San Diego Day Seven

Ah...day seven. This is the day that Jeremy will never forget. We decided to go to the beach one more time, but this time we would rent a boogie board so Jeremy and I could have some play time. After one week in the sun, the kids and I had a pretty nice tan. Jeremy was as white as when he started, and he didn't want to come home without some color. The first day on the beach, he wore his shirt the whole time. The second day on the beach, he took his shirt off, but lathered himself in sunscreen. I only wore sunscreen on my face the entire time, so he thought he could do the same...you can see where this is going.

So after about four hours in the sun, we were both completely worn out and ready to relax. We went to the salon where Emma and I got our nails done to get Landon a haircut before school started. Here he is with his sweet red UTES mohawk.


An hour later, Jeremy started feeling a little sick. He felt hot, but had the chills. He also felt nauseas. As the minutes went by, I could literally see him turning more and more red. I snapped this picture right before he got sick (he's gonna kill me for posting it) and he is now about 3 times more red than this.



That night he couldn't move and crashed on the couch by 8:00. It was so much fun taking care of the kids and trying to pack all by myself. I felt so bad for him, but at the same time I was wishing I had some help. Before he fell asleep, I went to the store to buy him some Aloe Vera and I caught the sunset over the ocean. I took three shots in a row and captured the entire sunset. It was so peaceful. I can't believe the people who live here get to see that every single night.

Last Day in San Diego

Jeremy is even more red now and completely handicapped. He can barely walk and lift anything and he feels like he has the flu. His shoulders are blistering and his skin looks badly burned. He and I both had backpacks so we could have our hands free for carrying Livi, the carseat, the porta-crib and 3 bags. Since he couldn't put the backpack around his shoulders, I had one less hand for our airport adventure. Oh well, it all worked out fine.

The plane ride home was much better for me this time, because Jeremy sat by Livi so he had to deal with the meltdowns. I figured since he was already miserable, why make both of us suffer ;)

I caught up on my reading and had a good time hangin' out with Landon. I also thought back on the trip and noted a few things I wanted to remember:

First, a few things Landon said:
-"I want to sleep in long pajamas while we are here so my bare skin doesn't touch someone else's bed"
- "Dad, what does X-Rated mean"?


Something funny that Emma asked me:

"Mom, what does it mean when people keep doing this with their hands?"

"That means Hang Loose"

Oh, well that's not good, someone should tell them to Hang Tight so they don't fall. How do you sign that"?

One night Emma was laying on a pillow and Livi grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up. Emma started crying and so Jeremy went over to Livi and pulled her hair so she could see how it feels. Livi started laughing and wanted him to do it again.

We brought Livi's video monitor with us and one night I flipped it on and saw a totally different room with a different baby. It freaked me out for a second, but then figured out it was the baby next door. What are the odds we both had the same camera!? It was a lot of fun spying on them, I'm sure they felt the same. Whatever, you'd do it too.

All in all, I've decided that I love this place after all, and would love to come back again. The weather is perfect every day and the people are always so happy. I would love to learn to surf since I found out I have some mad skills on the boogie board. Also, my skin is normally really dry and itchy in Utah (thanks eczema) and it was absolutely glowing in San Diego. If it weren't so expensive, we would move here. It definitely gave us the itch to move to a warmer (but reasonably priced) place.

We also learned that we won't be traveling on an airplane until Livi is potty trained, sleeping in a bed and can follow directions. It's just too much stuff to bring and the plane is too hard with her. It's kind of disappointing because we wanted to go to Hawaii next year to renew our vows with our kids. It's our ten year anniversary and we thought it would be fun to go back to the same beach we were married on. Now we know there is no way we can go as soon as next year, but at least we know. We're still going to do it, but we'll just have to wait another few years. Maybe we can talk someone into watching the kids for us so Jeremy and I can go alone. If you are still reading this, you are probably a grandparent, aunt or a really good friend (or just really bored). Just think about it ;)

I'm exhausted and school starts tomorrow. I have to find their uniforms, backpacks, and unpack and do the laundry. Oh crap, I also need to charge my camera. I can't believe my little girl starts all-day Kindergarten tomorrow! AAAHH! I'm so glad we all spent this last week together since we won't see much of each other during the school year. I'm really going to miss them during the day, it's been an amazing summer.

