Frog Pond

3/16

We have a 2-week spring break here and so far it's good!

No crazy rushed mornings, no interrupted naps.

But also, this is only day 2 and I haven't had to go to the grocery store yet. 3 kids at a grocery store....I'd almost rather starve.

Almost.

Anyway, these pictures are from day 1 at the Frog Pond wetland preserve.

Girly

3/15

Is it the 5 years of cars, trains, and planes that make a girl loving her doll the cutest thing I ever did see?

Baby Steps

Her first steps came out of nowhere today in the foyer during church.

Temple

Oakland Temple Visitor's Center 3/14

Thanks to cousin Chad for watching six kids at one time (his 3 + our 3 = 6) so we could visit the Temple.

(and if you saw the 1st version of this post...no offense intended!)

He's 3

Notice my amazing wrapping in the background.

That's what happens when you run out of paper late at night.

I had MANY things I'd redo over for this birthday (starting with making sure I'm stocked on paper).

But also, I wouldn't have had a major lapse of picture taking and missed:

His lunch of choice at McDonald's.

And how he fell asleep in the cart at Costco.

Playing with fishing poles indoor with Owen.

To name a few.


We celebrated tonight with a little fishing/beach get-together at Coastguard Pier.


Thank you to friends who: came on short notice (with gifts even), put up with the cold, brought their own dinner/ate before/ate after even though I planned this right during dinner time and didn't provide any (major faux pas that will not ever happen again), and were patient waiting for Justin to get back with bait.

Nothing was caught, but it was a fun thought.

Drew's #1 cake choice was the St. Patrick's Day cake with a rainbow & a leprechaun on top. I would've let him get it if I thought he'd like the flavor. This was choice #2.

Another mistake...stopping on the way there to pick up a lighter but leaving the candles at home.

So he got to pretend.

But I've never seen his eyes light up so much as they did when we were all singing to him.



I wish I could show how grateful he was, thanking me randomly throughout the day.

And now he's asleep with his new toothbrush.

Happy birthday Drew!

She's 1

Happy birthday Sally!

Sweets for the Sweet

Ghirardelli 3/7

A Rainy Poem

Each morning I check the day's forecast with hope.
Is this the day we get out?
But nope.

The house is no longer a house, it's a jail.
The most exciting event is getting the mail.

We do venture out to get Owen to school.
Then pick him up again...no carpool.

On Sunday I started to go a little crazy
While Justin and Owen were busy being lazy.

So Drew and I left, just him and me.
While the others stayed behind, playing some Wii.

We drove to the coast hoping to spot a whale,
But they were down deep, didn't want to unveil.

Lucky for us, though, it was low tide
And piles of hermit crabs just couldn't hide.

In Drew's little fingers they had to reside.

And the anemones were a beautiful sight
But compared to the sea star, they were just all right.

The star was washed ashore, he's no killer.
He's just a chiller. This find was a thriller.

And while doing our best to keep the Sabbath day holy...
You know, walking back to our car slower than slowly.

These puddles appeared and he couldn't resist
And I didn't call cease and desist.

Back to the present, we've still got rain.
It's a pain, it's a drain.

I do my hair in vain.

But I can't complain cause you've got it worse.
Living in snow, that's the worst sort of curse.

Excited

I'm just a little excited to be able to live near Jones and his parents soon.

Even if our overlapping time here together will be around 6 months... I'll take it!

Brent (my brother) just joined the Marines as a linguist (language TBD) so he, Errin (see the last section of her post for more details), and Jones will be here sometime this summer.

YAY!!!

Happy 1st Birthday to Jones!

My Entourage

Today they accompanied me to Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.

AKA the "purple sand" beach

That sand Owen's stomping is purple I swear.

And so is that hill coming out of the right of his head.

I had imagined that purple sand would be everywhere.

But that wasn't the case.

It was scattered randomly.
See, here's more.

Foreground: purple sand.

Background: not purple sand.

And then there's Drew and his rocks.

