Off They Go......

Well, they made it! The girls flew from Ontario to Oakland today to visit with Grandma and Grandpa for the week. They were a little anxious about the flight, but they did great. They called when they landed and were so proud of themselves. I think it was harder on me. I cried as I watched the plane take off- very eerie watching my kids take off in a plane without me!

They went straight from the airport to the A's game and have a week full of activities. I will look forward to their nightly updates. Matt and I are excited for our week, although it will be awfully quiet. We are excited for some dinners out, the driving range, the horse races and the Padres game. It will be a fun way to spend our 11th Anniversary!

Need a Recipe Idea??

I know I am always struggling for a good recipe my family will enjoy. I found this great way to add some variety to my current list of recipes. If you find a good one, remember to share it!!

Hannah Montana 3D

We weren't able to see this movie in the theater, so the kids were thrilled that it was on the Disney Channel tonight. Walmart passed out the 3D glasses and the kids really enjoyed it. Too bad Matt and I didn't have our own pair. I know he was really disappointed he couldn't watch it!

Playdates

Well, we were supposed to go to the hospital to visit Laura today, but Allison woke up sounding congested and coughing. Although she felt fine, we knew right away the hospital was out of the question. After a quiet morning, the kids were getting antsy and up for a play date. Taylor called Maylie from soccer and Allison invited Karis from our street. We were bummed to find out Taylor didn't get on Maylie's soccer team for the fall. Her dad, Charlie, is the coach and he wasn't able to get her in the draft last night! Rats!! They spent the afternoon swimming and Taylor is heading to May's house for a sleepover. Fun summer continues!

Golf and a sleepover

Allison had her 1st private golf lesson today at Redhawk. She went to a clinic a few weeks ago and loved it. Then she won a free lesson in the raffle drawing. Lucky us! Steve, the instructor, is so patient and really worked well with her. He said she had a great swing for a 6 year old and he is excited to work with her. They practiced at the range, using her driver and iron and she probably hit 15-20 balls. Way to go! Then she got to ride in the cart up to the putting green and practiced her putting. He taught her this great "Tick-Tock" method and she nailed several putts. We hope that she can continue lessons in the fall if it doesn't conflict with soccer practice. She also hopes Papa will take her to the driving range when she visits next week!

After golf and a swim at Kate's, the girls fell asleep on the couch upstairs. I think they were worn out. I was glad to see them rest because Emily and Felicia are here for a sleepover. We had pizza for dinner and went to Golden Spoon for dessert. We got an extra special treat after yogurt. The girls spotted 2 paramedics eating dinner in their ambulance. After much hesitation, they asked them if they could see inside. Good thing they asked-they got a full tour of the ambulance and got to try on a neck brace and touch the equipment. What nice guys! Now home to play board games and watch Wipeout!

Beach and Bonfire

What a fun day! We spent the day at Moonlight Beach with about 10 families. The dads and kids did lots of boogie boarding and I enjoyed visiting and playing several games of smashball. We got there at about one o'clock and packed plenty of snacks and sandwiches for dinner. At dinnertime, we headed up to our reserved fire pit to grill some hot dogs and roast marshmallows over the bonfire. We all love making smores. On our way up, the kids spotted a large group of people sitting in a circle. They were all playing different percussion instruments. Some of the kids, including Allison of course, picked up a drum and joined in. It was precious! We watched the sunset and the kids played a game of whiffle ball baseball and ran around the beach. Their energy was endless. It was a great day spent with family and friends and we hope to do it once more before school starts.

Daddy is the Best!

The girls love when Matt is home. It's like I'm chopped liver when he is here. Whether it is helping him with the yard work, cleaning or swimming in the pool, running errands or playing the Wii, they love their time with him. Taylor loves learning new things from him and Allison thinks he is so funny! He is the master antagonizer, but they can't get enough of it. Tonight, they had fun watching him BBQ our chicken dinner. They love helping me in the kitchen, but they choose being outside, if he is home.

Birthday Party at Libby Lu

Today was Meredith's birthday at Libby Lu. Allison has been dying to go there! She got some gift cards for her b-day in May, but we haven't had a chance to go yet. I promised we would get there before school starts.
The girls got all dressed up in matching sequin dresses, got their hair, nails and makeup done and then performed a Hannah Montana song in front of the store. Allison picked sunglasses as her accessory and got a cute spa bag to bring home. Taylor and I walked around the mall and did some school shopping while they had the party, but were able to make it back in time to see the performance. Happy Birthday Meredith!

Wiped out!

I think the week has caught up with Allison! She came home from camp and a swim playdate and put herself to sleep. I was changing the sheets on her bed today and had yet to put them back on, but that didn't stop her. Taylor and I were making cornbread and Matt was watching tv and it seemed awfully quiet. I expected to find Allison playing babies upstairs, but she was out cold. I guess she needed the extra rest and it looks like Matt did too. He didn't last long either, but that is no surprise!

Vacation Bible School

The girls are attending Rancho's VBS camp this week from 9-noon. The theme is Power Lab and they are having a blast. Taylor is in a group with Korynn and Vanessa and Allison is with Abby, Mitchell and Marley. They keep busy with songs, crafts, water activities and bible lessons. Taylor has enjoyed coming home with a daily challenge. So far, she has had to pray for someone in need and read a book to someone who can't read. She takes it very seriously!

