BLOGAPALOOZA!

I'm pretty sure this post will be all over the map. We've been going, going, going this summer and I just haven't been as on top of the blog as I like to be. My apologies to all the tens of readers out there if this post rambles a bit.

I'm 30, and in my family you don't have a birth day, you have a birthday week! And we topped off my birthday week with a dinner at Ventura Harbor at the Seafood Broiler with the fam. It was wonderful and I was surprised to get whisked away as the end of the dinner to Pismo Beach for the weekend at an awesome seaside hotel. My mom and stepdad took the kids (poor Bruce had to sleep on the couch), and Wes and I had some actual time together. We slept past 7 am, ate meals without feeding anyone but ourselves, and had actual conversations where we took turns talking and listening without inturruption. =) It was wonderful!!! It was like saying, "Hi there, spouse. How've you been the past couple of months?" We spent Saturday at Hearst Castle and I can't believe I've lived in California for 30 years without ever having been there. That man makes Micheal Jackson look modest. It was unbelievable! On Saturday night we had a very nice lobster dinner in a restaurant that overlooked the ocean. We watched the sunset and ate desert. And not once did I say, "I feel so guilty about eating this mocha chocolate cheese cake." I just took it all in. If only we could do this once a month! But we came home on Sunday and relieved Nana and Grandpa Bruce who both looked exhausted. LOL. They must've done a great job with the kids because Taylor keeps telling me how she misses Nana and Corinne is not only army crawling but hauling butt across the living room. We're so spoiled.

Aside from birthday celebrations, we've been having fun in the summer sun. Taylor is doing great in the pool with her floaties and loves the beach! She spends a lot of time chasing sea gulls but loves to let the ocean waves chase her feet so she can run, screaming for the sand. It's so much fun to watch her enjoy herself. Corinne....not so much a fan of the beach. She was fine when she was in my arms, but she didn't really like crawling on the sand and the sound of the waves freaked her out. Other than water play, Taylor's dance class (my favorite day of the week), is going well. Most parents like to think their kids are prodigies at whatever it is they do. If litte Timmy makes a basket, he MUST be the next Kobe. Not me. Taylor's dancing skills leave much to be desired. Instead of running on her tippy toes, she runs like a line backer. But she's gotten really good at following her teacher, which is one thing I was hoping she'd get out of it. She just looks as if she's having the time of her life out there. The other night when she said her prayers she said,"And thank you for my spins." Makes me melt. Parents are only allowed to watch on the first Thursday of the month so last week I got to see her progress. It was hilarious. Taylor is stuck on dancing to "Hi Ho" from Snow White because the teacher played it the first day of class. So last week she asks Mrs Shannon, "Are you going to play Hi Ho?" Her teacher said no and from across the room Taylor shouts to me, "MOMMY!MRS SHANNON'S NOT GANNA PLAY DA HI HO SONG." Makes me so proud. She's quite the smarty pants too. We were playing with a number puzzle the other day and when she got to the number 8 she said, "It's 8, like the Aladdin song." I had to probe her with questions until she said, "It's 8 like on the CD, the ALADDIN SONG!" I looked at her Disney CD and sure enough, the song from Aladdin is #8. So smart, this kid, and a huge heart to top it off. Whenever we read a story with a villain she always say, "Is he nice?" "No," I'll reply. "But he can change and be nice." It's so funny. She's either trying to make the story not as scary, or she's really good at seeing the best in people. LOL.

Corinne is 7 mths. today and is crawling and pulling up on furniture. She doesn't get around the house just yet, but if she sees something she likes like a Diet Coke can or a chokable toy, she darts after it like a little pro. It's so fun to see babies develop personality after being a blob for the first few months. She even kisses me in her own baby way by grabbing my face with two hands and putting my nose in her mouth. She's definitely a mommy's girl but dives into Wes' arms when he gets home. She's our little cuddle bug.

Wes is working hard in welding school right now for the Gas Co. It's a 6 week program and he's in week 4. He's passing all his tests and coming home dirty, exhausted and with burns on his arms. I'm so impressed with him and his work ethic. He's a "go getter" and is really a wonderful husband and daddy. 2 more weeks to go, and he'll be done with training!

I go back to work next week, two days a week. Ugh. I miss interpreting though so I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. I'll be working with a deaf student at a middle school. But summer's not over! I refuse to let go of my summer mentality!

7 months today


A boredom buster. We made this headband and a few others. Headband was 58 cents, flowers were $1. We made a bunch and had fun doing it.


Made this headband too.



Another boredom buster. I found pens that you can write with on baked goods, so we made Daddy cupcakes and practiced our letters.

"I'm ready for my close up!"

2 going on 15. She looks so grown up.

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