House Update

The house is coming along and we are all getting really excited to move in and resume our lives in Westchester.  It's amazing how being 5 minutes down the hill can change everything.  Here are some updated pictures!  We've had a great experience so far so hopefully the last couple months will be just as smooth.

 Jeremy's room

The girls bathroom is a shade darker than their room as you can see below

Master bathroom

From family room into kitchen

From garage looking into kitchen/dining room

From kitchen into family room

Top half painted

Jeremy's bathroom

Jeremy's bathroom counter and cabinets.  Girls looks the same but it was covered

It's SUMMER TIME!

I will post about our Salt Lake trip and summer festivities later but for now....it's time to enjoy the sun and relax!!!!

Goodbye 3rd, 1st and JK!

The last day of school was a little hectic because we had a flight to Salt Lake City at 3:20pm and Jeremy and Amelia got out at 12:45 and we got Mabel early to head to airport.  I got a picture of Mabel on her way in the last morning of school due to daddy's request.  Ryan drove Mabel most of the time and he loved watching her walk in and blow him a kiss.  He tried to convince her every day to let him drop her off in valet line but she was not having it.  I think he secretly liked walking her in every day.  All 3 will be at the same school so unless mommy is in the hospital, there will be no need for daddy to drive.  Uh oh....we may have a sad dad on our hands.

Sent to her daddy for the last time....

Amelia and Ms. Hetu

Jeremy and Mr. Bartels

A job well done to all three of you!  Your teachers had such great things to say about each of you and you all made daddy and mommy proud.  On to 4th, 2nd and Kinder!!!!  

UCLA update; 1 year down, 1 to go!

I finished another quarter and really enjoyed my clinical rotation on the oncology unit and I learned a lot!!!!!  There were some heavy moments but overall, so rewarding.  I have to say that even though the classes weren't as difficult as previous quarters (except pharmacology); managing the remodel with lots of meetings, finalizing tile choices, etc and Jeremy's busy busy baseball season, there were moments I thought it would be a miracle if I passed all my classes.  Well, I haven't gotten all my grades back yet but I think I am in the clear!  Phew!  So far I have a 3.6 GPA which I will take ALL day every day!  It was an absolutely crazy 10 weeks.  My summer schedule is supposed to be a little more mellow with a Tues/Wed rotation for 5 weeks in a general hospital floor and then 5 weeks in a psych ward.  I will post back when it's all over.  Here is a picture of my clinical crew at Santa Monica Hospital and my friends after our last final!

Amelia's 7th Birthday Festivities

As a Meinhardt tradition, we try to snap a "1st thing in the morning" picture!  Sleepy heads, messy hair and sibling love!  They love to celebrate with each other and wait anxiously as they open presents and they can't wait to share their gifts with each other.  

Daddy went to school with fruit kabobs like Jbird and read a book to Amelia's class.  Actually, she wanted to read it so she read most of it.  She chose Tower Pizza for dinner so we made cupcakes and joined the Margallos and Taylors for a fun dinner.  Thank you all for joining to celebrate our big girl!

We combined Amelia and Isabella's birthday party because they are the cutest little friends and their birthdays are 2 days apart.  It was a blast!

Hope you had a great day pretty girl.  We love you and we love watching you play with your friends and enjoy your special day!

Happy 7th Birthday Amelia!

I seriously feel like I just wrote you a 6th birthday post.  Time is flying and you continue to make me smile, challenge me, love me with every ounce of your soul, work hard and care for those you love like crazy.  I think you are like your daddy and loyal to the core to those around you.  You love to hear stories about the day you were born and like I tell you all the time, there was no sign you were coming out anytime soon.  You were quite happy in your mommy's belly even though you kicked me REALLY hard.  Once they finally pulled you out you cried and cried and CRIED!  You were not happy to be so cold.  You were still crying 2+ hours later.  I remember them saying, "It's a GIRL" and I was thrilled.  A boy and now a girl.  You evened things out.  I loved your little muscular legs and arms and the peach fuzz all over your tiny body.  You had just a touch of light brown hair and the sweetest little cheeks that I kissed all day every day.  You are a determined little girl and I could tell the minute I looked into your eyes that you would be that way forever.  I truly cannot wait to see what you do in life because I know you will rock whatever you choose to do.  I love you so much Amelia Bedelia and thank you for loving me soooooooooooooooooooooo much :)  I love you more!

Your first night in a big girl bed!

Preschool graduation - you were less than thrilled about being the center of attention

My favorite picture of you EVER!

You always wore beads, put on hats and acted silly.  

Our first real picture together. Ugh, those little fuzzy shoulders and your little tongue that was always sticking out just a little bit.

 Big sis

Daddy's girl

Those beads.  Always those beads!

You and Jbird, the best of friends who have so much fun together!

How we rolled into the doctors office.  You would cry the minute we walked in so we brought your blankies and wawa

The things that you do: You still rock to sleep, still have chocolate milk 2x a day (I sneak medicine in it but you don't know that), you are determined to win everything you do like the jog-a-thon and bike rodeo, you are a great student and come home with a green card almost daily, your best friend is Isabella, you love to give presents to other people, you love candy and cucumbers, pasta with butter, you still love to clean, sweep, anything that's helpful to me and you love to save money.  Maybe you're like your Uncle Jeremy :)  I love you baby girl.  

Minor's Division Champs!

Jeremy's baseball team won the Minors Division Championship today and they earned it.  They were a scrappy little team that came up with wins and big plays when they needed too.  Way to go Orioles!

It's a good thing they won tonight because Amelia's birthday is tomorrow and they would have played another game if they lost tonight.  It's truly a WIN WIN for the Meinhardts.

End of the year DRALL picnic!  Good job Jbird!  

Uncle Dorn

Jacqui, Christian and I made a trip to visit Uncle Dorn in New Mexico this last weekend.  He unfortunately told us that he was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer the last time he was out in L.A. so we decided that a sibling trip out was just what the doctor ordered.  Courtney could not make it unfortunately but we're hoping to go again soon.  Wow!  Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe his house, his property and the people he is surrounded by.  It was a relaxing weekend with lots of laughing, good food, good company and memories to last a lifetime.

View from his house out towards the lake

Looking up at his house from the "main" road

Views from the top of the cliffs above his house

 The inside of his 1bedroom/1 bath house that felt roomy enough for all of us

 Me on the phone with the kiddos

Jacqui and Uncle Dorn on an afternoon outing to the water falls

 Christian took a picture of jacqui and I hiking on the cliffs above his house

 Jacqui and Christian were all about the "selfies" so Dorn took his first one ever!  

Love you guys!