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.......

Applebees and Magic

Have you ever made a mistake as a mom that really, truly broke your heart? I did just last week. It started with a phone call from Victoria's teacher, to tell me that she was getting the "Shining Star" award. She told me when the assembly was and I mentioned it to Matthew, but as I'm sure you can see where this story is going, I failed to write it down. As I picked her up from school on the day of, she was bursting with joy. She told me she "had to show me something that I might be surprised about." Right then it hit me. I had missed the assembly. I had forgotten! I told her that mommy had just forgot, and that I was so sorry. She smiled, and told me it was "okay." So as I held back my own tears, I listened to her tell me how the assembly went. Get out your tissues now. She said, "every time the principal gets ready to call names, I close my eyes, and cross my fingers hoping that it will be me. And it worked today because she called my name. Then I went up to get my award, and I crossed my fingers again, hoping that you guys were there to see me." At this point, I wanted to curl up into a ball and sob. It was the most horrible feeling that I have had as a mother thus far. Although she told me it was "okay", I certainly didn't think that it was. She continued to be her chatty self driving home, and while I was half listening and half trying to think of a way to make it up to her, I had a brilliant idea. Applebees! For some bizzare reason our kids love Applebees. We hardly ever go, so it is a mystery to us. Anyways, her Shining Star award just happened to come with a free kid's meal coupon for Applebees.....perfect. Well, last night was our Applebees night. We sat at a small table for two (this she noticed and thought was so fun), she chose her meal carefully, ordered it herself and was especially excited about the Sierra Mist (soda is not a regular event for us). We ate, we talked and I sat in wonder at how grown up she seemed. There is something to be said about alone time with each kid. You notice things that are not normally seen when you aren't trying to keep the toddler from throwing her drink on the floor or shoving ketchup up her nose. She told me all about school, her class and her friends. She asked me things like when did I know I wanted to marry daddy (and there was no way I could tell her the real age, so I stuck with 19), and what did I want to be when I grew up. She had funny, quirky facial expressions at times, especially when she decided that everyone that lives in San Diego should only root for the Chargers (makes sense to me). We ended the evening with a $1.99 cheesecake sundae to share and as the waitress took her coupon and doted on her achievement, she grinned from ear to ear, and so did I. It was a magical evening with my special girl.

A Day

Julianna time at Disneyland


Oh what a day it turned out to be yesterday. Julianna had her very first audition for a commercial, a My Little Pony commercial! This audition was in LA, and I do mean LA...the heart of it. It was an easy 2 hour drive, and we find the place (barely, and only because I turned down a street where the address should have been and saw lots of SUV's with moms in their Ed Hardy attire). After signing in, and mommy taking a quick inventory of the competition, they call her name and she lines up with a group of four other girls waiting to go into the audition room (without me). At this point I notice how small she looks compared to the other girls, and I also notice that the line they are required to read is all about Littlest Pet Shop and not My Little Pony. I chalk it up to the agent being confused, because let's face it if you don't have kids, all toys pretty much sound the same. Then the woman in charge of calling the kids and ushering them into the studio, who I will call earpiece lady because I was pretty convinced she was talking to herself for 20 mins until I noticed the earpiece, comes over and asks me how old Julianna is. I tell her and she does this little intake of air deal that makes me cringe. "Oh no", she says, "today is for 8-10 year olds. Yesterday was the 5 year old audition." I am flabbergasted, speechless, pissed. She urges me to call our agent, but also explains that it would be "impossible" to allow her to read today because it is for the wrong part. I talk to our agent, turns out it was an email timing thing, can't really blame her, but seriously?? Earpiece lady talks to me again, and says..."man I am so disappointed that she wasn't here yesterday, I mean just look at her, she is gorgeous." Well, that is not helping earpiece lady!! She goes back into the room, at which point I notice she is still carrying around Julianna's headshot. I am hoping that means something, but after 10 minutes, I figure we might as well leave. But then earpiece lady appears.....she is smiling....at me. She says, "I went in there and I told John that this little girl is beautiful and if she could read for yesterday's Little Pony part. He says, really? That is great because I think yesterday's choices were pretty slim....send her in." So she auditioned, and it was a separate tape with just her on it, since they can't mix ages, so maybe that makes her odds better? I thanked earpiece and asked how it went and she said Julianna did "great." Of course, I can only wonder. She is a shy thing who has a hard time in Jazz class if people are watching her.
We left then, and I decided that for her effort (and it is a lot of effort for her to be outgoing) we would swing by Disneyland for a few rides. After sitting on the 10 freeway for an hour and me almost losing my mind (man I hate LA), we finally arrive at Disney. Where I let her decide what rides and she doesn't stop talking the whole time. Anybody that knows Julianna, knows that she is a quiet soul. Getting her to talk to even mommy and daddy is tough. This was different. This was wonderful. This was precious. She talked about school, and friends. She talked about Disneyland and remembering different trips there with friends and family. We went on Haunted Mansion, where she held my held in line and told me she loved me 20 times, and Star tours, then shared a burger and fries. On our way out, she picked something under $5, and got something for Victoria too because she didn't want her to be sad that we went. As we walked to the tram, hand in hand she told me that she loved to hold my hand, and that she had the best day with me. I would have to agree completely!

