Skating

About a year ago, I got so tired of finding loose change scattered around the house and so worried about it choking then little baby Daniel, that I pulled out a piggy bank and we started collecting and saving.  I told the kids we would do something fun together once it was full. It too months and months, and they never forgot or lost enthusiasm.  Any time they would see coins, Rebecca would shout, Money for the pig!  Ste-yen, money for the pig!!!  We ended up with enough money that their different wishes could both be met.  Rebecca's was to go skating.  What a blast!!!  None of our kids had ever gone before, and it was a very fun adventure.  I hope we go again soon.  It was really fun to watch them go from terror and having to be held up to excitement and doing it all on their own (with the help of the metal skating rails, of course).  Great pick, Rebecca!!!  Steven's will be next. 

Fire Station Field Trip

Our old preschool friends let us tag along with them on a field trip to the fire station.  What a blast!!!  We all had a great time and all the kids got cute little hats, key chains, and stickers.  It was really fun to get a little peek into the life of a fire fighter and see how a fire station operates.  Those brave men and women are all so amazing.  Thank you, fire fighters!!!

Seriously considering becoming a fire fighter after seeing
this kitchen...

A Universal Getaway

Last month Adam and I took our first just us trip in for years!!!  We wanted to go somewhere cool, but not too far, so we spent the weekend in Hollywood and went to Universal Studios for a day.  Neither of us had been since high school at least, so it was pretty cool.

Adam got SOAKED on the Jurrasic Park ride.

Want to know how to make your kids jealous?  Go visit Shrek
without them.

Sorry, Vin, your guns just can't compare.

After we were finished at Universal, we walked around City Walk and had a great time.  We decided to have dinner at Hard Rock, since that was one of our favorite dinner nights on our honeymoon.

It was great to see our cute kids again when we got home, although they were probably more excited for their rock candy than to have us back home, haha.

That is a lot of green.

I LOVE My Kids

By far my favorite moments are ones like this--all happy and loving being together.

I'm not gonna lie, I have had a lot of hard Mom days lately.  Sometimes I just want to run into my room, lock and slam the door, put my face in my pillow, and scream.  My kids aren't even being super bad--well, Steven is definitely ready for more stimulation at school and he and Rebecca go back and forth between being best friends and plain old driving each other crazy.  I think it is just that the constant outbursts of I'm firsty!  Mo-oooom!  Mommy, I'm hungry!  Ewww, that food is gross; I dont like to eat that.  etc. are really hitting the right nerves.  I mean, how much refereeing, laundry doing for 5 people, preparing meals for 4-5 completely different taste pallets, picking up toys and messes I didn't make, hurting my feet on toys that got missed in the pick up, and so on can one mom be expected to do?!  Daniel is having a nap--thank Heaven he still takes a great nap each day--and the other two are trying to compromise on a quiet movie.  I am on time out.  At times like this I need to step back for a few quiet moments and remember how much I truly do love my kids, no matter how many seriously nasty diapers or snotty tissues we go through every couple hours.  

Steven is so loving.  Almost every night he asks me to stay and snuggle with him for a while.  He is so mellow and has always given such great loves.  I love it when he lets just looks at me with his wonderful sweet, satisfied smile.

He has such a kind, sweet soul.

Rebecca is full of fun and loves to take care of everybody; she even makes sure my toes are covered by the blanket when we snuggle for snooze time.  I love when this girl gets all dressed up (which is basically every day), and I especially love the times she allows me to do her hair.  

This day she was Tinkerbell, complete with the
hair, wings, and a matching lunch box.

 

I am so grateful these two are best friends (most
of the time, that is)!

This boy is pretty much perfect.  He is always so peaceful and generally happy about life.  I love when he suddenly sprints to me and throws his arms around my legs for a huge hug.

I LOVE baby feet!  So soft and smooth!

 Besides how sweet they all are, these kids can be as strong as Hulk!  What's not to love about that?!

Well, that's enough quiet time for me.  I'm off to help Rebecca do a big puzzle (guess the whole quiet movie thing didn't work out--better for them that way, anyway).

Preschool

We are lucky enough to live only 15 minutes away from the best preschool teacher, ever--my sister!  Cheralyn has given Steven such a wonderful experience for these past 2 years.  I will always owe her.

Ready with his lunch and sharing!

Valentine math and color games

Eating lunch with Grandma during preschool--we are all missing
our weekly little kid time at her house!

A visit to Grandma is not complete without dancing
along to her beautiful piano playing.

Birthdays

I love sharing a birthday week with my first sweet baby.  Steven and I love counting down the days to our birthdays--and he loves that his is first!  His cousins Thomas and Tyler share our week, too.  It makes for a lot of great birthday fun!!!

Thomas joined us for a yummy dinner picked by Steven for his
actual day: spaghetti, pancakes, and cookies & cream ice cream.

Steven was excited to take a birthday treat to preschool, and he
picked a really fun (and hard) one to make!

More birthday fun with our Hall cousins!

Thank you Grammy for the awesome pillow, and
Aunt Christa and Brooklynn for the cool towel!

Totally delectable.  :)

More Fun With Christa and Brooklynn

We were so lucky to get to see Christa and Brooklynn for almost a week!  Besides taking us to Disneyland, Grammy also treated the kids to a trip to Scooters Jungle, and the next day to Griffith Park for pony and train rides.  Then all the moms got to go to Time Out For Women.  It was my first time going, and what a wonderful experience!  Thank you, Mom!!!!!!