Friday & Saturday

I don't know why this has taken so long to finish this trip! At least I will have finished Thanksgiving pictures before Christmas.

Friday- The attempt.....

A Family Photo

It is a toss up.

My Sister-in-laws....Some marry in spite of the family....some for the family. Brian is great but his sisters are awesome!

Saturday - Muir Woods

It was a cold day but worth it to see the giant redwoods.

Brian carried Brayden and his binki the entire time. Good thing we have a stroller! Maybe we just need a heated stroller.....

I know there aren't any great pictures of people standing in giant trees but our camera died because it is a battery guzzler. Anyway I think Santa is bringing a new one for Christmas. I will let you know...

The End

Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday- San Francisco Exploratorium - http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Everyone enjoyed this museum. Hailey's two favorite displays where the least scientific but no matter. When your five what could be better than having a conversation with a fish or drinking out of toilet fountain?

This exhibit was all about the mind and exploring out it works. I could not bring myself to take a drink. Hailey has never cleaned a toilet so it came a little easier to her.

Here you can ask the fish a yes or no question and it would respond with pre-recorded answers. Hailey really thought the fish was talking to her so it was very cute. Unfortunately the fish had some response that Hailey now uses when I ask her a question like, " You are crazy! I am NOT going to answer that question!"

The fam at the Golden Gate.

Thursday - Thanksgiving dinner in Capitola and pie at Natural Bridges State Beach. To get to the restaurant from the parking lot you could take the hillavator or small tram instead of the stairs. The kids are wondering where are all of the other hillavaters are. The elevator has definitely gone down in the rankings.

At the beach there was a seaweed jump rope contest to work off the pie. I did not participate but Brian did surprisingly well. However, the gold metal went to Hailey's cousin Jessica. I stole this picture from Melinda's blog. Just carrying Brayden around is a challenge, jump roping with him, now that is love.

Thanks to Brett and Michelle for planning such a wonderful day.

California Trip Cont.

Tuesday - Cailfornia State Railroad Museum in Sacramento(http://www.csrmf.org/default.asp )

Many of the trains were open to tour the inside. The kids favorite were the sleeper cars. The train vibrated so as to feel realistic. The windows were dark with flashing lights passing by complete with sound. It was actually a little spooky the first time through.

Nothing beats a day at the train museum followed by taking home a Thomas watch.

Thanksgiving in California

We had a fun-filled week in California with the Brimhalls. It started off with a long, so long drive. The kids were actually pretty good. Brayden had a melt down in Reno, but a trip to the park made it all better.

Sunday - The Oakland Temple

The view was amazing!

If my camera was better it would have been really amazing!

Brayden, hamming it up with a sucker in his mouth.

Cute Hailey

Here are the kids with their cousin, Nathan. They thoroughly enjoyed spending so much time with their cousins.

Monday -The Oakland Zoo

The best part of the Oakland Zoo, according to Hailey, was that they have hyenas. She has known the lyrics to the Lion King since she was 2 yet we have never seen a real hyena. We can confirm that they are uuuugly!

Cousins

While I was purchasing tickets for the train ride, Brayden spotted this car merry-go-round ride that he has been on before at fairs etc. So as the gate opened for the children to exit he didn't mind pushing through the flow of traffic. He ran right in and helped himseld to the firetruck. As you can see, I ended up buying a ticket for this ride as well.

To be continued....

Halloween Night-Scarry Mommy

When I first put on the black lipstick and eyebrow liner, Brayden went and hid in the closet. Later on that night I had the wig on the table. Brayden went over and pointed to it, then shivered and said, "I scared."

Pre-Halloween Fun

Trunk or Treat Carnival Last Week

Hailey's Halloween party/parade at school. Her costume didn't work with musical chairs,but I think she preferred it off anyway. Aside from some drama with the room moms it turned out to be really fun for the kids.

We also went to the Gardener Village Witch Festival last week in Murray. The pictures are on a disposable camera because I forgot mine. So hopefully I will have them to post soon. I think it will be an annual tradition. I reccomend it if you are ever in town at Halloween!

Pics

I never had pictures taken of Hailey when she turned 5 or Brayden when he turned 2. I have felt guilty about this but it is such a pain. I just need to invest in a great camera like my brother -in-law has, then I could take them at home. Last Saturday it was cold and drizzly and Brian needed the whole day to finish installing the sprinkling system in the backyard. So we trudged out to the mall and I am actually happy with how they turned out. At least I had them taken before they were 6 and 3. When they are 30 I don't think they will care. (Hailey also had school pictures taken so that is why there is only one shot of her. )

The Last of Fall

We went up the canyon today to see the last of fall. The cold weather put an early end to it. Here is a little slideshow.

Fall

Global Warming

This is just wrong! Come on, we haven't even had Halloween yet!

(from our front porch)

I don't think Al will be using these shots in his next film.

Kindergarten Fun

Hailey is enjoying school. She had her "Special Day" two weeks ago and I am glad it is over. The anticipation for it was almost too much. She worked really hard on a book she made all about her. Everyday she spent at least 30 minutes on it. We also got to make a mobile that now hangs in her class room of her favorite things. Brian took off work early and we had fun spotlighting Hailey. Hailey and I read her favorite book, "Geez Louise" to the class. She can pretty much tell it word for word through reading and some memorization. It is really cute and is all about a stink bug named Louise.

It has been a year.....

A year ago we took Brayden to the ER because we were freaking out over a nasty rash he had all over his body and it had spread to surround his mouth. After looking him over a few times they said it was Erythema Multiforme which babies can get when they have an infection they are fighting but it eventually goes away. Brayden had a fondness for his apparently and he experienced a breakout about 50% of the time in various forms until an allergist down here put him on Zyrtec which he takes daily. He has been tested for everything allergy wise and nobody knows what aggravates it. The allergist said the longest he has seen it in a child is 8 months. He is doing better but last month if I was off by even a few hours the ugly thing would return. The doctor's just shrug and say hopefully he will grow out of it. I hope too, at least before he starts pre-school. He is going to have more blood work done soon. Maybe next year it will magically disappear just as it magically appeared a year ago.

I do it...see....SUPER FAST!

Brayden suddenly just got the hang of Hailey's old Dora bike. He would yell," Look mama! I did it Super Fast." Unfortunately after a while he went super fast towards the trampoline that was parked at the edge of the patio, post tractor fun. The bike went under the trampoline. The agile little guy that he is grabbed the edge of the trampoline and hung there while the bike continued under the tramp. He hasn't wanted to ride it much since. I am sure he will change his mind soon though.

We are having......

... a girl! Hailey really wanted a baby sister. I hope she is going to really want to share a room too:) She said she already has a baby brother and now she needs a baby sister. She should be arriving the last week of February. I think it will be strange if she doesn't have Hailey's hair or complexion. She could be brown haired and brown eyed ... maybe even look like me!

A Day with a Tractor

I have decided renting a tractor for a day can cause many different emotions.....

Pure Elation
Excitement

Madness - Yes you want to stay away if you see my dad on a tractor.

And finally....

Sadness

No not from Brayden, but from Hailey

"But.....but....I love that tractor! Why is daddy taking it back?"

Her tears made me sad too.

Family Picture

Hailey needed a family picture for a project at school. It is really pathetic but we haven't had a decent one since Brayden was bald. So we took one tonight and it actually turned out okay. Nobody was crying or closing their eyes so I thought I would post it. If all else fails you might see it again at Christmas.

String Bean and the New Truck Book

Yes, Hailey started dance again. She took dance last winter and quit after two months. Actually I quit because I was done with the drama before about her tights etc. She asked and asked this summer to take dance again. So I signed her up and she promised all would be good. So after a large registration fee, new tap shoes, new leotard, new tights, and 1st month's payment it was time for the first day. Tears, wailing, knashing of teeth and many attempts to rip off tights later she arrived and I was sooooo mad at myself for giving in again. Each week she has a great time while she is there and is in a good mood afterwards. I told her she has to go for the full month I am paid up. So before class she kept clarifying, "So I only have to go two more times?" Then after class, "Maybe I will go eight more times." My prediction for before class next week, " So I only have to go one more time?" Who knows how the dance saga will end. Will my cute little string bean ever become accustomed to tights? The conclusion will come at the end of week four.

Meanwhile, my easy going child wanted a picture taken with his new book. He has a tractor book already that he has loved but it does not compare with the truck book. He shows it to everyone and thinks it is the best thing ever.

Feeling a Little Ripped Off...

Over labor day weekend Brian and I went to the BYU vs U of A game with our friends Ward and Lisa. They flew in on Saturday morning and we had a great day eating out and watching the game without the kids (thanks to grandma Judy). We had a chance to take a little tour of the new campus. The library has been transformed from a the dark dungeon atmosphere to high tech and full of light. Each table had internet access and power for four or more laptops. What happened to the good old computer lab days? The basement had this beautiful wall of windows looking up at the administration building. I use to go down their with one purpose - to sleep between classes. Most of the grass has been removed and their are all of these great landscaped areas between pathways with benches etc. No more stupid little signs, "Cougars don't cut corners". This meant - don't walk on the grass, traitor! The new Joseph Smith building is also gorgeous with an awesome courtyard. So we felt a little ripped off. The last couple of years we were there everything was under construction and stuck in the seventies. At least it made me a little more proud to be a coug - that and we beat Arizona 20-7. Brian wore a U of A hat and a BYU t-shirt that he bought at the bookstore, come on, Pick a Side!