You and Me, Plus Three

Romanesco Broccoli

2012-01-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Our latest CSA box came with lots of yummy greens. Swiss chard, broccoli, romaine lettuce, celery, and of course, carrots, apples and oranges.

And there was this...

This neon green, spiky, strange looking mixture of a vegetable. At first, I thought it was just a bunch of cauliflower that was maybe picked too soon.
So I put it away in the fridge, wondering if we would actually eat it.

After a little more research, I found out it is actually called Romanesco Broccoli. It comes from Italy and is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, and carotenoids.

I have a ton of regular broccoli and plan on roasting it tonight using this recipe.
Maybe I will mix them together and give it a try.

Steak and Bok Choy Noodle bowl

2012-01-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

Usually when we buy Bok Choy, I use it as a side dish. I cook it up in a large pan with some garlic and olive oil and serve it with steak or fish.

I wanted to do something different this time, but I was having a hard time finding a recipe that I totally loved.

So, I just used this one from the Food Network web site, and adjusted it to my needs.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp of ginger root (I used the kind that is already minced in a squeeze tube. Best invention. Ever!)
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms (again, just for the ease, I used pre-cut mushrooms)
1 medium bok choy, rough chopped.
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken broth
a couple of scallions, cut into small pieces.
Noodles ~ I chose Soba. Really, you could use any type of long noodles.
Steak ~ The ribeye was looking good this evening, so that's what we grilled up. (my man isn't a huge shrimp fan, so that's why I really changed this recipe to steak)

Heat up a nice big pan and add the oil. Toss in the garlic, red pepper, ginger, & veggies. Season with S&P. Cook that together until the Bok Choy is tender.

Add the chicken broth and heat it up until it comes to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for about 5 mins. Add a handful of scallions and let it all simmer for another few minutes.

My husband is in charge of all things BBQ, so he put the steak on and cooked it till it was about medium.

That's it!

Serve the sliced steak over the noodle mixture. I also added a little sauce on my steak, but it was not even needed. (1/3 cup of ketchup and 2 Tbs of Hoison sauce mixed together).

I felt like this was a quick, easy and delicious meal.

My husband loved it.

Even my 1-year old ate it up!

Zuppa Toscana

2012-01-22T16:37:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe, found on Pinterest, inspired by Olive Garden.

(you can find the original recipe here)

I had to find something super yummy to do with this huge bunch of beautiful Kale.

Have you ever had Kale before??
See the amazing nutritional value here
I didn't know much about it, except that it was used as a garnish in a lot of the restaurants I used to work at.

Since rain was in the forecast for the weekend, I decided soup sounded perfect.

I love that this is a one-pot meal. Although, I didn't realize that until I had already started cooking in the wrong size pot.

Start by cooking up some Italian Sausage. I used mild flavored and skipped the Red Pepper. I was hoping the kids would try some and didn't want to make it too spicy.
Once the sausage is browned, put it aside and add the next 3 ingredients.


Onion, garlic and a few strips of Bacon, chopped up.

One whole white onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and about 4, okay, 6 strips of bacon.
Let the onion soften up and the bacon get nice and crisp.

Add 10 cups of water (here's were the large pot comes into play)
and 5 cubes of chicken bouillon.

Let the water come to a boil so the cubes can dissolve.

Throw in about 3 large Russet potatoes, sliced. Let them cook for about 30 minutes.
I also added Kale at this point, so that it would have plenty of time to soften up.

Since I had suck a large bunch, I decided to make a side of Kale Chips too.

It's a quick, easy and tasty snack.

Simply chop up a handful of leaves with the stems removed, and toss them in a bowl with a little olive oil. Add a small amount of sea salt and bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 375°F.
My kids actually ate this.
Green, leafy vegetables. My two-year old said it tasted like french fries.
Score one for mom.

Back to the soup...
Once the potatoes have softened up, add one cup of heavy cream and return the sausage to the pot.

Heat thoroughly and serve with some warm, crusty bread!

I have to say, this soup was SO good. I am actually looking forward to having leftovers and I don't say that too often.

Kelly's Kitchen

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

So, as I posted earlier, I have been on a mission to eat better. This means cooking a lot more and incorporating a lot more veggies into our meals.

The husband, of course, is right on board with this. Any time he doesn't have to cook, he is happy. For the first few years of our relationship, he did most of the cooking (by his choice). Now that he is becoming more and more busy with work, I have been making more and more of an effort to become a better cook.

Once again, I have Pinterest to thank. I don't think I am quite as obsessed with this website as I was when it first came out, but I still look at it everyday.

(sorry for the bad phone photo)

We also started getting our CSA boxes last week. The first week had Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Bok Choy, Romaine Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Oranges and Fuji Apples.

The kids were so excited to see all of the fresh produce and I explained to them how each item grows. Even though they didn't want to taste everything, I think its a good way to get them excited about veggies.

(another bad phone photo)

This week we have Carrots, Lettuce, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cilantro, Kale, and more Apples and oranges.

I'll be sure to post some recipes of what I'm making, so be sure to check back soon.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

I am so looking forward to 2012.

I never really make resolutions, but I do have a few (typical) goals in mind.

Definitely need to start eating better.

I signed up to get a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box.

We will be getting farm fresh, organically grown produce once a week. I plan to make our meals based around whats delivered to us each week. I really want to get away from processed foods.

I know we won't give it up completely (my kids love their mac n' cheese), but I hope to cook with more veggies, more often.

I need to start working out more.

I do exercise, but I mean, I need to make more of an effort to actually work out! My body is just not the same after birthing 3 kids in such a short time. It's not like I ever had rock-hard abs before kids and I don't feel bad about myself, but I just want to tone up a bit.

All over.

I want to be more creative.

Thanks to the wonders of Pinterest, I have been seeing so many wonderful "how to"s. Time to dust off the sewing machine (or maybe invest in a new one).

Learn more about my camera.

My 365 project has come to a close, but I still have SO much to learn about taking photos. I need to figure out my Photoshop Elements. So complex! I will try to sign up for some type of online class or something.

Have more ME time.

It's not that I don't love spending every minute, of everyday with my kids.

I do.

I just need to make more time for myself.

Since we don't have a lot of help from family, I don't get a lot of time away from my kids.

I joined a Book Club a few months back. I can't tell you how excited I get to go to our meetings (Even if I haven't finished the book) . It's just once a month, for 2-3 hours, but I just feel so refreshed when I get home.

I also joined a Bunco group for this upcoming year. So excited for this one too.

A small group of girls, once again, getting together once a month, just for a few hours.

Other interesting things that will be going on this year...

-Andy will be getting a promotion (fingers crossed) and moving up to Engineer.

-Hopefully we will be buying a new house in the next few months.

-Owen turning 3 in March, starting preschool in the Fall.

-Connor will be turning 5, FIVE, in May, finishing preschool and starting Kindergarten in the Fall.

-And of course, Molly will be 2 in September.

Wow, where does the time go?

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!

Salt Dough Ornaments

2011-12-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

Once again, Pinterest has me thinking I can be all crafty. I saw a cute photo awhile back with salt dough ornaments.

I figured it would be easy enough to make something like this at home.

My boys love doing crafts. Especially the little one.

He is all about painting/coloring/decorating anything he can get his little hands on.

I found a recipe online that couldn't be easier.

1 cup of salt

2 cups of flour

1 cup of warm water

Mix until it forms a dough and then roll it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Cut out any shapes you desire.

Put them in a 200 degree oven for 4-6 hours, or until they are nice and hard.

(Then quickly take them out again when you realize you forgot to put holes in the top so you can hang them)

Once they are all cooled off, you can either paint or color them with markers.

And if for some reason, you cannot find any paint brushes, Q-Tips work just fine!

I still plan on making one with all of our family finger prints.

I think it will be a cute keepsake for our tree.

Knott's

2011-12-11T12:19:00.001-08:00

This month police and fire are allowed into Knotts Berry Farm for free. We decided at the last minute to take a trip there with the kids to check it out. I haven't been to Knott's since I was in high school, I think.
So, on our way out the door, we found out the park actually closes early during the week, which meant we would only have about 2-3 hours there.
Considering we only had to pay for one kid, we went for it. Wouldn't be a huge loss if we didn't get to see everything in one visit.

The boys, ready for their first ride.

I guess we timed it just right, because the park was empty! The kids walked onto every ride.
Camp Snoopy was the perfect place for them to run around and pretty much pick where ever they wanted to go.

The second photo is a bit blurry, but I think you can still see the terror in my childrens eyes.

I don't think they were huge fans of this one.

Almost every photo I try to take of Molly has her trying to grab my lens.

We bribed the kids with some Cotton Candy so that we could take turns going on a roller coaster.

I felt like such a nerd going by myself, but like I said, there were NO lines for anything, so I couldn't pass it up.

Back to the kiddie rides we go.

The park began to light up as soon as it was dark. I love all the lights and decorations!

Those are people up there. On swings. Waaaayyyy up high!

Honestly, it was super fun. The kids were well behaved and they loved the freedom of running around and not getting in trouble. Not as much to do here compared to a certain other Mouse House, but still a good time.
Which, by the way, my man works for that city and never sees any type of deals for.
Come on Disney!

I would like to try to go back with just the hubby and really go on the big rides!
It would be a fun date night.
We'll see.

advent calendar

2011-12-04T09:06:00.001-08:00

Oh, the wonders of Pinterest!

I keep seeing all of these cute ideas for Christmas.

I want to make everything.

I found a pin for a cute little Advent calender on this blog.

My four-year old has been asking me everyday, since before Thanksgiving, if Christmas is tomorrow.

So, I knew this would be a great project.

I copied her link to the Santa printout and used the same wording for the top of the calender.

Found some Christmas scrapbook paper and glued it all together.

I found these containers to put the cotton balls into. They were clear plastic, so I just added a bit of paper to the inside and wrote their names on each one.

Each day, they get to add one puff. When the container is empty they will know Christmas is here.

I have them hanging in the kitchen so the boys can see them everyday.

I think they turned out pretty cute and they add to our Holiday decor!

Elfie

2011-11-26T21:10:00.001-08:00

We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition this year.

If you haven't heard of it yet, it's basically a little Elf that comes with a story book. The elf is suppose to watch over the kids during the day and report back to Santa each night. He says weather or not the kids are being good or bad.

I've come to agree with most people, that although cute, this elf is a little bit creepy.

He's sort of an old fashion doll.

My four-year old is a total skeptic. He tells me right off the bat, that it's just a toy and it doesn't really talk to Santa.

So cynical, this kid.

After reading the story to my boys, I put them to bed and placed "Elfie" on his shelf for the night.

When they woke up the next morning, they were wondering how he got up there.

Immediately, they thought I did it. They searched for the box and asked how he got out.

I just shrugged my shoulders. Told them if they want to believe or not, it was up to them.

I know there will only be a few short years that I can have fun with them.

I plan on milking this one for as long as I can.

Thanks!

2011-11-24T08:38:00.001-08:00

I have so many reasons to be thankful.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful day.

The Bird Store

2011-11-20T14:23:00.001-08:00

The other day, some of the moms from Connor's preschool set up a playdate for the kids. It isn't often that they can get together outside of school, so he was really looking forward to seeing his friends.

They arranged us to meet at Omars Exotic Birds. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of birds, but from the website, this place looked really fun for the kids.

