Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!

So, it has been raining here for 5 straight days. Do you know how hard it is to keep 2 little boys entertained inside for that long? I might add that these 2 boys are sick little boys so we can't go outside to splash around in the rain. Talan started off the week with a bit of a cough and runny nose which has since disappeared. Gavin has been coughing/runny nose all week and I finally braved the rain yesterday to take him to the doctors. He has double ear infections! Poor little man! This in turn kept the poor guy (and poor momma) up most of the night last night....So I basically feel like a zombie today and I am stuck in the house yet again!! We are beginning to go crazy! So far this week we have gotten the tent out to play, played with playdough, colored in coloring books, practiced singing all the songs that we know, watched hours of Barney, rode the scooter and quad indoors, and stared outside wishing the rain would stop so that we could get out of this house!! At least it is supposed to be a beautiful weekend! *praying*

What do you do to entertain your kiddos when it is pouring outside??? I need some more ideas!

Let us out!!

Talan Sings his ABC's

Pretend City

Today we chanced the rain and headed out to Irvine to Pretend City. We went with a group of mom's from my Stroller Strides. It was awesome! It was perfect because it has been raining here all week and the boys have been cooped up in the house going stir crazy! This place is so great. It has a pretend post office, fire station, police station, beach, restaurant, farm and grocery store. Talan ran around like a crazy man and definitely wore himself out. So much fun! Here are a ton of pictures from today!

9 Months

Okay...who pushed the fast forward button and how can I hit pause?? My little babies are just growing up way too fast. And not only that, it just seems like life itself is happening way too fast. I don't get it. When you are younger the days seem to drag on and on. Once I had my kids it has been non-stop hyper speed. It makes me sad in a way. I just want to take a step back and enjoy it while it is here. I feel like there is always something to be done (cleaning/laundry/dishes) but all of that can wait because I don't want to look back on this time and not have memories of my babies. I need to be more in the moment and enjoy the little things, even if it is just sitting on the floor and playing with blocks and being silly with them. They are not going to be babies forever.

Well my little Gavin is 9 months old! He is crawling EVERYWHERE super fast and now pulls himself up onto the couch, the side of his crib, and pretty much anything else he can get his little hands on. He doesn't really like baby food so much anymore and prefers to feed himself (he loves the food that Talan eats, mac and cheese/waffles/string cheese/bananas) He is totally a momma's boy and follows me around the house and always wants me to hold him. He is a little snuggle bug. He is babbling a lot, mostly "dadadadada" of course...that was Talan's first word too! He is sleeping way better than he was...only waking up once for a bottle which makes for a very happy mommy and daddy. Here are some pictures of my precious boy.

Beautiful Blogger!

My friend Tawny at A Beautiful Life nominated my blog for the "Beautiful Blogger" award! How sweet is that? By being nominated I am required to let you guys in on 7 random things about me and also nominate 7 other bloggers! woo hoo!

So I am trying to think of 7 random things..this is hard but here it goes...

1. I have always wanted to be a DJ. Ever since I was in high school and I would see someone mixing on the 1's and 2's I was hooked. I love listening to music that is mixed and especially love when the DJ mixes crazy stuff together, for instance Metallica and Jay Z or Def Leppard and Eminem....LOVE IT! DJ Hero came out around Christmastime and I soooo wanted it, but I couldn't justify spending that much money on myself right now!

2. I am one of those crazy coupon women that you see in the grocery store and hate to have in front of you. I cut every coupon (actually 2 of each because I get 2 newspapers) even if I am not going to use it, just in case I need it. I get excited to watch my total fall and I could care less about the dirty looks I am getting from the person behind me in line. The best I have done is have my total go from $150 to $43! woo hoo!

3. I secretly wish I was working! Don't get me wrong, I love my children and being a stay at home mom is such a hard but fulfilling job. Sometimes I just wish I could have some time to myself, or at least drive in my car and not have to listen to Barney all the time! I was planning on going back to get my teaching credential when I found out I was pregnant with Gavin. The job market is not doing so hot in California right now so I haven't decided yet what I am going to do, so for now staying home is alright for me.

