What's in your bag?

I've seen a few other bloggers write about the contents of their purse/bag on any given day...I thought it would be funny to dump out my purse on the kitchen table and see what lurks in there!! Interesting...at least it gave me a chance to clean it out!



1. My beloved Custom Tylie Malibu purse...It says "CHASEY" on the strap...yes...I got it BEFORE Cash entered my life and I still carry it...every...single...day!
2. Crappy....only here until my birthday....cell phone! I'm getting the Iphone for my birthday...either from James...or I'm buying it for myself! I NEED to enter the world of "apps"!
3. Groupon to Barnes & Noble!
4. Coupon Organizer...I use coupons religiously
5. Paint Color Samples and Idea book...looking to re-do the bathroom and master bedroom
6. My old phone...I carry it because my phone numbers didn't transfer to the new (old) one and I need to look up numbers every now and then
7. Checkbook
8. Wallet...I won't even begin to look at what is in that thing...it doesn't even shut!
9. H&M reusable grocery sack
10. gum...always an assortment of gum in my purse for my 2 little gum monsters
11. Motrin, Tylenol, Aleve...there is an assortment of headache medicine in that little bottle...for days when the kids just push me over the edge! (or...days that mommy drank too much wine with her friends!)
12. You know....stuff for when "Aunt Flo" is in town
13. dental floss...my mom will be proud that I carry that with me!
14. Purse Hanger...it's super heavy and weighs down my purse, but I use it all the time at restaurants!
15. 3 pens
16. Assortment of lip gloss, lipstick and chapstick
17. Chasey's dress-up rings
18. Really old bottle of visine...Not sure if I've ever even used it
19. too much change...another reason why my purse is sooo heavy
20. "Easy Chops" or whatever they are called....little plastic things that turn chopsticks into kid chopsticks in a snap!
21. Spy sunglass bag
22. Pair of Chasey's socks? Not sure why those are in my purse
23. little green man
24. safety pins...never know when you will need one of those
25. Wristband from Zehnder's Waterpark in Michigan...went there over Christmas break and its STILL in my purse?!
26. Pretzels...yes...pretzels were floating around the bottom of my purse.

So...there you have it...I'm a hoarder! Obviously!

The things I learned at Disneyland....

Always...ALWAYS....stop to take a picture at the Mickey head made out of flowers when you first walk in....

$50 worth of face painting for three little munchkins is SO worth it because it makes them SOO SOO happy!

A day at Disneyland with your cousin is going to be one of your lifetime favorite memories! (you may not know that yet...but mommy does)

I am SO very lucky to have a little boy that will take a nap ANYWHERE and can be transferred a thousand times during that nap and stay asleep!

I STILL get excited when I get to see Mickey!

After 1 full day at Disneyland...even little ones need a pick me up before the 2nd day!

The Jersey Shore likes Disneyland too!

Cash is now tall enough for almost every ride and he is going to be my little brave one!

I will NEVER ride the crazy ferris wheel at California Adventure again...yes...it looks like we are having fun...and we WERE...but I felt super carsick by the time it was over!

Margaritas are a MUST after getting rained out on your last day at Disneyland! (my brother Dougie and his wife Tanya)

and...My absolute FAVORITE picture of the trip! My niece Kylie was not a big fan of that ferris wheel that I was talking about either!

Grocery Store...UGH!!!!

There is really nothing I hate more than taking both kids to the grocery store alone!! One at a time is fine...but together, they are complete terrors!! The rule is that they have to both sit IN the cart.....but that doesn't always work out so well for me either!






(Right about now...I should be in Fantasyland with the munchkins....thank you "time stamp")

Going Back to "The Happiest Place on Earth"

Just waiting for the rain and hail to pass over and then we are headed to DISNEYLAND!!!

My brother, his wife and my niece came into town yesterday from Illinois (they brought the rain with them...I swear!)...as soon as Chasey gets out of school today, we are headed to the Magical land of Disney! I love LOVE having family come visit...even if they do always bring the cold weather and the rain...its ok...I just love getting to visit! I didn't tell the kids that their cousin was coming...I surprised them yesterday! Chasey was standing at the airport not having a CLUE who was going to come down the escalator! She had guessed it was her cousin Kylie...several times...but I kept telling her that it wasn't her! haha
Not only were they surprised with a visit from their cousin...but also they are going to Disneyland for 2 days!! YAY!!!

The kids had a chance to play yesterday before the rain came in....There is nothing better than the bond of cousins when you are a kid! I was lucky enough to have about 20 or so! Our entire family lives in Illinois....so for Chasey and Cash...this is a special treat!

I'm officially a Soccer Mom....

Cash started Soccer this past weekend! I know I've said it before, but now that my kids are a little bit older...I actually FEEL like a MOM!! I've been a mom for 6 years now, but once Chasey started kindergarten...and now Cash is in soccer...I feel like a mom. I do "mom" things! I've always done "mom" things...like the park, Sea World, playdates, dance class, etc...but Soccer and school just seem like big kid things to me. I've arrived to "Momdom"

I don't even like soccer...but watching my little guy out there makes me so happy! Rain or shine...I will be at every one of my little guys practices and games! I am a very proud mom and can't wait until he actually starts playing little scrimmages and runs to the wrong goal! (Doesn't every 3 year old soccer player do that?)

All that running makes a 3 year old tired!

Super Soccer Sister!

Cash & Ash getting their groove on....

I just uploaded my pictures from the "Worlds Largest Sunflower" event. Cash and Ash were groovin' to the music...so cute!


a pic of our crew...

I ran for a girl I've never met....

I've never met Chelsea King....but last weekend I ran my first 5k for Chelsea....Yesterday I took the kids to RB park and we were part of the "world's largest human sunflower" in honor of her!! It's amazing how close of an attachment you can feel to a person you've never met.

First...we'll talk about that 5k that I didn't intend on running! I was asked last minute to join a couple of girlfriends at the race. I haven't worked out in a month, but what the heck...I'll go...I'll just walk it! I woke up extremely early (like no person should ever wake up that early...early)...and went to Balboa Park for the race. We got there around 7am. Spending an early Saturday morning in March in Balboa Park makes you realize exactly why we pay outrageous amounts of money for our homes here in Southern California! The skies were blue, the birds were chirping and the park was packed with over 5,000 people there to support the Chelsea's Light Foundation and run/walk the 5k! I have an overwhelming attachment to Chelsea King...I never met her, but the man that took her life was living in my townhouses...YES...the EXACT same townhouses that I live in!! He had been staying at his moms house and she is the one that lives here in my neighborhood. I never had met or even saw him, but knowing he lived around the corner was the creepiest thing. Chelsea went missing from a park just down the street from here. When we had dogs, we were at that park several times a week. So...needless to say....it hit REALLY close to home...TOO close!
Back to the 5k! My friends and I all had "timed" numbers because they had been training a little and were ready to actually run the race...Me...not so much....Oh well...I started off running with them and made it to about the 1/2 mile mark and decided I either needed to pick up the pace and run a little faster or give up and walk....I'm SO proud of myself for picking up the pace...I felt bad leaving my friends behind, but I take REALLY long strides so running slow is way harder for me than running at a faster pace. I ran non-stop to the 2 mile marker...walked for about 2-3 minutes...then ran to the bottom of the hill at the 2 1/2 mile mark. I WALKED the hill...That hill was a killer...then at the top I ran to the finish line. I finished in 35:34!! My first 5k ever!! Although I haven't gone out running since...I want to go do more 5K's and beat my own time!! I kind of "get" the whole running thing now! I'm not...never have been a runner, but being with all of those people gave me the adrenaline that I needed to get out there and run! I felt SO great!

I even made it into the online version of the San Diego Union Tribune! Well....the back of my head is in the paper! See the post here. My ponytail with a sunflower is about half way down.


(photo from Sign On San Diego)
I've never let Chasey know about what happened here in our neighborhood...I never told her about Chelsea King. I never fully explained to her why the helicopter told us to go inside and lock our doors the day after Christmas when the kids were riding their new bikes. (the first attack on a runner that the "creep" made...but she got away") I've never explained to her why we have sunflowers and blue ribbons on every light pole in town. She's too young...I don't need her to worry about living here. She's been taught about strangers, etc, etc....but there are some things she doesn't need to know. We don't even watch the news at home. I read it online or watch before the kids wake up in the morning.
Yesterday...I DID feel it was important for her to take part in the "World's Largest Human Sunflower." My friend and I took our girls out of school about 20 minutes early so we could all participate. It was a great event! We ended up being out in the sun for 2 hours and the little ones (the 3 year olds) got a little antsy...and FILTHY playing in the dirt....but when it was all said and done, I couldn't be prouder that I took my little family to this amazing event! Someday I will show Chasey this picture and she will know about Chelsea and she will know that she took part in something great!


