Our trip to CA

I have a love-hate relationship with going to CA. For instance I hate the six hour drive with the kids crying and a cranky husband. it seems like no matter what time we leave we run into problems. This time was no exception. However, i would have to say that the worst part of the drive was Madison throwing up on the way back home. of course, it was in the middle of no where. not even close to a rest stop so we have to pull over on the side of the freeway, but not before she has gotten it all over her clothes, her carseat, and my clothes. Brian, being the ever helpful husband gets out as well to try and "help" the situation but instead ends up doubled over puking HIS guts out too. OMG seriously... Anyways, to make a long story short traveling with two young kids is NOT fun in my book!!! Another thing that i hate about CA is the freeways. When i lived out there I could drive any freeway no problem, but I have gotten used to AZ freeways. In CA the freeways are so dark and the speed limit is more like a starting point than a limit. Heading down the 405 I got flipped off by some guy when i was in the slow lane going 85 mph. Did I mention that this was the SLOW lane!

On to the love part... I LOVE seeing my family and friends. I miss them all so much and always enjoy spending my few days catching up with everyone and anyone. Every time we visit we always feel like we want to move back home. Unfortunately brian is locked into his job for at least another year and that would be a LONG commute. Don't get me wrong I like AZ a lot and enjoy all the friends that we have made out here. It still just does not feel like home yet!

The quote on my email is very important to me and it applies to every area of my life. "Enthusiasm is Contagious. Start an epidemic." -Don Ward
I think that if you are going to commit to something you have to be enthusiastic about it. I mean if you go into a new project grudgingly and pessimistic then you are not going to get much out of it. I mean people wonder why bad crap always happens to them, but they think bad is going to happen, they give off a bad vibe, and they do not act as if they are happy doing whatever it is they are doing so of course the result is going to be negative. I try to enter life without abandon. Anything that I decide to try I look at with an optimistic attitude and treat it with an enthusiastic spirit. I truly feel that enthusiasm, like a bad cold, rubs off on everyone around you. When i used to work customer service at Kmart (over the christmas holiday-- what was I thinking???) I used to try and smile at everyone and make their day a little brighter. Oftentimes people found it hard to cuss out a checker that was smiling at them and wishing them a merry christmas. Don't get me wrong I did get the random people who were so pissed off they didn't even notice my smile until they had proceeded to bludgeon me into the ground using only their words (you know the ones that you only hear in unedited rap music) and then walk away thinking, " i ****ing hate christmas!" Anyways I have pretty much always found that flashing a smile and a few kind words can make a person's day. I strongly believe in the Butterfly effect. If I can make a difference in someone's life then maybe they will make a difference in somebody's life and so on and so on. This is the message that i want to send my girls. Be enthusiastic about life and it will rub off on others. It is a small way to make a BIG difference!

Long Live Mickey Mouse

Many of you probably do not know this, but today is Mickey Mouse's 80th birthday. Suprisingly enough this is just a few days after Madison learned how to say Happy birthday. It sounds more like "Appy bibay", but i know what it means. Anyways, back to Mickey Mouse. We celebrated this momentous birthday by going to freestone park and doing crafts with some friends of ours. I can't believe that Mickey has been so popular for 80 years. On the other hand it is nice that there is some sort of tradition in Mickey mouse ( Everyone has some memory of Mickey in their childhood) at a time when traditions are no longer that common. makenzie was in school during this celebration so it was just me and madison. I love my time alone with each girl. makenzie gets quite a bit of quality time because she does her special activities when Maddie is sleeping, but Madison does not get quite as much alone time with mommy. (On a side note having 2 kids makes me really appreciate the times when i only have 1 kid... ahhhh to go the park and not be losing my mind!) Anyways, Madison colored a Mickey Mouse picture, and made Mickey mouse ears (super cute ones that did not bankrupt me like the ones at disneyland do). However her favorite part was decorating a Mickey mouse shaped cookie. I think she enjoyed the eating part the most, but she was excited to frost it and put on sprinkles. She was so worn out that when i went to pick up Makenzie from school she fell fast asleep. That is what a mother loves best (a sleeping child). Anyways, "Happy birthday Mickey"!!!

A Week in review

Ahhh yet another week has passed. I can't believe how rapidly christmas is approaching and it isn't even thanksgiving yet. Sunday was a sad day because G.G. went home. The girls love having family over and they are always sad when our time together ends. We are all so excited about leaving for CA next week to spend thanksgiving with both sides of the family!!! We spent Monday getting into the thanksgiving spirit by making a calendar with our friends. It was so cute. Makenzie is quite the artist and made her flowers a beautiful color. Madison used her hand to make a turkey (figures her would be food related LOL). Madison did not want to do the art project. She was so busy playing and eating snacks, but as soon as I covered her hand in paint she was all set to go.


While I was there I got the best idea for makenzie's art projects that she makes in school (there is SOOO many). I am going to scan them all in and make a photobook out of them. Of course, I will save a few of the originals too. The rest of the week was kind of a drag because we all seemed to get sick. Always get sick right before we go to CA. I cannot even tell you how many times we have had to drive to CA with makenzie throwing up the entire way. So, it was no surprise that makenzie threw up today. Luckily, this stomach bug should pass before we make our trip this time. It is no fun traveling 6 hours with sick kids and a stressed out husband (although he will be stressed and yelling the whole way anyway, sick or not). Cannot wait for next week-- we miss our families and we are so looking forward to spending most of the week with them.


On a side note: I am finishing this blog on Friday even though i started it on Mon. so I am not a complete crack-up! hahahaha

Gilbert Days Parade

Yesterday Makenzie was honored to be in the Gilbert Days parade. She rode on her school's float (Christ greenfield lutheran preschool). Unfortunately I was not able to be there, but she rode with G.G. and daddy, sister, papa- ona and Margaret were there to see her. She was so cute and was so excited to wave to everybody. Even after all of the other kids had stopped waving my little cutie pie kept waving all the way to the end. G.G. picked out the cutest clothes for her to wear and she got so many comliments. Makenzie was extremely excited to see her teacher and ride on the float with her as well. I posted a few pictures, but am still waiting on G.G. to send me more!

Trying this again LOL

So apparently I started a blog quite a while ago, but had NO CLUE as to what i was doing. I can't say that I have a better idea now, but I will try me best :)