Our Lives // Hike Our Backyard

Okay, this is not exactly our backyard… But I'm grateful to live in a place where open space and hiking trails are just a stones throw away. Many may complain about Los Angeles and Southern California in general-- too many people! the crazy traffic!;  However many don't realize that we live amongst the largest urban national park in the world, not to mention the abundance of open space just north of the county line. The 240 square miles of open and protected space gives us easy access to nature's wonderland and is what keeps many of us native Angelenos happy and sane.

Although I appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us, I have to admit that we don't get out there and embrace the outdoors as often as we should. So last weekend we decided to remove our butts from all horizontal surfaces and get a move-on. We grabbed the kids and some friends and went on a three hour hike. It was invigorating, beautiful, sweaty and dirty.  We had a blast.

It was a warm 84 degrees, but luckily the occasional cool sea breeze made it enjoyable. We slathered on the sunscreen, packed a lot of water and snacks (gorp is my fave) to keep ourselves hydrated and energized, then headed on out.

I love how California terrain can go from dry scrub and cactuses to a lush waterfall in about 100 steps. Since we've had drought conditions for over 3 years, I was happy to see that the waterfall, while not full, had a decent flow of water.

Streams were forged, pebbles were skipped, plants and animals were observed (including a large snake… thankfully not a rattler). The kids explored and enjoyed pointing out all the interesting things that they discovered.We took our time and followed the stream from the waterfall back to its source. We walked over flatlands, under tree canopies, through steep, shaded canyons and crossed the stream a few times. There was such a variety of things to look at and places to explore that there wasn't a single complaint out of any of the hikers… Nirvana.

At the end of the 3 hour hike, the kids were still running. :)

This Week // 3.9.2014

Happy Day Light Savings Time! Otherwise known as… WHY do we do this to ourselves every year? Especially since the energy saved is a wash and I believe the farmers get up whenever they need to, not when the clock tells them too. Rhetorical question kids… I just get a little spiky when my favorite activity (sleep) is cut short. :)

So here's what's been going on this week...

80th Birthday--

Yesterday we celebrated my dad's 80th birthday. Wow… 80 is a big one. We gathered our extended family and enjoyed his favorite foods-- sushi and desserts. These are the party favors that I found at Michaels… on sale! Easy, economical and pretty darn cute. I only wish I were a hand-lettering chalk artist. My junior high "lettering" skills had to do.

Missing Photos--

I spent the better part of the week correcting a problem with the photo links to my projects. It was actually a problem with one of my service providers but, after initially stressing out, I found a work-around. It's a slow process but one neat thing I discovered is that in the last 12 months I posted over 75 project ideas. That's a lot! I had no idea… Anyhow, if you see any missing photos, just know that I'm slowly but surely getting around to fixing it.

Rain!--

Rain. It was a big deal here, but would be a mere blip anywhere else. But perhaps you may have heard that… Southern California got rain!!! For three solid days!!! And we survived!!! It was wonderful. There was minimal damage from what I've read, but we still need more if we're going to be out of this water/drought crisis. The last few days it's been 80-degrees… I don't think rain will be blessing us again in the near future.  :(

School Book Fair--

Last week I helped set-up and work our school's book fair. What a good workout because… boxes of books are heavy! It was great to see the kids so excited about reading. Both of my boys are now into chapter books and, since we just finished the Flat Stanley series, I went ahead and bought the Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventures, The A to Z Mysteries series as well as the rest of the Captain Underpants series (My hubby was cackling away with the boys for the first part of the series so I think I'll have him read the 2nd half as well).

A Pirate and an Oriole (aka Oreo)--

Yesterday was filled with overlapping, two different places at one time, baseball games. It was a divide and conquer kind of day. Today it's more of the same… I will be at the baseball fields for approximately 6 hours today. Fun and games, people, fun and games.

This Week // 2.22.14

The last few weeks have been a flurry of games (baseball and basketball), parties (team and birthday), school events and moving. Yes moving, but probably not what you're thinking. I haven't had much time to really reflect upon anything, but I thought I'd share some photos.

My 5 year old's first baseball practice. In that gear, he looks exactly like my 7 year old. Now I get why everyone confuses them… although c'mon, they don't really look THAT much alike. Okay fine. Maybe they do...

Our school's bowling night. I set up the dessert table. Right up my alley… Ha!

My youngest's Kindergarten play. He recited a passage from The Little Engine That Could and segued into a dance routine. This kid loves to dance!

The boys' last basketball games. They both improved and got a lot of cardio. Always a plus in my book.

Tonight is my oldest's team party for his travel ball team. He's been playing ball continuously since September and is now rolling into Spring ball… which in California really begins in the Winter. Ah, hello? Mama needs a break! Anyhow, I had fun helping put together the party. I applied some of the same techniques used for the bowling party. When it works, you stick with it!

This week we did a turn-around trip to San Diego to clear out the condo that we've had for the past seven years. It wasn't our full-time home, but we had a lot of wonderful memories there. In fact, it's where my now almost 8 year old first learned how to crawl and where the boys spent countless hours playing hoops (in the hallway) and playing impromptu nerf football games. It's been harder and harder to get down there, so we decided to rent it out fully furnished… dishes and all. I know it won't be quite the same if we ever decide to use it again, so I took a bunch of photos… If anything to capture the "before". Hope the renters treat it well!

When we cleared out the condo, it was 75% toys! The back of my car was stuffed to the max with baby toys (Little People and tons of hot wheels) and even infant seats and ride-on toys. Now all of that "junk" is sitting in my living room. Boo! So you know what I'll be doing next week...

Have a good rest of the weekend!

Our Lives // Christmas Decorations and Mini-Makeover

Okay, seriously? Where did last week go? Did Thanksgiving just come and go, just like that? Lets just say it was a busy, yet productive, week for us.

I started off the week by hosting a breakfast meeting for my fellow school board members. I'm not a baker, but I've been wanting to make these yummy cinnamon rolls. They came out pretty good, but somehow I forgot to serve the fruit and juices that I had chilled in the refrigerator. Oops. I've been extra spacey these days so I blame it on either my allergies or my allergy medication. I'm not ready to go with the "getting old" excuse quite yet. :)

So, besides pretending to be a baker, I also put up the Christmas decorations and hung some much needed art on our blank walls.

We've been in this house for four years so I really don't have a good excuse for blank walls. I'm just pickier with each passing year, I guess... Probably as a result of my past rash decorating decisions. I've "donated" a bunch of decorative items that we bought on whim for our old house. My hubs is of the "If there's space... Fill it!" school of thought. As a newlywed, I was less particular and too busy with work to focus on particulars, so I just went with it. Also, that was way before blogs, Pinterest and other influencers... I really had no sense of my own style way back then! Flash forward ten years and NOW I care and am picky to the point of paralysis. I'm not sure what's better-- Buy and regret? Or not buy and suffer from decorating paralysis?

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Happy Halloween!

"Breakfast" and a Couple of Ninjas...

those are our costumes, man. cholesterol and ninja stealthiness... what's not to love???

We had our Fall Festival last Friday and had a great time playing games and eating lots of goodies. The hubs picked our chock-full-of-cholesterol breakfast costumes and they were a hit. The kids were especially drawn to the bacon. And a few made the bacon a little nervous... Drooling, glassy-eyed kids droning b-a-a-a-c-o-n-n-n-n... will make you fear for your greasy life!  :)

Quite frankly, I was kinda over Halloween after last week. I almost forgot about taking the kids trick-or-treating tonight! Never fear, although I am the Halloween Grinch, we will be hitting the pavement tonight.

Have a Happy & Safe Halloween!

