christmas time is here!

i don't exactly know where the year went but i guess christmas is in a couple weeks. we had a lot of fun picking out the tree this year. the kids were ducking in and out of trees while we waited for our tree to get the stand.

 



gingerbread house!

i also think it's funny that stella has a new "cheese" face. she is seriously such a ham!

 



whew!!! that was a lot! i feel good - i'm all caught up now!! so much for getting any sleep tonight...

thanksgiving in maui

we had a great trip to maui with all the kids for thanksgiving. it was more of an adventure than a vacation but we survived! here are some pics...

 

stella seriously has no fear! she got right on the boogie board!

lucy and hugh at baby beach

thanksgiving bubble fun!

the big kids learning to surf - thanks for taking them out erik!

cousins!

she does not mind getting down and dirty.

digging a big hole at kaanapali beach

boogie boarding at kaanapali beach

it was tough out there

iao valley!

long trip home...

more november fun!

november was a busy month for us. after we got back from marco island v, vere and i went to austin texas for the formula 1 race at the circuit of the americas for our first trip away from the kids in almost 3 years. unfortunately i had bronchitis and then a stomach bug - but the food was great in austin!!

ferrari's fernando alonso - vere's favorite team/driver

us at the track

 

turn 11 first lap of the race!

shopping at the outlets

we also took the kids to legoland. here is cole's pizza. he was done.

encinitas fall festival - cole was at it again on all the rides

bumper cars with daddy - his favorite!

i was nervous for this entire ride!

florida in november

the day after halloween we woke the kids up at 4:30 and hopped on a plane to marco island florida for one of vere's conferences.

 

but it was worth it for the beautiful white sunny beach!

our balcony lead stright down to the beach

 

hanging out in our backyard ;)

 

 

stella was having the best time. it was super windy this day and she was loving it!

 

collecting shells

 

then cole decided to take a swim

 

happy halloween!

we had a super fun halloween! i actually got the kids into their costumes a few times! here are some pics...

our playgroup's halloween party

 

stella not getting in the pic

 

can i just say that i NEVER gave cole a lollipop at stella's age. this girl is gonna get away with murder...

cole's halloween parade at school

cole's class

cole with his buddy aj - they were having a very funny conversation which consisted of a lot of yelling and funny faces



trick or treating time!

my pumpkins :)



vere's pumpkin!

october fun!

we've been having a lot of fun at the pumpkin patches and halloween stuff this month. this is the first year that we've really been able to enjoy the fun that october has to offer. cole has always been pretty cautious when it comes to going on rides but he's really coming out of his shell now. and stella has no fear - she'll do anything.

i took stella to the del mar pumpkin station to meet up with her little friend ava. she is seriously fearless! she loved this swing. there was no one there that morning so the guy running the ride let her stay on until i told him to stop. she was on there forever!

 

then we went to another pumpkin patch in san marcos...

big slide!

this is the first ride that cole has ever gone on by himself! 3 and a half...finally! stella beat him by about a week ;)

there were only rides for big kids at this pumpkin patch so while cole rode the rides, stella cruised the pumpkins eating snacks.

gourds!



i guess she can't read yet...

we went to brick or treat at legoland and made it to the fireworks at 9pm!...barely...

frozen yogurt break!

today we went back to the del mar pumpkin station. we met up with cole's friend from school, aj...

cole and aj going down the big slide!

cole is usually scared of animals but today he wasn't!

 

best swing in the world! they get to go fast and i don't have to push :)

cole and aj on the train

 

i still can't believe he went on this one cuz it went so fast!

 

they were so cute and having so much fun on this ride together :)

 

 

a preview of their halloween costumes cuz i might not ever get them on these kids again...

 

stella the dragon

cole the knight