November's Top Ten

10. Craig's sister Jenni got married!

We had so much fun hangin with the entire Lumley clan. All 16 grandkids were there and my kids had a blast with all of their cousins. Everyone worked so hard to make it a beautiful day and it showed!

We are SO happy for Jenni & Pale!

9. Two of my closest friends are preggers!!!

Lea & Jeni I can't wait to see your little peanuts!

8. Sev's quote of the month:

Sev: "Mom do love your kids very much?"

Me: "Yes of course!"

Sev: "Are we the most awesome kids in the world?"

Me: "Uh Yaaaah!"

Sev: "I knew it."

7. Olivia & Sevrin play make believe things all of the time and one day I was in the kitchen and I heard Liv ask Sev "Hey Sevrin, wanna play "Old Man"?", I asked them what "Old Man" was and they explained that Old Man is a game that they play where Sevrin pretends he is old and uses a golf club as a crutch or cane and Olivia helps him across the street.

6.Disney on Ice!

I have to admit I was dreading this performance and it ended up surprising me! It was really neat! Leave it to Disney to always outdo themselves.

I love it when "kids stuff" ends up being enjoyable!

5. Maya turns 5!

There are many things to LOVE about my cute little niece Maya. And it would be a long list, so here are the top 5 things I adore about her:

1. She will only wear skirts or leggings. NO JEANS ALLOWED

2. She loves to spend the night at my house :)

3. She is SUPER DUPER girly (loves to wear fluffy skirts, pretty dresses, fancy shoes), but she can be rough and tumble and enjoys playing super heroes, etc.

4. She wears cowgirl boots with fancy dresses and skirts.

5. She has the cutest, prettiest, curly hair.

4. We made a homemade pizza one night and it grew twice it's size in the oven! The kids called it the BLOB! And when we mention making pizza again, they say...No! Not the BLOB again!

Doesn't it look horrendous?

3. Sevrin got glasses! Doesn't he look so smart & handsome?

2. Jan (My mother in law) had a birthday too!

This photo is how I picture Jan...enjoying her backyard in her beautiful garden with all of her grand kids and her family.

Jan is extremely handy, thrifty, and resourceful. She has taught be so many things. She owns her own personal power tools, she re-upholsters furniture, sews, has a awesome garden, makes AMAZING candies, desserts, roasts, etc. BTW: Check out her website! :) www.grammajans.com

AND she is always ready and willing to help with anything and everything at any given moment. I am lucky to have her as my mother in law and I love her dearly.

(One of my favorite pics of Jan)

1. My Mom's Birthday

(Me & My Mom)

I wish I could have been with my mama not only to watch Breaking Dawn, but to celebrate her special day.

One of my favorite things about my mom is that she loves the fascinating things in life and she sees beauty in everything. She has a passion for nature and travelling and she has shown us so many wonders in the world.

Another thing that I LOVE about her...she is a fabulous grandma. I sit down to read the kids a story most nights before bed and the majority of our books have a sweet little message from my mom written in each them saying things like "to my sunshine girl, we love you, love grammie & grampa" or "For our Sevy, we love you more than words can say". Every time we open a book the kids see that special message just for them and we have read it before we can begin the story. My mom adores my kids hence I adore her for that.

I Love You Mom!

Happy Birthday!

I am thankful for...

My husband who is willing to be Mr. Mom, who comforts me, who genuinely wants to listen to me (or at least makes me feel that way), who works hard, and shows love continuously to me and our children

My awesome kids. They make me laugh every day. Although there are days I want to be alone on a deserted island, I always look forward to coming back to them. They fill my life with so much joy. I love them more than they will ever know

My family (in laws included) :)

I could not have been more fortunate to be born into a unconditional loving, supportive family that like and love me in spite of all of my flaws. I am truly "home" when I am with them. I am 100% myself with them and there is not a feeling like it.

I could not have been more fortunate to have married into the family that I have. The Lumley family is willing to drop anything, anywhere to help out, they welcome anyone and everyone into their home, I LOVE being with all of them. Their home is another place I feel ultimate love and comfort.

Our friends...I often ask Craig "how did we get so lucky to know such amazing people"?The friends that we have both old and new fulfill our lives and make it happier, sillier, comfortable, and whole.

Our jobs...Craig works for a great hospital that has provided not only training, but decent income, and support while he goes to school. The company I manage for is fabulous. They are upbeat, positive, and supportive. Life is so much better when you enjoy your work!

Oh and my kitchen aid :)

Thank to everyone that make my life meaningful. I love you all

Happy Thanksgiving!

Really? October is gone?

Once Halloween is over that's it...you blink your eyes and it's 2 days before Christmas and you still have so much to get done before Christmas Eve. I need time to slow down for many reasons!

Top 10 For October

10. Becki is always up for something fun. At the last minute one Saturday morning I decided I wanted to take the kids to the city. I called up my sis in law Becki to see if she might want to come and her usual response was SURE! We rode the trolley to Ghiradelli Square where we shared a HUGE chocolate fudge sundae. After our treat we walked back to the trolley pick up, the line was so long, the kids were tired and cold, so we took a taxi back to our car. It was a fun adventure and we all had a great time.

9. Halloween!!!

8. Olivia joined Girl Scouts!

My "Daisy" Girl!

7.Michael buble has a new Christmas album. I. Love. Him.

6.Becki had heard of a "shark day" at a reserve near our house. The kids LOVED it. There were a few leopard sharks in a portable aquarium that the kids were able to touch. They got their faces painted, and we wandered along the bridges all over the water at the reserve. Such a fun way to spend the day.

5. My niece Ella is always dressed to the nines. Look at her in her fancy Halloween attire. SO CUTE!!!

4. Sevrin's quote: "Mom I want to eat really healthy. I like beans. They make me fart. But that's ok".

3. My office is on the same property as our apartment. I needed to run over to my office quickly and the kids wanted to stay inside. When I came back Liv left this note on the table. Not only is it cute, but I thought it was so grown up of her to let me know where they were. :)

2. My niece and nephew in their costumes. Don't they make a fantastic team? :)

1. Sev's drawing of a "temple" look like anything else?

September...is fall near yet?

Fall is my favorite time of year. I LOVE the cool, crisp weather, sweaters, hot chocolate, the leaves changing colors... If you are a mild weather lover, you need to move to California. It is the end of September and it is 80 degrees and there is not a cloud in the sky. This sounds lovely, but to me I want it to be fall already! Please come fall, I'm waiting for you.

Here is our family's top 10 events for September!

10. My Sever turned 5!!!

Sev wanted to celebrate with a bowling party.

It was really funny to watch the little guys bowl.

Bumper bowling helped but on occasion one of the adults was seen in the middle of thealley pushing a ball down the lane after it had made a dead stop in the center! :)

Sevrin is one of my favorite people to spend time with.

The list of things that I love about Sevrin is WAY too long but here are a few things I adore about him:

His sense of humor (it's smart, quick, and he appreciates quirky humor)He is such a happy kid. 90% of the time he is pleasant and easy going

Sev gives me the best greetings. When I pick him up from school he will spot me in a crowd and shout "MOM!"with tons of excitement and waive frantically while running to me and jumps into my arms. EVERYDAY he does this.

While we are eating dinner he will say "Mom/Dad this is a very good dinner, I love it, you did a really good job on it"

He adores Olivia. He is constantly telling her how beautiful she is and how much he loves her.

When Sev needs some one on one he will grab me by the hand and say "come and sit with me mom I want to spend time with you". (How can you resist that?)

I could go on and on...Everyday he makes my life happier. I can't get enough of him and we have enjoyed watching him grow.

9. Liv lost her front tooth!! She is the cutest hillbilly I have ever seen! :)

8. Craig's sister got engaged this month! SO exciting! We are happy for you both Jenni & Pale!

7. I am finally caught up on Mad Men. My life is quite boring since I have caught up. I cannot WAIT for season 5!

6. Liv wrote Craig an apology letter. This picture says enough :) LOVE her notes.

5. Sev's quotes

a)"Mom you are very sweet and very kind"

b)"Mom you are the best mom I have ever seen. You make me better and you always do better things for me"

4. My sister and her family were sealed in the San Diego temple this month. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have been a part of that special day. They literally looked heavenly dressed in white, especially with their two little angels. Those kids are the loves of my life and everyday I am thankful that they were sent to our family.

3. I STILL love my kitchen aid. Every time I use it it makes me happy.

2. I see hints of fall. Now I just need cool weather and leaves falling all over the place.

1. One more quote from Sevrin...

Liv & Sev were dancing in our front room to "California Girls" and sev went up behind Olivia and said "come here, I'm gonna give you a California wedgie".

August Rush

More trips...Nevada, New Mexico, & Utah

I usually don't like to post long entries but I have a lot to say for this month. Sorry bear with me!

10. August began with Laughlin, Nevada. My dad thought Nevada would be a good meeting place for all of my family and he had heard about cheap hotels, jet skiing on the Colorado river, and 112 degree weather. I think I have mentioned that I can spend anywhere with my family and I end up having a good time. It was SO hot, the hotel was about a 2 Star but we had a blast! Reminiscing about the shady hotel is and will always be fun. Everywhere we went was air conditioned. Jet skiing on the river was surprisingly one of the funnest things I have ever done! The river was clear, beautiful, and just cold enough. I thought all of our kids would last 1 hour in the heat and I think we ended up spending 8 hours on the river.

9. After Nevada my parents took Olivia & Sevrin home with them to New Mexico. My parents made sure that the kids did everything on their "list" that they made before they got there. The zoo, the movies, Dion's Pizza, shopping for school clothes & toys, and a special evening that my mom put together...she set up an over head projector in the back yard and the kids watched a movie outside in the grass, ate popcorn, and loved every minute of it! Thank you mom and dad!!!

August is a crazy birthday month for our family. The majority of my postings will be honoring the August birthday boys & girls...

8. Happy Birthday Craiger

Craig is the love of my life. Not only did he turn 32, but we also celebrated our 9th anniversary! I feel lucky to say that as the years go by, everything gets better and better. The more I know about him, the more I like him. Craig is a handsome devil. He is smart, helpful, supportive, funny, wise, good, kind, he genuinely wants to know how my day was everyday, and he loves me in spite of all of my crazy issues. Love you & looking forward to many more years to come.

7. The Ford Family Birthdays:

Happy Birthday Jamey!!! (my brother-in-law)

Jamey is my oldest sister Stacey's husband.

He knows computers inside and out. It is spooky how well he knows them. He is my solid source for any and every technological question. We share a few important common loves...My sister,Restaurant Impossible, dark chocolate, and I'm sure lots more that I am unaware of. He also rolls out the red carpet when we go for a visit. He is a fabulous host.

Happy Birthday Jackers!!! (my baby sis) Jackie is incredibly quick witted, she's brilliant on so many levels, she is hilarious, has the memory of an elephant, and she has a great way of looking at things. I adore this girl. If I say she can make me laugh like no other my other sisters would get mad at me, but really she is the one. Life would not be the same without her. I despise living far away from her. One day we are going to build a Ford Family compound or share a house together...ok Craig & Evan? xoxo

Happy Happy Birthday Kell Bell!!! (my little sister) Kell is my little sister but in many ways I feel that she is my older sister. Of course she looks younger and prettier, but she is wise beyond her years. She is stable and thorough. The girl can plan like no other and she is always 5 steps ahead of me. When Kell and I were young adults I moved to California and she stayed in New Mexico. The night before I left for California we slept together in her old room at my parents house. I couldn't sleep all night because I felt like I was being separated at birth! Kell is my other half (other than Craig) :) The day I moved, I left half of me in New Mexico. I wasn't worried that I would lose her, but life wasn't and isn't the same without her nearby. Anytime is a good time with my Kell Bell. I love you

xoxo

6. The Lumley Birthdays:

Happy Birthday Ron!! (Craig's dad)

Ron and I share a love for red meat, Dr. Pepper, potatoes, chocolate chip cookies (his are better than mine) Jan (his wife), & Craig.

My father in law is a wonderful man. Most Sundays the Lumley family gets together for dinner. My mother in law's mother "Gigi" joins us and she lives in San Leandro. Which is about a 25 minute drive from Fremont. Every Sunday evening when Gigi is ready to go home, Ron will drive Gigi home and then ride Bart back to Fremont so that she does not

have to drive home in the dark alone. If we need anything (and usually it is often at the last minute, because we are last minute people) he will be there at the drop of a hat. Anything we need he is willing and there, no matter what. xoxo

Happy Birthday Mandy!!! (Craig's baby sister)

Mandy is beautiful, she has a very cool husband, she & her husband make really good looking babies, she is funny, spiritual, sassy, strong, fashionable, logical, and a well structured mother. One I can learn a thing or two from. :) She is from Texas and has strong Texas pride. She persuasively tells her whole family why Texas is a good place to move to. It works every time. After I see her I think "we should move to Texas". Love you Mandy

Happy Birthday Scott!!! (Craig's sister's husband)

Scott is super uncle. He jumps on the trampoline for hours, he plays hide and seek for longer than an hour, he is always thinking of fun things for the kids to do, he open up his swim school exclusively for the Lumley kids so that they can have the pool to themselves, he's funny and thoughtful and Becki could not have chosen a better half! Scott you are awesome. We love you and appreciate you!

5. Sev started Kindergarten & Liv is a 1st grader!

Quotes after the first day of school:

Sevrin: "How much longer do I have to do this"?

Olivia: Crying-"First grade is SO hard"

4. My favorite August drawing by Olivia...Liv is always saying how nice it would be if we could just spend some time without Sevrin. This picture was stapled to this note:

3. My favorite August quote by Sevrin

At Olive Garden..."Mom I want to go to the bathroom to check if I pooed by pants, cause I did a big toot and I think poo came out"

2. Spent SO much time with family this summer. It was SO nice. Only downfall to seeing everyone more often...just makes me want to see them more.

1.Eva

Although it is not a highlight, but a tribute to my grandmother Eva Ford. My grandma passed away this month. She literally survived by my grampa Dean who cared for her unconditionally until her final day of life. I know that heaven is a place that my grandma was looking forward to visiting, and I do not doubt one bit that she is there. The night I learned that she had passed away, I closed my eyes to go to sleep and I saw her dressed in white along side my grampa, (in white as well) they looked perfect and happy. My gramma was a rock of a woman. She never missed a day of church. She wore pink tennis shoes, she had 5 piercings on each ear, she as about 4 ft 10in and wore a size 4 shoe. Everyone cringed when my gramma would make tuna sandwiches but I LOVED her tuna sandwiches. She made them with sweet relish and they were great. She was always so happy to see us and so sad to see us leave. She raised a wonderful man that is my father. She lived medication free to the age of 91. I am a lucky & grateful descendant of my grandmother.