Terry Fator

Last week I was able serve as Technical Director for a show featuring Terry Fartor. The dude's amazing! See below for a sample.

(This is Rob, by the way, not Bennett)

Holiday Pics

Here are some holiday photos a little late to be posted:

Wrestling Grandpa

Playing guitar with Uncle Kevin
(I am his biggest fan)

After my bath

Whoops! It's cool, I'm not shy.

Hide n seek with Dad

The family (Uncle Tom is not in the shot-he took it)

Mom, Dad, and Me

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Fa La La La La

Bennett is our little Christmas elf. I say this because he loves all the "stuff" of Christmas this year, now that he is a big two year old. He is excited about Christmas lights, Christmas trees, giving Christmas gifts...the list goes on. However, nothing exceeds his love for-you guessed it- Christmas music. His all time favorite is one he calls the "hee-hee-hee" song, a quirky little ditty by Nat King Cole. It is a happy, silly song sung in the voice of "the happiest Christmas tree... ho-ho-ho, hee-hee-hee." Rob and I are torturing ourselves day after day by putting the song on repeat, because Bennett's reaction to it is so priceless. It involves smiling, laughing, dancing, and singing. I wish I could get him on video, but the second the camera makes a click or a ding he charges me like a tiny bull demanding to "see it, see it." This is why I don't post more videos.

His runner-up favorite is Jingle Bells (pronounced "ginko buzz"). He requests this one frequently, but we don't own it, so we turn on the radio and wait. The other day we walked into Starbucks, and Bennett stopped in the middle of the doorway to start dancing before I realized what song was playing. It was Ella Fitzgerald singing Jingle Bells. Gotta love that kid. He also likes Angels We Have Heard on High because he can sing the chorus: "glo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh..."

Anyway, that's why he is our little Christmas elf. He gets it from his Dad, who-and this may surprise you- gets SO excited about all of the Christmas stuff. I am no scrooge, don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too. But my boys have me beat on the excitement and anticipation of all of it, making it that much more wonderful for me!

I found a video of Bennett dancing (sort of), and even though it's not to Christmas music playing, it is pretty cute. I can't believe he actually let me take it!

Movin' On Up

So, here's our big news...
Rob accepted a new job up in San Francisco, and we are moving up north on December 29th. It feels really anticlimactic to blog about, because it seems that everyone who actually reads our blog is family, and you all know. But anyway, we are really excited for another adventure, and we hope that this is it for us. I mean, moving every few months is fun and all (I have actually discovered that I love this type of change and get antsy after staying put any place for some length of time), but it is time to put down some roots.

Rob will be doing the same work he does now (corporate/hotel audio visual work), only this is a regional position. He has a large territory, including 14 hotels located in and between Monterey and Tahoe, but will be mainly working out of The Fairmont Hotel and The Ritz Carlton in the city.


We actually have a house already (pictured above)! We will be living in Castro Valley, in the East Bay. Rob's sister and brother in-law-to-be will only be about 15 minutes away in Pleasanton, so that will be really great. Also, my parents will be 2 hours south of us now (verses our current 6 hour trek)-yay! God really blessed us through the home search, and actually used that process to give me (and I think Rob too, but I will speak for myself) a huge peace about the move. I am so incredibly grateful for how smooth all of the details are going, especially considering that it will be just 6ish weeks from "baby time" when we get there!

More details to follow...

O.k, I have blogged about it, so it must be official.

Bennett Turns Two

O.k, so we have been really busy, but I cannot neglect to mention that the little guy turned 2. On Thanksgiving day, Bennett reached this important life number. The following Saturday, we celebrated via birthday party at Grandpa and Noni Markley's house in Nipomo. He was surrounded by family and friends, and he had the time of his little life.

It was kind of a bummer, because the pictures did not come out well from the party. Attention parents: How do you enjoy the party with your kid and the party goers, while simultaneously capturing the memories? Better luck next year! Here's a couple...

The Cake

Bennett eating a cupcake-he wouldn't touch the frosting, and
eventually asked for a fork. I think he inherited this quality
from his cousin Tommy.

Here is a little tribute to him, and a glimpse into his two years of growing:

Thank you, sweet Bennett for all the joy that came along when you entered our lives. Your name means "little blessed one," but your Daddy and I feel that we are the blessed ones for raising and knowing you. You are: Sensitive, bright, joyful, intuitive, expressive, spunky, fun, friendly, mischievous, mellow, cuddly, stubborn, loving, social, decisive, content, musical...and much more. We love watching you grow!