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

Summer is Finally here!

Oh my gosh....the sun has been out!!! It feels like summer again! Yay! 

I still have not fixed my computer so I am borrowing Mannie's.

We are having lots of fun....and yesterday we headed over to the Fair with Laura and her kids and now it officially feels like summer.   Laura thankfully knew that yesterday was bring 3 books and get in free day!! So I saved $25!!!  We walked around checked it out, kids went on some rides, Cami cried when her ice cream fell out of her cone, I was terrified on the sky ski lift thing that goes over the fair grounds, kids pet some goats and pigs...your general fair fun! Then we finished the day off with a trip to the waterpark with Laura, kids, Tricia and her guys which completed a great day!!!  Tricia and I even went to dinner after and put all the kids at one table and we got to chat!!! Perfect!

Today we are headed out to the lake with Sheela, Joann and all the kids.  Will be wonderful! 

The turtles are still alive so that is wonderful as well!! 

Cami lost her other front tooth.  She is precious......always either on the computer, playing away with toys or tending to the tortoises!

Charlie is obsessed with trying to get into our attic(which needs a ladder) and Mannie keeps forgetting to bring one home from work.  I am afraid to see what is up there.  He also continues to dream away of the next great Lego set he can score!

And Cara is just as wonderful as ever! I can see her heading to that in between place......She loves to hang around me and wants to talk and see what I am doing but still plays with her brother and sister. She is interested in calling Mannie on my cell phone just so she can be using a cell phone.  She also loves to watch the Wizard' s of Waverly Place and the Suite Life which cracks me up because more often than not, she will turn to the Disney channel and if I am in the room next to her and hear it on, I will undoutably yell,  "Inappropriate!!"...she rolls her eyes a little but always listen.  Disney annoys me when they turn all their shows in dating and kissing and all that.  They know little kids are watching.  But anyway, what  cracks me up is it reminds me of my own mom who would mutter something like "inappropriate" everytime the song "Rich Girl" by Hall and Oats came on the radio because the "b" word is in it. Then she would change the channel.  I guess what your mother tells you sinks in after all....but maybe 20 years too  late though?!

Finally, we are preparing for a little roadtrip next week to Colorado.  If you have ever been, let me know some fun spots!  I have been obsessing over this trip for while now so I do have a pretty clear agenda worked out already.    I have even made a travel binder (a la Nora!) all organized out with maps and information. 

That is all.......just stopping in to say hola! 

the official last post (with pictures) until I get my computer fixed :(

 I love coming on here and typing away...especially on days when we stay home....I am currently in my pj's and have no immediate plans to change that situation.  

I love summer....I love summer!!!! I love that my kids are in the next room.  I made a snack tray for them this morning....I haven't done that in a while.  Cara smiled and said, "Oh, I remember this!!"  That was the staple for us everyday...when they were younger....now they are not.....how did this happen?  

Okay, enough of that.  

Anyway, yesterday we stayed around the house again.  We did a little mommy school and then we played gold rush.  I found information on it here.

The kids built the "covered wagon" which also sort of looks like a tent...but then we added the horse and it was absolutely a covered wagon! So, with map in hand they traveled west to California to find their treasure.  Indiana Jones led the way and the girls rode under the cover.

Then we headed out to the backyard and did you know that if you have a sand and water table, it also doubles as a great sluice box!!!  I filled up their gem bags with sand and the spray painted golden nuggets and they sifted through the bag with water and had a wonderful little time in the backyard.  The tortoises came over to watch too!
 

Fun day at home.  Today is cloudy again, back to this???? Which has left me unmotivated which is just fine with me....enjoying more time at home with the cuties.  

I went to my book club meeting and confessed that I didn't read the book.....guess what?? Only 3 girls read the book, out of ten.  So, I didn't feel so bad.  

Our new book looks very interesting and easy to read....our hostess last night is from Iran and she was filling us in on life in Iran as a young teen and I was in awe of her bravery.  She went through alot and so I will read this book with even more interest now having this new knowledge of the situation over there and knowing it is so personal to her.  The book is called, Funny in Farsi, by Firoozeh Dumas.  We truly are extremely lucky to have the freedoms we enjoy here.

That is all for today.  Hope you enjoy your day.
 

Extreme Kite Flying!!

 Somehow, I managed to eek a few more photos onto this computer from Sunday nights kite flying extravaganza!

I am guessing the next batch won't make it on....whatever that batch will be?  

The kids current fave is going to fly kites......that is until Cara came home crying like a maniac last night because the string somehow got wrapped around her finger and cut into it pretty far. 

Who knew kite flying was such a dangerous activity???

