Our Little Island

Goofballs

2009-07-14T11:31:00.002-07:00

This is an old picture but I just downloaded it and it made me laugh.

Countdown to Kindergarten

2009-07-01T21:51:00.008-07:00

Preschool ended a few weeks ago, but I still wanted to share some photos from Anna's last week. She loved preschool and looked forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays for the past year and a half. Last year she was in the Pooh Bears class, and this year she was a Cute Kitten. On the last day of school we took a picture with all of her teachers. She also celebrated her birthday at school on clown day - hence the pictures with her face painted.

Top 10 things Anna loved about preschool:

1. The monkey bars
2. Field trips! To the dentist, the grocery store, the nature preserve, the pizzeria, etc.
3. The share can
4. Taking home the class mascot, Pepper the cat
5. Painting. Lots of finger painting.
6. The Halloween, Christmas, and Easter parades.
7. Special teachers who love their students.
8. Being special helper.
9. Lunch bunch (staying after school for lunch once a week - which Anna begged for every day)
10. Time away from the twins to make new friends

Adam and Isabel are signed up for the Fall, and the teachers already know who they are since they were always there for Anna's drop off and pick up. The first thing Isabel asked on her birthday this week was, "Are we going to school today?" Now that they are three, they can't wait.

California Girl

2009-06-27T15:50:00.006-07:00

Anna danced in her first recital today! We weren't allowed to video tape or take pictures inside but I have some of the rehearsals so I'll try to upload a clip soon. She did great and remembered most of the dance, which was to the Beach Boys, "California Girls."

Swimming Superstars

2009-06-18T21:57:00.009-07:00

The kids have been taking swim lessons for the past month or so. They loved it and I hope they will be able to take more lessons before the end of the summer.

Anna can swim pretty well unassisted now, and can swim the long length of a pool. She can also float on her back and is starting to learn to use the correct swimming strokes. And Adam and Isabel have come pretty far too. Plus, the lessons gave them a jump start on their summer tans. I'm jealous - I was in the sun during every lesson too, but no tan for me. Here are some pictures...

Mommy

2009-06-11T14:44:00.003-07:00

Today was Anna's last day of preschool. She's getting so big lately, it almost breaks my heart. I was looking through the big folder of stuff her teacher sent home, and this put me over the edge. What a cutie.

She's got it right - being a Mommy is the best thing in the world!

When I get big I want to play an Angels game

2009-06-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Ben and Grandpa Butch took Adam to his first major league baseball game last week. Ben held the camera, which means all of the pictures are of Adam and his Grandpa. I love them though - you can tell they have a special bond.

From what I heard Adam spent most of the game eating popcorn, but I guess it had an impact since the next day he said, "Mom, when I get big I want to play an Angels game."

So Long Diapers

2009-06-03T12:27:00.002-07:00

I am pleased to announce that after 4.5 straight years of purchasing diapers, our household is currently diaper free!

We potty trained Adam a few weeks ago, the last of the bunch. His 16-year-old self would hate me for posting this picture, but I'm gonna do it anyway.

How to Smile With Your Whole Face

2009-05-29T23:09:00.001-07:00

Making the Blog Private

2009-05-14T10:46:00.004-07:00

I know, I hardly ever update our blog anymore anyway - but I decided it is time to make it private to invited readers only. You find the blog when you do a Google search for my name and I need to make my personal and professional life more separate.

So when you get a chance, send me an email (acarland at hotmail dot com) or leave a comment here with your email address if you want to read our blog. Don't be shy, even if you are a lurker :). I probably won't make it private for at least a few weeks.

And I'll try to update more often!!

Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

2009-04-24T21:24:00.003-07:00

Anna has a present for you...

She is such a delicate little flower.

Hello out there

2009-04-08T22:27:00.006-07:00

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I updated the blog. We moved, and that always puts a kink into things. We've been doing all kinds of Spring Break things lately - Disneyland, the Zoo, trip to IKEA, playing outside, etc.

Work is busy, kids are cute, life is good. Still amazed at how fast time is going by - the kids birthdays are coming in a few months and I'll have a FIVE YEAR OLD. Crazy. So, until I find the camera cords and get back into blogging mode, here are some impromptu pictures John took of us a few months ago at a family party.

Anna Banana

2009-03-12T08:26:00.008-07:00

Anna was meant to be our oldest child for many reasons. First and foremost, she was an easy baby. She slept through the night, hardly cried, and played independently. She inspired us to have another, which we all know got a little bit crazy. But I would not be a sane Mom if she hadn't been my oldest - she makes it so much easier.

I love that Anna is so independent. She has fabulous, full on conversations with herself, and loves to play alone. I love how she plays the "Mommy" role well, and for the most part is not too bossy. I love it when I hear her say things like, "Now, we have to clean up this mess before we go outside" or something else I would say.

I love Anna's obsession with stuff. There are two facets to her obsession. First, she likes to fill things up. Her backpack needs its own planet. It is stuffed as full as you could possibly get it. She never even takes the stuff out, she just finds great satisfaction in having it full to the brim.

Anna also loves to organize. In her room, she organizes all of the toys, and tends to have a meltdown if someone moves things. I suspect some of this neurosis comes from me. Anna loves to play with dolls, play outside, play with her brother and sister, watch movies, go to preschool, Disneyland, the beach, and lots of other fun things. She DOES NOT like to go to the store or run any errands. It usually takes my amazing power of persuasion to get her to go to the grocery store or anything like that. Simply put - she is not the little shopping buddy I was to my Mom as a child.

I love Anna's sensitivity and sweetness. If I had to pick one word to describe her, it would be sweet. She is the child I never worry about being mean to kids at school or church, is very polite, and loves her family. She loves to help with anything you will let her do, especially cleaning. At night when she goes to bed, just as you are about to close the door, she always asks what we are doing the next day. She just wants to lie there and be excited about the next day, I suppose.

We love Anna and can't believe she is turning 5 soon. That first day of kindergarten is going to be a hard one for me!

Redundant

2009-02-23T23:17:00.005-07:00

I think part of the reason I've been having a hard time updating the blog lately is because of my other social networking activities. Between MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, I feel like everyone knows what I'm doing, all the time. It seems unnecessary to update the blog when the same pictures are already on Facebook.

But, I guess there might be a few readers who are not using those Web sites. So this is for you. And for all of the rest, sorry for the repeats!

I've been wanting to get Disneyland passes for a while now. First, because it is my favorite place. I love going, and I get more excited than the kids. Second, because the twins are free for a while longer. I wanted to get two passes before I had to buy four passes. So, when our house fell through, as a consolation prize I bought the Disneyland passes. (Yes, you read that right - we were about one week from closing escrow when we decided it was not the right decision. We now give up and are looking to rent for a while.)

We went for just a few hours for our first trip, and had lots of fun. It was a beautiful 75 degree day, and we just did a few rides and watched a parade. It was a success, and I am already looking forward to our next trip.

So, please come to CA and go to Disneyland with us! I can only go on a weekday, and not in the month of July. I got the cheap passes. But still, you don't want to go on those busy days anyway, right?

The Best French Dip Sandwich Ever

2009-02-16T14:39:00.005-07:00

I am a French Dip expert. If French Dip is on the menu, I order it. Almost every time.

When I graduated from high school, someone actually wrote in my yearbook about my love for French Dip -and posed the question - who has the best French Dip? I remember thinking it was a bit sad that the one thing this person would remember me for was my love of a sandwich.

I've thought about that question now and then when eating out. I have been determined to one day declare the best French Dip sandwich. I have not kept track of all of the places I have eaten French Dip, but my guess would be that I've tried it at 40 or 50 different locations, maybe more.

And this weekend, on Valentine's Day, I found the answer. I cannot overstate my excitement over this finding. Ben and I went to L.A. for Valentine's Day and our 7th wedding anniversary. Today is our anniversary - I love you Ben! I should probably post something about our relationship, but the French Dip is all I can think about because I'm hungry.

