The Adventures of Ambo & Gweg

Tale as Old as 3D time

2012-01-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

With teaching preschool this month, life has been kind of hectic. I'm doing my best to catch up on the blog & other things. Right now, I'm working Annabelle's birthday party post, but for a while, continue to scroll down for posts (& videos) of our last three months of 2011.

A couple weeks ago, I got an email from Disney mentioning the re-release of Beauty & the Beast, this time in 3D. Since both our kids enjoy the movie (and Greg & I can stand it :), we thought it would be fun to take Annabelle to see her first movie in the theatre. (FYI: Pirates doesn't count because Annabelle was asleep-- luckily). It was a bonus that her other favorite princess, Rapunzel, was in the short at the beginning. (really funny, by the way)

Before the movie

Bellie & Mommy

Greg was worried she wouldn't sit through it & I thought she would sit through the whole thing (she does at home). We were both right. Annabelle was still (I mean like a mouse) for the first part of the movie, then she got sick of the glasses, wanted to sit next to Daddy, run up & down the empty aisles (we didn't let her do the last one). After it was over, she asked to watch it again, when we said it was done, she asked for Rapunzel. :)

Jared sat thru the whole movie, with the glasses on. He was mesmerized. Today, we saw a commercial for Star Wars Ep 1 in 3D & Jared looked at me with the cutest excited smile... uh oh...

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T10:48:00.000-06:00

Gratitude Turkey: 2011

2011-11-28T15:46:00.000-06:00

Our turkey tradition continues, however, there were two things fairly significant this year:

Tom the Turkey finally has a home. No more falling on his turkey face while trying to figure out how to get him to stay still.
Everyone in the family was able to participate & give answers. It made for some pretty funny answers.

I guess #2 is a little more significant. Annabelle was adorable the first day. When it came time to ask what she was grateful for, her eyes kind of glazed over as to say, 'why are you using that big word we use in prayers?' So, we changed our tactic a little and asked, 'Bellie, what makes you happy?' Without missing a beat, she said, 'Jared.' Something more me to remember when they get into little scuffles... they love each other.

Without further ado, here's this list:

GWEG: cupcakes, bedtime, projects, my kiddos, my Job*, advil, Amber, 7-up, new toys, books, *wink, wink* (he is male, after all), choices, gasoline (spoken like a true engineer), kisses, Oba & Jiji, special treats, telephones, mud****, good examples, scriptures, my mission, the temple, Jesus Christ
AMBO: baseball, skin, strollers, Hot Chocolate, Daddy's Job, ibuprofen, silly kiddos, Greg, my parents, prayer, Hobby Lobby, family & friends, music, scriptures, discounts, education, movies, subway sandwiches & thoughtful friends****, pianos, skype, internet, happy memories, Jesus Christ
JARED: food (remind me NOT to use food as a reward---yipes), pictures, Daddy, neighbors (specifically Alex & Caleb), Daddy's job, people, cars, clocks, medicine, hospitals**, restaurants (yipes, another food one), parties, balloons, Mema & Deda, books, lions, cheese, lights, hair, juice, lemonade, Thanksgiving, Jesus
ANNABELLE: Jared, pants, Oba & Jiji, Daddy, Daddy's job, hands, plates, kitchen, brushing teeth, birthdays, Princess Belle, Minnie & Mickey**, see-saws, noses, drinks, my mouth, new dollies, Bergens****, poops (I shake my head at this one), play time, Mommy, slides, Jesus

*We all put Daddy's job on the day we went to {Six Flags}.
**{Croup hospital visit} :(
***Day of {Birthday party}
****Day of the {Warrior Dash}

Meeska Mooska Birthday PARTY

2011-11-15T16:15:00.000-06:00

Oh man--- birthday party day! What a day!

Because of Jared's croup incident, we didn't get to finish everything for the party in the days leading up to it. Instead the four of us, spent the night before & the morning of getting everything ready. Mom & I staying up too late finishing Mouse Ears.

From what I can tell, the party was a success! We still had some brave friends show up, disregarding the croup scare (honestly, most of the kids were already exposed at nursery). I managed to take one picture, but Kim took more & my Mom took a bunch of videos for my siblings, so at least there's that. Here are some highlights, with necessary pics & videos:

The Room & Food Spread

The folks and I decorated the night before Belle's actual birthday, so we wouldn't have to do it before the party. When the kids came in the house, they were greeted with their own set of Mickey Ears. Some wore the ears, others didn't, but they turned out fantastic (props to Oba because she made most of them).

Annabelle-Minnie & Jared-Mickey

The food was simple. I overcomplicated Jared's party food last year, so I simplified & asked for reinforcements this year. My awesome-est (it's a word) friend, Kim, made the main food for the adults, really yummy wraps. For the kids, we had a make-your-own sandwich bar; either PB or cold cuts (the bread was cut into the shape of Mickey Ears). We also had things like Goofy's Goldfish, Chip & Dale's Fruit (yellow oranges--- yikes), and Daisy's Secret Spy String Cheese! BIG HIT! The kids weren't getting food they'd never had before & it was simple! Win win!

For the birthday desert, we made Mickey Cupcakes (it was team effort with Greg & I--- mostly Greg). They turned out great; everyone loved them & they weren't overly sweet.

The Games & Presents
We had three games.

First was color-your-own bow tie or hair bow at Minnie's bow-tique. This wasn't a big hit, however, Jared made one & pinned it to his shirt the rest of the party. Success enough for me.

Next- I made a bean-bag toss game. I needed something to block the kids from going upstairs into the playroom & other places, so I created a game barrier (Jared's was Mater-fishing). This was a HUGE hit. I guess kids like to throw things! ;)

The characters & point values are removable, so we can use it for future parties. We just need to figure out how to keep the game from falling after being hit by a bean bag.

Annabelle's friends were very kind & brought her all kinds of fun things. She really liked the mini-princesses (everyone was shocked she knew who they were) & her new sparkly pink princess shoes. Seriously, for both her birthdays she's LOVED her new shoes.

After presents, we had lunch & cupcakes. Annabelle thought it would be fun to feed the cupcake frosting to her new baby doll from Gramma.

Then it was PINATA time. I found an awesome Minnie Mouse pull-string pinata. Instead of hitting (and having the potential to harm others) the pinata, it had multiple strings on the bottom and ONE string opened the loot. Here's the video (the camera's battery died just before the last string was pulled):

This felt so much easier than Jared's 2nd birthday party. Maybe it's the difference between boys & girls, but I think I (and we) felt more comfortable this time & just let more things roll off. The kids (and big kids had a great time) so much so that our kids had fantastic naps.

Feeding her Baby frosting

blowing out the candles

which string is the right string?

Opening presents (& gold-digging)

Bean-Bag Toss

After their naps, they were able to go to dinner with 3 or their grandparents (Gramma came down for the party too). After dinner, we all passed out at home and I secretly started thinking about Jared's party in May... he's already requested Star Wars.

A Croup-y Birthday

2011-11-10T16:39:00.000-06:00

The Decorations!

Happy Birthday, Bellie! I can't believe you're TWO! Sorry we spent the day lounging around, it's because Daddy & I had to take care of your poor sick brother. Hopefully, we'll make it up to you with a crazy fun Minnie Mouse party on Saturday--- maybe we can even go to the Zoo tomorrow...

This all started last weekend; one of the kids in nursery got Croup. His parents (fantastic people, one of them is a doctor) didn't know he had it until Sunday night AFTER church. So, they went to church like normal; later that night, they were in the hospital. So, a massive email was sent to all of the nursery parents--- starting my croup vigil. I knew how bad Jared gets it, so I just cautiously watched him, waiting for the signs to show up (keeping Annabelle in the corner of my eye because she had never gone through it before). Up until last night, both kids were okay.

My folks came in town last night for the birthday celebrations. We all enjoyed the night, got the kids in bed, chatted, wrapped presents. At this point, Greg went to bed so he could go to work in the morning. Dad, Mom & I stayed up & decorated the living room like crazy. It looked FANTASTIC! We were up until 1ish. We thought of maybe taking the kids to the zoo, parks, or something today, to do something special on Bellie's actual birthday. In the middle of the night, our plans changed.

Three Monkeys watching a show

Jared woke up violently around 3 with a croup cough & stridor breathing. Just like the time when Bellie was a baby, he'd cough, cry, try to breathe & repeat. What made it 'easier' this time is the communication barrier was gone. Jared was able to tell us where he hurt (when he could get words in) and we were able to somewhat calm him down by explaining to him how calming down would help. The poor kid couldn't get any air in. We started our croup routine.

Eventually we calmed him down enough to get some medicine. He & Greg fell asleep on the couch, while I stayed in the recliner right next to them. Around 5, he woke up again because of another fit. This one was bad; so bad his lips started turning blue. It was then when we got the boys ready to go to the hospital.

Helping Oba mix

Bellie & the folks woke up to a quiet house. They heard him wake up the first time, but didn't realize Greg took him to the hospital. Annabelle asked for Jared & I told her that he & Daddy would be home as soon as they could be since Jared got sick. She was really concerned. As were we all. Just like last time, the hospital gave Jared shots & treatments & as soon as his oxygen levels went up, he was able to go home. They came home in time for Jared to help Oba & I in making Annabelle's cake (he was really looking forward to it).

After their naps, Annabelle opened some presents & we decided Jared was stable enough (and sounded way better) that we could go to one special place for Annabelle's birthday--- Chuy's! Jared ate his weight in chips (which was fine with me, I just wanted him to eat) & Bellie brought one of her presents a 'Punzel' (Rapunzel) doll to play with. If Jared's good enough tomorrow, we might venture out to the Zoo. I hope so.

When we got home, Annabelle blew out her candles on a simple, homemade birthday cake (it did have Minnie & Mickey on it):

Since Jared's croup happened, I'm not sure what to do about the party on Saturday. Almost everything is prepped; I think I'm going to call all the Moms tomorrow & tell them what happened with Jared & give them another choice--- but we'll still do a party. Even if it's just family, Annabelle will be happy.

Six Flags Picnic

2011-11-07T16:49:00.000-06:00

Greg's company-wide picnic this year was at Six Flags. The company is so large, they are able to rent the WHOLE park out so it's just the people coming to company picnic at the park. All we had to do is pay a minnium fee per person, which included: entrance that day, lunch & a complementary ticket for the holiday celebrations next month.

All four of us had a great time, however, we definitely noticed a difference between Six Flags & our trips to Disneyland & Disneyworld this year. It just makes us want to go back to Disney even more.

The highlights:

Meeting the Characters:On the way in, we saw Bugs & Daffy Duck. We decided to stop & take a picture with them. Jared was excited to meet them, but a little cautious. Annabelle would NOT let go of me. EVER. I tried to get her to high five Daffy, but she visually plucked his feather right then. Later, Taz was out. I tried to convince Greg the kids would want to meet Taz too; he called me out and said I was the one who really wanted a picture with Taz... yeah... so...
Kiddie Land: Our first stop was the Kiddie area of the park. Jared saw the Teacups & made a beeline. These teacups were really sad; they were 1/5th the size of Disney, so it was only one parent per kid. I took Belle because I remembered Greg's version of teacups. Sure enough, half way through the ride, I glance over at Jared & Greg and their teacup is going at the speed of sound; my thought at that moment was, "I sure hope they hold together." After the teacups, we saw the Airplanes; the Six Flags version of Dumbo. This was a BIG hit. Both kids LOVED going up & down and I got a video.
Jared's first roller coaster: In the kiddie park, they had a kiddie roller coaster. Just a circle track with a couple of small hills; it reminded me of Puff the Magic Dragon at Lagoon. Annabelle was too small to go on it (barely) so I took Jared for special fun time. We sat in the first car & had a BLAST. Jared had his arms on the safety harness & my hands the whole time--- it was cute. Afterwards he said, "let's do that again." We told him, if he wanted to we could ride it again later.
Taz Tornado: This was like a mini-swings ride & Annabelle was big enough for this ride. The boys sat together & Bellie & I sat together. Half-way through the ride, Annabelle kept telling me she was 'all-done'; it was interesting trying to explain to a two-year-old how we can't get off the ride in the middle of it. After we got off, she said 'I don't like that one, Mama.' SO cute.
We love Rider-Swap. Since Greg & I both wanted to ride the big rides, we were able to go through the "Flash Pass" line. Once the ride operators saw the kids, we were able to quickly take turns riding the rides. We rode all the big rides that way. The large wooden roller coaster was the worst--- I felt like I was going to be internally decapitated. Superman & Goliath were the best.
BBQ lunch: Being a Texas company, the lunch was catered barbeque and it was fantastic. It wasn't Rudy's or Salt Lick, but it was sure yummy. During lunch, one character was out to meet & greet everyone. Our character was Porky the Pig. Annabelle seemed to warm up to him better than the other two.
The Train: After lunch, we decided to take a train ride around the park. The kids both loved to be on the train.
Biggest Fishy Game EVER: Near Jared's favorite ride {see next bullet} was the world's largest fishy game. Since the kids were really good that day, we decided to let them play one game. They both wanted to play the fishy game (it didn't help that it was a jumbo version of their game at home). Another bonus was the big sign which said: every game gets a prize. Jared picked a Scooby Doo for his prize, Annabelle a Blue Elephant.
Scooby Doo's Newest & Biggest Fan: By far the favorite ride was Scooby's Ghost Adventure (a lot like Buzz Lightyear). Just before going to Six Flags, Jared started watching the old Scooby Doo episodes, so he was really excited to see a ride with Scoob & the gang. Greg & I had fun because we tried to see who would get the most ghosts & the kids just loved Scooby & the ride. We rode it THREE times.

Since coming home, Jared constantly talks about the Scooby ride & walks his Scooby around. Hopefully, we'll get to go back next month. It's a good thing Oba & Jiji come to town in a few days, or I don't know how I'd entertain him. :)

Halloween Time 2011

2011-11-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

We had two main events for Halloween, the ward Trunk-or-Treat and Halloween night itself. Trunk-or-Treat was first, so it became the costume unveiling for our group.

A couple months ago, we we hanging out with our friends, the Baxters, and we started talking about Halloween costumes. Jared told me he wanted to dress up as a dinosaur. I only have a year or two left of doing coodinating family costumes (without a fight) so we started to brainstorm; what could the rest of us dress up as if Jared is a dinosaur? THE FLINTSTONES! THEN--- we realized our friends could dress up as THE RUBBLES since they have a boy the same age as Annabelle. We were so stoked.

Remember the time when I said I'd only make their first year Halloween costumes? Well, I went from THAT to all of the sudden SEVEN costumes in SIX weeks! Luckily, I had Becca to be my partner-in-crime. We ended up getting all of them done over a weekend (probably 14 hours or so of working). They turned out great. The trickiest costumes ended up being mine & Jared's top (first time I ever created a pattern from scratch-- no template).

WARD TRUNK-OR-TREAT
...was also a Chili cook-off. Greg wanted to try a new recipe, Pineapple Pork Chili; winner to us, but since Texas is known for Chili, we didn't even get close to winning. I know we live in Texas, but I couldn't believe how SPICY some of those chilies were. Seriously, they had Greg's eyes watering.

After dinner, we headed out for the trunk-or-treat part. On {Pinterest}, I saw how someone decorated their car like the whale from Pinocchio; so, we took that idea and spun it to create a CAR-O-SAURUS. We had eyes, spots, teeth & tongue. Fred (a.k.a. Greg) stayed behind while I took the kids around the loop. They had so much fun & Jared LOVED running around with his Dino tail. When we told him, we'd go around for candy again on Halloween--- his eyes got HUGE. We just needed a day of recuperation (in the form of Greg & I giving sacrament meeting talks)...

THIS IS... HALLOWEEN
This year was the first real year either kid has been trick-or-treating. Jared's first Halloween was in an apartment complex which didn't allow door-to-door, the next year Jared had strep, and the year after that it was Sunday. Needlesstosay, we were all excited.

I got my standard creepy Halloween recipes out for dinner. The kids really didn't know what to do with the Bloody cheese dip this year, until they realized it was just red cheese. Right after dinner, the Baxters & Hedges came over to all go around the neighborhood together.

Jared & Caleb were particularly awesome this year, even though poor Caleb was sick:(. They were so excited to go to each door and yell 'trick-or-treat.' Plus, they kind-of matched in their own way--- both some kind of 'dog'--- Jared was Dino & Caleb dressed up as Clifford. Annabelle managed to say it a few times, Alex was just SO excited to be there with his friends, and Elise was the cutest little ladybug for her first Halloween. Here's a video of most of them Trick-or-Treating--I just had to get Bellie saying Trick-or-Treat:

It was fun to get compliments from our neighbors regarding our costumes; we heard a lot of 'how awesome' or 'the flintstones & rubbles---sweet' or 'look and Pebbles & BamBam. We only lasted 2 and half blocks, found some fellow Cardinals fans in celebration mode, pretty much enjoyed ourselves the whole time.

One house was super creepy & right next to the bowl was two conveniently positioned trash cans. I KNEW there were guys in them, and I kept praying they wouldn't jump out, I even yelled... "little kids-- don't you dare" and then they jumped out. My MamaBear instincts kicked in and I wanted to smack those kids SOOO hard, but I didn't and we just told them to be careful. Scare who you can, but not the little ones. Luckily, we prepped them as we walked up there, so Dino kept his cool long enough to get his candy & GET OUT.

When we started on the way home, Dino kept telling Fred he wanted to go to more houses--- pleading was more like it. So, Pebbles & I went home to spread more candy love. We had our new tombstones and Halloweentown signs out with blacklights & a dry-ice fog going out from our house. It was fantastic; I can't wait to add to it next year.

Dino & Fred didn't last long; they were gone maybe 10 minutes before Dino got dog-tired. After they both got home, they each picked one candy to have that night. They both picked Blue Raspberry Dum-Dums... hilarious pictures were had.

Happy Halloween from our prehistoric family to yours!

Car Wash Helpers

2011-10-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

I LOVE the bright blue of my car. It's fantastic. Lately, it's lost a lot of the boldness because of all the dirt kicked up from our roads. That, & the upcoming Ward Trunk-or-Treat, convinced us it was high time for a washing. The Family Car Wash was open for business.

Jared & Bellie were hilarious; super awesome helpers. Greg let Jared hold the hose a couple of times.

Jared washing Daddy's car

Annabelle had this large sponge; she'd dump the thing into the soap bucket, then walk over to the car to scrub. Each time she repeated the process, she got more on herself and less on the car. It was hilarious.

Annabelle is SOAKED

oh SO WET!!!

By the time we were done, both kiddos were soaked.

I even convinced them to chase after their Daddy *bwah, ha*, although Daddy got me back in the end. It was a very fun, very WET way to wash the cars. I don't think we'll open up a wash any time soon.

UP NEXT: Halloween!!!

Park Fun

2011-10-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

Winter in South Texas is prime park time. The weather is usually mild enough that the kids can enjoy themselves for a few hours. We've been spending most of our preschool playdates playing at the park.

If Annabelle had her way, she would spend most of her time on the swings.

Cutie Park Girl

Bellie & Alex enjoying the swings

Jared, isn't as big a a fan of the swings, but he LOVES to push her on the swings. I've got photo & video proof.

Awesome big brother

Other than pushing the swings, Jared recently discovered the monkey bars. He tries REALLY hard to get himself moving, but we end up helping him hold his body up as he moves his arms across the bars.

Our Monkey Boy

Recently, one of our park excursions included making Halloween cookies with the preschool friends. Bellie was one of the kids who figured out how to use her plastic knife as a spoon to eat the icing. She just eliminated the middle man; why put it on the cookie first, when she just wants to eat it?

Enjoying Halloween Treats

It's nice for all of us to get out of the house & enjoy some air--- because that's rare for most of the country right now.

Father-Son Campout: The Sequel

2011-10-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

After the success of {last year's campout}, the guys decided to take the boys out again--- only this time they convinced the Baxters to come! Jared seriously couldn't stop talking about it last year, so it was even better to have Caleb & Alex with him!

Here's a video of what the boys spent most of the evening doing:

Greg knows all the stories. *Hopefully* I can get him on here to write them down. However, I do remember two near death stories!

Before bed time, Greg & Jared decided to walk near the lake/water source. While over there, they saw two eyes across the lake staring at them in the darkness. Greg flashed his light over there to see what it was: a cougar. When he moved his flashlight, down & back up again, the cougar moved 20 ft to the right, closer to their side of the lake. But, then he turned around and left.

When they came home, Jared runs over to me & says, "Mommy, Daddy threw me." Greg looks at me and says, "don't freak out, but I fell off a cliff." WHAT?!? Apparently, they hiked up a hill to a cave (as seen in the video below) & just before they got to the cave, Greg slipped & felt his weight going backwards. Since it was steep, he was carrying Jared & instantaneously decided to throw him towards the rock & away from falling. Greg then fell a few feet down the cliff. WOW. Here's the video of them at the top:

After he finished his story, I did my best NOT to freak out, but what wife wouldn't freak out if she was just told her husband was 'this close' from serious injury and/or death. Yeah, someone was watching out for him that morning.

