walking

Lately Kendall has turned a corner. She didn't used to be that great at walks. She would quickly get squirmy in the stroller and I would end up carrying her the rest of the way home. But lately she has really taken to it and I'm so glad. I love going on walks because...

*It is something for us to do while Cam is at school. How many times can we switch rooms to play with different toys? :)
*It's good for her to be outside and viewing different scenery.
*It's an instant boost. When I'm feeling down or just stir crazy, I immediately feel better once we start out on a walk.
*It's good exercise.
*It's interesting. Before having kids, I NEVER went for walks for the sake of going for a walk. I love how having kids forces me to get out and I always enjoy seeing who is sitting outside of Starbucks, taking their dog for a walk, walking home from school, etc.
*It gives me a little "me" time. Walking is one time where I don't have to be "on" as a mom. I can relax and listen to music. Today's playlist included Jimmy Buffet, Jason Moraz, and Phil Collins (I know, quite a random list).

40th

Last night we celebrated my parents' 40th anniversary. They aren't the big party type, but I wanted to plan something special for them. I decorated our table, bought some roses, and had a few other things up my sleeve. We first ate a super tasty and easy dinner I made from a recipe my sister gave me a long time ago.

After dinner I gave them each a quiz to take. The questions were mainly about favorite memories they had of their marriage as well as things they loved about one another. It was so sweet to hear. I then showed them a video of my nieces (who live in Germany) singing Happy Anniversary. Afterward I gave them the gift from my sister and I. It was a picture of their wedding day, with a message from each of us on it. We then ate cake and ice cream. I had borrowed a fun cake pan from a friend and it turned out really well.

Happy 40th, Mom and Dad!!! Thanks for giving Susan and I such a perfect example of what a loving-always talking kindly about one another-never arguing in front of us-enjoying to be with one another-loving Christ-marriage looks like. :)

V is for Vegas

The last time my in laws were in town, they told us to find a date this summer when we could go to Vegas and they would watch the kids. I can't tell you how excited we are, and it's still several months away. One day when we were feeling especially "kid drained," Chris came up with a good idea to put us in a better mood.

So...every time we are feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, we'll look at each other and flash our "V" sign. This not only makes us laugh, but it reminds us that a nice and relaxing trip to Vegas is in the near future. :)

quirks and habits

*When I dip into our jar of peanuts, I hate getting halves. I always pick out the whole peanuts.

*A big pet peeve of mine has to do with windshield wipers. I HATE when people have their wipers going full blast and it is only sprinkling. I'm constantly adjusting my speed when it rains and have been known to reach over and adjust them when Chris is driving.

*I put Kendall's paci in my mouth before I give it to her if it has dropped on the ground. I've read that this is bad due to the bacteria in my own mouth. But I would rather her have my bacteria than nasty hair/dirt from the ground!

*I recheck our oven about 3 times before I head to bed (if I have used it that day). I usually end up getting out of bed, "just to make sure" before I drift off to sleep. Not that an oven left on would start a fire...but you never know. :)

*I love the crumbs at the bottom of chip/cracker bags, especially Cheeze its. That is where the real saltiness is!

*An overcooked cookie is really not worth eating.

the beach

We just got back from a very exhausting, but totally worth it weekend at our aunt's condo in Port Hueneme. It was great to be in a different place, with different parks, within walking distance of the ocean...you get the picture. It was so nice of Noonie to let us use her place and we are grateful for the fun getaway.

We went to Santa Barbara on Sunday. There were some people raising money for a wildlife organization. They were letting people hold snakes in return for a small donation. Cam jumped right in and held one. He enjoyed it, but I think the snake was a little too boring for him. :)



We ate at our favorite restaurant, Palazzio's. What a sight we must have been. Kendall is in her yelling phase and exercised this throughout the meal. Then Cam was loudly asking everyone that passed by, "EXCUSE ME. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?". Luckily it wasn't too crowded so we weren't annoying that many people. :)


An after-meal dessert of frozen yogurt, minus the actual yogurt. Cam isn't a fan of frozen yogurt or ice cream, but boy he loves the toppings!


This is right below Noonie's condo. Cam loved walking on the logs.


Overall the car rides were awesome, as far as the kids were concerned. However, I was VERY ready to be out of my designated spot between the car seats in the back. Here we are about 30 minutes from home and VERY ready to be there. :)

snow day

While this probably isn't that big of a deal for many people, a day where they cancelled school because of the amount of snow was huge for us! We woke up to such a beautiful sight and it wasn't long before all the neighborhood kids were out playing in the snow.





Here was Cam's indoor, snow activity...take a look.

some bullets

*Helped out in Cam's class today. Each time he would pass me, he would say "Hola, mom!". He now says, "Hola!" to basically anyone he sees (it's from Handy Manny).

*Modern Family has got to be the funniest show on TV.

*I would highly recommend this toy. Cam got it for Christmas. It's great for the car. The little Caterpillar reads the book when you point it to the pages. You can also point to objects in the book and play games.



*Had a salad for dinner with some leftover feta cheese from my meatballs last night. So tasty! Feta has so much flavor!

