Bling Bling Baby

Yes, I am one of "THOSE" moms, that get my sweet babies ears pierced. I ran right out as soon as Gabby and Gwen were both 3months old to get their ears pierced. I am actually late getting Scarlettes done, she will be 4 months old this week.

Saturday the kids and I were going to the parade downtown and stopped in at Clairs to get her ears pierced.

Waiting for the big moment.

After the second ear was pierced. Yes, they did them seperately! They would not do them both at the same time, which is crazy because they did the girls both at the same time and that was quite a few years ago.

She was smiling at the lady about two seconds after this photo was taken.

Today it was 72 out which is not normal for this time of year, but was the perfect opperunity for a photo shoot. Which was needed badly because I haven't taken pics of this girlie in a while:(

Why am I sitting in the laundry basket mom??

I Love this sweet face!!!

Showing off the new Bling Bling.



I love this one.

My happy girl, she was giggling at me while I was taking these pictures it was cracking me up.

Book Reviews

It has been awhile since I have chatted about the books I have read. Yes, I read through the whole move. Not as much or as fast as usual, but still reading:)

First book I finished was Telegraph Days by Larry McMurtry.

This was a great period book, set during the wild west. I love Larry McMurtry. Lonesone Doves is one of my very favorite books. I grabbed this book when I had nothing else to read and was comnpletely absorbed right away!

Next was the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. This is her memoires.... a must read. Written really welll, I really enjoyed it. Chad just finished reading it, can't wait to hear what he thought about it. I would love for my kids to read this and realize how good they have it.

A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick. A fun read about a quilt shop and quilting. A great girlie book.

Last but not least: Tea Time For the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the 10th book in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. This is a fun series about a Lady in Botswana who started a dective agency. This book was lighthearted and quick to read.

I hope to get back to some sort of regular posting, not just on WED.

Off to bed I go.

Tea time for the traditioanly built

Weight Loss Wed.-late

Sorry this is so late....baby with a cold not letting me get a lot done:(

It has been another crazy busy week. Not a good food or exercise week for me.

I taught yoga again last Sunday and that was it for exercise:(

Food: I ate a ton of sweets and goodies and we went wine tasting which always adds to the calories!

Me with my hair looking stupid, my sister in law Heidi and my Sister Keely.

Wine Tasting:)

Chad, Brother in law Kurt, Sister in Law Heidi, Sis-Keely and brother in law-Gabe

More wine tasting:)

Despite it all, my weight remained the same. Which is ok... better than gaining which I was sure I was going to do.

This week will probably not be a good one considering all the food and wine we are going to eat and drink tomorrow!

Below are links to this weeks participants, pop over and leave them an encouraging comment. If you want to join us, email me and I will add you to the weekly email list. Everyone is welcome, weather you want to lose 5lbs or 50lbs. If you don't see your link and you are participating, please email me.
April Oritz of:The Art Chics
Colima Smith of: Colima
Victoria of: Florence & Mary
Kelly of: Kelly's Recipes For Life
Tina of: Sweetina
Jenna of: Corgi Pants

EnjoyThanksgiving tomorrow!

Weight Loss Wed.

I can't believe it is Wed. again all ready... seems like I was just writing last weeks post yesterday!
It has been a busy week getting the girls settled into their new schools. We do not quite have a routine yet, hopefully soon!

I have had a pretty good week exercise wise. Chad and I walked Wed-Fri last week. Sunday I taught Yoga and last night I did an hour and a half of tap and ballet. The dance kicks my bootie, I have no stamina because of not dancing for a year and a half.

Eating was not as good for me, my grandma brought over my favorite cookies on Sunday and I ate a ton of them. My friend Gina gave us a bunch of candy and I ate a ton of that too.

Despite all the goodies I still lost weight.
3.5lbs.. WOO HOO
8.5lbs to pre pregnancy weight and
15.5 to goal weight.

We have a few less participants this week due to the up coming holidays. Come back soon girls:)


Below are links to this weeks participants, pop over and leave them an encouraging comment. If you want to join us, email me and I will add you to the weekly email list. Everyone is welcome, weather you want to lose 5lbs or 50lbs. If you don't see your link and you are participating, please email me.

April Oritz of:The Art Chics

Colima Smith of: Colima

Brianne Kjar of: Kjar Family
Victoria of: Florence & Mary
Sheri of: Pawsh Poodle
Kelly of: Kelly's Recipes For Life
Tina of: Sweetina
Olivia of:Victoria Plums Homegrown blog

Graham is On Youtube..