Mannie took the kids to the park and I stayed home and watched Entertainment Tonight and cleaned a little.  It was so nice to have a little time to myself. Because as much as I love these kids and don't want them to ever leave me, I still get a little grouchy when we have all been together for too long.  But nothing like your kids coming home in tears to sort of erase all the effects of an hour of peace and quiet.  Oh, that's right, and then Cami decided she didn't want to take a shower and cried and sobbed for about an hour until she fell asleep...I am sure the neighbors were thinking we were torturing our kids.  But that was strange, I think maybe she was completely exhausted....so why not cry for an hour to relax yourself??? And I am not sure if she even got clean after all that....but she stood in that shower for about 10 minutes anyway.

But that being said, we actually had a great day yesterday  which started with hanging out with Tricia.  We went to her in laws and swam in their gorgeous pool.  Soooooooooo relaxing to just sit and talk to Tricia while the kids played in the water and sooooooo nice to have a pool all to ourselves!  Then we took the kids to McDonalds for lunch.

I don't think there could be a better day for a kid!!!  Not to mention ending it with kite flying at the park(except for the finger incident)....oh, and I made the easiest dessert.....angel food cupcakes.....from the box though, so if you are not a cake box loving person( dare I say Cake Box Snob :), then you just won't like this one.  But yes, just add water and bake!! Then some whip cream on top....add some fruit to nutritionalize it ;)  (I think I made up that word and the spelling of it?)

Anyway, a terrific day!! 

Not sure what today holds but I do know it involves spray painting rocks gold for an upcoming  gold panning event and I have a few errands to run so today may not be as exciting as yesterday.

Ta Ta!!

 

This may be the last post for a while

 My computer is about one or two pics away from being DONE!! I need to get an external hard drive since the one I have is full as well!! And the way I dilly dally around to getting things like that done....may mean I won't be on here as much for a bit.

But, we will see how it goes.  Maybe I will surprise myself!

So, now I feel like the post should be really cool and yet, all I have to report is about our weekend!  We had a good weekend....started on Friday and I can't even remember what we did.  Oh, I remember, we had to run errands and I took the kids to Farrell's for lunch!!! I loved it!! They loved it!!! I had a really good time with the kids there!

Saturday we tried to go to the beach but it was crazy full (the parking lot I mean) so we had to change our plans since we were meeting up with Gia and Gramps.  We ended up at Toy Story 3....I have wanted to go see this movie all summer but Cara has been having these strange stomach issues which also include getting a stomach ache when you mention going to the movies....I can't figure it out but somehow we convinced her it was going to be all right.  She did great, no stomach problems at all.

The movie.....well, I don't know, it is typical that everyone raved about it and now when I finally go see it, I thought it was just okay.  To be honest with you, I was on the verge of tears through most of it and then the rest of it, a little bored.  The whole idea of the kids getting older and showing that picture of Andy as a little kid with all his toys was KILLING me.....I must be hormonal but I was so sad.  It reminded me of how I felt seeing UP....everyone loved that one too but I thought it was too sad for myself.

Then after the movie, we all started to walk over to Muldoon's for dinner (right next door to the movies) and Mannie and Charlie take a detour to the car.  They catch up with us and there is Charlie hugging and sniffing Teddy (his favorite bear).....I look at Gia who has tears in her eyes......I could have just bawled my eyes out right there!!!!!  But that would be embarrassing so I gulped back the tears and felt glum the rest of the night.

So, the movie just brought up the usual topic that I contemplate as a mom.....why must they grow up and leave us????  I was actually so thankful that the kids weren't teenagers as I sat there watching because I would have been a basketcase!!  

Disney always figures out ways to get me.

Anyway, that was Saturday.....Sunday was the Angel game.  Mannie was honored before the game for his work on the projects I had described last week.  IT was sOOOOOOOO HOT!!!!  

We were instructed to meet at Angel Stadium at 11:30 (game starts at 12:30) and then we would all walk over to the field around 12:15.  So, we met and they passed out Angel hats for all the honorees and whoever else was there (like the kids and I).  That was sweet.  Then we all walked over to the area where we (the non honorees) were to watch and they took Mannie and the others to the field.  They took them a little early and I didn't have a watch so we stood out in the sun for what felt like forever waiting for them to be announced.  Cami asked me for water about 800 times and I had nothing....nor did I want to get some because I didn't know if we would be able to get back to our spot and of course I didn't want to miss the introduction of Mannie.  So, she complained to me that she was hot the whole time......torture!!  But I couldn't blame her, I was dying too.  

So, they announced the "team" and Mannie's name was called last and it all happened so fast but it seemed like he got a good amount of cheering....it was cool!  He was so happy/excited when we met back up again (at the snack bar waiting in line for water!!!)  I was sooooo happy for him.   He deserves all good things and more!!! He is such a great guy!

