In-n-out

No new news about the mountain lion, but Cole's class did get to go on a field trip to In-n-out. It was AWESOME. We got to tour the kitchen, make our own fries and eat free burgers at the end! For those of you who don't already know In-n-out is a family owned restaurant, that serves only burgers, fries, soda and milkshakes. It's the BEST burger around. They pride themselves on cleanliness and using all their own meat and cheese and other products.

This is Cole and the potato guy! They have a machine that peels all the potatoes but then it's this guys job to cut out all the brown spots. They said all those bags of potatoes would all be used by the end of the day! The next photo is Cole putting his potato through the cutter, which slices them into fry shape.


These floor to ceiling black crates are filled with buns. There is enough here for 2 days of business! There are 2 more stacks behind the ones you see.  Also notice the complex filtration system on the back wall.  That is why their diet coke is always so good!


Can I take your order please?

I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or the moms who chaperoned!

Our school is on Lockdown!

There are confirmed reports that there is a Mountain Lion roaming the greenbelt.  So our kids are not being released from school until a parent picks them up from their class and drives them home.  Crazy and a little scary.  We will be spending the rest of the day inside; although, part of me wants to grab my camera and go look for it.   You'd think we live in the mountains!

My 2 year old speaks Spanish!

Whoever says that TV is a waste of time just isn't watching the right shows. The other day, Cole and I were working in the kitchen and we hear Sammie Lou in the other room, yelling. "Ayuda me, ayuda me!" Cole and I looked at each other, wondering if she really knew what she was saying. He ran in to go get her, and yup, she knew what she was saying. She was stuck up on top of the TV cabinet and couldn't get down. Being the sassy little mommy's girl that she is, she threw a royal fit when Cole tried to help her. She just got louder "MOMMY AYUDA ME!" Which translates into "Mommy help me" in Spanish - so thank you Diego.

Later SL2 and I were talking in the car and I was reminding her that she shouldn't get up on the TV cabinet.
Me: "It was scary - you shouldn't do that again - no, no." etc. . .
SL2: "Yea, I's freak'n out."

Only time will tell if the scolding really sank in or not - here's hoping.



So this other photo of her is recent too. As many of you know Brad has just moved with work to a new firm. It was an intense, stressful and crazy busy day. He was at his new job and needed me to send him some stuff from home, so I was frantically looking for things and working on the computer. I thought Sammie was a little quiet but I was so focused I was just hoping it wasn't too bad. As you can see - it was. She had gotten a hold of my 18 hr. lip stick and obviously thought it was her color! Unfortunately, she thought the color also looked great on her pajamas, the couch and her ride-on motorcycle (yes, it was in the house!). It took me forever to get it off her. Her checks were red and chaffed by time it was all gone.

Ducklings!


On our way home from school today we saw a mother duck and her ducklings! They were so cute I had to run home and get the camera. When I got back Cole was very excited "Mommy! mommy!" (why is it always the double call out? Like I didn't hear it the first time?) "I caught one! It was stuck in the reeds and I just picked it up!" So I had to explain that we shouldn't disturb nature and we shouldn't touch wild animals. I'm not sure it really sunk in with the boys, because we were all causing quite a ruckus trying to catch a glimpse of the ducklings. Secretly, I was a little disappointed we didn't get a photo of Cole and the duck. By the time I got there the ducks were sick of us, I couldn't get a good shot, so it pretty much turned into a photo shoot of Cole and Drew. I couldn't decide what to post, so I picked quite a few. You choose your favorite.








Drew "That sure was fun ducking walking!"
Cole "You mean duckling watching."

I guess both statements are appropriate?

The Golden State Flower



This weekend we went hiking (sort of, we did have 10 kids with us) on Mt. Diablo.


We went up and down.


Climbed a few rocks!


There was no lack of photo opportunities.


Drew found quite the rock collection, he's our little geologist. Amazingly, these ALL fit in his pockets! His favorite nap time project (things he only gets to do when SL2 is sleeping) is painting rocks. He was very excited about all the new Material.


Thank you to Britt and Annie, who took all these great photos. What would I do without you? BTW have I told you how cute your kids are ?

"No, yuck, no, noooooo!"


