4th of July

Happy 4th of July! Our day started with red white and blue flag pancakes and the kids loved them! We headed to Aunt Debbie's house today for a fun day with the family, chatting, eating, swimming and just relaxing. We made it home just in time to see the fireworks at the Woodbridge Lake. The kids LOVE fireworks, even though Ethan was a bit tired and was just about to have a sleep deprived melt down but it was saved by the light show! It was a perfect day and evening. Summer has now officially begun in my eyes!

So this picture of our toilet papered house makes me laugh! What is so funny about this is that we had NO clue our house was toilet papered until my niece showed me these pictures! The nice maintenance crew in our neighborhood must have cleaned it up before we stepped out of our house in the morning...thank you! Thanks to my sister, Aunts and niece who have an annual toilet papering night on July 3rd, my house and my parents house were the lucky ones! Well they can do my house anytime, I am sure we wouldn't even know!

Hope you all had a great 4th of July! Happy Summertime!

Quiet rays of sunshine

I enjoy quiet time in my house especially in the mornings before the world (and the kiddos) are up. It's refreshing, the quietness and the sun shining in is a great start to a perfect morning. I hope you take the time and enjoy some rays of sunshine in your life. 

Happy Day! 

Preschool graduation

Really, is my baby girl done with preschool and moving onto kindergarten already?!? My sweet little princess that melted my heart over 5 years ago graduated from preschool and looked to adorably cute in her cap and gown and mommy of course was very choked up. In my eyes it's a big accomplishment, a big milestone, a big moment in her life and in ours as well. I don't think I am ready for everyday school, for her to be with big kids, for her to grow up, but I know it's a part of life and she and I will be OK. I mean I cried when she turned 1 and 5, what makes me think that I will not cry as she walked down the isle in her cap and gown graduating preschool and ready for kindergarten. She has made us so proud, her teachers say nothing but great things about her which reassures me that we are doing something right in our parenting. So tonight I sit with emotions of sadness and happiness, but most of all prideful of my sweet little girl who is ready to move into her next season of her life! Congratulations my sweet girl! We love you!

Father's Day...Palm Desert

For Father's day this year we headed out to the HOT desert for the weekend. It reminded me of being a kid as we always did this every year for Father's day and so we have started this tradition with our little family. We had a great time swimming for hours in the pool, we shopped, ate and most of all just relaxed (it was only 109 degrees!) The hubby deserved a weekend getaway and he enjoyed it very much. The kids are at a great age right now where they enjoy being away for the weekends, they love sleeping in hotels sleeping in the same bed, going out to eat and just being somewhere different. I am so proud that my kiddos have an amazing daddy who loves them so much and is the absolute best dad in the world. The laugh, play rough, have tickle games, play soccer, have lunch dates and snuggle with each other. He adores our children and they adore him. Being a father isn't easy, but it is sure rewarding and he should be a proud daddy for raising two little ones that show respect, love, kindness and are both silly as ever. Saul we love you, you make our world complete! Happy Father's day! and to Papa who means the world to our kids as well, you make being a Papa look like so much fun. We love you!

Thanks to little man Ethan we can actually have pictures taken of the two of us...he did a pretty good job, centered and all!

This is from Taelor....and her drawing of how Dad looks....so cute!!

And this is from Ethan...I love that his answers..."I don't know" and "very"

And yes, it was 109 degrees outside but we enjoyed every minute of it!!

Happy Father's Day!

No training wheels!

Taelor has been wanting to learn how to ride her bike without training wheels since the day she got her bike. Well we just haven't got around to it cause let's face it that is Daddy's "job" (way too tiring for this momma to do and I just wasn't ready for her to be a big girl). So daddy took of the training wheels and only a few tries and she was riding all on her own. Taelor was so determined to learn that I am sure she would have stayed out there all night if she didn't get the hang of it. But she did and we are so proud of her! It was a happy, yet sad moment for this momma! Milestone #whatever down...only a million more to come. Good job my baby girl!

My silly kiddos

How could these two not make you smile? I had Friday off and we had a great day together, had a breakfast playdate with a sweet friend and her adorable kids. My little brother is home from school for a month and we met him for lunch. It was so good to see him. Then we headed to the Spectrum for some shopping. Ethan was worn out by the end of the day that he fell asleep in the Target shopping cart! Love my kiddos so much and spending a fun filled day with them was just what this mommy needed.

Mother's Day...Disneyland

This Mother's Day all I wanted was to go to the Happiest Place on Earth....Disneyland! We didn't tell the kids anything (for a few reasons...one, we didn't want them asking everyday when we are going, and two, well we wanted it to be a surprise) and so we left the house in the morning and the kids had no clue where we were going....well except for Taelor guessing that we were going there, but I still said "we will see". When  we arrived at the parking lot the joy and excitement on their faces was all I needed. They were thrilled. You see we had passes in the past, but haven't for the last year or so, honestly it was because the last time we were there, I felt like they didn't appreciate being there, they weren't excited anymore about going (since we went so often), so we decided not to renew our passes and let me tell you, it worked. They were beyond thrilled and so was I! I mean what's not to like about Disneyland?!? The day was magical especially when you are seeing Disneyland through a 4 and 5 year old! We got there early and we stayed as late as they could handle. It was a perfect Mother's Day, just the way I wanted to spend it! I love being a mom, I love that I get to spoil my kids rotten for a day, I love that I am giving them the memories my parents gave me, I love that they are my children, I love being called mom, mommy, momma....I LOVE it! I just wish my mom was around to share these amazing kids with her, but I know she is always looking down on us with a big smile! Thank you Taelor and Ethan for making me a proud and happy mommy! I love you to the moon and back!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day!

First Day of Preschool....a little late

A few things have changed in our lives and schedules had to be adjusted and both the kiddos had to start a new preschool.... I know a bit late in the year but it was all fine in the kiddos eyes. It was the first day of any preschool for my little guy Ethan and boy was he excited! No tears were shed at all! Taelor switched schools  and was happy to be with Ethan (even though they were not in the same class). Taelor still shy as ever had a few days to get used to a new school. It was nice being able to have them both at the same school for now. I always get a little teary eyed whenever my kids start something new, but at the end of the day they were happy and so was I even though it was a little sad seeing my baby boy off to his first day of preschool.

Easter

Easter, one of my favorite holidays! I have always loved this holiday and now that my kids are old enough to understand the true meaning of Easter it makes it that much more special. Jesus died on the cross for us and He is Alive and this is why I love this holiday so much. This year our church had it at the park, outside in the sun and it was an amazing service! It reminded me of when I was little because Easter service was ALWAYS outside at the church we went to when I was a child. So this brought back such great memories and I was so happy that my children also get to experience the service while sitting with us. After service we headed to my parents house with the rest of the family, ate lunch, had an egg hunt, chatted, laughed and most of all had a great time just being with family. Happy Easter!

Taelor and Hailey....such a great surprise to see the Piot's on Easter!

My mom always has a candy bar for the kids! 

Friday night snuggling

Just being silly and snuggling with my kiddos!