Halloween Tradition

Our family makes an anual trip to the same pumpkin patch. We started going to this place when Tanner was only 10 wks old. We love this place because:

it has a little train that we take a small tour on,

10/06
we purchase kettle corn and gobble it up,

10/08
they have the best pumpkins,
10/08
and they have such fun cut outs to stand next and see how much our boys have grown or put our heads in the cut outs :o) 10/09

Then we take our little family to our favorite Sports Bar. Bliss~

Cole's B-Day Celebration at P-School

Cole's Birthday Celebration at Preschool

My Halloween Treats 2008

On the search for the perfect pumpkin

Hallow's Eve

My Halloween Treats 2007

My Halloween Treats 2006

Tanner as a Dragon and Cole as a Baby Chick.

Cole was so cute walking around as a Baby Chick.

This was the Eve before his 1st Birthday!

My Halloween Treat 2004

Tanner as a Pro Golfer

Halloween '04

Tanner w/ his Caddie Heidi

My Halloween Treat 2003

Tanner w/ his playgroup

Halloween '03

Do you know which Frog is Tanner?

My Halloween Treat 2002

Tanner in a local orchard

Fall '02

Video Thursday

Spring 2006

They were so little.

Joys of Boys

It was a windy day to hunt for Tarantulas

Explore the caves under the rocks

Eurasion Brown Owl that is twice the size of American owls
And a Snowy Owl from Alaska

Success at last, a tarantula was found!

Typhoon Melor

Typhoon Melor

Found its way to California

So thankful that this storm is nowhere near the strength that hit the Philippines or Japan. We California folk are getting a small taste ( a fraction of the real Typhoon) and boy is it wet and w/out a break. California gets rain at times but the golfers continue golfing as our rain comes in spurts... just wait that rain cloud will pass....is the usual attitude. I've been sitting in a classroom all day today and there hasn't been a break in clouds.. this cloud is the mother ship of clouds. Our students usually rotate between four classrooms; however, we decided to keep them in their homeroom classrooms and make it a movie day (umm.. a weather lesson day) with some hot coco and games. Good thing we did because you almost need a boat to go from one class to the next, 3" deep puddles 4' wide and strategically placed right in the students' paths.

Also thankful that this storm didn't show up yesterday as my Dear Husband played in a golf tourney and took 2nd place bringing home the bacon and a new camera too! Congrats to my DH! I'll have to ask if he had anyone out on the course today. Golfers are a bit like Mailmen, come rain, snow (they have bright colorful golf balls ya know), sleet, or hail they still get out there. Crazy Golfers! ;o)

On the home front~ Both boys tested positive for Strep and Mommy too. Not fun weather to try and recover from such a nasty bug.

Enchanting

Staying in an old log cabin in the mountains,

wooden path,

wooden deck to hang from,


X-tra large fireplace,

BIG water fall cascading from the Squaw Resort,

Waking up to snow,

playing in the snow,

catching snow flakes on your tongue,

seeing Emerald Bay* in the snow,
and the island in the Bay.

We had a fantastic weekend in Tahoe :o)

Dane and I decided to "get away" and head up to Tahoe. We had this trip planned to enjoy nature via taking hikes and possibly going into the lake or river. Ca has been hitting high temps the last few weeks, so we thought maybe we would catch the warm weather before it hibernates for the colder season. Good Ole' Mother Nature had her own plans; however, with wind gusts up to 40mph and 40*temps didn't make for enjoyable hikes or water fun.

We knew when we left our home to head for the hills that there would be some snowfall on the 2nd day of our trip, but really didn't think it would stick. We made the best of our stay as we lounged around in the cabin, then a little lounging and eating at the Squaw Valley Resort. Tanner and I played a round of Chess and then Checkers.

Tanner became very excited when he learned that there will be snow in the morning. He was up at 6:30am to inform us that the snow had arrived, the whole 3" of it. Unfortunately, the poor kiddos played in the snow without the proper attire, so it was a quick play.
* the pic of Emerald Bay is not one that I took, I stayed in the car (I was wearing sandals) while Dane took one boy at a time to see the island and bay. There were no photo ops as it was just about blizzard condition. Dane stated that they were barely able to see the island but both boys were happy to be out in all that snow that was falling, climbing a huge rock, then look down at the island.
All-in-all~ We had a wonderful stay in beautiful Tahoe. Seeing everything through the excitement on my kids faces warmed my heart.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

71 yrs old! Happy Birthday!

I love you!

~Stories about my Dad~

Earliest memory:

*Dad was a butcher and a truck driver for beef companies. He would drive the San Francisco streets and befriend the patrons that he delivered to. As thank yous to him for his care and his friendly ways the shops would give him gifts to bring home and share with his family. I was always curious ... wondering... what is coming home with him today. The gifts weren't always the tangible kind but my dad had new jokes that he learned on his route. I remember there were several times that he would tell our family the joke and everyone was laughing and I was right there laughing too. I would then become the tail end of the laughter as I was laughing and didn't even know why I was laughing.. I was just laughing because everyone else was laughing. I must had been around 5yrs old then and the jokes were definitely way over my head.

*There was a day that I had invited my childhood BFF, Cheryl with me in our home when we got home from school. The rule was: No friends allowed in the home after school, we must wait for a parent. My Dad ( he was a BIG guy back then) arrived home early, I panicked as I knew I was in deep trouble. Now.. my father never physically hurt me but he had a mean bark when you'd done wrong. Anyway, back to my panic.... I told Cheryl that we needed to head out to the back yard and jump the fence. I made it over, but Cheryl struggled to get over. The main culprit keeping her from making the leap was our Labrador named Pepper. Pepper was scratching at her back so bad that he caused her welts and bleeding. My Dad rescued her when he plucked her from the fence and carried her into the home. He consoled her while I was quickly returned back in the house and waiting for my scolding. He let us both off and felt that the dog trauma was a good lesson.

*My Dad is a huge lover of nature and the beauty in it. He introduced our family to Yosemite (Natures Cathedral), we made annual camps there; this special place warms my soul everytime I'm there. I still have to make an annual trip~ I have withdrawals if I don't!

A more recent ~

My Dad was diagnosed (April 2001) with stage 4 Esophageal Cancer that had metastasised to his liver. His prognosis was 5% survival. By some beautiful miracle~ He is now healthy and cancer free 8.5 yrs. Doctors tell him that he is a walking miracle as he is the 1% to make it this many yrs post the seriousness of his cancer.

We are so incredibly lucky to have him in our lives. My Dad didn't think he would live long enough for my Tanner to know him... Tanner (7) knows his PaPa. I believe Cole(4 this Nov) knows him to, but if he is currently unaware~ He will! :o)

Have a beautiful Birthday Dad and know that you are Blessed!

Happy Birthday to My Sister, Michele (today) and to my Dad(tomorrow)!

I love you both!