December 29, 2009 - Merry 2nd Christmas (90 Weeks)

This Christmas was so much more fun since the boys are now able to open their own presents. It took some coaxing on our part to get them ripping; I found that strange since they are so good at ripping Mommy’s magazines under the coffee table without prompting or permission. Santa and their loved ones from near and far were very good to them. They were given thoughtful gifts that were both fun and educational. A big hug and kiss from Daniel and Anthony for your thoughfulness! Our Christmas day was topped off with dinner at Tio Johnny’s and Titi Debbie’s house.
Twins Update: Daniel has discovered how to suck his teeth(not in the teenage manner!)Although I have nice voice, little Daniel will occasionally grunt or shriek for me to stop singing some of the songs from his favorite cartoons.
Anthony has this thing of going “Hmmmm” with an innotation that quickly rises and falls as if he is pondering a major question like the meaning of life.
Question of the day: Is it common knowledge in the baby world to immediately poo after being bathed, powdered and diapered?

December 22, 2009 - "What is dis? What is dat?" (89 Weeks)

This week Anthony out of nowhere starting saying,"What is dis? What is dat?" The funny thing is that he isn't really asking what something is. Rather, he is asking to have the object given to him (i.e. toothbrush, bottle, crackers etc.)
Packages have been arriving from family and friends this week, and these two have been having a ball climbing on them as you can see.
This year I am feeling so behind the ball. The early Christmas shopping didn't get done or my Christmas cards. I pondered about what the heck happened. I figured out that the big difference was that last year the boys were still in car seats that popped into their double stroller. They were content being in there while Mom and Dad shopped and plucked them out and popped them in store after store. Now that these two can walk, there is no keeping them in the stroller while shopping for too long. The packages did eventually make it out back East(thank God for priority mail)and almost all arrived Christmas Eve. As for our Christmas cards they will become after Christmas cards. It is the thought that counts, right?
* I let them break in their Christmas pajamas early. :)

December 15, 2009 - Monkey See, Monkey Do ( 88 Weeks)

These boys are too much! One sees his brother do something, and immediately the other must do it, too! Anthony throws his sippy cup with water overboard, so must Daniel. Daniel climbs up on a chair to turn on the light switch, so must Anthony.
Things that warm the heart: Watching Daniel rock his body when the song at the end of Dora comes on (We did it. We did it. Lo hicimos! We did it. Hooray!) Anthony pulling in my face to his: eyelashes to eyelashes, nose to nose, separated only by his pacifier.

December 8, 2009 - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas ( 87 Weeks)

Daniel began the task of getting the Christmas decorations out of the garage. He got everything organized and off to work he went. He got the lights up around the house and positioned all the inflatable characters on the lawn. Our 7ft. Santa is accompanied by Dora the Explorer, Tigger, and Mickey Mouse. By the palm tree are three reindeer and another Santa. Danno did a good job. I couldn't wait for the boys to see the fruits of Dad's labor. Unfortunately for them, Mr. Sandman got to them before Santa. Tomorrow is another day!
Anthony,our bull, who never gets sick suffered from a sore throat this week. He became inconsable on Sunday night, so much so that we got worried enough to take him to Emergency. Since Little Daniel was asleep, I stayed with him and Daniel took Anthony. He is now fine.

December 1, 2009 - First Haircut (86 Weeks)

The boys finally got their first haircut! It had been something Daniel and I had been talking about for a while now. The gal who normally cuts my hair had some time, so I decided impusively that there was no time like the present. The boys were for the most part cooperative for Nancy. It is amazing how this one change transformed their look. Our babies look so grown up now :(
Thanksgiving was spent in Riveride at the house of Daniel's brother, Johnny. Thankfully my sister-in-law does all the cooking :) All we have to do is bring dessert. Her good cooking somehow balances out the long drive!
We took the boys for a short visit to Barnes and Noble. They are not yet at the point of being able to sit down nicely and listen to a story be read by Mom or Dad when there. It is much more fun to explore the store.
Latest actions: These boys love taking all the pillows off the sofas, throwing pillows off our bed, tossing folded clothes out of drawers, pushing the dining room chairs across the living room, feeding Lucky, typing on our laptops, insisting on using real forks and spoons, and chasing each other across the family room while screaming at the top of their lungs!

