November 2013

We went to Sea World twice in November with the Fun Cards we got back in July during our family reunion.  We convinced Aunt Jess, Grandpa White, and Daddy to come along!

 They NEVER smile this nice for me!

 at the end of our last visit Sean was DONE seeing the shows but Grandpa and Daddy hadn't seen the Shamu show.  So I walked around with Sean while everyone else went.  I really love one on one time with him when I can get it.  Two is such a cute age.  We watched this Orca in the "Dine with Shamu" pool.  We were so close!  Better than seeing the actual show I think!

Back at home Sean loves listening to books on CD.

The gang at the playground.  I love these faces.

A lime from our little lime tree, Max took it to his Preschool teacher.

Max makes SO many creations at preschool.  This has been one of my favorites, we hung it on the Christmas tree and I still have it on display.

A real beach trip is hard by myself with the boys but we love to play at the playground near the Balboa pier and then walk the pier as the sun sets.  This is easier in winter when the sun sets early.

 a beautiful pelican is a common sight on the pier

We got out the Christmas tree and found a few other fun things in the storage closet including a ring pop from Max's birthday and daddy's boxing gloves.

 Our nice neighbors are from Turkey.  They invited us to their church's Turkish Thanksgiving last year and we didn't go.  They invited us again this year and told me "we won't take no for an answer!".  They really are so nice.  They said bringing the kids would be fine.  It was kind of late in the evening so I brought Max and Sean and Jared stayed home with Dylan so he could go to bed.  It was such a nice fancy dinner with all these presentations.  I loved being a part of a different culture and their celebrations, but the boys really were not well behaved at all.  I just didn't prepare them well for it, because I wasn't sure what to expect.  (Now I understand how great it is that we have our church holiday parties in a gym where kids can run around! LOL.)  Below is a replica on display at the dinner, something from Turkey.

 Jared and I got to sneak away on a real date, dinner and the Pearl Jam concert in LA!  Eddie was great, and played FOREVER!  haha, I was so tired by the end!

who doesn't love a sleeping baby?  Dylan started crawling in November.

We had a community potluck hosted by the housing assistants (aka, me and these other great people that I work with!)

 Thanksgiving morning I made these cute little treats.

Dylan's first Thanksgiving!

 Tried for a family photo on Thanksgiving, I promise my boys have cute happy smiles, but they just have a hard time showing them for the camera!

 I think Grandma was trying to bribe them with candy!  We tried!

We love these carts.  Well, besides the fact that I feel like I'm pushing a bus.  But it makes shopping trips a little more do-able and fun.  Max can walk fine and doesn't wander but he does like to touch things.  Sean must be restrained, he likes to touch things and claim them as his own.  Dylan used to be fine in the Ergo but now as I'm reaching for something on the shelf, he can reach things too and knock them over.  The only drawback here is that Sean gets board and then swings his feet and kicks Dylan's legs. . . we are always in and out as fast as possible!

Our version of bundling up for a rainy day at the park

Max's sunbeam teacher sent this to me, they went on a walk to practice being reverent. How cute are these four year olds??

Max and his friend Jason at mom's beach on the Balboa Peninsula.  Beach trips are definitely more do-able with friends.  This beach is great for little kids, no waves and lots of boats to look at.