Pismo 2013

I'm way behind on posts.  In an effort to catch up I will start with our Pismo trip from a few weeks ago.

We haven't been to Pismo since I was pregnant with Owen (and for me, the trip was less than fantastic, rain, a bloody lip for Scott, boo.) But I was ready to go this time and we headed up mid day on Friday.  After a few minor hiccups (getting stuck in the sand) we set up camp just in time to eat and go to sleep.  The next morning we were up BRIGHT AND EARLY (I guess that's camping with kids for ya!).  So as to not wake up the other sleeping folks (some who didn't arrive until 3am...aaaah to be in your early 20s again, crazy kids!)  The Campbell crew headed into town for some coffee and breakfast (mostly coffee).  And what a way to start the weekend.  I told Brian I will go to Pismo anytime if we can do breakfast and coffee out in the mornings!

Then we were back to hang out with family for the day...and of course play in the sand!

And ride bikes (insert mommy eye roll now!)

Daddy and Owen cruising in circles....for hours!

We are so thankful for cousin Brittney who rode with Scott all day long (and basically entertained him the entire trip as he was her shadow)

Brian borrowed a toy from work and it was pretty popular with our boys:

And see, I was there too:

And just for fun, same beach circa 2005

I promise to get to our Thanksgiving week post soon!

A Month Of Thanks

So last year I attempted to post something I was thankful for everyday for the month of November.  I didn't succeed.  But I did post thirty things, usually multiple in a day once I realized I was behind.  I made them little things.  I'm thankful always for the biggies, but I really wanted to focus on the simple things during the month last year.  And it was fun.

Fast forward to this year…didn't even try it.  Ha.  But what I realized is that since last year I have been more cognizant of the little things that I'm thankful for all throughout the year from last years little exercise.

I'm back to thinking about being thankful for the little things this month, but lets be serious, I'm not even close to posting everyday.  But I thought it would be fun to name a few that have been in the forefront this month:

Fall weather, smells, colors etc.  Its finally cold here! WOOHOO!  And my pumpkin spice candle is burning and my pumpkin coffee and tea is brewing and I'm frankly just loving it.

Preschool crafts.  I took Scott's turkey hand home yesterday and I cried.  I thought he had refused to do it (he was refusing on my work day when they were working on them) but SURPRISE he did one later on (THANK YOU TEACHERS!!!). 

And speaking of preschool, I am so deeply thankful for ours.  Ok, so this breaks the rule a little and falls into the biggies category, sort of.  Its not family, friends, health, a roof over our heads….but what its become is community.  I look forward to my work day each week.  Scott loves being there, I love being there.  I love watching how much Scott learns and develops while he is there and I love feeling supported and supporting like minded parents.  And the teachers….the four of them are quite possibly my four favorite people on the planet (besides my own family).  Miss K, Miss J, Miss S and Miss J:  you have my heart, you may not ever see this, but I cannot possibly thank you enough for what you give us everyday! (for the record Scott gets to be in this classroom for another year and when he "graduates" Owen will begin, so really this is just the first of 4 beautiful years here!)

Christmas music.  Enough said right there, but I was especially thankful for it on Tuesday evening when I got in my car after a loooooooong day.  I didn't realize one of our local stations had already started playing it but Hilary (who I had switched cars with when we had switched who was watching the kids) had set it for me.  Perfect.

Coffee.  Cold early mornings…made better with a hot, caffeinated beverage.

"Mommy Percentages."  This is a made up phrase, but I don't know what else to call it.  Some days I feel like 90% of my day is breaking up fights, toning down whining, dealing with tired cranky fits….etc. etc. etc.  You've heard it before.  But the moments that aren't that make up for it times 100!  Literally we will go for what feels like hours straight in survival mode, then we will laugh and hug and love on each other and the past hour of crabbiness is instantly erased.  And I'm so thankful for all of it.

The Gluten Summit.  I downloaded all 30 interviews and I'm so excited to dig in and to share it with my patients and friends.  Nerd alert:  I love continuing education.

