California

Justin and I were crazy enough to take all the kiddos down to California to visit his family. It was serious chaos, but we're sooo glad we went. Here is a brief synopsis of our trip to SoCal--in no particular order. Disclaimer: I got up at 4:30 to go to the airport this morning. Please excuse all miss-spellings, grammar errors, and non-sensical sentences.

Newport Beach/Balboa Island

We had a blast in Orange county going to the swap meet, Newport beach, and Balboa Island. We didn't find much at the swap meet--but I did get a Bob's hand dipped ice cream bar--might be familiar to a few of you old time vancouverites. In Newport we rode the ferris wheel--James' first, and got Balboa bars. The girls dove right into the bars, but James had a melt down because he only wanted the sprinkles. Daddy, our hero, saved the day by going back and getting a cup of just sprinkles.

Hollywood/Beverly Hills

Our first day in California we joined up with Justin's parents and sisters, and toured Hollywod and Beverly Hills. Justin's sister, Tawny saw one of the male stars from the reality show "the Hills", and Justin saved the day again by getting him to take a photo with Tawny. We got sprinkles cupcakes--our favorite, and pink's hotdogs. James was just overjoyed to be off the plane. The real highlight of the day was just as we were leaving. A theater had the real Optimus Prime car out front. They also had the corvette and mustang from the show.

Oceanside Beach

Our second day there we had a great day at the beach. All the kiddos loved it! I even got wet up to my knees. Justin body boarded. All in all a fun day with family. Mommy ended up with a serious sunburn. Ouch.

Hanging out with family at Larry & Susie's, Grandma & Grandpa's, and Tracy & Christine's

Here is just a compliation of random photos from different days of us hanging out with family. Grandma Hughes and Kate, The kiddos snacking, Morgan playing "baby" with baby Clara, Kate checking out Ben's entertainment center, James checking out his new cousin Eli, James jumping off the diving board and Uncle Larry's, Kate & Clara found this basket on their own and decided it was made just for them.

Mommy Juice

OK, so many of you know about my on going saga trying to give up caffeine--more specifically--Diet Mt. Dew--better known as "mommy juice" in our house. Problem is--I LOVE MY MOMMY JUICE. I know I SHOULD give it up, but man is it hard to give up something you love. I figure now that I am not getting up and nursing twins 4+ times a night, I really have no excuses left. Well, no excuses as good as that one. So, I was browsing online about how to cut caffeine and I found this little list of things to do. It took all my effort not to laugh too hard. I'll add my own thoughts in purple.

Be patient and use the following ten tips to rediscover and to reconnect with life and living.

1. Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. Make time to fulfill emotional, physical and mental needs. Perfect! Who's coming to watch the kids. Last time I left James unattended to take a shower he hosed the kitchen cabinets down with the sprayer.
2. Enjoy wake up time and change morning routines even in small ways. Breathe fresh air, walk, and drink room temperature water adding a twist of lemon. Tense and stretch each part of your body slowly. Ha! Ha! Ha! Nice illusion. Real wake up routine: two girls crying in the other room-hungry & with pee up to their armpits, and James bouncing on my head "wake UP mommy!" You must admire my tenacity because I still try to sleep through all this.
3. Use positive affirmations to kick start your day, your mind and your life. "I am a free and powerful being, ""I love myself completely without condition," "My body clears, heals, and balances itself," "I always have enough time." " I will not lose it today." "I will not lose it today." I will not lose it today."
4. Switch to decaffeinated beverages. Say "no" to colas and other carbonated drinks. Well, I don't drink coffee or tea, so carbonated drinks are the real problem here.
5. Upon waking, ask yourself: "How am I right now?" Accept how you feel. Deal with what you can in those moments and put the rest firmly aside until later. Refuse to be overwhelmed. Remember depressed actually means suppressed. Oh, I do this everyday. I am really, really good at accepting how I feel. Doesn't mean I want to continue feeling that way. I deal with how I feel by getting myself a Mt. Dew and snack on my kids left over breakfast or last nights cookies.
6. When that voice inside you demands caffeine, simply break the habit of responding. Drink or do something entirely different instead. Say "no" to the myth that you need caffeine to get you going. Um, does that go for chocolate too? We might have serious trouble.
7. If you feel tired, stressed or need a lift, tense your body, breathe deeply and clap your hands above your head four times. Ask yourself what you need right now and fulfill your needs.
Make time to relax and enjoy simple natural highs. Get comfortable with feeling good and stress free. Does clapping your hands at your kids count? Honestly, I'm pretty sure who ever wrote this has never had 3 kids crying at them, all trying to sit in THEIR lap at the SAME TIME while they were trying to give up caffeine. The nature high of the day is going to bed-- and well, caffeine's not really a problem then, is it?
8. To stop the craving for caffeine or unhealthy comfort foods, repeat firmly in your mind: "I am letting go easily of everything I no longer need." Place your open hand firmly on your chest and rub backwards and forwards then around and around in slow circles. Rock your body backwards and forwards. Keep breathing deeply with the mouth open. You will feel comforted, calmed, and soothed, and will have bypassed the craving. Um, I've been living with my parents for over a year now. I got rid of everything I don't need a long time ago. I'd actually like to get back some of those superfluous things "I no longer need"-- like my own bedroom.
9. Be a leader and not a follower. Make healthy choices while alone, with family, friends, and colleagues. Don't over-consume caffeine because everyone else does. Make conscious and healthy choices. Well, not really a problem here. I think I'm the problem for others. ;)


So, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and suggest that it's my attitude that's in the way---that and the pounding headaches I've had for the last 17 years since a few car accidents--eh-hem, not ALL my fault--I had when I was in high school. Excuses aside--the point of my little mini-confessional is to ask those of you who have given up caffeine for tips on how you did it. I'll do really good for a few days--and then I'll have kids up till 3:30 am and . . . So what it you do to cut caffeine out of you life? I'd love suggestions--or if you have none of those--just encouragment!!

