Santa

I've been hearing about this famous Santa Village in Poway for a couple of months now. There is a wealthy family there that puts on this whole meet Santa party every year. This family puts on this open house for about two weeks straight. It was amazing. The house was decorated like crazy, there were refreshments and Santa and Mrs. Clause were there. Each child also got to pick out a toy. Thousands of kids come through every year. It was crazy, but really cool.

As you can see Austin didn't want anything to do with Santa

But Tyler knows who's in charge of the presents

And yes, those are the toy guns my children picked out as their presents. We are not lacking any testosterone at the King house!

The Zoo (again)

I am lucky enough to have an awesome cousin with a zoo pass. Laura got me into the zoo for free again. Austin LOVES the animals. Although, he thinks they are all dogs. He kept saying, "doggy, doggy!" He will learn someday!

Austie and Luke looking at the orangatang

Austin looking at the giraffes (this is my view most of the time at the zoo)

Happy to be at the zoo with cousins

Here is Austin kissing a goat that he called a doggy, YUMMY!

And once again, we can't even tell Tyler we went or he'll be mad, so it's a secret!

Two things in the mail

Today is the anniversary of my Dad's death. It has been 7 years, and I could tell you (in minute detail) all about that day 7 years ago. I remember everything from that day, and in some ways it really does seem like it just happened. But, in other ways, it seems like I've been without my Dad for so long. I miss so much about him, but mostly I wish I could see him with my kids. I know that he sees them, but I wish he was here to see them grow up. They won't know him in this life, and that stinks!

I dread this day. It makes me sad. But, it also helps me remember. I'm thinking about the Bryces today too. I don't know if any of you read this, but if you do, I thought of all your family today. I'm also thinking of my family today too. We all miss him, and I think today we all reflect and remember that awful day.

Today I got two things in the mail. The first was a copy of my Grandma's history book. First, I turned to the part where she wrote about my Dad's death. My Dad was very close to his parents, and when he died it was VERY hard on both of them. It was so touching to read my Grandma's account of that time period. I know she misses him so much. Thanks Grandma.
And on a much lighter note, here is the second thing I got in the mail. My friend TAMN must have known today was a hard day. I got my "I'm off diet coke" . Check out the return address.

It's up

Thanksgiving Vacay

This is where we went. This place will always be my home. It sounds cheesy, but my soul will always feel a connection to this state. Love those cacti!

Grandma and Grandpa gave Austin a t-ball stand, and he was in love.

The hot tub is a favorite place to hang out

Especially when Grandma gets in a waterfight with Tyler

Both boys chased poor Maggie day and night.

Tyler took a class called RAD kids that taught self defense. Thanks for inviting him Val!

Here is Tyler telling a kidnapper no and fighting to get away.

We celebrated Austin's 2nd birthday with an ice-cream cake

More ice-cream at a park with my Mom, Granpa and Judy

We rode the train at the park in Scottsdale. Tyler rode in the cattle car with some other kids.

All in all, a great break. We got to see many of the people we love, eat great food and shop a little; perfection in my book. Tyler cried when we left he had had such a great time with his cousins. I found out that my sister-in-law is just as obsessed with seriouslysoblessed.com as I am. Mike got to race RC cars with his brothers and dad. We can't wait to go back.

We may not need speech therapy for this one...

he is finally learning to talk! Hopefully he won't need two years of speech therapy like Tyler (who speaks perfectly fine now). Yaaaa for Austin!

Sunday Morning

This is how they like to hang out, in their diaper and underwear. They like to wrestle too.

Yes, I am 31 years old

Some of you may think I'm joking when I tell you what I did last Thursday. You will also question how old I am. I was an extra on the new 90210!!! My wonderful friend Harmony ( in Illinois) and I were talking about the golden years of the original 90210, and she mentioned that her sister in law did some of the extra casting for the new show. I jumped right on that bandwagon telling her if they ever needed someone past their high school prime, that I would be delighted to be an extra. Okay, I will shout it from my blog- I LOVED/ still LOVE 90210! This was a 15 year old's dream come true. Okay, so it was 16 or so years later, but a girl can pretend she's 15 every once in a while right? Truthfully, I never really thought that my pipe dream would come to reality. However, last Wednesday Harmony called and asked if I would star, um I mean be a background extra for 90210. I called up Mike and after some teasing he agreed to take the day off work. (Thank you Mike!) I had to be in LA by 6:30 AM. It was about a 12 hour day, and my starring role will be wandering the halls of West Beverly High with a briefcase. You may be able to see me walk behind Jenny Garth in episode #111. Keep your eyes on the background people, I am there! I was a fun experience for a nerdy stay at home mom to have. I will remember you all at the Emmys!

Good Times on Halloween

Here is our Halloween scrooge. He wouldn't wear his costume at trunk or treat, or on Halloween. He did trick or treat to 3 doors and seemed to enjoy getting candy put in his bucket. Here he is at home after trick or treating checking out Tyler's bounty.

Here's Tyler at the ward trunk or treat. He wanted to be Indiana Jones, and I couldn't find a cute costume. I eventually found an ugly, cheap looking (but not actually cheap) costume at Target. His costume was so ugly that even Mike made a comment about how ugly Tyler's costume was. I had in my mind this really cute looking Indiana Jones, but it did not come out that way. Tyler still had a great time (that's what it's all about anyways). He and some friends ran from house to house filling up their pumpkin buckets until all the parents were too tired to go on. I think Tyler could've gone till midnight.