Besides that mishap, they had fun & I'm sure they'll do it again next year. Hopefully, no cliff-falling or cougars will be involved.

Pumpkin Carving 2011

2011-10-26T22:30:00.003-05:00

Since we (and by we, I mean myself & a friend) decided to make ALL of our Halloween costumes this year, we didn't get the chance to go to a pumpkin patch this year. Instead, we bought a few supermarket pumpkins & carved them a week before Halloween.

Jared & Annabelle picked out what they wanted carved into their pumpkins (Phineas & Ferb, Minnie Mouse); then Mommy & Daddy did all of the hard work. Obviously, it's not like we're going to give poky-pumpkin saws to the kids.

The funniest thing about this year was the kids complete aversion to the pumpkin guts. I thought they'd have a good time digging it out with me, alas, they are like their Daddy. Don't like the stuff. AT. ALL. So, I was left on my own to dig them out. I tried to get everyone to touch the guts, but they wouldn't have it. Jared & Belle even ran away. Jared told me more than once, "that stuff is yucky & gross." Annabelle even picked up the 'yucky' part.
After the guts cleared, Greg & I went to carving. The kids got super excited whenever a part fell out. Then, it was bed time & we finished after they went to bed.

It's kind of hard to see our pumpkin, but it looked cool. Since the kiddo's pumpkins were fancy, I took a large drill bit & drilled a whole bunch of holes into the pumpkin. Then, I stuck a short string of Halloween lights in it. It looked great, but apparently didn't transfer well to film.
Yay for pumpkins. Yay for Halloween & family memories.

Jared's First...

2011-10-25T22:54:00.003-05:00

Broken Bone!

On Friday morning, Jared & Annabelle were in the middle of a 'hard hug' and fell over. He was helping me clean the floor before it happened...
A 'hard hug' happens when one of them usually hugs too hard & then causes the pair of them, still wrapped in the middle of the hug, to fall down. We've tried countless times to get them to stop, but there's still an occasional hard hug. If it does happen, it usually happens right before bed time and the fall onto the pillows.

The instance in question was downstairs right next to the family room ottoman. When they fell, Jared fell on top of Belle & clipped the ottoman. At first, I thought Annabelle got the worst of it, since she was fallen ON (I was thinking concussion), so I cuddled with her. As soon as Jared stood up, he looked at me, said '"ouch, Mommy it hurts," pointed to his thumb & wouldn't stop crying. I took one look at his thumb, it was already bruised, and suddenly our day changed... I knew it was broken.

Two quick calls, to a friend who'd watch Bellie and to Greg---just in case he wanted to be there, which he did, and we were off to Pediatric Urgent Care (his doctor was already booked for the day---crazy, I know).

At urgent care Jared was able to get an X-ray & it was postitive. They said it looked like a sprain, but just in case, they'd send the x-ray to a radiologist to confirm. He was able to get a brace; since his fingers are small, he needed to have the smallest one. At home, after the urgent care visit.I got the call with the re-diagnosis of a broken bone at 445 that afternoon. So, going to the Pediatric orthopedist would have to wait until Monday.

On Monday, the orthopedist confirmed the broken bone; he broke the tip of the first bone in his thumb, just below his fingernail. Since there is really no way to set a broken finger bone, he got a new brace. His finger was too small for any of the braces, so they just cut a piece of padded aluminum to stabilize his finger.

Since the doctor visit, life is the same; Jared just walks around with his hand tucked in by his chest. This was on Sunday... notice his thumb (and Annabelle's beautiful dress).The only time he seems to be in pain is when we change the tape for his bandage. He goes back in two weeks--- just before Oba & Jiji get here to celebrate Annabelle's birthday.

Bellie's Newest Tricks

2011-10-24T21:23:00.002-05:00

She has two:

1--- She sings A LOT. It's adorable. Her current favorite is "I Am a Child of God." I've been trying SO hard to get video of it and this was the best I got. Enjoy... and watch the hair... it adds another layer of funny.

2---She can mostly dress & COMPLETELY UNDRESS herself. I've found her in various stages...

diaper only...
diaper half on/half off... notice how she's asleep...

absolutely nothing. Apparently her hands were dirty, so she needed to take her jammies off
NOTE: The picture is post Mommy-Edit. I know Annabelle will see this one day and I'm sure she'll appreciate me not putting her whole self on the blog. :)

She is so fun right now. Difficult, yes. Challenging, yes. But our daily lives are never boring with Annabelle (and her brother, of course).

Video: Waddle

2011-10-23T21:22:00.000-05:00

Last time Mema & Deda came to town, Deda brought a new book called Waddle, Waddle.

Jared & Annabelle LOVE the book. So much so, they do actions to it every time we read it.

We simply HAD to take a video.

Preschool

2011-10-22T21:21:00.000-05:00

Jared had his first day of preschool TWO days before my miscarriage, so I didn't get a chance to write about it until now. He was SO EXCITED to go to preschool. We even had a countdown to when it started.

He graciously posed outside in the bright sunshine for his silly mommy. I can't believe he's so old. So old that he helped Annabelle with her shoes without even asking. Be still my heart.
He's such a good little learner. I love doing preschool activities with him because he surprises me each time. I'm so grateful for him; I wish he would grow up a little slower, but I'm grateful for my smart preschooler. :)

Labor Day: Zilker Park

2011-10-20T21:21:00.004-05:00

On Labor Day, we decided to continue our adventures in Austin & travel to Zilker Park. We heard a rumor the park had a train, so we had to go.This park was incredible. We only went to the train section which also included a large playscape, a natural springs swimming area (which was super busy by the time we left) & some kind of indoor aquarium. We were for the train & play time.

Annabelle is getting really into swings. After her incident at the museum, I was a little apprehensive about taking her on the swings but she loves to sit on my lap and swing until the sun sets. She even says 'whee'--- it's adorable. Mommy & Bellie enjoying the swings.
Jared would not stop running around... Daddy had to catch him just so we knew where he was. :) The playground had slides, bridges over the train tracks, climbing walls, monkey bars & an old time fire engine to climb on. It was a perfect way to pass the time while we waited for the train...

Daddy, Jared, Belle & Gramma waiting for the train.
Then, it was train time.
Jared loved to point out everything he saw. Trees, dogs, bikes, water, lakes... you name it. We even had a tunnel... the best was the sign before entering... telling you not to enter.

After the train, we had a lunch & headed back home...

Labor Day: Austin Children's Museum

2011-10-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

One of our destinations for our long weekend to Gramma's was the Austin Children's Museum. The kiddos are posing with the Bat-cow in front of the museum.
We had a good time up until Annabelle puked all over the floor, but I'll get to that later.

It was pretty much like any other children's museum we've been to. LOTS & LOTS of centers: music, construction, store, farm, and a the current showcased exhibit, which was all about BALLS. Bellie even found a little slide she did a loop up & down multiple times in a row. Annabelle & Daddy having a good time... at first.
For the All About Balls exhibit, the museum gave out multi-colored golf balls for the kiddos to use in various exhibits. You basically had to barter with other museum-goers to get a ball. Kind of crazy. Music & Physics seemed to be the name of the game.
They loved launching the balls of mini-ski ramps, placing them in music machines & following the ball like cats in a half-pipe ramp.

The construction area was also a big hit for the kids. They found a vacuum tube which transported shape screws up and down levels; lots of giggles were had when it would suck the screw out of their hands. Jared really enjoyed the world's largest toy crane. While exploring, he & I found a quite little corner with construction toys & torn-rubber pieces.It was little boy heaven. He told me all about the different machines & lasted longer than any other kid who came in while we were there. He would have played in their forever... but sissy got sick.

While Jared & I found construction heaven, Annabelle took Daddy & Gramma over to the book corner for some good quality reading time. After a few books, Annabelle told Greg she wanted to stop. She got of his lap, walked a few steps, and then barfed all over the floor. Probably from too much corn the night before or watching too many balls go back and forth... back and forth.... Greg had to call me because he couldn't find our secret spot and we were off.

Bellie ate little bit in the car, puked it back up & then was fine. We still don't know why she was sick. Maybe a 6-12 hour bug... who knows? Luckily, she was recovered for our Labor Day outing to Zilker Park...

Warning: Corn Massacre

2011-10-18T21:11:00.005-05:00

Annabelle discovered a new food while visiting Gramma's for Labor Day: corn-on-the cob.

She LOVED it (if you couldn't tell). She had two whole ears and TRIED to get another one. When we wouldn't let her have another one, she started to suck on the cob... silly girl.

We tried to replicate the corn craze a couple weeks later, but she wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. Toddlers are so fickle. At least we got a couple corn-loving pics to share.

I can't believe she's almost 2... where did the time go?

I'm a Mormon

2011-10-10T16:09:00.002-05:00

Thanks for all the LOVE & support in my decision to share my experience with y'all. I need that support & ability to share. I love you all dearly.

So--- our city is apart of the second wave of the church's "I'm a Mormon" campaign. It is SO awesome to see the commericials and FEEL the spirit emminating from the TV. The whole point is to straighten any misconceptions about the church & its members. I LOVE how we get the chance to share our testimonies more. I want to shout it to the world how much I love the gospel!

Before it launched, we were encouraged to create a profile, so I FINALLY did.... Elder Jackson (my brother) would be so proud!

Here's the {link}.

Greg's still working on his & we'll post a link when it's finished and published.

I promise the next post will contain cute kid pictures and/or videos.

A Known Loss

2011-10-06T14:53:00.002-05:00

My previous experience {HERE}.

Many of y'all are probably wondering why I've been MIA from the personal blog world (I've actually been posting on the craft blog---maybe it's my therapy). One reason is this coming Saturday---as in two days---I'm helping to put on our Church's craft day. It recently became more significant because it's the last activity we'll have together because our congregation just split (because of growth) this past Sunday.

The other reason is that I had another miscarriage. No, that wasn't a typo.

Over Labor Day weekend, we went up to Gramma's, just north of Austin. We had a GREAT time (which I will soon blog about). I was feeling a little tired, slightly overwhelmed, and sensitive. I passed my monthly time, but didn't think anything of it because I've been a little longer since my first miscarriage (weird to write THAT sentence). Greg even teased me that I might be pregnant. The Thursday after we got home--also Jared's first day of preschool, I took a test (only because I wanted to prove Greg wrong), and there were two lines. I was SO excited, but cautious, for good reasons. We didn't tell anyone and decided we wouldn't say anything until we heard the heartbeat. I didn't even get that far.

Three days later, I started having cramps. I didn't think anything of it, until I started to bleed. Then, I broke down & managed to break the news to Greg. He gave me a sweet blessing; he was so optimistic--- in hind sight, I think he was just trying to keep me from losing myself. I called the 24-Hr Nurse and asked her what I should do. She said, if it got worse, I needed to go to the ER. Unfortunately, it got worse. So, we dropped the kids off at a friend's--same amazing person from last time--and went to the ER.

Five hours, two vials of blood drawn, too many uncomfortable exams, and a crushing BYU loss later (the BYU-Texas game was on in our room), our fears were confirmed and I was having an early miscarriage. A couple days later, Greg & I went to my normal OBGYN. She confirmed everything and said I passed most of it already. I thought I hadn't since the pain this time was no where near last time. Last time--- physical trial. This time--- emotional.

We also asked her about the future, should we started to monitor me as soon as pregnancy is possible? Can we figure out the problem? etc, etc. She told us that two miscarriages is still an anomaly, and that we shouldn't worry because my body has carried two full-term babies already. I normally LOVE my doctor, but this really bugged me. She's basically saying she wants me to go through this again before they do anything to prevent it. Two in a four month period doesn't seem normal. Half of my pregnancies haven't worked. Pass, I'm thinking second opinion might be in order.

Since that night in the ER, I haven't been myself. It seems that I can't close the door on this experience, finish the grieving process. Funny enough, writing this down is helping because I'm not keeping it inside anymore. Luckily, we have an AMAZING ward family and SO many people helped, loved, mourned with, and supported us. I have numerous friends who have been in the exact position I'm at right now and they've been a huge support to me. I also have Greg which makes all the difference.

I'm not going to lie. This month has been hard, but it's something that no one can fix. Correction, it's something that only ONE PERSON can fix. The one person who knows exactly how I feel, knows my pain, knows my struggles, Jesus Christ. I need to be able to trust Him, and my Heavenly Father's plan for me, and know that everything will be alright. Over the past few weekends, we've been able to listen to {prophets & apostles}. A LOT of those talks seem to speak to me (Uchtdorf from RS meeting, Anderson, Cook, Monson, some even mentioned the question, why do good people go through bad things?

Elder Robert D. Hales, in the Sunday morning session, answered my question:

As we ask these questions, we realize that the purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences. How do we do this? The scriptures give us an answer in one simple phrase: we “wait upon the Lord.”¹² Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son. He already knows, and we have the opportunity to learn, that no matter how difficult our circumstances, “all these things shall [be for our] experience, and … [our] good.”¹³

^{It STINKS to go through trials BUT we don't go through them alone IF we TRUST IN THE LORD. Maybe I went through these experiences to deepen my faith & conviction in the Lord, maybe I went through them to empathy towards my family & friends future struggles, who knows? I don't, but the Lord does. He knows what I need to go through in order to grow in my eternal capabilities. He knows what I can handle, if I just let Him help me. He knows, so it's okay.

It's so hard to have faith, but it's worth it. I have two happy, healthy & intelligent kids. I have a wonderful husband who pushes me to grow & improve each day. I have wonderful parents who continue to teach me lessons. I have an amazing extended family (in-laws included) who help me feel love and appreciated. I have talents that I share to help others. I have a Savior that loves me and feels my pain.

So, how could I not be thankful?}

Little Swimmers

2011-09-01T12:38:00.002-05:00

The kids have progressed in their enjoyment of the pool. Their new favorite thing to do is jump in the pool. It's actually quite funny. They spend most of the time at the pool, climbing out and jumping back in the pool. We've tried to stress to Jared that he only jumps in when he has his floaties... it's working... so far.

I actually mustered up my courage a couple days ago and took them to the pool all by myself. We hadn't gone to the pool in a few days and they had a really good day, which also happened to be a Tuesday. Greg's gone off to YM/Scouts on Tuesday, so I wasn't expecting to go to the pool; then I remembered what great swimmers they've become and suddenly wasn't afraid. We had a GREAT time. They swam close to me like I asked and, since school is back in, we only had to share the pool with one other family. I'm loving going to the pool since school started. Boo on Greg's work commute, yay on pool time.

Since they have so much fun at the pool now, we took video a couple visits ago to document just how daring they are. (Disclaimer: Greg took FOUR short videos, instead of one long one. Since we don't have a video editing software, I'm posting all of them. Good thing is... they are short. The last one is the long one I took.) Enjoy lots and lot of pool fun.

Video 1: Jared's Jump

Video 2: Annabelle's Mommy-assisted jump, another Jared jump, and a really (not) graceful Mommy jump

Video 3: Annabelle's 'normal' jump

Video 4: A Triple Jumper Jump

Video 5: An attempted sibling jump. Annabelle was too fascinated by the bugs...

Video 6: A Daddy/Jared Jump, Jared Belly-flop, Annabelle Jump and Daddy cannonball

Our New Pet

2011-08-29T15:36:00.000-05:00

Before Aunt Meggie left Disneyworld, she sent the family a new pet.

Our own Perry the Platypus from Phineas & Ferb.

He's a platypus. He doesn't do much. However, the kids LOVE him.

They love him so much, in fact, they fought over him at first. Annabelle would even call him "Annabelle's Perry." We taught her that Perry was the whole family's platypus and how we all need to share and love him.

He even makes noise.

The kids do it back.

Every night, he keeps the living room safe from any non-welcomed guests. I've actually found myself cuddling with him after the kids go to bed. Personally, I think he's the perfect pet. No clean up. That would make any Mom happy.

Friday Video: Nightly Freak-Out

2011-08-26T15:45:00.003-05:00

This is what we call "Nightly Freak-Out." Basically the kids go a little crazy and start running around the house. Most of the time it's accompanied with singing, chasing and giggles, as seen in the video.

Usually it's right before bedtime, hence the title. However, the day I captured it, it was actually right before nap time. Maybe they know to use ALL of their energy right before they go to sleep.

Whatever the reason for the phenomenon, it's still funny.

Seven Year Itch?

2011-08-21T14:19:00.008-05:00

Seven years ago today, we started our eternity together... wait, has it really been THAT long?!?

Yes, yes it has. This was the first anniversary that people went, 'oh, wow that long' not 'oh, you're still newlyweds.' The world thinks that we should be getting sick of each other; wanting to explore and make martial mistakes, especially since we got married 'so young.' I guess it is only three years from the big 1-0; but the thing is... we're only starting eternity. Every anniversary on this earth means we're still 'newlyweds.'

The last seven years have been fun, hard, spiritual, frustrating, difficult, crazy, ridiculous, exhausting, and pretty much any other adjective I can think of. I know it's so clique, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Every 'bad' thing helped us grow individually, as a couple and as a family. I'm even more in love with my sweetheart than our wedding day, something I would not have believed as a 'blushing bride.' He makes me stronger in every way, yet still can push on every. single. button. He is the ying to my yang, the flip to my flop. We complement each other in our individuality, yet are so in sync. Can you tell I'm seriously in love with this guy? I love him. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Enough of the sappy stuff--- to celebrate SEVEN years (still have a hard time with that), we surprised each other with some small gifts and went on a simple date. I know, real exciting, but we LOVED it. The date was dinner and a movie, Olive Garden & Captain America, to be specific.

Since our actual anniversary was today, a Sunday, I told Greg I wanted to make something simple, but flirtatious for us to wear; just to make the day a little different. So, I emailed him a picture of what I wanted to do and he replied back with "I dare you." Well... that was it... so I made these:

I totally forgot to get a picture of us wearing them... must recreate. :) Greg got lots of comments in ward meetings this morning. After sacrament, a primary girl walked past us, read Greg's pin, and made a 'grossed out' face. I guess she's just doing what Jared or Annabelle would do, if they were old enough. It was hilarious. We continued to get comments through the rest of the meetings; just a funny little way to remember the day.

We'll finish off our celebrations by going to the temple this weekend to do some sealings.

Seriously, where did the time go? It feels like yesterday... so much for the infamous itch... I guess we have the right kind of anti-itch creme.

Friday Video: Cookie Crooners

2011-08-19T14:29:00.000-05:00

The kids are fans of cookies, who isn't? A while ago, I caught them singing their favorite cookie song WHILE eating their cookie treat. Very video worthy.

A Summer Stroll

2011-08-15T14:35:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago, we decided to break the pool monotony and take a stroll around the construction area in our neighborhood.

They are doing all the prep work to create two more streets up the hill. This is always a fun time because we constantly see construction machines; and, as an added bonus, they park overnight on the hill. Jared asked us numerous times before to walk up there, and since it's been so HOT (or during the day when they are working), we weren't able to go. Until that night.

We had lots of fun. Bellie & I (okay, mostly me because she usually likes to follow my lead) made the mistake of wearing sandals. My feet were covered in the sandiest dirt (they're grinding the rocks to get deep enough to have solid foundations); Bellie was able to avert disaster by hitching a ride on Greg's shoulders.
Jared LOVED the machines and wanted to 'turn them on and ride.'

The machines need somewhere to put the rocks they create by digging, so there's a HUGE rock pile up in their parking area. Jared discovered what it would be like to walk on unstable ground, "Mommy, I can't walk." Daddy and Annabelle on the rock pile.
And enjoyed the gorgeous sunset. Even though it's hot, we sure love living here.

Near the end of our walk, we approached a Backhoe Loader right next to an uncovered sewer drain; it had just barely been placed there because it hadn't been covered or connected to the rest of the neighborhood. We were a few feet above the loader, which was a few feet above the drain. As we got closer, we heard a rattling noise. It took me a few seconds to realize that we were about to approach our first wild rattlesnake (I'm getting goosebumps just typing this).

When I realized what we heard, I made EVERYONE turn around and go the other way. A way we knew wasn't blocked by poisonous creatures. Greg, being the Young Men's leader that he is, wanted to go just above the drain and see it. Wasn't going to happen; I like having a husband.

As we headed home, we laughed about how we're true Texans now because we've heard snakes in the wild. I really hope it's the last time.

Picture 'Perfect'?

2011-08-14T22:42:00.008-05:00

Scroll down to see some back-blogging.

In the last couple of weeks, Jared and Annabelle have really taken to the camera. When I get the camera out, they get a serious case of the GOOFBALLS and silly photo-taking commences.

Wrestling... they do that a lot lately... I feel like I'm stuck on perma 'don't hit/kick/tackle your sister/brother' mode.
They wanted a picture of their feet.
Jared making a a silly face. I told him to make a silly face and he started shaking his head back and forth...

