Last week of school and San Diego Vacation

Rubix got into the hang of finding Mark the elf at home and the elf that Angela had, although I can't remember his name. He was the first to find it on this particular day. Every time he found Mark, he would laugh and point until someone else would come and look. It was so much fun!

 The kids enjoyed doing their annual ginger bread house this year. Rubix did not help as much as he did on the Halloween House, but he had fun playing with all of the little red "balls" that I found on the floor for days!

 Axel had his big Holiday Performance. It was very good. The kids sounded beautiful and they had a couple of solos that were unbelievably good.

 All of the kids had either solos or speaking parts. Here is Axel saying one of his two speaking parts, "I didn't give Santa a Christmas list this year. I want him to surprise me." He also presented the gift to Ms. Kay, the music teacher at the end of the performance. Friday was a half day for Axel and a full on packing day for me as we were leaving bright and early Saturday morning for San Diego.

 We decided to try to do our first road trip. We made it to San Diego in 9 hours because of L.A. traffic. Here is the kids bedroom. Axel and Phoenix slept quite well while we were there. Rubix slept in a pack n play in Keith's and my room. He was 50/50 on sleeping well. Half the nights he woke once and slept on me, or should I say my face. I was only successful one night to get him back into the pack n play and the other nights he slept through until 6:40 am, which was just a tad on the early side for my vacation wants.

 The week was action packed. We started with the Midway Museum and boat light show on Sunday afternoon/ evening.

 The museum was really fun. Daddy and Rubix looked at the planes while Phoenix, Axel and I got a special tour of the tower and captain corridors.

 Here is Captain Axel!

 We tried to go to a park or beach every day. The kids still love the sand, except Rubix.....

 He initially would not go on the sand at all, but eventually was coaxed and then didn't mind walking in the sand. He still didn't play with the sand though.

 We went to Jungle Bells at the Zoo on Monday afternoon/ evening. Daddy's sweater was a big hit.

 We enjoyed seeing the panda bears. They eat 30 + pounds of bamboo a day! All they do is eat and sleep!

 The kids loved the polar bear exhibit.

 It was really cool to see the polar bear sleeping and moving in his sleep and play in the "ice structures."

 The big event was the birth of a baby giraffe on Dec. 17th, but we missed seeing her! Oh, well!

 Sea world continues to become more run down. They didn't have as many shows happening as they use to. We did enjoy seeing the orcas and learned about them during the Orca Enounter show during our visit on Tuesday.

 The big news was the conquering of fear of rides and roller coasters. Phoenix went on the tea cups and this spinning/ rocking ride. Rubix refused to miss out on the fun and went on 2 of the 3 kiddie rides as well. (He was too short for the tea cups). Axel did his first roller coaster, but that was at Legoland on Wednesday.

 Axel got to put on reindeer horns. Apparently the reindeers who have horns are females.

 Legoland was the highlight of the trip and where we spent 8 hours on Wednesday.

 Phoenix and Axel both received their Legoland driver's license.

 We did not see Santa like we had planned to do at Sea World, but we did see two Lego Santas!

 Here is the stationary one. Later you will see the "live" Lego Santa we took a picture with.

 Keith and I wanted to recreate the picture we took two years ago when Rubix was in my tummy.

 I am not sure which one I like better.

 We saw acrobatic elves at the Zoo and singing elves at Legoland.

 And here is our family picture with Lego Santa.

 Another day at the beach!

 With another visit to Sea World. We love the sea turtles!

 We ended the week at Balboa park and visiting old friends from Ravenwood Drive, the Bartolos, at the park in San Diego. I did not get a picture of Axel and Max or their third child, Christian. Sophia, didn't come because she was too excited to see her girl cousin, as they were in town from Singapore.

 At Balboa Park they had the biggest, longest and best Merry Go Round we have ever seen. They had minature horses for little ones like Rubix.

 And Axel tried really hard to get the brass ring! It was a great trip and we were really excited to get home Saturday night in only 7 hours and 40 minutes! Keith and I are exhausted as we had to clean out the car with all of the vomit and food that accumulated from the long hours in the car. Phoenix had two episodes and Axel one. Rubix did great with no episodes of motion sickness! Go Rubix! Next post will be all about Christmas!

