Kids Day - July 20

Do you remember being a kid and asking your parents, "When is Kids Day?". If you are like me...you asked. It made sense to me, we had Grandparent's Day, Mother's Day and Father's Day...why not Kid's Day. Well, when I asked my parents they always said, "There is no day set aside for Kid's Day because EVERY day is kids day!" So, now I have my own children...and a few days before Father's Day they asked Hubby and I, "Why is there no Kid's Day?" I quickly found myself repeating what I was told...and believing it too! Every day is kid's day!

So, we started thinking. Why not have a Kid's Day? Why not have a special day set aside for them...if it will bring more smiles to their faces and more wonderful memories of their time with us!? Hubby and I are so happy to be blessed with our children...and want to soak them up every day...and before we know it they are going to be grown and on their own.

Later that Day Hubby told the kids we had been thinking about their idea for a "Kids' Day". Their faces started beaming...and they began sighing with excitement as we told them we thought they were right...We are going to make a Kids' Day! They asked if it could be that day! We said no, because we haven't had time to make it special yet. And we felt that since Mother's Day was in May and Father's Day was in June...it would only make sense that Kid's Day should be in July. So our Kid's Day is July 20th. The third Sunday of the month.

I would like to suggest that you make it your Kid's Day too! It doesn't have to be expensive...just a day of fun for them. We are planning a yummy breakfast of choc. chip pancakes with strawberries and whip cream...and jelly beans. Yes, candy for breakfast is what every kid wants. We will probably eat desert before we eat our dinner! I am not sure what all we will do, but I know that it will be as memorable for them as it will be for us!

Love your kids every day...and tell them over and over again! Live each day as if it were your last!

The mornings...

I am so content right now. My entire family is still sleeping and it is 7:30. I know, you are probably thinking, "are you kidding me...7:30? " I know it is still early...but my family is always up so early. I like to get up at 4:45 and be at the gym by 5:15...or if I am not going to the gym, I will walk at 5:30...so when I get home I usually have 30 minutes before my little ones wake up. I can get a lot done in 30 minutes. I used to fill that time with folding laundry, putting away dishes from the dishwasher, picking up the living room...now I am filling that time with reading my bible. It is so much nicer to slow down and be with God.

I don't know if you are like me, (i hope not) and you tell yourself all day that you will pick up your bible and read it AFTER the house is picked up or the kids are all in bed for the night or once you pick up the kitchen, etc...I find myself some days only reading the bible with my children while I am doing devotions with them. Anyway, I have been thinking a lot lately how I need to make time with God alone each day. I need to let the dishes sit in the dishwasher a little longer, leave the clothes in the dryer a little longer...and take time with God. It makes the day so much smoother too when I start it off with Him...and not with housework. If you already know this and are doing it...well you are ahead of me! If you are like me...and need to make more alone time with God, do it today.

Beach Nights - Check out the Sunset!

We had a really great time at the beach last night. It was only us and one other family..but we both decided to still go. It was awesome. We played volleyball with the older kids. Tiger is getting really good. Mr. Keck took a lot of time teaching him how to serve and set. I enjoyed watching my son. He was so happy and loved all the attention from his dad and Mr. Keck. Then we made smores and watched the sun go down. We packed it up around 9 pm...I can't wait to go again tomorrow night. Love the summer.

A Fun Tuesday

The boys and girls eating lunch after swimming for so long! They all were very hungry.



They were right back in there after lunch! It is so nice to hang with good friends.

Doesnt' this look like fun! Oh to be so young again!

Sweetie loved splashing in the tub today with his rubber duckies! He has over 30 collected now!

We are off to beach night with friends tonight! Hope you had a great Tuesday too!

Sweetie Is Almost Swimming!

Surfing on Dad's Back

Our Fabulous Time Together

Back from our Mini-Vacation!!!!

Tom and I are back from our mini vacation...it was so fun! I can't remember the last time we went away together just the two of us. It was so nice to be alone and together.

We visited the wine country in Temecula on Friday. I would not recommend it unless you can really hold your liquor! We were done after the second winery....but had two more to go. We ended up giving away our "tastes" to the other people on our bus! We were everyone's best friends! Ha!
Saturday we went to the spa and then hung out in a cabana by the pool. Then Tom got a little tummy ache...so we watched a movie in our room...but not until we lost a little money at the blackjack table! :( Then on Sunday we decided to hit the tables one last time and won enough money to pay for our entire trip with a little left over! The people at our table were calling us "Bonnie and Clyde". It was a lot more fun winning! Then we headed home and picked up our precious kiddos! Thanks Joyce, Christy and Carrie for watching them all. It is so nice to have such wonderful friends to trust our children with! They were so tired that when we got home, they all took a nap! :) It is nice to be home again...with the family.

Cutie's Book Club

Cutie and a few of her friends started a book club last year for the girls in her class. We have started it up again this year...and tonight was our first meeting. They read Thanks To Nikki. All the books they read are American Girl books. We meet once a month for three months. The girls discuss the book, eat a snack and make a craft. I am so proud of all the girls. They are getting so big...and doing a great job of learning how discuss what they are reading. I won't share all the pictures...just two of my favorites...I promised Cutiee to let her put the rest of the pictures on her blog!

Thursday at the beach

We had a great time at the beach again with friends. Today was our last day of vacation as a family. Tomorrow we are off to a little get away...just the two of us. I am so looking forward to it! But, I wanted to get our day 4 of vacation posted before I turn in for the night! Love my family so much! The last picture is how we all felt when we left...TIRED!

Finding the Perfect Swim Suit...STINKS

I have to start off by saying that I absolutely hate shopping for a suit. If you are one of those people that love it...and always find a million suits that look great on you...keep your comments to yourselves! :) I hate it!

I also need to say that I work out, I eat pretty healthy...and yet I still have this mommy tummy and bum that won't stop! I should probably mention here that if I still lived in IL I would not be complaining. However I wouldn't give up my lifestyle here to go back there!

Can you tell that I just came home from the mall? I tried on a ton of suits...and the depression started at suit number 3. I thought maybe the first two suits were just the wrong style...then after suit 3,4,5,6,7,8...I began to think maybe it wasn't the suit, but ME! Oh, and how about the girls that work at the store . They are size 2! Cute little things! No Way I am opening the door to let them look at my 34ish body! I know that I need help while trying the suits on...but I just can't make myself open the door for them! They don't need to see how once you have kids...and nurse each one of those precious babies...things starting heading south!

So then I tried to tell myself it is the mirror and lighting...so I better go try a different store. While at store number two, I realize all the girls in the line to try on suits are smaller than me...have no tummies and amazing bums! I guess I should also mention that they were all 20 something...which only made me think back to when I was 20 something...I wish I enjoyed that 20 something body more! Ugh, but I didn't. So there I was in store #2...hating myself. Oh, then I decided it was store #2...better move on to store #3. I tried on three more...and settled with a suit. I came home and put it on for my amazing husband!

He really is amazing...I could have put a potato sack on and he would have thought it was hot! (I wanted to put on a potato sack) Anyway, he said he thought it was great. My children all loved it too! My son said, Whoo - Mom you look nice! So why am I still not satisfied? Because I still need to shop for a suit! I called my girlfriend (who will remain nameless) and she came right over...and she shot it to me straight! "Nyla, I think it is okay, but it looks like a mom suit!" I wanted to hug her for her honesty...I love true friends! (if you are reading this nameless friend, thanks for always being so honest! It is so refreshing to hear the truth! I love you)So we got out my old suits...and she convinced me that I am ready for a two piece...not a tankini! Can you believe that ! I am not sure that I can do it...but I want to try. Although I am not sure that I will. It helps to have friends help you see your body as they do. I have such poor body image! Oh and I need lots of that fake tan stuff for my belly...because it is as white as snow...because it hasn't seen the sun since the birth of my second child and the removal of my kidney. I am in a rush to find a suit because we leave Friday am really early to celebrate my hubby's birthday! So tomorrow I am returning the "mom suit". I am driving to her home to borrow a suit for my romantic getaway with my hubby. (if you think it is gross to borrow her suit...please don't comment on that either:) )

Okay I feel a little better now that I got that off my chest! I love being a mom and I am going to start loving my body too! Anyone else having trouble finding their suit and loving the body God gave them?

Disney at Night!

Disneyland Tuesday Night!

We went back to Disneyland last night. We took Chloe's friend...and had a lot of fun being silly. Having Sydney with us made it a lot easier to pair up for rides! She is such a sweet girl...I love that my daughter has such a nice girl for a friend...and they are so silly together! Bryce talked me into riding Space Mountain. I am such a chicken! I waited in line for it yesterday...and then chickened out at the last minute. I did it last night and loved it! Bryce let me hold his hand the whole time...and I squeezed it tight! He was so cute how protective he was with me...he kept screaming, "mom hold on...here's another dip!" It was great. I would do it again! We stayed until the park closed...and all four kids fell asleep on the way home. We were home a little before 1a.m. We had to make the girls stop talking around 2! They are all still asleep this am! Tom went to get coffee...then I think we may get in the hot tub to start our morning. When the kids wake up we will head to the beach! I will post more pics later! :) Love my FAMILY so much. Enjoythe slideshow above.

Hiking with the family today!

Disneyland on Monday

On the tram to the park!

Space Mountain...Levi is next to Tom, but he is so little...it is hard to see him.
Chloe and Levi on Winnie the Pooh
Tom and Bryce being silly...again.
Tom staging the kids for a picture!

Tom is on vacation this week...so we went to Disney on Monday! We had a really great time...but it was so crowded! I think we ended up being there 7 hours...and rode 5 rides. Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Pirates, Winnie the Pooh (2x). Levi had to go the bathroom right before we got on Winnie the Pooh...so Tom took him while the rest of rode the ride. Then we stood in line again for Levi! He loved it! We had a great time! We bought passes again...so if anyone is up for going with us, let us know!

Happy Father's Day Tom...We Love You

Bryce's definition of Satan

Last night during devotions...

Mom: Who is Satan?
Bryce: I know, pick me!
Mom: Okay, Bryce, Who is Satan?
Bryce: He is this person, I mean angel that is really mean and tells lies and hates God...Oh, and he is red all over!


I love how children think!

Father and Son

Tom and Bryce have completed their first week of running together. I woke up and found them stretching outside together. I couldn't resist! I had to get a picture of them. Bryce even got a new pair of running shoes from Snails Pace! He is so excited to have this time with just his dad every morning. I just can't believe how dedicated he has become...he gets up at 6 to run with Tom! Way to go Bryce!

Puppy Sleep!

Sweet Levi and Sweet Madi fell asleep while Chloe was singing on the Wii

American Idol - Wii

You have to come play American Idol with Chrissie and I! We had so much fun on Wednesday! It is kind of like Karoke...but after you complete a song Randy, Paula and Simon all judge you. It is very much like the real thing! You audition, and hope to go to Hollywood, then you can compete against the Wii or friends! Chrissie and I both love to sing! So we naturally competed against one another! We played three rounds...I won the first round...and then she crushed me on the next two rounds.

The kids love playing too! Chloe and I could play all day! (drives the boys and Tom crazy because they want to play Mario Cart) Actually a few weeks ago Chloe, Emily and I all played together and won the whole thing! We were the next American Idol! So, if it sounds like fun to you...let me know...I think Chrissie and I are up for another challenge! Anyone interested?

Trader Joe's Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Those of you that know me well, know how much I love breakfast...it is my favorite meal! I love oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder, cinnamon and stevia, eggs with turkey bacon, egg white omelet with avocado and tomato...I could go on, but I am sure you get the point. I have always prided myself in the fact that I wake up very early to make my kids eggs before they go to school...(although that was much harder this year now that I am teaching.)

So anyway about a 2 years ago TJs stopped selling their Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes. I was so sad...especially because I didn't know they were going to stop selling them...so I gave away a completely new box to a friend that was visiting from Colorado. (Colorado doesn't have a TJs...I don't know how anyone can live without TJs) Then I bounced into TJs and the shelf was empty! I thought to myself, "oh, they are so good TJs can't keep up with the demand!" I spoke with an employee who told me they were going to be a seasonal item. I went to every TJs that week...looking for one more box...no luck! I poured out my sorrow to my dear friend Carrie...who could totally relate! My kids loved these pancakes...and I liked to eat them the week before my time of the month! Months went by...seasons went by...and no CCP! I asked the employees during the holidays...but no luck...I gave up! I decided it was time to find another favorite pancake...but I never did.

Well, last week I get a call from Carrie...who was on her way home from TJs. She said, "I just bought you something that you are going to die for!" I couldn't guess...I tried...but to no avail! Then she told me...I screamed "SHUT UP" so loud my kids and hubby stopped swimming in the pool and looked at me like "You just said the S word!" Oooh you are in trouble" I quickly explained that dear Aunt Carrie had just spotted two boxes of CCPs! They were thrilled...but not nearly as much as I was! I drove over to TJs this week and bought 3 boxes! I am always going to plan on keeping one box in cupboard...just in case they vanish from TJs shelves again!

Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying their fruit and CCPs this am! They had friends sleep over again last night...what a great morning to make these again for the first time! (Bryce was sleeping at a friends house...so he isn't in the pics)I am not in the picture because it was just too embarrassing! I think I had CCP all over my face! :) Hope you run out and get some soon! Oh, they are best with a Skinny Vanilla Latte...these pancakes are my cheat once a month! Love them!

Tuesday at the beach with friends

Mom, Let's go to the beach!

I have to post this before we go to the beach! I told Levi to go get his shoes on the for the beach. He came back looking like this! He is always making me laugh.

Levi can see you!

Fun with Cuties and Siena

All the kids after lunch enjoying a Popsicle.Okay girls, smile and then jump!
NOW!
I love the shot of Chloe getting a little splash in the face!
The boys loved the cuties floaties!

Mondays we like to have friends over for a swim! We had so much fun in the pool today. Chrissie and I even gave our little ones a mini swim lesson! However, we didn't get any pictures of that! :)

Make a Smilebox photobook