Tummy shot. They like to see the pictures we take, but they usually move a smidgen too fast... hence the tummy shot.
Typical Moment in our House: Jared giggling while Annabelle *tries* to boss him around.

Before the silliness gets 'out-of-hand' (although silliness is never really out of a hand for a toddler), I'm usually able to get a few good pictures. Like this one... seriously cute kids.

And this one... a quiet moment (rare in a home with a toddler and soon-to-be preschooler... don't mind the obviously tired-looking Mommy in the middle.

Our Celebrity Deda

2011-08-01T22:16:00.007-05:00

So... we know this guy, more commonly know as Deda around our house, and starting tomorrow he's going to be in homes across America. On ABC. The American Broadcasting Company. Paul is one of the two series regulars on the {SHOW}. I'm being slightly paranoid as not to mention the name because I don't want our blog to come up on a google search of the show. Just follow the link; it'll explain how the show works.

Weird? Yes. Cool? Even bigger yes.

We've known about it for a while now, and it's been fun to hear all of the fun things that go on behind-the-scenes (especially since it's the same production team for my favorite--well, old favorite--reality show). What's the funniest thing about it so far is seeing Deda being {publicized}. We already knew he was an incredible Detective, author, man, etc. and now we get to see him publicized that way. ABC is really pushing the show, so we see commercials ALL. THE. TIME. We've even invented a new game called 'spot the Deda.' Both Jared and Belle recognize the commercial for the show and shout "Deda's show!" It's just a little bit on the surreal side. Technically it's Bruckheimer's show, but who am I to corrected a 3 year old and his little sister? Oh, their mother... oh that's my job... anywhoo...

Personally, I'm SUPER excited to see Detective Deda at work. He, and his partner, Mary hold nothing back in the interrogations. I've always know he was good at his job, but now I get to see how and why he's so good. Here's a clip:

Now y'all know what I have to deal with as a Father-in-law. Mental note: never cross my arms in front of Paul again ;)

In the whole time I've known Paul, this side of him has never come out. Which is amazing considering I was the only son's girlfriend before I became the fiancee and wife. The summer before we got married, almost every weekend, Paul would pick me up from my Aunt & Uncle's house to spend the weekend with them.... okay, mostly Greg (because we were in that gooey lovey dovey phase). Paul and I had a good 45 minutes each week to talk, basically getting to know each other.

I don't remember everything we talked about (mostly books and the weekend plans, maybe a silly case story or two), but I do remember feeling comfortable with him. Seven years later, I look back at those rides and cherish them (the best one was the one before the proposal because we ALL knew something was going to happen AND we were late). I realize now he could have used all of his superior interrogator skills to grill his only son's girlfriend into submission, but he didn't. It was a nice foundation to our relationship.

Greg's perspective is even more surreal than mine. Just imagine if you Dad or step-dad was about to be a regular on a reality show. That's only the start of how Greg feels.

We love Deda and we're excited to share him with the world. Watch it, Tuesdays, ABC, 9/8c. He's so celebrity now that he's even tweeting during the premiere. Yep, it's official, he's cooler than us. It's okay though because he'll always be Deda. :)

{Paul's perspective HERE} {blog: Bish's Bea t}{amazon page}{twitter page}
Interviews & review links: {BuddyTV}{NY Post}{Variety}{Ventura County Star}{Criminalelement.com: written by the editor of the show}{Italian paper: Google Translate, if you want to read}{The New York Times}

Friday Video: Blanket Fun

2011-07-29T15:36:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago, the kids thought it would be hilarious to hide from me in the blanket. Giggles, chaos, and fun ensued; naturally I got the camera.

I see you...

Peek-a-boo!

I LOVE this picture. Jared is obviously having so. much. fun.
Here's the video of the fun:

Yoda Ears

2011-07-27T15:38:00.002-05:00

Annabelle's hair is now long enough to put into pigtails. It's the cutest. The first time I tried it, she sat so still waiting to see what Mama was doing to her hair. Since then, even though she'll pick out which color bands she wants, I'm lucky if I even get one tail in.

Here's her first pair (I know, Mommy made them crooked)
I've gotten better... okay... less crooked...
A couple times into putting her hair up, Jared came over to me and asked me if I was giving Annabelle her 'Yoda Ears.' HA! Yes, kiddo, she's getting her own alien ears, just don't tell her that when you are older and she tries a new hair style. Then I might have to ground you. :)

Love to Sleep

2011-07-26T15:35:00.003-05:00

Our kids are not morning people. They have to practically be pried out of bed in the morning and after nap. After nap is usually grumpier because they take a long time to actually fall asleep. Most days they yell-talk to each other before they pass out, so they don't get to sleep until 30 minutes-ish into their nap time. It doesn't really bug me because they eventually go to sleep and still go to bed at 9 (they are night owls). I just wanted to document it since I had the chance.

This is what I found when I woke them up the other day.

Annabelle didn't even stir when I opened the door, so I grabbed the camera.
Jared was not too happy I took a picture of him.
I'm glad they know how important their sleep is. ;)

Gramma Visit

2011-07-25T15:33:00.004-05:00

Gramma came down for a quick visit this past weekend before going to the East Coast for a month. We had a great time; we just hung out and went to dinner (it's so HOT here), but it was still lots of fun.

I LOVE how the kids recognize their grandparents now. They get SO EXCITED to see them; it's adorable!

Have fun in Massachusetts, Gramma!

Goofballs

2011-07-23T15:37:00.004-05:00

One of the nicknames we've given the kids is 'goofballs.' Seriously, they are two of the goofiest kids I've ever encountered and I've got the pictures to prove it.

Jared LOVES to make silly faces. He thinks he's hilarious and they usually only last a second because he starts laughing. And yes, most of the faces happen at meal time. What a boy!

Annabelle makes this face when she's confused or mad at you. In this picture, she was fed up with all of Mommy's picture taking.
On our last laundry day, Jared took the empty basket and put it over himself. He then proclaimed he was a turtle and started walking around the house.

Not to be outdone, Annabelle got inside the other basket and started singing "Row Your Boat."
A couple days ago, they started rolling around on the kitchen floor for no reason. So, I grabbed the camera and this was what they gave me.
Last but not least, Bellie got to the oven mitts and decided they worked better on her feet, not her hands. Her fashion is SOOO forward. :)
These two definitely keep life interesting around here.

Learning to Share

2011-07-21T15:36:00.004-05:00

We made chocolate mousse the other night for dessert. Much love to {our best bites}!

Since we made mousse, we taught Jared the fine art of licking the beaters. Then, like the good big brother that he is, he taught Annabelle.
PLUS---This proves they can share, even when they don't.

Another cute picture for good measure.

Birthday Celebrations (x3)!!!

2011-07-20T16:25:00.006-05:00

I turned 27 last week. I think age has such a bad wrap. We are told to fear getting older and more feeble, but I think it's a load. Maybe it's because since kindergarten, I was always the youngest of my group of friends (even now in our group of friends I am by a month---take that Josh!), I don't know. Personally, I'm excited about growing older; its a badge of honor. It means I'm continuing to learn and grow into my eternal potential and that gets me excited. But, along the same lines, it doesn't mean that we stop having/being fun. Just because you're 'X' year old, doesn't mean you should stop having fun.

Anywho--- over the last few years, occasionally, the new Harry Potter movie (and the last book) came out within a week of my birthday. Nothing ever actually came out ON my birthday, but we'd always do something Harry Potter related since I'm a fan. I don't know if you heard, but the last movie came out and so I wanted to do a 'Harry Potter' birthday-eske celebration one last time. Since my birthday was a few days before the movie's release, we expanded my birthday celebrations to three days! I know, lucky me!

Wednesday, the actual birthday
I had a great day! The kids were great, I made something during nap time (for myself---which is really rare), and we went on a date downtown. Jared actually wouldn't stop telling me 'Happy Birthday' in some form our another. At one point, he even sang to me. I tried all day to get Annabelle to say the same thing, but she wouldn't UNTIL we were walking out the door to drop them off. Something that came as a surprise to me was how much all of the Facebook wishes meant to me. Maybe it's superfical, but I was really touched that people would actually want to wish me Happy Birthday.

Greg knows my favorite place in the city is the Riverwalk. I love the friendly, festive atmosphere; it's competely unique. He took me to a wonderful restaurant I had never been to before, The Iron Cactus. oh. so. good. We ate outside and while we waited for our food a mariachi band came by and played us a song. Then, it was slipped that is was my birthday, so they sang 'Happy Birthday' as well. I love Texas.

Greg love jalapenos!
27 never looked so good.
We love the riverwalk!
Thursday, Cake Day!
Since we went out by ourselves the night before, we didn't have cake. So, we invited our friends over for cake and Harry Potter Scene It (it's the only day of the year Gweg will play that game). This year's cake flavor: red velvet. yum. It was a lot of fun to have our friends over. I'm a BIG fan of celebrations (any kind), so naturally, I like to do so on my birthday too.

Friday, Triple-Date Movie Day!
As part of my birthday request, I wanted to have our first Triple-Date with the Baxters and Hedges to see the last Harry Potter movie. We had a great time; I even showed my inner-Potter geek by wearing my Gryffindor colors and tie (and they all still like me). The only bummer of the night was forgetting to bring the camera and take pictures (really bummed about that). Before the movie, we had dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse (A+ would definitely go there again). Then, it was off to the movie. Our local theatre has assigned seating and it makes life much easier for someone like me. No arriving hours early to get good seats; we actually arrived 20 minutes before the show and still had great seats. I can't wait until we do another group date!

As for the movie itself. I laughed, cried and was incredibly moved. All the emotions from when I read the book (I breezed through a re-read of the second half a couple days beforehand) came back. Yes, there were changes, but there is nothing I could do about it. The books and movies are two different versions of the story. The movie was a FANTASTIC end to the movie storyline, not the book storyline. I lost it when *SPOILER* (although you should only not know this if you live under a rock ;) the survivors mourned over Fred, Tonks, and Lupin and I pretty much didn't stop crying until the end. I was also very touched by Snape's story and the Forest Scene. My one beef would be with the Epilogue; I wish they would've made it just a couple minutes longer and added some of Ron's jokes. But, it was still satisfying.

So, I survived another year and the celebrations that came with it. I'm really grateful for the people around me. It's nice to feel loved and I definitely felt extra-loved this birthday. Yay for this year now onto the next!

Fireworks-less Fourth

2011-07-12T17:51:00.005-05:00

*the pictures include random ones from Mema & Deda's whole visit*

We had a great Fourth of July, even though the above title says otherwise. This is literally my FAVORITE holiday. I love the everything about it: barbeque, unbearble heat, Patriotism, the colors, random holiday fairs, the smell of the grill, chared pavement from the fireworks and capping the whole day of the a crazy display of explosives! Yay America!

Well, some of the plan had to be scrapped this year because of Texas' historical 'extreme' drought. It's not the worst on record, but when you're approaching 30+ days of 100+ heat, the land gets pretty dry. So dry, ALL (profession and not-so-professional) were banned three weeks before the Fourth. I still was determined to have a great holiday, so after a little planning with some friends we were set!

We started the morning off at our ward's annual Flag raising ceremony. Nothing gets me in a patriotic mood like Old Glory and a rendition of Star Spangled Banner!

Everyone dressed in their red, white and blue best! Jared still fit into his shirt from last year; since I had leftover tulle from another project, I made Annabelle a RWB tutu. She calls it her 'princess' skirt.

They hold the activity at a local park, so the kids are able to run around and play while adults chatter and eat. Jared remembered the park from winter playdates; Bellie had absolutely NO FEAR--- except when swinging (don't ask me why). She'd climb on the hardest contraptions like she was one of the big kids. Freaked me out every time; I left most of the wrangling to Daddy, Mema, and Deda because I didn't want to freak out every time she climbed. I wasn't worried about Jared because he's so good at it now.

After the park and a good nap for the kids (and Daddy and Deda), we had friends over for a barbeque. But, if you recall, we don't have a bbq. Problem solved by a friend who has a semi-portable grill and the desire to hone in his grilling skills. We had a great spread and, as always, plenty leftover. I had another chance to break out my Trifle bowl and make a {Patriotic Trifle} for dessert. It was a HUGE hit. I'm definitely making it again.

Funny moment from the party: The Kid's table. This get-together was the first time we had a designated kiddos' table and it was a HUGE success. Everyone sat still and ate their dinner (which is an Independence Day miracle). Since then, Jared has asked me to bring the table downstairs and use it again. :)

To end our celebrations, we planned to go to the pool and have some water fun. Nothing like a cool dip in the pool on the summer's best holiday. Except when the pool is closed. Yep, the pool was closed.

After ditching ideas to crash another neighborhood's pool, we treked back to the house (all in our pool gear) and set up the sprinklers for the kids. It was fun to see them run around and some of the adults even let their inner kid loose and joined in on the fun (yes, I was one of the them). We then got out our extent of fireworks (pop-its and leftover snakes from New Year's) and started to have a pop-it war; a bunch of us started getting into it, until Jared freaked out because he didn't like the noise. We'll work him through that because I'm sure, in years to come, he'll be out there doing the throwing.

After saying goodbye to our holiday crew, we ended the celebrations watching the Macy's Fireworks on TV. They were pretty cool, but I'm crossing my fingers that we get to see the real thing next year. Please end drought, so we can blow stuff up again (and for other reasons too).

Return to the Zoo

2011-07-11T17:12:00.001-05:00

Like the new blog look? We do!

Mema and Deda came to visit us over the Fourth weekend and we had a great time. We went on walks, shopping trips and a couple of outings. We also showed them how much we enjoy the pool on these HOT summer days. Every night ended with special Grandparent story time; one night Greg and I went on a date. Jared even saw Cars 2 again on a special date with Mema & Deda.

Our 'big' outing took us back to the zoo for the first time in a few months. Our annual passes expired and we were debating on if we wanted to get passes anywhere else. Truth is, with the kids' age restrictions and our budget restrictions, the zoo is really the only affordable place to have passes to. Funny Jared story, he knew we were going to the zoo that morning, so he picked out his 'animal' outfit from our {Disney Animal Kingdom adventure}; Annabelle also picked out her animal shirt.

The best part about this visit to the zoo was... NOT HAVING A STROLLER! Yay! Jared doesn't need the monkey anymore since he'll obey when we ask him to stay (most of the time), so we strapped the Monkey on our own resident Monkey and had a great time. We didn't have to navigate, park, or worry about anything but the one bag we brought and keeping an extra eye on Jared. It was great.

I actually used my BYU Semester at Nauvoo bag and we had a girl come up to us and ask about it. She didn't even know that used to be an option. It made me feel a little bit 'dated', but at the same time grateful because I was able to have that unique experience before it was no longer offered. Eight years later, I'm still grateful I was able to go. ;)

It was HOT, but not as hot as it could have been, and we only stayed until nap time. Jared still remembered our route we usually take to see all the animals; he'd even tell us what animal was up next. Even though it had been 4+ months since we'd been, he remembered.

The kids really liked the aquarium this time. Bellie wouldn't stop saying "Nemo-fishy"; in fact, every fish in the building was "Nemo-fishy." They also like seeing the African Wild Dogs run around instead of sleeping. Jared especially liked the dog who made laps in front of viewing glass. Jared also showed Mema & Deda how to feed the Loris; Mommy, Daddy, and Belle kept our distance outside the encounter. They had some kind of summer program going on that day, so Jared was able to go fishing and learn about some animals. We ended our adventure at Jared's favorite building: the Snake house. Like always, Jared the Reptile Whisperer was able to get them to move and he loved it.

I think it's safe to say we'll be going back a few times over the year.

Difference of a Year

2011-07-08T15:14:00.004-05:00

I was all primed to put up a video today, then I went to load it from my phone and it wouldn't let me. Boo. I could probably figure it out, but I have too much to do (i.e. really don't want to deal with it right now) before we have a SOTW pool party in a few hours.

On Sunday, we had the kiddos dress up in their Red, White, and Blue best. It was adorable.
See, I told you.

I was particularly struck by Annabelle because she wore the same dress I made her for the Fourth last year.

Last year: almost 8 months old with her enthusiastic Aunt Meggie.
Here she is on Sunday, almost 20 months old. Everyone says the second one grows up faster and they're RIGHT! Every day, I'm in awe with how much she is learning and growing. She's not a baby anymore, and even Jared noticed. Yesterday at lunch, he turned to me and said, "Annabelle is a big girl now, right, Mommy?" Yep, she is buddy.

More to come on our fun Fourth time with Mema & Deda.

June Adventures

2011-06-30T15:22:00.001-05:00

Here are some things I didn't want to miss this month:

As noted, we spend most of our free time at the pool. We all LOVE it and I'm pretty sure that's how the rest of the summer will go.
In the middle of our cleaning extravaganza yesterday, Jared packed his backpack to get ready for a 'campout.' He loves to pretend to go camping and usually he doesn't tell me where he goes; that day he told his destination: Florida.
One Sunday, I repainted mine and Annabelle's toes. After I was done with our toes, she looked at me and then put her hand in my face. She wanted her fingernails painted. I'd never painted mine in front of her and I couldn't help giggle because our little girl knew she needed her fingernails painted too.
Jared and Annabelle love to play together. It's hilarious. The last couple of days, Jared will call for Annabelle to come and play and she'll quip back, 'okay, I will.' So funny to hear their conversations.
Annabelle started to pray this month. She's been listening to Jared say prayers multiple times a day and started asking her if she wanted to. The first few times, she wouldn't talk at all. Then one night, she repeated what Greg said. It. was. adorable. She's said one or two since and it's always super cute and excited when she's done.
Jared had his first lesson about the power of prayer this month. While getting ready for bed, he couldn't find one of his toys he likes to sleep with. He was really distraught about it, so Greg and I mentioned we should ask Heavenly Father to help you find it. With that, he said his prayer and went to bed. The next morning, while playing upstairs, he yelled down to me "mommy I found my toy!" So I went upstairs, we celebrated and I sat him down to say a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for the help. I told him how I felt the Spirit with us; it was sweet moment to be apart of and I hope he felt it too.
Bellie can also count to 10... give or take a number. She does really well, if prompted, but if not she'll do the 6 to 9 numbers over and over again. The same goes with the alphabet. She can sing a lot of it, but she really likes Q through Z and will sing that section 'til the cows come home. ;)
Jared is fast turning into a smart little boy, but even he has moments (Jared, if you're older and reading this, I'm sorry but it was too funny not to document). One morning Jared got dressed like he normally did; I stopped supervising him because he's really good at it and super smart. We had to run out to Hobby Lobby that day and he ALWAYS has to use the restroom there (not kidding--- and he really does use it). This time, he had a difficult time getting redressed after doing his business. So, I went to help him and that's when I noticed why he had problems. He had two pair of underwear on. He forgot to take yesterday's off while getting dressed that morning. It was then he noticed, looked at me with a serious gaze and said, "Mommy I have two underwears on." We removed the extra one when we got home. Such a funny kid.
Both kids really really REALLY love music. They both have songs to sing and I'm starting to think we need to be on the look out for a piano on Craigslist. Some of the current hits include: Star Wars and Indiana Jones theme music, Row Your Boat, Jesus want me for a Sunbeam (classic), Army of Helaman, and the list can go on and on.
We took Jared to his first real theatre experience. I say his first because he was actually paying attention, not sleeping (like the other times we took him). It had nothing to do with the fact that the movie was Cars 2. We left Annabelle with some friends to have Princess Party fun and then the three of us went to see the movie. It was a fun movie and Jared was GLUED to it the WHOLE time. Impressive for a three-year-old.

We end the month today, with Mema and Deda coming to visit for the Fourth of July weekend. I've got a few more things to do before they arrive, so here's to more adventures in July and always!

Where You'll Find Us

2011-06-28T14:37:00.004-05:00

Since vacation, the weather has been nice and toasty; in the last month, we've had one day under 90. That's what happens when you live in South Texas, right? Since it's hot, we've taken up a second residence at our neighborhood pool. Over the last month, we've been there AT LEAST once a week.

Annabelle cannot get enough of the water. She's a little fish. Over Father's Day weekend, we bought her some arm floaties because the girl constantly wanted to swim by herself. They were a HUGE hit. She proved my theory of her fish-like tendencies and started kicking herself all over the place. This girl will definitely get swim lessons, especially since they're really big in South Texas. Funniest thing about her swimming is that she sings "Row Your Boat" as she's kicking around. 19 1/2 months old and already has a great sense of humor.

Since I didn't have my camera with me, I brought it the next time we went to the pool and she loved her floaties even more. With Daddy:

Video proof:

Jared started the season off as apprehensive about the pool as he was last year. He'd always wear his Buzz vest and scream if we took him away from the little steps. Then, he saw Annabelle enjoy herself and started to get more adventurous. During one of these adventures Greg and I realized that Jared was tall enough to walk around the shallow-end. Once we convinced him he could touch the bottom (and it took some bribing with cookie funds), he thought it was awesome. Here he is the same day as the Annabelle video:

After I shot the videos, Jared kept looking at Bellie's floaties. We were almost done with our outing that night when he asked if he could have his own pair. I was so excited because he's never been too fond of the water. So, later that week, we got him some and our last pool time was a huge hit with both the kids. They both practiced their swimming skills and loved going out into the deep end.

