Nora, Sara and Mia's World

Sara's Boy Birthday Party

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sara wanted to have a tea/stuffed animal party for her birthday, but her very best friends are boys. She didn't think boys would be interested in the crafty/girly party but we didn't want to exclude them from her birthday so we had a special "best boy friend" party. She thought hard about what boys would like to do (since they don't do crafts), and decided they like McDonalds.... but only if it had a play place. So we took her 3 "best boy friends" to lunch where they spent two hours running around being loud and crazy. I think (hope)the tea party will be much more mellow.

I am at McDonalds. I am eating a cheeseburger. It's my birthday. These are my friends.

I am opening presents. I got a jewelry box and jewelry. I decorated the box with jewels, sparkles and stickers and stuff.

I am taking a picture with my presents. I got flowers and soap. I get to put the soap in my upstairs bathroom. It's my very own soap. I'm going to plant my plant in the yard. It has blue flowers.

Now we are all eating. We had cheeseburgers and hamburgers and nuggets and fries and apples and chocolate milk.

We took a picture in front of a car. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. I liked my party. Just because.

Daddy/Daughter/Grandpa Date

2012-01-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sara: It was cute but we spent a lot of time in line for a picture. I danced with Daddy. Sometimes I danced with Grandpa. I didn't know any songs except for the Taylor Swift one. There were swirly things on the top of the ceiling. I had treats there. There were cookies and chocolates and water and juice. After we went to Wendys for a frosty.
Nora: These are the pictures we took. There were disco lights on top of the ceiling. I danced with Dad. After the dance we went to Wendys for a frosty. I knew a thriller song and Taylor Swift. I had a sugar cookie and a juice and a piece of candy. I liked the dance. It was cute.

LA Zoo

2012-01-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

Mia: That is a piggy pig. I pet it with two fingers on one hand. It was cold. His name was porkchop.
Sara: We are petting a baby hamster. I think it is a hamster. It felt so soft. I want one. They are so cute.
Nora: Mommy said I can get one when I am 8 (??). They are cute and soft and furry and lovely.

Mia: Those are mingos. They are pretty. They were fighting. NO fighting Mingos! They were loud. I like mingos.
Sara: We are taking a picture in front of the flamingos. They are so stinky!
Nora: They were cute but stinky.
We are looking at the elephant. Someone has to go on it.
Sara: This is one of my favorite elephants. It is just so pretty.
Nora: We are standing in front of the pretty pretty pretty elephant. I didn't see a real elephant.
Mia: I see fish. I see birds. They were pretty. One almost ate Brennan and then he came back.
Sara: This is us with the Staceys at the zoo.
Nora: We are at the aviary. We are looking at birds. It was Mandy, Shelby, Aidan, Sister Stacey, Brennen, Natalie, Nora, Sara, Sam, Holly and Mia.
Mia: They are in the bubble.
Sara: We are in bubbles, floating up in the prairie dog cage. I liked the prairie dogs.
Nora: We are in little things up on the prairie dog cage.

Huntington Library

2012-01-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

Nora: We are all holding our maps. That is my favorite picture because I could frown.
Sara: We went to Huntington Library. There are a lot of flowers and a lot of buildings. There's a lot of walking.
Mia: It's a map. I'm looking at it. Yea. What Sara said.
Nora: This is a rainbow tunnel. I am sitting in the tunnel. It's too small for me. I had to duck, duck, duck.
Sara: We are in a tunnel. It's a rainbow tunnel. It's a garden tunnel. They make it look pretty with rainbows and there are like these sparkly rainbow things inside.
Mia: Rainbow tunnel. There's rainbows in the tunnel. There are plants. The plants are sticking out of the tunnel.
Nora: I am looking at a rainbow. Daddy took the picture because Aunt Emily kept calling mommy.
Sara: We are looking at the rainbow thingy.
Nora: I am making a hedgehog spike-y. The hedgehog is magnetic, so I just put dirt onit and it became spike-y.
Sara: We are playing with the magnetic thing. Mia took mine, so I took Nora's. We scrape up the fur and if there are spots we sprinkle on the little stands that hold the fur.
Mia: It's a magnet. I don't know magnets.
Nora: This is a pretty, glass stained church. They were pictures of people. I liked that it was glass stained.
Sara: This is the GREAT WALL OF ART! It has beautiful pictures. It was my favorite.
Mia: I want to go again. Yea. Sara's right.
Nora: I am opening a door that is too small for me. Everyone knows what going through a door is like. There were a lot of flowers and some slimy fish that spit. The fish were not real but the spit was real. It was gross.
Sara: We are at the small wall of the house and it is covered in grass. It led to the house. A little play place. There was water stuff.
Mia: No, the door. It's blue. Sara opened it. I knock. No one home.

We hardly saw any of the grounds before the kids were exhausted and starving, so we bought a pass. Now they get to go back. :)

Pretend City

2012-01-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas break we ventured down to Pretend City in Irvine.

Nora: I am a dentist. I am looking at Mia's teeth. hey have lots of cavities.
Mia: I am at the dentist I am laying down. Nora looking at my teeth. I really want to go again. I tickle her cheeks.
Nora: I am looking at Sara's teeth. They have lots of plaque.
Sara: Nora is checking my teeth. She found nothing in my teeth.
Mia: I am the doctor, checking her teeth. I pulled them apart. It's an X-ray machine. That one. Right there.
Nora: I am at a radio station talking to the police.
Sara: We are at the department.
Mia: I am pushing a button.
Sara: I am in the water. I splashed-y splash.
Mia: Sara is in the hole in the bubbles. Sara what are you doing right there?
Nora: I am in a sand box, making a sand cake.
Sara: We are making a cake. Mia gets to eat the sand cake.
Mia: I'm building a sand cake. Mommy gets to eat the sand cake.
Nora: I am a builder. I look stupid.
Nora: I am putting away the fruits. The worker gave my $5 for my help.
Mia: I really want to go again. It's a watermelon. I'm rolling it. I buying it. I need their tickets to put in the cash register.
Mia: baking. I'm baking soda. The other kind. I drink soda. Soda is for drinking. I'm baking hamburgers. The chocolate chip ones. I like chocolate chips in my hamburgers. I like pickles in my hamburgers. I like sugar in my hamburgers. I like fruit snacks. I like to bake elephants. One elephant please. And giraffes.

Family hike

2011-12-29T13:30:00.001-08:00

Mia: Daddy holding me. He's tickling me. I tell him stop.
Nora: Daddy cut his shoe. It was all sticking out of the shoe. He carried a backpack because it had a pocket knife in it. Mia is holding Daddy's show because Daddy wanted to take a picture.
Mia: Daddy's tennis shoe. He carried a pack pack. Shoe break.
Nora: I am standing in a stream. It is super cold. The stream is in Etiwanda Falls. Sara was complaining the whole way.
Mia: That is the waterfall. Not the top. I no made it to the top. It too cold.
Nora: I am holding onto the log to keep my balance. The rocks were slippery.
Sara: I didn't like going there. It was really cold. The rocks were really slippery.
Mia: I'm sitting on a rock. I liked the hike. I carry Daddy and Mom. I climbed down though.
Sara: We are sitting on rocks. I see a bee.
Nora: I'm sitting on a rock doing nothing. I liked the hike. I liked everything.
Nora: I am in the stream going father than Sara. I went real far until Mom was a tiny ant.
Sara: Nora is going father than me. I don't like it. I didn't like hiking. There was rocks and I don't like hiking. I am never going hiking again. Ever.

Getting Ready for Christmas

2011-12-18T18:01:00.001-08:00

Nora: We are sitting on Santa Claus. I didn't tell him what I wanted.
Sara: That is Santa. We had a candy cane. He gave us one. I didn't tell him what I wanted. He didn't ask, but he already knows.
Mia: That's Ho Ho. Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas. I gave him a candy cane. He has candy canes in the green thing. I said Cheese. I talked to him.

Nora: We chose our Christmas tree. I liked it because it was green.
Sara: I didn't like the Christmas Tree Daddy picked. It wasn't my favorite. The one I wanted was on the other side.
Mia: Daddy picked the Christmas tree.
Nora: That is the Christmas tree on top of our car.
Sara: We are all in the Beast. We are trying to keep away from the tree because it is on top and if it tumbles on top of us we might get hurt.
Mia: Tree up there. That is our car.

Nora's Christmas Parade

2011-12-18T17:54:00.000-08:00

I am marching in the Girl Scout Parade. I am troop 11194. We had to march a long time. While we were marching we threw candy. I liked throwing candy. I liked marching in the parade. It was fun.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-12-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

Nora: I am in a goat petting zoo. I am petting a goat. Sara was scared and so was Mia. The goat is wearing a skeleton costume. Another goat was dressed as a pumpkin. There was also a bat goat. That one was cute.
Sara: Nora is petting the goat. I didn't pet the goats because once a goat bit my shirt and I didn't like it.
Mia: Nora. And that's a goat.
Nora: We are sitting in a pumpkin patch.
Sara: I am at the pumpkin patch. We sat on pumpkins and went through a maze.
Mia: Sitting on a pumpkin. It's a little pumpkin. I have pockets.
Nora: Me, Sara, Mia and Daddy are all dressed up like corn. I like corn.
Sara: We are eating corn. Daddy is corn, Sara is corn, Mia is corn, Nora is corn and Mommy likes to eat corn but first she picks us.
Mia: It's a corn. Daddy and Nora and Sara eating the corn.
Nora: Mia is a cowboy with a trick or treat bag that is pumpkin. Sara is an astronaut that has a ghost trick or treat bag and I am a robot. I have a bag for trick or treating and I have a little doggie.
Sara: Mia is a cowgirl, Nora is a robot and I am an astronaut.
Mia: I'm a cowboy with a pumpkin. Nora is a robot with a dog. Sara is I don't know.
Mia: Candy in the bag from the lady.
Nora: We are testing our arms.. My arms are as big as a red tailed hawk.
Sara: I am a flapping bird. There is candy in the bag because it was Halloween at the zoo.
Sara: We are in the hay maze. Hay maze, hay maze, hay, hay, hay. I got lost. I got out because I am just smart.
Nora: We are in a hay maze. I like to pose. That's why I am posing Everyone is copying me.

Halloween Trunk or Treat

2011-11-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

Sara: I was Rapunzel for Halloween. But I LOVE Christmas. That is my favorite holiday. I also love Easter because you celebrate Jesus Christ. I went trick or treating. I also love thanksgiving because of the turkey and the pumpkin pie. I got lost on the street trick or treating.

Nora: This is me at the ward trunk or treat. I was a vampire. Mia kept saying, eck, scary. I had to take a shower because I didn't like my make up.Because I had runny nose and it was hard to wipe my nose.

Mia: I am Minnie Mouse. I had ears on my head. It was like a hat. My dress was pink. It has Minnie Mouse on it.
Sara: I was Rapunzel. Nora was the vampire. Nora's bag was full of candy. I love trick or treating. If I dumped all my candy into hers, hers would explode. My favorite candy was Butter cups.
Mia: Nora was a pampire and Sara was Rapunzel.
Nora: This is me at the ward trunk or treat. I had a lot of candy. My favorite candy was Nerds, and I'm not talking about you people. The nerd candy.
Mia: Oh, candy. I wanna go trick or treating. I like candy.
Mia: Minnie Mouse costume.

Mia has worn her costume so much it is in shreds. It is going to have to be thrown away soon. She wants to be minnie mouse again next year.

Nora's Bridging Ceremony

2011-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

This is the Girl Scout Promise.
This is when we bridge. I bridged from Daisy Scout to Brownie scout. Miss Mita said a poem. This is what it was:
"Twist me and turn me and show me the elf,
I looked in the pond and I saw myself."
But we had to say "myself."
Nora: We are taking a group picture at the end. These are the people in my girl scouts: Alana, Brooke, me, Sarika, Julissa, Mariah, Kaitlyn, Danielle, Angelina, Naomi, Chastity, Liana, Ariana. These are my leaders: Miss Mita and Miss Deanna.
This is me. This is a picture of my uniform.
I am the caller of the whole bridging ceremony. That means that we are the only ones who got to talk.

Halloween at Preschool

2011-11-13T19:13:00.000-08:00

Sara: I love preschool. I want to stay there forever. We are all standing by the pumpkin patch. I love it there. Miss Kristine is the best. There were big, little and medium pumpkins. We got to go on a hay ride. It was awesome.
Mia: Pumpkins. There were lots. 1, 2, 3. Pumpkins were pink. Like my lip.
Sara: We are seeing the goats and lambs. There were big goats and some baby goats. I didn't like it there. Once in a goat pen, a goat grabbed my shirt with its mouth so that's why I don't like goats.
Mia: A black goat. I not pet him. He scary.

Mia: Mia and Natalie. On top of the hay. Natalie my friend. Natalie is a girl.
Sara: I'm sitting on the hay with my best friends Shireen and Ava. It hurt me a little. cause the hay was spikey.
Mia: Sit on the hay. That's silly. Big tongue.
Sara: We are taking a class picture. I am Rapunzel. She is my favorite character and she is beautiful. Miss Kristine is a doctor. She gave us shots and heart pumps in class.
Mia: Miss Kristine's class. I'm Minnie Mouse. Sara is Punzel. Preschool.

Captain Hook!

2011-11-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

Nora: That is Captain Hook. He must have been really hot because he had a hat, a wig, a velvet coat, a shirt underneath. For his autograph he put a long line, a giant H and the rest really tiny.

Mia: That's Captain Hook and Nora. Captain Hook is a good guy. Captain Hook fights Peter Pan. Captain Hook won. There is a crocodile. It eats Peter Pan.
Sara: I gave Captain Hook my autograph book. After he signed it, he pointed at Tinkerbell on the cover. Then he threw it on the ground and folded his arms at me. I was sad he did that because he threw my book. I didn't take a picture with him. I was mad.

I thought it was hilarious how the villains at DLand have to stay in character and be mean. Sara didn't feel the same.

Mia: Captain Hook and Sara. He's writing in the autograph books. Not Mia. I no like him.

Dance has started!

2011-11-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

Sara: I love dance. I get to dance and I love dancing. We turn, we do heel toe, heel toe. My teacher's name is Miss Trisha. I love, love dance.

Nora: I love dance. We have learned half of a new dance already. It is called the Chinatown Choo-Choo. I love Mrs. Trisha. She is nice.

Sara wanted to try dance, but insisted that if she didn't love it, she wasn't going back. EVER. She mentioned that every time we talked about dance. When I picked her up after the first lesson, she said she LOVED dance and wanted to go everyday! Crazy child.

And I don't know what Nora's pose is...

Student of the Month

2011-11-04T18:36:00.001-07:00

Student of the month is a award. I felt happy.

Going Private!

2011-10-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Just got the call that we are able to start the matching process for our adoption NEXT WEEK!!! So the blog has to go private. If you still want access, let me know. And if you don't, I will pretend to not be offended. SOOO EXCITED!

Etiwanda Falls

2011-10-09T14:44:00.001-07:00

Nora went on a hike to Etiwanda Falls with some of the youth from the church. It totaled about 5 miles round trip and was a good incline. I am so proud of her that we made it to the top and she didn't complain once!

I am standing by the waterfall on a huge rock.

This is some of the waterfall.
Me and Mommy are standing by the waterfall.
I am climbing up a little waterfall.

Nora's 7th bday

2011-09-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

I have really, really curly hair because I wanted it curly for my birthday.

This is a 7, a N and a Mickey Mouse pancake for my birthday.
Nora: We are with Fawn and Tinker Bell at Disneyland. We got their autograph.
Sara: I love Tinker Bell cause she is cute.
Mia: Tinkerbell and I don't know. I am standing right there.
Nora: This is Mickey Mouse. We got his autograph too.
Sara: I like Mickey Mouse because he is funny.
Mia: That was Mickey Mouse. Give him hug.
Nora: This is a mint julep. It tasted weird. Just like mint.
Nora: This is the fairy godmother. We got her autograph too.
Sara: I like the fairy godmother because she is nice.
Mia: Fairy Godmother. She hug Mia. She silly.
Nora: We are getting ready to go on California Screamin' I was not excited. I didn't scream.
Nora: I don't like this picture. I didn't like the roller coaster. It was too fast and it went upside down. I didn't like it.

