Our Little Island

Fixin' to go to Texas

2011-05-09T10:29:00.008-07:00

Ever since Ellie and I were roommates about 10 years ago and she was obsessed with her home state, I have wanted to visit Texas. I found a good deal on a flight and Ellie and I met up in Austin (a 3 hour drive for her). On my next trip I would like to bring the whole family and go to her hometown outside of Fort Worth. But this one was just the girls.

On our first night we walked around 6th street, which ended up being full of bars and not too interesting for us. Then we walked around South Congress, where all of the street vendors and shops are.

The next day we ventured out to San Antonio to visit the Alamo. Ellie was sure my visit would not be complete without seeing this Texas landmark. It was pretty, and the history was very interesting.

After the Alamo we went to the Riverwalk, which was beautiful!

On the way back to Austin we did some shopping, and then caught a chick flick that night. It was pretty much the ultimate girl weekend. I missed the kids and Ben (really!!) but still enjoyed it so much.

On Saturday we met up with Ellie's cousin who walked us around downtown and took us to Lance Armstrong's bike shop. Then we drove a ways into the mountains to go to a restaurant someone told us about called Oasis. The view was amazing, but the wait time was too long so we just took a few pictures and left. I bet this lake is great for a summer vacation.

We had Texas BBQ at Rudy's instead, and I think it was a good choice. The brisket was amazing! We were in a hurry because we were going to a comedy show in downtown Austin called Esther's Follies. It was hilarious and I felt like I got the true Texas experience. So much fun!

April Summer Swimming

2011-04-28T15:21:00.007-07:00

It is about 85 degrees today. The built-in pool at Grammy and Grandpa's house will still be too cold for a few months, so we busted out an old baby blow up pool and the slip n' slide.

I was surprised at how much fun they could still have with a tiny pool!

They had tons of fun, until Isabel cut her knee and Dexter made a hole in the baby pool. I guess I will have to get another one and tie Dexter up for the next backyard swimming adventure.

Little Slugger

2011-04-23T14:45:00.006-07:00

Adam is playing his first season of t-ball. He played soccer in the Fall and was excited to try another sport. His best friend is on his team, and he loves it.

Go Giants!

I asked him the other day whether he likes soccer or t-ball better. He said, "T-ball, its way cooler."

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-23T14:34:00.005-07:00

A very nice family in our Ward has started to hold an annual Easter Egg Hunt. They have hundreds of eggs in their yard and I think there were about 30 kids this year.

I don't have much to say, here are some photos of the kids having fun finding eggs and also posing for the camera.

Egg in Front, Chickie in Back

2011-04-23T14:22:00.004-07:00

This week Adam and Isabel had their last preschool parade (tear...). They were very excited and practiced their Easter songs at home. Isabel told Grammy she would be wearing an egg in the front and a chickie in the back. They were both very happy to see Mom, Dad, and Grammy and Grandpa watching the parade.

Isabel was Special Helper that day, so she got to be at the front of the line. She loves to be in the spotlight!

Adam gave us lots of smiles!

Just Pretend

2011-04-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

I met a friend at Pretend City in Irvine to play. Anna was in school, but it was a bit young for her anyway - perfect for Adam and Isabel.

Adam drove the cars around almost the whole time we were there. There were some cooler cars but I didn't get a picture since he was moving too fast!

Isabel's favorite part was getting paid. If they did work such as picking vegetables in the garden, they got paid. The Pretend City employee though she was pretty funny since she always made sure to go and ask her for her money.

De Novo Law Firm - Bankruptcy, Real Estate Law

2011-04-11T22:14:00.003-07:00

In case you haven't already heard, I recently launched a new law firm called De Novo Law Firm. De Novo is a Latin term meaning fresh, or anew. Often used in legal situations, I chose the term de novo because it describes perfectly what I try to obtain for my clients -- a fresh start. While bankruptcy is a difficult decision for many, there are several different types of bankruptcy. For many clients, Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be the best decision but other clients may not qualify and be forced to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy. For some clients looking to save their home, the best decision may be a loan modification or foreclosure litigation and not bankruptcy at all.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their finances or trying to save their home, please give us a call or visit the De Novo Bankruptcy Firm website..

Dexter

2011-01-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

The kids have been asking for a dog for years, so now that we have a house and a yard we finally gave in. Santa delivered the dog a week or two before Christmas since it was too cold for him in the sleigh. He is an Australian Shepherd mix. Isabel is still disappointed - she wanted a little dog she could carry around in a purse. Unfortunately since I'm allergic, we have to have an outside dog. She's still trying to get over the fact that the dog is now bigger than her, and still wants a little yappy dog.

Introducing...Dexter the puppy!

OC Fair

2010-08-24T12:57:00.012-07:00

A few weeks ago the kids and I went to the OC Fair for the first time. It was beautiful out and we had a great time. The only downside of doing things by myself with the kids is that I don't have any pictures with them. Oh well, here are the highlights...

Sibling Affection

2010-08-23T00:22:00.008-07:00

I was just looking at the photos we had taken a few months back, and cracking up at all of the ones of Isabel hugging her siblings. She is such an affectionate kid - always wanting a hug, to be close to you, to hold hands, to kiss goodbye. It is one of my favorite qualities about her.

I said recently, I don't think Isabel could ever have her own room. She has always shared (even in the womb) and I can't imagine her sleeping in a room alone. I'm glad she has a twin and also a sister so close in age to keep her company.

The Present

2010-08-23T00:12:00.002-07:00

I love this poem, and just wanted to record it here on the blog so I would have it in a place I can find it.

------

Normal day,

let me be aware of the treasure you are.

Let me learn from you,

love you,

bless you before you depart.

Let me not pass you by

in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.

Let me hold you while I may,

for it may not always be so.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth,

or bury my face in the pillow,

or stretch myself taut,

or raise my hands to the sky and want,

more than all the world, your return.

~Mary Jean Iron

The Greatest Show on Earth

2010-08-01T22:28:00.007-07:00

I took the kids to the Circus a few weeks ago. They loved it - completely mesmerized. Their favorites were cotton candy, the baby elephant, the trapeze, and the motorcycles that drove in the cage.

Summer Days

2010-08-01T22:25:00.004-07:00

We have spent a lot of time at the park this summer. The weather has been so fantastic - usually most of July and August is too hot for the park. But this year it has stayed in the 80s and low 90s.

We have one friend from the twins' preschool we meet at the park just about every week, and her Mom took these pictures. I'm glad someone is doing a good job of capturing our summer!

Isabel's First Primary Talk

2010-08-01T22:18:00.003-07:00

I wish we could video tape at church. I suppose I could if I really wanted to, but I would feel silly.

Isabel gave her first talk in Primary today (Sunday School for kids). I helped her choose the topic of the Holy Ghost since I felt like that was a topic she knew quite a bit about. I asked her what she knew about the Holy Ghost, and that is what I put in the talk, along with a little bit more I added.

I stood next to her and whispered each sentence and she repeated it nice and clear into the microphone in front of all of the other kids. I don't think words can express how adorable it was, but I still want to record it here so I won't forget.

Here is the text of her talk:

We have been learning about the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is a spirit.

It can be everywhere.

It can be a million places at once.

The Holy Ghost talks to us quietly.

It helps us to do good.

I have heard the Holy Ghost, he tells me to do what is right.

I am grateful for the Holy Ghost.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Afterwards a lady in our Ward told me Isabel was so beautiful, and the talk brought her to tears. That is how I felt too!

