The Past 168 Days

Wow, 168 days since the last time I blogged. I guess there goes that goal for 2011. LOL. I swear it's not because I haven't wanted to, cause I have! The thing is, life took off like a wildfire and I'm now just getting it under control. I think. Hopefully. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for me. Haha.

These past 168 days have been a fast paced roller coaster ride! From my boys tracking off from school two different months (whoever thought it was a great idea to separate siblings and put them on different tracks should be shot. figuratively speaking.), me working full time at nights, the kids schoolwork, sports, birthday parties, trips to Tahoe, running a half marathon a month, and Adam being laid off from two different jobs. It's been crazy!!

Oh, and for some reason I didn't think I had enough on my plate so I decided to join the PTA. Yep, me, a PTA mom. You can laugh. I do every time I hear it. :)

Anyways, here are a few pictures (since my camera decided to break) of the last 168 days. I would promise to blog more but who am I kidding? How about I promise to try to promise to blog more? Does that make sense? If it doesn't, sorry; it's Friday!! Enjoy!

Bubba was impressive as a defender

Bear's first year playing

1 of many bday parties

Gobble Gobble

Our very own Star Wars Clan

Princess Leia

Baby Girl's 3rd Birthday

Isn't he handsome?

Family Tahoe trip

Ice Skating in Tahoe

Finished the Beach Cities Challenge!

Flashback Friday

(4/2009)

I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since Baby Girls first Easter. Where has the time gone? It feels just like yesterday when I was being rushed in for an emergency c-section. When I was able to easily carry her in my front pack all day. All that has changed. Now I’m running all around trying to keep up with this little spitfire. Crazy how time flies!

Happy Earth Day!

In honor of Earth Day this week (April 22nd), our family pledged an act of green to plant a garden at home. And that is exactly what we did yesterday! Even though we no longer have the backyard we once had, we still have managed to find a way to grow a few of our favorite veggies. Now instead of an above ground garden we have beautiful colored pots lining our backyard fence. And when we want zucchini we'll just steal it from Nana's house. Or our new neighbors. ;) How are you going to celebrate Earth Day?

~disclosure: the shirt to small, pants on backwards, and shoes on the wrong feet
are the doing of an independent 2 year old.~

Flashback Friday

(9/20/2007)

When your child has an radiant smile and eyes that speak to your soul, it's so hard to get mad at them. Even though at times our Cody Bear can be Dennis The Menace, his unconditional love and pure heart makes up for all his mischievous ways.

What A Day!

Why is it when I have my day perfectly planned all hell breaks loose? And by "all hell" I mean my family. :p

So last night while I was at work I get a call from my husband telling me our house (we are almost done with a VERY LONG refi) is getting appraised between 9:30/10:00 the next day. Awesome, there goes my plans to run in the morning and now cleaning when I get home from work instead of working on a birthday present. Then my BCF (best cousins forever) texts me that I'm wrong on my dates and the JBF drop off is actually Wednesday (today) and not Thursday. Even better! Now I get to clean, finish tagging items, and work on a birthday present after getting home from work at midnight!

I'm not trying to complain because my days are pretty much always like this. Run, run. Go, go. All before 2pm when I leave for work. But the story doesn't stop there. Taylor wakes up this morning with a fever and is cranky; telling me her ear hurts. Not only do I have 2 school drop offs, 1 pick up, an appraiser coming over; load my car with all the JBF sale items, and JBF drop off. Now I have a sick kid who needs to go to the doctors on top of all that. PULLING MY HAIR OUT!

You would think it couldn't get any worse, but you're wrong. Here's the kicker... So while I am dropping my JBF things off, my mother in-law is watching my 2 younger ones (thank you deena) and Taylor gets super tired. Naturally she lays her down for a rest. I get back and go to wake her for the appointment and of course, she has had an accident! My first thought, not a problem. My mother in-law loves to shop, she'll have something. I really need to stop thinking...

Yes, that would be my daughter in Spiderman undies standing outside of the hospital with no pants. Because that's all we had! Today was the first time I was actually happy we still go to a hospital that isn't in such a great neighborhood. We fit right in today!