My heart goes out to the King family. They were at the race on Saturday and I wanted to hug them. I feel like I know them.

This mom loves a good deal!

The kids and I have 2 year passes to Sea World so we are frequent visitors at the Shamu show! It's so nice to have passes because we can just run down there for the afternoon and not feel like "we didn't get our money's worth" if we don't stay the whole day and see each and every show! Our normal routine is that I tell the kids we can see TWO shows...which always turns out to be the "Shamu" show and the "Pet's Rule" show....which is the dog & cat...now turned dog, cat, pig, ducks, emu's, kangaroo and macaw's show!

Both shows are good so I enjoy them just as much as the kids. I'm bummed that the trainers don't get in the water with the Whales anymore...but who can blame them. It's still magical seeing those large mammals following directions and jumping so high out of the water! Amazement every single time!

I took the kids down on Saturday afternoon and they each had $10 to spend. Money that they got from their Grandparents for Valentines Day. Chasey picked out a small (like the size of my hand) penguin with big eyes. It was adorable, but I told her to wait and we would come back to that store to get it before we left if we did not find anything else.

As we were headed to the Shamu show we passed a store called Trader's Cove...I've seen it a thousand times, but never went in. I thought what the heck, let's check out this store...The sign outside said "Nothing over $10"...Perfect!

We walk in...and what do we see? Sea World's Clearance Department!!! HOLY COW! Clothes, toys, trinkets, stuffed animals...ALL marked down to under $10....Guess what my kids got?! For $9.88 each!! I'm still amazed!

Mr. Independent wears "Surf Pants'

I'm struggling to get through the mornings these days! (No...I'm not pregnant!ha) I remember this feeling all too well from a couple of years ago when Chasey was about 3 1/2 or 4 years old. I was a frazzled mess walking in to work at least 2 or 3 days out of the week. Since I've been off work, things have been a lot less stressful and getting Chasey to school by 8am each morning is not so bad...we rush out the door EVERY morning regardless of whether we have 90 minutes to get ready...or 30! Doesn't matter...somehow we are always rushing at 7:50am!

Well...Cash has recently found his streak of independence! He can do EVERYTHING himself! Although I think it's great that he's growing and changing, there are some things that mom should just do for you at this age!

Number 1...getting dressed in the morning when you have to do it quickly!
Cash REFUSES to let me dress him! I learned this the hard way the other morning when he ran and ran and ran from me and Chasey was over 10 minutes late for school and got a "tardy." UGH! It's kindergarten...but still...no reason she should have been late. I almost took him to school naked...but it's a little chilly outside! The past 3 mornings I lay his clothes out at 7am and tell him he can do it himself. 10, 20, 30 minutes go by and he hasn't done it and he still refuses to let me. It's a battle that I'm losing and it's driving me up a wall! Bribery is the only thing that works these days...but candy is the last thing he needs that early in the morning!
Number 2....he hates to let me wipe him! This one is REALLY bad! I have to physically restrain him so that I can wipe him. He tried to do it himself the other day and got it all over his hands! Then....came up to me and grabbed my face! Blech...i want to throw up just thinking about it! He was being sweet and trying to kiss me, but still...blech!
Number 3....If I tell him he can't have something...or do something...he does (or at least attempts) it himself! Example below...I REFUSED to put batteries in this train because I was warned by the friend that handed it down to NOT put batteries in it because it is so obnoxious.....he decided he was going to do it himself! I thought it was cute enough to take a picture of it...but I still didn't put batteries in it. Well...he sweet-talked James into that very night! Now we have an obnoxious train that makes annoying animal sounds AND train sounds roaming around our floors all day!


All this is just "growing pains"....Growing pains for mommy that is...Cash is cool with it all! But as much as I want to strangle a 3 year old some days....I want to hug and kiss and squeeze him tight the minute that he says "I love you so much mommy!" over...and over...and over! It's music to my ears and makes my everyday struggles disappear into thin air!

and....Mr. Independent wears "Surf Pants"....because he now refers to his swim trunks as his "Surf Pants"....because he surfs in them...so he says! If given the choice each day to pick out his own clothes...he will most likely put on his "Surf Pants!" Thank God we live in Southern California where our "cold" days are in the 60's!

just a random picture from last week of an everyday Cash antic! The boy can really make me laugh!