November - December 2011

Ah November, family picture time!  Such a joyous occasion to capture snapshots of us in time... NOT.  This year might go down as the worst in history.  First, I made the mistake of sticking to my threat that if Gabe did not clean his muddy cowboy boots, he could not wear them.  

Mario was initially calm, and then so totally annoyed he resorted to a less than pleasant conversation with him

Then Lucia decided to show how much she did NOT feel joyous.

And after many attempts at distraction, bribery, candy, etc. I gave up and was just totally annoyed.

Many photos and lots of computer editing later, I was able to come up with something for a Christmas card...  And I want it to go down in history that it was a miracle that a card came out this year after a photo shoot like that...

In early December my cousin got sealed in the LDS temple in Las Vegas.  I know, Las Vegas isn't typically known as the host to eternal marriages, but we have lots of family there so Mario and I and my parents made the drive up.  While there, we enjoyed the always fabulous gardens at the Bellagio,

The new City Center complex,

And a very fun time catching up with cousins.

On the way home we stopped briefly at Hoover Dam, but still couldn't make the time commitment to take the tour.  We are dumb, we'll never have a better opportunity...

Back to November, Lucia and I accompanied Gabe's preschool class on a fieldtrip to a dairy farm.  Side note - notice the very short hair on Lucia??  That would be because her brother butchered it so badly - TWICE - that we had to pay an emergency visit to tia Allison and her only option was to chop it off.  I was NOT happy about it.

In December my BFF and her family stopped to visit us for 24 hours on part of their amazing family road trip, and it was the best.  We went to check out the Casa Grande Ruins, which were surprisingly fun.

 My two nieces came with us and they all got activity books to learn about the ruins and then "Ranger Badges".

 We also took a mob of kids to see the temple lights, which were amazing as always.  I was just sad that we didn't get more time with the Romney's we LOVE them!

 December was filled with al lthe typical fun activities, like visits to Santa where my kids are too scared to speak with him; and

 Making of ginger bread houses where I make, and they eat the disgusting candy until I finally throw them away...

 We also got to see my dear friend Marianne and he family for an afternoon on their way through town.  I am so pathetic, and this is the only picture I have of her and none of us together.  WE met up at a railroad park in Scottsdale that the kids loved.

 We truly did have a lovely Christmas season without too much stress.  Other than a few sewing projects, I again had all my shopping done by Thanksgiving and am so grateful for the calm enjoyment that gives us the rest of the month.  We had a family party a couple of days early to accommodate schedules and the kids opened all their gifts from the super generous Allison and Jimmy.  Lucia was excited about her new kitchen toys.

 Gabe was so excited by the size of the box, but even more so when it revealed a baseball T and bat.

 Baby Olive is just adorable.

 Mario trying to see if the ever growing belly was moving.

 Gabe playing the piano with my Grandma Pat.  I love that they have had some time to get to know her, and they love that she is always happy to sit and read them books.

 Mario and I on Christmas Eve.

 Gabe checking out the decorations on Nana's tree.

 Lucia singing Christmas songs.  She is quite the singer!

 My kids NEVER participate for photos...do other peoples'??

 Gabe and his new bean bag on Christas morning.

 New horses and cowboys... and Lucia got a lot of stuff too, don't know why there are no photos.  Having Christmas fall on a Sunday made it a particularly special day - it was wonderful to get t goo to church and remember the real reason we celebrate.

 My big project this year was I made them both beanbags to watch TV.  It was a fun project, although Mario didn't think transferring the super static-y filling from two beanbags that I got on craig's list to the new ones was all that fun...

 We also went to see Zoo lights.

 anyway, back to the dairy farm.  They got to feed goats and hold chickens and taste ice cream and chocolate milk from the cows, as well as go on a hay ride where we learned all about how a dairy farm works.  But apparently my child is more advanced than I give him credit for.  While passing the cows, we saw on big male cow jump on top of a female cow and Gabe exclaimed "Look mom!" and I responded, "yeah, I guess maybe they're fighting?"  and Gabe says to me "No mom, that's how the papa cow asks the mamma cow if she wants to have a baby."  Me, choking "Who told you that?"  Nonchalant response "No one, I just know."  ok.  one conversation we don't have to have!

 It was a beautiful fun day, and I'm so thankful that I have a great job that allows me to attend things like this with no problem!

