Ella & Jack

E-L-L-A

2012-02-19T13:48:00.000-08:00

When I picked the kids up from day care last week, Kim handed me a piece of paper with Ella's name on it and told me that Ella had written it all by herself! I was so excited! Then later that night, I ran to the store and when I came home Guy said that Ella was coloring in her room and came out to show him that she had written her name. He couldn't believe she had done it with out being asked or shown. We are so proud of her!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

I think Valentine's Day is so much fun and it has a whole new level of fun now that the kids are old enough to get in on the fun. This year is the first year we had to make valentine's day cards. For Ella's I used inspiration from blog's I read and Jack's was quick and easy; I love how they turned out!

Princess Tea Party

2012-02-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ella was invited to a Princess Tea Party this weekend and she had so much fun. It was such a great idea and so cute to see the little girls dressed up in their princess dresses. Ella of course was "Cinderera". The girls drank tea (juice poured from a tea pot) in their princess cups and enjoyed sandwiches and cookies. We had such a great time!

Wordless Wednesday: Sleepy Baby

2012-02-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

LA Zoo

2012-01-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

With nothing on the agenda over the weekend we decided to take a quick trip to the LA Zoo. Last time we went Ella freaked out every time we saw an animal; this time was SO much better! She was excited to see every animal and has been talking about them to anyone that will listen. Jack was his normal energetic self; this trip confirming the need to buy a baby leash.

52 week project

2012-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Last year so many of the blogs I read did the 52 week project; taking a picture of yourself with your kids once a week for a year. So often as a Mom we are always behind the camera, this gives us a chance to get into the photo. Here is the first month of photos with me and my kiddos...

Week #1
Sunday, January 8, 2012. Just hanging out at home playing in the back yard.

Week #2
Sunday, January 15th, 2012. Hanging out before bed time.

Week #3
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012. At home watching NFL Playoff games.

Week #4
Saturday, January 28th, 2012. Day trip to the LA Zoo.

Just a little static...

2012-01-15T15:05:00.001-08:00

Decorations

2012-01-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

The new year is here and all of the Christmas decorations have been put away. I love the way the house feels when it's all decorated. After we had taken everything down I told Guy it felt like we were moving out, the house looked empty. Before everything was gone I snapped a few pictures of some of my favorite new additions.

Over the years as a souvenir I have brought home a Christmas ornament from our vacations. This year our new ornament came from Texas.

Pinterest.com inspired a lot of our new decorations.

and this is my favorite new addition. My extremely talented and crafty friend Marie made this and I love it!

Family

2012-01-07T07:51:00.000-08:00

As I gift for my Mother in Law I organized a photo shoot for the whole family. The photographer was great and some how, despite the kids best efforts, got a picture of all of us smiling and looking at the camera! I love how it turned out!

Disney On Ice

2012-01-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

Ella and Emma had such a fun day! Mickey Mouse was everywhere, on our grill at Benihana and on the ice at Toy Story 3 Disney on Ice. The girls loved to spend time together and it was awesome to have a day with the focus on Ella.

Back to his fiesty self

2011-12-30T15:24:00.000-08:00

I ran to the store the other day and when I walked in Guy said "don't touch him, I want to take a picture". I turned around to see this...

Ella decided she was finished with her Raisin Bran and Jack thought he would help himself, and the chair, the table, and the floor! Crazy kid!

Christmas Day

2011-12-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day was full of family! I am so thankful that we have all of our family so close and that we are able to spend the holidays together. Dinner and desert was delicious and as always when we get together the day was full of love and laughter!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

This year Christmas had a whole new level of excitement. The magic of the holiday is so much stronger now that the kids are old enough to understand. I am already looking forward to next year!

Jack searched through his stocking and found a lolli-pop

He then grabbed it and ran away until he chewed through the paper!

This picture is blurry but I love the look on her face!

Santa brought Ella a "Cindewella" doll and matching "sparkly blue Cindewella dress" just like she asked for.

Cookies for Santa

2011-12-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve we enjoyed the company of friends and family and decorated some cookies for Santa. Ella loved decorating the cookies. She was a little heavy handed with the sprinkles and loved to use the red hots, but the overall result was so fun.

This was the cookie that Ella choose to leave out for Santa.

Decorating the tree

2011-12-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

Decorating the tree was fun! Ella loved to hang the ornaments. Jack was sleeping while we decorated; we wanted to make sure the ornaments made it to the tree! We didn't get many pictures, but I thought this photo captured Ella's excitement.

Day at the Park

2011-12-28T21:35:00.001-08:00

After all of the craziness with the hospital and doctors visits, when we finally made it home we wanted to spend time with Ella and get back into a routine as quickly as possible. To get out and have a little fun we took a trip to the park. It was cold but the kids didn't care. We bundled them up and just hung out; it was so nice!

The calm before the storm.

2011-12-26T21:18:00.000-08:00

This post is LONG...but I wanted to write down all of the details I could remember just in case I need to look back.

On Thursday (a few weeks back) I got a call at work that Jack had lost consciousness at day care and was being taken to the hospital via ambulance. After rushing to the hospital and spending a few hours in the ER the doctor said that Jack had a breathe holding spell and sent us home with some antibiotics for a double ear infection that he found. (a little history, Twice before Jack had fallen or hurt himself and fallen asleep for a short period afterwards which his pediatrician told us was a breathe holding spell, so we figured that this was just an extension of that.) Then a few days later, on Sunday, Jack was playing outside with Ella, tripped and fell onto his hands and knees and passed out. We brought him inside and laid him down, he woke up quickly, cried, and with in a few minutes he had recovered and was up and running around. Again we thought this was just confirmation that breathe holding spells were about to become normal to us, if that is even possible.

Later that morning, we decided to venture out to see Santa. Ella was excited and Jack was in a good mood. Ella and I waited in line while Guy walked around with Jack so he wouldn't get antsy. It was finally our turn; we walked up and put both kids on Santa's lap. Jack started to cry and then almost instantly went into what we thought was a breathe holding spell. Guy grabbed him off Santa and laid him on the floor. Only this was nothing like the times before. He was stiff and appeared to be having a seizure. We called 911 and waited for what felt like forever for the paramedics to get there. When they finally arrived Jack was still completely unconsciousness. He was transported again to the hospital via ambulance where the ER doctor decided to admit him. Jack was in the hospital for three days while they ran a bunch of tests to rule out any type of seizure disorder: EKG, EEG, CAT Scan, and an echo cardiogram. Our pediatrician was visiting us in the hospital on a daily basis; he is confident that Jack is experiencing breathe holding spells because each episode has been triggered by an event whether is be him falling or the stress of sitting on Santa's lap.

Late on day three in the hospital, we were waiting for the results of the EEG; all of the other tests had some back normal. Our pediatrician called to let us know that he had talked to the neurologist and that the EEG showed slight seizure activity. He assured us that this was an excellent prognosis and that it was still likely that he would grow out of it. We were discharged from the hospital and sent to see the neurologist the next day. The neurologist said that it is highly likely Jack will grow out of it. He was prescribed medication that he will need to take twice a day. We follow up with the neurologist at 4 weeks and 8 weeks to make sure that he is adjusting well to the medication. At age two he will have another EEG; if there is no longer any seizure activity we can start to take him off the medication.

So far he has been on the medication for two weeks; he has had no break through seizures and the medication does not seem to affect him. We have pulled him out of day care until he has adjusted to the medication. For now he is spending time with Papa and Uncle Chadie during the day; hopefully in a few more weeks he will still be doing well on the medication and we can put him back in day care so he can see his friends. Ella has been doing good! She doesn't quite understand what happened. She thinks Jack fell down and had to go to the doctor.

The picture below is the moment right before everything happened. Santa's assistant ran over and just gave us the picture. I told Guy that as far as I'm concerned, Jack never has to see Santa again! Dealing with all of this has been scary, overwhelming, and stressful. We are so grateful that Jack is okay and hopeful that the medication will hold off any future seizures. Thank you everyone for your support!

We're still here.

2011-12-26T14:46:00.000-08:00

Life has been a little crazy lately. There is always a bit of chaos that comes along with the holidays, but throw in a sick baby and a hospital stay and it really throws you for a loop! Christmas Cards, gifts, and this blog all took a back burner to making sure that Jack was healthy. Now that things have calmed down, I am going to try and catch up with everything that has been happening over the past month.

Here it goes...

Hand Print Christmas Tree

2011-11-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Pinterst.com is one of my favorite ways to pass the time (its a complete addiction really!)and this year it has contributed largely to the fabulous Christmas decorations through out our home. Below is one of my favorites!

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

"Happy Turkey Day" is what Ella yelled as we walked into both the Parkinson and the Thomas Thanksgivings. We had a great day and the kids loved spending time with everyone. I spent most of the day enjoying the holiday, but we did manage to get a few pictures through out the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:55:00.000-08:00

Being that it's "Thanks"giving and all, I thought I would jot down a few of the things I am thankful for this year...

1) I am so thankful to have Guy as my partner in this crazy, fun, and always changing time in our lives. I know I often take for granted all he does to support our family and keep us moving forward. 143!
2) I am thankful for Ella finally jumping the potty training hurdle. She has done so well and is now 9 days accident free!
3) I am thankful that Jack is at an age where he and Ella can play together. It is so much fun to hear them running around the house chasing each other.
4) I am thankful to have such a supportive family. Long, Long ago Guy and I talked about moving out of state and I am so thankful that we didn't! Our kids' life would be completely different not having family around to love them.
5) I am thankful to have a job that I love! Working with people I call my friends at a place that challenges me makes every day a good day. (well, at least most days, lol)
6) I am thankful the holidays have come around again. This time of year always reminds me how lucky I am that my family is happy and healthy.
7) I am thankful for Zumba and Weight Watchers. Both have helped me shed some unwanted pounds. I am looking forward to the positive changes sure to come!
8) I am thankful for this blog. It allows me to take a snapshot of a moment in our lives that my kids and myself can look back on.
9) I am thankful to have friends with kids around the same age and Ella and Jack. It's nice to know there are other Mom's going through the same exciting moments and frustrating days that you are.
10) I am thankful to spend the day watching football, eating delicious food, and spending time with family and friends.

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

Potty Party

2011-11-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

Potty training may have won the first round, but Ella did great the second time around. It took about a week for her to really "get it" and now we are going on 9 days with out an accident! To celebrate we had a potty party, which included a trip down to Pump It Up (a large warehouse full of bounce house's) and lunch at Red Robin. Ella was so excited for her potty party and talked about how much fun she had all day! Unfortunately most of the pictures I took are super blurry, but luckily I asked someone to take a picture of us as we were leaving and it turned out great!

Pumpkin Carving

2011-11-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin carving this year was fun and a little different because it involved the little ones. Ella drew the face on the pumpkin, Guy took all the seeds out because she was not interested in putting her hand inside once she saw how messy it was going to be, and Jack was more interested in eating his apple and cruising the back yard than having anything to do with pumpkin carving!

You want me to touch what?

Drawing a face on the pumpkin

Just hanging out and being cute!

It's all clean?!? Okay, I will give it a shot.

