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Good Things

Good Things

I can’t believe I haven’t done a “good things” since March! Lots of good things lately…

Ellie and her ‘posh puppy from Fancy Nancy’. She got it for Christmas and I’m impressed that it is still a beloved toy and not forgotten about…as many Christmas toys seem to be by this time of year.

Our waffle routine has now turned into a pancake routine. One Saturday our waffle iron broke so Kenny made pancakes instead and the girls quickly decided they like pancakes just as much. Apparently so does Ellie’s manatee.

Summer flowers.

Play time in the tub. Since it’s summer and we seem to be staying out late I’ve been bathing the girls in the morning instead of at night. I love to throw them in my big tub and listen to them play while I get ready. This morning they were playing with their Peter Pan toys and their conversation went something like this:

E “Are you a nice crocodile or a mean one?”
A “I’m a nice crocodile”
E “What’s your name? Say ‘Silver Mist’ Add”
A “Silver Mist. Tick tock tick tock.”
E “Would you like some sandwiches and cookies crocodile? Say ‘sure’ Add”
A “Sure”
E “You can stay longer crocodile”
A “It’s so nice and warm in here. Tick tock tick tock.”

Train rides. Especially nice now that Addison is three and I don’t have to join them on the train. Much more fun to just watch…and maybe take a picture or two. :)

Quick and easy dinners.

(Eating Right Chicken Chow Mein)
New couch pillows to brighten up the living room and my green couches. Green couches that even though I’m getting tired of I can’t bear to part with. They are WAY too comfortable (ask anyone who has sat on them) and the couches, along with Kenny, popcorn, a good flick, and my laptop, are what I look forward to most at the end of a long day.

Straight braids (because mine usually end up slanted off to one side or completely uneven).

Forever 21! What a great store. I love all the of the colors and everything is so cheap! I’m a firm believer in not spending a lot of money on tops. Styles come and go so quickly and I’d rather spend my money on a great pair of jeans that I’ll have awhile. So…Forever 21 is my go to place. I think I’ll be shopping there forever. Or at least until I’m 21.

New beach chairs from Costco and the start of ‘beach days’ in general.

Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers. I love these things so much, although I don’t like the big boxes they come in. I always throw the box away first thing and just keep them in their plastic sack. That way I save room in my freezer. And that way I don’t have to be reminded of exactly how much fat, sodium, and cholesterol is in just one measly little popper. Ignorance really is bliss.

And to work off calories from all those poppers I’ve been eating, I tried my first spin class at the gym. Not sure if I liked it. The teacher kept yelling out “Now you’re passing! Now you’re drafting! Now you’re sprinting!” …I was pretty sure all I was doing was pedaling and sweating.
Kenny leaving one sock on and taking one sock off each night to regulate his body temperature.
(and he calls me quirky???)

Toy organization. I’ve been cleaning out my girls’ toys lately and it feels so good to SIMPLIFY. Plus I just like to categorize.

I’m so excited about my new “family organizer”. I found it on-line here and I love it! Not the cutest cover, but such a great way to keep a grocery list, to-do list, meal list, and schedule all on one easy to see page. (I often use my “menu” column to organize blog posts and projects…but I like to know it’s there in case I ever decide to start planning meals and cooking). I was using my old teacher plan books until I came across this little beauty. Keeps me so organized. I love it!

Peppered turkey at my grocery store deli. I can be a bit of a “turkey snob” (according to certain friends) and let me tell you…the peppered turkey at my local grocery store is the best. Hands down. And I know turkey.

Putting Addison down for a nap and watching Olivia and eating Popsicles with Ellie. We snuggle in Kenny’s massive Charger blanket because Popsicles always make us so cold.

The excitement that takes place when I turn on the vacuum cleaner. You’d think it was Christmas. My girls love to run away from the vacuum and make quite a game of going room to room with me running in circles. I’ve been known to turn it on once in awhile, not because I need to vacuum, but simply to provide quick and easy entertainment. Yes – I have really clean carpets.

A successful presentation at Ellie’s pre-school.

Her pre-school graduation was today (pics to come soon) and I can’t believe I have a Kindergartener. I’m trying to convince myself that this is a good thing.