The Final Splash

We spent quite a few days this summer at the splash park near our house...it's a quick 'n' cheap way to spend a few hours. We went there for the last time this summer with my girlfriend and her kids. It was great to be able to catch up with her while we let our kids play. Livi was pretty exhausted and needed a nap and I also had to still pack for our San Diego trip in the morning, so we cut the visit short. The kids still had a blast!

Eating lunch in style

Last year I was on the hunt for a lunch box for Landon. I just wanted a metal box, like the one I had when I was little. They are simple and sturdy. I looked all over and the only ones available are the zipper ones. I ended up buying one and mid-year, the zipper broke. The second one I bought was too flimsy, and his sandwich kept getting squished. This year with two kids needing lunch boxes, I was determined to find actual lunch pails. Not only was I successful in my search, but the ones I found are the cutest things! Who says you can't eat lunch in style?

She'll Be Comin' round the Mountain...

Today we went up to East Canyon for the last time this year. As I've mentioned in the past, my parents stay up there in the summer because they live in a furnace and need to go where people can actually go outside. My brother Rob, his wife Terri, and two kids were staying up there as well so we were able to get in a double visit. We went hiking, played at the playground and had lunch. It was a short trip because we had to make it home in time for dinner with Jeremy's grandparents. We really enjoyed their company and were really glad they were willing to drive so far just to eat. I didn't get pictures of the dinner but have quite the overload of photos from East Canyon.

Hiking 'Jeremy Style'


My Mom and Me


Emma and Grandma


Livi and Grandma playing Livi's favorite game.


Landon and Cloe


Daddy and Livi


Livi loves dogs, luckily this one doesn't mind her grabbing his face!
This is Rebel, he's a Puggle and I think I love him.


Hunter being a Monkey

A Conversation with a Five Year Old

Emma: Is there such thing as Obra?

Mom: A Bra?

Emma: No, O-Br-uh

Mom: Oprah?

Emma: Yeah, that's it. Is that a real thing?

Mom: What do you mean, where did you hear the word Oprah?

Emma: On Drake and Josh, he said he loves O-br-uh, what is that?

Mom: Oprah is a name of a person. She has a show on TV that mommies like to watch.

Emma: And Drake. Next time O-br-uh is on, let me know so I can watch it okay?

Mom: Sure.

Rock Star or Super Hero?

I can’t decide which one to call myself today. You know those days when you look back and wonder what you did all day? Even worse, a week goes by and you can’t account for one tangible accomplishment? Well, that’s pretty much all of my days. I have a “To Do” list a mile long, but can only do so much in one day.

Then you have those rare days where you get SO much done, and you feel like a total Rockstar?

Yea, that’s me today.

Here’s are all the RockStarSuperHero stuff I got done today:

-Woke up and got ready before the kids woke up. I NEVER do this. The kids are always tugging at my blankets, begging me to get out of bed. So not a morning person.

-Made my bed. For those of you that are Martha Stewart, you don’t think this is a big accomplishment, but for me, it’s not an everyday event

-Got the kids up, dressed, fed and out the door by 8:15 to make it to Landon’s Science Camp

-Got home, did the dishes, one load of laundry, set out the dry cleaning

-Hit the UPS Store

-Drove to Salt Lake to pick up my supply of B12 shots

-Went to Nordstrom to take back Jeremy’s “gay” sandals

-Stocked up on Bath and Body Works soap-SALE TIME!!

-Bought makeup

-Received phone calls from two of my favorite people…both needed cheering up, but for very different reasons. Still managed to shop efficiently while offering my assistance.

-Went grocery shopping

-Picked up Landon from camp

-While driving home, I managed to pass up the newly opened Iceberg. This is a huge accomplishment. I don’t think I can do this again- I’m going to need to find a new route home.

-Another load of laundry

-Put 2 bags of salt in soft water tank

-Made dinner

-Tried to fix broken Xbox #1- Success!

-Called Microsoft to help fix broken Xbox #2-Not so lucky. I hate talking to India.

-Blogged!

I’m exhausted. I’m looking forward to getting some sleep and getting back to my lazy and unproductive routine. Good night!

Girlie Hair

Emma's hair is finally growing out long enough to start putting it up again. She loves when I play with her hair and will sit for hours. Today we did a fun up-do that she liked a lot.




Livi wanted her hair done too, but she's not as patient as Emma, so her do turned out kinda crappy...

...I kill myself sometimes!

Husband Tag

When I was tagged by Katrina I was hoping this would be like wrestling where you can tag a husband to take over. I haven't seen mine very much this month, so that would've been fun. Oh well, I'll still play along (sorry Jeremy).

1. What is your husband's name? Jeremy. But I call him lots of different names depending on my mood.

2. How long have you guys been together? Nine great years.

3. How long did you date for? I don't know the exact date (he'd remember), but I think we officially dated for a whole six months before we got married.

4. Who eats more? He definitely consumes more in one day, but I can down more in one sitting.

5. Who said "I love you" first? He did and he didn't like that I waited a while to say it back.

6. Who is taller? Jeremy.

7. Who sings better? May I remind you of my karaoke champion status?

8. Who is smarter? Jeremy is "Rain Man" smart. If you want to know the exact date Benjamin Franklin became 1st Post Master General...ask Jeremy. If you want to know how to make a sandwich or the names of celebrity babies... ask me.

9. Who does the laundry? Me. He'll go commando for days rather than do his own laundry.

10. Who does the dishes? Me.

11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I sleep on both sides.

12. Who pays the bills? Jeremy makes the money and I push the "send" button on the computer. It's all about teamwork.

13. Who mows the lawn? Juan and Carlos

14. Who cooks dinner? We go out to eat most of the time, but when we eat at home, I cook.

15. Who is more stubborn? Not me. I'm not, I'm not, I'm NOT!

16. Who kissed who first? Jeremy kissed me first, but I made him wait so he didn't think I was a hoochie.

17.Who asked who out first? After a lot of hinting, Jeremy asked me out to an Alabama concert.

18. Who proposed? Jeremy did, but we had already purchased the ring, so I knew it was coming. I think he was trying to catch me off guard, so he asked me in the hallway while I was getting ready for a movie. It was pretty lame. He did ask my Dad before-hand, which I thought was really sweet.

19. Who is more sensitive? Definitely me.

20. Who has more friends? He has more "internet" friends. I have more "real-life" friends.

21. Who has more siblings? Me.

22. Who wears the pants in the family? I've chilled out a lot, but I'm still the one that lays down the law. His nickname at home is "Disney Land" if that's any indication.

I tag:
1. Kristin
2. Nicole (so you'll update your blog!)
3. Andra

Blast from the past

Yesterday my friend Mindy came over with her two beautiful kids. She and I were good friends in elementary school, and then she moved far far away...all the way to Salt Lake. We kept in touch for a few years, but then lost contact. This past year we got back in contact and finally got together with our kids. Landon just adored Ashton and treated him like the little brother he never had (and never will). Logan and Emma bonded over their love of kitties and babies. After a few hours, Mindy and I were able to catch up, and the kids still weren't done playing. I was so impressed with her kids and how well they played together. I remembered Mindy as being very pretty, but she was so much more gorgeous than I remembered...and much taller than when we were 12!

Annual Girls Trip

I'm back from my trip with the girls. Each year we go to Mesquite for the Spa/Stay package and enjoy some fun in the sun, a day at the spa, and of course, the casino. This year, we decided to go to Vegas as well. Both cities were hot, but we stayed inside most of the time just hanging out, eating, gossiping, gambling and laughing. The casinos were very nice to us this year and allowed us to leave with a little more money than usual. We also saw the movie "Mamma Mia". I thought it was way cute, but I'm a sucker for cheesy musicals. I think I'm the star of one everytime I shower, so this was right up my ally. I imagined dragging Jeremy to this and having him leave within the first five minutes. I'm glad it was just the girls. I would like to add that Pierce Bronson was definitely not meant to be in a musical and shouldn't ever take his shirt off...you're not 007 anymore dude.

