tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727212356729246682024-03-28T11:46:57.561-07:00The Joni JourneyNina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.comBlogger722125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-35544797379379457272018-12-31T10:14:00.000-08:002018-12-31T10:14:05.650-08:00Goodbye 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're in the last week of 2018 and you can always count on a handful of things to happen with certainty around this time every year. </div>
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1) I wonder with genuine shock where the year went. I know 365 days have passed, just like most every other year, but since becoming a parent it feels like it's only been three or four months since last Christmas and I'm not sure where the other eight months went.</div>
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2) I try to remember exactly the last time I ate a vegetable or drank something that wasn't coffee or wine.</div>
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3) I pause to reflect on what exactly happened that made the year fly by in such a blur. </div>
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2017 was a much easier year to sum up than 2018. It was a year of big changes. It was the year Ez started school, our first year in Sacramento, and Joe's first year working from home. We went on four Disney trips, including our first family trip to Disney World. 2017 was a GOOD year, and I remember saying that 2018 would have big shoes to fill. I know this is the part where I'm supposed to say 2018 exceeded my expectations. </div>
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It didn't. </div>
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Now that the dust has settled a bit, I can say that 2018 was a year of hard work. It was a year that a lot of my friends and family dealt with major health issues, received awful news, and we had an unexpected death in our family. </div>
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Joe got a crazy throat infection that lasted on and off for three and a half months and included a few Urgent Care trips, two ER visits, one ambulance ride, a whole lot of blood, and, eventually, the removal of his tonsils. Both Ez and Declan were diagnosed with autism, and that lead to a whole lot of paperwork, meetings, assessments, administrative craziness, health insurance battles, and a schedule that went from fairly laid back to extremely regimented and intense (we're talking two to three dropoffs between 8 am and noon, Monday through Friday). "Crazy" is the first word that comes to mind when I think of 2018. </div>
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But some years just can't be summed up with one word, or one sentence even. </div>
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2018 was the year that we learned more than ever that as a family we can lean on each other and depend on each other when we're at our weakest. In between the doctor visits and paperwork and phone calls, we spent more intentional time than ever as a family. We blasted Happy and Imagine Dragons and we danced and ran circles through the house. We splashed in the river on hot summer days, swung in our hammock on warm evenings, <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2018/11/our-halloween.html">visited every pumpkin patch</a> within a thirty mile radius, walked to our neighborhood playgrounds nearly nightly, and enjoyed each other's company to the max. Ez and I <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2018/09/traveling-halfway-around-world.html">journeyed across the country and to Europe</a>. My sisters and I were reunited for the first time since my wedding in 2016. Decky got lots of one on one time with Daddy and Grandma. It was the year of bird watching and Muppet Babies and a resurgence in Cars popularity. </div>
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Good is not the first word I think of when it comes to 2018, but it's been good where it matters. We live in a place that we love. We didn't move (always a big deal in our little family). And, most important, we have each other. </div>
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We learned that hard times can make us stronger, both individually and as a family. Joe took his health scare and turned it around into motivation to become healthier than ever. Ez started ABA in the summer and his progress, especially in communication, felt tremendous and instantaneous. Decky started ABA just this month and I have complete faith that he'll grow in leaps and bounds over the next few months. I learned that I can be a fighter when I need to, something that is normally so far beyond my personality type, and something that will probably come in handy time and again as the boys and I navigate all the school decisions that we'll face in the coming years. </div>
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So we're heading into 2019 full of gratitude for the big things that mean so much, the little things that have turned into cherished memories, and faith that all the work we've put into 2018 will flourish in 2019.</div>
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Cheers to surviving 2018, and cheers to health, happiness, and the realization of your wildest dreams in 2019 🎉</div>
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On that note, I'll leave you with this little reminder that time moves way too fast - one whole year of the Craig Bros growing up, bonding, fighting, and adventuring together:</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-17161465536642080882018-12-27T16:36:00.000-08:002018-12-28T07:27:29.227-08:00Christmas 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been two months since I last hopped on here, are you noticing a trend? I plan on doing a 2018 recap very shortly, and I think it will be more apparent where all my blogging time has gone, but as time goes on it becomes more and more apparent to me that unless I write stuff down it doesn't get remembered. Having young kids is crazy town, it really is, and so much of the small but magical moments get lost in the chaos. Joe and I were collecting all of Ez's Santa requests this year and we got to wondering what he'd requested from Santa last year. We could remember it was somewhat odd and obscure, we remember scrambling to get it, yet we couldn't remember what his all important, must-have toy of 2017 was. In the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't matter, but it's these little things that I want to remember, or at least have access to for when I most certainly forget. (It was a Cutie Cars popcorn truck, in case you were curious.) </div>
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So, with that in mind, I'm back with a few Christmas memories that I want to keep stored away forever.</div>
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This is Ez's second year of preK and his second round of Nativity plays and Christmas pageants. Last year he almost sat out the Nativity play entirely, but was convinced by the teacher's aide to at least stand up on the stage (where he danced for a whole 2.5 seconds and made my heart burst with pride). This year he not only got up on stage, but he even wore his donkey costume and didn't need any persuasion whatsoever. It was pretty much the cutest thing ever. However, come time for his Christmas pageant (which was about ten songs long), he got major stage fright in the week leading up to it. He had a mini breakdown and said he didn't want to do it because the songs were too loud. Obviously I had low expectations and thought for sure he'd wind up sitting on the sidelines. But he didn't. He marched right up there, he danced, he sang, he participated through the whole thing, and his face lit up every time we clapped for him. I was just so, so proud of him for doing it even though it was hard for him, and seeing his own pride in himself was the best thing ever. </div>
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Also, on the topic of Ez's Christmas pageant, Santa paid the kids a visit and when Santa walked in Ez jumped up with his hands on his face in shock and excitement. I really hope he keeps that genuine wonder forever. Each kid got a chance to tell Santa what they wanted, and nearly every kid said one thing, most of them generic (a stuffed animal, a train, a toy car), but when it was Ez's turn he rattled off an entire list - five things, all birds. (A flamingo, a pigeon, a crane, a seagull, and an egret). Santa asked him what his favorite bird is, and he repeated his entire list. I guess just to make sure Santa wasn't confused 😂</div>
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2018 was the year Decky really hit his stride when it comes to climbing EVERYTHING and destroying EVERYTHING, so I can't leave out the Christmas memory of Decky hanging from the clothing bar in my closet, swatting down my stash of presents from the top shelf. Also, the three times he knocked the tree over. And, of course, the dozens of shattered ornaments. 🤦 Thanks to Decky's handywork we've declared 2018 the year of the decrepit tree. The poor thing was crooked and dry and hanging on by a thread come Christmas, but I think that just added to its character. I don't want to make Decky sound like a total Grinch though. When we got our tree and unpacked our ornaments he was the first one to grab an ornament and hang it on the tree, which surprised me because I wasn't sure he'd remember to do that from last year.</div>
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One of my favorite traditions each year since I was a child is decorating sugar cookies. My mom probably churns out a thousand Christmas cookies each year to give out to friends and family, and I was so excited to continue this tradition with my kids. I think the first year Ez really got into it was about two years ago when he realized sprinkles are the funnest thing in the entire world. It's been a running joke that the Ez special is a mound of sprinkles with a tiny bit of cookie underneath. This year did not disappoint, and by accident I got super sprinkly sprinkles which made it extra easy to dump half the bottle on each cookie. What made this year even better is that Declan decided to join in on the fun too, and even though I'll probably be sweeping up Christmas sprinkles until Easter, it was worth it to see them gathered around the table together decorating cookies. On that note, I should probably go stock up on clearance sprinkles right now so that I'm stocked up on the forty bottles we'll need for next year.</div>
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Last year was our first Christmas in Sacramento, and it was so fun discovering new traditions and being able to carry those on this year. Some of our favorites are visiting Old Sac for the Macy's Theater of Lights show, and the annual Santa Run where thousands of Santas run down Capitol Mall. We've gone to cheer them on for three years now and it always puts us in the Christmas spirit. Walking through the Fab 40s to check out the Christmas decorations is a must. I love how festive it is, with horse drawn carriages and pretty much every house decorated to the max. Ez, the same kid who didn't even like saying "hi" to strangers a year ago, made a point of saying Merry Christmas to everyone we passed. This year we happened to catch a bicycle parade with hundreds of bicycles all decorated which took the festiveness to a whole new level. To top it off one of the bicyclists pulled over to hand Ez a giant, toddler-sized stuffed snowman. It was so unexpected and magical and completely made his week. </div>
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This year we also discovered a few new traditions that made us love Sacramento even more. We went to the boat parade, and there were probably hundreds of boats, all decorated, going right under the tower bridge. Joe and I visited the Governor's Mansion for the first time ever and it's so beautifully decorated this time of year. We also went to the tree lighting at the Capitol which was so amazing to see. </div>
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Christmas Eve was a lowkey night at home with Joe's mom and her husband. We did phone calls to Santa, one last round of cookie decorating, hanging our stockings, and reading the Night Before Christmas. Ez insisted on calling Santa over and over, and each time he repeated his entire list of birds. Joe and I were more excited than the kids for Christmas morning, and even though a certain elf was up past one, we were all up bright and early waiting for the kids to get up. </div>
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We finally couldn't take it anymore and woke them up at seven. Ez was sleepy-eyed but he noticed the presents (and his flamingo) right away. Decky had zero expectations going into Christmas, so imagine his surprise when he woke up to what he thought would be just an ordinary day and there was a pile of toys under the tree. He beelined for the Little Tikes truck and really had no interest in opening presents, which is the exact opposite of Ez, who wanted to tear open every present IMMEDIATELY. In case you were worried, Ez got every single bird he asked for, and then some, and he's been playing with them nonstop since. </div>
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We spent the afternoon and evening at my parent's house where the boys got even more spoiled, a "snowball" fight broke out, and in the chaos I threw away the Disneyland tickets my mom gifted us, which led to a fun round of dumpster diving. Thankfully the tickets were recovered, and it's safe to say 2019 will be off to a very merry start. </div>
