Thanksgiving & Wyatt's 5th

We were lucky enough to celebrate Thanksgiving at our new home this year.  The weather was perfect, the food delicious, and the company the best.

The boys, Cooper, Wyatt, and Luke rolling in the sand at the beach.

The setting and the relaxing after setting up the tables.

James, Papa Terry, Nana, Tyler, Kim, Me, Wyatt, Cooper, Luke, Kevin(taking the pictures), and cousins Jon, Paige, and Hailey all came for the big feast.

The funeral potatoes almost got left out this year, but thanks to Nana for making sure Tyler, and Kevin got their favorite.

Luke ate too much.

A little late night gingerbread house making.

We talked Kim into coming out front right before they left for home and taking an impromptu family photo to use for holiday cards this year.

The boys at a visit to the Sea Life Aquarium.

One Saturday we went to the San Diego Safari Park, this is typical Wyatt lately, what a goof.

Hanging at Fish 101 with these two nuts.

What am I to do with him?  Sometimes he will take a nap at an appropriate hour, about twice a week, the other days he usually falls asleep on the couch while I'm cooking dinner around 4:30.

Time to set up the Christmas tree, our first real tree of our marriage!

Let's put on the decorations.

...And time to hang up the lights.

 It was really rainy for a few days in a row, Wyatt loved it, he wanted to go outside and find snails, slugs, and worms.

To celebrate Wyatt's birthday, I took them to Disneyland, they were able to meet "the real Santa" and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.  Luke requested a choo choo train, and Wyatt wanted a robot and his very own nativity, but only if it had a baby Jesus and an angel.

Sporting his birthday button at Disneyland.

Attempting to take a selfie photo in front of the Disney Christmas tree.

This little guy is mostly potty trained.  The first day was a real mess, literally, there was lots of screaming and nos, by the second day he realized I wasn't giving in, so he was tolerable, there were a few accidents, but not too bad, by the third he was really good with number one, we are continuing to work on number twos.

He chose the giant number five balloon for his birthday party at the house.

While Wyatt was at preschool one day, Luke and I were able to go have some fun snow time at Legoland.

The temple has some choirs from around the county during the holiday season, last Monday we went to hear them sing and check out the lights.

Wyatt gets trading pins for his birthday, as you can see, he is more than thrilled.  He is quite the collector.

Magic rocks from Nana, he also loves his little science projects.

A fly swatting game from Nana too.

Cars puzzles from his cousins.

And of course a chocolate cupcake.

We had a few friends over for a little birthday party for him on Saturday, he requested a pinata, so we complied.  It was simple and fun, the best kind of parties.

It's Fall Finally

And with the summer heat finally gone, this past couple of weeks it has really began to feel like fall.  Even though we don't get too many leaves changing around here, there is a crispness to the morning and evening air.  I also love the early morning fog that rolls in and settles in the La Costa valley, it makes getting up early a little easier.

A view from our deck.

The guest/boys bathroom makeover, finally let there be light...and a picture shelf.

Ignore the missing cabinet, that will soon be repaired, but just bask in the beauty of the subway tile and grey tile floor, also when Tyler was here he installed the mirrors and lights, ya for a functioning beautiful bathroom.

Front fall decor, right before I replaced some of the plants with poinsettias, I know it's a little early, but I couldn't resist they are so beautiful.

Thanksgiving/Christmas mash-up.

I've been doing a lot of work around the house, mostly painting and making small updates I can do on my own with supplies I have lying around.  This is an update of the downstairs guest room. Before...

Before...

After.  I added a reclaimed wood chair rail with some of the wood we got from tearing down our side fencing.  I thought it would be much easier than it was, but it turned out to be tricky because that wood was so dang warped!  I also framed some old San Diego magazine pictures in white frames that Mimi gave us from when her family was stationed here in the 1950s.

I made the drapes from shower curtains just by sewing on some extra muslin fabric I had lying around.  

This enormous post that held up an even more enormous wisteria plant finally got removed, it opens the back deck up so much more.  Kevin also added a slide and cargo net here where the post used to be.

The boys in their Sunday best.  Handsome fellas.

Luke at his first movie theater experience, he loved every minute of it.  The Book of Life.

Hum I wonder where he gets this from, nice phone Luke, its really Kev's computer mouse.

Wyatt learning all about make-up.

Exploring SeaWorld with some friends.

Let's check the map guys.

I was so thankful Kevin let me use some of his air miles and I took a quick weekend trip up to Salt Lake to see my cousins new twin boys.  My mom and Kim met me there and it turned out to be a great little getaway.

Strolling around the temple grounds.

We squeezed in a trip to Disneyland with some friends too.

They love to pose with characters and random statues, "Mom look there's a good spot for a cool picture."

To get ready for Halloween this year we decided to paint pumpkins instead of carve them, much easier.

A night trip to Legoland for some trick or treating.

Wyatt randomly wanted to dress as a knight so he pulled out this tunic he made a couple of years ago in preschool, he's awesome.  Luke just wanted a pirate headband from the dress-up bag.

Ready for trunk or treat at the ward Halloween party.

The Kelvingtons came to visit Halloween day and were able to stay for a long weekend.  The kids played well together and we had a lot of fun.

Luke and Reese love each other.

We took them to the speed track for go-carts, Andy came in first, just by a second, then Jamie, and Kevin was well behind.

The kids watching a cartoon before bedtime, while Kevin photo bombs us.

Hanging out at a street fair with their balloons.

Follow the leader.

"Make me a bicycle clown!"

Time for trick or treating around the neighborhood.

The Frozen squad.

A friend of mine passed away so the boys and I went to the funeral in St. George, it was fun for them to hang out with their cousins and play in a creek near the park.

Hiking with Papa in Snow Canyon.

Playing with Cooper and Nana at the farm.

Park time with Nana.

Wyatt riding Nana's spiderman bike through a muddy storm drain, sounds like a little boys dream.

And of course there was some beach time.