Wednesday, July 28, 2010
More than I can say...
The whole month of July has been great... You've already heard about our fabulous 4th of July celebration with friends, our terrific time with Grandad and Momma Jill, and the ups and downs of VBS. That was only the first half of the month. Since then, we've hit the beach, dreamed at Disneyland, the boys headed to Texas with Papa and LeLe, David and I spent a week in San Francisco serving in the Tenderloin along side some incredible young adults from our church, and now I'm back in Texas while David is back to work. I have a lot of writing to do and so much to share. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Live Moore Life
Sunday, July 11, 2010 - We woke up this morning and got ready for church and headed out. The boys went to the nursery and we enjoyed worshipping with Lynn and Jill. Joel did substantially better this week because he got a donut first. We were talking later about how Silas cried a bit (just a bit but quite loudly, apparently) and Joel told us, "Guy-wus didn't get a donut." Of course! That's what makes everything better!
After church, we headed over to the Hill Street Cafe in La Canada for breakfast. We've found that their breakfast/brunch is really good, but their lunch/dinner is just eh. We hurried home to get the boys down for their nap and I returned to church for a VBS meeting. Lynn and Jill were headed down to San Diego for a couple of days before heading back to Texas. They headed out after we all got in a nice Sunday afternoon nap. After such a fun week, we were sad to see them go!
Monday, July 12, 2010 - Monday morning I woke up with a nasty cold. Not much fun! I did get the boys loaded up and we made a quick stop at Target and then Sonic.
Funny story...We were in Target (one that we don't got to often) and were in the toy section. We were walking around and turned down an aisle where you could see the toys down that aisle as well as down some other aisles that were running the opposite direction. Joel, eyes as round as saucers, loudly exclaimed, "Oh.....my......good....ness!!!! Dat's a lot a toys, Momma!" It was so adorable and so honest. It was a moment that I will always remember!
We came home and I crashed! Unfortunately, I didn't make it to VBS for the first day. David took Joel and from the reports...he had a hard time. We weren't sure what that meant, but from what I gathered later, he basically cried the whole time. Yikes!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - I felt a lot better on Tuesday. Unfortunately, our refrigerator did not. We called the appliance repair man and over $300 later, we have a working fridge. That's more than we paid for it on craigslist a year ago. But, when we weighed the option of fixing it vs. getting a brand new one (over $1,000 for a similar model or the time/hassle of finding another one on craigslist), we opted to fix it. Hopefully we made the right choice!
Finally, I was able to got VBS tonight. What a great, but exhausting time! I loved seeing all of the sweet kiddos! I was a co-leader for the 3 year old class. We had almost twenty 3-year-olds running around. So fun but so much energy! Joel did much better and even went off and played without me some. I loved watching him sing all the songs...he knew them really well and is not afraid to sing L-O-U-D!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - Happy 18 months, Silas! And for your special day, I will take you to get 2 shots! What a present! :) I took the boys for Silas' 18 month check. He weighed 29 lbs and was 34" tall(95th and 99th percentiles, respectively). Dr. Chapman said he looked great and is right on track or ahead of all the development milestones. His little vocabulary has just grown by leaps and bounds. The only negative part of the appointment was the wait for the shots. We waited easily over 40 minutes from the time the doctor left to when the nurse finally came back in for shots. (Joel had to get one, too.) I tried all of my tricks but by that point, it was almost lunch time and I was almost out! We finally made it out of there but by then, I knew I was getting a migraine. Yikes! David came home to feed the boys and put them down for their naps and then came home early while I literally slept the day away. This meant that Joel had to go to VBS alone again. I told him to sing so loud that I could hear him. David said that he cried when he dropped him off again. When he got home, I asked him if he cried. He told me, "I cried just a wittle bit, just a wittle bit." He also asked me, "Momma, I ging (sing) woud (loud)! Momma, did you hear me?" So adorable!
Thursday, July 15, 2010 - I woke up feeling a little better by not 100%. Katie and Eli came over to stay with Silas while Joel and I went to pick up Papa, LeLe and Aunt Sarah! We hit a little traffic going but some major traffic (as well as an unintended detour) coming home so it took a little longer than expected. Katie said that at one point, she read to Silas for about 45 minutes. He really is a book worm! When we got back home, I went back to bed while my parents and Sarah took the boys to Target and then McDonald's for lunch. It was some much needed rest for me. When I woke up later that afternoon, I felt almost normal again. I decided to try VBS again so Joel and I were off. Joel did pretty well but he was still a bit clingy. He found a flag during the "games time" and kept wanting everyone else to race so he could wave the flag like they do to start a car race. He sang his songs very loudly again! He loves all of the hand motions that go along. The funny thing is that he won't sing them anywhere by VBS. He tells me that we can only sing them at "school". Ok, sweetie...if you say so! Sadly, he was a little rowdy at the end and as we were leaving. I think he's just had so much going on over the last few weeks. Lance also came in a little bit later in the evening. We're excited to show him all around Pasadena and Los Angeles!