So--- if you ever need to find us during these long summer nights, check the pool first. Chances are, we'll be there.

Friday Video: Kiddos in a Box

2011-06-24T12:44:00.003-05:00

With Mema & Deda's visit approaching, they sent us a super-duper mattress topper to help poor Mema's back on the guest bed (a.k.a. futon). It came earlier in the week, in two large boxes; the one it shipped in and the packaging box. These boxes happened to be just the right size for two mischievous kids to play in.

She KNOWS she's cute!

See, I told you!

Where did Jared go?

There he is!

Our two crazy, cute, awesome, hilarious kids!

Here's the video (watch out it's a long one):

Father's Day Weekend 2011

2011-06-20T13:01:00.001-05:00

We had a great past weekend, but I, to show the doofus that I am, forgot to take pictures. Whoops.

It all started Friday night, when we volunteered to chaperone at a Youth Conference dance. With Greg's calling in the Young Men's presidency, this should be the first of many chaperone experiences. We arrived a little late (only 10 minutes) to help out with dinner, only to find out that dinner was pretty much done. They told us to come back for the dance at 830; it was 510. We did what anyone else would do, we went on an impromptu date to dinner and a movie, Green Lantern. Greg and I both enjoyed the movie; He's Greg's favorite superhero and he enjoyed the movie, so take that critics!

We came back to the dance just as it started. Greg and I come from two different Youth dancing experiences. Greg can count on ONE hand how many dances he went to; I don't remember how many I went to and they were always so fun! It was really different to be there as a leader. It was fun to see how some things didn't change, the crazy way to enthusiastic youth leader, the 5'9" girl dancing with the 4'9" guy, the mass boy exodus to the food whenever a slow song came on, the group of girls in the back always dancing even if there wasn't a boy around. To see the awkwardness of youth as a bystander was really amusing. It also made me really glad to be out of that stage and where I'm at. A couple nice surprises of the night were running into SOTW cast and crew members and getting Greg to slow dance with me for the FIRST time SINCE our WEDDING! VICTORY!

Saturday was a pretty typical Saturday, things around the house, errands to run until we went to Birthday Party for our friend Nick in New Braunfels. He and his family moved out of our neighborhood almost a year ago; it ended up being the ol' neighborhood gang back together again. This is really when I kicked myself for not having a camera. They live in a complex right next to the river, so we were able to rope swing, tube and skip rocks into the river. Greg did a pretty good swing into the river, while I did a little something that was meant for America's Funniest Home Videos (go figure). Annabellie took the river really well; she went out on a 'tube date' with Caleb and Parker. The river group then spent some time in a bank across the river skipping rock and stepping on wasps (GREG!).

Jared wouldn't go anywhere near the river, at first. He didn't trust it at all, so he and I, along with some other non-river swimmers, went up to the pool. He was having a grand ol' time doing what he normally does in the pool, until he saw Bellie and Daddy across the river and realized what he missed. Until they came back, he asked me every few seconds if he could go in the river now. I wasn't about to wade with a non-life-vested three-year-old across the river all by myself; just kept asking and tried to escape a few times. At one point, I even threw him back in the pool, with adults close by, of course. Tough lesson, but I think he might try the river next time. After swimming fun, we had dinner and dessert and then had to make the trek back home. We had a great time and I'm super bummed I didn't get pictures!

Sunday was DADDY's DAY! The kiddos gave him hugs and kisses and said their cute Father's Day wishes. Then, Jared sang a couple Daddy songs they had been learning in Nursery--- so cute! At church, they were all given cookies (seriously!--- Memo for Mom's Day) and Jared kept saying "happy father's day Daddy." We spent the rest of the day relaxing and we worked together to make some yummy Chili Lime Steak with Mango Pico de Gallo. After the kids went to bed, we ended the evening with a little bit of Raiders of the Lost Ark, only to find the man o the day fall asleep half-way through because he's so tired. I'm so grateful for Greg and the things that make him an incredible Daddy and husband. One of the highlights of my day is when Greg comes home, not just because he's home but, because Jared and Belle cannot wait to get downstairs to say hi to him. They literally shake with excitement when they hear the garage door because that means Daddy's home! They get to play, laugh, wrestle, read, fly and be more loved. I'm grateful to be the Mommy to his Daddy.

Master Makeover: Part One

2011-06-15T11:38:00.005-05:00

Back when I was in the middle of SOTW, we finally decided what colors to paint our room. We bought the paint thinking we'd have time in between rehearsals to actually do some painting. This past weekend, we finally got to it. Saturday was the room itself and Sunday was the bathroom.

Luckily, we were able to get most of it done while the kiddos were sleeping; once they woke up, we played tag-team. One on parental play duty while the other painted our room. The bathroom took longer than expected because of ALL the extra trim and shelves to tape and paint around. We finished the whole suite around 1130 Sunday night/Monday morning. It felt so good. We LOVE it. It's only the first step in a series to get our room to the serene zen-like atmosphere we want, but it's nice to have the colors done and it definitely helps the feel of the room. It's big time motivation to save for the rest of the bedroom makeover. One day... one day...

Jared helped us prep the room before nap time. He went upstairs to get his tools so he could help take the blinds down.

The room in all it's prepped glory.

Our helpers keeping a lookout for 'pirates.'

I think Jared found someone...

Annabelle!

The finished product.

The bathroom suite.... going in...

Bathroom... coming out...

Seriously excited to see it come together... as it comes together, so will the updates. :)

MM Day 7: Downtown Disney & Home

2011-06-11T16:50:00.003-05:00

Since our flights didn't leave until early evening we still had half a day to spend together. We had a half-day to make EVEN MORE memories for me to blog about... it's like the vacation that never ends... in a very good way...

Turtle-hunting & Downtown Disney
After seeing how much Annabelle LOVED the Nemo ride and Crush exhibit at Epcot, we decided at Hollywood Studios that one of her big soveniors could be a stuffed Crush... too bad HS was the only WDW park to NOT sell Nemo merchandise. So, we spent the morning hunting. First, we tried the discount outlet store; it was almost as cool as Meg's store. Almost. Then, we decided to enter the resort one more time and go to the largest World of Disney store in the world at Downtown Disney. As we entered DD, we walked past the Lego store and they had these Larger-than-life Lego sculptures set up around the store. A scene from Toy Story & Sleeping Beauty, a family of vacationers and a Sea Serpent; all made from Legos. It was impressive.

Even more impressive was the World of Disney store. I'm seriously not kidding; this. store. is. HUGE. I almost cried when I walk in, either cause I was overwhelmed or excited; I'm still not sure. If I was a little dog, I would have peed all over the floor. Anything you could imagine related to Disney is in that store. After we found what we were looking for, plus a couple last minute things, we said our first byes to Megbo (I have the world's COOLEST sister) and were off to the airport.

Airport Fun
Going through the airport this time around was a breeze, mostly because we had three other people to help carry our crazy load. We had purposefully scheduled our flights to have close departing times, so once we got through security we all parked in the comfy chairs and enjoyed a little bit more time together. Jared played with Z & Oba while Bellie cuddled with Jiji and the V-reader.

As always, when the time came, it was hard to part ways and I finally figured out why. Since my folks live in Seattle it's really hard for either of us to visit each other. It's a long, hard day of traveling, it's ridiculously expensive, and it's hard for either side to get vacation time. So, our visits with them are now once a year. Twice, if we're lucky. I loved my parents before, but since I've become a parent myself, I understand and appreciate even more what they did with the four of us. The last time we sawt them before this vacation was when Park left for his mission; skype has made it easier, but I look forward to a day (crosses fingers) when the distance is shortened. Back to the story...

Once we said goodbye, the kiddos requested a movie and Beauty & the Beast was the pick. Jared sat transfixed, besides when we picked up dinner, until it was time to board, which ended up being 45 minutes longer because we were delayed. And once portable devices were permitted, he watched the rest of the movie and started another one. Gweg was again on Bellie duty and she was better than our flight out. Yay for the simple joy of having a nice flight.

Back in Texas & Memories Made
Once the plane started the descent, Jared got excited, yelling 'back in Texas, yay Texas, etc.' I guess he was ready to be home. He definitely showed it on the way home when he had a breakdown in the car. It took a while for us to adjust back after having the trip of a lifetime. The kiddos still love to sing all the Disney songs they learned. Any time a Disney movie starts now they shout 'Disneyworld!' They even recognize the Disneyworld commercials; Jared has told me numerous times he wants to back.

It was so magical. Yes, there were lines. Yes, there were arguments. Yes, it was definitely HOT. But, it was fun, silly, and brought out the kid in all of us. We were able to let go of EVERYTHING that recently happened and heal much faster. I did have a couple hard days right after we got back because I finally had to face what happened before we left, but that was the ONLY negative. We, obviously, came back with new adventures and stories to tell. We loved it so much that we're already talking about next time... we'll see when that happens but we do know it will happen.

MM Day 6: Hollywood Studios

2011-06-10T16:49:00.004-05:00

Monday was our last day at the parks and we saved it for Hollywood Studios. This park gets the 'most thrills in one park' award. We also didn't get to everything in the park (you think a day per park is enough---- no way!) Another thrill waited around every corner and here's why:

Lightsaber+throat=bad
Since we enjoyed a day of rest before our HS day, we actually got up in time to arrive when the park opened. We just had to go pick up Meg at her apartment and head over to the park, nothing we hadn't done before that week. Except Jared wanted to bring his new lightsaber in the car. We figured it would be okay since he'd be in a car full of adults to keep an eye on hit; the problem came when the adults sitting next to him haven't become parents yet, so they haven't developed the 'sixth sense' of 'knowing' when someone is about to do something naughty.

While driving from Meg's apartment to the park, Jared decided the best place for his lightsaber would be down his throat. Since he inherited Greg's gag reflux, he prompting puked all over his front. So instead of making the turn to Hollywood, we went for the condo. Jared & his seat got a quick hose down and luckily we had done laundry the night before so he could have new clothes. He was a little bummed about not wearing his Star Wars shirt. Well, next time don't put your lightsaber down your throat.

May the Force be with You
Both Star Tours rides at WDW and DL have been closed for an overhaul. The one at WDW reopened the weekend we were there. We actually wanted to go during the weekend because Jared is already developing a love of Star Wars (not too hard when it's one of his Mommy's and Daddy's all-time favorite movies) and he was so excited to see the characters they place all around the park. Unfortunately, the Star Wars Weekend dates were blacked out for Meg to get us in, so we had to move Hollywood Studios to Monday; specifically to go on the new Star Tours.

Greg, Z & I went on it first. It. was. awesome. It's less jerky, in 3D, and the locations vary with each ride. While waiting in line, you see walk under an AT-AT, go through space security, and Artoo and C3PO. We went to Kashyyk (the Wookie planet) and Coruscant; Meg, Oba & Jiji went to Hoth & Naboo.

Muppet Vision
While we were taking turns on Star Tours, the counterparts took the kiddos to see Muppet Vision 3D. Jared thought the whole thing was hilarious; he'd try to get the 3D images and even pointed to all of the 'live' puppets. Annabelle played the same tricks she was up to during Pirates the day before. She sat still when Sweetums came out, but that was about it. ;)

Indiana Jones & His Stunt Show
Another fun highlight of the day was the Indiana Jones' stunt show. It used some of the stunt sequences of Raiders to show how they're actually pulled off. Z was really bummed when he wasn't picked to be in it. Jared got really nervous each time they did a stunt, but then said 'whoa' when it was done. One of Jared's favorite songs to hum now is the Indiana Jones' theme.

Beauty Tower Rocks!
We did a boys/girls rider split for the first time on Tower of Terror; so while the boys went to the ride, we took the kiddos to see the Beauty & the Beast show. They were mesmerized the WHOLE time. The only time Jared even said anything was when he saw the characters for the first time and when Gaston stabbed Beast, he asked if the Beast would be okay. Bellie's funny moment came when she finally recognized Princess Belle at the end, when she changed into her yellow dress. :)

After the boys came back, Meg and I went on the Tower together. We had a great time and I totally understand now why that Tower is better than the California one. I ended up getting the corner seat and it did not help for trying to a get a grip before the fall.

We finally got the hang of using Fast Passes and Rider Swaps to work together (better late than never), so we were able to all go on the Aerosmith's coaster twice. The first time, Meg, Greg and I went together since he had to take her to work soon thereafter. Oba & Jjii went while Z & I took the kiddos to watch the Pixar Parade (we barely missed McQueen) which they were both able to recognize every character and get excited (I think, maybe, we watch the Pixar movies in our house...)

Toy Story Mania
Before they left to take Meg to work, we were able to use our Fast Passes for Toy Story Mania. It's the most popular ride at HS; late in the day the wait can be 2+ hours, so we knew Fast Passes were a must! It's so much fun! First off, the ride attendants' badge said she was a BYU-I student, so we were able to talk to her for a bit about school.

Jared specifically wanted to ride with me, so we had some fun. The gun was just a step above for him to operate; you needed to be able to aim the gun with one hand and pull the shooter with the other and he wasn't strong enough to do both. Plus, he was SO excited to see all of the Toy Story characters. Basically, I spent the whole ride trying to aim for both of us and shoot for me. I can't wait to take that game on again!

Woody & Buzz
Across from the entrance to Toy Story Mania in an air-conditioned meet-n-greet with Woody & Buzz. Jared saw this before we even went on the ride and got really excited. He kept telling me "Mommy, I want to go in there to meet Woody & Buzz." So, while we waiting for Greg to come back after taking Meg to work, we went to stand in line. Besides the princesses, it was the only character line we stood in all week. Here's what happened when we met the adventurous duo:

Studio Backlot & Running into Mike... literally
When Greg got back, we decided to take the Studio Backlot tour which was cool until we realized it replaced the last showing of the Cars stunt show... whoops... we already have a To-Do list for next time we go. After we finished the tour, it dumped us out through two gift shops, the second one being right next to a Monsters, Inc. door. As we were waiting there, Mike came out to say hi. Since the line was super-short, we decided to wait and meet the little green eyeball:

Pizza Planet, More Force & Princess Time
For dinner we continued the Toy Story trend and took Jared to Pizza Planet. He was in little boy heaven; we were lucky we ate even a little bit of dinner. Everyone took a turn at playing some games. Jiji, Gweg, Z and the kiddos were pretty occupied with the games, so Oba & I slipped away for some girl time at where else... Star Tours. We rode it again because it changes with each ride. This time we went to Tattooine and Naboo. And again, it. was. awesome. Once the boys finished playing games, they decided to follow that up by going to The Little Mermaid show. I'm pretty sure that's the definition of awesome guys, when they'll go sit through girly show for the kiddos. Apparently, it was pretty cool and everyone LOVED it.

Stroller Pass Out & Replacing Fantasmic
After a fun-filled week of Disney, 730 hit and this is what happened:

The kiddos passed out on their own; one minute awake and ready to move to another ride and the next minute they are both GONE. Since the kiddos were asleep, we decided to take advantage of early seating for the fireworks show, Fantasmic. The only problem was we had to park the stroller. Uh oh. They literally had just fallen asleep, so we made the decision to skip the show, add it to the growing list of 'To-Dos' for the next time, and re-do Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster.

It ended up being a BLAST! For both ride Gweg and I we ended up with front-row seats. For Tower it was ridiculously cool and scary all at the same time. Cool because it was the front, we were able to see everything during the ride part; scary because we could see down (when eyes were open) during the drop. Seriously, so fun. Rockin' was fun because we were able to see the track more than anyone could in the dark setting. Plus, we made ridiculously goofy faces before the launch. And, I think we were able to cheer up the ride attendant who was pulling a double :p.

After we swapped, it was closing time and we were all excited to get some rest but really sad our awesome vacation went so fast.

MM Day 5: Day of Rest

2011-06-09T13:48:00.005-05:00

*Pictures from this day and other travel days will be with the last day post*

We took the next day to rest, explore the 'cast member' side of WDW, and take our first trip to Downtown Disney.

Slow Morning & Golden Lunch
I guess the full three days before finally caught up to everyone because the whole condo took it slow. We ended up relaxing, reading, playing and waiting for Meggie to wake up after her crazy late shift.

After she woke up, she picked her up and went to Golden Corral for lunch. I only where we ate because Annabelle was apparently still really tired and fell asleep on the way there and then spent most of lunch time napping on Jiji's shoulder. It was really cute. She woke up just in time to have a little bit of lunch herself.

Cast Connection
After lunch, Meg took us behind the scenes to a cast member store called Cast Connection. We were able to get most of our souvenirs there for deep discount. It was pretty cool to go places most guests don't go on a Disney Vacation. Jared even somehow conned his Aunt Meggie into getting him a lightsaber for 25 cents.

A Pirate's Life for us...well most of us...
We then had to drop Meg off for work, and had a half day to spare. So, why not use it to explore Downtown Disney? We actually didn't explore too much because we decided to go see the new Pirates movie--- with the kids! Jared was a great movie goer; he sat in his seat, ate his popcorn and whispered, until the trailers came on. Then he'd say "Mommy look a "fill in the blank" movie. He was really excited; which gives me hope for taking him to Cars 2 later this month. When the movie started, he got all excited about it being a pirate movie then... he fell asleep. He laid down and napped the whole movie. Annabelle was a different story.

Being the fun age of 'new toddler' she is always on the move. It makes pretty much anything difficult, especially sitting still. For the first few minutes, she'd try to sit in mine, Jiji's or Obas lap, then she'd get bored and try to escape. Finally, Oba the Saint took her out to walk around the theatre. I felt so bad like I should be the one walking the halls; I mentioned this to Greg and he reminded me that Oba & Jiji could go on a date to see it again way easier than we could. True. Oba did try to bring Bellie back in, but yet again, she wouldn't sit still. After the movie, I started apologizing to my Mom and she told me the same thing Greg said. Okay... maybe I shouldn't feel too bad... but for future reference: Belle doesn't do movie theatres.

We ended our relax day with the condo pool, pizza and more movies. The day definitely helped us recharge for Hollywood Studios...

MM Day 4: Animal Kingdom

2011-06-08T13:47:00.002-05:00

Saturday was Animal Kingdom day. This park gets the award for being the 'physically largest park on resort but fastest to finish.' We were able to get most of the park done and still have a little bit of relaxation time before we passed out at the condo. Here's what made Animal Kingdom memorable:

Cranky line attendant
Our gate attendant wasn't the nicest. To be fair, she does deal with A LOT of people in a day. However, my pass wasn't working (we didn't realize until later that your fingerprint is matched with your pass and we had all been using them---whoops). She asked to see my ID, even though my name wasn't with my pass, and then she had a change of heart and let me in. I felt bad that she was cranky already in the day but we were worried for a bit because I left my ID at the condo.

Kilimanjaro Line
The hottest line ever had to be this line. It was the only line we were able to bring the stroller in, so it was also the most difficult to get through. We also had a few girls behind us verbally complaining about the size of our stroller and then complementing it (really, you're at Disneyworld, there are strollers everywhere). We had just barely got to the park and we were already snacking and the kids were already using their spray fans. But it was worth it to see...

The Kilimanjaro Animals
The 'safari' was really impressive; it's like what the Jungle Cruise would be if it had real animals. Our driver was pretty fun which made it all the more fun. Jared, being the animal enthusiast that he is, was excited to see so many animals. He really liked the crocodiles, Hippos, elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. The rhinos got pretty close to car and Jared called him BIG. He and Bellie also spotted the giraffes first walking around; they both got excited and pointed them out. If we thought about it, it would have been a good idea to do it again later in the day, but we were all so tired.

Humid with a capital H
Even though Epcot was hot, Animal Kingdom felt way more HUMID. I honestly don't know how people vacation down there in the summer. More crowds, more hot.... I shudder to think about it. Definitely wouldn't mind going back during the 'more-off' season. Anywho, the best way we tried to beat the heat was to get a frozen treat each day. AK was frozen lemonade. What was Jared's reaction to the paper straw (to 'protect' the animals). Jared kept telling us it was broken and exclaiming 'oh no.' We had to convince him it was okay or at least try to get him to drink it out of his cup.

Tough to be a Bug
Another fun stop was the "It's Tough to Be a Bug" show underneath the Tree of Life. Flik shows us a bunch of different bugs from the bug world and Jared thought it was hilarious. He wasn't even scared during the 'scary' parts; he actually shouted 'mommy look spiders, whoa!' and 'it's a really big 'glasshopper' (for Hopper when he comes out)'. Apparently he's got more backbone then his Mommy (but that's a story for the Dinosaur ride).

