Thursday: VBS, Dress Rehearsal and Swim Lessons

Thursday insanity!  It was crazy hair day/80's day at VBS.  Taelyn didn't want to have crazy hair.  She said she wanted something cute.  We had dress rehearsal after VBS, so I put her hair in a "Bow Bun"  She absolutely loved it.  

The Bow Bun

Crazy hair Day

Taelyn and her dance crew

We picked the girls up early from VBS so we could get to dress rehearsal on time.  Peyton, Taelyn's Jungle Gym did her eye makeup (again) This was them showing me super sass! 

Dress rehearsal ran a little longer than expected. Thank God my Mother in Law was with me.  She took my car to pick up Trent, London and Drake so we could get all of them to swim lessons on time.  I asked a friend on our team to drop me off at the Y, where we met up with everyone else at the same time.  I changed all the kids and got them into the pool right on time. 

Drake floating

When swim was over, we rushed home so I could make dinner for the first time this week.  I made Chicken Enchiladas and I made some extra to take to a friend who just had a baby.  While the kids were eating, I dropped off the meal.  When I got home, it was time for bath and bed.  The kids were actually in bed before 8pm for the first time this week.  Their bedtime is usually 7:30, so they didn't even fight it.  This was the first time all week where they went to bed close to their actual bed time.  They were pretty much begging for sleep.  They were knocked out within ten minutes.  Great end to another very busy day!

Wednesday: VBS and Birthday Lunch and VBS

As I said in my previous post, it was a crazy week.  So this is what happened on Wednesday: Taelyn had her second day of Vacation Bible School.  It was called Rock the World Summer Blast.  Oma cut up her shirt to make her look like a rocker.  She was the cutest little rocker girl. 

Taelyn and Nicolette

 Taelyn had SO many friends at this camp.  Everyday I heard about someone else she knew from camp.  She had three kids who were in her prechool class in her camp group.  Also, her entire mini's dance team were there too!

After we picked her up from camp, we picked Trent up from the babysitter and rushed to Riverside to meet up with my brother and his family.  They were having a birthday lunch since his birthday was on the 14th and his wife's birthday was on the 17th.  We went to the Old Spaghetti Factory.  Trent fell asleep just was we got there and when I woke him up getting him out of the car, it was like I ignited a bomb and the kid just exploded.  He was a disaster!  He was cranky and rude.  He didn't want to say hi to anyone when we walked in.  He wanted to sit at another table all by himself.  He was trying to play with the utensils and throw things.  He was at an all time low.  I didn't know what to do.  I took him outside multiple times.  Then I finally gave up and took him to the car, buckled him in and we just sat there while he screamed and flailed his body about.  I sat in the front seat and cried and prayed.  My brother came out and told us to come back in and finish lunch.  I was so embarrassed and exhausted, I didn't want to go back inside, but since it was their birthdays, I reluctantly got out.  My brother propped his phone up and put on a Ninja Turtle show and Trent sat still and ate.  I REALLY don't like to resort to electronics, but in this case, I gave in.  The rest of the meal was actually pleasant.  I'm so sad I didn't get any pictures, but I was emotionally drained I didn't think about it. 

After we ate, we dropped Oma off at home and went to another Vacation Bible School that is only on Wednesdays for a small church that my friend is apart of.  She asked if I could volunteer three years ago and we have been doing it ever since.  By the time this VBS was over, it was 8pm.  The kids were in bed by 9pm and I followed shortly after.  I was so ready to put the kids to bed, knowing we had an equaling long and busy day to follow. 

Tuesday: Universal Studios and Dance Moms

Last week was completely, ridiculously, insanely busy!  It was so nuts, I feel like I need to blog about it day by day.  Monday I had to work, so I didn't get to do anything with the family.  Todd's mom flew into town to be here for Taelyn's recital.  Taelyn had her first day of Vacation Bible School.  Todd and his mom dropped her off and picked her up while I was at work.  

