7/20/11 - Concert in the Park!

After dinner Scott and I decided to take the girls on a spur of the moment trip to Hart Park for their Summer Concert Series. The Doo-Wah Riders were playing, mama likes country and the kids love pretty much any park...so why not!

They love to dance with each other

Scott and Ellie pausing in their funny antics to let Mama take a quick pic

One, Two, Three, UP HIGH!

I tried to get Daddy and his girls...

Pirate Irelyn getting her dance on

Dance like nobody is watching...we all could learn a thing or two from this kid

7/19/11 - Mall Trip

I took some vacation time off of work for some much needed R & R. During my time off we went to the mall one afternoon. I had some Lane Bryant reward checks to use and thought the girls would have a good time playing in the kids area.

Ellie really loved the freedom of running around and climbing on everything

I look like a pimply kid going through puberty and Scott has kid slobber on his shirt. We're so sexy!!

On a boat! (sing it!)

Rare family picture!

Summer Mud Fun!

We are lucky to have a really large backyard. Recently the girls decided that playing in the mud was the best thing ever!

She thought she was quite cool!

Nothing like dirt!

She practiced applying war paint!

7/4/11 - Independence Day Extravaganza!

We didn't have any plans leading into the 4th of July. Our friends invited us over for an impromptu BBQ and we leaped at the chance at getting out of the house! A & D had their backyard set up as a kids paradise, there was a ball pit, water tables, sand box and kiddie pools. The kidlet had a great time, but I honestly think the lil one had a better time. She had the freedom to roam around and do and she pleased and she *loved* it!

Enjoying the water

Ellie in her own little ball world....

Resting after getting back from Bella's BBQ Bash!

Irelyn cheered for pretty much every firework we let off

I think Ellie was babbling to Granny about how much she enjoyed the fireworks

Ellie thought the fire works was super cool!

Pop was pretending to be a firedancer!

More smiles

7/18/2011 - Disneyland Trip!

Yesterday evening the kidlet and I took a trip to Disneyland. My dud (alias used to protect the innocent) was in town and the plan was to meet up with her and her family for a bit. We got to the park and noticed that people were sitting and on the sidewalk and the kidlet and I decided to sit and wait for the parade. I'm so glad we did, the new summer parade is AMAZING!! Countless characters made eye contact with the kidlet. They waved and winked and she felt quite special! Then, towards the end of the parade Peter Pan pranced up to the kidlett, gives her a high five and positions the Tinkerbell sunglasses she was wearing. The glow radiating from my child was almost tangible!

We ran into the Queen of Hearts as we arrived at the park

She wouldn't take a picture with me...

Still resisting...

Resist was futile! I got the picture!!

7/16/11 - Adult Night Out!

The kidlet was in Arizona with Granny and Uncle Buzzard and PopPop offered to baby sit the lil one...and well, before you know it the conditions were prime for an Adult Night out! 

Carla and  just before leaving my house

"Black & Yellow, Black & Yellow"

Scott goofin' around!

Ellie's Birth Story - Part 2

PreI had an appointment with my ob at 39 weeks and consented to a vaginal exam. He was surprised to find out that I was 4 to 4.5 cm dilated. When I left the office he grinned and said, "I'll see you soon! 

Days went by and I became a pro at prodromal labor. Contractions would start and just when I thought they were going somewhere they'd totally stop. On Saturday night I just decided that I couldn't think about labor anymore, I just needed to let it go for the next couple of days. My next appointment with my ob was on Tuesday and I decided we'd just go from there. Sunday wasn't anything special. Scott, Irelyn and I got up and went to breakfast, then we went to Babies R US. I lounged around most of the day and took a really nice nap with Irelyn. When I woke up I decided that I NEEDED nachos! I told Scott and we went and tried out a new cheap place my mom had found.

My doula (Jen) had sent me a text asking me how I was doing and I told her we were on our way to go get Mexican food. She joked and said that maybe it'd put me in labor. I laughed...I really love spicy food, and thankfully it doesn't affect my digestive system or anything. I like it so hot, that finding stuff out there that is too hot for me, well...yeah, that’s difficult!

