11/29/2012 - Children's Play

From Drop Box

The cute little 5 year old daughter of one of my bosses came into the office today. She is recovering from having her adenoids removed and couldn't go to school all week, so my boss brought her into the office for a couple of hours today. Her daughter is adorable and sweet. She spent most of her time in the office drawing on the whiteboard and making pictures for my coworker and I. This is the latest masterpiece that now adorns the wall of my cubicle. I think it is awesome!

11/28/2012 - Natural Beauty

From Drop Box

I wish that I could adequately capture the beauty of the sunset from tonight. It was every color of pink and lavender and really was quite breathtaking. Today, after introducing my new blog to family and friends, I have felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude. Having such an outpouring of support and love was so amazing. I feel energized and motivated to keep up my work towards a healthier life. I think that this gratitude allowed me to stop breathe and notice the natural beauty that lies all around us. I'm going to try to be more aware of that. It was nice to take a moment after a long commute to hold my boys and look at a beautiful California sunset.

11/27/2012 - Lego Creations

When I picked up the kids from Baachan and Jiichan's place today, Finn excitedly answered the door and proceeded to pull me into the family room to show me his latest creation. Both boys had loving designed Lego Masterpieces all on their own. The pride and joy on their sweet little faces after a long day at work was just what I needed to feel refreshed. Love those boys, they bring me so much joy each day without even trying.

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

11/26/2012 - Monday Evening Snuggles

From Drop Box

After a long 4 day weekend and a long day back at school and work, we were exhausted. It takes a lot of work to relax for 4 days straight and then have to go back to normalcy. The Kelsey men did a couch snuggle prior to their bedtime. Finny is giving the best facial expressions lately. He really is my little boy! Like mother like son!

11/25/2012 - Busy Lazy Sunday

Today was the last day of our somewhat luxurious 4 day weekend. Our little Liam has been having some tummy troubles the past couple days, so we basically have been begging him to eat anything to get something in his stomach. He only obliged when we offered him yogurt or ME-MO as Liam lovingly calls it. But, he insists on feeding it to himself. Here is his lovely yogurt beard.

From Drop Box

Since both Jesse and Liam were feeling a little under the weather, Finn and I met up with some friends for a playdate at Super Franks. It was AMAZING!!! Arcade games, bouncy houses, foam block pit, indoor climbing structures, plasma cars, you name it! It was a kids dream.

From Drop Box

Finally we ended our busy lazy Sunday with some Netflix time and snuggling. Liam has been transitioning into a papa phase. It's pretty cute!

From Drop Box

11/24/2012 - Dimond Park Discoveries

From Drop Box

We took a little morning walk for coffee, pastries and play. On our walk through Dimond Park there were the most beautiful spiderwebs among the trees near the side of the park. I only wish that I had had my big camera to truly capture how gorgeous they were. This 4 day weekend has lasted so long and we still have one more day to enjoy each others company.

11/23/2012 - Longest Day

From Drop Box

Today felt like the longest day ever in the most positive way possible. I got up early to do a little bit of work and then spent the rest of the day just enjoying having a Friday off. We attempted a run around Lake Merritt with Liam in the stroller and Finny on his bike, but it was a bust. Liam screamed for about a half a mile before Jesse gave in and took him out of the stroller. Finn made it a mile before begging to go back to Liam and Papa. So, we scrapped our family run around the lake and went to the local coffee shop for a midmorning snack and playtime at Launchpad Park. Finn got to go with Dylan to Fairyland while Liam stayed home with us. It was both sad and cute as Liam sat despondently wailing for Finn at the front door until he collapsed from exhaustion and fell sleep at the bottom of the stairs. I reluctantly took a run around the neighborhood, but as expected was happy that I had done it. Jesse put together a lovely turkey noodle soup from Thanksgiving leftovers. It was a lovely lovely day. I love the good days that seem to last forever.

11/22/2012 - Thankful

What a lovely turkey day. We started it off with a nice 5K Turkey Trot through Walnut Creek. I ran the entire way and felt so good. Good way to start off what was to be an indulgent food day. Jesse tackled his first turkey. It was delicious.

From Drop Box

We celebrated Tio's birthday with a Baachan Ice Cream cake with the most amusing trick candles. Finn and Liam enjoyed blowing them out again and again.

From Drop Box

And Liam indulged in half of papa's slice of cake with the biggest smile on his face ever!!