Friday, July 16, 2010 - I woke up feeling a little better this morning but not 100%. So, my parents, Sarah, Lance and the boys headed out to introduce Lance to Hollywood. I finished my work and then was able to rest and get a few things done around the house. They walked down Rodeo Drive, hit up Niketown, ate pizza at Rustica Pizza and checked out the Kodak Theater and Grauman's Theatre. The boys had a great time and crashed when they got home. We also had our last night of VBS at church. Sarah and Lance weren't all that interested in hanging around so they went to the Americana to eat at The Cheesecake Factory and walk around while the rest of us headed to church. I sat with our little 3 year old class, but even my own 3-year-old wouldn't sit next to me. He ended up staying with David through most of the program. It was pretty hot and there were lots of people and so many things going on that I think the little ones just got overwhelmed.. But, it was nice to meet some of the parents and was good closure to VBS. They had a great carnival afterwards but Joel and Silas were exhausted so we headed home pretty quick. We had a big weekend ahead of us, which is why this post is so late!
Also, if you're wondering where the pictures are, so am I! I just felt so awful this week that I took only a handful of pictures. Sorry!
After church, we headed over to the Hill Street Cafe in La Canada for breakfast. We've found that their breakfast/brunch is really good, but their lunch/dinner is just eh. We hurried home to get the boys down for their nap and I returned to church for a VBS meeting. Lynn and Jill were headed down to San Diego for a couple of days before heading back to Texas. They headed out after we all got in a nice Sunday afternoon nap. After such a fun week, we were sad to see them go!
Monday, July 12, 2010 - Monday morning I woke up with a nasty cold. Not much fun! I did get the boys loaded up and we made a quick stop at Target and then Sonic.
Funny story...We were in Target (one that we don't got to often) and were in the toy section. We were walking around and turned down an aisle where you could see the toys down that aisle as well as down some other aisles that were running the opposite direction. Joel, eyes as round as saucers, loudly exclaimed, "Oh.....my......good....ness!!!! Dat's a lot a toys, Momma!" It was so adorable and so honest. It was a moment that I will always remember!
We came home and I crashed! Unfortunately, I didn't make it to VBS for the first day. David took Joel and from the reports...he had a hard time. We weren't sure what that meant, but from what I gathered later, he basically cried the whole time. Yikes!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - I felt a lot better on Tuesday. Unfortunately, our refrigerator did not. We called the appliance repair man and over $300 later, we have a working fridge. That's more than we paid for it on craigslist a year ago. But, when we weighed the option of fixing it vs. getting a brand new one (over $1,000 for a similar model or the time/hassle of finding another one on craigslist), we opted to fix it. Hopefully we made the right choice!
Finally, I was able to got VBS tonight. What a great, but exhausting time! I loved seeing all of the sweet kiddos! I was a co-leader for the 3 year old class. We had almost twenty 3-year-olds running around. So fun but so much energy! Joel did much better and even went off and played without me some. I loved watching him sing all the songs...he knew them really well and is not afraid to sing L-O-U-D!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - Happy 18 months, Silas! And for your special day, I will take you to get 2 shots! What a present! :) I took the boys for Silas' 18 month check. He weighed 29 lbs and was 34" tall(95th and 99th percentiles, respectively). Dr. Chapman said he looked great and is right on track or ahead of all the development milestones. His little vocabulary has just grown by leaps and bounds. The only negative part of the appointment was the wait for the shots. We waited easily over 40 minutes from the time the doctor left to when the nurse finally came back in for shots. (Joel had to get one, too.) I tried all of my tricks but by that point, it was almost lunch time and I was almost out! We finally made it out of there but by then, I knew I was getting a migraine. Yikes! David came home to feed the boys and put them down for their naps and then came home early while I literally slept the day away. This meant that Joel had to go to VBS alone again. I told him to sing so loud that I could hear him. David said that he cried when he dropped him off again. When he got home, I asked him if he cried. He told me, "I cried just a wittle bit, just a wittle bit." He also asked me, "Momma, I ging (sing) woud (loud)! Momma, did you hear me?" So adorable!
Thursday, July 15, 2010 - I woke up feeling a little better by not 100%. Katie and Eli came over to stay with Silas while Joel and I went to pick up Papa, LeLe and Aunt Sarah! We hit a little traffic going but some major traffic (as well as an unintended detour) coming home so it took a little longer than expected. Katie said that at one point, she read to Silas for about 45 minutes. He really is a book worm! When we got back home, I went back to bed while my parents and Sarah took the boys to Target and then McDonald's for lunch. It was some much needed rest for me. When I woke up later that afternoon, I felt almost normal again. I decided to try VBS again so Joel and I were off. Joel did pretty well but he was still a bit clingy. He found a flag during the "games time" and kept wanting everyone else to race so he could wave the flag like they do to start a car race. He sang his songs very loudly again! He loves all of the hand motions that go along. The funny thing is that he won't sing them anywhere by VBS. He tells me that we can only sing them at "school". Ok, sweetie...if you say so! Sadly, he was a little rowdy at the end and as we were leaving. I think he's just had so much going on over the last few weeks. Lance also came in a little bit later in the evening. We're excited to show him all around Pasadena and Los Angeles!