Nora: We got ice cream.
Sara: I like ice cream but it makes me messy.
Mia: Ice cream. Chocolate. Yum.

Sara's First Day of Preschool

2011-09-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

Back to preschool dinner was mac and cheese and watermelon.

It was fun. We had story time. We wrote about B. We had recess. I played. We had lunch.

Kidspace

2011-08-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

2011-08-28T21:38:00.000-07:00

Mia: Nora, Sara, Mia, Baby Olive sitting. play.
Sara: Me, Nora, Jackson, Agnes, Caleb, Mia, Claire, Eliot and baby Olive. We are sitting to take a picture. We love pictures at the park.
Nora: We are getting our picture taken because Nana wanted pictures. These are ALL my cousins. My cousins are nice.

First Day of Second Grade!

2011-08-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

It was fun. I sat in the very back. Sarah, Alyssa, Zachary, Julia were all in my class. We read and didn't take any tests. I like my teacher because she is nice. I feel big because I am a second grader now. This year I want to learn science.

Nora vs the wave

2011-08-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to boogie board at Huntington Beach!
I did it! YEA! Hip Hip Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!
UHOH!

I am Soaking Wet!
The Waves Won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11th anniversary

2011-07-26T11:28:00.001-07:00

Since we left the kids for 4 days the week before, we thought we should include them when celebrating our anniversary, so we spent the day at Balboa.

Nora: We are trying to build sand castles at the beach.
Sara: We are at the beach and we went swimming at different times. We are trying to build a sand castle. We are collecting shells too. We didn't find any sand crabs.
Mia: The beach! Went swimming Daddy at the beach!
Nora: Mia is looking for sea horses.
Sara: We were trying to bury Mia. Mia is helping bury herself.
Mia: It's sandy sand. I wrestle in it.
Nora: I took a picture of mommy and daddy because it was their anniversary.
Sara: Mommy and Daddy are taking pictures.
Mia: Mommy, Daddy. At the Beach! Fishes at the beach!
Nora: We are looking at the bubbles from the motor. We saw Catalina.
Sara: We are looking out the window on a boat. We saw bubbles. We saw sea lions and I talked to them.
Mia: Mia wearing pretty-ful dress. Looking at Daddy. Daddy holding me. Hold me in the boat.
Nora: We are looking out of the window at sea lions.
Sara: We are seeing sea lions right now. I liked talking to the sea lions.
Mia: Sea Lions. Sea Lions say ROAR! Sea Lions swimming to the beach. Mia! Daddy sit with me.

UTAH!

2011-07-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

We made a quick trip to UT for Sam's grandmother's 80th bday.

Mia: Mia. Nana. Castle. Pretty-ful.
Sara: I don't know where we are. I am washing my hands in the water.
Nora: Everyone is showing their bums. We are at the Utah temple. We are looking at the pond, but there is nothing there.
Mia: Caleb, Sara, Nora, Baby Olive.
Sara: I am doing nothing.
Nora: Agnes, Caleb, Olive, and Mia aren't looking at the camera. We are at the Utah temple.
Mia: Jesus. Where's baby Olive?
Sara: The visitor center wasn't very fun. I wanted to push Eliot. Nora was too busy pushing Eliot.
Nora: No one is looking at the camera. I got to push Eliot through the visitors center.
Sara: I am just looking at the camera. Ugh.
Nora: We are sitting on the stage at the UT church. It was Grandma L's 80th bday.

First Plane Ride

2011-07-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

The girls had their first plane flight in June to SLC. They did GREAT and loved it!

Sara: I am on an airplane. It was not so good. I didn't like it. Just because. Just because. I didn't eat any snacks.
Nora: I am on an airplane. I watched the Simpsons while I was on the airplane. I liked riding an airplane. I got snacks.
Mia: Me. Nora. Airplane. Eating stickers.
Sara: Mia is playing the ipad. She's in love with it. We are at the airport and we are waiting for our plane.
Mia: Mia playing on the ipad. Mia's turn. My turn. Daddy and Nora and Sara and Mickey pictures on ipad.
(I love Sara's eyes in this picture)

Mission San Juan Capistrano

2011-07-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Sara: We are at church. I am holding a phone to hear how it was broken.
Nora: I am in front of a broken stone church they never rebuilt. It fell down in an earthquake.
Sara: I am feeding the fish. I dropped the fish food in. I liked feeding the fish. And Mia ate her fish food.
Nora: I am listening to the recorder waiting to feed the fish. I am sitting on a bench in front of fishes.

Mia: Mia playing with fishes. Stop fishes stop!
Sara: If I put my hand over the water the fish would stop. Grandpa likes teasing fish.
Nora: I am teasing the fishes. Because Grandpa taught us to.
Nora: I am finally feeding the fish. It was yucky, smelly fish food. Mia tried to eat it. We had to wait until the fish came around to us. I liked feeding the fish.
Mia: Feeding fish. They bite Mia's hand.
Sara: Nora was a lady and I was a man.
Nora: I am a pioneer girl. I think.
Sara: I was listening to the bells on my phone.
Nora: I am sitting in front of the mission bells. I got to hear them in real life and on my recorder.

Sara: I was listening to how they built this and about olives.
Nora: I am sitting in front of an olive grinder. My favorite part was feeding the koi fish.

CAMPING!

2011-07-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

Nora: I'm washing dishes. I sometimes like washing dishes. Grandpa said I did a horrible job.
Sara: I am washing dished with grandpa. He says I have to do it everyday we go camping. I liked doing the dishes. Nora helped, but the water was pretty hot. No dishwasher.
Nora: Mia is pushing herself into the sand.
Sara: Mia is playing in the sand.
Mia: Mia digging in sand. Look for seahorse.
Sara: I am sitting on a towel. I didn't go in the water. I don't like the water because of the waves. I was building a little pool so I needed lots of water for me and Nora but it wasn't big enough.
Nora: Mia is smiling for some reason. I don't know why.
Sara: Mia is smelling herself.
Nora: I am getting the chocolate ready for s'mores. My favorite thing to eat was s'mores and cherry cobbler. I didn't cook marshmallows. I don't like being close to the fire.
Sara: We are roasting marshmallows and I roasted my own. I like s'mores. My favorite thing to eat was s'mores and grandma's cookies.
Mia: Grandma, Grandpa. Fireworks. Yum.
Nora: Mia is standing by grandma's car looking for the ipad I think. She is sunburned. I liked camping. I liked eating cherry cobbler and s'mores.
Sara: Mia is in love with the ipad. One day I think she will get married to it.
Mia: Mia. Dress broken. Mia has a owie. Red owie. ei i i.

Dana Point Tide Pools

2011-07-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

While we were camping, we visited the Dana Point Tide Pools.

Sara: I don't like the tide pools. It's wet. I saw nothing! Nothing!
(Sara got to the rocks and immediately slipped into the water and landed pretty hard on a rock. She was done.)
Nora: I am sitting on the rocks in the tide pools. It is where water goes up and down. I am holding a map. I saw lots of stuff... sea ammmemmmommeees, crabs, star fish. I likd the tide pools.
Mia: Nora is on rocks. Mia. I don't know.
Nora: Grandpa is trying to take a picture of something.
(Dad took about 47 pictures of the giant star fish)
Mia: Grandpa in the water.
Mia: Mia, Daddy, Daddy likes me. Look that's me. I'm right there!

Happy Birthday Mia!

2011-06-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Mia spent her 2nd birthday beach camping.

Mia. Birthday Candles. Two. Cake. Strawberries.
Cake. Strawberries. Yum. Mia birthday.
Tinkerbell. Presents. Tiana.
Fruit Snacks. Presents. (She carried these around the rest of the night and showed everyone her present).
Uncle David, Nora, Mia, Daddy, Marta, Tiana, Sara. Where Grandpa (he snuck out of the picture)? Camping. Beach. Water. Jump, jump. Splash, Splash.

