Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!
We wanted to spend the day at the beach but it was too cold and cloudy near the water so we went to our local park where it was warmer! We brought drinks, snacks and Alison's bubble machine!
Auntie Em took this pic. One of the best toys we have ever bought Alison (we are actually on #2 since we wore the first one out) is a bubble blower. They sell them at Target for about $11 and boy they can put out some bubbles! There were some other kids in the park who came and played in the bubbles as well!

Daddy and Alison dancing and having a great time!

I am so happy to be a mom to such a wonderful little girl and am so thankful to have such a great mom myself!


Saturday, May 12, 2012

Mission Bay Birthday


To celebrate Baba's 60th Birthday she wanted to wait till the weekend and go out to mission bay roast marshmallows and hot dogs and have a nice outside day.
 We waited till Saturday so Aunt Emily could drive down from LA.
I got Alison a kite that looks like a biplane and everyone took a turn flying it.

Alison's first kite

Boompa helping Alison fly the kite, she LOVED it!

Alison taking a little reading break, and yep she wanted to wear her rain boots to the beach.

Emily eating a smore!
So glad she was able to come down and visit!

Boompa really enjoyed sitting by the water.

Alison had a great time running around

Pregnant me!

Bubble time!

Checking out the boat dock with Baba

Chris wasn't able to make it out to the beach but he was at home waiting for us!
A realtor, who ended up not showing up, called Chris and told him there was a couple in from Japan who wanted to see our house and since we haven't been showing our house, not to mention we have company over, Chris went home to tidy things up and meet with the realtor.
I am so glad we aren't putting the house on the market till after we move out. I really don't like the idea of stranger walking through my home.

A proper birthday cake for Baba!
Fudge chocolate with chocolate icing.

Since we were having cake so late Alison got yogurt instead.
She seemed really happy about it.


 BONUS PICS!
Aunte Em took some really cute pictures of Alison with her phone and I wanted to share!
Thanks Aunte Em!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

It's a Beautiful Day!

Boompa and I took a walk over to Jamba Juice and stopped to take a picture!

At Jamba Juice's outside seating area Alison found a friend to run around and play with.

Time to go!
Alison drinking her juice and Boompa wheeling her away.

Out to eat in Old Town San Diego!

My parents!
We are all so happy that Boompa was able to make it out!

Arriving at home,
Baba bought Alison her first little purse and a rock candy!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Baba's Birthday!

We felt so lucky to be able to celebrate Baba's 60th Birthday at our house!
 
Boompa, Alison and I snuck out early to pick up cinnamon rolls and flowers!
The lady at the bakery even gave us a little green "Happy Birthday" pick to put in Baba's roll.

Baba asked Alison to help her blow out the candle after we sang.

Boompa came into town for a week to celebrate and to spend some time with us before the big move.

Alison was a little hesitant at first but after she tried her roll she ate the whole thing! 
(well the half of a roll we gave her as she had already had oatmeal) 
Alison loves to smell flowers and wanted to smell Baba's little roses.

We took today pretty easy. We are planning on going to Mission Bay this weekend to hang out andcook hot dogs and smores over a fire pit!

Birthday dinner! My customary paper pom pom balls are hanging over the table.
I got them almost 2 years ago and they have been used for every birthday and celebration since! 
Unfortunately all my other birthday decorations were already packed!

Baba's red velvet birthday cupcake!
(it fell over and got smooshed on one side but still tasted good!)

Baba wanted to watch Beauty and the Beast and snuggle with Alison and Boompa.

Out take:

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Okinawa

We are moving to Okinawa Japan in July and to help us look forward to it a bit more I thought I would do a little research! I thought I would share a few fun things with you.

-Being overseas means we qualify for special tuition assistance for military spouses called STAP. Which would be great in helping me get my Masters!
-There is an amazing aquarium which I am really looking forward to taking the kids to called the Churaumi Aquarium. Here is a picture of their big tank!


- Southeast Botanical Garden, another spot I want to check out!

 
-Rainbow House! I am looking forward to visiting this shop. It's a 2 story fabric and craft store that, according to the military wives who reviewed it, is really awesome.


