The Life & Times of The Millers

Adaisms

2013-06-11T16:46:00.003-07:00

The latest things that I've heard come out of my favorite 3 1/2-year-old's mouth!

I tucked her in for bed and said, "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" She looked at me and said, "Bed bug? Does he have a pillow on his back?!"

Aquabats = Unclebats

Dentist = Toothbrush Man

Asking all of her favorite things before bedtime, I stopped because her eyes were getting heavy (and I was running out of ideas). She was an inch from my face and said, "Say more words."

She swallowed a candy whole at a Thai restaurant months ago and it got stuck in her throat. We went there again and she said, "I ate a candy here and I had a sickness."

While driving in the car, "I wish we could live by my boyfriend. My girlfriend is named Signie and my boyfriend is Kenno."

"Cap'n Walt has a plane and a car. Uncle Sean has a plane and a bus."

"Mommy, my teddy bear's not real. And I really want to sleep with real people."

Lola is 22 Months Old!

2013-06-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

My baby is almost two years old! She is still our little snuggle-love. So sweet and loving! She just said the word happy for the first time today, which is fitting for our happy girl.

Fun things about Lola at 22 months:

Everything has "eeeee" on the end. If something is hot: "Hottie!"

While handing you something, "Hee-ya-go!"

When I explain something to her, "Ohhhh!"

When she does something well, "YAY!" (with arms in the air)

Gah-go = gotta go

Cah-co = Costco

Favorite words: No & Mine (Myyyyyy!)

Has to have her favorite blanket and a stuffed animal to sleep with, "Elmo!" or her bunny from Auntie Linds. I lay her down, tuck her in, then she looks up and says, "Bye." This girl loves her sleep!

On Dora the Explorer, there is a mean fox named Swiper. You have to say, "Swiper no swiping!" Then he can't take whatever he was going to steal and says, "Aww man!" and runs away. This is Lola imitating him:

Has the cheekiest little smile I've ever seen on a toddler! So happy, cute little dimples, just the sweetest. Loves to be a monkey or owl, depending on which bath towel she gets:

Her favorite color is, "LELLOW!"

Loves her sister, "Dayda!"

Loves to chant her name, "LO-LA! LO-LA!"

Happy 22 months sweet girl! xoxo

Happy National Running Day!

2013-06-05T15:11:00.003-07:00

Hungry Running Girl posted this quiz for us to do in honor of National Running Day! Do it yourself in the comments or on your own blog.

Also, tweet or instagram why you run and Timex will donate $5 to the One Fund Boston to help those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing. 60 people will win a Timex Ironman watch!

1. On average how many races do you run a year? 2...I'd love to do more than that!

2. Head accessories, things you have to run with: Hat, sunglasses, lipgloss, ponytail/bun.

3. Where do your workouts come from? A training plan. I used one from Ragnar first, then from Fitness.com, now on one from Double Your Endurance.

4. How many miles on average do you put on a pair of shoes? 300? I just run in them until they start to feel lame. I guess I should be more scientific about it!

5. Cell phone - do you bring it with you on your run or leave it at home? Bring it! Always! I feel naked without my phone, plus it tracks my mileage through RunKeeper.

6. What was your last running related injury or have you been an injury free runner? Stress fracture on the top of my right foot last year. Booooooooooooo!

7. Is your current running goal about running a farther distance (adding more mileage) or getting faster or BOTH?!? BOTH! I am so proud that I completed 13.1 miles, but next year my goal is to do it faster.

8. Speedwork—-> at the track, on the treadmill, on the roads or never do it? On the roads. But I would like to try the track to make it more official-feeling!

9. Stretching after a run: hit the ground after a run and get stretching, stretch in the shower, stretch once you get to work/school, skip the stretching? Ohhhh stretching. I wish I had more time for you. After last night's run, I ran straight upstairs and made dinner, scarfed it down, and went to a meeting. So no stretching happened. I need to be better about it!

10. What was your reason for starting to run? I've run ever since I can remember. I was one of the fastest girls in elementary school, and beat boys in a dress! I always loved the Jog-a-thons and Turkey Trots and winning movie tickets :) Things have changed of course (I'm not so fast anymore), but I keep running for my health, sanity, and family's happiness. Matt says, "I like you when you run." I definitely am a more patient person when I do!

Half Marathon Playlist

2013-05-29T00:31:00.002-07:00

Here is my playlist from the 13.1:

I know, I know...I have crazy random music taste. It's all over the place.

California Love - 2Pac
Waiting Game - Yellowcard
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
White Lights - Rufio
Let Me Entertain You - Robbie Williams (wondered what this guy has been up to since '99 and turns out he's still at it.)
Life Is a Highway - Rascal Flatts (WAY better than the original!)
Maxwell Murder - Rancid
Our House - Madness
Here it Goes Again - OK GO
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
Where the Blacktop Ends - Keith Urban
You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) - Josh Groban (pushed me up Corkscrew Hill! Surprisingly motivating)
Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' - Journey
California Girls - Katy Perry
Body Count - Justin Timberlake
Rusty Cage - Johnny Cash
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
I Wish You Were Here - Incubus
Sweet Child of Mine - Guns N Roses
You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
You May Be Right - Billy Joel
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Scream - Michael Jackson
Living on A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Jump - Van Halen
Say Anything - Bouncing Souls
Freefallin' - John Mayer
Drink & Fight - Lagwagon
Back in Black - AC/DC

My First Half Marathon!

2013-05-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I ran my first half marathon ever! It was amazing. It was a gorgeous course running from Santa Ynez to Solvang (30 min. from my hometown). I ran with my cousin & friend, and we stuck together the whole time! I keep thinking that when my children look back on this picture, it will be neat to see the gas prices waaaaay back in 2013!

Rach forgot her bib in her mom's car, so she got a random bib 2 minutes before start time! It was so funny to hear people at the aid stations give us water and say, "Great job, Kara! Go Roxanna!" It's her sexy running alter-ego :)

Before the race & scenery along the way:

We got stuck in the porta potty cube of death before the race! There was a big square lined with potties on three sides. People were lined up in all directions, it was madness. We ended up in a line that was actually 4 lines merging into two. There were probably 200 runners waiting, and we all were saying there was no way the race would start on time because there were so many of us still waiting. WRONG. They started anyway. And we still had to check our bags because we didn't want to lose our spot in line! So here I am crossing the start line, running while putting my phone in my armband and hooking up headphones!

The residents along the course were AMAZING! We saw a woman walking a turkey, people sitting in lawn chairs cheering us on, but the best were these people:

Sitting at the end of their property, in the back of their pickup truck with their dogs, waving an American flag. They said, "God Bless America!" as we ran by and I was so happy to be home. You just don't see or hear that sort of thing in Santa Cruz!

Lindsay, Matt, & the girls met us at about the halfway point in Los Olivos. I could see the big flagpole for about a half mile, and it really gave me a burst of energy knowing that they were there waiting for us!

I ran up and saw Ada cheering, "Go Mommy, you can do it Mommy!" And Lola didn't know what was going on until I kissed her cheek :)

I didn't think I was going to be in the picture below...

I was feeling pretty amazing after scaling Corkscrew Hill to Josh Groban's Awake. I felt like I was in a movie! The golden rolling hills, the oak trees, the green lines of vineyards...it was so beautiful. I absolutely loved running with Jessica and Rachel. It was so good to know that when one of us was weak, another would be strong and lift the others up!

So there was this bison, a very protective mama! She charged Rach when she went in for a picture, and it was the funniest thing I've ever seen! She moved SO fast and everyone running was cracking up. I wish I had a video!

I LOVED miles 4-9. I was in my groove and my calves had loosened up. By mile 10, I needed a potty break and so did Rach. We stopped and then continued on, my hips and pelvis hurting more with each step. I've worked so hard since having Lola to get my shifty hips tight again, and I feel like all of my hard work held up until mile 10. My body was exhausted, and I had eaten all of my Skittles & Shot Bloks. It felt like all of my ligaments just relaxed and I could feel my bones moving and rubbing against each other.

