The Stires Family

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

Tell me these aren't the cutest kids that you have ever seen? We enjoyed our neighborhood festivities again this year. Payton was a little scared of the big scary teenagers on our block, and Sam wasn't able to keep his eyes open long enough to make it around the block! All the excitement helped the kids to sleep until 8:30 am this morning- what a treat!

Sorry that I have not posted that much in the last few weeks. We've been consumed with work, and have been obtaining estimates to repair the master bedroom shower in order to avoid more

water damage. Things have been a bit crazy for sure!

It's been so nice to have a lazy weekend to stay in and relax. I love this rain! Happy Halloween, everyone!

The Pictures Payton took of the pumpkins at Apple Hill

2008-10-20T18:57:00.001-07:00

Busy, Busy

2008-10-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you our loyal blog readers- sorry for my lack of posting in the last week or so. We've been busy, as always. It seems as if life never slows down! Jon and I spent the day last weekend in San Francisco watching the Blue Angels. We went with some of his travelers from a work program, Safari Tours. We were able to have lunch in Saulsalito, and board the San Francisco Belle boat for a lunch buffet and to see the Blue Angels fly directly overhead. It was such a fun day. We also spent the day up in Apple Hill with the kids getting pumpkins, apples, and cider.

We are looking forward to our fun neighborhood festivites for Halloween. I purchased (and hid) our candy this weekend. Payton has selected a bumblebee costume, and Sam will be a dragon. I can't wait to see them all dressed up, and to steal thier candy when they aren't looking!

We did it!

2008-10-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all for your encouragement and well wishes- we finished the half marathon! Sunday was a blast... so much more thrilling than we thought that it would be. Seeing 4,000 runners in one place is quite the sight to see. There were lots of people out on the street, cheering the runners on. I actually was running next to a man for a while who was about to complete marathon #100. He had run marathons in 41 of the United States. By my mile 11, the marathoners were running past me at thier mile 24! It was amazing to see them run. Jon finished before I did and saw more of the full marathoners run to the finish line. They are simply machines....

So, will we do it again?? The answer..........YES! We were both so proud of ourselves, even though we are still paying physically for it.

My husband is too proud to say it, but he finished 40 in his age group! He was in the top half of finishers. How cool is that?

Happy Birthday, Lizzy!

2008-10-01T20:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday was my best friend from New York, Liz's birthday! In the midst of the craziness of the weekend I forgot to share. We've celebrated 15 years of birthdays together. Even though the last 7 have been in different states, I can never forget her on her special day. Liz, I love you and miss you every day. You are amazing!

Bye Bye September

2008-10-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

As October arrives, we are looking forward to a much better month with minimal out of our control expenses. Things have calmed down dramatically, and our house is back to almost normal. With the replacement of the carpet and flooring, we did uncover more water damage coming from our bathroom shower. The damage of this has yet to be determined. We are currently working on getting estimates from general contractors to assess the new damage. We are hoping that the work that needs to be done is minimal.. (meaning not costing too much money!!)

Our race is approaching quickly on Sunday, so please keep your fingers crossed! We are both excited and nervous about making it to the finish line. Our training has been thrown off a bit because of the house, kids being sick, and very busy work schedules these last few weeks, so I am not feeling as prepared as I'd like to be. I think the energy of the crowd and the excitement will push us through!

I love the fact that fall is approaching, and we have lots of fun thing planned. Our race, trip to San Francisco, birthdays, Apple Hill , Halloween and yummy comfort food in the crock pot. This is one of the times of year that I really miss New York.........

YEAH!!!

2008-09-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

The flooring people come tomorrow to start fixing up this big mess! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! I know this will bring us back to feeling like our house is normal again.......

Payton's big girl bed will be here on Friday, just in time for her room to be put back to the way the way it was before. So very exciting...

Today is also my dear friend Kristi's 32nd birthday. Happy Birthday, Kristi! I know that this year will continue to be a wonderful extension of your already amazing year.

Things are looking up, my friends!

It's been a hard week

2008-09-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have to say- we are down in the dumps a bit. As we were talking about things getting ready this morning, the last two weeks have been a blur. We've both been on edge for the following reasons:

1. The house is still in significant disorder. We finally have the insurance piece ready to go, and Jon signed our contract on Friday to get the ball moving. It will still be another week and half before they can start putting things back in order, and it'll be a few days after that. We are just getting sick of the towels on the floor, the pieces of wall that are randomly everywhere, and the feeling of the concrete everywhere. Our bedrooms are a mess, and I still don't know where anything is.

2. Sam was sick, and so was I. That really stunk, and made this week just about unbearable at some points. Lucky us, we just aren't use to him being grumpy. He had a 104 degree fever through Wednesday, which of course led to both of us missing work at some point this week. No one was sleeping. Thank goodness he started feeling better yesterday.

3. Payton has been testing our patience in the evening. She hates going to bed now. (See Monica, we are paying our dues!). It has turned into such a nasty battle at night, which has caused much anxiety and frustration. She has also been a stinker getting to school on Tuesday's for Jon. crying, tantrums, the whole nine yards.... Our relatively calm evenings have turned into stressful cryfests.

4. We have no groceries in the house. With the craziness of the week, we haven't even had the energy to plan our menu and get to the store. I'm sick of grilled cheese.

It has been a long week, and I haven't had the energy or the time to post much. Please send some positive energy our way- we are needing it now!

Just a few more pictures

2008-09-10T19:35:00.001-07:00

We had a real horrible night here, so posting these pictures reminds me of how sweet it is to have kids... right?? Right?

To make me forget about the pictures below

2008-09-09T20:03:00.001-07:00

Before disaster struck, we had a great day with the kids at the zoo!

Update

2008-09-09T19:55:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all that shared your concern, offered help and support when we needed it the most! We are back in the house, thank goodness. Here are a few pictures of the mini-disaster. It truly made us think about those people that are displaced from their homes for whatever reason, and helped us to remember to be grateful to have a roof over our heads. I know that may sound a bit dramatic, but the flooding turned our lives upside down for a while (mostly because of the kids)... and we are just so happy to be back at home. We are now dealing with the insurance piece of the whole ordeal, and waiting to see what will happen in terms of replacing the flooring. We lost the carpet pads in all three bedrooms and closets, the flooring in the guest bathroom and laundry room, as well as the hallway leading up to the living room. I cannot wait to have everything back in place! Again, we thank you all for your support and kindness.

