the gingerbread house: can we eat it now?

They love to make goofy poses when I have the camera.

fresh air

This morning we went for a hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. With eight miles of trails high above the ocean and direct access to the unspoiled beaches below via trails and steps, it's a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. Meredith enjoyed climbing around "Red Butte" (top photo) and Thomas enjoyed seeing how fast he could run on the trails. We'll have to visit again on a clear day to fully appreciate the spectacular views; today we had short periods of blue sky. After exploring the busy streets of Los Angeles earlier this week, it was especially nice to experience a quieter side of Southern California.

the playroom tree

For years we've gone back and forth with artificial and living trees for the Christmas holiday. Given that we'll be traveling every December since we moved away from family, this year we'll purchase a new (taller!) artificial tree. So, the little 6 footer we have has become the kids' tree! Tonight we set it up in the playroom and began making some ornaments to decorate it with. I cut out foam stars, M strung beads and together the kids decorated the tree. I still get a kick out of how they clump all the ornaments onto one branch. Thomas had started out spacing them out, but then resorted to hanging them all on the same branch.

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[Yes, I did space them out when the kids were finished - I couldn't help myself. I did, however, hang them all on the bottom half of the tree and within their reach since they'll likely be rearranged daily until the tree is taken down.]

Happy Thanksgiving!

me: " What are you thankful for, Thomas?"

Thomas: "School."

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Last year it was his stuffed rabbit and his slippers. This year it's preschool. I thought that was a nice response for a 3-1/2 year old.

scenes from Santa Monica

Santa Monica ~ Pacific Park (on the pier)
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ice rink ~ Third Street Promenade (shopping, food)
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La Brea Tar Pits

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Los Angeles County Art Museum (outside)

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Hollywood Walk of Fame ~ Kodak Theater
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El Capitan Theater (Disney) ~ Grauman's Chinese Theater
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Getty Center

Santa Monica

The whole family is enjoying a short getaway to Santa Monica, California. Many new things for us to see and explore! La Brea Tar Pits, Rodeo Drive, the stars on Hollywood Blvd, Grauman's Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater, shopping at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, the Santa Monica pier, Muscle Beach in Venice -- all of this in our first full day here!

According to Thomas, we're staying in our Santa Monica house. It's about 800sf and reminds us of our Portland home (never an outlet where you need one!) but we're loving it. The lovely Santa Monica beaches are just a short 6 blocks away and it's been really fun to be in a "walking neighborhood" again. Need a coffee? Starbucks is just a few blocks away. Need to make a quick trip to Whole Foods? We can walk there. Living in the suburbs as we do now has its perks, but I do miss a more urban neighborhood. It's fun to spend a few days at our "Santa Monica house".

19 months

Meredith has become quite the daddy's girl. In this photo she's giving me her "sad face". Her daddy will do just about anything for her, so in 14-1/2 years when she asks for a car and gives him this look...

she reads a book

M reads from c on Vimeo.

why? why? why? why? why?

glimpses of Thomas in preschool

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I have been asked no less than 100 times already today "why?". It's flat out exhausting. Like all preschoolers, Thomas is curious about everything and just wants to know things... which I love. I love the kinds of questions he asks, I love listening to him think through things aloud, I love the way he comes up with several alternatives or options to do or say things, I love that he wants to know everything about everything... but this mama gets tired of the endless questions. And so this afternoon after his 100+ question, I heard myself say "Please do not ask me any more questions. I love that you ask really good questions and want to know things, but please don't ask any more questions until after naps."
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His response was, of course, "Why?"

caught!

Thomas: "Mom, come look at Meredith!"

[followed by laughter from all three kids in the hall]

Thomas: "We caught Meredith."

[Meredith is squealing with delight, absolutely loving this game.]

