Legoland (the first)

First trip to Legoland this time around. It was packed today (holiday week) and freezing. Ok, freezing by San Diego standards, but still, if you're not prepared with a jacket, standing outside for 6+ hours in damp cold fog is no fun. Warmer in Springfield than it was by the coast here today. Ok, enough about the weather. Despite the crowds (and the cold), we had a fun day out. We'll be back next week (and the week after!) for more Legoland fun sans the Thanksgiving week holidaymakers.

Volcanic Landscape

We spent this afternoon hiking around the fantastic volcanic landscape just to the north of Inyokern. We visited the fossil falls at the base of Red Hill (fairly young volcano), and then went wandering along the lava flows that ranged from 100,000-400,000 years old. Kellan only fell and injured himself once, so all in all, it was a pretty spectacular day.

From the Desert

We are currently enjoying a long weekend at my sister's house in Inyokern and the surrounding region. I don't have access to any photo editing software here, so these are a few from our trip to Mammoth Mountain yesterday "as is". Kellan has decided that skiing is definitely in his future, though possibly only so that he might ride the "roldercoaster" (ski lift) to the top of the mountain.

The End of an Era

3 years, 8 months, and 20 days

I wear it with pride. Kellan has finished nursing. He had backed off to every other day over the past couple of weeks. He nursed on Friday for the last time. There was no ceremony, no way to know that it was the last time. You always hear that, but somehow don't believe that it will happen to you. I didn't savour it, just read my book, relaxed, and let him nurse to sleep. The next night he didn't want to nurse. Or the next night. And then last night he told me that he wouldn't be nursing anymore, that he was "too big for nursies". Which is fine, we'd discussed it, let him know that the nursing relationship at this point was 100% his decision and that when he was ready to stop, it was done. And so it is. My nursling is now a big boy.

We depart for San Diego this evening. Kellan told me on the way to school today that he didn't want to go to the beach or the park because he was a big boy now and big boys do big boy things. I asked him about what that would entail and he said, "You know, like cutting trees and stuff, building houses..." Bizarre. And, quite frankly, I'm going to the beach with or without him!

Poor Boy

What a week. What a couple of weeks. I won't blog the "other issue" that has plagued the boy of late, but you can see this week's fun and games right before your eyes. Doesn't look like Kel, does it? He had a rather major fall from the arm of the sofa head first onto the hard wood floor on Tuesday evening. X-rays have showed that all is ok, no worries, but he will retain the odd, stretched, swollen appearance for a few weeks as everything heals up. He also has Strep throat. Yes, as if the head injury weren't enough, we've been dealing with a 103 temp and a VERY unhappy boy for the past couple of days. On the bright side, perhaps we're getting it all out of the way in one go! Right?

Kellan mops

A Saturday in Litchfield

A fun day out with Caden an Olivia. And, no, the matching outfits were not planned. They all showed up in blue jeans and red sweaters!









Already trying to beat the slots! I can see these two in Vegas one day...

Halloween

The pirate costume one more time. We all had a fabulous Halloween in New Berlin with Dominic and family. After a delicious meal, we got the boys dressed and ready for trick-or-treat. Here we see Kellan ready for the main event.




As we were heading off, a friend from Kellan's music class came knocking at Dominic's door. She was also a pirate!




On the hunt for candy treasure.




This was a scary moment. A shark attacking my son. And it had a sword!!!!





Stopping to pet the local wolf.





What better way to end a fun night of trick-or-treating than a cuddle on Joe's lap while watching the Thomas Halloween DVD. It was a grand night altogether.