Zoo with Grammy and Olivia’s Bowling Party

March 8, 2017 by

Grammy unexpectedly came to stay with us for a few days, which was a nice surprise and immensely helpful as we were able to have her babysit while we house hunted and packed. For Valentine’s Day, Jake put together a cute scavenger hunt including different cards and envelopes that said cryptic things like, “Pack two changes of clothes and a swim suit… a car will await you at 7:15 on Thursday…” Since his envelopes were supposed to be spaced out among a few days and I am every bit as neurotic as he is spontaneous, I got to the bottom of his elaborate puzzle without opening all the envelopes.

Exasperated at my lack of patience, he spilled the beans on his plans, which included him arranging for my mom to come out for the long weekend to watch the girls while we flew to Vegas for a concert. Extra points for creativity and planning on Jake’s part, but between Meredith coming down with a high fever (it ended up being her first ear infection) and us accepting an offer on our house that same week, I asked for a raincheck on the romantic weekend he had taken so much time planning. I felt so bad cancelling such a fun and spontaneous surprise, but at least he was able to sell the tickets and get a credit for our plane. Long story short, we ended up having my mom come out anyways and used the extra help to take care of business. Not very romantic, but we did get a lot done!

In between house projects, I took advantage of Grammy’s visit to take the girls to the zoo. Meredith was squirming and screaming while we waited an eternity for the ride operator to check that everyone was strapped in, but as soon as the carousel started spinning, Meredith was mesmerized. She stared at the pole moving up and down, completely transfixed and delighted that she had the good fortune of riding a magical horse!

Samantha’s favorite ride at the zoo is the train, and she asked Grammy to accompany her while Meredith, Amelia and I were on the carousel.

Picnic lunch.

I think we maybe saw a total of three animals on this trip. All the girls wanted to do was climb on statues, eat, ride the carousel and train, and play on the playground.

A day at the zoo is not complete without stopping to say hi to Bryan, the good friend of Marisa, one of my former students and the girls’ awesome friend/mentor!

How cute is this bowling party idea? The twins and I had a girls’ afternoon bowling for Olivia’s birthday party and I thought it was such a low-key and FUN idea for a kid’s birthday party!

Our bowling buddies, Chelsea, Addison, Olivia, Amelia, Camdyn, Samantha and London.

Samantha refused to let me help her at all with the entire bowling procedure, and I had to bite my lips in anxiety watching her carry the eight-pound ball by herself to the ramp. I also had to bite my tongue and refrain from freaking out every time the girls touched their hands to their mouths after sticking their fingers in the holes of the bowling ball. Am I the only one grossed out by those balls and those shoes?

Even when it was Samantha’s turn, Amelia insisted on joining her so she didn’t have to sit alone. I think the girls have inherited my bowling abilities, which are nonexistent. Good thing they didn’t care about the score and thought that when the machine knocked down all the pins at the end of their turn, that they had gotten a strike. “MOMMY! I KNOCKED DOWN ALL THE PINS!” they’d yell excitedly every time. I didn’t have the heart to break it to them.

“Let’s go, ball! Let’s go, ball!” they chanted in unison.

The bowling alley has a kids bowl free all summer program, so we may be going more often this summer since the girls were obsessed!

Lots of love,

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February Smorgasbord: Ballet, yoga, hiking, the park and playtime at home

March 6, 2017 by

At the end of the week, we typically have “smorgasbord” for dinner… basically that means we scrounge up whatever we have left in the fridge and call it a meal! This week it was Jake and the girls’ specialty, Spanish Tortilla de Patatas (pretty much eggs, potatoes and veggies cooked into a delicious frittata), while some weeks it’s just applesauce, cheese sticks and plain noodles! I liken these blog posts unto our end of the week smorgasbord because of the lack of unifying theme when my pictures have built up! So blog smorgasbord it is.

We’ve spent the better part of four years in this spot, watching the kids grow up in this little playground.

This girl brightens up my day! We will miss our little tot lot so much when we move. We are close to deciding on a house and will only be moving a few minutes away to a bigger house, but the day (and weeks after) we sold ours, I was an emotional wreck. We couldn’t have asked for a better neighborhood and friends I know I can rely on for two cans of diced tomatoes, an onion, and beef broth (actual ingredients I needed and received via doorstep delivery from one of the neighbors I group texted last week)! We will miss our beloved home dearly and are trying to engrain in our memories the place where we brought our babies home for the next month until it’s time to say goodbye.

Cold weather doesn’t ever deter the twins from begging to go to the beach. Who needs sand toys when you have driftwood?

