Crazy Weather!

Can you believe that these two photos were taken within a week of each other!

This has been such a crazy Spring!

I also added a picture of our dog, Cassidy. She looks so content to relax in the shade. The winter has been hard on her this year, I know she's also glad we're having more nice days!

More Warm Temps

I went for a ride this morning...I know, two days in a row, I'm on a roll!! The weather is beautiful, I didn't even wear leg warmers! I was feeling pretty motivated until I started riding and remembered how hard it is to pull the bike trailer with the girls. My motivation just crumbles when I'm riding along and someone who's riding a big clunky mountain bike with platform pedals and big loose clothing flapping in the wind and carrying a big backpack passes me up...fast, like I'm not even moving. Bummer. At least the girls were good this time. Usually I'm having to stop every five minutes to retrieve Morgan's sippy cup or yelling at them to keep their hands to themselves, "Haley! Stop bonking Morgan on the head with your helmet!". So, for once they sat peacefully together eating their graham crackers as they watched their mother suffer.

Finally some decent weather!!

Ryan and I started the day off with a bike ride up the canyon to Vivian Park. Actually, we didn't quite make it to the park because an avalanche blocked the trail, but it was close enough. We stopped at another park to let the girls play for a while...my, was it nice!! Oh, and I got to wear my new cycling kit...love it! I may not be fast, but at least I look good...isn't that the most important part?

Church was a little rough for Haley today, she got sent out of her class for being disruptive. She was probably pretending she was a dog and started barking at the other children or something. Anyway, Ryan was talking to her about how she needs to be reverent at church, she responded with, "Daddy, I can't deny what happened in there.". Who is this child?! Where did she hear that line? I thought it was pretty funny. Hopefully it goes better next time, I'm a little worried.

Later we squeezed in a walk on the path. Not a bad day at all.

I knew she couldn't resist!

My sister-in-law has a blog! fulloflifeandthensome.blogspot.com

More Long Beach Pictures

The girls had so much fun with the bubble maker. I have to get one! It sure beats trying to blow them yourself. Yes, Morgan has only one shoe on, that's how she rolls.










The girls enjoying a picnic in the yard.
My mom bought them these cute pink princess chairs, they loved them. Although they did have a tendency to fall out of them quite a bit.











This is the Discovery Science Center and the visit from Clifford. You can tell Morgan is thrilled to be there. I don't blame her, those big things scare me too (yes, I know there is a person in them), but I have a problem with not being able to see the person's eyes. I think I was traumatized as a young child when I was at Disneyland or something. Whatever the reason I have a real phobia of big mascot things (I don't know...what are those things called?).




This is my brother, Andrew. He is an amazing artist...drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, you name it, he can work with it. Anyway, this is him working with some clay for a presentation he had. You can see Haley is being a huge help.

My brothers spoiled those girls so much when we were there. One evening when I was getting them ready for bed Haley's breath smelled like peanut butter and chocolate. Come to find out that little sneak knew exactly where to go to get candy...her two uncles' room. She had been getting candy from them all week. Oh well, I guess rules are meant to be broken when we're on vacation.

Make it Stop!!!

This is the view from our window at 4:00 today. Enough already!!!

Home Again, Home Again...

Jiggity-Jig.



We're back from our Long Beach adventure. It's good to be home, but I'm missing the warm California weather...right now it's snowing in Provo, AGAIN!!! Anyway, thought I'd post some pictures of the trip.



Yes, this is a squirrel we're holding. My folks rescued a baby squirrel from their backyard and it has become their pet, for the time being anyway. Rocky (that's its name), loved to burrow in Haley's hood. Although she wasn't too fond of it on her, she and Morgan loved watching it in the cage and feeding it peanuts.

This is a picture of the the three of us at the Long Beach Aquarium. The girls loved playing in the water park area, I think Haley was the only kid who got completely soaked.














Haley driving the boat.

Gorilla Biscuits???

Just for the record I did not put that Gorilla Biscuits song on my playlist. Once I figure out how to delete it I will, hardcore is just not my thing.

Fighting the Crowds

I need to take a minute to complain...

