Baby, baby, baby

We've got Beiber Fever!

**Edited**

Real.

Beiber. Fever.

Dinosaur Spit

Any guesses what that blob is that appeared on our sidewalk today?  DJ thought it was dinosaur spit.  But upon closer inspection we figured out it was ICE, in Arizona at midday.  Shocking!  This is our version of winter.

In all seriousness, it was cold today.  I think the high was around 40.  The kids actually had to wear . . .a coat!  DJ asked if he was going to pass out after I bundled him up in his scarf, hat, gloves and a big winter coat.  That made me laugh.  I miss real winters.

I remember winters sliding all over the ice on our front porch and making our own popsicles from the ice sickles that would form on our roof.  One year we were sliding down the snow banks onto the ice and I cut my eye open.  It was deep.  I needed stitches. It was Christmas Eve.  I still have the scar.  But I survived.  I still don't consider it winter without being able to slide down snow banks and on to the ice.  So to our little patch of ice, I welcome you.  Thank you for bringing us a piece of real winter.  Next time could you bring snow too?

And just you so know how crazy the weather has been.  This was our kids last week, running in the sprinklers in the dark.  It was almost 80 degrees outside.  They were only a little bit cold.

We are color blind . . .And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Isabel:  (While looking at a picture that DJ drew of our family)  Papi has brown skin.

Me:  Yes he does.  What color skin do you have?

Isabel: (Looks at her arm) Tan

Me:  What color skin does Alexandria have?

Isabel:  Tan

Me:  What color skin do I have?

Isabel:  Tan

Me:  So you and me have the same skin color?

Isabel:  Yup, see.  (puts her hand next to mine) Mine's just a little bit browner.

Me:  Will you give me some of that color?  I want beautiful skin like yours.

Isabel:  No! How would I do that?

On the same note, different child, Alexandria is convinced that her and Isabel have the same skin color. . . .they're white.

So we don't have snow . . .

It's right in the middle of winter and I'm so jealous of places with snow.  I want to be in snow.  I love bundling up in warm clothes and blankets while in front of a warm fireplace and looking out the window at a beautiful blanket of white surrounding me. But we don't get that experience here.  So instead, I'm thankful for the things that we do have here in the winter. . . like sugar cane growing in our garden.

And Papi and the kids enjoying every sweet bit of juice they can savor.

And movie nights with friends in the clubhouse underneath the trampoline.  That's just cool!

But I still miss the snow.

Happy Birthday Alexandria

I finally gave in.  It was your birthday after all.  Here's my baby before the holes

 And here you are after.  Still beautiful!

And who could pass up trying on fun hats at the mall?

A Hug A Day

Dear Mrs. S,

I know you are my boys' Kindergarten teacher and I'm sure you have a good reason to keep your lines of students nice and straight while walking through the halls of the school.  But, if their sister tries to give them a hug while they are in line please don't make them feel like they are doing something wrong by hugging her back.  They are only little for such a short time and in a few years they'll be too embarrassed to give each other hugs at school.  Plus, it's been studied and proven that children who get lots of hugs are smarter than those who don't.  So please give them just a second out of line to embrace their sister.  They'll even be better students for you if you do.

Thank you!

Quotables

"I wasn't thinking about anything.  My brain was turned off."

New Hang Out on Hope Street

If you're ever in the neighborhood you might want to check out the newest fav hang out on Hope. It's the Cesar Clubhouse and it is the most happening club on the street!   There's no cover charge although drinks and snacks may be extra because I'm learning when you are the cool place to be you have to have food to eat.

Art Masterpiece

We are in the process of making the Cesar Clubhouse.  This was a last minute decision. As we were watching the landscapers dig the hole for the trampoline, we realized there was a lot of space in that hole that wasn't going to be used so we asked if they could build stairs going down underneath the trampoline.  Our wish was their command and we now have the perfect place for a kid hideaway.  Today we painted the walls.  Since this is a kid clubhouse I let the kids do the painting and I LOVE the way it turned out. 

Here's AJ's baseball player.  He likes to get things right so I got to help him out a little with his painting.  But he colored everything in, chose the colors and told me exactly how to help him.

DJ painted an astronaut going to the sun and other planets too.  As you can tell, his is all original artwork done all by him which makes it one of my favorites.

Isabel wanted a fairytale castle with a princess.  See the long flowing blonde hair coming out of the castle pillar?  That's Isabel.  I think she's trying to be like Rapunzel.

Expressing her dreams through art, Alexandria painted a rockstar singing on the ice.  Love this one since she is making her dreams a reality on a canvas.

 Then they added a few more touches like flowers, a fire breathing dragon, control stations, fish, trees, etc. and TA-DA!  We have a new clubhouse.  The grand opening was a huge success.  If you missed it you'll have to stop by another time.  Oh, and when you come by to check it out you will also see newly set grass.  :)

Upgrading

We had birthdays.  So, we upgraded.  

Isabel finally got a big girl bed.

 And the boys finally got big boy bikes.  They have no problem riding the bike but stopping and starting has taken a little practice.