Christmas greetings

The Castillo family had a blessed Christmas and hope you all did as well. I never got Christmas cards out this year, so here are a few snapshot highlights from the holidays. Sending our love and best wishes to our friends and family always.

 

 

We wrote letters to Santa...

 

 

Real letters for the first time...

 

Then tied them to red balloons, as is Papa's tradition, and sent them off to Santa. He must have received them because these two little kiddoes reaped in the spoils.

 

SuperGirl posed for photos at the beach with Grammy....

 

...and scooted around West Cliff with Grandpa.

 

Alex had a hot chocolate date with Grammy and Grandpa at Marini's Candy Shop. Grandpa has proclaimed it the best hot chocolate in Santa Cruz - it comes with a side of fudge. We went back the next day and made gingerbread houses with all the candy supplies you could possibly want. I'm afraid we may be come regulars at this place.

 

Santa made a surprise visit to Marini's - the kids are getting very good at posing with Santa.

 

Alex has made a lot of buddies at St. Sebastian...

 

The school hosts an annual Christmas concert and our kindergarten class sang two songs (adorably!). The music program is just one of the many things Alex is enjoying and thriving in at school. Kindergarten has been a wonderful experience so far and we are thankful daily for this little gem of a school.

Oh, look! It's Santa again.

This time in Los Angeles. In 70 degree weather and sunshine. It hardly felt like Christmas. These are the photos I would have used if I had gotten around to doing Christmas cards. So, here you are and Merry Christmas from the Castillos!

 



More Summer Fun and Alex's 5th Birthday Party!

Us Castillos being silly...

 

More shots from 4th of July in Santa Cruz. We got to spend time with the Kelly Cousins and had such a great time!

Did I mention that Alex is in to Star Wars right now? His Abuelita made him and Papa Jedi robes and a Princess Leia costume for Cassiel. Ahhh, my little cosplay family....Makes me proud.

A random Sunday morning on the way to church...

ALEX'S 5TH BIRTHDAY PARTY!! He planned it all. Well, as in...he told me who to invite, where to have it, what to eat and what theme he wanted. Of course, the theme he picked was the one boys' character franchise I actually don't work on (not Marvel, Star Wars or Disney, nope...he wanted Angry Birds. sigh). But it was a blast! Especially when the Angry Bird had them dancing to Gangham Style.

Catching up on summer

Our last summer before summers become summers. Alex will enter kindergarten this fall which means every summer from here on out will be a real summer, not just a continuum of free, endless play time.

 

This was his preschool graduation...

 

With Miss Katie and Miss Collette, the Orange Room teachers..

 
Visiting Mama at work...

A summer evening at the Getty...

Alex at kinder-camp making friends and learning the ropes...

4th of July weekend in Santa Cruz with Cousin Noah...

A walk in the forest with our dearest friends the Lewises...

 

 

A trip to Disneyland...

Alex is VERY in to Star Wars now....Duffy has been a good sport

 

 

 

A random weekday morning....Mommy was feeling frazzled getting out of the house and these two little munchkins just looked at me in all their cuteness and made everything alright again.

We spend lots of time at the beach. Cassiel has mastered her little scooter. She is quite the little force to be reckoned with.

 

Grammy's 60th Birthday in Florida!

Winter Fun

We've spent lots of time at Disneyland lately, the best of which was with the Lewises! Keidi and Calvin brought the girls down for their first ever Disney experience. There is something exta magical about little princesses' first visit to Disneyland.

Impromptu family photo shoot. Cassiel was playing dress up one morning and I decided to take advantage and snap some photos of her for her upcoming birthday party invite. Yep, our little baby is turning two soon. She is all girly and sweet and demanding and still a busy body.

 

And then there are these moments....
She fishes out her boogers and says "Here, Mama" and hands them to me. Ahhh, love her. I also love her Luke Skywalker haircut.

 

We did a family hike up to the Griffith Observatory one sunny Sunday afternoon. Alex held up impressively well, but Cassiel was less accomodating. She kept calling all of the planets 'balls' and wanting to play with them. Perhpas we re-do this outing in another few years....