What a busy and wonderful week this has been! Monday was picture day for my little one at Sears Portait Studio in Orange. She did incredibly well and we ended up with some nice photos. In order to make things time efficient and cost effective we booked an appointment at 10am, which is their earliest appointment, and I used a coupon as well as my Smile Saver card with my purchase. Once that was all done we headed home where I met up with my husband and we set out on our weekly hike.
My husband and I hiked over 6 miles through Whiting Ranch/Limestone Canyon in Foothill Ranch. It was a beautiful hike full of plant life and a little stream through the center of it. We spotted squirrels, lizards, numerous birds, a roadrunner and some mule deer tracks. At least we believe they were mule deer, we aren't exactly trackers. After about a two and a half hour hike we were back at our car and heading home for a much needed shower.
Tuesday was a quieter day and we spent the morning at Citrus Ranch Park in Tustin. Since my girls tend to complain when I suggest we go on a hike I decided that we should try nature hikes during the week to get them accustomed to being out in nature. So before I let them play at the playground I had us walk the little nature trail there. It wasn't very long but it gave the girls an opportunity to follow a trail and look at the trees, go up a small incline, and look at the animals. Afterwards I let them lose on the playground where they spent an hour and a half playing with one another and some of the other children present. It was a bit warmer of a day so we ended about 11:30am and drove to the library to pick up some new books.
Wednesday was our weekly Pajama Day and ballet for my little one. She did much better this week after we went over the rules again about behavior in class. Try them out they work for most anything. First, don't leave class. And next, do as the teacher says. That's it. Simple and to the point. And though she did well she came out telling me that after ballet was all over she wanted to go back to taking ice skating. *Sigh* I have no problem letting my girls do whatever makes them happy I just wish they could do it closer to home and in a warmer building.
Thursday! Mom's pool day. Not my pool, since we seem to have misplaced our pool key, but my mom's pool. We were there for about two hours and I even got in so as to work on swimmimg skills with them. You can assume from that statement that I don't really do the whole swimming thing. I can swim well enough, so please don't think I'm somehow going to drown, I just don't like to be in the pool. Or the ocean for that matter. But we all do things for our children that we may not normally do and all children need to know how to swim.
On Friday I attended a mommy group meetup event at Newport Beach Back Bay. First of all, I was the only mommy from the group there which was a little funny since it was my first meetup with the group and there was no one to meet up with. And secondly, I must have missed the part about it costing me $10 to park there for two hours! I am a very frugal woman. The reason being is that there is simply not enough money for us to be throwing it around. So that $10 didn't exactly make my day but we were already there and I wasn't about to turn around and drive back home after my girls were all set to go in the water. Overall I thought it was nice enough but I don't anticipate going back there. The kids seem to have more fun at the beach and the parking is free.
Saturday went a little differently than expected. I joined another new meetup group so spent the morning walking/hiking just over 4miles. When I got home I had planned to do some things with the family but ended up sending my father-in-law to the doctor with my husband as support. The bad news is my father-in-law is in the hospital as we speak. The good news is he is doing better, we think we have avoided surgery for anything, and he may be home soon. With all that going on I focused on just keeping the girls busy. We started with an egg hunt. I have kept our Easter eggs from this year and last to use for a random snack hunt now and again. I filled 24 eggs with some snacks, treats, and coins then hid them in the grass and bushes in front of the house. Once they found them all they came in, had their snack, and we moved on to the next activity. Face painting! My youngest decided to have her whole face painted like a cat and the oldest wanted a unicorn across her cheek. I sat them by the computer, googled images for a cat and unicorn face painting, then let them pick what they wanted. After that I just did my best to emulate what I saw on the screen. Then we finally ended with some finger/brush painting. My husband brought home Mexican food for dinner and we all picnicked in the living room and watched The Goonies. Yes, there are swear words. Yes, we explained why they could not repeat them. And yes, they listened. Kids are awesome.
Holy cow we have come to Sunday. This morning we attended church then came home where my husband got a to go lunch ready for us all. I grabbed some things for the girls then sat down and had a quick lunch. After my lunch we were off to grandmas house where I dropped them off with their food and swim gear, talked for a few minutes, gave out some hugs and kisses, then ran out the door. I didn't want to be late for my appointment with the American Red Cross. Today was my day to donate plateletes. Donating took about two hours and went well enough. There was no pain just the usual fatigue and some light headedness but I'm feeling good now. And just as a side note plateletes are not the same as donating blood. I am unable to donate blood due to an extreme reaction that results afterwards. But plateletes are something inside my blood that they take then put the blood back in me. No nasty side efects. The rest of my night has been reading, resting, and some documentary and mars landing television. I watched the documentaries while my husband is currently watching the NASA channel.
Okay, lessons for the day: Hiking is awesome! Get out there and reconnect with nature. While you're connecting with nature make sure you connect with water as well. It's a great and gentle form of exercise and all children need to learn pool/water safety. Remember that Easter eggs can also be snack eggs. And donate! Time, money, blood, whatever you can and have. All we need is love and the world would be a better place if we all loved it enough to take care of all the living things in it. Giving blood or plateletes is free and only costs your time. You could save someone's life one day and all you had to do was watch a movie while they took some blood then eat some snacks when you're done. Reconnect, be creative, and give.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
The Beach, The Fair, And Everywhere
I'm admittedly behind a few days on this blog so I'm going to do my best to make this informative yet to the point so I can work on this week.
