Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...Zoolander

I packed a bunch of sandwiches in the cooler
and loaded the family up in the car
for a trip to the famous LA Zoo
(and could you believe ALL the kids were excited to go?!)
Flamingos are always the first thing you see
A real life dragon, better watch your toes, heard they eat 'em
Gorilla steps
This was magical
The whole gorilla family past by one by one
then the big Daddy of the family planted himself in the middle of the grounds
looked like he was there for protection
just amazing
Zebras, of course
Cute safari outfit
Do you know their tongues grow up to 18 inches long?
Pictures through the gates are hard to see,
so here's the sign
Inspired my monkeys to take care of each other

Nice view...
Because you don't get to climb on top of a gorilla often Monkey- see

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Love letters from Teen 1

And just when you're ready to throw your hands up in the air,
or cover your face with them to hide from the reality of raising a family,
you receive this from your teenager...

Day 18 - The Person you wish you could be

Dear Mom,
I wish I could be like you for many reasons. You inspire me to want to do great things to better myself and my future. You’re the reason why I want to follow ALL my dreams. Because of you, I have such a good head on my shoulders. You’re there for us when we need you to listen. Even the little things that go unnoticed are appreciated. You’re strong willed and nothing stops you from getting what you want. You told us to never sweat the small stuff and because of that I’m a happy person. You shower us with the best kind of love and support. You may kill my little guy every now and then but I know it’s only because you don’t want me to be afraid of rejection. I’m learning it’s just a part of life and I’m not always going to get what I want. You want us to achieve above and beyond and I know we can if we have you in our lives. You care more about others than of yourself. Everyone just wants a little attention from you; you’re the best mom, sister, auntie, daughter, friend, wife, ect. I’m so thankful to have you as MY mother. You’ve guided us in the right direction and watched us make mistakes BUT still continued to help steer us back. When we do make mistakes I know how much it hurts you, but we can only grow from it. You’ve given up so much for us kids and we can’t thank you enough. You put your dreams and goals aside for us so we can have a roof over our head, clothes, and food on our table. Even after a long day at work you still have time to make us dinner and sitting at the table. “Table talks” are the best kind of talks; we get to hear about your day and we get to tell you about what we did that day. Our little rides to the store where we’re not supposed to get anything but we usually come home with something new. YES, WE THINK YOU’RE MADE OUT OF MONEY. There’s never been a time where I didn’t think you couldn’t provide for us. Momma you’re a go-getter. I just want to make you proud. When I grow up and have a family of my own I hope I’m like you, I hope I can give my children all that you give us. I love you and all that you do for us.
Love always your first born


Leaves me speechless with tears in my eyes.
Makes every bit of heartache and headache worth it.

And even though they act like they hate the beast in me
or when I look at them with those eyes that "kill the little guy inside of them"
(he's their metaphor for the one who speaks up when they wanna ask me for something)
and I tell them he needs to grow some balls and learn to speak up and ask for things
they know it's only because I love them.
http://www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...Tea Party!

Once upon a time this little cutie turned 5
Her Mommy threw her the most gorgeous tea party
She invited all her family and friends and told them to dress in their most stylish digs

even Moms and Dads got to join in on the fun
the kids jumped and screamed
and drank sherbet punch...mmmm
then they got to decorate the cake themselves before digging in!

www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Confessions of a shopaholic...Hook, Line, Sucker

Teen 2’s school is no longer having Jr. High promotion ceremonies.
Instead they chose to have a dance for all 8th grade students to celebrate the end of the year.

Teen 2 said it was going to be a formal dress, but seriously, in Jr. High, it was so not!

She surprised me by telling me she was going to wear a summer dress that she had scrunched up at the bottom of her hamper hanging in her closet.
Great, I thought, no dress shopping for me.

This girl is impossible to shop with. She doesn’t care for anything I show her.
Always finds the most expensive items on the rack and of course it’s always “the only thing I like here!
We could walk the mall for hours and walk out with NOTHING.

Now I do this by myself for leisure, but because I enjoy it.
When I’m actually trying to find something for her and it’s not happening, it’s extremely frustrating!

So in true teenage girl fashion, a few nights before the dance-
She NEEDS a cardigan to go over her dress so she doesn’t get kicked out for not following proper dress code.
AND
She NEEDS a pair of sandals to wear, because even though I just bought her a pair of flats the weekend prior, they did not go with the dress.

