Family Vaca

We did it. We finally went on another vacation with the whole gang. Meaning Dave and me, and our girls. We haven't done that since Disneyland a year and half ago. That trip was exhausting. The drive was looong, and the girls woke up at 5 every morning! Not my idea of a vacation! We must've recouped enough to venture out again. This time not QUITE so far. We headed to sunny St.George. And for once we actually got all the sun we were hoping for! It was a perfect week to be down south. We stayed at a condo and played all day until we were all SPENT. And the girls were in heaven. They LOVED the condo. They'd say, "can we go back home, but not our REAL home our new home?" Rosie kept forgetting what it was called and she would ask "can we go back to the Sando?" Or she would say, "whats that place called again at our vacation?" We swam...in the hot tub...the pools were like glacier water!! The best day we had was spent at the sand dunes. The girls could have stayed ALL day! It was perfect weather just enough sun with a perfect breeze. All that was missing was an ocean. The girls still woke up early, that was tough. But they are old enough now that they can watch shows until a more reasonable hour for Dave and I to drag ourselves out of bed. It was such a great trip. The girls kept saying I LOVE St.George. I kept thinking WHY is this so much fun!? Usually on vacations I get a little stressed or something. But it was so relaxing and fun to have Dave all to ourselves and our girls are finally at fun ages where they appreciate the surroundings. I just remember at Disneyland, exhausting myself trying to get them to be excited about everything. It's like it was all just too much to take in or something. But they loved every minute of this trip and it made it so much more worth it. Every few days Rosie will say, whats that place called again? I know exactly what she is asking. The condo. Ok ramble, ramble. Here are some pictures.

Scarlet DID turn 5!!

It seems like ancient history now that Scarlet turned 5!! It was a crazy couple of days. We had a family party on her actual birthday. She got to bring her best friend Hannah with her to storytime at the library, then to play their hearts out at Micky D's. When Dad got home went out to the cat place, or the firework place, aka costa vida and did some ball-ing, as Scarlet calls it, aka bowling. Then had dinner and played with Daddy on the slide. Perfect day...as far as S was concerned. Then her Hannah Montana friend party was the next day. I was all partied OUT! But the show must go on and we got the cultural hall and some microphones and let the girls rock out the show on the stage. It was loud and chaotic and perfect.

This lady is growing up too fast. It has been a privileged to watch her grown and to get to be her mom(I sound like my mom). She continues to make us smile with her entertaining personality, spontaneous singing performances, contagious laugh and all her funny peculiar preferences (mostly her clothes, she is very picky. It has to be glitzy, and go well with her boots, which are pretty much welded to her her feet around the clock!) I am still a little in shock that my little chunky cheeked, bald headed baby girl is FIVE!! This is a serious milestone. At least she still lets me pull her on my lap and kiss her little face off. Some pics of my favorite five year old, on her special day.

(Proud to say I made that cake and I sort of enjoyed doing it. Kinda hurt me a little to cut it all to pieces...)

(We were a little surprised that Scarlet didn't really want to sing, she was WAY more interested in stealing the show with her dance moves.)

(The rock star crew, having cake, what a day!!)

We did celebrate Christmas...

So it's mid January, better late than never is my forever motto. I forgot to post some christmas cheer, and pictures of our holiday. We had a merry Christmas but we didn't document it so well. Oops. I think it may be because we only got our girls a few gifts this year so they could REALLY appreciate each one. We did really good with that plan...but Dave and I got each other a few more things. We had a ton more presents under the tree and realized Scarlet was bound to notice. So we frantically opened our gifts 2 at a time while the girls were distracted. I think Scarlet noticed...but she was too excited about her toys too care too much. Phew! Anyway it was jolly, and it was fun to watch Rosie get excited this year. She will still say every few days or so "Santa is coming tonight!" Scarlet tries to explain how loooong it will be until he comes, she'll say "No Rosie, AFTER Thanksgiving." Love the holidays. I think I was the first one awake at our house. I was just snug and quiet in my bed at 7am wondering when those little whipper snappers were going to wake up! Finally at like 7:30 I heard little voices and I went zooming downstairs to get the party started:) So...happy, merry, belated Christmas to you all!

(see...WIDE awake)

(cannies, Rosie's favorite present)

(behold...Hannah Montana)

Ho Ho Hawaii

Was I really in Hawaii a week ago!!?? No it was almost 2 weeks ago! I might think it was all just a dream if I didn't have pictures to prove it really happened. My tan is fading under all these layers and all this COLD! Sad. As soon as we stepped off the plane in HI, I think all of us asked ourselves the same question, why don't we live here!? I mean really, why NOT!?? My mom even went as far as to look up real estate and found some pretty decent places to live...who knows, maybe someday... Anyway it was a great trip. My sister was graduating so Dave told me I should go and he would take the week off and play with the girls. I know. I am one lucky lady! It was a blast being with my family. We haven't done anything like that EVER! We played as hard as possible. The waves were monstrous. I have never been so terrified, standing there watching this huge wall of water about collapse right on top of me! Most (some) of the time I made it under, and other times I was dominated and washed up blowing water out of my eyes, nose and ears. What a thrill.

(Dominated, check out the hair...)

(the boogie crew)

(Over, under or ride it in...?? That was always the question at hand.)

(Pipeline, reserved only for the pros. Biggest waves I have ever seen!!)

(Observers at Pipeline watching the CRAZY surfers, we saw at least 3 broken surf boards!)

(The graduates)

(The Fam- well a handful of them at least)(Las Hermanas)

Life's little treats

So I was chatting with Dave the other day and he was wondering why I didn't keep a journal anymore? We had pulled out one of my recent journals the other day to look at some of our baby name ideas (sorry if this is my way of breaking the new to you...I'm 12 weeks pregnant weeee...). I read some of my entries and it seemed like I had such a busy exciting life...what happened!? I feel like if I were to still keep a journal all I would talk about was what Rosie said or did or how big and beautiful Scarlet was getting, and all my mom worries and hopes and fears. I would babble about soccer and what hum drum things I did while waiting around until Dave got home... Or maybe not. MAYBE, keeping a journal makes you see the little neat things and ideas you have that get lost or forgotten if you don't write them down. For example today I uh...well I um... Ok for reals I went to my first baby check up. I didn't realize how eager I was to make sure my body wasn't playing tricks on me and that I actually had a little human inside me. Its not a trick, I got to hear a beautiful, fast, strong human heartbeat coming from my belly! It was music to my ears. I kept a journal for like 20 years...but for now I just don't feel like it. So this blog will have to be the next best thing. And the pictures will have to tell most of the stories...that ain't so bad, right?

(Introducing Hannah Montana, the rock star. Scarlet was singing full blast at the park and giving Noah and I (and everyone else nearby) the show of a lifetime. She is a riot!)

(Two of her biggest fans)

(loving Noah)

(some pictures from one of the last nice fall days we had...those were great days...come back soon. This girl is just irresistible to me. I love this adventurous, clever little two year old with a serious passion!!)

(The Babysitter. Scarlet's favorite past time, besides watching Hannah Montana, is this little man. She loves to play, snuggle, hold, kiss her cousin Noah ever chance she gets. She was pushing him in this stroller and he was as happy as a clam. A few weeks later she wanted to try it again and Noah wouldn't fit! This boy is a'growin.)


(Rosie snuck into my mascara, obviously. But she wasn't pleased with the results. When she looked in the mirror she was scared. She said "its a monster!" We had a good laugh.)