Colyer World

We went to Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills today for a Farm Tour

Sarah, Alex & Sarah’s mama, Gwyneth joined us.  Gwyneth is visiting from Wales.

The first part of the tour was the garden which didn’t hold a lot of interest for Max!  He just wanted to see the ANIMALS!  He’s not much into trying out the fruits and vegetables.

Emily enjoyed petting the sheep

She even said to me, “Take my picture, mama!”

Max really enjoyed the sheep too

He obviously got very comfortable with this particular sheep.  Max was tickling the sheep’s hind legs.  I told him that he could get kicked.  The tour guide explained that he was in the right spot to get peed on and that would be much worse than getting kicked so he went towards the front of the sheep and just leaned on her. 

Emily gets a little kiss from this sweet sheep

Couldn’t seem to capture Alex petting a sheep, but she sure did look pretty in her hot pink ruffled shirt, matching hat & necklace

I did however capture her taking lots of pictures of the chickens.  She enjoyed using Sarah’s camera!

Cock-A-Doodle-Do!  One gorgeous rooster!

SOME PIG

All and all, it was a great time for the kids & adults too.  Hidden Villa is, in my opinion, a hidden gem!

Emily was so excited when the Disney parcel of gifts arrived for her, under the name of Princess Emily, this afternoon from her cousins Nick, Alex & Charlie!

This particular gift was from Alex and the card said, “Happy Birthday to my favorite Emily”

OH PLEEEEEEEEASE let me open it!

A beautiful light blue glitter Cinderella crown!!!!!!

Emily said, “I LOVE IT!  I LOVE IT!  I LOVE MY CROWN!  I LOVE MY SNOW WHITE CROWN!”  I didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was a Cinderella crown.

Emily asked Big Brother, Max, to help her open the next gift from Cousin Charlie!  The gift tag read, “I love you Emily.  I hope you had a happy birthday”

WOW!  This was the most beautiful Wedding Cinderella Nightgown I have ever seen.  Very soft & fluffy!

Here she is jumping up and down with joy because she loved it soooooooooooooooooo much!!! 

The last and final gift was from Cousin Nick.  I was hoping that she would wait until the morning to open it ’cause it was past their bedtime so I didn’t document the opening of this gift, but it was a Swirling Ariel Nightgown and she was equally as thrilled with this as she was with the Cinderella nightgown!  She insisted I take the Cinderella nightgown off immediately and replace it with the Ariel nightgown. 

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL AND THOUGHTFUL GIFTS!  Our Princess Emily is 3 now and boy does she LOVE PRINCESSES!  I have absolutely no idea where this came from?!?!

Emily getting ready for the Ariel Tea Party

Princess Alex (Cinderella) being carried into the Tea Party by her Grandpa Bee

Princess Alex & Princess Emily

Cinderella & Ariel

All the pretty princesses watching Ariel sing songs & entertain them

Princess Abby puckering up!

Princess Emily

She just got a pink butterfly painted on her cheek by Ariel herself

Princess Alex all made up

Coloring a princess

Alex & her beautiful mama, Sarah

Emily showing off her pretty pink butterfly

All the girls had a great time at the Ariel Tea Party this afternoon

We celebrated Emily’s 3rd BD yesterday with friends & family

The main event for Emily’s 3rd BD was “Happy Birds”, a performing parrot show

Seven beautiful & friendly parrots entertained us all and Emily even got a kiss from pretty “Piper”

This particular bird is a trainee to the show.  Emily is feeding him an almond.

The bird show consisted of various birds riding a bike, riding a scooter, singing songs, making other animal impersonations, skateboarding, opening water bottles, etc.

Max was an active participant in the audience with lots of questions for the “Bird Lady”.  He loved it!

Piper wants to give Max a kiss,

but Max holds back …

Piper gives Max a kiss on his cheek

Piper riding a scooter

Max and his friend, Cameron, intently watching the bird show

Sean & Zack

Zac & Megan

Zac & Cameron

Zac & Max

Alex & Zac

Brennan & Zac

Riley & Forrest

Papa Dave, Brynn & Kedryn with Zac & Forrest

Kedryn (my nephew) & Zac

Brynn (my niece) & Forrest

Papa Dave, Brynn & Kedryn with Zac & Forrest

Forrest & Christian (Kathy had to bribe Christian to get near this bird!)

