A BUSY weekend

Our busy weekend started Friday when Ryan and I had a date planned and the kids were spending the night at Oma and Opa's house.  They asked ALL day if it was time to go yet.  Thank you Oma and Opa because our mommy and daddy needed some alone time after the eventful week.

Amelia wanted to help mommy put on her makeup and it was one of those moments I don't think I will ever forget.  She asked about everything I did and LOVED putting on eye shadow.  She sat on the counter for almost an hour.  That's a lifetime for her.  Jeremy decided that he didn't want to be left out so he joined in as well, as did Mabel.  There was limited room for mommy to get ready.  Jeremy asked what the mascara was for and I said it was to make mommy's lashes prettier and then he said he wanted his lashes to look prettier.  And WOW, did it ever.  He looked AMAZING but then kept blinking really hard so it smudged all over.  After I took it off he said, "I want to do the things daddy does" and I agreed that he should do those things instead of mommy things :)

 Top right photo of me was taken by my budding photographer Amelia.

Then it was time to blow dry my hair and they loved it when I blew it in their faces!

Date night for mom and dad included dinner at Gilberts, a local Mexican restaurant, drinks at a bar and a movie.  We slept in until 9, walked to coffee with Luna and then headed up to pick up the kids.

We spent the rest of the day outside because it was another beautiful day.  I washed my car with Jeremy's help, Mabel took interest in our portable toilet, the neighbor kids played in our backyard and once the kids were in bed, I enjoyed my new favorite beer.

 Yes, that all goes back in my car.  Always need to be prepared :)

 Neighborhood kids; Annie, Madeline (Jeremy's age and goes to the same preschool) and Eleanor live two doors down, Jack and Jbird.  Not pictured; Amelia who just got off, Mabel who was not allowed up with all these big kids and Benjamin (Madeline and Eleanor's older brother who is 9)

My new favorite beer. I know all you Midwesterners will make fun of me but I love it!!!

Today, Sunday, we headed over the newly renovated Observation Deck at LAX to watch some "celebrity" airplanes land.  I wasn't sure what that meant but I figured it once we were there with all the fellow "plane enthusiasts".  By celebrity, they mean special, new, etc.  The newest, first of the Airbus 320 Air New Zealand domestic fleet (more to be delivered in the next few years) came in which was painted a funky black to honor their rugby team.  And you think I sound nerdy, you should have seen the real aviation people there.  I was asked if we were an "aviation" family and I proudly replied "yes."  My answer was followed with another question which was "oh, are you with the air force or a specific airline?" Um, no lady, I just live in Westchester which means me and my kids LOVE planes.  She then asked Jbird if he wanted to be a pilot and Mabel if she was going to be a flight attendant.  Did I go back in time?  Why can't Mabel be a pilot as well?  It was gloomy and then rainy but we made it long enough to watch the A380 (Quantas, double decker the whole way) come in and then we headed home with our airplane goody bags.

It's raining today so we're having a quiet day at home. I am updating this while the girls nap and Jeremy went to lunch with the George's who are bringing home yummy Mexican food for lunch :)

Feeling almost 100% now and ready for another busy week.  

Hope you had a fun weekend!!!  

Thank you Chicago Meinhardts

Thank you auntie Megan, uncle Jeremy, Beck and Nellie for my RIDICULOUSLY cute shirt!  I love it!!!!!!

My little helper

Now that mommy is feeling better, I tried to crawl out from underneath the huge mound of laundry on my bed, cleaned, mopped, etc.  I had a little helper who likes to push the vacuum as I go. I turned around to switch the hose and she was playing with the suction.  Pretty funny.  I know, I'm a mean mom for telling her to kiss it but I couldn't help it.

Thank you

This could be a really wordy post thanking EVERYONE for ALL of your help so I will try and keep it simple!  I had an emergency appendectomy on Saturday...yikes, it was the worst pain I've ever had.  I mean, I can compare it to labor contractions minus the break in between.  7pm Friday night, I am doubled over and make my way to my bed and didn't move for a couple hours.  I then got up enough effort to climb under my covers, still moaning like I am giving birth to a creature from another world.  Thank goodness the kids were in bed because they would have been FREAKED out.  By 4 am, it hurt to breathe but we didn't think I had an option (3 kids at home, couldn't drive, etc.)  I know I know, I should have called you.  Any by you I mean EVERY single person who found out and was pissed that I stayed home as long as I did.  In case you don't know by now, I am a little bit stubborn and in denial that something could be THAT wrong.  "I'll be fine and it can't be that bad".  Well, it was.  I drove myself to urgent care at 8 am (when it opened) and they sent me (I drove myself again) to the ER at UCLA Santa Monica.  I wanted Ryan to stay with the kids.  After two ultrasounds to see if it was an ovarian cyst, CT Scan because they thought it was an intestinal issue, elevated white cell count and a consultation by a surgeon (the ER dr on call was concerned about my pain level and pain to touch my abdomen because he was thinking about sending me home.  Well sir, if you were that concerned, you could have given me some pain meds).  When I was drinking the contrast dye for the CT scan I kept telling them it hurt more when I drank water.  Anyway, 4:30 and they came to the conclusion that it was appendicitis. And so I went...into surgery.  Fun stuff on a beautiful weekend.  I feel better now, sore and it takes more out of me to do the things I normally do but I feel a million times better than Friday night :)  So here is a quick thank you rundown....