At the 11.5 mile mark, I saw a sign with a hot pink shirt on it. I thought, "Hey, I have a shirt like that." Then I realized that Rachel's pic was on the poster next to it! It was my awesome sister-in-law, Kandie! She made a poster and came at the point where I wanted to quit. If it weren't for her at the bottom of that hill, I probably would've walked up it instead of run! Sorry for the big sweaty hug, but I was so happy that you came out and surprised us...we needed it at that point!

I wasn't mentally prepared for the hills at the end. I looked at the elevation map and thought once I made it past Corkscrew Hill, I was home free. Do not discount those rolling hills those last 3 miles! They may look small but they are no joke. I was getting goosebumps and felt like my legs were going to give out at the tops.

I kept saying to myself, "You run 2 miles in your sleep. You run 2 miles in your sleep."

When I finally rounded the last half-mile (worst of my life), I could hear people cheering and knew the finish line was close. I first saw my Nana & Bobba, which was a surprise because they were driving up from a long week of serving at the Los Angeles Temple! I know they were tired and it meant so much to see them there! I almost burst into tears. Then Matt lifted Ada over the railing and she ran across the finish line with me.

What a perfect way to end a race. See Bobba in the background? :)

She was smiling and waving at everyone cheering us on. I have a future race buddy on my hands!

She loved wearing my medal & almost snatched one of her own!

The three of us, after completing our first half marathon together! My hot pink compression socks saved my calves...and made me stick out in a crowd. Matt said he was looking for my socks! They are miracle workers.

Afterward, Rach & I took advantage of the free massage booth. That should be a part of every race...best feeling ever! I walked (slowly) away with a bruise on the top of my left foot, and my right pinky toe is still numb. My knees and ankles are starting to feel back to normal.

Ada wanted to ice her feet along with Rach :)

Then we headed to Kay's Country Kitchen in Old Orcutt for the best breakfast food in the West. Seriously. Matt and I split the BAGS Omelette and Texas French Toast. I ate my full halves of everything. Matt says he doesn't like me running half marathons because I eat all of the food he was planning on finishing for me!

I finally got my big Dr. Pepper that I was dreaming of the whole run.

Our gun time was off because of the porta potty debacle, but my official chip time was 2:57:27.5. I am happy with that because I wasn't out to set a record, I was out to push myself to finish and never stop. Not bad for having surgery 44 days previous! I feel so empowered and strong after finishing this race. I am so grateful for a strong body and for a will to push forward and work hard. I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who gave me this body, this beautiful Earth to enjoy, and these wonderful people I get to call family to support me in all of my endeavors along the way.

We decided that this needs to be a Mother's Day Weekend tradition, so I am excited to run it again next year with more friends and with this experience under my belt! Thanks for a wonderful time Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon!

Hyundai Santa Fe’s Epic Playdate Recap!

2013-05-03T01:25:00.001-07:00

So remember when I wrote about Hyundai's Epic Playdate Sweepstakes HERE? And I wished so badly that I could go? Well, I was invited to it! :D Ahhhh!!

We left Lola with my mom in Santa Maria, then Matt & I took Ada down to Dos Pueblos Ranch in Goleta for the day. I've driven by that sign hundreds of times before, and it's easy to see why Cabrillo first came to shore here. We were treated to delicious food (hello breakfast burritos!), engaging game stations, fun music, and gorgeous scenery.

It was a perfect, blue-sky, sunny Santa Barbara day for us. First thing was first: hula hooping!

This is serious business, guys. Tongue action required.

Check it out, I'm wearing my blarf! It's my scarf I bust out for blogging events. I feel the need to be fancy since other bloggers are much more fashionable than I, so the blarf comes out :)

Ada played photographer:

Then we did sand art together. Liz from Say Yes to Hoboken put this activity on & was so nice. Hi Liz! :) This was Ada's favorite! After every other activity, she would ask to go back to sand art. She & I could've stayed there all day!

Definitely my daughter :)

We had to take advantage of the photo-op in front of the shiny new Santa Fe! Matt's sold. So am I...it's a beautiful car & perfect for family adventures!

There were ballon making classes:

Giant beach ball volleyball:

Matt punching the ball & taking out a kid (not really, I hope)

They even had a big Quiet Tent! Absolutely genius. Ada said she wanted to lay down at naptime, so we did just that. There were pillows, books, and soft music playing. I was kidding with Matt that we were going to fall asleep and then Ada would be wandering the ranch alone!

Buncha nuts.

We had a tin foil contest...Ada didn't want to be a warrior - she wanted to be a princess.

She didn't mind getting a whipped cream beard though!

She knew what to do with that! Mmm.

Papa was a...super balloon shiny turban guy?

This Princess sure loves her Papa :)

He's good at carrying stuff on his shoulders.

Eating McConnell's ice cream! The best.

Then there was a paint fight! Maggie from Mighty Girl organized it, and it was awesome. She was so sweet, and it's a good thing I had no idea how huge she was in the blogging world before I met her because I would've said something ridiculous. Well, I still might have anyway, but I wasn't nervous talking to her at least :)

Look at that sweet face. Does that look like a girl who's about to douse you with paint?

After the paint war, it was time for us to head home. We were pooped from all of the FUN!

Ada was so overly tired from missing her nap, so on the ride home she was cranky. She was asking for snacks but I didn't have any, so we stopped at McDonald's and got her some fries. I think she ate one before I turned around to see this:

I think that is the sign of an EPIC day indeed!

Thank you so much to Hyundai, Federated Media, Clever Girls, and Dos Pueblos Ranch for putting on such a wonderful event. They really thought of everything and it was such a great time!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Running Music!

2013-04-30T23:04:00.002-07:00

I ran 9 miles last night, just to know that I could do it. I ran slow, 11:30/min. pace. I didn't want to injure myself and be hurt for the half marathon in 2 weeks! I honestly didn't feel good until mile 4. The sun went down and Sweet Home Alabama came pumping through my headphones!

Here is my playlist from last night (all radio edits, I might add):

Mirrors - Justin Timberlake
Jump - Van Halen
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Fight for your Right - Beastie Boys
I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry
Stronger - Kanye West
Living On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Live Beside the Ocean - Everclear
More Than A Feelin' - Boston
My Love - Justin Timberlake
Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Scream - Michael Jackson
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
You & Me - Dave Matthews Band
You May Be Right - Billy Joel
Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Back in Black - AC/DC
I Believe in A Thing Called Love - The Darkness
In Your Honor - Foo Fighters (nothing gets me moving like Dave Grohl's scream)
Gold Digger - Kanye West
Money Maker - Ludacris
No Way Back - Foo Fighters

What are your favorite songs for running?

My Fault.

2013-04-24T23:27:00.002-07:00

I did a bad thing. I didn't follow my training schedule. I completely forgot about a meeting for church last Wednesday night...I didn't put it in my calendar. Boo :( So when Matt got home from work, we went to Costco to pick up my antibiotics (yay for sinus headaches all day & night) and were planning on running my 5 miles as a family afterward. Then I got a text from my friend saying she was almost to the church and I went, "Oh no! I completely spaced!" Told them I'd be right there and hustled to the church. When I got home from my meeting, it was after dark and I was too scared to run alone...even with my pepper spray. That tells you something about Santa Cruz! The crazies come out at night.

So I ran my 5 miles the next day, which was supposed to be my rest day. Then I walked 1, ran 3, walked 1 the next day, Friday. Then I wore old tennis shoes camping that night. Bad, bad idea. I have extremely high arches. When I make a footprint on the ground, nothing connects my heel to the ball of my foot. My arch doesn't touch the ground at all! So I dug around for my old arch supports and couldn't find them but thought it wouldn't be a big deal. Wrong! My feet were so sore from wearing the old tennies while camping & painting the wharf the next day. Saturday was supposed to be my big 8 mile run, but I could only make it 3.3 miles before my right calf was giving me trouble. I knew better than to push through it and was running slow, stretching it out, everything I could think of. But I knew I had to stop and just let my feet & legs rest.