Happy Birthday Mia!!

Nora's Dance Recital

2011-06-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Nora I did dances called Flower girl teddy bear pineapple princess this is Flower girl.
(some of you saw it)
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My class about to do flower girl
(don't we look CUTE?)
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My class is about to do Pineapple Princess
( don't we look CUTE?)
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My class is about to do Teddy bear
(don 't we look CUTE?) mia][[[[[[[[[[[[[['erererererererererererererererererererererererererererererererererererer

Thanks to everyone who came and supported her!

One of these things is not like the other...

2011-05-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

The kids were playing outside while I was starting dinner. I check on them and this is what I see:

I'm starting to develop a theory about third children. :)

DLAND

2011-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

` Mia: Nora, Rara picture. No Mia picture. Where Mia rookin?
Sara: We are on Pirate Island at Disneyland. We climbed up to the tree fort. We danced up there. We pumped water to make the treasure go away.
Nora: we found treasure in the water.

Mia: Picture Mia. Water. And Nora up.
Sara: Nora climbed up and I didn't want to but then I did it.
Nora: We found a tree fort. Sara didn't want to go but then she did.
Mia: Sea World. Mia happy.
Sara: Mia was silly.
Mia: Mickey hug Nora. Nora. There's Mickey. Where Mia?
Sara: I was scared to take a picture.
Nora: I am with Mickey Mouse. He was being silly.
Mia: Mia Mickey hug. Happy. Big hug.
Sara: I like Mia. Mia is so funny.
Nora: Mia is being cute with Mickey Mouse.
Mia: Minnie! Minnie! Minnie! Minnie! Mia, There's Minnie. Give Minnie hug. Minnie hug us. Minnie with us. Yea. It's Minnie guys. Minnie Mouf.
Sara: Me and Nora and Mia are standing with Minnie. We are going to go into her house. There is a lot of nice stuff in her house.
Nora: We are at Minnie's house. It was very pretty. Her dishwasher acted like a washing machine.

State Orange Grove Park

2011-05-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

One Saturday we ventured out to the California State Citrus park. It was a beautiful park with a little museum and lots of hiking trails... a good spot for a picnic. The only problem was you couldn't pick the oranges! They were "protected."

Mia: There Daddy. Rara. Mia. Nora. Daddy. No bumpa. High.
Sara: I am standing in front of an orange tree. The tree was orange.
Nora: We went on a big long hike. We saw lots of oranges.

Discovery Science Museum

2011-05-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Mia: Bampa! Mia. Nose by Bampa. Silly nose. Honk.
Nora: Mia is under a nose. Mia is being silly. We were at the Discovery science center.
Sara: Mia got sneezed on. cause we pushed the button. Grandpa is telling Mia to smell.
Mia: Rara, Nora, Mia, Bampa. There. Mouf. There Mia. Bampa honk nose.
Nora: We are playing in the area. We are playing with body toys.
Sara: I am rolling a wheel. It bumps peas.
Mia: Bampa jump jump. Rara jump jump. Nora vrmmm, vrmmm. Mia boo.
Nora: We are exercising. It was a race. Grandpa won.
Sara: We are racing. I'm wheeling. Nobody won. We are at the Discovery Science center.
Mia: Mia stairs. I come.
Sara: Mia wants to do the stairs.
Mia: Mia bonk. Nora, Rara, Nora, Rara. Mia.
Nora: We are in the hand wall being cuckoo.
Sara: Mia said "ew, ew." She loved playing. We are putting our hands in something to make shapes.

Pinewood Derby

2011-04-25T10:50:00.001-07:00

This is Daddy's pinewood derby car. I put Barbie on top of it so Barbie could drive. I put tape on it so she would stay on. I used stickers to decorate it. I used purple and white. I like those colors. The car won! We got a medal. I used the smallest Polly Pocket. Daddy didn't help me at all. All the things that were on it was beautiful.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about Mia.

2011-03-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

We currently have our dining room table extended to its full length so the table is pretty big. Mia always sits at the end. EVERY night, as soon as whomever is praying says AMEN, Mia picks up her little plastic plate and throws it as hard as she can into the center of the table (not a push, a THROW)... like we will forget to dish up some food for her. :) It makes me laugh every time.

Mias favorite Dland ride

2011-02-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

If this doesn't make you laugh out loud in the first 35 seconds, (esp seconds 25-35) why are you even looking at this blog?

There is another 7 minutes where this came from... :)

Sara's 4th Bday

2011-02-02T17:44:00.001-08:00

This is my Alice in Wonderland doll. I really love her. Aunt Dana made her for me.

This is my Alice in Wonderland cake. It was really good. I ate the head. Aunt Dana made me the cake too.
(There wasn't a good "size" photo, but it was almost as tall as Sara).
I was opening presents from my friends. I love the mermaids. I was at the park with my friends.
(I love how NO ONE is looking at the camera)
I was wearing my pretty dress on my real, real birthday. I am at Disneyland for my birthday. Goofy called me for my birthday. He sang Happy Birthday for me in his Goofy voice.
This is me taking a picture with Minnie Mouse. Daddy and Mia were with us. I wish we could go to Disneyland again.
Me and Nora met TINKERBELL!!! Yea! Yea! She lives in Pixie Hollow.
I am riding on the carousel. It is my favorite ride. I had a fun birthday. Actually a super fun birthday.

California Science Museum

2011-02-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Mia: Daddy, me and Nora. Mia. Mia jacket.
Nora: We are making light tunnels.
Sara: We are making food.
Nora: we are building a bridge out of tinker toys. It was hard.
Sara: We are sitting on the steps. We are building a bridge for people to walk across. Well, pretend people.
Nora: We are looking at something in the water. Fish, maybe?
Sara: We are looking at the fish. I saw fish.
Mia: duck house. Quack, quack. Mia like duck home. Daddy up.
Nora: We are being newscasters.
Mia: Mia. Slide.
Nora: The cookie was as big as my face.
Sara: Nora and Mia are eating cookies.
Mia: Nora. Cookie. Me and Nora eata cookie.

Pre Christmas Festivities

2011-02-02T17:16:00.001-08:00

We are having a party. It was a holiday baking/pajama/ brunch party. We did crafts. We made cookies.
My friend made a candy cane cookie and a scientist cookie.
We made little snowman boxes. My favorite thing was eating breakfast with my friends.

FINALLY!!

2011-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

That front tooth had been hanging on by a thread for months. Santa even promised her an extra present if it fell out before Christmas. Finally, at 2 am, it fell out. And she woke us up to tell us about it.

Nora's Daisy Investiture Ceremony

2011-01-23T19:38:00.001-08:00

We are saying the girls scout promise. I promise to serve God and my country and to help people at all times and to live by the Girl Scout Law.
We are doing the law. My part was "Magenta represents: respect authority"
I am getting my pin. It is a picture of a daisy.
We are having a girls scout picture. The girls in my girl scouts are Danielle, Kaitlyn, me, Angelina, Mariah, Ariana, Julissa, Chastity, Naomi, Sarika.
This is me with my leaders. They are Miss Mita and Miss Deanna.
I am with Grandma.
I like Girl Scouts. It is fun. We do crafts, we eat snacks, we play games, we sing songs and we learn things.

Girl Scout Cookie orders are due Wednesday... FYI. :)

Christmas Dresses and Pajamas

2011-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

N: We are at Grandma's house. We are wearing the Christmas dresses and tights that Karen got us.
S: That is me. It isn't a very good picture. I am wearing my Christmas dress.

N: We are with Chad He is my best friend. I like him. I am wearing my new Christmas pjs Aunt Emily got me.
S: I am wearing my Christmas jammies and sitting on Chad's lap.
(Emily was in NYC so Chad got to be a stand in)

LA Temple

2011-01-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

We took the girls to see the lights at the LA Temple but it was so cold that I only got one picture.

I think she recognized Him.

I wish I had the photoshop skills to take the non-relevant parties out.

