Planet Waltenburg

Pink or Blue: Cast Your Vote!

2011-08-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

So, I'm due in four days (!) and have had two hours of false labor contractions the past two nights... We must be getting very close to meeting Baby! That means you have a very limited time to cast your official vote of whether you think we're having a boy or girl... Have fun! Be sure to click on the "results" link to see what others have voted.

This Party Will Go Down in Galactic History!

2011-08-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my "little baby" has turned 5 years old! With a loose tooth to boot! After getting squeamish over the loose tooth, I got all choked up over the milestone that I thought would still be a year or so down the road....

We celebrated last weekend by busting out with the Star Wars theme that we'd been reserving, which meant decorations were already covered by Colby's collectibles, Reid's toys, a borrowed life-size Yoda and Colby's life-size, limited edition Han Solo in Carbonite, which many of you may remember as part of our everyday decor in our old home. I have a feeling Han won't be making it back into storage, since he's been resurrected... (Notice the tags still on the plush characters, of which I got dirty looks for asking if I could take off.)

After a night at Grammy's, Reid's grand entrance into his own party was accompanied by the Star Wars theme music. He was super pumped! You can't see his face here, but you can tell he's smiling ear-to-ear!

Instead of party favors, I sewed Jedi robes for all the young Padawans in attendance... a project I didn't realize I was crazy for taking on until I was half-way through it, trying to bend over a nearly full-term belly, chalking, pinning and cutting fabric... Once I saw the kids in them though, it was worth it! Here they are instinctively practicing using the force on each other as soon as they got their robes on.

Great Grandpa Joe. :)

Jedi Training Course -Session 1:
The Padawans were to practice using the force to guide them as they restored order to the galaxy (sticking stickers on a poster to "blow up" ships after being spun around blindfolded).

Jedi Training Course -Session 2:
~~Colby~~ Obi-Wan led the Padawans in light saber training, where each young Jedi received their very own light saber (made of water noodles).

Check Ronin out! That little dude got SO into it. He had us all in stitches!

They were then trained in creating force lightening:

And then were paired up with sparring partners to practice their new skills:

Jedi Training Course -Session 3:

Using only the force to guide them, each young Jedi took turns attacking the Darth Vader piñata:

After much hard work, all were rewarded with another one of Colby's tasty creations, this time in the form of the Star Destroyer. The Jedi of honor was greatly pleased with his surprise, to say the least:

While enjoying their cake, I checked in with each of the young Jedis to be sure they received adequate training and felt fully prepared in case they had a run-in with Darth Vader. Shortly after, the Cantina music was interrupted by the blaring sounds of the Imperial March and all attention was drawn to the booming voice coming down the stairs, requesting Reid Waltenburg. Their Jedi instincts quickly kicked in as they charged him with their water noodles. Colby would have been proud, if only he could have been there to see it.

I was concerned for Ronin, being such a young Padawan, that it all might be a bit too intense for him, but as you can see from the series of shots below, he was more than prepared!

Needless to say, Darth Vader was defeated indubitably and order was restored throughout the galaxy. (Video footage from the defeat of Darth Vader is soon to come.)

.................................................................

Aaaaand, here's Reid testing out his latest set of wheels. Happy birthday, Bud!

Getting Ready for Baby

2011-08-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

The boys are getting a kick out of finding the baby gear reappearing throughout our home. They started acting like babies, themselves when they found the baby bath.

Here, they were having a tender moment with my belly, that is, until I started recording. Then they became a couple of clowns.

Our Baby Moon to Santa Fe

2011-08-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Traveling is one of my favorite things in life. Somehow we've been blessed with a trip nearly every month throughout this year so far... (February: Park City, UT, March: Ensenada, MX Cruise, April: Scottsdale, AZ, May: Orlando, FL, June: Southern CA). I guess, with Baby's due date fast approaching, that would make our July/August trip to New Mexico our official baby moon. Recently, Colby and I got to go to Santa Fe for an art show at his long-time friend, Bobbly Beals' new fine art gallery in the Canyon Road art district, Beals & Abbate Fine Art.

The Gallery:

Colby even had a chance to geek out on Star Wars over some graffiti art on Canyon Road:

Colby's been trying to get me to pick up painting again since we got married, but it's been so long for me, I've been too intimidated. So while we were in Santa Fe, he and Bobby set me up with a private lesson with Judy Poldi of Two Arts Studio where I got my hands dirty once more. While I didn't have time to finish a piece, I did get to break the ice with acrylics again and left inspired to create some artist studio space in our home for future painting.

My practice canvas:

Experimenting with gesso technique, color layering and blending... I joked with Colby's mom that this would be her gift for watching the boys for us during these few days.

Judy & me:

The Beautiful Beals Family (+ Colby, whom Sophia was glued to):

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assasi:

Santa Fe's Annual Spanish Market:

This property, called Las Dos, about 15 miles outside of Santa Fe, has been in Bobby's family since the turn of the century:

Porch Beautification

2011-07-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

I must be nesting, but since the nursery doesn't need anything, I focused my compulsion on our dusty, barren porch. I finally brought some life to it by potting some plants, which Colby told me to hurry up and take some pictures of before I kill them.

Put to use the vintage record table we found while garage-saling.

It was obvious that we needed to get some porch furniture ASAP to sit on and enjoy the plants while they are still alive, but craigslist continued to fail me on decent vintage patio chairs. Then I found this glider at Lowes of all places. WITH matching kid-sized chairs! It was retro love at first sight.

The finished product! We've already enjoyed a couple pitchers of pink lemonade out here.

Now if only I can figure out where to incorporate this sign...

And find a retro doormat like this one, but without the tacky lights!

I Survived Panda Mania!

2011-07-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Phew! I made it through the week as a volunteer crew leader for this Summer's week of VBS (Vacation Bible School), which was quite a feat, being almost 8 months pregnant! I could have asked for a more kick back job, but the crew leaders are the ones who get to hang out and really get to know some of the kids as we lead them through the different stations (crafts, bible adventure, games, skits, music/dancing, etc.).