On Sunday night we head to the local mall and I have the girls run inside to a shoe store that she was SURE had shoes for her.
2 minutes later, Teen 1 calls, Mom, the store isn’t here.
The girls get back in the car and we drive to the other side of the mall(the boy was asleep and I didn’t bring a stroller in case you’re wondering why my lazy ass didn’t walk!)
They run inside, that store is gone!
What the heck is going on here?! I wonder.
So I wake up The Boy and we spend an hour walking up and down the mall going in and out of every shoe store, to no avail. There is NOTHING there that she likes.
“I’m just gonna wear some shoes I already have” she says.

Ok, fine, great. I’m thinking.

However the next day the mommy guilt sinks in.
I think back to my 8th grade graduation ceremony. Mom’s favorite shopping spot was the alleys in L.A. You could get great deals, but not always the best of quality and not always age appropriate article of clothing for pre-teens.
I ended up with a skin tight spandex type green dress with shoulder cut outs and all (it was the early 90’s people)
To top it off, my body was banging, I must admit!
Yes, I do remind my kids I was voted Best Body back in the day!
I already had a womanly shape and a J Lo booty in the making.
When I got to school that day, I realized just how inappropriate my dress was.
All the other girls were dressed in their spring colored frilly dresses
With stockings and their flat dress shoes.
I on the other hand looked like a hooker in my spandex dress and black pumps.
Wow, I think I’m still traumatized!
Ahem, I must digress.

I wanted Teen 2 to have the outfit she longed for and would remember for the rest of her life(in a good way))

The next day I tell her to get ready because we’re going to the mall after I get off of work.

We walk into the mall and I tell her,
If you don’t like that dress or want something else, tell me now.
Her eyes light up and we walk into a store that they just opened up.

She finds a romper and 3 different dresses to try on.
She comes out of the dressing room each time and doesn’t like anything
Except the Green Romper.
It’s linen and it’s shorts.
Not exactly what I’d call formal.
I know all the other girls will be wearing dresses.
I ask and warn her, Are you sure? You won’t feel uncomfortable?
I won’t, I want it, she pleads!

Problem is, this item is strapless so we still need a cardigan.

We search the store aisle by aisle, row by row.
NOTHING
No cardigan that will match or look right.

I tell her if we don’t find a cardigan, I’m not buying it.
We can’t return at this store and if nothing looks right, you’re stuck with it.
She doesn’t see the problem.
But I know she’ll find something else that she’ll like better.

So we walk out of that store.
By this time The Boy is whining, running up and down the aisles,
slumping over in the dressing room, tugging on my leg, and reminding me that he’s starving.

The Boy and I go to the food court and I order us some dinner
Teen 2 on the other hand is going into every store in the mall
She calls, I’m at Charolette Russe,
I’m at Forever 21,
I’m at Foreign Exchange,
I’m going to Bloom.

We meet up 2 hours later,
Yes 2 hours later.

NOTHING!

I break down,
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!
Don’t be scared ( I remember I can be beastly)
Just ask!
(for the love of all things holy, I just want to leave this place!)

She looks at me with some intimidation.
I want the romper, she mumbles.

Ugghhh…I broke down.
Ok, let’s go get the romper.

We walk back to the original store that we started at 2 hours ago.
We find the romper, a necklace to glam it up,
And could you believe it, a fricken cardigan to match!
I swipe my credit card and we head home.

As usual when we get home, I tell her to try it all on with some shoes so we can see the whole look.

I give her a few minutes and I walk back in her room.
I take a look at her
We look at each other.
It’s too casual we say in unison.

I think I’m gonna wear the dress, she says.
I can wear this on the last day of school Mom, because there’s a bonfire after school.

And then I realize it.

SUCKER!!
http://www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...Edward vs Jacob

His middle name is Edward
we sometimes refer to him as Edward Cullen
(2 teenage sisters,remember?!)

