Monday, January 30, 2012

What parenting is really about...

CC had the great idea to get some early Valentine photos of the kiddos. Tay was a dream, cute Valentine outfit on and she was a smiling dynamo. My oldest and youngest were fine for the moment, but while taking photos of CC and Tay, we forgot about the middle child. It was such a beautiful day in Santa Barbara and so The Dude decided that he needed to cool off...in the fountain.

I admit, not the best mom moment of my life. All-in-all, I was calm. We stripped Keller of his shirt, threw Vera's sweatshirt on him, and went and had a cupcake. It was just that kind of day.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Date with TaTa

Keller's turn for a date with TaTa = awesome...and I am not just saying that because I had two whole hours to myself at the house with just the baby. They went to the arcade inside of Zodo's Bowling and Beyond and out to yogurt at Yo-Yo Yum. The best part, sis mentioned that he was very well behaved. The second best part, TaTa won him a football in the claw game, which I thought was unbeatable. Go Sis!




Keller has decided that his next birthday will include bowling and TaTa. It sounds like a plan to me!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

AJ Pics

Awwww, yeah.


It is the best drum in the entire world.


We make him do 15 push-ups a day, or no milk.

Passport Photos

All the school children in SB and Goleta have been given passports, little booklets that include a large number of places in Santa Barbara where the children are asked to complete a task and in return they get a STAMP in their book. Do you know how exciting those stamps have turned out to be, just about the best thing ever. If you get 8 stamps before April, you get a t-shirt. The tasks range from questionnaires that the students have to fill out to finding a specific book in the library (The Dewey Decimal Game).

Our first stop was the Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitors Center:



The second stamp = The Maritime Museum:


Although I didn't take pictures, we have also done the Santa Barbara Library and the zoo. 4 more to go!!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hairy Situation

August has recently started eating a yummy sweet potato and applesauce combination that I roasted. However, I never realized that sweet potatoes have fiber strands...Keller did.

Keller: There is hair in August's food.

Me: Hmm...no, I think it is just part of the potato.

Keller: I am fairly sure that potatoes don't have hair.

Yep, schooled by my 3-year-old.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Mini Golf, Baby!

It only took J 7 holes to realize that Keller was never going to be able to play the real way at this age. We did have fun playing crazy style with balls going everywhere and constant vigilance to avoid being hit by a club.





Birthday Season Continues...

We drove to Thousand Oaks for the second princess party of our birthday season. Being part of a PEP Group, where all of the children were born in the same three months = birthday season. This one had Rapunzel playing games, making balloon animals, and chilling with the kiddos.

Everyone is always stating that August looks like Keller, but I have to disagree. I think AJ is taking after J's side of the family at this point.


This one is still all me.


My boys...


Two of the cutest princesses that you will ever find.







Friday, January 20, 2012

Minor Happenings

Vera has been picking her own outfits out for school and she is definitely one of the creative sorts.


Yummy! The Babe has finally learned to keep the food in his mouth (for the most part).


The Crazy Pug Family has let us borrow bibs for the Mr. Drool 2012. Thanks Sis!


All geeked out digging for gemstones. Okay, it was a kit, but still cool.


Monday, January 16, 2012

B-Ball Season

Vera's first basketball game...


...and she already has her mom's hops.



Thursday, January 12, 2012

Birthday Wrap-Up and Other Stuff

We celebrated Vera's birthday with a few of her friends at a pseudo sleepover. The girls got to come in their pajamas for dinner, popcorn, and a movie. But, everyone went home to their own beds at the end of the night. 6 little girls running around our house = chaos at its finest. Instead of a cake we went with make your own sundaes. It worked out fabulously!


Vera is very happy when all attention is on her.


Nana's birthday present is a big hit. Vera asked for non-Disney Princess dress. I wanted one for her to wear for at least a year, a struggle when she is already wearing mediums in regular little girl clothes (a large when it comes to shirts).



My boys...


Keller took this shot!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Boys + Mulch = Fun Forever


Friday, January 6, 2012

Vera's Day

My girl turned 6 on January 5!


Rice Krispy Treats for Vera's Daisies Meeting...just don't eat the pink ones, since they taste like red food dye #5.


You gotta love the birthday crown!

Accessorize

I've never been a proponent of bibs. They always seem to be in the way, or in the mouth, and the darn things rarely catch the food dribbling out of the babe's mouth. But, I am having to change my ways, Mr. Drool McGee has a wet shirt 75% of the time. I have to change his onesie/outfit 20 times a day. The bib is working to catch the slobber and I am on the hunt for some good-looking ones that will complement his outfits.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Sock-a-Palooza

With the new baby in the house (at 5 months, I know he isn't quite new anymore, but still a cute baby that doesn't talk back or get into trouble), both of my older kids need a little special attention from the adults in their lives. J and I are working how we can give each child the one-on-one attention that they need. When my sister asked what to get them for Christmas, the perfect answer was a date day with TaTa eating yogurt.

Vera's birthday is tomorrow (WOW!) and so she got a combined Christmas and birthday celebration today. Vera got special time with TaTa today buying socks, eating yogurt, and getting the materials to become a star knitter.

A note on the socks, Aunt Terry bought Vera a beautiful dress from Gymboree that included matching pink socks. Pink socks that she wants to wear every day and gets mad when they haven't been washed. I guess the ankle socks I had bought for her weren't cutting it, the socks have to be long.



No limit on the amount of toppings, TaTa is so much cooler than Mom.