12 months of Jack

2011-10-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Jack,

I know I sound like a broken record when I say that I don't know where the past twelve months have gone! It feels like you have always been a part of our family. Your smile brightens my day and thinking about the love I have for you brings tears to my eyes. In twelve short months you have gone from my beautiful baby boy to a handsome toddler. I hope one day you too enjoy looking back on these pictures; I know I do.

I love you more than you will ever know!
Mama

Welcome Jack!

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

That smile!

2011-10-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Usually when I post it's because there was an event we went to, or some sort of milestone, but when I saw the smile on Ella's face in these pictures I had to share them! We had just got home from the pumpkin patch and Guy was playing with the camera. Ella kept running past Guy and he would reach out and try to grab her; she thought it was hilarious!

This is how Jack rolls...

2011-10-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

The Sunday after Jack's birthday bash we took a trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Taking a picture of the kids together was practically impossible, but the kids enjoyed checking out all the pumpkins. I LOVE this time of year!

Happy Birthday Jack!

2011-10-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

** Warning - This post is VERY picture heavy! It was so hard to choose! lol**

He's one!! The past twelve months have flown by! In the blink of an eye our little man went from a baby to a toddler. He is into everything and ALL boy! We celebrated Jack's birthday with a monster themed costume party. We had such a great time and all of our family and friends were such great sports about dressing up.

Just a few of our fabulous friends and family in their costumes =)

Me and my Girl

2011-10-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

11 things I love at 11 months

2011-09-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

1. I LOVE to hear your laugh! When anyone blows on your belly you laugh uncontrollably.
2. I LOVE that you are starting to regularly sleep through the night. You go to bed about 7:30 and wake up between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning.
3. I LOVE that you are becoming more independent. Although you are into everything lately, it gives you some freedom to play in your room and follow Carl around.
4. I LOVE that you are now full blown walker. I had to buy you your first pair of shoes because you would almost always rather walk.
5. I LOVE that when you smile you flash your 6 pearly whites.
6. I LOVE that you and Ella can now play together. Fighting over toys is becoming a regular thing but every so often I hear lots of laughter coming from the two of you.
7. I LOVE that you love the bath. No matter how fussy or tired you may be as soon as we put you in the bath a smile appears on your face.
8. I LOVE to watch you light up when your daddy walks in from work. You follow him all over the house and he loves the attention you give.
9. I LOVE that you still have the baby fat rolls on your legs. Now that your running around I'm sure it only a matter of time before long and lean.
10. I LOVE that you are such a happy baby. (I have to call you a baby while I still can. In just a few short weeks you'll be one!!)
11. I LOVE that there is just so much to love about you! It's hard to believe in just a few short weeks you are going to be one. Some days I wish you could stay my baby forever, but I love watching you grow up! We love you Jackie!

(This is the first picture I have noticed that Jack's nose looks orange. Apparently he is a fan of carrots and sweet potatoes just like his sister.)

No tears...

2011-09-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

The pediatrician ordered a blood test for Ella (standard blood test just to check for lead) over a month ago. I have been putting it off because I thought for sure I was going to have to hold her down and endure lots of screaming. I lucked out when Guy's doctor called for a blood test and he took her along with him. I was shocked when they came back and Guy said she didn't cry at all! Ella was proud to show off her pink bandage and said "I had to hold still Mommy". I don't know why I expected it to go so badly, but I am so proud of my little girl. Here is a picture of her showing off her pink bandage and enjoying her "special treat" lolli-pop for doing such a good job.

Look familiar?

2011-09-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Ella has forever used the dog door as her personal entrance to the back yard; remember this? Still to this day when she asks to go outside she heads over to the dog door. Jack has followed in her foot steps and at 10 months old, if you turn for a second and the dog door isn't locked, out the door he goes.

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10 at 10

2011-09-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

Jack at 10 months is so much fun, and cuter than ever! Here is a list of 10 things I want to remember about Jack at 10 months.

1) Jack is all boy! He is not to interested in pushing Ella's baby doll stroller, but he loves to knock it over and play with the wheels.
2) He is now officially a full time walker. He can stand up in the middle of the room and walks everywhere!
3) His hair grows so fast and is now completely blond.
4) He is into everything!! If you leave him alone in the kitchen for a second you are sure to find the entire Tupperware cabinet empty.
5) 6 pearly whites are front and center when he flashes you a smile; 4 on top, 2 on the bottom. (and I am pretty sure today I felt 2 more breaking through.)
6) Still not sleeping through the night on a regular basis. He gives us a few days in a row, sometimes up to a week, but then he wakes up and we will have to go in there and give him his pacifier.
7) I'm almost certain he is going to be my fit thrower. When he gets frustrated or angry he sits on the floor and kicks his legs.
8) Jack loves the water! Bath time is always fun and anytime we head over to Grandma's to swim he has such a good time floating around and kicking his legs.
9) In the morning when he wakes up, he says mama mama. Guys swears his first word was dada, but I like to argue that mama was definitely first.
10) Overall Jack is a sweet and happy little boy. He is becoming much more independent now that he is walking, but his favorite place is still standing right next to you or being in your arms. I will enjoy the cuddling while I still can.

Happy Birthday Aunt Sissy!

2011-09-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

Guy's little sister Caitlin (who all the kids call Aunt Sissy) turned 21! In just a few weeks she will be headed down to live in the dorms at Cal State San Bernardino, so to celebrate her birthday and visit with friends and family she had a big shin dig complete with pool fun, bounce house, and guitar hero. Ella LOVED the bounce house and was always trying to get people to jump with her; Amy often gave in to her request and climbed in. We all had a great time and really enjoyed everyone's company! Happy Birthday Aunt Sissy!