This was on a little path just off the beach:

And we'll end with a few more on the beach.

Purple sandy feet.

We Don't Get Snow

Stair Sledding
2/21

Field Trip

2/20

When again in his life will he walk from school to this aquarium?

Maybe next year.

But still, it's pretty cool.

Not Too Original

Heart Pancakes.

Big Kisses.

A new book (Olivia, which is such a cute one).

And sidewalk chalk.
(from a birthday party)

Ya, not a very original V-day but they were happy.

And I got a hot date so I was happy, too.

My Past Valentines

First, there was Donny.

I thought we were a cute couple
but I just wasn't down with his puppy love.

Then there was George.

Didn't work with him, either.

I was like, "George, just because you're a z-list celebrity doesn't mean you can make fun of my puffy pregnant self, my face as white as my shirt, too-bright lipstick, and nasty highlights."

You are the weakest link. Good-bye.

I'll stick with Justin.

PS Obviously I didn't date these has-been game show hosts (for Pyramid and the daytime spin-off of Weakest Link). I met them when they were doing promo for their shows while I was working at good ol LJW Advertising.

Funky Food

Those are green and purple cauliflower in case you couldn't tell.

$1 each at Earthbound Farms...can't pass up cheap, funky veggies.

Sweet, Not so Sweet

1/31

Tag Catch-up

6th Picture from 6th File
courtesy of Becky & her little private blog

Not a very exciting one...taken this past December in my parents backyard in AZ of Owen and Max's head.

10 Honest Things
courtesy of Steph

Honestly, I...

like Brad Pitt. I know, not an original celebrity crush. But we broke up when he left Jen. Got back together when he made Benjamin Button. I'll sit through ugly baby Brad and old man Brad anytime if it means I get to see good looking Brad in the middle.

like the name Drew because of Drew on Big Brother...not anything to do with an old boyfriend. But I guess naming Drew after a character on a reality show isn't any better than naming him after an old boyfriend. I just like the name Drew okay!

liked the name Sally before I met my friend Sally in NC. When I met her I knew we'd be friends and I thought, "crap! I'm gonna have a girl and her name will be Sally and everyone will think I named her after her." And sure enough :) Justin doesn't even believe me. Not sure why I feel the need to have everyone believe me on this because naming Sally after Sally isn't a bad thing.

am cooler on paper than in person. If you don't think I'm cool on paper than you really won't like me in person. In person I'm a bad conversationalist. Writing lets me think things out better.

still sleep in an old t-shirt from high school that says Army on it. And Justin's in the Marines.

would like to live in Monterey longer than a year and a half.

want one more girl...Hazel. Hazel Hollobaugh. Now there's a mouthful. But Hazel, please don't come for a few years. And please don't come in the form of twin boys. And Justin please learn to like that name :)

have at least 20 people on my Google Reader that have no idea I read their blog.

don't know how to play football. Am I the only one not watching the Super Bowl?

am really good at gaining weight. Not to brag or anything.

8 Things

Courtesy of Robyn

(sorry I'm really slow with this one)

8 TV Shows I Watch
The Office
Top Chef
Project Runway
Real Housewives
Survivor
Amazing Race
America's Next Top Model
Ellen

8 Places I like to Eat
Taste
First Awakenings
Nielsen's
Tia Rosa's
Gino's
Einstein's
Crackers
Sauce

8 things I did today
Woke up
Ate breakfast
Took a shower
Got ready
Got 3 kids ready (Justin has duty)
Church
Ate lunch
Read Drew a book

8 things I look forward to
Justin getting off duty
Bedtime
My headache going away
Seeing my brother Jason who just got home from a mission
Justin's week break in April
Dinner (wish I wasn't the one making it)
Valentine's Day
The weekend

8 Things on My Wish List
Jeans that fit perfect
Double jogger stroller (BOB or Phil & Ted's?)
Dress
Digital SLR camera
Lasik
Take a photography class
Family pictures
Braces (for the 3rd time) or veneers in my whole mouth