Grandpa's Visit!

My dad came to visit!  I am not sure the last time we saw my dad, but I am thinking it was a long time ago.  That is sad, but with him in MA and my sisters in NC, this will be happening more.  Anyways, he came on Superbowl (first time in forever we did not have a party) and left on Wed.  The kids loved to sit with him, we went to one of the girls dance classes (I do not think he is into, but he is sweet), and stayed with the them at the park while at Drew's practice one night while I was at a meeting.  I left him with just a few blankets but he braved the 50degree weather.  I thought he would be freezing, but I was wrong because he is really use to it, living in Ma.  My girls did not even notice.  Funny girls!  Other than that we did not really do anything.  My dad works at night and works a ton, so him sitting on the couch and hanging out with 3 of the 6 grand-kids was perfect for him!  I just did my normal thing and catering to him.  Derek even watched a movie with him, Coolhand Luke, and Derek liked that because it reminded him of his time with his own dad.  That was touching.  I know my dad enjoyed himself:)

But the best part of it all was......

Grandpa taught Em how to tie her shoes!  Just like he taught me, oh so long ago!  She was so excited and only wants to wear "tie" shoe/clothes.  Her legs look so tiny and dry in this pictures.  Heck, she was getting ready for school:)  That day when I picked her up from school her teacher told me all about how Em was untying and tying her shoes.  To the point where she had to tell Em to stop:)  Just like she had to with performing the splits!  Love it!

We were said to see my dad leave, but it was so nice to see him!  Now I have a current picture of him with the kiddos:)  Love ya daddy!

Beautiful Weekend & Some Strange Weather

Over the Presidents Day weekend we had some BEAUTIFUL weather in SoCal.  Saturday was in the 80's and on Sunday it was in the 70's with a breeze that allowed for the kite's first flight of the year.  I was trying to get a picture of the kite with the moon next to it, but it was not taking very well from my phone.  It was such a nice weekend!  Not too busy or slow...I got to clean out my car and the kids got to play and ride bikes.  Which was good because on Tuesday it was COLD and rainy!  

**abe, bonnet lady, george**

But before it was beautiful we had some HAIL!  Insane! 

We got stuck inside of Walmart, yes I go there every once in awhile..don't tell anyone.  Lilly was not very happy with the loud thunder and bright lighting striking in the parking lot.  The hail was INSANE and lasted for so long that once it was all done it looked like a layer of snow!  Unfortunately it was all done within 15min and by the time we got to the car it was melted.  Thank goodness the other two babies were not with us because Em would have screamed her head off.  Well, at least I thought she would have, but nope she was just watching it from her classroom.  STRANGE, STRANGE, STRANGE!

    

Ready For Some BASEBALL!

Are you ready for some baseball?  Or should I ask, "am I ready for a busy next few months?"  

Well, no I am not really looking forward to it.  But just like dance rehearsals I must take him to it.  Right now Drew has baseball three times a week, but starting next week he has 2games a week plus practice.  I do not know how many there are of those a week...guess I should find out since I am team mom!  Drew had his first scrimmage last weekend.  It was awesome to see the team play.  These kids are GOOD!  I think Drew is a little intimidated and wants to do his best.  It is interesting to see him grow up.  A few months ago he did not really care about baseball, now I see him getting a little disappointed in himself for not hitting the ball.  It is okay I keep telling him...he will get stronger!  OH and the girls are not very happy about sitting through these games and practices.  Too bad I keep telling them!!  Opening day this weekend!

 

**oh, before his scrimmage we went to the kids fair.  It was nice to see some of the ladies I have not seen in a very long time.  Kristi did a pretty good job this year, but I had more vendors last year:)  I AM bragging a little:)**

**more pics taken by the girls**

So Long, No Time Away!

Of course, our children come first.  That is why we have not gone 'away' with each other in nearly 3.5 years.  We have kids gone for a night here or there but never go "away."  Funny thing about going away this time is that we stayed right up the street from were we were at in LA oh so long ago for Kelly & Amanda's wedding.  Derek and I do not even like LA, but a free beautiful room is a free beautiful room.  

After Linda took the kids for the night day we went to cocktail hour.    

 Then we started walking and going down the Bunker Hill in a street car thingy (I do not know the name) that scared me to death.  It was so fast and Derek was sitting in front where I thought he was going to fly out.

 Walking up the hill, once off the car, we saw many of the wonders of LA.  See there are many, starting with #1- Trash...oh so much of it that one could make a piece of art.  Oh wait I think people do that:)  #2 - I do not care if this sounds horrible to some...but the wonders of the homeless.  Many are mentally disabled, so I do not blame them at all.  It is just a little scary to walk down the street with no cars and people circling a fire. "Ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?   #3- I love the bike that is still locked to the pole missing many of the important parts.  Thank was worth stopping and taking a picture of.

What was also a picture worth taking was Derek walking up Bunker Hill (another direction) with a case of Bohemia.  In true Derek fashion he 'knows' where he goes and for some reason (maybe love?) we always follow him and I just walk and let it happen.  Really it leads us to the most interesting places.  But after my shoes started to make a dent in my foot and our third trip back to the hotel I just went ahead and asked for help and bammmmmm, we were at an Irish Pub in downtown followed by our walk back, bed and Heroes for lunch before we picked the kids back up.  Which, of course, none of them wanted to really go home.  Lilly, maybe a little:)  

Derek and I had a great time and even though our 'away' time are few and extremely far between, I love them.  We literally did nothing but walk and just like our family trips he is becoming more aware that no matter how long they are, at least we are together.  **Dear Lord, help me not to eat bread or drink another beer EVER!!!**

Uncle Clint was Here!

Uncle Clint, Uncle Clint!  The kids were so excited to see Uncle Clint a few weeks back.  They did a double take in the hotel then gave huge hugs.  It is always strange to me how I/we do not see many people in my family for so long, yet when I do see them it is as though the long gaps in which I do not see them never happened?  Is that strange or is that family?

It had been since June that I had seen Clint and Nov 2011 since Derek had.  So long ago it seems and now that they are back in NC with a 8 month old I am sure the rather frequent visits from Patty will no longer be happening.  I understand, but it does stink.  So, when I got word that Clint was going to be in Barstow for a few days, I made arrangements to take the kids to see him.  Derek would have loved to go, but work comes first.  Yes, work...that dang thing he has to do to keep me home with the babies.  Oh well.  The great thing about having all of my sisters at home with their kids is that everyone in my family understands when a husband has to be absent at things:)  Anyways, I threw out my back (yes, after my flu was done my back went out and I was all hopped up on drugs that made me very sick!)  and thank goodness Brian (aka, stepdad, Papa) could and wanted to go with us to see Clint!  He drove, while I slept, out to the nowhere land of Barstow.  Heck at least there was a Chilis nearby to eat at.  My kids behaved horribly at dinner, so embarrassing.  I think maybe it was all of the drugs or something, but I was not a happy camper myself.  Regardless, to see Clint was worth the trip and when he comes back in a few months I really hope that he will have time to see us and maybe my children will be behave and my back will not be thrown:)

Great Park!

Day off of school?  What to do?  Why, go to the Great Park of OC of course!  As you can tell by so many of my posts I am INLOVE with the GPOC.  I love all of the stuff they have to do there.  In fact, this year they are adding a Giant Chess Set to the park.  How cool is that!  The park is constantly changing for the better, what will it be like when it is all done?  Will they then charge an arm & a leg like everything else in Orange County?  I love the area we live in, but sometimes it is just so expensive!  Taking up on what the park has to offer while it is free is a must for me and the fam.  Since we did not have school today Suzie and I met there for a picnic.  Since Suzie had not been there since Hannah was a baby (she is 4 1/2 now) I had planned on heading on the balloon and carousel, but everything was CLOSED!  Argh!  Now I know that in the off season things are not open on M-W.  Oh well, next time.  We did have fun.  

On the Kid Rock, the kids loved to play!  

 On the field, Connor & Drew lost Hannah's ball over the fence!

 Look at my baby, so big!

 Look at the boys!

