Jumping on Beds..........

Poor Charlie

 Oh my gosh....yesterday didn't seem to be much better than Monday.

What in the world?

It started off okay....but in late afternoon a heavy chair fell on Charlie's foot....I won't write about the details because I hate foot/toe injuries more than anything....I don't know why but it just absolutely grosses me out!

So, I saw the pain/fear in his little eyes and I have never seen him so sad in all his life. He was the cutest little sad guy I have ever seen.  

I will say there was alot of blood....and we all were trying to make him feel better.  His sisters were THE BEST!! They just LOVE their Charlie bear.....so they ran upstairs and grabbed all of his bears and brought them to him to comfort him.  They were hugging and kissing him.  I was so proud of their compassion.

After he didn't seem to stop crying, I decided we needed to get it checked out by the doctor.  So, Mannie carried him to the car and we all drove over to Urgent Care to see if it was broken.

Well, I don't think it is broken, we saw the x ray and it looked okay but the radiologist has to check it and I will call later today. But they did bandage it up and showed us (us being Mannie....I just think for me, even being his Mom, I just can't bandage it up everyday....I am way too visual to look at that each day.....but we have to change and bandage each day for a couple of months.  

So, that being said, he can go in the pool but not for another week or so in case of picking up some kind of infection.  And I suppose later in the summer we can maybe do the beach but for now, I need to think of non water related things to do with the kids.

One thing I did see on the news was a new Mummy exhibit up in LA....so I may take them there soon.  

But, back to Charlie....he is doing fine now just hopping around our house.  

Oh, and UCLA lost last night!!!  :P

But today is going to be better!!! I just know it......

TODAY IS GONNA ROCK!!!!!

And, I am not sure why some of you can't leave your comments.....typepad is so strange! But thanks on the well wishes on the purse!  I am moving on!!!  Yay me! :P

Okay, well, we are still all in our pj's right now and it does look like a nice day!

I want to share a 4th of July craft I made with the help of Cara and Gia.....will do tomorrow!

Can't believe it is already Wednesday....I am supposed to "walk" in a 5k on 4th of July with a few girls(Moms) from Charlie's baseball team but I haven't signed up yet.  I have never done a 5 k or even a 1 K for that matter so it is sort of comical to even imagine it....but I need to sign up already!  Wish me luck!  I nearly died on the walk with Mannie last weekend!

Here is to a WONDERFUL DAY TODAY!!!! 

Stolen Memories

 Ugh....yesterday sucked.

My purse was stolen.  Out of my car during the night on Sunday into Monday morning.

I actually am feeling like I don't even want to write about it because I spent the entire day, yesterday, looking in dumpsters and retracing the steps of the thieves.  

I found out it was gone around 11 am yesterday.  Mannie, thankfully, was home from work and we were going to all run a few errands together.  I started to look for my purse.  I keep it in the same spot everyday and when I went to grab it, it wasn't there.  So, we all ran around the house looking and could not find it.  

Then we decided to retrace our steps from the day before.....Blockbuster, the grocery store and the pizza store.  No one found a purse....strange!

So, I started to get a sick feeling inside.  We came home and tore the house apart looking for it.  Then I decided to get online and check my bank account. 

My home page came up and my heart sank.....I saw 3 transactions dated June 28th...(yesterday's date)...such a strange feeling to see on your account someone else spending your money!  

They ate at Del Taco and spent $2 at a Mobile station....

Anyway, after that it was all about trying to secure accounts, talking with the police and then going to Del Taco and the gas station to look thru the garbage and see if they dumped my purse.

It feels so gross to know someone has "my" stuff....and let me tell you, they have alot....I hadn't cleaned out my purse in a while ...I still had stuff in there from NY.  But the thing that kills me the most is this scarf/handkerchief I had in the purse that belonged to my deceased grandma.  (above photo....see purse and scarf with Giant helmets on it? That is the scarf tied around my purse)  

When my grandparents passed away, I only had a few momentos to remember them by and that was one of them.  I carried around the scarf in my purse everywhere I went.  It was the "good luck" charm that I wore while I was at the Superbowl....(long story, but my grandfather worked for the NY Giants for 45 something years)  I don't feel like trying to explain but basically, the Giants were a huge part of our family life and so that "good luck" scarf represented a lot of memories for me.....and now, some stranger who doesn't know that, most likely threw it away without a thought....or even worse to think of ...is holding it right now in his/her hands! :(

The cards can be re ordered....but not the memories/keepsakes.  

