2015 Update

There were two things that really stood out in 2015. First, Nicholas reached that wonderful age of 8 in May and was baptized. He was so proud to wear his new suit afterwards for his confirmation and thrilled that his grandparents on both sides were able to attend.  The second was that we decided to put Ryan in a different preschool after heeding a mother’s intuition and unsettled feeling about our original plan to send him for another year to where he went last year. Ryan just barely missed the cut-off for Kindergarten and needed something more challenging and stimulating. The new school had more of a curriculum and it didn’t hurt that one of Ryan’s best friends from church also went there. They have been connected at the hip this fall. We are very proud of both of the boys and can certainly see the Lord’s influence in their lives.

Both of the boys played soccer in the fall and started learning to play the piano. Nicholas actually started formal lessons while Ryan just swiped Nicholas’ music and started teaching himself. They both love Star Wars and Minecraft and many of their activities at home revolve around these themes, whether it be playing with legos, reading, coloring, watching shows, collecting figures, or playing games on the iPad for the limited time they get to do that on the weekends.

Carrie got a glowing mid-year report card for 3^rd grade. Oh wait, that was actually Nicholas :). Carrie loved school so much growing up that I give her a hard time about whether it’s Nicholas or her in school. She’s doing a wonderful job helping instill in Nicholas a discipline in doing his homework well every day and it’s paying off.  A highlight for Carrie this year was taking a trip in July to Peru with her mom to see Machu Picchu. Her dad and I watched the boys and we won’t provide many details on that except that we did our best to ruin them while the ladies were out touring the world. Carrie also fully healed from her knee injury last year and got back into ½ marathon form and for a 2^nd year in a row we did the Malibu olympic distance triathlon in September.  We have really been able to take advantage of the SoCal weather that always seems to be nice for running and biking, so there haven’t been any good excuses available. Plus, we’re just 3 miles from the beach, so we braved our fears of what lurks beneath and got out a number of times practice our ocean swimming leading up to the race.

For me, I continued to really enjoy my job at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo. I’ve had to start shifting my exercise routine to less running and more biking and swimming to reduce impact on my knees. This has led to discovering some new muscles in my back, neck, and shoulders which have probably felt largely ignored for most of my life. My diet mantra became “eat as many veggies as I can” after my father-in-law gave me a copy of the book, Eat to Live. I’ve really noticed a positive impact from these changes.

For those who are wondering and some probably guessed, our Christmas card picture was taken at the temple open house in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border from San Diego. We took a quick trip down there after Thanksgiving.  We are happy that the people in this area can now more easily enjoy the blessings of the temple.  Our lives are blessed knowing that our family has been sealed together for eternity in the temple and that our family relationships will continue in the life beyond this one. We are thankful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, for his life and example, for the strong foundation His teachings provide in our lives as we raise our children, and for opportunities to serve Him in building up the kingdom of God on the earth until He comes again.

 

My How Time Flies

Wow, I can't believe how fast time is flying!  And, sad to say, it might be another long time before I get on here.  So here goes fast typing fingers.  Nicholas is now in third grade and his homework is killing me : )  I am one who is a perfectionist so I make sure we get every i dotted and every t crossed.  No half-ways in this house.  Ryan has homework too now : ), luckily it's just preschool and he can get it done in 10 minutes.  Aah, the good old days.  Nicholas now has two soccer practices a week and is starting Cub Scouts and piano lessons.  Ryan is doing soccer as well, but he just has a practice/game every Saturday.  So chauffeuring has begun.  This year I am doing the school spelling bee, teaching nutrition lessons in the classroom and doing walking school bus.  With church duties, playdates, and the bird and the dog, I feel like this year is flying by.  We're all so busy and while I don't like rushing around all the time, at least we're not bored and the kids are active.  Mike and I are doing an Olympic distance triathlon this weekend so we're excited about that...yay!!!  It's been really great having Mike home more regularly in this current job.  We're definitely blessed!  Well, I'm going to turn into a pumpkin soon and tomorrow starts all over again soon.  Forgive any typos but that's just how life goes lately.

