home from home!

We're back in sunny California! We landed in Burbank yesterday and as our plane touched down, I thought "We're home". Strange to now call and feel like Cali is home!! It was awesome and amazing to be (at our other) home for Christmas- to see all of our family and some of our friends and visit old places that have captured our hearts! We are so blessed to have family like you! Thank you again for a Christmas we will never forget! WE LOVE YOU!

Christmas!

We had Christmas morning this morning in hopes all is good after Todd's MRI on Monday. If so we'll go directly to LA and fly out in the morning!!! Pray that everything is healing and we get a clear green light from the Doc!!!

Isabella

is seven. Weird, huh!? We had a bowling party yesterday, where my friend Yvette helped out. Todd stayed home and prepared the deLICious corn dog feast for the kids. They blew in like a tornado and it may have been a bit much, but Bella had a good time and we made it through! Seven years old. Pretty cool!!

PS- like her new sewing machine? :)

yes, I am a genius

Gen-ius, I tell you. Replacing the blinky light with a non-blinky light. Now the whole tree is lit again! I can't believe you didn't think of it!!

And here is what we've been working on.....



Snowflakes! I got this great idea....adapted from one in Living. We're making paper snowflakes and putting them on a stand of lights I hung across the living room....I wasn't thinking, though when I bought the 100 light set. Oh, wait, I realize....that means we need to make 100 snowflakes!???! Uh.....hmm.....oh....well......we'll be workin'!!

I am so excited and inspired to craft. I found some great new sites with amazing ideas that I am ready to try!! Don't be surprised if you get some cute and really fun handcrafted items for Christmas this year!

And the girls were pretending they were Santa Claus in the bath tonight. They called me in almost every 10 seconds to show me a new look. SO cute.

on childhood dreams and christmas lights...

At bible study this morning I had a nice time with the ladies- we talked about changing the world and childhood dreams...so interesting to remember the things we hoped for when the whole world was open to us, when there was nothing to hinder our wild imaginations.

And the lights on the top half of our little fake tree have decided to call it quits. Wonderful!! And I am not quite sure if I mind enough to fix it. Somehow removing all of the many ornaments and candy canes the girls piled on....not to mention the garland and ribbon doesn't sound all that important. At least the blinky ones still work, I tell myself. Every few seconds the top is lit....and during the day you don't even really notice it!! If we keep the blind half way down, it will be just fine....maybe. :)

Abigail the photographer.

To everybody who is checking on us, we are all doing well. Todd is back at work, a little tried, but doing well.

I was going to give you a recount of the past.....few weeks. I tried, but I just can't go there. At least not yet...not on the blog. So, instead I will do the cheater post....yes, pictures! (I know you like these the best, anyway!!) Love you!!

Abigail has taken possession of the camera- so here are a ton of pics from her perspective!!

To everyone who has cleaned my microwave...

in the past 2 months. Which sounds weird, but if you know me, you know it's been a crazy two months. So, to those of you who know how disgusting (apparently, since I don't notice it!) my microwave gets- I thought of you today when some of whatever I was cooking spilled over. And yes, I cleaned it up!

It is a little weird to go to my car to find it completely cleaned out, walk into my house to find it sparkling clean, my closet to find all the laundry put away, and look into my freezer and find it stocked with ready made meals, to go to the mailbox and find cards of encouragement and even gifts of money...thanks to all of the amazing family and friends we have surrounding us. Thanks to all of you, we are getting through all of this craziness feeling extremely blessed and amazed.

Thank you!!!

thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so glad that my first post after these crazy weeks is on Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for! I am blessed beyond what I could have hoped for. Blessed and thankful for my husband, my girls, my family and all of my friends.

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday. I love you!!!!!

lil beeb. lil angween.

Last night Evie was so peaceful...I tried to capture the moment but the lighting was all wrong. After a couple of adjustments I got the peace, but lost some quality. Peace is better, I guess...both would be ideal. Oh well!

And Emma. She says "beeb" for baby- and calls Evie "Angween". Here are some of her favorite things to say: "Oh.....hi beeb. Hi Angween." and "Where'd da beeb go? Beeb? Beeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeeeeeeb! Beeb? Oh. She eat? Milk? I hold it. I hold it done? I hold beeb! Ah ha ha." Yes, that is a laugh. I do not know. But it is cute.

october 31st

The girls pretty much were dressed up in various costumes the whole day.....so cleaning in the gown....

And trick or treating has come a long way. Here we are at the outlets in Pismo. The girls had a blast! Bella as Princess Belle, Emma as a ballerina, and Ab as a fairy.