Bats, Tigers & MORE Tigers
On the Maharajah Jungle Trek, it's just like a zoo loop. Jared was really looking forward to the giant fruit bats. Jared's reaction said it all, he gasped and said "wow, really really big bats.' They were seriously HUGE bats; like nightmare-size bats if they weren't vegetarians. One of the great parts about it was the fact that it was open. It made it that much cooler seeing them up close.

After the bats, there was a seriously impressive tiger encounter. When you first walk into the encounter there is only one tiger visible; it's pretty cool, but it seems like any other zoo tiger exhibit. As you walk down the path, you suddenly realize that the tiger exhibit keeps going. For example, we thought the tigers were done, so Jared started running ahead to the next animal. We turned the corner and there behind the glass were TWO tigers sleeping less than 20 feet away. Jared was so impressed by their size; he wouldn't stop saying, "look TIGERS... MORE tigers... WOW!' The last one we saw was taking a dip. All in all, they have six tigers and each morning the tigers have a choice out of three habitats to spend the day it.

Expedition Everest
Unlike Test Track from the day before, this ride didn't disappoint (although the Yeti didn't swipe at us). It was lots of fun; Greg, Meg, Z, and I had lots of fun. The best part about Disney rides is how they make stories out of them; Everest is true to form as our trip up to base camp goes awry. It's definitely a multiple-rider.

Boneyard Dig
Since the kiddos did some waiting for us, we decided to let them have some fun in this huge play area. It's basically set up as a Dinosaur Dig which, of course, Jared loved. Greg followed him on the more adventurous areas while Bellie found some slides just her size (and yes, I made her shirt--- it matches Jared's pants):

Dinosaur Ride
After eating dinner at Restauarantosaurus and almost losing a bag (whew--- good thing Disney staff is effient at picking up after tables), we tackled the Dinosaur ride in rider switch-a-roo groups. All I have to say is: ridiculous. I knew about this ride and knew there would be surprises around corners, so I purposefully sat in the middle. I didn't want to look like too big of a sissy; well, that was impossible on this ride. First off, it's dark and lit by black lights, so you really have no idea what's going on. Then, around each corner you meet another Dinosaur and every time the dinosaur is a carnivore it jumps out at the car. Even though I was in the middle, it freaked me out. And the last time a dinosaur jumps out, he jumps from above and gets closest to the middle passengers. Yep, I cowered; I cowered like a little girl. I will always maintain it was that scary; fun, but scary. Now that I've been on it, I think would handle it better the next time. Greg, Meg, and Z left the ride laughing at me and I had to defend me reaction. Oh well...

Poop Accident
While we waited for Oba & Jiji to take their turn on the Acid-fueled Dinosaur ride, Meg and I decided to take Jared and Bellie on the Triceratops Spin (basically Dumbo but dinosaurs). We're about half way through the line when Jared turns to me and whispers 'Mommy, I have to poop.' Oh no. After asking him if he's sure, we rush out of the line and try to run back to Gweg until I realize we're running away from the bathrooms.

So, I turn around while Meg drops Bellie off with Greg and gets me the emergency supplies. Jared and I rush in the bathroom, pick a stall, I bend over to put him on the pot when he lets it go. AH! Just a minute too early! Luckily, it was easy to clean, so we spent the next little while cleaning him up and making sure he didn't have more. Looking back, I think this helped him turn a corner because he hasn't had any 'poop' accidents since... here's hoping.

If you're wondering, we did go back to the ride because I wanted to show him I was proud of him for almost making it to the bathroom. I know that sounds weird, but it took us like 5+ minutes to get to the bathroom, if we would have gotten there sooner, this would be a much different story.

Private Pool Party
We left the park earlier than closing time one, to get Megbo to work and two, we were all exhausted from three straight days of park. We spent the extra time playing in our condo pool, watching Disney movies, and passing out on the couch. It was a good thing we had a rest day planned next.

MM Day 3: Epcot

2011-06-07T16:44:00.006-05:00

Epcot was next. It was fun, but definitely gets the 'hottest day of vacation because of ALL the open area and concrete', 'the weirdest ride' and the 'still missed a bunch of the park' awards. There's lots off the top of my head which we didn't get to (Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, the triangle building) AND we still hadn't figured out how to use the Rider's Swap and Fast Pass to work together. I guess we'll have to go back... ;)

Nemo & Friends
After getting fast passes for some of the big rides, we started the rides off by going to Nemo. Finding Nemo is one of the kiddos' favorites and it was super cute to listen to them exclaim the characters' names. They LOVED the ride and we spent most of the morning in the Nemo & Friends pavilion.

Turtle Talk
One of the highlights of the pavilion was Turtle Talk with Crush. While you wait for Crush, they have a couple tanks of sting rays and Annabelle was mesmorized by them. She would have stared at them all day... which is her timeline like 30 minutes. Neither of our kiddos wanted to go sit in front with the bigger kiddos, but they were SO excited to see Crush. Jared thought it was hilarious when he talked and did 'fin.' He even told me that Crush was silly and funny.

Shark Excitement & Dolphin Spook
As part of the Nemo & Friends, there is a MASSIVE aquarium FULL of sea creatures. Jared a blast pointing out different animals and telling us. He just wouldn't stop when we were in the exhibit. His favorites seemed to be the sharks and dolphins. "Mommy, mommy, sharks wow!" is what I heard a lot. When he stood by the dolphin part of the tank, he went up to the glass when the dolphin was swimming on the other side. Jared couldn't see the dolphin and didn't know it was swimming in a circle and would pass right over him any minute. When it did, it freaked him out. Only enough to startle him, he looked at us all, giggled and then went right back staring into the tank. Annabelle was just so excited that Jared was excited that she kept giggling and yelling 'fishy.' Too cute. I think our kids like aquariums.

Test Track
After Nemo, we went back to use our Test Track passes. It was a pretty fun ride, except it ended way too soon. It felt like it needed just a little bit longer. We did girls and boys ride, so it was fun to ride with my Mom and sister. To keep cool while they waited the kiddos played with their new water bottle fans. Oba went to get one at the part, but it was 18 dollars, so we waited the next morning at our local grocery store and got two for the same price. Belle and Jared ended up having a squirt bottle war. The video starts just after the giggles stopped, really bummed about that, but you can see how much fun they had with it. The noise every few seconds is the Test Track car going by:

Jared the Bug Buffet
When Jared passed out the night before at MK, it took us a while to think to put a blanket on him. Before we did, the mosquitoes must have gotten to him because he woke up the next morning with 20+ bites all over his body. They didn't seem to bother him until he got hot from being outside in the morning. So, while crossing over from Future World to World Showcase, we had to make a stop at the First Aid center. They gave us a few packets of topical benadryl and we gave him time to rest. I felt so bad for my little boy, especially because I knew that I passed 'Bugs love blood;' I always came home from Girls Camp with 60+ bites. I knew how he felt, and I knew I really couldn't do anything about it. So we went to the first indoor thing we could find: Mexico.

Mexico Stickers
Mexico had a nice cool ride featuring Donald and the other two Caballeros, so it was a great place for Jared to cool down and keep his mind of the bug bites. The best part of the ride was the attendant at the beginning. She must have seen how wore the kids looked all ready and she gave Jared and Belle, both, a huge stack of Mickey stickers. Belle proceeded to place them all over her body. Then, she'd point at them and say Mickey! It was hilarious.

Norway needs an Update
The other showcase with a ride was Norway and oh man, is it in need of an update. The line was a nice time for Belle and Bug to get a nap, but sheesh, the ride! The ride itself is very psychedelic and then there's a 5 minute movie about the beauties of Norway at the end; the problem there is that it was made in the late 80s/earlier 90s. It was all very strange and I don't think we'll stop next time, unless it's been updated.

Japan, Matsuriza, & Shopping
Naturally, we stopped for dinner at the Japanese showcase. Of course it was yummy and we enjoyed a nice coi pond and a performance of Matsuriza, old school Japanese drumming. Take a look:

We then spent some time (and money) in the Japanese store getting goodies. Among the group spoils were pineapple gummies, a beautiful wall hang, a kimono, popped peas (really good---that's crazy coming from me since I HATE peas) and a grow your own Bonzai tree (we got that for our bedroom).

French Fountain & Pastries
We made our way down the World Showcase row and stopped in France to get some of their pastries ( we had a source tell us they were oh so good). While Gweg stood in line for the pastries, and the rest of the group went looking for Uncle Z's phone, I hung out at the fountain with the kiddos. They loved placing in the water; I had to convince Annabelle numerous times that it wasn't a pool, but only a fountain. FYI: the pastries were fantastic. A must every visit.

R2D2 Spinner
While talking to Guest Services about Z's phone, Jared noticed one of those nightlights' vender, where they sell the glowsticks and light toys. He seemed to go straight to a specific toy and then we noticed what it was: R2D2 from Star Wars. He was so excited to see Artoo, we splurged and got it for the both of them. After Jared fell asleep Belle had some fun with it:

Seeing Lightning and Mater
The week before we arrived at Disneyworld was the International Flower Festival at Epcot and all of the floral sculptures were still up. Bellie noticed Woody as soon as we entered the park and when we left World Showcase, Lightning and Mater were there to say goodbye. The way Jared and Annabelle reacted you would have thought they saw Mickey Mouse. Bellie kept yelling 'Maymer' and "Queam" while Jared kept trying to say hi to them. It was really cute and they LOVED it.

Mommy, Oba, Bellie, and Nemo
Near the end of our Epcot night, Jared passed out and most of the adults had gone on Soarin' while we waited outside for them. Oba & I were getting kind of antsy, so we decided to take Belle back over to Nemo. Since I rode with Jared the first time, it was really fun to hear her get excited about Nemo and friends. Before the trip, I was worried that she might be too young to enjoy it all; I was wrong. She LOVED the trip as much as anyone else because she gets super excited when she sees anything Disney now. One of the cutest thing she did was while we were wasting time in the gift shop. She picked up a stuffed Crush and did "fin, noggin', dude' with him. She loved Crush so much that she ended up getting one before the end of the trip... but that's another day's adventure...

MM Day 2: Magic Kingdom

2011-06-05T16:43:00.008-05:00

Instead of giving a play-by-play recap of exactly how each day went, I'll just revert to my standard list of highlights. The day after arriving, our first stop at Disneyworld was the original Magic Kingdom. MK gets the 'busiest day' and 'best overall park' award. Next time we come we're staying longer so we can devote two days to MK & Epcot.

Monorail Ride
The whole ride in Jared was so stoked. He kept saying, "disneyworld" and erupting in giggling fits. I can't say I blame him because I was doing the same thing inside. When you arrive to MK, you have the choice of taking at ferry boat or straight monorail to the park. We opted for the shortest line and took the monorail through the resort hotels. It was fun to see a couple of the hotels, but it also made me secretly jealous that we weren't staying on resort. Maybe one of these years, when we win the lottery. ;)

Peter Pan and Small World
After getting our first-timer badges and fastpasses for the princesses, we went to Fantasyland. MK's Fantasyland is in the middle of a huge overhaul, so half of the land is closed, but it was still great fun. We went for Peter Pan first because the line is usually long, but not first thing in the morning. Jared was so excited standing in our first line of the vacation. He was outwardly expressing how we all inwardly felt; it was awesome. We also figured out why this ride is so popular, because it's lots of fun! Since our trip, Jared really LOVES Peter Pan, the movie--- I can probably guess where it came from. Definitely a must in any Disney vacation now.

After Peter, we went on Small World because we all forgot how silly that ride really is. In all honesty, it was fun but we were bummed it wasn't overhauled with Disney characters like the one at Disneyland. Jared must have like it because I still catch him singing the song... yeah, I don't know how to feel about that.

Fast-Pass Princesses
It was then time to go back and meet the princesses. I'm really glad we got Fast passes for them because of how the kiddos ended up reacting to them. Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle (Beauty & the Beast) and Cinderella (uh, duh!) are always in available to meet at MK. It's really cute seeing all these little girls excited to meet them. While in line, we told Jared & Bellie who we were about to meet and they seemed excited. It didn't really sink in until we got in the same room. Jared was terrified and Annabelle was transfixed on Belle (no joke).

Cinderella was first and when it was our turn, Jared refused to meet them, he just stayed in a safe spot, right next to Oba. Annabelle freaked and threw a fit while she graciously posed for the sillest picture of Gweg, a princess and a freaked out toddler. Belle was next. Annabelle seemed to trust Belle the most; she didn't hide or scream, which was a victory. Aurora was last and Annabelle was definitely nicer to her than to Cinderella, but Annabelle wouldn't stop looking over her shoulder to Belle. As we were leaving, Annabelle finally found some courage and said 'bye bye' to them while Jared still wouldn't go near them with a 10ft pole. Boys.

Waving to Mickey & Woody
While walking around the castle, we ran into a parade and we happened to see Mickey. I pulled Jared out of the stroller to show him and he got all excited and started waving and saying 'hi mickey!' Mickey must have seen Jared because he pointed at him and waved back. The parade also had Chip, Dale, Goofy, Pluto and everyone was dancing a storm. I started dancing with Jared, but had to soon stop because I still wasn't 100% from my ordeal (it came back to haunt me later).

Later in the day, Jared was resting in the stroller when we saw Woody up ahead. I bent down to tell Jared and he pulled back his sunshade, sat up as much as he could and said, 'where?!?!' When Jared found Woody, he had the biggest smile on his face, but we didn't meet him until later in the trip.

Dumbo with Oba & Jiji
We hit Dumbo around lunch time and the only people willing to go on it with the kiddos were Oba & Jiji. The rest of us played bystanders while they stood in the hot line and rode the flying elephants with the kiddos. Apparently, Jared is still very fond of making him go up-and-down. When they were done, Jared came to me and said, "Mommy I rode on Dumbo!" I guess he had fun.

Haunted Mansion Pep Talk
Next stop was the Haunted Mansion. One of the classics. After Jared's reaction to California's Mansion, I decided to give him a pep talk while we were in line. I didn't want him to freak out while in line or on the ride, so I reminded him that this was a house full of funny ghosts. They just wanted to sing and have fun. Jiji and I rode with him during the ride and watching us during the ride would have been a site. We were dancing and being downright goofy to keep Jared happy. It worked because he kept telling us about the ghosts (like the ones eating, dancing or singing), he also told us at the end that they were all very silly. He even tried to get the hitchhiking ghost off of our car.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho!
We then made our way to our first Pirate ride of the day. It was fun to see ride laid out a bit different, but I definitely like the Disneyland one better. Don't get me wrong, it was still loads of fun because it's Pirates; we all (including Jared and Belle) sang to the song and had a merry old time. Jared even got a late Birthday present from Oba & Jiji while we walked through the pirate store.

Jungle Cruise or not?
Next stop, Jungle Cruise. It was while we were all in line that my body said 'time to rest, remember I'm still healing!' So, Oba & I jumped ship, got some pineapple floats and had some Mom/Daughter time. We also met up with the rest of the group (grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins) while waiting for the Jungle buddies to come back. When they came back, Annabelle was passed out. Apparently she decided that the Jungle Cruise was the perfect time to nap.

Spitting Camel
While Bellie snoozed and some of the group went back to Pirates, Oba & I got antzy so we took Jared on Aladdin's flying carpets; basically Dumbo, but with flying carpets. The best part of the whole ride was this huge camel statue facing toward the carpets. It may look like just a statue, but it actually spits water out every few minutes. Well, due to Jared's mad piloting skills, we met the spitting camel at the right angle and time because he and got wet while Oba, in the back of the carpet didn't. It was really funny and Jared wondered why he got so wet.

Monsters, Inc & Buzz
We herded our 16 person group next over to Tomorrowland for some Buzz fast passes and while we waited for those to come up we went to Monsters, Inc. Laugh Factory. It was hilarious; it's an interactive joke show. At one point, a one-eyed nephew of Mike asked the audience what he should be when he grew up, Gweg shouted 'a private eye' and the nephew actually responded back to him, 'that's funny because I only have one eye.' So, it's really a responsive exhibit. After Monsters, our FPs were up for Buzz and again, Jared was excited (sense a theme) to see Buzz and shoot Zurg. Jiji and I sat together and had a blast (pun, get it?) trying to shoot the Zs and sabotage each other.

Space Mountain Line--sheesh
Space Mountain was on the radar next. A few of the adults who didn't want to ride, went with the kiddos to wait for the advertised 40 minute wait time. 90 minutes later, we finally got on the ride. This was the only time on vacation, a wait time was grossly underestimated. I loved how the SM was similar and different to the DL SM. It's one of my favorite all time rides because of the spectacle of it all. I also loved seeing, in person, the outfits my best friend had to wear seven years ago. ;)

THE TEACUPS
After we rode Dumbo, Jared kept asking about the teacups, so we finally made it after we got out of SM. We were all hungry for dinner and KNEW we had to do the teacups before we went to eat; it was a good thing too. Our little family occupied a teacup; it was the one ride I absolutely wanted us to do together since I knew Jared was so excited about it. Foolishly, I let Gweg be in charge of the spinning. Boy, was that a mistake and here's the proof. (if you can't tell which one we are, I'll give you a hint, the super-sonic pink cup).

From the inside:

From the outside:

All of us were SUPER dizzy after this little experience, but Jared quickly asked if we could do it again. I guess we found another Jared favorite. It's definitely one of the silliest memories of the vacation. Plus, Bellie's look of terror is super funny and sad all at the same time.

Philharmagic Laugh
After dinner at Pecos Bill's (so good and recommended) we enjoyed Donald's musical adventure. Jared and Bellie both kept their glasses on and Jared could. not. stop. giggling. He even brought out his I'm-having-the-time-of-my-life-this-is-HILARIOUS laugh which is SUPER contagious. Afterwards, the people in front of us told us that their favorite part was listening to Jared laugh. Chalk another one on Jared's favorites list... this list seems to be getting long!

Electrical Parade & Sleepy Belle
It was about time for the parade to begin, so we found a spot and waited for the lights to turn off. What I LOVE about this parade is that it's one of the things I remember about going to Disneyland for the first time. I remember thinking how magical it was and I got really nostalgic sharing it with my kids, now as a mother. It moved Annabelle so much that she fell asleep on her perch atop Jjii's shoulders. I guess she had a full day and didn't want it to end.

Jared not Tired
Jared had about the same experience falling asleep. Just after the parade, we put him back in the stroller and asked him if he was tired. He quickly told us no and we started to discuss what we wanted to do before leaving. Not five minutes later, we look back at Jared and he's passed out. I guess he was tired.

Big Thunder Splashing Pirates
Since 3 of the 4 kiddos were asleep, we decided to pass the fireworks and do a couple rides we hadn't got to yet. First up was Big Thunder Mountain. I highly recommend it at night; it takes on more of a Space Mountain feel because it's not well lit. What made it even better and a MAGICAL end to our day was that the Fireworks started just as we started the climb up the first hill. It was the perfect way to say 'yep, you're at Disneyworld.'

After that, we couldn't let the fun end, so it was off to Splash Mountain because it's the perfect 1030 at night ride... wait... I blame awesome family peer-pressure. We kidded ourselves onto the ride by saying 'we won't get that wet.' That ended up being true for some of us, not all. First off, Greg, Meg and I stuffed our butts into one row; that was feet in and of itself. Second, we all got wet. I had the advantage of being in the middle of Gweg and Meg so my front was the thing wet. The ones in the front row weren't so lucky.

By the time we finished with Splash, it was 1045. The park closed at 11 and we had to walk by Pirates in order to get out. So, the people who wanted to ride it again hurried as fast as our legs could carry us to get in line before 11 (if you're in line before closing time, they let you ride the ride). Our group barely made it, but again, it was great to finish the day with just one more ride.

This day was, by far, the most exhausting. It was the only day we stayed from opening to closing and we all felt it when we tried to get up early for Epcot the next day...

MM Day 1: Traveling

2011-06-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, this day was CRAZY! It all started with packing. Being only two adults and two toddlers, you'd think we wouldn't have a lot to pack; well, you'd be wrong. I started packing the day before, but with my whole miscarriage ordeal, I didn't finish. Actually, I kept trying to do some more but Gweg would quickly scold me before I could get anything done. So, we got up earlier than usual for our flight and got to finish packing.

We got out the door with everything in tow, or so we thought, in order to be at the airport with an hour and a half before our flight. After a friend dropped us off, we started to take inventory. Two carseats. check. Two kids. Check. Carry-on entertainment. Check. Pack-n-play. Check. Four..three suitcases.... uh oh. We were missing a suitcase. It was the suitcase with ALL the kiddos clothes, nightlight, lovies. THAT suitcase. We quickly call our friend and realize the worst; somehow it was left at home. A couple calls later, we had another awesome friend, go to our house to pick up the suitcase and meet Greg and our first friend half-way to the airport.

Leaving me to go through security with the kiddos. When the guys left to go get the suitcase, I totally thought I could handle it; then my crazy hormones and cramps kicked in. I had a 'poor me' moment because no one could outwardly tell what I was inwardly facing. With time ticking away, I had to face the fact that less than 24 hours after a traumatic physical event, I might have to travel across the country by myself.

