Beauty And The Beast

Tonight was the night that Erik's parents took the girls and I to go see Beauty And The Beast as a play at Riverside Community College. We had a great time and the play was great! The actors did a really good job.

Before we went to see the play we ate at Coco's. Mia had Macaroni and Cheese--she would live on it if I let her and Emma had Spaghetti and "smashed potatoes"--Emma would live on smashed potatoes if I let her! I had the Chicken Alfredo, it was so good. I did really good the rest of the day on eating healthy and except for the chocolate last night I've done really good this week. And hey, chocolate is the MOST important food group!

When we left the play we ran into the girl who played Belle just as she was coming out, so the girls got to have their picture taken with her. It was just a coincidence that we ran into her, we weren't sticking around for the "meet and greet" of the actors because the girls were so tired. Everyone else who was staying, practically everyone who came and watched the play were crowded around the front, and the actors came out the side and then went around to the front. So the girls got to see Belle without the crowds! Lucky girls!

Thanks Mom and Dad for a super fun night!

What I Did. . .

Okay before the girls get home, I thought I'd drop a quick line about what I finally decided to do last night with my me time.

I went and grabbed some chocolate from the store--can't have Marci-time without it! Went to Blockbuster and rented Fool's Gold, a movie that Erik and the girls had no desire to see. And I got to start watching it before 8:00 at night! What a treat, I usually have to wait till after the girls go to bed and then I still have to see what Erik is going to be doing before I can even think about watching a "Mommy movie."

By the way, I didn't like the movie as much as I was hoping I would. Not enough umph! The story line was not well thought out and put together.

Okay, that's not the problem there was just one story line, and the one thing I have learned from living with a writer is this, to make a really good story you need more than one well developed thought out story lines that you work together to give the story more umph.

The characters were so cliche and no one did anything out of character, another thing I've learned from Erik is that if you want your characters to fade into the background don't have them do anything outside of the norm for that character. It's when the characters do something extraordinary, or out of character, or something, that's when you remember them and fall in love with them! So I didn't fall in love with or connect with any of the characters.

The story and characters never pulled me in, I sat through the movie thinking "so what." I even got up and got a drink and something to munch on without pausing the movie. Not a good sign!

After the movie I started to reread Body For Life For Women. A much more enjoyable time was had while reading, even though I have already read the book 1 1/2 times before. I am so serious about getting in shape and getting healthy and losing all this extra weight and gaining back all my strength and then some!

I would like to be down to 150 and be in a size 8 by the end of the year. I don't think that I have ever been a size 8, all through high school and college I was a size 12-14, except for when I was so super sick and got down to just over 100 pounds. That was not healthy. And since having kids I've been a size 14-16. But no more! I am going to be healthy, fit, and cute!

So, my evening with me, myself, and I was time spent on me! I think that we all need that once in a while. Just like Erik and I need to go out on regular dates, just the two of us. I think I need some me time too!

I Am Alone And I Don't Know What To Do!

Erik is still at boot camp and learning a lot! Yay, Erik! So, we are still without Daddy.

And now the girls have left me. I still haven't decided to be depressed or excited! ;) The girls were invited to spend the night at one of their friend's house tonight.

So, now I'm confused. . .What do I do with this time alone? I don't think that I have seriously been completely and totally by myself, ever! My family, or roommates, or Erik, or the girls, or someone has always been around. Do I use the time productively and get things done around the house or do I do nothing but spoil myself?

My brain is telling me to use this time productively but the rest of me is saying spoil yourself, when will this ever happen again? (I think the rest of me just might win this battle!)

Being a Single Parent Sucks!

Okay, Erik has been in San Diego now since Sunday evening. So, for all intents and purposes I am indeed a single parent this week--doing it all myself. I know that I sometimes complain, even if it is just to myself, about Erik not always pulling his own weight and helping out. But, I know totally have a new respect for him and all that he does.

