The Russell Family

Labor Day on the Lake

2011-09-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

We joined our friends (Matt & Tess) on their boat on Lake Mead for Labor Day. Alec had a blast on the inner tube we hung out the back! :) The only downside for him was that we wouldn't let him do it alone...

The Force is strong with this one

2011-09-11T22:25:00.001-07:00

On two previous trips to Disneyland, Alec had wanted to be part of the 'Jedi Training Academy' and has developed a fascination with Darth Vader (we haven't yet let him watch any of the films, read: he doesn't really comprehend Darth's evil character).

So, on our recent trip to Disneyland (27 August) I was determined to get him in this time. Since the announcer always picks the children in Star Wars merchandise, I purposefully brought Alec's Halloween costume (bought last November on Halloween clearance) of Darth Vader. It worked like a charm! The announcer called to Alec, "and the mini Vader in front, we'll try to turn you from your dark path."

I filmed all 20 minutes of it and we bought the Disney photographer's picture of him-it was definitely the highlight of this trip!

Also, huge thanks to my cousin Colin who got us in FREE!

Li'l Kickers Soccer

2011-09-04T22:54:00.001-07:00

Alec loves soccer, so when my friend Hilary mentioned putting the kids in an indoor practice, I was all for it! No sitting in the sun, Alec gets to (happily) burn off energy and I get to regularly sit and chat with my buddy. It's a win-win situation.

Alec & Catherine

James & TP

2011-08-16T17:01:00.001-07:00

I went upstairs to put away a load of laundry. In the meantime James discovered the bathroom door had been left open...

Canning Peaches

2011-08-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

This summer brought some super juicy peaches, so Alec and I (under the strict tutelage of my mother) canned ours. He loves helping me in the kitchen.

More Beach!

2011-08-03T14:12:00.001-07:00

We have made it to the beach three times this summer and I won't bore you with individual posts, but here are some cute photos we got there:

James's Cyst 7.11.11

2011-08-02T10:14:00.001-07:00

James had been running a fever for a while and acting super-fussy. I felt like it was more than just teething (little man's molars were coming in) and well..point for mother's intuition. He had a cyst at the back of his throat.

Back up. The pediatrician was confused when he saw it & described it as an "alien in the back of his throat!" Thanks Dr. Santos...just what every mom wants to hear...

Luckily, a specialist recognized it as an inflamed salivary gland. Very common in adults (not kiddos though), so poor little man had surgery to remove it.

He was pretty stinkin' cute in the mini hospital gown and charmed all the nurses. He went down screaming (making me cry), but woke up happy and recovered well. Just clingy and feverish the rest of the day.

Nothing extra cuddles and infants' Advil couldn't help.

Hiking

2011-08-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

We hiked up to Little Falls on July 4th with my sisters (and Ben and baby Ben) :).
We're thinking of putting a massage chair in the hiking backpack for James's comfort... ;)

Alec enjoys hiking on his own, but usually requires some carrying along the way.

Patriotic Pirates

2011-07-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

At a friend's home to watch fireworks, the boys decided to get pirate themed face paint. Nothing says patriotism like an eye patch! :)

Bottom Snack

2011-06-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sure if he could talk, he'd say he was saving them for later.

He's just clever like that.

What brothers are for...

2011-06-25T15:04:00.001-07:00

Alec has proven to be an incredible big brother. I was worried, as his 'all boy' nature tends more towards tackling & roughness, but he has such a sweet & tender spirit to balance it out. Luckily the tender side comes out for James.

We went to meet Paul for lunch (kids eat free day at Chili's) and James (Mr. Independent) wanted to walk, but not hold mommy's hand. He was thrilled to hold Alec's though! Too cute.

Going Green

2011-06-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

Paul and I started to try and eat healthy once we got married, which has made it much easier to teach the boys to eat healthy from the start. We've been on a health kick lately-trying to step it up a notch & involve the boys.

We'd been reading about 'green smoothies' for a few months and finally worked up the courage to try it.

We're hooked! 4 mornings a week we have smoothies with breakfast. Alec LOVES helping me put it together (the spinach & spirulina make it green) & both boys drink it happily. Yes, it looks like sludge, but what do brownies look like? ;)
I also decided to plant an indoor herb garden (I've been put off planting in the desert, but we're going to try it inside anyway).

So, Alec picked out rocks from our backyard for drainage at the bottom, then (handful by little handful) he put in the soil.

We've loved having fresh herbs for meals & Alec's pretty proud of the job he did-as he should be!

Chopped

2011-06-20T11:39:00.001-07:00

I LOVE James's curls. So much, in fact, that I've put off this moment for WAY too long. Yes, it looks like he has a mullet; yes, he has been mistaken for a girl and OF COURSE, I saved all his little curls in a ziploc bag.

He does still look pretty stinkin' cute without them.

Maybe now they'll grow in evenly and I can let them all grow out the same length. That would be ok, right?

Alec is Swimming

2011-06-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

We haven't put Alec in swim lessons since last summer. Last summer he snuck around the pool & jumped in the shallow end and nearly drowned. I had been waiting in the deep end for him to come down the slide. Luckily a little girl noticed and screamed, so I got to him in plenty of time. Scared me to death, so I was determined to have him swimming this summer.

When we go for fun, he refuses to swim properly, so I was worried he'd regressed and we were starting from scratch. I was wrong, the second day of lessons with Miss Sandi & he did it!!

At the end of week 2 he can swim about 20 feet (across the narrowest point of her pool) by himself, coming up for breath, etc. Now he's begun on the backstroke.

This doesn't mean I don't make him wear arm floaties or his life vest when we swim for fun…I'm not THAT comfortable yet…or uncontrolling-take your pick.

Emma's wedding

2011-06-09T13:21:00.001-07:00

One of my best buddies was getting sealed in Salt Lake City & I volunteered to make the cake. I'm getting to be an old hand at this, so I had a good schedule & plan laid out. Baked the cakes Friday & froze them. Leveled them Saturday. I debated over filling & frosting BEFORE the 6 hour drive & decided in the end it was too risky. So, Paul & I set our Monday sans the boys. My mom offered to watch the boys & kept telling me to "have a fun, relaxing time with just your husband." My mom has clearly never made a wedding cake.

We arrived in Utah Monday night (staying at my sister's in-laws:Mary & Tom-awesome!) & filled, frosted & fondant-ed. I got to bed around 1.40am. That cancelled out the morning run I was hoping to take to keep me relaxed throughout the wedding day. :(

We headed for the temple Tuesday morning and my heart rate increased. Paul chuckled when he realized I was re-living the anxiety from our own sealing! Apparently I looked so nervous, my best friend (Sabrena) was worried, so she sat near the door to tackle me and hold me down if I bolted (sigh). Good friends. Nearly 7 years ago now…(Oh, she didn't have to tackle me, I made it through. Just barely.)

Anyway, the sealing was gorgeous and after wedding photos, Paul and I had a chance to wander around Temple Square and take some of our own photos. I LOVE this one he took & it's being blown up onto canvas for us to hang up soon:It was really nice outside & catching up with Justin (one of my 'big bro's) was wonderful. Then we headed to the luncheon/ring ceremony.

