Medina Family

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T16:03:00.001-08:00

Free picture slideshow made with Smilebox

My Other Hats

2012-02-14T05:54:00.001-08:00

In addition to the owl hats, I had a few customers challenge my creativity. Since animal hats were popping up all over the department stores, I had a friend who requested for a kitty hat.

I think I got one very satisfied little girl!

I had another lady request for a HELLO KITTY hat. Here is my version:

What I loved most was the freedom some gave me to just "make" them something. I didn't come up with these on my own. These patterns are both from Vallieskids. She is SO talented!! I had visited her blog a few years ago when I first started crocheting. These pictures are my versions of her patterns.
This one she named "Bottoms Up":

This one is named "Quickly Brimmed".

I made one for a customer:

I just had to make one for myself. Here's my little model showing off my finished product:

OWL HATS

2012-02-14T05:22:00.001-08:00

Owls are the "IN" thing for 2011. I found a couple of crochet patterns online for owl hats and decided to give it a try.

My first one is from Daisy Cottage Designs:

The other pattern I found on Crochetville (http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=122078):

This is the pattern I used to create Savannah's Owl hat. Of course, I also had to make one for Gaby and Nina. My neighbor was next in line. Then my niece. I had my own walking advertisement for my work and was starting to get orders from other people too.

For the last months of 2011, I spent every spare moment crocheting owl hats for my first customers.

"WHOOO...WHOOO wants a hat? DO YOU?"

Our Little Itty Bitty Baby

2012-01-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

It feels like we have been waiting a long time to finally meet you! I cannot believe how big you are already.

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb." Psalm 139:13

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

Another year gone....

Every year seems to be going by more quickly than the one before. I haven't accomplished all that I had on my 2011 Resolutions yet. Even though I feel like I am falling behind, and far from being where I want to be as a wife and mother, I am so thankful for another year to start fresh. Well....no quite so "fresh". I still have everything from the previous years tacked on, but feeling a little relieved that there's another 365 days to work on my goals!

Happy NEW YEAR!!!

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-12-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

This year...

No birthday dinner
No birthday cake or ice cream

Morning sickness has taken over! It started up just before Christmas. I was lucky to have gotten through cooking for Christmas Eve. After that, it went downhill. I cannot smell food, look at food, or even think of food. It all brings about the same result.

I am quite sad not being able to enjoy and indulge in all the yummy, delicious visions before me.

We will just have to celebrate when my stomach is more agreeable.

Santa Claus Came to Town

2011-12-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Savannah ran into our room very early on Christmas day. She was so excited!

The previous night, she was worried that Santa wasn't going to come to our house and deliver presents. The reason being that they did not write him their letters this year. She wasn't falling for my explanations that Santa was still coming, and that he knew exactly what they wanted--I had gotten his emergency contact information and emailed him everything he needed to know.

Now, here she was, sitting on our bed, describing to me what she found when she went downstairs to check their stockings.

The brownies were gone! All Santa left behind were tiny crumbs and a napkin with evidence that he wiped his mouth.

THE NEWS IS OUT!

2011-12-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

On our way to having a third of a dozen kids!

Surprise for Christmas

2011-12-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

Two more weeks before Christmas. Hmmm...my monthly visitor still has not come by. So, I decided to check. The results had me stunned for a few minutes. I sat there, just staring at it. PREGNANT! OH BOY!

I wrestled with the thought of running back into our room to announce the news. I could hear the girls all giggling as they played games on my iPhone. Robert was still snoring. Instead, I quietly walked in and sat at my desk. I pulled down the book of names, where I had jotted down our previous name choices when we found out we were pregnant with each of our girls. I started to browse through the girl names again.
It was like a flashback to another Christmas 6 years ago. Robert and I found out that we were going to have our first baby. We kept it a secret from our families for a week and surprised them all on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Now, here we are, another Christmas surprise waiting to be announced. Seeing that this is going to be the last baby in our growing family, I thought it would be most fitting to have a replay of that special Christmas. This time, it meant keeping it a secret from Robert too.

I'm not very good at keeping secrets from Robert though. I tell him EVERYTHING! So, I was only able to keep the news to myself for a week. Besides, he seemed to have some sort of "Preggie Radar". He kept throwing out "baby" comments all week, and I did all I could to bite my tongue and not say anything back that might give my secret away. Well, it turned out that he had known that same weekend! Of course I had to take a picture of my pregnancy test result, which was what he saw while searching for a picture of the girls on my iPhone.

Merging

2011-03-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

As 2009 arrived, the question of home became a topic to explore. The economy was hitting my parents hard. They still had their property in Westminster, and struggling to continue making regular payments on the house in Irvine. The worst possible outcome would be for them to lose their house in Irvine, and probably move back into their home in Westminster or downsize to a smaller home or apartment. As for our family, we were looking into finding low-income apartments. Still, with both of us working, even a 2 bedroom apartment was out of our range of affordability. Our ONLY option was to rent an apartment with another party. So, we proposed the idea of living together with my brother-in-law, and we all looked at the positives this merge would bring.

In the summer of 2009, our little family not only grew by the birth of our third daughter, but we also took in my brother-in-law and niece to live with us. The idea was born with the intention to help my niece find success in school--more structured environment--while giving my brother-in-law support in raising her while working and going to school. We looked at several apartment communities in Irvine, knowing that the school district is very well known for student success and accelerated curriculum. In the end, we ended up staying at my parents' house and expanding the number of our household from 7 to 9! Yes, 9 people fit in a 5 bedroom house. That solved their financial concerns, and opened up a new chapter in our lives living in Irvine.

We definitely all felt the changes this living situation brought on. Since I am only working part time, I was mainly responsible for the care, discipline, and educational support for my niece. I knew that it was going to be a big responsibility for me to take on, but did not see how much it was going to consume my life. It was like having another daughter, but with there were areas in her life that I could not address or change since she was not one of my own. On her end, it was just as difficult being under the care of a mother figure, but not having the same privilleges as a daughter would. It was a difficult beginning and a heartbreaking end. We all learned some very important lessons, and unfortunately felt some pain that comes in all real relationships.

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-04T22:55:00.000-07:00

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key

We had a slow start to our day. We are still trying to get back into the swing of things and fall into our old routines. I was the last one to go to bed last night, and the first to rise. The rest of the family snored away into the morning. We ended up easing into our morning eating cereal, getting pedicures, and dressed for the 4th of July. This year's theme is pink and stars. At least that's what it is for the kids. Robert and I sported our reds and blues.

Robert made Aquadito con Pollo, while I got our picnic ready for our evening at the the Laguna Hills Community Center and Sports Complex. We finally found a great place to watch a FREE fireworks show, get good food, FREE games, crafts and face painting, a playground for the kids to run around in, and music to go with the fireworks. There were a lot of people, but we still found great parking at the high school at 5 pm. There was also plenty of places to spread out our blanket and browse the food booths. Robert even got a kabob plate for a decent price, plus all the money benefits the high school.

The most awaited part of the evening began around 9 pm. The girls were enthralled by the colorful, sparkling display of fireworks that lit up the sky. I can still hear the booming and crackling of the fireworks, and see the lights dancing in the sky. It leaves a smile on my face, as I picture the look on their faces. I am so glad that they love it as much as I do.

Most of all, I thank God for the freedom we have in this country and the freedom we have from sin's grasp in our lives through Jesus!

Waiting for Sleep

2010-07-04T03:57:00.000-07:00

I remember having sleepness nights. Then I would hear Savannah get up and make her way down the dark hallway, open our door, and crawl into bed next to me. As soon as she is with me, snuggled down under the blankets, I could finally close my eyes and drift off to sleep. Tonight is one of those nights. Goodnight Savanah ...I love you!

Summer Time

2010-07-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

I love summer! The birds seem to chirp louder. The sun shines brighter and warmer. The days last longer. The ice cream and watermelon tastes much sweeter.

I'm looking forward to BBQ'ing and baking cookies with my little bakers-in-training. I can't wait to take them to the lagoon and watch them go down the water slides, wade in the water, and build sand castles. I can already smell the sun block, and feel the sand and grass beneath my bare feet.

I've switched my work schedule to accommodate our summer activities. We have our traditional Tuesday movie dates at the Irvine Spectrum or Foothill Ranch. There are a lot of repeat favorites from the previous years, and a few we've been waiting to see. We hope to schedule some play dates with old and new friends, and maybe a couple of beach days at our newly found favorite baby beach at Seabridge Park. And, depending on how my schedule and cousins' and sister-in-law's schedules go, we would like to set up a day to visit the water park in La Mirada, hang out at the pool with Auntie Kelly or Auntie Pearl, and go bowling.

A new activity for us this year is gymnastics and jazz and ballet. I was hoping to enroll both Savannah and Gaby into gymnastics, but I could only get one to work my work schedule. Gaby started her first day of July taking her first class at Wildfire Gymnastics. Although Savannah is typically the one climbing poles and swinging on bars, Gaby is not far behind, trailing after her big sister and attempting to copy all that she sees Savannah doing. I hope to see her get more comfortable and confident in what she can do, to let go of some of her fears, and do her best learning something new.

She had a great first day in class. She learned some terms and positions, like "pike" and "candlestick". She got to stretch like a cat, and lay on her belly like a dolphin. She walked on the balance beams, with help from Mommy. She seemed to enjoy jumping on the trampoline and was somewhat okay being thrown a few times by me into THE PIT. At one time, she wanted to stop but I urged her to finish her task. At the end of class, she got stamps on both hands and feet. She also got to see all the trophies on display. She definitely has her eyes set on her prize, for at the end of her 4 weeks, she wants to earn a trophy!

As for Savannah, she will be taking Jazz and Ballet starting next month. I know she is dying to walk the balance beam and swing on the bars as she watches Gaby playing in the gym. Still, she is also anxious for her own class to start. Nina is still a little young for these classes, but we will see about getting her started in taking a Mommy-and-Me swimming class.

It is an exciting time for our little ones as they discover new things this summer!!

Savannah is Enrolled in Kindergarten

2010-06-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Almost 5 years I gave birth to a beautiful little girl, and this year she is going to start Kindergarten! I cannot believe that time is coming soon. I spent the past month getting myself organized, and preparing all of the paperwork and setting up dental and doctor appointments.

On Thursday, she had her first visit to the dentist. She walked back all by herself and got her teeth cleaned and x-rays taken. She came back after eager to show her bag of goodies to me and Gaby. She was so happy to get a new toothbrush and toothpaste that tasted like "bumblegun". The coolest thing she got was what she called "medicine", a gum that turns her teeth pink if she doesn't brush well.

The next day was her turn for a nurse visit at Bristol Park. She had just finished watching Gaby get a couple of shots earlier in the week, and she was not happy to be going for the same thing. Stuffed animal in hand, she laid down on the exam table and bravely took the remaining immunizations she needed to be set for Kindergarten. On top of that, she also needed to get a TB test done. Lips tightly pressed together, she endured it all without a single tear or whimper. She uttered one word: OUCH!

We went back to Bristol Park first thing Monday morning for the TB test result, which was normal. She was afraid that she was there for more shots and was so relieved to know that the nurse was only going to check "Mr. Smiley Face" on her arm. Later in the afternoon, we walked to Northwood to fill out school forms and turn in all our necessary documents. She is officially enrolled for Kindergarten 2010-2011. We go back on August 24 for her assessment to see which group she will be placed with. By that time, she may already be reading. We have been practicing reading a few sight words, and she just loves to write and learn how to spell so many words.

Our Starlette

2010-06-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

We've been told many times that we should get our kids into the entertainment industry. Our usual response is to say "Thank you" and smile at the thought of seeing them start modeling or being an extra on one of Disney's sitcoms. We will not deny that we believe our children are gorgeous and talented! After all, as parents, we are completely biased! But when I think about our girls standing in front of strangers, and being asked to perform, I envision them grabbing on to my leg, shaking their heads profusely and hoping to disappear behind me. They seem so shy, and the last thing they want is to have a spotlight shining on them.

