Jaime & Nate

Our Little Helper

2012-02-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

Preston has been such a big helper today - sending out a bunch of newsletters and washing dishes.

Swimming

2012-02-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

Preston loves putting on his swimming trunks. The other night he put them on and then pretended to go swimming in the pool. It made us laugh because it was so random. He's starting to get pretty creative and I love it. Neither Nate or I taught him to use his blanket as the pool.

Oakland Zoo

2012-01-29T22:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday we took a family outing to the Oakland Zoo. The day was so beautiful and warm. I can't believe the weather this year. It's hardly seemed like we've had a winter, which makes me a little nervous for the consequences that will come later in the year due to lack of precipitation. Anyways, we had fun as a family checking out the animals. Preston's favorite part of the zoo is the elephants. He could stand and watch them forever. We had a great time until Preston found a leaf and was excitedly running to show us when he slipped in some gravel and landed flat on his back. He was crying pretty hard and then Nate and I discovered he was bleeding pretty badly too. He must have landed on a rock. It was hard to get a good look because of the matted blood in his hair. We took him to the first aid area hoping they could help us clean him up a bit so we could get a better idea at how bad his cut was. Luckily it looked worse than it was and he calmed down quickly. We ended by riding the Merry-Go-Round and his head wound seemed to be forgotten.

Medicine for Ducky

2012-01-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

I found Preston in his room today making sure his ducky got his "medicine".

Puddle Jumping

2012-01-23T21:08:00.000-08:00

He is all boy! Look at the glee that shows in his face as he jumps in the puddles.

Fun Pictures from the Week

2012-01-22T21:44:00.000-08:00

This week has been a long one! Since we put Preston in his big boy bed he has become a little cranky - mostly from lack of sleep. He does great at night. I think there has only been one night all week where we had to put him back in bed multiple times. Otherwise, he has never come out of his room. However, he really struggles with naptime. He's pretty good about staying in his room and quietly playing for at least 45 minutes but that's it. He has only fallen asleep during naptime once this week and I can tell you he has needed a nap many more days than that.

On Saturday Nate took Preston out for a little "Father Son" outing. They went to Gymboree and out to lunch while I stayed home and deep cleaned the fridge, freezer and kitchen cupboards. Preston had soooo much fun. He was bursting with excitement when they got home and had to tell me everything they had done. It was pretty cute. Preston is such a daddies boy! He sure loves him a lot.

Just a few other cute pictures - The other day Preston lined all of his cars up on the piano. He was so proud! He's pretty particular about certain things and he loves to lines things up.

Big Boy Bed

2012-01-15T23:15:00.000-08:00

Helping set up his big boy bed!

We set up Preston's big boy bed on Saturday. Here goes nothing! I am guessing naps will be pretty non-existant now since he was already hard to put down at naptime anyways. At least before even if he didn't sleep he was trapped in his crib for a quiet time. The last two days since we set up his bed he has just played around in his room or come out repeatedly.

However, he did sleep in his big boy bed all last night! He didn't come out once after we put him down for the night and we didn't hear a peep out of him all night. He was so proud this morning when he woke up that he had slept in his big boy bed.

Picnic in the Park

2012-01-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

We had a picnic at the park! The weather was absolutely beautiful and we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to enjoy it. We packed a quick lunch and took Preston's tricycle to the park. I pushed Preston to the park on his bike and noticed for the first time he was moving his legs with the up and down motion of the pedals. He's getting there! I just can't wait for him to learn to ride his bike. He'll love it - I'm almost certain! I was a little hopeful that after we ate lunch I could teach him to actually ride his bike around the park. There is a nice big open sidewalk area that would be perfect to learn on but instead he insisted on pushing his bike around the park himself. We drew with chalk, played ring-around-the-rosie, then Preston played in the dirt. He's all boy!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was very relaxing and so much fun to spend time together as a family. I think Preston was so sad when he realized Daddy wouldn't be around as often after Nate went back to work. He's such a Daddy's boy. Whenever Nate is around no one else can help him do anything. Forget changing his clothes, forget getting him out of the car, forget wiping him off after a meal or getting him a drink of water - everything he wants done by Daddy. So - I had lots of time to read and do other things. I am definitely not complaining but at times it can be a little frustrating. We had nearly two weeks together in Utah spending time with Nate's family. We had some fun times. Below is just a splattering of things we did and fun memories to remember.

A twelve and a half hour car ride to Utah where Preston only slept 30 minutes. Who is this kid that never sleeps?
Attending Ogden's Christmas Village to see all the little elf houses. It was a super cold night!
Playing games with the family including Bang, Hearts and Farkle. We also spent a lot of time playing Words with Friends with each other. We each had a game going with every other family member.
Playing Xbox 360 Kinect. Annette was the master at darts. We had some good laughs, especially playing football. It was fun to see the video playback after each sport to see just how silly (or coordinated) you looked.
Decorating gingerbread houses. Preston spent more time eating the candies, especially the marshmallows, than he did decorating. He loved putting sprinkles on and sprinkled the floor in the process. He quickly learned to scamper up onto the bar stools when no one was looking to get a few candies off before he was stopped.
Sprinkling reindeer food on the lawn and leaving cookies out for Santa.
Preston loved helping in the kitchen. He enjoyed helping Grandma make gingerbread men, licking off beaters, and simply being in the action.
Making orange rolls. I think we finally found a good recipe. They were so delicious!
Lots of shopping! Last minute Christmas gifts and car shopping for Maren, which Nate always enjoys.
Dinner with the Larsen family
Opening presents was so fun with Preston. As he saw each new gift he wanted it "out" so he could play with it immediately. Getting through the presents is a lot longer process this way but he loved it.
Meeting cousin Ashley, Cameron and baby Logan for lunch one afternoon. It was so fun to catch up.
Zupas! Yum.
Going down to Spanish Fork/Payson for haircuts, to visit the Hughes family, see Megan and meet her new husband Tyler, and to stop by Grandma and Grandpa Weed's grave site.
Pheasant hunting. Nate had so much fun and has since been saying he needs a gun. They shot 9 of the 12 planted birds.
Christmas evening we opened some remote control cars. We had 6 cars and only 2 frequencies. The cars were going crazy and it was so funny. Preston had no clue what was going on but loved it all the same.
Brotherly bonding time. One of Nate's favorite things is to sit in the hot tub with his Dad and brother and just chat. He had a good 2 hour chat one night with his brother.
Sledding in the scarce snow. The weather in Utah was beautiful and mild but not conducive to Winter sports and activities. Preston went out for a walk with Grandpa and Daddy and found a tiny bit of snow to sled in. He had so much fun.
Attending the temple and then also being able to go to a sealing for a distant family member.
Going to Uncle Robert and Aunt Patti's house to meet Jack, the donkey, and Bernie, the dog. Preston received a little toy pull-along dog from them for Christmas that he absolutely loves and has now named Bernie.
Christmas with (Great) Grandma and Grandpa DeFries. We celebrated the Monday after Christmas.
New Years Eve shake run to Jake's Over the Top - and over the top it was. Those shakes are huge.
Attending Weber State's basketball game against Utah. Preston was thoroughly entertained the entire time with all the action in the stadium.

and after all that - we have very few pictures! I seriously need to get a bit better.

Uncle Eric is so worried Preston will become a Warriors fan so he wanted to get him started on the right foot. A Jazz jersey for Christmas. Preston had to put it right on.

Grandma gave Preston some new construction jammies on Christmas Eve.

Showing off his finished house - and snagging one last lick before bed.

Sprinkling reindeer food on the lawn

Christmas morning this was the first thing Preston saw. He was delighted.

