Out pops what??

I don't know if you all have been lucky enough to witness, first-hand, the birth of a foam capsule into an animal or shape with water. It seems to be a pretty popular, cheap and altogether fun activity for those kids who love getting their hands wet and observing something amazing happen...mine! For about an hour, these pill-looking capsules provided entertainment for my kids. I found them in the $1 bin at Michaels. Mikayla got the farm animals and Tyler got the Sea Creatures. They each got their own cup of hot water and the fun had begun. I really wonder who came up with this concept. While the animals are "hatching," they look like these tiny amoebas with a slimy coating and eventually come to imitate some intricate creature from the deep. Of course, the crab lost his pincher soon after. Tyler doesn't understand the term, "gentle" and thought any appendage was another opportunity to grunt and rip...

Mikayla's animals became her "babies" and she hugged each of them as they were hatched. She had so much fun. I will mention, if you do get them, to make sure the water is as hot as you can make it (with kids) because the gelatin coating does nothing in "lukewarm water" as the package suggests. We also had to coax them out of their shells by forms of squishing and massaging. Sounds great, no?
So here are my 2 darlings with their hatchlings. Tyler is in the "I'm not going to listen or obey" phase at the moment so anything I ask him to do comes with about 5 minutes of hesitation, a sly smile and raised eyebrows....kind of like the face in this picture.

Anyway, hoorah for the cheap, entertaining toys. May they live long and prosper...wait, did I just quote Star Wars? or was that Star Trek? My husband would be proud.

Play Day

It was "sushi play day" today so my friend, Emily, and I let the kids enjoy their chicken nuggets and then we went and gorged ourselves on Crunch Rolls and Hungry Rolls. There's something about take-out sushi, a bowl of soy sauce with wasabi and a comfy couch... Thanks, Emily, for endulging my cravings with cravings of your own. The girls did enjoy their nuggets.Tyler, however, liked the watermelon and the ranch dressing more than the nuggets. When the other 2 went down for their naps/room time, I actually went outside and took a few shots of Lynnea in the backyard. I don't think the child has seen the outdoors, at least when the sun has been out, and she liked it! Isn't the outfit adorable? Thanks to Emily and Mina, my daughter is well dressed!! You guys are so generous!! Look at those toes. They don't stay small very long.

Just Plain Messy

A warning to all of you reading my blog today on the content you are about to view. It's been a messy day, a messy week, and messy is not the way I wanted it this week. You see, I'm hosting a baby shower for a friend of mine on Sunday and the house needs to be spotless. It needs to look the way it always does...oh, wait, that would be a lie. There are those days, like before play group, that you clean your house so well that the other mothers wonder why they aren't as adept at being a "housewife" as you are. I mean, we all know them. The moms who have homemade cinnamon rolls and fresh, hot coffee waiting when we arrive at their spotless homes for play dates. I'd like to think I'm that kind of mom, and sometimes I am, but this week is definitely starting on a bad note.

I was a little nervous, I must admit, about sharing this "wonderful" day with you. Especially after the observation my mom made about blogs being a "great way for your employer or future employer to check up on you and see what you're like." If that's ever the case, I'll go back and delete this one. It wouldn't be good in the "organized and clean" checkbox. It might be a dead giveaway that the job wouldn't be up my alley but, before that day comes, here is the state of my house in it's most honest and real condition. (Keep in mind this isn't always the state it's in...). I had to put that in there or I'd feel guilty. Can't have that...

Anyway, after my hectic morning I decided to check one thing off of my list and empty the dishwasher. Wow, wouldn't Will be proud of me that I got one thing accomlished?? I was feeling so good about myself and then it happened. The mug came from nowhere and tumbled, in slow motion, toward the stack of plates I had placed on the counter right below the cabinet. It was a favorite mug, a Disney mug (gasp) and there it hurled, connecting with the top plate and producing this...In Mikayla's words, it was a catastrophe! I only have 2 Disney mugs and her favorite was ruined. Oh, don't worry, if I didn't already feel bad about the mishap, I was certainly reminded about 3 times how sad she was that mommy broke her "jasmine" cup. I was more distraught over the broken plate-I only have 6!!! Now, I have 5. Luckily all of them didn't break. I don't think I could have even written this blog through the tears and emotional breakdown. So then I started feeling sorry for myself, for all of the work that had been created for me to do. Let me go through my house, starting with the sink. This is the condition of my sink at the moment... Notice how it's all child related and it keeps piling and piling. It never ends. Next is a picture of my nice and tidy dining room. The kids love play doh and I love sewing. Therefore, the table is an eclectic mixture of a sewing machine and sewing stuff and the table-filling play doh accessories. I must point out that at least the floor is clean! I actually vacuumed it this morning. What you can't see are all of the frozen peas that somehow missed Tyler's spoon and came to land on the floor.

