A day in the life of a stay at home mommy.

Monthly Update

2007-05-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm realizing it's taking me a month to post... sigh... Here are some pictures of the kids over the last month. Love to you all!

Time for catch up!

2007-04-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been a while since I've blogged... I have such good intentions though... but I know, I know, good intentions pave the road to hell - is that the saying? I don't remember. Anyhoo, the recap of the last several weeks is that we had a great time visiting everyone in California. I did break my "vacationing cardinal rule", though... we stayed at a different house every single night - NEVER doing that again! Now I remember why I have that rule! The kids did great on the trip - I was really surprised at the overall success of the trip!

When we got back, we spent the next week with my mom, hanging out, playing with the kids and of course, shopping! Wow, it had been almost half a year since I had gone shopping - Retail therapy is always so nice! It was so sad to have my mom leave. I was reminded again why it is I want to move closer to home...to be with my parents. There's just something that happens, I think, when you get older and have kids. Maybe it's because I never knew my grandparents and I want my kids to know theirs. Maybe it's just because all my life I have been so independent and now I'm realizing how much treasure there is in my parents. Maybe I'm realizing that time and life is short and I don't want to have ANY regrets... Okay, enough of the philosophy.

Tyler started T-ball a couple weeks ago and is having a "ball". He loves it so much! What a change from the soccer season experiences. No more crying before practice and playing air guitar and martial arts during the games. Hmmm, could it be just a maturity factor or does he really love t-ball? I dunno. But this one thing I know is true - he's still a 5 year old boy. So he has his moments. Just last week, he was playing army men with one of his team mates, the bats were machine guns and everyone one in the outfield were the enemy. Sigh... will he grow out of this stage or will he be one of those guys that always has a little 5 year old deep down inside? Oh, Lord, help us!! :)

Kelsie is growing like a weed!! Her legs are almost sticking out of her car seat already and she's got another 7 more months before we can turn it around!! She's int he 90% for height - I have no idea why my kids are so tall!! She started solid foods 2 weeks ago. I was adamant not to start her until she turned 6 months, but all of a sudden, my baby who was sleeping through the night for 2 months, stopped. Sure enough, she met all the milestones needed to start solid foods. So I gave in, went out and bought some organic oatmeal and apricot nectar and gave her a little taste. I was surprised that she didn't make that funny face like most babies do. She tasted two spoonfuls and then downed the whole bowl!! Yup, she was definitely ready. My baby is growing so fast, it's so exciting and so sad at the same time. I think this is the last baby for us, so I'm trying to treasure every moment and little milestone she hits. Last night was her first night in her own room... I was a little sad and hesitant, but wow, I am feeling so refreshed today!! I actually slept better. Don't know why since I had the monitor on the loudest volume!

So that's a wrap for what's been happening here... Here are some pictures from the last month or so:

We're Home... Phewwww!

2007-03-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful week down in California!! We got to see pretty much every family member down there (sans the extended cousins and Chris' brother & fam). But I do have to say that everyday at a new home with two kids is quite overwhelming. That's the first and last time that's going to happen! I always had a rule that we would stay at one house and anyone who wanted to see us would have to visit us there or just meet up for a day excursion. Well, although that sounds really selfish and snobby, I now stand even firmer, that this snobbish plan is the only one that works with kids in tow. I was so surprisingly blessed, though, at how great the kidos were. Super well behaved and pretty content! Tyler is such a helpful and kind big brother - I pray that he continues to be that way towards his little sis for many many years to come.

So now we're at home, the laundry is all done and groceries once again occupy the empty fridge (hard to believe that my fridge could be empty, huh?). Well, you know, it was as empty as any asian fridge, there are always bottles of sauces, garlic, and the other essentials! :) So here are some pics from our trip. Had to do a slide show because there were too many (mom is here, so she's taken over 220 since a week ago!) ha ha ha! Love to you all!

What a week!

2007-03-09T20:07:00.000-08:00

I can't believe a whole week has gone by since my last post. Wow, time flies so fast when you're a crazy mommy, I mean, when you're having fun!! Well, I've spent the last week preparing for tomorrow - the day we take off on our first road trip with the little pumpkin. Laundry, house cleaning, errands, etc... has consumed my week and now the day has finally come. You'd think after all that time I'd be ready, of course not!!!! I still have to pack the food and toiletries, but
everything else is loaded up ready to go! My mom is flying in tonight and she, the kids and I are making our way down to Cali!! So. Cal, baby!! Hubby can't take time off of work, so he's "batching" it this week. We'll stop in the East Bay area to visit Steph, then down to my sister-in-law's, to my cousin's, to the Santa Barbara Zoo with my other sisters and kids, to Susan's house (sister), to my mother-in-law's house, then to my aunt's house for a rest time before we head back home on Thursday. What a whirl wind trip, but I wanted to everyone to be able to see Kelsie and the rest of us. It will be a LOOOOOONG time before we make it down again. Anyway, it'll be another week before I'm on again! Love to you all!!