The smell of Jasmine in my yard. Sure sign and smell of summer! It’s especially fun to smell through my open windows on a summer night…when I’m staying up way too late…blogging about good things.
xoxo, Erin
Uncategorized

My baby can Bollywood

So yesterday I was cleaning and turned on So You Think You Can Dance from a couple of weeks ago because I love to watch and re-watch the dances. (Kenny gets so annoyed that I don’t delete them because “they are taking up precious space on our DVR.”) Whatever. I hate to delete them! Anyway, while I’m watching one of my favorites so far this season (the Bollywood dance by Jason and Caitlin) Addison started doing her version of the dance. She even attempts Caitlin’s hand stand. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)

{Bollywood by Jason and Caitlin}

{Bollywood by Addison}

(you’ll be seeing her on So You Think You Can Dance 2025)

xoxo, Erin
Fun with Friends

Father’s Day with friends

(coordinating outfits not planned) Thanks for having us over Ang!

xoxo, Erin
Ellie and Addison

A Father’s Day Surprise

We had a great Father’s Day weekend and while we were bummed we weren’t with our fathers, we did enjoy a weekend with friends and our little family (pics to come later). Kenny’s favorite gift was this book we put together for him. I asked the girls what they loved about their daddy and then found pictures to go along with what they said. Ellie wrote everything and was so excited to give it to him. It nearly killed her to keep it a secret, but she did. Even with Kenny’s attempts to trick her into telling him what the “surprise gift” was. (I wish I had some of their conversations recorded…they were hilarious) :)

Kenny got a little choked up looking through the book. This made me get a little choked up since the only other time I’ve seen him cry in the last several years is during the movie Armageddon when Bruce Willis sacrifices himself to save the world. (sad but true) So while the girls were obliviously chasing each other around the playroom, we both sat on the couch having a moment together. We sure love our girls and I love the dad that Kenny is to them. Ellie said to me at night when I tucked her in “mom, aren’t we so lucky that we have the best daddy!?” I told her yes….we are SO very lucky. :)
xoxo, Erin
San Diego fun

SeaWorld with mom

Thought I’d post some pics we took at SeaWorld when my mom was in town. The girls had a great time showing grandma their favorite spots. Grandma had a great time spoiling them rotten. :)

Have a great weekend!

{ p.s. Addison and I are feeling much better today. :) }

xoxo, Erin
Ramblings

Dear Diary,

Today it was cloudy. And today I was sad. Addison is sick and my mom (who has been here for a week) flew back to Utah. I’m always sad to say good-bye to my mom. We had such a great week together. We cried at the airport, (airports seem to have that effect, don’t they?) which is funny to me now because I’ll see her in a few weeks. Still though, it’s hard to say goodbye and for some reason I was just in the mood to be sad. Did I mention it was cloudy? I thought about calling Kenny to tell him I was feeling depressed, but then figured he was probably on an important call, at an important board meeting, or lunching with important clients. He always seems to be doing something important. I figured he deals with enough estrogen at home on a daily basis so I didn’t call. I left the airport and on the way home I passed a homeless man on the side of the road. He looked sad too. I slowed down and gave him some cash and he seemed so touched. Then I cried the whole way home because I felt guilty for being sad over random nothingness when this man doesn’t even have a family to go home to. I decided to call Kenny anyway and bawled to him on the phone about how I was just having one of those days and couldn’t stop crying. He immediately went into “fix mode” trying to say things that would cheer me up when really I didn’t want to be cheered up, I just wanted someone to listen. I came home and held Addison. The house felt too quiet. Then I realized I’m probably feeling this way because I’m so tired. The last two nights I’ve been up with Addison – nights full of coughing and rocking. Did I mention she is sick? I hate it when my kids are sick. It stresses me out. A friend came by who had called earlier and could tell I was crying. She brought me a cupcake to cheer me up. Friends are nice. Cupcakes are nice too. Two hours later I called the doctor and took Addison in because her cough was so bad. Kenny came home from work early to hang out with Ellie… and because I think he still wanted to ‘fix’ me and my mood. When I got home from the doctor I asked Ellie if she had eaten dinner. She answered “yes, daddy gave me Ritz crackers and Triscuits.” I smiled and thought of how lucky I am to have Kenny. I fed Ellie (Addison didn’t eat a thing all day) and with Kenny’s help continued with the craziness that is the girls’ bedtime routine.

Now Kenny and I are watching So You Think You Can Dance. I’m eating strawberries with cool whip. The monitor is on and I can hear Addison upstairs snoring soundly. I’m feeling a little better. Hopefully tomorrow it will be sunny.

xoxo, Erin
Food and Cooking...or lack thereof

When life gives you lemons

Diet coke with lemons…

a sure sign that my mom’s in town.

and since she LOVES lemons…

and since my lemon tree is doing exceptionally well this summer…

we decided to make The Pioneer Woman’s Baked Lemon Pasta. This was a big undertaking for my mom and me since neither of us are into cooking (one of my first blog posts was about a typical night for me in the kitchen). I can’t say that I loved the pasta we made since I don’t love lemons. But my mom does love lemons. And she loved the pasta. And I can now say that I’ve recently cooked. Not only did I recently cook, but I cooked “Pioneer Woman’s Baked Lemon Pasta.” When cleaning up, I started to throw away the left over parsley and my mom told me I should keep it. Then we both laughed. We were picturing me sprinkling the parsley over my typical Lean Cuisine dinner or the girls’ chicken nuggets.