We're homeless

2008-09-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

Our washing machine flooded our room, Payton and Sam's, the laundry room, two bathrooms and the hallway. A company came out yesterday to assess what needed to be done, but the house is pretty much unlivable right now. They hope to have us back in by the end of the week (tomorrow being the earliest), and then we will wait for the process with our insurance to begin. We stayed at the neighbors last night, and have a hotel booked for tonight. This really, really, stinks. We are trying very hard to be positive, but it's been a long two days... and it's Sam's first birthday today, and no one is feeling very celebratory. Please keep us in your thoughts.

I'm so proud!

2008-08-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

Payton has just been surprising me this week. She did great on both days of preschool, and has had very few potty training accidents. Every day she seems to grow more witty and sweet, which makes it hard to be frusturated with her during the whiny and needy moments. It's weeks like this, when I look at her, that my heart just about explodes knowing that I helped make her into the little girl she is. And I love that.

S for Stires

2008-08-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

You can't see it in this picture, but there is a S on the back of this car. Thanks to Monica, this super (in her words) pimped out car gets to join our family since Sidney and Sophia have outgrown it. How cool is that? Payton is going to be thrilled. Monica, you are the best!

9

2008-08-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

Today our long run was 9 miles- Jon went and mapped out our route last night after the party. I think the only thing that I can say about the run is that 9 miles is long in the car (esp. in traffic times around the city in Elk Grove), and it's even longer on foot. But we did it! I walked at the lights, and up part of one large hill and trekked through the rest. Next Sunday, I am running the 8.7 miles to Matt and Kristi's house, where Kristi offered to cook us breakfast and put our sorry behinds into the car and take us back. Don't think I will forget that one! Our upcoming week is two five mile runs, and 9 again on Sunday. Thanks for all of you that continue to keep us motivated! Just over a month to go.........

Sam's First Birthday Party!

2008-08-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

Here are just a few pictures from the day yesterday. We had such a great time! Sam held it together very well, even being a bit tired. We were a bit surprised that he didn't enjoy his cake a bit more (thanks, Lani for being our Martha Stewart), but we all were able to eat the leftovers. Thanks to those of you that were able to make it out to celebrate, and for everyone who helped us out with cooking, cleaning and everything in between.

She did it!

2008-08-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Not only did Payton have a sucessful first visit to the dentist (she even let them clean her teeth!), she had fun at her first day of preschool. She cried a little bit in the beginning, but then settled down after a while. It was certainly helpful that we were allowed to stay the first day, saving the first day for flying solo until Thursday. There are 20 kids in the class- 12 boys and 8 girls. (That was the automatic teacher response in me, to note how the class was split up). I think she will end up enjoying herself, after the initial change wears off. We just can't believe that she's going to preschool!

Progress

2008-08-17T18:32:00.001-07:00

We are making some more headway with the kitchen, much to the relief of both of us. Jon did an awesome job getting some more of our cupboards sanded and ready to paint. We still have a ton of touch up to do, but just knowing we have the cupboard situation somewhat in order makes us both feel a lot better.

Again, we are faced with another busy work week! I am about to get a small taste of what my world will be like in the next two weeks when I have all four of my school back on track. Friday found me driving to all four sites, as well as our district office... it went by so fast, but was very chaotic. Thank goodness I am good at time management, otherwise this job would be a disaster!

Today we had a victorious day in our house- Payton used the potty 13 times. With much bribery and fanfare and lots of setting of the timer, she did it. She had one accident at the end of the day, which we felt was pretty excellent! We'll see how the next few days go... especially since she has her first dentist appointment tomorrow, and her first day at the new preschool on Tuesday. If anyone out there has more potty training ideas, we'd love to hear them! We'll be broke if we have to keep paying for diapers for two!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

4:38 am

2008-08-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

We are both up. Because we are crazy. Jon just left for his run, and I am next. It took me three tries to log on the right way. Did I mention that we are crazy?

It's been a long week

2008-08-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

Between another very busy work week, painting the kitchen (and redoing the cupboards) at night after the kids go to bed, and along with our marathon runs... we are spent. That's really all I can say.

My work week has been completley consumed with managing my para-educators (a.k.a instructional assistants). There has been some crazy drama that surfaced this week, and two have been released from thier contracts. What a process! If it is not the kids, it the parents... if it isn't the parents, it is STAFF!! I still am enjoying the new challenge, but going with the learning curve.....

Luckily, we have some fun things ahead to break up the craziness. Jon and I just bought tickets for the Dave Matthews Concert at Raley Field on August 25th. We haven't been to a concert together in a few years, so this will be fun for us. I am going to an event sponsored by my Mama BootCamp Master at Arco Arena... we get to do a workout in the arena to raise money for girls to go to the Sacramento Monarchs games. Sam's first birthday is almost here, so we will get to plan that as well. We love the birthday parties!

Keep your eyes open for new pictures of the kitchen!

This week

2008-08-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

I am not quite sure where the week went, but it is over! It flew by- both of us were crazy busy at work. I am just starting to settle into the new position, and have been really enjoying myself and learning a lot of new things. Jon has yet another park day today, and was not looking forward to going this morning.

The bright spot of our week was getting the recessed lighting put in the kitchen! We are so excited about this. Next stop- BRIGHT GREEN PAINT (Blarney stone?!). It looks a little questionable on the can, so we will have to try it out and see. Jon spent the day sanding the cabinets as we are going to paint those white as well. It will be so neat when we are all done!

I'll post some pictures of the "new" kitchen soon. Happy Weekend!

Sam's First Haircut and Popsicle

2008-07-27T19:42:00.001-07:00

Let's just say that he loved the popsicle, hated the haircut! He lost a little bit of his "baby" look with the haircut... still getting over that one! Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Someone call CPS!

2008-07-26T08:47:00.001-07:00

This morning, the french toast stick falls on the ground. I did not see this happen, but figured out that it did when Payton yelled this........

"10 Second Rule!" and promptly picked it up, put it back on her plate and began eating again.

Yikes- we've totally lowered our standards. It used to be the 3 second rule, and now look what we've become........

Truth Be Told

2008-07-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

I gave the little miss a big hug after her nap this afternoon. As I was squeezing her, I told her how much I loved her.... to which she responded:

"OUCH, Mom! Love hurts!"

Good grief, if she only knew....

We did it!

2008-07-22T18:43:00.001-07:00

We survived the 7 mile run! Let's just say Jon did it well under an hour... we could hardly believe it! Neither of us had to stop, which was a huge accomplishment. Next weekend is 7 miles again, the following week we will be up to 8 miles. Yikes! (Matt, I know you are reading this... we still can't talk you into it?)

Both of us have had heavy days at work these last few days, so we are hanging in there. More updates about the job to come this week- I am loving it! Thank you to all of you out there who have been supporting me and sending encouragement.

