September

homecoming

matching family business shirts #Gwinnaphotography

the beginning of Sia's wild side emerges
 (she has bruises on the tops of her feet from these cans)
bad mom award

end of the month...because....TARGET!

August

August began with baking a cake for Tio BoBo's birthday;) (any excuse to bake a cake...or make dessert of any kind really...)

Then came the hard stuff.  I have a lot of thoughts about this girl going to school, that I'll save for another day.
 (insert crying emoji here)

getting some time in at Grandma's before school started...a hot day. Aunt Lil is awesome, fanning away...

so the house is kept pretty cold here...forts & hot chocolate on a hot Friday

making "Pascal's Pancakes" from the new cook book from Grandma

daddy-daughter nap time

sprinklers, shopkins & a movie day!

Michael came home with 2 of my favorite things one day ^^ 💕

a poem from Ms. Rocha. I tried to read it aloud to my mother-in-law one day...I could not finish 😢

family date

8-7-17

So today was wild and long. Gwinna threw a little tantrum in Wal Mart when she didn't get what she wanted (gum and a cupcake doll), Noelle threw a large rock at my foot, fruity pebbles everywhere this morning thanks to Sia:) the list goes on...

 

The girls also had so much fun and it was probably the best day for them because I let them get as dirty as they wanted to and then turned the hose on! Sia quickly grabbed it and took over squirting her sisters all over. They LOVED it. Squealing like crazies. I honestly loved it too (in between loads of laundry) and tried to soak in the whole naked scene. They find so much joy in water, sunshine, dirt and just being together - add in some movies and lots of desserts & we are all happy. I love my girlfriends. I truly love getting to be with their little souls all day. It can be insanity a lot of the time but then there are such great moments like Gwinna hugging Noelle tight telling her how much she loves her or Sia closing her eyes as she eats, humming, throwing back her head and making us all crack up...these are the best. 

journal in June

June 2,2017
Fresno zoo today. These girls are getting old way too quickly. These sweet parts of them will be gone so fast. Sia is in her baby mama phase. Carrying a baby around with a purse too, if she can handle it, saying "heavy heavy." I love it. She is so smart. 
I narrate my day to the girls a lot. Often I will say what I need in certain moments and Noelle listens to it all. She will jump up (even if she is relaxing on the couch) and go grab whatever it is I need. Gwinna has learned this about Noelle too and takes advantage at times. It makes me think of my sweet little Lil sister. Sorry I was such a bossy cow Lils. "Turn off the light...you're closer!"  I love you!!!
I asked Noelle where her favorite place to be is. Her answer: the temple. 
Sweet girl. 
My Gwinna girl is getting antsy, needs some school, some friends, some principals office time;) hehe. Not really but..."hey it could happen."
She is so smart and beautiful and wants to help with every part of living. Her Tia Stephanie describes her as a sour patch kid. There are moments that she is the sweetest most helpful awesome chick and in an instant it can turn around and she will be unhappy and going against anything you say...
Sometimes just to do it, it seems. 
She loves reading with her Grandma. When she laughs with her sisters it brightens up my whole day. 
Back to zoo day. 
Sias favorite animal?? A puppy being walked around! Haha. She was pretty stoic the whole time but right when she saw that sweet dog she perked up, pointing "puppy! puppy!"
Noelle has informed me that for her birthday she wants a hello kitty ring, finding dory necklace and a hatchimal?! She also wants a pumpkin cake decorated with a Joy figurine on top and all kinds of frosting creations too! A flower, rainbow, the face must be frosting and of course lots of sprinkles! Had to note this;)

journals in July

July 22, 2017
At the moment life seems to be very much insane and stressful. I'm trying to wrap my mind and heart around the fact that I will soon be sending our first baby Gwinna to kindergarten! She is loud and wild and our daily life will feel so different without her. I feel sick. We just found out sias doctor did not get the whole spitz nevus out. I can't even talk about that. Too upset, too anxious and angry that we have to do it all over when she was such a rockstar the first time. Again sick! Sia also has cavities that she has to go under for. Ugh. I know I need to quit breastfeeding but really feel I can't handle that and neither can she in this moment. 
THANKFULLY Noelle and Gwinna have no cavities  

In the midst of this I know what I have to do and it is my go to. Thank goodness for truth, for my savior for the gospel for gratitude. I need to focus my life completely on Christ otherwise there really is no coping. I also know that if anyone reads this that has a much bigger set of stresses than I do they would be happy to have mine. I know this lot is not horrible. Father knows I get overwhelmed easily but I do know how much I have to be grateful for. 

