Warming up in LA

We were crossing our fingers for good weather on Monday, (thanks to MLK JR for giving us cause to celebrate.)  and we were not disappointed! It was a beautiful day so we made a trip to the beach. 

Here we are with some of friends from the South Pasadena Ward. Everyone was eager to get out an get some sun.

 Here is Jackson playing in the sand.

Steve had a slow week at the clinic so Friday we took to opportunity to go on a little hike in Eaton Canyon. Again, the weather was perfect and Jackson is at such a fun age. We told him we were going hiking and he said "I like hiking". 

Jackson is thinking: "Is this Aunt Jenna, or my mom?" It's true, it's the classic Jenna Face.

Here is Jackson's impress of the "Pout-Pout Fish".  He has to have this book read to him when he wakes up in the morning, before he takes a nap in the afternoon, and before bedtime.  This is his pout-pout face. BLUB, BLUUB. BLUUUB. (Thanks Aunt Jan!)

This is Jackson's "NO!" face.  We were trying to get him to eat something he was refusing the other day, so I was tricking him into opening his mouth wide open by telling him to say NO! with his mouth wide open.  He was still intercepting the food with his hands, so I demonstrated saying NO! with my hands on my cheeks. It worked for about one millisecond. But he remembered it the next day when he didn't want to eat something else. We've created a monster!! But a cute one!!

"NO!"

To top off a week full of beautiful days, an LDS USC alum invited the students to take a tour of Newport Harbor on his yacht.  We had a good time in the fresh air, with good snacks and great company.

Jackson even got to drive the boat. What a great captain!

Family Hygiene

Well here is our Dr.Boyle helping his favorite patient with his oral hygiene. Jackson is a very willing patient. We have to take especial care since Jackson has his two-year molars now.

I got a wax pot for Christmas (thanks mom!) to take care of my wild eyebrows, but I couldn't get the wax to stick to the strips, leaving all sorts of yucky hairs. So Steve had this great idea that we needed to freeze the wax so it was get ultra-hard and stick to the strips... so of course what else would we use but hot dogs?! So we held the hot dogs in place and then my lovely assistant Steve pulled the strips... voila! Hair gone like magic. Of course the cold hot dogs helped anesthetize the area for less pain. I definitely recommend this method. :)

It has begun- Jackson has proven that he is capable of figuring things out on his own. Such as how to make spit bubbles... I did not teach him this skill. Nor did Steven. He loves making spit bubbles. Then popping them with his finger, or your finger, or some other implement he has found. And then he smiles like it's the coolest thing EVER! Here is one of those winning smiles. And following is one of those winning bubbles.

it's a girl!

due to join our family May 17th

Happy New Year!

We decided that we while we are living in LA we should hit the Rose Bowl Parade! So we celebrated the new year on the sidewalks of Pasadena.  Our good friend Jeff slept out all night so we could have front row seats- THANKS JEFF!  Steve and Jackson joined Jeff at 6am and then Jeff's wife, Teresa, and I joined them after work. We made it just in time to see a stealth bomber fly over head! 

SURPRISE! Paula Dean was the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade- It was all I could do to keep from running out in the street. 

Here are Jeff and Teresa- what good sports!

WE were lucky enough to spend 3 weeks in Idaho for Christmas. We loved spending time with family and Steve loved hunting EVERY DAY. (I'll leave it to Steve to post all of his hunting pics...).

Here are a couple of happy memories:

Jackson and Cami: "She's getting me!"

Here is Jackson helping round up the cattle for sale:

"GET OUT COW!"

WELCOME NEW YEAR and Merry Christmas!