(Sorry in advance for the poor picture quality. I had my one-year old in one arm and my camera in the other, trying to get a good shot)

Once we all arrived, a lovely lady gave the kids a guided tour of the shop. She introduced each of the birds that were out on display, even letting some of the kids hold the birds.

The boys always act a little shy at first, but they soon warm up and make themselves at home.

Connor was asked if he wanted to put a bird on his head. He wasn't so sure at first, but then he thought it was pretty funny.

Once again, Molly was busy doing her own thing and thought that the wall of bird toys was much more exciting.

This guy was to cute. He was so talkative. I think its so weird and really fascinating that birds can talk.

They also had a beautiful Toucan.
He was in a giant cage and it was super hard to get a good photo of him.
Plus I was trying to chase around a wiggly toddler.

Ah well. Next time.
I'm sure we'll be back.

Local Zoo

2011-11-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

We were all home the other day and decided to take a quick trip to our local Santa Ana Zoo.

I love this zoo because it's just small enough to keep the kids entertained without being overwhelmed. Last year we had passes to the San Diego Zoo and I really loved it. We just had to plan our day in advance because it sort of an all day event.

I think more than the animals themselves, my kids love the fact that this place has a park!

The trick is to get them to walk through the zoo first, then play.

Another great perk is the Train ride. There is a small train, pulling six cars that starts by going through a garden, then passes by an adorable big red barn. The conductor narrates you along the way, explaining each animal that you see.

After the train ride, we let the kids run around to see the other animals.

They have a beautiful bald eagle there. It was somehow injured in the wild and brought here to recover. It's size is seriously impressive. If I were to see one of these out in the open, I have to say it would probably scare me. They are huge birds.


That is a mock nest with pretend eggs in it. It would have comfortably slept all 3 of my kids.

Clearly Molly was more interested in something she picked up off the ground.

I think more than anything, this zoo is known for it's monkeys. There are at least 50 monkeys here at all times. You can follow the trail and see many different types and read about each one.

The boys loved the monkeys. Maybe they can just relate???

Kids and monkeys just don't seem that far off!

Kidding.

I think.

These little guys were so cute and playful I just wanted to put one in my bag and take it home.

They might be less messy than the monkeys I have at home already.

It was a nice, quick little trip and a good way to get the kids out of the house.

October, Movember!

2011-11-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

We are still recovering from an eventful Halloween season!

Yes, it has it's own season around here.

We took a trip to Disneyland for Mickey's Halloween Party,

We helped celebrate two Halloween birthday/Costume parties,

And of course, we couldn't pass us a night at the pumpkin patch.

All of that followed by a very successful night of trick-or-treating with friends!

Now that the craziness has calmed down, it is time to move on to Movember.

Yes, Movember.

Every November, men around the world begin growing mustaches in order to raise awareness about mens health, specifically cancers that affect men.

My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 8 years ago.

He underwent surgery and is doing well now, but it is still something that we all think about often.
I have heard that most men will end up dying with prostate cancer, rather than from it.
But, more often than not, that type of cancer ends up spreading into other types of cancer.

The purpose of Movember is to raise awareness and funds to help with cancer research.
If you can, go to their website, or you can even register like I did for your very own Mo Space page.

My Mospace page

feels like fall

2011-10-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

The past few days have actually started to feel a bit like Fall! I know we don't get major seasons around here, but it's been nice to see a little change.

My big, beautiful Fig tree is beginning to loose its leaves. The boys thought it would be fun to stomp and crunch all of them that had fallen. If my husband wasn't so ~~anal~~ wonderful about raking up the mess, it would have made for some more exciting photos!
But, they had fun anyway.

Even Molly tried to get in on the action.

Clearly, she wasn't impressed.

Look Who's Walking

2011-10-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

At last, she walks. Not that I'm in any rush to chase another kid around, but I am ready for her to be done crawling around on every dirty floor she sees.
The past few days have been full of new things for my little darling. She is now saying "Hi", "Bye", "Ball" and "Go". She is waving bye-bye, giving kisses, hugs while patting you on the back. She can point to her belly and her nose when asked.
It's so fun to watch them learn.

I can say (hopefully without jinxing myself) she is sleeping better. Finally. It's amazing what a good nights sleep will do for someone. She is such a happy baby.

the Birthday girl

2011-09-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it. We survived the first year.

You know, the first birthday party is really a party for the parents. It's a way to celebrate the fact that we all made it out alive.
Miss Molly is alive and well. And cute as ever.

Molly had an awesome little birthday party at our house the week following her birthday. We had a bunch of close friends a ton of little kids over to bounce, play, eat and sing!

My sweet friend Dawn made this adorable poster for everyone to sign. You mark your thumbprint to make a bunch of birthday balloons and write in you name, as sort of a guestbook, for her party.
Brilliant!

When it came time to sing and have her dig into the cake, she wasn't really impressed. She didn't cry, like I expected, but she sure didn't want much to do with eating it.

no idea that this whole party is for her

more impressed with the flame, than the cake

And that was it. She squished it between her fingers and spread it all around, but I don't think she even bothered to take one bite!

All in all, it was a successful party. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, and I know I'll have a ton of pictures for her to treasure once she is older.

Happy Birthday Baby!

2011-09-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Guess who's ONE today??? I can't believe my little stinky face baby is a year old already. As difficult as this year has been, it really has flown by.

I never knew I actually wanted a baby girl, until I became pregnant with my first son. I kept dreaming about a little girl. Two boys later, I was sure it would never happen.

I feel so blessed to have her, along with my darling, sweet boys. It really has been fun.

She is getting so close to walking now. She can stand on her own and take a step, but then decides it's much easier to just crawl where she wants to go.

I'm fine with her taking her time. Although, it's going to be much easier to put her in those cute little dresses once she is out of the crawling phase.

I couldn't imagine sharing my birthday with anyone else.

We are having a small party for her this weekend. Be sure to check back for some more photos!

remember

2011-09-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the tragic events that took place on 9/11. It's hard to believe that much time has already passed. I think this is one of those things where everyone will always remember where they were when they heard the news.

I know I'll never forget.

I remember my friend coming into wake me up, saying a plane had hit the twin towers in NY. I remember thinking to myself, 'oh how sad'. I was imagining a small plane, maybe a private little two-seater. I had no idea what I was about to witness as I sat on the couch and glued my eyes to the tv for the next hour. I remember the tears rolling down my face as I held my breathe while the first tower began to collapse.

I've been to New York four times. Twice before the attacks, and twice after. There is just such a great feeling about being in that city. It is honestly one of my favorite places to visit.

Being married to a firefighter, my heart aches just a little bit more on this day. I joke with him a lot about being able to hang out with his friends and goof around while he is at work. I also know that it just takes one day, just one event, to change our lives forever.

Five whole years!

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today, I married my sweetheart from high school. Although we never dated back then, we knew of each other, and we were lucky enough to be reunited 7 years after graduation.

We were together for two years before he proposed. After a year-long engagement, we were married.

By the time our one year anniversary came around, we had ourselves a darling little baby boy.

By three years, we had added another adorable little boy. Life was crazy, but we were so happy with our family.

And then, yes, we added one more. Four days after our 4th anniversary, we had our beautiful little girl.

It's been a little chaotic. It's been quite stressful. It's been full of ups and downs.

I have a few more grey hairs and wrinkles than I'd like to admit.
Honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Sometimes, in the midst of things, I forget to tell him how happy I am.

We actually have a date night planned for this weekend. A DATE NIGHT!
Just us. No kids.
That hasn't happened in......
I don't know how long. It's been forever since we've been able to spend some quality time together.
Not exactly sure what we will talk about without a child begging for our attention every 3 seconds.
I can't wait.

We've made it this far, baby! Nothing can stop us now.

parenting 101

2011-09-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is, but sometimes when I stop to think about being a mom, it gives me major anxiety.
I think it's so funny that you need a license to fish/hunt/drive/drink, but anyone can have a baby.

Who thought it would be a good idea to put me in charge of these three, tiny humans. I mean, there are days when I can't even seem to take care of myself. Their lives are literally in my hands.

I don't consider myself a supermom by any means.
I am not perfect.
I probably yell too much.
I don't always treat them equally.

I constantly question myself. Will these kids end up in therapy because of me? Are they going to go through a phase of hating their mother? Will my boys treat the women they love with respect? Will my daughter have "daddy issues"?

It's all so stressful when I start to think about it. I actually pray for my own sanity every morning.
My kids aren't angels. It's hard not to judge or compare myself to others. But, I'm trying.
I am learning everyday.
Being a mom is like a constant work-in-progress.
Like the saying goes, "Nobody said it would be easy. They only said it would be worth it."

camping!

2011-08-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

My family planned a camping trip at the beach last weekend. Besides the fact that we don't have our own camper, I wasn't sure how the kids would hold up for a few days out of their element. Since we live fairly close to the campsite, my husband and I decided to just spend the days down there and then come back to the comforts of home at night.
It was so great to see my nieces and nephew. They live about four hours north, so we don't get together often enough. All of the kids are growing up so fast.
I know they all had a blast spending their days on the beach, surfing, roasting s'mores and sleeping in tents on the sand.
Here are a few pictures I had put into a photo book for my dad. He loves this stuff.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Lemon Roasted Chicken

2011-08-03T01:02:00.000-07:00

I recently read about this dinner on the Weekly Greens website. I must be on a lemon kick lately, because it just sounded so good to me.
Thought I'd share it here for you to try!

You will need:

1/4 cup olive oil
9 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 bone-in split chicken breast halves, skin on (I actually used boneless, skinless)
1 lemon, cut into thick wedges

Heat Olive Oil and add garlic, cooking until fragrant.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt.

Pour mixture into a glass baking dish, add chicken topped with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add more lemon wedges and top with additional thyme.

The original recipe says to bake this at 400*F for 40 minutes. Since I was using boneless/skinless, I didn't want it to dry out. I checked it after 30 minutes and it was cooked perfectly.

Served with a side of almond rice and a salad. My family loved this meal and I know we will add this to our regular mix of dinner options.

Mini makeover

2011-08-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say, I've been getting my hair done professionally for the past 20 years. It all started back in 8th grade, and I haven't stopped since. I don't even remember what my natural color is. It's been really blonde, really brown, pretty red and everything in-between. It's been short, long, curly and straight.
Since I've become a stay-at-home-mom, I try to keep myself on a budget. I don't spend money on myself like I use to (not that I was some crazy spender, but you know). My husband is always open to letting me have some quality time to myself, and that is usually why I love going to get my hair done.
But, it can be a little pricey.
I finally decided to try to color my own hair. I know this isn't a difficult task. It's just not something I normally care to mess with. I found a decent color I liked and after the kids were in bed and I had a little glass of wine (which may or may not have been a good idea to ease my anxiety) I went for it.

Clearly it's not a huge change, but I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the end result. It's just a light brown color and you can still see a little bit of my highlights. I just wanted a more even tone and I think it worked out.
We'll see how long it lasts. I know if I want to go a little lighter again, I will have it done by someone else. For now, I'll keep the coloring to myself.

Baby Shower!

2011-07-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

Adorable belly, right?

One of my very best friends is having her second little baby girl. She is due late August, so last weekend was her "sprinkle". A light shower of gifts and a few new things for the mom-to-be.

There is always no shortage of food when it comes to my friends. We are not those kind of girls that are too shy to eat. Our hostess set up a fabulous sandwich bar with all the fixin's. Another friend brought some delightful cupcakes! What's a baby shower without cupcakes?


I tried the carrot cake, which was amazing!