Afterwards I had a nice little 3 hour window to transport the cake & set it up.The largest one did slide a little off the platter at one point, but I was able to fix it and it all turned out well. The reception was gorgeous, at Le Jardin. With the cake sorted out, I finally relaxed & enjoyed being childless for an evening.Ems, me, Paul & Justin-some of our Brummie buddies! Paul & I met in Birmingham almost 9 years ago. Being with some of our old friends from that time made it feel like nothing had changed.
Paul and I left around 5.30 am so he could get to work by noon. I don't know if it was the fun of seeing old friends, the beautiful wedding, etc., but Paul and I LOVED Utah.

Malibu Beach

2011-05-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

If Paul had his way we would live on the beach. Back in England he used to surf & now with two young boys-playing in the sand & waves is the joy of his life. Luckily my grandmother lives a windy 20 minute drive through the canyon to Malibu Beach, so the occasional weekend beach trip is easy to manage.

I can't complain, a relaxing day playing in the sun is great. There's so much for the boys to run around and do-we always have fun.

James is proving to be my sporty baby. He loves throwing & kicking balls, even putting them on the t-ball stand to knock down with a bat.

Alec was convinced he was surfing when the water pooled round his feet. He kept shouting, "this is off the hoozle!" (sp?). (It was from a preview for 'G-Force'-a Disney film with guinea pigs.)

Alec's first date

2011-05-14T21:26:00.001-07:00

Alec & I went with Hilary & Catherine to see 'Rio'. While he was dressing, he picked out a shirt and told me, "Catherine will like this one." Such a funny little guy!

Easter

2011-05-08T09:25:00.001-07:00

We started celebrating Easter on Palm Sunday, following the schedule of Jesus' last week (as suggested in The Friend). So, on Palm Sunday Alec painted palm fronds & cut a picture of Jesus out & glued it to a donkey, then told the story at FHE with my family. We did little crafts like that all week to help him visualize it all better-it was really nice.

We also did a lot of the American traditions:

Putting together a LEGO set from his Easter basket with daddy (he's become a big LEGO fan lately). We tried to get little things for his basket that would be fun to do with family members:

Paul, however, got a load of chocolate (some of it was recycled). After 3 Easter parties Alec had more candy than he had at Halloween! So, Paul got the chocolates, Alec got to pick 4 & we gave the rest away.

Alec just saw me posting these pictures and shouted, "That was me when I was a little boy!"
Me-"Alec that was 2 weeks ago!"
Alec-"Yeah, when I was little, but now I'm growed up!"

Tanner Max Hunter

2011-05-05T23:12:00.001-07:00

My nephew Tanner was born this morning & Alec was so thrilled to go meet him! On the walk in the hospital (after I reassured him no shots were involved), he kept exclaiming, 'Oh! I know he will be such a cute baby!'

Summer is for swimming...soon

2011-04-25T22:16:00.001-07:00

The pool wasn't quite warm enough, so Alec stayed in for a little & James refused.

Catherine's 4th

2011-04-16T21:59:00.001-07:00

Catherine's 4th birthday party included an exotic petting zoo. Alec chose to pet the python.

Button pusher

2011-04-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

James likes to push buttons.

I put a child gate in front of the TV stand.

He pushed a toy over, climbed onto it and reached over it to push the buttons.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

From Thomas the Train & Buzz Lightyear to...

2011-04-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Pirates & lightsabers

Alec's fourth birthday was a last-minute theme shift.

He'd been asking for a Buzz Lightyear cake for months & I had a plan & all necessary parts. With less than a week before his trampoline party, he suddenly begged for a 'Jake & the Neverland Pirates' cake. I caved in & decided to do a simple treasure chest cake & a few simple cupcakes (the morning of the party, he begged for a 'Jake' on the cake & I complied with a half hour to create a fondant/super-lame Jake).

The trampoline party worked great. The kids had an hour to jump, climb the walls, tackle each other for balls, etc.

After which we herded them back to the 'party room' where they got to eat pizza & each child got an eye patch, fake hoop earring & a compass. Nobody liked the fake earrings.

Then, they got to play a 'treasure hunt' game we'd planned (I knew Alec would love this). Using a treasure map Paul had created for them, they collected gold dubloons from 4 locations & traded them in for treasure from the treasure box.

Afterwards, we had cupcakes!

Alec & Catherine, another early engagement photo. :) Really we had to force them to touch, as (apparently) members of the opposite gender are not worth our time.

Sand Angels

2011-04-05T22:55:00.001-07:00

We signed Alec up for his first season of Little League this year. Bad idea.

It requires WAY too much concentration for a 3 year old boy.

He got so bored, he laid down in the sand & made 'sand angels'. This occurred AFTER he'd been kicking sand at a few other boys & putting handfuls of sand in his glove, then putting his glove on his head.

Running the bases is apparently no fun either. He hit the ball, then turned and ran straight back into the dugout!!

He's not tan-that's dirt.

Safe to say Alec will not be gracing a diamond for several years once this season ends. :)

Cheatin' the Vertical

2011-04-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Last December Alec threw a tantrum when he was about 3 inches too short to ride the 'coasters at Disneyland. We knew he'd hit 39 inches a few week back & we were hoping he could just squeak in the 40 inch mark (his head has to hit the bottom of the marker).

On Thursday, in his soccer shoes, he was just too short. Friday morning was raining and with his boots on-he made it!!!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2011-03-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

James turned one on Thursday, March 24th. We were at Disneyland:

James's birthday churro:

James is so much like his daddy. From his quiet determination to his curly brown hair.

Wiped out at the end of the day:

Crazy to think he's only been with us a year now. Now he can walk now & say a few short words. My favorite is 'Wooow'! He loves to eat whatever we're eating & he only wants to do whatever his older brother or parents are doing-he even enjoyed the rides with us. I think Small World was his favorite, he danced and clapped a lot on it!

Even at such a young age, he's able to clearly make his wishes known. I have caught him a few times purposely getting Alec in trouble so he could get a toy-classic little brother! He loves to push buttons, so when I put a child gate in front of the DVD player, he moved a ride-on toy in front of the gate so he could stand on that to reach over & push the buttons.

James has such a sweet smile and loves to laugh! He's ticklish everywhere and his grandpa dubbed him, 'James the happy'. We love our smiley little man!

Luck o' the Irish to ya

2011-03-21T21:37:00.001-07:00

The leprachaun left treats in Alec's soccer shoes (yes, Alec chose the shoes). She forgot to make sure we had potatoes, so he got an onion in one. Not like he cared either way when he saw the candy in the other:

We made green scrambled eggs. For dinner in the end since we woke up late & had to rush to work. Then Paul drove off with the keys to the Odyssey & his phone on silent. On a day I was giving a quiz. My students were SO understanding about postponing their quiz until after Spring Break-they're swell. :)

Alec 'helped' me decorate some cupcakes.