I will say that during the day is the easiest for us, after all Erik is gone during the day at work anyway! But in the evenings the girls start to get more whinny and clingy and bedtimes is the worst! The girls go to bed much better when Erik is here, or at least when they know he will be back that night.

Trying to keep the girls busy and their minds off Daddy being gone we have been doing lots of things. I don't know if it wore the girls out but it sure wore me out!

Yesterday we went grocery shopping and took Melody, a blind lady from our church with us. When we dropped her back off at her place the girls invited her over for dinner and Family Home Evening. Having Family Home Evening without Erik was odd for us, whenever Erik is gone for work he's only gone a couple days so we usually have FHE before he leaves or when he gets back, this week we had to do it by ourselves.

Today Mommy had a doctor's appointment, just a quick prick of the finger to test how thick my blood is and then we were out of there! We then went to the Edwards in Ontario to see the free movie Care Bears 2--the girls really like that movie! Then we came home and ate and cleaned up the house because we had a family coming over to see the chicks and pick up the book and materials from our Eggs and Chicks class that we held last week. Oh, and Mommy had a nap! Of course the girls weren't tired or worn out, just Mommy.

Chicks and Eggs Unit Study

Erik and I decided that it would be cool for the girls to have a unit study on eggs and chicks. We will be going to The LA Fair again this year and thought that it might be fun to see the process up close and first hand.

There is a guy in our ward at church who sets up units at the local schools where he brings in eggs in a n incubator and all the stuff you will need to take care of the chicks when they hatch. He does all the hard work of turning the eggs and getting them all ready to go, we have the easy part sit back and watch!


Anyway, he brought us our two chicken eggs this morning. Before he came he called and said that he had a couple chicks that had hatched just a couple of days ago and wanted to know if we wanted two extra chicks to start with so we could watch them. Of course we do!


So we have two chicks, well actually, one of the eggs hatched this evening so we have three chicks and one egg. The girls were so excited! All day long it was "Mom come look at this!" and you should have heard the squealing when the chick finally completely hatched!


Erik and the girls spent an hour watching the new chick from when it had just hatched to getting dried and fluffy to moving around and even drinking some water. It is so "awesome," to steal a phrase from Mia!


We are learning a lot! We are also having a few kids over, local homeshoolers, friends, and family to have an activity day/book club later this week. We will be doing activities and reading books about eggs and chicks. Each kid will get an Usborne Book to take home as well as the activities we do! It should be fun!

The girls with the incubator with the eggs!

The 2 chicks--a couple days old

The chick when it was first hatched

The chick just a couple minutes old--notice the difference between the one who is just hatched and the one a couple of days old

The newly hatched chick just an hour old

Our Weekend in LA!

Here we go!

We've promised this video for a while and I finally got around to editing it together.

When Marci's brother Isaac came out for a visit, this is how we spent his last Saturday here.

(Congrats to Isaac, by the by, on getting his mission call to the Mississipi Jackson Mission.)

Tagged by Veronica

Okay, I know I was tagged a while ago but I have just been super busy trying to be Wonder Woman! So, here it goes. . .

i am: complex
i think: about a hundred things at once--especially when I'm trying to fall asleep
i know: that staying home and homeschooling the girls is the right thing for us
i want: to see my side of the family more
i have: a wonderful, loving and understanding husband--thanks Erik
i wish: to get our own home
i hate: not being able to have anymore children
i fear: losing my family
i feel: blessed
i smell: the flowers--at least I'm trying to stop and smell them more
i crave: something sweet and usually chocolaty all the time
i search: for new exciting home school ideas--all the time
i wonder: sometimes if I can make it through the day
i regret: not opening up and letting people get closer to me, see the real me
i care: about my family
i always: am looking for fun stuff to do
i believe: that I'm a good person--it's taken me many years to be able to say that
i dance: with the girls--I would love to take a dance class with Erik sometime, hint hint ;)
i sing: poorly but love to sing
i don't always: get everything done on my to do list--okay like never!
i fight: the depression-daily
i write: less than I want, it's on my to do list!
i lose: the battle aginst clutter
i win: for having the best family and friends ever! Thanks everyone for making me a winner!
i never: ask for help--something I will work on one day, it's on my to do list!
i listen: to Radio Disney when the girls are with me--all the time!
i can usually be found: with my family
i am scared: of rejection and the dark
i need: to be closer to Christ and rely more on Him instead of me
i am happy about: my life--it's a pretty good one!

