Halloween Festivities

Dylan's preschool halloween/pumpkin day party... enjoying juice with his best school friend, Preston (pronounced pWeston by Dylan).
Make and Take Halloween Party at Serena's house, complete with backyard trick-or-treating stations, a pumpkin cartoon projected in the backyard, and an eyeball pinata. Pretty fun stuff.
Mama and her little munchkins all dressed up and ready for candy! (Dylan is a racecar driver this year and Addie wore Dylan's pumpkin costume from when he was 16 months old).
San Diego Halloween weekend with family. Pumpkins behind the kids are the ones that Dylan and Ryan did together.
Who's this cute little pumpkin?

Trick or Treating in Ryan's aunt and uncle's neighborhood!


P.S. Today is the 5 year anniversary of when we found out we were pregnant with Dylan. Happy Conceiveiversary. No announcements like that this year for us.
But one of my best friends had her baby girl (baby #3) today. Welcome to the world, Taelyn!

Junior Scientist

Yesterday Ryan had some work to do at lab. So the family went together and spent a few hours on campus. While Ryan worked, the kids and I went down to the turtle pond and got some samples of pond water. Then we met back up with Ryan and Dylan was able to do a little experiment with daddy to investigate the pond water we collected. Dylan pulled on some gloves and they got to work.

They spun it down to concentrate the gunk into a pellet.

Then sucked off the supernatant.

Next they resuspended the pellet and mounted a sample on a slide to see under the microscope.

Meanwhile, Addie napped in the stroller.

It feels good to be back at Caltech after the past few months.

Candyhouse Grandpa

While up in Oregon, Dylan wanted to do whatever my dad was doing. He'd be getting in to his swimsuit and he'd ask "Is Grandpa getting into his swimsuit right now?"

We'd be getting ready for the day and he'd ask, "What kind of shoes is Grandpa going to wear today?"

Hiking stick time

On Grandpa's paddleboard. They took almost daily trips around on the lake together, Dylan perched on the front of my dad's board.

Making fires at night.

Swimming on the lake together.

Fishing.

Playing his guitar for the kids. (He's learning to play a metallica song that is just too cool).

We found them clowning around together at the Newport Aquarium.

Dylan loved spending time with his Candyhouse Grandpa.

Honeyman Park, Oregon

The park across from my parent's house is called Honeyman. People from all over the country come there for vacations and camping and to enjoy the hills, lake, sand dunes, with popcorn and ice cream in the little store. We spent one afternoon there for Dylan and Grandpa to look for a special hiking stick to keep at the lakehouse. It was gorgeous.

Enjoying the pretty flowers at Honeyman Park while Dylan and Grandpa looked for hiking sticks

Dylan with his new hiking stick he and Grandpa found together and carved up.

Dylan and his Grandma with their hiking sticks.

Ice Cream!

After this, we went over to the sand dunes so Dylan could try some sandboarding/sleding. The saucer we brought with us didn't work, so Dylan decided instead to run down the dunes. You wouldn't have ever known THAT wasn't the plan. He was all giggles. I have a video of it. He was just too cute.

On the lake

Kathy and Addie on the dock

On the motor boat!

Driving the boat with Grandpa.
Too bad I didn't get a picture of Kathy that day on the boat. She hadn't ever been on a motor boat and it was fun to watch her with the wind in her hair and just laughing and having so much fun.

Loving just being on the lake together with my boy in the paddleboat

I even got brave and tried out my dad's paddleboard near the end of the trip.

And while I'm bragging, I'll mention that my mom and I swam out from the dock to the trampoline on our last day there. Both my mom and I NEVER go actually INTO the lake, being that it's pretty cold and we just prefer to watch everyone else in the water and stay dry. But that last day Dylan had done a lot of swimming and I had promised him that I would go with him if he practiced his swimming earlier in the day. I drug my mom with me. Misery (fear) loves company. Dylan swam out with us and we were all very, very brave!

Oregon

This year because of Ryan's work, he was unable to come with us to Oregon. We missed him very much, wishing he could be a part of our adventures and there to enjoy relaxing on the dock as we love to do together. We took lots of pictures, however, and here are just a few.