4. I am training for a 10K mud run in June! I am also *thinking* about doing a 1/2 marathon AND I am also doing the Stroller Strides Get Fit Challenge starting February 1st! I am gonna be in shape for bikini season!! another woo hoo!

5. I have a mild case of OCD, especially when it comes to my boys toys! I cannot stand when a piece of one toy is in another room or mixed up with another toy. I constantly am organizing and rearranging and "fixing" their toys and they are constantly mixing them back up! It bugs me soooo much! I also HATE clutter. I feel like I am always NON-STOP putting things back where they belong so they aren't out on the counters.

6. I have this crazy ability to drink a beer super fast. (also known as a beer bong) Hahha, yes I am kind of embarrassed that I am posting this. This talent of mine became apparent to me in college. I don't practice it so much anymore. Except for a trip to Mexico with my husband 4 years ago, they had a contest on the beach against the employees of the bar. I volunteered and kicked the guys bootie! I won the entire bar shots of tequila! hahahah yes, something to be proud of, I know.

7. Me and my husband got married in Las Vegas at the same chapel that Britney Spears got married. Yes, it was spontaneous and we were already in Vegas so we just did it! No one was with us and we didn't tell anyone right away. I don't regret marrying my husband the way that I did, but I do want to eventually have a vow renewal and have my dad walk me down the aisle. That is the only thing that I wish I had done differently!

Anyways...those are my 7 random things...I was going to try to nominate 7 bloggers, but a lot of my "blog friends" have already been nominated...so I will nominate 6 that haven't.

Life with a McNugget

KrashingMotions

Carly Kennelly

V is For Vixen

Everlee Ann's Big Adventure

Bubby Love

A New Year and an Updated Family Pic!

I have been in a total funk these past couple days and I have not wanted to blog at all. I think it is the whole getting back into the swing of things that is taking a toll on me. My husband had so much time off during the holidays and it was so nice having him home to help me! I guess I took it for granted. Anyways, we have been trying to get back into a normal routine but the last few nights Talan has woken up in the middle of the night from coughing (he is only coughing at night and the doctor told me that it was allergies) and he screams "Mama" or "Dada" until one of us comes and either gives him his pacifier or brings him downstairs in our bed. Sometimes he wakes up his brother, whose room is right next to his which causes a whole different problem!

Not only has Talan not been sleeping well at night, he has also decided that he doesn't want to nap anymore. He figured out that if he takes his pants and his diaper off mommy will come running in. He has peed the bed a couple of times because I didn't realize that he had taken his diaper off. I guess that means that it is time to start potty training? He has a potty and we have introduced him to the idea. He goes sometimes when we ask him but he never tells us when he needs to go. Does anyone have any helpful hints for potty training a 2 year old??

Anyways, I have just added a ton of pictures which may bore you...they aren't in any particular order but they are from the last week. I am going to try to get out of my rut and get back in the game!

Oh and one more thing...we FINALLY got an updated picture of all of us together, since Kiely and Tyler were out for Christmas/New Years. Wow...it only took us 9 months to do it! Hehe.

Family Picture with all 6 of us.

7 of the 10 grandkids w/ Grandma Linda

He looks so innocent in this picture! Looks can be deceiving.

Another pic of just the grandkids.

Kiely and Tyler at my Dad's birthday dinner.

My Dad, me and my brother.

Tyler showing Talan how to ride his new bike.

Dad's birthday dinner

Frankie and his new haircut

Brotherly Love

Talan giving Gavin a ride on the quad

Gavin standing!

Talan (showing off his new ability to take his own pants/diaper off)

Talan and Kiely

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year (a day late)! and Happy Birthday to my wonderful Dad!! I don't know where I would be or who I would be today if I didn't have you. I love you more than words can say!