Having the time of our lives

Sophie's 4th Birthday - A little Valentine

2012-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Sophie has the honor of being a February baby (she was close to being born on Valentine's). This year she had her first birthday party with friends. We themed it "A little Valentine".

The invite:

Created by Me

The Birthday girl:

Also created by Me

The Decor:

Inspired by Pinterest (with a little help from Etsy)

The food:

The Cake and Face Painting:

Courtesy of Baskin Robbins and Grammy

We had so much fun creating this birthday party and Sophie enjoyed it with all her girl friends (no boys were allowed, even Ray disappeared for a couple of hours).
I'm already thinking of a theme for Livie's 6th birthday party.

What I'm Loving Wednesday...

2012-02-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

Finally! I'm back in the blogging world. It's been a while and I've missed it. I decided to jump back in with sharing what I love this Wednesday. P.S - I'm writing this post while sitting in my Masters class on 21st Century Learners. It's not the instructor. He is quite engaging. I just know if I don't do something I'm not going to make it until 7. So here it is: What I'm loving this Wednesday

I'm loving Valentine's Day. Sophie's 4 birthday falls around Valentine's day and this year we are having a Valentine's day themed party. I promised the hubby I would do it for a 100 dollars or less. More on that later.

I'm loving my sweet Sophie. On Friday we found out that she was severely allergic to tree nuts. We've had a fun weekend of label reading, epi pens, and lots of shots. She was a trooper. They poked her back over 20 times. All I could do was hold her tight while she wailed into my chest.

I'm loving the Utah Jazz. Yeah baby. So happy they haven't been the epic fail everyone predicted...so far. We usually go to at least 3 games a season. We've been spoiled with box seats and lower, lower bowl seats. Haven't made it yet but can't wait.

I'm loving my So Cal Ragnar team. The day is etching closer and closer. I can't wait. We are in the process of choosing a name. Here are our top 3:
- Run like a mother
- CHX doing TRX
- I still hate running.
What's your vote?

I'm loving the Hunger Games. The count down is on. 50 days to go. My favorite book was part 2. I'm a sucker for the love story and I thought book 2 told it best.

As always I'm loving my adorably sweet family.

My ballerinas...

2011-12-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

I may be biased (just a little) but I do believe I have the most beautiful ballerinas. Here are Liv and Sophie at their Christmas recital.

Last year when Sophie made it to the big stage she cried through the entire performance. Not tonight. She performed like the "ham" we know she is. Liv also did a wonderful job. This was her first dance recital. It's been so much fun watching her grow into a dancer.

Here are the girls with the family. We are so fortunate to have them so close. We appreciate all their love and support.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from our family to yours.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Day 4

Today I am thankful for Ray (the hubby). This morning we got into an argument. It was trivial, pointless, and a waste of our time as are many of our arguments. Ray and I are both stubborn people, neither of us like to consent. Ray is a snake (Chinese Zodiac sign) and his sign clearly states avoid the boar. While guess who is a boar? Yours truly. Lucky for me Ray's stubborn nature swayed his favor of the "boar". During our argument I of course stated all the things he does wrong and all the things that annoy me about him. I know, not the best wife. Then after things had cooled and I realized I was being completely irrational, I started to list all the things I appreciate and love about him. And as always the good out weighs the bad. Ray being the compassionate husband he is, forgave me for my outburst and nuttiness. We are still happily married and I am thankful to have him as my eternal companion.

Just a few things from my list -

When the girls were babies and in that not sleeping through the night stage - Ray was always the first to get out of bed and snuggle them. He rarely woke me unless they needed to feed. How lucky am I.

Ray is the cook in the family. I seldom cook.

Ray works 60-70 hour weeks. He never complains. He's never to tired to get up in the middle of the night if one of the girls need something. He's never to tired to give a bath, brush teeth, make a lunch or do some laundry. (FYI - I am not a horrible homemaker just a very busy teacher and student)

Ray loves his girls. All of us. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful man in our lives. I am thankful I get to call him mine.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Day 3 -
Today I'm giving thanks for Pinterest. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius. I once read a pin that went something like this (not an exact quote) - "Thank you pinterest for making me feel so crafty when all I've done is sit in front of my computer." Ha - how true are these words.

Pinterest definitely inspires me but will I ever become the crafty, baker, designer, person my boards elude to. Probably not but a girl can dream.

Here are some of my favorite pins this week...

So true. Why talk to a therapist. I have great conversations in my head while I'm running

Loving these Christmas ideas...

From my Sweeth Tooth board. Don't they look delish...

Someday I'll will do a DIY project.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

Day 2 -
True to my word I'm posting another day of gratitude. My family and I have been at the hospital all night visiting Tai Po (Chinese for great-grandmother). Things don't look good and we wanted to say our goodbyes. My sweet girls who are 3 and 5 held Tai Po's hand and told her - I love you. I'm not quite sure how to explain what's happening. Any suggestions on how that conversation should go?

So this evening I am grateful for family. I am grateful for my strong and beautiful mother in-law and my cranky but very lovable father in-law.

I am thankful for all Ray's uncles, aunts, and cousins who have become my family too. I believe there is strength in numbers and I am grateful they have each other. I am grateful that my girls are surrounded by family who love and care for them. I am thankful to be a part of this family!

Giving Thanks - 10 Days of Gratitude

2011-11-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

I've decided to be grateful and give thanks. I've been on a "woe is me" streak lately and I need an attitude adjustment. There are 10 days until Thanksgiving and each day I am going to post something or "somethings" I am grateful for.

Day 1 -
Today I am grateful for my body. I was at the gym this evening and I got to thinking my body is not perfect, far from it. But I love it. I love all my imperfections. I love that I'm striving for more but if I never get there I'm happy with me, now. I'm grateful that I have legs that can run and knees that will get me through a half marathon, if nothing more.

I am happy with my arms, my favorite part of my body. I love strength training and light weight lifting and I don't feel boyish doing it. I'm strong and I am thankful for that. I am even thankful for my stretch marks. I have them all over my tummy. They are a daily reminder that I created life.

My body is healthy and strong and I couldn't ask for more. I am thankful for each workout and that it reminds me how far I've come in my life.

I found this on Pinterest tonight and it inspired me and this post...

Giving thanks for all the big and little things in my life!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-11-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Awww...is it Wednesday? I've lost track of time and the days are starting to run together. I've got no time for blogging. My life is in complete and utter chaos. I'm losing my grip on reality. This week I entertained the idea of moving to another grade. I teach kindergarten and I am just so fed up with the lack of time and resources available. Now it is true I'm coming off parent-teacher conference week (45 conferences for me) and this rant is the result of exhaustion. Did I also mention I am working on my Masters in Education and a math endorsement. I have two beautiful daughters, 5 and 3, who also demand a lot of my time. We have a new home (a lot of it still in boxes) and a wonderfully supportive husband, who just happens to work 60-70 hour weeks. I do believe I bit off more than I could chew this year. I'm counting down the days til summer vacation, only about 120 more to go:)

Anyhow I've decided to link up with This Kind of Love to share what I'm loving this Wednesday (because I can find the good in my crazy mixed-up life).

I'm loving my new home. It may still be in boxes but it's mine and only a 5 minute drive to Olivia's school and a 10 minute drive to work. No freeway time required!

I'm loving this very sweet and dear woman. She is affectionately known in our family as Tai Po (great-grand mother in Chinese). She had a stroke on Sunday and has been in and out of conscience since then. She is in our prayers.

I'm loving Christmas. I've been spending way to much time on Pinterest but I've come up with some great gift ideas.

DIY pajama bottoms...I'm going to attempt to do this for the family. Wish me luck!

I'm loving that the premiere for Breaking Dawn is a week away. Judge me if you want but we've got our tickets bought and can't wait.

I'm loving some of my new pins...

As always I'm loving my sweet sweet family.

Halloween Cupcakes with Oreo goodness

2011-10-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

We've officially moved in. I'm loving everything about our new home. Especially our new kitchen. If you know me you know I'm not the cooking type. However, I've decided to make an effort to become a better homemaker. I started today with Halloween cupcakes topped with Oreo goodness. We made them for our annual pumpkin carving party.

I started with a basic chocolate cake mix. I used Pillsbury. I made the cake mix according to the directions on the box.

After filling the cupcake tins 3/4 full Olivia and I crushed Halloween oreo's into each cupcake.

This was Olivia's favorite part. She sneaked a few oreo's.

Then bake. This was our end result. These cupcakes were yummy and had an Oreo filling. The kiddies loved them. They were begging for seconds.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-10-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Life has been so busy! I took a mini break from blogging but I'm back now. And I want to share what I'm Loving this Wednesday.

