Monday morning here with NOTHING to do! Woo Hoo! Did I say that loud enough? Actually we have no plans for kids activities or to go anywhere however we do have the normal housework and a few flowers to plant but nothing major. I had to run to the store for milk and bread this morning so I came back with doughnuts, a special treat in our house, for the kids. They were so excited. Now, hopefully, I 'll get them all sugared up and ready to clean their rooms!!!
I'll check in later, hasta la vista baby!!!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Weekend Work....
Who ever said weekends are for resting? It seems that in our family, the weekends are the busiest time of all. This weekend was the first weekend that we had any time whatsoever to do nothing and what do we do? Yard work! We worked so hard on our back yard, de-thatching, pulling weeds, pulling up yucky plants that we've wanted to get rid of for a long time, re-seeding, mulching and planting new flowers and shrubs. Wow! We got a lot of work done, now we just need to head to the front yard....I guess that's for another free weekend!
I Will say however, after we got everything done, cleaned up and sprayed off, the yard looked really good and ready for summer back yard BBQ's and entertaining! For our first treat, Bob and Xander picked up grouper and tilapia from the store and we had a fantastic grilled dinner out in our cleaned up back yard! It was not only delicious but it was extremely relaxing. It was the best part of our day!
Sunday after church we took the VW bus and drove to Scott and Vida's house. They used to be our neighbors when we lived in Mission Viejo. We don't get to see them as often as we'd like too so it was nice to be able to spend the afternoon with them. The kids immediately dove into the pool as soon as we got there. They have a great pool with waterfalls, a slide and a jacuzzi so the kids were in heaven. Of course when daddy gets in, everything changes and he becomes their personal water toy. Here are a few pictures of them having a blast!
I Will say however, after we got everything done, cleaned up and sprayed off, the yard looked really good and ready for summer back yard BBQ's and entertaining! For our first treat, Bob and Xander picked up grouper and tilapia from the store and we had a fantastic grilled dinner out in our cleaned up back yard! It was not only delicious but it was extremely relaxing. It was the best part of our day!
Sunday after church we took the VW bus and drove to Scott and Vida's house. They used to be our neighbors when we lived in Mission Viejo. We don't get to see them as often as we'd like too so it was nice to be able to spend the afternoon with them. The kids immediately dove into the pool as soon as we got there. They have a great pool with waterfalls, a slide and a jacuzzi so the kids were in heaven. Of course when daddy gets in, everything changes and he becomes their personal water toy. Here are a few pictures of them having a blast!
This of course, is called the "Flying Hannah".
If you have never tried it, you should ~ it provides hours of fun!
Bob and Xander getting set for Xander to do his famous backward "McFlip". He has gotten pretty good at doing backflips off his daddy's hands.
Christian right after he and daddy took the plunge down the slide. He was scared at first but the right after he and daddy jumped off the waterfall. After that he decided he had enough and was done with all that deep water nonsense, he was ready for the jacuzzi again.
A boy after my own heart!
Here are Vida and Scott's 2 adorable kids, Ryan and Kiele (pronounced Ky-Lee). Our kids were best friends with them when we all lived in the same "hood!
It was a great day ending as always at their house with delicious home-made tacos and the works!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Woo Hoo, it's Friday!
I never thought we'd make it to Friday. We have had plans every single day for the last 2 weeks! Today marks the end of water polo until next month and activities until late next week! That means no commitments, no responsibilities, no shuttling children around to misc. practices! Wow, that's a first in MANY months, I think I may take a pitchers of margaritas and head to the beach!!
Xander was very excited about his last day of helping out with day camp today especially when we drove up and the marines had all the tanks and other military vehicles out! Very cool. He has worked the archery range every day and was excited when he discovered that helpers get fed everyday instead of having to bring a sack lunch! He has come home every day telling me about the wonderful meals he's been enjoying in addition to all the people that he's been "allowed" to yell at (politely) on the archery range. He is in charge of safety and has even had to "redirect" a few parents......ah, the joys of being a kid! I told him that was well and good but not to try to do that at home..... ;-)!
As usual the kids are sleeping and this is my time to catch up, get laundry going and to shower. I am so thankful for naps, for the kids that is. This is my only down time and I have to enjoy and make use of every minute, which isn't too long. So, off I go for now, I'll finish today's update after the kids have signed off for the night!
Xander was very excited about his last day of helping out with day camp today especially when we drove up and the marines had all the tanks and other military vehicles out! Very cool. He has worked the archery range every day and was excited when he discovered that helpers get fed everyday instead of having to bring a sack lunch! He has come home every day telling me about the wonderful meals he's been enjoying in addition to all the people that he's been "allowed" to yell at (politely) on the archery range. He is in charge of safety and has even had to "redirect" a few parents......ah, the joys of being a kid! I told him that was well and good but not to try to do that at home..... ;-)!
