Work Work Work!

The other night I ran upstairs to tuck Ellie in bed for the SECOND time ("please please one more story...just one more drink of water...my friends - a.k.a dolls and stuffed animals - are cold and need covers."). Ellie is a master staller. When I came back downstairs I found Kenny sound asleep - he had crashed (mid-sentence on his laptop) on the couch. He has been traveling a lot for work and working around the clock to close an IPO (Initial Public Offering - attorney lingo). It has kept him incredibly busy for the last few months. My husband is such a hard worker. His job is intense and VERY demanding. He works so hard all day and hurries home at night so he can play with the girls, help me get them to bed, answer all of my endless computer questions and assist with my many house projects. On a good night and if we're lucky we get to sneak in one previously recorded show, but he is usually working while the TV is on. Then I head to bead and he stays up late to do more work. He has very little down time for himself and I know it can be exhausting. I don't know how he does it! He is an amazing attorney, husband and daddy and I love him so much! Thanks babe - for all you do...

Come back Car!

It was so much fun having my sister here. Now that she's gone I'm having major Carly withdrawals! Carly is like a drug for me. Those of you who know my sister know what I mean. She is such a CRACK UP! Hilarious personality. She definitely brings out my silliest side. We stayed up so late every night talking and laughing. She makes me feel like a little kid again...
Miss you Car!




Time for a night on the town...adults only!!!

Easter Egg Hunt at the park!

Easter was so much fun this year! Carly, Shawn and baby Claire (my sister and her cute family) came to visit and we all had such a blast. These are pics from the annual egg hunt our little family goes to each year. It is held at a local park and so much fun for the kids...total madness for the parents! Wouldn't feel like Easter without it!


Ready for the hunt!

Little Claire's first egg hunt...what a doll!

The whole crew - Thanks Easter Bunny!!!

Easter at home...

Fun surprises left by the Easter Bunny!
(Dress ups are sure to be a hit!)






Cute cousins!


Claire's first Easter!

Fun week with mom!

This has been such a fun week! My mom came to visit during her Spring Break. If you know my mom well, you know that it is always a party when she is around! She has such a "yellow" laid back, happy personality...she can make doing laundry fun! She is also a HUGE help to me when she comes to visit. She plays with my kids, cleans my house and is great at helping me mellow out. Those of you who know ME well know that I can be just a LITTLE bit of a perfectionist...just a little...once in awhile. :) My mom and I love hanging out together! Here's what we've been up to...

Of course one of the main things my mom and I love to do together (especially in San Diego) is go shopping! We've done plenty of it this week... I love this picture because it is SO my mom. Stroller in hand...ready to hit the outlets! (Sorry dad and Kenny...looks like we'll be eating Ramen Noodles for a week or two!)

I loved just having my mom here with me in my typical day-to-day routine. She took this picture at our neighborhood playgroup. Some of us moms in my neighborhood get together every Monday afternoon so the kids can play and we can chat. I have such cute neighbors! We have been getting together for about three years now and have all become great friends...so have our kids!

My mom at playgroup joining in on a mad game of "duck duck goose"...a playgroup favorite!

The weather was so beautiful the whole week my mom was here. One day we took the girls to the beach...

It was a picture perfect day at the beach. So warm...hardly anyone was there. Ellie was having a great time playing in the water with grandma. I was relaxing with a magazine. Addison was having fun in the sand...UNTIL...

She started getting a lot of sand on her and couldn't get it off. This little one of mine HATES being dirty (wonder where she gets that from?!).

Once she realized she was dirty she was so done with the beach! She started crying and WOULD NOT stop. I did everything to try to distract her. Nothing worked! Not even my usual tricks - fruit snacks and drinking water from a bottle. I even walked up on the grass to show her the train going by. She was not having it. She wanted to leave the beach and that was that!

So much for our "perfect" beach day. I'm learning perfection doesn't exist...ESPECIALLY if you have a one year old!

Addie calmed down as soon as she could see we were walking AWAY from the water and sand. She had bawled for over an hour and was done with the beach. I was just done with her! Definitely made for a beach day we won't soon forget!

Sometimes my mom and I are bummed we don't live closer to each other because we always have so much fun together. But if we did, (not only would we not get anything productive done!) we wouldn't get to have a week like this one where we can spend so much quality time together. I wouldn't trade that for anything! Love you mom...thanks for all of your help and for such a fun week!

Cute Friends!

Can I just say that I have the CUTEST FRIENDS! My three San Diego buddies (Ann, Shari and Darci) and I are such good friends. The four of us have so much fun together. We are also major therapy for each other! Just got back from dinner...they took me for my birthday. We missed you Darci! Don't know what I'd do without you guys!

"Wicked" Birthday!