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It was the very best day, capping off the very best Christmas season we've experienced yet. The boys are at the most wonderful ages and they bring so much magic into the season. As always, my most favorite parts of the holidays are gathering with family, game nights, snuggling in front of the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols with my boys (along with a hefty dose of Imagine Dragons, because Ez is obsessed), and experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a five and three year old. </div>
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I hope you were all able to experience a bit of childhood magic this season as well and create some very merry memories with your loved ones. </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-62429510801068413712018-11-02T21:11:00.005-07:002018-11-02T21:11:58.700-07:00Our Halloween<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's safe to say blogging has fallen by the wayside this year. Maybe one of these days I'll do a Day in the Life post and it will be pretty clear why, but for now I'm happily living that chauffeur mom life and it's a wonderfully busy season to be in.<br />
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Still, I couldn't let Halloween pass without a little mention about all the fun stuff we've been up to. We L O V E October around here, and Ez was still asking to go back to the pumpkin patch all the way through March, so you better believe we jumped right in as soon as we could this year - <i>as in,</i> <i>September.</i><br />
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Yep, we hit up our first pumpkin patch during the last week of September, and even though we were a little bit disappointed by the corn maze, which was Ezra-sized, we were still so, SO excited for the hay ride and our first (of what would be MANY) pumpkins. It really was the best day ever. There's such a cozy feeling when the first holiday festivities kick off, <i>even if the temps are still mid 80s. </i><br />
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After that we visited five<i> </i>more pumpkin patches (some of them more than once). We got lost in corn mazes, some how adopted thirty pumpkins, carved five of them into Jack O'lanterns, swam in seas of corn kernels, rode the bumpiest of hayrides, and even rolled around in these giant hamster wheel thing-a-majigs. We brought the grandparents along for the fun, and we all went with Ez on his class field trip to a pumpkin patch. Ez picked our costumes and we went as the Muppet Babies (and Miss Nanny), except for Declan, who decided on Ez's old Maui costume at the last minute. And, to cap it all off, we had the best trick or treating night <u>EVER</u> and got enough candy to last until Halloween next year.<br />
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If you ever stop to do the math on how many truly magical holidays you get with kids it's a little depressing, so we don't take it for granted at all that we're at this wonderful point in our lives where the holidays just keep getting better and better. Here's a little recap in everyone else's words:<br />
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Ezra's favorite part of October was carving jack O'lanterns and eating Halloween candy.<br />
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Decky liked the hayrides and bounce floor best and blowing out the Jack O'lantern candles best.<br />
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Joe liked Ez and Declan's extreme enthusiasm for trick or treating this year. Last year we started off strong but Ez was so excited he face-planted and things went downhill from there. This year was basically maximum excitement from beginning to end and it was one of those heart so full it could burst parenting moments.<br />
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And my personal favorite was getting one pumpkin patch trip with two sets of grandparents. It's such a special time of year and we're so lucky Joe's mom was able to join in on the fun this year.<br />
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Other notable mentions of the year include trick or treating at Funderland the weekend before Halloween. It was our first time there, and it was basically like a much smaller, cheaper version of Fantasyland at Disneyland. The kids were SO happy running from ride to ride and collecting their treats. We made some Halloween sugar cookies, and, as always, the sprinkles were the biggest hit ever. Ez has suddenly become Decky's bff, and he was determined to guide Decky through the corn mazes hand in hand - no matter how much Decky protested. It was basically the cutest thing ever and will be imprinted in my memories forever.<br />
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Now that Halloween is over we're currently enjoying all the brand new chocolate bribes at our disposal, fiery red fall foliage, and the promise of Christmas right around the corner. Wishing you all the coziest, loveliest, <i>most magical </i>last two months of the year.<br />
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<br />Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-58229281022073006602018-09-21T14:30:00.000-07:002018-09-21T14:30:27.142-07:00Goodbye Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's the last day of summer and even though the temps are still in the 90s for the next week or so, we're deep into school routines and cold season so summer is feeling long gone. It's funny how each summer is so similar in many ways, long days spent cooling off in bodies of water, freedom from routine, birthdays (lots and lots of birthdays, for us), yet each summer takes on its own special mark that makes it memorable. </div>
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Last year we were all about those pool days and indoor playgrounds to keep the kids active and cool. This year, in true Sacramento fashion, we became river rats. We got ourselves oversized inflatables and found a few favorite spots that you could find us at on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Ez developed a love hate relationship with jet skis and boats, becoming both obsessed and scared by their loud engines. Decky is forever fearless and we learned pretty quickly that if we set him down near water he's going <i>in. </i>Like straight to the deep end. Nothing makes his eyes light up like water. Ok, and maybe balloons and bubbles too. </div>
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I'm so happy we were able to continue a few traditions from last year. Namely, my birthday trip to the state fair, plenty of date nights, visits with Auntie B (four summers in a row now!), and a few Tahoe getaways. I'm also so, so grateful for the brand new experiences this summer brought us. Hello, Germany, you'll always have a piece of my heart. Shouldn't a portal where I can just walk through a door and wind up in Germany for lunch with my sisters and then be back home by dinner time exist by now? Can someone get to work on that, please?</div>
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As many memorable adventures that this summer held for us, the things that I know I'll remember most of all are not places or activities, but the people that I spent it with. Charcuterie and wine with my sisters - <i>ALL four of them.</i> Lazy date nights on the couch watching Netflix with Joe. Hammock time and bird watching with my boys. Quality time hanging out with the grandparents (aka, my parents, but they'll forever more be known as the grandparents 😉). Just like I cap off every season of every year, this really was the best, most family-filled summer yet, and I'd be very sorry to see it go if it weren't for the fact that it's OFFICIALLY FALL TOMORROW. And I am definitely ready for that 🍂</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-63071787827135651232018-09-06T12:16:00.000-07:002018-09-06T12:16:10.744-07:00Traveling Halfway Around the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Soooo....a month and a half has gone by since I last visited this space. But, for once, I've actually got a good reason - Ez and I traveled 14,741 miles in three weeks. 14,741 miles by plane, bus, train, u bahn, s bahn, taxi, and even boat. Three time zones, three countries, two brand new passport stamps (in our brand new passports), five sisters, one wedding, and my trusty travel partners, Ez and Anna (Aunt Anna, if you will).<br />
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I should rewind a bit and mention that prior to this trip Ez and I had never traveled further than the east coast, and I think our longest vacation was a week. Top that off with the fact that Joe and Decky stayed home and we were <i>way</i> outside our comfort zone. They do say that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, but I'm not really sure who "they" are, and, to be honest, a lot of life also happens within your comfort zone. While I'm no expert at travel or comfort zones, I can let you in on a few things I <i>did </i>find outside of my comfort zone (in no particular order):<br />
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<li>the best pretzels EVER</li>
<li>that I can carry a fifty pound kid for miles and miles <i>in the sweltering heat</i></li>
<li>deep and meaningful conversations with all of my sisters</li>
<li>black birds that eat right out of your hands at the very top of the Alps</li>
<li>the random kindness of strangers</li>
<li>overwhelming homesickness (times a million when Ez and I both got the stomach flu)</li>
<li>reserves of patience when I thought I had none</li>
<li>brand new friends and family</li>
<li>that Ez is a party animal and a dancing machine</li>
<li>Radlers</li>
<li>castles</li>
<li>a heart attack at the price of iced tea in Switzerland</li>
<li>wasps. Lots and lots of wasps.</li>
<li>also, that lemon juice makes wasp stings all better</li>
<li>lifelong memories that I'll cherish forever.</li>
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So, lots of good stuff outside my comfort zone, and a few things I could have done without. We've been home three weeks now and it still feels like a surreal, magical, fairy tale dream. The beauty and history were amazing. The food was too. But as a homebody through and through, it was really the draw of family that made this such an unforgettable trip. Walking into a foreign country and feeling right at home was one hundred percent thanks to my sisters (and you too, Timm and Christian!) who organized so much for us and literally guided us from airport to AirBnB to train station and back to the airport (and nursed Ez and I back to health when we got sick). We got so lucky with the best guides and insider information and the best all around company. </div>
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I intend to revisit each destination in depth (Maine, Munich, Berlin, and Boston) in their own posts, but life just got insanely busy with fall schedules, so you all know how that goes. For now I'll just leave you with some pretty pictures and my advice that if you ever find yourself outside your comfort zone enjoy it for everything it's worth. I don't personally want to live my whole life being uncomfortable, and I think there's plenty of beauty within your comfort zone as well (that's what makes it comfortable) - but I did learn and grow so much, I witnessed the beautiful marriage of my sister and brother in law, and I found some of my favorite experiences out there. And, for what it's worth, Ez has officially gotten the travel bug and asks daily when we're getting back on an airplane. </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-90560100447680504482018-07-23T11:50:00.003-07:002018-07-23T11:50:53.579-07:00Birthday Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And just like that, birthday season is over. All of our birthdays are squeezed between May and July and it's always such a special, celebratory, family-filled time. On a side note, I'm happy to report that by Joe's birthday Decky FINALLY figured out the whole blowing out candles thing and he is now a pro. Since mine and Joe's birthdays are only two days apart, and it's also right around the anniversary of our first meeting, we traditionally like to do a mini-getaway to celebrate. Sometimes we sneak off without the kids, but since Ez and I will be solo-traveling while Joe and Decky stay home, we opted for extra family time this year with a lake getaway to Tahoe. We also fit in a trip to the State Fair (on the hottest day of the month) for my actual birthday, which is now officially an annual tradition - <i>aka, we've done it twice </i>😏</div>
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Maybe it's because we haven't been to Disneyland in five months (yes, we're Disney spoiled), but Ez and Deck were super excited by the monorail, carousel, and fake-Dumbo rides. Ez ate his weight in watermelon and ice cream, we spent way to much money "winning" one <i>tiny </i>little prize, I tried wine slushies for the first time and am now wondering what the heck I've been doing with my life, and we all narrowly avoided heat stroke - all in all a fantastic day spent with my three favorite people in the whole world.</div>
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On Thursday we packed up and headed to Tahoe which is hands down one of my favorite places in the whole world. Joe and I went there for our honeymoon, and then again for our birthdays last year, so I was excited to finally bring the kids along for the ride. I'm happy to report they loved it just as much as I do and despite freezing water temperatures and little chattering teeth we had to drag them out of the water each day. I already want to plan another trip back.</div>
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To cap off a week of fun we had one more celebration with my parents and then left the kids overnight so Joe and I could have a relaxing staycation watching Jurassic World and doing yoga in the park. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect, family-filled, relaxing birthday. If this is any indication for 35, I'm definitely ready for you ❤</div>
