Noah Turns Two!!!

On January 15, 2012 or little Noah turned two. We had a very small family get together to celebrate his big birthday. He chose Thomas the Train as the theme.

"He got cake????"

Noah driving his new corvette... LOL... he was all over the place! We took Gabe out...

Grandpa bought Noah his first pair of cowboy boots... He LOVES them! They light up on the side when he walks around.

But couldn't quite figure out why Grandpa's boots didn't light up..

Our little man on his actual 2nd birthday...

We started out the day singing happy birthday with candles in a muffin... Noah loves muffins and he LOVED when we sang "happy birthday" to him...


Blowing out the candles... He did a great job....

He loved his ice cream Thomas the Train cake...

Can you tell?

Maura patiently waiting for her cake...

Noah loved all of his balloons...

Thank you everybody that joined us! We love you!

Christmas at the Wood's

Since I haven't blogged for quite some time I'll try and get ya'll caught up on our last month! After Thanksgiving Grandma Coco and Grandpa Frosty stayed for a couple of days to visit and play some "butt". We also made a trip to the Wild Animal Park minus Grandpa Frosty... he decided to stay at home and read. The boys loved their visit with "gampa frosty" and "ga coco". The day after they left Noah woke up and kept asking "mama where is gampa"? He even checked the guest room to make sure I wasn't hiding him somewhere. Noah has a very special place in his heart for Grandpa Frosty...

A week and a half after they left to head home my Mom and Step-Dad came to visit for an early Christmas celebration. It was great having them here. My Mom flew in on the 8th and stayed with our family through the weekend and then headed over to Beth and Sean's to enjoy some coastal living. My Mom and I were able to spend some quality time together while Casey watched the boys for me. She introduced me to a store called Hobby Lobby! Oh my... I fell in love all over again! Sorry Casey and thank you Momma! Noah can't quite pronounce Nena for my mom so he calls her Nana... we skype with her often so he was immediately smitten with her. Gabe loves Nana too snuggling right into her shoulder. I think he remembered her from being here right after he was born. She spent many hours rocking him while I was off at school! After Nena and Grandpa Chris left we attended a Christmas party with our neighbors. They had a live band, great food, drinks, and a huge fun backyard for all of the kids.

The next weekend was Christmas! We had a small Christmas Eve get together at our house with my sister, Sean, and brother John. We made shrimp creole which is a family tradition on my side. We have had this nearly every Christmas Eve growing up at my Grandma and Grandpa Vincent's house. When they passed away we have tried to carry on the tradition... never having known their recipe. They added ketchup, horseradish, milk, flower, onion, and a few other things... Let me just tell you I have definitely NOT perfected this recipe! It was awful and I will apologize over and over to my sister and brothers! I owe them for being so nice to me... I'm sure after their first bite they wanted to run home and eat a cardboard box! LOL!

Christmas morning we woke up and headed to Fresno to celebrate with Grandma Coco, Grandpa Frosty, Auntie Chaudra, Uncle Corey, Cadence, and Cheira. We had a wonderful time eating, visiting, and playing! The boys loved spending time with everybody and we are really looking forward to seeing them all again soon. While in Fresno we were also able to fit in a Christmas celebration with Grandpa and Grammy Wood!

We headed home a few days after Christmas and were preparing for 2012!!! We spent New Year's Eve at our friend Megan and Jarrod's celebrating their son's 1st birthday! The boys made it until 7:30 pm and fell asleep on the short walk home. Mommy didn't quite make it until midnight either! Ok about 8:30 to be exact! I periodically woke up trying to make an effort to watch the New Year's show with Ryan Seacrest. I later figured out that I had failed miserably when what I thought was a dream about Lady Gaga was her actual performance! Man she is out there! For those of you who have heard about my dreams you know what I'm talking about! If her performance fooled me into thinking it was a dream then that performance was WAAAAAAYYYYYY out there! LOL...

Overall, we had a GREAT holiday season and can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

Happy New Year!

Did I mention I made 400+ cookies for friends and family.... ummm.... in one night! HOLY MOLY! Our whole kitchen was filled... Next year I'm makin' cheese balls!

Sugar cookies... not decorated yet...

Platters.. not finished yet... I forgot to take a picture with them all finished...

Grandpa and Gabe snuggling... they love their Grandpa!

These are from Christmas Eve... Ugly sweater party anybody??

Maura and Daddy...

Santa came and left all of these wonderful gifts for the boys! I'm not sure how he fit that huge kitchen in his sleigh! Noah now tells Mommy that "banta" aka Santa brought that for him... Santa gets all the credit...

Opening presents at Gra Coco's... Gabe says "huh??? I know there's more presents for me! You're joking right???"

Trying to steal Gabey's new present already...

Grandpa with all of his "Great's"

After opening gifts...

Gabe and Grammy really enjoyed each other...

Grammy Wood and a few of her "Great's" ... She has 4 more...

Cadi posing as my model... Santa brought me a brand new camera so I was learning how to use some of the fun gadgets!

My two little models...

Aren't they adorable...

Grandma Coco and Cadi

Our little Noah opening presents New Year's Eve... he couldn't open them all on Christmas morning... He hasn't quite caught on yet...

Gabe opening a gift...

Noah enjoying his new gifts.... The helmet is supposed to be used with his new scooter... and the ride-on train is Gabriel's... Whatever... it works...

Maura, Beth, and my Mom... 3 generations...

A sunset in Encinitas...

this is at our early Christmas with my Mom and Step-Dad... Gabe loved his new bear and computer!

This is how Noah looked when he first saw his new remote control car... Sooooo funny!!!

Maura and Noah with their new scooters.

Nana and Gabriel... two seconds before he was all snuggled into her arm...

At the wild animal park they have a small water play area... It was beautiful and Noah wanted to play!

Christmas...

I read this poem today and thought I would share. I pray that our boys will someday be able to write a Christmas Wish List as lovingly as this...


A Child's Wish List

Snowflakes softly falling
Upon your window they play
Your blankets snug around you,
Into sleep you drift away.

I bend to gently kiss you,
when I see that on the floor
there's a letter, neatly written
I wonder who it's for.

I quietly unfold it
making sure you're still asleep,
It's a Christmas list for Jesus
one my heart will always keep.

It started just as always
with the toys seen on TV,
A new watch for your father
and a winter coat for me.

But as my eyes read on
I could see that deep inside
there were many things you wished for
that your loving heart would hide.

You asked if your friend Molly
could have another Dad;
It seems her father hits her
and it makes you very sad.

Then you asked dear Lord
if the neighbors down the street
could find a job, that he might have
some food, and clothes, and heat.

You saw a family on the news
whose house had blown away,
"Dear Lord, send them just one thing,
a place where they can stay."

"Do you know that little bear I have
the one I love so dear?
I'd like you to deliver it
to child in Africa this year".

"And as you can do anything
on this night of your birth,
Could you bring to everyone
goodwill and peace on earth".

"There's one last thing before you go,
so grateful I would be,
if you'd do something special for mommy
she's been so good to me."

I pulled the letter close to me'
I felt it melt my heart.
Those tiny hands had written
what no other could impart.

"And a little child shall lead them,"
was whispered in my ear
As I watched you sleep on Christmas Eve
while daddy and I stood near.