Then, after we got some food and cold drinks in the kids ( and myself) and the prospect of heat stroke seemed to be fading, we decided to go check out ours seats.  I was preparing myself for the worst since I knew the section on my ticket  was the higher seats.  But thankfully they were in the shade!!!! Yes!!! I love you shade!!!! So, we had a lovely time just relaxing and enjoying  a day at the ballpark as a family!  A wonderful day.

Since it was Sunday, it was "Family Day" which means the kids can run the bases after the game, so we did that.  Then headed home.  And then flew kites at the park until the sun came down.  

Now, we are gearing up for the week.  We will see Tricia today and I am happy about that.  We haven't hung out in a long time so it will be fun to see her and the kids.  

The summer is just flying by......how is this happening???

Well, must  get going.....Have a fun day!
 

Turtle School

Thought I would change up the blog so "The Day From Hell" was not the first thing up!

Our tortoise friends are still alive and well!

The kids have been enjoying their time with the turtles....

Here is Cami playing school with Moon...(poor Moon, she is the curious turtle which makes her the target of all the fun since she can easily be found somewhere in the yard.....Meteor hides in her turtle house most of the day - I guess we know who the smart turtle is!)
 

And Moon getting to try on the 3D chalk glasses....

Finally....the kids got ahold of my camera yesterday and I found a ton of blurry pictures of Cami being a goof ball on film....it was so fun to see the pictures and imagine how much joy they got out of being all sneaky with my camera!!!  They are adorable.....and I love this blurry picture of my mischievous little sweetie!   Funny little kids! 
 

I scrapped today!

I took some time out today to have a little quiet time and make something!

I haven't scrapped in a while so I had fun!  

Today is a quiet day here....kids are watching t.v. and playing on the computer.  It is hot out!!!

 

Meteor and Moon

We now officially have UNOFFICIAL pets!  Unofficially because technically they are not ours. I guess you could call us tortoise foster care parents!
 

My friend, Amber, dropped off 2 desert tortoises for us to care for until hibernation in October.  Amber moved into an apartment and wanted a place for her tortoises  to wander freely until they are ready to snuggle up and sleep in her apartment for the winter.

So, we are going to be responsible for these cute little girls...although the kids renamed them Meteor and Moon and I refer to them as "He this or he that"...I don't know why, I guess they don't look very girly to me.

 Cami tried to take care of that by accessorizing them with a little bonnet.

I am hoping we can keep these girls alive since we seem to have a really bad track record with any kind of pet.  But Amber told me that even if we forget to feed them, they will eat the grass and rose petals in the yard.  

Will be interesting.....anyway, I think they are so cool and it is neat to know we have these girls wandering around our yard at any given moment!

We have no plans today except to stay home and watch the tortoises.  

First thing the kids did after they woke up was run downstairs and out in the back to check on them.  Charlie ran back upstairs to inform me that they hadn't died!! Phew!

I suppose we will be on death watch for a little bit until we get our pet care confidence!!! 

Have a good day.

Yet another Baseball Related Post

Well...my life continues to be about baseball these days!
   

I guess it always is, I just never think about it....since Mannie does build baseball fields for a living and all!

Well, he has been busy the past few months building fields for the Angels Foundation...a charitable organization run by of course....The Angels.  They teamed up with a Major League Baseball charitable organization called Magical Builders and fixed up a local park in Anaheim in connection with the All Star game being held in Anaheim this year.  The Angels also fixed up The Boys and Girls Club in Santa Ana and Mannie was involved in that project as well.

So, the past 2 days have been about the ribbon cutting ceremonies.  I was the "official" Sports Field Services photographer!!  Mannie wanted some pictures for his website of course and portfolio.
   

I was actually blown away by how amazing it all came out.  You know how your hubby comes home from work and fills you in on his day and you listen but don't really understand unless you have the opportunity to see it first hand.  And, yesterday, I went to the ceremony with the kids and saw all the volunteers who had come out to plant flowers and have a little hand in the transformation of the park.  I saw the kids that will get to play on the new field built for kids with special needs as well as the little league field that Mannie built.  

The press was there.....Bud Selig (commissioner of baseball) and Arte Moreno (owner of the Angels) and the mayor of Anahiem.....all I have to say is that  I realized how many lives Mannie's work and company actually touched and I was SO PROUD of him!! and the others involved in this project who gave tons of their time and donations. 

Anyway, we hung out there and then went to the All Star Homerun Derby at Angel Stadium last night.  
 

 We were just exhausted but I got the gang up  early again today and out the door to make it in time for the ribbon cutting at the Santa Ana Boys and Girls Club.  This field and grounds were funded by the Angels  and MLB again.  Again, sooooo proud of Mannie and I admired the Angels for giving back to the community.
 