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<br />Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-90031464480101435502018-06-25T09:18:00.000-07:002018-06-25T09:18:06.191-07:00Happy THREE Decky!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Decky,<br />
<br />
I just don't know what to make of you turning three. On the one hand you seem like such a big boy already, part of me thinks you've been three for months now. On the other hand you're my little baby, and you always will be. Still, we've noticed a few definite changes as you head into threenager territory. Up until now you've been a very go with the flow baby. Happy to go where we go, do what we do, and entertain yourself if we're busy. Now, suddenly, you're your own little person, you've got your own agenda and needs, and you're not afraid to yank my arm off dragging me from one place to another if your needs aren't being met. NOW.<br />
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It was bound to happen, it's part of growing up, and I promise we'll take your opinion into consideration from now on, my sweet little Decks.<br />
<br />
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We've also noticed what I can only describe as growing pains. Possibly physical as you're definitely looking taller and leaner lately, but definitely emotional. A couple weeks ago I actually took you to Urgent Care because you were silently weeping throughout the day like you were in pain, and then you passed out face down on the floor and completely freaked me out. It was so unlike you. Of course, as soon as we got to Urgent Care you were running around like you owned the place, practically climbing over all the legitimately sick people in the waiting room and fighting off three nurses at a time as they tried to take your vitals, like the baby Hulk you are. Physically you were fine, but those weepy moments have come on several times a week and I wish so badly you could tell me exactly what's wrong. Since you can't tell me, my best guess is that it's a mixture of needing more attention than you've gotten lately, having more to say than you're able to express with your limited vocabulary, and being completely worn out from all the summer fun we've been having.<br />
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It's ok baby, we've all got days like that. I promise you can always come cry on my lap, no matter how old you are.<br />
<br />
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On the topic of vocabulary, we've recently had you assessed by a speech therapist and you're currently at a twelve to eighteen month level. You were happy to show off your beautifully intricate jibberish, that I will forever believe is an actual language that exists somewhere, but when it comes to learning our plain English words you just haven't shown much interest. Until she put you in the 12-18 month range. Then you were like, <i>GAME ON</i>, and you've suddenly been learning several new words and phrases <i>a day.</i> I can't tell you what a relief that's been, and I am so, SO excited to learn all the crazy, hilarious, insightful thoughts running through that beautiful mind of yours.<br />
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I promise you that although English may not be as fun to speak as your own language, you will find it far more useful.<br />
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I hope you've had as much fun turning three as we've had fun celebrating you. We were wracking our brains trying to come up with the perfect day for you, and we were having the hardest time because you love the simplest things. In the end simple is what we went for and it turned out being amazing. We made sure to splash in some water (at the river), we got you your very own mini ball pit, which you and your brother are obsessed with, we took you to the toy store where you picked out a Cars Dinoco semi truck, to go with the Cars Mack truck you got on your second birthday, and you immediately came home to play with the two of them together. You know what you like and you're loyal to those things, and I can appreciate that. We also had a barbecue with family (where you ate a pb&j) and we've got plans for some water balloons and a trip to Wacky Tacky to cap off your three day three year old celebration.<br />
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Though I hope I tell you this every day, I want to make especially sure you know today, on the day that you quite literally came crashing into our lives three years ago, that you complete our little family. You give the best kisses, the best snuggles, the best infectious giggles, the best spontaneous dance moves, and the best "are you insane?" looks. Your happy spots are burrowed under a blanket flipping through a board book, hiding in a self-made fort beneath the recliner, ransacking your brother's room, splashing in water, or sitting on my lap. You've brought infinitely more balloons, bubbles, and bouncy balls into our lives, and I'm not sure how we got along without those necessities all this time. We love you to infinity and beyond baby boy and we're so excited to see how three unfolds for you.<br />
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<br />Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-8249079815441847882018-06-22T12:21:00.000-07:002018-06-22T12:21:12.938-07:00A Little Summer Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're three weeks into summer vacation and it's already feeling like a blur that's going by way too fast. I know I say this every season, but can summer last forever, <i>pleeeease</i>? We're loving our hot summer pool & river days, breezy hammock evenings, and weekend family hikes. We end each day sweaty and dirty and chlorinated and sleepy and happy. Summer is also our season of birthdays, and we're so excited to celebrate Declan in a few days.</div>
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A few updates on life lately:</div>
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Ez officially has one year of school under his belt. His graduation was chaotic and tiring, which basically sums up the entire school year, if I'm being one hundred percent honest. During the graduation ceremony Ez was running off the stage while Declan was simultaneously trying to run <i>onstage </i>and truthfully, after a particularly brutal week of tear-filled dropoffs, I was so, so ready for summer vacation.</div>
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But, with the distance of three weeks to buffer the frazzled nerves and exhaustion, I look back on those preschool graduation pictures and remember it for what it was, a really sweet celebration to cap off a growth-filled, pivotal year for our Ez. Even though he refused to wear his cap and gown ("I don't like it. It isn't comfortable.") and he wasn't about to sing any of the songs (although he knew all the words), he did run onstage and cross over the bridge all by himself when they called his name. Maybe my expectations were especially low by that point, but I was so, SO proud of him. And when it came time to sing the final goodbye song, he climbed right up the steps and sang his little heart out, waving happily the whole time. We are so proud of our preK graduate.</div>
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After battling the school district quite a bit these past few weeks, doing lots of research, drawing up lengthy pros and cons lists, and having some in-depth heart to heart talks, Joe and I have decided to follow our gut and keep Ez in preK another year. We know he will benefit so much from an added year of maturity and his foundation will be that much stronger when he does start kindergarten.</div>
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Ez began his ABA therapy sessions this week, and despite the teary dropoffs (which we expected), he seems to enjoy his time there. This new morning routine has been quite the adjustment for us, but I think we're all adapting well and it's nice to have a bit of structure in our summer days.</div>
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We've also begun the process of getting Decky assessed for autism. This second time around has been easier in some ways, mainly because we know what to expect, but answering all those forms a second time around is emotionally draining, to say the least. We're so fortunate to have discovered Alta Regional this time around, and they've really streamlined the process for us and helped out so much. I'm also incredibly lucky to have found a support network of moms through Ez's school who have already navigated these confusing pathways and have offered so much guidance and support. Between assessments, doctors, the school district, ABA, and too many acronyms to keep track of, I don't know how anyone can get through an autism diagnosis without an extensive support group. I've gone from never checking my email and not needing a calendar these past four years, to having white boards, checklists, phone reminders, alarms, and on and on. It's been a steep learning curve but we're doing it, and things are finally falling into a nice rhythym for Ez, and moving in the right direction for Declan.</div>
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Wishing you all a lovely summer filled with just the right amounts of relaxation and adventure!</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-41106930331882725442018-05-16T19:18:00.001-07:002018-05-17T10:27:52.760-07:00Happy F I V E Ez!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember the entire week before Ez turned four I was up late looking at his baby pictures and crying. Four felt so big compared to three. He was no longer a toddler, and definitely not a baby. All of a sudden we were entering brand new "little kid" territory and I didn't feel at all ready for that. I had no idea what four held in store for us, but I felt like the changes would be big. </div>
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And they were.</div>
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They were big and necessary and difficult (even the good ones) because that's just the way change works. It's scary and uncertain and hard.</div>
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But Ez, he showed us time and time again that he could handle big changes. He can do hard things. He can be uncomfortable and frustrated and come out stronger and better. He's my little bull, through and through. </div>
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I thought I'd feel really sentimental going into five too. We already know even more big changes are on the horizon, and big decisions have to be made. But this time around they don't feel nearly as scary. And that's because I know Ez has got this. I have nothing but confidence in his ability to grow into the amazing person he's already becoming. </div>
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Dear Ez,</div>
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As I was looking back through old videos I realize how much responsibility I've placed on your shoulders over the years. I thought you were such a big boy when your brother was born, and now I realize you were only two, even younger than Declan is now. You were doing your best to figure out the whole big brother thing, just like I was doing my best figuring out how to be a mom of two. As the first born you definitely got stuck with a set of rookie parents; thank you for showing us so much grace over the years. You've taught us about patience, loving big, laughing easily, forgiving quickly, never giving up, and always eating an apple a day 🍎😉</div>
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We celebrated your birthday with a school party on Friday, an Ez Day birthday eve - aka a day filled with your favorites: Wacky Tacky, Panera Bread, Toys R Us, the splash park, and cake + presents, and then a family birthday party on Sunday (aka Mother's Day). </div>
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I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day gift than getting to celebrate the boy who made me a mom five years ago. You've exceeded all my expectations about being a parent a million times over and your daddy and I couldn't be more proud of you. Love you more, love you most, love you to the moon and back 🌙</div>
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I remember each of these days like they were yesterday:</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-65648141620200062662018-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:002018-05-04T11:16:36.998-07:00Making Sense of An Autism Diagnosis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In February we received some news that we had been waiting on for six <i>long</i> months: Ez is on the Autism spectrum. In some ways it was a complete shock to us, and in other ways we knew on some level for awhile, if that makes any sense. I knew that he displayed sensory issues and had several meltdowns in extremely loud environments. I knew that his speech was behind the curve. But it wasn't until he started preschool last September and his teachers brought their concerns to us that all the signs of autism really started falling into place. We started the process of getting him assessed, a process that took way longer than we thought it would, and involved three separate appointments, one that was mostly me talking with the doctor and getting what felt like hundreds of pages of questionnaires and forms to fill out, the second was the actual assessment, and the third was when we got the news. </div>
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The time between that first appointment and the second (about a month and a half) was the roughest part of this journey for me. I tend to exaggerate because numbers aren't really my thing, so they either fall into the category of "a lot" "average" or "not a lot". I'm telling you right now that I'm not exaggerating when I say that one of the forms I had to fill out asked me no less than SIX times if my kid was weird. </div>
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<i>Is your son/daughter weird?</i></div>
