Deep Thoughts by Cairo

Cairo: Mommy, I have to tell you something.

(she sounded very serious)

Mommy:  Yes, honey.  What is it?

Cairo: It would be really hard to see if you had your eyes on your cheeks.  Right here (she pointed to her cheeks on either side of her mouth).

Mommy: Yes, Cairo.  I think you're right it would be hard to see.



... and a cute comment....

Last night-

Cairo: Mom, there's a bug in my room and it's bugging me!!!

The bug happened to be a moth that was fluttering around.  I caught it and Cairo and I examined it.  I told her about the beautiful wings they have and, aside from eating fabric, they are as gentle as a butterfly.

Can you guess which presents are Cairo's?

On Holiday in Bayside

Winter recess started at 1:30 pm on Friday the 17th; so, of course, we were in the car heading north to Bayside by 2 pm.  I look forward to the day when I can live in my house year round instead of scrambling to it on every vacation I have.  The drive is tiring... and we just did it three weeks ago.  The kids are troopers and are turning into really good little travelers.

The first thing on the list when we got to the house was decorate for Christmas.  Christmas was less than a week away and we needed to find and decorate a tree and get the lights up on the house.  For the past few years Lee and Erik have gone tree hunting in the local mountains (with a permit!) the day after Thanksgiving.  This year Nick made the trek with Lee instead, but the snow was too deep to get to the prime trees.  Trying to save a little money, Erik went up on the hill in our backyard and cut down not one, but two little trees.  They were perfect (though the one we put in our dining room was really prickly)!

In the process of doing one of many face-plants into the wet lawn.

While Erik and I were running around getting things settled and Jonah was taking a nap, Nick and Kyoko took Mei and Cairo to church to be apart of the yearly Christmas program.  Mei is a pro at this, having done it in years past, but this was Cairo's first time.  Both girls dressed up like the cutest little lambs you ever did see.  In the end, Mei stayed back with Nick and Kyoko during the performance, while Cairo went up front.  What was Cairo's favorite part of it all?- getting to dress up like a lamb just like Mei.

By the end of the day Sunday, the lights were up, the trees were decorated, and we were all feeling the holiday cheer.... and the holiday boogers.  Yup, as soon as we got to the house Erik, Jonah, and Cairo all came down with colds and coughs.  Luckily, I was spared from it all.  Cairo and Erik were the worst off and I made my first trip to the local drug store for some kleenex and cold medicine.

Taking it easy and reading in Jonah's new chair.

After a few days of resting everyone was feeling better and by Christmas my little Dedini unit was up and running again.  Unfortunately, on Christmas Eve Mei came down with a fever and stomach virus.  Our plans to get together with Nick and his family for Christmas Eve were postponed for the next day and Erik, the kids, and I joined the Loomis Family for dinner instead.  Before heading over for Christmas Eve dinner Erik, Jonah, and I (Cairo was asleep) attempted to finish wrapping some presents for Jill (she has been down in Ferndale helping take care of Grandma Tipple).  Jonah wanted to be very "helpful" but was really just unwrapping everything.  So, Erik took an empty paper bag, cut some holes into it, and let Jonah play.

Once all the chores were done and Cairo was up from her nap, I snapped a few pictures of the kids in front of the Christmas tree and we headed out.  Cairo and Jonah wore coordinating flannel shirts courtesy of Mae-mae and Papa Dave.  We are still working on getting both kids to look and smile at the camera at the same time.

At the Loomis' we enjoyed a yummy pesto pasts dinner and exchanged presents.  The kids played together and the adults got to chit-chat.  Lili was so cute.  She was playing baby with Cairo and kept calling her "Mama."

Yummy Hors d'oeuvres

The boys

Lili and J Bear were playing cars on me

At 8:30, with the kids still going strong, we headed for home to put out the cookies and get in bed before Santa made his arrival.  We didn't to stay up too late and have him pass over our house afterall...

Christmas Performance

Cairo's preschool puts on a Christmas show each December.  Family and friends are invited to hear the kids sing an assortment of Christmas songs.  Cairo did a great job singing her songs and doing the hand motions that went with it.  Cairo's songs were Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (with a xmas twist) and Happy Birthday Baby Jesus.  All families were invited to join in a cookie social afterwards... which included a surprise appearance by Santa Claus himself.  Cairo was a little too shy to sit on his lap, but she was excited to get to see him.

Grammy, Bapa, and the boys watching Cairo perform.

Picture captured by Cairo.

Another picture captured by Cairo.

... and for something different.

Turning 33

Erik turned 33.  His birthday fell in the middle of a work week so we were a little limited in what we were able to do.  Erik had his real birthday celebration the previous weekend in what has become an annual surf trip with the boys to Santa Cruz.  Erik chose to have a dinner of ribs, potatoes, and veggies with apple pie to finish it off.  The kids helped Erik open his presents and Cairo even wrapped a present all by herself.

Thanksgiving 2010

This Thanksgiving we headed north again to spend my week off of work up in Bayside.  The week flew by and the kids kept us very busy.  On our way north we stopped by one of my oldest friend Elisabeth's house and she took some Christmas family photos of us.  Jonah was not in the best of moods and the photo session was came to a very quick end when he fell apart, but Elisabeth was able to snap a few great pictures.

Once in Humboldt we kept pretty busy.  There was some general maintenance to do around the house, we visited with friends, spent a few hours at drop in gymnastics, and spent a beautiful Thanksgiving morning on the beach.

Jonah was a little clingy  while we were at the gym, but Cairo got right in there and tried everything.

The first few days in Bayside were full of rain, but by Thanksgiving everything was dry, crisp, and sunny.  We took advantage of the beautiful weather and took the kids to the jetty for a nice walk and a snack.

Cairo took this picture for us.  Not bad.

Cairo's second try was even better!  Good job Cairo.

Driftwood on the beach.

Cairo decided she was going to try and pick it up...

... but it didn't budge..

Snack time.

Summer, fall, spring, or winter- no trip to the beach would be complete without playing in the sand.

Notice, there are NO pictures from our Thanksgiving meal in Ferndale.  While our morning walk on the beach was fun, the kids missed their naps. This created monster children.  Cairo refused to eat and had very poor table manners and Jonah was trying to get into everything- EVERYTHING.  Erik and I both scarfed down one serving of the food and had to take an early exit.  Not only did we get no pictures from Thanksgiving, we barely got to talk to the family.  I can't wait to have a holiday meal that doesn't involve me trying to get a child to eat or behave or do anything else but enjoy the food and the company.