Madeleine's first babysitting job

How is it that my children....the offspring of an English teacher.....don't know how a library works? I'm rather ashamed to tell this story but it's funny and so I must. Today I decided to try out the story and craft time over at the Chino Hills Library. I was loading everyone into the car when I got the Quote of the Day:

Madeleine: "Are we going to Target?" - that speaks volumes, doesn't it?
Me: "No, we're going to the library"
Madeleine: "Why?"
Me: "To listen to stories and maybe pick out a couple of books"
Madeleine: "And buy them?"
Me: "No, we pick out books, we check them out with the lady and we bring them home for a week and then we have to bring them back but we can find new books.
She thinks.
Madeleine: "You mean we babysit them?"
I laugh.
Me: "Yeah, I gues we do. We are babysitting books for a week."
Madeleine (laughing): "Babysitting books. Now that's just silly!"
Lily: "That's just silly!"

Splashin' About

Yesterday was so hot we decided to go play in the dancing waters over at The Shoppes. We got the girls in their suits and headed over for some lunch and splash time. While there, we ran into Maddy's friend Britney from Dance. As I was talking to Britney's mom, the girls were playing and Britney was showing off her cool skate shoes. You know, those tennis shoes that can be roller skates? When we walked away Madeleine says to me "I asked Britney where she got her skates and she said Santa Claus, do you think Santa Claus will bring me those too?" What worries me is that Britney also has a Juicy purse and a Juicy charm on her cell phone...yes, cell phone! (she is 10, but still). However, I can't complain, Madeleine is a complete and total mini me when it comes to wanting all the latest fashions.

After that we had some lunch and the girls had fun playing in the fountain. This was such a great idea for a hot day, I think we'll do it more often!

Girls Night Out!

Scrappin' Happy Girl

So we girls planned a scrapbooking night, something that is long overdue since my poor children think the only way you view pictures is online or through the camera, right after you take the picture. I'm proud to say that I do have a wedding and honeymoon album done (though not done completely the way I like it), and I do have Madeleine's baby book and baby album of her up to 7 months old. After that....I got nothin'! So, knowing this scrapbooking night was on the horizon, I took a good 5 hours online sifting through my Kodakgallery photos, trying to figure out what to tackle first. With a suggestion from my sister, I started with the "Summer" album. It will chronicle as many summers as I can fit in it, and it will include all 4th of July's, summer vacations and activities. Phew! I feel like some progress is about to be made. This may seem like a silly dilemma until you're the one facing over 100 albums over 5 years time online!



We got to Jennifer's house around 5:00 and started our, as we like to call it, "Visual Chronicling" - people who "scrapbook" are weird, we decided. There are those who subscribe to the simple pages philosophy and we decided, we are not those. Simple pages may mean completed albums but where is the fun in that! I think my scrapbooks will always mirror my house. No room is ever done, complete or finished. There's always a new element to add, a new look to incorporate and I think that rings true when you're talking about Visual Chronicles. I see it as art more than a chore and how fun it is to be among your girlfriends while you chronicle the work of art that is your life.



Okay, all warm and fuzzy, philosophical babble aside, we had quite a silly time too. Some things shouldn't be posted, but hey, this is a family site, and I ignore that fact almost every time I post, so I think it's okay to say that no topic was off limits. I know more than I care to about Jennifer's friend Camilla's life between the sheets (I'm assuming Camilla doesn't subscribe to my blog), I know John, Jennifer and Candie's "numbers" and I know that a sweet little kitty cat can bitch slap you so hard that you get a bruise.



Oh and by midnight, when we had finally "cropped" till we dropped, I actually had something to show for it. I think the scrapbook bug bit me because I was back at Michael's today, 40% off coupon in hand, buying glittery letters that I just couldn't live without and salivating over the compartmentalized, scrapbooker's satchel for that crafter on-the-go. But then again, I'm not one of "those scrapbookers," so why would I need one?

Time to pack up the glass slippers and leave the Visual Chronicle Ball

Part of my finished product

No fireworks but still a Happy 4th!

