I hope your in a comfortable chair...no seriously, this might be too much...even for Nana...
Things got crazy last year and this is where we left off...April of last year~
Grandma Gloria and Illinois
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| My grandma called to say she was sick and she passed away shortly after. We were so blessed to go and spend time with her out at the Farm before she left us. We spent Easter as a family in Illinois, where it all began. |
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| Chloe got some much needed Grandpa time. |
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| We got to go to Arthur, the Amish community. |
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| Most beautiful easter egg hunt....that sneaky rabbit. |
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| Dear old Dad!...I mean Dear YOUNG Dad! Doesn't look a day over 43! |
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| at the farm. |
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| Noelle caught a fish at Taylorville lake! |
Good Bye San Clemente :(
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| At least they can all claim they were born in So. Cal. |
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| The Montage Hotel in Laguna...we should have spent more time there while we lived so close. Paradise! |
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| Good bye bonfire with the cousins! |
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| See ya round, T- Street. Its been real. |
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| We felt like we had to do every fun thing in So Cal one last time. It was a busy week....the zoo |
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| Disneyland... |
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| California Adventure... |
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| Disneyland with Nana |
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| Noelle Graduates Kindergarten! |
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| Mrs. Gregerson was good to her...and she gave us the idea to do the Vacation Rental.. |
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| Setting up the Teal Seal....shopping spree..it looked like we robbed costco! |
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| All packed up....owling ...it's the new planking... |
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| Oh and let's squeeze in an 8 year anniversary!! We look so young! I can't believe I am old enough to say that! LOVE YOU ABE!!!! |
HELLO SAN FRANSISCO!
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| Our first time to the city when we moved! It was a magical day! Warm with the fog rolling in, picture perfect...so we took advantage... |
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| Add caption |
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| Nanna in the Nanna seat, and Hayley in the Hayley seat...just the way we like it! |
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| The kids were so excited to pick their rooms! |
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| There is something great about a completely empty house that you haven't cluttered up yet! |
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| Lombard Street, I'd love to live on that street! |
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| First day in a new ward! |
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| I love the Oakland temple, it is so beautiful! and it has an awesome visitors center that over looks the entire bay area! |
Fourth of July in our new Town!
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| Our new wards bike parade. |
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| Noah pants was sweating like an animal, the sand was blistering and there was not a cool breeze or lick of shade for miles |
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| our new Beach? pretty miserable! hahaha We did see amazing fireworks though! |
A few milestones to kick off the move!
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| Chloe got her ears pierced! So brave, not a single tear. I thought she would pass out! |
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| A "short haircut" or at least as short as I could bare to cut it, she wanted a bob! |
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| Big boy pants,....no it did not last long! |
Let summer begin!
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| These two girls adore their brother. |
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| Chloe can not walk in a strait line...she dances where ever she goes |
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| Our self-proclaimed beach girl. The 50 degree Santa Cruz water doesn't phase her one bit. Every time we go to the beach her and Abe are the only ones in the water not wearing full wetsuits, a hood and booties! |
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| There is so much more to Santa Cruz than the boardwalk, don't get caught in the tourist trap! |
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| Nanna and Hayley enjoyed seeing where we live in San Francisco before heading to meet up with good ol' Dad in Australia |
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| Registration for the kids school took 2 1/2 hours. We were told there probably wasn't a spot for them because it was too crowded. |
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| We made a music video at the Children's Museum. I took the kids into the city by myself that day. I couldn't find parking and when I did we had to walk 1/2 a mile through the busy city to the museum. Some kid wearing all black with several piercings screached past us on a skateboard, he flipped around just past us and turned to me. I thought he was going to yell at me. With Noah strapped to my back and a girl in each hand I got a little nervous, but he looked me dead in the eye and said " You are a great mom." Bless his heart, that kid made my day. |
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| The Aliens have landed and they lay their freaky eggs in the water in Northern California.... |
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| I am happy to report that after this summers swimming lessons I now have two very good swimmers, and one son that won't get his face wet. |
Noah is TWO!!!
I heard somewhere when you are two you get two birthdays?? Noah got to go on the most awesome train ride and somehow we also ended up at the Aquarium to celebrate!! He is definately a Gardner!
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| This old steam engine actually pulls up to a water tower and fills up. Then it takes you on a moss covered tree lined adventure in the mountains...it was the most magical thing I have ever done, breathtaking. |
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| I thought he would sleep through the whole magical ride... |
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| but he woke up! Thank goodness! |
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| I think he had a good time! |
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| What's better than opening a full train set for your second birthday as a little boy...doin' it in your undies. |
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| I think being worried is a sign of intellegence, I mean for all Noah new that cake would jump up a bite him...it did have a face after all. ( but I think he was scared of the fire on the candle) |
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| Under the sea... |
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| Under the sea.... |
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| Darling its betta, down where its wetta, under the sea. Shark! |
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| I don't get to make cakes anymore...Abe loves doing it!!! Turned out pretty cool! |
First Day of school!