So I've been resting. I always rest on Sunday (wore my comfy heels to church too...does that make a difference for any of you ladies? Or is it just because of my high arches?). Monday I walked 2, ran 3, then came home. I was still sore but it was a huge improvement from Saturday's run. I took it easy and stretched often.

Today I ran a slow 4 and am sore. There were only tiny twinges here and there in my right calf where the pain was on Saturday. Mostly just soreness in my calves altogether. I've been trying to focus on running properly...keeping good form is really hard while pushing a stroller! Tomorrow is a rest day and I'm going to foam roll & stretch all day. While wearing my hot pink compression socks! Aww yeah :) Speaking of, keep checking back for something exciting...who doesn't love a giveaway?!

Half-Marathon Training!

2013-04-18T23:44:00.003-07:00

My cousin Rach & I had this crazy idea that we should run a Half Marathon. Why not? We did Ragnar SoCal last year and tried to get a family Ragnar together but it didn't work out, so we figured that the two of us should run a 1/2 together! I found the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon which fit the bill perfectly. 30 min. from our home, on a Saturday, and would have us home with our mommas for Mother's Day! My total distance for my 3 Ragnar legs was 14.5 miles, so I've never run 13.1 all at once! I'm nervous & excited. But more excited than anything :)

Whenever I've trained for an event, something has come up. With Ragnar it was a stress fracture on the top of my right foot. With this, it was my gallbladder. Since having it removed, training has been great! Just some minor irritation on one of the incisions that my waistband hits, but it's healing up nicely. I feel strong and sore :)

The training plan I'm doing is from Fitness Magazine and I LOVE it! It's something different every day, so it keeps you guessing and lets your body recover enough. I moved everything over one day so that Sunday and Thursday are my rest days, and my long runs are on Saturday.

I like that you walk miles, run a few, then walk. It gets you used to being outside for a long period of time and burns fat! Cross training is great, I've been doing yoga & P90X.
Last Saturday I ran 6.5 miles and I hit my halfway point and hit a wall. I immediately got a text from my husband saying, "Go West Cliff!!! You're making great time babe!" He was tracking my phone on the iPad and it was the BEST pick-me-up ever!! Gave me the second wind I needed to finish strong.

I have my longest run yet this Saturday, 8 miles! I'm running 4 and Matt is meeting me with the girls for the last 4. Training with a double stroller makes you feel SO FAST when you run without it! Today I was going into the wind for the first half of my run, and the sunshade acted like a huge parachute catching the wind and pushing against me! When I turned around and had that wind at my back, it was wonderful :)

The Half Marathon is only 3 weeks away...I can't believe it!

Lysol Healthing Initiative

2013-04-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Lysol means CLEAN to me! As a child, my mom would have us clean our bathroom and change our sheets every Saturday. We would fill up the sink with hot water and Lysol and scrub the bathroom down. The smell of that all-purpose, lemon cleaner is a favorite of mine.

While my cleaning habits have changed a bit, Lysol is still by my side. I love Lysol wipes and use them for everything. Wiping down my kitchen table, the girls' toys, doorknobs, counters...basically any surface that needs cleaning!

Lysol has started a new campaign centered around the idea that we want to keep our families completely healthy, along with keeping our homes clean. They are calling this idea Healthing. I like it! Don't just clean your house, take steps to make sure that your family is healthy in all aspects of their lives.

Extra steps that I take to keep my family healthy:

- washing hands after being around others, especially before eating
- using hand sanitizer when washing isn't an option
- getting outside with my daughters at least once a day
- teaching my girls to cough and sneeze into their elbows
- feeding my family well-rounded meals and snacks
- using Lysol wipes to disinfect toys and items after germy hands have touched them (ie. we have a playdate with someone who has a runny nose, or my own girls have been sick)
- wiping down the grocery cart before touching it, especially during cold & flu season!

Spring cleaning season is upon us, and one of my favorite tips is to take cleaning room-by-room. For me, there is no way that I could clean my entire house in one day without losing my sanity. If I break it up into one room a day, it becomes much more manageable an I am much more likely to actually complete the task!

One of my other favorite cleaning tips is to start top to bottom. I love to vacuum, so I used to always start with that. Then, once I'd dusted and wiped surfaces off, I realized that I was putting more things onto the ground that needed to be vacuumed up! I was making more work for myself. So start from the top with dusting, work your way down to wiping off surfaces, then vacuum/sweep/mop. It makes a big difference for me!

To spread the word about Healthing, Lysol and Giuliana Rancic have partnered up with YMCAs to demonstrate Healthing in action. At each chosen YMCA, Lysol will be demonstrating the steps to take to "healthify" their lives and will make it fun for children as well. One lucky family will even receive a one-year membership to the YMCA!

To see how you can implement Healthing into your family's life, head to Lysol's website: http://www.lysol.com/healthing, their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Lysol or their guidebook: http://www.lysol.com/healthing/what-is-healthing

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL^®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

1 Week Post-Op

2013-04-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, ye olde gallbladder has been history for 9 days now. I am happy to say that I am almost back to normal! The bellybutton incision is bruised and hurts the worst. The rest are just a little sore, depending if Lola kicks me or elbows me on that day :)

The day after the surgery, I felt the worst. There was pain in my neck and shoulders from all of the air bubbles, and I needed help laying down in bed and getting up. I pretty much hung out on the couch that day while Matt juggled work calls and watching the girls. He is super man! He says that he doesn't know how I do everything, and I made sure to point out that I'm not on the phone trying to close deals as I parent two little girls every day!

Friday night, my mom got into town and I was so happy to see her! The next day, Matt helped me shower (I couldn't get the bandages wet) and I felt so much better. It's amazing what clean hair and fresh make-up can do for a girl. My mom and I went to the Gilroy Outlets while Matt watched the girls and it was awesome! Everyone was skeptical of me going shopping two days after surgery, but it was a total break without two kids and a stroller :) We took our time (my mom said she's not used to me walking so slow) and got a lot accomplished. We even stopped at Target on the way home and got stuff for the girls' Easter baskets! My only major disappointment was that I could not find a good sports bra. Is it so much to ask for ample coverage on a high impact sports bra?! I went to lululemon, Nike, Jockey, and Under Amour and they all had flimsy sports bras or pads that looked ridiculous. I guess I'll just have to order one online and hope for the best.

Sunday I went to church and was kind of a zombie...Ada was really clingy to me so I went to Sunbeams with her and sat with her in Sharing Time. I made dinner and took a nap. Then the girls had their egg hunt & were so cute! Ada knew the routine and Lola just carried one egg around forever.

Monday we went to Downtown Santa Cruz and shopped some more. We had a yummy meal at Cafe Campiseno, it's a cute little green building outside of New Leaf Market with some seriously good Mexican food! It closes at 6 PM though, so plan accordingly.

I've been living in maxi dresses since the surgery! And my friend told me about these great things called half-shirts, I ordered one from Shade and need to get more! It's perfect for under dresses and not wanting anything on your stomach.

My mom has been such an incredible help to me. Lifting Lola in and out of her carseat, in and out of high chairs, lifting the stroller in and out of the back of her car, and carrying the carseat to her car. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs. for 2 weeks (yeah, not gonna happen...I've already broken that rule multiple times with Lola).

She also got up with the girls and fixed them breakfast while letting me sleep in. And watched them when they woke up from naps so that I could nap too. I am convinced that I wouldn't be feeling as well now had she not come to help me when Matt went back to work. She is amazing!!

