Life With Emma Grace

New Year's Baseball Game!

2012-01-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

In the morning, we headed out to the local high school field for a "friendly" family game of softball. We even got Mom out to go play. It was a lot of fun, despite realizing how incredibly out of shape we all are. It was also REALLY hot out. Almost 90 degrees... on JANUARY 1st!!! Either way, it was a lot of trash talking, a little bit of athletic skills, and a LOT of fun. We are going to try to make this an annual event. And we were still home in time for the Raiders vs. Chargers game at 1pm. :)

New Year's Eve Extravaganza!

2012-01-01T15:43:00.000-08:00

We rang in the new year with our family again this year. Tim & Jen have a nice big house with plenty of floor space for everyone to crash out so we had a giant family slumber party/ game night with all kinds of snacks and libations. We had fried chicken, posole, jalapeno poppers, pesto breads, salami, cheese, crackers, fresh fruit with fruit dip, angel food cake with pineapple dream fluff, and chips & salsa. Scott's girlfriend, Janice, even brought a chocolate fountain and all kinds of dippers. That was a huge hit with the kids! Emma (and Scott) both fell asleep long before midnight, but everyone else held tough and played board games all night long. The little ones enjoyed the Wii and running around the house with Nerf guns while the adults played Guesstures, Dexter, Monopoly Deal, and Tumbling Dice. It was a fun evening had by all and the best part was that no one had to be out driving on the road that night. We all slept in the next day (till 7 or 8) and then got up to some leisurely coffee and breakfast. Some of us got up on our own and some of us, like Grandma, had some "help" getting going. (*see the picture above!). But the coffee helped out and then we were ready to face the day!

Countdown to Noon!

2011-12-31T15:13:00.000-08:00

Being the parents of preschoolers, there is generally no chance that our little ones will be up with us at midnight to ring in the new year. So a few years ago, some of us started getting together for a "Noon Year Party" instead. The kids have a great time playing together and still get the experience of counting down and celebrating. We had all kinds of goodies and we just hung out and snacked and visited and played together and played at Erin's. It was a good morning today!

Disney on Ice - Toy Story 3!

2011-12-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

Karen & I took Emma, TJ, and Mikayla to see a Disney on Ice show last night. It was ToyStory 3, which is a favorite of all 3 kids and kind of "butches" up the ice dancing for TJ a bit so that was nice. The funny thing is that the first half of the show was more of a compilation of all 3 movies so Emma kept turning around and exclaiming "That's not from ToyStory 3! That's from Toy Story 1!" Too funny. We went on opening night and the show started at 7:30, which meant that it didn't end till after 9:30. That's a bit late for Em and she was getting tired so she actually started dosing on my lap for the last 20 minutes or so. That would have been fine, except that she missed the finale by the whole cast ensemble. So when I woke her up to walk out, she just crumpled and burst out crying because she had missed Mickey Mouse. :( Poor kid. She didn't throw a tantrum or anything but she just quietly wept all the way to the car and for a good bit of the ride home. Now I remember why we usually opt for afternoon matinees instead...

Dress Up Day!

2011-12-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

I stocked up on some discount costumes after halloween to replenish the kid's dress up supplies and got quite a few cute ones. We played dress up this morning and they both looked so freaking cute! Emma got an Alice in Wonderland dress, a Cinderella dress, and a Tiana dress (from The Princess and the Frog). TJ got an Area 51 Alien costume, a scary pirate costume, and a Beyblade guy costume. So much fun! Emma also got the matching barbie sized dolls to go with each of her outfits so she can play with them in her new house. She loves it.

Christmas, the sequel...

2011-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Scott was in Arizona with Matthew this year for Christmas, so we didn't see them until the 26th. Matthew was excited to open his presents. I think he liked his DS games the best! Scott also bought a giant airplane teeter totter for Emma & TJ, which we waited to give them until he got back. They, especially Emma, love it! The neat thing is that you can actually have a half dozen kids on there at a time so they can all play together. Very cool. The Ames kids stayed over with us for a couple days and we had a nice time relaxing and hanging out together. The big girls (Katie & Lucy) hung out with Karen & I, playing Dexter, watching movies, & reading while the little ones played Wii, legos, and on the airplane.

Christmas Morning Pictures!!!

2011-12-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Emma was so excited to get her new doll house, walkie talkies, Barbies, new dolly with the open & close eyes, Happynapper, and all her other toys. All of our family were here to celebrate with us and we had a great day visiting, playing, eating, and just being together. Everyone seemed to have a really good time. The photo calendars were hits with both Tim & Jen and with Grandma. Grandma also REALLY liked her new photo lap blanket that has all the grandkid pictures. The other big hit of the day was a box labeled "To: Angela, Karen, Katie, & Lucy From: Trinity & DDK." It was the new Dexter board game and it was very well received. We played it last night and it was, although very long and involved, a lot of fun. It was an awesome day and we are both so blessed to have such a great family.

Christmas Eve Preparations...

2011-12-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was a busy day around here, as usual. But we got it all done. Most of the day was spent cleaning and organizing. Todd took Emma & TJ to the park for a couple of hours so that really helped out Karen and I (and Katie & Lucy who were over to help) and gave us a chance to get quite a bit done.

In the evening we went to church and then headed (for the 3rd year in a row) to McDonalds for dinner. Yes, I know it is not a traditional holiday meal but it has worked well for us the past couple years. It gives the kids a chance to run around and burn off the last of their energy AND we can feed them without making a mess of the newly cleaned kitchen. Unfortunately, the employees of McDonalds looked like they were trying to get out of there early too so they had the playground area closed off and were in the middle of deep cleaning all the equipment. So, no playground for us this year.

We grabbed our burgers and headed home. Once the kids had eaten, it was time to begin the evening preps... First up, Emma & TJ got to open their one Christmas present - new jammies!! Emma loved her new monkey nightie. Then we went outside to sprinkle reindeer food on the lawn to guide Santa and his team. Next was baths & pictures in the new jammies. We read "How the Grinch stole Christmas," "Santa Mouse," and "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" along with finishing the miniature advent books with the nativity story. Next we hung the "Santa Key" on the front door so the big guy could come in easily sans chiminy. We set out cookies and milk for Santa (and had one apiece for ourselves) before I helped Emma brush her teeth and then it was time to lay down. She was so excited about Santa coming to visit that she was fast asleep within 15 minutes. Such a sweetie. Then "Santa" was able to get back up and finish any last minute wrapping, prepping, and staging.

Calendar Completion!

2011-12-26T15:26:00.000-08:00

This is the first year that I have done an advent calendar with Emma for the Christmas season and, being us, we decided to do it all out. So she actually had TWO calendars. One was a store bought calendar with 24 miniature books that, when put together, told the complete nativity story. Each evening we would find and read the little book and then hang it on her mini tree in the bedroom. The other calendar was one I made from some bulletin board supplies and we did this one every morning. After waking up, brushing her teeth and going potty, Emma would pull the star for the day and see what kind of fun activity we would be doing that day. For the sake of posterity (and in case I need more ideas in the upcoming years) I figured I would make a list of all the activities we did this month. These calendars ended up being a lot of fun and I think we will be doing them again. Emma seemed to really get a solid understanding of time passing and also of the TRUE meaning of Christmas. She can tell you all about baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and how they lived in the Holy Land. Awesome.

Dec 01 - Go see Bubby's Christmas recital
Dec 02 - Pizza & Movie Night with Mikayla & TJ (while Mommy goes to a play)
Dec 03 - Craft at Home Depot; Get a Christmas Tree; Christmas Parade with Gymnastics Group
Dec 04 - Craft Fair with Mommy & Grandma
Dec 05 - Bake Christmas Cookies
Dec 06 - Playdate at Kaia's
Dec 07 - Drive to see Christmas Lights
Dec 08 - Make a Christmas Craft
Dec 09 - Polar Express storytime at Barnes & Noble
Dec 10 - Go see "A Christmas Carol" play
Dec 11 - Do easy-bake-oven cooking with Lucy (while Mommy goes to a play)
Dec 12 - Have candy cane hot cocoa and a movie
Dec 13 - Pancake breakfast at school; Last day of work & school
Dec 14 - Bring hot chocolate to gymnastics for friends & go see lights with Hayden & Sophia
Dec 15 - Visit the fancy lights in Rancho
Dec 16 - Play at Sophia's & have dinner at Chick-fil-A
Dec 17 - Stockings for Seniors; Eagle's Christmas Party
Dec 18 - Nutcracker Ballet with Mommy
Dec 19 - Go for a nighttime walk to see Christmas Lights
Dec 20 - Elite Christmas Party with Sophia & Hayden
Dec 21 - Watch a Christmas movie
Dec 22 - Bake cookies and spend the night with Grandma (while Mommy shops & assembles!)
Dec 23 - Christmas cookie & craft party at Kaia's
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve service at church & dinner at McDonalds
Dec 25 - CHRISTMAS!!!

Craft & Cookie Day!

