Christmas Play

Cody was in his first play which was called "Little Lost Kitten". He played an alley cat, which meant I had to run out and get that black turtleneck at Target. It reminds me of Dieter's Dance Party from SNL. Thank goodness Russ didn't get his sweat bottoms in the pic, since they are slightly too small (floods!)!

I was really impressed with this little production! I can't imagine wrangling THREE kindergarten classes into a show! Cody wasn't as animated as some of the other kids, until he spotted Tanner in the audience and told Alex (the boy standing next to him), "There's my brother!" I love that Alex said, "Where?" instead of telling Cody to be quiet! This was all while the cast was singing a song!!!

That's a wrap! Smooches!

Tanner is 4!

My baby is getting older! Tanner turned 4!
We celebrated in L.A. on Saturday,

(at Chuck E. Cheese with Grandma)

and we celebrated at home with my family yesterday, which was his actual birthday. There is no Thomas the Tank Engine on top because slacker mommy forgot to order a cake before we left for L.A.!

Here he is on his birthday in 2006, right after getting home from a nice Chinese dinner. He looks like some drunk at karaoke night.

More Paper Love

OMG! Totally in love with this little notebook (even though it's not lined!)! It's called the Happy Hermit journal/notebook by APAK Studio! They have a bunch of items for sale on Etsy that I love!!!

The Candy Man

I came into the living room and saw this...

He dumped all his Halloween candy on himself. It makes me think of those movies where a person wins the lotto or comes across a huge suitcase full of money. In their excitement and joy, they take that money, dump it on their bed and roll in it. This must be how Tanner feels after Halloween. Like he just hit the candy lotto. Although, I'm not sure if I remember the person in the movie removing all clothing except diapers before rolling in the dough.
P.S. The reason he has only a diaper on is that he had just dumped a bucket of water on himself in the backyard.
P.P.S. And don't ask me about that creepy pose he's doing. He was like that when I entered the room. I just grabbed the camera and said, "Look at meee!"

Our Mushroom Room

Here is the infamous mold room. The roof has been replaced. Mold remediation has been performed. Drywall, windows, recessed lighting and a new sliding glass door have been installed. Now we just have to find a paint color, paint it on, have carpet and laminate flooring installed...and then we'll finally be living in the whole house! YAY!

Four Little Pumpkins...

Went to Spina Farms to pick out some pumpkins!

I found a gray green pumpkin that looks like it's from Martha Stewart!

And out of all the pumpkins the boys could've picked, they both chose one of these flat starfish looking squashes! They love them!

But RJ and Reiko chose some humongous ones!

Pumpkin Face!

Cody's class had pumpkin decorating last Friday. Russell had another Furlough Friday, so he was able to attend! Which means I can post his clear photos, rather than the blurry and crooked ones I take!

Here is the teacher giving instruction and ideas to the class.

Cody's creation! Don't ask me what that red feather down the side of the face is supposed to be. Maybe "Flock of Seagulls" hair?

Sour Scream!

Found something scary in the fridge. Sour cream anyone?
Just in time for Halloween!

List of the Day - Random Favorites!

1. Cheese (except goat cheese) but I love blue cheese, gorgonzola, cheddar, etc.
2. Paper (pads of paper, lined paper, Japanese paper, stationery, cards, gift wrap, etc.).
3. Pens (pen sets, fine tip Japanese pens, but any office supply will get my heart rate up!).
4. Television (Bravo, TLC, Travel Channel, IFC, HGTV, MTV...).
5. Nature (hiking through a forest to a shimmering lake is the best! A short hike, that is!).
6. Kid's art
7. Glitter (I love anything that sparkles!).
8. Peets Coffee
9. hot pink
10. Camping (and camping with kids is even better!)
11. Magazines (cooking mags, Sunset, InStyle, Real Simple, Dwell, crafts, scrapbooking, Living)
12. Target
13. Chanel (if I ever won the lotto, I'd buy a pair of Chanel flats and a big ol' Chanel bag!)
14. Vodka
15. Christmas Lights (on a tree, on a house, and I like the houses that go nuts with them on the holidays!).

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

And we still walked to school (750 steps)! The boys were such troopers! They put on their slickers and boots, grabbed an umbrella (which Tanner didn't even want), and braved the elements! They love it! I just have to buy Cody some new galoshes, he had to wear Sydney's old Uggs (just until we got to school!). I need galoshes as well, and a new slicker! Target, here we come!

Furlough Friday!

Russell has one Furlough Friday each month. This last one happened to land on the same day Cody's school had an inservice day! We had a nice family outing to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. It was so cool! Cody and Tanner were too young for the Planetarium (recommended for 7+), and we never did line up for the Rainforest, but we still had plenty to see...

Watching the man rays...

The Philippine Coral Reef

African Penguins

The albino alligator was creepy and amazing!

It looked like it was made of plaster.
Watch out giraffe, there are two crazy alligators!!

Oh it's just our boys with their masks from their activity books! They each received one after playing in the Early Explorers Cove (kids play area).

