Sunny Newport Beach

We were roasting in Palm Springs but enjoying every moment! Next we headed to the coast or closer to Disneyland for our much anticipated birthday extravaganza! We decided to hit one of the beaches close to our hotel! So Newport Beach it was! Shane and I were excited to see the kids really enjoy a beach where you could wear a swimsuit and jump and play in the water without freezing! We picked out a great spot and then it was off to see the waves~~!

We found lots of seashells!

And one beached whale!!

We played in the water!

We smooshed the sand!

We splashed in the water!

We played "leap frog" well..."leap Ty"

We took a stroll on the Pier!

We gazed out at the great Pacific Ocean!

We got the sun in our eyes!

We braved the mighty waves!

But most of all we posed for the camera!

After our day at the beach we headed to Knott's Berry Farms for their famous "Chicken Dinner!" By the end of the night we were exhausted...

We finished the day just in time to get some rest before we were to wake up the next day bright and early to go to the happiest place on earth!!

Lets keep this vacation train a movin'...

choo choo...

next stop...

DISNEYLAND!!!!

Swimming with a side of sizzle

Our next big adventure in CA was at Knott's Splash City. We had an amazing time splashing, slip-sliding, and feet frying! We had a blast!

Next up...we catch some real waves!

Golden Birthday x2

Alli and Andrew my two incredible, smart, cute, and funny twins just celebrated their "Golden Birthday!!!" That is right on August 7th they turned 7!!! Shane and I can't believe that we have 2...count them 2!!! 7-year-olds! Well to celebrate this momentous occasion we planned an elaborate Birthday bash that involved lots of driving, high temperatures, and...oh a Magical place called Disneyland!!!!!

We started out with the long drive down to Palm Springs area to meet up with the Grandparents. Grandma Shari just happens to have her birthday on August 7th too!!! We arrived in sunny southern Cali and were excited for the warm weather and sun we would be enjoying for the next few days. While in Palm Springs we got to do lots of playing.

On our first day there we visited the Living Desert. It is basically a condensed zoo. One of the fabulous things we got to do was feed the giraffes. Wow!!! This was a really cool experience!

All of the animals we saw were...wait for it...Desert animals hence the name the Living Desert! Well I guess we were in the desert so temps were hot...really hot...110 degrees hot! But we loved it!

Did I mention that it was hot that day?




Peeking at the animals!


We got to see a Kestrel Falcon up close!

"where did the lizard go?"

Way to grab the goat by the horn Andrew!

We loved seeing the animals! Here are are some of our favorite ones...

ooops...here they are...

Andrew's favorite was the Camel --Alli and Ty loved the Cheetah!!

It was a pretty neat experience! Everyone of us enjoyed our little adventure!

The next thing on our list...swimming!

My life is a broken record.

Day by day...Hour by hour...minute by minute...

I find myself saying "Didn't I just..."

Didn't I just clean the kitchen?

Didn't I just do 20 loads of laundry?

Didn't I just clean the non-washed down "kid spit" out of the sink?

Didn't I just spend 1000 hours on Peachtree?

Didn't I just clean up the toy room?

Didn't I just change your diaper?

Didn't I just clear out all of the "too small" clothes out of the closet (for the kids)?

Didn't I just tuck you in for bed?

Didn't I just go to the store?

Or my favorite...Didn't I just post something on my blog?

See everyday it is the same. The only thing that changes are the smiles on the faces of my family when they know that I do it all over and over just for them! (well maybe not Peachtree or blogging) They are worth it!

Now I need to go fold that load of laundry I swear I just folded!

Refusing to turn 3

Ty celebrated his 3rd birthday on Monday. Although if you ask him...he is still 2. We had a great celebration. It started with a Pan"cake" breakfast.

Golfing with Dad was a special treat. Then finally the big party at the Park! Ty was excited to invited "nuncle natan, will, yayton, avee, cassity(x2), yissa, aunt kiki, aunt hidy, kasin, nuncle scaut, and kendy."

All day long he talked about his cake. He wanted worms on it so his wish was my command! It was fun to see him enjoy his day.

I think he loved everything he got at his 3rd birthday party but refuses to turn 3 because that means he needs go potty in the toilet, stop waking Mom up at night, and drink from a big boy cup! Here are some questions he is asked regularly with his usual answers!

Do you want to go pee pee in the potty?

"No, I go pee pee in my diaper!"

Are you 3 today?

"No, I not 3, I 2"

Are you my Big Boy?

"No, I not big, I little"

Can you clean up your toys?

"No, I not clean, YOU clean ma toys mom" or "No way mom jose!"

As you can see his favorite thing to say is "No!!"

He is a great joy in our family and we can honestly say that he rules this roost!

TY

p.s. - Ty should be in bed but he is tormenting me. His birthday balloon is on the ceiling in my "vaulted ceiling" room. I tell him I will get it tomorrow. He tells me "I gonna get monster power and i get it!" I guess it is true...3 year olds are monsters!

Volumize this!

For 31 years I have suffered from a well know hair status known as "fine" hair. Those who love me call it stringy & flat! Well, I for years have been battling this condition and have sought solace in all kinds of products promising umph and lift!

I am here to say in the words of REO Speedwagon "I don't believe it...not for a minute" They just don't work. Not even having a bowl hair cut until I was 8yrs old helped give me any more than what I got. I have tried every product out there and in fact I have countless bottles of umph under my sink half used because after awhile they-- just don't work.

So what is a girl to do?... I guess I get out of bed every morning, bend over and blow dry my hair! And for one maybe two minutes after I flip up my hair it will have body and life!