Melissa’s Blog

e are home from our trip to Seattle/Vancouver. The kids were so happy to be going on a plane. We were away for about 8 days. It seemed like enough time but looking back at it time flew. We spent a couple days in Seattle. We did the touristy things that everyone does. Our hotel was in a good location and we were able to walk to Seattle Center. This is where the Space Needle, Children’s museum, and huge fountain to play in. It was fun to see things in the kid’s perspectives. Even on a gloomy day the kids played in the fountain and were soaked! We also rode “the duck” which is amphibious vehicle. The driver was really funny and he popped in appropriate music as well. As we were entering the water he played Gilligan’s Island. The kids got quackers that made duck noises and they were hilarious with them. We saw lots of Seattle attractions this way. In Seattle we went to the first Starbucks and the Pike’s market. Then we headed for the 2 1/2 hour drive to Vancouver. Vancouver was much different than I expected. We stayed downtown but it took us a few days to figure out our way around. In Vancouver we did all the touristy things as well. The first day we headed to Stanley Park. So many things that we expected weren’t there anymore. But we didn’t let that or the rain ruin or time. I think the high light of the trip for Justin was getting his umbrella. He loved opening and closing it. So funny he was just hoping for rain and hey sometimes he even had it up when it wasn’t raining. We did a little farm where the kiddos got to use pedal tractors. Here we saw baby goats being fed by bottles-it was adorable. Then we went to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. I loved this. It was so cool and neat waterfalls. We took a hike around the area as it was so pretty. I was getting a little down with all the rain-I guess I require sunshine. We also went to some indoor public pool that had a wave pool. This was the first time the kids have been in a wave pool and loved it. It was really fun and Nikki jumped off the medium diving board (which was almost as tall as the high dive). Nikki woke up one morning throwing up. Poor little girl. Justin and I walked to buy a stroller in hopes she would want to go out. Walking with Justin was so much fun. I think he likes the stroller as much as the umbrella. He helped put the wheels on it then pushed it all the way back to the hotel. He was so funny letting it go down hills and running after it. I was glad to see Nikki was happy to be out and about in the stroller. We took Justin to the park while Nikki watched and she was perfectly content. Justin had a hard playing without Nikki, so dad and I joined it. By the afternoon she was definitely feeling better. Dad and Justin decided to go on a sea plane. We were looking at them from outside our hotel and they looked so cool. Nikki and I just took a stroll and hung out together. It was a cool experience and Nikki and I got to look in the plane. Unfortunately the day Nikki got sick we were supposed to go visit Victoria, so I guess someday I will have to go back. So cute as the kids shared a bed in the hotel. Of course the hotels in itself were so fun for them. They loved running up and down the halls and swimming in the pools. Vacation rules applied….watch TV in the room in the morning, eat yummy food, etc. As nice as it was to get away it is always nice to be home. I definitely loved not doing laundry, cooking, or cleaning. Here are lots of pics from our trip:

I hope yesterday is a memorable day for the kiddos. Our pre-k teacher invited us over to swim at her pool. The kids got to see where their preschool teacher lived and swim with her. It was really nice. And the kids had a blast. Both were in the pool the entire time. N&J came out of the pool here and there for a bite to eat and that was it. We rode down to her house with 2 of their friends in the car. The kids love having their friends in their car. The girls were in the way back then the boys got it on the way home. I love the giggling and craziness of so many people in the car. J and N invited their friends in to our house and played for a short bit. We then met another friend for dinner. The kids brought their lightening mcqueen and the king card and played. It is amazing how the kids can play anywhere and find something creative to do. They amaze me everyday. We went to the library for an animal show. Such a cool show. The monkey was my favorite. The kids liked the alligator too. It was a great show. The kids saw an african hedgehog,tarantula, monkey, albino wallabee, feret, and a 6 yr old alligator. We didn’t get home until 8:30 but we picked daddy up anyway and went to yogurtland. It was a fun night.

Today ended up to be crazy busy. I am surprised the kiddos didn’t crash. We stayed home for a little bit in the morning but then met some friends. The kids bowled together then we were off to Taekwondo. The kids still had all the energy in the world. We came home and got ready to meet some friends at the pool. The kids swam and swam. They had so much fun in the pool. Dad met us there after work and ended up in the pool with the kiddos. It was a fun day and now we are just thinking about vacation.

