Achee Adventures

Our new home!

2010-10-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely our house is being built. When we signed the papers our house sat like this for a good couple months. Things were getting done just not the construction part of it. There are TONS of houses in this neighborhood. A lot bigger houses than ours. Houses that already have flooring, painting, counters, grass and many other upgrades.

The problem... They are all short sales. I have no idea why they call them short sales because they are everything but SHORT! The bank has 3 months to approve your offer. They could say no and then you are at sqaure one again. So.. we went with this nice beautiful lot of dirt and a floor plan from a piece of paper. It was a tough decision. Yes, having a brand new home that is all ours is a dream come true! I am so grateful and I can hardly wait another day.

There is a ton to be done once we move in but I am so excited to have our own home. Having 4 kids we had to pick an area that had homes for our needs. Orange County was to expensive but CJ still works there so we had to pick something close. Corona is the next city over so we searched and finally found this neighborhood. It has everything we need!

Sooo here is where it all started. A piece of land.

Here is our street. We are on a double cul de sac
Here is looking the other way.
A few weeks after we bought the house we headed to the home gallery to pick out everything for the inside of the house. Of course we were on a budget so im sure it wasn't as fun as the people that don't have a budget. Actually I was getting a little confused. They had about 200 grout colors and they all start looking the same after a while.

And so it begins.....

We added a game room which is like a loft. It was either that or a deluxe master bedroom. Yes, that would have been nice but we have 4 kids. This loft is for them and for us so we can relax!
Here is looking out into the backyard.
and another view of the backyard.
If we are in the area we stop by. Every time we do there is so much done! Once they started the building it has gone really fast!
From the back yard looking towards that back of the house
Front of house

This was about 3 weeks ago. I can only imagine how much is done now! It's getting close. As of now our move in date is Dec. 3rd

We will know more soon:)

Jackson starts preschool

2010-10-03T20:54:00.001-07:00

This year Jackson started preschool. He loves every bit of it.

I know he was excited when we went to open house and his teacher was introducing herself and instead of shaking her hand he jumped in her arms and gave her a huge hug. What a little gentleman. Made me tear up. He is getting so big!

His school put on a big open house and had a BBQ and jumpers. It was great and he loved it!
Rylee really wanted to walk him to school but her class started before his. We dropped her off then headed to Jackson's school. I know when I have all four in school my head will be spinning!
Here is his at his new school.
With his teacher Mrs. Malasco. Being in a Christian School I love how they focus on God first. He came home one day and said look at how tall God has made me. They let the kids pray about what they want to. He told me that he prays for his mommy and daddy. I heard one kid praying for Toy Story 1...... and 2!! lol they are so cute at that age :)

Rylee's first day of school

2010-10-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

A new school year is here already. Cj and I made a huge decision actually the week before school started. Since her school was on Furlough that week no one was working in the school office.

So on the first day of school I had a meeting with the principal before school started. Every thought was jumping in my head but CJ and I were both positive about our decision. We retained Rylee in Kindergarten. Now that she is in her 3rd week of school I am so proud of the decision we made. We did this for many reasons. When we move she will be missing a month of school, she young and last year she seemed to get a long better with the younger kids. I just thought she was growing up way to fast. I would much rather her be the older one and be doing younger things than the younger one doing older things. If that makes since. She has a different teacher this year. It is all working out great! I am so so happy with our decision. I know God has been right beside us every step of the way!

So here is to a great school year Ry Ry :)

Rylee celebrates her sixth birthday at AG place

2010-10-03T10:29:00.001-07:00

....Happy 6th Birthday.....

After hearing about this little girls birthday for well over 8 months, the day had finally come. Rylee had one of her good friends that she has known since preschool come with her to American Girl Place. This is by far Rylee's favorite hobby right now. Rylee had Nichole spend the night. I took them to get manicures and pedicures the night before. Not sure if they got any sleep that night but the next morning we were off to The American Girl Place.

The Grove is one of my favorite malls. It reminds me of Disneyland. Every store is at least 2 stories. Gorgeous!

We finally arrived after hearing every 2 minutes by these crazy 6 year olds.. Are we there yet?? Are we there yet?
This was Nichole's first time and I think she was in awe by all she saw. Our first stop before lunch was to find Nichole a doll that she wanted so she could take her to lunch in the AG cafe. She found a doll that looked a lot like her that she named Mya.
We then waited in line for the Cafe.
Gramma lea, Ama, GG, all came to celebrate with the birthday girl.
The American Girls got their own high chairs at the table. Haidyn even brought her American Girl twins. They each got a cup of tea. ooo la la!
Nichole and Rylee thought it was so special.. the whole experience.

Rylee is very thankful for all the birthday love she got that day.
Finally after lunch it was time for CAKE! This is a big deal at that Cafe. I think the waitress' go to singing lessons.

Rylee enjoyed it and hopefully made a special wish.
Very Huge and Beautiful cake.
They presented it with cute ice cream cones.

After lunch we did some shopping. That store is just way over whelming. I think you have to go in there knowing what you want. Especially when you have 5 kids all under 6.

After going up and down the escalator we found everything the birthday girl wanted. It was time to call it a day!

That was one memorable birthday for Rylee. Thanks for everyone that made it special for her :)

Rylee Brought home a very special doll (Julie) Everyday since her birthday Julie has been right by her side. ( If she could take her to school, she would) lol

Happy Sixth Birthday Rylee Paige!

End of summer favorites

2010-10-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

This summer was very mild weather. Every time we went to the beach it was overcast, windy, or both. We couldn't ever get a good day in. Finally when summer was almost over the weather was perfect! A couple days I took the kids during the week by myself. These kids just love the beach. Many people ask me how I take 4 to the beach by myself? " I can't even take one."

To tell you the truth they are better at the beach than at home. They just love it and find anything and everything to do there. The part that is hard is taking 5 people's worth of stuff down there. I promise myself to stay a long time so it's worth it.

I am sad that summer is over but I just love fall! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the end of summer.

Three sister with their toes in the sand.
Girl talk
Haidyn wanted to be down by the water so bad but she wanted sissy to make sure she was safe.
I sure love these four!
Presley getting sooo big!
Beautiful Newport waves
My baby learned to crawl over the summer.
At lake Mission Viejo having a cold treat on a HOT day.
Presley's first taste of ice cream. Of course she loved it!

Dolphins so close to shore. Even Haidyn spotted them.
My big guy Jack. He is the sweetest!
Beautiful sunset in Huntington.

Missing in action

2010-09-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Whew! I can't believe how long it's been since I have been on here. I guess we can say all summer!

I have missed blogging, but I really can't seem to find the time. I was looking back at older blog posts and I am so happy that I have blogged the time I have. It's nice to remember little things here and there and see old pictures. So I am going to start making time for these blog posts. Time is really flying by. Everyday has been such an adventure - myself, CJ and the kids are learning something new everyday. We had a really good summer. Busy, but good! Margaux, and the kids left in July ( I think) and we miss them so much already. The kids had such a good time together. Luckily they are in Colorado and we know we will be seeing them more than the last 3 years.

The last month of summer we really enjoyed going to the beach as much as we can. Rylee and Jackson both started school (more on that later). Haidyn is enjoying her time with me and Presley is just really changing a lot! We also bought a house and the process is taking FOREVER! When all done it will be 6 months since signing the papers. We are so excited and can't wait to have more space, and start a new chapter in our life.

I have a lot to say but for now here is a couple pictures of Miss Presley at 9 months.

Same post.. different month

2010-06-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

I know, I am so behind on this poor blog of mine. I don't even know where to begin and if I updated everything we have done in the last month or so I would be here forever. So here are some highlights and hopefully I wont have to do this again.

We have started off the summer with lots of fun in the sun. We went to our friend Krystyn's house where there is a cute splash park. I can't even remember how many kids but there was a lot! They all had a great time and for once it was nice to sit, relax and not really have to worry about them. They were so entertained.

All the kids.. and that is only between 4 moms!
Haidyn, Finley and Kyndall..
I met my friend Bridget and Stephanie the owner from Beary Basics at Balboa Island for some pictures. For such a long day the girls did awesome! The kids all wanted to keep playing but Bridget and I were ready to hit the road. It was so nice to get together and laugh while we were at it. I must say it didn't really seem like we had 9 kids. That's when you know your having fun and so are the kids.

