A visit with the Brown's

After we got home from Ohio, we headed up to Sacramento to shoot a wedding.  Some of our best friends from college, the Brown family, live in Sacramento so we to stay with them while we were there. They just had a new addition to their family, baby Brayden.  He was as cute as can be and Hudson just loved him!  

Hudson and Brayden:

Brooke taught Hudson how to sing "Ring Around the Rosie"... it was a big hit:

They were so cute holding hands:

The morning before we left the Brown's took us out for an amazing breakfast... We had the best pancakes we have ever had!

It was sooo good to see them and get to spend a little time with them in their hometown.  We love you Brown's and we appreciate your friendship more than you even know!

Ohio in January

Travis' mom just left yesterday back for Ohio after spending a week with us.  She came to surprise Brandon for his 30th birthday.  We had a great time with her even though we stayed home most of the time due to Hudson being so sick.  It was nice that Hudson got to see her again after only a month since our last visit. 

Right before Christmas, Travis and I were talking about how we were both bummed we weren't going to be able to go back to Ohio to spend time with his family over the holidays.  We tried to figure out a way were we could work it into Travis' schedule, but it just wasn't going to work out.  So, we decided just for Hudson and I to go.  We wanted to be sure to get one more free flight with Hudson before he turns 2 at the end of April and we have to start paying for his ticket. 

Hudson and I had a great trip and he was great on all the flights.  I never posted pictures from our trip, so here they are...

Thanks to a sticker book Grandma sent for Christmas... it provide about an hour and a half of entertainment:

I didn't bring play clothes for the snow, so we used what we had:

Hudson fell and his hands went right into the snow.  I left his gloves in Cali, so after consoling a very upset child I put on the warmest pair of socks that I brought... worked like a charm:

Out to breakfast with Grandma and Aunt Amy:

Normally when we go to Ohio, Travis and the guys go out for a night while Hillary and I visit with the kids at home.  However, this time since it was just me and Hudson, I left Hudson home with Trav's parents, so Hillary and I could go out:

We went the the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown Cincinnati and then headed to Nada to eat some amazing Mexican food!  I have never had better guacamole... even now as I write about it I am craving some:

Then we took the coldest walk of my life.  We walked 2 blocks in the frigid air where the wind was blowing through all of our layers leaving us freezing!  It was all worth it though, because we got a scoop of Graters ice cream! It can only be bought in Ohio and it is a definite must while we are there. Hillary has become such a great friend over the years and I always look forward to seeing her when we visit:

Hudson got some quality time with Grandma:

We had such a wonderful visit and we are looking forward to our next visit:

On the plane heading home:

He looks so grown up sitting in his own seat, strapped in and asleep on his blanket... He was a great traveling companion:

We loved getting snowed in and eating soup, visiting with family, seeing friends at church and just relaxing for a week.   

Date Night & Valentines Day

Some of our friends gave us a gift certificate to one of our now favorite restaurants, Nick's.  There are only two, one here in San Clemente and the other in Laguna Beach.  We were really excited to leave Hudson with my parents and head out for a date... plus, when you don't have to pay dates are that much more fun!  

We order asparagus fries... and they were delicious!!!

Oh, how I love restaurants that provide blankets :)

For Valentines Day, we got tickets to see the World of Color show at the California park at Disneyland.  It was sooo much better than I even expected.  We just had a fun night as a family lovin' on each other:

We could not believe Hudson wore the glasses for the new Toy Story ride.  He kept them on the entire ride!

Valentine's Day is a wonderful day to just enjoy those you love... a day we are always willing to celebrate. 

Christmas continued...

This is the first year we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at our house.   It was really fun and I must admit, I felt like we were playing house :)  We had Brandon come over to spend the night and in order to make it feel like Christmas for the boys, I made traditional Collins' family meals.  We had such a relaxing and enjoyable time together. 

This picture is of Travis, Hudson and I right after we got home from our first Christmas Eve service with Saddleback Orange... we had 1,000 people show up at our first service!  Plus, it was great to see some San Clemente families who came to Orange to show their support:

My mom, step dad and Grandma joined us for one of the services.  My sister, Brittany and her husband Taylor came with some of Taylor's family too, but I didn't get a chance to take their picture :/

Travis, Brandon and Hudson:

I love this picture, because Hudson noticed the guys were giving thumbs up, so he tried really hard to be sure he could give a thumbs up too:

This next series of pictures are some of my favorite pictures... We got Hudson a bike for Christmas and the look on his face was just priceless:

Travis' family in Ohio were on skype so they could watch Hudson open the bike:

Uncle B gave Hudson a book so they sat and read together:

Christmas morning eating artichoke frittata, smokies and hash browns:

Then we headed off to my mom's to continue the Christmas celebration:

We always have another Christmas Eve and Christmas morning... no matter the date:

Of all the toys Hudson got, the fake ice cream cones were the winning ticket.  He didn't put them down all morning:

Hudson loves keys, so my sister, Summer got Hudson a door knob and keys :)

Playing games:

The whole fam: