Disneyland Part II

Five Moments from Disneyland

5. Meeting Tinkerbell was HUGE for Dayne. But when it came time to talk to her. Forget it. Not this Tink. She worked Dayne over until she got the love. No small feat.

4. Our kids were amazing at all the walking. We walked over 17,000 steps. They did too. The second day, Crewe sat a lot in dayne's stroller and she sat on his lap. Hey. Whatever works.
3. We stayed at the Grand Califorinaian.

2. The great weather. It was perfect.
1. The Lines. What Lines? We could ride most rides as fast as we could get off and go to the front of the line. On Priates of the Carabean we just asked if we could stay on the ride. Already we were the only people on our boat. Life was good.

Thanks mom and dad we had a great time.

Disneyland Part 1

We had an amazing time at Disneyland. Our kids were a little unsure of what is was and if they were going to like it. It did not take long for them to figure it out.

I have been so sick and then out of town. So excuse the major pause. I will get back in the plan today......

Favorite Things- Countdown to Birthday

I am not sure if I ever blogged about my chair. We all know that I have deep feelings about my yellow chair. I have spent many hours, many in my yellow chair. Because I love to be in my chair to read, hold my kids, chat with friends, play on the laptop, even sleep, I knew that is was starting to loose its' life. (Plus my mom kept telling me it was looking gross). SO painfully I started to accept that I would need a new chair. This the the little beaut that came to live with us. It is not at all what I started out shopping for but once I sat in it, I was in love. It is super soft. It fits me perfectly. It is one of my new Favorite Things.

PS The yellow chair is still around. I moved it over by the TV. hehehe

Favorite Things- Countdown to Birthday

First, Sorry if I stole this picture.

Second, my favorite cooking blog is www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com. It is my friend, Mel Walkers cooking blog. It is fantastic. I have not seen her since high school but she has turned us on to many new recipes.

Third, my Favorite pancake recipe. Really. The directions are also taken from her blog.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct (I've never had to add additional oil). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes. ( i think it makes about 9-10)

Favorite Things- Countdown to Birthday

This is one of my favorite blankets. I LOVE it. It has a Paris theme, with scooters, birds and dots. My mom made it for me for Christmas. Nothing is better than reclining in my reading chair with this blanket and book. All is right with the world when that happens.

Favorite Things- Countdown to Birthday

I love Hawaiian Punch single packs. You add them to a boring bottle of water and viola, not so boring. Lemon-Berry is the best. Also these are super cheap. Can't beat that.

Disneyland

Where to go?Where to go? My parents offered to take us to Disneyland to celebrate my birthday (I wore a birthday pin while there). We had been to Disneyland before but never with both of our kids. We took Crewe a couple of weeks before he turned 3 so it had been awhile. I asked 2 Disneyland experts, my brother Aaron and Angie. Both who would have loved to have been there to help us with our first, "real" visit. They both listed rides and actions plans for me. I must admit that all could remember as we entered was, Peter Pan ride, then Dumbo and then ........ Where did we go?

*** good thing dayne had a map****

PS I am going to also try to fit in a few of my favorite things post. My birthday is in a week. So I am behind this year.....

Getting my Groove Back

Alright. We left early Sunday morning for San Diego. We did not tell our kids where we were going or who was going to be there. In the car, we sprung it on them. "Dad really wants Mexican food." "Yeah and my favorite place is far away in San Diego. It would take us a really long time to drive so let's fly there!" Dayne did her cheerleader shout of SAN DIEGO. Crewe kept asking if we were tricking him and really going to the zoo. And what was he going to wear. We didn't bring clothes. (Rich had put the suitcase in the trunk the night before.)

Once we got to SD we told our kids to look in the baggage claim. Wouldn't it be fun if we knew someone here? The shrieks of delight when they saw my folks sitting by the door. Then the running down the stairs, pass my dad who was standing with open arm, straight to my mom. Sorry Pops!

It was fun to see everyone and celebrate my Grandpa's 85th Birthday. (Especially because we had just come from Grandma Palmers Funeral).

The Score

Please notice Rich's Score. And yes, we had a great time. My computer is full so I working on being able to download pictures.... soon.

It's A Surprise

We have had a long week. Last Sunday we had to go to Rich's Grandma and say goodbye. She passed away that evening. She was 94 years old. She lived an amazing life. We will miss her.

Today we attended the funeral. My father in law gave a beautiful talk. It reaffirmed to me how happy I am to have family in my life. I am thankful for the Gospel and my knowledge that we will see loved ones again. Death is not the end.