Reflecting on 2014

There seems to be just a few constants in life, one of them being change. The winds of change blew in at the beginning of this year and opened a new chapter in the Thompson life in sunny southern CA. Chevron asked Mike to take a new assignment as Finance Manager of a refinery in L.A., so we packed up and moved to Redondo Beach. We weren’t expecting to move, and we were sad to leave behind our friends in the Dublin area. We appreciate the warm welcome from our new neighbor and ward families.

Nicholas got to finish 1^st grade in a new school and didn’t seem to miss a beat. He also joined a new primary class at church where he was the only boy with a handful of girls. We laughed so hard one day when we asked him how his primary class was and he said he had to get out of there because the girls wouldn’t stop singing ‘that song’ from Frozen. He just rolls his eyes at that and would rather watch Despicable Me or Star Wars. He played soccer this fall and was recognized by his coach for being the most improved over the season. Nicholas turns 8 next May and is looking forward to his baptism.

Ryan who turns 4 in January, thinks he’s a least a couple years older than he is. He and Nicholas are inseparable. What Nicholas does Ryan does. Ryan advanced himself to Primary over the summer by announcing one day he was no longer going to nursery, so we got the Sunbeam leader to let him join a little early. He’s been going to pre-school several days a week and swims with a lot of confidence for his age, despite the fact that he looks like he’s about to drown most of the time.

Carrie puts up with us boys. When she does get a free moment to herself she’ll be found reading a book, heading to the gym, or trying to squeeze in a much-coveted nap. She has run a bunch of 10-K and ½ marathon races this year, although had to slow down a bit over the last few months because of a pesky knee injury just before our Malibu Triathlon in September. She still competed in the swim and bike, but looks forward to being full strength for next year. At church, she got to serve as a cub scout leader for part of the year and is currently enjoying her work with the sisters as Relief Society secretary.

With the new job and less business travel, Mike got back in shape this year with the triathlon and lots of running. He has been able to recharge a bit. He was disappointed to leave behind his work with the youth in Pleasanton Stake, but was quickly called again into the YM presidency in our new ward. He also enjoyed dusting off his vocal cords a bit, taking some voice lessons, and singing his first solo at church. Mike and Carrie also got to take a couple trips together to Mexico and Hawaii. Many thanks to Baba and Papa and Grammy for watching the boys during these times.

The other main constant in our lives besides change is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it strengthens our family. We love that there are truths that we can teach our children and that bind us together eternally as family. We love the fact that our kids look forward to ‘family night’ on Monday evenings. We love that they expect to read scriptures together as a family before bed. Most of all, we LOVE our Savior and this time of time when we can reflect more fully on his birth and life. HE IS THE GIFT.

We'll Miss You

We are sad to say that Lightling went to bird heaven today.  He was a great bird and always talking.  "Pretty bird" and "good morning" were his favorites.  He liked taking baths in the sinks and looking at "his friend" (himself) in the mirror.  He even survived a big wound when Ryan poked him in the chest with a toy.  But with little boys and a fragile bird, accidents happen.  We will miss him and are glad he got to spend a couple of years with us.  Enjoy flying in heaven pretty bird!!

A Little Bit of Cowboy

We got back from Cabo just in time to catch the Fourth of July rodeo in Bandera.  While we were gone, Papa and Baba had bought the boys some cowboy hats and lassos.  They loved that and Nicholas was thrilled to lasso his cousin, Eli.  We missed the fireworks but God put on his own fireworks with an awesome lightening show later that evening.  One thing we miss about living in CA is the thunder and lightning storms that happen in the Midwest.  What power in the sky.

   

Papa took the boys swimming everyday and on some cool outdoor adventures. 