"Cho-kit"

2011-09-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

My girl LOVES chocolate; or "Cho-kit" as she says. As you can see from the pictures below her favorite part of helping in the kitchen is licking the bowl.

Taylor Swift

2011-08-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

I try to win tickets on the radio all the time and it finally paid off! Last week I won tickets to see Taylor Swift on a local country radio station! So exciting! Guy is not a big country music fan, so I decided to take our good friend Danny who also loves Taylor Swift!! The seats were great and the concert was awesome!

Me?!?

2011-08-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

This was one of those too quiet moments we all know so well. I don't know exactly how much was left in the bottle when she decided to "put on some powder", but it was definitely empty when she was done. I wasn't home at the time, but Guy knew I wouldn't want to miss out on this blogging opportunity so he snapped a few pictures.

My boy makes me laugh...

2011-08-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to get a video of Jack making this face for a while now; the picture just doesn't do it justice. He has started copying faces you make or sounds he hears. When you scrunch your nose, he makes the face below and breath's real heavy through his nose almost snorting. It makes me laugh every time.

Snow White...

2011-08-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

Miss Ella LOVES to wear this snow white costume! She has sported this look to family and friends house's, Home Depot, and the grocery store. It is so fun to see her imagination at work. I'm not sure when the princess obsession fades, but for now I am enjoying this fun stage.

Dee & Jeff

2011-08-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Guy's Great Aunt Dee and Uncle Jeff came up from San Diego for a visit. We spent the day outside soaking up the gorgeous weather. Ella loved feeding Grandpa's chickens and Jack showed off his new walking skills. We always enjoy seeing Dee and Jeff and we hope that it wont be too long before we get together again!

Dad's Rock Star

2011-08-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

I love kids in PJ's! I got these super cute pajamas for Jack at my baby shower and had almost forgotten about them!

He's a mover and a shaker

2011-08-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today Guy and I were eating dinner and Jack was playing with a toy at the coffee table. Mid conversation Guy stopped and said "Look! Jack's walking" I turned my head just in time to see Jack let go of the coffee table and take 5 steps across the room! How can this be happening already?!? I am going to try and get it on video to share with everyone.

I heart these two!

2011-08-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

Steps and Stats

2011-07-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

We'll start off with the most exciting info...Jack took his first steps yesterday!! He has started to get brave lately, moving from the couch to the coffee table and standing on his own for a few seconds before sitting on the floor. I wanted to see what he could do so Guy held him while I moved a few feet away. When Guy let go, Jack took 4 steps, and made it all the way to me! I couldn't believe it! He only made it all the way once so I wouldn't say we have a full fledged walker on our hands, but it's definitely right around the corner.

Jack also had his 9 month well baby visit. Dr. Sharma said he is perfect. No shots this time around which was a welcome surprise. His 9 month stats are...

weight: 20 lbs 12oz
height: 29.25 inches

Red Velvet

2011-07-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Guy attempted to make me a red velvet cake for my birthday. Something happened during that attempt that made the end result...umm, not so good. Not quite sure what went wrong, but I love that he took the time to make me a cake! Thank you babe for going completely out of your comfort zone to make my birthday special! I feel so lucky to be your wife. 143

9 things to love about Jack at 9 months

2011-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

In the blink of an eye my baby boy is on the verge of being a toddler. The falls are endless these days as he is already trying to walk. Before life changes as we know it, here are some of things I want to remember about Jack at 9 months.

1) No matter what time of morning it is, whenever you go to get him out of the crib he is ALWAYS smiling!
2) How freely he offers his (open mouth) kisses.
3) Jack's new favorite past time, blowing spit bubbles...constantly!
4) He's a great eater and likes pretty much everything you put in front of him.
5) For the most part he is not too big on being held, but every so often he lets you rock him to sleep and I love those moments!
6) His blonde hair! After Guy cut his hair I couldn't believe how blonde it was! Jack and Ella actually look related now!
7) The way he scrunches his nose and huff's and puff's; I need to get a video of this!
8) How he crawls to me when I walk in the door at day care. It's nice to know that he misses me while I'm away.
9) His laugh is contagious and he laughs often!

Beach Party

2011-07-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

We packed up the trailer and spent the weekend down at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The weather was perfect! (a nice change from the last time we were there) On Saturday, family and friends came down for a Beach Party to celebrate my 30th birthday. We BBQ'd of course and spent time playing in the sand. Some people braved the water (I was not one of them) and other's just enjoyed the company and the sun. Thank you so much to everyone who came to celebrate!

Bookworm

2011-07-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

My girl loves to read! She has completely memorized some of her favorites and we get to see her imagination at work as she "reads" (makes up a story by looking at the pictures) all of the rest. For her birthday she received a book full of Disney Classics. I wasn't sure she was quite ready for the longer stories but she has proven me wrong. When she requested to read the princess book (seriously, do they come with the princess obsession hardwired?!?) she sat through the entire story of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. I hope her love of books lasts lifetime!

This picture...

2011-07-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

makes me smile!

Silverwood Lake

2011-07-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

On Friday Ella and I enjoyed a day at the lake with Grandma and Grandpa Thomas, Aunt Valerie and Amy, Aunt Sissy, and Karina; Jack stayed home with Grandma and Papa. It was such a great day! I had forgotten how close Silverwood lake was and Ella had such a good time playing in the sand and water. We will definitely be going back soon!

Grandpa showed Ella how to skip rocks. Ella thought that was the best thing ever and spent the next hour collecting rocks so that she could "skip" rocks(throw rocks as hard as she could) into the water.

Picture's Impossible!