Thursday was Corona Del Mar beach day. We arrived at 10am and parked on Larkspur so we could avoid the parking fee. The walk to the beach was a lot easier now that I found I could ditch the large Ikea bag full of supplies and stuff it all in a backpack. That left my hands available to carry my spiffy new beach chair. No more craning my neck to eyeball the girls. The weather was nice and we hung out for the usual two hours before we headed home.
Friday was even more fun than usual. My husband and father-in-law took the day off and we all went to the fair. We showed up around 1pm so we could take advantage of the $2 deals they had going on. Although we couldn't escape the parking fee we got a deal going in. Our youngest was free, my oldest was discounted, my father-in-law received a seniors discount leaving my husband and I to pay full price. Once inside we had lunch. On Fridays many vendors at the fair offer food for $2. They are sample sized but for children that's perfect and if necessary you can buy another sample of food. So for $6 I had a sample of a tri-tip sandwich, a drink, and a soft serve in a cone. Considering I was seeing food for upwards of $9 not including drinks or desserts, I was pretty happy. Rides were also less expensive so the girls were allowed several rides and a game each for a discounted price. We also took advantage of the fair's reading for ticket ride incentives. If youre child reads two books and fills out the paperwork online about the books they can receive 3 free rides. So not only can you save a little money but you have another reason to encourage your child to read.
Saturday and Sunday was a blur. My husband and father-in-law went to Vegas for a day leaving the girls and I to campout in the living room. We watched Strawberry Shortcake episodes and had hot chocolate with rice krispie treats. The girls spent a night at grandma and grandpa's and then spent an afternoon swimming the next day.
I am happy to say that everyone is home and the men of the house brought back some cute gifts from their trip and some fun stories to tell. Everyone is safe, sound, and ready to get back to the norm.
What You Can Take Away: Be a kind beachgoer. Please try your best not to park yourself directly in front of another person. Especially if you plan on putting up a tall chair or setting up a tent or anything else of the sort. I get to the beach early and choose a spot that works for my girls and I so your being right in front of me makes it difficult for me to keep an eye on my girls. Just something to consider. Lastly, let your significant other have a mini vacation without you. It was my idea to send my husband away so I could have time with my girls. And it was only for the weekend. Give your loved one a break, it works for both of you. You'll also be apart just enough to miss eachother but not so much where you'd be upset over it.
This summer is flying by and I thank you for riding right along with me. I hope to continue sharing with you and hopefully inspiring you as well.
Thursday was Corona Del Mar beach day. We arrived at 10am and parked on Larkspur so we could avoid the parking fee. The walk to the beach was a lot easier now that I found I could ditch the large Ikea bag full of supplies and stuff it all in a backpack. That left my hands available to carry my spiffy new beach chair. No more craning my neck to eyeball the girls. The weather was nice and we hung out for the usual two hours before we headed home.
Friday was even more fun than usual. My husband and father-in-law took the day off and we all went to the fair. We showed up around 1pm so we could take advantage of the $2 deals they had going on. Although we couldn't escape the parking fee we got a deal going in. Our youngest was free, my oldest was discounted, my father-in-law received a seniors discount leaving my husband and I to pay full price. Once inside we had lunch. On Fridays many vendors at the fair offer food for $2. They are sample sized but for children that's perfect and if necessary you can buy another sample of food. So for $6 I had a sample of a tri-tip sandwich, a drink, and a soft serve in a cone. Considering I was seeing food for upwards of $9 not including drinks or desserts, I was pretty happy. Rides were also less expensive so the girls were allowed several rides and a game each for a discounted price. We also took advantage of the fair's reading for ticket ride incentives. If youre child reads two books and fills out the paperwork online about the books they can receive 3 free rides. So not only can you save a little money but you have another reason to encourage your child to read.
Saturday and Sunday was a blur. My husband and father-in-law went to Vegas for a day leaving the girls and I to campout in the living room. We watched Strawberry Shortcake episodes and had hot chocolate with rice krispie treats. The girls spent a night at grandma and grandpa's and then spent an afternoon swimming the next day.
I am happy to say that everyone is home and the men of the house brought back some cute gifts from their trip and some fun stories to tell. Everyone is safe, sound, and ready to get back to the norm.
What You Can Take Away: Be a kind beachgoer. Please try your best not to park yourself directly in front of another person. Especially if you plan on putting up a tall chair or setting up a tent or anything else of the sort. I get to the beach early and choose a spot that works for my girls and I so your being right in front of me makes it difficult for me to keep an eye on my girls. Just something to consider. Lastly, let your significant other have a mini vacation without you. It was my idea to send my husband away so I could have time with my girls. And it was only for the weekend. Give your loved one a break, it works for both of you. You'll also be apart just enough to miss eachother but not so much where you'd be upset over it.
This summer is flying by and I thank you for riding right along with me. I hope to continue sharing with you and hopefully inspiring you as well.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
The time, the time! Who's got the time?!
It's amazing how a week can fly right past you. I've found time slipping away from me this whole week and now I am here, almost at the end of it, attempting to rehash all that we have done.
Monday was another Pajama Day. If you need details as to what we did and played I couldn't remember for the life of me. What I have noticed is the girls becoming so much more independant this summer. A good example is how my little one did not need me to assist her with her ABCMouse.com web site. I turned it on, logged her in, and she asked to be left to her own devices. I absolutely encourage a childs independance so told her it was fine and that I'd be available if she needed me. To my surprise she never called me. I was so proud of her. I was a little sad at another way they have now learned to be without me. But such is life and we all did it to our parents as well.
