The Burnett Family

Big boy

2011-11-09T21:32:00.001-08:00

Chase thinks he's big now...he wants to be with the big kids wherever they are. His happy little smile lights up our home. We love you Chase!

Jokes

2011-11-07T18:26:00.001-08:00

The kids are fascinated by jokes lately and try to make up their own...

Luke: why did the chicken get in the car? Mom, say "why"

Mom: why, Luke?

Luke: to drive to cafe Rio!!!

Awesome. And yes, we eat at cafe Rio almost weekly. Love my Luke!

Muffin Top

2011-10-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

The muffin top...best part of the muffin, right?! Well, my daughter told me today that she is going to call them muffin tiaras because they are the yummiest, best part! I think she really is a princess.

Overdue

2011-10-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

Janey on the first day of Kindergarten. I was worried that she would have a hard time because she kept saying that she missed Clover Elementary (where she went to Pre-K) and all her friends from UCLA...but, little kids adapt easily, and she has made some cute little friends and loves going to school.

Luke started preschool this year too. Here he is with one of his little friends from class. He LOVES preschool and is usually sad on Fridays when he doesn't get to go.

Chase is getting so much bigger. He's a healthy happy little dude. Great addition to the fam. I think we'll keep him.

Lukey walking home after picking up Tay from school one day.

Tay wanted her pic by the pretty flower.

All three on the walk home from Tay's school. I've been walking to and from her school almost every day. So nice that we live close enough to do that - parking is a nightmare pretty much all the time around the school.

Life is flying by. Adam is finished with his first year of Investment Banking. I have 3 hours a day with only one kid (nice!). Doing well and just living life. The three monkeys make it all worthwhile!

Impromptu

2011-09-18T15:32:00.001-07:00

One of the many reasons we love living in cali...we can stop at the beach anytime. So fun!

A couple things

2011-09-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

The garden is flourishing!!! I'm still waiting on tomatoes (should be any day now) but we picked our first zucchini - hooray!!!

We fried it up and ate it - so good! I have about 6 more growing right now. So awesome to be able to enjoy something that I grew myself - and that I put so much time and effort into.

And, Chase boy decided to try some rice cereal. He did well the first week, but then regressed and refused when I tried to give him some veggies with it. We took some time off, now he's back on the cereal and eating it like a champ!

Happy little guy :)

He thinks he's so big...he's growing much too fast for my liking! Love you Chase!

Haircut 2

2011-09-03T09:17:00.001-07:00

5 months old and already had 2 haircuts...

Generations

2011-08-13T23:22:00.001-07:00

I forgot to add this pic to the previous post...4 generations all together. Awesome.

Generations

2011-08-13T23:20:00.001-07:00

Chase got to meet his great grandma Yvonne and great grandpa Jay for the first time this week (Adam's grandparents). It was good to see them...it's been a while.

We love our grandparents and are honored to be the posterity of such hard-working, honest, good people. Thank you for setting such good examples for us! We love you!

Nice.

2011-08-12T16:25:00.001-07:00

Dear homeless man at the park,

Please don't drop your pants and pee on the tree in front of my children. There are public restrooms across the parking lot.

Thank you.

Haircut

2011-08-11T11:01:00.001-07:00

After being mistaken for a girl several times, getting his hair caught in the velcro of his bib, and having longer sideburns than most grown men, it was decided that Chase needed a haircut...well, more of a trim. Mom couldn't bear to give it a good chop just yet. So, at 4 months old, Chaser got a trim around the ears and across the back. He's as handsome as ever!

Imagination

2011-08-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

My little sis put this on her Facebook page:

"‎8 year olds today have Facebook, Twitter, phones, iPods. When I was their age, I had a coloring book, crayons, chalk, and imagination."

What is happening? It's true and sad...my 5 year-old asked if I would buy her an iPad to play games on...when I told her no, she found a stray piece of cardboard, some markers, and made her own pretend iPad. When I tell my son he can't turn on a movie, he finds something to do - like snapping markers together end-to-end to make a light saber, or putting a piece of cardboard on his arm to make a canon.

Kids still have imagination - and they'll use it if we let them. So, do your kids a favor and take away the screen for a little while and see what they come up with. It'll be better for their brains than Angry Birds*...

*I love Angry Birds, by the way. And a well-placed electronic device has saved me a few times...I just don't endorse the constant screen-time that seems to be the norm now days!

The many faces of Chase.

2011-07-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

We love this little guy. He is so chill. Plus, he has awesome hair.

Green thumb...?

2011-07-19T19:26:00.001-07:00

I have killed almost every plant, flower, bush, etc. that I have ever tried to keep alive ...excepting a little green plant that I bought at the dollar store when we first got married. That awesome little guy was unkillable. It would almost die, then I would give it a little drink and by next morning it would be green and happy again. Ahhh. Miss that little plant. I finally killed it off when we left for five weeks to NY last summer. Anyway, I've been trying (very hard) to grow something (anything! ) on our deck this year. I can sprout plants with the best of them. Then, the inevitable killing begins. Am I over-watering? Under-watering? Too much sun? Not enough? Big enough pots? Right kind of soil? I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!!!

At the moment, I have a lot of cute little green sprouts. If (and that is a big if) anything at all grows from all this hard work and plant nurturing, I will be having a giant party on my deck to celebrate the success of life. You're all invited! But don't hold your breath...

Lazy days

2011-07-18T19:50:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon. Kids getting along (for the moment). Reading books on a blanket. Good day.

3 months

2011-06-30T13:50:00.001-07:00

My name is Chase. I'm the best little mellow guy ever. My family adores me...and I just turned 3 months old.

Funniest dude

2011-06-29T13:59:00.001-07:00

My name is optimus prime. I am a transformer.

*Apparently putting cardboard on your legs makes you a transformer. LOVE my kids' imaginations!

highlights

2011-06-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite pics from our week with family (they came for Chase's blessing and stayed in Newport for a bit)...

My boy. SUCH a boy!

Ruby's shakes...she drank all of grandma's chocolate shake - didn't even share :)

Luke helping Grandpa shave. So cute.

My Grandpa and my little guy.

Grandma Dianne and the kids

My Grandma and my dude.

My and my little peanut. Love the peanut.

Special

2011-06-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Our little Chase was blessed on May 1st...which also happens to be our Anniversary. Special day. Lots of family, lots of support and love, feeling the Spirit so strongly at church and being very grateful for the beautiful little children that I have and the awesome husband that I snagged.

Remember

2011-05-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

Rub a dub

2011-05-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things in the world is a sweet baby right out of the tub. I love love holding babies in towels. So cuddly and smelling so delish. Lovin little Chase!

Toothless

2011-05-10T18:08:00.001-07:00

My baby lost her first tooth today...I feel like she is too young to already be losing teeth! She let it get so loose (and wouldn't let daddy pull it out) that it finally went by itself - in fact we aren't even sure when exactly she lost it. She came out of piano class upset saying that she had looked in the mirror and her tooth was missing.

