Ross Family Trio

Phelan Ranch

2011-08-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we headed down to Napa to Jeff and Liz' Ranch for some summer fun. Below is the patio and outdoor fireplace where Jeff cooked an incredible pork tenderloin for dinner.

Johnny is launching off an incredible waterslide Jeff built for the pond

Jack is next going head first into the pond

Johnny decided that looked likefun

Jake was all smiles after his turn down the slide

He didn't look as sure when he was flying down the slide. You can build up quite a bit of speed coming down the hillside.

This is the bottom portion of the slide where it levels off

This picture gives you some idea how long and steep the slide is before you get to the pond

Uncle Jeff let Jake have a turn operating the backhoe and moving some piles of dirt. Jake thought this was way cooler than the backhoe in his room.

All of Jake's cousins lend a hand and each got a turn at the controls

Jeff gave Dan a tour of the ranch while Sammy, Jack, John and Cate gave Jake a tour of the half-pipe for skateboarding, the trampoline, and Bocce court. A meeting with the goats and chickens even resulted in a fresh egg. Everyone cooled off in the pond and then showered for dinner. While the adults were finishing dinner the cousins all hung out on the patio watching a movie. We had a great time down there. We don't get to see Liz, Jeff and the kids often enough and Jake always has a blast with his cousins.

Santa Cruz Camping

2011-08-14T15:27:00.001-07:00

Camping near Santa Cruz with the Quick's allowed for some interesting day trips, including a trip to see and ride Thomas the train in Felton, some time at the Boardwalk riding the rides and hanging out on the beach.

Jake was all smiles hanging out on the beach in SC.

Jake and Sofia seemed to escape the waves okay.

Clyde was there to lend a hand just in case a rogue wave came in after them.

The Quick's hanging out riding Thomas.

Dan and Jake also enjoying Thomas through the trees.

Jake and Sofia sitting on a hay bale waiting for Thomas to let us board.

The Birthday Pirate

2011-07-26T17:53:00.001-07:00

The Jolly Jake

Captain in full gear.

Opening the loot

The sword fight

The Captain and his crew

Auntie Carrie's amazing work

Proud of My Friend

2011-07-09T14:36:00.001-07:00

The cheerleaders

Out of the swim

On the bike

On the run

Today my good buddy became a triathlete. I am very proud of her. She set her goal, trained for months, and accomplished it. Congratulations Meridith you did awesome today!

The Fourth of July

2011-07-09T12:40:00.001-07:00

Jake wearing the pinata

Sponge Races

The moms having a sack race

Kid sack races

Auntie Carrie saving Jake from the fireworks

Summer Fun So Far-part 2 Lake Tahoe

2011-06-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Swimming in the rain with snow in the background(in June?)

Watching Movies with Cooper

Baseball on the beach

Flying fish

Do you think they like the water?

Summer Fun So Far-part 1 Collins Lake

2011-06-26T13:35:00.001-07:00

Loving the lake

In the wagon with the girls

Lounging with Mama

Riding the turtle

Learning to shoot water guns with the girls and Clyde

Happy 40th Papa

2011-03-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Opening Papa's present
Blowing out the candles
Happy to be celebrating with Papa!

(Although looking forward to turning 4 in July)

This weekend we celebrated Dan's 40th birthday. We had a great weekend full of fun. It was a wonderful reminder of how lucky we are. We were fortunate to spend time in San Fransisco with friends and some family. There are people in life that you have to be around sometimes. Then there are the people who you choose to spend time with. Well I have to say the people we have chosen to be around are amazing people who we are privileged to know. We love you guys and thanks for spending the weekend with us.

Grammy gets a haircut--And a little visitor

2011-03-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

Grammy got a visit from young Dr. Jake Ross to make sure she was getting the best possible treatment. He checked her temperature and used his stethoscope to make sure her heart was beating strong. She was especially excited to get this "second opinion". He gave her a big thumbs up on the new haircut. She had a great attitude about it and had called Meg when the chemo had finally started making her hair fall out. "Bring the clippers" she said. I called her when Meg had finished the job and she just laughed and said we look even more alike right now. From the picture below I could hardly argue her point.

She was told on Thursday that her numbers weren't coming up as quickly as they would like and a second transplant would be necessary on Friday. She has been so strong throughout the whole process. We sat with her during the transplant on Friday and they put 7 bags of her own stem cells at a temperature just above freezing, about 39 deg. F. With all that cold stuff flowing through her body she was shivering and just freezing even with the heated blankets. Even with all that she kept her attention on everything the nurses were doing and talked with us. We had that room pretty full. I was there with Marc, my Dad, Grandma Dola, Dr. Carrol, and three nurses. Things went so well that Dr. Jake was finally able to visit Saturday night and Sunday during the day. Grammy got really good news on Sunday and found out that she will be able to finally go home to her own bed on Monday. Between that and her visit from Dr. Jake she had a pretty good day. Jake and Cooper hand painted a Welcome home sign to have waiting for Grammy when she gets home.