Tuesday was a bit busier. It was a mommy group day so we attended a meetup at Turtle Rock Community Park in Irvine. This is a great park because it has two playgrounds, one for bigger kids and one for smaller, and benches right between the two. You can easily watch your children regardless of which playground they are on. There isn't a lot of shade so for the summer go earlier in the day and bring sunscreen. There is also a small creek just down the way and into the grass. There will be ducks and they will be looking food. My recommendation is that you leave them to fend for themselves. Although animals like this are cute we should remind our children that by feeding them we are disrupting their natural diets and allowing them to become dependant on humans for meals. Neither of those things benefit the animals. On a less serious note I give Turtle Rock 5 stars, if I had a 1-5 star rating system. My girls spent most of the time barefoot and either in the creek or up a tree. When they finally decided to come out there was a playground waiting for them. There is also a trail for those of you looking for a little more activity for yourselves besides watching the kiddos play.
Wednesday was movie day and everything in between day. Our movie for this week was Brave. Matinees at The District shopping center in Tustin/Irvine are $6 a person so with a $20 bill and snacks we set out to the theatre. Yes, I bring snacks. I feel like the prices at the movies, along with most everywhere else lately, have become too costly. I simply cannot justify something like $4 for a popcorn or soda. And since the girls are little I bring us all snacks. Once they're older I have no problem sitting through a movie without anything to snack on but for now it's fun to see them stuff their little faces and watch the big screen. Going back to the movie, Brave was a sweet and funny movie. There was no prince charming or best friend characters like we are accustomed to yet it was absolutely endearing. At its core it is a movie about the relationship between a mother and daughter and all the ups and downs that are a part of it. It's rich in color, brings a new culture to our children, and seems less grand than Disney's other movies allowing the viewer to really focus on the family unit depicted. The everything in between part of our day was all of us washing the car then taking my youngest to ballet and afterwards taking my oldest to Taekwondo. By the end of Wednesday I needed another cat nap.
For now covering those three days seems like enough for me. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to take some time to go over the rest of the week. On a side note I did finish reading a book by V.C.Andrews called Dawn of the Morning. I cannot sing my praises enough for this woman who was a very gifted writer. I have read several of her books and once I start find I have a hard time putting them down.
That's all for me. So, idea for the day: Check out Meetup.com It's a fabulous web site allowing you to search your interests and hobbies and join a group of others interested in the same thing. I myself am in four mommy groups just so I always have choices of things to do with the girls. And that also means someone else can do the research for events now and again besides me. And lastly, play like your kids. Don't just play with them but play like them. I found myself barefoot and in the creek along with my girls earlier this week and I'll admit it was wet, cold, and had a squishy/mossy feel to it (yuck) but I was in there and it made me laugh. And the girls loved my being there. Get out there and play! We all need to get away from the tech ridden LOL and really have a laugh out loud moment. I know I did and it was great.
Monday was another Pajama Day. If you need details as to what we did and played I couldn't remember for the life of me. What I have noticed is the girls becoming so much more independant this summer. A good example is how my little one did not need me to assist her with her ABCMouse.com web site. I turned it on, logged her in, and she asked to be left to her own devices. I absolutely encourage a childs independance so told her it was fine and that I'd be available if she needed me. To my surprise she never called me. I was so proud of her. I was a little sad at another way they have now learned to be without me. But such is life and we all did it to our parents as well.
Tuesday was a bit busier. It was a mommy group day so we attended a meetup at Turtle Rock Community Park in Irvine. This is a great park because it has two playgrounds, one for bigger kids and one for smaller, and benches right between the two. You can easily watch your children regardless of which playground they are on. There isn't a lot of shade so for the summer go earlier in the day and bring sunscreen. There is also a small creek just down the way and into the grass. There will be ducks and they will be looking food. My recommendation is that you leave them to fend for themselves. Although animals like this are cute we should remind our children that by feeding them we are disrupting their natural diets and allowing them to become dependant on humans for meals. Neither of those things benefit the animals. On a less serious note I give Turtle Rock 5 stars, if I had a 1-5 star rating system. My girls spent most of the time barefoot and either in the creek or up a tree. When they finally decided to come out there was a playground waiting for them. There is also a trail for those of you looking for a little more activity for yourselves besides watching the kiddos play.
Wednesday was movie day and everything in between day. Our movie for this week was Brave. Matinees at The District shopping center in Tustin/Irvine are $6 a person so with a $20 bill and snacks we set out to the theatre. Yes, I bring snacks. I feel like the prices at the movies, along with most everywhere else lately, have become too costly. I simply cannot justify something like $4 for a popcorn or soda. And since the girls are little I bring us all snacks. Once they're older I have no problem sitting through a movie without anything to snack on but for now it's fun to see them stuff their little faces and watch the big screen. Going back to the movie, Brave was a sweet and funny movie. There was no prince charming or best friend characters like we are accustomed to yet it was absolutely endearing. At its core it is a movie about the relationship between a mother and daughter and all the ups and downs that are a part of it. It's rich in color, brings a new culture to our children, and seems less grand than Disney's other movies allowing the viewer to really focus on the family unit depicted. The everything in between part of our day was all of us washing the car then taking my youngest to ballet and afterwards taking my oldest to Taekwondo. By the end of Wednesday I needed another cat nap.
For now covering those three days seems like enough for me. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to take some time to go over the rest of the week. On a side note I did finish reading a book by V.C.Andrews called Dawn of the Morning. I cannot sing my praises enough for this woman who was a very gifted writer. I have read several of her books and once I start find I have a hard time putting them down.