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas!

Last Friday Harker had a cookie decorating event. I thought it would be fun for Rubix, but after this 2 minute stent of interest he was distracted and preoccupied with the basketball hoops that were in the gym. We only stayed for 20 minutes or so because I couldn't keep him interested in the event activity. He sure looks cute adding the sprinkles though!

 We went to Phoenix's practice performance of her Christmas Sing at school. I found out 2 weeks before her actual event which was this past Tuesday the 5th of December that she was going to have a performance at 10 am. This was going to be impossible for me to make because I already had patients booked so the head of school set up a time I could watch her perform while I was not working. I had a pleasure seeing her in her new environment. I thought the picture below was a picture, but apparently it is a video that I downloaded under pictures so the link to play won't work. Oops!

 After decorating cookies and watching Phoenix's performance, Rubix and I went to the park. There were painted rocks everywhere that occupied much of Rubix's time. I love this picture of him throwing one of the rocks.

 Last  Saturday we spent some time trying to get updated Photos of the family. Here are a few pictures that are a sneak peek to our Christmas Card this year.

 We still have trouble getting a family photo because we don't have a proper stand and set up and as you can see Axel is just learning how to hold still while taking photos.

 He did manage to take a very cute selfie of himself.

This weekend we hope to get our Christmas Cards addressed, finish up gift buying and wrapping, attend another birthday party and get pre packed for our big road trip on the 16th. We are a little bummed about the fires and may have to purchase plan tickets at the last minute if the Highway stays closed because of the fires. We are praying for a miracle and that all of the fires are fully contained before we head South for our family vacation.

Baseball, Birthday parties, Thanksgiving and more!

With the Spring like weather off and on the past two weeks we have had some great outdoor family time. We have been playing a bit of baseball as we decide what this Spring time will hold. It looks like Phoenix will be playing T-ball and Axel will be playing AA ball again. The funny thing is it appears Rubix is the one who loves it the most. He has one more season he has to wait until we can get him into mini T-ball.

 Axel has a lot more power than he did last year. All of that swimming must have built some upper body strength because his throwing is much better than a year ago.

 Axel lost his 4th tooth last week. He has been saving his teeth in a little plastic container. We went to the dentist on Wednesday and she wants him to get a full orthodontic examination because he has moderate crowding. Apparently, they have a device that can widen the jaw and limit the amount of teeth that need to be pulled. I am not in a hurry to get this evaluation as he only has 4 permanent teeth, although the dentist doesn't think it matters how many adult teeth he has.

 The Axel's tend to get together every week or so for a playdate. They have continued with  Nerf gun fights. Rubix and Phoenix enjoyed picking up the nerf darts and handing them to the boys.

 We really don't like how he is playing with the Nerf guns, but we do like how he is running around having fun with his friend.

 Last weekend was all about birthday parties. Axel went to Axel R's party while Phoenix went to a new classmate's party. She had fun climbing through the structures with her friends while Rubix had fun looking at all of the arcade games.

 He especially liked the basketball games. He took small balls from the toddler section and was throwing them into the basketball hoop. He was way more interested in the games then the toddler play area.

 Sunday night we went to a Pump it Up party where you jump in the dark. It was really fun. Arya's parents purchased a bunch of glow in the dark accessories which made it even more fun for the party attendees. It was quite the weekend for Phoenix to be able to spend time with her new and old friends.

 This Wednesday, Phoenix had a Thanksgiving feast at school and was a pilgrim for part of the feast and then an Indian for another part. She loves her hats and has been wearing them both when she can.

 On Thanksgiving we got up and headed out the door as early as we possibly could. We made it to Gma Susan's house about half past 10 am. We enjoyed visiting and park play before heading over to Auntie's house for Thanksgiving dinner. At Auntie's the cousins played non stop until we left at 8pm. It was an exceptionally long day, but worth the effort.

Shannon and I had every intention of taking pictures. We were both unsuccessful at taking pictures, but Gpa Brian was able to capture a few pictures. This is my favorite where Aya and Uncle Ryan are photo bombing the three of us. 

Auntie and I with the two little ones. 

Daddy and our two lovely boys!

