weekend pics of my sweethearts

Sydney doesn't want a pony
Sydney prefers it long
My cart
cheese
where my cart?
my eyes green, you eyes green
what sydney doing
bugs ~screams~
go away bugs
daddy & Bianca
Bianca can't stop laughing
the death stare
Peyton & Sydney
Wait mama, you come in picture
waving at the crowd

I Do, We Will

it's been a long weekend.

Glitter Graphics - GlitterLive.com

Having Friday off for the 4th of July was great. Sydney & Peyton woke up about 715, used the potty and then played in their rooms til 8 am.... Then they were starving.... I think... but don't really remember.... Ben may have gotten up with them and let me sleep in... but then again... the days seem to blend together... I could have imagined or dreamt it....

I cleaned the kitchen spotless on Friday, I took the dog for a 2 mile jog/run/... i wished we could have walked ~lol~ Then we packed up and headed to Folsom to do a lil shoppin.... Bianca and I got some Nike soccer shorts, I got some more nike running socks, and I looked at lots of shoes.... I didn't find anything I really wanted, so we headed to the BBQ...

We ate some yummie BBQ'd kabobs... shrimp, zucchini, huge mushrooms, onions, bell peppers. I think we ended up with 4 lbs of the huge shrimp.... We were expecting more guests, but they bailed at the last minute... the ones who are never in charge of bringing any food to the get -togethers for fear they won't show up... and that's what happened... something better came along ~lmao~ We played some games and then headed home - wondering what would happen with lots of fireworks and the puppy.... Lucky for us... there weren't a lot of fireworks and the dog had it easy....

Saturday we had a wedding.... my best friend from High School's lil sister was getting married. We actually all hung out together for a few years in H.S but the lil sister and I were never very close.... but we all started hanging out again - playing indoor soccer... The wedding was at St Joseph's and the reception was 60 some odd miles away... in Lincoln... Yeah, it was crazy...far
The last time we were at St Joseph's was for Aunt Blanca and Uncle Gene's renewal of their vows about ten years ago.... The wedding party was - 7 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen. They wore chocolate and black - very cool.

Bella

Sandra & Mike

Therese & Mark

Liz & Roman

The reception was HOT... it was humid in the country... and the swamp cooler didn't work so well... but there were lots of cold drinks and great food to keep you going... Dinner was from 4-7 and the band was supposed to go from 7-midnight, but we left at 8 and the band hadn't started... I think they were on mexican time... We tried to stay for the tossing of the bouquet & garder, and the cake... but the drive was an hour, so we decided to cut out at 8... 4 hours after the event started... The babies were at the in laws and Bianca was with us at the party... She wasn't thrilled with any of it...

When we got home about 915 we went for a mile jog... it was HOT.... and Bianca wanted to run more than jog... and that always puts me out... I'm not young anymore... this running thing takes it's toll on me... and training in the summer... wow...

Sunday we woke up about 9... that is totally sleeping in... Okay I woke up at 9... I let Ben and Bianca sleep til 10.... it was nice to have the house to myself for an hour.. and a quiet house no less... The Baptism was at 1230 so we had a lil time - it was at St Mary's, just the baptism, no mass and baptism... it was quick, just family... the God Parents were on Mexican time and got there a lil after 1230... Sydney kept trying to push Peyton off my lap.. guess it's not big enough for two...

after the baptism... it was off to the pizza parlor for the reception.... where we had live entertainment... Banjo's... galore... the kids kept sneaking over to check out the concert, it was livley... the place was packed... the company was great and my kids were OVERSTIMULATED.... Sydney had a melt down when I held Devin... yeah, she wanted to remind the world that I'm her mom... and no one elses... at least she pretends....

Luke & Uncle Steven

Tio Rafa, Tia Laura, Deacon (Rach's dad) Luke, Uncle Steven, Aunt Joan & our godson Andrew

after pizza we went to the Papa and Grandma's with Tios, Dominic, Donovan & Devin... we hung out and BBQd... shrimp kabobs and burgers... we had lots of fun... and i managed to get to hold Devin... Sydney and I had a lil heart to heart and she decided it was okay for me to hold Devin....
I told her.... "either you let me get my baby fix holding Baby Devin... or mama's gonna have to have a lil baby of her own.. one that always wants mama to hold it... just like her.." yeah she decided me holding Mr Devin... was better than a lil one she had to share me with 24/7 ... if she only knew....

rockin Devin to sleep

nothing like watchin the lil man drift off to sleep

the kids were napless today... I tried to keep them awake til we got home about 7ish... but Peyton was out.. put her to bed (for a whole hour) while I gave Sydney a bath and some mama time... then Peyton woke up and we all had some mama time for about an hour..