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And then, I guess, in case I didn't know what that question meant, they followed up with:</div>
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<i>Do his peers find him weird?</i></div>
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<i>Does his teacher find him weird?</i></div>
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<i>Does he react oddly in certain situations?</i></div>
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<i>Has anyone ever called him weird?</i></div>
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And, the kicker:</div>
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<i>Do YOU find him weird?</i></div>
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Let's just say I had a lot of sleepless nights over those stupid questions. At first it was a visceral protective "if you call my kid weird one more time I'm gonna punch you in the face" parental reaction. (And I swear, I'm not a normally violent person. At all.)<br />
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Once I got mostly<i> </i>over my anger at the wording, I started dwelling on another troubling facet of an autism diagnosis - doctors don't understand this disorder enough to even nail down the symptoms properly. "Weird" is not a symptom, yet there it is, being used as a tool to diagnose autism. Being diagnosed with something that doctors don't completely understand adds a whole new level of anxiety to the process, and unfortunately it's one that, for the time being at least, we'll have to learn to live with. I'm comforted by all the strides that have been made in understanding autism in the last few decades, and I'm hopeful that even more knowledge will present itself in the near future, but for the moment we've had to learn to sit with the anxiety of not knowing. Not knowing if the treatments they recommend today will still be considered the best treatments a few years from now. Not knowing the cause or even exactly what the differences are in how his brain is processing information. Not knowing things is not one of my strong suits. In the age of Google, it seems like I can get answers for most things in a matter of seconds, but this is not one of those things, and it has been hard to process that.<br />
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I want to stop for a moment at this point just to say loud and clear, I am not at all saying autistic kids are weird and those assessment form questions are NOT my own words. I don't even think being weird is bad. However, when you start hearing it in relation to your kid it makes all the mama bear protective instincts go on high alert.<br />
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So that was my thinking from about late September until past Christmas, and <i>then </i>(sorry, I know this is long, but you're getting months and months worth of thoughts compacted into one lengthy post) I switched gears to thinking, <i>so what if he is weird</i>. Every person I know on an intimate level is weird. People in general are basically weirdos. Myself included.<br />
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Every recent Disney movie touts weirdness. Follow your own path. Be yourself. Your differences are your strengths. And that stuff is so easy to get behind until you have teachers saying to you, (in nicer words), your kid's weirdness is a problem. </div>
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These past few months are when it really started to hit me about what makes parenting so <i>tough.</i> When they're babies it feels like the no sleep and keeping them alive thing is tough, and then they turn into toddlers and you realize just how easy you had it with a newborn, and <i>then </i>you start getting into the emotional stuff and the decisions that will impact them for the rest of their life and realize THIS is the hard stuff. </div>
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Now we're navigating that path of finding a very fine balance between staying true to Ez and his "weirdness" while also giving him all the tools he needs to thrive in school and beyond. For us at the moment, that means lots of assessments through Ez's new ABA therapy, the school district, an occupational therapist, and then we move forward with new plans and schedules to help him in the areas he needs help. This is still a very new process for us, and there's so much we're learning on a very tight curve, but, through it all, Ez continues to impress me with his resilience. Even when he's declining to answer questions an hour into the assessment, I'm impressed that he's using full sentences to do so ("I don't want to answer that question" or "I already answered that" 😂). We're learning to celebrate the little victories along the way. </div>
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The thing that helped me get past all those questions was realizing and really focusing on the fact that calling Ez autistic doesn't change a thing. He has always been, and will continue to be, our Ez. Autism is not a label that can sum up Ez as a whole, nor any other person who has been diagnosed as autistic. Those questions on those forms don't sum him up. They take all his worst qualities and ask them repetitively, but they left out all the best stuff. </div>
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I read a quote that sums it up well: </div>
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"<i>If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.</i>" </div>
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All autistic people are unique, all <i>people</i> are unique. </div>
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So, just to balance things out, here's a little note for you, Ez, so you can always remember some of your best traits that you won't find on any standardized forms:<br />
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You are the most stubbornly determined boy I've ever met (aside from your father), and also the snuggliest and most loving. You're so empathetic and in tune to people's emotions and will always try to make someone feel better if they're upset. You work <i>so hard </i>to learn new tasks, and you always succeed. You love to sing and dance, you show unprompted gratitude, and you are one of the most festive people I've ever met (tied with me and Gangy). You've come so far this year, in language, potty training, going to school (and spending time without any family members around for the <i>first time ever</i>), being a big brother, and learning so many new things. It really is astounding how much you've grown in a short year, and I'm so impressed with how well you've handled so many big changes. And, most of all, you're brave. You do hard things even when they scare you, and that makes me (and your daddy) so, SO proud of you. </div>
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And a note to you, Decky, (who hasn't gotten much mention here, but will also be assessed this year), </div>
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You are an uncontainable ball of energy, yet you also have a tremendous amount of focus. You will sit there and examine something and take it apart and put it back together until you get how it works. You don't have a ton of words in your vocabulary (not English ones, anyway), but you're still one of the most communicative people I know. Your daddy and I joke that if the four of us were ever stranded in the wilderness, we'd have to rely on you for survival. When you want something, you find a way to get it, <i>and often that involves scaling furniture</i>. You give the sweetest out of nowhere kisses. You don't know the meaning of fear. Your unbridled joy at the sight of balloons or bubbles is one of the greatest joys to witness. The sound of your giggles is one of the most infectious sounds in the world. You make your daddy and I so, SO proud.<br />
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A little note on this post, which has been sitting in my drafts folder since one sleepless night, months ago, when I was struggling to make sense of all the thoughts and emotions swirling around in my head: - I almost didn't post this. Part of me feels that this is Ez's (and possibly Declan's) story to tell and it's a big thing to share online. But, one of the things that has helped me is reading other family's and individual's accounts of living with autism. Every journey is unique but it is still helpful to see that others have successfully navigated these roads before. So, after months of sitting in my drafts folder, I decided to send this post out into the light of day and maybe one day someone else feeling these similar emotions will read it and know they're not alone. </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-76709828163360206572018-04-10T10:49:00.000-07:002018-04-10T10:49:22.313-07:00Disney World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We got pretty much the best Christmas gift ever last year, my parents brought us, as well as my brothers, on a weeklong Disney World vacation. I miss waking up to zebras and ostriches outside our balcony, hopping on a bus and spending the day surrounded by all things Disney, then capping off the evening with a family dinner alongside all our favorite characters. I'm not sure how it's already been more than four months since our trip. There was so much anticipation leading up to it, and then, in a completely magical, sugary, sleep-deprived whirlwind, it was over. You can bet I'm still gonna blog about it though. </div>
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This trip was Declan's first ever flight, and the trip there was pretty brutal. Our flight, which I believe was supposed to leave at 10 pm got pushed back to 2 am. Basically we got deposited in an empty terminal with NO food or drinks so Declan didn't get his pre-bedtime milk, and we paid the price BIG TIME. From the second we walked onto the plane he was screaming hysterically, trying to escape. I wanted to hold him on my lap for takeoff, but they wouldn't allow that, so he had to be strapped down crying his head off. Once the plane was in the air I sat wedged on the floor between the seats in front of us so Decky could sleep on two chairs. As uncomfortable as that was, that was the most peaceful part of the flight. So yeah, brutal. But - he did great on the flight back, so right now he's got like a C average for flying. Not awful, with only two flights under his belt.</div>
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After that plane ride you'd think we'd go straight to the room to crash all day, but nope. We are Disney rockstars. A four hour delayed flight, zero sleep, and screaming kids were not going to get us down. We went straight to Animal Kingdom for our fast passes on the new Na'vi River Journey. We all enjoyed it, even though I haven't seen Avatar since it came out, so most of the references to the movie were lost on me. Animal Kingdom wound up being our favorite park of the trip because:<br />
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<li>it's the most different from Disneyland, so it earned lots of novelty points </li>
<li>it has the safari ride, which was hands down both boys' favorite </li>
<li>Expedition Everest is the best roller coaster EVER </li>
<li><i>and </i>they have an amazing play area for the kiddos in Dino Land </li>
<li>Oh, and carnival games - who doesn't love those?? </li>
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We capped off the night at Epcot where we magically had the park to ourselves and wandered through all the countries, drinking British beer and chasing two sprinting kiddos who somehow had boundless energy and were literally two countries ahead of us at any given moment. Joe had to run full speed to catch up, and I tried to chase them down, but, you know, my beer was spilling so... #priorities</div>
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Speaking of Epcot, that was our second favorite park, and would probably have been our favorite if it was just me and Joe. We were lucky enough to get some alone time there and just wander around sampling various country's food and drinks and taking in all the sights. If we lived close enough, I'd definitely do a date night there again. As for the kiddos, they <i>loved </i>the Three Caballeros ride, which is tucked away in Mexico and never had any wait. We overutilized that ride whenever we needed a break. We didn't get a chance to try out the Frozen ride because it broke down, but I'm sure that would've been a hit as well. The finding Nemo area kept the kids entertained for hours throughout our trip. We were able to walk onto that ride several times in a row in the evening, and the kids loved wandering around the aquarium. There's also a nice little play area outside the Mission Space ride, past the gift shop. Can you tell we highly value play areas? Sometimes parents need breaks too...</div>
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Magic Kingdom was definitely the most like Disneyland, and it was also the most crowded of the parks, so I don't feel like we explored it as much as we would have otherwise. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride was the highlight for us, since the Snow White ride at Disneyland is pretty lame. The Seven Dwarfs ride is the first real roller coaster Ez has ever ridden and he wavered between a little scared and absolutely loving it. The smile on his face (see below) was one of my favorite parts of the trip. If the line hadn't been so insane we would've ridden it over and over. </div>
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Hollywood Studios was the last kingdom we visited, and it was our least favorite. I think a lot of stuff is closed for the upcoming Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land (which would've been AMAZING to visit!) and there wasn't a ton of kid stuff, so we hung around for Grampa's birthday lunch and then headed back to Animal Kingdom. I will say, that buffet was probably the most memorable, because Decky barfed, not once, but twice, and we caught it all on camera since it happened to be right when Minnie and Daisy were at our table. Never a dull moment with these kids...</div>
