Happy Birthday Emma (but she told me she wanted to stay 4 forever)

Today my Emma turns 5. I think I say this every year, and for every kid, but sheesh I wish time would slow down a bit. From the moment she could form sentences she has made us laugh, so in honor of her special day, here are some of the best........

"I don't like Dora anymore, it's for babies and its ridiculous that I'm even watching it."

"I have a tooting problem today Julianna, you wanna hear it?"

"What are you fricken talking about Victoria?"

"Well like I always say, girls rule and boys drool."

"I love you mommy, and daddy too, but not sissies.....not today."

"I want a license so I can drive places and get ice cream whenever I want of course."

"Mommy I am seriously getting worried because I need my nails painted. They look awful."

"I don't want to get old and be a mommy, I want to stay 4 forever."

"Just suck it Victoria."

"People love to look at me, because I'm cute."

"Guess what? I just tooted."

"Mommy, your hair is a mess today."

"Oh geez are we done? Cuz I'm over this store."

"Stay off my bed because I don't want your butt juice on it Julianna."

"Mommy, do you know that video killed the radio star?"

"It's ridiculous to the think the real Santa would be at my school. Plus this guy had a fake beard, weird boots and bad breath."

"Hey mom, I was invited to a party and I just have to go because all my friends will be there and if you say no, you'll be mean."

"Mommy, you brush your teeth with toothpaste, not a bottle of Jack."

"Ok, I can be quiet, but not for too long because I am only 4.

"Oh snap, I just bammed you Victoria."

Emma 10 mos

Emma 2 yrs

Emma 3 yrs

Emma 4 yrs

Happy birthday, we love you Ems!

Is This Really Happening?

I should have never gotten out of bed this morning. I knew it the moment I opened my eyes and felt that "good morning to you too headache." I knew it when I almost put Nutella on a turkey sandwich and spilled half the water while making my coffee. It was a day riddled with "is this really happening?" A day that I could not make up if I wanted to. Let me explain. I watch two little girls, two days a week. The 3 year old we will call "G". The 20 month old we will call "Els" (so to prevent embarrassment from any future suitors). Most days with these two go off without a hitch, throw in a few butt wipes and some fight prevention and it's a day. Well, that was not the case for this day. Let's start with G. She naps in a pull up. Today she pooped in said pull up. G is potty trained. So I asked her what happened. G said, "I was awake, but didn't want to get up and use the potty." Hey, we've all had those days, who am I to judge? I simply clean up the mess, including G's "poopy buns", per her request. Now it's Els turn. Els is not potty trained, but is in a taking off her diaper phase, which is usually averted by making sure she has pants on. Els has now moved to a taking off her pants phase. After nap (or at least I hope it was after nap and the child did not sleep in her own filth), Els decides to use her mad clothing/diaper removal skills and have some paint time in her playpen. If you are an easy gagger, you may want to skip to the end. So I throw Els in the tub, clean the poopy child off (it was even on her nose), all the while listening to Emma gag in the corner and just hoping there is not another bodily fluid to clean up. Emma manages to keep it together and as I get Els dressed I gather up the "painted" laundry (including Olivia the pig and 2 baby dolls) and as I head to the washer, the decimated diaper falls out of the bundle and lands open on the kitchen tile. Hey, at least it wasn't the carpet right?! Now the kids are clean (and so is the tub), the laundry is in and I can sit down for five mins, or maybe get a glass of water. I'm sitting, I'm sipping (and imagining it's wine)......1 minute, 2...."mommy, poo poo!" Which means Emma the princess is on the toilet and needs her butt wiped. Wow, is this really happening? 3 minutes later Julianna says..."mommy I think Els is stinky." Well why wouldn't she be??? Oh and she also already has her pants off! Thank goodness I got to her before the diaper removal. PHEW! After a quick change, daddy comes to get them, and I can't get the wine poured into my glass fast enough. Two sips later, I start dinner for my girls. It's some boxed fettuccine noodle crap (organic and all natural I may add). Perhaps at this point I should have realized I had no food in my stomach. One glass of wine later, the organic and all natural fettuccine crap has boiled over and spilled its entire contents onto the stove. Oh look, something else to clean up. As I stand over my stove trying to salvage dinner and fighting the tears, I decide, as any rational person would, to order pizza. My decision is met with cheers from the crowd, or maybe it was just my kids, wine on an empty stomach remember! In the 20 minutes that we wait for the pizza I also manage to knock over my wine glass (don't worry none was wasted, it was empty) and break it. Oh look, something else for me to clean up. I then leave my older two at home and Em's and I walk to the deli to get the pizza. Now don't go freaking out on me people, the deli is 1 block away, we have a big scary watch dog, probably live in the safest neighborhood ever, and I locked the doors. Anyways, we are almost to the deli and I trip, fall, land in the dirt, on my face. I manage to get up and dust myself off before Em's notices. Which is a good thing, cuz she laughs hysterically when people fall (she gets that from me). We return home to the cheering crowd, dish up our food, and Victoria tells me she wants to try the organic and all natural fettuccine crap which I just let keep cooking, while I was cleaning up the broken wine glass and waiting for the deli pizza. So I grab a bowl for my daughter and on it's way down from the high cabinet (yes high, I am 5'2), I smack myself in the head with it. At this point it is clear that I am done. I don't know what else could possibly go wrong. I finish dinner, cautiously and put the girls to bed, carefully. I guess now I should push enter before we lose power or the computer blows up, but first another glass of wine!

