Burney Falls...

The frog and I just got back from celebrating our five year anniversary...and yes, you did read correctly, I said five years!
We spent the weekend in Burney falls. I found it to be a beautiful area minus the four and 1/2 hr drive and what appeared to be recreational drug overuse by the passing locals. Besides those few minor details, all in all the town, city or should I say stretch on the highway was quite beautiful. We spent one day at Burney falls ( apparently named after Mr. Burney who was found dead there in the late 1800's, who would have thought!)
Of course once we got to the park we became well aware of the fact that they take the "no dogs on trails" very serious when it comes to their trails down to the falls.
All I can say is good thing for the doggy bag and the fact that he is the laziest creature known to man...I do believe he enjoyed his view of the falls. It would have been a bigger plus to get down and mark but you won't here him complain!! After spending the day there we went back to our hotel with "kitchen" and froggy made a nice dinner for us. In Burney there are few options when it came to eating out. Because of this we ended up saving quite a bit of money bringing our own food. However, Burney did offer subway, MC Donald's, a steak house that reminds the eye of the oldest Denny's and a Chinese restaurant you would just rather not check out. So needless to say we happily ate in. It was really relaxing(frog cooked:) just hanging out!
On Sunday we went to Mt. Lassen and hiked around for 5 and 1/2 hrs (not kidding, not necessarily by choice either...) we went far forgetting the common fact of ~how far you go, how far you must come back.....
There were water falls and lakes, adorable chipmunks that Carlos would have given his left foot at that moment just to chase but did I mention the sign up above was also at Mt. Lassen so this time Losy had to go in our doggy backpack( there was no way I was carrying the heavy broken zipper bag on this trail!!) Here is what I mean. How Carlos spent his day hiking. Again, need I mention, I wouldn't mind having his life....We had such a fun time.
We even tried to find Carlos's mom and human breeder "Cookie"(Humans name) in Lake county but sadly she must have sold her land and moved her mobile home off the property OR could have built herself a real home but I am thinking more likely she moved. There were very few cars and wash machines in driveway....
We visited years ago, froggy and I and I am sure "cookie" had a hard time getting people to believe that this crazy couple literaly "stopped by to meet the mother again". They were probably wondering what cars (hence the word "cars") cookie sold to buy the drugs to come up with that kind of story...
Anyhow good thing frog has a strange sense of humor.....
So that was our weekend and now its back to the daily grind and that much more thankful to not live permanetly in a town called Burney......

If only I were 10...........

Well let me first explain that I am very content at not being 10 however being 31 now that's a different story.
These were the words I heard at dinner coming from none other that Mr. Tyler.
His 7th birthday is literally an hour from right now but he won't start celebrating it till when he wakes up at... 6:00AM! Ooh boy.
We were having dinner and he tells me he is happy to be turning 7 but really wants to be 10! He couldn't explain why but he just new that was the age he couldn't wait to be!
He did know that he doesn't need to be any older than that, just 10. Hmm imagine that.... He's so funny that T'ster of mine.
Lexi looked at him as if he lost his mind (goes with the age now, you know)
It's off to bed for me this waking up at 6 am does not come easy once a year for these birthdays. It will be wake up to candles, Chester wrapped up as the first present(who does that?) and birthday song and then after watching presents get opened its off to the ever stressful morning of getting everyone out of the house in one piece. Most of all what makes it the most stressful is getting to school on time!!!!

totally obssessed!

Wow! Could I change my layout one more time? Seriously now.
This whole blogging thing is quite addicting! We went to the movie last night "Tropical Thunder" which I thought was pretty funny even though it seems to be boycotted in most areas apparently due to all the mocking. At the end people were clapping.... Tomorrow evening I will be back in the theaters once again watching "man on the moon" 3D movie this time with the kids. More perks of being a parent?? getting to see all the cartoon movies good or bad and wishing on some that the movie would end five minutes after it begun!
I know I won't be hearing Carlos complain given the fact of two nights of lap resting and the possibility of popcorn hand fed!
So the other day Lexi got her second ear pierced and I was slightly nervous that the procedure would involve some kind of dramatized reaction from the pain but was pleasantly surprised, she didn't even make a dramatic expression! Everything at eleven seems to be a bit more dramatic than needs be, I am finding! I guess she was so excited she wanted to act like it didn't hurt! It was really cute. Here's a picture of her showing off the second hole. As you can see, you only see the big pink earrings from her first piercing. However, to her the small second piercing is extremely noticeable!