I guess Mike and I need to get some cowboy hats as well, GG looks pretty good in hers : )

Beautiful Cabo San Lucas

Mike and I finally got away for a “just us” vacation, thanks to Papa and Baba.  Cabo is beautiful and we did absolutely nothing but relax all week long.  No scheduled activities for us, we just wanted to be on our own schedule.  We ate when we wanted, played tennis every day, took our swims in the great wide open ocean, and got in some great naps and movies.  We did take a boat ride over to Lover’s Beach and to see the famous arch (El Arco).  We didn’t get a picture of it since we didn’t take the camera on the boat.  Off of Lover’s Beach we swam with the fishes and admired the beauty of the place. The last pic is a bus Mike liked because on the back it said “Jesus Cristo es mi Salvador” y mas.  We loved going into town and picking up a few souvenirs and gifts as well as practicing our Spanish.  It was a wonderful trip and we can’t wait to go back again one day…with the boys of course : )

    

Great Visit

We were thrilled when we got a phone call from Denise, a friend of Mike’s from Duke, saying she was in town with her fiance.  She and Ya came over one afternoon and it was nice catching up on old times and new stories.  They were so sweet and brought the boys some nice Legos to build.  We are excited to go to their wedding this summer in Hawaii.

  

Angry Birds Easter Meets the Minions

 

  

Spring Break 2014

Well, Spring Break was busy around our house.  Sorry the pictures are small...we didn't want to drag around our big camera so I had to settle for my phone.  We kept the boys busy this week!!  We started off going to a big park overlooking the city.  The boys loved it and the views were amazing.  We went to Universal Studios too and rode the new Despicable Me ride.  Ryan lasted longer than I did and only got scared half way through.  He and I mostly hung out in the playgrounds while Nicholas and Mike rode all the scarier rides.  When Ryan was in preschool I took Nicholas out to a go-karting place and we sped around and played games in the arcade.  We took the boys to see Rio 2, and we really enjoyed the cute movie.  The boys got matching pajamas for the summer season and we enjoyed having Mike home for a couple of days during the week.  We did some non-fun things too like going to the doctor and taking Cheerio to the vet, but hey, life's not all fun and games right?  We're just glad nobody broke anything or anyone over the week and the house is still standing : )  We had a blast and can't wait for summer fun coming up!!!

Walking School Bus

Well, the picture doesn't do it justice because I only had my phone with me at the time.  But one great thing that we (or at least I) love about our new house is our walking school bus.  Two days a week the kids meet at the corner of our street and walk to school with two parent volunteers.  I walk Nicholas the other days of the week.  I love it...it's such a fun idea, although I don't think Nicholas wants to hold the bus : )  I love being able to walk to school.  It's a bit of a walk (about 15 minutes) but it gives me a chance to talk to Nicholas and we get to observe nature.  Plus, the weather is awesome so we enjoy our "walk-n-talks".  And then if it's raining I drive Nicholas to school and we get there in literally 2 minutes.  I'm just thrilled that we live in a neighborhood with so many kids.  What a big change from our last house.  I really appreciate that this school district puts a lot of emphasis on physical health through walking school buses, morning exercise at school, and running club twice a week.  In fact, I might volunteer to do a day for the walking bus next year (you have to get fingerprinted and fill out lots of forms), but I really feel that kids should be active and this is a great way to do it : )

And the winds shifted...

If you've ever watched the movie "Chocolat" with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche you'll understand when I say that the winds have shifted once again for the Thompson's.  Yes, we are moving once again.  This time we're staying in the U.S. and we're even staying in the same state : )  Just moving to a place where we can finally enjoy some of the real famous CA weather.  We are excited about this next adventure and can't wait to enjoy all that southern CA has to offer.  We'll be in Redondo Beach so if you're tired of the cold anytime, come see us!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

It's nice to see the big table filled up!  Boys galore!!!

