Vail Lake; Halloween

We have been going camping at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula  for Halloween weekend now for the last 4 or 5 years.  This year we were mixing it up a bit and we were going to go to Ocotillo for the first riding weekend of the season.  Then life happened, we decided to just stay home.  (Usually, you need to reserve at least 8-9 mos. in advance to camp at Vail Lake, since we didn't reserve a spot we figured we could not go).  However, last Sunday John called Kent and asked us if we wanted his parents spot at Vail Lake.  They had reserved last year and then planned another trip and couldn't use the spot.  So we decided the kids LOVE it and we will just go.  Anyway, we left Friday about 5:00 p.m., we let Amy bring a friend. 

Meet Faith. (They got o school together)

 They made a rules list.

 Saturday it was freezing in the morning but quickly warmed up.

 Trying to decide where to go next.

 Pumpkin carving time.

 They all did so good cleaning out the inside, I only had to help a little bit. 

 The witch is Amy's, the goblin is Faiths and the face is Hannah's.

Now lets be honest, I did Amy's and I did Hannah's, I did about half of Faiths.  She did all the out lining and then she connected too many dots so I had to do a little repair.  It still came out great.

 This kid and the dirt!  Why does she LOVE to be so dirty?

 We invited Neal, Danielle and Linkyn to come out and have dinner with us and Trick or treat.  Linkyn was a Skull candy alice.  The girls loved her make up, so Danielle did all the girls.

 Hannah

 Amy

 Faith

 Check out those pumpkins.

 This was after the trick or treating.  

 Some other friends we know, Billy and Valerie where camping right across from us,  so after the kids trick or treated the adults and my two big kids all walked up to ride the Haunted Hayride.  Last minute Faith changed her mind and Kent came up and got her.  So she didn't go, but it was fun.  Then a couple of them went to the Haunted house but Amy wanted to get back to Faith, she felt bad for her.  

So we walked backed, the girls watched movies while Kent and Neal sat by the campfire and bonded. HAHAHA.

Another great weekend in VAil Lake.  I think we will book it again for next year!!  The kids really enjoy it.

Good night!!

Pictures

So I having been trying to take a little more pride in me and what I wear.  So here is one of me this week. I think I am still not use to seeing my new slimmer body.  I think this is my head but where is the rest of me?

 Monday was crazy sock day at school.  

Hannah had to wear crazy mismatched socks like sister.  

Silly girls.  I sure do love them.

Lost

Have you ever felt lost?  I don't mean lost in the car, I mean lost in your life.  

Lost with with who you are and who you want to be.

I am feeling very lost ever since I stopped working full time. Don't get me wrong I LOVE being a stay at home mommy.  I have wanted to be one since Rick was born.  So it has been a dream for a long time that has finally come true. However, when I was working I felt like I had lots of friends and talked with lots of people during the day.  I texted, emailed or spoke on the phone to the "real" friends in my life. Since not working it seems as if I no longer have friends.  The "fake" friends those from my work environment, my co-workers, patients moms and dads, other offices staff members that we talked to daily are now gone from my everyday life.  My "real" friends seem to be very busy now and I don't get to talk, email, text them like when I was working.  I sit at home day in and day out waiting to either take Amy to school or pick her up.  I have Hannah and we do some things together and I treasure those moments more then anything. However, being a stay at home mom is a thankless job.  Usually, you only get negatives on what you cooked or what you didn't do for that day.  Rather then kudos for what you did do.  At work you get priases for a job well done. People thank you for your help, bosses and/or in my case my bosses wife and sister tell me how they like when I am at work and they appreciate what I do. Also, finances are tighter then I had thought they would be.  This makes for doing too much very difficult.  I am actually thinking about seriously looking for a job I can do from home. We could do more if I wanted to charge everything, however, Kent and I do not like living that way.  We are proud of the fact that we have basically no credit card debt.  So we live on our monthly cashflow.  When its gone, then its gone....

 I have lived in Norco nearly 10 years and feel like I still don't have the same relationships with people that I had in Simi Valley.  You see I grew up in Simi Valley from the time I was 5 and then lived there until I moved to Norco 10 yrs ago.  My school friends, my co- workers that became amazing friends and most importantly my family all live in Simi Valley.  I miss them, I miss the relationships I had with those people. It's and hour and a half drive each direction, so its not like I can just meet them for lunch.  My mom and I were always very close and my sister too.  So when I was lonely or needed someone to talk to I could always go hang out with them.  My mom and I use to get into so much mischief, we had a blast!  Now my parents are retired and travel all the time, matter of fact they were in Louisiana last I spoke to them. They have worked hard at life and raising us kids, so I am very happy they get to travel and enjoy the things they like now.  Having said this it make me sad when I know my family has midweek gatherings for birthdays or just getting the family together, because I/ we never get to partake in this.  My kids are missing so much with my side of the family, that makes me get very sad. Sometimes I cry. I see and hear others that have these amazing relationships with their parents and get to spend time with them often and I am a bit jealous of that, then I live my life vicariously throught them.