Sledding on the little patches of snow

The crew on the pheasant hunt

Less than 24 hours

2012-01-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

Jessica, Bryce and family came to visit us and crash at our house for a quick trip before heading to spend Christmas in Merced with Bryce's family. They arrived around 1:30am after a long flight on Saturday, the 17th and were gone by Saturday evening. However, we loved being able to see them for a bit. As always, I'm kicking myself for not getting more pictures. What was I thinking? Their twins are so adorable. We couldn't believe how light they feel compared to Preston and just how individual each is. They look nothing alike - despite being twins. Preston was enamored with Isaac. Isaac is such a great big brother. We spent the morning relaxing. Nate took Preston and Isaac to play at the park. Jessica and I got some boot shopping in. We took the kids to visit Santa at the firehouse where we also enjoyed cookies. After that we did a touch of holiday baking (peppermint bark rice krispie treats) while some relaxed and maybe even got a wink or two of sleep in. It sure was fun to see them, even if it was speedy.

Random Moments in December

2011-12-30T21:13:00.000-08:00

December was so busy and as I was pulling photos and videos together from Christmas I came across a few gems of little moments from the month worth sharing...

Preston playing with his balloons after the party. He would get tanlged in them and think it was so fun!

Preston at his friend Leala's birthday party. They are just a few days apart. She got a really cool drumset (not from her parents, of course) and Preston loved it. They decide to make a little band - Preston on the drums and Leala on the guitar. It was pretty cute to watch!

The cheese ball we made to take to a Christmas party.

Time to Think

2011-12-12T22:15:00.000-08:00

I can't stop thinking about this sweet family in our ward. Almost two weeks ago my friend lost her husband, Jared Johansen, unexpectedly and inexplicably in the middle of the night. He was a healthy 27 year old who leaves behind his wife, 17 month old daughter and another daughter due in January.

I should mention that Jared was also the oldest son of my current bishop. He and his wife have been living with his parents for the last year as he was preparing to go to law school in the Fall. The outpouring of concern and love from members in our ward has been amazing.

It's at times like these that you really come to think about what you believe and grow a deeper appreciation for what you currently have. I have been humbled by the faith this family has shown despite their immense trial and feeling of loss. The memorial service was beautiful and very uplifting.

I am thankful to know that families can be together forever, that Christ lived and died so that we might return to live with our Father in Heaven again. It's easy to live in the moment and forget our ultimate purpose in life. I have learned to cherish those you love because you never know how long they will be with you.

Jared's cousin has written a beautiful tribute and reflection on her blog of her experience with his passing. Check it out here: http://benandcamille.blogspot.com/2011/12/forever-changed.html

Temple Lights

2011-12-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

Friday night our ward had a get together at the temple to see the lights, watch the live nativity, and have hot chocolate and donuts. It was a fun little outing.

Zoo for turning 2!

2011-12-12T21:47:00.000-08:00

On Preston's birthday we went to the Zoo - just Preston and me! It was so fun. We just got a zoo pass for the year and this was our first time using it. Originally I was just going to do errands on Preston's birthday but the morning of decided we should do something fun instead. It was a beautiful day and perfect for the zoo. We took a picnic lunch and spent time exploring together. Periodically I would break out and sing "Happy Birthday" to Preston and every time he would start giggling.

He loved watching the elephants, especially because there was one close to the fence that was eating grass with its trunk. He also loved the warthog that another kid kept calling "Pumba". Preston started mimicking the other kid saying "Pumba" as well. Randomly to this day Preston will start talking about Pumba and it's been a few days since we went. On Sunday he even started talking about the pumpkin that had been in the warthog's area. I had totally forgotten about it until he mentioned it.

I love it when Preston talks about outings days after the event because then I know he really had fun!

A tunnel to view the Meerkats. Preston was scared to go in until a few other kids ran in and then he followed right away.

Preston attempting to open his gifts without permission and before Daddy got home. I ran down to grab his new car out of the car and was gone only a minute. When I came back up he had climbed on the chair and had already started ripping the package open. I couldn't believe it. He had THE biggest smile on his face.

Deck the Halls

2011-12-07T23:24:00.001-08:00

We finally got into the Christmas season a bit and put Christmas lights on our balcony. Preston has been enamored with the lights around our neighborhood that he sees at night. We taught him to say, "Ooohhh. Aaahhh. Wow!" whenever he sees them. It's pretty darn funny.

Vroom. Vroom. Birthday Party.

2011-12-07T21:36:00.001-08:00

Vroom. Vroom. Preston turns two in just two days. Last weekend we had a car birthday party for him with just a few friends. It was the perfect size for his age!

Back in October I had seen a cute idea for a car birthday party on pinterest. Since Preston LOVES cars (what boy doesn't?) we thought it was perfect for him. Nate and I really enjoyed brainstorming and creating things for Preston's party. Each child received a car as a party favor that they could drive around the roads made out of masking tape and yellow duct tape. There were various stations they could stop at such as a car wash, gas station, home, drive-in movie where Cars 2 was playing and a racetrack. I think the racetrack was the biggest hit! It was well worth the money spent on our splurge purchase! The racetrack was a blow up ball pit with a track around the outside where the balls could roll back down into the pit. The kids played with it the longest by far.

We had a small lunch and of course cupcakes. Preston was so excited for his party. There were many times over the course of the month that Preston heard "not until your party" or "that's for your party". I think it all helped build the anticipation for him. He was especially excited for the cupcakes since he helped me make them the day before. And, to my suprise he knew exactly what to do with the candles on his cupcake. He blew them out before I even had a chance to tell him to. Smart boy!

All the time and effort put into creating his party was well worth it. Preston was so hyper after the event that we knew he had fun and every once in awhile in the days following I would hear him talking about it, mostly in his crib when he should have been taking a nap. He would be saying "Happy birthday to you."

We sure love this little guy and can't believe it's already been two years!

Family Pictures

2011-12-07T15:27:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago we asked a very talented friend in our ward to snap a few photos. We just wanted some updated ones of the entire family and expected it to be a quick thing. However, our friend totally surprised us and went way beyond our expectations doing a full on photo session. We ended up with some great photos! Thanks, Cassidy!

Thanksgiving in Portland

2011-12-07T14:39:00.001-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year we headed to Portland to celebrate Thanksgiving with my brother's family and my parents, who also drove into town. My brother's oldest son, Tyson, was going to be baptized the Saturday after Thanksgiving so we decided to travel there for the holiday. Since I am singing with the Temple Hill Choir we had to be back for a performance that Saturday night so we missed the baptism but it was so fun to be with family, even if it was a short trip!

Preston had so much fun with his cousins. With three boys in my brother's family there were tons of boy toys in the house and Preston just couldn't get enough of them. He played and played and played. I guess we don't have cool toys like that at out house because our toys don't entertain him nearly as long.

We arrived in Portland early Wednesday morning and made a quick stop at VooDoo Donuts to check it out. It's kind of a cool, local joint with crazy donut concoctions. I wished I could have just a bite of each type of donut to try them all out. Definitely a place to check out again just to try a different flavor!

I always kick myself for not taking more photos. We spent Wednesday and Thursday just hanging out, watching movies and playing games, and of course enjoying a delicious turkey dinner.

Friday we braved the crowds and went to the mall for a bit before heading to Mt. Hood to ride the "Polar Express" train. What a fun event for the kids! They got to see Santa, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, and even take a bell home.

We loved spending a few short days with the family!

Playing with Dad and showing off one of the cool toys he found

Playing Angry Birds

Outside the "choo choo tracks" before the Polar Express ride

On the "Polar Express" train

Chatting with one of the leves on the train

Getting his bell from Santa

Giving Thanks...

2011-11-25T15:35:00.000-08:00

For the last few years during the month of November we have tried daily to write something we are thankful for. This year we didn't do as well as we have in the past - I guess we were a bit preoccupied and busy but here are the few things we came up with.

