Movie Night & Memorial Day Potluck

The weekend was jammed packed with togetherness activities. On Sunday night after church a group of 32 (!) of us headed to the movies to see "Night at the Museum 2." Even Kyler got to come this time (the babies stayed home with G-mama - thanks G-mama). It was a way cute movie - I laughed at sooo many parts. Ask Kyler what his favorite part was, and he'll say, "The monkeys slapping each other." He even laughed out loud at that part.

Then today we went to Heartwell Park for our traditional Memorial Day potluck. It was a lot of fun. Not too hot, even cool at times. We played "Top Toss" (it is our favorite game right now), baseball (actually over the line), Scrabble (I won!), pulled kids around in the wagon, went to the playground, and generally had a good time. The food was yummy (as always) and not even a piece of fried chicken was there (a major event as potlucks go).

It was a great weekend and despite the many activities we squeezed in, a relaxing one. The babies actually slept in until 8:00 every morning. I'll be sad to have to get up early again for work tomorrow, but summer is only 18 school days away!

Chili Cookoff!

Last night we invited some people over from church for a chili cookoff. It was Nana's idea and I was glad to organize it. We had six different chilis to vote on and enjoy. Everyone had a lot of fun tasting each one over and over trying to pick their favorties. When our bellies were full, we played some games (our new "Top-Toss game was a big hit) and then tried to find room for some dessert. Traci was the big winner of the best chili (by a landside I must mention). Terri's was second and as first runner-up, she is ready at any moment to take over the title and duties of chili cookoff champion should Traci not be able to. :-) All decided that this was so much fun, that it needs to become an annual event. So get ready, we'll need six new chili's to sample!

Planes Of Fame

On Saturday, we went to an air show at the Chino airport called "Planes of Fame." It was a bit on the warm side. We had to slather on the sunscreen more than once and bought somewhere around 10 bottles of water. Jason got the award for the best accessory to bring - umbrellas! It was at least 5 degrees cooler under them and much nicer for the babies especially when they were napping. Kassidy did not have much of a fun time, we think she might be teething. Kyler loved all the planes and getting to hang out with Jesse Reid. In fact the Reids from church were the ones who told us about the show and asked if we wanted to tag along. Jason of course said yes, so we packed up and went.

Some of the highlights of what we saw:

-C-17 (we got to go inside of it and later see it fly)

-A-10 Warthog (we watched it's pre-flight check)

-WW II and Korean War vintage aircraft

The guys had a good ol' time, and the girls did too. It was a good family outing and nice (but warm) way to spend a Saturday.

1 Year Check-Up

Today Konner and Kassidy had their 1 year check-ups. All is well, we have two healthy little ones! Here are their stats:
-Kassidy: 17 pounds, 10 ounces, 29 inches tall (that's 2 feet 5 inches according to Uncle Jeremy)
-Konner: 17 pounds, 12 ounces, 29 inches tall

Yep, you read that right...Konman weighs more than Kass does! He has been lighter than her his whole life, significantly so at some times, but I think he is a much "better" eater right now, so he has passed her up.

Kassidy is on her growth percentile chart for both height and weight, she is average for height, low on weight, but on the chart nonetheless. Konner, on the other hand, is just under for weight, but has finally made his chart for height. I have never been worried, my kids are growing at a good pace (they did more that triple their birth weight like they say they are supposed to do), but since they are twinsies and were preemie, we have always been on the teeny-meany side.

But the doctor gave them the A-OK, the nurse gave them their shots (Kassidy was soooo not happy with that part), and we were on our way. Our next check up is in 3 months.

Road Trip

This past weekend we had the pleasure of attending one of my cousin's wedding up north a little before San Francisco. The wedding was on Saturday in the afternoon, so we decided it would be easier to make a weekend of it and drive up on Friday. We traveled with my parents and G-mama in two cars, so we were able to split up the kids. Kyler went with Grammy and Granddaddy and the babies with Jason and me. My friend Kim from work so kindly let me borrow her car DVD players, so the kids were fairly entertained the whole way up there. We made pretty good time, even though we stopped several times to let everyone stretch and eat.

