Rainboots With Fairies

~I Have Been Found Out...~

2010-10-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

The kids and I set out to the Farm today to get our fresh fruits and veg for the next few days... I cannot tell you how delicious the pears looked! They were .30 a piece! Amazing! I bought 4.Tyler has had them before and Katelyne is still struggling with the "I don't like it..." whenever she sees somethings that does not resemble Mac N Cheese or a processed Chicken Nugget.

So, for lunch today I cut up and served them both some of the pear, and decided to tell them it was, in fact, apple.

Katelyne instantly told me she didn't like it. I informed her that she had never had it before and she should try it... I continued that it was an October Apple that only grew around Halloween time and had a sweetness to it like Candy Corn. (You believe me right?!)

I was switching laundry and over heard this:

Katelyne to Tyler - "Bub, did you try this? Mom says it is 'Tober Apple... I don't believe her. I think she just wants us to taste it........... Do you want mine? Ok, me either."

Then the softest whisper ever... "Roxy!!! Rrrroooooxxxyyyyyyy!!!! Here you go good girl."

I am unsure if I should be upset......

~Would CPS Approve?"

2010-10-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

Katelyne - "Mom, I am thirsty... can I get a juice out the garage please?"
Me - "Sure Honey, thanks for being polite."
Katelyne - *Comes in with something behind her back* "Mom, you know what would be soooo good for my tummy?!" *Turns around with a beer* "If I could drink this!"
Me - "Are you nuts? Go put that back please and get your juice..."
Katelyne - "But I promise I will take a good nap if I can have this..."
Me - "You have no idea... have a juice" *Hmmmm, maybe.......*

A few seconds later she comes in with a juice...

Katelyne - "Mom? I sure would have like to drink that cream soda!"
Me - "What cream soda?
Katelyne - "The one dad drinks, he told me it was his cream soda!"

*sigh*

~WHAT???? Are you still doing that Blog?!~

2010-10-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

*sigh* Yes, I am still doing the bog, but from the last post with Katelyne starting PreSchool, to say it has been crazy is just not even close to touching how life has been.

Being as hectic as it has been, we have managed to make time for oh-so-fun things with the kids pretty regularly. This past weekend we packed up the ol' Acura for a trip to Pixieland in Concord. It is a small amusement Park in the middle of a big park. It is small. Did I mention it was small? I looked it up online before we went and to say the map was deceiving is just not enough... we were there about 2 hours AND we had lunch AND we rode some rides twice AND we stopped to potty AND we waited about 6 minutes for the train AND we bought more tickets... we tried to drag it out a little bit.

The first ride Katelyne rode was the airplanes. She is such a big girl - this was the first time she rode a ride all by herself! I was a little emotional, to which I was told to "get the eff over it...". Apparently my husband lacks in the sympathy department.

She also choose to ride the car by herself! It was so cute... she was concentrating and seemed to really believe SHE was driving that car.

Eric and Tyler followed behind in the red car... It took Tyler a little bit to get comfy with it.

Soon, he realized HE could actually steer! And he made car "zoomy" noises the rest of the trip.

My ever sympathetic husband was unable to take the kids on the TeaCups because of a weak stomach... Pfft! All that means is he is a sissy when it comes to fun things... So, Fun Mom went! I will admit that Katelyne begged me to turn the TeaCup and I did - and I gagged. Twice.

The train was last. And the damn thing was so small that I was sitting next to Katelyne in the car in front of Eric and Tyler and this is the only picture I could get because we were practically on top of each other...

What trip is complete without a tat?

The kids had a blast. It was a fun afternoon and rather inexpensive too! Whoo Hoo!

I know that we will go again because I was told, "Mom?! You know what would be a great idea???" "What Katelyne?" " If you brought Tyler and me back here soon for more fun without Dad!" "Yup, that would be fun..."

~First Day of Pre-School~

2010-08-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Such a big girl. Time has certainly flown by and now I have a real "pre-schooler"...
Here is her new classroom:

She played outside on the new playground:

And most importantly, she made a fantastic Mrs. Potato Head...

She was so proud of her creation:

I will still say, that I am not sad that she is growing. I will still say, that I am happy to watch her grow... and it will still be hardest to convince myself.

I am, however, so very proud of her. She is smart, witty, compassionate and an all around wonderful little person - even at 4 years old.

~Dear Molars~

2010-08-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

You suck. You keep my son up at night because he is uncomfortable.

You prevent him from veering out of his current staple diet of frozen blueberries, strawberries and the daily Popsicle, of which he will only eat orange.

But you are leaving for some good picture sequentials: (And yes, I put that shirt on him purposefully - if he could speak in full sentences, he would most definitely say, "Leaf me alone")

And then he gagged himself with the stick.... twice. I guess he really wanted to read the joke.

~Tea Party for a Princess~

2010-07-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

*sigh* My baby is 4...

And since she IS a Princess, we had to have a Princess Party for her.

There is a fantastic place about 3 cities over (sounds farther than it is), that is home to SuperFranks! They have an outstanding Princess Tea Party Room...
They do the little girls hair, complete with glitter AND they get to dress up as a Princess - as many times as they like....

Katelyne and I make cupcakes with purple sprinkles, we had chocolate covered grahm crackers as a favor and the kids each took a bucket full of candy... you can see the buckets behind the candy jars here:

We stamped and water color painted cupcakes on a few sticks:

I am not that talented... we bought these:

Cinderella showed up!!!!!!

Your Heiress let peasants such as Mom and Dad get close enough to take a picture:

The kiddies dined on pizza and juice:

And Missy was wiped out!

It was so much fun, but the best part was on the way home when she told us, "it was the best day of her life..."

~How Does Your Garden Produce?~

2010-07-13T15:51:00.001-07:00

When Katelyne and I decided to plant this garden, I imagined a few tomatoes, maybe one ear of corn, and one or two zucchini....

To date the corn is about 4 1/2 feet tall, the tomatoes number about 20 and I just cut zucchini #2-4... and they were rather sizable (can you see the ruler at the top ???):

"Holy Shit!" Those were my words exactly... I am sure the neighbors heard. And between you and I, the kids did too.

Here are some pictures of the garden in it's entirety. Remember when I mentioned before that Katelyne was set on planting everything so close? Well, let this be a lesson to my Jolly Green Girl: THAT was a bad idea.

I am sure that in a few weeks we will have successfully crossed zucchini and corn... and you will be tasting the sweetness of Zorn soon.

Don't laugh.

~We Are Lake People, We Are Beach People~

2010-07-12T13:31:00.001-07:00

I guess that makes us "Bakes"? Or "Leaches"? Well, whatever we are, we are pretty much happy no matter which direction we head... this past weekend we headed south-west, to Santa Cruz.

It was a little foggy, but beautiful as always.
It was the first time Tyler would get close enough to the water to get a little sand stuck between his tootsies... He would only go as far as Dad.

It is funny how you realize how small your kiddies are when they stand in front of the ocean... I love this picture of my Lil' man.

Daddy dug in the sand and built castles and bridges with Katelyne - who was camera shy for the most part...

...Until I caught her not paying attention and snapped this gem of a face!

She looks so pissed! And she would not even look my direction if i had the camera for the rest of the day - such a stinker.

~Dresses Are For...~

2010-07-12T13:27:00.001-07:00

...anyone who will sit still long enough, if you ask Katelyne.

I still have no idea how she managed to get him to put the dress over his head, let alone the fact that she got him to come down the hallway wearing the dress!

She helped him out on the Fairy Shoes...
And then, he realized the dress was pink...

Yes, this is in the "Oh, let me show you Tyler's baby pictures..." arsenal.

~Have You Ever Been So Tired...~

2010-06-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

...You couldn't even make it through lunch?

Poor Tyler, so wiped from playing hard all morning that he grabbed Katelyne's Woobie because it was within reach! No discrimination here!! If it snuggles, it sleeps!

And no, I did not leave him there... I put him to bed, only to have him roll over, fart and let out a sigh... Such my little man.

~Discipline - "If It Works, Go With It"~

2010-06-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

"If it works, go with it". This is always my advice when people ask what our opinions are for discipline.

I was spanked as a kid. Not constantly (I heard you mom, before I finished typing), but when we were really bad and my parents were really fed up, we were spanked. Nothing that required a Dr. Phil session, but something that made us stand there and realize that we better think twice next time. It worked for us and for our parents.

When it came to child rearing of my own, I never said I would not spank. It was not my first choice, but I knew that it worked for my brother and I; we are pretty OK adults now.