On Tuesday, we went to San Jose to go shopping some more! We went to the Stevens Creek Mall and had a blast. Ada doesn't like being in the stores for very long and can't wait to go back out into the mall! We ate at Cheesecake Factory and found a parking spot right in front of it. It was a good day :)

In Nordstrom, I was wiping Lola's hands off with a baby wipe while my mom was checking out. I stood up and saw that Ada had wandered off. I wasn't worried, because she knows to stay close. After calling her name and walking a bit with no sign of her, I immediately went to the escalators that she was fascinated with. She wasn't there (thank goodness). I saw a girl flag my mom down and walked over to see a sad, scared, little Ada grabbing onto my mom's leg. I bent down to hug her and she said, "Mommy I was really lost!" She cried a little bit and my eyes welled up with tears. I thanked the sweet girl who worked at Nordstrom for helping her. She said that Ada told her my full name and exactly what I was wearing! That made me proud and I told Ada that she did everything right. It turns out that she was trying to get back to the dressing room where the pedestal is to look at your clothing in the mirror. The girl had the phone in her hand to page me, we got there just in time. She was gone for about 2 or 3 minutes, and we talked about how important it is to stay close! After the ordeal the girl asked Ada if she wanted a balloon and she lit up and forgot about the whole thing.

On Wednesday, we went to Zachary's for a scrumptious brunch. We shared Mike's Mess and brought home a loaf of their incredible whole wheat bread. When the girls napped, I finished laundry and packed. We drove down to Santa Maria while the girls were awake, and oh how I wished that I had been packed and ready to go during their nap! I didn't think to bring the DVD player and the drive was spent breaking up squabbles and trying to shush screaming. It hurt my incisions to keep turning around and I was so glad to finally arrive in SLO and get some tri-tip! We met up with Lindsay & the girls were so happy to see her :) They got to bed sooooo late and were so hard to put down. Subsequent nights have been much better!

On Thursday, we went to Farmers Market in SLO and met up with my friend Linda and her cute girls. I miss this so much!

Sam & Ada were born two weeks apart. They are so cute together & the best of friends!

F. McLintock's BBQ, grilled artichokes, & lemonade! Mmm

Lola was happy with donut holes from SLO Donut Company & strawberries from Linda

And so tired from a fun day!

Yesterday, we went to Avila Beach's Farmers Market and the weather was PERFECT! Nice and warm, no wind, and clear blue skies. We met up with my sister-in-law, Kandie, and her kids, friends the Griffiths, Tiana & Linda and their girls. It was so fun! Fish tacos from Old Port Inn and lemonade, live music, friends & family...heaven!

Tomorrow is my birthday!!! So happy to be home, feeling better, and celebrating with my dear family :)

Gallbladder Be Gone!

2013-03-31T21:14:00.001-07:00

I finally had that pesky organ removed! It was such a strange feeling being in the hospital bed with no pain. I sat back, read my book, and enjoyed peace and quiet. I was joking with the nurses that I came to the hospital to have surgery just so that I could have a day off! They would see on my chart that I had two small children and say, "Oh, you're busy!"

My first gallbladder attack was when Ada was only 2 months old. Evidently it's very common to have problems with your gallbladder after having babies. Since then, I have had 4 more attacks. Every time I went into the ER, the ultrasound would show that there were stones in my gallbladder, but that my organs were not in distress and my blood work was fine as well. Every time I would ask them to take it out, and they'd say no. You're young, healthy, and it will pass. Well after this last attack, I was up all night throwing up and Matt had to take the next day off work. I was fed up and knew that I couldn't go on living this way! It didn't matter what I ate, one attack was after a salad while everyone else ate pizza. I just needed it to be out. There was no way I could go on wondering what was going to trigger an attack. I was afraid to eat and scared to fall asleep. And there is no way you can be a good mother after you've spent the night hugging the toilet!

So, I scheduled my surgery and opted for robotic laparoscopic gallbladder removal. Because A: Technology is awesome and B: The robot let my surgeon have 3D vision and more mobility. It was really neat, he told the robot what to do from his little area then came bedside to finish up when he was done. (That's not my surgeon below.)

No make-up, headband, hospital gown. I sent this to Matt with the caption, "Bringing sexy back!" Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm working the angles in this pic. Hospital gowns are giant tents of unforgiving cloth.

Everything went according to plan and they even got me in ahead of schedule. Everyone was extremely nice, my first nurses Barbara and Kathy, and the Kevin dude who rolled me into the waiting area. My anesthesiologist was Dr. Plum, with the needle, in the operating room. He was great and talked to me about his Jawbone UP bracelet that I noticed and really want!
I really wanted to see the robot, and Dr. Lee said I would when they wheeled me into the operating room. Not the case! The last thing I remember is, "Okay, Kara. Now you're going to go to sleep." And I did :)
When I woke up, I was in a recovery room with a nurse who looked like Roger Sterling from Mad Men.

I asked him if anyone had ever told him that before, and he said yes. But that he doesn't see himself like that. He had the same white curly hair and I loved him. He called me sweetie and rubbed my arm. I was in a ton of pain coming out of the anesthesia, and he made sure to give me more morphine. Evidently I have a high tolerance for that stuff, because they kept pumping more into me and I was still in pain. Then they gave me fentanol and it finally took the edge off. I was so tired and just wanted to sleep, but every time I would drift off, my breathing would become shallow and my other nurse, a little Philippino lady named Grace, would yell, "BIG! DEEP! BREATHS, KARAAAAAA!" I didn't care for being yelled at, so I learned to start taking deep, exaggerated breaths the second my machine would beep, letting me know I wasn't breathing deep enough.
I stayed in recovery for longer than expected because of the pain. I didn't want to go to another room where they'd only be able to give me oral pain meds. Once I finally got some water (I hadn't had anything to drink for 36 hours) and food in me, I was feeling better and ready to go home. Matt picked me up and the girls were so happy to see me!

Ada picked these daisies for me to make me feel better :)
I went home and slept for a few hours, then came upstairs with Matt when the girls went to bed. He worked from home on Thursday and Friday and was super dad and husband! We had Marina & Stacy watch the girls too, thank you SO much! It was such a big help to us.
Friday I laid low and just tried to relax. I walked around the house to try and get the air out of my body, it really makes your back and shoulders sore! My mom got here on Friday evening and it's been so nice having her here. The hardest part for me is not being able to pick up my girls, so it's nice that they are getting some extra snuggles from someone else.
I went shopping with my mom yesterday, and was surprised at how good I felt. Shopping is a completely different game without kids and a stroller!
Today I went to church and did okay. Thank goodness for painkillers :) I was about to fall asleep a few times, but I was glad I went. Sorry to anyone I talked to if I didn't make sense!
Easter has been wonderful. Friday night we decorated these little guys:

We didn't use the dye at all and they were mess-free. Thanks Target! Notice how Humpty Dumpty has a battle wound...he's dangerous.

We had an unconventional Easter dinner of Baked Ziti, but it was perfectly delicious & easy. My sweet girls in their new church outfits from Nonnie :)

Ada's been worried about me...sleeping by my side and checking on me every morning. I woke up yesterday to her rubbing my arm :)

Thank you to everyone for the well-wishes. I am hoping that this recovery will continue to go well and that I will be able to continue training for my half marathon as soon as possible!

Ada-isms

2013-03-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

"Mommy, I'm gonna eat your face. Then, I'm gonna drink your eyes!"

Ada was bouncing her feet on my chair at dinner. I kept moving them in front of her, and she kept putting them back on my chair. I said, "Ada, please stop kicking my chair! You're driving me nuts!" She goes, "Nuts on your faaaaaace! Hahahahhaaaa!"

She was singing a song she made up. It sounded like, "Douche-y, douche-y, douche, douche, douche-y!" Now I hesitated to share this, because I despise that word! I hate that it has become a socially acceptable nickname for jerks. Disgusting. We never ever say that word, so I know it was just a fluke made-up song with a word she thought she created. Let's just hope she doesn't ever sing it in public. Or at church.

We were walking in Target and passed a lady who was severely obese. Ada said, loud enough for her to hear, "Her's got a BIG tummy!" It was the first time I was embarrassed in public by one of my children. I whispered in her ear to not make comments about how people look in public and she innocently asked, "Why not?" We had a talk about being polite and not pointing, etc. on the drive home.

Eating oatmeal at the table for breakfast & Ada is wiggling her bowl around. I sang, "Danc-ing oat-meal!" and she sang back, "Oat-meal dance par-ty, with - the - spoon!"