That's all for me. So, idea for the day: Check out Meetup.com It's a fabulous web site allowing you to search your interests and hobbies and join a group of others interested in the same thing. I myself am in four mommy groups just so I always have choices of things to do with the girls. And that also means someone else can do the research for events now and again besides me. And lastly, play like your kids. Don't just play with them but play like them. I found myself barefoot and in the creek along with my girls earlier this week and I'll admit it was wet, cold, and had a squishy/mossy feel to it (yuck) but I was in there and it made me laugh. And the girls loved my being there. Get out there and play! We all need to get away from the tech ridden LOL and really have a laugh out loud moment. I know I did and it was great.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Playing Catch Up
Friday has come and gone and here I am trying to catch up with you.
Friday morning I took the girls out to Corona Del Mar. I am usually the last person you'll ever here offering to go to the beach. In the past year I've probably been between 4 and 5 times. But I promised my girls the beach and I wasn't going to let my bad attitude ruin something I know they love. So I got into my bathing suit, which is one of the things I hate about the beach, and got them into theirs. I packed our snacks, sunblock, towels, and who knows what else for the trip and off we went.
As you may have noticed I am a bit on the frugal side so I was not about to pay $15 for beach parking. I was just fine parking on a side street and having my girls and I hike ourselves in. Hey, I figure I can always use the extra exercise. We arrived about 10am and once I set out the towels and covered us in sunblock I unleashed the wild beasts that our my girls and from that point on rarely saw them unless it was for a snack or water break. Of course, i could see them but they didn't hang out with me like they did last year. They found other children on the beach and had a grand time in the water. Even my three year old was spalshing away which is something she'd never done.
Two hours later I took two tired and hungry girls home for lunch. They'd had a wonderful time and even I had managed to enjoy myself. Once I learned to relax a bit I found that maybe the beach wasn't so bad. As long as it didn't actually involve me going into the water.
Saturday was my husband's birthday. We started his day by going for a hike in Peters Canyon without the kids. I thought they'd enjoy the break and he and I could do a longer hike together on our own. So the girls had a playday with their grandfather and my husband and I packed up our things and headed out on our hike. We began around 10:30am, which is actually later than I'd like to start, and decided to do the whole darn trail. That meant we hiked just over five miles and it took us about two hours to complete. The first half of the hike had the most hills, which is probably for the best, and the last half was quite pleasant. There's not much shade so be careful not to go out on a super hot day. The view is gorgeous and we spotted a roadrunner along the way along with a squirrel and many beautiful plants, insects, and birds. I was very proud of myself for having completed the hike and would recommend it to anyone. We did see families out there so feel free to bring the kids when you head out. Not all the trails have such steep hills and you can always go a ways then head back the way you came. No one expects the kiddies to hike the 5 miles. But if they can then more power to the little super kid.
After a quick clean up in the shower we had a delicious lunch at Islands then dropped the kids off at my parents while we spent some time wondering around the Orange Mall. It was relaxing just wandering aimlessly through the stores and since I had a gift card, since last year, to JcPenney I decided to check out what they had. Turns out they had some things and I was ecstatic to buy them. After a few hours of wondering around we picked up the girls, came home, and just enjoyed eachother's company until bedtime. It was relaxing and peaceful and I think my husband loved his day.
Since my husband is so special, or so he tells me, he not only got a day but a weekend. I kept the girls busy this morning with church. Afterwards we came home for a quick lunch and change of clothes then headed to the Center for Living Peace, across the street from UCI, to take a class called Smiling Monkey Yoga. It's yoga for ages 3-7. We took it before and although I wasn't thrilled with the last teacher we still decided to give it a go. This instructor was a huge improvement and the girls had a great time dancing, stretching, and chatting with their teacher. Since the instructor asked the mommies to join in I ended up doing the class with the girls. And though yoga is not best done in a dress shirt and jeans I did my best and had a good time hanging out with them. I absolutely recommend trying this with your little ones. It's a good way to teach them how to center themselves, how to control their breathing, and how to pay attention to their bodies. And it's always just a fun way to spend an hour on a lazy Sunday.
Once we came home I pretty much passed out and stayed that way until dinner time. I had no idea I was out so long but sometimes a body just needs to rest. See, in one class I already learned to listen to my body and it told me to take a darn nap. Pizza was on the dinner menu along with The Water Horse for our viewing pleasure. I baked a chocolate cake for a belated birthday cake and we all enjoyed cake with ice cream for dessert.
We have finally caught up to the present. The girls are bathed and in bed after a chapter reading of Roald Dahl's "BFG" Big Friendly Giant and prayers and I am starting to wrap this up. I have nothing to read for tonight because I recently finished The Sister's Grimm by Michael Buckley and Angel's Fall by Nora Roberts. But tomorrow I hope to borrow a book from a coworker by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
What you can take away: Life can be exhausting. There are times that are exciting and times when you just don't have a darn thing going on. And don't get me started on all the things in between. But all you have is this time, right now, for better or worse. So take what you can from it. Remember, it doesn't matter if the cup is half full or half empty, if there's something in the cup just drink it. Thank you Nora Roberts for that metaphor in your book. Read more. Bask in some sun. And breathe now and again. It's all going to be okay.
Friday morning I took the girls out to Corona Del Mar. I am usually the last person you'll ever here offering to go to the beach. In the past year I've probably been between 4 and 5 times. But I promised my girls the beach and I wasn't going to let my bad attitude ruin something I know they love. So I got into my bathing suit, which is one of the things I hate about the beach, and got them into theirs. I packed our snacks, sunblock, towels, and who knows what else for the trip and off we went.
As you may have noticed I am a bit on the frugal side so I was not about to pay $15 for beach parking. I was just fine parking on a side street and having my girls and I hike ourselves in. Hey, I figure I can always use the extra exercise. We arrived about 10am and once I set out the towels and covered us in sunblock I unleashed the wild beasts that our my girls and from that point on rarely saw them unless it was for a snack or water break. Of course, i could see them but they didn't hang out with me like they did last year. They found other children on the beach and had a grand time in the water. Even my three year old was spalshing away which is something she'd never done.
Two hours later I took two tired and hungry girls home for lunch. They'd had a wonderful time and even I had managed to enjoy myself. Once I learned to relax a bit I found that maybe the beach wasn't so bad. As long as it didn't actually involve me going into the water.
Saturday was my husband's birthday. We started his day by going for a hike in Peters Canyon without the kids. I thought they'd enjoy the break and he and I could do a longer hike together on our own. So the girls had a playday with their grandfather and my husband and I packed up our things and headed out on our hike. We began around 10:30am, which is actually later than I'd like to start, and decided to do the whole darn trail. That meant we hiked just over five miles and it took us about two hours to complete. The first half of the hike had the most hills, which is probably for the best, and the last half was quite pleasant. There's not much shade so be careful not to go out on a super hot day. The view is gorgeous and we spotted a roadrunner along the way along with a squirrel and many beautiful plants, insects, and birds. I was very proud of myself for having completed the hike and would recommend it to anyone. We did see families out there so feel free to bring the kids when you head out. Not all the trails have such steep hills and you can always go a ways then head back the way you came. No one expects the kiddies to hike the 5 miles. But if they can then more power to the little super kid.
After a quick clean up in the shower we had a delicious lunch at Islands then dropped the kids off at my parents while we spent some time wondering around the Orange Mall. It was relaxing just wandering aimlessly through the stores and since I had a gift card, since last year, to JcPenney I decided to check out what they had. Turns out they had some things and I was ecstatic to buy them. After a few hours of wondering around we picked up the girls, came home, and just enjoyed eachother's company until bedtime. It was relaxing and peaceful and I think my husband loved his day.
Since my husband is so special, or so he tells me, he not only got a day but a weekend. I kept the girls busy this morning with church. Afterwards we came home for a quick lunch and change of clothes then headed to the Center for Living Peace, across the street from UCI, to take a class called Smiling Monkey Yoga. It's yoga for ages 3-7. We took it before and although I wasn't thrilled with the last teacher we still decided to give it a go. This instructor was a huge improvement and the girls had a great time dancing, stretching, and chatting with their teacher. Since the instructor asked the mommies to join in I ended up doing the class with the girls. And though yoga is not best done in a dress shirt and jeans I did my best and had a good time hanging out with them. I absolutely recommend trying this with your little ones. It's a good way to teach them how to center themselves, how to control their breathing, and how to pay attention to their bodies. And it's always just a fun way to spend an hour on a lazy Sunday.
Once we came home I pretty much passed out and stayed that way until dinner time. I had no idea I was out so long but sometimes a body just needs to rest. See, in one class I already learned to listen to my body and it told me to take a darn nap. Pizza was on the dinner menu along with The Water Horse for our viewing pleasure. I baked a chocolate cake for a belated birthday cake and we all enjoyed cake with ice cream for dessert.
We have finally caught up to the present. The girls are bathed and in bed after a chapter reading of Roald Dahl's "BFG" Big Friendly Giant and prayers and I am starting to wrap this up. I have nothing to read for tonight because I recently finished The Sister's Grimm by Michael Buckley and Angel's Fall by Nora Roberts. But tomorrow I hope to borrow a book from a coworker by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
What you can take away: Life can be exhausting. There are times that are exciting and times when you just don't have a darn thing going on. And don't get me started on all the things in between. But all you have is this time, right now, for better or worse. So take what you can from it. Remember, it doesn't matter if the cup is half full or half empty, if there's something in the cup just drink it. Thank you Nora Roberts for that metaphor in your book. Read more. Bask in some sun. And breathe now and again. It's all going to be okay.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Kiddle Karoo and...Who?
I had planned on taking the girls to Pretend City this afternoon. One of the mommy groups I am in set up a playdate there at 4pm. The incentive? The price was only $5.50 after 4pm. Turns out there was a catch. They are only open until 5pm. My youngest has ballet until 4pm so I decided the idea of driving to Pretend City and paying to play for 40 minutes was ludicrous. I ended up telling the kids that Pretend City was off the table. They handled it well. I think it had a lot to do with the fact they they'd never been so none of us had any idea what we may have been missing. After they were put to bed I began looking into what we could do.
Wednesday is just about the worst day to find activities for the family. I tried Michaels, Barnes and Noble, all the local theatres I could think of, the Center For Living Peace, and after all that came up with a big fat zero in the way of options. I finally tried Goldstar and found one event we could attend. You can imagine my relectance though when said event was titled Kiddle Karoo and the Silly Monster House Party. What was a Kiddle Karoo? And did I really want to attend a monster house party? After about another hour of coming up with nothing else I decided to buy tickets to a show I have never heard of and whose name I couldn't remember in its entirety. The cost ended up being $10 a person and it was held at the Encore Dinner Theatre in Tustin.
Now that my tickets were purchased I headed off to bed and had a horrible time sleeping. I should have taken that for a sign.
Now thet we are up to speed, this lovely Wednesday morning started off with me at the gym around 6:30am. After my workout the kids and I had plenty of time to get ready for the first event of the day, storytime at the Tustin Library. Storytime is always a blast and we have been attending on and off for about a year. It only lasts half an hour so we still had an hour left to kill before curtain call. We ran some errands in Old Town Tustin then had a light snack while waiting for me to decide when I'd tell the girls their big surprise. Even after all that we still arrived about 20 minutes early. There were waiters milling about and since I showed up early I guess they assumed we'd be eating lunch before the show. Nothing doing. I wasn't paying someone $6 for PB&J. I don't care how good it is. But then I started to feel guilty. Here we are in this nice dinner theatre waiting to see a show just for them and mommy was going to let them have nothing but a water. Needless to say I purchased the most indulgant thing on the menu, a choclate cake covered in chocolate frosting with chocolate chips all around the sides. Even I thought it was a little much. We all split the one piece and still couldn't polish it off. Which is probably for the best.
Once the show got started the kids kept busy dancing and following along with a woman called Kiddie Karro and her plethora of puppets. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and talked about it for the rest of the day.
I, unfortunately, must say that I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't judging the show from an adults standards. I know that shows geared towards children are completely different than those for adults. It's cutesy, quick moving, kitchy, etc. and all that is okay but this show was just not for me. Although I feel as if I should have gotten an award for the smile I plastered on my face every time one of my little darlings looked at me with a beaming face as if to say "Look at me! I'm partying with mosters!" All I could think of was the monster headache I was getting. That's okay though because I guess it didn't matter if I was amused. I didn't buy the tickets for me. So my mission of giving the kids a good time was accomplished. And it only took that hour out of my life. Forever. Never to return...but I digress.
After the show came the big movie break of the day. Today's feature was Disney's Robin Hood (I've always been quite partial to that movie). While they vegged I cooked dinner. Why does dinner need to be cooked at 2pm, you say? Because when ballet is at 3pm and then you have to do a big grocery shopping trip with the father-in-law as soon as you get home there's not a lot of time to put a meal on the table.
Ballet went fabulously and I watched my three year old running around the studio in a princess dress, hot pink of course. And shopping wasn't too bad either. I had my oldest grab what I pointed out to her then hand it to her sister in the front of the cart so she could dispense it into the cart. Before we knew it shopping was done. And Amen to because I was hungry.
Groceries were put away. Fish, rice, and veggies were served. Even some chocolate milk for the girls. None for me thank you the cake was enough for the day. And there you have it. A day fit for a princess, or two. And I am ready for a nightcap now that they are in bed, quiet, and the only sound I hear is the classical music in their room and my tap tap tapping.
So Goodnight, folks! And talk to you soon.
Wednesday is just about the worst day to find activities for the family. I tried Michaels, Barnes and Noble, all the local theatres I could think of, the Center For Living Peace, and after all that came up with a big fat zero in the way of options. I finally tried Goldstar and found one event we could attend. You can imagine my relectance though when said event was titled Kiddle Karoo and the Silly Monster House Party. What was a Kiddle Karoo? And did I really want to attend a monster house party? After about another hour of coming up with nothing else I decided to buy tickets to a show I have never heard of and whose name I couldn't remember in its entirety. The cost ended up being $10 a person and it was held at the Encore Dinner Theatre in Tustin.
Now that my tickets were purchased I headed off to bed and had a horrible time sleeping. I should have taken that for a sign.
Now thet we are up to speed, this lovely Wednesday morning started off with me at the gym around 6:30am. After my workout the kids and I had plenty of time to get ready for the first event of the day, storytime at the Tustin Library. Storytime is always a blast and we have been attending on and off for about a year. It only lasts half an hour so we still had an hour left to kill before curtain call. We ran some errands in Old Town Tustin then had a light snack while waiting for me to decide when I'd tell the girls their big surprise. Even after all that we still arrived about 20 minutes early. There were waiters milling about and since I showed up early I guess they assumed we'd be eating lunch before the show. Nothing doing. I wasn't paying someone $6 for PB&J. I don't care how good it is. But then I started to feel guilty. Here we are in this nice dinner theatre waiting to see a show just for them and mommy was going to let them have nothing but a water. Needless to say I purchased the most indulgant thing on the menu, a choclate cake covered in chocolate frosting with chocolate chips all around the sides. Even I thought it was a little much. We all split the one piece and still couldn't polish it off. Which is probably for the best.
Once the show got started the kids kept busy dancing and following along with a woman called Kiddie Karro and her plethora of puppets. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and talked about it for the rest of the day.
I, unfortunately, must say that I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't judging the show from an adults standards. I know that shows geared towards children are completely different than those for adults. It's cutesy, quick moving, kitchy, etc. and all that is okay but this show was just not for me. Although I feel as if I should have gotten an award for the smile I plastered on my face every time one of my little darlings looked at me with a beaming face as if to say "Look at me! I'm partying with mosters!" All I could think of was the monster headache I was getting. That's okay though because I guess it didn't matter if I was amused. I didn't buy the tickets for me. So my mission of giving the kids a good time was accomplished. And it only took that hour out of my life. Forever. Never to return...but I digress.
After the show came the big movie break of the day. Today's feature was Disney's Robin Hood (I've always been quite partial to that movie). While they vegged I cooked dinner. Why does dinner need to be cooked at 2pm, you say? Because when ballet is at 3pm and then you have to do a big grocery shopping trip with the father-in-law as soon as you get home there's not a lot of time to put a meal on the table.
Ballet went fabulously and I watched my three year old running around the studio in a princess dress, hot pink of course. And shopping wasn't too bad either. I had my oldest grab what I pointed out to her then hand it to her sister in the front of the cart so she could dispense it into the cart. Before we knew it shopping was done. And Amen to because I was hungry.