*We are headed out to the Camarillo area this weekend to our aunt's condo. Will head to Santa Barbara on Sunday. We are excited to have something to do for the weekend as they can get kind of long. The week is filled with parks and trips to the store, so we often find ourselves wanting something different for the weekend.

*I'm watching The Bachelor for the first time this season. While I think many of the girls are a little pathetic, the premise a little cheesy, and the whole concept unrealistic (finding a wife that fast?), I'm officially addicted. I called my friend, Jen, today to discuss this week's episode. It reminded me of our high school days. We LOVED Lois and Clark and would always call each other right after the show to discuss.

*I think I could kiss Kendall's fat cheeks for an hour straight and not get tired of it.

*I blogged a while back about the jeans I tried on at Buckle and how much I loved them. I tried them on again this past weekend to get the size/style. I made an attempt at Ebay, but I still just can't bite the bullet and spend $80 on jeans. Maybe someday.

day

7:00 Both kids wake (woohoo for sleeping in!)
7-7:45 Breakfast and get ready for school
7:45 Chris and Cam leave for school. Chris then heads to get some breakfast and get an old phone we have reactivated because I dropped mine in the bath last night. :(
7:45-9:30 Entertain/keep Kendall awake. This includes changing rooms for a change of scenery and toys and sitting in the back of our SUV with the hatch up (she likes to sit and play with toys while staring outside)
9:30-10:45 Kendall naps (hooray for long nap!). While she naps, I have my quiet time (I'm trying to do this first thing during her first nap...trying), clean, and watch a little of some Tivo'd Gilmore Girls
10:45 I leave to pick up Cam
11:00 Off to Costco (in two cars) for lunch and a few purchases. These weekly trips are even more fun now that they have a playhouse on display. Cam LOVES this. :) Chris also observes a girl shoplift an $80 bottle of Tequila (he reported it, but they didn't catch her). Favorite sample: Kettle Corn
1:00 Chris takes Kendall home while I take Cam to the mall to play in the indoor play area. Also treat him to a few things from Sweet Factory.
2:30 We arrive home and play until Kendall wakes
3:15-4:00 Cam has "special room time" while Kendall and I play with toys
4:00 Cam watches a movie while I take Kendall to the grocery store to get some ingredients for...

Tapas Meatballs with Orange Marmalade



Pretty good, but a lot of work. I gave it an 8.5. Chris, an 8.

5:00 Kendall and Cameron take a bath together
5:30 Kendall goes down for bed, Cameron eats dinner
6:00 Playtime with Cam: Puzzle, read, play on computer
6:45 Chris puts him down while I finish up dinner
Ahhhh...dinner and catch up on some Tivo (Friday Night Lights, to be specific)

day off

This morning on the radio the DJ said, "It is a wet one out there. If you have the day off from work, it's a great day to snuggle up with some hot chocolate and watch movies."

I turned to Kendall and said, "Looks like I should be getting the day off from work today. Can I snuggle up and watch movies all day in bed?". I think her blank stare was a definite "NO".

Hmmm..."Cameron, today I'm supposed to be off from work. Can I stay in bed and watch movies?". His look said, "I don't think so, mom. But look on the bright side, I have an ear infection and should be extra cheerful today!" (in his defense, after some Tylenol, he really has been quite fine).

Ahhh...staying at home.

hair cut

What on earth am I supposed to do with this mop? There is no way I want to spend $15 on a hair cut for an 8 month old. However it really gets in her eyes and hangs over her ears. I know I would butcher it if I tried, but I'm thinking that might be my only option. Hmmm...

Unrelated to Kendall's spazzy hair, last night my parents came out to babysit while Chris and I went out to dinner. Romanos. Penne Gorgonzola. Oh my. Anyway, I thought this was so precious to see right before we left.

beautiful?

So Jessica nominated me for a "Beautiful Blogger Award" and I have to come up with some random things about myself. But let's back up. Beautiful? Is this referring to my layout? Because Jessica, let's be honest, my template is a standard one by blogger. Not too pretty. But thanks, and I'll still do the random thoughts! :)

1. I used to have the same lunch every day of the week back when I worked as a secretary. Chicken Salad sandwich. I find that I can literally have the same thing days on end and not get tired of it, which is funny considering how much I love to cook.

2. I don't like crafts. If I had to be good at something "crafty", it would be sewing. I would love to sew my own clothes. But honestly, sometimes the fabric and pattern can cost more than a shirt at Target!

3. I have some strange resistance to joining Facebook. I enjoy blogging because it's more personal and you can write more. I don't want to add one more thing to my computer time. I will say one thing about Facebook (from peeking on Chris's account), which is that those quizzes about what superhero you would be have got to be the silliest things I've ever read.

4. I have NEVER had a chocolate dessert that is too rich or that, "Oh, I can only take one bite!". I challenge anyone to give me a recipe or direct me to a restaurant dessert that would be too rich.

5. Our loft upstairs is designated as the "toy area", meaning I don't care that toys are spread across the room 24/7. But in other places of the house (like the living room), I HATE for toys to be left out. I'll usually clean them up during nap time, even though I know they'll come right back out an hour later.

