Melissa’s Blog

Weekends go by so fast. This morning we just hung out at home. I did some laundry. We played Memory and doll house. Dad ran out to Target to get a Wii fit. The kids were all curious about it and tried it a bit. Grammy came over and we had lunch. With Grammy we headed to the Irvine Regional Park for their anniversary celebration. Everything was half price. Nicole got a pony ride, then we all went on the train ride, etc. Nicole got her face painted as a butterfly; she looks so cute.

While waiting in the long face painting line I saw a dog that looked just like Tracey. She was so cute and sweet. I just loved seeing this dog. Nikki said to me I wish I could have a dog like Tracey so you could pet her whenever you want. It was the sweetest thing ever. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss Tracey, I wish she was still alive and a part of our family. Justin went in the bounce house then the kiddos got alien balloon animals. We went over to the play structure and watched the kiddos play a bit. We stopped at the dollar bookstore for Grammy and the kids got lots of books too. We came home and we are all tired. Dad read some of the new books then we turned on George for the kiddos. After dinner the kids wanted to race with daddy on the Wii. We headed upstairs shortly after that. Dad got the kids names (letters) hung in there rooms. We played Memory. The kids were pretty tired. Dad and J played more Memory while Nikki and I read a ton of books. Nicole loves the Incredible Hulk book because she says she loves bad things. We spent lots of time cuddling with the kiddos in their beds. Dad and I are going to finish our movie we started and play with the Wii. The kids would be so mad if they knew we were playing it without them.

We were good to the kids this morning. Mommy guilt for being out last night. We gave the kids the Chipmunks Wii game this morning. It wasn’t all that exciting but the kids liked it. I also made them their favorite Mickey Mouse pancakes. My special breakfast! We decided to go to Mission Viejo mall this morning. It was gloomy and raining. Plus we had to go to Ladera for a birthday party. We had fun at the mall. The kiddos went on this little roller coaster ride thing at the mall and loved it. They also played in the play area a bit. I ran into a few stores and looked for clothes for me. I am hating all my clothes and can’t find any new ones. We went to Sofi’s and Mylee’s birthday party. The kids had fun but it was a little girly for Justin. Ariel was there. At first the kids didn’t know what to make of Ariel but then got into it. Ariel sang songs and played games. Nicole didn’t go for the make up or dress up. She was sad she didn’t have a princess dress. Luckily someone there had an extra. Justin and Nicole played with their toys and had cake. We came home and lit the fireplace. The kids watched Alvin and the Chipmunks. Dad tried to take a nap and I went to clean out the garage. Justin in the middle of the movie decided he didn’t want to watch anymore. He woke up dad and we all went in the garage. We pulled the cars out and had fun in the dry garage. At first Justin played tennis in the garage with dad then it started pouring. Justin and I went and played in the rain. It was silly and fun for me to act like a kid. My feet were soaking wet. Nicole was in the garage roller skating with dad. After playing in the rain I put my roller blades on and went around in the garage. Justin used the roller skates. We got down a trike with a handle and the kids were riding it around. Nicole had me hold onto the handle and pulled me with my roller blades. We just had a great time in the garage since we couldn’t play outside. Dad made dinner while I gave the kiddos a bath. After dinner we headed upstairs. We were hoping to get some things done in the kids rooms, hanging letters, etc. However the kids were being difficult and wouldn’t let us do much. We played Memory and read a lot of books. Nicole was wanting to wear her Dora nightgown to sleep but it is too cold for it. Of course she had a hard time with the fact she couldn’t wear it. We had great cuddle time with the kiddos though. It was nice and made up for the crazy night. Justin anytime I am angry or anything just comes up and gives me a huge hug. How can one stay mad when you get a Justin hug. Time to go relax and watch a movie.

