Palm Desert

We had a blast exploring Palm Desert. The kids had a blast a super cool children's museum. Another day we wondered around the Living Desert Zoo. They had amazing animals and plants to see along with the coolest model train set up I have ever seen. The kids loved ending the day by the pool. They were little fish. The residents thought we must be from Alaska since we were swimming in December and it was only 75 degrees out. It was hard to leave but we were all excited to get home and get ready for Christmas! 

Checking it off

Today we worked hard on finishing our Christmas activity traditions. We made our gingerbread houses which I have this love/hate relationship with. They are such a pain to get the walls to hold. This year I busted out the hit glue gun. We never eat the house anyways so instead of tears and several gray hairs the glue gun was a win. 

Next, we went in search for the best Christmas lights. How we have missed the house on Marbella all these years is beyond me. It's stunning!!!! This sweet woman painted all the lights and created these amazing flowers that age added lights to. Sadly, it's her last year as she is moving. I'm so glad we got to go see it before she moves. Tomorrow we tackle the prep for cinnamon rolls where we spread and smoother so much butter that it's unreal. Just when you think you can't add more calories we make a big batch of cream cheese frosting. Awwww... I'm already drooling thinking about them and sadly hearing in my head what my trainer says to me - moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. 

Fireside chats

I have been staying up and going to bed and insane hours trying to get ready for Christmas. Months ago the thought of getting away to Palm Desert sounded great and now.... It feels insane. With all the craziness it was nice to get away for a late night chat with my bestie. Fireside chats and late night Pizzookies were just what I needed. It was so nice to take a break and just hang out. We even had a special little guy that wanted in on the action and didn't want to fall asleep despite his Daddy's best attempts. I can't wait for our next fireside chat! 

All Aboard

Friday night we had our annual Polar Express Movie Night. Some of our friends were home sick and couldn't make it, but we had fun drinking hot coco and eating cookies all snugged up watching the movie on the big screen. 

Catnapped

Poor Jack had a rough Friday. He wanted to show his teacher Sparkle Pretty Princess Sweetheart kitten princess's new necklace. While we were taking the twins to school he dropped him in the hallway. As soon as he told me and we had time to turn around he was gone. He saided he saw a little girl pick her up. The hall was full of girls and they all went out to the playground with more girls. I couldn't question every girl and I had a talk with Jack explaining that the girl must have really needed her. Man what a tough lesson. He went to preschool heartbroken and wrote a letter to Santa asking for Sparkle. 

Happy Birthday Papa!

Last night and this morning we celebrated Papa's birthday. The kids wanted to make Papa cards and of course they requested black and orange paper. Caden, bless his heart searched his room for a gift and wanted to give Papa a dollar from his piggy bank. The kids are so lucky to have a great Papa! They get so excited to see him and they point out and ask to see Papa every time we drive past the high school. They look forward to walking the halls to find his office and they love their golf cart rides around the school. Happy Birthday Papa, we love ya! 

Veterinarian

Yesterday the kids informed me they had a big word for spelling. They then told me the word was veterinarian and that if they spell it right they get 100 tickets!!!!!!!! Can you sense their excitement. So we had one afternoon and morning to nail this word. And..... Emmeline did it! I have to say a 2 hour drive to San Jose to see her cousin worked in her favor as we practiced almost the whole way there minus the car sick time when she was writing it. After that we opted to just spell it out loud. I apologize now if my daughter has or will cine to you like 499 times and ask if you know how to spell veterinarian and then proceed to spell it for you. So proud of you sweet girl. You knocked it out of the park and even made the school news! I do have to add the Caden learned it after school perhaps from listening to his sister so many times. 

World Premature Awareness Day

Today is the day where Instagram and Facebook is flooded with all these amazing pictures of the littlest fighters from the NICU. I thought this year I would show a then and now picture. It blows me away! I'm in awe daily and give thanks to God for his hand over them, modern medicine, the amazing doctors and nurses at the NiCU, and to my two fighters who fought so hard to be here today. I think this is the first year where they kind of get their birth story. They said... So we could have died a long time ago if they didn't have all the stuff they do now. Wow!!! But thankfully my answer to them was - yes, but you didn't and you both fought so hard to come home to us. 

Baby Smiles

I was in need of some serious baby fix. I spent the morning with my niece Hailey. What a sweet little peanut with the cutest head of hair! Then I got to see Mr. Walker. Oh my goodness those cheeks! I thought I was imaging it, but I got a few legit smiles from him. Of course I pull out my phone and I'm not fast enough to catch a really good one 

Last Bath

This sweet boy got the last bath in the old bathroom right after he lost his top, front, left tooth. It's official he looks like a Jack-o-lantern. 