2011-12-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

My friend Erinn and her daughter Kaia hosted a wonderful holiday party for a bunch of us on Friday. We got all the kids together and they had a great time! We made swirly painted ornaments, baked chocolate chip and sugar cookies, dipped cake pops in chocolate, had a storybook gift exchange, and a pizza lunch. Whew! Quite a lot of fun jam packed into 3 hours. The kids had so much fun. I think TJ loved the sprinkles the most. His cookie was more sprinkles than dough! Emma liked dipping the cake balls in melted chocolate and playing with her friends. Mikayla asked to come along as well and, even though she was a bit outside the demographic of our target group :), she still seemed to have fun. She was at the cake pop making station for quite some time. Thanks Erinn for planning such a fun day!

Reindeer Food!

2011-12-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

After lunch and a short nap at home, we headed back out again yesterday. This time we brought TJ along and we went over to Stephanie's new house to make reindeer food. For those without preschoolers, reindeer food is a magical concoction of oats and either glitter or sugar that you sprinkle in your yard on Christmas Eve in order to help guide Santa and his reindeer to your house. Yes, I know. The silly rouses we go through with our children. But Emma loves it. So anyway, we spent all of 5 minutes mixing oats & glitter and then the kids spent the other 2 hours playing in the playroom and on the swingset outside. The kids had a lot of fun and TJ says he can't wait to go back and play cars with Gavin again.

2nd Annual OGC Christmas Party

2011-12-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Emma & I got together with her little besties and their mommies for a mini Christmas party. Emma, Sophia, & Hayden had a great time making Christimas crafts (travel mugs for hot chocolate, Santa Claus ornaments, and mini pinecone Christmas trees), playing games, and exchanging gifts. Emma gave her friends each a set of 3 science experiment kits - one about boats and bouyancy, one dealing with colors, and one about animals and their tracks. Sophia gave Emma & Hayden big, plush, Alice in Wonderland dolls. Emma is in LOVE with hers and slept with it all night long. Hayden, with the help of her grandma, made blankets for each of the girls. Emma's is blue and has princesses on it. Perfect! It is also a great size for using in the car seat or stroller. Very cute. We had a fun morning with our friends.

Where a kid can be a kid!

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

So, it turns out that I actually do NOT hate Chuck E. Cheese. I only hate going to CEC on weekend afternoons for birthday parties where there are 15 million little baybay kids running around, shrieking and wreaking havoc. Turns out, I actually DO like CEC when we go on a Monday morning at 11am and are one of only 6 or so groups there. Being off from work for a couple weeks, I am always looking for ways to entertain the kids on the cheap. So we headed to CEC for an early lunch with our friends on Monday. Between coupons, reward cards, and splitting deals, I only spent $20 for our portion and that got our 4 kids (Em, TJ, Hayden, & Sophia) around 200 tokens resulting in almost 400 tickets won, 2 large pizzas, drinks for everyone, and 2 all-you-can-eat salad bars. Plus, they were entertained for over 3 hours! Not too shabby. And, being the frugalista I am, I went back to the salad bar one more time before leaving and loaded up a togo box with cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, baby carrots, and honeydew melon chunks. That box was a godsend later in the day when the witching hour hit and the midgets were clammoring for food while I was still prepping dinner!

The Nutcracker Ballet

2011-12-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

Emma & I had a "Mommy-Daughter Day" today. I took her out to Claremont to see the Inland Pacific Ballet Company's performance of The Nutcracker. She was really well behaved for the entire show and seemed to enjoy it. I was a bit concerned as there is no dialogue and I wondered if she would be bored by all the dancing. There were a few points where she got a bit restless but there was always something new happening to catch her attention again. I think Emma really liked the dragons and Chinese dancers the best. But, when I asked her, she said that her favorite part was "when the sky was a rainbow." Yep. That's my daughter. Paying more attention to the scenery changes than what is going on in front of them. Too funny. I guess that is just the kind of kid she is though. She definitely marches to her own drummer. Take the ensemble for today - beautiful frou frou princess dress and.... skull & crossbones tights. I love this kid. I also told Emma she could choose somewhere for us to stop for dinner on the way home. I suggested Old Spaghetti Factory or El Torito. Nope. She was all set for sushi. It was pretty tasty. Guess it was a good choice.

Eagles Christmas Party

2011-12-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

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The annual Eagle's Christmas Party was yesterday and it is always a good time. This year we let Emma & TJ each invite a friend to the party as well. So we had a big group... Katie, Lucy, Bubs, Mikayla, Emma, TJ, Baron (Emma's oldest buddy), Robert (TJ's friend from his old preschool), and Justin (Scott's girlfriend, Janice's son). Whew. And FIVE of those ones are all preschoolers! What a fun, chaotic, group. Emma just loves Baron and the feeling is totally mutual. They are both rough and tumble hard core kids that wrestle and bear hug and body slam each other but then, 2 minutes later, they are loving on each other and hugging and giving kisses on the cheek! As an aside... I am SO glad my daughter is this kind of a kid and not a whiny little sissy girl! We love Baron! In fact, these two are so inseperable, they insisted on going up to see Santa together rather than taking their own turns. They are so freaking cute! Apparently the gift de jour for 4 year old boys was a fire truck this year and they all loved them! Emma got doll house furniture... kind of weird, one might say. But then "one" might not know what Santa's secret (GIANT!) present is for Emma this year. If one did know, then one might realize that old Saint Nick really hit the nail right on the head this year! ;-)

Stockings for Seniors!

2011-12-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row now, Karen & I took the little ones out to volunteer with the "Smiles for Seniors" organization in their annual "Stockings for Seniors" event. Mikayla was home sick with a cold, so she didn't join us this year as we assumed that illness was the last thing these elderly people needed to have brought to them. Emma & TJ did AMAZINGLY well this year. Last year, Emma especially was a bit more nervous and less likely to talk, shake hands, or give hugs. This year she was all about passing out the gifts and telling all the elderly people "Merry Christmas! We found one lady at the first home, Miss Myra, who took a special shine to the kids and she was just getting quite a kick out of them. She was more... aware than some of the other residents and was carrying on full conversations with us, although she was quick to remind us that she would probably forget things over and over. She was just the nicest lady. Her husband died a few years back and she had no children of her own. She does have some step children but they live out of state and she rarely sees them. So she was very excited to have people to visit with and to be able to watch the little ones play. It really tugs at your heartstrings realizing how much we have in life and how lucky we are to have family with us during the holidays. I hope Emma and TJ are getting something out of this experience as well.

Lights in Rancho!

2011-12-16T23:03:00.000-08:00

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We were able to fit in a trip out to Rancho this year in order to see the lights on Thoroughbred. For a minute, I thought we were going to get rained out, but then the clouds cleared and we were good to go. And, with it being a Thursday, it wasn't too crowded. We didn't even lose anyone! The houses were very cool. There was even one all Disney-ed out which was awesome, except that they still had plastic over some of the mannequins to protect them from the rain. But it was still fun. The only problem was that we were missing 2 of our group. Lucy was home with a headcold and Grandma had a migraine. We were sorry they couldn't join us, but we still had fun!

Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

2011-12-16T22:49:00.000-08:00

Mikayla participated in her school's talent show yesterday. There she was, all 11 years of her, bringing back the 1980's in her tutu, fingerless gloves, and belting out some Pat Benetar. She was awesome! The staff especially liked the nostalgia, I think. Apparently, over 50 kids tried out and she was one of only 10 chosen to perform. Not too shabby, huh? It's actually kind of amazing to me. She has only been in this school for a couple of months and I remember how it felt trying to adjust to middle school. It was hard. But there she goes, up on stage, in front of the school... Amazing. And she rocked it! "Hit me with your best shot.... Fire Away!"

Redlands Lights!

2011-12-16T22:44:00.000-08:00

After gymnastics class on Wednesday evening we went out to meet our friends, the Morans, in Redlands so we could check out a cool light display in their neighborhood. Ironically enough, the activity on Emma's countdown calendar for this day was "bring hot cocoa for our friends at gymnastics." So we already had a thermos and paper cups ready for Emma & Hayden and I had plenty of extra for Sophia too, so all the girls loved that. This house was really neat. Lots of decorations, Christmas music playing, a giant model Polar Express train running, friendly owners sitting by an outdoor fire and passing out candy canes, and even a couple "snow" machines. The girls loved playing in the sudsy snow and checking out all the sights. It was awesome.

Highland Christmas Parade

2011-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

Last night was also the annual Highland Christmas Parade. I use the term "parade"loosely though. As compared to the overly drawn-out, 130+ group, 3 hour long, Redlands parade, Highland's consists of a half dozen police cars, 3 fire trucks, and a flatbed trailer full of carolers with Santa & Mrs. Claus waving at the kids. It goes past in all of 3 minutes. Perfect. And, the parade route went past Baker's and just happened to coincide with their "free BRC burrito day." So I bundled the kids up and we walked down through the neighborhood looking at lights as we headed in for a free dinner. After dinner, we stepped outside and watched the parade go by. The kids thought it was neat that the firemen threw candy canes and presents (little cardboard crackers with treats in them). Then we walked home. It was a chilly, but nice evening.