So I tag Kristin, Lizeth, and Dustin--because we got to get the boys involved too!

Fun Day Playing With Cousins

Erik's sister's kids have been staying with his parents this last week while Kristin and her husband Monty were in Cancun. I know, we're all a little jealous of them!

Today the girls, my brother Isaac and I went over to play. Veronica, Greg's wife (Greg's one of Erik's brothers) called and asked me to bring over some board games when we came over. Yes, we have a lot of games but we love playing games at our house.

So we took over a bunch for the kids to play. The two biggest hits seemed to be Hullabaloo and Disney Bingo. They all seemed to have a good time playing those two. Another hit was Apples to Apples for kids, the only drawback was that the kids were taking a little bit longer to pick their card to play causing other kids to get bored. We tried to play Zooreka but there were too many kids to really play the game and not everyone was understanding how to play.

The kids all loved seeing each other and being able to play with one another. I also made them all a indoor picnic lunch while they watched Muppet's Treasure Island. I made the mistake of asking them what kind of sandwiches they wanted and ended up being a short order cook--at least they all got something that they wanted to eat!

All in all it was a fun filled but long day!

The cousins all playing Disney Bingo

Kory, Kyle and Tyler playing Bingo

Mia, Emma and Chase playing Bingo

Cousins enjoying a game of Zooreka

Happy Birthday, Erik!

Happy Birthday, Erik! We love you and hope that you had a great birthday.

Erik's boss generously gave Erik the day off. So what did we do with this special time together? Well, we started off with good intentions of doing something fun but ended up not really doing anything.

We did get Erik in to the eye doctor for an eye exam, it had been two years. He got a pair of prescription sunglasses as well as a new pair of eyeglasses with transition lenses! We already picked up the sunglasses, they were done today but we have to wait for the glasses. They did have to change his prescription, he says that he can really tell a difference. Makes me want to make my eye appointment!

I made Jambalaya for dinner, one of Erik's favorite meals! I put sausage, shrimp and chicken in it this time. Like pretty much everything I make I start off with a recipe or two or sometimes three, combine what I like best about each add my own stuff and somehow come out with something that they tell me tastes good. Only problem is I never know exactly what I did to be able to duplicate the exact same recipe again!

I then made a yellow cake and frosted it with homemade chocolate frosting. Topped that with some pecans and chocolate chips! Yummy! Sweets are always my downfall, and you thought I gained the weight by eating healthy, right? But I am proud of myself I had only 1 piece and it wasn't even a gigantic piece! Both Erik and I have lost weight these last 2 1/2 weeks and we don't want to screw that up!

The girls and Erik getting ready to open the presents!

The shirt the girls made for Erik.

They really wanted to make something for Daddy for his birthday!

Erik modeling the shirt!

The new Wii games--

Zelda Twilight Princess and Super Smash Brothers Brawl!

History of Superman DVD--if you don't know already Erik LOVES Superheros!

Playing the new Wii games!

Did we mention that my brother Isaac is visiting for a couple of weeks?

McDonalds Museum in San Bernardino

Okay, so you've all seen it when you were driving down E Street, but you've never stopped there.

Well, as of today, we have.

As I expected, the museum at the location of the first ever McDonalds is pretty much a Happy Meal toy museum. Check out this video, and I'll bet you'll see at least one toy that you had as a kid.

Plus, they had some of the old playplace equipment--the Mayor McCheese you could climb in, the Fry Guy rocking horses, and of course, the plug-in carousel.