At the restaurant, I looked at the menu, and wanted to order a steak or prime rib. But then I saw the French Dip. Like I said, if French Dip is on the menu, I almost always order it. Even if it is at a somewhat fancy place on Valentine's Day.

Then I ate the best French Dip sandwich I've ever had. It feels so good to finally be able to declare the winner. There are still many other places I could try, including a restaurant in L.A. that claims to be the inventor of the French Dip. But still, I am declaring this the best one I've ever had.

Houston's. Houston's is the winner. Perfection.

Baby Blessing

2009-02-15T21:52:00.001-07:00

Thought I would just update our blog quickly by posting a link to another family member's blog.

The newest member of the family, Matt and Alex's baby girl, was blessed at church in Utah today.

We are sorry we missed it - welcome to the family baby girl!

Favorite Commercial

2009-02-13T22:40:00.003-07:00

I crack up every time this commercial comes on. It makes me laugh and I just saw it on TV so I thought I would post it.

By the way, I have the Blackberry Pearl, and I have to agree about the butt dialing. For me it is kid dialing, or purse dialing, but still. You can lock the keys, but when it is locked if you press some combination of numbers it automatically makes an emergency call to 911. I've done this by accident, and so have the kids. It is quite embarrassing. Next time we do it I'm going to tell the dispatcher, sorry, it was my butt dialing to tell me I need a flip phone. I wonder if they'll get it...

Superbowl Success

2009-02-01T20:28:00.004-07:00

Well, the food anyway.

No pictures, but I want to remember what we had for next year, so I'm recording it on the blog.

Steak bites

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole

Little Smokies

Wingers-style Wings (not quite like Wingers, but a decent first try)

Oh, and if anyone wants a new dinner recipe to try, last night I made Pioneer Woman's Ranch Style Chicken. Not a healthy recipe, but it tasted really good. I will make that one again and I think I can modify it to make it a little bit healthier.

Can't Wait to See All of Those New Jobs Created

2009-01-29T08:31:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, the House passed a bill that is supposed to help the economy. This article explains why it won't, in the humble opinion of the Wall-Street Journal. Thanks Congress, I can't wait to see how $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts helps my family this year. Or how $2.4 billion for "carbon-capture demonstrations" will create jobs for the 223,000 people who have lost their jobs with Microsoft, Pfizer, Starbucks, etc. this year.

The 647-page, $825 billion House legislation is being sold as an economic "stimulus," but now that Democrats have finally released the details we understand Rahm's point much better. This is a political wonder that manages to spend money on just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years.

We've looked it over, and even we can't quite believe it. There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care subsidies; $50 million for that great engine of job creation, the National Endowment for the Arts; $400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. There's even $650 million on top of the billions already doled out to pay for digital TV conversion coupons.

In selling the plan, President Obama has said this bill will make "dramatic investments to revive our flagging economy." Well, you be the judge. Some $30 billion, or less than 5% of the spending in the bill, is for fixing bridges or other highway projects. There's another $40 billion for broadband and electric grid development, airports and clean water projects that are arguably worthwhile priorities.

Add the roughly $20 billion for business tax cuts, and by our estimate only $90 billion out of $825 billion, or about 12 cents of every $1, is for something that can plausibly be considered a growth stimulus. And even many of these projects aren't likely to help the economy immediately.

First Trip to the SD Zoo in 10 Years

2009-01-12T17:48:00.011-07:00

The above picture helps me to understand why people often ask if they are triplets.

What is that you say? I post pictures of the zoo all the time? Ah, yes, that is true. But Ben hadn't used his membership until we went to the San Diego Zoo on New Year's Day. He somehow escaped all of the trips I've taken to the Zoo/Wild Animal Park this summer and over the past few years and had not been since he took me when we were 18 or 19 years old. On this lovely day, Isabel woke him up so darn excited to go to the zoo that he just had to come with us.

New Year's Day was the perfect day at the zoo and we had great weather. The kids are at a great age for activities like this - they make it so much more fun!

Adam, happy to see the giraffes with Grandpa. And there is Ben in the background - proof he was there.

Anna on the bus tour.

The bus tour again - I'm not sure how much they could see, but at Adam said, "I love this bus Mommy" so I guess they enjoyed the ride.

