Remember Star Wars' pop-up book?

When visiting bookstores as a preschooler with me, one of the Star Wars books you often enjoyed looking at was "Star Wars: A Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy." In fact, I think we got a copy of the book at the library in Lancaster, Calif.

With each page were several illustrations that popped up and flaps that could be pulled to create scenes from the various Star Wars movies. Among them was the cantina from "A New Hope"; it as so elaborate that it almost looked like a mini playset!

Another scene had the big battle between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker from "Return of the Jedi." Sometimes you'd like to take the two characters and have a light lightsaber battle between them!

Two years ago today: Aboard USS Midway

Trying on aviator goggles
 in the USS Midway gift store.

Two years ago today we toured one of your favorite places to go in San Diego: The USS Midway aircraft carrier.

We began the tour with a walk through the ship's brig and then the engine room. I have some neat pictures of you looking into the ship's boilers.

Then we went up to the deck where the airplanes are worked on (when the ship was in operation, of course), and you got to play around in the aircraft cockpits they set up for kids. Then we went to the conning tower (I may have the term wrong) and played in the ship's command center and visited the ship's "captain."

Here's a whole bunch of pictures from our adventure!

Two years today: In Disneyland

Two years ago today, we spent the day in Disneyland!

Unfortunately, I don't have too many photos from that weekend - sometimes my batteries ran out of power, and my camera has seen better days. But I did get one nice shot of you, wearing a Nightmare Before Christmas hat!

I do recall that we went into the haunted mansion for the Nightmare Before Christmas ride during the weekend!

Here's a whole bunch of photos from our trips during that Christmas season!

Recall your mini Disney lightsabers?

On Saturday when you took some of your Star Wars action figures with you, I got to thinking about all of the great toys from that series you've owned over the years. Certainly one of your favorites were the mini lightsabers we picked up at Disneyland.

There were four of them, each a different color, if I recall correctly - green for Yoda, purple for Mace Windu, red for Darth Vader, and blue for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sometimes they'd break when playing with them, but they were pretty sturdy!

I'll also remember you having imaginary battles with them in the truck/car as we drove between places! Sometimes you'd say lines from the movie as going through the motions!

At Grandma's and Grandpa's on Saturday

Decorating the Christmas tree, Nov. 30, 2013.

I had so much fun with you on Saturday, Kieran! We spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa Bignell's!

The day started with us putting stickers in our NFL sticker books and then enjoying a nice ham dinner that Grandma made. Then we played games with your cousins Bryan and Rebekah; the games includeed Clue and the Dr. Seuss game.

Then we took a drive into town; you got to see the elementary school I went to, we visited the library to get books, I showed you my old high school, and then we went to Dairy Queen for ice cream.

When we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's, we made a cool football game. Oh, and how could I forget - you got help decorate the Christmas tree earlier, right after lunch!

Our set of 101 cookie cutters

Do you remember our set of 101 cookie cutters? They were plastic, and we picked them up at Walmart then used them to make sugar cookies for just about every holiday and season!

Christmas by far was the most popular time, with us usually making a couple of different batches during the holidays. Our cookie cutters included Christmas trees, gingerbread men, bells, candy canes, snowmen and stockings.

We also made cookies at Halloween (ghost, haunted house, bat, black cat, pumpkins), Easter (duckies, cross, Easter bunny, Easter egg), and Valentine's Day (three sets of hearts). Letters also came with the set so I could spell out our names!

I usually mixed and match them for different seasons; for example we the footprint, the moon (for the sun) and the fish for going to the beach! I love you and miss making cookies with you!

Your Radio Flyer Retro Rocket toy

Do you remember your Radio Flyer Retro Rocket toy? I actually bought it for you before you were born because I thought it was such a cool toy that you'd love!

And I was right, if I do say so myself! You would sit on it and push the buttons that played a countdown and made swooshing sounds. The seat also lifted, and sometimes you'd stick action figures, crayons, and other small toys in there!

You soon outgrew the toy, which was meant for toddlers (Your legs were too long to comfortably sit on it or push it around), but I kept it in my office as a decoration!