The Wilsons

First Day of School

2012-01-18T13:51:00.001-08:00

This August the kids started preschool at a new school. They are in the fun for fours class at Plum Canyon Elementary. I was nervous for them to be in a new school with new friends, but the obviously were not. They went in and made friends like they have been there for years. It was great to see their comfort level. It was a great was to start the school year.

Joseph’s Birthday

2012-01-18T13:41:00.001-08:00

For Josephs birthday this year we decided to have a family beach day. I was fun to play and spend time together having fun in the sun!

Dance, Soccer and Swim

2012-01-18T13:35:00.001-08:00

This summer the kids started some fun activities. First Bridget started dance. She is taking a ballet/tap class on Saturday mornings. I have never seen a more excited little girl. She loves her class and is full of so much joy when she is there.

Ethan started a soccer class. He loves all the drills that they have the kids do. It’s a great time for him.

Together the kids took swim lessons through the city. Ethan loved it and was progressing everyday. Bridget had a rough start, but at the end became more confidant in the water in the end.

Blueberry Picking

2012-01-18T13:24:00.001-08:00

This summer we went blueberry picking for the first time. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a great time. I think that we ate as many as we picked, but we were able to bring home some supper yummy blueberries! After we ate lunch and played around the farm play area. We will defiantly be back next year.

Venice and London

2012-01-18T13:14:00.001-08:00

Venice was the last port of our cruise. I was blown away with how amazing it was. The canals and the way the city was laid out was incredible. The best part was a few of us took a gondola ride! Wow, just wow. It was so surreal. It felt like I was in a movie. The cruise was really a once in a lifetime opportunity that I was so grateful to be able to take.

After Venice we met my Dad and Brother in London to spend two days before Kimberly and I headed home. We did some fast sightseeing, braved some rain, and got to see two incredible plays, Chicago and The Lion King. It was a great trip!

Split, Croatia

2011-11-08T21:22:00.001-08:00

Croatia was beautiful. We visited the city of Split. We spent some time walking around the town. There was some fantastic buildings. It was fun to walk around a an get a taste of the area. After touring around, we found a great beach. It was a Sunday so there were so many people, and tons of families. The water was was knee deep for so far. So it was a great place for kids and families to play. Once you got past the shallow area it was deep enough to swim. After the beach we tried some yummy ice cream to end the day.

Corfu, Greece

2011-11-08T21:12:00.001-08:00

Corfu was different than that other Greek islands. To me it looked more Italian than Greek. We spent some time touring the old fortress in town. It was massive and really cool. We then found a little beach with a pier. The water was so calm that if felt like we were swimming in a pool. The pier even had a pool latter to get in and out of the water. It was so warm and relaxing.

Athens, Greece

2011-11-06T16:28:00.001-08:00

It was a dream come true to be in Athens. I love ancient Greek history and culture. The Parthenon was something I never thought that I would be able to see in person. We were lucky because the city was having riots and they had ended the day before so we did not have any problems. We went and saw all the sights as well as an amazing museum that told all about the Parthenon, it was incredible.

Mykonos, Greece

2011-11-06T16:12:00.001-08:00

Mykonos was another amazing island. We spent some time sight seeing and most of the day laying on the beach and swimming in the beautiful ocean. It was a perfect day.

Santorini, Greece

2011-11-06T10:13:00.001-08:00

Santorini was our first stop in Greece and wow what and entrance. It was so beautiful! The town was on on of these huge cliffs. When we got onto the island there were two ways up to the top, a cable car or donkeys. We decided it would be fun to ride the donkeys up to the top. It was a little scary but still cool. Once we were to the top the views were amazing! On our quest to find a beach we hit a few snags. Finally we found with a little help, a beautiful black sand beach.

Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii

2011-10-11T10:02:00.001-07:00

Next port was Naples. We decided to take an excursion with the ship to Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii. At Mt. Vesuvius, we hiked up to the top to see beautiful views and the inside of the volcano. It is dormant but you could see smoke and steam coming out of parts of the crater.

Pompeii, was so interesting. To see a Roman city so intact, and to be so close to such ancient history was life changing. It was a day full of adventure!

Florence, Italy

2011-10-11T09:41:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to see Florence. We had a busy day planned. There were two museums we got tickets for and not a lot of time, so we were very organized. We started at the Uffizi where the main attraction was Botticelli's “The Birth of Venus” and “Springtime”. They were incredible! The museum had so many wonderful pieces of art that I thought I would never be able to see. After the Uffizi we headed over to the Academia to see Michelangelo's “The David”. Wow! It was perfection. We had sometime left to see The Dumo cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Another amazing day!!

Monte Carlo

2011-10-08T22:04:00.001-07:00

Our first port on the cruise was Monte Carlo. Monaco is a small country but wow, it is amazing. The elegance and beauty was incomparable. We were there days before the royal wedding of the prince of Monaco, there was lost of preparation going on all over the areas, close to the palace. We did some sight seeing and then found a nice beach and swam in the gorgeous water.

Rome Day 2

2011-10-08T15:55:00.001-07:00

Our second day in Rome was as amazing as the first. We headed to the Vatican early in the morning. Before we went in we were able to see the Pope! He rode around the square and addressed the public. It was so cool.

We then went into the Vatican and had an incredible tour. I saw so many pieces of art that I have always wanted to see. The best was the Sistine chapel. Words can not express how overwhelming and breath taking it is.

After the Vatican we went into St. Paul's cathedral. Again, so awesome!!! Everything is so intricate and beautiful. It really was grander than even my imagination could think. The highlight was Michelangelo's Pieta.

