February 2022 (Backyard Transformation)

We got a lot of the backyard put in. Some of these pictures are actually from January, but I thought it was better to show them all in one place.

The Master Plan.

Starting to level out, and also dig back for the retaining wall. We hired people to do the retaining wall, concrete patio, side walkway, irrigation/sprinkler system, and grass installation. The rest we are hoping to do ourselves. 

Retaining wall started, forms for the concrete getting put in.

Finished retaining wall.

It looks so good leveled and with no weeds!

Putting the top soil and sprinklers in.

Grass is here!

The great flood of 2022. Sprinklers were set to stay on for too long, and our clay soil doesn't absorb much water. (the back section didn't have grass because they had to order more)

Felix helping spray down the concrete. He sprayed me about 2 seconds after this picture, silly goof!

We did the side stuff ourselves. Here we are laying the weed barrier.

Did you know that flagstones are expensive? So we opted for concrete stepping stones. Jeff managed to fit all 30 in our trunk.

Doesn't it look great? We haven't finished the very back corner because we are undecided what to do with it, but at least one project is done!

Jeff finished everything on his to-do list, so naturally he drew a picture to commemorate the occasion.

And just like that, we could use our backyard! The large side-yard will get figured out later.

Felix has been learning so many songs, but he often sings the same part over and over again.

Jeff and Felix have been having a weekly Shake Night while Axel and I are at Activity Days.

Axel did his belt test and moved up to white with yellow stripe.

Jeff painted his office dark blue, and painted this nice message for me.

Here is the dark walls, with our shutters that finally came in!

30 weeks

31 weeks. My mom reserved a sealing session for the 5 of us adults to do, and we got so many sealings done!

32 weeks

33 weeks

Playing video games together.

Poor Felix has been so bored with not being able to play as much (due to the broken arm), so I let him use scissors. He loved it!

He has also been watching me do my makeup a lot, so here he is trying to curl his eyelashes.

Playing Warhammer. Jeff and Axel have been 3-D printing little guys and also set pieces for their games, then painting them. They turn out really cool!

Felix briefly got his cast off. His radius hasn't healed enough so he got another cast put on. But at least he can move his elbow now!

Axel went to a Harry Potter themed birthday party and had a blast!

I can't lift Felix in and out of the cart very easily now, so this was our compromise.

 

January 2022 (Disneyland and Broken Arm)

January 2022, a new year!

Felix hiding under blankets.

Sleepy morning bugging Daddy while he's trying to work.

We wanted to see what Axel looked like with long hair, and the results are hilarious. Also that face reminds me of my cousin Kira when she was little!

25 weeks

Axel's big birthday surprise was a trip to Disneyland!

Day 1 at Disneyland

We stayed in the Star Wars suite. The movie posters were out of order for some odd reason, but I suppressed the urge to fix them.

We got there at opening and headed straight to Tomorrowland to do some rides all 4 of us could go on. First up, Autopia!

Axel is a terrible driver.

The we rode the Buzz Lightyear ride. Felix and I rode it 9 times during our 2 days at Disneyland, there was hardly ever a line.

Astro Orbiter

Such a happy kid!

Axel and Daddy did the big rides. This was Rise of the Resistance, I think.

Space Mountain

Splash Mountain (Jeff is in behind the black bar)

Felix and I did the little kid stuff. We got to meet Pooh.

And Goofy. Felix ran under the ropes both times, whoops.

Jeff took the boys on the teacups.

Felix and I did Storybook Canal.

We walked through Star Wars land.

Haunted Mansion.

Then Felix and I headed home, but he fell asleep before we were even out of the park.

Our room was on the second floor with no elevator, so I had to carry his limp body. I ended up dropping him in the entry while I tried to open the door, but he didn't even wake up.

Nor did he wake up when I changed him into PJs. So tired!

Day 2: California Adventure

Tower of Tower  or whatever its called now, they are on the left front row.

Felix wouldn't take a picture with his idol, Spiderman, but Axel did.

This robot thing is really cool. We watched it again later, up close.

Jeff and Axel were able to go on Grizzly Mountain several times in a row, but Jeff got soaked on the last run. Whoops!

Incredicoaster. Axel said he DID enjoy it.

We waited in line for 2 hours to do the new Spiderman Ride. I guess it was worth it because the boys are STILL talking about it 2 months later.

Poor Felix didn't make it through dinner before falling asleep.

Day 3: Back at Disneyland

We wanted to eat lunch at the Cantina, so made a reservation. Turns out its a bar.... So we ordered a couple fruity kid-friendly drinks then had to go find real lunch. But the droids were cool.

The kids loved running around Tom Sawyer's island.

Jeff took covert pictures of me from the Splash Mountain line.

Found you!

Felix stole my pickle.

They got so unbelievably wet!

After Axel and Jeff tried to dry off in the sun (didn't work much), we got pictures taken in front of the castle.

After that we rode a couple more little rides, then called it quits because Jeff and Axel were sopped and Felix was having a meltdown and someone moved our stroller (what the heck?) to a different stroller parking area and it took forever to find it. So we had a yummy Italian dinner after they changed clothes, then hit the hay early.

26 weeks

27 weeks

Felix started a tumbling class. He loved it! And he was super good and following directions, which was a surprise to me.

We went on a walk and Felix tripped and landed like this and just laid there. It was so funny!

Some of Axel's recent art.

I didn't get many pictures, but Nana, Papa, and GG came to visit!

We went to a cool discovery museum right by the Golden Gate Bridge.

28 weeks

Axel the photobomber.

Another day we went on a walk out to a dock.

It had a cool 3-D floor map of our county.

Felix and GG hanging out.

Then Felix fell at the park and broke his arm. Jeff took this picture through the ER window, because they only allowed one parent in. He had to wait in the car for 6 hours!

Poor baby.

Getting prepped for surgery to reset his bones.

Ulna all the way broken, radius a "greenstick" fracture were it doesn't break all the way through. Both bones "deformed" because they bent horribly.

He was pretty chipper the next day though.

Lots of puzzles and movies. Nana, Papa, and GG had to leave all too soon!

Jeff's cute drawing of Felix.

29 weeks. Decided to do a "real life" picture in sweats, no makeup, dirty hair because it had been quite the week.

Grandma and Grandpa M and Brennen came over for Grandpa's birthday dinner, and Felix (I mean, Captain America) fell asleep on Grandpa.

I don't remember the context of this video, but its a great sound bite.

Felix decided on a sparkly blue cast.