Grammy and Her New Blanket

2011-02-20T07:04:00.001-08:00

Grammy has been putting up a hard fight against cancer. She is currently undergoing her transplant and last round of chemo in the hospital(and still smiling). She is not allowed to see anyone who has germs, which means she can't see the boys. So, we decided to make her a quilt with pictures of the boys on it so she could snuggle them whenever she wants. She is truly someone to be admired. Here she is fighting cancer, basically being poisoned. She doesn't complain. She just puts on a smile and says what is next to make me better for my boys. The whole family is so proud of her and we love her dearly. We are all looking forward to the fun that is ahead when Grammy feels better.

Maggie and Her Boy

2011-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

The snuggle

She loves her boy!

The Budding Artist

2011-01-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

The Nose Painting

The Group Mosaic made by his class

Jake's Batik print-He named it Wax.

Water Color

Comb Painting

Tonight Jake's school had an art gallery to show off all the cool artwork they have been creating. His class did mosaics, nose painting, watercolors, self portraits, comb painting, and batiks. It was really cool! We just may have an artist on our hands.

2010-12-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

Cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer

Here is the reason we go through all this work to get ready for Christmas.

The look on his face is priceless. This is when he first walked out to see what Santa had brought him.

The stocking
His new art easel courtesy of grandma and Grandpa Ringstrom.
Santa brought him exactly what he wanted.

The Polar Express

2010-12-11T07:03:00.001-08:00

Cookies are great, but no thanks to the hot chocolate.
Holding on tight to his ticket. He didn't want it to blow away.
Looking out the window at the North Pole with Lily.
Forced Family Photo
Hello Santa!

We had a magical experience this year on the Polar Express. Jake wasn't sure he wanted to go on the train after seeing the movie. He is a little afraid of the ice scene. Once we were on the train with family and friends he was super excited. It is a great reminder of the Magic of Christmas. He was so thrilled he wanted to take his book to school the next day and show all his friends the conductor's signature. If you are around him anytime soon be prepared to play Polar Express. Don't expect to be the conductor though, that is strictly Jake's job. It is too cute when he calls out "All Aboard!"

Visit With Santa-Santa's Secret Adventure

2010-12-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

Sliding With Sofia
Singing Carols
Cheese
My Favorite Picture Of The Year
Helping the Elves Wrap
Can You Believe It Is Almost Christmas?

Things To Be Thankful For

2010-12-11T06:45:00.001-08:00

Turkey Cupcakes

The Girls

Impromptu Performances

Halloween Fun

2010-11-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Head

Who cares about the pumpkins. Where is the candy?

Trick or treating with two beautiful girls!

Not bad for a three year old.

Visiting Grammie at the rehab facility. She dressed up in scrubs like a doctor.

To infinity and beyond

Buzz is off to save the world collecting one piece of candy at a time

Jake came with me to my school carnival and wanted to play the game we were doing as a fundraiser. The kids are suppose to eat the donut without touching. It was so hilarious I had to take a video. Mind you he had more than a few donuts playing this game.

The Little Man Turned 3

2010-07-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

Auntie Carrie's Masterpiece
The gang in their recycled party hats and trash talker t-shirts.
Swimming with his buddy
Ripping open the loot!

The stickers I had to order. They say I got trashed at Jake's 3rd birthday with a garbage truck on them.

So this year Jake has been obsessed with garbage trucks. I wanted to do a garbage truck party for him, but could not think of any ideas. Thank goodness for the internet. This women created a birthday party for her son completely around garbage trucks. So, thankfully she shared her ideas and even created invitations, iron on transfers, and stickers. I used some of her ideas and added a few of my own. The party turned out really well, not because of the stuff but because we were surrounded by people we love. We had a great time even if it was all surrounding garbage.

Big Boy Bed

2010-07-12T20:33:00.001-07:00

Look who got his big boy bed today. We ordered it several weeks ago and it arrived today. Papa worked hard to put it together so Jake could sleep in it tonight. He has been waiting for it to come and was very excited to see it all put together. He even picked out the sheets he wanted. Today we said good-bye to his crib. So long to the side rails that held him in. Wish us luck on a good night's sleep. Who knows how this new freedom will work out?

Mama note-It is sad to see his crib gone and my baby in a big boy bed. As he told me on our trip, "I'm not a baby!" Can you hear my heart breaking just a little bit?

The Fourth of July

2010-07-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hiting the pinata

Eating Popscicles

Picking up his loot from the pinata

Playing with Sprinklers(Aka sparklers)

Waiting with his Sofia

Disneyland

2010-06-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

Riding in the caboose of course!

Flying with Dumbo

On the monorail with Papa

(Don't you just love the ears?)

Meeting Mickey

(I like you, but I'm not so sure about you touching me!)

Hanging out with Goofy

We had a blast at Disneyland! We spent two days between the 2 parks and had loads of fun. Of course we visited every train option more than a few times. He loved the trains. He figured out after awhile that you could sit in the caboose and that is where we sat except on his favorite the monorail.

We went on many rides including The Haunted Mansion, The Matterhorn, and The Pirates of the Caribbean. Jake was just under the height requirement for the big rides, so next time he will be able to do even more(if he wants too). He had lots of fun, but didn't much care for the rides that were in the dark. His favorites by far were the trains. Probably could have saved a lot of money and just took a train ride somewhere, but it was worth it.

Summer Vacation With The Cousins

2010-06-22T10:24:00.001-07:00

Auntie Liz protecting Jake on the Jungle Cruise

Spinning with Cate on the Tea Cups

(Just so you know the tongue hanging out really helps you spin faster.)

Swimming with Jack and Samantha

Jumping on the trampoline!

Jake got to spend a few days with his cousins on our little vacation. He absolutely loved hanging out with them. He got to do all kinds of fun stuff. His cousin Sammy took great care of him and loved him so much she didn't want him to take his nap. They were absolutely adorable together. When it was time to go home Jake didn't want to leave. Of course who could blame him, Laguna Beach or Sacramento?

2010-05-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

Mama and Jake at Sierra 2 for the Curtis Park Easter Egg Hunt with Papa and Granny JoJo.

Jake got his face painted

Getting ready to dye eggs

The hunt is on.

Decorating eggs.

Marc and Cooper's Birthday Party

Grace keeping the boys in one place, at least for a moment.

Marc the Birthday boy.

Cooper the birthday boy.

Jake enjoying the cupcakes

Great America

Having fun riding the pumpkin.

Mandatory ice cream break.

Jake getting his hands up, training for the bigger rollercoasters. Jake did ask to get on some of the bigger rides that went upside down and moved even faster, too bad he wasn't tall enough.

Jake racing his boat down the river.

Jake and Sofia on the ghosts.

Mama and Jake having fun on the roller coaster.

Buddies starting to fade at the end of a long day-with no nap.

The end of a fun day at Great America. Congrats to Clyde's kids from Holmes Junior High taking first overall for the Band Festival that brought us down here.

Papa's Birthday

2010-03-21T10:15:00.001-07:00

Blowing out the candles.
I love my Papa!
I love presents too.

Yesterday was Dan's first 39th birthday. All day Jake was talking about the birthday and absolutely could not wait to help blow out the candles. Dan of course did not want candles, but was out voted by the little man who was determined to help his papa blow out the candles. We had to light the candles a couple of times because Jake was so excited and blew them out before the birthday song was over. Granny JoJo's birthday is next. I hope she is willing to share the blowing out of the candles.

Carb Loading

2010-03-14T17:06:00.001-07:00

Today a few of us crazy folks did a half marathon. So in preparation for this event we had a carb loading party. We had a ton of delicious food and I think everybody had a good time. I know I did. But these two cuties in the picture are really the stars of the show. I mean really they are absolutely the most adorable little ones and they are great together.

On another note I am really proud of everyone that ran today. I had several friends run a half marathon for the first time today and they did great. Clyde dropped 18 minutes from his last time. That is just amazing! Lori was very nervous, but finished like a pro. Auntie Carrie finished even though she was hurting. I am even proud of myself, which is not something I can usually say about running. Congratulations to everyone that finished today. Finishing is an accomplishment in its self.

I also need to say a special thank you to our spouses. They have supported us during all of our training and helped with looking after the kids. Thank you, thank you we couldn't have done it with you.

Thank You Grandma Claudia

2010-03-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

Big smiles from a sick little man

His favorite part!

On Wednesday when we got home there was a package waiting for Jake. I have to say it came at the perfect time. The poor little guy started his day throwing up in the car and didn't feel well at all. So it was a really nice surprise for him to get a brand new blanket that he could cuddle up in on the couch. His eyes just lit up when he noticed the blanket had all of his favorites on it. It has Thomas, trucks, cars, trains, and his absolute favorite recycling trucks. Grandma Claudia really did a beautiful job! Did you see the embroidered recycling trucks? Can you guess what his new favorite is at our house?

Vacation Fun

2010-02-21T20:02:00.000-08:00

This week I was very lucky to get to spend the week with Jake. We had lots of fun. We took Granny JoJo to the zoo on Monday. We visited Jake's new school on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday we got to go to the train museum with Papa. Yesterday we went to a birthday party and then we got to see Grandpa Ron and Grandma Claudia to celebrate my birthday.

I have to say though it is the little things that have been the most memorable to me. Today Jake decided we needed to make some cookies. When I asked him what kind of cookies he said chocolate chip. So, we made the cookies. He helped me dump stuff in the mixer and turn it on. I also asked him to hold the chocolate chips. He took this job very seriously and decided he better sample the merchandise. So, for the remainder of the baking experience he sampled chocolate chips while I worked. When it was finally time to put the chocolate chips in he wasn't exactly thrilled. He would let me have two or three chocolate chips at a time. It was really pretty funny.

Xmas 2009

2009-12-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well Xmas 2009 is finally complete and I thought we would show a few pictures of all the fun

A lovely walk through the the Fab 40's checking out the Xmas lights with the Quicks.

Jake and Sofia having some Xmas fun.

Tough to beat those Xmas smiles

Sorry Maggie, couldn't save you from the reindeer ears.

Xmas Eve with Dan's side of the family

Jake's cousin Marc hanging out.

Jake getting his first look at his "Garbage (recycling) Truck"

This has become his favorite toy in the world.

More present opening madness.

Video clip of Jake working the chalkboard with Cooper and a little "Jakedance" in the middle.

Dear Santa, I can explain

Mama trying to get Jake to actually open the presents Xmas morning

Jake wasn't crazy about actually opening the presents, but he loved to play with afterward. Also this picture is for all of the people that say Jake is always smiling.

Jake checking out the new motorcycle from Grandma and Grandpa.

Jake hanging out with Auntie Carrie.

And Granny JoJo

More to follow....

More Gingerbread Pictures

2009-12-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

Handfuls of candy.

Moms helping

Another happy beautiful girl!

Three gorgeous houses.

A little more candy. Did I mention we had a little candy?

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-19T18:12:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we made gingerbread houses with our buddies Sofia and Lily and their mom's too. We had lots of fun! We built our houses and decorated them. Of course we had to sample the candy. We found out that all three of them really like candy canes especially when they have been dipped in frosting. I agree with my friend Sarah that this will have to be a new tradition for us. You can look on her blog to see more pictures of the event.

Lily enjoying a little candy cane and a little frosting. Did you know candy canes make excellent dipping devices for frosting?

Sofia doing the same.

Jake decorating. He did lots of sampling before anyone else arrived. Then he did a little more.

Oh the choices! Can you see the glazed over look in their eyes? CANDY!!!!

Happy beautiful girl!

Ollie Is Here!

2009-12-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Jake's very own tree in his room.

(Jake said, "Just like Sofia's.")

Our start at decorating

This is Ollie

Ollie is Jake's very own Elf who has come to visit until Christmas. He flies back to the North Pole every night to tell Santa if Jake has been Naughty or Nice. When he comes back every morning he will be in a new place where Jake has to find him. So far, Jake is not really understanding what is happening. We told him Ollie's name and he thought he was supposed to say aah. I guess we will see what happens tomorrow morning when Ollie finds a new spot.

2009-11-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

Dan and Jake Go to School

Today was Dan's day off so he and Jake brought Meg lunch at school. Jake saw Auntie Carrie as he was walking onto school grounds so he ran up to give her a hug and a kiss. Dan and Jake then got to have lunch with Meg, Auntie Carrie, Sarah, and Mary. After lunch the kids came back into the classroom and Jake got to help Mama read them a story. Jake has "Where the Wild Things Are" just about memorized so he was able to give Mama a hand. The kids were thrilled to see "Baby Jake" and he was grinning ear to ear being in front of the class. Meg tried to have him sit on her lap during the story but Jake saw a Jake-sized chair and pulled it up next to Mama in front of the class. Jake was happy to point out some of the things the class might be missing, like the moon in the window and Max's Sailboat, and the kids really enjoyed him. Mama seemed pretty happy to have lunch with her two guys too.

Halloween Continued...

2009-11-01T20:17:00.001-08:00

The morning after-"Mama open this. Jakie needs it"
Candy is good! Even kitty cats think so.

Did you say candy? Look at the concentration on their faces. Can you tell what they are working on eating?

Grammie came trick or treating too.
I get candy?

We had a great Halloween. It was so much fun this year. We got to be with family and good friends. The Quicks served us an excellent dinner as always and hosted the festivities. Jake really loved his costume and he was pretty fond of the trick or treating too, especially since he got to go with his buddies Sofia and Peter. But most of all he is really digging the candy. Did you catch that in the pictures? I can't wait for Christmas it is going to be lots of fun this year!

Halloween

2009-11-01T20:06:00.000-08:00

The jack o" lanterns

The owl cupcakes
The most adorable fireman!
Jake's jack o' lantern
The pumpkin patch

Grandpa's In China

2009-11-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

Jake's grandpa went to China in September on vacation. Somehow Jake got it into his head that Grandpa had gone all the way to China to get him some glasses. We have absolutely no idea where he got that idea, but he was absolutely sure that was grandpa's whole reason for going to China. We made sure that grandpa knew to get some glasses before he got home. It would have been big trouble for grandpa if he came home without a pair. In the picture above you can see the glasses he came back with and the panda that Jake absolutely loves.

Time To Catch Up

2009-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

Riding the pony with Sofia (So-pee-u)

Waiting in line

Being cheesy for the camera
Reading books with Grandpa

Things have been a little hectic lately. Dan has been out of commission for almost a month now and I am having a little bit of trouble keeping up with everything. I thought I would give everyone a few pictures to tide them over until things settle down a little.

Monterrey

2009-08-09T19:46:00.001-07:00

Papa and Jake on the train.
Our little pearl
We saw beautiful fish!
Isn't this the most adorable octopus you have ever seen?
We lucked out and had beautiful weather. Who new that it was sunny and warm in Monterrey?

Two Years Old

2009-08-03T21:34:00.001-07:00

Yummy cake #1
Yummy cake #2
Yummy cake#3
Can you tell I like cake?
Oh and presents!
Jake thought that Maggie needed a birthday hat too!

Jake is now officially two. He weighs 27.8 pounds and is 39.5 inches tall. Jake is talking up a storm and putting together lots of words. We have kind of lost count because we just can't keep up. He has started to be a climber, which we were truly hoping to avoid. Pretty soon he will be sleeping in a big boy bed. Yikes! He loves to eat pickles, chips, and meat. Until his birthday if you asked him what he wanted to eat he would say meat, even for breakfast. But since his birthday he has been asking for birthday cake. As you can tell by the pictures he is a big fan of cake. My favorite new thing that Jake does is give me nose kisses. He is absolutely the sweetest little thing any mama could ask for. I am truly one lucky mama.

Go to the Quicks link to see pictures from our camping trip. I was a bad mama and forgot my camera.

The 4th of July

2009-07-06T13:51:00.001-07:00

Pushing The Stroller

Hanging In The Pool With Sofia

Playing With Peter

Cruising Along

Bouncy House(another new word)

Cookies!!!

We had a fun filled 4th of July. Our neighborhood had its annual block party. There were lots of family and friends around. It was a long busy day, I don't think Jake stopped moving from the time he woke up from his nap until 9:30 at night. We jumped in the bouncy house, played in the pool, played with friends, and ate lots of cookies. I have to say his favorite part of the day was probably pushing Sofia's baby and stroller around. He probably pushed that stroller around for a good hour.

Mama' Favorite Recent Photos

2009-05-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

   Fireman Jake
   Hanging with Mini Baxter
   Mr. Cool
   Mohawk man
   Devourer of watermelon

The Big Race

2009-05-02T16:25:00.001-07:00

   My running buddy
   Happy To Be Done!!!
   One Happy Mama!

Today was a big day for me. I had decided to set a goal for myself this year to run a half marathon. I trained pretty hard for the last six weeks to get ready. 13.1 miles is a long way to run. Luckily, I immediately made a friend named Uschi. She pulled me along through all of our training runs convincing me I could do it. Even before the race today I was still worried that I wouldn't be able run the entire race. In the training group we only ran 11 miles. As you can imagine 2 more miles after running 11 seems a little daunting. Uschi was right, we made it with no problem and still felt strong at the end. Even though the rain started as we started and didn't stop it was very exciting for me to accomplish this goal. Not only did I accomplish my goal, but I was lucky to have Dan, Jake, Danny (my father in-law), and my big sister, Carrie, there to cheer me on. The picture above is of me right after I crossed the finish line and Jake jumped into my arms. I am truly one lucky mama!

Easter

2009-04-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

   Jake on the hunt.
   Mr. Bunny with Granny JoJo.
   Mama made cookies.
   Easter basket
   On the hunt again.

Easter was a ton of fun this year! Jake went on three easter egg hunts and got to meet the Easter bunny. I was sure the Easter bunny was going to be just like Santa Claus, but it wasn't. In fact, Jake was following him everywhere. The hunts were lots of fun and Jake called the eggs balls. You can see how that could be a little bit confusing. He magically got a mini Baxter(a small version of his favorite bunny) in his Easter basket which he was very excited about. Jake also figured out that he really likes jelly beans and chocolate.

Playing Ball

2009-03-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today we went outside to enjoy the longer day and the sun. Jake hasn't been feeling well and we haven't been out much. So, why not take advantage of daylight savings? We played tee-ball with Jake's good buddy Peter. It was really cute. They were working on taking turns and sharing. Neither one of them were thrilled with the idea, but they managed. I was surprised by how well they did taking turns. Peter definitely understood how to use the bat. Jake knew you were supposed to hit the ball, but he wasn't very particular about which end of the bat he used.

Adorable!

2009-03-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

Here is Jake trying to be a big man like Papa. He is even wearing his hat backwards just like Papa. How can you resist a smile like this?