Tuesday: Todd had his company picnic at Universal Studios.  Taelyn had pictures for her recital at 5pm.  We got to the park as soon as it opened, so we could do as much as we could before we had to leave.  As soon as we got there, we got on the Tram Ride.  This is my all time favorite.  It reminds me of my dad and mom when they were together.  It is probably one of the very few good memories I have of my parents being together. 

It was all smiles getting on the Tram Ride

 We warned the kids that there were a few scary moments, but it was all only pretend.  When it was time for King Kong, Taelyn just unraveled. She was beside herself with fear.  Trent was scared, but instead of crying, the kid tried to beat King Kong up!! He was throwing punches and yelling at him to get away.  It was pretty awesome.  When it was over, Taelyn was inconsolable.  When she calmed down, the rest of the Tram Ride was great. 

After King Kong

 We were able to watch the Fast and the Furious Pit Crew Dancers and Taelyn was on the sidelines dancing, she wanted to take a picture with them.  She was so sassy, she told them she was dancer too and they just ate her up!

Posing with the Pit Crew

Matching Chucks

Despicable Me

 On our way out, we had to stop and take a family picture.  We tried to take a cute smiley picture, but we just couldn't get it together, so we went with silly.  I guess this fits us most. 

Mandatory Family Picture in front of the Universal Studios Sign

 

We walked through City Walk to get to our car and we had pay a visit to the Dodger Store.  While Daddy and Oma shopped, this is what these crazies were doing!

Who do these kids belong to??

 We rushed back and got the studio just in time!

Jazz costumes

Hip Hop Costume

Taelyn absolutely LOATHES putting make up on, so her favorite "Big Girl"  put her makeup on for her. 

Peyton who she has named her "Jungle Gym" (because she climbs on her.)

When pictures were done, we rushed home so we could watch Dance Moms.  It was the night the episode that Taelyn and her dance team were on.  Taelyn was in the episode multiple times.  It was really exciting watching and searching for Taelyn and all the girls. 

Taelyn was so happy to see herself on TV!

It was such a busy day.  By the time the show was over, we all passed out!  Tuesday was just the beginning of such a busy week.  More to come...

New Park

My friends Jessica and Lea invited us to visit a new park the other day.  It is always fun to go to a new park we have never visited before, but this was a new park, as in, just built.  It was beautiful.  The equipment was all new and there was so much for the kids to do.  There were all of these twisty things that the kids could ride.  It was fun for all.  My favorite part was that the park had shade! I can be outside all day long as long as I'm in shade.  We packed a lunch and ate right there. 

Taelyn and Alayna spinning around

The girls eating their lunch

Trent and Brooklyn climbing

All of our sweet children

Jessica, Lea and Me

The kids played for well over two hours when we decided to leave the park.  Lea, my sweet pregnant friend, wanted ice cream, who am I to turn down a cold treat?  We went to Rite Aid to have the delicious Thrifty's ice cream.  There was no where to sit, so we grabbed some blankets out of the car and sat outside of the store.  It was the perfect day for ice cream! 

Yummy Ice Cream!

After having ice cream, we came home and Grampy and Grammy came into town!!  They brought fun gifts for the kids and played until it was just about bed time. 

Riding on Grampy

 

 

Grampy brings the BEST gifts! 

Such a fun and eventful day.  I am most happy when I am surrounded my my friends and family!

No Sick Days for Moms

I very rarely get sick, I'd say maybe about once a year, if that.  When I feel like I might be getting sick, I take a cocktail of vitamins.  I take a prenatal, vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Echinacea.  This usually does the trick.

I woke up on Wednesday with my eyes sealed shut with gunk, my throat on fire, and green mucus in my nose and throat.  Sorry for being so graphic, but this is the gritty truth.  Todd was getting ready for work and had meetings all morning, so I had to soldier up and get the kids dressed and fed.  I took them to our babysitter and went straight into urgent care.

