Hummingbird Haven goes Camping

We have been really busy of late, seriously, what is new, but we have really had some fun times.

The first weekend of spring break, our Kindergarten class went camping, OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
The kids had so much fun!!!!

There were six families from the class and we had five campsites all either next to each other, or super close. This gave the kids a HUGE area to run and play freely in. They rode bikes, and ran and played and played. It was unbelievable how much fun these kids had together. There was nary a conflict, and I never once heard the dreaded "I'm Bored!"

I think the parents had just as much fun. After we put the kids to bed, well past their bedtimes, loaded up on smores, we sat around the campfire talking, and laughing, and just having a fantastic bonding experience too.

We all had so much fun we are planning another trip this summer!

I love these families, this school, and the amazing memories we are creating for our kids.

We were also lucky enough to have a couple of amazing photographers on the trip, including our personal family photographer, so we have great memories saved for a lifetime!

http://www.photographybyalison.com/slideshows/dos-picos-camping-spring-2012/


Our first camping trip was a huge success, I am so glad we can now do these things with the boys that Scott and I enjoyed in our lives before kids!

Disneyland in 1000 pictures

There is a picture of me, at this age, at this wishing well somewhere in the family archives...I will find it and post it alongside.


Seriously cute boys slept so well in the cozy hotel beds.


Evan was a quarter of an inch too small to ride on the rapids, so Ryan and Mommy took to the raft together.




Evan could not wait to hear about Ryan's adventure.


Ryan recounted every last detail!




Princesses, Smincesses.


We are all about the cars.


I am saving now for my car insurance premiums in 11 years.





There was lots of love for It's a Small World.

First of many family trips to Disneyland! It was so much fun, and such a joy. One thing I found funny is that the boys loved the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder RR, but did not like any of the "kid" rides because they were too dark and loud. Evan's favorite was the Ferris Wheel, and Ryan loved Space Mountain. Neither can wait to go back.


I still have a few pictures on my iPhone, have to pull them off. Let's just say there was a ton of fun had by all!!!

Disneyland post coming soon!

I've got pictures and things to say about Disneyland coming soon.

And So it Begins

Thursday night we had our very first T-Ball practice!

We ran the bases...




We practiced hitting....



We took some grounders....




We also practiced catching fly balls, and throwing.

Most importantly we practiced listening to our coaches!



There was a whole lotta little boy energy out there on the field, and boy was it cute.

Stop the presses

We are on night three of wearing underware to bed. Nights one and two went perfectly, but please, think dry thoughts for me.

More images from vacation

We went marching, all in a row.

Evan: "I caught a MEDIUM sized blue gail" (that's a blue gill to the rest of us)


We caught some bass too.


In true fisherman style. Evan holds the fish by the mouth with his thumb.


Madison caught her first fish too.


We were infinitely patient posing for ten thousand pictures.

We splashed in the Tuolumne River, and played "Set Sail to Piglet's House"


We frolicked in Tuolumne Meadow.


We hiked up the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls, and were so tuckered out, we spent the ride home passed out cold.



We saw Half Dome from various angles.

We had lots of fun at Snow Creek Ranch, and in Yosemite!

Firsts from vacation

We caught our first fish....







We saw our first waterfall...


We posed on our first fallen tree in Yosemite.


We played Pooh Sticks...

Last day, of the first year, of a lifetime of learning

Ten months ago, I brought my babies to school. For the first time in their lives, they would not
be with me all day every day. I was terrified.



This is what the boys looked like today, their first year of school under their belts. Confident, happy, ready to tackle anything. (I inadvertently dressed Evan in the same shirt)


Thank you to the wonderful teachers that made this year so special...

Mrs. Finch

Mrs. Sessions

and Mrs. Camerino

We had such a wonderful experience with our teachers, and our wonderful, wonderful classmates. I honestly do not think we could have had a nicer group of kids and moms. I am going to miss the kids we wont be seeing next year. I am so happy with our preschool choice, what a wonderful year.

A little (okay, not so little video) of Christmas morning...

Please, only watch if you have nothing better to do, or if you are required to love us by blood or marriage.




I hope to get some detailed posts up after I get back home.

School Photos 1.0

Last week we had the much anticipated picture day at school. Our first ever. Our first of many.

As I opened the envelope I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw these smiling faces. Yes, Evan looks a bit more like a grimace, but hey, it can be interpreted as a smile.


I laughed so hard at the class photo. I've cut out all of the other kids, just in case their parents don't want their kids faces all over the internet. I commend the photographer for getting all the kids smiling (sort of) and all looking at the camera!

Ryan, I think is the only kid that wasn't smiling. Oh, Ryan, why so serious? Evan I think is mid-"cheese". I giggle just picturing the scene in the room with all of those 3 year old kids. Ha, glad it wasn't me!

Next stop the NHL

On Sunday we took the boys to Sea World. When we were there earlier in the week, the boys were drawn to the temporary ice rink put in for the holidays. I decided that trying to handle two boys on the ice at one time was well beyond my ice skating capabilities. We had to wait for Daddy.

Scott took each boy out and skated backwards with them a couple of times. I took them out holding their hand while they held on to the boards.















In less than an hour they went from holding on to our hands for dear life, to "skating" on their own. Oh to be young and fearless.

They had so much fun.

I'm thinking about ice skating lessons

...and hockey lessons.

Evan, Lightning McQueen, and a Lady Bug

Evan has been making great strides in the last few months. He is finding confidence in every aspect of his life.

Until a few days ago, Evan has slept in a porta crib. Not because he doesn't have a bed in his room, but because he refused to sleep in it.

We had two cribs in the boys room, but Evan started waking up five or fifty times a night so we temporarily moved him into the guest room and into a porta crib. It was two years later that he finally started sleeping through the night on a regular basis. By this time, Ryan, my child who resists change, refused to allow Evan to sleep in his room, let alone have any changes made to anything in his bedroom.

Evan also showed a lack of desire to change. We put his bed in his room with really cool guitar sheets. We suggested he might like to sleep in his big boy bed, just like Ryan. Nope. "But I like my crib" he would tell us.

With the crazy amount of "things" he takes to bed each night, Evan was running out of space in his crib. I was getting worried he'd sleep in his crib until his feet had to hang over the top.

We were walking through Target the other day, and saw a cars bed tent with sleeping bag and accessories. Hmm... I wonder. We brought it home and immediately Ryan wanted to use it. Should have bought two. Ryan was quickly over the idea of this new thing in his room, so it moved to Evan's.

The first night we just cuddled and read books in the big boy bed, with the new tent.

The next night he got a bit more brave. He decided he wanted to sleep in the tent. It was a tough night. I think he was up a half a dozen times. He fell out of bed once. He woke up very scared once. But, he stayed in his big boy bed, and in the morning he was very proud to receive a special surprise for it. (a new stuffed lady bug, now known as Baby lady bug to distinguish it from Mama lady bug, who was our special surprise for going pee pee on the potty for the first time ever)

Nap time the next day...slept in his bed, in his tent, like a pro.

He's had a couple of rough nights, but, I feel safe (while knocking on wood) to say that he has successfully transitioned into his big boy bed.

Now, I just have to convince him to let me remove the porta crib.



If not for Lightning McQueen, parenting would be considerably more difficult.