Watch Out Lance

2009-02-16T15:17:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we rode our bikes downtown with our good friends the Ouicks to see the Amgen Tour. It was a cold and windy day, but we got to see some amazing riders. Of course being the bad momma that I am I forgot my camera, but the Quicks remembered theirs. So, you can see some cute photos of Jake and Sofia if you click on their blog. Jake took a little nap at the beginning of the race, but he was awake for the big name riders. So, Lance and the others better watch out because Jake and Sofia were taking notes. Although, I am not sure we want Jake or Sofia in a sport with such rampant drug use and so many crashes.

In Papa's Boots

2009-02-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

Recently Jake has decided it is fun to put on our shoes and try to walk around. Somehow he has even managed to put on Dan's work boots and walk around. Dan's boots are pretty heavy not to mention not easy to get on. It is really cute though, Jake wants to be like his Papa.

The Budding Artist

2009-02-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

Jake has really started to enjoy coloring. Yes, we sometimes miss the paper. Yes, sometimes it is more fun to stand on the paper. Yes, playing with the box is fun too. Good thing crayola started making washable crayons. Anyway, artwork will be sold to the highest bidders!

Time To Catch UP

2009-02-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

It has been a little while since I have had a chance to write down everything that has been happening with Jake. In the last few weeks Jake has had pink eye, gotten four new teeth(with another on the way), and a new shoe size. Jake is almost out of the baby shoe section at Nordstrom's. He also no longer has to stand on things to see out our windows. His little legs just seem to get longer and longer everyday. I can't believe how fast things change with him.

He is picking up words left and right. This morning we were walking through Target and one of the sales people said, "Good morning." Immediately Jake looks at her and says, "Good morning." I just stood there in shock looking at my little man. Yes he was probably just copying her, but I was definitely shocked. Some words he is just copying, but a few have entered his vocabulary. Jake has melted both of his grandma's hearts by saying the word grandma. The word down has made it's appearance and unfortunately so has the word mine. Dan and I have really tried to avoid this word in our own conversations, but some how it has arrived anyway. It is amazing how many things he has picked up so quickly.

Froggy Fun

2009-01-11T19:50:00.000-08:00

   The Tent
   Is it comfy?
   Hanging out

  This weekend Jake has not been feeling well. We have had a few sleepless nights and a lot of hanging around the house. He was getting kind of bored with the regular toys(hard to believe when he has so many). So, I got him this cute frog tent at Target. As soon as we got it up he headed straight inside. From set up until bedtime we have been in and out of it all night. Of course we read a few books in it too.

Snow Day

2009-01-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

   Sledding minus the sled
   Checking out the snow with mom.
   The stay puff marshmallow man
   Fun with Dad

Yesterday we headed up to the snow for our last chance at vacation fun before I have to go back to work. Our good buddies very kindly shared their snow gear with us so we didn't have to buy as much at REI. We drove up to Yuba Gap to the snow park, but we didn't have the right permit to get in. Then we headed back to Nyack road where our friends the Quicks had been a few weeks earlier. It was absolutely perfect for Jake. It was sunny and beautiful out. A little cold for mom's taste, but at least it wasn't foggy. Jake loved watching the other people sledding and having snowball fights. He thought it was pretty fun throwing a few too. Then he did a little sledding of his own minus the sled. He thought that was great fun. All in all, it was a great introduction to the snow.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T20:01:00.000-08:00

Very cool new bath toy that light up when it hits the water.
Fun in the tub!

Happy New Year! Today I was a very lucky mom. I got to spend the whole day with Jake. We read tons of books, did a little shopping, and played some games. It was wonderful to get to have so much fun with him. Not a bad way to start the new year. 2008 was a great year for us. We had a lot of firsts-first steps and first words(Mama). The list could go on and on. I am really looking forward to what the new year will bring. One of my many goals for this year is to be better about blogging. So, here is my first blog and the first pictures of the new year.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

   Cutest Santa Ever!
   Playing with Sofia
   Playing with Peter
   Christmas Eve with Great Grandma
   Happy little man Christmas morning!
   Basketball hoop from Santa
   A stocking bigger than Jake
   A big bulldozer from Grandpa Ronnie
   Cousin Sammie feeding baby Jake-too cute!

Hello everyone! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. We have had many many celebrations with all of our families. In fact, I think we are up to six, but I lost count somewhere. Don't get me wrong we are very lucky to have so many wonderful people to share the holidays with, but we are kind of on Christmas overload. Here are a few pictures of all the great events.

Did You Say Pie?

2008-12-05T05:48:00.002-08:00

Thanksgiving was relaxing and very low key this year. We had a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner. Jake found a new favorite food. He absolutely loved the pumpkin pie and the whipped cream! Granny Jo Jo was kind enough to share hers with him, but he wasn't really thrilled about the sharing. Watch his eyes and mouth in the video very closely especially when Granny Jo Jo dares to take her own bite.

Halloween Then and Now

2008-11-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Little Stinker 2007

   The Lion 2008
   Jake's first jack o' lantern.
   What a difference a year makes. Last year we had to prop Jake up on the couch to get his picture in his costume. This year we had to chase him around, because he is just so fast. It was hard to keep him still long enough to get a picture taken. He definitely has his own agenda these days. Now that he is feeling better he has no interest in sitting still unless there is a book involved.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Pirate friends

   Pretty Piggies
   Adorable Lions
   Lions need their Papas too!
   It's good to be a lion!
   Jake was an incredibly good sport yesterday. He wore his lion costume with no complaints. As you can see he was absolutely adorable! We had a great time with our good friends from the neighborhood. The Quicks had a fantastic party with great food and wine. Sophia was a great sport about sharing her toys. Jake spent most of the night playing with the toys in Sofia's room. We had a great time!

Catching Up

2008-10-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

So much is happening and so quickly. Everyday Jake learns something new and amazes me. It is hard to get it all down and I do not want to forget. So here are a few things that have happened lately.

1. Jake has taken to walking around the room holding a framed picture of himself. He smiles and gives his picture lots of kisses. Who can blame him? He is absolutely adorable.

2. Jake has become quite good at getting his point across, literally. He points from his chest to whatever he wants then back and forth. He will continue to do this until you clue in.

3. While he has not been feeling well Jake has wanted to do nothing but read books. We have read books nonstop for several days. In fact, we read the same books over and over. I swear he is saying something that is very close to "this one" and "again" when he is handing us books. Of course I am pretty sure he is brilliant.

4. Dan says Jake is writing his first novel. He often reads to us too. I have been trying for weeks to get video of him reading, but he stops as soon as the camera comes out. Dan says chapter one is called Do Do Do. Chapter two is called Dooey Dooey. I am sure chapter three will be coming soon.

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

We had a fun filled Saturday. We started our fun at Lilyana's birthday party. Jake had a great time playing with all of Lily's toys and she was a very good sport about it. She was an absolutely adorable birthday girl. Check out her blog to see the great pictures of her fun party.

After the party we went to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm. It was late in the afternoon and Jake wasn't feeling very good so we didn't stay very long. While we were there we took a little ride on the train and hunted out the perfect pumpkin. As we were leaving Jake found a cute little pumpkin just his size. He did not want to let go of it. He held it the whole way home, even while he was sleeping.

Poor Maggie!

2008-10-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

It is not often that we say Poor Maggie and mean it. We often say it when we are kidding about our poor neglected and abused dog, who is really spoiled rotten. Anyway, we really mean it this time. Maggie has become Jake's ladder to climb up on the couch and the chair. We often see him step right on her face in order to climb up. Maggie, being the good natured beast that she is just takes it and doesn't complain. It is her boy after all. Last week Jake was pulling her whiskers on her face. He thought it was really funny, Maggie not so much. Even though it was probably hurting her she very gently pushed his hand away with her paw several times. It is funny to think that people are so scared of her they cross the street to get away. She really is just a big baby!

1 Year Photos

2008-09-25T20:36:00.001-07:00

Here are a few of the great shots Erica took of Jake. Dan and I were not expecting to be in the pictures, but she took a few good shots of the three of us. Hard to believe he was cranky and napless when you look at these. Does every mother think her child is this adorable?

Favorite Photos

2008-09-23T20:39:00.001-07:00

     First smiles
In Papa's chair
   Maggie kisses!
   My two favorite men

Last week we took Jake to get some 1 year pictures taken by our good friend Erica. It probably wasn't the best day. We had been going all day long and Jake missed his afternoon nap. Needless to say our little man wasn't the happy go lucky guy we all know and love. Yes it is true, Jake was fussy(I know some of you don't believe it, but it happens). Anyway, we got some great shots and I can't wait to share them with you. Look for them, they will be coming soon. Until then here are some old photos that we love.

Watch Out World Here He Comes

2008-09-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jake started walking. He took 7 steps. We are all very proud of him. I am slightly embarrassed, I have turned into one of those mom's who has to show everyone her adorable son. I took my camera to school so I could show everyone Jake's first steps(They all very kindly watched and said sweet things). It is strange, in one way I am very happy that Jake is walking, but on the other hand it is kind of sad that our little man is getting so big so fast. We have gone from not walking to seven steps in a row. So, watch out world here he comes!

We Almost Have Lift Off!

2008-09-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

Jake is getting so close to walking (Of course I have been saying that all summer). This week he has started walking longer distances while holding onto someone's hands. He has even started to boss around his Grammy telling her to get up so he can practice walking. He grabs her by the hands and points to where he wants to go. This weekend he started being able to walk holding on to one hand. There have even been a few sightings of one or two steps, before he realizes what he is doing and decides to crawl. Before we know it he will be running. Anyway, we got some video of him practicing with Granny JoJo.

Here is a cute picture with Papa too.