With Katelyne we have tried everything... we did time-outs - did not work, we tried taking items away - did not work, hot sauce - no workie, and yes, we did spank - way do not work. Katelyne is my clone, I know how she is working and thinking most of the time, when we would raise our voices or even spank her (the 2 whole times we did), it only pissed her off even more.

This made me realize that she is a "positive reinforcement" type... it is working, I am going with it. I made her a chart for her chores with a space for her attitude. With Tinkerbell... On the left side, are her chores. As she completes a chore, we move one of the Tinkerbell magnets over the chore...

On the right it says "Happy Toot". When she was a little bit younger we called her "Toots", so when she is "caught" being nice and doing something good, she gets a smiley face (I make it a point to "catch" her doing good - it is usually easy to do). We have a set goal of 4 a day.

So, at the end of each day, if she has done all of her chores, and has been a fantastic "helper of the day" (these are her words), and gotten at least the 4 smilies, she gets a prize from the prize bag. And, I must add, my prizes are awesome. There are Hello Kitty things, fun socks, color books and stickers... she LOVES it. So far, she has only had 3 or 4 days of no prize and we have been doing this for about 3 weeks now.... I figure that we are doing great! Katelyne is a smart girl and really a natural please-er, so if we are out and I say, "Thanks Babe, that was really nice/sweet/helpful of you" she will look at me and say, "Did I earn a smiley at home?" and as soon as we are through the door, she is adjusting a magnet... Positive reinforcement is our Mojo right now. Whoo Hoo!

I planted flowers today..... Mmmmmmm, I love Dahlias... beautiful.

~First Day of Summer~

2010-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

Now that I am officially a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM), I have taken the proverbial deep breath and started to enjoy these fun years with the kids. With lots of trips to the library, which they love, we decided to spend a little time in the ol' backyard with my furbaby - RoxyAnne - and play in the water...

Tyler enjoyed throwing the ball for Roxy. I am pretty sure she would have enjoyed it as well, had he not kept throwing it just in the pool... She is a distance kinda dog; I am sure Tyler will be a tad more accommodating in a few years.

Katelyne requested that I set-up the sprinkler. Who knew!!! With all of the money we put into getting toys and such, she is thrilled with a regular, 9 year old, cracked plastic, spiders living on the underside sprinkler..... I did not mention the spiders to her. I am not dumb.

Tyler was interested and she taught him how to jump "super high"... Yes, I had to use the wide angle lens to catch their high-ness....

Good times. Good, simple times...

~Katelyne And Her Purple Room!~

2010-06-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

Katelyne has had the worst allergies this past week. Her biggest struggle with them is a nagging cough. And cough. And cough. And cough. She fell asleep last night at about 8:30 only to wake up at 10 and cough so hard she barfed all over her bed and Woobie. (Yes, barfing on the bed is bad. Barfing on Woobie is just abominable). So, I stripped her bed and she climbed in with Eric and I. Yup, just Eric, me and our little starfish...

After a sleepless night of being up with a coughing starfish... I finally decided to stop counting how many times the fan blades spin in a minute and got out of bed at 5:30am and started to paint her room. Eric had left me long before this point and was sound asleep on the couch. This was our plan all along to paint today, I just started a little earlier than originally planned!

We did "Swiss Coffee" on the top and "Butterfly Flutter By" on the bottom. Both picked by Katelyne.
Daddy was ever so kind as to cut, curse at and hang a chair moulding...

Since we put her credenza in the closet to free up floor space, we painted and put the chair moulding in there as well to finish it off...

Literally at about 2:30 we were finished and put it all back together! She picked this lamp and shade...

I used my old Hope Chest (that holds her dress-up things) with some pillows so she has a place to sit and read...

Her bed and new bedding she picked...

The quilt is a lavender and white check, andwe paired it with this fairy duvet cover she LOVED! It is from pottery Barn Kids and was uber expensive... that is, it was! I did not want to pay 80$ for it and waited so long to do so, that by the time I went back to get it, it was only 30$... Woot!

We hung a coat rack for her bags and things...And here is where we use her closet to the fullest. The 3 hole hanging thingie in the middle is for when she starts school. This way she can have her 3 days worth of outfits all ready to go! (She only has school 3 days a week)

As I type, Katelyne is sound asleep in her new room. She told Eric and I "thank you" several times today without prompting... I think she likes it!

*I kind of have the jealousies.......*

~Hey Mom! Look At This Platform I Can Climb!~

2010-06-19T19:59:00.001-07:00

Ty-ler (name): To throw everything, to eat everything, to point and grunt constantly and will climb anything that stands still long enough.

Example (sentence): Tyler! Get off of that! You will fall and crack your head open!

Tyler decided to climb the planter bed surround yesterday. When he was busted by camera clicking Mom, he turned with a very innocent look.....

And almost instantly, turned to RUN the length of it!

Katelyne thought it was funny that he was "frweek-in you out Mommy!"

*deep, cleansing breath and release*

~Three's Company (& Decorating!)~

2010-06-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

I am woman... nope.

I am Mom, therefore I can accomplish anything, with helpers!

For Katelyne's 4th birthday *shudder, twitch*, she decided that she wanted her bedroom redecorated. She has apparently, at 4, outgrown the pink and has matured to more sophisticated colors such as, pur-pole.

When we put her nursery together all those 4 years ago, Eric and I lovingly (with curse words) put up the coordinating boarder that went with her bedding. Because I enjoyed the boarder so much, I searched high and low for bedding for her full size bed so we could leave it up! Katelyne has other plans for her room.

This weekend, we are going to paint her room, a lovely shade of lavender called "Butterfly Flutter-By".... you are feeling Disney-ish already aren't you? Today the kids and I headed over to our neighborhood Cresco - that is after all, what the commercial tells us to do - and rented a "Wall Paper Steamer Offer Thingie". I have to double check my receipt, but I am almost positive that is its name.

And in less than an hour, all of my baby nursery visions were in a pile in a bag. The entire room was a cool 100 degrees thanks to the steamer thingie and I was exhausted steaming the boarder all the while holding Ty off so he would not scorch his precious face...
Surprisingly, I am not sad. Sometimes I look at my kids and I think "Gosh, where did the time go???", but I am not sad about it. I am interested in watching them grow and become their own little person. Katelyne now knows that her favorite color is purple, 6 months ago she did not know that - and 6 months from now it could change again... Yup, times, they are a changin' and my babes, they are a growin'... it's not so bad.

~BOY, OH BOY~

2010-06-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Back in July of 2008, Eric and I found out we were expecting again. It was a wonderful time. We found out the day before Katelyne's birthday party and everything around us was falling into place.

In December of that same year, we found out we were having a boy. While we were over-the-moon with that news, we had no idea what would come next....

I began to decorate and found this decal for his room...

I now know the complete meaning of the term "appropriate description".

About an hour ago the kids and I were playing out back. Katelyne wanted help making "hopscotch" and I, naturally obliged. Tyler went on a safari... to the garden... that I had just finished watering... *sigh*

He tried to steal the sprinkler, and fell... in the mud. And spent 15 minutes running from me...

~Off Topic - Sex and the City~

2010-05-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

I have never understood this phenomenon... I guess being middle aged, having oodles of money to shop, boyfriends half my age and man problems could be fun, but it is just not for me (or is it.....)

In my card making business, my SIL is my biggest customer quantity wise... until now! I just finished a custom order of 8 cards for my new Biggest Customer! SHe plans on sending these cards out to her closest girlfriends after their girls night out tonight to see SATC! What a fantastic idea... it sure sparked my creativity as I was incapable of making any of the cards even slightly similar.... damn OCD.

Here they are, enjoy! I am off to complete an order from my favorite SIL - yes, yes, they will help her to regain her title as "Paper Festivites Best Customer Who Makes the Mostest Adorable Babies"... after my babies anyway...

Tell me what you think!

In case you were looking: http://www.etsy.com/shop/paperfestivities

;-)

~Food~

2010-05-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved food. My biggest fight with food has been that I want to eat it all - with no inhibitions. I want to shove it in as fast as I can, make a mess, lick it off of my fingers, scrape it off the bottom of the plate and enjoy every morsel...

I am 31. *shudder* If I do this, people will stare. They will point and you can bet your sticky buns they will laugh. So, to avoid embarrassment for my family I refrain. I eat like a civilized person, I use a napkin, I leave a little food on the plate and I chew with my mouth closed.

In the effort to find a happy medium, I live through my kids....

I love pasta.... and ummmm, yeah, I took a lick.