Just a reminder I suppose of how "things" are just things.....not meant to stay with us forever.  But, even knowing and understanding that, I still wish I could just have it back.   

Well, anyway, that is my story for today.  Yesterday just sucked....oh, and UCLA baseball lost.....and we didn't have a party.....we just ate dinner and watched the game.  I was not up for planning a special night..and I apologized to the kids for such a bad day.  They had to go on all these purse errands with us...no fun for them.

That is what is so disturbing... how another person's actions/choices can sooooooo affect the lives of others.  This person not only affected my day, but my children and husband's day....and the day of the officer who had to respond to it....and on and on.  One action really does make a difference.   Why not make it a good action???

Actually, that makes me feel better, after thinking about it.....as long as the choices are good ones.  

My advice to you.....(unsolicited) - I know, but always double check that your car doors and homes are locked before you go to bed at night.  I always do, I am obsessive about it, actually.  But that night, I didn't...I don't want to go into it, it will sound like I am pointing the finger at Mannie.....but, I didn't double check my car and I lost track of my purse obviously. 

So, just remember that!  Because, you really just don't know who is lurking around your house at night while you are sleeping!!

Scenes from the Ranch

 Happy Monday!

We had a great weekend at the Ranch with the family.  It is gorgeous up there! 

It took us 8 hours to get there on Friday....we stopped in Montrose to walk around a bit, then had a little traffic due to a wildfire and then stopped in Lancaster for dinner and a little shopping for some gifts.  

So basically we got up there and went to bed after a short visit with Gia and Gramps.

Then we had all day Saturday.  Mannie and I went on a "walk date"....we took advantage of having some babysitters and went for a looooooooonnnnnnnggg walk, about 4 miles....up one killer hill I might add....I tried to jog and my lungs were burning so badly....ouch....but we had time to talk and that was wonderful!

The rest of the day was very leisurely....the kids were busy as little ants working away on various projects.

There was art with Gia, beading with Gia, swinging on the tire swing, picking wildflowers, 
 

Let me try a different one of the flowers 
 

(2 of my lenses are broken....I think I took that one with one of the broken ones...I have to adjust the focus myself and my eyes can't do that well...unfortunately the broken lenses are the 2 good ones...I only have the one that came with the camera now!)

The kids also went for a hike up the hill with Gia and Gramps,  played some darts
  re- learning how to start a fire, 
 Charlie made a "tree".... 

 and of course played a little Indiana Jones!

Adults listened to the USA soccer game on the radio(no t.v. at the Ranch)....found out UCLA made it to the final round of the Championship!!!!!!  I read and read....we had some wine tasting (Uncle Pat's wine)....
 

and then the party for everyone which included cake and a pinata that I broke open in the second round of trying!!!   

Yesterday we woke up and drove home and we were all tired out and decided to grab a pizza and rent a movie to celebrate our anniversary!! 

Today, we have a birthday party but we are all most looking forward to the UCLA game tonight!!!!  We are going to have a little party here for ourselves!!!!  

 

One more of the wildflowers...

 
 

12 years!!

 This Sunday (June 27th.....it's a good day!!)  

we celebrate 12 years married!!!

We have no official plans but we are going to "The Ranch" (BVS) this weekend to celebrate family milestones like Aunt Joan turning 70, Father's Day with Gramps and Gia's retirement.

We have the car ride to figure out  how to celebrate US  on Sunday!!

Now, insert, vomit inducing love pronouncements for Mannie:

VOMIT ALERT!!! VOMIT ALERT!!!!

Naw, I won't go on and on .....well, maybe just a little!  .....  but I can say that the 12 years have completely flown by.....our relationship never feels like "work" as I hear marriage often described....we are just 2 pals going thru life together, laughing, crying, occasionally getting on each others nerves but mostly just loving our choice to be together forever!!!!  