James helped rid us of a cupcake:

I arranged a few themed games, like tossing gold coins into the leprachaun's pot, a shamrock relay, a gold coin hunt (turned pretty competitive) and a variation of the Scottish "Heave Ho". Clearly no real hay bales, we tossed a grocery bag with odds and ends over the dowel. Yes, I realize the Scots & Irish are two different ethnic groups...but Alec doesn't. :) My mom, my sister, Kari & her family came over to play with us.

Alec told the history of St. Patrick's Day & explained that the 3 leaves of the shamrock were to represent the Trinity. He did a great job!

Finally, Auntie Kari read Alec, 'The Luckiest Leprechaun'

Alec was holding onto the spatula from the 'Heave Ho' game in case the book was boring...

Happy Birthday to me

2011-03-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, Paul got me tickets to see 'The Lion King' at Mandalay Bay. Until mid-March, Nevada residents are buy 1, get 1 free, so we asked the ticket lady to find the best seats in section 'B'-March 12! Definitely worth the wait though. The seats were amazing & I loved the show!

After the show we wandered the Fashion Show Mall-clothes shopping (Yay!), then dinner at Maggiano's.

No one told me I was holding the ticket backwards. :)

Park Pics

2011-03-13T11:24:00.001-07:00

Monday, Monday

2011-03-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

Early Monday morning a happy (only AFTER being nursed) James crawled over & woke up daddy.

We were soon joined by Alec and his usual cheeky antics.

I herded the boys downstairs for some breakfast (more 'snacking' for James):

We decided to hit the trail and get some playtime in before Alec had to head out to pre school

Maggie & Milo, patiently waiting whilst the boys play:

Everything Alec does is absolutely hilarious to James, which only encourages him (and that's bad!)

Currently James's favorite thing is the slide! He can crawl up the steps and slide down on his tummy & his face gets this look of total glee!

At home the boys love to 'wrestle'. Alec is surprisingly gentle with his baby brother, so it looks more like James poking his brother & hugging him.

We invited my parents over for Family Home Evening, that Alec presented & a lovely fruit pizza Alec baked & decorated.

James is incredibly attached to my dad. He chooses him over everyone else-even me (his food source! Hello??)

Christmas morning was...mostly about the trampoline

2011-02-26T16:29:00.000-08:00

We let the boys open their 'Santa' presents first thing. Alec would usually want to stop and play with each thing, then move on to the next.

Even the apple was an awesome present! (Note to self: next year spend more on me and give Alec fruit).

Maggie loved her girly doggie bed. I went as girly as possible-she's the only other female in the house-I need my help!

James, of course, is at the 'I love wrapping paper' phase of life. Consequently, he only got 3 gifts...

We headed back to my parents' for breakfast-Eggs Benedict-YUM!!

Kayden's new wagon was the 'Space Mountain' of the diaper crowd!

After presents at my parents', we headed home for Alec's big surprise. Paul even skype'd his parents so they could see Alec's face when he first saw it!!

It was a long, cold night before Christmas

2011-02-26T14:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve is celebrated at the Hunter household. This may not have been the best pic of us, but it captured how we were. Alec is fussing, "But, I don't want my picture taken!" James is staring adoringly at his big bro, whilst Paul and I smile/cringe.

We always make gingerbread houses and over the years the tradition has morphed into a sugar-driven frenzied competition for the "best house". Enthusiasm usually dies down for most after about 10 minutes, but the early part is riddled with 'hidden goodies' people sneak in and bought ahead of time to gain the upper hand (seriously, it's that important!).

Next comes the 'candy' game. Like a white elephant gift exchange, but with candy bars. This usually turns into a playful trading of one stupid candy that nobody really wants (really, we should play this BEFORE making the houses and eating candy).

And of course, Christmas Eve pajamas. My parents started this when we were young (along with the rest of the world), after realizing how ghetto we looked on Christmas morning in ragged old baggy t-shirts (we used to rip off one arm and call ourselves 'Nephi'-as costumed in the 'Living Scriptures' DVDs, so spiritual).

The three babies had matching Mickey Mouse and Alec got Buzz Lightyear. We tried to take some pics, but Ben (as usual) got hungry and decided to munch on Kayden's leg. Kayden couldn't even fight back!

Hyped up on sugar (well, Alec anyway), we took the boys home for a bath where I got some cute pics of James in the tub. The joy of my life-his hair curls into little ringlets when wet! This excites me much more than Paul, who has curly hair and continually asks/nags when I'll be cutting James's mullet.

The boys were giggling before storytime, so I caught a sweet moment.

Now for the real fun. Paul had to put together Alec's big Christmas present from his granny & grandad. I'd be teasing Paul for a month about putting it together Christmas Eve and he kept telling me about his plans to do it in stages leading up to Christmas Eve, since Alec never went into the rock-covered backyard. Without me nagging, that never happened.

Luckily, my cousins Danny & Sawyer volunteered to brave the freezing Vegas cold night (seriously-I think it got below 50!!) to spend a couple hours stretching springs out.

Bless 'em, they got it done!

Seeing Santa

2011-01-19T17:20:00.001-08:00

I should preface this post by admitting, Paul & I are not "Santa" people. We've always told Alec that Santa is pretend and avoided buying any Santa decorations or watching Santa shows. Maybe we're a tad too pragmatic, but, we don't see the point and, hey, why let someone else take credit for all the gifts?

Knowing our son, I figured we should ostracize him from all other children whose parents strive diligently to perpetuate the charade (and who might hate me eternally for ruining it), but Alec firmly announced, "No! Santa is real and you're on the naughty list!" I had to turn my head and chuckle, but agreed to visit Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. Free pictures and grandma willing to wait in the hour-long line, why not? This way Alec could state his demands as he'd been (arguably) 'good' this year. So, Alec wrote his letter,

I even let him hold a gun (shudder) and play some games.

And, of course, a picture with the big guy. James apparently feels as I do:I did get a free candy cane out of the day, since Alec hates anything mint flavored, so it was worth it.

Disney

2010-12-15T22:41:00.001-08:00

We took our annual Christmastime trip to Disneyland earlier this year, in an effort to avoid the extreme crowds. Alec had been begging to go for the last 3 months, so the anticipation for him was quite the build-up. We cut the trip shorter-to just 2 days and added in a character breakfast. First thing in the park, he demanded the Buzz Lightyear ride. Also, I have proof of Paul's sense of humor:

With no prompting from anyone Alec is somehow able to look everywhere BUT at the camera during family shots:

James was super-smiley, I see another Disneyland fan in the making here:

The character breakfast at the Plaza Inn was wonderful! The food was amazing and the characters each took the time to visit our table and spend time with the boys. Alec was SO happy and it meant no waiting in lines around the park to get pictures with the characters.

James hated the full costumed characters (takes after his granny) and actually cried when Eeyore came to see him. He did, however, enjoy the humans, like the Fairy Godmother:

Alec kept his 3-D glasses on for most of the Muppet Show!

Since my family met up with us on the second day, Paul and I were able to do some adult rides together, which is so nice! Here we are in line for Indiana Jones:

Even after just two days Paul and I were beat. But, it's so magical still for Alec and I love that!

