Random Thoughts

The other day my sister had a post with some of her random thoughts, so here I sit at 10:30 at night and I want to go to bed. So I am going to steal her idea and get some of my random thoughts out there, please don't judge me!

So here they are:

It would be awesome if my brain would stay awake after my kids go to sleep so I can get something done!

Life is scary. There are a lot of unknowns out there and I am not one that likes the unknown. I like movies to be ruined, I like to know the ends of books before I read them, I tend to enjoy them more knowing the outcome. Life is hard, I don't know the ending and I am pretty sure that stresses me out every day.

I read blogs about families that have experienced tremendous loss. They have lost one of their family members and I just sit there and cry for them. I cry to think that could be my beautiful kids, my husband or sisters, brothers, mom or dad. I just cry, it is too sad to think about.

I need new white socks because I don't like how part of my foot is cold because of the holes in them.

I wish I would've worked out tonight instead of eating that sloppy joe.

I had a dream about disneyland and I feel like I need to go there so I can destress and just run from princess to princess laughing and squealing with my kids. Disneyland is cheaper than therapy!

Is it just part of the job description that when you become a mom you get crazy? I am pretty sure it is!

Roommate Love!

When I went to school at BYU-Idaho, I lived with a few sets of amazing girls. I lived with 7 other girls at Bristol Manor in the Winter Semester of 2003. It was a fun semester filled with a lot of laughter, some feisty moments, crying, dirty dishes, sleepovers in the front room, etc. All of the roommates bonded really quick and I made good friendships with each one.

It was sad when the semester was done and we had to part ways. Although we didn't mean to some of us lost track of one another but I am glad that we have all reconnected some way or another but I am especially grateful that a couple of my roommates live a couple of hours away, so roadtrip! We went a week ago to visit them. It had been about 8 years since I had seen them. It was way too long but once we saw each other it was like the good times never stopped. We went and played around Monterey for the day.

We first played at a park and ate McDonald's for lunch. The kids loved running around and we enjoyed sitting in the sun. I was actually surprised at how sunny it was and I was severely disappointed that I didn't have my flip flops on! After we went to walk around Fisherman's Wharf, where we stopped at an Italian Cafe and enjoyed the most delicious ice cream.

This is the whole group, the three roommates, three husbands and eight kids! The background is amazing but we had to look right into the bright sun! That is why half the kids are not even looking at the camera and most of us are closing our eyes. Gavin was smart and brought sunglasses!

An attempt at a family photo.

At the end of the wharf there is a man that will bring his birds and allow people to put them on their shoulders or hold them in their hands. James was squirming in my arms to get to touch the birds. The owner told me to put him down and put the bird on his shoulder. James LOVED it. He would turn in a circle to try and get a better view of the bird.

A few of the friends posing for the camera.

The kids are hiding behind pillars to try and surprise their parents.

The roommates!

We then went back and had homemade pizza. It was so good, I am sure James liked the pizza but he didn't want the ranch to go to waste. He would just stick his fingers in the ranch and lick it off. The addiction is already starting.

I'm a big girl now!

Brielle is officially in Primary. This is her first day of Sunbeams and Primary, on 1/1/2012. The funny thing is that I am her teacher! It is fun to see how big she is and get to enjoy in how much she learns and knows but I'll tell you that it can be a power struggle. She has one strong personality and I don't think we know how to handle the whole idea of her mom being her teacher.

San Fran Baby!

On our Christmas vacation we decided to head over to the bay area for a day. I love the bay area. Certain members of my family, Bren you will remain nameless, do not share the same love. So I think the way to cure that is to go as often as we can and have extreme amounts of fun.

We started off at the Exploratorium. We had a picnic lunch while watching James chasing away all the birds. We took our time around the grounds, feeding the ducks, taking pictures and making new friends. We had a little boy join us and share our bread to help feed the ducks!

Next we went to Ghirardelli Square. Love this place. Our favorite thing to do is to go in the Ghirardelli store and get our free piece of chocolate, then we just walk through and out! Aren't we so cheap! We took a walk by all the vendors set up where surprisingly Bren and I found a photograph that we both loved. So we bought it and now are on the hunt for a perfect frame for it.

The kids lovin' life at Ghiradelli Square!

Bren and I hunched over so we wouldn't look too tall in the picture, instead we just look weird! Go figure.

Our last stop was at Pier 39. We went to the arcade and played a few games. I had to dig through my purse and found four quarters. The kids had a blast. We then decided to call it a day and head home, it was pretty early still but there were a lot of people at San Fran because New Years Eve was the next day.

Brielle hurt her finger while playing air hockey. She accidentally put her finger in front of the goal and her dad shot a little too hard.

Playing air hockey with dad.

Our Princess

For Christmas she received a beach towel of the Little Mermaid. She wouldn't give up the towel at bedtime and insisted on sleeping with it, so her dad took this shot before bedtime.

Busted

We had jelly beans in our backpack we take to church. Brielle found them one day and started to eat a few. I told her you can have four and that is it. I took the backpack and zipped it up. A few minutes later I came back into her room and she was eating more. I told her no more and took the backpack. About twenty minutes later she came out of her room looking like this. She had eaten all the jelly beans in the backpack. Don't you love that she couldn't hide the evidence. She had blue on her tongue, fingers and face. Brielle you are busted!

Brielle's Mug Shot 2012

Is it just me or does she not look sorry for what she did?

Popsicles

It is so dang hot here, I can't handle it. So for the last few days I come home from work and we chow down on some popsicles, they bring some much need coldness to our bodies.