If you didn't notice, I also have dead flowers on the table. Here is a close up.

I don't know if they are still there because I forgot to throw them out or that I couldn't see them because of the accumulation of other things blocking my view. Moving on, and adding to my list of things to take care of, is the living room. Oh, LOOK, it's almost clean!!!

That will only take maybe 5 minutes to pick up. I haven't even checked the kid's room but I do know that that train I set up the other day...is destroyed. All this to say that cleaning up, as a mom, is a tough job! While talking with a friend, we came to the conclusion that we shouldn't clean up near as much as we do. Why? When it will all get messy again in a few minutes time. I do enjoy a clean house, though, so I must stop rambling on and attempt to take care of the rampant destruction. Thankfully, my hubby volunteered to help me get the house in "company" order before the weekend. Thanks, babe!! This house will need it...

Sushi Heaven

Will made a collage in honor of our favorite sushi restaurant (so far). He wanted me to put it in an earlier post but I neglected to so I am now paying tribute to the 4 dishes we had the other night. Clockwise from Left:
Tempura Lobster Roll (tempera lobster over California Roll
Hungry Roll (my favorite. Deep fried crab meat, avocado and special sauce)
Crunch Roll (a tie for my favorite. Shrimp tempera, crab, avocado, crunch)
Vegetable and Shrimp tempura

So now you see the 4 dishes we got last time we went. Yum Yum!!

Girls Only

This Saturday was the day of "THE PARTY." As I am not much of a party planner ( I do enjoy throwing one once in a while but all of the details somehow escape me), this weekend was a treat and a lesson in how it's done. My friend Emily has a gift for throwing parties and her little girl's birthday tea was spectacular. Each little girl had their own hat, gloves and chair as well as a pint-sized chair at the small toddler-sized table set up in the living room. On each plate was a pink Moon Pie with their name written on it and a tray stacked high with sweets and sandwiches. The food for the mommies was just as incredible. I had to keep myeslf from going back and getting seconds. The hats were strung along the window and each little guest could choose which hat she wanted. Emily's attention to detail was amazing. She even MADE little tote bags for each little girl in the most adorable fabric and stuffed it with candy and princess jewelry.

Unfortunately, Mikayla woke up with a not-so-nice cold and when I threatened to not go to the party, I thought her heart was going to break so I decided, as long as she didn't sneeze on anyone, she could go enjoy the festivities. She was not her usual, peppy self but she had a fun time and looked as pretty as a princess.

The birthday girl, Bekah. It was so much fun watching her open her gifts and just enjoy all of the little friends who love her so much. I must say that seeing all of the little girls there was just so much fun. I'm looking forward to all of the years ahead; the friendships and the times spent together.

I had to leave Bekah's party early and head to a baby shower for a friend of mine. Since everyone knows I love to sew, you KNOW I had to make her something. Since my thing has been bags lately, I made her a diaper bag with her favorite color, green. I'm actually thinking of making these and selling them sometime in the near future so we'll see how that goes. In the meantime, it's fun making them for gifts.

I put a flower on Kim's. Thanks to Emily, I know how to do it.

I included a diaper wipe/diaper holder in the bag. Now I need to make myself one.

Last night my cousin, Cheryl, came over and hung out. We enjoyed Taco Bell and sitting around on the couch. She pointed out that Mikayla had never been so quiet. In fact, Mikayla never even left the couch so it was pretty abnormal. Today she's a little more energetic so it looks like she's feeling a little better.

Lynnea is already 10 weeks!!

At the Summit...

One of my husband and my favorite places to go for special occasions is the Summit House. It's a beautiful restaurant on a hill in Orange County and the service makes you feel like you're a millionaire. Paired with the ambiance lighting inside and the city lights outside, it's the perfect date place. There are a few things that make a restaurant a cut above the others. Here are a few (I know, I'm really into lists this week.)

You know you're at a nice place when...

...after they take the bread plate, they use a flat knife to clean the bread crumbs off of the table so your elbows don't have to become the next "crusted" dish.
...it's so dark you can't see your waitress that well, or your busboy for that matter.
... some of the entrees don't even have a price listed.
...there is no entree in the "20 dollars and under" category
...the desserts look like the kind on those extravagant hotels on the Food Network
...the desserts have their own menu.
...your food is perfectly done (of course, all you can really see is the juice glistening on your steak since all of the lights are at half-light.
...they call you the day of to make sure that, yes, you will be spending half your paycheck at their establishment that night.

It is fun to take advantage of these extravagant places once in a while. Will commented that the first time we came here, we didn't really know how to act and now it seems like we're part of the regular crowd. Of course, we've only been here probably 4 or 5 times but it's special every time we go. Thanks to mom and dad for watching ALL the kids for us.

Here's a picture of my plate. We love to order their prime rib. One of the main reasons I order it is for their whipped horseradish sauce. I know, it sounds strange but it's like eating butter...with a kick. I asked for my prime rib medium and part of it came to the table looking like it was alive and kicking in the kitchen. At least that was the part on the bone. I was tempted to scrape the bone clean but thought that picking up the steak with your hands and gnawing on it like a dog was a little beneath me. Thank you to my beloved husband for dinner out. You know that's one of my favorite things and you did it well this time! I love you so much!!

Birthday Bonanza!

Ok, get ready for a lot of pictures. This is for my Uncle Bill whom I know reads this blog religiously and looks forward to it every day. I love you with my whole heart and your birthday song on Saturday was the perfect gift!

I have to go back to Valentine's Day and share with you the beautiful bouquet of flowers my loving husband left for me on the kitchen counter. Along with the roses, he gave me the movie, "No Reservations" which I love and which reminds me of the weekend with the girls (Janelle, Julie, Cara and me) away from the kids and the stresses of everyday life. My husband is the most loving, sacrificial man I know (besides you, dad) and I love him more and more each day.Lynnea is already 9 weeks and a few days old. Isn't this the most adorable smile? I'm lucky I got this one because my batteries were slowly fading. This next picture is a brag moment. You know, there are certain things, when you're a stay-at-home mom, that feel like such awesome accomplishments and when you do them you feel so good about yourself. Here is a short list of some of them, in no particular order...

1. Pushing gas out of your infant! For some reason, you just want to pat yourself on the back for that one.

2. When your children finish any meal you've prepared and actually say, "that was good, mommy!"

3. You take a shower AND blow dry your hair without any interruptions.

4. Eating any meal (especially lunch) without having to get up and get something for the kids or prevent a catastrophe.

5. Finishing laundry (that means putting all the clothes away as well)

6. Going somewhere and coming back with everyone still with you...(don't even ask)

7. There are so many more but the last one on this list is...constructing a train track that is continuous and fun to drive on-without a picture to guide you!The other night, we had the Nelson's over for sushi and Survivor. Josh let me eat while he held Lynnea and then Tyler needed some TLC. It's been so much fun getting to know these guys. They're so much fun to be with and our kids love playing together too. What a blessing!Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I turned 32 on the 16th. It wasn't near as depressing as 31 was but it's still a reminder that I'm no longer as young as I used to be. Don't get me wrong, 32 is still pretty young (compared to Will's 30-something....) but this birthday was extra special. With all of the hard news coming from our family these last few days, it was nice to spend time with family. Mom's cousin and her family came to see us and spend our birthday with us. Not only did they bring the entire catalog of Creative Memories supplies for each of us (thank you SOO much, Melody), they provided hours of entertainment for our children. I almost wanted to pull out my wallet and pay them for the childcare.

William was a hit. Once the presents were opened, the tissue paper went to good use as a "blanket" for cousin William. The kids adored playing with him and we could barely talk above all of the screaming and laughing. Kyle tempting Lynnea with his chocolate ganache. Lynnea was a real conversationalist with Kyle.

Melody got first dibs once we walked in the door.

Caitlyn with Lynnea

Tyler got a popsicle after dinner, one of his favorite treats at Grammie and Gramp's house. Gramps helped mop up the mess left by a 2 1/2 year old with a popsicle. Thanks, dad!

Cheryl, the human horsie!

Believe it or not, this was Uncle Bryan's first time holding Lynnea. Either he's been sick or we haven't been together so I had to get a picture.

Thank you, Fonda's, for taking time out of your schedule to be with us for our birthday. I loved being with you!

It is finished!!

The dress is done and I'm pretty happy with it...that is, until Mikayla wore it and I realized it was a tad short in the back. With the petticoat underneath, it tends to fly up quicker and it is a bit shorter than I'd like. The good thing is that she loves it and looks cute in it. I had the kid's pictures taken yesterday and I did get a good one even though the patience required to get it was a little more than I thought I'd need. The baby decided it was naptime and didn't want to sit still for a picture even if it was in her sister's lap.

Here are the finished dresses, together.

Here is the dress with the petticoat showing.Here is Mikayla in her dress before we left to take pictures.

The other day, my friend, Kim, came over with her daughters and they had so much fun in the backyard trying to find worms and making sand castles in the sandbox. The only glitch was when Mikayla, in her haste to dig up dirt looking for worms, didn't realize Tyler was right behind her and dumped a shovels-worth of dirt all over the poor thing. He just looked at me with those puppy dog eyes. I didn't think it was that bad until he walked over and I had to practically strip him to brush all of the dirt off.

Here's the picture. It kind of looks like Mikayla is trying to dig her way out of our backyard and escape.

Here are 3 of the 4. Kim's youngest didn't like her picture being taken at the moment. The girl's favorite thing is dress up and Tyler just likes running around copying whatever they're doing.

Lynnea has gone to sucking her hand instead of a binky. I've tried shoving and holding in that binky and my daughter will NOT take it. So, instead of a nice binky soothing her, we have to hear the salivating, loud, sucking sounds of her making the most of her fist. Last night the words out of Will were, "it sounds like she's eating a cheeseburger." That about sums it up.

I went over to my sister's house the other day just to hang out and I had to get some shots of Lynnea. Her son, Austin, didn't quite know what to make of the helpless blob on the couch but he got within a foot of her so I could take a picture.

Austin and Lynnea. This ended up being too close for him so he had to distance himself after this picture was taken.Mikayla loves her baby sister. Lynnea will have to get used to lots of choke hold hugs and squishy kisses.

Healing

For those of you who read my blog, you know family means everything to me. It's been especially difficult this last year with the deaths of 2 of my Aunts and the discovery of cancer in my cousin's husband, Ben. God's plans are not always our plans and I have to keep telling myself that this life is full of heartache but can also be filled with incredible joy. So, with the news of cancer hitting another member of the family, I can only ask God, "why?" One of my most treasured friends, a woman who holds a part of my heart, my cousin, Julie, just found out she has breast cancer. We had just been rejoicing with her and her husband after they called us with news that they found out they were having a little boy and now we have to somehow deal with the term, "cancer." Her incredible outlook is inspiring and, after talking with her tonight, I am ready to beat this thing with her. Julie, you're amazing!!!

Lord, we pray for healing....

A Little Something Extra

When you do nursery duty in church, there are a few things you can expect (especially in the 7 months to walking nursery). 1) It's a great hour of social time, especially when your good friends work with you. 2) Get ready to have to yell over the screaming. If one starts, it's more than likely that the rest will chime in as well. 3) You may get sick. 4) Someone might get sick on you..

This last one was experienced by Will last Sunday. It may look silly to have a flower apron and latex gloves on when dealing with children but it saved Will from getting the full brunt of the attack. The child (whose identity has been hidden) decided, after eating a bunch of cheerios and drinking his 8oz bottle of milk, that his stomach didn't like the contents and he vomited all over Will and his shoes. I felt bad for the baby but it did make all of us glad that it was the one wearing the "protective gear" who got "blessed." Thanks, babe!

This week is Valentine's day, as we all know, and I had to take a picture of Lynnea's shoes that I especially bought for pictures during Christmas. Since I didn't even take a picture of her at Christmas but they're perfect for Valentine's Day too and they look so cute! I LOVE baby shoes.In other news, snow arrived in Southern California. No, it was just the residual snow that had been brought in to provide a little entertainment for the preschool crowd. On Sunday, this was all that was left. Since my kids had never seen snow, it provided at least 20 minutes of entertainment before we dragged them away (almost kicking and screaming).

Some friends of ours are leaving the area and moving up north so we went to their going away party. Lynnea got to say goodbye too. We'll miss them!

Here's my sister holding Lynnea. I haven't seen her too much in the last few weeks so it was a treat to see her at the party.

Here is the family shot they got for the going away party. Are we weird or what? Let me go on record as saying this was not my idea. It turned out cute anyway, even though I feel like I have a little bit of a "dimple all the way around my face" thing going on...oh well...

We had the priviledge of having the Goyers over the other night for some Survivor catch-up. We both hadn't seen the first episode of the new season so we got some pizza and hung out. It was lots of fun-they're so much fun to be with.

The kids enjoyed the pizza and breadsticks too. Little Caesear's pizza has $5 pizzas! You can't go wrong.
Beware: if you get the garlic sauce, it's easy to overdose on the stuff. It's bad for those of us trying to go back to the gym. It's worth it, though. MMMMM!!!