People always say we should go to church and you will find friends, get involved.  Well, we have been going to the same church here in Norco for several years now and I don't really know ANYONE.  Granted I do not get involved more then church on Sunday, I have a couple of reasons for this.  I grew up in a nondenominational church, Kent grew up not going to church at all.  This church happens to be an Assembly of God.  We both LOVE the pastor however, being the type of church that it is.  It believes in healing with touch as well as speaking in tongues.  I DO NOT believe in speaking in tongues.  So when this happens I feel very uncomfortable and in my head thinking weird, as well as I am trying to look around to see who is speaking like that, which then takes me away from the service itself.  Another thing is the pastor will ask us to move towards the middle and take your neighbors hand.  Yuck, I don't like holding hands with a complete stranger.  All I can think about is, did they just go to the bathroom?  Did they wash their hands?  Why is their hand sticky and clammy? Did they just pick their nose with those fingers?  Again I am very distracted from the service and why I am there.  I view worship as personal and I personally do not need to hold my neighbors hand for long periods of time.  Amy doesn't enjoy going either most of the time, the kids minestry really isn't that great.  I remember being her age and hated to go to church.  I want her to like church and want to go.  This then makes me and my hubby disagree and even fight about church, thats not what it should be about.  We haven't gone the last 2 weeks because we have been busy and I am happy about that.  Then I feel guilty for feeling that way.  So because of these couple of things its hard to want to get more involved because I don't feel like its always the right church.  My hubby loves the pastor and the few weird things he can let it go and not let that bother him. wish I could be more like that. =(

Don't get me wrong people, I LOVE my life, LOVE my family, LOVE my kids, LOVE being a stay at home mommy.  Just wish I could figure out how to not lose sight of myself.

woot woot

57 lbs lighter!

25 lbs still to go...........

1st Camping trip of the season

Lake Isabella

One thing Kent and I love about having a motorhome, is that we are free to roam where ever we choose too.  We had planned this trip in September but ended up changing it to October.  Then we almost backed out because we are just so busy, money was tight and had been invited to several birthday parties for the new weekend.  We decided that we needed to get away. Kent has been working a lot and will be working a lot this coming weekend so it was a good, relaxing, fun, family filled weekend.  we left a little later then we had hoped, which isn't horrible it just makes getting to a new place in the dark a little more tricky. When we pulled into the campground it was DARK, we had no idea what the grounds looked like until morning.

This was the girls when they woke up, the middle picture is what I saw when i opened the living room window and the playground too.

 After riding a bit it was warm the girls swam a bit before heading back to the lake to try and catch some catfish.  The second picture was riding to the top of a mountain.  So pretty.

 More riding and trails.  The large tree there had the BIGGEST pinecones I have EVER seen.

 A little fishing and relaxing/

 Riding, Hannah and Amy caught a Catfish! The only one!!  She is such a stinker!!

 The KOA and our home away from home.

We had a great time and would certainly go back.  Oh, it was opening day for quail hunting on Saturday which made me a little uneasy hearing all the gunfire while we were out riding.  YIKES!

Still we had a blast!!

What I made

I feel like I am trying to make and create new foods that are not only healthy but taste good too.  I have been taking recipes and really changing how they are made. 

I had an old recipe for flour tortilla's, super easy to make.  I changed the flour to whole wheat and again in stead of oil I used sugar free apple sauce.  Verdict = Hannah, Kent and Ricky liked, Amy = wouldn't even try them, me = just ok.  The thinner ones where much better then the thicker ones for sure!  

If anyone wants the recipe let me know and I will post it.

 Next up Hasselback potato's.

This was on Tasty Kitchen and was loaded with butter, fat, cheese and complete goodness.

However, since I no longer eat this way, I changed the total recipe up.

First I washed and scrubbed 3 russet potato's.

Then I made a few slices in each, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Rubbed a bit of olive oil on the outside and sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Then I look one laughing cow cheese (per potato) and divided it up evenly in between each slice. Place them in a baking dish and foiled the top.  I cooked on 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until almost done, then I removed the foil and sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top of each potato (less then a 1/4 cup on each.  Continued baking with out foil for about 10 minutes.  The cheese was melted and brown. The kids put  a bit of sour cream on top.  I felt that it didn't need it.

Verdict: me = YUMMY, will do it again.  Amy = BEST potato EVER! Hannah = doesn't like any kind of potato, Rick = loved it with butter and sour cream, Kent = Liked it but would rather have a sweet potato.

 I only ate half, Kent and I shared one.  However, I would have eaten the whole darn thing if I wasn't being so good!

Try it, I guarantee if you like a baked potato and cheese you will love this!

Gymnastics

I finally decided to start Hannah in Gymnastics.  She has been bugging me to go, I just was a bit worried about $$ and if the gym would actually teach her something at this age.  (I did another gym with Amy at the same age and I was NOT happy with the class).  I was talking to my friend Katie and she said she was putting her two Blake and Lexie in at 10 on wednesdays.  So I thought that would be good for Hannah.  Anyway, she loved it and I was VERY Pleased with what they did!! 

Waiting for her class to start.

Lined up and ready to go.

  Hannah and Blake

 Snake crawl

 Hi mommy!  I love gymnastics!!!

 Bars

 They form a train to travel to each activity, Hannah and Blake were ALWAYS together!

 Waiting for their turn

 Stretching

 This cracks me up, Hannah's butt in Blakes face!  

I think we better wear shorts over the leotard next week!!

 When is it my turn again?

 Balance beam.

 Lined up again!

 Lexie and Katie in the mommie and me class.

 Tumbling!

 Bouncy, bouncy

 Little Lexie

 I love this one of Lexie.

 I think Blake has officially traded his GF Amy in on a younger girl. He would call her over to stand with him every time they were done with an activity.

 Run as fast as you can and jump at the end.

 Nice running form Blake!!

After gymnastics we went with Katie and the kids to Chick-fil-A for lunch and they played in the kids area.  They were having so much fun.  Thanks Katie for inviting us to join you guys.  We had a blast.  It was sure good to get out of the house!!