Aaaaahhhh Slime!!

2007-03-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have been trying to be more domestic and do art projects with Tyler since they don't do alot during their 3 hours of Kindergaten. Today was slime day. Our neighbor's daughter comes over once a week after school and I promised them that we could make slime again. Today was the day. I got the recipe off this awesome website (familyfun.com - if you need any fun ideas to do with your kids from Preschool through grade school, it's all themed by seasons and holidays). Anyhoo, we got all the things ready for making the concoction. But, it didn't turn out!! Unfortunately, I was lazy and guestimated on the amount of Borax... needless to say, the slime wasn't slimey, it was like a hard piece of chewed up bazooka gum. Yuck!

So, for all the efforts, it was only a 5 minute blurp of our day. Sigh... what could have been a 30-45 minute play time turned into a failed recipe... Oh well, at least I tried. I guess I'll have to make more next week!! So we scraped our hands and then played with Kelsie a little and now they're off to the yard to stomp in the slush.

Eyes Wide Shut...

2007-03-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

There are many days I'm so grateful for technology... today was not one of them! Why is it that day you NEED a nap, the phone rings constantly and there is someone at the door every minute? And the days your dying for some adult interaction, the phone is silent and there is no one at the door? I wish I would have been smart enough to turn the phone off this morning so I could have gotten a little shut eye (baby is in a growth spurt, I think, so she has been waking up through the night.) I've been spoiled since she's been sleeping pretty much through the night for a couple weeks now.

So even now, I'm debating... Do I wash the dishes and pick up the house before I crash or just lie down? I really really want to be lazy and just go to bed right now, after Tyler falls asleep. We'll see what happens. Until then, I will walk around my house with my eyes wide shut like a zombie!

Snow Day!!

2007-02-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

When you were little and it started snowing at night, didn't hope, wish and pray that the next day you would turn the tv on and wait for that exciting announcement, "Schools are closed today due to the weather." Today was our first Snow Day and boy was Tyler excited when we told him. The only difference is that our news came from his teacher calling at 6:30a.m. a little too early for me!! But it was nice that they called, another bonus to being in a private school. I didn't have to wonder and wait for the news to tell me that the foot and a half of snow outside was going to stop us from getting out.

It started yesterday afternoon with a total white out, wind blowing like crazy. And of course we live on the higher elevation side of town with not a lot of mature trees around. Chris got home and I asked if he could shovel just in case we had to go to school the next day. So after dinner, he and Tyler went out to unbury our driveway. They came in for hot cocoa and brownies and we went off to bed, all the while, the sky was still pouring out tons and tons of snow!!

So after breakfast and a little play time, we ventured outside to attack the backyard on the very first snow day ever!!! As you can imagine, the pictures only captured a glimpse of the sheer joy he had playing for hours in the snow!

Baby Orangutan....after a bath this is what she looks like! ha ha ha Here's a before and after:

100 days old and already a party pooper!

2007-02-25T22:47:00.000-08:00

So, I was relizing earlier this week that Kelsie's 100th Day was going to be on Friday. And I sighed... when it dawned on me that no one (I mean my family) were coming down to celebrate. The second child really does get the short end of the stick! Sorry to all you second, third, fourth, etc. children out there!! Since I was depressed, I called my mom and my sis and shared my blues with them. And both of them had the same sentimet - throw your own party with your friends down there. But I was too far gone into my woes to even think that was an option. Then Thursday morning hit and I had this sudden urge to host a party, so I quickly got on the phone and called 5 families we are close to and invited them to a traditional party for Kelsie's 100th day celebration. Of course I got the same responses from them all: "HUH!?!? What is that?" So I explained that it's Korean tradition to keep the baby pretty much in seclution for 100 days to avoid any cooties and then have their "debut" at their 100th day party. So, they were all game and we were on for the next evening.

I quickly starting cleaning house, making my menu, strategizing as to how I was going to get everything done that I needed done in less than 24 hours (Yes, I know technically I had more time than that, but I have a baby and a 5 year old, time gets eaten up pretty quickly). So I called my mom and got the recipe for the traditional noodle dish that is typically served at these ordeals and started down my to-do list!!

