Halloween Parade

Last week Noelle's day care had a Halloween parade for all the kids. The teachers in her class made witch costumes for all the kids.

Noelle and her teacher Miss Margaret

Noelle looked pretty scared and hung close to Miss Margaret.

Noelle's class of witches

Our little witch

The second loop around on the parade, Noelle saw us in the crowd of people and started crying. So Laurie got to join the parade too!

BOO at the Zoo

A couple weeks ago we took Noelle to Boo at the Zoo in Oakland. Basically all the kids show up at the zoo dressed in their Halloween costumes. We tried to get Noelle into her bumble bee costume but she screamed "OFF BUMBLEBEE, OFF BUMBLEBEE". So we gave up and managed to get her into her UCLA cheerleader outfit from last year.

OFF BUMBLEBEE!!!

Our little Bruin

Watching the giraffes

Pumpkins!

This one is just my size

Can I have this one? "No help"

3 years of pumpkin patches!

Monterey

We headed to Monterey for the 3 day weekend. Yes, Noelle gets Columbus Day off. Noelle was excited that Grandma Ann and Grandpa Cliff joined us for the weekend.

2!

Noelle turned 2 on August 27th - wow the year flew by! Thinking back on the year it's hard to believe how many milestones and changes we went through...walking, talking, running, teeth, teeth and more teeth, weaning, singing, growing....

We had a birthday party for Noelle at our house and had close family and friends over.

Noelle woke up on her birthday party morning to a surprise! A brand new tricycle from Grandma & Grandpa Iida and Mom and Dad. She loves getting pushed around the neighborhood and collects leaves, pinecones and sticks in her trunk.

Waiting patiently as Mom & Dad get ready for the party

Wow, why are those stars on fire?

I'm trying my best to blow these things out!

Buddies!

Noelle loved opening her presents

Arakawa Family Trip

We went to Kirkwood for our annual Arakawa trip. This year we had the entire mainland clan and Mom and Dad even came from Hawaii! We were a packed house with 28 of us! We had so much fun catching up with everyone. Days were filled with outdoor activities and nights were filled with good food and lots of games.

Here we all are!

Noelle had fun with Grandma & Grandpa

This is my favorite picture from the trip

My cousins (minus Robyn)...we're like sisters

Hiking - can you see sleeping Noelle on my back?

Noelle loved Kayla and Brianna

Becca & Noelle

The little cousins from youngest to oldest

Family!

Newport Beach

We got a great deal to stay at the Marriott Newport Beach villa (2B/2B) so we took a mini-vacation. The only downside was having to go to the timeshare sales presentation - we are happy to say that we made it out alive. We had lots of fun spending time with friends & family and enjoying Southern California weather.

Nice villa with lots of room for Noelle to run around
"Upside down, Mommy"

Strolling on Balboa Island talking on the phone to Grandma Ann

Pool time
Kathie, Kayla, Liz and Becca came to spend the day with us.

Fun with Becca

We visited beautiful Mission San Juan Capistrano

"Hi Mommy"

Look How I've Grown

Here I am at about 1 1/2 weeks old and now at almost 2 years old. WOW!

4th of July in Monterey

After getting the company cabin at the last minute, we headed off to Monterey for the 4th of July weekend.
After the fog burned off, we were treated to nice warmish weather. Noelle loved the beach and would have run right into the frigid water if we let her. Here she is trying to squeeze a sand ball that Kirk made for her.

She is the destroyer of sand castles.

The aquarium was packed but we got glimpses of the new seahorse exhibit. Both those things in the photo are seahorses!

Fun with Daddy at the aquarium

The 4th of July parade through downtown Monterey drew a huge crowd.

Mommy, what's that????

What else is coming?