Nate - Thankful for...

fragrant swiss cheese
cell phones to contact family
our ability to take care of ourselves
afternoon naps
Jaime giving up her career for motherhood
a good job that lets me take care of my family
Jaime's artistic ability
Jaime's lists
Jaime cooking dinner
Preston's laughs

Jaime - Thankful for...

hot chocolate to warm me up
family walks - they're relaxing and a great time to talk
Preston being a good boy today as we ran LOTS of errands (H&M, Michaels, Office Depot, Big5)
the legacy I have of strong ancestors in the church. "Steadfast and Immovable"
technology that allows us to video chat with Jessica's family when they live so far away
beautiful, warm weather to play at the park
finally catching the mouse in our house and thankful for the tip of swiss cheese from my dad
a dishwasher
an active boy who enjoys his Gymboree class
a supportive husband who lets me take time to sing in the Temple Hill Choir
a concerned husband who wants to make my life easier

Preston - Thankful for...

a Daddy who reads to him
my lawnmower and pushing it to the park
juice
my choo-choo
daddy putting syrup on my french toast

Halloween Trick or Treating

2011-11-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

For breakfast on Halloween we made special "Boo" pancakes. Preston was being silly for the camera and I didn't get a single shot where he wasn't being goofy.

Halloween night we met up with some friends to go trick or treating in their neighborhood. It was a lot fo fun. Preston, still remembering the excitement from the Stake Trunk or Treat, was loving every second. He would go to the door holding out his bag, then say "Thank You" when he received some candy. After that he would turn around and start running to the next house often shouting, "More!" excitedly. He kept leaving his friends in the dust. Nate and I thought we would only hit five houses or so but we ended up going for over an hour since the kids were having so much fun!

The crew trick or treating on Halloween

From earlier in the week when the kids wore their costumes to Music Makers

I think it's safe to say our month of October was super busy and also full of fun.

Trunk or Treat

2011-11-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Our stake has a Halloween Trunk or Treat that is unreal! They have been doing it for years and estimate that they get over 1,000 people each year. It is a carnival theme with music, lights, games, etc. Last year was our first year and we were blown away by how amazing it was. You have to see it to believe it! I should have taken pictures of the carnival games or even better video just to show how amazing it is. All the signs for the activities have lights and moving parts.

After the carnival the kids all go outside to the parking lot where people are ready to pass out candy, most in front of fully decked out cars. Nate was a little nervous to pass out candy again this year because he felt intimidated by all the decorated cars. We didn't decorate ours at all. Preston, despite all the flurry of kids, really had a lot of fun and started getting the trick or treating fever.

Posing with his friends - Owen and Wyatt

Preston also loved his fireman costume! He was pretty cute if I do say so myself. I made it when I was in Boise using yellow and silver duct tape. I think because we talked about the costume so much and kept trying it on that he knew it was something special and being saved for a special occassion.

Carving Pumpkins

2011-11-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

This month has been full of fun festivities leading up to Halloween! We had our neighbors come over and carve pumpkins with us. It was way more fun to carve with friends than I think it would have been if we did it on our own. Preston wasn't too sure about the slimy stuff in the middle. He didn't like touching it.

From Three to Four

2011-11-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Our little family will be growing from three to four soon! We found out last week we will be adding another little boy to our family. He should arrive sometime mid-March. Hooray for boys! We are so excited for our growing family and even doubly excited that we already have boy things on hand! Nate says that is the accountant in him.

We loved having Nate's mom here for a few days to watch Preston while we attended the ultrasound and a "Next Baby" class. We also snuck in some birthday and Christmas shopping for Preston while we were out. Phew! One less thing to worry about in the next two months.

Preston was so spoiled and loved spending time with Grandma. They did lots of fun things together and Preston cried when we dropped Grandma off at the airport. He was sad to see her go and even sad he couldn't ride on an airplane too.

Preston showing off his Halloween gift from Grandma and Grandpa

Actually, I was spoiled too. Nate's mom stayed to give me some birthday pampering. She took me out to lunch, let me go shopping without Preston and even let Nate and I go on a dinner date! We sure are grateful for all she did while she was here.

Pumpkin Patch in Brentwood

2011-10-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Nate's family was here. It's always fun to have family come visit! We decided to take a little trip out to Brentwood, CA to get our pumpkins from a real pumpkin patch. After our visit to Boise, where my parents picked their pumpkins directly off the vine, I wanted to find something like that in California. And, it was tough! Believe me. I searched for awhile before I found one. After a short, scenic drive we arrived in Brentwood. I loved being in the agricultural community. Many of the farms/orchards will let you go pick your fruits and vegetable directly out of the field! I definitely want to go back and do this sometime. The pumpkin patch was a real experience with a barnyard sing along, feeding chickens, picking pumpkins, etc. We sure had fun! Preston was so proud of the pumpkin he picked out and loved carrying it around. He's been obsessed with the pumpkins on our porch ever since having to make sure they are all still there.

Helping play an instrument - shaker - during the barnyard sing along.

This one!

Fall Frenzy with Friends

2011-10-31T15:29:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago we met up with a few friends at a nursery to get some great fall pictures. Preston and I originally weren't going to go because he had Gymboree but decided last minute to show up afterwards. It was a ton of fun! The nursery was selling fresh apples. Preston ate the whole apple - and when I say "whole" I mean the entire thing. I was so suprised to see he had even eaten the core and seeds. Thanks for the pictures, Brooke!

Halloween Craftiness

2011-10-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

There is something about a front door that begs to have a wreath on it! For Halloween I decided to try my hand at making a wreath to dress up our front door. It's one I saw on Pinterest and thought, "I can do that."

Fun Times in Boise

2011-10-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing Preston loves - it is visiting with his Grandparents (both sides)! We recently took a trip to Boise and he was in heaven with all the space to run around. Trying to change his clothes, change his diaper, go to bed, anything that required him to be stationary became a game to him as he would quickly scamper away.

The rainy weather kept us inside about half of the time we were there but we had Aunt Jenn's volleyball games to look forward to. It was so fun to go watch her team play and be back in my high school, where I also played volleyball. Preston got very good at saying "vball" (which he also associates with football and basketball.)

One Saturday we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to The Farmstead Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Meridian. Preston loved the freedom to run and the breath of fresh air. I think it was the first sunny day we had after arriving. There were so many activities: a hay ride, pig races, tractors, corn mazes, slides, a jumpy "pillow", pony rides, animals, pumpkin cannons, etc. Preston, who seems to be a bit scared of many things, even rode a pony. It was amazing! After much coaxing from Grandpa he finally allowed his leg to be put over the pony and by the end of the ride was smiling and waving. We were so proud of him. This was a huge deal because the last time were in Utah (end of August) we tried to put him on a pony ride and he absolutely refused.

Jumping with Aunt Jenn

Pure joy when he's jumping! We had so many pictures of jumping it was hard to pick just one!

Our pumpkins! It was fun to walk through an actual pumpkin patch and pick off the vine.

We also went to visit the Birds of Prey exhibit and got to see some large birds. Preston thought it was so fun!

And, to top things off, no trip to Boise is complete without seeing one of my best friends from high school. It was so fun to see our kids play together. I'm so jelaous of their backyard. You just don't find backyards like that in California unless you have a large,expensive house. I guess land is at too much of a premium here. We would LOVE to have a backyard where Preston could go play. I am grateful that we have a few parks very, very close though.

Smoothie - Yum!

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Our General Conference tradition is smoothies and omelets. Preston especially loved the smoothie! We love this kid and his huge smiles!

Owie!

2011-10-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Preston got his first owie (is that even how you spell it?) that required a bandaid the other day. He was so proud! I'm pretty impressed he has gone this long without needing one considering how active he is.

Some of Preston's Adorable Quirks

2011-09-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

Preston has always had a few things that make me giggle because they're a little quirky. It started with his Mowgli crawl, which I always attributed to our hard wood floors. Who would want to crawl across the hard floor? It hurts.

