Our Heninger Halloween!

We moved closer to the Rich and Laurie and the kids and just look how much fun we are having!! A candy-bar smores cookout with the long lost Brandley cousins, Damon , Stephanie & kids and Melissa. We had so much fun seeing you all! Can't wait for the next family function!

Sweet LIttle Apple Pie

Reese's birthday party pics to come. Margaux did a fantastic job of the good-old apple pie, watermelon, hotdogs, cupcakes and gigantic red and yellow balloons, all-american party. Happy Birthday Reese.

Catch Up.....I mean serious tag here people!

Grammy helped us Pack. Seriously.......the woman moves like lightning. I know, you're all jealous.....so am I. Thanks Grammy. We love you.











Alec's first soccer game. He rocked the warm-up crew with his sweet moves but come game time.....he lost his steam and kept asking to just go play at the park. Brady finally told him that if he scored a goal, we'd head to the swings. So, slouched over, he sauntered back onto the field, ran over and stole the ball, dribbled to the other end of the field, scored a goal and then immediately hung his head to the side again and walked off the field leaving his team-mates to finish the game solo. Seriously, can you believe this guy?? What a character!








The Crews: Willardsons, Kropfs, Clarks, Ingersols & Armstrongs
I'm pretty sure they are all moving this way soon!!! Come on you guys....please?











Pre-School Year-2
Alec at his new pre-school. This new place has come with it's own set of challenges. It's about 20 minutes away which has meant extra barf bags for poor Ella. Her new best friend is Dramamine!! Pray for Ella. Actually pray for me and Alec. We thank you.







Hangin With the Heningers!
We had a blast up north with our cousins Hannah, Jakie, Jonah, Becca, Uncle Richie and Laurie. Thank you so much for letting us crash. We had so much fun yuckin it up!! This is the only picture I snapped. Apparantly too busy having fun.

Broken.

1. new walls. Better than I thought.

2. new haircut. Not as good as I thought.

3. new bed. Broken.

4. new sickness. Strep

5. new weight on forbidden scale? Scary.

6. new feeling. Ugghhh.

7. New recipe to make me feel better? Yum. (www.bakerella.com)

Fam Pics....take me home!

We had so much fun hanging in the O.C. with the fam. We kicked it at the temple after church and snagged some pics of Jamie's fam. They were so cute. And mom got her way with a fam pic at the wooden door park. I love that spot. The light is always so beautiful there. I wish it was my backyard....oh wait...it is.

Shirley Grad Party!

Our friend Shirley threw a graduation party for her daughter Joslynn. She was so much fun to work with and Margaux and I had a blast planning this green and brown theme party with oreo truffles, chocolate cupcakes, and other envious green sweets.

Ella's Ruffles & Dots Party

We had so much fun with a bunch of our friends who had little girls in Ella's nursery class. Sidney S., Audrey, Reese, Sidney I., Anna and their siblings came to the secret gate park to have a Big Bash! Each girl got a hand-made apron to help decorate their very own cupcake. We ate cheesey Pizza (ella's fav) and had delicious and beautiful fruit (THANKS Kari!) Also thanks to Margaux and Brady for being my wing men. It turned out so pink and lovely!

Why I can't stop bragging about Kate!!

This is Kate & Dan's amazing work. Seriously, I want to cry I am so happy about the way they turned out. Can you blame me? Kates...... You seriously ROCK! For a few more of us and thousands of beautiful photos click here to view peekaboophotos.

The Party!

My friend Margaux and I have been entertaining the urge to create a seriously cool party business. And on our journey, our good friend Evelyn asked us to help her with her sister's 30th. Check out her sweet carnival bash!! We are open for custom business and will also be working on party themes you can choose from. Party on people!

"You just decide and make a change!"

Sounds like it came from a 35 year old? Well, Alec is 3 going on 35 so I guess that's about right! He had wet his pull-up for 6 months almost EVERY night. I tried everything until three weeks ago, he woke up dry. I made a huge deal and said "If you wake up dry for 7 days in a row, you'll get fingerpaints" (A coveted medium never before tried. Mysteries are so irresistable!) He looks at me as if with a giant epiphany and says

"So, you just decide and then make a change?"