The party was a hit, the food was sooo yummy!! I was thinking of my friends Karin, Cathy and Niki the whole time, knowing they would be digging everything I was cooking! I made Korean noodles (Chap-Chae), Teriyaki Chicken, Asian tossed salad, two kinds of rice and I actually made a 4 layer strawberry cake with frosting and decorations!! Can you believe it?!? I couldn't beleive I remembered how to frost a cake, it's been almost 20 years since my cake decorating classes.

So I got everything set early afternoon, and decided to get Kelsie dressed and take some pictures while she was happy. Grandma definately needs some pictures - it's her passion! Everyone arrived on time, just as Kelsie was falling asleep. So needless to say, at her first party, she was the early bird, the party pooper!!

Yes Lord, Yes Lord!

2007-02-23T14:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever come to the realization that you are a lot more imperfect and need so much more mercy and grace than you thought? I just had that revelation last night, convicted about choices I've made... sigh... I am realizing how much more I have yet to learn and grow. It almost seems hopeless, but I am trying to remind myself that we live for and are loved by a very LOVING God. Yet, in the moment of revelation and conviction, His love almost seems too good for me. I pray that everyone reading would know that God's love is immeasurable and no mistake you make can completely derail the plan of God. His way is so much greater than ours and His plans for us are so much bigger than anything I can create on my own - even if that creation is a mess! So, I am humbled, trying to remember that I am pressed, but not crushed, persecuted not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. I am blessed beyond the curse because His promise will endure and His joy is going to be my strength!

November - December Pictures of Us!

2007-02-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

I"m baaaaack!

2007-02-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I know it's been a loooong while since my last blog, but I have a beautiful excuse: Kelsie! The last couple months have gone by so quickly. Do you find that when you start talking like that (ie. the time is passing so fast, our kids are growing so quickly, etc.) that it reminds you of your parents? I swore that when I was little I would never say that! But here I am repeating history. I can't beleive the holidays have come and gone and spring is just around the corner (well, we only get a couple weeks of spring, here in the desert). I am happy to report, however that my Christmas tree came down the second week of January!! Thank you very much! Although... I have to admit that Tyler and Kelsie's mini tree upstairs is still up... sigh... baby steps, I guess. So here are a couple pics from the last several months...

Only by His Grace

2006-12-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

Today was a special day... Kelsie's dedication. It's a long honored Biblical tradition dating back to the days of Abraham. The people would bring their children to the oldest and/or wisest elder in the tribe for a prayer of blessing on their child that would last their life time. So today, after Tyler's Christmas performance at his school's church, we headed to church. This would be our first trip to church together as a family in quite a few weeks. With my mother-in-law here for a visit, it was an extra special day. Pastor Pete held Kelsie up and prayed that her name sake would be shown all her life. That God's grace in her life and grace toward others would show as a child and be what draws people to know Him as a woman, that she would be a leader of compassion and grace showing others the way to Christ. I was so blessed and touched by his prayer and challenged to be that woman as an example to my daughter. I realized that she would be following my footsteps as I follow Christ's. Lord, I am humbled and honored to have this journey to take, to walk as you walk so my children will know which way to go. Help me to be a woman of grace and integrity that you might be pleased as you look upon me and my family.

Family Traditions

2006-12-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

It always starts with my hubby dragging in all the red storage boxes and the huge box filled with our boughs and bobbles. While everyone is out, I spend the day transforming our home into a Christmas wonderland. But, this year is different. This year was surprisingly different. It started the same this year with my hubby dragging in all the boxes, but then he and my 5 year old superhero joined me. It was the start of a family tradition. I can't believe he's old enough to climb the ladder and don the tree with all it's bobbles. He was more than excited and all too eager to help decorate the tree. We capped the night of festivities with hot cocoa and marshmallows and gingerbread cookies... What a wonderful start to a new family tradition for many years to come.

Back to life, back to reality...

2006-12-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

So it's been 3 weeks now since our little princess came home and life has finally started to look a little normal. Kelsie is such a good baby, it's hard to grasp this concept of such a content and happy little baby. The newest baby news is that Kelsie finally exceeded her birth weight!! Yipee!! She was having a hard time gaining weight, so her doctor put her on a high calorie formula to add into her diet and by golly, it worked! I have to admit I'm a little bummed that she has to be on the bottle, you know me - au natural... Plus that formula is so expensive!! But the bonus is that Daddy gets to help with some feedings - he loves that time with her.