I still have to pinch myself that He loves Me!!!!!  I still have to thank God each day for bringing us together and the 3 little cuties we had together!  And, let's face it...any guy who will actually wear, "World's Greatest Dad" shirt  in public just because we gave it to him and/or because it was the first shirt he grabbed from the top of his t shirt drawer....is either a complete nerd or a keeper....I like to think of him as a keeper!!

Mannie is an amazing person that I watch carefully and try to learn from.  I continue to "bug" him with my "productivity zapping" shenanigans (which he needs since he is Mr. Responsibility - I think he would actually work  ALL the time 24/7 if it weren't for me and he doesn't think he needs my bugging but he does! :)....and I continue to shower him with hugs and kisses on a daily basis just cause I can!!!   

I have no card or gift to give him this weekend...but I think he will be okay with that.  But, I will try to think of something special in the meantime....it is hard to come up with new ideas after 12 years.  I actually would not be surprised if we ended up at Toy Story on Sunday night....but we shall see. 

Anyway, happy anniversary to US!!!  

Okay, vomit alert OVER......now......Have a wonderful weekend!

Where to begin?

I have been MIA.....I don't even know where to start...

I guess I will start with kindergarten memory books....I finally finished them and turned them in this morning...felt like I just finished a final paper and was turning it into my professor!!!!  

OMG!!!  I feel so ready for summer now. I literally could not see past today because of all that has been going on. 

The weekend was busy with memory books and Father's Day....

Father's Day was wonderful....we took Mannie out to eat at the "Yummy breakfast place".....we tried Cinnamon Productions first and the line was out the door....so Yummy Place it was!  We had a great breakfast and time....then off to the beach....
 Crystal Cove for relaxation and an Indiana JOnes hunt for the Ark of the Covenant!!!!  

 Indy and his "Jonesettes" found the obvious hiding spot....the cave....

 plus they saw me go in there and hide it....oh well.  They liked the candy inside!  Cam and Cara went in the water, we played catch, looked at the tidepools, the kids built a clubhouse and snacked under the sun.....

Then we made a quick stop at Costco to pick up photos I ordered for what else?? ....The memory books.....Costco stinks as far as photos go.....never again, in my wildest desperation will I ever go there for photos....the "Quick loader" killed me and the resolution.....but whatever, what is done is done...

We ate at almost every free sample and loaded up our cart full of stuff for Father's Day dinner....including 3 loaves of pound cake, a ton of strawberries and 3 jars of whip cream!! But it was good, I will say that. We discovered that at one of the free sample stands.

Then home for Daddy to cook us all dinner....yes, HE made dinner....he is the grill master, what can I say!!

Overall a great day and he did LOVE all the cute little stories, photobooks, paper holders and the cheezy trophy we gave him!  He cracked up laughing and made a reference to Phinneas and Ferb (the kids and his favorite cartoon)
   

Then Monday came and now it is all a blurr......so, in general......Cara had her last end of the year performance, 
 I made trips to Target , the party store, CVS and  Walmart to finish up end of the year stuff....then a pool birthday party.....end of the year kindergarten "Safari" day (like a carnival for kindergarten), then end of year picnic and sing along for Cami..I got a little choked up since it was our last one at the preschool and several of the teachers brought that up which was touching.......making cookies and cupcakes for second graders, make autograph books for second grade girls....work on memory books and the biggie was a playdate/end of the year party for Cara's second grade girls......13 screaming girls running around my house yesterday!!!  What was I thinking??   Somewhere in there...an oil change for Felicia and truckie....Then finishing up the memory books and then today....drop off and then making a Travel Binder for  our school secretary who is traveling this summer, much like Nora's binder....and now finally relaxing a bit and blogging.  

I never completely understood when I would hear someone say, "There are not enough hours in the day"....until the last few days.....I don't like to overbook/overcommit myself so I  don't ... however,  these past few days, I sort of threw my philosophy out the window and had way too much going on....

