Thanksgiving faces

Our thanksgiving vacation started at the St. Louis zoo. Seems all trips for the past 6 years have revolved in someway around St. Louis. That's a good thing. It's so pretty and the zoo just added this cool sea lion exhibit.

 On the plane the next morning. We are headed for DISNEYLAND, CALIFORNIA! Scream it!

 Brad arranged for grandma Ruthie and grandpa Robert to meet us at the Salt Lake Airport. They sweet talked their way in passed security, then walked with us for our one hour layover. It was so nice to see them because we won't see them for another year and a half. They need to get some Lola Love.

 It was funny to see 4 adults and three kids trucking around the airport with all our bags.

 How should I sum this trip up? AMAZING. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Chambers for making it all possible. It was so fun to catch up with family we never see. The kids die to see cousins so it was a special bonding time for them because who knows when we'll get back. As I reminisced the trip through photos, everyone just make me smile. Love Disneyland. Love family. Love the beach. Love my little ones and my best Brad. What a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for.
 
Seriously Lola, you keep getting cuter!!

 The first day we went up to hollywood. Ez was more interested in the balloon swords than those celebrity starts. 

 We found Mickey some place other than Disney.

 And Shrek!

 And a cute Aunt!

 Back at the hotel. Kids passed out and then we started a new day bright and early. Two places you have to be at early...Disney and skiing.

We all had a fun Disney shirt the first day. I made mine and the others we got on sale during the year.

These two make me smile. 

Wonderful aunts and a great grandpa. 

 

 We probably tortured Lola a little bit on this trip but she was still so amazing. She slept when she needed to. Smiled all day. Ate when I could feed her. She was such a good little girl.

 and...she loved the rides.

 Only a 5 year old can embrace Disney in such a delightful way.

 I love this picture because everyone we got showed EZ blurry because he just wouldn't sit still the whole trip. He was so excited. And aren't those boys all so cute?

Just another of this shot. I love.

 We spent part of each day paling around with this fun family.

 EZ: "My favorite ride was Buzz. I did it 3 times." (actually we did it a total of 9 times but 3 in a row one day!) My other favorite ride was the baskets. I really liked the boat ride, too. (I had to clarify which boat ride and he explained the one where he sat next to grandma and they sang. Small world:)
This is a picture of him on another boat ride...jungle cruise. He loved seeing all the animals. I think he thought they were real. " I didn't like Caribbean. It was dark in there. I didn't like the flying boat. (that was PeterPan. He also loved Dumbo and the train.

 Chloe: "My favorite ride was Space Mountain. I think you know what my least favorite ride was....Tower of Terror. (She went on Tower of Terror twice. She was so brave and loved the thrill rides as much as me and Brad. She was such a good sport walking around all over the place every day.
Here she is with her Chloe smurk at the colorful jungle cruise guide.

 We spent a glorious day at the beach. I can see why people would live in California.

 EZ found it funny to cover Holli's feet.

 Let's take another look.

 For Thanksgiving lunch we went to the Blue Bayou. This is the restuarant you can see when you are on the Pirate of the Caribbean ride. It was delicious. Try the Monte Cristo.

 A chance encounter with Toy Story.

 We met some princesses.

 And yes...that Snow White is real!

Disneyland is magical with kids. The whole trip was just so fun. We got back on our plan Saturday morning at 7am and arrived in Chicago to wait for 4 hours (keep in mind Peoria is only 2 hours from Chicago) then we flew past Peoria to St. Lois then drive home for another 3.5 hours. And today...we are back to our life and we have such happy thoughts to remember. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I am ready for the Christmas season. Last week we started listening to Christmas music. The kids love Grandma got ran over by a reindeer.
Signing off with a picture of the gorgeous ocean.

The Big EZ turns 3.

Well, hello there EZ boy! Happy Happy Birthday to you.

We can't believe you are 3. 

One morning he turned in a circle and said, "this is how I turn 3" Then he followed that with pulling his arm up in his shirt so you couldn't see it, and saying, "look I only have 1 arm"

We live in Peoria Illinois, which is the Caterpillar Truck headquarters. They have a new museum so we went and checked it out. It was totally worth it. Fun for the whole family.

 This expression tells it all.

 And this expression shows the gift excitement. We gave him a fast moving firetruck and a helicopter. Chloe and Lola gave him a piggy bank and Grandma Ruthie and Grandma Robert gave him a little learning laptop computer (which is actually a win/win gift for he and Chloe!)

 I love making cakes. Part of the fun is picturing the perfect cake for the birthday person at their stage in life. This cake was 100% Ezra. Even though he requested a Caillou cake (we made Caillou pancakes that morning)  I used my mom card and intervened. He loved his cake.

 His best buddy Madeleine.

