'Tis the Season

You can't forget one of the more crucial steps in Christmas preparations...lights!

We were fortunate enough to see Griswaldy lights twice this year.  The first time was up in Tustin in Auntie Moosh, Uncle Brennan and Cousin Helen's neighborhood.  What a special evening this was!

Avery and Auntie Moosh making dinner

Now that her pants are on, it's time to go see the lights.

Papa pulls the way!

Mesmerized by the lights...the many, many lights.

Christmas Vacation (aka - Griswald) house.

Ha!  Look at those faces.  Loving all action!

Merry Christmas!

Why, Merry Christmas again!

The next light adventure was with the Goad, Kull and Vanderveen group.  Love these guys! (Note: all the credit for these pictures is owed to Amanda.  My iPhone has zero room for pictures and we have yet to invest in a camera.  Gah!)

Miss Audrey Vanderveen - cute as a bug in a rug.

Avery and Quinn... excited much?!

This is a great photo.  How can you not smile looking at it?

Avery's new love - trains!

Cheers to more fun with this group in 2013!

FPT

What a trooper.

Christmas Preparations

Christmas Preparation - Step 1: Meet Santa.

Thankfully, Santa made a special stop in San Elijo Hills last weekend to meet all the little girls and boys, so we hopped down the street for a visit.  I liked this Santa.  Quality man who I literally think was Santa.  And, he gave out cool Christmas straws to the kids. 

Note: the kid in front of Avery freaked out.  Big time.  Poor kid was hysterical and his parents kept throwing him back on Santa's lap.  Just to get one picture?  Come on, people!  So anyways, that freaked Avery out.  She gave Santa a high five, but preferred Jeff and I to sit with her during her Santa picture.  We just got finished with a run, so we were sweaty and wearing way too much black to ever be "bright and cheery" for this type of picture, but it's cool.  Santa doesn't judge.

Oh yeah, "baby" sat with us.  Oh yeah, Avery was still a little too freaked to smile.

Christmas Preparation - Step 2: Go to a tree lighting and/or parade. 

We met up with some friends for the Encinitas tree lighting and parade.  Super fun and "Christmasy," and we'll be doing it for years to come.

Best seat in the house.

All the kiddos plus a few of the parentos

Christmas Preparation - Step 3: Party with your friends.

We spent last Saturday afternoon with a group of friends who all, as of November 17, 2012, have kids!  Welcome, Henry Kastner Martinez!  He's gorgeous and has a fascinating head of hair.

Avery and Cole.  Avery is really into babies and jumped at the chance to hold this cutie!

I love this photo.  Happy kid (always) who loves to eat.

Stone, Morgan, Avery, Cole, PK and Cody.

Avery and Cody - adorbs.

Look at these two!

I swear he's eying the person behind me like that...not actually me.  (?!)

Love this group!

Christmas Preparation - Step 4: Make candy canes with Rice Crispies.

We are so in the Christmas spirit over here.

Christmas Preparation - Step 5: Try on all of your hats to make sure they still fit.

This is cuteness in your face!

FPT

What is it that made Avery lick Cole's head?  And, what was she thinking when she did it?!

Namaste

We Simpsons dabble in yoga every now and then.  By "we Simpsons" I mean everyone on the Simpson side save Jeff.  I think he would like it (possibly) and it would help him become more flexible (definitely)...and might even help his back (possibly).  Maybe I should suggest yoga as his New Year's resolution?  Yeah, right.  The only way I see him getting into yoga is if a) there's a gun to his head or b) Avery bats her eyelashes and begins to wrap herself more tightly around his finger.

Downward dog...

If I was more of a frequent yoga-goer I would know this pose.  Gah! 

That tree pose is hard.  Good try, kid.

 FPT

Riding a "tiger" at the local Christmas tree farm is all about being fierce.  Clearly.

Thanksgiving 2012

Creative post title, right?  Well, I'm thankful for my unrelenting creativity, first and foremost.  Duh.

I am also thankful that Thanksgiving had an extended run this year.  Due to conflicting schedules on Thanksgiving day, Cindy and Wayne hosted their annual dinner on Wednesday to appease the majority.  We stuffed ourselves silly with appetizers, but somehow managed to eat platefuls of the main course.  Everyone brings their A-game on Thanksgiving in this family!

On Thanksgiving day Jeff, Avery and I hosted Papa, Grandma, GramCin and Grandpa Wayne at our house and served a non-traditional meal of bone-in rib roast, butternut squash pasta and roasted veggies.  Delicious, and second helpings were much deserved this day as my Dad and I ran the Oceanside Turkey Trot a few hours before.  It was my Dad's first race since he ran the hurdles in high school, so like 80 years ago.  Great job, Pops!  Avery and Jeff were on the sidelines cheering us on.  We told them not to get too comfy; we expect them out there by our side in a few years!

Here are some pics from the days of Thanksgiving...

This was actually taken the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  It was our "Manzi Christmas card picture day" with the whole family.  Look at these two models!

Avery and her Aunt Lindsay.  I LOVE this picture!

The A-team (minus Ryan & Jenna - NY and my mom - work).  We missed you guys!

Oceanside Turkey Trot finishers!

Cooking our feast in the kitchen... while making sure Avery doesn't fall off the counter.  This is her go-to spot.  She sits on there a lot and hasn't fallen off yet.  Knock on wood.

The day after Thanksgiving was another "holiday" if you ask Jeff...the PONGIT.  This is a day looked forward to by men across San Diego. A day for these grown men to dress outrageously silly/dorky/offensive, eat endless amounts of pizza and compete in a golf tournament to win an obnoxious trophy (read: bragging rights) all whilst drinking too much beer.

While Jeff enjoyed being 21 for a day, Avery and I spent the day with my parents.  Breakfast at the local diner, playground time and gingerbread making - we had ourselves quite the fun day!

She fits right in!

A milkshake treat that can't be beat.

A Mickey Mouse pancake to go along with her recent discovery that Disney is AWESOME!

Pretty gorgeous gingerbread man.  And pretty tasty.  That frosting is a.ddict.ive.

All in all, it was a great long weekend and the perfect kickoff to the holiday season!

FPT

Soooooo, you're telling me you hate donuts?

Chicago

Jeff and I fell in love.  Not with each other (that's already been done).  Not with Avery (that's already been done, too).  We fell in love with a little place called Chicago!   I don't know where it would fall on my list of favorite cities, but let's just say it is up there with Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Boston. What can I say?  I love bustling, exciting and cultural cities...and Chicago embodied all of this.

From the gorgeous weather to the upgraded suite (we were chosen as the guest of the day - no idea, but I'll take it), the trip was perfect and we look forward to going back!

Not even out of the airport yet and we're already crazy excited.

Night # 1 cocktails...I love my dirty martinis!

Creepy, but breathtaking John Hancock building...

Night on the town.  Hey, Mr. GQ, you're a handsome little devil.

Beautiful, peaceful park during a run.

We happened upon Jay Cutler doing an ESPN radio show on Michigan Avenue.  Goooo Bears Patriots!

If you're ever in Chicago by Wrigley you owe it to yourself to go to Luckys.

I was just as obsessed with my gargantuan veggie sandwich.  Hands down, one of our best meals in Chicago...maybe ever.  No joke.  The Simpsons don't kid about food.

French fries, amazing coleslaw and the best white bread ever.  All staples of every sandwich.  Thank you, Man vs. Food for turning us onto Luckys!

Private tour of Wrigley stadium.  Gooooo Cubs Red Sox!

The door leading to the field.  "Beat up" is a nice term.

They even let us play in the dugout.

Oh, you know.  The Bean.

Beautiful city views on our bike ride.

How could you not fall in love?!

Top of the John Hancock building.  Way too high for us.  One drink, one photo and we were out.

Architectural tour.  Worst part: the ugly Trump tower.  Best part: everything else.

Last night in town...booo hooo!

We missed Avery so much while in Chicago, but she was in great hands with both sets of grandparents.  They get a gold star x 1,000 for taking care of her while she fought flu #1 of the season.  (If anyone is keeping track we are currently on flu #3.   Flu #2 was last week's stomach "virus" that knocked down seven people in our family.  Awful, painfully awful.  This is going to be a loooong season.)

Despite fevers and such, I think she managed to have fun while we were gone.

Ralph's has the best toys.  =)

Mom and Dad who?

FPT

Avery meeting baby Cole.  I wish I had an explanation for her face, but I don't.  She's two and a little odd.