Arlo

2010-07-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Almost as long as I've known Ben, he's had Arlo. 16 years ago, he brought him to a high school soccer game as a teeny tiny puppy that could fit into his hands. I remember thinking he was so adorable - and then my own kids fell in love with him many years later. He was the best dog, and we will miss him so much!

Six Years Old!

2010-06-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

When I look at Anna these days, she looks so grown up to me. The baby face is gone, and her long hair makes her look older. She wanted a Hello Kitty birthday party. This was her first friend birthday party, and we had five little girls from school, soccer, and church.

Here is a snapshot of Anna at 6 years old:

She loves...Hello Kitty, backpacks, playing Mommy/Baby, swimming, soccer, Polly Pockets, iCarly, making crafts, school, riding her bike, and playing with her brother and sister.

She does not like...to leave the house, to organize her room, to watch "baby" cartoons, or shopping in general.

Her personality...is very motherly, sweet, sensitive, inquisitive, and sometimes dramatic.

She wants to be...a songwriter when she grows up (like Taylor Swift).

4 times 2

2010-06-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Adam and Isabel turned four years old. Only one more year and they will go to kindergarten!! I remember when I had them a woman I knew who had twins told me it wouldn't get easier until they were five.

I beg to differ, it has been much easier since they turned about two. The last year has honestly been a breeze. Well, as breezy as having three kids can be. They are still a handful, but I don't feel like the fact that they are twins changes anything at this point. My tune might change when I have two kids turning driving age, or going to college!

Here is a little about them at age 4:

Isabel is...unique, spunky, chatty (is there a stronger word for chatty?), sweet, giving, friendly, outgoing, smart, and social.

Isabel loves...baby dolls, playing with her big sister, coloring, talking, playing dress up, swimming, going to the park, and eating treats.

Adam is... athletic, loving, passionate, friendly, hard-working, independent, artistic, and sometimes rambunctious.

Adam loves...Legos, cars, Zhu Zhu pets, making crafts, riding his bike or scooter, working outside, swimming, running, sports, and reading books.

End of the School Year - Adam and Isabel

2010-06-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

Adam and Isabel were Bouncing Bunnies this year. They absolutely loved preschool and often whined on Mon/Wed/Fri that Anna got to go to school but they didn't. As a result, they will go three days per week next year.

Isabel and Mrs. Wilson

Adam and Isabel with Mrs. Jack

Adam and his friend Jared

Celebrating their birthday with the class

I wish I had some pictures of them on the playground. I often arrived early to pick them up and would watch them play. Isabel loved the swings. Adam was always either in the sand box, or giving kids rides on the tricycle.

End of the School Year - Anna

2010-06-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

Anna wrapped up her kindergarten year with a performance that included "The World is a Rainbow" and "God Bless America." She loved Mrs. Nuttall and the other picture is with her friend, Chantal.

No More Training Wheels

2010-05-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

Ben took Anna's training wheels off about a week ago. She is doing great!

Photogenic

2010-05-25T17:08:00.004-07:00

I had pictures taken of the kids recently, and they came out beautifully. I was in a few of them, but Ben was at work. Here are two, and you can view the rest on my friend Jessica's blog, who I've known since her high bar spinning days in elementary school.

200th Sea World Picture

2010-05-25T16:37:00.008-07:00

We have been to Sea World quite a few times and posted many pictures, but a few more can't hurt, right? We went with a group from church that got tickets for $6, and we had a lot of fun. I realized the kids have a good grasp on marine life from all of our Sea World trips when we saw the movie "Oceans" a few weeks later. They named every animal in the movie.

Superstar

2010-05-25T16:33:00.003-07:00

Anna received a student of the month award at her old school, and then again at her new school. She loves kindergarten, and was excited we were all there to see her get the award.

The Emerald City

2010-05-25T16:05:00.009-07:00

Ben and I had some airline vouchers to use by the end of April so we took a quick trip to Seattle. Neither of us had ever been, and we squeezed all of the tourist attractions into a weekend.

Pike Place Market was beautiful.

The fresh flowers were my absolute favorite, and it killed me not to buy any. They are so affordable, I would always have fresh flowers in my house if I lived in Seattle.

We ate delicious mini-donuts at the market.

And I bought souvenirs outside for the kids while Ben took pictures.

We rode the monorail.

And went up to the top of the Space Needle.

Which is overpriced, but still a must do. It was also freezing up there!

We took an underground city tour.

And a harbor cruise, which was gorgeous.

We walked a good portion of the city, got to know the public transportation, went to the movies a few times, had great food, and slept in late for two mornings!

Easter Extravaganza

2010-04-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

Easter lasted at least a week this year, with a visit to the Easter Egg hunt at Irvine Park, the preschool Easter parade, and of course the true Easter Sunday at home.

We tried to explain the Resurrection to the kids this year. I think they kind of understood, Isabel has mentioned many times since Easter that Jesus died but lived again!

Soccer Saturdays

2010-03-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

Soccer Saturdays began last Fall. Anna really liked it so she played the Spring season too.

Her first team was the Purple Angels.

Her next team was the Black Scorpions. I got roped into being the team parent when no one else volunteered.

You can see Adam watching in the wings. He is DYING to play too. Luckily he can play in just a few months.

Snow Day

2010-03-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Snow Day at preschool was postponed about three times this year due to rain. But it finally happened, and Adam and Isabel loved it. Sadly, we haven't seen snow since we moved away from Utah two years ago.

Last Minute Trip to Paradise

2010-03-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

On a Monday in February, Ben said he needed a vacation. He had been working crazy hours starting his bankruptcy work for the past few months. That day I started looking around, and found a great deal to Maui leaving in just four days. I couldn't get a hold of Ben but I booked it anyway!

I was asked quite a few times why we took the kids. One reason was because Ben was working so much he didn't get to see them often. So going on vacation was the perfect way to spend some quality time. Plus, we knew they would love it and have been talking about taking a family vacation to Hawaii this year. We just didn't realize it would be so last minute.

We were in Maui for just over 5 days, and it was a lot of fun. The weather could have been better - it was a bit windy. But we still loved it!

Bankruptcy Law Firm Serving all of California

2010-01-21T00:05:00.004-07:00

This post will not include pictures of cute children. For those of you that don't know, I have been working at a law firm that specializes in criminal expungement. While I enjoy this area of law I have been working towards opening a bankruptcy law firm for the last several months.

Working with Mat Higbee, the founder of Higbee & Associates, we have opened First Source Law, a law firm dedicated to helping people with their financial problems. We have successfully modified home loans, helped clients get rid of unwanted debt through bankruptcy, and helped clients settle their debt for far less than they owe.

This week we are officially launching our website. First Source Law will continue to help clients in difficult financial situations through loan mods, chapter 7 bankruptcy and chapter 13 bankruptcy, and through innovative lawsuits designed to help our clients keep their homes. If you or someone you know needs help keeping their home, wants an explanation of their bankruptcy options, or just needs a little legal advice in these areas, feel free to give us a call.

A Tale of Two Kindergartens

2010-01-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

When we bought a house, I struggled with whether or not to have Anna switch schools. At first I thought I would do the 15-20 minute drive each way to keep her at the same school, but I quickly realized that was silly when the new school is only a mile away. But I still felt bad because she made some great friends and loved her teacher.

Here are some pictures I took on her last day. First, Anna with some friends. Then, Anna with her teacher Mrs. Betro (I'll always remember her as the one who told me I have a perfect child!)

Christmas Festivities

2009-12-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

The Christmas festivities continued as we celebrated with my Dad and Sandy, Sateen and John, and Greg and Carilly.

We had everyone over to our house and had a great dinner and a wonderful time.

