Fall

( I can only dream this is my backyard)

Fall, where are you? I can feel it in the air, just a little bit. I didn't care that it was still 78 degrees out on Monday, I couldn't resist the cold morning and I wore my boots and a thin scarf! Yes, I am craving Fall, I am craving pumpkin everything, hot tea, a warm blanket, crisp air, fun traditions and all fun that Fall brings! So even though this week will dip into the low 70's (and back to the 80's this weekend) I am going to enjoy the semi-transition into Fall, cause I know I know it will be here soon!

10 year anniversary

10 years ago I married my best friend, the love of my life and it has been the best 10 years of my life. WOW, really 10 years already? I mean I just felt like we were celebrating our 5 year anniversary not to long ago! I love my sweet hubby today more than ever. He makes my life complete, he makes our family complete. As I look back over the last 10 years here are the memories that pop into my head:

2003- bliss of being married, living in Aliso Viejo in our first apartment
2004- purchased a brand new house in the middle of this year, our year was consumed with picking all our options for our new house and waiting, waiting and waiting for it to be ready
2005- our first home!! This was an exciting year for us, we made new friends and neighbors and Ladera was our home
2006- We are pregnant! Our year consisted of getting ready/prepared for our new bundle (I don't think we were ever prepared).We took our last vacation aka "babymoon" this year...cruise to Mexico..Our lives were forever changed the last day of this year December 31, 2006 our sweet baby girl Taelor was born..,we became parents!! Absolutely the best way to end this year!
2007- Life with a baby girl, adjusting to parenthood, loving our baby to pieces. We lost your dad this year, such a sad moment in our lives. Our second baby is on the way!! Getting ready for baby #2 and Taelor turned ONE at the end of the year!
2008- It's a BOY...Ethan was born, our family of 3 has grown to 4! Life is crazy busy, I mean what else did we expect with 2 kids under the age of 14 months! Taelor turned TWO at the end of the year!
2009- Two kids keep us busy! We sold our house this year and moved twice...made our new home in Irvine. Taelor turned 3, Ethan turned ONE!
2010- One car this year, it was a struggle but we did it! Taelor started preschool this year. Taelor turned 4, Ethan turned 2! Mammoth trip!
2011- no more one car..YEAH! fitness stuff, home more, Taelor started soccer! Kids are growing up way too fast, Taelor turned 5, Ethan turned 3!
2012- so far, Ethan started preschool, Taelor started Kindergarten, I got a promotion at work, Ethan turned 4 and Taelor will be 6 at the end of the year! San Francisco trip!
Future- many, many more memories together, live and love life!

The morning started off with a banner of pictures and 10 reasons why I love him and our evening ended with a sunset dinner at the Loft at the Montage and a walk along the moonlit beach, absolutely a perfect night!

I love you my sweetness, I love everything about you! Here's to 10 and many more years to come!

First Day of Preschool...

Today my sweet little boy started his last year of preschool..tear again! I was a mix of emotions, but I didn't cry when I dropped him off, but was filled with tears as I drove away. He had already been going to his preschool for summer camp so he had met a few friends so it wasn't that big of an adjustment. So when he saw his best buddy Trey, he forgot to even say bye to mom...sad :( but I knew he was in good hands and I absolutely LOVE the school Abiding Savior that he is going to and his teacher is SO sweet. He is now my big boy that barely gives me a kiss goodbye and a wave of the hand and he is gone. This moment has come so fast and it makes me sad to think this is my last "first day" of preschool with him. Why do they have to grow up so fast?!? I wish you all the best this year buddy, I know God has so many things in store for you and that you will grow in so many ways this year! I love you little man, happy first day of preschool!

Mighty Mustang

It has only been 2 weeks to the day that my sweet little girl has been in school and she was the first one in her class to get 10 compliment slips (for being nice, respectful, listening, sharing, etc.) and when you earn 10 you get to take "Mighty" home for the night! She was beyond excited and so was mommy and daddy! Way to go Taelor, we are so proud of you! Keep up the good work baby girl!

Little Red Hen

The kiddies summer camp put on a play the Little Red Hen, it was too adorable. The kids pretty much sang a song the entire time dressed in animal masks and told the story of the Little Red Hen. These are the moments that make me smile, that make being a mom such a joy! I loved seeing my little ones up on stage singing their hearts away!

With Miss Lindsay who they absolutely LOVE!

London Olympics 2012

This past week has been filled with so much excitement over the 2012 London Olympics! I have enjoyed plopping myself on the couch each night and gluing my eyes to the TV for 4 hours. Yes I am exhausted from staying up every night until midnight but I just can't help pulling myself away. Of course women's gymnastics is my favorite (I have been watching these girls from the trials). I love that every four years there is unity between all countries, I love that these athletes dedicate their all to these moments, I love that you get excited not just for your own country but for any person that is trying to show the world they are the best at what they do. I love that you get sucked into watching it and you can't turn away. I love talking to others about it when I get into work. I love just about everything and anything about the Olympics, but what I love most is seeing the excitement and joy on the Olympians when they win a medal...it's a moment that is priceless! So here's to all the USA Olympians  (especially the Fab 5...my favs), thanks for making your country proud! 
Hope you are enjoying the olympic games this year as much as I am!

