Thanksgiving and The Tree of All Trees

We had a very nice Thanksgiving this year.  Somehow we lucked out and became a hub, and two of Todd's sisters and their families came to us.  We loved it!

I made cranberry sauce from scratch and must say it was sooooo much better than the canned stuff (that nobody really eats).  And it was easy.  Dissolve one cup of sugar in one cup of orange juice, then add 12 ounces of fresh cranberries and stir on medium for 10-12 minutes.  Chill and serve.  Voila!  I was spreading this stuff on my rolls, it was so good!

Erika and Steve came down from Oakland and were gracious enough to hang out with the kids during dinner.

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Missy and Burke and their four girls drove out from Utah and stayed with us for the weekend.  We loved it!

Missy was disappointed that we didn't go Black Friday shopping the next morning, but we had a bigger fish to fry.  Tree hunting!  Todd has been talking for the past 12 months about this year's tree.  We've got vaulted ceilings and he wanted to use up every single inch of space possible.  I agreed, based on an understanding that the tree could be as tall as he wanted, but couldn't be so wide that it took up half our living room.  We went to the Four Winds tree farm with three measurements in mind: height (at least 14 feet), width from trunk to outer branches, and width of the trunk itself (to ensure it fit in our tree stand).

I am thrilled to report that we were most successful!  Our tree is amazing.  Final stats: 13'2", and it scratched the ceiling on the way up.  Todd had to stand on his toes on the top of a ladder to put lights and ornaments on the top portion.  It is the tree of all trees.

My kids loved having "the cousins" over to play.  I actually got lonely for Hazel.  She's usually my constant shadow, but while Missy's girls were here, I barely heard from her.  She loved constantly having a playmate and can't wait to see them again.  

movie night

Saturday we went to Half Moon Bay for some beach time.  We played in the sand for a while, and then headed over to the tide pools at low tide.  It was hands-down the warmest, sunniest day I've ever experienced at HMB.  It was perfect!

Hazel loved sticking her fingers in the sea anemone and feeling it suck on her.  

Jacko found a starfish.

We had fun staying up late with Missy and Burke every night, playing games and talking.  Burke challenged Todd to try to break an egg by pushing only on the ends.  Who knew eggs were actually terrifically strong?  Try it!

Camping at Big Basin

We went camping again last weekend.  This time we stayed in a little cabin with a wood-burning stove at Big Basin.  There were pros and cons to the cabin.

Pro: We had a table to eat at in the warmth and beds to sleep on.  Also, the cabin made it possible for us to give Jack a real nap.
Con: The "mattress" sank down to nothing and it felt like sleeping on a wooden board. 

 Pro:We didn't have to take our shoes off to come in or out.
Con: Jack easily figured out the latch on the door and was in and out all the time, instead of being bound to where we wanted him like with a tent.  Also, two or three times he left the cabin while we were inside it and latched it from the outside, trapping us in.  Thankfully, Todd quickly figured out how to wiggle it free.

 Pro: We had somewhere warm to hang out when it got too chilly outside, especially at breakfast time.
Con: There was a serious learning curve to discover how to keep the cabin at a moderate temperature throughout the night.  Our first night we were either sweating or shivering almost the whole time.  The second night was quite pleasant.  

The kids climbed everything they could see.  Or rather, Hazel climbed everything and Jack tried to follow her and whined when he couldn't.

 We brought the kids' bikes and they spent most of their time riding the campsite loop again and again. Jack face-planted it our last morning and ended up with a sad goose egg. 

 Todd took Hazel to town to buy more firewood during Jack's nap and she fell asleep in the car.  After her nap, she snuggled with me for a while.  I loved it! 

 

Jack got really, really dirty.  

 We still found ample opportunity for make-believe.  Peter, Smee and Captain Hook had an epic sword fight. 

 We went on a guided night hike and learned about local nocturnal animals.  Hazel stood about two feet away from the guide and drank up every word about bats, raccoons, skunks, owls and mountain lions.  It was a huge hit for her. 

She's holding a rubber bat.  The guide had plenty of visual aids and let Hazel touch everything.

 The boys spent plenty of time by the fire.  Todd cooked every meal and I mostly corralled Jack away from danger and rested my huge self whenever I could. 

 

Todd's dad said Todd was either brave or crazy to camp with two little ones and a pregnant wife.   It was both, I think.  Definitely our last run for the year, but it was worth it.  Jack was an animal and we sure wished he was a year older and less of a danger to himself.  But Hazel was just right, loved every second of it, and I feel like she became closer to both me and Todd, and that makes it worth it all. 

Fall Kickoff

 There's a new crispness in the air.  A few trees have leaves which have begun to change color.  We're wearing jackets in the morning and evening.  Fall is coming, hooray!

Hazel's preschool class has begun.  I'm doing a co-op with a couple of close friends.  Teaching just three kids is super easy, and these kids gel so well together.  It's been a blast so far.  I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed prepping my lessons for class.  Last year Hazel's co-op was mostly a playgroup, and the other moms and I in this group have made a big effort to structure it like an actual preschool class.  It made it so much more satisfying to host.  I am really happy about how it's turning out. 

Jack's attending a toddler gym class on Mondays when I never teach.  He loves it! 

 Every two weeks we've got a field trip scheduled since we don't have a fourth to teach and want to keep our rotation smooth.  For our first outing, we took a nature walk and made fall wreaths.  Hazel took a surprising amount of pride in her project.  She was quite selective about what items would make the cut and go in her collection bag, and she loved choosing where to place each piece on the wreath.  She is bursting with pride that I hung it on our front door. 

