A Few of My Favorites

All of you moms know what an ordeal it is to get your kids ready for pictures ... outfits, hair, attitudes, etc.  It usually makes for one stressed mom.  Last weekend was no different for me - let's just say it wasn't our finest moment in the ESPN house!  Lucky for us our photographer is so good with my girls.  He manages to make our children look like the cutest most well behaved kids around (which we all know isn't true - well at least in the behavior department)!  So hear are a few of my favorites ....

BTW - I purchased the outfits on Etsy and when they came in the mail I had Chatty try hers on and it looked pitiful ... it was a dress and it looked horrible on her - seriously!  So I shortened it and made it a shirt and it looked so much better. 

And just to keep it real ... 

Sneak Peak

Annual birthday pics ...

(Ignore Chatty's slightly dirty feet!!)

EASTER Recap

Wow what a weekend.  Easter seems to be a memorable holiday for our family ... let's see Chatty was born on Easter Sunday 2004 ... last year the girls lost their Easter baskets (i.e. they were taken away from them due to bad behavior) before we left for church ... this year the girls were behaving so badly I seriously didn't think the Easter Bunny would show up and so badly I put myself in time out on Saturday afternoon.  It improved Sunday morning ... the Easter Bunny left some goodies ....

And he hid some eggs full of candy and coins ....

Not sure why they aren't using their Easter baskets ...

And then an Easter miracle occurred on Sunday (in addition to the main one - He is Risen), the ESPN family got to church early (7:40 a.m.) and we were all smiling!  The girls behaved fairly well during church although it took sticker books, goldfish, fruit snacks and a post church donut bribe to keep them entertained.  Don't judge! 

After church we tried to get some pictures - they had tons of Easter flowers which made for a nice backdrop ... 

Someone wasn't too thrilled ..

An then a nice elderly lady in the congregation offered to take a family picture and this is what she captured: 

She took two photos and chopped my face off in both of them.  Yes my face is on the pudgy side, but not so bad you couldn't fit us all in!  I didn't have the heart to tell her she chopped me off.  Oh well!  So when we got to Nana and Poppa's house we had them snap a family photo ...

When I put the girls to bed last night I asked them if they knew why we celebrated Easter ... Bia had no clue nor did she really care.  At least Chatty knew the story (she better since we have been studying it in Sunday school).  I guess 1 for 2 isn't bad.  We'll work with Bia this year so maybe we can be 2 for 2 next year! 

ESPN House Happenings

So you would think after the birthday hype things would slow down around here.  Yeah not so much.  Let's see - last weekend we all got haircuts (well the girls anyway).  Chatty's hair is so thick and she hates having it brushed (just like me at that age) so we went to the short bob.

And then there is my mini me.  She has curly hair like her momma and screamed on Sunday morning she didn't want to wear it curly ... oh my so much like me.  Looks like she will learn to use the flat iron at a young age!

But her curls are so stinking cute!!

We dyed Easter eggs this week.  Bia only broke 2 so that wasn't too bad.  The whole making sure each kid has the same amount to color, etc. gets real old real quick.  Ugh everything is a competition.

Yes they are in ROYGBIV order .. Type A anyone??

Lucky for me my mom is super crafty and makes great holiday decorations for me.  This one is probably one of my all time favorites - plastic egg garland (yes she rocks!).

Close Up

Full view - we needed one just a bit longer but I think it looks cute

Ok so back to egg dying ... sorry for the scatter brain thoughts.

Lucky for me and my Type A tendencies my kids didn't double dip their eggs in multiple colors!

Oh and just because these are cute.  Nana and Poppa took these when the girls were at their house a few weeks back.

Chef Bia

Birthday Recap and Picture Overload

Since we went to Disneyland over Spring Break, Mr. ESPN and I decided we would not be throwing a birthday party for the girls - that was their party.  But somehow Chatty seemed to get a whole weekend of celebrating.  I'm still trying to figure out how she accomplished that.

The festivities started on Saturday.  Chatty requested ribs for dinner.  So her lovely servants (aka Mom and Dad) got busy and grilled some ribs and made some cupcakes.  It wouldn't have been a celebration if our favorite neighbors weren't there ...

Chatty and JR

After dinner Chatty requested to go to Dave and Buster's.  If you don't know what Dave and Buster's is, think over sized arcade with a bar in the middle.  It was loud and expensive (both the games and the adult beverages), but the kids seemed to have fun when they weren't fighting over who got to play what.

