Fishing

Uncle Chris came over for a while this afternoon to hang out with the kids. We had run out of bubbles so he decided that we need to make a run to toyrus. Of course I said sure if you are paying. Well Abby took him up on his offer. She came home from toyrus with a baseball glove and ball, a watering can, and a let's go fishing game, but no bubbles since they were sold out. Once Larissa was off work she came over too. Larissa join Abby and Chris in a few rounds of "fishing".

Purple Ribbon

Today Abby finally did a "bob" in the water, and has now graduated to the next level in her swim class. She was very proud of herself. If you ask her what she did, she will tell you "I dunked my head all by myself."

Sunday Fun

The kids had many adventures today's. Abby decided her "friends" needed bibs, so she made them bibs out of kleenex. She set up a tea party in her room. We walked over to the school so Abby could have lots of room to learn to drive her 4x4. Logan wanted in on all the fun and tried to push the 4x4 around the school yard. While Abby was taking a much needed nap, I blew up the water slide from Grandma and discovered, much to my dissapointment, it wasn't as cool as Grandma and I thought when we spotted it at the store. While I was blowing it up Logan found a small puddle of water and had fun splashing in it. He, however, didn't care for actually going into the pool that is attached to the water slide. He also REALLY didn't like it when he sprayed himself in the face with the hose ( i got a pretty good laugh though - i know bad mommy!) Even Ginger had some excitement today. Jason took her to play catch at the school for a while. I haven't seen her so worn out in a long time. She was so pooped from playing catch she wouldn't stand to drink her water.

Learning to Drive

Abby got a motorized princess 4x4 from her good friends -Amelia, Marie, Olivier, Kristoher & Ella. She thinks it is pretty cool, however she has some trouble driving it, and is so excited behind wheel she forgets to listen to Mommy & Daddy.

Is this why men insist women are horrible drivers?

Happy 3rd Birthday Abby

Today we celebrated Abby's 3rd birhtday in 'Pinkalicious' Style. The day was filled with lots of fun, food, and friends. Even the smoke from all the fires buring started to lift. The slide show will do a much better job of telling to story than I will...

Cuddling with ....

...SHADOW!!!! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would never of believed it. Shadow, whom is normally afraid of kids and heads straight for our bedroom closet when he sees one coming, actually let Logan snuggle with him.

Of course Abby had to get in on the action as well.

Costanoa

Afterswim lessons we took the kids to a campground called Costanoa in Pescadero to visit their friends Amelia, Kristopher and Ella. The kids all had a blast hanging and playing together. The kids played at the beach, ate popsicles, sang songs, chased each other and were even "stripped search" for ticks (YUCK!!!) Logan passed out on out way home, and somehow Abby managed to stay up until we got home.

"Swim" Lessons

Saturday Logan had his first "swim" lessons. Basically we just played around in the pool and an instructor is just there just incase. I wasn't totally sure how well Logan would like the water. He is much more cautious when it comes to group activities than his big sister. (The first time I took him to gymnastics a couple weeks ago he screamed for 25 of hte 30 minute class. ) Logan cried a bit when we first got in the pool, but half way thru he started loosening up and having a lot of fun in the water.

What to do ....

What to do when it is 100 degrees out, the inside of your house is 85, you have no A/C and your on mandatory water restriction due to drought conditions... go have fun with Cousin Riley and his cool 10 foot water slide. Abby had a total blast. Logan wasn't to sure. I put him in the water a few times, but he prefered to just hang out in the shade watching Abby & Riley have fun.

Hi...

I just thought this was a really cute shot, so I had to share.

Logan really likes going in the "club house" sticking his head out and saying "hi" . He also really enjoys opening and shutting the door.

Quiet Time

It is official , Abby has sworn off naps much to my disappointment. Since she is not napping I have decided that quiet time should be instituted. So every afternoon I send her to her room for a while, usually about the time I put Logan down for an afternoon nap so I can recharge my batteries, or do some chores. ( today I did Wii fit - that counts as a chore doesn't it???)

This what I found when I went to release her from 'quiet time' and I was told "shh...love-a-lot is sleeping"

Update...

So far this week as been fairly uneventful, well with the exception of attempting to take the kids & their friends - Ashleigh & Ryan - to the water park to cool off, only to get there to find it was closed. Talk about some very disappointed kids.

Other happenings from the week so far:

Abby still won't sleep in her own bed. Insists the floor is where she should sleep. Jason even tried telling her that if she didn't want her bed anymore we would give it to someone that could use it.

