Big Feet

more pics

The house

We're almost moved in

all we need is a good box

this box kept the babies occupied while we packed on Sunday Night - after coming home from the Castro Valley Tournament

Castro Valley Soccer Tournament

The Rage took 1st place in the Castro Valley Classic this year.... Uncle Michael came out to watch one game on Saturday and then he came out for the Championship game on Sunday. Bianca scored a beautiful goal in Game number 2. She was out at least 18 yards when she shot and it went into the corner. We had guest players.... Hannah from Bianca's school was one of them, she's awesome. Her and Bianca play so well together, passing and give and go's.. it was so much fun to watch.

there is drama on the Rage soccer team - but I won't go into that.

The tournament wore us all out - here are the girls on the trip home

Late

Bianca is to cool to smile at the camera
"we all fall down"
Matthew and Sydney dance
34 bottle of beer on the wall and only one baby standin

Well I've been on a safari.... okay so maybe not really, but we moved, and so I haven't blogged in ages. So there is so much to say.... but who wants to be bored with the details, it's pictures we all want to see - at least me

So there was a party and the kids had lots of fun, so here are a few highlights

Sydney, Dominic, Kalyn and Peyton get the jump on
Dominic bounces Peyton
Donovan flies low
Dominic, Peyton and Kalyn

the worm

Day One - Burbank California

I haven't seen my babies or Bianca since 8 am... I haven't seen Ben since noon.... I am having withdrawls......

What am I doing????? I'm working, I'm in Burbank for our e-file/e-Services Workshops. Flew out of Sacramento at 145 today and arrived about 300... checked into the Holiday Inn - (Whachu doin?) Nothing chillin at the Holiday Inn
(Who you wit?) Me and my peeps won't you bring four of your friends

I ironed my stuff, read some magazines, then we met up for dinner and drinks at Gordon Biersh... I had the Meatloaf and a Tropical Cosmo.... Yummie - we walked around a bit and then hit ColdStone for a strawberry blonde - life is good. of course we walked back to the hotel... and I got my phone call from home. it was bittersweet. I talked to Bianca some, then the babies... who kept saying Hi Mama... and then there were the questions... Mama???? like as if asking... are you there, where is there... why can't I see you... but I hear you.... I asked some questions... you know they love to say NO.... I was hoping my next question didn't get a No.... I asked... Do you miss me... and Peyton chimed in quickly YES MAMA.... so i felt good... and bad... do they really miss me.... at least she didn't say No... ~lmao~ they kept hanging up on me... tried not to take it personal, they were fighting over the phone.... talked to Ben for a few and then quiet again.

It's so strange... it's never quiet. While i was on the phone with them, it was like I was home.. it was noisey, chatter, tv, full of life house... and here... the only sound is my typing... the air conditioner, and the fan from the bathroom - hate hotels...

What will it be like to sleep thru the night... for me.... ~lmao~ I have no idea... I'm pumping.... and dumping of course - will the babies be weaned when i get home... who knows... only time will tell

off to sleep

a playdate with Cole

Amy brought Cole over to meet Sydney and Peyton. Cole is Tyler's nephew, and he's almost two years old. Amy talks about Cole quite a lot so it was nice to finally meet him. The girls were napping when they got here, and Cole was napping in the car... so everyone was a bit crabby at first. Cole never really warmed up to the girls, but the girls seemed to warm up to him. Here are some pics

Braces Be Gone

This morning Bianca went to the orthodontist and had her braces removed..... she was so excited to show everyone her pearly whites. They look beautiful, now lets see if she shows them off all the time. I'm still trying to get a picture of her smiling with her teeth showing..... she took a picture with her phone, but I haven't gotten a good one with my camera.

I had an interview with Cal Fire today... it was awesome. it was like sitting with your friends and talking... it wasn't like a stuffy panel with people who believe they know everything. These women laughed and smiled and said silly things. This would be my ideal job... I have to say it... If they offered me this job and my current job with the new classification.. I'd take the Cal Fire Job... in a nano-second.... the position calls for travel and training... but all things that I can handle... I had a CHP interview on Tuesday - it went really well, but the job wasn't fun.... one of the girls on my panel said.. "your job sounds so much fun" and hers wasn't.... Can we say STUFFY and BORING....