And, once again I do not know how to embed a photobucket video, so here is a link to some video. For a little taste of our "Pumpkin Party" at the church.

it's the littlest things!

It's the little things that make life sweet. Like the sun pouring it's warm rays onto the baby bee's yellow labels right before Evie's bath....add the soothing smell of the buttermilk bath soak, and....mmm-wonderful! These are the moments I love!

a cup of vintage starbucks

Thank God for friendship! For the kind of friends who can go to Wal-Mart and browse around for an hour- purchasing random things like pumpkin candles, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, organic cotton onesies (walmart's going green?!) and pomegranate-lemon mints (because of the packaging)....and then hit the Starbucks drive-thru.

You might not get the humor in this story, but here it is anyway: We always go to this one particular Starbucks drive-thru that just opened- and we noticed that they have computer print-out stickers for the drink order that they paste on the side of the cup. So high-tech we think, not like the pens they used to use, marking the latte with an "L" and handwriting the customer's name....well, tonight we noticed something different. "Oh, pen!", my friend said. "So vintage!" I said. And we laugh at our goofiness.

the nightmare of the soccer moms

This was our first season of soccer. We now have 3 weeks left and I am feeling a little sad it will be over. Here we have spent the past couple of months, 3 times a week seeing and getting to know some great kids and their sometimes great, sometimes typical-stereotype-of-a-soccer-parent parents. Today, we even got a little baby gift from one of Ab's teammates. So sweet.

But then, there is the nightmare of the soccer mom. She is the one who is never satisfied, the one who has wanted to "pull her daughter from the team" from the get-go. OK, I will cut her some slack. Todd says she has a right to complain. The coach misses practices all the time- doesn't call any of the parents to let them know. We sit at the park and wait. The kids play for a while. Then, we all go home. It has happened more than once. More than twice. More than three times. For some reason, I feel the need to stand up for the coach. To help be positive and keep the team together. But not the nightmare soccer mom. She complains to all the other parents and as she does, I just watch. I see them, the ones who were a little irritated. Now, they are agreeing with her. They are getting more and more mad. They are now fuming and complaining along with her. Wow. This is how it all gets started.

So, anyway. Today was the icing on the cake! She told us our game was at the wrong time. I sort of knew it was wrong, so I even tried to call her last night...are you sure it is at this time? Because I have it written at an earlier time, I say. No, it is like I said, she says. OK, I say, just double checking, I say. And today, when we got to the game...quickly up runs the nightmare-soccer-mom to loudly exclaim to my family how terrible and horrible and how the coach needs to be removed and our kids need to be placed on other teams. Along with the other parent, the one from the story before...on to the president of the soccer association. What drama. Drama. Todd says, you always hear about these stories of soccer parents. And I feel sad. Partly because it could have been prevented if she would have just double checked the schedule last night when I called her, and partly because I don't want those mean angry soccer moms taking over the team!! And because Bella is friends with the coach, the assistant coach and her daughter! They have become friends through this team! Anyway. Even though it is annoying, Bella loves her little teammates! With only 3 weeks left, can't we just tough it out? For goodness sakes. So anyhow, we will see what comes of it. And I will fill you in on the drama of "the Saturdays of our soccer lives"!!!

just a few

Today....

today...

Apparently, I have time to blog.....!

Here's one from the hospital. Aren't they some beauties? They were crawling all over the bed with their dirty feet and soccer cleats- but I didn't mind. And Evie was glad to meet her sisters and all the craziness seemed like it calmed her a bit. So, now she is perfectly content during the day with all the screaming and poking and running around. And at night, when all is quiet, she wakes up for her 3:30-5:00 awake time. Just like when she was in my belly. Strange it is! But there are some perks for being awake at 4 am. Today I found $10 airline tickets! So, off to Ohio we will go in the Spring- our whole family of 6 for a total of $224! Pretty amazing! Yes, AMAZING!

all the latest

This morning I saw the most beautiful humming bird outside the window. Usually they are green, but this one had bright red feathers. You can't see it very well because it is foggy today and then sun isn't out- but I caught a little on his head. So pretty. And you know how I love my symbolic hummingbirds. They remind me that God is here, He is protecting and helping me. So, on my first day "on my own" with four kiddies- how reassuring to know that God is always with me. :)

And yesterday we went on our first outing since Evie was born- to Avila Valley Barn. It was amazingly crowded and the kids had a blast. We even ran into friends which made it all the better. Here's the girls inside the Hay Maze (or Hay May if you are 4 or under)!

