29,000 people and a million butterflies

Connor's Prayer

2012-01-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

Every time we sit down to eat I ask, "Who wants to pray?" Normally, Dillon volunteers and prays the prayer he learned in preschool, which is:

"Thank you Jesus for mommies, daddies, teachers, and friends. Amen."

A few weeks ago, Connor spoke up and said he wanted to pray. His prayer was:

"Thank you Jesus for Mommy, Daddy, and Dillon's teachers and friends. Amen."

The Nixon Adventures in 2011

2012-01-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011

2011-12-30T19:55:00.000-08:00

Below are pictures from our Christmas season.

Brenna loves her Great Grandma Dede. The two spent a lot of time "calling" each other on Brenna's play phone.

Six grandkids all ready to have a slumber party with Grandma Sharon. The four older ones got to stay up late one night to watch Cars 2.

For the past few months, since we watched all six movies together, Dillon and Connor have been obsessed with Star Wars. Dillon loved getting some action figures and a Bubba Fett gun (not pictured) from Uncle Jason.

Connor couldn't believe that Uncle Jason got him the Millennium Falcon.

We celebrated Christmas at Grandma Barbara's house on Thursday, where Bradley and Connor had a great time on the see saw.

The feast at Grandma's was, as always, delicious. We ate a very southern Christmas dinner, chicken fried steak.

Friday night was spent at Grandma Dede and Pops' house. Brenna had already become a present unwrapping expert and tore through her gifts with unexpected efficiency.

Someone got so excited over opening Christmas presents that they had a hard time controlling their bladder. (Just kidding, Brenna spilled her water in the funniest place possible.)

The next day we opened presents and stockings at Papa and Grandma Sharon's house. Grandma Sharon stuffs their stockings so full that she needs to hold them to the mantle with 50 pound weights.

Connor, Kaleb, and Dillon watching Toy Story 2.

Christmas Eve we drove back to Sonora in time for Santa to bring Brenna her doll stroller (the doll was courtesy of Aunt Terri) and the boys light sabers.

Christmas day we went to church and then to Papa and Grammy's house. There the boys and Trent honed their light saber skills with epic battles against the dreaded Darth Vader.

The Cummings had a few friends over and we sang Christmas carols before we opened gifts. I belted out the chorus to "We Three Kings".

One of their gifts included some balloons all the way from Japan. They were quite a hit, so much so that we had to put them away just to get the kids to finish opening their presents.

Of course, like every year, the kids got too many gifts.

One of Trent's favorite things to do is come over and play "yegos" at our house. So Dillon made Trent his own Lego figure and put it in with his present. Trent didn't let the figure get out of his line of sight the rest of the night.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Below is our Christmas card along with the Cummings' Christmas card for 2011.

Mission Impossible

2011-11-27T17:23:00.000-08:00

Good idea: Taking a picture for your Christmas card right before Thanksgiving.

Bad idea: Taking a picture for your Christmas card right before nap time.

Imagination

2011-11-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

Connor's new favorite thing is pretending the trash can is his car. He would "drive" all day if we didn't need the can to put our trash in. He does this even though he has toy cars to ride around the house.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T21:38:00.001-07:00

Brenna went as our little lady bug. She wasn't too sure about trick or treating at first but then she realized she got candy nothing couldn't hold her back.

The boys are obsessed with pirates right now thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and Lego video game. They both thought they were Captain Jack Sparrow.

Before I took this picture I asked who wanted candy. Brenna didn't seem to care since she already had a sucker.

At school today, Dillon was able to wear his costume and was part of the Kindergarten parade. His buddy Caden went as Peter Pan.

We had a few people over to our house tonight since our neighborhood is one of the handfuls in Tuolumne County that gets trick-or-treaters. James and Bryan came as mustard and ketchup, just don't ask me why the ketchup is wearing a dollar sign necklace.

We took a picture of everyone in the group who dressed up. A fun time was had by all walking the neighborhood and passing out candy.

Maroon 7 Soccer

2011-10-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Video highlights from Dillon's first year of soccer on his team, Maroon 7.

GOOOOAAAALLLL

2011-10-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

In the last game of the season, Dillon scored his first goal. Coach James drew up the perfect play on an indirect kick, allowing Dillon to sink one into the back of the net.

Happy 3rd Birthday Connor

2011-10-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Dillon: The Soccer Star

2011-09-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Dillon played in his first soccer game yesterday on his team, The Maroon 7.

He was very excited to play in a game. The team had been practicing for three weeks, running drills, learning basics, and scrimmaging.

The team didn't have a coach so Christina decided she would lead the team. She is getting help from James, who is putting his soccer expertise to good use.

Dillon did a great job for his first game. At one point, he and a teammate had a breakaway but his shot on goal was wide right.

Unfortunately, The Maroon 7 lost this well fought battle 3-1. With five games left, Dillon is confident they will get a win.

First Day of School

2011-08-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Today was Dillon's first day of kindergarten at Soulsbyville Elementary. Below are pictures from his monumental day.

Dillon demanded that the first picture I took was of his Batman backpack. He has had his pencils, crayons, and erasers in there for a week in anticipation of the big day.

On Monday we went to his class for an open house/orientation. He was excited that his teacher had a Lego table.

Dillon and his best bud Caden. The two have spent a lot of time together at pre-school, Sunday School, and the park. They have different teachers but both couldn't wait to play together on the playground.

Dillon was one of the first of his classmates to get to school today. The Soulsbyville tradition is to hang your backpack outside of your classroom and go to the playground until the bell rings. Dillon did just that. However, it should be noted that the yard duty talked to him for climbing on the slide. School hadn't even started and he was already trouble.

When the bell rung, all the classes lined up. Dillon had no problem saying goodbye to us.

His first day of school was a success. Dillon's highlights were the teacher reading them a book, getting a cookie for a snack, and recess. Thankfully there were no tears, unless you count the ones Mom shed as we drove away from the school this morning.

Memories of Mum

2011-08-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon the Nixon family saw their matriarch pass from this earth. Mum, as she was called by us great grandkids, was almost 96 years old. Below are some pictures, new and old, of my great grandmother followed by some of my fondest memories of her.

Two weeks ago, the last time we were in Shafter, we went by and saw Mum. Thankfully I remembered my camera. Dillon wasn't to sure about sitting on her lap, so he posed for the picture next to her.

This picture of Kaleb and Mum is too cute.

Papa was happy that he was able to get a picture with his six grandkids and his grandmother.

Mum holding a 2 and 1/2 month old Connor and 2 and 1/2 year old Dillon, Christmastime 2008. Click here for another picture from that visit.

Five generations of Nixons taken when Dillon was one month old.

I am not sure when this picture of my Dad and Mum was taken but early 2000s would be my guess.

I don't remember seeing Mum out of her house except for special occasions like weddings and the annual Nixon Christmas party.

The context of this picture is unknown, but I like to think that Mum just cracked a joke about my Dad's pants not being long enough.

Though having these pictures are great, it's my memories with her that I will cherish the most. I will always remember:

Her house on 1st Street.
There always being a cold soda in her fridge and ice cream in her freezer.
Her evil/overly protective poodle Josh.
The motor-home in the backyard.
Her laugh.
Watching my Dad mow her yard.
Riding my bike across town so I could mow her yard.
Her telling me she would "Whoop me" if I didn't let her pay me for mowing her yard.
Visiting her on a weekly basis with my parents. (This is one of the greatest things my parents taught me that I hope to pass along to our children.)
Listening to the family gossip. She was the central hub of Nixon related information.
The family picture of all her grandchildren taken in the 1970's and the wooden paneling on her walls from the same era (see picture above for both).
Never wanting to play in the back two bedrooms because they creeped me out. There was no logical explanation for this.
Her fireplace keeping the house a toasty 90 degrees in the winter.
Pictures of her great grandkids on the fireplace mantel.
The Ford Mustang.
Her love for all her family.
Giving her a hug goodbye as she sat in her chair.
Giving her that final hug goodbye two weeks ago.

I consider myself blessed that I was able to know a great grandmother for thirty years. I am even more blessed that Josephine Nixon was that great grandmother. We love you and will miss you Mum.

Please feel free to post your favorite memory of Mum in the comments.

Country Girl

2011-07-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is quickly becoming a cute toddler. Every time Christina changes Brenna's clothes, Brenna has to run to me to show them off. I respond the same way every time, "How beeeaaauuutiful Sis!" She then flashes me her biggest grin.

When she came to me last night I couldn't resist putting this cowgirl hat on her while she was wearing those cute overalls.

As you can tell from these pictures, she is also turning into quite the ham for the camera saying "Cheese" the whole time. The days of playing dress up with her are closing in on us.

Dillon's Birthday Video

2011-06-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Dillon's 5th Birthday

2011-06-14T20:16:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday was Dillon's 5th birthday. It's hard to believe that five years ago our lives changed forever. Grandma Sharon, Papa, and Granny Barbara came up to visit the morning of the 9th.

On Friday all of us, except for Brenna, went to Yosemite for the day. Dillon was excited when we saw the deer behind him.

It may be hard to tell from this picture, but the falls were amazing. Thanks to all the snowfall this winter and the warm weather last week, Yosemite falls was breathtaking.

On Saturday we had Dillon's birthday party at the park. Of course Grandma Sharon had to make a special cake for Dillon. He was having a super hero themed party so he picked a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle as his cake.

There was also a pinata at the party thanks to Uncle James and Aunt Michelle.

Dillon's pals from pre-school and church helped to sing happy birthday to him. Notice the awesome Spiderman cupcakes, another Grandma Sharon special.

Uncle James also provided all the kids with a Soccer Shots shirt and ball. Thank you to all who came to the party, sent presents, and/or wished Dillon a happy birthday.

Call Me Sis Pie, Not Cow Pie

2011-05-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much different girls are from boys. At 15 months, Dillon and Connor only wanted to play with tractors and cars. But Brenna loves walking around with her stuffed animals. Her favorite is the cow below.

She loves calling her cow "Baby" and randomly walks up to it to give it a hug.

Now that the weather is nice we got a chance to dress her in the cow dress that Aunt Terri got for Brenna. I might be a bit biased but I think she looks udder-ly moo-velous in it.

Brenna's hair in the last few months has really started to grow. She still has a bit of a baby mullet, but the top and sides are finally are adding volume.

Table Topper

2011-04-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last week Brenna learned a new trick, much to her parents dismay. She was playing by her high chair and when I looked up, she was up on the kitchen table playing with the salt and pepper shakers. I think Dillon and Connor taught her how to climb.

Play Ball

2011-03-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Evans for my awesome birthday jersey. Now I will have something to wear when I go to AT&T Park to watch the Dodgers beat the Giants. Go Blue!

Disneyland Trip 2011

2011-03-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

Back in April of 2009 I vowed we would never return to Disneyland with children under the age of three. Last week, after much prodding from my parents, I broke that promise.

Even though the weather wasn't the best, we encountered rain on two of the four days in the park, we had a great time. Dillon had a blast and was tall enough to go on Space Mountain and the Tower of Terror with me. (He didn't enjoy either one.) Connor liked all the characters as long as he could view them from afar. (We did manage to get him close enough for pictures.) Brenna was mesmerized by A Small World. Christina and I relished every moment we could sit down.

All three kids enjoyed spending time with Papa, Grandma Sharon, Uncle Larry, and all five of the Morgans. It was also nice to have a 1:1 adult to child ratio. However, I am declaring once again, we are not going back to Disneyland until after Brenna has turned four. Until that time, the kids can relive their trip with the video below.

One Year Stats

2011-02-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Brenna had her one year old check up this week. She continues to be off the charts for her height and is in the 95th percentile for her weight. Below are her stats along with the boys at the same age:

Brenna: 32 3/4 inches and 26 pounds 5 ounces

Connor: 35 1/2 inches and 25 pounds 10 ounces (Note: Connor was 3 months late for his one year old checkup)

Dillon: 31 inches and 22 pounds 8 ounces

Ride 'Em, Cowboy

2011-02-20T18:25:00.001-08:00

Tonight, Connor came out of his room self-dressed as a cowboy, riding Bullseye, and saying, "Giddy up. Giddy up." He sure knows how to make me smile.

----------------
Now playing: Brooks & Dunn - Boot Scootin' Boogie
via FoxyTunes

Brenna's 1st Birthday Party

2011-02-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, family gathered in celebration of Brenna's first birthday. Not everyone was able to join us due to sickness but we had a good time nonetheless. Below are pictures:

Brenna was greeted by a hand-made poster and a lot of hugs and kisses from the family.

Following the family tradition, Grandma Sharon made Brenna her own cake. The pink Care Bear was made with love and a few hours of arthritis inducing icing of the cake.

All that hard work of putting together the cake didn't stop Brenna from diving right in. As soon as Christina let go of her hand, she reached straight for that icing.

I could tell you she liked it, but the picture speaks volumes.

Once all the pictures were taken, the boys were allowed to help Brenna eat the cake...

...along with Otis.

Present opening was next. Of course, she got more toys and clothes than a one year should have gotten.

Daddy loves his birthday girl. It's hard to believe our little girl turned one and we can't wait to see what the next year will bring for her.

Happy Birthday Brenna

2011-02-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

A year ago we welcomed the sweetest baby girl into our family. Now she is running it. Happy birthday Sis Pie!

For Uncle Jason

2011-01-19T19:48:00.000-08:00

It didn't turn out in the picture due to the white lettering on a pink sweatshirt, but Brenna is also wearing Dodger gear.

----------------
Now playing: U2 - Sweetest Thing
via FoxyTunes

Just Brenna

2011-01-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little girl is about to turn one in a few weeks. To honor that, here are a few pictures of her.

Her hair has grown enough for Christina to put a pigtail or two in. Christina has begun to have fun dressing Brenna up in cute outfits, putting in pigtails and taking her out on the town.

She loves showing off the new hairdo. Brenna has also become quite the walker. She has decided she wants to keep up with her brothers and chases around after them in that cute just-beginning-to-walk way.

Don't let the cute smile and new pigtails fool you. Brenna can still be ornery to her brothers, constantly try to tip over Otis' water bowl, pull trash out of the bag, grab every remote in the house, and push any electronic button within her reach. But none of us would trade our little Sis Pie for anything else.