November 24, 2009 - Showering Nicole and Cora (85 Weeks)

Much of this week was spent helping organize a baby shower for my dear colleague and friend,Nicole,who will soon be experiencing the birth of her first child. She was showered with much love from our staff! Coming to a crib real soon: Baby Cora!!!!
We had hoped to begin a mini-vacation in Florida the latter part of this week, since the district decided to give us the entire week off. I thought the extra days might give us a chance of better fares so we could visit the grandparents. Unfortunately for us,the airfares were sky high. The airlines apparently have not heard of this thing called a recession!

November 17, 2009 - Veteran's Day (84 Weeks)

We celebrated Veteran's Day with our V.S.P.(very special veteran) by taking him to breakfast at Carrows. Lord, bless all those who have served (including my husband, father, and brother) and those presently serving who protect our freedom. Hoorah!

November 10, 2009 - 911 Emergency...Help is on the way! (83 Weeks)

This week our family definitely experienced a scare. Little Daniel had a fever that sky rocketed to 104.3! Sunday night he developed a slight fever but nothing that Fever All didn't bring down. He awoke on Monday with no fever, so I confidently went to work. He had been fine with Daddy Daniel all morning until about noon when his fever came on again. Daniel gave him Tylenol, and he appeared fine, just warm and a little sluggish. He didn't give me his normal gleeful, high-pitched welcome-home-from-work scream. I coaxed him over to me, and he came over ever so slowly from resting on Daddy. I remember thinking he felt warm, but it was probably just body heat from resting on Daddy's chest. Then I felt his feet, and he seemed to be burning up. Out of nowhere he started going into seizures in my arms. His eyes rolled skyward to the right. Daniel dialed "911," and I tried to cool his body down with cool water. The dispatcher told us to remove all clothing including his pamper. Thankfully, the fire station is around the corner, and they were here quickly. They assessed him, took vitals, and gave him oxygen. We were expeditiously taken to Presbyterian Hospital where they treated us so well. Daniel followed behind with Anthony after gathering the backpack essentials we'd need like bottles, warm clothing for them, toys, etc. since it was sure to be a long night. Baby Daniel underwent much from xrays, multiple rectal temperature checks, IV insertion, blood draws, air treatment,a steroid shot, to the worst: catherization. When all was said and done, we were told all lab work came back fine. He had experienced febrile seizures (something I had as a child) because of a high fever and were told this type of seizure is common for kids under 7 years. We were released around 9:30 p.m. after his fever had gone down and he was stable.
It is strange how in moments of chaos one finds clarity of thought. I remember thinking, "Lucky will need to go pee before we leave." I remember hearing Daniel unlock the front door for the emergency personnel to get in. I remember praying. I remember reminding Daniel to bring jackets before they closed the ambulance doors on us. I remember hearing the siren and the ambulance honking at the 5 o'clock hour people to make way for us. I remember thinking that I needed to call one of my peers with substitute plans. I remember being more scared than I'd ever been in my life. But most of all, I remember the awesome people who came to our aid when we most needed them. I thank God our little one waited until I got home from work because I can't imagine Daniel or I going through that alone.
Thank you dear friends and family who called us at the hospital, took my sub plans over the phone,sent love and prayers our way, and helped me remain calm. Your love and support was very much appreciated. A special thank you to Vicky M., who saw the ambulance and fire engines in front of our house on the way home from work, and stopped to ask Daniel if we needed anything. Thank you for also for coming to the hospital and checking in on us. Thank you, Leah, for answering the phone and checking that we locked the door to our house. Love you, mama!
The camera phone picture was taken by the kind fireman who was trying to distract Daniel from all that was going on in the ambulance.

November 3, 2009 - Tanaka Farms and Halloween Fun (82 Weeks)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

We took our cuties to Tanaka Farm which came highly recommended by my twin mom friend, Liz. This working farm was worth the hike out to Irvine. We got to go on a hayride, go through a corn maze, pick our own pumpkin, and feed the animals in the petting zoo. Kind of a treat for this city slicker :)
Halloween was more fun this year since the boys are walking. We dressed up the Blas brothers as the famous dynamic duo Batman and Robin. We didn't take them to do a traditional trick or treating. We stopped by my friend Cindy's house to trick-or-treat which they did from their carseat before going to Morningstar's Alternative Night for a little while. Their flyer respectfully requested no costumes. We realized we hadn't gotten a picture of them in their costumes, so we stopped in front of a home to snap a picture of them. We winded up having to trick-or-treat there since they opened the door. It was cute to see the boys run up the path to get their candy bag from the sweet lady at the door. Morningstar really outdid themselves with slides, pony rides, bouncers, game booths, music, and food. The boys were too young for the game booths and the unaccompanied pony ride, but they enjoyed the bouncer, getting a hand tatoo (Noah's Ark for Daniel), and balloons. The youth group's song is still stuck in my head:
Oh God is bigger than the boogie man/He's bigger than Godzilla and the monsters on t.V./Oh God is bigger than the boogie man/God is watching you and me!
Latest Ooh Aahs: Anthony waves with his palm inward, Daniel out of nowhere folded his hands, Anthony says "Do" (in response to my "Do not hit the dog.") and Daniel says "kee pee" (in response to my "Lucky, pee, pee!" when she needs to go out).