• They are both getting so big! I know this may sound awful but I am really enjoying the aging process now compared to what seemed like the longest babyhood stages EVER!.. like the lack of sleep the constant schedules, spit up, hourly diaper changes, car seats, diaper bag or always forgetting something that was needed in the diaper bag and so on...

Eleven is a really fun age wanting to grow up but still so innocent.

• I love Tyler's age also. He is turning seven on Wednesday the 27th. He usually has a smile on the face or something funny to say....... Need I emphasize when they are not fighting!He is funny and very imaginative. He has more songs written about the birds and Carlos than one ever needs to. (sounds like me at that age!)

Now if they could just wake up for once and not fight over who gets to look at the back of the cereal box , who's staring at who first and last, who can brush their teeth first and stand in front of the mirror beginning of course with the race to the bathroom......, getting what bird out first and finally the last fight for the morning, hence "morning", is who gets to sit up front on the way to school usually the most tear jerker of all!
If that doesn't sound truly enticing my morning, try the sound of afternoon/evening bickering over who stepped into who's room and the sound of knocking and slamming of doors and "MOM" every so often "he/she did this". When does that end is the true question? Still all of that for me beats any toddler/baby years by far!

Now for Carlos, all one can say is perfect......

If you can't already tell this chihuahua is spoiled, let me inform you of some of the perks in his life. OK, to begin.... going not only *everywhere* (I must emphasize that I am truly not exaggerating this word everywhere!!) going with me always to the salon working as greeter (if greeter was truly expected of him he would definitely be fired due to sleeping on the job 90% of the time!!) Lets see what else, cruising around town on a Vespa with his very own sundoggles and helmet, going on every errand needed in his broken zipper dog bag, chasing and humping the cats and then stealing their food and rarely getting yelled at while at home(he's perfect remember), cuddling with his sister Lexi, playing fetch with his brother Tyler while a song is usually sung about his greatness and power(10 pound power that is) and also his beauty can never be left out of T's songs!
So then theres getting pushed around in a stroller all because of the Oscar acting "abused chihuahua" getting helplessly dragged on a leash during an evening JOG! The everyday morning sleep ins we all desire and last but not least being able to SNORE at night louder than most humans and not even getting a nudge to silence while his human daddy gets a big shove to stop!!! For some reason it doesn't bother me coming from the cutest and smallest creature of the house but human snores let me tell you will make me insane!!

Now that's the life of this very spoiled Carlos!

Well, it's time to get up as there is fighting soon to break up......

another school year...

Just why couldn't I have been born a morning person is my question???
Oh boy, School is back in motion and I am apprehensive about these early morning wake ups! Of course when one relies upon a cell phone for a wake up call there is always the ever floating fear of what if my phone is out of batteries!!!
So far so good but we are only 10 days into it.
Lexi is in 6th grade and Tyler is now in 1st.
Homework is now doubled in load and my question is one of how will I manage this and two how do people possibly do the homework gig with even more children???
Also, I have entertained the idea for a while now to take a class myself. I enjoy reading and figured...why not an English class??
Now suddenly typing my first homework assignment my mind is flooding with the thoughts of what was I thinking? I guess it will get some getting used to this homework thing given it has been 11 years since beauty college where there were no essays to be had.
The joy in this class by far is there is a 8.5 pound chihuahua, well maybe 10 pound (he has gotten quite fat due to laziness and new stroller) also getting educated on the steps of essay writing. Lying right beside me on the floor in his all broken zipper bag as we call it ears always perched listening/sleeping waiting for the broken zipper to grind down where he can jump out and mark up a storm!
And the best part is No one knows it!