Recovery

Look closely at Nolan's face. I think it sums up how we all feel right now. This was the last night that the Weaver family was in town before they made the long trek back to Idaho. We are all in need of some serious R&R. He had really had it at this point.

Move Over Mom...Grandma's Here!

Nolan has a new best friend...Grandma Joyce. He's always had a good time visiting Grandma but this week it hit an all new level. Nolan never left Grandma's arms and threw his body in her direction whenever he was in someone else's arms as she passed by....including me! Oh no Michelle, you're overreacting..you say. Nope.

Prime Example: Nolan was crawling around and was a little overwhelmed with all the Weaver kids and the fury of Christmas present opening. With a panicked look in his eye he begins crawling for a familiar face... he crawls to me...looks up...looks left...sees grandma and BAM...crawls straight to her with a whimpering cry. Wow! OK, I'm trying not to take it personal. I mean, Grandma doesn't make him cry it out at night in his crib or wrestle his down for diaper changes and we were at her house where she takes him for regular visits to the hummingbirds, art work and wind chimes. But still...ouch!

On the plus side, Martin and I have gotten a few nice dates out of it feeling completely reassured that Nolan is blissfully unaware of our absence and happy playing with Grandma.

Brenden Turns 9

For Brenden's Birthday my sister planned a trip out to Morro Bay for a boat ride in a glass-bottom boat. Unfortunately, she failed to tell me about the departure time until 20 minutes till we had to leave. So in a manic rush I got Nolan & I ready for a cold and rainy day in Morro Bay. (Note to self...dress baby in layers FIRST and then dress self in layers. I was so hot & sweaty by the time I finished dressing Nolan I thought I was going to pass out.)

After a hurried 1 hour drive to Morro Bay, we arrived at the boat docks to find that they were closed. The tour company had left a very detailed message on their answering machine regarding their hours, stressing that "we are opened EVERY day". It seems that they close if there is a storm on the way but regularly fail to inform any customers of this little fact. My sister left a very nasty message for them. Instead we visited the Morro Bay Aquarium, fed the seals and shopped. It all worked out in the end.

Happy New Year

For New Year's we went to Oso Flaco (spanish for "skinny bear"), a local state park. The path walks you through a wooded area that is home to racoons and other critters, across a lake filled with herons, ducks and pelican and then over the sand dunes to the beach. It was a miracle that we even got there. My sister had to mobilize her family of 5, her in-laws, my mom, and our little family...we were quite the spectacle. The local paper had done an article about Oso Flaco so we thought we'd check it out, and it was as beautiful as the article had promised. We got a nice beach walk in, the kids burned off some steam, and we saw some racoons along the way. All in all, it was a very nice way to start off the new year.

These two hooligans were in constant motion the entire time (think Lord of the Flies). I was very surprised to get these pictures of them.

Christmas Just Wouldn't Be Christmas Without Kids & A Little Vomit

I feel as though Christmas has been never ending this year.
Christmas #1 : Our newly formed family of 3 under the tree Christmas morning
Christmas #2 : The Weaver family arrives from Idaho and the serious present giving begins
Christmas #3 : Martin and I showed up at Costco and they were having their Cheeses of France Roadshow!! (pinch me, I've gone to France..again, and this time I'm not pregnant so I can eat any kind of cheese I want..move over or get mowed over)
Christmas #4: My parents treat the whole lot of us to Sunday Brunch at The Cliffs! There are no words to explain my joy! I'm a nursing mother with the appetite of two men and the metabolism of a 6 year old and I was heading to an all you can eat brunch at a top-notch restaraunt. At this point in time, I am seriously starting to worry that I may have died and gone to heaven.

The brunch was fantastic, all 5 plates of it! My sister and I just smiled bigger with every trip back to the table. My poor nephew, Brenden, didn't quite have the same wonderful experience. His eyes were a little to big for his tummy and after his 2nd omlett he suddenly started to feel queazy. Once he started looking around at all the leftover plates of food laying around on the table he was running for the bathroom. Martin stayed close behind trying to help him along but alas, it was too late. Brenden threw up in the main eating area of the restaurant in front of tables and tables of people (previously) enjoying their Sunday Brunch.

Afterwards we all thought it would be a good idea to take a little walk around one of the most impressive areas that we live - Montano De Oro



Just another beautiful day on the central coast.

The Weaver Family (note the still queazy look on Brenden's face)


My two boys!

Wii Are Boxing

My (all video games are the spawn of satan) sister bought her children the coveted Wii game system for Christmas this year. The Wii passed her mommy approval rating because of the "get your butt of the couch" element to it. The kids went crazy when they saw what they got, but not as crazy as we all got when they brought it with them from Idaho for the whole family to enjoy. Martin and I duked it out and my shoulders and back muscles were so sore the next day. The pictures you see here are of Grandma and Grandpa boxing it out. We were all laughing so hard we were in tears.

Round 1 - Let the fighting begin!





Round 2 - Grandma is in full throttle giving it all she's got!

Round 3 - Grandpa comes out victorious!