Having 2 kids is super exhausting. All of the laundry and bathing and feeding them really wears me out. And then there's the endless diaper changes. Thank God I have a little helper taking care of that for me.
The key to an effective diaper change is to strap it real tight. Real tight.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
3 Steps To Perfect
I like coffee. Everything about it is appealing to me: the way it smells, the way it tastes, the effect it has on me. Sipping a hot cup of joe is the best way to start the day.
I have been drinking coffee for years, but my perfect cup has evolved during that time. I started out drinking very little coffee at all. It was mostly milk and sugar. Mmmm. As my taste for coffee changed, so did my cup. Nowadays, I like real cream and bold coffee with a wee bit of sugar. I have learned that it takes at least 3 steps to achieve the perfect cup.
Step 1. Pour hot, black coffee into a mug with half an inch of real cream. Stir in a wee bit of sugar. Drink half of it.
Step 2. Pour more hot, black coffee into the mug. Drink half of it.
Step 3. Pour more hot, black coffee into the mug. Drink all of it.
It takes at least 3 half refills to achieve the perfect blend of creamy, semi-sweet, blackish coffee. Why don't I just reduce the cream and sugar to make the perfect cup the first time? Well, I like how it starts out creamy and rich, gradually getting bolder and blacker. Plus, I like drinking 3 cups of coffee each morning. Drinking coffee this way is the best. How do you take yours?
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Weekend Adventure: Malibu
This weekend adventure actually happened on Wednesday when my aunt was here. I wanted to take her somewhere that I had never been before. So we packed a picnic and went to Malibu with some friends. We had a lovely time.
The California coastline is magnificent with blue water against cliffy backdrops. The route to Malibu did not disappoint. The water seemed a little bluer and the cliffs a little cliffier. And since I can't take a photo of the gorgeous coastline while driving, here is a picture of it on the beach.
I will never get used to seeing mountains and beach in the same scene. Breathtaking.
We went to Zuma beach. The best thing was the beachside free parking. Parking is craptastic here. If you can find a spot close to wherever your destination is, you more than likely paid for it. We were thrilled with our free spots.
It was a gorgeous day. Cool and breezy in the morning and warm and sunny by lunchtime. We dressed in layers and stripped down as the temps rose.
Stripping down...
And even more...
Other than a few trips to the potty, we never left our blankets. The kids ran and played and we scoped out the beautiful people in hopes of seeing a celebrity.
Malibu is home to the rich and famous. I knew that somewhere amongst the fabulous shopping and palatial homes there had to be my favorite delicacy: gelato! And thanks to my Urbanspoon app, we found Grom. We sat in the sun and ate my most favorite yummy treat. It was the perfect ending to a perfect adventure.
The California coastline is magnificent with blue water against cliffy backdrops. The route to Malibu did not disappoint. The water seemed a little bluer and the cliffs a little cliffier. And since I can't take a photo of the gorgeous coastline while driving, here is a picture of it on the beach.
I will never get used to seeing mountains and beach in the same scene. Breathtaking.
We went to Zuma beach. The best thing was the beachside free parking. Parking is craptastic here. If you can find a spot close to wherever your destination is, you more than likely paid for it. We were thrilled with our free spots.
It was a gorgeous day. Cool and breezy in the morning and warm and sunny by lunchtime. We dressed in layers and stripped down as the temps rose.
Stripping down...
And even more...
Other than a few trips to the potty, we never left our blankets. The kids ran and played and we scoped out the beautiful people in hopes of seeing a celebrity.
Malibu is home to the rich and famous. I knew that somewhere amongst the fabulous shopping and palatial homes there had to be my favorite delicacy: gelato! And thanks to my Urbanspoon app, we found Grom. We sat in the sun and ate my most favorite yummy treat. It was the perfect ending to a perfect adventure.
Link up!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Not The Same, But Pretty Close
My aunt Pam came for a visit this week. She is my mom's twin sister. I haven't seen my mom in almost 2 months so it was really great having her lookalike here. We walked to the beach, we played at the park, we ate gelato in Malibu, we went to Beverly Hills, the girls got completely off schedule, and I got to sleep in. She loved and kissed on my babies for 3 days. They loved it and so did I. We are gonna miss her.
She's not the same as my mom, but she's pretty darn close. Love you, Pam-ela!
She's not the same as my mom, but she's pretty darn close. Love you, Pam-ela!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
February Photo Challenge: Part 3
February is almost over! I'm still churning out my photos for the photo challenge. Here is week 3's installation.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Weekend Adventure: Korean Friendship Bell
We had a very relaxed long weekend. We made fake blueberry muffins with real cranberries. We ate fried egg sandwiches for dinner. We took walks. We did laundry. We went to church. We wanted to go to San Diego, but gas is nearly $5 a gallon here and I didn't want to spend the money. Instead, we ventured to the Korean Friendship Bell.
The Korean Friendship Bell is this humongous bell given to the U.S. in 1976 as a symbol of friendship between us and Korea. It's pretty cool. A lot of kung fu movie scenes have been filmed here. It sits inside this elaborately painted structure.