~2:38 am~

2010-05-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

Katelyne: *whispering* Mommy?
Me: What Katelyne?
Katelyne: "Can you come sleep with me? Plllleeeeeaaasssseee?
Me: Not tonight, let's go back to bed...
Katelyne: But I really want you to sleep with me!!!!! *No longer whispering*
Me: It is time for bed Katelyne.
Katelyne: But you sleep with Daddy everynight!!!! It's not fair!
Me: Sorry Sweets, time for bed.... good night.

Should I have said "Good Morning"?

~Out of the Mouths of Babes~

2010-05-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

Me: Katelyne, it is time to take a nap Honey.
Katelyne: *sigh* That is sad Mommy...
Me: Why sad? That is silly...
Katelyne: *sigh* Because I am really not tired.

As of now she has been asleep for 1 hour and 23 minutes. It is a shame she was not tired... I kinda feel bad.

~I Gave In~

2010-05-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

Katelyne is a beautiful child.... I am biased. But everyone that knows her says the same, so I must be right. Right?!

I gave in to this by entering her into a Parents Magazine cover contest. I was realistic that there would be 1,000's of entries, I tried not to get too excited about it. When I entered her there were 1,823 entries for that week. Yes. Week.

I sent in these pictures:

Then, this past Monday, I got the email - She was a finalist!!! My Baby made the cut!! I am a psychotic stage Mom!!! Whoo Hoo! This feels sooooo good!!!!

Parents Magazine used the last picture.... those green eyes really speak to most people... I imagine this is what she will say when we win.... I mean when she wins:

"Thank you Mommy for making me smile for all those pictures. Thanks Daddy for going to work everyday and making money. Thanks PopPop for only sharing your eye with me - I got them from him...."

*tear*

~There Are So Many Levels of Child Abuse~

2010-04-27T15:30:00.001-07:00

That I really cannot keep track of them all.... but I can describe one to you that I am guilty of:

This past Thursday, Tyler had what we are referring to as "the incident". He had peanut butter... and was allergic. This is a whole other story - this child abuse story is all about Katelyne.

On Thursday, whilst Tyler was in the middle of said reaction, I was frantically calling the doctor and attempting to hear the him while Tyler screamed and Katelyne was running crazy inside. The only logical thing to do was go into the backyard to hear his direction on what I should do next - I was really crossing my fingers for a margarita, but no such luck. In transition of my insideies and outsideies, both kitties and the dog followed. Upon my last entry before leaving for the doctor, one kitty and one dog followed me in - I was unaware of this curious kitty, Sparkle, not returning.

After a trip to the doctor, picking up some simple benedryl mixture and a quiet ride home... things started to simmer down with Tyler. Then it happened: we all realized that Sparkle was, in fact, missing. We looked all over for her - calling for her, shaking treats for her, everything. We finally decided to turn in and file this as "Dr. Doolittle has lost a cat"... (With all of the animals we have - not a bad thing....)

The next morning, Katelyne decided that she was not satisfied with being minus a kitty. So, after much argument and a few tears, I suggested we put out some food in a dish by the back door. She did. And then the abuse started - she came in and sat at the back door, waiting. She got up 2 times, once to run 10 feet away and grab books and another time to run the same distance and grab 2 puzzles.... it was sad.

I decided to divert her attention at about 11:30 with lunch... and then it happened. I was down the hall while she was enjoying lunch and she screamed, "MOMMY! I SAW SPARKLES TAIL! SHE IS BY THE BAR-BE-QUE!!!!!!! COME NOW!!!!!!!!"

I came down the hall a little skeptical. But, she was right... Sparkle was in the backyard. The only thing Katelyne was unaware of was that Sparkle was not going to come in without a fight.

We chased her all over, back and forth. After several trips across the backyard, I could no longer hold my tongue... "STUPID SHIT!!!!", I yelled at Sparkle. Katelyne very calmly looked up at me and retorted, "Mommy, we shouldn't say 'stupid.'", "You're right Honey, I am sorry..." Then we tried a different approach. I handed Katelyne a beach towel and I had another... I instructed her to hold up her towel and when I scared Sparkle her way to throw the towel on her! She was on board with it.... her reflexes had other plans. She is not the quickest in the face of excitement.

Finally, I am guessing out of exhaustion, Sparkle stopped and nestled herself between the wheel well of the trailer, (Redneck? Yes.) so I told Katelyne to walk s.l.o.w.l.y around the trailer to spook Sparkle a little and I would catch her with the towel. She did.... and when she was dead even with Sparkle, Sparkle just sat there - stupid shit. I had Katelyne squat down and pet her, Sparkle let her - stupid shit. So, I decided to walk over s.l.o.w.l.y... I got there and reached in to pet her, grabbed her scruff and brought her inside....

I AM A HERO!! (*Que Indiana Jones theme*)

So, Sparkle is home, Katelyne was not too badly bruised and now no kitties are allowed outside.... *sigh* Sorry Belle.

~How Does Your Garden Grow?~

2010-04-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

For as long as she learned how to speak, Katelyne has been asking to plant a garden. Not for eating the vegetables, but I think more so for her own independence - "I did that" sort of independence.

Every year we have seemed to miss the seasonal boat, so this year I was determined to make that happen for her. This morning we headed off to OSH to get our supplies. TO my surprise she knew what she wanted to plant, and exactly what she needed in order to make them grow... at this point I am beyond proud that she is so smart, or she really takes after my side and is just a smart-ass, either way she knows her stuff.

She knew she wanted corn, tomato's and strawberries. I threw in a squash because Tyler LOVES them... she picked out a fence to keep out "critters", the dirt, told me she need "fergaliser" and some gloves.... Princesses are not too keen on getting dirt under their nails ya know...

She did so well and watered everything when we finished. Then we moved onto strawberries that are in a pot on the patio. The only struggle with this was she was devastated they did not have a purple pot... she told the cashier of her disappointment.

~My Theory on Nature vs. Nurture~

2010-04-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

In college I took a Psychology class that was structured around the Nature vs. Nurture theory. In short term, this debates concerns the relative importance of a person's innate qualities (nature) versus their personal experience (nurture) causing differences in physical and behavioral traits.

I have seen, first hand, that nature has a strong pull in determining these traits.

I am no psychologist, not a doctor, or a professor, I am a Mom. More specifically, I am Katelyne and Tyler's Mom.

Katelyne is a girly girl in every sense of the word. She is amazing. She loves purple and pink, thinks Tiaras complete any outfit, tutu's can be worn everywhere, dirt on you is just unacceptable and eyeshadow is a must to leave the house. If she falls, you are immediately teleported to a twilight of drama - tears, screams, band aids and lots of hugs...

And, Tyler. Tyler was born with brawn and gusto. Equally, Tyler is amazing. Even before he could walk, he had one speed: GO. He will climb anything, scale the dog, throws everything, push everything and if he falls, he may whimper, but 99.9% of the time, he will literally shake his head and continue on.

As I awake every morning I stumble into the kitchen and make my coffee, on my way back down the hall, usually I am greeted by my little Princess who requires immediate hugs, and kisses and snuggles - I whole-hearted oblige. About 20 minutes later, I change out my tiara and replace it with my hard hat as Tyler wakes... he requires an immediate trip to the kitchen for food and milk. I find myself constantly interchanging my tiara/hard hat daily.... naturally, my children are two completely different beings and that is the amazing part of them both.

I am a proud Mom... I have the best of both worlds and a pretty awesome Hubby to go along with the package. Each day is different from the last, and I honestly could not operate any other way.

~I No Longer have Babies~

2010-04-07T11:49:00.001-07:00

...I have a toddler and a PreSchooler... I tried to get a picture of him in his no-longer-a-baby hat, but he was much happier without it on. He even smiled!Who came up with such crappy descriptions anyhow??? I mean really toddler means "I am still dependent on Mom, but I can run from her if I choose" and PreSchooler means "I am on the highway to Smarter than Mom... do you think she'll notice?"

I feel old.

~A New Day~

2010-04-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

I just put my baby to bed and will wake up with a toddler... I will have a 1 year old and an almost 4 year old... wow.

These are a few of my favorite pictures of them...

Also, I came across this today, "I should be able to worry about the things that bother me." I am worried that my kids are growing too fast... that bother's me.

I love them so.

~Growing, Growing, Gone~

2010-04-05T21:22:00.001-07:00

Today is the 5th of April... if you count days, this time last year, Tyler was about 15 minutes old.He was actually born on April 7th, so I have 2 more days to get my shit together... I am just gobsmacked that my baby is going to be a whole. year. old...