So, on Father's Day, we were walking around the Irvine Spectrum, heading over to the pet store, when we passed by this lady with her adorable, little white dog. I pointed the dog out to Gaby and urged her to say hello. Too shy, she wouldn't utter a word. The woman stopped and let Gaby have a closer look at her dog. She proceeded to talk to us, and commented on our girls. She gave us her card, and encouraged us to call and set up an appointment to visit her work place, ICT (I C Talent). As usual, we smiled and thanked her for her compliments and went about the rest of the day.

This time, we did more than just giggle at the idea and fantasize about seeing Savannah play a younger version of Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. We talked about it a little more seriously and decided that it wouldn't hurt to go and see what ICT was all about, and see where it would lead. I called and set up an appointment. Wednesday night, pictures of each of the girls in hand, we drove to ICT and sat through a presentation about the school. It was hard to really listen and pay attention with Nina walking back and forth between parents, siblings, and strangers. Savannah and Gaby were both getting restless and hungry for snacks they were eyeballing in the vending machine. When the kids in the audience were called up to participate up front, I tried to urge the older two to join in, but they shook their heads.

I took the girls for a potty break and by the time we came back, the room was almost empty, with a few families gathering their things together and disappearing into three rooms. We waited for our turn. We were there for almost two hours. The kids were okay as long as they got another round of snacks from the vending machine while watching a movie on the big screen.

It was finally our turn. I think we were one of three more families left waiting. We walked into Helen's office. The video camera was on, taping us as we introduced ourselves and settled on to the couch. Nina did not waste her time and moved on to exploring the new room. Savannah, taking on her big sister role, went after Nina making sure she was behaving herself. Gaby sat down on the couch and was fascinated to see herself on the TV, and started to admire her very pink tongue (colored by a handful of strawberry fruit snacks).

Helen interviewed Gaby first. I tried to help refocus Gaby's attention to Helen's questions. She was too interested in seeing herself on TV. It was hilarious what she was doing and saying. She did sing Helen a couple of songs. I had to stop her abruptly when I realized she was about to start singing her "I REALLY LOVE TO FART" song.

The rest of the interview was focused on Savannah. She did well answering Helen's questions and talking to her. She was still taking in the situation and the environment, trying to figure out what she was doing there. She was not quite ready to "come out of her shell". She was soft spoken repeating lines Helen would give her. Last of all, she didn't want to stand in front of the camera.

Gaby and Nina have a 6 month wait, mostly due to age and development and available work in the industry. Helen encouraged to put more of our focus right now on Savannah. She wanted us to come back the next day for a evaluation and final interview. She sent us home with a few lines to go over with Savannah. The main purpose for the evaluation would be to determine if Savannah was coachable, not to see if she could memorize the lines perfectly.

Our heads were dazed with all the information and talk of the possibilities. We went home not quite sure what to make of it all. If ICT could help develop Savannah's skills and bring out her personality and confidence, and she actually gets into the entertainment industry, there are so many benefits she could have in her near and distant future. Our main concerns are that she enjoys her classes and finds fun and enjoyment in her "jobs". We would also like to keep her grounded. Whatever financial gains she makes sets her up for college--and can help her sisters too.

We went back the next evening and watched our little girl shine for Dawn, one of the teachers at ICT. Whatever Dawn asked her to say and do she did. Gone was our shy little girl. We've never seen her warm up so quickly, especially to a stranger. Who knows what her future holds. We can only pray that God continues to be the shaper of our sweet girl, and that He be the director of her path. We signed the papers and she starts her classes at ICT on July 17th. We are excited to see her tackle this chapter in her life with as much drive and enthusiasm, and most of all joy.

Here are the pictures we shared of Gaby and Nina--they all are our shining stars!

Isn't She Lovely!!

2009-07-12T03:32:00.000-07:00

During the latter part of my pregnancy, I've had a feeling that Serafina was going to come early. My body felt heavier, and by the end of June, I was already carrying her pretty low and stretched out more than I thought was possible. Still, she didn't come out on June 26th, despite all the prodding and nodding of approval from both Robert and myself. After watching the fireworks show in Tustin, I even declared that it would be perfect for her to make her debut. She didn't budge. I did have more and more contractions during the week, and I knew something was different when I was feeling them moving from my belly and going down.

Wednesday, at 3:45 am, I woke up with the same painful contractions. This time, they felt a little worse. I tried the usual. I drank some water and shifted which side I was sleeping on. They weren't going away. I woke Robert up for his iPhone, which has a Contraction Calculator application so I could see how far apart they were coming. 6 minutes. 4 minutes. 3 minutes. 5 minutes. 3 minutes. I got up. Having showered earlier, my hair was a crazy mass on my head, and I decided that since I had a while before leaving for the hospital, I was going to do my hair. Yes! Call me crazy, but there I was in the bathroom, straightening my hair and dealing with contractions coming in every 3 minutes. I did wake Robert up to tell him that this was it! Serafina was coming! I still managed to get dressed and finish putting on my makeup while he took my hospital bag to the car and wake up a little more. I calmly woke my parents to let them know I was having contractions, and that we were leaving for the hospital. Oh! How I wanted to stop by Starbucks and get a caramel frapp and a pastry on the way to the hospital, but I'm sure my doctor and the nurses would have frowned at me for that decision.

We arrived at the hospital by 6 am, and were admitted right away. Dr. Hagadorn was called. I was hooked up and monitored. Went through the questionnaire while enduring more contractions. The best thing the nurse told me was that I was going to get something to stop the contractions because I was already 3-4 cm dilated at this point. THANK YOU!!!! I couldn't take any more waves of pain. I might have started crying if I had to feel them for another hour. I had my blood drawn at the same time they were trying to find a spot to insert my IV.

Dr. Hagadorn was ready to get things going by 8 am. They moved me to the other room and prepped me for surgery. As my legs started to tingle and go numb, I remember thinking what a terrible feeling it is to not be able to move a part of your body no matter how hard you try. My only consolation was that I would be pain free for a good number of hours. My surgery didn't take long. Pressure here. Pressure there. I could feel them pulling, and pushing down on my belly. More pulling. They told Robert he could get up and get ready to get that perfect picture. Then I heard that most beautiful cry! Serafina was out! What a precious sound. Her cry, greeting the world. I was still shielded, waiting to finally meet my little one.

Serafina Luz Virtucio Medina
Born on July 8, 2009 (they called it "Lucky 07-08-09")
9:09 am
6 lbs 9 oz
18 inches long

So tiny. So beautiful. Look at her long fingers. Tiny little toes. All that hair! So beautiful. I love her!

Stitched up and going to recovery. Robert and I were exhausted by then. Robert was starting to feel the loss of sleep, and I was just worn out from dealing with the contractions and birth process. I looked at Robert while he sat holding Serafina and said to him, "And to think I really did say just a week ago: Wouldn't it be nice to have a little bit of the natural birth experience? To go through the "surprise" and having contractions tell my body that the baby is on her way? Not as far as having my water break, but to at least make it to the hospital before that happens?" HAHA! Be careful what you think about when it comes to your ideal birth story, right??

I definitely got the birth experience. At least as much of it as I can handle. We are so thankful to be blessed with another beautiful little girl. Pray for us as we continue to seek God and His wisdom in raising our daughters.

One Tough Day

2009-07-05T21:58:00.001-07:00

Today was just rough. I got charts for each of the kids, and was attempting to start Gaby's formal potty training this morning. I guess it wasn't a good day to start that, and she's not quite ready for such a formal rewards "program". She was fine to sit on the toilet the first time and was excited to get a sticker for doing so. Unfortunately, the sticker is reusable and cannot stick on where she wanted it...her hand. Putting it on the chart made it worse. Then I decided, since she wasn't ready, that I should just remove the chart (out of sight, out of mind). Sad to say, it wasn't out of mind yet, and she came back to the bathroom and screamed even more when she saw that it was gone. It was downhill from there. Couldn't get her dressed. She kept trying to tear her dress off. Finally got her into something she did like, only to end up hitting Robert with a very heavy compact mirror that I've had back when we were just dating. The crying was on and off for 3 hours. We completely missed church, and she ended up falling asleep in the middle of her crying. Robert was worn out too, so there they were both asleep just past out bedroom door. We also missed breakfast, so by the time she woke up, and in a much better mood, I was super cranky and hungry. We ended up eating lunch at Soup Plantation, and even got her to sneak in a one hour nap while at the grocery store. Then another tantrum started once we got home because she wasn't quite ready to wake up, and wanted only Daddy to undo her carseat buckles. Crying was on and off again for an hour. Thankfully, things calmed down more and we were able to enjoy a good number of hours without any more breakdowns. Yes...today would be one of those days you just want to crawl back into bed and start over again.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T23:14:00.001-07:00

Our Saturday started out busy as usual, having the girls help me make pancakes in the morning. I don't know what would happen if I ever decide to change our breakfast menu to something else other than pancakes!

After breakfast, we got ready to enjoy our little Mommy/Daughter and Daddy/Daughter dates. We've been noticing how much the girls have been seeking to us out individually for attention of any kind. Since Savannah and I seem to be missing our quality time with each other, I took her to do a fun art project for the 4th of July at Lakeshore. Robert took Gaby for a horsey ride at the Spectrum. We all had a good time bonding with each other, and just having a more focused time with our dates.

The rest of our afternoon was spent grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, running around the backyard and taking pictures, and relaxing. We ALMOST had a late afternoon nap, but the girls were a little restless and anxious to get on the road to see fireworks. It was no surprise that within our 15 minute drive to our destination, both of them were fast asleep. We let them snooze for about an hour, and later woke them with a smidge of a meltdown just before the fireworks began. As much as they both protested being woken up, I am sure that they were both glad they did not miss out.

It was a treat to watch their eyes light up whenever the sky lit up and "boom" of the fireworks echoed in their ears. Every once in a while, Gaby would "ooh" and ask her doll Charlie, "You like it, Charlie?" Savannah would also point out how much she loved the pink and purple fireworks. I love fireworks!! I am so glad to be able to share my excitement and love for it with my girls. One of these days, I would love to take them to see a fireworks show with the orchestra playing along. Now that would be perfection!

My Little One Prays

2009-07-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

For a couple of months, it was a huge struggle to get Gaby to participate in praying or even be tolerant of us praying. It must have been a phase because she is now back to reminding us to pray, praying along, and even volunteering to lead us in prayer. I love hearing her little voice echo my words as we talk to God about our day and give Him thanks for all the things He has blessed us with. Many times, she even interjects her own thoughts and prayers for others who we may have forgotten or for whom she feels strongly in heart needs to be prayed for.

The sweetest sound for me this week was when we were praying before lunchtime on Wednesday. My friend, Kristin, and her 1 year old daughter, Mackenzie, joined us for lunch and a playdate and we were sitting around the table getting ready to thank God for our food. Gaby decided she was going to go ahead and start, with a little help. Savannah later chimed in for God to bless people in our family. Mackenzie also joined in and shared a prayer of her own.

She Really Does Listen!

2009-07-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

So...here we were, sitting around the table eating ice cream.

S: Mommy...thank you for taking me to see fireworks.
M: You're welcome, honey. I'm glad you woke up in time to see them.
S: Mommy...I was a little scared.
M: Did the "boom boom" scare you? I know that it can be pretty scary because it's so loud. But that's my favorite part. I love feeling the "boom boom" in my heart.
S: Mommy...Lola's heart goes "boom boom". How come Lola doesn't like salt?
M: Too much salt makes Lola's blood pressure go up.
S: If Lola's heart goes "boom boom"...
M: When it "boom booms" too fast?
S: I will call...
M: 9-1-1?
S: Uh-huh...
M: Nanas...you will make a great nurse someday!
D: She should just become a doctor! =)
M: Nanas...would you like to be a nurse or a doctor?
S: Mommy...I'm just going to be Odette (the princess from THE SWAN PRINCESS).
M: Hmm....then we better find you a prince!
S: No...I'm just going to be Odette.
D: I want to have a say in the state of affairs. I want to have power!
S: DADDY!!! (smiling, and half-laughing and quite serious) IF YOU WANT POWER, YOU NEED TO ASK GOD!!
M: Nanas, you are so correct! Daddy should pray that God would bless him with that!

We've had several conversations with Savannah about how wizards, and people who pretend to have power with the use of magic do not really possess great power. It is just magic, and nothing greater than that. Only God has power, and the greatest power of all. If we ever are in need of help and strength, because we know that we, on our own, cannot accomplish the task(s) at hand, we can go to God seek His help and strength.

God, help us to always be ready and prepared to take these teachable moments to share who you are with our children. As young as they are, they DO listen and hear what we say. They also DO hear and listen to what we don't say and model after attitudes we may not be aware that we are displaying.

Favorite Words and Phrases

2009-06-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

Savannah:

1) Mommy, I'm Odette!

My reply: I miss Savannah! Oh how I wish she would come back home!

2) Mommy, when I grow up, I'm going to have a baby in my tummy just like you, and her name will be Georgia.

My reply: When you're married, and to a good man!

3) I'm going to marry Derek.

My reply: Derek needs to talk to Daddy and get his permission, ok?

4) Mommy, do you love me? Do you love me still? Are you proud of me?

My reply: I will always love you!! Whether you're good or being naughty, I will love you always! I am very proud of you. You
make me very happy! You are a wonderful big sister, and a great helper to Mommy!

Gaby:

1) I do it!! -- usually followed by "Caillou", as she pretends to be Rosie.

My reply: I do it, MOMMY.

2) Oh no! She sad! She crying!

3) I got it first!

4) No thank you!

5) Gaby too!! Gaby too!! -- sometimes we wonder if she thinks that is her name.

6) My shoes!!! MY SHOES!!!

7) No...not like that!

I love waking up in the morning to the sounds of Savannah and Gaby playing in their room. They have such great imaginations! It is a melting pot of all their favorite episodes of Caillou, Veggie Tales, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Charlie and Lola, and Disney movies. I hear them interacting and playing roles as if in a play, taking turns directing each other.

Other mornings, I do wake up to the not-so-great sounds of screaming and arguing and crying. Even during these moments, my girls make me proud. With no one to guide them and give them the words, I hear them apologize and forgive each other. Thank you, Lord, for helping us teach them to seek forgiveness and forgive others.

Humor

2009-06-26T22:15:00.001-07:00

Kelly joked around about this, but secretly I've been hoping it WOULD happen that Serafina be born today. Wouldn't it be awesome for all my girls to be born on the 26th, just two months apart from each other? As of right now, I am less than two hours to saying goodbye to the 26th of June with no signs of any changes or start of the labor process. God has His own timing, and has planned as to when Serafina will be born. So, we continue to wait. 2 weeks today!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

Savannah, Gaby and I treated Robert with his favorites on Father's Day. We grabbed breakfast from East Coast Bagel Co. on the way to church. Then for lunch, we went to Wahoo's where we all enjoyed some good grub and conversation. Of course, we got coffee for the trip home! We stopped at the grocery store to pick up ingredients for the Rice Krispies treats the girls wanted to make for their Daddy, then we finally went home. From one place to another, Robert did not have to do one bit of driving!

Robert had a relaxing afternoon, laying out in the yard on the picnic blanket as the girls ran amuck and I spent some time sitting around indoors. In fact, he was so relaxed that he ended up taking a nice long nap under the trees.

The rest of the day was spent with Lolo. Carlo, Kelly, Judy, and Ruthella joined us for dinner. Thank you to both Mom and Dad--even though it was YOUR special day--for doing all the cooking!

A FEW THOUGHTS:

When we were having lunch at Wahoo's, I asked Robert:

"What has been THE MOST significant part in your life as a father? In general, and for each of the girls?"

I asked my dad this same question during dinner, and their answers were similar: TIME SPENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

It is just as special and important to children how much QUALITY time they spend with their dad's. I don't remember much from my first 3 years when my Dad was still with us in the Philippines, but my Dad recalled how I would wait for him to come home from work. One day, when my Dad was already living in the States, my Mom wrote to him that she couldn't find me for hours. She had looked everywhere and finally found me sitting outside the gate of my Lolo's and Lola's house. I was waiting for him to come home.

Savannah and Gaby are the same. Close to the time they know their Daddy is coming home, they are looking out the kitchen window or from our bedroom window upstairs. They squeal and run out to greet their Daddy before he can even get out of his car. And the hours they spend with both their Daddy and Lolo, making up stories, and running around screaming with delight--THESE are the moments they will remember their whole lifetime.

My fondest memories of my Dad were doing building projects to house another pet he helped me bring home. We would draw up our design, buy the materials, and build bird/rabbit cages and a dog house from scratch.

ONE TO THINK ABOUT:

Here's Robert's question:

"If you were to die today, do you think you would leave the legacy you want your children to have?"

It doesn't matter how long you've been a parent. What legacy are you leaving behind? What will your children remember about you? What lessons in life have you taught them so far? What do you want them to know and remember?

I don't want my children to remember that Mommy was always busy cleaning and cooking, but didn't have time to sit down and tell them stories or read to them. I don't want them to remember us sitting in front of the computer searching the internet or playing games, or spending hours in front of the TV and calling it "family time". I want them to remember the Saturdays we would get up and make our pancake breakfast. Weekend after weekend of baking homemade cookies and making ice cream from scratch. Doing arts and crafts and making cards. Playing hide-n-seek in the living room. Using Daddy as a slide or pretending he's their horsie. Daddy coming home and taking his girls our for an ice cream or hot cocoa date. Driving Lolo around in a pretend bus and visiting people and places in their imagination. Sitting out in the yard and gardening with Lola, and having Lola sing them to sleep with her made up "Lola-bies". Most of all, I want them to remember that we all talked to them about Jesus, and told them about God's love. That one day, having Jesus in their heart and evident in their lives WILL BE the legacy we leave behind.

Another Appointment Down...Two More to Go!

2009-06-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

We're down to going every week now. I love this part because it makes the wait seem to go by faster! Two weeks and 3 days left, and I've only gained 25 lbs. so far!!

Serafina is stretching me out more than either Savannah or Gaby did during my pregnancies with them. My doctor made a comment that she seems to have grown a lot since the last time he saw me. I definitely am feeling the belly weight. My left knee hurts a little when I go up and down the stairs. It's getting harder to get up from the floor, so I try not to put myself in that situation. I need to support my belly just to roll from one side to the other. My entire body moves when Serafina moves.

Aside from the discomforts, and lessening amount of energy, I am enjoying these final weeks as a pregnant mom. I officially stopped working last Thursday. As an added bonus, I didn't even have a session on my last day. I did miss spending my last 2 weeks with one of my favorite kiddos, but was thrilled to be able to join him and his family celebrate his, and his sisters', 3rd birthday. So far, I have spent my time sleeping in, and relaxing more. Savannah and Gaby are thrilled that Mommy no longer has to leave for work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have a line up of activities for me to do with them. In fact, Savannah's request upon finding out that I didn't have to work on my last day was for us to make pancakes for breakfast!

The girls' room, family room, and our bedroom are now all ready to welcome Serafina. I feel more at peace with my surroundings, give or take a few more things I would like to fix up. I am satisfied enough and can turn a blind eye to all the other little things. Pray that Savannah and Gaby will fall back into an earlier Night Night routine, and that Gaby will have an easier time falling asleep. We've also started introducing Gaby to the wonderful world of "going to the potty", and hope that we can stay consistent and get rid of another set of diapers/pull ups. Savannah continues to be my right hand, and super helper! I am truly blessed!

The Countdown Has Begun

2009-05-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today, I am 28 weeks and 5 days. 10 more weeks before we welcome little Serafina into the world and into our family! We are so excited, and getting a bit anxious for that day to come. I am officially schedule for a c-section on July 10 at 7:30 am. I know I don't do so well being up that early, but if that means I'll at least be able to eat lunch by noon or a little later, so be it!

As far as the pregnancy itself, I am feeling like I'm carrying a huge watermelon. My belly has popped out more the past 2 weeks. I am growing more uncomfortable each day as the baby continues to take up more space. Work is a little harder and I'm not sure how much longer I can last doing 3 sessions on my work days--I'm sure some of the parents are wondering WHY I am STILL working at this point. Savannah and Gaby are constantly giving Serafina hugs and kisses, and insist that she wants to come out soon to play with them. Believe me, I want that too.

We are in limbo right now as to when my final day at work will be. So far, the plan is for me to continue working until July 2. By mid-May, I will be dropping my last case of the day. Then, after coming back from vacation, I'll either continue with the two cases, or drop it down to one. We'll see what actually happens. My brain has a tendency to be more ambitious than what my body can actually handle.

Nap Time and School

2009-04-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

I've been very blessed that Gaby does really well going down for a nap. All she needs is her baba, soft music, and a quiet room. When she's all done with the baba, she sets it aside and goes to sleep (2-3 hours).

Savannah kept asking, or should I say "telling", me to put Gaby down for a nap. She was very eager to do "SCHOOL" today. So, as soon as Gaby was sleeping, I printed out some writing skills worksheets for Savannah and got her started on tracing while I took a shower.

We also worked on putting numbers 1 - 10 in order and writing upper/lowercase letters A - J.

She loves school time! As you can see, she is a hardworker and a bit of a perfectionist.

Lord Bless....

2009-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, Gaby was just not interested in praying. We couldn't get her to put food down to thank God for our food, or distract her from wanting her baba at bedtime to thank God for the day He had given us. Things have definitely changed the past month! Not only does she interject her own prayers as Robert or I pray with the girls, but she has led our prayer time by asking:

Lord bless....Mama and Daddy, and Nanas
Woh-woh and Woh-wah
Gamma and Gump-Gump
Uncle Mike and Issa
Uncle Cah-oh and Ankie Keh-ee

What a blessing it is for us, as parents, to hear these words come out of their children's mouths, especially as young as Gaby!

Lord...bless Gaby!

Little Messages

2009-04-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

About 2 weeks ago, Savannah started leaving little messages for us. She'll leave one on Lola's work space and Lolo's computer desk in the office, and leave ours on our desks in our bedroom office. It's a well thought out process. She gets a Post-It and cuts it in half. Then she folds it up and tapes it down so we can enjoy opening it. At first, they were blank. This past week, she has surprised us with her knowledge of print. I know she can print "A", "O", and "S". I was overjoyed to find out that she can also do "D", "L', "f", and "E". Her letters are not random either. For Lola, she writes "LOL". "OLL" for Lolo. "D" is for Daddy. She's still learning "M" and I can't wait to find one of those on my desk!!

We Have a Due Date

2008-12-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

Within the last month, we have been waiting (a bit impatiently) to find out HOW pregnant I am, and when we'd be expecting the birth of our third little surprise =)

So, after two blood tests, three ultrasounds, and even starting to wonder if I am even pregnant or if the baby is in the right place, we are happy to know that, as of today, I am 7 weeks and 5 days, and that the little one is due July 17, 2009. WHEW!

My doctor commented how that is far down the road from now. Yes...very true! Right now, I am thankful that the baby is growing and has a strong, healthy heartbeat. Can you imagine, just two weeks ago, all you could see was a clear bubble?? And now, our little one is starting to take shape and it's heart is already beating! Children are truly a miracle, and a beautiful, intricate creation of God.

Now...if only the morning sickness will go away, so I can go back to enjoying the smell and taste of food =)

OB-BYN Search

2008-11-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

I spent yesterday in search for an OB-GYN who is covered by our current insurance and will also be covered by the insurance Richoh will be switching over to next year. After looking at a list of unfamiliar names, I was almost resolved to go back to the doctor who took care of me during my pregnancy and delivered Gaby: Dr. Wan. Unfortunately, after trying several phone numbers, I was not able to find him. The only doctor who was close enough to our home is Dr. Bruce Hagadorn, who I will hopefully meet this Friday. I go in for blood tests.

So far, all is going well. I have not had any morning sickness. If I didn't know I was pregnant, I would be in the mindset to start going to the gym or getting more exercise =)

Once...Twice....Three Times...

2008-11-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

So, here it is in a nutshell:

Yes! I am pregnant =) We didn't plan it at all. We were aiming for at least another year before having another baby, but God's timing is different from ours. I had missed my "visitor" last month, but I figured it was stress-related. I had taken a home pregnancy test a couple weeks ago, and it came out negative. Still no "visitor" this month, so that prompted me to take another test. I waited. Then stared, and stared. I think part of me was hoping that by staring long and hard enough, "Not" would suddenly appear before "pregnant". It didn't. We confirmed it at the doctor's this afternoon, even though we were pretty sure the results were correct.