More on the mini bike.
I found out after I wrote this post that my grandfather designed and built these mini bikes 45 years ago. But never kept one for himself, so my uncle Eckart decided my papa needed one. So they hunted one down and got it. Here is a youtube video of Graham and papa on little petro.

Have a great weekend!

Weight Loss Wed.

Welcome to this weeks Weight Loss Wed.

All things considered it has been a pretty good week. I walked sun-tues and last night I went to dance. It was an hour and a half of tap and ballet, which I have not done since we left over a year and a half ago. WOW was it a work out. My legs felt like jello after about 10 minutes, and they are pretty tired today. Sunday is my first day teaching yoga since being gone, should be interesting.
I lost a total of 2 lbs.
12 lbs to go to pre pregnancy weight and 19 to goal.
Still seems like a lot but at least the numbers are out of the 20's.
My eating has been bad this week because of all the craziness of moving and unpacking, hopefully this week will be better.

We are enjoying being back in CA where the produce is so much fresher and lasts longer because there is no humidity. Bananas would go bad in NC in a couple of days, and my family likes them green.

I am so impressed with everyone's success. There are a couple people who are really close to their goals... yeah!!!


Below are links to this weeks participants, pop over and leave them an encouraging comment. If you want to join us, email me and I will add you to the weekly email list. Everyone is welcome, weather you want to lose 5lbs or 50lbs. If you don't see your link and you are participating, please email me.

April Oritz of:The Art Chics
Sarah Chimblo of: Sew Sarah
Priscila Barros of: Casa Bella Chic
Colima Smith of: Colima

Rose Charles of:Victoria Rose Paper Crafts
Brianne Kjar of: Kjar Family
Victoria of: Florence & Mary
Sheri of: Pawsh Poodle
Kelly of: Kelly's Recipes For Life
Tina of: Sweetina
Olivia of:Victoria Plums Homegrown blog
Debbie of: From a Creative Heart

Back to unpacking! :(

Full... Are You Kidding me????

Today I went to register the girls for school. We got to Gabby's school 45 minutes before school started so we could get her registered and familiar with the campus. As soon as I handed the lady all the required paper work, she informs me the school is full. WHAT?? This is the school in our district that we are assigned to.. AKA- our home school. She then proceeds to tell me they will be busing her across town to another middle school. If I want her bussed to the other school, I have to take her to our home school by 7:15 when school does not even start until 8:15. Not going to happen, looks like I will be driving her to school. The only good thing about her going to this school is that a lot of her friends from when we lived here before go to school there. I had no idea that a public school could be full and turn you away when they are your home school.

We then drive back to our neighborhood to enroll Gwen in the elementary school 2 blocks from our house and they inform me that the 4th grade is full. Are you freaking kidding me. The super grouchy lady in the office at this school then informs me the district will let me know where they have room for her. In the mean time she can start there tomorrow and then switch schools AGAIN.

Off to the other middle school for Gabby to take a placement test. I ask about electives and they inform me that there is band, chorus and a life skills/technology class. WHAT the hell happened to ART, Home ec, wood shop????? GONE. This makes me so sad for this generation of children who will not get to experience any of these great things. They all ready have so much more homework at an earlier age than I ever did, school holidays are cut to a minimum so no one gets offended and no lockers so they have to lug their weight in books.... all because of a few BAD kids who have ruined it for everyone. Sorry for the ranting... I just get so mad about all of this.

We leave Gab to do her testing and race home so I can feed Scarlette because she and Graham are at home with Chad. And if I can ever find the box that my breast pump is in...leaving her would be so much easier. Gwen's school calls and tells me which school the district will bus her to. When I found out what school they wanted to bus her to I said" I will be intra district transferring her." Had to then run back to the school to pick up the paper work. I fill out the paper work and write a long letter as that is what is required to transfer mid year, load the two littles into the stroller so Gwen and I could walk the paper work back to the school. Chad had to go get Gabby because she was done testing. This all happened before 10am.

The results: Gabby will start school in the am and is first on a wait list of a charter school. Gwen will go to the neighborhood school until we hear about the intra district transfer(about a week). I will be driving them both to school. My next door neighbors daughter goes to the elementary school that we are trying to get Gwen into so we might be able to carpool.

My poor babies: they will each have gone to 4 schools in a year and a half.

Better get to bed since I have to get up at 6 and get everyone off to school.

Halloween Fun

We arrived in Napa on WED. and jumped right back into the swing of things. We headed out to the pumpkin patch with our friends and their kids.

Gwen and Graham.

The whole Smith klan
Chad did not hold the pumpkins like that on purpose. Too funny though.

Little man picked out his pumpkin.

