Emma: 7 year old at large

Emma turns 7 today!

Emma at 7:

Is obsessed with fashion

Loves her friends

Loves to cook

Has been keeping her room cleaner than it has ever been for the longest period of time lately?!

Enjoys drawing and reading

Never lets anyone in the family leave the house "without huggies or kissies"

Entering Two-dom

Kate and Addison turned 2 on Sunday!

I haven't had their two year old pictures taken yet.  We've had a lovely sickness going around the house the last few weeks.  Oops, I just remembered as I am writing this that they probably need to go in for a two year old appointment.  Hm, better call the doctor tomorrow!

Kate at 2: 

Loves Dora

Loves to sing and dance

Will spontaneously make up songs that are mostly babble

Has crazy curly hair

Loves shoes, jackets with hoods and zip up footed pjs

Says "yup" and "o-tay" in a cute voice (and a ton of other words/sentences)

Addison at 2:

Loves Dora

Also loves, shoes, jackets with hoods and zip up footed pjs

Loves sunglasses and princess crowns

Will always cuddle with me and is my little shadow (which is easier to deal with when you don't have a brand new baby to deal with as I did at this age with all my other children)

Always enjoys having her hair done

Will eat almost anything and is my least picky child

Says "I love you" which sounds like "Ah wubba uuuu"

Kate and Addison's Knock Knock Joke (they switch parts)

K/A: Knock Knock

K/A: There?

K/A: Daddy!

K/A: Daddy Who?

K/A: Daddy Showa! (shower)

Then they both laugh histerically

Happy Birthday Girlies!

Little Sickies

It's going to be hard to break this habit...

Blankies, favorite pjs, sippy cups of milk on the couch and Dora/Diego.

But I know how they feel because I have the same cold and I have no children's Dayquil (if they even make that).  Nathan actually woke up this morning, cried, went pee, drank milk and then climbed back in bed.  The girls are green and crusty and their mommy is hacking all day. 

So right now I have cinnamon rolls in the oven and have planned to make banana bread and loads of it.  My kids will eat banana bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Which is a good thing, as I haven't planned out the menu for this week:)  Feed a cold, right?

CordeValle

Ever since Ben was hired as a law clerk, I have been waiting for the annual work weekend Christmas party!  The party has always been described as Legend----wait for it---dary(for all those How I Met Your Mother fans).  The party was held at CordeValle Resort and Country Club in San Martin.

This is the golf course Ben and I ran around before the Friday night dinner.  Yes, I ran.  I've been trying to be a better runner as I am still scarred from the days of high school P.E.  

The road leading to our room.

 Our room.  I wish I could have photographed exactly how beautiful it was.  We had a fireplace, dish network on a giant flat screen t.v., a sitting area, walk in closet, and...

 a jetted in room tub!  

Now, those higher in seniority had their own hot tub with a view, but this was just fine for me.  But, a small tip: do not use shower gel for bubbles and then turn on the jets...

 The gift basket waiting for us in the room from the host partner at the firm.  We gave away the wine, but ate the yummy toffee. 

This is the winery we had the first dinner at.  The food was so good, but the best part was the creme brule!  And you could take as many as you wanted:)  So I ate two!

 Ben trying on the center pieces

 Ben was up early and ran up to the highest hill/mountain, whatever you call it.  You can barely see our resort down below in the background

 Here's his new friend he met on the run.

I slept in the comfy bed, which we learned we were the first to sleep on as the hotel had just replaced them all.  The room we stayed in was a bungalow.  There were four rooms like ours in one building, all adjoined by a common area with a living room and a kitchen and bathroom.  Each of us had a private patio and the common one.  Our common area was the Party Room for after the dinners.  

Saturday morning we got up, started driving and ended up in Monterey for lunch.

 We ate lunch ate Bubba Gumps, walked around and enjoyed the warm weather. 

I was able to read two books while there.  It was so relaxing just to sit in bed and do nothing.  Dinner was never until 8, so we always had the entire day to just relax. 

 Saturday night formal dinner party. 

The tables

Ben giving his "new to the firm" speech.  He did a great job (as always!)

The beginning of the end...
The White Elephant game turned into trying on Snuggies and shooting Nerf and marshmallow guns.
Then the party moved to the Party room and well, let's just say there is NOTHING funnier than intoxicated attorneys. Especially when you don't have a sniff of alcohol in your system like Ben and I.  We had a great time and ended up hanging out until 1 a.m.

Tiffany (the newest new lawyer), Ben and I.  Many of these pictures are courtesy of her!

Playing Around

IPhoto allows you to do some effects with pictures.  I was changing around this one of the girls and liked it.

Yikes! It's December...

This year went so quickly, as all of them really do for me anyway.  The only slow part of this year was between March and May waiting for bar results.  Everything else flew by.  This is a mixed post of what has been going on lately.

Life in Twin World

 Ben took this picture.  They were mad about something and both ran to the couch and cried their eyes out in the same position.  They have been doing random twin-ny things in unison lately.

 Kate showing her tears

Why are you taking my picture, Dad? I am mad at you!

Our Christmas stockings, hung with care. 

One of the holders broke so I need to track a new one down at a dollar store.  

 Emma dressed up in her princess play dress to decorate the tree. 

 Little Vanna

 Nathan! I think his name should always be written with an exclamation mark. Funny Nathan story: When meeting with our Bishop, he was going through his list and reading the kids names off.  When he got to Nathan, he said something like "Nathan McDonough? right?" Nathan immediately side "I Nathan McDonough ORAM!"   You've never heard McDonough sound so cute than from a little 3 year old.  The rest of the time, the Bishop called him by his full name every time. 

 B putting on the lights.  It is his one and only decorating duty.  I would hate to put together the tree and put the lights on, and he just isn't a hang an ornament kind of guy.

 Decorating

 Emma putting our ghetto star on the tree.  Seriously, one day I will break down and buy a nice topper but I can never bring myself to pay for one since all the ones I like are pricey.

This was our attempt at all sitting together...um, maybe next year

We also had hot chocolate, made with whole milk--so good, and super bad for you.  Especially when you add whip cream and marshmallows!

Emma's early bday present from Nana.  Her class dresses up to go to the The-a-taw (said with an English accent), otherwise known as the B Street Theatre.  If they made this dress in my size, I would probably wear it.  

 Nathan's new way to entertain himself.  He was watching Dora the Explorer and Diego and decided to make a fort.  Forgive the no pants and just underwear, the kid poops 20 times as soon as it hits 1 p.m. so it's easier for him to run to the bathroom.  I choose not to comment on his poop potty training, or lack of ability.  Let's just say, he won't go to Kindergarten half pooping in his pants.  This will pass and someday I will laugh (maybe...)

Almost forgot!

Living in the "country" as we do, there are animal that cross your path on the back woods route home.  This poor guy is now deceased and bent our car antennae on his way to death.  How? I have no idea, but there was a thump, bang and away he went...

We seriously ran over a PEACOCK!  I made Ben check all around the car before we got out at home.  I didn't want any crazy bird guts all over for us to see.  

RIP MR. P. Cock