YUM YUM Halloween Treats!

Today at work we had a "Spooky Food" competition.  Everyone came up with some really great ideas!  One of the guys made some creepy cupcakes.  I brought one home for Sofie and she loved it.  Sofie doesn't eat a lot of sweets, but when she does get something she REALLY enjoys it! 

I'm sure tonight she is going to get some more yummy treats! She almost has "trick or treat down".

Catching up...

So it's been a while since I've posted anything.  Things around the Allen household has been a little hectic lately.  It's seems like the days just run together.  Sofie has been excelling in school and learing more and more things.  She is still attending daycare four days a week and she really loves her friends.  She knows their names and can recognize them.  The other day we were leaving and getting her into the car, and one of the little boys (Andrew) was also leaving.  Sofie yelled out, "Bye Androo".  It was so adorable and made me feel a little sad at the same time...she is getting older and those baby years are gone.

A few weeks ago, Nick decided to have a "Daddy Day" with Sofie and they headed to a reptile store?  Nick really enjoys showing Sofie things that he did as a child and watching her enjoy them too.  So, once they got to the reptile store, this was Sofies reaction-

She had no idea what the animals were...too cute!

She finally came around and was a bit more adventurous.  Nick LOVED IT!!

On another note, my sister Kalani and her family finally moved back to Arizona after living in California for the last year.   It's been so nice having her back and Sofie really enjoys spending time with her cousins, Arianna and Katie and being spoiled by her Aunti Lani and Uncle Bryan.  Last weekend Sofie's daycare had their anual "trike-a-thon", a benefit to raise money for St. Jude's Hospital.  Sofie was so excited to show her classroom off and to show her skills on the slide!

She loves it!

Here is Arianna having fun!

On Friday, we headed over to a local Halloween Carnival with my Sister and the kids.  It was nice cause it gave them a chance to get into their costumes and have some fun.  Sofie is going to be a ladybug this year and she was so cute all dressed up in her costume.  But, by the time I broke the camera out, she was done with her costume and wanted it OFF!  So, pictures of her in her ladybug glory, will be posted next week. 

Arianna was dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Katie was Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas.  They all looks ADORABLE!

To stay in Halloween spirit, we carved pumpkins this weekend and it was so much fun! Sofie really enjoyed touching the insides of the pumpkin and smelling it.  She knows how to say pumpkin and she points them out where ever we go. 

Yeah...she looks thrilled here doesn't she!

Here she is touching the guts of the pumkin...it's follwed by an "eeww".

This is my FAVORITE picture~!

Katie and Arianna loved it! Here is Byan helping out.

Here is Sofie helping out with my pumpkin.

Here is our finished product.

Even Ryan showed up for carving!

Good times!

We're off to the Library-

Today Nick and I took Sofie to the local library for story time.  She was so excited to go "bye-bye" this morning! And when we arrived at the library, she loved looking at the books and playing with the puzzels.

 Sofie really enjoys having us read books to her before her bedtime.  She likes to help out and turn the pages and look at the pictures.  Here is a picture of her doing one of the puzzels at the library.

She is getting so big, it seems like it was just yesterday that she was still being swaddeled and considered an infant.  Now, we are starting to think about what we are going to do for her 2nd birthday.

Yo Gabba Gabba! She's hooked!

Sofie has moved on from her beloved Sesame Street and onto the newly discovered "Yo Gabba Gabba".  She loves to dance and to watch the characters.  As soon as we come home she races to the television and calls out "GABBA".  Nick and I find ourselves watching it too!

It's funny...for some reason Biz Markie  makes guest appearences and beat box's...Sofie always get's scared and takes cover behind the comfort of the couch!  I don't think she understands the noises he's making...plus, come on...he's a little scary anyway~

This is how we normally start off our Saturday mornings!

She's still not totally awake~!

Sofie is such a crack up!

Holiday Weekend Getaway!

In the blink of an eye we noticed that it was almost a year since we had gone to California for a visit.  Nick and I both miss the familar places of our hometowns but feel that we've made the right move to explore different cities and experience life in different places.  Whenever we go back to L.A. we love to visit all the places that are special to us.  This time Nick and I were able to share those places with Sofie. 

During this trip we stayed with our good friends Eddie and Bianca.  We loved spending time with them and just enjoying our mini vacation.  Sofie really enjoyed spending time with them as well.  It's amazing that she is getting to the point where so recognizes faces now.  Eddie and Bianca stayed with us a while back and Sofie made friends again real quick!

On our first day in we headed straight to Philippe's for a California classic French Dip sandwich.  These guys not only know how to produce top quality sandwiches but know to please a customer too!

Here is Nick enjoying the fruits of Philippe's labor!

After we were satisfied with eating sandwiches, we headed over to Hollywood to show Sofie where the stars are.  On our way we drove past one of my favorite buildings...The Disney Music Hall

We thought this was just sort of funny...driving down Cesar Chavez street in the heart of Chinatown...

Just another thing we thought was hilarious...I think at this point we were getting deliours! After driving all day with a toddler, then filling up on yummy french dips...we were all in an altered state!

And then we hit Hollywood!  Hollywood is one of those cities that is different each and every time.  This is one of my favorite and unique cities. 

Here is Nick and Sofie on Sunset standing right outside the Chinese Theater. She loved people watching and seeing all the different characters!

Seeing all the slabs of concrete in front of the theater is really special...Bianca and I were reminded of the famous episode of the I Love Lucy show...good times.

Here is Sofie and "Uncle Bert" on their way to Frank & Sons- A place Nick had to visit while in town to find some of his back issues of his favorite comic book collection, Aquaman.

While in town we were able to meet up with some friends for a nice dinner in San Pedro.  The entire time while we were driving out there Nick had a craving for scallops...he has this weird thing about not really eating seafood unless we're by an ocean??? I know, I know...weird huh! So we hit up a well know place to endulge his craving!

and here are his scallops!

After dinner we were invited to a friends house and the first thing to come out...light sabers!

We also had a chance to spend some time with my sister, brother-in-law and my two beautiful nieces!  The weather was beautiful and the day just kept getting better and better!

Standing at the top of the hill at the Korean Bell is one of my favorite places in San Pedro!

Standing there with my family made it even better!

This is a picture of my niece Arianna. 

Here is my sister and her family!  I love you guys!

Here is one of Nick's favorite things in San Pedro...the three eyed fish!

and here one of my favorite sights...

Sofie loved seeing the water and looking at the waves.

We took Sofie to the Redondo Beach Pier.  As a kid my parents would take us there every weekend.  One of my favorite things to do was get corn on the cobb. 

It was so special to see my daughter enjoy the same thing.

Here is Nick enjoying a treat too...

Here is my niece, Katie and brother-in-law Bryan trying their luck at finding a pearl...Katie was lucky because she found THREE!!!

I also tried my luck with the oysters and also hit the jackpot!  I only found two!

Here are my winnings!

Here is Sofie with her Auntie Lani and Uncle Bryan-

Sofie by the end of the day was totally DONE!

By the end of our mini vacation...we were happy to get back to Arizona...Sofie is still trying to get back on her schedule!

Thanks Eddie and Bianca for being such wondeful hosts!  We miss you guys alread!