Easter's Past~

These are out of order, but here is the first Easter in California 2011.  Landen was 22 months old.

Such a little man!

 Mikayla almost 11 and Zach 9 y.o.

Last year, 2012, when he was almost 3 y.o. Mikayla almost 12 y.o.

My sweet bunnies!

Love this picture!

His first Easter in Indiana, 2010, Landen was10 months old, Zach 8 and Mikayla almost 10 y.o.

California Adventure~

Hello old neglected blog!  We had some more illnesses/allergies sweep through our house and then Jeff was in Switzerland for a week.  Somewhere in between all that we snuck away to California Adventure for Zachary's 11th birthday.  We gave him the choice of that or a party with friends.  I was actually relieved to not have to plan and execute a party for 10 or so 11 year old wild crazy energetic boys. 

 I also think he knew how much Landen had been wanting to go to Cars Land.  Such a great big brother!

We made it!

The weather was perfect-- a high of about 65.  Slighty cool in the morning and evening.  Not terribly busy.  We got to ride everything we wanted except Radiator Springs Racers, but that's a whole story in itself.

We got close enough for a picture, but Landen didn't want to wait in line to "meet Mater."

We went on Luigi's Tires first and while we were waiting in line the tire on our stroller deflated.  There was fake tire equipment all around us which I thought was very ironic.

Crazy birthday boy!

Zach wore the birthday pin and received probably 20 birthday greetings throughout the day.  

He loved it!

My beautiful girl!

Landen was really nervous to ride, we had to bribe him with the promise of a treat. But once he was on he was fine.

Not too sure

Then when the ride was over he was hootin' and hollerin' like he had a blast.

Landen got to see Mater and "Red" the firetruck.  He was in awe!

We stopped for lunch at Flo's cafe and sat on the outside patio and you could see the Radiator Springs racers flying by every minute or so.  The kids loved it and it convinced Landen he wanted to ride it and I think Mikayla that she didn't.  

The wait for Radiator Springs Racers was 90 minutes when we arrived in the morning and the Fast Passes were all gone for the day.  While we were eating lunch it shut down and all those people in line had to leave.  We almost got in the that line.  When it opened back up the wait was 300 minutes and never went below 90 minutes the rest of the day.  Apparently in breaks down quite often.  So we'll just add that to our bucket list I guess!

Then Mater and Lightning McQueen drove right by us!  That is definitely the place to sit if you don't want to wait in line to see them!

After lunch we finally got the promised treat!

He was quite sleepy by then.

Landen and daddy went to rent a stoller while me and the big kids shopped and explored.

We met up by the haunted hotel and Zach and Daddy got to experience that.  Zach loved it!  Landen slept while they did that then we went to do some of the kiddie rides.

Then we finally made it to Mater's Tractor Tippers.  

Just took this picture of Landen so I could sneak a picture of my handsome hubby.=)

Landen kept shouting,"Hey tractor! Watch where you're going!"

He loved it!  We all did! It was the favorite ride of the day.

Then we did the carousel with sissy while Zach and daddy went on California Screamin'."  Zach said that was the, "BEST RIDE EVER!!!"

Silly boy had so much fun on the tractors!

I was there too!

After dinner we decided to go on Mater's Tractors one more time and we walked through Cars Land at night.  It was so beautiful and magical!  A definite must see!

*Just FYI, the water in all the bathroom sinks is absolutly frigid.  However, there is one toddler height sink in each bathroom and the water in that one is only slightly cool.  Giving Zach a Disney gift card eliminated all the usual whining for souvenirs.  No matter what shoes you wear your feet will be extremely sore at the end of the day.  Taking advil before dinner is the only thing that helps.*

While we were walking through, Lightning McQueen drove right by Landen.  Literally inches from him.  He was in awe and it was the perfect ending to the day.  Zach got to go on all the rides he wanted and said it was the best day!

The kids and Jeff went on Soarin' over California one more time before we left.  I had gone with them the first time.  I had never been before and the part where you feel like you are flying over Napa Valley in a hot air balloon is the exact feeling I had when Jeff proposed to me.  I had some sort of visceral reaction and actually cried!  Can't believe that it has been over 15 years since Jeff drove me to Napa super early in the morning and surprised me with a hot air ballon ride and proposed while we were floating over the beautiful Napa vineyards.