This is Presley at 4 months she is now almost 6 months. mom is a SLACKER!
CJ and I went to Stagecoach Festival we took Rylee and Jackson for a little bit during the day and then at night we hung out with friends. We watch Billy Currington, Keith Urban, Sugarland and many more. It was a great day.
We had a great weekend in Huntington at Ty's beach house. Her and Royce have this amazing 3 story beach house with arcade games, elevator, and just a mile to Main Street and the pier. Always a great time there.
Rylee is still working away with Jet Set Models. Lots of casting calls.. We are just waiting for that special Job. She is having a great time going, and I love watching her bloom.
Rylee has had plenty of activities going on at school. Carnivals, open house and Olympic day. She is one busy 5 year old.

Beach Day

2010-04-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

While Rylee was on Spring Break I was determined to take them to the beach. The weather wasn't exactly beach weather. I think it was like 60 degrees on the water but the sun was out. Once we found a place to park we managed to walk down all the stairs to beautiful Laguna Beach. Taking four kids to the beach by myself is probably more work that it was worth, but I just kept telling myself I am doing this for the kids, I am doing this for the kids. And of course they had a TON of fun. The beach is one of their favorite places to be!

Tack Room

2010-04-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

These are just some cute pictures of when went went to the Tack Room while we were still in the desert. Yummy food and the kids all had fun together!

Layla's BIG carnival!

2010-04-16T11:00:00.001-07:00

After our Easter hunt we headed to the desert for a Layla's birthday party. What a great time we had. Michelle (Layla's Mom) did a great job! But before I start on to the party I just want to tell you all that Ed (Layla's Dad) Just got back from Afghanistan for the second time. He was there over a year, we are so proud of all that he has done for this country and so glad that he is back safe. It was great to see him and catch up with them all.

This party had everything any kid could imagine. Basically like going to a real carnival! A petting zoo, a pony, cotton candy, snow cones, hot dog stand, popcorn, bounce house, sweet bar, face painting, balloon girl, and just lots and lots of fun. Michelle made the cutest cupcakes that looked like popcorn. I know every kid there had to of had a good time. Thanks so much for having us!

CJ and I even managed to go out to eat at the Cliffhouse for our 4 year anniversary. Our friend Desirae watched all 4 of our kids. Thank you!!!! Michelle, Ed, Erica and Cippy all came over to Des's after so we could all hang out. Every one of us were so tired we could barely talk. I guess that is what kid's do to you!

3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

This was our 3rd year going to our neighborhood Easter egg hunt at the park up the street from our house. It's a lot of fun for the kids. They bring donuts, bagels, juice, coffee, the Easter Bunny and then there is a big Easter egg hunt that is seriously over in about 10 seconds. The kids run out on the grass field as fast as they can collecting as many eggs as possible. The first year we lost out and the kids didn't get any. So we had to go to the store fill up eggs and have one in our backyard. Each year we are getting better and have better strategies. This year each of them got about 10 eggs which is pretty good considering how fast it's over. None the less, it was nice to see some of Rylee's friends from school, chat with neighbors and enjoy the kid's laughs and smiles.

Before we headed up to the park
Rylee and Haidyn
Rylee is always finding a place to "pose" for the perfect picture.
mom and dad get a little swing time in. This seems weird but the higher I went on the swing it was making my stomach sick. Am I really getting that old?
Rylee with some of her friends from school
Haidyn didn't want anything to do with the Easter Bunny!
It was so windy!!
On your mark, get set GOOO!!

Easter 2010

2010-04-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

We had a very Happy Easter. The kids woke up very excited to see their baskets filled with goodies. We had a quick cinnamon roll breakfast and headed to Angel Stadium with my mom and brother for our church service. Rick Warren is an amazing pastor. God is really speaking threw him. At the bottom there is a video of clips of the service. Besides celebrating the real reason for Easter, Rylee and Jackson really enjoyed hearing the Jonas Brother sing a couple christian songs at Angels Stadium.

After church we came home and had a feast. I was so stuffed but it was so nice to just relax the rest of the day.

I hope you all had a great Easter too!

Rejoice and acknowledge Easter's promise of resurrection for all that is good yet may seem lost. Christ's love for you never dies!

80 is the new 40

2010-03-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well at least for this Gramma that is. We celebrated my Gramma's 80th this weekend. She is the most active, energetic, busy, beautiful, loving woman that we know! We were very happy to be apart of her big 8-0!

Everything turned out great, we had El Indio Catering (yum)

6 kids that were very festive!

Lots of Cheers!

... and family that wanted to get GG drunk! No, just kidding but she did have a 80th birthday shot. Yep, that's my Gramma!

Rylee loves her GG.

I think Rylee made her about 6 cards. I didn't even know it and CJ told me she was up the night before making them all. She is so sweet.

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful GG. It was a great day with family!

Happy 80th Birthday Gramma! Here's to 80 more! lol I wish

St. Patricks Day

2010-03-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

On St. Patty's Day our fellow leprechaun left us some great surprises to wake up to. The chairs were knocked over, pillows all over the floor, our milk turned green, the toilet water was green, and he left a box of his lucky charms. We quickly made some lucky charms with green milk and green pancakes for breakfast.

Rylee had her class bear Honeysuckle. She was so excited she got to experience this with Honeysuckle and share her exciting morning with her class.
While Rylee was at school Haidyn helped me make some rainbow cupcakes. Having a 2 year old help is so much more work but 2x the fun right?
When daddy got home we had an irish Shepard's Pie dinner with green apple juice and green beer. Let me tell you, the next day my kids were poopin' green :) I know Too much info.

Miss P... where is the time going?

2010-03-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow our little baby will be 3 months! I thought time flew by with Haidyn but I seriously can't believe that it has already been 3 months. As I have said to Rylee, Jackson and Haidyn and now I say to Presley... "out of all the babies in heaven how did I get the very best one?" 4 for 4 is not a bad average!

We LOVE our Presley!

A Half of a century old...

2010-03-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday we woke up to a beautiful day.. CJ worked a long and hard week, he was so tired! So we let him sleep in. The kids and I made a yummy omelet and danish pancake breakfast and then woke him up.

The time change really messed me up but what can you do. We ate breakfast, the kids gave him presents and we rushed to surprise CJ with a whale watching trip.

Right when we got off the exit on the freeway Cj said, were going on a boat.. then Rylee said were going WHALE WATCHING! She was so excited. We left out of Dana Point and took a 2 hour boat ride.
It was perfect outside but freezing on the boat.
We saw 2 grey whales, sea lions, seals and dolphins. The whales are so hard to see because they barely pop their body out and go back under.
The dolphins were amazing. They are so energetic and friendly.
They would ride along the side of the boat for several miles.
The kids loved seeing the dolphins in action.
It was so relaxing being on a boat. I could have fallen asleep but i'm sure one of the kids would of gone overboard. lol
Presley is so full of smiles. I love this little gummy grin.

After a day in Dana point we came home, kids took naps and then we ate dinner at PF Changs. It was so good. Haidyn LOVED the lettuce wraps. Yum!
Jackson and the birthday boy
We sang Happy Birthday, had a little shot of Tiramisu and then headed to PinkBerry for the best frozen yogurt ever!
What a day, but it was sure fun!
Happy 25th Birthday CJ!

Little mommy

2010-03-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Everytime I turn around this girl has a baby in her hands..

I know we have at least a couple dozen babies in this house. Haidyn is crazy about being the best mommy to her babies. She has watched me and got lots of practice.... maybe a little t0o much!
Here she is nursing and changing her baby's diaper.... see what I mean?
...and it doesn't end there.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

A lil' bit of this and a lil' bit of that

2010-03-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago Rylee celebrated her 100th day of school. She had a project to pick a 100 of "something" and put it on a poster board and circle them by 10's. Rylee picked 100 beads. Never again. I couldn't get the beads to stick and we must had glued them over and over 3 times. Then we made a shirt with 100 flowers on it. She loved celebrating her 100th day of school. Her class had a party with bagels, muffins, fruit and juice.

