October - a busy month

I helped with Samantha's bridal shower (well, just food, really) which turned out to be very nice. Jessica made the cutest glasses with everyone's name on them and Sierra made pretty (and tasty) cupcakes. We played a few games and ate great food... it was fun. Unfortunately I didn't get a good photo of Sam.




Then the family all rushed over to John's Incredible Pizza for Andrew and Alex's combined birthday party. Alex only wanted one specific friend there :) We all had a good time with the balloon animals. Here Brody began his obsession with kiddie rides.

Where to start? Conference weekend

We needed some family time after Justin having been out of town all summer so we went to Ventura and stayed at Uncle Eddie's house. On Friday we visited the LA Zoo. That was fun but also a very looong day for Brody. Saturday in between sessions we attempted to hit the beach but we discovered we had a blown tire so we spent the entire time waiting around for it to be fixed and then we didn't make it to the beach until the early evening. Brody and Dad had lots of fun with this detached crab claw.

Summer Holiday

Last Friday me, Brody, Katie and Jenna traveled to San Jose for a much needed getaway. We went to Merri's house and swam and ate dinner with my aunt and uncle Patty and Danny and cousin Emily. Katie and Jenna stayed with Merri and Justin, Brody and I drove up to stay at Justin's hotel in Richmond, CA. Justin is building a Burlington Coat Factory in Pinole this summer. We saw this indoor skydiving place on the way and Justin just had to stop and watch. I had no idea that was possible - it was pretty cool to see.

We mostly spent the weekend driving around exploring Marin County. We met up with Justin's aunt and uncle Crystal and Steven and had lunch at a Thai place in Fairfax, walked around the shops at Point Reyes Station, and went to a lighthouse that was pretty cool. Justin stayed in the car for that one cause Brody was napping.

Brody LOVED the beach. We went to Stinson's. He kept running back & forth between the dry sand and the waves - he couldn't decide which was more exciting. He stuck his face down and ate the sand. I cleaned his mouth out and then he did it again. And again. Hmmm... you'd think he'd learn? Nope, he liked it. He was sneezing sand for days. He discovered piggy back rides and ever since he has been trying to climb up on my back and then bouncing like he wants me to run around.

We saw a really great fireworks show on the lagoon at the Marin county fair. We got some great little deals at IKEA. Brody really got fed up with being in the car so much. On the way back we stopped at Casa de Fruta where we ate and let the kids play. Ever since we've been home he's been walking around happy to be free and he's been very interested in his toys.

Father's Day

Justin has been working out of town for the last month (and will be for a couple more months) and he usually comes home on the weekends but he wasn't able to come home for Father's day so we celebrated one week late. So it was almost 2 whole weeks that he was away. Brody had been giving me grief for the whole week before Justin came home. He was throwing little fits where he would scream at me in defiance or impatience or for other reasons that I couldn't figure out and he was super-clingy and whiney. I think it's because he missed daddy and felt a little abandoned and was nervous about me leaving too, while at the same time he was probably getting a little sick of me. Brody clung to Justin the whole weekend while he was home. And then - when he left again, no more monster baby - yeah! What a relief, he was driving me crazy. Brody has been such a good little boy ever since. I think he just needed to know that Justin was coming back.

On Friday we went out to ice cream at Moo Creamery and Brody got his own baby cone. On Saturday we celebrated a late Father's day at Logan's Roadhouse with Steve and the whole Foulger/Huang clan. The kids all chipped in and we bought Steve a barbeque to replace his super-old one that had finally kicked the bucket. He was so excited - when he saw it he couldn't believe it and walked away and then came and looked again, just like on the TV shows when people win some huge prize. The man loves to BBQ. I made this cake which we took to the restaurant but everyone was so full after dinner that we ended up eating most of it at home over the next few days.

Grandpa's Day

On Father's Day Brody and I went over to my parents house and had Katie's Hawaiian haystacks, homemade icecream, and this cake that Sierra helped me make. It was super-yummy: white/chocolate marble cake with strawberries and hazlenut-buttercream filling and then frosted in vanilla buttercream. I think I've found a new interest. Cakes take a lot of work but they're fun when they're done.

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I framed some pics of Brody and grandpa for my dad. My dad is Brody's favorite person - even more than me or Justin. It's pretty cute. I think it's because grandpa is so silly all the time. Brody just can't get enough and it breaks his little heart whenever grandpa leaves. I'm glad that I have such a great dad and that Brody loves him so much. I remember respecting my dad a lot when I was a kid - I still do, of course - but I'm glad that Brody will get to know him in that way too one day.

for Daddy