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?

Allison at nine months...

Allison is 9 months old (pretty close to ten months). I have lots of pictures of her over the last month because Ben continues to remind me to take pictures of her...he is the second child and claims he is Ally's advocate to be treated fairly and equally as Natalie was...I am proud of the last month of shots but I can't post any yet because my camera is being compatible with my computer...(in fact I am hoping typing this out will help in my efforts to get Ben to fix this annoying problem:).

At 9 months Ally is STILL 19 pounds...we're not worried..she could survive off the fat from her thighs for for quite awhile. However we did accept the pediatricians advice of a bottle before bedtime...like magic she finally began sleeping through the night. This is great only now Natalie frequents our room in the wee hours and snuggles up in the middle of Ben and I. Secretly I love this, I guess it isn't a secret anymore. She seems so big and grown up to me and that is sad...she is my baby, but I love waking up to her snuggling with me. In about a year, she and Ally will share a room and they'll have each other at night. I feel good about that:) Wait, this is supposed to be a post about Ally....see how easily....

So Ally, gobbles food up until the fridge is EMPTY...I'm not kidding she eats and eats and eats...anything! I haven't found anything she dislikes yet! She is gobbling up crackers, fruit, meatballs, pasta...fish - you name it! She is a great eater (I felt the urge to relate to Natalie but I am fighting it)

Ally is crawling MUCH faster now and she pulls herself up on anything including all unsafe objects. She lets go now with one hand and waves it around in the air like an antennae. Ben and I both feel like she'll take off pretty soon. She will walk while pushing something, a toy a shopping cart, etc...and I broke ALL the rules! My friend was ridding her garage of a "walker" remember those unsafe things us children of the 70's spent ample hours in...well, we do have a single story house and all walkways are wood...so really I think we have the perfect house for such a dangerous item...She LOVES it, she follows me from room to room, she chases Natalie and Natalie gets to push her if she gets stuck...you can leave your opinions in your comments. I'm sure I'm not scaring her for life using such a device...and it allows for a peaceful 30 min here and there in my otherwise chaotic household...I'll get some video and post it- it is too funny.

Ally also repeats Da Da over and over...she uses it more in direct "conversation" with Ben...really funny. I get mostly Ba ba - darn nursing, she probably thinks I am a ba ba...(I wonder what she'll call Natalie - oops this post is isn't about her:)

Ally's birthday party is already being planned (I am a Virgo). Even though I said I wasn't going to do anything I am, I mean how can I get away with NOT doing anything...

ONE- Allison is going to be one, that is amazing! She is such a great addition to our family. We definitely are all settling nicely to our roles since Ally joined us. Anyone know how to make a boy - FOR SURE????

Please stay tuned for pictures...
Ben, please help - everyone is waiting for you now....:)

Christmas 2009

Ben "propping the girls" this has become a standard shot in efforts to get the sibling picture down....

Part of my obligations of blogging is to keep YOU up to date...if I don't keep that pressure on myself then, well....sadly I may never actually organize pictures, thoughts, or memories. Ben and I would reach our golden years and stumble trying to remember all the great things we tackled as young parents....

So here is a glimpse of our FIRST Christmas Eve and morning at our house. Usually we go down to my mom and dad's but this year they came to us and it was very special to hear the pitter patter of Natalie's footie Pajama's as she ran out to see the tree Christmas morning.

My mom has "begun" a tradition that Natalie and Ally will get a snowglobe to open on Christmas Eve...she has so in love with it!

Sadly I was too caught up in dinner and cleaning and assembling toys that I did not charge our video camera. However, the few shots I managed to get will be all we need to jog our memories in the years to come.

Unsightly Thighs - An Allison Update

Would you look at these? Don't you just want to sink your teeth right in...well surprise Allison has teeth too! Isn't she lucky to parade around town with such glorious thighs! Of course she gets them from mommy:) I'm so proud! ally is getting bigger these days...she last tipped the scales at just over 19 lbs. It may seem big to those of you with average babies or even petite little ones...but considering Natalie was over 4 lbs larger at the same stage has me feeling like I need to protect Ally like a china doll...well not really but she does seem smaller....

Here some shots from months 7 and 8...she is getting ready to start her 9th month just after the NEW YEAR!

Snow Day

So what to do with the Day After Christmas? In Canada they celebrate with another holiday, Boxing Day. A day to box up all things Christmas and stash them away. Well, I was not about to spend another day cleaning. I did A LOT of cleaning over the last 3 days and I wanted a day off. So we headed up to our local mountains in Idyllwild. It was a sunny 27 degrees and we had a blast! Natalie took a much needed holiday nap on the way up and we stopped first at the pizza parlor to first fill our tummy. It was delicious. Then we picked up a sled and headed to look for the best spot. Natalie ended up enjoying walking around and eating the snow more then she did sledding but what else would you expect from a 3 year old who only sees snow once or twice a year? I did capture a pretty good sibling picture:) Yeah me! And the one of Ben and Allison...well, she is going through a "I want mommy" stage...we all hope she grows out of it quickly. It may have something to do with the two HUGE teeth cutting through her top gums. We had a blast and hope to make it to the snow soon again!