Within an hour of returning, I had to take Livi to the doctor because she had some crazy cysts on her tongue. We're still not sure what it is, but the doctor seems to think she might have just bitten her tongue. She was pretty cranky for Jeremy, but that's not unusual for her, so it's hard to tell if her mouth is bothering her or not. She was really clingy to me that whole night and woke up six times throughout the night, just to be sure I was still there! Even though she's been pretty hard for me since I returned home, and I have a lot of laundry to do, it was worth the trip. Looking forward to next year ladies!

Where Does it Plug In?

I was changing the baby's diaper when Emma asked, "Mom, did Livi poop in your belly when she was inside of you?"

Landon quickly replied, "No, Emma. When Livi was inside Mommy, she didn't poop because she was hooked up to an extension cord".

Emma then responded, "Oh, that makes sense".

Learning Experiences

Last week was packed. Landon had Art Camp every day, yet we still managed to go on a few more adventures where we learned some new things...

...we went swimming, where Emma learned to do the backstroke and Landon learned not to go down the tube slide...

...just your average Tuesday, where we learned that Livi's hair could finally go into a pony-tail...

...on Friday night, the kids and I went to see my parents, sister-in-law, nephew, and niece. It was a long hour & a half drive, but well worth it. Hunter and Cloe are growing so fast and I learned that they are cuter every time I see them...

...I learned that Livi thinks she's big enough to sit at the big-kid table, even though her head barely reaches the top. I also learned that she absolutely loved every second of it...

...after being there for two hours, with four dogs, I learned that Landon is still allergic to them...

...another day this week, I learned that Landon isn't the only one with allergies...

...now I just have to learn exactly what it is she's allergic to!!!

Memory Tag...You're It!

I saw this on quite a few blogs this week, but after participating in Kristin's, I decided to join in the fun. So, all you friends/stalkers out there, read the instructions below and play along!

The Memory Post Game!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends, write about a post that is the most memorable for you.

2. Next, if you feel so inclined, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you...!

3. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. ☺ And please do this on your page, too, so we can all share in the fun times together. :)

My Little Fashion Designer

Emma has always been very particular about what she wears and how it looks on her. She is also very complimentary of Jeremy and I when we dress nice or have new hair. She's especially observant of every article of clothing that we own, and when we wear something new, she is quick to point it out and give us her opinion. It's not always a good opinion, I might add, but it's funny that it actually makes me feel good when she likes how I look.

Today, as we w ere driving to breakfast, I told her afterwards she could play in the childcare at the gym. She said, "Oh, are you going to workout after breakfast?"

"Yes, I replied"

"Okay, that makes sense then why you weren't wearing your fashion clothes. I didn't want to say anything to hurt your feelings".

July 4th Celebration

We went to a park carnival for the second weekend in a row. The kids once again enjoyed blowup rides, rock climbing and greasy carnival food. There was a little incident which involved us becoming acquainted with the nice police officers. I can't say more than that for fear of being hunted down and killed. Ask me later.

Then the kids enjoyed a cooling off period at Barnes & Noble and then Baskin Robbins. After that we went to Chili's and purchased some fireworks on the way home. Once Livi was in bed, we enjoyed a spectacular display of smoke bombs, shooting tanks and flower fountains. Good times.

I took the pictures from last year and compared them to this year. Landon and Emma look slightly older but just as cute (in my non-biased opinion). Livi obviously changed a lot more...she's getting so big and it's much harder to convince her to smile!

The Small Moments

I like to take pictures of the simple things...the every day activities that have no exciting stories behind them. These are some of those moments that I've captured over the last month. "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away".