----------------
Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - Dreamgirl
via FoxyTunes

Christmas 2010 Highlights

2010-12-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

This year's Christmas was up and down. The lowlights included: an accident in Oklahoma kept my aunt and uncle from making the trip to Shafter, a death in our extended family, flooding at my parents house, and the Browns moving from California to Oklahoma.

But these things did not keep us from enjoying our time with the family. The highlights included:

Brenna napping with her Papa.

Brenna enjoying her first Christmas. Like the boys before her, she was more interested in the paper and boxes then the gifts themselves.

Connor finally understanding the idea of getting gifts. He was able to remember what people gave him and got excited each time we were opening presents.

Dillon getting an enormous amount of Legos. On top of what he got as gifts, I was able to find my old Legos that were being stored at my parents' house which will add to his massive collection.

Santa's little helper not wearing her Santa hat that went with her Christmas dress.

Jason really liking his Robin shirt Christina got him. So much so that he made Jonathan wear his Batman shirt so he could take this picture.

Uncle Larry giving me this Lakers warmup jacket. I know it pains him (as a Suns fan) to have to buy anything Lakers but he was a good sport about it.

On a side note, I don't have any pictures from Christmas with the Cummings because I left my camera at home and have not gotten the pictures taken with Michelle's camera. I will be posting those highlights after the first of the year.

Merry Christmas

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

Sneak Preview

2010-12-23T22:26:00.000-08:00

Here is an early look at a present that Dillon, Connor, and Brenna are giving to their cousins Taylor, Kaleb, and Bradley.

One Proud Dad

2010-12-19T21:20:00.000-08:00

Last night I was watching Ken Burn's updated Baseball: The Tenth Inning documentary and Dillon sat down next to me. I was already beaming in delight from him showing an interest without me prompting him, when Dillon turned to me and said, "Daddy, I want to be a baseball player when I grow up." It gave me a lump the size of a baseball in my throat.

Later that night, long after the movie was over, Dillon and I had the following conversation:

Dillon: "I like that baseball song."

Me: "What baseball song? How does it go?"

Dillon: "O say can we see, at the Dodgers we like"

By the way, I highly recommend the Ken Burns full baseball documentary if you are a baseball fan. It is very long, but very entertaining and informative.

Busted

2010-11-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

The laundry basket was full when I left the room. I say Brenna was making a mess, Christina counters that she was helping her sort the colors.

----------------
Now playing: Coldplay - Trouble
via FoxyTunes

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Every year as a family, we try to alternate Christmas and Thanksgiving between Shafter and Sonora. Thanksgiving this year was spent in Sonora.

We ate at the Cummings house, who also had a couple other families over for the feast. The guy in the green sweatshirt came all the way from Japan. He was James' host parent when he lived in Japan.

Connor enjoyed spending time with his cousin Trent. They spent some of their weekend watching Thomas the Train...

...while Brenna enjoyed eating all the mash potatoes she could handle.

We also celebrated Trent's second birthday. Aunt Christina made him a special Thomas cake.

And finally the boys helped Grammy and Papa put up their Christmas tree. A few ornaments were broken and only the bottom half of the tree got decorated but they sure had fun helping.

Overall, it was a great weekend, except for the flu and cold that Christina and I caught. We are better now and are ready for the next big holiday.

----------------
Now playing: Caedmon's Call - Thankful
via FoxyTunes

Family Picture 2010

2010-11-27T11:04:00.000-08:00

Brenna's First Snow

2010-11-21T11:14:00.000-08:00

This morning we woke up to a dusting of snow, enough to play in. I am not sure how it went from 70 last week to snowing today but we all are enjoying it.

Brenna only stayed a few minutes outside, but it was long enough to memorialize the moment on film.

Dillon and Connor played for an hour in the snow. Connor was hesitant at first but loved when I got hit by one of Dillon's snowballs. Grandmas, no need to worry. Connor was wearing gloves most of the time but took them off right before I took this picture and we all went inside moments later.

Afterward, the boys had to cuddle under their blankets while Mom made them hot chocolate.

And here are the first snows for Connor and Dillon.

----------------
Now playing: U2 - White As Snow
via FoxyTunes

Chart Toppers

2010-11-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

On Monday Brenna and Connor had their 9 month and 2 year old appointments. Of course, if you do the math, each appointment was over a month past due.

Brenna weighed 23 pounds and 3 ounces (90th percentile) and measured 31 inches long (off the charts).

Connor weighed 31 pounds (75th percentile) and measured 36 and 1/2 inches (90th percentile).

----------------
Now playing: John Mayer - Bigger Than My Body
via FoxyTunes

Comic Con (and Dil) 2010

2010-11-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Last week Grandma Sharon and Papa visited and Grandma Sharon took advantage of the after Halloween costume sales. Dillon loved running around the house in his hero outfits and would do so all day if we let him. Connor, on the other hand, only wore his for a few minutes.

These two Supermans (Supermen?) are ready for flight. Their Kryptonite? Nap time.

Spiderman showed off his spidey skills by climbing up the door jam.

Brenna was amazed at her brothers super human talents.

For previous super hero adventures look here for Batman and here for Iron Man.

----------------
Now playing: Foo Fighters - There Goes My Hero
via FoxyTunes

Showtime

2010-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended the Lakers-Kings game with a few coworkers. Our local Rec Department was able to score nice tickets at a very good price. I forgot my camera but thankfully my coworker Ree was smart enough to bring hers to capture the night on film.

I could barely hold my excitement. Of course I was going to wear Lakers gear to the game and to my surprise, about half of the crowd in Sacramento decided to join me in donning a Laker jersey.

We got to the game early, which allowed us to watch the Lakers warm up. But my time observing Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol stretch was cut short because our group was picked to be a part of the "high five line" during introductions. This meant that we would be on the court when the Kings came out to warm up.

The downside of being picked was we all had to wear a Kings shirt. I was constantly harassing the Kings employee who was in charge of the high five line and joking I was going to trip Tyreke Evans as he ran through our line. (All you non-Laker fans get a good long hard look at me wearing this shirt because the picture will self-destruct once you leave this blog.)

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson's seat was by where we were standing so Ree got her picture snapped with him.

I tried my best to behave while on the court but I made sure to hide the Kings logo any time a picture was snapped.

Eventually the Purple and Gold bled through (along with that goofy look on my face) for a picture. And yes, that is my old school Eddie Jones rookie jersey. Take a walk down memory lane with these Eddie Jones dunks and this finger roll.

Finally, I couldn't leave the court without photo evidence that the shooter's toe was on the line. The game itself was great as the Lakers won 112-100 and Kobe notched is 17th career triple double.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Batman wearing his costume made by Grandma Sharon.

This little pumpkin loved eating candy.

Our little ballerina is getting ready to walk on her toes.

And if your interested in their previous Halloweens, here are 2009, 2008, and 2007.

----------------
Now playing: Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers
via FoxyTunes

Happy 2nd Birthday Connor

2010-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today, October 9, 2010

October 9, 2009

October 9, 2008

Oh Mobile Me, Oh My

2010-09-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday Brenna started crawling. Her attempts at mobility started a week and a half ago when she would get herself into a baby yoga pose, on all four and her diaper sticking towards the sky. Then she learned to lunge forward, falling on her chest as she tried to grab items just out of her reach. Finally she put it all together, slowly moving her hands and legs at the same time.