He's Eleven!

     It's always a little bit of a relief when Zachary gets another year older.  It's always sad for sure, but it's nice to be able to say an age that looks more believable.  Of course, he still gets mistaken for a middle schooler, most people think he's 13 or 14.  Even his own teacher sometimes does a double take and thinks a middle school sibling has joined the class.  But I still see that chubby little baby when I look at his sweet face.  Here's just some random pictures from his big day, which was really the day before, becasue his birthday was a school day and daddy was out of town on his actual birthday.  I was too lazy to edit any of these photos, but if I wait I'll never post them.  I guess this is what it's like to have a little brother.  Always there in every picture trying to steal your thunder.  It's a pretty typical look at    what life with Landen is like.

Landen trying to photo bomb.

He wouldn't give him  kiss, but was more than happy to kiss his head.

Still gets me that I have 2 boys!

Landen's got this thing about rubbing ears???

Disney gift card!  He chose to go to California Adventure instead of having a party with friends.

Love this picture but unfortunately there was a cranky bald guy in most of these pics.  =(

Happy 11th Birthday Zach!  We love you sooooo much!

Candy Cane Video~

The last thing he said was that Santa brought him a scooter.=)

Catch Up~

Here's my attempt at getting out of my blogging drought.  I just can't skip blogging about the rest of our Christmas.  I probably should have split this into two blog posts but I need to catch up so I can focus on Valentine's and Zach's upcoming birthday.

Landen gave the cutest little speech when we all took our turns putting a candy cane on the tree in honor of someone who wasn't with us.  I WILL post the video.  It was so precious.

Landen loves his cousins so much!

I didn't take many pictures at the Hierlmeier Christmas because it was just pure chaos.  We tried opening one present at a time but that only lasted about 3 presents.

Sisters!

My big, fat, German family!

 I kept saying that our Christmas was a "Tour de central California."  After Bakersfield, we went to Reedley for a Thiesen Christmas.

Landen was so excited he finally got Bounce Bounce Tigger!  That's one thing he asked Santa for.

Beautiful Reedley sky.

Landen was so excited to go to Grandpa's farm, he talked about it for weeks.  It's really just chickens right now, but he was so happy to feed them.

A nano second later the chicken got loose and fluffed Landen in the face.  He actually just laughed, but I could tell he was shocked.

You can see how happy Landen was to find out that he couldn't ride the tractor this time because it was broken.
Everyone in their John Deere hats.

We finished our tour de Central Cali in Kingsburg and I can't believe I didn't take any pictures!  But we had a great time there too seeing Grandma Frieda and G&G Penner.

When we finally got back home it was like Christmas again since the kids finally had time to relax and play with all their toys.

His "scooter"

 We had a nice relaxing last week of the year before we all got the flu.

One good thing about the flu is sweet babies sleeping in your bed.

The stunning view from my bedroom.

Lots of days spent in pajamas recovering.  It's been impossible to get him dressed since he discovered you can stay in your jammies all day.

Our loft area is always a mess of toys.  When it's clean they will be grown, so I don't mind it too much.=)

He makes elaborate Thomas tracks all by himself.

Chef Landen with his "oven mitts."

Found some cheap, beautiful, lavender roses at Trader Joe's.  Same color that was in our wedding almost 15 years ago!

 Landen decided to move his booster seat to the chair across from me at the table instead of next to me.  Just so happens that now he is sitting next to daddy.  Ever since Jeff went out of town all those weeks in the fall Landen got really even more attached to him.  Every morning when I have to wake him to take Zach to school, before he even opens his eyes, he asks me where daddy is.  If I say he's already left for work he just cries and cries.  I was getting kind of sad about it, but after a month or so he is now back to being mama's boy.  We realized that he never had a "lovey" because I am his "lovey." If he is near me he is touching me in some way the same way he did when he would nurse.  

Anywhoo!  

Now that he sits across from me I get to see this beautiful face every morning!

View from my living room.

I told him he was like a little kitty cat sitting there in the sun.  He thought that was funny.

 More beautiful sunsets!

Sunset on our street.  

There.  Now I am caught up and hopefully back to blogging more regularly!