We had dinner and then Schanelle asked if she could stop by. A bunch of my close friends went to Vegas for the weekend and they were on their way home. She came by and visited. Just before she went to leave I had this crazy pain that kind of felt like a gas pain. I honestly thought I just had to go poo....

She left and then a little bit later I had another one of these pains. It wasn't a gas pain, but it didn't feel like one of the contractions I was used to having either. When they first started there wasn't a definite start or end to them. After having about 4-5 of these "pains" I texted my doula and she asked if I was online. My computer was on, and we started chatting. We discussed what these pains felt like and she told me she'd check in on me in an hour. This was at about 9pm. I got off the computer and immediately I felt another rush...and immediately I knew we weren't playing around. Something clicked inside of me and I knew this was the real deal.

I had downloaded a contraction counter app on my phone. I began using it and keeping track of my contractions. In the next half an hour I had about 6 contractions, they were lasting about a minute and were about 5 minutes a part. I decided not to wait for my doula to check in with me, I called her and told her to come over. I knew I'd go fast and she lives 70+ miles away.

Then I got the crazy idea to take a shower! I had a couple loose stools earlier in the day and I was determined to be as fresh as possible when I arrived at the hospital. The hot water felt AMAZING during a contraction. If I could've birthed in water I think I would've loved it...

Contractions...what can I say about them...they're fun! Really! I thought I knew what contractions felt like (and I did...if they were the Braxton Hicks and prodromal labor variety), but when it came to the type of contractions I was having I had no clue! I had a LOT OF PRESSURE in my lower back during each contraction. It felt REALLY good to have Scott, or my mom press down on my lower back. I'd get on all fours or lean over the couch and one of them would press down on me. The nice thing about the contractions was that there was a pause between them! I breathed...focused on not being tense and bam, it would end, and then I'd feel normal again!

During this time my doula was keeping in contact with me while she drove down. She told me if the contractions came about every 2 minutes a part to go to the hospital and she'd meet me there. Things were moving really fast...

My mom suggested that we go to the hospital and I remember snapping at her. I wasn't mentally ready yet and honestly even though the contractions were coming quickly they weren't unbearable and I didn't think it was time. I went outside and just stood in the moonlight. I breathed and as crazy as this may sound I thought of my ancestress’, I thought about the women who came before me and birthed naturally. I thought about all the women across the world that were in labor with me and as crazy as it sounds to others, this was an incredible moment for me. My doula texted me while I was outside and told me that she was about 10 minutes away, I had 2 good contractions while I was in my front yard, I was sweaty and then it dawned on me...it was hospital time, I was going to have a baby very very soon!

Jen got here, and we immediately went to the hospital which is about 5-10 minutes away. She suggested that I wiggle my toes during a contraction in the car to keep me from tensing up and I did that. It seemed to help. I also had a tennis ball for my lower back. When I had a contraction I'd push into the ball and that helped too.

Scott made a wrong turn into the parking lot and I thought I was going to cause him bodily harm. I got to the hospital and checked in. I remember them wanting to weigh me and the scale being quite far away. I had a hunch the scale didn’t go over 350 pounds and I weigh over that, I said that to the nurse and she rolled her eyes. I wasn't a fan of the nurse I was assigned too. She didn't want my doula or mother to go back with me while she admitted me (which the hospital doesn't have a policy on), she was somewhat snappy and I could see the disapproval in her face when I even mentioned I had a doula. Lovely I thought...

I didn't let her sour disposition get to me. This was my day, my show...it was show time and I was determined not to be shy. She rudely asked me if I had a birth plan and I told her that I did not, but that I had preferences and would be more than willing to discuss things with her as they came up. Looking back I'm pretty shocked I was so well spoken with her during contractions and everything. I had preadmitted to the hospital, and for whatever reason I had to go through EVERYTHING again. That was a huge pain. There I was in transition and she was asking me if I had any STDs, etc. SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!

