Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Pat's Day to you all! We already had our corned beef and cabbage the prior Saturday night for Bennett's birthday dinner, so we were off to celebrate in a different way this year. Who knew that there was a St. Pat's Day parade in downtown Canoga Park?? Well...we donned our green and shamrocks and joined in the parade. Bennett loved it. I mean where else can you hear an authentic Irish band (by this I mean a Mexican mariachi band playing When Irish Eyes Are Smiling) walking at the back of the parade, and the front of the parade is led by bagpipers in kilts playing My Wild Irish Rose. Classic Southern California fun!

Happy Birthday Bennett! 3 years old!!!

Happy Birthday Bennett! How time flies - I can't believe that he is 3 already! We had a party with just the family and some out of town family friends..just went to the park for the day and had a picnic then had everyone back to our house for dinner and cake. The kids had such a fun day playing with each other.

Bennett awaiting cake!

Bennett and birthday cake. We practiced blowing out candles all week! I made the cake this year...(and grateful to my mom for watching Bennett for part of the day so I could finish the decorating...thanks mom!)

Max having lots of fun with sidewalk chalk!

Max knows the right way to eat chocolate cake. :o)

Bennett and Riley taking wagon rides.

Watch out ladies, these men are taking you to the gun show. :o)

Grandma on swing duty.

Sam giving us his best basketball moves.

Me and my sweet nephew Max.

Amanda helping Bennett open gifts.

Cheryl and Riley relaxing on the swing.

Quick change costumes!

I think my favorite part of Bennett's birthday was when the boys dug into the costume dress up box and did a bunch of funny combinations of costumes then did mini runway shows for everyone. They even got most of the adults in to dressing up too! My cheeks hurt so bad at the end because I was laughing so hard at how goofy the kids were being. They had a blast!

I call this Elton John meets cowboy.

Max dressed ever so smartly in his Mexican Wedding shirt, Hawaiian leis and purple pimp hat. :o) Sam dressed as a cowboy meets sailor...doing hip hop moves.

This look brought to you by the Village People....all wrapped up in one costume!

Riley even got in to the act.

The guys were so busy playing Guitar Hero that neither Joe or Dan seemed to mind us dressing them up too. All I have to say is ...blackmail!

Grandma Pat in her smart sombrero.

The boys even got Grandpa Nick and Marty into the game too.

2009 British Auto Meet - Woodley Park

Grandpa Nick showed his 1969 MGC GT at the British Auto Meet this year again and we all made a fun day at the park out of it. The kids just love seeing all the neat cars and double decker buses. Jay Leno was there again this year, but the kids didn't get the opportunity to sit in his car like last year. Oh well! It was a "brilliant" day. Pip Pip Cheerio. :o)

Dan and Bennett in front of a vintage fire engine.

Max, Sam, and Bennett in the back of Grandpa's MGC GT.

Riley, Sam, and Bennett posing in front of a Red Triumph TR3 that was just like one that my Mom and Dad owned when they first got married.

Adventures at California Adventure

Dan and I bought season passes to Disneyland this year for the first time ever. We decided to take Bennett to California Adventure for his first real trip there this week...he has been to Disneyland a couple of times. He LOVED going to California Adventure (DCA). I think his favorite part of the day was definitely the Pixar Play Parade since it had every character from all of his favorite movies in it...from Nemo, to Mater and Lightning McQueen(he calls him Speed), to the Incredibles, etc. I have never seen smiles so big on his face as when watching that parade! We had a great day...well, except when Bennett got a little too close to the water splashing off of the Grizzly River Run water ride. Bennett got too close and got drenched! A few tears came, but then he wanted to go back and stand there again...so I think he wasn't too traumatized! Can't wait to go back to DCA again...

Bennett's favorite cars...Mater and Speed. (Think about it...in the movie he says "Speed...I am Speed." Makes sense!

Running into mommy on the bumper cars.

Running around the backlot stage area and getting into trouble!

Bennett showing off his righteous surfing skills. :o)

Hanging out with me in Bug's Land.

If this picture isn't an endorsement for the fact that USC is our main source of income , I don't know what is! Even Bennett has T-shirts from there now!

Bennett riding the carousel on Paradise Pier.

Bennett's First Real Haircut

Bennett got his first real haircut this past week. We took him to Supercuts and although he was totally enthusiastic about getting his haircut alongside Daddy...he totally ran in the opposite direction when we got there! Aunt Cheryl came over the next day and over about 45 minutes and chasing him we got the job done. We would just wait till he sat down to watch TV for a few minutes and then sneak up behind him and start cutting. Whatever it takes to get the job done! He seems to like the new haircut...but he was acting very silly in the pictures here. :o)