I just adore this child

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California

Sometimes I get frustrated with California. Like when I see what homes cost in other states. Or when it’s 80 degrees on Christmas Day. But then I remember that the weather is beautiful and this state is beautiful, and I roll my windows down and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

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Mushroom power!

On a recent trip to IKEA, I put this cute hat on Jacob and he wore it almost the whole time! It was so cute and funny and I really wanted an excuse to buy it. 🙂
I wish I had video of his mushroom head bopping in and out of the aisles and people laughing!

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Josh’s cycling year in review

I think Josh is a crazy person. Let me know if you agree.
In 2013, he has ridden 7,685 miles and climbed 801,000 feet of elevation.

To put this in perspective, 801,000 feet is 151.75 miles!!

Or, he climbed Mt. Everest 42 times!!

Amazing.

*Stats provided by Strava

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2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 16,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Merry Christmas, 2013

Our digital Christmas card for 2013.

Highlights of the year:

  • Josh turned 30
  • Jacob learned to walk
  • Josh dominated Vision Quest
  • We traveled to Big Bear a few times
  • Jacob and I went to Disneyland almost once a week
  • We also went to Pretend City, LegoLand, the LA Zoo, Big Bear Zoo, Orange County Zoo, Santa Ana Zoo and Detroit Zoo
  • We did a lot of hiking
  • Josh competed in his first triathlon
  • Jacob and I traveled to Detroit to visit my family and we did a TON of fun stuff there
  • Josh and I traveled to Cancun

(In no particular order)

He loves cars:

IMG_3014 The Castle Rock trail in Big BearIMG_2932 IMG_2930

Also from Big Bear in JulyIMG_2836 IMG_2834 IMG_2827 Fourth of JulyIMG_2816 IMG_2790 IMG_2761 IMG_2755 Jacob, 18 months old, in my parents’ backyard:IMG_2634 IMG_2612 Nielsen Family Reunion in Coloma, CA. Jacob was sick and we didn’t get a lot of pictures. 😦IMG_2464 IMG_2334 IMG_2331 IMG_2290 Huntington Beach, AugustIMG_2177 IMG_2166 IMG_2157 Disneyland:IMG_2010 Big Bear mountain bike race:IMG_1863 Over the Hump race at Irvine Lake:IMG_1478 Laguna Beach:IMG_0487 Family Photos in February:IMG_0239

Out to dinner for Josh’s 30th Birthday:IMG_6889 Jacob learns to walk; January 2013:IMG_6829 A photo of his first haircut; October 2013:IMG_5792 Halloween, as Billy Idol:IMG_5659 IMG_5649 The Irvine Park pumpkin patch:IMG_5534 IMG_5526 IMG_5487 IMG_5473 Cancun, Mexico; OctoberIMG_5450 IMG_5428 Old Man’s beach; OctoberIMG_4789 IMG_4719 The Detroit zoo; September (Jacob is sleeping)IMG_4616 Detroit zooIMG_4597 IMG_4578 Apple orchard in Michigan; Jacob is obsessed with tractors!IMG_4440 IMG_4431 IMG_4425 Going on a hay ride…IMG_4407 Jacob in front of Joe Louis’ fist; DetroitIMG_4247 Hitsville, USA: the home of Motown; DetroitIMG_4162 IMG_4157 Irvine ParkIMG_3803 IMG_3784 Big Bear; JulyIMG_3348 IMG_3277 IMG_3268 IMG_3232 IMG_3124 IMG_3077 IMG_3033

Valentine’s DayIMG_9068 We remodeled the backyard, then proceeded to enjoy it!IMG_9053 Jacob finds a tube of lipstick:IMG_8834 Big Bear; JulyIMG_8720 IMG_8702 IMG_8690 Just a trip to Costco…IMG_8634 Backyard demo:IMG_8544 At Legoland:IMG_8472 Old Town Orange; JuneIMG_8432 Mommy’s new bicycle:IMG_8294_2 Disneyland:IMG_8231 Just another day with Jacob:IMG_8122 Las Vegas at the KISS mini golf course:IMG_8098 Bellagio garden, AprilIMG_8074 Las Vegas; AprilIMG_8003 IMG_8002 Disneyland:IMG_7974 Easter…Jacob was not a fan of the bunny. He’s complacent here, holding daddy’s keys…IMG_7933 Hiking Crystal Cove State ParkIMG_7929 This is how he looked the rest of the time Easter bunny…IMG_7591 IMG_7588 Big Bear; MarchIMG_7341 Disneyland; FebruaryIMG_7319 US Cup Race:IMG_7290 At cousin Madison’s birthday, and Jacob just loved the horses:IMG_7272 Disneyland in the Monster’s Inc ride:IMG_7164 More from February portraits:IMG_7067 Disneyland:IMG_7021 Valentine’s Day:IMG_6986 IMG_6984 Pretend City Children’s MuseumIMG_6949