Although baby Emery will be the second girl for April, she will have no shortage of adorable new baby clothes. After having my own two boys, I have to say that shopping for a baby girl might be one of the funnest things ever. There is just something about those tiny pink outfits.

I know that all of our friends are anxiously awaiting the arrival of baby Emmy. Her big sister Eve is beyond excited and is going to be such a good little helper.

As a gift for all the guests, we were given a little candle that is suppose to be lit when April goes into labor. What a great idea... to know all of your closest friends are coming together, to think good thoughts, as you focus on bringing another sweet little baby into our world.

April, I can't tell you how excited I am to meet your new little one. Congratulations mama. She is going to be just as amazing as you and the rest of your wonderful family are. Love you.

Tanaka Farms

2011-07-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

The other day, I met up with a friend and we took the kids to Tanaka Farms.

They offer different tours of their 30-acre farm during the year. We signed up for the Watermelon tour where the kids get to pick their own watermelons from the field.
Tanaka farms offer 60 different types of produce - all grown organically. It's amazing to me that these types of places still exist in the heart of our over-populated Orange County.

It's a guided tour on a tractor-pulled wagon.

Owen wasn't thrilled about the tractor ride.

Along the ride, you get to see how different fruit and vegetables grow. You also get to taste a bunch of different produce!


Eve and Connor were very excited.


Molly, farmer in training

Owen became a little more comfortable with the tractor, once he realized it wasn't too noisy. When it came time to taste an onion, he wasn't so sure.

fresh carrots!


cherry tomatoes


She loved the corn!

After a bit, we were able to get off the tractor and try some more stuff before picking out our watermelon. They offered squash, cucumber, cantelope and of course, watermelon!
I have to say, everything was so good. Our local grocery store doesn't offer the best produce, so to be able to taste these things fresh from the farm, it was amazing. So ripe and so fresh.

Out into the field we went to see how the watermelons grow.

So cool. I think its great for kids to be able to see exactly where their food comes from.

He was so proud.

I think the kids all had a blast. I know I did. I can't wait to go back for the pumpkin tour this fall.

Lemon Drop Cookies!

2011-07-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

I've been in the mood to bake lately. Something about summer makes me crave sweets.
Aw, who am I kidding. I love sweets anytime. I'm always inspired by my friend Dawn, who bakes and blogs about the most amazing desserts.

We have a lovely Meyer Lemon tree in our backyard, that produces the yummiest lemons. If you've never had a Meyer Lemon before, they are a cross of a lemon and an orange - they tend to be more round, with a sweeter, less acidic flavor.

I found this recipe in the Pampered Chef Simply Sweet cookbook. It doesn't actually call for Meyer Lemons, but I decided to use them anyway.

Preheat oven to 350*F
Combine 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp of salt; mix well. Set aside.
In another bowl, Beat 1 stick butter, 1/4 cup sugar until creamy

Add 1 egg yolk, the zest of one lemon, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Beat until light and fluffy.

Slowly add in flour mixture, mixing on low speed until a dough forms.

Roll 1 tsp of dough into a ball, dip into yellow decorating sugar (you can make your own by mixing yellow food coloring into granulated sugar), and place 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet. Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie and fill with lemon curd.

You can either buy prepared Lemon Curd or make your own. I used this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.

Bake cookies 11-13 minutes, remove and let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

The book says this recipe makes 4 dozen cookies. Either, I made my cookies way too big (totally possible) or they made their cookies really small. I think I made less than 2 dozen.
Other than that, they turned out really good. A very light, crumbly cookie. A true lemon may give this cookie a bit more flavor, but these were still really tasty with the Meyers. The perfect summer treat!

The Big "V"

2011-07-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying, my husband is probably going to kill me for writing about this, but here it goes.

This is how he has spent the past few days.

frozen peas, anyone???

Yup, that's right. We are officially done having kids. He had his procedure done a few days ago. It went amazingly smooth, despite a few horror stories from his buddies at work. He has had anxiety for months over this whole thing. You know how men are... It's hard enough for them to make a doctors appointment, much less go.

I dropped him off at the doctors office and I took the kids to an outdoor shopping center so they could walk around. We knew it would be a rather fast appointment, so I figured I could just drop him off and pick him up.
He called less than an hour later and said the whole thing took 7 minutes and was relatively painless.

So, now he's home, recovering. Trying to take it easy.

I have to admit, I didn't think it would affect me like it did. I've been super emotional over the whole thing.

It's one thing to say you don't want anymore kids.
It's another to say you can't have anymore kids.

I loved being pregnant. And as much as they drive me crazy sometimes, I really do love my babies. I feel myself soaking in every moment with them these past few days. Really watching them, loving them, enjoying them.
My heart aches a little every time I fold Molly's clothes that are suddenly getting too small.
My throat lumped up when I went to visit my friend who had a baby girl last week.
As I make plans for my daughters first birthday that is rapidly approaching, it feels a little bittersweet.
I'm excited for her to grow and learn, but my baby is disappearing. She is becoming a toddler.

I know we have to move on eventually, but I just want to make these next few months slow down.

fireworks fizzle

2011-07-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I wish I could say we had a wonderful holiday, but the truth is, it was rather awful.
It started out pretty good. The hubby got home around 8am and we turned him right around and headed to our friends house at 9. The kids really enjoyed the parade and it was great for us to catch up with our buddies that we somehow never get to see anymore.

We've have been friends since the first grade!

There was lots to look at and the kids were actually really entertained by everything. Besides a few minor mishaps, like spilling colored bubbles all over the place, we were off to a decent start.

After the parade, we headed home to try to get the kids down for some quiet time, knowing it was going to be a late night. The fireworks around here don't start until 9:30pm.
Unfortunately, the 2 year old didn't sleep. I knew by 4pm, it just wasn't going to happen, so we headed off to the next place. A BBQ with friends. There were about 15 kids and they were all having a blast.
They even put on a bike parade of their own.

I noticed my four year old playing a little rough with the kids, but just thought it was from all the excitement. We had a few little talks with him about being nice and warned him if he didn't settle down a bit, we would just go home.
We then headed to the big show. Our little community goes all out, with live music, games, food, and loads of people!

After finding our spot in the grass, we set up for the evening. The kids continued to run around a play, eat a few special treats and set off their poppers!
Connor was still acting crazy, so I decided to put him in time-out after pushing one of the other kids down. I think he was just playing, but the poor kid didn't see him coming and was floored.
He refused to sit with me for the few minutes I asked of him. With one look to my hubby, we decided it was time to go. Things were going down fast. Molly was ready for bed. Owen was working on fumes, and Connor was melting down before everyone's eyes.
So, off we went, with 3 kids in tow. The oldest one, kicking and screaming the whole way back to the car and the whole way home.

Andy & I managed to see a few fireworks on the way home. Lucky for us, if you are in just the right spot, you can actually see about 4 or 5 different cities putting on their show. It was a brief moment of sparkle in our chaotic evening.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite holidays. I love the 4th!
It's summer and everyone is out and enjoying the sunshine.
We usually spend the day with friends, watching the big parade, then off to a barbeque to eat loads of yummy food. The night ends with a local carnival and fireworks! The kids are excited to see their friends and so are we.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

San Diego Zoo

2011-07-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the San Diego Zoo. It was so fun. The weather was perfect. A friend of mine sent me a free family pack of tickets, so how could we possibly resist?!

It's an awesome place to take the kids. The park is huge, so there is a lot of walking, but they do offer bus tours as well.
When I asked the boys what animals they wanted to see, Owen was quick to let me know he was only interested in two things.

the giraffes

and Camels.

Why he was so in to these, I don't know. The giraffes were beautiful and we were able to get really close to them. So neat to see the babies.
But the camels? My silly boy was so happy.

Connor wanted to see the polar bears. I have to admit, I LOVE them too. They remind me so much of our dog Belle. Except, they would probably rip my head off if I tried to cuddle up next to them.

This guy was really putting on a show for us. He kept playing and rolling around. They are so beautiful and so BIG!

Sleeping mama Panda

Love these guys too. Always good entertainment!

I think my next mission is to get a telephoto lens, so I can get better pictures of things like this.

Overall, it was a fun day. After a few minor meltdowns, and probably too many snacks, the boys were tuckered out.

Centennial Farm

2011-06-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I met a friend and her daughter at Centennial Farm in Costa Mesa. It's a three-acre working farm that was "created to educate youth about agriculture and its importance to daily life".

It was a perfect little outing for us. The kids were able to walk around and see the different fruit and vegetables growing in the garden. We were also able to touch many of the animals.
When we first walked in, we found a giant ox! He was seriously huge.

We took a stroll through the gardens and were able to see all kinds of things growing. I love vegetable gardens. I really hope to have my own someday. Although, I can hardly keep my house plants alive, so I'm not sure how that would turn out.

Brussels Sprouts!


Giant Pumpkin


And of course, the adorable baby calf

goats


friendly Sheep

My favorite, the pigs!
They could care less about us.

Centennial Farm is open 7 days a week, unless there is a special event taking place. There is also Farmers Market every Thursday along with some of those yummy gourmet Food Trucks!

School's Out!

2011-06-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

My son finished his first year of preschool today. I can't believe how much he has grown. I'm so proud of him and everything he has learned already. It's so cute to see the different arts and crafts he brings home each week. I love hearing the songs they sing in class and reading the notes from the instructors about his good behavior.
I know he is going to really miss his teachers and his friends, but he is already looking forward to next year.

Someday,

2011-06-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Someday, I'll sleep again.

When you become a parent, you know that there are going to be plenty of sleepless nights. You expect to be up with the baby for the first few months. You understand that there will be midnight feedings, endless diaper changes and lots of rocking and ssssshhhhhh-ing.
You also realize that in the grand scale of things, that this is just a short time in you life and you need to enjoy these moments with your baby.

I have to be honest. I'm tired. I had pretty bad insomnia when I was pregnant. In fact, that was one of the first signs that brought me to believe I was pregnant with my third. Almost instantly, I can't sleep.
So, during the nine (ten) months of each pregnancy, I didn't sleep much. Then the first baby arrives, and of course, there is little to no sleep.
Connor wasn't too bad as he started sleeping through the night around 6 months old.
Owen continued to wake up once or twice a night until he was over a year. He still wakes up randomly at 2 years old.
Molly is by far my worst sleeper. She has only slept through the night once since she was born.
On average, she is up 4-6 times a night. She is 9 months old.

A typical evening goes like this:

After dinner and baths, I put her down around 7pm. I read stories to the boys and Owen goes down around 8pm. Connor will watch tv or play and then go to bed around 9pm.

Molly wakes up around 9:30, I feed her, trying to fill her belly so she'll sleep all night.
She wakes up again around 10:45. I rock her back to sleep.
Up again at 12:00. Feed her, change her diaper, back to sleep.
2:30 up, feed, rock
3:30 up again (this is where I start to get grumpy)

***Side note~ I know it's been all over the internet and on facebook, but have you heard of that book Go the F... to sleep ? (Click the link. It's funny. But not really designed for kids, so make sure they are out of ears reach)
This is pretty much how I feel at after the 5th time she wakes up. Not that I've ever said those exact words to my precious daughter. Okay, maybe I have said them, but not directly to her. At least not loud enough that she could hear me.

I know she can't really be hungry, I try to just lay her back down. She screams. She fights. She throws a fit until I go back in there and hold her and she falls fast asleep. Each time, I do try to feed her, thinking this is the reason she continues to wake. She will nurse for a few minutes and fall asleep quickly.