Groceries were put away. Fish, rice, and veggies were served. Even some chocolate milk for the girls. None for me thank you the cake was enough for the day. And there you have it. A day fit for a princess, or two. And I am ready for a nightcap now that they are in bed, quiet, and the only sound I hear is the classical music in their room and my tap tap tapping.
So Goodnight, folks! And talk to you soon.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
It's Pajama Time!
Today is what I like to call Pajama Day. That's really just my way of saying it's "stay at home so mommy can clean" day. In my experience I have found that the way you phrase things sometimes determines how your child receives them. So cleaning day became pajama day.
Pajama Day works like this; I start in one room and when I'm done cleaning I take a break. During that break I sit with the kids for a while reading or playing a game. Once we've done that for 15-30 minutes I start on the next room. I continue like this until the house is clean. This works great for the summer since it leaves the rest of my week free to do whatever we want. It also allows one day when the kids have total downtime.
Movie time was at the same time today, after lunch, and today's pick was Oliver and Company. This was viewed on the largest computer screen I could set up since our tv will not be fixed for another week. Darn the waiting for replacement parts. Actully, I'm not really bothered by the no tv thing. The only time I really used it during the day was for movie time. So as long as that routine is still in play, we're okay.
If you want to try a Pajama Day here are some suggestions for things to do during the period you are with your kids. Some will be applicable and some may not, use whatever works for you. Read, board games, face painting, jewlery making, educational web sites like abcmouse.com, workbooks, kids magazines like highlights, kids baking, etc. The list goes on and on. And since they may not get to go outside for the day make inside fun. Have a tea party for lunch. Or serve yourselves a meal in the living room while watching a family movie. Let them have a sweet snack that you'd normally never give them. Pull out a kids tent, or put up a makeshift one, turn out the lights in the room you're not cleaning and give them flashlights. We even have cd's with nature sounds or scary Halloween noises to put on. You're only limited to your imagination. Always explain to your kids that you'll be able to play on and off for the day so they have to give you a little time in between. And if you have babies use a carrier to keep them strapped to you while you clean. I usually did that when they were little if things like the play pen, bouncy chair, or swing didn't work.
Eventually we did end up leaving the house today but only to go down the street for my six year olds piano practice. I am lucky to have a niece who plays well enough to teach my daughter and who is willing to do it. While my oldest practiced with her cousin I set myself up in the other room with my three year old and my nephew and read to them until piano was done.
Although this may not have seemed like the most exciting day in our summer the fact of the matter is we all need a little time to do the regular day to day things. It's nice to take it easy and get the chores done. No money was spent. And the girls and I got time to ourselves without distractions. Except for the random tv repairman in the house who didn't actually repair anything.
Lesson for the day: Sometimes less is more. You don't always need to go out and spend money to enjoy time with the kids. And make sure you take the time to stay on top of those not so exciting chores, it'll only cause more stress for you if you let tasks pile up.
Pajama Day works like this; I start in one room and when I'm done cleaning I take a break. During that break I sit with the kids for a while reading or playing a game. Once we've done that for 15-30 minutes I start on the next room. I continue like this until the house is clean. This works great for the summer since it leaves the rest of my week free to do whatever we want. It also allows one day when the kids have total downtime.
Movie time was at the same time today, after lunch, and today's pick was Oliver and Company. This was viewed on the largest computer screen I could set up since our tv will not be fixed for another week. Darn the waiting for replacement parts. Actully, I'm not really bothered by the no tv thing. The only time I really used it during the day was for movie time. So as long as that routine is still in play, we're okay.
If you want to try a Pajama Day here are some suggestions for things to do during the period you are with your kids. Some will be applicable and some may not, use whatever works for you. Read, board games, face painting, jewlery making, educational web sites like abcmouse.com, workbooks, kids magazines like highlights, kids baking, etc. The list goes on and on. And since they may not get to go outside for the day make inside fun. Have a tea party for lunch. Or serve yourselves a meal in the living room while watching a family movie. Let them have a sweet snack that you'd normally never give them. Pull out a kids tent, or put up a makeshift one, turn out the lights in the room you're not cleaning and give them flashlights. We even have cd's with nature sounds or scary Halloween noises to put on. You're only limited to your imagination. Always explain to your kids that you'll be able to play on and off for the day so they have to give you a little time in between. And if you have babies use a carrier to keep them strapped to you while you clean. I usually did that when they were little if things like the play pen, bouncy chair, or swing didn't work.
Eventually we did end up leaving the house today but only to go down the street for my six year olds piano practice. I am lucky to have a niece who plays well enough to teach my daughter and who is willing to do it. While my oldest practiced with her cousin I set myself up in the other room with my three year old and my nephew and read to them until piano was done.
Although this may not have seemed like the most exciting day in our summer the fact of the matter is we all need a little time to do the regular day to day things. It's nice to take it easy and get the chores done. No money was spent. And the girls and I got time to ourselves without distractions. Except for the random tv repairman in the house who didn't actually repair anything.
Lesson for the day: Sometimes less is more. You don't always need to go out and spend money to enjoy time with the kids. And make sure you take the time to stay on top of those not so exciting chores, it'll only cause more stress for you if you let tasks pile up.
Monday, July 16, 2012
The Mission at San Juan
I love taking my girls out to the mission in San Juan Capistrano. Now that it's summer it seemed like the perfect time to plan our visit.
By 9:30am the girls and I were driving over to pick up my mom up for a morning down in San Juan. She was wonderful enough to take a day off work just to come with us. Traffic was more non existant than it was light so before 10am we were already parked in the lot by the train tracks and out of the car. (Just a note to any parents: every time we go out I like to bring 2 snacks for each child, sunblock, a full change of clothes for them, and a first aid kit. It all fits comfortably in a backpack.)