We shared the news with our parents, and pretty soon, all our family and friends will be in on the news! We're praying for a boy! Although, we already have a name picked out if it's a girl--I love the name so much that I'm sort of hoping for another girl! HEHE!

Three Little Princesses Wishing All "Happy Halloween!"

2008-11-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

I had it all planned out. Savannah was going to be Aladdin's Jasmin this year, and Gaby was going to be Snow White. It is so much easier to make the choices for them when they cannot argue with you! Savannah has been in love with Snow White the past year, and could not be convinced to be any other princess. So, fortunately for her, when I was out looking for a Jasmin costume, Cinderella became more affordable. To complete the set, cousin Alyssa dressed up as Sleeping Beauty.

We had a fun day hanging out at home, then scurrying around getting the girls bathed, dressed, and ready for Savannah's Daycare party.

Then we were off to Grandma's and Grandpa's for Trick-or-Treating.

(I applaud all you moms who tackle 3 kids daily, just to make it out of the house and somewhere on time!)

Happy Birthday!

2008-11-08T00:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, to my love! You bring laughter into our family, whether you're laughing at me over something I don't find so amusing or tickling it out of the girls. I love you for having enough energy at the end of your work day to greet your little ones, who run at you with full force! WE LOVE YOU!!

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

This year, we did something a little different from the usual pumpkin patch outing. Tanaka Farms is a great place to visit! It is 30 acres of farm land, growing organic fruits and vegetables. We started our day there with a wagon ride tour. We saw a variety of vegetables, fruit trees, and a huge pumpkin patch complete with scarecrows. We had fun going through the corn maze. Can you imagine what Savannah and Gaby must have been thinking once they realized they were surrounded by their favorite food? From there, we went to pick our own vegetables. It was a great experience for the girls to dig into the dirt and work hard to pull out radishes, carrots, onions. Gaby was very into eating everything she picked. We had just enough time to visit the petting zoo and enjoy playing with the sheep, goats, and pigs. By then, we were all starving! We stuffed ourselves at Dickey's BBQ Pit. I think the kids enjoyed FREE ice cream more than anything else.

Catching Up

2008-10-17T12:34:00.001-07:00

Wow! It's been another month since the last post, AND I still need to put in updates from mid-July up until now. Okay...here I go!

July:

We celebrated Kelly's birthday with her customized menu of Virtucio/Medina cooking. The icing on the cake WAS the icing on the cake. I made her favorite cream cheese frosting with carrot cake as an added bonus. She arrived just in time when I was mixing up the frosting and got first dibs on the spoon. We definitely enjoyed celebrating with her--it's always fun to have good food with good company!

August:

The biggest event in August came at the end. We celebrated Savannah's 3rd birthday with an ocean themed party at Arroyo Vista Park. It was a cozy gathering of family and friends. The kids enjoyed playing at the park, and swimming in the big pool.

Once again, we took a simple party menu and took it to the next level. We had enough food to send everybody home with "take-home bags". Consider it as party favors for the adults.

Savannah was quite pleased with her Nemo balloon, octopus cupcakes, and fish crakers/gummy octopus favors. She is already planning for her 4th birthday--unicorn theme.

Savannah celebrated her real birthday at her daycare. Her birthday was extra special since she got to share it with her teacher, Miss Laura. She received such nice presents from her friends/parents and teachers. She also had fun beating her #3 pinata and eating more cupcakes!

The best part of her 3rd birthday was going to Petsmart and picking out Dorothy's new home. Remember Dorothy? Her goldfish from last year's Harvest Festival? Yes! The one who went on "vacation"--TWICE--after Thanksgiving! Well, Dorothy was ready to come home from vacation and needed a bigger place to live since she was bringing home her friend, Toto. After setting up the new aquarium and letting the water run for a day, we finally went back to Petsmart to pick up her two fish. Now, we know she knows it's not the same Dorothy. In fact, every orange fish she pointed out she called Dorothy. And the fact that she asked for four Dorothys clued us in! HAHA!

September:

This month was a little more relaxed. We spent most of it setting up playdates. We did one with Marshall and Samara. We had them join us for lunch and stay to play--we need to do this more often! Savannah and Gaby love having friends come over to play, and I enjoy the time talking to another mom (yeah!!! adult conversation!!).

Our other playdates were with Makayla and Laney. Our first one was at Boomers in Fountain Valley. The girls had a great time riding the train and balloon ride. Chialee and I both donated to their playtime in the arcade room. The best game for the girls was the "Spider" game, where you stomp on the spiders that light up to get points, and earn tickets. Ski-ball was a little challenging, and dangerous at times! Watch out for the overhead throws! We took the rest of the day at the park nearby. The kids got to burn off more energy and roll around in the sand. Only thing to remember for the next park day is a toilet.

We planned another playdate to go and feed the ducks at the lake near Woodbridge Plaza. What a fun afternoon being face to face with ducks and geese! After hanging out with the ducks, we walked around the lake. We were actually able to squeeze in all four kids on to the sit-and-stand! We took a break at the park at the end of the bridge for play time and snacks. We walked back and met up with Robert and Ruby's for dinner.

With school starting up again, and Chialee's maternity leave coming to an end, we scheduled a visit to their house this time for pool day. The weather was hot, but now hot enough to make the pool water a nice temperature of 78 degrees. Ray turned on the heat, but we still spent our time siting in the jacuzzi. It's interesting how you try to fit in bits and pieces of conversations as the kids fight for attention, ask questions, beg for you to play, etc. Sometimes, I feel like I'm experiencing early onset of Alzheimer's after an interruption. It takes me a minute or two to remember what was said last...that is IF I remember it at all. My highlight was getting to hold Jarason a little more =)

Another visit we did was to go and see my friend, Jennifer, and her 2-month-old cutie, Emily. Gaby was not able to come with us since she was sick. Savannah came with me to bring them dinner and give Emily our love and undivided attention. I think Savannah is ready for another sibling. She was so gently and loving to Emily. If she could, she would just hold her all day long. Welcome to motherhood Jen!

At the end of September, we celebrated Mike's birthday at Beach Fire Grill. The kids LOVED the aquarium of various salt water fish--clown fish, puffer fish, eel, etc. We had a nice quiet corner, and the food was alright. Mike was the best uncle to share his birthday treat with the girls. I think they ate more of it than he did. We spent some time at the park across the street for pictures. Then, we went back to the house to taste mom's experimental chocolate cake! YUMMY!

October:

We kicked off this month celebrating Dad's (Manuel) birthday. We met up at O'Neill Park for play time for the kids and pictures. We headed off for an early dinner at Rose Canyon Cantina & Grill. This is a nice restaurant tucked away in Trabucco Canyon. We had a wonderful dinner out on the patio. A great place to relax and enjoy time with family. Mom had another YUMMY cake waiting at home. No siesta that day, but definitely a lot of fiesta!

The following Friday, we trekked out to Long Beach to see the Shark Lagoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The whole place looks spectacular at night. The Queen Mary is out resting on the water. There are lights everywhere in the plaza! The Shark Lagoon was actually a lot more quieter than I thought. There were plenty of parents and kids checking out the exhibit, listening to the band, and playing in the play area. Gaby and Savannah loved putting their hands in the water and trying to reach the passing baby sharks. We also saw larger sharks, sting rays, and saw fish in the larger aquarium. Shark Night goes on until December 26th, so I think we will plan another trip or two back to the Lagoon. For a treat, we stopped at Starbucks for hot cocoa for the ride home.

The next day, we were up at the crack of dawn. YEAH RIGHT! We would have loved to be up that early, but we slept in instead and slowly got ready to leave for Oak Glen. We arrived close to lunch and made our first stop at Mom's Orchard. This is the best place to buy bags of apples. They also have other fruits and vegetables, and an aray of preserves, butter, salsa, and mixes. Robert got his bag of peanuts. I got my candied apple. Savannah and Gaby got their bag of caramel corn. We headed off to Los Rios to pick apples off the trees. We shared our first juicy apple--we got in trouble for that--and picked enough to fill up a big bag (and then some). We stopped for fresh grilled corn and watched someone press their own apple cider before we walked back to the car. We came home Double reds, Jonathans, Granny Smiths, and Golden apples.

We had our BIG (Everything) Party on Sunday to celebrate Carlo's, Roselle's, and Robert's birthdays. In addition to that Carlo and Kelly's 2 year anniversary and a welcome to California for Ruthella. We were weary from our previous outings, so I'm especially thankful that my dishes were fairly easy to make. Their cakes were the lava cakes from Trader Joe's, but I did make fresh apple crisp for dessert!

We are now mid-month, and we have packed in a lot of activities. We will be heading out to the pumpkin patch at the end of the month, and Trick-or-Treating at Gramma's and Grampa's neighborhood. I'd love to be able to make it to our church's Harvest Festival too, but we'll see.

As for a family update, we are all doing well. A little bit of a battle with the cold and cough since mid-September and my current pink eye issue. Robert is busy with school papers, reading assignments, and online class discussions. The end is almost near. That's what we keep saying since he is so tired and ready to be done. A few more months! December 19 is his graduation day!

A Little Competition Never Hurt Anybody...

2008-09-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

In this case, it's been quite amusing. Savannah and Gaby have entered the "Competition Phase". It all started last Saturday, when Aunti Ne and Frances came to visit. Savannah has recently learned how to tumble, and was showing her Lola Zenia (Auntie Ne) her new skill. Gaby was watching and decided that she was going to get some recognition for something too. She walked over near Mommy, dropped her head while Mommy pushed the rest of her body up and over. She laid on the floor clapping, and squeeling, "YEEE-AY!". Of course, all those who saw applauded and cheered. She was so happy to do it a few more times for everyone.

The very next day, while we were eating breakfast, Auntie Ne commented on Savannah singing so quietly and nicely down at her end of the table. Gaby heard this and glanced at her sister. She had this look on her face, as if saying, "Why should Savannah be the only one to be noticed for such things." All of a sudden, her face brightened up, and she opened up her mouth and sang her heart out: "Ow duh see noh....you luh meee!" I tell you, it was a beautiful sight, and a vision I will keep forever. How precious!

A Potty Story

2008-07-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

After dinner, I saw Savannah crawling/hiding under the table in the living room. This is usually her pooping time, so I asked her if she was going poo-poo. She kept insisting she didn't need to go. Still, I had her go upstairs to sit on the toilet. On her way up, she turned around (knowing that I would be right behind her) and said, "Don't come up." I pretended to stay put and told her I'd be up to check on her. As soon as she walked into the bathroom, I was up the stairs. Unfortunately, she had enough time to shut the door and lock it. All I could do was listen for her to put her potty seat on and pull down her pull-up. I kept asking her, "Are you okay? Are you sitting down? Are you going poo-poo?" She answered all of them with "YES!" A minute or two later, she exclaimed, "MOMMY!! I DID IT! I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF!!" I was excited! I asked her, "Did you put poo-poo in the toilet?" She replied proudly, "Yes, I did it myself!" I asked her to open the door, for I wanted to see this.

I walked in and saw the potty seat on the toilet. There was poop in the toilet! Then I saw her pull-up on the floor...with poop stains on it (thankfully there was no poop anywhere else). I picked it up to throw it away, only to feel how wet it was. At first I thought that she probably pee'd on it as she was taking it off. Then it dawned on me! Savannah has seen me countless times, removing her poopie pull-up and dumping the poop into the toilet. I asked her if she had pooped in her pull-up, which she answered "no" to. She looked a little guilty at my next question: "Did you poop in your pull-up then dump the poo-poo in the toilet?" She hesitated, and told me that she did not, that she did poop in the toilet. I had a short conversation about her lying, and that even though Mommy would be sad that she did not make it to the toilet in time, I would be happier that she tell me truth. So, there you have it. Although she did not actually make it in time to sit and poop in the toilet, she did answer me honestly when I asked, "Did you PUT poo-poo in the toilet?" YES, she did just that, and ALL BY HERSELF too!

FREE!

2008-07-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

I love summer! When I was younger, I looked forward to the months of NO SCHOOL, sleeping in, staying up late, and just hanging out with my friends. Before any of us were driving, we'd spend all day riding our bikes, walking to the mall, playing tennis at the park, and going to each other's houses. It got even better once we had cars because we could go to the beach and walk around Main Street.

Things change when you start working. There is no such thing as a summer vacation. No matter what month it is, you still have to wake up to get to work on time and clock in those hours. What I miss most about working at PAC is having paid vacation time. I always looked forward to the Winter, Spring and Summer break, plus the added bonus of having the week of the 4th of July off.

Summer is quite different now that I have two little girls to show the world to. I want them to experience the great outdoors, build sandcastles and frolic in the ocean waves, stay up late and gaze at the stars, cuddle up infront of a bonfire, make S'mores, go to the park, swim, go to outdoor concerts, enjoy a picnic, and much much more.

So far, this summer means going to the Woodbridge Lagoon, watching FREE movies at the Spectrum (or any other Regal Cinema), going to the park, feeding the ducks, and swimming at the pool in Grampa's and Gramma's neighborhood. Best of all, during those really hot summer nights, you can find us at Piccomolo enjoying gelato.

FOR MOVIE/THEATER LISTINGS, Check out this link:

http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx

What are you doing with my bread?

2008-07-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

We spent the entire day out. We rushed to the movies and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks. I thought it was a cute movie, and I loved the way they updated the songs. As much as I was impressed and surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie, I was amazed at how well Savannah and Gaby did in the theater. They were so good, munching away on their snacks from home, and sharing juice with Mommy.

After the movie, I took the girls on a lunch date at Inka Mama's. It was a little chaotic at first, trying to get things settled and making sure everyone's food was ready. They were both a bit squirmy, but we were able to eat without causing a scene--quite a success, if you ask me!

I was so thankful that Savannah and Gaby fell asleep on the way home. I took advantage of the quiet and drove from Foothill Ranch to Dana Point, and went along the coast up to Jamboree. By the time we got home, it was 4:30 pm. I didn't want the day to end yet, so I found some old hot dog buns in the refrigerator and took us to the lake to feed the ducks and geese.

Savannah had fun throwing HUGE pieces to her new feathered friends. Gaby, on the other hand, did not understand what we were all doing. Every time I gave her a piece of bread, she would immediately put in her mouth. I would quickly retrieve it from her mouth and throw it out to the ducks. The expression on her face was a picture I wish I could have taken. If she could talk, I am sure she would say, "WHY am I throwing perfectly good bread to the birds?"

Going Back

2008-07-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

It seems like it's been a year since Robert started applying for a position at RICOH. The opportunity was there last year, and he went through several meetings and interviews for the position that would place him solely at the Quicksilver location in Huntington Beach. That one fell through, but there was another ideal client where he would be in charge of servicing their copiers in one building. We prayed and waited, and stretched out the waiting period as long as possible without hurting his position at his current job.

After days and weeks of thinking things over and weighing out options, Robert decided to stay where he was currently working. There were changes up ahead that would make his decision to stay worthwhile. Unfortunately, there was another period of waiting for those changes to happen. In the meantime, he was still driving anywhere from LA to San Clemente, and juggling being a student, husband, and father. The stress was taking it's toll....

Another glimpse of hope to get back in to RICOH came his way a few weeks ago. Once again, he set up meetings to find out more about the position. In no time, a formal interview was done and all he had to wait for was for the paperwork to go through. Today, Robert got the call! He starts next Monday for training!

It is an answered prayer, one that has required Robert's patience to stretch and be tested, and for his trust in God to provide to be tried. It will ease up a lot of stress in regards how his days are scheduled, and make it less expensive in filling up his gas tank. I have yet to hear all the details, so more on the job change later!

Congratulations, LOVE!

HAPPY 4th of JULY

2008-07-05T23:53:00.000-07:00

Candy Crash

2008-06-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when kids eat too much candy:

Here's the real story:

I came back into the room and there she was. Robert had seen it all from beginning to end. She found the candy stash and worked hard at removing the plastic wrapping. The funny thing is that she never even took a taste! She walked around and played with candy in her hand, then fell asleep.

Marathon Runner

2008-06-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

My dad is 63 years old. When he goes out running, he can go for miles (he runs around a good portion of Irvine). He exercises like a madman, and we often worry that his techniques are going to cause him a heart attack. So far, he's proving us all wrong!

My dad's goal is to run 10 marathons in his lifetime. At this point, he is only two marathons away from reaching that goal. The last time I asked him, he said he would probably keep running marathons until he can't run them anymore.

He has always been a hardworking, and determined man. When he sets his mind to doing something, there is nothing you can say or do to deter him. Hooray for you, Dad! Those young guys you pass up must be kicking themselves for being beaten to the finish line by the "Old Guy".

Happy Birthday MOM

2008-05-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

My mom is not big on parties. She doesn't mind being pampered and cooked for--even though you'll still find her in the kitchen cooking something or helping with some cleaning; she just doesn't like to be in the spotlight. What's important to her is to be with family, and know that she is loved and appreciated.

Mom's special requests for her birthday was carrot cake and NO PRESENTS. Flowers were okay, especially since we don't seem to do too well on keeping them alive for a whole year. So, for Mom's birthday, she was surrounded by family and friends, flowers, and lots of love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! We love you so much!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day was spent enjoying a "MOM did not cook" lunch at the Edwards' home. It was so much fun being able to have the afternoon to be with my ever-expanding family! I got pulled in to play a couple rounds of Taboo. Watched the "kids" and the other young'uns play Guitar Hero--so much more challenging for those who can play a REAL guitar. I also loved being able to catch up with other moms and hear stories about motherhood!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Quality Daycare Graduation Day

2008-05-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

Savannah goes to Quality Daycare. She has been there for 4 months. She loves her teachers and all things that they teach her. She enjoys playing with her friends, singing songs, and learning new games.

I know how much she loves going to "school" because we hear her singing the songs she's learned from there every day. She even runs her own school. Sometimes she sits down with her imaginary classmates and goes over the "Good Morning" song. She'll go down the row and ask, "How are you today, _____?" and answers "Fine, thank you!" for each of them. She also does this with her family members as her students. Just do not make the mistake of calling her the teacher. She will adamantly say, "NO! I'm Nanas, big girl!"

For her first year in daycare, Savannah received a special certificate for adjusting well in daycare. She used to be the little 2 year old who did not like being woken up in the morning, and saying, "I don't want to go to school. I want to stay home with Gaby." She would be holding tightly to Mommy's hand and crying for a while once Mommy went out the door. She used to sit quietly in her chair, and watch her teachers and classmates sing and not utter one sound.

Now, she asks to go to school on the days I don't work. She sits in her chair, clapping and singing along with the rest of her friends. I am told that she is a born leader. She is not bossy, but suggestive in what she wants others to do.

I, too, have enjoyed watching Savannah blossom the past 4 months. She is learning her letters, shapes, number/counting. She will be an early reader. She loves books and loves being read to. One of these days, she'll be reading to Gaby! Of all that she is learning, we are all tickled with joy to hear her singing and saying things in Spanish. Thank you, Quality Daycare. Miss Laura, Miss Claudia and Miss Conchita, you have opened the world to her!!

Happy 1st Birthday GABY!

2008-04-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that our Gaby is now a year old! We celebrated her birthday with family and friends from church. She enjoyed the company, the special attention, and her birthday balloons (of course)!

We all have enjoyed watching her grow. She started walking at 10 1/2 months, and has taken off almost running. I know she was waiting patiently to finally learn and perfect the art of being on her feet. She used to watch Nanas and Daddy run around the house laughing and squeeling with joy, and look with yearning--with a tad bit of jealousy due to not being able to do anything else but lay around on her back or tummy. Now, she can join in the fun of being chased and chasing, playing hide and seek, and getting around to wherever she wants to go. She is also climbing up on furniture, the stairs, and anything else that she can hoist herself over. She has tried climbing out of her crib, but only if someone is present.

Gaby definitely has a mischievious side to her personality. She has this sparkle in her eye, and a slight twist in her smile that gives her away that she's up to something. She is also a joker, and loves to do things just to make you smile, and make herself laugh. On the other side, she has the best pout!

She is a curious little girl, and loves to try to figure out how things work. Last Christmas, we got her the Ball Popper as one of her gifts. I used to credit Savannah for all the little toys and objects I would find stuck in it. Later on, I found out that the true culprit was Gaby--and still is! She also loves anything with on/off buttons, especially our computers and the remote control.

Last, I think Gaby will also be into shoes like her big sister. It's fun to watch how hard she concentrates when she tries to wear our shoes.

We look forward to all the ways you will surprise and amaze us this year. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GABY! We love you!!

32...Married...with kids...and still living with Mom and Dad

2008-04-23T01:12:00.000-07:00

Most children cannot wait until they are 18 so they can "leave the nest" and make a place of their own out in our great big world. I lived with my parents until I was 26, the year Robert and I got married. We enjoyed living on our own, in our own apartment (first in Anaheim, then in Las Flores) for three years. It was great having our privacy and freedom to do whatever we liked.

It was during one of our model home tours excursions that we started toying with the idea of living in the same house with my parents. We would all have to find a house big enough for five people--my brother, Carlo, was still living with my parents at the time. Robert and I were both drowning in work and school, and the thought of living with my parents seemed like the best idea, especially when it came to saving money from eating more at home versus eating out. We also wanted to save money by having to pay less in our contribution to the household versus having to pay rent close to $1,500 - $1,800!

My parents jumped on board and in July 2004, they found a house in Irvine that was the perfect size for all of us. We were all moved in by August, and started enjoying the benefits of being in a combined household. My mom took care of the cooking, so Robert and I were free to focus more on school and still enjoyed having home-cooked meals. Our situation became even more convenient, and even necessary, as our own little family grew from 2 to 3, and then 3 to 4.

My mom was an angel sent from above during my first year of motherhood. Robert started a second job before I went into maternity leave and continued on until I was ready to go back to work. He was working his regular 8-5 job, then coming home to eat dinner and sleep for a couple of hours before going to work from 10-6. He really did not have a lot of time to sleep. On top of this, he was attempting to keep up with school. My mom also picked up a night shift tending to Savannah so that I could get some sleep at night.

My mom also became a part time nanny when I went back to work. Savannah enjoyed Lola's daycare! They sang and danced all day long! She learned a lot from Lola. Gaby is now enjoying her time in Lola's daycare. They are always singing and listening to music, and cooking up yummy food in the play kitchen.

Savannah and Gaby enjoy having so many people surrounding them, and knowing that they are so well loved and cared for. They can always count on Lola and Lolo to take care of them, and give them love and attention.

We are going on our 4th year of being a combined household. My cousin asked me the other week how long Robert and I plan to stay in this situation. Hmmm...Sometimes I really long for that day Robert and I have our own house. It is not always easy living in the same house with my mom and dad. We clash and disagree. We hurt each other's feelings. We get irritated with each other. Tempers rise. Tension grows. And, YES, sometimes we all explode!

This evening we met, for the second time, to discuss household finances. Robert and I had talked over some of the issues that my parents brought up in our first meeting and wanted to share some of our ideas, and also ask a few questions to help clarify some areas. At most, I thought 30 minutes would be enough. Almost 3 hours later, we concluded our meeting. It was a pretty good meeting, and we were close to finishing up until a misunderstanding took place. Robert excused himself abrubtly after my mom finished talking about an issue that needed to be addressed. His actions were misunderstand by both my parents, which added the 2 1/2 hours to our 30 minute meeting.

Our voice volumes went up. We argued back and forth about Robert's response, and the way my dad raised his voice. It took a while for this first issue to be resolved, but then another issue came up that was also a misunderstanding. By this point, I was shaking from the uneasiness and nervousness of confrontation. I could see that Robert was also a bit shaken. All details aside, my main reason for sharing all this is to say that I feel truly blessed being in this family. My husband and my children are my family now, but my parents are still an extension that is firmly attached.