His homework assignment-
draw a picture of yourself
This is him when he's being Edward Cullen
Yesterday when I dropped him off at school,
his teacher said, Good morning Jacob (which is not his name)
he grabbed a hold of my pantleg and hid behind it,
as he peeked out his teacher proceeded to tell me -
the day before, The Boy was Jacob.
He told her that I changed his name (whoops guess I shouldn't have joked about that)
She had to write Jacob on all his papers and refer to him that way all day.


http://www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com/

Monday, June 7, 2010

Motherloaded

Twas a weekend full of mother loads…

Friday I received this amazing bathing suit
And when I tried it on, I wanted to keep it on for the rest of the summer!
It is absolutely THE Cutest
More importantly
Most Well fitted (is that even grammatically correct?) bathing suit I’ve ever had!
And I’m in love with it!
I feel like I hit the motherload!
Can’t wait for Laughlin Baby

In celebration of Friday night,
Yes Friday nights should be celebrated
just for being themselves
We went to Claim Jumper for dinner
We had a gift card for a free Motherload slice of cake.
Now when you are in the mood for some serious choclate cake
This is where you go
The Motherload is 6,
Yes count em up,
6 layers of chocolate cake
Covered in chocolate frosting
With chocolate chips perfectly placed throughout
mmmm… motherload
except now, I may have a problem fitting in my perfect bathing suit?!!
Uh oh

Then precisely at 5:14am on Sat. morning
Uh huh, 5:14AM on Saturday morning
My cell phone is ringing
Well first I thought hubby forget to turn off his alarm.
I woke up,
Shot him a dirty look as he slept,
Had a few irritating thoughts run through my head,
rubbed his head gently and politely told him,
Your ALARM!
However after he jumped up out of bed,
And I listened in a little closer,
I realized that it was my phone ringing.
He comes back in the room waving my phone.
It’s YOUR phone!
Oh, uh, sorry!
By then I had a voicemail notification
It must be something critical for someone to leave a voicemail at 5:14AM on Saturday
Well nothing had me prepared for this…
The MOTHERLOAD
Aka Grandma calling from the Philippines
And she’s coming home!
My home
On Friday
She’ll be back
24-7 in our face!!!
Lord, give me the patience!

Hubby had planned to take me for a ride Sat morning!
I was so excited
And definetly needed to feel some exhilaration after the news
that ruined my sleep on Saturday!

So Hubs and I are up and getting ready and at 6:15am on Saturday morning
He says, well you better wake up Teen 2!
She’s got some cleaning to do!
What do you mean, I ask. It’s 6:15 Saturday morning!
We got toilet papered!
I open up my door to see this!
Well not exactly this cause it’s not my house
But it looked like this
A motherload of toilet paper on the lawn
The tree,
Stuffed in the birdhouse hole,
Draped over the cars,
The basketball court
E V E R Y W H E R E
Apparently nowadays, toilet papering your friends
(not your foes) is the thing these youngsters do.
Teen 2’s “friend” had a bday party, she opted not to go
so her “friend” decided to bring the party to her!
Not only was there toilet paper,
But Happy Birthday Streamers
And 2 cupcakes smeared in the driveway!
Thanks “friend” and “friend’s” mom
Come a little closer so I can smear a little cupcake in your face next time!

By 7:15 on Saturday morning
I was working on my biker babe status again.
I was sportin this sweet new jacket
And he took me on the freeway this time!
I thought I was doing great,
Holdin on,
Leaning with him as we made the turns
But when we got to breakfast
He let me know I was being a Motherload!
Apparently I’m still to scared and a bit resistant on the turns!
You can’t blame me though…
one time I flipped us over on a Sea-Do,
I have a little problem with this thing you call…
Grace…
She’s pretty non existent in my life.
So I’m still a little scared!!
Thanks for trying though Babe!

http://www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com/

Friday, June 4, 2010

Mom, you better watch out…

The Boy says to me as he walks into the kitchen.
You better watch out, he continues,
for Chase, he makes in love with girls.

I’m standing over the stove looking at my little guy walk past me.
What Son, I ask.

He snatches a banana off of the counter,
turns around and as he’s walking out of the room I hear
Chase, he makes in love with girls Mom.
He has 3 girlfriends…Brooke, Ashley, and his voice drifts off as he enters the living room.

He casually walks back in the kitchen and asks
Mom, you don’t want to be his girlfriend do you?
Do you want to marry him?
He makes in love with girls,
And then the final warning complete with eye roll…
You better watch out Mom!
www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com
Follow along through the fun and agony as we try to figure out how to raise two completely opposite teenagers- Teen 1, the fiesty yet inquisitive one, Teen 2 quiet but wise-cracking and our ball full of energy known as The Boy. It aint always pretty, but we’ll sure try to make the best of it!
These are the stories of our lives…