 On Friday we decorated the Christmas Tree. The kids always love to do this and I was impressed at how efficient we were this year. We were able to get everything down from the attic and the tree fully decorated all during Rubix's 2 hour nap. When he awoke he was excited to see the tree.

 So far, he has not broken any ornaments. Axel and I were betting that he was going to think the bingle balls (the round ornaments) were balls, but luckily, he has not grabbed them or thrown them.

 The next month is quite busy for us as it is for most people. I am not sure if I will manage to post. We have Axel's cub scout's Los Gatos parade next weekend, Phoenix's Christmas show, Axel's Holiday performance, my work party, Keith's work party, Keith travels to Palm Spring for work, Phoenix's IQ test for Harker, and other school and work activities before we head to San Diego the week before Christmas. Our goal is to really embrace each day to hold onto this lovely time of year.
We hope all of our friends and family have a lovely Holiday Season celebrating our Risen Lord and Savior. 

Quick Update

Last Saturday night we enjoyed a lovely Spanish dinner to celebrate Luis's birthday. This was the first time we were able to get together with Eileen and Luis since they went to pick up their new daughter. Lily, is going to be 2 years old next week. She is doing amazing for just changing cultures and coming into a new family. She is sweet and independent. I unfortunately, did not manage to capture her on film, but Rubix had a lot of fun trying to keep up with her. She loves to play catch and with balls and cars like Rubix so they were instant "friends".

 On Mondays and Tuesdays, Phoenix has to wear her school uniform. Here she is on Monday. She loves to wear it and she looks like such a big girl. I am still adjusting to just having Rubix alone on Thursdays and Fridays. I miss not seeing Phoenix as much, but boy is she loving school. This morning she didn't want to wait to go at 8:45 am, when I usually drop her on Thursdays and Fridays. She wanted to go earlier like she does the first three days of the week when I am working. I did not manage to get her there at 7:20 am, but she did arrive a little earlier at 8:30 am. I am so glad she is enjoying her new school. Because she is one of the first students to arrive Monday through Wednesday she is getting extra help from one of the teachers to catch her up to the other students in her class who already recognize all of the alphabet and know all of the sounds. The head school master, Mrs. Terri believes she is doing well and will get caught up shortly. She said don't worry, she will be reading soon. I actually wasn't worried, but I am glad to see the school is dedicated to learning. Phoenix has been enjoying her history and science which is all about the history of Thanksgiving and the food associated with Thanksgiving. She now knows what foods go into what food groups, i.e. dairy, grains, etc.

 Rubix is a hoot. He requires so much work when the other kids aren't around. He wants to play, play, play, which is great, when I don't have to clean, do laundry or make meals. He is really into shoes. He is constantly going into the coat closet and putting on my shoes. Here he is with my bunny slippers. He was so proud of himself because he got them on without any help.

 Today he was exceptionally brave and determined at the park which lead to a couple of good growth experiences. Here he is swinging at the top of the slide. He discovered he was able to climb up and down the slide which lead him to tumbling forward and descending the slide face first on his stomach. I warned him, but he was defiant and had to learn the hard way. I am glad that he didn't get hurt, but that he did get scared. He also was goofing off on the play structure and missed a step and fell onto all fours which gave him a good scare. Again, I was happy he didn't really hurt himself, but again was glad that he was scared. I really need him to learn his limitations because I am afraid he is going to really hurt himself.

 Axel is loving Cub scouts. Here is a picture that Keith captured at his last Pack meeting. We are really glad that he decided to stay in the same Pack with his old classmates. They seem to be very well organized this year and are working through the book learning lots of fun things like how to start fires (3 different ways) and tying knots, etc.

Here is a cute short video of Rubix playing basketball. We typically rotate between basketball, baseball and soccer throughout the day with a little time spent playing with cars or building with Legos. 

Next weekend is a big weekend. We have 2 birthday parties on Saturday (Axel's friend, and Pheeny's friend) and we are having our annual Pre- Thanksgiving gathering that night as well. This weekend we have a couple of play dates and then the farmer's market and Church, which should be nice and relaxing in preparation to the start of the busy holiday season.

