Pinewood Derby!!!

So maybe I added to many exclamation points....

I really am not a fan of these events.

They are more about whose dad has the best workshop.

But anywho, my boys love it and therefore i endure it.

Gabes first and Kobes last...both super excited :)

Gabe got his bobcat and Kobe got his Webelo!

Doug was the MC so that was at least entertaining!

Avalon in her usual form....

Proud boys!

They both did well...Gabe beat Kobe everytime though 

 he was pretty pleased since they are both super competitive!

Gabe made a Lego car (he LOVES Legos)

and Kobe made a Geico talking $ car (don't ask, i have no idea why)

But they are cute and had fun and some kid with an engineer for a dad won.

Shocking.

Happy St. Paddy's

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

As you know my mom is the queen of traditions and decorating and being creative.

As a mother I want my kids to have the same memories and joys as I did as a child.

Sometimes real life happens.

The morning started off with some good ole' Lucky Charms...

(I even indulged in a bowl, and it really was magically delicious)

Thursdays are slurppee and park day, so off we go!

We did happen across a baby rattle snake at the park which was quite fascinating to everyone!

Then comes dinner! yay!

I always do a green dinner, basically dying everything green, and most off the time it ends up looking disgusting but thats really the fun of it right?

Well, half of the kids wouldnt eat and complained and were rude and burping and farting and making fun of me and well, just being UGH.

So being the wonderful poised and mature woman I am,

I locked myself in my room for an hour and a half and cried.

I didnt even give them the leprecaun treasure hunt i made.

I am just gonna eat every piece of candy myself.

And enjoy every bite.

I did eventually give them the grasshopper pie I made, begrudgingly.

And they spent the rest of the night apologizing and telling me "how wonderful" dinner was....

So the true question is why do I do these things?

Is it for me? To make myself feel like I am even half the mom mine was?

No....its because someday I know they will look back and remember poo-green food with smiles

and hopefully not their mom being a sensitive stressed out loon.

At least they are cute looking.....

wax on-wax off

Chudan Cashel

 

 Go-Ji Gabe

Kamaete Kobe

Ta-o-Kaete Tori

Ashi-o-Kaete Avalon

Awkward mom

Dojo Doug

Yep, this is pretty much us....

 So our family has movie night every week 

(well, we try....it's hard sometimes with sports and mutual and the gubes being gone every weekend...) 

But we don't just watch any ole' movie!

We watch ones that have 3 or more...i want to say trilogies but Harry Potter has 7 so.....

Anyways, we have done Harry Potter, Back to the Future & Karate Kid so far...

Last time we went to the tide pools we found this cool log and of course had to do the 

famous "Daniel son" pose. 

Obviously some of us have better balance then the others....

Just FYI....I wouldn't recommended Karate Kid 3...it is pretty weak and WAY cheesy!

We just started Indiana Jones...I'm scared to watch #2 this week though!

That one is so satanic!!

Oh, and yes I did look up Karate terms to go with everyones names...

I am that awesome.

Snowed In!! ok not really....

Freeeeezzzzing on our walk around Big Bear lake!

My Twins

Big Bear!!!! 

Dougs awesome brother Mike and sis in law Dana have a house in Big Bear and they let us use it for a few days! The kids have what has been happily named "ski week" since everyone in So Cal take the rest of Presidents Day weekend to go skiing anyway the just made it a holiday here (well in our school district anyway...) So the kids had off, I actually GOT THEM for vacation time and we had a blast!

Enjoying our Babes

We didnt have a lot of snow when we got up there but they thought they icy mud was a wonderland in itself so as soon as we got up there they were up and gone getting wet and muddy but having as much fun as kids should be! We went out the first night for some pizza and saw "Gnomeo and Juliet" The kids liked it but it was a little to Elton John for me.... :)
And then it began to snow!!!!

"Sledding" in the mud day #1

It rained and hailed over night so they couldnt go out in the morning but in the afternoon we got a few inches! It was so beautiful. I loved just sitting on the couch by the fire watching it fall over everything and stick to the branches. I could watch it all day. The sledding park was $25 a person...WHAT?! so we just found some back hills and awesome streets and did it our style :) the kids dont know the
difference and it made it more interesting having to
watch out for trees and cars and rocks......
Kobe even stood on his sled to
snow board which he did do pretty well...that kid scares me.

It Snowed!! Sledding day #2

When they werent throwing/eating snow we were warm and cozy inside having a Harry Potter marathon (we actually seem to do this a lot...hey, it's good stuff!) and playing games and drinking hot chocolate! It was a great bonding time for everone because I usually only have me munchkins during the school week so non-school tine together is precious as are they! They were all very good for being cooped up together and I'm so lucky they all love each other as much as they do!

Im surprised noone died of eating gross snow...

