Christmas eve 2010

Merry Christmas!!!

This year we decided to recreate an old tradition in my family. For some strange reason, we would wake up early on Christmas eve and go out in our neighborhood and ride our bikes as many miles as we were old that year. Well we don't have the right neighborhood nor the biking abilities yet......but we decided to start a new tradition where we rent bikes and bike around beautiful San Diego. This year we rented a tandom bike (the bike shope wouldn't let us put Violet in any kind of bike contraption because she is too young).

We started in Coronado and road the ferry to San Diego to Sea Port Village........

And what did we do with silly.....well she came along for the ride in the stroller!

Merry Christmas!!

Halloween is Here!!

Halloween is Charly's favorite holiday. She talks about it all year long. I can not believe how many times that little girl changed her mind on what she was going to be for halloween. It went from Strawberry shortcake to bumblebee transformer to princess to who knows what else....I can't keep track. We finally ended up on Strawberry shortcake. Luckily we were able to borrow a costume from her friend so we didn't have to spend any money. They also had a snow white costume for Violet. For some reason I didn't have an opinion about what Violet was going to be, so I was ok with the Snow white. Jack was Mario.....and was pretty set on that, so that was the only one we had to buy. I think he has made up his mind on what he wants to be for the next 5 years or so.

It's not even Halloween yet, but we had a big Halloween weekend. We went to Sea World with some friends and went trick or treating. We then zoomed off to our Church halloween party....and it was pretty funny cause we came home to Jim all dressed up for halloween. He threw this costume together at the last minute. I was pretty impressed. He was a beat up injured scout master.....which suits him because that is his calling at church. It was funny cause he walked around telling people that he needs to be released :) The pictures are good but don't totally do the costume justice. But I do have to say that I am so glad that I have a husband as cool as him!! Some husbands don't dress up.....but mine does!! That makes me proud. Well I am going to stop jibberjabbing and load some pics.....cause I actually have some!

Oh and I almost forgot...our family won 3rd place in the costume contest!!

a reminder

Sadly today I found out that my Cousin's husband Royce died at age 39. It was a brain anyoresum. He died very suddenly... no way to prevent or no time to stop it. I am deeply sadden for there family....they had 5 children all 13 and under.

As I get older or as anyone gets older you start outliving people. It is really sad to see when death takes someone before they reach and old age. Always a reminder of what is most important. In memory of my cousin in law Royce, I will love my family more, spend more time with them and put them first.

I can't say that I knew him super well, but what I have read of him, he sounds like a great guy. I want to be more like him.

Love and peace I send to that sweet family.

a perfect Saturday

I really need to take more photos. A photoless blog is probably uninteresting to read. What a spectacular weekend. We spent saturday out at "pirate ship park" It was so beautiful down there at mission bay. The stunning reflection of the piercing blue sky in the placid ocean bay+ the smell of the thick salty air mixed with permeating sunshine gave me a rush of pleasure and satisfaction that corsed through my veins. My soul needs good weather....my soul needs sunshine....my soul needs to see the ocean. It opens my perspective and gives me unbridled joy. Something I much needed that day...for no other reason than I simply just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I took Violet in the jogging stroller for a run/walk. After straining for a few minutes to keep her head up, she finally gave up and was sawing logs. Jack and Jim practiced baseball. Jack was working on his pitching and got a few good pitching "snaps" into Jim's glove. It gives me so much pleasure to see them out playing baseball together. Good father and son. Sweet Charly our "forgotten" middle child was left on her own to room the playground as she pleased. She is starting to take risks and was doing things she hadn't done like climbing up and down the caterpillar and going to the top of the dome. We didn't really forget about her....she was just content to be exploring.

After spending 2 1/2 hours there, we came home. Sebastian came over to play with Jack and Charly and Violet slept while Jim and I made a dent on the garage. We then got a babysitter and went out for a couple of hours. We went to Sea Port Village, one of our favorite date spots. We love to just walk in the shops and look at all the fun trinkets they sell. Then we stopped at a restaurant that overlooked the water and had a lovely brownie with ice cream. We had such and nice time....I love going on dates with my husband.

This Saturday had all the components of a Saturday that I love. Being out doors and exercising with family/ working to complete a project/ and a date with my man. I am happy :)

A newly discovered talent

Do you ever get wrangled into doing something you totally don't want to do? That was me tonight. Our ward had a talent show. I should just stop there before things get to painful...hahaha. Anyways, this morning I made the mistake of answering the phone. Bro. S called and asked if we were going to the ward talent show. I said "yes" (thinking he was calling for the purpose of recruiting people to go). Then he asked if we were performing. I said "no" and explained that we might put something on display...but we weren't planning on performing. Then he asked me if I would help him out with his....which was telling jokes....oh no I thought....how do I get out of this one? I was skeptical, but I couldn't think of an excuse so I grudgingly agreed to it.

