random stuff...

aren't kids to cute when they sleep? i just checked on mine... fast asleep... i think i may go to bed early for once too...

we have swimming tomorrow morning. had ladies morning out this morning... it was alright but it'll take a bit to get "into" again... different group, different book... but still nice to have a tiny break from the kids with adult conversation! emerson FREAKED when i left her in the nursery but she was fine when i picked her up. they had her in the baby swing LOL and she thought that was pretty neat! hallie really had fun and can't wait to go next week!

we replaced our shopping cart after several months without one. dayhome boy had broke the other one... anyway now it's like a new toy! emerson was thrilled! it's also helping her with her walking....

the girls were having fun together yesterday afternoon....

my kids have to like such opposite things... the only thing they agree on liking is junk food... the are so competative and it drives me nuts! "i got dressed FIRST, i won!" "i'm getting out of the bath FIRST... me FIRST... ha ha, i said it FIRST..." i could go on and on. anyway today, they were arguing in the van over the song that was playing. kai wanted a song that had a MALE singing.... hallie wanted a song with a FEMALE singing. so we take turns... and really *i* am the one "winning" because it's my music choice, not theirs LOL! (sometimes i get away with grown up songs instead of kids... woo hoo!)

i'm having a hard time... help!!!

**this is a post for all of your lurkers to comment on too please!**

i'm having a VERY tough time deciding on which play structure to buy for our backyard. i know this seems trivial but i'm very stressed! i need some input PLEASE...

there are 2 options:

-spend a chunk of money and get the best of the "smaller" series...
-a very kool play structure with lots of options, however it's on a smaller scale and kids will outgrow it by around 8yrs old. the swings aren't as high as the bigger model, the rock wall not as challanging, etc. (this means only about 3 yrs left for hallie)
http://rainbowplay.com/SwingSets/Index.cfm?CatId=4&Id=55

OR...

-spend a bigger chunk of money and get the lower end model of the "bigger" series...
-still a very kool play structure, less options (doesn't come with steering wheel, telescope, etc.), but will be suitable for over 8yrs... up to around 12yrs... swing beam is higher so swinging is still fun for older kids AND little kids... more challanging rock wall and rope climber...
http://rainbowplay.com/SwingSets/Index.cfm?CatId=3&Id=44

help?!?!?!??? best of the smaller series or lower end model of the bigger series?!? i need some input here!

the 2nd option costs more... significantly... but is it worth it to have it last longer? i don't want to spend a chunk of money and then have them outgrow it... i hope that makes sense. these companies who make the units say, "shop as if your child were 9 or 10yrs old now -- they are to grow into, not out of."

help... mom... ? anyone??

the one i want that i know would last longest is too much, but here it is to drool over... i love the slide quality...
http://rainbowplay.com/SwingSets/Index.cfm?CatId=1&Id=1

YAY!!

ladies morning out starts up again this morning! i have been waiting 2 months! i hope it goes well... i'm a bit worried about how emerson will adjust to the nursery child care again.... i'll update later!

dance!

saturday night we went to the linking parents winter celebration... to be honest, this sort of thing is not something i will usually go to... however i KNEW my kids would have a blast so we went... and they did have fun! they loved the music... hallie is already asking to go to another dance -- i told her we will have to wait until the weddings this summer! we got there really late to avoid the sketchy potluck (sorry, potlucks aren't my thing unless it's with very close friends LOL ... no offense to anyone!!!) and then stayed for a little bit. we drove there with friends heather & prevail and met with a few others when there...

dress...

i had this dress made for emerson, it's so cute! it's still a tiny bit big, so it should be perfect for the summer! i also had a skirt made but the waist is waaaaay big so maybe that'll be for next year... or else i'll get it taken in. hallie was wearing it, it just was short on her! hallie was supposed to get a dress too, but it didn't work out so we scrapped that idea. oh well!

friday night my dayhome babe had a sleepover here! it actually went really well, so she is welcome back for another one anytime!

beautiful day!

last week it was so nice outside! we took advantage and walked to the "big park" with our soon-to-be new neighbors! it was very nice, but i underdressed us all and we were FROZEN by the time we got home. oops!!!

kai is re-discovering the park... funny how a winter away from the park can make everything seem new -- and sometimes scary! our little chicken is now a bit scared of the swings! last year he couldn't get high enough... i think it's a 3yr old thing. he is scared of a lot of things these days and i remember hallie going through this before too.

ice cube babies...

the deck!

our deck is done! kipp thought for sure it wouldn't be done when we moved in, but it only took them a day or so to build! ok maybe 2 days... but here it is! and still LOTS of yard left woo hoo!!

she is so cute!

emerson is such a little cutie these days! she is doing so much more... she's got such a personality! that is, when she is not sleeping... she still sleeps a LOT. 2 naps/day and sleeps about 14 hours at night. she is still sleeping this morning as i type this...