During this bible adventure, the kids climbed into the "whale" and talked about what it must have been like for Jonah. They even opened a can of tuna to get into the experience!

Whenever the kids hear one of the daily bible points (God made you, God listens to you, God watches over you, God loves you no matter what, God gives good gifts), the kids all respond by yelling out, "Thank you, God!" Here are the boys practicing one morning before class:

I'd Like to Dedicate this Song to Colby

2011-07-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

"My Feet Hurt" by Kristen
(Colby and I are having way too much fun with his new "Songify" app!)
He made this one for the next time Reid gets in trouble:
"Reid... Come Here" by Colby

Is it a Sign?

2011-07-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Saw this boat recently while driving on the freeway... Yes, Mom, I took a picture with my phone while I was driving. But what I saw on the back of the boat was way too unbelievable not to. Look closely and you will see the names Hazel on the left and Olive on the right, both pretty obscure names. Hazel is our one agreed upon girl name for this baby, if it is a girl. I've considered giving her the middle name Olive, after her sister in Heaven (if only it didn't roll off the tongue so awkwardly together). How crazy is this? Could it be a sign that it's a girl???

Panda Mania

2011-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Time for VBS week again. This year's theme is "Panda Mania -Where God is Wild About You".

This being our second year, we knew to decorate our shirts and didn't hold back! Colby and I helped the kids paint theirs and I ironed Reid's name on the back of his.

Ronin's shirt was so big on him, he was practically swimming in it, but boy he looked SO cute.

Audrey's been my hero for volunteering as my junior leader and the kids just LOVE her. Thanks, Aud!!!

I decorated the belly of my shirt with a big panda head by cutting out and sewing on white felt, painting it, and glueing googly eyes and puffy, sparkly ears.

I'm a crew leader for a group of five mixed elementary level students (one joined us after this pic). Here they're decorating me to symbolize the fourth day of creation, when God created the sun, moon and stars. They didn't seem to care that I was having hot flashes when they wrapped me in the emergency blanket.

Two days down. Three to go!

Congrats, Lisa & Chris!

2011-07-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Yay! Finally got some pics from Chris & Lisa's wedding, in which Reid & I had the honor of serving as ring bearer & bride's maid last April. What a fun day!

Photography by Kelly Boitano

Reid seemed to be taking his responsibility very seriously.

My boys all looked SO handsome!

Favorite!

Enough of this standing business. :)

Kindergarten is Officially in Session!

2011-07-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

Our homeschooling has been very informal up until this point, so I guess it's time for an update! As I was organizing our "My Father's World" kindergarten curriculum, Reid asked what I was doing. When I told him, he got totally excited and asked if we could start. "Sure," I said. "Right now?" he asked. "Ok..." I responded. ("Here goes nothing," is what I was really thinking.) Probably good that we get a bit of a head start though, to give us some cushion since Baby's due September 1st.

So we've so far completed the introduction, which covers the creation story. Each day he contributed to one page in his book (pictured below) and one piece of his banner, which is now hanging proudly in our classroom.

When Reid shows people this page, he says, "Do you know why Adam & Eve have a heart stamp in between them? Because they're in love."

And so did we.

Reid was very excited to use the exclamation point! :)

Ronin didn't want to miss out on any of the action so I plopped him in his highchair and let him play with whatever medium we were using that day (i.e. glitter paint, rubber stamps, stickers, etc.). I soon learned he couldn't be trusted with the kid scissors when I caught him trying to cut his own hair and actually cutting a hole in his shirt. A lot of the material so far seems too easy for Reid, like learning his alphabet, colors, numbers, so instead of skipping it, he and I make games to teach Ronin together.

Reid and I are also getting into chapter books and read a chapter (or two if he could sit through it) of "Mr. Popper's Penguins" each day before nap time. As a reward for finishing the book, we went and saw the movie together, which was hardly like the book, but he didn't mind.

Once we find our groove with the MFW stuff, I plan to add on "Making Math Meaningful," which utilizes around-the-house items and conceptual conversation to, well, make math meaningful, avoiding flash cards, memorization, etc. (I'm considering starting at level 1 instead of level K.) Colby will also be planning a simple science project for each weekend to coincide with the previous week's MFW theme.

Hearing the kids on recess around the corner over the past school year has really piqued Reid's interest in school, so I felt it was time to make more of an effort to plug-in with a homeschool group. I finally settled on the Cornerstone Homeschool Connection, which had a nice, modern (and very welcoming) feel to it. We've been joining them for park days and will be joining in on a co-op with.

Here we go... We're actually doing this!

4th of July

2011-07-04T23:29:00.000-07:00

Watching fireworks with dad at Grammy's block party.

Adventures in Room Sharing

2011-06-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, when Ronin started climbing out of his crib, we decided it was time to move him to Reid's room on the bottom bunk and for Reid to move up to his top bunk. The transition went surprisingly well. The boys seem to be bonding more, as they both prefer to snuggle (or "nuggle" as Ronin says) on the same bunk and we're provided with endless entertainment on our video monitor. On the first night we watched as they played and played and played. I asked Colby if we should go in and... I don't know... do something. He said no, just let them play, reminding me that this experience was part of the reason we chose for them to share a room. We found that eventually, Reid would have enough and go up to his bunk to go to sleep. It's pretty funny to watch, but don't just take my word for it.

(That's Ronin's head you see in the video below. Reid's in front of him, behind the bed rail.)

There is the occasional hitch where they bug each other to tears or play through nap time, but when we turned the monitor on a couple hours after bed time tonight and found Ronin's bed empty, we tried not to panic. We ran upstairs not knowing what we'd find. When we got up there, Ronin's bed was empty, sure enough. Reid was asleep in his top bunk and Ronin was nowhere to be found. We checked the Star Wars tent, where we found him asleep once, but it was empty. We checked his old room, in case he's gotten homesick of his crib. Nothing. How do you lose a kid in your own house?? Back into the big boy room... A clue.

