Busy birthday weekend-Happy Birthday to my honey :)

My HH turned 30 on the 13th! We had such a great time celebrating this past week..yup about a week. He loves his birthday, and we love him <3

On Tuesday night, Hugh got a great deal at the Newport Hyatt. We picked up the kids from school and headed to Orange County-we had no traffic!

We checked into the room and Ryann and Reagan picked their bed and got settled. It was so cute-they put their shoes in the closet and unpacked some of their things. We got freshened up and headed out to Laguna for the night...

We stopped by Trader Jo's and got some snacks, wine and fruit.. (the necessities :) )

Hugh took us to a really cool secluded beach in Laguna just as the sun was setting- the tide was coming in, and we had fun chasing waves, finding shells and walking around the tide pools. We left just after dark with sandy feet-Reagan was upset about that-ah funny girl...

We were hoping to get to downtown in time to grab a yummy cupcake from Casey's before dinner-but they had closed. We walked around and decided to grab some dinner at B.J's and it was already 8:30 p.m., we were all starving!

The kids were SILENT and ate so much! Hugh and I got a really yummy pine nut pasta and feta and veggie salad. It was so good!

We went back to the hotel and gave the kids a bathe, and they went out like a light.

Hugh and I sat outside at a table and we got to enjoy some wine right outside our room-the air was crisp and the wine was yummy.

The next morning we were checked out in record time-It was Hugh's bday!! We got up, and got ready, and were on our way to have bfast at La Brea bakery and go spend the day at Disneyland.

Bfast was amazing and so was the coffee!!

We had a great time at the park, and we met up with some of our best friends and their kiddies. It was such a fun time- when we headed over to Ca Adventure, we went to a few fun shows, got some bday tortillas and ate some yummy soup in a bread-bowl. We left about 10 p.m.- longer than we wanted-but doesn't that always happen? HAHA

On thursday- we got up and started getting the house stocked and ready for COACHELLA. We slept about 15 people and had a funfunfun weekend. The kids love having people over. The pool was heated, the weather was warm and it made for some great times.

Next week is spring break......still not set on what is going on but I think we are going to definitely have a 2day beach trip and then some fun in-between :)

Spring Break!

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I am so excited for the girls to be on a break! I was talking to my HH (Handsome hubby) last night about how I want to make this a fun-filled/memorable week for them. And I'm not talking about filling our days up with theme parks, getting ice-cream or going to the movies- those are fun things...but I'm wanting something more creative...

Ideas that I have so far:

Having a camp-out in the back yard

Vsiting Salvation Mountain (its has been a while)

Going to the beach (o.k- maybe not that creative but going to with sand toys and getting some sun sounds great!)

Baking for friends and then dropping the goods off

Hosting a tea party

ok, I guess thats a start... I need some more ideas.. I want to have it planned so that I wont forget anything.

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Say Hello to JeniMom !!

oh yes-

JeniMom is my doula,childbirth,postpartum and soon to be products name. I LOVE IT!

A pretty cool website is being made, and my very own logo's are finished.

Since my last post-November (sorry!) I have been able to assist with 4 births and help with many new moms with postpartum help. This is such an exciting job, and I feel so grateful that I have been chosen by these wonderful mama's <3

Anyways.. lots of new things to post about and exciting things going on- not only on the JeniMom front, but with the Party of 5 front as well!

until the next,

Jeni-JeniMom

Let's try this blogging thing again....

Well I think its time to start this again. I cant promise that I will blog every week...but I will try :)

Some kind of an update-

Ryann is in freaking kindergarten. She has lost 4 teeth and both front teeth are missing right now. She has been playing soccer for about 2mos. She is a great player, always scoring and a great defender..(like me and Cassie). Ryann is also in gymnastics. She is so strong. I wish that i would have learned to tumble and do cool flip things as a kid, so I'm excited for her. She started taekwondo class today and loved it also. It is a great program. It has rewards for good behavior at home, and a chart for me to check off that has things on it like responsibility, self care, study, respect and love for her family. She will turn it in for star patches to place on her gi. I really believe that this is going to be a great thing for her. Ryann is doing great at school. She has an amazing teacher and loves her so much. She got her first report card a couple weeks ago, and it was a really good one .

