Chinese Movie Night

So about 2 Friday's ago I found myself distraught and without a baby-sitter. It had been a crazy week that included, 2 different house guests, a one-day trip to Arizona, and a few delayed flights. And so with all the confusion I forgot to call a sitter and would not have my hallowed date night with my guy.
Buttttttttttttt instead of being a pill about it, I surprised myself and embraced it. I thought it'd be fun to eat Chinese food because Sienna came home from school awhile back and asked me what chopsticks were.
I also thought it'd be fun to let the kids pick out a movie for the family to watch. The kids adamantly picked "Beverley Hills Chihuahua." So adamantly in fact that you could hear it up and down aisle 13 at Wal-Mart.
So after giving each of them "the real" movie we were going to buy (although they each had the same movie, in kiddie world it appeared that Sienna had the "real" movie and that's the one Wesley wanted) we picked up our food on the way and headed home.
Wesley loved the Pad Thai and ate it by the fistfuls. After dinner we made a makeshift "fort" and watched the show under there. It's sad to admit....but this is the first time we have all sat and watched a movie together, from start to finish. We'll definitely do it again- it was fun and quirky....which for me, made a great family night.

Too funny

Sienna insisted I take this picture of her.
"Why honey?"
"Because Conga might be missing me." Conga is my brother Matt who came to visit us about 2 weeks ago. So here you go Matt. Don't miss her k?

Watery graves

Just wondering..........
Has your 2 year old ever grabbed your point and shoot camera from your hands...and when calmly asked to give it back ...thrown the camera across the floor and broken the lens?
Did your 2 year old ever color on your fabric couch with black permanent marker?
Does your 2 year old hide in the fridge when they are in trouble?
Does your 2 year old systematically send DVD's to a watery grave by flushing them down the toilet?
Same question but insert....bathroom appliances, hardware, toys....etc
Has your 2 year old ever pushed back a wooden chair so hard that it broke it completely? Twice?
Does your 2 year old wash your overpriced Disney DVD's with bars of soap because they are "dirty"?
Does your 2 year old sit in the car with you and when spots a vehicle yells "crash that car!"

Or is just that mine???

"Don't you wish it could go forever...."

Bubba came to visit us! Yeah! Bubba is my youngest brother who lives in CA who comes to see us when he's fed up with my nagging him. What can I say? I love spending time with him. Here are some photos of us at Discoveryland, USA...more on that in a sec.
But first, I can't begin to tell you how funny it is that we moved here to Oklahoma. I think I may have mentioned this before....but "Oklahoma" the musical was one of my most favorite movies all growing up (also on honorable mention: Grease, Pirates of Penzance, Footloose, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). My brothers and sister and I watched these movies over and over again. We knew the words to the songs and would dance along with the music and characters.
So- now that I am an official Oakie adoptee ...I was eager to pay a visit to Discoveryland, USA, "The National home of Rodger's and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!"
I was really excited to see the production live in an outdoor amphitheater. This place was actually a huge farm/ranch about 15 minutes away from Tulsa in a tiny city called Sand Springs. The grounds were beautiful!! The cast was great. And I loved that they incorporated real horses in almost every scene they'd be galloping across the stage. We were treated to a real "cowboy dinner" which had the tastiest baked beans I have ever had in my life- honest! The only down side was the suffocating humidity and constant swatting of bugs.....or the would be bugs..the phantom bugs you keep swatting at because you hear them everywhere...but there isn't actually one on you. yeah that.
Thanks for taking me Bubba!

A little late

A little late....but none the less.....Happy Birthday Miriam!!

Thank you

Susanjane,
I have no way to contact you directly...but I wanted to thank you for your comment you posted. I am flattered that you follow my blog. Thank you for taking the time to say so. That made my day!! I'm embarrassed to admit....I do spend time on the posts...more than I should probably, which is why it's so nice to know someone enjoys it! Best wishes!