Capture!

Some recent photo shoots.

Meet little miss Peyton. The easiest toddler I have done yet! She is a smiley, happy girl!

Meet baby Mya. A new cousin added to the family. Precious!

This is Summer

As I turned on the dryer last night for the second time that day, filled with wet towels and bathing suits, I thought to myself, this is summer. When you use your bathing suits and towels faster than you can actually wash them. When you go through sunscreen like it is water, and the sand in your car is tolerable until next week. It's planning a party on a Thursday just because you can, it's staying in your jammies till noon. It means The Del Mar Fair, camping, and staying at friends way too late. Summer means Slurpees and Otter Pops and plums from our tree. It means warm evenings and dinners in the backyard. It's chlorine, and the beach, and sunscreen. I smell it in my girls' hair when I brush it, I smell it in the bathroom where the wet towels hang, I smell it in the car and in the garage and think......this is summer.

The Fair (trip number 1).

Camping Yosemite.

Pool fun!

More fun at the Fair (Trip #2)

Tattoos and Thoughts

Ok, ok, sheesh. I need to blog, say my 5 followers. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I'm just not sure how much of my thoughts I should say, out loud. So instead I will resort to my "ten thoughts/facts on Tuesday" that I haven't done in awhile.....

• I recently turned 34, I don't like that number. 33 just seemed more fun to say (and remember).
• I think good friends are a gift to be cherished.
• I can't handle selfish people.
• I love photography but get nervous when booking clients.
• Last week I called the county on a barking dog behind us. That is something I remember my parents doing. Crap, I am old.
• I neglect my third child. Well, not really....but I can recall a time when my kids had to have a bath every night. Now, a trip to the pool and some spray on conditioner in the morning will do just fine. In my defense, she has curly hair that looks way better when you don't brush it. Unless of course it has become sort of dreadlock-ish, but that was only in Maui and I blame the sand and saltwater!
• I am a bit of a neat freak. I blame my mother. I can see that Victoria is well on her way to being one also. What have I done?
• I had a dream the other night that I drove my car into someone else's car, "Fried Green Tomatoes" style. Yes, I did it on purpose and the person will remain nameless. It was really fun.
• I want another tattoo. I just have to get my hubs to agree.......

She Dances

She is a dancer. I see it in her posture, and in her hands. Her toes pointed, her feet turned out. She twirls through the kitchen, she leaps through the living room. She is graceful, she is serious. She practices, she leads her class, she stands out. She dreams, she imagines, she loves. She dances.

It Starts with a Bang People

I told myself that I was gonna start blogging again, but apparently I suck. So here I sit on our first official day of Spring Break and I am feeling beyond lazy. I blame the weather really. I mean how do we go from 80 degrees, sunny and gorgeous all week/weekend, to this crap? Ugh.

Today, I was awakened from my slumber at 8:00 am to clouds, a puking dog and a blaring car alarm. My only comment being, why do people have car alarms? Does any common bystander upon hearing a car alarm, even glance in its direction or much less think, hmmm "I better go see if someone is stealing my neighbors car, and do something about it?!" After my delicious cup off coffee, and a DVR'd Oprah (she only has 29 shows left people), I enjoyed a bowl of Pops and perused my treasured coupons. To which I discovered a little something about myself. I have become a coupon whore. If it is not on sale or almost free, then I can go without. I actually caught myself contemplating going through my neighbors recycling bin because, just maybe, they had a neat little stack of the Sunday circulars sitting right there on top? I might need an intervention soon. I can hear my girls upstairs, and their giggles. They are still in their jammies, and watching Tangled.....my new favorite movie by the way.

The dogs are snoring, my feet are freezing and tummy is growling, and what do ya know, it is lunchtime already. I don't feel like going to the store, but am not sure we can survive till Wed (when we leave for camping) on creamer and a box of Cheerios. My children are still smelling of chlorine and soccer from the weekend, but running a bath for Emma, because she HATES showers, sounds like a lot of effort. I can smell and almost taste Maui it is so close. This too I blame for my laziness. It is merely vacationitis.