October 27, 2009 - Lounge Lizards (81 Weeks)

Their pictures tell you what kind of weekend it was. :)
The two of them have taken to walking around the house chomping on their toothbrushes. They mimic brushing of teeth, combing hair, and typing on the laptop. Their latest mirroring act is eating like a dog compliments of Lucky.

October 20, 2009 - First Dental Visit (80 Weeks)

The boys had their first dental visit on Friday. Yes, this may seem early, but these boys already have 16 teeth! Dr. Dora Lee’s staff made their visit a good one. The office was festively decorated with Halloween décor. The waiting room had Aladdin playing on a flat screen and toys galore for the kids to play with. I sat with Anthony and Daniel with Daniel for the cleanings. Some tears were shed, but they were troopers during their exam, cleaning, and fluoride treatment. The tears quickly disappeared once they were presented with their first timers’ balloon and stickers. They also got to take a prize from the treasure chest and enter into the monthly drawing. Cornball that I am, I had Dr. Lee sign their copy of Dora the Explorer’s book Show Me Your Smile! A Visit to the Dentist. Dr. DORA Lee wrote: “Dear Anthony and Daniel, You did a great job! Thanks for visiting us! After payment, Daniel and I took them to McDonalds for a happy meal and a romp in the McDonald playground. Unfortunately, they couldn’t play much since it was being closed for cleaning and maintenance. That was just as well since Mommy had to go back to work. I only took a half day off from work since I figured this visit wouldn’t be traumatic.

October 13, 2009 - 18 Month Wellness Visit (79 Weeks)

We took the boys for their 18 month checkup on Wednesday. They are definitely growing. Daniel is weighing 21lbs. 12 oz. and is 2'8 in. Anthony is teetering at just under the 28 lbs. mark with a height of 2'9 in. They both got a flu shot and the Hepatitis B shot. The immunizations are necessary but are still heartbreaking for me.
The highlight of the weekend was just spending a lot of time with them. We didn't have any outings planned, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I simply played the role of full-time-stay-at-home mommy.

October 6, 2009 - Mr. Independence (78 Weeks)

We've just been getting back into the groove of things. Laundry, unpacking, and getting the boys back into their routine has taken up the majority of this week. What a difference in the boys when they are in their environment and have their naps.
These two are definitely growing up. They are expressing their need for independence, especially Anthony. When it comes to eating, he adamantly wants to feed himself. I have a hard time letting him do this when it is something messy. The two of them are doing the tantrum thing, which is less than attractive. According to the pediatrician and babycenter.com, this is normal. However, normal and desireable are two different things.

September 29, 2009 - The Streets of San Francisco (77 Weeks)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

On Friday, this brave couple flew to San Francisco for my step-sister's wedding. I sure do miss traveling, but traveling with twins in tote is definitely a challenge and a far cry from my earlier romps around the world. My carry on bag used to contain things like ear plugs, an eye mask, lipstick, blotting tissues, headphones, etc. My bag is now a backpack, since that frees up my hands, and contains hand sanitizer, bandaids, fever all, infant Tylenol, graham crackers, sippy cups, milk bottles and things of that nature. Sorry, I deviated for a moment. Back to the story..Going through security was less than fun but we made it. The flight was a short one and uneventful with the exception of Anthony having a major problem with the descent. Poor thing. Despite the pacifier and bottle offers to help with the air pressure, he cried out in pain. Mommy wanted to cry after landing and being informed that our suitcase was missing in action. Thankfully, it was our suitcase and not the one for the boys. Southwest said it would be found and delivered to our hotel. True to their word, it arrived around 4 a.m.
The wedding was very nice. Since the boys were a bit wild, Daniel stayed outside with them during the ceremony. At the reception, Anthony practiced his trick of going round in circles. He got dizzy and busted his lip on the floor. Yes, blood! They eventually tuckered themselves out and slept for a good part of the reception.
We spent the rest of our mini-vacation walking in the city, eating, mastering the BART,and seeing the sites like Alcatraz. Focus your mind's eye and imagine us roaming around the Alcatraz prison with a double stroller. We're nuts, huh?
Tuesday arrived way too fast. It was time to go home. With our goodbyes done early since my family was going to spend the day at Napa, we packed up, had lunch, and headed to the airport via the BART. We were 1 for 2 with the people sitting by us on the plane. Daniel had a nice lady sitting next to him that played with Baby Daniel. I, on the other hand, had an ogre who was clearly irritated by having a mother and child sitting next to him. Our happy dance after landing was short lived since our double stroller had been a cargo victim. The left handle was broken and Southwest wouldn't take responsibility. Yeah, us! Despite all the mishaps, it was a nice trip. At the end of the day, all that matters is that I got to spend a little time with my family.

