Christmas Photo Session

I finally got around to taking the boys' pictures for our Christmas card. If you receive your card after Christmas now you know why! :)

We went to the lake nearby and shot a lot of pictures within about 15 minutes because it was chilly outside. I actually got a number of good ones with both of them looking at the camera at the same time!

Here are some of their outtakes, though!

Of course, no photo session would be complete without DJ's signature Zoolander pose!

Cody would not stay still. Now that he can walk, he has places to go and things to do!


I like this one. He kind of looks constipated, but it is still cute.

GO CODY!

Not sure what DJ was doing here, but he was having fun doing it.

Karate Promotion

Yesterday was DJ and Doyle's karate promotion. We had DJ convinced that he was getting one stripe on his yellow belt. He was excited that he was moving up to one stripe.

He didn't know it, but we had already been told that he was jumping up to his orange belt!!!

Neither Doyle or DJ knew it, but Doyle was jumping up to a yellow belt. DJ was NOT happy about that. He wanted his dad to only get one stripe! :)

Here are pictures from the promotion ceremony:

The White and Yellow Belt

Doyle's picture with Master Amen after receiving his yellow belt

When DJ was asked to take off his yellow belt, he was confused. Master Amen then asked him if he wanted to keep the yellow belt or get a new color. DJ was quick to say "a new color!" He looks confused, doesn't he?

DJ getting his new belt put on

DJ standing proudly with his new belt and certificate



DJ "reading" his certificate. I even overheard him say "mine says the same thing of yours". Funny thing is, he can't read!

The new Yellow and Orange Belts!!!

DJ's 1st Christmas Cookies

DJ had gotten a cookbook for kids one day at Chic Fil A. This was awhile back.

Lately, though, DJ has been wanting to cook a lot so he found this cookbook again and wanted to make something from it. He and his dad decided on a shortbread cookie recipe.

He had a BLAST decorating the cookies. Here are a few pictures from DJ's 1st attempt at Christmas Cookie Making.

Disneyland

We finally made it back to Disneyland and most importantly....we were able to get on the Nemo ride without a 3.5 hour line! YEAH! The line was less than 30 minutes.

The kids had a great time and Cody found a new enjoyment there. The last time we went over the summer, he could care less about the rides. This time, while at California Adventures, he really enjoyed the Bug's Life area. He rode the Heimlich Train 2 times in a row and yelled at me when we got off. His favorite ride was the Dancing Ladybugs (equivalent to the Tea Cup rides only not as long of a ride). He rode it 4 times. Before the ride, he would sit there with a blank expression. As soon as the ride would start, his eyes would light up and a huge smile would come across his face. He would occassionally clap and throw his hands in the air with excitement. It was fun to watch him.

DJ's favorite ride of the day was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. He rode that about 3 times. He even let out a "WOOHOO" every now and then during the ride.

This is definitely the time to go visit Disneyland and California Adventures. The only line we came across was the Nemo ride, but even that was less than 30 minutes. DJ was even impressed with the lack of lines. He kept saying "wow...this is sooo much better than last time!"

Oh, even Scooter came along this time. He stayed in the kennels there. It was his 6th birthday so we figured he should come along. He wasn't too happy about it. I think he kind of hoped he would get to go in the park. He did enjoy the tram ride over there, though!

Here are some pictures from the day:

My favorite picture of DJ - hanging on Mickey


The Slape Boys - including Scooter


Playing with DJ's reflection in the ornament

DJ trying to steal a present under the tree

DJ trying to take off one of the ornaments

The castle with its Christmas decor

The boys posing in their stroller

The big boy happy to be out of the stroller

Halloween Photo Shoot Outtakes

Here are some fun pics of the boys not cooperating during their photo session. :)

That's goldfish crackers that young Co-da is showing.

He LOVES his costume. This was taken as soon as I put the costume on him.

Happy Halloween 2007

San Diego Fires - We are Safe

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we are safe now. We had been evacuated on Sunday because the fire was closing in on our area.

