The toy that traveled thousands of miles....

My friend Jenn in Norfolk and I we talk a lot on the phone, even more now that I've moved thousands of miles away, but got vonage to keep my local number. =) So anyway, I mentioned that I wanted to get Wyatt an Exersaucer, and said it was too bad I hadn't bought hers from her before we left since she hadn't sold hers in her yard sale. Well, she managed to convince Josh before he left to see if he'd try and fit it in the car. (since I told her there was no way he'd bring it all the way to California!) It fit, so he brought it! He complained about listening to the thing rattle for those 4,000 miles (I think it's less than that, but this is what he said!)This man must really love me!
But, isn't the smile on this cute little guy worth it??

First Day of School

We had our first day of school today! It's hard to believe it's here already! Maddie has AM Kindergarten and goes until 12:45p.m. and Jonas is getting out an hour early this entire week, 2:30p.m. instead of 3:30p.m.
They seemed to enjoy their first day. Jonas informed me lunch was a Burrito which he said he ate and liked. It's amazing how if everyone else is eating it they will too!
He and his friend Jonathan from church are in the same class, so he seemed much more excited to go than he was when we talked about it yesterday. Maddie had a good time, didn't cry of course, although I guess there was one girl who did. Maddie has a class with our neighbors son, and they sit by each other. I wasn't even remotely emotional, I was so ready for them to go, and Maddie was very excited too. Eliza didn't seem to miss them too much, she happily played most of the morning quietly. Josh and I played Dr. Mario on the Wii, it was fun! So here are the kids first day of school pictures!

Family Get togethers

We are lucky to live near some of my extended family, and my cousin
Kendall
and his wife Robin live two hours away. We got invited to a big birthday bash Saturday, and the kids had a fabulous time. We hadn't seen most of them since the last reunion in 2004, so of course no one had seen Eliza or Wyatt yet! And I got to meet my Uncle Glade's new wife Grace, who is so sweet! And my cousin Mike's new wife Lacey! It was also good for us to go out on a little road trip and pass the time before Josh got home. He actually made it home 5 minutes before we got home! We are so glad he's back.

Last Days of Summer

We went to the beach last week, and enjoyed our last days of freedom before we became slaves to a schedule that's not our own! We had a good time, it was a lot of fun!

Big things are happening

1. Eliza officially went potty on the potty seat yesterday all by herself without anyone putting the thought in her head.
2. Wyatt is trying to crawl for real instead of rolling all over, he's now pushing up on his knees, so I expect him to be fully crawling really soon!

3. Josh will be home for good in ONE WEEK! He officially hands over the aid job on Tuesday.

4. School starts in 8 days, I'm sooo ready! Maddie will be starting Kindergarten!

Registering kids in school = making all Mom's across america want to shoot themselves in the head

School starts in two weeks on August 25th, and registration for late comers such as myself started today. One would think they would have several people in the front office getting people's stuff making sure they had everything. NO! I get there a few minutes after they opened registration stuff at 10:30a.m. and I got lucky number 7. I took the kids thinking it wouldn't take more than an hour right? So we were there an hour and a half and still only on number 4 so I called some friends begged and pleaded (just kidding they didn't hesitate to say yes!) to have them watch my older three, then dropped the kids off. So I returned to school and didn't leave for another hour! ARGH! They had one single lady taking peoples stuff, making copies and coming back. Then another lady was sitting there putting it all in the computer. The lady doing it doesn't strike me as being the nicest person in the world either.
I was just glad I didn't forget anything except for one date that needed to be added to Maddie's immunization card that thankfully I can get taken care of and show on the first day of school.
I'm so excited for school to be starting! I think I'm more excited than the kids are!

Here is a picture of the kids school

Hair Cut...

Yesterday after swimming with our friends my friend Toni offered to give me a hair cut since she's a cosmotologist, and knows how to do these things. I really just needed a trim, since I'm officially growing my hair out again. Maddie has been asking me to get her hair cut too, so I finally let her do it after explaining it takes awhile to grow out, and she said that's fine.
Maddie before the hair cut

Maddie after her hair cut

She loves it by the way, and I do too! I think it makes her look older!

4 against 1.... update on us...

Jonas, Maddie, Eliza and Wyatt. vs. Me that's how it feels sometimes.
The summer is going by fast, yet slow at the same time. Each Day different from the next. Some days are good, some are terrible. Some days I almost want to yell.... FINE then I'm going to MY ROOM and you guys stay downstairs and take care of yourselves! (YEAH RIGHT! Imagine the disaster I'd find when I decided to return.)
Then there are other days that aren't so bad. If you're wondering today has been a pretty good day. But Tuesday wasn't.. but we dealt with it.
Wyatt is rolling, all over the place, and sometimes he tries to crawl, but finds rolling is an easier way to get around, it's pretty funny. He rolls well!
We're making new friends, and getting out of the house. Both good things for all of us. We went swimming today with some of our new friends, and I didn't take any picture but sometimes I think that's okay because it can almost take away from the moment if you know what I mean.
I'm trying to finish A New Dawn by Stephanie Myers, which I stayed up till Midnight last night reading, and am still not done yet! Almost, I have just a few hundred pages to go.. so far I'm loving it!
Maddie is going to her friend Parker's tonight for a sleepover, her first one here, so she's pretty excited, they are becoming good friends. I'm sure we'll have her over here soon. Jonas is anxiously waiting his turn to go over to spend time with Parker's brother Connor.
Eliza I can say is definately Maddie's playmate. They play together a lot, and Eliza is usually Maddie's shadow, and she has now gotten into playing games on the computer. She knows exactly where to click on our computer to start Nick Jr. or Sesame Street!
18 more days until school officially starts... =)

If My Nose was Runnin Money...

My friend showed me this on You tube... hope this gives you a good laugh to start your week!

Cards

Many of you know that I'm a Stampin Up Demonstrator (I just celebrated my 5th year, and got a cute "5" pin to wear!) Anyway, back in Norfolk whenever I'd make cards I'd usually show Jenn, but seeing as she's a few thousand miles away I figured I better start posting some of my projects on my blog. So we got some new paper at Stampin Up that I love it's called Bella Rose and it goes along with some of our new colors.. which I love! (of course I say that EVERY year, but that's why I love Stampin up!)
So here are some birthday cards, some cards or sisters I visit teach, and a baby card I need to mail (once I get her new address) that I made recently... enjoy!
Oh and yes I was on a kick with my new scallop edge punch, and my scallop punch...love it!

Some quiet time...

A new friend here in San Diego her name is Toni, called the other night and asked if I'd watch her kids and I said sure, and she offered in exchange to watch mine and Josh and I went out the other night on a date. It was so much fun. And she even offered to watch them today so I could go on a needed trip to the grocery store. I took Wyatt, he's so easy. As I was browsing the yogurt in the dairy section this cute old man asked me, "What Aisle did you find a baby at?" I just laughed and smiled at him and thought I wonder if you'd be saying that still if you saw me with ALL 4 of my kids, the usual comment I get is, "boy you have your hands full!" I think I'd love to create a sign that says, YES I Do so anytime anyone says that I don't even have to answer, I can quickly flash the sign and move on.
I have so say I really enjoyed grocery shopping, it was so easy and Wyatt fell asleep right as we were checking out! Then it was back to reality.
I don't want to leave this pictureless so I'm going to post a picture of Maddie doing her Model poses for me.. it was so funny to take these pictures!