Summer Sleepovers

So this weekend was the promised sleepover with taylor and her bff alex. Taylor impatiently waited for her friend to arrive and she did promptly at 4pm as promised. Then they proceeded to destroy my nice clean house! OMG, kids. I had told the girls we were going to watch the outdoor movie in the park that night. So around 6pm we headed off to safeway to get some dinner and snacks for the big night. It was a nice day, but who knew that the park would get so cold! I know we are wussy californians who can't handle anything below 70 degrees. I brought 2 blankets, 2 pillows and a bag (thanks to the PIA) full of snacks and drinks. We arrived at the park around 7pm and the kids ran around and played while I set up our blanket. We got a great spot right in the center. I was very excited to see the movie, The Princess Bride, one of my favorites. I hoped the kids would enjoy it. BUT alas, the weather was getting colder and the wind was picking up. The girls started to complain so we bundled up as best we could and waited for the sun to set. Apparently there were some technical difficulties and they started the movie a bit later than usual, around 9pm. About an hour into the movie one kid was asleep, though she swears she wasn't and the other was laying on top of me sucking up all my heat. We didn't make it to the end..very close but not quite. Taylor started begging to go home, to cold to stay. So we packed up and headed out. Right at the good part, the wedding. Of course, I said "as you wish" taylor. This was a great thing though because they were so tired and cold that as soon as we got home, they crawled into bed together and fell fast asleep fully dressed. I followed them promptly as I was very tired from the previous night.

The girls woke up early and followed the only rule in this house..."don't wake mommy". I love that rule. They were very good so I decided to treat them to IHOP for breakfast. They had a good time and came home and continued to destroy what was left of the house. I reminded my child that she was responsible to clean up the house whether her friend was here or not. So she recruited her to help clean up.

While all that was going on I started my chores with laundry. Well imagine my suprise when I went into the garage to change out loads and discovered it flooded. Oh Great! Turns out my 1970's washing machine finally gave out. So after taylors friend left we headed to sears and lowes to shop for a new one. We did find one and I begrudginly paid for it. Why is it when I decide not to spend money, I end up spending money!

Now we are winding down our night. Taylor is watching the new Hannah Montana and I am enjoying the fact that I can't do laundry for a few days. The house is back in order too. Taylor is looking forward to her last week of summer school and then she has one week of camp at school and then she's off to grandma chars for a week with her dad, jen and ryan. He's going to drop her off at Gayleans and we are all meeting in Oxnard for a cruise reunion with the cali peeps and then on sunday taylor goes to her first sleep away camp.

I am looking forward to 3 quiet weeks. A "moms" vacation if you will. August is going to be a fun month. 1st our reunion, then I have another reunion the following weekend, then I am going back down to so. cal. to pick up taylor and soon after that school starts.

I can't believe the summer is over...well not quite. ;)

Iphone weekend

So, I finally got an Iphone. I did not get one friday as promised, however I went myself saturday morning and picked up an 8gig 3G phone. It was all very exciting to me (except for the cost!) I came home and promptly plugged it in to charger. There is going to be an issue with me to charge with the computer at home. I hope not to forget. I am so used to running it down all day and then plugging the phone in to charge while I am sleeping.
I have figured out the voicemail this morning. So people can now leave messages. I also put on my Katy Perry ringtone. Love that song....It's a bit pissy how they get you on the ringtones. On all your phones. I'm sure I have spent over $20 on ringtones on each phone I had...if you purchase it why can't you copy it over? What a racket business!

Have a fabulous July. We have no plans until august! :(

Off to clean...steph

Get out the tiny Violins...and some good news!

So my 4th of July weekend started off with a bang~I got a wicked sinus infection. Oh joy. I woke up friday morning feeling like crap. Taylor and I were going with another family to Inverness for the weekend and I was dreading it. Suzanne called me in the morning and I sounded like death warmed over! She offered to take taylor and let me stay home, but I wanted to go. As the day progressed on and my head felt like it was going to explode, I finally gave in and sent taylor with them, hoping to load up on enough cold medicine to get me there saturday. Saturday came and went along with 2 boxes of kleenex! I haven't been this sick since my cruise and I was very depressed on saturday. Pity Party for One please! BUT...I slept through the night saturday night and woke up so pleased that I jumped in the shower and headed over to Marin County! I called Suzanne and told her I was on my way. I got there around 9:45am and it was COLD!. When I left my house at 8am it was already 80 degrees...it was only 60 in inverness. It was very cute there. The home they were staying in had a peek of tomales bay. We hung out for a little bit and then loaded up and headed down to the lighthouse. It was very foggy,windy and cold (at 1pm no less) but too cool.