As my dad shared from his heart how Robert and I, and Savannah and Gaby, are always a part of their plans, we also shared that we too cannot picture our home life without them. It was heartwarming to hear Robert share that his intentions in going back to school, getting a degree, and hopefully securing a better job in the future includes the idea that my parents will be taken care of in their old age, by us and not a nursing home.

I do not like big confrontations, and emotional explosions. Still, so much good comes from such times. It is good to have everything out in the open, and even though we may all temporarily feel hurt, disrespected, annoyed, and angry, we leave the situation better informed and on our way to healing and strengthening our family bond.

I am not ashamed to say that I am 32...married...with kids...and still living with Mom and Dad. If God continues to bless us in this living situation, we will be with them throughout all their days. We don't say it enough, but WE LOVE YOU, MOM AND DAD!

Big Girls

2008-04-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

My babies are growing up! I'm sure I'll be saying that every time I look at them and notice something different, or another inch added to their height, or another skill they're getting better at.

Gaby is no longer a crawler. At 10 1/2 months, she started walking! We knew she could already do it, but she just seemed so unsure of herself and the strength she possessed in her legs. One weekend, she started taking 3-4 steps. In two days, she was up to taking 10 steps. She has been walking for 2-3 weeks, and can stand up on her own (no support from anything or anyone) and take off! On top of that, she has found the joy (and pain) of climbing. She loves going to the downstairs bathroom to climb up the step stool. Her favorite, though, is going up the stairs. Sometimes she goes there intentionally. Other times, it's like a distraction when she's on her way to the kitchen. It's a game she loves, because she squeals happily when I grab her and prevent her from going up the stairs.

Gaby is resourceful, too! She knows to use objects to boost herself up to the coffee table, get on the couch, and find something on the coffee bar. Unfortunately, standing on the Sesame Street car in front of the coffee bar ended up giving her a nice bruise on her forehead. The fall could have caused a concussion, but we made sure she stayed awake and alert!

Savannah is self-potty training! This week, she has initiated going to the bathroom. She would make her announcement of either: "Mommy!! I need to go pee-pee!" or "I'm going poo-poo!". Then she goes and gets her potty seat, or just climbs right up onto the toilet and does her business!! What a big girl!

This morning, she came into our room with a pull-up in one hand, her jammie pants in the other and no pull-up on. She said, "Mommy, I went poo-poo in the toilet. Poo-poo on the floor. I cleaned it up!" She was smiling so proudly of herself the whole time. I praised her for a job well done, and, OF COURSE, ran to the bathroom expecting to find the surprise on the floor. WHEW! No surprise, but she did go like she said she did!

Princesses

2008-04-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Last week I had Savannah helping me in the yard by watering the plants. I asked her, "Savannah, can you help me water the jasmine?" She poured water on the plant, then ran over to the next plant, asking something I couldn't quite yet understand. She was so excited, and kept repeating her question as she stood infront of the plant. Then it hit me! She was asking, "Is this CINDERELLA??"

Happy Anniversary

2008-03-23T00:16:00.000-07:00

6 years, and still going strong! Yet, the past year was not void of any bumps and bruises on the way. It was one of our most challenging so far! Robert was juggling being a husband, father, children's worship leader, employee, and student. I was adjusting to being a wife, mother, and homemaker, plus throw in part-time employee in the last quarter of our 5th year. It was tough! We went through a time of either being on good terms with each other to barely talking at all.

We are still working on learning to organize and prioritize our time as a family, communicate more effectively, balancing responsibilities, and being a TEAM. We savor the times when it is just the two of us, or even just having the time to REALLY talk about the things going on in our lives while driving from one place to another and the girls are fast asleep in the back seat. Most of all, we are enjoying parenthood...EVERY part of it!

I LOVE YOU, BABES!! Happy 6th Anniversary!

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

At the Cross

At the cross
I find peace at the cross
I find life at the cross
You suffered and died for me

Your blood has washed me whiter than snow
Forgiveness is found at the crimson flow
Mercy has triumphed, my debt has been paid
At the cross

Blessed Assurance -- Fanny J. Crosby, Phoebe P. Knapp

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst at my sight!
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Carlsbad Flower Fields

2008-03-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the Carlsbad Flower Fields was a little early this year, but it was on one of the few Saturdays Robert didn't have class. The best time to go, if you want to see the entire field in bloom, is mid-April. We're just happy there were flowers in bloom around the fountain and the far left side of the field.

We took Mike and Alyssa with us, and also met up with Kuya Mike and Ate Inday at the Harbor Fish Cafe. We're hoping that we can go again with the Edwards for the annual COUSINS trip to the flower fields.

Here are some pictures of the girls:

Happy Hunting

2008-03-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Our church hosted an Easter Egg hunt at Valley Oak Park in Irvine. It was a great event for the church body to reach out to our neighbors in the community. There was face-painting, bounce houses, breakfast, raffles, and the egg hunt. Most importantly, Pastor Andy shared the true reason why we celebrate Easter--JESUS!

Sigh

2008-02-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Quite often, sighs are used to express sadness, frustration, or relief. Today, I use it to express all of the above...at once.

I left this morning in a rush, with just enough time to kiss Gaby on the head and drive Savannah off to daycare. I could tell, as soon as we got out of the car, that Savannah was already dreading the moment of me leaving. When we walked in, she made her way to Miss Claudia, and started crying. I'm thinking, I haven't even signed in and she's already crying? I still have to say goodbye!! Of course, saying goodbye made her cry all the more. I told her, the same thing I tell her every time I leave, that I love her and to have fun today, and that I will be back after nap and playtime. It really tears up my heart to see her so sad, and like any mother, all I wanted to do was to stay and comfort her.

Most of my work day was quite interesting. I was looking forward to working with Nicholas--he is SO smart and a delight! He seemed alright when I got there. His mom walked him upstairs and was able to leave the room without any problems. We got busy putting puzzles together and using appropriate language, labeling, and requesting. I figured I could run one of his programs using puzzle pieces to keep him motivated. Umm...NOPE! In fact, most of his session resulted in tears and screaming upon being required to make requests. Also, whatever activity he initiated brought on more frustration and more crying. I could not figure out what he wanted. His mom came up to see what was going on. He was still crying, on and off, even with mom there to play with us. Before the first hour was up, we actually got his mood back up playing ball. Unfortunately, his baby brother woke up and mom needed to leave to tend to him. The tears came back, worse than before. Mom came back and, as she said, it was "in stereo". She suggested that our session end early. Nicki just wasn't himself today. His allergies were bugging him, and so were his up-and-coming molars. I got him to help me clean up before leaving, so at least we ended on a good note. While I was writing in his book, I could hear him crying, and Mom and grandma trying to figure out what was bothering him. He seemed much better when I got downstairs. He said goodbye with a big smile, and ALMOST gave me a hug. I still feel loved, especially when I heard him scream as soon as I closed the door--Grandma says he does that because he's sad when his therapists leave.

Since I was done early, Robert and I were able to meet up in Tustin for a lunch date at Wahoo's. It's nice that we can do that, even when we're driving around Orange County (or LA).

After lunch, I made my way to my next case in Santa Ana. This was my first visit, so I was unsure in regards to my directions. I was starting to feel lost the further I got from the freeway and more towards the middle of Santa Ana. I was already at Bristol, and still had not seen the street I was looking for. I tried calling the parents, but the number was disconnected. I called Crissy, but she wasn't even in the office to help me with directions or get a hold of the family. I also put in a call to the case supervisor and was lucky to have her call back. By then, I had found the apartment complex but still had to run to the office to get a parking permit. Huffing and puffing, I made to their apartment. At this time, it was already 12:30 pm. A woman opened the door and looked at me strangely. I introduced myself and told her I was here to work with Hector. She said, "No...", which was such a strange response that I didn't know what to make of it. I asked if Hector lived there. She said, "Yes.". Okay. At least I was where I was supposed to be. My last question to her was if he was coming back soon. She then told me in Spanish, "No habla ingles.". I really need to learn some basic Spanish! She closed the door, and I called Crissy back to update and left for the mall.

It was definitely a treat to be at the mall, even on a time crunch, and browse around Old Navy. Usually, when I take the girls with me, I make my way quickly up and down the store, scanning for cute outfits and wishing I could take the whole experience at a slower pace.

The end of my work day was back to normal. I got the best "pick-me-up" session with Luke. He was so happy and excited to spend time with me. We played, we learned, and laughed! I got lots of smiles and hugs, and he did so great with his programs. I was so proud of him! I left to pick up Savannah, more lighthearted than when I started my day.

Savannah greeted me with her usual "MY MOMMY!", accompanied with a big smile and hug. I heard good reports from Miss Laura too, about how well she's adjusting and socializing with everybody. She's also been initiating using the potty--ALL BY HERSELF, of course--and might start potty training there in a couple of weeks. On the way home, Savannah told me that she had cried in the morning. I asked her if she missed me while I was working. She nodded, and I told her that I missed her too, but that I always come back after nap and playtime.

Savannah's attitude and behaviors have also gotten better at home. In fact, I failed to mention that after her big tantrum last Friday, she has been doing a better job listening and obeying Mommy. That also includes potty and bedtime.

I am so proud of our girls! They are SO smart, loving, and bubbling with joy. I end this entry with another sigh. As of 9 pm, both Savannah and Gaby are fast asleep, in THEIR bedroom. YES, in THEIR own beds!

Challenges

2008-02-20T01:25:00.000-08:00

Within this past month, Sunday night is the start of my anxiety for the week. The laundry is piling up again--didn't I just finish doing the laundry on Friday?? What are we going to cook for next week? Do we need to hit the grocery stores one last time? We have to get the girls back into their "normal" routine!

Sometimes, our weekends are just as busy as our weekdays, in that we're going from one store to another. We do enjoy our walks up and down the aisles at Costco, grazing from one food sample stop to another...and then back again to our FAVORITES. By the time we get home, we've got a dozen bags from Henry's and a couple from Trader Joe's. Then, it's time to put all the groceries away, cook a meal or two, squeeze in some play time and family time before getting through dinner and flying through bedtime routines.

Sunday is the one day that's more laid back for us. Sometimes Savannah (and Robert) get a nap in the afternoon. It's also the one day we're free to visit Gramma and Grampa, especially since it's Grampa's day off. It's an added bonus if Alyssa and Mike are there too! But as the hours pass, and the day is drawing to a close, I feel my stress level start to rise. Another week starting, which means it's time to juggle all my responsibilities, which seem endless.

My top challenges are related to cooking, taking care of the household chores, and disciplining.

I have grown to enjoy cooking, and definitely love making cream of chicken and cream of mushroom for our newly-found favorite recipes. The problem is that it takes time--a whole lot of time--to make, and that's just one ingredient in the recipe. In the meantime, I am missing out on playing with Savannah and Gaby. There's still the crockpot, but it takes planning to make sure everything is ready (and thawed out) in the morning. AND planning has not been my forte the past few weeks.

I am thankful that I am able to put together a really good breakfast, lunch and snack for Savannah's school days. As for Robert and myself, we have to find our lunches somewhere between clients.

On to household chores! The laundry is the chore I would like to do without, but cannot do without unless wearing nothing is acceptable in public. I don't know where all the clothes come from. Midweek, I am close to rejoicing that all the piles on the floor have made it through the wash and all I'm left to do is to put them all away. Suddenly, as if dropped off by the mother ship, there are two more piles to take care of before the weekend.

I am just happy that I can now see my desk and not have to be resting my arms on piles of "stuff" and tiptoe-typing. I am also enjoying a halfway organized bedroom. Not quite there yet on saying that it's a relaxing environment to escape to. The toys from downstairs seem to be making their way into our closets and spreading out on the floor.

The house is now cleared of Christmas decor. Yes, we finally got them all down and boxed just last weekend. I have pause and smile, and be appreciative of the stress it puts on me and my mom to have the house cleaned and dinner ready for their home fellowship night. If home fellowship didn't meet here this month, we'd probably still have Christmas decorations up until next month!

Now, anyone coming over wouldn't think there's a lot of clean up yet to be done. But, if you know us Niedo women, there is always, ALWAYS something to clean. And I'm not talking about the BIG projects either (the garage and the guest room). I'm just thinking about the kitchen counters that need a good wipe down, and that includes the items on the counters. The floors need vacuuming and mopping. The little things need to be put away, or make their way to the trash. Speaking of the trash, I think we're holding on to two weeks of dirty diaper trash--EWW!

