While Joseph was away

Joseph and David left on Friday night for a 48 hour trip to attend a wedding in Gilbert, AZ.  Since Emmy had such a hard time with our last road trip and has been fighting a two week goobery nose and ear infection, I stayed home with the littles.  Needless to say, James was devastated when the time came for Joseph and David to leave.  With some quick thinking, we found a few fun things to do.  

Here it is.. another picture with Santa.  We stumbled upon a storytime with Santa at the Ritz Carlton, while looking at the gingerbread display.

Not sure how this counts as a gingerbread display... but it was pretty amazing.  I liked the dogs on the surfboard.

James has a friend at school with Mexican heritage.  His mom unexpectedly invited us to a Posadas celebration and since we had nothing going on, I accepted.  This was definitely the highlight of the season for me.  Lots of food, traditional poncha (minus the rum), and traditional mexican music.  Ruth and James are pictured here holding candles during a song that asks the inn keeper to let Mary and Joseph inside.  At the end of the song, those waiting outside are invited inside and the celebration begins.  

The kids were then ushered into a line, shortest to tallest and were given a few swings at the pinata.  The adults all gathered around the kids and cheered and sang to them while they gave it a try.  When it finally burst open, it was like Halloween all over again, except with confetti and Mexican candy.  The kids loved it. We were there for three hours and the party was definitely far from over when we left.  I feel really grateful that we were included in the festivities.  What a treat that my kids got to have a cultural experience.

Gearing up for Christmas

We've been off on a zooming ride wth the festivities of the season.  This was our first of three visits with Santa (we just keep running into him everywhere!)  He is my favorite... Bishop Gibby, formerly in our ward and now in his 80s.  Though he doesn't live in the area anymore, he still comes every year for the kids.  

One of my friends had the crazy idea to gather a group of 4 year olds with their mommies to attend the nutcracker.  We found out that though they were on the young side, they still enjoyed themselves and left devoted to becoming future ballerinas.

Ruth and I had fun getting all dolled up for our date.  We got out our most sparkly accessories and even curled our hair!

Ruth's dance class presented a short Christmas presentation.  She is quite the ham at the dance studio; in fact, a completely bubbly persona comes out that you'd never know exists.

James at his Kindergarten music performance.  He looked this nervous the whole time.  I asked him why and he said, "because there were so many people!"

December in California

Last week I went through the yearly homesickness.  It always seems to happen around this time of year.  I miss the beautiful fall weather and colors of the eastcoast.  I miss the culture.  I also miss the excitement of the first snow.  California will likely always be my home, but I think that a chunk of my heart will always remain in Pennsylvania.  In the midst of all my longing, Joseph told me to wake up and appreciate living in such a nice place.  Considering the amount of people that are willing to pay a small fortune to live here, I admit that he is right.  I took a stroll yesterday through my yard and took a few pictures of what December looks like in California:

Pilot is looking a bit shaggy these days.  I think that if we grow the beard out a bit more, he could pass as Santa Clause.  This doggy face would probably gross out most people, but I think it's cute.

Ever slept 6 people in a hotel room?  We sure did!   I don't recommend it, especially when the baby throws up in the middle of the night.  Those are the moments when joseph and I promise each other that we will never travel with kids again!  (Yeah right)

Emmy on Thanksgiving Day.  I'm quite in love with this little person.  Ruth has nicknamed her "Em".  Whenever I hear that, I always think of my own sister, Emily.

The Wild Wild West

We traveled on Thanksgiving day from Phoenix to Tombstone for a quick experience of the wild Wild West.  Surpisingly, it really IS a different place:  if there is anywhere in America where cowboy life is alive and well, it would be here.  It is also in the middle of nowhere.  Our budding cowboy, James, keeps saying that he wants to live there when he grows up.  Really?!!

Tombstone was founded by a miner in the area who landed on silver. When he first began mining in the hills here, all the skeptics told him that he'd likely dig up his tombstone.... hence the name, Tombstone.  The funny thing about Tombstone is that there is a small fee for everything, including museums and historical sites.  After we paid the fee for the stagecoach, we were suprised to discover that they also expect tips!  All I had in my wallet was $1.00 and a $20.00 bill.  I don't think the driver was too happy with our meager offering.

The kids really enjoyed watching a staged shootout.  We chose a comical one and the kids thought it was hilarious.  Ruth cried everytime a gun shot and Emmy laughed.  It's funny to now have two girls with such different personalities.  

Our last stop was Boothill cemetery, which held lots of casualties from Indian raids as well as a handful of outlaws.  What I learned from our visit was that the Wild West really was wild.  I also learned that this would've been an aweful place to be a woman.