We spent the whole day at the Vatican and St. Paul’s. After we went to dinner at an outdoor café and had the best homemade ravioli’s. In Rome!!!!! I didn’t want to leave Rome but was really excited for all the amazing places we were headed to next

Rome 2011

2011-10-08T15:08:00.001-07:00

This summer I took the most amazing trip to Europe. It was the most fantastic trip of a lifetime. I went with my mom, sister, and aunt, as well as our friends Vera, Susan, Kiersten, and Katie. It was a fun trip, cruise of the Mediterranean Sea. The cruise began in Rome, so we took the opportunity to go a few days before and see Rome. We had two days and we were on a mission to see everything we could. The first day, we took a tour of the Coliseum and the Forum, we saw the Pantheon, then walked to the Trevi Fountain and finished up at the Spanish Steps. Rome is so incredible. The old mixed with new really a site to see.

Last Daly of School

2011-06-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

This is the picture of the the kids the first day of school:

Here are the kids on the last day, they change so much:

June 3rd was the last day of school. It was also our last day at COC’s preschool. I was sad and a little emotional. The kids still have one maybe two years left of preschool but they are changing school next year. We have had such an amazing time at COC. The kids have grown and flourished. The teachers and staff are excellent. I am sad they are leaving but excited to try new things. But for now it summer time!

Gentle Barn

2011-06-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

In May we were able to go visit the Gentle Barn. I have always wanted to go there, but they are only open to the public on Sundays so we have never been there. Our twins club was able to get a special tour on a Saturday, so I was so excited to go! It was so much fun, so many animals for us to pet and love. Ethan was the barn whisperer, and every animal loved him and he was so gentle. Bridget was a little nervous at first but soon warmed up, and loved feeding the horses.

Kidspace

2011-06-12T22:34:00.001-07:00

I love Kidspace Museum! Its such a great place to kids to learn and explore. We recently took the day and went with Kimberly and Reid. We had a great day, playing, digging for dinosaur bones, painting, water play, and ridding bikes, creating with clay, and petting a gecko. That’s a lot for one day!

Disneyland Playgroup

2011-06-12T16:04:00.001-07:00

I have a great playgroup that meets every week. Its fun for the kids to have friends and play together. A few weeks ago we all went to Disneyland for the day. It was so fun! We even got a picture with Pluto of all the kids together.

Easter 2011

2011-06-12T14:27:00.001-07:00

This year we had lots of Easter fun. First we went to a spring party/egg hunt at the park for my Moms Club. The kids made bunny ears hats, ate treats and hunted for eggs.

Our second party was with the SCV Mother or Twins Club. We had a fun egg hunt and lots more candy!

The Saturday before Easter we attended our ward Easter breakfast party. The kids got to egg hunt, we got yummy breakfast, and Joseph got second place in the egg toss.

That night, I said to the kids, “The Easter bunny is coming tomorrow!” Bridget's response was “Again?”. So I guess we had a few egg hunts this year, but it was sure fun. I decided to make Easter morning very low key, so there was a cute basket waiting for them in the morning.

Spring Break 2011

2011-06-12T13:54:00.001-07:00

For Spring Break we went with lots of friends the Carpentaria to go camping. It is one of our favorite places to go. It was a colder few days but we had a few afternoons when we ran out and enjoyed so sunshine, and ocean. Joseph had recently got a new surf board and a wet suit and was anxious to try them out. There were no waves, but I got a few cute pics and some amazing moments of him and Ethan together. We have been going here for many years and its really fun to see it through the different ages and stages.

Pasadena 5K

2011-06-12T13:39:00.001-07:00

In March I completed my fourth 5k. I completed in the 5k for the Pasadena Triathlon. My sister Kimberly wanted to participate in a triathlon and I decided to go and do the 5k part and then cheer for her after. It was a fun morning. I competed in the even last year and tripped and fell at the beginning so I was happy to finish without any problems this time. My mom also ran the 5k with me and she got a medal for finishing third in her age group, so cool. Kimberly did the tri and was amazing! It was a fun time!

Princess time

2011-04-23T15:41:00.001-07:00

On a recent trip to Disneyland we were on our way out the side of the castle on out way to Frontier Land and we turn and see Belle sitting down with a little girl and no one else around. First I checked to make sure this wasn’t something special, but when the little girl was done Belle asked if we wanted to come over. Well this made Bridget's day! Belle is her favorite. They got some time all alone to spend with Belle, and she was so nice and engaging with the kids. They were in heaven, and it was the best part of the day.

California Science Center

2011-04-22T14:22:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we were looking for something to do on a Saturday when I was searching on the internet can came across the California Science Center. I looked fun so we drove down to check it out. Wow! I can’t believe I have never been there before! So fun. It was huge and the everything was hands on for the kids, and it was free. Yay.

Looking out into the gardens:

The polar room had an ice wall:

This aquarium was a tunnel you could walkthrough and then a whole wall of glass where you can sit and look at everything:

I special toddler area had colorings, toys, and different rooms to explore different themes:

Ethan loved the space area:

Puppet show and dress up area to make your own TV show:

Dress-up

2011-04-22T13:25:00.001-07:00

Bridget has just started getting into dress-up. She loves to be a fairy. To be correct, it’s a hula girl fairy princess. I got this great picture and it just screams youth and imagination.

Technology

2011-04-21T20:33:00.001-07:00

Its amazing how at such a young age he can figure out how to work all the new technology so easy. Ethan's new favorite sentence is “Daddy can I play with your I Pad?”

Mexican Rivera: Part Three

2011-04-21T20:15:00.001-07:00

Our last port was Cabo San Lucas. I had herd great things about Cabo but I think this was my least favorite spot. We did hear later about some cool places to go so maybe if we get down there again we will check those out. We walked around the marina a lot and then hung out at the beach. Once we sat at the beach I was happy to appreciate how beautiful my surroundings were.

The view from the sand:

Joseph bought these cool hand carved pots from this guy. asked if we wanted them personalized and then sis it right there on the beach. It was beautiful work.

On the marina these guys were carving up the sharks they caught for steaks. The birds were excited for the scraps

And the seals were hanging out right there too!

We had a great trip. Fun and relaxing at the same time. We were so lucky to have my parents watch the kids for us so we could go enjoy ourselves!