Tomorrow

2008-07-19T19:43:00.001-07:00

Is our long run for week 7 of our marathon training... 7 miles. Keep your fingers crossed that we survive, and want to keep going with this craziness....

Congrats are in order!!!

2008-07-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

Our dear camp friend Dee Dee is now engaged to Geoff! Since they are in Europe, we are sending our congrats over email. So happy for you two!

It's Friday!

2008-07-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Thank Goodness-it's been quite a week! I've been so busy and consumed with the new position, and worrying about Payton's transition to day care that I haven't even had time to think.

In a nutshell, Payton had a breakdown the first day we dropped her off. I didn't expect that, given her very positive experience last week during our "trial" run. It was awful. Screaming, crying, clinging... it looked like something that you would see on Super Nanny. (Kristi, I just kept keeping your Abe story about his transition into new day care in my head). Not the best way to start off your second day of work. Today, however, was much better. No tears, no fussing.. in fact, she was walking around like she owned the place. Sam was just all smiles as usual. When I picked her up today, she was "studying" things with a magnifying glass and didn't want to leave. Hmm.....

The rest of my week was busy and fun. I was a part of interviewing for Instructional Assistants, and got my little cubicle set up yesterday at our main district office. Today I went to my old school to work with the person who took over my place, went to one of my first schools and had lunch with the team and headed off to my second school where I have another tiny office. I really enjoyed the variety of today, and getting a feel for the different climate of the schools... they are VERY different. I think I am going to like it!

Happy Friday, everyone!

The light at the end of the tunnel

2008-07-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

All I can say is that the little miss has finally stopped throwing up. Our life has been turned upside down since Sunday......... and thank goodness it is over. I think that is all I can say about that. Anyone who has kids that have ever had a stomach bug know what I am talking about, and anyone else who has ever had a stomach bug can picture the awfulness.

I started my new job today, and I am really excited! I think that it is a position that I am going to really enjoy. I sat in on a training that my supervisor did today for instructional assistants, went back to our "office" and was able to meet a lot of different staff members. We attended another math training, filled out lots of forms, and started making contact with our school sites. Tomorrow we will hold instructional assistant interviews, and then I will head over to my old school site to help train the new person who assumed my position. I can't wait to get into the schools and start meeting the teachers and students next week. That is when the hard work begins!

I am also doing some home/hospital teaching, and am heading over there now. Hope everyone is having a stomach-bug free week!

Friends and Yogurt

2008-07-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

Just got back from having a chat and the best frozen yogurt with my friend Kristi. (Now I will be to sugared up to sleep!) I am so grateful to know someone like her. We met back in our Special Education Master's program at Sac State in 2002... and many milestones and changes later, I still truly enjoy and appreciate hanging out with her! She is one amazing woman. Thanks for the nice night, Kristi!

Can I just share that Jon loves banana frozen yogurt with gummi bears and gummi worms? I brought it home for him tonight, and I just can't handle the two of them together....

No Drama!

2008-07-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

I took Payton and Sam to our new day care provider's house yesterday for the day to get them a bit used to her before next week when I head back to work. I did not sleep well the night before, preparing myself for tears, clinging, etc. She was excited the day before- we had gone and picked out a bunch of swim toys to take over (Jen has a pool) and we packed her backpack with things she wanted to show the kids over there.

I ASSUMED the worst, and figured that the initial excitement would wear off by the time we would have to leave yesterday. When Jon put her in her car seat right before we were going to leave, she said "I am scared to go to Jen's house, Daddy" and "Will you call me later, Daddy?". She's never articulated the word "scared" before in that context... I was so surprised, and it about broke both of our hearts.

Long story short, we got there and there were NO tears. A little clinging but NOTHING ELSE. I about died. Both of them had great days! They have two little dogs which Payton adored, and they got to go swimming. Jon called Payton as promised, and she wouldn't even talk to him... she just kept laughing and running away from the phone.

I guess I can save the rest of my anxiety for starting my new job; T-minus one week!

We are back!

2008-07-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our trip to Grandpa and Mary's house in Nevada- we were able to swim, visit with Andrew (and Jim, Lindy, Craig) who is the kiddo's official third cousin and check out the golf-course view out the backyard. Here are some pictures from the weekend, as well as some from the 4th! For those of you who know our "Stepford Wives" court, we enjoyed celebrating with our neighbors via lots of pool-hopping, snacks and a fireworks display. Sam fell asleep before the "show" and Payton did NOT make it. She thought it was too loud, and spent the rest of the evening holding her ears!

Off To Grandpa's We Go!

2008-06-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

We are leaving tomorrow to visit Grandpa and Mary up in Nevada... the smoke seems to be a bit less pronounced up there, or so they say. The weather has been absolutely crazy this week because of all the fires....

Hopefully our mini-trip will knock the whining bug that seems to be eating Payton alive these past three days out. I don't know what it is, but she seems to not be able to speak without whining. Or being dramatic. Or crying. I thought she may be getting sick, but that theory doesn't seem to be correct. Who the heck knows?

We will only stay for a few days as I need to be home and pack up my classroom before they clean the carpets, and there is A LOT of stuff that needs to be sorted through. Hopefully, this will give me the opportunity to get rid of some things. I love purging stuff!

Have a great weekend!

New job!

2008-06-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

I took a new position for next year! Everything happened so quickly that I still haven't had time to process all of it. Our special education transfers finally came out about a week ago (due to budget reasons, things just moved so slow this year... usually this process is completed in the spring) and there were openings in Inclusion, another part of our special education department. I've been talking about a change on and off this school year, as I've been working in my present type of position for 8 years now. I've been at three different schools, but doing the same kind of thing. So... I did an interview (thinking it didn't go that well) and ended up getting one of the positions that were free, as did Michele, a good friend of mine. With some anxiety and a lot of excitement, I decided to take the job.

This is certainly proving to be a year of change, as Jon and I had discussed when the opportunity to transfer came about. Our improved overall health/fitness, new day care, Payton starting preschool-- everything is changing, so why not add another egg to the basket?

I'll be an itinerant special education teacher, working at different sites (elementary, middle and high school) to supervise and evaluate instructional assistants working with students with moderate/ severe disabilities (Autism, Down Syndrome, etc.), working with site teams to modify curriculum and support students, and be a resource to teachers and parents. I've been told how hard the first year is- there will be lots of difficult parents and teachers, but hopefully I will be able to not take it to personally. I'm excited about the flexibility, the change of pace and adding to my professional growth... but scared as well!

Wish me luck! It's hard to believe we'll be starting on July 15!

OCD

2008-06-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

I've been told that three year olds are an obsessive bunch. That these little obsessive tendencies are a means of control and making their own choices. I gotta tell you, Jon and I sometimes wonder about our dear little three year old girl....