Flashback Friday

(1st Bday Party 2/05)

This week's Flashback Friday is dedicated to my oldest baby. Today he turns 7 years old! Happy Birthday, Bubba! I'm so thankful you blessed my life when you did. I love you to the moon and back again!

Flashback Friday

Exactly 5 years ago today. Gigi, we miss you and love you much!

Coconuts…

Cody, I love it! Who are they?

That's you, me, Bubba, and Tay-Tay.

Where's daddy?

He's not there.

Will what are these?

Those are coconuts.

What do we need coconuts for?

For your drinks.

~ LMBO! I sure do love my son!!! And let me just point out, I do not like coconuts and have never drank a coconut drink in front of him. So I have no idea where he got the whole using a coconut for a drink concept.

Cheers! :)

Ladybug Party

It’s amazing how much time and energy (lets not forget money) goes into planning a party and how quickly it is over. Taylor’s 2nd birthday party came and went in a blink of an eye! So fast I even forgot to blog about it! I maybe almost a month late but it’s better to be late then never. :)

The Birthday Girl:

The Invites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Decor:

The Desserts:

The Goodie Bags:  

~ I did my best to keep the food as simple as possible this year; meat and cheese tray, veggies, fruit, dips, etc. For the little kids I made ladybug shaped pb&j’s with a cookie cutter I ordered on EBay. Taylor’s cake and cupcakes were made by my wonderful cousin, Jamie. I purchased the cupcake toppers from a very cute shop, The invitation Chic, on EBay. I made the little girls ladybug goodie bags using Dana’s tutorial over at MADE. I forgot to take a picture, but the boys got a cup full of “mud” as their goodie bag. Which of course was pudding, smashed Oreo’s, and gummy worms in a cup. And for the adults, candy mold ladybug thank you’s. Taylor’s “Love Bug” shirt is from my girlfriends shop, Classy Bowtique. I got her hat from Mamabargains, and it’s made by Lollitops. I made her tutu and sparkly toe Converse’s. Oh, and her invitations. :) Until next year…

Kids Pumpkin Carving Party

I had some doubts once I started (along with my wonderful BCF, Jamie) gutting 22 pumpkins, but… The kids pumpkin carving party was a SUCCES! Of course it had to rain on this one day in October. But what party goes off without any problems? Hell, I had two groomsmen show up to our wedding wearing the wrong colored vest and cummerbunds. If I can handle that on one of the most important days of my life, then I can handle a rain storm during a kids party. :)

Pumpkin Carving Time:

Lunch Time:

The Finished Pumpkins:

As for the food, which I’m still super bummed I didn’t get pictures of, we served: bloody worms (pulled pork), scrambled brains (macaroni salad), scary ghosts (pb&j’s), skeleton bones (veggie tray), and goblin eyes (fruit salad). For dessert there was a graveyard cake and cupcakes. And to drink we had Swamp Juice (lime and lemon concentrate w/sprite and sherbet ice cream), Blood Punch (cranberry juice and club soda w/floating orange slices), and “Holy” Water (something i need to drink more of).

Can’t wait till next year!!

Table Talk

 

The other morning Mason and I were having our normal breakfast conversation when he ask, "Mom, does F-U-C-K spell anything?" Of course I was totally shocked and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. So as nonchalantly as I could over my cup of coffee I ask him what he thought. "Yeah, it spells F*CK!" Alrighty then, lesson learned. Don't ask a 6 going on 7 year old who clearly can sound out words what they spell!

Our Summer Review

This summer we started out strong marking off activities on our summer list, but with Bubba going to a year round school things took a sudden halt. It was a little weird for school to start in mid July for us. We still managed to get 15 out of the 22 activities marked off. 68% is passing, right? Here’s a glimpse of a few of our adventures.

Camping – Santa Cruz KOA

Lake Tahoe             

Toy Story 3             

Swim Lessons        

Beach Time           

A’s Game             

Soccer Season                     

Port’s Game