Today is stood up in front of Katelyne and the top of his head was at the bottom of her chin. She is 3 years, 8 months old and well on her way to adopting "I am Tyler's older sister", and abandoning "I am Tyler's bigger sister".

Oh. Gawd.... I think I can feel the pitocin running through my veins again.....

~Tyler's Baptism~

2010-04-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

... or as Neighbor Rob called it, "Tyler's certification".

Really such a beautiful day... the weather was perfect and all was easy going. Tyler was such a good boy and was ok with water poured over his head and a strange person holding him in the air!

Really all was easy... we chose our very best friends to be his Godparents and we are rock solid that we will drop him off at their house one day soon! ;-)

Afterward we headed home for cake and drinks with friends and family.... really just a nice day.

Both my babes are just 2 blessings who are now Blessed!

~NHRA! Ashley Force-Hood~

2010-04-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

Just as promised in earliers post, we packed it up and headed south for Drag Racing! It is hard to detail all we did while we were there (Grammie and I had extra "baggage" all week) we did a ton of fun things.... we went to the Walley Parks museum, met Ashley Force-Hood, the drag races and swan a bunch too! Here is the photography side of the trip....

~Tyler's FIrst Haircut~

2010-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Date: February 2, 2010

Place: Diablo Beauty

Stylist: Auntie Jen

Mommy: A Mess

Tyler: Did really well..... even giving Auntie Jen the "evil eye"

Now he is just a Big Boy *sigh*

~Presidents Day in Lake Tahoe~

2010-04-01T12:22:00.001-07:00

For those of you who know me, you are aware that I have had a tad bit of increased anxiety since we had Tyler. Even with this small bump in the road, I have tried to keep the kids lives as normal and functional as possible without holding them back.

So, we packed it up and headed to the snow.... in the snow.... while it was snowing... to play in the snow.... and not get buried in the snow.... or eat yellow snow.... or hit a tree while sledding in the snow... See? No worries! Right?

Katelyne had a blast! She was in outside the minute we got there and only stopped to eat and sleep... (she pooped once, but I think that was from excitement overload!) Tyler, well, let's face it.... he could give a shit because he is 10 months old. But he seemed to enjoy sledding with Daddy and actually LOVED just sitting in the snow watching Roxy and Katelyne run like wild animals!

While I would LOVE to say the trip was all roses and candy canes, I have to be the eternal realist.... Tyler had a hard time sleeping, poor Katelyne was asleep on the floor and I was beyond anxious the entire trip.... just soooo nervous. So, to avoid further dramatic downfall, we headed home on Sunday night at 8 o'clock. In the snow..... damn the snow.

~Racin' Racin' Racin'~

2010-04-01T12:18:00.001-07:00

We are planning a trip to the WinterNationals in Pomona this February and are in the process of bubble wrapping the children......

I am unsure if they will enjoy the trip, or even the event for that matter. I do know their Dad and PopPop will - so I guess that is what matters......

Holy Shit! Can you believe how drooly TyTy is?! Wow! Get a drip pan already!

~Santa Here We Come~

2010-03-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Off to see Santa we go... We spent 2 days prior pumping up Katelyne on how the old guy would bring her whatever she asked for. We followed up these instructions with the ideas of what we wanted her to have. Genius, I know. She was all clammed up at first, but quickly opened up when I reminded her that if she said nothing, then she got........

TyTy was not as sure... and Katelyne quickly grew bored of him not paying attention. There was an odd elf outside that was a little freaky, but the kids seemed to enjoy her and I guess that was what mattered... she made candycane balloons! Shortly after these shots, Katelynes burst on the grass.... needless to say, a "small donation" supplied her with another one she "had to have". I think it is still in my car trunk, it is March.

~CHRISTMAS TIME!!!~

2010-03-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

Finally! After 12 months of waiting.... Christmas is here!!!

We are off to find a tree! This is where Katelyne shows she HATES the camera..... note the little boy looking at Santa and Katelyne peering from the backside.... as if to say, "Um, I have no interest in smiling for a picture and I will be damned if you are going to show me up!"

I had to get a few sneak attack shots.... And a few family shots.... All-in-all it was an interesting trip. Katelyne had major attitude the entire trip (yes, because of the Santa fiasco at the beginning), Tyler was not having the rain and Eric was already saying he was "not setting this thing up tonight, so get that through my head!"

I love the family time we spend together that is so loving and precious....

**yes, he did put up my damn tree....

~Bath Time Giggles~

2010-03-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Having one kiddo is fun! By "fun" I mean easy.

Tyler quickly outgrew his baby tub, and we have now upgraded to the bath seat! He couldn't be happier! So, I have resorted to one of the many things I swore I would NEVER do..... Team Bathing. I was against this only because my Katelyne is eternally inquisitive. Asking questions overandoverandoaver again - then she will ask a few more times to check that you weren't fibbing.

But the fun they have together is fantastic! They squirt each other with bacteria infested toys, blow bubbles in the dirty bath water and create small tidal waves in the bathroom!

It was fantastic until I came to realize what exactly it means to be a boy. Here is my interpretation: It means bugs are no match!, no dirt is too dirty!, he will always have a "little boy" smell - no roses here Lady, he will melt me every time he smiles as he throws my favorite nick-knacks in the toilet.....

...it means figuring out what ALL things do, and why they are there... ...it means getting caught doing something he knows he shouldn't be doing, will always be funny.
Oh! My Little Man.... This. Will. Be. Fun.

~Where the Hell Have You Been?!?!?!?~

2010-03-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been lovingly brought to my attention, that I have neglected the 1 person who reads this blog. The 1 person whom I talk with everyday and the 1 person who has 3 pictures for every one I have of my kids.... Here you go Mom.

Tyler has been a ton more mobile these days....crawling wherever he can fit! Which in turn makes him VERY curious abour his surroundings. Lately he wants to be right. in. the. camera.

He is soooo cute though, and if I recall correctly, my little Katelyne LOVED the camera too at this age. Now I have to bribe with tiaras and shoes to get her to smile for me.....

"Young and Dumb" takes on a whole new meaning....

~Thought For The Day~

2009-11-30T15:11:00.000-08:00

While I am no Stuart Smalley.....

Marriage means commitment. Of course so does sanity.....

Talk amongst yourselves....

~Have You Ever Held a Rainbow?~

2009-11-30T14:43:00.000-08:00

Another Thanksgiving holiday, another chance to head out camping! We packed it all up last minute and headed out to camping along the infamous Delta River!

Last year we had a great time. The weather was perfect, the sun was shinning, little to no wind and tons of fantastic family time! Not this year.....

We got out there on Thursday and had an outstanding meal prepared by yours truly and PopPop. We rock if I do say so myself! Grammie picked up a great ham and Eric brought, ummmm.... himself? Well, regardless, it was awesome. We had turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls..... you get it, right? EVERYTHING!!!

Everyone ate too much including Tyler, who was over the moon for turkey and mashed taters. So, for the remaining afternoon we stayed pretty quiet and just walked around, watched a movie and talked. It was wonderful! Friday morning was a tad chilly. We ended up having wind and rain most of the day, but Katelyne and Grammie each had their first chance to "hold a rainbow".

Yes, Katelyne is showing Grammie how to do it right! "Yike dis Grammie!"

By the time Grammie was done hoggin' Rainbow holding time, Katelyne needed a boost! In steps, the Dad Ladder... coming to HSN this holiday season.

I simply could not resist a picture of my very tired little girl.

So, that night we awoke to winds in the 60mph range. The trailer was insane! (If that sounds redneck-ish, then good. I am not afraid to say I live in a trailer with no permanent address... it is how the government cannot find me.) Grammie had the flu all night and Eric and I decided to do what any other normal parents would do: Get the hell outta dodge before the children loose their minds from being cooped up! Well, it was mainly our own sanity, but whatever.... who's keeping track?!

We had a lovely time that Saturday evening in front of the fire all warm and cozy with the children.... AT HOME!

All's well now, trailers back at home, we're back at home, Grammie is re hydrated and Roxy is still sleeping.....

~Sea Cliff Beach Trip~

2009-11-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

While Vetrans Day is filled with loving memories of those we have lost and those still living this free life with us... we always embark on something that is relaxing and fun so we can enjoy this wonderful country we all live in...

This year we headed to the beach to hang with Grammie and PopPop!

