Tag: Abby

Mommy-Daughter Date Day!

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Today Abby and I had a mommy-daughter date day! It was our very first since Ellie was born and I think it was something long overdue!

To start I took a very hungry Abby to lunch. We headed to Red Robin where Abby and I had lots to talk about, like Disneyland, books, the park and lots more. Abby even made a little friend while we were there. She even decided to sit in the booth with us! Her mommy didn’t even try to stop her, I love it when parents watch out for their children like that! Abby had a corn dog for lunch and I have to say, this might just be a new favorite.

After lunch we headed to the library. Without Ellie with us we could take our time and really enjoy the library experience. We went through all the shelves of books and found some new ones as well as a few favorites. We sat down on the soft couches and read together for a bit. After reading a few books we headed over to look at the fish in the large aquarium that connects the children’s wing to the main library. Guess what… We Found Nemo! From there we found a few books for mommy and then headed over to check our books out. The library now has a self check out section, so Abby got to help scan the books and make sure they were demagnetized.

After the library we headed to the park and played for a bit. Abby bounced around from one jungle gym to the next, over to the seesaw, to the swings and then back to the jungle gym. It was a quiet day and most of the kids at the park were hanging out in the play areas for bigger kids. Its ok, Abby has a great imagination and ran everywhere making up games as she went along.

Before long Abby was exhausted. So we left the park and stopped for a drink; it was a pretty warm day. On the way back to the valley to pick up Ellie, Abby passed out and took what I would assume was a very good nap. She was snoring! Nothing like a great ending to a great day, and it was so wonderful to have some one on one time with my punkin!

Sunday Reading

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Today we stopped by Grandpa and Nana’s for a bit, to say hello. It was warm out and everyone was relaxing. The girls went straight for the books! Daddy read a few books to the girls and Nana read to Ellie. Abby was even given an old copy of The Wizard of Oz to look at. She was very gentle and seemed genuinely interested in it. I cannot wait to read those stories to both she and Ellie when they get older! Sometimes a good day is just reading books with family. It also makes me so happy to see that our girls love to read! Its a good start!

All In A Saturday!

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This Saturday started like any other Saturday would. The girls stayed up late Friday night, so we had the chance to sleep in a bit. When we did get up, the girls hung out in our room for a bit, playing and snuggling and then we headed downstairs for some breakfast. After breakfast and a few hours of playing, dancing singing and helping mommy do chores (I say that with a wink because the help usually unfolds the laundry I just folded) it was time for a nap. The nap would be a much needed one because, unlike most Saturday afternoons, ours was about to get a bit busy.

When nap-time was over I walked into the room and this is what I found…

Ellie had the best case of bedhead that I have seen from either of the girls so far. She must have sweat a bit in her sleep or something because her hair was out of control and glued that way. I had to use some of Abby’s detangling spray to make it look somewhat normal again! She didn’t care though. The sleep that created that bedhead must have been good, because Ellie woke up happy as a lark.

After fixing the crazy hair and getting dressed, we headed on over to the Escobar’s house to celebrate Emily’s 3rd Birthday! Wow, I cant believe Emily is 3 and the scary part to that is that means there is only a month and a half until its Abby’s turn. Where does all the time go! For her birthday Emily had a Dragon Castle Bounce House, boy oh boy did Abby have fun. She jumped and hopped and slid all over the place with Emily. Its fun to be a kid and play that hard.

Emily’s birthday was Jessie themed. For those that do not know, Jessie is the cowgirl from Toy Story and one of Abby’s favorite characters. Jackie made Emily’s dresses for the big day and she looked ADORABLE! I might have to convince Jackie to make one for Abby one day!

Inside the house, Ellie was having a blast with all the balloons hanging from the ceiling. One red balloon, in particular, became her friend and she carried it all over. I have to say, being that she is only 13 months old, she did a pretty good job of holding onto that balloon. They were helium filled, so if she let go they went up up and away, well to the ceiling. Luckily someone was around to grab that red balloon down for Ellie.

As our time at Emily’s party ran out, we thought it would be a good idea to get a picture of Emily and the girls. Jackie put Abby up in the chair for me and the fun began. Trying to take a picture of three children who are three and under is a tough task. This is the best picture I could get. At least they are all looking in the same direction!

After we left the party, we headed to the Ventura County Fair. We got there a bit late in the evening, so we didnt spend a lot of time there, but we had a blast. Abby and Ellie were completely engrossed with all of the lights, the sights and the sounds. Abby was so into it that she even had her first big accident since potty training. UH OH! Actually it wasn’t a big deal at all, nothing a change of clothes cant fix!