Ada would not go to sleep last night. Matt and I said goodnight multiple times, took her potty, etc. She finally came up the stairs and said, "We didn't say prayers." She was right...we came home from the store late and rushed to get the girls in bed quickly. We then knelt down and Ada said a prayer of thanks for the day & that she and Lola would sleep well. She stayed in bed after that :)

In Sunbeams, they were learning about water and all of the things we need it for. Ada's teacher asked her, "Do you use water to help your mommy cook things?" Ada just stared at her for a second and then responded flatly, "I'm just a kid."

Angry with Lola because she wanted something she had, "Lola, SHARE! SHARING IS CARING!"

She had a cut on her knuckle and said, "Mommy! Look at my nickel!"

Ones I already shared on facebook but will post for the sake of documentation:

Sitting here with a stack of Joe-Joes and a glass of milk. Ada comes over, eyeing the cookies and says, "OH! Family cookies!" I said, "Noooo. These are MOMMY cookies." She goes, "I don't know...those really really look like family cookies!"

Listening to Justin Timberlake's new song Suit & Tie...he says, "Let me show you a few things" Ada asks, "Why he wanna show me the toothpaste?!"

Listening to the baby monitor, Ada is telling Lola to "cry a lot!" so that I'll come down and get them. :) "Cry, Lola, cry!"

Hyundai Santa Fe’s Epic Playdate Weekend

2013-03-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hyundai is putting on an EPIC PLAYDATE on the beach in Santa Barbara, CA next month! I love Santa Barbara with all of my heart and know it will be a fun time. Some popular bloggers (Heather from Dooce, Jordan from Oh Happy Day, among others) will be there teaching things like photography for kids, hula hooping, and there will be an ice cream sundae station, too. Sold!

It's invite-only, so enter the sweepstakes here: http://clvr.li/X4rpgE and I'll cross my fingers & toes for you! I hope I get picked to go, any excuse to go visit the family and take a trip down to Santa Barbara is a good one!

With my family, an ideal playdate is usually spontaneous. On Saturdays, we've usually spent the morning inside...eating breakfast, lounging around, cleaning, and taking care of chores. Then we get antsy and need to get out of the house and do something, so we go. We love going to the beach and can't wait for the girls to be old enough to boogie board and surf! For now, we just jump over the waves :)

I've been dying to try out the Whale City Bakery in Davenport, the tiniest little beach town just north of us here in Santa Cruz. We've driven by it a couple of times and I looked it up online...they have a great reputation for their fish n' chips and baked goods. Since our favorite fish n' chips place closed (Andy's on the wharf) :( I need a replacement!

We would grab food to go and then continue to drive up the coast, looking for the perfect beach to claim as ours for the day. We'd spend our time exploring and pretending, unplugged, and enjoying each other's company. 3 and 1-year-olds love looking for rocks and shells, building sandcastles, writing in the sand, and running around. Who am I kidding? So do 27 and 28-year-olds! I imagine our day winding down at sunset, with sandy, tired little children being carried back to the car. Chubby feet brushed off with beach towels, and girls buckled in their carseats for the drive home...where they both fall asleep clutching their favorite treasure from our epic playdate.

Also, if kayaking down a sand dune is available...we're doing that too!

That little guy looks SO happy.

Hyundai’s Epic Playdate Weekend (http://clvr.li/YYVZKY) is on April 27 from 9 AM-5 PM in Santa Barbara, CA. You have to have a Pinterest account to enter (go here: http://clvr.li/X4rpgE for complete details)
Important: When you are asked “How did you hear about us?” Make sure and choose Clever Girls Collective! GOOD LUCK! :)

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

My First Ragnar Relay!

2013-03-18T00:22:00.001-07:00

Last April, I ran the SoCal Ragnar Relay! While nursing! It's one of the most incredible things I have ever done. It is a 200-mile relay race from Huntington Beach to Coronado Island. You are on a team of 12, in two giant vans, and one member of your team is running at all times! You have 3 different legs, and my legs added up to a total of 14.5 miles.

I drove down to Santa Maria on Thursday to drop my girls off at my mom's house. Thank you Mommy!! I was so stressed out by many things...I had a stress (ha) fracture on the top of my right foot that wasn't completely healed, I had to pack all of my girls' things to leave at my mom's, then pack all of my things separately for the race to take down to Huntington Beach. Matt had just graduated and was in the middle of interviews and work so stayed up here in Santa Cruz. I ended up with a stiff neck and am grateful for Rach and Tiana for rubbing it so I could run! I made granola bars and we had lots of good snacks for the road. We spent the night at one of Elise's friend's house...thank you friends!! Tiana, Rach, & I ended up sleeping in a closet converted into a bedroom with Bob Marley flags and a bong it it. It was comical :) I had to pump in the bathroom during the night and people kept asking, "What's that noise?" haha

Here is beautiful Tiana, ready to run her first leg. Our team name was Run Like an Egyptian, hence the flashy costumes. It was already really hot at this point in the morning!

Here is my gorgeous cousin Rach, who ran right before me. It was SO HOT here! We were resting up in the shade. She had a really rough time, and I was worried when she wasn't at the exchange in the amount of time she told us she'd be there. There was a saint of a man who helped her along, and she finally made it through the 110 degree heat and to hand off the bracelet to me.

Game face on. Nobody recognized me without my smile :)

Cousins!

What happened during my run was the worst run of my entire life. It was 110 degrees out, in the middle of Corona, CA. There was a heat advisory, and I was running 5.65 miles straight up a canyon! I could feel the asphalt burning my skin. It felt like a giant griddle on high heat under my feet. See the CamelPak I'm wearing in the picture above? I ripped it off my back and gave it to my teammates around mile 2 because it was BOILING. I went for a sip and it was so hot I just spit it out.

The only thing that kept me going up that cursed canyon was knowing that I would see that big white van pulled over, with my team cheering me on. Bringing me water, pouring it down my face to have it dry seconds later, and offering words of encouragement.

What really surprised me about Ragnar was how supportive other teams were. A random team gave me water during a long stretch. I caught up to a woman and stopped to commiserate about the heat, and she and I stayed together for most of the leg. We ran a minute, walked a minute. It kept us going. I really appreciated the camaraderie between teams!

I have never experienced heat exhaustion like that. I trained in 60-70 degree beach weather in Santa Cruz, my body was in complete shock! It was strange, my legs and everything felt fine, it wasn't a soreness or pain. It was like the energy and life had just been sucked out of me. Getting to the top of Temescal Canyon and seeing Mary ready to run was one of the best feelings in the world!

I was dreaming of this Dr. Pepper the whole run...that server was my best friend because he kept 'em coming :)

After our van finished up our legs, we were able to head over to this crazy little place in the middle of a valley, the Lawrence Welk Resort. Who knew such a place existed?! We busted out our sleeping bags, grateful for the cool evening air, and got some much needed rest.

We also equipped the vans with lights and all things LED!

Elise sliding down the front of the van:

We got word from Van #1 that we were almost ready to run. So we all met up and cheered our team on! Then off to the next exchanges. Thank goodness for Carly & her Garmin! That thing got us everywhere we needed to be on time. Carly's mom was our driver and she was a hoot! So full of energy, she gave us little tokens along the way to lift our spirits, and she was just so fun. She filled in for us last minute and I am so glad it was her!

Tiana finishing her night run!

Night runs are my FAVORITE! I have always been a night runner. I used to run with my dog, and just love being outside in the dark and cool air. If Matt will go with me, I will run every night. My run was through the city of San Marcos and I will NEVER forget it! I passed (killed) three people and felt like I was flying. I ran 3.75 miles in 38:42 which was a PR for me :)

...

We rented a hotel for the night and each took turns "sleeping" (it is so hard to relax when you're waiting for the text that runner #6 has begun and you've gotta get in the van and go!) and showering. I may or may have not timed people's showers on my phone so that we all got a turn :)

Rachel's glowstick legs!