Friday, July 16, 2010 - I woke up feeling a little better this morning but not 100%. So, my parents, Sarah, Lance and the boys headed out to introduce Lance to Hollywood. I finished my work and then was able to rest and get a few things done around the house. They walked down Rodeo Drive, hit up Niketown, ate pizza at Rustica Pizza and checked out the Kodak Theater and Grauman's Theatre. The boys had a great time and crashed when they got home. We also had our last night of VBS at church. Sarah and Lance weren't all that interested in hanging around so they went to the Americana to eat at The Cheesecake Factory and walk around while the rest of us headed to church. I sat with our little 3 year old class, but even my own 3-year-old wouldn't sit next to me. He ended up staying with David through most of the program. It was pretty hot and there were lots of people and so many things going on that I think the little ones just got overwhelmed.. But, it was nice to meet some of the parents and was good closure to VBS. They had a great carnival afterwards but Joel and Silas were exhausted so we headed home pretty quick. We had a big weekend ahead of us, which is why this post is so late!
Also, if you're wondering where the pictures are, so am I! I just felt so awful this week that I took only a handful of pictures. Sorry!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Live Moore Life
Sunday, July 4, 2010 - Happy Independence Day! What a great day to celebrate all the freedom we have been given. To honor the Lord for the freedom from our sins we have received in Christ. To honor the men and women who fought and continue to fight to maintain our freedoms in this country.
We, along with the Retts and Wrights got up this morning and headed over to hear our friend Joey preach. I was a little nervous about how the boys would do during the nursery drop-off at a new church, but they were both great! Silas cried for about 10 seconds until he was distracted with a fun toy and I only stayed an extra minute or two and Joel was fine with me leaving. Progress! We enjoyed Joey's sermon and just worshipping with all of our friends! After church, we all came back here for a feast. We were joined by the Snyders and the Blakeslys for a fun afternoon.
Becca made adorable star slider burgers and a festive ice cream tunnel cake. Kim and Chris carved a cool watermelon fruit basket and served up some yummy raspberry lemonade. Katie brought stars and stripes jell-o. Heidi brought some great dips. I made artichoke bread dip and chicken skewers. It was a great collaboration and the food was, of course, awesome!
After we ate, the kids played in the pool for a bit and then it was on to baseball, or rather, t-ball. Joel, Zoe, and Silas initially took turns hitting and running the bases while the adults fielded the balls. Eventually, the adults took some swings too for a fun game. Joel is really cute saying, "You're out!" and "Safe!", both complete with the hand/arm motions. Silas even got in on the action, frequently yelling out, "Safe!" They had so much fun. Later that evening, Joel told David, "Dada, I played baseball with the guys!"
A little while later the Shopes came over and the fun continued. Joel was so excited to have Owen and Elias over to play. We all loaded up to head over to Sierra Madre for their concert in the park. The website indicated there would be lots of food booths, etc. but we only found a couple of high-priced booths and the music was so-so. But, the boys had fun dancing to the music and just running around for a bit.
We finally headed back home and the Retts picked up pizza for everyone. We got the boys to sleep and we headed outside to catch the Rose Bowl fireworks show. Unfortunately, the trees that provide amazing shade for us, also blocked our view of the fireworks. We could see them through the trees, but they weren't quite high enough to get the full effect. Thankfully, but not so thankfully, our neighbors were having their own little illegal show. Some of them were really pretty and cool. Some of them were shot way too low and were literally falling on our house, our trees and almost us! We were just about to call the police when they finally stopped. Yikes! The boys slept through all of the loud pops and bangs. They were completely worn out from the days festivities!
Monday, July 5, 2010 - Happy 27th Birthday, David! (David the brother, not David the husband) We've had a lot of adventures over the last 27 years of your life. I'm so proud of the man you are! Thanks for bringing Kassidy into our lives and of course, where would we be without Jaxon and Rylan? We love you, Uncle David, and we hope you had a fantastic birthday!
Today would have also been my Papa and Gana's 68th wedding anniversary. Papa and Gana were two of the most important influences on my life. They loved God, loved each other, and loved all of their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids with great abandon. We miss them terribly but are so thankful that they are together with Jesus!
We had a lazy morning after such a busy day on Sunday. I got up early with the boys and then David let me have a few hours to clean sans boys. What a difference that made! I felt like I got 3x more accomplished than usual! After lunch, David and Andrew loaded up the surfboards and headed to the beach. Becca and I stayed back to let the kids nap. We finally woke Silas and Evie up so we could actually spend more than 10 minutes at the beach. We got down to Manhattan Beach to find the sun hiding behind the clouds and a chilly breeze blowing. The boys still had fun digging holes, walking along the beach and playing in the sand.
