My what cute children you have!

Our family is an excellent one. And my children are beautiful. Of course I'm biased. The kids recently had their christmas concerts. They got really dressed up and let mom take some pictures.

They started like this.



And then I requested a "mafia" picture



A lovey picture



And ended with a crazy set




I love my kids.

Coffee table 1, William 0

This weekend was chugging along like any normal weekend. Brian was abalone diving, Julia was at a girl scout weekend in the city. Victoria, William and I were left home.

We did some shopping, Victoria got her ears pierced, and I did some quilting. Just a nice relaxing time.

And then Sunday happened.

Sunday Brian decided to take us out to breakfast, which isn't normal. But it was good food. After breakfast we went to the Dollar Tree. The kids' school is doing Operation Christmas child. You make a box of goodies for a child who might not get a Christmas present. I was very proud that all three of my kids wanted to help out someone less fortunate than them.

After some shopping it was time to go home, watch football and get ready for a Mother Daughter tea party with the girl scouts.

And that's when this happened.





Victoria was rushing past her brother and gently, lovingly? pushed him into our coffee table. Now let me say the coffee table has rounded edges, so apparently we are lucky that he didn't need any stitches.

Needless to say the coffee table has been removed from our living room. Not only because it bruised my baby, but right before William was pushed into it, Victoria was pushed also and broke the small glass square inside the coffee table.

Never a dull moment. At least I can say that.

P.S. Don't forget about the great giveaway by Oroweat bread!

October was here....

October is my favorite time of the year. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Every year we go to Half Moon Bay, pick out our pumpkins, visit the ocean and just have a great time.

Pumpkin picking doesn't really take us that long. Nothing like it takes us to find our christmas tree...but thats another post for another day. It usually the biggest pumpkins we can find that we take.



Then its off to the ocean. The ocean is one of my favorite places. I could sit and stare for hours, and thankfully Brian and the kids are just like me.






The following week we carved our lovely pumpkins. We spent the day carving, the children all did their own this year. Well ok, I helped William but the girls went solo and did a great job! Once we carved them, we put them outside and waited for dark. And of course I forgot to light them. So we wake up the sleeping children to see their lighted pumpkins and then usher them off to bed!

Oroweat Review

Want to be entered in a contest?! Of course you do, so hop on over to here and enter to win!

Good luck!

Sometimes Life Gets in the Way

This week has been very hectic. My sister had her first baby. My oldest got lice, my youngest for a 103.5 fever, I worked all weekend, hosted a huge fundraiser, attended a 75th birthday for my Nana, saw some much loved out of town relatives, started a new baby in my childcare, endured a horrific storm, cried to my brother in law on the phone, and just about snapped.

I'm trying to get myself back together. Until then, here is my nephew, Henry James.

In which the camera breaks

I attended a wedding this weekend. The wedding of my once beloved cousin who is a few years older than me. Why once beloved? Well she is still loved, but I haven't seen her in about....5 years. Recently connected with her again on Facebook and was invited to the wedding.

I actually had a good time. I wasn't really expecting to. See my family is weird. They don't talk to me. Why? No idea. I was 15 when my mom moved to South Carolina and once she left they kind of slowly stopped calling my sister and I. So I honestly say I don't put much effort into the relationships. Maybe I'm just as bad as they are.

But I took my camera and got a few good shots. Then the thing breaks. Won't turn on at all. And I know its not the battery. So I'm in the market. Brian just wants to try a battery replacement, but I want new! Of course I probably won't once I look at the prices of new ;)

Monday...I mean Tuesday is here

This weekend was fun and full! Saturday I had to work from 9:30-5pm. Incase you didn't know I work part time at my mother-in-laws quilt shop. I really enjoy working there, but to be honest its hard to work the weekends.

Sunday I took the kids to an Oakland A's game. It was the first MLB game for William, and I think the 3rd for the girls. They actually lasted the whole game! It helped that we were up in the shade and away from crowds so the kids could actually act like kids. Unfortunaley Brian had to work this day. But it made up for two days he had off during the week. So I can't complain too much.



Monday was a great family BBQ with my parents, and sister and her hubby. We had good food, great conversation, and loads of fun in the pool. I also have some great pictures of a water pyramyid we did, but those are on my dad's camera so we will have to wait!

Back in the swing of things

The kids have now been in school for a week and a half. The first week was bliss. Then the homework started. Wow! I don't remember having hours of homework at the age of 10, and boy is my Julia hating it! Usually we have at least 15 minutes of crying and freaking out. Of course anyone else is better to help her, for some reason we are like oil and vinegar in some cases.

Victoria isn't too bad, she has a lot more than last year, but she isn't overwhelmed yet.

And little William just loves that he has homework. Oh just way love...just wait!