When at the fair, you must indulge in some fair type food… grilled corn on the cob, funnel cake, chicken, popcorn. Or how about the largest corn dog I think I have ever seen?! No Abby didn’t eat it all, it actually started off as Daddy’s but of course, it ended up in someone elses hands. Abby and Daddy thoroughly enjoyed it and even had to toss some of it away! It was huge!

After a snack we headed over to play some games. Shaun and I played the ring and bottle toss game but to no avail. That one was harder then it looked. We then headed over to the water hose game, using high pressure water to race Curious George to the finish line. We played twice and I almost won, but not quite. What a bummer too because the prize was a mini pillow pet! Our last game of the night, Shaun played the plate game, breaking plates with baseballs. This time, he won! Shaun was able to win a stuffed giraffe for Abby and a dolphin for Ellie. Unfortunately Ellie dropped her dolphin and before I could retrace my steps it was gone. Some people are so mean sometimes.

After games, Shaun took Abby on a few rides and through the fun house. Abby had a blast the entire time. In order to get out of the fun house you had to go down a big twisty slide. It certainly was fun seeing a grown man come down that thing with his little girl in his lap. After the fun house, they took off and rode on the dump truck coaster, the hot air balloons and then Abby and I rode on the spinning bears. I had a great time with the girls!

After rides, snacks and games the girls were tired and it was time to go. As we started to load the car up with strollers and of course, the girls, the fireworks started. Boy were they close! With every boom another car alarm went off. The sudden start to the fireworks scared the girls, so they had to enjoy them from inside the car but I was able to snap a few pictures. It was the perfect end to a perfectly wonderful day! Yup, its all in a Saturday with the Wharton Family!

Park Time!

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Yesterday we finally had a cool enough day to head to the park. FINALLY! It was a gorgeous day too. We headed to one of our favorite parks. The day was sunny but warm with a beautiful breeze. It was wonderful! Our day went a little something like this…

Abby gave me her face to say, please mom… can we go? I said yes of course!

When we got to the park, we set our stuff down and headed for the sandbox. I took Ellie’s shoes off and as usual, she did not like the feel of the sand on her feet.

Abby, who didnt want me to take pictures, headed to play in the sandbox with a small group of kids and help build sandcastles. Abby was hard at work. Making sandcastles can be serious business!

Ellie was content playing on the foam floor and the small toddler jungle gym. Its easy to stay entertained when you are 13 months old.

After the sandbox, Abby wanted to hop onto the swings for a bit. Ellie wasn’t too sure about them but that’s OK, Abby had a blast and even worked on pumping her legs so that she could move the swing herself.!

After the swings we headed to our spot under the tree and had a lovely little picnic, complete with blueberries, bananas, grapes, pretzels, tangerines and nectarines. Yummy!

As we sat for lunch, Ellie started to chase the birds. Boy did she love those birds, but they always ran away from her!

After our little picnic it was back to playing! Now for a bit of time on the perfectly sized play area for toddlers and preschoolers!

With a lot of time spent running around the play area, we headed to the swings. This time Ellie got into her swing without a moments hesitation. Once we got swinging, she loved it! I think she loves the swings even more then Abby does, if that’s even possible. This time in, Abby got the hang of it and was able to pump her legs and swing on her own! Although, she still wanted mommy to push her.

After a long time spent on the swings we called it a day. We packed up our items and headed home. The fun of the park continued at home and even kept the girls from napping. I thought all the fun and fresh air would have made them nap even longer but alas, I was wrong.

It was such a wonderful day at the park! I hope the heat stays away so we can go every day!

Something in the Water, or the Air…

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What is with my girls lately? During the last week its been non-stop drama! Ellie gets herself into crying fits that take more then forty-five minutes to calm down and Abby cries if you look at her sideways. Usually these things might occur if either girl is overly tired, but this can happen even first thing getting out of bed in the morning. Is there such thing as toddler and preschooler PMS? I am starting to think so. While Abby is still in that stage of “terrible twos” and Ellie is learning a lot of things from Abby (some good, some not so good) this is so not like them. Today I wanted to plop them both in their cribs, shut the door and go into my room and just veg. But alas, the good mom in me said just hang in there until they are ready for a nap of their own. I have heard from my other mommy friends that its been non-stop drama in their homes as well. Is there something in the water or the air that is, perhaps, making our kids act like this? Boy do I wish I knew that answer because I would really like to put an end to all the nonsense in my house!

Just a Spoon Full of Sugar!

