G saying hello

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw2A3E1JUSA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Fly

P: The fly was just running his hands. Why do they do that?

J: I don't know.

P: Maybe they've got soap on their hands.

J: Maybe

P: That's why they like to come in our homes.

J: To wash their hands?

P: Ya!

Hungry

"all that hot macaroni in my tummy made me feel better"

Teaching Gretchen to smell the eucalyptus leaves

Cruisin'

The kids both slept in today past 7:30 (thank goodness) and we also finally have cooler weather. The breeze made it a nice morning for breaking out the shop vac so we could clean our dirty dirty car.

After a lunch of delicious chicken salad that nobody ate but me we piled in the car for a drive from Carlsbad to La Jolla while Gretchen took her nap.

We went to UTC and found that they did not have Patrick's favorite pretzels and yellow sauce. Bummer. We opted for a smoothie and See's chocolate suckers.

We played at the outdoor climbing area by Sears, and saw that ladies were walking out of the store with Land's End bags.

Apparently there's a huge partnership with the two and we decided to check it out. We left with a turquoise kids backpack that will be used for tomorrow's picnic lunch.

We'll share pics of where we went tomorrow!

The rest of the week

So we had so much fun at Legoland. Promptly that evening Gretchen started to vomit and has continued to do so until last night.

Sean came into town for the weekend on Friday (volunteering to get bumped and earning a $400 voucher to come back in 2 weeks for free). We took the kids to the beach Friday and they loved it. Gretchen was able to pause her sickness while we were out. Except, she was not able to be calmed down post beach for almost an hour. Sean and I waited in the Scripps emergency parking lot until we decided she was going to be okay. Saturday got to see Jenny. She and I went to a raw vegan restaurant (my crazy idea) and then sated our hunger at Pannikin with 2 unbelievably good mochas. We met up with the rest of us and took the kids to the park and my dad made an awesome rib dinner. So much for meat free.

Today, we did nothing. And it's been great. Well, not nothing. I tried to get another mocha from Pannikin but San Diego has been so crowded this weekend the line was waaaay too long. Patrick, Dad and I decided to check out the Leucadia farmers market. We're sitting in the backyard listening to the wind, watching Patrick run in circles, Patrick somersault and Gretchen follow.

She's finally better (we think) and our regularly scheduled vacation can commence as planned. We're cooking up some farmers market burger meat, grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms and fleur de sel caramel sauce on our ice cream. Yum.

Legoland w/The Dinoffrias

Snacking on fried eggolant

He saw one at Safeway and has been begging me to eat it today. He cut it up an even asked me to open the pantry for something to add. Guess what he chose? Remember, he can't read...Italian seasoning. I swear he's going to be a chef someday. We fried it up with garlic and now we're eating it out of the pan with our fingers.

Married 9 years!

I was telling Patrick about what it means to get married yesterday. You know...when you find the person you love sooo much that you want to live with them forever.

Patrick: I'm going to get married

Me: You are?

Patrick: Yes

Me: To who?

Patrick: You

Pretty weekend hike pic

Say hi

Gretchen and I were playing quietly on the bed. She rolls on her back and looks at me, shakes her hand up and down and says "say hi."

So sweet

We taught her

How to use the "more" sign. She pretty much uses it for sweets, strawberries, blackberries and this morning...pears.

Gretchen at 9 months

her favorite toy is a toss up between her stuffed monkeys and her stuffed babies or water play or her brother.

her favorite food is anything.  she likes sweet things. she especially likes spreadable cheese.

her favorite animal is calorie.  he plays really well with her.

she sleeps through the night, sometimes.

she has 4 teeth.


she loves watching curious george on the tv.

she is trying to stand up from sitting and doing very well at it.

she gets very very dirty all day long, every day.

in case you're interested, here was Patrick at 9 months.

Do you see what I see?

She did this at Patrick's first soccer class. Yay!

She stood up all by herself. Lots of times. :)

Two more teeth!

But she won't show you.

He's on the earth

He's in outer space. - Patrick

Love this kid

I was just called over to the bathroom to sit with Patrick while he went #2.  We got to talking about how Gretchen is going to be his sister until he was as old as Nano.  He asked if Nano was his sister.  I said no.  I  asked if he remembered visiting Nano in Tucson and eating fried steak fingers and livers.  He asked where Nano lived.  I said that that was her home.  I explained that she needed more help and so she moved there.  He said that if there's nobody able to take care of Nano, that he would do it.

Love this kid.