Monkey Mania

I started a blog for Lily's soccer team. I had too...they're just too cute!

http://soccermonkeys.blogspot.com/

Foot Fetish

Have you seen these? The Kinoki. It's a detox foot pad. You stick the pouches on your feet and it sucks toxins and junk out of your body. Well, Katie and I tend to be "As seen on TV" junkies...we love this kinda stuff. She found them at the beauty supply and bought a box for us to try.


Well, I tried it last night. And when I got up this morning this is what I found..... Fascinating, yet frightening! Ewwwwwwwww!

Sold!

After lunch we needed to head by TJ Maxx. Lily said (with a tone) "what are we getting there?" I said "Maybe a new kid, we need to sell our sassy 5 year old and get a nicer one." In protest she yelled, "NO, SELL ADDY!!!!" She's very loyal!

First Day of Kindergarten

Here's my baby girl on her first day of Kindergarten!

YES, I knew the room was done in safari. YES her skirt matches for that reason. YES I know I have a problem!
Lily and Collin got in the same class! YEAH!!! That's a good transition for her, she has always gone to SSS where she knows everyone so I love that she has a friend in class!
Here they are leaving for class! She is pretty torn up, you can tell! HA She asked when we took her "Are you all coming in, or can you just drop me off?" I said, "It's the first day, I'll come in and make sure you know where you're going." Her response, "Oh". I said "I'll TRY not to embarrass you!" I swear she's five going on 13!

Journal Journey

On August 18th, 1981 my mother started a gift I will cherish always. She started a journal of my "school years". She gave it to me at my high school graduation. She captured moments and dates in school like; first dates, school trips, birthday parties, etc.



When she gave it to me at graduation I remember thinking, "Oh neat". At that time I didn't truly appreciate it, or what she had done for me. But tonight, as I opened it, I re-read the first entry, and cried...and I'm still crying now! Almost exactly 27 years to the day, I started kindergarten and this is what my mom had to say....


Aug 18, 1981

For five years now I've had the wonderful opportunity to prepare you for a milestone in your life - your first day of kindergarten. I think we've had five GREAT years! Even though I've had to work, I think we've developed a very close relationship. I'm starting a diary of your school life, and I will be adding events as they happen to you. I love you more than you'll ever know, and I hope we will always be good friends! A mother-daughter relationship is one of the most precious relationships in the world, and I thank you for the wonderful memories!

Love, Mother

Tonight, August 19, 2008 I will write the first entry in my daughters journal. Thanks mom for starting a wonderful tradition and giving me so much more than just a journal! Thank YOU for the wonderful memories!!

"Just Smiling, Dancin', Kissin'.... in the Rain"

These pictures are compliments of my personal photographer, L. Proctor. All rights reserved!

Sheer Disbelief

I'm a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad person, but I HAD to take this picture during the parade at Disneyland. I knew I shouldn't have been staring, but I couldn't look away. It wasn't the t-shirt tucked into the athletic shorts that got me, it wasn't the dress socks scrunched down into the black snow boots that got me, it wasn't even the massive wedgie that got me......it was the holster/belt with the coffee mug attached! This is not only practical but sporty as well! I like a man who's prepared!!

Johnson Clan

While we were in San Diego we also got to spend some time with Damon's Aunt Diane (Dan's little sister). Her and her husband, Matt White, are great and they have 3 wonderful kids, Brian, Bradley & Emily. The kids had a GREAT time playing together.

Grandpa with his kids/grand kids/great-grand kids...
Emily & Lily (Thanks to the White genes & the Utley genes, these tan, brown eyed girls look like they could be sisters!)
Diane makes Halloween & dance costumes (she's amazing!!) So the girls played dress up....it was fun!
Diane also could be a chef!!! She is the best cook EVER! She had the girls make some cookies.
I knew there was a hidden agenda...she had made the girls matching aprons so they could cook. How cute!!!! They loved them.

De Plane, De Plane

Now that I'm a mom, I love for people to watch my family and I in the airport. You can read the expressions on their faces, "Please don't let them be on my plane, please don't let them on be on my plane!!!"

I love it when they call us to pre-board and they see us coming! They watch in disbelief, as we come staggering to the gate with us, our carry-ons, the girls, the girls back-packs, a "blankie", a half eaten pretzel, a shoe in one hand, and some straws and lids that the girls used to make their own airplanes. Just for kicks I like to yell out before boarding, "if you're going to throw up again you need to tell me now!"

Disneyland

When we walked in the gates and bought our tickets they asked "Are you here for something special?" I said "Yes, my daughter's 5th birthday." They gave her a button to wear that said Happy Birthday and then wrote Lily on it. The staff is trained to say "Happy Birthday Lily, are you having fun?" I bet 60 employees told her Happy Birthday!! It rocked. Even Ariel in the parade, looked down from her float pointed at her and said "Happy Birthday!" I will admit, I cried a little!! They really do make "dreams come true!" (Granted I spent $406 to walk thru the door...the least they can do is say Happy Birthday to my kid!)


These are some of my favorite shots.....



Cinderella does have a face, it was just really shady there.

This picture is for Madison! See there's the castle...

The Fairy Godmother

Tea Cups, I rode later and DJ about made me puke!!

Gotta have ears!!!!! (Lily got Tinkerbell Ears & Addy got Minnie...both got their names monogrammed on the back. They do that for free! Great deal!!)

I love Minnie!
I highly recommend it!! It was wonderful and I can't wait for Addy to turn 5 now.

Grandpa Johnson

Part of our trip was hosted by Grandpa Johnson, that's Damon's Grandpa, obviously! We love Grandpa! He's got so many amazing stories, I love listening to him. He's lived in San Diego for over 50 years. I said "Have your neighbors lived here long?" He said "No, only about 30 years!!!!"

The girls had Cheerios for breakfast every morning, just like Grandpa! We had a great time. Thanks for everything Grandpa!!!

We're Back........

We got in last night, and although we're sad to be back to reality, we had a wonderful time!!! I asked Lily if she was going to remember this trip forever and she said, yeah if you take some pictures!! Oh I took pictures...338 of them!

I am going to make several posts with pictures but I will break them down into groups so you don't have to see all 338 at once!

Quick Update

Arrived Tuesday and spent the day with DJ's Grandpa. He lives 4 miles from Tijuana so.....needless to say we're in the minority!! Lily asked if this is where Dora was from!!!!



We left Wednesday morning for Disney and just had a fabulous time. It was perfect...Lily loved it and Addy was thrilled to see all the characters UNLESS I tried to take her picture with one....she didn't like that.



We went to the beach by Grandpa's house today, it was nice and the kids....well my little white Okie children liked it, until the waves splashed in their faces. DJ was sad...he doesn't have the little surf babies he always thought he would.

California or Bust!

We leave in the morning for sunny California!! Our children went to bed at 7:45 tonight in preparation for the trip. (We need to mark this day down in history!!) We are all packed....4 people, 7 days with 1 suitcase & 1 duffel bag!! Pretty good! (Granted the carry on for the girls has 1 dvd player, 12 dvd's, 6 bags of goldfish crackers, 14 packs of fruit snacks, wet wipes, clean panties, lip gloss, hand sanitizer, new crayons, coloring books, 2 pony's, 2 mini-barbies, 2 mini-pony's & 2 packs of travel Kleenexes!)

Well...we will return on the 12th...so mark your calendars for fun filled stories from our California adventure!! Later dudes.....

Souvenirs anyone???

Bought souvenirs here to give to my kids while we're in Disney - $18

Souvenirs at Disney would have run me $100

Tricking your innocent children into thinking they're getting cool prizes from Disney - PRICELESS!