September 22, 2009 - (76 Weeks)

Not a whole lot going on with us except getting everything done we need to do before our trip.
Happy Heart Moment of the Week: Daniel and Anthony can both wave goodbye to mommy. They can wave to momma as she leaves for work. They are also both saying "momma" more frequently. Granted, they still will also call me "daddy," and "dad." I won't hold that against them, though. It is tough being a baby with so much to learn, right?

September 15, 2009 - Daddy's 47th Birthday (75 Weeks)

This week was a pretty quiet one. We didn't do much except errands. I spent part of Sunday making some meals for the week. Although that is not exactly how this gal would like to spend her Sunday, it is worth its wait in gold. The beginning weeks of school are always overwhelming with so much to do and limited time. I am wiped out by the time I get home so having to only heat something up makes life easier. I started to get a little sick on Sunday, but it quickly went away. Unfortunately, Daddy Daniel caught my cooties which did not make for a great birthday on Monday. We quietly celebrated with our sniffly and achey Daniel.

September 8, 2009 - The 2009-2010 School Year Begins (74 Weeks)

My 14th year of teaching began on Wednesday. Yup! It is hard to believe when you see it in print that it has been that long. The years have flown by, and I can thankfully say that I get paid to do what I love.
I cried on Wednesday as I drove off for school because Anthony stood in the window crying out, “Dad.” Thursday was a hard day, too. By the time I got home, Daniel had fed and bathed the boys. He’d also put Anthony down for the night. Thankfully, Daniel was still awake for a little while. I hugged him and wept like a baby. I rocked him to sleep and dragged my tired self to bed shortly after. On Friday, we had to evacuate the entire school because our electricity went out creating an unsafe condition in this over 90 degrees heat wave. It was a little scary for some of the 6th graders. Most of the kids were just happy to get an early jump on the long weekend.
This weekend reminded me of the predictability of the unpredictable. We thought we’d eat a nice meal at Olive Garden and that did not turn out well. Despite feeding the boys before entering and having their favorite snacks on hand, they did not let us enjoy our meal. Daniel had to leave with Anthony, and my meal was packed to go. Sunday we wanted to have a new family picture taken and again despite all our efforts, they wanted no part of our plan. Daddy and Mommy get an "A" for effort because we tried again on Monday. They pretty much still wanted no part of the pictures, but we got a couple of nice shots. I guess that's the way the ball bounces sometimes.
Twin Update: Anthony likes to spin around in circles. Daniel is waving goodbye with automaticity as soon as the car stops in front of Josefina’s house. Daniel is now pretending to be talking on the phone. Everyone on the other end of the line is, “Dad?” The boys both like to vigorously shake their heads side to side indicating “no” when they don’t want particular foods. What's with them lifting the tab off their Huggies?

September 1, 2009 - Setting Up Mama's Classroom (73 Weeks)

Can summer vacation really be over already? The sad reality is that it is. It went by way too quickly.
This week flew by with two teacher training days and a work day in my classroom. Setting up my room always takes more than one day, so I returned on Friday and Monday with Daniel and the boys. Daniel came in with some great ideas on how to rearrange my room. I am really happy with the new look.

August 25, 2009 - Root Canal (72 Weeks)

This week started out with a root canal for me. Yahoo! Needing one was hard for this gal who gets her teeth cleaned every sixth months to accept and comprehend. Thankfully it was not a painful or long process.
On a much happier note, I did get to have lunch with my friend Mark and I got to do some scrapbooking. I finally got to catch up on some pages for the boys. Having a few hours at it again reminded me of how much I miss it. Mark teases me and says all this hard work will end up in a landfill someday, but I refuse to believe that. A gal has to believe her boys will appreciate it when they get older.
Twin Update: Most kids have a teddy or blankey they are attached to; Daniel has an attachment to 1/2 cup tupperware. If you look closely, he is clutching it in his left hand. Anthony likes to run in place quickly doing what looks like football drills.