David

We made a big decision a few months ago to allow David to stay up later than the younger kids.  When everyone is tucked into bed, David springs off the couch and wiggles his way into our evening activities.  Tonight, he was eager to get involved in my journaling and blogging, hence our selfie.  To encourage him to read more, Joseph and I have been propping ourselves behind our books at his evening hour.  It seems to be working because he has suddenly become a book worm and has just completed all the Beverley Clearly books.  I have finished the Hobbit and am now reading The Lord of the Rings.  I am surprised to say, that despite hating the movies I love the series.. and totally understand how someone could become a Tolkien groupie!

Aaah, flag football.  Not sure if we'll be doing this again, but we finished the season and David celebrated with his two coaches on Friday.  I am realizing that we may not be the team sport sort of family.  I think my boys are athletic, just not in an easily defined way.  If you ask David what his hobbies are, he'll tell you that it is climbing trees and running fast.  This is true.   James is incredibly strong.  He and David play a sumo wrestling game where they try to push each other off a 5X7 ft rug.  Despite David's long limbs, James will push him off everytime.  

Happy Birthday Ha Hee

James gifted Ha Hee with a hat this year.  Supposedly, Ha Hee is 10 years old.  (That ought to give James a little more leverage over his older brother).

Kindergarten Feast

The kindergarten had their Thanksgiving feast on Friday.  Emmy and I came to watch the kids eat homemade muffins and make homemade butter.  They even sang a few good turkey songs for us.  I've decided that it takes a special person to manage 30 5-6 year-olds everyday.

My friend, Olivia, and James' friend, Brody.  :) Olivia was in TK with James last year and loves to dote on Emmy.

James turns 6!

James turned 6 on Wednesday.  Since all his siblings had their birthdays over the summer, he has been waiting very patiently for months.  Finally, the big day arrived!  James is on a cowboy kick, so he asked for an outfit.  We gave him some awesome cowboy boots and a hat, which he has worn off an on all week.  When he does have it on, he looks so darling!

Since cowboy was the theme of the day, I took the boys (Ruth was in school) down to San Juan Capistrano for pony rides.  They had so much fun.  San Juan is such a beautiful historic area that has preserved the feeling of the cowboy era.  The best part was that it was 70 degrees all day long.

Okay, the Reeses peanut butter cake looks good, but turned out to be aweful!  No one would eat it!.. not even our guests!  Grandma and Grandpa Larsen were out of town, so James invited a friend of his choice, who turned out to be Brody.  Brody has an older brother, too.  All four boys wrestled and jumped on the trampoline all night.  They even gifted James with Legos.  That night James told me that it was the best birthday of his life and that he wants to do the exact same thing next year (except the cake)!

Busy baby

And she's finally walking!

Happy Halloween

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Ruth rides a bike

First time on a real bike.  Doesn't she look big?!

La Brea Tar Pits

We had the opportunity to catch up with Jason last Saturday at La Brea tar pits.  The tar pits are absolutely amazing!...bubbling lakes full of tar... in the middle of LA!  The story is that for the past 40,000 years, these tar pits have caught many unsuspecting animals as well as their predators.  As a result, it's become a gold mine for fossils..over a million so far. 

This is a tiny tar hole that Jason found in the lawn outside. 

The major location for excavation.  It is covered with glass so that visitors can observe

Incidentally, today is Jason's 40th birthday!  Happy birthday!

matches and scratches

Surprise!  The boys woke up early one morning to show me their matching clothes.  Recently, they've come up with two outfits.  It's cute that they love each other enough to voluntarily match at school.

Ruth had her first visit to the dentist.  No cavities!  No luck for me, however.  According to dentist, I've had two untreated cavities since jan 2013 (unknown to me).  Now those two little cavities are 4 cavities, affecting four teeth.  I am so mad!

 

We celebrated Pilot's birthday for FHE.  Lot's of tummy rubs and canned sardines.  He probably wondered what the sudden attention was all about.

World's worst sippy cup

Emmy doesn't seem to mind.

More October

I've been organizing our family videos (not the simple protect that I thought it would be), so it's made me more conscious of documenting the kids.  They grow up so fast!  It's sad to think that 4 year old David or 1 year old Ruth are only vague memories.

This is the perk of living in California:  bonfires at the beach.  I especially love having an earlier sunset at this time of year.

David worked for four months to buy this Lego set.  He earned the final $12 right before general conference, so this became his conference activity.  Of course, once one person is happy with Legos, everyone want to get involved... our family room was covered with Legos the whole weekend! Recognize this vehicle?  (Hint: Lego movie)

This is what happens when church gets out at 3:00 pm: a very tired and hungry baby.  Looks like sleep trumped appetite.

 

Big person, little person.  I'm not sure what's more impressive: Emmy's tiny legs, or David's humongous feet?