Tomorrow we are still celebrating life. We are flying to San Diego to spend the day with my Grandpa. He is turning 85. Then we are staying and taking our kids to.......

Shhhh! It's A Surprise!

Pretend December

How to document a great day in the city?

The old hold your arm out trick and hope you both fit in the in the image.

Pretend December

This is our pal, Nathan cutting down our Christmas tree. Rich was out on injured reserve but look at him supervise. This year we went down to the Santa Cruz Mountains and cut our tree down. A few morsels for thought:

1. It was fun. 2. Kind of expensive

3. And very wet. Nothing like ringing in the Holidays with good friends, a tree cutting party and umbrellas.

Take 2

I feel pretty....

Oh so Pretty.....

Ah. Wait. This kind of Hurts.

kind of like getting back to blogging......

What Up

I tried to blog but I couldn't get any pictures to upload. Grrrr.....

In december I had lots of reasons I did not blog. I even have a few pictures as proof.

1. We took our kids to Gilroy Gardens. It was such a total delight.

2. We drove up to the Mountains and cut down our Christmas Tree. The experience was better than our tree.

3. Dayne performed in a little Christmas dance class performance. My friend kept asking if dayne was trying to do the dance moves or was she trying to be a mime. It was hard to tell the difference.

4. Crewe celebrated Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Navidad en Mexico and Christmas all at school. It was awesome.

5. We went to a great Christmas party, with no kids.

6. We had a nice Christmas with the Palmer family.

7. Now the kids and I are in Montana. My brother and his family are also here. We are having a fantastic time. It is freaking cold. Today the high was 19 degrees.

8th

December 8 Moment of peace. An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there?

I truly find peace when my kids are so perfectly happy. When they say something funny or endearing. Because I can here a few:

Crewe's teacher was having the kids raise theirs hands and list a holiday. Crewe raised his hand and when called upon, shouted, "Black Friday!"

Dayne wanted some of my Diet Coke. I told her that it really isn't good for little girls. But the logic doesn't work for her, If I can drink, so she she. I then muttered, "You shouldn't be drinking this. It's ridiculous.!" She replied, "Ridiculously yummy!"

Outside of Crewe classroom, at school, are hanging art projects. Each child had drawn a picture and filled in the sentence. My holiday wish for everyone worldwide is..... that everyone could belong to a church. Oh, my heart.

December 7 Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year.

http://blonde-designs.squarespace.com/

Favorite blog. It's that easy.

I also love this cooking blog.

http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Nat!

Happy Birthday Natali!

***Yes I have two Sister-in-law's named Natali****

Natali is awesome. She is kind. Thoughtful. An amazing mother. Loves the TV show, "Friday Night Lights" and "Big Bang Theory " (a show that I don't get). Has 4 boys. Plays the piano. Is in great shape. Is a freaking Dentist. Drinks mostly water. Hair is naturally curly and thick. She has great nails. Likes to read. Home is decorated so darling. Favorite food has got to be meat, ribs. Watches movies in the Dark. Super Smart. Use to wear glasses, eyes have improved with each baby. IS a scuba driver. The most beautiful handwriting. Really. Enjoys pedicures but doesn't get them that often. Caned fruit this year because she has a pear tree. Loves to Travel. Doesn't own enough towels (hehe). I love you Nan. Happy Birthday!

Day 4

One of the books I liked the least this year, I Love You, Beth Cooper. It was an awful book. Terrible. It was a book that tricked you. It wasn't bad to start, even enjoyable. Very in the vain of Pretty in Pink or that movie that Jennifer Love Hewitt plays the girl that seems popular only she is lonely. Then the book goes down hill. Quickly. Then I had to stop. I could not handle one more page. Blah.
One of the best books I read this year, The Other Boleyn Girl. I have had friends recommend this book to me in the past but I had too many reservations about reading a Historical novel. In general, I don't care for them. But this novel isn't so much a historical novel as much as it's a love story. And I am sucker for those..... I have passed the novel on to Natalie and Rich's Grandma, who gave it his Aunt. I love the passing of this book even more. Good Job 2009 helping me branch into a different genera.

The 2nd

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

The details:

Where: Mexico

Who: The jody, Crewe, Ashley, Baby Dayne, Uncle WImp and Aunt Dawn

When: April

Food: Mexican. Good. Amazing cheese. Beans and rice. Good Salsa.

Music: Gypsy Kings. We requested.

Area: Overhanging the ocean.