Why Not

I don't have anything specific to say or write about today. I just know it's been awhile since I've written.

We've been a little on the social side lately. We've had guests for dinner at least twice a week for a month it seems. And play dates, outings with friends, school, work, work, music, school, la de da de da da da.

So lots to do.

And when there's a lot to do, and when it rains, and when your kids don't like the stroller anymore, and when it is so hard to get two kids outta the house because they are building statues on top of chairs, or throwing frozen peas on the floor, or when they take about 2 hours to get dressed, or when they cry because they don't like the way the tip of their sock feels, then it's hard to:

take a walk.
talk to a spouse.
go anywhere.
clean anything.
do anything.
think straight.
get things done.
remember things.
write blogs.
stay up late.

But when there's a lot do do, and when it rains, and when your kids pretend they are Mrs. Brisby, and the old auntie from the Secret of Nihm, and when they think their grandpa is the duke from Cinderella, and they think that their Dad is Darksied from the Legion of Doom, and they think their mom is the old Rat Nicodemus, and when they dress me up in ugly hats, and when they pour gallons of water out of a bathtub, and when Effie washes a yellow shoe diligently in the sink for 30 minutes as she scrubs the sole with a toothbrush after she rubs the toothbrush on a bar of soap, and when Celia and Effie play computer chess and write down neighbors phone numbers into the "search" fields of an old computer, then it's definitely easy to:

have fun.
be silly.
not clean.
make music.
watch them dance.
not write blogs.
feed them ice cream for being so cute.
take lots of unnecessary pictures and video.
watch and watch and watch.
let the day go by - and be happy that my kids are alive, safe, happy, strange, and being the cutest of kids.

The other night, Effie giggled uncontrollably, like a little teeny baby that hears a fart noise for the first time and can't stop laughing, and her little laugh in the dark cracked me up so bad, and her laugh got harder cuz I was laughing, and I felt like I was with Monica at church in 5th grade when we'd just be laughing at the dumbest things and can't stop. Effie is a clown. And I think she just may be the one to live out my dream of being a comedian. Hahaha. I made her say a different prayer the other night cuz her and Celia had been fighting a bit too much so I told her to repeat after me. It went like this:

me: "Dear God"
Effie: "Deeoorr Gaawts"

me: "Help me to be kind"
Effie: Heolp mes to be tines"

me: "and be very loving"
Effie; (long long pause)........ "and helps me to be veweeys... verweeys... FUNNIIIEEEE!"

What a wierdo.

I love them so much, and I wish I could just play more. I wish that I wasn't as sleepy sometimes to miss out on their cuteness that's gonna be gone one day. I wish I never had to leave to work to see Effie cry cuz she needs me to put on her socks the right way, but even though I'll get beat, tired, busy, or have to leave - I'm so lucky I get all that amazing time I do get to enjoy my FUNNNIEEEE babies.

Cien!

Wow. Post number 100! That's almost as cool as Celia gettin all excited about the 100th day of school!

How are you my friends? I can't help but have to say how amazing and wonderful and funny my kids are. Yesterday Effie was in the bathroom after Celia forgot to flush - and she slightly closed one eye, looked at it, and pointed and said - "Is dat Celia's pee?" She looked at me, pointed, looked at the toilet, then looked at me, then said "Ok. I'll go on top if it's Celia's pee".

Tonight I said "I love you Effie". Then she said "Are you in lub wit me?" Of course I said yes. Effie replied - "no - you're in lub with Dada and I'm in lub with Celia". She's so cute I want to shrink her. Everyday I tell her I'm gonna put her in a shrinking machine to keep her tiny forever. She gets even more amazing by the day.

Our big one is still digging the school thing. She got a bigger part in her Yellow Submarine play, and has been glued to the ipod player in the kitchen. She listens to the same songs over and over and has interesting taste. It's the cutest thing to watch her crowd over the smallest little ipod player, and hold it in her arms, and constantly bungle around trying to replay a song, or maneuver the thing. She's even worse at trying to figure that thing out than I am.

So, yes - I saw Pee Wee and it was so so so so so so so so so so so so so so and so much fun. I just wish my girls could have gone because it was so amazing. Cathie can tell you about it here
I won't go on into too much detail, but it was a great night and so much fun to hang with Monica and finally get a night out with her!! (We even hit up the Pantry for chicken fried steak) hehehehe.

And I'm back to subbin' for awhile - in fact I have to get up super early and it's almost 1am, but wanted to post these pics and check in. We've had such a wonderful year so far... and I hope you have too. I lub u guys.

