Sitting pretty

Ava's toy box is along the wall in the living room and we have a little end table there and we put her toys on that as well and everyday she just sits quietly playing with her toys at the table. I took these pictures of her cause she was being such a good girl.

Now it feels like Christmas

We have had our tree since Sunday and just last night we decorated it cause Parker could not accept for the tree to be un decorated for one more day. Gabe works nights so unfortunately he did not get to decorate with us but he did do his contribution earlier in the day by setting up the train track in the tree and putting on the lights.

We put on Bing Crosby White Christmas album on and I let Parker get started after I put on the popcorn garland we made last year. (Yeah I saved it..do you know how much of a pain in the butt stringing up popcorn for a tree is!! )
Had to see the tree with the lights off

Ava woke up from a late nap and came running in at the tree she was excited

Putting on her little apple ornament. We were trying to get her to put up the little gold birds but she would take them off the tree and put them back in the box.

Toni came over and helped us a little with some decorating.

Ava loved the bead garland.

I think we finally finished up so it was time for the star to go up (which..I need a new tree topper) I let Parker put it up.

Toni had to help him so he would not fall in the tree.

Now it feels like Christmas..Now to start wrapping presents....ughhhh

A hunting we will go...

for a Christmas tree that is! On Sunday we decided to do a little tree shopping. We took the kids to Snowy pines which is where they do the pumpkin patch and went to pick out a tree and let the kids run around but Ava was fast asleep so we drove to another tree lot. This one had no Isles..you had to basically walk in the pile of trees to find one you like.. I liked this tree alot...until I found out it was 80.00!!!!!

Parker was having way to much fun running through all the trees

Caught in the act

Ava was fast asleep..when we realized that the cheapest tree at the tree lot was 50. bucks for a 4 foot tree we decided to go to good old faithful where I can buy a 6 foot tree for 40 bucks..

So off to Home depot we go..Ava woke up just in time to play with the trees in their tree lot

This is the tree we decided to buy..It was just right!

Ava could not stay still

She wanted to get lost in some trees too..she was screaming and laughing and flapping her hands around

She kept trying to get deeper in the trees

Anyway we haven't decorated it yet..Soon. It smells so good in our apartment. Ava like to back into the tree when she has no shirt on and feel the prickly branches hit her back then she runs away fast laughing then walks backwards into the tree again over and over..it's pretty funny!

Wine and Paring Soire

Usually every year someone in our circle of friends host a small quaint gathering at their place before the holidays. Well this year I asked around and nobody was doing anything so I decided this year we will have something at our little apartment.

We did a Wine Paring party. The object of the party was for everyone to bring their favorite bottle of wine and a small appetizer that would pair well with their wine. I printed out all these wine scoring sheets for everyone to write up the different wines they have and they can write notes.

(*a special shout out to my folks for letting the kids stay the night at their place while we had the party)

I started everyone as they came through the door a sparkling white wine with a touch of wild hibiscus syrup in the stem with a flower in the bubbly that they can eat afterwards. The consensus says that the hibiscus flower tasted like a fruit roll up. I also had a hydration fountain going which I had to refill like 3 times. The fountain was filled with sparkling San Pellgrino with slices of lemon floating in the bowl..great for cleansing the pallet in between wines.

This picture is a little brighter..we were trying to get photos of the sparkling with the flower in the glass cause they came out so pretty..these photos do no justice.

Ally says Cheers to the beginning of the night

Chris and Holly towards the very beginning of the night before the house became very full!

We had 24 people attended. Not too shabby. Inside the house we had all the food and drinks laid out for everyone.

Ofcourse the popular section of the house was the counter were all the wines were. This is just what we started the night with.

Everyone brought some good viddles!

Holly brought bacon wrapped shrimp, Ally brought stuffed mushrooms, Gabe made Italian sausages and pizza rolls, Adrian brought over a kick ass Opera Cake, Sean and Julia brought an assortment of cheese, meats, nuts and olives and everyone brought over more great items such as crackers, pate, brownies,chocolates and much more... This is just one picture of the small end table.

