Weekend Fun

I'm starting to cherish weekends more now. Although I was only gone on Friday this past week, I can imagine how this new (big) transition will affect everybody. I thought about doing something really fun, but I think tiredness just got the best of us and we just took the free (but fun) and close-to-home route.

Oh wait, before the weekend started and before work officially started (Friday), we decided to have a last minute summer hurrah on Castro Street in Mountain View. 

 Painting his dark glitter heart

 oooh, car with wheels bigger than Lu

 Introducing Char to one of our favorite taquerias: Los Charros

Now, the weekend fun begins!

 Mischievous Charlotte

 Building a trolley car @ Lowe's

 Stop and smell the flowers

"wo wo!!!" (not really a wo wo)

And that was our exciting (end sarcasm) weekend. Training and classroom prepping starts tomorrow. The kids are still home this week, hope Daddy and MaMa (grandma) survives taking care of these rascals. Oh, and kitchen remodel starts tomorrow too.

Cutting the Cord

I've been a SAHM for three years. I always thought I'll go back to work when Char goes to school. Although I went on plenty of interviews in the past couple months, I always viewed them as practice for the future when the time is right. Last Friday, I received an unexpected email regarding a teaching position which needed to be fulfilled ASAP. I proceeded with the interview process, thinking there's no way they can also offer my son a full-time position so late in the game if I were offered the job. However, they were able to accommodate him. I also didn't think we'll be able to find an affordable daycare for Charlotte. I viewed that as a sign that maybe now would not be the right time to work. However, we were able to find a daycare that we (including Char) all liked. As hard as I looked for signs of "no", each potential "no" turned into a "yes". 

So now, I will be cutting the cord starting tomorrow. I've been with my kids for three years and have been there to witness every single baby milestone with them. Am I an emotional wreck right now? Mos def! As much as these rascals have driven me up the wall this summer, I'm still going to miss my rascals like crazy. So the rest of August will be quite the transition for all of us. I just wish I had more time to end the summer with the rascals so I could take them on one last Happy Hollow adventure or just do something more fun before I start working again. 

I always thought it would be the kids who would have a hard time transitioning, but it looks like I might have an equally hard time being away from them too. So, here's to a bittersweet new beginning starting tomorrow... 

 BFF twinzie #1

 BFF twinzie #2

 I'm gonna miss these crazies

I guess I can always look forward to the crazies after work

Comcast Sucks

It's almost been a month since I last updated the blog. Laziness? No. Busyness? No (not really). No internet? Yes! After many calls to Comcast to complain and getting stood up six times in a week, we FINALLY have our internet up and running. And boy does that feel good! We resorted to going over our monthly data as well as paying for Hot Spot, too. Comcast, you suck!!!

Anyway, on to more positive news... We're getting pretty settled into our new home. Our kitchen remodel is still being delayed, so hopefully it'll start next Monday and maybe we'll get our new kitchen up and running by September. 

 Took advantage of the free Ikea meal after spending $$$ on our new Ikea kitchen

Temporary picnic table in family room that has already been moved outside

Enjoying their new playroom

Cheesing on new couch

Passing out in front of front door just because...

I have lots of picture and video catching up to do... but for now, it's time to wash dishes, tidy the house a bit, and watch my guilty pleasure - Bachelor in Paradise!

Our First Home

It's been official since 7/10 - we're homeowners! Besides bragging rights of saying we own a home, home ownership is hard work! We already found tons of fixer uppers and things to take care of. However, it is nice to finally unpack. I only have two more boxes of toys to empty out at the new house. And boy are the kids happy! They've been so deprived of their toys the past week that I've just resorted to letting them play with the iPad most of the time. 

Group selfie

The kids actually don't mind having all this screen time (surprise surprise). As for me, I need to remind myself to not let that be my resort 24/7. Due to all the Daniel Tiger, Angry Birds Star Wars, and Elmo screen time, they finally gave me genuine smiles during our selfie session on the couch.

Next week is our official BIG move! It'll be really nice to get out of this empty, sad-looking non-family-looking of a house now and start decorating my permanent place.  I've been Pinterest crazy on my unknown first home for nearly two years now. It's nice to actually go back on my boards and actually try to make some of my pins a reality.

As of now, life is all about cleaning, dusting, unpacking, trips to Home Depot/Lowe's, and making sure the kids are under control while we take turns running these errands.

