The canyon is calling....

Yesterday Lance switched over from grave to swing shift for the week, so we had him all to ourselves for the day. We decided we needed to make it count, so we took off for the canyon -rain and all!

Despite weird and drizzly weather, everyone was in GREAT spirits! Here's Ella in 3-layers of clothes!

The LUCKIEST guy in the world: having a wife who loves the canyon as much as HE does!

Mia was dead tired, but she kept her spirits up watching the fire and chillin' with her folks.

Lance's mom Debbie came along for the trip! It was GREAT to have Grandma with us!

Fire in the rain!Who doesn't love a great hot-dog cooked on the open flame?

Here's Mia with her 3-layers of clothes! Goin' for the ole' sippy.

It's not a self-shot, folks!

Exhaustion

Ok, so I’m REALLY tired! On Saturday morning Lance and I stood on the porch and stared out at no little drizzle –but a FREAKIN’ DOWNPOUR!!! We wondered if we should put the entire move off, and also began to question whether or not we’d have any kind of showing for the help we wrangled. GRATEFULLY, my brother-in-law Scotty’s work schedule changed and he had the day off, and then Lance’s other friends showed up too… The boys worked HARD, with no real breaks due to the rain (not so bad, in that respect, heh) and got the house emptied in no time. While they worked I finished the master bathroom (who can pack that kind of stuff early?) and the kitchen –with the last of the dishes that needed to be cleaned, etc. I got the house cleaned pretty well while they unloaded the 1st load, and was ready to go back with them for the 2nd and final load. Lots of pizza and a promised round-o-golf later, we said good-bye to the guys and continued to work.
Between Saturday and Sunday I got most of the house unpacked. I took yesterday off from work to recuperate –however- I was surprised at how UN-motivated I was, as it was mostly done anyway. Taking this day off was worse for me than planned, as the exhaustion settled in. I have a bum ankle (different story for a different day: involving a grand entrance “Hola mi familia, you look familia!” and heels– you do the math) that freaks out when I ‘over-do’ it, and it was KILLING me. Tylenol. Good stuff. NOT.
Anywho, I will post some pictures of the place all put together later. It’s fabulous –with LOTS more space than what we’ve been cramped into the last 5 months (although we loved the house). I need to go get more stuff! Right hunny?

My beebee

Pictures entirely too cute not to post!

organization

The effects of pregnancy are emerging –and not just in extreme um, grouchiness. I am sportin’ some MAJOR fatigue, and this is PUSH THROUGH THE PAIN week at our house. Lance and I have a list of different chores that we’re trying to work through during the week in terms of packing/ cleaning, etc. Yesterday I fell short as after packing a few “décor” boxes from the living room, making spaghetti & artichokes, and taking the girls to Connor’s (darling little boy who lives by my mom) birthday party, I looked at the house and couldn’t do any more. It’s not like me to leave a disaster –and when they say that your home is a reflection of your mind, it’s VERY TRUE! The disorganization that comes with boxes everywhere and the lack of the “homey” feeling that comes when I have things put together makes me crazy!
I hate moving!
Today I’m going through the girl’s toys and will be discarding everything that doesn’t have a real “home”. I feel kinda bad, but since Lance and myself are the main source of kid entertainment in our home, and most toys don’t get touched anyway, I really don’t feel that bad. ….And the fact that I have tossed many an obscure trash bag o’ toys in the past, letting go has never been difficult for me. Sorry girls. I love Charlie Brown too, but he’s not making the keeper list this go-round.

The Money Shot

It's official! We have successfully created a world o' estrogen for a very deserving Lance. It's a GIRL!

(DISCLAIMER: APOLOGY SHOUT-OUT TO THE NEW BABY ON THE SHOCKING PHOTO... I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE.)

Da Moof

Since we discovered that we were short on space and busting at the seams in our lovely little home, we have made the adjustments to move along to bigger (not better) places. We're headin' into this lovely little town-home complex whereupon we hope to have a bit more breathing room...

But OH how we'll miss the house. The yard is of particular sadness to me, as it was such a fun source of play and privacy. Incentive to get our stuff together to purchase a home, eh?

The move is this Saturday. Anyone who happens to be around is welcome to come on by and help us out! We accept all charity! I'm all kinds o' pregnant and am not going to be much help (sooo sorry!). Oh, btw, we find out if it's a boy or a girl today!

Trip to the park!