After surving security because of helpful TSA agents (I know, lucky!) I tried not to freak out; especially since Greg wasn't answering his phone. About 10 minutes before boarding started, Greg was still no where to be seen. I was literally about to breakdown because of how physically and emotionally spent I was... and then he showed up to save the day.

When we boarded, we were able to sit near the front of the plane and the kids were great. I guess the better assessment is that Jared was great; Annabelle was the terror her age requires while traveling. Nothing would keep her entertained and it was basically up to Greg to keep her occupied because her favorite thing to do was bounce on our laps; not good for my recovery. So, Jared and I spent the plane ride trying to color, play toys or watch movies. Funny Jared note: He was really into the whole ride. You could tell he tried to wrap his mind around us going up and down in the sky and flying over the ocean. When he remembered he randomly would exclaim, "mommy/daddy we're flying over the ocean." And he was SUPER excited when we landed because he thought we were at Disneyworld right then. We then had to break it to him that we weren't going to Disneyworld until tomorrow.

Between landing and finding the rental car shuttle, Gweg and I performed the greatest balancing act you'll ever seen. We had: four suitcases, two carseat, three carryon bags, a pack-n-play, and our awesome double stroller. I still don't know how we got it all safely into the shuttle. It was the downfall to staying off-resort, but it didn't make up for the money saved.

First thing we did once we picked up our rental car (a Toyota Sienna---which has fully convinced me that I can be a mini-van mom when the time comes--- it was awesome!) was find my sister's place. My sister is doing the whole College-Internship Program this summer, which is why we were able to afford the vacation; she got three of us in for free. Plus it was way for us to spend time together since we sent off my missionary brother LAST July.

We caught up, went shopping and found our little condo home for the week. It was a great place. 3 bedrooms, 3 bath and it has a small private pool on the back patio. Definitely a great place to stay if you want to save money while going to WDW. We spent the rest of the night waiting for the Seattle crew to arrive; they had 12 hours of travel compared to our 3 hour straight flight. So, they didn't arrive until late evening, just in time to say hi and get ready for the Magic of the next day...

An Unknown Loss

2011-05-29T16:06:00.001-05:00

**Disclaimer: You are warned right now that this is a personal, detailed, long post of what I dealt with when I had a miscarriage last week. You read that right, just remember, you were warned.***

I guess this all started back in December when a good friend from our BYU ward had a horrible miscarriage and decided to share her {experience} with her friends (and the worldwide web since it's on her blog). At that point, I had never had a miscarriage, but I felt drawn to her experience and story. I was touched at how incredibly brave she was so share her experience because she wanted to be there for her friends. I also wanted to show my support for her since she is my friend. ;)

Fast forward to the next month, January 2011. Greg and I were trying to decide if we were ready to have another baby. We did all the normal things we do when we make big decisions (pray, fast, temple) and then we got a phone call from a High Counselor; I was to direct Savior of the World. Okay, well, that's our answer--- not yet. A month later (while we're in the midst of SOTW production) we get the nagging feeling again and I stopped taking my pills. During the stoppage (tee hee), I felt stressed about SOTW and possibly getting pregnant so I wanted to go back on my pills, at least until SOTW was over. We had also just decided to go to Disneyworld and I really didn't want to be pregnant during my first trip there, so we waiting to make sure in the THREE WEEKS off BC that I wasn't pregnant.

Once I was 10 days late (I didn't take a test earlier because I HATE seeing negatives---comes from pre-Jared--even if I 'wanted' to see the negative like that moment), I decided to take a test. Negative. A few days later, I took another test, just to be sure. Negative again. So, back on the pills I went.

The rest of March and April went by fast because of SOTW. I had so much to do and little time to do it in. As a result, I was always tired, really grumpy, and emotional. Especially the week of SOTW performances, I was a wreck. I would cry at the drop of a hat; I thought it was because of how I personally react to the Spirit. I should have seen the signs.

After SOTW, I thought I would feel better. We spent the weeks leading up to vacation readjusting to our old normal. I got through the rest of April and Jared's birthday trying to remember what I did before SOTW. Then, about a week before vacation (a couple week of pills were still left) I started bleeding. I thought my period had just come early (which is highly abnormal on pills, but I shoved it aside because I didn't pills for those three weeks--- I must have messed up my body's groove). A couple days into the bleeding, I started to get hard cramps; the kind where you lay down and do nothing the rest of the day--meanwhile I still had to get ready for vacation.

On the morning the day before we left for Florida, I started to feel better; I was still bleeding pretty heavy (which is odd for the 7th day in) but I was feeling better. I was really stoked because I wanted to feel good on our vacation. Then it happened. My cramps stepped it up at notch. I felt horrible, sweaty and when I went to the bathroom, it was mostly blood. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't figure out what. The pain started to go away, so I got back up and told myself to get through the day. Then it came back and back I went to the bathroom. The closest thing I could guess what that I was having another ovarian cyst. It was that point I knew I needed Greg.

I had shut myself in the bathroom because I didn't want the kids to see me in pain, but I left my phone on the bed. Jared found me in the bathroom and he was able to get my phone and pass it under the door. In the midst of my pain, I was so happy that my little boy could understand me enough that he knew I needed my phone. I called Greg and asked him to come home now; he said he'd try, but didn't know how soon he could make it. The pain had gone away again, so I thought I could get up. I got up to wash my hands, and promptly felt myself mostly pass out. I was aware enough to try and stop myself, that's why I say mostly. Apparently, I had lost a lot of blood.

I crawled back into the bathroom and tried again to rally myself. After all, it was lunch time and , at this point, the kids were yelling for me to make them some food. So, I get up start to wash my hand and... get dizzy again. I knew I what was happening so I hurried as fast as I could over to the couch. I mostly didn't want Greg to find me on the floor passed out--- the couch is much better. When I come to a few seconds later, I let Greg know what just happened and that I needed him now. (this whole time I'm still in pain). So, he comes home.

I know, hindsight is 20/20. Looking back and remembering the pain, I was having contractions. I have been through childbirth twice, how could I not recognize it? I thought I wasn't pregnant. I was sure it was one of two things: an ovarian cyst or ectopic pregnancy (that would explain the negatives). I knew I needed to see a doctor, so when Greg got home he gave me some leftover meds from Annabelle, so I could actually walk/move/etc. and actually call my doctor's office to get an appointment.

I explained how I had no idea what was going on and that I needed to see the doctor today because I was going to Florida tomorrow; I had to see a different doctor because mine had already left for the day--- they kept asking me if that was okay and I told them duh, yes, crazy pain=go to doctor... I really don't care as long as it was an obgyn. The only opening they had was in 45 minutes. Sure, okay, so what to do with our sleeping kiddos? We then called my INCREDIBLE visiting teacher. We told her what was going on and she said, sure I just picked up my daughter and we can come sit with your kids. LIFESAVER.

I spent the whole ride to the office praying we could still go to Florida the next day; we really had no idea what was happening and it didn't look good for going to Florida. Three hours after the pain started, I was about to see the doctor. The first question they asked was if I was pregnant. Greg said some quip about having to do certain things in order for that to happen (he was frustrated because we didn't think it was possible and they were focusing on something that wouldn't fix the problem), the nurse ignored him and made me take a test. Negative yet again.

Enter the doctor. We told her what was going on and then she examined me. Through my painkiller haze, I started feeling pain again. She told me I look to be passing a large clotish thing and we needed to get it out and figure out what was it in. In my last few moments of pain, Greg held me hand and told me to close my eyes. It was then I knew what had just happened. A few minutes later, the doctor confirmed my fears. I was pregnant, I didn't know it, and I just had a miscarriage. After getting an ultrasound, we found out I didn't need a D&C and I was okay to go to Disneyworld the next morning. I have a follow up with my own doctor later this week to talk about why this could have happened.

The first few days of vacation were extra hard on me. We had to watch out for a fever and extra bleeding (what do you consider extra?) for the three days following. I was so worried that I would end up ruining the trip for everyone. However, I was so grateful to have my parents and most of my siblings with me the week following this ordeal. That has been my mental mantra, I've been lucky. Lucky to have a husband who could rush home from work to take care of me without getting in trouble. Lucky to have one more opening to go to the doctor. Lucky to not need a D&C. Lucky to have it happen that day, as opposed to any of the days on vacation. Lucky to hug my Mom the day after. Lucky to not have known.

The last one is the hardest to convince myself of. Now that I'm home, and not on vacation, I constantly have to face it. It's the first thing I say when I've told others about my experience; I think because I'm trying SO HARD to believe it. The truth is... it still hurts. Yes, since all of the tests came back negative, the pregnancy was never really viable. However, if it wasn't viable, then how could I have had a miscarriage? I need to have been carrying something in order to miscarry it. I have to let the pregnancy be real in order to get through the grief of the miscarriage.

Honestly, I don't know how women get through this without knowing about the marvelous power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Whenever I felt like slipping into a corner and crying, I felt lifted up by Him and His love for me. He not only went through all the pain of our sins, but ALSO the pains of this world. He knows how I feel, and that gives me the most comfort of all. I'm worried about how this is going to effect our desires to have more children, but I'll do my best to replace that worry with faith. Faith in Him and the plan, the adventures, set out for us.

I wrote this out for two reasons: 1. to be there for someone who may need it in the future, like my friend was there for me and 2. it's part of me, and my history now. I want my children and my children's children to know that it happened and how it effected me and my family. I want them to know that no matter the trial they can ALWAYS turn to Jesus Christ and He will ALWAYS be there for them No. Matter. What.

Mickey Memories: Florida Version

2011-05-25T13:55:00.002-05:00

We got back from our Disneyworld vacation last night, so stay tuned for a post for each day about the trip. I'll do my best to get them up soon, however, to hold you over, here's a sneak peek of a picture from the trip.

We met Mike W. (I'm not even going to pretend to spell his name) from Monsters, Inc., Monday at Hollywood Studios. The kids loved him, Bellie kept saying 'hi mike.'

He wasn't the only one we met, but you'll just have to wait to hear about the others...

Growing Girl

2011-05-12T13:40:00.002-05:00

If Jared is three that means our resident cutie girl, Annabelle is 18 months old! How did that happen?!? Gweg and I have commented that she is the same age Jared was when she was born... whoa. Here's her stats:

Weight: 25 lbs (5oth percentile)
Height: 33 1/4 inches (90th percentile)
Head Circ: 19 cm (90th percentile)
Hair: whispy strawberry blonde
Eyes: they changed to dark chocolate brown--- woo hoo, I did make her!
Teeth: 16--- just missing the two year molars
Shoe Size: 4 to 5--- she's got big feet like her Mama
Nicknames: Belle, Annabellie, Bellie, Little Mama, Little Girl, Baby-zilla, Sissy, turkey
Likes: STILL:-Jared, Daddy, Pink Blankie, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, running around, Monkeys, Minnie Mouse, singing, dancing, splashing ADDED: climbing everywhere, talking, purses, shoes, princesses, swimming, and buckles
Dislikes: someone else buckling her in, going to bed, being restrained or being quiet, most veggies
Favorite Food: pb&j without crust, quesadillas, grilled cheese, raisins, chocolate, mac & cheese, yakisoba, gyozas, pasta, oatmeal, bananas, applesauce, crackers. She'll only eat breaded chicken and isn't too fond of veggies (I know, I know) ADDED: her tastes really haven't changed, like any girl she'll eat chocolate any time and hoovers japanese food. She also LOVES grapes and seems to like bananas less.
Favorite Toys: Princess Minnie, Mickey, Cuddle Monkey named Mo, and her baby Belle doll. She also loves to dumped EVERYTHING out in their play kitchen, much to Mommy's chagrin.
Favorite Books: same---Any of the Disney books, Star Wars ABC, Fifteen Animals (she calls is the 'ba bu,' bob book), scriptures
Favorite Things to Watch: SAME---Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sesame Street, Dinosaur Train, any Disney/Pixar movie, Thomas & Friends
Words: She's super talkative now. She actually doesn't like to stop talking. She'll yell for us from her crib, yell for Jared and answer questions and statements (like tell us 'no' when we say it's time for bed). One of her favorite phrases is 'me do.' It's her answer to whenever we ask questions starting with, "who wants {insert something here}?" It's really cute and now it's a family joke because we all use it.
Other New Tricks: She's a full-fledged toddler now. Fits and everything. I'm shocked with how fast she is learning and growing. She knows some numbers, she can count from 6-12ish and she sings her own version of the alphabet. She started going to nursery and so far she just complains when we drop her off. She know when she goes pee and poop, so looks like another round of potty-training is in our future.
What's next: Disneyworld Vacation next week, start potty training before the end of the year... maybe...
How she drives us crazy: Still stubborn and now throws fits. As she has started throwing fits, she discovered her 'high-pitch' scream. I think she may have frightened a few neighborhood dogs the first time it happened. She's also at the stage where she'll do anything to get attention---good or bad--- so hitting Jared is not off limits. Which means she now knows what Time Out is.
Why she's so awesome: She's a girl who knows what she wants. Her relationship with Jared is really cute right now because they are starting to have conversations with one another--- granted, they usually end with Jared telling her to do something and her saying no, but it's a conversation nonetheless. She'll still do anything for him, which is too cute. She's a little more reserved than Jared which is a blessing because things can get loud in a mostly tiled house. We love the fun she brings into our lives and adore watching her grow and learn. Next thing we know, she's going to turn around and be 2! She's definitely not a baby anymore.

Jared: Year Three Stats

2011-05-12T13:14:00.002-05:00

Since Jared is three, it's that time to post about him-- I can't believe how BIG he is:

Weight: 34 lbs
Height: 38 inches--- just a little too short for some of the Disney rides next week
Hair: light brownish red-- same
Eyes: dark amber brown-- same
Teeth: has had them all for long time
Likes: still: Annabelle, his blue blankie, Daddy, Mama, playing with cars, trains and friends, spinning, dancing, anything Disney, nursery---- ADDED: singing all the time, his new bed, Star Wars, playing any kind of game, helping Daddy in the yard, asking TONS of questions
Dislikes: Annabelle (ha), flies in the house, the dark, tense moments in movies
Favorite Food: The boy can't get enough of Japanese food, burgers, fries, pizza, broccoli, carrots, oranges, and pears. He still won't go anywhere near peas, mushrooms or raw tomatoes.
Favorite Toys: any car or train, v-reader, stuffed dragon, his new Luke and speeder from Star Wars, dinosaurs and Woody and Buzz.
Favorite Books: Star Wars ABC (sense a theme), Cars and Thomas look and find books, scriptures (seriously--must read every night or a fit ensues), and Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
Favorite Things to Watch: Still loves Mickey, Dinosaur Train, Phineas & Ferb, Thomas the Train and now loves watching the same 12 episodes of Shaun the Sheep. He also likes Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers on DVD. :)
Other New Tricks: prays by himself--- he says most of the prayers in the house right now. He usually blesses the food, all of the family, and that he'll be a good boy. He LOVES to sing... he currently hits are "A Pirate's Life for Me," humming the Star Wars and Indiana Jones themes, and singing the Mickey Mouse song. He still has issues with getting to the toilet to poop on time, but it's few and far between, so I like to think he's mostly done. He loves to ask questions and loves to be validated (I hear 'right mommy?' all the time when he's trying to boss Annabelle around).
What's next: Disneyworld in 6 days. Preschool in the fall.
How he drives us crazy: He's still as stubborn as ever. He also is very emotional; the littlest thing can trigger a meltdown--- but that comes with the territory of being a preschooler. He also thinks he's hilarious when he shouts--- oui! He bosses Annabelle around all the time and has started tattling on her when she misbehaves.... oh, siblings!
Why he's so awesome: He's the biggest helper. He L-O-V-E-S to help with anything. He's also a great big brother; he's always concerned for Annabelle and loves to smother her in loves and kisses. In fact, he's generally concerned about all around him. He is also really aware of spiritual things; he doesn't go a day without saying his prayers. Even though his nature is loud, he is one of the sweetest boys.

It's JARED's Birthday!

2011-05-11T13:39:00.002-05:00

After the stress of Jared's birthday party last year, we made a new rule that we'd only do birthday parties on the EVEN birthdays. So, Jared's birthday was really low-key. Jared picked out a few presents with a gift card the night before. I wrapped all but one, a catching fish game. The kids love the game. It makes me think some preschool games are in their future. Candy Land? Ants in the Pants? After they went to bed, Greg and I did some Birthdayifying (it's a new word, I just made up) of the living room. And we were ready to go for the morning.

The day was, like I said, low-key. We hung out, played toys, watched Cars, and had fun. For dinner I made his favorite, yakisoba and gyozas (it's what he requested again). Then we had our neighborhood friends over for cake, cream puffs and presents.

I didn't make the cake this year, however, I made the frosting and my first ever cream puffs. So good. The kids, of course, all helped with opening the presents and chaos ensued when my parents tried to skype while we had our friends over. Then the boys decided to use Jared's new Mack storage to ride on down the hall. Pretty clever, I sense some mischief in Jared and Caleb's future.

I'm so amazed Jared is 3. Not that I didn't expect him to survive this long, it's just hard to fathom how fast it's gone. My little baby boy is a soon-to-be preschooler, learning new things every day. He asks questions CONSTANTLY and still has issues with expressing his emotions. He absolutely ADORES Annabelle and is a Star Wars fan in the making (he picked out Luke and a speeder for one of his toys and really REALLY wants to see Star Wars stuff next weekend).

I'm so grateful to be his Mom. I'm grateful that he discovers new things and knows how much he is loved, especially by his earthly and heavenly parents. Happy Birthday, Buddy. We love you dearly.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-09T15:43:00.004-05:00

Mother's Day 2011 was great, and here's why:

Jared was nice to his sister most of the day. He played with her, sang with her and generally made her happy.
Since Jared's Birthday is tomorrow, he brought a treat to nursery. We made Mickey Mouse Cake Pops. They were fairly easy to make; the difficulty came in trying to dye the chocolate. FYI: always follow the recipe directions. We now know better. Funny thing about the pops, Jared picked out Red Velvet Cake as the middle, so it looked as though the Mickey heads were bleeding and all I could think of was Steel Magnolias. HA!
It was Annabelle's first Sunday in nursery. Greatest. Gift. Ever. Handful barely describes how she's been in church the last few weeks. It was nice to sit and comment in Sunday School and Relief Society. She did not want her picture taken.
Greg made me breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was amazing to me and made me feel extra special, he even got me jewelry for the first time (for Mother's day, that is).
I tried to get a nice picture with both my kiddos, but when you have a 3 yr old and 18 month old, it's especially difficult. Life, in general, is especially difficult, and I LOVE that is picture shows it.
I'm so so SO grateful for ALL of the mothers, aunts, WOMEN in my life, especially my mother, my motherS-in-law and my grandmothers. They are the epitome of womanhood; I'm so grateful for their examples to me and my daughter, who will be a mother one day.

Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there!

McKenna Museum

2011-05-09T13:43:00.003-05:00

We started Jared's birthday celebration off this weekend by going to New Braunfels and checking out the {McKenna Children's Museum}. We wanted to do something special as a family since Greg has to work on Jared's birthday tomorrow and I really don't feel like taking on the toddlers alone... for some reason or another.

Anyway, we had a great time. Well, the kids had a great time. I expected it to be like the Science Center in St. Louis, where everyone can get involved; it's not. Since we had a kid each to worry about and interact with, it wasn't too bad; we're just grateful we didn't go with grandparents. Lots of adults in the group equals some boredom and phone surfing (just what we witnessed).

Back to the museum--- it was great! It has a farm, hospital, house, exercise/health area, grocery store, art area, space center, bank, newspaper column, engineer center, a dinosaur dig, a garden and a water exploration area. Jared really liked the art center, the space area (he pointed out R2D2), dino dig (go figure), and the grocery store. Annabelle also liked the grocery store, art center (our kids created some nice modern art), the water center and the exercise games.

They were particularly funny in the grocery store, meticulously picking out all the food and checking it out. Jared even made sure we put everything back (amazing) and even cleaned up after a girl's birthday party rolled through.

Review: It was worth the trip, just as a family, but not for an outing with the grandparents.

Friday Video: Celebrating Cinco

2011-05-06T11:57:00.002-05:00

FYI: There's A LOT I'm post-blogging about, so scroll down, or you'll miss an adventure or two.

The kids like to run around, no shocker there. Gweg and I have termed it 'freak out.' We usually insert the time of day before freak out too, just to make it more entertaining. Yesterday, they were particularly squirelly so I grabbed my phone and started taking a video. Since it was "Cinco De Mayo" yesterday, this is there Cinco Freak Out.

Notice how Annabelle says 'cheese' and smiles for me at the beginning... so cute.

Mommy's Time Out

2011-05-03T09:56:00.003-05:00

Jared Side Note: When I told Jared I would be gone most of a Saturday at a special Time Out, he told me that I've been good and didn't need a Time Out. Ha! Not that kind of Time Out, buddy.