Explor Cancun, in an underground river:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Ziplining in Cancun:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADid I mention it was raining? Awesome!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Our fifth wedding anniversary, at Top of the World park in Laguna BeachIMG_9916 Josh did his first triathlon! (And dominated, of course)IMG_9845 Another tractor shot from MI:IMG_9811 At the world famous American Coney Island in downtown Detroit:IMG_9808 Jacob packed himself into my suitcase:IMG_9764 Halloween:IMG_9654 Vision Quest 2013: Josh finished 13th overall!! AMAZING.IMG_9641 IMG_9639 And he was happy as he approached the finish line!

“It’s cool…I just climbed three mountains…no big deal…”IMG_9634 Easter:IMG_9610 Also from Top of the World on our anniversary:IMG_9562 Big Bear hike:IMG_9554 Hiking Santiago Oaks park in Orange:IMG_9537 More from Easter:IMG_9524 Fifteen months old:IMG_9467 At the park with Dadoooo:IMG_9433 IMG_9432 IMG_9387Nightly walks…
IMG_9238 Lounging in the backyard:
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It’s been a great year, although it has had its ups and downs. I am still feeling incredibly blessed. I can’t wait to see what 2014 will hold for us.
 

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Christmas nails

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Gelish polish (gel), Ruffian polish (not gel), and Martha Stewart craft glitter.

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The Christmas Train

We went to Irvine Regional Park for their annual Christmas Train. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of chaos with all the kids!IMG_6147 IMG_6148 IMG_6149 IMG_6155 IMG_6156 IMG_6158 IMG_6159 IMG_6160 IMG_6162 IMG_6165 IMG_6166 IMG_6169 IMG_6170 IMG_6171 IMG_6172 IMG_6175 IMG_6177 IMG_6178 IMG_6192 IMG_6193 IMG_6196 IMG_6200 IMG_6208 IMG_6209 IMG_6210 IMG_6213 IMG_6214 IMG_6219 IMG_6220 IMG_6221 IMG_6222 IMG_6223 IMG_6224 IMG_6226 IMG_6227 IMG_6229 IMG_6231 IMG_6235The C

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Happy birthday, Jacob

I have to write a quick note to say to the world just how much I love my Jacob. He is, without a doubt, the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. Every day is a gift. He is the most joyous, hilarious, magical creature I have ever encountered. If I had a dollar for every time I said “oh I just love you so much” I would have enough to spoil him rotten and for josh to retire and stare at Jacob all day, just soaking in his awesomeness. Parenthood has been hard, sure. The newborn days were not the best. But OH EM GEE is it all worth it already! Every bought of pregnancy nausea, every worried moment, every sleepless hour is worth it to hear his high little voice say “I lo you eber day, mommy.”
Oh Jacob, my Jacob, you are amazing. There are no words…so why I am trying? I’ll stick with the ones I know: you are perfect and I love you.

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Jacob’s Second Birthday!

We celebrated Jacob’s second birthday on Saturday with a camping party.

I can’t believe it’s already been two years since this little wonder entered our lives! It feels like only yesterday that he was born, and yet I can’t imagine my life without him anymore.IMG_6244 S’more cupcakes: chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow frosting.IMG_6245 A sheet cake decorated with a camping scene.IMG_6246 Jacob’s own little cake.IMG_6250 Another take on s;more cupcakes: graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, marshmallow filling and chocolate frosting.IMG_6251 And trail mix, gummy worms, Swedish fish and s’more trail mix (cinammon toast crunch, marshmallows and chocolate chips). IMG_6252 Sadly, it was really windy and my decorations kept getting blown all over; but I should be thankful that it was 75* in the middle of December!IMG_6253 IMG_6254 IMG_6255 IMG_6256 IMG_6257 IMG_6259 IMG_6260 IMG_6261 IMG_6262 He blew out all the candles, one by one. He’s obsessed!IMG_6265 IMG_6266 IMG_6267 IMG_6268 IMG_6270 IMG_6274 IMG_6275 IMG_6278 IMG_6280 Lisa made this amazing sign:IMG_6281 Jacob and mommy with Lisa and Cassidy:IMG_6284 IMG_6291 IMG_6292 IMG_6293 IMG_6295 Jacob pushing his shopping cart with his LMU lion riding in the baby seat!IMG_6320 IMG_6321 IMG_6322He had a blast! Happy birthday, baby!!

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