Work perks.  Last night Brian scored free movie tickets to an early screening of Catching Fire (mind you I'm not even a crazy Hunger Games fan, we saw the first one on netflix and it was better than I expected).  Brian sent me out on a girls night with his Aunt and cousin and we had a blast.  Dinner, drinks and a movie - I felt like I was 21 again!

So there are few.  I'm sure there have been more.  I'm sure their will be more.  Its really fun to recognize the little things.  Happy month of Thanksgiving friends!

KA-RAH-TAY

{The title of this post is for you, Leah….I say it that way too!  UNAGI!}

Scott has been in karate for a few weeks now and he is loving it!  Its about the cutest thing in the world too.  We found a great program done by parks and rec with a teacher is perfectly appropriate for this age group (we had a soccer teacher over the summer that was fine, but I just think he didn't get 3 and 4 year olds, especially not mine, and Scott actually said out loud: I don't want to go because I don't like the teacher).  Anyways….karate has been great.  Its 30 minutes once a week and its just what we need to get our booties out of the house in the afternoon on a non school day!  They race, they stretch, they roll, they kick and punch, they learn the rules of karate (never hit people, always be a good listener), they count in Japanese and basically get all their crazies out!

Today they were doing an obstacle course (karate roll down the mat, kick the first mat, punch the second mat, kick the third mat and go through a tunnel).  Scott ran to be first and did a great job until after the 2nd set of kick then he just started wandering.  So I sort of whispered from the sidelines "tunnel" (by the way I try not to be "that mom" and just leave instructing up to the instructors.  I've sat next to "that mom" a lot and I basically want to punch her out each time, be it karate, swimming what have you).  So Scott gives me a little recognition, like oh yeah now I remember, then he gives me the thumbs up and winks at me on his way.  No joke.  Like: "got it babe, thanks."  I'm in big trouble with this little charmer.   I would give anything if I had that moment on film.  What a crack up!

Already looking forward to our next class!

"AAAAAH Salmon Skin Roll!!!!"

Friday phone dump

This is clearly not my month for posting.  Busy little bees we are.

So for now, a phone dump:

Practicing writing letters (he's been asking to do this occasionally and I jump at any chance for sitting still and working on something)

 Please note the m&ms to his right.  A little bribery to get through the whole page…I'm not above that.

He wanted to write:  "Dear Owen, I liked being batman and robin together.  Love, Scott"  

melt.

TJs has Thanksgiving stickers.  What up!?!!!!

Last weekend we had a beach day and sleep over at Mimi and Papas while Brian was on a trip.  It was just what we needed.  It felt like a mini vacation and it made Brian's trip feel much shorter.  All good things.  And we all love quality time with Mimi and Papa.

Love those beach buns...

Someone needs a haircut:

Superheroes everywhere (notice the Hulk's arm in the photo above)

Parker J. was over for a playdate a few days ago.  So naturally everyone ended up naked (well the boys did, Hilary and I stayed dressed, you're welcome neighbors).  Then Hilary snapped this pic of Mr. Crazy Pants(less) streaking through the yard.  I still can't stop laughing.

And we finally made it to Gull Wings, a local children's museum.  We had so much fun and can't wait to go back.  Parker John didn't leave the train exhibit basically the whole time.  

And I think Scott's favorite was the climbing wall.

We spent this week getting new windows installed…may not look like much but they are awesome and we couldn't be more excited about them.

And with guys coming to the house early in the mornings all bets have been off when it comes to morning routines.   We have had several breakfast picnics in the boys bedroom because they were hammering loudly, and most recently a breakfast picnic in front of sesame street in the living…mostly because Owen would not stop screaming "Elmo" at me and I broke and we watched it (now for the second day in a row,  not a lovely habit)

Art + Wine

Happy Birthday Mimi!!!!!  Last Sunday we celebrated Mimi's Birthday (on her actual birthday…hey now!) with family brunch at Mimi and Papa's house and then a girl's afternoon out at an art class.  

