Month: April 2012

A Perfect Day for the Beach

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Today was the perfect day for the beach so we headed out to Point Mugu State Beach to enjoy the sun and some cool ocean breezes. With a few new buckets, sand toys and umbrellas in tow we set up camp in a great spot and had a great day. The girls made sand castles and mud pies, chased away the seagulls and dipped their toes in the water. Abby had a blast as the waves crashed in hitting her legs and then quickly pulling out. She LOVED the feeling as the water receded and the sand moved under her feet. Ellie, on the other hand, was a bit more wary of all this water and stuck with mommy.
We didn’t do too much in particular but we still had a wonderful time. When we weren’t playing in the sand or the water we were watching seal lions and birds playing in the surf. Out of nowhere, two young California Grey Whales appeared in the first crest of waves from the beach. We watched as they spouted water from their blowholes, rolled in the waves and one even attempted to breech. It was amazing to watch. In all of my life living in Southern California and hanging out at the beach I don’t think I have ever seen two whales that close to shore. Truly amazing! It was the most perfect day at the beach and I am so blessed that we could share it all with our children!

A Special Date at Disneyland

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Yesterday Shaun and I decided to take a last minute trip to Disneyland. This time we decided to have a special date day with Abby while Ellie stayed with Grandpa and Nana! So we surprised her with a day to herself. That plan back fired a bit because when we arrived Abby seemed a bit sad. After coaxing her to talk, she told us that she was sad Ellie wasn’t there. Wow, tug at my heart strings just a bit but it certainly makes me realize just how close Abby is to her sister and just how much she loves her.

After talking with her a bit, she perked up and our day began. We had a wonderful day at both Disneyland and California Adventure. Abby had a few firsts during this trip, going on the Storybook Land boats and the Tiki Room. Abby loved the Storybook land boats, so much so that we rode it twice but the Tiki Room was not a hit at all. The birds were funny but the large talking Tiki heads bothered her a lot. Oh well, we will try it again soon! We also tried Star Tours, but Abby was just under the line and couldn’t go. She was a little disappointed, but we told her we will try again the next time we come.

We spent most of the day at Disneyland, but headed to California Adventure to catch a few of Abby’s favorites like The Little Mermaid and Toy Story Mania. While we were over there we played a few games where I won a big stuffed Bullseye for Abby and Abby won a big Goofy for Ellie. Abby also had a very special treat… Cotton Candy! The bag was bigger then Abby’s head, but don’t worry we didn’t let her eat it all. She enjoyed it and we actually enjoyed the little pick me up it gave her. The last few hours were spent back over in Disneyland and we had a wonderful time. Even though we thought she was scared, Abby asked on her own to go on the Haunted Mansion. So proud! We had a perfect evening and the perfect end to a day at the Magic Kingdom. Next time we will make sure Ellie comes too!

On the tram looking a little sad. As it turns out, she wanted her sister to be there.

So excited to see Minnie Mouse!

On the Carousel with Daddy. Finally got a big smile out of her  and a picture with Daddy too!

On the Carousel with Mommy. This is a rare event! Usually I am behind the lens.

Trying to pull the sword from the stone. Abby used as many tactics as possible to do it too!

Our first entrance into a land of our favorite Disney stories.

The little town where Pinnochio lives and the workshop where he was made.  All with the Matterhorn in the background!

Stopping for a bit of tea in Minnie’s house.

This was the craziest dishwasher Abby has ever seen. Minnie sure has a lot of neat things in her house.

Abby was very excited to see Mickey Mouse. She  practically hopped into his arms to hug him.

Careful, Abby is behind the wheel!

Mmmmmm, Cotton Candy! What were Mommy and Daddy thinking?!

One last ride on the carousel and Abby is nothing but smiles.

The Kings Are on to Round 2 of the Playoffs!

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We were at my friend Leslie’s wedding when we heard the news via Twitter and NHL Network. The Los Angeles Kings had won in OT against the Vancouver Canucks! Thanks to Jarett Stoll and his beautiful goal the Kings will advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has been far too long since the Kings made it past the first round. Needless to say, Shaun and I were thrilled and it added to the already wonderful night we were having.
As the evening at the wedding wore down, we took off and headed home. Shaun had to work the following morning and wanted to get to bed. However, as we drove home we started to recieve tweets from Bailey, the Kings mascot, about heading to the airport to greet the Kings as they landed at LAX. Shaun and I barely had to think twice.  Luckily Grandma Zoe was willing to stay the night, so we headed home, quickly changed clothes and then headed down to LAX.
Fans wait for the Kings to land at LAX

Even though its late, Shaun and I are happy to be at LAX to welcome home our team.

