Our newest addition.....

This weekend Greg and his sister decided to kick things up a notch and make life a little more fun...

So they went out and got themselves one of these....

Which means that now, I have one of these.....

I don't know about you, but I like the view!!!

OC Fair 2010

OC Fair 2010

We had a blast!! We were there from 3:00 p.m. until about 8:30 p.m.

The kids were great, the food was good and the family time with just the 4 of us was PRICELESS!!

I now present "Our Day At The Fair" a picture blog....

One of my favorite pictures ever!!!

My other favorite picture EVER!!!

Even Freddie got into the sandbox and got dirty!!

She shoots.....

She scores!!!!!

She picked the pirate ships over the bees...that's my girl!!!

She was stoked about the fake Dumbo ride....

She was loving it!!! And she is big enough to do it all on her own!!!

Down the mega slide with Daddy...WWWEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Yes, your eyes are working just fine...that is in fact me in front of the camera!!  I know, rare and shocking, isn't it?? Someone had to ride with her and I got nominated....

Daddy helped her throw the darts and she won a snake...his name is Snakey....Keep looking at the pictures, you'll see him....

Karyl - "Mommy I want to be a lemon...take a picture"

Can you spot Snakey??

She thought this was the greatest thing ever!!

Karyl showing off Snakey while Daddy takes a picture with his phone.

Watching some acrobats on the stage...I think there were like 10 of them on a bike when this picture was taken...

And here's our little stud!!! He was napping for a while and was too small for the rides so he was lacking in picture until this point.  Check out that smile!!!

Our beloved oversized books...this booth gives away free books every year to kids to encourage reading...Karyl LOVES it, they gave her like 3 books and even gave Freddie a few!!

Karyl insisted we read her 3 books before we moved on...I think she just wanted to sit in the little beanbags they had!!

Even Freddie can appreciate a classic!! Do you all remember Golden Books (the originals, not these new weird ones...)???

Karyl's favorite part of the fair...riding the horses.  They let her ride that horse for at least 10 minutes!! We definitely got our $7.00 worth!!

Nope, there are no hidden children in the picture...just wanted to share the cute piglets with you....

Getting ready to head out from the fair...the kids were pretty stoked about their loot.

Oh, where did Freddie's dog come from you ask??

Greg won that minutes before we left...he's REALLY good at the basketball games they have there, every year we walk away with an overstuffed animal.

This year he was low on cash and it was getting late...the dog's name is Pity...you do the math!!

Overall it was a great day at the Fair!! I'm so glad that we can carry on a tradition of something we did as children to something with our own family now!!

Until next year!!!

Updates on Life After Diapers

I have updated my other blog with recipes for this....

and this....

Enjoy!!!

Just July....

Alright, I've been bad about updating....I know....but here goes nothing!!!

Bye-bye spa!!!  Didn't the guys do a great job??

A picture of my loot from Harvey's in July....the black purse is the one Greg bought for Christmas a few years back (and it's my favorite), then my Topaz Boxy I won from the Harvey's Facebook raffle ($104.00 value!!) and the Tote Bag I won off the Harvey's blog a few days later ($48.00 value!!).

Oh Freddie...that's Karyl's doll!! But they are wearing matching white onesies, I couldn't help myself because he looked so cute carrying around a mini-Freddie!!

P.S. - Can you spot the scar?? He had JUST had a haircut (we just buzz his blonde little head) and that scar is always super obvious for a week or two after haircuts!!

Karyl's new haircut!!! A HUGE thanks to Claire for her hair styling, Karyl loved her "Princess Hair!!!" She did so well, she let Claire wash her hair and even use the blowdryer!! And after we left she kept asking what my friend's name was that gave her Princess Hair because she wanted to do hair just like her....(see the next picture...)

Karyl decided she was going to be a hairdresser on Thursday and she put about 20 clips and barrettes in to Ariel's hair while Ariel sat in a chair....on Friday she then took all those clips out and put them in my hair (no, there will NOT be a picture of that!!).

And then this morning, I had to take a picture.....this was what Greg found when he came in from working in the yard this morning.  He was watching Yo Gabba Gabba and some song they were singing.

So, that's what's been up with us!!!  I will try to do a few posts on Life After Diapers...I made Scotcharoos last night and they are delicious!! I have been giving bits away to Home Teachers and anyone else that comes within 10 feet of our front door because I don't want to be tempted to eat them.  I LOVE baking, but I've started watching what I eat, so when I make things I need to make sure they have a home to go to when I'm done!!

The awesomeness that is Karyl.....