Payton's top"obsessions" lately include the following:
1. She is constantly asking "What name is it?" She must have names attached to every object... flies, strangers, characters in books, etc. Inevitably, the next question is "Where did you get this book?" We tell her everything comes from Target.
2. Payton must know if something is big or a baby/little. Things that are "babies" are less scary. Is it a baby bee or a big bee? Is it a big fly or a baby fly?
3. I don't even have the energy to explain the bedtime ritual.....
4. She always needs a "big" milk or a "big" icy water. Big implies a full cup that is COLD.
5. On the way to wherever we are going, she must ask where we are going about 50 times.

I know most of you probably think these things do not seem annoying, maybe even cute. Sometimes they are incredibly endearing. Most times, they make both of us want to scream! Or collapse on the couch at 8:18 pm, trying to justify going to bed when there is still light outside....

Highlights from the weekend

2008-06-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

Pretty uneventful weekend... much needed after a very long work week. The downsizing process and switching teachers at our school has caused a lot of drama (guess that is what happens when you work with mostly very passionate women!) and it was just enough to make me go crazy. Sam and Payton spent a lot of time sleeping in the past few days, making up from a busy week for them as well.

Jon and I made it through our first "long run" of our half-marathon training this morning... five miles! We both felt pretty good about that, but certainly felt the distance by the end of the run.

Other news in our house: Payton decided to use the potty a handful of times in exchange for gum, Sam learned how to drink out of a sippy cup (his sister's princess one, nonetheless), and Zoey decided to kidnap a leftover pork chop and go tearing out of the kitchen with it in hopes that we wouldn't get her. Nice, huh?

It's my last week of work! That is what will get me through the next couple of days. Hope everyone has a great week.

Weekend Pics

2008-06-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pictures from the weekend: View from our hotel, Ferry Ride into San Fran, Jon on the ferry....

Father's Day Gifts

2008-06-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

I ordered these shirts for the kids... "My Dad Is My Best Buddy" to take pictures of them together as a Father's Day gift. Here are some of the best ones! (Thanks, Sandy!)

Part Two

2008-06-16T10:03:00.001-07:00

I seem to be doing this post in several different stages whenever I have a free moment. What I didn't get to say yesterday was Happy Father's Day to all those dads/daddies out there! This year was Jon's first Father's Day with two kids. Lucky for him, we were in one of the prettiest spots for the first part of the day. It's been amazing to watch Jon grow into being a Daddy. He puts me to shame some days. Payton has turned into such a Daddy's girl- wherever he is, she wants to be. I've come to the conclusion that the kids and I love Daddy so much because of these top reasons:
1. Jon never, ever refuses to play.
2. He can make them smile just by making silly noises.
3. He knows how to give the best piggyback and airplane rides, and shoulder lifts.
4. He knows how to sing. And dance.
5. Daddy gives the best hugs, reads the best stories, and likes to go to the park.

As my husband, Jon's an amazing father because:
1. He changes just as many dirty diapers, gives as many bottles, wipes up spit-up the same amount (if not more!) as me.
2. Jon's not afraid to make mistakes, or to question parenting techniques. Jon always wants to be better, to do more.
3. He's there for every doctor's appointment, every illness, EVERYTHING.
4. He gives me time to myself without any questions.
5. Every day, he makes me laugh and makes this very tough job much easier.

Happy Father's Day! I love you, husband!

Sausalito!!!

2008-06-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful, wonderful, weekend. I am so sad that it is over that I don't even want to write about how fun it was. A brief look into the weekend: Palace of Fine Arts/Exploratorium, Sausalito, Ferry into San Francisco.......... one of the most amazing hotels in Sausalito.....

Just wonderful. More pictures later, but had to satisfy the curiosity of all of you out there who wondered where we went!

To Comment

2008-06-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

I forgot to say this in the previous post, but I think I adjusted the settings on the blog so that people can make comments about the postings. For those of you that have tried and were not able to do so, I think I may have fixed it... so, please try again and let me know!

Insomnia

2008-06-13T05:23:00.001-07:00

I can't sleep. For the last three nights, I have been exhausted but cannot get any interrupted sleep! I don't know if I am just wound up being the end of the year, or if Sam talking away at 3 am has been the cause.... I just know that I sure could use one night of straight sleep! When you have kids, sleep is one of life's most precious gifts. It starts from the moment they are born; all that you can think about is how long they will sleep, and when you can get some sleep. I am done feeling bad about the thought of ever sleeping past 7 am, but when I can't sleep at night (after serving my up every two hour rounds with the two kiddos) it's just not fun.

It's Friday, and one more day until our mystery trip! I am so excited that I can't even stand it. Jon asked me the other night if I just wanted him to tell me where we were going, and I stood very strong and said no (even though I was dying to know!).

Happy Friday, everyone! Stay Cool!

Is it Saturday yet?

2008-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Countdown to our secret, overnight trip on Saturday....... to a place I don't know, for our belated anniversary celebration!!! Someone out there give me some clues because the man is not bending!

I forgot!

2008-06-08T19:57:00.001-07:00

Jon made me the most amazing photo DVD of the last ten years as a gift, which made us both cry. I've posted some of the pictures that he included..... Lani, thanks for scanning all of those pictures!

Anniversary Weekend

2008-06-08T19:43:00.001-07:00

What a nice weekend- thank you to those of you that sent
well wishes! We were able to have a fun dinner, toast each other
with our glasses from five years ago, eat a whole angel food cake,
and watch our wedding video (yes, it is on a tape. We weren't
even sure if we'd be able to get the VCR to work). I was also able to take the kids to Jon's event on Saturday, which both of them enjoyed. We spent today playing with Grandpa and trying to stay cool. Currently, I am trying to figure out how I am going to last three more weeks with my darling students! It can't possibly be Sunday night already....

Five Years

2008-06-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

Today is our five year anniversary! As corny as it sounds, I have no idea where the time has gone. I am so lucky to love the man next to me even more than I did when I first married him. I know we don't have it all figured out, but each year just gets better and better. It's been ten years since he has first come into my life and changed me in so many ways, and I continue to be grateful every day for the way he can always make me smile. I love you, husband. Thank you for being who you are. I cannot imagine my life without you.

Why dinner together is the best part of our day

2008-06-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Table Talk from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

It's time to sleep!

2008-06-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for kids that are finally in bed! It has been such a long day, and I am not sure why. Perhaps having two kids under the age of five, with one who is constantly trying to eat electrical cords? I just thought I'd post a couple of quick pictures, (Sam with "dinner" and Payton's girly toes) but I am off to sleep now. More updates tomorrow!

So sad

2008-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

We found out today that we are losing three teachers at our site. This is really awful. At the start of the school year, we had to do the same thing but we did not end up losing anyone. It came down to a coin toss between the three least senior people on our campus. A COIN TOSS? ISN'T THAT JUST CRAZY?! Sigh- I hate all of this.

IKEA

2008-05-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to IKEA today to check out "big girl" beds. Payton has a toddler bed now, and we keep talking about switching her over to a new bed. As you can tell from this picture, we found a totally fun one at IKEA today. This picture does not look as exciting as the bed did in the store, which we just loved. In the display model, there was a bed tent on the top (which Payton loved) and an extra mattress on the bottom with floor pillows and stuffed animals. It was such a neat little bed! IKEA is having a no-tax sale this weekend, so we are trying to figure out if we will head back there tomorrow to pick it up.

Anyone for a marathon?

2008-05-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

We are going to attempt the Sac Cowtown Half Marathon in October. I decided for us tonight. Bring on the training!

It's been a long week

2008-05-23T21:35:00.001-07:00

This week has been really hard- I was sick with a cold, allergies... who knows. The one highlight had to be the Farmer's Market where I was able to spend money feeling like it was going to a good place and would at least last us a week. Gas shot up to $4.15, and that just about kills us for sure.

I had my last night of Boot Camp and cannot rave enough about what an amazing experience it was. It has changed my life ( and Jon's) in the way I see myself, and they way that I view my health. That was certainly a high point....

However, we found out that Sandy will no longer be able to do day care for us next year. We are sad beyond words. There's been a lot of crying and upset stomachs these past two days. Sandy has been Pay and Sam's home away from home for so long now, and we are going to miss her more than words can say.

Thank goodness it is the start of the three day weekend as I know we all really need some time off.

Two Party Weekend!

2008-05-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

We survived (and had so much fun!) at two birthday parties this weekend in the hot, hot weather. I took Payton to Parker's party on Saturday with a very appropriate Star Wars theme. There was a bounce house there and a ton of fun snacks, so Payton did not even notice how hot it really was. Payton enjoyed the cake-she said that was her favorite part of the day. I kept trying to get her to go inside to escape the heat, but she wasn't having it. On Sunday, we trekked up to Rocklin for Sidney and Sophia's 4th birthday party... Monica sure knows how to throw a kid's party. They had Mickey Mouse pancakes, bacon and fruit which is one of Pay's favorite meals. Payton won a prize during a game, got to hit the pinata, and ended up with a bag full of candy and a squirt bottle. What a day! Sam's highlight of the weekend was getting to eat watermelon for the first time.

And... Sam said, and continues to say MAMA this weekend. No DADA. So, our friends and family...let it be known, Sam's first word was MAMA.

Welcome, Cameron!

2008-05-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Kristine, (who I met my first year of teaching) had her baby Cameron this morning via c-section. Here are the vital stats:
Cameron Rose, 6 lbs 11 oz. 7:47am, 20 3/4 inches
What's even more lovely is that she was born on Kristine's birthday! How neat is that? I know it will probably be a great while until you are able to check emails, read blogs and get online Kristine, but congrats! I know that you will be an amazing mother. I am looking forward to hearing updates about little Cameron.

Couldn't resist one more

2008-05-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

Do you see how she is looking at him? Disdain? He just continues to smile at her like she is better than any toy in the world....

Proud of my sister

2008-05-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

My sister just got back from a Yoga retreat at Mayatulum Wellness Retreat and Spa. I am so proud of all the amazing things that she is doing with her life, and this is one of them. She couldn't speak enough about how wonderful it was, and how much she learned. No cell phones or laptops for the week- doesn't that sound great? If you'd like to check out the website, here it is. http://www.mayatulum.com

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of my friends and family that are Moms. Being a mom/parent is one of the hardest jobs around (even harder than being a special education teacher!), but I am thrilled to be on this journey. I continue to be amazed by the strength and wisdom of my friends and family that have children; all of you have taught me so much.

We had a wonderful weekend at home, and was spoiled by my sweet family. Jon did not have to work at all this weekend, so we were able to have him at home the whole time! Payton did not leave his side for very long. I was able to take a spin class at the gym and have a nice run this morning and felt great. Jon spoiled me by giving me a gift card to a nearby sports store so I was able to get some workout gear and some new weights. We took the kids to have a picnic in the park, which we all enjoyed. Jon and Payton had also made enchiladas for dinner, which were some of the best that I have ever tasted! I am so lucky to have Jon as my husband. Without him, being a good Mom would be even harder.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend. If you check out the link to our family photos, you can see the whole set. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

One more try

2008-05-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

Untitled from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

Video Upload-Take Two

2008-05-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who tried to view the videos, but couldn't get to them... I think that I fixed the problem. They were somehow set to private, while the others were not. I am posting them again, so please try to take a look and let me know!

Untitled from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

Clothes for warm weather?

2008-04-29T19:47:00.002-07:00

It was over 80 degrees this weekend, and what did Payton want to wear?

Shoes for Bear

2008-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

On the way to Sandy's this morning, the little miss and I have this conversation.

"Mama, do you think my shoes are cool?"

"Yes, I love them."

"Mama, do you think I could share my shoes?"

"Sure, who do you want to share your shoes with?"

"I want to share them with Bear. He doesn't have any shoes?"

"Oh really?"

"Mama, I don't have enough shoes for Bear. He needs 18 shoes because he has a lot of feet. I need some monies for the shoes."

Here's a picture of the shoes she wants to share. Do you think Bear will like them?

The Cost of Life

2008-04-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

Our weekend was a fun, busy, and expensive one. I felt so frustrated by the cost of things this weekend, mostly gas. We spent $72 to fill up the Kia, and $40 to fill up the Civic. It just seems criminal that we pay this much money to drive out cars. I told Jon that when gas hits $4 a gallon we aren't driving anywhere! This is just crazy. After spending the money to fill up the cars, we then move into spending money at the following places: Costco, Trader Joe's, Safeway, Stride Right (shoes for her) and Target. I pride myself on how we shop (always buying things on sale) and we very rarely purchase frivolous things. It's amazing to me how much one can spend on food, diapers for two, and just small household items. The gas and the food are just killing us! It really upsets me that people have to work so hard just to provide their families with basic necessities. So... in answer to those of you that asked about the weekend, there you go! I know so many of you understand where we are coming from. Hope you all had a great and CHEAP weekend.

Our little artist

2008-04-19T20:33:00.001-07:00

She calls these her "beautiful pictures". Thank goodness Sandy has an endless supply of paper!