2011-07-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

As I type that title, I play the mission impossible music in my head. Taking pictures of Jack is quite the mission lately! It starts off easy enough. Jack is just hanging out being cute as ever so I grab the camera. He doesn't notice the click of the flash for a second and he lets me get a few shots.

But then he's up and headed right towards you!

and in no time at all his hands are headed towards the lens

and he's chewing on the camera strap

Lucky for me this little guy gives hugs and sloppy open mouth kisses and the mission is all worth it!

Our little swimmer

2011-07-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of this little girl! She loves to swim, but she has been so afraid to get in Grandma and Grandpa's big pool. Last year she would literally shake if you even tried to get her in. This year we didn't push and let her go in at her own pace. The last few times we went swimming she would watch from the edge, then she starting standing on the first few steps and sitting in a chair in the water. Yesterday was much the same, until she decided that Daddy's offer to throw her in the air and let her jump to him was too good to pass up. I couldn't believe it! She was laughing and having such a good time! It was so great to see her trust Guy whole heartedly and overcome her fear!

Projects...

2011-07-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

The work "project" is almost a bad word around here! We have so many projects started, or about to start, or wanting to start that some days we feel like we're about to go crazy! Every so often we finish one; Jack's room is officially finished, (pictured to come), new door frame to the kitchen, new electrical outlet above the fireplace to accommodate the TV, and the door casing is finished in the living room. One project I have been envisioning is a picture collage in our room with pictures of Guy and I through out our relationship. We finally got the pictures in and finished it this week; I LOVE it! There's pictures from when we were dating all the way up to our most recent vacation and a couple fun shots from places we have been. It is so nice to have an idea come full circle!

Standin' Up!

2011-07-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

It took about all of one day for Jack to decide it was way more fun to be standing up then laying on the floor. He can now officially pull himself up on just about anything and is starting to move around once he gets up there. I think we have a very active little boy on our hands.

and he's off!

2011-07-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

This blog is so overdue! Jack has officially been a crawler for about two weeks now. He is everywhere! As you can see from the bruise on his forehead and the scratch on his nose learning how to crawl is a tough job! How does it go so quickly?!? He is already pulling himself up on everything; now when I pick the kids up at day care Jack crawls to me and stands up at my legs which I love! Only a matter of time before our baby turns into a toddler. I am going to try to hold onto my baby as long as I can!

4th of July 2011

2011-07-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

4th of July this year was spent swimming in Grandma's pool and enjoying some BBQ. Ella is still not to sure about the big pool, so she spent most of her time in the kids pool playing with Amy. Jack on the other hand LOVES the pool; he thinks the float is just like his walker at home. Later in the day we had a crazy thunder storm and an hour of rain. I wish I had some pictures of Ella playing in the rain because she thought that was great! About 8pm we headed over to watch fireworks. The entire time Ella kept saying "I love fireworks" and then she would tell us the color of every one. It is so much fun to experience the holidays through Ella's eyes! Everything is so new and exciting.

Patriotic Parade

2011-07-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

4th of July this year started out with a bang! Ella and I headed over to our good friends Grace and Max's house for some delicious breakfast and a neighborhood 4th of July parade. All the kids decorated their bikes and the parents dressed in their best red, white, and blue. There was even a fire truck to lead the way! What a fun way to start the day!

Pillow Fun

2011-07-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Ella and Amy were playing together tonight while the boys were watching UFC. In a house filled with flashy toys, puzzles, and books, they had the most fun playing on a stack of pillows! They giggled and laughed at each other forever. It was so fun to watch!

2011 Company Picnic

2011-07-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

This year my company picnic was held at Universal Studios Hollywood. Guy had to work, and Jack's not too big on amusement parks, so Ella and I spent the day checking out the show's, eating yummy food, and just having a good time. We started off the day watching Shrek 4D; I thought for sure I had traumatized her forever. She wouldn't get off my lap the entire time and she refused to put the glasses on, but then all day she told me about the princess she saw. We saw lots of characters: Madagascar lion, Scooby Doo, Dora & Diego. All of which she loved to watch from afar. We ended the day with an animal actors show; which she loved. It was a fun day to get to spend with my little girl.

Yee Haw!

2011-06-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

Guy and I took a weekend trip to Las Vegas for our anniversary and he surprised me with tickets to see Garth Brooks! The show was amazing!! Garth played for 2 1/2 hours; the entire last hour taking requests and playing anything the audience wanted. The venue is pretty small (about 1500 people) and it felt like he was playing just for you. So much talent! Saturday we spent the day lounging by the pool, watched a movie, did some window shopping, and then we saw the Blue Man Group. Also a great show! It was such a fun and relaxing weekend!

"ALWAYS"

2011-06-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

In the picture below you can vaguely see "Always" painted in the grass. Right next to that spot under a huge willow tree Guy asked me to be his wife. (it started pouring rain while he was down on one knee and when we went back the next day to take the picture everything was flooded) The day we dot married was one of the most amazing days of my life. As we celebrate our five year wedding anniversary today, I feel so lucky to have a husband that makes me smile, works hard for our family, and loves me unconditionally. I can't wait to see what our future holds.

Guy, I will ALWAYS love you!

Jack at 8 months

2011-06-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Some of the words that come to mind when I think of Jack at 8 months are: active, happy, sweet, mobile, and fun! The second he wakes up he gives you a big smile. Teething has begun and you can definitely tell the days that he is not too happy about it. His babbling is a cross between dadadadada and screaming, and is almost constant. He LOVES the walker but also doesn't mind hanging out on the floor. He is not quite crawling yet, however that doesn't stop him from getting where he wants to go. He rolls all over the place and is getting up on all fours and lunging himself forward. I give him a week before he is a full fledged crawler. Overall Jack is so easy going and such a great baby!

