptism. The kids had such a great time playing. I wish they all lived closer but you would never know with how well they play together. We all got to meet baby Will for the 1st time. He's seriously a butter ball and so darn cute! Saturday was beautiful weather and Sunday raining all day. This strange weather, but no dull moments here. IT was a great time spent with family and cousins bonding!!

Staying entertained in the hotel room

Opening day for T-Ball

2011-03-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

Opening day for T-Ball was a bit of challenge to begin with but ended up being a pretty fun day! We talked about it all week (kind of like picture day) and Mateo was excited, but come to actually getting there and he didn't want to stay alone on the field without daddy. So he came off the field during the opening ceremony. I am sure he was a little overwhelmed with all the people and it all being new but hopefully this will all end soon. We hung around for the running of the bases hoping he would come around. And YAY! he ran them and ended up being the fastest runner on the team!!! Woo hoo! They all got little dog tags with their names on them. It was so cute to watch all the little ones comparing theirs. It was cute too cuz Mateo thought the 2011 on his tag was his "time" for running the bases. He kept telling everyone he ran it in "twenty-eleven". Hoping this broke him in and our 1st game will be a good one!

Mateo's biggest fan

How our day started out

Keeping busy while waiting

Run Mateo Run

Mateo and his buddy Steven

They are both #1 on their teams

Comparing tags

Mateo ran the bases the fastest on his team, so he thinks the tag is his "trophy" with his "time on it" 2011. Too cute!

Marco's 2nd haircut

2011-03-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Little Marco's hair grows so fast, just like Mateo! So even tho I kind of wanted to grow it out to see if it curled like Mateo's did, it didn't work. It was too scrappy and no curls in sight! We took him to our local spot where Mateo goes. He sat in the chair like such a big boy. She sprayed his hair and we were still ok. But when she bent down for that first cut and told him how good he was doing, he broke. And it broke my heart. His lower lip got puffy, his face turned pink, and then tears...but took a little while for any "cry" and then he let out one LOOONG cry and it was over. Big brother to the rescue with a dum dum lollipop. He did so good!! And he's cute as ever all cleaned up.
And what's better than a balloon and lollipop when your done. Made for a happy boy!

See that puffy lip :-(

A lollipop eases the pain

And a balloon makes for a happy boy again!

Tball practice

2011-03-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

Mateo loves T-ball practice! Can't wait for his 1st game!

Marco and daddy keeping busy

T-ball picture day

2011-03-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

We've been talking about it all week.

And after a great practice on Wednesday Mateo was excited to take pictures, right up until it was time to get dressed Saturday morning that is! Right on cue, he changed his mind. UUGGHHHH...getting a little tired of this.

We made it to pictures. It was like pulling teeth to sit on the bench for his team picture (want to scream here) and he didn't smile. Woo hoo, only kid in the pic not smiling =mine!

Then on to individual pics. Insert a scream again here. After two tries, walked away less than pleased. Oh well, I guess we'll always have the pic to look back on to remember what a little turd he was that day!

And of course, his comment later on, "Mama, next week I'm gonna smile real nice for picture day". Yup, that's my kid!

Take 1

Take 2 (uugghh) not sure which is better

Go Giants!

1st Tball Practice

2011-03-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today we finally, successfully had our 1st Tball practice. Our team is a little on the late side to say the least. Seems other teams have had 3 or 4 practices all ready. Usually for us, the weather doesn't cooperate.

Mateo is predictable, just like with soccer and basketball, he was resistant. Didn't want to go. Excited somedays, whined about it other days. He was excited to buy his cleats. But not so excited to put them on for practice. So after our 1st 2 practices were cancelled. We had a practice to go to.

I knew if he fell asleep for a nap, practice would be a nightmare since I would have to wake him up to go. Well guess what. He fell asleep. So yup, total disaster! The kids were out on the field, a little rain to make it fun and Mateo wanted NO part of it! Great! So off to home we went.

But as history usually repeats itself, I wasn't going to let him decide if he wanted to play without actually getting out on the field. So we talked about it and it was a go. And guess what, avoided a nap.

We decided to go to the park early and play catch and he was getting excited. Coaches show up and my little guy is right up there throwing the ball, with a smile on his face. About 20 min in, ask the other kids are showing up, He yells "mommy this is fun, I want to do this again on Wednesday" given it was Wednesday, lol. He never whined, never said he was tired and kept a smile on his face the whole time. Made for a very happy mommy.
He got his uniform, so little and cute as can be. And lucky us, we are the "Giants". I'm hoping picture day and the next practice go just as well! So so proud of my little guy!!

Pre-practice stretching

Such a good catcher and thrower

Running bases

Love that smile

1st Team huddle

Mateo Cuteness

2011-03-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

While driving Mateo says to me, "Mama, I can't wait until I'm 16. Then I can drive Marco around everywhere". Oh my, please let time pass slowly!!

And to add on, a few days later on the way to the library, "Mommy when I'm 16 you have to show me how to get to the library cuz I won't remember", ok baby, if only the library is where he wants to go when he's 16!

Boys in Our House

2011-02-26T08:55:00.000-08:00

I've posted this before and love to repost sometimes as a reminder of how lucky we are to have 2 funny, smart, curious, and full of energy little boys that constantly keep us on our toes.

BOYS IN OUR HOUSE

There are boys in my house – and Spiderman shoes
And 200 papers in various blues.
There's Bob (he's a builder) and Thomas the Train,
There's a fireman coat to wear in the rain.
They have cars on their shirts and frogs on their hats
There's a glove and a ball and a red plastic bat.
There's dirt on a face and a smudge on a nose;
Grass stains on knees and sand between toes.
There's bathtime at night with bodies to scrub,
And when we're all done there is dirt in the tub!
There's bandaids and bruises and curious bumps,
There's smiles and laughter and sometimes there's grumps.
There's odors most icky; there's boogers so green
There's more yucky things than I'll ever get clean.
There's piles of laundry; there's stories at night;
There's bedtime and bathtime and dinnertime fights.
There's cars and there's trains and there's books about trucks
There's Scoop, Lofty, Dizzy, and Travis, and Muck.
Sometimes there are bugs, and sometimes there are frogs;
Sometimes they are lions, or dinos, or dogs.
There are cute little vests and darling neckties
Dragged right through the mud – oh what a surprise!
There's running and climbing and jumping and falling
And laughing and crying and hugging and brawling
And rolling and losing and finding and creeping
And whining and stealing and sometimes there's sleeping.
There's tantrums and time outs and extra loud noise –
There's love in my house shaped like two little boys.

(for my friend Anne (The Abris 5), I hope this hits home a little for you too!

With those adorable two little boys of yours!)

Conversations with my 4 year old!

2011-02-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

I really should be better about writing these things down. I always have good intentions that sometimes just fall short. I will say though that most of the funny stuff, milestones and things I don't want to forget are jotted down on my handy IPhone note pad, and emailed to myself periodically so I don't lose any of that precious info.
~
The other day we were driving to the mall, and literally out of nowhere
Mateo says, "mommy, what am I going to do when I'm 10?"
Me "you'll go to school and probably play sports and play with your friends"
Mateo "Will my voice be different when I'm 10?"
Me "why are you asking me that?, did someone tell you that?"
Mateo "no I was just wondering"
really, where did he get that from?

While these past few weeks have been "challenging" to say the least. I think he has pushed every button, gotten on every last nerve and pushed every limit, He has also been sweeter than I can remember, giving me kisses all the time and telling me he loves me!! Honestly, he probably is just smarter than me and really knows how to work me. I don't think I was that smart at 4!

And definitely one to remember ~ last week the boys were playing and Marco came downstairs by himself. Mateo went to find him and when he did, this is what he told Marco

"Dude, you can never do that without an owner". Made me giggle it was so cute!

Disney on Ice!

2011-02-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, our family LOVES disney. Mateo has been talking about Disney on Ice since we left the show last year, so this year we decided to go again. We went with Aubrey and her mommy just like last year but this year it was Aubrey's Birthday! They both had a blast and were out before we were home! (we left the little one's home to make it a little more special (and easier) too!)

An excited little boy who could NOT wait to go in

Note to self ~ next time show up 10 min before show time so I only have to answer 10 more min ten times!

2 very pooped little people

Bucket List!

2011-02-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

I've decided to start a "bucket list" for the year 2011! It isn't going to be JUST for me but for myself, Jeff and the kids. Thought it would be something fun and motivating to do! I will add to it as I think of more things and cross off items as they are completed!

(Plus of a reminder of things we want to do on days when we're wondering what to do!)

1. Take a trip to the snow

2. Finally take our Las Vegas vacation we bought last year
3. Get plenty of uses out of our Oakland Zoo membership
4. Go to the SF zoo and take Daddy this time
5. Go camping
6. Visit different water slide parks
7. Enroll the boys in swimming lessons
8. Read more books
9. Go to Safari West
10. Finish Marco's 1st year book (bad but had to include it)
11. Build a sand castle at the beach
12. Go to Gilroy Gardens
13. Feed the ducks
14. Teach Mateo how to ride his bike without training wheels
15. Take our long awaited Hawaii trip
16. Continue to go to story time with Marco

17. Enroll Marco in a mommy and me class

18. Sign Mateo up for a real soccer team when he turns 5
19. Start T-ball
20. Organize, Organize, Organize
21. Be more crafty (vague I know)
22. Finish the Christmas plate that should all ready be done
23. Go the aquarium in Golden Gate Park
24. Go to the Montery Aquarium
24. Go to Golden Gate park, the big cement slides, the paddle boats
24. Go fishing
25. Have an end of the summer, back to school party with friends
Completed 26. Have a super bowl party
27. Plenty of girls night outs
28. Go to Del Osso for during Christmas (havent made it there yet)
29. Sleep in a tent in the backyard
30. Go on a "date" with Mateo

31. Complete my "one frame a day/365 day" project (this should probably be #1 on my list)

32. Improve my photography skills

33. Learn to use photo shop

Veggies ~ Not so much

2011-01-30T21:12:00.000-08:00

So I made some veggie soup and Marco was "asking" for some. Gave it to him and thought I might have some success. He attempted to taste it...and then the "bleh" face. Too funny. As you can see, it ended up being more fun to play with it. Hopefully better luck next time!

Breaking out of Cabin Fever!

2011-01-22T21:11:00.000-08:00

So it's been super cold, and foggy on our side of the hill. Sun hasn't come out too often and we've been hanging out inside and staying warm. Honestly, I kind of like it, but the little ones get some serious cabin fever!
Mateo has been talking about the zoo everyday since we last went....months ago...lol.
So knowing that we had a free Saturday (and need to get good use out of our membership) and the weather in Oalkand was going to be nice, we got up early and headed out! It turned out to be such a great day. Mateo was in animal heaven, and Marco was such a trooper. Didn't squirm "too" much in the stroller.
The weather was perfect and best of all, we saw every animal (except for the Hyena, still yet to see on a visit). The good and bad of the Oakland zoo, they try to keep the animals in natural surroundings that can be quite large areas and they can hide really well. But not today. We even saw the bears up close and personal. So cool!!
And we ended our day with a stop to ride the train! The boys loved it! It turned out to be such a great day!!
And even better, we got home, I got ready and headed out for dinner and a movie with the girls! Pretty much a perfect day!!

My little zoo keeper, so excited for our day at the Zoo!

This little guy LOVES looking at the map!

Monkey came straight up to pose for us
1st time we saw the Toucans! So cool!

Still getting used to the new big boy haircut

My own little monkey

On the go...little guy never wants to sit still!

Marco's 1st Haircut!

2011-01-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

So, it's no secret, we've been putting off Marco's 1st haircut for a long time (although he did all ready have a "trim". (Mateo kept hearing us talk about Marco needing a haicut, so one day he thought he would help out. He snipped off a little from the front and a little on top. Found out when I found the hair on the floor.)
It was time, I finally made the appointment. Being that his poor hair was in his eyes. Super sad for me. (funny tho, Mateo had his 1st haircut at 6 months and again at 10 months). We got to hold out a little longer with the little man.
We took him to the same place we took Mateo too. Cute little cars, movies to watch and a super cute certificate with a lock of his hair on it. And only $10.
He did such a good job. For a little guy who never sits still. He didn't move AT ALL. Actually almost looked like he was gonna fall asleep. Probably felt good having his hair combed.
Well we no longer have a baby, but a second "Little Man"! Sniff, Sniff.

Before

He did so good, he practically fell asleep

Big brother ~ sitting close by for moral support

And the reward...a lollipop

been doing this since the day we brought Marco home from the hospital

After
No longer a baby, my big boy...sniff, sniff

Fun times with my BOYS!

2011-01-17T21:53:00.001-08:00

The best times, the simple ones!! Love, Love, Love my BOYS!!!! Especially all the silliness that comes with them!!

My little climber!

Just adding in the piece of bread Mateo pulled out of the bag the other day. And of course he immediately noticed the happy face!!

Daddy's Show

2011-01-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend was Daddy's annual Bonsai show. He's been prepping for it for awhile and I think it went pretty well. He made the stand his tree is on. Super cool! And the tress of course, they're pretty cool too!!

My One Frame a Day/365 Project!

2011-01-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

So far so good. Just have to clean it up a little bit but this has been fun. Thank goodness for the good old iphone and being able to "capture" a quik picture!!

Here's the link to the blog. If you're a regular follower don't forget to add yourself!

365 Days of Our Lives

Thankful for Great Grandmother's and for special Yummy treats!

2011-01-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

My boys are so lucky! They get to visit and spend time with their Great Grandmother! She does not like the term "great" though. To my boys and their cousin, she is known as Pastitsi Nanna. Basically I call her Nanna, she's my grandmother. The boys call my mom, Nanna. Well a long time ago, my cousins little guy needed a way to differentiate his grandmothers so he came up with calling her "pastitsi Nanna". If you have ever been to one of our parties or celebrations, you've tasted them. Their called, Pastitsi's. They are an old Maltese pastry of sort that my Grandma has been making since I can remember. And in turn my little guys are lucky enough to be able to eat the real thing too. And they LOVE them!! Even my picky guy!! Everyone that eats them loves them. So, now it is our job to learn. So one day my grandkids can experience the same tradition and history that my guys do!!

Pure Yum!!

Happy 2011 ~

2011-01-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011!!

Happy New Year to all our family and friends! It's hard to believe how fast 2010 came and went. So many 1sts, milestones and happy memories to treasure!! Looking forward to another year full of fun, laughter, and enjoying watching our little guys grow!! Can't wait for the adventures to come~

So with that said, of course I have to make some resolutions. There are some that go without mentioning...blah, blah, blah (including filling in all the blanks in my blog....hahahahha still laughing as that seems to drag on and on and on) but I have some new ones that I am excited about!

The 1st is my biggest challenge ~ to complete a "one frame a day" also known as "365 project".

(I know there are a lot of these "ideas" out there, like 'embrace the camera' and '52 week photo challenge' (which I tried and only made it thru 8 months and failed (52 week photo challenge)
but still LOVE going back to look at it!

I love taking pictures, always have my camera with me and want to capture everything. I want my boys to be able to truly see themselves as babies, little boys, and growing into young men thru these pictures one day!

I can't wait to have my own set of coffee table books filled with all our adventures. My biggest challenge ~ uploading the pictures timely. But here goes. My plan again is to create a site just for this to make it easier and more "organized" when I make my book.

Another challenge ~ getting organized.
IN GENERAL. In all aspects of my life. The house, our schedules, blogging..lol.

And, of course - to get us all healthier!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Wishing all our family and friends a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays, from our family to yours!!

Our Elf on the Shelf

2010-12-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

Do you have an "elf on the shelf"? Well ours just joined our family and he couldn't have come at a better time. The days have been LONG around here! Listening and behaving have become a challenge in our home! So our little elf on the shelf has made his appearance and has now become a part of our family, and a new tradition. We started a little bit late... but I think he came just in time! As of yet we have named him "Pepper". Mateo is in awe of him.

We have a little advent box with collection drawers. The little "elf" has come every night and leaves a small treat (a little piece of candy left over from Halloween :-)) or a message. (Mateo has been asking where he lives and what he looks like). Today on the way home I told Mateo that the elf had come to live in our house and would stay until Christmas. I told him he was waiting for him somewhere inside. Well he couldn't wait to "see" him. He found him sitting on our mantle along with his little story book. Mateo's face was in awe. He wanted to know if he was alive and if he could move. We looked at him, read the book and learned the "rules". You cannot touch him but you can talk to him. If you touch him he will lose his magic. We read the story, talked about him, talked about behaving and where the elf might be when he wakes up tomorrow. You see, he goes back to the North Pole every night to report to Santa and let him know if the boys have been naughty or nice. I think it might work cuz the elf has only been here a few hours and when Mateo does something he shouldn't be doing, he looks straight to the shelf to see if the elf is looking. And of course, in big brother fashion, he has all ready reminded Marco that he could be put on the "naughty" list.

*update. It's been 4 days. Pepper has returned every night in a new location. The morning excitement starts with running downstairs to find him........and is it really "magic". Mateo has been trying really hard to be on his best behavior!! ANd that makes for one happy Mama!!

Where we found him this morning!

Portable North Pole

2010-12-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

Came across this super cool idea and site and wanted to share!

Register at Portable North Pole, and you can send a message from Santa Claus to a toddler, older child, or even an adult. After navigating an extensive online questionnaire that even mentions siblings, chores, and the most coveted gift on your child's list, PNP creates a high quality video of Santa speaking directly to your child. You'll get a quick tour of the North Pole hot spots, hear a little about your child's strengths and areas for improvement, and even see your child's name, right there in Santa's book. And if your kid's name isn't exotic, Santa even says it. Neato. The best part of all? Sending messages through Portable North Pole is free. If you want a DVD keepsake, they'll make one for a small charge.

It's super cute, super easy and so much fun for the little ones!!

A Reminder to Be Thankful!

2010-12-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

One of our traditions that we have decided to keep is having a real LIVE Christmas Tree. Even if it only means a trip to Home Depot, usually in the rain. Borrowing the scissors to keep removing twine off each wrapped tree in search of the "perfect" tree. Only to drive Jeff bananas and still wonder all the way home if we picked the "right" one. This year we have been putting it off due to timing and wanting to make sure the tree stays fresh thru the holidays..or was that the real reason? Poor little Marco is sick, yet again. Unfortunately he is easily affected by colds and the allergens in the air. His poor little lungs are affected so quickly and wheezing is not our friend!!

Well our plan had been to get our tree on Tuesday. Come Tuesday mommy had a horrible stomach flu...YuCK!! So no trip to get our tree. Also the start of Marco's cold. So on Wednesday it led us on yet another trip to see Dr Novesteras. And what were her friendly words? "you dont have a LIVE tree do you?" My response, "No, not yet, we're going to get that tomorrow." Sadly, plans have changed. Basically she said if we want Marco to keep Marco healthy and breathing normally, or breathing at all...no LIVE tree for us. Her suggestion, put a live tree on your porch, but no way inside your house.

It's horrible to say but I did go thru a moment of being sad and wondering what we were going to do. No offense, but I am NOT a fan of fake trees. I did ask if this was permanent or if there was hope for next year and it may be a temporary thing. Yes, it may be temporary. Yipee....but until then, we have to decide, do we "borrow" a tree to get us thru this year and make it a Charlie Brown Christmas, or do we go shopping, find the "perfect" fake tree and go from there?

But in the end, I am left with the true reminder! That we have two beautiful, healthy, active, incredible boys!! And in the end, neither of them will even take a second to wonder if our tree is real or not!! They will just revel in the excitement and joy of Christmas! And it's our job to make that happen!!

Woo Hoo! Now the Search for the Perfect Christmas Card!

2010-11-19T22:21:00.000-08:00

Yay! I qualified for the free Shutterfly cards! Now I can't wait to find the perfect pictures and perfect card! We are taking family pictures next week. Let's all keep our fingers crossed. I am sure they will be our life in motion as our boys never sit still together for more than 1/2 a second!

Fear Factor, No Fear, What?

2010-11-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

These boys are so darn funny!
Right now, Mateo's favorite thing to watch on TV ~ Fear Factor~! What? I was working one day last week, Jeff text me and told me "our son is addicted to Fear Factor". And now he can't get enough. Kinda cute, kinda freakish? But then again, Mateo plays to his own drum! I mean while most boys would rather be playing with Hot Wheels and Super Hero's (yes he does play with these things too), my guy is still into his Animals. They rule his world and I LOVE it!!

And Marco. He is nothing like Mateo was. He has no FEAR!! He will climb anything, I mean anything. If he sees a step stool, it's an invitation to climb. When I left the dining room chair pulled out, I found him on top of the table. Most of the time Mateo's little play tables are turned upside down. Yes he climbs to the top of the bunk, so now I have something to block him from going up more then two steps. (I think this is my payback from when Mateo was small and I made a comment about how he was too chicken to jump or climb...lol on me!). And he LOVES the park and slides. I mean why not...its all about climbing. But the cutest thing right now. He climbs on a chair, or Mateo's bed. And when he tries to get down, he slides half way down and calls our for help. Just hanging there. And usually waiting for Mateo to come to the rescue. So darn cute. Hoping his limbs stay intact!!

A new way of blogging!

2010-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ok, So I have decided. This blog needs a new look. Well not a new "look" really but a different kind of approach. Of course, it is and will be primarily dedicated to our family ( and tons of pictures) , but I want to include all kinds of other fun stuff too. Including all the crazy fun stuff our little guys do that definitely keep us on our toes, the things that make my mind swirl and crazy things that make me happy that probably only other moms who blog will understand. (I think that's why I haven't done it this way before, because it's mostly family and friends reading this and unfortunately, I have tried and tried and cannot get most of them to blog!).

All lot of my ideas will probably be taken from other fun blogs, but then that's what it's all about right? Sharing and passing it on. So here's to something I've been wanting to do for a long time. Let's just see how well I can do!

Time to start thinking about Christmas Cards

2010-11-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

I realize I did this wrong. Here goes again..

We love Christmas and love sending Christmas Cards. So much thought goes into them year after year! I know a lot of people no longer send cards and some do the e-card thing as their way of saving $$. But for us, sending cards is a must. It's a way to keep in touch with those you rarely talk to, and it's so much fun to receive them and watch families grow over the years!! And I love how for the most part, most of the cards we get now are full of fun family pictures.
Each year it seems like I have plenty of time to choose the perfect card and then time gets away from me and I stand searching for the perfect pictures and perfect card with days to spare!! Hopefully this year will be different.

Shutterfly is having a promotion for their holiday cards! YAY! Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly http://bit.ly/sfly2010

With the selection of cards that Shutterfly has I can't wait to get started! Here are a few of my faves! Peppermint Bliss and With Love Chartreuse. I'm sure I'll change my mind a million times before it's time to order and send out!

I have used Shutterfly for everything from photo books, to gifts, prints and thankyou cards.
My absolute favorite thing about Shutterfly though - is their great customer service and the great offers for their products!! Not to mention the quality of their products. And even better, they are local in the bay area, so I always receive my order super fast!!

2010-11-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have A LOT of catching up to do. But until then a short note that will only stay up temporarily.

This blog is intended for people who have been invited to read it or who stumble upon it and find it fun to look at. If you are not one of these, then WHY are you looking??? If you don't care to take part in mine or my childrens lives, then you have no need to know what is going on in our lives thru our blog!! I am debating on making it private, that is to be determined....have a nice day!

Last Basketball Practice!

2010-11-13T22:23:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately Basketball is over until the Spring. It's only 4 weeks but it was fun! It's too bad the don't keep it running through the winter since it's an inside sport. Mateo has gotten pretty good at it too! Guess we'll be practicing a lot at home

My little blocker

And of couse, Marco getting in on the action too! He loves basketball!!

Buddies!

2010-11-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Most of the time I spend the mornings, afternoons and evenings telling the boys to leave each other alone. If they just played independently sometimes things would go so much smoother. But who wants to share with their brother and keep mommy happy?
But once in a while, I get some of the sweetest moments shared between my boys!! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE to watch them!

They could take turns pushing each other on this forever! And I actually was thinking of returning it~!

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ~ 2010 World Series Champions!

2010-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Just had to include a post about the World Series!!

Halloween and Marco's 1st real trick or treat

2010-10-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

In our family we LOVE Halloween. We love decorating, we love dressing up and of course Trick-or-Treating. Mateo can't get enough and hopefully the same will be true for Marco too. This year after nixing wanting to be a rhino and a crocodile, Mateo wanted to be a Fireman. And Marco, well who could let that super cute Frankie costume that Mateo wore go to waste?? That was an easy choice. After dressing up and the anticipation and excitement...we were off to trick or treat. Took the wagon for our little guy...but he loved going to the doors and loved looking at his candy. Mateo was so excited to go to every door and I have never seen a little kid get so excited for every single piece of candy he got. After every house he would run out holding the candy he got saying I love " " with so much excitement. As people put it in his pumpkin all he could say was "wow". So much fun to watch. But after enough walking and lots of candy...he was ready to call it a night and the two of them cruised home in the wagon sampling their loot!!

And it has become tradition, since Mateo was 1, that after trick or treating we go out, cruise the town and look at Halloween decorations. Marco didn't make it that long but Mateo loved it~!

Carving Pumpkins

2010-10-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

Making a face like he wanted his pumpkin to have!

He called it a Sponge Bob pumpkin when he was done

Mateo wasn't too keen on cleaning out the inside of the pumpkin (really, my boy who loves to get messy and loves yucky things) but he wanted to draw and design his own pumpkin. Not a bad job if I say so myself!

Halloween Party

2010-10-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

Again... we LOVE Halloween here. Really it probably has to do with the fact that it starts off the holiday season of decorating, parties and celebrating!! 2 years ago we had a Halloween party for the kids and it was a lot of fun. We said we would do it every year after that, but last year we failed, mainly cuz Marco was only a month old and I was VERY sleep deprived. So we carried on this year. The kids had a ton of fun. We played candy corn bingo, made candy necklaces, ate some yummy snacks and the kids played freeze dance. Hoping we continue this tradition as the kids get older!!

Not a bad picture for a bunch of 4 year olds!!

Preschool Pajama Day and Fall Festival

2010-10-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

At Bella Vista the kids celebrate fall with a pajama party and fall festival. They get to go to school in their PJ's and do fun crafts, games and eat yummy food!

Saying a prayer before snack time

Playing musical chairs! No losers, just a cheering section for those still going! Love it!

The kids all made fun posters about themselves. Mateo loved it!

Pumpking rolling, who would have thunk?

Are these cars super cool or what? The kids had a blast! Mabye an idea for a future party??

Fun Food

2010-10-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

I saw a cute idea in a magazine for ghost pancakes, so I attempted them. Not quite like what I saw, but not too bad. And the kids loved them because of the chocolate chips. Then Mateo had a great time making, baking and decorating Halloween cupcakes.

Random pics

2010-10-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Marco climbing on anything he can figure out how to climb on. Surprised nothing has broken up to this point. And the boys being goofy. What they spend most of their time doing when they're not fighting.

Playing ball in the kitchen

2010-10-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Mateo has been enjoying teaching Marco how to play basketball. And Marco loves it too. Which in turn, makes a happy Mommy. Nobody yelling and screaming. And yes, they are playing in the kitchen. Easy for me to keep an eye on them.

Meredith's 4th Birthday

2010-10-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

We were happy we were able to spend Meredith's birthday with her this year! The cousins always have so much fun when they get to spend time together! Unfortunately there is such a distance between us cuz I sure wish they could hang out more. And come this December, there will be one more little guy to join the family!! Yay!!

The boys hard at work on their dino necklaces

The super cute dinosaur cupcakes my cousin Jen made!

The beautiful birthday girl!! Our little goddaughter!

Love my little bugger

Basketball

2010-10-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

If Jeff had to pick a favorite sport to play, it would be Basketball. (Of course we are BIG Niner fans but to play = basketball). For Mateo's 1st Birthday, our gift to him was a basketball hoop. Now 3 years later, the earliest he could start practicing with a "team", he is playing and doing so well. It's so cute to see all the little guys out there dribbling and shooting. Especially trying to play a game, which then doesn't seem to consist of much dribbling but a lot of traveling!! LOL. Too bad it doesn't continue thru winter since it can be an inside sport but we'll have to wait to spring to play again.

Playing a little game

Happy 5 years to us!

2010-10-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Happy 5 years to my one and only! A fabulous wedding and 2 beautiful baby boys later!! The time has flown and it's hard to believe its been 5 years. Can't wait to see what's ahead on our journey and what the next 5 years will bring. Love you honey!!

Beautiful roses

And my amazing gift. The matching ring to my wedding ring!! Wow!!