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Today we took Grandma Zoe for a surprise birthday trip. What is the surprise you say? Well, we took her to see Mary Poppins The Musical down in Costa Mesa! Not only was this a surprise to Grandma Zoe, it was a great surprise to Abby. Mary Poppins is her favorite movie and the first and only movie that she ever watched all the way through (and still does to this day)

Our drive down to Costa Mesa was done in record time so we stopped at South Coast Plaza for some lunch. When we finished we headed on over to the theater. Abby got her own souvenir book which she patiently looked through as we waited for the show to begin.

Abby overlooking the stage and what was a fun filled and magical journey with Mary Poppins.

Look at my Marry Poppins purse Mommy! It looks just like her bag!

The name on the wall says it all!

Such a beautiful theater complex.

Before we go, Say Cheese with Mary Poppins!

Such a fun day, Say Cheese one more time!

Mary Poppins was absolutely wonderful! I wasn’t sure how they would adapt the movie for the stage, but leave it to Disney to do it right. The songs, the story and the singing were amazing and all of it kept Abby’s interest for most of the show. At intermission Abby even got a bit upset, asking what happened to Mary Poppins. I was so glad that Abby and Grandma Zoe had such a great time.

When the show was over and Abby said hello to everyone on her way out, telling them about all the characters she was treated to a few souvenirs. Grandma Zoe got her a small umbrella and a purse that looks just like Mary Poppins carpet bag. Daddy and I got her a beautiful snow globe and even Ellie got a little something too, despite not being there with us. The day was great and I am so glad that at the age of 2 years 10 months Abby was able to sit and enjoy her first Broadway Show. What a wonderful day!

I Crack Myself Up

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Abby has started saying something that sounds like “Bama”. Not sure where this came from or why she is saying but every time she does, she cracks herself up. When I say “cracks herself up” I don’t mean little giggles. She starts laughing hysterically to the point of snorting. Shaun and I then start laughing because its hilarious, which in turn causes her to laugh even harder. I do not know where this started, but it always seems to put a big smile on my face!

Kenzi and Jeff’s Wedding Weekend

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Wow what a weekend! It was a whirlwind but absolutely wonderful.

On Saturday morning Shaun and I packed up the girls and all of our needed wedding items and headed up to San Luis Obispo for Kenzi and Jeff’s wedding weekend. We made it into town just in time to meet up with the girls to get our nails and toes done. It was nice to relax and get together with so many lovely ladies.

After nails and a bit of lunch, we checked into the hotel. Shaun and I tried to get the girls to nap but that failed miserably so we got ready for rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. After a small meeting and a quick rehearsal it was off to dinner. Because of the lack of nap, Shaun spent most of the rehearsal dinner driving around as the girls napped. We missed them very much! However, I enjoyed dinner very much!




Rehearsal dinner was at McClintock’s Steakhouse in Shell Beach. During many trips up the 101 to Northern California, I have passed McClintock’s and I have always wanted to stop and eat there. I finally had the chance and it was fantastic! The fun part of the evening was watching as the “turkey balls” were passed around. Yes I mean a part of a turkey’s anatomy that would be part of making him a boy. Several people gave them a try, including Melissa and Betty. I stayed away but it was certainly fun to watch. Shaun, Abby and Ellie did eventually join us once nap time was over and fun was had by all!

The following morning all of the bridal party, met in Kenzi suite to get beautified for the big day, which was finally here! We had a great time getting ready, having a few drinks and champagne to celebrate the day. Kenzi, of course looked beautiful and once the bride was ready we headed off to Santa Margarita Ranch.



Santa Margarita Ranch was perfect. I had only seen it through a few pictures that Kenzi sent, but it was great! It fit Kenzi and Jeff perfectly. The ranch is extremely eclectic, but is also still a working ranch and winery. As we came in there was a marquis, an old theater marquis that announced Kenzi and Jeff’s wedding. It was very cute!


The girls got ready in a small old building near the ceremony site. After talking with Kenzi and two of the secuirty staff I learned the the building we got ready in was the old Wells Fargo building which was built in the 1800s. It was originally a trading post. The road that runs behind it was, at one time, the old El Camino Real. And all traffic from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles passed by on that road. Its doorways were very low, which in the past served a purpose to keep people from riding in on their horses.

After quiikcly getting ready and helping Kenzi get into her dress and all laced up, it was time to go. Emotions were running hugh, but in a good way. It was finally time for Kenzi and Jeff to get hitched! Abby looked adorable as a flower girl and watching her walk down the aisle with Sophia and Grady, who were too cute for words, was a treat.

Kenzi looked stunning as she walked down the aisle with her dad. The ceremony was performed by Jeff’s cousin Bobby and he did a wonderful job. He kept things lite and had us laughing all the while honoring the wonderful couple. The vows were so special and I think had many of us tearing up by the end. What a wonderful ceremony! I couldn’t have been happier then I was at that moment.