She will then sleep until about 6:30, sometimes 7:30. This is when I get the most sleep all night. And then my middle child wakes up around 7am.

I don't expect to sleep 12 hours a night. I know she is still little and she needs me and I have no desire to listen to her cry all night. So yes, I go to her each time she wakes.

Everyone has their own opinion on how to get your kids to sleep. I've tried everything I feel comfortable with. Still no luck.
I know it won't last forever, but I'm patiently waiting. And praying.
And seriously thinking about buying that book.

Circus Vargus

2011-06-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

So, I had huge plans on blogging about our trip to the Circus on Monday night. We actually arrived early and met up with a few friends so we could all get seats together. I packed my camera, along with plenty of snacks and drinks for the kids.
I knew we would have to buy the usual treats, like popcorn, cotton candy and some over-priced trinket that the boys would play with for all of 10 minutes then take it home and forget all about.

We were prepared for all of this. It was actually hot that day. I had Molly in my front carrier, simply because she is at the stage where she just wants to get down and crawl around everywhere. I thought I could keep her close to me, so she wouldn't squirm all over the place.

By the time we got in and found our seats, the boys were getting anxious. Between my friends and I, we had SIX boys, ages 2-5. Have you ever tried to reason with six boys? It was chaos from the start.

The good thing was that the venue was small. Every seat had a perfect view of the stage. I was so happy we didn't pay extra to sit up close, because it was literally a five-foot difference. Anyway, I did try to take a few photos, but between Molly eating my camera strap and trying to keep the boys from pushing eachother off the bleachers, I had my hands full.

The lights were dimmed low and there was a constant haze of fog. The pics didn't turn out great.
I did manage to get one decent shot:

There were trapeze artists, strong men and aerialist.
There were death-defying stunts and tricks that "wowed" the crowd.
The one thing that wasn't there were animals.
I don't remember if I've ever actually been to a circus when I was young, but for some reason, I was expecting to see an Elephant or Lion or something.
To make matters worse, I even promised the kids they would see some animals. Whoops.
They asked us over and over where the animals were.

Looks like we'll be heading to the zoo in the next few weeks.

memorial day

2011-06-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Ugh, here I go again, falling behind. I keep meaning to post, but somehow, I keep getting distracted!
Hmmm, don't know what it could be.


Molly and our friends daughter, Savannah

For Memorial day, we had a last minute barbecue. Just two of Andy's friends from work, with their wives and kids. We set up the kiddie pool and also the slip 'n slide. The weather was perfect and the kids all had a blast.

They needed a little help from the dads at first, but they soon figured out how to make it all the way down.

Sprinklers are FUN!

How many kids can we fit in the pool?

Lots of water and a full belly means it's time to relax in the sun. I think they all slept good that night.

We also had a mini bounce house. Needless to say, they were entertained all afternoon. The adults were actually able to talk and maybe even relax a little.
Good food, good company. What more could you ask for?!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial weekend.

Party time!

2011-05-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

We had a small birthday party for Connor last Saturday. He decided he wanted to go to a "jumpy place", so I booked a quaint, two-hour party. It was great because they pretty much take care of everything.

Everyone showed up around 4pm and they went over some general rules and watched a short video.

After that, they led the kids into the first of two rooms. They were able to jump for about 30 minutes or so. I don't think I even saw Connor the entire time. He was running around non-stop.

Owen has no fear of the giant slide

my adorable niece

family

Yes, that is my husband taking our 8-month old daughter down that gigantic slide. I almost fainted.

Everybody lined up to move onto the next room. Connor stormed through the double doors like nobodies business.

After another 30 minutes or so, we moved onto dinner. Pizza and some other snacks. The company provided the pies, so all I had to bring was drinks and fruit and veggie trays. So easy and the kids had a ton of fun.

I also ordered cake and made goodie bags. Super simple. Just the way I like it.

He made out with a ton of loot. Everything was opened as soon as we were home.

and now, I'm thinking about what to plan for Molly's first birthday. LOL

Happy 4th Birthday

2011-05-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

My first son turned four today.
I can hardly believe it. I wasn't blogging back when he was born, but I wish I would have written out his birth story somewhere.
It all happened so fast. I was in labor for a total of four hours. FOUR hours with my first kid. That just isn't normal.
People always tell me how lucky I am to have had it go so quick. The truth is, it went a little too quick for me. We didn't have enough time to grab our camera.
I didn't even have enough time to get any pain meds. Not knowing any different, I wasn't prepared for this type of labor and delivery. But we made it. He was born just after midnight, on May 20th, 2007.

this photo was taken the next day

He was a tiny little thing, weighing just 5lbs and 15 ounces. He was eleven days early.
He came into this world kicking and screaming and he hasn't slowed down since.
He's busy. Emotional. Exciting. Lovable. Talkative. Silly. Persistent. Demanding. And caring.

He has taught me so much about being a mother. I've learned more about myself because of him.
I couldn't love him more than I do today. Although I thought the same thing when he was born. Every day, my heart grows.
I can't wait to see what the future holds for my little guy. It's so true what they say...
They grow up so fast.

We are having a small party tomorrow, so be sure to check back for some more photos!

2011-05-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

The Paper Mama's photo challenge for this week is "Friends".

This is a picture of my son, and his friend Eve. We were at the local farmer's market and looked up to see them walking hand-in-hand.
So cute.

Celebrate Mom!

2011-05-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to wish all of the mommies out there a very

Happy Mother's Day.

It was four years ago that I was pregnant with my first son. I was working my last few days at a local day spa and one of my clients came in for a facial. She mentioned that it was too bad I was going to miss Mother's day this year, and that I would just have to wait until next year to celebrate.

Being nine and a half months pregnant (and extremely emotional) I went home and cried to my husband. I told him it wasn't fair, because I already felt like a mother. It didn't matter that my baby boy wasn't due for another week or two. I had been loving and taking care of him for months already.
I thought that I should be able to celebrate just like any other mom.
I'm sure this set him into a panic and the poor guy rushed out to get me a last minute gift.
He brought home the most beautiful flowers and the sweetest card.

A week later, my first son was born. I was able to really feel what it meant to be a mom.
It wasn't easy, it wasn't glamorous.
There were a lot of tears. From both of us.
But, there were smiles. There were laughs. There was love. More love than I could ever imagine.

Four years and three kids later, I am still learning a lot about motherhood. I've mentioned before that I don't have a close relationship with my own mom. I am making it a priority to change that with my children. I know we'll go through our ups and downs in the future, but for now, I am holding onto them as tight as I can.

I borrowed this from a friend on facebook :

Happy Mother's Day

To the new mothers, the experienced mothers, the working mothers, the stay at home mothers. The mothers who have carried babies that they lost, the mothers that carried babies for someone else. The single mothers, the married mothers. The people who are stand in mothers for those who's mothers aren't around. Happy Mother's Day.

Mother's Day Tea

2011-05-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today, at Connor's preschool, we had a Mother's Day Tea. All of the mom's were invited into the classroom to visit with the kids.
I was given a cute little corsage (made from a paper doily, cotton ball and a cute little teapot) that Connor had made.

They started out by singing us a few songs. Of course, I couldn't help but tear up. It was adorable.

Then we all walked over to the main hall, where there was a special visit from Rapunzel!

She told the children a story and sang them a song. One little girl actually began to cry. It was sad, but at least her mom was there to comfort her.

It's pretty neat to see 48 three-year-olds (3 classes) sitting quietly, and waiting patiently. This only happens for their teachers, I'm sure.

Anyway, after story time, we moved into the next room to have a special tea party. There was pink lemonade and a lovely little dessert.

The kids also presented us with a gift. It was a jar of chocolates with a cute Mother's Day poem. They also gave us a plant which had been a pumpkin seed they were growing in class.

I couldn't be more proud of my big boy. He is such a sweetheart. It's so hard to believe he is going to be four in a few weeks.
Seriously, where does the time go???

Green Beans & Pears

2011-05-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

I love making my own baby food for my kids.

I'm sure the stuff in the stores is great, and I do buy it on occasion, but I actually enjoy making it myself.

Last night we had green beans with dinner and had quite a bit left over. Andy was actually going to toss them out, but I quickly grabbed the pan and stopped him. I bagged them up and today, I was able to make a weeks worth of baby food for Molly.

A handful of leftovers made an entire weeks worth of food for her.

There is just something so great about feeding your baby fresh fruit and vegetables. We love going to local farmers markets and I'm always on the lookout for produce that I can puree.

I don't have a fancy machine or even those cute little freezer cups that are designed for this type of thing. I just use my good ole' food processor and some handy ziplock baggies.

I've even taken a few notes from those sneaky cookbooks where you add (hide) veggies in other food so that your kids are eating them without even knowing. My boys could live on fruit alone, but veggies are another story. They can be pretty picky. Actually, Connor is SUPER picky. Owen will eat just about anything.
Isn't it crazy how two kids can be so different???

Tonight, Molly will have her fresh, organic, home-made green beans with pears.
The only way I could make it better was if I had grown them myself. Someday, I plan to have a garden.

Someday. When I have more time to do those types of things.

Oh, My Molly

2011-05-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

She is growing up way too fast. Seven and a half months and she is pulling up and standing. I don't remember the boys ever trying to do this so early. She is a busy girl, indeed.

The only problem is that her little legs are just not that strong yet. So after a few minutes, she ends up crying and wanting to sit down. And she hasn't quiet figured that part out yet.
Most of my days are spent following her around and helping her down.

It's a good thing she's cute.

I'm trying! and Photos.

2011-05-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

I really want to make it a point to blog more. I want to at least make one post every week. LOL
That shouldn't be too hard, right???

Anyway, today I'm going to post some recent photos, and join in on Scavenger Hunt Sunday

1. Architecture

2. Rimmed with Light

I love the way the sun is reflecting off his blond hair

3. Toes or Feet

4. This is my Favorite

I love that sweet little face

5. Shade(s)

Wearing her shades, in the shade

Easter

2011-04-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged!

We had a super mellow Easter. It was actually quite nice to not have to run around from house to house. Andy had the day off (yay!) and I was planning on making a nice little brunch for us. Well, unfortunately, he ended up working the day before and I didn't get a chance to do my shopping like I had planned. I did end up taking the three kids to Target, but I was only able to get a few things.

It always cracks me up to see peoples faces when I am out with the kids alone. Like I have two heads or something. They honestly stare at me. Once, I even noticed a man counting (out loud) my kids.

Yes, I know we look like a circus, but really? Oh well. I just have to brush it off and keep walking.

Earlier in the week, I took the kids to Irvine Park Railroad

I met up with a few friends and we watched the kids have an Easter egg hunt.

They had a ton of fun. Of course, we couldn't pass up the train ride, a few carnival games and a visit with the Easter Bunny!

I've come to realize that it is nearly impossible to catch all 3 kids looking at the camera at the same time while smiling. I have a feeling it's going to be this was for at least a few more years. So, I'll just have to pick one photo, where at least one kid looks okay and go with that one.

Anyway, Easter morning at our house, the boys woke up early and found their baskets. They were both so happy to get some fun new stuff ~ Playdoh, bubbles, sand toys and a new shirt. I love that they are so easy to please at this age. I know they will get more picky as the years go by.

We had another egg hunt in our backyard and let the kids have a little bit of candy.