I must say, I got it all done and lived to tell.....but I am bEYOND EXCITED for lazy days of SUMMER now!!!!!!! Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!  

We can stay up as late as we want and either do nothing or go on an adventure for the next few months!!!!  Yay Summer!!

HAPPY SUMMER TO ALL!!!
 

End of the Year Gift

 Well, I figured it out! A 4th of July theme...since it is right around the corner and anything 4th of July is cool, right?  Pretty flowers courtesy of Miss Laura Bloom! :)

Today I have cleaned the entire downstairs....I may get upstairs and fix that up too!  This is part of my Father's Day gift to Mannie......a clean house....I think that is an awesome gift!!!

And speaking of Father's Day.....I made a LO with the pictures I took....
 

Perfect for Father's Day, don't cha think???? Nothing says Father's Day like rainbows, butterflies and pink paper!!! LOL!

What can I say, I was in the mood to use those things, so I did....it is not like Mannie will even look at it anyway.  When I am dead and gone and he has to go thru all the scrapbooks I made, he will come across this LO and think to himself, "What in the world?? Man, she was a silly girl wasn't she?? "  Then he will shake his head and mumble something like...."Crazy hobby!"

It makes me happy anyway.....and  a happy Annie = a happy Mannie.......speaking of happy......I also made myself a little journal.  I needed a new one!
 

Oh, Kerry if you are reading....you are next, I promise!!! :)

And finally, happy birthday to my fabulous sister KATIE!!! You know you are getting old when you are spending your birthday at a retirement dinner!!!!!  HA, Ha!!! Have fun Kate and hope you had a fun day!!

Have  a great weekend!!!  Hope your Father's Day is filled with rainbows and butterflies!!!  

It feels like Friday

I am having trouble remembering that today is Thursday and not Friday!

I will see if I can post the LO's I made yesterday but Typepad seemed slow yesterday!

I liked this one because of the little black notebook I made, I think it is cute!...here are some peeks inside...I just wanted a place to put more pictures,I had a lot from those 3 days off:
  another peek:

Here is another one for Charlie (month of May)....very basic but it is done, so that is good!
A Cara one...the lighting is off....the paper is a light pink!

 Cami says to me today>>>"I wish I was Gracie!".....us, "Why?" Cami:  "So, I could go to school everyday!"....I think she is ready for kindergarten!!

Only 4 more days of school left!!! 

Need to go now, have a good day!  

Father's Day Photo Shoot

 Hello there....too funny......I just looked over at the Pioneer Woman's page....hello, like over a 1,000 entered that contest!!! Insane that there are that many of "us" who took the time to take the quiz....and I got 2 answers wrong so I was out of the running anyway!!  LOL.

But good thing I let you in on "the secret"....ha!!!  What a dork I am ;)

Again, I live in a delusional world sometimes where I think I can actually win things like that or a 40 million dollar lottery ticket....silly me!!!

But I am back because I have been a busy chica today! 

I scrapped and did a little Father's Day photo shoot...wanted to share!  I was ready to pull my hair out with this photo shoot  because of moments (a lot them) like this....
 

but  that is okay, I give them ALOT of credit for putting up with my constant photo taking so they need to have their fun too!

I got at least one that I used to glue into the book that Charlie is holding and that will go into our gift bag to Mannie.
I really liked that one except the tree growing out of Cami's head....oh well.

This one was cute:
I will try to post the Lo's I made tomorrow...I am having trouble tonight and I need to go get the bedtime thing going!

Have a nice night!

Can the week be half over already??

 Time is a flyin' over here....I am truckin' along with the memory book making but did take time out yesterday to scrap just for fun!  I think I am going to do the same today as well.

Charlie had his end of the year performance and by some miraculous stroke of luck, I actually sat in the front row! This class of kids has low maintenance parents I suppose but the place didn't fill up till around 5 minutes of the performance!!! I love these people!!!!! :)

Charlie tells me yesterday that he likes to build clubhouses (you know taking all the pillows and blankets) because it is good practice for him since he wants to be an architect when he grows up...he wants to make sure they are big enough to fit in.  