I'm loving Fall. It's my favorite season. I love all the colors, smells, and yummy pumpkin treats.

I'm loving our new home. We closed on Monday and we move in on Saturday. I can't wait to break out the boxes from storage and decorate.

I'm loving this new table we found from ikea. The top of the table has 4 squares where you can put pictures or books in. We splurged on it for the new home.

I'm loving this 4 minute workout. Do you think it's possible? I'm going to try!

I'm loving Pinterest! I'm becoming obsessed and spending way to much time on this. Here are some of my new pins...

I'm loving that Olivia wants to read to me every night. She's learning so much in kindergarten and I'm so proud of her.

I'm loving that graduation has been set for May 8th. In just a few months I will have a Master's degree in Education. Now if I can just last!

As always I'm loving my beautifully adorable family!

10 Day You Challenge - 1 Photo

2011-09-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

And finally here it is...the last of the 10 Day You Challenge. A photo of me and my beautiful girls.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-09-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks but I'm linking up with This Kind of Love to share what I'm loving this Wednesday...

I'm loving our almost new home. If all goes well we will be closing the first week in October. This house is perfect for our family. Everything has been remolded. I don't have to do a single thing...it's a wonderful feeling.

I love the fireplace.

My most favorite part of the house, the kitchen. I might actually learn to cook with a kitchen like this.

This is the master bedroom. The first floor has a master bedroom, two bathrooms, and a den.

This is the bathroom in the basement. It's huge.

The basement has three bedrooms and 1 bathroom. This is the biggest room. The girls will most likely share it and the small room will be used for their playroom. The third room will be a guest room.

Our previous home did not have a laundry room. I am quite excited for this little addition.

It has a deck. A beautiful deck made from Trex (a recycled material).

I'm loving the new song from Math Nathanson - Faster

I'm loving this picture my brother found of Livie. He took it with his camera phone when she was two.

I'm loving these running shoes. I will need a new pair for the So Cal Ragnar in April. A team of us will run from Huntington Beach to San Diego...excited!

I'm loving some of my new pins...notice they are all sweets.

As always I'm loving my adorable family.

10 Day You Challenge - 2 Songs

2011-09-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

This one was hard for me. I couldn't think of two songs that I totally completely loved. Music is very important to me, it's one of my nine loves. I can't survive without it. I wouldn't say I really have a type either. I love it all. So I decided to choose two of my new favorite songs.

1. Adele - Someone like you. If you haven't heard this song, where have you been? It's amazing. She is amazing. My little girls love it too.

2. Matt Nathanson - Faster. I'm addicted to this song. Love it!

Next up a picture of me.

10 Day You Challenge - 3 Movies

2011-09-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

I'm almost there. Here they are, my 3 Movies.

1. Dances With Wolves - Laugh if you must but this is my all time favorite movie. I'm a sucker for love stories and this one just does it for me.

2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Who doesn't love this one? A classic must see for every generation.

3. Lion King - This is my favorite Disney movie. I'm thrilled it's coming back to the theaters. The girls and I are planning to see it.

This is a strange mix of movies but they are some of my favorites. I'm not sure what this says about me :)

Up next 2 songs - This one is going to be difficult.

10 Day You Challenge - 4 Books

2011-09-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here are my all time favorite books:

1. To Kill A Mockingbird - my favorite classic

2. The Hunger Games series - I am in love with this series. I could read it over and over again. Book 2 is my favorite. I am counting down the days til the premiere of the movie.

3. Redeeming Love - I have read this book 5 times. I can't get enough of it. It is the ultimate love story. It also teaches about forgiveness and the love of God.

4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - A new favorite and must read.

Almost done. Next up 3 movies. This one will be tough.

1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-09-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

The day has finally arrived. Today was Olivia's first official day of kindergarten. She did great and I did ok. The tears didn't start falling until I was back in the car after walking her to class. She was so excited after school to share all the wonderful things she did and learned. Her teacher gave each of the students a stuffed bear. Their homework was to name their bear and fill out an information sheet about it. The bear will be kept at school and used for quiet times (she's in an all day K) and story time. Olivia named her bear Cupcake. She's already loving school and can't wait to go back tomorrow.

10 Day You Challenge - 5 Foods

2011-09-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

I will eventually get through this. Anyhow, here are my 5 Foods.

1 - Anything Mexican. It's what I was raised on. It's my comfort food and it reminds me of home. My favorite memory is of grandma making fresh tortillas every Sunday morning. Delicious!

2. French Fries - I'm a serious french fry junkie. My favorite are sweet potato fries but really I'll eat any kind. I try to limit myself because obviously I don't want to be 500 pounds. I would love for someone to invent a "diet" french fry with no calories or fat. A girl can dream.

3. Protein Shakes - I guess this could fall into the category of drinks but it's the staple of my diet, so it's going to be a food for the purposes of this post. I have at least one protein shake a day usually after a workout. Most of the time I just add water but if I need the extra calories or I drink it for breakfast I add milk. It's a required taste and took me a while to get there but now I can't live without it.

4. Ice Cream - Another serious addiction. My favorite flavor can be found at our local BYU creamery, it's Graham Canyon. I once waited in line for 1/2 hour just to get a graham canyon shake. It was worth every bite. I'm also a fan of Cold Stone. Side note - Cold Stone's World Largest Ice cream Social is September 27th from 5-8. You can receive a free "sprinkled with wishes" creation.

5. Subway - Let's just say I have a Subway card and I frequently receive free sandwiches.

Next up 4 Books.

10 Day You Challenge - 6 places

2011-09-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

This is a mix of places I've been and want to go.

1. Sea World - corny I know but I love this place more than Disney Land. The girls also love this place so it makes it extra special for us.

2. California - There are so many reasons I love this place. It's home. It's where I grew up. It has everything including the beach.

3. Home - We are in the process of buying a new home and I can't wait. I am so excited to have a new place for our live family to live and call home again.

a few snapshots of our new home (hopefully)

4. Hong Kong - This is where Ray was born and raised. When the girls are a little older we want to take a family vacation. I can't wait to share in all the culture this place will offer.

5. Italy - I've never been but this is a place I would love to visit someday. Ray went on an all expenses paid vacation to Italy through work. Sophie was about 3 months old and I didn't feel comfortable leaving her for 2 weeks. Nor did I want to tote her all over Italy. Ray took his dad instead. They had a wonderful time and Ray promised he would take me back one day.

6. New York - I can't wait to visit this place. The hubby and I are planning a trip. It might be put on hold though if we buy a new house.

10 Day You Challenge - 7 Wants

2011-09-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be consecutive here are my 7 wants:

1. I want my girls to grow up confident and strong.

2. I want to control my bad eating habits. When I'm full I need to stop eating.

3. I want to become a better mother, one with more patience and love. I teach other people's children all day and I feel like they suck all my patience away. I don't have much more to give when I get home.

4. I want to not worry about money. I'm sure this is a want that most people have. We have been so completely blessed in our young age when it comes to money but as the saying goes: the more money you make the more money you spend. I think this will always be a concern or worry. It feels like you can never truly have enough tucked away for emergencies.

5. I want to grow old with Ray. I want to still be in as much or more in love with him in 20 years than I am now.

6. I want to write more. I used to be pretty good at this but a busy life doesn't afford much time for writing.

7. I want to travel more. I want to visit places with rich culture and share that culture with the girls.

Up next is 6 places.

10 Day You Challenge - 8 Fears

2011-09-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Fears, I have a lot of them. These are just a few.

1. Spiders. I am deathly afraid of spiders. It doesn't matter if they are big or small I'm scared of them.

2. Roller Coasters. I can handle the ones that swirl around or loop but I'm scared of large drops. Ray always tells me it's a waste of money to take me to amusement parks. Hopefully the girls will join him in thrill seeking when they are older.

3. I fear that I am projecting my insecurities and self conscience tendencies onto my girls. I don't want them to ever feel less beautiful, smart, funny, etc than they are.

4. I am afraid of losing Ray or one of the girls. It's to the point where I obsess over it and dream up scenarios of how I would deal. I don't know if I'm strong enough to endure a loss like that.

5. I fear I'm not the mother I should be or could be.

6. I have a fear of being in an airplane crash. I say a silent prayer every time I board a plane and a prayer of thanks every time I land safely. I know the odds are against me but I could be that one in a million and it frightens me.

7. I am afraid of becoming too worldly. It's so easy to become caught up in the things of the world and forget what's truly important. I want my girls to know that the most important things are our faith and our family.

8. I am afraid of losing my faith, of losing something I've worked so hard to build.

These are my top eight fears and if I thought about it more I could probably come up with many more but I think this will do. Up next is my 7 Wants. I'm going to try and make the rest of them consecutive. Here's hoping!

10 Day You Challenge - 9 Loves

2011-08-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

UGH...This won't be consecutive, obviously! But here they are my 9 loves...

1. I love being pregnant! I mean I really love it. One of my main reasons for wanting another baby is so I can be pregnant again. It makes me sad to think I might never be. I love everything about it, mostly:)

2. I love ice cream! I have a serious addiction. I could literally eat a pint of phish food in one sitting.

3. I love the gym (refer to #2). Working full time leaves little time for the gym and that depresses me. I love the feeling of being sore after a workout because it means I accomplished something.

4. I love music. I can't survive the day without it. Music is the one thing that can motivate me to do just about anything. My favorite thing about running is listening to music and creating playlists to run to. I love all types of music too.

5. I love reading. This one is a new one for me. I went years between reading books. I joined book clubs to socialize and meet new people and discovered how much I really love reading. Now I'm a reading machine.

6. I love learning. I never want to stop. I'm working on my Master's in Education right now and for the most part I've enjoyed it. I love learning new ways of teaching and increasing my knowledge.

7. I love being LDS. It's not always easy but I know it will have it's eternal rewards. I love teaching my girls about the church and watching them form their own testimonies about Christ.

8. I love my girls. I love that I (along with Ray) created them and that I get to raise them and teach them. I love that they belong to me.

9. I love Ray. I love that he is my eternal companion and that we will be together forever.

Stay tuned for my 8 fears. That's going to be hard because I have so many of them.

10 Day You Challenge - 10 Secrets

2011-08-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to do this for a couple of weeks now but I had trouble coming up with 10 secrets. Or better yet 10 secrets I wanted to share with everyone. I'm linking up with How Sweet It Is to share.

Here goes:

1. I own and actually watch all six seasons of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. I love this show and never get sick of it. It's ridiculous I know. I don't watch much t.v. I have no time for it but this show has always been my favorite. So that's an embarrassing secret.

2. I'm self conscience about everything, my appearance, my weight, how I interact with people. I've been like this my whole life. I feel like it's getting worse rather than better. As I get older I find more things to be self conscience about.

3. I'm socially awkward. I'm pretty outgoing and friendly once you get to know me but you have to be the one to talk to me first. I don't approach people I don't know because I'm self conscience (refer to #2) about saying something stupid or looking dumb.

4. I've had plastic surgery (I won't say where though). If you know me this isn't really a secret but it's not something I'm comfortable putting out in the blogging world. It was probably 60% medically necessary and 40% cosmetic. It 100% improved my self confidence though.

5. I don't like running as much as other people think I do. I do it because I have friends who love it. I love the Ragnars and races but it's only because I'm running with friends. I have to force myself to train for a race.

6. I work because I could never be a stay at home mom. I wish I could but knowing myself, my weaknesses, and my flaws it would be a disaster. I admire those women who can do it and long to be more like them.

7. I'm high maintenance. Not in the way that it takes me hours to get ready or I wear lots of make-up or I have to have the best clothes and shoes. I just take a lot of work. I can be irrational and overly emotional most of the time. I am so thankful I have a husband who is willing to deal with me, a husband who loves me and supports me. It scares me to think where I would be without him.

8. I can't say no. It's why my life is as hectic and busy as it is now. If you ask me to do something, join something, buy something chances are I will say yes. I stretch myself way to thin. I'm working on this because it not only affects me but my family too.

9. I tell people I'm done having kids but secretly I want to have another baby. I'm afraid of having three kids though. I feel so overwhelmed with just two that adding another one scares the life out of me.

10. I have to do my husbands hair when we go out together or with friends. I don't care what he does with it when he goes to work but I want it to look just right when we're out. I am so lucky he indulges me.

So here they are 10 secrets about me. Most of these were very personal and hard for me to write but I'm glad I have this outlet to share. Stay tuned for my 9 loves. I'm excited for this one.

What I'm Loving Wednesday...

2011-08-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday! I'm celebrating by linking up with This Kinda of Love.

Here's what I'm loving this Wednesday...

I'm loving my very sweet and adorable three year old, Sophie. This morning she woke up at 6:00 am, pulled a dress out of her closet and asked me to put it on. Then she climbed back into bed to watch cartoons. She's a dress girl, loves them. She always has to be wearing one. Sophie also asked me this morning, where I was going. I told her I was leaving to go teach the kids. She told me "you don't teach, you're a mom." It melted my heart and made me a little teary eyed. I love being a mom but I also love being a teacher. It's sometimes hard to balance both but we get through it.

I'm loving Jillian Michaels. I'm teaching full time this year and that means less time for the gym. I'm determined to not gain 10 pounds so Jillian and I are going to become best friends. I started her workout DVD ... Ripped in 30. I feel a little foolish but whatever gets the job done...right.

I'm loving my Kashi Go Lean Crunch. It's back at Costco. I eat it every morning with a handful of blueberries and skim milk. It's the perfect breakfast.

I'm loving Nicholas Sparks (I know cheesy but I love romantic novels). I can't wait for his next book, The Best of Me. Yes it has the same plot as all of his other books but who cares. I'll enjoy it.

I'm loving pinterest. I finally joined. Here are some of my pins...

As always I'm loving my beautiful family.

Day 48 and Strawberry Lemonade Cake

2011-08-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today is Grammy's birthday. We celebrated with a picnic in the park and strawberry lemonade birthday cake. I found the recipe here. It was pretty delicious. I used fresh lemons instead of bottled lemon juice. Olivia cracked the eggs and Sophie added the strawberry gelatin. It was a team effort. Here is Grammy enjoying her cake.

We are so grateful to have Grammy in our lives. She is so wonderful and willing to help out anytime with the girls. Sophie actually begged to go home with Grammy and Grampy tonight. So we are without one child. We love you Grammy. Happy Birthday!

And just because I couldn't help taking pictures in the park...

They're so serious!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-08-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday. Yeah! Halfway through the week. I'm linking up with this kind of love to celebrate.

I'm loving that my classroom is all mine this year. I've had to share a classroom for the past five years with different teachers. Now that I'm full time I get my very own classroom (one benefit of being full time). I will be posting pics of the finished product!

I'm loving these boots. I'm so excited for Fall and for an excuse to buy new boots.

I'm loving these cute teacher appreciation ideas. Olivia's kindergarten teacher is going to be so spoiled.

I'm loving house hunting (sort of). The hubby and I are on the look out for the perfect 2nd home. We hope to be in our new home before Christmas. It would be fabulous to celebrate the holidays in a new house.

I'm loving my kindergarten teammates. They are a source of strength for me during this busy and stressful time. We love to buy matching shirts. We buy new ones every summer and where them the first day of school.

I'm loving that summer is almost over (strange I know) because it means Fall is on the way. My favorite time of year.

As always I'm loving my goofy but adorable family.

Day 43...School Shopping

2011-08-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

School shopping complete. Oh the joys of uniforms.

Olivia starts school on September 6th. I am anxiously awaiting the day and Olivia is thrilled. She can't wait to start at the "big" girl school. I am excited for all the new things she is going to learn. She is so bright and "ready" for kindergarten. As you may or may not know I am a kindergarten teacher. I foolishly considered teaching her but I quickly got over that idea. I want her to have a positive experience in her first year of school. I want her to gain independence and not be able to depend on me during the school day. I decided it was in her best interest and mine to not be her teacher or to have her go to the school I teach in. She is well known throughout the school. I've been teaching there since she was 8 weeks old. The teachers and staff have watched her grow up over the years. They like me cannot believe it's time already to send her off to school. I'm not an overly emotional mother but I predict I will cry many tears. I will be posting pictures of her first day with these super cute signs I found here.

Of course Olivia's will say kindergarten!

Day 41 and a Spiritual Thought

2011-08-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today's Lesson - Service

TRUE SERVICE IS FREE OF ALL SELFISHNESS AND FOSTERS CHRIST-LIKE LOVE.

President Thomas S. Monson repeats what the Savior said—that in order to find purpose in life, lose yourself in the service of others.

Hand-in-Hand on the way to church.

Day 39

2011-08-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

We've discovered Instagram!

Failing!