Our vans were AH-MAZING!!! Kandie constructed these pyramids that were feats of engineering. Everyone watched our vans as we drove by and we were notorious by the end of the race!

Aren't they beautiful?

Rach showing them off in all of their glory :)

Everyone gets crazy on little sleep, add in exhaustion and adrenaline from running and it's hilarious. I get really giggly and crazy and Tiana gets sleepy and quiet. Nothing's changed since we were kids! I just found out on this trip that she asked her mom to take me home from her 7-year-old birthday slumber party because I wouldn't go to sleep! hahaha :) We had some fun times on this trip, all of us laughing and talking.

My third run was the next day, and it wasn't good. I never expected to talk so openly about bodily functions with a group of people. But, pooping is very important to how well you run, so there you have it. I had to go so bad my whole run and then when I was done running, I couldn't go. It was so frustrating. I was the second to last runner, so I was really grouchy at the finish line. But sooooo happy to have completed the race and to receive my medal!

Team Run Like An Egyptian!

Advice & lessons learned:

- pack all clothes & underwear for your legs in separate giant Ziploc bags, your van will thank you

- bring baby wipes and face wipes

- pumping in a hot van without tinted windows is not fun, I'll never run a Ragnar again while nursing

- next time, I want to wear my costume/have time to do make-up/get more into the party part of it all (see above)

- Shot Bloks are awesome

- The Stick saved my calves! With no time to stretch after your run and before jumping in the van, this was a lifesaver, thanks Elise :)

- you will become addicted. I want to do another one so bad, and was on a backup list for next month's...but the team dissolved :(

- you will make life-long friends

Best part of it all?

Coming home to these faces :)

Can't wait for the next one...who's in?!

Stats

2013-03-02T22:30:00.001-08:00

The girls had their check-ups this week, and they are both "thriving" in their doctor's opinion.

Ada's 3-year-old Stats

Height: 38 inches (3 ft. 2.74 in.) - 74th percentile
Weight: 35 lbs. 11 oz. - 82nd percentile

Lola's 18-month-old Stats

Height: 33 inches (2 ft. 9.07 in.) - 81st percentile
Weight: 28 lbs. 3 oz. - 95th percentile
Head Circumference: 19.4 inches - 99th percentile!

I forgot to put that Lola says, "Whoa!" whenever she tumbles or regains her balance after stumbling. It sounds just like Joey from Blossom...anyone remember that show? :)

This is how Lola kept herself (& us) entertained while waiting for the doctor:

6 Year Wedding Anniversary!

2013-02-24T23:00:00.001-08:00

Last July, we went to Sacramento for our anniversary! It's funny, people were like, "Ohhh, Sacramento?" when we told them. But it was because the Oakland Temple was closed for renovations and Sacramento was the next-closest one. Also, Matt had never been to our state capital, so we thought it would be a good time for him to check it out. We'd originally planned to take a tour of the capitol building, but that didn't happen. He saw the outside & we just enjoyed being kid-free thanks to my mom :)

We stayed at The Citizen Hotel downtown. It was beautiful! It used to be an old law office building, and they still had tons of law books in the foyer.

Actually did my make-up instead of slapping it on while fending off two little ones!

He's so smart, he needs a mustache.

For breakfast, we went to Tower Cafe on the recommendation of a friend. Thank you Ben! I got the Custard French Toast and it was like a dessert. Everything was HUGE and our bellies were so happy when we left.

We went to the Temple and it was perfect. Peaceful & rejuvenating.

I loved being in the Temple 6 years to the day that we were Sealed for time and all eternity!

We did some Sealings and it was awesome. I was proxy for a mother being sealed to her daughter, and I was overcome with such strong emotion! I could feel how long this mother had waited to have her precious daughter sealed to her forever.

So happy that we are each other's forever :)

Afterwards, we went to the mall to shop. I picked out some cute earrings at Nordstrom Rack & still wear them all the time. People compliment me on them and I say Matt got them for me on our anniversary ;) Technically true!

We went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner...mmm!

I look way too excited to dig into the Red Velvet Cheesecake! It is my favorite there, which is surprising since I am such a chocoholic.

I love you Matthew Miller & and am so happy to have shared the past 6 years with you! Thank you for laughing with me every day :)

Lola is 18 Months Old!

2013-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

How can this be?! My baby is 18 months old! I almost forgot and didn't put her in Nursery until halfway through the second hour. She was perfectly happy to go in during singing & snack time :) She kept happy on the rocking chair with no tears at all. Matt said when he went to pick her up, she whined a little fake cry, like, "Awww you leeeeeft me!"

We lovingly refer to this as her Chris Farley face.

Lola is such a crack up! Her little personality is so funny. She loves to give raspberries, kisses, and hugs. She's our little snuggle love!

This picture was taken by Ada. Lola has toothpaste on her face. I can't leave them alone for 2 minutes!

Loves the rocking chair our friends are loaning us :)

LOVES to dance!

She used to be strictly a Mama's girl, but since being weaned she sure loves her Papa a lot more :)

- Loves her stuffed animals and blankies.

- Starting to give sassy looks...dramatic eye-rolls already!

- Realizes when she's being funny and keeps doing whatever is making us laugh

- Says, "Eeeeeee" for Please

"Iiiiiiii" for Ice (frozen Gogurt)

"Day Dew" for Thank you

"Day-Duh" for Ada
"Huh" for Yes

Papa

Mama

Uh-Oh

No
Heya
Ello
"Balah-la-la" for Banana
YAY!
And many other, indistinguishable, words.

She is such a fun, sweet little girl. Sometimes she gets a crazy streak and just wants to steamroll everyone and wrestle...it's wild! She loves to watch people at first. Ada will run out and say hi to every single person while Lola hangs back and observes until she is comfortable with the situation. We are so glad that you are ours, Lola Jennie!

On Being A Good Friend

2013-02-08T23:47:00.001-08:00

I have come to a realization. I am not a very good friend. Well, I guess I mean to say that I'm not good at making friends.

I used to think that I was really good at making friends! And I was, er, good at having lots of friends. I think. I guess it turns out I was just a big flirt and good at making lots of guy friends :)

Since being married, I haven't been able to make friends the way I used to. It's just so different. You have your family who wants to see you more because you are not living with them anymore. You have a spouse that is your built-in date and companion to everything. So you lose the need to call a friend unless your spouse is busy. Also, I am paranoid about the appearance of anything inappropriate with someone of the opposite sex. Probably because I was such a flirt in the past! I don't ever want to have anyone think there is anything inappropriate going on. Once you throw kids into the mix, forget about it! Unless you have a friend with a child that is around the same age, or you have a nanny, you probably won't be spending much time with them.

I am also pretty selfish. I think of my dirty house and don't invite people over. Or I don't think to invite someone to something because I am doing it with my family. I want to stay in my yoga pants and be lazy instead of pulling on a pair of jeans and looking presentable. But then I think, "Wouldn't it be awesome to have a friend who could stop by and I don't care about any of that?"

Marina & I walking West Cliff

I get so frustrated sometimes because I miss having a good friend to be around. I started a moms group for our ward, but with our kids it feels like we can't talk more than 30 seconds before having to run and save a child from falling in the pond. And it's always too short when I get together with a girlfriend and we have our kids with us. We take 2 bites of our lunch and have to tend to our kids. I always get home and realize we started a ton of stories but never finished them! Or I've come home from hanging out with a friend and realized that I did most (if not all of) the talking. Sorry ladies : /
My closest girlfriends that I talk to on a regular basis are my mom, Nana, my sister, and Tiana. Tiana and I have been best friends since we were 3 years old. We met in Sunbeams at church and bonded over shoes. We schemed up a plan to get our moms to buy us "big girl shoes" by telling each of our moms that the other girl had shoes with no straps on them, when in fact neither of us did! I've been a terrible friend to her at times. Mostly when I was in high school and boys were #1 priority. But, she stuck by my side and we still call each other (well, she calls me - see...bad friend) and have such a deep friendship because of everything we've been through and know about each other. She likes to tell my mom stories about us in the past...it's hilarious :) Every time I go home to visit, we lament the fact that we live so far away from each other.