Thank you Mabel for cuddling with me like this, for what seemed like forever, right when I got home.

 Thank you Jbird for cuddling with me Monday morning while we watched tv.  You too Mabel.  Amelia was playing on the floor...she's not my cuddly one :)

thank you mom for hanging out with me in the ER and being there when I woke up, driving me home, coming back to make chicken noodle soup, my flowers, lunch...love you

thank you dad for being there when I woke up, driving me home and playing with the kids

thank you Ryan for being Mr. Mom while I was gone, sending pics to me in the hospital and helping with everything when I got home including taking the kids away on a bike ride.  Mabel's 1st bike ride.

Thank you auntie Jamie and family for bringing me breakfast in the hospital Sunday morning.

Thank you Auntie Louise for my favorite coffee cake, balloon and having us over so I could lay/sit while you chased my kids around.  Playing hide n seek below.  It was their turn to hide.

Thank you Jen Pickett for my flowers and taking Jbird over to play while the girls napped so I could rest.

Thank you Nat and Tiff for bringing over dinner on Sunday when I got out of the hospital. Yummy

Thank you Julie for dropping off a crap load of fruit and OJ...you know it will get eaten here :)

Thank you Auntie "cole" for making us dinner and taking Jbird to a birthday party so I could rest :)  

Thank you George family for my new puzzle, card from Annie and most importantly the pain killers when our pharmacy was out.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

And to add to the craziness, my aunt Patty and cousin Jess are here to meet their newest family member Addison May who was born to my cousin Patrick and his wife Carrie.

I was able to take the kids up there to meet their great aunt and second cousin (we haven't seen Jess or Patty in 4 years) and hang out.  It was sooooo nice to see them.  I took Mabel up there again today while J and A were at school and she was enjoying time with both of them.  No pictures except this one from lunch.  Jess took pics so I will post when I get them.

Time with mom

Jbird had some mommy time while the girls napped, he did his homework and I ran on the treadmill.

 I am going to try and schedule playdates for Mabel and HER friends.  We had Paisley over today. Paisley is Emily's daughter...our old babysitter :(  We miss her terribly!!!!

This is for Auntie Jacqui

I took tons of pictures of Mabel today.  I knew Auntie Jacqui would love it since she calls me every day and asks me to send pictures of her.  Is this enough Auntie?

She enjoyed playing with Tilly's toy

She loves looking up at airplanes!

We miss you already Grandmommy!

Especially your "special little boy"! :(  Thank you for everything.

Fun Friday at the beach with Grandmommy

It was a beautiful day so we packed up and headed to the beach.  Here are the pics from a great day.  

Grandmommy thinks I am crazy for packing up like I do but it makes it fun and worth the trip.  I bring a pool (the green thing on my back), umbrella, chairs, blankets, sand toys, food (mostly fruit and PB&J) and I didn't bring the usual pac n play, a place to put Mabel when I am tired of her eating sand.  Once we got there and set up, Grandmommy admitted that she would bring all the stuff to enjoy the beach on a day like this.

Grandmommy's artistic sand sculpture

The kids on top of the sand dunes

Picture of our "camp" taken from on top of the sand dune

Mabel with her new favorite person

The gang (including Simone)

After the park, baths and a long nap we headed to a fun park in Manhatten Beach to meet up with some friends.  Morgan and Mia (an old teammate on the Freedom).  No pictures except this super cute one of Mabel.  A little blurry but I don't care.

Warm Winter Days with Grandmommy

It's nice and warm here so grandmommy has spent lots of time outside with her kiddos!  We're heading to the beach tomorrow so I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures.  Jeremy always does his homework right when he gets home from school so here he is doing it on the trampoline.

Her new favorite thing to do

Mabel LOVES Luna and kisses her all day long

 Our new neighbors gave us a fruit basket and someone brought it to the trampoline! He's in hog heaven!!!

One on one with Mabel

Ryan and I took Mabel with us to Natalie and Matt's house to watch the football playoffs.  Mary took Jeremy and Amelia out to dinner so everyone had a fun night.  It was so nice to have some alone time with our sweet Mabel.  She's seriously the happiest, easiest baby.  She got to play with HER friends and be the center of attention and she soaked up every moment of it.

 The girls are getting bigger.  

(Jolie, Mabel, unhappy Bella and Shiloh)

Quality time with my mom.  She and dadda kissed me all night :)

When Natalie and mommy changed us into our PJ's, we realized the girls were wearing the same ones. Shiloh's are Mabel's old pj's.  Thanks again Gerberding/Adrian family!

 Mabel discovered and LOVED the doggie door.  In and out, in and out!

Some Firsts

Mabel has taken to dolls like her big sister.  Wonder where she gets that? :)  She carried this one around all day, she even put it in the grocery cart and pushed it around. 

Grandmommy tried to gel his hair (Ryan and I do not approve)

 Amelia got her first manicure.  A french tip manicure.

How do you keep Amelia still that long?  A cookie of course!

She watched VERY closely!

I've never thought about reading the kids a book with a Budlight but I might try it.