Go Bears, beat the Bruins!

Ah, feel the blue and gold.  Since we were in California, there is no way E and I could pass up seeing a Cal game.  It would be unheard of!  I was so excited because I have only been to like three games since I graduated, and it's been since before N was born that I sat in Memorial Stadium.  It was good to be back... especially since the Bears won!

Here is one of my new favorite photos of our family in front of the Campanile before the game.  That is one good looking blue and gold family!

  

We attended the Cal Band's pregame concert on Sproul Plaza as a family.  The boys loved watching the band.  They were especially mesmerized by the drums, and even did some dancing.  We taught them how to say a proper "Go Bears!"  And they kept repeating it throughout the day, even later when we were watching Penn State and Ohio State on TV... hmmm, we'll have to work a bit on context!

The Cal Band's pregame show.  I may be a little biased, but I think there are the best band in the land!

Hard to believe it's been as long as it has since E and I graced that field.  See that little tail at the top right of the a in the script Cal?  That was my spot, just a few years ago!  (Insert all your comments about our dorkyness here...)

It was insanely hot out.  Like unseasonably warm.  I was glad that this time I was in shorts and a T-shirt instead of a black wool band uniform!

L, Dad, and T came to the game too.  Cal fans by association!

Two generations of Cal grads.  Actually, E is a third generation Cal grad, his grandfather attended Cal as well, along with various other aunts, uncles, and cousins.  No pressure N and little e!

Anyway, it was a really fun game, and to make it even better Cal actually won by a substantial margin!  Why couldn't they ever do that when we actually went there?

The monkey cake!

I know I said there would be an Elmo cake... but I lied.  Not intentionally, but because of several reasons (including the fact that Elmo is red, and red is not allowed in my in-laws' house, where the party was located... how could I have forgotten that little fact!) we decided to go with the neutral colored monkey cake instead.  

So without further ado, here is the monkey cake, for my little monkey.  Little e was so excited.  He saw it and exclaimed, "I foun' a monkey!"  

We had a great party for him, family from all around came over to E's parents' house for dinner.  The kid had it good.  All of his grandparents, his uncles, and his aunt were present.  Along with countless great-aunts, cousins, second cousins, and maybe even some third cousins twice-removed!  (E has a big family, I swear it has taken me 10 years to get them all straightened out in my brain, but we love them all!)

Here is little e ringing the bell for dinner.  He is also saying, "ding," as if the bell didn't draw enough attention to him!  Did I mention he's a youngest?  I tell you, the more people looking at him, the happier he is!

Did you see the new outfits, it was like 85 degrees when we were there, so Grandma bought the boys some new weather appropriate duds.  Thanks Grandma!

Again, he's not too thrilled with the singing.  Hey, it wasn't just his dad and I this time, so don't blame us!  

There was also a cake for his two grandpas, both having milestone birthdays in the upcoming months.  We added their ages together and put a 120 on the cake... I know, it was a little mean.  Let's just say that in their old, I mean young,  ages, it took them a while to do the math and figure it out!

"Ummm, hello over here, is anyone going to cut this cake for me?"

  

"Yes much better.  Forget the fork.  I'm digging right in.  I wonder if I can fit the entire piece in my mouth at once?"

The three big boys eating... at least one of them is eating nicely... you'll notice it's not mine!  N, we try not to put the whole scoop of ice cream in our mouths at once.  Can you say brain freeze?

Cheese!  "Mmmm, that was good cake, can I have some more now Grandma?"  Yes, after shoving in one piece, he asked his Grandma L if he could have another, and her response was, "sure!"  Then after N devoured his piece and scoop of ice cream, he asked his other grandma for a cookie, to which she happily obliged.  You'll notice they didn't ask their mommy.  Ahhh, the sugar high!  That's what grandma's are for, although I think I should have made them put the boys to bed...

Then it was present time.  Little e couldn't quite open them by himself, luckily there were two three-year olds who were more than willing to help out!

Then we gave E's dad his present.  All the Es, (Uncle E, Aunt EJ, and E) along with E's mom went in together to buy him a new imac.  He was elated.  Let me just tell you, never was there a man that needed a computer more.  He was using a computer purchased in 1998!  That's 10 years people!  The thing took like 15 minutes to start up... I'm surprised it even had a color monitor, that it wasn't a black and amber thing, or a green line.  Heck, it's amazing that thing even ran windows, it was more comfortable in the DOS area... OK, enough making fun of F's old computer, but I think we can all agree that it was time to let it go.  

Anyway, we had a great party and it was so fun to catch up with everyone.  We miss you all and wish we lived closer!  

I'm now waiting for your comment on your new, lighting-fast computer, F!

Four cute cousins!

Yesterday we headed to the park with E's cousin and her two boys, who are about the same age as N and little e.  We had a great morning, even though it was just a little chaotic.  Hey, with four boys under the age of four, what do you expect?  

The highlight of the morning was lunch by the fountain.  Ah, what is it with little boys and water?  They played with great delight as we watched them get soaked.  Then it was home for some much needed nap times.  Oh, yeah, the boys needed naps too!  

Thanks for taking us K, we had a great morning.  It's fun to be around cousins!

A California wedding

So the reason for this trip to California was to attend a wedding of one of our good college buddies.  At one point during our college career, both E and I shared an apartment with him.  When he asked E to be a groomsmen in his wedding, we said we wouldn't miss it for the world!  So here is the groom and his groomsmen, all looking quite handsome, I might add!

Yes, they're doing the secret service joke that all men must make while wearing tuxes.  Ummm, boys, the orange flowers sort of give you away!

The wedding was in a winery on an absolutely beautiful California fall day.  The bride chose the flower and dress colors just perfectly to match the grapevines.  It was beautiful.

The groom and I at the reception.

E and the groom at the reception.  

I have always thought they were buddies due to their equal vertically challengedness... maybe E was in the wedding just so the groom wouldn't look so short!  Ha!  I remember one time on a college ski trip I was on a ski lift with another friend and we looked down to see two rather short men skiing through some fresh snow, completely off the trail.  We knew it had to be the two of them, because there could be no two other men that short and that crazy to ski through snow that deep!  (OK, I skiied occasionally during college - but don't get any ideas... I'm not especially fond of the snow, and it would take a lot to get me to a ski resort these days!)

E and I at the reception.  Look no children!  Grandma and Grandpa B had them for the weekend, and it was so relaxing.  Thanks F & R!

E and the other groomsmen helped decorate the car, just as all groomsmen should!

E and I with the happy couple at brunch the next day.  Thanks for including us guys, we had a great time.  We're so happy for you!

Ye Olde Pumpkin Patch

So apparently these pumpkin patches are only around for us Americans... and probably not "Ye Olde", but hey, who am I to not take advantage of a fun family outing, even if it's not truly British!  

Anyway, those of you who know me know I love Halloween, and love, love pumpkins.  When I was a kid we would carve like 10 pumpkins every year.  My mom would buy her first pumpkin of the year on October 1, and I think she would get one every time she went to the store until Halloween.  I'm just trying to follow her lead.  So last weekend off we went, to pick out our all important first pumpkins of the year!

So many pumpkins, so little time!

Little e picked out this tiny little pumpkin.  I'll let you know how carving that one goes!

Then he had to put it into this huge wheelbarrow and push it around.  Hey, it has wheels, it must be a toy, right?

N picked out this tall and skinny one, good eye buddy!

Check back for pictures of the pumpkins carved at the end of the month!

Happy Birthday Little e!

We just had a small birthday dinner for e at home, but we did give him his favorite meal... pizza, or "dida" as he would say it.  Still eating it upside down and from the side, he has to have his own style!

Just cupcakes for now.  In a couple of weeks we're having a family party for him in California, and I'll bake him his real cake then... but I wanted him to have a little celebration now!  I don't think he knows what to make of the candles and the singing... 

But he felt much better after eating the cupcake.  (Or maybe he was just happy mom and dad stopped singing... either way, we got a big smile!)

Then it was time to open a couple of quick presents.  N picked out this little helicopter for him.  A completely selfless gift, I'm sure!  Ha!

Then the gift from E and I, a new Little Einsteins DVD (their favorite thing to watch).  OK, so my gift might have not been completely selfless either.  Hey, it's a long flight to California, and we will need as much entertainment as possible!

Anyway, happy birthday little guy, we love you!  And stay tuned for the Elmo cake in a couple of weeks!

Music to my eyes...

My piano made it safe and sound all the way around the world, and the boys are being so good with it.  I caught them looking super cute one day and had to snap this photo.  This is the piano I learned how to play on (sort of... don't ask me to play now), and the one I hope the boys learn on as well.  Piano lessons, here we come... well, maybe in a year or so!

Mmm, mmm good!

Yesterday marked the first time I let little e participate in any kitchen activity. We made Halloween cookies, and I let both of them lick the beaters. He didn't know what to do at first, but after watching big brother, e got the hang of it! Later we cut them into pumpkins and airplanes (of course) and then sprinkled them. Let me tell you, we had some of the most sprinkley airplane cookies you've ever seen!

Then a little later I caught e stealing food from the table. No not cookies, but corn! I left the table to answer the phone and came back to find e helping himself to some more corn, right out of the dish! 

Umm, buddy, the serving spoon might be a little big for your mouth. Well, our table manners might not be perfect, but at least he's eating his veggies!

Totally Tubular Wednesday

Well, it finally happened.  Little e got tubes in his ears yesterday.  Those of you have lived near us for any period of time know that this little guy has been on antibiotics for a very large percentage of his life dealing with ear infections.  After two ENTs, it finally was time to get the tubes in.  Last Tuesday we met the ENT here, and we all agreed the pattern of ear infections might be changing.  He had no hearing loss, and was infection clear for the moment.  We left the appointment saying that we would wait for the moment, but if he got one more infection in the near future, we would put the tubes in.  About 36 hours later he woke up screaming and telling me his ear hurt... again.  We were in the pediatrician's office the next day, and by 9 am Friday morning we had an appointment for the surgery.  

He was a trooper, and did so well.  This picture was taken after the surgery and right before we were headed home.  He was ready for those Os after no breakfast!  

Today he is back to normal, and clearly feels great.  He is happier today than I've seen him in a while.  I think he's thinking, "ah, this feels much better!"