Newlyweds + Riley came for a visit

One of my really good friends, Erin, and her husband of a few months, Michael, and brother in law, Riley, came into town for some Dodgers games. They were such good sports and stayed with us! It was a great weekend, Lynden was off her sleeping schedule from who knows what (I thought it was teeth, but they still haven't cut through even though the pediatrician said they are right there) and Joe was getting breathing treatments religiously for his asthma. I'm sure it was a really enjoyable vacation for these 3! They were not here long enough!

I love Erin and feel so privileged that she actually wanted to stay at our place while they came into town! She is such a cute little wife and Michael is so sweet! I'm glad we got to have them stay!

The close of our spring break

I had such a fun spring break and the crazy thing is that my child is only in preschool 2 days a week, but we partied the week up! Tuesday was playing with Taylor, pedicures and dinner, Wednesday the St Patrick's Day party and playing with Taylor, Thursday was hanging out with Jenna and Tamara, girls dinner at Paradise Bakery for 10 minutes before rushing to a church basketball game, and Friday was swimming with these cuties. Joe was a little stressed about the swimming part so I will be signing him up for a refresher course pronto. We had a fun break and enjoyed just doing whatever came up. I feel so lucky to be able to stay at home with my kids and do fun stuff with them.

Tamara & Jenna were in town

My beautiful cousins Tamara and Jenna took a girls trip to Scottsdale at the end of our spring break. Tamara is my cousin (right) and Jenna is her daughter (left). Jenna and I are only 9 months apart so it was fun to get to see her!

Lynden took right to Jenna and pretty much stayed with her for the whole day. Jenna reminded me of my sister and if people said Lynden was cute Jenna would say thanks and wanted to claim her :) Chelsea pretends my kids are hers when we go places together.

Already for some fun in the sun for the first time!

Joe wanted to jump in with some help and looks like the kid has got the pencil jump form down perfectly! Jen probably didn't plan on getting soaking wet in her cover up and I bet she didn't plan on watching 2 kids for 5 hours while I talked with her and her mom! Lynden had fun for about 25 minutes and then crashed

And stayed asleep while we talked...

Took pictures....

Talked some more

And while Jen bribed Joe with cookies for pictures. It was such a fun afternoon and they stayed at a really nice resort. Joe loved the beach pool, the hot tub, and the park. We went and got some food with them afterwards and had such a fun day. It was so nice to see them! I haven't seen them in forever and it was great to catch up! Love you guys!

Lynden's 5 months

Happy 5 month sweet girl! This picture describes perfectly what you are into right now...your toes. You enjoy tummy time, your big brother, and are so incredibly sweet! We love having you in our home and you are so easy to please. You roll over from tummy to back and back to tummy, but are completely content being held facing outwards so you can look around. Big brothers toys are your favorite and pretty much anything he does makes you smile or laugh. xoxo

Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day!!! St Patrick's Day was during Joe's spring break and that whole week was soooo much fun! We did multiple things every day, which is very unlike me. Nichole had a bunch of us over for lunch and we brought the sugar cookies to decorate. Here are my little cuties decked out in their green!

Joe and Jacey...Joe was ecstatic about this awesome 4 wheeler

That is why he is still smiling while he is driving and barely paying attention. He ran into the wall a couple of times, but was so excited to tell his dad what was at the party. We only see these fun things in Chicago.

Here are all the cute kids in their green

Love my babies

Here are our cookies. I made L-U-C-K-Y and 2 four leaf clovers and leprechaun hats for each kid. Delicious!

Joe by himself, not very social

Kylie and Madison...

Decided to join Joe and he was one happy camper and since they blocked him in, he didn't dare try moving

The mommies...Thanks to Joe for taking this pic

Awesome backyard! We had a blast! Thanks Nichole! Joe told Steve he was so glad that daddy decided to wear green to work so he didn't get pinched! I wonder if they still pinch once you actually work in the real world :)

I needed a night out!

Pedicures!! My sweet husband watched the kids so I could enjoy a girls night out. Chantelle, Nichole and I got pedicures and then went and made Jamie come with us to get dinner at Red Robin

 Don't know what I'm doing with my arm, but Chantelle was closing her eyes in the other picture so this one will have to do. I had such a fun time! Lots of laughs, way too much eating for me, and for some reason when we go out to eat we always get the crankiest waitors/waitresses. Hilarious end to the night, I left my car seats at Jamie's house so that we could all go in one car and when we were dropping her off, the front door was locked and she didn't have her keys. It looked like her husband was already asleep and she had this great idea to open the garage from the clicker inside her new car. Well she set the alarm off at 10 in this quiet neighborhood. She was shocked and all of the sudden we see all these lights come on from their house. She was worried Dan was going to run out in his jammies with a gun. I'm dying laughing on the ground as she is frantically running around trying to remember the code to turn off the alarm. Highlight of the night! Dan happened to be awake doing some chores she left him :) and was relieved no one was breaking into their car. Thanks ladies for the fun night out!