Mexican Rivera Cruise :Part Two

2011-04-21T19:49:00.001-07:00

Our second port was Mazatlan. I really thought it was amazing here. So much to see and do. First we went to the old part of town and visited this beautiful cathedral. I love cathedrals, they have always fascinated me, so it was a great treat to visit this one.

My summer home, I wish:

I was wondering where the entrance was:

Cliff jumping:

Josephs new place of work:

Mmmm, shrimp and lobster!

Mexican Riviera Cruise: Part one

2011-04-21T18:56:00.001-07:00

In January Joseph and I took a cruise to the Mexican Riviera! We had such a good. The first few days were on the sea and I spent those days eating, sleeping and reading, it was fantastic. Our first port was Puerto Vallarta. It was beautiful and the weather was nice and warm, but not to warm. We had a great day walking around and seeing what the town had to offer. We did spend a little bit off time hanging out on the beach, but the swarms of vendors selling things were a little overwhelming for me to be there too long. Along the ocean there were tons of these beautiful sand sculptures. Really it is hard to put into words how amazing they were. We even got to see one a few in the process of being made. Hard back breaking work in the sun.

This guy was doing all the detail work that is hard to capture in pictures:

There were also all the weird and fascinating sculptures all over the place. Joseph got on this one to join the aliens waiting for the mothership:

Lots of street performers added to the entertainment of the day. These guys climbed up this tower, tied ropes to their legs and jumped off while they rotated in the air and glided down slowly to music. It was really cool:

Snow!!!

2011-03-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

The first of the year brought us a great surprise. Snow!!!! The weather forecast kept saying snow was coming but I did not believe that it would come down so low. When it started Joseph kept saying, "its snowing!" But I thought it still looked like rain. But right before our eyes the rain changed to snow. The kids were taking a nap and we ran in to get them up before the snow went away. The put on their coats ran outside and saw snow for the first time. In Southern California!!!! It continued to snow for about an hour or more and we had a great time playing.

Christmas Evening

2011-03-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

After our great morning we went over to my parents house for more Christmas fun. We opened more presents and played. Later we rested and them had a wonderful dinner together with family. It was a wonderful day. As the kids are getting older, I see that this day will get better the better.

Christmas Morning

2011-03-27T22:23:00.000-07:00

This year Christmas morning was so joyful! The kids were really into and excited for Santa to come. So first thing in the morning they came out to see what Santa had brought. We opened our presents and played all morning with all the exciting toys. Joseph got a handheld golf GPS. It has maps of the courses and lets you know how far away and what angle the hole is. I was very excited to give this to Joseph. It was a great surprise and a hit! Bridget got Disney princess dolls and a tea set and instantly set everything up for her princess tea party:

Ethan got his very own Woody and Buzz!

And they got a trampoline!!!!

Christmas Eve

2011-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

For Christmas eve we hung out at my parents house. My mom decided to give the kids a present that they can open. They got some fun games and we spent the evening playing them over and over. It was a great way to hang out and get ready for the big day!

Don't Break the Ice:

Hungry, Hungry Hippos:

Cootie:

After fun games we got home tucked the kids in and got the house ready for Santa!!!! Yeah!!!

Temple Lights

2011-03-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about Christmas are the lights at the temple. This year we made special effort to take the kids to see them. Every time we thought about going, it rained. So one night it stopped and Joseph was home early so we jumped in the car. It was so wonderful! The kids were so excited and we were able to see the new renovated visitors center.

I love this picture. All of a sudden all the children around ran up to the statue of Jesus and were touching his feet. It was a beautiful site to see.

Gingerbread Fun!

2011-03-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for Christmas we had a wonderful time making our first Gingerbread House and Train. It was such a fun time. I was surprised at how the kids were really into it. They knew exactly where they wanted to put each candy piece and what color they wanted where. It was great and they loved showing off their gingerbread creations to everyone who came by.

Toliet Paper Fun

2011-01-10T21:41:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you let a three year old near a costco pack of toliet paper. Fun Times!!!!!

Making Biscuits

2011-01-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

My moms is amazing! She always lets the kids help her in the kitchen. A couple of week ago she brought out these cute aprons and had the kids make biscuits for dinner. It was great. They helped mix, but they really loved to knead to dough. They really put their all into it.

Santa Clarita Marathon - 5k

2011-01-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Last year I did my very first 5k at the Santa Clarita Marathon. It was a goal of mine for a while so I took the plunge and completed it. I was surprised how fun it was. Since then I did another 5k with friends in March. I wanted to see if I was getting better with my time so I decided to do the Santa Clarita 5k for a second time. I was really happy that my Mom and Sister decided to join me! It was a great time and I took a minute off of my time from the previous year.

The kids wanted to run too, so we did a mini race :)

I have some new goals for 2011. I am hoping to complete a half marathon and improve my time once again the 5k.

Hawaii - Part 2

2011-01-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

I spent most of the trip laying out on the beach or by the pool and soaking in as much relaxation as possible. Joseph went to as many classes as he could get in. On our last day we went together to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We had a great time learning more about the different islands. We ended with a luau and an amazing show. It was such a fun trip and a great time to get away and recharge.

Hawaii - Part one

2011-01-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

In October, Joseph and I went to Oahu for Pest World 2010. I could net resist tagging along to Josephs conference when I found out it was in Hawaii. Our hotel was beautiful and is was such a relaxing time. While Joseph was in classes all day I took part in the souse program that they had. On one day we went to the Kualoa Ranch. It was so much fun. First I went horse back ridding and then took a jungle expedition. Really fun experience!

Our Hotel:

Halloween 2010

2010-12-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Halloween! So I am late but its the same year right? So I'm good. We had a great Halloween this year. My mom bought the kids these really great Renaissance costumes from the Tower of London this summer. They were perfect. Everyone was really into Trick or Treating!