Air Hockey Ace

The parents aka Chatty and Bia's servants 

Chatty took this picture

Bia loving the air hockey

Chatty surfing

The next morning we headed to church with cupcakes in tow.  Because what's Sunday school without cupcakes right?  Afterwards we met Nana and Poppa at our favorite pizza place (yes this is a birthday tradition at our house) for lunch and birthday pizzookie.

Birthday Girl

Birthday Girl with Nana and Poppa

So was it over yet?  No - now time for her actual birthday ... Monday.  Here she is bed head and all opening up a few small presents.  She received an I-Pod Touch from Nana and Poppa, Grandma and Grandpa and Mr. ESPN and me (we gave it to her on Sunday at lunch with Nana and Poppa).  She is obsessed with it!  Kind of like Mr. ESPN and his I-Phone!

Lovely hair girlfriend

Dress from Grandma

Are you all tired yet?  I was - I volunteered in Chatty's class and stayed for lunch and took cookies in for a treat.  After school I took the girls to the pediatrician for their well checks and Port of Subs for dinner (Chatty's  choice).  Monday night our favorite neighbors came back over for Peeps birthday cake. 

Easiest Cake Ever

Make a Wish

My little peep eating a peep!

Remember how I said in my last post I hadn't eaten sugar in the past week or so ... didn't even lick my fingers when I made the cupcakes or cake ... well I couldn't help it I had to have a small piece (and it was oh so good - moist yellow cake and homemade chocolate butter cream frosting)!  Now I feel like I am starting all over!  Good thing birthdays are done in our house for awhile, now if I can get my kids and Mr. ESPN to finish off all of the leftovers I will be good!

Look Who's 7!!

7 years ago it was Easter Sunday. Mr. ESPN and I were supposed to be hosting Easter dinner for my parents and our friends.  However those plans were changed because this person decided it was time to make her first appearance!

1 month old

You were kind enough to your dad to wait until the Master's Tournament was over to arrive - much to his delight! 

Chatty you keep us on our toes every single day.  You are a loving, smart, talkative and stubborn (so much like your mama that it is scary sometimes!) and your dad and I love you more than anything in this world.  Thank you for teaching us that being a parent is the hardest and best job in the world!  We love you Lacey Lou!

excuse the goofy grin ...

Birthday pics coming soon ....

Hello Friday ...

Oh how I have missed you.  It has been another long week here in the ESPN house.  Here's a recap ...

• Chatty lost her library book again - this is her second one this year.  She has been informed she will be paying for it with her own money if she doesn't find it at school today.
• Bia is a HOT MESS .. extremely demanding and so adorable all at the same time.  Lord help me!
• I mailed a soccer refund check to the wrong address (Yeah Dumb Me!).  I went over to the house I accidentally mailed it to, to try and explain (I even took Bia so I would look more legit) but they weren't home.  I guess I will try going over tomorrow.
• I haven't had any sweets in over a week ... but I have inhaled mass quantities of almonds and spinach salads!  They're not nearly as good but the scale has been much friendlier.
• Co-irker as my co-worker aptly named Clipper Guy got his clippers unglued when I was in NJ the other week.  So when I got back in town last week I threw them in the garbage (in the women's restroom).  On Tuesday he was rummaging - actually it was more like a dog rooting through his drawer looking for them.  So far he hasn't brought another pair in but if he does they are heading straight for the trash.
• Chatty turns 7 on Monday ... every day she gets up and tells me "Mom my birthday is in (insert number) days!"  And I respond "Really?" Some day when she has kids she will realize it is very hard to forget the day they were born ... that and it was the final round of the Master's.  Chatty was sweet enough to stall her arrival until after the Master's ended that Easter Sunday so Mr. ESPN wouldn't have to turn the television off too early!
• Speaking of which Mr. ESPN will be watching the Master's this weekend in between family birthday celebrations.
• Bia snuck silly bands into school yesterday and when Mr. ESPN confiscated them she had a royal fit!
• Chatty lied to me about syrup on her shorts.  She has this habit of ordering breakfast at school, which Mr. ESPN has instructed her not to do (he can see it on her online account) because she eats breakfast at home, takes an early morning snack with her, plus she has a snack in class during the late morning.  So the other day I noticed she had syrup on her shorts (and she had eaten her breakfast at home in her PJ's) and she lied about how it got there ...
• So right now we have a petite thief with a tendency for tantrums and a liar who likes to talk back in our house.  Is that why they invented wine? 
• I am thinking of making this cake for Chatty's birthday.  I think it is super cute.

Courtesy of http://www.tasteofhome.com/

OK - that's about it.  Next week I'll post birthday pics ... have a good weekend!