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On our last day in Florida, we were super fortunate that our blogger turned real life friend Courtney (of Sweet Turtle Soup) and her sweet family came out to swim and visit with us. I've followed along with her family's Disney adventures for so long and it was amazing to be able to transfer that to the real world. It was the perfect end to a perfect trip, and in a total blogger fail I didn't get a single photo...whoops. </div>
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If I had to recap the highlights of the trip, I would say Declan leading the way sprinting through Epcot was pretty hysterical, Ez getting a brand new monorail every day because they break so easily and the stores exchange them no questions asked became a running joke, rides and carnival games with my brothers, Father Christmas with my mom, the Winnie the Pooh buffet's parade with Grampa and Ez, an Epcot date with Joe, and, when it all comes down to it, lots and lots of amazing family memories that I know we'll all remember forever. Ez still stops what he's doing whenever a Disney World commercial comes on to shout, "That's Disney World!! WE WENT THERE!!!" Thank you so much to my mom for planning the perfect vacation. We love you!</div>
Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-62290838670826605542018-04-04T11:24:00.001-07:002018-04-04T11:26:33.413-07:00Happy Easter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our Easter started off with an egg hunt and meeting the Easter Bunny at Ez's school the Friday before Spring Break. Ez was by far the least experienced egg hunter there. He doesn't really understand the egg hunt hustle and he'd spot an egg and kind of mosey over in that direction and it would get snatched before he made it there. There were like two hundred eggs for a dozen kids though, so he got quite a few, smiled cheesily for an Easter Bunny picture, and then he was so ready to leave and begin Spring Break. I don't blame him, for some reason I was feeling very ready for a vacation too. </div>
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Our next egg hunt was the next day at our friend's church. It was by far the most extravagant egg hunt we've ever been too, and thousands of eggs were dropped <i>from a helicopter</i>. It was awe-inspiring and also a bit terrifying, depending on who you asked. (←Declan) Thankfully there were lots of balloons to compensate, and both boys came away happy. </div>
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We took a brief break from Easter festivities to spend the day in the hospital for Joe's throat infection, which, despite antibiotics, wasn't getting any better. He wound up having strep throat and an abscess, so after several IV bags, lots of needles, and <i>even more </i>antibiotics, he's finally feeling like himself again.</div>
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Our Spring Break was filled with lots of family time, play dates, and CRAFTS. Lots and lots of crafts. We made Easter cards for the grandparents, decorated bunnies, and lambs, and chickens, and, of course, Easter eggs. Not that I'm complaining, of course, I love painting with my boys. And now that I've realized the paint washes fairly easily off our table it's a relatively stress-free activity. </div>
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On Easter weekend we did another egg hunt, accumulated more balloon animals, and spent a low key Easter afternoon with family where Ez and Declan got new Buzz Lightyear and Zurg dolls and basically there world was made. </div>
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Wishing you all the happiest Easter and a wonderful start to Spring!<br />
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-3620287979237877922018-03-22T11:08:00.002-07:002018-03-22T11:08:56.155-07:00Easter Crafts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y0aS56P2fL2fJrimPTQwdNQHO89A2_MiWu5Bx8A4_PlUMaJh4ayWWv1VMkzYb9DpnJQIaYT_8tM2xdawIMCbj3r3qlUuPh_b9eQZ2XniveAs3F2APeVkDqlhH2e67tkR4tyd6Nd9xOdM/s1600/8+easter+crafts+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1596" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y0aS56P2fL2fJrimPTQwdNQHO89A2_MiWu5Bx8A4_PlUMaJh4ayWWv1VMkzYb9DpnJQIaYT_8tM2xdawIMCbj3r3qlUuPh_b9eQZ2XniveAs3F2APeVkDqlhH2e67tkR4tyd6Nd9xOdM/s640/8+easter+crafts+Collage.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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Ez has been 1,000% into crafts since he began preschool. Seeing him go from just drawing scribbles to actual shapes has been the funnest thing to watch. I remember kind of dreading crafts because I had to help with every. <i>single</i>. step. He's at a fun age now where he wants to do everything himself, and I get to relax and make my own crafts, which he always kindly exclaims, "Oh, Mommy! You did great!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoqWsgbn0o4olc5TS7dPmuGvoB_XoK4hVlFsybKgX4Jcv_GNLACSoX0hbLzBDuvoYFOJsmY4pAa0o0b0bIZqu5CCRipWCzkOvgVWWuR0A9TdF-8qwtECh8Px44ddRz0H-9FFXoHPmcWzy/s1600/Photo+Mar+01%252C+10+28+22+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoqWsgbn0o4olc5TS7dPmuGvoB_XoK4hVlFsybKgX4Jcv_GNLACSoX0hbLzBDuvoYFOJsmY4pAa0o0b0bIZqu5CCRipWCzkOvgVWWuR0A9TdF-8qwtECh8Px44ddRz0H-9FFXoHPmcWzy/s640/Photo+Mar+01%252C+10+28+22+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The right craft can keep him entertained for hours and with all the rain we've been getting we've got about 382 completed Easter crafts...and counting 😆 Ez gets so excited when we hang his artwork up on the wall, or, if it's an especially cherished piece, he'll keep it for his own personal collection. Decky is turning into quite the little artist as well. If it causes a mess, you can bet he'll be there.<br />
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Last year I shared <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2016/03/toddler-easter-crafts-pinterest-roundup.html">these 7 Easter crafts</a> and we've managed to work our way through most of them, with Ez asking for new crafts daily. His favorite was definitely the crayon/watercolor eggs. Mine is the bunny and carrot footprints, which is one of my favorite keepsakes to hang on the wall each spring, even if both boys HATED having their feet painted. I'm sparing them the footprint art this year, but in exchange I'm definitely hoping to get a few thumbprint bunnies out of them. Here are 8 more Easter crafts that we'll probably get around to over Spring Break next week.</div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Easy Peasy Fun </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/paper-chick-puppet/">Chick Puppet</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">School Time Snippets </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="http://www.schooltimesnippets.com/2015/03/tissue-paper-easter-egg-craft.html">Tissue Paper Easter Egg</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Kid's Craft Room </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="http://www.notey.com/@kidscraftroom_unofficial/external/15063697/the-cutest-handprint-chick-puppets.html">Handprint Chick</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">The DIY Village </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="https://www.thediyvillage.com/2016/03/custom-toddler-artwork.html">Bunny Painting</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">One Little Project </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="http://onelittleproject.com/paper-roll-bunnies/">Paper Roll Bunny</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Crafty Morning</span><i style="color: #6fa8dc;"> <a href="https://www.craftymorning.com/pom-pom-easter-egg-painting-craft-kids/">Pom Pom Egg Painting</a></i></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Crafty Morning </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="https://www.craftymorning.com/fingerprint-carrot-bunny-craft-kids/">Fingerprint Bunnies & Carrots</a></i></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Craft Ideas </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i><a href="https://www.craftideas.info/html/hen.html">Egg Shaped Hen</a></i></span><br />
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What's your favorite rainy/snowy day activity to keep the kids from going insane?</div>
Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-31772927884593727162018-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:002018-03-19T09:49:33.209-07:00Easter Basket Goodies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">// <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544938097/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544938097&linkCode=as2&tag=httpthejonijb-20&linkId=4c8bdf8c23cfe21c93e2f73e5431947e">book</a> // <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0772SFNVL/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0772SFNVL&linkCode=as2&tag=httpthejonijb-20&linkId=fb468ddf9c037aa53d3bebb90f130322">veggies</a> // <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M8GA9RH/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01M8GA9RH&linkCode=as2&tag=httpthejonijb-20&linkId=1ccd2127b786da549870f50d393ea5ee">bunny chalk</a> // <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SNBQT0S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00SNBQT0S&linkCode=as2&tag=httpthejonijb-20&linkId=1da66e95863a67b4280f6d9834919642">paint</a> // <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Magnetic-Wooden-Bug-Catching/dp/B000LFUKCM/">puzzle</a> //<a href="https://www.shopdisney.com/thumper-scented-ufufy-plush-small-1461354"> thumper</a> //</td></tr>
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Ez loves egg hunts so much that we've instituted a Halloween egg hunt because one a year just isn't enough. You can bet we're pretty excited for one of our favorite times of year to be here again. I've stocked up on lots of reusable plastic eggs, as well as a few wooden ones, which I'm saving until Spring Break because I'll need all the tricks up my sleeve to keep us sane, e<i>specially </i>if this rainy weather keeps up. For Ez's first Easter we used real eggs, which slowly turned to powder, and then smelly mush, as Ez insisted we hide them over and over again. He was pretty distraught when we sneakily hid them all in the trash can. Lesson learned. Rookie mistake. Fake eggs from here on out. </div>
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Filling up the Easter baskets with lots of goodies is one of my favorite things. I usually go for a theme for each boy (<i><a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2015/03/cars-themed-easter-basket.html">cars</a>, <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2016/02/easter-basket-ideas.html?m=1">dinosaurs,</a> & <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2014/04/it-little-things-easter-edition.html">baby's 1st Easter</a>), </i>but this year I just went for a mish mash of everything that grabbed my interest. You could call it spring themed, I guess? Or Target Dollar Spot themed if you want to be completely accurate. 🎯<br />
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Ez and Deck are each getting art supplies, a puzzle and/or game, a book, some felt food toys, and, mostly to satisfy my need for cuteness, a little scented Disney plush that I picked up on our last Disney trip. They smell like apple blossom and were too adorable to resist (and currently only $4!). I picked up some bunny-shaped marshmallows for egg fillers, but Ez discovered those right away, so now they've turned into bribes and I doubt there will be any leftover come Easter. What's your favorite Easter treat? Decky couldn't care less about sweets, I'm all about the chocolate, and Ez is very into marshmallows lately. </div>
Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-88917080092304330132018-02-26T20:01:00.000-08:002018-02-26T20:01:39.151-08:00Springtime at Disneyland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We decided to extend our long President's Day weekend with a three day trip to Disneyland....along with everybody else on the planet. It was crowded and chilly by Southern California standards, <i>and</i> half our favorite rides were closed, BUT, the kids didn't notice any of that. The world through their eyes is such a magical place and their energy is infectious. They were bouncing with excitement from the moment we walked into the park and are still going strong four days after getting home. Ez has been reenacting the Flik's Flyers ride and demanding "take a picture of me!" You don't have to ask me twice, kid. </div>
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Despite a few snags, everything was blooming and gorgeous, we wound up finding new favorite rides - <i>hello, Rockets & Buzz Lightyear</i>, and we got in some quality time with Grandma (aka, Joe's mom). Ez got his fill watching the Radiator Springs Racers (yes, he still prefers watching to actually riding), Decky got to ride Monsters Inc. on repeat at the end of each night, and Joe and I got to sneak off for a mini Space Mountain date (thanks Grandma!). We were all happy campers. </div>
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Decky's top 5 favorite Disney moments:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Touching DJ (the musical car) - two different dancers tried to intersect him and block him, but he was not to be deterred. The look on his face afterward was priceless (see above photo) and he was so proud of himself.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Stealing: a popcorn bucket, balloon weights, a kid's Buzz Lightyear doll right out of his hand, strollers, and balloons...seriously, this kid is a klepto and nothing is safe within his reach.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Running right onto the Monsters Inc. ride at the end of each night. The idea of actually waiting in line is lost on him so for once nobody was reigning him in and dragging him back to his place in line.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Any and every flying type ride.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Getting a new balloon and immediately getting to work popping it (fyi - Disney will exchange popped balloons).</li>
