Christmas at Disneyland

We love living 5 minutes away from Ashlee and Saige.  Too bad they are moving 1 hour away next week.  We planned one last carpool Disney day together and packed the kids in the car.  How cute are Alex and Saige holding hands.

Our goals at Disneyland were to see the Christmas parade and watch Cinderella's castle turn to winter.  It was a little busier than usual so we didn't get to go on a ton of rides.  Alex's request was the teacups.

The purple one supposedly spins the fastest.

We found a little secret in Frontierland.  At Halloween and Christmas time they have a petting zoo and a ton of characters dressed up and fun activities.  There is something new we learn about every time we go.

We spotted Mickey right when he came out and then the crowds started swarming.

The line for Small World was so long, but we waited and it was amazing.  How beautiful are these lights.  We thought about staying for fireworks, but our kids were done and needed to eat dinner.  Maybe at Disneyworld for Christmas :)

Christmas FHE

For the last few years I've wanted to go to Americana at Christmas time to watch it snow.  They only do it twice a night and it's usually too late for our kids.  Well this year I planned it in advance that we would go for FHE before all the Christmas crowds.  It was perfect weather that night along with the most amazing sunset.

We got Alex and Cole's picture taken with Santa.  It was a little easier than last year as you can see below :)

A Din Tai Fung just opened at Americana so we had some of their yummy juicy pork dumplings and green beans for dinner.

All of Alex's favorites...noodles, "potstickers", and rice.  Too bad he wouldn't eat any green beans.

Cole is pretty much over baby food except for his food packets :)

The snow didn't start until 7pm and had 40 minutes to kill so we rode the trolley around twice.

We watched the fountains and admired the 100ft Christmas tree.

and then it snowed and it wasn't cold.  Alex loved it and kept saying wow mama it's snowing!!  I love Christmas time and Americana really is magical aside from the shopping.

Thanksgiving 2013

Our Thanksgiving was pretty low key this year.  I wanted to run a 5K Turkey Trot and Al wanted to play Turkey Bowl so we compromised and went on a short hike after he played football.  Last time we went on this hike we had just moved to LA and didn't have kids.   When I was training for my half I ran Eaton Canyon with Sarah every Saturday.  I knew about a shortcut that cuts off about half the hike and I thought that might make it easier for Alex.  It was a beautiful day and a good family activity.

We made it to the waterfall, cheese.

Mama I want to sit on the rock.

Last time we saw people swimming in the waterfall.

I asked Alex if he wanted to hold Cole and take a picture.  Love these two, they crack me up.

Cole was getting antsy on the way down so Al carried him and then I carried Alex in the Ergo.  Alex was loving it, sometimes we all need to be babied  :)

We switched things up this year and went out to dinner at Ruth's Chris. 

The boys did great and were on their best behavior.  Cole ate himself into a turkey coma and Alex was not happy when he didn't recognize any food items on his plate.

Happy Thanksgiving and I was even happier that I didn't have to clean up.

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is having leftovers and Ruth's Chris hooked us up and gave us 2 extra meals plus our leftovers, yum.

After dinner I had big Black Friday shopping plans for us.  Wal Mart was selling mini ipads for $300 with a $100 gift card.  They were guaranteed from 6-7pm so we went and braved the crowds.  We had never seen anything like it.  What could have turned into hours of waiting was simple and somehow really easy.  We got 2 vouchers since they were out of Ipads, paid for them, and they will be shipped to Wal Mart for us to pick up in 2-3 weeks.  We did everything in 20 minutes and then I wanted to go find more deals, but no one would go.  Al even said he would go if I could find a babysitter, but no luck.  Maybe next year

Thanksgiving Madness

I thought by going to the grocery store on Monday I would beat the Thanksgiving crowds.  Super King is one of my favorite grocery stores because the produce is so cheap.  It's always busy so I only go once every 2 or 3 weeks and when I pulled up there was a wait to get in the parking lot.  I decided to park on the street and hike in with Alex and Cole, literally.  I got our produce and a few other things you can't find at regular grocery stores and then fought the lines for way too long.  I decided I would push the shopping cart to the car since there was no way I could carry everything and the kids.  Well I must have missed the memo that they have the cattle track thing that stops anyone from taking carts out of the parking lot...haha   As soon as my cart hit it completely stopped and I was stuck in the middle of the entrance with a cart full of groceries, cole in the ergo, and Alex in the cart.  I wanted to start laughing because it was so lame.  I tried to drag the cart to the side of the entrance so I could leave it and go put the kids in the car.  Some lady pulling in felt bad for me and parked her car to come help me.  Nice people do exist in LA!!  