First Day of School

My little loves all started school this week.

Julia is now in the 5th and final grade at her current school.


Victoria is in 2nd and now walking to class alone.


And my little baby, William, is in Kindergarten.


They had a great day, loved their teachers and didn't have homework. I'm sure it will change by the end of the week, infact I will be suprised if I don't have a hard morning, or a grumpy child doing homework by Friday. But for today, they are happy.

Still here!

I've been gone for three weeks. I have had things to post, but no time to do it! We went camping, celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary, making made dashed to get everything for school, working, making two quilts, quilting two quilts, taking trips to the aquarium..........

I'll post in more detail later!

Stellan

Right now Stellan is having a very hard time. Nobody knows what is going to happen next, so if you have a second to spare, please lift this little guy up in prayer!

Not Me Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



Its Monday again. Another week to work! Woo! But also another week to express what I would never, ever in a million years do.

Today I didn't spend $55 on hair products in hopes of turning my dull wavy hair into a beautiful mass of curls.

And after trying the $55 of product, I wasn't secretly excited they didn't work so I could return them.

Today I didn't skip my morning exercise and promise myself I will do it after lunch.

I am not thinking of eating a BLT and Dr Pepper for breakfast.

And I do not have piles of laundry upstairs that need to be folded and washed!

Ok its your turn!

First Quilt

A few friends of mine are posting their very first quilt. So I thought I would show you mine.

I made it about 7 years ago. The fabric isn't the best, but it was for my first daughter and I really wanted to make her something.

So here it is!

Apricot Jam

I am blessed to have in-laws that have apricot and pomegranet trees.

So during the summer time I get to make jam. Here is the first batch.

I won't go into great detail but you start first with the apricots


Then you chop them up, removing the pits and let them sit in a mixture of sugar and lemon juice. After you let them come to a boil and the foam starts.



After the foam starts you need to stir stir stir!




And then you transfer to jars and you have your jam!

Not me!!

Today is not me Monday. So.....


Today I did not text my husband how much I hate summer.

I also haven't had to put my 5 year old in time out 3 times in the past 20 minutes for talking back.

I didn't print out 30 plus pages....of the wrong forms that I need to apply for.

I am not procrastinating cleaning my house. Moving the daycare toys, folding laundry, making my bed......

And I will not enjoy going to work tonight just to get a little me time.

Finished

I think the mommy liked it!

Busy Busy

I know I have been missing but I have a good reason! I have been trying to finish a quilt for a girlfriends baby shower this Saturday. It is very adorable if I do say so!!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


~So far today I did not eat toast and soda for breakfast.

~I did not search in vain for some kind of chocolate only to settle for a spoonful of frosting.

~I did not want to yell at a child who was being mean to my child.

~I did not put off creating the final budget of the year while surfing the web.

~I did not secretly wish for my daughter to lose her softball game. But only because if she won I wouldn't be able to make the game. If she lost I would be able to make the championship.

So what about you? What did you NOT do today?

And baby makes 6?

Since I got pregnant very young and started my family so early I have been way ahead of my friends. While they were all partying it up, going on long vacations I was nursing or changing diapers or scrambling for a sitter. Don't get me wrong I love/loved every minute of it. But it was hard. Now that I my youngest is 5 all of my friends are pregnant!

Which means of course that my clock starts ticking. And baby fever starts to take over. But here is the thing, while of course I would love another little baby, do I really want another baby? Can I really support another baby? When you really start outlining the reasons not to have a baby it can be really daunting. And you actually start to ask how anyone affords a baby. But another soft cuddly baby? Ohhh my heart melts!

Urban Dictionary

I got nothin'

So lets look at Urban Dictionary and names.

Brian
Tiffany
Julia
Victoria
William

What does your name mean?

God, are you there? It's me Tiffany

Hi God,

I know you are busy but I have a question for you. Lately I have read numerous reports of mommies, daddies, and babies passing away. Now I realize we all die someday, but why does it seem that the bad guys are living and the good ones are leaving us? Sure I know "only the good die young..." but seriously? That isn't a great answer, heck it is not even a good answer.

Take this family, they lost their son. He was only a few months old, and it wasn't through any fault of their own. Or how about this family, they lost their baby girl. And look at how precious she was! What about this family, a mommy and a wife was taken. I know there are countless others, I just don't know them all.

I know it is not right to question You. I know everything is done for a reason. But it would sure be nice to know the reason for these. I would love to know why the guy who killed someone's daughter/son/wife/mother/husband/father is sitting in jail right now, while the ones who really wanted to stay....who were making a difference....who meant the world to their families....they are gone.

If you have a minute, I would love for you to shine some light on this. But I know your busy. Hopefully someday it will all make sense.

