Happy Halloween

This year the kids really seem to "get it!"  We carved a pumpkin last night for the first time.  We had gotten pumpkins other years, but didn't carve them...  

School had lots of activities that were fun - cookie decorating, pumpkin decorating, and a parade... but the most fun was the informal following around of the kid in Joseph's class, Andre, who wore a Mr. Incredible costume.  Poor Andre...

We visited Daddy at work too.

Trick or Treating was fun because we got to meet many of our neighbors..  well, the kids liked the candy better.  They didn't try to go into people's houses this year.  They got a big kick out of it if there were pets at the houses though, and they didn't want to stop trick or treating - "one more house!"  Oh, Anthony is pretty scared of moving, talking skeletons, but Joseph thinks they're cool.  :)

More than a week! ack, update...

Sorry I haven't updated... don't know what's wrong with me.. well, could be that I'm trying at a snails pace to get this place in better order...

Anyway, we finally did the beach thing last weekend with swimsuits and sand toys and all.  I was worried about the coldness of the water - it was only low 70s.  Joseph said "Don't worry Mom, you'll get used to it!"  Ha, he's becoming Californian..  It felt like the Brita water from the fridge, but the boys still got in up to their waist, occasionally falling down and getting the upper half wet.  Good times were had by all...

No pictures because I was afraid to bring my camera - don't want to break another one.  Brian said - "but that's why we got the cheap one!"  maybe next time.

Sunday we signed them up for Karate - check this out...  then went to Aunt Shirley's and had fun with her, Aunt Kristen, Becca (12) and Laina (15)....

Tuesday Brian took the boys to Disney by himself (a day off work after a busy week - dinner meetings- last week).  He is BRAVE!  Haha, apparently they had a ball- they were gone 12 hours!  I putzed around here mostly, reading and working, and enjoying quiet time.

Today we have someone coming to fix the ice maker- weird that I have missed ice!  Also, a Halloween party with one of the kids from school tomorrow.  Hope everyone out there has a good TGIF!

Disney, pumpkin patch.

This is somewhat out of order, but other than the "head stuck" situation, we have a good week.  Sunday we got season's passes to Disneyland so we went to check out their Halloween decorations and just have a little fun.  For our future visitors, Disney will be a promo next year- if you register on their website you can get in for free on your birthday (either world or land, but do land and come out to see us!)  Keep that in mind when you are doing your travel planning.  :)

The boys and I also had fun at a "pumpkin patch" where we met some new friends from meetup.com.  It was different in that it was a long parking lot fenced in and covered with hay, but obviously the boys had a great time - there was a petting zoo, the pony rides, scarecrows, and pumkins.  That's all we need!

I didn't post a pic - but we had Aunt Shirley and Uncle Kenny out here on Saturday.  It was nice to have people even though the place isn't "done" by my standard or anyone's really.  :)  Hope to see them (and more of the Riverside crew) again next weekend!

Call the fire department!

No pictures of this one!  Today I brought the kids home from preschool with McDonalds.  Anthony was getting in and out of his chair and he tried to get into it through the back but got his head stuck.  ACK!  I just looked at him and knew this was going to be bad.  He was relatively patient while I tried to take the squeeze his head out using Pam and butter.  Didn't seem to mind too much while I used allen wrenched to try to take the chair apart.  After about 20 minutes more of that (and furtive calls to my dad and Brian) we called what I thought was the non-emergency fire department number.  (Anthony was a bit upset by then.  ) I got off the phone with the operator (very nice lady, sending fire department paramedics) and moments later I found the 2 remaining screws in the chair and took it apart.  I called to cancel my emergency, but they were out of the truck walking up our walkway already.  The boys were excited to see the 4 young paramedics and Daddy right behind them.  I hope they noticed the butter and Pam on Anthony's head as he tried to shoot them with Buzz Lightyear's Astroblaster.  :/

More like home -little by little

The boys still love their new home, but the progress has been slow.  Joseph made me realize we weren't going out to do fun stuff as much, but we did go to the aquarium today - in Long Beach.  We met a couple of other mommies there and it was a lot of fun.  :)  We've also been going down to the beach in the evening a few times - that has been fun and relaxing also.  

The cable company is supposed to be coming today to bring a landline, so that will be nice (to have a local number and also nice for the cell phone bill!)  Once we have that I'll send out cards with all our new info for you.  Let me know if you don't get one in the next week or so!

:) Laura

5 days, long days...

We are in, mostly, sort of!  Monica (Brian's mom) and Brian kicked butt unpacking Friday and Saturday...  then left Sunday.  The boys and I miss them a lot, but there is lots to do around here!  Lots of packing and organizing...  did I say "settled by Halloween?"  It looks more like Christmas at this point.  :)  The boys loved the boxes, love the toys they haven't seen in 3 months even more!

Highlights: The boys and I walked down to the beach Monday night and walked along "the Strand" for about 6 blocks, then had dinner right on the Strand and watched the sun go down as we played in the sand.  As we were coming down the hill to the beach, Joseph said, "Is that the Bahamas?"  No, it's our neighborhood!!!

We took Grandma to Chuck E Cheese.  That was fun - there were no other kids there on Wednesday for lunch.  :)

I have cable and internet after 5 days.  Wahoo!  Landline coming soon...

Oh, and I got a new (very cheap) digital camera.  More pics to come...