Then we headed over to Mama D's in Manhattan Beach for pizza. It was a fun little local place with terrific pizza. They even offer free pizza on your birthday...we'll definitely be back!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010 - Tuesday morning arrived with much to do. I think Kim saw my stress and she and Chris offered to take Joel along with them to the Americana. Silas and I ran a few quick errands and I remembered how nice it is to only have one child in tow. It was nice to have some alone time with Silas, too!After work, David let me run to the grocery store ALONE while he took the boys to the park. What's better than running errands with just one kid? Running errands alone! I remembered how much I enjoy grocery shopping without two cuties wrestling in the cart! :) We spent the rest of the evening cleaning and getting ready for our guests on Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - Lynn and Jill arrived in Burbank and the boys and I picked them up. Thankfully (for me), their plane was running a little late because we were running behind too! We headed over to have lunch at the original Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Joel now recognizes "Big Boy" and likes to eat there.
After their naps, the boys had a great time playing with Granddad and Momma Jill while I finished fixing supper. We had Apricot Pork Tenderloin, Twice Baked Potatoes, Salad, and Dr. Pepper Chocolate Sheet Cake. Yummy!
At one point, Jill and I were standing in the kitchen watching Silas dance around. All of a sudden, he jumped up in the air! Both feet off the ground! I looked at Jill to make sure I hadn't made it up and she confirmed. We now have a full-fledged jumper on our hands!
Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Earlier in the week, I made Homemade Sausage Biscuits and threw them in the freezer. I pulled those out for breakfast. Then, Lynn, Jill and the boys and I headed over to Travel Town.
We had a great time watching the boys climb in the trains, walk up and down the railroad tracks and yell, "All aboard!"
We also rode the small train that runs around the outside of the park. It was cool and cloudy and great weather to be outside.
We ate lunch at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe at the End of the Universe. Lynn and Jill got English Meat Pie and said it was really good. I had a sandwich (delish!) and some of Silas' mac and cheese (super delish!) It was a bit pricey but the quality made it worth it.
After the boys naps, Lynn pulled out a new Slip n Slide for them. They had a hard time getting the hang of it, but I think they had fun just playing in the water.
Side Note: At one point, just before dinner, I looked over to see Silas playing with 2 dinosaur puppets. He was holding them up to each other saying, "He-wo? He-wo?" (i.e. "Hello? Hello?") I'm not sure these words fully capture the cuteness but hopefully this blurb will help me remember when I read over this a year from now.
The Retts and the Wrights joined us for dinner...meatloaf and mashed potatoes! David and I headed up to church shortly after dinner for a San Francisco mission trip leadership meeting. It was great to meet together and learn more about who we'll be ministering to and where to focus our prayers. I am so excited!
Friday, July 9, 2010 - On Thursday, I noticed one of Joel's eyes was swollen and a little "gunky" so I went ahead and made a doctor's appointment. Well, Friday morning it was all clear, of course. I decided to take him in anyway. Lynn and Jill dropped us off and then took Silas to the park. The doctor decided it was probably just allergies and gave me a prescription just in case it got worse again. Whew! I am so glad we do not have to fight Joel to put drops in his eyes! After we finished at the doctor's office, we headed off to the Aquarium. We ate lunch at Boston's. I had not eaten there before, but the pizza was pretty tasty! Then we headed over to see the fish. The boys, of course, loved it! We saw the otters again and they were much more playful today.
We saw all the fish again (Silas' cries of "Fish! Fish!" and "Melmo! Melmo" weren't quite as loud or as frequent as our first visit.) The boys weren't as interested in petting the sharks and rays this time but this time we went into the Lorikeet bird exhibit. They loved it! We tried to get one to land on our arms but were having no luck. Then, a sweet little boy came over and offered his extra bird nectar (that I didn't want to pay $3 for) and Joel held it. Soon, a little bird came over and after gnawing on his finger for a minute, drank the nectar from the cup in Joel's hand. Joel's eyes were wide and he did not move a muscle! Silas loved watching them too! They were really pretty and fun to watch, until one swooped right next to my head! I guess I should probably count on spending $3 when we go to the aquarium from now on!
Saturday, July 10, 2010 - David, Lynn, and Jill graciously let me sleep in really late this morning. It. was. awesome! Then we ate a quick lunch and loaded up the cars to go to the beach. The sun decided he didn't want to play today but we still had a great time. The boys dug their traditional hole and then David and Lynn went to bodyboard and surf.
Joel decided he wanted to surf. David tried to get the board positioned so Joel could stand on it, but it ended up kind of hitting him and he didn't like it one bit! It hit me a couple of times while we were trying to get him out and I don't blame him at all. That baby hurts! Thankfully, David was able to get him to stand on the boogie board for a couple of minutes and he liked that pretty well. I even got to read a little bit while the boys dug a hole and then again while Silas chilled in my lap. Even though the sun skipped out on us, we had a fun time.
After we loaded everything up, we sent the boys back to the house with Granddad and Momma Jill so David and I could head over to the Getty Center for a free Dawes concert. David was so excited and a little bit like a kid in a candy store.
