Take Me Out To The Ball Game

When it comes to MLB...we may disagree.

But when you bring it home, and bring it Triple-A, we are right on!!

I had the wonderful opportunity to take Elizabeth, her BFF H, and my wonderful sis, Kim, to a River Cats game.

You see, Kim and I are seasoned River Cats attendees!

This, however, was Elizabeth's very first ever sports event. Her bestie H, had been before, and helped me pump Elizabeth up for all the exciting goodies the game brings!!!

Kim, myself and Elizabeth

Elizabeth, her bestie H, and their pink mini bats and claws!!

I think her smile says it all!

The Highlights:
1$ Hot Dog and Dessert night
Dinner for three only cost me $12 bucks
The tickets were free
We could actually see the game and could have actually caught a ball
I had a sister date
The Seventh-Inning Stretch
Those sitting next to us were not unruly
A certain 8 and 6 year old smiled constantly ear to ear
Oh...and the River Cats won

The Hurts:
A large Popcorn and two waters had cost more than dinner
I had to buy a mitt because I was afraid that a foul ball would viciously hit us in the head (well, me at least)
It took an inning and a half for my sister to get us drinks (alcoholic of course)
The ATM machines were down...see above
Nobody started the Wave (um...isn't this a baseball must??)
Elizabeth cried the WHOLE way to the car because she was cold

Pink mitt...of course :)

How cool is the Tower Bridge in the background of Raley Field!!

Just a night view

This was...one of my best nights...EVER!!!

LOL...my hubbs in an engineer at this building so I kept texting him all night about seeing smoke, lighting issues, broken windows...you name it, I irritated him ;)

25 Things You Might Not Know About Me

Hi Folks!!

I stole this idea from an awesome gal and blogger that I follow! I tried to keep it fun and interesting. All is 100% true!! Some might be TMI, but oh well, for those who know me anyway, I always naturally find myself in TMI territory!

1. I was in a Nascar commercial (still have the VCR tape of my 15 milliseconds of fame).
2. When I was in 6th grade, I had Bells Palsy and for 9 months, the whole right side of my face was paralyzed (no, I do not have pictures).
3. I was .01 away from graduating college with top honors (funny now, they have changed the scale and I would NOW be able to walk Summa Cum Laude).
4. On a less spectacular academic note, one of my high school freshman progress report cards came home with a stellar GPA of 0.76 out of 4.0.
5. I used to play the Clarinet (but Bells Palsy put a stop to that. Maybe I shoulda switched to the flute...oh well).
6. I worked at Burger King for 11 years. 11 years of fast food folks!! I still have nightmares dreams weekly about The King.
7. I have a sick fascination with weather. On first encounters of meeting new people, if I give a weather update, they really think I'm a meteorologist. Ha, no, just an insurance girl!
8. On one of my many days of working drive thru at Burger King, some man walked up to my window and tried to give me his baby. Well at first I said no, I can't take his baby. Then I got scared and another coworker of mine went after him for fear of the little baby's life. In the end, the cops came, took the baby, arrested him, and the baby was reunited with her momma!
9. I am terrified Terrified TERRIFIED of fire! I can't even light a match.
10. My only ticket I have gotten was due to running a red light (stupid cop).
11. I came to the conclusion that it was time to leave my 4 year junior college stint one evening when my economics teacher asked me to dance with him at a club !
12. My husband...Matt, was first, my oldest sister's nephew (perfectly legal folks. Perfectly legal CA law abiding here).
13. I have blown a total of 5 tires due to either hitting potholes or running over curbs. None of them were my fault tho...mom! One of the said curb incidences was because a spider was on my windshield and I was trying to decipher if it was on the inside or outside. As I was working on that task, the car swerved and bam, there goes my tire. See mom, spiders fault. Oh, the spider was actually on the outside and got away.
14. I have mastered Zumba!! Well, maybe with some unintentional solo's. But if you remember what happened last year and my experience with Zumba, Zumba Fail, this is a phenomenal achievement!
15. I will always be a mom first to my kids over being their friend first (wow...that was deep wasn't it)!
16. I <3 reading.
17. I have bunions on both my feet. I have ingeniously named them Paul and Babe.
18. Since I happened on the foot subject, my second toe is abnormally long. It gets very annoying because I either I hit it on random things or it has a tendency to hang out over the top of some sandals. Thanks to both Paul and Babe AND my freakishly long toe, I have to wear shoe a half size bigger to accommodate my feet (no, there will not be picture posting of this).
19. When I was 4, my favorite movie of all time was Amityville Horror. Don't judge people. I turned out just fine!
20. I am a very very very impatient person (well maybe most of you already knew this).
21. When I was little, probably 4 years old again, I looked exactly like the little girl in Poltergeist. Once again, don't judge people!!
22. I do, and will always, censor the movies my kids watch (even tho I turned out fine, I don't think children need, or should be, exposed to a lot of movie material that is out there).
23. I still count on my fingers!
24. I was once on a first name basis with our old UPS man. Steve was an awesome person! We had many a meetings out at my car so I could secretly intercept the package, place it in my vehicle until Matt took a shower, then I would sneak it in. Because of these shenanigan's I can spot the break sound of the UPS truck a mile away!
25. And Finally...I used to always count how long it would take me to pee (chew on that for a last fact folks).

Have a great weekend all!!

Hugs,
Kerri

Catching Up

Oh my goodness...where does time go?? February is halfway over...yikes. Life in our household has been normal for the most part...i.e. CRAZY! But we have all grown accustomed to living that way I guess.

We have had my nephew visiting us for the past 6 weeks. He lives down in Pismo with my sister and niece. It was awesome having him here. I love him, I miss him and I feel that we had a chance to get caught up in life. When I moved to Sacramento 12 years ago, he was only 11 years old. And having only brief visits during that time left little chance to really hang out and reconnect.

Matt has been on call at work since Jan 1 and will be until the end of March. I feel bad for him because during this time he is averaging about 55 to 60 hours a week. BUT, I love Love LOVE the overtime checks. Did I mention that I love the overtime checks!!!!! It totally lets me shop pay bills with less stress!

Elizabeth is doing GREAT in school. We just had her conference with her teacher and I am so proud to say that she brought up her reading score from below grade level, to achieving grade level. We have worked so hard on this goal. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this (well maybe not so much the blood). On Monday's and Wednesday's she goes to her friends house and does homework with him and his momma. She LOVES going over there and has done so much better on her most recent math tests!! Tuesday's, I get off from work, pick her up and we head to the library. We sit and do her homework there then pick out books to read for the week. I'm trying to think of different things to do with her to keep her homework time as fresh and fun as possible. Cirriculum these days are not what they used to be!! Pretty much 90% of her math homework is word problems. Seriously, for a 1st grader, from day 1, word problems. At the beginning of the year she couldn't even read the problems! A couple weeks ago she had a math problem that I literally attempted to figure out using algebra. Seriously, and guess what....I wasn't the only parent to do this!! This math problem taught me two things. One, look at it from a 1st graders point of view, or basically Keep It Simple Stupid (me!!!), and two, I suck and retained nothing of Algebra. When that homework comes home, I will gladly be paying a tutor to help her out!!



Meghan has been, well, bored, cranky, content, mischevious...you name it, she has been that recently! For the most part, she has been super healthy, although she does have a virus right now but so far it's not too bad (Elizabeth had it over the weekend and shared). Her seizures seem to be under control and I hope and pray everyday that they stay that way. My mom and I have really been working with her on putting puzzles together and identifying objects in books. She LOVES her books and pointing out different items. She loves learning and her brain is really absorbing it ALL! I think that is why she has been getting into trouble a lot lately. She is getting in to EVERYTHING, and she knows it! She is just so bored! I can't wait for the flu season to die down so we can get her out and do more things.



With her bordem comes the opportunity to play mess with her sister. You see, when Meghan does something that makes Elizabeth mad, Elizabeth FREAKS the FREAK out!! Her reaction to Meghan just gives Meghan all the more reason to do it again and again and again. I've tried to tell her not to react like she does. But nope, everytime, in her super hight pitched, loud and most whiny voice "Nooooooo Megggghhaannn. Stop it. Mom, Meghans bothering me". So not entertaining for us adults in the household, but Meghan LOVES this!!! For the peace of the household, I really hope that someday Elizabeth will take my advice!

Some serious hair pulling above



As for me, what have I been doing! Really, what have I been doing?? Well, Elizabeth not only shared her virus with Meghan, but I think she also shared it with me. So now I am a bit under the weather. Sore throat, headache and some bodyaches, but so far, Motrin is helping out! But really, you know what...my life is boring!! Working full time and coming home to a cranky two year old, 1st grade homework, dinner, baths, reading, snuggle time, and bedtime leaves little time for me. But that's OK, it just makes the that I do get for myself all the more special. Oooohhhh....this weekend, Matt and I are having a date night!! Now folks, this is rare!! Dinner and a movie is on the agenda and I am as giddy as a school girl about this! It's our Valentine's dinner/present to each other <3

Oh...and btw...I'm so totally addicted to this website, erincondren.com. I WANT everything!!! Keep up the OT Matt....muah!!!!

Randomness With Pictures

So, post Christmas, I got a new nifty little camera. Well, not little I guess. I purchased my first Digital SLR. I've been having fun taking random pictures, but it is waaaaaaaaaaaaay more complicated than my little Sony point and shoot and my Droid camera. So I got me some homework to do, classes to take and never ending strings of questions for my friends who already have digital SLR's (sorry friends...don't ignore me :)) BUT, I have mastered turning the thing on, switching the little dial thingy to a green square (which takes good pictures), adjust the zoom, auto-focusing, taking the picture, AND even able to go back and check them out. So...here are just some random pictures, totally playing around and getting used to it!