Get your Grinch on!

2011-12-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

Is she not the cutest little Grinch you have ever seen in your life?! Emma loves her Grinch hat she made at school and she was so excited to bring it home to show me. In fact, she came home with a whole bag full of art projects and goodies since today was our LAST DAY OF WORK! Yep, we are officially on Christmas vacation for the next 3 and a half glorious weeks! Woo hoo!!!

The Christmas Shoes

2011-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

Our church puts on an annual Christmas production and, this year, it was the tear-jerker "The Christmas Shoes." Lucy decided she wasn't really feeling this one, so she came over and babysat for Emma & TJ while Karen, Jenny, Katie, & I went to the play. It was really well done and did not disappoint in the drama department. There was quite a bit of sniffling in the audience. Not from me, of course ;-) but from some people. We had a nice evening.

A Christmas Carol

2011-12-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time this past Saturday seeing a local presentation of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" out in Rancho. Emma loves the Disney takes on this story (both the Mickey Mouse and the Jim Carey versions, although I think Mickey would win out between the two) so I was excited to take her to see this more accurate depiction. She liked it! Granted, matinee showtime tends to coincide with naptime, so she dozed a bit during the Ghost of Christmas Past scene but, other than that, she was very into the play. She keeps asking me to tell her the story over and over again and can't stop talking about Jacob Marley. Apparently his ghostly self made quite an impression on her. Karen, Grandma, & Mikayla enjoyed the play as well. Tj slept through the first half - I think I should get a partial refund on his ticket! - but seemed to enjoy the second half. After the play, we headed to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner. Yum! It was a fun family day!

Shrinky Dink Christmas Tree!

2011-12-09T07:37:00.000-08:00

On Thursday we decorated the tree. I know what you are thinking... Didn't we do the tree last weekend? But yes, this was a tree of a different sort. A Shrinky-Dink Christmas tree! I loved Shrinkydinks when I was little and it turns out they have not lost any of their kid appeal over the years. I found a discounted Halloween tree that we made earlier this year and it was such a hit that I had to go find the Christmas version as well. Karen and the kids and I had a fun time making this craft together and it turned out really cute! Plus, it can all store flat in a gallon sized ziploc bag, so it will be easy to keep and set up every year. Love that.

Harvest Craft Fair

2011-12-05T00:45:00.000-08:00

I won some tickets to the Harvest Craft Fair at the LA fairgrounds in Pomona so Mom, Emma, & I headed over there on Sunday. I had extras so I invited Erin & her mom Nancy and little Sophia to join us as well. The girls had fun making ornaments, tasting samples, and watching the jugglers onstage. Mom bought some tasty soup & dip mixes and olive oils. Yum! I found a new gymnastics girl ornament for Emma. It is sooo cute! We had lunch there too. This was the first time any of us had visited this event and I am not sure we would pay the general admission costs to get in, but for free, it was a fun day.

Redlands Christmas Parade!

2011-12-05T00:39:00.000-08:00

Emma participated in her first parade this weekend with her gymnastics club. It was really really cold and, being Redlands, really really slow. But, we still got to see Emma waving out the window of the tumble bus as they slowly rolled along. There were 130 groups in the parade this year and RGC was... 113. *sigh* So it took 2 hours before they passed by us. But I'm still a proud mama and I think Emma got a kick out of hearing everyone cheering her name from the sidewalk.

Trimming the tree!

2011-12-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

After we finished at Home Depot we went to choose a Christmas Tree but the lot wasn't open yet so we headed home to straigten up a bit first. We ended up finding a great tree at a great price and the kids had a blast decorating it. I think it turned out awesome.

Building Snowmen!

2011-12-04T00:19:00.000-08:00

We went to Home Depot Saturday morning to build snowman napkin holders. It was a very cute, and simple (!) design. With it's 2 wood screws and a dab of glue, there were a welcome change from Lowes' neverending reign of tiny finishing nails. It even came with stickers to dress the snowman once he was built, but we decided to bring Emma's home so she could paint him first. What an adorable and, for once, useful craft this turned out to be...

It's A Wonderful Life

2011-12-03T00:13:00.000-08:00

I love the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." It's one of my favorite movies, holiday or otherwise. So, when I found out it was being performed in Redlands, I made sure to get tickets for Mom, Karen, & I. We had a wonderful evening and the play was good. The actors did well and the guy who was playing George Baily had a voice so similar to Jimmy Stewart it was uncanny. It was great to visit old Bedford Falls for the evening and welcome in the holiday season.

Make a joyful noise!

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Tim had his first music recital last night, along with a multitude of other kids who are in the music program along with him. They are still learning how to play the instruments but they sure do have heart! He was very proud of himself and Emma was so excited to go see him play. She loves her cousins!

Start the countdown!

2011-12-01T23:53:00.000-08:00

I've always liked the idea of an advent calendar for Emma but did not want to do the constant candy of the cheapy chocolate ones they sell in the stores. Nor did I want to spend a bajillion dollars buying one of the awesome multi drawer wooden ones I found on amazon. So I decided to create our own using bulletin board supplies I got for free with a coupon from Office Max. It turned out pretty cute and Emma is getting quite the kick out of pulling down her star each morning and seeing what fun holiday activity we have planned. I did break down and actually buy an additional advent calendar but this one tells the story of the birth of Jesus in 24 miniature storybook ornaments and is way more detailed than I could ever have the patience or talent to create. So we pull a star to see our activity each morning and then we read a short story and hang the book on Emma's mini tree each evening. We are having a wonderful start to the Christmas season around here! And, as an extra bonus, Emma is totally understanding time passage and how a calendar works. She is walking around telling people the date each day. Usually multiple times a day, but that is okay! :)

Tree-Lighting Ceremony

2011-11-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

We made it to the Christmas Tree lighting at church again this year. It was another nice evening of music, hot chocolate, cookies, prayer, & the lighting of the giant tree. The church moved the whole site of the tree from one side of the church to the other in an attempt to thwart the winds and freezing temps of last year. Ironically enough, everything was completely calm tonight. Rather than hats, mittens, layers, & parkas like last year, Emma & I were hanging out in tee shirts this year!

Christmas Pictures!

2011-11-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

I took Emma to get our Christmas pictures done this afternoon and they turned out really cute! I was able to find us both matching white shirts which we wore with jeans and did our hair similarly. Emma was so excited to match mommy for the day. I love having my mini-me in my life!

Pharoah's Lost Kingdom!

2011-11-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows I love my coupons and deals. The only problem is when one slips through my memory and expires before we use it, as was almost the case with this deal. A few months ago I bought a few passes for the local fun park and had mom & Karen do the same so we could all go spend a fun afternoon with all the kids. Luckily mom reminded me that these would be expiring soon. Unfortunately, she ended up being out of town (taking Matthew back to AZ) today when it worked for Karen & I to be able to take the kids. So we brought Jenny in her place. She was glad to get out of the house and we all had a great time. The kids really enjoyed the bouncers, mini golf, and, especially, the bumper boats. They were all soaked! And then Jen decided to take a turn and they all turned on her and absolutely drenched to poor woman! According to Karen, it was hilarious but I missed it since I was inside watching the little ones bounce themselves silly. It was a fun afternoon and I am glad we got a chance to go.

Dental Distress!

2011-11-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

Emma has the unfortunate luck of inheriting my horribly cavity-prone teeth. As such, the poor kid had some major work coming up and we ended up being able to schedule it for during Thanksgiving break. Originally it was supposed to be a 12 noon appointment which would have been horrid, trying to tell her that she could not eat breakfast, or even drink water, all morning long. Luckily the office had a cancellation and was able to move her up to 8am. So we showed up at 8 and had to wait another hour while they kept working on the last appointment. We finally got called in at 9 and went over the pre-op info.
Basically, we went in knowing that Emma had one large cavity in a rear tooth and it was starting to come out in chunks, along with another cavity in the tooth behind that one. So the dentist wanted to put her under general anesthesia since it would be impractical to expect her to sit still for an entire procedure like this with only laughing gas. Additionally, we had not been able to get any xrays of Emma's teeth as she keeps gagging on the bite wing and spitting it out. So they planned to do that as well while she was sedated.
So I held Emma in my lap as the anesthesiologist gave her a shot in the arm to start a "twilight sedation." The funny thing is Emma already had 4 shots and a blood draw last week at her doctor appointment so I figured she would not be happy about this. I didn't tell her until we were on our way to the dentist. But she just sighed and asked why. I let her know it was something to help relax her before the dentist worked on her teeth. She sighed again and just said, "okay, fine." So I really didn't expect any issues. Well, when the Dr. comes in, she buries her head in my chest and starts whimpering. He is trying to coddle and cajole her with little "It's just a little pinch" and "It will only hurt for a minute honey" platitudes. But then I looked down and the little stinker was smirking while she fake-cried! I exclaimed "Emma Grace! Are you faking?!" and she just giggled and said "okay. fine. Give me the shot" and stuck her arm out! She is too funny!
After a few minutes she started telling me ( I think) that her hand was falling asleep. But she only got out "my hand... my hand... sleep... my..." and was gone. Her eyes were still open but she was completely unresponsive and that is, apparently, exactly what they want to see. So the doctor picked my girl up out of my arms and carried her into the OR while I returned to the waiting room. For a long time. A long, long, time. They ended up working on her until almost noon. Turns out, the one (crumbly) tooth had to be pulled and they inserted a spacer in it's spot. 2 of her rear, lower, molars both had to be crowned, and there were 6 other teeth that needed fillings. *sigh* So much work for such a (physically) little mouth.
Around 11:45, they called me back and Em was starting to come out of the anesthesia. Not pretty. She was crying, and incoherent, and flailing around as I tried to hold her and listen to the post-op directives... Rest, soft foods, clear liquids to start, motrin for pain, etc. Luckily Mom had come with me to keep us company and help if needed so she was able to gather all our stuff while I carried Em to the car and we headed home. The whole drive she kept whimpering.
So when we got home I carried her into my bed and laid her down and she slept for another hour. When she woke up, she was a bit groggy but wanted to go see her cousins (Matthew & Tim were here playing with TJ that day) so I carried her down the hall. In about 10 more minutes she was off my lap and sitting with the boys, showing off her new silver teeth. Apparently each of the older boys have a silver tooth too and it became a badge of honor for Emma. In fact, later that day, TJ was complaining that his tooth was hurting and he thought he should go get a new silver one. Lol. Um, no. I tried to tell them that this was not a good thing and that TJ should be glad to have strong healthy teeth but I think he still wants to be a part of the dental decay club!
Within a few minutes the boys wanted to go play outside and, of course, Emma wanted to join them. I hesitated and asked her if she would rather watch a movie with me. She declined and went to get her shoes on. She did let us know that she was still a bit "Wobbly" so I told her to be careful playing and to take it easy. So how does Miss Emma "take it easy?" By hula hooping! Yep, there she is an hour and a half or so after major dental surgery shaking her hips and hula hooping her heart out. I love this tough little girl I have been blessed to raise...

Morning Bowl!

2011-11-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

The "Kids Bowl Free" summer program we participated in decided to include a Thanksgiving promo as well. It came in very handy this last week since we were off from work and school for the holiday. So, on Monday morning, Emma & I headed out to meet Erin & Sophia and Stephanie, Gavin, & Brooke. The kids had fun bowling and playing on all the mommy's smart phones while waiting for their turns. Then we took the kids to Shakey's for lunch where they "assumed the position" at the brick wall as we walked across the parking lot... Preparing for kindergarten in public school perhaps? ;-). Emma & Sophia were getting along really well this day and the girls begged for Sophia to come run errands with us so I took both little ladies to the house and then to Tim & Jen's to drop off a turkey. The girls were very excited to have Katie give them makeovers and they thought they were just the prettiest princesses in the world with their pink makeup! We finished the day up with a trip to the library. Can't have a much better Monday than that!

My New Do!

2011-11-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Found a great deal through Living Social recently and I was able to go in and get a good hair cut, finally! Came with a scalp massage and deep conditioning treatment. I love how it turned out. It was coming up on 2 years since I had had even a trim and I was at the point of daily headaches and broken ponytail holders from the weight of my hair again. So this was a needed, but also very much enjoyed, indulgence for me. And P.S. ... Emma took the "before" pictures of me. Check out how clear they are! Pretty good little photog I've got here! :):)

Santa's Sleigh!

2011-11-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

We went to Lowes on Saturday morning and the kids made really cute little Santa sleighs. Emma's friends, Baron & Sophia, joined us too. The crafts turned out so cute. Of course Emma's reindeer didn't even make it into the house before they broke off but what do you expect? They had us attach cardboard reindeer with a finishing nail. Oh well, nothing a little hot glue gun can't handle! Then Emma & Sophia spent some time checking out the Christmas displays and trying on the dancing elf hats. Those things were too funny... for the first 3 minutes. After that, they became quickly annoying.

Puppet Master!

2011-11-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

Tim's school was having a community program on Thursday night hosted by "the puppet lady." Apparently, she is someone who works at his site and does all kinds of art projects with the kids. I think that is so awesome, especially considering how few schools even have art at all anymore. Anyway, he invited Emma & I to join them for puppet night and we had a great time using paper goods to make all sorts of silly puppets. Notice the red straw sticking out of Emma's. She made a Pinocchio puppet. Love it. :)

Super Trooper!

2011-11-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

Emma had her annual physical/ well-child check up today. She is growing like a weed and, at 43" tall and 47lbs, she is above the 95th percentile in both height and weight. I did express a small concern but the doctor said she seems healthy and proportionate and does not appear overweight. Emma also needed to have 4 immunization shots and a blood draw done today. Not a single tear out of her. She told me, and I quote, "I know it is going to hurt for a minute Mommy. But I'm gonna be tough and it will be over quick." So proud of my tough little girl. We had to leave to drive to the lab for the blood draw though and I was hemming and hawing about our next "appointment" but, when she asked me if it would be another shot, I figured I better be honest with the kid. So I told her yes, but they would be taking her blood out, not putting medicine in. She let out a shaky sigh from her carseat and asked for a tissue. Then she was quiet for a minute or two. When she spoke again, she said, "Okay Mom. And I'll be tough again." I love her her! She just needed a minute to compose her 4-year-old self. Later in the day she told me, "I got shots today but I didn't cry. I started to for a minute when you told me about the blood one in the car. But that was just because I was scared for a minute. But then I was okay and you were with me and it was over fast." I am continuously amazed at the thought process I witness in this kid. She definitely is a trooper...

Operation Christmas Child 2011

2011-11-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

Emma & I have been talking a lot lately about how lucky we are to have each other. And also about how there are many people in this world, including children, who are not quite so fortunate. She seemed to really have an empathetic response so I started looking for some ways to help show her more about the true meaning of Christmas and I found "Operation Christmas Child." This is a nonprofit group that sends shoeboxes full of gifts, toiletries, and treats to children all over the world. Any person can fill a shoebox, add $7 for shipping, and drop it off at a collection center where it will be sorted and sent across the globe. So I showed Emma some videos of the group and she thought it was really neat. She agreed to help more at home, cleaning her room, etc to help "earn money" to buy gifts. She doesn't really have a firm grasp of monetary value yet (come on, she barely turned 4 last month) but she gets it that toys cost money and some people can't buy them. So then we took her money and headed to the store to select gifts for a girl the same age as Emma. (By sheer virtue of living in the same house, and my not wanting to exclude them, TJ and Mikayla got to make boxes too. So I bought extras of the fillers.) The kids did well at filling the boxes and Emma was so proud of her contribution when we dropped them off at the church. She was so excited to see how many other boxes had been delivered and to think about how many kids were going to get gifts this year. My little girl has such a good, generous, heart and I am so proud to be her Mommy.

Santa's Winter Wonderland!

2011-11-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

I took Emma, Lucy, & Katie out to Lucy's favorite store - Bass Pro Shop - on Sunday after church. Now, even on a regular day, this store is a kid's fantasyland what with all the things to play with and try out. They have tents to crawl in, bikes to ride, party boats to board and pretend to sail, and a glass elevator that takes you down INTO a fish tank! How could you not love this place. Well, once the holiday season hits, Bass Pro Shop cranks it up even more. They build an entire North Pole where the kids get to do crafts, write letters to Santa, visit Santa (if Mommy can deal with the enormous line), operate model train sets, and play games. Because nothing says "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" like archery and rifle target practice! Lol. Its all in good fun though. There were also demonstrations (and samples!) going on showing how to deep dry turkeys and make Christmas fudge. Yum. The coup de gras for Emma was the winter carousel. She loved it. And the candy canes that were passed out to the riders too! This place is awesome. We will definitely be back at least once more before the year is over. But probably on a weekday to avoid some of the crowds.

Let's Get Cooking!

2011-11-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

I took Emma to her first official cooking class last weekend. We went with our friends Jen & Hayden. The girls did really well. Emma has a knack for cooking and seemed to really enjoy the whole process. We made a sugared yeast bread, rib eye steaks (plain for Emma and with a chili powder & coffee dry rub for me), a Parmesan potato cake, sauteed broccoli rabe, and creme brule. Yum! It was a lot of fun at a great price since we bought through a deal site. Lucy even sewed matching aprons for Emma & Hayden and they turned out adorably cute! I loved them and the girls were so proud to be "real chefs" in their aprons.

Breakfast with Santa!