Michael, Kathy & Olivia with Zac & Forrest

Brynn flaunts her muscles by holding these two fairly heavy macaws

Sweet Samantha with Zac & Forrest

Max & beautiful Forrest

Max was totally enthused by the birds

Cute Keddie with Forrest

Emily with Forrest

Emily enjoyed watching & participating in the bird show

Emily & her friend, Megan, with Forrest

Ready to blow out her candles.  Notice the pretty red fingernails!  Brynn gave her a manicure before her party!

Princess Emily

Happy 3rd Birthday Emily!!

Max & Emily spent the morning having fun with their good friends & neighbors, Alex & Sean, on the 4th of July

Alex

Emily with pouty face

Sean’s Pirate Grin!  Arrggghhh!

Emily

Alex, Max & Emily on the plane @ Oak Meadow Park

Sean, Alex, Max & Emily

Sean riding his Spiderman Scooter

Alex & Sean

Some random pictures from our time in St. Louis …

Ani & Max

Elise & Max

Oma & Max

Alex & Emily @ the hotel pool

Emily in her new pink Kate Mack tutu swimsuit from Aunt Claudia

Using a diving ring as a crown/tiara

Papa Dave & Emily

Tutu Cute Swimsuit

Elise & Emily hanging out at the Krasnoff house

Wallace, Norma & I took Elise, Max, Emily, Alex & Charlie to The Magic House (Children’s Discovery Museum of Saint Louis).  The kids had a great time!

Wallace, Elise, Charlie, Emily, Alex & Max walking in

Elise & Max in the construction area

Elise was a great help with the kids

Alex

Charlie

Max operating the Caterpillar

Elise wrote, “I love Emily” on the chalkboard and then Alex wrote “Me too!”    Ahhhhhh!!!!  Emily was quite a hit with the cousins!

Alex & Max in the water area

Charlie & Alex in the water play area

We just returned from a 2 week plus vacation to the mid-West & East coast starting off with our nephew’s Bar Mitvah in St. Louis which was fabulous!  It was basically a 3 day event starting with a wonderful Ecuadorian meal on Friday night compliments of Norma (a.k.a. “Oma”) then the Bar Mitvah service was on Saturday morning followed by a Kiddush reception and luncheon.  On Saturday night there was a large celebration at the Jewish Community Center including a roller coaster simulator ride, laser tag, Harry Potter photo shoot, dancing, eating, drinking, etc.  The festivities ended on Sunday morning with a brunch at Nick’s paternal grandma’s house, Jane Krasnoff.  It was a fun-filled, non-stop weekend! 

Here are a few photos from Saturday morning:

Congratulations Nick!!

Emily & Nick

Grandpa Dale & Max

Grandpa Dale & Emily

Cousin Elise carrying Max on her back

Emily & Daddy

Alex (Nick’s Brother)

Charlie (Nick’s youngest brother)

This was the closest we could get to Max wearing his tie!

Emily, Alex, Sean & Max kicking back & watching “Toy Story” being served dinner by yours truly! 

We went to Winter Lodge in Palo Alto to try a little first time ice skating with Sarah, Erik, Alex & Sean on Sunday night

Max REFUSED to try ice skating so Wallace took him out on the rink in the stroller.  As a former hockey player, he was tearing around the rink … sometimes so fast that the wheels of the stroller were catching air!  Max was laughing hysterically the whole time!

Emily was keen on trying ice skating so we rented a pair of ice skates for her

Sarah & Sean having fun!

Wallace & Emily

Emily holding onto the railing

After seeing Alex, Sean, Emily, Sarah, Erik, Mommy & Daddy on skates … Max decides to give it a go! 

Max pushing Alex in the stroller to get comfortable on the ice

Max was running on the ice instead of sliding. 

Max holding onto the side of the rink.  He feel down several times, became frustrated and wanted the ice skates off ASAP.

So, back to the stroller he went … Erik & Alex pushing Max around the rink!

Wallace & Emily taking a break.

All and all it was a great first experience!  Emily, Sean & Alex seemed to really enjoy themselves.  Max … so-so, but at least he gave it a try!  We’ll try again next season!