Family Photo Shoot

Our friend Sarah Smylie took some shots of the 5 of us at a local ranch for our holiday card and simply for our viewing pleasure. It was tough to get the three kids together and looking cute, but Sarah got it done! Very happy with how they turned out. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2014

Ever since I can remember (and a few years before that) I have been eating Thanksgiving dinner at my Oma's house in Carson.  But when you get married, many things have to be compromised and how to spend the holidays and what cherished traditions to share are just a few of them.

First of all, we are so incredibly fortunate to have so much family within driving distance to choose from to spend these special moments with, so there will be no not too much complaining from us! Not having to deal with plane travel during this time of year is great, and packing the kids in the car and driving a few hours is part of the memories I have when I was kid driving to Grandmas house with the car loaded with food and gifts.  Listening to Christmas music, anticipating the gifts spending time with family, and fighting off mild car nausea are all part of my childhood holiday memories!
Anyway, that being said, this year it was the Klingensmiths turn to be tortured with us and our kids graced with our presence up in their family cabin in Lake Arrowhead.

We packed up the car and braced ourselves for the 65 degree weather in the mountains (brrr!) and drove 2.5 hours to spend two nights with 10 other members of the Klingensmiths and my mom.
Dinner was delicious and some of the highlights for me were the brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes with onions and the PIE of course! Grady ate everything, Harper ate almost nothing and Avery ate quite well. All enjoyed the moist turkey so much that we ate it for several days after (ha!)

Aunt Julie gave all the "kids" silly straw glasses! A total hit.

Since the weather was so warm, we took lots of walks down into the village to play at the park and feed the ducks.

And we did an easy hike loop that was beautiful! We collected acorns and pinecones and enjoyed the scenery and fresh air.

The last day it was just our little Fiesta of Five and we had pizza, watched a movie and cleaned up to drive back home.

We had such a great Thanksgiving this year up in Arrowhead! Our kids are so lucky to have places they can visit any time they want. The memories they are creating together with our family are so special! 

And now...time for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Fall 2014

Even though it felt more like a sweltering summer than a brisk fall, it was a fun one in our amazing little Village by the Sea of Carlsbad. Here's what we have been up to!

Pumpkin patch visits...

 Hanging out at the park (with pumpkins of course)...

Attending the final of 6 weddings we were invited to this year (Congrats Chris and Jen!!)...

Grady and Nolen stole the show a little bit

Table 11 baby!

Such a handsome little guy 

The groom with my boys

Two new brides from other weddings we went to this year! Staci Halac above 

and Leila Kunishige below

And, I got to go to a taping of the Ellen DeGeneres show in Burbank with my mommy group to see Taylor Swift perform! (special thanks to Alex for taking the day off work and holding down the fort!)

Avery is playing soccer again with Little Rascalz at the park near our house...

Grady (playing at the park while sissy plays soccer) wants to be a big boy SO bad

And of course, visits to Legoland and the Aquarium!

Watching Charger football games with friends...

Enjoying our perfect weather with lots of time spent outside...

And, of course, trips to Costco!

Hard to believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner!