Living the Dream

Dear Leperchan,

2010-03-17T21:04:00.002-04:00

Here is the note that Claire wrote to the leprechaun that turned the toilet water green this morning:

Leperchan

just sit down and relaks

do what ever you want. It's not a trap. All's I want is for you to relaks.

plese write bake. from, Claire

I asked if it was a trap and she wouldn't give me a straight answer.

Photos!

2010-03-04T14:26:00.010-05:00

Oh, I am way behind! Owie as a ball boy for The Clippers, Owie on biography as Charles Lindbergh, CC's birthday!, getting a visit with cousin Amani, swimming in February....

Christmas Road Trip!

2010-01-04T14:54:00.013-05:00

Our first major road trip with the kids, total success! We had a great holiday visiting Bill's Grandma and Grandpa, meeting new baby cousin Amani (no pics!? How'd that happen!), visiting old friends, and spending Christmas in Dallas with Steve and Mary. It was a long drive, but the weather was beautiful and the children were little angels! See them sleeping in the New Year?

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-14T18:40:00.005-05:00

Busy, busy, that's my excuse. We had a nice time celebrating the holiday with my Dad and Judy.

The kids both recieved awards at school for academic excellence! We are so proud of them....We are road tripping to Oregon for Christmas. Busy, busy!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-05T13:04:00.005-05:00

Crabbin'

2009-10-13T12:57:00.004-04:00

Bill and Owen had a great time in Oregon, crabbing with Grandpa. The kids welcomed a new cousin, Amani Rose. Hurray, for Clint and Jill!! We can't wait to meet her...

My Babies Are All Grown Up

2009-08-27T12:32:00.003-04:00

First day of school was a success. I really fell into the trap of hearing great stuff about certain teachers and really wanting those certain teachers. Owen and Claire did not get "those certain teachers." Luckily, I hear great stuff about CC's first grade teacher. She is young and pretty and Claire likes young and pretty! Am I getting repetitive? Funny sidenote is that Claire is sitting right in the middle of a kid named Mohammed and a kid named Christian. Maybe I will get her a little Coexist bumper sticker for her desk?

So last year there was a third grade teacher that was the "quad police" before school started, she was always blowing a whistle (early in the morning, before the second cup of coffee). So the moms were always like, "I hope Johnny doesn't get the whistleblower next year." Owie got the whistleblower. I have a feeling it will be a military like school year for him. Is that a bad thing? He also has a kid in his class whose nickname is "Juvie." I wish I was kidding.

So what am I gonna do with my days? I should get a job, but between you and me that sounds kinda awful. I am going to sign up for a computer class at the Gibson Senior Center, maybe I will hang out for Bingo. I could always organize my sock drawer, finally catch up on a soap opera. The opportunities are endless....

Bill is working for a new company, I think that this will be a good fit for him. He is excited and happy about it. The company is called Global Tranz and he is the VP of the Western Region. The commute is much better which means he eats dinner with the family again!

Until next time...

A Little Taste Of Summer

2009-08-14T21:29:00.010-04:00

Here are a few pictures, I am way behind.

Owen Turns 9

2009-06-17T00:06:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I have a nine year old! It is true, they grow up so fast. And Owen is literally growing, he's getting so tall. His big boy teeth are coming in nicely, too. He still loves to read, his favorite books right now are The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He is still into his DS and the computer. He earned straight A's on his report card, the kid makes us proud.

We drove to Lake Havasu on Owen's b-day to spend the weekend with friends, when we got there they pulled out a beautiful cake and presents. It was so thoughtful, and Owen was so surprised. We had a great time at the lake. Owen tried wake boarding, snorkling, wave runnering, but I think that the kids had the best time getting pulled behind the boat in the tube.

They were filming a movie at Havasu when we were there, Piranha 3D. We had to tell the kids at least a 100 times that there were not flesh eating fish in the lake!

Owen just read this and wanted me to clarify that he did NOT ask 100 times, more like 3.

First Day of School, Last Day of School

2009-06-08T15:31:00.002-04:00

Put Me In, Coach!

2009-05-28T16:21:00.004-04:00

Ahhh, baseball is over! We were very involved with the Farm Astros, Bill was the manager and I was the team mom. This was more than a little stressful for Bill, starting a new job and cutting out early a couple times a week does not impress the boss. Bill was a terrific coach. Next time I think he will go back to being a helper to spare his mental health. I really don't like to be in charge of anything so this was a big step for me, too. We met alot of nice people and Owen's game has come a long way.

Six days til school is out!!!

Pictures For My People

2009-04-14T22:57:00.006-04:00

Owen Gets The Game Ball!

2009-04-01T15:25:00.002-04:00

Sure, his dad is the coach but he totally deserved it! He caught his first fly ball in a game, very exciting stuff.

Claire Is Six

2009-02-20T16:35:00.005-05:00

Claire had a very happy birthday (week). Grandpa Tom and Grandma Judy were able to celebrate with us. We went to Disney on CC's b-day and had a great time, even though it was super crowded. I feel the need to put the brakes on, the kids are starting to grow up too fast!

Owen as JFK

2009-02-09T19:31:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures of Owen doing his biography book report. His teacher set it up as a talk show and the kids played their subjects. It was really cute, Owen practiced a ton and did a great job. Here is a pic of JFK, Abe and Mozart. Owie (JFK) is hiding behind Paul Revere in this one.

Meet Maggie

2009-02-06T18:00:00.004-05:00

So, we got a dog. She is sweet, we found her at the pound. She is a 2yr old Beagle/Pug/?. I am trying to get used to being a dog owner. Our cat is having a rough time of it, poor thing. It has also been raining really hard for the last two days. We have no idea if the dog is housebroken so I have been taking her out every 2 seconds and we are both soaking wet. This will take some getting used to. Wish us luck.

Tahoe!

2009-01-09T15:41:00.003-05:00

We had a great time celebrating the new year in Tahoe. We went with another family with kids the same age as ours. The highlight for me was watching the kids in "Ski School" They both took snowboarding lessons and did awesome! We all had a good time playing in the snow, but we are happy to be home in nice, sunny weather. I have become thin skinned! We do not have pictures of Owie and CC at midnight because we were all asleep by 10:30! It feels nice to be back to the old routine after a long winter break. I think I may have over-scheduled the kids this season. O has basketball on Fri. and Sat. and guitar lessons on Wed. CC has music on Thurs. and dance class on Sat. We will be keeping busy! So far, so good for Bill and his first week at the new job.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-07T23:37:00.004-05:00

Owie's class party, visiting with Grandma and Grandpa, Christmas morning....... I did not take enough pictures!

Billy's Big Day

2009-01-05T16:52:00.003-05:00

Today is Bill's first day at his new job. I am nervous and excited for him! Bill gave his notice to Roadway a few days before Christmas. Bill's new place of employment is Ceva Logistics. It was a tough decision for Bill, I think the change will do him good. What a start to a new year! We had a great holiday, Bill's parents spent Christmas with us after having a tough time getting out of the Portland airport. The NW seems to be having some serious weather. Here are a few pictures of Bill helping out with gingerbread house building. Happy New Year! We did not take midnight pictures of the kids, we were all asleep!

