Two Years Old

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday! Mommy and I met daddy on base for a snack and fun at the playground. This resulted in a very productive naptime. We all went to Chuck E. Cheese for some dinner, games and rides. With all my options, I was most excited about swiping the token card through the slots on each game and watching the balls come down the alley when mommy and daddy were playing Skeeball. The day ended with some very thoughtful gifts, candles and cupcakes.

Happy Birthday, Marine Corps!

In celebration of the 233rd birthday of the Marine Corps yesterday and Veteran's Day today, mommy and daddy had a big night out last night. Usually they attend a Marine Corps Ball every year but since daddy's stationed with the Navy, that wasn't an option. Instead, they got a stretch limo with all the Marines they could gather and headed up the coast to Santa Barbara. The bond that connects these men is quite amazing! Needless to say, the locals had all sorts of questions as they headed down the streets, taking over one bar after another.

Surprise for Grandpa!

This week mommy and I flew to Colorado to surprise Grandpa Boven just for fun. He was so surprised he was actually speechless. We did all sorts of fun things around town! Grammy wanted to celebrate my birthday so we had a special time of opening gifts. The FisherPrice Noah's Arc was packed so well that it took us a while to get all the pieces out of the box. I am really excited about my new toys! Even though I missed Max and daddy, I was so happy to spend with grammy and grandpa.

Happy Halloween

We went to a fall festival tonight instead of trick-or-treating. There were many jumpers, food and bowls of candy. I had a great time in the jumper with my friend Phoebe. I didn't really want to leave at the end of the night so Mommy had to bribe me with a tootsie roll. It took me the whole ride home to figure out how to get that from sticking to my teeth.

Happy Halloween, I hope you had many more treats than tricks!

Santa Ana Winds

The Santa Ana winds bring extremely hot, dry weather and winds that can only be described as standing in front of a hair dryer. The downside of this is definately the high risk of wildfires. But, in the Blackford 'glass is half-full' thinking, we found the upside of this severe weather. I grabbed my swimming suit and mommy and we unrolled the hose in the front yard. Running through the sprinkler has an extra appeal in mid-October.

Pumpkin Patch

We headed out to pick our Halloween pumpkins today and we hope to carve them in the next few days. Daddy explained the basic premise of choosing my pumpkin from the large selection in front of me. I came up with a game plan and headed out into the pumpkin abyss. Instead of choosing one and sticking with it, I decided it would be more fun to imagine they were footballs. I would hold them for a second and then throw them down like I had just made a touchdown. Thankfully, there were no piles of seeds left behind. We ended our visit with a hayride which took us around the farm and past some horses, chickens, goats and a donkey. Great fun!

Santa Barbara Zoo

We went to the Santa Barbara Zoo on Friday. Although my stroller was close by at all times, I chose to walk for most of the day. We saw many different animals, rode the zoo train and even fed a giraffe. Then we went down to the pier for lunch. It was quite an exciting day and I didn't last long in the car before my eyes got too heavy to keep open.

Peace and Quiet

There is no other time in Max's day when he relaxes more than when he hears, 'it's bathtime'. This means I'm headed off to start my bedtime routine. He quickly jumps up on the big chair in the living room and breathes a sigh of relief. He made it through another day of 'love' from his little sis. You can see how exhausting that can be!

Make-up Mishap

I am generally content to harass Max or play quietly while mommy's in the shower but this morning was a bit different. She has a green concealer stick that looks like a tube of lipstick. I haven't been able to open it to this point but I really made up for lost time. You can't see this but I also added some stripes to the bathroom area rug. Mommy must not have been too upset because she made me sit still while she ran downstairs for the camera.

Great Fun for All

Mommy and daddy decided to take a cruise these past few days. The best part, for me, was having the full attention of gram and pop. Although you would never guess it, I may have taken advantage of a new audience and relaxed rules. But it was okay with everyone! We stayed at home, took walks to the fountain, played with all my toys and even had a make-up lesson. What more could a girl ask for?

From what I have heard the cruise was a nice break and there were a lot of things for mommy and daddy to do on the ship and in Cabo San Lucas. They left out of San Diego so they had a pretty view of the city in the late afternoon. There was one full day at sea, one in Cabo and another at sea. It was only four nights away but, they say, it seemed like longer being away from me. (It was the longest mommy's been away)

Their activities included laying in the sun, eating, making friends, an art auction, a hypnotist comedy show, walking and shopping the streets of Cabo, relaxing, drinking margaritas, winning some blackjack and some more eating. They had a great group of people at their dinner table and often were the last table to leave the dining room. Wonderful wine and food! It was a nice getaway for them and it was so fun spending time with gram and pop!