2011-08-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm failing. I had such good intentions but that will only get you so far. My 365 Project may need to be put on hold as new events have unfolded in my life. I'm a kindergarten teacher. I love my profession. However, it has it's challenges. I have always taught half time, one session, 20-24 students. This week I was asked by my principal to teach full time, two sessions, 40-45 students. Let me also say, school starts in less than two weeks. I pondered and prayed, discussed with the Mr., and in the end accepted. This has caused me great stress and anxiety. This week I was a presenter at a Math Academy held in my district. I team taught with another kindergarten teacher. We taught 30 other kindergarten teachers in our district. Intimidating! I've done this once before. The presentation was only an hour though. This presentation was two days, almost 6 hours each. I spent my whole summer planning and preparing for this event. It was a success, I think. I hope. It's what I've been told. Anyhow, to add more to the pile, I completed and submitted my last paper this Sunday. I've also been working on my Master's this summer. The last paper was 17 pages long. This week has been so emotionally draining week. And it's only Wednesday. This school year is going to be difficult. I am teaching full time. I am also completing a math endorsement program. I have to take one class in the Fall and one class in the Spring for my Masters. Above all this, I have a family, two beautiful daughters and a wonderful and supportive husband. I believe Heavenly Father never gives you more than you can handle. I can do this. I can survive this year and in the end I'll be stronger. This was not a "woe is me" post because there are worse things in life. In comparison to many I am blessed, very blessed. I am thankful for those blessings. The point of this post was to say my little 365 project many not be a daily posting. I'm not going to give up though. I'm going to strive for excellence because it's who I am as a teacher and as a person. Brighter days ahead!

Day 33...another Saturday

2011-08-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

Another Saturday means another afternoon at the Farmer's Market. Olivia and Sophie keep passing by the booth that have these babies in crochet hats. When you pull the strings it collapses into a purse. Every Saturday they beg me for one and I'm starting to feel guilty. I might actually break down and buy them one.

Photo taken by Olivia Wing Yee Lo. She's getting good with the camera.

Day 32... These Boots were Made for Walking

2011-08-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

These are Olivia's pink boots. She lives in them these days. She wants to wear them with everything, from shorts to dresses. Olivia has become our little fashion bug. She's creating her own trends.

Photo taken by Olivia Wing Yee Lo

Day 31 and Sophie

2011-08-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

8 hours earlier this sweet face was unconscious. Sophie had to have two cavities filled today. The dentist tried laughing gas first but she wasn't having it. Plan B she had to be put under. This was a very scary experience for mom. Now I've been through this before with Olivia, twice. Once for ear tubes and then again to have cavities filled. However, Olivia was older. Sophie is only three and weighs a mere 27 pounds. She has allergies but were not sure to what yet. This frightens me but rotting teeth scare me more. So we forge on. They begin by giving her a shot to help her fall asleep. This is the part that makes me weep. I'm holding her in my arms and she looks at me with her big eyes, confused about what's going on. Then she looses control of her body and goes limp. Her eyes never close but she is asleep. It's the look of total loss that gets to me. I have to keep my composure because there are other families in the waiting room and I don't want them to see me cry like a baby. Then the doctor comes and takes her from my arms. I'm left waiting while they go to work. About an half hour later the dentist comes back. She did wonderful he tells me. I get to sit with her while she sleeps off the remainder of the drug. Her body looks so small in that big chair. The oxygen mask that has been placed over her nose looks like the snout of a piglet. This makes me giggle. Another half hour passes before she starts to stir. The nurse has taken a Popsicle and dragged it over her neck. This startles her and she opens her eyes. At this moment I realize she's still Sophie. This is when I sigh in relief. She's fine, just perfect, my itsy bitsy Sophie.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-08-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

My picks for this rainy Wednesday...

I'm loving Crazy Stupid Love. It was a fantastic movie. I can't wait to see it again.

I'm loving "The Good Deed Card". I'm going to use them with my little girls and maybe even in my classroom. They are a free download from here.

I'm loving Zulily. They have new deals everyday.

I'm loving the Moon Palace in Cancun. We've decided this is where we will be vacationing next summer. I'm already counting down the days.

I'm loving the Vintage Pearl. For Mother's Day I got a charm bracelet and I absolutely love it. Here are some of my other favorites.

And of course I'm loving my beautiful family!

Day 29

2011-08-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

Two dollar Tuesdays are back at Thanksgiving Point! First stop Museum of Ancient Life...

Day 28 and Spaghetti

2011-08-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a snob! A spaghetti snob that is. I absolutely refuse to eat spaghetti that has been made with sauce from a jar. The father-in-law makes this most fantastically tasting spaghetti with fresh tomatoes.

It's my most favorite thing to eat. I wish I could share but I asked him for the recipe and his response was, "I don't have one. I make it different every time." All I know is he squeezes the tomatoes and then adds the tomato skins to the sauce. He lets it simmer for about an hour.

The Mr. tells the father-in-law that he spoils me. We went to Olive Garden last week for a birthday celebration. I foolishly ordered a pasta dish with marinara sauce. I took a few bites and couldn't eat anymore. I felt like I was eating Ragu sauce. I picked off everyone's plate to fulfill my appetite. I've learned my lesson.

Day 26...Another Saturday

2011-07-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday and that means another trip to the Farmer's Market. The girls and I traveled to Salt Lake City with Grammy for the Farmer's Market today. It's a little bigger than ours and has more variety.

Grammy found boiled peanuts (a favorite in the south).
I found some tasty kettle corn.
The girls found balloon animals.
We also found these fantastic street tacos made with blue corn tortillas...delicious.

Happy Saturday!

Day 25 and the car

2011-07-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Bad news...the Mr's car got broken into today. Now let me tell you about his car. It is a piece (if you know what I mean). It is almost 20 years old, dented from front to back, and soon to be retried. I'm pretty sure I have shoes worth more than his car. The only reason he drives it is because it get 55 mpg and he drives anywhere between 100-150 miles a day. He's a little ticked because it happened during the day and in a parking lot. His radio and a file folder with the registration and tire information (confused as to why this would be valuable to anyone) were the only things stolen.

His and Her's cars

(Reason #3047 Why I Love My Husband...He is so not embarrassed to drive around in this car...me on the other hand...I duck down low whenever I'm in the passenger seat and that doesn't happen very often).

Day 24

2011-07-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is the first page of a 17 page paper I am writing for my Masters degree in education. This paper is all about me and my views and beliefs about education. I've procrastinated it long enough. I've finished every other paper and project. This is the last of the summer. Then freedom. That is until August 22nd, when it starts all over again.

Day 23

2011-07-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

More summer rain. The view from here...

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

2011-07-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

I'm loving this new link up. You can link up to it here.

I'm loving The Help. It was a great book and I can't wait to see the movie in August.

I'm loving Bounce Back to Lagoon. It's only going to cost me $10.00 plus tax for a day of fun with the girls.

I'm loving all this summer rain we've been getting.

I'm loving these new sunglasses I ordered today from my local optometrist.

I'm loving my new phone. The hubby got an I Phone. So I got his hand-me-down. It's a step up from my child worn blackberry.

And as always...I'm loving my beautiful family.

Happy Wednesday!

Day 22 and Eczema

2011-07-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

This is Sophie's arm. This is her eczema.

It is especially bad this summer. We've spent lots of time in the pool and sun. These things tend to irritate her condition. Last night she walked into my room with a bleeding arm. She had scratched it so bad that it began to bleed. I feel so bad for her. I wrapped her arm to prevent her from scratching but she just unwraps it. I called the doctor and she prescribed a steroid cream. It's worked in the past but it's never been this bad. Here's hoping.

Day 21 and Words of the Day

2011-07-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

I am teaching Olivia to read. This should be simple right? After all I am a kindergarten teacher. I teach other peoples kids to read every day. But oh no!. My daughter is especially stubborn. She must get it from her dad:)

These books can be found here. I use these books in my classroom for beginner readers. They are fantastic for building fluency and sound blending. They are skill based and progress through 8 levels. They are affordable too!

Day 20 and Ice Cream

2011-07-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Did you know July is National Ice Cream Month? To celebrate I made this delicious ice cream. It's a super easy recipe that anyone can follow. I did it and that's saying a lot if you know me...

I snagged the recipe from here. It is simple and sweet. I am going to try it again and again using different flavors. My favorite flavor of ice cream is Graham Canyon. It is made by the BYU Creamery here in Provo, Utah. It is delicious!

What's your favorite flavor?

Day 19 and Turning 60

2011-07-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

I failed! Obviously I skipped a day and did not post a picture. In my defense, we didn't make it home from Lagoon until 12:30 in the morning. I also did not take any pictures. I was leery of taking my expensive camera to a place where it could easily suffer damage. I'm not giving up though. I'm continuing on.

