So true!

Today my friend, Lori, sent me a link to this article, and I couldn't believe how true it is!  We were so exhausted when we returned from our trip to California with the girls.  We decided we would call those "trips" - not "vacations".  You don't come back from vacation feeling more tired than when you started.

So all my friends with little ones please read.  It'll make you feel like your crazy life is normal!

Trip vs. Vacation

It's Only Just Begun...

There's been so much anticipation for this day - the clothes shopping, the school supply shopping, the haircutting - all of it leading up to the first day of kindergarten.  I think Brooklynn was so excited about the hype she didn't realize the chaos surrounding her.  

It all started when I called her school a week earlier to see if she was definitely in the a.m. class.  They still didn't know and were working on numbers.  Arrrggghhh!  So I had to be "that parent" and call the principal and complain.  Didn't want to start that way, but what can you do?  Then we went to Back-to-School night on Thursday, and no teacher!  Basically we were lost and upset - still no information on the school.  So, another call in.  Arrrghhh!  Two days later an email from the principal explaining to us that her teacher resigned and they'd have to start the year with a substitute.  Arrrghhh!  What a start.  It's already a stressful time for a parent sending their baby to school but no not have information about what she's be doing during the day, what she'd be learning, etc. was just heart-wrenching.  

So when the big day finally came we decided to go with the flow and just enjoy this momentous occasion.  We weren't going to let the circumstances ruin it!

She's ready to go!  (Since we'd been so crazy just getting back in town, our friend Lori let us borrow her sign.  Lifesaver!)

 The day before we chopped the hair and added the pink streak

 (so she'd match all her new Hello Kitty apparel)

 Waiting to go in

Prior to the day we had read "The Kissing Hand" and tried to prepare her as much as possible for this day.  We worried she'd struggle with the transition (and not having an actual teacher), but she was so amazing and positive.  She didn't care about all the small stuff we were stressed about - she just wanted to have fun and go to school.  There were no tears from Brooklynn, at least.  As she entered the building, filing in line behind the other kids, I felt so proud of her embarking on this with no fear leading the path for her sisters, so sad my baby is getting so old, and so excited to see what's in store for us this year and many more!  Love you Boo Boo Bear!

 What a successful first day!

Last Summer Hurr-ah!

The girls had been anxiously awaiting this trip all summer.  They'd approach random people and tell them, "We get to go to California on a plane and visit Baby Callen."  So when it was finally here they were ecstatic to get on that plane and go!  Steve and I were a little nervous traveling on our first trip as a family of 5.  The big girls were awesome on the plane, but Adaley just wanted to run up and down the aisle.  She's just at the toughest age to fly!  Our only argument was who was going to hold our new cousin first!

Such cuties!

 The first day we took it easy at a nearby park, but the kids had fun, and the weather in San Jose is so mild compared to Denver, so we could actually play and not worrying about burning our butts!

 The girls had a blast playing "hot lava" in Carrie and Josh's backyard with the sprinkler.

 Finally we get to meet our nephew/cousin!

 Friday we drove to Big Basin Redwoods park outside San Jose.  I can never get enough of the redwoods, but we were thinking the girls would hate the hike and just complain.  To our surprise they loved it - climbing the trees, finding sticks, and even exploring the insides of the trees.  Success!  Adaley even walked the entire 2/3 mile hike on her own.  Guess we'll work on a 14er with them soon........

 She's at it again!

 Our little walker

 They have high hopes they'll make it to the top

 Even Callen enjoyed the hike

 Family pic

Group pic (Josh was working)

 Saturday morning we headed out early to Half Moon Bay.  On the way they have this cute farm for kids that we just had to stop at.  The girls loved it!

So happy we can finally get all 3 in some pics

 Got their pony rides (even though we waited for a long time)

 She doesn't know what to think of those begging goats

 Look at that hat - doesn't get much cuter than that!

After exhausting ourselves at the farm we drove over to the beach.  Our girls absolutely LOVE the beach (thinking we probably live in the wrong area).  Even though it was a balmy 60 degrees outside with wind, that didn't stop them from soaking up the fun.  