Tyler had sooooo much fun with his PopPop. I think they are the same person, only different sizes? PopPop acts like he is about 3 when he is with Tyler... which is awesome. They both had such a great time trying to out fun the other, that they even attempted a nap!... Grammie and Katelyne found new ways to ride a scooter - you know a way that requires zero physical activity!

But, we never forget why we really have this day off... to remember.

~Ladybug~

2009-11-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Took an extended lunch to San Francisco this past Sunday.... Packed up the fam and headed to "Rainforest Cafe".... We strolled the pier and had some great Hamster time.... She hung out with Daddy watching the Seagulls... ...she ran across a bench and attempted to fly... which is what Ladybugs do...Then she converted into a giraffe...

Whew! Busy day.

~Halloween 2009~

2009-11-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

How could I forget Halloween?!

Eric's crazy Mother-in-Law dressed as a Honey Bee, my Katelyne the perfect Tinkerbell and my Tyler a little puffy Mickey Mouse...

Katelyne and Grammie put the hurt on about 20 houses, then we were off to a Haunted House that only Eric and Grammie braved... Eric had gouges in his arm from Grammies "bravery" of attempting to protect HIM!!! After all was said and done, Katelyne, Tyler and Grammie all slept really good that night, regardless of sugar intake...

Thanks Grammie for being the "honey" in Katelyne and Tylers lives.... You "bee" wonderful....

haha I quack me up.... wow, that was bad.

~Attempting Holiday Pictures...~ TAKE 1

2009-11-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

So, the kids and I ventured out into the great wide open that most would call.... "our backyard" to start the annual "holiday picture quest". This is our first year heading out on said quest, so , I hoped it didn't get too.... ummmmm, fuzzy?

To start, Katelyne just was not having her adorable outfit... her main focus was a juice box. When could she have it, what kind can she have, could she have more than one???... now?... now?... now?...

Mommy's internal monologue, "NO, NO, NO!!! DAMIT KATELYNE JUST SMILE A TAKE A GOOD PICTURE!!!! JEEZ." *protruding vein on forehead...*

Mommy's actual words, "Muffin, you can have a juice as soon as we take a few pictures, OK? Now smile pretty so we can be done sooner...." *flutter my eyelashes*

Well, I got some pretty good ones. There are some with her "guiding" Tyler's head toward the camera - I am sure because she was tired of me saying his name 100 times, there are some of her dancing around - impatiently and there are some that I just look at and smile... they are who they are. At least there was no nose picking..... on film anyhow.

And yes, for those of you with Child Protective Services on speed dial, she did get her juice...

~Little Boys Will Taste Anything~

2009-10-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Tyler sat so quietly on the bed one evening after a shower... playing and talking with Daddy.
Out of nowhere he burst into laughter... I believe the internal monolague was, " I'm gonna get you sucka!"...Grabbed Daddy's face and opened his teething mouth... Tyler: "mmmmm, is that Dove?"...Daddy put his head down and Tyler chomped Daddy's head!!!! Tyler: "Nope! It is Pantene..."...wounded, Daddy moved and over Tyler fell..... Such a sad, sad tale of 2 boys...

~Pumpkin Patch 2009~

2009-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

October brings cooler temperatures, shorter days, cozier evenings, more work for Daddy and.... The Pumpkin Patch! About this time of year, Katelyne realizes that the holidays are starting. More importantly: Christmas is coming!!!

To distract her, and every other child I am sure, Halloween is strategically placed roughly 2 months prior to the opening of waaaayyyy too much stuff. To seize the given opportunity, we take her to said pumpkin patch to increase the excitement for candy from strangers, and lessen the excitement of gifts from family and friends! (?)

This is also exciting as it proved to be a very entertaining first pumpkin patch experience for Tyler. It started out innocently... I carried him in his Ergo carrier and he took in the sights and smells of a hay filled, musty pumpkin field. After about 15 minutes of the search for a wagon to haul Eric's pumpkin (yes, Eric's H.U.G.E. pumpkin) I decided to set my little man down for some pictures.

Then it happened.... I set him near a few nice looking pumpkins, took two steps back, squat ed low to be eye level and he leaned forward, grabbed two handfuls of hay and was a miserable, emotional mess after that! He had this look of, "It's. Touching. Me." for the rest of the afternoon...

Even with Katelyne sitting right next to him, he was sooooo upset. Katelyne thought it was funny for about 2 seconds... she then looked at him and very sternly stated, "TyTy, it only hay... move on..." (*insert* 13 year old eye roll)... amazing.

She, on the other hand was fine.... had a small melt down with a few rides, but Mom and Dad prevailed!!! Parents Unite! We won an argument with the 3 year old!!!! Whoo Hoo!

So, another conquering of pumpkins... in a few short days we will be attempting to tame the beast of the sugar rush.... I am off to rest now.

~Just a few smiles...~

2009-10-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Just a few recent pictures of my Babes..... They are just a growin'... *sigh*
Disclaimer: I cannot be sorry that my kids are cuter than any other in the world.... it was just meant to be...

~Lucy In The Sky...~

2009-10-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

..With Diamonds!!!

I NEVER thought my kids would EVER have an interest in anything I loved growing up... Fraggle Rock, Strawberry Shorkcake, Boyz II Men, Vanilla Ice... you know, '90's Baby! And I am sure my parents thought the same about me - but growing up in my parents house you had no choice but to listen to, sing and dance with REO Speedwagon, Tom Petty and.... THE BEATLES (insert: *collective girl scream!!!*)

My brother recently purchase The Beatles: Rock Band. I am sooooooo past being a 12 year old girl and playing video games, but THIS. IS. AWESOME.

It includes a microphone, guitar and drums. You watch the screen and follow along to your part - ours went something like this:

Me: Guitar (No record scores made here, but I was tappin' my foot and bobbin' my head as you are supposed to - I forgot to check style points - I would have won.)

Grammie: Vocals (Yeah.... that is were all concentration is lost. It is a perpetual Flower Fest, complete with screeching cats...... )

Katelyne: Drums!!! She rocked it!! My baby was concentrating to the fullest. She is bound for MIT... because she is smart, not because she can play the drums, because she has focus!
Watch, and be amazed......Just for those of you trying to remember the words as you read this: *you're welcome*

Picture yourself in a boat on a river, With tangerine trees and marmalade skies Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, A girl with kaleidoscope eyes. Cellophane flowers of yellow and green, Towering over your head. Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes, And she's gone. Lucy in the sky with diamonds. Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain Where rocking horse people eat marshmellow pies, Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers, That grow so incredibly high. Newspaper taxis appear on the shore, Waiting to take you away. Climb in the back with your head in the clouds, And you're gone. Lucy in the sky with diamonds, Picture yourself on a train in a station, With plasticine porters with looking glass ties, Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle, The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.

~FEAR?! WHAT FEAR?!~

2009-10-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

My daughter has NO fear.... zero, zilch, nada, none...

We were off to a friends 4th birthday party. Her Father, (lets call him Psycho for anonymity sake) purchased his little girl a Honda 50, which is a smaller version of an adult size dirt bike. Katelyne could not wait long enough for Psycho's daughter to finish so she could Diva-fye the helmet and have a ride herself.... with Dad. I was naturally against the whole thing... but I HAD to take pictures.

There are kitty ears on the top of the helmet and a kitty tail on the back... yes, she is wearing a dress. How do you ride a dirt bike?!

~Movin' Along~

2009-09-14T12:57:00.001-07:00

I realize it has been almost a month since I updated this little blog! My, how times flies when life is crazy!

This Mommy business that I have started has become rather hectic with my 2 little guys and then I go and read about the Duggers having their 19th kid... Yup! I think there is a slight level of crazy there, but I refuse to judge... out loud anyway.

Katelyne has started swim classes! She is such a fish! So much so that Eric and I having lovingly nicknamed her Michelle Phelps (hopefully without the "herbs" to "help her swim faster"). She recently started in the 3 year old class at school and learns tons daily! From tid-bits about insects to spitting, she has learned lots! Now, Eric and I spend our time directing her to what is acceptable behavior and what is not... we have laughed out loud several times.

Last week, Katelyne and I had a Mommy/Daughter day and headed to the Mall for some girly shopping... we raided Claires and came home with a purple feather boa, colorful hair extensions, tattoos, glitter eyeshadow and stick-on earrings... We had a blast!

Here is Katelyne modeling everything...Tyler is also growing like a weed. Last check he was 19lbs and 14oz! The kicker is that he is 27 3/4" long! He. Is. Huge.

