Taking photos with kids

Last October we were in Colorado and decided to snap some family photos.  Most of them turned out blurry for one reason or another.  I decided to have Matt take a picture of me and my boys one at a time.  My method of photos with kids has always been for me to just smile and look at the camera and hope the kids cooperate.  The result is that I’m at least happy with my picture.

During our little photo shoot Noah was totally cooperative and we got some cute shots. Ezra was super fidgety and playing with a stick, but I didn’t realize quite what he was doing with the stick. When Matt was showing me the pictures I burst out laughing at the last photo in this post. It is my favorite photo of us to date. It is such an Ezra and mommy moment.

Noah and me all smiles
Noah and me all smiles
Cuddly Noah still happy
Cuddly Noah still happy
Ezra playing with a stick, no problem take some pics
Ezra playing with a stick, no problem take some pics
The results = My Favorite picture to date
The results = My Favorite picture to date

Boys’ Bathroom Update

The house we moved into had the same owners for its first 43 years.  I know they loved and cherished the house over the years, but the last updates they made were probably 15-20 years ago.  Needless to say it needs some love, new paint, and sometimes new fixtures.

When we started the boys’ bathroom project it was going to be a simple take down the wallpaper border and freshen it up with some paint.  Of course, as with most house projects it quickly spiraled.  Part of the vanity was in disrepair, the plumbing under the sinks had to be replaced, and there was a little bit of mold.  We stumbled across a new vanity for half off at the local home improvement store.  Matt tore out the old one, put in a new one, and even tiled the top.

The old bathroom was PINK.  The vanity was pink, the ceiling was pink (yes the ceiling!), the doors were pink, the trim was pink, the mirror cabinets were pink.  Yea it was a lot of pink.  We decided on dark grey (Valspar Mark Twain Gray Brick if your interested) with some red accents.  We painted the doors, trim, and ceiling white.

Before: pink vanity
Before: pink vanity
Before: Lovely pink walls and some pretty wallpaper border
Before: Lovely pink walls and some pretty wallpaper border
Before: view from door
Before: view from door
Before pink doors
Before pink doors
After: vanity
After: vanity
After: view from door
After: view from door
After: Firetruck
After: Firetruck
Vanity and mirror
Vanity and mirror
After: Shadow box picture frames with beach memories
After: Shadow box picture frames with beach memories
After: white doors!
After: white doors!

 

 

Random pics

I’ve had these two pics saved on my desktop forever meaning to add them to the blog, but never have. They are from last February/March?

Super Firefighter Ez
Super Firefighter Ez
Noah driving
Noah driving

Zoo Lights – 2012

Zoo lights are so much fun with 4 year olds. They really love the experience. The night we had picked to go it was supposed to rain. I decided that meant it was the perfect night because it would be less crowded. It worked out great, hardly any crowd and it didn’t start to rain until we were leaving at 8:45! It was the most fun we have had at zoo lights yet. The boys were able to run around, dance, try to jump on the lights shining on the walkways, and the talked to the talking Giraffe forever.

Papa and Ez
Papa and Ez
Noah and his favorite color.  RED!
Noah and his favorite color. RED!
The zoo turned 50 this year.
The zoo turned 50 this year.
So happy
So happy
another happy boy
another happy boy
Talking to the Giraffe, the boys loved him and he really talked to them.  We went back at the end of our night and he remembered them.
Talking to the Giraffe, the boys loved him and he really talked to them. We went back at the end of our night and he remembered them.
Riding a kamodo dragon
Riding a kamodo dragon
Thumbs up
Thumbs up
Papa and the boys
Papa and the boys
Papa and Ez petting the 'floppy things' (stingrays)
Papa and Ez petting the ‘floppy things’ (stingrays)
mom and Noah
mom and Noah
pic of a stingray
pic of a stingray
Checking out the lights
Checking out the lights
Ez taking pics
Ez taking pics
say cheese
say cheese
Noah and the umbrella
Noah and the umbrella
Mommy and Noah
Mommy and Noah

Noah at 4

15 copy

Color: red
Sport: Basketball
Animal: Cow
Food: Bagel with cream cheese
Book: Firetrucks
Season: Winter
Restaurant: The restaurant at the end of the pier at the beach (funny I don’t remember him eating the food)
Holiday: Christmas
Weather: Cold and Sunny
Cereal: Cheerios
TV Shows: Fireman Sam
Movie: Incredibles
Candy: Cake
Subject: Learning to write
Toy: Firetrucks
Thing to do: Relaxing
Place have been: Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia
Place to be: Home
Place I want to go: Gamma and Papa’s
Person: Daddy
Hero: Firefighters
Time of Day: When daddy’s home
Song: If you’re happy and you know it
Drink: Chocolate milk
Treat: Candy Canes
Vacation: Colorado

Photo by Rachelle Tucker Photography

Ezra at 4

16 copy

Color: pink
Sport: baseball
Animal: sheep
Food: peanut butter and jelly
Book: the Bible
Season: Winter
Restaurant: Wendy’s
Holiday: Thanksgiving
Weather: Sunny and warm
Cereal: Mommy’s Granola
TV Shows: My Little Pony
Movie: Incredibles
Candy: Halloween Candy
Subject: Alphabet
Toy: Firetrucks
Thing to do: Play cars
Place have been: Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia
Place to be: Gamma and Papa’s
Place I want to go: Gamma and Papa’s
Person: Firefighter
Hero: Rescue Heroes
Time of Day: When daddy’s home
Song: Phineas and Ferb Cd
Drink: Strawberry juicde
Treat: Candy Cane
Vacation: The Beach

Photo by Rachelle Tucker Photography

Funny Quotes – IX

I told Noah to let me know if he needed help. Then I over hear Ezra, “I’ll help you as a tattletale!”

Ezra talking about the cats, “they are great at pooping and they are great sleeping.”

Noah, “There are two of Micah and Judah and there are two of us!”
Matt, “Yep, they are twins and you are twins.”
Noah (looking at me and Matt), “And you guys are twins!”

I was resting my eyes while the boys did something involving “beibers” and “damage.”
Turns out they were beavers building a dam.

Me, “What are you doing?”
Ezra, “I’m up to something.”

The boys’ phineas and ferb cd has a song called “my undead mummy and me.” The boys walk around singing “my dead mommy and me.”

“Say thank you Noah.” – Noah
“Thank you, Noah.” – Noah
Nope I didn’t accidentally leave Ezra out of the conversation. He wasn’t involved.

Chickens come from chicken trees – Noah.

Ezra is playing a new leapster game and the game said something about hitting targets, “mommy, the penguins went to Target!”

“Noah be careful I don’t know how to sing.” – Ezra to the tune of frosty the snowman.

“I ate baby Jesus and the hay!” out of context Ezra

Me: You are going to celebrate Jesus’ birthday tomorrow at school.
Ezra: Is baby Jesus going to be there?

“Super Noah wants some make-up.” – Super Noah

Ezra heard the term bundt cake yesterday for the first time and immediately asked, “mommy what’s butt cake?”

Matt, “who’s side are you on?”
Ezra, “Noah’s, he’s on the right.”

Ezra brought me baby Jesus in a cup and whispered, “shhh he’s a baby angel.”

“I’m having allergies I can’t put my own socks on!” – Ezra

“I like daddy, he is funny. I like when he shoots my butt. He shoots my butt every day.” – Noah (with a nerf gun of course)

“Jesus lives in my tummy and helps me do good things” – Ezra.

Noah: I’m going to high five your face.

Christmas Day 2012

We had a lovely Christmas with Gamma, Papa, Uncle Jason, Auntie Michelle, and Abby! This age is so much fun at Christmas.

We opened gifts, then had a yummy Christmas lunch, and then played! Gamma had gotten all the kids and dads nerf guns. There was quite the nerf gun war with lots of giggles and screams. It was all fun and games until someone was shot in the eye. We now make them wear safety goggles at least until reflexes and aim improve.

The boys crashed on the way home and then went straight to bed!

I love how excited Ezra is for his brother
I love how excited Ezra is for his brother
Happy boy got a fire truck with actual sirens
Happy boy got a fire truck with actual sirens
Ezra got one too!
Ezra got one too!
So much joy
So much joy
Opening
Opening
More fire gear
More fire gear
Yea he's that happy about underwear.
Yea he’s that happy about underwear.
Yep him too.  Apparently underwear is a big deal.
Yep him too. Apparently underwear is a big deal.
Sometimes you need to get away from all the craziness and play.
Sometimes you need to get away from all the craziness and play.
Fire trucks
Fire trucks
Yep a riding one too
Yep a riding one too
Ezra LOVED Abby's horse.
Ezra LOVED Abby’s horse.
Silly Abby.
Silly Abby.
Fell asleep on the way home.
Fell asleep on the way home.
Christmas is exhausting!
Christmas is exhausting!

Christmas Morning 2012

Christmas morning with littles is so much fun. The boys were full of so much joy and truly enjoyed every moment. It took forever to open gifts. They played and played with their new toys.

The boys slept in that day, mommy and daddy’s gift I guess. We opened gifts, played, talked to Nana, Papa, and Aunt Julie, ate, and then got ready for Gamma and Papa’s.