We're writing a note to the toothfairy so that she wont overlook a girl who doesn't know what happened to her tooth...

Eggs and things

2011-04-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We went to church, colored eggs, and had a fun dinner and egg hunt with family. We are so blessed and are especially grateful for our Savior and His sacrifice for us. Happy Easter!!!

Best baby ever

2011-04-15T06:23:00.001-07:00

This little guy is pretty much the perfect baby. He fits into our family like a puzzle piece and he will be receiving the best baby ever award from me. He is only two weeks old and he goes to bed at 10 and wakes up at 2 and then at 6. What kind of lottery did I win?!!! Like I said...best baby ever! So in love with the little peanut.

Walking

2011-04-14T13:46:00.001-07:00

Beautiful day in sunny so cal...perfect for walking and finding sticks.

TLC

2011-04-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to compare pics of my babies...one pic at the hospital, one at home - mostly just for me to see how much they look alike. So, here they are:

Baby Taylor, 8lbs. - at the hospital

Baby Tay at home

Baby Luke, 9lbs. - hospital

Baby Lukey man at home

Baby Chase, 7.15 lbs. - hospital

Baby Chase at home

All three had tons of hair - Chase the most...it's literally hanging over his ears and about an inch down his neck! So fun. I'm just eating up the newborn smell and trying really hard not to call Chase Lukey man. Both Adam and I are having a hard time with that one.

Luke wants to hold him several times a day - and gets so excited and proud when I tell him what a good big brother he is. Tay is my big helper and is so sweet to go and get anything I need.

I can't believe we have 3 kids...we're doing well so far, but that's probably just because my mom is still in town helping out. Check back in with me next week for a more accurate assessment :)

Pinkalicious Birthday Party

2011-03-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Taylor requested a Pinkalicious Birthday Party this year. I was nervous that we wouldn't be able to pull it off so close to having baby #3, but we went ahead and planned anyway...we had her party the week before her birthday just in case - and it was a huge success!

Pinkalicious coloring pages and treats...

Pinkalicious cupcakes and favors... We also did a couple of fun games: "pin the cupcake in Pinkalicious's hand," "cupcake beanbag toss," and "clothespin drop into a pinkalicious bucket." Old school games that I remember doing at parties when I was little - but the kids still loved them :)

Mommy and the Pinkalicious birthday girl. We had so much fun - and I'm so glad that it all worked out before little brother made his entrance into the world!

By the way, I'm being induced tomorrow morning...wish me luck!

Birthday Eve

2011-03-24T11:34:00.001-07:00

Tay doesn't have school tomorrow on her birthday, so today was the celebration at school. I asked her what she wanted me to bring for her class for a snack and treat...she chose rolls and pb cookies. Cute girl! The class sang, she wore a crown and the snacks were a hit! All the kids wanted more bread :)

More bday fun to come...

DLand

2011-03-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

I made a last-minute decision and took the kids to DLand the day my pass expired...I probably wasn't up to the trip considering how pregnant I am and how tired I get, but I couldn't let the last day of fun pass me up - I knew I'd regret it (and my mom would be just as sad vicariously - she is the Disneyland Queen).

We decided to hit California Adventure First...we didn't get much in - only a ride or two and the bug show--and our very favorite place (with the giant screens playing movie clips) was down for updating :(

After walking much too far for my liking, and grabbing a churro (it was really bright...), we decided to head home without even going to Disneyland Park.

When I asked the kids what their favorite part of the day was, they both said, "Churros!" Nice. Next time maybe I'll just swing through Jack in the Box and get an order of mini churros, then go home and call it a day!

Exhausting, but still worth it to see those cute faces excited for a ride on the tram!

VDay

2011-03-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

A little late, but I wanted to document the cute Valentines that Tay made for her preschool class this year...I had so much fun making them with her.

I was also able to volunteer in her class on Valentine's Day. It was special to be with my little princess on such a fun day. We brought sugar cookies for the class to decorate - and each munchkin took a turn wearing a "mailman" hat to pass out their Valentines. Cute.

2011-03-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

Taylor: "Mom, is this called a leg pit?" (holding the back of her knee)

Mom: "Wow Tay! That's very clever, but no, that's just the back of your knee"

:) Love that girl. She's so very curious about EVERYTHING. And, she remembers every word I say...

Cutie pie.

buds

2011-02-26T17:03:00.000-08:00

So glad I have these munchkins to keep me company :)

kid talk

2011-02-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to remember a few cute things the kids have said lately.

Luke: "Mom, I have an eyeflash in my eye." translation: eyelash

Tay: "I don't like drinking out of the firefoam cups." translation: styrofoam

Tay: "Now can I have tessert?" translation: dessert

Luke: "That's just like nars." translation: ours - He always says "nars" for ours.

Luke: "Mom I want to hold you." translation: I want you to hold me. I still can't bring myself to correct him on this one - it's so cute when he says it.

Mom (talking to Luke): "What's your name?"

Luke: "Wukey Man!" Yes, he thinks his name is Lukey Man. We're working on it :) Also, Taylor used to only call him Lukey Man. Took her a while, but now she usually only calls him Lucas.

Love these kids.

delish

2011-02-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

mmmm. sooooo good. I could eat a whole package myself in record time. Good thing I'm prego and have a good excuse to eat far more than I should...

Get up

2011-02-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

All I felt like doing yesterday was sitting on my couch in my jammies...my belly is growing quite large, it's getting harder to move around just to do the normal stuff, and my energy is way down. Well, just a few minutes before it was time to get Tay from preschool I decided I couldn't spend my day on the couch - just not a good idea for me or the kids. So I went into speed mode and got ready so that the day wouldn't be a total waste.

I picked up Tay, we came home and slapped together a little picnic lunch and headed out to the park. The kids really needed to get out and run around and it felt so good to just sit out in the sun for a few minutes.

No matter how much I fight it or say that it is otherwise, my day goes better when I get off the couch and out of the house. The kids behave better and everyone is more happy - especially me.

Now, if I could just get the energy to get in the shower today...

No Lukey!

2011-01-17T22:03:00.001-08:00

Look familiar? It's a light bright...I usually hate when the kids ask to play with this because they spill the pegs all over the floor and I continue to find them for days after, but it can be a fun little toy until your 2 year old shoves one of those cute little plastic pegs into his ear. It was still sticking just far enough out that I was able to get it with tweezers - and I think I scared him enough with my hysterics that he won't do it again...I hope.

Excuses

2011-01-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

I don't have any good ones for my blogging hiatus. I just didn't do it. So, here's to a new year - and a resolve to keep a few tabs on my family for posterity's sake.

To start fresh, here a few pictures that my good friend Emily recently took for us. Her photography blog is here if you'd like to see more of her work.

And for any of you who have not heard, we will be adding a fifth Burnett on or around April 2nd - another little boy :)

life lessons

2010-11-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Lukey man won a fishy at the Halloween carnival this year...the kids were so excited about it! They named him Albert - and he lived just long enough for us to buy fish food and bowl. Adam wisely said, "Well, I guess its never too early to start teaching about death and loss..." True, true. We have a coupon for two more free fish. I think we'll wait a while.

Nice

2010-11-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

We love our new place! And we love that we've had nice enough weather to do this out on the deck...so fun that the kids have a little space to play!

So Big!

2010-09-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

My baby started preschool. She LOVES it! But, came home the first day complaining that they didn't learn math or how to read yet...time for preschool to step it up a notch. Come on, shouldn't they be able to do long division by the end of the first day?! :)

Picture-ific

2010-09-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

Empire State Building

Great View

Could've stopped at the lobby...it was Luke's favorite part.

Cute girl on Wallstreet

more pics

2010-09-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Big Apple

2010-09-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

We went, we saw, we conquered - New York, that is. Adam had work training in NYC for 5 weeks this summer, and the kids and I decided that it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to tag along and experience the east coast for a bit.

Our hotel was pretty small, so going out everyday was a necessity. It was extremely hot and humid, so we had to find cool places to go!

Some of our favorite things were:

Central Park - huge and beautiful (we didn't even scratch the surface of this huge park even though we went there several times). We especially liked the playground area (one of many) that had the water sprayers.
Bryant Park - they have an outdoor reading area with shelves of books and tables (even a little kid section). The kids loved it!
Shopping - H&M on every corner, sweet! Lots of fun little candy shops and cafes everywhere! A little hard to navigate with a stroller in the tiny shops, but we did it!
Pizza, pizza, pizza. I've never eaten so much pizza in my life! It's everywhere and really good.
Double decker bus tour. Totally worth it. The night tour was awesome.
Free ferry to Stanton Island. Gets pretty close to the Statue of Liberty - and its free!
The Subway...a novelty - and super convenient once you figure it out. But man, it's hot down there! Luke LOVED when the subways would pass by us super fast while we waited for ours. Tay really loved all the performers down in the subway tunnels: violins, guitars, saxophones, entire bands...it was pretty cool.
Playgroup with new friends in the Manhattan ward. Gotta love the instant connections that the church provides! We met some really nice people who included us in their plans while we were there.

Here are a few of my fav. pics - a few more can be found here.

JFK Airport - we made it!

Grand Central Station with Daddy

Empire State Building

Tall buildings everywhere!

Being a super hero at Central Park

Fountain at Bryant Park

Big thanks to Daddy for landing a sweet gig to support our family and for taking us along for the ride! We love you and are so proud of you for working so hard!

Vaca

2010-07-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

We've been loving this summer with daddy around 24-7...this will likely never happen again, so we are taking full advantage!

We had a simple family BBQ on the 4th and went to the park just for fireworks (my fav part). Fun.

We went down to San Diego with some friends...we hit Old Town SD,

The Mormon Battalion Museum, the Gas Lamp District,

and the Zoo! We had a ton of fun - I think Adam enjoys watching the gorillas more than the kids :)

More of summer vaca to come...

Ballerina Girl

2010-07-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Tay had her second ballet recital last month. It was held at a small auditorium in the Santa Monica Library.

Tay kept turning around and waving to us while she waited for her turn.

Mid-dance

The final curtsie.

My parents always got me flowers after my recitals, so we decided to keep the tradition alive...she LOVED the pretty flowers!

We love watching you dance, Tay! Can't wait for the next recital!

Yes we did.

2010-07-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Just a shout-out to the Lakers...we are big fans (because Daddy is), so we decided to join with 500,000 or so of our closest friends to watch the Lakers parade in downtown.

Luke just liked the view from dad's shoulders.

It might have been too loud for Tay.

The drive was quick (supprisingly), we only waited for about 30 minutes for the parade, and although we were thinking it would take us some time to get out after the parade, we walked straight to the car and jumped right on the freeway without a hitch.

Totally worth it just to say we did it.

Thank you, Lakers for providing awesome entertainment for us to watch. Number 1 Lakers!!!

MBA

2010-06-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

Adam made it through the MBA program at UCLA and graduated last Friday...here are some highlights from the ceremony:

Giant screens to ensure pleasurable viewing for all. The commencement was outside on a beautiful So-Cal day. We couldn't have asked for better weather or a more beautiful campus.

Cute girl waiting to see daddy on the big screen. Tay was an angel through the very long graduation ceremony...and a big thanks to Grandma Linda for bringing her entertainment bag :)

This is how Lukey man enjoyed part of graduation. The other part was spent exploring UCLA campus with Grandpa Randy. Thank heavens for Grandpa Randy! I was able to enjoy sitting peacefully through graduation knowing that Luke was in good hands!

Adam receiving his diploma.

Hooray! We're so proud of Adam for all he has accomplished. We're so grateful to have a daddy who works so hard (in school and out) to provide for our family. We love you so much, Adam! Congratulations!!!

Two!

2010-06-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Lukey man turned 2 a couple weeks ago...I can't believe how fast those two years have gone!

Birthday dinner - spaghetti (favorite and messiest - maybe favorite because it's messiest?!)

Yay! Waiting for cake!

Cake excavation - sister helped :)

Luke got a basketball from Daddy. A dribbling party ensued after the present opening.

We love you, Luke! You make our lives exciting and we couldn't imagine our family without you!

Color mixing

2010-06-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

We decided to do a little experiment the other day - I got the idea from my friend that did co-op preschool with us last year. Here's how to do it:
Use food coloring to make colored water - pour it into an ice cube tray then put into the freezer overnight.

Then, have your munchkins plop the cubes into warm water and watch while the colors mix and make new colors! The kids loved it - although Luke just wanted to eat the ice cubes (I think he thought they would taste like jello...very deceiving!)
Waiting for the experiment - and yes, we usually do all activities with no pants on.

Moving on...

2010-05-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've always loved to sew. After I took Junior High Home Economics, I asked for a sewing machine for my next birthday (I'm a nerd, I know). My parents obliged, and I have been sewing ever since!
Shortly after Tay was born, I started making baby gifts for fun, then decided I wanted to try my hand at a little online business. I learned html coding, made a website, got a business license (with Adam's help, of course!), and started my little business called BabyRaggs.

I never got too involved in being an entrepreneur...I didn't want my business to get too overwhelming and I didn't want it to be the only thing I had time for. I found that even without advertising at all, I was able to make several sales, attend a couple craft fairs, and also continue to make custom gifts for friends and family. It was perfect for me for a while. But this year, when my renewal fees came due, I decided not to renew. I realized that my business hobby (among many other things) has been a nice little distraction for me from something more important that I should have been focusing on...

