Googler!

this is our 'pipe dream' come true.

three years ago, moving to California for Jeff to work at a start up.

we 'dreamed' of it someday becoming Google.

and it did.

What a thrill to see...

'Host Jeff Merkel'

Eating lunch in the infamous 'free' cafe's..yummm

the Google bikes you pick up and ride around the campus...

Jeff's new office

with welcome balloons and all.

we don't take this happy day lightly.

we are blessed.

Bringing a little California to Ohio

With the Thomas cousins being 'older and wiser',

they tend to pave the way for the Merkel boys.

We like this, it works pretty well.

The tide turned a bit this last visit in May

when the California boys brought their Apple products to Ohio.

It was very cute to see Charlie & Max with their Apple itouch's

showing their 'older and wiser' cousins the way they work:)

Cody & Max

Jaedon & Max

Daddy & Max...

even Daddy has a thing or two to learn apparantly...

Charlie is also quite the pro at his itouch,

I just didn't get it documented in photo.

I should say as a disclaimer.

We would never buy a 5 year old and 2 year old their OWN itouches...

but with Jeff's company Admob doing most of their business with Apple

both itouches have been gifts from the company.

And we LOVE them for their simple, light design.

Great for traveling and taking on the go.

Much cheaper than any game boy or DVD player you can buy

in that you just download new games and videos from itunes.

Okay, enough of a plug for Apple.

IKEA!!

It has always been a fun destination for us.

With the play area for Charlie

and the very kid friendly eating area for both boys...

it's a big hit on those...

'what in the world do we do today' days.

Best part we now live one mile from Ikea:)

View from my iphone...

life is very busy these days. with very good things and very daily things.

here are some photos of our life. from my phone...which seems to be the way of capturing my two 'yahoos' these days...

In & Out Burger!

One of the first things we located when we moved to Palo Alto...

Taking 'Leo' for a walk....

poor Leo, he must be dizzy being upside down and all.

The boys sitting in (and smushing)

our new strawberry patch in our backyard...

Max's first real haircut....

Charlie had to go 'first' to show Max that it didn't hurt.

Love big brothers for stuff like this!

Cutting off the curls.

Brave boy.

Brave Mama.

Sweet Max with a big boy haircut.

Charlie's birthday cupcake with his speech therpist Amy...

or as Charlie says...Amy who teaches me my 'L's".

We love Amy!

Charlie stopping to smell the tulips on our walk.

A run around at the Stanford Oval.

So fun to be so close to campus to pop over to play!

New bike helmet for Max!

World Cup...England vs US!

Max checking out the score on the iphone.

We're starting them young:)