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She's laughing. Thomas and Jack are enjoying this game of pulling Meredith all around the house. And my floors are getting just a wee bit cleaner. A win-win-win all around in my book.

his wish list

Two weeks ago Target released their toy catalog inside the Sunday newspapers. Maybe you received one, too? We are currently subscribed to two newspapers so we received two of these catalogs. The kids love to sit and look through their toy catalogs. Today Thomas spend some time identifying, cutting out products on his Christmas Wish List and taping them to a door in the kitchen. He was kind enough to ask Meredith which items she wanted cut out for herself, but there weren't any things today. I don't know if you can see the items on the door, but you'll easily identify those that Thomas picked out (dinosaurs, trucks, racecars, etc...) and the one item I picked out for him (doctor bag). There's definitely a theme in the toys he is currently enjoying!

the endless summer

Thomas today: "She looks like a princess in her hat and skirt."

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We're in a heat wave. Today we hit 85 degrees. I'm not complaining. It's just a little strange for Oregonians to be experiencing summer-like weather in mid-November. We saw Santa Claus yesterday at the mall, we see the fallen leaves (very few where we live, but there are some around!), evenings are noticeably cooler than they were a few months ago, our sunsets have shifted far to the south... All these things tell us the holidays are near and the "summer months" are long gone but in sunny, warm Southern California it still feels like summer. I'm not complaining.

spiderman

This is apparently the month for birthdays. I've lost count but I think we've been invited to eight birthday parties this month. From a fantastic 40th at the Four Seasons (adults only) to an equally fun 3 year old's party at the park and everything in between. We aren't going to all of them, but the ones we are attending are keeping our weekends busy this month. From the look on Thomas' face, he isn't complaining!

fun morning at Birch Aquarium

missing her brother

During the 3 half days a week that Thomas is in preschool, Meredith and I have all those hours alone. I've been going to a gym so she spends a little time in the gym's "kids' club", but then we have plenty of time afterward for fun things. We've been taking classes, going to playdates, running errands, or even just hanging out at a coffeeshop...

Today we met up with some friends at the park, went to music class and had lunch with a girlfriend and her 19 month old daughter. All very fun for Meredith, but really? Nothing makes her as happy as spending time with her brother. Her whole face lights up, she's much more active, she smiles continuously... Meredith clearly misses Thomas when he is in preschool.

After preschool today Thomas was tired and wanted to just lay quietly on the kitchen floor. And his baby sister? There was no place else she'd rather be than right there beside him on the floor.

"I run faster than a rocket"

After dropping Grandma off at the airport this morning, I drove back along the Coast Highway. We stopped in Laguna to stretch our legs and Thomas immediately set about doing what he's now practicing all the time -- running. I've been watching others his age run and noticing their form, speed, etc. and, I've got to say, Thomas is really good. I think running is in his future. Yes, this makes me a happy mama!

The kids were also very interested in watching this quiet little creek suddenly change into a raging stream as it quickly flowed to the ocean. The sand banks on either side were eroding fairly rapidly so Thomas kept Meredith away from the edge. It was a swift current -- the last thing I needed was to have one of them fall in!

Thomas loves Grandma

Thomas loves a lot of people, but he really, really loves his Grandma. This little guy has been on cloud 9 this last week and he's going to be one very sad little boy when she leaves tomorrow. We'll have to make a paper chain or find some other way to visually mark the days until he sees her again.

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Grandma

Grandma is visiting and the kids are loving their special time with her. Today we took her to Cabrillo National Monument. It was a nice outing with many things to explore. The kids really enjoyed the interactive exhibits and walking along the stone walls that bordered the paths around the park. Thomas also enjoyed the views across to San Diego through the coin-operated telescopes and seeing/hearing the Naval jets take off from Coronado.

Point Loma Lighthouse ~ inside (lighthouse) ~ learning about lenses

taking after her mama

Meredith loves bags. She loves to open and close them, fill them up with things, and even carries them on her shoulder. After witnessing her drag my leather Coach bag along the concrete walkway in front of our house (...grrrr...), I decided she needed her own. I found this cute $2 bag at a local festival this weekend and knew it was perfect for her. She's been toting it everywhere and we change the contents daily depending on what we are doing. Today she has three shakers we took to a playdate; yesterday it was diapers.