It was such a nice morning, we thought it would be fun to go back to the farmers market. When we finally got there, it started to rain. So, we packed the kids back in the car and headed home. Of course, once we got back home, it was sunny again.

It was a good day overall, despite a few things not working out like I had planned.

Hope you all had a nice Easter and are enjoying the first signs of spring!

Snow!

2011-04-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly snow, more like hail.

Last night we had a pretty impressive hail storm. It started out with nothing but the threat of rain all day. The clouds were dark, but not producing anything more than some soft mist.
We actually took the kids to an outdoor mall to let them run around for a bit.
(you can see a picture in my 365 photo blog here )
Then, last night right before we headed to bed, the loudest sound shook our house. I thought something hit the wall at first, but it just kept rumbling.
I noticed the lightening and again more thunder. Within minutes, it started pouring rain. It became louder and louder. It was unlike any rain I've heard.

I had to open the front door to check it out.

Is that snow?
Um, it is April, right? And we do live in California, right?

The grass was covered within minutes.

I so badly wanted to wake up the boys to see it, but they were sound asleep. And you know the rule. Never wake a sleeping baby. Or kid.

The next morning, I was surprised to see that some of the hail was actually still there. I had the boys go outside to check it out. The were not all that impressed and quickly ran back into the nice warm house.

I love how you can see Owen's hand print in this one.

I'm sure those people who actually see snow on a regular basis are totally not impressed. But hey, for a girl who has grown up by the beach her whole life, this was pretty darn cool to see.

Crayon Melts

2011-04-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

I can't keep a single crayon in one piece around here lately.

Owen LOVES to color and do any type of craft, but he is also really great at making a complete mess of whatever he does!

His latest obsession is breaking and peeling crayons. I have a bucket full of broken crayons. I try not to let it bug me, but it does.

So, I decided to make some crayon melts with the scraps.

Just heat the oven to 350*F
Place broken, unwrapped crayons in a muffin tin, and place it in the oven.

Keep a close eye on them, because they melt quick.

I think this took less than five minutes! They crazy person in me really wanted to keep the same colors together, but I thought it would be more fun for the kids if I mixed it up a bit.

Take them out of the oven, let cool, then place the pan into the freezer for 30 minutes or so. Then they should pop right out.

Fun!

My little O

2011-03-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Owen is 2 today! I can't believe it. He still seems like my baby.

We celebrated with family over the weekend, but today, we took a special trip to Disneyland.
The boys had a blast. It was pretty crowded, so we didn't stay too long. We ended up spending most of our time there letting the boys run around the little island they have in Frontierland.

Happy 2nd Birthday to my little Owen.

2011-03-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

For Japan, With Love

Friday, March 18th, will be a Bloggers Day of Silence. I had read something about this earlier, but didn't get a chance to look into it.
I was just trying to get caught up with my reading when I noticed my friend, Dawn's post.

Like everyone else, I cannot stop thinking about the tragedy that is going on right now. It makes me so sad to watch what is happening.
I feel helpless.
I feel lost.
I also feel grateful for everything I have at the moment. It makes me want to squeeze my kids just a little bit tighter.
Our world is such a powerful place. We get caught up in our day to day activities and forget that life can change in an instant. My heart aches for these people.

Please check out the website and donate if you can. They have already had an overwhelming response, but I'm sure there could never be too much.

Out & About

2011-03-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

The weather has been so off and on lately. Hot one day, and raining the next. We decided to get the kids out of the house the other day and go to the Discovery Science Center.
It was so much fun. They have a whole section dedicated to your body.
The boys had so much fun learning about bones and muscles and how things work.
Connor, being three, has a million questions about everything. It was nice to finally show him what your bones look like rather than just trying to explain it to him. He was really into it.

this was showing how we eat our food

Owen helping the stomach acid digest the food


and of course, their favorite part. The aftermath. Yes, you actually push the red button and see what comes out of your body.

They were able to visit Sesame Street.

Onto the science stuff...

Owen checking out the giant whirlpool tank. The kid loves water.

The kids putting their face and body in the giant pin wall.

Connor testing his "wings" in the air tunnel

A really cool digital globe that was almost hanging in mid-air

The boys checking out the Quake Shack. Simulated huge Earthquakes. They were not phased.

Andy, laying on a Bed Of Nails.

It was a super fun day and I hope we can go again soon. I think the boys were just happy to run around and touch everything without getting in trouble!
They both fell asleep on the way home, which is always a good sign.

wordless wednesday

2011-03-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Life with three kids. This is what I deal with.

Oh baby!

2011-03-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

No, NO. Not me.
My best friend is having another baby. I couldn't be more excited for her. She already has a beautiful little girl, named Eve.
I found this adorable web site called frecklebox. They have all sorts of cute personalized gifts for kids.
So, I thought I would make a little book for her daughter...

There are actually a few more pages, but for some reason, I'm having trouble turning them.

Anyway, the book is super cute. I think she will love it.

I'm still here!

2011-03-04T17:59:00.000-08:00

I've been focusing on my photo blog so much, I haven't had much to write about. We are still getting things back together after the great flood of '11!
Yes, they are still working on our house.
A month later.

The other day I was thinking about how things were just a year ago. I was planning Owen's first birthday and still getting over the shock of my 3rd pregnancy. So much has changed in such a short time.
You know how when you have kids, everyone is always telling you how fast they grow up?
It's so true.
I now have an almost 4 year old, and almost 2 year old and almost 6-month old. Where did the time go?
Molly is rolling all over the house and pushing up on all fours. She is even trying to get her knees under her belly.

I just signed Connor up for his 2nd year of preschool.

I need to plan a little party for Owen's birthday. Not sure what we are going to do, but most likely something small.

It's just crazy. Time flies.
I am happy that I have been taking a ton of pictures of the kids. I just need to get some printed out or at least put some albums together.

New Lens

2011-02-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

I bought a new 50mm lens for my Canon and tried to snap a few pics today. It's not the most expensive lens, but it's fun and I really like the way the pics are turning out.

show:

trouble

tell: That's Owen. Sneaking another piece of Chocolate

Water, water, everywhere

2011-02-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

We had a little leak in our house. Well, it started out as little, then it became a big mess.
Andy was getting ready for work one morning last week and he noticed the carpet in the hallway was wet. He looked around for a few minutes and couldn't see where it was coming from, so he just told me to keep an eye on it.
Three hours later when he called to check in with me, I had already gone though 4 towels trying to mop up the water.
We left a message with the landlord but didn't hear back from them for the rest of the day.
Two days later, and endless loads of wet towels, a plumber finally showed up to tell us he couldn't find the source of the leak.
Another plumber and another day later, they figured it out. I still don't know what happened, but we had to be out of the house for a few hours while they fixed the problem.
After a long day at Disneyland and dinner with my parents, we pulled up with 3 sleepy kids around 8pm that night.
We had no idea what we were about to walk into.

The house was in no condition for us to be home. The carpet and baseboards were all pulled out. There were several holes in the drywall. And everything in our house was covered with plastic.
The clean up crew had placed 6 or 7 industrial sized fans and de-humidifiers throughout the house. The noise alone was enough to scare us away.

and they pulled out all of our appliances

They told us just then that we had to be out of the house for 3-5 days. At 8:00 at night. With 3 small kids. No warning.

We scrambled to put some clothes, diapers, toiletries and such into bags and get out asap.
I was so stressed about where we were going to stay and what we were going to do with the kids.

We managed to find a little hotel nearby and tried to get settled. I think the kids finally fell asleep around midnight.

What a mess.

SIX days later, we are home. The house is still not complete. They are going to put in new tile, carpet, toilets, bathroom fixtures and I'm sure a few other things.

I can't wait till things are back to "normal" around here.

the Joy of Love

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's February, (I can never remember how to spell that month) and I've decided to take a little online photo class. I'm super excited and a little nervous all at the same time. I'm really interested in learning more about how to use my camera. I take a ton of pictures of my kids, but I really don't know what the heck I'm doing. I have never taken any classes on photography before.

the Joy of Love

We will be getting an email daily for the entire month with an assignment of what to photograph.

The photos will all be posted on my 365 blog. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Monday, Monday

2011-01-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

Although, it feels like Sunday here. My husband has the day off and we are just relaxing today. The weather is beautiful. It's been so warm here lately. We don't usually have much of a winter, but I swear, it's been even nicer than usual the past few days.

What's happening with us...

The kids are at the park with Andy (he even took the baby). I was able to take a nice, long, quite shower and now I'm just trying to catch up on my blog. I've been neglecting this one again. My 365 photo project has been taking over my life. I wanted to do it as a challenge to myself. Some days, it's more of a hassle, but I'm going to stick with it. I want to learn more about my camera and how to use it.
I'm actually taking a neat little class through this site. I'm sure I'll be sharing lots of photos in the next few weeks.

I've had a few ups and downs with the kids lately. More often than not, I feel like I'm loosing my mind. I don't know how people do it. Unfortunately, I don't have much help from family. When Andy is gone at work, I'm on my own. I'm not complaining, but it is hard. I don't get a break at the end of the day. He is gone for 24-hour shifts. Sometimes longer.
I'm getting better about taking the kids places by myself. I have to go to a birthday party this weekend with all three. Luckily, it's at a friends house, so I should be able to keep them in check!
In March, we have another party to go with out him but it's at one of those bounce house places. I'm a little worried about chasing the boys around. I'll figure it out I guess!

On a lighter note, Molly has been sleeping in her crib for about a week now. She was in our bed almost every night. She's actually sleeping better and I know I am too. She still would rather have me hold her all night, but it's getting easier to put her down.

We also had a horrible run with the stomach flu this past week. Ugh. It took days for everyone to finally feel better, but I think we are all okay now. Let's just say I would rather deal with dirty diapers than puke any day.

I have a parent/teacher meeting at Connor's school on Wednesday this week. I'm excited and a little nervous to hear how he's doing so far.
Also, I have to catch up on Molly's immunizations.

That's about the excitement of us right now.

What's new with you???

They call me Lady Luck

2011-01-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

So, a few weeks back, I won a brand new BOSCH Washer & Dryer! I seriously could not believe it when they sent me an email telling me that I was the one.
I should have saved the email. I think I replied a little sarcastic. Like, "What do you need from me?"
I was thinking it was some sort of scam and they were trying to get my bank info, or SS# or something.

I had entered my name in a contest on this website. I never expected to actually win! I usually don't even believe these type of things are really real.
Anyway, they set up a delivery date a few days later. Two very nice gentlemen came by and dropped off the goods.
I had to wait until the husband had some time off to remove the old and set up the new ones. That week we had six whole days of non-stop rain. Our laundry room is inside the house, so we decided to wait until the weather let up before getting everything in order.

Finally, the day came. It was like Christmas all over again. I am one happy mama.

out with the old

the boys were so excited to help

my dad, my husband, my son

the boys, being, helpful?

one down, one to go

my handy man

Beauties, eh?

Now, let's put these puppies to use! With my family, I do laundry everyday. Sometimes, multiple loads. I promise, they will get quite a work out here.

the boys were amazed. who needs TV?

Seriously, they couldn't stop staring. I almost had to push them out of the way so I could get a look.


first load complete

and into the dryer they go

Now that you see how I do laundry, aren't you excited?!
Whatever. I am. I'm so happy, I could do more.