First Picture!!!

Love this pic...Meg's owies from falling out of the chair

Cheesy

E posing...dancing with Just Dance 2 (so fun)

??? No Idea ???

My awesome cat...well, one of them.

Kickn' it

Attempting a snow angel

E loving her first snow experience

Snow Cave!!!!

I have no words...BUT...favorite pic EVER

Cheap and CLEAN entertainment



Starting The Year Over

OK, well, January...not so great. In fact, January SUCKED. So I will NOT be counting January into my year. Nope! Sorry January, you LOSE! As the clock strikes midnight on Jan 31, 2011 and we embark on to Feb 1, 2011...my year will begin!

I know technically this does not change anything, but hey, it makes me feel better. So everything that I had mentioned previously holds true...beginning Feb 1!!!!

These past couple weeks have been super busy! Last weekend I headed back home, to Pismo Beach, for my friends funeral. I still can't believe what has happened. Lots of tears and hugs that day. Melinda was just beautiful, all around beautiful.

Ugh....the struggles with Meghan. Her seizures are still under control, but we are still dealing with teething (2 year molars). This leads to one unhappy, sleep deprived, all around cranky parents child.We finally got around to converting her bed from the crib to a toddler bed since she was continuously climbing out...although more graceful since the first time!Well with this new found freedom she has, she feels that she can take it upon herself to get up at 2:00 am to watch a bit of TV, and seriously protest when made to go back to bed. Hello dear Meghan...you are only 2 years old!

Elizabeth! Minus her serious attitude that she has developed...hello dear Elizabeth...you are only 6 years old...she is doing really good! I actually see improvement with her reading! Thank you God!!!! She did however, lose some ground in Math. So being the type A mom that I am, she goes to a math group, at school, four days a week before school starts. And two days a week she stays after for reading group!! AND, on those two days, she goes over to do friends house and do homework with him! For the first time in months, I feel like she just might make it to 2nd grade (Yes I stress).

Snow Day

I've have lived in Sacramento for 12 years now...12 years! Since my move up here, I can count on one hand how many times I have been to the snow. Sadly, the snow is only an hour away. AND, what is even more sad...in the past 7 years...I have gone zero...0...times. So with that said...Elizabeth, who is now 6, has never been to the snow. I tried last year, when it was so cold and rained...well "snowed" (it stuck for 10 minutes)...tried to pass it off to Elizabeth as going to the snow. That so did not work! So as summer was coming to a close, as school shopping was in full swing, I saw a great price on snow boots! I snatched a pair up for both Elizabeth and Meghan fully knowing if I buy the shoes, then we MUST go!!! A simple call to a friend provided us with snow clothes (only for Elizabeth and Meghan), 2 sleds, and a disk sled! Matt, my mom, the girls and I piled in the truck yesterday and headed east. Where we were going...no clue!!! First we would find the snow, then we would find the park!! Awesome friend A suggested we go to Yuba Gap, a road sign said to stop at Soda Springs, but my hungry tummy had us stop at Nyack. Nyack had this huge parking lot with this huge play area!!! So that is where we ended up!!!

The girls absolutely LOVED the snow!!! As a mom...it was one of the happiest moments of my mom life!! Going up in the truck, Elizabeth and I formed a snow ball alliance...we were suppose to be on one team...but the minute she set foot on the snow...it was every man for themselves! Meghan...she found a nice comfortable patch...in which mommy made sure there was only "white" colored snow...and she ate and ate!

There was awesome little hills to sled down. An already started snowman, and a cool little snow cave! PERFECT day! The irony in this little snow trip is we had to go to the snow for the sunny warm weather as Sacramento has been nothing but foggy drizzly weather for the past two weeks! Just to keep things in perspective...I managed to successfully lock the keys in the truck. HUGE shout out to AAA roadside...they were there within 20 minutes. Love them! AND hubby wasn't too mad at me, although he questions why I ever put the keys on the dash!

In light of this past week, yesterday was so perfect and much needed! It is the first of many family days to come!!

                                                                Ready for the road trip

                                                                         Snow or bust

                                                                   First time snow bunnies

                                                        Happy Meg...not so happy E

                                                                      Hello happy E

                                                                  Loving the snow

                                           Loving eating the snow (it's white snow..no worries)

                                                                       E's first snow ball

                                                                    Fantastic babysitter

 

Attempting a snow angel...I think

                                                 Yes he pushed her..she coulda got hurt

                                              Yes...I pushed her and..No..she didn't get hurt

                                                    Meg and the already started snowman

                                                                  Cheesy snow pic

The snow cave...so awesome

                                                Yep...she sure knows how to throw the looks

                                                                            Snow ride

                                                          Personal touches to the snowman

A New Year...A New Chapter

Ahhh, a new year. I get a little nervous starting new years lately. Since Meghan became sick, I always end the year with the prayer and hope that next year will be better. I don't know what I have been looking for over the past years to make "them better" but I still end in hopes that the following year will be better.