Abby's Cousin Takuma sent her a cool golf set for her b-day along with Jr Boggle and Puff the Magic Dragon, however Abby thought the golf bag made a really cool shopping cart, and well, went grocery shopping , paid for her grocery by running them thru the down comforter and finally tossing them in a laundry basket.

Logan figured out how to climb in to the red chair. He has even tried to climb over it onto the coffee table.

Logan has also decided it is fun to walk in and out of the "clubhouse" . I keep trying to get a shot of him popping his head out the little windows saying hi, but of course, every time I grab the camera he stops.

Afternoon Fun

It was a wonderfully sunny day. The kids spent much of the day outside. In the late afternoon Abby's friend Olivia came over with her dog Olie. Abby & Olivia had a great time playing in the yard. Logan just be-bopped all over the yard, getting into as much trouble as he could. He is getting pretty good at this walking thing. Definitely no rest for the weary when his is loose in yard.

Dance Recital

Abby's first dance recital was today. She was extremely excited this morning when getting ready. When I pulled out her costume she said she was going to be "fancy nancy".Show time was supposed to be 10 AM, however the first group of kids didn't get start preforming until just after 11. Abby ( as well as many others) started become over whelmed by nerves or the 2 hours of waiting around.

Once it was Abby's turn to perform she came back around and was great! She remembered the whole routine!! ( Abby is about 4 girls in , front row)

Well since I am having trouble uploading the video; here is the link to where you can view it. www.google.com/s2/sharing/stuff?user=109078519412237605366

Success...

..finally. ( I am knocking on wood as I type this) Abby went down tonight with no whinning or crying. YEAH! Now if I could just get her taking naps again. In the last week she has only take 1 nap. I'm not ready for her to not be napping. I was rather enjoying the afternoons (as rare as they were) where both kids were alseep for an hour or so at the same time.

So Rough....

It is night 3 of the no binkies for Abby. I went up to her room a few times during the hour plus of crying and whinning. The first time I went up a found her whinning in her little chair. The next couple times she tried to follow me out of the room telling me she was "not tired". HA!!! Being the nice mommy told her to get back in bed, and go to sleep! Abby's response was " No, I don't like my bed. I don't want to sleep in my bed. " I asked Abby where she wanted to sleep and she said "on the floor". OK!?! She crawled off her bed, curled up on the floor and attempted to put her 12"x12" taggie blanket over her. It only coverd her feet, so I threw a regular blanket over her and left the room. About a half hour later here is what I found....

...nice and passed out from all the fussing. I would have thought she would wonder back into bed. Who am I to argue as long as she is going to sleep, right?

Mr. Trouble

Apparently I can not turn my back on little man.

Welcome....Binkie Bear

Abby's binkies have gone away. She was very good about the whole process as tired as she was. She got to stay up extra late at Grandma's house on Sunday. I don't think she was finally asleep until 10, and was back up around 6:45.

Bedtime went some what better than expected. We started our regualr bedtime routine around 8:30. (On the late side for her, normally we start it about 7:30) I turned out Abby's light shortly before 9. She laid htere for a few and then started crying. Neer once did she ask for her binkies. She finally passed out about 9:40, and slept solid until 6:45 ish. So I guess in all not bad.

Handing over the binkies :(

Binkie Bear!

Wish me luck

Tomorrow is the day...the binkies go away. I have been telling Abby for a while now that once she turns 3 there are no more binkies. Well her 3rd birthday is upon us in just 28 days. To give her some control over what is bound ( i'm thinking worst case senario here) to be tamatic experience, probably more so than watching her brother gets shots (she turned green watching a couple weeks ago), I gave her a choice of 1) going to toys'r us and "paying" for a new toy with her binkies (aka mommy buys her a new toy - i was thiking the princess wii game she spied the other day at target and told dady she wanted) or 2) going to build-a-bear and putting them inside a bear of her choosing. (thanks for the idea kristin). Abby has choosen to go to build-a-bear. This ought to be very interesting, not ot mention alogn couple of days.... so as the title says...wish me luck.

Happy 1st Birthday Amelia

Yesturday was our good friend Amelia's 1st Birthday party. Abby & Logan had a total blast helping Amelia celebrate. Logan even decided to dig into a cupcake, something we couldn't get him to do at his own party 3 weeks ago. The pictures tell the story much better than I could....