At the moment Michael is loving Twilight. Something I love about him is when he decides he loves something he is 100% on board and fully immerses himself in learning all about it. He has been listening to the soundtrack, just finished the first book (audio), knows a lot about every member of the cast and ordered every DVD for less than $16 and is so happy about it! We have also been watching them every night together on our phones after the girls fall asleep. I love it!!!!! Love it. It's hilarious and awesome how excited he is about them now. Complete turn around from when he first watched them.

July 28, 2017
So today we took Sia in to HOPEFULLY get the rest of her spitz nevus out.  I told the doctor as kindly as I could that I never wanted to see his face again! He laughed, he understood.  Michael could not do it this time around so I had to step up and bear hug our daughter a second time while she took it like a champ! Bigger scar, 5 stitches but she did so great! I didn't let myself get emotional, I really had to take my mind out and just hold her.  Michael went to Trader Joes and bought us some black bean and sweet potato chips and for old times sake our dark chocolate peanut butter cups! YES! He also had some great news about settling a case when I climbed back into the car with Sia.  So it was bittersweet day!

July

I just love Chip and Jo

4th of July breakfast with Uncle Tom, Aunt Lily and Remi!

attempting kissing selfie on the 4th while he practices spanish
(weirdos)

LOTS of purging at my mom's house this month, results in:

lots of my childhood memories being brought home (dance costumes, puzzles, books etc.)

lots of snacking (wheat thins, oreos, peaches)

tired, hot babies

a very tired Aunt Lily at the end of the day, I'm sure 

(because she entertains, feeds and takes pictures of my babies all day as well as her sweet Remi boy!)

(we love you Aunt Lily!)

Gwinna turned 5.

Ugh AND yay! And ugh again.  I am so torn.  I love this little wild child more than all of the universes.  

She is also just AS WILD AS all of the universes combined!

 (whatever that means...my family knows.) 

 I am so happy she is healthy and growing and moving forward, yet it breaks me down too. 

That is all on that note for now.

She had a great day of celebrating with cousins and friends: 

cake, karaoke, pizza and presents. 

I love you my Gwinna girl, SO much. 

June

The month began with our Great Grammy Florence's 83rd birthday party! 

We celebrated at Angelini's again:) 
I eat veal and Michael judges me;) hehe. 
And then I get the chocolate chocolate cake and share bites with everyone because it is rich and amazing!  

Sia was making Great Grandma laugh almost the whole time. 

 They both had fun.  

These girls.  So spoiled.  Ugh. 

Hard to control it when living with my in-laws.  

Gwinna and Noelle got hatchimals on a random day in June. No special occasion.  

I have a REALLY hard time with this 

(but I will vent some other time...I could go on and on.) 

 Also MASSIVE lollipops from Disneyland! 

(insert LOTS of eye rolling)

This was a very hard day in June.  Sia has had a small dark mole on her leg since October and we have asked doctors over time what they thought. Everyone up until now has said to just watch it. 

We were referred to a dermatologist who said lets take it off.  

Spitz nevus.  We drove to Sunnyvale and Michael said there was no way he could stay in the room but he did which I very much appreciated.  The numbing shot was the worst.  

She cried a lot but calmed completely down for him to do the rest.  She is a rock star! 

Fresno Zoo.  A very hot day, 

Sia's favorite animal was a DOG being walked around, nasty hot dogs, and tasty ice cream;) 

girls

A few things:

Gwinna's very favorite thing to do right now is read with me and I LOVE it. She comprehends and recalls things at the most random moments and I have to search my memory for what in the world she is talking about. Too much fun being able to communicate ideas and stories with her.  

Noelle refers to Sia right now as Mo Mos... I have no idea why but it is cute and I love it. 

Sia is talking more and more lately. The girls were teaching her how to say "fatso" (terrible! I know!) the other day in the car and she says "fat toe" So funny. Oh and she says "funny?" and "funny" for many situations that are both hilarious and others not so much.  She went straight Godzilla on Noelle and Gwinna's setup of toys the other day and said "funny" very matter of fact and followed it up with laughing and continuing! hahahahaha.  oh this girl.

Calls Avo Frank "fink"