I Love A Parade!

2008-12-17T16:56:00.005-05:00

Crystal's House

2008-12-10T12:44:00.003-05:00

Kindergarten Feast

2008-12-03T22:10:00.005-05:00

Oh, yeah! I was lucky enough to help out on the day they made the Stone Soup. It was made with alot of love and a decent amount of snot. I had to put a quick stop to CC holding a kleenex with the same hand she was cutting a carrot. It was a very busy day. Hold on to your seats, I have one more round of Thanksgiving photos. I am also suffering from a nasty cold and trust me when I say, I did not go near that soup!

Gobble Gobble

2008-11-26T19:10:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving 2008! We are headed up north to visit with Crystal and her beautiful family. We will be missing our Gandma's and Grandpa's this year. ( Aunts and Uncles, too) I will post pictures of CC's super cute kindergarten feast when we get home. Have a happy holiday.

Fire In The Sky

2008-11-19T17:06:00.005-05:00

The weather has been crazy hot! We went to the beach last weekend and had an awesome time. Things turned sour when it was time to go home and a few freeways were closed due to all of the fires. It took us close to 4 hours to get home, as opposed to the one hour drive to get there! You wouldn't believe how smokey it was. That is the closest I ever want to get to a wild fire.

Rockin' The Vote

2008-11-04T14:59:00.004-05:00

Owen and Claire's school let the kids have their own election. Look at the little polls, are they cute or what? We were all supposed to keep who we voted for a secret (Yes, I got to vote as I was the class helper today.) Anywho, kindergarteners are not the best secret keepers. Obama was definately the winner in Mrs. Nelson's class. I have not voted for realz, yet! Owen really wants to go with me. So, we will ALL be going after he gets out of school. I also made the kids a dinner ballot, we are having alot of fun with this. I hope the lines are not too long....

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T19:57:00.005-04:00

and.....Happy Birthday to Grandma Winnie!

Zombe House

2008-10-22T18:10:00.002-04:00

I have to share Owen's writing assignment from school.

The Assignment: One cool October day you walk along a deserted road and come to a dark old house. You walk up to the front door and knock. Describe your experiences in the house. Who do you meet? What do you do? Tell why you will remember that day.

Once I was walking along a diserted rode for Hallowing. I found a old house. Maybe I can go trick or treeting there I thoght. So I knocked on the door nothing hapend. It looks like I have to trick I thought. So I got a huge jack in the box knocked on the door and hid. Nothing hapend. I'm going in there I thought. So I barged in. Boing, there goes the jack in the box I said. And I walked and walked. Whoa it's a zombe. So I found a umbrella and opened it. The zombe turned to dust. That was a close one I thoght. And I walked some more. I saw some relly wird stuff like giant spiders. And thats when the zombe king came and his gards. "Who dares to come in the hanted house?" " Um...I do" I said. "Get him" the zombe king said. " Whoa whoa whoa" I said and I got the umbrella and poof all of them were gone. "It looks like I'll have to deal with him porsenly" the zombe king said. And so he got his zombe gun and you know what that does whoever gets shot will turn into a zombe. So as quick as a wink I got the umbrella and poof poof poof he was gone. "Well all of a days work" I said and left the house. I'll remember this day because zombe's are wird.
The end

Owen cracks me up. He loves his quotations and I love his idioms.

Autumn/Fall

2008-10-14T15:41:00.008-04:00

CC's kindergarten class had a field trip to the Cal Poly pumpkin patch in Pomona. The weather was beautiful (no smoke here, yet). The last picture sums up how we all felt at the end of the day.

Little Man

2008-10-09T18:57:00.002-04:00

LA County Fair

2008-09-28T16:01:00.006-04:00

It feels like we have been super busy since school has started. A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to the fair after school. Last year we went on a Saturday and it was brutal, much better going during the week. We didn't have to wait in any long lines, although it was a little hot. It has been in the triple digits a couple times this week! I am ready for a cool down. Owie's baseball started practice this week, Go Padres! I asked Bill if I should get some brown sleeves, he informed me that a couple of decades ago they changed their colors to navy blue. He has a new coach this year that seems very nice and experienced. What else? Oh, CC has her Halloween costume already! We just need to find a couple of little details. Owen is not sure what he wants to be. Any ideas? You will have to wait and see what Kitty is dressing up as.....

p.s. The goats were totally out of control.

Gingerbread Man

2008-09-14T22:05:00.005-04:00

I know all of you are on the edge of your seats wondering how CC is doing in "real school." She loves it! Her teacher has been teaching kindergarten for over 20 years, she's a real pro. Now you are probably looking at these adorable pictures and thinking, " Wow, that looks like alot of 5 year olds." You are right, 26 kids in Claire's class. Mrs. Nelson depends on at least 2 but prefers 3 "parent teachers" everyday. Fortunately, CC's class seems to have alot of people who are able to help out, it's crazy but fun. I forgot how much the teachers have to squeeze in during 1/2 day kindergarten. I'm starting to see the advantages to all day kinder, being able to slow down and not be so rushed. Claire is so sweet, and quiet? in class. I'm thinking it is going to be a great school year.

Oh yeah, CC's class made a Gingerbread Man last week. Because I live so close to the school, I volunteered to bake the pieces and bring it back. I was freaking out, all of the candies were melting all over the cookie sheets and black smoke was billowing out of the oven! Good times. I dropped it off when it was done and high-tailed it out of there before anyone could see me.

Run, Baby, Run!

2008-09-11T15:46:00.005-04:00

I'm getting behind again. School has made us all busy. Labor day weekend, horse races at Del Mar, very fun, we did not win much, yes, we let the kids pick our bets, is that illegal?

Avila Beach

2008-08-29T21:59:00.008-04:00

My "Golden Girls"

2008-08-28T16:26:00.002-04:00

By "golden" I mean old!! These ladies are on the downward slide to 40, and here I am a youthful 29! I kid, I love these "girls."

Claire Is All Grown Up

2008-08-26T01:08:00.007-04:00

In this picture CC is saying "Kindergarten, Bring It On!" First day of school today, it sounded like a total success. ( I can say total, I live in Cali.) Owen loved his teacher, it's a man teacher. Claire's only complaint about kindergarten was that it wasn't long enough?! CC's class starts at 7:40am and ends at 11. Mommy is moving in the morning. We found out today that Owen is in a 2nd and 3rd grade combo class, I think this will be good for him. New school year, pretty exciting.

Dedicated To This Blogs #1 Fans

2008-08-20T00:01:00.006-04:00

Sure, my friends and family enjoy this blog. Yes, I occasionally have to remind my parents to check my blog for new photos. But nobody, and I mean nobody appreciates this site more than Bill's Grandpa and Grandma. They actually print out every post and put it in a special file. Thank you for the love Bill and Winnie, we had a great time visiting with you in Oakridge.

Tennis Camp 2008

2008-08-06T22:33:00.005-04:00

We were fortunate enough to be in Oregon at the same time as Bill's Mom's tennis camp. It was so much fun and so well organized, the kids and I had a blast. I hope we are able to do it again.

All She Wants To Do Is Dance

2008-07-30T13:21:00.004-04:00

I am wayyyy behind so I am going to post in chronological order. The night before we left for Oregon was CC's big (long) dance recital. I hate to sound stage mommy, but I was a little worried about how she would perform. Claire was having trouble memorizing the routine. I know how cute that stuff is on America's Funniest Videos and I really was trying to keep this in perspective as all the other Moms were shrugging sympathetically at me. I am happy to report that come show time Claire totally nailed the routine, I was in awe. It was so cute, I wish we had pictures but the program clearly stated "No flash photos or video!!!!" (They are planning on selling the video back to parents for the super low price of fifty dollars.) So as all the other audience members are filming and snapping away Bill and I, being the rule followers we are, kept shrugging at eachother like what should we do? Isn't Claire's costume cute? Pictures of our trip coming soon...

We Are Ore-a-Gone!

2008-07-12T17:25:00.001-04:00

Before/After

2008-07-01T16:38:00.003-04:00

As much as I love the seventies, this just had to be done.

Ohio In The House!

2008-06-25T00:43:00.010-04:00

Our Ohio neighbors came for a visit last week, we had so much fun. It had been a year since we have seen these beautiful people but the kids acted like they had never been apart. We had a great time hanging in the pool and we made a trip to Legoland. I was sad to see them go. I also realized that our Ohio friends will always be a part of our family. Thanks to the Lutz's for making the trip, who's next?

Happy Fathers Day

2008-06-15T12:14:00.003-04:00

Oh, Boy!

2008-06-11T23:05:00.006-04:00

Double reason to party today, last day of school and Owen's 8th birthday! School let out at 11 and we headed straight to the park with a couple of kids from O's class, younger siblings, and I got some chat time with other Moms. CC was very happy to have friends to play with. After the park we headed to an end of the school year swim party. (I know, we have become social butterflys.) Then we met Daddy Bill at Red Robin for a birthday feast! Owen had a great day. A few of his friends are coming over on Saturday for his birthday party, I need to clean my house! Owen also lost his other front tooth yesterday, he is talking with a theriousth lisp. In my opinion O's tooth was not quite loose enough to pull out. He gets all excited and rips them out. Corn on the cob is gonna be tough this summer. He is a super kid. I'm looking forward to hanging out with him now that school is out.

Graduation

2008-06-10T00:00:00.006-04:00

CC has officially completed preschool, we have the diploma to prove it! They had a ceremony at her school today. These teachers must get together and brainstorm on how best to make us (parents) complete emotional wrecks. They sang these sweet songs, they announced their own name into the microphone, had a weepy slide show, and lightened things up with the grand finale of the Chicken Dance. I, big time hate to cry in public, it totally shatters my robotic persona. It was tough to hold it together. Luckily, Bill was able to sneak out of work for the festivities. Claire was pretty sentimental about the whole graduation thing too. She told me one single tear rolled down her cheek (this was a dramatic day) she also asked if we could go back sometime to visit Mrs. Haus. Hard to believe our little baby will start kindergarten in the fall, where does the time go?

Hey Batta, Batta!

2008-05-16T12:08:00.005-04:00

Tonight is Owen's last baseball game of the season. He's feeling much more confident this year. I think he enjoyed himself more too. Bill was able to help coach when his work schedule allowed. Owen likes having his Dad out there with him and Bill is really good with the kids. I already get stressed out watching, I want him to do well, he wants to do well. I know exactly how he feels out there: I kinda want the ball to come to me. At the same time, please don't let the ball come to me! Some of these kids are really good. I'm talking perfect throws from third base to first. Owen is also dangerously close to the age that boys start getting brutal to each other when you mess up a play. Growing up is hard. Being a parent is hard! Owen's school also had a Spring Concert last night, it was so cute. Every grade got together to sing a few songs. Our little Owie had a speaking part. He said, "Everyone knows about being green, it means caring for our Earth." We practiced alot and he did great. Pepper Tree is going to be Radio Disneys Cool School on May 30. They will be broadcasting live from the school on that day. Have I mentioned that I really like the elementary school? But, all of us are really looking forward to Summer!!!!!

One Year

2008-05-12T13:09:00.004-04:00

We have hit our one year anniversary of California living. I think it has mostly been a good year. Owie and Claire had open houses at their schools. At the risk of sounding like a bragging mom, both teachers had terrific things to say about the kids. Words like: wonderful, model student, well rounded, pleasure to have in class. I'm still kinda new to school, maybe teachers say this to all of the parents but Bill and I were beaming for the rest of the day. The kids have adjusted extremely well to the cross country move. Another pro has been our physical health. This weather really agrees with our immune system. For the first time since since birth (I think) neither kid has been on an antibiotic this year. I don't know if CC grew out of her little wheeze problem or if it was caused by an allergy. All I know is that about a week after we moved to Cali we stopped giving her Pulmicort and we have not looked back! I guess the downside of the move would be the hard time we have had making connections with grown ups. People here are hard nuts to crack. My cheeks hurt from all of the friendly smiling I have been doing . We had such an easy time making super friends in Ohio, what gives? I have to take part of the blame. I only made it to one PTA meeting this year, and I have yet to find a babysitter. I was spoiled in Ohio by always having a few friends who were at the same meetings and sporting events and YMCA. Not to mention a couple of nice teenage girls that liked to babysit for neighbors. It feels weird to be sitting on the outskirts. Before you get to feeling all sorry for me, I do talk to a couple of people pretty regularly when CC and I pick Owen up from school and at Owie's baseball games. If I had a dollar for everytime someone (after finding out that we are new to the area) has said, "It's not just anywhere that you can snow ski in the morning and go surfing in the afternoon." I would probably have around 12$. Have yet to meet someone who has actually done this. To sum up, it has been a hard working year for all of us (especially Bill). My goal for the second year of California living is to have more fun, put myself out there and try to be a bit more (sigh) social. Photo taken one year ago, living in a motel, waiting for the moving truck with all of our possessions, a little crazy.

I (Mostly) Love Our Cat

2008-05-07T15:16:00.002-04:00

I'm thinking we have the sweetest cat on the planet (unless you're a lizard). She pretty much lets CC do whatever she wants. Claire's favorite game is to stuff Flower (CC changed her name) into her toy stroller and run around the house while kitty holds on (for dear life) with her wee, little paws. My only beef with kitty is the sometimes fatal damage she is doing to the nice lizards that run around outside. I like the lizards! I tried to keep kitty in but it has become impossible. My neighbor let me know that she does not want kitty in her backyard, I don't blame her. I guess I need to get better about keeping the cat in the house? I'd like to remain on speaking terms with the neighbor.