Over the last weekend in April, a few girlfriends and I went to this AWESOME event, {Time Out for Women}. We had a great time navigating our way through downtown, making loops through highways, catching up with old friends, making into new ones, and generally uplifting each other.

I loved every part of this weekend. It was a nice recharge and a great reminder how everything I'm doing is worth the time, effort and means. I had lots of fun memories from the weekend, but these were some of my favorites:

Driving downtown Friday night: I volunteered to drive downtown Friday night. I had only driven downtown once before over a year ago, so I knew this would be fun. Yikes; at one point everyone tried to navigate and suddenly understood why men complain about Backseat Drivers. We actually made a few circles to get to the right parking place and now I look back and it's hilarious.
Friday Night, in General: Both presenters were incredible. They were so good, we started quoting them the next day too. We even met the musical presenter the next morning. :)
Waking Early on Saturday: TOFW was scheduled the same day as SA's The Race for the Cure, so in order to get parking and avoid road closures we got up EXTRA early to arrive two hours before the event started. Luckily, I brought some Phase 10 to keep us occupied during our wait. A bonus for being early was we had GREAT seats the whole day because we were so early.
Jericho Road: They happened to be the musical performers Saturday and it was HILARIOUS the effect they had on the women at the event. I mean, their music is great (especially after hearing them live), and so is the message, but there was literally a pack of Groupies screaming and going crazy almost every song. And when they did a "Boy Band Song" Montage--- holy moly, the screaming that went on in the room probably scared half of downtown. They will forever remind me of TOFW and make me giggle.
Conformity: I loved every presenter (one was border-line annoying) and their message, however, I was really struck with the message about Conformity. The ideas he presented were ideas I've had before, and so I was really glad to hear it coming from another source. I love how he reminded us that the Gospel isn't cookie-cutter. We are meant to keep the commandments and follow Christ, but that doesn't mean we should all live life exactly the same way. It. was. awesome.
Eating on the Riverwalk: During the lunch break, we went downstairs to the Riverwalk (the convention center is on the River---- I LOVE downtown) and ate at Casa Rio; it's the oldest restaurant on the Riverwalk and it's good and lots of fun. We were even able to feed a duck and find Waldo.

The only thing I walked away bummed about was not getting a picture of our crazy fun group of ladies. I seriously LOVE them all and we're already talking about road-tripping to Houston or Dallas next year.

Friday Video: Caterpillar & Turtles

2011-04-29T09:53:00.003-05:00

Jared and Annabelle recently discovered the joy of having pull-around toys in a tile house.

They literally played like this for a good hour or so.

Big Boy Bed

2011-04-28T09:49:00.005-05:00

It all started a few months ago, when we realized our almost three year old was still sleeping in a crib. In our original plans we thought Jared would be in Big Boy Bed for a year now; that was before we bought another crib.

Using his birthday as the occasion, we went bed hunting at the beginning of April. We had narrowed it down to two choices: a bunk bed or a McQueen bed. Jared and Belle are both great climbers, so we were a little worried about Belle getting up on the bunk bed alone. However, I didn't know if I wanted to get a character bed (what if he starts disliking Cars--- I know, pigs will start flying and hell will freeze over then too), but what if?

So, naturally we did what any sane parent would do: we let Jared decide. He climbed to the top of the bunk bed, got excited about there being a bed up there and then realized how far UP THERE really was. Seriously, you could see his look change from excitement to almost dread. Then, we brought him over to McQueen. He was so excited, he could hardly stop moving. We asked him, if he'd like to have it for his bed and what 3 year old would say no?! Not ours. Once we ordered the bed, we found out we wouldn't be able to get it until the end of the month. Bummer. Just a little more waiting.

A week before McQueen's arrival, we went to buy the mattress. I got a {groupon} at Mattress Firm (50 for 200--- couldn't pass it up when I knew we were buying a bed in our near future). Since we only needed the top, we walked out of the store only paying $30 for a brand new mattress with a ten-year warantee. Score!

The mattress arrived a few days before the McQueen frame did, and this was Jared's reaction:

He was literally vibrating. I started wondering if I should take him away to calm him down and then I realized why mess with that? His excitement was so contagious that we let him sleep on his new mattress on the floor for the first couple of days. This was him Easter morning.
Then, the day arrived and McQueen came. Squeals of excitement and "my big boy bed" rang through the house. Annabelle knew something special was going on and even started on the 'big boy bed' chant. After McQueen was assembled (thank you very much Rooms-2-Go) they both climbed on the bed and giggled. Annabelle kept saying 'Keem" which is her version of McQueen.

Jared and his bed.

Since then, he's been doing great. He hasn't gotten out of bed yet (knock on wood) and just shouts "time to get up" when he's ready to wake up. We dreaded this transition, yet, he was SO ready. He loves his bed, blanket and everything about his room. I have a few more pictures to frame, a Cars 2 poster to attain and his room will be complete.

Let's just hope the Cars thing sticks for a few years.... :-/

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T09:31:00.004-05:00

Easter was a lot of fun this year. With all the talk about Jesus regarding SOTW, Jared was so excited to hear more stories about Jesus. During the week leading up to Easter, we read the scripture stories about the last week of Christ's mortal life. Each night Jared would ask to read the "Come, Lord Jesus" story (referring to the resurrection through a song title from SOTW). It was great.

The night before Easter, we dyed eggs. Jared was so excited about this whole process. If we would have let him, he would have tried to put all the eggs in at once and see what happens. He thought the Magic Crayon was the coolest and asked me to draw a monster on one, and a J and A on others.
Also that night, we told him the Easter Bunny would bring both he and his sister a basket and that he'd have to help Annabelle find hers. The first thing he said when we got him up in the morning was "I need to find my basket." Here's the hunt.

In their baskets, they each found a toy, a book about Jesus (which the Easter bunny asked Mommy to make) and a little bit of candy.
Jared and his prize!

After the hunt, we made {resurrection rolls} as part of breakfast. They're basically another version of cinnamon rolls but with a marshmellow inside that disappears during cooking. I think it was too abstract of a concept for Jared to get, but it's nice to know we'll have a tradition he'll always remember. We then got in our Easter outfits (how stellar does Jared look?) and went to church.
Can it be? We're ALL smiling and looking at the camera! An Easter Miracle! (side note: Greg and I started going to ward choir again. It's great; we both realized with our childrens' tendency toward music that we should be a good example of its power and developing our talents---luckily I wasn't the only alto come sacrament time).

After church we had a few hours to get ready for our neighborhood Easter dinner. Kind of like Thanksgiving, one of us signed up to have the missionaries, we each took parts of the meal, and then we showed up for dinner.

However, before the missionaries arrived, we had our Easter Egg Hunt. Jared and Caleb had to be coerced last year, but not this year. They loved it, especially Caleb. Annabelle and Alex were the ones who had to be bribed to move onto new eggs. Alex picked up two and was happy and Annabelle stopped when she realized the plastic ones has chocolate in the middle. That's my girl.

Getting ready to go:
Here's the action:

Bellie and her basket.

At the end of the hunt, we realized Jared wasn't in the backyard. Being Mommy, I slightly panic, run inside and see this:
Jared found a quiet place to spoil his dinner. The goof came inside to count his load. Clever Boy.

I totally didn't get a picture of the whole group, but we had a great time. The food was fantastic and the company even more so. I'm so grateful for the amazing friends we have in the area. They are like family to us. We had a great time making memories and celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's not about the eggs, bunnies, candies or baskets; it's about He who died and ROSE so we can LIVE FOREVER.

HE LIVES!

Friday Video: Dancing Ducks

2011-04-22T09:39:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, my friend, Becca and I decided to tag team in watching our friend, Kim's kiddos. She needed help since her Grandmas unexpectedly passed away. Caleb, Jared's best frienemy, is her boy. I'm sure I've said this a million times.

Mema and Deda sent us this silly Donald Duck dressed as a bunny for Easter; the kids love it! So, we decided to get him down and show our friends.

Giggles and hilarity ensued. Enjoy!

Threw Off My Groove

2011-04-20T14:02:00.003-05:00

These last two months have been CRAZY, with a captial C!

Being the director of Savior of the World was an INCREDIBLE experience. It literally consumed us---especially me. We went through our recent expenses during SOTW and our eating out increased (go figure, kind of hard for me to cook when I have to run out the door to rehearsal). However, the biggest benefit is that we were ALWAYS thinking and talking about Christ. And I do mean always. (I'll write a longer post about the whole experience later).

I've been using this week to slowly get back into my normal Amber groove--- whatever that was before (and normal being a relative term). I feel like Kuzco, trying to find a new groove, because this experience has changed me---for the better!

So, bare with me as I relearn how to blog, communicate in a non-director way, and in general, become a better version of me. It could not have come at a better time than Easter week.

In the mean time, here's a picture of who I've spent the last two and a half months with. We're family now.

This is me and my assistant director, Amberlynn, and my stage manager, Peter. I owe them a lot; they were my right and left hands---willing to listen and brave enough to tell me no. I would not have survived this process without them.

So, again, I say stay tuned. I'll back-post other events during SOTW time, because we did have other things happen... I think.

Hidden Gems

2011-04-18T14:03:00.005-05:00

I found some great pictures over the last six weeks that I didn't want to skip.

Annabelle found herself under my seat in Relief Society a few Sundays ago. Even though it was church, I couldn't pass it up, especially since the lesson was on Journal Keeping. Mother's Day will be a great day---because Annabelle will be joining nursery. :)

Greg braved a birthday party without me one Saturday in March. It was Knights and Castles themed so they all made horses to ride. All we need now is a pair of coconuts. :)

Hammin' it up at Lowe's while Greg and I pick colors to paint our room (still sitting in the can).

The kids and I made a couple trips to the temple to put advertisements for SOTW up in the bookstore. We always walk around the temple when we take the kids and this is my attempt to get a picture of the pair.
After the temple they got suckers at HEB and I caught them sharing with each other on the couch. TOO CUTE!
Don't ask me why, but Jared thought his shorts worked better as a hat on this morning.
He wanted me to take a picture of him and his toys!
Where's Jared?

One of the best pictures of the pair of goofs we call our kids.
Annabelle walked into the sprinklers for the first time on a windy Monday evening. She thought it was hilarious, until she realized she was wet and cold.
Our most recent attempt at a family picture.
The Saturday morning of SOTW we had some breakfast burritos and the kiddos snuck a piece of bacon and began sharing their bounty.
Also that Saturday, we went up to Boerne for the Corvette Car Show (I know, we weren't busy at all that day). We've got every year since we've lived here, so it was hard to say no, plus two of Greg's co-workers had cars in the show. Gramma came with us.Next up---Easter!

'Friday' Video: Driving in Circles

2011-04-18T09:32:00.002-05:00

Since my Friday was slightly busy (my whole weekend for that matter), I didn't get a chance to post a video until today.

This is one of Jared and Belle's new favorite activities. It's hilarious. The video was actually taken on Friday, Gramma came down to see the play and that's who you hear in the background.

Enjoy!

First Swim

2011-04-11T16:58:00.004-05:00

Given the unseasonably warm weather lately (yes, 90s is hot for April in South Texas), we were able to take the kiddos out in the backyard on Friday and let them play in their kiddie pool.

I bought the pool during a end-of-the-season sale last year and hadn't opened it yet. Given almost a years growth, it was funny to see how they could barely fit in the pool together.

Jared and Annabelle still have the same attitude towards water. Jared is very cautious and Belle is very brave. Jared is content with playing quietly in the water, while Belle wants to splash around.

Jared ended up getting out of the pool and playing next to it; this is the closest I got to a picture of them both smiling.
Annabelle used that time to perfect her splashing. I love these pictures because Gweg has similar pictures at around the same age.
She decided that the bucket made a nice hat; she's very fashion forward.

I got out the sprinkler to see if they'd run through it. Jared still won't go near it and Annabelle got to the edge of where the spray hit and that's where she stopped.
I can't believe how big she is. Most of the pictures are her because Jared kept turning his back to me---it's like he's figured me out... already. Yikes.
At the end of the adventure we discovered the pool sat on a small ant gathering; little annoying ones that bite (luckily Mommy figured that out). So, we moved the pool to the patio so they couldn't get us. Other than the ants, the kids loved the pool night and I'm sure we'll be doing it again over the summer.

Conference Weekend

2011-04-06T16:41:00.004-05:00

We had some fun over Conference...

The kiddos spent the time coloring.. Jared made colored a 'Brethren' train to send to uncle Parker and Annabelle colored some missionaries.
Saturday night we 'attempted' to have friends over for shakes and a movie. We got all the way through the shakes...

and half way through the movie before kiddos started to freak. One of these years, hanging out while the men are at Priesthood will work!
We had a great time and I noticed a few mentions of the scripture, {D&C 1:19-20}... "that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the World"....

8 days and counting....

Friday Video: Peek-a-boo

2011-04-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

Last week, the kiddos started playing hide-n-seek and peek-a-boo downstairs. They had a bunch of fun playing with each other and got lots of giggles. It's a little long, but it's fun.

Jared shouldn't be walking on the couch, hence the nagging mommy, but who am I to stop this adorable sibling fun? ;)

Purple Face

2011-03-29T15:52:00.002-05:00

While skypeing with my parents this past weekend, we had the kiddos coloring pictures for their uncle missionary. Greg and I moved closer to the camera to talk to my folks and the kiddos colored in the background.

A few minutes later my mom says to us, "hey what's Bellie eating?" This is what Belle was eating...Purple wax.

Apparently, she was chewing and spitting it out because it was all over the floor under her seat in little bite-sized pieces. She thought it was funny.

Oh to be 16 1/2 months old... This one is because big brother didn't want to be left out of the pictures.... what a handsome devil :)

Friday Video: Fire Truck

2011-03-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

After rehearsal last Saturday, we drove up to San Marcos to meet Gramma Barb. We passed a bunch of these kiddo rides, Jared chose to ride the Fire Truck on the way back to the car.

Friday Video: Dancin' Fun

2011-03-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

Today, while we watched Sesame Street, Jared thought he'd get his groove on. Annabelle then got her talk on.

Marchin' Along

2011-03-16T14:03:00.004-05:00

We've been pretty busy around these parts and as I don't having anything pressing to do RIGHT now for Savior of the World, I figured I'd update.

Greg is hard at-work, as ever. He recently was called as the First Counselor in the Young Men's presidency. He LOVES working with the YM; yes, they can be challenging, but he loves them, so it works. He's taken up a lot of slack since rehearsals have started. He actually took the kiddos to a party last weekend, all by himself. It just makes me love him more. We spent some of our Tax return on some home stuff, so he's been excited be Mister Fix-It.

Amber is slowly losing her mind and loving it! Just kidding! This whole experience with the play has already been incredible. We have t-minus 30 DAYS until the performance and I'm super stoked. The cast is amazing and everyone fits their parts so well. I'm blessed to be surround by people I enjoy, feed off of, and help me keep the spirit with each rehearsal. The production still has it's hiccups (what production doesn't), but we always seem to come out better afterwords. I've had a couple friends in our ward come up to me and tell me that I seem stronger and more confident; it's nice to be using this talent again and I think the Lord wanted me to remember to do so. I'm constantly amazed at how much the Lord watches out for our family, the production, and each of us as individuals. Recently, I broke my toe, so it'll be interesting when I go to direct at tonight's rehearsal! I'm excited for this month to come!

Jared is a silly silly boy. He's hilarious, and with the production, I've fallen out of habit of writing the crazy things he says. Things like "going to chase a monster/dinosaur," as he runs around the house or "ate too much food" when, in reality, he's only had a couple bites. He loves to run, pretend, help and hug his sister. He REALLY LOVES the music from Savior of the World, calls it "Jesus music." He even has a favorite song, the women sing called "Alleluia." The other day in the car I heard him sing to the WHOLE SONG; he even recited the spoken lines. He's really excited for his birthday because he knows he's getting a big boy bed.

Annabelle is a hoot and a half! She's currently trying to figure out the whole 'running' and 'not-running-into-walls' thing. Hilarious. She has so many words; some of the ones I forgot... hair, Jesus, drink, book, Buzz, Woody, etc. She also gets frustrated pretty easy... most of the frustration is usually from Jared. She loves to listen, help and share. She's even given Jared things to stop him from having a meltdown; a little peacemaker. She, like her brother, enjoys to sing and dance. Elmo's Ducks is her current favorite; she even quacks at the right parts. She really loves to skype with the grandparents and is currently learning to put books back on the shelf, instead of throwing them on the floor.

That's our lives right now.... I'll do a little better to take more pictures...

The Year of Disney

2011-03-08T14:17:00.002-06:00

We're going here in May with my parents, brother (and maybe more) to visit my sister and celebrate Jared (and Great Gma's?) birthday.

We're BEYOND excited and I CAN'T wait to see Jared & Belle there.

71 days... but who's counting?

'Friday' Video: Fin, Noggin, Dude!

2011-03-07T12:57:00.009-06:00

Thanks to Jer for initiating the Fin, Noggin, Dude ritual at our house! Annabelle likes to do it the most, but Jared is funny when he does it to the video camera when we Skype with the grandparents.

Check out the newest way to say whats up below:

The Many Faces of Annabelle

2011-03-03T15:12:00.005-06:00

Since she's almost 16 months old, I thought it'd be fun to display her many faces... along with some fun facts.

Happy.

Sad.

Annoyed.

Goofy.

Extra Goofy.

Weight: 24 lbs (it was 23, 13 oz at her appt last month, so I'm sure it's now 24+)
Height: 31 1/2 in--- she's catching up to Jared already
Head Circ.: 21ish inches--- i think
Hair: whispy strawberry blonde
Eyes: light amber brown
Teeth: 12--- 4 front, bottom and top and 4 molars
Shoe Size: 3 1/2 to 4 (too bad they don't make a 3 1/2)
Nicknames: Belle, Annabellie, Bellie, Little Mama, Little Girl, Baby-zilla, Sissy
Likes: Jared, Daddy, Pink Blankie, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, running around, Monkeys, Minnie Mouse, singing, dancing, splashing
Dislikes: being held and/or strapped in when Jared is walking, going down the stairs alone,
Favorite Food: pb&j without crust, quesadillas, grilled cheese, raisins, chocolate, mac & cheese, yakisoba, gyozas, pasta, oatmeal, bananas, applesauce, crackers. She'll only eat breaded chicken and isn't too fond of veggies (I know, I know)
Favorite Toys: Princess Minnie, Mickey, Cuddle Monkey,
Favorite Books: Any of the Disney books, Star Wars ABC, Fifteen Animals (she calls is the 'ba bu,' bob book), scriptures
Favorite Things to Watch: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sesame Street, Dinosaur Train, any Disney/Pixar movie, Thomas & Friends
Signs: She only ever did 'all done' and 'more'--- now she does neither because she talks ALL THE TIME.
Words: Daddy, Mama, Jared, more, all done, wa-wa=want, ka-ka=cracker, ink=drink, buh= brother or ball, car, train, dude, up, out, go, Jiji, Oba, Gamma, Mema, Deda, peas=please, Min-min=Mickey or Minnie, mon-mon=monkey, hi, bye, love you---- and a bunch more, I can't think of off the top of my head
Other New Tricks: She sings and loves it. Most often we hear 'dinosaur train theme' and 'yo ho pirate's life.' She also dances all the time. She's started asking for kisses on her boo-boos. She also does 'noggin,' from Finding Nemo, to be featured in the next post. :)
What's next: learning more words, traveling to Walt DisneyWorld to see Aunt Meggie in May, nursery in TWO MONTHS!
How she drives us crazy: She's inherited the stubborness. Grr. She's also hard at church... it's the 12-18 month range... I'm counting down the days.
Why she's so awesome: She's so cute. She loves to help and follow Jared; she'd follow him anywhere. The two of them are so funny together and she doesn't put up with his non-gentle ways. She'll get up from almost any fall. She already says so much and has such a fun personality. She absolutely loves to read and will go upstairs to play alone, if no one is up there.

February Adventures

2011-02-28T15:11:00.002-06:00

Greg and I got the flu this month---serves us right for not getting our shots. The kids had a minor form of it, and have precided to get better. I got a sinus infection from the whole adventure, first one in a long time. I even played mommy-martyr and didn't get my medicine until after Greg's birthday (so I could get everything done for that). Here's a picture from the worst day--- if I can remember, we spent the whole day on the couch.

Here's the kiddos at urgent care being told they just got over the flu--- Bellie also had a minor ear infection.
Annabelle loves to climb in the ottoman, a lot like her {older brother}. It's really cute.

Bubble Bath fun. They're starting to rub the soap on each others' faces, make bubble hats, etc.
They REALLY love it when Daddy's home (it's a good thing too because they're going to see a bunch more of just him when I'm off at rehearsals).

It's getting nice outside again, so we're going for more walks. Each walk we've had to change the position of one or both the kids because they're bugging each other... siblings.