He cut his first tooth last week.... not fun.While life has been crazy, what with business, work, parenting and attempting to relax in 3 minute intervals, I have to remind myself that my babes are growning fast!!

~GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!~

2009-08-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

So, as you have read in the past, my beef-cake son, is not petite, nor is he average,... he is adorably fluffy! At 18lbs 14 oz he is in the 99th percentile for his chubbiness. He is also a rather lengthy 27 3/4" long. It is a good thing football season doesn't clash with basketball, right?

Well, at the visit with the Doc for Tyler's 4 month check, it was unanimous that Tyler should start on solid foods. Yay!!!! I am soooo excited! This means I can cut being a "milk buffet" at least once-a-day!!! Whoo Hoo!

We raced home to feed my Hungry, Hungry Hippo! If you ask Eric, I had been carrying the spoon around with me for at least 2 weeks prior... At home, I dished up the yummiest, most tastiest, most bestest temperatured brown rice cereal you have EVER tasted! I am sorry none of you were invited... I only made about 2 tablespoons - times are hard. (Damn economy >:-() But we decided to save and share the moment...

We took some pics:

Since, these pics and a few more attempts at chowing down, my Handsome Guy has decided that maybe food is just not for him at the moment... Maybe too young, maybe not hungry enough, maybe just a boob man! Who knows. We haven't abandoned the thought of food - I know I cannot breastfeed him through college.... Lord knows Eric would be lost without me!

I am off to feed again... afterall - at almost 19 pounds-only nursing... I have some pretty gnarly bragging rights!

~Just a QUICK Happiness Moment~

2009-08-02T21:57:00.001-07:00

We were off to another camping trip this past weekend... this time with Grandpa and Grandma to Rio Vista (I was a bad Mommy and forgot my camera...)

Well, on Saturday evening after a long day in the sun, swimming, playing and running I found myself in bed sunggling my two precious babes watching HGTV... there was nothing better than that moment.

~3-Year-Old Princess Party~

2009-07-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

My baby is 3... My baby is 3... My baby is 3.....

Such a profound moment for a Mother to realize on her child's birthday that the child is actually getting older and bigger...

We had a small family get-together BBQ with a pool that Katelyne could not stay out of! She jumped in at 3:15pm and we MADE her get out and have dinner, then right back in until 8:30pm!!!! She had a blast! We also had a fun sprinkler... Still not sure who had more fun, the kids or Roxy!!!

Days before we had a hard time picking just 1 Princess cake, so Daddy let us have all 4!!!

Katelyne had the Tinkerbell one.... Made with blue frosting! Yummy!

It was amazing to look at my Little Girl on her 3rd Birthday. She is such a giving, caring, loving little person with a huge heart, she even has a little sass thrown in for kicks... I can sit and have a real conversation with her and she and I understand each other. She seems to be coming into her own - what with independence, confidence and a tad bit of fear. I have to say I pat Eric and myself on the backs as we didn't do too bad (so far) with our trial run.

Just an amazing girl.

Happy Birthday Princess Katelyne!!

~Have You Ever Been So Mad...?~

2009-07-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

... That because you were told to go to bed, when you refused to stay in bed you had to find a place to hide in case someone came looking for you - and then you fell asleep?

Katelyne did.

~What-Cha Lookin' At?~

2009-07-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

Tyler is starting to figure out that he has hands at the ends of those chubby-whubby arms. And recently started to grab everything in his reach. Today he discovered his new BFF the monkey that dangles from his car seat that seems to follow him everywhere... I decided to take Mr. Monkey off of the car seat and let Ty play with him - you know, up close.

I now recognize that Tyler saw Mr. Monkey as a threat to his own cuteness. He was "talking" to Mr. Monkey in a not-so-cute tone and was looking at him very sternly in the process... I believe there was something to this effect going on...

Tyler's inner monologue: "Look Dude, this is my space, my Mommy, my time... basically - My Show. I am not quite sure what you are doing here or what you are trying to prove, but I am bigger than you and cuter than you could ever hope to be. That being said, please take you place back on the car seat... we'll talk next time we go out... Get it?"...

And just to be sure Mr. Monkey understood that Tyler meant business, he gave him a little nibble....
Hopefully, Mr. Monkey took the point...

~First Hair Cut~

2009-07-23T14:23:00.001-07:00

So, what started out as a week of huge milestones has yet to finish, but up to this point I should share my Little Princess' HUGE "Big Girl" moment.

For those of you who know me, you know that I have been terrified to cut my baby's hair. It is just beautiful as it is - flowing, ringlet curls at the bottom, perfect highlights - I did not want to mess with Mother Nature in changing that... With the exception of her bangs, there was never so much as a snip before Tuesday. Then my "Big Girl" decided that she did not want me combing, brushing or to even think about fixing her hair. Me, being the Mom, and being waaaayyyy smarter, decided that I would "scare" the brush to her head.

Our conversation went like this:

Me: "...if you don't let Mommy do your hair, it will get really tangled and if that is what you want we should just cut it..."

Katelyne: "Ok"

Me: "Are you sure? Then you may not have these pretty curls at the bottom..." (A little shakey)

Katelyne: "Ok"

Me: "Alright then, we will cut your hair - are you sure you want too?!?!!?"

*Please say no, please say no, please say no.....*

Katelyne: "Yes Mommy"

So, we did:

Brother watched amusingly....

yes, I cried.... DOES SHE NOT KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED HER HAIR?!?!?!?! What about me?!?!?!?! Why isn't anyone concerned about Mom?!

In the end, I had them cut about an inch. I chickened out and I really was in denial that my little one would call my bluff! I was traumatized! And look how big she looks! They gave her Princess Braids with a pretty purple ribbon and glitter.... I failed.

Why couldn't she be like every other kid and run scared of a hair cut?

~Lessons From Big Sister~

2009-07-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Before I was a Mommy, I was always told several things by people that were parents already.
*Get your sleep now...
*I hope you have a strong gag reflex...
*You think life is crazy now?.....
You know, the things that come along with parenthood.

But, the one thing I heard over and over after I had my daughter and was pregnant with Tyler was, "...when you see your kids playing together, you will melt..." and I did.

The other night while I was cooking dinner, I suddenly heard Katelyne talking so softly and sweetly to Tyler saying, "push the 1... good job!" I look over and she is holding his hand "helping" him push the '1'... and then she says, "this is how we call on the phone." She was so kind, gentle and loving toward him. It really was a melting point.

Then my Ty-Ty got hungry and took matters into his own hands... I am guessing he was hungry - he could have made a prank call and been doing some heavy breathing into the phone! Maybe?

But, at the end of the day...prank call or teething, he is adorable...

And the love that was in my kitchen that evening while I cooked was amazing. My two little ones, playing together and enjoying each other. Everyday is just that...amazing.

Bring on the teenage years!!! I got this!!! >:-)

~4th of July Camping Fun~

2009-07-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July weekend we headed out West... well, not really so much West as North West. Our destination was Fernwood Resort in Big Sur California. Camping with Grammie and PopPop! We were nestled in the redwoods of the coast, with quiet, starry nights, cool summer days and TONS of fun. Everyday was constant play. Daddy and Katelyne took to the rapids of the river...

Katelyne played on shore looking for an endless supply of rocks to toss into the river...

Tyler napped... when it was time for dinner and Tyler was sleeping so soundly, we have to improvise as to where to put him.... who hasn't slept cozily in a tote???

Every night ended with a roaring fire compliments of PopPop and Daddy. Katelyne had her first taste of s'mores. Yummy!!!

We had a blast! Eric and I have such fond memories growing up and camping with our parents, that we just sit and smile at all of the similar memories we are building for our kiddos. Being out together, with no television, no cell phone and really nowhere to go, gives us the chance to talk, play and enjoy each other to the fullest...

Thanks for the opportunity California - Happy America Day!!!

~My Growing Babes~

2009-06-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

My little Hammie is well on her way to being a teenager. She needed a new swimsuit for summer and had to have this 2-piece. When we decided to go swim in the back yard she insisted on wearing it and struck this pose after asking me to take her picture... She is soooo huge.
I have to say it again though, such a good kid. Lately we are having more of the sassy "I do it!" independence, but she sure does shine 99% of the time.... Love her...

Yesterday Eric, Katelyne and I had the most amazing, fun filled water fight in the backyard! We were running all over squirting each other with the little fishes Katelyne has from the tub, until Eric traded up for a cup FULL of water! Such a cheater, but Katelyne squealed constantly with laughter, I headed indoors, heehee - SUCH A BLAST!

