Sacred Heart Christmas Luncheon

Blake with his best friend Robert...aren't they both the cutest?!

Blake with his 8th grade Heart Pal Paul...I think they look like brothers.

Even though Blake was in the back, I managed to get a shot during the performance.

Today was our annual Christmas Luncheon for Sacred Heart. Every year it is a tradition that the Kindergarten students perform with their 8th Grade Heart Pals. It was a wonderful afternoon, beautiful venue (thank you Rancho Las Palmas!), and so much fun to watch Blake on stage along with the rest of my kindergarten kiddos. They all did a great job and were a big success! Here are some pictures from the day. Let's hope we raised tons of money for the school! Thank you Mrs. Delaney and the rest of the mom's and dad's for all of your hard work! We are so blessed!

Christmas Time at the Forrest's

Well as most of you know, Christmas is one of my absolute favorite times of the year. I have even threatened to start decorating before Thanksgiving : )! I have had so much fun decorating our new home this year. I have added a new tree in my dining room and although the tree in the family room grew as we added ornaments and is now a little tight for it's spot, it is a beautiful tree. We cut it down from a Christmas tree farm near my sister's home in Elk Grove over Thanksgiving. I ended up going against the grain and did not get our typical noble fir. This year I got a cedar tree. I like it a lot, especially since it is in our living area. It is a bit softer... no needles and a bit more casual. It is so much fun to see the excitement in the kid's eyes as I continue to add new things around the house! It should be a very fun Christmas season this year! Enjoy the pics. Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving

We have a lot to be thankful this year! We have our health, Patrick and I both have jobs that we enjoy and continue to challenge us each day, the boys are growing up to be kind and loving boys, and we have wonderful family and friends.



The boys and I, along with mom and dad made the trek up to Amy and Matt's home for Thanksgiving this year. It was our first true road trip! The boys were absolute troopers. The trip took almost ten hours and there was not a tear or raised voice the entire trip. The dvd player the boys got from grandma and grandpa was a huge help.



We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Matt's family and Amy had everyone so organized that we actually ate within ten minutes of our planned time. I don't think we have ever managed that before. The food was delicious and the company was great. Blake enjoyed reading with Matt's dad, Ryan performed Chicken Fried for all and Evan was a doll and slept through dinner.



Today we went to a tree farm and cut down our own ten foot, beautiful tree (pictures soon to come!). The best part is not only will this be the freshest tree we have ever had, but it only cost 35 dollars! Could not pass up the deal. The kids had a great time searching for the perfect tree!



The weather has been perfectly cool and we even got some rain and hail today! The hillsides are covered in fall leaves of all colors...it is absolutely beautiful here! We have had a wonderful visit and appreciate Amy and Matt's hospitality!



Again, we have so much to be thankful for! Love to all of our family and friends. Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas season.

Blake's New Dog

So I am the ultimate sucker!!! Just what we needed, a new dog. But how can you turn down a sweet, loving, caring, thoughtful, BEGGING, six year old boy...not me obviously! Here is Blake's birthday present, Comet.

Visit with TJ

It is quite sad that Amber and I live so close and don't get together more often! Last weekend she stopped by with TJ so the boys could meet him. What a cutie pie! Evan loved holding the baby! I know I have a picture of Amber and I when I was about two (like Evan) and she was probably a year and a half. We are on my mom's couch. I need to dig that one out and post! Crazy we have been friends since we were the same age as are kiddos.

Blake's 6th Birthday

With the move, things have been quite crazy around here and I have been terrible with keeping up. Here are some pictures of Blake's 6th birthday at the Pumpkin Patch. The kids had a great time and boy was it an easy party! Happy birthday to my sweet baby boy! I love you so much!

We've Moved

A few pictures of our new house. We have been in since the first of the month and it is finally starting to feel like home. Thank God for my parents and the help of some good friends! I have loved the home since I first saw it...it took Patrick a little more time. I did hear him give it one of the best compliments the other day...he said it feels like a Central Coast home. So I guess that is the next best thing to being actually on the Central Coast. Ryan thinks that our kitchen is actually Auntie Lulu's kitchen. So cute!

The Boys

I finally got all three boys in for professional pictures! Here is one of my favorites...the other one I will post after Christmas cards go out. Don't want to ruin the surprise : )!

Mud Monsters

The boys were in the backyard the other night playing so well together....Patrick and I couldn't believe there was no yelling or screaming (what should have been our first clue). When we finally went outside to check on them...this is what we found! I love the guilty look on Blake's face!

Evan has a big boy bed!

