How's it been, Ben?

Thought I might tell you how Ben is doing lately. He has finished his training and started his first real work week on Monday. He said Monday was boring with tons of reading to do. Today he was working on texturing cloth (in English it means "texturing clothes") for the 2009 Pixar movie, "Up." He just warned me and said that is all I can say about what he is doing, so I must oblige. I really like his job and how he enjoys it and we want to keep it that way. I am in fact benefiting in the home because he actually likes his job. Ben comes home from work and empties the dishwasher without me asking, leaving me confused, yet, really happy. I start to notice things like the toilet paper roll being replaced in the right place and not left on the counter. Ben taking the initiative and helping out with the kids. At first, I became suspicious thinking that he wanted another computer or something like that (that is how he acquired his laptop). I asked him why the change of attitude these days and he says "I don't know, it must be because I like my job." I hope we stay at Pixar FOR-EV-ER!

CJ is making new friends and is learning how to be a good example. It has been fun for me to help her learn how she can be a leader and help her friends make good choices. Mia has a marble jar where she earns marbles when she does not scream or whine and instead tell us what she wants or ask nicely etc. It has helped and she enjoys earning treasure box prizes. It would be wonderful if when she turns 3 (which is very soon) her screaming and tantrums magically stop and her terrible 3's become terrific 3's. And then. . . I wake up.

Xander is walking all the time. He hasn't gotten the rhythm down yet, but that doesn't stop him from trying. He also loves to use forks and spoons like a civilized being. Ben says that Xander must look like him because every time he looks at him, he sees Caleb and Joe and since they are his brothers, he must look like him.

Here are some pictures of CJ and her friends, when we went to the Oakland Temple pageant and some other random ones!

Random

I'm going to be random and jump from one thing to another because that is how my brain works sometimes (Ben would argue that it is most of the time and he's probably right). So on Friday we experienced our first earthquake. It was in the middle of the night and Ben woke me up and told me we were having an earthquake. I said, "Oh" and went back to sleep. I really feel jipped that I missed it. We later found out that it was a 4.2 one. Man, I hope next time I am more awake to experience it. Not that I am hoping for a huge destructive earthquake but something memorable like crooked pictures on the wall.

We went to our first church activity today and didn't know if we were in the right place. We didn't recognize anyone from our ward because we really don't know anyone. After observing for a few minutes we noticed many people wearing BYU apparel and knew we were in the right place.

Last random thought.
As a kid, I tore the legs off of Barbies. I really didn't get into the Barbie thing. My girls love them. CJ has trained and prepared me well by getting Barbies, Barbie mobiles, Barbie backpacks, Barbie jewerly boxes, Barbie lunch box etc. Mia loves Barbies and that's okay. In this picture Mia is showing her love of Barbies through centerpiece arranging. I think it is a talent. What do you think?

Xan the Man!

Xander feels left out because his picture was not included in the blog. He told me he has been working so hard these days trying to impress me enough so I would post something about him and only him. His best efforts include walking 5 steps all by himself, clapping and saying, "Yay", getting down from the couch by himself, and drinking out of his sippy cup with no hands. So I finally gave in.

Yesterday we were at the beach and Xander took a large handful of sand and shoved it into his mouth. It must have tasted good because seconds later, he took another handful and shoved it in too! Let's take a minute and talk about hair. Hair on the other hand is plentiful in our place. I hate to say it, but it is all mine! I somehow am able to shed millions of single strands of hair everywhere and yet I still have a thick lucious mane. Xander's main mode of transportation is still crawling and so he's on his hands all the time. I watched him the other day feed himself food along with several strands of my hair that I tried to rescue before it disappeared into his mouth. So what do you think is better to eat, sand or hair?

Xander's path of destruction begins with taking the books he can reach and throwing them on the floor followed by pulling and slapping together the long blinds that hang in our living room and topped off with a lively unexpected attack on Mia who is left helpless and crying. I don't get upset at him throwing the books around, if he'd only read a couple pages first. And the blinds, I could do without. And I figure what goes around, comes around. Xander annoys Mia, Mia annoys CJ, and CJ annoys Xander-so everything equals out in the end, right?

Kids at Pixar

We're finally settled!

We are finally settled into our new place in Alameda, California. Our place is about half the size of our old place but we were somehow able to squeeze ourselves in! It only took 2 yard sales and several trips to the DI and Goodwill. We definately don't miss the HOT weather in Utah. We are enjoying the cool breeze and warm weather here. Today the kids and I went to Pixar and got to see where Ben works. The kids enjoyed the lifesize Monster's INC, Finding Nemo and Incredibles characters. I can't believe that Ben calls Pixar work. Pixar is equipped with a swimming pool, soccer and volleyball courts, ping pong tables, barbeque pits, cereal and peanut butter sandwiches on hand at all times, all art and film related classes, and exercises classes.

CJ is having a hard time adjusting to the non-LDS society. The other day at the playground she met someone and asked her,"Are you in my ward?" I told her that not everyone is LDS here. I still don't think she gets it because she still says to me when she meets someone,"I wonder if she is in my primary class?" Mia is frightened by crowds of people. At the pool she met her first crowd of black people. They were all girls and were drawn to the kids immediately and wanted to play with them. Mia would have nothing to do with them no matter how hard the girls tried. She did the same thing at Pixar today and froze up because there were so many people around. We definately need to get this girl out more! Xander is definately a charmer. Wherever we go there is always someone adoring him and telling me how cute he is. He loves to wave to everyone and is into everything dumping things out and spread it all around. One of his favorite things to do is climb up onto the banana chair. The other day he climbed up one end and flipped over the other! He is such a boy. He is so cute when I give him graham crackers. He takes them into his hand and trys to crush the them as hard as he can. I see his face getting red and his arm shaking from pressing so hard and it cracks me up.