One more story....I took the kids to get bagels this morning....this little girl is in line holding one of those juice drinks...have you seen them, "Naked" drinks....so Cami goes up to the girl and smiles sweetly and says, "Hi!!" to her...then she adds, "Your drink says Naked!" and starts laughing, turns and runs away......ugh! We still have some work to do here I see!  She has gotten so good at making friends.

I just looked out my window and saw a roadrunner...so amazing!!! I grew up watching the annoying cartoon version..now I have seen one a handful of times and it is a pretty bird!

Yesterday, I had breakfast with Suzy and Laura...we walked to the new Cinnamon Productions in Ladera.  It was great!! Walking and eating...perfect balance!  

I have bought Cami's teacher an end of the year gift but I am at a loss for Cara's and Charlie's....anyone have any good ideas????

I am so tempted to be selfish and not tell you this.......SO tempted!!!! Okay, I can't be selfish.....go over to Pioneer Woman's blog....click on homeschooling.......You can win an iPAD !!!! yes!!! I am dying to win but I wanted to tell you guys because if I am not going to win, then maybe you will!!!  

But I live in a world where I actually think I can win this even though I never win anything!!  However, I know I can't win if I am going to be selfish and  keep it is a secret !!!  so, GO and look up all those answers!!!

That is all....have a fun day!!!  

Here's to winning an iPAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Btw....pretty funny, ipad comes up a spelling error on my MAC's spell check!!   
 

Flag Day!

 Happy Flag Day!!!

We are wearing our red, white and blue today!

It is also Charlie's end of the year performance!  

We had a really great weekend...started out on Friday night at Laura's for a jewelry making party.  Cheryl was there with some amazing samples and cool stuff to make our own.  Suzy was there too keeping us all laughing!  Laura made some seriously yummy food including these delicious lemon bars and I am not even a fan of lemon bars!! I ate 3 of them!! DId I mention on my last post, I had some bad habits??? Anyway, a fun night out!

I made a couple of things but I made the necklace that Cara is wearing in the picture. 
  

Then Saturday we hung out, I can't remember what we did...oh yes, we got dressed and then drove up early to UCLA for the Super Regional baseball game vs. Fullerton.   Here are the kids in front of the Jackie Robinson statue....the stadium is named in his honor!
 Fullerton had won on Friday night....so UCLA had to win on Saturday night or they were done!  If you are a scrapbooker, you would be interested to know that Stephanie's  {owner of Me and My Big Ideas}, son plays for the Bruins and had an amazing series including a homerun in the 9th inning of Saturday's game!!! Huge for the Bruins.  The game went into extra innings and the Bruins won 11 - 7....AWESOME game!!!  One of those hanging on the edge of your seats games!!! 

  

No celebrity sightings on this trip but do you know what?? I was on the prowl for Kevin Costner the whole game because he is a Fullerton fan! I was seriously planning on getting the courage up to go ask for a picture if he was there because he is one of my all time favorite actors!!! And you know what was weird, last night, Field of Dreams was on t.v. and I watched the ending of it with Cara and the two of us were bawling.  I am not sure she completely understood the meaning but she understood enough and of course seeing me cry, made her cry! It was pretty funny actually.....but I LOVE that movie.  

Back to Saturday :  One of Mannie's former teammates (and Whales teammate - currently) went with his family..so the kids had a blast running around the stadium playing.  After the game, we all went to San Francisco Saloon  (they need a better website) to get a bite to eat...it was late(8:30ish) but the game started at 4pm so we didn't have dinner so we were starving.  

But then we were soooooo tired yesterday because we didn't get home until midnight on Saturday!

Mannie had his game yesterday morning(Whales won!!!) but the kids and I stayed home.  I felt bad missing 2 games in  a row but the kids didn't want to go...they were still so tired and just wanted to hang out and do nothing....which we did.  Then we stayed up till 10 or so last night watching the final game between UCLA and Fullerton and UCLA won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are going to the World Series!!!

Very exciting!  

Anyway, that was our weekend....today I will be working on the memory books...and watching Charlie in his show!  

Well, must go wash a ton of dishes in my sink!  Have  a good one!