At the beginning of the year, the twins started a new ballet/yoga class at Grace and Zen and are hilarious practicing their mermaid and dolphin poses. It’s a very fun, low-key and zen-like class. The girls even get to rub soothing lavender oil on their feet at the end to wind down! I think I should be the one going to this class. 

Cute mini dancers.

So graceful…

Tree climbing and showing off some gymnastics moves after dance.

The girls love to roughhouse and be silly on the floor. Meredith gives as much as she takes and the twins are often left screaming and crying after she pulls their hair and crawls over them like bugs!

I will especially miss the trail out in the canyon behind our house… countless memories of taking Bandit out there to chase bunnies before we had kids, then going on nature walks with the girls and running with Meredith and the jogger.

We had to be out of the house randomly last month for an Open House, showings and inspections, and I often took the girls out for a picnic lunch and playtime at the park after preschool pickup to kill some time.

The twins were SO excited about their 100th Day of School celebration wherein Samantha and Amelia were tasked with bringing 100 chocolate chips and 100 Chex, respectively, to help make their class snack mix.

The twins never had one of these little push tricycles when they were babies because there was no way I could push both of them at the same time. They were pretty much resigned to the double stroller back then, but now they love pushing Meredith in her trike (and ride it themselves, in an apparent attempt to regress and enjoy the toys they never had as babies!) I must say, it’s a completely different experience having a singleton.

One way in which Meredith compares to her sisters is her capacity for trouble. She’s worse than the twins! She loves to camp out by the fridge and tinker with the spice cabinet, waiting for the opportune moment when I open the fridge to grab something out of the door. She was quite happy with her spoils of maple syrup this time.

Samantha and Amelia’s favorite pastimes include dressing up, especially if it’s with mommy’s jewelry and shoes.

Lately, the girls have been requesting fairy tales like Jack and the Beanstalk, Rumplestilstkin, Hansel and Gretel, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff at naptime/bedtime (sometimes edited to be less– er– nightmare inducing!). They love to act out the Troll Game where they take turns being the guards of the baby gate and random places around the house, yelling, “None shall pass!” in threatening/giggling tones.

When the girls are in preschool, Meredith and I usually go for a little stroll after she wakes up from her morning nap and right before we pick the girls up from school. It’s nice to have the one on one time and watch her explore her world.

One aspect of parenting we’ve been trying to get better at lately is giving the girls more one on one time alone with one parent. They are together SO much of the day, and even though they are each other’s best friends and would come to each other’s defense in a heartbeat if anyone so much as dared tease them, the fights, the tattle-telling and the whininess rear their ugly heads if they don’t get their little attention baskets filled as individuals. We aim to spend at least twenty minutes a day of “special time” with them individually, doing something they like to do at home, and try to get out on a more extended “date” once a week. That doesn’t sound so hard, but trust me, some days it is difficult to find the time/occupy the other two with something so I can spend time with one if Jake’s not home. Here’s Samantha on a date with me at the library, concentrating on her coloring and relishing being the only child for the hour. The difference in their personalities is astounding when they are by themselves… zero arguments, whining, or fighting. It’s almost too quiet!

During her special Samantha time with Daddy, she almost always requests to build a castle with magnatiles.

Besides romping with her sisters, going on walks, feeding Bandit treats, and wreaking havoc in the kitchen, Meredith’s favorite pastimes include going up and down the stairs. She loves it when I pretend to chase her, shouting, “I’m gonna getcha!”

Oh yes and eating. By far her favorite! We held her up next to my friend’s three year old the other day and she’s just as big!

Lots of love,

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Lunar New Year, Daddy Daughter Princess Ball, Meredith’s Hazmat Suit, and more fun!

March 5, 2017 by

Between Meredith’s birthday and putting our beloved home on the market (it’s in escrow right now), the past few months have seemed like nothing but party prep, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, decluttering, packing, packing, packing and more cleaning. Keeping our house spotless for our Open House and showings amongst the constant chaos of three little tornadoes has been a full-time job and we’re completely exhausted. With house hunting and having to be out of our house for showings, it seems like we’ve hardly been home!

At preschool, the girls were excited about their Lunar New Year unit, with our dinner conversations being filled with talk of the Year of the Rooster and the girls boasting about being born the Year of the Snake. Meredith was born the Year of the Monkey, which makes so much sense!

One of the cool moms at school came and performed a traditional dragon dance, which I heard about for days.

Amelia (or Samantha?) trying the dragon on for size.

This mom even gave all the kids some “lucky money” folded into an elaborate shape. She is forever a hero in our girls’ eyes! Between that, and more lucky money and cool Vietnamese gifts/food from their friend, Parker, the girls have adopted this holiday as their own.