Make // Responsibility Chart

Have you ever made a chore chart for your family? Did it work? It's always been something that I thought we should do, however I could never think of a way to make it work for my family.

After giving it a lot of thought, and also figuring out what motivates my children, I finally decided to give it a go. But instead of "chores", I wanted to focus on responsibilities.

Here's how my version works-- 1) Every day I choose a variety of daily responsibilities and place them at the top of the chart; 2) When the kids complete their responsibilities, they place it in the "done" section; 3) Discuss at the end of the day-- dinner... or anywhere that we have their undivided attention.

From "chores" to responsibilities

Responsibilities are more than just a chore to "get through". I want my kids to think broader than that and  realize that their responsibilities are more important than just helping out around the house. And yet they are just five and seven, so I also need to keep it real!

So at five and seven, they can start doing some serious tasks! For their daily tasks, I kept it simple-- do homework, wipe table, set table, make bed, etc. Then I threw in some special things that they are working on-- practice balance (for my aspiring pitcher), shoot hoops (for both young hoopsters), practice piano (I'm not a tiger-mom about piano so my kids actually like this one!). To go along with their everyday tasks, I also rotate in a few responsibilities that are more "social" than actual tasks-- Be helpful, Do something nice, etc. Like most children their age, my kids sometimes get sucked into the pitfalls of childhood-- teasing each other, bringing each other down instead of lifting up, thinking they are the center of the universe, etc... Actually, I know some adults who haven't advanced passed that stage! So I think it's good to start young with developing those important social skills. More details on social responsibilities later.

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Our Lives // First Day of School!

It's official! The boys are back in school. How is it that I have a Kindergartner and 2nd Grader??

The transition from preschool to Kindergarten was so seamless for my youngest that there weren't any first day jitters for either of us. He just went happily with the rest of the kids and didn't look back. And when I picked him up he asked "Why can't I stay longer?". I hope that enthusiasm continues!

My oldest is so happy to be back in school. He was ready! The second grade is a big transition as there is additional responsibilities, more independence and, of course, more work. To be honest, I think I'm more nervous about it than he is. We'll see how it pans out, but so far, so good.

So the kids started school... then half the family was struck down by the stomach flu (aka nasty norovirus). Terrible, terrible stuff. I know, because it completely knocked me out. The illness part was one thing, but four days later and I'm still feeling the effects-- tired, achy, dark circles under the eyes... Not pretty.

I had a bunch of projects that I wanted to start this week, but I can barely keep my eyes open. So I'm going to sign-off and try to rejuvenate a little before it's time to pick up the rapscallions. 

Hope you're having a happy and healthy week!!

Travel // Quebec with Kids

The hubs and I love to travel. We traveled when we were single, we traveled as a newly married couple, and now, as a family of four, we travel together. Obviously some things have changed-- It'll be a few more years before the kids are really interested in historical monuments or spending quality time at a fine art museum. That said, they do absorb quite a bit and seem to enjoy the new experiences that each destination has to offer. When they were really little (ages 1 - 4), we stayed stateside, did a lot of road trips and tried to limit the air travel to 5 hours max. Anything beyond that and we knew that we'd be asking for trouble.  It was also a challenge traveling with strollers, car seats, luggage-hogging diapers, and all of the other necessities that come along with small children. And I won't even bother mentioning the difficulties of maintaining a nap schedule, changing diapers in sketchy public restrooms, overtired kids, feeding baby on the go, carrying snacks, etc.

Now that our kids are a little older, a manageable 5 and 7, we are able venture out a little farther and stretch our wings so-to-speak. I don't think we're quite ready for Europe (11+ hour trip) or Asia (14+ hours), but a trip to Quebec was perfect. It hit all of our criteria--

1. Somewhere we've never been
2. Easy to navigate with children
3. Unique enough to feel like we've "left" our everyday lives behind
4. Culture

When to visit Quebec City

Quebec City is a tourist destination, and we happened to be there during one of the busiest times. However, while the town was bustling with activity, it never felt overrun with tourists. If anything, it  has an international flair as many visitors are from Europe. Quebec City is popular during the summer for the Summer Festival, during autumn for the fall colors, and during winter for the Winter Carnival as well as the nearby Ice Hotel.

