Piece of cake

On Saturday I decided to take Finn to my parents house for the day. I thought maybe we could make our first visit to the zoo or something along those lines. Finn got a very short nap on the car ride up. He really was not in the right mood to go to the zoo. So instead we walked down to the corner with Muti to mail some letters (that's just as good as the zoo, right?). We walked an alternate route home and swung by my old kindergarten to check out the playground. The playground is for K-6 so definitely pretty advanced for my 1 1/2 year old. But Finn is fearless. He could not get enough of the slide. Up the stairs and down the slide he went again and again. Giggling the whole time. Not bad for Mr-No-Nap.

Then what a surprise. Muti came climbing up the climbing wall. (No, I'm not making this up. And, where the heck was my camera?) And then she went down the slide. Oh, this was just too much for our young Finn. He went barreling down the slide after her. Bam! He crashed into her. Roaring laughter ensued. Again, where the heck was my camera. Note to self, even trips to drop off mail may result in a photo opp. Bring camera.

After a fun day at Muti and Papa's we packed up and drove home. Finn was exhausted. He had a little dinner and then Jason got him ready for bed about an hour earlier than usual. We all settled on the couch (Scout included) to watch some tv. After all of one minute, Finn scooted himself off of the couch, turned to us, waived and said "bye bye". He started walking out of the sun room, through the living room to his bedroom. "What's he up to? Could it be? Nah. Oh my, he is." He was putting himself to bed. No meltdown, no crying. Just a "Bye-bye. See ya tomorrow. Don't forget to have my milk and cereal ready no later than 7:30," look on his face. Finn has always been good about going to bed but that's because I figure out when he is tired and put him there. This is the first time a little light went off in his brain and he determined that he was tired and then he made the choice to go to his bed. Now I know how those scientists feel when their little lab mice make it through the maze.

I ran after him, scooped him up and put him in his crib. Pooh Bear snuggled in one little arm, and Mr. Monkey in the other. I covered them with his twinkle, twinkle quilt to keep them all cozy.

I went back to the sun room and Jason and I revelled in our parental awesomeness. Okay maybe it was more like marvelling with disbelief.

Whatever. This parenting thing is a breeze.

Finn In Boots

Two posts in one day.  And on Christmas no less.

I haven't finished downloading the Christmas photos- haven't finished taking them yet either.  But it is necessary to post this one of Finn in his new galoshes from Nana and Poppa.  J put them on over his p.j.'s and he could barely walk in them.  But he looked too cute.  Now that I think of it this photo hardly captured it.  But still pretty cute.

Covet this!

I just finished my Christmas cookies (for Christmas dinner tonight) and I had to share.

You know you want some. Look that yummy frosting on the sugar cookies.

And Grandma B.'s chocolate powdered sugar cookies are chocolatey and chewy and probably still warm from the oven.

Merry Christmas!

For your viewing pleasure

Forecast calls for rain clouds.  Might as well settle in and enjoy a flick or two.  Here are a couple of movies starring Finn.  The first is sort of an action comedy.  The second more of a heart warming drama.

Finn gets crazy in the kitchen

Hot Cocoa

Count down to Christmas

Just a couple more days til Christmas- and I haven't even wrapped a thing!

Here are some photos of the gingerbread house that Finn and I made. I did the heavy construction and he tried to do a remodel.

I am very proud of those icicles.  

Being the first gingerbread house for both of us I think we did all right.

Even the back was decorated with a wreath.

Here's Finn with his hot cocoa with marshmallows.  Think he enjoyed it?  Yup. Check out his super cool double handled mug from Uncle Noel.  Thanks Uncle Noel.  Watch out for a hot cocoa movie to be uploaded as soon as I figure out how to do that.

Happy Holidays! 

Picture with Santa

Finn's photo with Santa.  It almost looks like he's trying out a dance move.  He really was not happy to begin with plus I'm sure he was a little scared of the stranger with the white beard.

This is the picture with the same Santa last year.  Why does Santa have paint on his hands?  

Rest assured

After all of Sunday's commotion, we had a very Norman Rockwell moment at our house. I made Grandma B's hot cocoa (turns out it's pretty much the recipe on the Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa can) and we snuggled up on the couch with Finn and Scout and watched Frosty the Snowman. Finn was very excited about the hot cocoa and would not put his mug down until he finished every last drop. I have to admit I was a little worried about the "hot" and the amount of sugar so I diluted his with milk. He loved it anyway.