Sammie had to take some medicine recently, she would run and try to hide from us every time! Of course the boys relished in the fact that they had the upper hand. They could tease her without getting in trouble - note Cole is holding the syringe full of meds.

Table Talk. . . .

Drew: Can I marry Sammie?
Cole: Our Sammie Lou or grandma Sammie?
D: Our Sammie Lou
Rach: Sure you can say you're going to marry Lou- lou for now.
C: No! You can't marry your sister!
D: Could I marry grandma?
R: Well, no because she's already married.
C: You could only marry grandma if grandpa died and that would me super sad.
D: Well then who should I marry?
R: You will probably marry someone you don't know yet.
C: Just some random person? Was daddy just some random person when you were my age?
R: Yes.
C: Was grandpa just some random person too!
R: Yes.
C: What - that is CRAZY! That means I'm going to marry a RANDOM person.
D: Well I'm still going to marry Sammie Lou.

We were having this conversation in very loud voices because Sammie Lou was being a very noisy cat in her chair.

Webkinz Craze!



My kids have become obsessed with Webkinz lately. Any free second they get they are begging to play it on the computer. Everything then earn goes towards buying a new Webkinz. I think they probably even dream about them. It's all the kids talk about at school. They even convinced grandma to buy them some Webkinz clothes!! So far they have pretty much stuck to the dog theme, we'll see if they branch out. Lou - lou calls hers "neb-kinz." I thought we had missed the wagon, since I know many other kids were asking for them at Christmas. My kids just entered the Webkinz world a few months ago. Does it ever end?? If you don't know what I'm talking about and you have kids, count yourself lucky. But, if they come to your town, don't say I didn't warn you.

News Flash "The Wiggles are Real!"



Drew "Mommy, mommy do you think that the Wiggles are real?"
Me "Umm, yes, I think they are"
Drew "Yep, they are real people! Like in real life!"
Me "Wow, that's pretty cool."
Drew "Yep, Ms Shazi told us. THEY ARE REAL!! Can we go see them sometime, please mommy!"
Me "We'll see buddy"
Drew "Yippee, they are REAL!"

Now everything he sees on T.V. he has to ask me if it's real or not. Sammie Lou is pretty sure Diego is real. She's obsessed with him - not Dora, Diego. Should I be concerned? I feel as if I'm getting a glimpse into the future of a boy crazed teenager.

If you can't tell, they are watching T.V. and yes that is a baby stroller and a Bumbo (used for infants) - Don't ask.


Some other funny things Drew is saying right now that are just to cute for me to correct him .

"branch" instead of Ranch (dressing) Cole called him out on it tonight, so it may not last.

"bezzert" instead of dessert.

He also likes to pretend he's a rock, cat or dog, depending on the mood he's in. When he gets into trouble it's usually the cat. Lou-lou has picked up on some of these habits and yesterday some lady at the store was trying to talk to her and Sammie would only answer in Cat language. The lady thought she was speaking Japanese! If only she was that savvy.

Sammie put these on one morning after the ski season and said "I ready go no keying" (snow skiing). She wore them all morning in hopes of a snow trip.

(what? stop laughing, I'm serious!)

The Lego car that didn't last



For Brads birthday the kids got him this really cool Lego set that assembled into a Ferrari. Brad and the boys could hardly wait to put it together. It shouldn't of been a surprise to us, but Sammie Lou was even more excited about it and was not about to be left out of the process. (Have you ever seen how these Lego's come? There are in a million teeny-tiny pieces.) The boys cracked it open immediately, which lead to the yelling, screaming, hitting and pinching that follows whenever Lou-Lou is being excluded. She never bows out gracefully, she goes straight for them, swinging! See the look of frustration on all their faces? I wish I would have gotten a photo of Sammie's, it was classic.



So I put her to bed and they worked on it a few more hours.


When I was in Phoenix, they pulled it out again. Drew got a little bored with how long it was taking to assemble so he started making his own "space ships" The problem with that was pretty soon Brad and Cole needed the Lego's from his space ship to complete the Ferrari. So Drew would have to disassemble and reconfigure his ships with the remaining pieces until there were no more left. Brad said he was such a good sport and always happy and accommodating to give up pieces.