I can't believe this school year is almost over. Pretty soon Jackson will be starting Kindergarten. Tear!
Presley is changing by the day. With her being my 4th.. I feel she is growing up way faster then when I had Rylee as my first and all my attention was on her. The days I would spend just sitting on the couch holding her, talking to her, and staring at her. I am always on the go and my only time I get to do that is when the 3 older kids are in bed. She is so sweet, and loves her mommy and daddy.
All bundled up bear before we headed to Rosanne's.
We made our way over to the kids Great Aunt Rosanne's house. Great Gramma Dorothy was there along with their 2 other sisters, Mary Lou and Linda. It was so great to meet them. The kids adored them.
Aunt Linda read them some spooky tricks :)
and Uncle Seth entertained Haidyn.
And helped Rosanne get the rest of her stuff out of her Interior Decorating shop. She moved everything to her house. She is so talented!
Rosanne has this little rocking chair that is 125 years old. We took some pictures in the backyard with it. I was scared that if they sat down in it, the chair would break. Luckily it didn't! Whew :)

The serious side of Rylee... personally I like her sweet, cheery smile.
Daddy loves his days off with his family. He works so hard that his weekends with his family are valuable to him.
Presley just adores when she hears her daddy's voice. It is so sweet to hear her talk to him.
Rylee celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday at school. It was also pajama day.
Read Across America Day, they call it. She did a lot of reading!
She made the cutest Cat in the Hat. I love when she brings me home her art work. I wish I could keep every single piece!
I enjoy my mornings with our little Presley.

sitting, waiting, wishing....

2010-03-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

That our long lost family will get to California soon. It has been WAY to long and we miss them so much. I CANNOT wait until they arrive this summer. Rylee talks non stop about her cousins and I know she is ready to see them as well as the rest of us. I was going through some pictures, and I can't wait to re-live this all over again. Margaux and I love the beach and we will now be hauling around all 8 of them. Time for some new cousin pictures :)

Baby Pictures

2010-03-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

To me you can tell all my kids are brother/sisters. They all kind of resemble each other. Presley seems like a combo of both Rylee and Haidyn.

This is Rylee at 2 months

Rylee at 4 months.
Jackson at 2 months
Haidyn at 2 1/2 months
And Presley at 2 months
What do you think???

Rylee goes to Centennial Farms

2010-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week for Rylee. She is celebrating her 100th day of school today.. (more on that later) Earlier this week her Kindergarten class and 3 others took a field trip to the OC fair grounds to Centennials Farms. This was her first time on a school bus. She was rather excited. She took a few field trips with her Pre K, but it was always mom driving her there. They had such a great time. The thing she talked about the most was holding that baby chick. Rylee has meet some great friends at school, so days like these are very exciting for her.

When one door closes.... another one opens.

2010-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

We haven't got a call back for Rylee's second audition for JC Penney. Boo! We are so extremley proud of Rylee for giving it her all. I know these auditions are giving her so much practice. I have to say she has come such a long way.
When she got excepted into Jet Set she was very nervous that day. I thought this wasn't for her even though she loves the camera. It's not all about that. You have to be VERY outgoing, love people you don't know, and answer questions on the spot. Rylee wasn't about that at the time. She wanted to be by her Mommy and Daddy's side. She was scared to go back for an interview.
In just 5 short months she has turned around. She LOVES interviews, even more loves to be in front of the camera. If there is a camera near by you better watch out she will sneak her little face in that picture. She is excited to meet new people, and can't wait until it's HER turn.
Unfortunatly she won't be in a commercial.. just yet, but she had a huge casting call a while back for H&M kids print and they are calling her back. There were 30 kids from Jet Set and now there is 11 of them going back.
God has big plans for this girl.. I am so happy for her but most of all I am happy she is having the time of her life doing it.

Pigtails and Petunias

2010-02-22T15:10:00.001-08:00

When Presley was born I decided to take a break from tutu making. A little while ago I had a trademark problem with my other name so I am starting fresh and on the go with making tutus again. It's now called Pigtails and Petunias . One day in the future I would love to get a bunch of girls together and do a photo shoot. Let me know if you are interested!

Updates with Rylee

2010-02-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

First, yesterday we went back for her second audition, She had to wait quite awhile and was getting tired, but she said she had a great time once she went back for her turn. She did a skit in front of a big video camera with 2 boys. Then she was interviewed with a couple simple questions. The shoot is the end of the week so we will know in the next couple of days. There were still a lot of people left at the second audition and for all we know they are only picking one person. Time will tell, but the fact is she had a blast!

Way to go Rylee!

Second, Rylee is featured in her first magazine ever! This shoot was her very first shoot back in September of '09 with Jayneoni Moore New York. Featured in ChildStyle magazine. I ordered the magazine and don't have it yet so I took a picture through the computer. lol

.. and last but not least I got a few pictures from her latest shoot for a clothing company. 'Little Society' I shouldn't have these pictures on the internet because it's for next falls line but my blog is private. She had a lot of fun and the owner and hair dresser were super nice.

A beautiful (SUNNY) winter week.

2010-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Last week was beautiful.. It was tees and shorts kind of weather. We made our round to the park almost everyday! Picnics and enjoying the kids laughter as they got their energy out.

Haidyn enjoys having a baby sister to love on. Whenever Presley cries, Haidyn is right there saying "Shh, Shh! It's okay" then puts her pacifier in her mouth. They are going to be little play buddies. Especially when Jackson goes to school.
Jackson is really growing up lately. If you haven't noticed we are growing his hair out. His curls that he once had as a baby/toddler are coming back. They are adorable and it makes me just want to kiss him!
Enjoying that sunshine!!
speaking of growing up, Haidyn has changed over night. She is so fun, and loves hanging out by her mommy or daddy's side. Anytime you want a cuddle buddy she is the one to go to. (As long as she has her blanket!)
I must say Jackson and Haidyn are getting along better each and everyday. Out of my four kids, these two are the closest in age. (19 months) They go through their bad days of fighting but we are working on that! Lately they have been buddies.
Tire swings are a favorite...
Landon! Where did the time go? I feel like I don't even know you and your going to be one soon! He is such a happy baby. Love him!
The kids had such a blast making trains down the slide. Although it was nearly impossible for them all to go down at once, you could hear their laughs a mile away.
Love these kids!

Presley is 2 months!

2010-02-22T11:16:00.000-08:00

Now a days, Miss P is all smiles. She has gone through a rough last month. Her tummy was really bothering her. Some days I just wanted to pull out my hair and give up. I would walk around from the time I woke up from the time I went to bed holding this baby. Along with helping everyone else with their needs. Finally, she is a happier baby with some days that aren't the best but I can't complain. She is MUCH better!

I have to capture some better pictures but Presley loves smiling. Especially for her Gramma Lea. How can you not smile when you see that sweet face?

Presley loves taking a good nap in her swing, tummy time is fun, and she is sleeping through the night now! Woo Hoo! This makes my days much much easier.

JC Penney Commercial

2010-02-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

After being on the road the last 3 weekends we were excited to stay at home and rest for a weekend. Until late Friday Rylee got called to be in LA on Saturday for an audition for a JC Penney commercial for Easter. She has never done a commercial audition so we weren't sure what to expect but we were all excited. CJ took her up there and I stayed home with the kids. As soon as he got there they took her back on a stage with some other girls. CJ wasn't even able to talk to her say good luck or anything. Even though he didn't get to see Rylee, she told him that she just took a bunch of pictures and then she was done. The casting director told them if she makes it she will have to come back tomorrow for the interview part of the audition. They were either to call last night or early this morning. We never got a call.. we were disappointed but glad that she had the opportunity to get some more practice in. Well at about noon, my phone started ringing and it was a LA area code. Sure enough it was them wanting Rylee back for the second audition. We will be on our way in just a little bit. Please pray for her that everything goes well for her and to accept what happens. If it is meant to be it will. We are so proud of you Rylee!

L O V E ... weekend

2010-02-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a nice weekend full of LOVE! We went to San Diego and had a blast!

We met Cj's parents on Saturday at the Gaslamp in downtown SD.

They had a hotel that was right in the middle of everything!
We did a lot of walking, eating, and relaxing. I am so thankful that GG and Boppa took our older 3 for the weekend so we could relax with only 1.
Like always, they had a great time at GG's. They made, sundaes, rootbeer floats, french toast, watched Bambi, long walks and Rylee made everyone handmade Valentines.

Before we left for home GG and Boppa took us out to Pizza. Rylee passed out all her Valentine's cards and we stuffed our tummies.

Driving home from San Diego we drive along the coast. It was so perfect out we decided to go down to the beach and take a walk. Beautiful winter evening!

We stopped and let the kids play in the sand and get their toes wet.
We managed to get a picture of all 4. They had just woke up so don't mind the bed head.
Our 3 sweet girls
Rylee and Haidyn adore their little sister

Going down to the beach made me so excited for summer.. We can't wait to start going back to the beach again.

