Warm weather ?!?!?!

Wow what a difference 10 miles east makes.  It seems like it is the norm this time of year but I am not use to it.  Living near the water like we had for the past few years we never realized how warm it is in January 10 miles inland.  The girls have been sporting there sundresses and tank tops since the weather has been wonderful (besides today where it is raining).  We have even been in the pool - well the hot tub of the pool.  Phil will turn the tub to warm bath water not hot tub temps and the girls love it.  Reagan won't leave.   I still think it is too cold but the girls love it.  The girls just started up swim classes again at a new facility closer to our home.  The girls are fish - that sums it up.  Even their new instructors were very surprised how comfortable they are in the water. 

Enjoy the pictures  click here

More Christmas .........

So Santa and I discussed our travel plans prior to the holidays and we agreed that he would postpone his stop at the Bennett household.  So Santa came on New Year Eve instead.  The whole holiday season was a whirlwind but the girls received plenty for Christmas.  Now onto 2011 - nothing too exciting yet.  I have jumped into painting (we will see how long that will last before I hire someone).  Reagan loves to assist so I have to give her a clean paintbrush and direct her to a different wall where she can pretend paint.  The girls are both growing so fast I looked at pictures from the summer and am amazed how much bigger they are.  I think they both just had growth spurts.  I am trying to get Reagan's summer clothes from last year into Harper's wardrobe since she is getting so tall.  I can't keep up.  Enjoy the pictures .....click here

 Reagan the helpful baker

 Grandma & Grandpa's gift that they LOVE

 Harper making a run for it out the front door

 At least someone is finding use for the potty

 Reagan took it upon herself to dump the whole box of cereal

Harper playing outside

Christmas 2010

We headed to Michigan for Christmas and had a great time.  The girls had a great time especially with cousins, Carson and McKenna.  It is sad that we don't live closer for them to play more.  We had a slight speed bump on the way back but we still made our flight home.  When we got home all the animals had behave which made me much happier than when I returned home from Thanksgiving.  If anyone wants a cat........

 Ho Ho Ho

 Reagan LOVES Aunt Sara

 Harper offering up her milk

 Harper enjoying the bouncy ball pit

 Reagan bowling

 Santa did make a brief stop on Christmas

 We found out Harper likes French Onion Dip

 Harper in the tunnel

 The cousins had the best time on the air mattress

Enjoy our pictures click here

Pre Christmas

So after we returned from Cincinnati and before we left for Michigan there was so much to cram in.  First we had to decorate for Christmas and for those who know me I go a bit crazy.  Then I wanted to fit in Santa, the zoo, Sea World, Del Mar Christmas lights.....etc.  I have to give San Diego props on their commitment to Christmas even without any snow - they love lights (and so do I).  Our neighborhood especially.  Just about every house was lit and the amount of stuff people put up was awesome.  Every time you come home it was a winter wonderland.  My 17 strand of lights for outside was weak in comparison.  Then I found Candy Cane Court it was awesome and FREE.  It was this neighborhood where every inch of house was covered in lights.  So besides our neighborhood and Candy Cane there was Del Mar Fairgrounds which is highly advertised I had to find out how wonderful it was.  It cost like $15 a car and it was the worst light display I have ever seen and you have to drive around the race track which took a painful 20 minutes.  It was so bad I had to apologize to Phil and the girls for wasting 20 extremely slow minutes of their lives.  I made up for it by taking Reagan and Harper on the train in Balboa Park which was lit.  They both loved it and the merry-go-round.  Enjoy the pictures  Click Here

 Harper on the tricycle

 Harper pretending she is a reindeer

 Harper enjoying her applesauce and licking the bowl clean

 - she is very proud of herself

 Giddy up Breyer

 Harper taste testing the cookies

 Reagan helping out with the laundry

 Reagan on the merry-go-round

 Harper on the train

 No matter what they never look at the camera at the same time

Cookie Monster

Thanksgiving in Cincinnati

We have had a very busy last couple months.  The holidays came and went so fast when did the New Year happen?  We spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Cincinnati visiting with Phil's family.  We hit all the hot spots - The zoo, the aquarium and of course Skyline Chili.  Reagan loved the chili - crazy girl.  I can only take one visit a year so the second time we went I was able to find a non-chili dish.  I was a big fan of the zoo but an even bigger fan of the aquarium.  Surprisingly it was better and bigger than the San Diego one.  The weather was cold and there were a few morning with ice on the ground.  The girls handle the cold weather like pros.  I had to laugh one morning when I ran out to get milk and coffee.  I went to the grocery store and I just had to pry open the door to the car b/c it was frozen shut - it was COLD but I was in the midwest where frost is like a cool summer morning because I saw the crazy one wearing shorts in the grocery store.  What was odd though was that not only was he wearing shorts and a tshirt but he was keeping his toesies warm with his boots.  Enjoy the pictures click here

 Harper watching the bowling action

 Reagan eager to start bowling

 Reagan watching the polar bear swimming

 Harper enjoying her snack at the zoo

 I couldn't get a pic of them together or without there milk cups - Here is Thanksgiving with Harper

 Here is Reagan

 Reagan the snow bunny

 Harper sporting the fuzzy headband

Happy 1st Birthday Harper!!

The Hoods came into town to celebrate Harper's (and Grandpa's) birthday.  It was a crazy busy week, we crammed in so much in one week.  We trick-or-treated, went to Sea World, the Temecula wineries, the SD zoo and Disneyland.  Believe it or not I did a horrible job documenting the week with pictures, especially Disneyland.  It was one of the hottest weeks in Southern California all year so the parks we especially hot.  I will just have to take the girls back to Disneyland and re-meet all of Mickey's crew.  We had the best visit to the zoo ever.  All the animals were out playing; the Panda and her baby were out walking around, koalas who sleep like 20 hours a day were walking on their branches (probably looking for a new sleeping position), the polar bear was swimming, the baby chimp got mad at Papa Hood (Reagan calls Grandpa - Papa) for teasing him, the snow leopards were even awake and meowing.  Disneyland was awesome and the kids loved it too.  Reagan got to meet Donald Duck, who she loves, and was very upset when he had to go use the Ducky potty.  She met the whole crew except for Daisy and Pluto.  Their end of the day parade was definitely a highlight.  Reagan was in awe through the whole thing. It was a whirl wind of a week but we all had so much fun.  It was really cute the morning after my family left.  They left before Reagan woke up and when she came downstairs she grabbed my hand and led me to the spare bedroom and just looked at me.  Please come back soon.

Harper got hooked up for her birthday.  Tons toys and clothes and plenty of cake.  I can't believe she is one.  Enjoy the pictures  click here.

Helping get the spare bedroom put together

Harper imitating Frankenstein

Reagan and her new friend the Sea Lion

Getting ready for Trick-or-Treating

Splashing in the water with Papa

Harper sporting Goofy's Hat

Reagan loved the merry-go-round

Harper preparing to dig into her birthday cupcake

Goofy!!!

Harper loved her cake