We celebrated Bianca's braceless teeth with our friend Sherri and Soccer Jim. We met up at a park in FairOaks and had a lil dinner picnic in the park. We had sunflower - nutty taco's and the kids had pizza.... and fed the chickens and roosters... they ran and played frisbee, played on the slides... then we went for a walk over the bridge.. I got lots of pictures, but don't have time to upload yet... I need some shut eye

best piece of parenting advice - who says I can't read and write?

we all hear it, we all give it - but what's good and what sucks? How about the good stuff

Catch your child doing something right - focus on the positive things instead of the negative

Keep your bedtime routine short and simple - the routine you choose when your child is a baby is the same one she'll expect you to keep when she's eleven

a favorite - mother said it best: "you can hold their hands all you want, but they do not grow until you let them fall down a bit"

Update from the Pediatrician - 19 months

Started off routine - dropped Bianca at school, drove to drop off Sydney and Peyton at daycare, logged on outlook to check work stuff, drove to pick up Bianca for her check up, drove to ped office where it took forever - they measured her - 4 ft 10 inchces, weighed her - 72 lbs, there was lots of conversation between Dr A, Bianca and I.... then came time for a shot... and back to school.

I head to sign Bianca up for volleyball, do that, then hit starbucks for some much needed liquid gold and a sandwich, drive to pick up babies, take a few minutes to hang with them, nurse them, then its' off to the races to get daddy for their appt.... it went well. Sydney was a lil clingy, but we're used to that... Peyton weighs 25 lbs 8 oz, her head is 18 3/4 inches and she is 32 1/2 inches tall. Sydney weighs 22 lbs 10 oz, her head is 18 3/4 and she is 31 3/4 inches tall... They even got a shot like big sister, there were less tears and less crying this time....

Ready for school - I GOOOOOOOOO

I own the remote ------- Cheese

please don't make me wear this hat

your turn to wear a hat

STARBUCKSlook at meeeeee
leave me alone

The Invitation

Snake Eyes - The big double ones

Happy Happy Birthday Bianca

Bianca is eleven.... She was born at 9:17 pm..... during Monday Night football I was pretty busy pushing her out... can you believe that was eleven years ago? I can't. I had a great idea for an invitation for Bianca's birthday and Frankie made it come alive. I'll have to post the invite on here, but right now the jpg is in the car.

So we rented out Foothill skating rink for Bianca's birthday. I was lucky and got a group shot, but some of the kids had already left. Oh well. Here's who came to Bianca's party:

Sydney, Peyton, Grandma, Papa, Nana, Papa, Tia Amy, Tyler, Uncle Josh, Patrick, Tia Andria, Tio Rudy, Dominic, Donovan, Tia Carmen, Matthew, Kalyn, Uncle Steven, Andrew, Leslie, Emma, Tia Carmen McClain, Tio Rafa, Andres, Vanessa, Gabriella, Uncle Erick, Athena, Michael, Carson, Xavier, Erik, Taylor, Jessica, Kelsie, Natalie, Nikki, Jade, Renee, Marissa, Monisa, Tamiko, Hannah, Madi, Eleanoir, Jill, Cat, Noell, Alexis, Kadie, Cydney, Courtni, Alexandra, Amanda, Tiara, Tyler, Diane, - and most of the parents skated too. Great turn out. We ate pizza and cake and skated til we couldn't skate anymore...

Sydney and Peyton even skated... We did a couple laps - and then Sydney decided she couldn't be away from me... She cried everytime I tried to skate without her, but she didn't want to skate anymore. Amy and I raced and skated, had a blast. Bianca skated with all of her friends and had a great time. Everyone sang to her while she was in the middle of the rink, we danced and did the Hoki Poki around her too...

I'm exhausted. Happy Birthday Bianca - We love you.