The Places she'll go and the things she will do.. Haidyn Reese is turning 2!!

2010-02-10T13:03:00.001-08:00

Dr. Seuss would have been proud we chose his way, to celebrate Haidyn's Special day!

Haidyn had a ball at her 2nd birthday party

This year we decided to celebrate where CJ and I grew up... In the desert.
It's was Dr. Seuss themed...
It took mommy and daddy a lot of work to prepare for this birthday with 4 kids
With lots of help from family and friends we made Haidyn's day a sucess!
A candy buffet was part of the menu
.. and we cannot forget Dr. Seuss' GREEN EGGS!
Thank you for all your help and running around for me des!
Presley even got to meet her Great Gramma Dorothy, Great Aunt Jen and Terri
Haidyn's second bigger brother Logan
It was so much fun celebrating with this special birthday girl!
Our friends from Riverside came to enjoy the fun
Presley enjoyed being held all day long :)
I hope everyone brushed their kids teeth when they got home!
Rylee and Miss Layla have spent 2 weekends together and get along like 2 peas in a pod
Catching up with old friends is the best
Bubbles galore!
The rain we got in the morning didn't stop us from jumpin'
Cotton Candy was a hit
and Des is a pro! She is already hired at the next carnival!
Don't let that smile fool you... She was complaining of having sticky hands and arms!
Logan, Belle, Rylee and Layla
Luckily Presley was an angel! Gramma Dorothy has the touch
Our friend Tommy is studying in Turkey so his momma Mary replaced him..
What kid doesn't love a parachute
Going through these pictures, the thing that put a smile on my face was seeing these kids under that parachute.. pure happiness!
Haidyn loved watching everyone under it
another beautiful family.... Jay, Landon and Amanda (just missing belle)
Rylee, Ava and Layla.. ( I swear all my friends have girls)
Except for this little stud Logan.. (There's Belle!)
Chloe giving haidyn a birthday hug!
Beautiful little Ava
CJ likes to revert to a kid every now and then
Haidyn waited so patiently for that cake!
She did a great job blowing out her candles!
Sorry for the big pieces of cake.. gotta get rid of it somehow!
Thanks Gramma Lea and Papa for all the help. Papa made our dinner.. Carne Asada, Rice and Beans.. Only to find out the Macaroni Salad Gramma Lea made and the fruit was still in the fridge at the end of the party. :(
Cake Time!
Haidyn loved opening her presents. She was one lucky girl!
Princess', babies' and Clothes what more could a 2 year old ask for?
Jackson that won't be the last princess you see in your lifetime.. Poor guy!
Thanks so much to everyone who came, and thanks to my mom for taking so many great pictures. I'm so glad that you could celebrate with us. Haidyn enjoyed all your company :)

Child of the week!

2010-02-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

Rylee was the child of the week this week at school. I know she was excited when she came home and told me she was "Child of the YEAR"!!
She has continued to make CJ and I happy this year. Even though she is one of the youngest kids in her class she is doing extremely well. Her teacher told me that if she didn't know any of the kids' age she would never know Rylee was one of the youngest.
This whole week at school, Rylee has sat in the purple chair. All of her classmates drew a portrait of Rylee. (Today Mrs. Lau was gone but I can't wait to see them and what these kindergarteners think Rylee looks like.) She was also interviewed at school and these were some of the things they asked her, and what she said.

Date of Birth: September 11, 2004

Who is in your family: My mom, dad, Jackson, Haidyn and Presley

Do you have any pets: No

What is your favorite color: Green

My favorite story: My little goodnight bible book

My favorite food: Avacado wrapped in a tortilla

My favorite thing to do at school is.. Art

My favorite thing to do with my family is: Watch a movie and eat popcorn together

My favorite thing to watch on T.V.: Franklin

My favorite place to go is: LA

The best thing that ever happened to me: When I went to the American Girl Place

The worst thing that ever happened to me: When I got stiches on my chin at 3.

When I grow up I want to be: A Teacher

She was also able to bring in 5 things that she wanted to share. She chose her American Girl (of course) Her favorite build a bear, American girl book, Mario Wii game, and her gymnastic leotard. She told me that she showed everyone how you do a bridge.. I am so glad I put her in a dress today! (At least she had tights on.) lol

The Desert's Beauty

2010-02-02T16:42:00.000-08:00

La Quinta has to be the most prettiest place in the winter time. I just love going there. It's so peaceful, perfect weather, and just beautiful!

Before we left on Sunday Gramma Lea and I took the kids to feed the ducks. How can anyone be stuck inside on such a perfect day. The kids took their shoes off and enjoyed the fresh water, cool grass and warm sun. It was perfect for them to get their energy out before we hit the road back home.

Brandon's Bowling Bash

2010-02-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

It's so nice to have friends with kids so close in age to our kids. Some girls we went to high school with have kids just about the same age as our kids. My friend Brooke's son is around Jackson's age. He turned 4 this weekend so we went to celebrate.

It was a lot of fun and the kids had fun bowling. Rylee loved bowling with Layla while Haidyn loved running around everywhere. It was so fun to see all the kids together. I think we need to get them together more often.

Rylee, Jackson and Haidyn ready to go bowling!

Before we left Haidyn with Gramma's doggie Chloe.
Big sis showing them how it's done
Rylee and Layla
Des and Presley (6 weeks)
Having a blast together
The birthday boy blowing out his candles. Happy Birthday Brandon!
Ry and Lo
Rylee, Des and Logan
Michelle and I
Cake time!
Don't forget about me, im the birthday girl too.
My angelic Haidyn
Brooke, Des and I
And again..!
Some of the kiddos.. Logan, Ethan, Chloe, Haidyn, Rylee, Jackson and Layla
Sweet Presley

The Birthday Girl

2010-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

Okay so I may not be the best baker, but I tried. I got a heart shaped pan and made Haidyn's favorite Chocolate cake. Half way through the baking process I went to check on the cake and one side was overflowing over the top, the middle was oozing and the sides were nice and crisp. I called Cj and told him he would need to pick up a cake on his way home from work.

Well I kept thinking about how she wanted pink frosting that we picked out at the store together and pink sprinkles. So I took the cake out of the oven and fixed it. Only the left half we could eat but we weren't going to eat the whole thing anyway. So I frosted it, put pink and purple sprinkles and 2 pink candles. Even though she didn't have one bite of the cake she loved the way it looked. haha

Our little baby is no baby anymore. This big girl is TWO!

Thanks for the cute shirt Katherine. She felt so special in it :)
Tasting the frosting.
Rylee and Jackson gave her so much attention. They sure know how to treat the Birthday Girl right!
More fun birthday pictures to come from her party this weekend!

It's tool time

2010-01-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

Rylee and Jackson love their daddy. The love they have for him is so sweet. The other night CJ brought home a bunch of tools because he is getting ready to send a tech to live in LA so they don't waste so much money on gas every month. He has been working on getting things ready for this big move for awhile. Rylee and Jackson loved helping him organize and play with all these cool tools. They wanted to know what everything was and what it is used for.

Im sure everything took twice as long to get ready to put in the tool box, just like baking with the kids help.. It takes longer, but it is so worth it because you enjoy the smiles on your kids face.

6 weeks

2010-01-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

Presley is now 6 weeks old and so alert. She adores looking at her sisters and brother. Presley loves her tummy time. She loves her baths and if I didn't take her out she would probably stay in there forever.

She is becoming very hard at nights. Starting at about 6 or 7 she starts crying and this goes off and on until about 9 pm. Other than that she is a sweet baby that we are so blessed to have. Happy 6 weeks baby girl!

Rylee's dream coming to reality

2010-01-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ever since Christmas all Rylee does is play with her American Girl. I had one of these dolls as a child growing up too and can relate. For some reason they are special dolls. Well her Gramma's told her about this place you go where they have TONS of American Girl dolls.. ever since then she has been begging to go.

You can have brunch, tea, or dinner, with your doll. Get their hair styled at the salon
See their hundreds of different outfits, accessories and even a doll hospital
Not to mention a doll movie theater
check out all the American Girl's of the year
And of course the look a like dolls
After Rylee's casting call over the weekend we saw we were nearby the mall where there is the American Girl Place. We surprised her by taking her here, she was just amazed. Her eyes were wide open the whole time. Her only requested is to come her on her birthday and buy everything in the store. A girl can wish right?