We got there just in time to get free (and relatively quick) parking and then met up with the Retts at the garden cafe. (And, for the record, apparently it was a pretty happening place to be. Kim saw Sally Fields walking up the stairs before we got there! How do I always miss these star sightings? So jealous!!!! David and I kept our eyes open but never spotted her...) It was a bit chilly but never got unbearable. The concert was really cool.
Happy 4th!
We, along with the Retts and Wrights got up this morning and headed over to hear our friend Joey preach. I was a little nervous about how the boys would do during the nursery drop-off at a new church, but they were both great! Silas cried for about 10 seconds until he was distracted with a fun toy and I only stayed an extra minute or two and Joel was fine with me leaving. Progress! We enjoyed Joey's sermon and just worshipping with all of our friends! After church, we all came back here for a feast. We were joined by the Snyders and the Blakeslys for a fun afternoon.
The Crew (Moores, Novaks, Wrights, Retts)
The Kiddos...Joel with Evie, Zoe with Audrey, Eli and Silas
The Women and Kiddos (minus Joel and Owen)
Silas, LB, Kim, Audrey, Zoe, Evie, Becca, Megan, Elias, Eli and Katie
Becca made adorable star slider burgers and a festive ice cream tunnel cake. Kim and Chris carved a cool watermelon fruit basket and served up some yummy raspberry lemonade. Katie brought stars and stripes jell-o. Heidi brought some great dips. I made artichoke bread dip and chicken skewers. It was a great collaboration and the food was, of course, awesome!
A small portion of the food
After we ate, the kids played in the pool for a bit and then it was on to baseball, or rather, t-ball. Joel, Zoe, and Silas initially took turns hitting and running the bases while the adults fielded the balls. Eventually, the adults took some swings too for a fun game. Joel is really cute saying, "You're out!" and "Safe!", both complete with the hand/arm motions. Silas even got in on the action, frequently yelling out, "Safe!" They had so much fun. Later that evening, Joel told David, "Dada, I played baseball with the guys!"
Concentration!
A little while later the Shopes came over and the fun continued. Joel was so excited to have Owen and Elias over to play. We all loaded up to head over to Sierra Madre for their concert in the park. The website indicated there would be lots of food booths, etc. but we only found a couple of high-priced booths and the music was so-so. But, the boys had fun dancing to the music and just running around for a bit.
Feeling the groove
We finally headed back home and the Retts picked up pizza for everyone. We got the boys to sleep and we headed outside to catch the Rose Bowl fireworks show. Unfortunately, the trees that provide amazing shade for us, also blocked our view of the fireworks. We could see them through the trees, but they weren't quite high enough to get the full effect. Thankfully, but not so thankfully, our neighbors were having their own little illegal show. Some of them were really pretty and cool. Some of them were shot way too low and were literally falling on our house, our trees and almost us! We were just about to call the police when they finally stopped. Yikes! The boys slept through all of the loud pops and bangs. They were completely worn out from the days festivities!
Monday, July 5, 2010 - Happy 27th Birthday, David! (David the brother, not David the husband) We've had a lot of adventures over the last 27 years of your life. I'm so proud of the man you are! Thanks for bringing Kassidy into our lives and of course, where would we be without Jaxon and Rylan? We love you, Uncle David, and we hope you had a fantastic birthday!
Today would have also been my Papa and Gana's 68th wedding anniversary. Papa and Gana were two of the most important influences on my life. They loved God, loved each other, and loved all of their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids with great abandon. We miss them terribly but are so thankful that they are together with Jesus!
We had a lazy morning after such a busy day on Sunday. I got up early with the boys and then David let me have a few hours to clean sans boys. What a difference that made! I felt like I got 3x more accomplished than usual! After lunch, David and Andrew loaded up the surfboards and headed to the beach. Becca and I stayed back to let the kids nap. We finally woke Silas and Evie up so we could actually spend more than 10 minutes at the beach. We got down to Manhattan Beach to find the sun hiding behind the clouds and a chilly breeze blowing. The boys still had fun digging holes, walking along the beach and playing in the sand.
I want to see, too!
Then we headed over to Mama D's in Manhattan Beach for pizza. It was a fun little local place with terrific pizza. They even offer free pizza on your birthday...we'll definitely be back!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010 - Tuesday morning arrived with much to do. I think Kim saw my stress and she and Chris offered to take Joel along with them to the Americana. Silas and I ran a few quick errands and I remembered how nice it is to only have one child in tow. It was nice to have some alone time with Silas, too!After work, David let me run to the grocery store ALONE while he took the boys to the park. What's better than running errands with just one kid? Running errands alone! I remembered how much I enjoy grocery shopping without two cuties wrestling in the cart! :) We spent the rest of the evening cleaning and getting ready for our guests on Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - Lynn and Jill arrived in Burbank and the boys and I picked them up. Thankfully (for me), their plane was running a little late because we were running behind too! We headed over to have lunch at the original Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Joel now recognizes "Big Boy" and likes to eat there.