I love Shutterfly

2010-11-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

I love Shutterfly! I have been using them for years. I have several photobooks that I have made for me as well as ones I have made for gifts. They are so easy to use and the quality of the products is really outstanding. I have also been making these wall calendars http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendarsfor my family as Christmas presents since the kids were born. They make great grandparent gifts.

So I am so excited to get my Christmas cards together this year. Shutterfly has lots of different kinds. So far I am loving these ones:

Shutterfly makes it so easy, just upload the pictures you want, pick the card you want and boom your done. Anything that is easy is great for me. You can check out all the different choices in cards that they have here http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards for photocards or here http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards for Holiday cards. Hurry over there and check them out. They only hard part is picking the one that you love the best.

Lombardi Ranch 2010

2010-11-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm trying to play catch up. I have fallen off the blogging waggon. So here are a few pics from our annual trip to Lombardi Ranch. I love that we have a place where through pictures I can see the different stages of our lives. This year the kids were into the train ride and eating corn. Just a great way to kick off Halloween time!

3rd Birthday Party

2010-10-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

The twins are 3!! I can't believe the Bridget and Ethan are three years old. This year we decided to throw them a birthday party. We invited a few friends from church and had a Mickey/Minnie party at the park. The kids had a great time.

My friend Angel made the cake, its so cute! It was minnie on one side and mickey on the other.

Best part of a party is eating the leftover cake!

Disneyland!

2010-10-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Disneyland! I LOVE Disneyland. I know its crowded and a long day, but I love the feeling of being there. I love to watch peoples faces when they first get there and when they come out of a ride or show. I have been waiting till I can take my kids. I had been hesitant because Disneyland is a commitment. Its not far but traffic can make for a long trip and its expensive and could be horrible if moods are not right. Joseph had a conference in Anaheim and had to stay over night at a hotel. I saw this as a perfect chance to stay and be right there in the morning, took out traffic out. The kids were not quite three yet so they were still free, I was given a free pass so that took the price out. The next big thing was is I wanted to take two two year olds to Disneyland for the day, by myself. hmmmm.

Well I decided to go for it. And I am so happy we did. We had a wonderful day. It wasn't too crowded and the kids were such great listeners. We were able to do everything that we wanted ans so much more. We had such a great time that we got passes for the whole year form my parents for the kids birthday! Yay! Hope the next times, go as well as this trip.

Small World:
Buzz Lightyear -a hit for Ethan

We rode the tea cups three times!

My only complaint - can not have chains at all the rides, this is how Ethan waited for everything

But its worth it for that smile :)

Fishing

2010-10-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day we decided to have a new adventure and take the kids fishing for the first time. We went out early in the morning at Castaic Lake. Ethan and Bridget were so excited. The practiced the night before at my parents house in the swimming pool, so they were ready to take on the lake. Ethan really got the hang of it and was able to cast his line perfectly by himself. He was really proud. We didn't catch any fish but still had a great morning.

First Day Of School

2010-09-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

The twins recently started their second year off preschool at College of the Canyons. This year they are in the yellow room. We are very excited because they have most of the same kids and they have the same teachers. This can always make the transition easier. Bridget and Ethan love school. They go 3 days a week for 3 hours and it is the perfect amount for them and for me. Its nice to have a bit of a break to have some me time where I can run errands, shop, go to the gym, read, etc. This was them so excited on the first day back.

Travel Town

2010-09-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful Saturday morning we decided on a whim to go to Travel Town in Griffith Park. I had been there many times as a kid and we used to take my brother there when he was little. I was really excited to take the kids.
We had a wonderful time. It was not very crowed so we were able to go in and see all the trains with no problem.

Mountasia Golf

2010-07-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Bridget have herd about golf since they were born. Joseph loves golf. They have had play golf sets and played with daddies golf clubs sometimes. So, they were so excited to go play golf with daddy. We went to mountasia and had a blast. Bridge was really into it, she would take her ball put it right up to the hole and try to get it in. Ethan on the other hand thought that rolling the ball around and swinging the club like a hockey stick was the correct form. Either way you do it, its fun!!

Knotts Berry Farm

2010-07-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Josephs parents and oldest nephew Brett, came to visit us from South Carolina. It was fun to have them visit us. One of the things we did was take a trip to Knotts Berry Farm. I had not been there in years and it was really a great place to bring the kids. They had a blast! They did a lot of things with their grandparents while I got to ride a bunch of the roller coasters. Then we meet up and I got some fun pics of them enjoying themselves. We really had a wonderful fun filled day.

4th of July

2010-07-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

This year on the 4th we decided to take the kids to the parade. It was the perfect age to start going. We all had so much fun. The kids got dressed up in their red, white, and blue, we waved our flags and celebrated our country. I think this will be the start of a new tradition for us.

Running and playing with other kids before the parade started.

Ethan spent most of the parade with his hand over his ears because it was too loud.

Bridget was really into cheering for everyone that passed by. Ethan loved all the boy scouts.

We all got otter pops handed out at the end. Perfect ending!

Me and my baby

2010-07-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Bridget she loves her church dresses. The bigger and the puffier the better. I recently bought Bridget a new dress that came with a matching baby doll dress. Well she instantly went to heaven she was so happy. I was able to get a few cute pics in before church.

Cherry Picking

2010-07-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we all got up early and heading out to Leona Valley to pick cherries together. What a great idea. We all had so much fun getting the cherries right off the tree. We put them in our bucket to take home and we even got to eat some. Bridget and Ethan were so excited! I was glad that I dressed them in brighter colors because in the orchard it could be very easy to misplace them. But this way they had more freedom to explore a little more and I could see then through the trees. The Cherries that we bought were so good and we devoured them. mmmm. I cant wait till net year, I think this will be a new tradition.

Camping June 2010

2010-07-05T22:49:00.000-07:00

We love to go camping at Carpinteria beach. It is my favorite place to get away for a few days. The kids love it! Camping combined with the beach and the candy store and they are happy happy children. We went a few weeks ago and had a great time. Ethan and Bridget are getting so good at riding their bikes that it was hard to keep up after them. They also were loving building sand castles and running away from the water. Did I mention how wonderful it is to be in California? :)

Lakers!