On a whim while Grammy and Grandpa were here for Meredith’s party, we stopped by the Lunar New Year festival at the OC Fair for some tasty Vietnamese food and the obligatory carnival rides/games.

Yummy freshly grilled lobster.

Samantha and Amelia’s favorite stuffed animals are always those they have “won” at carnivals… they could care less about anything we buy them.

Amelia and I put our lives on the line riding this sketchy roller coaster, which I still can’t believe I let them choose (let alone ANY carnival ride, for that matter). After one loop, one of the wood beams holding up the track slid off and the carnival worker had to hammer it back into place while all of us poor moms suckered into riding with our kids watched in horror and panicked. My mom said she took a video just in case we all crashed and needed evidence for a future lawsuit. Fortunately, we survived our daring carnival-quality ride!

Gathering water from the well.

Get to work, girls!

One Friday night, Jake took Samantha and Amelia on a Daddy Daughter date to a “princess ball” where they mingled with their favorite princesses, sang Disney songs to their hearts’ content and feasted on a princess tea of cookies and lemonade. Well, at least that was the idea. Although the twins had been talking about the ball for weeks, all the excitement, noise and characters were a little much for them and I was so disappointed when Jake returned, only to tell me they had left early because the girls had been crying to go home! Next time, we’ll just have the girls spend some Daddy Daughter time at Yogurtland with some cheap ice cream instead!

Samantha was a little starstruck meeting her favorite princesses, Elsa and Anna. 

Amelia’s favorite princess is Ariel

Meredith was protesting the fact that she was not invited to the ball.

This is how we get our “snow fix” in the OC… our local park had a Snow Day where they trucked in snow and let the beach bums have at it! Being from Utah, this was all pretty pathetic, but the kids loved it and I didn’t have to shovel or drive in it. I have to say I really don’t miss it!

I can’t even really call this “sledding,” but the girls were thrilled.

As I was was combing through photos, I had to include this one! I officially gave a goodbye hug to my pump the week of Meredith’s birthday. We’ve spent a lot of time together this year. Farewell, old friend!

All of my neighbors/friends make fun of me and call this Meredith’s “hazmat suit!” Although she started walking a few weeks ago, prior to that, she was crawling all over the park (and tearing holes/permanently staining the knees of every pair of leggings she owned). When it was damp outside but not cold enough for a ski jumper, my solution was this beauty (thanks, Amazon!) I just slip over her clothes. She absolutely hates it since it inhibits her ability to crawl very fast, but it keeps her dry and dirt-free, without her over-heating. I have approximately two pairs of leggings Meredith has not managed to ruin, and I intend to keep them that way.

Meredith is setting a new trend in babywear, straight from the runways of China!

Her little waterproof booties that cinch with a drawstring over her ankles complete her fashionable look and keep her dry!

The hazmat suit is great for sliding!

We’ve had record rain this winter, which has been awesome for our drought and for the twins, who race out the door in their raincoats, boots and Frozen umbrellas at the first drop of rain.

Daddy met us for lunch one morning for Meredith’s first time at the zoo. I’ve never seen her so mesmerized before. It was as if she recognized all the monkeys as her true family!

The many faces of Samantha on the train.

Wild ones!

It feels like the past few months have been nothing but the house, but looking back, it’s nice to see we’ve squeezed in some adventures as well!

Lots of love,

 

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Meredith’s Teddy Bear Picnic Part Two

February 22, 2017 by

After playing teddy bear games with Olaf and Anna, Meredith requested to swing (her favorite!), chowed down on her lunch and salivated over the dessert table. The kids lunch menu consisted of mac n cheese bites and peanut butter honey bear shaped sandwiches, veggies and dip, fruit skewers, veggie straws, teddy grahams and gummy bears. The adults noshed on deli sandwiches, mini BLTs, grilled chicken skewers with lime cilantro glaze, smoked gouda mac n cheese, kettle chips, apple cranberry pecan salad, tortellini pasta salad skewers, “beary” cups filled with blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, salmon spring rolls, and an appetizer basket with grapes, cheese and veggies.

Samantha and Amelia single-handedly took apart the dessert table piece by piece! In many of the pictures and video, you can spot the twins in the background sneaking a rice krispie treat here, a cake pop there, and picking berries off of the fruit tarts! After the party, we had a great time looking at the party photos on our TV at home and zooming in to see if we could spot which treat the twins had stolen. Uncle Mike took video with his GoPro and watching the twins run back and forth from the dessert table periodically was hilarious!