EZ you are one spunky kid. You light up with excitement all the time. You are cuddly and affectionate and daring and love your momma. You are small but mighty and have such a happy EZ going personality. You idealize your older sister and adore your little sister. You love to hold my hand and make sure you know exactly where I am at all times. You always wish "you had a phone or a camera" to be holding. You love banks and money and snacks. Happy Birthday big guy.

For the record.

I was going through our scrapbook and decided to take a few photos of photos. 

Halloween 2004.  Man I love that guy I'm with!

Halloween 2010 

 Halloween 2012. A couple of times during the night we said to each other, "stop scowling". Oh wait. That's just wrinkle makeup. Too funny. And by the way...that sweater B-rad is wearing was his grandpa's who died in his 90's. I was at old navy yesterday and they are selling a very similar sweater but in maroon and mustard yellow. B-rad is so fashion forward.

 Ahh...the little old couple.

 We had a wonderful weekend in Nauvoo. We did Rendezvous At Old Nauvoo (a cute little play put on by the senior couples which Chloe LOVED), we did the sites, the temple, and had a fun mini vacation.

Some October...

October has been beautiful. Brad has been on a clinic month which means he's had a little more reasonable schedule and so that means more time with us. Bless him, I stretch ever second her has off, but he couldn't be happier and wouldn't want to be doing anything else. He's such an amazing guy!

So, here Chloe is receiving the responsible student of the month award. She was so excited. They called me ahead of time and told me it was a secret and to come to the assembly. Later that day, Chloe told me she was going to be honored. I asked her how she knew and she told me she saw her name on her teachers desk. The little sneak. Kindof like her dad who, I'm told, would search the house for the sweet items on the receipt after his mom went grocery shopping!! I told her her sneakiness also reminded me of her grandma Ruthie:)

 This new face. Without going into great detail. I took Chloe to the eye doctor because here in Illinois, an eye appointment is mandatory. I was so against going and finally went. I thougth we'd be in an out. Well, I went to an optomitrist (I won't do that again) and she was a recent grad and over-zealous and well, 3 hours later I left with glasses. She told me she should "wear them when she's reading!" Does she understand that isn't really a set "time" for a kindergartner? She told me she'd most likely grow out of this condition in 6 months. And...she said that the glasses would probably bother her more than help her for about 3 months. What the??? I know. In anycase. She looks cute. She's embraced them. She wears them at the beginning of school and at the end and for a few minutes during the day. They are really more of an accessory. Heaven help us. This girl loves her accessories. She also said several kids at school were asking their moms for glasses now. Oh brother, I can tell you where to go!

A glimpse at our halloween. Chloe is so great to let me do what I want for her. I suggested she be the sun and she was all for it. I am a flower. Those little headbands were so easy to make, cheap, and fun.

 Doctor Chambers.

 More of the sun. I ordered yellow tights on Ebay from Korea about a month ago and they never came. Oh well, we made it work. Other than the tights we had everything else.

 Who is this crazy clown.

 And the warm suit for the 3 years old. He loved his lion and would make terrifying noises throughout the night.

 I'm going to make this cake a tradition. Everyone loved it. We ate it the night we carved pumpkins.

 The battle of the "scariest" pumpkin.

 A little pumpkin fun.

 Our front porch.

 A little Lola love.

 8 months of love right there.

31,000

 Soccer in the fall. This fall we did a little soccer league right by our house. We signed up with Chloe's "buds" so games were fun for all of us. Chloe totally improved this round. I can't believe it's only been 6 months since Spring soccer. She was really into it and even scored a few goals. Her buds, Crew and Noah, were the stars of the team scoring every single game.

Our Thursday, Saturday group: EZ, Luke, Chloe, Noah, and Crew. Too bad I don't have a picture of the moms and their dad. Brad's schedule only allowed him to make it to 1 game. 

                                      
 And...every beginning of October, I "celebrate" the diagnosis that changed my life. I have given over 31,000 shots in 21 years! I'm noticing that it is a challenge to parent kids that aren't diabetic. For example: whenever I give them a snack I think of the carbs in it, or if they drink 2 helpings of juice, I immediately think of the carbs. It's strange and probably sounds lame but I'm soooo glad they don't have diabetes yet. I know that we could tackle it, but I also know how hard of a road it is and how much better life is with out it. I have recently tested Chloe's blood ( it was totally normal:) and I just "know" she'll get it someday, but at least that someday isn't today! Just had my eyes checked and the doctor said you couldn't tell I was even diabetic. I am so glad that I am healthy, that I understand how food works in my body, that I understand the medicine that saves my life each day, that i've had 3 healthy pregnancies, that i'm in shape, and that (thank goodness) I like to exercise because that makes things easier.