Service

I recently got put into Young Women and our theme this year is service. I was reading up on some things and came across a quote from a General Authority that said that keeping a journal is an act of service for your family. Normally I get annoyed when people are like, "My blog is my journal, blah blah blah..." but then I realized that I don't keep a journal anymore aaaaaaaand the hypocrite becomes the master hypocrite, AMIRIGHT?!!! 

So in an effort to feel less guilty about all my daily failures, I have reasserted my efforts for this sad, lonely blog. IT IS IMPORTANT! And I will not let it die. At least while I'm living! Plus, my family will be oh so grateful for my incredible act of service (aka embarrassing them) someday, right?

Also, I should insert that my absolute last journal entry was not long after Nick and I started dating. Its like I actually had a human to talk to or something, so I quit writing my thoughts in a journal and started speaking them to a person. Weird. 

Maybe I should consider picking up my journal again ... since the last few conversations I had were

1) With someone who can't speak

2) With someone who pooped their pants recently

3) With someone who toots in public like it ain't no thing

4) With someone who enjoys playing in a toilet bowl

5) With someone who thinks their stuffed animals are real people

6) With someone who thinks Nutella is a food group

Actually, #6 is a legit quality I look for in a friend, so maybe a journal can wait...

Anyway, Blog - I love you. Please don't give up on me. My family is important and Anna deserves to be documented in the same way Ev was.

I mean... look at that FACE.

She rocks the piggies now.

Its insanely adorable.

Many have asked how watching a third child is going for me.

My response?

"Oh shoot! There's three?..." (quickly look around and count them, make sure they are all alive and well, realize that one is currently eating chapstick, take it out of her mouth) ... "Oh it's great!"

That is always a loaded question for me. 

There are moments where things are so stinking crazy that I have to turn on Tangled and sit on the toilet while I "pretend" to pee for ten minutes just to save my sanity. Other moments when I'm hauling three kids in and out of carseats while simultaneously trying to fit Costco, Target and Albertsons groceries in my car are such a workout that I'm considering getting several extra prothetic limbs. There are even moments when I see something suspicious on my kitchen floor and bend down to get to the bottom of things and after five minutes of inspection, I, A) still don't know what it is and B) really regret getting so close to my kitchen floor because I can't remember the last time I mopped it. FOR REAL, you guys. THIS IS MY LIFE.

But then there are moments when all three girls are so content and happy and we're playing and I'm miraculously showered, dressed and MAKEUPED (is that a word?) and its so fantastic. Clarissa has been so good for Evie and vise versa. They really love each other and overall, I'm so glad we are doing this. However, if you see me and I look a friggin' hot mess, just look away. Don't acknowledge that you know me ... it will only make me feel worse. Just pretend its some other nasty, unshowered SAHM with a whole lotta problems. 

But seriously! These girls truly love each other. And Clarissa is such a sweet girl. She is so special and we feel lucky to have her in our house everyday.

Speaking of special, my honey bunny Anna Banana. 

There are no words to describe her. She is a delight to all who meet her. It is truly a gift she was blessed with - she is delightful in every way.

Here's a another blurry snippet of my life.

And here's the thing. I know I'm so dramatic. But I legitimately love my job. When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I'm a SAHM. Then they look at me like I'm a nutcase because actually that's not a job and then I have to tell them, "It's a JOB! A career, even." I chose this. Just like you chose medical school, MBA, teaching certification, its my chosen profession. And I respect you immensely for what you do everyday and I think you should respect me too! Respect all around, folks. Let's love each other like God wants us to.

RANT OVER.

Perks of my job? Flexibility. 

Also, a nail salon that doesn't mind when I bring my two crazy kids in for a pedi. Because there are three things in life that all women deserve:

1) RESPECT

2) EDUCATION

3) REGULAR PEDICURES

(I'm obviously paying super good attention to Anna here...)

Evelyn has recently learned to use my iPhone to take pictures. She insisted that we take 75 million photos of our feet post-pedicure. Different angles, different poses, this girl is nuts! I deserve to get paid for all this modeling!

When I finally grabbed the phone away from Ev, I had several bursts of 148 photos each.

We randomly ran into Santa after breakfast one morning.

Too excited for words.

We still haven't set up our crib, nor do we plan to. I love that Anna can nap basically wherever I want her to. I am constantly moving her bed all over our duplex so I can get things done. Sometimes she finds her mattress sans pack n play and will snuggle with it. Then I'm reminded that it's two hours past her nap time and she's still my peachy keen baby doll.

Seriously this girl!

I think we'll keep her.

Caught ya!

She is constantly trying to eat things out of the garbage and it is so disgusting. I also hope this isn't foreshadowing. While we respect many people's life choices, I hope Anna doesn't adopt Freeganism. Its just so nasty. Plus, I'm a good cook and I find that downright offensive!

Evie practically cried when we took down the Christmas lights in her room.

She also ATE one Christmas light (if you look closely you can see one missing on the stair ladder) and Nick and I decided that they had to go. 

I know what you're thinking - are you sure it wasn't Anna? 

IT WASN'T.