We checked in between 11:30 and midnight, so about 2 and a half hours from when I first started having those weird pains. The nurse offered me a hospital gown and I gave it back to her. I didn’t want to wear it. This will sound weird to other people, but for me the hospital gown was symbolic. I didn’t want a hospital gown that said “Property of Los Alamitos Hospital”…I was nobody’s property…The nurse gave me a look and was like, okay...

The nurse checked me and to my complete and utter surprise I was already 9 cm dialated! I mean, yeah, I knew I was at 4/4.5 cm from the week before, but since my water hadn't broken I honestly didn't think I'd be that far along. After they did the cervical check they needed to hook me up to the external fetal monitor to calculate the babies heart rate. I made the comment to the nurse that I had

 discussed this with my ob and he had agreed to intermittent monitoring, then my lovely nurse informed me that my doctor wasn't on call, that the other doctor in the practice was and she would need to discuss with her. I remember the snappy nursing acting as if she had one upped me or something. Thankfully I had previously met the other doctor. I didn't have an established relationship with her, but seriously, what can you do?

The most difficult time during labor was laying somewhat still while they tried to get the external monitor on me. Oh, and at the same time another nurse was trying to put a heplock in (I didn't want an IV, but did consent to having a heplock). At the same time a tech was drawing blood from my other hand. All three things at once, LOVELY, right? I know they got to do what they gotta do, and I completely respect that, but in order to get through those contractions I had to do what I had to do as well. I didn't even think in terms of, oh, I'm in transition or anything...I just knew I needed to wiggle...and moan.

I think I was somewhat of a novelty to the hospital staff, there were about 3 other nurses that came in to observe and help with the heplock. They weren’t intrusive or anything and I wasn’t bothered, but I remember how weird it was that these other nurse thought I was so different. I wanted to be like, “Haven’t you ever seen a woman in labor before!?”

I had planned on eating during labor. It’s a complete fallacy how most hospitals don’t let a woman drink or eat during labor. I asked the icky nurse if I could have some water and she was totally rude. My doula looked at me and was like, “Would you like some water?” I said yes. My assigned nurse grumbled something and the other nurses that were observing had mixed reactions. Two of them smiled and the other nurse kind of looked puzzled.

While they were doing the heplock I started thinking I couldn’t do it. I was in an uncomfortable position and in my head I kept hearing “I can’t…I can’t” over and over again.  In response I started chanting “I can do this” over and over again during a contraction. That wasn’t planned…it was just something that clicked and worked.

My doula offered to move the hospital bed into a position mimicking how I felt sitting on the toilet, she did that and I felt so much better! The ob showed up and she began to monitor Ellie's heart rate by hand. She asked me if I would consent to an internal monitor because she was having a problem keeping Ellie’s heartrate on the monitor. I asked if there had been any dips, she said no and I politely declined the monitor. She said I knew you would and smile. Then she checked me and I was pretty much at 10cm...without my water breaking and she asked me if I wanted her to break it. It was up to me, which I liked. I decided to let her go for it. She broke my water, I had another contraction or two and was told I could bear down and push when I felt like it. The ob also moved these foot petal things out. I was still in a sitting position, but was able to put my feet to the side and press down. This really helped as well.

Can I just say I hate directed pushing?! With Irelyn I had to push on a schedule, count, hold my breath and it was so mechanical. With this labor I pushed when my body told me to push...and it was AMAZING and wonderful. The first time I pushed I felt the ring of fire start and I intuitively I knew it wasn't going to be long, but in my head I was scared. My doctor and doula encouraged me to bear down again and both of them told me it would feel good. Honestly, it did kind of feel good, but not wonderful or anything. My doctor asked me how long I pushed with Irelyn and I told her about 20-25 minutes. She immediately put on a plastic gown. I had another really good contraction and I pushed...and I pooped. It was lovely! I even said, oh dear, I just went poo! The nurses, and doctor were so kind about everything, it was no big deal, and I was even encouraged to continue to poo!

One more push...and bam, Ellie flew out! She came out in a rush and the doctor almost dropped her!