For dessert, we snacked on mini apple pies (complete with lattice top– thanks, Jake!), Jodi’s sugar cookies, Phi’s Coconut Dream Bars and nutella filled macarons, Paul’s gluten free dairy free lemon bars, fruit tarts, bear paw cookies, number one shaped rice krispie treats, strawberry cupcakes I made and frosted, using cute fondant cutouts I found from another baker, and of course the piece de resistance, the chocolate bear cake pops and strawberry cream teddy bear picnic cake from Jennifer.

Birthday swinging.

I was so in love with Jennifer’s teddy bear picnic cake!

It just about killed having to take off the little fondant toppers to cut the cake!

Too cute to eat!

Meredith’s smash cupcake I stayed up until 1 a.m. to frost!

Liam, Leighton and Ashley decide what their next treat will be.

Teddy bear cuteness.

Good choice, Liam!

The family chows down.

Thanks for coming! 

Jennifer’s Thing One Thing 2 cake she did for the twins’ birthday a few years ago was just as adorable!

 

Amelia and Samantha spent most of their time by the dessert table.

Hmmm…for my next selection…

Meredith’s cute plates.

 

Hanging out with Maple and Phi.

    

The kids patiently waited for cake time.

It was windy and the candle didn’t light 🙁

Unlike the twins who screamed during their happy birthday singing, Meredith was delighted!

 

 

After birthday singing, Meredith took “cake smash” to heart and had a grand time (pictures to come in another post). After cutting the cake, we hung out with everyone and then it was time to pack up!

Meredith and Great Grandpa.

Grandpa and Grammy with the birthday girl and Samantha and Amelia who were so sick of pictures by this point that they flat out refused to care.

Great Aunt Linda and Great Uncle David are always game for a party!

Great Grandpa and Allison and Zack with our cute cousins, Noah and little Hailey.

Ben, Great Uncle Steve, Great Auntie Lynn and Noah popped in for a pic.

Meredith always enjoys hanging with Great Grandpa!

Buddies Owen, Mike and Jessica.

Maple and Meredith are hilarious together. Friends forever1

Love Maple’s bear sweater!

It’s always a blast with Phi, Michael, Parker and Maple.

Party animals Todd, Gavin, Sheela, Owen, Avery and our videographer, Lily! The twins snuck in some more fruit tarts for the picture.

Meredith loves playing with Jodi, Allie, Maliyah and Jared. The twins were off stealing more desserts.

 

We were glad Melissa and Dave could make it and I love Liam and Leighton’s expressions

Kayleigh, Amanda, Chris, and little Charlotte

Thanks for all your help with clean up and taking our presents home, Owen, Jessica and Mike!

The rest of the Abbott family wasn’t able to make it, but it was sweet of Joyce to stop by to say hi!

Meredith loves hanging out with Katie and Jenny at the little park in our neighborhood.

Thanks, Sarah, Ashley and Sophie!

Meredith with Kim, Nate and Chris– we love playing in our neighborhood!

The twins with their pals, Lily and Avery.

London and Chelsea are the sweetest and always play with Meredith at the park in our neighborhood. Their favorite game is to have Meredith chase them while they scream, “Baby monster is coming!!!”

Noah has the best faces!

Thanks for coming, Lori!

The rest of the teddy bear decor:

The bear ear headbands ended up being a huge hit– loved looking back at all the pictures with the kids wearing them!

The teddy bears having their picnic.

The party favors were stuffed bears, gummy bears and miniature honey bears in mini picnic baskets. Loved!

Meredith’s “One” pictures next to her smash cupcake.

 

 

Guests signed a copy of the book, “Teddy Bear Picnic” as a keepsake for Meredith. 

If you go down to the woods today, you’d better go in disguise…

 The dessert table.

Meredith’s monthly photos.

I painted a cardboard M I found at Hobby Lobby and hot glued flowers on it to create this cute M decoration:

Thanks to Uncle David for the idea to change the wording. It came out very authentic!

After telling Natalie about my vision, Natalie from A Pretty Little Party created custom printables that came out so adorable! Most of the signs are lines from the book and song, “Teddy Bear Picnic.”

 

Meredith’s one year stats.

I reused mason jars I’ve used in past parties and glued floral ribbon and burlap to match with the theme.

I didn’t get a good picture of the present table, but Natalie created a cute teddy bear banner that looked amazing!

      

Even with most of the food gone (we had to-go containers for people and begged people to take food home!), the van was still packed to the brim on the way home. We were too exhausted to unpack that day and just left it all in the car!

After everyone took a long nap, we opened presents that evening. The twins played with most of the gifts, while Meredith enjoyed the wrappings.

Meredith was so snuggly in her personalized bear wrap from Ali and Uncle Mike!

A big bear hug for our favorite little birthday bear!

Lots of love,

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