Their favorite by far was the rescue heroes. The LOVE rescue heroes.

Ezra on a mission
Ezra on a mission
Rescue heroes!
Rescue heroes!
Playing, playing, playing
Playing, playing, playing
Happy Boy
Happy Boy
A ukulele!
A ukulele!
A baseball bat!
A baseball bat!
Trying out the new whoopee cushion.
Trying out the new whoopee cushion.
More whoopee fun
More whoopee fun
Fun with waffles.
Fun with waffles.
Eating time
Eating time
Time to get everything out
Time to get everything out
Waiting for his breakfast.
Waiting for his breakfast.

San Diego Botanic Gardens

When we went to Imperial Beach this summer I decided to look at our memberships to see what we could do for free or low cost while on vacation. If you have a Desert Botanical Gardens membership you can vist the San Diego Botanic Gardens for free. If you have small children or just love enjoying nature I highly recommend these botanic gardens. They had two different kids gardens. One was more appropriate for toddlers and the other was fun for kids of all ages (even Matt.) There was a miniature railroad to view, dirt to dig, a treehouse to climb, a music garden, and lots of green (yea I live in the desert so I get excited about green.)

I love seeing other flowers!
I love seeing other flowers!
Color!
Color!
Us!
Us!
Tic Tac Toe
Tic Tac Toe
So green!
So green!
Me and the boys in the bamboo forest
Me and the boys in the bamboo forest
Dinosaurs to ride
Dinosaurs to ride
Running through the bamboo
Running through the bamboo
Rock xylophone
Rock xylophone
Awesome treehouse
Awesome treehouse
Dinosaur fun
Dinosaur fun
Look mom, Dinosaurs!
Look mom, Dinosaurs!
Turtle!
Turtle!
So pretty
So pretty
Blocks
Blocks
The music garden was lots of fun
The music garden was lots of fun
Art time
Art time
Water play
Water play
Climbing
Climbing

Escapees

Over the wall they will go (eventually)
Over the wall they will go (eventually)

The boys have had quite the adventurous spirit lately. They’ve figured out how to get out of their bedroom into the backyard via the window. They do this during “quiet” time. For the most part it is harmless adventure. Except now they are working on getting over the wall to the great big world. They are four and they really want to get out! What’s up with that?

In the above picture they were shouting towards the neighbors’ house, “Help us, Help us. We need to out of here and get to a fire station.” Luckily Matt had met the new neighbors this weekend and explained to them they might hear shouts for help.

Mommy Ezra is stuck on top of the puh-cycling bin.
Mommy Ezra is stuck on top of the puh-cycling bin.

Yesterday over the baby monitor I heard a conversation of where they wanted to go and how to get there. They were going to go visit daddy at his office. To get there they were going to get daddy’s tools, put their training wheels back on their bikes, and ride there.

Mommy Ezra's stuck in the window
Mommy Ezra’s stuck in the window

They figured out how to get back in yesterday too, but Ezra wouldn’t jump down into the room.

How they figured out how to climb back in
How they figured out how to climb back in

I love this adventurous spirit, but it is a lot of exhausting work keeping them safe!

PS: We have now locked the window! I know it is a safety issue with a fire, but seriously I would like to keep them in the house. All the doors have beep warnings so I know where they are.

Imperial Beach August 2012

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Running from the waves
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Pretty much my favorite spot
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Busy Noah
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Crabby fun
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Daddy and the boys busy building
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Driving
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Our idea of boogie boarding
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Yay we are in the water this time!
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Fascinating fountain, if you can’t tell by my face, we watched it for a long time.
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Drawing in the sand, a new favorite activity
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Noah and his sun
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Ezra and Squeaky the mouse.
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Checking stuff out
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Love this picture of them
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The only way they would take pictures with daddy, as puppies!
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Flashlight beach walke!
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Holding hands
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Fire truck!
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These fire fighters were super awesome!

Oklahoma April 2012

Back in April Papa John went to Heaven. The boys and I travelled back to Oklahoma with Gamma and Papa to be with family. Even thought it was under sad circumstance we still had a nice time with family.

Chilling with cousin Hannah
Chilling with cousin Hannah
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Running around like crazy
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Sharing Papa with cousin Hudson
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Lots of active boys. 🙂
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Cars!
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Silly Noah
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The boys with cousin James.
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Fun on the trampoline
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Motor boat, motor boat
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The boys with Grandma Kay
roadtrip
Noah being silly on the road trip
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Grandma Kay and the great grandkids (minus Abby)
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Grandkids and great grandkids
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Hudson cracks me up, he was not up for pictures poor guy
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All of us

Here is an album of a few photos of my Papa.