Reagan is also enjoying school. Her class this year has a garden for the students to tend to. There is also a couple ducks that get to roam around the play yard that Reagan loves to play with and feed. A couple week ago they laid eggs, and the class is waiting to see if they will hatch. Reagan was in soccer...but it really wasn't her thing..she didn't prefer the sport, and am OK that she doesn't like the sport I love *tear* She has taken up a new sport of modeling. A few weeks ago she was in another fashion show, and she told me, "..that was the funnest day ever!" She will be in another big show soon, so ill have to get some better pictures. Regs is also in gymnastics, and really loves it! "G" bought her a cute leotard last week, it made Reagan so happy to look "cute". Regs is starting a ballet class on Mondays, I don't know what she is more excited for, the outfit or the class :)

Lincoln is my baby..my almost 2 year old baby. He is definitely a mamas boy :) I have been enjoying are bonding while the girls are in school. He loves going to the preschool story time at the library and afterwards we feed the ducks. It's always a fun morning just him and I. We just started going to MyGym a couple weeks ago which is so fun for him! He has tons of energy so leaving MyGym always means a great nap. He is also talking! He can say 3 words at time now and is a great communicator and can hold his own when the girls get in his way! He is even learning to tell on them...."mama RyRy push.." or " No ReeRee, MINE!" hey-it's cute to hear him tattle right now..

Lincoln is still co-sleeping with us. He is put to bed in his crib at night, but eventually makes his way into mamadada's bed and gets snuggled the rest of the night. AND most nights we may even end up with another van horn in our room too. Before Linc was born Hugh put a couch in our room so that *if* the girls, felt sick,scared or whatever reason, they had a place they can go. I always laugh at how much my parenting "style" changed once I had kids. Oh and Linc is also still....gasp..nursing..yup. I never understood extended breastfeeding (or whatever you want to call it) until I did. He needs it still, and I am OK with that.

Ive been working at the Naturopathic clinic one day a week and learning more about natural health. I love seeing people being healed naturally. I can go on forever it seems..

My week is always very full and packed with so many activities, but I love it that way.

I have also been very motivated to do more with my doula work. I think that beside being a wife and mother, this job is so rewarding. I have a few expectant mamas this Holiday season through the end of February. I have no doubt that it is going to be a great year for me. Hugh is very supportive with me pursuing this as a career, and now that my kids arn't really babies, it give me alot more flexibility to be there for other mamas. I was able to go through the DONA training in September and since then, I've been very inspired and feel like I'm ready to bring it on!

Anyways, Sorry no pictures, all the good ones on the computer are all on Facebook...sorry.

Nighty night!

JVH

Top 10

One of my best friends Ana Lee tagged me to write my top 10 things that start with the letter "C". I have never been "tagged" in a blog before, so this all new and sounds fun :)

1.) Children :)
...especially mine :)

2) Concerts!

This is a picture at a Keaton Simons concert a few weeks ago.

3.) Christmas! 4.) Cupcakes!

I love cupcakes and my favorite place to get them are from Sprinkles :)

5.) Clothes!

I love shopping for clothes. Especially with my husband :) He does a great job too. It is one of my favorite dates that him and I do for each other. I pick and outfit for him, and he picks one for me.

6.) Creativity

I love planning and throwing birthday parties, especially for my girls. Lately I have been wanting to learn to sew. Home made gifts are my favorite :)

7.) Champagne

8.) Cafemom.com

Cafemom is a website I like to go to for advise on parenting, cleaning, and all sorts things only for moms :)

9.) Cassie!

My sister, just in case you didn't know. She lives on base in Oceanside, Ca. She has been in the Marines for almost 2 years now. I love her so much, and wish I got to see her more!

10.) Camera
Another thing that I would like to do if I had more time. I would love to take a photography class one of these days.....

..........that's all, i tag Priscilla with "s", Lisa with "m" and Chris with "b". Have fun girls!

Bunk Beds :)

Here are a few pictures of this week, and the new bunk bed.....

The girls got a bunk bed. They love it too! Ryann called the top because she likes the ladder, and Reagan wanted the bottom because it had the bigger bed. (that was easy..haha)

Aunt Rosie and Uncle Gary and Grandad bought it for them, thank you!

Baby is doing great! Getting big already and starting to smile much more. He is just starting to track my face or things around him that seem interesting, or bright..lol

Reagan got to go to preschool for a day with Ryann last week..and she loved it. Ryann's teacher made her, her own name tag for the desk she sat at...it was really cute. I think that I may sign up Reagan and Ryann for "Summer School" for fun this year....we'll see...

I'm excited for Easter this weekend. I love dressing the girls up in matching dresses :)

We are going to church and then heading up to Lake Arrowhead to Aunt Rosie and Gary's for an Egg Hunt and Easter dinner with the family...more pictures to come soon!

Much Peace and Love!

Jeni

keaton and lincoln

http://www.myspace.com/keatonsimons