Tyler is such a great big brother!! I'm so impressed by how nurturing and loving he is towards his "beautiful, gorgeous girl" (that's what he calls her). "Sissy" (another nick name) has definately got him wrapped around his fingers! Everyday after school, he runs up stairs, washes his hands (because he knows how mommy feels about germs!) and "softs" (verb: to gently pet) his baby.

Number two is surprisingly a lot easier to add into life than I thought!! I'm not crazy out of my mind like I was the first time and I think the anal-ness has simmered a bit (only a little). Life is great and I'm so grateful for my two kids!!

Yesterday was a big day for me. I actually went out of the house!! Besides doctors appointments and the one time I took Tyler to school, I have been a home body (and anyone who knows me knows that home body isn't one trait that would attribute to me!). So I ventured out in the cold desert air and made a quick trip to Wal-mart. I had to pick up an ornament for an exchange later that evening. I also tried to find a couple little gifts for nieces and newphews, with little luck. I did however find the cutest shabby chic wooden 3-d snowflake ornament that I couldn't stop touching. So home I went with diapers and an ornament in hand. I was actually getting excited about the prospect of leaving the house again that evening for a fun night out with the girls. My friend Kim, aka Miss Creative Entertainer of the year, put on a big ginger bread man cookie decorating party for 20 friends. She baked us all two cookies each, individually bagged icing for us all and stocked each table with candies and confections to decorate. On top of it all, she made a huge spread of appetizers and desserts and had prizes for the winners of the decorating contest. Don't you hate her already - she's too perfect!! I was in creative heaven!! I haven't done anything creative in a while and I was in need of some "Martha inspired" time. So I sat down and started my quest to decorate my men. I had such a fun time creating my "Tyler" and "Kelsie" cookies!! We finished decorating and it was time for the judging. I voted for the hula girl and surfer boy - so very cute!! I was so surprised that I won (it was a close one, I only won by one vote) and impressed by the prize that I received - a huge ginger bread house cookie jar filled with cookies!! Yummy!! After that, we started the ornament exchange. Is it totally lame that I went for the one I bought?! I couldn't help it, I loved it so much and thought it would be perfect for Tyler's tree!

I left the party and headed home and couldn't believe I actually found myself wanting to be that home-body again. Hmmm, have I made the change? Are the days of being out all the time over? I think so, only temporarily, though. I'm sure once spring hits, Kelsie and I will be hitting the mall again. Maybe not for shopping, but definately for a stroll around with a hot latte in tow.

"D" Day...Yeah, she's here!

2006-11-17T10:53:00.000-08:00

So, we were all set with an induction scheduled for 5:30 a.m. on November 15th, much to my sister's dismay, since that was HER birthday! So I spent Tuesday getting all my loose ends tied up, get some last minute cleaning and prep done and headed to bed after a nice long shower. I had been have random contractions for a while now so I didn't think anything of the ones that were happening that evening untill about 2 a.m. They were pretty painful and about 5 minutes apart. So I woke Chris up and we headed to the hospital - big brother was already at the neighbor's house spending the night. 4 a.m. rolled around and that's when full blow hard labor started. Labor was hard, but fast. Kelsie was born at 7:15 a.m.

Tyler is in love with his sister and has even chosen holding and being with her over playing and t.v.!! He is such a great big brother!! We are so blessed and grateful to God for our little girl. Thank you to all of you who were praying for us!!

Up Way Too Early

2006-11-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

So this happy pregnancy pose was a couple weeks ago, when I was content and happy to just wait for our little girl, but that all changed after that night. Sleepless nights have completely set in, preparing me for the nights to come. So the third trimester of pregnancy has proven to be a "tiring one". I can't believe I've been up now since 3:28 am!! That's just insane. There must be something in the Reno air that's keeping us all up. The dogs are up and my 5 year old has been coming in and out of his room since 5 am... sigh... I think it might be an interesting day at Kindergarten today.

So I'm finally a blogger - who makes up these computer words anyway?! A blogger? Is it because I'm a mother of a 5-year old or is that word just too close to bugger? I don't know, it's way too early to be thinking about words. So here I go posting my first blog entry - not really sure of the purpose other than to stay in touch with my friends and to vent (something every woman must do on a daily basis - very cathartic).

I've been listening to my newest CD...Josh Groban's "Awake". Can I just say that that boy has the most relaxing voice ever? I think I've decided to make that my delivery room music. I think my little girl will be pleased with her entry music. Hey, if mama's happy then she should be too, right? Well, I think this is the end of my first blog. I've got to at least try to lie down for an hour before the morning routine starts up.