The art class was centered around wine tasting (you know the drill) so it was of course the most fun ever.  The project was a still life done out of torn paper.  Good thing there was wine is all I'm saying.  I left feeling very artsy.  Haha.

Finished products.

We even had time for dinner out afterwards.  Its such a treat to have girl time with my two favorite women!  Happy Birthday to the greatest Mimi in the world!  Love you both!

Biking

The grown up Campbells (Brian and myself) finally got some bikes.  Since then its been bike rides every weekend and we are LOVIN' IT!

Owen just wishing he could ride Scott's big two wheeler….a few more years pal.

For now, this is how he rolls...

Love our weekend rides!

10

(photo from the night we met….literally minutes after being introduced.  and for the record I was not dating the guy in between us, I have been asked this many times)

This post is a little (almost a month) late in coming.  Whoops.  But 10 years ago on October 17th, Brian and I met.  A decade.  Holy smokes.  And we look like babies in this picture.  There are more from that night, also embarrassing, i mean the hair, the clothes…oh my?!!  The night we met I never in a million years would have guessed it would have led to a decade of greatness.  I mean when the guys were talking Brian up to me I actually thought I was gonna hate him ("ooooh Brian gets all the girls, you're gonna love him." - I think was an exact quote.  I thought "oh great, this guy is gonna be so conceited.")  And a night at a club of all things.  I'm pretty sure we haven't been to a club since (or at least not one where we've been excited to be there).  It just goes to show you, you never know how or when that person is going to walk into your life and change everything.  I'm so glad this night happened (over) 10 years ago!

Also who is down for Aaron to bring back the spiky hair?  Just sayin'. 

Zac Brown Band

Two weekends ago was date night for the Campbell grown ups.  Woohoo.  We scored some major good seats to see Zac Brown Band at the Hollywood Bowl.  First off the Hollywood Bowl.  Love.  I would see ANYONE there.  Best venue ever.  I haven't been in 5 or 6 years when we had a season package and went 4 times in one summer, amazing (bonus: Hilary lived across the street at the time so also free parking and easy in and out!).  And then Zac Brown.  I was already a fan.  I think I've liked everything they have released since the beginning of time.  Brian liked them too, thanks to his new love of country music (thank you Farmers Insurance and Rascal Flatts for making a country music lover outta my hubby!).  But after the concert….holy mega fans!  They are so awesome!

We picked up dinner (whole foods, so glam) on the way down and picnicked at our seats.

See…told ya, total score on the seats. : )

And then enjoyed the show all evening.  They are crazy talented and I love going to concerts where I know all the words to all the songs.

So my iPhone pics of them on stage aren't the greatest but the night was amazing, one that I'll never forget.

If you ever get the chance to see them, do it.  You won't be sad.  Brian was saying before the show started that he loves when bands do covers.  Well they must have over heard because in-between ZBB songs we heard a little metallica, van morrison (swoon, our fave!), david gray and charlie daniels band. 

Thanks to grandma and gpa for keeping the boys for us and thanks Brian for a great date night!

Happy Halloween 2013

Its gonna be a long post folks, there is just too much halloween cuteness!

Our Halloween week started with Scott's preschool Halloween party, complete with trick or treating.  It was my work day in his classroom so I got to partake in all the fun (dressed as Scott's sidekick of course!)

Buddies just waiting to go trick or treating (spiderman is one of Scott's (I mean Batman's) best friends at school….they are pretty inseparable)

Tuesday was also Scott's first day to stay for picnic pals (two extra hours to stay and eat lunch and play on the playground, he's been asking to stay for this since school started and I finally got him enrolled.  He calls is "picnic piles" by the way.  So cute)

So well Scott stayed to play I headed out to do some errands, still dressed as Robin.  My trip to whole foods included fresh juice for lunch and I have to give kudos to my "juice-ista" for playing along with my costume (especially since my other half wasn't with me to make me look normal)

After school we had just enough time to stop home for a quick snack before Scott and I headed to my office (Owen spends Tuesdays at Mimi and Papas, we usually pick him up at 12:30 but this picnic pals thing has us changing the way we shuffle)

 Scott was super patient during my super busy night and we made to sure to get our super hero adjustments before we left.

Halloween eve we took a spooooooky bath (led ice cubes) which was a HUGE hit!

Halloween morning Scott woke up and asked if it was time for trick or treating yet.

It was a regular school day for Scott including picnic piles.  So when I picked him up at 2 he was fully exhausted already.  We rested and watched a movie and played quietly in hopes of him getting a second wind for trick or treating.  Don't know why I even worried….he was SO READY!

We got in our gear about 45 minutes before it was time to head to our friends house for dinner and drinks before trick or treating.  Then of course: Photo shoot time.  I may or may not have used the phrase: "the more pictures you take the more candy you get".  Multiple times.

 But bribery worked and I managed a few shots of Batman and Robin before the craziness ensued.  Robin even left his mask on for a while.  Miracle.

 The pictures above and below just scream "Super Hero" to me.  Love it.

 And I went as Robin again (a "costume" I can wear with yoga pants?  sign me up.)

 (And if you're curious Brian went as "Super Dad" - jeans, quicksilver shirt, flip flops….WINK WINK)

 Ok so picture overload, you knew it was coming...

Scott really gets into character when his bat suit is on.  He also spend much of the week referring to himself in the third person…."Batman would like more juice please"  "Batman needs some help with his shoes" etc.

After pictures we walked to our friends' house (and I can't stress enough (yet again) how much I love our neighborhood and having friends right around the corner!) for a little trick or treating pre party!

aaaaah…..fall…..

And this one, it fully melts my heart.  The way Owen is looking at Scott.  My heart is full.

Pizza picnic with Batman, Robin and Katelyn the kitty cat!

And then we attempted to get these three to sit, smile and look the same direction:

 Still cute.  And next year Lexi (Katelyn's cousin will be big enough to sit and smile too, just one more kid to not be looking at the same camera! haha!)

We trick or treated last year but Owen was still ergo baby status.  This year he was ready and excited but he really didn't need to go past the front porch.  He could have stayed and looked at the lights for an hour and then gone home.  Every house I took him from resulted in tear because he wanted to stay and admire the decor.  "Ooooooh" "wow".

He did make it up to a few doors to get candy.  The concept was a little lost on him still.  When the neighbor would reach to put candy in his bucket he would pull his bucket back and say "noooo".  I think he thought they were taking his bucket away.  They managed to sneak the candy in anyways, but its completely fine by me that he doesn't have a taste for candy yet.

We got home and for the first year dumped our stash and looked through it.  Scott was told in advance he could only have on piece before bed.  He hemmed and hawed for a bit, and asked what everything was (we a bit unfamiliar with 'conventional' candy in our house), whatever we told him he said "oh, I like [insert candy name]" he ended up choosing a lollipop and therefor Owen chose a lollipop (thank you trader joes, mommy did the old switcheroo, i'm sorry I just really really hate corn syrup and red #40). 

 Then we told Scott he could choose 3 pieces to save and eat this weekend (another lollipop, a twizzlers and a bag of m&ms) and the rest would be gone.  And he was cool with it.  A local dentist will take your candy and send it to troops overseas so we tried explaining that to Scott as best we could and he was good to go.  He had his lollipops!

This morning he woke up and asked for candy for breakfast…sooooo I guess that's started already, I thought it would be when they were around 7 or 8.  Stupid mom.  But we did manage to wait until after lunch for the m&ms.

Things we didn't do this year: Carve a jack-o-lantern.  Kind of makes me feel like mommy fail, but you know what the kids didn't know and I'm pretty sure they had a rockin' Halloween….there's always next year right?!

We hope you and yours had a spook-tacular week!