Conversations with a three-year old...

Me: Good morning Carson

C: Hi mum (mom)

Me: Lets go get Luke

C: I lie (like) Loo (Luke) Mum

Me: I like Luke too

C: Lot of kisses?

Me: Yep, lets go give him a lots of kisses

Six Flags and Candy Cane Lane

So far this Christmas season has been so fun because Carson is finally starting to 'get it'. Saturday we spent the evening at Six Flags. They have it all decked out for Christmas including a sledding hill with real snow! (Go ahead and laugh all you people from snowy places...) I tried to get some pictures on my phone and they turned out pretty crummy. It might have been Carson's most favorite thing he has ever done in this three years of life. Needless to say I think we will be going again next weekend.

Rockin' out at the front of the park 

Lights all over his shirt you might ask?? He had on a cool flashing light snowman necklace.

Last night we went to Candy Cane Lane in Vacaville. Very exciting stuff. Luke was wide-eyed, and Carson ran around like a crazy man.

Riding the School Bus

 We are very lucky because the school bus comes and picks-up Carson at our house to take him to pre-school. This morning was his first time.

Waiting patiently 

Getting buckled. (He is the first pick-up)

Waving at Mom and Luke through the window. 

 He'll be home in an hour. I hope it all went well!

Thanksgiving 2011

We had  a great Thanksgiving week visiting my parents. My sister Regan and her daughter Noelle were there visiting from Utah, as well as my other sister with her kiddos who live there. Here are some of the fun things we did.

Scooter's Jungle

Ollie and Carson

The whole Bonner Fam

Sweet Noelle loving Luke

Luke, Steve, Ryan, Ollie, Carson, Ami, and Becky

Chuck E. Cheese
We went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate Carson's birthday.

Bluebird Park in Laguna

Super cool rock slide

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Uncle Ryan getting all the kids dizzy 

Beach Time

It was a wonderful trip. I'm so glad Regan was there because we don't get to see each other nearly enough. I am also grateful that we don't live too far to drive from my parents. 7 hours is very do-able! Another "I'm grateful topper" is for my cousin Andrea who lives 10 minutes from my parents. Her and her family were out of town and let Steve and I stay in their condo. It was WONDERFUL to have all that room. Thanks Andrea!

Sidenote: Thanksgiving dinner was delicious! Mom made THE BEST STUFFING I've ever had, and Becky made THE BEST CHOCOLATE DESERT I've ever eaten as well. (I'll make sure to post the recipes.) I hope all of you had a great holiday too. Now onto Christmas!

My boy is three!

Carson celebrated his third birthday two weeks ago, and I still can't believe that we have a three-year-old! It was a pretty low key birthday because we were planning on celebrating the next week at Grandma and Grandpa Kelley's. Last minute I called a few friends and we met at a pizza place for pizza and cake.

If I had to pick just five words to describe Carson they would be:

1. Tenacious 
2. Fearless
3. Determined
4. Tenderhearted
5. Tough

Carson is such a fun kid! He is a non-stop ball of energy and we are so lucky to share in his excitement about anything and everything. It is unbelievable how big this he is. Seriously, he is bigger then most 4-year-olds. I just love his big boy body-all his summer-salts, jumping, climbing, wrestling... boys are the best! Carson's been in speech for the past year and his speech is improving everyday. He constantly surprises me with the things he says. I love that he is getting better and better at communicating. It is wonderful that he starting to finally able to communicate what he is thinking and feeling. It's a whole new world for all of us.

Another exciting change for us is that Carson started pre-school this week! He wasn't scared at all. He walked right in the classroom, hung-up his backpack and sat down ready to learn. He has been begging to go to school and I am so glad it's finally started. He goes twice at week and gets speech services while he is there. Next week he is going to start taking the school bus, which he is THRILLED about.

Diego Backpack

I had grand plans of taking a classic "first day of school" picture. This is as good as it got.

Look at him with his hands folded. Nursery has taught him well =)

Carson has the best laugh (sorry all you other Moms out there, but it's true). He is so fun to tickle and chase. I love to watch him watch movies, especially when he knows a funny part is about to happen. So great. Carson has really turned into my little buddy. He is such a "helper". He loves to help me bake and help Dad with anything that includes tools. I LOVE that he likes to hug, kiss and cuddle. What a lucky Mama, I know. He is a wonderful older brother. He loves to play with and entertain Luke. Luke lights-up whenever his brother enters a room.

