Long Overdue

I know I have been a complete slacker when it comes to this blog, and I apologize. No excuses (although I could probably come up with quite a list if I wanted to), just apologies. Since three months have gone by since I last posted, the only thing I can do at this point it start over, and I will, but not before catching everyone up on the major things that have gone on in those three months. Bear with me. Since the last post was about the birth of Evan, I will start from there.

A week after Evan was born, we moved across the country to the lovely (although a little hot for my taste) state of California. Brett was able to find us a beautiful home to rent.

With an amazing back yard for the kids.

It's awesome. The kids can swing and swim, and there is plenty of room left over.

Shortly after moving here, Colin started kindergarten. Here he is on his first day.

Ian started school a week later. Ian also turned 4 in September, and we celebrated by going to Disneyland and becoming season pass holders! We had a lot of fun, and I wish I could show you, but my camera has been AWOL ever since, so no pictures! Sorry!

Shortly after the kids started school, I went to Utah to throw a bridal shower for my then sister-in-law to be: Hope. While I was gone, Brett contracted swine flu. Luckily, no one else got it!

At the beginning of October, we went down to Oceanside, California to spend a week with my family. While we were down there, we also took the kids to Sea World in San Diego.

Brett spent the day in the car because he had a sinus infection and bronchitis as aftereffects from the swine flu. But the kids and I had a blast!!!

The kids' favorite activities were feeding the seals and touching the star fish.

Colin was a bit more daring, and he was willing to reach in for the really big ones.

While in Oceanside, the kids lived either in the pool with Papa . . .

. . . or at the beach.

At the end of October, we headed to Utah for my brother Trey's wedding! Welcome to the family, Hope!!!

Ian was a ring bearer. Colin escorted the flower girls down the aisle. They wore tuxedos, and they looked so cute! Ian fell asleep during the ceremony, and we couldn't revive him until nearly the end of the reception, so they weren't in any of the wedding photos. But here is a picture of them trying their tuxes on beforehand.

My brother and his wife are professional ballroom dancers. During their reception, they had a floor show with some of their friends who are truly amazing dancers. Colin was mesmerized by what he saw. You could hear him ooh-ing and aah-ing as the professionals danced. Colin spent the rest of the evening implementing the new dance moves he learned, while dancing the night away with the flower girls. You should see his leg lifts! Once Ian finally woke up, he joined in on the dancing, stole half of the flower girls, and didn't stop until the end of the night.

The next day, the boys headed to the park to launch rockets with Papa.

This is something that the boys have come to look forward to every time they see their Papa.

The next night was Halloween. Colin decided to go as Peter Pan for the third year in a row, and Ian decided to go as Buzz Lightyear, because he was so excited that he had finally grown into Colin's old costume.

I left Evan's costume in California (he was going to be Roo). Luckily, at the last minute, Gran came to the rescue with a penguin costume, which turned out to be sooo perfect.

By hitting both my mom's and Brett's mom's neighborhoods, the kids really loaded up on candy.

The next day, Brett headed off to to New York City to start his new job with a week of training. I drove the other direction, back to California, with the kids. I drove all the way, all by myself! But I want to thank Nicole and Eli for caravaning with me.

Evan was an angel the whole time, and we only had to stop once in each direction (in Mesquite, NV) to feed him. Colin also was a huge helper on the way back. He sat next to Evan and took great care of him, which made it possible to get home in one day.

And back in New York, Brett started work on Monday. Here is a picture of him on his first day.

Fortunately, he remembered to change out of his slippers before showing up to work at his firm.

After a full week of training, Brett was able to get out for an evening to see some of the city. Here he is at the top of the Empire State Building.

And here is Brett in Times Square with his brother Richard and our sister-in-law Sunidsa.

It turns out that Richard and Sunidsa just happened to be in New York City for their anniversary. It was only just before each of them left for New York that they found out that the other was going to be there! Crazy coincidence!

Now, we are all back in California, and Brett has started working at his firm here. Things are beginning to settle down more, and we are finally getting into a routine.

And last, but certainly not least, here is an update on Evan.

He is a wonderful baby, and he is always happy. He has been sleeping 10-12 hours a night since he was 6 weeks old. He loves to be held and entertained, and he is quick to reward his entertainer with smiles and laughs.

He makes life fun, as you can probably tell!

This was long, but definitely not long enough to capture everything we have been doing. I guess I shouldn't wait so long to blog in the future!

(Okay, Mom, I blogged, so now you have to come for Thanksgiving!)