Back to School

We had french toast and bacon for breakfast! Breakfast of champions!

It's just crazy to believe. Juliet started 4th grade today and Mia started 1st. Man, it was tough to walk them to school and then try to fathom their age and leave them there! Fortunately we weren't the only parents following our kids to their classes. There were dozens of us!

Mia blew many kisses! Mia has the same teacher that Juliet had in 1st grade. We just loved her. She greeted Mia with a huge smile and a warm handshake.


Juliet was a little apprehensive as this year she has 31 classmates! She is probably the shortest one in class to, and the youngest, but she'll get over that soon enough. She has some friends from years past in her class and we were fortunate enough to get the teacher we requested for her.




We're excited for a new year, but most of all Calvin is excited for, "BOYS TIME!"

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

We went to Six Flags two weeks ago with my parents and it was a blast. The last time we had been was when Juliet was nearly Cal's age. She loved it then, and we all loved it now! We are definitely getting season passes next season! So here are many of the rides we did. There were some that Mia was too short for, and some that Cal was just too short for, but all in all they got to ride great rides!

*click on it to enlarge*

They had a Thomas & Friends portion!
The kids got to hug many characters! I thought Cal would be apprehensive, but boy was I wrong!

After the stinkin' innertube ride. We were completely soaked! But it was FUN!

My ears get tired

The ONLY time Calvin is quiet (and I mean ONLY) is if there is a movie on or he's sleeping! Seriously, the kid talks non-stop. And he says things that are way beyond his years. I just don't get it sometimes. And he understands things that sometimes I think he really shouldn't. He's three for goodness sake!
I have to write some of these things down because I'm forgetting more than I want to. He comes up with new mind boggling things daily and if I don't put them down on paper, I won't remember it before he says the next humerus thing!

"It is certainly cold in here Mommy!" as we enter the cooler at Costco.
"I have no idea, Juliet." in answer to Juliet asking where something is.
"Mia, you are hilarious!" after she blew up a balloon for him
"I need wom mok Mommy. It's getting close to bed time."
"Because I do." in response to any "why" question.
"I'm not a monkey, I Calvin. I'm Calvin and I eat bananas!"
"I'm free Dad" meaning he's three years old.
"Juliet, there's a spider on you head. Just jokin" his version of a joke!
"I'll try my best, Mom." in answer to doing any job.
"Mom, am I the boss?" No Cal. "Awww"

He will also repeat any movie he has seen. He is a one liner King! See if you can name that movie:
We'll get there when we get there!
To infinity and Beyond!
Prepare to meet Mr. Angry Eyes.
Oh yea, McQueen is R-E-A-D-Y!
Finders keepers, Losers suck. (yea, we're not watching the Little Rascals anymore!)

His most favorite movies, which we have seen millions of times now are, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Cars, The Incredibles

Sprinkler Park Fun

This boy loves water!

JOY

Tell me this is not a face of a kid who loves to swim!
And a kid who loves to swim with his Daddy!

Mommy & Mia Day

This is what we did while Juliet was away at camp!

PEDICURES!!

First week away at camp!

Juliet had her first camp experience this last week. She was very excited to go until she realized that she was going without the rest of us. We talked her friend, Emily, into going with her and encouraged them that they would have a fantastic time! It was a camp through our church but it was at the YWAM base in Chico. I didn't think I knew where it was until I pulled up to this beautiful place. I went there as a counselor just after I graduated high school. Walking through the doors brought back A LOT of memories, but it was completely different going there now as a mom. I had a hard time leaving her, but knew she was in good hands. Our childrens ministry at our church is phenomenal. The pastors, teachers, and leaders are just amazing people who have incredible hearts for our children and seeing them develope and grow in God. What more can a mom ask for?

I must admit, I cried for hours on Monday night (her first night away). There is no cell service up there, and no way to get in contact with the kids (except for emergencies). So it was a week of no contact too! We've never done that before. I was praying and asking God to cover Jules while she away, when God spoke to me. He said, "Do you trust me, Jeni? Do you not think I can take better care of her than you ever could? Remember I entrusted her to you. You are doing a great job, but I've got her here." While I know all this, I needed to hear it directly from Him. I was able to rest in that for the entire week. Knowing that He was covering her and he was meeting her every need, even homesickness!

Anywho, she had a great time! She is exhausted, has many stories to tell, looks forward to next year already! I'm still hearing more and more stories of the events and what God spoke to her during the week. You'll have to ask her about it if you want to know more....

This was their room:
And can you see the exhaustion in their faces?

Wink Wink

When life gives you lemons...

EAT THEM!

He eats the entire thing, without one simple flinch of sourness!

THE most amazing women

I met these 5 women (along with 6 others) 4 years ago. We were all part of a public message board online. This message board was comprised with about 100 women all across the country, all having May '06 babies. We would commiserate about our aches and pains, share yummy recipes, share sorrows if a baby was lost, complain about our husbands or inlaws! (Oh the things our hormones would do to us!)

Once our babies were born and we were up at all odd hours of the night, we found ourselves chatting on msn late into the night and wee hours of the morning. Often we were chatting (aka typing) one handed as we would be nursing at the same time. Good times I tell ya!

As we grew closer and confided more things within our small circle of moms, we decided we needed a forum that was private and not accessible to the general online public. 12 of us are currently on this board. We share everything here. These women know more about me than anyone else I have ever met. I think the anonymity of talking to someone online makes you more free to say things and inquire things from one another. If I have any question or any story that could possibly be embarrassing, I share it with these wonderful women! They are accepting of all my flaws, faults and strange thinking! They have shared my sorrows, joys, vents, accomplishments, fears, trials, and anything in between! I owe the world to them!

Last weekend, 6 of us were fortunate enough to meet in person. Many of my family and friends were very apprehensive of me traveling to meet 5 women I have only talked to online. Yet, my view is that I have talked to these women nearly daily for the last 4 years. I have talked to some on the phone, but mostly just online. I was so excited! Beyond excited, really! I only wished that all 12 of us could have been together. But it was just too expensive for everyone to make it. We are however, planning a 2010 trip to the east coast this time where hopefully all 12 of us WILL make it.

We are from California, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Iowa, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Missouri. Crazy, isn't it?! Women from all over the country, with ONE simple bond of having a May 2006 baby. We have different spiritual beliefs, political beliefs, are in different stages of life, married or not, have different number of children, are different ages, and yet we are literally BEST of friends. I am so incredibly thankful to have all of these women in my life. I can't imagine it without them!We had a blast in Portland! We visited the Pittock Mansion, Portland Saturday Market, Benihana's, and Twilight filming sites. We got pedicures and tattoos! Yes, new tats! We stayed in a condo right on the waterfront and just completely enjoyed our girls/moms weekend to meet and get away from the daily grind. I can't wait to go again with these amazing women!