Just call me Penny . . . pincher

I thought that garage saleing was a thing of yester-year, but OOOOH NO! I made the biggest find last Saturday. I got these 2 girlie chairs for $2.00 a piece. They're knocked over in the picture below. The girls just love them. Kate especially. She's always just kickin' back, lounging in her princess chair. Keeping James out is another problem--actually he doesn't want to sit in them, but use them for his forts.

Ok, so ever since I saw on the TV show "18 Kids and Counting" the Duggars making their own laundry detergent the idea has been hatching in my little o' noggin. I figure if they can find the time to make their own, so can I. So today I gave it my first go. The first round, I had the wrong stuff--baking soda not washing soda. They're actually different things. I used Ivory soap. And well--it didn't really work out. It was sort of white, watery, sludge. Not the slimey goo I was supposed to have according to the website--don't remember the name-something about tips. Then, since I had to go to Winco anyway, I decided to see if they had the right stuff, which they did. So I gave it another go--this time using the right stuff--washing soda, and I used Fels Naptha soap as well. I must say, the first round of laundry turned out just fine. I purposefully put in a dress with red jello stains (fresh-not set it) and some dirty towels. Everything came out clean and smelled sorta like nothing--which is the goal for doing laundry--I guess. I made a 60-80 load batch of detergent for $1.36. Pretty good deal I'd say.

OK, so to be honest I'm not sure if this is something to be proud of, or if I should start seeing a therapist. But . . . Wal-mart on Mill Plain is closing their fabric department and everything was 1/2 off!!!! I'm pretty sure I have enough pink and purple fancy fabrics to make fairy princess costumes for the next six years--but at $1.00 a yard how could I resist??? I got stuff for 8 sets of pj's, 4 dresses, MULTIPLE Halloween costumes/dress-up boxes, 2 fleece blankets, 2 sets of faux silk curtains, and 1/2 the fabric needed to recover the couch my sister Jeny gave me. I got the rest later for $1.24 a yard!

NOW--HERE'S THE RUB. I HAVE TO DO THE SEWING! I guess that'll be another post--but for the record I have 2 sets of pj's done for James and we'll definitely be getting our money's worth--they should fit until he's 8. ;) Here he is posing in his new choo-choo pj's--complete with milk spilled down the front. He looks distressed because I asked him to look at the camera. Apparently James is still under the delusion that camera's steal your soul, and therefore should not be looked at EVER, especially when mom wants your photo.

If the hat fits . . .

Just some cute pics of Kate and her daddy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARA & KATE!!

Wow! My babies turned 1 year old yesterday. There are many things to be said about how I made it through the past year, but that's another post. Right now I just have to say to Kate and Clara that you are my two little angels. You make me so happy I feel so blessed to be your mother. Thank you for bringing joy and sunshine into my every day . . . even on days you keep me up all night.

Run cake! Run for your life.

Kate and Clara are after you.

Here are the birthday cakes. Since I figure we'll be doing princesses for the next 6 years, we went with bugs this year. A bumble bee for James (who actually slept through the party, so he'll get his cake later) a butterfly for Kate and a ladybug--yes, that's a ladybug, sorta a princess leia ladybug--for Clara. And a flower cake with ants for everyone. The flowers are for the girls and the ants for James.

I just couldn't be prouder of you son

The scene: Mom is talking to grown ups up stairs. James is playing downstairs . . . quietly. Be suspicious. Very suspicious.

Mom: James? How are you doing?

James: I did it! I did it! I did it! . . .

I made a mess!

What can I say? Who wouldn't be proud of an accomplishment such as this?

Lazy summer days

The kids and I have enjoyed a beautiful week in my mothers gorgeous back yard. Luckily I haven't had to fish any kids out of the pond this week ;) I've gotten into serving lunch outside on a blanket. Which might explain the second half of this post . . . But as for these pics--here are a few cute ones of Clara & Kate. James is 2 going on 14 and refuses to look at a camera, so he is mostly absent from all my latest pics. You might catch him in the background. Here's Clara climbing on Mt. Mommy. Notice the dirt on her chin--leftovers from the snack that ended the photo op with her sister below.

Here's my little sick girl Kate. She lost about a pound with some kind of stomach bug this past week. Doesn't she look stressed? You should see the tantrums this girl can throw. I'll get one on tape soon and post it. Really, they're Oscar worthy.

Here is the only pic I got of the girls posing together. Clara promptly picked up a chunk of dirt and started munching away just after this was taken.

Picnic Table

Last Saturday as I was getting ready I had a sudden "Sarah Athay" moment. For those of you who don't know my mom, a "Sarah Athay" moment usually involves sudden whims to start large and random projects at any given time. I once woke up to the sound of a sledge hammer going through a wall. My mom decided she just didn't want a wall between the dining room and kitchen anymore. Luckily it wasn't a baring wall.

So, as I was getting ready last Saturday I decided that the kids needed a picnic table so I could serve snacks and lunches outside. Justin--always up for a project that includes drills and saws, was game. He found some instructions online and I headed off to home depot with James. The kids are now the proud owners of a picnic table. They love it! We eat snacks there every afternoon. In fact, sometimes the only place we can get James to eat at all is at the picnic table! FYI--you can down load the instructions from www.buildeazy.com We built it from 2x4's instead of 1x6's to make it sturdier. It took just an afternoon to build. Definitely worth it.