Thank You Tight Bod with a Pod and BOSCH appliances.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Come see whats new in the new year!

http://itsmysugarhigh.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

I really hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know we did.
It's been super fun with the kids this year. Connor is really getting into the whole Santa thing. I am already looking forward to next year when we have 3 little ones running around. That's saying a lot for me, considering this isn't usually one of my favorite holidays. I have nothing against the big day itself. It's just the stress of the season that gets to me. I want to buy something for everyone!
It was also tough growing up with my parents being divorced and the struggle of where to go and who to spend the day with. Then, once you are in a relationship, you are once again divided about trying to see everyone.
I've learned to just go with the flow lately. We do our best to make everyone happy!

On Christmas Eve, Andy's mom and sister came to our house along with his niece and nephew. The kids had a blast and were even able to open a few presents. We had a nice, simple dinner and I think his mom was pretty happy to spend some quality time with most of her grandchildren.

Christmas morning, the boys woke up and were super excited to see all of the presents under the tree. We waited to put anything out until the big day because I'm sure most of it would have been unwrapped in no time.
They opened their stockings (or socks, as Connor calls them) first. Then, on to the bigger stuff. We did the Santa gifts last. Owen is still trying to get the hang of ripping off the paper. Luckily, he has a big brother to help him along.
Santa even managed to put a few gifts for me under the tree. I received some really nice stuff, including a new camera and a Kindle. I'm so excited.
After things settled down a bit we went to my parents house for brunch and of course, more gifts. Mimi and Papa really outdid themselves this year. They bought Andy an acoustic guitar! My dad has a good friend that is willing to give him a few lessons along with it.

I'd say we were all pretty spoiled and very happy with everything.

wordless wednesday

2010-12-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

OK, just a few words. Connor really loves our cute little Nativity set that his grandma gave us. I found him setting it up on the floor the other night. I just thought it was so cute how he had them all around the baby Jesus.

Messy Me

2010-12-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

I've decided to take another shot at this weeks photo challenge from The Paper Mama. This time, it's all about Blessings. I know I have many, but this one picture of Connor really stuck out in my mind.
He was about 9 months old and just chomping away at one of those bitter biscuits (sounds like a dog treat, but I swear it's not).

I think that was the last time he ate one of those.

December!

2010-12-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Reminds me of a little "I love Lucy"

I can't believe this year is almost over! Christmas is going to be here in just a few short weeks. I'm really bad when it comes to shopping and I always wait until the last minute.
We have bought a few things for the boys so far, but nothing for Molly. It's really hard at this age. Obviously she doesn't know what's going on. Owen doesn't know much either. Connor on the other hand, is super excited.

Do you know how hard it is to get a 3 year old to smile, normal?

He keeps telling me he wants this Shake Shake Bridge for his Thomas the Train set. Done. Santa is taking care of that one.
Owen is getting a cute little Scooter from Santa as well.

I wasn't brave enough to do any Black Friday shopping, but I have been finding some super good deals online.
Finally did some photos for our Christmas card too. Andy always laughs at me because every time he comes home, there are new pictures on the camera.
I still have no skills when it comes to photography, but I like to mess around/torture my kids with my camera.


again, with the smile

I did manage to get a few good shots. I ordered some cards and hope to have them sent out in a week or so!

When it rains...

2010-11-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

We had a nice little down pour this morning. There were a few minutes of some serious rain! I love it when it rains and I have nothing to do but sit inside and watch.

I was up early with Owen, drinking some coffee and trying to keep him quiet while the other two slept.
Not sure exactly what's been going on lately, but I have found this past week to be especially difficult with the kids. They are challenging me in every way.

Connor is pretty good for the most part, but he is pushing his luck by not listening to me. We have been threatening him with Santa Clause. Saying that if he is not a good boy, that Santa will not bring him a present this year. So far, it seems to be working. He has his eye on a Thomas the Train set.
We shall see if Santa delivers! ;-)
(I've already gotten word from the big guy that the gift has been bought & hidden)

Owen is getting closer to the Terrible Twos. I swear it starts at 18-months now. Becoming very vocal, and getting frustrated when we don't quite understand everything he wants. He mimics everything his big brother does, which can be super cute or super bad, depending on the situation. He is throwing tantrums and he has even bit Connor several times this week.
Luckily, he is good about sitting in time out and seems to get it. Sorry is our new favorite word.

Molly. My sweet little Miss Molly.
She cries. A lot. And she is not soothed easily. She wants mommy to hold her and no one else. Thank goodness for baby carriers and swings or else I could never get anything done.

On a lighter note, she is smiling more often too. She even giggled last night when I was changing her diaper. She must think it's pretty funny to wake me up at 2:30am, just to change a diaper.

Look at me now

2010-11-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

There is a photo challenge going on over at The Paper Mama and I thought I would give it a shot (haha). I don't claim to be a great photographer. I'm just a mom who is trying to take some pics of my kids so I don't forget the little moments.
We splurged last Christmas and bought a really nice camera. It pretty much does the work for you.
Anyway,
I think Owen has the most beautiful eyes! They were sort of a gray-ish color when he was born. I had no idea how they would turn out.
Now they have developed into this amazing Hazel.

Wish us luck!

wordless wednesday

2010-11-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

my journey into cloth

2010-11-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

I didn't know much about cloth diapers before I became pregnant with Connor. My step-mom actually used them with my little sister, but she had a diaper service that picked up and delivered those big white prefolds and plastic pants. I was in 8th grade, so dealing with dirty diapers was not my idea of fun.

Fast-forward to 2007. I was newly pregnant and looking for a place to learn all I could about babies. I joined an AOL message board for mom's due the same time I was. I didn't write much at first. Mostly just read about what the other ladies were going through. As much as I thought I knew about kids, these women taught me more. They shared their insights about how to deal with certain things, where to look for answers, and brought me into the world of Attachment Parenting.

Some of them talked about using cloth diapers. I brushed it off for awhile until one of them linked me to another message board dedicated to mom's who use cloth on their babies. Again, I mostly just read their stories and watched for answers to others questions. The more I learned, the more interested I became.

Cloth diapers have come a looooong way since pins and plastic pants. I did plenty of research before I even bought my first few. I looked around for months trying to figure out what I was suppose to buy. Besides the environmental benefits, there are so many other reasons to use them.
I think Connor was almost 7 months old when I finally began.


wasn't he cute?

Now, I have to admit, I wasn't a full time user. I still loved and trusted my Huggies! They were great for overnight and trips out of the house. And there were plenty of days that I was just feeling lazy and didn't want to deal with the washing.

When Owen was born I promised myself that I would use them more often.

Owen was wearing them from the very beginning.

I did for awhile. But again, I became lazy and would use the disposables. At 19 months now, he still uses them off and on. Just all depends on the day. He actually goes into his drawer and picks out a cloth diaper for me to put on him. How could I resist?

Now that Molly is here, I have been blessed with a ton of free cloth diapers. These girls I met years ago, have become virtual friends of mine. They have passed on their girly diapers to me and I am so grateful. Molly has a whole drawer full of pink diapers.
Once again, I still use disposables. But after the past few nights, I think I am officially done. She has 'blown out' of them and left a huge mess. In my bed, none the less. So between washing her and washing my bedding everyday, I'm done. I am going to do my best to use cloth on her full time.
It does take more time and dedication, but it's totally worth it in the end. (pun intended)

Seriously, how cute is that?

I love Halloween!

2010-11-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun this year. We were a bit concerned at first. I didn't find a costume for Owen until Friday morning, two days before the big night. When we brought it home, he wanted nothing to do with it. Ran the other direction when we asked him to put it on. Finally, Andy managed to force it on him.

We took pics as fast as we could. Within minutes, he was "all done". I thought for sure we would have one kid trick-or-treating in his jammies.
But the time came to get ready to go and he was into it. We ran over to our friends house and took a few pics with their friends. This has become a little tradition every year. It's been really cute to see the kids grow and see our families grow as well.

The Twins in the back are a Sleeping Beauty and Minnie Mouse. Their little sister is Snow White. Then we have two little fifties girls, poodle skirts and all.
Connor was Spider Man, Owen was Bat Man, and little miss Molly was a Cat.

After a short visit, we ran home to make dinner, (Chili, our classic Halloween meal) and then it was off to trick-or-treat. Our new neighborhood really gets into it. The house across the street did a haunted house maze. Most of the neighbors really decorated well. It took us about an hour to get around the whole block. Perfect time for the boys to run around and get a nice little bucket full of candy.
Bedtime was a bit of a challenge, but they finally managed to pass out at a decent hour.

Go figure...first thing this morning, they wanted to put their costumes back on. And eat candy, of course!

Halloween has another special meaning to me. It was 5 years ago that Andy proposed. We went down to San Diego to see his favorite band play their last show. We went to a really nice dinner in the harbor and after, walked around trying to waste some time before they were on. As we sat on a little park bench, overlooking the water, he asked if I would marry him. I was totally shocked.
We were engaged for almost a year, married in September of 2006.

Four years later, here we are.

happy sunday!

2010-10-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

please excuse the mess...

2010-10-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of re-vamping my blog. Not sure exactly what I'm looking for, but I guess I'll know it when I see it.

So far, so good

2010-10-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I honestly thought I would have lost my mind by now. Andy has been back at work for over a week and I'm really doing okay. Molly is waking up several times a night, but that's to be expected at her age. I don't even keep track of when she gets up. We are co-sleeping (which is a whole other post in itself). It's just easier to have her next to me. She never really cries at night. I hear her begin to stir, I change her diaper and then she nurses herself back to sleep. Easy.
I remember feeling like such a zombie with my first. I don't think you ever get used to sleepless nights. It takes a toll on you.
I have to admit, I did have a mini-meltdown the other day. Molly is a good baby, but she wants to be held. All. The. Time.
I have two very busy boys to take care of as well. So, while I was trying to make lunch, she began screaming her head off. I tried everything to get her to calm down. I was in a time crunch because I had to go get Connor from preschool, so I had to put her in her room for just a few minutes and let her cry. Now, believe me, I am NOT a fan of the whole "cry it out" thing. I hate to hear a baby cry. I was just starting to get frustrated, so for everyone's sake, I needed a time-out. She was fine after a minute and actually fell asleep. Owen ate his lunch and Connor was picked up on time.
Getting the three of them in and out of the car is another task. I make sure to give myself plenty of time to get wherever I need to go. Connor's preschool is only about 10 minutes away, but I think I've been leaving 30 minutes early just so I'm not late! Twice, I've been the first mom in line to pick him up or drop him off. Better safe than sorry.
SO there. I know I keep making a big deal about having 3 kids. Seriously, I never thought I would be here.
But here I am. And somehow, I'm making it work.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T09:57:00.001-07:00

Molly
2 weeks old

and baby makes FIVE!

2010-09-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

So, I made it. Actually, Molly made it. She is here and I am loving every inch of her. Today, September 17th is her actual due date. She was born just five days early.
Here is my/her birth story...

