Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Christmas

08.20.09

Christmas in August?

I was cleaning yesterday and walked into the living room to find this scene above. The girls snuck into my Christmas trunk and pulled out all the holiday “friends.” I was about to make them put everything away (after all – it is August!) but then thought…why not? What’s wrong with a little Christmas cheer to end the Summer and kick off Fall. And I have to admit that seeing this little kissing duo made me get a bit excited for Christmas myself. It also got me thinking…what holiday projects/gifts could I get a jump start on? Last year we were so busy with December activities that I felt stressed trying to fit everything in. I SWORE to myself (as I do every year) that I would start earlier the next year. So thanks girls. Thanks for the reminder that it’s never to early to get excited and thinking about Christmas. Even if it is August! Eggnog anyone?

xoxo, Erin

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Ellie

08.18.09

Making me (and Ellie) happy

Do I really have a child old enough to go “school shopping” for!? I’m so excited to have a Kindergartner! I’ve had a blast getting Ellie clothes, school supplies, lunch box, back pack…all the necessary supplies to get her off on the right foot. Ellie was trying on some of her clothes so I could see how they fit and Addison said “Ellie, you look like a fashion show!” (Now if I can just hide from Kenny how much money I spent on this fashion show) Ellie and I had fun shopping together but definitely had different tastes in clothes. I was drawn to everything cute and stylish…while she was drawn to…

this hideous pink monkey shirt. It was the only thing she really wanted for Kindergarten. So we have a deal. If she wears the above clothes that I picked out, I’ll allow her to wear the monkey shirt (maybe on short field trip days or something…). We both left the mall happy.

Also making us happy is the art adorning my kitchen counter. Ellie learned how to draw various animals at Kindergarten camp a couple of weeks ago so we’ve been enjoying fun little pictures of birds, pigs, and chickens sprucing up our home. Her drawings always make me smile.

I’m also loving my new striped red rug from Target. On sale for a whopping 20 bucks! I’ve gone through so many red rugs in the 7 years I’ve lived in this house and I’ve spent way too much money on overpriced rugs that stain easily and are hard to clean. This cheap rug is easy to clean and a breeze to shake. And for the killer price…I was able to buy an extra rug for back-up! Makes me happy every time I walk into my kitchen. It’s all about the little things.

xoxo, Erin

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Fun with Friends

08.17.09

Too much summer fun?

This summer has been one party after another. Dates with my husband…

dates with my husband and friends…

and dates with just my friends.

In fact, come to think of it, my friends and I have been partying quite a bit this summer and I have been really busy. Busy with the beach. Busy with the pool. Busy with lunch get togethers and dinner get togethers and every other excuse for a get together we can come up with. I have NOT been, however, busy with housework. Not busy with laundry. Not busy with normal wifely duties. My husband noticed the change in my schedule. He noticed the dirty floors. He noticed the dishes piling up (so much so that the sink started to emit a strange odor). He noticed that he was out of clean clothes. He noticed that there wasn’t dinner on the table. (ok…no dinner is the norm, but the dishes, sink smell, and laundry…NOT the norm) This husband of mine who works hard at his job every day started giving me a bit of grief about the “rough life I lead.” And while we both know that being a stay at home mom isn’t always a picnic…it has appeared to be just that this summer. I was feeling a bit guilty so last Friday morning I went straight to work. And then I sent Kenny this e-mail:

Babe-

Just wanted to let you know that this morning I did the following:

– Got the oil changed
– Cleaned the spots out of the carpet
– Did the dishes
– Scrubbed the kitchen sink (it is smelling oh so nice)
– Put away all the laundry that has been blocking every walk way upstairs
– Cleaned the kitchen but didn’t “stack” any of your precious papers anywhere
– Worked on reading/letters with Ellie
– Didn’t call to tell you this because I didn’t want to interrupt an important client call
– Didn’t text to tell you this since you think texting is completely overrated

No beach. No gym. No pool. No parties with friends. No “butterflies and flowers” for this stay at home mom.

Have I scored major points with my hardworking husband yet??? :)

Love, Cinderella

p.s. If you take the receipt from the oil change in with you sometime in the next two weeks you can get a great deal on a car wash. No I won’t “stack” and lose the receipt.
————————————————————————————————-
{side note*** Kenny thinks I “stack” his stuff when really I organize}

Kenny came home from work to a clean house and I felt my guilt wash away. In fact, I’m feeling so good that I think it’s time to head to the beach! :)

Enjoy the last few carefree days of summer….guilt free!

xoxo, Erin

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San Diego fun

08.14.09

Beach Bums

These two faces say it all…we are loving the beach this summer!

xoxo, Erin

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Addison

08.11.09

Addison’s first day

My baby started pre-school last week. She couldn’t wait to start, but cried when I left. She wanted to wear her “Belle” dress. At the end of the day she told me she had fun, but they had a snack and it was cheese and it wasn’t as yummy as our cheese.