Quite intelligently I reply with "Um...da...yeah, I guess so!" The kicker here is, he NEVER wet his pull-up again. Is he a kick in the pants or what! I keep glancing over at Brady and whispering "I gave birth to that thing ya know!" How LUCKY am I.

Stop me. I must have one.

Check out this amazing display of sugar from the cakegirls for Real Simple. How can anyone resist these insanely perfect designs.

Ang Senior Pics

This is my darling and crazy little sis. Isn't she a little hottie!

Oh my dossshhh!

It's so funny to hear Ella's little high and very soft but scratchy voice say something like this.

"Oh my dossssh, Oh my dosssshhhh. Eme see (Let me see). Eme seee. Iss Awshum (Awsome)."

She is Awshum!!!

Baby Kendall!

I'm so lucky to have three of the BEST sisters ever. My older sister Jamie and her husband Travis had their baby girl yesterday and we are so excited for them. After two cute boys, they get to cross to the pink side!! YAY! We can't wait to meet the sweet little dark haired Kendall. We hope she keeps her grandma Elsie's colored locks!

I didn't hear you pour me some milk mom!!

My mom and I have gotten into a habit of telling Alec stories every few days. And if anyone knows my mom, you know my siblings and I have spent most of our lives sitting on her bed trying to make her laugh. Which isn't hard. Grandma Elsie thinks everything is hilarious. It's hereditary as her aunts used to sit around and laugh themselves silly. My sister Lisa said we all grew up thinking we were comedians...sadly we happen to not be as funny to everyone else. So I thought I'd sit here on my bed and tell a few of the good ones that have made Grandma Elsie laugh the hardest.

1:Everytime I remind Alec to flush I say "I didn't hear a flush!" So yesterday after asking me several times for a glass of milk, he finally came up and said " Mom. I didn't hear you pour me a glass of milk!"

2:Our friend Kari seems to bewilder Alec since she is the only one who gets in his face the way he does everyone else. We mentioned going to Disneyland with her on friday and Alec said "Kari is my friend......she's my sister. She's one of my Babes!" (His nickname for Ella is "Babes".)

3: I was trying to make a cake for some event and Alec decided he was going to help out. He dragged a chair into the kitchen stood on it and said "Mom, take a seat. Take a seat. I got it. Now let's see here....how we gonna do this!"

Of course I can't think of anymore right now so I'll add to this post the next few days. Check back...he's here all week.

Terminal Illness

Seriously, I'm STILL SICK. I kid you not, the past months are a blur of dragging kids not only into the pediatrician but to my doctor as well and having everyone say "wow, you sure have your hands full." Hasn't anyone ever seen two kids before? Furthermore, I'm on my second antibiotic and dang it...I'm going back to the doc tomorrow. I'm going to go get my own little ear flashlight thing and my own fingernail file and call myself in some drugs that will cure me. Living in Chicago - Not sick. Living in sunny, beautiful, warm & luscious Southern CA...dying a slow death. I think someone is secretly planting chemical warefare on our deck. Did I mention I've been taking Vicadin for my recent root canal?

Since I have no pictures for this post, I thought I'd post one that makes me laugh instead. But I have to tell the story that goes with. Our preschool group now has 4, but has had 5 WILD and fun boys. One particularly hard Monday, I couldn't gain control for a good 20 minutes. The next day I came up with this beauty of an idea. Check it out. They were SILENT! It was beautiful.

Holidays....WARNING....CONTAMINATED!

We spent most of the holidays sick due to the family pea-tree dish. But we did have so much fun. We were at the doctor 4 times in one week in Utah for Thanksgiving and from there we've had at least one or ALL of the following. Flu, strep, double ear infection, croupe, ear infection again, croupe again, sinus infection and bad cold, and HUGE, freakishly wierd, oh-so-sore cold sore blister on Alec's thumb. Warning to the healthy and the well, don't venture here! We might be contagious!!!