On Friday we were driving and Karyl was just checking out everything around her on the road....normally she will point out convertibles, motorcycles and FedEx trucks (among MANY other things, these are just her favorite).  But this afternoon as we were driving a smaller sedan drove past us with its trunk open and a large upholstered chair roped into the tinky trunk.  I thought nothing of it until I heard this from Karyl's mouth:

"Really dude?? Close your trunk!!"

Yep...I bursted out laughing, I couldn't help it.  She even said it with the pitch changes for the question (higher at the end)!! 

Now, you're probably wondering "why is this so funny"...Because right after she said it I realized where she got it, and I heard myself saying it in my head.  I have a habit of saying "Really, dude" in a sarcastic/annoyed tone when someone does something stupid, especially in the car, and apparently she has heard it enough times to feel confident using it in her everyday vocabulary.  On the plus side, this was proof that I don't stoop to name-calling when road rage strikes and everyone can see how well I handle my anger while driving.

I still think it was hilarious, but maybe that's because I saw a tiny version of me saying the same thing.  Gotta love these kids, and this is one of those times that I feel truly blessed to be able to stay home with them because kids pick up on everything, from habits to sayings, and if my kids are going to learn little comments like this from anyone, I'm glad it's from me!!!

Harvey's Heaven....

OK, so as I said in the last post announcing my Seatbelt Bag win, I NEVER WIN ANYTHING.....

Apparently, when it comes to Harvey's and their Seatbelt Bags I CAN'T LOSE!!

I haven't checked their blog in about a month and I checked this afternoon and while scrolling down saw this written underneath this picture, on a post titled "WINNERS"

So here are the winners for last weeks contest. I selected 6 winners at random from the list of our Seatbeltblog followers and here they are:



Congratulations,
Greg and Dianna  (That's our blog!!!!)
Angrie Julie
Erin Hardin
Amanda Hawley

Heidi Sweeny

Beth Wong
Congratulations and thanks to everyone else who follows the blog. I'll be having more giveaways soon.

That's right...I won yet another Harvey's treat...and this time I didn't even know there was a contest, or that I was automatically entered because I "follow" their blog from this one....or that I had apparently been chosen to receive one of their cool "We're 10" Tote Bags!!!

Seriously...I may have never won anything before in my life (other than an amazing husband and beautiful children), but if these are the kinds of prizes I am meant to win, I think I'll forgive all the other contests that I entered and lost in the past!!!

Oh for the love of a purse....

I NEVER win anything in contests, or raffles, or sweepstakes.....

But today was a turning point....I WON!!!

For those who aren't aware, I LOVE Harvey's SeatBelt Bags!! Greg bought me one for Christmas a few years back and I take it everywhere!! I even bought a wallet to match my purse a while back.

Harvey's had a raffle on Facebook this afternoon.  It was a raffle from the list of all 7,500 fans they have on their page...I figured I had no chance but decided to check back anyways "just in case..."

And I won the bag above!!! I am so excited to get it in the mail!!

For those of you who haven't discovered the awesomeness of the SeatBelt Bag, do yourself a favor and check out their site.  The purses last forever because they are made from seatbelts and the design is timeless, my basic black purse will never go out of style!!

And now I have this neat Topaz one to add to my collection!! What's neat is that this one is smaller and a "boxy" style, so I have two different purses -

Of course, the large black one Greg bought me will always me my favorite!!!

Spa Demolition - A story in pictures....

This is how it started this morning...Greg sucked whatever water was left in it out and left it dry for demolition

David using the death saw to cut a straight line in the concrete separating the spa from the pool

Here you can see that they've already attacked it with the jackhammers and sledgehammer

Taking a quick breather....that sledgehammer does a pretty good job!!!

A few hours later.....

This is the most recent picture, taken around 4:30 pm....

It is an absolute mess back there...but it will all be worth it when it's gone.

I'll post more pictures later tonight of what they've accomplished!!

Its fate is sealed

Thank you for all your votes regarding our spa dilemma!!!  Greg has made up his mind, and this Monday the pseudo-spa will bubble its last bubble from its jets.

He has decided to tear it out.  Honestly, I am SUPER thrilled!! Once I allowed myself to picture that backyard without that spa in the way I fell in love with this house all over again!! That backyard will be AMAZING with all that space, perfect for bike riding and running and ball kicking!!!

That being said, I will post pictures on Monday of the demolition.  There will be jackhammers and cement saws and sledgehammers....and I'm sure many other tools I didn't see coming.  Uncle David lucked out and he and Greg have the day off together, naturally that was why Monday was chosen.  It's not a real demo unless Uncle David gets involved!!

So, the spa's days are numbered....I can't wait!! Once it's out they can start laying the cement for the rest of the yard!!! It is entirely possible that by the end of the summer we will have a functioning backyard!!!! Oh I can't wait!!!  I promise, once it is all cemented, and the BBQ is in we will have a huge party!!