Evie is enjoying being close to her daddy in the amazing Ergo. Can you tell I like the word amazing lately?

And here is the little sweet pea hanging out with me while I check the latest woot, jellyfish, blogs and emails. Oh, and IMing Aunt Leah, too.

And our NEWEST addition....introducing TIGERLILLY! Our lovebird.

This morning Emma woke up around 7:30 and came walking down the stairs. I literally started crying because I feel like I haven't seen this little girl in weeks. I get to get you your morning milk....change your diaper and get you dressed? Amazing. I know, it sounds silly....but I missed that little peanut while my mom was taking all the care of her!!!! And that's all for today- and possibly the next few days ;) love.

the whole world's about to change...

Evangeline Skylar Moore!!!!
October 5, 2007
11:07 pm
8 lbs 9 oz
21 1/14 inches

I'll post some pics when I get them-
we don't have access to any good ones right now!

september 30

So, today is the official due date for this little baby. No, she isn't here yet! Maybe today? Who knows....but at least we know it will be SOMETIME within the next 2 weeks, right??! Ah! The sleepless nights will continue, I am sure, after she is born!

still here...

We have been so busy this week with the arrival of GRAMMY! The girls are in heaven- playing UNO, hearing stories, making lists, going shopping, and getting extremely spoiled!! And I am, too! I actually took a nice as-long-as-I-wanted nap today and I haven't unloaded OR loaded the dishes all week! (OK, that sounds a little sad, but dishes.....hello, endless!) So now, we're just waiting.....waiting for our little nameless baby who at least has a coming-home-from-the-hospital outfit now! And tonight, I actually packed my little bag. So hopefully she will make her entrance sometime soon...

apple pickin'

These are from a couple of weeks ago when we went to Avila Barn to pick apples.....so fun!

We had such a great time at the Fruit Ranch today, but I forgot my camera! The girls learned that bees pollinate the apple blossoms and Abi dressed up in a bee costume and ran around clapping every one's hands. It was really fun. We "gleaned" apples from the

floor of the orchard and the girls even tried on wedding veils. Then, we had a little picnic and the kids played tag for about an hour with a bunch of other CAVA kids. New friends....definitely a great day!

9/17?!

September when? Sheesh! Where has the month gone! I can't believe it is half gone!

We've been whirling away our days with school and soccer practice and getting ready for (yes, still nameless) baby!! Since I am now 38 weeks, she could arrive anytime! We are (mostly) ready.....well, we haven't done much, but....she is number 4! I am hoping my mom will wash all her little hand-me-downs!! I got a little nervous after some people we met at Avila Valley Barn said that their little girl was their 85% chance boy! We only got 70%....but they've always given us a percent like that for all the girls...!!!

Mom is coming out Saturday! I can't believe it is here already. And this week is crazy! We have 2 school-sponsored field trips, one at the See Canyon Fruit Ranch which I am personally very excited about- and it is even our anniversary! 8 years of wedded bliss.

The girls are having fun playing soccer- they have each had 2 games now. Bella's team has lost both, and Ab's team has won both. They don't really care, though- they are having a great time.

oh, insomnia

And yesterday was the girl's first soccer games! We got to the field amidst all the confusion bright and early.....well, 9:00. Bell's team, the Snow Whites played the Tinkerbells. They had fun and did a great job! Ab's game was next- the Stingrays played the Starfish. (Amazingly, NONE of their games conflict for the whole season!) I have some photos, but haven't loaded them in yet- I will post them this week sometime.

We started homeschooling this week. The first day was rough, but after a few adjustments, the rest of the week turned out great. It is nice to have some order and return to a planned out schedule again! The house is in order!! And Abigail has been following the Kindergarten curriculum left over from last year. She is doing so well! So far, the girls are enjoying Science the most. They've been experimenting with measurements- rulers, and the balance and graduated cylinders. They like it so much that it is the first thing we do each day! The only real hitch is Emma, who doesn't understand "shhh" and likes to repeat herself over and over and over. However, Abigail has really been helpful in playing with Emma while Bella and I do the subjects she "is not interested in" like Math and 1st grade phonics. Then, Bell hangs out with Em while Abi and I work on Kinder Phonics! It works out pretty well. They are doing so good!

Other than that, we're going to have a new baby sometime soon! A new nameless baby. Hopefully, we will find some middle ground before she is born!

Well, since I have had insomnia for the past few hours (notice, the post time...and I have already taken a shower and done some laundry since 3:30) I think I am going to try and go back to bed for a while!! Love.

soccer!

The games start Saturday! So fun!!