I can’t believe how long I have been doing this blog. I hope I enjoy reading it sometime in the future. I dropped the kiddos off at school this morning. The routine seems to be reading books before I leave school. Justin went off to play but Nikki and I read. I read snow white, so Nikki has decided she is Dopey. HA. The kiddos were happily riding bikes when I left. I came home and went for a walk. It was nice listening to the new music on my Ipod and relaxing a bit. But I knew I wanted to get stuff done while the kiddos were at school. I ran to Target and stocked up on all the stuff I needed. So easy to shop by myself but I do miss the kiddos. I ran to the library as well to return some CD’s. I picked up the kiddos and we played outside for a bit. They both couldn’t wait to show me the rockets they made, so cute. We came home and the kiddos ate lunch. Then we did activities. I bought them a sun catcher Curious George thing that we painted. Then I had them glue Skittles on paper to make rainbows, but they just wanted to eat the candy. It was fun though. We played Memory then the kiddos played by themselves for a bit. Nicole has been playing with her Snoopy stuffed animal. We went outside to play in the front yard. I did some gardening, the kids helped a bit. They were busy digging in the dirt. They also were interested in playing tennis. They ended up throwing the tennis ball on the roof. Love the simple things they come up. They also rolled the balls down the bricks in between ours and the neighbors house. They had the balls racing. Justin and I went to play tennis on the greenbelt. Nicole was busy pretending she was Dopey from Snow White going to work. She used the mini igloo cooler and filled it with a few tennis balls (aka apples). It was just a fun filled afternoon. We walked to find daddy. Justin asked to bring the tennis racket so he could show daddy. I explained to him it was dad’s tennis racket so dad knows what it looks like. Nicole took her igloo so we stopped along the way to eat our pretend apples. Dad drove us home and we let the kids ride in the front. Dad played Wii with the kiddos while I went and picked up the sitter. Bret and I had a nice night out but we ate way too much. The kiddos were sleeping by the time we got home. We had the sitter give them some new books, Alvin and the Chipmunk books. The sitter said she read the books about 8 times. It sounded so cute, I am sorry we missed it. But Bret and I needed some time alone. I can’t wait to hear all about in the morning.

This week for some reason seems to be going by very slowly. This morning we hung out at home for a bit. Justin and I played Memory and raced cars while Nicole watched. I was worried I wouldn’t have time to give the kiddos a bath so we decided to get it out of the way first thing. Nicole went first. Justin and I played, when he started playing trick or treat Nikki wanted to get out to play too. Justin didn’t stay in the bath for too long, so we had time to go to Blue Gum park and meet some friends. It was a beautiful day out and so nice to be out and about. The kids had a lot of fun too. I am trying to work with Nikki to be a little nicer to some of her friends. She likes who she wants to like and thats it. Very strong willed little girl but no this will serve her benefits throughout her life. Justin just goes with the flow, so easy going just like his daddy. I realized at the park Nikki didn’t eat breakfast, so we didn’t stay too long. We had lunch when we got home. The kids played. The kids got the picnic blanket and pretend food. They had a picnic in the garage. Justin rode his scooter in the house all smiles, so silly. We played in the backyard. Justin was busy digging for treasure. The kids went in their swings for a bit. Dad came home early to go with us to the ENT doctor for Nicole. We had to wait a long time, so annoying. The kids were troopers though. The doctor basically said she still has fluid in her ears and will probably be like that for another 6 weeks. Nicole was so brave. She weighs 38.8lbs and is 42.5in. We are just going to watch her for a while, hopefully with cold season ending soon she will be ear infection free. Nicole and I went to the organic farm to get some fruit. So cute she wanted to get me a surprise. She told me she wanted to get me flowers, so sweet. She remembered at the farmers market we got flowers. The thought was amazing and I just smile every time I think about it. Since the kids were so good we let them play the Wii for a bit. Nicole was so happy when she beat me. Justin is still crazy about the game. So funny to watch him play. After dinner we just headed upstairs. The kids played tag, ran around, and had lots of fun together. I started organizing things a bit-the linen closet and Justin’s closet. Dad and Justin played Memory while Nicole and I cuddled in her bed and read books. Justin is sleeping with Pumpkin the stuffed dog and he was so cute with him. Nicole was all talky tonight as normal. She tells me “here’s the deal… you scratch this leg and rub the other one”. She cracks me up when she says here’s the deal. So cute in the middle of the night Nicole cried out for me. I went in there and snuggled in her bed and she just had a great big smile on her face, makes it all worthwhile.

