Birthday month on Yellowstone Street

I have realized something about the Strader calendar. We decorate for Valentine's Day in February, Easter in March, From May to July we are red, white and blue, October starts our "let's pretend it is really Fall" decor which leads right into Christmas. However, we here on Yellowstone Street also decorate for September...we have Birthday month. Yes the WHOLE month! It started with mine on the 3rd...I turned 33 on the 3rd this year and it fell on a Thursday ( a day of work). Aaron stays with the girls on Thursdays and Ben came home a little early to "prep" but Aaron had stole the show! She had prepared a craft to do with the girls that day and they had painted a frame for me, and glued gems all over then Aaron printed a picture she took of them and had the fireplace all set up with a birthday banner and streamers and balloons...they even made a big sign for me. It was very surprising!I chose to go out to Ritchie's Diner for my birthday dinner because the girls love it so much. Well not THIS night! Ally screamed the whole time, I ate outside on the bench out of a To Go container while Ally cried and squirmed in my lap. Ben ate inside with Natalie because she was actually an angel. We left frustrated and certainly not feeling like we had just celebrated anything but being fools to take two kids under 4 to a restaurant for dinner. Note to self: next year a babysitter and a candlelight dinner with Ben is a MUCH better idea!

We make phone calls to Ben's Dad, who celebrates the 2nd and my cousin, also the 2nd, also my birthday twin Lindsay...we have just enough time to prep

are for Ben's birthday the 18th!

This year Ben was supposed to be out of town so I didn't even remember to plan anything until the week of. I threw an impromptu night out together and was lucky enough to get 14 people to race go-karts and eat at a local brewery. We had a great time and Ben came in second (he got the Silver medal. Our friend Todd, won gold, and our neighbor Chris

took the bronze. It was a great night with great friends!

Natalie's birthday always seems to take the cake, she is the big kahuna when it comes to a birthday bash! My plan was to escape the party and settle up with Disne

yland (see prior post). Unfortunately she realized that meant NO PARTY, and she is a mama's girl when it comes to planning a party. She was obsessed with plates. She wanted to buy plates for her birthday. As if one can not age with out first selecting the most perfect plates of the year. Plates that represent your age, your favorite _______ of the year. It needs to be an image that sums up the whole 365 days! She really considered all the options. Yo Gabba Gabba a new insane TV Show, perhaps a repeat of last year, pink princess party, she thought about Hannah Montana but realized she doesn't really know who or what she does exactly. I tried for less marketing, maybe red or non-desrcript monkey...maybe a cupcake pattern or hearts...

We ended up with something princess of course...but these had a mix of all the princesses. And so it was...now for the cake what will it be? A Cinderella carriage...quite a

cute one if you ask me!

We threw together a quick gymnastics party at My Gym, a party for 3-5 year olds, that went quite smoothly.

So now that September decorations are coming down, it is time to pull out the pumpkins and scarecrows..because we have to start pretending it is Fall.

Disneyland

Nana, Aunti Cay Cay and I took the girls up to Disneyland for an overnighter at the Disneyland Hotel. We were upgraded to a two room, two bathroom suite right across from the Presidential suite. We enjoyed two whole days at both parks with no lines! The weather was REALLY humid so we got pretty sweaty but I'd rather be sweaty and not wait! The longest line we waited in was for Splash Mountain...Natalie rode it with me and my sister. It was so fun! I can't believe Natalie was tall enough!

There were only two little girls waiting in line at Pixie Hollow so we got a ten minute hide and seek game with Tinkerbell herself! Can you see Natalie hiding behind the toadstool?

We all ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe before heading out for NIGHT TIME Disney, my favorite time! We also took naps and went swimming at the pirate-ship pool to refresh ourselves! Natalie truly thought the fireworks were because it was HER birthday. I wish I was 4 just to believe all things were magical.

Aunti Cay Cay took Natalie to Build a Bear for her birthday and of course Nana couldn't talk her out of a mermaid costume for her bear...

We woke up to an alarm AND had to wake the kids because we had 7:10 reservations at Goofy's Kitchen! What a fun way to celebrate! The buffet was great and the attention the girls got from the characters was well worth it! Ben joined us this second day and we enjoyed the park as a family after Nana and Auntie Cay Cay ditched us for Space Mountain. We rode Soarin'Over California, Natalie rode twice once with Ben and again with me (no lines means you can do this:)

We saw the Celebration parade this night and hit the rode after another great dinner in Downtown Disney.

I have to say it was a successful trip! We will be back for Disney Christmas for Nana's birthday...she is turning 39 again...lucky girl!