Bailey making his rounds, heckling the airport police and getting the crowd  even more excited then it already was before the team landed.

Very excited to get a picture with Bailey. Abby loves seeing him so I know she will love this picture.

The crowd was pretty big considering the time and the location. It was very impromptu so even the airport police were overwhelmed. The next thing we knew police cars with K-9 units began to arrive. Like everyone around us kept saying… “Geez, you would think we were Lakers fans”. The police were ok with us once they realized that we weren’t there to cause trouble. When the plane landed, the players headed to their cars and drove past a long line of excited fans. Most waved and smiled as they made their way through the crowd. Former players and staff members like Bernie Nichols stopped and gave high fives and shook hands with fans. While no one stopped for pictures or autographs, the smiles on their faces showed us how they appreciated the support. It was a fun night and it was great to be a part of Kings history.

The video below, shows a bit from that night.  You can see us twice!  Very cool if you ask me. Now that Vancouver is out the Kings move on to Round 2 to play the St. Louis Blues. Cant wait to see how this Round turns out. Hopefully it will mean the Kings move on to the Western Conference Finals, but only time will tell!

http://nhl.cdn.neulion.net/u/videocenter/embed.swf

Leslie and Sheldon’s Wedding

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My dear friend Leslie and her adorable fiance’ Sheldon were hitched, tied the knot,… in other words they got married! They were married at Calamigos Ranch at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank. The  ceremony was simple but beautiful and their officiant was very funny. I don’t think I have ever seen a smile that big on Leslie’s face and I have known her for a while now. Sheldon looked just as happy and excited. These two were made for each other. What a joyous day!
The Beautiful Bridesmaid Kelli

The Beautiful Bridesmaid Shayla.  I haven’t seen her in 18 years! It was so wonderful to catch up with her!

Here Comes the Gorgeous Bride!

Big and beautiful smiles for the almost newlyweds.

They said “I Do”! 

The newly married couple. They look wonderful and so happy!

The reception was wonderful as well. Leslie even surprised her guests with a flash mob piece. I wanted to do it but I was unable to make most of the rehearsals or even sit down and learn it. I was pretty bummed but I also didn’t want to bring the group down on her wedding day. The food was wonderful and the drinks were plenty. I don’t drink much, if ever these days so the few cocktails and the glass of wine that I had left me a bit on the happy side. It was nice though. I had the chance to catch up with a friend I hadn’t seen in nearly 18 years, I got to dance with Shaun and I had the chance to dance with my friends. We also enjoyed the photo booth too! It was a magical night.  And to top it all off, as we were sitting eating our dinner we discovered via Twitter that the Los Angeles Kings beat Vancouver in OT to move onto the second round of playoffs! Shaun and I had even more reason to get up and dance!

Our table. Loved that each table was a different car!

The Newlyweds!

Leslie and Sheldon’s First Dance. I love the way she is looking at him. Priceless.

All those glasses are clinking… its time for a kiss!

The garter toss… this is too funny!

We hated to leave that night but it had to be done. I left happy and bubbly, spending time with friends and catching up. That and I am sure the whine helped with it. Congrats Leslie and Sheldon! You deserve all the happiness, love and wonderful memories ahead of you!

A Day Out with Thomas…

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What is better then watching Thomas the Tank Engine? Riding him! Every year Thomas the Tank Engine travels around the country, stopping at train depots everywhere for all children to see and enjoy. So we braved the pending ninety degree weather and head out to Fillmore for a Day Out with Thomas. We weren’t braving this day alone though, the Guerreros’s were coming too! 
The day was a surprise to Harrison, but when they arrived it was a tad underwhelming. I think this happens to every parent. Just when you think your child is going to have a coronary over something you know they love, they act like its no biggie or want nothing to do with it. Abby was that way when she finally met Rapunzel at Disneyland.
We had a great time despite the heat, but I think its something we can say we did and not have to do it again. We paid for tickets to do the Thomas train ride, but there was also a little “fair”. They had bouncy castles, food, train tables, coloring and of course a gift shop. Everything, except for the train ride, was open to the public at no charge which I think took away from the event. In the end Harrison and Abby wanted to spend more time in the bouncy castles then the train. They did ride Thomas though and had fun but if they could eat snow cones and bonce around all say, they would have. 
 Ready for some fun in the sun!