I arrived at the show right when the dinner part started and we went in a room and read over the script. It was a lot of corney jokes....so kind of cute...but mostly corney. The kind that have the "dadum ching" after them. I felt unusually calm about this and decided that it was going to be kind of fun to do. By the way, there was a guy on the drums doing all the "dadum chings" for us. I figured I would have nothing to loose...so here it goes and I waited for the curtain to open. (we were the first act).

They had the lights out and the spot light on us....as soon as they opened the curtain...I looked out and the first thing I saw was Jack just beaming and looking up at me as if I was the coolest person in the whole world...Then I saw Charly with the same look on her face...smiling at me and so excited. At that moment I just thought to myself...."I am SO glad I am doing this" no matter how this goes I am so glad that I am doing this for them and no one else matters. We start telling the jokes...and all I can really hear is Jack and Charly cracking up (i don't think they really even understand the jokes) but they are laughing after every joke. I loved it. Of course the bit would have been a lot better if it were cut in half (i tried to get bro. S to do that but he didn't want to)......but I must say there was an accordion break in the middle of it.....awesome. Anyways, I heard a few laughs from the audience but mostly I will just always remember Jack and Charly's face looking up at me smiling and laughing like I was their hero. And afterwards, they told me I was their favorite act.

Did I want to do this? a resounding "no" But I am SO glad I did. I am so glad that bro. S called me and asked me to. Some people might think I am stupid or lame....but my kids think I am cool and that is all that matters to me. So as for a newly discovered talent.....Is it my great acting abilities or comedic timing? Nay, I say...but I realized my talent is going along with things and being a good sport about it. Now that's talent ;) dadum ching.

We LOVE Daddy!

Jim had a bad day a work and so I told the kids that and asked them what we could do to make him feel better and feel happy. They decided that they wanted to decorate the house and put streamers up and make him a cake. In my mind the streamer idea was a little lofty, I was just thinking maybe clean up! So here are some pictures of the cake we made....it actually broke and didn't all come out of the pan, so we imporvised and called it the "donut cake." The kids were really excited because I got out my special cake decorating caddy and let them go crazy decorating it. They also drew him pictures and I thought it was extra sweet because Jack drew a picture of a baseball field (shocker) and put the final score as the Blue Jays beating the Yankees. Charly colored a my little pony picture. Anyways, Jim loved it and felt appreciated. :)

***by the way...we did this on the last day of summer sometime in the last week of August. I just now getting around to blogging about it.****

butternut squash and artichokes

Tonight I was making dinner and thinking to myself..."nancy, what are you doing? Another dinner where the only person you had in mind was yourself." I tend to make dinners to please me. Well, not always...but a lot of time half way through I think....you made that for yourself no one else is going to eat this. Or so I thought tonight! I made butternut squash ravioli and an artichoke for the family to share. I first could not believe that Jack actually tried it...and secondly he liked it! He gobbled up a good portion of the artichoke and then when I got to the heart I was skeptical, but he tried it and liked it! He also ate his ravioli. Charly tried the artichoke but was stuck on the edimame that I had also made and wouldn't stop eating that. (I am tickled pink that she liked it). We have made a rule with our kids that you have to try something once. If you don't like it you don't have to eat it..but at least a bite.

Do you ever have days where you feel like you nailed it? That was today. I got up early..made lunch for the boys, cleaned the kitchen...fed violet and then got ready and met my friend at the park to go walking. We had a great time chating, and then met up with the playgroup. Played for a while and then left home to make it in time for a friend to come over or lunch. Charly LOVES her daughter and they played so well together. Her mom and I had a great chat and ate yummy paninis. Then I left to go pick up jack and we came home...did homework then I spent some quality time with violet. Made a really easy dinner (see above), took the kids on a walk and let Jack practice riding his scooter. Came home had pumpkin cookies and then charly and I cleaned her room and they went to bed. The kids were so good and extra cute for some reason. I just love them. Today I feel like I am making a difference and doing good in the world. (i don't always feel like that). I feel truely happy. It was a great day....a simple but great day :)

