Vegetables and Fruit

There's something I love about introducing babies/toddlers to food. I love feeding them. I get a thrill about getting fruits and vegetables from the store and cooking it for them. I love giving them a variety of things to eat. I love the age Carter is in right now. He's 9 months and trying all new things to eat. I love it because they eat anything you give them and want more. They can eat all day long and it makes me happy. I love going to wholesomebabyfood.com and finding new things to give them. I did this with Jocelynn too and she is such a good eater. I never had to really force Jocelynn to eat her vegetables because she has always eaten them. They have always been a part of dinner and they are fresh and yummy. No butter, no salt, just plain and so good. There are times during the day I'd cook up some fresh green beans or brocolli and she would eat them for a snack. . . really. Some things Carter has tried are lentils, brocolli, green beans, squash, carrots, pears, bananas. I think it's good to give foods to kids early so that they are used to eating a variety of things. he is already starting to wean himself from breastfeeding. I still nurse him about 4 times a day but he is liking the food and I think it's ok. So if I watch your kid, don't be surprised if I'm feeding their face the whole time but it'll be healthy for them. It makes me happy, maybe because it's something they need and they are growing so much during this time. I love taking care of my children. . . and feeding them things that are good for them makes me feel happy! Now don't get me wrong. If I stopped making vegetables and giving her fruit she would be perfectly happy living on crackers and bread but I know in order for her to be a good eater this needs to happen frequently, almost everyday so it becomes a part of her life.

Easter Evening

This is my brother's boy, Tyler. Jocelynn and him are 9 months apart. They play so well together and love each other. It's so sweet. Jocelynn has 9 boy cousins and she loves them!

Carter and Nathan are 10 months apart. They already like to play together. Nathan likes to give Carter kisses.

Grandma Kirk and Carter

Getting ready to look for eggs.

Grandpa Kirk and Jocelynn

The evening of Easter my mom's family and both my brother's came over. We had a great dinner and went on an Easter egg hunt.

Here they are again being silly!

Easter

Took a quick picture before heading to church. Easter was so nice this year. It was the first year that I think Jocie really understood what was going on. She was so excited when she woke up. We decided to have the egg hunt on Saturdays. It worked out great and all day Saturday we just hung out. Saturday evening we went over the Easter story . I had 12 eggs and in each egg there was something symbolic and a scripture. The last egg was empty to represent the empty tomb. Sunday we went to church and then later that evening my mom's family, and my brother's families came over.

The Easter bunny left his paw prints everywhere. :) Silly bunny! She got lots of eggs filled with coins and marshmellows. She also got some butterfly socks, a net and magnifying glass, and recorder! She was pretty funny when she woke up. She didn't realize the easter bunny came and then I was running to get my camera and she quickly realized why. She started running down the stairs. I recorded her. She just woke up so ignore the hair and my voice. She said she heard and saw the easter bunny!

James new job - Willdan Energy Solutions

In 2006, we graduated school and James got a job in Dec of 2006 for Willdan Financial services. I still remember making that drive with him to Temecula. We prayed about it and we went to the top of he hill where the office is and we looked at each other and were so excited for the new adventure, we knew that leaving the bank and starting this new job was something that he needed to do. He had just recieved his BA and it was exciting for that work to pay off. When we met James was a teller. We have made small baby steps but we have a lot of goals and are doing it slowly but we will get there.

James has worked for Willdan Financial Services since then as a Financial Analyst. Over the years he became Senior Financial Analyst and most recently, the past 2 years has traveled for the company. He has spoken at 7 different conferences. He applied for Willdan Energy and had 3 different interviews. First with a Manager, then Operations Manager and then the CEO. It was exciting for us to know they were interested in him. Energy is a new opportunity for growth and they are continuing to build so this is a great opportunity for us. We waited a week after his interview and then he got an email. The email said that he was in! And to give him a call with the details. They asked him to be "Sustainability Program Manager." It is located in Monrovia. It is an increase in pay and he accepted it. It's hard because we love those he works with in Temecula. It is an emotional time for us to leave and make this move. He recently found out that his current department was going to have to lay someone off so now that he has accepted this new job, they didn't have to do that.

I love to look back at how much we've grown over the years! I look forward to what is in store for us. James is such a hard worker and so smart. He wants to be a CEO of a company someday. I believe he will be and he would be amazing! He starts his new job tomorrow.

Coloring Easter Eggs and Playdate

So this will be an area I need to wrk on for next year. I bought a kit at the store but it didn't give the eggs lots of color. I'll have to do some research. Jocelynn thought it was great though.

Friday we went to the park with friends. Everyone brought food to share and eggs so the kids could do an Easter egg hunt. It was fun watching Jocelynn get so excited!

Trip to Arizona

James has had a week and a half off of work. We decided to go to Arizona for a day. We drove on Monday and came back late Tuesday night. The kids were great in the car. They both slept a lot of it so it was nice. James mom was in Arizona from Texas and our niece Janessa (James sister) had a baby and was visiting from Nebraska. When we got there his mom was making Lumpia and Gouli (spelling?). It was so good! We love seeing them and miss them.

James sister(Jeanette), Janessa (niece), James mom, James niece, Keona, and Jocelynn

James mom, sister and brother in law, Sudan

Lola and Carter

Baby Paul. He is 3 months old. It was fun to see Carter interact with him! We stayed in the Hyatt close by!

Easter pics

This was taken when Carter was 7 months before he was crawling!

Sea World

We went to Sea World for the first time last weekend. I don't know how I've lived here my whole life and have never been. We were so excited to go. This year teachers get in free for the year and if you buy one day you get an annual pass. I'm so excited for htis and think we will use it a lot this summer. These pictures are out of order but my brother and his kids went also. We got there around 10am. We saw a couple shows, dolphin and shamu. Went on some rides, saw some animals and had lunch by our car. It was a hot day and crowded but tons of fun! We went to dinner at Cocos afterwards and the kids were so tired. It was a great day!

Carter was a good boy with his hat and glasses on. We were watching Shamu!

Christian and Jocelynn watching the whale.

Mommy and Jocelynn on a ride

Grandma and Preston

Eating lunch by a shaded tree!

Pictures with Shamu!

The kids feeding the seals

Preston and Jocelynn

Loved the Dolphin show. We were in the 2nd row and the dolphin got us soaked! The kids loved it!

Grandpa got popcorn and Christian watching the dolphins

Carter and Grandma

The cousins hot! I brought a spray bottle though to keep them cool

Uncle James and Christian looking at the cool sharks

I thought this was funny and I think Jocelynn thought it was too. Although I tried to get her to sit and she ran away.

Can't wait to return!