Drew got pissed at me (yes, I am using that word) when Connor had to go to the restroom and he would not take a picture.  Oh well, I took one anyways!  haha, momma will always win!

 Again, look at those boys!

 Looking at a phone...

 Taking a picture of themselves.  What is next for tech!  They are seven!

 Of course, love the bike shaped bike rack:)

 Oh and the regular shaped bike racks!

Chemo & A Party Complete!

First set of pics...I just think are cute!

However, the real reason for this post is to share how wonderful two women are in Emma's kindergarten class.  First, there is Kaci.  She is real sweetheart and I tell her she is, but she will not give just herself the credit, but Jesus.  She is a very kind person and I am happy that I talked myself into letting a few new friends into my life.  I AM SO AGAINST that and have been for a few years.  Alas, I did it and even from a my guarded distance I find it nice to have just a few ladies I can talk to when dropping Em off and to go to the park with every once in awhile.  

Second, Julie!  I really do not know her very well, but through school  I have gotten to know her a bit and really like her and her son.  We had a party to celebrate her completion of  CHEMO and her CANCER free status!  It was a 'hair' themed party and since it was going to rain when we wanted to do it, I offered to have it at my house.  The best was that it was a SURPRISE and Julie had no idea.  I have to say that when she got a little choked up I had to walk away rather quickly because I was going to break down.  I just could not image going through that at such a young age and deal with the thought of not seeing my babies get older.  Makes me want to cry just thinking about it.  Kaci, provided a gift consisting of hair products and a plant.  Julie was very excited to have the plant.  It will be her first since completion of chemo, because you can not have them in your home during chemo.  Like I said I do not know her very well, but she can sport a wing pretty damn well and she is very eager to see how her hair grows back!

Of course, the kids were there.  I thought the party would only go a little after we picked up the older kids from school, but it ended up lasting until 4:30!  Almost four hours...that was long since we all had so much to do still that day!  The kids had so much fun playing in the rooms, in the closed garage, running around shooting each other with Nerf guns, and of course playing dress up.  Only one injury, of course it was Em who got shot in the eye with one of those really hard Nerf disk dart thingy.  Her eye got all puffy and she got upset.  Isn't there a saying for parties and getting hurt?  

**Julie is the one sitting next to me.  Blurry is what happens sometimes when a 2nd grader takes the pics!**

**On a fun side note Emma's love (aka Alex) mom and I hung out for a bit and drank a few glasses of wine until Mar and I went to dinner.  Needless to say...I was a tired momma on Friday night when I got home.  that was okay though because Derek and I got away this past weekend and I loved sleeping for 14hrs in a Cali King!**   

 

Family Day & Daddy's 35th!

Family Day's with the Lee Family can be surprisingly funny!  I am not sure if it is... 

#1- The Lilly pose...

#2- The amount of us that are here...

 

#3- Derek ALMOST shook his booty in celebration of his 35 birthday...

#4- One of these hilarious pictures...dorks....

#5- Or how we ended up from the Disneyland area back to our house...

I think it is all of the above!  We missed the Weil family & most of the teenagers, but as you can tell we had a lot of fun at Bubba Gumps.  Our bill was huge and we all left with a bag of pilsners!  Linda was spoiling the children (both hers and ours), as usual, and Auntie Chow walked around with the kids once they started to get restless.  

Why Bubba's?  Well, as with most men, it is a favorite movie of theirs.  So I thought, why not hang out there this time for family day.  I really did not think we would be there as long as we were, four hours I think?  But it was fun!  However, I am thinking once a year for something like this is good enough for everyone!  On to this month when we go FISHING!  

How many of these have you been to?  

There are so many 'independent consulant' businesses and I am pretty sure I have been to a majority of them in my life.  From sex toy parties to makeup & crystal I have been it many!  I usually spend way to much money and sign up to host a party (I support my friends).  When I go or host a party I have a good time and see people that I have not seen awhile, that is nice.  My most recent party was to a 'thirty one' party.  They sell bags and so on.  I really like the products and have seen it get very popular in Ca.  

Check out the site, https://www.mythirtyone.com/MandyDavis/