6. One time I left my wallet on top of my car at a gas station. Stupid. Another time I left it in the front compartment of my grocery cart. Again, stupid.

7. I used to think The Duggars (the family with 19 kids) were a little too cheesy. However the more I watched them, the more respect I gained for the parents. Those are some of the most well mannered kids I've ever seen. Kudos to them.

thoughts

Right now Chris is at Walmart with both kids. It's nice to have a little time. Overall, Cameron is truly the most fun, cute, obedient, silly little boy I could ever want. But there are often times I find myself frustrated and discouraged. I have a lot of guilt for having these feelings. I know, all kids make their moms go nuts sometimes. But those things are "typical" things such as tantrums, not sharing, etc. Because some of the things I have a hard time with are issues that Cam can't control, I feel badly that they get to me.

I'm not going to go into what they are because I feel like that would be disrespectful, in a sense, to him as my son. Why post actions that frustrate me when he has no control over them? But I will say that sometimes I feel like I wish he would throw tantrums, and that those would be our only struggle and something he would grow out of. But that isn't our reality. Things he deals with will get better, but might not ever fully be gone.

On a side note, isn't it interesting that even when you are so frustrated with one of your children, it really only takes about 15 minutes of time away from them to calm down and actually start missing them? By the time they get back from Walmart, I'll be ready to see my little man. I love that.

spaghetti

Tonight I made spaghetti. Looks pretty good, huh?



The secret is that the noodles you see are actually strands of spaghetti squash. I made this a long time ago and decided to give it another try. It's super easy. After putting the halved squash in the microwave, I just shredded it onto the plate. The best part? 1 cup of pasta has 200 calories. 1 cup of squash has 40! :)

I loved it. Chris? Not so much. But keep in mind that he is REALLY not a vegetable guy. So if you like vegetables (or at least can tolerate them), you should give this a try. :)

disneyland

We went to Disneyland today with my parents. We had such a fun time. The weather was perfect and the Holiday crowds were no where to be seen. To top it off, since my parents drove separately, they took Cam in their car. This A) Was fun for him to get to ride with his Nana and Papa and B) Was such a load off us since car rides (in any length) continue to be stressful with Cam's sensitivities to Kendall's noises.



I can't believe how little Kendall slept. She literally slept 15 minutes from the time we left (9:30) until bedtime. She was still very happy for the most part. I think she enjoyed the constant stimulation. :)

trifle

Dear Mr. Trifle,
For the past three days, I have vowed to eat a little healthier since Christmas left my jeans fitting a tad too tight. But each night, you have thwarted my efforts. Even tonight, I told myself I wouldn't partake of the last remains at the bottom...

Chris: How about I bring the last of the trifle in with two spoons?
Kelly: Oh, I don't know...
Chris: I don't have to.
Kelly: Well...go ahead. I'll just have a few bites (yeah right!).

Now that you are out of our house, maybe now my jeans can look forward to once again fitting properly again.

Sincerely,
Kelly

photos at the park

Chris's parents are in town and we had a fun picnic yesterday up at a new favorite park (in Oak Glen).

ahhh...

raise the roof

Right now Chris and Cam are at Sports Authority looking for some baseball pants. This past weekend we registered him for his first T-ball league. We don't have hugely high expectations as to whether he'll love it, but at least he'll look super cute and we can get some great pictures!

When Chris got home from registration, he told me the fee comes with a hat, shirt, and belt. I said, "Oh, so he can just wear jeans for his pants, right?". "Not my son!", was his reply. He also informed me that HIS son will have his socks match his shirt and he must get some black athletic shoes. Can you tell Chris played baseball his whole life??? :)

Anyway, here is the picture Chris just texted me. Cam's arms are in the air because we just taught him to do, "raise the roof!!". I know, it's a 90's saying, but how cute is he?? :)

moms

Lately I've been sneaking in a few episodes of Gilmore Girls. The writing is pretty creative, but I LOVE the close relationship between the two main characters (mom and daughter). I think every mom, when she has a daughter, longs to one day be good friends.

While my mom is one of my best friends right now, it wasn't always the case. We didn't fight a ton in high school, we just weren't super close. I think I was so self absorbed and into my own little teen life, I didn't make room for a close relationship with her. I'm bummed now because I know I missed out. :) Seems like there is such a fine line to walk for a mom. You want to be your daughter's friend, but you also need to be the "mom" and not lose her respect. Sometimes I think it mostly has to do with the daughter's personality, rather than a tried and true formula moms can follow to make it happen. Hmm...

monkeys and puzzles

Cam is pretty good about eating whatever we place in front of him. HOW he eats it can sometimes vary. I'll admit that I many times play the, "Eat 15 peas and you can have 1 Cheez-it" game. The other night I decided to get tough and tell him he couldn't get up until he ate all his veggies. Boy was he in that chair a LONG time! He decided to stall by singing 5 Little Monkeys. Who knew that, despite the monkeys supposedly falling off the bed, their numbers actually increased with each verse. :)

The veggies were consumed, it just took QUITE a while.



For Christmas, my parents gave Cam a great floor puzzle. He loved it, so we decided to get him another one. He loves "putting them together", meaning having us give him each piece and showing him where to place it. :)