We are headed off to go camping with Grammie and PopPop this coming weekend and last night during our shower we were talking about how much fun we had all day and about how we were going to have fun camping... almost instantly, Katelyne looked up at me with this evil little crooked eye and said, "I squirt Grammie with the fish!" So look out Grammie!!!! We are all practiced up - and we are coming for you!!!!

And my Tyler. He is now 12 weeks (Tuesday) and a shade under 18lbs. As you can see from the picture below, we are already fielding offers and keeping our options open....We will only negotiate with the Yankees (or the Giants if we have too...).

Oh,... Love my babies too much!

Happy 4th!!

~Fur Babies~

2009-06-12T14:36:00.001-07:00

So, aside from having 2 scrumptious kiddos, we also have a 'fur baby' - RoxyAnne. She is a fantastic Golden Retriever whom my kids over-love on a daily basis.

A week ago we headed out to my parents house and the whold family showed up... the WHOLE family and all of our 'fur babies'!

Meet, from left to right:

RoxyAnne, Jackson, Joan and Indiana

RoxyAnne is my fur baby. She is too precious for words and most often my 'favorite' child. Yup, I picked a favorite. She doesn't talk back, say sassy things, roll her eyes, require midnight feedings, no constant diaper changes.... you get it right?!

Oh, ....Jackson. He is my Mother's Morkie. He is a complete terror and trouble maker. It is 100% 'little dog syndrome'... enough said.

As if Joan and Indiana weren't adorable enough, their names go together... together they are Indiana Joan...... Awwwww. Indiana is the biggest love you would ever meet - even though he is really scary looking by shear size alone. And Joan... she is in charge - of everyone/everything. She puts Indiana in his place and I have seen her pin Jackson down several times... to which he replies by hiding under her chest and barking as if to tease her "you can't get me! Nanna nanna nanna!!!"

:-P

~And In This Corner...~

2009-06-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

Weighing in at 15lbs 10oz.... Oh, Yeah. You read it right. My son is in the 100 percentile for his weight - what does that mean you ask? He is the same size as the average 5 month old. He was 2 months old yesterday. (I will let that soak in for a bit....)

Katelyne was so excited when we picked her up from school the other day that when she came home she asked to hold him... yup, you are 100% correct when you imagine that my 2 month old is near the size of my almost 3 year old. Amazing.

So, Eric and I have been beyond busy in the work department in recent weeks and as days have started running together we get work in while we can. Well, today my Tyler fell asleep in his crib (a whole other mix of emotions) I decided to be a bad Mommy and sit Katelyne down for some Sesame Street time... after a few minutes it was a little too quiet.

This was my discovery...

And so I went to check on "little man".....

I got sooooo much work done - Whoo Hoo!!!

;-)

~Tyler's Bathtime~

2009-05-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so let me brag a little about my 2nd born.... He is sooooooo adorable!! Lately he smiles and coos and laughs at just about anything. He loves his baths and is completely enamored with his big sister. Oh! And he is brilliant! ;-)

We had a bath the other day and here are a few shots from it.... Can you argue that face?!

He does look like the Micheline Man, but at exactly 7 weeks today can you argue with him as he can only fit in his 3-6 month clothes!!!! What a beefer. He is now weighing in at 13lbs 7oz.... wow.
Go me!
:-) Nicole

~Happy Mother's Day~

2009-05-10T21:51:00.001-07:00

I must say this was a fabulous day. My dear husband and precious daughter cooked me a delicious breakfast of pancakes and bacon with a glass of OJ. I recieved my first silouette of Katelyne and was given a rather sweet card from my hubby too!

After breakfast Katelyne and I took off for a little girly shopping and then we had lunch. I LOVED spending the one-on-one time with her. She so deserves it. With it being just the two of us she was an angel. She was polite, talkative and just so darn cute. She held my hand the entire time. So, I took her to pick out a toothbrush holder for her bathroom:

I was shocked and pround when she was so concerned with Tyler liking it too, that I let her get the cup to go along with it:

I guess I am a sucker for my daughter being so thoughtful and aware of the very person who in the blink of an eye turned her world upside down. Katelyne is a fabulous Big Sister.

So, my ulitmate feeling this Mother's Day is pride. Pride in my two beautiful, giving, loving, children. They are my greatest accomplishment..... I am a Mom.

And a special "Thank You" to my Mommy. You taught me to love, nurture and grow babies! I hope they have the love and admiration for me that I have for you...

~Daily Smiles~

2009-05-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

We officialy have no "down time". There are no mandatory 10 minute breaks, no 30 minute lunch, no potty breaks without company and if I smoked, I would not be alone in that either....

Life is good.

Yesterday my first really good belly laugh came in the form of my dear, sweet, think-outside-the-box daughter. I asked her to clean up her room and put all of her baby things away. I may have mentioned that she needed to "fill up the pink box" by the time I came back down the hall... she did - with herself. I was snort laughing... the route in which her genius mind works is amazing.

Then there is my son. He who lives for the 3 main man ideals: eat, sleep, poop. Done. End of story - please do not make the mistake in thinking there are other important things in life. There are not. The picture above is my sweet son with a little smirk. This occured after he let out the loudest, stinkiest fart ever... then followed the gnarliest poop filled Huggie that you have ever seen. Yes, EVER! I lovingly said, "Oh my God Tyler! That was disgusting!!!" Then came the smirk. He is a smart ass, just like his Mommy.

Isn't he cute!?

Tonight after bathtime, Katelyne was lovin' her little brother... My 2 most precious little beings. While there are days I could scream and drink heavily, I am constantly amazed that Eric and I created these 2. All of the love we have for each other was poured into these guys. And they are amazing.

I hope that Katelyne appreciates and loves her little brother more everyday as I do my little brother... and I hope Tyler realizes that Katelyne is the coolest, most beautiful, smartest girl ever... as my brother does me. :-)

~Me~

2009-04-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

So, this is me... At least this is what I see myself as these last couple of weeks. I am a cow. Nothing more than a milk buffet that makes a wierd noise every once-in-a-while. I think that is why "Mom" is so close to "Moo".

My little guy was born at 8lbs 14oz (Hey! You expect a small kid from a cow?!). Well, yesterday at his 2 week check-up he was a cool 10lbs 5oz. I was actually beating myself up these last couple of weeks thinking I was not producing enough for the little guy - since he literally eats every 1.5 - 2 hours. But no, he went and gained almost 2lbs! Well, never underestimate your ordinary looking dairy cow. We are interesting creatures. While we may seem simple at first, what with meandering slowly with no apparent destination, we are carefully calculating our next moo-ve.

But first, a little rest..... Oh wait! I have to feed again.

"The bar is open!" - Tom Cruise, Cocktail

:-) Nicole

~Happiness Is...~

2009-04-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

My two wonderful, happy, healthy, beautiful kids...

While I am up most of the night into the morning feeding, diapering and burping like crazy... it is the first part of the morning, that includes the sunshine, when both of my kids are in bed with me all snuggled in watching some news, that fills me up. To talk with Katelyne and hear that she slept good, to hear Tyler's coo, are two of my favorites things, but NOTHING compares to Katelyne leaning over, giving Tyler a gentle kiss, a slight squeeze and a soft hand pet, saying, "Hi broder... good morning - you sleep good?" Melts my heart everytime....

While life has been an absolute zoo around here: with baby, toddler, work, business, house chores and Mommy/Daddy time... I realize that my most precious moments are those in the early morning hours with my two little loves at my sides.

Watching Katelyne grow so quickly into this headstrong, vivacious, independent, smart, funny, beautiful little girl has shown me that while these young baby stages go like a flash of light, it does get better. Each day there is more love, patience, learning and togetherness that I wouldn't trade for anything... I have realized now, at 30, what my Mother meant all those times she would say, "my children are my life..."

Thanks Mommy :-)

Nicole

~Tyler Jamison~

2009-04-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ta Daaaaaa!

Well, as of April 7, 2009 at 8:53pm, my cute little family of 3 has inched a little closer to The Duggers. Eric, Katelyne and I welcomed our little Tyler Jamison into our broad. He weighed in at 8lbs, 14oz and was 21 1/4" long. HUGE!

Funny, the doc said he would be a "good size". I guess from a mans perspective that is a good size when fishing, or when hunting. From a womans perspective that is not a "good size" when birthing something. It is painful, tiresome and just plain crazy.