So today is my 31st birthday and although I'm not THRILLED to be 31, I've been having such a fun week! Over the weekend, Kenny took me to the Pantages Theater in L.A. to see the play "Wicked." (My mom is here visiting during her Spring Break and she was so sweet to watch the girls for us!) Wicked was incredible! Larson fam...you were right! The play was absolutely amazing. The music, singing, acting, costumes, set, plot...all of it was so captivating. We loved it! I highly recommend this play to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Of all of the plays I've seen this was by far my favorite. Kenny and I had a great trip and especially enjoyed some time for just the two of us!


On our way to the play...decked in our "Wicked" green attire!




Inside the Pantages Theater...

Cooking is for the birds!!!

Ok...so tonight was a perfect example of why I don't cook. When I started this blog I set some goals - one of which included cooking two times a week. I was cooking a simple meal tonight - chicken with sauce and cashews, (Ann-the Tso sauce you told me about) rice and broccoli. Within ten minutes of cooking I'm a little stressed because I have three things going at once on the stove. All of the sudden Ellie starts screaming from the bathroom. I leave the stove and run to see what's going on and by the time I get there Addison is bawling too. I think something major has happened but realize that Ellie is so upset because Addison threw her candy in the toilet (the candy I gave Ellie to bribe her to stay in the living room while I cook). The girls are both hysterical (Ellie because of the candy and Addie because all the screaming scared her) so I carry them in the living room and turn on a movie....run back to the stove to find my broccoli is way over cooked and my chicken is burning on one side. I lift the broccoli to take it to the sink to drain and on the way knock over the box of rice. Brown rice all over my once clean kitchen floor. I flip the chicken and start cleaning up the rice with Addison hanging on me because this is taking longer than I thought and she is starving. Finally throw an easy pack of Mac-n-cheese in the microwave to get her fed and occupied for a minute. Ellie sees her eating and wants mac-n-cheese too. NO! I get mad at her. She needs to eat this stupid meal because I'm going to all this trouble to make it. Now she's sulking because I got mad at her and Addie has successfully dumped mac-n-cheese all over herself. She needs another bath but I can't bathe her because I have to cut up and finish the chicken. I finish cooking and fix Ellie a plate. Addie is full from mac-n-cheese but insists on eating what Ellie is eating so I fix her a plate only to watch her dump rice and broccoli on herself and the floor. Ellie eats three bites and politely tells me "no thanks - I'm full because I don't really like this mommy...can I have a banana?" I clean the girls up and get them ready for bed. Kenny comes home late again and everything is cold. I eat a few bites and decide I would have enjoyed a turkey sandwich more. Now my kitchen looks like a bomb went off and I'm exhausted. Think I'll just stick to my reading goal.

Dancing fools!

I'm having a lot of fun with my girls right now because they are SO into dancing! Ellie has been taking a tap and ballet class this year and she is loving it. Of course, Addison wants to do everything that Ellie does, so...BOTH of my girls have been dancing fools lately! Whenever we're home hanging out at the house they are in dress up clothes dancing to their favorite flick "Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses." Ask me how sick I am of that movie!



Ellie's Christmas Dance Performance

She loves taking dance with her cute friend Taylor!

Click here to see Addison's dancing debut!

My girls...

Can we both marry daddy?

Here is a picture of my little bride. Ellie is obsessed with brides and marriage (she's clearly seen one too many Disney and Barbie movies!). She was a bride for Halloween and wears the bride dress around the house ALL THE TIME. The other day she was "playing bride" and she asked me very seriously... "Mommy, can we both marry daddy?" "You want to marry daddy?" I asked. "Yes, because there aren't any princes around here and grandma already married grandpa."

Kenny thought her idea was pretty amusing....except that he was second to grandpa!

JUST DO IT!!!

So lately I've been in a bit of a rut. By "lately" I mean the last four years! Since I started having kids I've fallen into a bad habit of PLANNING and not DOING. I make constant "to-do" lists for these four areas....

Scrapbooking: I read my scrapbook magazines every month, cut out and dog ear pages with design or color ideas, take endless pictures of my family, write lists of layout ideas, save every ticket stub and hair lock and of course...spend TONS of money on scrapbook supplies. I just don't scrapbook.

Cooking: Anyone who knows me well knows that I DESPISE cooking. I don't enjoy it and I've never been good at it. I think it's ridiculous to spend time and money and create a big mess in my kitchen on a meal that is over and done with in minutes. Most nights Kenny gets home well past dinner time and my girls only eat about three things anyway. Still...I feel guilty that I don't make healthy dinners for my family so...I cut out recipes, plan menus and even at times buy the necessary groceries. I just don't cook.

Reading: I used to love to read books and go to book club. Lately though, I only make lists of books I'd like to read and buy and borrow books. I just don't read. (No Car, I haven't started Twilight yet).

Blogging: I love to stalk blogs and check out what is going on with all of my friends. I think it is a great way to keep in touch with people. I also love that it is a family journal and record of all of the day to day stuff. So...I continue to read other people's blogs, write down fun ideas for posts and think about how I'd decorate my blog. I just don't blog.

Until now! I'm starting this blog hoping it will inspire me to stop just planning all of the things I want to do and take a little advice from Nike and JUST DO IT!