Silas and the Big Boy
Joel, Momma Jill, Silas, and Granddad
After their naps, the boys had a great time playing with Granddad and Momma Jill while I finished fixing supper. We had Apricot Pork Tenderloin, Twice Baked Potatoes, Salad, and Dr. Pepper Chocolate Sheet Cake. Yummy!
At one point, Jill and I were standing in the kitchen watching Silas dance around. All of a sudden, he jumped up in the air! Both feet off the ground! I looked at Jill to make sure I hadn't made it up and she confirmed. We now have a full-fledged jumper on our hands!
Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Earlier in the week, I made Homemade Sausage Biscuits and threw them in the freezer. I pulled those out for breakfast. Then, Lynn, Jill and the boys and I headed over to Travel Town.
Aboard a train
We had a great time watching the boys climb in the trains, walk up and down the railroad tracks and yell, "All aboard!"
He walks the line.
Joel the Engineer
We also rode the small train that runs around the outside of the park. It was cool and cloudy and great weather to be outside.
I was taking a picture of Lynn and Joel
but I love the interaction that was captured between Jill and Silas.
but I love the interaction that was captured between Jill and Silas.
Silas really was more excited than this picture of us indicates.
My little choo-choo trains!
While we were in the area, I thought it would be fun to take Lynn and Jill up to the Griffith Observatory.
Joel and Granddad looking out the "tellyscoop" at "The Big Picture"
Hollywood
After the boys naps, Lynn pulled out a new Slip n Slide for them. They had a hard time getting the hang of it, but I think they had fun just playing in the water.
Joel had to check things out
Silas was checking things out too
Silas got the slip part down
What a cutie!
Side Note: At one point, just before dinner, I looked over to see Silas playing with 2 dinosaur puppets. He was holding them up to each other saying, "He-wo? He-wo?" (i.e. "Hello? Hello?") I'm not sure these words fully capture the cuteness but hopefully this blurb will help me remember when I read over this a year from now.
The Retts and the Wrights joined us for dinner...meatloaf and mashed potatoes! David and I headed up to church shortly after dinner for a San Francisco mission trip leadership meeting. It was great to meet together and learn more about who we'll be ministering to and where to focus our prayers. I am so excited!
Friday, July 9, 2010 - On Thursday, I noticed one of Joel's eyes was swollen and a little "gunky" so I went ahead and made a doctor's appointment. Well, Friday morning it was all clear, of course. I decided to take him in anyway. Lynn and Jill dropped us off and then took Silas to the park. The doctor decided it was probably just allergies and gave me a prescription just in case it got worse again. Whew! I am so glad we do not have to fight Joel to put drops in his eyes! After we finished at the doctor's office, we headed off to the Aquarium. We ate lunch at Boston's. I had not eaten there before, but the pizza was pretty tasty! Then we headed over to see the fish. The boys, of course, loved it! We saw the otters again and they were much more playful today.
Climing on the rocks near the otters
We saw all the fish again (Silas' cries of "Fish! Fish!" and "Melmo! Melmo" weren't quite as loud or as frequent as our first visit.) The boys weren't as interested in petting the sharks and rays this time but this time we went into the Lorikeet bird exhibit. They loved it! We tried to get one to land on our arms but were having no luck. Then, a sweet little boy came over and offered his extra bird nectar (that I didn't want to pay $3 for) and Joel held it. Soon, a little bird came over and after gnawing on his finger for a minute, drank the nectar from the cup in Joel's hand. Joel's eyes were wide and he did not move a muscle! Silas loved watching them too! They were really pretty and fun to watch, until one swooped right next to my head! I guess I should probably count on spending $3 when we go to the aquarium from now on!
What's going on over there?
Joel's feeding a bird!
Say, "Cheese!"
Joel being silly and Silas being sweet
Wade.....in the water
Practicing their stances
The different "cheeses" of Silas...cracks me up!
Like father, like son
Surfing!
After we loaded everything up, we sent the boys back to the house with Granddad and Momma Jill so David and I could head over to the Getty Center for a free Dawes concert. David was so excited and a little bit like a kid in a candy store.
We got there just in time to get free (and relatively quick) parking and then met up with the Retts at the garden cafe. (And, for the record, apparently it was a pretty happening place to be. Kim saw Sally Fields walking up the stairs before we got there! How do I always miss these star sightings? So jealous!!!! David and I kept our eyes open but never spotted her...) It was a bit chilly but never got unbearable. The concert was really cool.