Adrian and Holly.

My uncle hanging with some peeps in the kitchen

I have No Clue where these pictures came from...Just random photos

after a while my living room became the dance floor and people were dancing and having a good time

Sluggo being a wine snob

Jesse just looking like a Wino HAHAHHA

While some people were inside in the warmth and dancing and mingling others choose to sit outside by the fire we had going to sip on their wine...here is the outside crowd. Which consisted of from left to right DC, Beth, Kirsten, Jesse, Dave, Vickie, Sluggo, Josh and Chris....There was more people standing off to the side and behind me.

The fire was really warm. It was very cozy. After people called cabs home and walked home and some got carried home the few remaining people and Gabe and myself all headed over to second street for a late night snack at the Shorehouse Cafe where I had to order the Deep Friend Artichoke hearts. Anyway what a blast..I did suffer a slight hangover on Sunday but I had worse.

The next day for cleanup this is what we discovered to be all the bottles we had that night...WOWZERS.Happy Holidays and thanks to all that came I hope you had a good time!

Red carpet..Going Back..

Remember when I did that blog back in the day about my work giving me tickets for the I love you Man movie red carpet premier..Well here are a couple pictures that Holly sent me...What a great time! Us with Weird Al LOL

I love when I get perks like this from work.

Box Car

If I had a room full of plain ol cardboard boxes ..I probably would not see Parker for a few days.
Yesterday I brought home a staples box from work cause it has just been lying around my desk and I was sick of tripping over it and figured I could probably use it to store xmas gifts or ornaments or something.
Anyway Parker begged and pleaded to let him have it and after about the 25th time of begging I said OK.
Well Ava went to bed pretty early (7pm slept pretty much the whole night minus the bottle feeding at 4am) and I was in the kitchen making potato pancakes and when I was done cooking and doing the dishes Parker was running around the living room in his box that he was working hard on.
I sat down and he shared with me Look Mommy at my Car..do you like it??
This is the front of the car...

If you click on the picture you can better see the details..this is what he explained to me
The AZ is the Car Name, The left headlight has a crack in it cause it's a old car, The little blue symbol thing on the headlight and vent is the vehicle maker

This is the back of his car..He has one broken tail light..he wanted to add a spoiler to his car too

I love his license plate LOL!!!

He has slots to put his arms through..

BEEP BEEP

I think I am going to be bringing boxes home from now on for him cause he was having so much fun making his creation..he probably has a million ideas too..it will be interesting to see what he makes out of these boxes I bring home..plus it keeps him off the darn video games!

I can't believe I did it~

So I did black Friday shopping again this year. However instead of waking up at 4am to head over to meet my brother at Toys R us we all left at 11pm from my house Thanksgiving day!

I drove myself,my brother and his girlfriend to cerritos and Ally came and met up with us in line.

They opened up at midnight this year. When we got there there was SO MANY damn people in line I could not believe my eyes even the local news was there.

I was freezing my butt off about after 45 minutes standing in line..my feet were completely numb!

Jessica, This is when we first got by the front door

LET US IN WERE COLD!!!!!! hahahaha my brothers face cracks me up in this photo
Finally we get in

WE IN!! Now everyone spread out and grab what you need.
I got a bunch of toys for only 88.00! I was limiting my spending cause I was not getting paid til Monday..which I totally could have spent more cause we ended up getting paid early..I didn't know I had all that money in my bank account. I did a lot of shopping so far..just a couple more people to buy for and I am DONE!!!

I got lucky and bought Ava the LAST soft cuddly pink rocking horse and it's mouth moves as it sings and Neigh's. She is going to love it..I also lucked out and got her the last BABY Disney Princess doll probably in the whole store for 8.00!!! I bought the twins some fun stuff and Kelsey and baby Johnny too. All of Gabe's niece's and nephews were going to make it easy and probably buy them all toys r us gift cards. They are all into different things so maybe I will let them pick out their own things..were still debating though.