Tinkle

The funniest part of the day has to be when I put the kids to bed. I mean, all their silliness comes out and when the lights go out it gets especially interesting. Tonight Effie demanded everyone else shut up while she sang us her rendition of "Tinkle Tinkle little Star". And quite the comedian she is - because as soon as we start cracking up she just keeps at it. She does whatever she can do in the silliest way possible to keep us all from sleeping. We don't seem to mind much - cuz she is funny. Today she began speaking in "robot" and even gave her Russian Nesting Dolls some robotic voices. It was good.

And the week/ year so far has been good. It's nice to hear the rain outside. And it's even nicer because I don't have to make anyone's lunch at 8:30 am tomorrow or make sure we don't forget an umbrella for me and Effie when we take Celia to school.

We got to see my friends new place in Highland Park this week. (thanks for the lovely dinner) - Celia and Effie got new pajamas from Monica and wanted to wear them to our dinner on Thursday. Tonight they wore the matching pajamas again, and asked if we could go back to Lucena's just to show them off again, then go back to Monica's to wear them there as well.

Also made it to Celia's friend's house - for an evening outside watching our girls have fun in a new Pink outdoor Clubhouse. (Heart shaped window too!) They had the BEST time. Along with the family party, and the morning with the Horlicks- my girls have had a wonderful week. So have I.

My hubby turned 31 last week - and now we're the same age again.

(I started this post last week and now I'm gonna finish it)

So yeah - I was saying we had some great dinner dates the last couple of weeks, and had wonderful company over tonight - which was fun and made the girls extra silly.

And so, 2010 so far so good. Effie - still funny. She always says "Guess what" before she tells us anything. The other day we had to help Celia with her homework which was to explain her life dream for an MLK assignment she had. She basically had to do the "I Have a dream" thing - and say her dream. To help her out I began by saying "my life long dream is to have a long happy life with my family" - then Celia said in the most sincere voice "My dream for my life is to be Wonder Woman" - the Effie said in the most thoughtful voice "My dweem fo myz life is to take fishy cwakers for da animals at da zoo and feed them" , then Alex said something like " my life dream is to be a monkey at the zoo". It really was funny. Celia was dead serious. We tried to conceal our giggles.

I'm just gonna post - and get to bed soon. I do have a sink full of dishes - and don't tell my mom, but they are really gonna have to wait till morning. I'm too sleepy.

Have a wonderful day, week, month, and I'll keep you posted.

Decade

Hi Friends: I made it though 2009 - happy, and healthy and I hope I'll be able to say the same next year.
Tomorrow is ..... well... I have to say that: The saddest day has come. We are all really bummed out in my house today. I'm just so sad just thinking about it. Effie is bummed. Alex is bummed. I'm bummed. And Celia is bummed too. What a bummer. This day had to come. I know it did. It didn't come too soon. I felt like we had enough time. We enjoyed the time. We relished in the time. We enjoyed each moment. But it's over now. Back to reality. Back to ................... Kindergarten. Hmmmffffff.

We've been asking Celia all week if we could home-school her. She said no. Because her teacher - she says - is the best in the world. She said she wants to stay in an institutionalized school, however, she asked if it was ok that we just mark her absent for awhile. I said no. She can't just be absent. I said - it's all or nothing honey. You either head back to school, or let me be your teacher. Well, we didn't convince her - which is fine in the end, because I haven't done enough research on home-schooling (or un-schooling) as others call it anyway. Oh well.

But it's funny. Because all around everyone is talking about how happy they are to have their kids back in school, and that they can't wait for vacation to be over for them, and all that... and here we are super bummed. But I think the real reason we may be bummed is that we have to wake them up so early. Vacation was so nice. I could get up an hour before them. Sit awake in bed with them. Enjoy pajamas till 10 with them. Make chocolate chip pancakes every morning with them without the rush. Without the "change me under the covers I'm too cold". Without the "I'm not hungry yet". Without the "Can we watch a movie before school?". WIthout the "EFFIE! YOU HAVE TO WEAR SOCKS!" Without the "EFFIE! You need a JACKET! No - I can't wrap you up in a blanket with you naked underneath!" Without the "I'm too tired for school right now". Without all that plus a hundred more things to say without the about. Oh well. Hmmmmfffff. Oh well.

But I'm gonna do what I can. I'm gonna get some clothes ready to put on Celia under those covers. I'm gonna have the pancake mix ready. I'm gonna have everything ready to make a semi-healthy - and semi-not so good for you lunch. I'm gonna leave room to be sure that Brownie can warm up. In fact - maybe I should go gas up that little wagon right now - so I don't have to roll all the way down Western without overdoing the gas pedal.