A lot of tourists come to check it out. A lot of locals come to fly kites. We came for the views. It is located on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is beautiful.
Beatrice came for the playground.
Penelope came because she's a little baby and goes wherever we go. She liked the sunshine.
It was a fun adventure with a little U.S. history too.
What kind of weekend adventures do you go on? Is there an awesome riverbank close by? Enchanted woods for exploring? Is your mall amazeballs? No matter what is available to you in your area, I'm sure there is adventuring to be had. Do you guys want to play along and share your weekend adventures? If so, let's link up each week and share the fun. Grab the code and look for my next weekend adventure post to link up. Happy adventuring out there!!
The Korean Friendship Bell is this humongous bell given to the U.S. in 1976 as a symbol of friendship between us and Korea. It's pretty cool. A lot of kung fu movie scenes have been filmed here. It sits inside this elaborately painted structure.
A lot of tourists come to check it out. A lot of locals come to fly kites. We came for the views. It is located on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is beautiful.
Beatrice came for the playground.
Penelope came because she's a little baby and goes wherever we go. She liked the sunshine.
It was a fun adventure with a little U.S. history too.
What kind of weekend adventures do you go on? Is there an awesome riverbank close by? Enchanted woods for exploring? Is your mall amazeballs? No matter what is available to you in your area, I'm sure there is adventuring to be had. Do you guys want to play along and share your weekend adventures? If so, let's link up each week and share the fun. Grab the code and look for my next weekend adventure post to link up. Happy adventuring out there!!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Me-Time
I have a dilemma. It's nap time and I want to paint my nails. I need to fold a load of laundry, make a grocery list, and mop the kitchen floor. I only have about 30 minutes before Penelope wakes so it is imperative that I use my time wisely. Completing the household chores would be the responsible thing to do. But painting my nails would make me feel pretty and I desperately need a little me-time. Sigh. I'm gonna go fold the laundry now.
I constantly feel this pull between doing the things that I need to do versus the things that I want to do. I seem to fail miserably at finding the balance between me-time and being a good time manager with my chores. While it's obvious that the chores are more important and benefit the whole family, the me-time is kind of vital for my mental health. Pretty nails go a long way when you're feeling lonely/tired/down.
I have always liked my me-time. It wasn't until I had kids that I became crazed about finding it, keeping it, and multiplying it. I do better as a mommy when I can indulge in my stuff. But the more kids I have, the less of it I seem to have available to me. I am constantly being encouraged to get a pedicure, go to Starbucks, or do something for myself. But the dirty dishes and hungry children don't wait for me-time. And once I get everything done for my family, the only thing there is time for is sleep.
That's the tricky thing with me-time; it takes away from the other stuff I need to do for my family. I can't be a good housekeeper and have beautiful nails. I can't have a regularly updated blog and clean floors. I can't have it all. I have to choose. And I almost always choose the chores because that's my job. I'm not complaining about it, I just want to get to a place where I can have a good handle on my household so there can be time for an afternoon mani/pedi.
Today was not that day. It is now 10pm and I am still writing this blog. I managed to get the floors mopped, the laundry folded, and dinner cooked, but my nails are still not painted and this blog is still not posted. That's okay though. Tomorrow is Saturday and JD is home. It's a long weekend so there will be plenty of opportunities for me-time. I'm going to treat myself to Starbucks on the way to the grocery store tomorrow. I might even paint my nails.
I constantly feel this pull between doing the things that I need to do versus the things that I want to do. I seem to fail miserably at finding the balance between me-time and being a good time manager with my chores. While it's obvious that the chores are more important and benefit the whole family, the me-time is kind of vital for my mental health. Pretty nails go a long way when you're feeling lonely/tired/down.
I have always liked my me-time. It wasn't until I had kids that I became crazed about finding it, keeping it, and multiplying it. I do better as a mommy when I can indulge in my stuff. But the more kids I have, the less of it I seem to have available to me. I am constantly being encouraged to get a pedicure, go to Starbucks, or do something for myself. But the dirty dishes and hungry children don't wait for me-time. And once I get everything done for my family, the only thing there is time for is sleep.
That's the tricky thing with me-time; it takes away from the other stuff I need to do for my family. I can't be a good housekeeper and have beautiful nails. I can't have a regularly updated blog and clean floors. I can't have it all. I have to choose. And I almost always choose the chores because that's my job. I'm not complaining about it, I just want to get to a place where I can have a good handle on my household so there can be time for an afternoon mani/pedi.
Today was not that day. It is now 10pm and I am still writing this blog. I managed to get the floors mopped, the laundry folded, and dinner cooked, but my nails are still not painted and this blog is still not posted. That's okay though. Tomorrow is Saturday and JD is home. It's a long weekend so there will be plenty of opportunities for me-time. I'm going to treat myself to Starbucks on the way to the grocery store tomorrow. I might even paint my nails.
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