Pre-Thanksgiving Day

The Maddox Family adopted a new tradition for Pre-Thanksgiving Day, we headed to Napa. It was 70 degrees, gorgeous with all the leaves changing colors on the vines and so relaxing. We decided this would be a tradition that we hope to keep each year.


We started off at Mumm for champagne tasting. We had never been and it was great. They have an awesome patio and were very dog friendly. Yes, we decided to bring Marley. She was very happy to have joined us and yes, she got the passenger seat in the car.


Can you believe how gorgeous the leaves are right now?



We then headed to lunch at Oakville Grocery. Doesn't get much better than the Hot Turkey and Brie sandwich sitting at a picnic table. This is our favorite spot for lunch.


Although Marley won't ever be the most perfectly behaved dog, she is always so much fun. Here she looks very calm, but is probably just begging for a piece of turkey.


We then headed to Rubicon (the old Coppola) where Marley walked the red carpet. We enjoyed a nice glass of Chardonnay and hung out at the beautiful grounds.


Look who tried to go swimming.


We had so much fun and can't wait to make this an annual tradition.


We are so thankful to live near Napa. One of our favorite places to visit.

Go Bears!

Roman has now become a Cal fan (just like his Daddy and Grandparents). Jay grew up going to Cal Football games since both of his parents attended Cal, so we knew this season couldn't pass without going to a game. We just made it by going to the last home game against U of A. It was a cold night, but we had a great time and Roman lasted until the 3rd quarter, which I thought was pretty impressive.


Roman sported his Jahvid Best jersey.


Grandma and Grandpa were so happy to have Roman at the game cheering on for Cal.


It got pretty cold and windy, but we were bundled up.


Our little marshmallow by the end of the night. We even got to stop by Top Dog for a late night snack.

Can't wait to go again next year.

Friday the 13th = 8 Months

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th, which is actually a special day to us since Roman was born on a Friday the 13th. To our family, it no longer means bad luck, but instead a day to celebrate.

The best way to describe the last month is absolute JOY. Roman is a happy, smiley baby. It has been so fun to see his actual true personality shine through. I think this past month we have seen the biggest changes as he is becoming so aware of his surroundings and just wants to explore everything.

Here is a re-cap of the last month:


We no longer use his carseat in the Bob and he loves being forward facing for our walks. However this means he no longer naps in his stroller. Rarely do I even hear a peep from him during our hour long walks.


Socks no longer stay on his feet, but instead end up in his mouth. Anytime I get him out of the car I have to hunt for the socks since they never remain on his feet.


Now that he is rolling more and more I often find him in his crib on his tummy. He is also a fan of spitting his pacifier out of the crib into the middle of the room. Not sure how he does it, but he can really launch it far.


He loves his doggy and has figured out how to pet/pull her fur. Thankfully she tolerates everything so well. Marley just loves him so much too.



Gymboree is his favorite. I wasn't sure if he would like it at first, but it is awesome. It is so good for introducing them to new experiences, music and activity. I get such a kick out of it and he loves parachute and bubble time. Each time the parachute goes up he screams and laughs.


His 1st Baby Einstein video captivated both him and Marley.


He has really started creating a special bond with his Daddy. Whenever he sees Jay at the end of the day his face lights up and he gets so excited. I often like to dress him in an similar outfit to what Jay is wearing. I guess that is the one of the simple joys of having a boy.


He is a character! He loves to pull on our noses and poke our eyes out. Especially when I am trying to get him to nap. It makes me start laughing which then makes him start laughing and then we have to start all over. He is the King of Cat Naps. Mostly he takes (2) 30 minute naps a day. I know this is not normal, but at least you are sleeping throughout the night.

You are our everything and bring such happiness to our family. We are so excited for the holidays to be approaching and can't wait to celebrate with you. Happy 8 Months my Happy Little Man!

Ballin on a Budget

I have always been one to look for a good deal, especially when it comes to clothing. AND...with now becoming a 1 income household I have taken my skills to a new level. Thought I would share some of my fav places. I am proud of how I have been able to save in the last few months, but deeply know that I still need to cut back on my shopping.


OK...I cannot verify you can expect great things for people our age, but for babies it is the best. Everything is marked down to what seems like $5. The clothing is good quality and the pajama selection is awesome.


Sales
I refuse to pay full price for anything. With this economy you know that everything will eventually go on sale. Just last week, I went to Aeropostale for some pants and the whole store was 50% off. Also The Gap recently had almost everything in the store marked down and than an additional 30% off at the register. With all these sales I have gotten so spoiled that if it isn't on sale, I simply don't buy it.


Forever 21
This place is overwhelming with the amount of selection they have, especially when trying to shop with a baby. I was thankful that Roman was asleep, even with the techno beats blaring. Currently this store has the cutest coats. This store allows you to stay current with the trends without breaking the bank.


I used to have little patience to go through the racks, but recently found some cute, trendy dresses from Ross. Case in point: got a plaid flannel dress for $9.99 that was originally $50. It will probably be out of style next year, but for $9 who can deny it?


I have a love/hate relationship with Target. Love it for so many reasons. Hate it since I can't leave without spending $100. Target is the cheapest place I can find Roman's super expensive formula, so they are competitive with their sales pricing.


There are hundreds of discount shopping sites online, but this one is truly AWESOME! They take popular lines and discount them up to 50% making them affordable for everyone. I have bought clothing, sunglasses and even baby toys from here. Sign-up to be notified for their daily sales. It is definitely worth it.

Let me know some of your good shopping finds. I'm always looking for more to add to the mix.

Happy Halloween

We decided to throw a Halloween/Trick or Treat party at our house for all the littles. We had so much fun with family and friends and it could have been one of my favorite holiday celebrations of all time. To see all the babies and kids in their costumes is truly priceless and it was so fun to be able to head out in our neighborhood.
Here are some pics from the night.


Look who showed up in Walnut Creek? Ryan was in town for a football game and Lauren was at home in the OC. On Friday night I went online and found a one-way ticket for $40. So Lauren hopped on a plane and joined us for the festivities. We had so much fun!


The Zoo Keeper doing what they do best...cleaning up poop before the party begins.


Roman loved snuggling up to the Joker. Some thought he might be scared, but somehow he seemed to love the make-up.


Ellie "The Elephant". Quite possibly the sweetest Elephant ever. She even rocked out late night to Thriller, following in her Mom's footsteps.


We hit the streets for a little Trick or Treating with the strollers. It was pretty comical. We only made it to a few houses, but mainly walked the streets like a parade.


Noah "The Vampire" was adorable as always.


Yes, this man was with us.


Scott "The Soccer Player" leaving one of the best decorated houses on the block.


I wish I had pics of all the kids, but we never got organized enough to take one. There is something about celebrating the holidays once you have a child that makes it all so magical. All the memories of being a kid come back and you just want to have the best night to make new memories for your kids. Thank you to my parents and Betty and Bob for helping out with everything. What a great night.