Robert and I are still ironing out the kinks in our schedules, especially on the days that I work. It's getting better, especially in keeping more consistent with Savannah's bedtime routine. Just as I typed that out, I know that we have a lot of work ahead of us in giving Gaby a better bedtime routine. I do miss winding down at the end of the day with a few good shows and a bowl of coffee ice cream with strawberries. At this point in my life, going to bed close to 10:30 pm has become my first choice--obviously, tonight is not one of those nights...and I didn't even need caffeine to give me this extra kick!!

I saved our biggest challenge, and highest in importance for last: disciplining Savannah. It has grown increasingly more difficult the past couple of months. She seems to be more argumentative, and resistant. The potty issue is the worst. When Gaby was much younger, Savannah was getting to the point where she would go and sit on the toilet all by herself, and even change her own pull up. My attempts to getting her to sit on the toilet are met with the following phrases:

No, not yet!
I don't need to go potty.
I pee-pee already (last night).
There's nothing there.

At the same time, I am walking her to the bathroom while she's protesting and the behaviors are getting worse by each step. Bedtime can be like that too, especially when she's fighting sleep and wanting to stay up and watch a movie or play. We've dealt with nights of crying, screaming, and full blown tantrums lasting almost half an hour--try that at three in the morning.

Spankings are not working. In fact, they seem to escalate the behaviors, and we're seeing more aggression in her. Time outs are still our best option. Keeping her there until her time out is over is the tough part. We always talk to her about why she is getting the consequences we're giving her, and we know that she is truly understanding how they go hand in hand. She's put her own dolls in time out for the same offenses, saying, "___ is not listen-obey me." or "___ hit me.". She's even taken Pa to come see Charlie in time out, and said to him, "Pa, this is what I do.". She is a very smart girl and I know she thinks about these things and is coming to a better understanding how it all works out.

Take Me to "One for me...One for you"

2008-01-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

Savannah loves to go to Pa and provide him directions to where she would like to go. A few days ago, she had him carry her downstairs and instructed him to go "this way" and "that way". Pa tried to take her somewhere else, knowing too well where she was trying to get him to go. Savannah told him, "No, Pa. This way." When he asked her where they were going, she smiled and said, "One for me, one for you." and pointed him toward the kitchen where the chocolates are stashed up in the cabinet.

Answered Prayer

2008-01-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

I am now done with training and am ready to work with the kids ALL BY MYSELF. Yes, it is a little scary to be alone and unsupervised, especially when working with kids and parents I did not meet during my training period.

Last week, I met with two childcare providers. Jackie Inman is the lady that provides childcare near our neighborhood, and lives about 2 minutes away (by car). I was drawn to Jackie, mainly because of her calm personality. She cares for 6 children, including one of her own–the only girl in the bunch, between the ages of 6 months to 3 years old. She has one whole room devoted to the kids, a play area outside, and a nap room. I loved the location the most, and that she cooked the meals for the kids. Unfortunately, her rate was $100 per week. It was too much for us, especially for just basic childcare.

The other lady I met is Laura Barajas. She is a teacher, and runs a daycare at home. Robert and I chose to put Savannah in her care mainly for the fact that she has the best rate ($35/day) and runs her daycare closely to a pre-preschool program. Savannah loves to learn, do crafts, and play with other children–all of which she’ll be getting at Laura’s daycare. It might also help her transition from going to Gramma’s and Grampa’s thinking that she is going to “school”.

Also, having been an educator for children with special needs, I am glad that Savannah will get to know and learn to be friends with Laura’s 10-year-old daughter, Clara, who has Downe’s Syndrome, and another child who has autism.

First Week of Work

2008-01-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

WHAT A FUN WEEK!!

3 days of training, 19.75 hours, __ miles, 4 ECI's (Early Childhood Interventionists), and 7 children (all as adorable as the other)!

The sessions really seemed to fly by, mostly because it feels like play time rather than doing one drill after another. This week, I spent the earlier part just sitting in the background observing the ECI. By my third day, I was getting used to taking data and learning the terms. One thing I could not do was be INVISIBLE to the kids. No matter where I sat, they would keep looking at me, and smiling--sort of shy, and somewhat showing off. I became somewhat of a reinforcer, and was invited to play during my time with them. WHAT A TREAT!!

Two of my most difficult things were missing my girls and finding time to eat something good, especially with just 30 minutes for lunch. My most delicious lunch was at Inka Mama's. You really cannot order your food and eat it in 30 minutes! So, how was I able to consume anything? As soon as I sat down, I got my bread basket and soda. By the time the waiter took my order, I was into my second basket of bread. I also asked for a "To Go" box when I finally got my fresh hot plate of food. I devoured 1/4 of my plate, with steam coming out of my mouth. I packed my food and downed my soda, while taking care of my bill. I only had 12 minutes to actually EAT, but it was SO worth it!! THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS!!

I am definitely happy to be home all day today, and wake up with my little ones snuggled up beside me.

God is Listening!

2008-01-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

I GOT THE JOB!!

Beth called me back today with the offer for the position, and a few questions regarding the next two weeks’ hours of training. I had to make a few phone calls to make sure that Savannah would be taken care of–we never imagined the process would be this quick to make sure we covered childcare!

My training starts next Tuesday, with an orientation at the office followed by days of shadowing. I should be getting my “TO HIRE” packet on Friday, along with my schedule. They gave me between 10-15 hours a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and are actually starting me at $18/hour–THAT IS A TOTAL BLESSING!

Since all of this came about so quickly, Robert and I had to make a few calls to find help with the girls. Next week is taken care of, and Wednesday and Thursday the following week is covered. We just need help for Tuesday the 22nd.

In making my phone calls, I found out that the lady who runs the childcare down the street no longer has openings. I started my search for other local childcare facilities, including churches. I got some referrals from Anne Hobbes and Jenni Ramsey. I’m hoping one of them will work out. When we started looking the first time, I was more focused on convenience. During our wait, I started thinking about how much more important it is for Savannah to be in a Christian environment. She learns things so quickly! I would rather she learns about God in addition to her numbers, letters, colors, shapes, etc.

God’s timing is perfect!

I got everything I was asking for, and even something I had forgotten I had wanted years ago–to work with children 5 and under.

My Celebrity Look-alikes

2008-01-10T00:00:00.001-08:00

My Celebrity Look-alikes

2008-01-09T23:52:00.000-08:00

Medina Look-alike Meter

2008-01-09T23:47:00.001-08:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

Medina Look-alike Meter

2008-01-09T23:39:00.001-08:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Free genealogy

Feeling Hesitant

2008-01-09T15:29:00.000-08:00

Since September, Robert and I have been itching for me to get back to work. My options aren't that many, especially since we have to put the cost of childcare in the equation. So, whatever job I get has to cover that expense and still have leftover for me to put in the bank.

I got another email on Sunday from my friend saying that, this time, the company she is working for is now hiring. I sent an email to her boss that night, and got a request for my resume the next morning. Things proceeded quickly. By noon, I had a date and time for an interview, which was today, at 12:30 pm.

Well, the interview went well. I hope they heard a lot of good things from me, because I am extremely excited by all the wonderful things I heard from them. I have worked with children with Autism for 7 years, and this opportunity would give me the chance to work with the age group I've always dreamed of working with, 3 and under. I will hear back from them tomorrow, and I am praying that this opportunity will be a good match.

At the same time, I look at my two girls and feel hesitant to go back to being a working mom. It was hard going back when Savannah was 4 months old. I had days when I felt like crying as I drove away from the house, and the only thing that would hold me together was browsing through pictures of Savannah on my phone or in my album of wallet-sized photos. Savannah still cries when I leave without her. How much more will my heart ache at the sight of her and Gaby's faces, streaked with tears?

So, I am anxiously waiting for tomorrow, to answer the call that will set change in motion...

Bon Voyage, Daniel and Trip

2008-01-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

Daniel had a much longer Christmas vacation this year, about 2 weeks. Of course, Trip came to visit the family too. Savannah was almost deathly afraid of Trip, especially since he had barked and ran at her a few times, unprovoked by any loud noises or excitable behavior. She was comfortable walking around the house until she heard the jingling of his collar. She would then break out into tears, and reach for the nearest, and TALLER, person around. She would pretty much be carried the rest of the night, whether Trip was downstairs or locked up in the room.

We were able to spend a few days with Daniel. Two were Christmas day and the day after. The day after Christmas was so beautiful. I thought it would be waste of perfectly good sunshine if we didn't get the kids outside, to a park, to ride their bikes and just enjoy some fresh air. Trip loved the outing too!

We went to PHO BAC again for our traditional Vietnamese lunch. Then I had to share the new Layer Cake Bakery with Daniel. He didn't hold back; he went home with a few treats. He was also sweet to send me home with some chocolate cake!

On Daniel's last night, the family had a dinner for him. We weren't able to make it until past 9 pm. Robert was in a meeting earlier that evening, and got the message after. We piled into the van as soon as he came home and made it in time for a game of Scrabble and just hanging out. Savannah was sad though, because she had missed "Issa".

We'll miss you, Daniel!! Sorry we won't be working on "Baby 3" yet. We'll just have to wait again until Christmas!

Day for Pajamas

2008-01-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

There's nothing more relaxing than being able to spend the ENTIRE day in your pajamas. Robert and I never really get a chance to sleep in, unless the girls are worn out for days of not sleeping at 8:30 pm. Our sleeping in still puts us at a decent waking hour. The rest of the house probably slept another hour or two.

We pulled out leftovers for brunch and played Man Laws, Woman Rules again, with my parents this time. It was so much fun! It was interesting to see where our thoughts differ because of the generation gap, and where it was the same for each gender.

We spent the rest of the day lounging in our jammies, and went to bed when the day was through.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T10:22:00.001-08:00

We had a quiet, intimate New Year's Eve gathering this year. Uncle Ben and Auntie Minerva, and Carlo and Kelly joined us for dinner and a night of games.

It was a good time, for my parents especially, to be able to give their undivided time and attention to Uncle Ben and Auntie Minerva. They have been enjoying their visit to California, spending a lot of time celebrating birthdays and the holidays with Harry's side of the family. Auntie Minerva got a taste of the Christmas RUSH! Most importantly, they are soaking in the presence of their children and grandchildren--I'm sure they'll have lots of stories to share with other family members when they get back home to Saipan.

After dinner, we broke in our new game--a growing favorite--Man LAWS, and Woman Rules. It's a great conversational game, and a good way to learn more about others. Carlo and Kelly have it too, and since they played it before, they were able to explain the rules and scoring. For example, here's a MAN LAW:

A male must never use the adjacent urinal to another man unless there is no other available

Here's a Woman Rule:

A woman shall not date her girlfriend's ex without her permission?

It is only when you are successful at predicting how your fellow players react to these laws that you will win the game. The game ends when a player gets 100 points. We prefer to keep going until we reach the end of the score sheet. AND if you want to make things a little more interesting, play this game with your parents!!

It was amazing we even noticed it was almost midnight! We had just enough time to scramble, and grab something to toast with and greet each other a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Then we stayed up a few more hours talking about what we hope this New Year will be like.

* Carlo and Kelly, when's the next sleepover party?

Happy Birthday to ME!

2007-12-29T14:24:00.000-08:00

Robert and I woke up trying to figure out what to make for breakfast. Still unsure, I went downstairs to check the fridge, hoping to find something easy to whip up. My mom came in the kitchen and greeted me "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"! How did I forget my own birthday?? And WHAT am I doing downstairs, about to cook, my own birthday breakfast?? HAHA! Of course, I ran upstairs to ask Robert that very question. We both came down and made something for a quick meal. Then we got busy cooking for the potluck dinner with my friends.

Although we didn't do celebrate my birthday the usual way--with dinner, family, and cake--I did have a wonderful time sharing my special day having my old friends (dating back from elementary school). We finally met Chialee's husband and two twin girls, and heard the announcements from two newly pregnant mom-to-be and a soon-to-be mom of three!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T23:30:00.000-08:00

This was the girls' first Christmas with my extended family. When Savannah was born, Robert and I decided to cut back on all the driving between one party to another on Christmas day. Even more so after Gaby was born. It was difficult at times being on the road, and having to deal with cries for "babas" or a need for a new diaper. We thought it would be best for the girls, and ourselves, to have a more relaxing holiday.

Things were a little different this year. Uncle Ben and Auntie Minerva were in town for part of December through mid January, and wanted to spend Christmas day with Auntie Luz and her family. Harry, Minerva, and the boys were coming too, so we joined in order to spend time with our dear cousins, whom we've actually seen more of since September.

It was a beautiful, sunny day in West Covina. Kuya Noel has done so many remodeling projects in his house. It was fun to take a tour inside and see all the changes he made over the past couple of years. It was also great to see my own neices and nephews, all grown up now, celebrating the day with the family, along with their significant others.

Not too long after arriving, getting a bite to eat, and mingling with family, we packed ourselves back into the van to spend the rest of Christmas day with our Medina side of the family.

"Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go..."

Okay...maybe one or two rivers, and a tangle of freeways. We made it in time for dinner. Mom and Daniel were busy in the kitchen doing the finishing touches to our delicious meal. Meanwhile, we kept ourselves busy eating chocolate-covered cookies and various dips. I don't remember if Savannah was able to sit long enough to enjoy dinner like we all did. She was too excited having "Issa" there to play with.

After dinner, we gathered around the tree and "Santa" Gramma passed out the presents. The girls all had a blast opening their gifts! Savannah and Gaby are set for the winter season with so many outfits from Gramma and Grampa, Lolo and Lola, and Uncle Carlo, Auntie Kelly, and Aunt Judy. Savannah also got a new favorite Veggie Tales CD, with guest artist Matt Redman! Gaby got a teether from Gramma and Grampa that she doesn't let go of. Their BIG presents were a Radio Flyer trike for Savannah, and a Winnie the Pooh 3-stages ride (which Savannah also loves playing with).

Their BIG presents from us were a kitchen for Savannah (foods provided by Lolo and Lola) and the Ball Popper (Uncle Carlo had fun playing with it too) from me and Robert.

Merry Christmas to all, and all a GOOD NIGHT!

Christmas Eve Musical

2007-12-24T23:00:00.000-08:00

The very first Christmas that my parents hosted for the relatives back in our cozy home in Westminster, my Mom put together a musical play of the Christmas Story. She had my Dad narrate, and gave parts and solos to the children in the family. Sharing the true story of Christmas and enjoying singing songs of Jesus' birth is very important in our family!

My Mom started teaching Savannah "Angels We Have Heard On High" before her second Christmas. Back then, all Savannah could do was raise her arms towards the heavens during the chorus. She was also good at pointing at the singers to do the same. Even after Christmas, she was still raising her arms upon hearing songs with the words "glory", "holy", etc.

This Christmas Eve, we celebrated with our ever-growing family--Mom, Dad, Carlo, Kelly, Judy, Angelo, Beverly, Robert, Savannah, Gaby, and myself--and a branch from my Dad's family tree--Ben, Armie, and their 3 children. In addition to all of the food preparation, my parents got busy editing their original musical play and practicing with Savannah her favorite song.

It was a wonderful night, sharing A LOT of food with good company. Savannah barely ate because of the excitement of having other children in the house. After our tummies were stuffed, we gathered around the living room to share what Christmas is really about. Carlo read to us about God's promises given to the patriarchs in the Old Testament, how the beginning of His promise was fulfilled through Jesus' birth, and how His promise will be complete when Jesus returns. Then we went on to the Christmas Story and sang songs about Jesus' birth and the events surrounding that. Ben and Armie's kids each took a solo, Dad shared his favorite solo from a long-ago Christmas cantata, and Savannah helped lead us into singing "Angels We Have Heard On High", prompting us to raise our arms at the chorus, "Glo-ria, in exelsis Deo!".

There is a Redeemer

Jesus, God's own Son

Precious Lamb of God

Messiah

Holy One

Jesus, my Redeemer

Name above all names

Precious Lamb of God

Messiah

O for sinners slain

Thank You, O my Father

For giving us Your Son

And leaving us Your Spirit

'Til the work on earth is done

When I stand in glory

I will see His face

And there I'll serveMy King forever

In that holy place

Trim the Tree and Deck the Halls

2007-12-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

Glo-ria in exelsis Deo!

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods,rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessing flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders of His love.

My Famous Treats

2007-12-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

Get out your baking supplies! These yummies are irresistable!

PRALINE APPLE BREAD

1 cup granulated sugar

1 8-oz. sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups chopped, peeled tart apples

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl beat together granulated sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla on low speed of an electric mixer until combined, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to sour cream mixture, beating on low speed until combined. Stir in apple and 1/2 cup of the pecans. Turn into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans; press lightly into batter.

Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.) Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine butter and brown sugar; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 1 minute. Remove bread from pan. Drizzle top with brown sugar mixture; cool. Makes 1 loaf.

Cover and store at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

2/3 cup butter
5 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan.

In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool 5 minutes.

In medium bowl, beat sugar, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour just until blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in walnuts. Spread in pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or just until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

* Chocolate Brownie Pie variation:

Grease bottom and side of pie plate, 10-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches. Spread batter in pie plate. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with ice cream if desired.

PRALINE PEACH BROWNIE SUNDAES

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecan pieces
2 peaches, peeled, sliced
brownies
vanilla bean ice cream

Directions:

In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, whipping cream, butter and cinnamon; mix well. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, stirring constantly.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, pecans and peaches. Cool 10 minutes.

Place brownies in individual dessert bowls or plates. Top each with 1/2 cup ice cream and 1/4 cup sauce.

RICE KRISPIES TREATS

3 tablespoons butter
1 package (10 oz) regular marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions:

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13x9x2-inch greased pan. Cut into 2x2-inch squares when cool.

COCONUT-CRANBERRY CHEWS (from Nancy Stuart)

1-1/2 cups butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
3-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
1-1/2 cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

Directions:

Mix butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed until smooth.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture; stir. Beat on low speed until dough comes together. Stir in cranberries and coconut.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on buttered cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F. until cookie edges begin to brown (8-11 minutes). Let cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

PEACH CRISPY (from Mom)

1 (29 oz) can sliced peaches, drained
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter

Directions:

Arrange peaches in bottom of buttered baking dish.

In small bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour and butter; cut. Sprinkle over peaches.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

** The following recipes are from Mrs. Fields **

BLUE-RIBBON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Yield: 3-1/2 dozen

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend sugars at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix at medium speed until just blended. Do not overmix.

Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed until just barely mixed. Do not overmix.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool surface with a spatula.

SOFT AND CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Yield: 3-1/2 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend sugars using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla, and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed. Do not overmix.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1-1/2 inches apart. With a wet fork, gently press a crisscross pattern on top of cookies. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along edges. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool, flat surface with a spatula.

As a variation, add 2 cups coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate bar or 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips to the flour mixture, then bake as directed.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUTTERSCOTCH BARS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces chopped pecans (about 1 cup)
9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1-1/2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.

Combine flour and soda in a medium bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until light and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture, pecans, and chocolate chips. Blend at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

Transfer batter into the prepared pan, and level top with a rubber spatula. Bake in center of oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean but center is still soft. Cool on rack to room temperature. Cut with a sharp knife into 1x2-inch bars.

Christmas Stockings

2007-12-13T11:20:00.001-08:00

So these are what Christmas stockings are for!! Now, wouldn't you rather trade in all the little trinkets and teeny gifts you would normally find in your stocking for something, or someone, that can perfectly fill up two?

Bed for 4

2007-12-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

This is a typical scene of us in the morning, minus Robert on his 1/4 of the bed. It was on and off throughout the earlier part of the year, but became a little more permanent since the end of October.

After the OC fires, Savannah and Gaby came down with their first round of sniffles, coughs and low fevers. I had a minor case myself. We were all better by Thanksgiving, then sick again two days after.

The second round was the worst! All of us, including Robert--he rarely gets sick--had the cold and flu. In order to keep an eye on the girls, and get enough rest ourselves, the four of us were piled on and cozied up in our queen-size bed. Freezing, then burning up...coughing and sneezing, we survived our sick season together.

We are all much better, and are trying to wean the girls back into their own beds. So far, Savannah has made it back to the loveseat (which is still in our room) and Gaby will occasionally let us put her down in the co-sleeper. We were successful one or two nights to have both girls sleeping in their own bedroom! Still, no matter where the girls begin their night of sleep, you can guarantee that by 2:30 am, Savannah would be up and crawling back into our bed, nestled between Mommy and Daddy, or sometimes on the end of the bed next to Gaby. As for Gaby, she is also up at that time for a snack--I'm starting to wonder if that is just an excuse to snuggle next to Mommy.

Everyone is always telling me that sharing the bed is a habit that should be nipped in the bud. Believe me, we have tried. Somehow, this has helped us survive the past two and a half years of what could have been lost sleep. Robert needs sleep in order to work a full day, especially driving throughout Orange and LA county. I need enough shut eye--I'd call it sleep if I was actually sleeping the whole night through--to keep up with the girls when they are wide awake.

Secretly, I do enjoy waking up to the sounds of my girls giggling and "talking" to each other. Savannah's sweetest moments with Gaby are during the time when they are both just waking up. I also don't mind so much that their hands and feet are tucked under me, or that Savannah is almost using my head as a pillow. How much longer will I have these moments? Someday, when they think themselves too old to cuddle with me, I will once again yearn for times like these.

* Babes, thank you for taking this picture! It was a great surprise to find, and one that I will treasure always!

I Love the Month of December

2007-12-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

December is, by far, my most favorite month.

I love watching the neighborhood transform into a winter wonderland--well, as close as you can get to that being in southern California. The inflatable snowmen, Santa and his reindeer, and even the "Lighted" deer grazing on lawns are a sight to see! I also enjoy seeing the lights go on at dusk and twinkle throughout the night.

I am the Christmas decorator at home--I get the honor of taking out all of the decorations and staging our home for the holidays. In exchange, my mom does the part I do not enjoy, which is putting away any household decor that is not for Christmas. I cannot wait until Savannah and Gaby are old enough to help me decorate the Christmas tree! The tree is what I like to save for last. Once all the other decorations are up, and the tree is all done up, I turn off all the lights in the house and turn on the tree lights. And there I sit, basking in its glow.

The food and festivities is another favorite. It does start with Thanksgiving, but continues until New Year's Eve. Over the past couple of years, Robert and I have become host and hostess, and chefs for the Eves of Christmas and New Year's. We are a great team in the kitchen, and have stretched in our knowledge and skills in cooking. I have also gotten my baking skills back, and am no longer burning my holiday treats.

Of course, part of my love for December is because it is my birthday month. This year, I turn 32, but we can safely put me in the 18-25 years old range! Since my birthday falls right in between celebrating Christmas and New Years, there is a tendency to tone it down. Plus, with all the feasting and having most of our family and friends out of town, we usually do not have a birthday bash for me. Besides, the only thing I really want, year after year, is a mocha cake from Goldilocks, or a really yummy ice cream cake.

Most of all, I love this time of the year for the time we spend with family and friends. Sometimes, making it to all the holiday events and celebrations can be a challenge, but I enjoy seeing faces of all those I love, and having that time to spend with them and catch up on our "GO...GO!" lives.

As for presents...I have always enjoyed making things from the heart, or finding that perfect match, and giving them to others who will enjoy them!

I Am Thankful For...

2007-11-30T06:32:00.000-08:00

The pouring rain
A cold, gray, and gloomy day
Hot cocoa or hot apple cider
Warm and soft throw blankets
Cozy couches
Fuzzy slippers
The sun breaking through the clouds
Gentle breezes
Warm sunny days, with hints of winter in the air
My girls' smiles
Leg hugs
Clutching fingers
Savannah singing
Morning snuggle time
A mattress that fits four
Time for just the two of us
Conversation
Quiet time
Long embraces
Soft forehead kisses
The comfort in holding hands
God's beauty in creation
The life He has given me
The people He has placed in it
The hope I have in Him
The peace in knowing Him
The joy in following Him