The Many Faces of Sam

Sam has certainly hit that three year old imagination stage. Every time we turn around he is some sort of super hero or a character of some sort he has created in his little mind.
So Sam when you are older, this is for you to see what a creative and silly boy you were.

Easter Simple and Fun!

Easter day was simple and fun!
Danno had to work the swing, so he was home in the morning to enjoy Sam's egg hunt and a good Easter breakfast. The rest of the day Sam and I watched conference.

You Snooze You Lose

Okay, I realize that the second picture is a bad shot, but focus on all the eggs in the back ground. This was an Easter Egg Hunt in Laguna Hills, put on by a local church. A friend from church invited me and some other mommies to come to this fun filled event. Bounce house, Easter Bunny, Easter Egg Hunt, face painting and carnival food. Sam was very excited for the egg hunt and the Easter Bunny.
When it came time for the hunt to begin, it was just a little bit intimidating for my little guy to say the least. Not only did the little tikes his age run out there, but the parents too. Sam was not about to go out there and fend for himself. So he had one egg out of all that you see out there on the grass. All those eggs snatched up in seconds. My guy was SAD! Luckily his little friends, that were a little more aggressive than him decided to share their eggs.
Next part of the story, no Easter Bunny came. Wow, the day was just not going Sam's way. So I figured I would take him to the mall, the Easter Bunny had to be there. He was, but so was everyone else. So we waited for an hour and a half. When we were so close to the end of the line, Sam saw the Easter Bunny and began to FREAK OUT! I guess he envisioned a small fluffy bunny, ever so cute. Not this massive bunny. How could I push Sam into this about to be nightmare for him, so we left.
Luckily the rest of his Easter would be better.

Potato Heads and Potty Training

Who would have ever known that all it would take was Potato Heads to potty train this little guy. I read up on so many ways to potty train your toddlers and I was so nervous to attempt it with Sam, because he is a pretty hard headed kid. He knows what he wants and tries to stick with his plan. So after all my organizing, I was ready to try the 3 Day Potty Training method. It was okay, but just not the best for my Sam.
I had a lot of friends tell me that their kids worked well with candy. Well Sam would do anything for CHOCOLATE, but I couldn't do that method for him or the next thing we would be doing is Weight Watchers. A brilliant idea came to mind as I was watching his obsession with his Potato Heads. Why not buy him a bunch of Potato Heads and give it to him in pieces as he earns them each time he does his duty.
Their you have it. A happy boy with his Potato Heads and a happy mommy with a potty trained toddler!

A Place to Call Home in Southern California

Our little Southern California House.
A few friends and family have requested to see what house we decided on after 84 houses of hunting. So for that and journal keeping, here is where we call home and we LOVE it here! The house may be small, but for south Orange County it is well worth it.
The Master

Sam with a little trundle tucked under his bed, anxiously awaiting for his guests!

Sam/guest Bathroom

Office or Dan's escape room

Loft/Toy Room

Loft/Guest pull out bed

Front Room

Entry

Kitchen

Family Room

Back yard (last area that we have not worked on yet)

The House We Were Not Quite Ready to Call Home...Yet!

After 84 houses later this is what we were ABOUT ready to call home. Our home was owned by an older couple that owned an antique shop with a style of their own. Whenever we were asked by ward members where we lived they said, "Oh the crazy lady house, or the house with the lady painted on the fence." Many other stories too, but now it was ours and it's time to make our own story for this house. We fell in love with the area and the bones of the house, it just needed a little TLC from us. So after much sweat and several weeks of NON STOP work, we are calling it OUR home.

Before (front)
The Master

Sam's Room

Sam/guest bathroom

Office (later many cuts and bruises of demolition for Dan)

Loft/Toy Room

Front Room

Kitchen

Family Room

Our First Visit to the Beach of 2010

With nothing to do, why not head to the beach and let Sam dip his toes in the sand. Dan's brother had taken us to Laguna Beach last summer, but when we bought our new house we didn't realize how close we were to it. Twenty minutes away, around the corner. BEAUTIFUL! It was beautiful there and Sam LOVED every minute of it, well maybe not when he got knocked down by the wave.

Sam running from the wave that took him down!

A little nervous.

So here's my question. What is this picture really about, Red and I or someone else? Ha ha!

Thoroughly enjoying the sand!

37 and Ma & Pa Bean Visit

Dan turned 37 and since my parents were in town for the day, we got Dan's family to come over and celebrate with everyone together. Why not embarrass him?!
Notice, some one's been sneaking the cake all ready!

Sam got in on the birthday action as well. My parents spoiled him with an amazing ship. He loves Playmobil. My sister-in-law introduced me to this cute brand and Sam has fallen in love with it, and I have too.

During my parents stay, my dad wanted to discover all that this beautiful area we live in has to offer. We discovered just around the corner is the San Juan Capistrano Mission.

Sam and my Dad tracing the California Mission Home symbols.

Three and Beyond!

My little "Red" turned 3!
This is how the kitchen looked when he woke up and of course he couldn't resist to sit at the special birthday table instead of his little table.
The "3" year loot!

Sam's request was to go to Chuck E. Cheese for his birthday. Ugh! We went there for his 2 year old birthday, please not again. I thought and thought of where would be fun for him without throwing a party for him. Luckily "Rain Forest Cafe" is located in Costa Mesa, here in California! Great, just like Chuck E. Cheese, the motorized animals for excitement, but not the terrible pizza and chaos of kids in the arcade. Well, things didn't go according to my plan and Dan thought, "Hey, I'm off that day, why not take him to "Chuck E. Cheese" for lunch and "Rain Forest Cafe" for dinner." Oh, how exciting, but this was Sam's day, so the plan proceeded.

Our experience at "Chuck E. Cheese:" Sam terrified of mouse behind him, but did enjoy the games and pizza.
After winning over 400 points from his tickets, this was the prize!
That's a mini Toostie Roll.

Our experience at "Rain Forest Cafe:" Pleading from the Red to sit next to him and be as close to the wall as possible, in hopes he would not be the next dinner for the motorized animals. I lovingly took him on a tour of the restaurant to visit all the animals and I paid the price. My skin was tightly clenched during that.

The prize from the evening of "Rain Forest Cafe."

His request for this years birthday cake was "Cars!"

My lazy attempt of his request. But the good news is, it was everything he wanted, chocolate too!

The finale of the evening of Sam's version "Happy Birthday to You."

Pepper

Sam got his first pet...a red Beta fish, one that is hard to kill and therefore no tears for awhile at least.
We'll see how long it lasts. He loves it and has named it Pepper.
Welcome to the family Pepper!