Roll out the holly...

2010-12-15T22:33:00.001-08:00

Alec is loving the holiday season-especially all the decorating, baking & stories. Here's his first gingerbread house of the season:

If you tilt your head a little to the right and down about 20 degrees...it still looks Picasso-ish. But, he had fun making it!

The bottom third of our Christmas tree is stuffed bears and candy canes that Alec carefully placed. I love this kid! Check out the concentration as he clusters them in a one foot square area.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-15T22:16:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving at my parents' home again. It was nice to have loads of family around and just enjoy being together.

James was NOT a fan of mashed potatoes:

Alec slowly worked his way through most of his plate. He's not a big eater, so the roll and juice cup would have been enough for him.

James and my baby sister Kelsey giving us some cute smiles:

Kelsey and I headed to Wal-Mart later that night to start off the Black Friday shopping. It was SO fun!! Scored a great deal on a huge trampoline for the boys for Christmas, plus $2 DVDs and some toys for the boys!! We got there at 10.30 and were leaving the parking lot by 12.40!!

Paul's Birthday

2010-12-15T22:10:00.001-08:00

This year for his birthday, Paul wanted apple pie-no cake.

Alec was thrilled! I enjoyed spending time making Paul's pie, while Alec ate half the seasoned apples. Paul is an amazing father and Alec is definitely a daddy's boy-he wants to do everything with his daddy and like his daddy. Luckily, I couldn't have asked for a better role model for my sons.

Family Night Bowling

2010-12-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

Paul's been working two full time jobs recently, so time with him is rare. To make it more fun, I've been planning family nights out on the weekends, using coupons from the Radio Shopping Show. One Saturday night we took Alec bowling, then out for pizza.

James was not a huge fan of hanging out and being passed back and forth like a hot potato. He's 8 months old and feels like he should be able to participate in all activities and eat all that we do. This doesn't bode well for my future as I was counting on him to be a little less active than his older brother...

Patiently hoping for the ball to hit some pins. Alec is talented enough to occasionally hit no pins, even with bumpers! :)

Halloween Time!!

2010-11-20T22:12:00.001-08:00

We had a fun Halloween/fall season this year. We started off with the Apple Fair at my brother's housing community, whilst Paul's parents were still out visiting.

Alec loved the games and cookie decorating-keep in mind he took two bites and was done, he's not quite the sugar-a-holic his mom is. James & Kayden got matching fake ladybug tattoos & he wasn't a huge fan-probably a good sign.

We went from the Apple Fair to the Pumpkin Patch, which Alec LOVED!! Our little daredevil tried out all the rides and especially loved the harness/trampoline jump. I was totally expecting him to pee his pants, but he had a blast!

I was trying to pose the boys and get a cute pumpkin shot with both of them...several screams later...this was the best we got:

One family night we carved small pumpkins and I made some baked apples. Alec really enjoyed playing with the pumpkin innards and randomly carving scratches into the side of the pumpkin.

My little beaver & Buzz Lightyear:

We took the boys to my brother's ward's trunk-or-treat so they got to spend time with monkey Kayden & then to our ward's with their other cousin, Ben the Lion. :)

Alec did really good with the candy. Chocolate triggers his reflux, so we don't allow him to eat it, so he refused to eat any chocolate, even when unknowing people tried to give him some. His daddy happily took all the chocolate bars he'd gotten and we handed back out the majority of the candy he'd earned.

Here's Alec enjoying the trunk-or-treat, then going around on Halloween to trick-or-treat. Since Halloween was on a Sunday we let him go to our friend's house & my aunt's only.

Halloween night we also carved our HUGE pumpkin and put James in it:

Granny & Grandad!!

2010-11-19T21:37:00.001-08:00

Paul's parents were able to come out for their yearly visit in October. Since James is named after Paul's father, we held off on the baby blessing until they were able to come. James was a large 6 month old baby, but he was calm and quiet throughout the lovely blessing his father gave him:

Granny loved having a new baby to cuddle:

Alec appreciated all grandad's help on the playground equipment.

Cuddling up to grandad during a movie:

Bowling! Alec's first time ever-he had a hard time waiting his turn and rolled it super slow, but he had fun!

Granny & Grandad arrived the day after we moved into a new rental home, so I was able to get a lot of unpacking done whilst they had some alone time with their grandsons.

Once again, we had a hard time saying goodbye at the end of the two weeks, as we only get to see them once a year. :(

Visit from Auntie Jennifer

2010-11-19T21:15:00.001-08:00

Paul's sister, Jennifer, was able to come and visit us for a week in September. It was so great to see her and let Alec and James meet her for the first time!

Jennifer requested a hike at Mt Charleston, which we were grateful for-a chance to get out of the city! We chose the Little Falls trail as it was short enough for Alec to hike.

Paul really enjoyed having his sister out.

Jennifer was a huge help with the boys whilst I was working.

The boys and I took her out miniature golfing one night and I forgot the camera!

Jennifer and I also had the chance to try out the CSI Experience at the MGM Grand one night, it was a great chance to do something away from the boys and put our sleuthing skills to the test. :) Pretty cheesey, but it was fun.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-10-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend we drove out to CA so we could spend Saturday at the beach. Alec loves it SO much! My parents & brother's family came as well, so Alec was in heaven. Here's some shots of Christopher, Joleen & my adorable nephew, Kayden:

Alec was busy playing and continually gave me his "cheese!!!" (said in frustration) smile:

If I wait long enough though, I manage a genuine smile now and then:

James napped a lot at the beach, but when he woke up had some sweet smiles for his nana:

Christopher thought it would be funny to bury Alec in the sand-so did Alec.

I know Paul loves me because he builds things just for me:

Alec playing with his great-grandma.

Ryan's wedding & Cincinnati

2010-08-26T10:23:00.001-07:00

My cousin Ryan was getting married in Cincinnati, Ohio & we decided to make the trip to support him. We managed to book direct flights and borrowed a mini DVD player, so the flights went smoothly. The trouble was, we left our carry-on with all the boys' clothes in the overhead compartment. We realized within a half hour, but the plane had left for DC already. The attendants refused to call and ask DC to put it aside (horrid Delta customer service! I was upset and crying and she still refused to help-telling me a passenger had probably stolen it by now-a bright red Thomas the train bag with little boys' clothes), so of course, it was 'lost'.

The next day we headed to Union Terminal to check out the museums there. We first went through the Natural History Museum. Alec loved all the interactive exhibits.

They had a great tunnel that took you through the Ice Age, ending in a dinosaur exhibit (not sure why it wasn't the other way around). I had the camera, so took a self-portrait with James.

After we had played with all the dinosaur toys, we went to the Children's Museum. It was much larger than the one in Vegas and Alec had a blast! After getting soaked in the 'water works' exhibit', he started climbing. He loved the giant tree house especially.

We found a mall that evening to buy the boys some clothes & a pair of PJ's, but they didn't have suits for them.

The next day we visited the Cincinnati Zoo with my family. We went immediately to the giraffe enclosure, so Alec could feed them. He had a hard time waiting in line, but he really enjoyed the experience.

The weather was really humid and in the high 90s whilst we were there, so we really appreciated all the indoor exhibits with air conditioning! We actually missed the dry desert heat. Alec was especially fascinated with the manatees, he kept talking to them.

Alec really enjoys carousels, so the zoo having one was like a dream come true for him.

My siblings with spouses & children, and James, enjoying a ride with Uncle Kevin:

We took the train ride around the zoo, which was fun as it drove over some exhibits and by a large fountain. Alec was glued to the sights and refused any picture-taking, but James was happy with daddy! Alec actually told us the train's name was Thomas and we were allowed to go do other things, but Thomas would watch him, so he was going to stay on the train. Nice try, little buddy.

Even though I dislike birds, I took Alec in the lorakeet exhibit to let him feed them and have them crawl up his arm.

Saturday was the reason for the trip-the wedding! We had family pictures at 2.30, so we spent the morning running around trying to find dressy outfits for the boys. Two malls later, we'd finished! I managed a quick swim with Alec in the hotel's pool to cool off before we got dressed up.

My cousin Ryan looked SO happy, it was great. His bride Chrissy looked gorgeous! My favorite part was when he teared up as Chrissy entered the ceremony. He said later he'd never seen her look so beautiful.

After the wedding is that unavoidable lag-time when the couple takes photos and we have to entertain kids for a few hours. Poor Alec was really squirmy at this point, but he tried his best.

Then, the traditional 'decorating' the car. Kari, Kelsey, Carly & I had fun:

We flew home the next morning. Once again the boys did great on the flights. Just as we took off, James decided to make a big mess in his diaper that began to leak on his clothes, so that was funny, but we got him cleaned up. Alec was tired and slept in a strange position.

Wrong Shirt

2010-08-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Alec's growing independence means he wants to dress himself. It backfired when he found James's matching polo and wore it backwards.

James is so big and Alec is so tiny, he could still put it on and was NOT happy when I insisted he take it off.

Little Handyman

2010-07-30T14:26:00.001-07:00

Paul & I bought Alec a workbench & some little projects to make. It's been a fun father-son activity. I have a hard time not laughing when Alec tells me seriously, "I got to go make a airplane, mommy. I be back later!" He is getting good with the electric screwdriver, it's fun to see him concentrate so hard.

He enjoyed playing with it so much, Paul's begun taking him to the free kids' craft mornings at Lowe's & Home Depot. He's enjoyed making a monster truck, periscope & alien spaceship.

My favorite handyman trait is the helpful/cleaning side. Alec always offers to help me when I'm cleaning the house:

Happy Fourth of July Weekend

2010-07-08T08:50:00.001-07:00

We had a lot of family plans over the holiday weekend-Saturday was my sister's birthday so I had a cake to make (well, brownie-ice cream cake) and Sunday was the blessing of baby Ben. Alec gets a treat if he can sit still during the passing of the sacrament and he got a bit impatient waiting, so he stood up and shouted, 'Go sit down now, boys!'

Between all the family stuff and both of us teaching right now, Paul and I didn't plan much for the 4th, so we drove out to a great vantage point where we could see all the fireworks going off across the valley and parked the van. Paul and Alec got out to do some pop-its, but James and I opted to stay in the air conditioning. Not very exciting, but we had fun anyway.

Paul had Monday off work, so we got to do some swimming with daddy!

James in the Bath

2010-07-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Now that James is old enough to take baths, we stick his little tub in the bath with Alec who LOVES bath time with his little brother. He's great at playing with James and James always smiles at Alec's antics.

Swim! Swim! Swim!

2010-06-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

Alec began swimming lessons this summer: 4 days a week with 'Miss Sandy" and he LOVES it! I managed to snap a picture his first day of lessons. Little Mr. Fearless loves just jumping in the water with no regard for his safety, so I need him swimming for my own sanity.

My two little monkeys!

Fresh Orange Juice

2010-06-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

While we were in California a few weeks ago, my grandma gave us two large bags full of oranges off her tree. We clearly weren't going to eat them all before they'd go bad, so Alec and I decided to juice them.

He took the job very seriously and would throw the dried out halves in the trash solemnly, declaring, "That one's dead."

2 Month Old Comparison

2010-06-08T10:55:00.001-07:00

James looks so much like a mini-Alec that we wanted to put some pictures next to each other for comparison.

James has darker hair and more hair than Alec did as a baby and James is a lot larger, but you can definitely tell they're brothers.

Father Son Campout

2010-06-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Our ward hosted a father-son camp out and Alec had been excited for over a week about going camping. It must have seemed like heaven to him-camping with daddy, grandpa, 2 uncles & his best buddy, Cannon.

Uncle Ben figured out that the lantern attracting bugs scared Alec:

Sword fighting with s'mores sticks:

A stick has two ends, so why not eat two marshmallows?

Playing in the 'lazy river':

Rides from grandpa:

Beach!

2010-06-04T06:25:00.001-07:00

Since Paul had Monday off for Memorial Day, we decided to take advantage of the 3-day weekend to drive out to California and spend a day relaxing at the beach. We'd all been a little sick, but decided it was worth a rough drive. We drove out Friday and stayed at my grandma's house. Saturday morning we got to the beach about 10 and Alec immediately dug into his sand toys.

The water was freezing, but Paul and Alec didn't seem to mind.

Here's a cute shot of Alec:

And here's one that better shows his cheeky personality:

Paul kept building sandcastles with elaborate moats and Alec enjoyed crushing them, then laying on them:

James and I hung out a bit further back most of the time, I wanted him completely hidden from the sun:

Red Rock

2010-05-25T16:20:00.001-07:00

Alec had been begging to go hiking in the mountains, so we decided to try out a 'dog friendly' trail at Red Rock, before the weather could get too hot. Diapers on a dusty road sounded horrid, so James got to stay with Nana & Grandpa for the morning.

Alec started out strong-running and picking flowers, but after about 10 minutes wanted to be in the backpack...for the duration of the hike.

Although the weather was perfect for us, it was a little warm for the dogs (lots of tongues hanging out), so they'd run ahead to a shady spot and rest until we reached them. Here's Maggie, Milo & Molly acting casual:Tessie, Matt & Paul heading up the trail:Enjoying a pretty little grove we found.

A nice close-up of Toby's tongue, while he tries to beg snacks off Alec.

Milo and Alec resting. I was glad I'd had time to shave Milo down earlier in the week.

I think we'll try a trail at higher elevation next time, since we found loads of cactus bits all over the dogs afterwards. Poor Milo had a huge piece stuck in his tail that we couldn't get off completely until we got home and Maggie had small pieces all over her body.

Las Vegas Temple

2010-05-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we decided to meet up at the temple for a picnic lunch with my family. It was very peaceful and so beautiful. Alec loved the fountain the best and kept picking flowers. I decided to try and get some cute pictures with all the sunlight.