The front garden at my parent's lake house.

On the airplane on the way from LA to Oregon...

Our friend Kathy came with us for the first half of the trip and it was really neat to share such a special place with her. And can I just say that flying with two kids is WAY easier with another adult? I really missed her on the way back to LA...

Newport Aquarium
In the glass walled tunnel where we sat and watched the sharks swim right over our heads.

Grandpa clowning around in the aquarium giftshop (where Dylan got a 'REAL sharktooth!')

Heceta Head Lighthouse
The view at the bottom of the hike up to see the lighthouse. It was just so beautiful.

Hiking up the hill with Addie happily in tow.

One of the few pictures Kathy let herself into. It was such fun to share the trip with her!

Gorgeous view when we got up to the top.

On our way back down the hill from seeing the lighthouse.

First and Fourth

Just sitting here sipping a Sangria and reflecting on the kids' birthday party today.

First off, it was a success, but the morning started off with a bit of a snag. There are two gazebo pavilions you can rent at the park. I had reserved Gazebo A from 10-2. And apparently two other parties were double-booked for Gazebo B for the full day. A very crabby lady in gray-sweatpants (who will be referred to as Gray-Sweatpants from here on) approached me to ask for my paperwork, proving that I had the rights to Gazebo A.

Yeah, I had them... at home, on my desk.

So Ryan had to drive back home and get them. And meanwhile Gray-Sweatpants informed me she was calling the police to see how they wanted to divide up the 2 gazebos between all 3 groups...

Talk about stress just as our party was starting.

Later we noticed that her 'party' wasn't going to start till HOURS later. All she wanted that space for was to 'set up' - and Tinkerbell style for a toddler's party no-less. Come on people! 4 hours to setup a party?!)

Thankfully it turned out so we kept our original reserved spot and they duked out the details between themselves. I had a party to get started.

And partying we did. It was a patriotic-themed party (inspired by the fact that the 4th of July is exactly halfway between the kids' birthdays - with Addie's on the first and Dylan's on the 7th of July).
Dylan had a blast with his friends, running around with water guns decorated up with 'Cars' stickers (per his request), throwing water balloons (provided for the kids to toss at their daddys, courtesy of Kathy), drinking juice boxes, eating lots of fruit snacks and hotdogs.







Addie had fun... eating. She enjoyed strawberries, goldfish, and... her first chocolate cupcake! (Seperate post to follow with pictures of her first cake experience)


She also enjoyed the swings and watching her big brother run around with his buddies. Here she is with Christy, just after the water balloon fight.



At the end of the party, Addie was wiped out, shirtless and sticky from cupcake icing, and overdue for her afternoon nap.

Meanwhile, Dylan somehow had energy to spare. So when we got home, he unwrapped their gifts, took his bath, came along with Kathy and I to get my Saturday Flowers, the grocery store, Panera for dinner take-out (all while Addie napped), and continued to play non-stop until nearly 8pm!


That, my friends, is why this mama is drinking a Sangria at 11:05pm. ;)

First Cupcake

Surrounded by her peers, she examines said cupcake and decides how best to tackle.

She decides the frosting looks promising and takes her maiden taste.
Not bad. I think I'll have some more of that.
Is this how you do it mama?

Meanwhile, Dylan decides he'll go for the frosting first on his birthday cupcake. After all, he's a pro now that he's FOUR.

Pause for a brief moment, then back to business.


When it is all said and done, sweet Addie is a... happy, sticky mess!

Aunt Mimi

Aunt Mimi (Ryan's sister) came to visit us when she was in California 2 weeks ago.

These days it's pretty hard to get a good picture of Dylan. This one of him and his Aunt Mimi turned out pretty nice. You can tell he loved having her here.

Splish Splash

Last time we were down in San Diego, the kids got some nice pool-time in. It's no secret that Dylan loves his grandparent's pool - he asks nearly everyday when we are going back to Football Nama's house. But now the cats out of the bag... Addie loves it too!
I love her little bathing suits (she has two of them). She wasn't too keen on the matching hat, but I was able to keep it on long enough for a picture or two.
Dylan in his own little heaven Football Nama's pool!