And he didn't even wake up when we scooped him back into bed.

A Cherry-Pickin' Good Time

2011-06-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

We joined our local moms' club for a morning of cherry picking. Reid loved picking them, but refused to try even one, while Ronin got quickly bored of picking them and just chowed down on them the entire time! He must have eaten about 25 of them, including a few pits, which came out in the shower a couple days later.

Reid & Ronin checking out the chickens:

Reid & his friend, Sebastian:

Time to get to work:

Our loot:

Playing at our picnic afterwards:

Congratulations, Grads!

2011-06-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Quincey is officially a highschool graduate! Congrats, Quince! And Audrey too as you move on to your freshman year of highschool!

This day recognized just as big of an accomplishment for Quincey's mom, who homeschooled her all the way from K-12!

Family traveled from as far as Kansas and Texas to attend the festivities, one of which included an amazing brunch at Campo Di Bocce followed by a round of bocce ball:

Pennypickle's Workshop

2011-06-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

We found this Children's Science museum called Pennypickle's Workshop where the kids (& Colby) could get out of our Temecula hotel room and blow off some steam.

Lego Land

2011-06-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

While in the Southern California area for one of Colby's other grandma's 80th birthday celebration, we hit up Lego Land, which meant more geek out time for Colby at the Star Wars miniland.

I have to say the scenes were very impressive!

Some of Colby's old high school friend who now also have families of their own were able to meet us there. Meet the Brunstings and the Chans... You can probably guess who's who. :)

Reid & Daryk were instant BFF's!

They'd often be seen holding hands while walking through the park.

Even the dad's got into the bromance (???).

Caught the dads proving that real men push strollers. That's Ronin "napping".

Oops... So much for that manly image.

Even Bob the Builder couldn't shake Ronin of his skepticism. Priceless.

And of course, a birthday shout out to Great Grandma Pat!

And another great visit with Grammy J & Grandpa (Colby's dad & step-mom):

Please Don't Judge Me

2011-05-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this may be completely inappropriate... Well, I'm pretty sure it is. Please don't judge me. It's so funny, I can't help myself.

This is just an ordinary, every day trip to a public restroom with Reid while out and about. Now, to say this kid talks a lot would be an understatement. I'm sure that if you have kids, you're thinking, "Oh, I get it. My kid talks a lot too." But I don't think you do get it. Please, spend a day with him and then get back to me. OR just take him to the public restroom when he has to go #2 because that's when he's got an audience with no escape. Colby was the lucky one this time. The only thing that made this any different from any other trip with him to the john is that Colby pretended to be playing a game on his phone as he was actually recording him. He made it a point not to contribute to the... conversation.

Rockin' Out

2011-05-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

This is supposed to be bed time, but instead Ronin's watching himself slam dance in the mirror while Reid spins endlessly in his egg chair. Love these boys.

Disney World Post 5: Blizzard Beach

2011-05-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

On our last day, we hit the Blizzard Beach water park. It was AWESOME. The park is designed to look like you're on ski slopes (brilliant!) and even has a lift to take you up to some of the slides. There was also a large tube where you can sit with up to six people as you hold onto the handles and slide pretty fast down a curvy slide. I loved watching the kids' faces on that one. The lazy river was a gift from God and the "garbage pails" of ice cream we shared at the end of our day were simply indulgent!

Disney World Post 4: Magic Kingdom

2011-05-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Highlights of the Disney vaca had to be meeting the characters. Reid was beyond excited to meet Mickey and Minnie. You can see it in his smile in this video that he knows he is in celebrity presence. Ronin on the other hand wasn't too sure about them. He was excited up until it was our turn to meet them and then became a bit skeptical, whispering to me wide-eyed, "a-mom, a-hide!" forcing me to get into the picture with him. If you listen closely, you'll hear Reid tell Mickey, "I love you," as we're leaving.

Since the princesses next door happened not to have much of a line, I was able to talk Ronin into meeting a couple of them (Reid didn't want anything to do with them, which made Colby a proud dad). When Ronin met Belle, he broke the ice by pointing out Pirate Mickey on his shirt.

When he met Sleeping Beauty, he wooed her by showing her the scabs on his knees.

Next was Cinderella, whom he walked by, shaking his head and eyebrows furrowed, saying "Don't like". I doubt she's used to that kind of rejection, but she waved graciously.

Disney World Post 3: Hollywood Studios

2011-05-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

Definitely one of my fave spots, the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, where the booths look like you're in a classic car and you sip your malt while watching old sci-fi flicks on the silver screen:

Colby was in dork heaven with all the Star Wars scenery:

...Not to mention catching the soft opening of the new Star Tours ride, which was scheduled to officially open the following weekend. Colby rode it five times (there are over fifty different possible scenarios that can take place) and was sure to take a picture of his fast pass tickets with the pre-opening date on them:

The kids loved all of the Toy Story scenery:

We had almost as much fun playing in the line to meet Buzz & Woody as we did actually getting to meet them:

Colby & Ronin mint in the box:

Playing on the set while Buzz & Woody take a break:

And the moment has arrived! (Notice Reid relishing the moment as Ronin stood, skeptical as usual.)

The talented Quincey Gibson auditioned for the American Idol Experience and landed in the top three out of about 180 people! The remaining three contestants got to perform on an amazingly realistic American Idol set in front of a live audience who voted for their favorite who would move on to a finalist performance that evening. (No, there was no Ryan Seacrest.)

Vote for #3!!!!

Although Quincey didn't make it on to the finals, she had a blast and we thoroughly enjoyed her power house performance of Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"!

Somehow, our family kept getting chosen to interact in things. Debbie was unexpectedly picked out of the crowd and was shown on a big screen as she was interviewed by a monster during the Monsters Inc. comedy show. Below, Colby was chosen to act as an extra on the Indiana Jones movie set. (He's the fourth from the right in the first photo.)

Here he's cheering in the background with the other onlookers during the fight scene.

The kids were pretty excited about all that and Reid still thinks Dad was in an actual Indiana Jones movie!

Disney World Post 2: Epcot Center

2011-05-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

Cheek to cheek with Grammy:

Striking a pose with Big Ma:

Taking a break with Papa:

Getting a bite with Bruce:

Finding Nemo with Aunt Audrey:

Playing in the fountains in "France":

Attempting to spin plates in "China":

This scene in the background with Simba from The Lion King is how Colby explained he wanted to present Reid to the world when he was born:

Got through another day of excitement and exhaustion. So far the threats of needing to be pushed around in a wheel chair were still a just a joke... for now.

Disney World Post 1: Animal Kingdom

2011-05-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Colby and his step-dad had business in Orlando, so his mom had the brilliant idea of making it a family trip to Disney World by getting there a week before their conference. Day one: Animal Kingdom!

This became Ronin's usual form of transportation for the week:

Reid was pleased to find a bright aquarium in this tunnel and not another "snowman" encounter like at last year's trip to Disneyland:

The live animals were a hit with Ronin:

While Reid seemed to prefer the ones that didn't move:

Both of the boys were into the parades:

And of course anything they could touch and make noise with:

Gary knew Ronin had just about reached his limit of excitement towards the end of each day when he would feel Ronin get heavier and heavier on his shoulders:

That's Right. I Got a Mommy Van.

2011-05-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

With plans to bring home a third baby in a few months, it was time to get over my mommy van stigma and say good-bye to my beloved 4Runner. After borrowing my mom-in-law's 2010 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited, with its soft leather interior, smooth wooden steering wheel, comfy bootie warmer and life-saving navigation system, I learned that this mommy van business could be quite... nice!

Unfortunately, I got used to driving the Lexus of minivans and after weeks of Craigslisting for a 2004 or later version of this van, as my mom puts it, I developed champagne taste on a beer budget. While realizing that we couldn't get what we wanted at the price we were hoping, Colby started looking at other options and came across a listing for an old Toyota Previa like this one (except it had 22" Lexus rims??). We had a good laugh as he went on about how awesome it was and asked me if I ever had a car that I felt uninhibited to beat the crap out of. I had to remind him that it would be our family car and I wouldn't get to enjoy the... luxury... of hitting random objects as I felt the impulse. The joke became less and less funny to me as I sensed him becoming more and more serious about the Toyota Previa option. Previa... isn't that a pregnancy condition where the placenta blocks the birth canal?? I started to get a real sense of my own vanity as I envisioned how mortified I'd be to drive a bubble van, even if for only a year or so, until we could afford what I really wanted. He tried to sway me with Dave Ramsey references, reminding me that this would truly be "living like no one else", but I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

By the following morning, I was almost completely over it. I told Colby that if this was what he thought we should do, then I would go with it. Of course I had a condition... I would need a Dave Ramsey bumper sticker or two as an explanation for why I was caught driving this thing...

But Colby said never mind. He had changed his mind. I give up.

That was when this van sort of fell into our laps. Friends of the family offered this '99 Nissan Quest to us for only $3,350. We couldn't pass it up and drove it away after seeing it for the first time. We decided that, instead of spending $14k and settling, we would stick with this for a year or so and continue saving for my Lexus of minivans.

This is the pretty side. The other side has dents and, well, a bit of a hole in the bumper from the teenage daughters' driving lessons. It's sort of like Two Face from Batman. The inside is immaculate though. Leather interior, clean as can be, with no evidence of raising kids in it, not to mention meticulous maintenance records. The best part? Being fully loaded, according to 1999's standards, it came with a removable console with a VCR... that's right, a VCR! The console is about 1.5' x 10" x 1.5', while the color screen is a mere 5 inches, lol! The kids think it's awesome... and we think so too, in a nostalgic kind of way. :)

HGTV Waltenburg Style

2011-05-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

After several gold-buying parties, I reached my goal (and then some), of earning enough cash to renovate our downstairs guest room into a playroom/classroom for the kids. Colby and I were so into the project that we finished in only a couple of weeks. We were on such a roll, it felt like we were on one of those HGTV shows! I wish I had taken the time to take photos of the before and during stages, but we were too focused on just getting it done. Just picture a bland, catch-all room for forgotten toys, with light beige walls, beige carpeting and white blinds...

Phase 1: Paint! We did the first coat on our own and are slightly embarrassed to say we hired someone to finish because part way through we both decided we hated painting and the labor was too cheap to pass up.

Phase 2: Flooring. Colby and my step-dad had the back-breaking job of installing these really cool laminated 4' 6"x 8" click-lock planks from Ikea... well, just about everything was from Ikea. The finished product looks like a seamless sheet. Very cool.

Phase 3: Assembly, assembly, and more assembly. I spent nearly every free moment assembling Ikea furniture. Every day at the kids' nap time, I could be found in front of the T.V. with a screwdriver, assembling something new for Colby to install when he got home form work.

Phase 4: Accessorizing. That was fun.

Phase 5: The Unveiling. The kids LOVE it.

This wire is stretched across the wall and has clips to display the boys' projects from homeschool and church:

Pics of the kids & Joey:

I sewed these curtains, which are clipped onto another wire to just slide open:

The Billy cabinets look pretty on the top half (until I fill it with all our homeschool books and stuff!) and hold toys in a store-like display for the kids in the lower, covered cabinets:

Found these fun decals to go with the robot theme on whatisblik.com. Their decals are so fun and inspiring:

These stackable robot blocks were a gift from friends for us... I mean, the boys and go perfectly with the design:

Colby mounted the cubbies about a foot off the floor to give them a cool floating effect (and maybe also to keep the kids from knocking down ~~our~~ their robot blocks every time they come in:

I filled these photo frame coasters with robot pics to continue the theme:

I think Ronin's getting too comfortable in the mommy chair I strategically included:

There is also a collapsable table in the closet that can be rolled out and folded chairs hanging behind the door for more school-like activities in the future, but for now, it's the coolest play space in our house!