Thanks,

Tiffany

So Much More from BlogHer

Everyday I come onto my blog, think of something to write, forget what I was going to write and instead checkout the 4 blogs of the day. It is through these 4 blogs of the day that I get some excellent reading. Some are fun for the day, some I bookmark and check back regularly. A few are funny, sometimes too serious, other times heartbreaking.

In the past few days I have read about two precious babies who were taken from their loving mothers and fathers. Thalon Bruce Myers and Maddie Spohr. I don't know these families personally, and I can't feel their pain, but my heart breaks. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through and will endure.

I can't do much for them. Donate to help with costs, donate to their charities. But I can pray for them. I can think of them and lift them up. And if I hadn't taken the time to explore the blogs of the day I would have never known. And some might say that wouldn't be so bad because I wouldn't know of the pain, but I say it would have been terrible, because while my prayers may not be known about, they can't hurt. Hopefully in the dark of the night, or the quiet of the day, my prayer might reach them and they can feel a small hug, a small thought that someone, somewhere cares enough to try and help them, the only way they know how.

To the parents of Maddie and Thalon I am praying for you.

How did this happen?

I'm 28. Almost 29. Married, mother of three. Treasurer of our school PTF. So how did it happen that I fall in lust with Robert Pattinson? I think its getting to the creepy stage, the little bit obsessed stage. But dammit he is cute! I have now watched Twilight 2 times since Friday. This might not seem like a lot. But for me, someone who hasn't seen 90% of the movies out there, this is huge. I even convinced my husband to watch it with me. I had a small crush on him prior to the movie. However he is just so loving and tender as Edward Cullen I can't help it. He is six years my junior though. So does that make me a creepy older woman? He does share a birthday with my husband. Coincidence? Ah well, obvioulsy I'm happily married and not planning on stalking Robert. But I can still swoon when I see him. Somethings you are never to old for.

Hello Again

As luck would have it Kyle McLaren will not be leaving the Sharks to play for the Flyers. This pleases me greatly! However he is still not playing in the NHL because we cannot afford his salary. I was informed that his salary does not count against us during playoff time. So things might look up!

In other news I'm up to my eyeballs in activities. PTF, softball, work, horseback riding lessons and big company parties that are this Saturday. For which I still don't have a dress. Yay!

Good-Bye Kyle

Today is a sad day. Kyle McLaren has been traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. We will miss you Big Mac.

Too Much Time

Last night I'm laying in bed. Its around 12:30am. And my mind won't shut off. What am I thinking you ask? Well it should be really important things. Like where my daughter will go for Junior High, or will California make it through the mess of a budget we have. How about will the economy survive?

Nope, I'm laying there thinking I haven't blogged in a few days and I have nothing worthy to blog about. And as I lay there thinking I have nothing worthy to write about my mind finally drifts to sleep.

So here you go people. A very boring post.

Two years in the making

My son, William is going to be 5 on April 20th. For two years I have been working on a pirate quilt for him. His sisters each have one, and he wants his own. This weekend I went on a quilt retreat with my Mother-in-laws store, Prairie Queens Quilt Shop. We had a great time and I actually got a bunch done!

My goal is to finish it by his birthday this year, which means I really need to get on it!

Part of the reason it is taking my so long, I decided to do a compass as the center of the quilt. A compass that requires paper piecing. Which I have never done before. And I like my points to match, which is a big deal in this type of quilt.

The borders aren't done yet. And the top needs some work, I don't want such a big space between the borders and the compass. But anyways, this is my way of encouraging myself to finish this quilt. I will update regularly.

The big 10

My oldest Julia is now 10 years old. Double digits people. She was having a very hard time with this. Apparently when you hit double digits you are old! I tried to convince her that getting older was great, but she didn't believe me. But I was able to give her a killer birthday instead.

It started Saturday morning. She has wanted to do horseback riding lessons for the longest time, and has been on the waiting list since September. On Friday I decided to call and see if any Saturdays had open, and to my surprise one had, it is started on the 17th, which is her actual birthday. So that morning when she woke up I told her about her new lessons and she flipped! Over the moon happy. She was able to ride the horse for a full hour, and has at least 7 more classes.

Then after the lessons the family went to lunch at The Olive Garden. Julia got to pick and it is her favorite place to eat.

We came home and rested for a bit, then had to get ready for a Shark game. We had gotten four tickets, so we took our two girls, and William stayed home with grandma and papa. Julia is a huge Shark fan, but the biggest surprise......We paid to get a birthday message on the scoreboard for her, and a visit from Sharkie! The teams mascot. He came up to our seats and gave her a gift bag, and opened the gifts with her, for a good five minutes during the game. It was amazing, and the best $45 I have spend in a long time. Julia told me it was the best day of her life.

So Happy Birthday my big 10 year old. I love you so very much!