Christmas Preparations

2010-12-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

Preparations for Christmas

N: I am helping daddy put up the tree. I was a little freaked out when it fell down.
S: This is Nora. She is helping Daddy put up the tree. It was so much fun to do it, but I got a little messed up because it was silly to put the tree on the ceiling.

N: This is the ornaments on our tree. The ones on the front are really special because they are homemade or gifts.
S: Here are all our ornaments on the tree.

N: I am whacking the pinata really hard. I broke it in half. We were at Church.
S: Here we are dance, dance, dancing. Nora is shaking her feet and moving it.
S: Here I am breaking the pinata. It was so much fun to do it, but I got some candy. Yum, Yum, Yum.
N: This is Mia crying. I told Santa I wanted a scooter for Christmas and he gave me a Razor.
S: Here we all are sitting with Santa but Mia is crying. Only Nora talked to Santa. I didn't talk to him because he only asked Nora.
N: I am Santa Claus. We are at Grandma's in our Christmas dresses Karen gave us.
S: Here we all are sitting at Grandmas. Mia is sitting too. Done.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year, we went to Disneyland. It was NOT crowded and we were there for 13 hours!!!

N:Mia is at the Jolly Trolley. She was Grandpa's buddy.
S: Here Mia is on Grandpas shoulders. She is so silly.
N: Mia is on "It's a Small World" with Grandpa.
S: Mia is pointing at everything!

N: I am with Goofy, Goofy. He is being silly.
S: Here we all are (except for me and Grandma) at Goofy. I didn't like it. I liked to stay with Grandma.
S:
N: We're on the carousel. I didn't like the carousel. Just kidding. I do like the carousel.
S: Here we are on a roller coaster. I mean carousel. I like the carousel because it is carousel-y fun.
Mia was VERY interested in EVERYTHING! Except the Haunted Mansion. That ride put her to sleep.
N: We are eating humongous ice cream cones. I got strawberry. I didn't eat all of it.
S: Me and Nora are eating our ice cream. We have big cones because we are big. I ate it all gone!
(And this was the SINGLE scoop!)

Happy Halloween

2010-11-28T12:52:00.001-08:00

N: This is our silly eyeball wreath.
S:Our eyeball wreath was scary because Mom pulled out my eyeballs.
N: This is my precious kitty. I made it myself. I made it with stickers.
S: Here I am decorating my pumpkin. It was so much fun to do. My pumpkin is a bow tie guy. He sells bow ties for every boy and girl.
Mia kept ripping the stickers on and off her pumpkin. It never really looked like anything.
We grew this pumpkin in our garden.

N: I am with Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.
S: We are taking a picture with Charlie Brown. I was so frightened it would be real. Nope. Nothing like me. Just posters.
N: I am Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz because I like the Wizard of Oz.
S: I am dressed like Alice. I carried around a cat sometimes. But sometimes I forgot the cat. So that's bad. If I wasn't Alice, then I would be Wonderland with beautiful lights.
Mia was a lion... with an attitude.
S: Mia has a beautiful little lion costume. She is so cute.

Our very smart 1st grader

2010-11-19T18:29:00.001-08:00

Nora was awarded Student of the Month for September

Then she earned Good Citizen, Homework "Hero" and Excellence in Academics for the first trimester.

This was the award for the excellent citizenship... I felt a little bad for the 10 kids in the entire first grade who didn't get the award.

Nora has been doing very well in school and we are very proud of all she has accomplished.

Sara's Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

2010-10-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

I liked my trip to the pumpkin patch. It was fun and I liked to be at it.
This pumpkin patch has 100 pumpkins. I can't believe it has more! Mia was pointing at a bench. I didn't know what the bench looked like, but it was so pretty.
I tried to touch a rabbit, but it wouldn't come by. I wanted to, except Nope, couldn't do it. Well, too bad. I liked the petting zoo. I didn't want goats though. Because I didn't. I don't know what I am touching. But it isn't a rabbit.
Sara is standing on the thing. I didn't go to the top. And I said "I'm taller than you!!"
Jordyn isn't being good. She's frowning. I'm smiling. These are all the preschool girls.
I took a picture of mommy. It is so cute. I like it.
We got to ride in a wheelbarrow. It was so fun. We couldn't keep the wheelbarrows.

2K Run

2010-10-17T17:40:00.001-07:00

I do not want to run. I don't like running. That is why I am sticking my tongue out.
I'm sweaty. It was hot. I liked it when I was finished. I ran fast. Mommy and Daddy were slow pokes.
Mia is being silly. She raced in the stroller. She is tired.

Mia

2010-10-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures of crazy Mia!

She likes to climb the outside of her crib

Labor Day Weekend

2010-10-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend was VERY busy in our family.

N: Mommy and Aunt Emily in New York. They played.
S: Mommy and Aunt Emily went to New York. I got a backpack and she saw Hello Kitty, my favorite!
Flat Nora and Flat Sara went to NYC also (although the door man was OBVIOUSLY was unfamiliar with the story).
We only got lost on the subway a FEW times.
N: We went to the zoo with Daddy and Grandpa.
S: Mia is at the zoo. She is pointing. She likes to point.
N: We went to Pretend City with Karen and Trisha. We played EVERYTHING! It was fun.
S: We are fire fighters.
N: We are in a pretend house.
N: We are eating food at Burger King. AND we went out to dinner. We got to have a sleepover TOO! I love Rod and Karen and Trisha.

(at time of publishing Sara has cut herself with scissors and is refusing to participate. She will be added later).

Nora's Bday

2010-10-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Nora turned 6 this year. She wanted books, and a BIKE.

I got my first bike. I was very excited. It says slumber party on it. It is red-violet pinkish.
I am wrapping around Daddy because I am crying because I love my bike.
I am blowing out candles. I am 6 now.

Sara's First Day of Preschool

2010-09-10T14:18:00.001-07:00

Sara started Preschool August 18th. The first day she asked me to stay with her. Not since, which was a HUGE worry. She looks forward to it and is disappointed when it is not Wednesday or Friday. I am so glad she likes preschool since she will have 2 years of it. :)

Sara: We have snacks, we color, we draw, we have activities, we learn letters and numbers, we have recess, we read stories, we sing songs, and THAT'S ALL! Oh, my favorite part is snack time. And I have a mat with my own name on it.

Daddy Daughter Stay At Home Date

2010-08-24T11:03:00.001-07:00

While Holly went to the Temple, Daddy and daughters had fun making cupcakes.

S: I licked the stick. We made chocolate cupcakes with strawberry frosting. And they were so yummy!

S: Mia is eating her cupcake. It is so good, I haven't even just tried it.

S: She ate it all up. She was a super mess!S: Now Sara is a Super mess!
mgdgfrtxsafgvbnczsadwwwwwws (Okay, Sara typed!)

Nora's FIRST day of FIRST grade.

2010-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

N.I LOVE FIRST GRADE.

Mouse

2010-08-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Natural History Museum

2010-08-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Our last adventure of our "summer of cheap" was the LA Natural History Museum. NONE of the free places we had visited were very crowded, EXCEPT for this one. It was PACKED! We spent about 20 minutes in there and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the California Science Museum, which is right next door but free all the time.

N: I am standing by dinosaur butts. It is stinky.
S: Sara, Nora having a picture. We are at the butterfly place. We saw butterflies and caterpillars and water and fishes. We also saw a little tiny mouse.
N: We are in a pretty, pretty garden. Aunt Emily came with us. Daddy stayed home by himself.
N: Mia is being really weird. She thinks the rocks are horseys.
S: Mia is on rocks. She loves to be on rocks.
Mia kept pulling the signs out of the ground and moving them around.
N: Mia is looking in the aquarium. It was deep.
N: I am listening to the pipes. They were all different lengths but they made the same sound.
I guess we need to get her hearing checked.
S: We are standing on something. I don't know what we are standing on but it sure is fun.

Skirball Center

2010-08-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

After trying for months to get tickets, we finally visited the Skirball Center in LA.
It's free on Thursdays.... and NOT crowded. It was AMAZING. I highly recommend going... even if you don't have kids.

