A post coming soon.

I lost it but am going to find it again, the evening blogging routine. Lots is going on, including my growing belly, which is not just from all the yumminess of the season. Love to all.

Downtown Holiday Jacket and Pant GIVEAWAY!!!!

Downtown Holiday Jacket and Pant GIVEAWAY!!!!

so cute
http://sunshiningdays.blogspot.com/

blog tag

So I got tagged by Jenn and I need to come up with seven things about me that I think would be new to you and I am having a hard time coming up with original thoughts. I keep wanting to answer like you did jenn I read aubrei's too and I keep finding myself thinking along the same lines as you both. So here goes

1) I went on a reading strike in high school and can not remember ever actually reading a book that was assigned, it amazes me, and I still got good grades.
2) I think falling is funny, really funny, I mean I don't like to see people get hurt by any means but to see someone fall is a hoot the lack of control the awkwardness, funny.
3) Someday I would love to do the hawaii ironman.
4) I am not an organized person, don't open my drawers or look in my car not a pretty site. I have always been "messy" I think I am a ton better than when I was a kid but still a work in progress.
5) In grade school me and my best friend tried out for the talent show in both the fourth and the fifth grade and both times we were denied. Hello at that age isn't everyone welcome. And then one of those times the teacher in charge took our song and choreographed her own number she invited sierra and I to be in it. I think I thought about it and decided no but sierra was a no from the get go.
6) I want to live somewhere with seasons but would only move if my parents and brother and his wife moved too hahahha
7) Never in a million years would have thought that I would get the chance or even knew that I wanted to chance to be a stay at home mom I am thankful for it everyday even the days where I want to run and hide in the back of my mind I feel like the luckiest lady alive.

and now I am tagging dawn and rebecca in arizona
have a good evening

Forts

I used to love making forts when I was a kid, and then getting to sleep in them was the best. My brother, derek, was the master planer. He was the kid who would make these awesome Lego cities and cars, or ships that actually looked like ships so needless to say we/he made some pretty good ones when we were kids.

Dakota and Randy made a fort after dinner tonight. She loves it, just as much as I did. This little secret hiding place. The next thing I want to do with her is camp in the backyard, which makes me laugh because I think about that and then I think how we lock down the house each night but we would go ahead and sleep right out there where we think the breakeriners might be HA! funny.

Added to the fun of the fort homemade cookies.


That really was just a foto opp dakota didn't get to eat the cookies there....for fear of ANTS in the morning.

Hot!

dakota last november!

So it is november in ventura and we played in the pool today.


When is this heat going to be gone. I mean it is great fun and all but really how about 60 degrees shoot 65. At least it is starting to cool down from the weekend, we have had the pool out since friday I believe. My friend Dawn in Nova Scotia is hopefully sending some cool weather and moisture. I will be waiting.
Really it was a great day we started the day with a walk down at the beach with Aubrei and Maya, Aubrei when we were just about done jumped in the ocean and I kick myself for not joining her but I was wearing my pants and the thought of them being wet and hanging on me stopped me, silly really, but it was great to see her just jump right in. Then we headed off to arroyo verde park to meet up with some friends for some nice play time. Which it was until dakota lost it. Sweet girl has started yelling at me when she is frustrated, at the top of her lungs yelling at me. So we promptly left because that just doesn't fly. But it gets me thinking about how much emotion she has going on inside to yell like that and how do I want to continue to handle it. Because first off it is just not okay, yelling at anyone when she is frustrated is not the way and not only is it not the right way but it is the wrong way. But she is in the moment of pure frustration and not sure how to deal with all that and at this point unsure what to do with it. Do you ever wonder if we moms of this generation over think things? HA! Anyway I want to try to help her find a better way of expressing all the emotion. Open to suggestions.... I do know that I have to be the example and I am not a yeller but I am far from perfect when I get upset so I think I will start there, what do I look like to her in the moments where I have lost patience???

On the drive home she was very sad and very sorry and told me she was sorry and that she loved me and then of course I feel bad for being upset with this beautiful, tender, sweet LITTLE girl who is still learning all the time.

The rest of our day was great as they all are really. really

This is what my sweet girl fell asleep with last night not a doll, nor a teddy bear, soft blanket no

a card! silly girl. thanks titi.