From Drop Box

Thankful for so much this year! Couldn't possibly name everything.

11/21/2012 - Sleepover at B & J's

From Drop Box

We stayed overnight at Baachan and Jiichan's house tonight so that they would watch the kids while Jesse and I ran a 5K tomorrow morning. Finn got to assist Baachan with the cupcake decoration. Finn sat in the background making faces like he was giving criticism of his technique. Not really, but that is what is looks like in the picture.

11/20/2012 - Imagination

From Drop Box

Finn has the very best imagination ever. Whenever we play a game, he always has good creative ideas. For example, we made a barn where 4 animal family members lived. He has a role for each animal and has really specific ideas about how each game should be played. It is amazing to see him blossoming and really coming into his own little person. I love it. He is definitely going to be ready for Kindergarten next year!

11/19/2012 - Stars of the Week

From Drop Box

Finny is star of the week next week at school, He needed to put together his About Me poster. He was super excited to draw his family and hisself. So cute, he is quite the artist.

From Drop Box

Liam wanted to participate in the drawing as well. He is actually pretty good with the pens. There were some pen marks all over his belly and face, but it makes him look more legit as an artist.

11/18/2012 - Fro Yo Lovin'

From Drop Box

Today, to reward the kids for being so well behaved while we dragged them around on errands, we gave them nonfat frozen yogurt cones from Ikea. Needless to say the boys loved them and ate them up. Next time, we will need to bring enough cash to buy ourselves one too!

11/17/2012 - Graduations and Hats

From Drop Box

Baachan and Jiichan came to see the boys' last soccer class of the season. Liam was so excited to have them there that he insisted on them participating in virtually every soccer drill. It was pretty cute. We had Baachan and Jiichan pose with the two soccer class graduates and their certificates. Baachan is frowning because Liam ripped his certificate in true Liam fashion.

From Drop Box

We ended the night with Liam trying on Finn's hat collection. He seems pretty attached to this hat, which is uncharacteristic of Liam. it did take about 15 tries to get a non blurry cute pic of our Li in Finn's hat.

11/16/2012 - Finn's new spot

From Drop Box

Finny and Liam both love the couches for so many reasons. One of which is that Finn can fit perfectly on the arm rests. So cute.

11/15/2012 - Solo Down Time

From Drop Box

My lovely kids were sweet enough to give me 15 minutes of downtime tonight to examine the Jcrew Catalog that we received in the mail. It felt so indulgent to have uninterupted downtime while they each played peacefully on their own. Thankful for the little things.

11/14/2012 - Come, mama

From Drop Box

Today, as we were upstairs playing with the wooden train set, getting ready to go downstairs for an evening snack, Liam walked up to me and said "Mama .... come." and then proceeded to take my hand and lead me down the stairs to sit with him on the couch. It was so great. He is starting to really put together sentences so well. Big boy growing up so fast!!

11/13/2012 - Iwandddiiiiittttt

From Drop Box

Introducing Liam's need favorite saying " I WANNNNNNDDDIIIIITTTTT". He says it when Finn is playing with a toy that he likes. He says it when we tell him he needs to eat dinner before he eats any candy. He says it when we are putting away the book at bedtime after reading it again 16 times. He says it when we are taking a picture of him with the camera and he wants to take the picture himself. It's so bad ... it's adorable.

11/12/2012 - Super Star Papa

From Drop Box

I am so lucky to have such a great partner in Jesse. Both his office and the kids' school was closed today, so he took over parenting duties for the entire day. He took the kids to Play Cafe to have some indoor run around time. Safe to say everyone had a great time. I probably don't tell him enough how lucky I feel that he is such an engaged father and attentive husband. He takes such good care of all of us. Love you Jesse!

11/11/2012 - Scooter Gang

From Drop Box

After a lazy day, which consisted of a movie and a nap, we gave the boys some outdoor playtime. Finn and Dylan haven't had much playtime together as of late, I think that they enjoyed scooting around the back area together. Love that they are such close buddies.

11/10/2012 - Saturday in Fran Sancisco

From Drop Box

After soccer today, we headed into San Francisco or Fran Sancisco as Finn calls it, to have brunch with the Rokovich's and the Andrades. We finally met little 11 week old Paige Andrade. It was a nice reunion with my college girls and their families. We also got our flat friend for the weekend. Flat Josephine is adorable and we took her to the city with us. After a nice lunch at Park Chalet, we took a walk on Ocean beach, which is directly across the street from the restaurant. Finn loves the beach and loved the quick 2 minute run to the water and back to the car. Man his hair is getting long!

