Gingerbread house

These girls have an admirer in Jim, who sent us this gingerbread house. When the package came there was dancing and singing, and when it was opened there was squealing.

 I told the girls to smile, and Kat kept the smile while taking the picture, but Ali couldn't help herself.

Jack just couldn't figure out how to take the candy off the house.

 I have some beautiful children, and I just had to show off a few more of their photos.

Ali could be a model, except that I don't want her in that world.

My little firecracker!

 Jack was petrified of the sand. Good thing we didn't have the photo shoot where they had too much sand. Oh wait...

Yale, oh and other stuff.

Nick matched at Yale, in New Haven Connecticut for gastroenterology.  Starting in the beginning of July we will be back on the East Coast for at least 3 years. While we are sad to be leaving such great friends, and weather, we are very excited.

 

This is for those who don't know where New Haven is located.

  In my Thanksgiving post I forgot a few essential pictures. Jack's first turkey, he is a fan.

  Evidence of how far out into no where that my parents live. We are a few steps from their back door in this picture.

 My little DJ.

Meet Santa. I managed to get a picture fast enough before the tears came. Jack was not a fan, but at least Kat was willing to get closer to him than she ever has before. She couldn't bring herself to talk directly to him, but she did manage to yell toward him her Christmas wish as she was leaving.

 We did family pictures on the beach this year. Four years here, and we finally made it to the beach for pictures. My amazing photographer friend Kellie took our pictures.

  I am truly blessed to have such awesome kids in my life. Aren't they just the cutest!?!

A trip

 Before I get to the fun pictures I want to first say how grateful I am for my husband and three beautiful children. I am so blessed. I am especially grateful for my  husband, who works so hard and it still an amazing father and husband. I am also thankful for my extended family (brothers, sisters, mom, dad, and in-laws) While we may have our differences of opinion and often times we fight, my family is very important to me, and I am grateful, extremely grateful, that I am important to my family.

 Last week we went on a trip to visit my parents in Colorado. It was Kat's first memory of flying. (She traveled a lot when she was a baby) Since she was scared, Ali held her hand and read to her. It was very very sweet.

 I was nervous about flying alone with 3 kids, but I forgot how awesome my kids are. (At least for a 2 hour flight) Jack slept almost the whole way and the girls quietly read books.

 Once we got there (where is there you ask? It is nowhere...literally!) we did some shooting,

 some make-up artistry,

 a little movie watching (my parents have a theatre room!),

some more shooting,

 and, of course, since it was Thanksgiving we ate. My girls HATE mashed food, so Thanksgiving is pretty awful for them. Ali's face is priceless.

 By the week's end, Jack was ready to go home. (His favorite cousins and aunts left before us)

 Once we got home we decked some halls

 and banisters!

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of my most favorite traditions. Growing up my parents always let us kids do the decorating. I am sure that once we went to bed they did their share of "fixing" our decorations, but I loved that it was our job to make our tree magical. That is one tradition that I have kept for our kids. We keep also every ornament that we are given and buy ornaments when we visit cool places, so our tree is always eclectic and colorful. What are some of your traditions?

Birthday boy

Jack turned one!

 The girls and I have all been sick this week, so we did a very low key party. And by low key I mean that we did almost nothing. That is a Target cupcake. Poor 3rd child.
This boy is going to burn something as a teenager. He loved the fire!

 Luckily he has a great big sister, Kat, who is fast at blowing out candles.

 Yeah for cake!

 Here is some clapping skills! He is a big fan of chocolate.

He got only a few presents, but he liked them all. Abuelita was sick so she couldn't come, but today in the mail we got a package. I think she knows what little boys like, because these cars were a hit.

And just because this post is all about Jack's birthday doesn't mean I can't include stuff about my girls. This week they were sick. They both had a stomach flu, but at least Ali waited until a decent hour (7am) before throwing up all over our living room floor. Kat was up all night, every hour throwing up. But at least she didn't get any on the carpet, so pick your poison right? That day we had a movie day. This is what they looked like all day long. I should have shown the buckets in front of them.

 Lastly Ali lost her other front tooth! Now she can say, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth."

Jack's First Halloween

Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Padme Amidala, and an adorable Jawa.

He is one cute Darth Vader, even Hans Solo is willing to kiss this guy.

 A little trick-or-treating

 

  I am not sure jawas are this good at posing!

 We were lucky to get a visit from Abuelita and Tita!

 School Halloween parade.

 These aren't about Halloween, but I reserve creative rights. Kat decided to help me with the dishes. What a beautiful helper I have!

 First tooth!

Yeah, that's how I roll! This is how I found her asleep.

11 months old

 Jack is 11 months old! Sorry for the fuzziness, but this boy loves to move.

 Eventually I started to move the sign to wherever he was standing.

 He got sick of it pretty fast. Come on Mom!!!

 Dom was slightly better at sitting still, but it might have been because I was holding his legs down.

  I tried to get the boys together, but this is the only one I got of them looking the same direction.

Just an assortment of cuteness.

Ali started walking to school by herself last week. Today I brought my camera. (I walk her across the street to the school's corner and then she goes the rest of the way herself) She is so big. The second picture she is super far away.