He is beautiful though - I was told I am supposed to use the term "handsome". He is so peaceful when I listen to him breathe. He will coo and give a little half smile to me when I talk to him and I think, is already totally fascinated by his big sister. If he is with me and she runs behind the couch yelling or making some noise he will quick move his head in that direction.

We are all well. Tyler and I are finally getting a sleep pattern established and Katelyne has decided that, while she loves him, poopie diapers really make her gag! (Yes, it is a cute gag, but none-the-less a gag!)

Thanks to everyone for your support and love - all 4 of us appreciate it. :-)

Smiles,

Nicole

~Still Pregnant~

2009-03-29T21:25:00.001-07:00

So, today is the day! What day you ask? Why it is Sunday, March 29, 2009 - how exciting is that! Today was the original due date, before my Doctor moved it to the beginning of March and then reconsidered and moved it back to the 29th! Oh Yeah! Fun times.

Nothing too exciting happening though. Went to Skipolini's Pizza in Walnut Creek on Friday - they have a Prego Pizza said to induce labor within 48 hours. Well, we had that at 6pm on Friday and it is 9:30 on Sunday - Nothin'. I did have some MAJOR hearburn after the pizza and was unable to sleep unless I was sitting completely upright - Not comfy. So, I went to Target and Safeway, Shampooed carpets, bathed the dog, did 6 loads of laundry today - Nothin'. I also ate a whole Pineapple - Nothin' (except heartburn). My back is sore - so that is either progress or gas.

I plan to do some more walking tomorrow. Maybe Katelyne and I will head over to Janie and Jack... LOVE their clothes and the price tags usually get my insides moving! Then, if I actually purchase something usually Eric's insides will move too! :-)

I do LOVE this dress though:

It is $48 and if I make Katelyne wear it everyday for 48 days then really it is only is $1 per wear - right!?

We'll see.

Wish me labor dust!

:-) Nicole

~Groundhog Day, GO AWAY~

2009-03-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

So, I was off to the doctor today for what I thought would be an informative, eventful and somewhat exciting...... Bummer.

I was told that, like my precious daughter, my son is comfy. You see, he is enjoying the lavish lifestyle of ice cream, Girl Scout Samoas, french fries, perfect weather, stable economy... you know - margaritaville. Only his large shaker of salt is the food-on-demand.

So, like my daughter, it appears as though I will be overdue - again and again and again. Dumb groundhog!

I am off... not to sleep, but to run down the street, pushing my car, drinking raspberry leaf tea, stopping every 5 minutes to do a set of jumping jacks, a set of squats... then I may return to drink castor oil... Ok, I will pass on the oil, but the other stuff is set in stone.

Please send an inhaler, as I will need it... to get out of bed - BEFORE I do the above movements.

"labor, labor, labor..."

:-) Nicole

~It's Almost Over~

2009-03-15T13:48:00.001-07:00

Well, I am officaially 38 weks today. Almost done - yes, for good.

While this pregnancy has been bumpier than any roller coaster at Disneyland, I am a little sad knowing this is the last few weeks that I will feel one of my children move, kick or get the hiccups in my tummy.

Soon, I will have a new little baby boy to hold. I do believe that this time will be a little sweeter as I know first hand how quickly it will all pass by. I will spend the extra time, watching sleep and listening to him breathe on my face as I hold him. I will worry less about the dishes in the sink "just in case" someone comes over and worry more about working too much and loosing the precious time with a newborn.

My life, as it stands right now, will become more chaotic, less controlled, more hurried, less organized and I am thrilled. Soon, we will be Eric, Nicole, Katelyne AND Tyler (not to forget my fur-baby RoxyAnne). That is amazing. So, yes, I rough roller coaster of a ride, but nothing I would ever change... it has, however it happened, brought forth this fantastic, loving, happy, strivng little family unit. I am blessed.

Even if this was my family.... I am blessed.

Soon to Mommy to 2 Kiddos,

Nicole :-)

~Letter to my Darling Son to be~

2009-02-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

So, as you have read, I am pregnant with my 2nd child! I am 35 weeks and counting... well, this pregnancy has been a little rough in the pain department and as my little man grows, so does the pain with him moving. I decided to get this out:

**I realize now I may be a little sarcastic, but it is meant with an unbelievable amount of love :-)**

Dear Tyler,

While I admire your hard work and perseverance, please stop trying to escape my uterus via belly button. That is not the way out and you are causing mommy a lot of pain.

Simply take a moment, evaluate your surroundings, and I'm sure you can find an exit that is much more effective than whatever it is you're trying to do in there.

Thank you,
Mommy

For you other Mommies out there, I know you can relate to what I am saying... For those of you who have yet to experience the wondermeant which is pregnancy - I am only kidding >:-)

Happy Sunday!

Nicole

~Rainy Day Fun~

2009-02-15T17:48:00.001-08:00

So after a wet, rainy night, we all awoke to the continuation of a storm that had no intention of ANY outside activities... While about 3 years ago this would be the ticket my husband and I needed to stay in, on the couch watching TV and munching all day, we were faced today with entertaining a little one who, if given the choice would gladly play outside... in this:

It was after much searching for said entertainment, that we took a fieldtrip to our local craft store!! Yeah, us and every other family in the city! >:-) On our trip over, Katelyne proudly announced she was making a "bird house for birdies to eat". So, to the unfinished wood section we went and after about 15 minutes of, "ummmm, no.... ummmm nope, I don't yike dat one, ummmm otay" we were on our way! Whoo Hoo!! Before we walked in the door, she was ready:

Armed with pink in every shade and a touch of green, the masterpiece that was the birdhouse and matching color pallet emerged...

I am sure any bird who flies by this beauty will HAVE to stop if not just to marvel at the pink house shaped thingie that looks as though it may have food... Hmmmmm.

Maybe they will stop and marvel at the colorful blooms that have emerged since we started having all of this rain...

This is not the prettiest pot of flowers, but they are a tell tale sign that spring is comin'! They sit right outside the window for us to remember that while the rain keeps us inside for a time in the winter, when spring comes we are able to head out and bask in the sunshine and really smell those beautiful flowers....... {sniff} Ahhhhhh! Nice.

Staying Dry in California!

Nicole :-)

Happy Valentine's Day to You!!

2009-02-14T14:09:00.000-08:00

I knew it would be a great Valentines Day when Katelyne (my 2 1/2 year old) came in at about 7am and loudly said, "Happy Baltine Mommy!!" Yup, it was a great day....

...tonight Eric and I will embark upon our last night out, just the two of us, before Tyler comes! Whoo Hoo! This translates to a night our where we spend all of our time talking about the kids,... with a little business talk thrown in just because we can accomplish it with out interruption - That is the amazing part!! :-)

Today also happens to be Eric's 35th Birthday. Which leads me to the very next thing that occurred this morning that told me today would be a great day - I received a Valentine Card!! In the 7 years we have been together I have not received a card or anything, because it was always his Birthday - No Worries, I agree that it is his Birthday... But today was different. I was really appreciative, as at 8+ months pregnant I needed a little extra lovin' from my hubby. He is wonderful - so giving!

So, wherever you may be, whomever you may be with, remember to show your love everyday, but use today as the "extra lovin'" your loved ones may or may not need.

Heart Wishes to you,

Nicole :-)

~Welcome~

2009-02-09T14:09:00.001-08:00

Welcome to "Rainboots with Fairies"!

I have created this blog to share a little insight to my families crazy life!

We are currently a family of 3; me, Nicole, my husband, Eric and our beautiful daughter, Katelyne who is 2 1/2. We also have a dog, Roxy-Anne. In addition to us, we are expecting our second child, Tyler, in a few short weeks. I am well aware that we are headed from crazy to complete madness!!

Everyday seems to be an adventure for us. My husband and I run a heating and air conditioning business, I also work outside of the home 3 days a week when Katelyne goes to pre-school. We are always on the go and always looking for the next adventure to experience as a family. Recently, I was placed on "modified bed rest" (YUCK!), and have further "modified" it to accomedate an active 2 1/2 year old!! Silly doctor!

If you choose to follow my blog, the WELCOME! I hope you enjoy reading about a variety of things from my growing family to business to my passions for decorating/gardening and shopping for bargins!

Oh! Why "Rainboots with Fairies" you wonder??? Well, I was rushed to get rainboots for my daughter and could only find these:

They are complete with fairies and 3-d wings on the toe! Well, Katelyne LOVES them and wears them at ANY sign of rain - and this will include if she opens the shutters in the morning right after the sprinklers have come on - since my daughter has such an infatuation for them I figured I would share them!

Enjoy! Nicole :-)