 It's a requirement to hula dance on a beach, right?

 Adaley's first beach!

 Daddy and the beach babes

 She wanted to recreate her Virginia Beach mermaid

 Always missing out on the fun

Sunday morning the girls helped Josh make breakfast.  It was too cute!

 I was really bad at getting pics of the girls holding Callen, but they were always asking.  Chandler was obsessed with him!  She wanted to hold him every chance she got.  You can see how much he actually enjoyed it.

 Sunday morning we met my aunts Peg and Sandy in Fremont at another farm, but this one was an actual farm not an amusement park.  It was so cute, and we all had a great time.

Chandler showing Sandy how to pump the water

 Panning for real gold

 Aunt Peg and the girls trying to find Snow White in the dwarf cottage

 Riding the horse-drawn train back.  Aunt Peg and Chandler quickly became best buds!

 Monday we drove into Santa Cruz for some Jersey-style boardwalk fun and more beach time.  This time it was actually warm.  The girls had their heads on swivels just checking out all the junk food and rides.  So much to take it, but they loved it.

 Sand castle time

 Uncle Steve tanning Callen

 He babysit while Carrie and I went to the bar!

 Missing out again!

 Adaley's first cotton candy - not sure what to think of it!

 Visiting the sea lions off the pier.

 We had a fabulous time seeing California but most of all visiting with Carrie, Josh, and Callen.  Of course I don't know if you can call it a "vacation" when you have 3 kids, but the trip was fun.  We came back exhausted and missing them tremendously!  What a way to end our fun-filled summer!

Our Crazy So-called Life

I know my blog posts have been few and far between.  Our lives right now are just crazy!  Last week I really started feeling it and did my best to hold it together!  So here it is:

Tuesday morning we were packing up for the airport, and I realized I left my wallet (with ID) in the rental car that we had dropped off the evening before.  I figured since it was still early we'd be able to swing by Enterprise and grab it on our way out.  Turns out they had just rented the car to somebody.  So after a grueling security groping and getting onboard with a Kaiser card and Denver Zoo membership, I was still stressing whether I'd get all my stuff back.

Then that evening we finally heard back from our new renters (to move in Sept 1) that they had to back out of the lease.  So we were back to square one trying to find new renters to move in.  Ouch!  Finding renters has become a full-time job the last month.  Once I post it on craigslist I get bombarded with calls and emails answering questions, scheduling showings, and trying to weed out the crazies! 

On top of that, we've been trying to get Brooklynn ready for school, and have had so many issues with that.  She's been amazing, but her school has really disappointed us.  We've been going back and forth whether to switch her to p.m.  More to come on that.....

My breaking point was Thursday when I pulled my new Smartphone out of my pocket, dropped it on the wood floor, and it wouldn't turn on.  Toast!  Seriously?  Murphy's law, right? 

As I was thinking, "Could anything get worse?"  And I decided yes, yes it could.  This stuff is all meaningless.  It's not what really what life is about.  Everything in my wallet is replaceable.  We'll find new renters (not the stripper that applied though).  Brooklynn's school issues will be worked out (let's hope), and it's just a phone.  I still have 3 healthy, happy kids.  That's what matters.  Sometimes it just takes a no-good, horrible week for you to realize the important things. 

*The guy who rented the car after us dropped off my wallet with everything still in it.  Carrie picked it up and shipped it out.  So here's the beginning of some good luck.

10 Years of Wedded Bliss

I can't believe we made it!  10 years!  Whoa!  It's been an eventful 10 years - 2 houses, 2 dogs, and 3 kids later, here we are.  What a ride!  So how do we celebrate the big day - with a trip to the Broncos Summer Scrimmage.  Of course, we couldn't forget our amazing trip to Costa Rica earlier in the summer.  As I reflect over the past 10 years, some advice I would give for making a marriage work, or at least what makes ours work:

1.  Don't rush!  You have plenty of time to grow up.  Steve and I both now say, "What the hell were we thinking getting married so young?"  Of course it all worked out, but now I realize there's so much time to grow up - to live in the burbs and have kids.  So enjoy being young (even if you're married), live in the city, live in a different country, get a little crazy.  The rest can wait!  *Our girls will be hearing this one for a long time!  No weddings before age 28!

2.  Find stuff to do together.  Steve and I love doing outdoor stuff, running, biking, playing and watching sports, and traveling.  It's important to be able to identify yourself outside your kids and all their activities.  Do these activities as a family, but make time to just do them together kid-free.  Our new favorite activity is getting a babysitter and going for a nice jog together - something we used to be able to do nightly!  

3.  Find some awesome "couples friends".  We have an amazing core group of friends that we can just have a great time and unwind.  Plus, it's motivation to stay married, because if you divorce, who gets the friends?  (I already called it!)

4.  Get out without each other.  We support each other getting out for a night out with the ladies or a guys' bachelor party weekend whenever we get the chance.  (Although it seems like Steve is getting many more getaways - working on changing that).  It's imperative to have a support system of girlfriends/buddies to confide in (especially ones that don't judge when we just want to bitch about our spouses).

5.  Have a good support system.  We're lucky to have an amazing family who supports us and is always there to help when we need it - whether it's babysitting or helping with house jobs it relieves some stress, so we don't kill each other.

Maybe in another 10 years my advice will be different - we'll have teenage girls.....yikes!

In Costa Rica when we told people we were celebrating our 10th anniversary they thought we must've gotten married as teenagers.  When I see these pictures it makes me feel like I was a teenager.  Wow!

Love you babe and look forward to many more grey hairs together!

Get Ready!

Every time we drive by Mile High Stadium Chandler yells out, "There's the Broncos.  Can I go to a game daddy?"  We always respond by saying, "When you're much older."  Maybe by then we'll have our season tickets (I think we've moved up the waiting list......)  When I saw a commercial for the Summer Scrimmage I knew that'd be a perfect opportunity for the girls to see the Broncos play at the stadium (and it was free)!  Of course it was our big 1-0 anniversary day, but more on that to come......

So we packed up and headed out to enjoy the pre-game festivities, and the girls were stoked.

Loving the jump houses (I knew their gear is totally unacceptable, but their Broncos shirts are long-sleeved, and it was a scorcher).  We watched the players pull into the parking lot in their sweet rides, as Steve and I tried to guess who they were.

 Meeting Miles

 Had to give a "GO BRONCOS" before we went in

 Best seats I've ever had to watch them play

Of course a monsoon passed through Denver before the actual scrimmage started, so we booked it out of there, but the girls didn't even notice.  So easy to please for now..........

Cousin Love!

As always, last weekend was a little crazy.  Sunday we went to the Dragon Boat Festival to see Kenz dance, then went to the Rockies game with Jen and Eric, then drove to mom's for a family dinner.  Whew!  Busy but fun!  

This year Kenz had 2 performances at the Dragon Boat - a special treat, and the weather was cool and rainy - a welcomed change from the sweltering heat we had to endure last year.  She was amazing (as always)!  She has a true talent, and it's always nice to see her connect with her culture (sure wish my little white girls had some culture).  But we had fun making some fans and walking around the festival.  Here's a few pics from her performances:

 I just thought Brooklynn looked too cool!

Later that evening we had dinner at mom's with ALL the cousins.  Finally!  Even Cousin Matty was there!  The kids had a great time playing!

Our girls and Kenz and Braelynn

The next day we picked up Kenz for even more cousin time!  With the summer coming to an end we've been trying to squeeze in every possible activity!  So Monday we took all the girls to the drive-in to watch Despicable Me 2.  I haven't been there in so many years, and the girls had never been.  They were so cute all cuddled in the back of the SUV.  Tuesday we squeezed in some swimming before Kenz went home.  Boo!

It's so special to see the bond between these girls.  Even though they're not close in age, they find a way to play so well.  Hopefully we can get one more sleepover in with Kenz before she's a middle schooler (OH NO!)