Dancing Queen

2008-04-23T13:49:00.006-04:00

CC is loving her dance class. She will tell you her favorite part is practicing leaps. This class is a combo of tap and ballet. They are so cute in their little dance outfits. There are about 13 girls in a big studio with one little tiny window that all of the moms have their noses pressed against. So far, no elbows have been thrown. I'm thinking this could change once they start preparing for the big recital in July. The kids went swimming a couple of weeks ago, still too cold for adults.

Bye Bye Baby Teeth

2008-04-10T13:49:00.003-04:00

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2008-04-07T16:00:00.004-04:00

Princess Claire decided she wanted bangs. I said we should give it some thought. A little while later she came around the corner with a pretty decent amount of hair chopped off! I was shocked, how naughty can you get? I hate to sound overly dramatic but I was heartbroken, her bangs had never been cut. She wasn't crazy about her new hair do either. We went to Super Cuts for a little damage control. I'm hoping she learned her lesson, at least until she is a teenager. I was reminded of the stupid things I've done to my hair. I did the "New Wave" thing and let my friend cut one side of my hair off, when I was about 13 I wanted spiked hair and ended up with a reverse mohawk, just recently I tried to do my own color and ended up with orange roots. What do you think of CC's new look? Does she look naughty? Bill's Mom made this adorable dress for Claire's b-day.

Ghostbusters!

2008-04-01T22:47:00.005-04:00

We needed to get out of the house this weekend while they installed our beautiful new carpet. What to do? Head to Calico, Ca. ofcourse! It was about an hour drive, right off the 15 on the way to Las Vegas. A real, live ghost town. We had a pretty good time. We were able to take a tour of the silver mine, it was interesting. The kids enjoyed panning for gold.(tin foil?) Wild and crazy spring break this week, instead of beer bonging we went and saw Horten Hears A Who. Good times.

Next Time I'll Get Him A Book

2008-03-31T16:55:00.002-04:00

Owen and I walk to school everyday and on most days my neighbor's dogs bark at us. I usually say something like "Boy, those are some vicious weiner dogs." So, the other day O asked me why I don't call them their proper name, and because I was curious if he had heard of the breed daschund I asked "What is the proper name for those dogs?" He told me penis dogs, and he was 100% serious. I guess the back story here would be that I recently gave Owen the anatomically correct words talk. I know, I know, parents are not supposed to use cutesy names for body parts, but I do. Seeing how Owie is a big boy first grader, I knew it was probably a good idea to give him a tutorial. I guess he didn't fully get it because he came out of the conversation thinking weiner and penis are interchangeable in all circumstances. Anyhoo, I'm pretty sure he understands now. That being said, I would rather not be around the next time he decides to order a hot dog in a public place.

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T18:28:00.002-04:00

We had ourselves a nice little Easter. The weather was so warm we decided to head to the beach. When we went to Venice with Clint and Jill it was just about sunset and I didn't feel we had the total experience. We got it on Easter. Claire and O went for a dip in the ol' Pacific, the water was painfully cold. They didn't seem to notice. Venice is a very cool place, maybe too cool. This is where they have serious basketball games, handball, pickleball, and ofcourse Muscle Beach. I thought of a couple of other names for Venice: "Pitbull Beach", and "Let's Hurry And Get The Kids Outta Here Before They Get A Contact High Beach." I think next time we will go to Laguna and see how rich people hang out.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears.....literally

2008-03-19T15:52:00.003-04:00

Here is the reason for the blog break. Bill worked his a double s off on this little (major) project. I tried to help as much as I could, I was too nervous to use the saw. Anyway, this was not a "cooking with gas" kind of job. It was more like cooking with charcoal, with wet matches, and in high wind. We are almost done, new carpet gets installed at the end of the month. The floors look awesome. Bill's poor hands may never recover.......Happy Birthday to my superstar husband!!!! He doesn't look a day past 36.

Party Like A Rock Star

2008-03-18T12:57:00.004-04:00

Here is a little catch up...... CC's birthday party was a lot of fun, bowling Cosmic style. She is growing up so fast. In a couple of weeks it is kindergarten registration time, hard to believe. Claire and I have had more one on one time this year than ever. I feel so blessed, lucky, honored to get to hang out with her everyday, we have a good time. (exceptions: playing with my makeup and wardrobe arguments) Claire's favorite things: dogs, cats, swimming, chipmunks, hamsters, birds, popcorn, watermellon, chicken (nugget style) Animal Planet, drawing pictures, and playing Balloon Lagoon.

Are You Wearing Green?

2008-03-17T00:55:00.002-04:00

CC's Birthday Cupcakes

2008-02-13T23:24:00.005-05:00

Claire can't wait to start celebrating! This is the most excited she has ever been about her b-day. We made cupcakes to take to her school tomorrow. CC decorated them ALL BY HERSELF! She did a great job. Here is a the yummy frosting recipe we used: 1 c. unsalted butter 17oz. jar of marshmallow cream, beat with a mixer add 1 c. powdered sugar 1 t. vanilla beat til fluffy.

I am getting stressed out about her bowling party, only 2 rsvp's. I don't have any phone numbers to follow up. I am going to try and track down some parents tomorrow. Wish me luck , there is a 10 kid mimimum. Okay, now I am angry that no one is calling!! Deep breath, feeling better. We are taking Claire to the mall for her present. She wants an oufit for her Build a Bear hippo, and ofcourse one for herself. The family is going to Shakey's for dinner, we will have some Mojo's for you. Happy Valentine's Day

Correction: 7oz of marshmallow cream not 17!!

Toxic

2008-02-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

Anybody tell someone they had a black smudge on their forehead yesterday? I was lucky enough to catch myself at the last second. I did make this mistake once before in my life, I am glad I did not repeat. Anybody giving anything up? (other than caffeine? good job Cryko.)

I am starting to fall a little in love with this new place I call home. Where else can you find a Sublime or Social Distortion song on the radio at all times? When I first got here I was a little nervous by all of the gang like tattoos, now I just throw out the west coast sign and give them a secret handshake that you people would not know about. It's all good. In my cycling class today the instuctor gave a little speech about sending some positive thoughts Britney's way and then we spun it out to "Toxic." This is the same instructor that is trying out for the "Gladiators." I don't think I have to tell you, this is my new favorite class. Did I mention mid 70's this weekend?

Technical Difficulties

2008-02-04T11:34:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts in Zoolander is when they are acting like monkeys trying to get the info out of the computer. I can totally relate. I have been smacking around my digital camera and it still won't download my pics. I will think about that tomorrow. (I watched Gone With The Wind on Saturday, yeah for Netflix!) So I will dialogue an update. The kids and I took a roadtrip to Arizona on MLK weekend. We had a great time visiting with Dad and Judy. Went to the park, went to the zoo, went to a car auction. My Dad got a little friend for the 55 Chevy. (This is where I would have put a picture of the 63? Impala) They are having a good time with their new hobby, Dennis Hopper would be proud.
Kiddie update: Owen started an after school Spanish class on Thursdays, he is really enjoying it. A few kids in his class speak Spanish and I think it makes it fun having them help along. Little League is about to start up again, Bill is officially coaching this time and went to a teaching seminar last week. I think Owen really likes having him out there with him. I can't believe my wittle baby is going to be 5 in ten days!!! O was considered a "big boy" when he turned 5, but Claire is my baby. I have to get the lead out and start planning her B-day party. We are going to invite her preschool class bowling. She has her first dance class on Wednesday, should be fun.
Brother Joe is doing great with his new business in Costa Rica. Go to www.oceankayak.com, click on fishing, click on pro staff, click Costa Rica, and you can read Joe's bio. Pretty cool.