Last Saturday, I wasn't feeling quite right. I knew that it would be baby time soon. I was contracting off and on all day and it was getting a little more painful than usual. But, with two rambunctious boys at home, Andy and I decided to get out of the house and do something fun. We headed down to Dana Point harbor to walk around and see the boats. Turns out it was so crowded we couldn't even park. After driving around for a bit, decided to head back home, so I could lay down.
Keeping track of my contractions, there was no real pattern to them. With my history of quick labors, I knew this didn't necessarily mean much. Andy called my dad to tell them to stand by if we decided to go to the hospital.
About 7:00 that night, the contractions stopped. I was feeling pretty good, so I called my step-mom and told them not to worry, I was sure I would make it until at least Sunday morning. Hoped we could all get some rest.
After the boys were in bed, we tried to get to sleep early, knowing tomorrow would most likely be the start of a very long day.
About 9:30pm, the contractions started again. This time, they were coming every 6 minutes. Out of no where. I got up, told Andy that we weren't going to make it til morning. Called my step-mom and told her of the change in plans. They were on their way to our house (about a 30 minute drive). By the time they arrived, it was after 10:30pm. My contractions were becoming very painful.
I knew the boys were in good hands. Both were sound asleep, and would be happy to see Mimi and Papa in the morning.
We arrived at the hospital a little after 11pm. In the back of my mind, I had to laugh because both boys were also born around midnight. What is with these kids?!
We walked the long hall to L&D and checked into a triage room so the nurse could asses me. She began to ask all sorts of ridiculous questions while I curled up into a ball trying to breath through the pain.
All of the sudden I looked at Andy and said, "I'm not going to make it. This is just like Connor."
(for anyone who doesn't know, I had a super fast labor with Connor, and didn't have time for an epidural)
Finally the nurse said she would call in the midwife to check me. Minutes later, the MW comes strolling in, casually checks me and says, "You're 9 centimeters". "NINE???" I said. Yes. Nine.
I knew I would have to go through another labor with no meds.
They rushed me into the next room, thinking this baby is going to come flying out at any moment. My water still had not broken, so the MW was about to do it for me. It was 15 mins til Midnight. Andy asked if she would possibly wait, so that we wouldn't have a 9/11 baby. We had been discussing this before and even though it is my sisters bday, just wanted to avoid that date if possible.
I was fine with waiting a few more minutes.
After she broke my water, the pushing began. The RN was so amazing. She let me control when and how long I wanted to push. Believe it or not, it wasn't all too painful. At that point, pushing actually feels good.

(This was the only shot of me in labor that Andy was able to take)

Much to our surprise, TWO whole hours went by and still NO baby! My contractions were still irregular and she was just not moving. They figured she was probably facing up and also turned a bit sideways.
The RN thought I could try to take a little break and they would see about getting me that epidural afterall. They thought if I was a little more relaxed, I could push a little better.
The anesthesiologist came in and was a little concerned about having to do the procedure while I was lying on my side. There was NO way I would be able to sit up and stay still at that point.
He was really great an was able to get the epidural in fairly quick. The pain relief was so nice. It's amazing how fast it works.
They let me rest for a bit.
Andy actually laid down and fell asleep for awhile. I was so shaky and tied up to so many machines that it was hard for me to relax. They also had me laying on my side, almost on my stomach to try to get her to move or turn over. Her heart rate was dropping with each contraction, so it was finally time to start pushing again. The MW mentioned that she would like a physician to come in and see what our other options were.
All I heard was C-Section. That scared me. After all that, to end up with a c-sec would be awful.
So, a doctor came in to see if he could assist me with the use of a vacuum. If not, it would be time for a trip to the OR.
There was suddenly a strange feeling in the room. They called in the pediatric team and there were extra people everywhere. All the lights were on and it was go time.
He set up the vacuum and told me to push. I tried as hard as I could, and it looked as if it was going to work. Thank GOD!
Only a few pushes later, baby girl was out.

Molly Grace Kilian was born at 4:18am, 7lbs even, 19.5 inches long.

She was sunny side up. Her head was slightly turned. And she was coming out forehead first.
Not the ideal birthing position.
She was immediately rushed over to the doctors and nurses waiting for her. I didn't even really get a good look at her. Everything looked great, minus a few bruises from the vacuum.
Her Apgar was 9/9. Andy was able to cut the cord once she was on the exam table. He held her first and then they were able to bring her to me.
It was all so strange. Nothing like what everyone had anticipated.
I was so thankful that she was okay and we didn't end up in surgery.
She laid on my chest, quietly for almost an hour. She started nursing really well. We all fell asleep shortly after.

It was such an unbelievable experience. Only five days later, as I recover and as the pain slowly slips my mind, I can't help but fall in love.
It's incredible how one, tiny little person can affect your whole world.

Preschool!

2010-09-08T14:00:00.001-07:00

Today was Connor's first day of preschool. We have been talking about it for months. He has been asking me over and over again when he gets to go to school. Andy and I are so happy that he was excited about this. Neither one of us really liked school to be honest. If he only knew that this was the beginning of many, many years of non-stop learning.
With as much grief as he has given me in the past few days, I was so happy to see him this morning when he woke up. I practically cheered about him being a Big Preschooler! Yes, I sing, I dance. It may not be pretty, but my kids love it. As long as the neighbors don't see me, I'm good.

I made special blueberry and banana pancakes for breakfast. YUM. We usually have a slow start in the mornings. That's all going to have to change when I need to get 3 kids out the door before 9am.

Even Owen was excited!

My dad and step-mom even came with us today. Andy had to work, and I figured it would be good for them to know where the school was just in case we are in the hospital and cannot take him during the next few days.

It was basically just a short visit today (30 minutes) so the kids could get and idea of what to expect. He didn't want to go home though. I don't think there will be any tears from him on Friday when I actually leave him there. He already seems so comfortable with his teacher.

Desperate Housewife

2010-09-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

Being a stay-at-home-mom isn't hard. It really isn't. I know we all complain from time to time, but seriously, we have the best "job" in the world.
Most days, I'm in my pj's until noon. I get to hang out with my kids, drink my coffee while checking emails in the backyard and take naps whenever possible.
I know this will all change soon enough when they start going to school full time. I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

The hard part about being home all the time is the tedious housework. I don't like laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc. I'm not your typical housewife. My husband doesn't have a typical 9-5 job. I am not required to have dinner on the table every night at 6. He is gone for about half the month and when he is here, we share those responsibilities 50/50. Being a fireman, he has learned to cook. And he cooks well. He may have just spoiled me enough during our dating phase to get me hooked. We still struggle with what to make each night. I really should do one of those weekly menu plans for our family, but I just never know what we will be in the mood for. Plus, I can't shop for a whole week at one time. It overwhelms me.

Cleaning up after a 1 & 3-year-old is not fun. Kids are messy. Really messy. I mean, they cannot eat a single cracker with out leaving a trail of crumbs wherever they go. I feel like I am constantly cleaning. I do laundry everyday. Multiple loads. Maybe it's because I have boys. Or maybe it's because I have 2 young boys. They are just prone to getting dirty. I know it's not going to get much better in the next few months by adding a newborn to the picture.

I'm not complaining.
I swear.
I love my life.

Just one of those days, I guess.

all...most...there

2010-08-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very good at this whole blog thing. Honestly, I haven't been good at doing much lately. I am so tired. This last pregnancy is really starting to kick my behind. I don't sleep at night. My boys are running me around like crazy during the day. Owen is into everything. Connor hasn't taken a nap in months and still does not go to sleep at night until after 9pm (and still fights me every time).
I'm tired.
Baby girl is almost due. Even though I don't think I'm really ready to deal with a newborn, I'm excited to meet her. I'm excited to see if she has a head full of hair like her brothers. I'm excited to see how big she'll be; what color her eyes will be.
I'm excited to be able to walk/sit/sleep/eat without being so uncomfortable.
I've been so lucky when it comes to pregnancy. I have it pretty easy. I don't gain a ton of weight. I haven't had any real problems. My labor with the boys was fairly easy, overall.
But I think any woman will agree, it's just hard on your body. Especially having 3 babies in 4 years. WOW.
I am going to have 3 kids.
This baby has already changed our lives so much. We had to move into another house. Get a bigger car. Buy another crib. Yes, I have two cribs in my house right now.
When I was younger, I remember saying I wanted 4 boys. 4 boys? Then I had one. Changed my mind. Two wasn't bad, just busy. The thought of having a third boy, scared the heck outta me.
It's still had for me to refer to this baby as a girl. We still just call her "the baby". I have a hard time admitting she is actually a she. Even after so many ultrasounds. I've seen the evidence. But I swear, I won't really believe it until she is in my arms.
I'm 36 weeks now. Not much longer.

Champagne Wishes and Pregnancy Dreams!

2010-07-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

What is it about pregnancy that makes you want to drink? I'm not talking about getting drunk here people, but to be able to have a little glass of wine at the end of the day would be so nice. I know there are people that do, in their third trimester, I just never want to take any chances.
I guess it all goes back to the saying "You always want what you can't have". I've hardly had more than a drink or two in the past 4 years. Seems I've always been pregnant, nursing, or having to rush home to take care of a baby. Honestly I don't even miss it. During my first trimester, the smell of alcohol alone was enough to make me gag. My husband will have a beer in the evening when we are making dinner and usually I could care less, but lately, a nice, cold drink just sounds good. Maybe it's the warm summer nights, or maybe it's the long days of staying home with a One and Three-year-old. Whatever the reason, it will have to wait a bit longer.
Sleep is not exactly easy to come by these days. I toss and turn most of the night. My hips hurt from sleeping on my side. If I lay on my back for more than a few minutes, I feel like I am going to pass out. I have to get up to go to the bathroom at least 3 times a night.
And I cannot forget to mention the pregnancy dreams. Most of the mom's I have talked to have all said the same thing: Dreams during pregnancy are more vivid than any other time in your life. It usually takes me awhile to realize that they are not real, and that's unfortunate for the most part! There's no reason to get into details. I love my life. But I do look forward to a good nights sleep for more than one reason ;-)

New House

2010-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been about a month since we moved out of our condo and into a house, not far from where we were. We've been slowly putting things away. Trying to get it to feel more like a home and not just a new space. Although the house is actually smaller (our condo was fairly large), the boys are loving the backyard. They play out there most of the day.
Our renters seem to be doing great and have not had any problems so far. I think they are going to take really good care of our place.
Ultimately, our goal is to buy another house in about a year, but we'll see what happens. I want to get settled somewhere and get the kids into whatever school system we plan to stay in.
For now, we'll enjoy our summer and patiently await the arrival of our baby girl!

Belly is growing!

2010-05-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Finally, I am starting to really look pregnant and I'm really starting to feel it now. I guess by the third baby, my body is getting a little tired. But, I have to admit, I love being pregnant. It's by far, the most amazing thing I have ever done.
I was really good about taking pictures of my belly with the boys, but I have been slacking a bit with this one. I was the third kid in my family, so I promise this baby will not be left out or forgotten.

That's my kid!

2010-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to spend some time with just one kid yesterday. He was being such a good boy, that we went to Target so he could pick out a new train. As we were driving home, he starts in on the million questions that all toddlers ask. I do my best to answer them and even when he repeats the same question over, and over, I try to not get frustrated. But this one made me laugh.
Connor: "Mommy, why do cars have wheels?"
Me: "Why????" as in, why would you ask such a silly question.
Connor: "BECAUSE I SAID SO." spoken with attitude.
humph. Guess I better watch myself. They really are like little sponges, aren't they?!
He is like most kids his age. He gives me grief on a daily basis. But, I can't help but love him.

Pigtales and Polkadots!

2010-04-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

IT'S A GIRL ~ I think!
Well, I had my 18 week ultrasound yesterday and the tech did what she could to determine the sex of the baby. She says it's a girl! Although we didn't get a really clear shot, there were not any boy parts to be seen. It was really clear when we found out with both Connor and Owen, so I think it's safe to assume she is right.
I am super excited to have a little pink in this house. I love my boys dearly, but it will be fun to do some girly shopping. Dresses, and bows, and fingernail polish, oh my!
Andy is really excited too. It's pretty cute.
Obviously Owen has no idea what's going on, but Connor knows there is a baby girl in my belly. He keeps asking to see it. September will be here before we know it. Let the chaos begin!