Brenna has been the quickest to crawl of three kids, just under seven months. Dillon was crawling at 9 and 1/2 months and Connor took 10 months to crawl.

Something tells me that having three kids just got a little bit tougher for us.

----------------
Now playing: Hootie & the Blowfish - She Crawls Away
via FoxyTunes

First Day of (Pre) School

2010-09-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

I am a week behind in getting this post up, but Dillon started pre-school last Tuesday. He is attending Safari Learning twice a week, going half days on Tuesday mornings and full days on Wednesdays.

On Tuesdays he gets to take his lunch pail, which makes him feel like a big kid. And Wednesdays are pizza days so he gets one of his favorite meals. The curriculum is outstanding as he has already started recognizing his letters and their accompanying sounds. We have even caught Dillon trying to teach Connor the alphabet.

Dillon ready for his first day of pre-school.

----------------
Now playing: Jackson 5 - ABC
via FoxyTunes

Brenna - 6 month checkup

2010-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Brenna had her six month checkup. She weighed 19 pounds and 6 ounces, which put her in the 90th percentile. Her length was 30 inches, which wasn't just off the charts but "way off the charts". For comparison here are all three kids at their six month checkups:

Dillon - 15 lbs 12 ounces, 27 inches
Connor - 18 lbs 2 ounces, 28 1/2 inches
Brenna - 19 lbs 6 ounces, 30 inches

The picture below was actually taken when she was five months but we just got from the photographer.

----------------
Now playing: John Mayer - Bigger Than My Body
via FoxyTunes

Vacation 2010

2010-08-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Below is a video I made of our vacation. Sorry, no bidets are in it.

SNL References

2010-08-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes art imitates life. Other times life imitates art. This last week on vacation I ran across the latter, twice.

The first happened when my Grandma was telling us about her trip to Georgia. The topic of Joshua's luscious locks came up. I joked that my aunt and uncle bought him the following:

Upon further review, I am now convinced that his hair IS a toupee. You can be the judge:

The second happened upon our check-in at the Madonna Inn. Christina and I had our first experience with a bidet in our room. Normally, this wouldn't have been a big deal and we would have viewed it as a nice touch in our room. However the skit below gave us a running joke for the week.

On an unrelated note, pictures and non-SNL details of our vacation will be posted soon.

----------------
Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - Funny The Way It Is
via FoxyTunes

Weekend Fun

2010-08-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we traveled down to Oakdale to have a BBQ at Bryan's house. The Evans joined us, along with James' dad and wife. Below are the pictures.

Auntie Cho (Michelle) playing cornhole with Dillon. Bryan's backyard runs up against the Stanislaus River, making for a great place to have a BBQ.

Connor and Trent wore matching baseball outfits. Glad that they were Dodger colors and not the Giants.

These two aren't quite old enough to play together, but they are good at running around.

No, James is not taking a nap. He is just notorious for having his eyes closed in pictures.

The three little ones couldn't resist sitting on the ATVs.

The mandatory group picture. Thanks Bryan for throwing a great BBQ.

----------------
Now playing: The Cars - Good Times Roll
via FoxyTunes

Summertime

2010-07-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summertime quite like sun...

...flowers...

...and watermelon.

----------------
Now playing: The Sundays - Summertime
via FoxyTunes

Wagons, Water, and Wussy Throws

2010-07-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Shafter to celebrate Uncle Larry's 40th birthday.

The kids love playing in the wagon in Granny Barbara's backyard. At one point Bradley tried pulling the four older kids.

Uncle Larry brought water balloons and squirt guns to his party. He obviously knows how to get the attention of kids.

Connor loved the water balloons but had trouble throwing them hard enough to bust...

...and from the looks of this picture, Connor wasn't the only one with that problem.

Double trouble.

Once they tired of water balloons the squirt guns became all the rage. Eventually, the guns weren't getting them wet enough so they turned to just dumping buckets of water on themselves.

Brenna was content watching the action with Grandma Sharon.

----------------
Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - Don't Drink the Water
via FoxyTunes

My Father's Day

2010-06-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day this year, Brenna got me a framed picture that I could take to work, Dillon helped me wash the cars and Connor gave me hugs. They also treated me to dinner at The Peppery and ice cream at 31 Flavors. I am very blessed to have three wonderful kids that spoil me with their love.

----------------
Now playing: Weezer - I’m Your Daddy
via FoxyTunes

4 Months Old

2010-06-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

Brenna had her four month checkup yesterday. She weighed 16 pounds 10 ounces (90th percentile) and is 27 and 1/4 inches long (97th percentile). Just like the boys, she has started her rice cereal and is as messy as they were.

For comparison, at four months Dillon was 13 pounds 6 ounces and 25 and 1/2 inches. Connor was 17 pounds and 27 and 1/2 inches.

----------------
Now playing: U2 - Sweetest Thing
via FoxyTunes

Random Kid Fun

2010-06-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Below are random pictures taken over the last week.

The three little ones all ready for church. Grandma Sharon bought them these outfits.

Dillon had fun letting Brenna ride on his shoulders. Brenna, on the other hand, wasn't too sure how to react.

Christina finished painting Brenna's nursery. The lighting in this picture is a little off but the walls are a light pink. Once the crib is gone, we will put something more fun on the walls.

Connor got into one of Dillon's birthday cupcakes. He wasted no time eating the icing.

The delivery man brought a box of presents for Dillon's birthday from Uncle Larry. I was tasked with putting the Legos together.

Connor also got in on the Lego fun. I am usually in right behind both of them fixing what they break.

Dillon hasn't stopped playing with his Legos since they arrived. I am already tired of stepping on the little pieces with my bare feet.

----------------
Now playing: The Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun
via FoxyTunes

Overalls

2010-06-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Christina was comparing pictures of the kids at four months old and she found a distinct similarity between Brenna and Connor.

If you are wondering what Dillon looked like at the stage click here and go to the picture at the bottom.

----------------
Now playing: Weezer - Photograph
via FoxyTunes

Happy 4th Birthday Dillon

2010-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Four years ago we were at the hospital saying hello to Dillon for the first time. It has been a fun, and trying, four years. It has been great watching him learn to crawl, walk, talk, his ABC's, develop reasoning skills, and become a wonderful, helpful big brother.

Last weekend we celebrated his birthday early because Aunt Michelle, Uncle James, and Trent were in town.

Grammy and Papa Mike got Dillon his first bike. He thought he was quite the big boy riding around on his shiny red bike.

----------------
Now playing: Countdown Kids - The Birthday Song
via FoxyTunes

Brenna Pictures

2010-06-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that in a couple of days, our little baby girl will be four months old. She has been such a good baby, (mostly) sleeping through the night, rarely crying, and always smiling. Below are a few pictures of the little angel.

She still doesn't have much hair, which is the same as her brothers at this stage.

Brenna is almost sitting up on her own now. When propped up in a chair, she can keep from tipping over for a few minutes.

This face usually comes out when her brothers try to interact with her. I don't know how many times Connor has tried to sit on her or we have caught Dillon squishing her cheeks together. Soon enough she will be able to protect herself.