July 4th was a fun day for us. It all started out at the Woodbridge parade. The night before we got Nikki’s scooter decorated and Justin’s bike. The kids had fun helping to decorate them and they were excited about riding them around. It was pretty crowded at the parade but the kids did great. I was a little nervous with Justin on his bike but he did great. Here are some pics:

When we made the corner around the parade the kids decided to sit and watch the rest of it. It was a cute little parade with lots of candy being thrown to the kids. I think that was the best part for them. The non stop fun didn’t end with the parade. We headed to South Pasadena to visit Holly and Jeff. They had a bbq with lots of swimming. Justin and Nikki were having so much fun. Nikki was a fish, and was in the water the entire time. She loved jumping off the diving board and going down the water slide for the first time then did it over and over and over and over again. Justin was a brave boy jumping off the diving board once. He just thought whats the big deal and didn’t want to do it again. He was in the jacuzzi most of the time.

We saw about 5 minutes of fireworks. The kids loved it. But of course they were concerned when we started talking about the fire. Luckily, they had fun playing with their friends, running all around the grass and playing on the play structure. As usual the weekend went by too fast. Our trip to Seattle/Vancouver is coming up soon; we are getting excited. Today we went to the library for a music program. The kids loved it. They were able to play the instruments and as the guy went faster the kids were just laughing and smiling. We met some friends there so the kids played after for a bit. Then this afternoon we went to the Ladera Park water park with friends. The kids loved it. Such a difference when we went last year. The kids last year wouldn’t go up the structure and now they are so into it. It was great fun to watch. We also headed to the mall for a while. We ran out of time and it was getting late so we had to head home. It was a crazy busy day but fun.

It is amazing how much the kiddos sunflowers have grown. They are huge. Here is the latest pic:

The contractor has pretty much finished everything up here. The baseboards look so nice. It really modernizes the house. I just love our bathroom. The kids love taking showers in it too. Mostly they like drawing on the glass with the steam and squeeging the glass. I pretty much have to get in the shower with them or I get soaked when I wash their hair. We have been busy playing with friends, swimming, bowling, etc. Right now we are dog sitting Zoe. She is such a sweet dog. We took her to Lazy Dog Cafe last night. The kids were wanting to take her somewhere. Nikki has been so helpful wanting to walk and feed Zoe. Dad has been busy working trying to get ahead before we go on vacation. Today we met some friends at the Irvine Spectrum. The kids played in the fountains for a while and then all ate lunch together. Then the kiddos and I just spent time at the Spectrum. We took our time walking around, went into the pet store, ferris wheel, and shopped a little. It was really nice but we had to get back to Zoe the dog. I love having her here but I feel so bad when we have been out for a while. Grammy came over and went to Tae Kwon Do with us. She loved watching the kiddos and the kiddos loved having her there. The kids are doing awesome and seem to love Tae Kwon Do. When we got home we played with Zoe then the kids played with some neighbor kids. Grammy stayed for dinner then we just played in the backyard. We picked some carrots tonight, one was so big, pretty awesome. Justin washed it off and started to eat it. Nikki was busy wrapping presents for Zoe in a towel; she loved it when Zoe unwrapped it. I love staying outside for so long. All of a sudden it was 8:25 and we finally came in.

Summer vacation has begun. We pretty much stayed home this week. I for some reason feel like being a home body. I did get some things organized and cleaned out. The base moldings are being done and are looking great. Today we went out strawberry picking with some friends. Apparently the farm owners are new and have a connection to a mom so we were able to come pick strawberries. The owners said they were out of season. But there were so many strawberries that I am surprised they just don’t make a strawberry stand. The kids were ready in old clothes and their boots to pick. They had a blast and we have a ton of strawberries. They loved going through the dirt and mud.

It was a fun morning. We came home and as you can see from the picture filled up half the sink and a ton of containers of strawberries. The kids were just washing them and eating them. Then we met Grammy for lunch at Elephant Bar. Nikki were a cow girl outfit to lunch, so cute. It was nice and not thinking of what to make for lunch was pretty good as well. Earlier today we took some pictures for dad’s day. Here are a few:

And I finally took pictures of Nikki’s sunflowers she planted and Justin’s carrots. Her sunflowers are more like jack n the beanstalk-I can’t believe how tall they are.

We had Taekwondo today. The kids are still really loving it. Tonight we just went to the park and had a little picnic dinner. The kids played. Looking forward to a nice weekend (father’s day weekend).

June 9th was the last day of pre school. I have been part of our preschool for so many years. I am excited about our new adventures but my kiddos are growing up too darn fast. I cried that morning when I was thinking I will no longer be a mom of preschoolers. The second to last day of school consisted of a wet and wild day. The kids went to school armed with their squirt bottles, bathing suits, and towels. I came back to school early to watch. It was really cute-the kids loved squirting their teacher and getting her all wet. Justin was really into the water fight. He even got on the see saw slide thing to get higher to get people. Justin was soaking wet. Nikki managed to keep herself relatively dry. She was busy running to avoid the water. Justin was right in the action.

Then came the last day of school. So crazy how fast it went by. The teacher did pat on the backs for the kids, just compliments about the kiddos. The kids also did a little show for us, Carnival of the Animals, Nikki was a lion and Justin was a bird. It was cute. I took some last day pics of the kids.

Our days of ICNS are over. We did join the preschool for a beach day on June 10th. It was a great day. We took the train to San Clemente. The kids loved the train ride, hanging out with their friends, etc. Justin went in the water for a bit but it was cold. Nikki never made it in the water. Great beach day to celebrate the end of school. Looking forward to a fun summer with the kiddos.

I have been so bad about blogging. But as the kids get older things get busier. Well busier in different ways than when they were babies. Today is Bret’s and my anniversary-12 years ago we got married. It was one of the best days in my life. No plans for our anniversary since we have had so much going on and spent all our money on bathroom remodels.We have our trip to WA and Canada coming up next month, can’t wait.

Well the kids have wanted to start karate. Finally we went to check out a Taekwondo place. The kids are loving it. I am loving them in their uniforms. I really think this will be good for the kiddos. The first day the N&J stood up in front of the class and the other kids asked them questions. I really liked that. They have only  had 2 classes so far. Justin did hurt his foot the first day but that night he was running around. In the morning though it was quite stiff and he was limping. For peace of mind we took him to get an x-ray. Thank goodness the x-ray looked normal and he was running around the next day.

It seems like we are never ending busy. Baseboards are being replaced in the house and the bathrooms are being painted. The contractor pulled down the mirror and shelves by the bar. It looks plain but so much more modern. This is the last week of pre school. I have been busy as I volunteer myself for too many things. I made yearbooks and helped clean out the school. Wednesday at school the kids have a wet and wild day, dress in their bathing suits and bring squirt bottles to school. Today on the way home from school our contractor called and gave the kiddos the biggest bin of stuffed animals ever. The kids face was priceless but what am I going to do with a hundred animals. The kids have been busy playing with neighbors that are next door on the greenbelt. So great to have kids so close but sometimes older kid is a little crazy and lacks some social skills. But it is nice when they all get along. Tonight I planned a mom’s night out not knowing the date. So I just went for a little while so I could be with Bret on our anniversary.

As always the weekend went by way too fast. On Friday night I went out with a friend. We just did a little shopping and frozen yogurt. The best part was just being out together, able to talk and relax. Saturday dad went to trombone practice while the kids and I went to the mall. We went to the play area and the kids let me do a little shopping too. So cute there was no one in the fitting rooms so the kids pretended they were dogs, crawling all around, and going under the doors (pretending the underneath was a dog door). Dad met us at the mall and we had lunch then all of a sudden it was time for soccer. Grandma/pa met us at soccer to watch the kiddos. Nikki scored a couple goals and was so proud of herself. It was fun cheering the kids on even though it was freezing. Such weird weather for May. This morning we woke up and it was raining. I was up late last night doing stuff for pre school and did a little more in the morning. We did some errands and went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. Then we headed over to Grammy’s. Brittany leaves on Tuesday so we are trying to spend as much time with her as possible. We gave her the iphone we bought for her and she was so excited. I bought Blake and Zach some shirts, a little lame but didn’t know what else to get them. We had dinner there and then headed home shortly after. Dad mowed the lawn tonight and the kids followed with their little lawn mower. We got all cleaned up before it got too dark. Too many things to do and never enough time. Looking forward to relaxing in front of the TV.

Well our bathroom remodel is almost done. It is beautiful. We are just waiting for the shower door. Here are a few pics, before and after:

The kids love the bathtub. It is so deep. For our first major remodel in the house I have to say it hasn’t been that bad at all. Lots of dust but that is no surprise. The kids haven’t seem to be bothered by the changes too. They have been getting some rather large boxes that they have been enjoying playing with. The contractor even cut them out a castle door. Brittany heads back to New Zealand next week. We are going to miss her a ton. It has been fun having her in CA but the time flew by. Last night we had a beach bbq with Grammy and Brittany in Huntington Beach. So much work for a beach bbq but Brittany really wanted smores. We ended up just cooking then leaving the beach pretty soon after. The wind was cold.

Life has been busy. Bret took last week off and we rented an RV for a couple of days. We first stayed in Dana Point, Doheny Beach then headed to Caspers Park in San Juan. The kids loved the RV and sleeping up top. I really liked the beach portion of this trip. We had fun on the beach, the kids had a few playmates, and just great family fun. We did cheat and walked to a restaurant for dinner. Here a few pics:

The kids and Bret made my birthday and mom’s day extra special. Bret bought me some flowers. I got the new Coach purse I bought myself. The kids in the morning were busy making cards and pictures for me. It was so sweet, I loved every minute of it. At school the kids made me plates and place mats. They were so proud of it and I just loved them. My family made me feel like the most special mommy in the whole world. I got lots of hugs and was told I was the best mommy ever. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. Here are some pictures:

So much to write about. We had teacher appreciation in school and the kids had fun doing and making things for the teachers. We have had an amazing year with Mrs. Nowicki and wanted to thank her. The kids all held up a sign that said we love you, the kids and I made dinner for the teachers, decorated the classroom, made pictures, etc. The kids have been playing so well together lately. It is so sweet and nice to watch. We have been going to soccer on Saturdays. Justin is getting more sociable with the kids on his team. He is so proud when he himself or his team mates get a goal. Nikki is still a serious soccer player working so hard on the field. We recently went to a teddy bear tea party. Justin brought his dog pup and Nikki brought her dog buckets. It was really cute. The kids made placemats, decorated plates and cups, then had juice and teddy grahams. Well only a few more weeks of school. I can’t believe it is coming to an end. Yesterday we walked over to Northwood Elementary to register for kinder. We still have a few more documents to fill out. I am looking forward to a fun summer with the kiddos.

I can’t believe how bad I have been about my blog. I can’t even remember what has been going on. We are on spring break and have begun the bathroom remodels (master and downstairs bath). It has been exciting watching the transformation. I am looking forward to having a clean house in the near future. I am having a little bit of a hard time with the mess but know that is just the way it has to be. We also had them re-do the laundry room floor. It looks so much better. I am so pleased with the glass tiles we chose. We also have been ripping out all the ivy along the block wall fence. So much work  but we are getting there. Now to the kids. We have done a few egg hunts. One at school, one at the Irvine Regional Park, and one at some Eggstravaganza sponsored by a church. Today we dyed some eggs. I can’t believe how fast they did it. We used glitter too. The kids are doing really well with the remodel. They are getting lots of big boxes to play in. They also really like the contractor. We took care of a guinea pig for a friend. The kids really liked him. He was very skiddish though. So great to have pets come and go. I miss having a pet but we keep saying not yet-so we just borrow other people’s pets. Today Nikki and Justin were playing mom and dad. So funny Justin called Nikki pop tart, as he has heard dad call me that. Yesterday we went on a tour of John Wayne Airport. The person that gave the tour was so good and took the kids on a pretend trip. Watching the planes land and take off was definitely the high light.

Below are some pics from 4/11 at the Irvine Regional Park. Nikki rode a pony and Justin rode a horse. The kids are too big to ride the ponies but they let Nikki go one more time. Justin picked the big horse and it was so cool to watch him trotting!

Here are a few pics from school, Easter celebration: