Monday, July 30, 2012

Do a little Dance...


Ava was sick pretty much all last week so we missed her Tuesday evening dance class...which bummed me out cause they were starting tap this week...However I was able to do a make up class this past Saturday. They did Ballet the first 30 minutes and than tap the last 30 minutes. She REALLY did great at the Tap! Now I cannot wait until they start doing jazz!

I liked the Saturday class and the best part was Gabe got to come watch as well.

Anyway here is a very quick video of Ava in action this past Saturday.

Friday, July 27, 2012

I did it....

Well ...I finally did it....I joined a Gym. They had a really great offer going on so I had to take advantage. I signed Ava up too for their kid care so she can come with  when I go. My brother who now lives close by goes to this gym and got me to sign up so we can go together. This is a really small gym but always packed and has nice equipment and is CLOSE BY! They are currently building a HUGE new 24 Hour Fitness even closer to me which I am going to join once it is up and running but in the meantime I will do my workouts here. My health insurance also has a program that they will pay my gym monthly fees up to 25.00!

 I did a good hour work out yesterday and I been counting calories like crazy the past couple weeks. I used to smoke every once in awhile but I am officially stopped since I am on my road to fit PLUS I want am doing the zombie run in October with some friends that I cannot flake out on!

I been working out at home but I get lazy and tend not to push myself as hard. Yesterday I had a GREAT workout and it beat me down just a little...I am not sore today but I know tomorrow I will be feeling it. I also spoke with a trainer there who gave me some advice and I am really considering doing the 8 week personal trainer program. He said he can get me to lose 20 lbs in 70 days. However I may fall out with the high intense 25 minute workout but he said in that 25 minutes twice a week I will burn 1000 calories each time...that is of course I don't DIE right there on the spot.
Anyway...I am looking forward to spending my time after work at the gym and my weekend Mornings there as well.  Wish me luck!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Palm Springs Pool Fun

This past weekend we went with the Rebollo family down to Palm Springs for a nice little family getaway.
 Friday morning they arrived to our place and we all caravan over to the vacation home we were going to be staying at for the next 3 days! Ava was loving the big Windmills...she thought they were so funny and just laughed and pointed at them.

It was so hot..it was close to 110. We could not WAIT to get to the house and jump in the pool. In the gated community as we were driving up to the house we saw a road runner dart by. I immediately had this obsession with the road runner all weekend!
 We got in the house and it was almost just as hot in the house as it was outside. I guess the AC had broke. We got a repair guy in right away to fix it. In the meantime we put our luggage to our rooms and filled up the fridge with our food made some cocktails and went right to the pool while the house cooled off. Roland had a PA system and had some tunes going on in the back.  There was a table and chairs built into the pool and this very awesome trickling Hot tub. It was such a Beautiful salt water pool. My skin had a real treat  the whole weekend. The water felt soft and conditioned and there was no damaging chlorine.
 Ava had a blast floating around.
 Parker had a blast too
 The pool was cool yet warmer than usual