Well the bathroom remodel couldn't come at a better time. The knob on the bathtub just popped off making for to be tricky to turn the water on and off. Because we can't seem to get the handle on just right the pipes shake when we turn  on the water because it's too low. Awwww... The next bath we take will be so quiet and relaxing. I have been a stress case over what to pick. Having two little boys who are learning to still go to the bathroom standing up is causing me lots of thinking. Gone will be the big grout lines and hello gray grout that I don't have to stress over! 

Time Change

I LOVE daylight savings time... Said NO MOTHER EVER! I remember loving the day that would give me an extra hour sleep. Unfortunately my kids have not gotten the memo to sleep in. They are up bright and early before I care to be up, want to eat at odd hours, and are a mess by 6:30 at night. Oh the joys! 

It's beginning to look like...

Craft faire season! There are stacks of growth charts, buntings and more buntings to be sewn, and wreaths all over. I decided to take a quick break from that action to make a little something for our house. I saw this quote at a student's house and fell in love! 

I spent a couple  hours designing it and building it. I broke out the saw and drill and quickly put it together. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and can't wait to hang it over our piano.  Here is where I will be this Saturday. I'm sure Chris is counting the days until I get the stuff out of the house. 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from the Super Santopadres! The kids were Super Girl, Batman, and Ironman. Mommy and Daddy went as Clark Kent and Cat Woman. The kids told me I was actually a bad person for a few years and then Cat Woman turns nice. Yikes... I guess i better brush up on my super heros. We had a long sugar filled day. The day started off with a sweet parade at Tiffani's house and then we trick or treated at the outlets, saw Baby Hailey, and trick or treated around our neighborhood. The kids had a blast and came home with  very heavy pumpkins. The trading started as soon as we got home and mommy was slightly eager for bed time so I could "inspect" their candy. 

Halloween 2015 is in the books. :) 

Good deed

Today we dressed as pirates and got way more donuts from Krispy Kreme then we could ever imagine eating. We decided we should drop them off to police station along with some coffee to thank them for their service. Our good deed backfired and it is probably the last time we Tahoe something to the police station. Don't get me wrong we are still so appreciative of them, but he asked Jack if he wanted to police officer when he grew up? In the back of my head. I was thinking this might happen and I should prep the boys for this question, but I didn't. Jack answered... No, I want to be a firemen. Ughhhh.... I wanted to go hide as he said it. The police officer then told the boys, " I know firefighters get to set around and play X Box all day long." SERIOUSLY -DID HE JUST SAY THAT?!?! Of course Caden heard him say it and guess what I I know have two boys who want to be fire fighters. After a few days of both the boys telling everyone insight that they want to be fire fighters because they play X Box all day I sat the boys down and read some books and had a talk with them. We went over how none of the books show firemen playing video games at work and  how we didn't see any at the station. Then I had to explain that the police officer wasn't telling the truth and was just joking around. I'm hoping the boys understand and I hope police officers can have a little better public relations with fire fighters in the future. 

Fall festival

One of the joys of being married to a football coach means I get to do all the fall festivals solo with 3 kids. That sounds fun doesn't?!?! Who doesn't want to take 3 kids to a mini carnival with candy, cookies, and cake at every turn. Oh add in that it's probably 85 degrees and the kids are melting in their costumes. One decides to strip out of it in the middle of the festival... Thankfully he had on a shirt and shorts underneath. All 3 want to go in different directions and want to play a different game. The games they do decide to play together of course one wins the "big prize" and the others get the mini prize - that always goes over well. Besides all that it was a blast. All kidding aside they all did pretty good. We needed a couple reminders abdiyt staying together, but they did pretty good being patient while a sibling played a game.  We ended the night with the best mini donuts we get at the football games and Kono ice because doesn't every kid coming off a sugar high and exhausted need that at bedtime? Jack loved his first festival and Mommy is already counting down for the next one. 

After taking off his costume I decided we would call him a football coach since his outfit kind of matches daddy. 

Two

Today we spent the morning at Gram's with this birthday boy. It is hard to believe that Baby Jacob turned 2!!! We are all going to have to work on dropping the term baby. He is becoming such a big boy. He loves his horses and loves Em. He would walk around following her saying Emme. It was pretty adorable. Emmeline has been working so hard on her reading and decided to bring her book to read to Jacob. Awwwwe..... melt my heart watching her read to him. Happy Birthday Jacob! We love watching you grow up and we can't wait to see you with a new baby sister!

Family Pictures

Today was the day I look forward to all year... family picture day. Perhaps I should rename it family torture day. Daddy was less than thrilled with his outfit and Caden flipped out. We prepped and talked and when we got there he was an emotional mess. He freaked out about EVERYTHING. It didn't think it was going to be such a big deal that we were using  a new photographer since we were just doing a 30 minute mini session, but I was wrong. This sweet photographer was a stranger in his eyes and he was having none of it. Jackson and Emmeline on the other hand were on point and were so excited to do cheesy smiles. Since I tortured everyone Daddy planned an afternoon of torture for me. We headed to Scandia for hours of fun in the arcade. I am all for the batting cages, mini golf, but inside surrounded by video games was enough to cause me to drink a soda.  Fingers crossed that she was able to snap at least one good one or that she is really good at Photoshop. 

Parenting Fail

I'm going to blame this parenting fail on one too many glasses of red wine while doing a thrilling online training for PowerSchool. As soon as my alarm went off I realized I forgot to notify the tooth fairy that she needed to make a stop by Emmeline's room. I think she heard my alarm and woke up early to check her pillow. With disappointment she walked into my room. After a little talk about how she lost her tooth late at night and the tooth fairy may have already left to go visit boys  and girls she decided to leave her pillow out again. We made sure to write a note in hopes that the tooth fairy stops by tonight. 

Happy Birthday Nonie

Today we started out the morning on a top secret mission. The kids and I grabbed some fall items from a local pumpkin patch the other day and brought them up to Nonie and Papa's house to decorate the porch for Nonie's birthday. The kids were so funny about dodging windows and they were trying so hard to tip toe and be quiet, but I'm thinking they failed. Their favorite part was knocking, hiding, and then surprising Nonie. The kids and I went home after that to set up for family dinner at our house. The kids did a great job helping with the table, cutting veggies, and helping sample dessert. We discovered a new recipe that involves brownie mix and a waffle maker. It just may be the only reason I am keeping my waffle maker. It was so fun that there was a new grandchild this year. Sweet Hailey was adorable. I am going to have to host dinner more often - I got some sweet Auntie time with Hailey while everyone was eating. She is getting so big and is just as sweet as can be.   We just love our Nonie so much and we are so thankful for all that she does for us. We hope Nonie had the best birthday. Happy Birthday Nonie!

Happy

Last minute

Don't you love it when your kids come out of school all excited and ask if they can do a pumpkin contest? I told them of course and then they mentioned oh and we have to bring it in tomorrow! Seriously?!?! Well we headed to the store to grab a quick pumpkin and get to work. They each had their minds set on what they wanted to do. It is so hard for me to let go of control, but I think the twins did a great job of designing and executing and me hot gluing. 

Pumpkin Fun

Today I took two of the kiddos to the pumpkin patch because isn't that what most sane people do on a 90 degree weather. We met up with friends for a little fun and the kids helped me pick out stuff for a project. We left with not only some pumpkins, but some inches of dirt on us, clothes, and shoes. 

Aren't Dad's the Best

Tonight was Pumpkin Palooza at CFA and it was a mad house!!! Within the first 30 minutes I was running out of things. My adorable pumpkin display was wiped out. My Dad came to the rescue and went on a crazy hunt for pumpkins not once but twice! Thank goodness for a grocery store near by. He managed to get back in time for so all the kiddos could get a pumpkin. I'm so glad pumpkin Palooza is over and the giant orange pumpkin that was starting to take residence in our living is now out! 

Big Day of Firsts

Today the twins begged me to not pack them lunch so they could try hot lunch. I really hope they don't think it's all that great after they try it. After pick up the verdict was it was great. They didn't like the long line, but they did try the salad bar. I agreed we would pick one day a month they can buy hot lunch. 

Today Jackson and I had a play date with some preschool buddies and my sweet baby tackled his fear of the giant slide stairs. He would climb up the slide the wrong way instead of using the shaky, rocky stairs. Today he tried it and nailed the stairs. After helping me run errands all over for work jab kaki and I earned a treat. We headed to Rita's where Jack and I each enjoyed a Italian Ice. It was pretty delicious! Looking at the pic I'm pretty sure he liked it

Cupcakes with Grammy

Today I had a very boring work meeting. Jackson is a trooper and normally goes with me and funds something to entertain himself. I thought maybe he would enjoy hanging out with Grammy instead. Boy was I right. He was so excited to go over. I came back and he was so excited about the snacks he had and he couldn't wait to bring Caden and Emmeline over to show off the cupcakes they made. I'm so glad he had such a fun morning! 

Last first day of preschool

I realized today was the last first day of preschool for us. How can that be! Next year Jack will be in school 5 days a week!!! Today he was so excited to go in the big 4 year old room and he was super excited that he gets to bring snack in his lunch box. This year there are 3 Jacksons in the class. One spelled with an x and one spelled the same way. And it just so happens that the other Jackson has the exact same firetruck lunch box. What are the chances of that?!?! I'm taking bets on how soon Jackson starts going by Jack. Today we were practicing his name and he asked how many letters are in Jack? 

So proud of my big boy. He walked right in to class with no tears or fears. I'm sure going to miss my coffee and shopping buddy on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, but I'm thankful I get one more year of morning trips for coffee, Target, and library trips on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Crazy to think next year I'll have all 3 of my kids at Alamo!

Who is this child???

So I am not sure if it's the mix of going back to school, getting back into a routine which he thrives on, having normal sleep since his tonsils have been removed,  or the meds that we decided to try, but I look at Caden and I am in awe. I struggled with the idea of giving him medicine for his anxiety. I felt like it was an easy way out, but after talking to lots of doctors and from talking to his therapists and them feeling like we were just not getting any where we decided to try it. A friend said to me... If he was diabetic would you give him insulin? So after getting over my guilt we decided to do a trial period. While things are not magically beautiful - we have seen huge improvements. We have worked on eating certain foods for 3 years with tears, anxiety, and endless battles. The past two weeks he has eaten two and enjoyed them. He still looked at it unsure, but he put it in his mouth without feeling like it was going to kill him. And then the biggest moment was last week. I saw him at Wesley's birthday and he was swimming. He was still wearing a life jacket, but he had his whole face in the water and was swimming around. We have worked for years on baths, showers, and washing hair and it has not been pretty. On many occasions I was pretty sure the neighbors were going to call the police on us. He was so excited and counting down for swim lessons - that has NEVER happened. I am not going to lie there have been several happy tears this week. After suffering the hardest few months with him that  made us question so many things about how to handle him and put a huge stress on our family, I feel like we are finally able to breathe a little. Caden's case manager has been so great and told us she sees these roller coasters with kids. We are happy to be finally sailing down the roller coaster right now.  So while I wish I had a magical mirror to know what it is that is helping things click - I am just so happy to have these days and these experiences with him.

Sunriver

Sunriver was just what we needed after our CRAZY summer. We officially win for the craziest summer. I tell people that and they keep trying to top it and then I keep adding to our list. I mean who really has a child in the hospital, a child with lice, a birth, a death, another child having surgery, and then a fire at their home????
We headed to Sunriver in the wee hours of the morning like we normally do and I had stayed up late to finish the packing since Daddy went to bed super early to drive. I  finally headed to bed for 3 hours to find that Daddy hadn't fallen asleep! Ugghhh..... After driving about 30 minutes on the road Chris had me take over the driving. That NEVER happens - so on 3 hours of sleep and a very large Coke I got us going on our road trip. After about 15 minutes on the road my check engine light came on. I didn't want to say it, but I was kind of thinking with our luck this summer that my van breaking down was next on the list of things to happen. I decided that we were in the middle of no where and we were just going to keep trucking! Thankfully we made it to our Sunriver house, unloaded our packed to the roof van, and the light came off!!!
We spent the next 5 days at my happy place with one of our favorite families the DeTars. The kids were beside themselves that we were staying in the same house. We lucked out and managed to get an incredible house that had the perfect floor plan for our two families. During our trip our family had some firsts. Caden and Emmeline biked to river all by themselves with no training wheels. Daddy was super happy he didn't have to haul a heavy bike trailer. We made it this year to the horse stables. I came out to find Emmeline on a pony with a borrowed helmet on her head when I sent her with HER HELMET!!! I really thought I was going to have a panic attack and Chris was standing their just smiling because he knew I was going to go crazy! A couple more firsts... Emmeline biked all the way to Village, was tall enough for the water slides, and the family went on their first rafting trip. Thankfully we opted to do the nighttime family float that was half the distance. I don't think we would have survived the full trip. Jackson only almost fell in once. I was not allowed to paddle after getting us all turned around and kept making us go in circles. We only crashed into one group of trees,  stayed on course and didn't get into the wild rapids, saw a beaver, had a little fun competition with our fellow rafters the DeTars, and swatted away a ton of bugs, but we had a ton of fun! Oh did I mention that our raft and the DeTars were the VERY LAST rafts to make it back in. We will just say our story is that we were enjoying a nice relaxing night on the river and it had nothing to do with our lack of paddling skills. Thankfully there were still s'mores and a good ole sing along with the most precious old cowboy still waiting for us.
We had such a blast this year. The trip went way too fast. I am already counting down until we can go back to my happy place!