Both the girls started out at public school this year. It didn't work out but they sure looked cute on their first days!
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| Her good luck charms! |
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| Icecream with Nana after school! |
Photo Shoots!
We have had a few photo shoots with the kids since we've been here. Too bad I don't really know how to use my good camera and I haven't had time to edit them! I think they will turn out great!
New Church outfits!
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| I can't believe how young they look, I feel like all this just happened. |
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| My little dolls. |
Exploring!
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| Mystery Spot! |
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| On our way to Oregon! |
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| So Beautiful! We looked all day for bears , the ranger said they had a bear cub without it's mother roaming around the day before! |
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| LOOK THERE IT IS !...oh wait thats just Noah pants! |
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| Turned a corner and were surrounded by a hundred ELK!! |
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| Santa Cruz...always Santa Cruz |
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| San Deigo |
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| French Bistro in Carmel! |
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| Redwoods! |
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| Its all a blur.. central coast somewhere...??? |
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| Sand Dunes! |
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| ?? somewhere up north? Oregon? |
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| Redwoods, so fun! |
Just for FUN!
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| I let her wear my dangly earrings for a minute.....best minute of her life. |
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| He fell asleep into his plate of dessert! Never done this before ..or since! |
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| We accidently chased this dear into that house on the left!!! As we pulled forward it ran into their open front door, into their house!!!!!!!! We all looked at each other shocked and a few seconds later he came barreling out again!!! Must have caused quite the mess, running around scared in their living room! OOPS!!! |
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| Noelle doesn't like Pirates? |
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| Dancing in the rain! |
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| Turned their bath into slush with this magic kid stuff, only the other magic powder that was supposed to turn it back to liquid didn't work!! We ended up shoveling it out into a garbage bag...such a mess!!! Hopefully they have some fun memories though! |
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| Lovin' it! |
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| NOT lovin' it! |
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| Kobe....as a five year old girl. |
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| Monterey?? |
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| Lil' Abe |
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| Lil' Me. |
Halloween!
Somehow we were in Northern and Southern California for Halloween!
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| Our ward has a professional photographer set up at our Trunk or Treat! |
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| Noelle was in charater all night! That dirty look was part of her costume, she wasn't in a bad mood!! |
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| We acrually decorated our car this year...so fun! |
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| Frightning craft date with friends! |
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| Seriously! |
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| Trick-or-treaters!!! |
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| This guy was at the mall signing autographs....no really, he was dead serious. |
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| eating a hot dog like a boss! |
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| Super hero! |
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| See, the dirty look! HAHAHAHA! |
Homeschool!
yes we homeschool now, and no we are not weirdos...we just love to see the world!
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| Both the girls love to finger knit, and I love it cause they sit quietly with their mess making hands all tied up in string for at least 20 minutes. |
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counting cups!
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| Chloe can read! |
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| Waldorf Festival! Making Fairy houses, Noelle swears she say a red headed fairy in her room this year. She is dead serious, it was flying between her and Chloe's beds and she reached up to grab it but it was too fast. |
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| Diarama of the Nile River when we learned about the Egyptians! |
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| School picnic! |
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| Liams buddy....NOAAAAAAAAAAAAH! |
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| We are in for a wild ride with these three!! don't get wet its too dark...ok mom...we fell. |
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| I think her beautiful hair makes him nervous!!! |
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| Three Amigos! (best picture ever award) |
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| Oh surfin' donuts.....how we miss you.. |
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| Noelle lost her first tooth!!!! It took a lot of pulling and a few tears, but it popped out while we were in the car waiting for daddy at Icon's of Surf in San Clemente! The tooth fairy got a lovely hand written note from Noelle thanking her for the sparkling money she left!! |
Thanksgiving!
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Second time cooking Thanksgiving without my mom :( A little practice helped!
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| We were so grateful to have our family come for the holiday!!! Noelle and Abby are two peas in a pod! Chloe and Cambree chit-chatted till 2 In the morning!! |
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| He calls himself the "Christmas Angel" but really he was pretty freaky! |
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| Our last look at American Christmas Festivities! It was definitely not a hot coco drinking, crazy sweater wearing, cuddling by an open fire Christmas for us! It was a meat pie eating, beach going, bathing suit wearing, koala searching, putting on Aussie accents, family loving CHRISTMAS FOR THE GARDNER'S DOWN UNDA........ |