Tiana & I in High School (pic from Natalie, thanks!)

I admire people like the aforementioned (along with Brittni) because they are such good question askers! They think of such thoughtful things to ask me and others. They really make people feel important. I think that I'm too busy trying to make everyone laugh or too concerned with myself that I need to shift and think about who I'm with more.

I was talking to my mom about being sad that I couldn't participate in a book club. She said, "It's just not the right time for you now. You will have plenty of years to be in book clubs." She's right. Wise momma :) I think the same thing applies here. Life with young children comes with so many joys, but some of the changes and sacrifices that we make as mothers leave us feeling guilty.

On a date with our hubbies

I think that this season of my life is just all-consuming. Gone are the days of leisurely lunch dates where I got to hear all of the details of my friends lives. Or double dates that could go late into the night because there wasn't a babysitter that needed to be paid and driven home waiting at home with your children. Being a mother can be very isolating. It's good, and I appreciate this time of young children. I would not trade being these girls' mommy for anything! I had a moment the other day, where the girls and I were holding hands and walking outside in the warm sunshine. My neighbor and I started talking and she said, "Do you just love watching them grow?!" I said, "Yes! It's amazing!" And I really was thinking how awesome my life is. I get to spend my days with two little people who trust me entirely and fill my heart with the biggest love I've ever felt!

Tonya shared this quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley today and it made my heart ache and my eyes fill with tears. He said, "You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out...Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value...The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days."

I guess the point of all of this was for me to get this out in the open. I needed to see the things that I do in order to correct them. I realize that I put up mental barriers that prevent me from being a better friend. Like thinking that someone works & wouldn't have time, or that someone's kids are older than mine so they wouldn't want to hang out. Even if that's the case, an invitation is always appreciated, right? Here's to being a better friend. I've been working on it, but there's always room for improvement! I hope I'm not the only one who has felt this way. Please let me know if you've found a way to remedy the bad friend syndrome!

Ada-isms

2013-01-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

"I wanna make a bungo couch." - referring to when we push the ottoman up against the couch and call it jumbo couch.

While listening to music in the car, she always asks what the name of the song is and who is singing it. Last night it was Taylor Swift's, "You Belong With Me." She listened to the song a minute then said, "Mommy, I just belong to you." I was fighting tears back so I could keep driving!

Handing me a paper shaped like an oval, "It's a Bolbo. Just like our car." (We have a Volvo.)

Putting laundry into the dryer and Ada's helping me. While wearing her Google hat. I say, "Put it in soup boy!" She says, "I'm not a soup boy!" - pause - "Yes, I'm a scoop boy. Cuz I got my hat. I'm a scoop boy all day long."

"Is that Heavenly Father?" - Ada while watching Lebron James speak. (Maybe she knows something we don't?!)

Where Does Papa Work?

2013-01-20T23:01:00.001-08:00

Early morning ragamuffin Lola. One of her first words...training 'em young!

Disneyland!

2013-01-17T15:16:00.003-08:00

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Matt & I took Ada to Disneyland for the first time! It was 5 days before her 3rd birthday, so she was still free. Yeah! We dropped Lola off with Nonnie in Santa Maria and continued down the road in terrible traffic to Long Beach, where we stayed the night with Matt's college buddy Steve. He treated us to dinner & his mom runs a regular B&B! She had little water bottles & snacks out for us, then made us crepes for breakfast, and made sure that we had snacks in our bag to get us through our day. Thank you so much Williams! We love you guys!!
So it turns out that their neighborhood is where Ferris Bueller's house is! I freaked out a little bit and had to have my picture taken in front of it in true geek fashion :)

Ada was so excited! She had played the Disneyland Explorer app on Matt's iPad so she was excited to see everything in real life! It's free & fun, great marketing Disney ;)

She thought the tram was a blast...we were joking that we could go home after that!

We brought the stroller for her and told her that was the only way she could go on rides, if she rode there in the stroller. She really wanted to walk but we knew she would get way too tired and might get lost in the crowd. We are so glad we brought it!

I definitely recommend getting there early. We were at the park by 8:30 AM and it wasn't even crowded. We were able to go to City Hall and tell them it was Ada's first time. They gave her that cute button and she wore it with pride! Along with the two pins Steve gave her :) She was one accessorized little Cinderella! We saw Chip first and got a picture with him. Ada immediately had to wrap her little arm around him like they were old pals. She says he was very soft :)

Our only plan was to stay calm and relaxed so that we didn't have an overwhelmed, crying child on our hands. We just walked leisurely around and let Ada decided what looked like fun, instead of pointing at every single thing and trying to get her on every ride.

The first ride we went on were the Astro Orbitors in Tomorrowland! Don't watch the video if you get motion sickness, I'm talkin' to you Aunt Lizzie!

Then we made our way over to the Teacups because word is that Fantasyland gets really busy the later it gets. I used the app Mousewait on my phone and it told us which rides had the shortest wait. The only bummer was that it sucked my battery dry.

This picture is right after Matt accidentally bonked Ada in the head with the camera :( She took off running and he reached out to grab her and forgot the heavy camera was around his neck.

She was not happy about it!

Poor girl!

Once we got into a giant purple teacup, she was magically healed!

Then to try and pull out the Sword in the Stone:

She gave it her all!

Look at the tongue action!

She ultimately concluded that she needed Papa's help and that it was just for big kids to pull out.

Ada's #1 favorite ride:

It's A Small World!

Look at the wonder in her eyes!

She was singing along with the Christmas carols and waving to all of the dolls:

I must say that the Christmas version is much more enjoyable than the original. This was the first time I'd ridden it since I was a little girl...I think my parents took us on it once and that was it! While in line we saw Meridia from Brave and Ada got to wave to her. We also passed Cinderella and she waved but Ada was disappointed that she was in such a hurry. We told her Cinderella needed to go potty :)

...

Enter Frontierland around noon! We laid the stroller flat and put the shade down so that Ada could take a nap if she wanted. She ended up just laying back because Billy Hill & the Hillbillies put on a fun show she couldn't sleep through! It was perfect for her to decompress and relax as we hung out. Frontierland is incredible at Christmastime. They had a huge area for kids to play reindeer games, make Christmas cards, do crafts, meet Santa & Mrs. Claus, and listen to the show. This is where I found these little nuggets of fried goodness:

MONTE CRISTO BITES! I was so happy. The best Disneyland lunch in bite-size form!

...

Now over to California Adventure. The only ride I cared about going on was Tower of Terror, my all-time favorite! Ada & I waited for Papa to go on the ride and had a snack. The child swap is incredible. The second Matt got off a ride, I was given a pass and went to the front of the line. Genius!

While we were waiting for Papa to get off the Cars ride...

suddenly a dance party began in the middle of Cars Land, and the cast members were trying to get kids to come out and dance with them. A ton of older children around us said no, and when she got to Ada, she just ran out and danced her little heart out with no hesitation!

So happy (note the glass slippers have been traded out for comfy shoes)!

Then, Lightning McQueen cruised right in front of us! He was talking and thanking everyone for being there. Ada was big on waving to everyone :)

Getting into the evening (notice the little bags under her eyes), we asked Ada if she was still having fun. Her response:

She made friends all over, in every line we waited in. This was for Mater's Tractor Ride and we all laughed SO hard on it! We were heavy with the 3 of us so it whipped us around really fast! Ada giggled the entire time.

Her second favorite ride was Ariel's Grotto in CA Adventure. After riding it, she said, "The Sea Witch was SO mad! She was like, grrrrrr!" And made the expression below:

Last ride of the night for Ada girl...King Triton's Carosel on the Boardwalk.

After all of that, I was ready to head home. Matt insisted that we stay for the World of Color show so we did & it was brilliant! Like the waters of Bellagio in Vegas x 1,000,000.