Ditto

I just had to repost this from my aunt Laurie in Northern CA. She totally nails it.

"I am Yes for Prop 8. No matter how many times you steal my sign, or vandalize it, I will still be yes on 8. Replacing my beautiful yellow sign with your No on 8 sign will not change my mind. Nor will it change the minds of any of my neighbors who you have targeted also. Tiptoeing up to my front door, going behind my planters where I have stored my signs for the night, to steal them will NOT CHANGE MY MIND!!! It is stealing. They are my property, not yours. Did your mom ever teach you not to steal?

You are asking for tolerance. Are you so blinded that you can't see that you are not being honest, true, or tolerant? You are denying my rights to freedom of speech. Are you so afraid of what I might have to say?

It is unclear to me how you could possibly think bullying is OK. That is what you are doing. I do not like it. You are not playing fair.

I want my kids to grow up in a world where a religious ceremony has significance. Real significance. It is different. I want to give them the same world that I had. One where we can be free to speak our minds, vote our conscious, and declare war on evil. One where we can choose what is taught to our impressionable young children. One where parents are not arrested for refusing to allow their kids to be taught about homosexuality in early elementary school. Isn't that what America is based on? FREEDOM?

You can't squash me, or my opinion.

My pretty little yellow Yes on 8 sign has already been replaced.

Halloween

Alec and Ella sat for .5 seconds to take a few photos. But aren't they the cutest kids in america!!! I call I can be biased. We had so much fun trick-or-treating with Reese. Alec decided he liked handing out candy at Margaux's moms house way better than walking all the way up to each door and saying trick-or-treat. Such a waste of time. The whole bucket was sitting at our own front door for the taking. Duh mom.

Reese's Party

We have been so lucky to make great friends down here in CA. We love our Kropf's and hope Reese had a wonderful first birthday. We had a Blast at Margaux's bash. Decked out to the nines. She is the master party inventor. She had beautiful food, and great decor. She had me do the cake and it was so much fun we hope we get to do another soon. Anyone who is in the market, we are in business. Happy Birthday Reese!

Personality!

If any of you have had the opportunity to hang out with Alec at all, you'd fast notice his large personality bursting from his little three year old body. I have been compiling these stories for way too long now. I just have to share.

Me: Alec, do we push Ella?
Alec: No.
Me: Do we shove Ella?
Alec: No. (A little annoyed)
Me: Do we Karate Chop Ella?
Alec: No, but I don't want Ella anymore....I want a new Ella!


Trying to tide Alec over till we got home from church, we gave him some seriously salt deprived chips from the mexican joint we had the night before.
Alec: Mom. These chips are NOT RIGHT! They are NOT GOOD!


After asking for the 10th time for more fruit snacks and I again said NO. Alec says after a few minutes.
Alec: Mom. I don't want to be big and strong like Steve. I just want to be little. Now can I have some fruit snacks?


I can't remember exactly the situation here so I'm sure you can conjure up something similar.
Alec: You go to your room mom. Right now!
Me: Alec. Only grown-ups get to send people to their rooms.
Alec: Mom! I AM a grown-up. I'm a LITTLE grown-up!

Preschool

Alec was way more excited to go to our academically souped-up joy school than I ever imagined. He surprised me by not even whimpering when I dropped him off for his first day. The all-boy, all high-energy group seemed to fare well as we found Miss Kristen still in one piece when we came to pick them up. I am in heaven. Thanks Kristen. We owe you big time!


Cupcakes

Check out our new monogram cupcakes. I literally had a dream about these about a year ago and finally made them this summer. The cookies take twice as long as the cupcakes, but I think the outcome was totally worth it.

The Earthquake

So we have now survived our first California Earthquake. 5.4 magnitude. Chino Hills was the Epicenter which is about an hour and a half north of us. At first I thought someone had snuck into our house and was behind the couch trying to pick it up and then realized that the walls and everything else was shaking as well. I'm yelling..."Oh my gosh!" and Alec started to freak out and asking me what was wrong. By the time we got up and knew what was going on, ran to the back doorway, it ended lasting about 15 second total. WIERD! Welcome to CA!!