Natalie's Birthday Invite! Can't wait to post cake pictures!

Make a Smilebox invite

Family Day

We have these random days of life that we call "family day" the only real rule is that we have to stay together the whole 4 of us. If one of us can't do something we don't do it. Today was one of those! It all started off with a canceled trip to Lake Havasu. We ended up deciding to stay home this holiday weekend. A novel idea for the Strader Four. We woke up and headed to breakfast....Ben and I realized we have two very different girls...in many ways but one of those ways is in a breakfast way. We have a pancake girl (Natalie) and a scrambled egg girl (Allison). We enjoyed breakfast and had a table across from us who marveled and smiled at us the whole meal.
Those of you with kids will understand this part...you have meals out where everyone stares in a bad way and then those meals where people stare in a GREAT way! There is no prouder moment (ok maybe a few) then having a couple admire your kids and parenting. All is right with the world when this happens. Therefore, it is my vow that when Ben and I are older and our girls no longer eat with us and they are off on their own, I will comment to all families who are out and about, how beautiful their children are and how blessed they are...because it literally fills you up inside to hear!
Well, we then headed off for errands, new cell phone for Ben (computers down), car wash(had stuff in truck bed) stop at the park(Ally fell asleep)...so we headed home for naps...and chores...
Chores are my favorite part of "family day". Ben avoids chores at all costs! Today I am proud to report he helped assemble a new toy organizer for the play room. He also repaired the desk moulding, and took out the trash! WOW! During this time Natalie and Ally slept and rested...
When Ally woke we packed up a snack picnic and planned on hiking the plateau...before we left our neighborhood, Natalie was sleeping...so we drove to the trial head...still sleeping...we drove around and looked at all the houses we would LOVE to move to, still sleeping, drove home, still sleeping...no exercise but we managed two naps out of two kids....
We skewered some bacon wrapped ahi, the families favorite dinner, and grilled outside while the girls played on the swing set. This is what America is built on right...BBQ and swingsets?
Well, we all ate at the table, one of our priorities which seem simple but is quite an accomplishment! Both girls in baths...PJ's and Ally went straight to sleep...Natalie gets to stay up about a hour later...and right now I am going to join Ben and Natalie on the floor for a night of Sound of Music...can't wait for the next family night...good night!

We had a Winkie Party for Natalie giving up the pacifier. A bit extreme you may think but I was truly afraid that she would be riding a two wheeler before she would unplug her insatiable sucking! We managed to BRIBE, yes we bribed our child so that IF she gave up the pacifier she could get her very own swing set....well you saw the swing set post right? Here is the grand finale! A swing set/winkie/cupcake party. Complete with neighborhood kids and hotdogs!
Ally who has NEVER even attempted the winkie...I'm sure she'll still require braces....

"That wasn't so bad mom"

So Natalie went to the dentist. Natalie was prepared at school when they had a dentist week. They did "toothbrush art" and read books about it and even role played "going to the dentist". In Natalie had quite an opinion about the dentist BEFORE we even picked on to go to.

My Kid's Dentist, located off Madison in Murrieta is where we went. They really did a good job of keeping Natalie busy! They have a play area a TV room with video games and huge flat screens up above the exam tables. The X-Ray person "Dora" was sweet and the hygienist, Natalie, what a coincidence, was also very friendly and silly. Dr. Seth was a sweet young dentist who spoke at Natalie's level and really won her over.

Natalie took all her "pictures very well and then had a great check up! No cavities or decay. Dr. Seth talked to her about good brushing and even invited her to bring her sister next time. Seriously a dentist visit at 20 months?

I was happy and am also happy to pass on my recommendation to Dr. Seth. We had a great time and Natalie is excited to go back!

Day at the Bay

Jillian and Natalie BFF
A "hug"! Jillian doesn't usually let Natalie show this much love...

Some prancing!

Brayden with his nanny for the day, Nicole:)

Brayden with a little help from Nicole

Love this one of Natalie running in the bay...a better mom would have remebered the swim suits (they were back in the car).

Ally filling some BIG shoes!

My sister Caitlyn and her friend Nicole

Aunti Cay Cay and my poor Allison with no swimsuit!

Natalie is making a sand dinosaur...and Allison is posing!

Ally saying "cheese"!

No day at the bay is complete without a sandy PB&J!

Andrea and I both used to live a stones throw from this very spot. Of course it was many years ago and children and "family" weren't much on our minds. We decided that a day at the bay would be fun for the kids and for us to remember that even though we live in suburbia, the fun days in the sun are only a picnic lunch and a drive (a very loud whiny drive with lots of threats to 'pull this car over') away...enjoy!