When Your Heading To First With Your Pants About To Burst...

2008-01-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

A sure way to get on CC's bad side is to laugh at or make her the butt of a joke. (This reminds me a little bit of someone who lives in this house. Hint: His name rhymes with pill.) So what are Owen and I expected to do when CC tells us on the way home from school that her class had cupcakes and diarrhea for snack today? After O and I recovered, we found out she had a tortilla with melted cheese. Quesadilla! Owen and I could not stop giggling and Claire didn't talk to us for the rest of the drive.

Cold As Ice

2008-01-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

We had our own version of the polar bear plunge on Christmas day. After opening presents and eating breakfast Clint thought we needed a "wake me up" and Jill informed us that the icy plunge usually happens on Christmas in Ireland. The outside temp, mid 60's. The pool temp, a very uncomfortable 58 degrees. Brrrrr. I have never been electrocuted but I am guessing that this is how it must feel. I have to admit that we all felt great after it was done! Clint used this method of waking up most of the days he was here, talked Jill into doing it again too. I think the pool was down to 48 degrees the last time he jumped in. Loco.

CC was not allowed to take the plunge as much as she wanted to, we had to explain to her that this was for the mature grown ups. Owen took the group shot, he thought all of us had lost our minds.

My List

2008-01-09T15:29:00.000-05:00

Okay Larisa, here is my list of things I like to do just for me. (I cannot figure out how to add Do The Puyallup to my links!) 1. Reading. I think I set a personal record this year. Favorites of 2007: A Thousand Splendid Suns, Middlesex, and it was nice to be done with Harry Potter. My one on one time with People magazine is also a treat. ( This mag is not a rag, it is totally legit.) 2. Tennis, I need to figure out how to play more. 3. Going to Target by myself, actually any shopping by myself. 3. I'm with you on the working out. I always feel better after. I've been enjoying the cycling and pilates classes. 4. Cheeseburgers (animal style) Gotta counter those calorie burning workouts! 5. Pedicures 6. Music, Clint and Jill got us some hip, cool, Portland music. We've been going back and forth between Caves and Sexton Blake. Ladies, you would love this CD. This guy has redone some of our favorite 80's tunes. (Bette Davis Eyes, I Need Love by LLCJ) I know my time is running out for hip music, soon I'll have to resort to Greatest Hits and CDs sold at Starbuck's. 7. I'm straining to get to 10. Bubblebaths 8. Netflix, I'm in charge of the queue and renting all these movies I read about but didn't get a chance to see. Examples: Squid and the Whale, Little Children I'm getting ready to move into the classics. Trying to keep Bill from knowing the password to change movie selections! 9. Roadtrips, as long as I have junk food and something to read. 10. Browning myself in the sun, and I'm going through withdrawals people!
That was harder than I thought it would be. Let's see yours Michelle.

Wrap It Up

2008-01-07T15:28:00.001-05:00

Two thumbs up for Christmas 2007. Clint and Jill were here and we loved having them. They played with the kids all day, and played cards and "The Boardgame" with us all night. We did some touristy things too. Chinese Theater (a little skeevy), Pinks Hot Dogs, La Brea Tar Pits (CC a little nervous about getting stuck in the tar like those poor animals), and finally a sunset at Venice Beach. We also took the kids bowling, very fun. CC and O were in the lane next to ours with the bumpers up, it worked out great. The kids loved it, as a matter of fact CC beat my best score. (Next time I am bowling in the kids lane.) One of these days we need to figure out how to live in the same city at the same time. We miss you.

P.S. I think my fav Christmas picture this year is Owen playing Battleship with his new headlamp on.

Warning: Pics of the Polar Bear Plunge are coming soon.

Ten Years

2008-01-03T14:05:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! LOVE, OWEN AND CLAIRE

2008-01-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

Pour Some Sugar On Me

2007-12-23T13:18:00.001-05:00

I was a baking FOOL yesterday. Lemon bars, sugar cookies, white fudge, haystacks, saltine cracker toffee, and a gingerbread house! Bill's Mom got me the Pampered Chef kit and assured me that it was very easy. She was right. The dark picture is of CC's Christmas pageant, it was so cute. We are all excited to see Clint and Jill tomorrow morning!

Another Brick In The Wall

2007-12-19T13:35:00.000-05:00

I made my last trip to the mall yesterday!! I take that back, we still have to take the kids to sit on Santa's lap, or do we? I noticed on the freeway yesterday that cars were driving at a normal speed and not tailgating, very unusual. Then I realized it was because of the rain. SoCal is scared of driving in the rain! I think we did a pretty good job of not over doing the kids Christmas presents this year. Nothing makes you feel like an ugly American like forbidding your kids to play with their new toys until they open more new toys. So, here goes the song title tie in story.....CC and O can be ridiculously picky eaters. I usually do everything all of the parenting books tell you not to do (think short-order cook) Every once in awhile we all sit down to the same meal (no sauce, no food groups touching) on this night the kids were still giving us a hard time. So out of frustration and without thinking of Pink Floyd, I shouted across the table "How do you expect to eat your pudding if you can't eat your meat!" Bill and I had a good laugh.
Here is an Ohio recipe for the best dip ever.
Let's call it Mexican Dip.
2 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 small can mexicorn
1 cup colby jack
1 six oz. jalapenos (drained)
mix together, pie plate, bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes
serve with tortilla chips
You will not be disappointed. I miss eating it with my Buckeye friends.

Another One Bites The Dust

2007-12-11T20:22:00.000-05:00

Tooth #2 goes bye bye......CC and kitty having fun?.....CC giving gnomie some love.....Owie gets an award..... Christmas card teaser.......

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

2007-12-04T12:07:00.001-05:00

It was Owen's turn to put on the tree topper this year. This tradition may look a little silly when O is twelve. I forgot how much fun it is to have a kitty and a Christmas tree, she climbed all the way to the top of it yesterday. We will be lucky if there are any needles on this thing by Dec. 25th. I went back and looked at our tree decorating from last year. I would not have belived that we would be spending our next Christmas in California, life is unpredictable. Or maybe this family is crazy, probably a little of both.

Eat It!

