For Labor Day weekend we went to visit BJ's hometown, Morgan Hill CA. We also got to see some of the surrounding area such as San Fransisco and Monterrey.

This is a picture right before a big wave came out of now where, scrambling out of the say BJ and I bonked heads really hard and Sam got soaked anyways, but here we are happy in our ignorance.

BJ and Sam at a beach in Monterrey

Fisherman's Wharf at Monterrey

Monterrey.

On one of our first dates I remember BJ telling me how he grew up at the mushroom capital of the world and every year they would have a Mushroom Marti Gra. It just happened to be the same weekend we were there so I made BJ go. I later found out that there family never actually went and this was one of the first times that BJ went other than picking up trash afterwards as a scout. There are surprisingly few mushrooms at the festival. The only mushrooms that we could find were some fried mushrooms at a booth.

Sam and Shannon with the sundae we all shared at the Ghirardelli chocolate factory.

BJ and Sam while we were waiting for our sundae to arrive.

As you may have guessed from the pictures. This is the Ghirardelli chocolate factory. well actually not the white and blue building, the brick building a little bit further up the hill.

Here we are at the Aquarium on the Bay in San Fransisco looking at the jellyfish. Sam was more interested in the signs to the exhibits because they had things you could move. He got a little freaked out by fish that were bigger than he is. I think our beta fish is more to his liking.

Nothing like shrimp chowder in a bread bowl at Fisherman's Wharf.

BJ at Fisherman's Wharf in San Fransisco.

On this trip we got to clean up throw up from the car two times. Yuck! BJ was on a business trip in San Jose earlier that week and then Sam and I few out there to meet him for the weekend. When he got to CA he got to choose an upgraded rental car so he chose a really cool yellow jeep. We found out the hard way that these were not meant to be family cars. We think Sam just got moved around in the back seat because he kept on getting car sick. Our mini van may not be cool but it is a much smoother ride.

Sam's Orthopedics

We recently found out that Sam needed to get some orthopedics for his feet. He has very flat feet that aren't developing an arch like they should by this time. This is what gives him his cute little duck foot walk. The poor guy also falls down quite a bit and has started to walk on his toes to compensate for the lack of sensory input that he has while walking flat foot (that is at least what the PT and orthopedic specialists say). They orthopedics are amazing. Within a minutes of having them on his feet are pointed in the right direction and he doesn't fall down nearly as much as he did before. We can tell that he knows they help him because he loves to have them on. He is suppose to wear them for about 5-6 hours a day and he never seems to mind them on or ever tries to take them off. He is suppose to wear them with skater shoes because they are roomier and have a wide bottom. If you ever are in the market for "skater shoes" for toddler's I'll just warn you, don't expect any teddy bears. I had to search far and wide for a pair that didn't have skulls and cross bones all over them. They have helicopters, I can live with that for a two year old. I think that there is one skull and cross bone in the embroidery but you can't really tell unless you look really close. I think that I am officially announcing that I am uncool.


Here are his shoes and orthopedics ensamble, they kind of look like high tops.

After looking at all of the samples Sam and I decided to go with the camo style. That's $1600 worth of plastic folks. Luckily (for BJ and I at least) our insurance would pay for them if they go above the ankle.

I just couldn't help myself on this picture. In his defense he is really itching his nose. It's a scratch not a pick.

Happy Mother's Day!!

We have been blessed by so many mother's in our lives and wanted to thank all of you for the blessings that you have been to us. We thank our own mothers and grandmothers for all of the love and sacrifice that you have given us through out the years. Being parents now we are only beginning to understand what that means. We thank all of the women who have been mother's to us in many ways. Isn't a mother some one who loves and nurtures you. We have been loved and nurtured by so many angelic women though out our lives, and we thank all of the women who have been mothers to our little Sam. We love you and think of you often, but and hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day.

Forts and teeth

Sam is usually pretty good about letting us brush his teeth. The other night though he was against the idea. When he saw Shannon coming with the toothbrush he went and made himself a little fort and hid in it. If you look close you can see his little eyes peeping out from the cushions.

In case you are wondering whether or not the teeth got brushed, Dad and Mom are still a lot bigger and won the battle! The teeth are safe this time...