Birthday Girl

2010-01-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet little 2 year old. I still can't believe she is TWO! She brightens my day with her piercing blue eyes and her adorable laugh. She is a handful but I couldn't imagine her any other way. I can't wait to celebrate at your party Haidyn. WE LOVE YOU!

Daddy, Mommy, Rylee, Jackson and Presley :)

Rain

2010-01-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

It has been pouring rain for 4 days straight (that's a big deal around here). When Haidyn got up from her nap yesterday her and Rylee just stared out the window. They were so excited. After kindergarten pick-up today I made the girls hot chocolate. You would have thought I said we were going to Disneyland. I think they all love the rain as much as I do...especially since it goes hand in hand with hot chocolate and whip cream.

The best big sister!

2010-01-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

Rylee loves Presley. She is like her second mom, actually she is like all my younger ones second mom. If I can't get to them the second they need me, they go to Rylee. If they need a drink and say I am changing Presley's diaper or feeding her. They ask Rylee. Often times I find Haidyn curled up on Rylee with her blanket and finger in her mouth cudding with her big sis. Rylee loves to hold Presley any chance she can get. I swear she thinks she is a baby doll, but she knows to be gentle, hold her head, and not be loud. Well look who feel asleep on her big sis. I can tell that both Haidyn and Presley will really look up to her. God couldn't have picked a better big sister for them.

Sending our son away for the first time

2010-01-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week we went to San Diego to drop Jackson off at his Great Gramma and Grandpa's house.
Rylee and Chloe were out of school, so they were able to spend some time together and play. Jackson adores GG and Boppa and I certainly know why, they give him so much attention and spoil him to death. He is such an easy going kid that I knew he would be just fine without his dad and I.
Sure enough I called yesterday to check on him, GG asked if he wanted to talk to mommy. His response was "nope!"
Even though it has been pouring this whole week that doesn't stop GG from having fun with her only Great Grandson. They headed out with the cousins to Playtown. I am so glad that he is bonding with his greats and getting that one on one attention.

(another) Daddy's Girl

2010-01-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

Presley doesn't know it yet, but she won the daddy lottery. It's true.... just ask her sisters.

Spiegel Magazine Spring 2010

2010-01-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

Rylee has yet another Shoot under her belt. She is loving it more and more each time she goes. On Sunday Presley, Rylee, and I headed to Beverly Hills. We were both so hungry when we got there but didn't want to stop because we had brought snacks and just wanted to get through the shoot. As soon as we showed up there was platters of food being brought in by a local cater. Score!!
Rylee was a little bummed because she was the only little kid there but she got over it and became friends with all the staff. She was hanging out in the dressing room where all the women models were. She was trying on necklaces, rings, bracelets, and watching everyone in the works.
Soon enough it was Rylee's turn. The lady said come with me to get your hair and makeup done. She was so cute with her soft little voice and said "my daddy doesn't let me wear makeup" I about died laughing. She was soon informed that it would just be a little blush and lip gloss.
So off she went for her shoot.
I couldn't get any pictures behind the scenes because there was just to many camera men and I felt like I was in the way. Her shoot was in the kitchen of this beautiful home looking over the city. Spiegel is testing a Magazine to see if they get more buyers? So this was the test shoot for the upcoming spring 2010 magazine.
Rylee and I hung around coloring and playing tic tac toe. She was so well behaved. Presley slept almost the whole time.

Rylee brings her American Doll Natalie everywhere she goes. She loves her!

Grandpa and Granny meet Presley

2010-01-19T13:28:00.001-08:00

My dad and Granny came up to meet our sweet little Presley. It was nice to catch up and remember old memories. Granny has stopped driving on the freeway for awhile now so my dad picked her up and brought her here. The kids are always so excited to have company and play with different people all the time. Granny brought the kids some old fairy tales and movies. Of course Rylee didn't waste a second to ask Granny to start reading them to her.

I have to say I am so blessed to have my kids be able to spend time with both of their Great Grammas. Granny will be 84 in March and I have to say she is doing very well. Thank you for the nice visit!

Picnic with the Ellis'

2010-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

We haven't seen the Ellis' in awhile. My friend Katherine and I knew we had to change that. Rylee gets out of school early every Thursday. So we packed up a lunch and headed to the park. So good to see good friends. I must say it was chaos for me. Haidyn was spilling her pear juice, eating Katherine's carrots and sticking leftovers back in her bag. Then in the midst of all that Presley got hungry. I don't know if it's just me but EVERY time I sit down to eat a meal, Presley decides she wants to eat too. Katherine was telling me she had her sitter over. She said to Katherine "why don't you just sit down and eat?" She is so used to standing up and rushing that she forgets (even when she has the help) to sit down and take 5. We make a great pair and it's so much more fun doing it with 7 kids.

Rylee missed her buddy Estelle.

Landon teething.
Jackson and Grayson giggling.
Getting all their energy out playing soccer (or something)

Presley's Announcement

2010-01-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

I know I already sent these out but just for our memory :)

Our evenings with Presley

2010-01-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

After the 3 amigos go to bed Cj and I get to spend one on one time with Presley. It's our time to wake her up and try to keep her up before we all go to bed. Having 4 kids, it's so hard to remember to spend that "extra" time with just one.

Presley absolutely loves her baths. It's probably her favorite time of the day. I am still trying to get used to all her dark hair. She is so perfect in our eyes. We are so glad she is apart of our family.

mischievous?

2010-01-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

I know that she is almost 2 but this little girl has no fear. Im sure Rylee shows her the ends and outs to EVERYTHING! If Haidyn gets in trouble she uses her sweet charm to get my mind off of things. Sometimes I want to laugh because she is such a ham.

Like this... She was being naughty.. I told her she wasn't being a good girl and she starts making funny faces.

Then starts cheesing at the camera
We have had to take out her crib and put her in a toddler bed because she kept climbing out. The first night she was in this bed, she woke me up at 4 am crying right before I was up at 3 am feeding Presley. She was stuck underneath the bed.

Poor baby! Now things are fine and she is back to sleeping normal. Her naps are shorter but I can't complain. Rylee was done taking naps at 2.
Haidyn loves babies! But I think most 2 year olds do.

Why do I keep saying 2? Because this big girl is about to have a birthday. She will be TWO on the 27th.
My little posing Rylee has taught her sister how to pose and put her hands on her hips for pictures. What's next?!
We love her so much! She may be a handful, but she is sure a cutie :)

The Adams come to meet Presley

2010-01-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago our cousins Shaun and Suzanne came to visit us and meet baby Presley. Seems like yesterday Leo was a little 2 year old chatting away and holding "Baby Rylee". When they walked in the door the first thing Rylee said was, "Why is Leo so big?" Leo is now 7 and has really grown up.

Presley was fussing and Max really wanted to hold her. I told him that he may only be able to hold her a minute because she is really fussy. As soon as he held her in his hands she was peaceful and just stared right at him. He just LOVED holding her in his arms ( Maybe a sign of a good daddy?)
While Leo played boxing on the Wii. These 4 were having a blast together.
Maxwell, Rylee and Haidyn enjoying a beautiful sunny day... In January!

Loving our Presley

2010-01-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

We love our Presley. I think we all agree that she is a keeper for sure. Even though I have a headache from lack of sleep lately, I still just adore her. She is awake a lot more and I love to look at her pretty dark blue eyes (for now). I am still figuring out the ins-and-outs of being a mom of 4. CJ and I started laughing last night as we FINALLY got everyone tucked into their beds. It was craziness. We made the rounds turning off the hall lights and closing their doors once they were asleep and the house was just so peaceful. The only sounds were from Presley. She makes what sounds like to me, puppy dog noises while she sleeps. It really is cute. This is a lot of work, this whole "mom business" but boy is it worth it.

returning to the blog life

2010-01-11T08:47:00.001-08:00

I know things on this blog are a little outdated. Give me some time and things will be back up and running. I am so glad I am able to share our journey raising 4 kids with you all. Please keep in touch and check back often. I know with 4 kids there will be a lot to tell :) Love you all!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-04T16:05:00.000-08:00

Every year at Christmas we are on the road. The best part about that is seeing so much family all in a couple of days. Although this year things changed but it was so relaxing and we were able to enjoy Christmas a lot more. Nothing was rushed. We stayed in our PJs all morning and opened presents nice and slow. My mom, father/mother in law and brother in law spent the day with us. Papa cooked our Christmas dinner, and the kids has smiles on their faces all day long. They just couldn't believe that Santa actually stopped at our house. Rylee asked for an american girl. She wanted one SO bad. She got a really cute one that looks just like her. She named her Natalie. Jackson asked for a "race car" He got tons of cars and a big remote control corvette. Haidyn got some american girl baby twins and she is in love. All 3 really love their zhu zhu pets.. for now that is as close of a real pet we are going to get. :)

Our little bundle of Joy all wrapped up. We can all agree that she was our best gift ever!
Those smiles tell a lot.. A moment I wont forget!
cookies and milk and of course carrots
Ready for bed a little too early
Santa Baby!
All snugged in their snowman jammies.. life with 4 doesn't get any better!
Our sassy red heads!
I hope you all had a Merry Christmas.. Let's make 2010 a memorable year :)

One Crazy December

2010-01-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

Whew! What a month! It was one of the best months ever, but I am really glad it's over and I am ready for this New Year!

