Boat Parade

I am glad to say that we are keeping up the tradition of the boat parade! Again this year it was just our little family, but it was nice. This is the second year in a row it has been just us. And it was nice, going on a Thursday when it is not crowded at all. Plus it was Craig's Birthday! Great way to celebrate!
Jake in his cute little coat & hat!

While we were waiting for our food Jake loved going to look at these lights at the dog bakery(that is why there are paw prints), jumping off the stairs, and running back and forth.

Jake is like a dog, carrying his blankie around in his mouth...this is his new thing.

We go down to our favorite little Mexican restaurant on the island, (I think the only one), order some food and sit and eat on the bench. Nice, easy, and quick!

Kids watching the boats

This is the first time we have seen this boat! Christmas story...Great idea! Our fav!

Another one of the best boats we saw! James' fav...Charlie Brown!

Ooh look at that one!

Since my Dad's passing we went to another part of the island to watch the parade. But this year we went back down to the canal by his house and it was perfect, not crowded and the boys could run around the dead end of the alley.


Craig with our traditional Starbucks. Doesn't Jake look like a ghost here, weird photo.


After the parade James' wanted a frozen banana but ended up with frozen yogurt! Brrr!

Once again a great night at the boat parade!

X-mas Baking

Making Cookies with Nonni, James couldn't control himself, must have been some good dough!

Look at that look!

Not rolling cookies, just eating the dough!

As soon as Christmas season was here James spotted a Gingerbread Train and remembered we had one last year! So we had to get the train again this year! He ate much less candy in the process this year. I was surprised since he ate SO much dough making cookies!

Jake ate the front part of the train...oh well, at least it wasn't an important part of the train. You couldn't tell the difference!

Eating-Decorating-Eating-Decorating

All done!

Making sugar cookies. It was a little difficult this year since Jake wanted to help as well, but he is still a little too young. He kept putting his fingers in the cookies and ruining them! We had to do many of them over!

James' favorite part...sprinkles!

They all turned out very yummy!

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