First camping trip of 2009...Idyllwild!

So we didn't think we would make it but after trying to come up with a ton of excuses we packed up the truck and headed to the mountains! I made a bunch of reservations in January for parks all over...we wanted to have some commitments so we would camp more this year! It worked this month!

We keep all of our camping gear in two tubs in the garage so all we have to do is dump those into the truck and off we go! It makes things really easy!

Natalie brought her new sleeping bag and slept in it all by herself. She was so excited to set up the tent and lay out every body's sleeping bags...it kept her busy for a whole hour! The other big hit was her own flashlight...thanks to the Bowden's for a great Christmas Gift!

I made the menu pretty simple...hotdogs/brats for dinner and oatmeal for breakfast...along with donuts...YES donuts! I am a complete BOSS over no junk food for my kids but when I grew up we always had yummy junk food camping and I want Natalie to get the same food fun while in the forest...so I threw the rules out the window and she probably had 4 donuts...yikes!

Thank goodness Steve and Debbie brought the percolator...it was a cold morning and I needed the coffee!

The campsite was great - close to town but still well wooded...perfect for the kids! And the grown-ups too.

Next month...camping in Palomar! Yahoo!

Is it a windy day?

Natalie is now fascinated by the wind. We recently bought some kites at Cost-Co and she is so excited to fly her fairy kite...the first attempt we didn't have enough wind and we made the mistake of going to a really exciting park with swings and lots of kids...she only paid attention to Ben and the kite for 1.5 minutes before jetting off to make a friend and swing...

So the next time we used what we learned...waited for wind and headed to a park without swings or kids...it was a success! We had such a great time and can't wait to go back!

Itis hard to tell, but in the picture with me, Natalie is flying her kite ALL BY HERSELF!

Here is Ben...doing things Ben's way..does anyone think this is cool? I told him he was a dork...but Natalie is one of his biggest fans!

Getting ready for my 1 year old...

I don't know if I am sad or excited...the thought of leaving the baby days behind...and the thought of watching two little princesses toddle off hand in hand...both sound a little nice...

Ally is getting her own little personality and is developing her sense as part of our family. It is so funny to Ben and I to watch her react to Natalie and see how how she relates to all of us...even Gordon the cat. She has learned a few tricks (she still isn't walking - but I think that keeps things easier).

She is lifting her leg in an attempt to climb things...

She self feds almost all foods and is unhappy with anything that resembles "baby food".

Drinks through a straw - we discovered this while camping accidentally...

Signs "more" - again.

Says ma ma and some sound that means doggie.

Likes to spin around...finally.

Its a bird, It's a plane...It's the Strader's flying by....

The Flight School....
Check out the Sierra's outside Natalie's Window...

This is the prop being photographed in slow motion from my camera's settings...
The plane doesn't require FULL HANDS ON ALL THE TIME so we are not in danger having Ben hold Ally...the plane gets "locked" into a route...not when we are flying over LAX - but we were over the 395 ...no one was around!

So I guess we are a full blown flying family...the fear has worn away and I sense the feeling of shock when I both describe and show pictures of what it is like to fly around all over....

It is as safe as car travel and way more convenient then commerical air travel..so what is the big deal? If anyone is curious please have Ben take you for a ride..wine country is an awesome flight...did you realize we had HUGE MANSIONS...just in our little Temecula? If we see any celebrity wedding we can even shoot some pictures and sell them to the magazines...

We fly as a family, on dates and Ben pretty much flies EVERYDAY for work...he has a lot more experience then people realize...working with all sorts of students. Even me, yes I will be begin my flight training VERY soon...I don't plan on flying solo but it would be nice to know what to do if I needed to land the plane...

Here are some great flying pics...enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day - Preschool Style!

Well it isn't hard to see that 11 3 year olds are in love with the idea of throwing a party! Complete with Heart Hats, Heart Valentine Bags and a healthy heart shaped lunch!

Natalie was so excited to pass out her goodie bags and I even made a special mailbox valentine for Miss Sonia (thanks Stephanie).

Enjoy the pictures of full of innocent Valentine's Day fun!