Porchin' It

2011-04-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best plans are no plans! We had a refreshing Saturday morning doing nothing as a family. :) That includes Joey, whose become quite beloved by the boys and it's obvious the feeling is mutual. For that she just may have converted a cat lover like me.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

The kids helped get my mom's house ready for this year's Easter celebration by hanging some of their crafts from church.

They are at such a fun age for the Easter egg hunt. Doesn't Ronin look so grown up!

My aunt hooked them up with these confetti-filled eggshells that they thoroughly enjoyed cracking over their grandpas' heads.

Enough about the kids... I know what you're really wondering is, "what kind of cake did Colby decorate this year??" First, a reminder of the previous years' cakes by Colby:

In 2008 he brought you Zig Zag Jesus:

In 2009 you saw Little Bunny Foo Foo:

In 2010 it was Easter Island:

And now he brings you...

The Carrot Junky Bunny. Well done, honey!

Happy Birthday to Papa Ray!

2011-04-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoyed your special, one-of-a-kind play doh cake by Reid.

The Cruise -Pt. 2: The Hairy Chest Contest

2011-03-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, we really did do more than gorge ourselves during our three-day cruise to Ensenada! In case you've been to our home recently and saw a mysterious, golden cruise ship trophy on our mantel, don't let Colby fool you with the story that he saved someone's life on the ship. ...And don't tell him I posted this on our blog.

After much coaxing and pleading from the family, Colby gave in and entered... The Hairy Chest Contest.

Round 1: The Reveal
Colby introduces himself as Francois of France and unrobes.

Round 2: The Break Dance Challenge
The remaining handful of contestants must mimic the breakdance moves of the professional group who performed before the contest.

Round 3: The Conga Line
The final two contestants lead conga lines to determine the winner. Colby wins by a landslide and leads his conga line onto the stage to sing happy birthday to Grandma Jackie! Doesn't she look so proud!

The Cruise -Pt. 1: The Chef's Experience

2011-03-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

For Colby's Grandma's 80th birthday Colby and I joined ten other family members on a three-day cruise to Ensenada. I was enjoying myself far too much to remember to pick up my camera much, but I was sure to snap some shots of the dishes we were served at the exclusive seven-course Chef's Experience that "Mr. Gary" signed us up for on our last night in celebration of Grandma Jackie's birthday. Well, I started eating a couple of the courses before remembering to take a picture, but hey, I'm pregnant!

The experience began with a private tour through the ship's gala where we were served hors d'oeuvres and champagne along the way. We felt like royalty! They even gave us a private lesson on how to make their popular melting chocolate cake.

Whenever we watch shows like Top Chef, Colby and I always wish we could try those fancy dishes that look like little pieces of art on over-sized plates to see if it's really all it's cracked up to be. We felt like we got to do that this night and everything was off the charts! Hors d'oeuvres included ahi tuna tartar, duck pot stickers, mini steak tacos, and avocado cheesecake. Forgot to take a picture of the first course, which was beef carpaccio, but here's the fried calamari that followed:

Then Fire Roasted Tomato and Poblano Chili Bisque (so yummy!):

Then the Chopped Mediterranean Salad. I was full by this point, but this salad was off the hook!

Fillet of Chilean Sea Bass:

Aged Fillet Mignon (I could barely move after this):

There was so much going on with this dessert that I don't remember really what it was, but it was delish!

Magic Leo helped distract us from the sensation that we were on the verge of puking from over-eating:

Grandma Jackie's surprise birthday cake from Chef Russell:

Jackie & all her daughters with Chef Russell:

They even surprised us at the end with a souvenir photo and Carnival Cruise recipe book. What an indulgent, gluttonous, great time! Thank you, Mister Gary!

All In

2011-03-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

A couple fellow bride's maids and I hosted a bridal shower for our dear friend, Lisa. The theme was "Lisa Is All In". While I was too busy hosting and enjoying the party to get shots of the party itself, I was able to catch some shots of the decorations and stuff.

The Invitations:

The Favors (decks of cards & dark chocolates!):

The Hors d'oeuvres -by Simone (Prosciutto-wrapped cantelope balls... Mmmm!):

The Decorations:

More Cricut Magic:

The Giant Cupcake Cake -by Jessica (to give you perspective, it is sitting on a dinner-size plate!):

I'll hopefully get my hands on some wedding pics to post (Reid had the honor of being ring-bearer and looked oh, so handsome in his tux!).

Congratulations, Lisa & Chris!!

Daffodil Hill

2011-03-10T22:53:00.000-08:00

Took a little drive up to Daffodil Hill in Livermore during the couple weeks of March when it's in bloom.

Colby's mom took his sisters here when they were close to Reid and Ronin's ages. I accidentally caught this shot of the boys resembling the photo of the girls from over ten years ago. Ronin preferred rocks and sticks over the daffodils.

Who Doesn't Love a Man in Uniform?

2011-02-14T17:02:00.000-08:00

My brother, the Sergeant of Security at Stoneridge Mall was featured in the San Ramon Valley Times recently as he escorted the San Francisco Giants' Director of Photography & Archives as she carried the World Series trophy to the mall's grand court. That's him on the left, so if you see him wheeling by on the security segway, be sure to say hi!

Park City, Here We Come!

2011-02-13T10:31:00.000-08:00

We're continuing a bi-annual tradition that Colby's grown up with of spending a week during the peak ski season in Park City, Utah. This was the first time we've brought the boys along and coordinated the trip with his mom, step-dad, and sisters. I wish I would've thought to take a picture of the amount of luggage we had between the eight of us! Getting through the airport was insane!

The boys experienced snow for the first time, which Reid was excited about until he touched it and found out it was cold. : /

Quincey asked me to take some senior photos of her while we were there, which totally intimidated me, but she's so photogenic, it seemed every shot was a winner! Here are some sneak peeks...

