Look what I made!

I had been looking for something cute for Gracie to wear to her party. Either it was too expensive or I didn't win the E bay bid. So I made something! I got the jumper at Ross for $15.00 and the iron on patches at Michael's for about $15.00. Things like this are selling on E bay for $50.00-$100.00! Mabye I'll sell it when we're done with it. (I can hear my sister screaming at the comnputer "NO, you will save that for Sophie!!")
Front:

Back:
 

Happy Birthday Gracie!

Ok, it was on Tuesday, but I am behind! It was pretty low key because we are having the "birthday extravaganza" on Saturday!. Just Gracie and 20 of her closest friends. I have no idea how this happened. When I made out the list, I was really sure that someone wouldn't be able to come! This is her first real party, so it is OK. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

  

ACCEPT picnic

Today our home study agency had their picnic. I got to meet so many fellow bloggers, some for the first time! Scott couldn't make it,so I didn't get to talk as much as would have liked,trying to watch two kids. I saw Donna and got to meet Maddy. I saw Kelly and Helen..Then we saw Maggie and parents. And I finally got to meet one of my favorite bloggers, Julie. I'll post pictures tomorrow. I am done in after last night and today!

A big night out!

Last night Scott and I had a fun evening out. We went to a charity event at an art Gallery for Project Night Night. This charity provides blankets, stuffed animals and books for homeless children living in shelters. I think that is the saddest sentence I have ever typed. Blankets for homeless children who do not have any.. We got very dressed up and Had a great time. There was a silent auction and I won a Sally Spicer bag.. That is two weekends in a row out! Did I forget to mention last weekend, my sister took the kids overnight?.I could get used to this!

What have I gotten myself into?

My kids have been going to a Co-Op pre-school for the past 4 years. That means that I have worked in the classroom, next to the teachers, although mostly with set up/clean up, etc...I have also served as a substitute and worked summers there as a teacher. Every year I comment "what a nice class we have". Great families, fun classes. Then I decided to become a teacher there. And this is the year that we have a very challenging class. (Of course!) I was slapped in the face by a 3 year old on Monday. This child also bit another child so hard, he bled. He pulled the other teachers hair and kicked her. All the while his Dad was yelling out obscenities like "Jesus Christ, behave!" (Most of the parents stayed the first day, which was part of the problem). WHEW! I have my work cut out for me! Welcome back to work...
*Update* Today was somewhat better,but still hard. One of us has to "shadow" him all day,which is hard on the other children (and us). It will get better. I think what he needs is to try and hurt Gracie,because she will kick his @ss!

Like my new "do"?

  

9/11

What can I say that hasn't already been said? I'll just recount my day 5 years ago. I was laying in bed nursing Cameron who had been born 5 weeks earlier. I was exhausted/happy/hormonal. Scott came in from the other room and said that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. "Hmm. I thought. That is strange". When he came in to say ANOTHER plane had the it, I jumped out of bed and ran into the other room to see what he could be talking about. How could that be? This couldn't be an accident, could it? There we stayed, glued to the T.V. ALL day. Nursing and crying(well, me nursing).He didn't go to work that day or the next, even though we were on the opposite coast. Just too scared. I feel for all those people and their families and Ii think of them on this day.

Goodbye Summer

 
  

It's fiveO'Clock somewhere...

  

Wish you were here...

Guess who managed to pack clothes for two kids, snacks for everyone, toiletries for Hubby, and the entire car by herself, but only brought one change of clothes for herself? If you see me wearing the same thing for 4 days, please don't say anything...

A much needed break

This is a quote from one of my favorite blogs-Cease Cows! Life is short!. She is talking about good things she did over the weekend and I think about it so much, because I can so relate to it.
"- Making my Weekly Exodus on Saturday without freakingthefuckout first. There's much to be said for calmly leaving for your solitary outing as opposed to suddenly stopping mid-laundry, throwing your hands up in the air and stating I'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE OR I'M GOING TO GO CRAZY while everyone in the family stands around shifty-eyed and uncomfortable."
Today, after a 3 day weekend, I realized that I had to get out of this house and away from my family. I just needed to be by myself for a few hours. It is so rare that I am ever by myself. So what to do with all this free time? Shopping, or course! I needed some new clothes for my debut back to work. Yeah, I'll be teaching 3 year olds, but I still should look presentable, right? I also had fun shopping for iddy biddy baby clothes for a friend who just had her third child. She has two boys and she had a girl! I went a little crazy with the pink! So it turned out to be a good weekend after all...

Commercialism: Catch E'm when they're young!

We don't watch much regular T.V. that has commercials. Most of the channels the kids watch don't show them. But lately, Cameron has been wanting to watch a few shows on regular channels and it is amazing how fast he has caught on (Read: Become addicted) to them! It started one day when I was in the kitchen and he was watching T.V. and he screams "MOOOOOMMMMMMM, Come here, QUICK". I come running asking "what is it, is someone hurt?" He says "We need to call this number Now". Then I bought him some new shoes. I bought these.
I was worried, becuase I knew he really wanted these. But he wasn't upset. No! He said "Thanks Mom, I have always wanted Skechers!" Should I mention that he is Five and that I don't even have Skechers? Then there is the fact that he can't see his toys all over the floor, but he can pick out a McDonald's sign a mile away. Sigh. What's a parent to do?