----------------
Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - What Would You Say
via FoxyTunes

May 31, 2003

2010-05-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Christina and I have been married for seven years now. This morning I realized we have been a "couple" for over a decade. It has been a great ten years and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, well maybe not "all" of it. (I think I would have more time between the three kids.)

To help recall the wonderful memories of our Big Day are pictures below. Unfortunately our wedding photographer had not upgraded to a digital camera so the pictures are all scans.

Happy Anniversary my beautiful bride!

----------------
Now playing: Coldplay - One I Love
via FoxyTunes

Just Do It

2010-05-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Today we were getting ready to go to a party. I was in the garage, putting lawn chairs in the van. Christina, while giving Brenna a bottle, told Dillon to put his shoes on. Dillon, playing LittleBigPlanet, was ignoring his mom. Connor was all ready to go so he decided to help his brother out by bringing Dillon his shoes...and the rest of the shoes he could find. I returned from the garage to the scene below.

----------------
Now playing: Paolo Nutini - New Shoes
via FoxyTunes

To Infinity and Beyond

2010-05-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today Dillon went to his first movie at a theater. It was a special early screening of Toy Story 3, hosted at the Pixar campus. The event, a fund raiser for College Track, included the movie, a tour of Pixar, and a carnival. Michelle was able to get me, Dillon, and James tickets because her boss sits on the board of Pixar. Dillon was so excited to dress up as Woody and go see him on the big screen (in 3D)!

Before the movie, we were treated to a quick overview of College Track and some words from Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head, Seinfeld), Richard Kind (Bookworm), and Jason Katz (the head story guy). Because the movie does not come out for another month, we were asked not to talk details about it, so I will say this: The movie lives up to the Pixar gold standard.

James also had some friends attend who had a little boy that was six months younger than Dillon. He was dressed as Buzz. Both he and Dillon got many comments about how cute they were together.

Dillon was smiling in this picture because he has just saw Toy Story 3. James was smiling because he just saw Steve Jobs. That's the brains behind Apple in his standard black turtleneck and blue jeans in the background.

There were two Lego models of Buzz and Woody, which made Dillon's day.

You love me, you really, really love me!

A highlight for James and I was meeting George's mom. Both of us can recall any episode of Seinfeld so talking with one of the more memorable characters was a blast.

The inside of the studio was chalk full of Pixar characters. Dillon was excited to see Guido...

...and Luigi. The prizes for the carnival games were toys from the movie. Dillon was able to win a Jessie and a Bullseye doll (seen on the hood of Luigi). Dillon already has, and sleeps with every night, Buzz and Woody toys, so these complete his collection.

Dillon was initially afraid of the larger-than-life Incredibles statues, but he warmed up enough to snap a picture.

Mike and Sully were there to wave us good bye.

I finally got to throw James out of a game. That's what he gets for being a Giants fan.

A group photo in front of the famous Pixar ball, the lamp was right in front of us. We had a great time at this unique movie screening. A big thank you goes out to James and Michelle for inviting us.

----------------
Now playing: Randy Newman - You've Got A Friend In Me
via FoxyTunes

Counting Carbs

2010-05-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

Last night before dinner, Connor climbed up on the counter and grabbed a big piece of the loaf of bread.

I guess Christina's time frame for dinner was just not soon enough for him so he took matters into his own hands.

He thought he was such a big boy with such a big piece of bread. Notice the bandaid on the forehead, the poor kid gets more bumps and bruises than a boxer.

Brenna also got a kick out of Connor's dinner choice.

----------------
Now playing: Ginny Owens - Bread
via FoxyTunes

Jimmie Salad

2010-04-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last week my work had a going away luncheon. The coworkers throwing the party decided to make it a bring your favorite salad. Having a natural hatred to lettuce, I immediately said, "Count me out." One of my coworkers then convinced me that I should still come for fun and just bring my own meal. Little did I know that she was going to prepare me my own special salad.

The Jimmie Salad consists of Skittles, Starbursts, and Mike'N'Ikes.

----------------
Now playing: U2 - Sweetest Thing
via FoxyTunes

Crazy Love

2010-04-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our small group recently went through the book Crazy Love. We felt compelled to share God's love with a project of our own. Over the last two weeks, we saw two separate videos on the numerous people living without clean water. One billion to be exact.

So we decided to do what we can. We found an organization that drills wells in third world countries. One well can provide 250 people with clean water for 20 years. Our goal is to raise enough money, $5,000, to build a well. When you make a donation you will become a part of our group and your donation will be tracked to a water project. In 12-18 months you will be able to see our well using GPS and photos.

Please watch the video below, then visit our website to find out more about the project and donate. Just $25 will provide clean drinking water to one person for 20 years. Every little bit helps.

Connor's Time to Shine

2010-04-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Connor loves to ride his blue bouncy horse around the house. I was able to capture some of his excellent riding skills on video.

Also, one of the few words that Connor will say is "horse."

(For some reason Blogger is cutting off the right side of the video. Click here to go straight to the video on YouTube.

Flags of the World

2010-04-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

The other day Dillon was staying at the Cummings' house. They were watching a show about flags while Dillon played in the floor. During the program a picture of the American flag came on the tv. Dillon looked up and said, "That's an Obama flag!"

We are not really sure where he would make the connection. I'm not fond of watching the 24 hour news channels and the last time I can remember the President being on our tv was during his State of the Union Address, almost three months ago. Maybe we should ask his opinion on health care.

----------------
Now playing: Dave Matthews Band - American Baby
via FoxyTunes

Two Month Checkup

2010-04-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Brenna had her two month check up yesterday. On top of getting her shots, she had her stats recorded. She was 25 inches long and 13 pounds, 12 ounces.

For comparison, Connor was 24 and 3/4 inches and 13 pounds, 14 ounces. Dillon was 23 and 1/2 inches and 11 pounds.

----------------
Now playing: Coldplay - God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
via FoxyTunes

Brenna's First Trip

2010-04-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Brenna made her first trip out of Tuolumne County this weekend for cousin Bradley's one year old birthday party.

During the trip, Brenna met her Aunt Jennifer for the first time. Aunt Jen is just like Grandma Sharon in that they can not get enough of babies.

We also got Uncle Larry to hold Brenna. He usually refuses to hold the babies until they get a little bit older.

I had to snap this cute picture of Dillon wearing Papa's old fireman hat while playing with his fireman toy.

The three older boy cousins needed a bath after playing all day at Bradley's party. Connor would have played outside all day if we would have let him. Thankfully his second favorite thing is taking a bath, as evidenced by they smile on his face.

While the boys bathed, Taylor got to hold Brenna. These two girls are going to be spoiled rotten.

Grandma Sharon wanted a picture of all six of her grandkids. It is impossible to get all six of them to cooperate. This was the best picture of the bunch.

----------------
Now playing: Vampire Weekend - Cousins
via FoxyTunes

Gamer in Training

2010-04-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

Recently Dillon has been allowed to play one of my video games, LittleBigPlanet, while Connor takes his afternoon nap. He tends to play by moving his whole body. It might be time to teach him how to use the Wii.

Note: The video is muted because YouTube has not authorized the song I had playing during the video. I hope to post the video (with sound) on Facebook soon.