While we were at the hospital our friends Gen and Greg came to visit. I really hope we gave them baby fever because they need to get on with the baby making!

Wouldn't their baby be so adorable!
I was so ready to get out of that hospital. One day is long enough. As you can see I didn't get much sleep, and I was ready to get in my own bed!
A couple of days after we got home Rylee had a school performance with several other kindergarten classes. They sang their hearts out, it was so cute.
They had a class party afterwards. We took Jackson with us ( He felt special)
Rylee and her teacher Mrs. Lau
Haidyn loving on her baby sis. I can't believe she is a big sister. Ever since we have brought Presley home she is acting so much older. Seriously, where does the time go?!
Uncle Seth came to visit Presley
All finished changing Presley's diaper
My friend Katherine and I and Presley 3 days old.
Gramma Lea, Daddy and uncle Seth took Rylee, Jackson, and Haidyn to see Santa. They were so excited!
waiting in line for the train that takes you through the park.
ALL ABOARD! Ready to take off and go to the North Pole.
Brr!!!
My cousin Sara and GG came to see the wee one.. 5 days old
Haidyn is such a Ham these days.. I need to record this.. She will give someone a kiss and a second later says " EEEWWW" Hilarious!
Uncle Brandon and Veronica made us a pretty wreath.. The kids love getting mail!
snoozin' the days away
Des and Logan came for a visit.. Rylee loves spending time with Logan and makes sure she takes good care of him.
Jackson still loves his cars
Presley's real first time out of the house.. We headed to Chik-fil-A only to come out to this.. This kids loved it!
Fallow the leader!

Love

2009-12-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

I love this little girl. But even as I type that, the word "love" just doesn't do justice to how I feel inside. My heart feels like it has doubled in size. Life is already unimaginable without her. She is sweet and calm.

Last night the kids got to stay up and watch a movie. Which meant we ALL slept in. Although the wind woke me up pretty early the house was quiet and I just held my Presley. I know "real life" is going to start here soon with school and laundry and 4 little ones that need me constantly. I will have to get out of my sweatsuits and think about my jeans that still don't fit. But not yet. Not today. I am basking in the love I have for this little one straight from heaven.. nothing sweeter!

Meeting their new sister

2009-12-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

Getting things ready for this arrival was a lot different than all the others. Rylee had a busy week at school. She had a student teacher who was leaving that week. Her teacher's birthday, a christmas party, performance and Christmas book exchange. While we were getting everything ready for Presley all this had to be arranged as well. My mom did such a wonderful job taking care of the kids while we were gone. She walked all 3 kids in the mornings to Rylee's class. Picked her up. Entertained, cooked and got them all tucked in to bed. I know it is a lot of work and I don't think anyone could have done it better.

We left the kids some little goodies before went to the hospital. CJ and I ran to the store to pick up this giant cookie and left them some things to do so they didn't drive Ama insane. I really thought with me going in at midnight I would want to get some sleep before we left but still there was so much to do. I got a calender ready for my mom of all the things to do and where things are. CJ fell asleep on the couch and soon enough it was time to go.

The hospital was packed and babies were being born just about every 30 min. It was so amazing to hear some first cries. CJ and I got to the hospital at 11:45. Our appt. was at midnight and we had to wait in the waiting room until about 1:00am. They were so busy. I got admitted to my room and about 2:30am they started the pitocin. I have no idea where sleep comes in. I got about 2 hours and then my contractions started hitting. Next thing my mom and Gramma show up and we hear the kids are down in the lobby waiting for this arrival. Kaiser won't let any kids pass the lobby under 14. As you can tell, they were all so excited for their new sister to come into the world. Rylee told her daddy.. "As soon as she is born bring the camera down so I can see her." She was just thrilled but so upset she couldn't see or hold her yet.
The next day we brought Presley home and it was CHOAS!
Everyone wanted to hold her, kiss her, love her.
Jackson was so sweet and waited his turn.
But this missy wanted Presley all to herself!
If anyone else was holding her she would just cry, cry, cry!
Finally she got a turn and all she would say is "my baby"
They were simply amazed! and so are we.
She is perfect and such a great gift from God.
Our Christmas couldn't get any better this year.
Thank you God for answering all our prayers. She is such a little miracle to us.

Presley Nicholle Achee

2009-12-22T21:54:00.000-08:00

Baby Presley

December 16, 2009

1:08 PM

8 Pounds 8 Ounces

20.5 inches

It Happened again. I have fallen in love with another little girl. A little girl that I feel like I have known and loved forever.

ALVIN!!!

2009-12-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Rylee had her Holiday Gymnastics performance. It was the cutest thing. Her group "Kinderoos" performed to the chipmunk song. They each got to show off something on the bars, beam, and floor. We are so proud of all she has learned in Gymnastics.

Last June Rylee had her first performance on stage. I went through many rehearsals of her crying in my arms saying she was scared and how she didn't want to do this anymore. After all we had payed for, tickets, costumes, classes... and she didn't want to do it anymore!!! But you can't force anyone to do anything. Especially a kid. So I took her home and the next day we headed to the theater. This time I had to leave. She was so sad, but when I got back her dance teacher told me how much fun she had out on stage. Ever since then, all she has wanted to do is be on stage.

Rylee is not a shy girl but she comes off that way at first. She is a performer at heart and I can't wait to see all she does through the years.

WAY TO GO RYLEE!! You make us proud :)

Getting in the holiday spirit

2009-12-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

We are making a santa beard with our countdown this year. I love how not only the 25th is a big day but everyday we are reminded that the 12th is going to be a BIG day as well. 8 days until we meet our little princess and 16 until we celebrate Jesus' birth. What a fun month!

The countdown until Christmas has begun. The kids are getting so excited. This weekend before Daddy leaves we are going to pick out a tree and decorate it. Elf on a shelf will begin this weekend, Our Christmas light tour of an RSM neighborhood and much more. I love this time of year! Most of all we are excited for next weekend with our big arrival of a new family member. Everything is ready to go for Presley, we will just get last minute things done this weekend along with spending family time together before we become a family of 6. Haidyn will no longer be our little baby. She is growing up way to fast! She does know there is a baby in my tummy (so she tells me) I can't wait to see her reaction when we bring Presley home. We are a little bummed that they can't come visit in the hospital this time around but I guess that will make it even more fun for them when we come home.

Our big girl! I can't believe she will be 2 in January.. Yikes!

Celebrating our sweet Presley

2009-12-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

After you are pregnant for your 4th time a baby shower doesn't even ring a bell. Well at least for me it didn't. My friend Katherine kept bugging me that she wanted to throw me a shower and I just kept putting it off. I hate attention on me, but why be selfish.. This is about Presley right. All my other kids had a day that we celebrated just them. So I agreed to let her host me a shower.

If I knew she was going to go all out I would have said no. She did such an amazing job and she did it on top of juggling 3 kids of her own. One which is still nursing! Ah. I love her. We had a great time and a wonderful brunch. Thank you to everyone who helped, and came to celebrate our soon to be 3rd girl. In just one week I will be going into labor and delivery to hold our precious little one. We are beyond excited although I am a little nervous that daddy will be gone next week on a business trip to Colorado.

The kids are all so excited to meet their new sister. I never thought I would want a baby this time of year but I can't even tell you how special this Christmas gift is to us. Even the kids think this is the most special Christmas gift ever. We are so blessed!

The wonderful host and most special friend Katherine

My beautiful cake.. Thanks mom!
Our small but special group of friends/family
Green/pink/brown themed
The cutest decor
The yummy brunch
My partner in crime Des
Mom, Me and G
Des and Mom
My beautiful mother in law Lea
She didn't stop there with her craftiness...

