December 2012

Li'l J's limo ride and pizza party

Li'l J started off December 2012 with a limo ride to Peter Piper Pizza where he enjoyed a pizza party.  Li'l J qualified to participate in this activity by being a high seller in the annual cookie dough fundraiser at the beginning of the school year. Li'l J and the other students that earned this reward had a great time!

Our little singing C-sta

The weekend following Li'l J's pizza party, C-sta and her preschool class got to sing at our town's annual holiday festival. It's the first time in all the year's we've lived here that we attended and we were very impressed. There were lots of performers, vendor's, arts and crafts booth, and tasty food all around. A mound of snow was hauled in for the kids to play in and there were even a few entertaining chihuahua races.

The middle of the month flew by as we prepared for Christmas. Decorations began to go up all around our house; the kids participated in their school Christmas concerts; and I turned another year older.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

BFF's O & A baking cookies. 

Happy, Happy Birthday Z!

The weekend prior to Christmas we packed up and drove down to San Diego to cheer on BYU in the Poinsettia Bowl. We got to meet Cosmo at the pep rally before the game and then had a blast at the game (it helped that BYU won), and I even got to visit with a former roommate who happened to be sitting with her family in the section next to ours. It was fun to see her for a bit. The game was such fun to be at and we can't wait until we can go to another one!

C-sta helps us get packed up.

Bounce house and face painting at Cougar Town.

Pep rally with the BYU band and Cosmo.

At the game.

After the Poinsettia Bowl, we enjoyed exploring a couple beaches, visiting the historic Coronado Hotel on Coronado Island, the San Diego Temple to see the lights, and spending time with friends.

Exploring the beach on Coronado Island.

In the sand.

Gorgeous CA sunset on Coronado Island.

Historic Hotel del Coronado

San Diego Temple Lights

Li'l J and our friend H through the years. 

 While in San Diego we had lunch with H and her family.

Beautiful Oceanside Beach and Pier.

Family pics at the Pier.

M & Li'l J built a sand penguin.

Leaving Oceanside we saw this store--Zippy's store!

When we left Oceanside we headed up north a little ways to visit family in the L.A. area.  First stop, my Mom (G'ma Mijo) and Aunt A's. On the way to pick up lunch at a classic area stop, I took M on a little tour to show him the elementary and middle school's his Aunt A and I attended.  It was a great stroll down memory lane for me!

Campos: home of the yummiest Avocado burrito.

John Adams Middle School

Will Rogers Elementary School

After our visit in good ol' SM, we headed up to Great G'ma M's house to see her, G'pa S, G'ma S, Aunt C, and Uncle N. Christmas came a little early for our kiddos while we were there.

Thank you Great G'ma M!

Before leaving CA we took the kiddos to my dad's grave site. They hadn't been there since his funeral and so hadn't yet seen his headstone.

Visiting Papa Mijo's grave site.

On our return trip to AZ, my mama and sister A caravanned with us so we could all enjoy Christmas together.  After not having seen my mama and sister A for over a year, it was very nice to have a few days together!  More about Christmas 2012 in the next post.