David being silly and Chris decided to join him
The Retts....Kim, Audrey, Zoe and Chris
The whole venue was awesome and the band was much better than I expected. As David had said, they give 100% to their audience and that made it really fun to watch/listen to. I would definitely go to another one of their concerts and I'd definitely go to another concert at the Getty. Just a really fun night all the way around!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Live Moore Life
Sunday, June 27, 2010 - We woke up early to catch an early showing of Toy Story 3. Morning is the boys best time of day and the tickets were only $6! ($6 tickets = only morning movie dates for David and Leah Beth now...) The boys really had no clue of what we were doing. When we got to the mall, we had to drag Joel away from the riding cars and planes. Once in the theater, we had about 30 minutes of commercials and previews before the movie actually started. Thank goodness for popcorn! Joel and Silas loved it so much that we had to get another bag! (Movie theater popcorn as a morning snack is kind of weird but obviously not weird enough to keep us from eating it!) The boys did great throughout the movie. Silas had a few one-word outbursts of "more" or "dog" but overall, they were very well-behaved. Silas finally fell asleep in Papa's arms. Joel really enjoyed the movie. He got a little tense at one point towards the end and pulled David's hands up to cover his eyes. His heart was starting to beat pretty fast but then he relaxed as soon as the scene was over and the toys were ok! We were a little teary-eyed when the credits finally started rolling!
After the movie, we headed to the Pasadena location of Bob's Big Boy.It doesn't have quite the same charm as the original location in Burbank, but it's not nearly as crowded either! The breakfast was pretty good and very reasonable. Silas and Joel each polished off 6 silver dollar pancakes.
Soon after that, we had to take Papa and LeLe back to the airport so they could go home. When my mom leaned over to say good-bye to Silas, he got very upset. The sad face, tears, loud crying...so sad! Thankfully, they will be back in about 2.5 weeks so that made it a little easier.
Monday, June 28, 2010 - The boys sleep in a very dark room....black out curtains, no lights on (well, sometimes the closet light, but the closet door is shut), etc...So, when they wake up in the morning and we open the door, they have a hard time adjusting to the light. They both start squinting like crazy and it really is very cute. I'm not sure Silas could squint his eyes any tighter without actually closing them! Anyway, Joel frequently asks for his sunglasses, which just cracks me up!
Silas was having a slightly hard time wanting to let go and actually go down the slide but he loved it when Joel would give him a little push. I'm not being sarcastic. This is one instance where it helps to have a big brother give you a little push!
Sawing logs...
Joel and his pal, Woody
After the movie, we headed to the Pasadena location of Bob's Big Boy.It doesn't have quite the same charm as the original location in Burbank, but it's not nearly as crowded either! The breakfast was pretty good and very reasonable. Silas and Joel each polished off 6 silver dollar pancakes.
Soon after that, we had to take Papa and LeLe back to the airport so they could go home. When my mom leaned over to say good-bye to Silas, he got very upset. The sad face, tears, loud crying...so sad! Thankfully, they will be back in about 2.5 weeks so that made it a little easier.
While they were headed out, Chris, Kim, Zoe and Audrey were headed home from Colorado. We finished the evening with an impromptu meal with the Retts and the Wrights.
Monday, June 28, 2010 - The boys sleep in a very dark room....black out curtains, no lights on (well, sometimes the closet light, but the closet door is shut), etc...So, when they wake up in the morning and we open the door, they have a hard time adjusting to the light. They both start squinting like crazy and it really is very cute. I'm not sure Silas could squint his eyes any tighter without actually closing them! Anyway, Joel frequently asks for his sunglasses, which just cracks me up!
Cool dude!
I decided we would head to the Rose Bowl early this morning and Becca was up for a walk, too. The boys did great for the first 2/3 of the loop and then Joel got a mind of his own. The last mile was disastrous...lots of yelling and screaming coming from my stroller so Becca and I ended up jogging the last little bit. Talk about an embarrassing moment! I doubt Becca and Evie will want to walk with us again anytime soon, but Becca was very gracious. After naps, we played outside and Joel raced up and down the driveway. He loves for me to say, "On your mark, get set, GO!" and he takes off! Laura brought Zoe out a bit later and they had fun playing in the pool. When David got home after work, I headed up to yoga for the first time in a couple months. It was so nice to exercise, get away, and relax a bit!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 - The Americana has a Kid's Club event every Tuesday morning from 11-1 where a band plays and a lot of the stores/restaurants offer special deals during that time. I've been wanting to go for a while but this was the first time we've made it. Becca and Evie joined us, which was great for me and the boys, of course, loved it, too. We got there a little late so we didn't have close enough seats for the boys to really get into it. So, we quickly ended up at Caffe Primo for lunch. They offered a free pizza and gelato for every adult meal so Joel and Silas each got their own pizza. The pizzas were pretty big though so they basically split one plus each got their own dessert!
Must. Get. Every. Last. Bite.
Digging that peach gelato!
Evie in her cute little dress grinning with her mom
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 - Before heading off to work, David took the boys for a ride in their bike trailer. They loved going fast down the hills but were not too impressed with David's speed up the hills. (Our street is quite up hill!) Apparently even Silas got in on the "encouragement" yelling, "Fast! Fast! Fast!"
Ready to go!
And they are off!