The guest played a game with play-doh... Who could mold my " pregnant body" the best with their eyes closed

They were all so funny.. I couldn't decide the winner so I picked from a hat

Des won!
I open gifts and I was so blessed with beautiful, amazing presents
Gotta love Gymbo!
The crock pot will be my best friend for while.. Some of these recipes look amazing!

Thanks again, I love you all and hopefully soon you can all meet Presley Nicholle~

CA Adventures

2009-12-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than seeing smiles on your kids face the WHOLE day. A couple of weekends ago Rylee, Jackson and I went to California Adventures with a couple of friends. We don't get to be together often but when we do it's a great time. The kids had so much fun riding all the rides and hanging out with their "little brother" Logan. It was Christmas decorated which was even better. The only bummer was we waited in line for Toy Story and when we were just about at the front it shut down and broke. We were a little upset because the kids did so well standing in line for 30 min. and then we had to tell them we couldn't ride it anymore. Daddy stayed home with Haidyn and was able to bond with her. I love having just one kid to myself every now and then. They get spoiled and they love all the attention. That was Haidyn that day. She has become quite the Daddy's girl these days.

Family pictures

2009-11-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

We had a great time taking family pictures. Although every time we take them I am pregnant. One day we will get all 4 kids with a not pregnant momma. :) My mom is so artistic, I wish I could do half the stuff she does.. I asked her if she would take our pictures and she did an amazing job. It was easier for the kids to look themselves because she is someone they know well. Lots of these will be framed.

These aren't even close to half of the pictures but just some I really enjoy looking at over and over. Presley will be here in just 30 days! Seems so soon, but in reality we can't wait to meet this little miracle of ours. We know she will fit into our family perfectly. When I went to the doctor she of course said she doesn't think this baby will be big. That is the case with all my doctors. Then they are a surprising, 8, 9 and 10 lbs. I hope I don't get a nice surprise of an 11 pounder. J/k.. I don't think this baby is that big either.. although the last month who knows what will happen. The good thing with my doctor this time around she is letting me be induced a whole week early. This sounds amazing to me because my babies just don't want to come out. Her sisters and brother are beyond excited! The countdown begins :)

Rylee's 2nd photo shoot

2009-11-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was busy for us, or should I say for Rylee. We got up really early and headed to Hollywood for a Nordstrom audition. This could be worth getting up early or it could be a complete waste. You never know unless you get a call back I guess. Nordstrom picked 36 kids from Jet Set and Rylee was one of them. When we got there there were tons of kids, not only from Jet Set but from other modeling agencies as well. Rylee was in such a good mood and I was so glad because the first shoot we went to she was so shy and wouldn't talk to anyone at first. She was in her element her and soon after we got their they called her back for her interview. While she was waiting she kept peeking her head back and waving at us. Most kids that went back were gone maybe 5 min. and would come back and say it was time to go home. Rylee was back there a good 20 min. All of a sudden Cj and I saw through a crack that she was trying on dresses. We had a good feeling about this audition. We heard from Jet Set they usually have the ones they like try on outfits, take pictures of them and then the next day they choose from those pictures. Well yesterday we got a call saying that Rylee made the audition and she will have a shoot with them in a couple of weeks. Out of the 36 kids they picked to go to the casting call only 4 from Jet Set made it. We are so proud of her!

After we left LA we had to drive to San Diego for another photo shoot. This was for Rylee's portfolio. We had to bring tons of outfits, shoes, hats, scarves and it ended up they didn't use any of it, except for her boots. haha.. Although that was the case for all the kids. We thought for sure Rylee would be so tired. She is like the energizer bunny. Her energy will never run out. Most of the kids were older than her, she got along with them so well and had a great time playing with them. I can't wait to see how the pictures turn out and will be sure to share them with you. Here are some pictures from the shoot in San Diego.

This was a European photo shoot

lots of messy hair, I have to say I liked Rylee's outfit.. She looks great in brown

Rylee and Makalynn.. This is who she made Jet Set with and we hadn't seen her since. Rylee was excited to see her.
This girl had gorgeous eyes!
All the girls playing
What a fun day.

Looking back...

2009-11-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

It's hard to imagine we have been trick or treating for 5 years with our kids. I went back on some photos and past Halloweens. I couldn't find Halloween '06 on the computer of Jackson when he was a brown baby bear at 4 months but the ones I did find seems like just yesterday. I can't believe how big they are all getting. Next Halloween we will have Presley in the mix.

Here is Rylee at 13 months. She was a cute Tom Arma Bunny.. This is when I actually took my kids to the portrait studio and had their pictures taken every couple of months. We couldn't get her to smile for anything, finally we started singing itsy bitsy spider and she just started smiling and singing along.. as you can see her hands are doing the motions of the song. To this day it's one of my favorite pictures of her.

Halloween '05

Halloween '07 Jackson the Dalmation and Rylee the Kitty
Rylee 3
Jackson - 16 months
Then came Halloween '08

Haidyn 9 months- Butterfly
All my bugs

Rylee 4, Bumble Bee, Haidyn 9 months, Butterfly and Jackson 2, Spider

Halloween 2009

2009-11-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

We had such a good Halloween this year. The kids were so into it so it made it really fun. We started our day off with going to Uncle Seth's football game in Fontana. His team is doing really well this year and we are so proud of him. He reminds me of a little CJ with all this football. I can't wait to see him once he gets to high school.

After that we got the kids ready for our night of trick of treating. Rylee was a witch, Jackson was Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Haidyn was a Leopard. I get these ideas like painting Haidyn's face as a leopard and really think it will be easy. Then I have the paint and brush out and I'm like what did I get myself into! I gave her a lollipop so she would hold still on the counter and that was a mistake because we all know 21 month olds drool when they eat lollipops and that was messing up all the face paint. So CJ ended up holding her and she kept trying to rub it all off her face. Oh, but she looked so cute so I guess it was all worth it. Haidyn was so into everything this year. She knew she was some kind of cat so she kept saying OW Ow for meow. We took them to about 20 houses and then came back and let them pass out candy. It was a lot of fun for them, but the trick or treaters got spoiled. R, J and H didn't know when to stop giving them candy. lol It was a great night, can't wait for next year.

Dear Blog

2009-10-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

I am sorry I have neglected you. My life has been in the fast lane for the past few weeks. We have had so much going on but to say the least we are having fun doing all of it. Rylee's school work is my main priority right now. Even though she is in Kindergarten we are trying to get her involved with everything as much as possible. Not just in school but out of school as well. My only day to get things done anymore seems to be Mondays, and here I am uploading pictures and writing on my blog. Our weeks right now consist of Gymnastics, Art Classes, modeling and Soccer. Not to mention the many doctors apts. I have had for our sweet Presley. May not seem like a lot but it has me running around. On top of that we are doing homework, lots of reading and projects for school. Speaking of Projects who knows how long ago Rylee took home her class bear Honeysuckle. We were very proud of her because in order to take this bear home you have to obey the teacher everyday and have all the kindergarten "rules" down pat. She is always telling me she listens to her teacher and raises her hand politely. She is always patient and does her work then talks when she is done. For the weekend we took Honeysuckle everywhere we went. Rylee took very good care of this bear because she didn't want to be the one to loose her. (I don't blame her.) As soon as Rylee got home from school she wanted to make Honeysuckle her own tutu. Then we took her to Gymnastics, Soccer, and over the weekend Rylee packed her up in a backpack with a book and blanket. We had pinkberry yogurt and took a ride on the carousel. She insisted on bringing Honeysuckle to Chruch on Sunday. I really thought Honeysuckle would be gone after that but Rylee kept a close eye on her. We then wrote a story and posted lots of pictures of our time with her. So glad that weekend is over!

We have been trying to get in the Halloween spirit. We went to Tanaka Farms in Irvine to pick Organic veggies, and to Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center to pick lots of pumpkins and see Becky her girls, Ama and GG. It has been a lot of fun!

Our friends son Logan turned 2. We had such a good time celebrating his special day in the desert.

After the party we went camping in Joshua tree. (right outside of Palm Springs) We went with CJ's parents and Ty. Our kids love Ty.. There is just some people they really attach themselves to and she is one of them. It was a great night away. It was so peaceful out in the desert. We went Rock climbing, lizard catching, and made lots of good memories.

