Thanksgiving 2009

We had officially moved into our house in Orange County (pictures to come) and not quite settled, so Jeff and Jen invited us to join them with Jen's family as well for Thanksgiving.
This would be a first in a long time to have Dan with us for Thanksgiving Day.
Dan had to work in the morning, but he was able to come a little later to join us for food and football.

Cousin Kate entertaining her littlest of cousins with water paint. What an amazing cousin!

Our Visit to The Reagan Library

There are many things to visit here in Southern California and we chose to visit the Reagan Library as one of the firsts, and we were very glad we did!
Dan and Sam in front of the library.
Sam and Me posing as some important political figure, ha ha!

Standing in front of Reagan's Air Force One.

The day Dan and I decided to visit the library, just happened to be the same day they were celebrating the 40TH anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. After touring Air Force One, we saw that there was a gathering for a luncheon just below. As we were looking below at the crowd I said to Dan, "Do you think anybody important is down there?" Just as I finished my sentence I did capture a glimpse of someone that was pretty well known and frantically told Dan, "I need the camera!"

See if you can catch a glimpse of that someone who is important.

Nancy Reagan

First Halloween in Cali

Sam's pick for this year's Hallloween costume was a Pirate and he loved saying, "I the pirate, Arrr."

For Sam's first time to go trick or treating door to door, Dan was finally around and NOT deployed and able to take his little boy. Sam's cousin John was nice enough to let little Sam tag a long with all of his buds to trick or treat. It was too cute, all of John's buds call Dan, "Uncle Dan."

Sam's form of transportation for trick or treating. Pretty nice to have a ride like this and get candy during it.

His cousin Kate greets him at the door with candy after our adventure out.

Sam loved these cookies that Aunt Jen and Kate made! "Don't gobble up too many gobblins Sam."

Sam's cousin Francis shows off his awesome Halloween costume to us.

Back at the hotel, Sam raids his first ever loot, working oh so hard to reach what lies inside the paper.

The Denver Broncos Rule

When Dan found out that his beloved Denver Broncos would be coming to San Diego for Monday Nigh Football, he HAD to go. I had planned on going with Dan and his brother and sister-in-law, but Sam was just recovering from having his adenoids removed. Dan decided to give my ticket to his niece Kate! This is a bunch of Broncos fans that became their buds among all the Charger fans there.
A fun time was had by all, especially since the Broncos won or as Dan says, "They crushed them, it was beautiful!"
Dan and Kate!

Jeff and Jen!

Time Spent With Family in Fall

Totally unplanned and within even hours of thinking "I am sick of this hotel" and realizing how much space Sam was in need of, Sam and I were on the road with Utah and sanity as our destination.
I called my sister Suzie to tell her of my plan and left it a secret from my parents to have a little fun. Upon arriving, I was talking to my mom on the phone and drove up to their house and rang the doorbell. I had Sam stand in front of the door. My dad answered and of course that made a lot of commotion in the back ground as I was still on the phone with my mom. She said something was going on at the front door and was unsure of it all. I walked in as I was talking to her and well, she was SURPRISED!!
Liam, Tristan and Sam loving the pumpkin playground.
During our break we went to a little pumpkin farm and Gardner Village. Fun for Sam and Me!

Suzie and Mom, enjoying our time together.

Sam and Liam, unsure of this place we have taken them to with all the scary witches.

Go... Dodgers and Angels!

Dan was hoping since his first baseball game was a Dodgers game that he would make that Sam's as well. It turns out we had an opportunity to go to an Angel's game with Sam's cousins first, so we didn't want to pass that up. Sam sporting all of his Angel's attire we, as his parents, felt a need to spoil him with. I think he liked it.

The 2nd baseball game for Sam was the Dodgers, since we live in CA it was easy to do. He actually loved them both. Since the games he cannot stop talking about the Dodgers and the Angels. We just happened to get him a pair of blue shoes and red high top Converse which he has officially named his Dodger and Angel shoes.

We don't know which team will be his favorite, but at least we have a choice. What a fun place to live this is.

St George Excursion with Stromberg Side

Dan's mom and dad decided to have the family get together and do a short trip to St. George this past summer.
We visited Zions National Park and did some short hikes.
Dan and his brother Jeff, poking fun at the sign!
Sam loves his cousin John and any attention he gives him.

We also had so much fun seeing "Annie" the play at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre in St. George.

Jeff & Jen looking fabulous!

It was SO HOT in St. George that we decided to find an indoor activity for Sam. We found a pet store and Sam loved petting the puppies!

Dan's dad took us all out to eat at one of his favorites Gun Barrel. Yummy steak!

Dad and Mom Stromberg

Stromberg cousins: Caroline, Kate, Sam and John.

Sam's 2 Year Pictures

For Sam's 2 year pictures I had my friend Andrea Hanks take them. We met her in American Fork at a place called Star Mill. It was awesome because Sam was having so much fun exploring everything on the lot, that he had no idea his picture was being taken. She did an amazing job!

24th of July Utah Fun

Three little boys not sure if they should enjoy this petting zoo at the This is the Place Monument, or if they should just keep their distance.

We made another visit to Logan with Grandma Carol to see Sam's great grandma. We visited with all of Grandma Carol's family and Sam was spoiled with Elmo Cupcakes by Aunt Cathy.

These three little tikes are fully confident that they are a great help to their Granpda Bean with the gardening.Enjoying the 24th of July Parade with Grandma Carol, in NO heat and NO crowd. It's the way to go!!
In this heat wave Ashley decided it would be fun for Suzie and I to bring our boys to a mini lake in Day Break where her sister-in-law lives. What little boy wouldn't mind playing in the sand?!

A little family fun to celebrate the 24th as the day comes to an end! Tom is showing the little ones firework snakes.

A little goodbye gift to Sam from his Aunt Ash, he is using it as a disguise from the camera.

Escaping to Utah

After making our move to California and spending some time in the March Air Force Hotel, I decided it would be a nice change to get to Utah and have some kid quality time for Sam. Not many kids living in the hotel there to play with.
My little Sis. Ash had a break from work and flew out to help me make the drive to Utah with Sam. Of course we spent a little quality time at the Irvine Spectrum with Ashley before leaving to Utah! What mother doesn't love an amazing merry go round to distract her child during a shopping spree!

To keep up with the family tradition, one of the first things we needed to do to enjoy our family time was to head to the canyons for a bbq.

Dad & Mom
Little rascal cousins
Sam, Luke, Liam, Tristan

Enjoying the red punch a wee bit much!

...and the results, cherry stained lips!