KIMBERLY'S 30TH BIRTHDAY

On one’s Birthday, There is a tradition in our house--to make a Birthday sign, and hang it in the house for everyone to see. Usually this has been done by taking 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper, and writing one letter for each sheet. Then stacking them side by side to spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY! My parents did this for us in Placentia, and I have done this with our family, since Kimberly and I got married.

Well being that we have a Vinyl Sign Plotter, I did what any normal husband would do! I took the Birthday sign to the next level. I figure I will keep it up for a couple days, just to show off my 30 something wife to everyone.
Kimberly has been depressed about turning 30. I keep telling her, I always wanted to date a 30 year old! I think this is going to be great. I figure when your forty, you will wish you were 30, so why not live it up now.

Driving around this morning, looking for a Birthday present. I started to think about past presents I gave Kimberly. The first Birthday I spent with her in 1995, I got her a beautiful ring. I saved up three months salary to buy this beautiful ring. I researched the Gem for October, it happens to be pink (her favorite color). I had the Gem cut into a heart. Then it had little diamonds, set in a triangle on the side, all set in gold. I wrapped it in the biggest box I could find. It was actually wrapped in like 10 boxes, each one inside each other. I still remember Kimberly’s face as she opened it, she is still as beautiful today, at 30, as she was then at 18.
I wish I could take a picture and show it to you. I can’t, because this present is no longer with us. See, there is a little known tradition in Kimberly’s side of the family also. It’s a tradition of taking your very loved rings, and having your young children play with them. Sometimes they give them to their young girlfriends, and sometimes they just loose them. I have made a little drawing of what it looked like, for you all to see!

Another present I gave Kimberly was that life sized Teady Bear, Taylor named “Beary”. We almost lost him too. Taylor after drinking Fruit Punch Gatoraide, threw-up all over Beary. If it was not for rushing him down stairs, and using the high pressure hose on him, at 3 A.M. in the morning, he would have also been lost forever.

Then last year, I ,again, saved up three months salary. I bought Kimberly her favorite Shampoo & Conditioner. The Brand is Bubble and Bubble, and Kimberly loves it. I do have a picture attached, but this is a stock photo from B&B website. I could not take a picture of ours, because Taylor and Luke used all of it for Bubble bath.

So looking back on the gifts of Birthdays past, I have decided to get Kimberly something indestructable, memories for her big 3-0. We are going to Kimberly favorite restaurant ROY’S, it’s Hawaiian fusion, and SOOooooo good.

I would tell you the rest or her presents, but they are a surprise, and if I told you, I would have to kill you!. So I just wanted to wish my lovely wife a great 30th birthday today. I think she is more beautiful than the day I met her (it was in seminary our freshmen year :) .

There's No Place Like Home

The evacuation was lifted late Wednesday afternoon and it feels really great to be home! Other than a lot of dirt and dust, our house is fine. As I reflect on this past week, I thought I would share a few things I learned...

• No matter how tired you are, don't leave the dinner dishes until morning. Otherwise, during a disaster, not only will you be scrambling to pack up all that is dear to you, but you will not feel like you can leave until you get the leftover food thrown away and dishes cleared off.
• Rather than sending your 5-year old into a panic of worry that your house could possibly burn down, you should explain to her, first, that we are going on an adventure and everything will be okay.
  
• Even when you have packed up everything that is "important" to you, you will still worry about all of the other things that weren't as "important" and wished you had grabbed them.
• Thank goodness for Costco! Buying in bulk is so worth it! We could have lived off of our snacks and water for at least a week.
  
• If the phone rings, at 6am, and the husband answers, he will not remember a word that was just spoken to him. Disaster or not, he is still, somewhat, delirious after the first 5 minutes of waking up (oh, wait, I actually already knew that).
• When visiting the Inland Empire, you will be approached numerous times by homeless people and strangers for extra cash and change. Normally, you don't oblige to giving handouts, but feel a little bit more generous given the circumstances.
  
• You feel bad that you don't have more change to give. However, had you not been so worried that your house was going to blow up into flames, you would have grabbed more change on your way out.
• When 3-year old boys play together 24/7, they begin display certain parts of their personality that you never knew existed.
• On the second day, they will label themselves "Bad Boys" and continue to parade around the house doing "bad" things.
• These so-called "Bad Boys" will attempt to slide down the stairs (which are very steep) on a Boogie Board, jump on the mini trampoline while on top of the bed, empty the tub of water onto the floor, dump out all toys and books in every playroom, and tease the sister until she is in tears.
• Surprisingly, Taylor and Luke will sleep well in a bed together. Blake, who, on the other hand, has always been a great sleeper, will cry profusely while trying to put him to bed and not go to bed until 11pm every night.
• This will explain the dark circles and feelings of agitation you express toward your loving husband and children.
  