2011-11-13T18:42:00.000-08:00

We went to the annual "Breakfast with Santa" event this weekend at the mall. It was crowded, as usual, but fun, as usual. We had a pretty large group with a bunch of our friends and their kids, yet nary a meltdown to be seen. The kids were all excited to see the big guy and Emma & TJ were chosen out of all the hundreds of kids in the mall to be Santa's special helpers for the day. They got to wear special Santa aprons and everyone was asking them questions about why they were chosen. Personally, I think its because the were the cutest, smartest, best kids ever! But there is the slight chance it could have been because the manager (aka "head elf") at the mall is a good friend of mine. :) Whatever. It's who you know! After breakfast - muffin, fruit cup, juice box - the kids got to decorate canvas Christmas stockings and then run through the mall on a scavenger hunt collecting goodies at various stores. We ended the morning with one more stop to see Santa. What a great (and FREE!) morning.

Santa Pictures from the "Breakfast with Santa"

2011-11-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

Pretty as a Princess!

2011-11-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

One of Karen's coworkers had a birthday party this weekend for her twins who were turning 3 years old. The twins are very into princesses and pirates so the mom wanted one of each to be at the party and was able to cajole Karen and another coworker, Brandon, into getting all gussied up and playing the parts. Karen made an awesome Princess Belle and she and the birthday girl looked adorable in their matching gowns. They also convinced me to break out my old skills and do some face painting at the party. That went over very well and all the kids seemed to really like the results.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

As has become tradition, Emma & I headed over to Tim & Jen's house for Halloween. Karen, Todd, & TJ joined us too, as did Mom & Al (who was generous enough to buy us all dinner before we headed out for the evening). We had a nice time and I was able to do some double duty and shove Juicyjuice and Coffeemate into everyone's hands and call this a "sampling event" as well. :) The kids all dressed up and looked wonderful. My Emma was Princess Ariel from the Little Mermaid, TJ was Buzz Lightyear, and Tim was Captain Jack Sparrow. Lucy & Katie dressed up as well (as a pirate and an aquafairy, respectively) but, truth be told, they were less into the costume nuances and more into taking the babies out to get candy. I fear we may soon be ending an era and this might be the last year I get the ladies out to trick-o-treat with us... All these kids are growing up too darn fast.

We love free!

2011-11-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

Got an email from Walmart for a free halloween photo composite. So I booked an appointment for both Karen & I and we headed down. We did really well and didn't buy anything except the free items. They turned out really cute, huh?

Super Sunday!

2011-10-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Today Karen & I took Emma & TJ out in costume. TJ was Buzz Lightyear and Emma wore her Mulan kimono. First we went to WalMart for our free Halloween photo shoot. Then home for an hour or so and lunch. Then we headed out to the pumpkin patch for a "trunk or treat" event which was very busy but a lot of fun. The kids got candy, played games, and won prizes all for free. Then we met Mom at the park for a while where Emma loved playing on the swings with Grandma and both kids loved playing hide and seek with her. It was a nice Sunday...

The After-Party

2011-10-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

After the walk everyone headed over to Kino & Pauline's, as usual. We had a wonderful afternoon hanging out, letting the kids swim, eating some awesome food, and just being with our family. As a bonus, some of the New Mexico clan drove out for the walk as well and it was so neat to see many of our cousins that we hadn't seen in years.

Memory Walk 2011

2011-10-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

We spent Saturday morning participating in the annual walk to fund alzheimer's research. It was an early, but fun, morning. This is the second year we have walked with our family and I think it is important to do things like this and to teach Emma about helping others and being part of a larger community. The competition is a nice bonus too. For the 3rd year in a row we had the largest family team, Pauline's Angels. And we also had the highest earnings for a group overall. About 60 walkers (not counting the little ones and the late comers) and over $8, 300 earned! Go team Pauline's Angels!!!

MyGym Halloween Party!

2011-10-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

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We had a nice evening on Friday with our friends Jen, Hayden, & Charlene. I found out about a Halloween party at the local MyGym so we decided to take the girls. Before the party we met at IHOP for dinner and Emma & Hayden enjoyed their (FREE!) Scary Face Pancake meals for Halloween. Then it was off to tumble and roll, dance and flip. The uneven bars were a big hit, as usual, and the girls loved climbing and flipping over & over. Emma also really liked sliding down the fireman's pole and climbing the ladder to the ceiling. It was a fun evening with good friends!

Pumpkin Carving!

2011-10-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

We did our pumpkin carving this past Thursday evening. It was a long day at work and we didn't get home until 5:30 after picking up both Emma & Mikayla so I made a quick dinner of stew that we had in the freezer from the last time Karen made a batch. Then it was time to carve, get baths, and be completely done by 8pm so we could watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." It was a busy evening but we got it all done and the kids had fun. TJ was a bit hesitant at first telling me, "I'm not doing it if it gets my hands dirty" whereas Emma was gung-ho to reach in and pull out gobs while yelling "pumpkin guts!!!" Lol. Different strokes, huh? Everyone got into it after a minute though and there was a competition to see who could get the biggest pile of guts out of their gourd. And all 3 of them had very distinct ideas as to how they wanted their pumpkins to look. Mikayla made a vampire, TJ drew a square face, and Emma wanted eyeballs and teeth on hers. I think they all turned out great!

Harvest Day!

2011-10-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

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Thursday was "Harvest Day" at Emma's preschool. There were western decorations, a pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and the kids were asked to come dressed in western wear. I think Emma makes the most adorable little cowgirl I have ever seen! How perfect was it that she even got pink princess cowgirl boots for her birthday too! Put those together with a jean skirt and her jessie tee shirt, along with a dress up hat and spurs and she was good to go. One of the teachers was reading "Pinkalicious and the pink pumpkin" to her class and even made a giant cut out of the characters so I was able to get a shot of Emma in front of that too. Emma said she had a great day and a lot of fun and ate TWO hot dogs at the barbecue! Lol. I got to see some pictures and, some might say I'm biased, but she had the best get up out of all the kids there. Yee haw!

Halloween Tree!

2011-10-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Emma & TJ enjoyed making the votive holders so much the other day that I decided to do another craft with them this past Tuesday afternoon. I had a kit put away that I bought last year on clearance to make a shrinky dink halloween tree. This craft took a bit longer that the last one what with the coloring, cutting, hole punching, baking, cooling, stringing, and decorating of the tree but I think the final project turned out fabulously. And the kids were very proud of their creation. Another awesome toy from my childhood making a comeback...

Halloween Votives!

2011-10-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

I decided to do a Halloween craft with the little ones last Sunday afternoon. We made jack-o-lantern votive candle holders. The kids got to cut pieces of orange tissue paper into small squares and then decoupage them onto glass jars with watered down glue. After they dried, we glued on facial features cut from black construction paper. I love the faces they turned out with since the kids did all the cutting themselves and they each decided how they wanted their own craft to look. Emma's is on the left, with the small "surprised" mouth and TJ's is on the right with the long mouth.

Monster Trucks! 10/22/11

2011-10-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

There was another craft clinic this past weekend at Lowes so, of course, we went. This week the kids got to make really cute monster trucks. They even had flashing lights and actual monster stickers to go on the monster trucks! So cute. Unfortunately, Emma had a bit of a rough morning. First she got distracted while hammering and got her fingertip pretty good. A blood blister formed almost as quickly as her tears! Then, on our way out, she got tripped up in her new cowgirl boots and beefed it across the concrete floor. Poor kid. Luckily, both injuries were minor and she was up and running again within a minute or two.

Disney Store Halloween Party 10/21/11

2011-10-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

There was a Halloween Party at the Disney store last Friday evening so I decided to take Emma to check it out. Sophia & her parents were able to join us as well and Emma was happy about that since we had been on vacation for a few days and hadn't seen her friends for a bit. Emma decided to wear her new fairy costume and Sophia was Snow White. There was a mini parade, some games, and they each got a prize - a new flashing reflector thingy to wear on their coustumes Halloween night. Both the girls looked adorable and they had a good time although Emma decided that she didn't like people looking at her during the parade. Hence the crossed arms as compared to a princess wave. Lol. Then we took the girls to play for a bit at the indoor playground and had dinner at the food court. It was a nice evening.

Legoland Sealife Aquarium 10/20/11

2011-10-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Thursday was our last day of vacation and, before we headed home, we went back to Legoland. This time was to visit their Sealife Aquarium though. The was not the biggest of the aqariums we've ever visited; smaller than Long Beach and DEFINITELY smaller than Monterey, but it was a nice little place. Being on the smaller side and on a Thursday it wasn't very crowded either. There were many areas we visited where we were the only people in the room and that was great. I also liked the layout of the aquarium in that it took on a sort of self-guided tour through the place, showcasing various ecosystems and locales. Like we started in the Northern Cali area with a redwood tree slide for the kids to play on as the walked over a fish tank. Then it was to the Baja coast area, etc and the decors matched the locations. The kids were given a treasure hunt kind of scratch-off card as we entered and they had a great time searching for each of the numbered stations and finding out new facts and trivia about the animals. At the end, the cards were turned in to the gift shop and the each earned a "sealife expert" sticker. Very cool and it was so neat because it gave them a quest of something to "do" rather than to just "look" as they explored. We had a good time here. :)

The fruits of creativity...

2011-10-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, she looks a little perturbed about being interrupted while playing for a picture, but I just had to get a shot of all the cool little things we made at the children's museum. These were all from the scrap wood pile in the workshop and they came in very handy at the hotel with all the "little guys" Emma had insisted we bring with us. I love it. Better than any store bought dollhouse. :):)
* From Left---> Ironman sitting on a wooden "couch"; Pinkalicious standing in front of a small "house", complete with chimney; hot wheel car parked in the "garage" which, oddly enough, also has a diving board protruding off the right side of the roof; Buzz Lightyear standing atop his "stair tower"; and a fairy and a leopard balancing on their "see saw."

Grape Day Park 10/19/11

2011-10-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Children's Museum turned out to be located in a pretty cool little park called "The Friends of Grape Day Park." The playground was all graped out, with a purple grape slide, vine climbing structure, and leaf benches. The surrounding areas in the park were cool too. They had some old buildings and barns from around the turn of the century and even an old Santa Fe railroad car that had been turned into a little museum with a miniature train that ran through a model of old time Escondido. The kids thought it was neat to walk through the train and try out the old benches. We were lucky enough to hit this area about 10 minutes before they closed and then we headed to playground to run around for a bit.

Escondido Children's Museum 10/19/11

2011-10-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

The original plan for Wednesday was to hit the San Diego Zoo. But, when I woke up that morning, I knew there was no way that was going to happen. I was still feeling pretty miserable and the idea of pushing a stroller around a giant zoo that somehow has ignored the laws of basic physics and been able to make every single direction you walk be UPHILL was not in the least bit appealing. Neither was breathing in dust and all sorts of various animal dander. So I decided we needed to come up with an alternate plan. God Bless Google. I searched and found the Escondido Children's Museum less than half an hour away. And so we headed off. The kids LOVED this place! It was not very big, which is okay, and not very busy, which was GREAT. They had basically free run of the place with maybe a dozen other kids throughout the afternoon. The old time school house was a big hit. They loved having Grandma be the teacher and then switching things up so that THEY were in charge. Enclosing themselves in a giant bubble and painting in the art shed were also repeat events. They worked cooperatively to put on a puppet show for us and to climb the giant tree house in the middle of the museum. Emma LOVED the workshop area too where she must have spent about half an hour working with glue and wood scraps to create new structures. And, once I told her she was allowed to take home the things she built, there was no stopping her! We stayed there almost until they closed - over 4 hours. All in all, it was a great afternoon AND it cost half the price of what one ticket to the zoo would have run me. What a success!

Moonlight Beach & Hotel Pool 10/18/11

2011-10-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

We stuck close to the hotel on Tuesday and, rather than hitting a big theme park again, decided to just spend the day at the beach and in the hotel pool. The weather was a bit chilly and foggy near the coast but that didn't stop these kids. They both still wanted to play at the beach, even with long sleeved shirts on! I was originally going to take us all to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas which is where Emma & I went this past March (also, it is literally about a 3 minute drive) but the darn Tomtom gave me the suggestion of a place called "Children's Pool Beach" in La Jolla. I wasn't sure if this would be a pool as in swimming or as in tide, but thought it would be fun to check out. Well, after a 30 minute drive thanks to traffic (NOT 18 minutes, Mr. Tomtom!) we found it and it was a little tiny semicircle of sand at the bottom of a long flight of stairs. And the tide was coming in. And by the time we reached the bottom step, the water was lapping our ankles. So back in the car we went and headed back (another 30 minutes) to the original plan of Moonlight Beach.

Once we got there, it was great. This really is an awesome little beach and, with mom's plaquard, we got to park right next to the sand! Plus there was a playground for the kids to climb and run while we got the car loaded back up at the end. We had a great time at the beach for a couple hours. The babies dug & built in the sand, ran from the surf, and chased sea gulls. And I just love sitting at the beach. Something so calming about the sound of the breaking waves.

When we got back from the beach, we headed straight into the hotel pool before taking the kids back in the room. Figured we could get a bit of the sand off before it made it onto the beds upstairs. The kids loves swimming in their vests and were paddling all around both the hot tub and the big pool. Again, since it was so cool out, we had the entire area to ourselves. By the time we finished, it was getting dark so we headed upstairs for baths and a picnic on the hotel room floor. What a nice, relaxing day. I loved it.

Legoland 10/17/11

2011-10-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

Emma won a kid's ticket to Legoland from the library during their summer reading program. Of course it was really more of a BOGO coupon. I had to buy an adult's ticket to get hers "free." So I decided to take a few vacation days and head down to Carlsbad/ Encinitas area for a birthday vacation with my girl. We invited Grandma to go with us too and she was happy to tag along. Then, as luck would have it, I was chatting with our school's ASB officer and it turned out she had a couple BOGO passes available for Legoland as well. Since Mom was going to need to buy a ticket to accompany us anyway, we decided to bring TJ along as well since he would be "free" too and it would give Emma a playmate.

On Monday, we headed right to Legoland. Got there before they opened at 10am and stayed till they closed at 5pm. This was quite a feat since I was sick all week as well. I was so tired and out of it but the kids kept me going. They had a great time. They sure are growing fast though... I kept hearing about how some of the things were "baby rides" and didn't go fast enough. This was more TJ than Emma, but they were both in agreement that the "best" ride was the dragon roller coaster. Which I had to ride FOUR times (with a headcold) so that I could take them each on twice. *sigh* They were very proud of getting to drive their own cars though and about having won "angry birds" stuffed animals on the midway games. It was a fun, and tiring, day. We headed back to the hotel and TJ was asleep by 7pm (he was coughing a lot this week too) and Emma by 8pm. I think Mom & I were soon after that.

A trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

2011-10-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

We went to the pumpkin patch this past Thursday. It was a bit of a rushed afternoon for me as I got off work at 2:45 then had to head to downtown SB to get Emma, Rialto to get Mikayla, Highland to get TJ, and then make it back to the farm in Mentone by 4pm. I did pretty well though and was only a couple of minutes late. We met up with some of our friends there (Hayden, Jen, & Charlene, Erin, Chris & Sophia, Erinn, Kaia, & Jack) and Grandma & Al. It was a really warm afternoon which didn't help with the whole autumn vibe we were going for, but the kids all seemed to have a good time anyway. We got to check out the pumpkins growing in the patch and there was a bounce house and a hay maze too. There were also a few animals (horses, rabbitts, llamas, birds) for the kids to see and a honey house. We wandered up the road a bit and came across the path they must use for the nightly "haunted hayride." Our twisted little ones got quite a kick out of seeing all the witches, ghosts, and ghouls. Lol. Silly kids. It was a fun afternoon.

Emma's School Birthday Party

2011-10-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Since Emma's actual birthday was over the weekend, I brought in goodies for her class the following Monday. They had mini cupcakes and ice cream cups. Her teachers made her a special glittery birthday crown and all the kids sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Emma was very pleased as she loves being the center of attention. Surprise, surprise.

Light Bright!

2011-10-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

One of Emma's (okay, MY) favorite birthday gifts she got was a Light Bright. I remember thinking how cool these things were when I was a kid. And you know what? They are still pretty freaking awesome. :):) This was the first picture we did on her new toy.

A couple more from the shoot...

2011-10-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

A Halloween picture....

2011-10-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jen, is doing an internship at a local photography studio and was in need of volunteer models. So Emma & I, along with Erin & Sophia, headed down there for the afternoon. As a thank you, we got a disc with one favorite image for free. I chose this one since it shows off Emma's new mermaid gown and I loved the haunted house backdrop. I think her "scared" face is too cute though. I can't figure out if she is supposed to be scared just in general since she is in a graveyard, or scare because she turned into a GIANT mermaid with a teeny tiny sea witch! :)

I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world!

2011-10-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Emma LOVES her Barbie dolls. Especially the Disney Princess ones. Anyone who knows me knows that this is SO not a part of my repertoire. Even as a child, I was not a Barbie fan. Books, games, yes. Dolls? Not a chance. But that just goes to show you how tightly this little girl has got me wound around her finger. What did I spend OVER AN HOUR doing with her last week? Yep, playing with and grooming Barbies. And what did I break down and buy her for her birthday? Yep, 4 new barbie dolls. At least a couple were princes so they now have some male counterparts. And one was an "Ursula, the sea witch" from the little mermaid. I think that may be a fave so far. :) Lends itself to a lot of plot foils and villain hijinks! Plus she has (and I quote) "really big purple boobies Mom! Heeheehee!" Lol. My little dork. Love her. :)

Emma's 4th Birthday Party!

