Thanksgiving Fun, Run, Birthday, Shivelys Visit, Graeagle & Trees

This year Nat Dogg was on the ball and re-started the Girls Thanksgiving. We used to do it every year. It was a fun night of laughs.  Turkey was delicious as were all the pot luck contributions! 

 Shively's were in town to see the 49ers beat down the Bears....oops I mean the MNF Niners vs Bears game. We had a great breakfast visit!

Gino loves to feed Sydney food. It is becoming a problem!  

A little here and there ok....but the whole plate???  

So he has been moved to sit by Giada....we will see if this helps! 

Plus, I was tired of that high chair!

Happy Birthday Heather! Yummy dinner out at Waterloo to celebrate!

 Giada loves dressing up in Mike's clothes and then surprising him in an outfit! Mussi Farming hat fits her well!  Gino spends most of his day climbing on things he shouldn't be on and yelling for me to see him on it and then laughing.... these kids - good thing they are cute!

 My mom does Thanksgiving on Wednesday Night, which is nice then we do Coldani's on Thursday and Matt and Steph can go to the Towers! Works for everyone.  Gino missed out on this cute pic!

 Annual Thanksgiving Morning Run. KR and I are always there and then the group changes year to year. This year the Hilders joined us, Diehls, and Kerns - Big Fun!  The kiddos loved doing the kid run. Then during the 10K Giada got out and ran with us, she must have run 2 more miles! This girl enjoys running! Great job on the 6 miles KR! Trish- maybe dress a little warmer you So Cal girl ;)

 Stella sent us this pic thanking us for the bath seat! Hard to believe she is almost ready for it!! 

 Yippee a break in harvest so we were able to run up to Graeagle for a couple days. It was so relaxing. We didn't do much. We saw 29 deer....that is definitely a record! And I didn't even count some if I thought they were the same ones I saw earlier - lol.  Getting our trees was also a high priority. Giada cut a little one for her room which will be fun. She would NOT take a photo for me but we do have the tree!

 Bouregard the Bear had his winter jacket on but we snuck his head out for a few pics!

Bugs, Friends, Harvest, Gino pics, & Kid updates!

I think it has been well established that not much really scares Giada when it comes to bugs, etc! Matt came home from crabbing and I'm not sure who was more excited him to show his niece or her to wait all weekend for Uncle Matt to get home!

We have been finding a ton of praying mantis's at the ranch. 

She collects a few each day and lets them go every few days.  

Happy Birthday 7th Max!

Thanks Bre for snapping a few pics of Gino Ray. Little Stinker is growing up 15 months!

Little lady bug wanted in on the action!

 

Still harvesting! 

 

 Trying to get 2 kids to look at the camera at the same time...always a challenge!

When you have a big sister, and she is playing dress up.....you want to also! Gino the fairy!

 Giada and Dylan could have played on this dirt hill forever!  Silly faces first...naturally!

   Giada spent some time this week with her other buddy Seve!

Little Stella Jean is growing up quick (this pic is a little late- my bad) BUT she just got 2 bottom teeth! She is rolling over a lot more, eating some solids; sweet potatoes, carrots and bananas - all the sweet stuff!  We have been super busy and unable to have our Stella day last week - we miss her; although we do get mini visits throughout the week. 

Bath time is so much fun. He likes the water more than Giada did at this age. 

He will dive under and doesn't care if his face is wet.

Gino Update

-He enjoys eating and likes to do it all day long. Never turns down fruit, and has a pretty good appetite and variety of foods he eats like his sister.

- Speaking of sisters, he follows her everywhere

- Climbs on everything and just laughs at me and thinks it is funny when I have him get down

- Still goes to bed early 6-7ish and is out until about 5am! 

-Repeating lots of sounds, recognizing animals sounds, but really only saying a couple words. "Up" is a new one he says

- He loves throwing all the water out of the bath, which is something Giada never did!

-Gives kisses, hugs, blows kisses

-Understands direction

-Loves playing with balls, trucks, making pretend phone calls & playing dress up with Giada!

-Currently getting all 4 molars!!! Luckily teeth aren't too bad for my kids, but it does wake him up at night.

Giadaisms

-"I want holes in my ears" I said, not yet, maybe when you are older...she says, "I'm just saying I wish I did"

-She calls my dads El Camino "uncle mino"

-The kids got flu shots the other day and she kept calling them "sling shots"

-Her imagination right now is very elaborate. She loves doing puppet shows, and having conversations with her stuffed animals.

- I said, Giada when are you going to learn you don't have to whine and cry when you want something? She answers, "when I'm 4 maybe"  I just laughed...we are close so hopefully that is true

-Giada is way better at the ipad than me, I can never find anything. One day she says, " Ill do something else why it's loading down (translation downloading)"

- " Do I look stylish in my sunglasses?"

-" Do you like possums at your house, live ones? I don't like them I think"   I just wonder where she comes up with this stuff

"When I was in your belly how did I breathe, I don't see any holes in your belly"

- The kids and I went to mail something and the teller says to us "well you all are wearing a lot of orange" Giada looks at her and with a very serious look says "there is a big Giants game on today" (this was during the world series)

Halloween & Harvest

Usually we have a pumpkin carving party! This year continues to be to crazy for much of anything.  But we did carve as a family and it was a fun night. When Giada saw Gino painting she wanted to paint too. Then when she saw us carving she wanted to carve. I continue to notice differences in the kids. Gino of course immediately tried to eat the paint!

 Mikes per usual, excellent pumpkin! Jake this year! Giada thought it was pretty cool!

Mike and I went to a costume party. Well you never know how much everyone is going to be dressed up. Needless to say we were the most dressed up! Mike doesn't half ass costumes! They were fun. But I would forget I wasn't supposed to smile! lol

 Giada watched us get ready and asked if she could do her own makeup when we got back. Of course she did not forget and did a good job actually! We are scary!

Little ladybug and Frog enjoyed trick or treating at family and friends houses throughout the day. 

And Giada LOVED answering the door for trick or treaters. 

 Took some Halloween pics at Bre's studio when we were downtown trick or treating. Group pic looks pretty good for 8 kids under 4!  Giada of course says when she sees the pic "Cain is covering me up!"

Then I thought it would be fun to go back with Stella. Well you can see how well that turned out and this was the best photo of the options!  Classic!

Gino was so funny. He pulled this play mat from the other room, to the room we were in. Then laid in it with Stella after I laid her down.

 She says "look I have a pet friend" as this snail is crawling up her arm. I give her a look and she says, "what disgusting?" lol

 It's finally fall! Yet it is still 80 out!! Feels so warm! But, we can still enjoy a day at the lake with friends!

It's also that time of the year for harvest! Riding the harvester is so much fun for us and the kids!

So serious when they tasted the fresh oil!