----------------
Now playing: Ramones - Blitzkreig Bop
via FoxyTunes

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have already shared with you Brenna's Easter picture but here is one with all three kids.

We weren't sure if we would get any sun this weekend but thankfully we were blessed with sunshine before our Saturday night church service.

After church we went to Grammy's house, where cousin Trent is staying for the week. The three boys were spoiled with a lot of Easter candy from their grandparents while us adults ate an Easter ham.

----------------
Now playing: Wee Sing - Jesus Loves the Little Children
via FoxyTunes

Boys Will Be Boys

2010-04-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

This morning Connor "disappeared" into the bathroom. Below is how I found him.

From Favorites

I am not sure how he got himself up into the sink but he had no way to get down. That didn't keep Connor from entertaining himself.

On an unrelated Connor note, last night he slept in his big boy bed and today he napped in it too. He and Dillon are officially roommates. Now we have to get the nursery ready for Brenna.

----------------
Now playing: Matt Costa - Wash Away
via FoxyTunes

OP (Original Prankster)

2010-04-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

I kept my successful prank streak alive this year with a slew of gags on coworkers and family. I started the day by putting scotch tape on the receiver of a few of my coworkers' phones. This caused the other person on the phone to tell the pranked coworker that their phone didn't work.

I also had a coworker whose been having some computer problems lately. I went in her office and turned off the switch to her power strip where all of her computer equipment was plugged in at. I then found a radio in which I turned the volume up to the max and plugged in to her turned off power strip. I hid the radio under her desk, right at ear level. When she crawled under her desk to turn on the power strip, she got quite the surprise.

Throughout the day I also switched ties every hour. I had a few coworkers ask me if I was wearing a certain tie all day, in which I would respond with "No". Then the next time they saw me with a different tie I would smile and say "April Fools".

My biggest prank was on my boss. Our county CAO, my boss's boss, was giving a presentation to all of the county workers. I was in charge of setting up the computer and projector for his Power Point. To help set up in advance, he had emailed me his file. I took the liberty to add a slide of my boss from the early 90's, with her Nineties Perm and all, to his presentation. Needless to say, the room full of 40 people enjoyed the interruption.

I also coordinated a story with James. He and Michelle are going on a cruise on Saturday. I recruited a coworker to call her and give her the following story:

May I speak with Mrs. Michelle Evans?

Hello Mrs. Evans my name is Kelly from Royal Caribbean. I am calling concerning your cruise out of Puerto Rico on April 3^rd.

I am sad to inform you that due to unsafe waters caused by La Nina, we are cancelling the trip.

Our system shows that you did not purchase travel insurance so we will not be able to refund your money.

However, we can offer you a complimentary DVD showcasing our Royal Caribbean fleet and destinations.

[If she thinks that is not enough] The best we can do is provide you with a discounted three day cruise that embarks from Los Angeles with stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada. All you need to do is provide us with a $500 deposit that will cover both you and Mr. Evans.

This is a one time special offer so you must decide right now if you would like to take advantage of our discounted price.

[If she is still upset] Mrs. Evans I realize you are upset but there is nothing else I can do to help you. If you would like, I can transfer you to my supervisor.
Please hold while I transfer you, by the way his name is Jimmie Nixon

We had Michelle going for a while but she eventually figured out I was behind it.

So as not to leave Christina out, I had to pull one on her. A little back story, Christina is always nagging me to close the cabinet door after I get a glass or plate out. So when I came home for lunch, I promptly opened every, and I mean EVERY, cabinet and drawer in the kitchen, hallway, bathroom, and bedroom. I just wish I would have been there when she returned home from her parents.

----------------
Now playing: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
via FoxyTunes

Room Change

2010-03-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

Now that Brenna has arrived, we have begun preparation of moving Connor into Dillon's room and transitioning Brenna from the living room to the nursery.

This move is going to be phased in. The first step was to move the day bed from downstairs into Dillon's room. Dillon is sleeping in the "big boy" bed and Connor will start sleeping in Dillon's old bed. However, for the time being, Connor will stay in the nursery until we think he is old enough to sleep in a bed. By the way, I couldn't stand the clutter of toys so we bought some plastic crates to put all of Dillon's train sets in that now store under his bed.

Dillon was very excited about his new bed and of course Connor thought it was fun to play on the bed with Dillon. Since the move last week, Dillon has had a few rough nights because his night light is now hidden behind a dresser. We are in search of a lamp/night light that will help him sleep better.

Of course, I can't post pictures of the boys without one of Brenna. She is very content sleeping in her cradle that is currently in the living room. Having her in the living room instead of our bedroom helps mom and dad sleep better during the night.

----------------
Now playing: Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
via FoxyTunes

Early Easter Picture

2010-03-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

Easter may be a month away, but that won't stop me from showing off this picture of Brenna.

Thanks to Aunt Terri for having the basket and bunnies and for taking the picture.

----------------
Now playing: John Mayer - Crossroads
via FoxyTunes

Catching Up

2010-03-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

This past week have been really busy due to family visits, birthday dinners, and chasing three kids around which adds up to not having time to update with pictures. Below are photos from the last 10 days.

This picture of Brenna reminds Christina of a sleeping Connor.

We captured the one moment on film where all three kids were calm, cry-free, and chilling.

Part of last weekend included a surprise 50th anniversary party for Christina's Aunt Lenny and Uncle Larry. They flew down from Alaska and was surprised by friends and family from all over the United States.

Brenna and Connor were dedicated at church last Sunday. Our friend Nate from our small group lead the dedication.

Me praying during the dedication. All three of the kids were good during the dedication. I was a little nervous that Connor and/or Brenna would start crying.

After church we took our first picture as a family with Brenna.

Sunday afternoon was spent at the Cummings house with some of Christina's extended family.

Here are all of Christina's cousins that were at the party and there are 10 other cousins that were unable to attend!

Connor had fun playing with his second cousin Stella, who was 22 months old. There was five children under the age two at the party which created tons of entertainment.

----------------
Now playing: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
via FoxyTunes

Brenna's Two Week Check-Up

2010-02-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

Brenna had her two week doctor appointment today. Everything checked out well for her and not surprisingly, she has is growing like a weed. She weighed 10 pounds and measured 22 1/4 inches. Below is how Brenna spends most of her days and nights, asleep no matter how much noise is around her.

----------------
Now playing: Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
via FoxyTunes

Something Other Than Pink

2010-02-19T13:46:00.001-08:00

----------------
Now playing: Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze
via FoxyTunes

One Week Old

2010-02-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Brenna being a week old is just an excuse to show off some pictures.

I have a feeling this won't be the last time she rolls her eyes at her dad.

No she isn't quite strong enough to hold her head up by herself. Grandma Sharon was propping her, notice Brenna's left ear sticking out from Grandma's hand.

----------------
Now playing: Barenaked Ladies - One Week
via FoxyTunes

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day 2010 is very special to us. We get to spend it with baby Brenna and Grandma Sharon.

My two favorite Valentines. Christina is healing quickly from her surgery. Standing up from a sitting position is a little difficult and she is unable to pick anything (or anyone) up yet but she is much more mobile than a few days ago.

Grandma Sharon is having too much fun with Brenna. Once again, she has been a blessing to Christina and I, staying up at night with Brenna, changing diapers, and making meals. Thanks Mom!

Brenna's dress is courtesy of Aunt Jennifer and Grandma Sharon gave Brenna the bow. It's perfect for Valentine's Day.

Cowboy Woody showing off his new boots Grandma Sharon gave him for Valentine's Day.

Connor also got some boots for Valentine's Day. As soon as he put them on, he was instantly drawn to the tv which Grandma Sharon was watching. The boots must of activated his redneck gene.

----------------
Now playing: The Cars - Let's Go (LP Version)
via FoxyTunes

Coming Home

2010-02-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

Brenna and Christina came home from the hospital yesterday. Below are pictures:

Brenna wore an outfit that was also worn by her cousin Taylor.

Connor was overjoyed to see his Mom and he showed some interest in his little sister.

We finally got a picture with Brenna and Grandma Sharon. She has been enjoying rocking baby Brenna in between her nursing.

Grandma Sharon had to dress Brenna up in pink as soon as possible.

Dillon and Connor love their baby sister. Dillon has been a big help by running to get any supplies that Mom or Grandma Sharon may need.

----------------
Now playing: Aretha Franklin - Baby, Baby, Baby (LP Version)
via FoxyTunes

Baby Comparisions

2010-02-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

In case you were wondering, here are the stats for the three kids:

Dillon - born 6/9/06 at 8:39 pm, weight 7 pounds 3 ounces, length 20 inches

Connor - born 10/9/08 at 7:53 am, weight 9 pounds 1 ounce, length 21 inches

Brenna - born 2/9/10 at 3:31 am, weight 9 pounds 0.2 ounces, length 21 inches

Dillon Michael

Connor Fate

Brenna Joy

More Brenna Pictures

2010-02-09T15:50:00.001-08:00

One of my rules for our babies was that we would never announce the names until after the babies were born. No matter who or how many times they ask, I would not reveal the name. Last night at dinner, Grandma Sharon was drilling me over the name and I was refusing the temptation to spill the beans.

I did say that Dillon was told the name a few days ago but had forgotten it. Christina and I had just asked him the night before if he remembered Brenna's name and he said no. So the following exchange happened:

Grandma Sharon: Dillon, what's your sister's name?

Dillon: Jessie (He was enamored with the name since Toy Story 2 is his favorite movie.)

Grandma Sharon: It's ok Dillon you can tell me her real name.

Dillon: (whispering in his grandma's ear) Brenna Joy.

I guess I won't be sharing any more secrets with Dillon.

A good picture of me and Brenna. Our nurse took a picture of me but it was really blurry so Christina had to snap this one.

Brenna tried to open her eyes for this picture.

Grammy with Brenna. Due to the H1N1 scare, the hospital only allowed two visitors for the entire stay and I count as one of those visitors. That left us having to choose one of the four grandparents be able to hold Brenna during her first couple of days.

However, Ginni knew one of the nurses in the Birth Center and she allowed the other three grandparents in to hold Brenna. That was the one bright side of Brenna being born at 3:31 in the morning, we were allowed to sneak in extra visitors.

Papa Jim was the biggest person to benefit from the "extra visitors" because he was going to have to leave Sonora before Brenna would be released from the hospital. There are not any pictures of Brenna with Grandma Sharon because I had left the camera in the waiting room when she was holding her. She will just have to wait a few days.

By the way, please excuse any typos or misspellings in the last two posts. I don't function well under three hours of sleep.

Brenna Joy Nixon

2010-02-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

Brenna Joy was born at 3:31 am and weighs 9 pounds and is 21 inches long. Mom and baby are both doing great, just really tired. (Update I originally said she weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces but I misread the weight. She really was 9 pounds, 0.2 ounces.)

Christina was having contractions the past few days. This morning at 1 am she began to have them five minutes apart. We got up and drove to the hospital where the doctor decided to push up the delivery time by 9 hours.

Brenna a few minutes old. She has light brown hair, darker than Dillon but lighter than Connor.

Brenna did not enjoy her first bath. She came out ready to eat and nursed for 20 minutes on top of drinking a full bottle of formula.

The last few nights have been restless for Christina. She is looking forward to getting some rest while in the hospital.

Tax Time

2010-01-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Even though it's not April 15th, this picture is still topical because it is time to start preparing your tax returns.

And because I can relate everything in my life to "Seinfeld":

----------------
Now playing: The Notorious B.I.G. - Mo Money Mo Problems (Featuring Mase & Puff Daddy)(Amended Version)
via FoxyTunes

Baby Date

2010-01-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Christina went to the doctor yesterday and we were given the day Baby Girl Nixon will be born. February 9th. This means all three of the kids will have been born on 9th day of the month. Also, we will be celebrating birthdays every fourth month, nicely spread out.

----------------
Now playing: Vampire Weekend - California English
via FoxyTunes

Just Like Brother

2010-01-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

Every day Connor tries to copy his older brother. He tries to play with Dillon's toys, ride his yellow tractor, and shadow Dillon's every move. Tonight he did something Dillon did, get himself stuck. Dillon did it in the bottom drawer of our oven (see the second to last picture here) but Connor had crawled into Otis's carrier and couldn't back himself out.

Connor and I were home alone when it happened. I knew he was playing with the carrier and suddenly he started crying. Being the dad-of-the-year that I am, I immediately grabbed the camera. He got himself unstuck a few moments after the picture below was snapped.

----------------
Now playing: Radiohead - Morning Bell
via FoxyTunes

One more video

2009-12-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

I know my last couple of posts have been videos but I took a lot of pictures during the week. The best way to view those pictures are in slide show form. Plus, Dillon loves watching these kinds of videos. Below is Dillon and Connor's Christmas week.

Christmas with Barbara's Bunch

2009-12-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, all of my Mom's siblings were in Shafter for my Grandma's birthday party and Christmas. Below is are highlights of both events and everything that happened in between. And yes, that is a 70 year old jumping rope.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Below is our Christmas card picture. As an added bonus, I have also included the card the Cummings sent out this year.

----------------
Now playing: Bing Crosby - I Wish You A Merry Christmas (2006 Digital Remaster)
via FoxyTunes

Happy Birthday Grandma

2009-12-21T21:05:00.000-08:00

On Sunday my Grandma Barbara celebrated her 70th birthday. The family attempted to give her a surprise party but she had it figured out before it happened. The video below was shown at her party and encapsulates her life.

Snow Day

2009-12-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Last Monday a big snow storm came our way. It delivered 6 inches at our house, which is the most ever since we moved in. Dillon was down in Shafter at the time, so Connor and I went out for a picture. He wasn't too sure about all the snow falling around us and did not want to play in it.

----------------
Now playing: Bing Crosby - Frosty The Snowman (2006 Digital Remaster)
via FoxyTunes

90's Nerds

2009-12-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

If you watched TGIF during the 90's then you will enjoy the video below of Steve Urkel's top 20 moments. I am not familiar with some of the clips (Stevil?) from the last few seasons but this video conjures up some great memories.