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Ez's Top 3 Disney Moments:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Beelining straight for the Radiator Springs Racers the moment we got there. </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Meeting Woody & Jessie from Toy Story - aka, his idols.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Somehow talking us into <i>way </i>too many new toys. He is an excellent negotiator.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Becoming a space ranger and defeating Zurg (on the Buzz Lightyear ride...can you tell what our current favorite movie is?)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Monster's Inc., Flik's Flyers, and the Rockets (in that order, according to him).</li>
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And in case you were wondering what Declan and Ez's least favorite moments were, those would be the times we dragged them on Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, the six hour car ride home afterward, the time we refused to buy an $85 Mack truck (for Decky), and the time we decided to actually ride rides instead of watching Radiator Springs Racers for three hours straight. 😂</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-44505535164147699192018-02-15T10:31:00.000-08:002018-02-15T10:31:05.574-08:00Valentine's Day<div>
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I hope you all had the most love-filled Valentine's Day! </div>
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Between Joe and the grandparents we were all extremely loved on yesterday. It felt like a heart-filled, extra chocolaty mini Christmas. Not only did Joe get me a gorgeous bouquet, hummingbird gifts, and lots of chocolates, but he took the kids to the playground for a few hours so I could enjoy some alone time. Best gift ever. I'm one lucky gal. </div>
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I think my favorite part of all was this being the very first school-year Valentine's Day and all the excitement that came along with that. Ez completely embraced the Valentine's spirit of making cards and heart-shaped crafts. I'm not sure what we'll do with our mornings now that it's all over. And while he was so excited to hand out all his Valentine's I don't think he even realized that he'd be <i>receiving </i>cards from all his classmates as well. When we collected his Valentine's out of his art bucket and brought them home he was brimming over with excitement. And boy, did his classmates spoil him! He got stickers and stamps, temp tattoos and pencils, heart-shaped glasses and even a mini skateboard, a race car, a toy soldier (like the ones in Toy Story!!!), and, his personal fave, a little rubber ducky covered in hearts. Oh, and candy. Lots and LOTS of candy. <i>Kids have definitely stepped up their Valentine's game since I was in school</i>...</div>
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We capped off the evening with a low key sushi meal, Toy Story, and two boys riding that sugar high. Best Valentine's Day yet. </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-13582379867965190112018-02-14T03:00:00.000-08:002018-02-14T03:00:21.861-08:00Happy Valentine's Day! A Year's Worth of Dates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Valentine's Day, my friends! We've been busy crafting away, making little pom pom love monsters and heart-shaped cards for all the kids in Ez's class, as well as felt roses for his teachers. I always remember making elaborate Valentine's Day cards with my mom growing up and I was so excited to continue this tradition with Ez and Declan once they started school. </div>
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To celebrate this day of love, I thought it'd be fun to recap the past year's worth of date nights and weekend getaways, which don't always get a lot of mention on the blog. Fun fact: we've never hired a babysitter for Ez and Deck. Not once. Thankfully, we do have a few willing family members who take on the job for free (seriously, thank you so much!!) and we managed to do a couple getaways and staycations last year. </div>
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First up, and I'm not sure this should really count as a date, but we like to take opportunity when it presents itself, even if we are mid-move with just hours to pack up half a household. So, in true Joe and Nina fashion, <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/02/we-moved-goodbye-san-jose.html">we made the most of our move</a> last January with a mini dinner & cupcake break, followed by scrabble & wine to celebrate our new place. Cheers to that!</div>
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Last Valentine's Day we decided to go all out with a <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/02/monterey-weekend-getaway.html">weekend getaway to Monterey</a>, where we explored the wharf, and the beach, and, possibly my favorite part, we met a super playful otter putting on a show for us just as we were about to leave. </div>
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In March we opted for a <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/03/kidfree-staycation.html">staycation</a>, and wandered around Sacramento, checking out coffee houses, bookstores, the Governor's Mansion, and basically all the stuff we've always wanted to explore that don't include a playground 😉</div>
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A <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/05/disneyland.html">family trip to Disneyland</a> may not seem like a date, BUT, if you go with enough family there's always a chance to sneak off for a mini date to ride the big kid rides while someone else watches the kids. Definitely one of our favorite date spots (as if you didn't know that already!)</div>
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Between May and June we were too busy doing family stuff for a real date night, but we made up for it in July with a movie date to see Wonder Woman <i>and </i>a birthday weekend <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/07/birthday-getaway-reno-tahoe.html">getaway to Tahoe & Reno</a>. Gambling, a cirque du soleil type performance, LOTS of good food, <i>and</i> kayaking - one of my favorite birthdays yet. </div>
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September was <a href="http://thejonijourney.blogspot.com/2017/09/our-first-anniversary.html">one year married</a> for us!! We celebrated with sushi (pretty much a given on 9 out of 10 of our date nights) and our first movie at the Tower Theater (Wind River - surprisingly good), a trip to the California Museum, and, of course, cutting into our year old cake (also surprisingly good). </div>
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November was DISNEY WORLD!! We had a pretty good day date around Epcot, which is basically THE dream date spot. Tons of great food, drinks, and beautiful scenery. I wish we lived close enough for regular date nights there. </div>
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Somehow, in the midst of Christmas shopping, and wrapping, and colds, and family time we snuck out to see Lady Bird, which I've already raved about on Instagram because it's all filmed in Sacramento. Being able to watch it in Tower Theater and recognize all the landmarks was such a special experience. </div>
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And that brings us back to January, with not one, but two date nights. First up was a trip to see Star Wars, which at first we liked, but as the movie sank in, we realized we didn't like it so much after all. Then we capped the month off with another staycation where we tried a new to us restaurant and went to see the Sacramento Contemporary Dance company, followed by a cozy night watching Chicago and playing Mario Kart. </div>
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What a year we've had! Fitting in romance between potty training, and the preschool plague, and all the other madness that comes with raising two rambunctious boys is not easy, but I'm so lucky that Joe always makes it a priority to schedule in time for just the two of us AND come up with creative date ideas. </div>
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Happy Valentine's Day to my bff, partner in crime (and parenting), the funniest person I know, my soulmate. Men like you are one in a million, and I definitely won the lottery with you. </div>
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PS - Did I mention how lucky I am? ❤</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-53417741885062860912018-02-12T19:52:00.000-08:002018-02-12T19:52:31.605-08:00Ezzyisms: 4 years, 9 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjCPs4xgw9zZ4ZM1BrGCJYo9MifvaEY9BslScwzZQG9-igZkbWbYwS7EJrNe07jqXViDCMnYH1zOJWPToB6qsWhGC38yp__Ibw5eh3NypfzWAA8kwN9y4WvXXXW4-YhvzPLehiaeX9TNq/s1600/Photo+Jan+21%252C+12+06+03+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjCPs4xgw9zZ4ZM1BrGCJYo9MifvaEY9BslScwzZQG9-igZkbWbYwS7EJrNe07jqXViDCMnYH1zOJWPToB6qsWhGC38yp__Ibw5eh3NypfzWAA8kwN9y4WvXXXW4-YhvzPLehiaeX9TNq/s640/Photo+Jan+21%252C+12+06+03+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember back before Ez could really speak, I'd hear parents talk about the funny things their kids would say and I could NOT wait for that phase of parenthood. Well, my friends, we are finally there. Not a day goes by that Ez doesn't crack me up. Sometimes intentionally, usually not, but he has the freshest, most hilarious view of the world, and I really wish I were more on top of recording it all. The last time I did an Ezzyisms post was a whole <i>nine months </i>ago, which is a shame, because so many funny moments that I thought I'd remember forever have already come and gone. I mean to write them down, I really do, but, of course, I don't. Except, I finally did! A few of the funniest moments from the past few weeks made it to a notes folder on my phone, and now, finally, they're making their way to the light of day. Here's a little glimpse into Ez's world, in his own words:<br />
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<li><i>shaking his head</i> "I don't live in Sacramento..." <i><Joe> "Where do you live?"</i> <Ez> "The playground." <i><Joe> "The playground??!" </i><Ez> "I mean, I live in a house." </li>
<li><trying to say Millenium Falcon> "lemony falcon" "melanie malcolm" "romero camaro" (??!)</li>
<li>"What kind of car is that?" <<i>talking about a car that just cut me off</i>> Me: "We'll just call it an impatient car." Ez: "Yeah...like daddy." 😂</li>
<li>"Babe, that's disgusting." <when Joe burps, farts, or does any other gross boy things.></li>
<li>"We're going to the cake pop store." <aka Starbucks></li>
<li>"Can you please stop that?" <anytime Joe or I sing></li>
<li>"Mommy just ate it all." <EVERY time I finish a meal...he's giving me a complex></li>
<li>"We just need a little pit stop." <whenever we stop at the gas station.></li>
<li><Falling asleep then suddenly waking up, giggling hysterically, and shouting> "you CAN'T fly!!!" (Toy Story)</li>
<li><<i>my mom, aka Gangy, asked if she and Grampa are old</i>> "No...Gangy's not old. Grampa's old."</li>
<li><<i>Declan was making all kinds of random noise during a road trip</i>> "Decky, can you NOT do that?" <<i>a few minutes later</i>> "Decky, you can be quiet, or you can not be loud." (such a little dipolomat, outlining all of Declan's options.)</li>
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Ez's current obsessions include:</div>
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<li>Toy Story - especially when Buzz attempts to fly, and the rocket scene at the end</li>
<li>UPS trucks (????)</li>
<li>Roaming the backyard for hours at a time now that we're having Spring like weather</li>
<li>Ice Cream trucks & his toy ice cream set he got for Christmas</li>
<li>weekly 3 hour trips to Wacky Tacky (an indoor playground)</li>
<li>reading (aka, reciting by memory or being read to)</li>
<li>asking what everyone is eating <i>all the time</i> </li>
<li>Star Wars, especially the droids and space ships</li>
<li>That song "5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" </li>
<li>Ice Cream sandwiches, cheetos, melon, and apples</li>
<li>Panera Bread</li>
<li>the mini carts at Trader Joe's</li>
<li>bossing his brother around</li>
<li>doing everything by himself (aka - stay away Mommy! DON'T help!)</li>
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Four, almost five has been such an age of growth for all of us. We've seen Ez branch out more than ever before, creating his own little world outside of our home, and he's doing an amazing job. He went from crying every time I dropped him off and not being able to tell me a single thing that went on at school, to excitedly telling me about his day, what games he and the other kids played, and what fun stuff they have planned for later in the week. It's like I blinked and all of a sudden he went from toddler to school aged kid. We are so, so proud of him and all the hard work he's doing each and every day.<br />
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While I sadly failed at catching all the variations of "millenium falcon" on video, I did get a few fun Ezzyisms:<br />