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We're Back!

Just dropping in to say hello!  We've been traveling the past couple of weeks. Fourteen wonderful days of togetherness, which, as you probably can imagine with two young kids, is unpredictable and an adventure in itself.

Since we were out of the States and also spent a week at Sea, it was a true vacation from all of the daily noise and distraction that comes along with WiFi, 3G, and their cousin FIOS.

beautiful mother nature. no filters or photoshop necessary!

I wish I could stay in unscheduled vacation-mode bliss, but two weeks of dirty laundry beckons, not to mention my youngest's 5th Birthday Party is scheduled for this weekend, and I have a TON of things going on behind the scenes of the blog... So back to reality for me!   But seriously, I could stare at this sunset picture all day long...  :)

Our Lives // Unplugged

Turn off the television. Turn off the video games. It's time to build!

Get out your blocks and choose a design...

Build it...

Take a break...  :)

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Our Lives // Two More Weeks! and a Top Chef

It's hard to believe, but my boys have just two weeks of school left before summer break. Call me crazy, but they've had a wonderful year and I'm a little sad to see it end! The last few weeks have been crazy busy though-- baseball championship games, field trips to the zoo, school performances, birthday parties and more. It's to the point where I think I may have dropped the ball somewhere along the way... but I have no idea where. So yeah, I'm a little sad... but it's good to see the light at the end of the tunnel too.

On a fun note, we got to meet Michael Voltaggio of Top Chef fame (season 6 winner and owner of ink. in West Hollywood) and were able to partake in his innovative molecular gastronomy-style cuisine. The dishes were delicious, fun and beautifully plated.

I didn't want to interrupt him while he was working-- he has that intense, focused look... just like how he was on Top Chef. But when there was a lull, I got a quick photo and chit-chatted with him for a bit. He was pretty chill and asked us how we liked the food. It was all delicious and, just as you'd expect, every dish had that little "something" that made it unique. Obviously taste was important, but also creative presentation was key. And you know I like creative. I'm pretty sure that I was the only guest flipping over the mini hamburger boxes and oval tins trying to figure out where they can be purchased.  :)

I'm so looking forward to this weekend. We are celebrating my FIL's 80th birthday! It'll be nice to celebrate his amazing life and spend quality time with close family and friends.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Our Lives // Happy 7th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Smarty Pants! It's hard to believe that this cute, little guy is now 7 years old!

Our oldest, our thinker, our driven one, our guinea pig... 

Seven. Definitely a big boy now. And what a year! It's like all the stars aligned and the developmental milestones just clicked into place-- reading, writing, independence, a deeper understanding of the world around... I wish I could slow down time so that I can really cherish and remember these amazing moments. But since that's impossible, I try to remember to really take in and enjoy the present. It is a joy to watch him grow and develop into a kind, smart and caring young person. I'm looking forward to what this next year has in store.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Make // Sunglasses T-Shirts

My boys are almost seven and almost five. They sorta care about what they wear, but... not really. Their fashion sense became noticeably worse when they started wearing school uniforms. In fact, one day I asked the almost seven year old to change and he came down with his brother's red athletic pants (only 5 inches too short) and a green stripe button down shirt... N-I-C-E! 

So Mama had to do a fashion intervention. I bought him some trendy jeans (um, not pictured below... those are his grass stained uniform pants. slight oversight on my part) and made him this cool, on-trend, age appropriate t-shirt. I'm mean... look how happy the kid looks. All dancin' and posin' and stuff.  And I didn't even have to shell out the big bucks.