Sunday at the Folks

The day started off with apple pancakes ( I love her blog the chicken pot pie looks amazing) bacon and eggs. The apple pancakes need some work they didn't come out like the picture and were a little more doughy on the inside but still the flavor was good. Then dakota and i headed off to my parents house. We were just planning on staying for a couple hours but truthfully that never happens.
We get there and then it is lunch time and then why not have dakota nap there and before we know it hours have pasted and we have a great time. Secretly it is a nice break for me, mom and dakota are playing so i get to sit back and look at my mom's latest magazine or work on the puzzle (there is almost always one going) or just sit with my dad and watch football, very relaxing for me. But all the while dakota is totally engaged with gaggi.
That is not to say I am lazy, me no. I mean I get up and play a little too. really.
My dad has been excepted to a masters program at.... dad what is the school again?... anyway it is for their fine arts program in photography (correct me where I am wrong dad) anyway he has this great new camera and it is amazing to see the difference he let me use it and while dakota loves to make faces at the camera and run from the camera I caught her in a moment of singing happy birthday to me (not my birthday)
as she was bringing me some apple and cheese. I think she is just the most beautiful little lady and I just adore her.

And now that my dad has his fancy new camera I get his old (not old he just bought it maybe six months ago) camera to use for the time being, yay.
I am so proud of my dad for going back to school, especially doing photography. He has always taken these amazing photos and so it is wonderful to see him pursuing this passion. This is going to sound lame but sometimes at moments I feel old (relatively speaking) but then I see people doing new things at all ages and it reminds me that I am so so so far from old and that I still have tons of time to find my passions and go out and live them.
Thanks for having us over mom and dad we had a great time as always.

Glitter Glue

Not to long ago my mom bought dakota some glitter glue sticks which I promptly hid. I am not sure why other than they seemed like more than I wanted to deal with. Well dakota found them yesterday and has been carrying them all around the house and so I decided I would give it a try. (This whole thing reminds me of when I was in labor with dakota, my friend kept suggesting getting into the shower which again was totally against, I couldn't stand the thought of being in labor with wet hair. A shower cap was produced I went into the shower and it was awesome.) The glitter glue things were not as great as that shower but they were fun and not a big deal or mess or anything really. Funny to have these random aversions to things for no good reason.
Dakota and Marie had very different techniques. Marie would squeeze some out and then move it around with the tip of the container and dakota would make piles.



That lasted for a time and then came the hands and they both enjoyed that moving the glue around with their hands and then looking at their glittery hands.

Good times.

How a Masterpiece is created!

The one way I can keep dakota from covering herself in paint is by busting out the "big girl paints"! For her birthday last year she got this great little art set up with a table top easel, brushes and acrylic paints (water based). I went to micheals and got some of those thin canvases for cheap.

Today we busted it out for some art time. Several times I had to remind her that she could not paint herself, which is so hard for her.

She was cracking me up because while she was so focused and so into it she was also singing and dancing, no matter what she is doing she can not be still that is really hard for her.

What started out as one piece of work turned into two and then three and then just two as she quit on three and I got to take over. I have always wanted to be an artist just never had the talent, but like the play dough it is so nice to sit down and paint.
We used up all her little tubes so we have to go get some more....

Happy

I am just beside myself. Having dakota has really changed my world view and not always for the better. I worry more about what this world is doing and did we make the right decision bringing another human being to this earth and today, last night my hope has truly been restored. People can change and therefore we can change the world for the better.
I am sad that california couldn't pull it together and make the right vote on 8, these times call for open minds and open hearts and I hope that it is taken to the courts and deemed unconstitutional, one day no matter what lies ahead for my dear sweet dakota may she be able to marry the person she loves, period!

A great fall weekend

What a great weekend. Halloween was awesome dakota was in hog heaven. We went up to Ojai, where we met up with her cousin Makel, lame me didn't get any pictures of the two of them together, when I get some I will post because they are pretty darn cute together. They both got these little gift bags from Aunt Tracy, Grandma Cha cha and Great Grandma Margaret with silly string. Dakota didn't want to spray hers she just wanted to run around away and into it. Makel on the other hand was all about spraying his can and the look of determination on his face says it all.

Our first stop for trick or treating was Great Grandma Lois and Great Grandpa Irvin, they were not expecting us so it was a great surprise for them.


Once we got into the real trick or treating dakota could not be stopped she and makel would come running away from one house yelling lets go to the next house, running and smiling the whole time. She did stop now and again to comment or compliment another child's costume, that was pretty cute. After about an hour or so Randy and I were done, dakota wasn't but Randy and I were and we are the parents so we made the call.


It was a good thing too because Saturday was a long day. A fun day but long. We headed to Gaggi and Papa's house around 8 to drop dakota off and took off to USC for a football game.

