Catching up

Haven't had much time to post, mostly because I used my computer time to read lots of other peoples blogs....

I did take the CBEST... last weekend, before going to the parade! I think that I did o.k.? I don't even know if my score is available on line yet... I have been so swamped that I haven't looked!

Last week involved a great deal of running around and activities and kid juggling, but we made it through!

The weekend was non-stop birthday parties! Both of my nieces turned one last week! Andy's brother's daughter that we visited in January and my brother's daughter Jordan who lives in Pasadena. I had the honor of making Jordan's cake and we went our early to set that up and help with any last minute party details. (I got to hold Jordan while her mommy got dressed!)

We went to a place called "Peek A Boo Playland" in Pasadena and the kids had a great time. It looks like a preschool classroom with a bounce house in the middle of it all. There are dress up clothes and a train table, house area, small ball pit, puzzles and lots of ride on toys. There is even a backyard with swings and a basket ball net and all kinds of great stuff! My kids had a great time playing and running and just being kids. Later we went back to my brother's house for a family dinner and party. Whew! Were we tired by the end of the night!

On Sunday, we went to church... I was the teacher for Sunday school this week.. we had a lot of fun talking about energy and spirit. We did some Tai Chi, and played with magnets and danced to some music and drew pictures of energy bursts. After church, we were off to a 3 year old birthday party... and Gavin had to leave early from there to attend his own party.... for a friend from school. Andy dropped him off and came back to enjoy the other party with Ella and me and our friends. We took Ella to Toys R Us for her birthday balloon and to spend some birthday cash and then we picked up Gavin. I was totally wiped out... I spent most of the evening veggin out in front of the t.v. catching up on my "Jon & Kate Plus 8". If you haven't seen the show, it is pretty fascinting to have a window into the lives of a family with a set of twins and a set of sextuplets. Kate is very much like me and I like to see how she handles situations and sometimes I wish that I were a bit more like her...she is great with her kids, even if other stuff gets the best of her! You can check out what they are all about here: http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html.

So, today is a "day off" and Andy and I have been busy cleaning, doing laundry, playing with kids and the dog, making breakfast, lunch and dinner and cleaning all of that up, grocery shopping, errand running and some odd jobs here and there. It has been a fun and full day, and I am ready to plop down and do some reading tonight. I have been reading a great book that is fun and informational and gives my spirit a lift... it is called "I was a good mom, before I had kids" Of course it is available on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Was-Really-Good-Before-Kids/dp/081185650X/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203382313&sr=8-1, but I borrowed my copy from the library, so I am feeling some pressure to actually read it and get it finished. Hopefully you can find some time to check it out!

Happy Valentine's Day

We had a great Valentine's dinner last weekend! We invited one of our favorite families over (actually 2 of them, but one had a sick child and had to cancel), and enjoyed a wonderful dinner, wine and chocolate bread pudding for dessert. We got lots of time to visit and relax because our roommate Afton was our server, kid care taker and clean up! It was so great!I made cookies with the kids and we had such a great time! They were messy and rascally and it was a bit chaotic, but the cookies came out great and we had fun!Andy came home after we had all left for the day and he took out the trash, cleaned up the breakfast dishes and put away the folded laundry! What a wonderful surprise! He also got me a bottle of wine, some chocolates and bath salts! I got him some green m&m's, a conversation card game and a singing toothbrush. (He has been coveting the kids' and said he wanted one, silly, yes...but I love him!) We bought some simple little boxes of chocolates for the kids, just to say "I Love You!". On Friday night, Afton is going to help the kids make dinner for us.

We don't miss an opportunity to show our love and to celebrate around here! Hope you don't either!

I love the city!

I had a previous post with the same name a while back when we went bowling. I have been at it again, enjoying all that L.A. has to offer! I think that everytime we do something that reminds me of why I live here and why I love it, I will post with this title.

So, why do I love the city now? Well, we went downtown to see the Golden Dragon Parade for Chinese New Year. The kids have a picture book about the holiday and we made a fish kite during the week so that they would know more about it. Gavin remembered the book from last year and could even say "Gung Hay Fat Choy"... "Happy New Year"! We asked Andy's parents to join us and we loaded up into the van and headed down. There was traffic and it was a tad confusing to navigate with closed streets and an unfamiliarity with the city, but Andy did a great job, found us a close parking spot for a good price and we were off! We got to the parade route and within a few minutes the parade began. There were lots of floats, children, groups doing marital arts and MANY, MANY dragons! We bought this big tube that had compressed air and confetti in it and when you twist it it shoots out the confetti everywhere! Yipee! We took a break for a snack in a Chinese restraunt (so Chinese, that there were NO signs in English!) and we returned to the parade in time for the big finale. Three large dragons did a dance and they lit off 22,000 firecrackers at the SAME time! During the explosions, the dragons danced and bowed down to the crackers. It was sooooooo cool! The kids loved it and so did we! Then we headed home to a Chinese dinner! I really do, love this city!

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!

We had a wonderful weekend in the mountains and got to play in the snow! We went with the YMCA for Family Camp at Arbolado. The camp is in Angelus Oaks, about halfway up the mountain to Big Bear. The kids had a blast as did the grownups, although this Mommy was really worn out and very tired. I did not sleep very well in a dorm style cabin in a bunk bed with my hubby above me and the kids beside me. Not to mention that our roommate Afton and her granddaughter Kalin were in there too. I was cold and missed my bed and every little noise that someone made (which were many, varied and for most of the night) woke me up. But aside from that ... it was really great!

We drove up on Friday night and were delighted to see SNOW! It was late and dark and by the time we got the car unpacked and everyone settled into bed it was already 11:00 p.m.! Up bright and early and off to the dinning hall for breakfast followed by a chapel service. Then we had free time to PLAY! The kids explored the snow and used our discs to slide down some hills! I thought that Andy was going to break his tailbone doing some of the hills that he did. He got bruised, but not broken! After lunch, Ella and I headed to the cabin so that she could nap and I could read. The others went to another hall to do arts and crafts, play games and later, do some more sledding. After E's nap we built a snow-mouse, Angelina Ballerina to be exact... don't ask, sometimes you just do what the 3 year old wants and move on!

Dinner and campfire were later on in the evening along with ice cream sundaes! The next morning when we woke up it was SNOWING! What a treat! (I thought of you, Rebecca!) The snow came down all morning through breakfast and chapel, it was amazing! As we were packing up to head home, it turned to rain and that continued for our whole drive home.

We had a great family weekend and cherish all of that together time. It also got us in the mood for more "getting away". As the weather warms, we will be doing some camping and can't wait!

WARNING!

Just because I care...

DO NOT SAUTE CHICKEN WHILE READING OTHER PEOPLES BLOG ENTRIES!

I could end up looking like this:

Kind of ruins the dinner, if you know what I mean!