So to wrap things up, we are 4 hours into Spring Break, are all in our jammies, I have sent Emma to her room five times for screaming like a Teradactyl, and have threatened my oldest with a bathroom cleaning. I have however enriched my soul by watching Oprah and discovering my obsession for coupons. I shutter to think what the rest of the day may bring.....

Elementary Love

I was looking through the pictures that I took on Julianna's field trip. Looking for one that represented the day. This is the one that stood out. You can barely see Julianna in the middle of her two friends. But I can see her smile. Her joy. It was taken on the tractor ride around the flower fields as the girls were giggling and singing a song about dirt (which was later stuck in my head, no matter how hard I tried to shake it). I love to go on my kids field trips, and help in their classes. It is the best way to see how they act around their peers, and who these peers are, that will so greatly influence them. On this day I noticed the kindness of these first graders. It stood out to me. There was no fighting. No arguing. No tattling. Instead there was only hand holding, and it wasn't just girls! I watched as a little girl gave her favorite chips to a boy, because he was still hungry. I saw one boy in tears as he had no "buddy" for the maze, and before the teacher could even ask, a little girl volunteered.

Even now as I write this, I wonder when we lose such a capacity for love. The love shown to me through a first grade class. The love that brought me to tears as later, in the classroom, I watched a group of kids huddle around a boy that was crying over a lost pencil. I saw them all scramble to give him one of their own pencils, and hug him. A few boys pulled up a chair next to him and kept their hands on his back! Yep, I said boys! Not just sensitive, emotional girls.....but boys too.

The teacher later told me that this might be the most loving class she has had. That no matter who is hurting, boy or girl, they all show deep concern for their friends. She told me she battles tears daily as she watches such acts of love. She said she is humbled by them, and they have taught her more than she has this year. I can only hope, as she did, that they never lose this capacity for love. There is a quote..."the only thing harder than hatred is love". This seems so true for us adults. Negative, nasty adults, that forget to look beyond ourselves for our friends that are crying over lost pencils.

Cuteness

I recently took pictures of my dear friend Michelle and her little man, Xavier. He kills me with his cuteness! I got my workout with him for sure, as he found it hilarious to run away from the camera. Here are just some of my favorites, although it was hard to pick!

Writings From Second Grade

As the end of the school year approaches, the school projects start trickling in.......it might be my favorite part. From art projects to writing, it is all so fun to see what my girls come up with throughout the year. Here are just a few from Victoria that I just have to post, written just as she wrote them.......one even made me cry (big shocker).

"I Have A Dream" January, 2010

Dear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,

I am writing to you because I would like to talk with you and you are our hero. I just want you to know that I love you and your dream has come true. I think that you are wonderful and amazing. I hope that I will never forget about you. I truly wish everybody remembers your words and you were alive.

Your friend, Victoria

"All About Me"

My name is Victoria and I am in second grade. My favorite color is blue and I love to eat pizza. I like to be artistic, and sing and paint, and be a Veternarian and animals. Without a doubt I am one pretty student!

"Dear Mommy"

I just want you to know that I love you and that you're very special to me. You make me feel loved and special. Remember, that you're the best mom ever and that you will be in my heart forever and that I will always be your little angel.

Love, Victoria

"The Importance of Ice Cream"

The important thing about ice cream is that you can eat it. And it is cold and its sweet. It comes in shapes. You can buy them at the store. But the most important thing about ice cream is that you can eat it.

"Jalapeno Bagels"

I think jalapeno bagels are really delicious. They look yummy and interesting. They smell like fresh bread and cheesy pizza. They taste fantastic and yummy. Jalapeno bagels feel bumpy and squishy. Without a doubt, I love jalapeno bagels.

Halfway to 16

How did this happen so fast? How can she be 8 years old already? People have always told me to treasure every moment, because time flies. Well this year that became truth for me as I realized that my daughter is halfway to 16! It freaked me out to say the least, and after a small anxiety attack I had to just deal with it I guess.....unless someone has a time machine, or better yet, one that stops time? Then I also thought about what a joy the past 8 years have been, and how I wouldn't trade them for anything. Watching her grow and mature, seeing her learn and explore life. She is kind and caring to others, and never ceases to stand up for those that are being picked on. She is confident, creative, and loves to make us laugh. This year she has excelled in her reading and writing. She is the best speller in her class, getting 100% on every spelling test. She loves vacations, riding her scooter and swimming. Going to church, the beach and watching iCarly. She is our joy, and our light.......happy 8th birthday Victoria Paige!