From Drop Box

11/9/2012 - L Keezy and B Wheezy

From Drop Box

Liam loves our Brian Wilson gnome and requests that we take him out of his protective box and styrofoam so that he was laugh at him. Then he promptly asks us to put him away when he is done laughing at him. This kid is such a hoot. I love that he is so opinionated. I might not love it for life, but in this situation, I just love it.

11/8/2012 - Bending the rules

From Drop Box

The rule was that there was to be NO eating on the couch. Well, okay, just this one time Liam. Anyone have a good suggestion for upholstery cleaners??

11/7/2012 - Dream Kindergarten

From Drop Box

Tonight I went to another Kindergarten Open House. This time I went solo, Jesse stayed home with the kids. At the Glenview Elementary Open House, the principal was AMAZING!!!!!I absolutely fell in love with her and her philosophy. I think that it will be tough to get into and it is definitely not our assigned neighborhood school, but if there was a chance to attend, I was jump on it in a heartbeat.

11/6/2012 - Changes

So, I have no picture today. it was a busy busy day in the Kelsey Household. After a long day at work, we ate a quick dinner and while Stacy generously watched the kids, Jesse and I went to a new parent orientation at Sequoia Elementary School for incoming Kindergartners. While, we sat in the meeting, as teachers and parents talked about their experience at Sequoia, I almost started crying. To think that our little baby Finn is going to Kindergarten next year is amazing. I feel so excited and proud and nervous for him. At Sequoia, because of his age, he would be in a transitional Kindergarten class for the first year. Next year is a inaugural year for a Transitional Kindergarten at this particular school. I'm not really sure what to think about this, but I think it is probably a great thing in the end. Tomorrow I will head to another local elementary school for their Orientation and Open House. We are all growing up, getting older. My kids are truly growing up before my eyes and it was harder to see it than I ever expected.

11/5/2012 - Freddy Mercury

From Drop Box

It has been so warm lately. One of the hottest November 5th on record. THe kids got to sleep in summer gear tonight. I had Liam rocking my vintage Hello Kitty top and some Baachan pants. Jesse thought that Liam looked like a Freddy Mercury Jr. I am totally seeing it. So cute!

11/4/2012 - Staying close to home

From Drop Box

After running some errands this morning, we stayed close to home for the rest of the day. I took the kids on a LONG stroll mostly to nap Liam, but also ended up napping Finn in the process. My bonus workout for the day was harder than I expected. After getting home, I calculated that I walked 3.8 miles pushing both kids in the double stroller with both brutal downhill and uphill action going on. My bonus workout resulted in a midwalk call to Jesse to possibly pick us up, but I ended up just finishing it. The hill on Lincoln was brutal. Anyways, Finny got a good nap in, Liam got a short nap in and mama got a workout. Also, Liam got to be the first on to raid the new snacks while Finny slept away. That kid rarely gets things first, so I was happy to oblige.

11/3/2012 - Warm November

From Drop Box

We are having unseasonably warm weather lately. The kids are loving it. Finn loves wearing shorts and he has been a happy boy lately because of the great weather. I even let the boys indulge in a little Otter Pop action today to celebrate our warm November.

11/2/2012 - Lazy

From Drop Box

Lazy. Just lazy. Too lazy to think of a more creative picture. Too lazy to do anything but watch a short short movie before bedtime. Lazy. Isn't that what Fridays are all about?

11/1/2012 - Day for the kids

From Drop Box

I took today off work to let the kids sleep in post Halloween. We had a busy busy day, even though it was rather relaxing. The kids got to sleep in a bit. After a breakfast of pastries and juice from our local cafe, we headed to one of Finn's favorite stores, Barnes and Noble. The kids got some good train table time and each got to pick out a book. I love that the boys are such readers. Smart smart little boys. Then we stopped by Papa's office to bring him a little gift and say hi to his coworkers. We had lunch with my coworker at my office and showed off the kids there. Then we headed home for a mellow afternoon of playing and watching movies. Such a nice day. Such nice kids.

10/31/2012 - Happy Halloween

From Drop Box

Spiderman and the doggie were so excited to trick or treat. Poor little flower in the background was not feeling it. Such a fun night. We braved the sprinkles and slight cold weather and ended up with lots of candy and even more fun! Such a great great night!