Overtired babies are way to hard... Peyton decided that Sydney was laying in her bed... Peyton was crying because she wanted Sydney to get out of her bed and sleep in the other bed... Really Sydney was laying in her own bed... but because she is so sweet... she got up.. and let Peyton lay in that bed, she went to lay in the other bed..... ~shakes head~ I just checked on them and they are now laying in their correct beds...

I'm gonna run to see if I can upload some pictures - I need to do some adjustments to my pictures, this is all i can show you.

A.D.I.D.A.S - Check out the girls new kicks....

Check out my ICE CREAM kicks... and shades
Mom, are we going to buy cool shades tomorrow
check out the orange soles
Bianca calls these Soulja Boy kicks
step - one, two
Big Glasses Rule
Kick
Mommie's glasses
See Me

almost a single mom

So I guess I know what it's like to be a single parent... well kinda.

Let's start with last night.... Ben and Bianca leave his parents at 5 pm... I pack up the girls and we head home too.... after we ate Fajitas...

The plan was to take the girls for a walk. They wanted to go to the park. The park is 1.5 miles away. After we get home I realize that the jogging stroller tire needs pumped up... not to mention fixed. The road to the park is gravel, our double combi stroller won't make the trip, so instead I ask the girls if they want to take a stroller ride around the neighborhood..... they both declined, instead we settled into for some playing kitchen. While we play kitchen with their stuff, I decide to run the dishwasher and clean our real kitchen- Bianca finally got around to filling it.

We played clean up since we had kitchenware all over the house, then we settled in for some tv time. We watched some scooby doo, then headed up for a bath. The girls loaded up a birthday bag with kitchen toys and off to play in the tub. We put in the magic lavender bubbles that are supposed to help babies fall asleep. I think it has the opposite effect on my children.

After the bath we got ready for bed - we brushed our teeth, I brushed theirs and they brushed mine, we read 'Snuggle Puppy' 5x, 'The Going to Bed Book' 5x, and 'Guess how much I love you' 2x.... then the girls read to me - 'That's not my Puppy and That's not my Lion'.... Tucked them into bed after kisses, hugs, fives and knuckles x10..... Then Peyton needed to POOP... so for the next 15 minutes she sat on the big girl toilet while Sydney and I hung out watching Rose and Marie's video over and over (maybe not 15 minutes worth, but we cracked up for awhile) Then Peyton wanted to know what baby was crying.. so she watched the video a couple times and laughed, she was relieved to know that Rose and Marie were laughing and not crying.

Finally they were in bed and it was time to relax - around 845 Ben and Bianca showed up and the babies were up saying goodnight a few more times....

They started off in their own beds

Big sistera are cool

Tuesday Morning started @ 5 am for me... Peyton woke up screaming that her light was off... I walked in and turned it back on, rubbed her back and kissed her and she laid back to sleep... I thought I got off easy... I climbed back into bed for another hour and then got up. I got ready, made some coffee just before Sydney woke up about 645, she watched a lil scooby while i made toast and woke Peyton and Bianca up... Bianca wasn't easy to wake... That is 4 times up the stairs pulling covers off her and threatening her.... Finally I get the girls dressed, fed, and totally ready and finally Bianca drags herself downstairs... We leave for daycare and arrive around 740. I get to work by 750.... HOORAY

Dwayne meets me at the gate and we drive around to carpool.... Our 'e analyst group' piles into the light rail and head for the Fox and Goose for a goodbye Amy breakfast. I had English Bangers, scrambled eggs, wheat walnut toast and country potatoes and about three cups of coffee...

We get back to work and I have my nose to the grindstone til 430...

Pick the kids up from daycare with daddy and by 5 pm Sydney, Peyton and I are climbing into the car... without help I must add... because heaven forbid if you try to help them get into the seats or buckled... you will hear it the entire 9 mile drive..... yes back on the road and headed for home.... We arrive after a long discussion over who should be talking, who should be listening and who's park we passed....

We all climb out without help again... I'm starving.... I start dinner while the girls dump out all the kitchen toys, all the puzzles and everything they can find.... The girls are chasing each other and causing a ruckus... Scooby Time... While I finish making dinner the girls watch some of the Mummy (scooby doo). Dinner consisted of. Red potatoes (made into baked french fries, white nectarine, plums, Roma tomatoes, and chicken salad sandwich.... and ketchup.... the girls dipped everything into the ketchup... even the plum....

After dinner I pulled the Tower out and the girls helped me make a cake. They picked the pink cake and pink frosting... Dad won't be happy about that.... but there is cake. Each girl practiced breaking an egg and then cleaning up the cake mix with their tongues.... fun times....

