first time back in '08

derek was off today so we took the girls to disneyland. our year-passes expire in April, so we want to make sure we get a couple more trips in. it was a lot of fun, even though a few of the rides we wanted to go on were closed for one reason or another. it's SO nice having the annual passes, cuz we can just go for 2 or 3 hours and not feel like we wasted our money...which was really nice today, cuz it started to get chilly around 4:30, so off we went. the older leia gets the less she wants to sit in the stroller, so she walked (just like kaia) most of the day. she's really starting to want to do everything kaia does, which is really cute. one problem, she decides to just stop walking or cuts across the entire walkway now and then and completely stops the flow of traffic quite a bit. she's definitely little miss independent (just like kaia, of course!)
this sure was a long line just to go on a short little rocket ship ride! both the girls LOVE it though!



and she's off!!!

meeting 1/2 way

my friend malena moved to Orange County a few months ago and we said when they moved, we're gonna make sure we meet half way for lunch/play dates a lot. so far, we're doing pretty good about seeing eachother pretty often still. we were supposed to go to annie's and noah's birthday parties this month, but due to having the horrible flu, we weren't able to go to either of their parties. so anyways, today we drove out to meet eachother at this yummy deli and afterwards we went to a great park. it was so clean, safe, and so fun for the kids. they had a great time & malena and i got to catch up a little. we really bring out the ditz in eachother, but it's always fun hanging out...we're very similar and even when we don't know what we're talking about, the other one does. i love it... it's so nice just being able to be myself and not think too hard now and then! :) hmmm, that came out wrong i think.






i can't complain about the weather today at all, it was a perfect 83*!!!

birthday's & baby showers...

derek turned 33 on friday, so his parents took us out to the Yardhouse. i love that restaurant...both times we've gone, the food was great! then, we went back to papa & nema's to have cupcakes. all he wanted for his birthday was beef jerkey, so that's all he got from me. he's easy!

She made it!!! my sis-in-law, kim, had her baby shower yesterday. first of all, we didn't know if she was gonna still be pregnant by now (after all the excitement her cervix has had the last 12 weeks or so). so, not only did she make it to her own baby shower, but it didn't rain until literally like 5 minutes after it ended so we were able to have it outside! yay! it was a lot of fun & she got a lot of cute stuff! okay, baby bennett, we can't wait to meet you...whenever you're ready! :)

one brave dentist!

today kaia's pre-school class had a fieldtrip to a dentist office & me and a few other parents went with the class too. first of all, the dentist and all his employees were SO nice and patient and we were only one of 3 or 4 classes that went, so he probably took a couple of hours out of his day to let the kids come take over his dental office. as soon as we walked in, the kids were so funny! the hilarious questions started flying out of their mouths, "are you gonna take our teeth out?", "can we have some candy?" ...yea, not a question for a dentist! ha ha :). they loved it and us mom's had a fun time too getting a few good laughs too.

the last week...

this picture pretty much sums up how ever member of the family has felt sometime during the month of February (and, yes...that's leia snot on daddy's shoulder. sorry, i know it's gross). yes, we ALL were lucky enough to get the flu. kaia got it about 3 weeks ago, then derek got it about a week and a half ago and i got it on Valentines Day and leia has it now. thankfully, kids don't get it as bad as adults do, because derek and i both got it REALLY bad and it hit us HARD!!! horrible headaches, really bad sore throats, lots of phlem getting coughed up (or, at least trying to), fever, chills, cold sweats, messed up taste buds...nothing tasted good for about 5 days (that was really annoying cuz i love eating!), achey & sore...okay, i think i covered all the symptoms. and i never get the flu shot & i'm glad i didn't cuz i heard on the news that even if you did, this Flu is so strong that the shot won't keep you from getting it, so be careful...don't think you're safe to be around people with the flu cuz you'll probably get it. anyways, that date derek and i were gonna go on while the girls slept over at derek's parents house last weekend never happened. we slept the whole time they were gone. yea, our Valentines Day wasn't romantic at all. okay, i'm done having a pity party...at least we're over the worst of it and i can taste food again...yay!!! :)