Colby and Audrey snuck in some shots too...

During one of our last days of the trip, we took a break from the snow and found a fun, little place for the boys to run around called, Monkey Mountain.

Reid & The "Magical" Bull -Pt. 2

2011-02-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

At this year's chili cook-off in Copperopolis, Reid got his chance to look the mechanical bull, or as he calls it, the "magical" bull, in the eyes once more. (Click here to see last year's encounter.) This time, he was sure to clarify that he wanted a nice, sloooow ride. After the video stopped shooting, he hopped off and bragged, "And I didn't even fall off!"

Ultrasound

2011-02-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

While it's too early to count fingers & toes, ultrasound #1 did reveal a single baby, a tiny little heartbeat, and a confirmed due date of September 1st. Next ultrasound is at 19 weeks (I'm 10 now) and will be a level 2 (more detailed look at vital organs) because of our experience with Olive. Just wish we could fast-forward to get it over with, but until then, we're thankful to see this little babe wiggling around in there, heart beating away!

In case you can't make out the little bean, it's a profile shot with the head on the right.

Darndest Things -Pt. 7

2011-02-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

This conversation takes place as I'm tucking Reid in a couple nights after he got busted for sneaking down the hall for a cup of water when he was supposed to be in bed. (Now, before you report me to CPS, let me explain that he's not allowed to have drinks after a certain time of night to avoid bed-wetting... so there.) Ok, tucking Reid in...

Reid: Mom?
Me: Yes.
Reid: Are you going to watch me on the monitor?
(We haven't watched him on our video monitor in months)
Me: Ummm.... I don't know. Should I?
Reid: I don't know.
Me: Well, do you plan on doing something you're not supposed to?
Reid: Yeah.
Me: What do you plan on doing?
Reid: Sneaking a drink of water.
Me: Well, Sweetie... Even if Mom & Dad aren't watching you, you should still always do the right thing and obey rules.
Reid: Why?
Me: Because God is always with you and He knows if you're being obedient or disobedient.
Reid: Is He going to tell you?
Me: No...
Reid: Why not?
Me: Because that's between you and God.
(He looks down pondering my words then nods and just says...)
Reid: Ok.

Hmmm... I'm still not completely sure what all was meant with that last "Ok".

The Cannonball Bandits: Legends

2011-02-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

That's right: Legends... as described in this "The 2010 Legends of LeMons: Unununium Medal Winners" article written by 24 Hours of Lemons judge, Murilee Martin. The boys were described as the only team to have ever won Organizer's Choice three times in a single season in the history of LeMons! (Their mention begins about half-way down the page with the Nascar Meyer Wienermobile shot.)

Date Night with Cat People

2011-01-22T17:13:00.000-08:00

Colby surprised me with one of the coolest dates yet...

First, fish and chips and Belgium white ale from a little English pub in Palo Alto. Then a bit of window shopping up University Avenue. Followed by a screening of a 1940's flick called "Cat People" at the Stanford Theater. And finally dessert crepes at Crepevine. Well done, Honey!

A Retro Tea Party

2011-01-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

So, the paper crafter in me is out of control. While I planned for the retro tea party-themed baby shower I was hosting for my step-sis, Colby got a lot accomplished in the world of Play Station.

The invitations.

The favors.

Each packet filled assorted tea bags

Made the boxes too!

The game prizes

The decorations.

"A New Soul Brews" banner made with cricut

Decorations made with cricut

Pin-wheely things made with scoring board

The food.

The cupcakes.

Cupcake Celebrations by Beth made some AMAZING mini cupcakes to fit the retro theme...
(caweinstein@comcast.net)

Orange Dreamsicle

Raspberry Lemonade

Chocolate Malt

The guest of honor.

Christmas Morning

2010-12-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

This must have been my favorite Christmas so far. We had so much fun having our house full of family for both, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We did our usual enchilada feast on Christmas Eve and brunch on Christmas morning. Everything was awesome, but the best part had to be playing ping pong in our garage. It was pure comedy! Even our parents and my grandparents were in on the action. Unfortunately, I was too in the moment to bother with pictures, but I guess what happened in the garage stays in the garage.

I did however get some footage of Reid discovering his scavenger hunt from Santa on Christmas morning.

The grand finale was finding this 1932 flamed roadster pedal car that was sent from Grandpa & Grammy J (Colby's dad & step-mom). How cool is that??? I can't wait to get the boys all greasered out for a seriously cool photo shoot with this puppy. For now though, they pedal it around and around our kitchen island, as you can see from the skid marks left on our wood floor!

"Reid Comes to Life"

2010-12-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

Reid and his best-friend-buddy, Noah exchanged Christmas presents early. Noah picked out a tattoo gun for Reid that consisted of a battery-operated plastic contraption that vibrates a little marker in and out really fast when you turn it on. I did some work on Reid's chest and talked him into waiting until Daddy got home when he asked if he could give me one... (Beware of Colby dropping his pants!).

Happy Birthday, Ronin!

2010-12-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

Since we were celebrating Ronin's 2nd birthday at Superfranks again I wanted to add a special touch to the party, so I released my inner paper crafter. I spent more hours than I'd like to admit glueing little Elmo eyes and noses for the banner, token boxes, and birthday boy ribbon. While I worked diligently every night during the weeks preceding the party, Colby could be found playing Assassin's Creed on the play station in the living room. After a good four-hour shift we would argue about who accomplished more.

I've got to give him credit for the cupcakes though!

And of course, what's a party without family and friends?

Ronin's First Haircut (Finally!)

2010-12-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

So, I know I've said that I was holding out on Ronin's first haircut until we had another baby on the way because I wasn't ready to transform him from baby to little boy, but the hippy hair was seriously getting out of hand!

Ronin was a champ. He was so still and cooperative despite the overstimulation of paparazzi, cartoons, clippers, etc.