2010-06-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

Last week Joseph and I went to game five of the Western Conf Finals for the NBA. Lakers vs. Suns. We had such a fun time. The game was so exciting!!! We had great seats and it came down to the last seconds! Lakers won 103 to 101 with the last shot of the game.

Kobe practicing at the half:

This is the game winning shot!

The Beach

2010-06-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my parents bought a tent trailer to go camping, and we have been making good use of it over the last few months. We love to go camping at the beach. We always go to Carpinteria just north of Ventura. Its safe and close to a town and the kids love knowing where to go and what to do. The kids LOVE to play in the sand and ride bikes all over. Its really a wonderful time when we are there.

Dress your best

2010-03-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Bridget loves to help my mom cook dinner. My mom is great and always gives the kids something that they can do to help her in the kitchen. So when you help in the kitchen its important to dress your best right? Bridget thinks so. The other day she ran into the playroom and got all dressed up to help. I thought she was so cute and looked just like lemon meringue from strawberry shortcake. She couldn't have been happier.

Bananas

2010-03-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Bananas are awesome. But once you take the peel off they can get your fingers all messy. So, how do you solve that problem? Well, if you are Ethan and Bridget, you go to you box of plastic food, get the pretend ice cream, take it out of the cone and stick your banana in it, and use it as a handle. Pretty smart thinking.

Sleeping boy

2010-02-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

Ethan has had the ability to get in and out of his crib for a awhile. Sometimes he tried to sneak out of his crib and play. He is amazingly quiet so sometimes if I'm in my room at nap time I don't hear him sometimes. One day a went out into the living room and saw this:

Completely out laying on the couch, with his head on top of the remote. Why he thinks this is better than his bed beats me. At bed time he thinks he is being sneaky if he sits right outside of his door. Many a night we have found him like this:

REALLY? So cute. Its funny cause he really believes that we can't see him and that he is really getting away with something. I'll let him believe that and maybe he wont be very good and being sneaky as he gets older. Will make it easier for me. :)

Christmas 2009: part 1

2010-01-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun Christmas this year. It was a blast to see the kids so excited and really catching on to what was happening. I think next year they will understand better, but we laid the foundation this year. First we talked a lot about Santa, who Santa was and what he did. Really the only thing that they got out of it was that Santa says "Ho Ho Ho". Every time that we saw a Santa, snowman, reindeer, elf etc. They would get so excited and say "Ho Ho Ho". I was really cute. Last year they were so small and the both got sick on Christmas day so it was a whole new world of adventures this time around. We had a great time opening presents at home and playing with everything. Next we napped and went to my parents house for more Christmas fun!

My brother Brian and his zommbie

An ode to my 20s

2009-12-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

Since tomorrow is the beginning of a new decade for me I thought it would be fun to look back at a my twenties. Wow, its really a time to be busy, so many milestones. I am looking forward to my thirties where I can sit back and enjoy all my hard work to get to this point so far in my life. I think the best way to sit back and relax is to start with two, 2 year olds. Umm, maybe the hard work is not over yet. :) Here are few milestones of my twenties:

20 - Spent a spring term in England doing a Theater study abroad. Amazing!

21 - Graduated after four years with my bachelors degrees from Brigham Young University

22- Graduated from cosmetology school and started my career as a hair stylist

23- Met the love of my life

24- Married and made him mine for Eternity

27 - Became a mother, learning that joy can be beyond limits

29 - Ran my first race, a 5k, hope to do many more in the future

These are some of the great accomplishments so far in my life. I can't wait for more. Happy Birthday to me. :)

Peek-a-boo. Where are you?

2009-12-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes at night Ethan is a very busy boy. Sometimes he will find random things on the floor and pile them into his bed with him. Lately he has figure out how to flip his mattress, and sometimes its completely out of the crib in the morning. The other day we had a new one though. I come into their room on the morning and find this:

Um, what? Where is he. Sometime he get out so I looked around the room and he is no where to be found. Then, I found him:

Peek-a-boo:

Sleeping soundly, underneath the mattress. So clever :)

My first 5k

2009-11-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I completed my first 5k! a few months ago when the kids started preschool, I decided that I wanted to go to the gym for my free time. In order to get motivated not to miss a day, I downloaded a couch to 5k training program on my Ipod. It was designed for non runners to be able to complete a 5k. Since it seemed prefect for me, I took the challenge to try it. 8 weeks later, I finished the Santa Clarita 5k. I was not prepared for how fun it would be. There were so many people and the energy was amazing. I ran most of the time and had a personal best time. When I came to the finish line, I had a great cheering crowd waiting for me. I can't wait to do the next one. That's weird for me to say that, but its true!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-28T17:24:00.000-08:00

This year we had a fun and busy Halloween. We attended my local twins club Halloween party, my parents wards Trunk-or-Treat and our own wards party. This gave Bridget and Ethan many chanced to dress up and wear their costumes. Ethan was a fireman and Bridget was a lady bug. I was really surprised how much they loved dressing up and wearing their costumes. Bridget even wore her lady bug hat the whole time! They also really got a hang of trick or treating really fast. It was so exciting to see them walk up to a house, knock and hold out their bags with such excitement. I already can't wait for next year.

Its Pumpkin Time!

2009-10-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

Its Pumpkin time!!! At the pumpkin patch we picked up a great pumpkin. The nest thing to do was to carve it. Ethan and Bridget jumped at the chance to play in a pile of slim and goo. They got their spoon and were excited to clean out the pumpkin. This was our first time and it was really a lot of fun. After getting all the seeds out, daddy carved a cool spider on our pumpkin. Unfortunately it didn't last too long, but looked great in the house for a few days.