Sleeping with Baxter

2008-08-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

Jake has a buddy named Baxter. Baxter is always in his crib with him along with his blanket. I love the way he sleeps with his little but in the air and snuggling with Baxter. Many times when we have put Jake down to sleep we will hear talking coming from the other room. It seems as though Jake likes to have chats with Baxter. The only thing we can really recognize is Maggie's name. So, Jake has a lot to say about her. I can only imagine that he is describing to Baxter how Maggie has chewed up the latest toy or licked him one time to many.

Times Change

2008-08-17T20:01:00.001-07:00

Now

Then

Times have changed. Earlier this year Sofia was learning to walk while Jake got to lounge and enjoy the ride. Now, Sofia was kind enough to let Jake push her around while he is practicing his walking skills. They are so cute(not at all biased)! It is hard to believe they have grown so much in such a short period of time.

San Francisco

2008-08-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

On Thursday and Friday we headed over to San Francisco. It is probably our favorite place to visit. Dan and I have been there hundreds of times. We would go shopping, taste wines at the wine bar(our favorite), and eat out at all the new happening places. Well times have changed. Now we hang out at the park and go to places like the zoo in between naps. Not quite the same as the old days, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Our visit to the zoo was lots of fun. Jake loved the flamingos and we got to see the new baby tigers. My favorite part was the visit to the family farm. Inside the farm are machines to buy food to feed the billy goats. Some of the billy goats are bullies who wait around below the machines to get food. Well, they are not very polite. There is a big one who kept bumping Dan in the back of his legs while he was trying to get the food out. Then he followed Dan around bumping him some more. Dan of course would not give that bossy billy goat any food. I took video of this event and laughed the whole time, unfortunately I am technologically challenged and took the video sideways. I am including it today, please forgive my video taking skills.

Camping

2008-08-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

This week Jake got his first taste of roughing it in the great outdoors. We spent three days at beautiful Pinecrest Lake, about 30 miles above Sonora. We arrived and set up camp, preparing to brave the elements and live off of the land. So we set up the tent, complete with aero-bed and florescent lantern. We unloaded the food, wine, snacks, camp chairs, etc.--you know roughing it. We had time to make some burgers, grilled over our camp fire, with a salad and a little wine. We then headed over to the outdoor amphitheater to have some popcorn and watch Wall-E with a bunch of other campers. Jake only made it through about the first half of the movie, but it did start at 8:30 pm. On Wednesday as we were headed over to the lake we realized we had made a serious error packing the car and arrived without a camera. Sorry but this entry will be sans photos. I know this is a serious faux pas during the times of HD Video blogs and such so please forgive my sloppy prose. We went to the lake and Jake got to play in the shallow area of the lake. The water felt a little cool to Meg but Jake didn't seem to mind. Jake had fun splashing around and socializing with some of the other kids. I was really kicking myself for leaving the cameras at home. The next day we went on a nice hike around the lake, part of which Jake slept through. After coming back to camp for lunch, and another nap for Jake, we went down to the Marina for some soft-serve ice cream. We went out for Pizza in Cold Springs (Population 100) and headed back to the campsite. We made it back to civilization today after a few rough days in the wild. Pinecrest Lake is a place with fond childhood memories for both Meg and me. We both spent many summer vacations there as kids and we may very well have been there at the same time but not meeting until later. It was a yearly tradition in my family and we always took friends with us. It was so much fun to have a big group there enjoying the lake. We decided this would be a good tradition for Jake as well but we would love to have a bigger group join us next year so keep a few days open next summer.

The Party Animal-1st Birthday Party

2008-07-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy

The Pool

The cupcake all over me and mommy!

Auntie Carrie's artwork

The presents

More presents!

On Saturday we had Jake's 1st birthday at Granny Jo Jo's house. Our lucky little man was surrounded by all the people who love him. Family and friends(family to us) came from far and wide to be here for Jake's big day. People came from Laguna Beach, Mariposa, Manteca, and Escalon. He may not understand how lucky he is to have so many people love and adore him, but we do.

The party was a big success, even though it was really hot(good thing it was a pool party!) Auntie Carrie made the most adorable shark cupcakes, we played in the pool, ate lots of food(great orzo salad Sarah), opened presents, and had yummy dessert. The best part was being with all the people we love.

Jake's Birthday

2008-07-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

So, okay there has been a little delay after our blog began--mid-year resolution is to be better about that. Today is Jake's 1st birthday and, while Jake doesn't seem to get the milestone yet, we couldn't be happier. Saturday will be the big party but today we still had to do the birthday thing on his birthday. Jake tried to put out the candle with his hand but he didn't need any help with the cake. Not too much ended up on the floor for Maggie to take care of.

Welcome

2008-04-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Ross Family Trio Blog. We are new to this but we're going to give it a go. I thought this might be a good picture to start with, you can't beat hanging out with Jake on the beach. Currently we're watching Jake trying to crawl but the way he lifts himself up I think he might walk first. His bottom two teeth are in and the top two are peeking through. I'll do my best to get some up to date pictures and video on here.