Treasure Hunting

2010-11-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

One of Colby's and my favorite pre-parenthood past times was treasure hunting at estate sales, garage sales & auctions for vintage Danish modern goodies for our home. We recently braved a sale, dragging the kids along on a hunt for dining table chairs to replace some of ours that were on their last leg... almost literally :) . We revisited our Danish friend, Lynn who sold us some cool pieces in the past and now has her own shop, Klassik by Lynn. She's from Denmark and personally brings back shipments of furniture and stuff.

While on our hunt for new-old chairs, we found this fun piece, not minding that it's a fake of some well known Danish artist.

We decided to keep the price down and get a little funky by getting all mismatched chairs. We found these four for $200 with the art, which is a steal considering a decent set of four of these style of chairs can easily go for $600:

We put the finishing touch on the dining room by replacing the light fixture our home came with, with the Sputnik lamp we've dreamt about for our dining room, even back when we were in our previous home. The $400 price tag has kept it out of our reach until we recently found it on eBay for $75 with a few missing pieces that we were able to find elsewhere.

Before:

After:

And if you look closely enough at the reflection, you'll see Colby being Colby. I didn't notice until he pointed it out to me afterwards:

Happy 75th Birthday to Great Grandpa Joe!

2010-11-07T23:19:00.000-08:00

Another Cake by Colby:

Halloween Festivities

2010-10-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Movie Night with Cousins:

Ronin Meets The Peanuts

Ghost Bustin' Blowout at Celebration Christian Center:

Sometimes Living with All Boys Means...

2010-10-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

...I'm the only one at the dinner table with a shirt on.

Date Night

2010-10-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

UFC Fight at the Sanctuary Ultra Lounge + a Pitcher of Sangria = Date Night. Cheers, honey. ;)

The Bromance Continues Still

2010-10-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

The bromance between Reid & "best-riend-buddy" Noah continues still, this time at their little friend, Micah's 1st birthday party.

Happy Birthday, Micah!

Another Visit from the Montana Macs

2010-10-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

We had another great visit with my grandma & grandpa Mac. Ronin charmed them & Reid impressed them with his big brain.

My Brother, known to Reid as "Uncle Beef"

My dad, step-mom & step-brother also joined us for an evening, so Colby worked his magic at the barbecue, making Korean short ribs. I tried my hand at stir-fry and baked my first pineapple upside-down cake. The cake was made in a skillet with the batter poured over a layer of pineapple rings & maraschino cherries in butter, brown sugar & cinnamon. Mmmm....!

Ronin Mooching

2010-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind, Ronin has just finished eating his own dinner...

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Our annual trip to the pumpkin patch at Dell' Osso Farms was a blast, as usual! We met up with a homeschool group for the first time and Reid made quite the impression on the other kids as he acted out the Emperor from Star Wars, pretending to shoot force lightening from his hands at them while making sound effects. He was totally that kid. You know, the one who plays his own game that no one else is clued in on. It was pretty funny to watch.

Soaking Up the Sun

2010-10-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

We're soaking up every last bit of sunshine the season has to offer.

"On Your Marks..."

"Get Set..."

"GO!"

Rainy Daze

2010-10-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

The rain is here, so I'm needing to get creative to keep these boys from running amok in the house. Colby included.

Family Brunch

2010-10-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Family + Food = An Ideal Saturday.

Great Grandpa Joe Hard at Work Grilling the Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast

Granny Enjoying her Great-Great Grandchildren

Great-Great Aunt Janice, Great Grandma Judy & their High School Friend, Marcia

Tia (Great Aunt) & Grammy

Sunny Daze

2010-10-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

The boys and I have been busy getting in some last days at Central Park's water fountains before the weather cools. I love my job. :]

Ronin Checks Out the Busy Ants

When I took this, I thought Reid was just acting silly. It took me another second to realize he was screaming in pain because he had stubbed his toe.

Picnic Time!

Playing in Disco Bay

2010-10-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

After church today, we got to spend the afternoon with our friend & pastor, Dave and his family at their home in Discovery Bay. We love that our pastor really knows us and we know him. This is the same guy who married us almost seven years ago. Now he teaches our oldest son how to play checkers. :) We also love that they live on the water and let us play on their "toys" in their "backyard". We got to take Reid and Ronin out for a spin on their paddle boat, which they both got a kick out of. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera along, but that did allow me to really enjoy the ride with them.

Throw Another Shish-kabob on the Barbie!

2010-10-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

Colby's been so excited about his new BBQ, he's been using it almost every night rain or shine even though it hasn't been built in yet. I'm loving it because I've hardly had to cook! We made these shish-kabobs which would have been off the charts, except I had bought the wrong kind of meat. But aren't they beautiful!

Family Bowling Night

2010-10-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

Reid decided he wanted to try bowling, so we went for it. He realized pretty quickly that it was a lot different than on the Wii. We got some bumpers set up for him, which as it turned out, I needed about as much as he did! The alley also had these iron ramp things so that even Ronin could join in the fun.

A Day of Discovery

2010-10-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

Some shots from our trip with Big Ma & Aunt Audrey to the Children's Discovery Museum where we met Faith & Best-Friend-Buddy, Noah:

More Ink :)

2010-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Brothers

2010-10-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

They love pretending to sleep next to each other lately. It'll be interesting when it's time for Ronin to move from his crib to the bunk bed in Reid's room. I have a feeling there won't be much sleeping going on.

My Birthday Post

2010-10-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

The last year of my twenties is off to a grand start! Celebrations included a 3-D zombie flick/cheese fondue date night, dinner with family, & Just Dance -a new Wii game from my mom & Rudy... These clips ought to make a nice addition to things to display at Reid's wedding someday:

Monkey Love

2010-09-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

I know he's young, but it ain't his first ink anyway (the cast). After all, who could resist this guy when he brings you Reid's tat book, pointing at the monkey and making an "ooh-ooh ah-ah" sound in his little high-pitched voice?

iPhone Snapshots

2010-09-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

The boys' latest favorite pastime: squeezing into the cubby in Ronin's room.