Anyway. Thank you all you readers for following Sara the Sub another year. Thanks for the fun times, hanging out, letting me cook for you, for watching my kids, taking them out, buying me birthday and Christmas gifts, and loving me and my family. See you soon, and I'm sure I'll let you know how the dreaded first day back of school went. Hmmmmffff.

I'm still awake

I wonder why? oh yeah - It's Christmas, and I had to make sure Santa's note was ready, and that he ate his cookies and milk. Thank you family for all the goodies for my kids. Merry Christmas to all of you. Have a wonderful weekend, and fabulous New Year. Thanks Becky for watching my kids all day while I stayed home sick trying to figure out how to bake while feeling a bit shabby. I promise to write before the year ends... but just wanted to wish my friends and familia a superb Navidar. (that's what Celia calls it... Navi-dar)

Saw these and they made me so happy.

Can't wait for summer again. I hope you are well. We are dealing with the sickies that I just mentioned last week we didn't have. Whateva. But all is good in our hood.

Except for that the other day a bottle of Fish Sauce broke in my kitchen. That was the nastiest thing ever ever ever ever ever. I'll never buy fish sauce again, no matter what the recipe says. Just ask Lety.

We did Disneyland this week, and the dance between Celia and Effie by the fountain in the Tiki Room made me crack up so hard. I'd never laughed so hard watching my kids. They acted out the most dramatic choreography between the two of them, holding each other close when the girl birds sang, then dancing like drumming mad women when the music got crazy, and ... well, it was just too good.

I gotta go - cuz I'm tired but those beach pictures just made me so happy I had to share. Have a beautiful day.

poor thing

ugg... I thought we had made it this far in the clear. No one had been sick for weeks, then all of a sudden, Celia can't stop coughing. Yuck. Send up your prayers that it doesn't take long for her to get better - cuz everything is just that much nicer, and easier when you're healthy.

I think we may have pushed her a little bit - maybe with school, violin, swimming lessons, musical theatre, birthday parties, music class.... wow. Poor kids never get a chance to just chill out.

But she's ok - and happy - when she's not having a coughing fit.

And Rosey Cakes is ok. Hopefully she doesn't get the bug. She's extra cute though. I think she may fulfill what was my ultimate life long dream of becoming a comedian. She is seriously one funny lady. If you have had the chance to hang out with this young little funny one in the past week, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Her mannerisms, expressions, and choice of words all fall into one category. Funny.

Despite the sickies - we've had such a fun past few weeks. I had to leave my Saturday job for other opportunities that arose. My Fall Music with Sara class is done till January. My Brand class is also done till then... so for awhile- I'll enjoy everything - and especially enjoy how much nicer everything else is, and how much easier everything else seems.... when the dishes are done. (for now)

Celia started swim class. They just threw the child in the water... (did I mention that in the last blog?) Effie was too shy, so I'm forced to go with her now to Mommy and Me swimming - which is cool, but after swimming in a salt water pool all summer, it wasn't fun swimming in chlorine.

Celia has memorized all her Musical theatre lines and it's a riot. Effie has memorized them too. Their best buddies moved outta town, so that was the excitement for the whole week before. They left behind a gas grill that has proven to be a wonderful, soul healing addition to our family. Grilled veggies and meats make for a happy home with happy and bountiful leftovers that keep everyone in a good mood.

We made it to the Fesitval of Lights again last night for the first time this year. Don't know if the cold played a roll in Celia's illness - but she was warm and bundled from head to toe... and the walk... was... long. But FUN!

Effie has been blessed with outings with her Nina... shopping, movies, and Santa. She raved about her day all night. She told her Nina (Lety) that a woman's shawl would "definitely look great on my Dad". Luckily, Lety didn't take her advice and buy it for him. Her Santa pics are too cute with her cutesey wootsy little chin on top of her other cutesy wootsy chin.

And let me not forget to mention her "confession with Santa". The man asked her if she had been good and she went off to tell him sadly that she "broke Celia's 101 Dalmatian's Dvd", and thats what she needed for Christmas to get her a new one. Man - she's gotten the guilt complex already without having experienced CCD yet! Hahahaha.

I can't stand how cute they are. I still am boggled by the idea of making real humans... and every time I look at my own, and I can't believe how great my little humans are.

I'm gonna enjoy the fact that it's 9:22pm, and no one is awake, and there's no laundry to fold, and that there are no dishes to do. I may just watch a movie. I may just have some cereal in peace. I don't know. The possibilities are a select few, but right now they all sound good to me. Crawling into bed early with my 3 warm humans doesn't sound too bad either.