So at this moment, these are the things, if they happen, will make 2011 an unbeatable year:

1. Talking - I want Meghan to say more than "up". If she can have like a 15 word vocabulary by the end of the year, I will be totally ecstatic!

2. No Emergency Hospital Stays - We only had one last year which was a total improvement over the previous, but I want to end is ZERO (hospital stays due to testing are not included).

3. Elizabeth Passes First Grade - OK, I'm a hard mom when it comes school. I cried when I graduated college because I was .01 away from top honors! Elizabeth went into Kindergarten at 4, so I know that for at least the first couple years she is at a disadvantage, and will be a little behind her peers. So with LOTS of hard work on both our parts, we WILL pass 1st grade...God willing, PLEASE.

4. No More "Bad News" Neurologist Visits - 2010 and 2009 was full of downer appointments. SO, I am hoping, since we are 2 years into this seizure battle, we can escape negative, heartbreaking news.

If those 4 came true, this year would be the best year I have had in quite a while! OK, so on to my resolutions, which I fully intend to accomplish :)

1. Half Marathon - I ran a 5k on Thanksgiving...loved it. So, technically I have a head start on this, but in May I AM going to run a half! If all goes well, I will end 2011 by running a full Marathon an the beginning of December (I should make the Marathon a resolution, but I would prefer to go above and beyond my resolutions).

2. More Water, Less Martini's - I LOVE my martini's! But I will be 35 this year, so it is time to listen to Tim McGraw's advice (a whole 5 years later) and lay off! Water is my nemesis! I have totally had to make myself drink water. Even when I was pregnant, I would always get lectured how I don't drink enough water. So thank goodness for those little bottle of lemon juice, maybe I can trick myself into thinking I am having a lemon drop...LOL.

3. Patience - I think sometimes I run negative in this area, so I hope to be able to learn how to have more patience (especially with Meghan). I think this will be the hardest of all, but I know that I can do it.

4. Regular Exercise - Well, whether it be a half or a full marathon, this is a must! I do have to admit that I pulled a muscle in my thigh 3 weeks ago, and it is still giving me problems. So bring it treadmill and stair stepper...I will own you!

5. Read A Book A Month - I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading. Yes, I am a book nerd folks. But since kids, reading takes a back seat. I love getting lost in the stories and characters...very therapeutic for me!

6. Less Debt - Matt and I sometimes have that "champagne taste on a beer budget" going on. We like toys, we do. However, we don't go on vacation, so toys are our escape. Two days into the new year, and we are already upside down (do not buy a fish tank on Craigslist folks)

7. Photography - I'm did it!!! I don't know if I am jumping on some sort of band wagon or if I am getting older and I want to capture as much as life, my kids, family, friends, cats...etc. as I can. I purchased my first DSLR!! Thinking back...I don't think I have made a purchase that big for myself (at one time) except for my cars and house. But I am so excited to learn all I can about it. Hey...might even go back to school and take some photography classes (given the chance though, I could be a career college student)! Thank you Erika at Flip Flops & Sippy Cups, your Christmas present pushed me over...LOL. AND...I even plan on doing a little project with it!

8. Take A Bath At Least Once A Week - Before you get all grossed out I shower at least once, even sometimes, twice a day! But there is something so serene and relaxing about a bath. I give baths every night, but at least once a week, I will pull those toys out and soak in some awesome hot, good smelling water!

There it is, put out there for all to see, MY New Years Resolutions! Hold me too them, give me crap if I don't meet them. This is what I want for 2011. I put a lot of thought into them and I will make every attempt to meet them :)

Six months ago I started this blog. It started as an outlet to keep family and friends updated on our lives. But over these last 6 months I have met and read about some amazing, life changing people. I have laughed, cried, prayed, and shared/talked about your blog posts. You all have an impact in my daily life and thank you so much for taking the time to share your lives! Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Random New Years Eve pics....Matt drank a little too lot, so we ended up having some fun thanks to him...LOL

9pm...Just got home from work

E into taking self portraits

Getting too full of herself

1 bottle Yaeger down

I <3 my niece

Meg partied as best she could!

E and Meg dancing to the Kinect

Anna (niece)...no comment

This is what a bottle of Yeager will do folks

Best Hug Ever

Niece and Nanny (my mom)

Posing with the drunk one

He was able to get vertical for a moment

E had a blast

Best family ever. Happy New Years!