Gizmo the Pug

Meet Gizmo, our new Pug. It is wonderful to have a Pug in the house again, for I am a Pug lover. I love their wrinkly faces and curly tails, their snorts and snores, but especially their personalities. They way they tilt their heads at the sound of something they don't quite understand. Ever since we suddenly lost our Pug Stella a little over a year ago, I have wanted another Pug. I would peruse the Pug rescue sites, even local breeders, and none ever felt quite right. I had worked so hard on Stella.....from potty training, to manners, and just as she was becoming that perfect dog, she died. A part of me was still angry about it, as it seemed all that work was for nothing. So, I wasn't sure I wanted another puppy. I was being picky, and probably a bit ridiculous. Couldn't I just find a black one that was like a year old and already potty trained? Then just like that, an email came (from my sis-in-law), with a picture of a black pug who just turned one in December and needed a home. Oh and the kicker.....he was free and potty trained! After a few days of pondering, we went for it.....my hubby indeed loves me, and Gizmo is adjusting quite well. In the short 20 hours that we have had him, he has attached himself to Matthew and me, and is still trying to figure out the kids. After all, they are loud and move fast, and there are 3 of them for heaven's sake! He joined me in the shower this morning and seemed to enjoy the warm water, so I grabbed the kid's shampoo and seized that opportunity. As I write this he is laying on my feet, on his back, snoring......and hopefully dreaming of his new family.

Say Cheese

These were taken by my friend Jaime (well maybe her hubby John too), and I had to post them. We found an old train station in Del Mar while the four of us were enjoying a walk on the beach, and it made for some cool backgrounds. Thanks guys for the pics, and for the new lens as well!! Can't wait to try it out in Israel!

Princess Tooter Pants

Today my baby turns 3! My little Emma. The one who makes me laugh more than once a day, and can give the best stink eye ever. Her personality is all her own, as is the territory in being the third born I think. She adores her sissies, well when they aren't making her mad (as she puts it), and is definitely a mommy's girl. She wants to be a big girl but is still holding onto the baby, but I really don't mind. She loves princesses and pirates, but not Buzz because "that's for boys." Her giggles melt my heart and her Teradactyl screams pierce my ears. She is my everyday joy, the light in the backseat that asks for the "Taylor Swift cd" in the car. She thinks it hilarious to toot at the dinner table simply for a laugh, and then declare that she is "Princess Tooter Pants". Happy birthday my love, my Princess Tooter Pants!

Clutter

Here I am, It is Thursday morning, my older girls are in school, Emma is watching a Barbie movie (those are kind of creepy) and I am deciding that my blog needs attention. So here is a list of things that are cluttering my congested mind.

• Potty training Emma, this is the third attempt.
• Working with Julianna on her schoolwork. Kinder for half a day is worthless.
• Laundry, laundry, laundry....I think it grows and multiplies by itself.
• My ticket. It makes me ill when I think about how expensive it is.
• Disneyland expires next month. If we do the "give a day" thing we can use towards renewal, but then there is that dang ticket to pay for!
• I have another photography gig this month. I love taking pictures, but I always get so nervous the weeks leading up to it. I know I just need to have more confidence in myself.
• The grocery game is getting fun. $170 worth of groceries at Vons this week for $110....not too shabby.
• How do we teach our girls the importance of selflessness? They have a playroom full of toys and lack for nothing. It is one of my biggest fears, raising selfish children.
• I actually read the World Vision magazine that I get every month and it made me cry. I think that we forget the poverty and sadness in the world as we live our cushy little lives. To think that there are 7 and 8 year olds raising their younger siblings, living in straw huts and eating one small potato per day. Sometimes I feel like we are simply not doing enough.
• I often think about adoption. Matthew isn't sold on the deal, so I will pray.
• We are going to Israel in May with the Coffman's, and a 2 day stop in NYC. It will be an amazing trip with great friends.

I told you it was cluttered......but I feel better now.

Merry Christmas and Goodnight

It is so hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone.....where oh where does the time go? The girls loved everything that came with the season this year, and Emma being a bit older, was really able to enjoy it (as you can see from her expression above after getting a new toothbrush)! After my mom suffered a heart attack 3 days before Christmas, we had to re-arrange things a bit. This year we spent Christmas day with good friends, as they too were without family, and we had a great time feasting and mostly watching the Chargers win. Go Chargers! Then on Sunday with my mom released and on the mend, we hosted our family Christmas. This was the first time it was at our house and thus, so was the cooking. I felt like an adult and a crazy person all at once. I think it was a success (or at least everyone is lying to me). Kudos to my awesome hubby who took charge of cooking the prime rib and our broccoli dish. It was a successful day and a wonderful season. Merry Christmas my family.

The McNeill Family.........

The Knight Family.......

The Best Family........

The Lopez Family.......