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-78396566677448248322018-01-29T18:58:00.000-08:002018-01-29T18:58:34.607-08:00Our 1 Year Sacramentoversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday one year ago was the start of a new chapter for our little family. We woke up in San Jose to walls and walls of boxes, got ourselves an early breakfast of donuts, and got to work helping the movers load up a truck. Box by box our whole life seemed to disappear into that moving van surprisingly quickly. Then we hopped in our cars (also loaded with boxes) and made the ninety minute trek to Sacramento, to a new home that feels as perfect for us today as it did one year ago, to a new chapter of Joe working from home instead of commuting, and to lots of unknowns. I remember feeling the normal moving stress, but also butterflies of excitement because it seemed like the best next step for our family.<br />
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Ez and Declan joined us in our new house exactly one year ago (after spending the night with my parents) and they immediately made the place their own, exploring every room, closet, and cupboard, tearing through bubble wrap and packing paper, and making their own cardboard box playhouses. We walked to the neighborhood park and let them wander through the backyard, and it's safe to say they were pretty happy with the new place.<br />
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Fast forward one year into living here and Sacramento has not disappointed one bit. It's been such a great fit for our family, with plenty of outdoor adventures waiting for us, lots of kid-friendly activities, amazing restaurants and farmers markets, and parks around every corner. It somehow strikes the perfect balance of being a city with a small town mentality. Clearly I can go on and on about all the reasons I love Sacramento, but, for your sake, I'll narrow it down to my top 5 favorites in a few categories 😉<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Top 5 Restaurants</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://www.coconutsfishcafe.com/home">Coconut's Fish Cafe</a> will always hold a special place for us, because not only is it delicious Hawaiian inspired food, but it's one of the first places we ate at here, and one we continue to go back to. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.saivaree.com/index.html">Sai Varee</a> has some of the best Thai food (we get the salmon fried rice e<i>very time</i>) and we seem to find ourselves coming back here at least once a month. </li>
<li><a href="http://baconandbuttersac.com/menu/">Bacon & Butter</a> is tops for brunch, just ask the lines and lines of people waiting outside. Definitely get a bonut if it's on the menu (biscuit + donut) - seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. </li>
<li><a href="https://foxandgoose.com/">Fox & Goose Pub</a> is another one of the first places we ate at and continue to go back as often as possible. Any place with vegetarian chili automatically gets 5 stars from me. Also, the ollalaberry scone + Devonshire cream is amazing (and I'm not even a huge scone fan).</li>
<li><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/bakers-donuts-sacramento-3">Baker's Donuts</a> - it was really hard to narrow down just five places, and it's kinda weird to put a donut place on the list, BUT, Sacramento really loves donuts (they even have a donut festival) and I really love donuts, so onto the list it goes. (Fruity Pebbles is my must-have.) #basic</li>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Top 5 Outdoor Spots </span><br />
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<li>Auburn is one of our favorite hiking spots, there are tons of trails, lots of trees (and shade!), and during the summer it's the perfect place to dip our toes in the river and cool off. </li>
<li> The Sacramento River was one our go to spots on the hottest summer days. It has some perfect shallow spots for wading, cooling off, splashing, and boat watching. </li>
<li>Consumnes River Preserve is the perfect easy but still scenic nature walk, especially if you love birds. It's flat and easy for kids, but just don't go during summer when everything is dried out and most of the birds have moved on. </li>
<li>Pena Adobe is new to us, but it's quickly become one of our top hiking spots. It's got cows, a tree swing, plenty of rocks to climb on, and a relatively easy (though hilly) path. </li>
<li>UC Davis's Arboretum is mainly on this list because we once saw a river otter swimming around, and it was the cutest thing EVER, but also because we love wandering around and and all college campuses (Sac State included!). </li>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Top 5 Kid Activities </span><br />
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<li>Wacky Tacky is definitely top of the list if you ask Ez and Decky. This is an indoor playground that we visit once a week so the kids can run around for a few hours (yes, hours - they have boundless energy). This place has been a lifesaver on rainy days. </li>
<li>Wading Pools - Sacramento (and Elk Grove) have SO MANY free wading pools just for younger kids. Last summer was definitely one of our best yet because we got to go swimming almost every day. Everywhere else we've lived the pools have either cost money and/or been super crowded because there were only a couple to choose from. </li>
<li>Fairy Tale Town is one of those places that doesn't seem super impressive to me, but the kids go absolutely crazy there every single time and never want to leave. They also do a lot of fun holiday events (like trick or treating, or the Grinch + fake snow) so that wins them extra points from me. </li>
<li>The Sacramento Zoo is not super huge, but they have giraffes and big cats, so that's good enough for us. Bonus points that we can see the giraffes from the street every time we drive by. </li>
<li>The train museum is pretty amazing for kids, and even if you don't want to pay to go inside there are a bunch of old trains you can check out right by the river as well. </li>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Top 5 Holiday Events </span></div>
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<li><a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article116712853.html">Old Town's Festival of Lights</a> is a must see. Preferably several times throughout the Christmas season. We love the little bits of Sacramento history they work into the story, and, of course, the lights and fake snow. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.bastiaofarmsgoblingardens.com/">Bastaio Farms Goblin Gardens Pumpkin Patch</a>. Halloween is the BEST time to live in a farming community, and this past fall we had our pick of corn mazes and pumpkin patches (we literally went at least twice a week all of October), but, our favorite was definitely Bastaio farms. The corn maze was the perfect size (big enough to get lost in, small enough to not take ALL DAY to get back out), the pumpkins were prime, and the giant tubs of corn kernels and mini tractors to ride were just icing on the cake. Ez still asks to go back weekly.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/east-sacramentos-fab-40s-christmas-lights-sacramento">Fab 40s Christmas Lights</a> - Ez and I have FINALLY found a town that matches our enthusiasm for Christmas. Yes, we've lived in other towns with neighborhoods that decorate, but, what sets Sacramento apart is the festivity of everyone wandering around looking at the lights. It's like an impromptu parade/party every night of December leading up to Christmas. Horse drawn carriages with lights <i>on the horses</i>, old vintage cars all decorated and driving up and down the streets, even Santa Clause riding a lit up bicycle. Not to mention the houses are gorgeous and so festive. Just writing this is making me miss Christmas all over again... 🎄</li>
<li><a href="https://www.crockerart.org/event/1529/2017-12-31">Noon Year's Eve at the Crocker Art Museum</a> was the ideal new year's celebration for kids. It had all the classic New Year's Eve stuff: a ball drop, a countdown, dancing and a DJ, giant bubbles (if that's not part of your traditional New Year's Eve, then you're missing out), and, the best part? It's all takes place at noon. This past New Year's Eve was the first time we got to really celebrate the New Year with the kiddos, and we all had the most fun ever. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.globalwonderland.com/public/sacramento/index.cfm">Global Winter Wonderland</a> was such a good way to extend the holidays a teensy bit for us. They had amazing light displays set up to look like various landmarks from different countries, some of which you could actually climb on or walk through. </li>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Top 5 Sacramento Memories </span></div>
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<li>Ez's first day at school is one of those milestones that snuck up on us all too quickly. Schools were one of the first things we looked at when we moved and after lots and lots of searching we finally found the perfect preschool for Ez, which he seems to love (most days). </li>
<li>Mini kid-free staycations with Joe. As much as we love exploring with the kids, every now and then we love to drop them off with the grandparents and have a night to ourselves exploring the less kid-friendly aspects of Sacramento. Aka, drinking fancy lattes out of real mugs, eating at places that don't specialize in mac & cheese (HELLO sushi!), and wandering around without any real plans, just checking out new to us places and events like the governor's mansion, or the Sacramento Contemporary Dance Company. </li>
<li>Garbage day!! It's basically a national holiday in our house, and this is our first place since the boys have gotten into garbage trucks where we actually put the trash cans out front (as opposed to the big communal trash bins). </li>
<li>The hours and hours of backyard family time we've enjoyed. This is also the first really functional backyard we've ever had, and I don't know how we ever survived without one. From sprinklers and a wading pool during summer, digging in the dirt during spring, and splashing puddles during winter, we've already built so many great memories out there. </li>
<li>Technically this would have probably happened anywhere we lived, but watching Ez and Declan's relationship grow this past year has been amazing. Maybe it's the space in this house for them to run laps, or the fact that we have five different parks within walking distance from us, but they love chasing each other, falling on the floor giggling hysterically for no reason at all, and sliding down the slide together, and wrestling...ok, usually only one of them likes that. </li>
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Sick of hearing about my love of Sacramento yet? You guys have no idea how hard it was to narrow down our favorites to these few. And I didn't even mention the Capitol Building, or the Tower Bridge, or all the quirky little used book stores that have sparked a full on book collecting obsession in our house. One of our favorite parts of living here is that Sacramento does such a great job of fostering community, with tons of events and festivals all throughout the year, and we do our best to explore it all. If you're not completely sick of Sacramento yet, check out Lady Bird for a little glimpse into some of our favorite landmarks. Has anyone seen it already? How'd you like it? Also, what's your favorite thing about the town you live in? </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-6924892372554401642018-01-26T10:20:00.002-08:002018-01-26T10:20:21.569-08:00Family Goals: More Walks Together<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some of our family goals are already slipping a bit (spending less at Starbucks 👎), but others I think we're really kicking a$$ at. Family walks, for one thing. Truth be told, winter and fall are my favorite seasons for walks. There's beauty in every season, but something about bare branches against gray skies gets me every time. To steal a line from Anne Shirley:</div>
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That being said, it can be very easy to get into the habit of just staying in and snuggling on cold dreary days, (I know you East Coasters are laughing at me right now ❄❄❄) so we're trying to be deliberate about getting out as often as we can and exploring new places. </div>
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One gem of a hike that we recently discovered has a lake, rolling hills, cows, (yes, COWS!), and, the icing on the cake, a swing on the most climbable tree at the top of the prettiest hill. We were all in love and will definitely be going back. Also, proud parent moment that both boys - well, technically all <i>three </i>boys - walked the whole three miles without having to be carried, or even whining <i>too much </i>about it. </div>
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Have you and your family decided to focus on any health oriented goals this year? Less sugar is another one, for us. And getting in all our yearly checkups, which we're so good about with the kiddos, but tend to forget for ourselves. Cheers to a healthy year, my friends!</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-43428070783849829902018-01-22T09:46:00.000-08:002018-01-22T09:46:28.801-08:00Date Night: Dancing & Dreaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend we were able to drop the kiddos off with my family and have a night to ourselves. We didn't have any grand ideas about what to do with ourselves so we came up with a plan on the fly which involved good food (a must for any date night), dancing, Mario Kart, snuggling at home with a movie, and, my favorite part, dreaming about our family goals for this year. </div>
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Funny story: one of our top goals is that we want to be more intentional with our family time and use electronics less. We actually got a white board just so we could write down our goals and have them visible daily. About twelve hours after we wrote that down, our internet went out. Just broke, out of the blue, for no apparent reason. Turns out one of the wires in a completely different room had come unplugged and we had no electronics for two days straight because we'd forgotten that cable even existed. Apparently that white board means business, once it's written down it is going to happen, one way, or another 😂 </div>
