She dresses him up like a Princess...and she stole his nose!!

Hello Blog! I've missed you!

I'm off work...well...I've been off since July 1st! My company moved and is now an 85 mile commute in Southern California traffic...soooo...needless to say, I chose to get laid off instead of making the drive. 2 hours a day EACH WAY in traffic just isn't in the cards if I plan on being present in my kids lives! It was bad enough working full time and having them in daycare all day. Having them in daycare from 7-7 just was NOT an option. So...I'm home now...loving some days....wanting to pull my hair out other days. It's a huge adjustment around here. I'm not one to want to be a "stay at home mom". Yes...I love my kids dearly, but I'm just not cut out to stay home. I like to work. Plus...I NEVER EVER want to be stuck in a relationship because I can't support myself and can't leave. It happened once...I didn't leave when I wanted to and then it all ended badly. No regrets because I have 2 amazing kids...but...I know I should have left long before it ended.

Moving on...the summer has been a BLAST! We went to Illinois to visit family for 2 weeks! Yes TWO WHOLE WEEKS! I haven't been on a vacation that long in forever! It was so much fun. I really really miss my family! They are so crazy and fun! We've spent quite a few days at the beach, the pool, playdates and some days just lounging around the house.

I have a funny story to tell....The kids have been fighting quite a bit...because they get bored so easily...one of them takes the other kids toy, whatever and they end up chasing each other around the house or one of them hits or bites the other one. Some days I want to scream...well...some days I DO scream! Yesterday morning as I was making breakfast, Chasey "stole" Cash's nose! You know...like your grandpa used to do to you when you were a kid...Well...she took off running and wouldn't give it back! It was actually REALLY REALLY funny and I didn't know whose side to take in that fight! Chasey was just pretending...but Cash thought she really had his nose! I was laughing and yelling at Chasey all at the same time..."Chasey...at least PRETEND to give him his nose back"....Cash was freaking out! In the end...she "GAVE" his nose back and we moved on.
Look at this picture!! This is just ONE of the pictures, videos, etc that I have of Cash this summer dressed in his princess gear! That's the downfall of having a big sister I guess!

Goodbye Sunny San Diego...

We FINALLY begin to have a summer and we are leaving for vacation for two weeks! We will miss you San Diego!



But...we'll be visiting family in the midwest...we'll be fishing, swimming, going to carnivals, baseball games, bbq's, boat rides on the lake....the kids and I will be having a blast!

Busy...Busy...

This is how busy we've been....My kids can't even stay awake!

Happy 4th of July...

This is what I will be bringing to the party today....

Cowboy Caviar!! Oh sooo yummy!

Please be safe out there! :)

We've got Vegetables....or are they a fruit?...

Remember this little guy?
He's now huge...


and gave us this....


and...to the most amazing "step-dad" my kids could have ever asked for...Happy Father's Day to you! (we did celebrate on time...this post is just late!)

Busy...Busy...and Preschool Graduation!...

We have been SO busy. James is back at the river this weekend for his annual "boys river trip"...so it's just been me and the kids this weekend.

Chasey graduated from preschool on Friday. It was SOOOO cute! She was so nervous and so excited! Her little tummy was hurting that morning from nerves! She did great and sang louder than the other kids and knew all of her sign language. The kids all wore cap and gowns. The whole thing was less than 15 minutes...but it was so awesome to see my little girl growing up! Her dad & crew, Grandma, Aunt Gina and my friend Kathy and her kids were all there to celebrate with us.




We made cute vases for Teachers Gifts....inspired by The Anderson Crew




Chasey got to pick where we went for dinner after...Of course...It was SUSHI! She chose sushi over McDonalds!! THAT'S my girl!! :)



Yesterday I volunteered for a Charity Golf Tournament for Fight ALD. I drove around and helped serve beer, sell mulligans and take photos. It was super fun. The kids came and joined me for the dinner and awards ceremony. I bought raffle tickets and put Chasey's name on them and she won a limited edition bottle of Sawyers Triple Beer from Stone Brewing Co.! Hahaha...it was pretty funny that she won. She was really confused! I took a million pictures...but not with my camera so I don't have any to post here today.

and a random...Why I love summer picture....


Off to the beach today...let's hope the marine layer is gone by the time we get there! June is the strangest weather month is Southern California...it was freezing cold 2 days ago (well...freezing as in 60's and windy!) and today it's supposed to be in the 80's!

Happy Sunday!

Louisville...and F*&K....my hard drive crashed!

I swear...we never slow down! We go, go, go...and when we have a weekend to relax, I usually have it overplanned by Friday just because I hate to "not have plans" It drives James C-R-A-Z-Y and I've been told I cannot make ANY more plans for the summer! I already have the majority of weekends booked up until Chasey starts kindergarten at the end of August...Holy cow...MY BABY STARTS KINDERGARTEN! Yes, I know it's happening...but typing it...wow...I just can't believe it!

Another weekend of Madness around here...We took off to Louisville, Kentucky for the weekend...Yes...flew all the way there and back...JUST for the weekend! And it was OH SO WORTH IT!!!

I have one aunt and uncle that live in Louisville...the rest drove over from Southern Illinois where my entire family lives...My mom, step-dad, dad, step-mom, brother, sister, sister-in-law and my niece were all there. Fun, fun weekend!


Lots of fun was had in the backyard....








Introduced the kids to horse racing at Churchill Downs!


James drank Mint Juleps...just because "he had to" since we were in Kentucky!



Back home, back at work....and my Mac took a dump this morning!! I've had it for four years and never had one single problem...I was on Facebook this morning before work and it froze...and it's done! So...so sad...A guy here at work is going to put a new hard drive in it for me this weekend. I backed up my photos a couple of months ago...so I think I lost the last couple of months...but it's better than losing a couple of years like I hear horror stories about! And...I send my family kodakgallery albums almost weekly so I have tons of pictures in there!

Off to the River tomorrow...again...go, go, go...it's how I like it! :)