I am such a very lucky girl that Doug works so hard and that he is his own boss so we can take amazing trips like this....it has been so beneficial to help our new little family grow and bond to be able to spend time together. I love him and all the hard work he does to make sure we are happy and how much he loves and takes care of my kids....I truly am so blessed to have married such an amazing hunk of a man....

Yay! it snowed!!!

Straw Visor Club

The street I live off of is beautiful and hilly and treey and its where i like to walk/run.

It's actually quite a popular exercise route.

And while i enjoy my time just loving the visual beauty I must admit I get jealous occasionally.

Want to know why?

The Straw Visor Club

Now this isn't probably isn't the real name of the group but thats what i call them so there you go.....

There is this group of ladies, probably 4-6 that walk my route.

Not every day and not always at the same time...but they are there...

And i want to be them.

They all wear straw visors and have water bottles and are working up a sweat and smiling...

too much fun being had - and i want in.

Doug says I should just buy a hat and then kinda sneak in, you know, hide behind a tree and then just stealth myself in when noones looking and then just pretend like I was always part of the group...

They would never know right? I mean I got the visor?!

But alas....

I'm by myself looking on wishing I was cool enough to be in the

Straw Visor Club.

Lovers Day was Loverly

Happy Valentines Day!!

Cashel's such a sweet heart <3

 For Valentines Dinner every year my mom would make us shrimp scampi and make us feel fancy and loved with flowers and toilet paper rolls decorated and filled with lots of goodies...shes the best mom. 

Me in my finery (sweat)

I have tried to keep this tradition alive if I am not going to my moms anyway (which let's face it, i usually do...especially the last 6 years...) But this year we were alone in south and I made a scrumptious meal for my little loves. I realized this year i really have no Valentines decorations and so hearts cut out of left over red stocking felt had to suffice until i feel crafty enough. Cashel made cute little cards for everyone and surprised us with treats she picked out "especially for us" (or just really all the crap she didnt want from the Valentines she got 

at school...) One thing i did that I thought was cuteish was I got these strawberry Crush bottles and made little "I have a Crush on you" tags. I had to do something right? We had Chocolate covered strawberries and then my hot hubby took me out for the most romantic movies i have ever seen. "The Rite" and "The Green Hornet" I practically wanted to make out with him the whole time we were there!! 

He actually did do a very sweet and romantical thing for me though....He has been writing artciles for Yahoo lately and he wrote our love story and posted it...if any of you wondered how we met -in his eyes :)

- take a looksy! He is my true love and I'm so lucky I 

found him!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7729580/just_an_oldfashioned_facebook_love.html?cat=41

My Love

On Friday before Valentines we actually went to "incahoots" which is a country dance place. We went because:
A. Doug's sister and her husband met there 11 years ago to the day and so we went back to reminisce.
B. It's awesome.
We had a lot of fun mostly watching people and laughing....but i always love to watch Doug boot scoot his booty...it is pretty cute.

Oh Kobe.....

 My little man has been killing me lately.

This is one handsome and very talented and athletic boy....

And he knows it.

I have told this story to some, but he did it again last night and i was lauging so hard i have to share...

if not to make you laugh, then to be reminded years later and he can be a little embarrassed, though after you hear it you probably will realize he won't care.

This guy says the best prayers. 

Always so thoughtful....and long...very long...about everyone and everything 

 and people who need help, who are facing hard decisions and are ill or afraid.

and then....

he usually gives thanks for being so athletic and talented and having soo many talents.

which he is. but in a prayer?

the best thing he has said though and he said it again last night was....

"Heavenly Father, thank you for making me so good looking."

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

this kills me. is he zoolander? i mean he gets it all the time from everyone and all the girls in his class throw themselves at him so i cant blame him for having a big head and i laugh but at the same time i am totally worried that he is going to turn into some egotistical maniac!!

 on the same hand though he is so sweet to everyone and includes everyone and is a good brother and friend and a really good student so i cant be mad...

I guess i just have to sit back and laugh for now....

 Any advice?

what strange weather we're having.....

Happy Groundhog Day!

Today reminds me of one of my favorite people from high school, Suzanne Nelson....

Suzanne loved Groundhog Day and so now i do too.

I dont know if i saw my shadow today though because everytime i tried to look at the ground my hair would get whipped and blown and swirled all up in my grill.

So i saw my hair all day.

Speaking of crazzzy weather i just want to brag while i know most of my family and friends are freezing 

and/or already frozen....i spent last week at the beach. it was 78. 

and i actually spent at least 4 days at the beach this loverly wintery january. yup.

I love our new beach. I know, blasphemy. but i do.

Its beautiful and convenient and there are cliffs and awesome walks and tide pools and good waves and little pools and just all around great for my little adventurers!