Miss Amy

2011-06-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since our niece Amy has made an appearance on the blog. Valerie and Amy came over on Friday to help finish Jack's room. (pictures to come!) Amy is walking now and her and Ella are playing together more and more. I love that Ella has a cousin that is so close in age. Now if I could only talk them into having another =).

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Guy,
One day a year is not enough to show how much we appreciate all that you do for our family! You are such a hard worker, some days working all day and then all night; but somehow you always make time for me and the kids. Ella adores you and Jack flashes the biggest smile every time you walk into the room. Thank you for being such a great husband, friend, and father! We love you so much! Happy Father's Day!

So stinkin' cute!

2011-06-13T20:28:00.001-07:00

Rocket Ships

2011-06-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of Ella's favorite Yo Gabba Gabba episodes is a all about Space; specifically rocket ships. This weekend Guy read about an event out in Lucerne Valley where people could go to shoot off home made rockets. I was surprised at how much Ella liked watching the rockets, especially once I realized how loud the bigger rockets were. We hung out for about an hour. Every time a rocket would go off, which was about 1 every couple minutes, Ella would clap and say "YA!". She was sad that we had to leave. All the way home she talked to us about the rockets. "I saw the biggest rocket ever!" she would say over and over. It was fun to see Ella and Guy both enjoying the rockets; looks like something we will be checking out again in the future!

This was the biggest rocket we saw. It was HUGE and so loud!

She's like a tornado!

2011-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Doesn't she look content amongst all the chaos? It took no time at all for her to turn her clean room into a complete mess. Now if only I could get the mess to stay in her room. =)

Feeding Jack

2011-06-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ella is always asking to feed Jack and we finally gave in. I love that in the picture she has her mouth wide open; I do the same thing when I am feeding Jack. It is so much fun to see the two of them interact with each other!

"I'm so cute!"

2011-06-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Ella has been all about Princess's lately! You can only imagine her level of excitement when Daddy let her run errands today in her Snow White dress. She came walking out of the bedroom saying "Mama, I'm a princess" over and over. She kept twirling around and looking at her reflection in the glass of the fire place. Right before we were about to leave for Home Depot, Ella pulled out the sides of her dress and exclaimed "I am soooo cute!" Guy and I both smiled and agreed; along with all of the other patrons at Home Depot. =)

**Thank you Emma (Ella's best friend at day care) for sharing your love of princesses with Ella! As you can see she LOVES the Snow White dress!

First trip of the season

2011-06-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

We headed down to Bolsa Chica State Beach for our first camping trip of the season last weekend. We had a lot of visitors and a delicious BBQ! Unfortunately mother nature wasn't friendly on Sunday and we ended up going home a little early. I can't wait to go again!

7 Month Stats

2011-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

We have been battling a persistent double ear infection with Jack over the past month. Yesterday we went to the Dr. and got confirmation that the second round of antibiotics worked and both ears are perfectly clear! Dr. Sharma looked Jack over and said he is doing great! His stats are as follows...

Weight: 18lbs 9oz (I changed a full diaper right after he was weighed so I would guess that this is off just a little)
Height: 28.25"

Miss T...Mr. T's little sister

2011-05-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ella loves to wear this big chain as a necklace and every time she wears it, it makes me think of Mr.T. It's a chain left over from hanging a new light at my parents house. Today when she added the green frog sunglasses to the ensemble, I had to take a picture. If I had caught her one minute sooner you would have seen all of these super hip accessories along with one high heeled shoe from my closet. Thank you Ella for making me smile =)

Like Father, Like Son

2011-05-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

There have been plenty of posts over the last few years showing Ella playing with computers and her love of all things electronic. It looks like Jack is headed down the same path. He was having so much fun pounding on the keys. I love his smile! Can you believe how much he looks like Guy?

Just one more...

2011-05-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Every night on the cruise ship there are a ton of photo opportunity's. This particular set up had a bear costume laying across floor as a prop. Of course Danny and Guy looked at the costume and thought that was a photo op that was right up their alley. The outcome made us all laugh and we had to buy it. Enjoy!

Alaska!!

2011-05-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

So much fun! Guy and I headed out on a seven day cruise with Danny & Chrissy. Our five stops included: Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria Canada. We have so many pictures that I am planning on making a book to document the trip, but I wanted to make sure and add a few pictures to the blog so we can flip through them in the next blog book. While on our trip, Jack and Ella hung out with Grandma and Papa. I'm pretty sure amongst all the park trips and fruit snacks they hardly noticed we were gone, but I can say that even with all the excitement we missed them a ton!

Did you know...

2011-05-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

that eye liner and lip stick is all the rage with 2 year olds!

Drew's 1st Birthday!

2011-05-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Drew's birthday with a BBQ at the park. Ella was in heaven being able to play at the park all day and Jack had fun hanging out in his walker. Watching Drew go from a tiny baby to a full fledged toddler has been so much fun! Happy 1st Birthday Drew!

He wasn't to sure about the cake.

Ella was doing everything she could to freak me out!

A little too much excitement for Jack

Danny & Chrissy's Wedding

2011-05-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

They FINALLY tied the knot! After 7 years together, 1 house, and 2 kids, Danny and Chrissy are officially Mr. & Mrs. Bandfield. We could not be happier for them! Their big day took place at Hesperia Lake Park on May 7th at 12 noon. One hundred and fifty of their family and friends came to celebrate. Chrissy looked amazing! Guy, conducted the ceremony and had everyone laughing with his vows personalized just for them. Ella did surprisingly well as the flower girl. To see Chrissy's year of hard work finally come to fruition was so much fun!

Congratulations Danny & Chrissy!

