Winter 2012

Tommy starts learning the piano

Somehow, I managed to get Tommy interested in learning the piano and the lessons began!  For now, I am just teaching him using some beginner level piano books I bought online.  At first, he was so small that a pad was not tall enough - he needed to sit on a big book to be high enough to reach the keys... (and it was good to see the Harrison's internal medicine book get some use!) He's been keeping it up, practicing about 15 minutes a day 3 or 4 times a week.  He was good enough to play Jingle Bells for his grandparents over the phone several months later at Christmastime!

Josh gains new skills, too

Josh became our delivery boy with his tricycle.  He and Tommy attached a wagon to the back using a rubber band and Josh really enjoyed towing his trailer around the driveway.  On Friday morning when the weekly "Carmel Pinecone" newspaper came, Josh would dutifully ride out to the edge of the driveway, pick up the newspaper in his trailer and ride it back in to the house for me.

Josh also became more adventurous and took the driver's seat in the Jeep.  He was pretty excited to be the one controlling the wheel, but still loves to ride shotgun with Tommy any day.  He just loves to be with Tommy, they are best buds!

Salt Lake Trips

We did 3 trips to SLC in the winter to enjoy our last winter season before Tommy started school.  We had so much fun seeing family and friends, and of course spending a lot of time on the snow!

The boys got new headphones for this trip - they were very excited to use them!

 Gorgeous view on top of the lift at Snowbird.

 Dave and Tommy ride the lift

Tommy got very good at skiing this winter.  He LOVES skiing, and says it is his favorite thing to do in the whole wide world.  I can't blame him.

Fun brothers

I love this picture of Zach

Meanwhile... back in California: Great beach Days, Fantastic Hikes

 I tried as hard as I could but they would not look up at the same time!!

I love the beach, Mom!

Winter/Spring is some of the best hiking time because the rain makes it so green and beautiful!  Here we are hiking the Big Sur coast by Garrapata State Park.  (Garrapata means tick in spanish... the one drawback...)

Raspberry Boy

Fruit is always in season here, but the best time of year is when it's raspberry and strawberry season!  Yum!

The self portrait

Tommy has been taking some self portraits lately.  This is my favorite series.  I have a hard time deciding what my favorite part is: the photo progression, the intense eyes, or the lunch remnants on the face...

Zach

 Zach's first solid foods in the high chair!!

 Yum!

 Look at those cheeks!!

 Trying to grab the camera

 Good times with Grandma Jackie

 Big Smiles!!

 What a happy boy

We love our Zach

Future Pathologist?

Josh dropped by Dave's office to consult on a particularly difficult case.