Christmas Memories

Do you still remember Christmas? I'm terribly behind on blog updates, so five months later I'm trying to remember what we did. I'm glad we got a few pictures to help us remember!

Christmas always begins shortly after we return home from Thanksgiving when we pick out our tree. This year was no different. Although, it was raining this time. Of course, that didn't slow us down! We still had fun hiking through the farm to find just the right tree.

Nana was the first visitor to arrive for the holidays. Needless to say, they were excited to see her and loved their gifts!

Grandmother and the Rodriguez family, minus Uncle Philip, were the next to arrive. Jackson and Audrey were so excited to spend some time with their cousins!

I love the next set of pictures from a visit to the park down the street because they show a little of everyone's personality. Audrey is our little monkey and loves to swing around whenever she gets the chance. Jackson is our little sweetheart and was picking flowers for his mom. Mitchell was determined to do things his way in his own time, and when he did, he conquered all!

The San Jose Tech Museum was on our list of adventures during their visit. They enjoyed building roller coasters, flying an astronaut jet pack, and experiencing earthquakes. They also got to enjoy the Christmas festival in the park, which included lots of fun rides! Audrey also squeezed in a little dress-up time while they were here.

Of course, we also enjoyed some down time around the house and exchanged a few gifts. There was a lot of imaginary play as well as board games. It was a lot of fun to watch Jackson and Mitchell playing chess.

Before we knew it, our first round of visitors were gone and Christmas was here! Our family had the privilege of lighting the advent candle at our church on Christmas Eve. We've been so blessed to be surrounded by such a wonderful community of believers in the middle of a very diverse area, so it was an honor to light the candle that evening.

Santa brought us all a few gifts that evening, and of course, we all got way more than we needed. The kids were fun to watch in their excitement!

Pop was our next visitor to arrive, and of course he came bearing more gifts.

The best gift we received from everyone was the time we got to spend with them. It's always a magical time, not because of the stuff, but because of the reminder of God's love...through His son and our family.

Giving Thanks

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives. Family and friends, of course, are at the top of the list. By the end of November, Ross and I were especially grateful to have a little time together as a family at home. Between the two of us we spent almost the entire month of November traveling. That didn't slow things down though. The kids had lots of play dates, wrap up of the soccer season, a few Cub Scout events, parties celebrating friends' birthdays, and a trip to Louisiana for Thanksgiving!

Back in September Jackson won the Raingutter Regatta for his Den. At the November Pack Meeting the winners from each Den were awarded "The Golden Duck." Jackson had been eagerly awaiting his award since that day. He thought it was pretty funny that the award was a rubber duck on a plaque with his name on it. He loved it! He also received his Bobcat rank the same day.

Audrey has two best friends these days, Charlotte and Chole. Charlotte's little sister, Clara, celebrated her birthday in November, and their dad captured a couple of cute pictures of them at the party that I couldn't resist sharing.

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Louisiana catching up with family and eating lots of food! We stayed at a different house almost every night in an effort to spend a little more time with each person. We had a quick visit with Ross' mom, Susan, as well as with my Dad and his wife, Kim and Barbara, and my Aunt and Uncle, Kathy and Mike. It was an extra special treat to see my Aunt and Uncle since they live in Arkansas and made the trip to Shreveport just so we could visit! While we stayed with my Mom, Deana, the kids got to work on some art. They continued working on a canvas that was started during a previous trip. It's so much fun to watch them work and see how differently they approach things like this!

Our next stop was Ruston where our dear friends, the Tims family, and my grandparents live. We spent the night before Thanksgiving with the Tims watching the kids play while we caught up on life. Such a fun evening!

Thanksgiving day we eagerly made our way to my grandparents' house to meet the newest member of our family, Ellie, and of course, to see everyone else. My cousin, Meg, and her husband, Matt, made the trip from Connecticut with their almost 6 week old baby. She was so sweet! Can you tell where most of the attention went throughout the day?

Almost everyone from that side of the family was able to make it for Thanksgiving this year. We were just missing Meg's brother, Bud. He had a good excuse though...he has to work that day every year. It's a good thing he loves what he does! It was so wonderful to simply be with everyone. Being an only child means my cousins have always been like brothers and sisters to me. It was so fun to watch all of the 2nd cousins playing together with Great Aunts and Uncles, my cousins, and especially their Great Grandparents. Getting to eat the delicious food my Grandmother makes was the icing on the cake, and she make REALLY good cake!