Wednesday morning started off a little rough after David left for work. The boys were feisty and it seemed like a lost day. And then, there was retail therapy. I've been looking for THE perfect glasses (drinking glasses) for a couple of years now, as we are down to only 4 large glasses and 6 small ones. I can't even set a matching table for a party of 6...and do you know how many dinners we have around here? Anyway, we had a return to Best Buy so I decided to run in Ross, which was right next door. Well, lo and behold, I found my new glasses. I don't know that they are truly "perfect" but I love them! They look very similar to this. I was very pleased, as I ended up with 14 tall glasses, 4 smaller ones and 4 much smaller juice glasses. I'm not kidding, it made my day! Ahhh...the simple things of life, right?
Thursday, July 1, 2010 - We got up for our Thursday morning Rose Bowl walk with Kara, Jacob and Levi. I was a little nervous after Monday's fiasco but they did great. After the walk, we headed to the playground for a little bit. They had a great time!
Million dollar smile
Smiley Eyes
After we had been there a little bit, I learned that Joel's imaginary friends, Baby Mouse and Silas' Baby Mouse had joined us at the park. Here Joel is carrying them up the steps so they can go down the slide. Did I mention that Silas' baby mouse is not Silas' imaginary friend, but Joel's? Yeah, I get confused sometimes too!
Baby Mouse, Joel, and Silas' Baby Mouse hanging out
Silas was having a slightly hard time wanting to let go and actually go down the slide but he loved it when Joel would give him a little push. I'm not being sarcastic. This is one instance where it helps to have a big brother give you a little push!
Go Silas!
After naps, we got lathered up in sunscreen and headed to the wading pool with Katie, Eli, Becca and Evie. The boys were a little timid at first but loved it once they gained some confidence. Silas couldn't decide if he wanted to play in the pool or over at the playground. 99% of my time was spent chasing him and putting him back into the pool...that he loved...when he would stay in for longer than 30 seconds! I think Eli and Evie liked dipping their toes in a bit too!
Silas, Katie, Eli, Evie, Becca and.......................Joel
Concentration!
To stay or to go...that is the question!
When we got back, we jumped on to the Retts dinner band wagon and enjoyed a great spaghetti dinner with the Retts and Wrights (minus Andrew). Delicious!
Friday, July 2, 2010 - We hung out around here most of the morning, except for a quick trip to Wal-greens for a few items. Joel woke up early from his nap so he helped me make some popcorn for our play date. After we finished that but before everyone arrived, he told me, "Mama, I need to go back to sleep." So true, but Silas was still asleep! I offered to turn on a movie for him to watch if he would lay down on the couch. He laid down and waited quietly while I tried to get the movie going. After about 5 minutes of previews while I struggled with the remote, I finally asked Joel, "Do you know how to turn this remote on?" He took one look at it, held the appropriate button down for about 3 seconds, and handed it back to me. Yep! My 3 year old just showed me how to use electronics. I thought surely I had a good 2 more years before we reached this point!
While he watched his movie, I finished getting ready for the play date! Kim setup the pool for the kids. Katie and Eli came over along with Megan and her two boys, Owen and Elias. They had a great time playing in the pool and then filling up the wagon that we set all the way across the yard. They loved just hanging out and being outside and the moms enjoyed a little bit of adult conversation. Becca got whisked away for an anniversary surprise but not before she dropped off her one-of-a-kind rice krispie treats! I made popcorn and Kim and Megan supplied fruit. Quite the little feast! Poor little Silas! He loves the pool but gets so incredibly cold when he's been in there for more than 15 minutes or so. His little chin starts quivering and it takes him a good 30-45 minutes to warm back up.
Silas LOVES popcorn!
Joel spraying Owen and Zoe while Silas digs into the popcorn
I just love this pic of Katie and Eli!
For the second night in a row, Kim headed up dinner prep. She made great bar-b-cue ribs. I added some roasted potatoes and biscuits and it was all delish! About half way thru dinner, Becca dropped off sweet Evie so she and Andrew could go out on an anniversary date. The boys, again, doted all over her. Joel loved getting nose to nose to her and they would both crack up! She took her bottle and went to bed with only a few cries.
Evie trying to steal the bottle from David
It's so nice to have friends who can support and help each other out with things like child-care since we are all so far from family. We are truly blessed to have such great friends!
Saturday, July 3, 2010 - Today David got up with the boys so I could sleep a little bit extra. Thanks, babe! It was just what I needed. When I finally got up, we decided to head to Sonic and then to the mall. When we pulled into Sonic (at 10:00 am), Joel declared, "I want a hamburger." Uh, no sweetie...not at 10 in the morning....However, the funniest line came moments later when Silas started yelling, "Fry! Fry!" The mall was calling our name. David returned his Father's Day hat for one more to his liking. He also found some shorts and pants so it was a successful outing! The boys had fun playing on the cars and at the play place.
We hung around here the rest of the day doing a whole lot of not much! We cooked Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls with the Retts for dinner. Yum-o! So good! They were a little bit labor-intensive but otherwise so easy and again, so good! And now I sit here catching up on my blog on a Saturday night listening to the loud, illegal fireworks while David plays his Desktop Tower Defense on his computer. Are we super cool or what?
Hope your week was great. Next week you can look forward to hearing about our 4th of July celebration and our visit with Granddad and Momma Jill!
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