Yesterday morning, the fire was within about a mile from our house. Fortunately, they were able to do an air assault on the fire and extinguish the fire near us. The shift in wind helped as well.

We were able to go home last night and what a great feeling that was!

Please keep all other evacuees and those that lost their homes in your prayers and thoughts. SO many are displaced right now and it is bittersweet that our home is still standing while others have lost everything.

The boys are happy to be home. They bothed missed their toys and started playing with them immediately. DJ confessed that the thing he missed the most was his Playstation 2 so that was the first thing he played with. :)

An Oldie But a Goodie

I just had to post this pic of DJ when he was 1 because he was so darn cute!!!!!

More Pictures

Just a few more pictures from the summer (and this month)

At the Birch Aquarium - DJ striking a Zoolander pose


Cody already knows how to do the "fake" smile for the camera

Cody's 1st wedding - Getting ready for Auntie Val and Uncle Aaron's wedding

My boys looking handsome

The kids at the Nature Center. I told them to act like birds and this is what I got! :) Notice how Cody is looking at them like they are all crazy! HAHA

In the pool that papa bought that broke after only about a week!

It's Been Awhile

I know it has been a LONG 3 months since I last posted pictures of the boys.

The summer went by really fast with the boys spending most of their summer with Kacy and Gian. They had a blast with them and hated for them to go.

DJ has grown a lot in the past few months both physically and developmentally. Let's just say he is getting too smart! :) Sometimes, it feels like I am talking to a 16 year old when he tries to negotiate his way into something.

Cody is growing fast, too! Since the last time I blogged, he has begun to self feed (FINALLY), is cruising along the furniture and is THIS close to walking on his own, is a crawling speed demon (speed racer has nothing on him!) and is just LOADS of fun. He is a prankster like his brother. Like DJ, he loves to make people laugh. He is sooo much fun to have around. He is starting to talk a lot, but still refuses to say mama. I know he knows how, he just won't do it in front of me!

DJ doesn't think he is so much fun, though, when he picks on DJ, laughs at him when he is crying and beats him up. Thank goodness that for the most part, DJ is pretty good about not retaliating.

DJ is in his 2nd year of preschool and is starting to write his letters and I swear the boy can read even if he says he doesn't know how! :)

Here are a few pictures from one of their days outside enjoying the summer.

On daddy's father's day present - a Harley
and if I may quote one of my favorite movies- "I need a coooool rider, a cool cool cool cool rider" (the Ponce girls will know what I mean! LOL)


The serious look

THUMBS UP! He even does the Fonz's "EY" when he gets those thumbs up.

Busy Week

This was a busy week for us.

We started last weekend off on Saturday with DJ's karate promotion. Our little 3 year old received his YELLOW BELT!!!! He was so proud as were his daddy and I!

Then came DJ's 4th birthday party. DJ had a great time with his friends, cousins and classmates. He is already planning his 5th birthday party!

That night, we drove to Anaheim to spend the night with my brother-in-law and family. The next morning, we headed straight for DISNEYLAND!!! This was Cody's first time there so we, of course, had to christen him with his first set of Mickey Ears!!!

Although this was DJ's 3rd time there, he saw Disneyland with new eyes this visit. He was tall enough to ride all the roller coasters - including Space Mountain! That boy has NO FEAR! Below is a picture of him with Uncle Robert on Space Mountain.

The next day, we went to California Adventure. That was more Cody's speed since they had Bug's Life. He spent most of the time napping and missed out on rides, though. They each also got a new pair of ears since DJ said "it's a new park. That means new ears". DJ had cool ears that lit up.

Later in the week, the in-laws came over and the boys had a blast with them. DJ found new video game partners so he was on cloud 9! We spent a couple of days poolside and Cody went swimming for the first time. He loved it. Like his dad and brother, he is a water baby, so he had a blast.

He was mad when he had to get out of the pool!

DJ, of course, was practicing his jumping in the pool. Here is a cool picture of him mid-air!