I graduated from BYU with a degree in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology. I really enjoyed my major and was thrilled that after undergrad, I was able to spend 2 years at a Junior High as the Speech Therapist. Of course, I was only able to do this because of the high demand for Speech Therapists and due to the fact that I applied for and received a credential waiver. (A master's degree and credential are required for Speech Therapists.)

I've been putting it off and avoiding it at all cost, but the time has now come for me to "put away the sewing machine" and go back for more education. I know that this will not only benefit me personally, but it will also benefit my children and family. It will probably be one of the hardest things I will every try to do in my life - programs are very competitive and difficult. I will have to not only attend classes, but also intern at schools and clinics, clock observation hours and complete research. But in the end, I know it will be worth it!

So, goodbye to BabyRaggs.com. (I'll still make you gifts if you're having a baby, or if you ask really nicely :) But, I'll no longer be keeping a website for sales.

Nobody get too excited just yet...I won't even get to apply for a program until next year, but keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I gather my paperwork and my courage!

Today...

2010-05-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for:

Chubby little fingers that love to play with playdough.

Framable four-year-old art.

A busy, yet beautiful city that I call home.

A great little family to experience life with.

Tiny Dancer

2010-05-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

Taylor recently had a dance recital at the local elementary school's cultural night.

I snapped some pictures as they were practicing in the school's library before the performance.

She was a doll and was so happy that some of our family was able to be here for her performance.

One little side note: my mom is a saver of all sorts of things...she saved my first leotard from ballet and Tay was able to wear it to her performance - kind of special! And, thanks aunt Laura for the tutu!

We love you, Tay! You're our little ballerina girl!

that's great!

2010-04-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

Our conversation this morning:

Tay: Mom, I didn't go pee pee in my pull-up!
Me: Tay, that's awesome! Maybe we should stop wearing pull-ups at night. What do you think?
Tay: Ummmm...that's great?! (a little unsure if that was the right answer) Right, Mom?!
Me: Yes, Tay, that is great!

Love this little girl!

crazy boy

2010-04-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is how we get to the car most days...little buddy refuses to hold hands in the street most of the time and loves to just stop, sit down, and take in the sites while we're walking. So, super-man hold it is...

Just wanted to be like Daddy one day...

We love little Lukey man - even if he is a little crazy sometimes :)

Birthday Girl

2010-04-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

Adam and I have entered a new chapter...we now have a 4 year old!

This little cutie recently had her 4th birthday. We celebrated by having a little family BBQ.

She was VERY excited about opening presents :)

She was very specific about the things she would like to have on her cake...heart shaped, pink frosting, sprinkles, and one cherry. She loved it...especially the cherries.

She also had a little party with some of her friends. The presents were the favorite part here, too! She was a little confused about having "2 birthdays" and keeps asking if she can have another one.

Tay is such a sweet little girl - she loves to give us hugs and kisses. She calls Luke her little bud and is a great big sister (most of the time :) We love her so much and don't know what we would do without her in our family...

Here's where she got the inspiration for her birthday cake. The kids have been watching and loving this old school Mickey and Minnie cartoon - it's kind of long - and the cake doesn't show up until the end, but it's a little refreshing to watch old cartoons...

Taylor (heart) mom

2010-04-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

I love you too, Tay!

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am so very grateful for a Savior, Jesus Christ, who lived and died for me and was resurrected - I know that He lives, that He loves us, and that He will answer our prayers and help direct our lives if we let Him...

Happy Easter!

He Lives

Government

2010-03-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Adam and I have been very concerned about what is going on in our government as of late...I found this video on a friend's blog and thought I'd share it...kind of long, but it explains very well the differences in government structures. Very informative. Hopefully we can take a page out of the history book and not make the same mistakes that those in the past have made.

Dancing King

2010-03-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Pretend City

2010-03-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

We went to a fun Children's Museum called Pretend City over Spring Break...the kids get to explore in a "mini city" - they can dress up for different professions and earn a stamp on a time card. Then they swipe their time card at an ATM to get cash to buy things. The kids loved it.

Dr. Burnett

Farmer Tay

Apple picking

Short order cooks

Chef Burnett

Where's the fire?!

Handy Tay-Tay

Fun.

St. Patty

2010-03-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

I've always loved St. Patrick's Day - probably because my mom would make shamrock shaped sugar cookies loaded with green cream cheese frosting when I was growing up...mmmmm...my mouth is watering as I type - or maybe I like it more now because March 17th was my due date with Tay. I really hoped she would be born that day, but alas, the due date is just a jumping off point for negotiations with my OB about how soon I can be induced to relieve the pregnancy woes....beside the point. Anyway, I decided to make green eggs for the kids this year.

Luke ate it up (as he does most food...my healthy boy).

Tay wasn't too sure until we forced her to take a bite. She was convinced that they would taste different. The green milk helped, though - she was very excited about changing the color :)

Now, I'll be hunting for a shamrock cookie cutter for next year.

Ice Skating

2010-03-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we took the kids to Santa Monica to an outdoor ice skating rink.

Luke and I stayed on the sidelines cheering on Tay and Dad as they took to the ice...Luke mostly found and jumped in puddles.

Taylor and Dad laced up headed out for some fun.

They also had a much smaller rink just for kids - which Tay loved! She kept trying to do spins and tricks like she had seen Minnie Mouse and Daisy do in a Christmas cartoon...she mostly just ended up on her buns on the ice. It turned out to be much more slippery than she had thought :)

She had a lot of fun though and has asked to go back several times...maybe Olympic skating is in our future...?!

Happy Happy Birthday...

2010-02-17T21:14:00.000-08:00

I recently hit the ripe old age of 28...and my family and friends had me partying all day long...

I had a suprise birthday breakfast kidnapping in the morning with some girl friends (they even had husbands at the ready for babysitting - awesome)

Adam picked Tay up early from preschool to go get party supplies. They got balloons, hats, cupcakes, favors...we had our own little party at home.

He wasn't too thrilled with the pink party hat - or the elastic under his chin(s). :)

The present: A dock for my ipod - love it!

A dance party ensued after the opening of the ipod dock.

After the party, we got in the car and headed to OC...dropped off the munchkins with G&G, hit a matinee, and then went to our favorite spot, Benihanas (soooo yum!)

It was such a fun day. I felt so special and had so many fun suprises and treats. Our little neighbor boys even sang happy birthday to me out at the playground - how cute is that?! I have so many great friends and the best family anyone could ask for. My husband is the man - never forgets and occasion and always goes big! I am one lucky girl.

Thanks so much for the awesome day!

Ballerina Girl

2010-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Taylor had her first ballet class a few weeks ago. There is a "little tutus" class at the community center in our apartment complex. It's a great deal and Tay LOVES to go to class and spin and dance around the room!