2007-11-27T20:04:00.001-05:00

We had such a great time visiting with Bill's parents this week. We kept busy and ate a ton of food, ofcourse. We went to Balboa Peninsula for some beach fun, the short dive to the Pacific does not get old. Bill and I were spoiled rotten and were able to sneak off to not one, but TWO movies. (American Gangster and No Country For Old Men-b-r-u-t-a-l-) The kids too were spoiled rotten, what other Grandma and Grandpa would bring real, dead, owl pellets to dissect? CC and O are still talking about it.

Come back soon, we are missing you guys!

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians

2007-11-20T16:41:00.000-05:00

CC's preschool had a Thanksgiving feast on Monday. One class dressed as Pilgrims and Claire's class dressed as Indians. It was very sweet. One funny thing, if you enlarge the picture of the kids eating you can see the yellow caution tape that the parents were asked to stay behind. I guess they didn't want us to get too close. It kinda prevented me from getting a good picture. CC loves her teacher and her preschool and they seem really great with the kids. I just think parents annoy them.

In other news, Owen had his last baseball game. It was an awkward season. This was O's first time playing on a baseball team and he struggled a bit. He was always excited to play but I think it made him nervous at the same time. He just wanted to be good at it, automatically. I hope he decides to give it another go in the spring. It is so tough to find the middle ground of pushing your kids not to give up on difficult things but not pushing too hard. Who wants a seven year old with an ulcer? In happier news, Owen's social life is awesome. He has his 3rd birthday party to attend this weekend and 2 playdates lined up next week. That kid has no trouble meeting friends. When I walk him to school there is a chorus of "Hey Owen's!" In the happiest news, Grandma and Grandpa arrive tonight from Oregon!!!! Happy Thanksgiving.

Blowin' In The Wind

2007-11-12T12:45:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I could not come up with an appropriate U2 song title. The family went on a little camping trip this weekend to Joshua Tree National Park. I have to admit I was being a little bit of a baby about camping in November. I was worried that we would be the only people there (creepy) and that it would be too cold. When we got there (without reservations) all of the campgrounds were full! Thanks to a very nice group of Boy Scouts, they let us have a campsite they had reserved but did not need. We ended up having a great time. It was chilly but not too cold. The weather we did not expect, were the wind gusts that started up at about 3:30 am. Bill had to chase down a part of the tent. The kids and I were laughing trying to hold the thing down. We started our day at about 5am. We took a nice hike through the desert and the kids loved it. Camping is alot of work for just one night, next time we will plan for two and make reservations to be safe. Pretty strange looking trees, they look a little arthritic.

This is Halloween 2007

2007-11-01T18:46:00.000-04:00

Our first California Halloween was a success. We were invited to a birthday party for a little girl in Claire's class and we all had a great time and met some super nice people. They live in a ideal

development for trick-or-treating, so we all went as a group. My kids were pretty happy to have some buddies to hang out with. Let me tell you, some of these houses went all out with the decorations. One house turned their living room into a mini haunted house. We ended up in their garage after winding through their house (which they must have moved all of their furniture out of!) I also saw ALOT of very cute dogs all costumed out. The weather was great. We were able to go to a couple of our neighbor's houses when we got home.

Love Hurts

2007-10-28T22:20:00.000-04:00

Good news, Kitty is feeling much better. Bad news, Lenny, I mean CC is loving her to death. Kitty is finding creative places to hide and Claire is displaying super human strength by moving furniture to find her. Bill and I agree that this still has gotta to be better than the cat's last home! Lucky for us she is a very sweet cat and a pretty good sport.

Thanks to Lucas, Jacob, Keith, and Susan for the "Buckeye" treats! We got them right before the game. I am kinda embarrassed by how fast we ate those chocolates. (B and I had been denying ourselves carbs.) We are still missing our Ohio friends like crazy, it's hard to meet new people.

Let's hope kitty finds a good hiding spot this week.

FYI

2007-10-23T16:42:00.000-04:00

For friends and family concerned about the fires, we are fine and do not seem to be in any danger at this time. There is a blanket of smoke that is keeping most people indoors. (O's school recess and baseball practice were canceled.) So horrible watching the local news and seeing all of the houses destroyed. Hopefully the fires will be contained soon.

Cat Scratch Fever

2007-10-22T14:24:00.000-04:00

Well, we almost made CC the happiest little girl in the world. (Her first choice was a dog.) Say "Hello" to our furry friend "Tortie." She is the sweetest, most m-e-l-l-o-w cat I have ever been around. On Friday I ended up taking her to the vet, he agreed she was unusually still for a 4 month old kitten, she also had a fever. Leave it to us to get a sick cat for our kids. She is on antibiotics, we are hopimg she will perk up.

We had ourselves a busy weekend. O and CC both had games on Saturday. It was so hot outside that we heated up the ol' hot tub to about 90 degrees and the kids and Bill took a swim. Bill decided to jump in the pool which was a whooping 68 degrees, brrrr. I stayed dry and I got a sunburn. On Sunday we headed to Mt. Baldy recreation area. It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the ski lifts from our house. We took a little hike to a waterfall. (Oh, how I love a good waterfall.) We have yet to go on a hike and not have at least one person in tears. This trail got a little narrow and we had to do a little rock climbing, nothing dangerous but enough for CC to get a little panicky. I guess sometimes you have to challenge your kids, a little. We also took a stroll along a stream and ran into alot of broken beer bottles and graffitti, I guess Inland Empire naturalists are also part time gang-bangers, who knew?

Another Weekend, Another Theme Park

2007-10-11T13:11:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a contest at Albertson's, Owen won tickets to Sea World. Since my husband was out of town, my Dad came along for the ride. We had a great time!

Car Wash

2007-10-01T18:56:00.000-04:00

We had a busy weekend! My Dad and Judy were here. They took their new "baby" to a car show in Temecula. The kids had a great time helping him wash the car. I think all of their scrubbing, spraying, and pounding only made him moderately tense.

Both kids had a game on Saturday. We had to split up but my Dad, Judy, and I were able to see both games. After a 20 minute rest we headed to the LA County Fair. I love a good fair, back in the old days the SW Wa. Fair was the highlight of my summer. Unfortunately, this fair was pretty brutal due the the swarms of people. I cannot get used to the massive amount of people here. Everything is colossal! I need wide, open, spaces! Another difference at this fair was the amount of booze served (which ofcourse, I have no moral objection to) we are talking Jager shots, voldka, $15 dollar magaritas! (The prices I object to.) We thougt it best to get out of there before it got too late in the evening. Okay, the food. There was a stand selling Krispy Kreme Donut chicken sandwiches and deep fried Coca-Cola!! It made me laugh because whenever my Mom is really hungry she always says,"I could eat a fried pig turd." This could actually be an option at next year's fair.

abcdefg

2007-09-26T15:15:00.000-04:00

At CC's preschool they teach the ABC's by using Zoophonics. I had never heard of it. This method combines the lower case letter with a zoo animal, and the sound the letter makes with a simple movement. I think it is very interesting, perfect for Claire. Very Cali, don't ya think? If you google Zoophonics a bunch of info comes up. Have a great weekend.

It's a Small World After All, and a weenie roast!

2007-09-21T20:04:00.000-04:00

We loved having my Mom and Frank here this week. I had to stop myself from begging for them to stay! We are already missing you guys.

Back To School: Part 2

2007-09-05T00:03:00.000-04:00

Well, CC gives her preschool "Two thumbs up!" Mostly because they have pets in her classroom. (If you count a tarantula, frog, fish, turtle, two cockroaches, and two Walking Stick bugs as pets.) Claire was over the moon about it. I really liked her teacher, mostly because she told me how incredibly bright CC is. Actually she said she has had a few Claire's through the years and all of them were clever. Interesting, maybe a study should be done. Can your name make you smart? Has this been my problem all along? Thanks Mom and Dad!

In other news, O seems to be adjusting to first grade. We met his teacher and she was very nice. He is meeting friends and getting the hang of things. He even bought his first school lunch today. Oh yeah, he is also "in love." Great. We have been invaded by sugar ants, totally brutal. We tried our best to fend them off but we were no match for their numbers. A professional will be here tomorrow to help us win the battle. We felt our first SoCal earthquake.

Pretty exciting. It was a rumble, and a roll, about 5 seconds. Ofcourse we panicked. I yelled "Get to the bathroom!" at the same time Bill yelled, "Get outside!" Neither kid moved. I looked it up on the computer, it was a 4.7 in Santa Ana. No one we talked to through the course of the day felt a thing. The good news is I printed a copy of what you are supposed to do, the bad news is we managed to really freak CC out about earthquakes, whoops.

Sporty Spice

2007-08-30T15:54:00.001-04:00

Back To School

2007-08-28T16:21:00.000-04:00

According to Owen, his first day of school was "kinda cruddy." A few reasons: he did not get a turn on the monkey bars or the swings, a kid told him to "Get out of here!" when he tried to play with him at recess (why are kids so bratty?) he was really hot, he got lost after lunch, but most of all, school was too long. I think he was being a little dramatic but at the same time he has never had the "all day experience." I'm hoping he just needs a little time to adjust, a couple nice buddies wouldn't hurt either! Let's hope O's second day of school is "kinda awesome!"

Check out Owen's latest Lego set, Exoforce "Aero Booster," pretty cool.

Also a picture of our 6th grade neighbor, super nice kid.

Hang On Sloopy (official rock song of Ohio)

2007-08-25T16:37:00.000-04:00

My trip to visit Crystal was a blast, you can click on the Fiona link to see the pictures. A few random tidbits.... Owen's teacher is Mrs. Shelton. Our neighbor kid told Owen, "Good luck, she's pretty mean." Owen is too excited for school to be worried. This morning I was snapping at the kids to pick up their toys and CC said in a very casual tone, "Why are you acting like my stepmother?" Too funny, too much Cinderella. And for my Ohio friends, CC was eating a Reese's Peanutbutter cup and said, "This is a Buckeye, right Mama?"

We had a new student orientation at O's school on Thursday night. It went pretty well. I was hoping O would get a chance to go into his classroom and meet his teacher before the first day of school, it doesn't look like that will happen. Actually, I don't even remember where his classroom is!! We will have to "wing it" on Monday morning.

We went to Raging Waters Waterpark this weekend. Waterslides are way more intense than they used to be. The lines were brutal, we waited for over an hour for the river ride. I am not crazy about standing around strangers half naked with bare feet. Owen had a great time. He was really brave, he even tried the "Flow Rider" it's like a surfing simulator. The water really moved fast, he did three quick spins and fell off the board. He did have to do the walk of shame off of one slide that was just too high for him (it was too high for me too!)

First day of school coming up, woo-hoo!

Pretty Woman

2007-08-13T19:23:00.000-04:00

Bill and I were bored on Saturday morning. After a few minutes of brainstorming we decided to go on a hunt for famous people. We started our search by driving down RodeA-O drive, baby! We saw a few celebrity look- alikes (Owen said he saw Ben Stiller about 10 times.) We drove down Sunset Blvd. and took a look at the Rainbow Room and The Whiskey a Go-Go, not alot of action there during the day. We headed back to Beverly Hills, it's no wonder Richard Gere had to ask Julia Roberts for directions, it's not the easiest place to get around. We did see a couple of papparazzi. They were taking pictures of the car Owen was standing in front of. Sorry to report, no celebrity spottings.

In other news, I am hoping we have jumped through all of the hoops for Owen to start school in a couple of weeks. (poor O had to go through a TB screen, lead test, UA, and a HepA vaccine which was not required but recommended. I wish I would have skipped that one since he had to get all those other pokes.) Bill is in very hot Arizona this week for work and the kids and I are headed up north to visit Cryko tomorrow. It's going to be a hella long drive but it will be worth it to visit a friend!

G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S.

2007-08-10T13:32:00.000-04:00

I Am The Lizard King

2007-08-07T16:51:00.000-04:00

We have almost convinced the kids that these guys are our pets.

So, I am currently driving a rental car while my car gets some work done. The car is a PT Cruiser. The kids think it is awesome and Bill is mortified. When I got my mail this morning my neighbor asked about the new vehicle and said she loved it, I said I would be happy to get my minivan back. She was pretty shocked and grossed out that I would prefer a van to a PT Cruiser. I did not take the time to explain to her that in O.H.I.O. minivans are very cool. I'm getting a little concerned about our SoCal image and it's not just the nerdy van. Most of you know that CC insists on dressing herself. Well, lately she has been into long, flowy skirts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. Bill wears white dress shirts and a tie to work. My hair is a little long and very plain, and it has been too hot for make-up. Add Owen's wholesome looks and I think we are definitely giving a Christian fundamentalist vibe. I think eyeliner and more jewelry are in order for me. Maybe I could convince CC to wear a pair of shorts or at least a tank top! We need to work on our "street cred."

Cruel Summer

2007-08-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

Our road trip to Reno was pretty much a success. It was a beautiful drive up 395. We had a nice time catching up with Judy's kids and enjoyed ourselves at the wedding as well. I was lucky enough to be in Reno at the same time as Michelle's son Dylan (he was there for a horse show with his Grandma, Ryan, and Micah) We got a chance to hang out on Friday, nice kid. On Sunday, we took off for the ol' Truckee River rafting trip, great fun. (at this point the battery had died on my camera, bummer.) Then we went to Tahoe City for a dip in the lake and then we went to Stampede Reservoir and met up with family for some boating fun. Very busy. We headed for home on Monday, 9 hour drive and Owen and CC did not sleep a wink. Unbelievable. I got a little down on the way back, this "home" still seems to be the place where all of our stuff is, no friends, family, or real connections yet. But, it was nice to sleep in my own bed. We are ready for a change in seasons, the kids are bored and I am turning into a California raisin, literally. Something about growing up in the NW has made me shun umbrellas and sunblock. I am happy to report I am now wearing SPF 30. Baby steps. How long until school starts??