 What happens when they're under Daddy's watch

 ... luckily I vacuumed the night before.

Lu's new room and "belated" birthday present(s)

Every night when the kids are down, I've sneaked out to work on their rooms. Our (my) goal is to set up both their rooms and play room before Wednesday (big move) so they'll get out of the movers way. Or, I can just let them roam free in the backyard... 

As for now, we are in a very busy/stressful (I'm breaking out like I'm 18 again!)/happy time in our lives. I think things should calm down in roughly three weeks... hopefully. I can't wait to finally host parties and let Lucas invite his "real" (don't really know who his fake) friends to his new house.

The 4th

We had a chance to see fireworks, enjoy some music, and just be outdoors during the 4th of July, but we did things a bit differently this year. Next year we'll get back into the grove of things and do something a bit more patriotic and fun (ie: maybe host a BBQ, go to the park, etc.). This long weekend, we were consumed with furniture shopping and just spending some low-key family time together. Things have been pretty hectic lately, so being low-key was just what we needed this weekend.

 Lucas requested to go to the bookstore

Char wanted to go to Petsmart to see wo-wos

 Five Guys: our All-American lunch

 Boston Market: our All-American dinner

 Jamba Juice: our All-American treat after dinner

 Picking "strawberries" (like Daniel Tiger)

 Meet iPad: our free babysitter

 Randomly went inside a fun event at the Disney store

Cute moment before getting in the car

And now it's Monday...

Happy Birb-bay, Lucas! (pt 2)

Last night, we specifically went to an Italian place cause Lucas said he wanted pizza for dinner (and his parents were not in the mood for pizza). But when I went down his list of options for dinner, he decided that he wanted to get a cheeseburger instead. Oh Lucas, you're just like your mother. Oh well, the whole family's a fan of Italian, so no biggie.

After, the real fun began. We went to the Chuck E Cheese in Cupertino and... (wait for it)... THERE. WAS. A. CARS. ARCADE. RIDE. So guess what homeboy wanted to do the entire time?

 Heaven for the birb-bay boy

 Sissy poo wanted to go on all the car rides

We had to force him to leave

Cake for breakfast? Happy birb-bay indeed!

Now we only have to wait another year to your next birb-bay, buddy!

Happy Birb-bay, Lucas! (pt 1)

 

 World's most interesting boy

Dear Lucas,

Three years ago, you made me a mother. I thought you were pretty fun your first year (but come on, I had nothing to really compare it to). I thought you were even more fun your second year (your personality started to come out and you could talk a little). Now that you're three, you're quite awesome! You've become quite the character. Everyone that meets you notices your beautiful smile and your contagious (hyena) laugh/giggle. You are able to carry a conversation quite well, sometimes too well since you're quite the opinionated one. We can talk about things, be silly, and yet you still have a sweet side to you. Remember how earnestly you looked for Mommy's headache and tried to get rid of it for me with a kiss? Some of your most memorable quotes are "I remember yesterday...", "Mommy, go outside!", "Oh my goodness", and "Char, it's okay". You're actually a surprisingly good brother to sissy poo, and that makes Mommy's heart melt when I see all the nice things you do for her.

I might be biased when I say this, but you're the smartest three year old I know. You seriously teach yourself everything and make Mommy look good by being so smart. You have a crazy memory and remember the smallest little details from the past. And you're the funniest guy in the  whole wide world; such a trickster, too. Oh, and you're also a little too cray cray.

Happy 3rd birthday, my handsome little beeseewhydoh of a man!

Love, 

Mommy 

Just a normal morning routine

Your contagious laugh

Definitely gonna get the girls with these dance moves

Since it was Lucas's birb-bay today, I wanted to do something more "special" instead of our usual "let's go to the mall" morning. Although I'm not a fan of the sun, I thought the kids would have a blast at HHZ. And boy was I right! They also zonked out pretty quickly after lunch too! Today was a good day, there were barely any kids when the park opened so they got to ride on their favorite rides multiple times.

 Rode on this 3x (very adamant about getting this specific zebra)

 Danny the Dragon (rode 2x)

 Yo home to Bel-Air!

Can't help it, isn't she so cute?!

How sissy poo wishes big bro a happy birb-bay

After nap time, we'll continue Lucas Day with a nice dinner for the birb-bay boy followed by Chuck E. Cheese!