New Friend

As a side note, Craig does not usually gravitate towards babies, he usually likes his kids older; ie.. Mallory and Nicholas. He just has not been around any babies, ever. So, going on vacation this week with Bodey Grosstick (5 months) and Bryce Powell (7 months) was a very big step for him! He held them, talked to them and even picked Bodey up when he started to cry. Even though this photo shows Bodey sitting in a seat, he really did hold him! In a couple weeks, Craig will visit his good friends, Matt & Laura who have a precious 2 month old, Anna - wearing him down... one baby at a time!

Rocky Point Vacation

After Thanksgiving we headed off to Rocky Point, Mexico to the beach for some fun. The weather was gorgeous sunny, but windy and chilly at times. That would be chilly for us Arizona kids. We stayed in a huge house with a really nice kitchen that had a bar all across the entire counter, there must have been at least 11 stools and it had a great living room area.

The kids had fun on the beach, it was a little different for them to be there when we wore pants and sweaters. There's no way you couldn't be out there though, the sound of the ocean and the sand under your feet is awesome, at any time of year!

There were lots of good things about our trip, going into town with everyone is cool. Talking the local vendors down for my Prada purse is always interesting and Rocky Point is starting to have some cool local spots along the water. Of course the seafood at the fish market is always amazing too. Huge shrimp for $5.50/lb!

Some other fun smaller things: Seeing the sweetest black cocker spaniel on the beach that reminded me of my little critter at home, seeing our friends' daughter Madi dig her little heart out in the sand, flying a kite with Mallory - "Run Forest, Run!" and collecting shells with Nick.

November Holiday

Mallory and Nicholas at home.

Thanksgiving table at the Whitelock's

Nicholas is proud of his turkey!

Every year the kids and I split plans on Thanksgiving. The kids go off to have Thanksgiving with their dad and grandparents Johnston and I go on my seperate way to other holiday plans. Here are a few photos from my Thanksgiving with the Whitelocks - Craig and I had a great day, we are grateful for their invitation; and photos of the kids before they left for dinner.

Nick likes to kick it up a notch for holidays; thus the tie.

My Tennis Girl

Mallory has been in tennis lessons for about 2 months now and she just started another session this Saturday. Coach Ranger is a great guy, he's really good with his students and for some reason he likes to say "Rock-n-Roll" when the kids answer his tennis quiz questions correctly. Sounds unusual at first, but it grows on you.

San Diego with Dad

For the longest time, I've been trying to get some photos up of the vacation the kids took with their dad and his friend Amy. But he gave me the hard copy photos and so now I've been having trouble getting them scanned. Even harder now that I don't have access to fancy office machines anymore. But, I managed to get a few, check them out. Good times.

They were able to go to Sea World and hang out on the beach a bit, before the fires flared up and it didn't seem right to occupy hotel rooms in a city where the actual residents needed them.

I wonder if that's the real Shamu. Doesn't Florida promote Shamu also? Who has the real Shamu? And hasn't Shamu been around for what seems like an incredibly long time - what's the normal life expectancy of a whale? ... these are the questions...

Playstation Party!

Nick's Crew (-1)

" Bring it On!"

The kids playing Playstation (big kid on the right!)

I thought it would be a good idea for Nick to have a couple friends over for a playstation party. We ended up having 7 boys over that night. One Playstation console is not enough apparently. Boys were everywhere in the house, running up and down the stairs like maniacs, and bugging the girls every chance they got.

I also didn't realize that boys are rough. Because Nick has a sister he doesn't really hit or punch anyone. Well, these boys apparently have brothers; brothers who hit. And boys wrestle too. What's with that? Even Craig didn't know what was going on when the WWF brought the match to our dining room (he's an only child). So, the kids had fun, they didn't want to leave at the end of the night and Nick was happy. That's all that matters. :o)

Halloween - its in my blood!

"Britenstein" - she hates us I think...

Notice the rat... nice touch....

Mike's Halloween/Birthday party

Creepy Vampire(ss)

When I was a kid, my dad was involved with a community organization that would do a haunted house every year. I remember cleaning out trailors, painting black and white slanted floors, strobe lights, my Uncle Sam made into Dracula and stashed in a real coffin (creepier to me now that I'm grown up!) and getting my nose cleaned out with Q-tips because of all the construction 'yuck' my sister and I would breathe in.

It was my mom who always took us out trick or treating, while Dad and others in his group patrolled the neighborhoods for T.P. and egg pranksters; inconvenient for me when I became of that age. I remember making glitter wands in elementary school, a Rubik's cube in Jr High ( oops, I dated myself there) and mom even sewed me and a friend some green M costumes for high school.

This year all of my family Halloween 'training' paid off. We went all out scary for Nick as a Vampire and Mallory as a Vampiress. The kids looked downright dead this year and I hope I've done the Pulli's proud. I also hope that Mallory and Nicholas will continue to have seriously spooky fun on this night as they grow up.

Next year Dad, I will need your recipe for fake blood, the stuff you get in the store just isn't any good!? Check out our photos!

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