And some shots around Natalie's classroom!

MOMS Club

Okay so I stay home and take of my kids...but know what keeps us busy and saves my sanity??? MOMS Club. I joined just after my neighbor Stephanie convinced me they weren't a bunch of mean mama's who took smoke breaks while the kids played naked in the front yard....

It has turned out to be so much more then a playgroup. They get everything I go through to "try" to make domestic bliss look easy! They understand tantrums and potty training, they understand that I don't get to go the bathroom by myself but with the door open usually one daughter crying because I had to set her down...they see me unshowered, in wrinkled clothes and welcome me late to all events!

Sounds like a pretty great group of women - doesn't it?

We also manage to help our community by raising money for needy families, donating school supplies for foster kids, making blankets for parent less newborns...the list goes on and on...

My girls get to go on field trips, like the post office, Pet-Co and the grocery store, they get to sing Christmas songs with the seniors, and have friendships long before Kindergarten.

These moms recently rallied together with 1200 southern CA moms in Anaheim and welcomed Dr. Laura to speak...

I'm not sure who is reading these posts but I am overwhelmed with how much I ENJOY being a part of these ladies - it does take a village to raise our children and I am blessed to have THESE women in mine!

Thanks French Valley MOMS Club!

Family Time

Ben has been so busy dividing his time between the Flight School and the Tuning School that "down time" only happens while he is sleeping - otherwise he stays connected with his Blackberry. He does a good time coming home early and spending time with the girls but we needed a chance to truly GET AWAY...so we planned a trip to Mammoth.

We had enrolled Natalie in Ski School, yes they start them as early as 3 but after switching her day and then taking her our of the afternoon session we went up not sure what I had actually signed her up for....again I needed to get away too - I couldn't even remember what I had her commited to in the end. Turns out NOTHING, the ski school was closed the week we were there. Next time we visit she'll have the chance to ski down - arms out and knees in...too cute!

We did manage to get her dressed up in cool snow gear! Being southern CA kids we always gather whatever we can find and make it work. But, in the end - I figured whatever I bought for Natalie, Allison could use... luckily I scored a great deal through my friend Nicole in Northern CA - she found Natalie's ensemble at Children's Place for a steal and sent them down my way...the boots - .99 on Ebay! Ally has matching ones, I found hers at a kids resale shop - they're big - you'll see them next year too!

Having the right gear made the trip so enjoyable! The clothes fit, they were warm, they were actual snow clothes instead of jeans and an old sweatshirt...

Ben had "heard" the snow wasn't good - it had been pretty sunny for a good while before our trip and made for slushy "spring" like conditions...some of my favorite...I was trying to explain to Ben that we couldn't be picky...we were lucky just to get up to the snow with two kids and two businesses...we ski when we get the chance - we don't have the privilege to be picky.

In the end he agreed with me and I think he regrets not going for it - we're hoping to go back in a few weeks and we will be skiing powder or no powder. On the downside, skiing with two kids is expensive! Almost $500 for the DAY - daycare for Ally, Ski School for Natalie - our lift passes - WOW! Hawaii would be cheaper right??? If only I could convince Ben -

Instead of skiing we rode the gondola...all the way up to the top....

the girls liked this - on the way down Natalie got brave and wandered around the gondola cage - this made me VERY nervous! She liked seeing the skiers below us...it was a fun family adventure and I totally recommend it!

We also went sledding...this too could be an expensive venture...the first place we stopped at was one of those places with a small standing lift, sort of like a conveyor belt. There were only two cars in the lot and Ben went into pay...the lady wanted $25 a person per hour...we even had to pay for the baby??? What a joke - oh and she wanted CASH - was she crazy? Who pays $100 an hour for sledding?

We left to find some FREE sledding and we found it! It lasted only 15 or 20 minutes...but it was so much fun and better exercise! Check out the girls!

We roasted dinner and made cookies and drank cocoa...we watched the lifts turn on in the morning and turn off at 4pm...Natalie had a great time - Ally slept through the night...it was a refreshing few days away...can't wait to go back!

And that Perfect Sibling picture I've been trying to get - I'm getting closer ...what do you think?