We took the girls to the Discovery Science Center today, what a great museum! However, we arrived at the same time as every elementary school in Southern California! (That may be a slight exaggeration.) I can't stand school groups! They took over the entire museum bouncing from one thing to the next not caring who was in their way or who was there first. Morgan got pushed around several times. There was one section of the museum that was only for children 5 and under, so we were able to hide out in there for a while. I was in constant fear that I would loose my children in all the mayhem!

Eventually it did clear out and we were able to enjoy the museum a little better. They had a huge Clifford (as in the Big Red Dog) section that the girls just loved!

But my point is they need to have some kind of system that families and school groups do not mix. Maybe one day a week just school groups can go there, or certain times of the day is only school groups. Luckily, we only had to deal with it for a couple of hours since we arrived a little later in the day. But some families had to deal with that their whole visit...poor people, I feel sorry for them.

SoCal

I have had a very relaxing couple of days so far. Yesterday I took a nap for the first time in forever, and this morning I got to sleep in a little. WOW! The weather isn't bad, a little overcast in the morning but the sun eventually comes out.

Yesterday evening I went with my dad to watch my younger brother Jeff race at the Eldorado training race they have every Tuesday. He looked great! It has been a long while since I've been out that way, it brought back a lot of memories. When Ryan and I lived in Long Beach we went to the Eldorado race every week. He raced and I went for a ride with my dad. After the race Ryan and I rode home always stopping at Quiznos to grab something to eat. We would carry our food while riding our bikes, the drinks would be crammed in our water bottle cages...good times!

Today my mom and I took the girls to the Long Beach Aquarium. I think they enjoyed it. When asked, Haley's favorite animal was the sea lion, and she insists that the Jellyfish are really swimming mushrooms. Morgan's favorite part was probably chasing the pigeons while we ate lunch.

We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Off to the L.B.C. Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow the girls and I are off for Long Beach to visit with my folks. Ryan is working/racing at Sea Otter for the week so I might as well spend the time somewhere else, right? Plus, I have a tendency to go a little crazy when I'm by myself with the girls for that long. So I'll keep my insanity and go to Long Beach. I wonder who the person will be that gets to sit next to me on the flight there (please be another mother), I'm sure I'll get some nasty stares. The last flight I took I sat next to a very corporate looking man, I'll never forget the look on his face when he realized he had to sit next to me. He should have considered himself lucky because the girls were super good. Morgan grabbed at his leg a couple of times and cried a little here and there, but for the most part she did very well. And believe me I bring every trick I can think of for them: food, games, crayons, toys, milk, books...I might as well bring their whole room with me. But sometimes nothing works and a kid just cries, so please go easy on mothers on planes, we try very hard! And we are perfectly aware that a screaming child annoys people, they annoy us too! So don't give us nasty stares!! We're doing our best, OK!! Whew, I better stop there.

No More Snow!!

I woke up to snow on the ground!!! Enough already!! I'm ready for some warmer weather, it's almost the middle of April. The forecast calls for some warmer temps starting tomorrow, so there is hope.

I was spoiled this morning, Haley didn't wake up until 7:40 and Morgan not until 8:30! That's unheard of with my children. It's pretty dark in the "doghouse" Haley has been sleeping in, so maybe that helps her to sleep in a little bit. I think I'm beginning to like this "doghouse".

"Bleo" Returns

Last year Haley loved to pretend she was a dog, she named herself Bleo. It drove me crazy because she stayed in character all day long. When she fell down she would whimper like a dog, when we went anywhere she would walk on all fours like a dog, and so on and so on. I was so glad when she got over it. Well, Bleo has returned. Except this time she has named herself Lassidy. Yesterday she wanted her own doghouse so we created one with a blanket thrown over some furniture in her room. She loved it so much she slept there all night. The princess necklace she's wearing in the picture is her dog collar. Strange child! I just hope this doesn't last as long as last year...please!

Here I Am!!

My first ever post! I felt like I was missing out so I decided to create my own blog. Now Ryan (Turbo for the blogging world) will not be the only one heard from this family.

I view this blog as more therapeutic than anything. Any stay at home mom knows how crazy the day can be, so any type of venting is helpful. I've been married 8 years, and mother of two girls, Haley and Morgan.