Friends

So I was thinking about blogs.....and how I love being able to take quick glimpses into people's lives and see how they're doing. It makes it feel.....in small way that we haven't moved as much as we really have. I also LOVE seeing every one's cute kids and family milestones but.....I often wonder about my friends....what are my friends up to? You know....personally....things that are going on in their lives that don't involve kids or families.
So with that said......I decided to jot down some things about me...just random things I've been doing lately (P.S. I tagged some friends at the bottom):
Every once and awhile when I am fried, or exhausted I'll take myself to the dollar theater down the street to catch a movie. I feel brave and independent when I do this.
I bleached my teeth a few weeks ago...which I have been wanting to do since forever. Wish the results were more extreme...should of listened to the ditsy girl who told me to sit in the chair longer.
I am trying to read a book called "Outliers," that is a sociological look at what factors come into play in the success of someone's life....what sets successful people a part from the rest. It sounded fascinating in an article I read months ago buuuuuuttttt I'm still hanging out in chapter 1. Maybe that's why Nathan and I aren't successful??
I am working with the young women now at church and I am constantly amazed at the responsibility I feel for these girls.....overnight. I think about them during the week and I worry about their struggles. It has been so interesting to teach them every week, and remember my experiences as a teenager.
I have picked out 2 really, really bad movies recently which Nathan will probably not let me forget for the remainder of the year. Don't waste your money or your brain cells on seeing "The Soloist" or "My Life in Ruins."
I am taking a class called, "Mothering without Guilt" and I love it. I am plagued with guilt...partly because I am a hopeless perfectionist, not helped with unrealistic expectations I have about being a Mom..or what it means to be a "good Mom" and do I ever measure up. So on and so forth into the eternities. It's a great class and so insightful! If you're reading this Jen or Christy- thank you for leading the class!
I have a new favorite restaurant....well, my new favorite Italian restaurant to be exact. It's called Oliveto and it's wonderful. My absolute favorite....I'm talking I think about this food during the week...probably every week, is their Bruschetta Sundae. It's a martini glass filled with the tastiest bruschetta you've ever had in your life with toasted sourdough bread.
I also started taking a photography class that won my heart when I read the tag line,
"this class will help you understand all your buttons." Perfect. Just what I need for this brand- spanking new, completely professional, intimidating camera that I now own.
And I saw,"17 Again" with Zac Efron................now I get it. He is cute!

I tag Patience, Brooke G, and Amy C

Try something new

Gymnastics

So Thursday was the kids' first day of gymnastics. I was so excited that they could do something "together." Poor Wesley, we're always taking Sienna to do fun "big kid" things. So when I saw this gym that had classes for 2-3 years olds I was thrilled to sign them up.

Sienna was in heaven during class. It was so cute to see her smile and do something she is naturally good at and be praised by her teachers.
Wesley was so cute when it was time for the kids to go in the gym and the moms to stay outside in the waiting area. He didn't cry like some of the other little ones...instead he came running over to me to give me a hug and then run back to his class. Then he'd get up come running and give me another hug and then go back to his seat. He must have done this 5-6 times before class officially started. It was so cute- and so unexpected. He is not normally like that. The ladies behind me were dying..talking about wanting to take Wesley home with them. He was reluctant to leave with the teacher...but returned from class all smily and sweaty with 2 "good job"stamps.

Shameless

Lest you be confused...this is my shameless attempt to pull on my Dad's heart strings.

Dad.....Mom's sad. This little empenada misses us. And by us I mean our offspring. Ok.....mostly Wesley. Will you let her come visit the States again? Think of it as a Spa Treatment...something that will reinvigorate her...put a little spring back in her step, and that twinkle in her eye.
I want you to know I did not stage this photo below...they do this all the time together.
Grandma needs Wesley. Wesley needs Grandma.

Their relationship....it's not really something I can put into words. It's not ordinary. It's as if they've been waiting to be together on earth for a long time.....and now they've found each other. Their love began long before Wes was ever born.

.

Hawk-o-Loma

So I'm playing catch up here but this was too cute not to include. The very last night in Arizona we had Sienna's best friend Alyssa come over for dinner. She was so excited to be able to say the prayer. I think you'll agree with me...it's a pretty good one.

....... " please help Sienna so she'll be good while she's moving and when she goes to Hawk-o-Loma (translation...Oklahoma) and thank you for Wal-Mart. Amen."

Love Song

So a few weeks ago I was running errands with the kids when Sienna (who's gotta a knack for making up songs) started singing this little diddy in the backseat:
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I just love Jesus. Do you know why Mommy? Because he me makes magic. He makes me alive and I just love him. When I open my eyes I want to see him, hug him, and play with him." ..........followed with another round of the chorus,
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."
How sweet and innocent...I grabbed a CD cover in the car and jotted it all down before I forgot. I am so pleased that Sienna feels so much love for Him. When she talks about Jesus it really seems like she knows him...I mean really knows him...like how a child aches for their relative when their visit is over. Her sincere love for him and tender way she talks about missing him is such a good example for me.