California

At the end of February we went to San Francisco with Paul for a conference! The 5 hour plane ride went pretty well. The boys slept for part of it. We got to our hotel Sunday afternoon. We had a great view from the 19th floor. Each day we walked around. There was tons of shopping and restaurants all around us. Unfortunately both boys got the flu while we were there:( but we made the most of it... Tuesday night (on my bday) a vendor took us out for a nice dinner. Thursday the kids felt good enough to go to Fisherman's Wharf and The Aquarium at the Bay. We took the trolley to Lombard St and walked to the bay. The boys really enjoyed seeing and touching the sea stars, bat rays, skates, and a shark. They had a couple octopus, small and large sharks and all kinds of fish, eels, jelly fish, some turtles, frogs, snakes. It was a neat place. Then we went back to pier 39 where the sea lions lay on the piers.
The buildings that the conferences were in were about 10 or 15 blocks from our hotel. The boys and I walked down there 2 days. There was a park and a carousel for the kids.
Our last night, Friday, We went to dinner at our hotel on the 36th floor. The view was amazing the 15 minutes we were there... Right after our food arrived Dane threw up all over the floor. I guess he wasn't all the way better yet:(. We went back to our room and started packing. And that's when we heard watering splashing. I assumed it was Dane in turning the water on in the tube, but no it was him playing and sitting inside the... Toilet! You'd think your first thought would be to get him out ours was to take a picture:)
I was nervous for our flight Saturday morning but luckily it went fine!! It was so nice to be home again!

These pictures are totally out of order:)

Pool

We're in the process of putting a pool in! Its been exciting to watch the process and ofcourse the boys love warching the diggers, concrete trucks and palying on the dirt and sand piles. The weather delayed us a little but where back on track. Tomorrow the liner should be in!!!! Then we can start filling it with water. We just can't wait for it to warm enough to get in it. I think we'll be camped out in our back yard until fall:)

Valentines Day!

We started off the day at Burke's preschool. Dane and I joined Burke around 10 when they were finishing up a story time. Burke was snack helper so we brought heart shaped jello and pink strawberry milk. The kids checked out their valentine goodies then it was playtime. Burke played with the dinos of course! Then clean up and they finished up with musical chairs. It was fun to see how Burke interacts at school. He's a really good listener there:). Next we had lunch with Mimi and Papa.

Instead of just Paul and I going out to dinner we decided to go to the Circus. We had such a fun time! Burke and Dane both LOVED it. Dane was pointing and clapping. I can't believe how much he liked it since he's only 1 1/2. Burke was sitting on the edge of his seat (literally) watching and smiling for the entire 2 hours! Burke and I rode an elephant!! I thought it was amazing. We were the first ones on so we were up front by her head and could touch her skin. The hair is prickly. You just don't get a the opportunity to ride on an elephantvery often so we had to do it. It was so worth it! When we were driving home Burke said his favorite part was when dad got him his gun (that makes noise and lights up) and all I could think about was the elephant ride:). Each year they have something new. This year they had the acrobat girls, clowns,jugglers, dog tricks, trampoline act,3 elephant act, 3 motorcycles in the cage ball riding around... Pony, elephant, and camel rides, hold a python, face painting I'm sure I'm leaving things out; there was so much! We had a great family Valentines day!

Preparing for Christmas!

Better late than never I guess since I'm posting these picts 2 months late :)  Burke and I decorated cookies a couple times.  I'm sure he ate more frosting than he used!  He had fun and so did I.  I love decorating cookies its so peaceful.  Burke make some cookies with his friends Ethan and Lyla too!  ohh and Dane being a dare devil always standing on his horse!  There's definetly a reason way we call him Danga Ranga (danger ranger)

Christmas Program

Burke's 1st Christmas program at Preschool!  They sang 6 songs and then had a Christmas story read to they followed by crafts and a visit from Santa!  Burke wouldn't sing but he did ring the bells :)  He did sing the songs for us at home the night before might of had stage fright!  He still looked cute up there!

 Burke and his best friend in his class playing under the table

Christmas Trees

 We cut our tree down again at Gus's tree farm.  It was kinda weird going when there wasn't any snow on the ground.  Burke picked out the the little skinny tree and really wanted to get it :)  Dane cracked us up when he sat on the tree he thought it was a blast!

 

Only the top half of our tree was decorated and my 2 little monsters were still taking ornaments off.  This year we bought the shatter proof ornaments otherwise there would have been a lot of broke glass ornaments again this year!

We helped decorate MiMi's tree and they made a snack too!

 

 

Santa Parade

 The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the Santa Parade in LP.  The parade is short but tons of people come out to watch it.  Then Santa goes to his little Chalet so the kids can tell him what they'd like for Christmas.


I love this pict!  I want to do one each year with the big Santa to see how much they have grown.

Dane usually falls asleep when we do stuff.  Burke seeing Santa on the firetruck

Our visit to see Santa at Bass Pro Shop!  Burke told him he'd like some Transformers and Dinosaurs :)

November!

 This was the 2nd annual Richards candy making get together!  Grandma GiGi would make this with her sisters and since she moved from Wisconsin back to LP I thought it would be fun to start up the tradition again.  Last year we ended up with 4 flavors due to trial and error this year was a total success and we made 6 flavors!

 Below:  my mom, me, Aunt Carol, Aunt Kathy, Courtney, Grandma, Emily and Meredith

Here we are with our turkey Paul made this year for Thanksgiving!

ok now I'm kind of caught up at least for the past holidays.  Next post Christmas trees and our elf!

Trick or Treat

 

Annual Hay Ride at Pauls Aunt and Uncle

 

Boo at the zoo!

B & D at St. Pauls Halloween party for preschool

Trick or Treat night passing out candy.  This year Burke had more fun going house to house asking for candy but I think he still like passing out the candy best:)

New pictures of B&D

Paul's brother John took some pictures of the boys around the time they turned 1 & 3! We should get more of the pictures soon, but I wanted to share what I have.