When we left ventura it was raining hard, i loved it and was sad to be driving away from it but off we went for some tailgating. Our arrival time 1030 game time 330. I must also throw out there this has been my longest and furthest trip and time away from my little lady, but she was with gaggi and papa so I was fine and so was she and originally I thought I wouldn't see her until this morning when I picked her up but we had to pick up essie (she just had surgery so my parents watched her too, thanks again mom and dad) from my parents so I got to give her a good night hug and kiss. So yeah back to the game and tailgating. I really went back and forth about going, for a couple of reasons but eventually decided that it would be a great day for randy and i and it really was. We hung out, I played some poker and I would have totally won but the rain made its way to LA so we had to pack up. Ha! I am so kidding I was on my way out but still I was having fun, I was in the final four (out of six) but still...
do you love my poker face

We had the little bbq set up, so some yummy food and then we headed into the game somewhat dry somewhat not, by the time the game started the rain was gone. Randy thinks it was a great game as usc had a shut out. I myself enjoyed the game but also enjoyed the yummy nachos with real bean and salsa.
Today was mellow recovery. I was hoping it would have rained but it didn't. I hope we get some more rain some time this year.

Playdough

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY JOEY D
We have been thinking about you but haven't called
we love you and hope you had an awesome day!

I made some playdough today, I had forgotten how easy it is and how much dakota enjoys it. Purple playdough of course!



I forgot how much I enjoy playing with playdough.


And usually I love the smell but I was out of light oil (vegetable, canola, corn) so I had to use extra virgin olive and I think it messed with the smell, what can you do.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY JOEY D
We have been thinking about you but haven't called
we love you and hope you had an awesome day!

It's been awhile

time flies when you are having fun. really I am not sure where or why I haven't been blogging just the other day randy found this guy outside

and for me that is a whole entry. it is the stick preying mantis I was talking about before. and there was this bluebird that must have been stalking it because while I was out there he or she kept close by and yelling at me. Randy allowed him, the mantis to run off in the our huge hedge and I think he was safe there.
We also took a trip up to see our Amy, Noah and Layla. Andi and Mia arrived here and off we went for a great visit. Amy even had lunch AND dessert for us, she rocks.
Windmills on the way!

The dutch clogs were a huge hit.


We had a fondue wednesday night that was so yummy. I love cheese. I was shocked though dakota, who loves cheese, even the funky ones was not into the fondue.

And my dad had surgery. We did a trek down to ucla for a chin lift HA! just kiddin. It was to help his chin heal if that makes any sense, surgery to help the area heal but that is the long and short of the surgery. Dad was awesome as he always is. I love my dad!
We had a park day with the yummy chocolate caramel shortbread Ha that was my last blog.

This weekend we went to the pumpkin patch and picked out our winners and carved them. Dakota had a blast playing with the pumpkin insides. She really wanted a white pumpkin while we were there and then when we got home she wanted to give it to her friend, always a giver that one.





Things have been good. I am going to try to get back on to blogging more often I missed it.

friday picnic, saturday birthday party, sunday mellow

I love my life. I really do even when I feel like I am about to lose it I can still dig deep and remember that I love my life, it may not help my immediate mood but still.
We started the weekend with our friday picnic at arroyo verde and it was a beautiful day. I made the chocolate caramel slice
and it was yummy, there are a couple things I want to tweak about it, like milk chocolate instead of dark and then the crust I want to be more like shortbread.


The crust to me was a little to crumbly, that didn't stop me from gobbling it down.

Andi and Mia, and Jenn, Kai and Dax met us there and everyone had a good time. Dakota was having a blast not letting me take her picture and the camera

I have is on the slower side so I kept missing her.

On Saturday it was Noah's pirate beach party. It was a bit on the windy/chilly side but it was a lot of fun.
Amy did this awesome treasure hunt and dakota has been carrying around the map since we left yesterday looking for buried treasure in the house. Dakota has developed a real concern for seagulls ever since one took a snack cup away while we were at the track one day. The morning at the track we had walked away from our stuff and not covered our snacks and in came the birds and when we came running back the silly bird took off with the whole cup so now dakota gets really concerned about seagulls and as you can imagine a birthday party at the beach is sure to attract some flying visitors and then really through her off poor little love bug.
So then today we had a nice mellow day at home watching football. Not dakota's favorite thing but I thought we needed a mellow find things to do around the house kind of a day.
Last wednesday we did our usual to the parents and it was my turn to cook, which means no wednesday night cooking for two weeks yay. I made these stuffed peppers with black beans and cornmeal and cheese, quite tasty and then a healthy salad. We lost dakota and this monster kept wanting to come to dinner instead

Goofy girl. But we had a nice time as always. My parents got some new chairs for the back yard they looked comfy but these two guys didn't seem to want to let anyone else try them out...

And to add to the fun dakota found papa'a mallet, good times.....