Carson, we love you more then words can express and are so happy that you are part of our family! Happy birthday little goose.

Luke Eleven-Month Update

I’m sure getting big! I can climb up the stairs now and I am very proud of myself. Now if I could only climb down… I am getting much more confident in crawling and in pulling myself up onto things. Mom thinks it will still be a while before I start walking. I have discovered the toilet and love it when someone forgets to shut the door to the bathroom and I can stick my hands in the water. I love to play with the toilet paper too. It is so fun to un-roll and eat.

I’ve decided that I really love my Mom and Dad and am not very happy if they are not around. I’ll still go to anyone and am pretty friendly, but I want my Mom to still be in the room. I hate being left at Kids Club at the gym and get very upset. Mom and Dad can’t believe how much I can eat! We had pizza for Carson’s birthday and I ate an entire breadstick and a whole piece of pizza by myself. I not only eat a lot, but I’ll eat anything. Mom is so happy to have a kid that will eat anything.

I love to copy sounds I hear, especially high pitched, loud sounds. I am still a great sleeper, hooray. We flew and traveled a lot this month and I did very well. We drive to Grandma and Grandpa’s house frequently and I am a very good boy in the car (most of the time.) Mom is looking forward to my first birthday because she will be able to give me cow's milk. She is hoping I will drink it so she won't have to nurse forever. I don't know what the big deal is...I am just an easy going, content little boy and am excited to be one soon!

Texas

Port Arthur boardwalk

Steve had an opportunity to help with a massive start-up of a new refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. Once completed it will be the largest oil refinery in North America. Shell brought in employees from all over to help and he was one of them. The start up was supposed to be 6 weeks so the kids and I decided to come for the first two weeks to try to break up the time. The kids did really good on the flight. At the time Steve wasn't sure if he would be able to fly back with us for the weekend, but once we got here he found out he could, THANK GOODNESS! It would have been terrible to do by myself. Actually, they aren't quite ready for him yet so the great news is he gets to come back with us through the end of November. Then, fingers crossed, he'll be done in time for Christmas.

We had a one-bedroom apartment, which wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be, but boy am I grateful for my house now! We would drop Steve off at work so we could have the car and the kids and I explored. There isn't much to explore here...We went to a few parks, shopped a little, went to a few new resturants, nothing too exciting. The gulf coast is very interesting. Port Arthur is on the Louisiana boarder and everyone has thick accents. I stuck out like a sore thumb.  It is lush and there is a lot of water. It is humid though, and tons of mosquitoes. If you want to go outside you have to spray on bug spray. The people weren't as friendly as I thought they would be, which was very surprising. We could easily move here if we wanted, and I sure don't.

**BOWLING WITH THE KIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME 

Carson's victory dance

Luke keeping score

 **THE DUCK PARK (as Carson named it)

We spent a weekend in Austin and met some of our dear Fairfield friends who had recently moved to Midland, Texas. I loved Austin! It was so lush and green with beautiful rivers. The city was very clean and welcoming. Plus there is amazing shopping there. Supposedly they have an amazing live music scene, which is right up my ally. I'd love to go back without kids sometime.

Xander, Zac, Carson (classic Carson picture), and Haven

I think Carson's favorite part of the weekend was riding in their big car!

Jennie and I

It was so wonderful to spend time with the Lovells. They are truly the nic est people I know. There kids LOVE Carson. You don't find big kids that are so willing and happy to play with little kids very often. Carson was in heaven being the center of attention. We went to the zoo, swam in the hotel pool, played at the park, ate out a lot. Nothing too exciting, it was just fun being together.


**AUSTIN ZOO

Jennie loving Luke

Carson LOVES his buddy Zac

**Playing at a Local Park

Filling up his shoes for the better good... (see below)

The better good being covering the slide with bark chips

In all I'm glad we decided to come with Steve, but I am so glad to be home. I missed the stability of our daily routine and my kids' behaviors and sleeping sure showed that too! Not knowing anyone here, and not having many people to talk to made me miss my friends. It was great going to Bunco last night and seeing everyone. Now all I am wishing for is that the kids will get off of Texas time and back to California time. Yesterday Carson woke up at 4:20 am and this morning it was 4:40...Needless to say Steve and I are exhausted!