We feel lucky to have had a front row seat to your growing family over the years and we can't wait to see what the future holds!

Here are some pictures from their special day...

Jack at 7 months!

2011-05-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

7 months! How did that happen? We are on the downward slope to one already! The little man is still not crawling but he is rolling all over. He has mastered the walker and can now walk from one end of the house to the other with ease. Fortunately he is always babbling so he is easy to find. Getting him dressed and diaper changes are becoming more challenging as he is always trying to wiggle himself off the changing pad. Still no teeth, but he is constantly drooling and chewing on everything so I suspect it wont be much longer. He has become a much better eater over the past few weeks; pretty much willing to eat whatever you give him. Jack is still obsessed with Ella. He can now follow her in the walker; which has led to her feet being run over on multiple occasions. Jackie is what he is called around our house, and day care. If you sit him up he can now hold himself there for a while; of course once he falls over he just rolls around. We are headed to the doctor in a week for a follow up on a stubborn ear infection that wouldn't go away; I will post current stats after the appointment.

Happy Birthday Papa!

2011-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 60th Birthday Dad!

Thank You for everything you do!

p.s. Thanks for hanging out with the kids even on your birthday!

We love you!

Jack's 1st Hair Cut

2011-05-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

Guy gave Jack his first hair cut. Jack's hair has always been long and a little crazy, but lately it was looking out of control. Now that his hair is shorter he looks so much older! It's so fun to watch his transition from a baby to a little boy; although it makes me sad that he is growing up so fast.

*Please excuse the dirty high chair in the background, I didn't realize it was that bad!

Draft

2011-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

As I write this post to tell everyone how far behind I am on updating my blog there are five posts waiting to be published. I had great intentions of scheduling them all to post while we were on vacation last week (another post I need to write =), but that just didn't happen. Super exciting things have been happening the past few weeks...Danny and Chrissy got married, Ella is potty training, Jack got his first tooth and then the second, and we went on an amazing vacation to Alaska! All future posts to come. Stay tuned =)

Potty Time!

2011-05-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

We have taken the plunge and started on the adventure that is potty training. To be honest, I was in no rush and would have been happy to go with the diapers a while longer. Ella on the other hand has started to ask to sit on the potty and last week decided to take her diaper off herself at day care so that she could sit on the toilet; at that point there was no denying that it was time. She has not completely grasped the concept yet; accidents are still pretty regular but every time she goes we dance, cheer, jump up and down!. She likes to do the fun stuff like flush the toilet. Often times we sit in the bathroom for what feels like forever, reading books and singing songs. Hopefully soon she gets the hang of all this potty stuff. For all of you that have been down this road before me, please e-mail me any potty training advice or recommendations. =)

**Potty Update**
Today has been a great day for potty training! (Knock on wood) We have had no accidents! Go Ella!!

Royal Wedding

2011-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I wasn't really a follower of the Royal Wedding before the event. The night before I decided I would record the wedding so I could fast forward through anything that wasn't too interesting. I have to admit that when I woke up the next morning I was excited to see what Kate Middleton would be wearing and what the flowers would look like. When Ella woke up she sat with me and watched. When she saw Kate Middleton get out of the car, she looked at me and said "Mommy, is that a princess?". It was so cute! I told her that she was correct and that it was a real princess! I'm not quite sure where her recent princess obsession has come from. It must be something that's hard wired in little girls. I hope that one day when Ella is walking down the aisle in a beautiful dress she feels like a princess! I thought a photo from the wedding would be a fun memory for Ella to look back on...

Dear Mom,

2011-05-08T20:18:00.001-07:00

There are no words to express how much I appreciate all that you do for me and my family. You are always here to give us unconditional love and support. You are always willing to listen to me complain about my bad day no matter how petty it may sound. You bring such joy to the faces of my babies every time you walk in the room. I can only hope that one day 20 years from now Ella looks at me with the same feeling of admiration I have for you. Thank you for being you! Happy Mother's Day!

I love you more!
Heather

Amy's 1st Birthday!

2011-05-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our niece Amy's 1st birthday on Saturday. Her super cute party which included a home made pinata, delicious food, and games for the kids like pin the tail on the dog was so much fun. Some of my best memories growing up included my cousins and I am looking forward to watching Ella, Jack, and Amy run and play together in the years to come; creating their own memories. Happy Birthday Amy!!

The Birthday Girl

Ella and Great Grandpa

Jack and Valerie

Amy enjoying her cake

Grandma Thomas and Jack

Ella enjoying her stickers she won while playing pin the tail on the dog

Drew walking!

Toast!

What a Good Sport!

2011-04-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Jackie, as he's called around here, is such a great baby! (knock on wood!) He is happy most of the time and just goes with the flow. He laughs often and has started to "talk" constantly! He LOVES to watch Ella and will follow her in his walker wherever she goes. His hair is out of control and sticks straight up no matter what we do; but I love it! Yesterday while we were walking around the house talking about where we should hang pictures, I walked back in the den to find Ella putting her pink sandals on Jack.

Thank you Jack for being such a great baby, and good sport. I'm sure this is only the beginning of your introduction into clothes, dolls, and all things girl...sorry buddy. =)

Coloring Eggs!

2011-04-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

I know I am really going overboard on the Easter posts, but now that Ella is older it was such a different experience this year! (of course they would probably be a little more spread out if I wasn't such a procrastinator!) Coloring Easter eggs was something I hadn't done in forever! Jack wanted to dye eggs but instead sat on the sidelines. By the time we finished, Ella had dyed 2 dozen eggs and her hands were a beautiful shade of brown.