N: I am putting animals up two by two. The wheel made them go up up.
S: We are sending the animals up to the ark. We sent them two by two.
N: James and Daddy are having a monkey fight.
S: Daddy and James are fighting with the animals. Daddy won. Way to go Daddy. Daddy is fun.
S: This is me playing with the squirrels. I really like squirrels. But squirrels are more fun to play with, but not real squirrels. I love you mom. You are the best.
N: I am with a polar bear. His body is a bathtub. It was weird.
S: This is me and Nora standing by the bathtub polar bear. It was cold. He was standing inside a bathtub. It was very funny.
All the animals were made of recycled materials.
N: I am climbing up a ladder. There was an elephant up there. We were able to move its trunk and Emily sent animal poop up to James. Don't worry it was not real animal poop. That would be kind of gross if it were real animal poop.
S: Sara is trying to climb up that way. There was something new up there.
S: That is Sara trying to do something. She couldn't do it.
S: Sara and Daddy. Daddy is sitting on the turtle and Sara is standing on the turtle. The turtle shell is made out of basketballs. He was very kind to me. He was moving his head. I was standing on my tippy toes and I loved it.
N: Sara is sweeping the floor. Sara is sweeping up animal poop.
S: Sara is cleaning up poop. Animal poop should stay in the animal's bottom.
N: I am walking through. I got soaking wet. It made rainbows. Water and sun makes rainbows.
S: It was raining. Nora was wet. We were inside a rainstorm. It was fun to go inside a rain storm and Aunt Emily was pretty cool. I love Aunt Emily. I want to see her again. I miss my Aunt Emily. Noah was traveling a boat to the other side because it was on the sea. Rainstorms make water.

Toy Story 3

2010-08-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

The girls saw Toy Story 3 at the El Capitan theater. Disney converted the fields of Hollywood High (behind the theater) into a "fun zone" that was included in the "experience."

If you call the box office and mention "daytripping mom" you can get tickets for $15 M-Th with no service fees.

N: I am with Woody and Buzz. Sara is being a grumpy gus. It was by the Toy Story 3. I liked the movie. It was silly. I liked when the toys got to go to Sunnyside day care.
S: We went to the play zone. That is Wood and Buzzy. I didn't want to take a picture with them cuz I didn't like them.
N: I am having a race. I won. It was easy on a tricycle. I should be riding two wheeled bikes.
S: Daddy is riding a bike with Nora and some other kids. Daddy is on the red path but he should be on the yellow path because his bike is yellow. Some one else whose bike is red should be on the red path. Everyone should be on the path that their color is on their bike. I didn't win.
N: I am with my prize. The winner got ice cream. I won a lot. Three times!
N: I am jumping. I am jumping on a big trampoline. I went really, really high. I went on the trampoline two times. I was not scared.
S: Sara is jumping. Yahoo. I went very high. Like this high. I went on it lots. I went on it like one time. I wasn't scared.
N: We are on a big, ginormous chair. My favorite thing was the trampoline. We also got to play games and play with robots and build things. I had fun.
S: Daddy, me and Nora are sitting on big chair because it is really big and I really wanted to sit in it.

4th of July

2010-08-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Our family 4th of July tradition is to gather and my grandmother's house, eat root beer floats and watch the fireworks. Since my grandmother passed way last year, we did it at our house. Fontana is one of the few cities in CA where fireworks are still legal.
And it was quite a show...
N: I am eating root beer floats. It is the 4th of July. We had a lot of fireworks. They were scary. They were noisy. I am wearing ear muffs. It makes it less noisy.
S: That is me and Nora and 2 boys. We had friends over.

S: I am sleepy. I was tired. It was nighttime. I didn't like fireworks. Cause they were scary and loud. So I just watched them. There were some pretty ones. They put fire into the street and fireworks blinged out and there was pretty ones, but I didn't like the spin-y ones but regular grandma did.
N: I am hugging Mr. Rude. He is silly billy. I liked all the fireworks.
N: Mia is hugging grandpa. Mia liked the fireworks.
S: Regular grandpa is telling Mia about the fireworks.

Santa Barbara

2010-07-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

On the way home from Pismo we stopped at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

N: This is a ginormous gorilla. We went to the Santa Barbara Zoo on our way home from vacation because the next day was Mia's birthday.
S: That is a gorilla. It is my favorite animal. It looks like a tree.
N: I am in an egg. I just hatched from an egg.
N: What is Sara doing? I slid down the hill. I liked it. It was fun. I slid on cardboard.
S: Sara is sliding on cardboard. I liked it. I wasn't scared.
N: Daddy and Mia slid on cardboard too. Mia sort of liked it.
S: Daddy is sliding on cardboard.
N: Daddy is surfing. I took that picture.
S: I wish I could surf on that hill. Someday I want to.

Morro Bay

2010-07-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

N: I am throwing fish food into the ocean. I saw a million billion fish. They were silver. I was on a boat. I didn't like the boat at first but now I like it.
S: The fish looked like water. I am wearing a life jacket. So I can be safe. First I wanted to go down the steps of the boat myself. Well, not really, but Daddy lifted me so that was ok. I liked throwing fish food. I liked having an adventure.
N: Mia is being a crazy baby.
S: Mia is wearing a life jacket. She liked going on the boat.
N: I was scared. I didn't want to go. I am a grumpy-gus.
S: Mommy, Mia and Nora are going in the water. I love water. Mia does too. I like my mom my dad and Mia and my sisters and brothers (???).
N: I am swinging. I am at the beach in Morro Bay. That was weird.
S: I am swinging. I liked swinging on the beach.

N: Mia is trying to catch birds. We are on a pier.
S: Mia is chasing the birds. She didn't get any because she was trying, but she didn't. She was running after them and the birds were so scared.

N: Squirrels. Do you see them? There were 10 million.
S: I see some squirrels looking at me. Well, they weren't pretty but they were fine. I liked going swimming.
N: Do you see the sea otters? I see them.
S: These are sea otters. They are very fun and they are shy. They were looking at me. I don't know what they were saying to me, but they were very cute. Mommy loves sea otters. Nothing will stop her from liking them. That is a very long one, right?

Centennial Farm

2010-07-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

In the quest for free things to do this summer, we visited Centennial Farm at the OC Fairgrounds.

N: I am petting the sheep. Because I wanted to. They were soft-y. I didn't smell them.

N: That's Sara. That's not me. That is a bad teeth llama. Llama has 2 'l's. The second one is for 'loser.'
S: The llama has teeth. I didn't like the llama because he was big and I couldn't pet him. I didn't know if he was a boy or girl. I don't know the llama's name.
N: I am with the bunnies. His name is snowball. He is white. That is why his name is snowball.
N: We are having a race. I am winning.
S: I don't like this one. I'm not winning. Nora is winning. Me and Tiana and Caleb.

My picture for Dana and Wesley

2010-07-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

I love Dana and Wesley. Wesley and Dana are getting married. I love my family. I love Mommy and Daddy. I love my cousins and aunts and uncles. I love my baby sister. I love my other sister. I love our beautiful house. I love all the pictures in our house. I love going to the pool. I love being on vacation. I love school. I love reading. I think I'll like first grade.

San Luis Obispo

2010-07-11T15:20:00.001-07:00

In San Luis Obispo we went to the Children's Museum.

N: I am digging for dinosaur bones.
S: I love finding dinosaur bones. I wish they would be real so we would be real knights. That is all I wish.
N: Mia is in a sing-song swing.
S: That is Mia in the swing. I wish they would be real swings but they are fake swings.
N: I am chugging in a choo choo train.
S: We are a family playing with everything. It is me, Nora and Mia. The Choo Choo train.

We also went to Bubblegum Alley
(which is not marked and kind of gross)

N: Grody gumball. I don't like it.
S: Nora is standing next to the candy wall. I didn't want to. Cause I know something that will help us. I liked when we went to our hotel.
N: CTR. You see it? The C and T and R? It means choose the right.
S: It is a yucky candy wall.

Pismo Beach

2010-07-09T13:06:00.001-07:00

On vacation we stayed at the Pismo Lighthouse Suites. There was so much to do the kids didn't even want to leave the hotel (which worked out great for Mia's nap time). In addition to the pool, there was:

Mini Golf

N: This is mini golf. There were 25 holes. I hit a ball into the parking lot. Daddy couldn't find it. Daddy hit one in the parking lot too. He couldn't find his either. That was bad.
S: golfing. I had a little club. I liked golfing.

Badminton
N: This is badminton. Whack, whack, whack. I didn't do a good job. It was hard. I don't like badminton.

Ping Pong
N: This is ping pong. It is hard. Badminton is harder. Ping Pong is fun. I accidentally hit the ball into Sara's cheek while we were playing. We were just playing.
S: Sara mouse is climbing. Maybe I am looking in a mirror. Ping pong is a game where you hit it... like this.... there is someone far away and you are far away and you hit the ball... like this...

"BIG" Chess
N: This is big, ginormous chess... Mia size.
My favorite part of the hotel was the pool. I like to swim.
S: I am playing chess. You move stuff. I was black.
I liked my bedroom. The beds were fun.

We definitely recommend this hotel if you are traveling up the coast.

Kidspace

2010-07-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Since I am super cheap, when I heard that Kidspace Children's Museum was free one evening a month.... we went.

N: I am climbing a curvy, scary climb thing. It went to the ceiling. It was so cool up there.
N: Mia is getting wet. She is trying to reach the orange.
N: I am spraying drums. It is a spray drum thing where you spray different drums and it makes noises.
S: ugh

N: I am riding a tricycle. It was so cool because it was a two tricycle.
S: I am riding a tricycle. I got to pedal Nora. Nora was heavy.
They had a stream the kids can play in. Mia climbed in immediately...
N: Mia is in the pond. She got wet. She was soaked.

N: Mia is trying to drown.
S: I am in my bathing suit swimming in a pool made of rocks. It was not fun.
N: I am in the pond with Sara. We are climbing up on rocks. I climbed up the waterfall.

The Beach!

2010-07-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

N: Mia is in the water. It was below her knees.
S: I don't like the waves cause they are no fun. And they don't like me.
N: I saw a bee get washed away in the waves so I built a beehive.
S: I like the sand cause I like to dig the sand up.
N: Mia has one best friend. Mia and Lylah are sharing.
S: I like Mia playing.
N: I am in the water. I liked the beach.

Mia likes Dirt

2010-07-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

For Mia's birthday, we had only foods that she would eat...

Instead of the normal grilled cheese, we decided to have "exotic" grilled cheese...

Provolone, pear, sun dried tomato and bacon. YUM!

MANY different combinations were tried. Mia stuck with regular, boring grilled cheese. :)

With DIRT CAKE and CHOCOLATE ROCKS for dessert!
I think she approved.

Mia the Monster turned one!

2010-06-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

We celebrated by giving her her very own ice cream cone. :)

Mia:

can walk
can climb up and down stairs
can climb on top of things
can pick out a matching pair of shoes out of a pile of mismatched shoes
likes to eat fruit, cheese, paper, chocolate
like to read books
claps
pinches. HARD!
give hugs and blow kisses
say Hi, Night-night, look, bird, mommy, dada, NO!, more
points at EVERYTHING
folds her hands for prayer
wants to do whatever her big sisters are doing
has a very dominant personality

and keeps us on our toes!

in case the last post was confusing... Mia Potter is a reference to Harry Potter... who lived in a closet under the stairs.

Mia Potter

2010-06-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

On our vacation we stayed at the Pismo Lighthouse Suites (which we HIGHLY recommend)
We weren't sure how to accommodate Mia...
she doesn't sleep in a crib
hotels beds are a bit too high
sleeping with Sam and I was just a bad idea all around

SO

we brought a sleeping bag intending to put her on the floor

BUT

when we got to our room there was a closet near our bed
that fit the sleeping bag perfectly

SO

she slept in the closet. We moved the doors to the half of the closet she was in so we could still have the light on or watch TV.

One night she started fussing (which we ignored) and when she stopped, we saw:
then:

By morning she was back into her half of the closet.
She slept well in the closet so we called her Mia Potter for the rest of the vacation. If she doesn't sleep well in her own bed tonight, we will find her a closet here.

We Were Invaded!

2010-06-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

We couldn't get rid of them. It was like an ant convention was going on in our house!

A door to door pest control guy HAPPENED to come by that day. We signed them up... I was desperate! Now...NO more ants. :)

Strawberry Picking

2010-06-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sara: I like to go strawberry picking.
Nora: I picked the biggest strawberry.
Sara: is a mess from strawberry picking.
Nora: Mia is crazy.
Sara: I like blowing the leaves.
Nora: They are not leaves. They are dandelions. Are they dandelions?
Nora: I am blowing a dandelion. New ones will grow.
Sara: And you get wishes. I wished for ice cream.
Nora: Mia is bowing a dandelion that is already blown.
Sara: Mia wishes for shoes from Karen.
Nora: We are standing by something.
Sara: I like mac and cheese for lunch.

Our visit to the "burrito" museum

2010-06-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sara: That is me in my big girl car seat. And I looked SO cute and I was so excited that I got a big girl car seat.
Nora: Sara and Mia got car seats. Mia's old car seat and Sara has a big girl car seat without straps but with a big girl seat belt.
Nora: I am with a peacock and I have a new shirt on. Peacock tails look gross. They do not take care of their feathers. They are very loud.
Nora: We are in a cave tree. We saw a pink gum tree, a wooley butt tree, and a gum tree. I wonder if it grows gum?
Sara: I liked being in the cave with Daddy.
Sara: I liked eating fruit roll ups.

Nora: I climbed up into a tree.
Sara: I didn't like getting so dirty.
Nora: Daddy is trying to make Mia happy.
Sara: Daddy is trying to make Mia die.
Nora: I am sitting by the waterfall. Sara thought she would drown. I didn't believe her. It was fun.

A few days ago we went to visit the LA Arboretum (called the "burrito" museum by the girls). It was a beautiful day, it wasn't crowded and there was lots to see. The place is huge and we didn't even get to see half of it, so we will definitely be going back.

Nora's last day of school

2010-06-16T10:31:00.001-07:00

I did not want to leave kindergarten. I miss kindergarten. Kindergarten was so much fun. One day I got another medal. Now I have two medals and a trophy for being an excellent reader. I read a million books.
I am balancing a bean bag on my head. It was tricky. I had to put it in the basket without touching the beanbag.
I am squirting a water gun.
I am painting. I painted a flower and a picture of me picking a flower and a sun and hearts.
I am blowing bubbles. My wand made the biggest bubbles. This is like grandmas bubble wands except these are bugs.
I am digging for pennies. I got 5 pieces of candy. It was very exciting. Actually 7 pieces of candy.
I am with Mrs. Reingrover. She was a fun teacher.
I am with both of my teachers.
This is my teacher's daughter. She helped a lot in our class.

Recent Developments

2010-06-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

The girls all got along for a few minutes.
Nora played photographer with Sara.

Sara is holding her dolly Maria. I tried a lot of pictures but finally the last one was PERFECT.

Mia ate a blue ink pad at Nora's open house.

She walks.

First Basketball Practice - Saturday and Friday

2010-05-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

I am dribbling the ball. I want to play basketball, not soccer. I changed my sport from soccer to basketball. I love dribbling the ball.

Strawberry Stealer...

2010-05-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

I bought a flat of strawberries to make jam.

Mistake #1
Moving the flat from the table to the floor so we could eat dinner.

Mistake #2
Taking my eyes off Mia for 2 seconds.

Notice how there is ONE bite out of each of the strawberries.

So if I give you some strawberry jam and it tastes a little like baby... :)

Nora and Sara never...

2010-05-18T14:28:00.001-07:00

climbed up on top of things...

pulled stuff out of cupboards...

were purposely destructive...

BUT

Introducing child #3

maybe she just wanted to visit the turtle?

Our first cake decorating attempt

2010-05-07T21:02:00.001-07:00

This one is for you, Lar

Tonight we participated in a cake auction to raise money for girls camp. It won for "most realistic" although the number of cakes in that category was rather small... ok, it was the only one in that category.