Lately the thing I absolutely love is how he says "Yes." He gives a little "Huh" with a little body shimmy. I wish I had gotten this on video previously because he has just recently started to exchange his grunt for the actual word. I guess he's growing up.

The other thing is his swagger. Preston has a real good swagger when he wants to. Usually it's when he's excited or a little embarrassed or showing off. I was able to capture just a bit of it on video the other day. He was helping me hose off the balcony and started showing off by jumping in the puddle the water created. At the end of the video he swaggers on over to me so he can watch himself on the video camera.

One last memory - the other night we were sitting down to dinner and Preston immediately folded his arms for prayers. Nate looked at him and said (not really noticing the already folded arms), "Okay, fold your arms for prayers." Preston lifted his folded arms toward Nate and gave him a look that said, "Duh, Dad, they're already folded." The look was too precious. Nate and I both started giggling because we knew exactly what he had been thinking.

Labor Day

2011-09-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day this year we took Preston to the San Jose Children's Museum. We loved every minute of it! Preston couldn't have been happier running from one display to the next exploring firetrucks, ambulances, and every other educational activity they had.

Utah Trip

2011-09-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

Last week I took a couple of days off of work so we could enjoy a long weekend visitng my family in Utah. Grandma and Grandpa were so happy to be able to spend time with Preston and Preston became best buddies with Grandpa. It got to the point that "Grandpa" was the first word out of his mouth after a nap.

We filled our time with lots of fun activities including a visit to the aquarium, This Is The Place monument, a pool party and, of course, the lake! Last year we took Preston to the lake and he pretty much hated every minute of it. This year his life jacket fit a little better and he loved it. He splashed on the back of the boat, swam, held the flag, reminded Grandpa to pick up the skiers and even drove the boat.

A little nervous around the sheep

Buddies

I did land one (and held on) but this is the best effort caught on film. Not bad for only hitting the lake once a year.

Hiking the Pleasanton Ridge

2011-08-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we took a quick hike up the Pleasanton Ridge. It was a pretty hike and perfect for what we wanted - not too far from home and not too difficult. Preston hasn't been in the back pack carrier since we first bought it and we weren't quite sure how he would do. Well, we're happy to report that he loved it! In fact, we hiked further than we intended because he was having so much fun. There were plenty of bikers and people with dogs who passed to keep his attention. Towards the end he had fun bouncing up and down, giggling. I'm not sure if Nate loved that part!

Tilden Park

2011-08-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Recently we made a trip with some buddies to visit Tilden Park in Berekely, CA. It's a large regional nature reserve that has some great activities. We went to visit the Little Farm and Steam Train. The little farm allows you to feed the animals celery or lettuce. We took lettuce, which was fun. You just had to be extra careful about getting your hands out of the way before the aggressive animals gnawed on them. If I were to do it again, I would definitely take celery. There is a lot more distance between where the animal bites and where your hand is!

Preston LOVED the farm. He especially loved watching the mother pig with all her little piglets nursing. They were stinky and Preston kept saying, "Ewww..." while plugging his noise with his hand. He also braved feeding the animals. If you remember our trip to Tilden park almost a year ago - he was terrified of the animals. This time, though still a little nervous, he actually enjoyed feeding them. We saw goats, roosters, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, sheep, and cows.

After visiting the farm we made our way over to the steam train. It's a real steam powered locomotive that takes you on a 10 minute ride. Preston also enjoyed the ride. He learned to say "steam" and "tunnel"

I know Preston enjoyed the trip because he would talk about it a few times a day the following week. He would point out the window and say "Choo Choo". Then, he would start going through the list of animals he saw by making their noises. The pig was always followed by an "ewww..." It made me smile to know he was remembering our trip to Tilden Park.

Jelly Belly Factory

2011-08-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Last week Preston and I had outings planned most of the week, which resulted in Nate accusing me that I played all week. It's true - I didn't do the laundry, any cleaning besides the every day stuff or grocery shopping - but I wouldn't call motherhood all "play". Our trip to the jelly belly factory with a few friends was definitely not play - although it should have been.

It was one of those outings where I was glad I went but it really wasn't worth it. Preston was a bit of a pill. I guess I don't blame him - really. The wait to get onto the tour was about 35 minutes waiting in a line and the tour itself was about 30 minutes. Both were way too long for an energetic little boy to be confined. In addition, Preston tends to get a little aggressive when he gets over stimulated and over excited. By the end of the tour I was one flustered mommy and Preston was one cranky boy.

I also made the mistake of trying to take my stroller in hoping Preston would sit in it some of the time. Who was I kidding? My poor friend ended up pushing the empty stroller half the time because I was busy chasing a run away child.

This solo picture we got is a sad one but I guess it fits with the whole trip. Nate told me I shouldn't post it because it's so awful. He told me it looks like American Gothic. Do you see any resemblance? Maybe just Preston?

National Night Out

2011-08-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of National Night Out until we moved into our home here. Our HOA tries to promote it by having a social hour with cookies and visits from the firemen and policemen. We knew Preston would love to see the firetruck up close! And, that he did. He had the run of the frietruck for a majority of the time it was at our clubhouse.

A Saturday in the City

2011-08-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Jacobson and Jennifer came to visit - well, sort of. There was a Subway convention in San Francisco that they were attending so we took advantage of their closeness and went into the city to see them. Preston loved just hanging out on the 2nd floor of the Moscone Center watching the occasional firetrucks go by and the many bikes below. He even stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while Nate, Jenn and I went to walk the trade show floor grabbing whatever freebies looked good to us - baseballs, cookies, spices, and things for our lunch.

After lunch we walked the streets making a stop at the Zeum Merry-Go-Round. We had a blast! Then on to walk around Union Square with a stop in Williams-Sonoma (of course!) and then on to the mall.

The day was full and Preston, who went napless for the day, was calling it quits by 5:00pm.

After looking through pictures from the weekend, I realized we hardly took any. We don't have a single picture to document that Grandma and Jenn were here. We did manage to get Grandpa in the background of a few shots on the Merry-Go-Round.

What We've Been Doing

2011-07-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Just a few fun things we've done over the past week that I managed to take a picture or video of.

Finger painting. He loves getting messy!

Preston discovered this box all on his own. He played with it forever and whenever he watches this video he giggles really hard. I love it!

The sound on this is awful. It didn't transfer right from the video recorder where it sounds just fine. However, it is just too cute not to post. Preston's friend came to play the other day and he got a kick out of pushing her around on Thomas.

Wee! We Wee-Ride.

2011-07-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

Preston is obsessed with bikes. He points them out everywhere we go. We decided it was time to take him on a bike ride and put to use the bikes that have been sitting in our garage for over a year collecting dust. After a good amount of research we settled on the Wee-ride front mounted child bicycle seat. We read tons of conflicting information on which was best for children bike trailer vs. rear mount vs. front mount. I guess no matter what there is risk involved.

We went on a short ride last night and Preston was all smiles the entire time. Nate and I also found it relaxing and decided we should do it a lot more often, especially in the summer!

Destruction Derby

2011-07-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

Oh - destruction derby! It has been way too long since we last went to one. We have a secret love for them - yes, we may be a little red neck. We have had the Hot San Jose Nights Destruction Derby on our calendar for four months now and there was nothing that was going to keep us from attending. We forgot our camera but were able to snap a few pictures and video with a phone. Preston wasn't sure what to think. I don't know if it was the loud noise or the cars running into each other that had him on edge and concerned at the beginning, but by the end he was a little more relaxed.