Summer Vacation 2010

Magical Days

Do you ever have days that unexpectedly turn out to be completely magical? We just started our vacation aka staycation. We decided with the new baby and expenses we just didn't want to travel far. So we thought that we would do fun stuff around San Diego and OC. Since we don't have to pay for a hotel and food we would spend our money on fun!! Plus in OC we have babysitters!! Yay!
Day 1
So we started off going to The Quail Botanical Gardens. The perfect way to start off our trip. It was so beautiful there. I am including lots of pictures. Not a cloud in the sky and warm…but not too hot. We arrived around 11:30 and just began to stroll along the gardens. It felt like we were the only people there. IT was so peaceful. Just what Jim and I needed. We started walking around the gardens…this is a blog that I think the pictures do all the talking so I am going to mostly leave it up to them to do the talking.

Charly's favorite thing was the lily pond. She loved to stick her fingers in the pond and the tiny fish would come up and nibble on her fingers. She was in heaven. We also spotted a bull frog and a turtle.

Jack's favorite thing was at the children's garden they had a little stream and plastic boats that you could sail down the stream. He had so much fun and could have spent hours doing this. I am trying to think of ways we could build one at home.

Jim loved the bamboo forest that we walked through. Especially the giant bamboo. He also really enjoyed reading the name of the plants with the kids and seeing the plants from all over the world. One in particular is the "ice cream banana plant"

I don't know that I had a favorite….I just loved being there and soaking up the ambiance It amazes me the effect of being in that environment. It made me feel happy, peaceful and tranquil. I loved sitting with Jim and watching our kids having fun in the children's garden and watching them pretend. Nothing brings me more happiness than that. Here in the gardens we were in no hurry. We just let things happen. It was wonderful.

At the end of the day we went to Encinitas's Moonlight beach. Again, so beautiful. Since it was late we didn't swim. The kids just played on the beach and we watched the sunset. So fun!!




Day 2

We exhausted ourselves yesterday…which showed today. It seems ridiculous how long it takes Jim and I to get everyone in the car to get going. Today destination "Old Town" We got going late and so we didn't make it down to Old Town until 11:30. Part of traveling with young children is that you have to let go of your expectations and surrender to what is really possible.

We spent a good hour and a half at the Mormon Battalion. We LOVED this; they have completely redone the visitor center. What a great and inspiring story of people who had prayed for the Lord's help to move them west. When the answer came …it wasn't what they were expecting and it took a lot faith to trust the Lord. The answer was for them to join the army and fight the Mexican's….The prophet Brigham Young had promised them that if they were faithful, they would never have to fight a battle. What a great promise. Everywhere they expected to fight a battle…no one was there to fight. They had many hardships…but through these hardships they learned skills that proved important in the future to building up the salt lake valley. Part of their job was to blaze the trail west…that many people took and eventually was the route of the railroad. When they arrived in San Diego…the Mexican's there had heard that an army of religious zealots were coming to fight them. When they arrived however, they were surprised to find that the Mormons helped them build up the town and that they became friends. What a great and uplifting story. I am so happy to know it.

We then went to lunch and had a yummy Mexican lunch. After lunch we tried to walk around town, but everyone was over it and tired so we went back home. Jim was really nice to let me nap while he took care of miss fuss buckets (violet). She had a very bad day and was so upset and remained so the rest of the day. Later we went to watch Jim's volleyball game. I sat in the car most of time trying to feed miss fuss buckets whom apparently does not need to eat and then Charly had bumped her lip and was so sad and tired she just couldn't get over it. After the game there was a picnic….which I tried to enjoy…it was just really cold.

Day 3

This day we decided to drive up to Orange County. Ideally we wanted to leave at 9am. Did that happen?? Any guesses?? Of course NOT!! It took a ridiculous amount of time to get everything packed and in the car! Finally around 12 we were ready. BTW… it is so much different being a parent as opposed to being a kid. This is the stressful stuff about vacations that I don't enjoy. You know what they say….sometimes you need a vacation from your vacation!! As soon as we pulled out of our garage and were just about to shut the garage door we here "pluuuhhhhblahljlj" yes, Violet had a BIG poop!! It was such classic timing. We changed her and then left. Had to get gas on the way and do a bathroom stop...so we didn't make it up to OC until around 2pm. After having lunch we went to Irvine Park. This is one of my favorite places. Another place of peace and tranquility. Charly rode the horses. She was so excited about this. She rode a horse named "Stuart" I really enjoyed watching here ride the trotting pony. IT was SO cute to see her and her blond little pony tail bounce up and down. I just adore my little angel. She really has a special place in her heart for animals. A kindness and love towards them. Then we went to a grass area and played Frisbee, kickball, zoom-O and had a great time. Charly and I spent a lot of time looking at the ducks in the pond. They have paddle boats there so we rented one for a 1/2 hour (plenty of time). I am really glad that we did, even though those things are a lot of work, it was a fun experience to give our kids. We got to leave Violet with Grandma and Grandpa. That made things a lot easier!! (Sorry Violet we love you!)