My Beautiful Girls

Some updated pictures of my girls. I was playing with my new flash, and a new location with good backgrounds. Man I love these girls.

Back to School

How did this happen? My girls are too big. Victoria started 2nd grade and Julianna Kindergarten. They were so excited to start, especially Julianna who has been dreaming of this day. Emma is enjoying the time with mommy, but especially the free reign of any toy that she wants!

Good Times

Just posting a few pics from our vacation. We rented a house on the Russian River. We spent many days at the river, enjoyed some wine in Napa, and saw family that I had never met before. It was a fun time had by all.

Happy Birthday Booga!

Today my Booga turns 5! It is a number that she has been waiting eagerly for. Next is Kindergarten, she is just so excited. Here are a few of my favorite pictures over the years. Happy Birthday my sweet girl, my shrimp, my booga. I love you.

Regular Days

Yesterday was a regular day. All the regular stuff that is not worth mentioning, because it would bore you. Yet there was something not so regular about it. It was a night that started with a trip to urgent care with Victoria. Now every mother out there knows that any great ailment that afflicts your child never occurs within normal business hours, when a simple and fast trip to the doctor is possible. So, after big crocodile tears and a little googling (I knew it was swimmer's ear), I cave and make the dreaded trip to urgent care. And can you even believe that we were seen and sent out the door, prescription in hand, in 25 minutes? It might actually be a world record. Next stop, the pharmacy (which all only have 1 employee working the line of 45 people). Needless to say we had to wait. Here is the funny thing about this time.......it was fun. Victoria and I strolled around the store, looked at all the silly things that CVS sells. Where else can you get some Croc knock-offs and a souvenir San Diego t-shirt in neon green? As we walked, we talked. One on one with my 7 year old. She asked questions, some which were hard to answer (and that occurred in the feminine product aisle), and some that were just plain funny. I asked her if it was ok with her when people told her she looks like me, and the pride in her smile said it all. On our way home we each enjoyed a Reese's (the cups), which she said she deserved for being a good patient. We sang along to the radio, and she told me that I sang better than Hannah Montana!

I sit here now and realize that someday she will roll her eyes when she is told she looks like me. Someday she won't think that being at CVS at 8pm is fun. Someday she won't ask me questions, because she will know everything. Someday mom singing in the car will just be ridiculous. Last night I was reminded to cherish my girls, and our regular days together.

Girly Girls

Had to document Victoria's new haircut, she just looks too grown up. And it was a good excuse to take pictures......during which they were begging to go to the pool and be done already.

Summer Days.......

Emma rolling in the leaves.

They all got new scooters from grandma, and they LOVE them (so does mommy for the summer entertainment).

Zoo day with our buddies the Martins.

You can never be too safe around water!

Tyson.....A Much Loved Dog

"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. As I wrote that farewell column to Marley, I realized it was all right there in front of us, if only we opened our eyes. Sometimes it took a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see."
— John Grogan

Tyson Veling (Big Boy Handsome). 1998-2009.
He was a love, but only on his terms. When petting was needed he would nudge the closest hand, never mattered who. He much preferred people to other dogs. His days were spent gazing out the window, hoping for bunny sightings and avoiding the girls. On Tuesdays he would follow the gardeners from window to window just daring them to get out that maddening blower. He loved running in the nearby field, hunting quail (yes quail) and never giving up on that squirrel hole. He was terrified of thunder, and electronics.....which he related to the thunder and the power going off then on. He could sense earthquakes coming, and twice protected me from a coyote. No matter how grumpy he became, he was always a good boy. He was a great walking buddy. Never pulled. Never tugged. He was my shadow. He loved my slippers, not too chew on, simply to carry around. But perhaps my favorite thing about Tyson was his "love piles". On occassion, and especially when we were gone too long, he would collect pieces of clothing and pile them up. We always thought that the person who's clothes were chosen must have been his favorite for that particular day. There were times that he would have items from all of us. Picturing him now, rummaging through dirty and clean baskets for a little sock here or a shirt there makes me smile. These were his love piles. Not meant for chewing, just collecting. I think I will miss those the most.

A Little Bit of Emma

I just love this video of Emma praying before dinner. Notice Victoria is really the one praying, but Emma always has to join in......while watching her sisters of course.

Love These, Must Post.

Booga on Easter, just being precious.

The putting contest....she was serious (notice the index finger).