Snow!

For our family vacation this year, we decided to go to Pittsburgh to visit my brother Mike and his family. Of course, Max's vacation days were in January, so we got to experience winter! We thought the kids would especially love playing in the snow, something they don't normally get to see. Mason did not like the cold at first. We had a layover in New York City overnight, so we went outside to catch the shuttle to our hotel and Mason was SCREAMING. He would not walk out the doors because it was too cold. Everyone looked at us like we were crazy. I had to explain that we are from San Diego and do not know what cold feels like. We eventually dragged him outside, but he was inconsolable until we were warm in our hotel room. When we got to Pittsburgh and he saw how much fun his cousins were having outside, he joined in. :) And, he and Archie played outside every day that we were there. They loved it and were so sad to leave their cousins and the snow!

Archie loved eating the snow! His lips and chin are still chapped from it. (And yes, he is wearing a pink snowsuit. It's Violet's. We didn't have our own.)

The best family picture we could get, with our uncooperative kids.

Me and my newest nephew, Leo.

Archie hiking back up the hill after a trip down on the sled.

Max, the boys, and Violet and Thaddeus trying to build a snowman. They weren't successful, the snow was too powdery.

Christmas Time!

Okay, I know it's January, but better late than never. A couple weeks before Christmas, we went to look at lights in a neighborhood by Max's mom's house. Max and I have gone every year since we met. Plus, the kids love it! We also got the chance to go to Disneyland a few days before Christmas. It was super crowded and we didn't stay the whole day, but it was fun to experience Disneyland for Christmas!

Us

Mason and Archie love Charlie Brown! Don't they kind of look like they belong in the cast? :)

Mason was most excited about Small World, even more so when he realized they decorated for Christmas!

Of course they had to "drive" the fire truck in Toon Town.

We went on the carousel a few times. Archie, for once, wasn't scared!

Legoland

A few weeks ago we went to Legoland with my brother, Ben, and his family. Mason and Archie love their cousins! Legoland and cousins? What could be better?!

Mason just adores Sadie and clung right by her side the whole day.

Checking out the Christmas lights.

Mason went on a lot of rides that he has refused to go on in the past, because he was scared. The horse ride was one we had been trying to get him to go on for a while. When he saw his older cousins going on it, he couldn't resist!

It just wouldn't be a normal day without Archie getting injured. He tripped and hit his head on a cement planter. He had the biggest goose egg we had ever seen and it really freaked us out. Security at Legoland sent over a medic who gave us an ice pack and sent us on our way. Of course, he bounced back quickly. :)

I call this photo "Beauties and the Beast." I think you can guess why! :)

Safari Park

Last weekend we went to the Safari Park (which is really the Wild Animal Park that got a new name). We happened to go for the bug week special. It was really cool, they had bugs from all over the world and Mason even touched some of them! He was more brave than most of the adults! We had a lot of fun and we think the Park is way better than the zoo!

Trekking to the car!

Mason was so excited to pet the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach!

Mason participated in the ladybug release, where they let the kids put the ladybugs in the garden. Mason did a great job and wasn't scared at all!

Mason loved the carousel! Archie saw the animals and would not even go near them! :)

Archie's First Trip to the ER

A week ago Friday my mom and sister, Kimmy came into town. We had a fun day planned of going to sushi and shopping. We were waiting for our check at the sushi restaurant and they were taking FOREVER, so I let Archie out of his high chair. He immediately climbed onto a regular chair and it tipped over. My mom screamed, "Grab him!" really loud, tipped her chair over, and tipped over two water glasses. I was so embarrassed because we were in the middle of the restaurant and everyone was staring. Plus, Archie hurts himself all the time and I really didn't think he was hurt. I picked up Archie and I noticed some blood on his mouth, I thought no big deal since he gets a bloody lip every other day. Then I notice there is blood spurting from somewhere and he is crying a lot more than usual. I looked down and his middle finger on his right hand has been almost completely severed (it turns out the blood on his lip was from him putting his finger in his mouth)! I freaked out (to say the least), grabbed a napkin, and ran out of there. We drove down the street to Urgent Care and they told us we had to go to the Children's Hospital. We drove as fast as we could, thinking this was a major emergency. We get to the hospital and they put a band-aid on him and tell us to wait. They said the longest person had been waiting 2 1/2 hours. 2 1/2 hours! My son's finger is hanging there! The nurse who put the band-aid on him told me he might lose his finger, but not to worry because he has 9 more. I was very near tears at that point. I called Max (who was working) and he was freaking out, too. They told me not to feed him, since they didn't know if they were going to have to sedate him. Well, it turns out it took them 5 hours to finally stitch him and 2 more hours to wait for the tetanis shot. That whole time he was asking for milk. I could not sit down the entire time because he would ask for milk. I had to hold him, and let me tell you, by the end of the night I was shaking from holding him for so long. Max ended up getting there right before they started stitching. Archie ended up getting seven stitches and the tip of his finger had a bone chip fracture. We opted to strap him to the papoose board, rather than have him sedated. He screamed the entire time, but we thought it was better than having to recover from sedation. It is healing up pretty nicely, so he should be as good as new in a couple of weeks. This experience, I am sorry to say, has not slowed him down a bit. He still climbs on the furniture and wrestles with Mason.

See the bandage on his hand? Doesn't slow him down at all!

Trick-or-Treat!

On Halloween night, we went trick-or-treating with our friends, who have kids the same age as ours. It was so fun to see the 3-year-olds go up to the houses by themselves, and after a while, Archie was doing it, too! He would go up without a bag, grab a piece of candy, and come back and drop it in his bag...all while eating a sucker! Now, we just need to figure out what to do with all those treats! :)

The boys trick-or-treating by themselves.

The Family

Archie wanted to eat each piece of candy, as he got it!

Halloween Carnival and Pumpkin Carving

On Friday we carved our pumpkins and then went to the Halloween carnival at our local rec center. Mason especially loved the carnival where he participated in the costume contest (he lost), went bowling, played baseball, golfed, went in the bounce houses, and best of all, rode on a fire engine (twice)! And, Archie liked all the treats!

The boys' favorite part of the night: the firetruck!

Mason made a new friend...

Fishing for treats!

Carving pumpkins with daddy

Mason's vampire pumpkin