I was in the room when the "incident" occurred. 

She's weird, I dunno.

Weird, but beautiful and sassy and crazy and insane and my favorite human in the universe.

So peaceful.

Bah! Fooled ya.

Okay! I've hardly blogged about Darel getting home. Probably because she got home and LEFT PRACTICALLY IMMEDIATELY. Boo on College. JK, go to college girls! The world needs educated women! Anyway, she's home and its so great. Sometimes I forget to include her in our sibling text messages because I'm not used to her being around, but other than that we've settled into having her with us quite nicely. 

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD.

(Shea wasn't home yet, or he would have been welcomed into this photo with open arms)

Also, I didn't realize that Ev had put a headband on my messy bun until after all these photos were taken. I was going to freak out, but then I realized that Darcee is 8+ months pregnant and Darel just got home from a country that doesn't have showers ... so I'm feeling pretty great actually. Sure Chelsea is always the best dressed, but I will take second place. Just kidding. There are no places in our sisterhood. We're all equally ugly and disgusting! Bwahahaha!

Love my sisters.

Everyone deserves to have this!

I told Darel not to take nasty pictures on my phone...

Cutest British Man in town.

So happy to have Aunt D home!

Anna girl! She hides in the pantry frequently.

Its strange and adorable all at the same time.

Aunt and Niece FOREVER.

Modeling their Filipino pants.

Saturday walk in 28 degree weather.

And CHRISTMAS! 

We had our first Christmas in our own place and it was monumental, perfect even. Can't wait to elaborate. In the meantime you can look at this photo of our 9 FOOT TREE.

Yes, Clark Griswold is alive and well and sleeping in my bed tonight.

TG in CA

This year, we spent Thanksgiving in California. 

Anna did a great job of helping me pack.

I went down five days before Nick to soak up the sun with the girls. Here we are at 5:00 AM getting on our plane. We didn't get into California until around 2 PM and by that point, nobody had napped. It was about as good as it sounds.

But we made it in one piece (sort of, I think my patience and brains were sadly left in Seattle).

It was such a fun trip! The weather was unbelievable! 75-80 degrees the entire time. I couldn't believe it! We had a blast running all over with Nick's family and my girls were seriously in heaven with all the love, attention and snuggles.

We were able to go to the beach twice. Both my girls had such a wonderful time.

Evelyn has taken to building sandcastles VERY seriously.

And there is nothing cuter than a baby at the beach.

Unless that baby is Anna.

She pooped sand for days.

This girl! She is such a water baby. The frigid November water didn't even phase her. She loved playing in the waves and when I finally pulled her out (I was fearful she was hypothermic) she cried!

Model?

She kept putting her face in. It was weird and hilarious at the same time.

We also ran the Dana Point Turkey Trot. 

There were so many people there! It was awesome to see so many people justify eating 2,000 calories in one meal. (These are definitely my kind of people!) Chels and I ran the 10K and Nick, John and Jillian ran the 5K. And Nick's mom took one for the team and watched our girls (Thank you, Grandma!)

Nick and Jillian. Unfortunately this picture doesn't portray how well Jillian did. It was her first race in a long time and she did awesome!

Everybody.

Evie and her FAVORITE PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE, Great Grandpa Bernie.

Evelyn talks constantly of Bernie and she seriously loves him so much.

Legoland!

These two!

It was a pretty awesome day. Ev was LOVING life.

We look pretty thrilled here.

The kid behind us nailed this photobomb.

Ev isn't tall enough to ride some of the roller coasters. So we did what any good parent would do and stuffed her shoes with rolled up socks so she could ride. Her ankles and toes were BLEEDING and she never gave up. Anything is worth an adrenaline rush RIGHT!!?

Lovers.

More lovers. 

Nobody spoils our children like Nick's mom. She brings "spoil" to a whole new level. When Evie receives something new she always says, "Is this from Grandma Jordan?" 

Because there is a 90% chance that its true. 

Evie named her balloon elephant, "Sweetie Pie," and insisted that Aunt Jillian babysit it.

I think J is going to be a great mother someday.

The Evies.

They have such a special bond and I love that.

Normally when Nick goes surfing, I try to let him have his space and just enjoy one of his true loves in life. But sometimes ... I invite myself along. I mean, two loves is better than one.

We had so much fun. At least I think we did. Nick spent most of the afternoon coaching me. I caught about a dozen waves and I'm definitely getting better. It helps that the waves were small, but there is hope that someday we could take a surfing trip together and I wouldn't be a total embarrassment. 

Let's be honest, I'll probably be an embarrassment either way.

My wet suit was so big (it was one of Nick's friends) and let's just say it wasn't the most flattering. You know in the movie 'The Proposal,' when Betty White is hunting for Easter eggs in Sandra Bullock's wedding dress? It was like that ... but worse.

We tried to get a family pic...

It went as well as expected.

 

Playing games.

Sadly, our trip had to come to an end (but not before stopping to get Acai bowls on the way out of town!). So grateful I had Nick's help on the way home.

Some people had a rough flight.

Sad to leave Grandma's!