flash everytime. Okay so I couldn't resist posting this. I was looking at old pictures and came across ones of Taylor's first Christmas when we went to see Santa. I always thought that Taylor and Kennedy look totally different but then comparing pictures, the resemblance is a little uncanny. I think they look so different to me because their personalities are completely different. But as my mom commented about the picture in the previous post that with their hats on they look so much a like, well take a look at these pictures side by side. Pretty crazy.
They are about the same age and wearing the same hat helps a little.
On the left is Taylor and Nate 2005 and on the right, Kennedy and Taylor 2007.
It has become one of our favorite things to do to start the holiday season off right. Our
community holds an annual holiday celebration where there is caroling, rain deer, food, and of course the main attraction...Santa. Kennedy did very well and gave us plenty of smiles. Taylor was so excited all day long to go see Santa and sit on his lap. Every time we asked her what she is going to ask Santa for she would say an elephant, where that came from I don't know. But the day we saw Santa she had been t
aking her toy dog everywhere we went. While at Old Navy she spotted a dog leash that she really wanted for her puppy but I wouldn't buy for her. So when we sat her on Santa's lap that night and he asked what she wanted to my surprise she said a dog leash. Only 2 and she's figured out how to work it already, should I be worried? Other than Santa Taylor's other favorite thing is the train. Last year we actaully had to grab her and run to the car because she loved it so much. This year she decided the warm car sounded like just as much fun. She got a few rides in, including one with her friend Crew. It definitely helped us all get into the Christmas spirit.
We packed up the Saturday before Thanksgiving and headed for San Diego to spend the week of turkey day with the Ricks family. We had so much fun and despite battling sickness we got to do so many fun things.
The Beach
It was so fun to be right on the beach and come and go as needed. Taylor wasn't so sure about the beach, but more specifically the ocean. We had a hard time getting her to hang out with us and play in the sand. The waves were big and loud and she wasn't convinced that the water wouldn't come up and get her with each new wave breaking on the shore. Much of our time on the beach was spent trying to convince Taylor that it was fun. Despite our efforts, she almost always wanted to go right back to the beach house. At least Kennedy seemed to enjoy being on the beach and digging her fingers in the sand.
This is classic Taylor at the beach, I'm sure at the moment this picture was taken she was crying and asking to go back. It's funny how as parents you want your kids to experience things to the point you find yourself saying things like "stop crying! This is fun!"
Out and About
We spent a day at Disneyland and a day at Sea World. We met some princesses and the famous Mickey Mouse and rode the rides at Disneyland. They aren't lying when they say it is the happiest place on earth. Every where you go there is someone calling the girls princess and waving and smiling. Taylor still was a little sick so it was hard for her to really get into the whole experience. 
The most fun she had was watching the parade. She loved seeing the floats and dancing and waving to everyone. Kennedy was an angel and seemed to like seeing all the different sights and sounds.
Kennedy and I made it to only a couple of hours at Sea World due to it being my turn at being sick. We stayed long enough to see the dolphin and sea lion shows and then decided that my nephew and I should go back and try and to get well again. Nate and Taylor stayed and enjoyed seeing the different marine life and even got to feed a dolphin. Taylor loved watching the shows and seeing the animals preform.
Here is our attempt at getting a picture of all the grand kids together on the beach. Quite the task with three babies, a toddler who didn't want to be there and three very helpful cousins!! Taylor and Kennedy had so much fun with their cousins, aunts, uncles and Grandma Ricks.
With pumpkins lit and kids dressed up we were ready to get our Halloween on. Like every year I am insistant on using the pumpkin art kits. For Taylor's pumpkin we went along with the princess theme and carved a princess pumpkin. I'm gald we took pictures of them right after carving because the next morning they were looking a little sad... they looked more like a week old instead of 12 hours old. That was a little dissappointing but not enough to dampen our fun. With that said however, next year we will have to carve our pumpkins the day of and no sooner. 
We had dinner and got everyone ready for trick or treating. Taylor was very excited about it being dark. She didn't quite understand the whole time fame of Halloween because all day long she was asking to go trick or treating only for me to reply not until it's dark outside. So when that happened it couldn't have been more exciting for her. Kennedy did much better in her costume this time around then at the previous wearings so it made for a fun night going door to door getting candy for all.
Happy Halloween!
We had so much fun cleaning out and carving our pumpkins. Taylor did her best to help which consisted mostly of sticking tooth picks in the lids of all the pumpkins.
Sadly its true, winter has arrived in Colorado. Yes it is October and yes that is 5 inches of snow on the ground. Oh and yes Taylor is not wearing snow boots but rain boots. You could say we were a little unprepared. We were warned in the weather forecast the night before, but I don't think we really believed that it would actually happen. But here we are making snowmen in October!