Owen~

2010-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

I guess I never really updated about Owen's First Birthday party! It was so much fun. We did a Cowboy theme, which turned out really cute. My step-mom brought two bales of hay that we used for decoration. I ordered plenty of hats, bandanna's and sheriff badges for all the kids.
I have to say, the highlight of the whole party was an actual Train ride that my dad had set up. It was so cute to see Connor's face as he heard the whistle and chugga-chugga of the train coming down the hill towards the park. I wish I would have caught that on camera. A classic moment.
Owen did so good throughout the party and really seemed to enjoy his cake once he got into it.

And he is walking full-time now. It's hard to believe since Connor took his time and didn't walk until he was 14 months. My crazy little boy is just trying to keep up with his big brother.

So,

2010-02-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

along with the fact that we are going to need a bigger house, we are probably going to need a bigger car. I have a cute little Jeep Cherokee that fits our family just fine right now. But, now that we are having another baby, it's going to be a little tight with THREE kids in car seats. Add the fact that they are all going to be in car seats for quite some time.
I have always wanted a Tahoe. My sister has one and it's the perfect size. Not too big; just enough room for everyone. We like to make several trips to the beach during the summer and when it was just Andy and I, we could just throw our beach bag in the back seat and go. He would pack his surfboard on the roof and off we went.
As most of you know, kids add a whole other element to those quick little trips. You have to pack a diaper bag. and snacks. and toys. and a change of clothes. and chairs. and blankets. and an umbrella. etc! The list goes on and on. So, with that in mind, and bigger car is a must.
I had to literally laugh out loud the other day (and kinda hold back tears at the same time). We were at the mall looking for some clothes for the boys. You know how they sometimes have cars displayed inside the mall? Well, there were these three Volkswagen's. One was a brand new mini van. I looked at it for a split second and thought "Wow. That's pretty nice." And then quickly came back to the reality that I will NEVER own a MINIVAN!!! I just cannot do it. I know they are super convenient. I'm sure the mom's who own them, love them.
Andy saw my interest and was shocked, I'm sure, but in a weird way, I think he was interested too!!! OMG. Is this where we are headed? I know he see's it as the perfect beach mobile. The surf boards all fit on top. The kids all fit inside with plenty of room to spare. And it's a VW. It can't be that bad, right? Oy.
Well, thankfully we still have a few months to think things through. I'll keep looking for that Tahoe. I think.

Celebrating Life...in two ways.

2010-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

This has been a really emotional week for my family. My 91 year old grandmother passed away on Saturday, February 20. It all happened so quick, that I am still trying to adjust to the whole thing.
She went into the hospital with stomach pain and ended up having surgery. She just didn't recover. She was such a sweet woman. I am going to miss seeing her face at our family get togethers.
While I know we are all going to mourn the loss of her for quite some time, I know that we will also find a way to celebrate her life in a way she would have loved.
To be honest, I really have no idea what happens to people when they die. I never grew up with any kind of religion. My parents never took us to church. I had different friends with different backgrounds who shared their views with me as a kid and I respect them all. I have been to services with Christians, Catholics, Mormons and even Buddhist. Each of them a little different, but interesting in their own way. Anyway, before I get to far into this whole thing, I just wanted to say that I hope my grandma is in a happy place (wherever that may be) and she has found comfort and peace. I want to believe that she has been reunited with my grandpa who passed away a year and a half ago. They were married for so long, they just have to spend eternity together as well.

With all the emotions of the past week, we just had to add something to celebrate. Andy and I are expecting another baby! Yes, quite a shock to us both. This was definitely not planned, but of course it is a welcomed surprise. We thought, maybe, we would think about having a third child in the next few years, but obviously it happened much sooner than we expected.
After a few days, our nerves have settled. We are slowly getting use to the fact that we will have THREE kids, ages THREE and under. Phew.
I've already had two ultrasounds and everything looks great. I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. Just a little nauseous here and there.
Before you ask, yes, I would LOVE to have a little girl. But in all honesty, I'm sure it will be another boy. And that's just fine too. As long as I get to spoil my nieces and my friends daughters, I'm happy.
So, come September, I will need to change the name of my family blog.
I'm open to suggestions...

Pretend City

2010-02-14T15:28:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, my friend April and I, took our kids to this cute little place in Irvine, called Pretend City.
http://www.pretendcity.org/
It was so much fun! It's basically a Children's Museum where kids can play in a mini city built just for them. There was a grocery store, a post office, a fire station, a beach, a health center and so much more. Connor and Evie had so much fun and I think April and I had just as much fun watching them!
We'll definitely have to make another trip back there.

Here's Connor and Eve shopping for groceries

Painting in the Art Studio

Of course, we had to check out the fire station

and the Garden

wordless wednesday

2010-01-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Birthdays, Parties and More

2010-01-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

It seems like after the holidays are over, things should be calming down a bit. Well, not so much. We have so much to look forward to in the next few months! Lots of birthdays in January for both friends and family. February will hold a few kids birthdays.
My best friend's daughter will be two in the beginning of March. She is having a jungle party! SO cute. And perfect for her.
That will bring us to Owens first birthday as well. I am already planning a nice, little, (sort of) party for him. I think we are going to do a Cowboy theme! How cute will all the kids be with their hats, sheriff's badges and stick-on mustashe's ! I cannot wait.
Then in April, more birthdays, as well as one of my dearest friends bridal shower! Robyn is getting married in June and the festivities are already underway. We ordered our dresses, and we are planning the details daily. It is getting so exciting. I have been waiting for her to get married forever. I'm just glad she was patient and found the perfect man.
May will bring us back to Connor's birthday. I cannot believe he is going to be THREE.
We are also starting to look into preschools for him. We have two appointments this week to take a tour of the local schools. I think he is going to love it. He has so much fun being around other kids.
Then, of course, June will be here before we know it. That means my dad's birthday, my little sister's birthday, and Robyn & Jeff's wedding!!!
Yay. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all.

Happy New Year! 2010

2010-01-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

I can remember sitting in class in middle school talking about the year 2000. It seemed sooooo far away back then. Now look at where we are. TWENTY-TEN! I'm amazed. And can you believe it, still no flying cars. What the heck?
I rang in the new year asleep, for the most part. Andy was working, the boys were sleeping and I tried to get to bed at a decent hour, knowing that I would be up with Owen in no time. I did actually hear the neighbors doing the usual countdown... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
They were not too loud, thank goodness, since my 9 month old seems to be the lightest sleeper on the planet. But of course, within the hour, he was up anyway.
I didn't make any resolutions. I can never seem to stick with them. I would rather just try to do better at whatever I feel I'm lacking in. Not make myself any promises. The pressure is too much. LOL.
2009 was not all that bad for us. Andy is still employed and we still have our house with no threat of loosing either one. We are very blessed. I hope this year is better to a lot of people though. Some close to us are not so lucky.
Many wishes for a happy new year.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T21:10:00.000-08:00

AHHH! We made it through another holiday! I cannot believe Christmas is finally over. Don't get me wrong. It's not like I don't love the big day. It's just that it is so much stress. I only wish I had endless funds so I could buy a little something special for everyone I know. I think the boys had a really good time opening their gifts. Connor got a few new trains and Owen got a few little gifts to keep him busy. Andy spoiled me this year by buying us a new video camera and also gave me a few great gift cards so I could do some shopping (for me)! Couldn't have asked for more.
I am very excited to start a new year with my wonderful little family. Owen will be ONE in March, and Connor will be Three before we know it. I can't believe how fast my babies are growing up right before my eyes. Motherhood is tough, but has so many rewards. I'd like to think I'm doing an OK job of raising them, but I can't help but question myself sometimes. I just want to raise happy kids. Judging by their beautiful smiles, I think we are doing a good job so far.

2009-09-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

Our visit to Daddy's fire station

He was even able to try on some of daddy's gear!

2009-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Our visit to the fire station. It was Owen's first time there. Connor has been a few times already, but I think he is finally starting to get into it. He loved sitting up on the engine and pushing some of the buttons!

bad blogger

2009-09-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

OK... I admit it. I've been avoiding my blog. The boys have been keeping me fairly busy, and I guess there just isn't really much to write about!
I am going to try to get back into it, but I can't make you any promises. LOL

2 years, 2 months and 2 laptops

2009-05-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

Well, Connor finally turned two on May 20th. We had a nice little party with just a few friends from the neighborhood and some family. I think he really enjoyed it this year! We had a Thomas the Train jumpie (his two favorite things blended into one). I don't think he was out of that thing for more than a few minutes all day. It was cute. I'll have to upload some pictures soon (see third paragraph about the new laptop). His 2 year check up went well. Just one shot. He cried a little, but not too bad. I can't believe my boy is two!!!
Owen also turned two months in the same week. We had his appointment a few days after Connor's. Poor little guy screamed his head off with the 3 shots he had to have. Doctor Brandon says he is looking great. Weighs 11 pounds 8 ounces and is up to 22 1/2 inches. That's almost a 5 lb gain (after loosing a bit after birth) and 3 inches longer. Milk does a baby good! Even though he seems to spit up more than half of it after each feeding. I guess something is getting in that belly!
And on to our laptop issue. Without going into too much embarrassing details, something hit the top of our laptop, causing a crack. When I opened it up to check the screen, it was damaged as well. Turns out it was basically cheaper to just go ahead and buy a new one instead of replacing the lid. So, I am in the process of figuring this thing out and trying to transfer all my info to this new computer. Till then, no new pics.

Connor turns TWO!

2009-05-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

WOW. I can hardly believe I have a 2 year old. My crazy little baby is becoming a boy. Motherhood is
full of ups and downs, but the one thing I can't get enough of is watching him grow. It amazes me everyday to see him learning new things. He repeats everything we say (now I really need to watch my mouth)! He is such a handful, but that just makes him that much more exciting.
We are trying to plan a small party for just the neighborhood friends this weekend. It was a last minute decision. Andy really wanted to have a
party. I could have done without one this year, but I'm glad we are doing something. Of course, I am the one who has to put it all together now.

still learning the ropes!

2009-05-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

I am trying to figure out all the little tricks to creating this blog. I'm not all that computer savvy, so don't expect too much just yet! If anyone has any suggestions, I am open.

my first blog.

2009-05-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly sure what to write about. I am thankfully relaxing while my two boys are taking a nap. It's nice to enjoy some quiet time once in awhile! I guess I should be cleaning or napping, but I just cannot seem to pull myself away from this darn computer.
Things are going really well since the birth of our second son. Owen is such a cutie. He is much easier to please than Connor was. Of course he has his cranky moments, but nothing that can't be soothed by mom's touch. And big brother Connor is really trying to be helpful. He gives lots of hugs and kisses to "Owie" throughout the day. He is even willing to help with diaper changes. As long as he has a job to do, he is happy.
Speaking of Connor, he is going to be TWO years old next week. I cannot believe I have a two year old. It is crazy to think how fast everything has changed in the past few years. Andy and I have only been together for 5 1/2 years, and already been through so much. We have both worked our butts off in school, bought a house, got married and had two kids. Whew. I think it's time to slow down a bit and take it all in. But then again, Andy is so busy with work and starting a new business.
Well, sometime soon, we'll have to take a little vacation. I think we deserve it after all.