There are more pictures from Thanksgiving in the album!

Memorial Day Weekend

The annual Stone Family Reunion took place over Memorial Day Weekend. We made the trip from CA to be with everyone. It's always so fun to catch up and see what has changed and what has stayed the same each year.

We started with a visit with E's grandparents and mom, as well as a visit to the Mudbug Festival where we enjoyed some crawfish, art displays, and good music.

We always have three hosted events during the weekend. Aunt Dottie has everyone to her house for an evening of BBQ and fun. Susan hosts brunch the next morning, and we wrap up at Uncle Ronnie's for swimming, karaoke, and fajitas. I only took pictures at Susan's house this year, which means I captured the annual puppet show organized by Aunt Carol. The younger generation loves this part of the weekend!

We managed to get a large group picture this year, and we had almost everyone there!

I also played with a new-to-me lens while we were there. There were lots of beautiful flowers to take pictures of!

There are more pictures in the album!

Meg and Matt Visit!

Have I mentioned how much fun we had over the holidays? To top it all off, Meg and Matt came to visit us just after New Years! Matt had some school business to attend to, but we got to take advantage of having Meg around for an entire week!!! We kicked off our time together by visiting one of our favorite local vineyards, Martin Ranch. Not only did we enjoy a picnic and good wine, but we worked on our rock-skipping skills.

Ross was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas most of the time they were here, so Meg and I got to have some good, girl time when the kids were asleep or away. When they weren't, Meg was amazing with the kids. She read and played with them while I fixed their dinners. She helped them get ready for school in the mornings and helped tuck them in at night. They got lots of attention and love! Matt joined us toward the end of the week, and they decided he was hilarious. They simply adore them both!

We hope to see them again soon!!!

Christmas & New Years with Pop

It's Super Bowl Sunday, and I'm home sick while the rest of the family is having fun at our friends' house. I decided to make the most of the down time and finally finish my Christmas blogging!

My dad, also known as Pop around here, arrived the day before the Rodriguez/Taylor family went home. After they left, we exchanged gifts. There were lots of smiles and laughter as we enjoyed spoiling each other a little. Audrey LOVES stuffed animals, so you can see how excited she was to get this penguin Beenie Boo. I love how sweetly she was sharing it with Jackson too.

We spent the a lot of our time together just hanging out, playing games, and doing a little hiking nearby. It rained almost everyday over the break, so we were grateful to spend a little time outside!

On one of the rainy days we made our way into San Francisco to visit the Exploratorium. Everyone had fun playing and learning. I didn't get a picture of it, but one of the favorites was an exhibit that showed you what you would look like if you had a perfectly symmetrical face by flipping an image of half your face. Some people didn't look much different at all, and others looked really funny! We also made tornados, learned about engines, danced to some cool colored videos, and so much more.

For New Year's Eve, I threw together a last minute party for the kids. We hung balloons displaying the hourly countdown. We sped up the count down by starting at 6 PM and celebrating every half hour. At each "hour" the kids would pop a balloon and open a bag of clues, which eventually led to surprises and games. It was a fun way to pass the time, have some good conversations about everyone's values and perspectives on life, and to laugh and play the night away! We were disappointed to learn we couldn't watch the ball drop at midnight Eastern time, so we found an online countdown and put the kids to bed. The adults played more games and did a traditional cheers at midnight.

My dad also spent some time sketching with the kids while he was here, giving them tips, and inspiring them to try new things. After he left, I asked Jackson what his New Year's resolutions/goals might be for the year. He said he wanted to exercise more, practice being a good doctor, and become a good sketcher. I think Pop left an impression!

There are a few more pictures in the album.

Christmas with the Taylor/Rodriguez Family

We had the most wonderful Christmas season this year! We had family at our house for 3 weeks straight with a maximum of 10 people sleeping at our house at one point, which might sound overwhelming to some, but it was SO much fun and such a blessing in so many ways. Living in California with most of our family in Louisiana and Texas, but also spread from Connecticut to California, means it's harder to get together. Having so many people willing to travel to spend time with us was amazing!

The same day my mom left town, Susan, Leslie, Philip, Mitchell, and Taylor arrived! Baby Taylor was often the center of attention, providing lots of entertainment and smiles. He has the most infectious laugh, which the kids enjoyed getting him to do by playing peek-a-boo. They also discovered how much Taylor loves to listen to singing. Any time he would fuss, they would start singing him Christmas songs and lullabies, which quickly calmed him down. The kids were also entertained by playing with fun Star Wars apps on Uncle Philip's phone!

Their first full day here was mostly spent hanging out. However, Audrey had a gymnastics camp to attend, so Leslie and Philip took Mitchell and Jackson to see the new Star Wars movie. This was Jackson's second viewing of the movie...we went as a family for Ross' b-day while my mom was in town.

We spent most of Christmas Eve visiting, preparing food, decorating cookies, and playing. We got a few pics of the kids before we left for church. They did amazingly well in the service and loved lighting candles and singing "Silent Night." When we got home the kids all put on their matching Moosletoe pajamas, and Jackson led everyone in singing a few more Christmas carols.

After a few more group photos under the tree, the kids laid out their cookies for Santa. Jackson read everyone a book, and they snuggled into bed, anxiously waiting to see what Santa might bring!

Christmas morning came early and was over quick! Jackson and Audrey were both beyond excited to find their most wished for presents under the tree. They both asked for Bitty Babies because they both LOVE taking care of babies! Then the chaos of gift unwrapping began. Before we knew it, we were done and had piles of paper and presents everywhere! We took a short break for cinnamon rolls and our traditional egg casserole somewhere in the midst of the gift exchange.

It rained most days during their visit, so we were grateful for a break on Christmas day. We took advantage of it by driving to Woodside, CA for a hike. It felt great to be in the beautiful outdoors! Even Taylor wore himself out, and fell asleep in my arms by the end of the trek. After our hike, I drove Leslie, Philip, Mitchell, and Audrey along the "skyline" where we enjoyed some picturesque views of the Bay Area.

The next day we made our way to the Dell'Osso Family Farm for a little winter delight. We started the adventure with some snow tubing. It was a blast! We had tickets that let us go down the slides as many times as we wanted for 90 minutes. Mitchell wasn't much of a fan, but Jackson and Audrey didn't want to stop! They rode with us on double tubes, as well as by themselves in single tubes where they could spin in circles. Every ride ended with a huge grin and often some belly laughs.

While we were busy tubing, Mitchell and Leslie did some ice skating, which Mitchell loved! We all did a little snowball throwing, and the kids did some pillow jumping and roller coaster riding. I'd say it was a successful day!

My dad joined us that evening, and the Taylor/Rodriguez family headed home the next day. We were sad to see them go, but we enjoyed every moment they were here! There are several more pictures in the album!

Christmas with Nana

My mom came for an early visit for Christmas. She held down the fort while we took the kids to see the new Star Wars movie on Ross' birthday. It was awesome! We wrapped up the birthday celebration watching the Cowboys lose another game this season at a great new restaurant in the area. Despite the loss, I think Ross still had a good day.

We celebrated Christmas with Nana the next day. We exchanged gifts and visited Santa at a house down the street from us. There were lots of lights, hot chocolate, cookies, and presents, as well as laughter.

Her last day here we had a great time just hanging out and playing!

Labor Day Weekend

So...I'm still behind on blog posts. Better late than never though! My mom came to visit for Labor Day Weekend. While she was here we spent a day at Half Moon Bay. The weather was perfect! We had lots of fun hiking along and climbing up and down the cliffs.

There was a lot of excitement about getting to the beach.

We loved walking along the water and watching the waves crash into the rocks.

The kids were most interested in playing in the sand. There was lots of digging and castle-building.

As the sun began to set, we made our way to a local restaurant for dinner...a little silliness was involved!

The next day we visited a park down the street and did a little tree climbing.

It was a great weekend! There are more pictures in the album.

Spring Break

Spring break was so much fun this year! Susan, Leslie, and Mitchell came to CA for a visit. Mitchell saw the ocean for the first time, we rode rides at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, went wine tasting, and visited Fisherman's Wharf and the Exploratorium in San Francisco. All of that was done between the simple joys of playing with your cousins.

Ross and I were able to trade days off so we could both get a little time in with everyone, which means I don't have pictures of everything. I had fun trying to capture the joy of their discoveries at the Exploratorium though.

They all learned a lot, but more importantly, they had fun! Audrey got a little wind in her face and had fun mastering the slinky. Jackson showed off some of his dance moves, and Mitchell led the pack around from one exhibit to the next soaking it all in and enjoying the hands-on activities.

We were so glad they were able to come see where we live and what life in CA is like. Of course, there are more pictures in the album. It was a great way to spend their Spring Break!

Audrey's Easter Baptism

Yes, I know it's a little late for a post about Easter, but this Easter was especially memorable for our family. Audrey got baptized! She's been asking us to let her get baptized for almost a year now, but she wasn't able to tell us why until early this year. We wanted to make sure she really understood what she was doing before saying yes. When we finally said yes and put in a request at church, our pastor decided he wanted to talk with her as well, so we set up a meeting. It was SO adorable and sometimes just funny to hear her describe her faith and what she understood baptism to be about. In the end though, we all agreed she really did get it!

My mom was able to join us for Easter Sunday, which is when our church does baptisms this time of year. There were quite a few people getting baptized, and Audrey made sure she was first in line! There was no fear or hesitation. She was ready!

She was so excited to have finally done this, and it being Easter made it extra special. The day before Easter the kids dyed eggs with my mom. Then they woke up to some fun goodies in their Easter baskets and an egg hunt all around the house. It was beautiful a beautiful day in so many ways!

We are so thankful for all of the people who pour into our lives and show all of us God's grace and mercy. We are especially thankful both Jackson and Audrey are filled with God's Spirit and believe in Jesus!

There are a few more pictures from the weekend in this album.

Christmas in CA!

Both my mom and Ross' mom came for a visit to celebrate Christmas. They were able to join us Friday for Jackson's school assembly where he was named "Citizen of the Month."

Then on Saturday we made our way to Martin Ranch Winery for a picnic and some wine tasting. It was a little overcast and wet due to all the rain we've had recently, but it was still a lot of fun! The wine was wonderful too!

After the picnic, we exchanged gifts with my mom and enjoyed a delicious, pre-Christmas meal of gumbo! The kids were SO excited about their gifts. Jackson is blurry in the picture below because he was jumping up and down with excitement over his message bear, which he'd been wanting so everyone can leave him messages...we're still working out the bugs, but let us know if you want to send him a message. He'd love it!

We all went to church and brunch on Sunday morning. Then we split up to enjoy some different activities. Ross and Susan went to a bowling alley to watch the Cowboys game, which they won, and my mom, the kids, and I made our way to San Francisco to visit the zoo and Union Square.

My mom left early Monday morning. I took the week off with the kids and Susan while Ross worked most of the week getting ready for the Consumer Electronics show in January! We spent the early part of the week wrapping presents, finishing shopping, baking cookies, and playing around.

On Christmas Eve, we spent the morning decorating cookies for Santa. They were good!

We had a delicious meal cooked by Chef Ross before heading to the Christmas Eve service. Jackson said our prayer before supper that evening, which included thanking God for making Santa so we could celebrate Jesus' birthday in such a fun way...so cute! The kids loved both the music and the message at church, and they went to bed faster than I've ever seen when we got home! They are at such a fun age to enjoy the Christmas season right now!

Jackson was the first one awake, and he waited patiently in our room for Audrey to wake up. Once she was up, it was a mad dash to their stockings!

We were all pretty spoiled this year. It was so fun to see the pure joy on the kids faces as they opened their gifts, screamed in excitement, and jumped up and down in celebration over things as simple as a new bath scrubber!

The picture above where it looks like Jackson is choking Audrey is actually him hugging her for the gift she chose for him...a flying Iron Man! After the chaos settled out, Jackson and Ross both got to play with their new remote controlled toys (Ross got a car that drives and flies). We were impressed with how well Jackson did with it!

Audrey was most excited about her makeup set, which she quickly started using. I love that her first application included blue blush...after all, blue is her favorite color right now!

As the day progressed, some of the more complicated toys were opened. Jackson LOVES Snap Circuits, and he got two new sets for Christmas (lights and a rover). He put the rover together and had lots of fun recording and delivering messages on it, as well as shooting discs at Audrey!

Audrey put together one of her Goldie Blox sets, which was really cool to see! It teaches engineering principles in a way that engages young girls really well. She was so proud of her work!

At the end of the day, the kids were wearing their head-lamps from Grandmother and measuring things with Jackson's new measuring tape, which broke fairly quickly and provided entertainment for the adults and kids as we took it apart and fixed it. The adults ended the day playing games and laughing at ourselves. It was a wonderful Christmas!

If you didn't get enough, there are more pictures in the album!