Hollywood

This is how we go to school Hollywood Style...

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!

Pictures from Glamis 2007

Jeffrey at the top of a dune. The dunes went for miles.


DUNES, DUNES, DUNES..

The only picture of Jeff and I.

Jeffrey climbing Competition Hill.

Vacation???

Well, about one month ago, Jeff and I did the unexpected and went on vacation without the children. A little nerve wracking for me but I knew that I needed to do it. It isn't often that I ever leave my children (let alone for a week). ANYWAY, we were gearing up for the trip of a lifetime.

We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Jan and we always said we would go to Hawaii. We both kind of felt that was too far in case something happened with the children. So, we headed for Glamis, CA!!! WAY south and NOTHING but sand. It is actually where they filmed a lot of the early Star Wars movies. So after months of hype, we were ready to go!!! FABULOUS TRIP!!! NOT!!!

Before we even leave, Jeff busts out the rear windshield in the truck trying to hook up the fifth wheel. This should have been a premonition. Here's the rest....

2...Our friends were a couple hours late but Jeff and I went to breakfast.
3...The right tire on the trailer BLOWS OUT!!!
4...Fix it but there is a HUGE bubble on the other right tire...double axle.
5..We are stranded at a Home Depot parking lot for two hours waiting for someone to find us a tire.
6..After waiting, there is NO TIRE in Southern CA....nice...we start driving!!!
7..Got to our first destination at midnight...about 6 hours later than planned.
WAKE UP ON SUNDAY
8. No tire anywhere in the area...we drive and take a chance...again.
9. We make it to Glamis, unpack the quads, and head out for a ride....Jeremy rolls his brand new-never ridded before-quad all the way down a HUGE dune.
10. Jeremy and Misty also brought a brand new-never ridden before-rhino (glorified golf cart made for the sand) and something wasn't working on it so they couldn't ride it.
11. Jeremy WAY HOT but he and Jeff fix what they can on the quad.
MONDAY!!!
12. Jeremy's back hurts and he is laid up and we don't see him for 2 days.
13. Aunt Flo decides she wants to be on vacation with me. Again, nice.
14. My kids are with Grandma and Papa and are sick the entire week. Colds, high fevers.
SEEMS LIKE NOT ENOUGH TIME GOES BY
15. Thursday night the wind picks up REAL BAD. A wind storm developed so we decided to leave early Friday afternoon and head to Palm Springs for a good night out.
16. Jeff and I run out of gas 2 miles from the gas station...really not a big deal because we had gas in the back of the truck. We just thought we would try to make it.
17. Jeremy gets back in the truck after helping pour gas in our truck...breaks serpentine belt on his truck...no AC, no power steering, and oh yes, NO BRAKES.
18. Make it to the gas station (us), side of the road (them), find a belt, go get it, try for 2 hours to fix it...break another part of the truck...now we need towed!!!
19. Can't find a big enough tow truck so Jeff takes Misty and her trailer to the casino 15 miles away, comes back and gets our trailer (me in it) and goes to the casino, mealwhile, Jeremy gets towed to a garage.
20. We are at the casino determined not to let this break our spirits so we go to dinner at 11:00 pm.
21. Jeff and Jeremy drive for an hour towards home Saturday morning to get the part for his truck, drive an hour back, wait 30 minutes until it is put on, and we head home. We finally got home around midnight.

Quite the trip but not really how any of us thought it would be. We need a vacation from our so-called vacation. We are definitely going to try to do this one over. Anyone willing to watch my children for a week????

I think I can

Isabella wanted SO BADLY to climb the rock wall like the other children but was having a difficult time because of her socks.

After trying repeatedly, she finally asked me if it was OK for her to take off her socks

Climbing like a champion.

SHE DID IT!!!!

WWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Pee Wee bike race

A couple weekends ago, Nicholas and Isabella...and a group of their friends...participated in a Pee Wee classic race. This was the third year for Nicholas (the first without training wheels) and the second year for Isabella. The first two years I tried to walk/run alongside the children and get them on video and it didn't work out so well for me. This year I stood at the finish line and tried to capture all of them coming across the finish line but that didn't work out so well either. (Totally operator error...I thought I pushed REC but instead pushed PAUSE...bummer). The race is halfway around a city block and they did real well. Nicholas goes as fast as he can and Isabella takes her good ole time taking in the scenery as she goes. Such the Sunday driver!!!

Anyway, here is a picture of them before the start of the race. Isabella is 665, Trevor is 653, Nicholas is 666, and Carter is 654. Did I get the luck of the draw or what??? Poor Nicholas...he actually thought all of the sixes were cool since he'll be six on his next birthday. WHEW!!!!

I want to be like DAD

Every day BEFORE Jeffrey goes to work, he completes a little routine. He showers, brushes his teeth, does his hair, gets dressed, etc.

