Haley's Birthday Christmas

So we did an early Christmas for Haley's birthday and here are the pics. I know it is pretty early still, but the next time Chris can come out is when we are leaving for Utah. We are leaving for Utah the weekend before Chirstmas and going to stay till New Years Day. We are so excited to see everyone, and see some snow too. We made birthday fudge and gingerbread cookies. The kids got rock band, and we all had a blast playing.

I just ordered my christmas cards and I will send one out to you guys if you want to e-mail me your address. I am also going to post my address as well for those of you who don't have it. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and I hope to see some of you soon.

scobybooo@aol.com

13836 Crewe st.
Whittier, CA.
90605

Daddy is home!

Here are the pictures from picking up Chris from the boat and hanging out in san diego. We also pulled out the tree and decorated it. Haley has been dying for us to do that for 2 years. With dady coming home and us all being together, we couldn't say no, even though we had no where to put it in this tiny house. So we put it in my room. It actaully looks pretty good in there. My room is probably the same size as the living room, so it worked pretty good. We even took a christmas card picture in front of it. So if everyone gives me their address, I will make sure and send you one. I also took a couple of videos that I am going to try and post. One is of us going through the tank of shark and the other is greg doing his peguine walk. We are so happy to have Chris home and had a great time. Hope everyone else had a great holiday too.

Fires and Ash

Not sure if everyone heard about all the fires that we are having here. I just wanted to tell everyone not to worry, and that we are fine. The fires are not way far away from us, but far enough away that we don't have to worry. Course with the wind, you never know what is going to happen. One of the fires is right by my sister in Chino hills. She is fine and has not been evacuated, so far. The fire burned the canyon that we always drive through to get to her house and she can see the fire from her house. I wanted to show you a picture of how thick the sky is with all the smoke. The air really smells like smoke too. The sun is also so red, which is kind of hard to tell from the picture. The ash is falling down like snow and covering everything. So we have been tapped inside for now.

Cooking/ Indian Home Diorama

Haley wanted to take some pictures of us cooking, so here they are. The kids are all pretty good cooks, and they can pretty much do it all by themselves.

Haley and John are both in the gate program at school and so they get extra work and projects to do. Haley had to do a diorama on Indian homes. Took us two days to do, but I think it came out pretty good. Painting and glueing on all the popsicle sticks took foooorevvvver! It is kind of like a lob cabin with a totum pole on the side. The side is off the house so you can see inside. There is a rock fire place with a family sitting around it, and some beds in the corner. The house is in the forest, so there is a lot of trees.

STAR FOR THE DAY- Writers of the Month/ Haley's Girl's Night Out

Haley and John got to be stars today, when they won writers of the month at school. They got to get an award and trophy from their principal, and each got a present from mom and dad, for being such good writers. Were so proud of you guys, keep up the good work.

We also had a girl's night out for Haley's Birthday today. Her birthday isn't until Dec. 16th, but Haley really wanted to go to High School Musical 3, so we wanted to go to it while it was still in theaters. Haley Aunt and Cousin came along, cast (becca broke her arm the day before halloween) and all. We went to Haley and I favorite resteraunt, Souplantation, and the we got to go the High School Muscial 3Sing a Long version. We had such a good time. It was so much fun to hang out with just the girls. Just a little side note about where we went to souplantation, in case anyone is interested. Turns out that the soup plantation was in the same parking lot that back to future was filmed in. Haley didn't know what that was, but we are going to watch it tomorrow, Because I think it is a pretty awesome movie. Not sure if anyone remembers that movie, and the Huey lewis and the News song "back in time". I put it up on the song list, in case anyone feels like a flashback. Kids always have a way of making you feel old, but I try and expose the kids to things that they think is "old" anyway.

Trunk or Treating

I hope everyone had a good Halloween. Our Halloween turned out to be different then we had planned it to be, but was good. We had planned to go to my sisters, but my niece broke her arm, so we needed to change our plans at the last minute. The kids were disappointed at first, but were pretty good sports about the whole thing. We went to the church trunk or treat. We had never been to the tunk or treat before, and what a great idea it was. All the cars park in the parking lot and the kids trick or treat right from the cars (trunks). It was safe enought that the kids could be on their own and walk around, which was nice. We had a good time and the kids got tons of candy. Then we came back and watched a scary movie.

Haley and John have know what they wanted to for halloween for months, but Ben and Greg were constantly changing their mind. They decided to be super heros together, which turned into a night of super heros poses and play fighting. Haley was a pioneer, as well as her anne doll, that she dressed up. She wore her pioneer costume from her trail blazer play she was in last year. John was a pirate, which really looked good, since he was been growing his hair out. He originally was going to grow his hair out over the summer, and then we decided until his dad came come. Now he has decided to grow it all out the same length to the bottom of his chin. I did take him to get it cut yesterday so that it was a little less out of control. Trim it up a bit. I think it is funny, that Haley, my girl, spends hardley any time on her hair and won't let me do anything with it, but my boy spends 20 minutes on it everyday , and wants to grow his out. He loves to get his hair styled and cut. Too funny.