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Back to date night, we got lucky because Sacramento was doing a Dine Downtown event where you could order from a special three course menu at a bunch of restaurants in the city. We'd been wanting to eat along the river for awhile, so this was our perfect chance to try it out. As you can see below, everything was DELICIOUS. I highly recommend Rio City Cafe if you're in the area:</div>
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I got the endive salad and salmon over parmesan risotto, Joe got the clam chowder (so, SO good!) and chicken schnitzel. For dessert we split both of the options, but the creme brulee was the definite winner. And the view wasn't so bad either:</div>
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After dinner we got tickets to the Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theater's show benefiting Camp Grizzly, a camp for deaf children. Honestly, we had low expectations going in, since we hadn't heard much about it beforehand, but it completely blew us away. It was so, so good, and we were both completely immersed the whole time. Joe loved it so much he wanted to go home and watch a "dance/musical type movie" so we watched Chicago, an old favorite of mine. </div>
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Date nights are kind scarce around here so we make sure to squeeze a lot into them - in case you hadn't noticed! What are some of your favorite date night activities?</div>
<br />Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-9979363767060599722018-01-17T14:08:00.000-08:002018-01-17T14:08:41.047-08:00Winter Wonderland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I feel like January is half motivation/organization/get sh*t done, and half missing Christmas. Anyone else? No? Maybe it's just Ez and I, but this holiday season flew by, and even Joe admitted he was sad when it was over. Decky, on the other hand, seemed a tad too excited to take down the tree, but he is our household Grinch after all. This year I'm thinking we begin Christmas on November 1st and get a full two months out of the season #2018goals 🎄<br />
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Thankfully, we were able to extend the season just a tiny bit by wandering through our very own Winter Wonderland, or as winter wonderland as you can expect in California. Cal Expo had a gorgeous winter festival set up with light displays, fake snow, and lots of kid activities, including a maze which I think confused Ez a bit because it was like Christmas and Halloween all mixed together. We loved it so much and would have gone again except that we didn't get around to visiting until their very last weekend.<br />
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A few other things we've been up to lately include a train show, which Ez couldn't stop talking about so we went two days in a row, visiting with my sister on her birthday, taking our very first trip to Costco in several years - which wasn't as scary as I thought it would be on a Sunday, a date night while the grandparents watched the kiddos, and surviving 4 days single parenting while Joe was out of town for work.<br />
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How's your 2018 shaping up, my friends? I've seen some of your snow photos and I'm half jealous, half thankful we get nothing more than fog because I don't have a clue how to drive in snow.<br />
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-24155855683456869062018-01-11T16:03:00.000-08:002018-01-11T16:03:25.011-08:00New Year's Eve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Too late to recap New Year's Eve? Thankfully prompt blog posts was NOT one of my resolutions this year 😋 You may have noticed that blogging frequency took a dip last year, and as much as I love preserving our family memories, I also want to find the balance of being present while making said memories. Balance is one of those tricky things that remains a constant work in progress and I may never master it, but, in the meantime, you can still expect to hear about our little family adventures, just maybe not in the most timely manner. Thank you for following along anyway!</div>
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This was our first New Year's in Sacramento, and we were excited to find out that the local art museum hosts a Noon Year's Eve celebration, complete with a countdown, a ball drop, a kid DJ, craft tables, and lots and lots of bubbles - all at the kid-friendly hour of noon. Pretty much all the New Year's necessities, and the kids were loving every minute of it. </div>
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After a few hours of partying we headed to Trader Joe's, also known as, "the place with the little carts" for dinner supplies. Ez never fails to let us know, in a disappointed voice, if we're going shopping at the store <i>without </i>the little carts. So, despite the dangers to everyone's knee caps, letting him <strike>swerve</strike> push the cart through the aisles is a must. </div>
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Between the party and the shopping both boys were completely worn out and we let them take nice long naps, partly so they could stay up for New Year's, but mostly so I could watch When Harry Met Sally in peace. It's one of my yearly movies and I couldn't head into 2018 without watching it at least once. </div>
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<i>I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.</i></div>
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Hands down one of the best romantic comedies EVER. </div>
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Then came the sad part of the night, taking down our tree. We tried to make it cheery by toasting the tree to a great Christmas beforehand, but Ez and I still miss our sparkly tree. It was even sadder seeing it sit in the street for nearly two weeks until they finally picked it up today. RIP christmas tree. You were good to us. 🌲</div>
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We all managed to make it to midnight, with a few minutes to spare, and watch the ball drop in Times Square followed by attacking each other with those party blower noisemaker things. </div>
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On Monday we woke up bright and not so early to go hiking and enjoy our 60 degree weather. <i>Sorry east coasters...</i></div>
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And so we ushered in 2018 in a nice, mellow, family-friendly way, which is my favorite kind of New Year's. Wishing you all the best this year!</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-31033970045873415932018-01-02T19:47:00.000-08:002018-01-02T19:47:47.307-08:00Happy 2018!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL1bXhggQyJK3DkNY5Gfwd3p4XQhSe7_N6EudSGvU_kdJvqRBxIbjNCfZy9vkjZezIptHTigIDQLswibXvET7C-i4nY_nZjblLK8nsx-Kjvh9tDPn0ThlgkyGnGr8BbuLmTAi6fFIwGws/s1600/Photo+Jan+02%252C+9+19+39+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL1bXhggQyJK3DkNY5Gfwd3p4XQhSe7_N6EudSGvU_kdJvqRBxIbjNCfZy9vkjZezIptHTigIDQLswibXvET7C-i4nY_nZjblLK8nsx-Kjvh9tDPn0ThlgkyGnGr8BbuLmTAi6fFIwGws/s640/Photo+Jan+02%252C+9+19+39+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The week between Christmas and New Year always shifts toward reflection and organization, and "oh my God, I ate way too many cookies." For some reason I got it in my head to organize ALL our videos into a "short" compilation highlight reel of our year. Naively I thought it would take maybe a day...<i>annnnd</i> here we are, one week later and I've managed to narrow it down to nine minutes. But the alternative was letting all those great little moments fade into forgotten Dropbox files sooo......time well spent?</div>
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2017 was a good one for our family. There were a few big changes (<i>hello moving, potty training, and preschool</i>) that came along with their share of growing pains, but there were no ER visits this year, and thanks to my newly lowered parental expectations, it was a good year. 😉</div>
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All joking aside, it really was a good year for us. This was Joe's first full year of working from home, which has been a huge blessing and allowed us to spend so much quality family time together. We're coming up on our one year Sacramento-versary and we're loving this town of ours more than ever. Unlike our last place, we've got a backyard now which makes me wonder how we ever survived before without one. Ez's first few months as a student brought on challenges we didn't see coming, and we'll be dealing with those more in 2018, but his growth this year has been astounding and I'm so, so proud of him.</div>
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We visited beaches, snowy mountains, Reno, Tahoe, and, of course, Disney. Four trips in the span of seven months, to be exact, including our first to D I S N E Y W O R L D - don't worry, future posts are coming. We enjoyed lots of visits with family and friends and this year was the perfect balance of work and fun, growth and stability. If 2018 continues down the same path we'll be perfectly happy. </div>
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Just for fun, here's a little comparison of Ez in January vs. December</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWRmpZ7OglGrab0WtkGOlCYp2E7yAP4y1ySOVaP3l0fUHDnzsy44V9Tn0Cd2bXaBWv7gZidgU0GWs7ZTym3m_7f0jIOtspGhdsHkuCjSUnQybIqT3CDFDZrkGFZDOktL0E5MZ3fv8WJh4/s1600/Photo+Jan+02%252C+6+42+02+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWRmpZ7OglGrab0WtkGOlCYp2E7yAP4y1ySOVaP3l0fUHDnzsy44V9Tn0Cd2bXaBWv7gZidgU0GWs7ZTym3m_7f0jIOtspGhdsHkuCjSUnQybIqT3CDFDZrkGFZDOktL0E5MZ3fv8WJh4/s400/Photo+Jan+02%252C+6+42+02+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and Declan, mean mugging as usual:</div>
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Wishing you all health, love, adventure, and laughter in our next trip around the sun. </div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-472721235672924668.post-69216440366600025172017-12-28T09:35:00.000-08:002017-12-28T09:35:51.887-08:00Ez's Christmas Tea and Nativity Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sy-V-lLh2jtwJhPLv69Z4DO-wYbGDyYuJmd2QQr7zJFYl0tWC9-av5XH4DzYXN9PTeqKqtBRQceCi6TdrsL9r6HUKwYcmol8bADmFZfohsdwIH9uMtvDTpc1qwh5v3wXq9FwPliQvyoS/s1600/25660315_10211034471633560_7211923117929195480_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sy-V-lLh2jtwJhPLv69Z4DO-wYbGDyYuJmd2QQr7zJFYl0tWC9-av5XH4DzYXN9PTeqKqtBRQceCi6TdrsL9r6HUKwYcmol8bADmFZfohsdwIH9uMtvDTpc1qwh5v3wXq9FwPliQvyoS/s640/25660315_10211034471633560_7211923117929195480_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Christmas is such a magical time of year filled with family and traditions I look forward to all year long. This year was extra special because we added a few new traditions that wound up being my most favorite of all. For the first time ever Ez participated in a Nativity play and his school held a Christmas tea on their last day before winter break. All month long Ez has been walking around singing the songs they were going to perform and it's put us all in the most festive mood. Once he got up on the stage in front of all us parents he froze, and he vetoed wearing the camel costume in the nativity play, but my heart pretty much burst with pride just seeing him up there. There were a few moments when he was just too overcome with the music to help himself and I did capture a some of the sweetest video of him dancing and singing. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPr3l1l0zFhphoNlxeZXiOCaNv2xC7ilKucxHEqYWHBuQqWGCzf_Vgpp9cTiIOfG2hP1lnregp1sslJO5FQx-ioOaTu0rC-odJt0HBl21ClUAzt4nK5FNBFfDaUHNlW3kJvKl3Pz_BYwN/s1600/25550571_10211034471673561_1707778495587331433_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPr3l1l0zFhphoNlxeZXiOCaNv2xC7ilKucxHEqYWHBuQqWGCzf_Vgpp9cTiIOfG2hP1lnregp1sslJO5FQx-ioOaTu0rC-odJt0HBl21ClUAzt4nK5FNBFfDaUHNlW3kJvKl3Pz_BYwN/s640/25550571_10211034471673561_1707778495587331433_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KZgEVs_OOluEkpKhq4OnrW1OYMc2S3Y7UnnjeBIlMeWDjd9KO11FQ800oClmvLCFSoqeula9SZAN6JbUjBr6XSntHDshjeQX_WgCpTB36LqakGCbI92-qdo_GzqXVOhXXsmd8eE6JdnM/s1600/19030611_10211034471593559_7493132835535173859_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KZgEVs_OOluEkpKhq4OnrW1OYMc2S3Y7UnnjeBIlMeWDjd9KO11FQ800oClmvLCFSoqeula9SZAN6JbUjBr6XSntHDshjeQX_WgCpTB36LqakGCbI92-qdo_GzqXVOhXXsmd8eE6JdnM/s640/19030611_10211034471593559_7493132835535173859_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The grandparents were able to come along and watch him sing his Christmas songs and get a visit from Santa and then help decorate gingerbread houses. It was a high point of our year and I'm so happy we got to share the day with some of Ez's biggest fans. Holidays with school age kids are turning into the most magical ones yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzkkpKz0PimMZwkpnl9pfjOiAgjYka2cgFRWnIkw6kXxo_P-Qq4JQ41PPwPnfzXZnJmbnnP1-3cs87Oy4q0pYfT5yvOdixNObS75sJVFPceUsxgbqTZ5XDNWtitKjpAdF0aSsx3VJC0rb/s1600/25551834_10211034472233575_9127794748164670138_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzkkpKz0PimMZwkpnl9pfjOiAgjYka2cgFRWnIkw6kXxo_P-Qq4JQ41PPwPnfzXZnJmbnnP1-3cs87Oy4q0pYfT5yvOdixNObS75sJVFPceUsxgbqTZ5XDNWtitKjpAdF0aSsx3VJC0rb/s640/25551834_10211034472233575_9127794748164670138_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you need an extra dose of cuteness hit play:</div>
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And to wrap up the season, here's a little recap of the festivities we've been up to this month:</div>
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Nina Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15113240653008385871noreply@blogger.com1