The doctor told me I had strep throat.  I have never had this before and man, oh man, I don't ever want to have it again! It is TERRIBLE!!  He prescribed some meds, I picked them up and came home and slept all day.  I woke up just in time to pick Taelyn up and take her to dance.  JJ, our neighbor, takes Trent on Wednesday and Thursday, since those are our long nights at dance.  After dance, I did our normal bedtime routine, dinner, bath, story, bed and then I went to sleep.

This morning, Trent and Taelyn woke up in horrible moods demanding breakfast, so despite being sick and feeling crumby, I woke up, got them dressed and fed them.  The whole time, they were fighting and complaining about having to eat their eggs.  Our rule is, you must eat the eggs first before you can eat the waffles.  Trent told me I was a mean mommy because I wouldn't make him any chocolate milk because he didn't finish his food.  I just started crying.  I feel so unappreciated and all alone.  I just sat in the pantry and cried.  I prayed to God to  help me get through the day and to not let them get to me because they really don't understand what I am going through and that they are just 3 and 5.  I came to the realization, this is the life I wanted and the life that I am so thankful for, so I just need to get over it because mommies don't get a break and they don't get sick days.  Some days being a mommy is HARD and today is one of those days.  Its not even 10am yet and I'm so ready for bedtime. 

Trent Shenanigans Part 2

My goodness, are we in a season with this boy!  I feel like I have been writing a lot about Taelyn since I started blogging again and nothing about Trent, well, my mama taught me that if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.  So, I haven't said anything, but today, I was inspired to write about this kid.  Although we are in a rough season, I don't want to forget about this trying time.  I've written about Trent Shenanigans before, there were 81 pictures then, now there are 242!!! 

This was today,

He got his hand stuck in the cart at Costco

This week, this boy was in rare form.  Today, after Costco, we had swim lessons.  After their class, I let them play in the open pool, and as if it were straight out of a movie, Drake, (Trent's BFF) fell into the big pool, when the life guard went to pull him out, Trent climbed up the life guard tower and had to be carried down.  Drake was crying, Trent was crying, Taelyn looked as if she was gonna cry, it was a complete disaster.  I wanted to crawl in a hole and die.  I was so embarrassed.  I just picked up both boys, who were soaking wet and Taelyn chasing behind and went straight to the car.  I didn't get a picture, but I'm sure you can imagine how horrified I was.

This is pretty normal at dinner

 We went to see Avengers at the movie theater the other day and during a dull moment in the movie, Trent went from Todd to me, back to Todd.  On his way back to Todd, he tripped over his feet and landed face first into the armrest.  He busted his lip and bled all over. 

Just a regular "trip" to the movies

 My niece was in a Shakespearean play and this is what Trent was doing when he should have been sitting quietly.  

This kid is cray

He just looked too cute in my hat on this rainy day

Dodger/Ninja Turtle/Batman

I mustache you a question

Playing "warriors"

RRRRRR!

When ever I take a picture, this is the face I get

He busted his head at swim practice

Trent was "Batman/Ninja Turtle" for Halloween

Trent is obsessed with The Ninja Turtles right now and he loves Batman, wears them often.  He runs around like a crazy person pretending to be them, it drives me crazy because he is so reckless, but is so cute to watch, until he breaks something.  Little man is FUN! He has a very vivid imagination, he is super sweet, loving and VERY affectionate.  He loves very hard, sometimes so hard it hurts, like I mean his love really hurts.  He has busted my lips many time trying to hug me and kiss me.  I say on a daily basis that he is so, so lucky that he is cute!  There is never a dull moment with the Tunk around.  He completes our family and makes everything more fun.  Some days, I really wonder how we survived, but we do and I just love him to pieces.  He makes me so angry, yet fills me with so much joy.  How I love this crazy boy of mine, but man, he really gets on my nerves.  I tell myself every single day, "Its only a season and it will pass." Its been a LONG season! 

Our family