On our way to the first class
(pardon the shadow...lack of awesome photography skills on my part)

Learning to curtsy

I'm so excited that she is enjoying her classes so far. I had my first ballet class when I was 3, and then was always in every dance class offered in our small town growing up (and loved every one of them), so it's fun to see Tay having a great time dancing.

Plus, she just looks super cute in her leotard and tights!

Baking beauties

2010-01-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

Since we've had some rain the last little while in sunny so-Cal, I thought it would be the perfect time to do a little baking...nice and warm inside.

I made my mom's white bread recipe. They didn't turn out as smooth and pretty as my mom's, but they tasted just as yummy! If you've never had homemade bread toast in the morning, please let me know and I'll bake you a loaf so that you can enjoy one of life's greatest pleasures :)

I had extra dough since I only have 3 bread pans (not 4) so we also had a few rolls and a mini loaf (the cutest little loaf of bread you've ever seen!) for Tay. She loved it!

Along with the rain, we actually got a little hail. It looks like a light sprinkling of snow in the picture.
The kids didn't know what to think!

I love to be warm inside the house when it's raining outside...except when the power goes out, which it did, a couple of times. Taylor kept asking about the power and wondering if it was coming back into our house so she could play on the computer. Sorry Tay, we had to be old-school and play with actual toys for a few hours...

Back to sunshine and blue skies today. We love Cali.

Germs

2010-01-25T15:18:00.000-08:00

Found this on a friend's blog and thought it was hilarious...

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/comedy/watch/v19326847yFRxaqmx

Buds

2010-01-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

My kids have a love-hate relationship...lately they've either been pushing, hitting, and snatching toys from each other -or- hugging, holding hands, and playing like the best of buds. Love, love it when I catch them being nice to each other. Especially love it when Tay says, "here you go, hon" or "here you go little buddy" to Luke. Hope they continue to be best buds as they grow up! It's so nice to have a sibling who is also a best bud...(to any of my siblings who read this - love you guys!)

A little more Christmas

2010-01-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Christmas morning loot...Santa brought Taylor an Ariel outfit (I still think she is a little confused about the difference between Halloween and Christmas). Santa brought Luke a big dump truck with blocks (finally, a boy toy amidst all the princess dolls!)

My little Mermaid

Our little dude.

Christmas Time

2010-01-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays - especially Christmas. My neighbor brought us some yummy gingerbread men, and I ate them so quickly (and needed more), that I sent Adam to the store late one night to get the needed supplies to make our own batch.

The first batch fell flat - literally. I forgot the baking soda! And, since they have to stay in the fridge for several hours, I was extra sad that I had to make another batch and wait longer. When I finally got it right, they turned out delish!

Tay and Luke love to help me in the kitchen - well, they love to play with the supplies while I'm in the kitchen :)

Taylor did a great job helping to decorate our tree. I loved having a real Christmas tree this year.

We had a great Christmas and New Year's as well. If I can get my act together, I'll post more pictures later - hopefully before the next major holiday hits :)

Thanksgiving...Late

2010-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving...

It was fun to see all my siblings and my parents - we don't get to see each other very often.

We played at the park

The kids watched movies

And we just generally had a great time. Thanks, Shawn and Laura for hosting this year!

Birthday Boy

2009-12-17T23:22:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been busy for Adam...finals crept up on us again, so it became more likely that wherever you found Daddy, there you would also find Daddy's laptop. We love that even though it takes longer, and it probably is extremely difficult, he tries to study at home and spend as much time as possible with us.

Exhibit A (although this pic was actually taken in San Fran...)

Well, Adam celebrated his birthday smack in the middle of finals week. He was busy all day, leaving very little time for celebrating properly. So, I decided to throw him a little suprise party after finals were over.

I invited some of our friends over for pizza and the Lakers game (two of Adam's favorite things). I must say, I was pleasantly suprised that I was able to keep the whole deal under wraps for an entire week...suprise parties are harder to pull off than I thought! But we had a great time and are so lucky to have so many great friends - thanks for coming everyone!

Most of all, we're lucky to have Adam. He works very hard for our family and we love him so much! He's a wonderful Daddy and an awesome husband. He's thoughtful and kind and we love having him around!

Happy Birthday, Adam! You're the best and we love you so much!

My Little Sis

2009-12-15T21:36:00.001-08:00

Before Thanksgiving, my little sis came down to spend a few days with us. We had so much fun together! I don't get to see her very often, so we had to make the most of our time! We went to Santa Monica Pier and beach, to the movies, shopping at the Grove and Century City Mall, we made treats, we ate out, we hit up the Red Box...
So fun. We love you, Krissy! Come and visit again soon!

Hooray for...

2009-11-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

Tinkerbell. She's TayJane's favorite fairy...and Tay in Tink garb is my favorite! We had planned for her to be Tink for Halloween, but we didn't get it made until the week after.

Playgrounds right outside your door. When you don't have a yard, this substitute is just fine! We love the "purple slide!"

Cousins. We love it when they come to visit!

Cupcakes! Yum. The tiny one's just make my day a little brighter and yummier!

And the biggest "HOORAY!" goes to: Daddy and the kiddies doing chores for Mommy. Awesome.

More Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

We had a really fun Halloween week...we carved pumpkins and roasted the seeds (yum!) and made caramel apples (super yum!). We went up the street to check out a Halloween store - turned out to be super dirty, chaotic, and not at all what we thought. To be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I thought it would be a fun outing for the kids to look at Halloween costumes and decorations. Well, the store looked like it had been ransacked! Won't do that again...
Adam's mom bought these stick-in faces for pumpkins...turned out to be a huge hit with the kids. They were obsessed with these little guys and carried them around everywhere! And, much much easier than carving :)

We had an awesome Halloween evening. We got together with some friends and had a Progressive dinner/trick-or-treating event. We started at one end of our complex at a friend's house and had hors d'oeuvres. Then we came to our house for Chili and cornbread. After dinner, the kids trick-or-treated through the complex down to another friend's home for yummy pumpkin/choc. chip cookies. So delish! I would trade all of Taylor's candy for another plate of those cookies right now (let's be honest, I am the one who eats most of the candy - can't let my kids eat all that junk, right?! I'm really doing them a favor.)

Luke got a little side-tracked by the playground...I let him play for a few minutes while sister kept knocking doors.

Mulan and the Spider

The kids had a great time - Luke would have been happy with just one piece of candy. He kept unloading his bucket and sitting on the sidewalk. Tay wanted to go trick-or-treating again on Sunday - it was hard to break the news that she'll have to wait a whole year to do it again.

Now, on to Thanksgiving and Christmas! I love the holidays...