our little Valentines

derek and i didn't really get eachother anything this year (unless you count valentines cards & the new Jack Johnson c.d that i got him that was really a gift to both of us...so, thanks babe!) we're gonna go out to dinner and a movie tomorrow night, that is, if he feels better...he's had the flu all week, like really bad. poor guy. :( tomorrow night, the plan is for BOTH girls to sleep over at papa and "nema's" house. leia has never spent the night away from us and kaia only has like twice ever. kaia will do fine, but we'll see how leia does. we're gonna go to dinner and a movie, not sure where and what yet...but it'll be nice to go out and come home and not have to get kids ready for bed and just sleep in until our eyes open ON THEIR OWN!!! that's gonna be weird...in a good way, of course.
this morning, me the girls woke up to valentine cards and candy from daddy...they were really excited to have lollipops before breakfast!
then, kaia's pre-school class had their V-day party today and once again, little sis was included...
they had SOOO much sugar today...they weren't complainin'
so that's how i can get leia to eat a piece of cheese...cut it into a heart! :)
yes...sugar in liquid form too!
and MORE!!!
i really can't believe that they both took naps today, after all these sweets!

YOU can help

we have a few friends who are in Uganda right now (probably everyone who reads my blog already knows this info., but, if not, please continue reading). the Whittakers (carlos and Heather) as well as our "blog friend", Anne. go check their blogs & see what you can do to change these beautiful children's lives.

my lei lei

our wonderfully talented friend, daniel, did this beautiful collage for us. it is leia at 9, 12, 15 & 18 months old. kaia has one that we did for her when she was a baby too (i'll put a pic of her collage too as soon as my camera is charged...uhhhh). anyways, he did an amazing job, as you can see. we definitely recommend him if you need a great photographer (and he's doing a really cool fundraiser right now!)!

One LOOONNG mile!!!

Okay, so, derek and i are pretty healthy as far as how we eat...most of the time, with the occasional splurge & we used to be really good about going to the gym or doing something active. lately, we just feel like a couple of blobs...no energy, can't get off the couch once we sit down to watch something on t.v. at night, etc. i didn't really want to sign up at the gym again. for one, we don't live as close to it as we used to, so i don't know if we'd go enough to get our $'s worth and with 2 kids, there's always the stress of having to figure out a time when we could drop the girls off at derek's parents house, or go one at a time, or have to leave the girls in the gym child care, which i did with kaia a couple of times, only to come back to see her trying to eat a crayon (she was probably about 18 months old or so)...yea, i didn't feel like i could even concentrate on working out, cuz i was worried about her the whole time. i would just go run outside, but i've tried that before too and it kills my knees and ankles after about a week, it's just way too much impact on the joints, i guess. so, anyways, derek's wonderful parents gave us their treadmill since they don't use it. i used to run 3 miles 3 times a week and the other 2 week days, i'd do kick boxing. needless to say, i'm not trying to do anything like that right away, so , i thought i'd start off with an easy mile. well, i DID run 1 mile this morning, but it was far from easy! i felt SO out of shape, but i did it. my plan is to run 3 times a week, and i'm really gonna try to keep it up. so far so good! :)

a hot february day...

it was such a pretty day here today...like in the high 70*'s, so we decided to drive out to laguna beach. i haven't posted that many pictures lately so this entry is gonna make up for it! :) yes, lots of pics. we just went to the beach spot that has a great little playground, the girls loved it. Then, afterwards we went to dinner like a block from there at a restaurant with a beautiful view of the beach (and sunset). it sure didn't feel like February!
well, kaia pushed leia for a while at least :)
not a bad place to swing, huh!
"ummm, dad, could you give me a hand?"
up she goes...
you can't tell that they were having fun by the looks on their faces :(
i guess this helps leia concentrate as she watched daddy dig!
they weren't in the "helping" mood i guess...
almost there!

kaia didn't like the idea of leia in the hole, she held her hand the whole time...ahhh.



well, at least they ate the chips!