I want to take a Bath

I hear this phrase many times a day from Marcus. I usually tell him, we already took a bath or maybe later. He just really likes baths (well splashing really). Anyhow one morning he kept saying it over and over again, "Mom, I wana take a baf." I was decorating the front room with Christmas stuff so I wasn't looking at him, just reponding with a later or tonight. I turned around to find that this little guy had started undressing just so he would be ready to take a bath. Funny kid. Love him!

Cousin Book Club

Rebekah and her cousin Avery are becoming quiet the little readers. Whitney thought it would be fun to have a little book club with the girls. They both read the 1st book in the Magic Tree House series. I picked up both Avery and Matisse and we went to the bookstore where we got hotchocolate and talked about the book. It was so cute as they shared their favorite parts and about the characters. We then sat in the children's section and looked at books. We headed back to Whitneys and frosted dinosaur cookies, because the book was about dinosaurs.

Indoor Soccer

I put both the girls on indoor soccer teams. Rebekah wanted to do it so I offered it to Miriam as well. I think Miriam may have enjoyed it more. Rebekah likes being with the other kids and going out and tring things out. Miriam just liked running around and chasing the crowd. Everytime she passed us she would slow down and give us a goofy little shy grin and wave hello. It was so cute. By the end of the season she was flipping her hair around and playing around a bit more.






We had some time between games and went and got icecream one day.

One more trip to Carmel

We took a second trip to Carmel in October. This first, in July, was good luck, when Grandma offered it to us last minute we could not pass it up. This trip was the Carmel trip we had planned for the year. We originally planned it when Rebekah had year round school and she would have had the week off, but the district changed things around a bit and she now has traditional (which I LOVE), but we had to pull her out of school. We had the Christensens (my sister and fam) join us for 1/2 of the trip. It was too much fun!

Monterey
The first day we went into Monterey and had clam chowder and played in the tide pools




Liz and Amelia hanging out on the rocks while looking at the sea life


Andrew, Tanner, Rebekah, Miriam looking for Anemones to poke



The kids played in the waves while we were in Monterey. They all ended up falling in or getting really wet. It was so fun to watch their excitement.









First day on the golf course. We like the walk the golf course in the early evening when the golfers have finished.

Walking the golf Course





Day at the Beach


Liz, Tanner, and Amelia


Their faces are priceless


He was not a fan of the beach. It could have been that we had to cover his cast in plastic bags and rubberbands as well as a huge sock. It was a little windy and the water freezing, but he spent most of the time away from the water.

17 Mile Drive
There is a drive along the coast that covers some amazing scenic places. We took the drive and did a little hiking and playing on the beach.


The girls and Glenn (Marcus was napping in the car)


The girls and I took a little hike from one scenic area to the next. We decided to walk down on the beach which later I realized was not a great idea, because it was so unpopulated. We climbed down and then ran as fast as we could having lots of fun. I then heard a loud noise and looked to my right. Along a rock close to the ocean was a nice large sea lion bellowing at us. Unsure as to what a sea lions protective natures might be I quickly grabbed my girls and stopped to see what the sea lion would do. Luckily she was more frightened by us and made a dive for the water after a few more bellows. It was a fun little adventure. This picture was taken when we first discovered the sea lion.


Rebekah got a prickly in her sock so I carried her.

Isn't she sweet!



Hiking along the rocks and beach





Throwing rocks in the water

Marcus turns 2

Say What? I know it is crazy that Marcus is already 2. He is even such a studly 2 year old that he had a cast on for his birthday. (he actually received his cast from the knee down on his birthday that replaced the cast that went to his upper thigh, it was a good birthday present)



We drove to California on Marcus' birthday so we celebrated first with Glenn's family before we left.


Marcus was not happy about being the center of attention and having everyone sing to him. He also did not like the candles. I think it was a rather frightening experience for him. This is not a clear picture, but you can see his concern. Poor guy.


He still ate the cake even after the frightening candle experience.


Here is his first cake.


Seriously, check out that arm. He LOVES balls right now.


California celebration
We then celebrated in California after we got there since we drove on his birthday

okay so he still was not enthused about the singing and candle blowing. Everyone stop looking at me. I think he was trying to find his safe place. Here is the progression during the song.

Head down

getting lower

Looking under the table (stop singing people and let me eat cake)


After the first candle experience it took us a while to get him to blow them out (with a little help from Glenn)


Finally he gets to eat and be left alone.


Here is the second cake. Much cooler looking....tasted more disgusting (I do not like cake mix)


And the gifts.


Isn't he sweet. I love this boy!

Cousin Halloween party

This was our second year having a cousins Halloween party. Everyone had a great time. Each mom planned a game or craft and we let the kids play. Who doesn't like to get dressed up for a few hours. This was the beginning of Miriam dressing up almost everday until Halloween. If she could find a costume she had it on...all day long.



Posed picture


Real picture. Take note, unlike the real picture...Gabe (spiderman) just got hit by Marcus (Incrediboy), Andrew (the cowboy) is enthusiastically cracking his whip, Noah (mummy) is readjusting his bandages that did not stay on all afternoon, and the fairies and incredigirl are chatting. So true to life. Love this picture (except marcus hitting gabe, that kid just won't stop, grr....)


We made jack-o-lanterns with oranges and cloves. They smelled so good! A little hard for the kids to do, except the 12 yr old.


Pin the spider on the web.




This is really all he wanted.


Love this picture. It is so cute how Marcus and Tanner and playing around with Marcus' cast.