We arrived in Dublin (or maybe Pleasonton) right about dinner time, so in true vacation fassion they first thing we did was eat. We headed to the local "Town Center," ate, window shopped, actaully shopped and then had dessert. I had never been to Coldstone before, and I now know what I had been missing - yum, yum! Everyone was pretty beat from a full day of driving, so all slept very well.

We had a lot of time the next morning before the wedding, and since the hotel agreed to let us have a late check out time, we found a nearby park to the kids run around and play at. We spent about an hour there, and then it was back to the hotel to get cleaned up and pretty for the wedding.

The wedding was outside at a small residential clubhouse park. It was warm and sunny, but did get shady at the end of the ceremony (of course). It was a sweet and short ceremony. I had a lot of family in the wedding party, and every looked so great. The bride, Jessica, was a true princess, and Danny my cousin was just so happy and proud. For the reception we headed over to the reception hall, had a yummy dinner, listened to some heartwarming stories and speeches, and visited with friends and family.

We decided to try to drive part of the way home that night, so that we wouldn't get in so late on Sunday, since we had to schedule in church. After getting to the wonderful town of Buttonwillow, we decided to call in quits. We went to Bakersfield for Sunday morning services. It was nice to see some of our out of town friends and then drove the rest of the way home.

It being Mother's Day, we didn't really have any special events going on. Normally, when at home, we head over to our favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch on Mother's Day. Since we were not there for lunch, after evening services we figured it wouldn't be Mother's Day without our Mi Casa fix, so at G-mama's request we went there for dinner.

It was a long weekend with lots of driving, but I am so happy we were there for the wedding and just to "get away" for a day or two.

Janelle

P.S. I included some of my favorite shots from the weekend. Kyler was so cute and insisted he have his picture with the bride, Jessica.

A Day With Daddy

Jason took today off to spend some time with the kids and just enjoy himself. I am not sure it was as restful as he would have hoped, but it was a lot of fun. Here's how one might make their own "Day with Daddy."

1. Begin with an art project. Today's activity: Mother's Day pictures for mommy. (Okay, so it is a day late, but soooo cute nonetheless.)
2. Let small ones rest up, let older watch first movie of day.

3. Load all children in the car and take to special nearby park. Fight unusually large crowd for it being school time and a Monday.

4. Play at park, watch the ducks and turtles, go on swings. (From Kyler: "The bad news was the bottoms cannons were not working. The tops ones were, that was the good news.") 5. Load all kids back in car and take to fast food lunch (McDonald's here we come!).
6. Return home, watch second movie of the day, take naps and actually have all three kids sleeping at once for exactly one half hour.

7. Welcome mommy home.

8. Eat dinner, watch half of third movie of the day while mommy runs an errand.

9. Go for walk, get and enjoy frozen yogurt, go to bed early (because daddy wore them out).

All involved had a great time and I am sure they can't wait until they can do it again.

Janelle

Being a Mom....

Here is what being a mom means to me:

-I answer to "Mama"

-I can carry two babies, a purse and a diaper bag all at the same time if I need to

-One of the days I am proud of was when I went to the grocery store with all three kids by myself

-I have to get a kiss and hug good-bye every time I leave for somewhere from Kyler, even if it is just to the corner for an hour of tutoring

-I can have the "mom" voice

-I have learned to love the Disney Channel

-The tunes in my car consist of kid CD, my favorite on is Imagination Movers

-My husband chastises me for my bad housekeeping, but the kids are loved

-All TV shows are watched by DVR, and I am very thankful for the pause button

-I haven't had a hot meal in ages, I am always getting the babies their food, and therefore get to eat last

-Very often I read the same story multiple times in a row

-I just about have the movie "Cars" memorized

-I know the local Babies 'R Us like the back of my hand

-I almost never go to the bathroom by myself, Kyler calls it the gathering room or the party room

-I can take one bandanna and turn Kyler into a pirate, motorcycle guy, bandit or superhero

-I get to hear my kids are "just too cute"

-I have a new collection of really cute new flats, they are supposed to be easier to chase down my kids in rather than heels

-A daily occurrence / goal is to have all three kids crying at once

-Throw-up doesn't scare me

-Usually everyone wants to checkout the twins, so I better look decent whenever I go anywhere with them

-I am actually qualified to give advice on some subjects

-I still live on the edge and wear dangling earrings despite everyone telling me I would have to give them up

-You will hear me say multiple times per day "Where is ______'s blankie?"

-I have gone to work more times than I can count with food and / or spit-up on my clothes

-I know all the best tickle spots

-I get a kick out of the smallest things my kids do

-I can see all sorts of different parts of my personality in each of my kids

-My jewelry is not only cute but can double as toys at any given moment

-I count wipes as one of my best friends

-I get kisses for no reason, and sometimes even when I ask for them

-Each one of my three kids is "My Favorite" (read the book "You're All My Favorites")

-I wonder all the time if I am doing right by my kids

-I can finally begin to appreciate all that my mom is and did and still does for me and my brother and my family

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there who mean so much to me and my family!

Janelle

P.S. Here are me and my kids and our now traditional "girl" Mother's Day picture.

Single Mom? No Thanks!

For four days last week and for one day this week, Jason had to be out of town for work. It usually means some overtime pay, which is good, because we can certainly use the money, but it is such a pain. This sometimes happens on the spur of the moment, and sometimes it is planned, but no matter what, it is WAY not fun. I have NO idea how single moms do it. I think this is why God wanted the family unit to have a mom and a dad. I feel like my work is not just doubled without Jason here, but tripled or maybe even quadrupled! The late nights are the hardest and it's the time when you can't really have someone over to help out. Of course one of the kids always thinks that it would be a good time to not go to bed on time, making me stay up even later, and then I still have to do all my stuff to get ready for work and try to clean up the house (not to Jason's standards by any means, but reasonable). A couple of nights I bribed people with dinner to stay with me and help out with the kids. This past Monday, I pretty much invited myself over to my parents for dinner so I wouldn't be alone with the kids for so long. I am wondering if this makes me a sissy of a mom, or smart for not trying to do it alone. Maybe it's a little of both! All I know is, I got married so I would not have to be a single mom. I guess you should beware, because the next time Jason is out of town, I may just call on you or invite myself over!!
Janelle

Cool News and a Fun Surprise

On Friday I was so jazzed to find out that Kyler will be able to go to preschool next school year. The high school where I work has an ROP preschool on campus for three hours in the morning four days a week for a VERY low price a month. (The ROP class means there are two adults who run the preschool, but also there are current high school students whose job it is to design and implement lessons for the kids.) The opportunity is just too great to pass up. I was soooo nervous about him getting in, we were on a very long waiting list, but it has all worked out! Kyler will be able to work with all sorts of people and play with a different set of kids, which is why I think he needs to go to preschool. Vicky from church has so wonderfully accepted my request to be the one to take him there and pick him up. I am really excited that he will be so close to me and that I will be able to see things that he does. It is such a great deal since it gives him the preschool experience without breaking our bank. We are really lucky!

The fun surprise was not for us but done by us. We are going to be out of town next weekend at a cousin's wedding so we won't be around for Mother's Day. This was a bummer because I had a great plan for my mother-in-law's gift. A long while agao, when she had first moved in to her house and we were hanging up this wall frame set, she had said she would love to have family pictures in them. Fast forward to now, both Jason and his brother have completed their families so I thought it was time to make that request happen. Thing was we wanted it to be a secret. So one Saturday a month ago we all went to the park and had my good (and amazingly talented) friend Amanda take some family and individual shots. We got the finished photos last weekend, and I went to work. I basically highjacked her house (with my mom's help) while she was at her tea shop and replaced all the floral type photos she had in there already. The whole time I was just thinking, I hope she doesn't mind me coming in and changing her decor! Turns out, she LOVED it. I took a picture before and after, so you guys could join in the fun too!

Till next time, Janelle