As usual the kids are sleeping and this is my time to catch up, get laundry going and to shower. I am so thankful for naps, for the kids that is. This is my only down time and I have to enjoy and make use of every minute, which isn't too long. So, off I go for now, I'll finish today's update after the kids have signed off for the night!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
It's only Thursday????
Wow, what a long week this has been. I cannot wait until Friday gets here. Once Friday night arrives, we will have a weekend with absolutely NO plans. This will be the first weekend in, oh, I cannot remember when, that we don't have plans of some sort. Whew! A much needed break. Today arrived with the alarm ringing at 5am in the hopes that I would get up and go to my beach boot camp class. I was so exhausted and knew that I was going to have to leave early to get Xander to day camp (the leaders have to arrive an hour early) so much to my own disappointment, I pressed snooze and went right back to sleep. I missed class on Tuesday also which is why I am even more disappointed that I didn't just get myself out of bed and go. I am trying to work on the self-discipline and get into a new groove but boy is it hard. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I will get up and go!
Hannah and Christian helped me with breakfast this morning. They had oatmeal (or hotmeal as Christian so aptly named it) and I had toast as usual, nothing too eventful. Then Hannah picked up after the dogs in the backyard and I cleaned off the back patio. What an exciting life we lead, :-)! Now, they are napping and I sit to catch up on news and email.
A friend of mine, Susan, has a son, Nathan, who has neuroblastoma stage IV and he is in the end stages of his life. He just celebrated his 7th birthday and I am heartbroken over the pain that the family is going through. I am saying lots of prayers to give them strength to get through this. Please, if you read this, keep them in your prayers.
Well, it is off to the shower to I can wake the kids and continue on with my extremely full afternoon calendar! Talk again soon...
What a busy afternoon. After picking up Xander from camp we headed straight to guitar practice (where he is working on composing his very first song ever) and then went directly to water polo. Practice was good and we are finally starting to get to know many of the other parents on the team. Xander has become good friends with a few of the kids, Daniel, Will, Garrett and Nicklaus and we really enjoy being around their parents as well so it works out great. I am glad he has found a sport that works well for him since he is not an overly athletic kind of kid. He is really not into sports all that much but anything that has to do with the water is right up his alley!
After we returned home, it was time to eat and then out the door again to head down to the neighbors (who are in Sweden mind you) to use their pool while they are gone. It was a nice time hanging out with Debbie, Joe, Christy and Erin sipping wine and watching the kids play. Erin made a point to tell us all that their are 27 kids on this street that regularly come out to play! TWENTY SEVEN.....can you believe that? Oh, and because we are all such winos on the street, we have officially renamed it from Via Mero to Via Merlot! Don't you love it?
Gotta run, good night!
Hannah and Christian helped me with breakfast this morning. They had oatmeal (or hotmeal as Christian so aptly named it) and I had toast as usual, nothing too eventful. Then Hannah picked up after the dogs in the backyard and I cleaned off the back patio. What an exciting life we lead, :-)! Now, they are napping and I sit to catch up on news and email.
A friend of mine, Susan, has a son, Nathan, who has neuroblastoma stage IV and he is in the end stages of his life. He just celebrated his 7th birthday and I am heartbroken over the pain that the family is going through. I am saying lots of prayers to give them strength to get through this. Please, if you read this, keep them in your prayers.
Well, it is off to the shower to I can wake the kids and continue on with my extremely full afternoon calendar! Talk again soon...
What a busy afternoon. After picking up Xander from camp we headed straight to guitar practice (where he is working on composing his very first song ever) and then went directly to water polo. Practice was good and we are finally starting to get to know many of the other parents on the team. Xander has become good friends with a few of the kids, Daniel, Will, Garrett and Nicklaus and we really enjoy being around their parents as well so it works out great. I am glad he has found a sport that works well for him since he is not an overly athletic kind of kid. He is really not into sports all that much but anything that has to do with the water is right up his alley!
After we returned home, it was time to eat and then out the door again to head down to the neighbors (who are in Sweden mind you) to use their pool while they are gone. It was a nice time hanging out with Debbie, Joe, Christy and Erin sipping wine and watching the kids play. Erin made a point to tell us all that their are 27 kids on this street that regularly come out to play! TWENTY SEVEN.....can you believe that? Oh, and because we are all such winos on the street, we have officially renamed it from Via Mero to Via Merlot! Don't you love it?
Gotta run, good night!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Another Summer Day..
Good morning family! Well, it is abeautiful sunny day, I am sure it will reach somewhere in the 70's again today. Gotta love the southern CA weather here along the coast. I took Xander to Cub Scout day camp down in Rancho Las Flores which is on the Camp Pendleton Marine Base. He is a Boy Scout youth volunteer this year and will be there from 9-3 today and tomorrow and later in the afternoon on Friday. He was very excited when we got there because he arrived early enough that he could sign up to work the Archery Range. That was all he talked about. An added bonus was that when he got there, he realized that the other 2 boys that signed up were his friends from the neighborhood, so that made it all the more enjoyeable.
He is certainly gowing up much faster than I would like for him too. I am learning to slow down and enjoy all his "little boy" moments as they are few and far between now. It's hard to believe that he will be 12 soon.
Hannah and Christian are wrecking havoc on our backyard at the moment so I can't "blog" to long as I need to get out there and play with them, make them lunch and then get them down for naps. I'll be back soon......
I'm baaaaccck! Well, after a good nap, I woke the kids up so that we could pick up Xander from Cub Scout day camp and take him to what else....water polo. Water polo was a lot of work out and prepping to get ready for the Junior Olympics in San Jose this weekend. Last year the Split OC team took bronze, this year we are hoping to take GOLD! Keep your fingers crossed. Unfortunately Xander didn't make the team as only 15 people can be put on the roster and we have far more kids than spots. That's okay since he has only been on the team for 5 months and still needs to "earn" his place on the team. He is doing well and come September 1st, he will have water polo games every weekend until mid January. There will be plenty of opportunity in the future for the "big game". A treat at practice tonight was birthday cake. A friend of Xander's, Niklaus, on the team, turned 12 and his parents brought cake to celebrate.
After practice, came home did the usual and finally after a long day, crashed into bed for a great night's sleep! See you tomorrow!
He is certainly gowing up much faster than I would like for him too. I am learning to slow down and enjoy all his "little boy" moments as they are few and far between now. It's hard to believe that he will be 12 soon.
Hannah and Christian are wrecking havoc on our backyard at the moment so I can't "blog" to long as I need to get out there and play with them, make them lunch and then get them down for naps. I'll be back soon......
I'm baaaaccck! Well, after a good nap, I woke the kids up so that we could pick up Xander from Cub Scout day camp and take him to what else....water polo. Water polo was a lot of work out and prepping to get ready for the Junior Olympics in San Jose this weekend. Last year the Split OC team took bronze, this year we are hoping to take GOLD! Keep your fingers crossed. Unfortunately Xander didn't make the team as only 15 people can be put on the roster and we have far more kids than spots. That's okay since he has only been on the team for 5 months and still needs to "earn" his place on the team. He is doing well and come September 1st, he will have water polo games every weekend until mid January. There will be plenty of opportunity in the future for the "big game". A treat at practice tonight was birthday cake. A friend of Xander's, Niklaus, on the team, turned 12 and his parents brought cake to celebrate.
After practice, came home did the usual and finally after a long day, crashed into bed for a great night's sleep! See you tomorrow!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
This is what our children learned today...
Since I am not a good keeper of hand written journals however, I am always typing away on the computer, I thought I'd join the "blogging" world to keep up with the life and times of our family.
Since today was as good as any to start, let me tell you how it began. Yesterday, the day began as all others.....get up, make breakfast, listen to the children fight, yell and scream, pour the OJ to precisely the exact same location in each and every cup because God forbid they are even slightly off, well you know....
Afterwards, we wipe the leftover cinnamon toast off our mouths with the clothes we are putting on instead of what most people use, a napkin. Then we brush teeth, hair, the whole nine yards. Same as always, different day.
Xander has been working with another kid on the street heloping him with his Eagle Scout project. They are building backpack hanging racks that roll in and out of the classrooms for the elementary school right behind out house. He is doing this to earn community service hours for his own scouting ventures. Of course, they had to paint, screw and work with big power tools. Although I am not sure which has more paint, the racks or Xander. It is in his hair, on his clothing, his crocs, everything. When I took him to waterpolo last night all the kids wanted to know "what happen to you"??? He was quite covered!
Hannah and Christian are doing well. Our days consist of riding bikes, skateboarding, driving Christians car and just hanging out. It's been relaxing so far.
Last night, I felt so organized and prepared. I got this recipe for Fleming Beef (which is really a very easy copy cat of Beef Stroganoff without all the hassle) so I decided to pop that in the oven so that when I got home from water polo practice that all I had to do was prepare a salad and rice, wah-lah, dinner would be done! So, we politely all sit down to eat dinner.
