Prop 8

I set up a blog called What's the Truth About Prop 8?, if anybody wants to give it a look-see. Not much on it yet, but I'll add more.

We're coming down to the wire.

Jam-Packed Fun-Filled Day

Today was Erik's last day of vacation. It has been so fun having him home! So, we woke up this morning wondering what we were going to do with ourselves today.

If any of you know us, we are not that good at making decisions. We joke that we should start deciding what we want to eat for dinner as soon as we finish breakfast, because it will take us that long to decide!

Anyway, we decided to take the girls to the park to play. By the way today was the perfect day to be outside, not too hot and not too cold. We live in California so not too cold is never a problem, but the too hot usually is!

There is a neat little park that was just built not too far from our house that Erik took the girls to one day when I was gone at a meeting and the girls wanted me to go and see it too. So, that's where we went.

We all ran around and played like we were kids again, okay so 2 out of the 4 of us are kids but you know what I mean!

Mia on the monkey bars. She has been practicing and practicing and now

she can go all the way across on the monkey bars! Way to go, Mia!

Emma on the swings. The girls can both pump by

themselves and boy does she go high!

Mia climbing the rock wall. We all had to climb it,

even Erik and I scaled the wall!

Here's Emma on this rope pyramid climbing structure.

It was also very fun, just ask any of us!

Mia hanging upside down. The girls love to pretend they are sloths!

Emma on the slide with her "spacecat."

We play space explorers at this park.

After the park we still didn't have any idea what else to do but we knew we needed gas. So, we made a stop at the gas station. The girls love to help pump the gas!

They are ready to get their driver's license and start doing all my errands for me!

On our way to the gas station Erik's brother Andy called and told us that The Redlands Fires Station by his work was having an open house. So, we decided to stop over there and check it out.

The girls sitting on the front of the firetruck!

Firefighter Emma

Firefighter Mia

Girls with Sparky the Firefighting Dog

After we toured the fire station and did all the fun activities there we went over to Hogi Yogi, where Andy works and had lunch there! Andy was even able to take a break and talk with us while we ate.

Andy even waited on us and made our sandwiches. Excellent sandwiches, Andy, thanks again! The girls had the turkey on white, Mia had cheese on hers while Emma didn't. Erik had the Smoky Turkey with a bunch of veggies and sprouts. I had the BBQ Chicken with lots of jalapenos, Andy is the only person who has ever given me enough jalapenos! Mmmmmm!

After we finished lunch we went to DI to try and get some ideas for Halloween costumes for Erik and I. Erik's mom already got the girls their costumes. Mia is going to be a Fairy and Emma is going to be Snow White. We finally came up with and idea for me but we still have no idea for Erik! Guess we'll have to keep our thinking caps on!

We then stopped over at Erik's parents to say hi. We had a nice time talking to Mom and Dad, the girls haven't had Mammy and Grandpa all to themselves in a long time! Thank goodness we stopped because Erik's Mom reminded us that we were celebrating Veronica's birthday tomorrow. Erik was confused and told me we were doing it Monday when we had FHE, so I was planning on getting the present Monday morning.

When we left there we had to go get Veronica's present. Talk about last minute shopping, they're trying to close up and we're trying to get a present. Hopefully, she like it!

Then home we came and put two not tired girls to bed. And the two tired ones are heading off to bed now!

Tagged By Kristin

Okay, so I got tagged from Kristin! So, I went to the fourth file to the fourth picture and here it is. . . .It's my dinner from a secret shop that I performed at the beginning of the year. I don't remember which restaurant it was, I wouldn't be able to tell even if I did!



Yes, I am a secret shopper. I am signed up with a few different companies. Some pay better than others, some want more info, and some we get free stuff from. It's kind of fun and it gives us a little pocket change. If anyone is interested in becoming a mystery shopper, let me know as I can hook you up. Just make sure that you never, I mean never, pay to become a mystery shopper!

I now tag. . . .Melissa, Alicia, Raela, and Jennifer! Fourth file, fourth picture.

Hip Hop Dance Class

The girls have been wanting to take dance classes forever! Because we decided to go through a charter school this year for our home school, the girls get to take their dance class. We opted to use part of our funds for them to take a few classes.

They are taking a Hip Hop Dance class, a Ballet/Tap Combo class, and an Art Class this semester. When it gets close to the end of the semester we will sit down with the girls and decide what they want to keep doing and what they don't and what else they might want to try.

Anyway, the girls have been to two Hip Hop classes and they are loving it! They are learning a routine to Natasha Bedingfield's Pocket Full Of Sunshine. It is so fun to watch all the girls in class as they are learning new steps and practicing old ones.







When they get home from class, Erik and I get a private viewing of what they learned that day. Anytime they show us anything from dance they have to warm-up first. Their teachers must have put enough emphasis on warming-up because won't even show you one step without warming-up!



Their dance teachers both say that the girls are doing very well for this being their first time ever! Lucky girls, guess they didn't get my sense of rhythm. ;)


Next time you see the girls ask them to show you some of their dance moves!

FREE Museum Day!