So Evan is growing up so quickly and I have had to come to the realization that I no longer have a baby! He is such a sweet little boy who looks up and loves his big brothers so much. He is really starting to talk and is already using his manners. He is great at thanking people....he shakes his head and says ank you mom or ank you akie(Blake). He has always been such a great sleeper. When it is nap time or bed time, he get's his poshie, blanket and sippie and literally would walk into his room telling everything from the pictures on the walls, to his toys, to his brothers night night without a fuss. Well all that changed when he discovered he could climb out of his crib all by himself (thanks I think to help of Ryan). Well for fear of him getting really hurt I finally did the inevitable...I took down our crib after being up and occupied for almost six years! As excited as I was to see that thing go, it was definitely a little emotional as well. See....no more babies. Anyways, Evan was very excited to have a big boy bed to sleep in and has done pretty well so far. Not quite as easy as the crib...he does fight going to bed a bit more, but I have stuck to my guns and super nannies teachings and just put him right back in. The first night it took about 15 minutes and when I went to check on him before I went to bed, he was asleep on the floor. The second night took about 10 minutes and he did fall asleep in the bed. Love him to pieces!

Ry surprises us all!

Blake had just caught yet another fish, so we were all over helping him get if off and taking pictures. All of a sudden at the other end of our campsite we hear Ryan say, "I've got a fish!" Blake yells back, "Yeah sure Ry!" None of us really pay any attention at all, until we look over and there is Ryan standing there with a tiny little fish flopping all over the shore! He caught one all by himself! It was very cute and he loves to tell the story about how none of us believed him.

Wormie

So as Blake was bringing in tons of fish, Ry was more interested in playing with the night crawlers and mill worms. One he even named Wormie...he had that thing with him all day long! Here are some pictures of Ry with his dear friend.

Gotta love boys!

Fish, fish and more fish!

Catfish Hunter Blake!

Wow did we have a great time on our last camping trip! I found the campsite on the internet...it had a small stocked lake full of various fish, a nice swimming pool, free tiled showers and campsites on the lake...perfect! Even better they had last minute availability.

As some of you know, Blake is obsessed with fishing. The only problem is he has yet to catch anything. Patrick and he have been on several outings and have come up empty handed every time! Blake was really starting to get discouraged and felt he would never catch a fish, so this vacation was all about getting that fish. It really didn't matter the size or what kind, he just wanted to bring one in.

Well, thanks to some very friendly neighbors in our campsite who actually invited Blake over to their site and taught him the secrets (they have been to the lake several times) of the lake, Blake finally caught his first fish!

Blakes first fish!

Needless to say he was ecstatic and we couldn't get him to do anything else the entire three days. He is now a pro at casting, baiting the night crawler or mill worm on the hook (he even did mine for me), catching the fish, and taking the fish off of the hook. He is so cute he wants to do everything right and Patrick had a great time teaching him all about his (Patrick's) favorite pastime...what can I say, Like father, like son.

He was very proud of himself for holding the fish by it's lip.

Fun Day in Del Mar

Beautiful Del Mar coastline

After spending three days camping, we weren't quite ready to head home. We decided to head into San Diego since we were so close. Our first stop was in Old Town San Diego to go to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The boys also love playing in the park and getting candy at the candy store. Here is a picture of the boys on the old covered wagon.


We contemplated heading to a baseball game or Sea World until we realized we would have no place to keep Charlie. Instead we found that Del Mar had a beach that allowed dogs. We cut over to Pacific Beach and headed north up the coast. Explored La Jolla....definitely want to go back. Passed UCSD and ended up in Del Mar. The beach was absolutely perfect for the boys. Very small waves and very shallow, clear waters. Everyone had a great time.

The boys had a great time digging for sand crabs.

Playing in the waves.

Although Charlie is not much of a water dog, he sure enjoyed the cooler temps.

Summer Fun at Grandma and Grandpa's

With Patrick's work schedule, we have been able to spend most of the summer out of the desert. What a relief! We are so lucky that my mom has a pool and lives very close to the beach. We are also super lucky that she doesn't mind us intruding on her quiet, perfectly maintained home! It is truly like being on vacation at her house. We eat all of our meals outside on the patio (great for clean up), spend all day in the pool listening to the oldies, playing rummie tiles or Mexican train, and never really get out of our suits. We have also been able to spend a lot of time at the beach. The boys have become much braver in the ocean and finally we got Blake and Ryan to body board this past weekend. I even got in on the action and went out for a dip in the ocean. I haven't done that in years! It was so fun to take each one of the boys out in the waves. Even Evan came out with me for a short while. The kids love playing in the sand and looking for sand crabs.

Thank you mom and dad for allowing us to spend so much time at your house. Blake wants to live there permanently and I would not have survived this summer otherwise!

My little fish!

Ryan has become quite the little swimmer this summer! He is very much like myself when I was that age and has no fear of the water, which scared us a bit at the beginning of summer. He thought he was a better swimmer than he really was and would jump off from the side of the pool and get stuck in the middle. Just these last few weeks he has really started swimming... it is quite amazing really! His kick propels him super quickly from one side of the pool to the other and now he is using his big arms and we are just amazed! He is able to swim one length of the pool all by himself. His favorite thing to do in the pool although is cannon balls from the top of the retaining wall behind the pool. It has been so nice taking all three kids to the pool and only having to hang on to one...my little Evan, who is super careful, but loves to put his head under water, can blow bubbles and will hang out under water for quite awhile. He also ventured out onto the third step this weekend all by himself. I am so proud of all of my boys...they all truly love the water and are great little swimmers.

The end of diapers is in sight!