Our first stop was Zoomars Petting Zoo. This is a great little place to visit with the kids. You can feed the animals, ride a train, pan for gems, take a pony ride, and play on their little playground. I was lucky enough to find tickets for Zoomars through Groupon so the four of us had paid admission, two train rides, two panning for gems, and two feed baskets for $30. I added the two pony rides for another $10 because I am clearly a sucker for my kids. After a good long time of playing, with just about the cutest animals I've ever seen, we made a little stop at Hidden House Coffee where they make some delicious drinks and sat outside for a few minutes to relax.
Next was the mission. Now, I would normally have started at the mission but after checking out their web site I found out they had a kids craft going on from 11am-1pm. That meant if we started at Zoomars then headed over we would be right on time for the craft. The only discount we had at the mission today was the one they post on their website. So I got in for the senior price. But that's okay. My youngest is still free until her birthday so we only paid for three plus the two crafts. The girls ended up making lassos today. You can also use them as a jump rope but I guess they decided that wouldn't be as interesting. Aside from the lassos the mission was in full flower bloom today. It was gorgeous! And the Monarch butterfly's were everywhere. We even observed some of the caterpillers. The Koi pond is always a favorite stop as well as the vegetable gardens. Other than that they don't go into the rooms too much since they tend to look then leave not really reading much about the missionaries.
Finally we ended our visit at the Mission Grill ordering our usual burritos and chips. Where was the deal there? Simple, after reviewing the menu the girls shared a burrito, we all shared the chips, and we ordered small drinks since we were able to refill our own cups as often as we wanted. With children, the portion sizes tend to be too big so we have them split a meal. And why pay extra for a larger cup when I can just refill a smaller one? So with everyone's stomaches full, except for my three year old who seems to never be hungry, we walked to the car and began our drive home.
I rounded out my time at home with them by putting The Jungle Book on the computer for their viewing pleasure while I took a little cat nap. When my father-in-law took them to Taekwondo I got busy making dinner and getting ready for work.
So the lesson for today: Plan ahead! Check out web sites of where you're visiting in case they have any deals or events going on that may be of interest to you. And check coupon sites like Groupon or Living Social to see if there happens to be any discounts on a place you plan to visit. Also, watch what you eat when you're out. I frequently order from the kids menu as it's enough to fill me up and usually has a drink, a side, the meal itself, and a dessert for less that I can get with the adult menu. It also keeps the amount I'm eating in check. You'll find that if you just take a minute to go over the menu you can save a little money and maybe eat a little healthier.
There you have it. Another day in out life.
By 9:30am the girls and I were driving over to pick up my mom up for a morning down in San Juan. She was wonderful enough to take a day off work just to come with us. Traffic was more non existant than it was light so before 10am we were already parked in the lot by the train tracks and out of the car. (Just a note to any parents: every time we go out I like to bring 2 snacks for each child, sunblock, a full change of clothes for them, and a first aid kit. It all fits comfortably in a backpack.)
Our first stop was Zoomars Petting Zoo. This is a great little place to visit with the kids. You can feed the animals, ride a train, pan for gems, take a pony ride, and play on their little playground. I was lucky enough to find tickets for Zoomars through Groupon so the four of us had paid admission, two train rides, two panning for gems, and two feed baskets for $30. I added the two pony rides for another $10 because I am clearly a sucker for my kids. After a good long time of playing, with just about the cutest animals I've ever seen, we made a little stop at Hidden House Coffee where they make some delicious drinks and sat outside for a few minutes to relax.
Next was the mission. Now, I would normally have started at the mission but after checking out their web site I found out they had a kids craft going on from 11am-1pm. That meant if we started at Zoomars then headed over we would be right on time for the craft. The only discount we had at the mission today was the one they post on their website. So I got in for the senior price. But that's okay. My youngest is still free until her birthday so we only paid for three plus the two crafts. The girls ended up making lassos today. You can also use them as a jump rope but I guess they decided that wouldn't be as interesting. Aside from the lassos the mission was in full flower bloom today. It was gorgeous! And the Monarch butterfly's were everywhere. We even observed some of the caterpillers. The Koi pond is always a favorite stop as well as the vegetable gardens. Other than that they don't go into the rooms too much since they tend to look then leave not really reading much about the missionaries.
Finally we ended our visit at the Mission Grill ordering our usual burritos and chips. Where was the deal there? Simple, after reviewing the menu the girls shared a burrito, we all shared the chips, and we ordered small drinks since we were able to refill our own cups as often as we wanted. With children, the portion sizes tend to be too big so we have them split a meal. And why pay extra for a larger cup when I can just refill a smaller one? So with everyone's stomaches full, except for my three year old who seems to never be hungry, we walked to the car and began our drive home.
I rounded out my time at home with them by putting The Jungle Book on the computer for their viewing pleasure while I took a little cat nap. When my father-in-law took them to Taekwondo I got busy making dinner and getting ready for work.
So the lesson for today: Plan ahead! Check out web sites of where you're visiting in case they have any deals or events going on that may be of interest to you. And check coupon sites like Groupon or Living Social to see if there happens to be any discounts on a place you plan to visit. Also, watch what you eat when you're out. I frequently order from the kids menu as it's enough to fill me up and usually has a drink, a side, the meal itself, and a dessert for less that I can get with the adult menu. It also keeps the amount I'm eating in check. You'll find that if you just take a minute to go over the menu you can save a little money and maybe eat a little healthier.
There you have it. Another day in out life.
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