Special visitor

Last week we had a special visitor come.  Yep, it was little baby Allyson. She is 5 mos. old already.  The girls had a blast playing with her.  I made a nice dinner of individual lasagnas and salad.  Cynthia brought some yummy cookies for dessert.

Thanks girls for coming to visit us.  We love you both!!

Saturday night remodel

We have been talking about painting the dinning room for a while now.  I wanted to do the window wall red.  So Kent sad to pick a red and lets paint it!  Saturday we had errands to do, we stopped by Dunn Edwards and bought the red paint. We were gone almost the entire day.  When we got home I cleaned the walls and Kent took the blinds down.  We started painting at 9:00 P.M. Which actually worked well because the girls were sleeping and not in our way.  We were done by 11:00 P.M..

Here is the before:

 The after:

The walls that are white with be beige like the rest of the house and I need to get a valance or curtains and some wall art.  I think for now its a 100% better!!  I love it!!

Girls, Cheesecake and update

Hello, are you there?  I often wonder about this blog thing.  Sometimes I feel like why do I bother?   Other times, I enjoy posting pictures and remembering the memories as I type it out.  The I wonder does anyone even read my blog?  Should I continue blogging?  Would I be missed if I didn't blog anymore?  Many of my friends have stopped blogging and so I am being forced to stalk blogs of people I don't know but would like to know.  So if you read my blog, would you do me a favor and "follow" me by opening a FREE google account?  Also, if you stop by, would you mind just leaving me a little "hello" in the comments so that I know who you are and so I feel like the blog is worth doing?

Thank you in advance.

UPDATE:  

17 day diet

Started 2/4/11 as of today 56 lbs down and several dress sizes.

I actually can go into ANY store and buy something off the rack.  No more Lane Bryant or Avenues for this girl.  I have never been a great shopper but I have to stay in the last couple of months its been kind of fun.  I need to get a job so that I can shop now. =)

The other day Hannah was eating a peach in her stroller.  That kid is so funny.

 This kid is in love with Nutella on toast!! 

The other day I went to Gina's blog (Ginas Skinny Recipe blog), she had a recipe for Pumpkin swirl cheesecake.  My hubby is a huge fan of pumpkin so I decided to make them for him.  I used Truvia instead of sugar and whole wheat flour instead of white flour, but the cakes came out perfect and a big hit with Kent and Hannah.  I think next time I will use sugar free jam instead of pumpkin to change things up.

Happy Monday friends!!  Don't forget to "follow" me and leave a comment.

Thanks!!

The Happiest Place on Earth.

No, not Nordstroms!!

 Disneyland!

My friend had a couple of tickets that were expiring 10/1/11, she asked if I could use them, only catch was I had to go this week.  I hadn't planned on another amusement park since we just were at Knott's on Sunday. However, I could not give up FREE tickets.  I decided, what the heck you only live once and your kids are only little for a short time.  I called Amy into school sick and we went to spend the day with Micky!   I figured it was an education, right? It was just the 3 of us and we had an absolute ball.  We laughed and giggled and stayed until the park closed at 8:00 p.m..  You know these are the great memories that my girls will have forever.  Someday they will have great stories to tell their kids about ditching school with mom.  

These sweets girls, I wish I could bottle them up!

 Amy asked to pose by the waterfall.

 Matterhorn baby!

 Only bummer, is this cute had to sit alone a couple of times.

 Tea cups!  I hate to spin around in circles, they thought it was so funny to try and make me sick!!  

It's a Small world after all........

 Roger Rabbit

 Ahh, finally some piece and quiet!

 Whatever you do, do not give this girl a drivers license.

 Okay she can drive this.

 We went in Micky's house.

What a great day, the weather was PERFECT.  The park was practically ours until about 2:00 p.m. then by about 4 it was crowded.  We didn't care we had a great day.  I think we went on almost everything.  Pirates was closed = boo, Splash Mountain, Raiders of the lost Ark and Thunder Mountain = Hannah didn't meet the height requirement so we couldn't go on.  Other then that I think we did it all!  She loved the Haunted house so we rode that twice.  Again, we had a great time. 

 Thanks Judi for the tickets!!

All in a weekend....

I think I am glad it's Monday.  We had such a busy and fun filled weekend.

Kent has been working in Northridge a lot so he gets home later then usual the last few weeks.  Anyway, my friend Michelle had asked if amy and I wanted to join them Friday night at the movies.  Unfortunately, Kent didn't get home until 7 p.m. and that is the time the movie started.  I don't like taking Hannah to the movies yet, she is the only one of my three that just can't sit through it.  So I had to back out.   Kent had asked me to get all our weekend errands done on Saturday while he was working so that on Sunday we could have a family fun day instead of a family run errands day.  So me and the girls went and did some of the errands, however, Hannah was very tired and getting cranky, she had a sleepover in Amy's room the night before, I don't think either of them got a very good nights sleep.  We ended up coming home so I could give her a much needed nap.  After Rick got home from work, he watched the girls so Kent and I could just run to Staters and get the rest of the groceries (after stopping at Starbucks for a skinny carmel frap).  It was so nice to have a drink without sharing it with the kids!!  We made a nice dinner at home and then Amy and I ran to The Crossings to catch the 7:40 p.m. show of DolphinTale. Great movie!!  It was so nice to have a "date" with my little girl.  We talked, laughed and I just really enjoyed some alone time with her.  I think I need to make this a regular thing in in our lives.  A little one on one girl time!! Thanks Amy for a fun night!  You rock pumpkin!

Oh, while we were enjoying the movies Hannah and daddy went to wash his work truck, then they went to Pinkberry for a treat and then to Trader Joe's to pick up a few things for breakfast in the morning.  They had a good time too. =)

Sunday Funday-

Kent made us whole wheat blueberry pancakes with sugar free syrup! Can you say YUMMY!!  I haven't had pancakes in a long time, they tasted so good.  We then headed off to church.  After church we packed up snacks, water and grabbed some sweatshirts then headed to Knott's.  (I must say we go so much, that I am getting a bit bored with it)  the girls on the other hand love it!  It was EMPTY!!  We walked onto every ride. I think the only wait was the 2nd time on the log ride ride and it might have been 10 minutes.  The weather was perfect too.  We ended up staying until the park closed at 5:30 p.m..    

Just a few pictures of the fun day we had.  

Only thing that would have been better is if Rick would have come. 

Trip to Simi Valley

Kent is remodeling my old office in Northridge, its the place where we met 10.5 yrs ago.  Since he was working last weekend, I decided to take the girls to Simi Valley.  We visited with my family and then when Kent was off of work he met us at my parents house.  We all went to dinner then followed each other home. My parents will be leaving soon on a motorhome trip, this gave us a chance to visit with them before they leave. 

Little miss attitude.

 When we visit with my parents I always put pony tails in the girls hair, my dad LOVES pony tails.  When we were little he use to chase me and my sister alll over the neighborhood, tackle us and kiss our whole face.  We LOVED it!!  As we got older he had to be more creative in catching us.  Now that I have little girls its so fun to carry on the tradition.  Hannah had practiced running fast at home, so papa couldn't catch her.  Well, she forgot and walked right up to him.  He was able to grab her and kiss her without a chase.  Amy on the other hand is a fast runner.  She knows that papa will be giving chase, so she stands in the doorway.  Well, papa is much more creative now and he tells Kory (my nephew) to block or hold Amy.  He does and then papa just had to grab her.  So not fair!!!  Papa is cheating in his old age!

 Kory the little stinker.

What this?  Aunt Tami stopped by?  I don't believe it!  She is never around!!

 My momma, she is on a knitting kick.  She makes beanies and my sister in law sales them for her.  I will post a picture of some of them, if anyone is interested in buying them just let me know.  

 My daddy with Amy.

 Then Hannah had to get a picture too.

After dinner we stopped by my brothers house.  He was at the USC game but we had a nice visit with my sister in law and their kids.  I guess my camera was in the car so no pictures of that.  Sorry!  Anyway, we had a nice day with the family.  So thankful for all of them.

Love ya!!

and the Award goes to

AMY!!!

Last Friday she got an award for:

Demonstrating the Life Skills of Friendship

Here are my favorite girls before school.

 Hannah makes the funny faces, when I want to get a picture. UGH.

 All the classes coming into the cafeteria. Do you remember sitting on the dirty floor in the cafeteria?  I remember how gross it felt every time I go in and watch an awards assembly.  I don't get why they don't put the benches down for them to sit on.

 Hannah with her friend Lexie, she brother was getting an award that day too.

 Amy receiving her award from the principle.

 Reading it making sure it was right.

 Not sure why she is laughing but I thought it was cute.

 Very proud girl.

 Amy with her Teacher and Hannah had to jump in the picture too.

 Amy on her way back to class.

Way to go AMY!! We are so proud of you, glad you are a friend to everyone.

Love you big girl!!

My little gymnast

Thursday, Amy started gymnastic.  She has been wanting to do gymnastics for a long time.  However, it never seemed to fit into our lives.  Since I am only working one day a week, we thought this was now the time.  Plus, with always going and doing stuff on the weekends soccer and basketball never seem to work for us.  Gymnastics a week day sport = PERFECT!

 She needs to strengthen her arms.

 Happy girl, she smiled the whole time.

 She connected with this little girl immediately.  They were together the whole time.

 Push ups.

 he did the most of her class on these.  Shortly after I took the picture the other girls fell off.  Way to go Amy.

Amy had a blast, now Hannah wants to join too.  I am going to try a few weeks of just Amy and then probably sign Hannah up too.