4th of July Festivities

2011-07-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

Our 4th of July weekend was rather eventful! My brother and his family came to visit from Oregon. Preston loved spending time with his cousins. We spent Saturday in San Francisco checking out Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and Poly Anne Ice Cream and a few other tourist things. On Sunday we ventured over to Half Moon Bay to do a little geocaching and see the tidal pools. Monday the festivities started off with a ward pancake breakfast, then a picnic in the park. After the park we came home and went swimming at our pool. In the evening we went to watch the local fireworks show. By the end of the weekend I think everyone was exhausted but it was so fun to spend time with family.

Waiting for In-N-Out at Fisherman's Wharf

Watching the sea lions. There were only 4 or so. It's sad that they aren't there anymore. Here Preston is pointing out the boat coming in!

Cousins! We were lucky to get this shot in. All they wanted to do was run around.

Jason and his boys checking out the water

Preston's car buddy. Tyson would read to Preston in the car and just entertain him.

Ryder got so much joy out of running through the water

Preston got joy out of throwing sand

The Jacobson boys looking for sea glass

Their 1st geocache find. Ryder made the official snag.

Looking in the tidal pools. We saw tons of small hermit crabs

4th of July breakfast. Preston is obsessed with bikes and scooters.

Our friend, Chris Cooper, happened to bring some extra scooters for the parade. Tyson and Ryder were so excited to use them.

The playground floor was too hot for bare feet. They went on to get a frisbee and couldn't get off fast enough.

Tyson is getting pretty good at swimming on his own. The boys loved the pool.

Mirror Re-Do

2011-07-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Over two years ago we bought a mirror at Williams-Sonoma's sample sale. It was a really cheap price for the item and I loved it. In the warehouse it was a gorgeous off white color. When we got it home - I realized it was more of a yellow color and just didn't seem to look right anywhere. It sat in a closet forever because I didn't know how to change it. I loved the character it had and was so scared to mess it up by trying to paint it. However, I finally realized the only way we would use it was by changing it.

I took the plunge. I started by sanding it down, then priming it. After that I spray painted it blue and put on a glaze tinted dark brown. Overall, I think it turned out great. I do miss some of it's previous character but it is now usable for our home.

Front Room Collage

2011-07-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

The house projects are still going on here but at a much slower pace now that Nate has started his new job. In our front room we have a big wall over our couch that I haven't known how to decorate since we moved in. The space felt overwhelming to me.

After a trip to IKEA over a year ago I saw some picture ledges that I thought would work. We only bought one so I didn't feel overhwhelmed trying to fill it at first - fulling planning to buy a second one down the road. The picture ledge was a little more difficult to put up than we anticipated and we also hung it in an awkward place. If we put another ledge below it, it would be way too low. If we hung another one above it, it would be way too high. We were a little stuck but the single ledge wasn't doing it for me. Then, to couple the problem IKEA stopped selling the length of the picture ledge we had. I told Nate I wanted to change things and he said "No". He didn't want to deal with patching up the holes created by the ledge or trying to figure out how to remove the anchors we used to hang it. So - the ledge stayed but I didn't love it.

In January I read an article in Women's Day magazine that inspired me on how to decorate the wall. It mentioned one of the best ways to fill a big space it to use a bunch of smaller items in various shapes and sizes. This time when I told Nate I wanted to change the wall he reluctantly agreed.

Below are pictures of what we came up with. I like it soooo much more than the single ledge. It really does fill the space and has more personality.

Volleyball - Love it!

2011-06-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

For the past 11 weeks I have been playing volleyball on Monday nights as part of a team for a city league. The girl who put together the team had to ask me multiple times. The only reason I said okay was because they were short one girl player and weren't going to be able to sign up. I hadn't played in 10 years or so and was worried I would make a fool of myself.

But, I absolutely LOVED playing again. Yes, some of my skill is gone. And, yes, we weren't great and lost every game until the last one but it was still fun. I keep asking myself why I never played intramurals in college.

Nate filled in last night since two of our guy players were going to be gone. It was fun to play with him too. We may have to start finding a regular babysitter so we can continue to play together. The next season doesn't start until the fall. What am I going to do without my Monday night volleyball games? It was so good for me to be able to step out of the "mommy" role one night a week and do something I used to love.

Jump!

2011-06-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

He wants to jump so badly!

Favorite Words - for now!

2011-06-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

Preston makes me giggle all the time with the way he pronounces certain words. Currently my favorite words are ones with "l" or the double "l". He's always had an over active tongue - always rolling it when he was little or licking things - and it really shines when he says words with "l" in it. Here are just a few:

"Hello" - check out that tongue action!

"Umbrella" - not sure if you can tell but he rolls his "l" here too.

"Cock-a-doodle doo" and a few other noises. We also love his fire-engine! Sorry the image is bad but we loved his noises. He's hard to video these days. He gets cranky because he would rather watch than be taped.

"Hammer" - ever since we did our house projects he's been obsessed with hammers.

Finished Wainscoting

2011-06-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Last week we finished painting the wainscoting. It took one layer of primer and two layers of paint before it looked just right. We love how it turned out. It sets the dining area apart, adds a little style, and almost makes the area seem bigger. Now we just need to fill those bare walls!

Birthday Boy

2011-06-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

Nate is one year older - and I guess, wiser too. Nate's requests were simple this year. Burgers on the grill and root beer floats for dessert. Seriously?!?! We chose to celebrate on Saturday and I had grandiose ideas of what would be fun to do. Afterall, the news had been promising a wonderful weekend with the warmest days of the year. It was finally going to be warm and sunny! We were going to go on a walk to get doughnuts in the morning and eat them at the park so Preston could play. Then, we would go on a hike or geocaching with a picnic lunch. After naptime we would go swimming or to one of the many splash parks in our area.

However, when we woke up on Saturday is was cold and super windy. We managed our walk to get doughnuts but came straight home deciding even the walk almost wasn't worth it in the cold. Instead, we ran some errands. The afternoon proved to be a little sunnier but still breezy and cool We did go geocaching, which is always fun.

We don't go geocaching enough anymore. It seriously is the best way to spend time together and get outside. We found 3 of 5 attempted caches all within walking distance of our home. We're a little rusty on our searching skills I guess. I can't stop thinking about the one that eluded us the longest. We searched for probably 20 minutes. Maybe we'll go search again tonight! The cache is at a baseball field. We had fun just playing around the area though.

Preston inspecting one of the caches while Dad logged our find

Preston using the GPS

Preston learned how to climb the fence. He started all on his own - Daddy just was spotting him

Determined little boy - made it all the way to the top

He was so proud. His smug smile said it all.

Our Little Reader

2011-06-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Preston has a new love for books. There were many times this past week that I would look over and he was contentedly reading by himself. It's also the first thing he wants to do every morning. His new favorite book is a Richard Scarry book that has three books in one. I love that he loves to read!

House Projects

2011-06-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

Nate's break hasn't been all play and no work. We have exhausted ourselves this past week trying to fit in as many projects around the house as we could. We did a lot but still only covered about a third of our list. Many of the things we did have been on our "to do list" for months. We put up new curtain rods in Preston's room and the front room, which required filling the previous holes, touching up the paint and hanging the new rods. I hemmed the curtains in Preston's room and made curtains for the front room. Yikes! We cleaned the windows inside and out. We scotch-guarded our couches. I repainted a mirror for above our couch. We took down the shelf from above our couch, filled the nail holes and re-painted getting ready for the new decorations.

And, our biggest project included putting up fake wainscoting in our kitchen area. We are almost done with the wainscoting. It took a lot of time trying to get straight lines on the walls for the chair rail. A little bit of time cutting the wood and trying to figure out the correct way to cut a return. Then even more time lining up the individual boxes and caulking all the spaces between the box and the wall. Then came the priming and first coat of paint. The wainscoting still needs a second coat of paint before it will be fully done. We are getting so close.