 This is just some playing in the backyard fun.  Birdie gave these boots to Lucia, and they don't fit her at ALL, but she LOVES them and insists on wearing them.  Notice that she has a diaper on here.  no more.  She basically potty trained herself the end of December.  She's been asking for a while to go to the bathroom, and my mom kept warning me to not miss her window of interest, so I went and bought her some panties and we tired for a few days.  But she had a few accidents and I really didn't feel like going through this whole ordeal, and she's still really young, so I just kind of gave up and put her in some pull-ups. (cardinal sin with potty training, but I seriously did not care if she potty trained right now) But she kept asking, on her own...and after several days of a dry diaper all day long, I put her back in panties.  She's probably only had 5 accidents in the last two months!  I am seriously the luckiest mom ever.

 Gabe continues with his cowboy obsession.  He's been getting braver and rode Pinto on his own over Thanksgiving, but he likes me to follow the horse around the yard, which I'm not so keen on.

 We had a very nice and tasty Thanksgiving with my sister, parents, and brother his family.  Mario stayed home to work, since it's not a holiday that means so much to him.  We were thankful for many things this holiday, but one big one is how much my kids LOVE their cousins, and truly cherish every single moment they get to play together.  It is the funnest to watch.

Last random picture of the month - Gabe and Lucia in the crib together.  I love these two!

So this is waaaaay long, and totally out of order, but it's down for posterity and that's what counts, right?

October 2011

October is birthday month, and I told Mario I did NOT want any kind of a party, but I would love to go to Sedona for the day, just the two of us.  So we pawned off our kids on my family members, and headed to the beautiful red rocks.

 We had gone once before, but now are pretty sure that we stopped at the little town just before Sedona and never made it to the city itself.  It was beautiful and amazing and we have vowed to go back more often.

 We did lots of my favorite activities.  First, we got exercise and saw beautiful surroundings by going on a hike to a natural bridge, which was stunning.

 IT's kind of hard to tell, but here is Mario on the natural bridge.

 and me.

 and us.

 Then we did another of my favorite activities, shopping!  It's an artists compound, sort of, with lots of little boutiques and beautiful courtyards.

 and even a little chapel.

 And then we did my most favorite activity, eating.  We went to the most delicious MExican restaurant.  The wait was insane, and we only got to sit in the bar, but it was totally worth it.  It was a beautiful day and we had the best time just being together.

 We also Halloweened in October...but more on that later.

 On my actual birthday, Mario planned a surprise party for me, because he didn't believe me when I said I really didn't want a party.

 So we got together with our lovely friends the Reyna's, the Hidalgo's, The Larrietta's and the Lista's for cake and ice cream.

 It was a nice evening.

 Lucia also turned TWO!  And I was pregnant, exhausted, working too much, and finally made myself okay with just a small family party one Sunday after family dinner.

 She was completely obnoxious.  She somehow got the idea that she had to take her dress off, so went to her birthday in her birthday suit (and a diaper).

 We did have cake.

 And the families from my birthday party again participated, plus cousin Olive.

 Gabe helped Lucia open every present.

 And Lucia could never find her happy side that night.  Good thing I didn't go to a lot of trouble, I might have been really annoyed!

 We also celebrated Halloween, again, and again, and again, and again in October.  Gabe was Astro boy.

 And Lucia was a sock monkey.  I had fun making their costumes, and definitely feel like they wore them enough to merit the effort!

 Gabe and his blue core energy...

 First we went to a carnival at Gabe's preschool.

 Where Olive the chicken was the total star of the night.  She was so cute.

 Then we went to the party at church and collected way too much candy at the trunk-or-treat.

 Then we went to a hot air balloon festival where the kids could trick-or-treat at each balloon.

 Some costumes were a little scarier than what you find at the preschool carnival...

 But we loved looking at all the amazing balloons.

 Then on actual Halloween, we went to my parent's church party and trunk or treat, and Mario dressed up for work.  And was the only one at his work who did so.  I was really done with Halloween by the time it was over, and I ate WAY TOO MUCH of the candy that I hid from my kids so they wouldn't overdose.  Next time I think I should just let them eat it...

We didn't carve any pumpkins, because it was still 100 degrees every day and they would just rot, so why bother?  But we did make pizza in the shape of pumpkins and ghosts, and ate it for dinner.  And we made pumpkin rice crispy treats, so that kind of counts, right?  I'm a lazy mom, I admit it.