So, it's 8:40pm and the fireworks start in ten minutes, yet the children are already nestled all snug in their beds. So, I might as well sneak in a quick blog before Jason and I head out to the backyard and enjoy a romantic fireworks display with a glass of wine. It sounds nice and yet we didn't even plan it that way. I started the day doped up on all my medications - if you haven't heard I have some kind of respiratory syndrome....not as cool as asthma but almost. Anyway, I'm trying to kick this cough and my medication makes me sleep about 15 hours as opposed to the usual 12 I sleep, when on vacation. But, I managed to gussy myself up in some star spangled attire and we headed on out to the Chino Hills Old Fashioned Picnic over at the Big League Dreams Stadium. Wow, was that cool! Of course, we'll know for next year to get there when it starts and for the girls to wear bathing suits. They have about four different stadiums and each one offers different events and activities. Next year we'll do the family wagon parade - I can't wait to decorate the Rupe family wagon with all kinds of red white and blue crap!

They had a petting zoo and inflatable water slides, a mini pool w/ kid sized bumper boats, so cool! They had food and crafts, Madeleine colored a flag, Lily, apparently a communist, scribbled across hers and then tore it in half (I knew she had the nickname Red for a reason). They also had face painting, booths of homestyle crafty s#!t you don't need and goes with nothing in your house or wardrobe, but always looks like a good idea when you're walking around in a festive mood. There were bungee trampoline things and a bmx bike event (that we missed), water balloon tosses, they even had a beer garden but I figured the hot sun, antibiotics and beer were not such a good combination. In college that would've made for a great fourth of July, but not anymore.

After about two hours, we went home, filled up the kiddie pool and fired up the bbq. Jason made a nice spread of barbequed chicken, pineapple, corn and salad. The girls tired themselves out in the pool, running through the crazy sprinkler, painting on the outdoor inflatable easel Babcia got them, driving around in their Barbie Jeep and of course.....dancing...

4th of July Booty Dance

Madeleine pulled an all nighter last night, I'm not kidding. She was up all night playing in her room. When Jason asked her why she didn't go to sleep, her response was a very non-chalant, "I didn't know how, I couldn't close my eyes." So needless to say, she came in the house and was out like a light on the couch. Lily lasted about an hour and a half longer, requested Veggie Tales upstairs and fell asleep in her comfy chair about 15 minutes into her movie. So that, my friends, is how Jason and I got to enjoy no less than 5 different fireworks shows from our backyard, together. Here are some pictures of today's good times. Hope you enjoyed your holiday as well!

Lily has already spotted the petting zoo and can't be bothered to pose for a picture

Enjoying our "picnic" inside where it's cool.

Lily will spot a puppy from a mile away

Strike a pose

What do Fancy Nancy and Chipotle have in common?

So there was no concert in the park tonight due to the impending 4th of July holiday. It turns out I have until next Wednesday to dust my spurs off and wriggle into my wranglers (and by wranglers I mean True Religions, because I'm about as close to Cowgirl as the Dixie Chicks are punk). This meant our evening had to be filled and Barnes and Noble over at The Shoppes had storytime at 7pm so off we went. The reader chose three Fancy Nancy books....I guess she wasn't planning on a big, boy turnout. Madeleine didn't mind, seeing as how she eats, breathes and sleeps Fancy Nancy, and I didn't mind because that might possibly mean I could read her something different tonight. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Fancy Nancy, but every night? So we met the Buhacs and the Tinsleys, and made like smart people by spending our eveing in the bookstore. Then it was off to Chipotle for some Mexican fare and thank goodness for that ,otherwise I wouldn't be wide awake with heartburn now at 1:30am and able to write this blog!

Our little literati...

(camera shy: Austin Tinsley and Christopher Buhac)

The Real O.C.

So we were able to get away for a mini vacation down to Laguna Beach. Madeleine had not been to the beach in ages and Lily has never been so it was a fun treat, even if it was only for a couple of days. We were totally invited to hang out with LC, Lo, Steven and Kristin but Jason was like, "no that's so dunzo, let's just do the family thing." And so this is the wild



Lily shares her mother's fear of the ocean and opted to stay safely on the towel with me. We flipped through magazines, she chased birds and basically spent most of her time drinking the water from the shower every time someone went to wash the sand off of their feet (too bad I couldn't get a picture of that). Madeleine and Jason and her buddy Myles made sand castles down by the water. She also collected seaweed and shells. We put the shells in a little jar and labeled them "Laguna Beach 2008". The seaweed we left there but not without going into deep explanation about how seaweed is magic and has to stay in the ocean....something about mermaids and King Triton....finally we were able to convince her. It was nice to get away, even if it was only about 45 minutes away!

The Sand Castle Creators

Lily stalking the birds and trying to feed them sand

Beach Beauties