Laptops

Carolyn & Cameron got their own laptops so they can "go to work". Aunt Molly gave them to them for Christmas and they loved playing with them at the hotel . I love these photos!

Christopher Columbus' Nina

(I thought I would try a little photo collage - I think if you click on it, it will get bigger. I don't know what I am doing so let me know if you like it.)

In November 2008 Brett took us to Morro Bay to see a replica of Christopher Columbus' Nina. It was built in the same manner (has no nails and uses the tar pitch and stuff) as the original. They said it was the smallest of the 3 ships (can you name the other two?) and it was Columbus' favorite. I personally found it very small and cannot imagine crossing the ocean on it! What true pioneers these historical people were!

The rock in the background is Morro Rock. Cameron & Carolyn loved climbing around on the ship. They were very curious about the people down below. (Some of the crew was down below and once in a while you could see or hear them.)

As we were leaving we saw a bunch of crabs and starfish in the ocean right by the "no fishing" sign. We like to see the crabs in the water because we have a joke in the family. When someone starts crabbing - we ask them if they want to go to the ocean and join all the other crabs!

*Also, notice in the pictures who seems to be "climbing up" on everything? For the first time he put a little chair by my island and climbed up yesterday. Carolyn would never have done it on her own, but of course seeing her brother... just that Cam has the upper body strength and Car doesn't. It is probably good exercise and all... but I am still not allowing it! I did look into gymnastics classes though!

Nutcracker Ballet

One night in December at 6pm just as we were sitting down to dinner... there was a knock at the door. Our neighbor had 4 tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet and his whole family was sick so he hoped we could use them. Did I mention it was for that night at 7:30! I was a little reluctant to take them and asked if he for sure couldn't come up with someone else - but all the while calculating that if we eat now, finish at 6:20, start to get dressed divided by two, we'd have to leave by 6:55... ya la la ya la... we might be able to make it! And I am up for a challenge whenever it involves exposing my kids to good stuff! (By the way the "get dressed divided by two" means that I technically only have to dress one kid because Brett is there to do the other - it just makes me feel like I have less work, that's all!)

So off we went (with a little prodding for Brett) and the kids ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! They were so excited and it kept their attention the whole time. At intermission, Brett took Carolyn out for refreshments but Cameron didn't want to miss it so he wouldn't go. When they came back and found out she had a cookie... he was in a quandry as he would like a cookie, but didn't want to miss it! He did go out but only had 2 bites and insisted on coming back in!

The play went until 10:20pm. Carolyn finally gave out at 10:10pm - after sitting for most of it on the edge of her seat in anticipation! Cameron was able to stay up for the whole thing and actually started crying as the dancers came out at the end to take their bows (how he knew it was the end I don't know!). He said over and over, "I don't want to leave", "I don't want it over". When it was all over, he even got to meet the lead girl... but he was too sad... so we headed out to the car. Poor Cameron cried the whole way home that he didn't want it to be over and he did NOT want to leave.

I am glad they had such a great time! And they still talk about it often!

"Winter Heat Wave"

So I like to say that we get 3 seasons here in Paso Robles. We get the beautiful spring where the hills look like Ireland (well, what I would think Ireland looks like since I don't have first hand experience - hint for Brett). We get the summer where we are in the high 90's and mid 100's (still not used to it, much rather prefer the beach weather - Brett doesn't need a hint here... the summers kill my beach boy!) And in the fall, the leaves change colors and actually fall off the trees (unlike southern california). And our winter is usually 50's-60's in the day and 20's-30's in the nights. We wrap our pipes and actually had them freeze two winters ago! (My Grandma laughed and said I should know better how to keep them from freezing... to which I replied "but this is California, it shouldn't freeze"! Ha ha! She gave me some good advice and we haven't had a frozen pipe since!

So, ok, on to my story. I was on the phone with my cousin on Friday. She lives in Illinois (this has to do with the story!) We were talking and talking and I hear her dog "Tanner" (now some of you know who it was!) barking and barking, so my cousin says can you hold on a minute. Then I hear her laughing and she comes back on the phone and says Tanner has to go out but the door is frozen shut! Then she tells me about how the kids haven't had school the last two days because it has been too cold. (She said one morning is what -16)!

Boy, my blood has really thinned because I don't think I could handle that kind of temperature. I think my fillings would freeze and give me frost-bite on my tonge! So poor Tanner, the kids even tried the door! Last I knew Amy was putting a space heater on the door to try and warm it loose!

Oh, and all this while I am sitting in my house during a "winter heat wave" with the windows open to actually warm the house to 71 degrees! Sometimes I really miss the midwest and want to move back... but I don't know if I could do it (and especially not my beach boy!)

New Years Resolutions

So I'm not big on making new year resolution lists... but maybe I ought to be! I will try harder to write on this blog as I know how much I love to read all of yours!

I have some good pictures of some fun things we've done... I'll add that to my list - be better at downloading pictures!