how's that for a blog update.

i've never posted more than once in a day and today i'm going for 3. i'm doing it while I can, my record for frequency hasn't been great lately.

i just wanted to share the reward system we've been using that's actually worked for us (i mean that i have been consistent about) because it's easy. with summer time and all maybe it would work for you, too.
do not judge my artistic ability. i'm just posting the picture. is it self-explanatory enough? the little pictures are ideas of how they can earn tickets. only recently did i start writing chores on the tickets (after reading this) and i love it! the tickets taped under their name are those that have chores written on them. things like: make your bed, take out mom's bathroom trash, put a a new bag in mom's trash can, water the plants in pots in front, put away your laundry, read a book to mom, etc. otherwise, the tickets are just awarded at my discretion (and not awarded at all if they're asked for--I'm mean). like if they go to bed really good, if i see good problem solving or teamwork, if they help without being asked, etc. and i know you're not supposed to take away a reward they've earned and mostly i don't but i have a few times.

and here are the only pictures i've taken recently (i'll do better):

face crayons are awesome. and they love to do it themselves. it started off like this:

papa smurfa dog

letting my kids just be kids sometimes helps me feel like a good mom (and some days, I need all the help i can get). and it usually involves getting messy. tomorrow i'm going to let them finger paint with shaving cream on a cookie sheet (thanks carrie). i'm forever grateful for woodland parent nursery school and teacher debbie. it would've been worth living in davis for 3 years even if that was the only thing we did there! it's scary to think what i'd be like as a mother without that foundation. as a parent, i worked there 2-3 times a month and had parent education classes 2x a month. it was invaluable. i'm sure i could use a refresher but at least i had the experience for 2 years!! i heart teacher debbie and the things she taught me about preschoolers and how to help them "talk it over," to use their imagination and get messy and how potty talk is okay when they're alone in the bathroom. they'll learn to read soon enough...like in kindergarten.

yummy, quick and easy pasta

sun-dried (or grape) tomatoes
fresh asparagus (cut into 3rds)
artichoke hearts
red pepper
portabella mushroom, sliced
garlic, pressed
sea salt
topped with capers

serve over whole wheat penne pasta

seriously. that's it. and it's SO delicious!!

summer lovin', having a blast

and no pictures to prove it. how disappointing I know.
so this is our first month of summer regurgitated
(if any body reading has any photos to prove where we've been and what we've been up to, please send them my way. I've been a major slacker in the photo dept.).
I'll try to make this short.

we pulled jaden out of school a week early because disneyland is way more fun than any end of the year party (and you all know about my disneyland rules, don't you? rule #1: I don't go during the summer and especially not during summer break) we had plans to meet the hatch's (friends from BYUH, live in WA) there and as luck would have it, when the kearns (also friends from BYUH, live in UT) called to wish micah happy birthday, we found out that they were going to be at the happiest place on earth the very same days as us--what are the chances?!

we stopped in bakersfield on our way down to celebrate micah's birthday again. there was swimming, a water slide, climbing wall, golf cart, trampoline, basketball, lots of food, including brownies and homemade ice cream, friends and family--the perfect recipe for a great time!! THANK YOU to everyone who was there and contributed!!

next we headed to the oc for our week-o-fun. we logged about 30 hrs. at disneyland and ca adventure with three perfectly well-behaved kids and lots of time spent (though not enough) with some of our favorite friends and their adorable kiddos. we enjoyed an evening out with the maughans at the melting pot to celebrate all of our birthdays. another dining highlight included a trip to the cheesecake factory (have you ever been? the menu is like 50 pages long. there was no way I could make a decision so I asked the waitress to pick for me)---Yummmmy! lots of time was spent poolside soaking up the sun--fabulous!!

then it was back to bakersfield for my surprise birthday week celebration. micah organized a-party-a-day. each day included lunch, dinner and babysitting. perfect. yes! some days included shopping sprees w/ muy, muy cute clothes, other days just included shopping minus the spree. there were manicures, pedicures, perfume, jewelry, new sunglasses, CUPCAKES from the cutest little cupcakery, candles, b&bw goodies, flowers, balloons, cash and cards---whoa, what a week! it made turning 30 worth it (I was apprehensive). then I had to leave my throne and return to reality but not for too long.

I brought my three nephews home with me and we loved every minute of the 9 days of camp cousins (my favorite part was having the coolest, most responsible 15 year old nephew here with me--he was the greatest help). this was during that weird heat wave so we enjoyed lots of beach days. with kippy joining us for some of that time, I even had one beach day w/ the big boys while asher hung out at home with her (why don't we live closer to family? this question seems to keep coming up). we had two more overnight guests during that week along w/ a visit from papa dave to retrieve the boys and return them to my sister.

then there were 4 days to regroup before jenny came for a visit, which included yet another birthday surprise (thanks to micah for coordinating). a trip to san francisco w/ her to visit erin sans big boys. we left friday and had a fabulous girls weekend in the city. I'm happy to report there were no broken car windows and our gps is safe. asher was a complete angel and endured a late night at the theatre, restaurants and more shopping. he got lots of attention for his sweet smiles and perfect disposition--it was such a treat! and perhaps a little deceiving to my two best ladies: one is only 3 months away from motherhood and the other maybe 3 years. asher made it look a little too romantic. I returned home to cute kids, a hot husband, clean house and folded laundry--what more could I ask for?!

so now we're trying to catch up from all the fun. and I'm thinking another trip to bako is only 4 days away (micah goes back to the oc for a week and I'm a whimp). I hope the blog neglect improves but I can't make any promises.
we are the family of perpetual motion.