August 18, 2009 - Shamu and Elmo Meet the Blas Family (71 Weeks)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

On Friday, we set out to San Diego to visit Sea World. My friend Allison, who is also a twin mom, works at Anheuser Busch and gave us 50% off tickets. Woohoo! With the car packed and the boys dressed in Elmo outfits, we were ready to meet Shamu and Elmo. One hour and 45 minutes later, we arrived. Combining the advice of an informative guest relations gal with knowledge of our boys, we decided which attractions/shows to see and when. We walked through the shark encounter,fed the sea lions, played at Sesame Street Bay, took pictures with Shamu, Elmo, The Count, and Grover, and saw the Shamu show. We never did make it to see the penguins, bat rays or eels. Maybe next time. The most enjoyable part of the day for me was watching Anthony and Daniel play on the tot mat. Daniel played nicely with the air-filled blocks. Anthony found the blocks interesting but was more intrigued by the other toddlers. He tackled the other kids and gave great big bear hugs while they were pinned beneath him. His Spartan behavior was not appreciated by some parents. Other parents were humored and very receptive to my apologies as I wrestled Anthony off of their startled or, in some instances, crying child. It was a good day and Daddy Daniel was quite the sport driving both to and from Sea World. Making memories: That's what it's all about!
Twin Update: Daniel is teething AGAIN!!! Anthony has graduated to feeding us :)

August 11, 2009 - Camp Snoopy and Camp Toddler Bed (70 Weeks)

My friend, Sherri, who works at Knott’s Berry Farm, gave me two free tickets to the park. Daniel was working, so Josefina and I took the boys to have some fun and meet Snoopy. Camp Snoopy (the area designated for the little ones) had a few rides the boys were able to get on. I can’t say that Daniel thoroughly enjoyed the rides. However, the boys both LOVED the bouncer that held only 8 kids at a time. They were a bit hesitant upon entering, but once they got the hang of it, they were out of control. They were rolling, wobbling, and belting out belly laughs. They didn’t want to come out when time was up, so I had to go in and get them to the tune of their piercing cries. That bouncer was such a hit, we had to go back a second time. I made a note to self that a bouncer must be ordered for their second birthday. This visit didn’t include shows or a visit to the water park, maybe next time. We did get to meet Snoopy though.
The boys have better nights than others in terms of sleeping through the night. They do wake up to be soothed and have the pacifier put back in their mouths. Some nights Anthony will wake up, crawl out of bed, and walk with Daddy back to our bed. While Baby Daniel will cry out and get carried back to our bed (formerly known as the family bed). We were quite proud of our little sweet peas on Saturday night because they slept the whole night. I can’t say that I slept soundly; I was listening for snoring, whimpers, and movement. I am so glad we are doing this before I go back to work.
Daniel and Linda Update: We just celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary!

August 4, 2009 - Salsa and Sleeping (69 Weeks)

Now that this Puerto Rican gal knows how to officially make Mexican salsa, I have gone salsa crazy. Daniel and my neighbors Martha and Jim have enjoyed my new learning.
As for the boys, we have officially started putting them to sleep in their beds. They don't sleep through the night in there, but progress is being made slowly but surely. The goal is to have them sleeping through the night in their beds before I go back to work.
Melting my heart actions: When I pick up Anthony, he wraps his arm around my neck and squeezes. He also walks up behind me and does the same thing. I love seeing Daniel embrace the need for space and go off to play quietly in his bed. He sits in his bed with the grandfather doll and presses the button to make him sing spanish songs.