Anna had a Christmas program at school. She had a short speaking part with her kindergarten crush!

And we tried to get a picture of everyone in their Christmas outfits before church but Adam was not interested. This is the best we got!

Disney Magic

2009-12-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to Disneyland on a slow day and decided to meet lots of characters. We waited in line for the Princesses for the first time since the wait wasn't as long as it usually is - and I think the kids all agreed it was worth the wait.

So here are lots of pictures of the kids with their favorite Disney characters. Next time I need to get in a few of the pictures.

'Tis the Season

2009-12-16T13:58:00.004-07:00

Last weekend the holiday fun officially began, and the festivities included our Ward Christmas Party. The primary put on a great Christmas play, and Anna was an angel. As the song ended she sang one more line all by herself. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be part of the song, but according to the words found here, it was. However, according to our church's version of the song, it was not. So she had a solo - it was pretty cute.

We've seen Santa quite a few times already this year, and they saw him again at the party. It is nice to have all three kids liking Santa. No crying this year!

I don't have any pictures but a few weeks ago we went to a Drive-Thru Nativity in Huntington Beach. I highly recommend it, or anything like it. It was a great way to start off the Christmas season remembering the true reason for the season. The kids are excited to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

Reminiscing

2009-12-15T12:21:00.006-07:00

Reminiscing about this time of year in Utah. Glad we do not have to deal with real weather.

My current desktop background. I want to go back to NY and take pictures of them sleeping in various locations throughout the city.

Izzy is hardcore!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Halloween was so fun this year - every year the kids get more and more into it. We have lots of festivities with a preschool parade, the church trunk or treat, and some regular trick or treating in the neighborhood. They were all adorable!

Water Rats

2009-10-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

Still catching up on posts - these pictures are from a trip to California Adventure where I finally let the kids play in the water. Isabel won the best tan award in our family this summer.

Need a Nap?

2009-10-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Looking for a good place to take a little snooze?

These pictures were taken from the boat WHILE the kids were riding around the lake. She was THAT tired.

I guess that is what happens when you spend the night before "sleeping" in a tent with your cousin at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Last month we visited my Dad, Sandy, Salina and cousins in Bullhead City, AZ. Here are a few pictures from our short trip, which included a train ride, a buffet, swimming in the hotel pool, and a day at the lake with some boat rides.

Bouncing Bunnies

2009-10-09T09:41:00.005-07:00

Adam and Isabel are growing up. It feels so weird not to have any babies in the house - they are big kids! Although Ben still corrects me now and then when I call them "the babies." Hard habit to break...

A few weeks ago they started preschool two days a week. They LOVE it. In fact, I had to drag Adam home kicking and screaming on the first day. Their class is called the Bouncing Bunnies, and here they are on the first day.

Flashback Friday

2009-10-09T09:16:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago I came across some adorable pictures of Anna's 2nd birthday on my in-laws computer.

I talk about it every year, so of course you all know by now that Anna's birthday is the day after Adam and Isabel's birthday. So, the year she turned 2 I was still in the hospital. My sister-in-law Stephanie planned a little party in my room - and check out the last minute cake she made! Anna looks so happy, love these old pictures.

The other reason I was thinking about this today, is because I saw this story about a lady who had two sets of twins in 10 months. Good luck lady!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/10/09/2.sets.twins.10.months.kabb

Kindergarten

2009-08-24T09:42:00.003-07:00

Anna was so excited to start kindergarten today. Adam and Isabel were a little sad - they don't start preschool for 3 weeks. Note to self: let the preschool know just how hard it is for the little ones to wait that long for their turn.

Yesterday we celebrated the new school year with a special dinner and dessert, followed by a quick fashion show so Anna (and of course Isabel and Adam) could show off their new school clothes. Grammie and Grandpa Butch joined us and Grammie made Anna some adorable new bows for school. After the twins went to bed, Ben gave Anna a father's blessing for a great school year.

This morning it was hard to get out of the house, and the school was a crazy zoo of cars and kids. We need to get there earlier to avoid the extreme traffic. But we are excited for this new phase!

And, my shining Mom moment came when I went to a short PTA welcome meeting and discovered that kindergartners eat lunch at school. Good thing I stayed for that, I had to go home and make a lunch! Poor Anna would have been the only one without anything to eat.

Yay for kindergarten!

We love NYC

2009-08-11T12:06:00.004-07:00

Goofballs

2009-07-14T11:31:00.002-07:00

This is an old picture but I just downloaded it and it made me laugh.

Countdown to Kindergarten

2009-07-01T21:51:00.008-07:00

Preschool ended a few weeks ago, but I still wanted to share some photos from Anna's last week. She loved preschool and looked forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays for the past year and a half. Last year she was in the Pooh Bears class, and this year she was a Cute Kitten. On the last day of school we took a picture with all of her teachers. She also celebrated her birthday at school on clown day - hence the pictures with her face painted.

Top 10 things Anna loved about preschool:

1. The monkey bars
2. Field trips! To the dentist, the grocery store, the nature preserve, the pizzeria, etc.
3. The share can
4. Taking home the class mascot, Pepper the cat
5. Painting. Lots of finger painting.
6. The Halloween, Christmas, and Easter parades.
7. Special teachers who love their students.
8. Being special helper.
9. Lunch bunch (staying after school for lunch once a week - which Anna begged for every day)
10. Time away from the twins to make new friends

Adam and Isabel are signed up for the Fall, and the teachers already know who they are since they were always there for Anna's drop off and pick up. The first thing Isabel asked on her birthday this week was, "Are we going to school today?" Now that they are three, they can't wait.

California Girl

2009-06-27T15:50:00.006-07:00

Anna danced in her first recital today! We weren't allowed to video tape or take pictures inside but I have some of the rehearsals so I'll try to upload a clip soon. She did great and remembered most of the dance, which was to the Beach Boys, "California Girls."

Swimming Superstars

2009-06-18T21:57:00.009-07:00

The kids have been taking swim lessons for the past month or so. They loved it and I hope they will be able to take more lessons before the end of the summer.

Anna can swim pretty well unassisted now, and can swim the long length of a pool. She can also float on her back and is starting to learn to use the correct swimming strokes. And Adam and Isabel have come pretty far too. Plus, the lessons gave them a jump start on their summer tans. I'm jealous - I was in the sun during every lesson too, but no tan for me. Here are some pictures...

Mommy

2009-06-11T14:44:00.003-07:00

Today was Anna's last day of preschool. She's getting so big lately, it almost breaks my heart. I was looking through the big folder of stuff her teacher sent home, and this put me over the edge. What a cutie.

She's got it right - being a Mommy is the best thing in the world!

When I get big I want to play an Angels game

2009-06-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Ben and Grandpa Butch took Adam to his first major league baseball game last week. Ben held the camera, which means all of the pictures are of Adam and his Grandpa. I love them though - you can tell they have a special bond.

From what I heard Adam spent most of the game eating popcorn, but I guess it had an impact since the next day he said, "Mom, when I get big I want to play an Angels game."

So Long Diapers

2009-06-03T12:27:00.002-07:00

I am pleased to announce that after 4.5 straight years of purchasing diapers, our household is currently diaper free!

We potty trained Adam a few weeks ago, the last of the bunch. His 16-year-old self would hate me for posting this picture, but I'm gonna do it anyway.

How to Smile With Your Whole Face

2009-05-29T23:09:00.001-07:00

Making the Blog Private

2009-05-14T10:46:00.004-07:00

I know, I hardly ever update our blog anymore anyway - but I decided it is time to make it private to invited readers only. You find the blog when you do a Google search for my name and I need to make my personal and professional life more separate.