After we laughed, we chucked the parsley.
xoxo, Erin
Entertainment

Tune in!

It’s time for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE! (said with a wicked British accent)

Hope everyone is tuning in tonight. Finally down to the top twenty…let the party begin! I’m so excited I had to re-post this pic of me and my BFF Mary Murphy, taken last year when SYTYCD came to San Diego. (she’s not nearly as annoying in person as she is on the show)

I’m so excited to see the dancers and choreography this year. So NOT excited to listen to Kenny’s theory that comes up every year about how “dancing for your life” should include machine guns and trap doors.

If you haven’t started watching yet, tune in tonight!
xoxo, Erin
Addison

Cancun part 2

{Addison’s Birthday}



My little ‘curly topped firecracker’ turned three in Cancun. We threw together quite the party for her. In our villa. With a Starbucks lemon cake covered in vanilla icing and sprinkles. :)

Thanks to my cute fam who came equipped from the states with presents, princess decor, balloons, and birthday crowns. She loved every minute of it.

I can’t believe she’s three. (sniffle sniffle sigh sigh)

Bring on the party guests!





I couldn’t get Addison so many gifts without having one little surprise tucked away for Ellie. She was thrilled to say the least.

Addison’s favorite gift: pink flowered shoes from mommy. We saw them shopping together at Nordstroms a few weeks ago and it was love at first sight. She had quite the little fit when we left the store without them. I had to go back and get them for her birthday. She’s my shoe girl. She loved them so much she wouldn’t take them off for her nap!

One worn out party girl!

{THE BEACH}
These pictures were taken right before we hopped on a boat to go parasailing. Parasailing was awesome. Aside from the fact that we almost died because of the wild jet ski ride out to the boat. And aside from the fact that all three of us girls felt nauseous on the boat because of the wild waves. And aside from the fact that Dayna had to be brought in early and rushed to the shore because she looked white as a ghost. And aside from the fact that I threw up while parasailing – hundreds of feet in the air. Aside from all of that – parasailing was awesome.
(I really did love it!)
The beach was great – such soft sand and warm, beautiful water. This castle was there one afternoon waiting for us when we arrived although we don’t know how it got there. We were the only ones on the beach every time we went.

Some nice attempts to smile for the camera when the waves had another idea.

It was a perfect vacation. Good-bye Cancun! We’ll be back. As soon as there’s another outbreak. ;)
xoxo, Erin
Family

Cancun

Here’s the crew

…and here’s the view.
We had such an amazing trip to Cancun! The good ol‘ Swine Flu worked in our favor! We practically had the resort to ourselves. (This pic above is the view from our balcony) Plus everyone was going out of their way to make us feel welcome. What brave tourists we were. ;) We swam in the ocean and the pool, went para sailing, snorkeled, checked out the way the locals live, ate great Mexican food, ate some more great Mexican food, celebrated Addison’s 3rd birthday, and stayed up late most nights playing cards, talking and laughing. I love my family. We really do have the best time together.
**I have to warn you – picture overload! I’m indecisive and because of that I’m just posting everything. Which is a lot. Because I take a lot of pictures. It makes me happy. As does vacationing with my family.

{THE INFINITY POOL}

The pools at our resort were beautiful (leading right into the ocean) and we swam everyday. I lived in my cowboy hat, sunglasses, and lots and lots of sunscreen. Despite all of this (and my incredibly fair skin) I still look a bit tan. If that’s what you’d call it. Not as pasty white as usual anyway. The true markings of a good vacation. :)

{Chichen Itza}
a.k.a – “Chicken Pizza”

The boys took off on their own adventure one day to the famous Chichen Itza. (The guide kept joking that these ruins are not called “Chicken Pizza”…a joke that Kenny said got a bit old by the 10th time they told it) This is an ancient archaeological Mayan site located close to Cancun. During its golden years, Chichen Itza was the most important political, economic and religious centre for the Maya civilization. These buildings are over a thousand years old. Very cool.

The next day, grandpa and the guys tended the kiddos while we ladies had a little girl time. We ate lunch at a great Mexican restaurant (we’re still talking about the virgin margaritas!) and then did some shopping. Thanks to my cute mom and dad for watching the girls so much. The best way to travel with kids is to also include their grandparents!

(view from the room and visiting a nearby aquarium)

Such a fun trip!

And no. I’m not finished posting Cancun pictures. I just have to go watch the season finale of Medium. :)

xoxo, Erin

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