 Today we went apple picking at an orchard in Watsonville.  We're making pie after church tomorrow!  Hazel loved chomping on our picks and lounging in the wheelbarrow.

Jack did not want to ride in the wheelbarrow.  He trundled along at the rear, nibbling on apples and drawing in the dirt.  He was super content.  I think he could have stayed there all day long.

 

After picking all we wanted, we hung out in the picnic area, eating lunch and playing.  Hazel went crazy climbing on and jumping off of some hay bales while Jack pushed a toy cart all over Tarnation. 

 When we got home, we took the training wheels off of Hazel's bike.  Poor Todd had a rough time hobbling along next to her with his gimpy foot, but he was a man about it.

Last item of news for the day: we converted Jack's crib into a toddler bed.  Not sure if that was a splendid idea or not, but we felt so guilty seeing him with his legs sticking out of the bars night after night.  He always climbs into Hazel's bed first and lays down there while I sing to him.  He wants a big bed so bad.

 It took about three seconds for us to realize we were going to have to put a child lock on the doorknob, though.  He was out and squealing with joy the moment I left the room, headed straight for the door to break out.  Hazel gave up after ten or fifteen minutes and lay down on our bed so she didn't have to referee the J-bird.  Thankfully, he settled down pretty quickly once he didn't have an audience.  We'll see how it goes tomorrow. . .  I'm betting he doesn't take a nap for a few days. 

Camping at Portola Redwoods

 We took the kids camping this weekend and lived to tell the tale.  I figured the kids would love it, but was surprised by how much I enjoyed it as well.  I was getting hit with all sorts of nostalgia from my childhood.  It was great to be unplugged from the world and truly together as a family unit. 

There were a few unexpected bumps, like not thinking to bring a spatula to cook our scrambled eggs with, and failing to realize Jack wouldn't eat a single bite of healthy food without being strapped into his booster seat. 

And we had no clue just how close an eye we'd have to keep an eye on Jack every. second. we. were. there to keep him nearby and away from the fire.  Jacko made me a pretty useless assistant to Todd.  Combine that with the handful of times I couldn't remember where I'd put something, and I totally called Todd out and said I bet he wished I was a man right about then. 

The kids were stoked that I bought them camping chairs their size. 

Even cooler were the "tree hollows" all over the camp grounds, including a pretty sweet one right in our campsite that was deemed "The Cave." 

 Like I stated before, Jack was completely obsessed with the fire.  Give this kid a fire, a stick, and a patch of mud, and he's happy as a clam.  What a boy! 

 Hazel's going through this phase (I hope it's just a phase!) where she won't eat hot dogs.  So we made tin foil dinners instead.  They were bueno.  The best part is that Todd assembled them at home before we left, so they were ready to go as soon as the coals were hot. 

Jack's very first s'more.  It was a hit.  And yet, he didn't seem to notice when we demoted him to plain graham crackers after his first one.  Perhaps he was too ravenous after boycotting his dinner...

We only stayed one night.  My pregnant body could have used some more padding on the ground, and Jack could have used a couple more layers since he was in a pack-and-play instead of a sleeping bag, but all told, it wasn't a bad night.  Maybe we'll go for two nights next time. 

Spring Fling

 Spring is in full swing and I'm loving it.  It is fantastic to be able to take the kids outside multiple times a day, no worrying about jackets or even socks.  We've been having such a blast.  When we're not playing at one of the handful of parks within walking distance, you can usually find us near our garage playing on the streets in our complex.  Hazel and Jack have spent hours already riding bikes, drawing with sidewalk chalk, chasing bubbles, and playing our usual make-believe plot (bad guy captures good guy) with the sand toy dinosaurs.

 

 Last week the kids went crazy for water painting (water in a sand bucket with big paint brushes).

We bought a membership to Happy Hollow (a local amusement park for the 2-5 year olds) and have been going a lot.  One time I did a swap with my friend Natalie.  She watched Jack at her house and I took her son Jefferson with us.  It was a blast!  The kids were in heaven.  It was so much easier having two kids the same age to entertain each other.  We dressed them in matching clothes quite accidentally and everyone thought I was trucking around twins.  

 Jefferson didn't want to go on the roller coaster, so Hazel went on her own again while I stayed with him.  She had to stand reeeeaaaal straight to show the ride worker she was tall enough.  She just reaches the 40" mark.  I was pretty surprised when she chose the front row, but I shouldn't have been.  She was up for the challenge.  Arms up, huge grin, and theatrical screams throughout the entire ride.  The roller coaster is Hazel's favorite part of Happy Hollow. 

 Around the house, the J-bird is developing more personality every day.  He's a total jokester - he loves making me laugh.

Such style, right? 

 He's figured out how to throw some pretty massive tantrums as well.  Not sure where he picked that up.  Surely not from his older sister...

He's figured out how to hum the next line of "Slippery Fish."  Before he could do just the first three notes:

Slippery fish, slippery fish

But now he's added:

Swimming in the water.  

He adores the dustbuster and will push it all over the house until the battery runs down. 

 He's figured out there's a whole new level of exploration if he just stands on something.  The child chairs and bathroom step stool have become his new favorite tools for mischief. 

 And we are spending more and more time in the halls during church.  Last Sunday I stood in the hall trying desperately to still hear the Relief Society lesson while Jack had a party at the water fountains.  Two more months til he's officially in nursery.  We will probably be in there a lot before then.