Hi again. Forget about me? I sure feel like some days I’ve forgotten about myself, but as long as everyone gets fed and to bed in clean pajamas I’ll consider most days a success.

We’ve been doing so much up in the mitten that I don’t even know where to start. This fall we did a lot (A LOT) of traveling. Nothing reminds me how much I dislike living in a grey, cold, snow like visiting somewhere that requires sunglasses instead of boots.

In September we drove to Niagara Falls in Canada (aye) with our friends and their kids.  Once you see the giant hole in the ground and take a few pictures there’s not much to do so we spent the rest of the weekend at the local vineyards because when in Canada, do as the Canadians do, aye?

 

In October, we took our adorable munchkin to New York City for my first trip to the Big Apple.  I was a ball of excitement and smiles because I hear so much about New York but never had the opportunity to go so when Angel’s Aunt and Uncle offered to take us I didn’t even have to think- YES YES YES!  I love my husband, kid, and dog, but if I went to NYC for the first time before I had them all I probably would have tried to move there.  Love that city but it is NOT conducive to strollers and toddlers who don’t understand that they can’t cross the street yet and you can’t carry them 80 blocks.  What an awesome way to spend our 4th wedding anniversary, though!

 

About a week after we got home from the East Coast, we decided to make sure that the Pacific Coast was still there.  So we up and went to San Diego for my best friend’s wedding!  I was the Maid of Honor and Lucas was the ring bearer and it was so much fun.  We stayed in a condo on the beach in Carlsbad and got to enjoy coffee on the porch in the sun and dip our toes into the ocean and put Lucas in shorts and remember all of the reasons why I really belong on the West Coast.  Angel had to walk down the side of the aisle with Lucas carrying a bag of M&Ms, feeding them to Lucas so he would walk down without freaking out.  I’m not sure he saw anything other than the candy that Daddy was carrying, which was perfect.  Erica got married on a beautiful golf course looking over the ocean and I was able to keep myself together ALL weekend leading up to it and all of the events and ceremony so that I could make sure she did what she needed to with a fluffed dress for photos and all.  Then naturally, as the DJ gave me the mic at the reception to give my speech I instantly started crying and couldn’t remember a single word of my memorized speech.  All I could think of was Wedding Crashers and the guys in there betting on the Maid of Honor crying for her speech.  Well, I totally did but all that I can say about it is that it all was genuine.

 

This brings us to 2 days before our favorite Little Man’s second birthday.  And what do you give a kid when you’re in Southern California and he looooves Mickey Mouse?  Yeah, it was a tough one for us to figure out, too.  Luckily, it looks like we were able to guess correctly when we picked a trip to Disneyland:

 

Yeah, in that photo we’re waiting in line to get in and he’s that excited.  We’ll go ahead and accept our award for Parents of the Year now.

So we spent 2 days at Disneyland and California Adventure, including Lucas’ 2nd Birthday.  What an awesome thing to be able to do for your kid, seriously.  I’m not sure who had more fun.

 

For Christmas we spent 2 weeks in Colorado with my parents.  It was a long drive there and back, but it was nice to be able to see that sun and snow actually can coexist.  Who would have guessed?  Lucas got the hang of opening presents and still tells me that “Santa’s coming” so I think he sort of understood the concept this year.  He was excited to see Nana and Paws and meet his cousin “Witty” (William).  If it wasn’t for a bout of croup on Christmas Eve, it would have been the perfect trip.  But then what’s a family holiday without a trip to Urgent Care?  All in a day’s work.

Now we’re home for the next few weeks before another trip to the Caribbean.  Best way to spend the winter is not here, I always say.

On to another year for the Rivas Family!