What do YOU think??

What do you think about our new lawn ornament??

Here's a closer view in case you wanted it.....

JUST KIDDING!!!!

I couldn't help myself and had to share these pictures!!! Greg replaced the toilet in the spare bathroom because this one was leaking and making all kinds of weird noises when the water pressure changed.

MOVING ON....

Here's what I really want your opinion on....

Yesterday we had a company finally come out and diagnose our pool leak, it turns out it wasn't the pool at all!!! The culprit is the spa, in fact, it is leaking in like 2 or 3 places....and these aren't easy fix places.  This spa was tiled with 1 inch tile throughout the ENTIRE inside...and where the leaks are, we would have to take out tile to fix, and can't get more to match.

OR.....we came up with another idea....demo out this sorry excuse for a spa and then make the step in front of the pool a straight line, and now we have a HUGE place for kids to run, and a place for patio furniture.

This is our "spa" - if it really qualifies as that.  I have my foot there so you can see how big it is.  The spa is about 5 x 5 feet - barely enough room for 2 people sitting across from each other.  We have joked since we bought the house that it would be better suited as a Coi pond since it is so small. 

Here are a few pictures of the backyard, you can see how perfect the yard would be if we got rid of the area the spa is in and just cemented the entire thing!!!

In this bottom picture you can see where the step up to the pool will be, and with the spa gone we don't have to worry about taking the step around it, we can just make a straight cut in the cement between it and the pool and make the step straight across!!

So, what do you think....I'll put a poll up in the right hand corner of the blog for you to vote...

Should we demo the spa and add more fun space, or leave it there and fix it??

Just for giggles

Lately this has been the sight at our house after dinner and before bed (around 9pm)...

Greg climbs in to the "cage" and lets Freddie climb all over him (Freddie is ALL boy...Karyl would never do it!!). The last few nights he has also started to enjoy using Daddy as a drum. He gets excited and starts beating Greg's stomach like a drum.

Can't you see how excited he is?? Ah, what fun!!

Help Make a Miracle

Baby Daylon - Help Make a Miracle

This is the website for the cutest little guy ever!!

He has a very rare skin disorder called Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa Herlitz-Type (JEB)

We only know part of his family, but they are awesome - and when you read about Daylon and his family you'll fall in love too!!

He and his family are in Minnesota right now preparing to participate in a clinical trial involving chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant from his hero of an older brother.

They have been having lots of local fundraisers to help their family with the costs of Daylon's medical bills and care and I just wanted to share the website with all of you to see. They were having a Spaghetti Dinner this Saturday that has been postponed for a month or two that we were planning to go to, so if any of you would like to go with Greg and I please let us know, it will be a great dinner and we would love to see some of our friends there and have a fun night out while the kids are with a babysitter!!

What we've been up to....

Things have been a little crazy lately...but here are a few pictures to show what we've been up to...

May 30 - We went with Greg's family to visit the cemetery where his Grandpa, Aunt and Great Grandparents are buried. The picture of the kids is with Grandpa B's headstone...why?? Because this is the great man that our Freddie is named after! So, we took a picture of our little Fredster with his namesake.

June 5 - This was the Rodeo....we had a great time minus the heat and scorching sun!! The kids stayed at with Greg's family and we went and hung out with a lot of Greg's coworkers. FedEx made sure we had plenty of food and drinks, and there is a picture below of Kraft's contribution to the day...unlimited cookies!!!!

Here's Greg driving!!! Woohoo!!!

And these were all of the guys (and even a few ladies) that came from Greg's station. They all did great and we had a blast hanging out with them!

I did pretty well I have to say....I put on sunscreen, wore a hat and only got fried on the top of my feet and toes since I was wearing sandals....that's a miracle for me!!

TODAY

Greg and David have been in the back all morning laying dirt and sand and gravel so they could put these pavers in front of the shed. Doesn't it look AMAZING!!!! They've been out there pounding with that rubber mallet all morning, but it looks great, and it's one step closer to the best backyard ever!!!

We did a MAJOR garage clean out yesterday and I finally have my exercise space back (yay!!) and Greg and David are going to put all the holiday decorations in the attic this afternoon! Our house is starting to look nicer and nicer!!

I have been slacking on my baking, and that's why nothing has been posted on my other blog for a while. Last week Greg wasn't coming home until after 10pm every night so I really didn't have the extra time, but this week I have some GREAT recipes I want to try so keep checking back!

Oh, and for good measure, here are 2 fun pics of the kids....the first is just Karyl and Daddy goofing off, but the second one is Freddie. He has started opening and slamming the drawers on his dresser, and now he takes the clothes out - this day he took them out and they ended up on top of him...and his pants fell halfway down...it was a funny sight!!