We watched the cake rise in between playing and picking up kitchen toys.... The girls ate goldfish crackers and played with the dog, we came inside to settle down. Peyton told me she wanted my milk. mama's milk... I told her sorry, she drank it all a few months back... she was disappointed, so we cuddled on the couch and played the kissing game....next thing I know it was time for a quick bath, goldfish and off to bed... I chased the girls all over the house trying to brush their teeth, no one was cooperating tonight. Potty time and then into their bedroom





We sat down to read 'Snuggle Puppy and Goodnight Moon' after reading them a couple times I called in quits. Peyton needed to poop, Sydney needed to poop... and I need a Margarita.... Ten minutes later the girls were back in bed. one minute later Peyton was telling me that Sydney took her diaper off, then her shirt... I went in and got her diaper back on. Now both babies are only wearing diapers.... it's 853 - Bianca and Ben are home.... the babies are talking, yelling and laughing.. and here I am... waiting for my 1040 soccer game.... Peyton keeps asking me questions. Mom, can bianca spend the night, is Patrick gonna spend the night. She won't stop talking....

What i really need is a Quad Shot Iced Vanilla Latte... that will keep me up for awhile.

Surprise.... I know I haven't blogged in since Fathers Day... and it wasn't because I've been on some magnificent trip around the world or even a trip to the coast.... I just haven't had much to gossip about, but I figured I didn't want to lose my three readers ~lmao~

I had some friends come over and help me put pictures up. We moved in about 8 months ago... and we are just putting pictures on the wall.. yep, you got it right.... we were so worried about getting our backyard in... that we never took the time to really decorate the inside. I still want to paint some accent walls and I have lots more to do... But now... it feels a lil more like a home.

I got another new job... Yep... I told you back in January that this was my year... my career ladder year ~lmao~ The first time I've actually decided to do more.... I've taken at least ten exams this year.... I've gone on numerous interviews.... and then when more than one opportunity arises... I'm serenaded by the sweet sounds of home: a mother singing for her baby bird to come back... I was offered a position no one would say no to - working Marketing and Outreach for one of the most talented, exciting and encouraging people I know.... heck she could have offered me rotten tomatoes and I'd have come back to work with her.

The good news is I'll be working with a great group of people and a lot of them are my friends and people I've worked with in the past.... I was due to start today.... but another one of my friends got a job offer (from my same area) and so my move was put on hold ~cries real tears~ So now instead of moving with my new group today... I move July 31st.... Not gonna let that get me down....

Bianca finished Basketball camp and had a great time. I'm looking forward to more camps for her. She's still doing soccer conditioning, but it was put on hold for a week because of the smoke filled skies....

We rearranged the babies room, seperating the beds... They both started off in their own beds, but when I checked on them at 1030 last night... Sydney had climbed into Peyton's bed to slumber.

We took a trip up to Sloughhouse to get some fruits and veggies yesterday - Gonna BBQ some veggie kabobs soon.

Well off to the rat race

Happy Father's Day

We celebrated the morning singing Happy Father's Day and the afternoon BBQing Steak, Chicken, Hot Dogs. I missed the grilled zuchinni, but we have yummie mushrooms. Papa, Daddy & Tio Rudy were all there to celebrate the BIG DAY. Grandma, Mommie, Tia Andria, Tia Carmen - and all the cousins showed up. MIA - Tio Martin


Bianca & Daddy

Papa, Dominic, Grandma, Devin

Kalyn, Matthew, Peyton, Bianca, Donovan, Sydney

The Avila Crew

Dominic, Papa, Bianca

Sydney, Devin, Peyton, Donovan
Daddy & his girls

Sydney, Bianca, Peyton & Daddy

Dominic, Rudy, Devin, Andria, Donovan

Happy Father's Day - More pictures

Papa and his youngest son... and his three goofy girls....

Dominic, Devin, Tio Rudy, Papa & DJ
Grandma, her favorite son and his three sons


Papa & his first Grandchild.... the golden child ~wink, wink~ Bianca - the sweet ray of sunshine



Sydney is holding Devin's hand while he falls asleep... she loves 'her' Devin
Still holding Devin's hand
Smiling Devin
Laughing Devin
Sydney chillin in the lil yellow bus

Grandma joins the fun, her hubby, her baby boy, his baby girls -Peyton, Bianca, Sydney

A lazy Saturday Afternoon

We got up kinda early and hit the Farmer's Market to try to score some fruits and veggies. We ended up with "apples" according to Sydney. Really we got some white nectarines, white peaches, yellow peaches and plums.... no veggies...

We went home and the girls watched some Scooby Doo - they can't seem to get enough of it anymore. We went from Dora to Diego... and now it's Scooby... nothing else compares. They love sitting in their seats and watching their show... Sydney refers to everything as hers.... Her Park, Her Purple Chair, Her Pink Chair, Her Daddy, Her Mama, Her Papa, Her Nana, Her Grandma, Her Amy, Her Bianca, Her Peyton......Hers. Hers. Hers.

Uncle Michael and Michelle came by to BBQ, along with Nana, Papa, and Patrick. We had a good time, catching up on gossip, enjoying the sunshine, the BBQ, the video games, and the sprinklers.