Baptism Day

I still can't believe it.

I feel like just yesterday I was standing in a little tiny blue and white bedroom in Texas thinking "Wow, there's going to be a little baby living in this room soon". That little baby just got baptized last week. WHAT THE CRUD HAPPENED?!?

I look at Jacob and think how did this darling, smart, beautiful boy come from me? I was a holy terror! Just ask my mom, she'll tell you...she tells me every other day!

We had a great day, most all of the family was there (minus the members of our Texas family), and even some friends were able to come. It was actually much easier than I thought it would be, and somehow I managed not to go overboard. I've learned my lesson over the last few years that I seem to care a lot more about the details than everyone else does. It has saved me a lot of ginormous migraines, and a screaming fit or two (much to my husbands relief). Thanks to everyone who came, or who wanted to come but couldn't, or who didn't know about it but wish Jake well, or who could care less but will pretend that they care. We love you all!!!

Doing it the Disney way

We did it again...Disneyland!

So many of our friends have been going to Disneyland lately that I was feeling a bit left out. I talked to Mike & realized that getting him to agree to a trip there was about as likely as my being crowned the Queen of England, so I took matters into my own hands and scheduled a trip for me and the kids. I was excited that my sister Michelle agreed to go with me. It was more fun for me AND she was a total lifesaver, not to mention a really good sport! We went one day, stayed in a hotel that night and drove home the next day. It was a lot of fun, but there definetly is a reason daddys need to go to Disneyland, such as:
-To carry tired children around when they're pooped.
-To hold up beastly huge children that can't see the castle during the fireworks show. (I think Michelle lost two inches just trying to keep Kiernan up.)
-To climb all the way up the Tarzan Tree House, while mommy's rest peacfully at ground level.
-To drive home extremely exhaused mommys & kids who had a little too much fun and stayed up a little too late the night before.

Jake & Kiernan at the castle. Yes, I made their outfits.

Yes folks, she did it again. This time I started saving my money early, and scheduled in a decent dinner so that I wouldn't get bitter. It's a good thing, apparently the cost of glitter has gone UP! I think we will be seeing this every time we go.

Jake monkeying around. He was a joy to spend the day with.

Artsy shot of me & the kids on Main Street.

Auntie 'Shell & the kiddies waiting to get our tickets. Thanks for the help Sis, you're the best!

Next time Daddy will be going with us. You can just call me Your Highness the next time you see me.

Naked House

Can you say that on a Blog? *whispering* "naked"?
Oh well...
My house is in fact naked...as in, without cover. Her plumage has been plucked. We are in fact, exposed...to the world...BARE!

I now have to add to the list of things that the former owner did to ruin this house "Tree killer". He never pruned anything. The little branches that should have been pruned off never were, so they sucked the strength from the big heavy branches causing them to periodically (drumroll please) FALL OFF! We'd come home from work & there'd be a giant branch in the driveway, just sitting there for all the world like we'd planted it right in the middle of the drive. The big sequoia trees in the back were so full of sucker branches that the trees were actually dead. Really BIG trees, they even leaned a bit. (Thankfully not towards our house. Oops, did I say that out loud?)

Well, now we're totally exposed, which is:
#1- a bit unnerving, I feel like everyone can see in.
#2- VERY bright. A bit blinding actually.
#3 -Very ugly. The cost of removing them took away any money we had for landscaping for now. We are now the house you don't want to live next door to...again.

Take a look

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After