Catching a ride with Daddy and getting a  quick peek of Thomas.

“WE ARE READY FOR SOME FUN!”

Best mode of transportation… EVER!

Shaun and the girls playing with trains. I think daddy had as much fun as the girls.

Abby insisted on sitting with Byron during the train ride. Poor Byron had two hot and sweaty kids sitting on his lap in ninety degree weather.  What a trooper!

Shaun, Ellie and a rare picture of mommy thanks to Erika! Ellie was so excited to ride the train!

Enjoying the ride.  Such a sweet little face.

I asked her to show me her red tongue created  by the shave ice. She was happy to do so!

Cutest Little Engineer on the railroad!

Thomas the Tank Engine. Imagine seeing this as you randomly drive by and have no idea whats going on.

Despite all of the issues the adults had with the day, the kids had fun and that’s all that matters. After the day was done, we headed back home taking the route through Ventura and along the coast instead of through Grimes Canyon. The girls fell fast asleep which was a sure sign of a good time. We had fun and now have more memories to share not just with out family but with the Guerrero’s as well.

Tuesday in the Park

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Today after Abby’s dance class we met with my dear friend Lisa and her adorable little man Chase at the park. It was so great to catch up with them and see just how much he has grown!
The day was warm so we didn’t stay out long, but the girls had a chance to play. Abby loved playing with Chase almost as much as she loves going down the slides. Chase also did a great job and is the most calm and patient baby I have met.  He must take after his mama! He was about an hour past his usual nap time and I didn’t hear him cry or fuss about it. Instead he sat and played with mom and his favorite ball.
After an hour or so the heat won and chased us away when the slides became too hot to go down.  Its still April, right? Not sure where the heat came from but it put a damper on the fun we were trying to have. SO, we packed up our kiddos in the car and headed home. It was a wonderful day despite the heat and I hope we can make this something we do more often.

Let’s Go Fly A Kite!

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Today was spent running errands and catching up before the weekend, which we were dreading.  Then again, does anyone really like ending the weekend and going back to work? The girls were pretty good and patient during our trips to Target and Costco, so when we finished we decided to take them to the park to play and hopefully fly their new kites.
It was a busy afternoon at the park. When we arrived it took driving around for about 15 minutes before we found a parking space. The girls were antsy by the time we piled out of the car, but they now had a chance to play and run it out. Boy did they! Abby and Ellie were up and down the slides, climbing everywhere they could and hanging around on the monkey bars which Shaun and I have realized they are really good at!

Before we knew it an hour had passed and much to our surprise the wind started to pick up. So we said goodbye to the playground and headed out into the field to try our luck at getting the kites into the air. Several weekends ago Shaun bought kites for the girls. Abby, being on a Star Wars kick chose one with Yoda on it and Ellie chose one with Winnie the Pooh. They were happy to help us get ready, although sometimes helping leads to more frustration but we understood the excitement.

Pretty soon the kites were up in the air and the girls took control. Ellie took over like she was a pro and even did a great job keeping the kite in the air on several occasions when the wind become a bit inconsistent. Abby did amazing as well but I think she liked watching Shaun do all of the work rather then do it herself. That’s okay… whatever made her happy.

Pretty soon the sun was setting, the wind was beginning to blow a bit too hard and the girls were hungry so we headed home. Abby couldn’t stop talking about her afternoon in the park and flying kites high up in the sky. She talked about it up until the moment she fell asleep, which after a busy afternoon was pretty fast. I love having moments with the girls that are special, all moments with them are special, but its the ones that they talk about for weeks after that stick with you a bit more.

A Little Spring Snow

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April certainly has brought us some wet weather and cooler temperatures. It rained and rained and rained all day yesterday and into the evening. It was very chilly at night but not cold enough to snow here in Porter Ranch.  It was however, cold enough to snow up in the mountains in the surrounding areas. So this afternoon we decided to head up to Frazier Park and see if there was enough snow for the girls to play in. After a little diving and a bit of searching, we found lots of snow and a perfect place to stop.