2011-10-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

I held a party for Emma's 4th birthday this weekend and it was a wonderful success! We had it at Redlands Gymnastics Club, which is where she takes her weekly lessons and she LOVES that place! So many of our friends and family came out to celebrate with us and we just had a wonderful day. The theme this year was "Pinkalicious" and I found an awesome personalized shirt and match cake topper for Emma. She was tickled pink! :) The kids all enjoyed all the bouncing and tumbling but the game of limbo did not go exactly as planned. I don't think the kids really "got it" yet, but they still had fun. Once the party was over we headed home for Emma to open her gifts. This little girl got so much stuff! Clothes, slippers, books, puzzles, a light bright, a HUGE pillow pet ladybug, barbie dolls, princesses, movie tickets, money, gift cards... Whew! I think I may stash some and slowly dole them out for the next while. :) It was an awesome day and she thanked me multiple times for the "awesome party mommy." She is too cute. And I know it must have been a successful day because (1) NO tantrums or meltdowns all day! and (2) she was knocked out cold by 7:45pm. :)

The BIG gift!

2011-10-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

Emma turned 4 years old this weekend! Her big gift was actually from Auntie Karen and family... she got a new bicycle!!! It is purple and pink with princesses, streamers, and a mini carriage on the handlebars (perfect for toting around a baby doll!). It's the perfect bike for Emma and she LOVES it. No fear at all, just took off peddling. I can't believe how quickly my baby is growing...

Emma turns 4!!!

2011-10-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

4 years ago today, I had no idea how much my life was about to change. It has been an amazing few years and I can't wait to see what we do next. I love you more than you could ever know my sweet Emma Grace. You have a wonderful heart and are growing into an amazing little girl. Your giggle can always make me smile and your stubbornness and wit, as frustrating as they can be now, will serve you well as you grow older... Happy 4th birthday to my joy, my motivation, my heart, my Emma.

St. Adelaide's Carnival

2011-10-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

Every year there is a carnival at mom's church on the first weekend in October. In fact, 4 years ago this weekend, I walked down there and spent over 2 hours walking around trying to jump start my labor. It didn't work. Even in utero, there was no moving this girl if she was not ready! Anyway, today we went to the early service at IBC so we could have time to check out this carnival and have lunch before Karen had to get Mikayla back over to her dad's. Every other year the carnival has been rather small... a few game booths, a rummage sale, some food stands. This year they went all out though and brought in a dozen or so carnival rides and the kids were VERY excited! I think the height guidelines might have been askew however as it showed both the babies as being too small for the big rides. I think that shot with them looking through the bars at Katie, Lucy, Mikayla, & Karen is just hilarious though! After just a couple of rides (ridiculously overpriced) we had lunch and let the little ones play a couple games. It was a fun change of pace from the usual Sunday lunch!

Los Angeles Zoo!

2011-10-02T01:50:00.000-07:00

I had a vacation day on Friday and I decided to spend it visiting the zoo rather than working in one! I bought a Groupon deal a while back with my friends Jen & Erin for the LA Zoo. For pretty much the cost of a one day admission we got a year long pass for all 3 of us, all our kids, some guest passes, carousel tickets, safari shuttle tickets, etc. It was a great deal for the price and I THINK the girls had fun. It was just kind of a weird day though. All 3 little ones were more interested in riding in their strollers than walking and in having unending snacks rather than seeing the animals. We kept getting a lot of "yeah... I saw it already"s from them. So we headed to the playground area in the zoo and THAT they loved! Kind of irritating that we drove an hour to take them to the park but, if that's what makes them happy and ends up being a good day, then so be it. I think it was just because it was pretty warm and humid out, dusty, there were millions of bees flying around, and a lot of sections we would have liked to see (the carousel ride, the reptile house, the children's petting zoo) were all closed for repairs. So tempers were short, for adults and kids. But we worked through all the tumbles and tears, the "me firsts" and "not fairs", the snippy comments and grumblings about everything being uphill (how is that geographically even possible, by the way?!?!) and I think that is a testament to the quality of our friendships. Emma & I are part of a good group. We take each other, faults and all, and still laugh together at the end of the day. On another note, a stop at Carl's Junior for lunch, sodas, and air conditioning did wonders for everyone at the end of the day! We will definitely be back again (gotta make use of these passes!) but we may plan our day a bit more carefully next time and factor in more play and less observation.

Talent runs in the family!

2011-10-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

Lucy is awesome! She has been taking an after school, ROP type, sewing class at school and has taken a real shine to it. These are a couple of her newest creations. Emma loves her leopard purse an polka dot bow. So awesome. Tim has even built Lucy a sewing table in her room and they were able to find her a sewing machine at a second hand store. She is just creating up a storm and I for one am majorly impressed!

Dentist Check-Up!

2011-09-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

Emma had a check up at the dentist today... First the good news. She was a GREAT patient. None of the hesitation or fear of last time. She was very complaint and did wonderfully. Now the bad news. My poor baby has inherited my horrible teeth. Apparently she is just very prone to decay & cavities, just like her mama and in addition to that, we have not been brushing & flossing thoroughly enough. So it turns out she has at least 2 very pronounced cavities, one of which is deep enough that the dentist suspects it goes to the nerve. There is no way she can sit still for them to take care of these problems, so we are going to have to sedate her with local anesthesia. While she is asleep, they will do a root canal on one tooth, fill the second cavity, do complete X-rays (which they weren't able to get up to now because her mouth is so small and she keeps gagging on the bite down card), and possibly do some sealants on the top teeth to ward off decay there, if there isn't some already. I'm a bit nervous for this whole procedure and I'm sure Emma would be too, if I had explained it all to her, but I haven't. Yet. I believe in being honest with her and I will explain the general gist of it all but probably not until the night before or the morning of her appointment. No sense in her worrying for the next couple weeks.

Emma has a boyyyy-friend!

2011-09-29T01:23:00.000-07:00

Emma loves Mason. This much we know. They have been in daycare together since they were both just a couple of months old. But now Emma & her friends are always talking about boyyy-friends (and no, that is NOT a typo. That is how they say it. All elongated & exaggerated). Hayden insists that TJ is her boyfriend and that she is going to marry him. TJ, for his part, just shrugged and said "huh? Well..... okay," when I asked him about it. Who knew men were so indifferent about commitment at such a young age? Lol. Anyway, Emma always responds that she has a boyyy-friend too and that it is Mason. They are too cute! Wednesday was Mason's birthday. He turned 4 years old, so it looks like Em has herself an older man (for a week & a half anyway!) Happy birthday Mase!

4 Year Old Birthday Pictures!

2011-09-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

I took Emma in this past weekend to have her 4th birthday pictures done. I think they turned out supercute and am very happy with them. She is very into "Pinkalicious" lately and, in fact, that is the theme of her birthday party! I was able to find a Pinkalicious crown and wand online. Along with her book, they made great props and really added to the pictures. Plus she had her Pinkalicious birthday shirt on and was just too cute. Funny enough though, I think the one which only shows her feet may be my favorite. Something about the contrast between tutu and tennis shoes, between a princess crown and a scrape on her knee. To me, that just says "4 years old." I think I could always look at that picture and be able to imagine her just how she is today, my perfect little bundle of energy that twirls from diva to dugout, princess to tomboy. I love this kid!

Playdate at Jen's!

2011-09-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great time playing at Jen & Hayden's on Thursday afternoon. The girls played inside for quite a while - Barbies & dress-up can take hours - and then swam for a bit as well. Emma is loving paddling around in her swim vest but is not quite ready to cannon ball with the other girls yet so she got a helping hand from Erin who s-l-o-w-l-y lowered her in instead.

Chef Boy-ar-Emma!

2011-09-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

Today was pizza day at school! They made chef's hats and worked on sorting toppings and making cardboard pizzas. How cute is my lil cook?!

Fishtail!

2011-09-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

I love how pretty Emma's hair is getting. She has always been cute, but her hair is just getting longer & thicker & more luxurious everyday. It is also opening up a whole new world for us of new hairstyles to try. This was my second attempt at doing a fishtail braid. Emma liked it a lot but it took a good 20 minutes so I'm not sure how often we will be doing this one.

A civic responsibility...

2011-09-19T23:43:00.000-07:00

I got my first experience with jury duty this past week. It was for the Central District Court of California, which meant I had to drive out to Riverside everyday (ugh) but it also meant I got paid $40 instead of $5 and they provided breakfast the first day and beverages everyday! It was cool to actually get selected to serve and get to hear all the evidence. It was a case against a couple of police officers in an "unlawful seizure (aka: arrest) and excessive force" charge. Very, very interesting how much 2 people's account of the same incident can vary so drastically. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish I could sign up somewhere to be called more often! :) The one worry I had was getting Em to and from day care on time, but that worked out fine after the first day. I also thought she might be a bit exhausted from being there so long everyday but she loved the afternoon outside playtime because she got to see her best bud, Baron, who is in another class the rest of the day. In fact, since it has ended, she keeps asking me when I am going to have jury duty again!

Uncle Orland's 80th!

2011-09-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Uncle Orland's 80th birthday this weekend at Cindy & Kevin's house. Unfortunately Mom was ill and didn't want to risk spreading the germs so she wasn't able to come. And Tim ended up having to work, so he & Jen didn't come. But Karen & I still took Katie, Lucy, Tim, Mikayla, TJ, & Emma and headed on down to Temecula. We had a really nice time visiting with everyone. I spaced though and forgot my camera, so these are just a few shots I snapped with my cell. Emma loved the pool of course!