It was so weird doing our usual morning routine with the girls, but dropping off Addison instead of Ellie. Ellie was so excited to show her the ropes… where to go, how to “sit like a singer” at singing time, where her cubby is (in Ellie’s old location), and of course, the best way to spin on the spinner. (Ellie is having major spinner withdrawls)

They were so adorable all morning – Addison excited and nervous, sitting so still and paying such close attention to the teacher…and Ellie with her every step of the way. I couldn’t help feeling a bit emotional and proud watching them both… I sure love my girls.

xoxo, Erin

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Feeling Creative

08.10.09

Star Behavior Charts

While summer is carefree and fun, lately I’ve been feeling like most of my days are not so carefree. Or so fun. I’ve been spending most of my days yelling things like: “Enough fighting! Pick up those toys! Let go of your sister’s hair! Yes you ARE wearing that! Addison can “be” that princess if she wants to! Just put it on! Don’t make me ask you again! I thought I said to let go of her haaaaaiiirrrrrrr!!!” You get the point. We needed a little extra motivation around here. So…I made these fun Star Behavior Charts for the girls. There is a pocket for goals the girls are working on (these change weekly) and a pocket for rewards they get at the end of each week if they have most of their stars. I decided they get a pass on two stars since perfection is a bit much for a 3 & 5 year old.

I made two charts because sometimes the girls will be working on different goals and… well… because a fight over the one star chart would have completely defeated the purpose. :) The stars I cut from a bulletin board border I had from my teacher days and then I just drew a grid, laminated everything (I so love to laminate), and then cut the laminate to make a pocket for goals and rewards. The great thing with the rewards is that they are things we would have done anyway…a trip to SeaWorld, movie night with popcorn, the park, ice cream, etc. The girls decide what they want and then work for it all week. It’s nice each time I feel like screaming to simply state “if you keep this up you won’t get a star on your chart.” Kids calm down and I don’t worry about losing my vocal cords.

These are their charts after the first week (you can see that on Tuesday the fighting continued despite the charts…). Overall though, things went well and at the end of the week we had a fun family movie night with popcorn. They got all of their stars on week two so we spent last Saturday at SeaWorld. This week the girls are working towards a toy (a green monkey stuffed animal Ellie has had her eye on – to be exact). :)

A few days after enjoying their star charts, the girls decided they wanted to make one for me. I drew them a grid and they got to work decorating the chart. I asked Ellie what I needed to work on and she just said “it’s going to be REALLY hard mom.”

Guess I’ll have to be on my best behavior.

xoxo, Erin

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Opposites

08.06.09

Opposites Day

It’s another miserable day in San Diego.

Kenny couldn’t wait to go to work this morning.

I’m counting down the hours until I get to cook dinner.

Addison doesn’t want to sleep with her blanket tonight.

Ellie doesn’t think she’ll play with any of her “friends” (stuffed animals) anymore.

Our local grocery store is always so nice and warm.

Matt Damon is such a tool.

The playroom is spotless right now.

Ellie is Addison, Addison is Ellie, Mommy is Daddy, and Daddy is Mommy.

I always remember to charge my cell phone.

Kenny always remembers to wear his seatbelt.

Addison doesn’t want yogurt for breakfast again- it’s too yucky.

I’m all caught up on my scrapbooking.

Ellie is not excited to go swimming today and especially hates the beach.

The girls are running around in their winter p.j’s right now because it’s just so cold.

I’m so over ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and could care less who wins tonight.

Ellie hopes she never goes to Disneyland again.

Kenny won’t be watching much football this fall.

I’m in the mood for some good meatloaf.

The princesses are so ugly. Especially Snow White.

Bummer that school will be starting soon…I really hate schedules and structure.

Ever seen the cartoon Little Bear? Well we watch a lot of it at our house and a favorite episode is titled ‘Opposites Day.’ Little Bear, Duck, Owl, Cat and Hen all walk around saying and doing everything opposite from the norm.
So…we’ve been having ‘Opposites Day’ at our house too. It’s loads of fun. You really should try it. If you have a minute, leave me an ‘opposite’ comment (because every blogger hates comments). Hope you have a crappy Thursday! ;)

xoxo, Erin

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Food and Cooking...or lack thereof

08.04.09

Tri-Color Pasta

So I thought I’d share a favorite recipe. Yes. It’s me. Erin. I promise. Are you over the shock of it all? It’s no secret that I hate to cook. The kids eat early, Kenny’s home late, and as for me…well…tonight I ate my kids’ leftover corn on the cob and store bought cookie dough for dinner. BUT, I have been trying to be better and for weeks now have met my goal which is to cook two times a week (baby steps people). So this is one of my favorite recipes because it meets my recipe criteria: it’s easy, yummy, and feeds the whole family. My girls won’t eat the finished product, but I can set aside some plain pasta with sauce and broccoli for them. (I’m SO getting back everything I put my parents through with picky eating). Anyway – I know the suspense is killing you so here’s my recipe:

{Tri-Color Pasta}

Brown one pkg Jimmy Dean pork sausage w/ chopped onion
In a separate pan, cook 1 pkg. penne pasta
When the pasta is mostly done, drain it and put it back in the pan
Add to the pasta:
the cooked sausage and onion
2 pkg frozen broccoli – cooked (the recipe says to cook the broccoli with the sausage, but I can’t do this without over or under cooking the broccoli…so I cook my broccoli separate) :) The recipe also says one pkg of broccoli, but I love broccoli so I do two or just lots of fresh broccoli.
2 cans stewed Italian tomatoes (I usually cut these up a bit)
1 or 2 cans of tomato sauce (depends on how saucy you want it)
Sprinkle with garlic, oregano, and parmesan cheese (I just LOVE cheese)
Combine everything and warm it a bit and serve!

