Daddy's B-day

Birthday dinner at my Mom's house.

1-2-3-Blow!

James looking at Daddy's new book.


Jake enjoying his cake!

Happy Birthday!

Pre-School Xmas Program

James had his first Christmas program at school on Sunday. They have been practicing their songs for over month now, and he is always singing at home. He only sings one song though so I was starting to wonder if he knew the other songs! Well maybe two, Jingle Bells and Go Tell It On the Mountain. It was an hour long program and we were thinking how will all these 3 yr old kids last for an hour. Well they sang a couple songs then there was a story and then they sang a couple more songs. James wasn't very enthusiastic as some of the other kids but he did very well. At least he didn't cry and didn't sit on the floor like some of the other kids! Here is one little video of one song they sang. Those music classes are paying off, I guess he is doing a sound check first!

Here is James with his Best Friend at school Brendan.

Nonni, Papa, Nonna, & Grampy were all there to watch James sing!
A not so great family photo minus Brianna, she was home sick. :(

After the Christmas program we went to get our Christmas tree. It was such a fast experience. We walked right in and the first tree we saw we took home! I took some pictures of the boys but some how they were deleted. James loved the snow trees and before we got our tree he kept asking if we could get one. We kept telling him it would make our house too cold! Although I have never bought a Christmas tree in this 80 degree weather we are having. We went home and decorated and James so so excited. Jake wanted to help as well. That was not a good thing. 4 ornaments were broken this year in the process of decorating! At least they were nothing important or special.

Fishing

James has been asking lately to go fishing. We have no idea where he has heard this or where he got this idea but it has been going on now for a few months. We were at Dick's sporting goods one day and he saw all the kids fishing poles too and now of course wants a Lightning McQueen one. I don't even know if they make one, but I am sure they do! There is this fishing lake right down the street from us. Craig asked me about it and for the 32 years I have lived here I have never heard of anyone going there to fish. Craig talked to my brother and my brother said you can rent fishing poles there. So Craig and James were off to fish! There is a kids pond and it is so cute! They were only there an hour and didn't catch anything. :( James had fun though and it will definitely be something they go do again! Maybe next time they will catch something!

Sweet Sixteen

December first was Brianna's 16th Birthday! Wow, I can't believe it has been 16 YEARS since I had first laid eyes on my little baby. She has grown into a wonderful young lady and I couldn't have asked for anything better! On her actual Birthday we went over to my Mom's house since it was a Wednesday night and we eat at my Mom's on Wednesday, so my Mom got to cook two B-day dinners for her! She had no idea what her present was and couldn't wait to open it. So I let her when she got home from school. In my Dad's family it is a tradition when you turn sixteen that you receive a family ring. Your own ring, not someone else. She didn't remember about it and was surprised!

Craig felt that the present wasn't really from him, so he got her his own present. Went and picked it out all by himself! I was impressed! He went to Tiffany's and got her really cool hoop earrings, she liked them but decided to return them for the ring that went in that same set. She didn't think she would wear the earrings all the time and wanted something she could wear more! This girl got so much jewelry for her B-day I don't think she needs any for a long time! Phew!
Then for the weekend my Mom and I took her and 5 of her friends to Palm Desert for the weekend! Girls Trip!! We stayed at my Uncle's house which was wonderful as always! It was a pretty quick weekend, not getting there until Friday about dinner time. Saturday we went shopping in El Paseo, which is a very nice shopping area. Had lunch at CPK...

Since the shopping was pretty upscale in El Paseo, thank goodness there was a Tiffany's to exchange her earrings, the girls wanted to go to the mall up the block. We didn't get back to the house until 5:30!!! We got back to the house, had dinner, cake, girls went in spa and my Mom & I watched a girls movie. We were exhausted!


Make a wish!

Sunday we did a little more shopping on the way home at the outlet mall! I am totally all shopped out! My body is so tired today!! It was so nice to get away just us girls, it was my first weekend away from the boys! We all survived! Glad you girls had such a fun weekend!

Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a very busy Thanksgiving weekend. It felt like so long ago! We went to Aunt Rochelle's house for a very yummy Turkey dinner. We played with all the cousins!

Jade & James cracking up at something!

Jake, Michael, Jade, & James

Michael & Jake

James loved Uncle Vince today...he wouldn't leave him alone!

The next day we celebrated with Craig's family. I love that we do it one day with my family and one with his. It is so much easier and you don't need to run around all over with kids missing naps and being so cranky. I also love it because Brianna goes to her Dad's house on Thanksgiving and it gives us both a day to have Thanksgiving with her!
We tried to get a group picture of the boys because it has been so long but this was the best one we got!

We tried

and tried

and tried

again!

A good one of Mitch & James

On Saturday James went over to Nonni's house to help her make some dessert for a Birthday party she was having on Sunday. James LOVES my Mom's lemon ricotta muffins and he loves to help her bake! So we bought him a new Lightning McQueen apron! What don't they make...seriously!

Zesting lemons with Nonni


Sunday we went to my Mom's house for a triple B-day dinner! Brianna, and two of my nieces, Alex & Sabrina. We had yummy manicotti and the delicious lemon muffins James made!

Girls

and Sammy

Be The Match Run

Last Saturday was the Be The Match Run for the National Donor Marrow program. I signed up to do the 5k with Nonna. It was so cute they had a 25 yard Tot Trot for kids 3-5 years old so I signed James up!

Here he is with his number on!

The Tot Trot was after the 5k. At first Jams did not want to run it. He was being shy and did not want me to put him down. But after a lot of talking to and once they started counting down to go time he got down and was excited. Here we are about to go!

We ran the whole time! I didn't think it was going to be so long!

At the finish line all the people were lined up and cheering. James loved crossing the finish line! He got a little medal and was so proud!
James, Mommy, & Nonna

Don't Worry Be Happy Shirts were there.
James & I representing DWBHshirts.org

Happy Halloween!

On Halloween we went over to my cousin Vince and Lisa's house for the second year in a row. It is nice since the kids are all around the same age! I brought cupcakes and I thought they came out so cute!

Of course James wanted to be a Lightning McQueen race car driver. And so that is what Jake was as well, since it was an easy costume. Jake wouldn't wear anything on his head so this was perfect for him!
James was SO excited to wear his costume! There was a second part to James' costume. A plush Lightning McQueen car that you wear! He was also SO excited when I showed it to him online. I bid on it on ebay about 5 times and finally won. Once it came he could hardly stand it he was so excited, then he put it on. It was so heavy he only wore it for about a minute! On Halloween I asked him if he was going to wear his car and he said, " No, I want it to stay in the closet." :(

James LOVED handing out candy. I think he would have been happy doing that all night! They have SO many trick-or-treaters the door never shuts!! He was so funny talking to all the kids saying Happy Halloween. Looking at all their costumes and commenting. telling kids "good job" and "good costume"!

Cousins
Ian, Jade, James, Jake, and Michael

James and two of our CARS pumpkins

At first Jake did not want to get down, he was quite nervous.

But soon enough he was walking up all by himself saying trick-or-treat. Although he thought he was supposed to go into everyone's house!! Isn't that what you do when you walk up to someone's door??

Daddy & boys trick-or-treating

Robyn & Ian

Michael

Jade & Vince

If you are wondering where Brianna is in these pictures, she still goes out trick-or-treating. She just goes with her friends now!
Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!!