After the ribbon cutting today, I took the kids to the Santa Ana Zoo for a little fun.  The zoo looks wonderful.  I haven't been in a while and I love the new look!  But  I realized that it really is a zoo for toddlers/early childhood since it doesn't take that long to cover the whole thing.  We had a good time but I felt a little sad that our time has passed for going to that zoo!  I love that zoo and that really bums me out!  

 

So, long story short....we have been busy running around Anaheim and the surrounding area these past few days and now I am so happy to be back in my home after having stocked up on some desperately needed groceries!  Mannie is out at the All Star game for the night and I am thrilled to be home and after I clean the house, I am looking forward to getting in my pj's and literally doing NOTHINg!!!!   

Hope you have a great day!! Off to clean my neglected home!   I leave you with sunset over Anaheim!
 

All Star Fan Fest

 We headed out to the Fan Fest (Major League Baseball) on Saturday...it is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center where CHA is held.  It was funny to be there for something for Mannie rather than scrapbooking.  

My past CHA attendance sure helped us navigate the Fan Fest...I knew where everything was!!....{everything being....bathrooms and the snack bar! ya know, all the important stuff!}  

We had a fun time as a family....after we walked over to the Garden Walk to check out a Mickey Mouse statue....then back over to the Hilton and Marriott where 2 more Mickey's are living.  

We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory over at the Garden Walk.  We were so tired from walking at that point but sitting and eating helped give us the energy to get back over to the Convention Center area to look for more statues.

Then we headed over to Angel Stadium to check out 2 more statues.....then the mini scavenger hunt was over.  I love being at Angel Stadium!! I am not exactly sure why I love it so much, but I do!  Mannie is friends with the grounds crew over there and I saw the field on t.v. today and thought WOW!! There is a big star mowed into the grass in the outfield....the crew did that....it is amazing, like art!  They are a talented group over there! Amazing what people can do!  Isn't it??

Anyway, back to the Fan Fest day....I was pretty tired by the time we left the stadium.  We headed home with a couple of stops along the way.  One being a car wash....the kind where you stay in your car while the water cleans the car.....so, Cami rolls down her window just as the soapy water sprays the car!!! Classic.

Then as we are driving home....mind you, we haven't  washed our car in a few months....anyway, we leave the carwash and about 10 minutes later as we are  driving, a swarm of bees fly right into our car!  Bee guts splattered all over the window and front!!!  Sometimes, I have to look around and see if there is a candid camera crew following us around!  

Today we had Mannie's baseball game {cute baseball pants day!!!}....... the Whales won!!! yay Whales!!!   After the game we headed out to eat pizza with some of the Whale families.....perfect!  

Cara had a cute quote from today....she was trying to find her camera and couldn't locate it....so I told her where I thought it was....she checked and it was there.....then she came walking through the kitchen saying, "Having a camera is a privilege!"  I thought that was adorable!  I agree with her! 

Looking forward to a week filled with SUN!!!! The sun is out and I couldn't be happier!

It will be a fun week!!! Tomorrow I will be taking pictures for Mannie....a ribbon cutting ceremony....hopefully I will get some good shots and share!  

And.....is it wrong that I am going to google summaries of the book I am supposed to be reading for the book club???  LOL!!!  

That is all!! Happy Sunday!!!

ENC today

 We got out again today.....today's adventure.....the nature center in Newport!

I feel like I haven't been there in a while because it felt like it (the shrubbery) had grown in quite a bit...I loved being there today.  

The kids were obsessed with trying (unsuccessfully) to capture a crayfish. 
  

But we walked around and just enjoyed being there in the little patch of "wilderness" in Newport Beach.

Mannie was working next door at the high school so we rode over with him in his truck...also an adventure for the kids, riding in "Truckie". 

Then we all headed over to Ruby's to get something to eat!

Now, the sun is finally out and it feels like a regular old summer day! Thank goodness.

This weekend is all about baseball.....I was just talking to my sister today...Mikey....about how much my life revolves around baseball.....you would think we had a bunch of All Star players over here....but anyway, we are headed to the FanFest and of course, Mannie has a game this weekend as well!!

We are also going to do a very MINI scavengar hunt looking for some of the All Star Mickey Mouse statues hidden around the OC.  And by mini, I mean, I have already looked up where they are and I am only going to the ones with teams that are interesting to our family....we are definitely not going to try to hit all of them.

In other news.....we are going to finally have a pet in our house!!!!!  Well, sort of .....we are sort of adopting/helping out a friend with 2 turtles or tortoises...not sure exactly what they are but they will be living in our backyard until around October when they will go into hibernation.  The kids are beyond excited and can't wait for our 2 visitors to come live with us in the backyard.  Can't wait to take some pictures and show off our {sort of} new members of our family!

Have a Fun weekend!