On Tuesday I missed the memo that Alex's class was having a Thanksgiving party and parents could come 10 minutes early to watch them eat their feast.   I was so bummed and felt bad when I saw all the parents there taking pictures.  

Alex in his cute pilgrim hat he made at school.

That afternoon we went to the temple.  In 4 years of living in LA we have only ever been once and that was to do sealings.  I blame some of it on having kids, nursing, and not having babysitters.  Since I just stopped nursing Cole we found a babysitter and went to a 2:00 session.  We got done around 5, grabbed a quick bite to eat and didn't get home until 8:00.  $70 later and 7 hours later we were home and thankful we had gone.  Next time I think we might try the Redlands temple which is a little further, but the opposite way of traffic.  

There was a beautiful sunset and it was a perfect evening minus the traffic :)

Thanksgiving eve Alex and I met Amber and her girls at the mall.  We made our regular rounds and had lunch at Chipotle.  While I was returning something at Old Navy Alex wandered over to the front of the store and I found him on the dog...hahah  

Oak Glen

I can't believe it took me 4 years to find out about Oak Glen. That's one of the great things in LA is you will never be able to do everything this city has to offer.  Oak Glen is about 1.5 hour drive from LA and totally worth it.  We ate breakfast at a Laws Cafe and it was so yummy. I was bummed when we walked in and they told us it was a buffet, but everything was really fresh and they had Apple everything.  Apple syrup, Apple juice, Applesauce, and amazing cinnamon rolls.

Our first stop was Oak Tree Village which turned out to be more of a tourist trap.  We took Alex to the petting zoo and walked him by the pond where you can fish.  He loved feeding the goats.

He was laughing at the llama and I was worried he was going to eat us.

They had the biggest apple pies, 5lbs of apples in each pie.

Our second stop was the big apple farm called Riley's  Los Rios Ranchos.  Cole had just fallen asleep in the car so Alex and I walked around and enjoyed the scenery.

Love this little boy.  He is hilarious and full of love.  I want to freeze him at every age, but this one especially.  

We decided to press our own Apple Cider.  First you pick out your apples and put them in a bucket.

You wash them off and then put them in this thing, turn the wheel and it presses the juice out of the apples.  Al and I kept saying Alex do you want some Apple juice and the guy would say APPLE CIDER.  haha  

Yay for Apple Cider

Turn, Turn, Turn, Turn, Juice, Juice, Juice.

Al pouring our cider into a jar, cheers.

Such a fun day that I'm glad we got to spend together.  

Our fall picture at the Apple Farm

Brothers are the best.

12 Months

12 Month Stats

Weight 21 lbs 7 oz 50th percentile

Height 30 inches long 45th percentile

Head 47 1/2 cm 75th percentile

 At 12 Months Cole is....

Not in a hurry to walk.  He likes to walk around with his walker or if you're holding his hands, but if you try to get him to stand on his own he instantly sits down.

He just started getting clingy to his mom.  When he got sick before his birthday party Al tried to take him and he flipped out.  He is more aware about who is holding him and what's going on.

He still loves to eat, but is getting more picky.  I tried to feed him squash baby food the other day and he just shook his head no.

Obsessed with phones, wallets, and anything you can take things in and out of.

His favorite app is the talking Tom Cat.  He starts laughing everytime you show the cat to him.  

If Alex takes something away from him or if he gets his feelings hurt he puts his head on the floor.  

Loves food and baby food packets.  Is pretty much eating everything we are and he eats more than Alex.

Still thrusts when he lays down.

Has barely any hair and super dark.  His eyes are a dark hazel blueish color.

Loves bath time 

Loves to do anything Alex is doing.  

Says mama and I swear he says Apple

Waves Bye Bye, blows kisses, shakes his head no, and pushes your hand away when he's done drinking out of a straw.