San Diego Photos Part 1 (The Drive)

There are so many photos from San Diego that I can't put them all in one post, nor can I go through them that fast. So I think for the next few days I will post photos in stages. Here are some of my favorites from our drive...

The girls did GREAT on the drive out! Ryen had it the worst as she is still backwards and had nothing to look at other than her own feet for the whole drive. Her toys after a while were not enough to keep her enterained... but she is so laid back she only fussed a little. El was a trooper. We stopped to let her play for about 45 minutes at the Carl's Jr in Yuma, AZ (last stop before the CA border). That seemed to help her get energy for the rest of the trip.

All packed and ready to go and Daddy is smiling...


Circle K Stop so Mommy can have her COFFEE!!! Everyone's smiling...


Lots of Love in the car...


Look... my babies are STILL smiling! What troopers.


Sand Dunes in CA and wind turbines up close. Cool to see!


Yeah we made it... and my FAVORITE sign... BEACHES!!


Out Hotel. Best Western Hacienda in Old Towne


More photos to come tomorrow. Stay tuned! XOXO

I left my heart in San Diego!!

It is GREAT to be home. I have my doggies again and the comforts of home, and I KNOW Ella is happy to be home too! Last night after the Beach and a great day with her Uncle Greg she said, Mommy I want to go home to our house... What compares to the comfort and familiarity of home? Nothing! We had so much fun in San Diego, and I swear I left my heart there. It was my second time there, but the first time, I was only there for a few hours, so all I had time to do was tour the USS Midway (awesome by the way). This time we were able to take in and experience only a fraction of what this city has to offer.

I realized while hanging out at Mission Beach, that I really was NEVER meant to be an East Coaster. I am a warm weather, beach bum California girl at heart and wish I had grown up on the beach surfing, playing volleyball, rollerblading, running, etc. Makes me a little sad and I was a little jealous watching the younger people there... sigh. Some people just know they were meant to live in the mountains, or in the woods, or in the desert even. I just know I was meant to live near a Pacific Beach. Maybe someday??! Yeah right! After I hit the lotto. Anyhow photos to come for sure but here is a teaser... my favorite from our day at the Beach, of course!

..."I'll Be There..."

Yesterday I was hanging out in the pool with Ryen listening to music and the song 'Drive' from Incubus came on. Anyone who knows me knows that I can't NOT sing while listening to music. Lucky for me, both my kids LOVE when I sing to them. So I started singing Ryen the chorus while she was clinging to me in the pool. "Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes yeah." This time though, while holding her and staring at her beautiful face, I found myself getting really emotional at these lyrics. It seemed like a Mom's anthem! Who else can ever tell you words like that and truly mean it? It made me realize what a presence I will be in my Children's lives for so many years to come and how I will really be there for them with open arms for the rest of my life.

It also made me realize how much I have to look forward to with my kids. From them starting school, to learning to read, to playing sports and music/arts. From their first boyfriends and their first BEST friends, to their first major disappointments. From the Family traditions we will start to the times they actually WANT to hang out with their Mom (by choice!- lol) From their first heartaches and breaking my heart for the first time. From them learning to drive my car to them getting their own licenses. From all our Holidays to all our Family vacations. From them graduating high school and leaving my home for college, to them graduating college and turning 21! From them getting married and having babies of their own... and starting this beautiful cycle all over again! I just felt so overwhelmed and so fortunate and was feeling so excited for what I hope is SO much time ahead of me with my Girls.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day of changing diapers and potty training, and spoon feeding, and strapping kids into strollers and high chairs and car seats, and handling and avoiding tantrums and fighting over nap times and bedtimes, and all the other stresses that come with two young kids, that it is easy to sometimes feel like you don't get as much as you put in at this age. Sure, I get joy and fulfillment out of my children now, but I bet it can't even measure to how much they are going to enrich my life when they mature into the people they will become. How many memories, good and bad, we will have. How many ER visits and scares we will have. How many accomplishments and milestones we will celebrate. How many tender family moments we will have (and some not so tender family moments- hee hee). How many times they will cry on my shoulder and know that their Mom will always be there to listen and comfort them without judgment. Or how many times I will be the first person they can't wait to tell when something wonderful happens to them. Or how many times I will see their faces light up in wonder or amazement or sheer joy throughout their lives.