A whirlwind of events

Since my last post so much, but so little has transpired. The highlight of events for me was seeing my Grandfather for his 83rd birthday. I feel so blessed to be able to see the twinkle in his eyes as he reflects the joy of life. It was also nice to catch up with other family members from that side of the family. 

 Most of my time last week when I wasn't working was getting Phoenix switched over to another school. I have been so disappointed with the preschool program and all of its changes at Marshall Lane. For the amount of money I was spending I felt more learning and a more structured environment should be provided. To make a very long story short we have her at a private school called Challenger where she is getting 5 days of instruction rather than 3 days for basically the same costs. It was a tough decision to make the quick change and not have her go to Angela's anymore, but it is something that I am very happy about. She is so excited to be learning. She gets 40 minutes of phonics and 40 minutes of mathematics every day along with Spanish, Science, Social Studies, Art and Music daily. It is also bittersweet for me because I don't have anymore Mommy days with her now that she is in school 5 days per week.

The great thing about the change is that Rubix won't have anymore naps interrupted by pick ups and I can get Axel and Phoenix at the same time. I am able to get both kids within 20 minutes. Having both schools within 2 miles from the house makes it very nice and convenient.

I took this picture below because Rubix was in a very deep sleep and I had to wake him to go pick up one of the kids. I can't remember now who, but I found it so funny that he was in such a deep sleep that he didn't even wake when the flash went off. I also like this picture because it shows how tall he is.

 After not getting much riding in because of different weekend trips I felt very blessed that I was able to ride up the hill last Saturday and Sunday. It was very cold and foggy near the house, but it didn't take long to climb out of the fog. On my way down the hill I stopped to capture the beautiful image of the mountains and the cloud layer.

 It seems our weekends always get filled with playdates, birthday parties or other events. Here is a picture of Rubix in car heaven at Axel R's house. His little brother Jasper especially loves cars. If you look closely you can see how many cars are in the room beyond where Rubix is playing. Phoenix also enjoyed playing with all of Jasper's toys.

 While the little ones were inside playing the Axel's had a true Dude Perfect Nerf gun face off. I don't think I have ever seen our Axel run around for that long. I believe their battle lasted for almost 2 hours.

 Here is a blurry picture of Jasper and Phoenix checking out what their older brothers were up to.

 We have had 3 weeks of birthday parties. For the second time Phoenix got to go to Airborne gymnastics. This time she went with Rubix rather than Axel. Again, she had so much fun.

 Rubix also had a blast. He ran around non stop and had the time of his life. Just look at his smile below!

 Axel had no school on Monday so Daddy stayed home with him and they hiked and carved 2 of the three pumpkins. When Phoenix and I got home she cleaned out and carved her pumpkin. 

 On Tuesday the department decided to be M & M's. This is the first year that I dressed up out of the 13 and a half years I have worked there. If they make it easy like this every year I might participate more often. :)

 The kids were so excited for Halloween to finally arrive. Axel made a cute Santa. Everyone at school ran up to him and told him what they wanted for Christmas. It was really cute. Phoenix was a fairy princess and she loved every minute of being in her dress. After some convincing Rubix became a Dalmatian. He loved the costume so much that he ended up having it on all afternoon and night!

 Keith decided to be and M & M too. We got a later start than usual trick or treating so the kids were out quite late, but lots of fun was had.

 Rubix got to bed at 8:20 pm.

 Axel and Phoenix got to bed at 9:30 pm. The group below is Axel R. James, Phoenix, Axel S and his new friends Selena and Kristin. The group grew throughout the night and ended up being 10+ kiddos which made for a lot of fun for the kids.

 Our one neighbors who do an amazing job at decorating their house put up a corn maze along their foot path this year. Here is Axel in the corn maze.

Now we are in crunch time to get Phoenix's application in for Harker. Yesterday I spent all of Rubix's nap time filling out the paperwork for the IQ test that Harker requires all K-1 graders to have done as part of the entrance process. We have most of it done except the essay questions about her.

On a more exciting note we have our family vacation planned and scheduled for San Diego come mid December. We will have a week of fun filled sun right before Christmas.

We are also gearing up for Thanksgiving fun too so I hope to get lots of cute pictures of the kiddos!