After the lighthouse we went to drakes beach and had lunch at drakes cafe. The kids played in the sand. The fog has lifted a little over drakes and we had a nice time walking in the warm sand.

After that we headed to Inverness and their 2 stores, then to Inverness Valley and their 1 Store..these towns were so small and quaint. Then we headed to Pt. Reyes Station and walked around there. I don't think I could live in this area, they are a little too birkenstocky for me. Organics, Vegetarian blah! The kids finally whined enough and we headed back to the house to veg out. The kids went in the hot tub with suzanne while Andrew and I vegged with our beers. It was very relaxing. We goofed around for a couple more hours and then closed up the house and headed back over to home. Taylor had a great time and I appreciate that my friends took her with them





The Good news is...MY SISTER IS PREGNANT! Baby #2 is due at christmas. All I want for xmas is a ticket to dallas! Cash is accepted!

Courtney Graduates..YAHOO!

Friday June 13th was Courtneys graduation night at her HS. It was very long and not as hot at tori's. It was a typical HS graduation with 650 kids. OMG, thats alot of high schoolers...and they did not look like high school kids. Alot of guys had beards or goatees and the girls let everything hang out..fancy dresses and super high heels. Not my court though, she was comfy in her shorts and flipflops. It was a 3 hour process between getting a decent seat, dealing with a grandma from hell saving an entire row for her family that didn't show up until right before it started, and finding the kids afterwards to take pictures. Enjoy the pics below.... Courtney and Camden before Courtney going to her seat Camden going to his seat Almost time! She's got it! He's got it! Steph and Court! My little melon is all grown up. Love you

Last Day of school

Friday June 13th was the last day of school for tay and I. While I still have to work in the summer, and taylor has to go to summer school and camp, it's still a fun day. There's not alot of work going on because there are too many activities around campus. We started out the morning with the 4th grade vocabulary parade. They walk around the school dressed as their vocabulary word. My daughters costume fell apart, but I think she was ok with that!
She was part of her friends vocabulary costume too, so that was nice.
Taylor and her BFF, Alex...
After the parade, the 6th and 7th grade boat races were on. I had to leave in the middle and actually work, but it was great to watch what I could. It's fun to see the difference between the 6th and 7th grade. They really learn their lesson in 6th grade and do so much better in 7th.
Happy Jillian
6th grade boat..sinking fast!

7th grade boat..holding 4 boys..very good!

Taylor and her teacher Mrs. Martin

Taylor, Mrs. Martin and Headmaster Mr. Miller

Promotion Ceremony and Tori's Graduation

We're going back a few days...on thursday June 12, we had our promotion ceremony at school. The exciting part of this assembly this year is that taylor was a "super seven" which means she's been at our school for 7 years. (since preschool..she didn't repeat for those wondering)
This is a big deal for the kids and she was very excited. Her dad came to watch and was suprised at the big deal they make for the kids. He was even more suprised when I told him this was just the warm up to the actual graduation ceremony that would be held later that evening! It was a fun day that led up to taylors favorite cousins graduation. (sorry court and nick but it's true) After school we headed down to the relatives to watch tori graduate from 8th grade. The ceremony was held at the local high school (where I will be friday for her sisters HS graduation) and there were 250 kids in her class. It was cute and long and after it was over we took pictures then tori headed to her graduation night festivities, and the rest of the fam headed to dinner at our favorite prime rib place. Then off to home to get ready for the last day of school and courtneys graduation. Taylor won't be attending courts graduation as she was with her dad for the weekend, but she will be going to her party..thanks dad!

Graduations Galore!

Just a quick post to say that graduation weekend is almost over! We had 1 cousin thursday, my school thursday and 1 cousin tonight. I will post pics and video on sunday when I have the time. I just wanted to say that they were all beautiful and LONG! The girls were gorgeous and so grown up! I can't believe how they are dragging me up in age with them! And a shout out to camden...who could ask for a better boyfriend in law! You're a shiblow and still cool. To my melon who's so grown up now, you are beautiful and I am excited to see what your future holds for you. You can do anything..but wouldn't it be great to work with me when your done with college! And my Toto...still growing up, but still my little cos! Be nicer to me..you still have a 16th birthday waiting!..Where will we go?