Love these kids!

I feel so organized this Holiday Season, I just wish I had more time off to spend with my awesome munchkins. John's brother did our family photos again this year. I'm so fortunate that he's willing to do this for me. Here's a preview of the kids, more to come later.

Someone Shot My House

Well, I think the title pretty much tells the whole story. Someone shot the front window of our house. They used a pellet gun so there's no real evidence. I'm taking it personal because no one else in the neighborhood has had anything happen and they would have been standing in my front yard, near my railing when they shot. I'm super mad and a little scared. I don't want anything else to happen and I'm trying not to freak the kids out. You'd think I lived in the hood...not a nice neighborhood.

Life is Busy

Now that school has started up and I have a 2nd grader and a Kindergartener I always feel a little rushed.

I've been what I think is super organized and what John thinks is incredibly OC. I have two bowls on the kitchen counter. One for Shelby and the other for Brandon. I make them decide on Sundays what they want for snack and their lunch boxes for the week and I get they all ready in individual baggies. WHY you say? Well, now that I'm packing extra lunches everyday I needed a way to shortcut. I think it's great. So far this week I haven't yelled at the kids at all in the morning... I want everyone to get off to a great start and I've made it to work on time.

Additionally, I've signed on for way too many PTO Events, but I do like to keep busy. Here's what I'm into at the moment....T-shirt sales, School Webmaster, PTO Secretary, Harvest Festival Chairman, Movie Night Co-Chairman...what was I thinking? All of these except Secretary and Webmaster will be over and done with by October 15th and although it seems far away..it's approaching at a quick pace.

I feel a bit stressed out about it all, but I know it will all turn out great.

Maybe this weekend I'll have time to post the pictures from the first day of school...but no promises.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things and Confessions

I'm just sitting here thinking about a few of my favorite things...so I thought I'd share.

I love fancy coffee. I've never been a "morning have to have my coffee person", but I do like one for a treat. I just wish they weren't so expensive. I probably buy one a week.

I love pedicures. They make you feel so good and relaxed. If you don't get them you're really missing out. This indulgence cost about $25.00. I'd like to get one every month, but I probably only get 4 each year.

Okay, so here's a true confession. I could eat Ice Cream every day. I love it. I actually went about two months without having it...but it is such a nice evening treat. How often do I eat it...it depends, but I think once a week would be good.

For a nice relaxing get away I love the beach. I get lost on the beach. Time flies and I don't even know how far Ive walked. It's so relaxing to me. I would like to go to the beach at least four times each year.

I also love swimming and really want to put in a pool at our house. I think maybe this winter we'll finally be able to work out the money for it. I could swim everyday in the summer.

I love laughing and making people laugh. Laughter for me makes my whole body smile...do you know what I mean?

I love giving gifts.

I love being busy, and love helping out.

I love being crafty and love seeing what I've made.

I love throwing parties and am always proud of how they turn out.

And most of all I love my little munchkins who share each day of my life and make me smile and make me so very proud of them. I definately need them everyday. Especially Saturday mornings when they crawl in bed me with me to snuggle. It makes my day. Last week I told Brandon, "Thanks for snuggling, it made my day." He said, "It made my day too Mama." What more can I say.

What are your favorite things?

Yearly Photos of the Kids

First, let me say...I am in love with posting links from Shutterfly. It is so much easier than posting one by one, especially to facebook.

Taking pictures of the kids has been on my list for the last three weeks and I really wanted to get Shelby's before her front tooth falls out. Well, I did it!

Yesterday I took the kids to El Dorado Hills Town Center and shot 134 photos. Let me just say they were both excellent and earned a smoothie afterwards.

Let me also say that 5 year-olds do not know how to smile. Now, it's not Brandon's fault..it's just the way it is.

I hope you enjoy a sampling of my photos...I'm in love with many of them!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AYtWbFy4aOWLvg

Shelby - 7 years old
Brandon - 5 years old

San Diego Vacation 2010

Click here to view this photo book larger

San Diego Vacation Part I

The second week after school was out we started our adventure to San Diego. The main attraction and destination was Legoland in Carlsbad, CA. We knew it was going to be an all day adventure so we tried to give ourselves a short break and detour to San Jose. We stopped in San Jose, yes it's a little off the route, but we bought a season pass to Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. It's our typical stop on our way to go to Monterey. We played for a couple of hours and then continued along our way.

I laughed the entire time while trying to take pictures of John pretending to be scared. I think they rode this one 5 times straight. That's the good thing about arriving right when they open.

And as you can see we were all perfectly happy to be on vacation.

And so we departed. I packed lunch in the cooler chest and we were on our way to San Diego!

Now here are the pictures from Legoland.

So, as you can see we are not quite as happy this day. Come on people we're on vacation!

This is Miniland. They had built a lot of popular and historic structures out of Legos. It was cool.

Shelby at the White House. Maybe we'll visit the real one someday.

And the family in Las Vegas.

New York, another place I'd like to visit someday.

This Dragon was awesome!

John taking on the battle ride at level 5. Very intense and hilarious to watch.

Chop em up.

Shelby won the race. Dad just scooted off faster. Brandon cried because he was stuck. I just laughed at all of them.

Fun in the AquaZone. People from the sidelines actually try to set off blasts of water to get you wet.

The jeep safari. Many cool Lego animals. Shelby was my driver.

It was almost like being at the zoo.

Indiana Jones, one of Brandon's favorites. I didn't get a picture of Darth Vader, but he was really awesome as well.

So, besides the amusement park there is also a water park. Despite the 65 degree weather we did it anyway. Shelby went down that great big blue slide, she's very brave. Brandon wasn't quite tall enough. (Secretly, I was happy about that).

This was one of the highlights of my day. The Big Squirt. There are a bunch of different buttons to press and it looks like water squirts out the top. John walked up and was pressing a button, thinking it would shoot straight out of the top. Well, as he looked up it shot him in the crotch. I laughed so hard I couldn't stop. The look on John's face was PRICELESS! Even a vender nearby who had seen it started laughing. I bet he never gets tired of seeing that.

We were freezing so we went back to do more rides.

I guess the family found a new Mom, I hope she's a good cook. She kinda looks high maintenance to me.

Back at our hotel, this was Shelby's favorite thing to do. It was also freezing. I tell you the things parents do for their kids are amazing. Although, it was an awesome pool.

Brandon was happy to play with his new Legos.

After two days of Legoland and one day of the San Diego Zoo (that will be another post) we went to Mission Beach and spent the day playing arcade games, minigolfing, eating cotton candy, and yes more amusment rides.

We ended our day with playing on the beach. If you didn't know I love the ocean and I could be on the beach for hours. I think the kids feel the same.

This was a fantasic vacation. We had tons of fun, great food, plenty of laughs, and spent a whole week together that was actually relaxing. I can't wait for our next adventure.