Fall Photoshoot

After a fun, but photographically challenged day at the pumpkin patch, I wanted some cute pictures of Austin. I'm also practicing with my camera on manual, so I'm messing up 90% of my pictures. Hey, practice makes perfect, but it won't make Austin sit still. I have mommy goggles on because I always think my kids are cute, but I'm always striving for better pictures. Here was our practice photoshoot today:

This is their tradition every day when Tyler gets home from school.

Fire Alarm

Last Tuesday my next door neighbor, another friend right down the street and I were all at the park. My neighbor's husband called and said, "the hill by the water tower is on fire. " We looked up and saw the helicopters descending. We could see flames and tons of smoke coming from the direction of our houses. It looked pretty close to our house, but we didn't get too concerned. After about 1/2 an hour later the fire seemed to be out. My friend got a text from the school saying they had evacuated, but the fire was out. It was an option to come get your children. I didn't go to get Tyler because I honestly didn't think it was a huge deal. When I got home, it did smell like smoke pretty bad, and I dicovered that the fire had been pretty close to our house. When I went to pick up Tyler, over half of his class was gone, and he reeked of smoke. Tyler thought it was his best day of school yet. They all evacuated to the field and got to watch the helicopters scoop up water from the pond by their school to put out the fire. Everyone was so organized at the school, and with responding to the fire that I was so impressed. Tyler kept talking about the "rush" fire (he meant BRUSH fire).

And I just have to post some pictures or I don't feel complete.

This is the solemn face I always get now when I want to take his picture.

Teeter Totter Boy

Sunflare

Just practicing with my camera on manual, trying to get sunflare.

This is after Tyler got in trouble for turning on a sprinkler at the park.

Medical mystery

I look over during church and see that Tyler is writing in his notebook. "Oh good" I think, "He is practicing the words he knows. He's writing his name, using periods and exclamation points. He's writing his ABC's. ANd, Uh-oh, where did he learn THAT one?"

Can anyone guess how that got spelled at church?

Sunset Snailing

The boys have a nightly tradition of looking for snails. They search the iceplant for the elusive snail and then squish the snail underfoot (Austin has even been known to squish a snail barefoot-ewwww!) Please don't tell PETA that we allow this, but it provides endless hours of entertainment. As soon as Tyler says, "Austin let's go find snails." Austin is out the door like lightning.

Can you see that smooshed snail under Austin's foot?

He's got a live one to bring to the sidewalk
searching the iceplant
showing off his trophy before Austin destroys it

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

I hate going to the grocery store with my kids. In Illionois I had a great babysitter who came once a week, and this is when I went. I had to give up all luxeries upon moving to San Diego so now I get to take Austin with me at all times. Today's adventure started with Austin demanding the race car cart. You know that HUGE cart that you can barely push. The one that you always run into a food tower or person with becaue it is a dinosaur. We headed off in the huge cart onto the first aisle where my sweet little boy threw up the sample of roast beef (he gagged, he's not sick grouchy old lady who gave me a dirty look while this was going on). After we got that mess cleaned up, Austin decided he wouldn't sit in the giant elephant sized cart anymore. I got him out and tried to reason with him, explaining that he can walk or SIT (not stand) in the cart. He wanted me to carry him and push the monster cart at the same time. It was tantrum time so he laid down screaming in the middle of the aisle. Enter the grouchy old lady who saw him throw up- more dirty looks. Luckily, a nice old man gave Austin a balloon and me some kind words before we left, which restored my faith in humanity.

Here's my favorite grocery partner with his daddy at the air show.

The 80's called and they want their shirt back

Last night Mike was staining something, and he needed some old t-shirt material for the stain. He cut up the bottom of an old t-shirt. Then, to be funny, he put on the remains of the cut-up shirt. It was basically just the arms so it showed his whole chest and stomach. Tyler must have thought it was a really cool shirt because when I picked him up at school I noticed his shirt was all ripped up at the bottom. I asked what had happened, and he told me that he was trying to make a shirt like daddy had on last night. Tyler had taken the safety scissors and cut/ripped his nice school shirt. Luckily, it must have happened right before they came home because his teacher hadn't even noticed. For his punishment (after we had discussed not cutting up our shirt at school) he had to let me take a picture of it for posterity.

Miramar Air Show

We went to the famous Miramar Air Show (yes people, conference was TIVOing at home). I was expecting Goose and Maverick to do a fly by, or play some volleyball, but I didn't even see them. Both boys loved seeing the planes and getting in the helicopters and BIG planes. Mike liked the fake battle that was enacted, including bombs going off in a nearby field. Although the highlight of the day for Tyler was the churros (yes, he is his mother's son).

Cool Austin

Tyler with the tank
Tyler pretending to shoot a big gun
This is how we carted the kids

That's gonna leave a mark

Poor Austin, he fell out of the booster seat. We had taken away his bottles, but I felt like a fall like that entitled him to go off the wagon, at least for tonight.

This was taken moments before the fall. (that is someone elses hands on his face)

The horn front view

A side view