For Sunday

2008-04-19T20:21:00.001-07:00

Happy Anniversary, Liz and Juan. We love you so very much! I bet you wish you were on a warm tropical island now.....

Also, Happy Birthday Matt P. You are a wonderful guy, and we are lucky to know you. We hope that you enjoy your day.

Security

2008-04-17T21:27:00.001-07:00

We are getting an alarm system put into the house. We were excited, now it's a disaster. Let's just say Jon's missed two days of work, he's been on the phone for countless hours... and the police have been dispatched to our house.... twice. (Of course, without us setting off the alarm off). We received a letter from the Elk Grove Police department saying that you get two free false alarm calls a year. After that, you are charged- and it's not cheap. Can you even guess how much? Starts at $200............. and we've already used our free calls in three days.

Sweet Sam

2008-04-16T20:30:00.001-07:00

He's growing so quickly! His sister hasn't been that into the camera lately, so we have a bunch of the ever changing little boy.

A Delayed Weekend post

2008-04-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is doing well this week! I feel like I haven't posted in quite a while, even though it's been less than a week. I spent the night down in Imperial with Erica and Hector this past weekend, marking my first night solo away from the kids and Jon since Payton has been born. I flew into San Diego on Saturday afternoon, and left on the last flight Sunday night. Jon held down the fort so well, I may have to go away again....
The top 5 things about my visit to see Erica and Hector:
1. Being able to see the new, beautiful house! They've done such a nice job with getting everything together.
2. Spending some time with Hector's family for dinner on Sunday. It's so great to see them all together, and to know that Erica and Hector are close to them now.
3. Chatting about life with the two of them... we had some great talks!
4. Watching TV on the 52 inch massive system..and seeing a Blue Ray DVD.
5. Teasing Hector about drinking blue water.

Thank you for the wonderful visit, Erica and Hector! Can't wait to do it again.
Other than that, this week's been pretty uneventful. We are looking forward to the weekend for sure!

Education

2008-04-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

It's official! We are a California Distinguished school! Here's a link to the article if you'd like to read about it: http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr08/yr08rel45.asp. You can click on the link to see what schools received the honor.

On a lower note, the budget crisis is starting to hit home as our district prepares to make cuts. Our dear friend Lani just let me know that she is being placed on an involuntary transfer list and will be moved from the site that she loves next year, due to her seniority (or lack thereof). I feel so horrible that she has to go through this process. I still feel the pain of when it happened to me three years ago, and know how upsetting it is. I know that she is very grateful to still have a job in this crazy time, but it doesn't take away how much it hurts to leave a school site where you have a great team. I feel very lucky to have a job, but wonder constantly about this field of work in all of these uncertain times.

5th place is just as good as first!

2008-04-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

I know that you will all laugh, but I am proud of my 5th place finish in the March Madness pool that Jon and I entered, along with his Dad. I won't admit that I knew nothing about the teams (ssh!) and picked Kansas to win the whole tournanment. I was right! This pushed me up to a noteworthy (I feel, that is) 5th place finish. Placing fifth didn't win me any money, but certainly deserves bragging rights. Go me!

Naptime Post

2008-04-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

I thought that I'd post a few pictures that were on the City of Sacramento's Council page of Jon's last egg hunt. You can see just how excited the kids were in the top picture. In the bottom, Jon's to the right of the golden ticket egg basket table, while Phong (his wonderful co-worker) is handing them out. On the actual website, the council thanked Jon for all of his great work! Yeah for him!

On a side note, my new increase in exercise has left me with some major right knee pain. It's getting to be a bit frustrating. I am finally moving at a good rate, and I haven't been able to run since Wednesday since I have been in so much pain. I am actually limping. Everyone keeps telling me that it is normal with starting up with a fitness routine, but I am not so sure. If anyone has any ideas for me, please let me know.

We were at Target this morning and I handed Sam a toothbrush to hold on to that I was going to purchase. In pulling it away from his mouth, I found that his two bottom teeth have cut through, and his top right one is as well. When the heck did that happen? I am not ready to get rid of the toothless baby grins!

So glad that it is the weekend- hope everyone is doing great!

Forgot the picture....

2008-04-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Just a small picture of the community center Jon will be at today. It's going to be such a neat place for the families in that area.

Groundbreaking Event for Jon

2008-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Jon's doing his first groundbreaking event for a community center in Sacramento. It is a major extension of a facility in an area that can really use a nice community center. You can check out a brief description here: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/recreation/single.cfm?eventid=2354
I am so proud of him! We decided that the worst possible thing that could happen would be if the PA system went out. I know that it won't happen and he'll tell me good news later. Keep your fingers crossed for him!

They are gone!

2008-04-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends Erica and Hector have just moved to Imperial, CA to be closer to Hector's family. Erica had just sent some pictures of the new house, and I can't believe how big and beautiful it looks! I've posted a picture she had sent below. We are so excited for them- congrats, Erica and Hector! (For those of you who know her, doesn't her hair look great?)

The Joy of Being Three

2008-03-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

I swear, something strange must happen when one turns three. Payton has been crazy for the last week. Crazy is the best word I can use to describe her... and the whiny, tantrum-ing, controlling and attention seeking behavior that she has been using. She was reserving it just for us, now she's actually been using it on Sandy! (Sorry again, Sandy). These behaviors can be related to anything from food to toys. It truly runs the gamut! We've spent a lot of time in time out this last week. Jon put her down early last night while I was at a meeting for school, and she woke up in a great mood. So... maybe turning three makes you extra tired and extra grumpy. Who knows?
That would be all the exciting news we have to report this week. If you see my husband, he's consumed in work "stuff" so give him some nice encouragement! We are about to launch into our State testing which makes me crazy. I hate putting my students through it and getting them so frusturated.
More later!

Easter

2008-03-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Just a few highlights from the weekend- it's been a long one, so longer post to follow tomorrow.

Happy Easter, everyone!

All that's missing is some chest hair

2008-03-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I missed little girl clothes, we put Sam in something like this. It's just too funny with the buttons open like this!

Everyone's tired

2008-03-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

There must be something in the air, because not only are our two kids exhausted so were about 98% of my students. Jon'll be tired when he gets home because he was at an egg stuffing event for his weekend egg hunts, and I am tired because the night is long with two tired kids who needed baths. Get the theme? It's just TIRED around here tonight.

I am embarrassed to say (except to Monica!) that I will proabably be asleep before 9. I've got boot camp tomorrow, so I need some sleep! Night, night everyone.

2008-03-16T08:46:00.001-07:00

Sam's permanent entertainment from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

One more thing...