So after almost six years of nonstop diaper changing, endless runs to Costco for more diapers and wipes we are almost free from it all! Like the other two, Evan just kind of decided he was ready. This summer he became interested in watching the boys in the bathroom and one day just decided to go sit on the toilet himself. We have had many successes, but due to the amount of traveling it has been difficult to fully rid ourselves of all diapers as of yet. This is more my doing in that I don't want to have to stop every 30 minutes or so for a bathroom run. He does tell us he has to go in the car and we just tell him he has a diaper on. The other big accomplishment....he actually get's out of the water to go to the bathroom...Yeah Evan. Now that I am going to be home for a few days...I have decided it is time to fully focus my efforts. Hopefully in just a few days, we can rid ourselves of dirty, stinky, wet diapers forever!!! So proud of you Evi!

Cute Story

Today Blake and I were on our way to school when Blake started to complain about his feet. I asked him if his shoes were getting too small and if he thought we needed to get some new ones (might I mention that these are less than one month old). He said no mom my shoes fit fine. I asked him what the problem was and he very casually said, "Don't worry mom, it must be the angels pulling my feet so they will grow." So sweet!

Coyote Hunter

Well if there is one thing I have learned from being a mom, it is to expect the unexpected AND if the house seems too quiet, something is probably up, as was the case just a few evenings ago. The baby was in bed and Blake and Ryan should have been winding down for bed themselves. Often times I will find Blake reading Ryan a bedtime story. As I called for the kids, this is what I found.....Ryan Forrest, coyote hunter! The coyote, I was told was Charlie our dog, and as Ryan told me I had to be very careful so that he wouldn't sting me. Anyways, I thought the outfit was too cute and I managed to snap a few pics of my little coyote hunter : )! You have got to love boys.

Easter Weekend

Well with Patrick's graduation on a Thursday, his party on Saturday, and Easter on Sunday it was quite a fun and busy weekend. It was so wonderful to have Uncle Denis and Auntie Lulu here to spend a few days with us. The boys just love being with them. I was so grateful to Amy, mom and Denis and Leona for taking the boys to the living desert while I got ready for Patrick's party. Easter was a lot of fun because both sides of the family were able to get together....a rare occasion. Both Patrick's sister and their families, both of our parents, my sister and Patrick's aunt and uncle joined us for Sunday brunch....the food was delicious!! Hope you enjoy some pictures from our crazy weekend!

Patricks Graduation Party

Saturday night, we had a party for Patrick. It was so great to see all of our families and friends together! Both Patrick's sisters and families were there, both of our parents, my sister, aunt and uncle and Georgie and Scott made the trip. His closest high school friends were there as well. Jason, Andi and their darling little baby girl Taylor, Eddie and Letty, Aarron and Melina and their three kiddos, and Jeff, Carla and Jody. It is always so much fun to see the guys together. You couldn't wipe the smile off of Patrick's face! I am getting a little smarter in my old age and we had most of the food catered. it was delicious and allowed me to spend more time with our guests. It was a very fun evening!

Patrick's Graduation

Well, after 6 very long months...26 weeks to be exact Patrick has done it! I cannot put into words how proud I am of his accomplishments. Going through the academy is tough enough as a young single recruit, but to go through it with a wife and family at home is another. I will not lie...it was the toughest 6 months of my life and I am completely spent, but the end result is worth all of the blood, sweat and tears. The graduation was very exciting and emotional. Listening to the bag pipes and drums bringing them into the ceremony gave me goose bumps. I cannot thank all of our family and friends enough for making the drive to Riverside to support Patrick.

He has been assigned to the Indio Jail...which we are finding the more we learn about it, the more perks there are. First and foremost, he won't be on the streets just yet( he may not love this part, but I am not going to complain), his on job training is eight weeks versus 6 months, which will definitely help with the stress factor, he won't be spending the entire summer outdoors.....115 degrees....need I say more, and the hours are pretty great...three days on four days off, then four days on three days off. Being a teacher and having the entire summer off, I am excited that we will still be able to go on some trips together! Needless to say, I know that this is where he is supposed to be and I am so very proud. Thank you to all who have been there with words of encouragement and shoulders to cry on...we are so very blessed!

Blake and Sophia

So about a month ago Blake tells me he has to tell me a secret. Of course I say, "What is it honey." Blake then proceeds to tell me that this is a very important secret and one in which I am not allowed to tell Ryan, Evan, or even dad. I say, "Okay Blake, no problem. My lips are sealed." Blake then tells me, "Mom, you have to promise not to laugh." Sure Blake...now what's the big secret? "Mom, I have a girlfriend." I say, "You do...who is it?" He says, "It's Sophia." I start to smile and am holding back the laughter. I ask him...what does it mean to have a girlfriend? He says, well mom, it means she is my special friend. I ask him...do you hug a girlfriend? Sometimes he says. Do you kiss a girlfriend? He says...NO MOM, we are not allowed to kiss people at school. You only kiss the people you are going to marry! Fantastic I say. Congratulations on picking out a very sweet and darling little girl to be your very first girlfriend Blakey! Too cute!