My latest E Bay finds

I have been doing some fall clothes shopping for the kids and found these on E Bay.

This one was $15.00 including shipping and the last one was $17.00. Can't beat that!
 
  

School starts WHEN?

I think going back to work will be good for me. We have kept pretty busy this summer, until now. I have now entered the "I don't have to shower or get dressed because there is nowhere to go" phase of summer. And it isn't pretty. I went out to get the mail and my neighbor was out watering his plants. I smiled and waved and didn't understand why he looked at me funny until I got back inside and realized I am wearing my purple flannel pajama pants(it is freezing here today) and my old sweatshirt. It is 4:30 in the afternoon. Scott just called to say he was going to a meeting tonight and I was actually excited because now I don't have to cook dinner! We can have cereal! All of our friends have already started school, most of them have gone to Kindergarten. Sigh. I feel left out. But this is the best choice for my child, I know this. I just have to get through this week. Next week we decided to take one last trip for the summer and go down south to the beach, this time all together. It will be fun. And then when school starts I will be complaining how busy I am.

 
 
 
  

Crazy bloglines stuff and Birthday weekend!

Check your bloglines, people! It is erasing my favorite blogs! Just taking them right off! I have lost about 12 and I wouldn't even have know it, if it hadn't been for Shelley. Thanks, Shelley! Today is Scott's birthday and we went to Angel Island and Alcatraz. I will write more about it tomorrow and post pictures. Don't let me forget the story of how I tripped in the "recreation yard" and damn near broke my leg and lay there crying and bleeding. But now I leave you with a picture of a statue outside a restaraunt at Fisherman's Warf. When Gracie saw it she said "That Mama?" I Love that child!!
  

A room fit for a princess

Gracie never got her "girlie room" because we moved Cameron to the other bedroom and put her in his old room. It was decorated with an under the sea theme and sailboats, so we added some mermaids to make it more girlie. It was cute, but last week, my sister and I decided she needed a Princess room! So we broke out the pink,pink,pink and decorated. Here is her room before:

Before:

 
  

After:

My Sister painted the awsome castle on the wall and made the frame with her name on it...
 
 
 
  

castle

  

Back in the swing of things

It is hard to get back to normal after vacation.We had so much fun last week. The beach,the water park, and finally meeting one of my favorite bloggers, Shelley.It took a little less time to get home,(7 hours) but still a long drive...This week is sports camp, this weekend is Scott's birthday and then begins the countdown to back to work!

Dude, that was totally fun!

Says my Boy who wasa born and raised in San Francisco.(He says that is how surfers talk, I don't know how he knows this). I forgot how much fun it is to swim in the Ocean. I haven't done it in years. Cameron learned to Boogie Board and we had a really fun day. Gracie prefers to stay on the beach with her Aunt Michelle...Here are some pictures.

Busy enjoying the last days of summer....

We are down south for a few days. How do people live here? We hit Traffic in L.A. and it took us 9 and a half hours to get here. Yes, you read that right. NINE and A HALF hours in a car with a 3 and a 5 year old. All I can say is, whoever invented the DVD player in the car is a Genius. I wish I had thought of it! Today we hit the beach. I am excited to show my kids what a beach should be like. Warm water,great weather and waves that won't kill you! Fun! I'll try and post pictures...

2 Year Reunion!

We had a blast meeting with our China Reunion group this weekend. Only about half of our group made it, but the girls (and two boys!) had a great time. One of our families has a pool and we could not get the kids out of there! It was great to see how everyone has grown.

Happy 2nd Family Day to Us!

On this day two year's ago we were united with our Gracie. I don't have time to scan photos, so I will link to last years. Here they are. And Here

Wild Animals at the zoo!

 

Feed the Birds

 
  

Sad news

I have found out some very sad news. The family that I was a nanny for for 3 years in Texas, when Scott was in Law School, has lost their Mother and wife to cancer. We have kept in touch and she had been to visit us two summers ago right before we went to adopt Gracie. It was so fun to introduce her to Cameron after watching her kids grow up. I really thought she would beat it. I am just so sad. I can't believe she is gone. And she leaves 3 kids, ages 16,14, and 10. I will miss her.

Too much time on my hands...

Is it just me, or has Joe, from blues Clues gained a lot of weight? I am not judging, I am just noticing...See. Before:

Now:

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Video Sharing

The friends...

 
Happy Family
 
The cake I made, that Cameron would not eat because he didn't like the frosting!
  

Happy Birthday!

On this day, 5 year's ago, the baby they said I would never have was born. Happy Birthday, Cameron! We love you!

This is what summer is about!