Every day AFTER Jeffrey goes to work, Nicholas completes the same routine, only modified. He will say goodbye to his Dad, go to his room, and reappear in jeans and a white tee-shirt. He walks straight to our room where he, too, will put gel in his hair, brush his hair, brush his teeth and sometimes put on Jeffrey's deodorant.

Today was a little different. He did all of the above but it took him a little longer than usual. I thought, "What is taking him so long?" but I must have said this outloud because Isabella said something about a bloody lip. "What bloody lip?" As fast as the signal went from my brain to my legs to RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, I ran as fast as I could.

By the time I reached the bathroom, he already had a band-aid on his chin but it was full of blood and still coming out by his chin. OH MY GOSH!!! I said nothing to him except that I needed to see the cut. You see, this was the day that he took his primping routine a little further and thought he should add shaving to his regiment. After inspecting the cut, I was able to determine that as soon as the razor touched his face and cut him (I'm guessing immediately), he stopped what he was doing and tried to doctor himself up.

He was left with two small cuts on his chin and a promise to go to Target this weekend and find a child's razor.

The game is on:

Describe ME in one word.... just one single word. Send it to me and to me only. Then send this message to all your friends and see how many strange & interesting things they say about you. This is really fun.Here's how:1. Hit the reply key and send me my one word.2. Then return to this message, and forward it to your friends (including me) and see what people say about you when limited to one word !!!

The Game is On !!!

I have sent this out to some of the people in my address book and this is what I've gotten back.

April Lynn...funny
Pap...thoughtful
Grove...bubbly
Magz...sunshine
Louie...loving
Dana...amazing
Laura Jean...hysterical
Robin...compassionate

You guys sure do know how to make a girl feel loved!!!!

:-)

Kindergarten

OK...Weird Mother moment. I had to go to the local Elementary school today and sign Nicholas up for Kindergarten. I was actually doing fine with it until I realized last night that it was today. The testing and everything is April 30th but actual registration was this morning. Why was it so bizarre for me to do this? Hard to believe that my little man is growing up. I guess it only gets worse from here. :-(

Conversation with Bella

Every morning my children ask for their milk as they are the biggest milk drinkers ever. So much so that I go through a gallon a day...no lie. Anyway, this morning was no different but the conversation was.

Bella..."Mommy, can I have my milk?"
Me..."Sure Isabella. You want the milk from a goat (joking)?"
Bella..."Mommy...(getting slightly irritated).
Me..."Does milk come from a goat?"
Bella..."No."
Me..."Does milk come from a pig?"
Bella..."No."
Me..."Does milk come from a chicken."
Bella..."No."
Me..."Bella, where does milk come from?"
Bella..."A CUP!!!"

Life is so simple when your 3!!!

Wheel of Fortune

Just for fun, I am spending the entire day Saturday trying out for the Wheel of Fortune. There are three games held both Saturday and Sunday so I'm going to try my luck and see how I do.
WISH ME LUCK!!!!

Gabby

It seems lately that every time I get to post a picture of all of us, Gabby is either sleeping or not in the picture. SO.....Here are a couple pictures of the little girl.

She is taking steps these days but still has no real interest in walking. She does fine when she is holding on to someone's hand but not independently. Think she'll walk to preschool???


Wearing Nicholas's hat.


Waiting patiently for lunch...

Just out of the bath and having crazy hair.

Cousins plus 3, 4, or 5!!!!

HOLY SMOKES!!!! Well, Nicholas, Isabella, and Gabby are about to be BOMBARDED with a group of new cousins. How many???? WELL.....

Uncle Jeff (my brother) and Amy are expecting twins and are due the beginning of August. (Of course I'm secretly hoping they will be born while I'm home in July.) Is it still a secret if I publish here??? HMMM??? They will find out the sex of the twins April 2 if everyone cooperates!!

Aunt Jenni (Jeff's sister) and Uncle Randy found out yesterday that after months of trying, they are pregnant!!!! The verdict is still out on how many embryos are growing but the possibilities are either 1, 2, or 3!!! They will find out on the 28th how many babies she is carrying. Back to my original HOLY SMOKES!!!

We had dinner last night , luckily Jeffrey had the night off, and we celebrated the good news. We are all jumping for joy around here and waiting EVER SO PATIENTLY for babies to be born!!! How many...I'll keep you posted!!! Congrats to all of you!!!!


Drinking champagne...Jenni and Randy, I drank (actually sipped) JUST FOR YOU!!!!


Raising our glasses and celebrating the new parents and babies.

Nicholas and Isabella enjoying their dinner. Gabby was already sleeping!!!

Jeff Gordon and Spidey

I have been away for far too long. So much to write and talk about. I'll update as time allows! For now, look who I hung out with ALL DAY Sunday (yesterday)!!!!