With that said, they also have begun to prep the garden for us as we get ready to plant our second crops. :) Bellie finally got over her fear of grass and LOVES playing in the dirt.
Our latest attempt at taking a family picture. Even though it didn't turn out, I like it because it shows what our life is like right now. :)

Beautiful Zoo Day

2011-02-26T15:10:00.003-06:00

When we woke up Friday morning, it was the first morning in a while that we all felt good. After breakfast, while enjoying the bright morning sun in the playroom, I lost my mind a little. I turned to Jared and whispered this in his ear: "if you help Mama get ready, we can go to a special place." "Disneyland?" He quipped back. "No. How about the zoo?!?" When I saw his eyes light up and Belle toddle over to the stairs, I knew I crossed the point-of-no-return.

It was the PERFECT day to go. It wasn't too hot or cold. Just right. Both kids LOVED it. A couple moments to remember from this time:

Greg met us for lunch at our typical lunch stop. Jared even knows we like to stop there for lunch because as soon as we passed the elephants he said, "Mommy it's time to eat!" It was priceless to see the look on both Jared and Annabelle when Greg popped up from around the corner.
Annabelle is a monkey fan. A REALLY big monkey fan. Every time she saw one, she got all excited, pointed to it and said 'mon-mon.' She even giggled a couple times.
We went into the aquarium this time and Jared giggled out loud when he saw sea turtles, nemo-fishies, jellyfishies, and Bruce-shark (all his terms, not mine).
While looking at the Lions, Jared told him to roar. I don't think it works that way, son.
We actually saw the Hyenas get up and move around. Those things are HUGE!
I told Jared he could feed the goats, but when we got there, that part of the zoo was closed from renovations. So, we stopped at the huge pond and fed the fishes and ducks. Jared thought they were hilarious!
We went over to the toddler fish tanks and both kiddos loved it this time. Every time Jared got out without Belle, she would start exclaiming 'up, up' or 'ou, ou' (out). Jared called every fish a 'monster fishy'. This was my attempt to get a picture of them together...

We had a great time. I wanted to have a little outing with them because I know they're going to miss me lots of times over the next 7 weeks (until the play is over). Plus, our Zoo Passes expire at the end of March and we're probably going to get passes to a different place... Sea World, anyone? :)

When we got home, we all felt our bodies saying 'what a busy day and I just got over being sick--- sheesh' by passing out. I don't even think we left the zoo parking lot before Belle passed out.

Friday Video: Chair Spinning

2011-02-25T15:09:00.002-06:00

This was during our surprise Birthday lunch visit. The kiddos really love the chairs there.... I don't know if you can tell from the video.

Gweg's Birf-day

2011-02-23T15:08:00.006-06:00

Greg had a birthday on Monday! Woo-hoo! Honestly, it was REALLY hard to get ready for this birthday because of the sickness in our house the week before. The kids and I actually finished his last birthday present that morning. Whoops! Such is life. Jared grabbed the camera and took at picture of me mid-creation process.... just like I planned...

During our prep, we decided to semi-surprise Greg at work and have lunch with him. So, we stopped at HEB to get a balloon and treats and picked up some of Greg's favorite Mexican food on the way there. Jared LOVES going to Greg's work; it's really cute. He practically vibrates in his chair with each mile we drive closer. The minute he spotted Greg, Jared yelled "Happy Birf-day, Daddy' and really didn't stop the whole time we ate lunch.
My hidden agenda while we were there was to make sure he didn't pass through the work day without SOMEONE else there knowing it was his birthday. With an almost three-year-old on my side, the plan was destined to succeed, and succeed it did! The secretary in their area piped up with Jared at the end, 'yeah, happy birthday, Daddy.' My evil plan worked!

Later that evening, Greg came home to his 'mostly-traditional' birthday dinner--- Bacon Cheeseburgers. On our new 'you are special' plate--- since Jared broke the other one a LONG time ago.
Since all of our friends either just had babies or the flu, Josh and Caleb were the only ones to make it over for Homemade Key Lime Birthday Pie (one of Greg's favorite desserts). Recipe from my FABULOUS friend, Kim {here}.

Usually it's RIDICULOUSLY hard to surprise Greg with ANYTHING! Not this year, I bought and made him something he wasn't expecting (he tried to figure out what I made him and even asked if it's something he can wear to Florida--- dork). One was a "Professional Engineer" shirt, the present we worked on that morning.

And the other was {Bucky Balls}. These things are seriously toys made for men; they super magnets and the challenge comes in what you can create with them. Josh got some for Christmas and showed the guys, Greg casually mentioned getting some for his birthday and forgot about it because he was surprised to open them on his birthday. BWAH! It worked!

Caleb and Jared helping Greg open his presents. They were so excited for presents and kind of bummed they were for Greg, such is the life of a two-year-old.

Greg and Josh playing with the Bucky Balls.

Greg had a great day and I'm already excited to plan next year--- turning 29 the second time is pretty important after all. :)

Cuties

2011-02-20T15:07:00.003-06:00

In getting ready for church this morning, I couldn't resist taking pictures of the kids...

With the day-before-Birthday Daddy...
Jared's new picture face = closing his eyes... not cool, son, not cool.

Look at how cute she is!

With painted toenails and EVERYTHING!

We sure LOVE these two goobers!

Friday Video: Bathtime Singing

2011-02-18T15:06:00.001-06:00

Here's a fun video, as long as you excuse Belle's nakedness. :) I couldn't resist putting this up because of a few things:

Jared 'helping' bath Annabelle
Annabelle singing "Pirate's Life"
Annabelle dancing
The Bubbles...which they're really into right now.

Enjoy!

Blankie Tent

2011-02-16T15:03:00.004-06:00

We're not doing so well this week. We caught the flu/cold and we're doing our best to get over it before I have FIRST REHEARSAL on Saturday. Wish us luck...and health. :)

Lately, Jared has been on this kick pretending to 'go to the campout.' He'll take some of his kitchen supplies, back it in his backpack and exclaim, 'goin' to campout Mama!' As part of this whole 'camp' thing, he asked Greg and I to build a tent. We did. The problem came in his 15-month old sister and her attempts to join him in the tent. Let's just say Baby-zilla-3... Tent-0.

In order to keep the peace in the house, the next time we tried tent-building was at naptime---over Jared's crib. (yes, he's still in the crib we thought he'd be out a year ago--- can someone say birthday bed).

HE LOVED IT (it may not seem so in the picture, but he did just wake up). So much so, the next few times it was bedtime or naptime, Jared would ask for a tent. I guess we'll have to figure something else out when he finally does get a big boy bed.... at least it's fun!

Friday Video: Couch Raspberries

2011-02-11T14:03:00.001-06:00

The kids love to blow raspberries, as long as they're not spitting on each other or anyone else, we're okay with it.

On this night, they discovered what happens when raspberries meet our black 'leather' couch. Instead of stopping them, I went for my phone to take a video.

Super Bowl 2011

2011-02-07T15:38:00.003-06:00

As with every year, we had a Super Bowl get-together. It's something we like to do and sometimes we don't even watch the game. We used to go this all the time growing up and we love being able to invite the spirit of friendship in our home. Sorry, if you're offended, but that's how we feel.

This year, a bunch of our friends literally had babies within weeks (or days) of the Super Bowl AND we got back in town a few days before AND I had first auditions for Savior of the World in that time period to... so we weren't even sure it was going to happen this year. Our get-together ended up being us and our friends, the Baxters. We had a great time. Jared and Belle taught Alex the sign for Touchdown. Since he was born in Wisconsin, we taught Jared how to cheer for his natural team (Green Bay Packers). Greg and I even had shirts we dug out of the 't-shirt quilt' bin and wore.

This girl is ready for some football!

And he's got his game face! RAWR!

Jared & Mama watching the game.

The group saying, 'touchdown!'

Greg and I proud to be ex-Wisconsinites!

Disneyland 2011

2011-02-06T15:36:00.007-06:00

Oh man, where oh where to begin.

When we woke Jared up that morning the first word out of his mouth were... "Did-knee-lan"... the kid was excited, and I really couldn't be mad because I was just as excited on the inside. We got up early to spend as much of the day as possible there. We arrived at the park just as it opened--- perfect timing.

Before we did anything, we got 'first visit' badges for the kiddos. So excited! Then, we met Goofy, Pluto, and MICKEY! Jared was so cute with all three of them. I think he was in shocked. Belle couldn't stop staring at Mickey, the closer we got to him the tighter her grip on me became. I was really glad she didn't start crying then and there--- but that's not really her m-o. After a few pictures, we bee-lined for Fantasyland.

Throughout the day we went on (stories down below): King Arthur Carousel*, Pinocchio, Dumbo*, Storybook Boat s, Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin, Nemo Submarine*, Disneyland Railroad, Buzz Lightyear*, Jungle Cruise, Pirates*, Haunted Mansion, Tarzan's Treehouse and The Enchanted Tiki Room*.

*Since we've been home, Jared has asked to go on these rides. I guess those were his favorites.

A few stories:

We went on the Carousel and Dumbo twice. Once when we arrived and once right before we left. As the night winded down, we asked Jared what he wanted to ride again and those were his choices. He really giggled the first time we rode Dumbo, we got him to fly up and down and the culmination of ups and downs made his outright giggle.
Greg and I snuck off during naptime to ride Space Mountain, Indiana Jones and, later, Big Thunder Mountain. Since I've spent the better part of the last few years pregnant, I was really excited to ride all of these rides. I was literally bouncing and giggling when we waited for SM. I know, but Disney gets to me. I can still count on one hand, how many times I've been, so it's a bigger deal to me then to Greg (who won't even try to count how many times he's been).
When I say naptime, I just mean Annabelle. Jared was way too stimulated the whole day to sleep. When we got to the restaurant for dinner, Jared had a few bites and then asked to lay down in Mema's lap. Not two minutes later, he was OUT.
We realized too late that Jared is tall enough to go on the roller coaster in Toontown (and Matterhorn for that matter---what happened to my baby?). Next time, buddy. Also on the list for next time, Teacups--- he wanted to go and no one had the stomach, so we diverted his attention elsewhere. Oh and Critter Country and Small World, both were closed.
Jared also loved the Nemo submarine ride. While waiting in line for that we saw Darth Vader in the space pavilion and Jared FROZE--- he was shocked to find out Darth was real. While on the ride, Jared was glued to his porthole. He kept telling us about the fishes and got excited to see Nemo-fishy (that's what he calls Nemo and Marlin), Dori, and Crush.
Another favorite: Pirates. Jared sat with Mema and Daddy while Annabelle sat with Deda and Mama. When the ride starts in on the song, everyone starts to sing and so did BOTH our kids. Belle bounced back and forth in my arms. We hear that song AT LEAST once a day from the both of them now.
So--- The Haunted Mansion. We prepped Jared for the ride, the whole time in line and he was excited--- until we hit the doors. I picked him up and he wouldn't leave my side for anything. Afterward, we asked him if it was fun and he said yeah... so I guess there was no damage done... yet...
On the Jungle Cruise Greg pointed out the hyenas to Jared saying 'look the hyenas are going to get the man.' Jared's response, "no Daddy, hyenas fake." Can't fool him.
If he hadn't been so tired, Jared would have danced all the way through the Tiki Room. He loved the singing birds and crooning flowers and that's yet another song I now hear almost daily.
Since it was the kiddos first trip to Disneyland, we got them a souvenir and Mickey ears. Belle got a Princess Minnie, which she sleeps with now, and Jared picked out SnotRod from Cars. While getting their hats embroidered, we saw Mickey again which was a perfect way to end the evening.
We tried so hard to keep their hats on to get a picture, but they wouldn't really wear them until the next morning. Now, at home, they wear them all the time.

Like I said above, Jared passed out at dinner, but we were lucky to keep him awake until then. As soon as the car started, after dinner, they were both gone. The next morning, Annabelle having a rough night, was in bed with Greg and I. She decided then to say her first sentence, "wawa go did-did-nan?"

Seriously?!?! Apparently, she was listening too. I guess they had a good time, and the whole family can't wait to go again.

Maybe next time, {Cars Land} will be open in California Adventure. I bet I know a couple of kids who would like to go.

Arctic Blast: South Texas Style

2011-02-05T15:22:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, we had something extremely rare happen in our part of Texas: it snowed. Not only did it snow, right before we had a little bit of freezing rain. It shut the city down. Schools closed. Highways closed (most of the night actually). Businesses closed until 12. CRAZY. The local news even called in an "Arctic Blast."

Now, having had our past experiences with snow {here, here, here, here, and here} it seemed a little excessive to shut the highways down through the whole county. I mean, Greg WALKED in two FEET of snow to get home in Wisconsin one winter. However, when you don't have the proper equipment to clean the roads, it becomes super dangerous. Especially, if you don't have 4x4 vehicles, like most in our fair city. So, we became fans of our small snow day.

We became fans because our kids were able to experience snow. Jared, being born in the land of snow, has seen and felt it before, but he was SO EXCITED this time around. He was running around the house yelling snow and giggling. How does he know to be excited?! While still in our jammies, we bundled up in what we had and went out in the backyard to see the 'snow.'

The first thing Jared said to us, 'whoa, it's coooold.' Annabelle just looked at it like it was a nuisance; that's our Texan baby. She fell, simliar to {the beach} and realized just how horrible this stuff was. Hilarious because she wanted inside from that moment on. Jared ran around for a couple more minutes until he gave into his morning hunger and that was it. Winter in South Texas. We're certainly glad to keep it that way.

Getting ready to go out.

Out in the snow and it's COLD.

Running to keep warm.

She fell and didn't like it.

Daddy to the rescue.

Hands in the snow.

See... it's snow!

Our front yard.

SIDE NOTE: Our friends/neighbors had a C-section scheduled that morning, when nothing was open. When we woke up, we thought of them and their non 4x4 van and realized what needed to be done. Greg drove them to the hospital to have their little girl a few hours later. Seriously, ladies, isn't my husband a CATCH?!?

Friday Video: Double Feature

2011-02-04T15:21:00.003-06:00

So--- since I've been a bad blogger, I have TWO videos today. They both happened in the couple days before California. Enjoy!

First--- the kids love music. They love to dance sing and all out have a good time. This is then when music is on. It's nice to know they're happy. I guess we're doing okay as parents. :)

Second--- we had LOTS of laundry to fold/put away/pack the night before we left. It was nice to have so many clean clothes, but it almost seemed like we were going to be one of those weird headlines the next day "Children orphaned, Parents smothered in Clean Laundry." Luckily, that didn't happen (it was a close call though), the kids did find a fun way to enjoy Laundry Day.

Beach Day

2011-02-03T15:37:00.003-06:00

Every time we visit California it is necessary to go to the beach. I'm pretty sure it's written down somewhere in the 'must-dos' when going to the West Coast. Jared even knows it; our whole drive from the airport consisted of him saying he wanted to go to Disneyland and the beach. See, what did I say? That coupled with the fact that Annabelle had never been (go figure) and we needed a semi-down day after Disneyland, we took the warmest day of our visit and went to the beach.

The kids were so so HAPPY. I think Daddy needs to build them a sandbox or something because they were content to dig the whole day. Mema brought both a pail and shovel and then knew exactly what to do with it. Since they were happy and the beach was mostly empty, Greg and I did the cliche thing and went for a stroll. Even though it wasn't at sunset, it was fabulous. We talked and talked while attempting to find full shells to surprise the kids with. We even saw a few crabs.

After we got back to the group, all excited about our shell findings, we discover they did some shell hunting of their own. It's another must at the beach. After a sandy lunch shared with the local residents (the kids loved how close the birds got), we all walked down to the waves. If I hadn't been holding Annabelle's hand, she would have walked all the way out to sea. She loved the water. So much, in fact, she face and bum-planted in it a few times. It was fun, up until she realized it was cold. Jared was much more reserved. He wanted to hold Mema's hand and stay just far enough away so the water would only get his feet.

We capped off that day by having dinner with old family friends, the Stakers (minus sickie mom). It was a lot of fun and I feel idiotic for not getting any pictures. Greg and I then extended our night by going to a movie (a date is another 'must-do' when we go to Cali). True to parental form, we saw Tangled. and LOVED it.

California Days

2011-02-02T15:29:00.005-06:00

We had so much fun on our week-long excursion to California! Here's how the week went:

Wednesday, Travel Day: For traveling with two toddlers, this went pretty well. Jared paid less attention to the DVD player this time; he had a 20 minute limit to anything we did. But, he was so excited to be on the plane, up in the sky, and going to California. Besides being really wiggly (which is her shtick right now) Belle was fine. She even kept her headphones on for five whole seconds! Our biggest problem came in the descent because Jared decided that would be the best time for a breakdown, which led to ear problems, which led to being even MORE upset. Poor kid, but as soon as we landed, everything was forgotten. We rounded out the day with an In 'n Out lunch and evening at the Park. Low key since we went to Disneyland the next day.

Thursday, Disney Day: This day will have it's own post, check back later.

Friday, Beach Day: See above.

Saturday, Mema's Birthday: Our whole reason to come out was to celebrate Mema's birthday with her. So, we did by letting her take us shopping {it's one of her favorite things to do, so why complain? ;) } Jared spent some time with her in the backyard picking oranges from their tree and looking for lizards, so cute. Annabelle then met her California great-grandmas when they came over for dinner. The kids really took to them and we have some great pictures of playing and reading. When it came time for cake and presents, Jared and Belle knew where to be--- hanging around Mema.

Sunday, the Sabbath: After church, we spent extra time with Mema and Deda before we drove down to the 'desert' to see more family/friends--- the Moniz/Green clan (missing a couple members). We had a great time; Jared and Addie greeted each other like long-lost friends (so cute). Greg even drove over to pick up Gramma/Auntie Elaine so she could see everyone and have dinner. We absolutely adore the Moniz clan and were so grateful to see them. It felt so natural and comfortable hanging out with Ash and Jer. Greg and I talked about how much we miss them; I have a hard time thinking about how much I miss Ash, so I try not to. :) We talked and even played a few rounds of Texas hold 'em--- and shocker of shockers--- I was the big winner (don't worry, we use m&ms). We even made tentative plans to celebrate the four of us entering the third decade in the next few years.

Monday, The Catch-all day: After going to bed way to late for being Toddler parents, Ash and I took a morning drive to gather donuts for the crew; we even accidently found the Redlands Temple on the way. It was very reminscient of all the times we spent in high school and college in those same places talking about oodles and oodles of stuff. It. was. awesome. Since it rained the night before, we let the kids run around together until it was time for lunch at Cafe Rio (which I had never been to before). The kids topped off the visit by playing in the fountain just outside before we had to make the trip back up to Camarillo. We seriously miss them and you can bet I'm going out again once new baby Green is born. :) Once back in Ventura County, we spent family time at the park. The kiddos were so cute and so BRAVE. Mema and I got them really excited about a tunnel slide and, for a few minutes, they did laps to go on it. Up the stairs, down the slide, make animal noises, repeat. We ended the night at a favorite pizza place right near the beach (so a tradition now---it reminded me of a place we used to go to in Ogden).

Tuesday, The Send-off: Luckily, we didn't have a early flight because the main freeway to the airport had two huge accidents. We actually took our time and met Deda for brunch at IHOP. Jared tried to soak up every moment with Mema while Annabelle used the straws to perfect her walrus impression. The flight back was great; Jared was so excited to go home, he even asked for his friends when we landed.

Jared is already asking when we're going back... All of us definitely had a good time.

Friday Video: IKEA Spinning

2011-01-28T15:08:00.002-06:00

While at IKEA last Friday, Jared hitched a ride on the cart. He and Daddy quickly found out the best way to have fun with it. It's short, but really cute.

January Happenings

2011-01-25T15:08:00.004-06:00

We've had a pretty busy January, so I'm using that as an excuse as to why I haven't been the world's best blogger. However, since I'm also using this as a Family History tool, I know I need to get some things written down. Especially since we're going to California for a week tomorrow.

We spent the first part of the month down with our first visit of the Stomach bug (another reason for my lack of blogging). Luckily, it was short-lived, yucky, but short-lived. This was taken the morning Belle got it. She fell asleep in my arms during Sesame Street.

After recovering, we had a beautiful 70-degree day. Since it was so lovely, we decided to enjoy it outside. Jared spent the time digging in the dirt in an attempt to 'make another tree' and Annabelle paced the concrete-backporch (she doesn't do grass yet) posing for pictures.

This past weekend, we made a trip up to Austin to see Gramma and finalize Gweg's traffic ticket. Since we were up there, we went to IKEA for a few 'necessities.' Here's Jared conquering the furniture.

The next day, Saturday we went all around the city. First, we visited a stake on the other side of town to talk because this month I was called to be the DIRECTOR of our stake's production of Savior of the World. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, anyway... we went out there to chat and since we were on that side of town we went to our favorite place, the Zoo. Here's what happened on the way home.

Like I mentioned, we are off to California to celebrate Mema's birthday. We may even go to the beach and visit Disneyland, but you'll just have to wait and see.