Isn't this a really cool picture of the moon. I took my zoom lens and got as close as I could and then once it was on the computer I zoomed a little more. You can see the craters and all. One thing I really love about the desert, there is no smog or pollution and you can lay on your back and watch all the stars at night. It's so peaceful and quite.

Last but not least, we are so thankful that our baby's (Presley) Kidney is reducing in size. It really is a miracle to us. Months ago we were worried we would have to fight the difficult challenges of raising a down syndrome child. Or maybe not even be able to meet our Trisomy 18 little girl. That is all in the past we and we are really looking forward to the day we meet this princess. Her siblings are very anxious as well. She will complete our family, and we know she is already a blessing to us. I am now 32 weeks and time is going quickly. At Logan's party the photographer snapped a picture of my tummy. I have a funny feeling Presley will be just like her brother and sisters. ONE LARGE baby. Regardless, we are counting down the days to meet her.

Apple picking in Oak Glen

2009-10-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about Fall. Apple picking! You can't go wrong with a fresh organic apples. Last year was our first year to go to Oak Glen and we have now made it a tradition. The kids have such a good time and then we get to make fun things with the apples when we get home. We planned to meet friends there but when we got there of course there was no reception. Both of us were there at the same time but we couldn't get ahold of each other. The kids were bummed they couldn't see their friend Mercy.

We had the best apple wood smoke BBQ chicken and baked beans. Not to mention fresh carmel apples. I can't wait to go back. On the way home we stopped at Uncle Seth's football game. We didn't quite get there when we wanted to. There was only a few minutes left, but the good thing is they won. Then we stopped at a pumpkin patch and the kids had a little fun. Every ride was about $5 a piece. RIP OFF! So we went down the street to a pizza stop and played some arcade. It was a great day and we can't wait to do it again :)

Rylee's up on the website

2009-09-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Rylee is now up on the Jet Set Kids website. Check her out!

We are still hoping she gets the Land's End shoot. Haven't heard the final word but if she does get it, it will be next month. I think it will be funny when they see her all her teeth will be gone. hahaha She is still cute no matter what!

I guess I will have to have a talk with them. I was just looking at her DOB and it's wrong! How could they forget 9/11??

Weekend in the desert

2009-09-21T14:33:00.001-07:00

We always have a good time while in the desert. Brings back lots of memories for CJ and I since that is where we grew up. We are so lucky to be out of there though. I do NOT miss that 108 degree weather in September. We got back to Orange County later on Sunday and it was 70 degrees.

It is always fun to visit with friends and the kids love to visit with their Gramma and Papa and of course Uncle Seth. We celebrated Belle's 4th birthday, had dinner at Gramma and Papa's with Des, Drew and Logan. Rylee got a cute apron from them for her birthday. (she will get lots of use out of that) We watched the Chargers on Sunday and then went home. It was nice and relaxing but now we are back to school and our busy week.

Rylee has learned so much in school already. Her teacher is really nice but she is really into teaching them well so somewhat of school Rylee says is "boring" Like when she has to sit and "listen with no talking" Oh, let the good times roll!

Here are some cute pictures from over the weekend. Rylee is quite the big sister. She treats logan like he is her second brother. They are adorable together.

Haidyn's first piggies

2009-09-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! I love little girls and pigtails. They are the cutest things ever. I was finally able to get ALL of her hair up into 2 little pigtails. There isn't much there but they are so cute. Rylee had so much more hair than her and it seems like I was able to get her hair up into pigtails a lot sooner but I was looking back at pictures and it was only a couple of months before Haidyn. I can't wait to see what her hair will be like when it gets a little longer.

Presley's check up

2009-09-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

Counting my blessings! Her perfect little foot.

On Wednesday we went to Presley's check up for her enlarged kidney. The first time we found out her kidney was enlarged it was 5mm it is now 8mm but she is also getting bigger. You can tell a huge difference between the right and left kidney. My doctor said if it gets to a 10 she will need to have surgery after she is born. We are optimistic it will stay under 10. If it does stay under 10 they will just do an ultrasound on her when she is born to see how big it is. Usually they go down quite a bit after they are born. When I was one I had a Kidney reflux which is basically the same thing. There is urine that is going back up into the kidney. This can cause very painful infections that are hard to detect. The doctor said I could have been born with an enlarged kidney but since technology is so much better now, they can find these things out a lot sooner.

On a good note, her cyst that she had on her brain is 100% gone. She is cyst free! Praise the lord. It seems so weird that in 3 short months our sweet baby will be here. We cannot wait to meet her and see what she looks like. Speaking of what she looks like go to my poll ----> and let me know what you think she will look like. I really hope she has red hair like her sisters but you never know. Jackson has the complete opposite ashy hair with no warmth in it what so ever. I would love to know what your guess is. For now, just keep praying!

Rylee turns FIVE!

2009-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Seems weird to say I have a 5 year old now. She is really growing up. Just the few days she has been in kindergarten, she is already acting older. She is such a fun girl. I can't wait to watch her grow up. She had a fun day at school on her birthday even though I wasn't allowed to bring anything to celebrate. When she got out we went to target and picked out a toy she wanted. Then later Ama came up and she opened some more toys. Then Gramma lea came and Brought her a huge art center with a chalk board, dry erase board and poster paper for painting. She is really into art these days and LOVED it! When Daddy got home we celebrated at Chuck E Cheese upon Rylee's request. We had a great time and Gramma Lea hit the Jackpot which ended up breaking the machine and tickets came flooding out. We had about 2000 tickets and got some pretty cool prizes.

On Saturday Rylee had a Pink Bowling Bash. It was a lot of fun for her. She loves her friends and it was so nice to see her happy and smiling every second. I guess she didn't get the name "Smiley Rylee" for nothing. Rylee got lots of presents and had a great day!

A love for cars

2009-09-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Jackson has always been one of those little boys in love with cars. I'm sure most boys are but when this kid sees a car he goes crazy. He had a lot of those chances when we went to Chuck E Cheese. He was in heaven! I just laugh at all these pictures of him making different facial expressions. I love my guy. Isn't he cute?!

New Venture

2009-09-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

I have started a new side hobby that is now on Etsy.. Check out my blog for more details!!!

First Day, Hooray!

2009-09-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

Rylee had her first day of Kindergarten today. I can not believe it! We have been preparing for this day for weeks. I walked her to her class this morning with Jackson and Haidyn in tow. Her teacher is so great and I am so glad! She let all the parents come in find and find a seat while the kids were read a story. Then it was time to hold out their hands while their mommy or daddy kissed it goodbye. Jackson just kept saying Bye Ryree Bye Ryree. It was so cute.

When we picked her up, I asked her how her day was and just put her thumbs up. I guess it was a success.

I am so happy that she is happy. That's all you really want as a mom. Such a simple thing but it's amazing how great it is to see your kids with smiles. So, here's to a great school year!!

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Our last weekend before school started we headed to San Diego to go to my cousin's daughter's 4th birthday party. She is born one day before Rylee. These 2 girls have been growing right before our eyes. I can't believe they are 4 and 5. Chloe had a Yo Gabba Gabba party. Lots of kids, sun, splashing, food, cake and with all the kids there only one got their teeth knocked out. Two of the kids collided.. and that was the end of their party.
On Labor Day GG and Boppa had a BBQ. We had lots of laughs and luckily only one incident happened at GG's as well. The kids were on the slip n slide and my cousin Jensen were pushing them down and Chloe knocked right into Jackson and she got a huge black eye. Poor girl. Other than the teeth and black eye it was such a fun family weekend. Can't wait to do it again. Sorry for all the pictures.. I guess we just had fun :)

Rylee lost her first tooth! 8-31-09

2009-09-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we had a big milestone happen in the Achee house. Our oldest baby lost her first tooth. This tooth had just been hanging for the longest time. I asked so many times to touch it just so I could tug on it, but Rylee caught on. Finally I went to brush her teeth one night and it fell right out. Rylee got so scared because she saw all the blood. We re-assured her that it is normal and the blood finally was gone. She then got excited and couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come. That was the fun part for CJ and I. The "tooth fairy" left her $5 and she was a happy camper. I have to admit that it looks funny but I know her teeth will grow back in. Last night while we were eating dinner Rylee starts crying. She told me her tooth really hurt so I look in her mouth and feel her teeth and sure enough she has a second loose tooth. This girl is going to be toothless pretty soon and the tooth fairy is going to be poor!