Sunday, November 18, 2012

Tradition, passing it on!

This bassinet has been in my Dad's side of the family for 82 years! My Grandfather first slept in this bassinet as a newborn, and as you will see below, the rest is history! My Dad and his four brother's have all had the pleasure of this comfy little nest, and as have all of my cousins and my sisters and I. And now the next generation....my boys and my cousin's boys. Yes a LOT of boys in this family!
We are officially passing it on to my cousin Kyle and his wife Jen who are expecting little Vincent Stollmeyer any day now! I just hope it arrives on time!
Congratulations Kyle and Jen! From Grandpa Jerry to little Talin baby and everyone in between, you are having a little boy that will be surrounded by great family.

 





"F"!!!!!!

Not in Fail by any means, but Forrest's first attempt, (Maybe there have been a few more at preschool?....) at writing the first letter of his name! Forrest likes to write or draw on spare boxes here. We have a LOT of boxes as we do most of our shopping in bulk in this household. So when he asked if he could write on a box, and then asked me if I could draw the "F" in his name I did. He made his "F" ( on the left in this picture), and then quickly asked me to draw the "O" signing it as well! That is as far as he got. He seemed to remember two of one letter coming next, (the r's) but to him they were s's. Still! I was very impressed! He is still at the age where if I sit him down and practice his name with him there is NO WAY I'll get anywhere. But under his own power....it was a completely different story!!!!

Sara and Adam Get Married!!!

Air Travel...Super Dad takes a turn with Fiesty T on his lap
Waiting for our plane at Santa Rosa Airport. Forrest is SO excited!
Talin enjoying the Santa Rosa airport with some wine.....errr....mama was enjoying a glass! He enjoyed his milk just fine :-)
Celebrating Sara and Adam was such a great weekend! We had time to reconnect with family, have a wonderful time at the wedding, and help the bride and groom start their next phase of life...as husband and wife! 
Lots of wonderful family time! Not the best picture but 4 generations...though the 3 and under crowd were elsewhere for this picture! So great to have the grandparents AND great grand parents for our kids all in the same household!

Shish kabob making sisters....

Forrest and his Great Grandma Sheila have some very special Mickey Mouse watching time!
The Rehearsal...a great time:-)
Rehearsal...we CAN do this! Looking cute Adam and Sara!
Celebrating the bride. Rehearsal luncheon.
The yummiest Brie and fresh baked bread EVER! oh, and the wine....the WINE!
Getting Ready for the big event!!!
Forrest looking sharp pre-wedding with the amazing help from Aunties
Say "cheese!!" cute girls!
The girls getting ready!
Aunt Megan with the snack bag, taming...errr....conversing with Forrest the Super Hero Ring Bearer

All set! Time to get the bridesmaid dress on!
Not to often you see this mama all done up!

Sister of the bride and matron of honor Amy working on her speech, pre-wedding. It was awesome Amy!

Sister Natalie and flower girl Kalea having some very cute bonding time.



  And now for the wedding! It was gorgeous, held at a Temecula Winery, on a beautiful crisp fall day....
 (Not any pictures of the actual ceremony here...and you have already seen the best Forrest pictures in a previous post.)


The beautiful bride and her groom, pre wedding...
Family Picture!

Sister Dance!

Celebrating the exit with sparklers!

Bye Sara and Adam! Have fun in Hawaii!!!


Monday, November 12, 2012

Amazing kids...

This last weekend my whole little family flew down to S. Cal for Sara's wedding. The wedding was a blast, Sara was a gorgeous bride, and I'll do another post about the wedding itself. But this one is reserved for Forrest. Yes my fiesty, unpredictable, yet totally lovable and evidently charming 3 year old.

Forrest, not so sure about his cute Ring Bearer digs...
 Forrest was the mighty ring bearer in this gorgeous wedding at a Temecula Winery. There was also a 3 year old lovely flowergirl, Aydan. Now anyone who has ever had anything to do with the preschool/toddler crowd knows that this means fun but a very unpredictable/possible growls/tears/etc at any given moment type of event! Sara the bride was completely cool with whatever the three year olds threw at her but the mama's of the wedding party were hoping for at least a few semi cute moments.
Getting in some pre-wedding sand box time
 The actual prewedding pixtures and ceremony went off very well...a few bumps in the road...such as Forrest making a last minute dash minutes before we were supposed to walk down the aisle and causing his dressed to the nines mama in too high heels to slip and fall on her arshhh. Yep, that would be me. But I was fine and moments later he DID walk down the aisle...started with a growl...uh ohhh...and then quickly turned to a smile and then a very cute "Mama, who made this mess here??? Who Mama?" (Pointing the the rose pedals strewn over the aisle ;-)

He lasted up in front during the ceremony with me for over half of the time, through bribery with lollipops, smarties, etc, and then finally decided he wanted to hang out with his aunties, (who, by the way, are more super aunties then EVER with the help they gave my kiddos this weekend) and his Dad and Grandparents waiting in the crowd.
Observing the lovely bride and groom in the vineyards taking a prewedding picture stroll...

Showing off some serious dance moves! Look at these two, love their shoes!

So, super hero Forrest just about filled his duties. Being an evening wedding I think he did pretty well.
Then came more pictures which I somehow bribed him again, (sugar sugar! We need a detox over here!) and then the wild crazy 3 year olds raced around with their crazy energy making everyone a bit nervous.
The reception was lovely and the dancing started. Out of the blue Mr. Wild Forrest turned into Mr. Forrest Charmer and he and the flower girl danced...and danced...and danced!!! This was a completely unprompted event. Sure you all say "Well of course, have the ring bearer and the Flower girl dance, and then hug afterwards, yes that would be so cute!" But anyone who knows these two kids absolutely knows that it has to be THEIR idea. And so it was, complete with the hug and the bow at the end!!! She even slipped at one point and Forrest helped her up on her feet. It was ADORABLE.
Can't wait to see these two in 15 years or so....!
 They had the entire wedding ooohing and ahhing. Meanwhile Alex and I, as well as Grandma and Papa, and the aunties going "Who is this kid!!!"

Sunday, November 4, 2012

There once was a Super Buzz and the cutest cow that ever "mooooed!!!"

And the rest is history....
You make up the story...:-)
No candy needed for this photo Op, Apples did the trick, (surprisingly yes, followed by an overripe water melon...whatever it takes!!!) Forrest especially had his cute little boy model smile on :-)

Little cute Cow Talin was harder to grab with his smiles, but here is a good one!

The laughs are great!

Wagon Halloween costume ride, sure mom!!!!


The Brothers

Buzz Lightyear And Mr. Cute Cow, taking in the Autumn evening, plotting their next move....
And before you know it....WHAM...they're on the quad, on their next whirlwind adventure....off to round up bears with the hula hoop....perhaps the rooster....only they really know...;-)

A Halloween costume adventure to remember....Buzz lightyear turned naked hula hoop rooster corraler with his cutie little cow T Man take on the world...:-)

Savoring Fall

Beautiful Sunday morning on our river...
Mr. T meets beautiful Native Steelhead


a beauty that was released

Happy toddie finally feeling better!

The boys enjoying some river side "special treats". Look at those faces!!!

The Fall colors are gorgeous right now!
Alex fishing away in his little wooden drift boat


Happy Hubby :-)