One version of Drew's space ship.


They finished the car just in time to bring it to Sunday dinner at Nanas. They were so excited to show it off. Everybody was very impressed with the finished product. They put it in a safe place so they could all enjoy dinner (I wasn't there so I'm not sure where the safe place was). After dinner Brad and Steve were outside down below the back deck when they heard a huge shattering sound. Everyone came running to see what it could have been, just as they see red Lego's spread all over the backyard they look up to see Sammie Lou and Lily giggling on the upper deck. They (I should say she) had thrown the whole car over the 20 foot deck and it exploded into its original million pieces (or however many they're are!). The boys of course all pointed a finger at Lou- Lou and started to get very upset. Nana, decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and reminded all the kids that "we didn't see who did it, so we shouldn't just automatically blame Sammie." Very diplomatically she turns to Lily "Who threw the car over the balcony?" Lily smiles and points to the guilty party and says "Sammie did it!" Martha looks at Lou-Lou, trying not to laugh and say "Sammie, who thew the car?" Sammie smiles and says (with a big grin) "I did it!" very proud of herself! Nana, couldn't help but laugh.




At least she's honest! So, we never got a photo of the finished product (during the whole 3 hours it was actually complete). Brad and the kids tried to collect all the fallen pieces, but we have yet to try and reassemble it. Most likely they will all just go into the giant box of other Lego's. Drew, will now be able to make countless amount of ships.

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad's birthday. Happy birthday to you - your taxes are now due! Brad says he feels bad that your birthday is ruined every year by April 15. Well live it up today while the tax cash is still in your account! Hope you enjoyed those artistically decorated cookies.

Earlier in the week my parents bought a clubhouse for the kids to play with in the back yard. Drew and grandpa put it together in one afternoon - so efficient.



When I went to pick up Drew from helping build the fort, Sammie Lou was casually walking throught the backyard with me. Making her usual demands, but fairly nonchalant about them. "I go swimming." "I jump on tramp." Then she saw it! "A FOOTE! A FOOTE!" (rhymes with toot, but she meant, a fort!). She went tearing up the hill as fast as she could, yelling a A FOOTE at the top of her lungs. As soon as she got up there and saw all the boys had their shirts off she imediatly tried to take hers off while shouting. "Mine tummy out! Put mine tummy out!" Needless to say she got her way and the clubhouse will now forever be called a foote

Photo of the "tummies out"

As I was trying to leave, the boys ever trying new stalling tactics, climbed a tree. It worked, I had to stay a few more minutes and take a few photos. Cole got about 40 feet up there! Can you see him? His face is in that little sun spot in the middle. He actually climbed about 15 feet higher from there.


Drewbie played it safe and hung out closer to the ground.


Love ya dad, have a great day.

Red Sox


This is Cole's first season of baseball. He is on the Farm League, coach pitch and he loves it. He has made great improvements and the whole family is learning more and more about how little league all works. I was bench mom this last game - whew, it is a lot harder than it looks. Especially since I have no idea what I am doing, I got quite the work-out and a few (well- lots of) promptings from the other parents on what I was supposed to be doing. I could never quite remember to get the catcher ready for the next inning! Maybe next time I'll have it down. Here are a few photos from Sat. game. Nice hit buddy, you are such a good player.

His favorite positions are catcher, pitcher and 1st base.




Such a cute photo - if only I could turn it the right way! Come on all you bloggers help me out here. And, yes it is the correct way in my iphoto!


We had all the parents freaked out last game. There was an audible gasp as they all turned to see me yelling at Sammie to "hang on" as Drew pushed her down a large grassy slope while she was standing (not strapped) in her stroller. I was down by the game, too far to help her. She kept her balance and laughed all the whole way down. I think both she and Drew went several more times before the game was over. I guess we're nothing, if not entertaining.

This is another one of the ways Sammie Lou entertains herself during the games. Not, quite as dramatic as the stroller push - but still very entertaining.

She thinks she's pretty funny.



Thank goodness for Nana, Papa and grandma, who came and helped to entertain her. The games can be LONG!! I love this photo. We love you Nana.