All day long, I went on any ride that spins with Ada. Matt says he can't handle them, so I did them all. After World of Color, he says, "Babe! The line is so short for California Screamin'! You have to go on it!" I said no, I was ready to go home, but he talked me into it. I do love that roller coaster...normally. After splitting a churro with Ada and being so tired, I wasn't really feeling it. But I went against my better judgement. It was awesome until I got off the ride. I said we are going home now! I had the worst headache and decided that I just needed sleep. We get to the car and Ada falls asleep immediately. As we're pulling out of the parking structure, I tell Matt he has to pull over NOW. He pulls straight into the AMPM and I run inside looking for the bathroom. No bathroom to be found! I ran into a room that turned out to be a closet and threw up on the floor :( I hear a teenage valley girl's voice behind me say, "Uhhh ma'am, what are you doing?" I turn around, mortified, and say, "I'm so sorry I couldn't find the bathroom in time...do you have any napkins?" She rolls her eyes at me, no doubt thinking that she's the one who has to clean it up later! She brought me some towels and I cleaned myself up and RAN to the car. We continued to an Albertson's where Matt went inside to buy me Saltines and 7UP. I threw up again in the parking lot and a random lady is sitting in her car and asked if I was okay. It was just easier to tell her I was pregnant instead of, "Oh, I just ate a churro and went on a roller coaster and don't have the stomach I used to since having children." She was very sympathetic with the pregnancy claim ;)

So: aside from the last events of the day, Disneyland was a raging success! Ada loved everything and still talks about it.

My Packing List for Disneyland:

- baby wipes

- Purell

- change of clothes (she was not about to take her princess dress off, but you never know)

- comfy shoes

- extra panties (she's been potty trained for a year, but excitement can get the best of any kid)

- sweatshirts/cardigans for everyone

- blanket to hang over stroller during nap time & to keep warm at night

- water bottles

- snacks for waiting in line (clementines, grapes, fruit snacks, crackers, Steve's cookies!)

- Advil, Excedrin, etc. for mom & dad :)

It was so much fun sharing the magic of Disneyland with my daughter! I can't wait until Lola is old enough to appreciate it too, I think we'll go again right before Lola's 3rd birthday.

Ada's 3rd Birthday!

2012-12-21T00:15:00.000-08:00

20 Questions for Ada on her 3^rd Birthday

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and green

2. What is your favorite toy? Babies

3. What is your favorite fruit? Grapes
4. What is your favorite tv show? Fresh Beat Band & Blue’s Clues

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Peanut Butter Sandwich (PB&J)

6. What is your favorite outfit? Cinderella Dress
7. What is your favorite game? Hide & Seek

8. What is your favorite snack? Fruit Snacks

9. What is your favorite animal? Lambs

10. What is your favorite song? “Peanut Butter & Sandwich” (an original song by Ada Miller) and I am A Child of God

11. What is your favorite book? Waddle

12. Who is your best friend? Lydia Richardson

13. What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play Shock (Sidewalk Chalk)

15. What is your favorite drink? Orange Juice

16. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My doggie

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Toast with Nutella

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? My pink princess cake

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Cinderella

On the Saturday night after Thanksgiving, we celebrated Ada's birthday with my mom & Nana & Bobba. Ada loved the, "Sparkle Cake!"

It tastes good to be 3!

Nonnie gave her the cutest coat & hat! Perfect for the trip to Utah.

And an umbrella & matching boots!

She was just a little excited to try them out :)

Ada had a Princess Party up here since all things are princess with her right now.

Capturing the madness that is a 3-year-old's birthday party! Complete with moms & baby siblings! So much fun.

We invited some of her friends over and had snacks, pink punch, and PINK PRINCESS CAKE! Ada was obsessed with the cake. It was so good! I made this yellow cake with a brown sugar frosting. Mmm!

Ada chose all of the paper goods...pink tablecloth, green runner, yellow silverware, pink napkins, pink AND blue cups, and multi-colored straws. :) Love the dollar store!
I had everyone fill out a tag saying what they thought of Ada. We hung them on the tree and have loved reading them and seeing them all month. Lindsay & I made those tags (next to the tiaras) for Ada's baby shower! They were for advice to me as I became a mother. I still look over those and hope to do the same with these.

Ada & Kate, so excited for cake time!

Thanks Melissa for taking a picture with ME in it! :)

Cute little princesses and knights!

Happy Birthday, sweet girl. Mommy loves you so very much!

Dry Shampoo & Scheduling

2012-11-19T16:59:00.001-08:00

I've talked about dry shampoo before and how much I love it. My sister-in-law introduced me to it years ago and this brand is what she used and I've used it ever since. Smells like a lemon cookie on your head :)

I just started doing something with it that CHANGED MY LIFE!

Instead of putting it on in the morning, I put it on before I go to bed at night. This lets the powder soak up the grease and absorb it all so that in the morning, it looks like new! Here is a poorly lit bathroom self shot...my hair isn't red, promise. Self portraits are so awkward.

This was Thursday night after washing my hair on Wednesday morning and putting dry shampoo in it that night.

It's like doing preventative work versus damage control. Give it a try & see for yourself! I gave a talk in church with 3-day old hair, and it looked good (I think...)! It also helps my slippery hair curl better. For Halloween as Minnie I curled it and it held for much longer that it would have with freshly-washed hair.

Moving on...I have a question for the moms. I used to get ready when I just had Ada during her morning nap. Now that I have two, they nap 12:30-2ish and I get ready then (most days). We have our fair share of lazy days around here :) It's so hard to get ready with my Lola because she has to be wherever I am. Which means she opens the shower curtain and gets soaked. When do you get ready? Shower at night? During naps? I'm curious to know what your routine is.

Have a happy Thanksgiving! We are heading down south and I can't WAIT! :)

PG&E & Opower Luncheon

2012-11-16T21:37:00.001-08:00

I was recently invited to attend a luncheon for bloggers in SF hosted by Mom Central. PG&E and Opower were there and taught us about our energy usage and the new tools they have to help us monitor how much we use in our homes.

It was held at the Presidio Social Club which was lovely. The whole presidio is gorgeous and it was fun to drive around and see the historic buildings.

I'm pretty sure they chose this butternut squash soup based on the fact that it matches the PG&E logo perfectly.

Here is the adorable Abbie from Opower who was out of breath during her presentation because she's due with baby #3 next month! She sat with us after her presentation and taught my friend Lynda & I about the new features that Opower is integrating with PG&E. I love that they are using technology to connect customers with our energy usage! We had a Smart Meter installed about a year ago, and I saw no difference other than it was digital. And I could see the numbers turn off and on when I had to go flip the circuit breaker :)

What you can do now is sign into your account and compare your energy usage with your friends and houses that are similar to yours. Nothing like a little friendly competition to get you to conserve energy! In studies that Opower has done, people were most responsive and apt to change when they heard that their neighbors were doing it. Not to save money, not to help the earth, but because their friends and neighbors were doing it. So - Opower & PG&E have the right idea by using social media (a huge part of most of our lives) to integrate energy usage with technology.

Here is my delicious Chicken and Arugula Salad with Candied Pecans & Avocado Dressing. I want to recreate this at home!

This German Chocolate Cake was killer! Instead of the coconut frosting on top, it was sandwiched in between the layers of cake. Then the whole cake was frosted with chocolate buttercream! More chocolate in a chocolate cake = awesome.

I am more focused on the saving money end of things, so I am always turning off lights and anything else that uses electricity. In our energy report, it shows that we are higher than other homes that are similar to ours. I think it's because we live in Santa Cruz and those other homes have solar panels or something! Also in your report, you can look at the energy usage throughout the day. If you have a spike at a certain time, think about what was being used at that time and if it could be lessened or eliminated completely.

I definitely feel more connected to our energy usage in our home after attending this informative luncheon. I am so glad that PG&E and Opower are reaching out to consumers to connect with us instead of just receiving a bill that is foreign to us every month.

Thank you Nikki at Mom Central for having me, and thanks to Darleen and Abbie for your wonderful presentations. It was great to meet you all and learn so much over a delicious spread of food!

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"I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of PG&E and Opower. I attended an informational luncheon and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation."