Vacation

We took our first family vacation. Being pregnant, I took a lot of photos and left a lot of the action to the boys.Friday before we left I wore my swimsuit all day. At ten that night, Jeff brought home some sunglasses that he picked out for me and showed me this, which I LOVE.
This was one of our best stops in San Diego- The Maritime Museum (which is by the way, just a block from Anthony's Fish Grotto, where you can get a mean Squid Steak Sandwich). The Star of India, in the background was built in the 1860's and still sails yearly.

We got to go down into a real submarine.

After seeing all the boats, we took a cruise around the bay- My boy's first boat ride.
No pregos allowed, so Jeff got his fill at Sea World. Z never could get enough.
This photo was just before we got dowsed by Shamu. We had to find a new seat far from the action right after this was taken.


Our camera picks up sound, but it didn't work. I wish I could hear the giggles and screams on the video clips.

We went to 4 different beaches. That was my favorite part of the trip. I wasn't sure it would matter to our little boy, but the difference between a lake and an ocean was not lost on him. He still asks to go back every few days.

Maritime fog, the ocean waves, salty smell, and Jeff night fishing off the pier make me happy.
Now to get the sand out of our camera's zoom lens.

Sick Day

We've been sick, Jeff & I. Not Zealand. He is full of energy. My 5th day of being sick I took these photos as I lay on the kitchen floor getting licked by the dog and showered by pinto beans; laughing and coughing til I couldn't breathe. Then we talked on the pretend phone. Sometimes Zealand would say "it's for you Bob" so I would pretend to be "Bob". Sometimes I talked to "Bob". Once I told "Bob" that we had pizza and breadsticks for dinner. Zealand added that we also had cough drops.

Big kids play pretend. He's really turning into a big kid. I miss the mispronouced words like:
piano...pee-nio or pee-nine-o
potato...pay-tay-mato
hippopotamus...hippo thomas
cupboard...covered

he still calls the movie "The Great Discovery", "The Great BEEscovery"

Roadtrip

Setting out for Vegas.


Enjoying the tram ride.


Boom. Done with Vegas.


PS. Since I mentioned turtles, the drawings have come rolling in for my boy. Thanks Grandpa.
Just for fun, check this out.

Celebration

Last week I passed my kidney stone. Wahoo! Jeff made me this cake to celebrate.

Also, Zealand has a turtle fetish.
And, very exciting, Jeff is going to run for County Assessor, as a republican. If you would like to help him get there, be sure to register republican so you can vote in the Primaries. If he wins, I will make him beet ravioli with poppyseeds and butter sauce. Who am I kidding, I'm going to make it either way.

I love our old house!

Indoor Plumbing: It's Back!
Our front yard consists of a stump, a diggin' machine, a mountain of dirt and a 10-foot hole that extends from the house to the street. I am so happy, because this means that our plumbing has been fixed. After a week of snaking the pipes everyday and trying not to flush the toilet, do laundry, dishes or shower, our plumbing has been fixed! Why do I love old houses? They always need work.The culprit...

was this ball of roots the size of my shoe.

Other news, the holidays were tons of fun
Z was sick on Christmas day, but we pressed on. What a trooper.

The presents finally did get opened. It was a push because Z only wanted to play with the first toy he opened. When it was all over, we spent Chrismas night throwing a ball down the stairs like any other night.

Christmas Fudge was made by team effort. I ate my allotment of fudge in one sitting.


Z and his cousin Golden dressed as Mario & Luigi for Halloween.


Next year I think I'll dress him as a character that he is more familiar with.

Grown Up Boy

I am loving this stage of development; my son is learning so many things and making me laugh every day. Check it out-

He is sorting colors now, black checkers in the cupboard, red all over the house.


He's learning to be persuasive: he really wanted me to blow more and more bubbles in his bathwater. How do I teach him that it's not ok to hold someone's head under the water when I can't keep a straight face? After this, he sat on my head.


The other day, he put the silverware from the dishwasher away. Too bad they were dirty. All I could do was watch and tell him how much he had helped me. Yes that is soggy bread dough. Totally worth it.

Gearing Up For Halloween

Good thing Halloween is coming up. My family is just itching to dress up. This is one of my favorite holidays. Time to get creative. You'll just have to wait and see the real costumes.