The boy now knows when we have food. My mom got out her popsicle and he raced right over to her. When he wants food he will start panting. (I know it sounds like he is a dog but that is the best way to describe it) My mom eats her popsicles by scraping them off into a bowl so it works perfect for the boy. He was grandma's best friend. He was crawling over her leg to get to her bowl.

He looks so innocent but if Grandma turns her back for a second that bowl would be gone!

Thanks Grandma for all the sugar!

They like to share!

My lovely grandparents made the great trek out to California this past week. I always love when they come. Unfortunately it was because they had to attend a funeral for my grandma's brother. However, it was really good to see them. They had dinner with us each night. I loved when Grandma Vincent would remind Eric of eating his vegetables. We played jump rope out in the front yard. I finally know how to double dutch...sort of. And of course we busted out the Domino's. This is the game to play with the grandparents.

The girl fell in love with the game instantly....oh wait she just fell in love with the tile that had the double 7's on it because they were pink. It was the one tile with all pink. She would go around and see who had the tile and "hold" it for them while they played. She cried each time the game was over and she had to give it back.

The girl was Grandma's helper. Here she is with her beloved pink tile!

You are going down Grandma!

(Eric's game face....I am pretty sure he didn't win one round....he needs a better game face)

Bring it!

Eric didn't have any good tiles so he thought he would build a tower instead. I am pretty sure mom is telling him to focus!

Then of course we had to add to our sugar intake for the day with triple layer brownies! I had about 5 myself. Can't resist those minty temptations.

Great-Grandpa Vincent, Grandpa Scott and the kiddos!

Now that it is summer, James mostly runs around with just a shirt and his diaper. For two reasons, it is so dang hot and he doesn't have that many shorts.

The girl likes to kiss people through the window when they are leaving. With the grandparents it wasn't any different.

Kissing Great-Grandma through the window! Love you guys, can't wait to play again.

Living with the Crazy

Hello my peeps! One time I stated, in my college class, that I did not want a job that I had to spend all day on a computer. They all started laughing at me. But after just spending the good part of the morning on it I am going a little bit crazy. It sucks me in and I don't like it. However, I did feel the urge to continue the insanity to update the blog on our little life that we have been living.

Our family has been truly blessed these last few months. I can't express the happiness I feel each day. I feel so alive. I love the weather we are having. There is something about birds chirping, a slight wind blowing in your hair, the sun on your back, the green grass and wearing flip flops that puts you in such a good mood. I love that I can take time to take my daughter to the play ground or sit outside and chalk. We like to do hopscotch and pretend that she can jump on one foot, when mostly she just gallops around.

I love that my family is healthy. The girl is growing, The boy is strong and determined to start sitting up any day now and The Hubby and I couldn't be doing better. Ok well the last part is somewhat exaggerated....we do need to work out more but I count it as a blessing that we are taken care of each day of our lives. That we have today to do better than the last.

I am so excited to think of the adventures we get to take in a couple of weeks and the fun activities we can plan during the summer. It definitely makes me happy to be this close to the ocean and go and enjoy a day on the beach playing with the sand between our toes. You couldn't ask for anything better.

I am so happy for friends. It is hard being a mom, living far away from everyone and working to stay in contact with your friends. I have so many people that I need to call. However, I just want to tell everyone that I appreciate their friendships. Because even though we may not talk as much as I want, you are all still important to me and I love reading the blogs or meeting up with you on facebook.

Well....enough of the mushy gushy stuff. Our family is doing freaking amazing!

The boy has already had his first haircut. Both my kids were born with this rat tail in the back of their head. With the girl we just let it grow out, because she would have long hair anyways. With the boy we decided it just didn't look right and Bren decided to trim it. His hair is definitely coming in better than his sisters. Meaning it is pretty much even all around, no long chunks anywhere. He is starting to find his tongue. He likes to swish it around his mouth and stick it out to me.

He is still a gurbler. But I think it is slowing down, a little bit. He is moving around the floor. He is not realizing what he is doing but he is able to move his body bit by bit. He loves his bouncer and is starting to realize what the toys on his tray do. He has his little giggle that mostly comes out when I tickle right under his ribs.

We call the boy the turkey, and with good reason. His sleeping habits are so far worse than when he was born. Up all night, wanting to feed all night, or hitting his face with his hands keeping him awake. It is not fun. But this is what us moms signed up for!

The girl is awesome. She is doing good at potty training. She has had her accidents lately. But hopefully that will be the last. She is definitely into dresses. Last night she told me, "Mom I was cying cying because dad took my dress." She said this because her dad made her take off her dress to put pajamas on. And what was the first thing she put on this morning? Her dress! Gotta love it.

She is still taking a nap during the day. This is nice because I am still able to get some work done. However, her night sleeping is way off. On average she will spend maybe about 4 hours in her bed. Then she wakes up and finds her way into my bed. Then continues to push her bum into my back so I am right on the edge of the bed.

Then other nights when she wakes up and has to go potty, she will start screaming. I think she is half awake because she just continues screaming and screaming. She will stand by the potty and not go in the toilet but will wet her panties. It is confusing to us and we don't know what to do.

Anyways this is way too long of a post but I actually had time to write!

Our friends stopped by to say hello. Jax is just a month younger than brother. They were BFF's from the moment they laid eyes on each other.

First bite of rice cereal mixed with formula. He couldn't get it in fast enough.

Brielle putting on her makeup. I guess she decided her forehead was in need of a makeover.

My cute family.

Hey twinners! Can I say cute!

This a friend of mine that I grew up with and her daughter. Her daughter and the girl are about the same age so we would go to the park and hang out often. They had to move away and we miss them terribly.

With our friends at the Sacramento Zoo.

The boys first haircut!