Christmas in the snow

It is always so great to go to Utah for Christmas because of the snow! Believe it or not, I really miss the snow. The kids asked me this year how to make a snowman, and I realized that my kids are real Arizonans. They have no clue how to play in the snow. It was a sad realization.

Anyway, we opened presents at our house on Christmas Eve morning, and then flew to SLC that afternoon to spend Christmas with my family.
Cale and Carli were lucky enough to go in the cockpit and have a chat with the pilot.
My parents, Pam, Debbie and Matt, Kristin and Mike, and Kammi were there. And since our kids were the only kids there, they were spoiled rotten by everyone. They loved every minute.


I kind of checked-out and ignored my kids. Spencer had been working so much that he wanted to spend time with them and give me a break, and I embraced that fully.

San Francisco

Spencer took me to San Francisco in December for one last Rendezvous before his busy season and before I have the baby. I hadn't been since I was a little girl, and Spencer had never been, so it was a really great vacation spot. We went on the night to of Alcatraz, walked along the pier, saw the Golden Gate Bridge (kind of, it was foggy so we really couldn't see it), ate seafood,
etc.

Spencer was a good sport. Being pregnant, I was like a little child: I needed naps, snacks, and rests. But it was so wonderful to get away from the kids for a weekend and be alone together. If you haven't been away with your husband for a while, I would highly suggest doing it for you own sanity! Even if it's a stay-cation in your own city. Every marital relationship needs a little romance now and again to remember why you are together in the first place!

THANKSGIVING TIME

We went to Yuma and spent Thanksgiving with Spencer's family. It was fun and relaxing, as always. The kids camped out in the backyard, because it was unseasonably cool and they couldn't go camping in the desert.

BIRTHDAY TIME

Cale turned 7! I can't believe I have a 7 year old. All he wanted for his birthday was a cornsnake. Actually, he wanted a python or a boa constrictor, but I wasn't about to have a snake that could suffocate a baby if it escaped. So, he settled for begging for a cornsnake. Neither Spencer nor I were very excited about having a snake in our house, but how can you deny a child the only thing they want, especially when they ask for it everyday for 6 months straight!

So, we researched it and found that it wouldn't be so bad, so we did it. We bought the snake. It's actually pretty cute. It'll grow to be 6 feet, which I'm not enthused about, but oh well! We have to feed it a pinky mouse once a week. I watched it eat the first time, but seeing the mouse squeal and struggle while the snake swallowed it whole was a little traumatizing for me. Carli was shocked as well, but Cale thinks it's the coolest thing in the whole world.

MARATHON TIME

Spencer signed up to run a marathon with his co-workers. The run would take place at the Grand Canyon, which I had never seen. So, I was excited to go, and I was excited that Spencer would actually exercise for a few months in training. I was wrong! To give Spencer some credit, he got plantar fasciitis, so he "couldn't" exercise. But seriously, who doesn't train for a 26 mile run with tons of hills at a high altitude? Crazy people.

Anyway, on the way to the Grand Canyon, Spencer was eating chocolate and soda, and I finally broke down and said, "Can you at least eat healthy the day before you run your marathon so I don't completely stress out??"

I just knew he would die of a heart attack or something, and I was really worried. But, thank goodness Spencer is so determined to do whatever he puts his mind to, so he finished the race, no problem. It took him 5 hours and 20 minutes. That was a decent time for no training. I'm just glad my time was an hour faster when I ran a marathon 9 years ago. If he had beat me, I think I would have been more upset than if he'd had a heart attack. haha.

I toured with the kids while Spencer ran.

HALLOWEEN TIME

SOCCER TIME

Soccer was fun, because Carli played as well. She did really well. I have high hopes that she will make this her sport, but whatever she chooses, I guess I will be fine with it! Cale was pretty much the same: imagining on the field, not paying attention to the ball, etc. He just does not enjoy the sport, and I feel bad making him play, but I just think it's so good for kids to learn that eye-ball-foot, coordination, and to get exercise. We'll see what happens next season.



Here's a quick video of Carli scoring:

Fall in a nutshell

Well, as you can see, I haven't blogged since August. This is because I am pregnant, and my priorities completely change when I'm pregnant. My only objective is to survive. I am so sick and tired during the first trimester, that all I can handle is to merely survive and get through it. September and October were a blur to me, and then the holidays came and I had to deal with that.

So now Christmas is over, and I am back! I thought I would just do a glance-back of the fall, because I didn't take very many pictures either.

LABOR DAY
We went to Oceanside, CA and stayed on the beach with Spencer's family. His brother is in the military, so we stay on the military base in little houses on the beach. Being from hot AZ, I didn't even think to bring pants and jackets, and we were freezing the whole time! It was overcast and foggy the whole weekend, and the water was really cold, but we had a great time together. I was pregnant, but I wasn't sick yet. We got home Monday night, and on Tuesday, I started to throw up. Talk about good timing!

Watching movies

Carli with her cousins, Jane and Andy


Cale with his cousins, Samuel and Nathan

Fire pit on the ocean

Spencer built that amazing sand castle!

TGIS (thank goodness it's schooltime!)

Finally, I can go shopping, to the gym, and prepare lunch for only 1 child! Cale started 1st grade, and Carli started full-day kindergarten! hooray!



Even though this is cute, Carli's motivation to hold Cale's hand was to hurry him up. He was taking his sweet time getting to school, and she was terribly anxious to start her first day.
This is a normal scene at lunchtime for Cale. He's always the last one out to the playground, again taking his sweet time. The lunch ladies make him evacuate when the "big kids" come to eat at his table.