Anna and then Adam in front of the panda.

Best parts of the day that I don't have pictures of:

1. The elephant peeing. Have you ever seen an elephant pee? It is quite a sight.
2. Taking a bus up the hill to see the polar bears. I told Kevin it was a horrible steep walk and we were taking the bus. He walked. We waited 10 minutes for the bus, went up a hill maybe the length of half a football field, and got off. I didn't realize it was that close :)
3. Our stop at Wood Ranch Grill. Have I blogged about Wood Ranch yet? It is our new favorite place. It is out of the way in South Corona so we now stop there on our way back from trips to San Diego.

O.G. Izzy

2009-01-01T23:06:00.002-07:00

Holiday Hangover

2008-12-29T23:08:00.004-07:00

Can I blame not updating the blog on a holiday hangover? We had too much fun and now the kids are spending most of our days playing/fighting over their new toys. Santa now realizes the girls need to get the same exact things for Christmas.

We had a wonderful Christmas, and we didn't take any pictures with our own camera. There are some on Kevin and Sabrina's camera though, so I'll try to get those soon. We also celebrated Grandma Mary's 90th birthday. John took pictures of that one so as soon as I get permission to steal some more photos I'll get a post up.

We went to Sea World last week but yet again, didn't bring a camera. The battery is out and I can't find the charger. But luckily I got a new point and shoot camera for Christmas, so next time I'll be able to use our back up.

Happy New Year!!

Holiday Favorites

2008-12-14T23:27:00.002-07:00

Our current holiday favorites are:

Frosty, the movie. And Frosty Returns. Someone requests it every day, sometimes more than once.
Singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Practicing Anna's Christmas dance for her dance class.
Blended egg nog (used to buy it at Starbucks but now make it at home by simply throwing egg nog and ice in the blender and topping it with whipped cream). This is my favorite and now I've converted all of the kids.
Christmas lights of course. Adam still gets excited about the ones on our own house whenever we come home at night.
Shopping for presents. Anna thinks that should mean finding something in the house and wrapping it up rather than buying something new. She wants to give Adam a train that is already his. However, I think she would be sorely disapointed if she got all things she already has for Christmas.
Getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

It's been a few weeks now, but Marlene and I took the kids to the Festival of Trees and Festival of Lights in Riverside. Last year we went on opening day, and this year we went the day after. Just going one day later made a world of difference - it wasn't so crazy busy and I enjoyed it more. Hopefully it will become a tradition.

Adam can be a bit of a scardy cat, so he got his picture taken in front of a fake train instead of with Santa. We've seen Santa numerous times this year and he still won't go near him. Not even for candy.

The girls were perfectly happy to sit with Santa though. And they both told him they want baby dolls. How original! Isabel decided to show us her belly for some reason. Sorry about that.

These were our futile attempts to take a posed picture in front of the Mission Inn. It is so beautiful this time of year! But the kids were not into the whole smiling all at once thing.

Last weekend my Mom and I took the kids to the Norco Christmas parade. I didn't bring the camera that time, it would have probably been too dark anyway. They put lights on all of the horses and carriages and do the parade at night. The kids loved it.

Also, my Dad visited last week and the kids got to open presents from him. So we have a few new toys to tide us over until Christmas.

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

2008-12-05T23:33:00.005-07:00

Making Thanksgiving rolls with Grammie - and they turned out delicious!

Stuff

2008-12-02T10:24:00.002-07:00

As I read this article, I wondered if this woman will ever see the error in these words. She is giving up designer jeans to buy her daughter a bunch of presents for Christmas.

“I want her to be able to look back,” Ms. Hunt declared, “and say, Even though they were tough times, my mom was still able to give me stuff.”

Really? You want her to look back and say, "my mom was able to give me STUFF?"

I don't know where to begin - but that is really sad. How about hoping your kids will say, "Even though they were tough times, my mom was still able to give me LOVE."

So happy together

2008-11-30T23:58:00.005-07:00

A very large living room with plenty of space...

And they all sat right next to each other. So cute.