TWO teeth!!

2010-05-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

So How Do I "Punish" Her?

2010-04-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

NORA: MMMMOOOMMMMMMM! Sara wrote my name on the back of my drawing and I didn't want her to!!!

ME:(glancing at the drawing) Sara didn't write that. Nice try.

SARA: Yes I did.

ME: Let me see. Do it again. Here is a piece of paper.
(Parent of the year, that's me... so trusting of my kids)

Who taught my barely three year old how to write her sister's (and her own) name?!?! I didn't even spell it for her.

This child has 2 more years until kindergarten!

Horseback Riding

2010-04-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

I liked horseback riding. My horse's name was George. I did three laps, it took about half an hour. I want to do it again when I am 8 so I can go all by myself in the ring. Sara didn't do it. She didn't want to, but when it was over she did.

Jam-apalooza

2010-04-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

With produce prices so low, Sara and I have spent the week making jam during Mia's naps. Sara is in charge of the smooshing and the chopping. This last batch of blackberry jam we call "Magic Jam"

The air is all on the bottom and the jam on the top.
I am a little afraid to open the jars, but at least I know the jam set.

Crazy Sara

2010-03-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

where to begin... the chocolate, the ketchup, the hair, and the black eye from riding on top of the jeep...

She's crazy.

Second Tooth

2010-03-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

Daddy pulled my tooth out. It really bled. I was crying. I had to put a tissue on my tooth and I couldn't feel anything. I have two grown up teeth coming in now. I am so excited! I won't be toothless for long.
In Sam's defense, the tooth was hanging by a thread. It was gross.

NINE months!

2010-03-24T21:53:00.001-07:00

Time is flying!

At 9 months, Mia...

is 16 lbs, 27 inches
50th percentile

crawls like a stinkbug (straight legs)
probably because I put her in dresses as often as possible to PREVENT crawling

pulls up to standing on furniture

can stand by herself for a few seconds

eats almost anything (except baby food), but is especially fond of paper and crayons.

loves scrambled eggs, strawberries, peaches, grilled cheese and bananas...chants nana, nana when she is in her high chair

also says mama, dada and night, night (but doesn't know what they mean)

STILL doesn't sleep through the night

has a tooth and a bump

likes to jump

likes to dance/bounce and listen to her sisters clap

loves to pull hair and poke eyes

likes to drool

likes to make faces at strangers

laughs and then moves faster when we tell her "No"

is uncooperative when we try to change her diaper

is crazy... just like her sisters.

But we will keep her.

There has been some recent debate...

2010-03-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

Who does Mia look like?

Sam's Birthday

2010-03-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

Sara: Sara and Nora giving Daddy presents. He got play doh and things for Easter. It wasn't really play doh, it was fake play doh. He got some Easter eggs. It wasn't a real egg. It was just pretend.
Dinner. for weeks.
Sara: This is Daddy blowing out the candles. It was real candles but Dad is silly.
Sara: Daddy and Sara took a picture at the hockey game. It was very noisy. I ate fritos. It wasn't really fritos. It was nachos. I loved the hockey game. I thought Dad was going to drop me on the ice, but he holded me.
Mia enjoyed the game.

Pinewood Derby

2010-03-14T10:13:00.001-07:00

This past week was Sam's first pinewood derby as Cub Master. He cut out the car and let the girls decorate it. Needless to say it was the only purple pretty princess car there.

The car didn't make it to the finish line. We will make some changes next year.

Mia did enjoy the licorice.

Time to start baby proofing...

2010-03-03T18:03:00.000-08:00

While mom has tonsilitis...

2010-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

everyone else goes on a Cub Scout field trip to the automotive museum, and then visit the LA temple.

N: I am in a red race car track. I loved it and I twisted my leg.
N: I am sitting on a rock at the temple. The temple was peaceful. It was my first time at that temple.

S: I am pointing at the statue of Angel Moroni. He is on the top of the temple.
N: I am standing by mommy and daddys tree. It was the tree they took a picture by when they were married.

First tooth... gone.

2010-03-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

I lost my tooth. One finger went on the top, then two went on the side and then I pulled it out... I said, "Mommy, Mommy, look! look!" My mom found an envelope and I put it in. I put the envelope under my pillow and the tooth fairy was a sneaky tooth fairy because she put the dollar in the envelope, not under my pillow. She put the envelope on top of my moose so my moose was holding it. Now I have another loose tooth.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-03-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

S: This is my decorating cookies with my friends. I put sprinkles and gummy bears and frosting. A LOT of frosting. It was super yummy.

S: This is us eating dinner. We had chicken, but I didn't like it.
(Sam made tempura... the girls ate rice... they weren't very adventurous)
S: This is Mingo eating fondue. We dipped marshmallows in the chocolate. They were so yummy. We dipped cookies. They weren't yummy. And bananas.

Snow Day in Orange County

2010-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

The Orange County Balloon Park was having a free snow day, so we went.
With the rest of America.

N: I am by an icicle. It is a penguin. It is made of ice. I didn't make it.
S: You mean ice?
N: I am playing ice hockey. I liked it a little bit.
S: I am playing hockey. I am hitting a ball but I didn't know how to hit a ball so I just got the hockey thing up. I didn't hit the ball. I winned.

N: I am on a fire truck. It was a whole ton of fun.
S: Sara didn't want to sit on the fire truck. Cause I didn't want to take a picture.

N: I made a snowman and a silly looking person out of clay. My person's name is Isabella Mia and my snowman's name is Isabell Ariacel.
S: I made a snowman out of clay. My snowman's name is Sara.
N: I made a silly looking hat. It is a snowman.
S: I made a snowflake for Christmas.
Mingo is sticking her tongue out and playing with her chicken.

S: This is my snowman. I made it out of snow. The snow was pretty.
N: I made a snowman too. I smashed it. I throwed a snowball at Daddy in his gut. I liked the snow.
S: The snow was pretty sandy.
(They promised 90 tons of snow... I thought that was a larger amount than it actually was)

The entire event was free, and there was enough things for the kids to do that we didn't really notice the crowds. The only disappointment was the small quantity of snow... but I guess we could go up to the mountains...

Sara's Birthday Party

2010-02-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

Sara wanted a princess party, and had some very specific ideas on what we would do at her party.

I'm making crowns with my friends. We are using stickers and glitter.
We are playing bingo. All of us were on the bingo card. I liked playing bingo because it is the most fun thing. We used M&Ms and I love this game.
I put pictures of all the kids on a bingo card. The looks on their faces when they saw themselves in the game was worth it!
That is my pinata. It was in the shape of Cinderella because that is what I wanted. We whacked it. There was candy and bracelets and markers and necklaces and stickers inside. I liked the pinata.
I am eating a pink cupcake with pink frosting and pink sprinkles. It is what I wanted.
I am blowing out the candles. It took three times to get them all out. No one helped me.

Tiffany caught me at the bottom of the twisty slide. It is my favorite slide.
We are playing in the sand and building sand castles.
(I love how NO ONE is looking at the camera in this picture.)
Mia's first sand experience
I am making a shadow because I like to make shadows.
That is Nora. She has silly hair.
Just documentation that I was there...
I wasn't sure what to do about Sara's bday because age three is supposed to be the year of their first "friend" party, but we had just moved, Sara's friends were really just the siblings of Nora's friends, and I just didn't want to throw a big party. But after talking to Sara about what she wanted, her ideas were doable and the weather was nice, so we went to a park by our old house. We had it on a day when Nora was off school, but in the morning so most of the "older siblings" were still in school... so Sara was able to be the focus.

Sara had a great time, so I say the party was a success! :)

Daddy, Can I Stay Up Late?

2010-02-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

Sara and Mia have been sick today and went to bed early. Nora wanted to stay up and watch the Olympics. When Sam came down, just after 8, here was Little Miss Stay Up Late. Sam carried her upstairs, got her undressed, got her dressed and onto her pillow before she moved at all. Then she cuddled up with whatever was close by and she was out again! She really wants a pair of skis though!!!