We then went home and stopped at Taco Bell on the way home for some yummy lime drink that we have a coupon for. Dropped off Charly and went to the ANGELS game. Ok, so I went to the Angels game….but if you ask Jim and Jack we went to a BLUE JAYS game. We met up with Dan & Heather. That was a lot of fun; although the Blue Jays won L I was the only one cheering for the Angels. Jack was so excited that both Jim and I were going the game. I think that made his day to have us to himself. He is so diplomatic and would not admit who he was cheering for……but later it came out that he was going for the Jays.

Day 4

We headed down to Newport Back Bay to do a little kayaking. Something we have wanted to do more of but being pregnant and having a baby have stopped me. So, my parents (wonderful people) came along and let us use their kayak. They watched the kids while Jim and I took a two hour kayaking tour out of the Back Bay, around Balboa Island and back. It was really LONG!! We had a great time, but I am out of shape since I haven't been able to work out since my surgery. Needless to say, it is the day after and we are SUPER sore! While we were gone…the kids played at the back bay….a place that I would love to go back to when they are teenagers (there are some fun water toys they have in the swim area that appeal to teens). Most the time we were here Jim and I were out kayaking. We took the kids for a little kayak ride too. That was fun. Jack was scared and wouldn't go…but we finally talked him into it. Or should I say tricked him into it! (Sorry Jack:)) We told him we were just going to take a picture in the kayak and then we started floating away…hahaha he had fun though. We enjoyed reading the names of the boats.

That night, the boys went to the game again. Angels won this time 7-1.



Day 5

We did NOTHING absolutely nothing. Much needed. It's 4pm and I am still in my jammies. A much needed day of Nothing :)!

Chocolate for dinner

I had chocolate for dinner tonight. Yeah, it was one of those days. I'm just tired. I just needed 20 minutes of piece today and didn't get it. I ate a whole chocolate bar while I was fixing the kids dinner. It was really good.....i'm not going to lie.

a day in the life of us (in ridiculously monotonous detail)