- Lastly Care Packages! We will be getting an APO/FPO address, which is a special address for military people overseas. AND the post office has a flat rate box ($13.95, $2 cheaper than its domestic twin). You can order their "America Supports You" box online HERE.
 I'm not sure if you can get it at the post office....Grandpa Garry?
***Grandma Carolyn went to the post office and asked about the APO/FPO boxes and they told her that every box qualifies for the rate! Thanks Grandma!!***
So....if you want to send us a little piece of America this is probably the best way to do it!





Saturday, May 5, 2012

May Fair!

The Waldorf School of San Diego, where Alison and I attend a parent child class, had their annual May Fair today! I was really excited to go and watch the kids dance around the May Pole and watch Alison play with her friends.
 
Friday after our parent child class I spotted this sweet little post card in the school store and thought it would be perfect to display! It was fun showing it to Alison and telling her that at the fair we were going to be able to watch the children dance around the pole with the pretty ribbons.
The little kids came out and scattered rose petals while some kids played wood flutes and the others twined the ribbon around the pole.
We sat with the other families from our class, it was a really sunny beautiful day.
Alison was very comfy sitting with mommy and resting on her baby brother.
We ate some burritos and orange slices for lunch and afterwards went over to the playground where Alison ran up and down the little sandy hill!
This is the first year we have done a craft since Alison was too little last year.
Here we are making a necklace with bits of felt and beads. Alison really enjoyed picking out the beads for her necklace (mommy put them on the strand). And she was very proud to wear her finished product!
Another family at the table offered to take our picture! 
We had a really great time! We got to see friends from school and some who used to be in class with us.
One of our friends just got hired at the Waldorf School teaching high school English!
I am so happy for her!! She is one of the sweetest moms and I have no doubt she is a really wonderful teacher. I am looking forward to hearing about her teaching adventure and the how she likes teaching at the Waldorf School (she has been teaching at public school for 9 years).
I have to say, the Waldorf School is going to be one of the things I miss most about living in San Diego. We have made some really good friends there and Alison has really blossomed under the Waldorf philosophy. I'm going to miss being around other parents of the same mind set as well as our wonderful Parent Child Class teacher.

When we arrived home it was to a surprise!
 I ordered Alison a little rabbit hutch for an Easter gift and 3 little wool felt rabbits to go in it but it kept getting back ordered! It was apparently a very popular Easter gift.
But it was worth the wait! Alison loves it!
She likes to open and shut the doors on the hutch and make the bunnies hop around, and there is just enough space under the hutch for the baby chicks I made for her!
One of the games at the May Fair today was aimed at the really little kids, all they had to do was pull on a stem and a vegetable came out of the ground! (or rather they pulled them out of a bucket of beans) Alison got to harvest a radish and a carrot (you can see the carrot poking out of the hutch). Alison had a good time feeding her new rabbits with the food she harvested at the fair!
We didn't forget baby brother!
I have been eying this doll at the school store for awhile now thinking "if we have a little boy it would be just perfect". He is stuffed with wool and is hand sewn by a woman's cooperative in Brazil
 and with my May Fair 20% off coupon (Thanks Angie for printing me off one!) this little boy is going to make a wonderful friend for our little boy! This little guy is so soft and cuddly!
We also got our son a little wood car.
We have been gathering some toys to take with us to Japan since we don't know what kind of children's toys with be available there.  
I got this soon after we found out we were pregnant. I thought it would be nice for a boy or a girl.
Its small and weighs almost nothing and has such a sweet little face. I also got a little wood rattle. I figure the new baby doesn't need much since Alison already has baby friendly toys but we still wanted to get him some things of his very own. Alison has already approved of baby brother's toys :)
Baba picked up a little something for Alison at the school store, she went with us on Friday.
She got Alison a Holztiger squirrel and a set of Dominoes, which I never would have thought of buying for a two year old but Alison loves taking them in and out of their tin and feeling their smooth surface.
Alison has dubbed the squirrel "Jumpy Squirrel"
  
Happy Spring!