Reunited

2007-07-20T00:20:00.000-04:00

I am pretty sure that the only thing better than catching up with an old (and I mean old) friend, is getting to meet her beautiful daughter and watching our kids play together. Cryko and I had a great time catching up, I am so lucky to have her in my life. We are looking forward to making the trip to her house next month.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

2007-07-06T18:44:00.000-04:00

It has been hitting the triple digits down here lately, we finally had a little relief from the heat today. In a battle of will's, neither Bill or I have turned on the air conditioner. We started out trying to be frugal but it has turned into a competition. ( I think I win since I am home and he is in a cool office! ) I guess my prize is being able to take advantage of the pool during the day! It really is nice how it cools down in the evening here, we also have an "old school" fan upstairs that sucks out the hot air. I must admit I was a little uncomfortable last night. My Dad and Judy came for a quick visit, always a good time. They were able to accompany me to CC and O's first swim lesson. We had them everyday this week at 10am and will continue Mon. thru Thurs. next week. The kids have really made alot of progress. On the 4th of July we checked out the city of Upland's firework display, CC thought it was waaaayyyyyy too loud. Looking forward to a dull weekend.

Catch a Wave

2007-06-28T00:55:00.000-04:00

We are having a great time visiting with Grandma this week. We went to Huntington Beach today. It was a nice, clean beach with big waves. I must admit Mary and I used the boogie boards more than the kids! It took us a little less than an hour to get there, we were not quite so lucky on the way home. It took us about an hour and a half to drive 20 miles!! Poor CC had to go #1 into a bucket while we were on the road, I was very thankful for Grandma's help on that one. We will be sad to see her go.

Coming Out

2007-06-19T22:54:00.000-04:00

Owen lost his first baby tooth last night. It showed up when he was about 10 months old and I think it served him well. He was over the moon about the thought of the Tooth Fairy. At 5:40 am this morning O came into our room pretty disappointed that his fairy only left him a lousy buck. Bill and I were suddenly alert, what do you mean? what did you expect? O informs us that his friend Tyler recieved 64 crayons from his fairy! Oh. Well, how much were you expecting? O- at least 2 bucks, 2 quarters, a couple of dimes and some pennies. No nickles. Hmmm. I told him maybe his Tooth Fairy pays by the size of the tooth. He had to admit his tooth was pretty worn down and rough looking. When I was telling Shelly about how lame our Tooth Fairy was she bragged to me that her kid's Tooth Fairy usually leaves at least 2 dollars that have been ironed crisp (seriously, she irons the money!) or a couple of silver dollars. Woo. Woo. I am guessing that Lar's fairy probably leaves something cool behind like Hermit crabs or Beta fish. I'm thinking our Tooth Fairy is going to have to kick it up a notch!

Let's Hear It For The Boy!

2007-06-16T13:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day

Good Times, Part Two

2007-06-13T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here are pictures of our Legoland adventure. As you can tell O takes his Bionicle stuff very seriously. They had a cool mini water park area, the bucket dumps a flood of water down every so often and all of the kids go nuts. They even had a full size Volvo made of Lego's. Sorry I don't have a pic, like I said we were a little rushed. And because I am a lover of food, if you are ever at Legoland make sure to stop by Granny's Apple Fries. Awesome.

Good Times

2007-06-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

Owen T. turned 7 years old yesterday. This sounds like a big number to me. He acts so much older than he did a year ago, his hands are feeling big when I hold them. We noticed yesterday that Owen has his first loose tooth. We had a pretty awesome time this weekend. On Saturday we took the kids to Lego Land, it was a great time. They were tall enough to enjoy all of the rides. This seemed to be a great park for the age our kids are. I will post the pics tomorrow. The only downside was that the park was only open from 10 am to 5pm. We felt a little rushed. On Sunday our old neighbors from Washington came over for a cook out. Our first company in Cali. I am so happy they took time out of their Disney vacation to visit us. Our older boys are just 2 days apart and our little ones are just 6 months apart. The kids had a great time playing together, and we had a great time catching up. As an added bonus the "D" family had extra tickets for Universal Studios yesterday and we were able to spend more time hanging out at that park. Thanks you guys, we had a great time! To continue the birthday celebrations we went to "Bubba Gumps " for dinner and another round of the "Happy Birthday" song. Today we are recovering from our busy weekend. Woo Hoo!

Feliz Cupleanos!!

2007-06-07T18:04:00.000-04:00

Starting Over

2007-06-04T14:02:00.000-04:00

This post is for Mrs. Miller and her kindergarten class.

Hello from California. How are the baby chicks? It's almost my birthday. Here are a few pictures of me in California. My new school is called Peppertree Elementary. The school mascot is a panther. Here is a picture of my sister and I at my new school. I like playing in the pool. We went on the ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier and got to hang out at Dodger Stadium. I miss my Ohio friends. Have a great summer.

Love, Owen

A Place We Call The Zoo,Margaritaville,Goodbye To You!

2007-05-07T20:43:00.000-04:00

Busy, busy. Preschool fieldtrip to the zoo, my last night out with the ladies (tangerine margaritas) a wonderful going away picnic organized by our neighbors. Bill and I are scratching our heads trying to figure out why we decided to move away from these great friends. Too sad.

My Favorite Things

2007-04-30T13:34:00.000-04:00

Home Sweet Home

2007-04-26T16:19:00.000-04:00

Tick, tock, the final countdown to the move has begun. We found a house in Upland, Ca. It is very nice and it has a pool! (I know, I am very concerned about pool safety and will be taking precautions and suggestions.) Unfortunetly we will not be able to finish the school year in Ohio. Both of the kids teachers have been really understanding and we have arranged to have a special "last" day for CC and O. Owen is taking it really well, especially when I told him I would bring in juice and cupcakes. CC's preschool class will have a little graduation program that we will miss, that really bums me out. On May 9th the moving people will come and pack us up, 10th load, and on May 12th we will all fly out to California. We will not be able to move in to the house in Upland until May 21st. Luckily, Bill found a motel for us across the street from Ontario Mills mall. We will have plenty to do within walking distance. (my car will be transported from Ohio)

Bill and I had a great time together in California and the kids had a blast with my Dad and Judy.

A few things I learned about SoCal: Smog is no joke. In-n-Out Burger is not at all overrated. People in Ca. drive like total a**holes!! I am not kidding, I am more worried about getting around than anything else, actually in addition to everything else. Which leads me to what I am dreading most, that is saying goodbye to my Ohio friends. And even worse will be watching my kids say goodbye to their friends. I am getting weepy thinking about it. A part of me wishes we could sneak out at midnight to avoid the goodbyes. We have made such amazing friends here. My neighbors have become my support system. Going through the toddler/preschool age together has been a bonding experience. These ladies have made me a better, more confident parent. I feel like I am moving from a village to a deserted island!! I am hoping to stay in touch and I am counting on getting some visitors, hello Disneyland. Now I need to get back to cleaning out junk drawers/cabinets/closets. Our garage sale was a total bust, apparently we are not the only ones that do not want our useless stuff. Oh, well.