Kindergarten

Really has this really happened, already...Kindergarten....gulp...tear! My sweet little girl started Kindergarten already...yes year round school! She was absolutely SO excited to start school, but I am not quiet sure if I was ready! In some aspects I was, she is 5 1/2 right, I mean I know one day she would have to be out of my hands for 5 days straight and into the hands of a teacher that will have a big impact on her life and today was the day! We had a busy week with VBS this week and Taelor starting school the same week, but she was a trooper and did so well! My sweet friend Auntie Chela bought her a book, called the Night Before Kindergarten and it was the sweetest little book, I think I re-read the book about 10 times crying to myself that night after we tucked her into bed. The next morning was the big day and surprisingly I did well, no tears were shed from either of us! I met a great mom who's little girl ended being in Taelor's class and of course instantly they were best buddies. Kindergarten day is a few short 3 hours and 20 minutes so the day went by in a flash. Taelor loved it! She felt like such a big girl and was very excited to go back (that's a good thing in my mind). I still can't believe my sweet little girl, my first born is now in Kindergarten. I pray for her school year, that she will grow in friendships and that she will flourish in all that she does. That she has manners and is a good listener and most of all that she has a fun time! My sweetness, I love you, I love that you are a big girl now and you are ready to conquer Kindergarten! Here's to a great school year! 

San Francisco

Our summer trip this year was to the great city of San Francisco! As much as I am a beach, suburb kind of girl, I definitely enjoy a few days in the "city". Weeks before we headed up north we talked to the kiddos about San Francisco, showing them pictures of the trips the hubby and I had taken a few times over the years. We let them know what to expect in a "city"...tall buildings, cable cars, buses, busy streets, cabs, noise, lots of people walking, and everything else that comes with city living. They were SO excited and we were excited for them to see a city!

We braved a road trip with a 4 and 5 year old....and they were GREAT! We headed out in the wee hours of the morning and after an hour Ethan asks the dreadful "are we there yet?" which should have been a sign that it was going to be a long trip for him! Thank goodness he fell asleep for about an hour, but then woke up in a panic that we had already driven through San Francisco and didn't wake him up, then once he realized we still had miles and hours to go, he asked if we had to leave out planet to get there! I guess to a 4 year old 300+ miles might mean leaving our planet! Love a child's mind. Meanwhile Taelor sat quietly writing/drawing in her journal I bought her without much of a peep. We stopped in Santa Barbara and the kids remember that there are flowers in the middle of the freeway and that is about all they remember of our brief stop. Our next stop was Morro Bay to see the "big rock" and lunch time. It was chilly (just the way I like it!). Our next stop was Monterey...oh how I love this place! It was a brief stop and then we made our way up the coast to San Francisco! Exactly 12 hours later (yes I know, long, but that included stops and we drove part of the way up the coast) we were in San Francisco! An overcast evening was a perfect way to welcome us in (I LOVE a cold, chilly day).

After getting all snuggled in our hotel room, looking at the busy street below, I realized something was wrong with Taelor. No matter what we had told her what to expect in a city, it was very overwhelming for her! After many tears and a half an hour, she sniffled out these exact words " I thought it was going to be just like Palm Springs!"....I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or give her a hug! Sweet, innocent, real words of a 5 year old! After awhile she was finally OK, we were all exhausted and called it a night. The next few days we were up and out taking in all the sights the city had to offer. The Cable Car was by far the best thing the kids enjoyed. Just the look on their faces soaking up every sound and scenery around them was priceless. We walked Lombard Street and they laughed at me cause I was the one who was complaining and they had to keep waiting for "slow" mom...gees I just don't have the energy of 2 little ones! We walked and walked and they didn't complain once, I was so proud of them. They were in awe of the Golden Gate Bridge and how big it really was and of course they said "it's NOT golden!" We shopped in Union Square, ate chocolate at Ghiradelli Chocolate, had lunch at Sourdough Boudin (you can never go wrong with soup in a bread bowl in SF), we saw all fish and lobster down at the wharf, had some lemonade in the middle of Union Square and took a break. We ate on top of the Macy's building at Cheecake Factory and the kids loved the view! But most of all we had the BEST time! My heart was truly left in San Francisco.

On the way home we stopped in Monterey to drive the 17 mile drive, it was beautiful but we soon realized that from a 4 and 5 year olds point of view, looking at a "lone tree" was not something they found very interesting! We stopped at the beautiful Pebble Beach Golf Course, grabbed sandwiches at the little market and enjoyed a picnic lunch over looking the golf course and ocean. Even though the kids may not have enjoyed the scenery as much as we did, we still enjoyed every moment!

The best part of going on vacation is coming HOME to your own bed! And so, I left my heart in SF but we hope to be back again soon!

Until next time SF! Thanks for the great memories!

Love these two...

These two cuties have been friends since birth...Caleb's mommy is my bestie and so, for that reason maybe, just maybe these two will want to marry each other one day :) (in the far, far future)...

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!