Christmas 2019

I was feeling too tired and overwhelmed to do any decorating at home this year. Steve put up some garland and lights, but I just had no energy for anything. So the boys hadn't built all that much anticipation for Christmas, and I think they were a little perplexed by everything.

On the Road Again

We loaded ourselves up in the van on a chilly December morning and headed South for Christmas. What would normally take six or seven hours takes twelve when you account for park, meal, and I-need-to-get-out-of-the-car breaks. 

Ventura beach break (Henry left, Jack right):

Pismo beach stop: Dinosaur Caves Park.

"ROAR!" Baby dinosaur Jack is hatching:

Double occupancy for this dino egg:

Really awesome, two-story spinning thing, Jack and Henry up top, Steve hanging on for dear life below:

Children's Museum Break (Cayton Children's Museum in Santa Monica)
We were really impressed with this museum. It was perfect for their age and the boys liked pretty much everything there.

Jack delights in the fire truck:

Helicopter! Pilot Jack is in heaven.

Passenger Henry disobeys the first rule of air travel: stay inside the vehicle.

Henry was a big fan of the veterinary hospital, which was complete with stuffed toy patients, doctor's coats and scrubs, lots of play medical tools and realistic exam tables.

Veterinarian Henry looked way too cute to allow Mom to take a good picture, though.

Dr. Henry consults with Dad in the waiting area:

Deep in thought about his next patient:

Surgical assistant Jack is... a little frightening.

Let's go to... the Mall!
A very exciting outing for our small-city kids: the Cerritos Mall!

Henry's favorite store is Claire's, headbands, bracelets, scrunchies, hooray!

Mom, it was the best store ever, you don't even understand.

Jack found some awesome bracelets, which he wasn't super interested in posing with:

What, Mom, sheesh!?

Jack's finger is wrapped in the above pictures because he managed to rather dramatically cut it on one of my parents' pocket doors... literally two seconds after I admonished him (for what felt like the hundredth time) to stop playing with said pocket doors. Sigh. Luckily my dad, ever the practical problem-solver, screwed the pocket doors open to prevent further drama for the rest of the visit. Three year-olds truly have the gift of getting into anything and everything, and finding a way to hurt themselves with it.

Grandma and Grandpa Pool's House
Grandma helps the boys learn to play their first game, Candyland:

Jack insisted on wearing my parents' stretchy keychain around his neck the entire time we were there, which was an... interesting fashion statement.

They also practiced their numbers with an Uno deck:

Doomed Christmas house decoration meets Godzilla Henry:

My parents saved lots of toys from my childhood, so there's always something fun to do. Henry enjoys some stickers after finishing with the stacking stars, Jack is hard at work with a building toy:

"Cheese!" (Henry left, Grandma middle, Jack right, 30 year-old Duplos front-and-center):

What Mom gets when she asks for a better smile:

Sigh.

We were very thankful to have my parents' help entertaining and watching over the boys, which allowed Steve and I to go out (twice!) like real adults to visit with friends Scott and Melissa.

El Dorado Frontier (Long Beach)
The boys had a good time riding the little train in El Dorado park on our previous visit, so we headed back for more.

We found the new carousel quite fun, despite Jack's dour expression:

I swear, they enjoyed the train:

Showing off their climbing skills:

Christmas Eve
The singing, color-changing Christmas tree at Lakewood City Hall was a hit.

"Vroom vroom!" Jack drives the sled, Henry as passenger.

"Time to get out!"

Christmas Day
The little guys still didn't totally understand what to expect on Christmas this year, and seemed a little confused by all the gifts to open (spoiled children that they are).

The boys help Grandpa open his stocking:

Clearly Grandma needs help too (Mom just needs a nap):

Helping Daddy:

One of many exciting gifts this year were the remote control cars the boys got from Grandma and Grandpa.

Out at the park for a test drive.

Luckily they have a dozen years before their learner's permits, because their driving is a little scary at this point.

Learning to bake traditional Spritz cookies, Henry sifts flower:

Jack works the cookie press:

Henry gets in on the cookie press action:

Chickens and Chips
Visiting Aunt Jessica and Uncle Jon's house for family dinner, Uncle Jon shows the boys how to feed the chickens, which the boys found very exciting.

Jack is really jazzed to get started:

Carefully listening to Uncle Jon's instructions (they do sometimes listen):

The family that scarfs potato chips together...

Park with Friends
The boys really like the remodeled Del Valle Park in Lakewood, and we've been many times. This time the boys were particularly excited about the hang-and-slide thing and were able to hold on and glide quite well with just a little assistance from Mom and Dad.

Jack:

Henry:

Pictures courtesy of my friend Kristi. The boys had a great time playing with Kristi and her daughter Alexa.

Henry, Alexa and Jack:

Our friend Melissa also allowed herself to be dragged to the park so we could socialize while the boys tore around the place. In retrospect, we should have made her pose with the little terrors, but we didn't. Next time...

On the Way Back Home
Friends Eric and Gail have graciously allowed us to bring our wild critters to their house for pit stops many times on our way in and out of the LA basin. They even provide entertainment, what a deal!

Jack (left) and Henry (right) draw chalk masterpieces with Aunt Gail:

Trips are absolutely exhausting, particularly since Jack doesn't sleep well away from home, but we were glad we had the opportunity to see so many people, and we appreciate the valiant efforts of family and friends to entertain the boys.