Today's Lunch

Toasted bagel with cream cheese and a sprinkle of smoked Eagle Lake trout. YUM!
Thanks for the smoked trout, Jason!
P.S. It takes him seven hours to smoke the fish!!!

Basketball Season is Here!

Cody started CYS basketball! I can't believe it! I started in 4th grade, which was the earliest you could start back then. Now they start them in co-ed Kinderball! WOW!

There are 31 kids signed up! Holy cow!

Haley and Cody with their basketballs they received at the door!

Cody trying to dribble. He had no idea how to dribble, but was having a blast anyway!

Team manager Michelle (who called and asked me to come early and write each participant's name on their ball!) and coach Troy (my cousin!)!

Don't worry, Troy doesn't have to coach ALL of them all by himself. Kent Sakae (red shorts) is also a coach, and they have numerous parents out there helping! Whew!!

And guess who was assigned "official photographer" for the group? ANSELL! Well, actually, I volunteered him.

Excuse the Mess...

Here is our kitchen right now. Behind the couch and hanging tarps is our family room. We just had mold remediation done in there, which has left the room with no more drywall! The couch has been in the kitchen for 3 months now. I eat dinner sitting on the couch. Michelle and her kids came over for dinner and all wanted to sit on the couch to eat! I might miss that couch once it goes back into the family room. We might buy a half booth (diner style!) to go against the wall, but I'll miss lying down against the arm while Ansell eats dessert.

Happy Campers AGAIN!

We were so lucky to be invited to Donner Lake camping by Shelley and Blake! I've always wanted to go because I would see it on our way to Reno. It is even more beautiful than I thought!

Group shot of the boys. My boys seem to think it's "funny face" time. There are about 20 of these shots, and Tyler is standing perfectly posed in all of them!

Here's Shelley's family getting ready for their family picture. Her brother Kevin is standing with his fiance, Tracy. Her parents are sitting with the boys.

One of the highlights of the trip...crawdad fishing! My cousin Blake stuck a hot dog on a stick, put it in the water, and the crawdads came running from all directions! Tyler ate them like candy after they were boiled up like little lobsters!

Bryce with his s'more.

Tyler getting "fire hypnosis". A common occurrence at camping. Love it!

Dad Gummit!

Tanner enjoys chewing gum. He's been doing it for quite some time now. In fact, he enjoys it so much, that I caught him chewing some at McDonald's...but I hadn't given him any that day. Before I could ask where he got it, I noticed a thin strand of gum leading from his mouth to UNDER THE TABLE!!! As I fought the urge to vomit, I grabbed the gum out of his mouth with a napkin, and proceeded to wipe out his mouth (like it mattered by that point), just to make myself feel better.

Caught on Camera!

The Phantom Gardener struck again! But this time, I caught him (my dad) on camera! Here he is, edging our lawn!

School is in Session!

Cody started kindergarten on Tuesday, August 25th! ALL DAY Kindergarten!

Farewell Summer...

Where did summer go???

Gone faster than a plum in Tanner's little palm...

Tanner
Summer 2007

The Phantom Gardener

Well, not really a phantom, it's just my dad who drops in unexpectedly and plants things in our yard. So far, we've gotten some tomato plants, jalapeno pepper plants, saplings all along our back fence and by our back door...

and our latest addition arrived today, the sago palm. I opened the front door, and my dad was standing there, shovel in hand, and said, "Where do you want it?". I have a feeling that even if I wasn't home, it still would've been planted right where it is now...

Facebook

OMG...I finally caved and joined!

Water Toddlers!

I FINALLY signed the boys up for swim lessons! Better late than never!
Cody loved it!

The lifeguard must have said Tanner's name about 100 times each session because he kept letting go of the bar he was supposed to be holding on to at all times. But he only stepped off the underwater platform once (and fully submerged!) and he never freaked out/yelled/cried during the whole week! HOORAY!

breakfast love

Today is our 8th anniversary! Ansell took the day off and made pancake puffs in the ebelskiver pan my cousin Kristeen bought me for my birthday last year!

I bit into a puff, and saw a blueberry in the shape of a heart! How appropriate for our anniversary breakfast! Yes, Ansell was probably rolling his eyes as I made him take this photo with my camera...

and yes, I AM amazed at the people who see the Virgin Mary in grilled cheese and stuff like that! Pareidolia much? haha!

Japanese School

Right when we came home from vacation, I saw an email from my cousin Janelle asking if we wanted to participate in Japanese school. Her mom and 2 of our aunts (all of which are my dad's sisters) were doing their own little week long session of Suzume no Gakko! Three of the days consisted of making Japanese crafts, singing songs, and reading stories. There was a swim/Japanese food day at my cousin Sallie's house and an Obon game day at Janelle's! It was great getting together with the relatives, and my boys loved it!

Posing with their den den.
From left: Jason, Jennie (under the tree), Jaclyn, Jake, Adam, Dylan, Auntie Julia, Bryan (in red), David, Justin (the tall one), Cody and Tanner!

Flying their kites

Tanner playing the goldfish game

Cody and the ring toss
Sydney, Jennie, and Jaclyn (all 9 yrs. old!)!