Life snapshots

Now that I've joined the ranks of smart phone users I have my camera on me more and I'm able to catch more of "life" as it happens.

If it is possible, I think Hudson may be more into sports than Ethan was at this age, or maybe I've just forgotten. He has had a decent football throw since before he could walk and his kick isn't half bad either.

We've finally had some sunny afternoons for the kids to get out and play. We have had a crazy long stretch of freezing mornings and we've all been going a little stir crazy. (I know all my north of the border readers just rolled their eyes...what can I say, I'm a California wimp:)

Park time with the littles. It is fun to have some one-on-two time with these two 3 mornings a week. They are a lot of fun and so entertaining to hear them interact.

Thanks for the ride big brother!

Snack time outside...Love it!

Here is Brooklyn reading to Hudson.

Halloween? Nope, just play time at the Schenks. No it's not really warm enough to be running around in a leotard, but she "wasn't cold Mom!"

Super Heroes!

Christmas at the Beach House

Finally Blogger is cooperating with me:) Time to play catch up.

We were able to head to the coast with my parents for a few days after Christmas. It was great to get away for a few days. Kevin and I were able to get away for dinner as well as Kevin golfing with my dad and a spa day and shopping for me with my mom. We were all spoiled and it was a great few days.

Time at the beach was a little chilly this time!

One afternoon Kevin and I took the kids to the aquarium. It is always a highlight. Ethan was pretty impressed with this shark. He was also pretty proud of himself because he was the one to  correctly identify the shark and have the aquarium docent acknowledge it.

My parents left Saturday night and we stayed until Monday so we had Sunday to ourselves. We did some walking down by the water...

...had lunch at Lovers Point and watched the surfers....

...then finished up our time at Fisherman's wharf. Morgan was brave enough to hold the bird while we were waiting for Kevin and the boys in the bathroom. After I told Kevin about it and showed him the picture he asked me if I tipped the guy, after all that is why he is there....oops. Next time Mr. Birdman!

More great memories made in Pebble Beach. Thanks Dad and Mom!

The rest of Christmas 2012

Finally, I am able to get on this blog and do some more updated from our last few weeks. Blogger has been a total pain for picture uploads the last couple days, so I finally have the pictures on this post and while they are completely out of order I am going to just go with it, even though it will drive me nuts. At least I have it all documented:) Here is the rest of Christmas 2012.



Morgan has been wanting a bathrobe like me for quite sometime, she was pretty stoked when she opened this:)



Ethan too was beyond thrilled with this 49ers jersey. The best part of this jersey is the story that goes along with it. Ethan has been wanting a jersey since football season started. He was totally set on an Alex Smith jersey or another player who completely slips my mind right now. When Kevin and I were in Monterey in November we went to the Reebok outlet where they had youth jerseys for only $20, you buy them anywhere else and you're paying $60 which we wouldn't have done. So we decide to get him one, but the only one in his size is Patrick Willis (I sound like I know what I'm talking about, but I've never even seen these guys play:) So we buy it and Kevin convinces me that he'll have Ethan wanting a Willis jersey come Christmas Eve. We get home and ask Ethan when they are watching the next game if he knows who Patrick Willis is, of course he has no clue. So Kevin spends the next 4 weeks talking up Willis, pointing him out and telling Ethan what a great guy he is. Come the week before Christmas and I ask Ethan what jersey he wants..."Duh, mom, Patrick Willis!"....Good work Daddy (and yes, the "duh mom" really happens these days, we're working on that!)



Brooky opening her Umi Zumi toy.

Christmas morning we had to try to get a pic of the kids. Here are the littles ones...so sweet I think!

Ethan and Mo's turn to love each other.

Come on guys....please cooperate for ONE picture! Good thing pictures don't come with sound so you can't hear my utter frustration with the angels.

Thanks kiddos.....Merry Christmas!!

Here we are at Christmas with my family. My amazing sister did almost 100% homemade gifts for my kids. She is great at that. I thought about it for about half a day and then decided everyone would be happier with store bought gifts from this aunty! Brooklyn loves having her own Coco.

Huds got a cool truck and boat and trailer from Papa and Nana. He was happy!

What boy wouldn't be happy with a monster truck.

Auntie Kara explaining the family memory game she made Morgan. There are pictures of all our cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents in this game. Mo loves the cards, but doesn't really like following the rules in games, so she doesn't play it the real way too much yet. But it is a good game to practice rule followin with. My true left brained daughter would rather "play the game my own way."

Back to Christmas Eve at our house we continued the tradition of making our own pizza and having a picnic. The kids have really started looking forward to that tradition, along with driving around looking at lights, our nativity scene advent magnets, Christmas cards coming in the mail, making cookies and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. It is fun to create memories together.

Nope, I did not get my son pampered chef products....although wouldn't that be convenient? This box holds an itunes card so he can buy games instead of bugging mommy and daddy for money to buy them.

Little mister got some more tools....he was happy:)

Back to Christmas at Nana and Papa's..all the girls got these Barbie vet kits. They were all thrilled with a doggy and another bag to put more "stuff"!



We were thankful for a couple weeks to spend some time as a family and help our kids understand the magnitude of Jesus coming to this earth as a baby. We also spent some time at the coast with my parents, and depending on how Blogger cooperates I may or maynot get around to blogging about that. But as always we had a great time there as well. Overall we had a good break, but it sure is good to be back into routine!

Christmas Program and Christmas Cookies

For this years Christmas program at Church both Ethan and Morgan got to participate. Ethan had a speaking part and Morgan just got to look cute in her dove costume. Morgan had a horrible cold that night so she just sat up on stage in a daze, poor thing.

All the cute little animals.

Ethan doing his speaking part.

We also continued the tradition of making yummy Christmas cookies. I have fond memories of doing this with my mom so I am excited to keep the tradtition going with my kiddos. Thankfully I had the help of Kevin, it was a little stressful, but with Ethan and Mommy on the frosting and everyone else on sprinkle duty they turned out pretty cute.

The only finished product pic we got.

I think this is the only cookie Brooklyn decorated:)

Nutcracker

Now that Christmas and New Years are over it is time to get updating the blog!

On December 21 my mom treated Kara and I and our oldest kiddos to the Nutcracker Ballet. Ethan was excited to go this year since last year it was girls only. The kids all did great during the show and they loved it all. We had been listening to the music and watching Morgan's dances for weeks in preparation. We all had a lot of fun and enjoyed a fabulous Italian dinner afterwards. Thanks Nana!

Christmas Celebration #1

A couple weeks ago we had our first Christmas celebration with Kevin's family. Dad and Mom and Ryan, Jessica and Makena were all able to come out for a quick weekend visit. We had tons of fun with them and especially loved meeting "baby Kena". She is a sweetheart and totally warmed up to all our chaos right away.

Of course everyone had to take their turn holding her, and she graciously put up with all of it:)

Saturday afternoon we opened gifts with them. Brooklyn was the little helper for the day. Ethan was sent on a scavenger hunt to find a new bike hidden in the back of daddy's truck. We were all spoiled and are thankful for generous Opa and Oma.

Thanks for coming to visit! We love you!