• You will greatly anticipate the day that you can jog again. You miss it so much more when you CAN'T do it!
• There really is no place like home...even if it is filled with dust, dirt, and soot and will take days to clean up. It is great to be home. Yet, even better to have a home to come home to. We are so blessed!
  

Greetings from Fontana!

We are no longer inhaling smoke and floating embers of ash. At 6am, this morning, we received a mandatory call to evacuate our home. We are experiencing hurricane winds which are enabling the fire and causing it to move fervently through the area. Last night, the fire jumped I-15 and sparked in Rancho Bernardo. Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Sur, Poway, Penasquitos, Carmel Valley, Del Mar, and Solana Beach have all been evacuated. It was like leaving Armageddon as we packed up our car with all of our valuables, clothes, and food and drove the hell out of dodge. Rather than joining the rest of the county at Qualcomm Stadium, we chose to join family in Fontana. Hopefully, we can go home tomorrow...I will keep you updated!

Local Fire!

Earlier today, we had blue skies until about 2pm, we noticed that the air smelled smoky and looked outside and the sky was completely dark and gray. It is Santa Ana conditions, which means lots of wind and fires! Much of the nearby county is being evacuated from their homes and schools have been cancelled for tomorrow.
Devon decided it would be wise to fill up the car with gas in case we are evacuated tonight. Once outside, he noticed the ground looked wet, but when he looked closer, it was actually soot on the ground.
The air looks and smells like you are downwind of a beach bonfire. Hopefully, the wind changes direction or dies down so the firefighters can actually put this fire to rest!!

Things I Learned This Week!

• When attending a Pilates class, and leaving your children in the Kids Club, it is good to know what their policy is on disciplining a 15-month old prior to attending.
• Had I known this in advance, it may have spared my 15-month old from having time-outs for intentionally (?!?!?) hitting and throwing a lego. Thus, leading to him being written up for bad behavior. AND, leaving me feeling like (as so indicated by the kids club attendee) the mother of a demon child whom I should be teaching better behavior to.
• When your 3 1/2 year old goes #2 in the potty, do not allow him to leave the toilet before being wiped and putting back on his underwear.
• Had I known this was going to happen, I would not have had to clean up the skid marks left on the couch!
• Trying to juggle many things, such as, Pilates Instructor training, cleaning the house, folding laundry, doing dishes, carpools, completing numerous Vinyl Lettering orders and much, much, more will lead to sleep deprivation and anxiety!
• When picking up your son from preschool, his teacher will ask "does he have hearing problems or just selective hearing?"
• You will answer, "No, he is definitely a selective listener...just like his Dad." Aaah, Yes, the "selective hearing," that was DEFINITELY inherited from his Dad.
• She will then give you a series of instructions to follow to eliminate any chance that he could have hearing problems. You will leave second guessing yourself and wondering if your son really does have a hearing problem. For two days, you will test him numerous times and find that he listens best whenever you say words, such as "Park," "Cookie," "If you don't...you'll get a time-out." Oh, yes, his hearing is just fine. It is only the times that I say words, such as "Pick up the toys," "It's time for bed," then he chooses to not hear me and go on doing what he wants.
• While staying up late and hoping to get some work done, your husband will go out to the garage and ask you why the ground is sopping wet and full of 3 inches of water?! You will be clueless and then discover that your neighbors garage flooded and the water seeped through the floor from her garage into yours.
• You will then spend the rest of the night emptying out your garage. You and your husband will be too exhausted to finish it that night and decide to go to bed.
• Before going to bed (after midnight or so) you will decide to check on the kids and notice that your 15-month old looks quite uncomfortable. Being the good mother that you are, you will rearrange him so that he is in a more comfortable position. However, this will wake him up and he will decide he is ready to be up for the day. He will not go back to bed until 2AM. Then, your 3-year old will wake up at 5:30AM and be awake for the day!
• You are so tired! But, by some miracle, the next day, while your 5-year old is at school, your 3-year old will decide (on his own) to curl up on the couch and take a nap...so you put the baby down for a nap and you take a nap. How nice!
• Your favorite things this week: getting to watch the series premiere of "Greys Anatomy" and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants...it's finally fall!