Ok…so Kenny and I are watching TV right now and I told him I’m posting a recipe and he is LAUGHING his head off. He asked which one and I told him one of our family favorites, Tri-Color Pasta. His response: “It’s a family favorite by default… it’s one of the only three recipes you cook!” Then he smugly added “You might as well be posting legal advice.”

Hmmm… I’ll show him. Tune in tomorrow for a complete run down on setting up your own corporation, the steps to ensure proper funding for said corporation, and potential exit scenarios, including reverse mergers and IPOs. And maybe if you’re really lucky… I’ll throw in another recipe.

xoxo, Erin

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Ellie and Addison

08.03.09

Happy Monday

{A scene from the breakfast table last Monday}

Here’s Ellie – happily munching away at her toast…

and here’s Addison. Take a guess which of my daughters is NOT a morning person??!!

Happy Monday. Happy August!

xoxo, Erin

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home decor 2

07.31.09

Jewelry Solutions

Wondering how to display and organize your jewelry? Here are a just few ideas – from our family to yours.

Hang your necklaces on hooks in your bedroom and it becomes part of the decor. I got this fun idea from my sister. (side note **sisters are cool about you copying them as long as you give them credit for the idea…at least that’s the way it rolls with my sister)

If you don’t love that idea, here are a few suggestions from Ellie and Addison…

Hang your bracelets on your mom’s dresser drawer knobs…

and hang your necklaces on your mom’s bedroom hutch.

If you’re in the mood to really show some creative flair, then opt for a more detailed approach by creating a jewelry ensemble on your stair case.

Then there’s always the obvious choice…use your necklaces to pull your “horsey” around the house. (side note **this may cause some wear and tear on your jewelry AND your horsey’s teeth. It is not recommended for long periods of time)

(side note **horsey’s perform much better after a kiss…and a carrot)

And last but not least…

You can always display your jewelry where it looks best… all over your father. (side note **not all dads are cool enough to take this kind of abuse. Proceed with caution)

It’s a good thing Kenny is such a good sport.

And incredibly secure in his manhood.

xoxo, Erin

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Family

07.29.09

Sweet Claire

Just sharing some pictures of my sweet niece at 18 months. I can’t get enough of them! I’m going to visit Carly (my sister) in September and can’t wait to spend some time with this adorable baby girl. {It will be especially nice to have some one-on-one time with her without my two munchkins around. They are as fond of baby Claire as I am} :)

xoxo, Erin

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Family

07.27.09

Highlight 5 & 6

{PHOTOGRAPHY 101}

So another major highlight of my trip (yes – I’m still posting highlights. Hang in there with me…this will be the end of it!) was a morning spent with one of my mom’s (and now my) favorite people. Rex is an amazing photographer and when my mom mentioned to him that I was attempting to learn more about photography he offered to take me out for a little 1 on 1 instruction time. {I know – these shoes do NOT go with my shorts, but pants weren’t an option since it was over 100 degrees and we were doing some serious hiking – so – all fashion was set aside} Despite the hiking, and the heat, and the not so cute shoes, I had the most amazing time with Rex! He was incredibly fun and cool to hang out with and he taught me more in four hours then I learned during a two month photography class. I have had so much fun playing around with all the tips and tricks he taught me. We’re planning another little photography lesson for October to get some pictures of the fall leaves. Can’t wait. Thanks again Rex!

This little guy cooperated and held so still for me. If only my girls would do the same!

{LAWN MOWING}

Yes. Mowing my parents’ lawn was a highlight of my trip. My dad watched my girls for me during my photography lesson so I told him I’d mow his lawn to pay him back. What he and I both know is that doing this was more for me than for him. I have always loved mowing lawns! When I grew up it was my Saturday job (kept me dressed in the latest Girbaud jeans) and I grew to love it. I love being outside early in the morning. I love the smell of freshly cut grass. I love the sound of the mower. I love the perfectly cut straight lines. I love zoning out and letting my mind wander while I mow. I love that mowing lawns makes it really feel like summer.

My parents now have a big, beautiful back yard and I love mowing their lawn. Funny thing is that Kenny and I don’t even own a mower. Our backyard is a typical So. Cal. yard which means it’s non existent. We have a patch of lawn about the size of a table – not much fun to mow. So we do the typical So. Cal. solution – hire a landscaper. But in my next house. Someday. I will have a BIG lawn to mow. And I will mow perfect, long straight lines in my grass. And then I will pay a landscaper to do everything else. :)

(In a serious discussion about how to best avoid sprinkler heads. Lawn mowing sparks a lot of serious discussions.)

(my biggest helpers)

xoxo, Erin

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