(Black) Friday - Nov 25

Well, It's Friday..the day after Thanksgiving otherwise known to many as "Black Friday". Happy Thanksgiving by the way. If you are crazy or stupid(or both?) you might be in line right now reading this in 40 degree weather while waiting outside for Toys' R Us to open or something. Not me. No way..

This week leading up to Thanksgiving Chloe has been dealing with a wicked cold. Her nose is completely stuffed up yet running like a faucet and for the first day or two she hardly spoke so I assume her throat hurt. Then, as you might imagine, Heather got it and then me...but basically we all have the "Thanksgiving cold" as I'm going to call it from now on. Every year it's at least one of us..usually it's my Dad. There's always Christmas I guess. =)
So despite the rough week filled with tears, Tylenol, and boogie wipes
Chloe has remained in (fairly) good spirits. We are so lucky she is such a happy little girl and obviously when we think about the things we are thankful for, she is right there at the top of our list. We spent Thanksgiving making the rounds to see both of our families and Chloe as usual was the star of the show(even through her coughing and runny nose).

We are truly lucky to have such loving families. While we definitely appreciate that fact every day, there are only a few days a year when we can appreciate our loved ones while eating delicious things like turkey and apple pie. Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones as well. I'll leave you with just one image of our sick yet smiley little Chloe. Going back on the "diet" tomorrow. =) Gobble gobble.

-Brian, Heather, & Chloe

Fall & Friends - Nov 18

If you saw my post from last week you will know that Chloe loves to run around outside and collect sticks and leaves. Where we live it's almost like fall doesn't entirely exist because just when the leaves start to fall..the gardeners go around and clean everything up, lol. I found a patch of grass down the street that had some freshly fallen leaves and let Chloe go to town. I'm willing to bet it was the highlight of her day. =)

We also got some much needed friend time in last week. It started out with my friend Erin & her daughter Logan paying us a visit and we spent some time this week over at our friend Shannon's where Chloe got in some play time with the kids over there as well. On to the pics..happy Friday!

Brian

Up A Hill! - Nov 11

Hey, it's 11/11/11!

Chloe is officially a 22 month old now. Just thought I would point that out. =) Something Heather started doing with Chloe a while back has become a multiple times a day occurrence in our household. Out front, in between our house and the place directly across from us, there is a little grass hill that Chloe loves to run up and down. "Up a hill??" she says every time we go outside for any reason, lol. As the weather has changed and leaves start to fall, she likes to collect leaves, sticks, and now rocks that she finds on the grass or on the path to our front door. The weather has quickly become cold but she still likes to go outside when she gets up from her nap and go with me to "get the maio" as she says and then go run up and down the hill outside. She has picked up on me trying to trick her to come inside and now she just runs away and says "ONE MORE TIME?!" haha! Is it normal for a not quite 2 year old to be trying to bargain with us? =) I brought my camera out with us the other day and just snapped some pics..and here are a few.
Have a great weekend!

B+H+C

Trick Or Treat!(smell my feet) - Nov 4

Give me something good to eat. You know the rest, folks. =/

SO yep, you guessed it. Last Monday was Halloween and this year was entirely different than last. This year, Chloe can actually WALK(since last year she was just 10 months old) which meant that this would be the first actual year of trick or treating. I have to tell you, as a kid I'm sure I liked Halloween..all the candy and whatnot but as an adult I had really grown indifferent about it. Where we live now we absolutely NEVER get a trick or treat-er and we have spent the last 4 or 5 years with friends and their kids. This was our first real year where Chloe could actually participate in the trick or treating and I'm here to tell you..she had a blast.

Her costume is one that I knew we would never see another kid wearing the same thing. Heather actually found it when we went to the San Diego zoo in June..I convinced her to buy it and we have been holding on to it ever since. I'll admit, the candy bucket is cute but a little strange for a zookeeper to carry around a hollowed out monkeys head(full of candy). Ah well, don't read to far into it. =)

So we made the rounds, stopped by both sets of Grandparents and then made our way to see some of our friends so all the kids could trick or treat together. I was shocked by how long Chloe lasted and she pretty much walked herself the entire time. She only said trick or treat a few times..but the cutest part of the whole thing..well a few things really... She kept trying to come inside of each persons house every time they opened the door! Then, she would take whatever candy they would hand her and she would take something out of her bucket and try to give it back. Then she kept saying "trade you!?" LOL. It was a lot of fun I must admit and I look forward to next year when she will be almost 3 and completely understand what's happening. Sooooo, here are some pics of her in costume(taken the day before) and a few from Halloween. Have a great weekend!

Brian

Let The Memories Begin! - Oct 28

That's the gigantic saying that is posted all over Disneyland. We went to Disneyland last week, in case my sarcastic post last week wasn't clear. We went on Thursday, ALL DAY and by the end of the day there was no way I was gonna mess around with editing photos. Disneyland during Halloween is actually really neat if you have never been. They transform the entire park with Halloween themed decor and they do it again for Christmas. I'm a HUGE Disney/Disneyland fan but I'll admit I wasn't sold on taking the trip with Chloe just yet. I always figured I would be the one pushing to go but it was actually Heather that was the mastermind behind this adventure.

I can say the drive down and the drive back was as painless as can be. Chloe hung out in her car seat like a champ! We stopped a few times and it probably took a bit longer than it otherwise might have but overall, piece of cake. Disneyland was...difficult at first but somewhat to be expected. Standing in line was a nightmare but once we got on some rides..Chloe started to understand what was happening...and she LOOOOOVED it. One day in the park was definitely not enough..but it was a successful first attempt overall and we look forward to going back.

The surprise favorite ride of the day which I think we did 3 or 4 times was the Buzz Lightyear ride. She has never even watched Toy Story so she had no idea who Buzz Lightyear even was..but as we went through the line she kept saying " See Buzz!!??" "GO SEE BUZZ??!!" I'd say a close 2nd with the Teacups. She kept saying "Ride it!" "Ride on teacups!!??" all day. The most amazing display of excitement came on the Dumbo ride. Again, she has never seen the movie Dumbo, has no idea who he is but the entire 20 minutes through the line she kept saying "DUUUUUMBO!!!" "RIDE ON DUMBOOOO!" Probably the funniest part of the whole day. =)

Anyway, now that you are bored to death, here are a bunch of pictures from our day in Disneyland, and some from our trip to the pumpkin patch last weekend. Halloween is right around the corner so I can't imagine what next week has in store. Wait and see, lol!

Have a great weekend!

-Brian

















Find your stroller in this mess, I dare you












NAPTIME! That was fun, lol













There is this lady that works in a shop on Main Street that spends her entire day doing these silohuette cutouts. It's absolutely amazing in like 1-2 minutes totally free hand she snips these things out with scissors all the while talking to you to the point where you don't even think she's paying attention. What you get is..nothing short of amazing..


My favorite moment of the day..Chloe was grabbing my face for kisses and then she belts out an "I LAAAAAAVE YOOOOOU!!"..something I will never forget =)




DUMBOOOOOOOOO!




And that, in a nutshell was our day at Disneyland!


=)