So when you get a chance, send me an email (acarland at hotmail dot com) or leave a comment here with your email address if you want to read our blog. Don't be shy, even if you are a lurker :). I probably won't make it private for at least a few weeks.

And I'll try to update more often!!

Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

2009-04-24T21:24:00.003-07:00

Anna has a present for you...

She is such a delicate little flower.

Hello out there

2009-04-08T22:27:00.006-07:00

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I updated the blog. We moved, and that always puts a kink into things. We've been doing all kinds of Spring Break things lately - Disneyland, the Zoo, trip to IKEA, playing outside, etc.

Work is busy, kids are cute, life is good. Still amazed at how fast time is going by - the kids birthdays are coming in a few months and I'll have a FIVE YEAR OLD. Crazy. So, until I find the camera cords and get back into blogging mode, here are some impromptu pictures John took of us a few months ago at a family party.

Anna Banana

2009-03-12T08:26:00.008-07:00

Anna was meant to be our oldest child for many reasons. First and foremost, she was an easy baby. She slept through the night, hardly cried, and played independently. She inspired us to have another, which we all know got a little bit crazy. But I would not be a sane Mom if she hadn't been my oldest - she makes it so much easier.

I love that Anna is so independent. She has fabulous, full on conversations with herself, and loves to play alone. I love how she plays the "Mommy" role well, and for the most part is not too bossy. I love it when I hear her say things like, "Now, we have to clean up this mess before we go outside" or something else I would say.

I love Anna's obsession with stuff. There are two facets to her obsession. First, she likes to fill things up. Her backpack needs its own planet. It is stuffed as full as you could possibly get it. She never even takes the stuff out, she just finds great satisfaction in having it full to the brim.

Anna also loves to organize. In her room, she organizes all of the toys, and tends to have a meltdown if someone moves things. I suspect some of this neurosis comes from me. Anna loves to play with dolls, play outside, play with her brother and sister, watch movies, go to preschool, Disneyland, the beach, and lots of other fun things. She DOES NOT like to go to the store or run any errands. It usually takes my amazing power of persuasion to get her to go to the grocery store or anything like that. Simply put - she is not the little shopping buddy I was to my Mom as a child.

I love Anna's sensitivity and sweetness. If I had to pick one word to describe her, it would be sweet. She is the child I never worry about being mean to kids at school or church, is very polite, and loves her family. She loves to help with anything you will let her do, especially cleaning. At night when she goes to bed, just as you are about to close the door, she always asks what we are doing the next day. She just wants to lie there and be excited about the next day, I suppose.

We love Anna and can't believe she is turning 5 soon. That first day of kindergarten is going to be a hard one for me!

Redundant

2009-02-23T23:17:00.005-07:00

I think part of the reason I've been having a hard time updating the blog lately is because of my other social networking activities. Between MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, I feel like everyone knows what I'm doing, all the time. It seems unnecessary to update the blog when the same pictures are already on Facebook.

But, I guess there might be a few readers who are not using those Web sites. So this is for you. And for all of the rest, sorry for the repeats!

I've been wanting to get Disneyland passes for a while now. First, because it is my favorite place. I love going, and I get more excited than the kids. Second, because the twins are free for a while longer. I wanted to get two passes before I had to buy four passes. So, when our house fell through, as a consolation prize I bought the Disneyland passes. (Yes, you read that right - we were about one week from closing escrow when we decided it was not the right decision. We now give up and are looking to rent for a while.)

We went for just a few hours for our first trip, and had lots of fun. It was a beautiful 75 degree day, and we just did a few rides and watched a parade. It was a success, and I am already looking forward to our next trip.

So, please come to CA and go to Disneyland with us! I can only go on a weekday, and not in the month of July. I got the cheap passes. But still, you don't want to go on those busy days anyway, right?

The Best French Dip Sandwich Ever

2009-02-16T14:39:00.005-07:00

I am a French Dip expert. If French Dip is on the menu, I order it. Almost every time.

When I graduated from high school, someone actually wrote in my yearbook about my love for French Dip -and posed the question - who has the best French Dip? I remember thinking it was a bit sad that the one thing this person would remember me for was my love of a sandwich.

I've thought about that question now and then when eating out. I have been determined to one day declare the best French Dip sandwich. I have not kept track of all of the places I have eaten French Dip, but my guess would be that I've tried it at 40 or 50 different locations, maybe more.

And this weekend, on Valentine's Day, I found the answer. I cannot overstate my excitement over this finding. Ben and I went to L.A. for Valentine's Day and our 7th wedding anniversary. Today is our anniversary - I love you Ben! I should probably post something about our relationship, but the French Dip is all I can think about because I'm hungry.

At the restaurant, I looked at the menu, and wanted to order a steak or prime rib. But then I saw the French Dip. Like I said, if French Dip is on the menu, I almost always order it. Even if it is at a somewhat fancy place on Valentine's Day.

Then I ate the best French Dip sandwich I've ever had. It feels so good to finally be able to declare the winner. There are still many other places I could try, including a restaurant in L.A. that claims to be the inventor of the French Dip. But still, I am declaring this the best one I've ever had.

Houston's. Houston's is the winner. Perfection.

Baby Blessing

2009-02-15T21:52:00.001-07:00

Thought I would just update our blog quickly by posting a link to another family member's blog.

The newest member of the family, Matt and Alex's baby girl, was blessed at church in Utah today.

We are sorry we missed it - welcome to the family baby girl!

Favorite Commercial

2009-02-13T22:40:00.003-07:00

I crack up every time this commercial comes on. It makes me laugh and I just saw it on TV so I thought I would post it.

By the way, I have the Blackberry Pearl, and I have to agree about the butt dialing. For me it is kid dialing, or purse dialing, but still. You can lock the keys, but when it is locked if you press some combination of numbers it automatically makes an emergency call to 911. I've done this by accident, and so have the kids. It is quite embarrassing. Next time we do it I'm going to tell the dispatcher, sorry, it was my butt dialing to tell me I need a flip phone. I wonder if they'll get it...

Superbowl Success

2009-02-01T20:28:00.004-07:00

Well, the food anyway.

No pictures, but I want to remember what we had for next year, so I'm recording it on the blog.

Steak bites

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole

Little Smokies

Wingers-style Wings (not quite like Wingers, but a decent first try)

Oh, and if anyone wants a new dinner recipe to try, last night I made Pioneer Woman's Ranch Style Chicken. Not a healthy recipe, but it tasted really good. I will make that one again and I think I can modify it to make it a little bit healthier.

Can't Wait to See All of Those New Jobs Created

2009-01-29T08:31:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, the House passed a bill that is supposed to help the economy. This article explains why it won't, in the humble opinion of the Wall-Street Journal. Thanks Congress, I can't wait to see how $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts helps my family this year. Or how $2.4 billion for "carbon-capture demonstrations" will create jobs for the 223,000 people who have lost their jobs with Microsoft, Pfizer, Starbucks, etc. this year.

The 647-page, $825 billion House legislation is being sold as an economic "stimulus," but now that Democrats have finally released the details we understand Rahm's point much better. This is a political wonder that manages to spend money on just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years.

We've looked it over, and even we can't quite believe it. There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care subsidies; $50 million for that great engine of job creation, the National Endowment for the Arts; $400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. There's even $650 million on top of the billions already doled out to pay for digital TV conversion coupons.

In selling the plan, President Obama has said this bill will make "dramatic investments to revive our flagging economy." Well, you be the judge. Some $30 billion, or less than 5% of the spending in the bill, is for fixing bridges or other highway projects. There's another $40 billion for broadband and electric grid development, airports and clean water projects that are arguably worthwhile priorities.

Add the roughly $20 billion for business tax cuts, and by our estimate only $90 billion out of $825 billion, or about 12 cents of every $1, is for something that can plausibly be considered a growth stimulus. And even many of these projects aren't likely to help the economy immediately.

First Trip to the SD Zoo in 10 Years

2009-01-12T17:48:00.011-07:00

The above picture helps me to understand why people often ask if they are triplets.

What is that you say? I post pictures of the zoo all the time? Ah, yes, that is true. But Ben hadn't used his membership until we went to the San Diego Zoo on New Year's Day. He somehow escaped all of the trips I've taken to the Zoo/Wild Animal Park this summer and over the past few years and had not been since he took me when we were 18 or 19 years old. On this lovely day, Isabel woke him up so darn excited to go to the zoo that he just had to come with us.

New Year's Day was the perfect day at the zoo and we had great weather. The kids are at a great age for activities like this - they make it so much more fun!

Adam, happy to see the giraffes with Grandpa. And there is Ben in the background - proof he was there.

Anna on the bus tour.

The bus tour again - I'm not sure how much they could see, but at Adam said, "I love this bus Mommy" so I guess they enjoyed the ride.

Anna and then Adam in front of the panda.

Best parts of the day that I don't have pictures of:

1. The elephant peeing. Have you ever seen an elephant pee? It is quite a sight.
2. Taking a bus up the hill to see the polar bears. I told Kevin it was a horrible steep walk and we were taking the bus. He walked. We waited 10 minutes for the bus, went up a hill maybe the length of half a football field, and got off. I didn't realize it was that close :)
3. Our stop at Wood Ranch Grill. Have I blogged about Wood Ranch yet? It is our new favorite place. It is out of the way in South Corona so we now stop there on our way back from trips to San Diego.

O.G. Izzy

2009-01-01T23:06:00.002-07:00

Holiday Hangover

2008-12-29T23:08:00.004-07:00

Can I blame not updating the blog on a holiday hangover? We had too much fun and now the kids are spending most of our days playing/fighting over their new toys. Santa now realizes the girls need to get the same exact things for Christmas.

We had a wonderful Christmas, and we didn't take any pictures with our own camera. There are some on Kevin and Sabrina's camera though, so I'll try to get those soon. We also celebrated Grandma Mary's 90th birthday. John took pictures of that one so as soon as I get permission to steal some more photos I'll get a post up.

We went to Sea World last week but yet again, didn't bring a camera. The battery is out and I can't find the charger. But luckily I got a new point and shoot camera for Christmas, so next time I'll be able to use our back up.

Happy New Year!!

Holiday Favorites

2008-12-14T23:27:00.002-07:00

Our current holiday favorites are:

Frosty, the movie. And Frosty Returns. Someone requests it every day, sometimes more than once.
Singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Practicing Anna's Christmas dance for her dance class.
Blended egg nog (used to buy it at Starbucks but now make it at home by simply throwing egg nog and ice in the blender and topping it with whipped cream). This is my favorite and now I've converted all of the kids.
Christmas lights of course. Adam still gets excited about the ones on our own house whenever we come home at night.
Shopping for presents. Anna thinks that should mean finding something in the house and wrapping it up rather than buying something new. She wants to give Adam a train that is already his. However, I think she would be sorely disapointed if she got all things she already has for Christmas.
Getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

It's been a few weeks now, but Marlene and I took the kids to the Festival of Trees and Festival of Lights in Riverside. Last year we went on opening day, and this year we went the day after. Just going one day later made a world of difference - it wasn't so crazy busy and I enjoyed it more. Hopefully it will become a tradition.

Adam can be a bit of a scardy cat, so he got his picture taken in front of a fake train instead of with Santa. We've seen Santa numerous times this year and he still won't go near him. Not even for candy.

The girls were perfectly happy to sit with Santa though. And they both told him they want baby dolls. How original! Isabel decided to show us her belly for some reason. Sorry about that.

These were our futile attempts to take a posed picture in front of the Mission Inn. It is so beautiful this time of year! But the kids were not into the whole smiling all at once thing.

Last weekend my Mom and I took the kids to the Norco Christmas parade. I didn't bring the camera that time, it would have probably been too dark anyway. They put lights on all of the horses and carriages and do the parade at night. The kids loved it.

Also, my Dad visited last week and the kids got to open presents from him. So we have a few new toys to tide us over until Christmas.

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

2008-12-05T23:33:00.005-07:00

Making Thanksgiving rolls with Grammie - and they turned out delicious!

Stuff

2008-12-02T10:24:00.002-07:00

As I read this article, I wondered if this woman will ever see the error in these words. She is giving up designer jeans to buy her daughter a bunch of presents for Christmas.

“I want her to be able to look back,” Ms. Hunt declared, “and say, Even though they were tough times, my mom was still able to give me stuff.”

Really? You want her to look back and say, "my mom was able to give me STUFF?"

I don't know where to begin - but that is really sad. How about hoping your kids will say, "Even though they were tough times, my mom was still able to give me LOVE."

So happy together

2008-11-30T23:58:00.005-07:00

A very large living room with plenty of space...

And they all sat right next to each other. So cute.

The Middle Child

2008-11-23T23:33:00.006-07:00

Do you know who the middle child is in our family? You might think there isn't a true middle child since we have twins. But Isabel was born first, and is technically the middle child. She is proof that birth order means something, even if it is only by 2 minutes.

Isabel is the one who will never let you out of her sight. She is not just a Mama's girl - she's a Daddy's girl, a Grandma's girl, a Grandpa's girl, and an "anyone who will pay attention to her" girl. My favorite thing about Isabel is that she loves everyone she meets. The first time she meets you, she'll give you a kiss goodbye. On the lips. And she won't let you try to give her your cheek.

I love how different Isabel is from her sister. I love Isabel's tan skin. I love her little petite frame. I love it when she whispers secrets in my ear. I love her obsession with chapstick. I love how she can translate for Adam when I can't understand him. I love it when she "mothers" both her little brother and her older sister. I love/hate that she never stops talking. It can drive you crazy, but at the same time it just makes her Isabel. And I love to joke about how crazy she'll drive us with all of that talking when she's 13, 14, 15, 16. Basically forever.

Of all the kids, Isabel is the most delicate. If she gets hurt, she'll cry on the shoulder of the first one to comfort her for a minute, and then she'll ask for someone else. Just one comforter is not enough. She is not coordinated, and is the worst driver I've ever seen. We have one of those battery-powered cars that goes 1.5 miles/hour, and she doesn't steer. She just pushes on the gas, but goes in circles or runs into things because she never moves the steering wheel. Shouldn't a 2.5 year old have figured that out by now? I have a feeling she may have inherited my driving skills.

I have to give Isabel props for being a super speedy potty trainer. She basically forced us to potty train her at the beginning of the summer, and she did it in just a few days. She wants to be like Anna, and this was just the beginning I'm sure!

I love Isabel's relationship with both Anna and Adam. In the past few months, she and Anna have reached the stage of really playing together. Now that Isabel can talk, she'll say, "Wanna play dollies Anna?" I love that she'll tease Anna when asked to play by saying no. After Anna begs and pleads, she laughs and says yes eventually - all so she can have a little bit of the power. She and Adam have a special bond, and I love to listen to them chatting in their room. I love how she looks for Adam when she wakes up, and gives him a hug if he's sad.

Most of all, I love how much Isabel loves me. I can just feel it in her squeezes - and because she is literally always by my side!

I'm Yours

2008-11-23T00:43:00.000-07:00

This song has been out for a while now but I'm finally getting around to posting it. I love this song - when I listen to it I can actually visualize sitting on the beach with my sweet husband. Just wanted to share it in case you have missed it!

Remember Halloween?

2008-11-12T22:27:00.010-07:00

I thought about doing the all about Isabel post next - but she's been a complete stinker. If I did one right now, it would say, "I love how Isabel screams every night when we put her to bed. I love it when she throws a fit because she can't have a piece of candy." You get the idea.

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On Halloween, we got the kids ready and I took some photos...but the camera was on the wrong setting and they didn't come out. I was going to put their costumes back on one day, but I haven't yet. So I'll just post what we have so far.

First, Anna had her first preschool parade! She walked with her class and they sang some cute Halloween songs.

Here is the posed picture on Halloween that didn't come out right, but you can still see how cute they are.

We went to our church trunk-or-treat, and they had lots of fun. Actually, Isabel had an ear infection and was running a very high fever when we left. I basically forced her to put on her costume, she just wanted to lay down and go to sleep. But the fever broke soon after we got to the trunk-or-treat, and she had fun after that.

When we got home and realized the camera dadn't worked right, we tried to take a few more. But the kids weren't looking quite as cute - and they were so hyped up on sugar it was impossible to get them to pose together.

Here we have the happy twins after they woke up way too early the next morning and had a sugar hangover.

Happy Halloween, two weeks late! We still have Halloween candy, I need to get rid of it. I'm ready to move on from the kids asking for a piece five times a day. Maybe right now I'll check to see if there is any chocolate left...

My Buddy

2008-11-03T12:18:00.010-07:00

I don't write enough about the kids individually, so how about a post all about Adam? We'll get to the girls next.

Adam is the one I have a hard time resisting. No matter how bad he is, his little face just melts my heart. And, even when he's being bad, its so hard not to laugh. He likes to steal things from the girls and run away as fast as he can - and he's faster than them. He's also stronger for the most part. But when he apologizes it is so heart felt - he says a great "I'm sorry" followed by a kiss and a hug.

I love his blue eyes and his pale skin. I love his obsession with trains. I love that he could be entertained for half an hour by driving a matchbox car on my arms and legs. I love his mad scooter-riding skills. He is also great at puzzles. Oh, and I love/hate how good he is at ignoring me. It's funny, but frustrating. He'll just keep playing and totally ignore it when you ask him to do something.

Of all the kids, Adam is the hardest to understand. His words all run together - but I can understand what he's saying. My favorites lately are, "Mmmm, delicious!" and "You play with me, Mommy?" He has also turned into a great singer, and knows the words lots of songs including Twinkle, Twinkle, I Am a Child of God, and he is pretty good at his ABCs. He can count to at least 10, sometimes more, but he usually forgets the number 2. And if you ask him how old he is, he says either 3 or 4. He must hate the number 2.

Here is his precious face at less than 6 months old.

And again now.

I love watching Adam and Ben together. If you've seen them in person you know how much they are alike - both in their mannerisms and their looks (except for the pale skin and light hair).

And to think, I thought I wanted all girls.

Anna Ballerina

2008-11-01T07:33:00.004-07:00

I need to do a Halloween post, but we'll start with this one. Anna is taking her first dance class - a basic class called Creative Movement. She loves it so far - they practice turns, chasse, first position, and other basic steps. Here she is right before her first class a few weeks ago.

Hello? Anyone out there?

2008-10-22T14:14:00.006-07:00

This blog is dying.....a.....slow......death. Haven't had the time lately. And then I went to use my fancy new pink laptop to upload some pictures. I took the memory card out of the camera and put it in my laptop, I was so excited that it had a memory card reader. But the next day, my laptop went kaput. So it seems it could not handle the memory card.

I think we are going to return it. I just can't keep a computer that is already having problems. I depend on it too much. Anyway, I might have to get a Mac because Ben thinks they are better. We'll see. They don't come in pink and that might be a deal breaker. BOO on Dell for sending me a computer that didn't work, then sending me a replacement that already doesn't work a few weeks later.

Our updates:

- We had a night away in San Diego last weekend. Our friend Brad tied the knot, congrats Brad!

- Anna is taking a dance class. Isabel won't stop talking. Adam is obsessed with trains.

That's about it - see, you aren't missing anything! I'll try to get a hold of some pictures and start updating again.

For My Kids

2008-10-08T23:05:00.004-07:00

Soon I am going to have to change the name of the blog to "Mom on a soapbox."

Today, its about Proposition 8 here in California. When I first heard about it, I'll admit, I supported it, but I wasn't very passionate. But as time goes on and I've learned more about the repercussions if Proposition 8 fails, I have felt more inclined to take action.

Proposition 8 would add an amendment to the California state constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. It does not take away any rights for same sex couples (i.e. health insurance, domestic partner status).

I hope to teach my children tolerance and love for all people. But the fact remains, I value the institution of marriage and I believe a traditional family structure, where children have a Mom and a Dad, is ideal. We don't live in an ideal world, but does that mean we should just throw in the towel?

Today I read this article, and it made me cry. I looked at those little faces in the photos, and it made me sad that they never had a chance to form their own opinions. If you read it, read it to the end. Towards the end, when the sweet six-year-olds are talking about what they think marriage is, it makes me scared for my kids. If marriage was simply about "people falling in love," I think we would be in trouble.

I want them to know that we believe marriage is sacred. We believe marriage was created to join a man and a woman, to allow them to have children and grow together as a family. We believe this institution should be preserved. I believe that Moms are important, and Dads are important. And I don't think children should be denied the right to have both a Mom and a Dad. And while I would never deny friendship or love for anyone based on their personal beliefs, this is a slippery slope I'm just not ready to go down.

Debt, debt, and more debt

2008-10-07T13:19:00.002-07:00

So, the markets are down and everything on the news is gloom and doom.

The U.S. National Debt is $10 trillion.

U.S. corporations are who knows how much in debt, at least $700 billion, a lot more I'm sure.

And U.S. consumers are in so much debt ($2.5 trillion NOT including mortgages) that they can't keep up with their homes, their cars, or their lifestyles. They are in SO much debt that borrowing is actually down for the first time since 1998. What a novel concept - if you can't afford it, don't buy it.

There are two things we try to do, and although we aren't perfect, I think the world would do some good to follow the same counsel.

Live within your means.

Stay out of unnecessary debt.

Two simple rules. Common sense, right? Obviously it is not that common anymore.

Animal House

2008-10-03T22:18:00.008-07:00

It's been a while now, but Matt and Alex and fam were the last visitors of the summer.

One day we went to the San Diego Zoo for a few hours. 3 adults + 5.5 kids = outnumbered. It was exhausting, and fun. Poor Matt held Izzy on his shoulders for a while, and I don't know how Alex walked as much as we did with a baby on the way. I think we'll take the bus for part of the time when we go next.

Time Flies

2008-09-28T22:24:00.007-07:00

I felt like I had been keeping up with the blog, and then I realized the last post was 12 days ago already. Time is going by too fast lately.

So, to at least keep you updated on the exciting happenings in my life, I got a shiny new laptop. My last one died but my new one is PINK and I love it. It took two months to get here and the first one they sent didn't work (thanks Dell) but hopefully it was worth the wait.

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We took the kids to Poly's homecoming parade on Saturday. Afterwards, we went to the pep rally. Anna's favorite part was the cheerleaders and now she wants to be one someday. I tried to point out the colorguard girls and said, "but don't you want to be one of them like Mommy was?" Hmm, she said no thanks.

Isabel is also well versed in "Go Poly Bears" so we are now not only (top 10 ranked) BYU fans, but also Poly High School football fans this season.

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I'm off to play catch up for work this week. Our babysitter had walking pneumonia last week so I'm way behind.

I love technology

2008-09-17T12:45:00.003-07:00

I used to scrapbook. I have one for my high school years, the beginning of our marriage, and for the first two years of Anna's life. I'm not very artistic, but I liked scrapbooking. Then, when I found out I was pregnant with twins I knew it was over. I didn't even try to pretend, I knew I wouldn't get back to it for a very long time.

And, I haven't. Alex is into digital scrapbooking and got me some CDs, which are very cool. But I still haven't taken enough time to do that either! I've looked, but haven't really done any pages yet. I promise I will, someday.

But luckily, technology always comes up with a way to replace the fun of good old fashioned hobbies. So although scrapbooking has gone out the window for a few years, I have been blogging. And now, this blog can be turned into a scrapbook.

Isn't that cool?

Still Looking

2008-09-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

We're still on the house hunt. It has taken longer than we planned, but in the long run I think we'll be glad we held out. Prices....are still...falling. In fact, we are to the point where I think we have to accept that fact that we are going to overpay and buy anyway (hopefully the steepest drops have already happened). Or rent.

I like this blog, which focuses on the real estate market specifically in the Inland Empire. They posted the other day about this house, which is around the corner.

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It's hard to wait, my KitchenAid misses me. So does my dining room table. And my dishes. Maybe I should just go out to the storage shed and visit them.

Hello dining room table.

Speaking of this picture, it was taken in our Bountiful house. Hello Bountiful house, I miss you too. Ben was there this weekend, getting it ready for the next tenants, who I'm sure won't appreciate it as much as I did. This is where I would be sitting right now if we lived there.

Hopefully one day I'll have pictures of a new office to post, and until then I'll keep telling myself it has been smart to wait. Smart to wait. Smart to wait. I'm trying, Ben.

Rise and Shout the Cougars are Out

2008-09-14T15:05:00.005-07:00

Our kids are being fully indoctrinated. You can hear a random, "BYU, BYU, BYU" chant from their bedrooms at night, and anytime they see football on TV they burst into cheers for BYU. We are also starting to practice the Cougar fight song. I think its time to do a little online shopping so they have t-shirts and jerseys.

It was a great weekend for the Cougars, as they routed UCLA, 59 to 0.

Cousin Love

2008-09-04T06:52:00.008-07:00

We've had lots of family visiting here in California lately, and we went up to Utah last weekend. Unfortunately we only had one of our favorite foods while we were there. Actually, it wasn't on our original list, but we also had Tucanos, which was fantastic. They need to bring a Brazilian grill to California.

Our drive back took a little longer due to Labor Day traffic, so we were in the car for 11 or 12 hours. So I want to give a shoutout to Ben's laptop that plays movies. Now that the kids are all old enough for a movie to keep them occupied, we had absolutely no crying on the entire drive.

There has been plenty of cousin love, so here are some pictures!

Anna and Zach at the Peanuts exhibit at the Riverside museum.

Everyone eating dinner at a park in Taylorsville.

The three oldest playing on the slide.

All of the cousins minus Baby Kaleb.

Summer Foliage

2008-08-26T09:31:00.004-07:00

In the midst of 100 degree summer temperatures, a tree in the backyard decided to drop all of its leaves in the past week. The kids enjoyed helping Grandpa "clean them up," and John captured some fun pictures.

Summer Visitors

2008-08-20T16:08:00.006-07:00

We had lots of fun when Kevin, Sabrina and Kaleb came to visit, and we went to Corona del Mar for a picnic. It was beautiful, except for the long trek down 112 stairs to the dirty public beach bathroom since both Anna and Isabel (who is doing great at potty training) had to go.

We'll see you guys again in Utah in a week!

Happy Adam

2008-08-20T15:59:00.003-07:00

This picture is a little old but I haven't blogged in a while - and the kids are surpassing the two hour mark on all three of them being asleep. When three kids sleep for two hours I think you are obligated to blog something.

Wild Animals

2008-08-12T23:36:00.007-07:00

We used our zoo passes for the first time on Friday - at the Wild Animal Park. It was fun, but hot!

Say No To Pacifiers

2008-08-05T10:25:00.003-07:00

Just thought I would update on the boring saga of the pacifiers. I finally took them away late last week. We made a big deal out of putting them outside for the pacifier fairy, and Adam and Isabel (and Anna, not to be left out) got presents in return. Now they get to sleep with pillows and a stuffed animal.

It went very well, not a single peep the first night. Naptime has been another story. Each day has been touch and go, sometimes napping, sometimes not, sometimes taking a very long time to fall asleep. But we'll get there.

Baby Kaleb is coming to visit today, which we are very excited about. But I think he takes a pacifier, so I'm just hoping the twins don't steal it and revert back to their old ways.

Throw Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

2008-08-04T11:21:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday Ben!

Louis Armstrong shared your birthday, so this song must be just for you. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Hybrid Minivan Please

2008-07-31T10:19:00.002-07:00

So I was thinking about my gripe with the oil companies. I expect them to make money, obviously. But RECORD profits seem a bit ridiculous. The fact is that we've actually been fairly lucky - other countries pay a lot more for gas (the UK is near $10/gallon). And I can get used to the price of gas, I guess. I don't complain every time I fill up anymore.

I think the problem is the lack of alternatives. Don't get me wrong, I'm not very good to the environment, and I wouldn't consider myself "green" by any means. But it still drives me crazy how many great technologies are out there to save energy and fuel, but most of them aren't actually being used yet. I mean, we could generate 3 percent of the entire nation's electricity with cow manure. One of my clients could power 40 2,000 square foot homes with just one little generator that uses waste heat.

I know I'm not the first person to ask for this, but PLEASE, can we have a hybrid Minivan option? They have been selling a Toyota hybrid Minivan in Japan for seven years now. Seven years. It gets 40 miles to the gallon, versus the 16 I get with our Caravan. We can't fit in any of the other fuel-efficient cars, so I am really looking forward to the first option for families who need more than 4 or 5 seats.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled, non-political, "Mommy" blog.

Maddening

2008-07-31T06:59:00.002-07:00

Exxon Posts New Profit Record

Pacifiers Anonymous

2008-07-28T11:44:00.005-07:00

Last week a short article about kids not using pacifiers after age 2 appeared in my mail pile at home. I think someone is trying to tell me something. No one fessed up. Not that I was offended - I've been talking about taking them away for 6 months now.

Ben is out of town this week and suggested I take them away while he's gone. I guess he doesn't want to hear the cries of "paci, paci!" I guess he doesn't want to see our near-perfect schedule of naps and bedtime thrown out the window. I guess he doesn't want to be the bad guy.

I think I'm almost ready to be the bad guy. Almost. Just trying to psyche myself up.

P.S. Don't even get me started on how they need to move to big kid beds and be potty trained too. Now that they are two I feel like we need to enter "big kid" world. Can't they be babies a little longer?

Boy/Girl Twin Research

2008-07-21T11:39:00.002-07:00

This video on CNN highlights research that suggests girl twins are influenced by boy twins in the womb. I'm not sure I buy their findings...Isabel is pretty girly.

But, she has been known to hit or bite now and then. Do you think Adam taught her that in the womb?

A New Question

2008-07-16T21:34:00.004-07:00

A while back, we wrote about how often people say, "Wow, you have your hands full." We still get that a lot. But now that Adam and Isabel don't quite look the same age, and Anna is only a little bit bigger than they are, the new question is....

"Are they all yours?"

And then another question often follows.

"Are you going to have any more?"

Strangers never cease to amaze me. Note: If I know you, you can ask me this question. If we have never met and are in line at Wal-Mart, you cannot expect me to discuss my plans to populate the earth.

Summer Blues

2008-07-14T15:18:00.007-07:00

I noticed I hadn't updated in over a week, and we didn't do much that was blog-worthy this weekend. So, I figured I would just ramble about the not so fun things about summer. Because its not all about Pacific Palisades and birthday parties, right?

I'm pretty sure it has been a month or more since we saw a day below 100 degrees. The problem is, if it is over about 90 I don't really like going outside. So there is about a month in the summer I would rather just sit in air conditioning, but I don't think the kids like that as much as I do.

Gas is expensive. Duh. But that means when Saturday morning comes around, there are lots of options (go to the beach, a kids museum, etc.) but gas is a big factor and often keeps me from doing anything. This Saturday we went to the mall instead.

Anna is dying for school to be back in. She only went to preschool for a few months before summer, but she asks about school every day. She asked how many more sleeps and we told her about 50.

As we speak, Anna is crying about going swimming in the big pool. The problem is, one adult can't take three kids swimming in a big pool. It takes two of us to do this successfully.

Hopefully the little pool will appease her this afternoon - and I think it might be a long summer.

Weekend in Pacific Palisades

2008-07-06T22:01:00.012-07:00

We don't have a summer vacation planned, so for now we are enjoying short weekend trips that don't require too much gas. This holiday weekend, we were lucky enough to stay at a friend's house in the hills of Pacific Palisades, CA. They were out of town so we took the opportunity to house sit for a few days.

We spent a lot of time relaxing at the house, since they had lots of kids toys, a great view, and hundreds (no joke) of kids movies. We went to the beach in Pacific Palisades on Friday, and then to Malibu on Saturday. We also enjoyed a few fireworks from the deck. The kids are becoming quite the beach bums.

Triple the Fun Birthday Recap

2008-07-06T21:43:00.011-07:00

We had a small get together at John's Pizza for the kid's birthday, followed by two more days of individual cake and presents. I'm sure we'll have many years with three individual parties, so we took it easy this year while the kids are young.

Adam still wakes up some mornings singing (or yelling) Happy Birthday. And at dinner tonight he said, "Happy Birthday Anna." It's over buddy, it's over.

P.S. Mom and Dad Y were there at each event too - Mom and Dad, we never take any pictures of you with the kids!!

Big Sister

2008-06-30T22:54:00.003-07:00

I'm all partied out - but to be fair, figured I could squeeze out another blog before bed.

Happy Birthday ANNA! She is the perfect oldest child for our family. And she did surprisingly well yesterday, telling Adam and Isabel she was "so happy it was their birthday." Today was her day, and it was filled with treats and princess everything. We ate cake for the third day in a row, so I think we're good on cake for like six months.

My four favorite things about Anna as she turns four:

She "mothers" Adam and Isabel. Of course, that is the role of a big sister! But it still cracks me up when she says things like, "Just pick up your toys sweetie, and then you can play outside."
Every night she asks what we are doing the next day. What are we having for breakfast? What will we do after naptime? What are we doing the day after that?
Her odd obsession with bags, purses, and papers. It drives me crazy sometimes, but it is also endearing. Old junk mail, post it notes - any kind of paper/trash is her treasure.
She is so easy to please. I could have thrown one princess candle on a blank cake and she would have been happy with her "princess cake." Everything is exciting, and she is usually very thankful.

Happy Birthday Izzy and Adam!

2008-06-29T22:36:00.006-07:00

I don't have any pictures ready yet - just wanted to say happy birthday to Isabel and Adam before the day is over. The kids were all over stimulated this weekend, but overall we had fun.

My TWO favorite things about Isabel as she turns two:

Every night she chooses whether she wants Mommy or Daddy to put her to bed. She's pretty fair and doesn't choose one of us more than the other. Adam just has to deal with her decision and take the leftover.
She could drive me crazy saying Mommy 100 times while asking for something, but she makes up for it with a cute, polite, "Thank you Mommy" after she gets it.

My TWO favorite things about Adam as he turns two:

He can make a train out of anything. Lined up cars, bites of a peanut butter sandwich, kids lined up holding on to each others backs, etc.
He's great at ignoring you if he's focused on the task at hand. Then, when he decides to pay attention to what you've asked him to do, he'll say, "why?"

Big Boy Adam

2008-06-27T15:17:00.001-07:00

He looks a little sad in this picture but he did great and didn't cry one bit for his first haircut, even when she used the clippers. I am sad to see his curls go, but he is a big boy now!

Family History

2008-06-26T15:23:00.008-07:00

I've always considered myself very lucky in the grandparent department. Until recently, all of my grandparents were still living. And the older I get, I consider that pretty amazing.

A few weeks ago, my grandfather passed away on my Dad's side. He lived in Maine, and we have visited there a handful of times over the years. During one of our recent trips, he recounted his family history to me, told childhood stories, and then later sent me a list of all of the relatives he had record of. He asked that I look into his family history some day when I have time.

I know he would have loved to see some of his genealogy work done, so I wish I had taken the time to work on it before he passed away. But more importantly, I am so glad he recorded those names and shared those stories. It reminded me to try to get that from each grandparent, before it is lost.

"Grandpa Skinny" as I grew up calling him, bonded with Anna both times she visited. I'm so glad we took those trips! I never had any living great-grandparents, but our kids have been lucky enough to have many.

To Schedule

2008-06-23T22:07:00.002-07:00

I was looking for an old document and found this one. It is titled "To Do Before Babies" and was last saved on June 12th, 2006 - 2.5 weeks before Adam and Isabel were unexpectedly born early. Do you think all of this was done by the time they were born?

It is the last item that made me laugh the hardest.

To Do

Inside

Install closet
Paint bedroom
Move bedrooms
Tile in bathroom
Kitchen faucet
Fix garage door opener plug
Fix microwave
Organize baby clothes
Put baby dresser together
Baby proof dressers
Install more cabinet locks, buy door handle locks
Make quilts/get baby bedding
Clean windows, refrigerator, ceiling fan

Outside

Seed front grass
Sod back yard
Remove concrete blocks
Check gutter
Fix screen door
Fill in gaps with foam
Fix roof
Cut tree down
Fill in planters (till front planter)

To Buy

Nursing pillow
Crib
Pack n Play
Car seat
Diapers
Toys for Anna
Swing
Thank you cards
Announcements

To Schedule

Nanny

Mine Birthday

2008-06-23T07:13:00.004-07:00

Last night before bed I wanted to start getting the kids excited about their birthdays coming up. So we talked about cake, asked what they wanted for their birthday, etc. All Isabel wants is cake. Adam wants cars. And Anna - you would think the four year old would have a request. But she doesn't. I've asked her lots of times what she wants and she hasn't thought of anything. She is pretty low maintenance, I could get her a bunch of papers and a few purses/bags and she would be so happy.

This morning, when I got Adam and Isabel from their room, they were talking very loudly to each other.

"Mine birthday."

"No, mine birthday!"

"Mine birthday cake!"

"No, mine birthday cake!"

I knew the day would come when the kids became bitter that they all have the same birthday. Apparently the time has already come.