Past due pictures

 

We took a trip to southern California in August and I just never got around to posting any pictures from the trip.  We stayed in Julian, CA, a small gold-mining town.  We took day trips to Legoland and California Safari Park.  The boys loved the lorikeet feeding exhibit.  This was the highlight of their day…and they made us go back twice to feed them.  They were pretty amazing birds but when they nibbled at you, it kind of hurt : )  Guess that’s why they’re at the zoo and not in someone’s home : )

Visit from Angola

 

We were thrilled when we found out that Vivian and her daughters, Samantha and Allison, were back from Angola for the summer.  We had them over for dinner one evening and what you see here is the before picture.  Two seconds after this picture was taken Cheerio and Sami got into it…and Cheerio ended up biting Sami on the cheek. There was blood everywhere and Sami was crying of course.  We felt terrible and guess what…it wasn’t Cheerio’s first offense.  When we were in Angola, Sami was at our house and Cheerio bit her in the lip.  That poor girl is going to be scarred for life and we told Vivian that Lance (her husband) had a free pass with a Nerf gun and Cheerio.  What a terrible end to the evening but Vivian was so nice about it.  It’s just so freaky that Cheerio has never bit anyone before (except for one of our cousins who was poking him with a fork) and Sami got two hits.  Guess they can never be in the same room together…there’s some kind of bad chemistry with them.  But we are thrilled they’re moving back from Angola this month.  Maybe we can make it up to them…and Cheerio better watch our for Lance : )

Visit from Uncle Jon

 

We hadn’t seen my brother in years so when he said he was town for work, we had him over one evening.  The boys loved him!! He brought some cool goodies for them and a sourdough bread in the shape of a crocodile : )  He helped Nicholas get ready for his jog-a-thon the next day by spray-painting his hair blue and doing his face painting.  Thanks for the great visit Uncle Jon…hope it’s not a few more years before we see you again!

First Day of Preschool

 

Ryan was excited to start preschool this fall!!  He loved getting his own backpack and loves taking his lunchbox to school.  So for three mornings a week he gets to make friends, learn colors and letters, and have fun.  Good thing we potty trained this summer…he was all ready to go.  I was wondering if he was a little young to start school (he turns 3 in January, but he already thinks he’s five and talks really well for his age so off we went).  So far he’s done great and his teachers say he’s doing fantastic!  Way to go Ryan, you’re such a big boy now.

First Day of First Grade

 

I can’t believe Nicholas is a big first grader!  Ryan and I missed him at home today and when we picked him up he said he loved it.  Here’s to a fun school year!!!

Little Update

Just a quick update since I haven't been good at the blog lately (sorry no picture this time...I will post the first day of school pictures later this week : )
Nicholas is starting 1st grade on Wednesday....yippee!  He's excited and I can't believe my little boy is getting older.  He's now into Star Wars and can't wait to watch the movies with Dad.  Still taking great care of his parakeet.
Ryan is completely potty trained...yippee!  He's been pooping in the potty for the past week by himself.  He is in a big boy twin bed (he's so cute to check in on and see him passed out on his pillow with the covers pulled up).  He starts preschool in a week and absolutely needs it...he gets so bored around here that his curiosity leads him to make messes everywhere and drive mom and dad crazy.
Mike is traveling lots this work assignment so we're happy when he's home.  Or at least when he's home and not running off to another church meeting or assignment (he is the Stake Young Men's President and on the High Council).  We love him to pieces!!
I'm trying to keep up with the boys as well as trying to keep myself motivated to do a marathon in October.  Don't know if I'll make it, but I'm going to try.  Tennis is so much more fun than running my legs to pain (although I still love running, I think I might just stick to doing half marathons from now on : ) 
So next update will be first day of school pictures from the boys...I might even get teary-eyed.

Potty Training and Mad Scientist

We had a great Fourth of July!  We started potty training Ryan so we were at home all day.  I always try to potty train in the summer months because I let the kids run around naked for the first few days and then move on to wearing underwear.  Luckily, Ryan loves to run around naked : )  And what doesn’t make a boy want to pee more than filling him up with juice and root beer and then letting him play in the water : )

Nicholas has recently gotten interested into science so Mike got him a science kit while we were in Africa and broke it out the other day.  I can see a future scientist in the making, can’t you?

Last Day of Kindergarten

 

Nicholas finished kindergarten with flying colors.  He loved his year with Ms. Lombardo and made some great friends in class.  He learned to read, write, and all his letters and numbers.  He got excellent report cards, went on some awesome field trips, made some great art, and grew up a little bit faster.  It’s said that everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten…if that’s true, we’re off to a great start!  Can’t wait for first grade adventures!