Alec holding James and his cousin Kayden. Yes, this was the best shot we got:

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and Paul helped Alec make it special for me. They woke up early and made me peach french toast for breakfast:

Alec made me a card with LOTS of glitter globs, then tried to help Paul take care of James so I could rest.

The weather was so nice we opted for barbecued hamburgers and Alec's favorite fruit-watermelon!

Paul and Alec had picked out some roses for me on Saturday and Alec was especially proud of them:

It was a lot of fun and I'm grateful for a kind husband who took the time to make it so special for me and a sweet little boy who likes to be kind.

Alec's 3rd Birthday

2010-05-14T17:43:00.001-07:00

Alec turned 3 on April 5th! He'd been requesting a 'Wall-E' cake for weeks, so Paul and I pulled one together:

He got his first two-wheeled bicycle with training wheels and we're still working on pedaling:

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

With cousin Kayden:

Not too excited to show mommy his Easter eggs:

Pictures

2010-03-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here we are leaving the hospital:

My two little boys falling asleep:

Enjoying some daddy time:

Alec is really into dinosaurs lately. He loves pretend games where we build caves to hide in, search for dinosaur eggs and eat leaves:

Alec loves to hold James and is getting the hang of supporting his head, he's a great older brother!

James Patrick Russell

2010-03-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Final belly shot, the night before labor & delivery. I thought it looked like I had a beach ball taped to my belly:

I thought I was having contractions about 10 minutes apart on Wednesday morning, but the hospital monitor said 4, so I got a lovely epidural. We arrived around 7.30 and were all set up by 8.15. My parents came and we all watched some movies and TV until about 3, when I felt the urge to push. They let me push about 3.30 and 6 minutes later, James came out! We were thinking he was about 8 pounds, but the scale showed a bit more...10 pounds, 7 ounces!

And then there were 4...

Alec, checking to make sure baby James has eyes that work.

James arrived at 3.36 pm on March 24, 2010. 10 lbs, 7 oz and 21 inches long.

Pictures from February

2010-02-27T15:56:00.001-08:00

One morning, when I was getting dressed, Alec decided if he said the breakfast prayer in my room before we went downstairs to eat, it would speed up the morning process...

We got to go to the Lied Discovery Museum with Catherine.

Craft time at the library. Painting a "snake". I think Alec enjoyed mixing the colors more than actually painting.

Finding turtles at the park with Uncle Christopher.

Cuddling with Cannon.

Even though we've stopped having nap time, some days he gets too tired and crashes on our bed.

Christmas

2010-02-01T11:42:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve pajamas!

We actually had to wake up Alec Christmas morning around 9, so he doesn't appear too excited.
We spread out the presents for Alec, letting him start opening them at the end of November. A lot were things like books that he could open and read with his daddy or DVDs. It kept Christmas morning simpler and fun. It also left Alec available to open gifts for everyone else.Paul also decided to take Alec up to Mt Charleston to build a snowman. Our poor Vegas baby, he hated it! He would get out of the car for 2 minutes, then demand back in to warm up.

Disneyland at Christmas time

2010-01-10T19:14:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun last year at Disneyland during Christmas time that we decided to go again (that and Alec's persistent begging, 'Want to go to Disneyland, momma. Please, momma!') We went for 3 days, meeting up with my family on the second day.

Our first day was spent in Toon Town meeting Minnie and doing other young kid rides. Last year we went back to the hotel for nap time, but he crashed in the stroller, so we hung out in the Golden Horseshoe while he napped (resting my feet as well), then continued on.

Enjoying the parade from daddy's shoulders:

The second day, with my family was a blast! They were great about meeting up for rides, then splitting off as necessary. When all together there were 19 of us. Alec LOVED the attention and waiting in lines was a lot easier since he just got passed around and cuddled the whole time.

Our final morning we took Alec to CA Adventure. We wanted him to see the 'Playhouse Disney' show and all the Bug's Life rides and show. Last year we had to leave the show about 2 minutes in (he got scared), so I was pretty proud when he made it all the way through this time.

We only made it until about noon, then drove back to Vegas.

Sabrena's Sealing

2009-12-26T13:47:00.001-08:00

Paul and I were able to attend Sabrena's sealing in Colorado with my parents. Alec got to hang out with his aunts and uncles for the weekend. Her sealing was Saturday, December 12th in the Denver, CO temple, so we flew out Friday morning. It was only 8 degreees colder in Denver than Vegas, so no big deal. Friday was pretty easy, until the evening when we had to prepare the flowers. I was taught how to make corsages and boutiennieres, and that kept me up a bit later than planned.

Saturday morning was the sealing and it was beautiful! It was so wonderful to see her sealed! She looked gorgeous.

Afterwards, her luncheon was at a great Thai restaurant. I think Paul, my parents & I stuffed up on the first course ('make your own spring rolls'), so the following 6 courses were way too much!

Family Pictures

2009-11-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

My friend Erin agreed to take some family pictures for us! We headed out to Floyd Lamb State Park and had a great time! I had a hard time picking out my favorites, but here are a few.

Ultrasound

2009-11-19T21:21:00.001-08:00

I had my long ultrasound today and the tech took some 4D pictures of little James. Here's his little legs up against his face and holding onto the cord:Here he is stretching out his toes. Check out those toned arms!

Nice facial shot, he looks a lot like his big brother:

Weeks of Halloween...

2009-11-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Alec got to be a train conductor this Halloween (it just HAD to involve trains, right?). He loves pumpkins and anything to do with Halloween, so we really spread out the fun this year. 3 weeks before, he got to attend my parents' 8 year old Sunday School class party...which he also got uninvited from, for chasing one of the boys around.The next weekend was Uncle Christopher & Auntie Joleen's community Apple Fair. Alec got loads of cool toys and had a blast playing all the games.Catching butterflies with Uncle Christopher:Later that afternoon was Border's Halloween Party for kids, so I decided to take Alec. The games were designed for older kids, though, so he had a hard time trying to participate. He loved the stories, cookies and treat bags though!Finally, on Halloween weekend, we took him to the ward trunk-or-treat. Alec loved the cake walk with Uncle Christopher and games with his daddy, but his favorite part was definitely trunk-or-treating for candy.Posing with his buddy, Cannon:Finally, on Halloween night he got to carve a pumpkin with daddy and do some trick-or-treating.Whilst trick-or-treating with Auntie Kelsey he had 3 houses mention they'd worked at railways or as a conductor and those families gave him extra-way to work it!Despite all the candy he got, we've been limiting him to a piece a day and he seems happy with that. :) Actually, most of it got recycled as we were bombarded with trick-or-treaters this year!

Visit from Granny & Grandad

2009-11-08T14:28:00.001-08:00

Paul's parents were able to come visit for a couple weeks and hang out with Alec:

Enjoying Temple Square after the Saturday morning session:

My cousin Brynn's little boy, Kendrick:

Alec inherited his love of swimming from his granny:

Picking out Halloween pumpkins:

Apart from the seasonal and day-to-day activities, we were able to make it to SLC for a weekend and St. George to see some church history sites.