After the ceremony and pictures with Kenzi and Jeff we headed over to the barn to start the party. I could tell you every detail of the reception, but I think the pictures speak for themselves. Abby and Ellie danced, ate and enjoyed thier gifts. Shaun and I danced a bit and enjoyed watching the girls have fun. Unfortunately, Ellie hit her limit and we had to go before the party ended. So we went back to the Wells Fargo building, changed clothes and hopped back into the car and headed home. It was a wonderful evening and I am so happy for Kenzi and Jeff. Love you guys and Congratulations!











*Keep your eye out for more pictures from the wedding on the blog. Because of my involvement we didn’t have the opportunity to take as many pictures as I would have liked but Kenzi has set up a site to share pictures. As I find them I will post them!*

A Day with the Mouse

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You travel to California to visit family and there is a college graduation to celebrate, so where do you go? Disneyland of course! My parents planned a surprise trip to Disneyland for Jillian’s graduation present which included a friend. Luckily she was able to twist Drisana’s arm to join her on a fun filled day. But the best part… we were invited to come along too! Because of the surprise, Shaun could not come with us and we missed him very much. Im sure he missed being with us as well.

The day had a few unexpected surprises. The first was the heat. Yes, we knew it would be a day in the low 80’s in Anaheim which wasn’t a problem but it was the humidity that nearly melted all of us. By the time we arrived at 9am the heat was intense. Oh, well… it didn’t stop our day.

Our first stop was California Adventure and The Little Mermaid. Lucky for us the park had just opened so we walked right on. Abby loved it so much that she asked to ride it again! And of course mommy couldn’t say no, so we did! Next on the list was Toy Story Midway Mania. On our way to ride Toy Story , we ran into none other then the mouse himself! Abby was super excited to see Mickey Mouse and wanted a picture with him, so much so that she tried to cut in front of everyone. Luckily we were able to hold Abby back and get her to wait her turn.


After our photo session with Mickey Mouse, we headed to Toy Story. Abby was already starting to lose steam and it was only 11am! Luckily Auntie Jillian was there to cuddle and rest up with before getting onto Toy Story. After a fun filled, 3D experience and a fun water mister/fan that Grandpa bought, Abby perked right up.


Sitting down with our water misters and fans, Jillian and Drisana took off to ride California Screamin’. As we waited two of Abby’s favorite characters made an appearance… Buzz and Woody. Buzz had to leave but Abby did get him to give her a high five. Woody stuck around though and she had the chance to take a picture with him as well as talk to Woody. Im not sure what she talked about, but she was certainly cute about it.


After the excitement of Woody we left California Adventure and headed over to Disneyland. Jillian’s one request for the day was lunch at Blue Bayou and lucky for her they had a reservation available for a large party. Everyone seemed very happy to be inside, in the dark where it was nice and cool with endless glasses of water. Both of the girls enjoyed their yummy Mac N Cheese and Ellie loved her hat. Argh Matey!


Once our bellies were stuffed with yummy food we thought it would be a good idea to go on Pirates of the Caribbean. I mean, we were right there and its a great ride that allows you to just sit, relax and let your food digest a bit. Abby has been on Pirates a few times but does not remember and obviously this was Ellie’s first time. Both of them enjoyed it. Ellie even fell asleep in Grandpa’s arms. Abby loved the drops and even tried to put her hands up for both of them. Sometimes its hard to tell if she likes something while its going on, but once we were off the ride she couldn’t stop talking about it.


After Pirates we headed over to the Haunted Mansion. Ellie stayed behind with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor after falling back to sleep in her stroller. Abby was excited to go on, but you could tell there was a bit of hesitation. The section of the ride in the elevator bothered her a bit, mostly because people were screaming but she survived and enjoyed the rest of the ride. After the Mansion it was off to Winnie the Pooh and then Jillian and Drisana decided they wanted to ride Splash Mountain. While they waited in line, we headed over to Big Thunder Ranch to see all the barnyard animals. Abby got to meet all of the goats, a cow and a donkey! What excitement. All the while Ellie slept.



Once the ranch started to close up we found a nice shady spot to enjoy and decided it was time for Abby to take a much needed nap. It took some effort but she finally passed out. When Jillian and Drisana finished at Splash Mountain, they met up with us and we took advantage of the fact that both girls were sleeping soundly. So Jillian, Drisana, Grandpa and myself headed over to Big Thunder. The wait was quick and we were on in no time. It has been years since I have been on a ride at Disneyland with my dad, so it was certainly special to sit next to him on Big Thunder. We had a blast and we could even see Grandma sitting with Abby and Ellie on one of the last big turns. Luckily she saw us too!