Not to mention I can't wait to see the Sisterly bond that forms between them. I can't wait for them to be Best Friends and comfort each other, and play with each other, and stand by each other, like only Sisters can. Sounds crazy but I even can't wait for them to bicker over clothes and jewelry and shoes and boys and phone time and computer time and TV time and fill my house with all the sounds of... well... family. I hope that when Jimmy and I have to say Good-Bye to them someday that they will be in each others hands and will be each others "true soulmates". (I should state that obviously this post takes a lot for granted about time, and the order and way in which things should play out in life, but I have always been an eternal optimist, so I am ok with that...)

It is easy to sometimes think about all the things you give up when Children come into your life. Especially when every Holiday or Vacation seems to be ruined by tantrums or crankiness or no naps. Or when you haven't had a date night in like 6 months, or been able to go see a movie, or hit a ballgame or a restaurant that doesn't pass out crayons. Or when you wonder when the last time you were truly able to sit down and watch what you want to watch on your TV or have an uninterrupted conversation with an adult... Today I feel like while singing to Ryen I got some clarity and got a moment see the forest through the trees, so to speak, and to focus on all the things I will gain from this wonderful experience/experiment (wink) of Parenthood.

Nothing compares to it... Sigh.

Cutest thing EVER!!!

I have to thank my sister in law Samara for posting this on Facebook or I never would have seen it. But I wanted to share it on my blog because it absolutely cracked me up and is the cutest thing I have ever seen!!!



You can actually visit www.evianliveyoung.com to see how they made this video. It is worth watching and hysterical!

Those of you that get my blogposts emailed to you please click here to go to my actual blog and press play on the video.

Christmas Birthdays stink! My twin sister and I had the unfortunate draw of December 28th. Jimmy and I decided awhile back to celebrate my half birthday instead (which is June 28th- TODAY ACTUALLY)!! So yesterday Lori and David watched the kiddos for us so we could head to Phoenix to catch a Diamondbacks game and then hit a bar for some drinks. We had a blast and thanks David and Lori!

Here we are enjoying the game (which they lost):



It was a real cute photo, but of course I wanted more. So I was THAT girl at the ballpark that was holding the camera out taking "self-photos" of Jimmy and I. Don't ask me how but Jimmy seems to have gotten this crazy notion in his head that I take photos to excess (whatever!! LOL) so he decided to be funny and unbeknown to me was making a different face in every photo trying to sabotage my efforts to get the perfect one! >:( I didn't realize until after we had snapped a few and I happened to check my work ;) We were cracking up! Here are the many faces of Jimmy...




He finally cooperated and I got my favorite one to remember the night:



Then today we spent the morning by the pool to combat this 106 degree heatwave! Wheww! The water felt great and this was a great ending to my Half Birthday:


My pose was SO much cooler- ;) (PS- 9 mos on 9 mos off please...)




Later we watched Mackenzie so Adrianna and Gary could see a movie. The kids played well together for the most part, except for about 600 "Mine" "No! Mine"s that we had to listen to. Here are some cute photos of the girls:






All told it was a nice day and it is now 6:45pm and both kids are in bed for the night. Jimmy and I are going to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. What a great half birthday!

Love our "Wednesdays with Friends"

With us being so busy and Ella starting school soon, I realized we don't really have that much time for playgroups or playdates like we used to. I can make time, but not without really sacrificing some other areas of responsibility like my to do list, cleaning, grocery shopping, working out, getting the cars or dogs washed etc. So I left one of my playgroups and instead just made a standing date to see my friends every Wednesday. Kind of like "Tuesdays with Morrie" (which is one of the best books EVER I might add) This is so much easier! We try to keep this one day open for each other, and so far we have had so much fun. We do a different thing each Wed, like meet at McDonalds for lunch, have a pizza party, tea parties, etc. It is so great. Not only are our kids friends and they get so excited to see and play with each other, but us Moms get some much needed time with our friends as well. Like my sister Lori said best "little friends for my kids and big friends for me!" (or something like that). Anyhow here are some photos from May/June's "Wednesdays with Friends"

Swimming at Jill's:


Lunch and Play at McDonald's:





Creative day of play at AZ Toy Town:








Tea Party at Pamela's:






Looking forward to many more great Wednesdays!