Rainy with a Chance of Chocolate

Monday, January 18

Lots of rain and lots of chocolate. Peppermint Hot Chocolate from William Sonoma and Truffle Fudge Brownies from Trader Joes, make the most perfect Heavenly Chocolate pair. And along with a great friend, while we chat and listen to the pouring rain is even better. Before I tried them together, I figured it might be too much chocolate, but it definitely was not. I love brownies and will eat any put in front of me, but the Trader Joe Truffle Fudge Brownies are truly the best brownies ever.

39

What did I get for my birthday...
An Opteka fisheye lens that is on it's way from Amazon
A Disney Pass for this year
Nordstrom Gift Card
The Flu

Here's what 39 looks like


My little guy


Smiling for Grandma and Papa

Erin, My Favorite Model...

We had my 16 year old cousin come to stay for the weekend. Elliot loves her. I'm not sure if she loves playing "Go Dino" but she had fun watching him. And she is my perfect beautiful model. Erin is always up for taking pictures anywhere, anytime. This time we went to my favorite spot in San Juan Capistrano. San Juan is my favorite place in Southern California and while I was there a couple of weeks ago, I found the most perfect perfect picture place, a shaded brick area, with three archways that let in amazing light.

Now that I have kids, the idea of first and second cousins totally baffles me. Erin is my first cousin, so does that make her Elliot's second cousin or first cousin once removed. We'll just call her his cousin. And in the meantime I will go look up an email where my 5th(I think) cousin Justin explained it all.

Pictures from our perfect place...








She looks just like her Momma


Erin took these. She might be aphotographer in the making.






My smiley baby


My beautiful boy




All Elliot wanted to do was cross the train tracks and have piggy back rides.


A group picture from our night out barbecue at Steve Becker's House, while Erin and Auntie babysat. It was so nice seeing school friends. And Mark Magdaleno only lives a mile or two away from us in Long Beach.


We missed Samantha, Richard and Martha.

Sunny California- I love it!

More than anything, I love that we get to wear shorts in January. I know it isn't everyday. But we always have at least one heat wave, every year in January. We are so lucky to never have to shovel snow or wear big unflattering coats, and bundle kids up like the little boy in The Christmas Story, who can't put his arms down at his side, because he has so many layers on.

Alex wearing his first shorts outfit, and it's January 5!


I hear England is having their coldest winter in over 100 years.

Childhood Illnesses...

Make me crazy. I feel like the mother bear who is protecting her cub. I am one of the biggest germaphobes that I know. It drives people nuts that I won't go places if it means my children may be exposed to something. But really it does no good, because we still get sick. Elliot has had colds, flus, Hand foot and mouth disease and now Roseola. This stuff sends me into a tail spin. I cannot handle the anxiety that any sign of sickness in Elliot creates in me. I then stress and worry for days about whether or not Alex will come down with the same thing. The one thing that would keep me sane is to know my children will not catch the next bug that is going around.

Now I know Roseola is the reason for this attitude. He wasn't feeling well.



Now, I hope these cutie pies don't get it since we were with them the day Elliot first got sick.

Hopes, Dreams and Wishes for 2010

Happy and Healthy Children.
Alone time with Lee.
An extended RV trip around the country.
To see friends and family I haven't seen for years.
More time for my hobbies.
Better Organization of our house and my life.
More Lenses of course.
An iphone.
More good times with all of my best girl friends.
An organized computer.
A girls weekend, or better yet a girls week, away to do nothing but photo editing and picture taking.

2009

If 2009 was defined by anything it would be my friends and my new baby. I have so many great memories of time spent with so many wonderful ladies and their kids. And most of that time was while I was pregnant with (at first twins), my sweet little baby boy. We spent so much time at the beach and the parks or just playing at each others houses. And I am so grateful for everybody's love, support and understanding while I grew very large and couldn't always handle the trials that Elliot threw at me. I never knew I could get so big. We ate lots of brownies and Steph's famous black bean and cream cheese dip, along with drinking many many cases of Diet Coke. As a group the one thing we probably could not survive without is Diet Coke.

Thank you all for such a fabulous year!!! I love you.


Top 10 best things of the year
10. My Mini Mini Van. I always wanted back sliding doors.
9. Huntington Library.
8. My Disney Pass and our many trips to The Happiest Place on Earth.
7. A visit from The Cooper Grandparents.
6. Trip to Catalina.
5. OC Fair for the Duran Duran concert, and also the KC and the Sunshine Band Concert with, also pregnant Samantha. And of course the food while we were there. The chocolate covered strawberries were probably the fave for this year.
4 1/2. Vegas road trip to see the amazing Beatles Love show, and eat in yummy buffets.
4. Summer playdates of fun and photography, and great moments with Elliot.
3. Family Vacation to San Diego and Disneyland.
2. 8th Wedding Anniversary.
1. Sweet Baby Alex.

Alex Collin Cooper