They also had fun making homemade bouncy balls yesterday and sand test tubes on Monday and look forward to bringing home a new craft today. Their shirts say Oozology on the front and the teachers all wear mad scientist white jackets and crazy colored wigs. What a great week of fun. They sure are tired when they get home!

Laura's Benefit

What an amazing evening! The benefit dinner was a huge success and it was so wonderful having Laura there. She was radiant! The dinner was held at Frankie's Steak and Seafood and it was beautiful. We had a cocktail hour as everyone arrived and took time to visit and look over the silent auction baskets. It was great putting faces to names that we have heard Laura talk about and see signing her posts. All of her family was there, along with friends from Orange County, Jackson Elementary, Saddleback Hospital and various other aspects of her life. During our delicious dinner, Laura gave a very emotional speech and brought tears to a lot of the guests. The auction was such a hit, we took it to a live auction to settle some of the bids. It was a great fundraiser and a very moving evening. Now it is time for her to enjoy one more week at home and then prepare for her bone marrow transplant on July 22nd. She will head to the hospital then to receive radiation and chemo, then receive her new cells on July 28th. Thank you donor brother Paul!

Pajama Mornings

We were all in need of a Pajama Day! Too much sun and activity this week. I cleaned the house, worked on setting up my new laptop and made some needed calls. The girls helped with some chores and spent the morning watching tv, playing game boys and playing babies(one of the activities they both enjoy so much). I love listening in on their conversations as they play mother, teacher, daughter or teenager. Once I heard Allison say she was living with her boyfriend in a condo! Where do they come up with this stuff? They role play so well and so much of what they say has either come out of my mouth or their teachers' mouths. I do have to say, I think they will both be wonderful babysitters. They seem to have it all figured out!

Day at the Beach

We headed to Moonlight Beach to beat the desert heat. Joanna and her kids followed us down and then Kim and her family met us later in the day. It was freezing when we arrived, so the kids just played in the sand. Eventually the sun came out and the kids hit the water. Taylor and Allison have become quite good on their boogie boards and don't seem to have any fear! They found this huge piece of kelp while swimming around. Devin, Morgan, Taylor, Allison and Madison

We have been trying to go the beach once a week because it is such a fun way to spend the day. The kids have a blast!

Oh So Different!

We have always said the girls personalities are so different. Taylor is super organized, over achieving and tries to have and keep everything perfect. Allison is more of a free-spirit, very easy going and likes to live in clutter. I actually think it is calming for her. I woke up this morning, looked in their rooms and thought there is no better way to display their differences than to show how they like to keep their rooms. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Taylor's Room

Allison's Room

See what I mean!!!

Smores-YUMMY!

This was an action packed weekend. As if 4th of July weren't enough, we headed to Paul and Laura's for swimming, BBQ, fireworks and Smores. I think the kids may actually turn into fish, but who can blame them. The pool is so fun! Lisa took these great pics of the kids making smores on the fire pit. It has become a summer tradition. Laura is thoroughly enjoying her time at home and loved having all of the kids around her.

We enjoyed a wonderful fireworks show from the back of Matt's truck. Pechanga sure knows how to put on a show. The finale was spectacular!!

Happy 4th!!

We had a great 4th of July up at Michael and Lisa's house. We swam all day in their new pool and especially loved the slide. Paul, Laura and the girls were with us too. We ate pizza and dessert poolside and just enjoyed some relaxation on the patio. Dominic was as funny as ever. He kept asking me to take his picture and then he would come look at it on the camera. After each picture, he would look and say, "Oh my gosh!" It was so cute.

We were too tired to stay up for fireworks, but we will watch the Pechanga Pow Wow fireworks tomorrow night at Paul and Laura's. What a fun weekend!

My Little Fish!

You would think that swimming hours each day would get old, but not for these two fish! Matt and I join them for a little while, but they find more ways to entertain themselves in our pool. We bought them fins and snorkel gear so they can prepare for our trip to Maui in November. They practice breathing and floating, but you would think that would get old quick since there is nothing to look at in our pool. It will be great when they actually see fish! They also love diving for rings and practicing their swim strokes, but usually end up fighting when they play COLORS or tag. Someone always cries in a competition.
I can't tell you how many times this summer I have asked them to take a shower and they say, " But I just went swimming". Since when does swimming replace a shower? I guess we need to work on that.

Getting started

Taylor (8) and Allison (6) are growing up so quickly. I love scrapbooking our many adventures, but thought this would be a great way to journal our day to day lives. Taylor will begin 4th grade and Allison will be in 1st grade in the fall and so many of the momemts I thought I would remember are fading from my memory. So sad!! This is the perfect way to keep it all fresh in our minds.

Summer is here and we are loving every minute of it. We enjoyed a great visit with Wendy, David and Nolan and another weekend visit from Dave, Jenny, Holden and Tanner. We have visited Sea World a few times with our season passes and made a few trips to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. Many warm days (up to 113 degrees) have been spent in our pool or our friends' pools. I just enjoy a less hectic schedule and some of our pajama mornings! The girls and I have been running in the evenings and playing tennis in the front yard.

Now that I have started this blog, I will document the events as they happen!