Last week we went for a walk to this ginormous rock where there are some tide pools. Its a good little walk, about 1 1/2 miles each way....but there are crabs "this big!!" (just imagine my fingers open really wide)

the best part is on the other side of the rock a little ways down is the nudey beach where some 

really hot (ugly) built (fat) guys (gay) lay out...so we dont go past the rock....

anyways....it was a nice stroll and it was one of those days where the ladybugs are migrating and mateing and just being altogether crazybugs so they were everywhere!!!

I love them!!!

My little lady

Cashel loves them too...she kept catching them and making sure they wouldnt leave me...

she loves me. a lot.

 Kobe, Gabe and Cashel love these cliffs...they spend hours digging jumping burrowing and (when the waters too cold) boogie boarding down them!

 

(see that creepy guy playing the guitar? i felt bad cause he was trying to groove and find inner peace and my kids were not really that inspiring i'm pretty sure)

So what have you been up to this january? 

Besides being jealous of me :)

wow....a lot has happened in a year...

It's a new year.

2011.

I'm trying to be a new me.

I always loved blogging before but you know....full time job...full time single mom...

blah blah blah...wah wah wah.

So guess what?!? new year, new me, new posts!!

You're sooo excited :)

So what has happened to me in the last year you ask?

welllll....going on a year of dating my cute little boyfriend asked me to marry him atop a huge gigantic mountain that he made me climb in the sleet as his last task to make sure i was worthy of wifeyhood, we got married in june in the most beautiful romantical wedding where everything was perfection and we were in our  own little dreamland...oh and there were crepes...lots of crepes, we moved our apprehensive new adorable little (big actually) family to san diego and we live in a breathtaking brand new house where everything is clean and sparkly and there are rolling hills and the beach is still in view and its basically just lovely, i spent the first two months of our marriage crying in the fetal position most of the time while my patient amazing husband put up with all my craziness during a very horrible custody battle, and we have spent the last seven months trying to adjust to being step-everythings living in a new place with new schools and a new ward and a new Target...yikes, but basically it has been a whirlwind of love and happiness and i wake up some mornings and wonder how i got to be such a lucky girl.

feel up to date?

good.

now hopefully i will keep posting and maybe ill put up some pics...

so keep stopping by....ill try to be entertaining :)

ya ya ya....

Avalon blogged today and i thought...I really miss blogging...so I will...but first im going private. If there is anyone who still reads this and would like to be added let me know....or not, you probably wont be missing that much :)

Easter 2009

Well....I warned you things would be random....:)
Here is some pics from our Easter!!



All of us in our Easter "Finest"



This is a classic pic of my family...just look at all the faces...very carefully....

Basket "goodies" :) All Avalon wanted was a big tub of cookie dough....good thing the easter Bunny likes that too :)

The Hunt in mimi and Bacas yard!! Cashel found the $20 golden egg!!!

My kids are seriously sooo scary...

I know, I know....I haven't posted since October...I want to everyday....but then i start and get overwhelmed because I have to many photos now that I'm so behind! But tonight this happened as I was putting the kids to bed and I HAD to post!! They seriously make me laugh all the time!! Some of you probably think we are freaks...but I think this is amazing :) They always try to creep me out because I get scared so easily and I HATE those creepy movies where the people move all weird and crazy!! So, of course that's what they try to do!! :) It's long...you don't have to watch the whole thing...but it's worth the end seeing Kobe! I promise to start blogging after my play is over and it might not be in order but ill try my best!!!

Halloween 2008!!!!

Halloween this year was crazy as always! We had Trunk or Treat the week before and then did the haunted house thursday and halloween night! My kids always come up with the best costumes!! Lots of people have been telling Avy she looks like Stephanie from Lazy Town so she decided to show them! So cute! Kobe wanted to be an oompa loompa...and if you ask him he would say "old school" oompa loompa...awesome. My little Cashel decided on...yes...Paula Deen. So hilarious! She has been doing her little accent for months so it was perfect! I love my kids!!!


My crew

"WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU GUZZLE DOWN SWEETS
EATING AS MUCH AS AN ELEPHANT EATS
WHAT ARE YOU AT GETTING TERRIBLY FAT
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL COME OF THAT
I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF IT "

stephanie!!! Love all her arm poses...so not avy to pose!

"Hey yall! I'm Paula Deen! I like biscuits and butter...mmm,mmm,mmm! And some mayonaise!!"

Kobe looked so funny! Noone even recognized him!!!

Paula and London the pig! Olivia the precious little ladybug!

the trick or Treating posse! Fun group!

Kimmy, Me and Teri!!! Cashel got sick of her wig after 5 mins. like always so i tried to pull of the grey....this is what it would look like if i didnt dye my hair!

Happy halloween everyone!!! :)