After our spin on Big Thunder, we made the decision to head over to Matterhorn and ride that while the girls were still asleep. On our way were trapped in the usual parade crowd. Luckily we found a decent spot to stop and watch, since we were stuck and Abby woke up just in time to see some of her favorite characters like Mickey, Minnie, Tiana, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Rapunzel and last but certainly not least, Mary Poppins. It was worth the delay, especially to watch Abby’s little face.


After the parade we hopped onto Matterhorn and then headed for a bite to eat. With full tummies we made our way back to our lockers to change shoes and clothes for the night. On our way back into the park we were able to find ourselves a nice place to watch the fireworks right on Main Street. Abby enjoyed them, when she wasn’t dazed and resting her head on Grandpa’s shoulder. She did perk up when she saw Tinker Bell and Dumbo flying. After the fireworks we took off to ride the Finding Nemo Submarines. This time Grandpa stayed behind with Ellie, who had fallen asleep again and Grandma rode with us. I think this, out of all the rides, was by far Abby’s favorite. When we got off the ride Abby couldn’t stop talking about Nemo and Dory and all of their friends.

When we were done with Nemo, we decided to throw in the towel and while Jillian and Drisana headed over to Indiana Jones and a few others, we wandered through the stores and made our way to the end of Main Street. We couldn’t leave without a few souvenirs! Once all of the shopping was done and we had literally closed up with the park, we made our way to our cars and headed home. We were tired and weary travelers, but I know we had all had fun. It is, after all, Disneyland.

All In A Days Drive

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This morning Shaun and I decided to take a drive and get out of the house. Yes, we do this a lot but its something we both love and share. Its also a great way to calm the girls and get them to nap. Just last week the Angeles Crest Highway re-opened after over a year of being closed. So we took that route. The start of the drive was a bit eerie as the marine layer hung over the area, but as we drove through Angeles crest and decided to head up to Mt. Wilson we rose above the clouds and the day was perfect. Warm, sunny and cloud free! It was a gorgeous day and perfect for a drive. Nothing fancy, just something to enjoy and get out of the house for a bit.

Looking at just a few of many towers that top Mt. Wilson.

The view looking towards San Fernando Valley from the top of Mt. Wilson, above the clouds and the gloom.

Our Very Own Garden…

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This weekend we decided to start a small garden on our porch, nothing big since we dont have a lot od space but enough for us to enjoy and even use. We bought a bougainvillea, a pumpkin plant and herbs that we can hopefully grow and use in the kitchen. Abby loved helping daddy transfer the plants into their pots, although I have to say she had more fun playing in the dirt then anything else. After all of the planting festivities we headed to the pool to cool off and enjoy the rest of the day. I love lazy weekends and creating our very own garden.

Shaun and Abby add dirt to the pot for our herb garden.

Little Abby hand prints in the dirt. Love these memories.

Shaun and Abby place the first of five herb plants. This one would be our Oregano, yummy!

Our mini porch garden! A bougainvillea and our herb pot filled with basil, oregano, thyme, dill and chives. I see a lot of yummy and well seasoned food in our future.

Ellie is showing off her new bathing suit and some excited smiles for the pool. Love my little fishy.

After a long swim, its always nice to snuggle up into your towel and just hang out.

Its tired smiles for Ellie after a nice long swim.

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

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Memorial Day Weekend was a quiet and relaxing one. After all of the travel and events in April and May, it was nice to finally have a weekend that involved very little. The girls, Shaun and myself ran a few errands, took a few drives and on Sunday headed to the pool for a nice swim. The weather has still been a bit cool, but that doesn’t stop our little fishies from jumping in. Luckily the pools are heated too.


This was the first time we had gone up to the community pool at our house and it was very nice! There is a small wading pool for kids, which allowed Abby and Ellie the chance to splash and walk around. Abby even tried to swim on her own and practice her kicking. She also had fun splashing daddy as best she can.



After a bit of time, Abby convinced Shaun to take her into the big pool. She loved it the first moment she splashed in and Shaun had his hands full. They bounced all over the pool, kicking, splashing, learning to swim. It was hard to pull Abby out of the pool.


Ellie had a great time too. After a long month of being terrified of the water for some unknown reason, I was able to ease Ellie into the pool. Once she was used to it, I couldnt stop her from splashing around. Ellie was now a fishy too!


The Memorial Day weekend wasn’t all that eventful, but we had a great time. Nothing like spending time in the pool and relaxing with my family.