Date night at the Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge in Alameda.

My new fave drink: the "Chamborlada", a classic piña colada with a float of luxurious black raspberry Chambord. Mmmm....

The boys fully enjoying their cotton candy ice-cream at Coldstone.

Reid knows that I limit sugary treats because "sugar makes him wild", so whenever we splurge like this he will eventually start acting like he's wiggling uncontrollably, saying "the suuuugaaaar's shaaaakiiiing meeeeee."

Reid shares his love for reading.
Ronin is still a man of few words -literally- but he loves being read to. He'll bring you book after book and plop on your lap as long as you're willing to read to him. When he realized that he could do it with Reid too, it made for a nice break from the usual sibling warfare. Aren't they sweet?

A Wedding Souvenir

2010-09-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Good friends of ours just got married this past weekend and had a photobooth at the reception with a trunk of props just outside of it. How fun!

Their last name is Njaa (pronounced nyaw). Thus, "Njaahoo". Clever, huh?

More Birthday Party Pics

2010-09-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

More awesome photos just in. (Thanks, Corinne!) View them all here.

It's a Good Thing My Husband Loves Me (continued)

2010-09-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

The following conversation also took place last night.

We were discussing finances and how I plan to repay the unexpected and unnecessary cost of the wedding album, which I still haven't bought. Like most conversations about household finances, it was a little tense, so Colby came over and hugged me...

Colby: "It's not like we're in any trouble or anything. We just can't spend money like this. I'm not angry."

Me: "Even though I got a ticket for not coming to a full stop at a stop sign last week?"

Colby: "What??"

Me: "And for your front windows being tinted?"

It's a Good Thing My Husband Loves Me

2010-09-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

The following conversation took place last night.

Colby, walks through the kitchen, reaching for the lid of the pan I'm steaming veggies in.

Colby: "What's burning?"
Me: "Please don't tell me there's no water left in there."
(He removes the now toxic carrots to reveal the black, bubbled pan where the water had evaporated from.)
Colby: "Honey! That's the second pan you've done this too!"
(Hugs me)
Me: "Well, you know why I didn't realize the pan was burning? I walked by it and smelled it, but I thought it was the chicken nuggets I just burned in the mircrowave."

Darndest Things -Pt. 6

2010-08-31T15:53:00.001-07:00

Reid: Someday, I'm going to be a dad.
Me: Oh, yeah?
Reid: Yup. And someday, you're going to be a grandma.
Me: I hope so!
Reid: ...or a clown.

Food Face

2010-08-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Already having a blast decorating Reid's new Food Face Plate! Thanks, Papa Ray & Grandma Yolie for such a fun gift!

Seen here with Grandma Jackie's German Ham, Cabbage & Potatoes

Time to Round Up -Reid Turns 4!

2010-08-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

(I know, I can't believe it either!)

The Invitation.

The Decorations.

*Thanks for the homemade banner, Danaly & Lucy!

The "Best Friend Buddy Noah".

The Cake.

*Decorated by Colby, of course

The Wheels.

To find his new Power Wheels car, Reid had to follow a string of yarn around the house, reading several notes attached along the way with the following messages, "Hey, Reid!" "There is a surprise for you at the end of the string..." "From Grammy & Tata," "Big Ma & Papa," "& Tia too!" "Keep going..." "You're almost there!"

When he got to the end of the string and found the car, his facial expression was priceless.

He then took his friends and brother for rides and was happy to give them turns in the driver's seat too.

Darndest Things -Pt. 5

2010-08-17T23:58:00.000-07:00

Colby explaining to Reid why we're leaving for the evening:

   Colby: Now Reid, Mom & I are leaving in a little while to go on a date.
   Reid: Why are you going on a date?
   Colby: Because, Son, it's good for our marriage.
   Reid: You guys got married???

Lesson Un-Planning

2010-08-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

We're constantly adjusting our homeschool style, focus & pace as we find what works for Reid and our family for now. While Reid's reading skills are taking off at an amazing rate, he's still so young that the repetitive exercises in the Alpha-Phonics book we were using proved to require more patience than he's got at this age, so we've scrapped it for now. In the meantime we've just been reading to each other a lot. We've got a new rule in our home that requires him to read me one of his level 1 or 2 I Can Read / Step into Reading books if he wants any computer or tv time, which has cut down on screen time and increased reading time.

Following the advise of seasoned homeschool teachers, above reading, our focus is on behavior, obedience, character and relating to God. These lessons all take place in everyday life, so no curriculum or lesson-planning at this point.

Young Married?

2010-08-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

When the wives in our young marrieds group at church were getting together to share wedding albums, I became inspired to dust off my box of wedding photos, empty photo album and unopened scrapbook embellishments. Then I remembered that I don't like to scrapbook.

I then spent a few hours scanning nearly two hundred photos to create an online photo book only to decide the image quality sucked.

Next I took the film in to convert it into digital images, meanwhile questioning my sense of belonging in a young marrieds group since I'm sure none of those wives have any wedding photos on film. Two hundred seventy-one dollars (and some explaining to Colby) later...

...Six and a half years after the big day, I finally created our wedding album:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Oh, and I never made it to the album-sharing event.

Go Home Frostbacks!

2010-08-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

The Bandits do it again at the 24 Hours of Lemons "Arse Sweat-Apalooza" at Thunderhill Raceway as The Canadian Coyote vs. The American Border Patrol...

It's officially a streak now as they take their third consecutive Organizer's Choice Award!

...aaaaand yes, that is a maple leaf shaved into my husband's chest.

See the rest of my photos from the weekend

See official Lemons photos from the weekend

Become a fan of The Bandits on Facebook

Grammy's Birthday Lasagna

2010-08-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

We didn't have birthday candles, so we improvised with these palm tree monkey skewers and pretended.

Progress

2010-08-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Concrete poured!