Justin came in our room last night. It was all fine until he started kicking or hitting me in the face. I carried him back to his room and covered the kiddos. I didn’t have to work at pre school today, so I came home for a bit. And just enjoyed a quiet house to myself. I did some errands then ran to pick up the kiddos. The kiddos were so excited to show me stuff they did at school. Justin couldn’t wait to show me his rocket. He was so proud of it. I love it! Nicole made an apple and stuck toothpicks in it with fruit, some planets etc. We met some friends at a new park after school, sweet shade. It was a cool park, lots of climbing things.  I forgot to mention last night I took out the kiddos letters they had in their room when we had cribs. Justin hung all his letters on the magnetic darts. He was so proud of himself, it was so cute when he showed us. We have to paint his letters and put them up again in their own rooms. After the park today we played a bit at home. The kids played with cards-not sure what they did with them but they were happily playing on their own. We had to run back to preschool to get Nikki’s baby she left there. Poor baby has been left there twice now. The kiddos watched some TV while I cleaned up a bit and played on the computer. Grammy came over for a visit, the kids barely would take their eyes off the TV to say hi. The kids happily showed Grammy their new beds. It is so cute that they are so proud of their rooms. We came downstairs and used the race car track, Justin and I raced then Grammy and Justin raced. We played Memory and Candyland with Grammy. Nicole just watched. She didn’t want to play as she didn’t want to lose. Dad came home and the kids did a few races on the Wii. Nicole and I raced-I won one game and she wasn’t too happy. But was way happier when she beat me the second time. We went out to dinner tonight. We got home a little late. Grammy read a few books to Nicole while Justin and dad played hockey. We didn’t get the kids down until 8:45, maybe they will sleep in in the morning.

This morning I was hosting play group. We ran to the grocery store to get some snacks. Now that we are eating much healthier I don’t have a lot of food options for play groups. The kids didn’t want to go to the grocery store but once they got there they had fun. Nicole brought Huey, Louie, and Dewey and the kids were crazy with their carts. They were having a great time pushing the carts and decided what to get. We played a little bit before every one came and got the house ready. The boys all played together and the girls played mostly in Nikki’s room. It was nice as I got to catch up with a few of my mommy friends. Justin and Nicole ended up in their bathing suits pretending to use Justin’s bed as a swimming pool. They weren’t listening however when I asked them to stop jumping on the bed, I finally had to threaten to take away something. I hate that but it always works. Justin is loving to play Mario and being Luigo, so much in fast he has named a few of his animals Luigi. After lunch the kiddos watched some TV, they chose Barney for a change. I was so tired after TV I was ready to fall asleep. The kids decided to get in on the action and lay/jump all over me and shut all the shutters. We headed out as I needed to get Nikki a mattress pad for her bed. The kids had trouble listening in the store. Then we met some friends at the park. The kids played really well together. So fun to watch the kids roll down the little hill then run while their friend is on a bike. There was a monkey bar thing and Nicole had to conquer it. We got home and the kids saw daddy was home and immediately started asking for the Mario Wii game. The kids played for a while-Nicole was the happiest little girl when she beat me. We had dinner then the kids and dad were off to play Memory. We went upstairs and the kids played. They were playing with dad’s belts, fishing with them off the banister. They were having a blast. We read lots of books and hopefully Nicole will go to sleep soon. I just got another my new laptop  in the mail. Now to play with both and decide. I am trying to make friends with the Inspiron but I don’t like the wide screen.