Now I hope I'm back in everyone's good graces. Put down the phone. No need to call CPS. ;o)

At least the baby didn't end up in jail

Long story short: The cops were at our house. Jason ended up in handcuffs.

Looks like I've got your attention now.

Sunday morning started out easy, Easy like Sunday Morning. Especially so since Finn spent his first overnight at his grandparents. I woke up at 7, as usual, and was able to watch a movie (Year of the Dog- it was okay) with my morning coffee in peace and quiet. Jason slept in with just enough time to get his bearings before he was off to the Raiders game with some buddies.

It was raining and figuring Jason's car would be safer in the rain I took the Land Rover to go pick up Finn. We had a little lunch and then he fell asleep in the car on the way home. I spotted the CHP behind me on the freeway while I was busy thinking of all of the things I would get done while my little angel napped. I noticed the CHP follow me as I exited. "Hmm, that's interesting," I thought. Two blocks from my house I saw the red lights. One block from my house they started flashing. "Is he seriously pulling me over. WTF? I wasn't speeding." Since I was a block from my house I decided to lead him all the way to my driveway. Of course, he didn't know where I lived so, on his loud speaker for all of my neighbors to hear, he instructs me to pull over to the right and stop the car. I ignored him and made a left into my driveway. But I hopped out of my car and quickly explained that this was my house. Thankfully he spotted sleeping Finn and his demeanor softened immediately.

It turns out that the sticker on Jason's license plate expired in May, before we bought the car. I was able to find the current registration but no new sticker. He left without even giving me a fix it ticket. I didn't get off completely scot free. I'm sure the neighbors will be giving me weird looks for a while.

After the commotion, I put sleeping Finn in his crib for the rest of his nap and went about my chores. Around 1:45 the phone rang. It was Jason. "I've got good news and bad news," he says. "Let me guess," I reply. "You are coming home early but I have to pick you up at the Bart station." I wasn't that surpised that he was ditching the game and his friends 45 minutes after kick-off. It was raining and Jason hates to be uncomfortable like that (remember the WWJD post). So I wake up my sleeping Finn, pack him up in the car and head off to the Fremont Bart station.

I relay my CHP story to Jason on our drive home. We have some laughs. Then he tells me the real reason he left the game early. He got kicked out of the game. Seriously. Although, again, I'm not that surprised. "Geez. Did you start a fight? Shank some guy in the men's room? Throw beer at a referree?" Turns out Jason threw a couple of empty peanut shells at some Patriots fans in front of him. The targeted Patriots fans didn't notice but an usher with a misplaced sense of power and authority did.

Off to the security room he went, manned by some of Oakland's finest. They apologized when they put him in handcuffs per protocol. The cops wondered what to do with my perp husband. Should he go straight to the big house? Get a fine? Send him back to his seat with some hot cocoa and a warning? They deferred to the usher who decided that since it's against the rules to throw stuff at a Raiders game (what, like chairs or people?) he should be thrown out of the game. Between the ordeal, the freezing cold, and the fact that the Raiders were down 21 to 0, Jason was ready to go home. One more piece of bad news. The cops had to escort him out, handcuffed, and the Bart exit was the furthest one from their security station. Jason walked half-way around the Coliseum in handcuffs as some fans pleaded for his release (he was wearing an A's cap so thus he must be an Oakland fan) and others taunted him. "When you throw peanuts you have to deal with comments from the peanut gallery," commented one of the police escorts.

Anyway, that's the story of our family's encounter with law enforcement yesterday. Maybe we'll be on Cops someday.

Santa's Elves

Finn seems to be rather enjoying his stint as a Christmas elf.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Have you made your way over to Christmas in the Park yet? We got a chance to check it out over Thanksgiving weekend. The displays look like they got some much needed repairs from prior years. Finn loved all of the lights, the trees, and of course, the snow. Snow in San Jose? Well it's more like foamy bubbles but it was still pretty cool.

Waiting for the next snow flurry.

Trying to catch some snow.

This snow stuff is all right.

In Memoriam

Patricia Thurnagle Hinds

November 26, 2008

Grandma with Candy and Candy's grandfather.

Jason's Grandma passed away on Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. Her passing was not entirely unexpected and yet at this time last year no one would have guessed that we would have an extra seat at the table this holiday season.

She is and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She was a very loving grandmother and G.G. (great grandmother) to Finn. Her eyes would light up when she saw Finn and especially when her called her "G.G."

I love this picture of her. Strapless sun dress, pearl necklace, platform sandals. Forever a woman of style and grace.