anyway last week she got her g-tube changed... it looks pretty and white again. the old one was too long, sticking out too far since she has thinned out from when she got that one last june. it had also discolored... ew! sorry for those who don't like to look at this stuff... this pic is pretty non-gross as far as gross CAN go!

awwwwww....


the kids were totally making her laugh last night after supper!


yesterday i joined hallie's playschool class on a field trip to the sea caverns at west ed! here is a penguin! his name is bam bam and he was being totally playful at the glass window!

my kids are nuts!
but i love them :)

busy week!

last week was busy! friday we ended up going to millenium place with juanita and her kids... it was great! we then headed for lunch at the nearby joey tomato's restaurant -- which was quite a sight! 2 moms with 7 kids all 4 yrs and under! it was really a bit krazy but the kids did so well and we managed to rack up a bill of $150! woo hoo! after the lunch, we were loading the kids into the vans and a lady came up to me... she went on about how she saw us in the restaurant and how she was amazed at how many kids we had between the 2 of us and she kept saying, "you are such a good mom, such a nice mom..." i was really surprised, especially because the kids weren't being little angels in there... it was so nice to hear that. i have to remember to be that old lady who makes the NICE comment when i am old... it truly just made my day!

saturday kipp wanted to take the kids on the rides yet again, so off to galaxyland we went. hallie and i went on almost every ride! she is such a daredevil! she can't WAIT for disneyland, the mall rides are now too slow, too boring ;) ha ha! kai, on the other hand, is a bit chicken! he goes on the kiddie rides, only SOME of them... and in the pic below look at his expression! "get me OFF!"

hallie on a ride... posing for the camera

kipp, hallie and kai on a new ride. kai was not impressed!


millenium place...


what a monkey!!
little emerson... she had a lot of fun here!

i just realized...

i have never been a mommy to a 15 month old and not been pregnant. this is a first for me! ha ha! i was pregnant from when hallie was 5 months old onward and then i was pregnant when kai was about 14 months old, onward.

let's play!

we went on monday and we were the only ones there for a while (us with 2 friends + their kids) which was nice! even when we left at noon, there were only about 2 or 3 other moms with kids there. i love non-busy places! although, let's play was pretty dirty... i was kind of put off... but the kids of course had fun.

beach day!

it was beach day at playschool today! kai enjoyed the pools in the classrooms! tomorrow is hallie's beach day.... how fun!

this was everyone's favorite pool... as you can see ;)

house...

our house is coming along... the exterior is almost done except for the cedar shakes in the peaks and the stone work by the garage and on the front posts. and of course proper front steps! oh, and they need to still build our deck in the back... less than 1 month until we move!!

the inside still needs flooring, railing on stairs, light fixtures, counters, baseboards.... but they have been so busy working on it... every time i drive by there are like 4 trucks there of random workers... kipp went inside last weekend and said the kitchen looked awesome... i want to see!! i'm SO impatient!

dexter's photo debut!

can be viewed here: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/halliekai/#page1

oh baby!!!

i got to meet a brand new baby today, mr. dexter! oh my goodness, what a sweetie! even though he puked at least 7 times during my visit, he is still just so so so adorable!!! and WOW is he ever tiny!!! i was hoping he was still going to look "newborn" like and he looks so newborn that he should still be inside that tummy! not even 6 lbs, he has lost weight. i hope tomorrow's appt goes well sara! thanks for having me over today and watch for some insanely cute baby pics to be blogged tomorrow when i get my camera back (forgot it at my parents' house tonight -- so sad!!)

swimming lessons!

the kids are taking swimming lessons for the next 2 months, weekly. they had their first class last week and loved it! hallie & kai are in the same class, and their friend keith joined them too! this is really the first time for lessons... well for kai at least. hallie took some as a baby, and then tried unparented lessons at age 3 but only went once or twice and was traumatized. this time went much smoother -- i'm so happy they can be in the same class!

the babes, viewing the lessons... on the other side of the glass... what's funny about this one is little erin in the background was totally all smiles for the camera!

the little swimmers!

waiting for the lesson to start...

cute...

i am one of the horrible moms who allows her kids to listen to nickelback... and hinder... and other stuff like that... not always, but sometimes when i am no longer wanting to hear the kids music..... and my little hallie has her mind made up that she is having hinder's "lips of an angel" song for her wedding song! haha!!! if she only knew what the song was about...

then the conversation went into how she is marrying kai... oh boy.... we have a lot to sort out here!

quirky 'lil emmy!

quite the face she's making...

at the restaurant - we went this week with my parents, my sister, my aunt and uncle, and my grandma. it was a great visit and the kids had fun too!

skating again!

sunday kipp took the kids skating again! i walked over with emerson in her sled too, for some pictures of course!

i also peeked inside our new house and our cabinets are in! they look awesme -- they are totally going to be destroyed by the kids, i already know it :( i also noticed our house is painted inside... and i really don't like the color *I* picked. oops :( i hope it looks ok once the rest of the house stuff is in (flooring, furniture, etc.)