Easter Bunny 2011

2011-04-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Ella was so excited to see the Easter Bunny while we were in line! She waved and said "Hi" over and over; but that all ended the second it was time to sit on his lap. Easy going Jack of course sat on his lap no problem, Ella tried to run back through the line yelling "NO, NO, NO!!". I was anticipating another picture like Santa; which included Ella crying and trying to get off his lap while Jack just hung out. But to my surprise as soon as I sat her down she was totally okay! She looked at the bunny and then back at us to re assure herself that we weren't going anywhere. We still couldn't get a picture with both kids smiling. (It's practically impossible!), so we went with the picture that (almost) had both kids looking at the camera. After we left, Ella talked about sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap all day which made it all worth it!

Community Egg Hunt

2011-04-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Because Ella had so much fun doing the egg hunt at Grandma's we decided to head over to the community egg hunt just down the street from our house. They had everybody separated by age which was nice. Ella had fun; when we got there is looked like a ton of eggs, but it felt like it was over in two seconds! They had bounce houses and animals (goat, cow, sheep, etc.) for the kids to check out. Ella was all about the animals until we walked over to let her take a look and she freaked out! She didn't want to leave, but we headed over to see the Easter Bunny after the egg hunt and she was excited about that!

Easter

2011-04-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

This year we celebrated Easter all weekend and it was so much fun! (All that Easter fun = multiple Easter posts) It all started on Friday with an early Easter dinner at Grandma & Grandpa Parkinson's house and an Easter egg hunt. Ella LOVED all of the Easter egg hunts this year and it was so much fun to watch!

Such a Lady!

2011-04-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

While walking through the living room the other day I saw Ella sitting so perfectly in the window with her legs crossed. I ran to grab the camera (because it was so dang cute!) but of course by the time I got back she had moved from the window. I asked her to sit back in the window sill and cross her legs in an effort to re-create the cute photo op, however she couldn't quite grasp the concept when I asked her to cross her legs. The following is her attempt...

Love this girl!

Note - as you can see, from the missing door casing and base boards, we are still in construction mode. Once we get those up I will post some pics of the new house.

Jack at 6 months

2011-04-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that our little guy is half way to one already? If I was to describe his personality I would say he is very happy and easy going. We are still working our way through vegetable and fruit baby foods; although most of it just ends up on his bib and clothes. I haven't found any food that he loves. Most are met with a funny face and then spit out. One big change in the past month is that Jack is now sleeping in his own room. He is only waking up once a night, around 3am. Ella loves him and I am so looking forward to them being able to play together; although I hesitate to say that with Ella's new favorite word being "Mine". Every day Jack makes me smile. He makes me thankful to be his Mom. Every so often he makes me want another baby...but then I wake up at 3am and think maybe not.

=)

Chrissy's "Bachelorette" Weekend

2011-04-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous weekend! Instead of the classic bachelorette party, Chrissy decided she wanted a short weekend away with her girlfriends. We headed down to San Diego for a weekend of fun. The weather couldn't have been better! We spent a few hours on the beach (and all got burnt!), hung out on the balcony of our hotel room over looking Mission Bay, and enjoyed a dinner cruise. It was so much fun and so relaxing! I can't wait to go again! Only 3 more weeks until the wedding, now it's time to focus on the big party! =)

Chrissy wearing the "Bride to Be" crown...against her will. =)

Ready for our dinner cruise!

View from our hotel room - beautiful!

Chrissy, Carolyn and myself

View from the dinner cruise

All of us girls enjoying the evening =)

Terrible Two's??

2011-04-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Is there a switch that turns on the second a child turns two? It sure feels that way around here. With in the last few weeks "NO!" is Ella's answer to every question you ask; even if she wants to say yes, she says no first. "Mine!" has become one of her favorite words. Last week Guy asked Ella for a hug, she turned to him and hugged herself while yelling "NO, my hug". (after she walked away we both laughed at that one). Thankfully (for my sanity), our independent, strong willed, sassy little girl stills lets her happy, loving self shine through every now and then.

There is an end to the terrible two's....right?

Hitchin' a ride

2011-04-04T10:36:00.001-07:00

Is this the equivalent of riding on bicycle handle bars...

BBQ Bridal Shower

2011-04-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

Our best friends Danny and Chrissy are getting married in just a few short weeks! To celebrate Chrissy getting hitched I hosted a BBQ themed bridal shower at Lucille's BBQ Smokehouse restaurant. A small group of Chrissy's family and friends, fun conversation, great food, and a delicious cake made for a fabulous night!

Pinwheel Party

2011-03-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

We had a small party this weekend to celebrate Ella's birthday. Of course I use the term small lightly; somehow inviting only family and a few friends we still had 30 people. Pinwheels was the theme and it turned out super cute! Ella had a great time visiting with everyone and of course enjoyed her cupcake. It was really a fun day! Thank you so much to everyone who came to celebrate!

Jack at 5 months

2011-03-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

Our little Jackie is five months old and as energetic as ever! He found his feet in the last couple weeks and we are now having trouble keeping his socks on because he is constantly ripping them off. His hair is still completely out of control and seems to be getting lighter every day. Jack had his first ER visit recently where they found that he had bronchitis and a double ear infection; thankfully he is feeling much better now. He loves to hang out in the walker and can move forward and backwards. He is loved by all and Ella adores him; they laugh with each other for no reason at all which makes me smile. Overall we think Jack is a pretty cool kid!

She's Two!!

2011-03-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is now two years old! For two full years she has blessed us with her smiles and laughter. She has helped us to be more patient. She has taught us to be better parents. She has amazed us with how fast she can learn and what she knows. She has shared unconditional love with her brother(at times a little too much love, completely smothering him=). So quickly she has gone from our baby to a our little girl and we are forever grateful that this crazy little girl is ours.