Number Preschool Halloween

2009-10-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

We brought Tay a dress from China Town in San Fran - and I told her it was her Mulan dress...well, she decided that's what she wanted to wear for Halloween. Easiest costume ever! Slap a little eyeliner on her eyes, hand her a parasol, and voila! Mulan! (even though it really doesn't resemble Mulan's get-up at all...Tay thinks it does, and that's all that matters, right?!)

Here she is with the rest of her class enjoying their Halloween party - they had a great time!

"Cheese!" Luke loves the camera.

More pics to come of the upcoming Halloween festivities! We love fall/winter time and all of the fun holidays we get to enjoy!

preschooler

2009-10-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this picture of Tay on her first day of preschool this year...she is going to a co-op that several of the moms/kids in our complex do together. There is a little classroom in one of the buildings here that we use and we take turns teaching and helping out. It's stocked with lots of supplies and has cute school posters all over the walls.

Taylor LOVES going to preschool - and has named it her "number preschool" - I think because the address of the building is in huge numbers on the outside of the classroom. Anyway, it has been a really positive experience so far! She gets so excited when it's time to go - and it's nice for me that school time falls right during Luke's nap :)

Luke didn't want to be left out of the pics, so here he is in all his pj'd, fraggle-rock-hair'd glory!

Nursemaid's Elbow

2009-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

We had a strange little accident happen yesterday with our sweet little Lukey man...

Adam was walking around church with him holding onto his hands (like you do when helping a little one walk). All of sudden, Luke sunk to his knees and just started screaming. Adam thought maybe his feet were hurt or something, but then we noticed that he would not move his right arm. He screamed especially loud when we had to move it to put him in his carseat.

Well, there were no urgent care appts. available, so we headed to the ER...our first trip with one of the kids - and I'm sure it won't be the last! They got us in fairly quickly, probably because of all the loud screaming Luke was doing.

All I can say is, thank goodness for modern medicine! A Physician's Assistant came in, asked what happened, then started moving Luke's arm and after about 5 seconds said, "Ok, it's back in place." What?! It was out of place?! Apparently one of his forearm bones had popped out. It is supposedly a very common accident called nursemaid's elbow that happens to little kids ages 0-4 because their bones are so little. But, extremely scary because we didn't even know how it had happened...Adam hadn't pulled hard on his arms.

We are just so thankful that it was an easy diagnosis and fix - and that we have doctors readily available to fix us when we are a little broken.

Here's to a fixed man who was pointing and grabbing and smiling 5 minutes after having his arm popped back in! We love you, Luke!

San Francisco treat

2009-10-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

The last trip of our summer of fun...we actually left the kids with Adam's parents and sister (I know, awesome, right?!) and headed to San Fran.

I loved all the Victorian style homes...especially the "Painted Ladies" the famous row of houses that are on lots of postcards and paintings.

It was so much fun to be able to come and go as we pleased without worrying about the munchkins...we did miss them terribly, though! But, nice to know that the screaming kids in the restaurants were not ours :)

Japanese Tea Gardens at Golden Gate Park

Another favorite at Golden Gate Park was the Rose Gardens. Very fragrant and beautiful.

We also went to a King Tut exhibit at the museum in Golden Gate Park...it was very interesting and exciting to see artifacts that were so old - but preserved so well. Definitely a highlight on our trip and something we had not planned to do!

We loved China Town! We went there a couple of times - once to shop around and once to look at all the interesting and different things they had in the food markets...we even saw a little shark just laying on the sidewalk in front of one of the shops.

We ate at a little restaurant in Little Italy after China Town...we had a hard time deciding where to eat because there are so many choices. Great food - we love Italian!

Alcatraz...one of my favorite things we did - I've always wanted to go, so I was very excited about going. Very cool. I loved that they had an audio tour with sound clips from actual former inmates.

We also stayed at Fisherman's Wharf for a night and were able to see some of the street performers and of course visit Ghiradelli Square. Yum.

One of the last places we went was called Land's End. We didn't take pictures because it was so foggy, but it was definitely one of the coolest things we did. It's just the edge of San Fran - the literal coast...we parked and walked down to the sea cliffs and watched the waves crash against the rocks. The sea spray was huge and awesome to watch. We could also hear seals but couldn't see them in the fog.

We had a great trip, and were so grateful to Aunt Weez and G&G Burnett for watching the little ones so we could have a little time off. But I must say, I was happy to come home to these two...

Love em!

My morning at the spa...

2009-09-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

After I got out of the shower the other day, Taylor wanted to spray (with water) and comb my hair. I of course said yes, because I remember relentlessly bugging my big brothers to let me do the same to them when I was little (I wanted to be a beautician like my aunt Brenda).

I sat down and she sprayed and combed and pretended to put gel and hairspray and lotion in my hair for quite a while. Then she pretended to paint my fingernails and put lotion on my hands and arms (she said it was sunscreen because she wanted to go to the beach).

I must say, it was fun! I felt like I was being pampered and getting a little massage - and I didn't have to spend a dime. Thanks, Tay! I love spending my days with you :)

Vegas, baby!

2009-09-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

Our summer of fun continued with a trip to Vegas...

We stayed at the Mandalay Bay, which we loved! The room was great and the pool and lazy river were so much fun. We spent most of the trip with Adam's brother, Austin and his awesome wife, Elise (they live in Vegas). They were our tour guides, babysitters, and all-around fun companions! We ate really good food, spent a day cruising the strip (m&m store, and coke flavor testing were favorites), and hit the Shark Reef aquarium that was in our hotel. Adam and I also got a night alone to go the Lion King (also at our hotel). So nice!

The only pics I have were from our hotel room...I'll have to snag some from Elise (they took awesome pics the whole time).

This was our awesome waterfall tub...who needs a swimming pool when you have a tub this big?!

Thanks Buck and Elise for a super fun trip! Can't wait to do it again some time!

Beach bonfire

2009-09-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

We've been having so much fun this summer that I haven't even been home long enough to update our adventures!

We had been talking about going to the beach for a bonfire, so one day, we went and picked up Adam's sister (aunt Weez) and headed to Balboa. We made a sweet little fire, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, listened to Weez's ipod, and generally just had a great time.

We had been telling Taylor about making a fire on the beach for a few days and she was sooo excited when we finally went...first thing she wanted to do was roast her smashmallow (marshmallow in Tay language). So we got out the mallows, she reached in and grabbed one and then went over and chucked it in the fire - so funny! She thought that was what we meant when we talked about roasting them. When we actually roasted one and gave it to her, she was much less excited and wanted to just throw some more in.

We had a good time and will definitely go back for more!

More summer fun to come...

Utah Trip

2009-08-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Adam made it to the finish line (of his summer internship, that is) and we have a few weeks to kill before he returns for his last year of school. So, we decided to take a little trip up to Utah to visit family and have some fun.

We hiked (more like sauntered along a paved road) to Bridal Veil Falls. Taylor LOVED stomping around in the water with her uncle Buck! I loved the snowcones at the end of the trail (Tigers Blood can't be beat...)