It's amazing how all of these projects seemed to take twice as long as they should have with Preston running around. We also seemed to make quite a few trips to Lowe's and Home Depot within the week. I guess that's what usually happens when working on projects. All in all, we felt like we got a lot done this week.

Here is our completed entry-way. We did this right before Disneyland. We finally finished the bench.

The curtains I made.

Our kitchen before work began

Preston loved helping Nate with all things tools. Here they are ready to cut wood with the miter saw.

Chair rail up!

One wall of boxes up

All the boxes up

Stay tuned for the completed pictures! We are planning to finish early this week.

The Most Magical Place on Earth

2011-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nate had a little extra time off in May. In fact, he's basically had the whole month off. It started with our already scheduled trip to Hawaii. Then, he got a new job, which doesn't start until tomorrow. So the way things shook out between the end date of the old job and start date for the new job coupled with the vacation to Hawaii gave him a month break. Not too bad, right! It was a much needed break since he had been working many many long hours.

Nate and I decided to take advantage of the time off. Thanks to the help of Nate's mom and sister, Nate and I took a quick jaunt down to Southern California to the most "magical place on earth" without Preston for a few days. We had a blast! There were those brief moments where we missed our little boy, but overall, it was great to be at Disneyland and California Adventure without him. We spent every minute we could at the park going from one ride to another. We rode all the rides we wanted to - multiple times and we didn't have to worry about anything. In fact, we even traveled light around the parks - no bags! I didn't carry anything but my park pass and Nate only carried his wallet, sunscreen and camera in his pocket. (It was so nice not to be lugging around a diaper bag.)

Neither of us had been to California Adventure before and we thought it was so fun. I can't wait to see what rides they add to the park. There was a ton of construction going on.

We loved our time away and Preston had so much fun with Grandma and Maren.

Getting ready to see "Captain EO" - 3D has gotten so much better since it was created!

Mad Tea Party

Mickey Shaped Beignets in New Orleans Square. Yummy.

Checking Out Toon Town

Tower of Terror - We loved it.

Can you guess who scored what?

We rode this ride 4 times so Nate could try to beat me...

Love Our Plants

2011-05-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Watching our plants grow makes me happy. Preston loves to help water our plants daily and always want to go "side".

Here is our before picture- I should also say I transplanted each of these plants up to a bigger pot a day after I planted. I guess I underestimated the size of pot I would need when I originally bought the supplies. I bought one new big pot and bumped everything up one and put the green pepper in the smallest. I also bought a tomato plant.

Here are today's pictures - it's a little hard to tell the difference in pictures but it is big:

Summer Vacation, Part II - Kona

2011-05-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

While in Hawaii we thought we would make a short stop in Kona to meet up with some old friends who live there. They showed us a great time cooking amazing meals, showing us fun beach locations and going on a night snorkel trip to see manta rays. The manta rays were huge!

It was fun to see our little ones interact. Preston is about 3 months younger than their little girl. They played really well together and she was so sweet to give up her crib for a few nights. Thanks for a fun time!

Preston insisted on playing in this nasty water. It was foamy with lots of debris!

Preston loved helping push Oaklee in the wagon. What a gentleman.

Bathtime after the beach to get the sand off

Preston loved putting on his own sunscreen

All ready for our snorkel trip. Thank goodness for the wetsuits.

Summer Vacation, Part I - Kauai

2011-05-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we took a much needed vacation with the DeFries family to Hawaii. We were super excited, but nervous about how Preston would handle a flight that long. We were fortunate that Preston was an angel and even slept for a good portion of the flight on the way there. We hardly even had to break into the two backpacks stuffed full of toys and snacks that we had prepared.

We had a great time despite the unseasonable amount of rain Kauai was receiving. It was especially nice to be there with the Grandparents so we could go play and leave Preston at the resort with either Grandpa or Grandma.

In addition to playing on the beach and in the pool, we went golfing, tubed through irrigation tunnels in an old sugar cane plantation, went deep sea fishing, went to a luau, and got some much needed rest and relaxation.

Watching the planes land during our layover in Kona

Only in Hawaii can you golf in flip flops

We caught an Ono!

Watching the mules with Grandpa at the plantation before the luau

Water, Oh Boy!

2011-05-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Preston LOVES the water. The park right behind our house has a really small water feature and we love that it takes 2 minutes to get there. The other night I was unaware that the water had been turned on for the year. The minute Preston saw the water fountains there was no keeping him out. He went in clothes and all - then, I got soaked carrying him home because he was freezing. I learned my lesson and now we go prepared. However, I don't know if we will ever be able to go to the park this summer and avoid the water.

Procrastinating

2011-05-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today my "to do" list includes cleaning and laundry and since that isn't enough to keep me motivated I am posting a picture of Preston instead. Preston has started to become pretty opinionated and this is what he chose to wear. He saw the swim trunks while I was sorting the laundry and wanted them on. Then, he ran into his room and pulled the snow boots out of his drawer and wanted them on. The top is his pajama top that he was already wearing. He has now been playing in this outfit for over an hour. Pretty good, right? I'm suprised the boots are still on. I bet his feet are sweating like crazy.

And, did you notice his short hair? He had his 3rd haircut the other day. His hair grows so fast. I'm a little sad because I love his long hair.

Easter Weekend 2011

2011-04-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

We loved spending time with a few friends running around in the grass for Preston's first Easter egg hunt on Saturday! Sunday Preston sported his new Easter outfit to church. It was nearly impossible to get a picture of him all weekend. Most of my pictures are the back of his head but there are a few that turned out okay. We had some friends over for an Easter dinner. It was a full but wonderful weekend.

Chores

2011-04-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yes - we're already putting Preston to work. His chore is to help us unload the utensils from the dishwasher.

We Are Builders

2011-04-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Nate and I have been working on making our own bench. We thought it would be a fun project to work on together and have worked on it little by little after Preston has gone down at night. We got the plans off of Ana White's website. Last night we finished constructing it. Next we need to fill in the holes with wood filler, prime it and paint it. We feel pretty proud of how it turned out. We'll keep you posted as we complete it.

Spring Planting

2011-04-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

After talking about it for a year, we finally planted a small garden. Well, not really a garden since we only have a patio but some plants in containers. I really don't know what I'm doing so I figure this is my trial year. We are starting out small with a few herbs ( cilantro, basil, oregano, and thyme), one pot of flowers, and a green pepper plant. I already feel like I may have underestimated the size of pot I needed. I guess we'll see. I may be transplanting some of these plants in a few weeks.

Preston loved helping in a way only little boys can. He loved throwing the dirt, sticking it in his mouth, and trying to grab the flowers. He always loves to be in the middle of everything!

Hiding Spot

2011-04-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

Preston has a new hiding spot. It used to be in the curtains in his room. Now, it's under his crib. He conveniently scoots under there when we need to change his diaper or we're trying to get him ready for bed. He likes to stall the "going to bed process" by making it difficult to get his pjs on, refusing to brush his teeth or refusing to settle down so we can say prayers. Isn't he too young to be using these kind of antics?

Maren Came to Visit

2011-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Hooray for visitors! Last week Nate's sister came for a short trip to interview for an internship. The company she was interviewing for flew her out and paid for her rental car - pretty impressive! Maren really wasn't around much while Preston was awake but he wanted to be watching her every minute she was around - including when she was trying to get ready in the bathroom. He is such a curious little boy and wants to be in the middle of everything. Maybe that's why he hates napping?

Park Play

2011-04-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

The weather has been fabulous here the last two weeks and we have had lots of outings to the park. Preston loves to get outside and often will bring me my shoes to let me know he is ready to get out of the house. Here are a few pictures of one outing the other day. The park had a water feature and even though we weren't prepared to play in the water, we did anyway!

The tennis ball Preson found and carried all over the park

Preston's buddy Owen

Playing in the sand. Preston wouldn't stay in the picture. He was off exploring.

Owen and Preson playing in the cold water. I don't think Preston liked the wet shirt on because his arms looked like this the entire time.

Quick Merced Trip

2011-04-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Preston and I took a quick trip to Merced, CA to hang out with my sister and her family. They were visiting all the way from Pittsburgh, PA for a wedding. We were glad that my brother-in-law's father let us come stay at his place and share time with them. It was our first time meeting Preston's newest cousins - the twins!

Preston showed his love to Sophie and Ivy by trying to sit on them while they were rolling on the floor. (I had to watch him like a hawk.) He also showed Isaac his love by trying to poke his belly button over and over. Haha. We don't get to see family very often so every chance we do is special. It was so fun to meet the twins and see just how different they are in personality and looks. What cuties!

While in Merced Preston had his first horseback ride. He may need a few more rides to get used to it. :)

I don't know what I was thinking but I didn't take any pictures of the cousins together. I stole these pictures from my sisters blog.

The cute family we went to see. From left to right - Bryce, Sophie, Isaac, Jessica and Ivy

Preston playing in the truck at "the property" where the horses are kept

The horseback ride

Ewww! Gross!

2011-03-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

Preston continues to suprise me with the things that he puts in his mouth. The things he used to do like licking our hard wood floor or the soles of our shoes don't seem half as bad anymore. A trip to the park never goes without a handful of sand, dirt or bark in his mouth. I can deal with that. But, over the last few weeks he has reached an even greater level of "grossness". Now he lays down on the dirt and licks at it with his tongue. Oh boy! I was utterly disgusted when two days in a row at the park I realized the thing Preston had just snuck in his mouth was rabbit poop. Luckily he didn't swallow it. Then there was the time that he stuck his finger in the sludge (rain, dirt, grass) mixture that collected in the little hole of the electrical box on the grass and licked it. Ooops. And then, the other day I saw him stick something in his mouth. When I fished it out and examined it closer I realized it was a poor snail that he had crushed with his teeth. Ewww! Gross! Preston just giggled at my reaction.

Does all this just mean Preston is building his immune system? And in my defense to those of you who are thinking, "Where was his mom during all of this?" I was right next to him. It happens faster than you think and when you have a little sneaky boy on your hands who picks something up, examines it and then runs away as he puts it in his mouth it's really hard to stop.

Temple Picture Search

2011-03-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was on a search for a picture of the Salt Lake temple that I could put on my picture ledge. I really wanted something in black and white that was somewhere between 5x7'' and 8x10''. To my disappointment, I was having the hardest time finding something I liked. Well, I finally found something that I loved but it was more money than I wanted to spend at the time, and a little larger size than I had wanted. So, I have delayed in purchasing it. The other day I stumbled across a blog that has free temple images for download. I love the picture of the Salt Lake Temple. It's perfect for us and our needs. Lil' Luna and her husband have taken the time to "antique" various temples that have been shot by every day people so there is no copyright and make them available for download. Check out her site for other images: http://www.lilluna.com/2010/07/tutorial-tuesday-temple-block-im-going.html

Ring Around the Rosie

2011-03-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

Too cute! Preston and I adore this little girl. Preston and Olivia have pretty similar temperments and play really well together. They can keep up with eachother's energy, which is huge! Everytime Olivia fell down Preston wanted to help her up. He really is a sweet little boy.

"Hi Daddy"

2011-02-22T00:13:00.000-08:00

Nate is deep into his busy season, which means he is working long hours. During the week Preston is asleep by the time Nate gets home and still asleep by the time Nate leaves in the morning. Needless to say, we weren't seeing much of Nate and then we took a trip to Boise for two weeks.

The day we got back I decided to drive into the city to meet Nate for a quick dinner. I told Preston we were going to say "Hi to Daddy". Before driving into the city we ran some errands. All over Lowe's Preston kept waving at people and saying "Hi Daddy". It was so cute. He was so excited to see Nate.

The next day Preston kept saying, "Hi Daddy" all over the house. On Saturday morning Nate was still in bed when I got up to get Preston. As I was finishing up a few things in his room, Preston bolted out the door and made a beeline for our bedroom as he usually does every morning. I don't think he saw Nate in bed at first but then he did. He came running out of the room so fast with the biggest smile on his face saying, "Hi Daddy". I think he was coming to tell me that Nate was home. I could see just how excited he was. It melted my heart. Nate left for work shortly afterwards since he's been working weekends too. Ahh - we can't wait for this busy season to be over and to have our daddy back.

Recent Videos

2011-02-21T23:14:00.000-08:00

Over the last two months we have taken a few videos that I've been meaning to share.

Preston has been practicing his dance moves, which now consist of swaying, bouncing and twirling. I used to put on the tv show "Psych" in the mornings while doing things around the house and whenever the end music came on he would always stop what he was doing and start swaying. It was really funny!

He's also discovered that whenever we are trying to fold a blanket if he sits down on it really fast he's likely to get a ride. He loves it and can't get enough.

Preston has been learning his animal sounds. My favorite ones are his "cat" and his "duck" sounds. The video I wanted to upload wouldn't work (I probably tried 7 times) so I added the 2nd best video that was taped before he learned the "duck".

While in Boise Preston perfected his slide skills at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Whenever we would go to the park before Boise Preston would insist on going down the slide on his belly. I think he was scared. I noticed while at Grandma and Grandpa's house he finally started to go forward - maybe the short slide gave him courage.

Covered in Blue Bubbles

2011-02-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we went to the park to play with Preston's newly received Crayola colored bubbles. He had so much fun - but word to the wise, they get EVERYWHERE. Luckily, it does wash off pretty easily and did come out of his clothes.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year we drove to Boise to spend the holiday with my family. We were lucky enough that Nate was able to have two weeks off from work. We had a ton of fun playing in the snow: tubing (which we did twice), going on a sleigh ride, and snowshoeing. Preston loved tubing and playing with his cousins.

On the sleigh ride. It was very cold. Preston watched the horses from the sleigh behind us and mimicked their noises.

Dinner in the cabin after the sleigh ride

Christmas Eve making reindeer food with daddy. It was oatmeal and sugar.

The boys with Grandpa on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning. My brother's boys were way more into unwrapping than Preston. The loved helping their cousin.

Preston was more entertained by the ducks in the creek outside than the gifts

He LOVED the candy cane and kept stealing other peoples from their stockings

Tubing

Nate and I thought it would be fun to go down together. Preston was with Grandpa and apparently giggled the whole time watching us.

Getting pulled on the sled by Grandma

Riding down with Grandpa

Nate started a snowball fight with my sister and nephews.

"Garden a Glow" The botanical garden in Boise has a light show. It was pretty spectacular.

We spent a few days in McCall. They had just received nearly 3 feet of snow the day before we arrived.

Snowshoeing. We took Preston in the backpack. I'm not sure if he totally loved it but did endure for most of it.

Playing the Wii. This was a particularly intense competition of canoeing.

Preston's 1st Birthday

2011-01-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

Did a full year really pass since our little boy was born? It's amazing how much he has grown in that short amount of time. Nate was able to take Preston's birthday off from work so we decided to make it extra special. We went to the Habitot Children's Museum in Berkeley. Preston loved it there. I think his favorite exhibit was the leaves but he also enjoyed eating the water and pushing buttons at the space area.

The next day Nate's family came in to town. We celebrated with cake and ice cream after they came. Preston received 5 shots that day so he wasn't really into the celebration. He just cried. So, instead of celebrating he got a bath and went to bed. Poor boy! I guess we'll never have pictures of the cake smeared one year old for him.

After birth. I couldn't help throwing this in for comparison to how he is today

The happy boy at Habitot

Preston's favorite part about the water area was eating the bubbles

The leaf room was his favorite. We spent a lot of time in there.

Playing with his new Mega Bloks

His 1st birthday cake

Crying rather than eating the yummy cake

(Great) Grandma and Grandpa DeFries singing happy birthday

Preston absolutely loved the balloons we gave him

Thanksgiving 2010

2011-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

Where did the last two months go? I feel like we have been at a non-stop pace since before Thanksgiving. We spent Thanksgiving with Nate's family in Utah and had a ton of fun. Preston is getting harder to travel with on planes since he would rather be walking around than sitting on our laps. We had great food, enjoyed our time with family, and even got to help dip chocolates. Nate was happy he was able to fit a round of golf in and attend the BYU/Utah game. Brrr. I'm glad I was sitting in the warmth of his parent's living room during the game.

After Thanksgiving dinner

Preston was always begging for food from someone

Dipping chocolates

Gingerbread Houses 2010

2010-12-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we started to get in the Christmas Spirit by having our annual gingerbread house making and decorating. After two failed batches and starting over at 10:30pm so we would have working gingerbread to meet with friends the next day, I think we FINALLY figured out the secret to gingerbread that will maintain it's shape: more flour, longer cooking time, and dough rolled thinner. It's only taken us three years to figure it out. Last year (link to last year's post) we used skewers to hold the house up and even then they collapsed. I even think our decorating was taken up a notch this year too. I wonder what next year will bring? Hopefully, less batches of gingerbread.

Family Photos

2010-12-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we had our first official family photos taken. We love them! We were disappointed when a photographer we really liked from our old ward was booked through the end of the year and unable to fit us into her schedule. As we started looking for other options we stumbled across Camille Garrison Photography. We loved her style and couldn't be more pleased with the results. She does an amazing job!

If you want to see a few more photos, go to Camille's blog HERE.

Passage to Full Adulthood using Shutterfly

2010-12-03T12:36:00.001-08:00

This year Nate and I decided it was finally time to send out Christmas cards! The timing just seemed right and to us Christmas cards seems like a right of passage to full adulthood - a little scary I might add. When did we get so old that now we have a family of our own and are sending out Christmas cards? We still feel young.

Anyways, trying to be frugal I decided I would design the cards myself, find a place to print them, and save money in the long run. So, I started poking around on a few sites I know and trust for great design ideas - namely Shutterfly. I have ordered photobooks for my digital scrapbooking in the past from them and have loved how they turned out and the quality. The colors are always exactly how they appeared on screen - which sometimes isn't always the case. Since I am on Shutterfly's email list I have been receiving emails regarding their new Christmas photo cards for 2010. Shutterfly has so many different designs and styles using traditional Christmas colors to more playful ones and also more traditional designs that I started getting really excited. They have amazing designers working for them.

The longer I searched through the numerous designs, the more excited I got and started dropping in my pictures - just to see how the cards would really look once they were personalized. I fell in love! The program was so easy to use and it's awesome how you can personalize each card to really make it your own. I really wanted to use Shutterfly but thought it would be too expensive. Then, I heard about a great promotion Shutterfly had to receive 50 free cards. Hmm. Would it be worth it? As I started pricing out the options (Trust me that I know how to use excel and did create a spreadsheet. Would you expect anything less from Nate and me?) I realized with the free cards Shutterfly would be no more expensive than my other options, and did I mention envelopes are included in the price? That was the clincher for me. Plus, the quality is better than anything I could have done on my own. So, you may just be getting one of these Christmas cards from the DeFries family this year. We have a few favorites and are having a hard time narrowing it down.

On another note - I just received an email from Shutterfly promoting photo calendars. Isn't that the perfect gift for family? Shutterfly may just have won more loyalty from me.

Hats off to Shutterfly!

No More Bed Head

2010-11-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight we took Preston's hair from wild and unruly to tamed! He got his first haircut. It's bittersweet. He looks so much older now and I miss my little wild looking child but it will be better for him to not have his hair in his eyes. Our little boy is growing up!

Before

During (Thanks Erin!)

After

Officially Official CPA License

2010-11-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

As an early Christmas gift I had Nate's CPA license framed. He's been wanting to have it done for a few months. I think it turned out great considering we had never discussed how he envisioned it being framed.

And He's Off...

2010-11-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

We have a little walker. In the past few days Preston has gone from wanting to walk everywhere while holding onto our hands to doing it himself. It's amazing how much progress he has made in just three days. Now he prefers to walk until he loses his balance and then he'll crawl the rest of the way. (Sorry Jessica for missing your phone call.)

All Dressed Up

2010-11-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning Nate and I decided we wanted to dress up for the Trunk or Treat that night, so we threw together costumes Saturday afternoon. We were excited to find out part of the stake activity was a photo booth. Lucky for us! Can you tell our theme?

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we spent some time picking out the perfect pumpkin, playing in the corn box, going to the Stake Trunk or Treat, and giving out candy to our first trick or treaters! We had a blast! Hope everyone else did too.

Way More Fun than the Laundry Basket!

2010-10-29T21:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday afternoon Preston was enamored with the new found freedom his diaper box allowed him to have. It slipped across the carpet easier than the laundry basket and once he figured out how to keep his feet underneath him he couldn't stop - until he hit the wall. However, even that didn't stop him for long. This video was taken after he had been playing for awhile and he was starting to get frustrated every time he got stuck.

Laundry Basket Fun!

2010-10-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

Preston has been having fun all morning!

Corporate Night at the Exploritorium

2010-10-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

Last week the Exploritorium had a free museum night for the families of its corporate sponsors. Since KPMG is a sponsor we took Preston for a night of fun. It was our first time to the museum and we thought it was amazing. Preston is a little too young to fully appreciate the many wonders but Nate and I thought it was cool. I'm sure in a few years Preston will too. Otherwise, he may realize too soon his parents may be a little nerdy.

Learning how waves move

Learning about steam

Drinking out of a toilet!

Preston's First (Recorded) Steps

2010-09-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

Preston first took a couple of steps a few days ago! We finally were able to capture it on video tonight.

Also this week...

We love to make Preston giggle by blowing on his tummy, so he decided it would be fun to make daddy giggle by doing the same.

Decorating with Letters

2010-09-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

While in Utah I made some letters for Preston's room. They were inspired by the letters my sister made for her son's room. I think "Preston" turned out pretty cute and am pleased with how his name looks on the wall. Preston loves staring at them, especially when getting his diaper changed!

Here are th letters my sister did. Aren't they fun!?!

Some of Our Favorite Things

2010-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

A week or two ago we bought a new toy, the Kodak Play Sport, which is a video recorder similar to the Flip. We have had a lot of fun recording Preston's newest adventures and some of his personality. Here are a few household favorites:

Doors and Door Stops - Preston's fascinated with them. He loves opening and closing them and hearing the vibrating sound the door stop makes.

Mowgli Crawl - Nate and I absolutley adore his crawl. We think it may be because we have wood floors that he doesn't like to put his knees down - or maybe not but we love it all the same.

Laughing - Preston has always been a ham, especially with strangers, but this past week I feel like he has really turned on the giggles. It makes me feel like the funniest person!

Kisses, Giggles and Rough Housing - Preston loves to wrestle around like a true boy and give kisses
(or more often bites that we affectionately call "love" bites but they still really hurt.)

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Labor Day Weekend - Tilden Park

2010-09-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day we met up with some friends from our ward in Millbrae to explore Tilden Park in Berkeley. The park is beautiful and has so many fun activities for young kids and old. We started by visiting the little farm where you can feed the animals lettuce and celery. Preston loved the roosters, chickens and bunnies but was a little scared of the larger animals - sheeps, goats, and cows. Later we rode the carousel and the steam train. What a perfect Labor Day!

The pig was HUGE!

Preston feeding the chickens, ducks and roosters lettuce

Preston got scared feeding the sheep lettuce

The crew on the steam train