Lombardi Ranch 2009

2009-10-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween time! Its so much fun. We were able to start of the Halloween season with a fun trip to Lombardi Ranch. It is amazing to see how much the kids have grown and changed since last year. We had a great time, ridding the train, dancing to the music, eating corn and running around. We got a big pumpkin and the kids got to pick out there own little tiny pumpkin. It was such a wonderful day.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

2009-10-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

On Sept 26th Ethan and Bridget turned two!!!!! Crazy! What a ride it has been. The weekend of their birthday we decided to go camping up at Carpenteria(our favorite place) so we held their birthday party the Sunday before. It was a lot of fun. They were so excited about the cars and faeries decorations and cake. They were very excited about the cupcakes!! And the presents were to die for. Our friends Tommy and Cole sent us present all the way from Boston. They got tons of toys. It was all topped off by two new bikes, from Grandma and Grandpa. Ethan was so excited we was shaking. Bridget loved that she had a place for her new baby. It was a fun birthday and I can not believe I was two, two year olds.

Two years ago

2009-10-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

Two years ago at 29 1/2 weeks pregnant, Bridget and Ethan were born. It was a scary and happy day all in the same. It had been a very hard journey. I was ready for it to come to an end but very nervous about the journey that was about to begin. Bridget and Ethan just turned two and I started to look at the first pictures of them and took a trip down memory lane. I was surprised at what I saw. When we printed out pictures, we tried to find the ones that didn't make then look so small or scary so those are all the ones i have. I rarely shared the ones that made them look, well, they way they looked. It had been a while since I had seen the ones of the day they were born. I am so emotional thinking of how tiny and how fragile they were. And I am so blessed when I see them now and how much they have overcome. Just recently people have stopped asking me if they were preemies,and I take that as a sign that they have truly overcome that part in there life. The blessing in my life are great. Look at these tiny babies and remember that miracles do exist and two of them live at my house.

Alaska

2009-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

Everyone that knows me has had to listen to me talk about the cruise we were going on to Alaska for over a year. I have been so excited to go on the vacation, and it did not disappoint. The first of August we set off for a fun filled week aboard the Golden Princess to Alaska. Practically everyone I know went with us. It was a little overwhelming at first, with the kids. After getting through my first night of nightmares, picturing Ethan, jumping out of his crib, on locking the sliding glass door, going out the the balcony, climbing the table and jumping out over the balcony into the ocean, I was OK.
We left from Seattle and I was able to take this amazing picture, from our balcony! How cool is that!

JUNO : Our first port was Juno, Alaska. This was a very interesting port for us. We had a few bumps along the way but had a pretty good attitude the whole time. We first had some trouble getting off the ship, once that was done we were ready for an adventure. the rest of my family went kayaking, but since we had the kids we were on our own for the day. We started out riding a supper high gondola up into the forest. It was really cool to see thing from that high. This is where our first slip up began. Looking over one of the look outs, Ethan managed to loose a shoe over the side of the mountain. Hmm. What now, that was his only pair of shoes we brought. So we went down into the town in search of shoes. Juno is the capital, but well there is not much there. We were pointed in the direction of the new Walmart 15 miles away. sigh. Since we did not bring car seats we could not take a cab and had to take the city bus to Walmart. It took forever! We did however get to see all of Juno that none of the tourists get to see, and visit with some of the locals. We got some new shoes and were ready to go. We decide to continue on the bus and head out to the Mendenhal Glacier further away. We were told we could take the bus mostly there but had to walk maybe a mile or so to get there. Well a mile or so turned into about two and a half. We were very happy to arrive at there finally, but were supper tired. We walk around for a bit and caught a tourist bus directly back to port. We dis get a few pics at the glacier after all our travels:

This picture can only be had by those who walk the path so I am sure we are one of the few: :)

SKAGWAY: The next stop on our trip was Skagway. I new this would be a better day since we had it planned before hand. A big group of us rented a van tor and headed out to the white pass/Yukon area, and into Canada. It was wonderful to see all the beautiful scenery. It was so green lush. We made several stops and saw the sights. We even got to see some mountain goats! After the tour we went into the town and walked around. It had a very old west feel to it. Such a cute place. In the streams the Salmon were everywhere swimming upstream.

Tracy Arm Fjord: the next destination was not a port, it was a day on the ship. Early in the morning we sailed into Tracy Arm Fjord and tried to get as close as we could to the glacier. It was so beautiful. It was great to be able to get up and go right out onto the balcony, eat breakfast and see everything.

Ketchikan: Ketchican was a fun, short day. We were only in port until noon, so by the time we got out we had a few hours to roam around and see the sites. We went to creek street, that was I think my favorite part. It was a old part of town built on stilts on the creek. Ketchkan to me looked just like I pictured an Alaska town being. We even saw a bald eagle get a fish right out of the creek and fly away with it. Amazing! Joseph had a different day, he got up early and went fishing with a few other guys from our group. They caught tons of Salmon. We got some shipped back to parents house and have been eating it right up, so good.

Victoria, Canada: Victoria was our last day. We were sad to see it coming to an end. Most of the day was spent on the ship hanging out. We didn't get into port till after dinner at 7pm. While getting off the ship I was watching Ethan who was a being held by my dad, he was being so cute and waving to me. I got excited and waved back and must have lost my balance because I came a tumbling down and twisted my ankle really bad. I thought it would be OK, so I continued on. We decided to go see the Butchart Gardens. While we were on our way there my ankle swelled up pretty big. When we got there I could barely walk. So we rented a wheelchair. By that time we only had about a hour to see everything, so we all ran (well I rolled) around as fast as we could to see as much as we could. Kimi and Wes, took Bridget, my mom took Ethan and Joseph pushed me. the garden were beautiful and I was so happy I was able to see them. They are defiantly somewhere I would like to go back to.

It was a really fun trip and we were sad to go.

Scooters Jungle

2009-08-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I went to Scooters Jungle for a friends 18th birthday party and was really impressed with what a fun place it was. I was pregnant at the time so I was not allowed to really do anything fun, like go down the slide and bounce around so I was a little bummed and always wanted to come back. A few weeks ago I went with the twins and my mother-in-law Margaret and my nephew Brett. We were in the toddler are for ages 1-5 and it was so much fun! I got very tired going on the slide over and over again, but the kids had a blast. Who knew they were such dare devils. I sure didn't. I guess it was a wake up call that they are not babies anymore. Where did this big kids come from? A few of the pictures are really out of focus cause they were super fact action shots but I love them anyway.

Whatever!

2009-08-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Not even two and she is already giving me the "Whatever Mom, you are so lame" look. I guess I should get used to it.

Next UFC fighter

2009-08-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

We are grooming Ethan to be the next UFC fighter. You have to start young right? Sparring already :)

Josephs Birthday/Visitors

2009-08-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

On July 15th we had the pleasure of having two visitors from South Carolina come. My mother-in-law Margaret and my oldest nephew Brett. They came out and visited for five days. During that time we went to Disneyland, went swimming, celebrated Josephs birthday, went to church, Scooters Jungle, and Racers Edge. It was busy few days.

For Josephs birthday we went to Disneyland, but on Sundays my family always does birthdays. So Sunday we went to my parents for dinner and had a little party. He got lots of fun gifts from everyone and a cake withs lots of candles :)

From me: a fishing puzzle to represent fishing in Alaska

And a charger for the Xbox controllers

From Kimi and Wes: the movie "Taken"

From Brian: I Tunes gift card. (I might have to steal that)

Big one from my parents: A new suit! It fits great:)

Ethan got very excited with all the present opening that he decided to roll around in the dogs beds

Hope you had a great Brithday!

Disneyland

2009-08-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

On July 16Th Joseph turned 38! And how did we celebrate? We went to Disneyland! Josephs mother and nephew came to visit us for a few days and there first day here was Josephs birthday. We previously had two tickets someone had given us as a gift and Joseph got to go for free and the kids were free so all six of us got to go for the price of one ticket. I think a pretty good deal for sure. We had a great day. Joseph really wanted to see the fireworks and night and I was worried that the kids wouldn't make it that long so we compromised and left home later. WE didn't get into the parks until about 1:30 so we had to move fast to see all that we wanted. It was a special trip because it was my nephew Brett's first time to Disneyland. So the goal was to see as much as we could.
Overall it was a fun time. Bridget and Ethan did really well. We did not get to do much kids things unfortunately but they still had a good time. The liked Buzz light year, and Pirates of the Caribbean a lot. Ethan did not like the Jungle book ride at all, he wanted to be all done from the very beginning. The favorite was the parade, the danced and clapped, and had so much fun. It was a long day. I think it was almost 11pm by the time we made it to Its a Small World. Ethan fell asleep, but Bridget loves all the "babies" that were singing and dancing. She danced the whole ride with a huge smile on her face. That made the whole day for me.

The 4th

2009-07-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

We had a fun 4th of July. The morning was relaxing and the afternoon was filled with fun. We went to the Beckstroms for a barbecue and swimming. There was so much eating and swimming the everyone was exhausted. The only bummer about this year was the the fireworks were not being held at the park near my parents house. Joseph really wanted to see fireworks do we decided to go down to the mall and watch them there. We parked a few blocks away at my sisters house and planed to walk down. As we were walking we saw people with chair on the bridge above the street right by my sisters house. We went over there and decided it was a lot easier and faster to watch them from there. It was a little farther away but was nice because it wasn't so loud fort he kids. Bridget and Ethan said a lot of wows, which was good enough for me. We got home so late and boy were they tired.

Waiting for fireworks

This was the only pic I could get of thier fourth of July outfits. You get the picture right?

Beach Time

2009-07-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

After our excursion to Pyramid Lake we found that the kids love the water. So we went home washed swimsuits and set out the next day for the beach. It was so much fun. The weather was great and the kids had a blast. They wanted to spend most of the time running into the waves. They were crazy! We wad so mush fun that we went back two more time that week. This is something I could get used to.

Bridget was running so fast I could barley get her in the picture.

Lake Pyramid

2009-07-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks a go we kicked off the summer activities with a day trip up to Pyramid Lake to take out the Sea-Dos. They had a beach that was fixed up last year so we decided to take the kids an have a fun day playing in the water. Well, the beach was a bit grubby and the shallow water had a lot of green algae all over the place. So it wasn't as nice as we expected. That didn't stop Ethan and Bridget at all. They had a great time and both got to go on the beat for the first time! I was way to nervous to take them myself so Joseph took Ethan and Kimberly took Bridget.

My Dad and Bridget

Joseph and Ethan

Sitting eating some chips.

Kimberly, her friend Emily and the twins

Daddies dream come true

2009-06-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

It looks like we might have a little lover of golf on our hands. Daddies dream come true! For all those that know Joseph you know that he LOVES golf. He likes to play it, watch it, and even play golf games on the xbox. I have been waiting until the kids were big enough to get a play golf set and I was so excited to see the perfect size at walmart. Joseph was thrilled and even more cause Ethan can actually hit the ball with the club. He just might be a golfer, or by the way he hits it, possibly a hockey player.

Stay away Bridget these are mine:
Getting a little lesson from Dad:

Now back to the flag:

Wait where is the flag? Fine I will do it myself

San Diego Fun

2009-06-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

Its taken me quite awhile to get things posted so I am doing a bit of catch up. May 1st, Joseph and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. We thought since it was a special one, we would go away. Thanks to my parents for watching the kids and to expedia.com for having a great deal on a really nice hotel, we were able to jet away for the whole weekend! It was my first time away from the kids since they came home from the hospital. I was happy that they did great.
Friday was out anniversary so we drove down, checked in, and went out to dinner and some dancing. It was so much fun. Saturday, we drove up to the Wild Animal Park. Joseph had never been there and me only when I was younger, so it was really a lot of fun. Since the park was so big there was no way we would have been able to see all the stuff we did if we had the stroller with us.
It was great and relaxing to have some time to ourselves and celebrate such a special time.

Joseph finally being able to hear, lol
My nice close up on the safari tram:

Happiness is ....

2009-06-05T23:03:00.000-07:00

Happiness is having two cups of milk and a stick of string all to yourself.....

And a little bit of twin kisses

Pics!!!

2009-05-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

I finally took the kids (eith the help of my mom and sister) to JC Penny to get there pics taken. Little did I know they would turn out like this! I am so excited!!!!

Easter Fun

2009-04-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

Every year since I was little we have been going to my Uncle Bob and Aunt Brenda's for Easter. They have a great egg hunt. In the front yard for the young kids and the back yard for the big kids. And you are officially and big kid until you get married. The eggs all have money in them, mostly quarters. But there are a few big eggs that have ones, fives and tens in them. It is always exciting to see who got the big eggs. This year Bridget and Ethan took part for the first time. It was so exciting! It was a little overwhelming for then so we focused on a few eggs and licked up the same ones over and over again. They thought that was lots of fun! We had a great time visiting with family.

Easter Morning

2009-04-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

I tried to get a few pictures in before we went to church while the kids were nice a dressed up. I could not get them to be still enough to get anything. I thought these were all kind of funny. I can just imagine what they were thinking.

Bridget: What are you doing mom, I am busy
Ethan: Yo! whats up!

Both: Again mom, What are you doing?

Forget it we are out of here!

Carpenteria

2009-04-20T08:53:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time camping at the beach! I was amazed at how well everyone did. I was also amazed at the fantastic weather that we had. It was sunny and warm almost the whole week. Ethan andBridget had fun playing in the sand and digginng with there shovels. My camera broke on the second day so I only got pics from our first day at the beach but they were some cute ones! It was realy a wonderful trip and I can't wait till next time.

Going Camping

2009-04-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

We are heading out tomarrow and going camping at the beach. Ethan and Bridget are ready to go. See ya next week!

Ward Easter Party

2009-03-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we headed out bright and early to the park for our ward Easter party. We had a yummy pancake breakfast, and lots of playing. Ethan and Bridget participated in the egg hunt. They got a little trampled by the older kids, but were able to get a few eggs. Bridget loved it so much, that after everyone was done, I would take the egg out of her bag and put it back into the grass. She then would pick it up, put it in her bag and start clapping. We did this over and over again. It was so fun. I was so happy Joseph thought to bring the camera, and he got some great pictures.

Park Days

2009-03-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

We love living in California! We have been going to the park a lot the last few weeks. With Bridget and Ethan being more active the the weather being amazing, its the perfect time. Here are some pictures of a few weeks ago. A day with some some new sand toys and a new car from their grandparents.

Bridget had to stop walking to give the baby some music!

Juice

2009-03-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I think these should be the new faces of Motts for Tots. Perfectly holding the juice box to show the label. They love their juice, and they have been learning to use a straw. Its so cute!

Art Project

2009-02-25T22:43:00.000-08:00

Ethan and Bridget have been doing therapy with the Early Intervention program since they were six months. It is to help them with some of their delays from being preemies. I love this program so much. They have two teachers that they each meet with every week. One of them is Jade. She come to the house and works on child development skills. Every holiday she has the kids make something. She usually makes hand or foot prints on a heart. They are always so cute and I really look forward to getting them. This year for Valentines Day she has the kids finger paint!!! It was sooo cute! At first they had no idea what was going on, but then they really got into it. These moments are some of the reasons that it is wonderful to be a Mom. First experiences are priceless to witness.

My funny girl

2009-02-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

To me, Bridget is hilarious. Most of the time she plays the cute, tiny girl and casts a spell on all those around her. She comes off very quiet and not as busy as Ethan, but that's not the truth. She has so much personality, and is a very funny kid. I always put little pig tails in her hair and at night when she is going to bed, I take them out and her hair does these crazy things. Combine that together with her craziness and you get these goofy pictures. I present, Bridget:

Where is my baby?

2009-02-09T23:28:00.001-08:00

I saw this picture as I was loading some new pics onto the computer and was stunned. Where is my baby boy? He looks so big here, I can't believe it. Such a little man, and so much like his dad.

Prayers

2009-01-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

I do not know this family but tonight I send my heart, love and prayers to them. A friend showed me this site and I have not stopped crying since I started to read it. Please pray for comfort for this family.

http://half12.blogspot.com

Special Prayer

2009-01-19T22:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight I will have a special prayer for two men and their families. One, to President Bush, and his family as they make a huge change and leave behind the life that they have built over the last eight years. I cannot imagine being in his position, being in a very thankless job. Well I say Thank you for leading this country and working so hard for all of us. I may not have agreed with every choice that you made, but I have the up most respect for you. You had to make so many choices that I myself am very happy I did not have to make. All I do is take care of a home and my two children and it can be overwhelming, I could not imagine having a country to take care of. Thank you.
The Second to President Elect Obama and his family. I pray that you can have the strength to take on the weight of this country and the courage to do what is needed. I pray that you will still be able to make time for your wife and your two young girls, and that you family may grow closer in the years to come. I realize the huge significance of you presidency and I wish you all the luck, and support, for the world will be watching. The hope of so many is now in your hands and I do not envy the position that you are now in. But I pray for you and say Thank you as well.
I am proud to live in country where all these possibilities are out there. And that these men were able to be chosen by the people to represent us. Again I say thank you.

Sick babies

2009-01-18T15:21:00.001-08:00

The week in between Christmas and New Years, we had two very sick babies. It was so sad. They just lied around and slept most of the time in between being sick. I do sometimes get tired of them being everywhere and getting into everything, but this week all I wanted was for them to be like that because it was so sad to see them not being themselves. Joseph took a few pictures of them, and I think they are so pathetic. I am so happy to have happy healthy babies now. :)