We also went to Lagoon...Adam was a trooper and stayed with the kids while I got to hit all the sweet rides with his siblings.
We ate at Tucanos, mmm, yummy!

Another pic from Lagoon (after we all got soaked on the rapids ride). Tay wasn't too sure about it until she saw daddy go under a waterfall...then the ride was awesome!

We also got to spend an evening with Adam's grandparents in West Jordan, and we got to spend some time with my mom, grandparents, and my brother and his family. I'll post more goodies as soon as I swipe some pics from my mom :)

Thanks AD and Heather for letting us all invade your house! Thanks Linda for treating us to yummy food and fun, and thanks Austin and Elise for letting us crash with you on our way back home! We missed you, Am and Matt!

love em

2009-08-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

They got new sunglasses...I got a sweet pic.

Playing outside. Luke thinks he's a big kid, so I spend all my time chasing him and pulling him off the toys before he takes a major spill.

"I'm a princess!" And, I think this was day 3, maybe 4 of wearing this same dress...which is not complete without her crown and slippers (the slippers have been broken for a while now, but she still tries to wear them everyday).

Oh, I love her!

party time

2009-07-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of Tay's little friends had a birthday party last weekend. We had a great time being outside in the sunshine with friends.

Luke liked hanging out on the swing with mom.

Can't go wrong with party hats!

Or a pinata!

...Or a mini bounce house. Fun times!

milestones

2009-07-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

First of all, we have been enjoying a very HOT few days recently. We attempted an outside playtime one afternoon and promptly had to return to the air-conditioned house to eat otter pops.

You can see Tay's sweat-matted hair.

one for each hand...perfect!

No matter how hot, Luke always protests quite loudly when it's time to come back in...he loves to toddle around outside and discover the rocks, leaves, dirt, and bugs. He's definitely my little BOY!

Milestones (or is it mile stones?):
I asked Luke if he wanted some milk this morning, and he answered me, "yeah," with a sad puppy dog face. I can't believe he's talking so much already - maybe it's because he listens to Tay chatter all day! He can also say momma, daddy, baby, doggie, bye-bye, na (banana), tay-tay and he can do animal sounds for monkey, elephant, lion, and doggie. He's getting so big - literally! He's so much fun and we're loving watching him grow.

As for miss Tay, she is a little princess - complete with a crown, slippers (plastic high heels) and a magic wand. She insists on wearing dresses every day, but she doesn't like to have her hair done (doesn't quite fit with the girly-girl princess facade). She's well acquaited with time-out, but only because she is learning what's appropriate and testing her limits. She really is a sweet little girl most of the time, and I'm so grateful that I get to stay home and spend my days with her and our little buddy Lukey man.

Good Company

2009-07-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

Adam's mom and little sis came out for a quick visit last week.

It's fun to have someone to take pics of us!

My little ballerina (grandma bought Tay her first ballet shoes. Now I just have to find a class to enroll her in!)

We hung out at Venice beach one day...looked in the shops and ate at a little burger joint. Fun!

Aunt Weez with her favorite niece and nephew :)

Thanks for the visit! We had a great time.

I'm not the brother!

2009-07-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

Taylor and I have been chatting as of late about not using sippy cups anymore. She tends to drink way too much - so much that she won't eat her dinner when she is given sippys throughout the day. After one such chat, she said this to me:

(Pointing to herself) "This is not the girl that needs a lid. I'm not the brother that's little and needs a sippy!" That's right, Tay! You are a big girl and you can drink out of cups without lids!

She's getting so big and saying so many cute things during the day that I try to write the funny things down as they happen. I don't want to forget all the fun things she says and does.

We were in Payless Shoes the other day...Luke was asleep in the stroller (good man!) and Tay was having a blast trying on all the high heels in my section. After each try, and also whenever I tried on a new pair, she would say, "Oh mom, those are amazing for you. These shoes are amazing!" We got several comments from people in the store about her chatter...she's not a quiet child, by any means!

I love my little princess! We have so much fun together! She is hard sometimes, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. I hope she'll still want to shop with me and tell me my shoes are amazing when she's a teenager :) Here's to hoping!

My little monkeys

2009-07-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when the gate to the kitchen is not up...it was worth it to see the pure joy on their faces as all the tupperware came flying out.

We love spaghetti!

And yes, we had baths and a tooth brushing party just after these pictures were taken :)

The 4th rewind

2009-07-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

Just thought it would be fun to see our 4th of July pics from the last few years. We always go to Adam's parents for swimming and then to a park behind the Middle School in Yorba Linda for the fireworks.

Tay in 2006

Tay and Daddy in 2007

Tay at the park - 2007, all tuckered out.

Mom and new baby Luke, 2008Tay - 2008, and yes, she is wearing the same shirt from 2007. We get good use out of our clothes!

Daddy and the kids - 2009

We couldn't get everyone to look at the same time...

Luke - 2009

I am so grateful that we live in America...it truly is a blessed nation. Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!

Stats

2009-06-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do a quick little update about the kids...they both went to the doctor last week, so here are their stats:

TayJane received a clean bill of health. She is weighing in at 34 lbs and is 38 1/4 inches tall. Thankfully, she is up-to-date on her immunizations and I didn't have to struggle with two screamers when the needles came out. Poor Lukey man did not fare as well...

Luke is weighing in at 25 lbs and is 31 inches. Poor little dude had to have 4 shots - one in each leg and one in each arm...it was traumatic - not only for him, but for me as well. They made me hold the poor guy down while they stuck him :( I was also suprised to find out that he has an ear infection, but we've got meds and we're quickly on the mend!

Thank goodness for health care that allows me to keep my kids healthy and happy!

As a side note: I tried some of my chicken (from the food storage canning project I posted about a while ago...) Anyway, I made chicken enchiladas with it, and it turned out awesome! I drained off the water, shredded it up (it shreds like a dream, by the way) and we gobbled it up. Tasted great - for all you unbelievers out there, come over and try some! I guarantee you can't tell it's canned chicken.

California Dreamin

2009-06-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

This is what we do on Monday mornings. Life doesn't get much better!

I love that we live 10 minutes from the beach...

I especially love having these two cuties to play with

Love these kids!

Love California!

Busy+Fun

2009-06-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

We've been very busy these last few weeks...Adam had a week off before starting his summer internship, so we made the most of our time and crammed as much as possible into a few short days:

First, we hit the Griffith Observatory. We didn't watch the show in the planetarium, but Tay loved running around looking at all the exhibits - especially the floor dedicated to the planets. It was a fun-filled trip - and well worth it (especially because it is free to get in!)

Next, we went to Disneyland (just long enough to ride Winnie-the-Pooh and Monsters...the summer crowds were starting to pick up already, so two rides was enough!) However, that didn't stop me and the kids from going a few more times before the passes were done for the summer :)

We also went to Newport Beach and had lunch at Ruby's on the pier and walked around the Balboa Fun Zone. We love going to Ruby's (although I might recommend sitting inside so you don't have to fight off the crazy pigeons while you eat). We also got some yummy salt water taffy (my fav!) and took fun pics in a photo booth (I'll try to remember to post those later).

Lastly, we took the kids to see the movie UP. Thankfully, Lukey man fell asleep shortly after it started. Tay was a trooper wearing her 3-D glasses the whole time. We loved the movie! I especially liked Doug the Dog.

whew! We had a really fun time together as a family. We've been spoiled during these last few months to have Adam around a lot of the time. It's been so great! Now, we're gearing up for late nights without him as he works hard this summer.

But, I'm happy to say that we've made it one week...according to Adam (who is a numbers kind of guy), he has completed 12.5% of his internship already. Investment Banking hours are killer, but if anyone can do it, it's Adam! He's such a hard worker, and we're so proud of him for working hard and accomplishing his goals.

One last thing...Adam was able to take a little time away from work yesterday to take Tay to a Daddy-daughter activity the stake was putting on at the church. They ate dinner together, made cute little cars from boxes, and watched a movie (drive-in style). It was a big highlight for Tay! She has been talking about it and "driving" her little car around the house ever since. So cute!

We're so lucky to have such a great guy leading our family. We love you, Adam! Thanks for all you do for us! And, Happy Father's Day - you're the best Daddy ever!

It's a World of Laughter...

2009-06-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

We made our final trip to the Magic Kingdom (before our passes our blocked for the summer) yesterday. We were able to go with a few friends - and hit more rides than I was anticipating with the summer crowds already in full-force. We had a good time, but I can officially say (for probably the first time ever) that I am a little Disney'd out (don't tell my mom...she would never raise a daughter that would speak, or type those words!)

Here are a couple fun pics of Tay and her little pal (thanks for the cute pics, Sara!). I also have some awesome pics of Tay and her little friend she calls her Prince :) that are to die for...I'll post those next time so you all have something to look forward to!

Does it really get any better than this?!

If I had my way today...

2009-06-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

I totally stole a link from my friend's blog to share...if I had my way today, this would be one of the rooms in my totally awesome custom home. Since this is not reality, I'll just do what I always do: pull out all my craft/sewing stuff and make a gigantic mess in my tiny dining room (first thing you see when you walk into our humble abode).

Hey, a girl can dream, right?! And Laura Warner, if you're reading this, tell Shawn that if I ever get a custom home, I'll be rich enough to pay him well to assemble this for me :)

Here's a pic of the sewing table...click on it to see the rest.

Food Storage Junkie

2009-06-07T21:24:00.001-07:00

The women of the UCLA ward are all food storage junkies...except for me and choice other few who I have an instant bond with. I feel like I did in High School when teachers would just expect that you learned a concept the previous year - when, in reality, no one had ever taught it...

I used to just pass the food storage info along in Relief Society thinking, "I don't even know where to start with this, so I'm not even going to try." Plus, we've been living in apartments for quite a while with limited space. The apartment we are in now has a little more wiggle room, plus a garage, so my lame excuse of 'no space' doesn't hold quite as much weight anymore.

Well, my friends, I'm happy to say that my outlook has now changed. Thanks to those awesome ladies who are food storage junkies, I am slowly learning! We've had a few food storage mini enrichments, I've visited the cannery (where I was interviewed for National Talk radio, I might add:), and yes, I have used a pressure cooker to can my own meat (thanks, Laura)!

Although these jars kind of look like they belong on the shelves of a science lab, don't worry - I've tasted the finished product, and it's delish! The pressure cooker is awesome! You put raw meat into the jars, slap them in the machine, and a little while later, you have fully-cooked, sealed meat that can be stored for the next 10 years.

There has been a big push for us lately to get our 72-hour kits up-to-date, get our 3-month supply together, and at least begin our 1-year supply. I've felt really strongly that I need to take care of these things for our family, especially in light of the earthquakes that we have had. Nothing quite kicks me into action like a little earthquake jolt! I didn't feel so strongly about these things before we had kids, but now, I know that I would never forgive myself if we were in need of these supplies and I was not prepared with the things that my little munchkins need.

So, if you have not started your food supply, or if you don't have your 72-hour kits stocked, here is a little plug for you to start! I've heard of a few people who open their kits every General Conference and check dates, rotate food, re-stock. Sounds like a good activity to keep everyone awake during the morning session! Maybe we won't even need to use these things in our lifetime, but I know that we will be blessed for following the counsel of our leaders and preparing just in case. Better to be much too early than a just a little bit too late...

I think I need this

2009-06-01T15:39:00.001-07:00

Yep, that would be fun.

Fun to look forward to...

2009-05-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Featurette

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer

Memorial Birthday

2009-05-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

Lukey man turned the big ONE on Memorial Day! Yay, Luke!

We started the day by going to the Los Angeles National Cemetery. They had a Memorial Day service going on that we were able to watch for a few minutes. It was touching to see all the flags...we feel so blessed to live in America. Go USA!

After the cemetery, we went to Adam's parent's house for a little BBQ/Birthday bash. I decided to make a Mickey Mouse Cake and cupcakes for Luke (he LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!)

Tay enjoying the beautiful weather and the fun toys at Grandma Linda's!

We had a great weekend! We can't believe our little boy is 1 already...where did the last year go?!

Here's a tiny clip of Luke and his birthday cake. Taylor dove headfirst into her first birthday cake. Luke was a little more timid with his :) I tried to help him out, but he wasn't into it. And, since I don't have any pics of my new haircut yet, this is all you get - a lovely side shot of my head - I'll post pics soon.

Chopped!

2009-05-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

We decided the time had come for haircuts all around - we were all looking very shaggy, so we went to our friend Kelli's for a chopping party. I say "chopping" because Tay and I both got several inches cut off! Taylor looks like a doll with her haircut. I loved mine the day that Kelli styled it for me, but I'm still figuring out how to do it on my own :) It is really fun to have a change though - it was time!

Here are a few cute pics of the kids. This is the first professional cut for both of them. Up until now they've had to endure my mediocre cutting skills.

6 Years

2009-05-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

We had our anniversary at the beginning of this month and I wanted to post about the fun weekend we had to celebrate...can you believe it's been 6 years already?! I can't. Anyway, Adam, being the awesome husband that he is, planned for a little mini-vaca for us. We dropped the kids off at his parents' for a night and stayed in Newport - a night, all to ourselves, sweet! We also found a fun little breakfast joint to enjoy the next morning before we went back to real life...

I'm such a lucky girl to have found and snatched up Adam. He's an awesome provider, a terrific daddy, loves us unconditionally, and makes it his goal every day to make us happy. What more could a girl ask for?!