Lakers-Warriors

2009-12-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

I went to the Lakers-Warriors game on Saturday and two things stood out to me:

Phil Jackson stands around the free throw line for almost the entire length of timeouts. He draws up plays with his assistant coaches and then approaches the team only a 10-15 seconds before the horn sounds. It was in stark contrast to the Warriors coach, he talked to his team throughout the entire timeout. At any point of the timeout, you could see one or more of the Warriors zoning out, looking into the crowd or watching the Jumbotron. However, the entire Lakers team listened to all of Phil's mini 15 second speech.
Shannon Brown can jump out of the building. (See the 0:42 and 1:38 mark of the video below for two great dunks.) On a side note, I do have to agree with this website.

Cousins

2009-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

Connor and Trent posing with their matching shirts that Grandma bought them. Of course, Dillon had to be right in the middle of it.

----------------
Now playing: KT Tunstall - False Alarm
via FoxyTunes

New (to us) Car

2009-11-20T20:09:00.000-08:00

After a month of searching the Internet for a new vehicle, the Nixons are now owners of a 2006 Honda Odyssey. With kid number three on the way, we were growing into a bigger car. We needed something that could hold three car seats and Christina could access the back row easily. A SUV looked appealing but would make it difficult for a pregnant lady to buckle in the kids. After getting over the stigma of driving a minivan, we settled on the Odyssey because of its reliability and features.

Some of those features are dual control air, power sliding side doors, and bucket middle seats. We were able to find a local seller who turned out to be the nicest couple. Below is a picture of a van similar to ours.

----------------
Now playing: The Cars - Just What I Needed (LP Version)
via FoxyTunes

Muppet Mashup

2009-11-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

Sesame Street has gotten some attention on the Internet this last week because of their 40th anniversary. In their honor, this site posted pictures of Sesame Street (and Muppets) celebrity doppelgangers. My favorite was Pepe and Steve Buscemi.

This made me realize I have some people in my extended family that also look like characters.

James and Captain Breakfast

Taylor and Miss Piggy

Mike and Waldorf

Connor and Scooter (minus the glasses)

Thankfully there is only one Pops.

----------------
Now playing: Ra Ra Riot - Can You Tell
via FoxyTunes

The Perils of Walking

2009-11-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Last night, Connor decided he wanted to go as Harry Potter for Halloween. Surprisingly, Dillon had nothing to do with this shiner. His little accident came as Christina put me in charge of watching him while she handed out candy to trick-or-treaters. I got distracted by the World Series. In my defense, the only way I could have stopped him from falling would have been to become his shadow and continually place pillows around him.

----------------
Now playing: Barenaked Ladies - Falling for the First Time
via FoxyTunes

Early Halloween

2009-10-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today the kids enjoyed some Halloween activities at our church. It gave them a chance to show off their new costumes.

When playing Toy Story, Dillon is always Buzz, Connor is Woody, Mom is Jessie, and I am Zorg. This was the only picture we got with Woody wearing his boots.

Along with the boots, Connor also did not like wearing the hat. It was difficult to snap a good picture before he threw the hat off.

Dillon was so excited to be Buzz Lightyear. For the last week he has been asking every day when he could go trick or treating. He also always wanted to wear his costume around the house.

Now we have a sugar filled Buzz Lightyear running around the house screaming "To infinity and beyond!"

----------------
Now playing: Michael Jackson - Thriller
via FoxyTunes

Better Late Than Never

2009-10-21T19:28:00.001-07:00

These might be two weeks late, but here are some pictures of Connor opening his presents.

Even though Dillon has too many toys, most of Connor's presents were toys. I don't know where we are going to put them all.

He really enjoyed Tickle Me Elmo.

I was very excited when his Uncle Jason got him a Dodger sweatshirt.

Dillon never lets Connor play on his yellow tractor, so Pops and Grandma Dede got Connor his own Lightning McQueen to drive.

The little red car has become a favorite with both Connor and Dillon. At first, Connor kept tipping it over when he was in it but now he can drive it around. Connor also likes it when Dillon pushes him around the house in it.

Thank you to everyone who gave Connor a birthday present, even if the present was a noise-making toy.

----------------
Now playing: Jack Johnson - The Sharing Song
via FoxyTunes

Nixon Tradition

2009-10-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Starting with Dillon, Papa began a tradition of taking his grandsons to their first hair cuts. Connor got went to get his hair cut with Papa on Monday.

Connor was afraid of the electric clippers so the lady used scissors. Connor also wouldn't sit still so Papa had to hold him. It got hair all over the both of them.

It's funny how a haircut can make a kid look older. Is there anything we can do to make a kid act older, specifically involving potty training.

----------------
Now playing: Foo Fighters - Times Like These
via FoxyTunes

Connor's Big Day

2009-10-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we threw a birthday party for Connor. I would have posted the pictures sooner but I left the camera at the Cummings' house.

Just like with Dillon, Grandma Sharon made Connor's cakes. She has kept up the tradition of making the grandkids their own cake.

Connor and Dillon with their first cousins - Trent, Kaleb, Taylor, and Bradley (not pictured).

At first, Connor was unsure of what to do with his cake. He soon discovered the great taste of frosting.

It was almost impossible keeping Dillon out of the pictures. We finally gave up and took a family picture.

The grandparents and great grandparents gathered around Connor for a picture.

Connor with his second cousins, Heather and Keith.

Finally, we got all the aunts and uncles to take a picture with the birthday boy.

The boy enjoyed making a mess with the icing of his cake. I will post more pictures of him opening presents at a later time.

----------------
Now playing: Cake - Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
via FoxyTunes

Happy Birthday Connor

2009-10-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it was a year ago we were at the hospital awaiting the arrival of Connor. Now he is walking and crawling around the house. Below is my favorite picture of him. It was snapped two months ago.

Misunderstanding

2009-10-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday Christina and I go to our small group Bible study which starts at 6 pm. Tonight the ending of the Dodger game was around 6 pm. I spent as much time as I could watching the game at home (through the top of the 9th) and listened to the bottom of the 9th on our drive. When we arrived at our destination the Dodgers were down to their last out.

Christina had no interest in sitting in the car with me to listen to the end of the game, so she went inside to talk to all the women about babies and our new announcement. Around the same time, a fellow Dodger fan pulled up so we listened together as the Dodgers started an unbelievable two out rally. After Loretta had the game winning hit we went inside joining the talk about our soon to be little girl, where the following exchange happened with a lady in our small group:

Sharece - (patting me on the back) "Congratulations, Jimmie."
Me - "Thanks, I can't believe the Dodgers pulled out that win."
Sharece - (silent, with a stunned look on her face)

Of course I am writing this as I watch the bottom of the 9th on the DVR.

Gender Check

2009-10-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Christina was able to schedule another sonogram today for a gender check. (If you remember the baby was not cooperating last time.) We are pleased to announce Dillon and Connor will be getting a little sister.

All along Dillon has said, "I already have a brother, I want a little sister." Christina was nervous that she would be stuck with a house full of boys, so relief came over her today. I was content with either a boy or girl, but after a day of reflection, I am now the nervous one as a I fear being wrapped around her little finger. Connor has stayed silent on the subject.

Grandparents, aunts, and uncles have already expressed a desire to be buying pink dresses, dolls, and hair clips. Does anyone else think this little girl will be spoiled?

----------------
Now playing: Temptations - My Girl
via FoxyTunes

San Diego, The Video

2009-10-04T22:09:00.002-07:00