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Happy Friday // 5.10.2013

What makes you happy? For me, it's the little things-- Beautiful blooms in our yard, two brothers enjoying each other's company, a school play...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Our Lives // Fire Distraction

We're close to one of the wildfires that is burning in Southern California. We're not currently in harm's way but have several friends who have been impacted by the evacuations and smoke. Suffice to say, everyone's nerves are jangled by the uncertainty that accompanies natural disaster.

view of the fire from our home, 12 pm may 3rd

doesn't it look like the smoke is pointing??  taken may 2nd

smoky air and falling ash. taken may 3rd

sunset may 3rd

Before I sign off... A huge thank you to the fire fighters and first responders who are protecting thousands of homes and lives. We are lucky to have such outstanding, well-trained individuals who go into danger to protect lives and property. As of the last update, the fire is 30% contained, there are 1,900 firefighters on scene, 28,000 acres have burned, 4,000 homes threatened and no injuries or casualties caused by the fire. The weather is significantly cooler, the winds have died down and the moisture is back. Thank God! 

Our Lives // Epic Playdate

What makes a playdate EPIC?

Hmmm... good question. After a couple of minutes much thought, I narrowed it down to 3 things...

1) An Epic playdate usually takes place in a new (to you) locale. It doesn't have to be pricey or hard to get to, just somewhere that your family hasn't been before; The mystery of a new and undiscovered place just adds to the excitement. In our case, we drove up to Dos Pueblos Ranch in Santa Barbara. Who knew such rustic beauty exists just a few miles away from UCSB (not to mention Isla Vista!!!).

2) An Epic playdate differs from traditional playdates because there is much planning involved. No sending the kids outside and saying "go play!". Darn. For our Epic playdate, activities were organized by popular bloggers (including oh happy day, dooce, oh joy!, yes to hoboken, how to be a dad) who know a thing or two about creativity, event planning, and building cool stuff.

3) You have confirmation that the playdate is Epic when...  the kids who never leave your side, forget that you are there (or at least it seems that way). Everyone gets along. There is no whining (not even a little!). The kids can't stop playing long enough to eat. And the number one indicator that a playdate is EPIC? No one wants it to end!

** If you've made it to #3 without #1 or #2 then... What do I know??!! You've already experienced an epic play date!

Our Epic playdate looked a little like this...

>> building compressed air rockets <<

The rocket launchers were awesome. When built right, the paper & masking tape rockets were flying 100+ feet high! When built wrong, the tops of the rockets popped. If you're interested, the full how-to is here (it's way over my craft-making head, but you engineer-types will dig it).

>> participating in a massive paint fight <<

(the kid version of a color run)

Paint-filled squirt guns, paint-filled sponge bombs, paint-filled water balloons... you get the idea. Most of the parents stayed out of the war zone and crossed their fingers that Tide would make it all better again. Luckily our only casualties were a pair of socks.

>> creating sand art <<

The kids had a great time contributing to this vibrant and large scale sand art. Happy Vee wanted to take it home with him... Luckily he was happy with a photo.

>> tinfoil viking whip cream beard races <<

After making viking-wear out of tinfoil, the kids participated in a whip cream beard relay race. Yup, you read that right. Smarty Pant's team won and received the illustrious tinfoil viking bust as a prize. As you can probably tell, the guys from how to be a dad were hilarious.

>> playing epic volleyball <<

Smarty Pants loves sports and made some like-minded friends. He spent most of his time playing epic volleyball. I'll have to remember this the next time we go to the beach.

>> balloon twisting classes <<

Er, I feel like I should apologize to the balloon guys. Four year old Happy Vee is a tad obsessed with balloons (as well as bubbles, gummy bears and water guns), and pretty much wouldn't leave them alone. We came home with about 15 balloon creations.  :)

My kids had an awesome time, got dirty, made friends, hardly ate and after seven straight hours, were still begging for more. We ALL slept very well that night. A special thanks to CGC and Hyundai. We had a fantastic time!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.