Jessica & Del

Happy Anniversary you two!

Here's to Summer!

Somehow we got lost in the flurry of birthday parties, road trips and failed swimming lessons. Here's to summer!

Shiner!

Someone we passed today said "Big brother sock her one?" They seemed a little disgusted when we had to answer yes. Well, it wasn't intentional i suppose as he threw his sippy cup to the floor after he had guzzled down his juice. The thump on poor Ella's skull echoed through the house. OUCH for the second week. Poor baby Ella. Actually, tonight she rug-burned her other eye which is now all red. Watch out Will. Ella's headed in your footsteps!

Getting it done.

So I can't seem to figure out why I can totally kick it into gear and get so much done when Brady is out of town. I mean, is it that he makes me so weak in the knees that I just can't think straight or maybe I feel I'm counting the minutes till he comes home on his white horse to rescue me from a long day with the babes. Not sure, but I'm telling you. I KICKED some royal kiester today. Let me tell you about my superstar mom agenda. First We cleaned up the house and I washed not only Alec's sheets but my own that were long overdue as well as all 85 towels. After skipping around the house...okay just kidding about the skipping, after pulling some teeth and getting things all cleaned up from breakfast, we headed out the front door, which I'm ashamed to say I've only used about 3 times, and ventured up the "Elegator" to the fourth floor to check out the view. Then we packed lightly and walked down the block to Mother's Market. A little organic market that can either be a gold mine or a cookie gone Seriously WRONG. So we stroll though and see all the OC lunch hour crowd who either freak out at how cute Ella is waving and Saying "Hi" and Alec in his sunglasses that he wears inside and out because he HATES bright lights. Or, they look as if they would kick me out of the store themselves for being in the small isles with my side-by-side stroller. We get out quickly without too many outbursts of singing twinkle little star at the top of Alec's lungs. We head home in time to finish Go Diego Go and make dinner and then off to the park to play and take some pics. Brady, wish you could have been here.


"Check it out Mom!"
Lately Alec yells "Check it out Mom!" It cracks me up. We LOVE living in our place. It's kind of crappy to go back to renting again especially the countertops. BUT, we have a plan. We just rented our townhome and we are SAVING for a house someday down here in Million dollar land. Hopefully the prices will keep falling. So sorry to all those who own down here. I think the bank owns most of the homes down here now. It's really sad. But, hopefully we can capitalize on the market and buy when the buyings good. Plus, we'll really miss the pools, the landscaping and the complete absence of the word yardwork!

Serious business strut.


I really hope it's a snail dad.


Ella had an encounter with the counter.

Road Trip

Aunt Jamie & Uncle Travis were THE BEST to entertain us for four days this weekend. Thanks Brady for having to work in Pheonix!! We had so much fun. She made us pancakes, drove us all over the city and of course humored me by taking me to the ribbon store twice. She even hung out with both of her boys AND Alec at the mall for three hours till we figured out how to get Ella to hold still for her new earings! So cute! And Travis made sure Brady experienced the golf course at least once a day!

Hangin in the backyard!

Here comes trouble! These two were so "Hiwarius" to watch, as Alec says it. They jumped and jumped and jumped and played and played and played. Mostly with Lulu who tried really hard to just go with the 3yr old flow.


We had to totally stage this picture just to get them all in one shot. We were blowing Giant bubbles, feeding the Giant Gold fish, the ducks and we got lucky when a few turtles swam by.

Ella

Ella is busting out all her cuteness. Her new tricks include:
1. Clucking
2. Waving like princess Di
3. Taking her first few steps
4. Ooooohing at everything
5. Pointing to lights
6. Saying Daddy, Mama, Doddy (Doggy)

And you just gotta love the tiny little wisps of hair. Its all she's got. I spiked them all out today and found a touch of curl. SWEET! It even held a little clip for about 10 minutes. We're making progress little girlie girl!

Amazing Artists

I used to drool over a graphic designers site I swear was done by cindy ferguson and blog-surfing tonight I think I've found her again. Isn't she awsome!