Wow! Mondays are always so busy. Let's see....so I woke up around 7:30 and feed Violet. Got the kids breakfast and ready for swim lessons and started the laundry then got everyone in the car and left around 8:30. Arrived at 9....Got to sit down and breath while Jack and Charly did there swim lessons. At 9:25 set out all their clothes so that when they got out of the pool I would be ready for them. Had them shower and dress (which always takes some convincing since they are so cold they don't want to take their towels off from around them. (Did I mention it has been a cold summer...overcast almost every single day...YUCK!) Then we got in the car to head back home. We arrived home around 10:20. I had to change the laundry and feed Violet again. Then folded the laundry and got the Jack to fold his laundry and Charly to put hers away then switched more into the dryer. As soon as I finished that I cleaned the kitchen and put Violet down for a nap...by then it was 12:00. I started to fix lunch and then I realized Violet was asleep (thank you angel baby) and the kids were playing together in the office totally involved in some kind of plot...something to do with star wars and the mermaid lagoon that I made for Charly. Nontheless.....they were totally involoved. So I put down the lunch makings and decided this was the momment that I was going to have 10minutes to myself. I got the lap top and laid down on the couch and listened to my 10 minute weight loss hypnosis session...which is totally relaxing by the way. (a new thing I'm trying. I'll expound on that later). Then I proceeded to make everyone lunch including myself. We ate lunch and then Violet woke up. I knew she would want to eat so I rushed and folded some laundry and took it upstairs. Got the kids to do a little clean up and then let them watch Peter Pan 2 (they have hardly watched TV all summer.....mostly just on fridays for movie night...so since I was so busy I caved and let them watch.) Put that on then went upstairs to feed Violet. While I was feeding her I multitasked.... I read some scripture and then made some phone calls. Then when she was done eating I folded the laundry and put it away...came down stairs and the movie was just finishing. Then we decided to go to the park (which took some convincing...they didn't want to go, but I feel very guilty sometimes because we don't have a backyard and they don't get to play outside unless I arrange it) So we headed down to Coronado (one of my favorite places in the whole wide world!) It was so beautiful crossin the bridge. So the kids played on the playground while Violet sleeped in her stroller and then Jack and I played soccer. We stayed for about an hour and a half and then decided to go home. We got home and Charly wanted to stay in the car to sleep and Jack went upstairs to play so I went and fed Violet. While I fed Violet I wanted to plan out FHE. When I was done feeding her I started dinner (easy speghetti and meatballs), salad, strawberries & bananas, brocoli & cauliflower. (an dinner I know the kids will eat and we don't have to sit at the table for hours telling them it's time to take a bite.) Jim came home and we talked a bunch and then ate dinner. After dinner Jim and I sent the kids to the office so we could plan out the details of FHE....when we were done we made them come out and clean up a little bit and then we started. We had this fun game where they had to throw 10 balls and there were 10 different bowls. They could throw it at any bowl and then when they were done, each bowl had monopoly money taped underneith and that is how much they got depending on which bowl the balls were in. They had a lot of fun doing this. Then we gave them the money they earned and we had a lesson on tithing. After the lesson they "paid tithing" and then got to go to my "candy store" that I had set up. They were really excited about this. Jack was able to buy a bag of cookies that he wanted and Charly bought some chocolate. I really wanted key lime pie but didn't have enough money. Jack offered me $5 so that I could have my key lime pie. That was really nice it was so sweet of him. After that it was time to put the kids to bed. I gave Violet a bath (poor third child hardly ever gets a bath) and then I fed her. Jim got the kids ready for bed and then we all read scriptures together and said our family prayer. Then off to bed. While I finished feeding Violet..Jim and I chatted and then went down staris where we continued to chat while I was cleaning the kitchen (again multitaksing) and finished that around 9:40 and now I am in the office writing this ridiculiously monotonous detailed account of our day. Why you say? Who cares? Since I am writing this blog for my posterity I just think it would be interesting if I had something that my great great great great great great grandma wrote about what her life was way back in the year 2010. So hopefully my great great great great great great grandchildren will find this somewhat interesting. Anyways, that is a typical monday.....we do a lot more interesting stuff and have fun playdates planned for the week! This blog will get more interesting as I get more practice!! In a nutshell my life is overwhelming but happy!

Summer 2010

Ok, I am going to be good about this blogging stuff. I write this as a journal and for my posterity. I want to keep a record of our life, which I haven't been good at. So I am not going to overwhelm myself and try and keep up with all that hasn't been written...I am just going to start from now or at least this summer.

I was really gearing up for this summer because now that I have Jack in school...summers are the only time which I get to really be with him. I remember the words of Marjorie Hinckely in her books where one of her kids was in detention after school and she marched right over and took him out and told the teacher "sorry school is over he is on my time now" So that is how I veiw my time with my childern.

Anyways, in a nutshell Charly and Jack have been the best of friends this summer. They hardly fight at all!! They are good little playmates and it is fun to listen to them play and pretend. Right now they are really into lego "Powerminers" and "Atlantis" that is what they pretend most of the day. Saturday we built a mermaid lagoon and the lost city of Atlantis out of playdough and the kids had so much fun playing this. I am going to try and post a picture of it.

I am going to try and sum up a week every sunday. We have been doing swim lessons which the kids LOVE!! Every morning we have to get our sorry butts up and get to the pool in La Mesa by 9:00am. I am really impressed with how much they love to go and how much they are improving by just going every week. Charly is really a fish. We both have some kind of connection to water (maybe we were sea animals in our past life?!?!) She spends most of her time under water and can swim a good distance by herself. Jack's big accomplishment this week was jumping off the diving board. I watched his class go over to the diving board and I thought to myself...oh, this is going to be interesting....but he did it!! And of course he loved it. I am proud of his attitude he is very happy go lucky and has been willing to try new things...we have seen this at the dinner table as well and it has made life a lot easier!

We helped my friend move this week...which was sad :( we will miss them a great deal. And we got to finally go to the Morman Battalion with them. That was so awesome! I can't wait to take Jim. Jack was really interested in it and in the ways that people lived in the olden days.

Ok, I realize that I am writing nothing interesting right now. I just had to start from somewhere and then I can write more interesting stuff as it happens!! That is enough for now...I don't want to hate doing this because I feel obligated to write a ton each time.

BTW Violet is doing great. She is so silly and adorable! I just love her smiles and sweet cheeks. We were excited because we thought she had learned her name, but then we realized that she also answered to "cheeseburger" so I guess it was all in our tone of voice. :))