Alec's First Camping Trip

2009-10-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

After a summer of attempts, we finally managed to go camping...in September! Our friends, Matt & Tessie booked a site and we happily headed up with a loaded car to Mt Charleston. Alec had a blast with the campfire, collecting rocks, sticks, pinecones, etc. Of course, the dogs thought they were in heaven. :)
Enjoying some of Matt's chili:
First (ultra sticky) s'mores!
Although he got scared when we turned the lantern off, he certainly enjoyed sleeping between mommy & daddy!
Cuddling Molly (Matt & Tessie's lab).

Happy (Early) Halloween!

2009-09-18T21:02:00.001-07:00

Alec is really into Halloween pumpkins, so we let him pick out some Halloween pajamas-he chose a skeleton and LOVES them. He looked so cute in them I had to get some early photos, so Happy (early) Halloween!!

5 Years Now...

2009-09-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Although we'd celebrated our 5 year anniversary in July (Cedar City), Paul still remembered to get me some flowers and we had a babysitter for an hour, so we made a mad dash to fill my Mexican beef craving at Cafe Rio.

Alec, sniffing one of my roses:

Labour Day

2009-09-09T20:18:00.001-07:00

Paul had the day off work and wanted to go swimming with Alec. Alec was thrilled! So, the two of them spent the morning at the pool (whilst I got the grocery shopping done).

Colorado Trip!

2009-08-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

We finally made our week-long trip to Colorado, with the intent of preparing as much as we could for our (hopefully) move at the end of the year.

We left early Saturday morning and 11 hours later reached Denver! Poor Paul had a cold, so Sunday he was on bedrest before his interview Monday. He 'aced' the Excel test and was asked how soon he could work. Paul said January and they said no problem, we just contact them again in December! He was offered an Astronomy class at the College here in Vegas, so we plan to stay until December so he can gain some experience.

Alec did some weeding in the backyard, whilst we waited and ran across the street to pet some of the horses.Monday night my friend Jane had us over for dinner and Alec kept hugging their daughter (Alyssa) and lying back. So, they ended up on the floor.Tuesday we met up with my buddies from high school and their children at a park.

Afterwards, we celebrated Freddy's birthday (Sabrena's fiancee).Then, we hit a park in Thornton, just the 3 of us.Wednesday we visited my 'adopted' grandparents in Ft Collins.Afterwards we hung out at a park, until we could visit Hahn, Kadie & baby Henry.Then we had dinner at Mike & Brittney's. Alec & Kaitlin played really well, until they got tired & cranky.Thursday we were all exhausted (and sick), so we rested at Sabrena's and met up with Shiela for a late lunch.Friday we went to check out Highlands Ranch, a suburb in southeastern Denver we're considering moving to. Our friends, the Bucks, live there, so we hung out at their home in the morning (and grilled them about why they chose to live there). Alec and Joseph kept sneaking upstairs to get into the sink in the master bathroom.After lunch with them and Shannon, they took us to one of their rec centers and got us some great maps and info.We spent the rest of the day driving through neighborhoods and seeing which areas we like. If Paul gets a job near southern Denver, HR is definitely our first choice!

We had a great time visiting as many people as we could and most importantly, lining things up so we can (hopefully) move at the end of the year!

Update: Front Range College in Colorado called Paul on Monday to see if he was available to teach Astronomy this Spring! :) Not sure if the locations will work out, but it's a great opportunity.

UTAH

2009-08-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

I surprised Paul with a weekend away to Cedar City Utah. I planned 3 hikes for Saturday morning, then 'Henry V' for Saturday evening. The best part was...Paul didn't know where he was driving to or what we'd be doing!! I'm good with secrets, but not surprises, so I was pretty thrilled with my self.Friday night we went out to dinner and wandered the historic buildings on Main Street. I made Paul pose before a statue, then we headed back to our suite to relax.

Saturday morning, we managed to hit all 3 trails, plus a quick stop at Navajo Lake.Cedar Breaks was the most spectacular sight and the hike involved some sheer drops. Bristlecone Pines-the oldest living organisms on the planet, these were around whilst the Egyptians were building the pyramids!On the way back into town I wanted to see the 'Old Rock Church', so we rinsed the mud off our shoes and headed in. It was built in the 1930s using local material. A few hours' rest at the hotel, then we got dressed up, had some yummy Chinese, before arriving at the Shakespeare Festival. The outdoor building was a nice re-creation of The Globe and the performance was great! The guy playing Henry put all the others to shame, he was awesome!

Santa Monica Pier & Malibu Beach

2009-07-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the carousel with daddy:

Pretending to swim in the mural with Uncle Kevie, daddy & mommy. Alec thought this was hilarious.

So, this needs a bit of explaining. Alec loves the shark, Bruce, on Finding Nemo. He goes around saying (in a deep voice), 'Hello, I Bruce!' So, I got in on film next to a shark painting.

Alec enjoying the view of LA from his great-grandma's backyard. This is his 'smile' still.

Saturday morning we found a quiet little beach in Malibu.

At first Alec was afraid of the loud waves and held on to his daddy's hand.

Paul kept trying to bury Alec in the sand and Alec kept kicking the sand about and giggling. It was awfully cute.

Self-photo of Paul and I:

After 2 hours, Alec was running towards the waves and having a grand time.

Afterwards Alec demanded to use the potty. He had regressed for a week (after several weeks of being potty trained), so we were a little apprehensive about the trip-"Should we put him in a diaper for the drive?"

We're so proud of him! The whole trip he'd warn us if he needed to go and give us plenty of time to pull the car off the highway and even slept through 'Harry Potter 6' in Paul's arms with no diaper!! Several weeks of no accidents and dry diapers after naps, I think my little man is potty trained!

Yet he still hates fireworks...

2009-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Enjoying a barbecue at Auntie Kari & Uncle Ben's with Nana.I made a red, white & blue trifle for Paul!

Swimming with daddy is always fun!

Alec LOVES the showers for some odd reason. He kept running over there and squirting himself.

Later in the evening we went to my cousin's to do some sparklers and fireworks. The loud noises and flashing lights frightened Alec, he kept wanting to go inside, so we gave up and went outside to watch some of the big fireworks go off around Vegas. Vegas does do the 4th well. Fireworks were going off in all directions, it was beautiful, though scary to Alec.

Kelsey, attempting to keep Alec from smacking himself in the face with the sparkler. We were so happy she came to visit us!

Swimming=Sunburn

2009-06-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

Alec and I go swimming on Friday's at my sister's. This last Friday was pretty sunny and I didn't apply enough lotion to my shoulders. I'm currently pink and horrid as they come, but I got enough on Alec at least, he only had two small spots.

Alec's buddy, Cannon, from nursery was able to come. They are SO cute together.

