A Few Pics

Everything is pretty crazy right now, so I never seem to have time to sit down and write anything. Here are a few cute pics to hold you over until I get a few minutes to my self!

Happy Halloween!

Well, Halloween is an official holiday for our family now. Ashley was a bumblebee (costume courtesy of our friend Ann Piper - it received RAVE reviews!) See for yourself!



Ashley met up with her best friends Nina and Ryan at the Halloween Pageant and then hit the streets for some door to door fun. It was so hysterical to watch them rush up to the door, fight over who was going to ring the bell and then yell, "Trick or Treat!" before the door even opened.







And Halloween wasn't just for kids this year. Chris and I went to a party on Friday night and actually won the costume contest with this one! Presenting: The Drunken Bridal Party!




Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

First Trip To Disneyland

Yesterday was Ashley's very 1st trip to Disneyland! My work had an offsite there in the morning and then Chris and Ashley came around 5pm. Ashley was very excited about going to "the place where Mickey lives." It had been years since I have been on the rides in Fantasyland, so I wasn't really sure which rides would be the best for her. Pinocchio's Daring Adventure had a short line and from what I could remember, that story was just about a puppet that wanted to be a real boy. How charming and cute! That couldn't be scary, right?! Wrong. There were surly underworld foxes in seedy back alleys and giant scary whales with sharp teeth that lunge at your car. Poor Ashley spent the ride tucked under my arm yelling, "Scary Mommy!" Once again, Mother of the Year goes to me.

After that we decided to head over to Toon Town. You can actually go into "Mickey's House" and walk around and then you meet Mickey himself. Ashley was super excited. As we were walking through she kept calling, "Mickey! Where are you!? Where are you, Mickey!?" Once we finally got to Mickey, girlfriend wanted nothing to do with him. Zip. Zero. Nada. So the whole family trotted up and took a picture with him.



After the picture, Ashley was all smiles. Blowing kisses, waving, saying, "Bye Mickey! See you soon!"

All was good so we decided to try one more ride. How scary could Winnie the Pooh be?! The ride started and Ashley was waving to Pooh and Tigger and having a great time. Then Pooh fell asleep and had a "fantastic dream" which is basically a full blown acid trip. Everything got all psychedelic and loud and crazy. Ashley was completely freaked out. So I took it as an early opportunity to lecture her on the dangers of illegal substances.

Ashley after Winnie The Pooh:


Ashley after a trip to Mickey's gift shop!

The 1st trip to Disneyland is a pretty significant moment. We did have so much fun and Ashley was so exhausted that she fell asleep in about 30 seconds once we got in the car. But considering most of the rides are out for at least another year, we can probably get by with an occasional trip to the Disney Store instead!

Girl's Day

Last weekend, Ashley and I had a great time doing girl stuff together. We went out for lunch! We went shopping! I would try on clothes and she would say, "Pwetty Mommy!" We went for a ride on the carousel and played in the fountains. How lucky am I to have such a good buddy?!

Ashley Has A New Cousin!

My sister Jenny gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night. Lauren was a perfect 7 lbs. 11 ounces. Congratulations to Jenny and Chris. We love you!

Crazy Cousins

Cousin Sylas was back in town for a little visit. The kids go absolutely crazy when they see each other. Screaming, running around in circles ... its so cute! It was a short visit, but they sure had a great time. We topped off the trip with a visit to Tanaka Farms to see the animals and jump around in the pumpkins. Enjoy!

Stop It

I can't ... it's like having my own little doll to dress up. I had to bribe her with 3 Elmo stickers to get these darn boots on her feet. But seriously, how delicious is this outfit!? And the mischevious little smile is beyond fantastic.

So Lucky...

I am reminded every day of how lucky I am to have my daughter. I love being her mom more than anything else in life. She is so much fun to be around. She is silly and funny and determined. I could look at her all day. That perfect little nose, the softest skin imaginable, those beautiful blue eyes... I can't believe she is mine sometimes. Every morning when she calls my name, I find myself practically skipping down the hallway to see her sweet face.

I'm not sure what's in store for our family, but if Ashley happens to be our only child, I know that will be enough for me. She is truly a blessing.

Cupcakes Galore

September was a big party month for this family! First up was Ashley's 2nd Birthday Party (AKA A darn good excuse for her Mom & Dad to throw a shin dig). We had over 50 people in attendance and the day was topped by the new purchase of a dual sided margarita machine (every kid's party should have one, right?!), a bouncy house and a taco man. It really was a great day and we had everyone with us except the Barrett's and the Flynn's. And they were missed!






Next up was the beautiful party for Chloe's 1st Birthday. Beautiful food, amazing decor (Jenny is seriously CRAZY good at just about everything!) and good times with friends and family. I could get used to weekends like this! Happy Birthday Chloe!!

My Baby Girl Is 2

My sweet little Ashley,
What a wonderful gift it is to be your mother. Every day you surprise me with something new; From counting to 10 or singing all the words to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to the littlest gesture of wrapping your little arm around mine as we sit together on the couch - you make every moment feel like a gift. I cannot imagine how I lived so long without you in my life. The absolute best part of my day is when I walk through the door from work and hear you scream, "Mommy!" and come tearing down the hallway to throw yourself into my arms.

I love you, my little bug. More than there are words for... Happy 2nd Birthday!



No Organic Cupcakes This Year! Yummy!

Balboa Island Vacation

G-Daddy and Mor Mor came for a vacation last week and we were able to enjoy their beach house on Balboa Island. It was so much fun to share such a wonderful piece of nostalgia with Ashley. I spent many a sun-drenched afternoon on those beaches as a child and they seemed to hold the same joy and wonder for Ashley.

Feeding Ducks With Auntie Jen


Building Sandcastles With Daddy and G-Daddy


Dancing With Mor Mor


Sunset Photo Shoot



Blowing Bubbles With G-Daddy


The Walker Paddle Board Experiment


Just Hanging Out


We're looking forward to seeing you again in November Mor Mor and G-Daddy!