With the mini-slice of spring we've all been enjoying, I decided that we needed to run off some energy! My bff Erin and I headed to Merlin Olsen Park for a day in the sun. ...I probably should have done Mia's hair.

Here's Erin!Ella got some help on the swing! She is the thrill-seeker in the family.

Mia's turn on the swing was a little less-than-thrilling...
Yeah, NOT having it.

MUCH better kicking it in the stroller for a while. Mia also enjoys long walks away from the crowds -leaving moms and mom's friends to run after her... :)

See, I think she's thinking about the next big escape here. Ella had a lot of fun! She made new friends and enjoyed looking fabulous in my sunglasses for a while.

In the Mirror

Today my eyes are swollen. Looking over my life, especially as a mother, there are so many mistakes and battles that I should have fought. Regret is an undeniable piece of life –and I can’t live without it and still have a conscience. I owe my children so much more than what I have given them.
This was pointed out to me yesterday in a very invasive and hurtful manner –however- it is true. In the end, I’ll be answering for the job I did with these girls. They are the most important “work” that I have on this Earth.

Swollen eyes are better than mistakes not acknowledged.

4 AM disaster

So with a centimeter of milk left in the bottom of the jug, I got Mia’s sippy last night and said a quick silent prayer that we wouldn’t need any milk in the middle of the night…
Mia has come up with a new thing where every once in a while, she’ll wake up and cry until someone (uh, ME) gets her a new bum and a new sippy. Ella shows up in my room at 4AM and says “Mia is awake and crying”! So, unconsciously, I headed to the kitchen. It’s a new day, so I grabbed a new sippy (because if you play that game where you get the old one out of the bed to rinse, baby will FREAK OUT while you’re gone after having seen you) and went to the fridge. No milk. Debate. Warm water, or juice (which “juice” in our household is Walmart-brand sugar-free beverage: in this case, RED FRUIT PUNCH). I thought that since I didn’t have warm milk to offer, I’d go with the “juice” route –small compensation for a negligent mother! I filled the sippy, half with water, the other half watered-down “juice” and went downstairs. She took the drink, I changed her bum, she was quiet. Upstairs as I slunk into the bed, I heard crying. So, back down the stairs to see a sad Mia with an empty sippy. I opted for the warm water (sad sad sad) and went to the bathroom sink, whereupon I notice that there is NO RUBBER PIECE IN THE LID OF THAT SIPPY CUP!Side Note:
For those who are not parents, the enormity of the DISASTER of this situation doesn’t make much sense. The rubber piece in the valves of the sippy are what “slow the flow” so to speak. Without these, Mia might as well have had an open-faced cup in that crib. Heading back to Mia’s crib (teeth clenched), I pull the baby upright and realize we have red “juice” head to freakin’ toe. This stuff stains like an SOB, so out comes baby, out comes all the bedding (which was JUST WASHED YESTERDAY), and to the washer/ bath-tub we go. I got a load running in the machine, and bathed my red baby. I did have some meager and unfruitful attempts of putting her back to bed/ putting her in my bed and trying to sleep –but it was all pointless. I turned on some Mickey Mouse Club House for Mia and started folding the last of the laundry from last night. I got quite a bit accomplished this morning, but have the bags under my eyes to prove a less-than-desirable drive to have touched any of it with a 10-foot pole.
:(

Chuck E Cheese's

Ella was going to have a birthday (not till May) party at Chuck E Cheese's, but for the sake of our move coming up (another story) we decided we'd strike when we had the opportunity. Sunday, Lance wasn't working and had it in his mind that we were going somewhere... Gratefully, Scotty & Candace were able to come along -and their friends Jen & family came too so Ella had lots of friends to hang out with!Here's Ella with Chuck himself!

Ella won some kind of sorry gummy-slap-critter, who was lost in less than 5 minutes after she won it (to my relief).

Mia had a GREAT time playing with her drink -which I learned later I had confused with Lance's drink and allowed her about 1/2 a cup of MELLO-YELLO! *New worst-mom of the year award.Look at the smile on that caffinated-buzzing-baby!

Here's Aneesa playing a bubble game.

Jen's daughter Brinley.

Jen's other daughter Brooklyn.

Here's Ella on a ride!
Chazzy-Bear!We tried a ride with Mia-babes -here's the start...

This is the look before she burst into absolute TEARS!

Overall satisfaction -Ell later told us she had a "BLAST". :) Outty.
Token self-portrait on the way home.
Ok, so the girls were boogying to some Garth Brooks on the drive... but...
All good things come to an end. Look at that face on Ella!