July 28, 2009 - Bonkers at Borders (68 Weeks)

Well, my summer school coaching assignment is officially over and vacation is now officially here! Yahoo!!!! Daniel agreed to give me a Mommy Needs A Break Day on Friday. After making sure the boys were dressed and packed for their day in Riverside, I put them into their car seats. I kissed them goodbye and said hello to my day.
My agenda was simple: Learn to make homemade salsas compliments of my friend Norma, get a manicure and pedicure, balance my checkbook over a caramel macchiato at Starbucks, sit at the park and soak in the sounds and sun for an hour, and go to happy hour with my friend Martha. This may not seem like much, but these are the simple pleasures I frequently enjoyed B.C. (before children). I got to do almost everything :)
On Sunday I took the boys to Borders. The excursion was not what I envisioned. In my mental scenario, the boys would sit nicely on the couch or floor as I read to them classics and whatever they brought over to me. We’d even play with the sock puppets. As soon as we got in the kids’ section the boys were hollering and running – IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS!!!! I spent my time running after Anthony who was sprinting to the travel section and running after Daniel who was by the LSAT and GRE books. I apologized to those who sheepishly and empathetically smiled and glared back at those glaring with the silent thought, “Oh, and you were all saints as children.” Needless to say, our trip was cut short. This twin mama made a beeline to the register and quickly paid for the book Chicken Soup for the Soul Twins and More.
* Mama's mind-blowing moments: The boys waking up from naps and quietly walking over to wherever I am in the house, getting used to hearing Anthony say “mama” more, Daniel walking with eyes shut deliriously exhausted but fighting bedtime, watching them find feeding Lucky graham crackers amusing, and calling out to them because they are out of sight and hearing each of them giggle or shout back.

July 21, 2009 - King of Kaiser - (67 Weeks)

Baby Daniel has been teething. Aiyaiyai!!! As my faithful blog followers know, his normal modus operandi is to run a fever of over 102 until the tooth breaks through the gum. Well, the TEETH (one on each side of his upper gums)broke through but his fever continued. It was the scary kind of fever that has hands, feet, and chest feeling like they are on fuego. No amount of Fever All or tepid baths would bring it down, so it was off to Kaiser Permanente Sunday afternoon. Big Daniel was showing property and so not to worry him, Martha joined me to provide an extra pair of hands. Thankfully it was just a viral infection, which is supposedly quite common at the toddler stage. I was also at Kaiser on Friday morning for an HSG (a follow up to my procedure in April). Let's just say that was a far cry from a pleasant experience.
Twin Update: Both boys have 2 new upper teeth. They are quite capable of sliding off our bed like GI Joe to the floor. Daniel no longer has "sea legs." He can keep up with Anthony in his walking all over the house. They have fun opening their drawers and pulling out the clothes mommy has neatly folded. They have discovered that beneath the toilet cover there is water. Speaking of water, they find that Lucky's water bowl is fun to splash when mommy isn't looking. Poor Lucky now can only drink water when the boys are in their high chairs since the bowl is no longer on the floor. This is not promoting love for them. Maybe this is balanced by the fact that they toss food down to her from their high chairs.

July 14, 2009 - (66 Weeks)

They are into everything! They have gravitated from the pantry to the closets and tupperware cabinet. It is not uncommon to see tupperware in every room of this house.

July 7, 2009 - Happy 4th of July! (65 Weeks)

It has been quite some time since I’ve dared to venture out and deal with the insanity associated with a 4th of July outing. I guess I’m content grilling at home with a few friends over. This year, though, we rose to the challenge since the boys are so captivated by lights. Daniel’s brother and sister-in-law invited us to join her family at Huntington Beach for a BBQ. They have this outing down to a science from staking their claim to a prime pit location by 5 a.m. to the nightcap of campfire smores after a day of eating grilled goodies. The all day affair sounded great to me since I can’t remember the last time I was at a beach. Despite leaving by 7:15 a.m., we did not make it to the parking lot in time. A parade and a run caused several streets to be blocked off, and we were rerouted. This detouring caused us to lose precious time. As we were in the turn lane into the parking lot, the arm was closed to further traffic. At that moment, I believe I slowly and painfully shrieked inside my chest, “NO!!!!!!” The boys were itching to get out of their car seats and were now hungry. We found street parking quite some distance away. We fed the boys and bravely hiked our way to the beach carrying them, diaper bags, a backpack, and rolling cart with food. After returning from the second hike back to the car for the rest of our stuff, we got to kick back and relax. I have to laugh because here I wanted the boys to enjoy their first 4th of July fireworks show, and, of course, they were fast asleep before the show even started. At least they got to wear their patriotic shirts and play with their beach buckets given to them for their birthday.
Holiday Mishap: It got windy and the tent started swaying. An ice chest that was used to help anchor it down tilted onto my backpack and wet its contents. My pink phone has gone to cell phone heaven. Oh, and my pink camera had a lens malfunction. So, I do not have 4th of July pictures. Daniel’s niece has pictures that will hopefully be forwarded.