This past Saturday was FREE museum day at certain museums across the country. And it was Growing Up Californian at the San Bernardino County Museum. Erik and I had already decided to take the girls to the museum and then we found out about the FREE museum day and lucky for us the San Bernardino County Museum was one on the list! Yay! We are so determined to get out of debt in 6 months so this was an added bonus for us, we ended up saving about $30!

We got to see everything in the few hours that we had to spend there, I had to get back to catch my ride to the Relief Society Broadcast later that evening!

We saw all the stuffed animals, real stuffed animals not toys! We saw all the eggs, Erik and I though that the eggs would be the kind of boring to the girls but, Emma was begging to go see the eggs! Go figure.

We got to see the display on local architecture through the ages, really really interesting to Erik and I, not so much to the girls. Luckily they had blocks for the girls to build their own buildings and pictures to color.

We also got to see the live animals. The girls got to pet the rabbit and see all the different lizards, bugs, and snakes! Have I mentioned how much the girls love animals, any kind of animals?

We also got to attend the Growing Up Californian for FREE! The girls got to learn how it was to grow up as a child when California was first being settled.

They got to take a turn at washing, rinsing, wringing, drying, and ironing clothes. They got to beat rugs and make candles. They got to see and play with some toys from that time period. They made butter and ground up corn into cornmeal.

We all learned alot and had a great time doing it!

Mia washing clothes

Emma wringing out the clothes

Emma hanging up clothes to dry

Mia ironing

Emma beating the rug

Girls making candles

Girls grinding corn into cornmeal

Mia playing with the cup and ball

Emma playing with the hoop and stick

Mia playing with the hoop and stick

Fun At Downtown Disney

So as if the Fair wasn't enough the next day we decided to take the girls to Downtown Disney. Well, it was kind of a spur of the moment decision.

After they got back from their sleepover they asked what we were doing that day and I said oh, probably nothing. Wrong answer! Then came the can we go to Build A Bear?

Since we didn't have anything else planned until that evening we figured sure why not?

The girls have been saving their money so they could go to Build A Bear! And yes there is a Build A Bear closer, but the one at Downtown Disney is SOOOO big. So, we figured that for their first Build A Bear bought with their own money we would go all out!

I told you it is BIG!

So we all loaded up in the car and off we went.

Our first stop was the Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney. We love the Rainforest Cafe, though not the prices. We had never eaten at the one there, an the girls had a FREE Kids Meal certificate from the Library Reading Game this summer. So we figured we might as well make a day of it!

Waiting to get seated!

After the Rainforest Cafe we finally got to go to Build A Bear. (The girls were so excited they could barely eat their lunch!) Emma chose the elephant that she named Ella and Mia chose the new Hannah Montana Bear that she named Hannah!

It was so cute watching them be so serious in their choices. We even snuck in some math, they had to make sure that they had enough money to cover what they were buying. Of course they wanted everything, but had to make some hard choices. Overall, I think that they are both very happy!

Girls out front before we go in. Thanks for being so patient with me girls!

Mia stuffing Hannah!

Emma stuffing Ella!

Emma washing Ella

Mia washing Hannah

Fun Day At The Fair

Wow, it's been awhile since we updated the blog! Things have been super crazy busy here!

Anyway, on the 19th of September we went to the LA County Fair with Greg, Beronica, and their kids. Erik was even able to take the day off and come with us! Yay!!! The girls love doing anything, but they love it even more when dad is able to be part of it.

I was able to get us FREE parking passes and FREE admission to the fair through one of the home school groups we belong to. We were able to cover Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, PE, we even managed to squeeze in some Math! I love homeschooling!

We had a great day at the fair walking around with Greg, Beronica and the kids. We visited so many things. I think that the kids favorite part was the the Big Red Barn, not a favorite for the dads who were busy fighting allergies. But they were troopers, there wasn't even any whining!

Dads watching on while the moms and kids play in the petting area!

Petting the goats. . .

and the sheep!

There was even a dress up place at the fair! Of course the kids loved it! What kids don't love to dress up and pretend to be something?

Emma cooking dinner for Daddy.

Notice that she has broccoli and chicken, her favorites!

Cowgirl Mia!

Chase and Savannah playing with the cars.

There were so many fun things for the kids to do and see and touch! They even got to pet a horse at the 4-H booth and pet a snake! The girls love animals so this was quite a treat for them. They would love to live on a farm, though I don't think Erik could handle it with his allergies. I'm sure the girls would rather keep Daddy around than live on a farm!

Petting the snake. The girls have no fear!

The girls petting the horse!

Cousins "riding the range"

New this year for school aged kids was a chance to get FREE ride tickets. They had to read 6 books and do a short book report on each book read and they would get 9 FREE tickets! The girls worked hard and diligently reading and writing! They got their tickets and were so excited. We bought a couple extra tickets so they could each ride two ride. They chose. . .

The carousel and. . .

the tilt a whirl!

All in all we had a great day with tons of fun! But the fun did not end there, the girls went to a friends house for a sleepover and Erik and I had a night to ourselves.