 So refreshing
 We sat back and drank some more
 We also had a deck of water cards and played around with those. We sat in the pool seriously ALL DAY. It was so hot I had to put my camera away before it would melt in the sun.  I had gotten out later in the evening and prepared enchiladas for dinner for everyone with some cheesy corn casserole stuff. Gabe ended up waking up in the morning and eating all the leftovers. Roland has some projection equipment so we sat in the pool at night , ate at the table and watched a movie. We went to bed I think around Midnight.
 We slept in as late as we could. The ac was working great now so it was nice and cool. Gabe got up to go grab Ava's toys in the car and told me that the Road Runner was hanging outside...I of course had to jump outta bed and go try and grab a picture of him...I got him standing across the street and then with a flash he was gone...I discovered somehow he got on the rooftops and just saw him booking it away.
 We started the morning off with Mimosa's and a big breakfast and then seriously drank ALL DAY in the pool. We had crackers and Cheese at the table, played some cards, Lounged on the rafts with our big slushy cups filled with a cocktail Jen made. We made it in the house for a little bit and crashed out for a nice afternoon nap. Gabe and the kids were still up playing scrabble in the house. Once I got up it was time for more drinking and pool time. (this picture is actually from Sunday...but it looked pretty much just like this)
 Roland prepared a Nice Taco feast. We had chicken,carne asada,salmon skewers, rice, salad, corn..etc..
 After dinner we did some Lin chee Moi (spelling??) Shots.  Jen had froze up some Ice Molded Shot glasses. We filled it up with some nice vodka and then had these limes to bite into that had this Japanese powder stuff called lin chee Moi Sounds like ( linky moy). The powder is savory yet sweet...it was delicious. Roland , Jen Gabe and I did a couple of these shots ..but quickly since the vodka makes the ice melt fast! The kids their treat was cake for dessert!
 Gabe and I opened a bottle of wine and sat in the hot tub sipping on it and then Roland set up another movie for us all to watch. It is SO nice having a table and chairs built into your pool! While we sat and watched a movie with the kids  Jen and her friend Thompson were in the kitchen prepping for a very special breakfast. Her friend Thompson was making French Toast Souffle! I guess it needs to sit over night before being cooked. After the movie I could barely keep my eyes open anymore so off to bed we all went.
 The next morning we all slept in again ) I mean that is what vacation is all about right ...some good ol R&R) We got up and Jen's friend Thompson was coming over again with his two god sons and we all sat and had french toast souffle and more mimosa's! After breakfast and some clean up time  it was back outside with the music and the pool.
 When I went to the room to change into my bathing suit I peeked out my window to see if my road runners were out...Well Yes they were so Off outside I went chasing them like Wyle E Coyote to get a photo of them...they are fast little devils!
 I could only get my picture from a distance but look how cute he is!
 Anyway ...Back to the pool we all went. We still had a bottle of Jamerson to kill so Gabe , myself, Roland and Jennifer killed the whole bottle just by doing shots. Anyway the pool was packed with kids. Jen and Roland have two children Aria 10 and Liam 4, my two kids 3 and 11, and than Thompsons 2 boys which were about 9 or 10 and then Gabe's sister Cindy came down and brought her two 11 and 14. It was very festive out that's for sure. Anyway here are some fun pool photos and the fun water war that was going on.







 Gabe and his sister Cindy
 I guess the sun was in Parker's eyes.


 When we finally got out of the pool we got all packed up to head home. It seems like we had the option to stay another night but I had to get to work. We left around 6 or 7 because we were trying to wait til it was cooler out before the long drive.
I wanted to stop and let Ava see the Dinosaurs as well. To bad we did not get to see them in the day.
Well the trip went by way to quickly and we all came back with a nice tan!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Burgers and Ballet

Monday night Gabe and I took the kids to Fuddrukers for dinner. I forgot how awesome the burgers are here.
 We had a coupon for a Dinner for 2 adults and two children for 20.00! Of course we used that!
 Ava...she loved it there...Parker played video games and kept refilling his drink with the awesome soda machine they had there. It was all digital and there was a TON of different choices!
 I wanted to sit in the Beatles booth  but someone was already there...so we sat in the Elvis booth.
 Tuesday was Ava's second lesson. There are 16 children in Ava's 6pm class with her so they have 3 instructors that help.
 I love that most of the girls in Ava's class are the same age as her.
 Ava is the only one that was not wearing her tights. It just seems to hot to put them on in my opinion.



 They did some work in front of the mirror.


 I was cracking up cause when they had all the girls sit down by the walled mirror Ava just sat there making faces in the mirror of course when all the other girls were paying attention to the instructor. She would squish her face up. than stick out her tongue, then pull her eyelids down, then open her mouth wide, than give a mean look in the mirror...it was so funny.

 FINALLY she started to pay attention
Next week they start doing Tap...better get her tap shoes this weekend!!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Bye Bye Campground!

We ended up leaving Sunday back home and not staying the whole 3 nights since I had to be back at work Monday morning since I am taking the next Friday off to go to Palm Springs for another mini weekend away with the kids and friends.
Mary made some hot cocoa for the kids. Little Alex and Ava were enjoying it by the camp fire.
We made the rest of our eggs and Bacon and pancakes for breakfast.
Dirty Camping face
Evie and Ava were having fun playing with toy dinosaurs
They were making them communicate with each other..it was pretty funny watching them
Gabe and Parker
Our campsite
More view of our campsites. It was cool cause there were 4 different spots. We were at a group site. We had that little tent set up for the kids to play in.
The guys  minus Guillermo who was not at the camp yet
The girls!

Evie was bummed that she was leaving
Parker and Ava photos below




We left around 2:30 in the afternoon...the drive ahead was going to be a long one

It was so nice out that we drove with the convertible top down again

Before we hit the long road home we stopped and got a Apple Pie from Julian.
It was a nice and relaxing weekend. We are already talking about our trip for next year...looks like it will be in Yosemite or the Sequoias. Better get my bear repellent!