Russell Look-alike Meter

2009-06-22T22:35:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Free genealogy - Family name history

Lower Cathedral Rock

2009-06-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely family hike on Saturday morning. Ever since our last hike 3 weeks ago Alec shouts, "Hike!" everytime he sees mountains and we finally took the hint.We set off from the Lower Cathedral Rock trailhead at Mt Charleston and hiked up to the waterfall. Once there we could let Alec run around and explore some. He immediately found a little cave and dubbed it 'Bambi House'. So, we had to climb up into it several times (for some reason, once in it he was a bit spooked) and got some cute pictures. The dogs were on their best behavior and enjoyed all the other hikers desperate to pet them as Alec toddled along. A very nice break and family outing!

'Muscle' Russell

2009-06-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Alec and 'The Pack'

2009-06-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

Some days we walk both my sisters' dogs and my parents', in addition to our 2 dogs.

Potty Training

2009-05-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

Since the chiropractor's grounded me from running for ANOTHER week, and because Alec has used the potty a few times and likes it, AND because it's so hot already, I thought now would be a great time to do the intense 3-day method. Alec loves running around naked from the waist down and putting stickers on his chart.

The first day was all right, though swimming in the afternoon threw him off his game.We're at day 3 now and I'm exhausted and a little stir-crazy. I've discovered if I don't pester too much, he goes on his own. We're 100% with #2 and about 75% with #1, so I'm pretty pleased, if too tired to really care.

Gymnastics Pictures

2009-05-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Alec's enjoying another round of gymnastics and seems to be doing better at each activity. I wanted to upload some cute pictures of it:

Alec and Patrick hugging after a long workout, whilst waiting for their gummybear rewards:

"Pudgy, Pudgy"

2009-05-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Alec was poking his auntie's belly and calling her 'pudgy' (at the insistent prompting of my mother) one day. It's funny because Kari is anything but pudgy.

Lovell Canyon 10K

2009-04-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

This morning Hilary and I headed out in the windy weather for our first 10K since we started running in Feb. The cold wind and early hour dampened our enthusiasm, but after hiding in the back of a truck until the race began kept us warm. (What happened to the 90 degree weather we had earlier this week??)

Here's my horrid early-morning pre-race photo (whilst hiding in the truck): Once we started out, I warmed up quickly and even the fog we ran through with bits of snow pelting us didn't slow me down. The first 3.1 miles were mainly uphill at a slow incline, which meant the last 3.1 were a lovely downhill, increasing my pace and excitement.

I kept a fairly steady pace (about 11:30/mile), just around 71 minutes total and enjoyed the scenery up to the end. It wasn't my best 6.2 mile time of 68:12, but considering the hills, snow & wind I'm pretty happy with it & placed 12th in my age category.

After some breakfast kindly given by the Salvation Army, we headed home sore, but feeling pretty good about it all!

Kevie's Sealing

2009-04-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

We just got back from nearly a week in San Diego for Kevie's wedding.

Alec, Kelsey and I drove out on Saturday, picked Sabrena up from the airport and immediately headed to Coronado Beach. Alec loved the sand and seaweed, but the waves were a bit scary and the water too cold.We spent 2 days in Ramona, California baking and frosting the 5-layer cake. During which, Alec enjoyed the trampoline, chickens and bunny in Carly's father's backyard, along with an impromptu piano lesson from Uncle Kevie.Tuesday was our 'back up day' for the cake, but it had gone well, so we were able to walk around Old Town and visit Imperial Beach (where Alec found a seashell).Wednesday morning was the sealing and it was SO lovely. It was so wonderful to stop running around for a few minutes and enjoy the reason we were there.

Sabrena & I: 16 years of best friendship so far:
The girls: Joleen (sister-in-law), Kari (sister), Kelsey (sister) & I: After a few family pictures we headed to the luncheon, then to the reception to set up the cake. Not too shabby. It certainly gets quicker and easier each wedding.Alec adores Carly, so he was pretty happy to sneak a dance in when Kevie was busy.
Ryan (cousin), me, Nikki (cousin) & Sabrena:
Grandma Hunter, Aunt Jerri and Dad having a good time:
After the reception, Alec enjoyed rolling around in the tissue paper discarded whilst Kevie & Carly opened their gifts. Carly's siblings were nuts over Alec and he just basked in the attention. Here he is with Emily:

Busy Birthday Weekend

2009-04-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last weekend (Sunday, the 5th to be exact) our little man turned 2! He had busy, but incredibly fun-filled weekend.

Saturday morning we attended the North Las Vegas 'Eggstravaganza'. Alec loved meeting the Easter Bunny, face paint (a ladybug), pony ride, chasing chickens & of course, the egg hunt!
Saturday evening was Catherine's birthday party-complete with a petting zoo and balloon animals (well, train in Alec's case).We decided not to do a birthday party this year-just the cousins over for dinner on Sunday, which became a total Thomas the Train day! We had bought Alec the Thomas train table and it was definitely a hit. He plays with it more than all his other toys combined. I made him a train cake which was also a hit. We also dyed Easter eggs (seeing as we'll be in San Diego on Easter Sunday baking a wedding cake) and Alec enjoyed putting stickers on them.

Two Year Old Portraits

2009-04-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Paul and I took Alec to get his two year old portraits done today and they came out pretty darn cute. We were prepared with the lessons we learned at his one year old portraits:

1. We canNOT do family portraits and toddler portraits in one sitting
2. Bring a soft toy to make dance and Alec laugh
3. A change of clothes will simply NOT be accepted without a tantrum
4. No pictures can be taken after 5 minutes of smiling (photographer MUST be fast)

It worked! Last year we were struggling to find one we really liked, this year we were struggling to narrow down the poses we really liked:

A bit of catching up...

2009-04-03T19:18:00.001-07:00

Not much has happened lately, so here are some cute pictures and small tidbits.

After trying out the 'bowl cut' and discovering it made Alec's head look huge, I tried a simpler approach, just a 1". Here's a 'before' picture and then several 'after's:We have officially started into the tantrum phase and time-outs are being employed. Here's Alec attempting to be let off early with pleas of "Mamma" and crocodile tears (yes, he is wearing his train swimsuit over his overalls).Last weekend Alec got invited to the 'girls night' my sister Kari threw (during Kevie's bachelor party). I missed the photo, but during 'Bride & Prejudice' he lifted his shirt (as the girls wear saris) and started dancing to the Bollywood film!! Too funny.Just enjoying some Play-Doh time with daddy:Alec's first hockey game:Alec still loves his baths:

Just because he wants to...

2009-03-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Alec is very opinionated and incredibly stubborn (poor kid takes after his mom!). So, clothing tends to be a compromise. I usually let him choose the shirt, then I pick the matching shorts. It only backfires when I forget to pack up pajamas he's outgrown, that have colorful characters on them.

His favorite shoes are his Thomas slippers (thanks young Russells!), and he consistently loses one, but still insists on wearing the other. Ah, my cheeky little man...He still loves bugs at the park, but now dirt is a close second. I'm okay with him playing in it, running it all over his legs, but I draw the line at putting it in Milo's fur-way too thick.Of course, picking the days' activities is always good. From 'chahhhk'...

To 'kike' flying!It seems to work, all the smiles make me think he's pretty happy with his life.And, just for Kelsey, here's an attempt at getting Alec to perform: