December Cali Visit Part 3

Some of my favorite photos from the trip:

Dad, Kat, Kendra, Tyson and Molly by the Teacups. Molly LOVED the Teacups. She didn't ride them (only Katherine and Ranee did) but she LOVED the lanterns above the ride.

Tara and family in front of Haunted Mansion, all decked out for the Holidays. Haunted Mansion and Small World were the two "must do" rides for almost everyone at Disneyland, both having Christmas decorations incorporated into the rides.

While Tara, Jon and Corryn were riding Haunted Mansion, Ethan found a ramp and started running up and down it. Of course, he didn't mind all of the other people on the ramp at all, he just weaved in and out of them wherever he found an opening until he got to the bottom of the ramp, stopped and looked around for Ranee...who was apologizing to all of the people he was cutting off and she was running into trying to keep tabs on him. Half the people looked at her with disdain - who lets their kid run around in a crowd? (he's not my kid...that's how...I'm just concerned with making sure he doesn't bleed while in my care) and the other half just laughed and smiled that Ethan was having such a great time at the Happiest Place on Earth - jealous that he didn't have to wait in a long line for a ride to have fun...he was pleased as punch just to keep running up and down the ramp.

Above Ethan kindly points out the water he found...that kid loves water...and wheels (see above). The wheels above did not belong to his stroller, nor to the stoller of anyone we knew. Of course, that didn't stop him from playing with them - thanks, Random Stranger, for parking your stroller so Ethan could play with it.

December Cali Visit Part 2

So it wasn't a complete and total surprise that Tyson and Kendra joined us in Disneyland. I believe they had decided to make the quick trip down while Grandpa Bob was still there visiting them. We sure are glad they joined us! We rode TONS of rides (lots with Miss Molly who enjoyed every one).

Molly got her first set of ears...of the Minnie variety.

She (and Ethan) both found ramps around Disneyland and just kept walking up and down them. Ethan stopped only when he saw wheels or water. Molly? She was like the Energizer bunny...she kept going and going and going. Couldn't blame her though. She'd spent most of the previous 3 hours either in her stroller waiting for World of Color to start or in Ranee's arms watching World of Color. She didn't complain once, but I can imagine she was super excited to walk around undeterred. A Disney cast member sat and watched Molly and kept commenting on how gorgeous she is...which is is absolutely true. Molly is just about the most adorable little girl ever what with her perpetual smile and cute little voice and Princess shaped eyes.

She fell asleep for just a few minutes while waiting for World of Color...everyone around us thought it was super cute how she covered her eyes. Once World of Color started, she was wide-eyed and pointing at all of the lights. I think she enjoyed it.

December Cali Visit Part 1

Turns out that Ethan is infatuated with wheels. Ranee, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Katherine visited Tara and Jon and family earlier this month. Grandpa Bob on a trek of the Southwestern US, having spent a few days with Tyson, Kendra and Molly just prior, is apparently travelling the country visiting his great grandchildren. Lucky them!

Corryn chilling...but just seconds later she lost it (see Tara's blog for the photo taken 2 seconds after this one).

A neighborhood in Torrance goes ALL OUT with the Christmas lights. We spent several hours walking around, admiring them all and taking out of focus photos.

Ethan is not a fan of the Grinch. At such a young age even he knows that the guy is trying to steal Christmas.

Grandma Katherine meeting little Corryn for the first time.

Next up: Tyson and Kendra surprise us all and join us in Disneyland.

Corryn Rachel Evans

Welcome baby girl, four weeks early but healthy as ever! 9/25/10 11:41am 6lbs 2 oz 18 inches. Beautiful head of light brown hair. Looks like she's already been the the salon for highlights! :)

Happy 64th Birthday Mom!

When I get older losing my hair,

Many years from now.

Will you still be sending me a valentine

Birthday greetings bottle of wine.

If I'd been out till quarter to three

Would you lock the door,

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four.

You'll be older too,

And if you say the word,

I could stay with you.

I could be handy, mending a fuse

When your lights have gone.

You can knit a sweater by the fireside

Sunday mornings go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,

Who could ask for more.

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four.

Every summer we can rent a cottage,

In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear

We shall scrimp and save

Grandchildren on your knee

Vera, Chuck & Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,

Stating point of view

Indicate precisely what you mean to say

Yours sincerely, wasting away

Give me your answer, fill in a form

Mine for evermore

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four.

We Love You Mom!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGtSpsYURAQ

O Canada!

Collin, Hunter, Debbie and Ranee went to Canada this weekend. We walked around downtown, went to Lynn Canyon Park, played at the beach at Third Beach in Stanley Park, visited Peace Arch Park and generally had a good time (when we weren't doing any of the above, Collin and Hunter were playing Alchemy - we blame Melissa).

Ethan's 1st

Happy Birthday my sweet little boy! At one year you can't quite walk yet but you're sure talking up a storm. In your vocabulary- Mom, Dad, Nana, Teddy, Uh-oh, Light, and On.

Ethan's Good Side

Burger Explosion

Lynda, Ron and Taush came to Seattle to catch a flight to Pittsburgh (Lynda found an AMAZING deal at $200 round trip). We took the opportunity of them being here to visit Lunchbox Laboratory in Ballard.

Here's our entire order, labeled.

The burgers are HUGE and you just don't know where to start.

But start we did, and here's the plates after we finished...Taush and Ranee only finished half of their burgers. The other half sit in Ranee's fridge and will probably end up in the garbage...'cause really...leftover hamburgers are just mushy and gross.

We then stopped by the yummy pie place in Magnolia (Seattle Pie Company) to get some pecan and key lime pie. However, they had no pecan or key lime pie (which resulted in Seattle Pie Company and I being in a fight). So Lynda got a slice of amazingly delicious peach pie. Which we all tried. Did I mention it was delicious? So the pie place and I made up and I got a slice of peach pie that is in the fridge with the leftover burgers and will likely NOT end up in the garbage 1. because pie leftovers are NEVER bad and 2. one could never throw away something so delicious.

The verdict: Lunchbox Laboratory was good, but too much food and too much sauce on the burgers made it all a bit much. However, Seattle Pie Company? A MUST for anyone that likes pie.

Happy Birthday, my Tara

Twenty-three years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful girl.
Only Heavenly Father knew how much she would change my world.

Three months after she was born, our great journey began.
For three years she melted everyone’s hearts in Deutschland.

Life for her couldn’t get much better, playing in the Oklahoma rain.
But soon it was cut short because her Daddy had to go fight Saddam Hussein.

Back to Boise she went for six months, to live with family, it was bitter cold.
Grandparents gushed over how she was the best behaved three and a half year old.

Soon, she became a big sister, wanting to be just like her Mommy and breastfeed.
In Texas she received 1st prize for a drawing at school. That’s my girl, yes indeed.

After returning to Idaho, she explored soccer, jump-roping and swimming.
Brimming with talent, junior high and high school brought track, volleyball, art and singing.

Excited to move on, it was then time to go to college; BYU was her choice.
Does she know I cried all the way home from Provo? But soon there was a reason to rejoice.

She met a righteous, worthy companion there during her first days away from home.
“Jonathan Evans is his name, Mom, he’s from Canada and wants us to make a life of our own.”

Then it was time for her to receive a precious gift from God above.
Sweet Ethan Patrick Evans brought to her life celestial love.

Now her journey continues in California where there is waves and sunshine.
Dearest Tara, you have been so blessed, know that everything will be just fine.

Love you lots and lots!! Mom

Some very large & inflatable Canadians wanted...

&

...to wish Tara a Happy Day! (hee hee hee)

Our new place!

News from the arctic tundra of Canada

Hello from Nova Scotia! Jon will be receiving an offer from DHL via email any day now, wahoo! It's comforting to know that we have a job. We'll let everyone know when we receive the location! Thanks for all the prayers.

Ethan is turning 6 months this week and misses his grandma. He's talking up a storm, mostly "Dad". He has also learned how to fake cry (it's absolutely adorable) and fake cough. He'll be crawling any day now and is chewing on everything!

Here are some pics and videos for everyone's enjoyment.

N.D.

Heather*, a co-worker of mine, is from Minot, North Dakota. He went home for the holidays. This is a photo of his Mom shoveling the driveway...notice the 5 - 6 foot snow in the lawn area? Yeah...that's the way it was everywhere. Half the high school was buried in snow.

We lived in North Dakota way back when I was born. Grandpa Bob got transferred to Thailand and we had to pick up and move to live with Grandparents the February after I was born. The mobile home was frozen in place...we had to leave it in North Dakota.

I think I speak for all of the Stewart children when I say:

"Mom and Dad, thank you very much for not moving back to North Dakota."

*not his real name

Minot is 5 hours west of Grand Forks, but roughly similar latitude.


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