PJ's and slippers

The kids spent a lot of time in their jammies this week. Chris liked the fun slippers and just playing around the house. There were games played, stairs climbed, movies watched and fun to be had everyday in the jammies.

He chose the bear slippers from the basket.

Dani chose the bunny slippers to match the bunnies on her PJ's

She also really enjoyed riding the stuffed bear footstool by the fireplace.

It sure is bright at night!

As you know from previous posts we often get some laughs from checking on Chris at night. So last night in Tahoe Bryan headed in to check on Chris before we started our movie. He came and got me and said I had to come see. Chris had bought a new pair of sunglasses today when we were skiing, he fell in love with them. So much that he fell asleep in them. Bryan and I have never laughed so hard. The best part was that he was snoring so loud when we took these pictures because he was so wiped out.

too cool!

I guess it got dark in there because after our movie he had moved his shades up. I love it!

Fun with Forts in the Snow

The weather could not have been better in Tahoe this week. It was perfect for getting the kids out in the snow for some playing. Chris and Bryan spent about 2 hours one day building forts and digging tunnels in the 6 foot snow banks around the house. The next day Dani and I joined them out there for a little fun. Dani loves the snow and thought sledding on her bottom was the best thing.

Dani and I hiding out in one of the forts while the boys were throwing snowballs at us.

I think Chris would live out in the snow if we let him.

Chris and Daddy built quite the snowman on Monday.

We actually were able to get a family shot!

Dog Wash

Bryan and Aron are getting some blog time today since I have been super busy and seemed to forget how to take pictures of my children. I was at the dog wash with Aron and Bryan on Friday so I snapped a photo. Aron looks a lot less intimidating when he is sopping wet then when he is lunging at people barking.....I like the sudsy Aron better!

This was a much needed bath and soaking in hot water for Aron after a long week. On Thursday Bryan and Aron were involved in a bad car wreck at work. Thankfully Bryan and Aron faired well, the K9 car on the other hand has seen better days. Bryan took a few days off to rest up and the two will head back out to work tomorrow.

I will try and get some pictures of the kids this week!

Confessions of a four year old

For the past few months the kids have been lucky enough to have a great gal named Sarah that watches them a few days a week in the after at our house while I am at work. The fun thing for me is that I will get emails from Sarah during the day on stuff the kids are doing.

A few months ago Sarah let me know about a little plan that Chris had cooked up. He told her that he was going to pick her up in his Safeway truck (this is desired profession) for a date and drive her to the zoo. When they got there he would get hamburgers out of the back of his truck and they would eat lunch. Luckily Sarah's husband was okay with Chris movin' in on her.
This was the picture that he drew on the computer with Sarah to represent their date.

Then today she emailed me to tell me a little story that happened yesterday. Here is what she had to say:

Chris and I were getting ready to watch Incredible's and the Cinderella preview comes on. I'm all oohing and aahing because I loved Cinderella when I was a kid. Then Chris recites part of the preview and when it's over says quietly, "I like princesses..."

This caused me to glance over at him because we had had a conversation a couple of weeks ago about how he doesn't like princesses.

It's like he caught himself because he looked at me sheepishly followed by an awkward pause and then said, "...i mean, i like kings."

Busted! What can I say, he does have a eye for the ladies.

Life this week

It has been a very busy few weeks around here, hence the lack of fun posts. My new job at church has been as the project manager for our new campus we were opening. For the past four months I have had the privilege to work on an amazing team of people to help get the campus off the ground. This past weekend after 5 years of praying and lots of hours spent planning and organizing.....we opened the doors of Cornerstone Fellowship Brentwood Campus. For the next three years we will be meeting at Freedom High school while we continue to through the land purchase process and building process. It was such an amazing feeling see the work of so many people come to life when the band started playing the first worship song at our Brentwood Campus. This was a sweet moment for so many....I can not even describe how it felt. God is good.

With this said Sunday I crashed, I was beat that night. I tallied up how much coffee I had consumed in the past three days (crunch time as I called it) and it was at an all time high. I was excited that Monday was a holiday and that I had vowed not to work on Brentwood that day. Well I tried at least, I did have to jot down the occasional thought in my notebook of things that needed to be fixed or tweaked a little for the next weekend. But then I remembered that Chris had the day off from school and Bryan was working.....so much for my day off. So I began to drink more coffee, it was all I could do to get me through the day. Let's just say by the time I woke up this morning I was spent. Off to work I went with more coffee in hand. About an hour into work I realized coffee was just not working anymore. I think my body had adapted to the caffeine level that I had kept myself at through the weekend and decided that it would no longer effect me. My dear friend coffee had failed me. I was crushed, coffee had always been there for me. Bummer.

Then I had the comment from a few people that just stings......"Wow you look really tired!" Seriously people I know I am spent, I know I have not slept much. I know it probably shows, but do you really need to tell me. Please do me a favor if you ever see me and I look tired, don't tell me. LIE and tell me I look great and then go get me a coffee.

Off to School

Daddy I am ready to go to school.....Dani loves everything about going to school. The only problem is that she is not in school. She loves to go drop Chris off and pick him up. I got this picture from Bryan this today at work before they got Chris. Dani was anxiously waiting to get across the street and get Chris from school. This girl is too precious for words.

Following in Mommies footsteps

I stumbled upon these pictures from last month and they made me smile. Chris will not work outside without his tool belt. Dani on the other hand has a healthy obsession with hard hards. I wonder if it is too early to get her into the CM dept. at Cal Poly....

So proud of his belt.

I think the rolls in her arms add to the picture.

Rain Rain Go Away....

If you live anywhere in Northern California right now you are probably singing the same song. Now don't get me wrong, I love the rain and all (it brings snow in the mountains) but with kids it is a totally different story. Let me paint a little picture for you...

I had my "good mom" hat on today and surprised the kids after work and decided to take them to Superfrank's. They had a great rainy day special and we had no other plans, so we met friends there for lunch. But the trick now was getting there.

It has been raining here for 2 days now. Not the bearable put your windshield wipers on low type rain; more like the no matter what you do or wear you are wet rain. If anyone was watching me make the trek from my car to Superfranks they got quite the show. How on earth are you suppose to get a stroller out of the car and unfold it, get your 4 year out and convince him to keep his hood on and not hit every car with the umbrella and the hardest get a 19month old into the now soaking wet stroller. I thought I had a plan: get out of the car with the umbrella, get the stroller and hold the umbrella over it while I put Dani in....then when we are ready I get Chris out of hte car with his umbrella and we run into Superfrank's. It is a great plan, but only if it is a slight drizzle and zero wind.

Reality went more like this....me getting out of the car and opening the umbrella which quickly whipped back and snap due to the 30mph winds. Then I went for the stroller and struggled to get it out of the car while sheets of rain dumped onto it. Chris had jumped out of the car at this point without the hood and our second umbrella. He opened it and lasted about two seconds longer then mine did. So now as we headed into Superfrank's I had two broken umbrellas, two wet kids (slightly protected from rain coats), a drenched stroller and me......yeah I left my coat at home.

So I ask for those of you with kids that live in areas where rain is a normal thing. How the heck are you and the kids suppose to stay dry!

Oh and it was a Happy New Year!

Bryan and I were very excited for New Year's this year. In the 6 years we have been married we have never been out as adults without kids doing something fun on New Years.....this was our year. My mom was here to watch the kids and we were dressed and ready for fun.

Our first of three stops was Piatti's in Danville for a great dinner. The nice thing here was adult conversation and no children. This was going to be fun. Stop number two on the agenda was dessert and drinks at Tim and Megan's house. The guys were able to brush up on their golf skills and get in some time with the Wii. There were great desserts and the fun and colorful otterpop drinks from Tim and his bar. Onto stop number three, this was the big one. We had all bought tickets to the New Year's party at the San Ramon Marriot. It was looking good when we got there, packed parking lot, long line to get in and people in great spirits. The few minutes standing in line should have been an indication of the night. I saw people in outfits that should be outlawed in most of the 50 states. Now I have to give some of them credit, they have confidence......either that or their mirror tells them a very different story. The "party" was interesting to say the least. What they called casino was a little less then what you would find in the Las Vegas airport. The music, well the band was called the Floorshakers so I will leave it at that. We stayed for a little bit to enjoy our $60 drinks and then we had had enough.

It was determined that night where all those people that just love New Year's go. Very interesting night and one that we will not repeat again....next year will be revised.

Me & Bryan; Ryan & Lisa; Janea; Chris & Mandy; Brian & Erin