Dinner with friends

My friend, Nichole, called us on a Friday asking what we were doing for dinner and brought us Pei Wei. We loved the company! Thanks so much for the fun night! Here our Kylie and Joe enjoying some ice cream

Hilarious lines from Joe lately
He is playing with Taylor and Parker in his room (Jamie and I think/hope they are playing nicely) Joe comes out in his boxers and plastic fireman hat and says, "Mom, I am having SO much fun playing with MY boys!"

We are getting ready to walk around our complex (me, Joe, Nichole, Jacey, and Kylie) and Joe says, "Mom, can you please get my lady a jacket (Kylie)? I think she is going to be cold.

I wish I was more on top of things to write down more stuff, but this will have to do!

Easton's 3rd Birthday

Joe was soooo excited when he found out Easton was having a fire truck party just like he did, and then even better the fire engine actually came for a visit! It was so cute because Steve doesn't get to go on the field trips or most of the things I do with Joe anyways because of work and he was enjoying it as much as Joe was. He was following him around the fire truck with the camera and was taking tons of pictures. I loved it! Wish he could do more of that "boy" stuff with us!

Here is the birthday group with the firemen

Me, Joe and Lynden who is not interested in the camera as much as she is the excited kids running around the truck

Love my sweet girl who refused to take a nap, this girl does not like to miss a party!

Pinata time!

Go Joe! I was so proud of him, it's not like him to participate in group things!

I was even more PROUD that he went into the crazy picking up candy circle without me and Steve holding his hand and helping him. Easton's dad, Kevin, is Steve's boss and it was crazy because I met his father in law, Tony when I got there. Steve and I started talking to him and he was asking where we were from, where we started out with Marriott, etc and when I said Southern California, he said he was from Sunland, Tujunga area. Well so is my dad so I mentioned his name and Tony went to high school with my Uncle John and Uncle Tim. My dad had heard his name during the football games, but he was older than him so he didn't really know him. Such a small world!

Wonderful family day

We don't get very much family time during the week, if any, so by the weekend we are loving Saturdays with our kids. Joe and dad love playing soccer at this super nice park we have by where we live. There is a huge bowl of grass and Steve stands at the bottom so that the ball will roll back down to him even if Joe doesn't kick it far :)

The little athlete in motion, and miss easy baby taking a nap

Joe really enjoys climbing the wall and rock wall by himself, but demands that we be there just in case he slips

Here is our new thing. Joe has always been sweet to Lynden, but doesn't like to hold her...Well now he does, on the slide!!! He is super careful with her and loves taking her down. Yes, I woke her up from her nap so that he could hold her.

Then afterward he wanted all of us to go down the BIG slide! Fun day at the park with my sweet family! I'm loving having a boy and a girl. They are so sweet and patient with me as a mom.

Joe is riding his bike! He is still a little nervous because it is bigger and takes more work than his little trike, but he can do it. He just has to remember to look up while pedaling so he doesn't steer himself off the road! I'm so proud!

Miss the Krommenhoek's

I decided everybody needs a friend like Jamie Krommenhoek. I visit taught her in San Francisco and now we have gone our separate ways---Arizona---Texas and who knows where else we will go, but for now we are on opposite sides of the country :) Jamie has been so sweet to me. She has tried some of my new recipes and has said they were delicious when they probably weren't, was the first one to watch my baby Joe while I enjoyed a date with my husband and let Joe completely rule the house, went on numerous walks with me and let me do all the talking, made me fabulous cd's that my brothers have since stolen (sorry), and was the last one I said goodbye to in San Francisco. Now that we have both become a little bit busier, I barely get a chance to talk to her, BUT she did have Joe's Elvis costume from his 1st Halloween that she borrowed for Caleb. (Joe is 3 and has since had 2 Halloween's :) and I was figuring Jamie would just keep it and told her to. In the mail probably a couple months ago, since I'm so on top of things, here came this package from Jamie. Not only was there his costume, there was an adorable dress for Lynden, treats for Joe, and a sweet note. I love friends like Jamie because they are the most genuine kind. She doesn't have to be my best friend, we don't have to talk on the phone once a month, or in our case 3 times a year, and we don't have to live even remotely close to each other. She is just a genuine, kind, did I mention beautiful (model type) person and I'm so grateful for the genuine friends I have come across during the different adventures Steve and I have been on. Thanks Jamie!

Reunion with the Osness family!

Sarah and Joe reunited!

Lynden enjoyed meeting Sarah, Hillary, Roger and William

Hillary and me, I love this girl! She took me right in in San Francisco and our kids just got along great and I miss her tons! I was so glad that she called to let us know she was in town for the weekend and was thrilled that she had the time to see us. We got to have dinner together and catch up a little. It made me a little homesick for the city, but I'm glad I have a washer and dryer now :)

Joe, Sarah, William and Lynden (and Steve trying to get all the kids to look and smile, A for effort!) Crazy that we moved from San Francisco when will was only a week and a half old!We will have to meet up again soon! Thanks for being such good friends!