Chris's Pic's from the boat-News of homecoming

Here are some pics that Chirs has sent me from the boat, that I thought I would share with everyone. He is on his way home, and should be coming home right around Turkey Day.

All about trains...runs in the family

Ben and Jared holding Ben and Bill the trains, and showing off their love of trains together.

Here is a pic of Ben wearing his conductor costume at age 4. We took him to The Day out with Thomas for his birthday, where he actaully got to ride on thomas. Here is Greg, also wearing the same conductor costume, also at age 4.

I was looking through a box of clothes in the garage and found Ben's old train conductor costume from when he was 4. Greg was extremely excited, and knew just what he wanted to be for halloween. Just like Ben, Greg has really been into trains since he was one years old. So I took a picture of Greg in the conductor costume and then put it next to the picture of his brother at that same age. Greg was so excited to be just like his big brother. Then I remebered when Melyssa and her family came to California and came and stayed with us, and how much Jared also loved trains. So I also pulled up that picture for greg to see. I told him that his cousin Maddux also really loves trains, just like he does. I guess the love of trains, just runs in the family.

John turns 9- Birthday adventures with Grandpa

John turned 9 last week, and I posted some pics of his home party. We are going to take him bowling for his birthday the weekend of Halloween. That child loves to bowl. He got his DS this year, which was the present he really wanted. Grandma took him to universal studios, and Grandpa is going to take him to disneyland the next time he comes to visit. When Grandpa came he took John and I out to eat for our birthdays. I have lived in California, on and off, for most of my life, and I am ashamed to admit, that I have never tried sushi. That was the big thing I wanted to have for my birthday. John wanted steak, which is one of his favorites.

Turning 31- Birthday Slide Show

Halloween game- Try it, it's feastive.

Scary Prank Toys & MySpace Layouts at pYzam.com

Julie's- what I love about fall challenge

Ok, so it doesn't get that cold here in california. The leaves do change, but it is a slow process that takes forever, and hasn't even close to started yet. I love the look of the changing leaves, but since that is not what is available right now, here are some pics of what California does look like right now. I took these pics when my Mom and I were walking around downtown LA. We have the palm trees, oh course. I love these orange flower that look like birds. I also really love these trees with all the pretty flowers on them.

I think our most favorite thing about fall, besides the leaves changing, is making stuff with pumpkin. Pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes. Oh, and pumpkin cheese cake. I think our favorite is chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 1/3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2Tb pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1-1 lb can of plain pumpkin
2 sticks of butter, melted
12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini muffin pans or use liners. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, spices, soda, powder, and salt. In another bowl mix eggs, pumpkin and butter. Whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour mixture over the dry ingredients and blend until moistened. Spoon batter in muffin cups, The batter doesn’t rise a lot, so don’t worry about filling them almost full. Bake for 20-25 min or until they spring back when you touch them. Store in the refrigerator if they last that long!
Makes 96 mini muffins

Ben is 7 now!

Ben is 7 now. Yah! Ben really wanted to go to the new star wars movie, so when Grandpa was here we went to that and got the boys star wars shirts. So today we had a party with cake and presents. Haley and John planned several games, with a pokeman theme to play outside. Pokeman tag, is what they are playing in the pics.

What an awesome library

My mom showed us this really cool library in Cerritos. It is hard to believe, when you look at the pictures, that it is actually a library. There are so many cool things there to see. We had a really awesome time.

Hanging out when Grandpa was here

Here are some pics of the fun we had with Grandpa and the rest of the fam over labor day weekend. Hope everyone else also had a good one.

Day out with the animals

Greg's Birthday

Here is a slide show of Greg's birthday. His grandma took him to Catalina on friday and they had a really good time. Even thought it was his birthday he brought us all back presents. Today we had a small family celebration. We had mac and cheese and corn for dinner. We had cake and ice cream and opened presents. When Chris comes back in November and we pick him up in San Diego, we are going to the kids to sea world. Greg wants to go see elmo at the bay of play. So we will be doing that in november, and that should be a lot of fun. All and all, I think he had and will have a great birthday. Congrads mr. 4 year old. You really are a big boy and we are so proud of you.

Karate

Haley and John are taking Karate with thier Step-grandpa, Michael. My mom bougth them some karate uniforms, and they are really having a good time. They Just got their orange belts. They actually had to break a board.