Police Cars & Princesses!

2011-09-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

We went to Lowes again this Saturday morning. The kids build police cars with working flashing lights. They turned out really cute! Of course, Emma being Emma, refused to pose with Hayden and Sophia for a picture but Jen snapped this really cute one of her hiding out behind the lumber instead. Lol.
Then, in the afternoon, Karen was going to the birthday party of a coworker's daughter. It was a tea party and she was in need of a little princess. I just happened to have one to loan her so off Emma went to spend some time with her auntie. I must say, she looked just cute as could be. While they were at the tea party I took Katie & Lucy to the movies and lunch as a thanks for watching the kids a couple weeks ago. Bonus: I finally got to see the new Harry Potter flick! Yay! It was AWESOME!!!

Busy Birthday Weekend!

2011-09-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

Another fun weekend around these parts! On Saturday morning we went to birthday for one of Emma's friends, a very sweet little girl named Kaia. Then we headed over to Jen & Hayden's for the other Jenn's surprise 30th bday party. The kids had a lot of fun playing together and swimming in the pool while the adults got a chance to sit around and visit all evening long. So nice.
Sunday was church, laundry, etc. Blah. Then Monday was Labor Day (yay for 3 day weekends!). So we all got together at Tim & Jen's for dinner/ swimming/ birthday celebrations for both Bubs and Karen. We had some awesome BBQ ribs and Jenny made tasty cheesecakes for dessert. It was a great day, just hanging out swimming, talking, and playing board games again. We have a great family. :):)

Bust a Move!

2011-09-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Emma sure has a love for dance! A love so great that it makes up for any mis-steps and goofiness. The funniest thing is that she has picked up so much vernacular from her older cool cousins so she is always "shuffling." Here she is, grooving to some music - in her head? piped in over the speakers? I don't actually remember and, to Emma, it doesn't actually matter - out by the fountain after we had dinner with our friends tonight. Go Emma, go Emma!

Open House

2011-08-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

Monday evening was Open House night at Emma's preschool. She was very excited to walk me around and show me all her favorite things (even though she shows me these things on a daily basis when I pick her up too!). Lol. It was cute though. Her teacher gave me a packet of work that she had completed already. Some of the pages were blank though... turns out that Emma is somewhat stubborn at times (surprise, surprise) and has refused to draw what they want when they ask sometimes. Instead she keeps drawing scribbles and telling people that they are pictures of roller coasters. He he he. I can't figure out if she is lazy or just super smart. I used to wonder why she wasn't drawing stick figures like the other kids but then one day she drew me a damn good picture of Jack Skellington, complete with creepy teeth. Yeah, she is fine developmentally. Just too smart for her own good at times! Wonder where she gets it... :)

Skinny Cow!

2011-08-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing better than a free event and this one was for the mamas instead of the kiddies for once! On Sunday we got Katie & Lucy to watch the midgets while Mom, Karen, Jen, & I headed out to L.A. to meet Erin, Jen, and Charlene for the "Skinny Cow Perfect Cup" event! This was a fun deal! Everyone got fitted for a new, correctly sized, bra and we got to try samples of the new skinny cow ice cream in addition to having snacks and drinks. Then we got our "swag bags" full of coupons, lip gloss, candy, tee shirts, and dvouchers for free bras at Macy's. How cool was that! So then we all headed over to the local mall to pick up our freebees and we did a little shopping. We took mom into H&M and did a sort of divide and conquer where we all found things for her to try on and she was able to get 3 dresses for her Bahamas cruise! Then it was off to dinner with the girls. What a fun Sunday. I think this may turn out to be an annual event!

Chili Roast 2011!

2011-08-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the annual chili roasting event at Uncle Kino & Aunt Pauline's house. Truth be told, I never really made it around to take many pictures of everyone hard at work peeling and bagging. I spent most of my day in more of a supervisory role, near the pool, in the shade. :):). These kids, my little fishies, had a great day in the water!

Aloha!

2011-08-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

Friday was "Hawaiian Day" at Emma's preschool! She dressed up in a cute little flowered dress and I did her hair with flower too. She looked very island-y! They played hula games, and sang songs, and had ice cream sundaes too! What a fun day.

Then, when I picked her up, I told her we were going out for a "Mommy-daughter" afternoon and she was so excited. To make it even better, it was a FREE mommy-daughter day. It was "free banana milkshake day" at Bakers so that was our first stop. Then it was off to the movies where Emma chose to see the new Smurfs movie. Talk about a mind trip - I loved Smurfs when I was little. :). Well, we had 2 passes for the local theater that Emma had won at the library, so that made our show free. I also had enough points on their frequent visitor card to get either a free popcorn or soda from the concession stand. Since we already had our milkshakes with us, we opted for the popcorn. Popcorn, milkshakes, and a movie in the A/C... can't think of a better way to spend a super hot afternoon with my girl. We ended the evening with a trip to the local party supply store to get ideas for Emma's birthday and then dinner at the sushi joint. Sushi was NOT free, but I figured we saved enough on the rest of the day so we could splurge on dinner. Plus the waitress told me that, if I had the all-you-can eat, then Emma could eat free off mine "since she was so little!" Silly, silly waitress! That little grubsnatcher is where I make my money back! Lol. Emma also tried more of the "real" sushi today in addition to her normal cali roll & edamame. Turns out she is her mama's daughter and LOVED the red snapper. Yum yum! I looked over at one point and she had snagged all the slices of fish and left me with just the rice! Lil stinker!

Magic Time!

2011-08-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

Emma's preschool was giving out free passes to a local magic show this past Wednesday and I was able to score a bunch of extras so we made it a group event! Emma, TJ, Mikayla, Grandma & I went out to dinner with Al and then he headed home while we went to meet up with Karen after she got off work. Erin, Chris, & Sophia and Jen, Charlene, & Hayden came out to see the show with us too! The kids love playing together and Hayden is a little sweet on TJ so it was really cute to see her maneuver her way into the seat next to him. It was a pretty long show... started at 7 and we didn't get out till after 9:30 so my little one was quite tired after this AND a full day of preschool, but she said she still enjoyed the show. One of her friends from the old school, Trista, was there too and she and Emma were so excited to see each other. In fact, Trista asked Emma to come sit with her family for the second half of the show so off my little girl went... all of a sudden more excited to be with her school friends than her mommy... She is growing up too fast.

Tanaka Farms!

2011-08-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

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Karen & I woke up early Saturday morning, loaded the kiddies in the car, and headed out to meet our friends in Irvine at a little place called Tanaka Farms. Actually, it's not that little. I forget exactly how many acres it spans, but they grow quite the variety of foods. We got to take a wagon ride and tour the farm with multiple stops to sample all the organic produce. Then we took a walk through the watermelon fields. The bees were especially attracted to the rotting yellow melons which Emma found simultaneously disgusting and fascinating... my little scientist! At the end we all got our own watermelons to take home with us! All the samples were so tasty and the kids did wonderfully trying out all the fruits and veggies. We got carrots, cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob, yellow beans, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, and even yellow watermelon. Yum yum! To make it even better, I found the farm tours on a groupon type site, so we got to go for half price! Yay! It was a great day!

Friday Night Lights!

2011-08-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Spent Friday evening at the church again for the free family movie. This week was Toy Story 3. The Ames kids, Jen, Charlene, and Hayden joined us this week as well. The movie was cute, the bbq was tasty, the weather was comfortable, and the goodies were free. Can't ask for a much better summer evening than that!

Happy 4th Birthday Sophia Lily!

2011-08-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

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Sophia turned 4 years old on Saturday and we celebrated with her at Redlands Gymnastics Club. This is the same gym where Emma takes her weekly gymnastics lessons (and where she had her own 2nd birthday) so she was very comfortable here. She was zipping along, tumbling all over the place. TJ was great on the balance beam and with the hula hoop too. The kids had a great time and we loved partying with one of our favorite little girls! Happy birthday Sophia!

Wonderful Weekend!

2011-08-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful weekend! Outdoor movie on Friday evening. Building picture frames at Lowes, a sneak peek of the new Veggie Tales princess movie, lunch at Denny's, a birthday party, and visiting with friends Saturday. And Sunday was church, slurpees, and swimming with the Ames kids. Can't ask for a busier, better, weekend than that! I got some great pictures of the kids at Sophia's gymnastics party, but I'll post those on another entry. These are some shots of the other parts of Saturday though. We picked up Sophia so her parents could get ready for the party and she spent the morning with us. The schoolhouse photo holders turned out very cute and all 3 kids were excited about the new VT movie and their free balloons. Later that evening, after the party ended, we went back over to hang out at Erin & Chris' house and watch Sophia open her gifts. Of course the kids started playing dress up right away. The bottom shot is Emma as, and I quote, "a pirate princess, of course!" She is too cute!