Aaron being Aaron

Aaron is very much a 3 year old little guy. Adorable and full of personality. 

Aaron the bubble master

Aaron is R2D2 tall

Sleepy Aaron snuggled up in Mommy & Daddy's bed

How Aaron does yoga and let's others do yoga

Snow storm Raleigh style

So we did get quite a bit of cold weather, ice, and snow with the latest winter storm here in Raleigh. I love how the kids have made the best of it. Coming from San Diego where it didn't snow, Kyle and Emily still find snow a novelty. And for the most part, it doesn't disrupt our daily routine. In fact, here it gets them out of school. When all was said and done, the kids had 2.5 days off of school due to the cold temperatures, ice, and snow (all days called off by the school district). Now they have Saturday school to make up 2 of the days, but we will see how that plays out because Saturdays are our days. The kids played outside for 4 days straight. It was amazing and wonderful. And we didn't lose power like we thought we would when the lights started to flicker. Our neighbors threw a snow party one of the evenings so we all had a potluck dinner at their house, hung out, played games and the kids watched a movie. 

All the streets in our neighborhood were covered in ice and having hilly streets, everyone was out with their sleds sliding down the streets during the day. No one attempted to drive for the first 3 days. It was a blast and such a fun community of neighbors we have.

Again, being from San Diego, the kids used what they know best to have some fun in the snow and ice. Here is Kyle boogie boarding down the street because it was a sheet of several inches of ice. And because we have boogie boards, not sleds. They wanted to use the surf boards, but the fins would have prevented any movement. You can take the kids out of San Diego, but you can't take the San Diego out of the kids. 

Kyle surfing down a hill

A bunch of kids sledding Raleigh-style

Kyle and Em surfing down the hill

Darth Vader's smoothie

Ahead of the big winter storm we were having in Raleigh, Aaron and I went to Costco to stock up on food so we would be set to eat should we be homebound for an extended period of time. To make it through Costco, Aaron gets to eat a hot dog (not a staple in our house, but the kids do enjoy them on the rare occasion they do get to eat them) and more recently he has added a smoothie to his order. He discovered them at the beginning of the month when he wasn't feeling well (had a sore throat likely from blisters in his throat from hand, foot & mouth) and realized that he didn't want a hot dog because it would hurt his throat. I suggested a smoothie and he has been forever changed with his Costco order. So here he is, Darth Vader sweatshirt / mask and all, having his smoothie. Even Darth Vader has to eat. 

Hug

Aaron has such a sweet heart. He comes up to me, looks at me, and very sweetly says "hug" and gives a sweet, wonderful Aaron hug. He did this with both Jeff and myself at lunch the other day. Love his heart. 

Florida

The day after Christmas, we got in the car and headed south. First stop, Gainesville to spend some time with Spike. We all had a wonderful time. We saw gators, ate burritos, played with Tilly, saw campus, ran the stadium, and chilled with Spike's puppy and kitties. 

After spending a few days in Gainesville, we headed further south to Naples to hang out with Mom, Tommy, Colleen, and their kiddies. We went to the beach and played at the pool. It was a great escape from the stresses of home, a wonderful get-away with excellent weather and fun with family. We had a beach day and there were actually waves. The kids got to boogie board and play in the waves. 

On New Years Eve, Em and I went back to the beach during the day. The other kids did not want to go so we took a girls morning at the beach. It was great to spend some one on one time with her which is something we rarely get to do. There weren't many waves, but there were millions of cool shells so we did our fair share of shell collecting. And because we brought the boogie boards, we caught some tiny waves (likely made by passing boats but a wave is a wave) together. And since we hadn't done my dad's traditional "ice cream in new cities" ice cream, we found a little ice cream at a nearby deli. And we got some matching bracelets. Was a very nice morning with Em. 

Welcome 2016. Farewell 2015. 

Swimming with Addy & Kally. 

Christmas

Christmas Eve, our neighbors invited us over to celebrate with them as well as other neighbors and friends. Santa made a visit to the kids as well like last year. It was nice of Santa to stop by on such a busy night for him. 

Emily wasn't feeling well so she went back home before Santa arrived. We suspect she had a funky piece of crab (or some new allergic reaction) at dinner based on how she bounced back when we returned home and that it didn't spread. Thank goodness on all accounts. 

Christmas Day was fun too. Kids didn't get up too early like we used to as kids. They opened presents and we had brunch. Then we spent a low-key day in pajamas playing with some new toys. We had some friends over for dessert that evening and called it a holiday.

Gingerbread man

Aaron's class put on a little program for the families at Christmas time. The kids sang songs, ate some yummy snacks and made some holiday crafts. Aaron is quite a ham when it comes to performing. And he looks giant in this video. He is among the younger kids in the class. 

Gingerbread Man

Longest time

Jeff and I went to see Billy Joel in Charlotte. I grew up listening to him in car trips as a kid. I can still remember the orange vanagon trucking along between Illinois and Ohio and listening to the cassette tapes from the little brown suitcase of tapes. Needless to say, seeing Billy Joel in concert was a life bucket list item for me. Others that we listened to on childhood road trips include Simon & Garfunkel (saw them, best concert ever); Neil Diamond (saw him); Beach Boys (saw them in high school); Elton John & Lionel Richie. I'd see Billy Joel, Simon & Garfunkel and the Beach Boys in concert again should they tour nearby. Talk about transporting back in time in such a good way. 

Aaron singing Frosty the Snowman

Aaron has been busting out in song lately with some winter and holiday songs. On our drive between Chicago and Milwaukee, he started singing some Frosty the Snowman. 

Hugging light saber

Aaron loves his Star Wars. For Thanksgiving, he had to bring his light saber and Yoda ears. He has no problem wearing them wherever and whenever. Cuteness abound in this 3 year old. 

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in Chicago and Wisconsin. It was fully of family, food, and fun.

Storytime with Grandma

The boys reading their own books. 

Milwaukee Science / Children's museum. We went with Grandma and Kristin's boys and had a blast. The kids all tried the flight simulator and laid on a bed of nails!! 

And the big guy was there! Somehow, Aaron didn't cry sitting on Santa's lap like every other kid in the history of Santa has done. 

The kids by the large fish tank. 

Grandma love. 

In Chicago, cowboy Jedi night Aaron has come to town. 

Cowboy Yoda Jedi Night Aaron. 

The kids loved playing with Caper and Berkley, Aaron and Emily especially. 

Someone got ahold of my phone

Aaron loves taking pictures when he gets ahold of my phone. Selfies especially. 

Way up high in the apple tree

My little surfer blonde baby is singing with a southern accent... His teachers definitely have southern accents so that is how he hears the songs he is taught at school. But if you showed him an apple and asked him what it was, he would say "apple" without the southern accent. 

Aaron's evolution of dessert

Aaron's speech continues to come along nicely. Dessert started off as "wurt". It then became "zert". And now it is a very emphatic "ezzert"!!


On a separate, yet entertaining note, when he counts he emphasizes the e. Ten, eleven, e-twelve, e-thirteen...

Slam dunk Aaron

Umstead

The kids had the day off school in observance of Veteran's Day. It was a gorgeous day so we made sure to get outside for some fresh air. We took a walk in Umstead and it was wonderful. Leaves were turning colors and falling. The kids enjoyed running the trails. We went about 3 miles round trip. Aaron was a bit of a hot mess at the end and just fell into a puddle of tears because he was just so done. I picked him up and commented, "Wow you sure are in a state. What state are you in? Alabama?" He paused his super fatigued sobs to say, "No, Raleigh!!"