Frazier Park had some snow but it took driving up towards Mt. Pinos before we found enough to play in. Once we found it, there was plenty of it. Our perfect spot already had a snowman too! The girls had a great time. Ellie was in awe of the cold white stuff that surrounded her and Abby jumped right in, trying to add to the snowman!

Our time in the snow was short lived as the clouds darkened, snow began to fall again and we started to lose daylight. Both of the girls were not happy to leave but did willingly head back to the car when they realized just how cold they were. The cool air and time in the snow gave us some peace and quiet on the ride home though, leaving the girls to sleep on the ride back. Another wonderful and very spontaneous Saturday for the Whartons.

 

Easter Egg Decorating Time!

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Its the night before Easter and its time to dye some eggs! Just like many other families this was a tradition in our house when I was a little girl and its something I know I want my girls to enjoy as well. So tonight I pulled out the egg dying kit, hard boiled some eggs and let the girls have some fun. And they did!

 

Ellie seemed to enjoy using blue and green on most of her eggs, while Abby stuck with purple, orange and yellow and pink. At least they covered all of the colors so that none of them felt left out! Abby was very much intrigued by the wax crayon as well. To her it was amazing that she could draw all over the egg and not see a thing but when she placed it into the dye she could see all of her art.

After eggs were done Daddy, despite not feeling up to his, decided to make something that he remembers enjoying as a kid. Matzo Brei! Shaun did a great job with it and while Abby turned her nose up Ellie jumped right in. Go figure! Who would have thought my picky little eater would love it so much.

After dying some eggs and enjoying some food in honor of Passover for our Jewish friends, we all headed to bed to wait for the Easter Bunny to come.  Ellie gets excited at the mention of the Easter Bunny just like Abby, but I cant honestly say she understands it all yet.  I guess we will see in the morning!

Easter at Underwood Family Farms

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Today the girls and I spent the day with Erika and Harrison. Abby was so excited to see him and I think its because she calls him her boyfriend. Yup, you read that correctly… her BOYFRIEND.  Its a good thing we love Harrison lots and think he is quite the catch for Abby, otherwise Shaun might have his work cut out for him. Listen to me… you would think they were 25! Nope, just two.
When we first arrived, it seemed like it would be crowded but we lucked out. It was the perfect day. The kiddos climbed haystacks, explored through the wheat field labyrinth, went on an Easter Egg hunt, said hello to the Easter Bunny, ate some lunch, picked strawberries, visited the horses, went down the tractor slide and played on the big train. What a busy day.  Abby talked very seriously with the Easter Bunny too; telling him about the Strawberry Shortcake DVD that she really wanted. Ellie loved riding in the wagon and even got Abby and Harrison to pull her along. She really enjoyed trying to keep up with the bigger kids and was so proud of herself when she picked her first strawberry on her own.

 

 

  

 
  
 

 

 

 

 
 

The kids ran themselves out over a course of about 4 hours. I am amazed they stayed awake long enough to drive to the bank! But eventually everyone gave in and passed out on the way home. The day was wonderful. The one and only downside to it? The sunburns. We discovered the hard way that our sun block was well past its expiration date. Luckily the girls just had red noses but mommy didn’t fair quite as well. You live and you learn. At least I know what I will be buying tomorrow!

Ellie is 21 Months Old!

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Ellie turns 21 months old and I think time has officially accelerated. OK, I know that isn’t possible but it feels like that. We only have three more months until Ellie turns two, until I no longer count her age in months and she officially stops being a toddler and starts heading into preschool years. Boy its all happening so fast.  Until then I will savor all that I can about her. In the last few weeks she has really started to talk… a lot. I would tell you all of her new words but there are so many that I cant keep up!

Ellie loves being just like her sister and despite fighting, they are joined at the hip. Ellie has grown into such a happy go lucky little girl. She loves to snuggle and cuddle with mommy and daddy but she also has a very independent and stubborn side.  She likes to do everything on her own just like her big sister and she isn’t afraid to show you when she is unhappy. I have a feeling age two will be a bit challenging but I look forward to all of it.