Graham's new friend Karson

Us at the top of the hay stack.
Gab, Graham, Gwen, Me and Scarlette, Tiffanie and Tatum and Keith and Karson.
Chad was behind the camera.

The Feigel Family.

Karson, Tiffanie And Tatum in the corn stalks.

Thursday evening one of our now neighbors and friend Laurie invited us down for pizza and pumpkin carving. Laurie(black shirt) Gab, Gwen, Keith and Tatum in the back, Tiffanie, and Maddie right front.

Gabby- love the face.

Graham was super into cleaning out his pumpkin.

Gwen making a funny face on purpose.

Chad holding the flashlight for Graham to see his pumpkin better.

Daddy helping Graham Carve his pumpkin.
See his shiner... we think he was running in the dark with the flash light and fell.

Scarlette and her new friend Tatum Jane hanging out in our stroller.
Scarlette has another friend named Tatum who she has not met yet!

My little kitty!
Side note: she is three months old today... Sniff!

Halloween evening we went to my friend Gina's house for a party and this is waht my little party animal did.

Gab took this one.

Captain Jack standing in our neighbors yard.

Captain Jack looking real happy.

Gabby the vampire, Graham and in the background is Gabby's BFF Karli who trick or treated with us. No pics of Gwen because she stayed at Gina's house all weekend with her BFF Isabelle.

The weather was so nice on Halloween, we had a great night!

Weight Loss Wed.

Another quick WLW post, as I am pooped out from unloading the truck all day. So ready to be settled! I did manage to find my scale, so that was exciting!

This week I managed to lose 1 lb which is pretty good considering ALL the Halloween candy I have been eating... yikes!

23lbs to Goal
and 16 to pre prego weight.
*****EDITED- I weighed again this am and actually lost 3lbs this week. YEAH so 21lbs to goal and 14to pre pregnancy weight.**** Happy way to start the day.

A couple of my friends and I are going to start walking and I will be teaching Yoga again at the dance studio. It will feel nice to get back in shape.

Below are links to this weeks participants, pop over and leave them an encouraging comment. If you want to join us, email me and I will add you to the weekly email list. Everyone is welcome, weather you want to lose 5lbs or 50lbs. If you don't see your link and you are participating, please email me.

April Oritz of:The Art Chics
Sarah Chimblo of: Sew Sarah
Priscila Barros of: Casa Bella Chic
Colima Smith of: Colima

Rose Charles of:Victoria Rose Paper Crafts
Brianne Kjar of: Kjar Family
Victoria of: Florence & Mary
Sheri of: Pawsh Poodle
Susan Hahaj of: Suzie Button Creations
Felicity of: Joshy & Belle
Kelly of: Kelly's Recipes For Life
Tina of: Sweetina
Olivia of:Victoria Plums Homegrown blog

My typing in bed is bugging Chad so I need to say goodnight!

He Only Had to Wait 56 Years....

My grandfather(PAPA) that is.

My Papa was so sure my Mom was going to be a boy he and my Grandma only picked out one name: Steven. He was in the service when my Mom was born and he did not believe my Grandma when she called to tell him that "Steven" was: Sherri.

So for the last 56 years he has been waiting for a boy to do boy things with. After two daughters, two granddaughters and two great granddaughters he FINALLY got two great grandsons.

The boys are now 3 and almost 3(Graham) and can do fun boy stuff.

Eli my nephew and Graham getting ready for bed when we stayed at my Sisters house last week.

My Papa and Graham fixing the mini bike. Papa had a mini bike when my Mom and Aunt were young, that is when they were made. About a year ago he decided he needed to get a mini bike for the boys to ride. There are very few left that he and his friend Steven(Coincidence on the name) know of.

My Pa and Graham on the mini bike.
SO cute!

My little man looking all James Dean like sitting on the mini bike.
He asked to go on it a ton of times, he LOVED it.
It goes really slow- Other wise he would have had to wear a helmet and he only rode with my Papa.

Here they are feeding Pa's Koi Fish and pondering life.
Click on these to make them bigger!!

Who knows what was so funny!

Feeding apples to the neighbors turkeys.

Love the turkey.. he even gobbled at us to show how tough he is protecting his hens.

We went for a walk and along the way were these old cars and Graham says to my Papa" Cool Cars Papa" My Pa says" A boy after my own heart"
To fully understand you would have to know that my Papa has always had a couple of old cars & car parts waiting to be restored in his back yard. Which does not thrill my grandma.

We had a really fun time staying with my family, lots of nice meals and some much needed relaxation.
Yes, Scarlette and I were there too, we were behind the camera:)


We are camping in the new house until our stuff arrives... SOON hopefully!