2008-03-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

My best friend from NY, Liz, sent Payton a copy of her brother's book, A Growling Place. It is just beautiful. If you are interested, you can purchase it on Amazon. I'll always remember Tommy as someone we treated like a little brother in our growing up years. I am so proud and excited to say that I know him, and to have the book in our house!

All She Wants To Do Now

2008-03-15T13:10:00.001-07:00

This was one of her birthday presents we had purchased for her! We've been playing all morning.

Saturday

2008-03-15T12:59:00.001-07:00

Today is my parents wedding anniversary- Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad Fryer! We miss you every day.....

Everyone keeps asking me to post about Boot Camp- I LOVE IT! (Think circut training, core training, pilates and cardio) I am so encouraged and inspired by what we are doing, and am loving taking charge of my body and life. We've been making some major changes at our house, and I can't imagine doing this without Jon. Both of us have jumped on the bandwagon of change full force. I wouldn't say that we were living unhealthy before, but we certainly weren't living to our fullest and healthiest selves. This has been the beginning of a very positive year for us as a couple. I can't believe it's been almost five years since we've gotten married, and my predicition is this year will be the best yet. We have two amazing children, supportive friends and family, our jobs and health.. we really couldn't ask for more. I guess I just feel good knowing that by taking care of us, we are giving our kids the best life possible.

Payton had her 3 year doctor's appointment yesterday and although she is doing well, the appointment certainly did not go very well. She was really freaked out by the whole thing. We'd been prepping her for a while now, but there were a lot of tears that were shed. She now weighs 3o pounds and is 3 feet 1 inch tall, which is average. I am so surprised because she always seems so tiny to us. Doc recommended to set up her first dentist appointment... goodness, I can only imagine how that will go!

Jon's running his first egg hunt today with some chilly but sunny weather. As always, I am sure that the kids will have a blast! I can't believe that Easter is next weekend.......

Hope everyone has a great rest of your weekend!

Look Who Is Three!

2008-03-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Pay turned three yesterday at 11:04 pm. I know that I speak for all of us when I say that I truly don't know where the time went. She has made the last three years more interesting than I had ever thought possible. Every day, she makes us laugh and want to cry all at the same time! She's just such an amazing mix of Jon and I, and I love watching her grow into this little girl with so much personality. Payton Grace, we love you!

The Party

2008-03-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Was a success! The birthday girl had a blast in the bounce house all afternoon. Thank you to everyone who helped us out with set up, clean up, and everything in between. It was so nice to spend some time with everyone. You can see the whole set of pictures at http://stires.shutterfly.com/, but here are a few that I really liked.

70 degrees

2008-03-04T19:02:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day! To top off the wonderful weather, we had our school site validation visit for our CA Distinguished Schools approval. And.... the team recommended us to share in the honor with the other 300 schools (out of 9,000 that applied) in the state. Yeah for us! We find out officially on April 15th, but looks like we did it. It's really neat to be a part of something like that.
Other than that, not too much to report. Sam had his sixth month appointment on Monday, and he was 16 1/2 pounds and 27 1/4 inches big. He had four shots, and one oral vaccine. He cried quite dramatically through the whole thing and stopped as soon as the nurse made a silly face at him. What a faker!
We are just trying to get ready for Payton's party on Saturday. Looks like the weather is going to be nice, so the kids will be able to eat ice cream and jump in the bounce house instead of being stuck inside. Payton alternates between saying she is 1 or 5 when people ask how old she is. We can't quite figure that one out.
And... two days until my Mommy Boot Camp starts! Keep your fingers crossed that I make it through my first night!

Six Months

2008-02-29T06:18:00.001-08:00

It's March 1st!

2008-02-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Sixth Month birthday, Sam! It's hard to believe that you have been with us for half a year, an we can't imagine what we would do without you. What a difference sixth months makes!

Nothing too much going on in our household this week. However, I have stopped nursing and am dealing with that emotionally, and more painfully physically. I am not quite sure what happpened, as everything happened so quickly. What started out as a blocked duct turned into an even more blocked duct... and Sam couldn't eat. He didn't even want to try. When that boy is hungry, he's HUNGRY. After talking at great lengths with my sister in law (a RN and lactation counselor) and a lactation counselor I worked with in the beginning, I decided to stop. I know this offers me a new freedom, but I wasn't completely ready and wanted this to be on my own terms. I feel like as Mom, I wanted to do everything for Sam that I could to get him off to a good start, and I was dissapointed that this happened so fast. Big sigh.

I am off to work for a busy day! Our school is nominated for California Distinguished Schools, and we have our site visit on Tuesday. It's a HUGE deal so keep your fingers crossed for us.

Happy Friday!

Another cute Sam video

2008-02-24T21:40:00.000-08:00

Sam's talking! from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

Where did the weekend go?

2008-02-24T21:23:00.000-08:00

It just seems like the weekends go by faster and faster! Despite the bad weather, we had a nice weekend. I met with the Mommy Boot Camp director on Thursday afternoon. She came to the house to complete my intake appointment, and I loved her. She was so encouraging and supportive, and I think this is exactly what I need to get moving again. I got my first set of homework, she took my body fat measurements and a "before" picture. I can't wait to see what happens!

Jon spent most of the weekend struggling, but successfully completing the paint job in our bathroom. It seems as if our bathroom just didn't want to be painted, as this is our second shot at it. Long story to be saved for another time! Of course, with Jon's attention to detail we ended up with what looks like a brand new bathroom. There will be no painting in our house for a long time now.

Payton and I went to Sandy's birthday dinner at Red Robin on Saturday night- Happy Birthday, Sandy! Payton has gotten to be quite the great little girl when we go out. We are very proud of that. Jon stayed home to finish up the bathroom and to let Sam rest. He had a bit of a tough weekend with lots of crying and grumpiness. I think he might be getting some teeth, but we'll see.

Tonight, I had frozen yogurt (yum!) with my friend Kristi who is always inspiring to be around. She's an amazing mother and friend, and I just enjoy talking with her so much. Thanks so much for the nice evening, my friend... and for my birthday bag!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Thank you!

2008-02-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

I appreciate all of the birthday calls, messages, cards, gifts that you all sent yesterday! Thank you so very much for all of your kindness.
My husband- thank you for the gift card and the free time for myself. For thinking of the ice cream cake, my cards from the kids, and your support as always.. I love you.
Bill and Mary- thank you for the gift card and nice message. I actually bought clothes this time!
Jen and Scott- Thanks for the sweet message! I wish that you would have sang happy birthday after all.
My dear sister- I miss you more and more on days like this. I wish that you would have been here. Thank you for your message! I love you so much, and hope to catch up soon.
Kim-what a nice surprise to hear your voice! I miss you.. thanks for calling. Hope to talk soon!
Erica and Hector-- Amazing singing. That's all I can say!!
I received so many nice cards- Aunt Colleen, Linda and Nick, Jen and Scott... thank you.

I am a very lucky girl! Have a great day everyone.

Payton Video

2008-02-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

Payton Counting from Jena Stires on Vimeo.

Mommy Boot Camp

2008-02-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

One of the issues that I am sure many people are working on this New Year is the resolution to exercise more. When I was pregnant with Sam, I went to the gym three times a week. I stopped at the very end of my pregnancy, when my belly kept hitting the emergency switch button on the treadmill and turning it off and I would have to go to the bathroom at least 3 times during my workout. I think it was part of the reason that I only gained 25 pounds and was able to shed my baby weight so quickly. However, I have not been so good about getting back into my routine since Sam has been born. Again, Jon has been hitting the gym at 4:30 am at least three times a week and I am so proud of him! I wish that I had that kind of motivation. I am really struggling with that now. I came across an ad for Mommy Boot Camps in a local parenting magazine that I had picked up and decided to call and get some more information. You can check out the link here: http://www.bodybycode.net
After talking to Jon and getting his full support, I am enrolling in Mommy Boot Camp starting March 6th. I am really excited about it! I think it will be exactly what I need to get up and moving again, and to begin feeling better physically. The trainer is also a life coach, so I am hoping that she will have some ideas for time management and other "Mommy" issues. I spoke with her on the phone and she was wonderful. She'll be coming next week to the house to do an intake appointment. Anyone out there want to join me?

LOVE

2008-02-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! May you have a day full of love and smiles!

Peace Preschool

2008-02-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

Yeah! We found a preschool for Payton, one that doesn't require an entry interview (or for the child to be potty-trained... at our rate, that is never going to happen!). I went with two girlfriends of mine to look at a couple places that we had narrowed down to ones in our price range and that are fairly close to our house. We all really liked Peace Preschool. The preschool director was so warm and friendly, and the class was well organized and the kids looked so happy. The word "warm" just keeps coming to mind over and over again. I think Payton, who takes a long time to adjust to things, will really thrive in this kind of school. As I was sitting there in the car on the way home, I felt a twinge of sadness. My little girl is growing up. She's a month shy of three, and I don't know where the time went. I know it sounds hokey, but it's scary how fast it all goes. Big sigh. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed that we get in!

We miss you

2008-02-11T14:45:00.000-08:00

Today a package arrived in the mail from Auntie Shinny (aka Auntie Lyndsey) for Payton to celebrate Valentine's Day. Somehow, her packages always seem to arrive on a day where a package was really needed. There was playdough and some candy in there with a sweet note, and it totally distracted Payton from having a major tantrum because we couldn't go to the park since her brother was still sleeping. Auntie Shinny, we miss and love you! We wish every single day that you were here.

Some exciting news, however: Sam is officially swaddle and pacifier free! Yeah! I had tried to wrap him up for one of his naps on Saturday, and couldn't get the little bugger to stay in. He just kept rolling and rolling. I gave up, and put him right in the crib. He cried hard for about 5 minutes and then was done. He's slept that way, for 12 hours, the last two nights as well. Our little baby burrito is growing up. I've actually been a little sad to not wrap him up when he sleeps.. he always looks so sweet that way.

Another weekend, another day. Why do they always go by so fast?

A Week Full of Special Days

2008-02-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to Scott and Jen! Our wonderful brother and sister-in-law have birthdays in the same week. We miss and love you, guys! Happy Anniversary to our dear friends Erica and Hector. It's hard to believe that three years has already passed. We love you both so much.

Jon's on a tour in San Francisco today for a new program he's been working on for the City. Check out the link: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/recreation/safari.htm
It's Chinese New Year today, so they are checking out the fun. More kudos to my husband who is one of the most efficient and organized individuals that I have ever met!

Hope everyone is having a great day. It's almost Friday, and I can feel spring around the corner!

Let The Good Times Roll!

2008-02-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

Check out Sam's new trick.....

Todo Un Poco

2008-02-03T12:35:00.000-08:00

Last night, Grandpa Bill and Mary came up to take us out to dinner. We went to a place called Todo Un Poco, which is right down the road from us. They serve Mexican, Italian (with a Mexican flair)and pizza. Interesting, huh? Jon and I have been there twice and had forgotten how good it was. I had a steak and spinach torta with a glass of sangria. It was one of the yummiest sandwhiches that I have had in a long time. Mary had mussels, and Bill and Jon had a taste of the Mexican dishes. Payton had pizza (which came with french fries) so she was the happiest little girl in the world. Our waitress was exceptional, and catered to Payton. In short, you must eat there. There was nothing "chain restaurant-y" about it. Thank you Grandpa and Mary for a nice evening!
Today, Baby Sam rolled over! Of course, when we tried to get in on the camera he just laid there and smiled. He's just growing and growing. He was five months old this weekend. Where has the time gone?
Enjoy the SuperBowl! We hope you all had a great weekend.

2008-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Entry interview?!@

2008-01-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

Did you know that some of the preschools in our area require an entrance interview? Like a college entrance interview? Are you kidding me?? They need you to bring your child in to "meet them and see if they are good fit". What the heck does that mean? Are we going to have to sit there and tell them about WHY they need to take our child into their school? I find myself rattling off the list of the reasons why Payton would be a "good fit" for preschool.
1. She's incredibly cute.
2. She knows her colors and numbers. And she can talk in Spanish!
3. Did we mention she's so cute, like a carbon copy of Dora?
4. After the five months it wil take her to get used to the school, she may warm up enough to say hi and bye to you.
5. She loves books, music, cutting, painting... all the good stuff.

Did I also mention that she's not potty trained? So... she can't go to 99.9% of the schools unless she is potty trained. Sigh. We are looking at a couple different schools close to the house. One is a parent participation preschool where you need to work one day a week in the classroom, and attend three parenting classes in the evening a month. The cool thing is that it is significantly less expensive if you do it that way. Jon is looking at cutting down his work hours to 32 hours a week next year, and could adjust my full contract to potentially have one day a week at home. Does anyone have a million dollar lottery ticket to help up pay for preschool and day care? I have three girls at work who are also enrolling their kids, so we might try and come up with some kind of carpooling option to help everyone out.

Other than that, we are all doing well. You should all be impressed with my husband who's been getting up at 4:30-5 am to go to the gym three times a week. He's quite the super star. If you want to go to a fun egg hunt in March, he's your man. He's started planning them already.

Hope you are staying warm and dry.

The Good Stuff

2008-01-22T14:18:00.001-08:00

This just keeps us going!