Justin woke up and was playing quietly in his room. Just coloring with the water pens on the paper. Nicole however wanted us to play. We got ready for pre school. Dad worked from home today. I had to work at school today. I was red mom. It was fun but I am cranky from having a really long period. Getting pretty sick of it. Justin brought a car to share-I know what a shocker. Nicole brought her butterfly she colored and made yesterday. I will always love to watch them share, it is so cute. I played red/green light and duck duck goose with the kiddos. The kids cut out boxes and I taped them together. The saying on the boxes was I wish I may I wish I might…..and the kids put wishes in them. Nicole wished for:  to be able to touch a star and the moon, she loves Justin, for the chipmunks and chipettes to be real so she can play with them, and that she had a dog that could go into outer space. Justin’s wishes were: go to Disneyland, drive the autopia cars, paint at home, and to sit on the counters. We had a fun day at school. We came home and the kids got the mail. One of their friends sent them a letter and they were so excited; then we had lunch. The kids played and made a mess! I headed upstairs to start moving furniture around in Nikki’s room. Justin got into the bath. I think I am happy with Nikki’s room now. Just need to figure out the small details, painting, and decorating. Nicole took a bath after Justin. I needed a break after bath so the kids watched some TV. Justin is so crazy about the Wii (Mario game) thats all I hear him asking to play, ugh. Michael came over to play so Paula’s girls could go to a trial dance class. Nicole at first wanted to go to the dance class but decided to stay home. I thought I would get some alone time with Nikki but we just played with the boys. I put together Hot Wheel tracks then we all did Lego’s. We made a car with both Nikki and Justin’s Lego’s. The kids all played really well together. Nicole was excited when the girls came back. She gave them a few of her pictures she made. She loved showing her room to her friends. I was having cramps so dad took care of dinner, so nice. The kids couldn’t wait to play Wii again, so after dinner we let them for a bit. I skipped my photography class since I am feeling gross. In Mario Kart, Nikki calls the gorilla Konkey Dong-ha instead of Donkey Kong. We went upstairs and I just look at the kiddo’s rooms-they are big kids now. Justin says “when I poop my penis gets bigger and when I take a bath it gets smaller”. So funny! We read books, I cuddled in Nicole’s bed to read with her while Bret read with Justin. I love night cuddle time. Justin has been tickling us a lot lately. Oh and tonight my hair touched his face and he started laughing so hard.

Trying to make friends with my new laptop. Not so sure about this one yet. What is up with all this wide screen nonsense? HA Anyway Nicole is doing so well in her new bed and hasn’t fallen out yet. Dad is feeling better. We took it easy this morning and enjoyed being at home. Nicole discovered the Mario game for the Wii and the kids are hooked. They had so much fun playing it, it was really cute. Dad has created Wii monsters. Justin was really good at it, way better than me. Nicole drove just like me and was all over the place. Nicole and I went to play doll house for a while. She was so happy to be playing with me and I enjoyed it too. Doll house turned into playing baby which was fun too. We decided to take the kiddos to Jump N Jammin today. They kids had such a good time. We had fun playing with them as well. Dad got me by shooting balls at me. It was great Sanders family fun! We came home and the kids watched some TV. Then we just played. Nicole dressed up as a pirate, doctor, and finally decided on Tinkerbell. Justin put on his race car driver costume. I put the chairs in the family room for the kids to climb on but then decided to clean them. The kids got into cleaning. I let them squirt the windex and wipe. They thought it was great fun. I let them do it on the cabinets as well. Nicole even said her favorite part of the day was cleaning. Justin saw a snake made out of macaroni so we did that. He wasn’t that into making it though. The kids got their flashlights and played attic. Somehow all our shoes ended up in the washing machine and dryer, it was so funny when I discovered it. I had these little wood kits of a butterfly and a toucan. They are pretty lame but the kids thought they were the greatest thing ever. They colored them and we put them together. It was great the imagination it brought out, the toucan and butterfly were racing around the house. After dinner we played more. We played grocery store. I bought from the kids and the kids bought from me. I even got them grocery bags and that took it to the next level. Then they planned for  a party. We had to go up and we moved some furniture around in Nikki’s room. I think it looks better. Of course the kids wanted to sit on the furniture as we moved it. They found lots of ways to amuse them selves with furniture moving, jumping on beds, etc. We still need to move a little more tomorrow. After talking about bad things, pirates Nicole went to sleep. Justin just enjoyed a back scratch and a cuddle.

Dad has a cold, so we took it easy. I tried to let him stay in bed a bit. We tried to keep ourselves busy. We got the Geotrax out. We had fun playing trains. Dad stayed home and rested while I took the kids to the mall. We went early to the Santa Ana Mall so the kids could play in the play area. That play area always gets so crowded. The kids had it to themselves for a while. Both were busy climbing the kangaroo. Justin could hardly wait to go on the quarter rides. There was a car ride there that he just loves. Both kids went in it together and loved when it rocked back and forth. We walked around the mall for a bit. I found a Chip and Dale shirt for Nikki; needless to say she was ecstatic. It says BFF on it, so she learned what BFF stands for. Poor Justin he really wanted one too-he would have even worn the girls one if I let him. We couldn’t find a boy one for him but the minute I mentioned checking the Disney store, he decided he wanted a car instead named Darren Leadfoot! We came home and had lunch. Dad was feeling a bit better. We all went to Justin’s room to play cars on the street carpet thing. We had daddy come up to watch. Nikki brought up the picnic blanket and got Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Donald, and Mickey and Minnie and they all had a picnic. I think I made dad too cozy in Justin’s bed as he fell asleep even with all the noise. Downstairs the kids and I played Hi Ho Cheerio. Nicole put Huey, Dewey, and Louie on my Halloween cat. Then we got out all the puzzles and filled the floor with them. The kids got about 3 puzzles done each but then dad woke up. We decided it was kind of dreary out and with dad not feeling well we should watch a movie. We watched Ratouille but the kids did not really like it so we turned on George. While the kids watched TV we prepped dinner. I tried a new chicken pot pie recipe but it was very plain. Justin and dad went outside to use the squirty tool. Nicole did a show with Huey, Louie, and Dewey pretending they are Alvin and the Chipmunks. We just had a mellow evening. Nicole wanted the song Girls Just Want to Have Fun on the kiddos radio thing. The kiddos were dancing around and having fun. We read books in Nikki’s new bed and off to bed. We spent a little extra time cuddling with them. Justin was so excited when I said I would stay a little longer, little things that make them happy. Now to relax.

This morning Nikki decided to sleep in a bit. Of course she chooses to do this on a pre school morning. I don’t blame her though as it was dreary out. I dropped the kiddos off and then headed to the grocery store. I was surprised I only spent $165.00 cheaper than my last bill. It was kind of nice to shop in peace but I missed the kiddos. They were probably having way more fun at school than shopping. I read the kiddos a book before leaving them at school. I feel like we hadn’t been to school in a while as we missed Mon and Wed so I just didn’t want to dump them. They had fun though. Of course when I got there Justin was getting hit by a foam bat and Nicole was getting run over with a bike. But I was glad to be able to be there to comfort them. We played out front for a bit then headed to the library. The kids were a little loud and played on the computers but they did sit quietly as well to help me pick out books. We had lunch when we got home then the kiddos played. They did shows and packed up a pretend picnic to bring to pretend school. The kids wanted to play and play but I had to stop them to give them a bath. We were overdue for a bath. They took one together and got along for the most part. I love when they do things together but know they are two entirely different people. I always tell them how lucky they are to have each other. After we went outside and went for a bike ride. We biked to our neighbors to return snow clothes. The kids were so disappointed no one was home as they wanted to see their friends. It was getting cold out so we came inside. I prepped dinner then played with the kiddos. We played Memory and High Ho Cheerio. Dad came home and he opened my new laptop and played with that while the kids brought up pieces of Nikki’s new bed upstairs. So cute both of them wanting to help. After dinner dad put Nikki’s bed together. She was thrilled. As soon as it was put together she was in her bed with a big smile. We have to re-arrange the room to make it fit a bit. I hope it ends up working out, I am a little worried. We took the box spring and put it on Justin’s bed, so we had to do some swapping. Now his bed is higher and looks much better. We read all the library books tonight. It was fun laying in Nikki’s bed with her tonight. Hopefully she won’t fall out. She did hug her Dora bed goodbye.