Xander and Christian dive right in, they love it! Hannah skeptically, looks at it and decides that even she too, likes it. Great, for the girl that eats nothing, I have finally found a dinner she will eat (again and again and again). Yeah! Well, I also placed fresh grapes on the table and at some point after Bob finished his plate, he decided that it would be oh so funny to start placing grapes in his mouth to make funny faces and the sort. I am sure you can see where this leads, right? If not, let me draw you a picture..... Bob, 14 grapes in mouth. Xander, 12 grapes in mouth. Not to be outdone, they each start trying to outdo each other. Now Bob, 22 grapes in mouth and Xander, 20 grapes in mouth. I think at the very end they were each up to 28 and 24 grapes respectively. Can you say, gross! Then they decided it would be funny if they could see who could eat them all at once. Gees, and to think we are the role models and we wonder where our kids get table manners these days!!! I told them that they had to eat each and every one of the grapes they were "playing" with. Can you say "stomache ache" after a few hours? They were both headed to the bathroom after a while. I don't think they'll be doing that again anytime soon.
Well, it was off to bed to prepare for another long summer day!
Since today was as good as any to start, let me tell you how it began. Yesterday, the day began as all others.....get up, make breakfast, listen to the children fight, yell and scream, pour the OJ to precisely the exact same location in each and every cup because God forbid they are even slightly off, well you know....
Afterwards, we wipe the leftover cinnamon toast off our mouths with the clothes we are putting on instead of what most people use, a napkin. Then we brush teeth, hair, the whole nine yards. Same as always, different day.
Xander has been working with another kid on the street heloping him with his Eagle Scout project. They are building backpack hanging racks that roll in and out of the classrooms for the elementary school right behind out house. He is doing this to earn community service hours for his own scouting ventures. Of course, they had to paint, screw and work with big power tools. Although I am not sure which has more paint, the racks or Xander. It is in his hair, on his clothing, his crocs, everything. When I took him to waterpolo last night all the kids wanted to know "what happen to you"??? He was quite covered!
Hannah and Christian are doing well. Our days consist of riding bikes, skateboarding, driving Christians car and just hanging out. It's been relaxing so far.
Last night, I felt so organized and prepared. I got this recipe for Fleming Beef (which is really a very easy copy cat of Beef Stroganoff without all the hassle) so I decided to pop that in the oven so that when I got home from water polo practice that all I had to do was prepare a salad and rice, wah-lah, dinner would be done! So, we politely all sit down to eat dinner.
Xander and Christian dive right in, they love it! Hannah skeptically, looks at it and decides that even she too, likes it. Great, for the girl that eats nothing, I have finally found a dinner she will eat (again and again and again). Yeah! Well, I also placed fresh grapes on the table and at some point after Bob finished his plate, he decided that it would be oh so funny to start placing grapes in his mouth to make funny faces and the sort. I am sure you can see where this leads, right? If not, let me draw you a picture..... Bob, 14 grapes in mouth. Xander, 12 grapes in mouth. Not to be outdone, they each start trying to outdo each other. Now Bob, 22 grapes in mouth and Xander, 20 grapes in mouth. I think at the very end they were each up to 28 and 24 grapes respectively. Can you say, gross! Then they decided it would be funny if they could see who could eat them all at once. Gees, and to think we are the role models and we wonder where our kids get table manners these days!!! I told them that they had to eat each and every one of the grapes they were "playing" with. Can you say "stomache ache" after a few hours? They were both headed to the bathroom after a while. I don't think they'll be doing that again anytime soon.
Well, it was off to bed to prepare for another long summer day!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
John Hale Tournament July 20-22
What a weekend! Friday our games started at 5:00pm in Chino Hills, CA. This location is 1 1/2 hours from the house with moderate traffic and we have to be at all games a minium of 45 minutes early. So, off we went around 2:30 to get there in time. Chino Hills is in the Inland Empire where we went from a balmy 73-74 degrees to about 90-93 degrees. It was HOT! And so was our team! The won the first game against Commerce and the 2nd game was won via forfeit. Regardless, it was a win!
Saturday we only had 1 game against CHAWP, which we again, WON! Yeah, go team Split OC.
Sunday was another hot day and 2 more games to go. We played against La Canada and SET. We won both games in a clean sweep. The boys were wo proud of themselve since next week everyone is headed to San Jose, CA for the National Junior Olympics for water polo.
Here is our scrappy-happy AWESOME 12 and under team!
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