This is Yea-Yea (Chinese for grandfather). He is one of our favorite people. We are so blessed and fortunate to have him in our lives. On Tuesday he will be turning 60. We celebrated his birthday with family, friends, and a big ole BBQ. Our favorite things.

P.S. Did you know - The Chinese believe it's bad luck to celebrate a person's birthday after the actual date. This is why we celebrated this weekend instead of next.

Day 17

2011-07-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

Another snapshot with my computer...tomorrow I will be taking pictures with a real camera. We are going here tomorrow. The girls and I are so excited!

Day 16

2011-07-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

I'm cheating a little. I obviously didn't take this picture with my camera but I took it with the camera on my computer. It's a little trick I learned today. I don't know if this is possible on a PC but on a Mac - you hit apple/shift/4. Then an icon pops up. You drag the icon over what you want to take a picture of and then click it. It sends the picture to your desktop. So voila!

I am very excited to see this movie. If you haven't read the Hunger Games triology. Go now, buy it, borrow it, and read it. It is amazing! I'm counting down the days (I'm even a little more excited for the Hunger Games than Breaking Dawn).

What movie are you excited for?

Day 15

2011-07-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

A rainy summer afternoon...

Day 14 and the "crush"

2011-07-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Olivia and her crush James

Olivia has a crush. This is James. James was in my kindergarten class last year. His mom and I became good friends and now we spend our summer days playing together. Olivia fell head over heels for him one winter day. She had come to school with me for our holiday celebration. We were watching The Polar Express and enjoying hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. I'm not sure how it happened but Olivia found James and became attached. They sat watching the movie arms linked and they've been inseparable since. His mom and I are secretly planning their wedding (20 years from now). Here are a few more pics of the cute kids.

Day 13 and a Spiritual Thought

2011-07-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

Afternoon nap...

After church today Sophie went straight to her room to watch a movie. I went to sneak a peek at her and she was passed out on the floor. I love Sunday naps.

I taught a lesson on Eternal Marriage in relief society today. I'm so used to teaching 5 and 6 year olds that I get intimidated in front of adults. It went wonderfully or so I hope. All the ladies had such beautiful experiences to share and comments to contribute. I am thankful to have an eternal marriage. I am thankful for my knowledge of the Savior and for the joy I find in my eternal family.

If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently...It becomes special because you have made it so. - Elder F. Burton Howard

Day 12

2011-07-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday's are reserved for the Farmer's Market. The girls and I love to stroll through the park looking at all the crafts and smelling the delicious food. Today the Mr. was able to join us. The girls always love having daddy along for the ride. We stopped at the taco truck for lunch. They had the most wonderful burritos. It brought back childhood memories of home.

Day 11 and a photo shoot

2011-07-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

My favorite pic of the day....

Also known as "ham & cheese"

We had a lazy summer day...gym, shoe shopping, subway for lunch, laid around the house for a few hours, and then a picnic dinner with the neighbors. I've been so busy this summer with my masters program, conferences, swim lessons, etc. that I haven't had time to just enjoy my beautiful family. This afternoon these cute girls and I did a little photo shoot. Here are some of my favorites...

She's actually laughing in this one not just showing off her huge tonsils.

Day 10

2011-07-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home!
When I arrived home today from Vegas the girls were a splishin and splashin in the kiddie pool. I took the opportunity to snap a few shots. Oh, how I missed these sweet faces.

P.S. - What am I raising...a swim suit model.
And by the way I have gone 10 days straight posting a picture...this is a new high for me in the blogging world.

Day 9

2011-07-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Snickers and Mint Chip

One of the mother hens took this picture of me and my favorite treat, gellato at the Bellagio. I have learned, eaten (a lot), and relaxed. I am ready to go home and smother my babies with hugs and kisses.

Me and the mother hens:

I am obsessed with these umbrellas:

Day 8

2011-07-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Teacher Loot

This is what kindergarten is all about!

Day 7

2011-07-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

The Bellagio....Is there anything more beautiful in Vegas?

I've been up since 5 this morning. I did the Tooty Ta with Dr. Jean (all the kindergarten teachers out there know what I mean), learned about writers workshop, nursery rhymes with Shari Sloane, and how to motivate the unmotivated learner. We visited the Bellagio, ate dinner at Caesar's Palace and saw the water and lights show. I am exhausted and ready to sleep. I couldn't say goodnight without posting my picture of the day. This comes from the gardens at the Bellagio. I think it's my new happy place.

Day 6

2011-07-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye

Four days without Olivia and Sophie. I'll miss them dearly and Ray too. I'm here in Vegas with my fellow kindergarten teachers. I'm a chick among mother hens. I love it!

Day 5

2011-07-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Snow cones from the Farmer's Market

I'm off to Vegas tomorrow for a Kindergarten conference. The girls will be staying with Grammy for the week. What will I take pictures of?

Day 4

2011-07-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sophie and the Chopsticks

I've said it before and I'll say it again: chopsticks are fabulous! If you have a small child have them practice using chopsticks. They are wonderful for developing fine motor skills.

Day 3

2011-07-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Guatemalan Worry-Dolls
There is a legend amongst the highland Indian village of Guatemala. If you have a problem, then share it with a Worry-doll. Before going to bed, tell one worry to each doll, then place them beneath your pillow. While you sleep the dolls will take your worries away.

These dolls were given to the girls by friends vacationing in Cancun, Mexico. We did this tonight and the girls told me all their worries. They tucked them under their pillow and fell right to sleep, worry free. I wish I had a hundred of these dolls.

Day 2

2011-07-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of the 365 day project. So far so good...

This is Olivia at one of our favorite pizza joints. Click here for more info on the delicious pizza.

The 365 Project - Day 1

2011-07-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the 411 - Each day I will take a picture and then post it on my blog. This is a highly ambitious goal for me considering my track record with consistent blogging. I'm hoping this will give me the kick in the pants I need to blog more. I stole the idea from here. I hoping to capture and catalog our everyday life. My goals for this project are:
1. Become a more consistent blogger
2. Learn to use my camera better
3. Take more pictures of the girls (because it will be over before I know it)

Enjoy!

Day 1

Meet Sophie. Sophie is 3 and a compulsive finger sucker. She's trying to be sneaking and hide her face beneath a pillow. She thinks she can fool mom but I see her. I always see her!

Any suggestions for how to get the fingers out of her mouth?

Simple Summer Pleasures

2011-06-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

It's finally Summer (sort of) here in Utah. The girls and I are celebrating by doing all of our favorite things. I'm going to make an effort to post one thing each week. We'll see how well that goes. Our first favorite is snow cones. They are delicious, sweet, and simple. Livie loves bubble gum while Sophie prefers cotton candy. Me, I like them all.

What is your favorite flavor?

Sophie the Ballerina

2011-06-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy, busy...yep those three words pretty much sum up our life right now. I'm not sure when I will have time to return to the blogging world but I wanted to quickly post some cute pics from Sophie's dance recital. Let me start by saying that at her first recital she did a wonderful, fabulous job. This recital not so much. I'm not sure if it was stage fright or her little friend next to her balling but she did not perform. Instead she stood on stage and cried through the entire dance number. She was still the cutest little ballerina.

And so it goes...

2011-05-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Olivia has made the leap from preschooler to big kid. Here she is on her last day of preschool with the fabulous Mrs. Hilary.

Olivia has always been a bright kid. I was not worried about her academically. I was however worried about her social skills. She has spent most of her days with kids younger than her. She is used to being the one in charge, so she has a hard time sharing and playing with kids her own age. When searching for a preschool I was looking for something more socially then academically driven. Her preschool experience was amazing. She enjoyed every minute of it and she learned so much. She made so many wonderful friends and strengthen her academic skills as well. I am so proud of her accomplishments and the wonderful student she has become.

The Party

2011-05-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

Snapshots of Olivia's 5th birthday party.
Theme: Pink

The pink bubble gum. I ordered in bulk. 850 to be exact. I used the bubble gum as decoration and as party favors.

I ordered stickers from here with Olivia's name, picture, and birth date.

My mom created this banner. Isn't it cute.

Olivia requested strawberry cake. I used this recipe. It was delicious. We frosted the cake with fresh cream cheese frosting from the Sam's Club bakery. It got rave reviews from friends and family.

We had a bbq with tons of food. There was a pink princess bounce house, face painting, and karaoke all provided by friends and family. Olivia loved her special day. My husband accused me of getting a little carried away. I couldn't help it, 5 is a big deal!

Do you ever get a little carried away with a kid's birthday party?

A letter to Olivia ...

2011-05-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Olivia,

Today is your birthday. You turned 5 which I think is a pretty big deal. I woke up extra early this morning to wrap your birthday present. It was a photo book (since I'm not so great at scrap booking) of the first five years of your life. I woke you up singing 'Happy Birthday' and then we snuggled in your bed and looked through your book. You were so excited, you loved all the pictures and stories about you as a baby. You carried that photo book with you all day and showed everyone.

I want you to know on this day just how special you are, how much I love you, and how grateful I am to be your mom. Every few years your birthday falls on Mother's Day and I am reminded that you are the greatest gift I could have ever received.

Love,
Mom

Easter

2011-04-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

This year for Spring break the girls and I took a little road trip to California. We spent a blissful week in the sun. We visited the zoo and the beach. We ate lots of good food, chili dogs from Taylors Hot dog stand, Chinese chicken salads from Masaru's and ice cream cone's from Thrifty's (the best). We also enjoyed Easter Sunday with my family. The girls have never enjoyed an Easter egg hunt with cousins because they are the only's on Ray's side of the family. On Saturday the girls dyed 5 dozen eggs with their cousins while I stuffed 150 plastic eggs with jelly beans and chocolate. The girls had a blast and we enjoyed our time with family.

California - To Do List

2011-04-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here is my to do list while I am in California (lot's of food will be consumed on this trip)

1. ~~eat a chili dog from Taylor's Hot Dog Stand~~
2. ~~eat a Chinese chicken salad and vegetable tempura from Masaru's~~
3. ~~Thrifty's ice cream cone (I might eat a few of these)~~
4. ~~get a tan~~
5. ~~go to the beach~~
6. ~~go to the zoo~~
7. ~~eat a donut from Scotty's~~
8. ~~visit great aunts and uncles~~
9. ~~buy fresh fruit from a road side fruit stand~~
10.eat clam chowder from Splash Cafe

Most importantly I plan on spending insane amounts of time toasting my skin in the sun.

Spring Break 2011

The art of dumplings

2011-04-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is Ray's Dad.

He is amazing and the most wonderful cook ever. People come from all over the neighborhood when he pulls out the BBQ. Whenever we have a family event he is the chef. He cooks all day and comes home to make us dinner every night. Here he is making dumplings for great grandma's birthday.

These tasty morsels will be cooked in boiling water and then eaten by me and many others but mainly me. They are my favorite.

Here are the girls with great grandma. She is eighty four years old. She doesn't speak any English and understands very little. Olivia is her first great grandchild. So naturally she's the favorite.

Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

Item 1 on The List - Try one new recipe a month.

Now for those of you that don't know me, I don't cook. I can boil water and make grill cheese but that's about it. The cooking is primarily done by my husband, who enjoys it. Which is also the problem for my lack of culinary skills. I once asked Olivia what she wanted for dinner and her reply was, "I'll wait for Daddy to get home."

So starts my quest to further my cooking skills. I started with something I thought would be relatively easy, cinnamon rolls. Not the Pillsbury kind either, which Ray suggested. Instead I had to dissolve yeast and knead dough, two things I've never done before. It took three tries to actually dissolve the yeast and even then I mixed it with my flour, salt, and sugar hoping for the best. So really how do you knead dough? Not sure I did that right either but I kneaded until my arms were sore. Then I added the brown sugar and cinnamon and shaped it into a roll. I cut it into 9 pieces (it said cut into equal pieces but obviously that didn't happen) and placed it in a baking dish. I wrapped them and put them in the fridge overnight.

I was actually quite nervous to open the fridge the next morning. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but they looked relatively the same as the night before. So I preheated the oven and baked. The recipe called for 20 minutes but after 11 they started to get brown. I saved them from an untimely death and served them to the family. Here is the result...

As you can see frosting is missing from the cinnamon rolls. The recipe didn't call for any and I didn't think to add anything else. They were actually edible (those were Ray's words). The girls enjoyed them as did Ray's mom and I. We don't like things to sweet so we thought they were perfect. My first recipe was a success and I'm not completely turned off to trying my hand at it again. Here is a link to the recipe I used (so you can see how they were really suppose to turn out) -
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cinnamon-Rolls-1-2/Detail.aspx

On being an adult...

2011-03-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

I have decided I no longer want to be an adult. I would like to go back to being a kid. A time when I did not have to make hard decisions, or pay bills, or work. Don't mind me. I've just been in a funk lately. I sometimes feel like I completely skipped my twenties and went straight to full blown adulthood. I am 27 almost 28. At 21 I was married (to a wonderful man). At 22 (one month before my 23rd birthday) I had my first beautiful daughter, Olivia. At 22 we also bought our first home. I graduated at 22 and started teaching three months later. At 24 I had my second beautiful daughter Sophie. These are some of the most wonderful things to happen in my life. I am truly grateful for them and for the trials and struggles we've had to endure but sometimes I just get tired. I don't want to evict tenants from our rental property. I don't want to decide between private and public school for Olivia. I don't want to make hard decisions anymore. Everyone says it only get harder after 30. Yikes!

(something to make me smile...my two favorite girls)

After reading this I realize it makes me sound like a spoiled brat and I'm really not. Like I said I've just been in a funk lately and sleep deprived. I'm usually very bright and cheery and grateful for all I have in my life. I think a week in sunny California will do me some good. The countdown to spring break has begun. The woe is me rant is completed and now I will go and count all my blessings.

A Kindergartner

2011-03-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Today was Kindergarten Orientation for all the new kiddies coming to kindergarten next year. Amongst these beautiful bright new students was my little Olivia. I can hardly believe it's been almost 5 years. I can still remember the first time I held her in my arms all gooey and pink. I couldn't believe that I had created this life and that now I was responsible for this little person. I often feel inadequate as a mother and I worry if I'm at all doing anything right. I'm thankful for this sweet girl that Heavenly Father has trusted me with and grateful that I get to call her mine.

On a funny note I overheard one of the new little kindergartners saying, "this folding arms is hard stuff."

And Sophie today said, "Mommy is your computer crapped." She meant cracked.

Needing...

2011-03-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

more sun
more time in the day
more patience
more family time
more scripture study
more prayer
more blogging
more creativity
but most importantly MORE SUN!

Sophie the Little

2011-02-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

Stats for Sophie at 3 -
Weight 27lbs 10%
Height 34.4 in 3%
She is little and we knew it. The only concern her pediatrician had were her tonsils. They are very large and she snores at night. We have to take her to see a ENT specialist to check them out. Other than that she is healthy, bright, and a wonderful little girl.

Three

2011-02-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

Sophie turned 3 today. She is an amazing little girl who brings so much love and joy to our family. We celebrated her birthday last night with friends, family, and lots of food. Our favorite things. She shares a birthday with Ray's cousin Michael. Here are the birthday kids.

She has not been to the doctor for her 3 year check up yet so we don't have any official stats but here are a few things about Sophie:
Sophie loves to dance. She has a dance class on Thursday. Every morning she wakes up and asks me, "Is it dance day today."
Her favorite show is Dora the Explorer. She actually scored lots of Dora loot for her birthday.
She loves to eat fruit and yogurt. She still has a hard time with the green veggies but she's slowly starting to eat more of them.
She is a very smart girl. She can count to 10. She recognizes most letters and sounds of the alphabet. We're having a hard time teaching her to write her name because she is left handed. Nobody in our immediate family is left handed.
She loves to be read to. Her favorite books are The Gingerbread Man and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Sophie is all girl! She loves to dress up in princess clothes and wear crowns. She always has a purse on her arm and high heels on. She is precious and we love her.

I'm a MAC

2011-02-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

Oh the fun you can have with a MAC!

Chopsticks and Social skills

2011-02-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't really been in a blogging mood lately but I thought I would update with a few miscellaneous happenings:

1. I have gone without sugar (cookies, cake, ice cream, candy) for 32 days. I am seriously considering breaking this ban on sugar because Ray's aunt brought these tasty treats to dinner tonight -

2. We are preparing to celebrate Sophie's 3rd birthday on the 20th of this month.

Day 1

3. Sophie is learning to use chopsticks (left handed). These are the best for the learning stage.

Here's my plug for fine motor skills - chopsticks are the best to strengthen these skills. It will help with their cutting and writing skills later in life. I see so many kindergarten students who have shaky hands making cutting and writing difficult. To help them strengthen these skills we have them pick up small objects with chopsticks pinched at the top.

4. I received my acceptance letter for the Master of Education program through Southern Utah University. I started working on my elective credits for this program at the beginning of the year. It's tough but I will be so proud of myself when I finish.

5. Olivia is doing wonderful in preschool. Her teacher says she is very bright and doing wonderful academically. Socially she is having a hard time playing with others and sharing. No surprises there!

Open Enrollment

2011-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

Today I placed Olivia in open enrollment for Kindergarten. The countdown has begun. Soon she will start "big kid" school and no longer be my baby. This kid is truly amazing and I feel blessed to be her mother.

Now & Then

ear aches & temper tantrums

2011-01-03T17:49:00.001-08:00

When does it stop? The temper tantrums and screaming, the uncontrollable sobs and feet stomping, does it ever stop? My four year old has serious issues with waking up from the car ride home. This is a trip we take every day, a trip that she has been taking since day one of her life. Every time we get in the car to drive home she falls asleep, without fail. And every time we pull into the parking lot she wakes up screaming, almost without fail (I get lucky every once in a while and she wakes up smiling. These moment are far and few in between.) When she wakes up screaming she is usually pulling on her ears. Here is the conversation that took place during this tantrum:
Mommy: "Olivia why are you crying?"
Olivia: sobbing and pulling on her ears
Mommy: "Do your ears hurt?"
Olivia: "Yes"- still sobbing
Mommy: "Which one hurts?"
Olivia: "They both hurt" - still sobbing
Mommy: "Maybe we need to go see the doctor"
Olivia: "No, thank you" - still sobbing
Mommy: "Well if you are crying this much, then they must really hurt and I think we should go see the doctor"
Olivia: "No, thank you" - the sobs start to subside
Mommy: "Are you sure?"
Olivia: "No, thank you. I want to eat the tomato" - it was on the counter. I know random. And the sobbing stops.

These are the daily happenings in our life.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-31T21:29:00.000-08:00

Daddy
1. Be happy
2. Be patient

Mommy
1. Be a better wife
2. Be a better Mother
3. Be a better teacher

Olivia
1. Learn to ice skate (without a walker)
2. Be a good listener

Sophie
1. Be more careful (she like to jump off furniture)
2. Learn to slide on my bum (I think this is referring to ice skating)

Happy New Year!

Love,
The Lo Family

Christmas Newsletter

2010-12-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

My Christmas cards are sealed and delivered but I neglected to include a newsletter. So here it is...

This year has been a roller coaster ride with lots of ups and downs. Through it all our little family has grown closer in faith and love. Lets start with the big events...
We decided this summer to rent out our house that we have loved and lived in for five years. It was a hard decision but the 45 minute commute to and from work everyday became to much with our two little girls. We felt like we were spending more time in our car and less time as a family. It was the first house Ray and I bought together. It is where our baby girls took their first steps and spoke their first words. It is where we celebrated countless holidays and birthdays. The girls still miss their house and friends but we have adjusted to life with Ray's parents. We are currently staying with them until we can find a new home that both Ray and I can agree on. If you the know the two of us that might take a little time. Until then Olivia and Sophie love having their Mama and Yea Yea so close.

Our first home...

Olivia started Pre-K this Fall and she has loved every minute of it. She is very bright and a wonderful helper. She has really taken an intrest in learning how to read. I love listening to her try and sound out words. It's quite funny. She is counting down the days until she can go to the big school where Mommy teaches. I can't believe she is going to be five this May. I feel like it was just yesterday that I held her in my arms after 39 long weeks of pregnancy. She truly amazes me each day and she has been such a blessing in our lives.

First Day of School...

This Fall Sophie started taking dance lessons. She is such a tiny ballerina. This week she had her first dance recital. She danced to the song Jingle Bells. It was wonderful and she was perfect. Sophie will be 3 this February. She is also a bright girl and very talkative. I took her to get her haircut last week and she chatted with the hair stylist. She told her how she wanted to get her cut, what she wanted for Christmas, about her upcoming dance recital, and everything in between. She is our sweet girl and we love her more each day.

First dance recital...

Ray continues to work for Harmons, a local grocery chain here in Utah. He is such a wonderful man. He works 60 hour weeks but he always finds time for his girls, all three of us. I have truly been blessed to find such a wonderful man to share eternity with. This year we celebrated our 6th anniversary.

6 years with my best friend...

I have also been busy with teaching. I teach the afternoon session of kindergarten. I am in my fifth year of teaching and I still love it. This year I have started working on a math endorsement. The credits I receive from this program will go towards a masters degree in education.

We send our love and holiday wishes to all our family and friends.

Happy Holidays.
Love,
The Lo's

Under Construction...Will be back soon!

2010-12-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

Under Construction....This pretty much sums up our life lately. It is chaotic and busy, busy, busy. This month we have dance recitals, Christmas parties, one, two, three, and four, trips to see Santa, Festival of Trees, Temple lights, and lots of shopping to do. My goal is to update with lots of pictures but we'll see how that goes. If this is the last you hear from me til the new year...Happy Holidays!

13.1

2010-11-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Never again....My legs felt like jello and the world was spinning after I ran 13.2 miles. I completed my first half marathon on Halloween day (we celebrate Halloween on Saturday here in Utah). It was hard and I couldn't walk for three days after wards but I finished. It was a beautiful run and the first 5 miles was all downhill, which is why I no longer have knees.

Here is me and one of my best running buddies dressed up as butterflies.

Vote for Olivia

2010-10-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

So I never do this but I entered Olivia into a casting call for GAP. The $1000 gift card lured me. We live in the GAP and I could buy the girls such cute clothes with that much money. Yes! I am vain. So vote for Olivia. Now I am not unrealistic. There is one kid who already has like 600,000 votes but hey I can dream. The link is gapcastingcall.com The pictures and entry id's are down below. You can vote once a day until November 14th.

Entry ID 1043918

Entry ID 1046976

What about Sophie? So I entered Olivia on the last day and I couldn't get Sophie in because the server was so busy. I kept trying but it didn't happen. I feel like I'm playing favorite's already but there's always next year.

The Dirty Dash

2010-10-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

I ran this race with 4 other amazing women. They worked so hard and finished triumphant. I dragged the girlies to this race. Olivia will try anything and mostly loved the muddy plunge. Sophie, on the other hand, was hesitant. I had to coax her into the mud and she spent a minimal amount of time getting muddy.

In this picture she is actually trying to peel the mud off her hand. She is such a girl. I think I've met my quota for muddy runs this year. I don't have any shoes left to ruin. Until next summer...

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and more Pumpkins

2010-09-28T21:06:00.001-07:00

Fall is officially here and I can't be more excited. I love everything about this season but most of all I love pumpkins. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread. If it's got pumpkin in it, I'll eat it. Fall has always been a special season for me. It was the season Ray proposed and a year later it was the season we got married in. At our reception we actually had mini pumpkin pies. They were so yummy and adorable. Seven years ago Ray wrapped my beautiful engagement ring in plastic wrap and stuck it in a pumpkin. I was supposed to find it while carving my pumpkin. Of course things didn't go according to plan. They never do with Ray and I. I was in a bad mood and didn't want to carve pumpkins. When Ray tried to pick out a pumpkin for me to carve I told him I could get my own. While carving my pumpkin I threw out my ring with the seeds. Luckily friends we were with noticed and threw the ring back in my pumpkin while I wasn't looking. This didn't happen the second time I threw it out. Then my pumpkin was completely clean and Ray was panicked. Our friends decided to take the box of pumpkin grossness and look for pumpkin seeds. Of course really they were looking for my engagement ring. I had no idea what was going on and Ray left to get dinner because he couldn't handle the stress. Two hours later Ray proposed with a plate of cooked pumpkin seeds and an engagement ring. He actually forgot to ask, "Will you marry me?" I had to remind him of that part. Not as romantic as he had planned but a great story none the less. I said yes and on November 13th we are going to celebrate our 6th anniversary. Like I said I love Fall and pumpkins.

Cracking the crab

2010-09-17T21:22:00.001-07:00

Here is my determined first born....she really wanted herself some crab.

It's amazing the things this kid will eat. She'll try anything. She loves oysters, crab, shrimp, everything from the sea. Sophie on the other hand is a bit more picky. Anything the color green she won't eat. She can't be fooled either. If it is green and touching her tongue it is spit right back out on her plate.

We love food in our family. We eat huge amounts of it in all different varieties. It's a sport at any family get together. We split ourselves into two tables and race to see which table can eat the most food.

Ray's dad actually called me a bird. He says I just pick at my food. Insulting! I just don't have the metabolism of a 50 year old Chinese man.

Labor Day Luau

2010-09-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Spending Labor Day with our good friends the Abundos

These girls are the best of friends. They can spend hours playing and being creative together. Olivia started pre K preschool this year. It was very hard for Sophie. For the last 2 1/2 years Sophie has had her big sister and now she has to be away from her. It's only for 2 1/2 hours 3 days a week but it's hard. I'm so grateful they have one another.

Our First...

2010-09-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

Our first kiss was also the first time Ray ever told me he loved me. He always knew exactly how he felt about me and was never afraid to say it. Me, at the age of 20, I wasn't so sure about my feelings. I needed more time and Ray was always patient with me. Eventually I came around. Of course who wouldn't with a guy like Ray. The first time he told me I was beautiful I had just been in a major biking accident. My face had multiple cuts and scratches and I had a black eye. When my great grandfather died, Ray had flowers sent to my family in California. I had no idea about this until my dad called one day and said, "Who is Raymond?" At this point we were hardly dating. In college I used to wake up to roses on my doorstep. This happened on more than one occasion.

Ray and I hardly have the perfect marriage. If you know us, you know we're both argumentative and stubborn. We fight like cats and dogs because of these similar personality traits. But I've never been sorry, only grateful, that I married such a wonderful person. Some day our girls will read this post and I want them to know how much I love their Dad and how happy I am in our family.

Random Ramblings

2010-09-01T18:21:00.001-07:00

This week was the first official week of kindergarten. It was fabulous. Except I had one little boy who cried for 45 minutes the first day. So sad!

Olivia started preschool. She's been in preschool for the last two years but this is pre K preschool. She was so excited and such a big girl. I can't believe I have a child one year away from kindergarten. Still haven't decided if I will be her teacher or not. I am currently weighing the pro's and con's.

On Monday Ray took our family to a Bee's game (the local minor league baseball team). Not a big baseball fan but really who can turn down suite tickets. These tickets included box seats, dinner, and unlimited popcorn and drinks. The girls had fun. Coincidentally they were playing the Fresno Grizzles.

I started my second week of my 1/2 marathon training plan. Only 8 more weeks before I'm running down Provo Canyon in a Halloween costume. Not sure what I will be dressing up as. Any suggestions?

Sophie has given a whole new meaning to the terrible two's. We were stuck in traffic Tuesday morning after a car and semi crashed, sending the car flying off the interstate and into local traffic. It took us 2 hours to drive 30 miles and Sophie screamed, kicked, and cried the entire time. Over what you ask? A bag of raisins and nuts. Seriously.

On a more cheerful note - Mockingjay (the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series) arrived yesterday. I am very excited to start reading.

I also can't wait for Fall. I love the colors, the smells, the fun. It's my favorite season. The girls and I have created so many wonderful traditions. The first year I took Olivia to the Scarecrow festival I was pregnant with Sophie and we have gone each year since.

Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart

2010-08-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

This is Sophie's favorite song. It was on a cd we got in a kids meal. Now every time we're in the car Sophie screams for Miley Cyrus Daddy. We have to listen to it at least 2 sometimes 3 times while we are driving. I found this video on youtube and Sophie just loved it. Can anyone say flashback to the 80's:

On a side note - Last week when I took Olivia to get her hair cut Ray's dad suggested we cut it short in the front and leave the back long :)

A Child of God

2010-08-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

Today was a bittersweet day. Today Ray and I attended the funeral of a 14 year old boy. He was the son of a very good friend. He died around 2 am after having a seizure. His Dad went to wake him the next morning and found that he had passed away. The boy had suffered from a severe seizure disorder since he was 18 months old. He had been in and out of hospitals and life was pretty hard for him. He was a victim of bullying because kids just didn't understand. He truly is in a better place now. He is in a place where he can be whole and healthy. A place where he can be loved by our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. He is a place where one day he will be reunited with his family for all eternity. It is hard to shed tears when I know he is in a better place but plenty of tears were shed none the less. Today when we returned home from the funeral Ray and I both hugged are little girls tight and said a silent prayer thanking our Father in Heaven that they get to stay with us for just a little while longer. At the funeral we sang the song I am a Child of God. It is a such a sweet song and a beautiful reminder of who we truly are.

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear,
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday

I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words,
Before it grows to late,
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday

I am a child of God,
Rich blessing are in store;
If I but learn to do his will
I'll live with him once more.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday

Today

2010-08-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today started at 7 am. Livie woke up then woke up her very sleep sister. The girls wanted cereal for breakfast but Livie didn't want her usual honey nut Cheerios. Instead she wanted my Kashi Go Lean but there was only enough left for one bowl. Now I'm not a selfish person but no way was I going to give her my last bowl of cereal. So of course she cried and screamed that she wanted my cereal. I didn't give in and eventually she stopped and ate her Cheerios. After breakfast I took Olivia to Great Clips (scary word for me). I usually get her hair cut at Cookie Cutters or by a friend but Ray has recently berated me for her hair cut costing more than his. So we went and put on a brave face and it actually turned out very cute. Livie has become quite opinionated and new exactly how she wanted her cut. A sassy A-line to match her sassy attitude. After hair cuts we met Daddy at home and packed a picnic lunch. We took our lunch to the local water park and spent 3 hours splashing around. My girls are brave and begged us to take them on the very tall water slide. After the water park the girls came home and crashed for two hours. Daddy and I crashed on the couch wrapped in each others arms (I know cheesy). Yea Yea (grandpa in Chinese) made us steak for dinner and now we are watching Karate Kid 2. Probably not a wise choice since Olivia has been trying out her karate moves on Sophie after seeing the first Karate Kid. Bed time soon...yeah for a sleeping house.

Inspired

2010-08-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

So...I like blogging but sometimes it feels like a chore. I feel like if I don't have a new picture to post then why post. Because I mean honestly who reads a post if there is no picture (I'm guilty of this also). Then after reading this amazing blog by this amazing survivor, mother, woman, I realized who cares. Who cares how many people read my blog or comment on my post because really that's not what this is about. It's about sharing my ideas, thoughts, frustrations, joys, and everything else in between. So here's me resolving to blog more and share more. I've been inspired not only to blog more but live more by http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/. I recommend this blog because really I think it could change your life. It did mine.

Sophie's First Prayer

2010-08-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

So my cute little Sophie is 2 1/2 and has been saying prayers for a while now. Her prayers usually go like this - "Heavenly Father, Jesus, Amen". With a little prompting from Mom and Dad sometimes we can get her to say a little more. So tonight when Sophie said, "I want to pray," I braced myself for the usual. However, this is what we got tonight - "Heavenly Father, Thank you for Mommy, Thank you for Daddy, Thank you for Livie, Thank you for Mama (grandma), Thank you for Yea Yea (Grandpa), Thank you for Crystal (neighbor), Thank you for Gary (neighbor), Thank you for baby Maddox (Gary and Crystal's baby), Jesus, Amen." We were shocked and very proud of Sophie. She was so excited and of course it made Livie a tad jealous and she just had to say her prayer over again. I am love with my these girls. I can't imagine a greater blessing than motherhood. It also made me beam with pride (just a little). I mean we must be doing something right if our sweet girls are excited to pray.

My New Life

2010-07-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Family Pictures

2010-07-06T21:10:00.001-07:00

Our family pictures were taken by the very talented and wonderful Amy Mutchler. I am in love with them and with my cute little family.

A Runner's World

2010-06-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I feel like this blog has turned out to be all about running lately. Really there are other things (major things) going on in our lives but this is exciting news. Livie did her first 1k this weekend at the Arts Festival in Sugar House. I was so proud of her. It took her almost 11 minutes to run .65 of a mile but she didn't stop running. She never complained (which is unusual for this child) and she was so proud when she finished. Grammy joined Livie in her 1k feat and ran like a champ. I did the 5K. I was a little biffed. I didn't know that almost half of the race would be ran on the grass. I never run on the grass and this brought my time down a little. It was still a blast. And even more exciting news...They are having the first ever Mud Run in Utah this September. Yea!

Here is Livie running for the finish line -

Grammy and the girls -

I was sprinting for the finish line -

What a proud Mommy I was -

Our whole running crew -

Mud Run Cont...

2010-06-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

So I'm not really sure what I can say about this run except that it was awesome and something everyone should experience. I'm not really a getting down and dirty in the mud kinda of girl. I mean I seriously freak when my little girls get dirt on their clothes. Dirt, mud, gross water...yuck. But I had to buck up and get a little dirty for this race. Here are some wonderful pictures taken by some awesome guys...

Check out those GUNS!

Catherine and I thought it would be fun to slide down the mud on our tummies but there were lots of rocks...ouch.

There were PIRANHAS in the water:)

I jumped this 5 foot wall by myself...I was so proud.

Talking about getting down and dirty...