She was placed on my belly and I was in complete heaven. I couldn't believe it happened so fast, and I was honestly shocked at how much it didn't hurt. We did delayed cord clamping and when it came time to cut the cord, I did it! That wasn't planned, but when the nurse asked for Scott to come over and cut the cord something clicked inside of me and I knew I wanted to be the one to cut it. I said, "Honey, do you mind?" He smiled and shook his head. Without words his look told me he understood and that he didn't mind.

Looking back on the experience I’m still surprised that I did it. I put my mind to it…and bam, it happened. This birth is SO unlike my first birth in so many ways. Yes, my nurse bugged me, but my doctor was more supportive than I anticipated (and she wasn’t even my primary doctor). Every preference I wanted actually happened (and I had prepared myself for that not happening).

My body went into labor on its own. Absolutely no pain medication. No IV. No continuous monitoring. No internal monitoring. I sat in a squatting position. I had immediate skin to skin. AMAZING.

Her full name is Elle Alice and we call her Ellie. Alice is after my grandmother.

She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. Oh, and her head was 14 cm in diameter :o)

I delivered an hour and a half after I checked into the hospital total length of labor was 4 hours long =) Ellie and I came home at 7pm on the same day I gave birth. After having to check out with Irelyn nothing felt better than taking my baby home with me. One of the best memories is having Irelyn come to pick Ellie and I up from the hospital!

This is what natural birth looks like, picture taken right as Ellie was born.

Ellie nursing for the first time!

Irelyn meeting her baby sister for the first time

Ellie's Birth Story - Part 1

I wrote this after Ellie was born. I'm not sure why I held off posting it...with it being Ellie's birthday today I feel as though I'm ready to share some of my feelings.

Its been 12 hours since the birth of Ellie and I honestly think I’m still somewhat in shock. What an amazing, powerful and completely fulfilling experience.

This is the story of Ellie…and the story of me, finding my voice and listening to that inner quiet voice inside myself.

When I got pregnant with Ellie I weighed 411 pounds. I could be ashamed of that number, or embarrassed or completely disheartened over the fact that I’m that morbidly obese. Honestly, it is what it is and I’m not one to point fingers or make excuses. I accept myself for who I am…and that’s that. I’m lucky that I carry my weight well and that I don’t have any health problems, but I’m smart enough to know that my weight immediately labels me as “high risk”.

When I got pregnant with my first daughter, Irelyn, I was pretty much the same size. I recall spending most of that pregnancy feeling grateful. I was pregnant, healthy and I had a doctor who didn’t treat me all that differently. He reminded me time and again that despite my size I was healthy (one of his healthiest patients in fact) and that he wasn’t going to treat me any differently. I liked him, took him at his word and felt a sense of trust throughout my pregnancy and delivery…and yet, I blindly was naïve.

If you know me, then you know I’m a voracious reader and an analytical thinker. I love random trivia and I enjoy learning new things for the sake of learning. Strangely, when it came to my first pregnancy I took everything at face value and to my embarrassment I didn’t read much of anything about labor. I was gifted “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and like so many other first time moms I flipped through it as if it was the holy grail of childbirth and baby development. Reading about surgical births and inductions was common, typical and something I didn’t think twice about.

As a plus size woman I did try to find information specific to plus size moms. For the most part everything available on the web indicates that overweight women have a higher chance of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and many of them due to their size have an increased likelihood of needing a cesarean section. Again, I took everything at face value…except the c-section thing. Logically it didn’t make sense to me…just because I’m fat I’d need a c-section? Hmm….

Thankfully my doctor did not agree with that line of thinking and said he didn’t think there was any reason why I could not deliver my child vaginally the way my body intended to birth. A week before I was due he called me and suggested that we induce. My Bishop Score was favorable, I was about 3 cm dialated, he was on call and without saying it I knew my best chance for a vaginal delivery would be if he was the doctor on duty. The other care providers in that medical group didn’t share his birthing philosophy. I knew inductions were common…I unquestioningly trusted my doctor and without thinking I agreed to an unnecessary induction.  

What I didn’t know about inductions is that it’s a slippery slope of interventions. I didn’t know that one thing lead to another. I went in at 6 am, Pitocin was quickly administered, then my waters were artificially ruptured, I shot up to 7/8 cm and was told I’d need an epidural soon. I wasn’t opposed to pain medication and I figured the nurses did this every day, so while the pain was relatively minor I figured I might as well say yes now. The epidural immediately slowed my progression. The next 11 hours became a tap dance of tinkering with the Pitocin and epidural anesthia. Constant monitoring was required, and when the external monitor wasn’t doing the trick I was told we needed to use an internal monitor. Informed consent was completely absent during my entire labor experience. I nodded my head, didn’t ask questions and went along for the ride. I felt like a passenger on a train…I knew the end destination, but I had no clue how we were getting there and I sure as hell wasn’t stationed anywhere near the conductor.

After the end of a long 17 hour labor my beautiful Irelyn Luna was born. She was dream…and I got the vaginal delivery I wanted so badly. The next morning she was admitted to the NICU for observation for rapid breathing. She then needed to spend the next 10 days in the NICU while she was treated on a course of antibiotics for suspected sepsis. I want to make it very clear that I don’t think my induction “caused” my daughter’s NICU stay. However, I fully and intuitively believe many of the interventions I endured during her labor did not help the situation and contributed to the situation.

I remember when I first began to read and investigate Natural Childbirth. My roommate from college was on bed rest during her pregnancy and we’d email occasionally. She’d share what books she was reading and began mentioning her desire for a Natural Unmedicated Childbirth. I was intrigued…but not because I was necessarily interested. I thought it was great for her, but not really my cup of tea. I loved all of the reading she shared and it became an interest of mine. I felt like a little girl looking through the looking glass. This was how it could be…this is how women’s bodies were made to work. Other women’s bodies though…not my own, I mean, hello, I’m different…I’m FAT.

Then I met Jen. She is a coworker of mine stationed in a different office. The first time we met in person we engaged in idle chit chat and both shared that we had toddlers. She then mentioned that she had a homebirth with her son and that she was a doula. I was quickly captivated by her passion and an instant friendship was formed.

I had bitten the apple and unbeknownst to me a seed was slowly growing inside of me. I stopped seeing myself as “different” and gradually a new realization was born. I no longer accepted that natural childbirth was just for other people…it had become something I fully believed in and wanted for myself!

When I became pregnant with Ellie I had this new sense of self confidence. I was educated and I intuitively I knew that my childbirth experience this time around could and would be very different than my experience with Irelyn. My doctor had relocated and I began prenatal care with a midwife in the practice. I was upfront and shared my desires for a natural unmedicated childbirth. I also was very specific about not desiring an induction this time around.

At first she seemed as though she supported my desires. I thought I had lucked out, maybe this wasn’t going to be the struggle I had begun preparing myself for. When I was just under 20 weeks along I went in for a routine monthly visit. I left work early and was frustrated with inner office politics. It was raining and on the way into the office I was almost hit on the freeway. I was running late, tired and frustrated with my day. Nothing seemed to be going right. When the nurse took my blood pressure it was slightly elevated. I asked that she wait a few minutes and then do it again using a large cuff. She did so and it went down into my normal range. When my midwife came in she saw that the first reading was high and we talked very briefly about my day. She told me that when I made my next appointment that I make it with one of the obs in the practice.

During my next appointment I saw the ob and she discussed my 20 week ultrasound. At the time they said I had marginal placenta previa. I immediately panicked and while the midwife was getting the ob I did a quick google search on my phone. I learned more via google than what either the midwife or ob deigned to share with me. Then came the whammy of a conversation with the ob. She questioned my blood pressure (remember that one high reading?) and said that since I had an induction with my first, that if Ellie wasn’t born by 39 weeks that she “was taking my baby.” That’s a direct quote. I can still vividly recall how she made me feel; insignificant, minor, defective and unworthy. She went on about baby size, about how for the baby’s safety they needed “to take her as soon as possible” Nevermind that my pregnancy was going perfectly, nevermind that my blood pressure (save that one bad reading) had been wonderful. In this woman’s eyes all she saw was the fat...in her mind I truly think she viewed me as defective and flawed.

I pride myself on my communication skills and in that moment I shut down. I felt like an outsider viewing the verbal exchange as an observer. Here she was discussing my body, my baby and yet there was no dialogue. I listened to a diatribe of unfounded force. I remember walking out of there in a haze. On one hand I felt defeated and yet on the other hand I felt empowered. I decided then and there that I was done with that practice.

I switched doctors after that horrible experience. I was nervous during my first visit with my new ob. He came highly recommended from a friend and his c-section rate was very low. During the visit I not only found my voice but I used it. We discussed my situation, my weight, my desires and for the first time a medical caregiver actually listened to me. Real dialogue is an amazing thing!

Part II

30 Day Challenge - Day 3

Day 3: Your first love


In the interest of full disclosure Scott was not my first love. In my defense, I think most girls have that one story of first love...that looking back they can think about with a smile, a sigh and perhaps the mature realization of saying (at least once), what the hell was I thinking?


I don't think all the details are necessary to share...but suffice to say that the first time I truly felt beautiful and wanted was a heady experience. Knowing that somebody actually likes you...and actually loves you, its hard to accurately capture all those emotions into words. Sure great poets do it all the time, but I assure you, I am no poet.  


Wait! I think I did once upon a time write a poem about it all (let me go pull it from my old blog)...so, here ya go, Wiski Poetry (please don't cringe to much!)


The Summer Prince
A flood of memories, a wave of feeling...a moment of surrender
One voice rattling, laughing...and then whispering
hope was born, nurtured and then tested
a small bud bloomed and then the sun set
left wilted,
left lonely,
left stronger when summer ended
A woman left standing with her arms spread open...


     -Wiski Lee (November 2005)


p.s. Mom, if you read this, do me a favor and DO NOT ASK me who this was :) 

30 Day Challenge - Day 2

Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name


I have a pit of a Wikipedia addiction. I typically read at least one wiki article a day...and sometimes I will spend hours just jumping from wiki page to wiki page. I'm an endless stream of random trivia and weird history. One day I was spouting off some random fact and Scott was like, "What, are you Wiskipedia?" Its been a joke and a nickname ever since...

30 Day Challenge - Day 1

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts


Hi! My name is Wiski. I'm the sum of all my parts and believe me, I have plenty of "parts" that make me,ME. 
I'm more than a wife and mother, but those are usually the first things people say when introducing themselves. I'm a lover, a fighter, an idealist, a pragmatist and a realist. Most likely if you're reading this post, then you already know me, or at the very least you know one of the parts that make up me. 


15 Interesting Facts

1. I love looking cute and buying new clothes, but if I had my way I would live in pajamas all the time (except for when I feel like getting dolled up and going out somewhere). 
2. I think about moving out of Southern California frequently. I would love to raise my children in a small town away from the hustle and bustle. People tell me all the that small town America doesn't exist the way I daydream about it...but I think they're wrong. I want clean air, big trees and nice people that not only care about their community, but actually participate in it as well.
3. I love Southern California! I love the weather, the sunshine and everything it has to offer. I'm an hour away from the mountains and desert and about five minutes from the beach. There are museums, cultural events, amusement parks and an unlimited number of things to do and experience. Diversity abounds and I appreciate the numerous thoughts and people I've been exposed to.
4. I'm vain and confident enough to know I'm attractive...but shy and humble enough never to know what to say when people complement me. 
5. I'm not afraid to admit that I love country music. My favorites include; Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn...the list is pretty long.
6. I don't use shampoo and I haven't used it since I was 21. Previously to only using conditioner I tried numerous hair products but could never really tame the hair. After reading Curly Girl I decided to try conditioner only and I was hooked! Likewise, I do not use shampoo on Irelyn's hair. 
7. My 6 year wedding anniversary is coming up. We got married the day Pope John Paul died.
8. I've never been ashamed or uncomfortable about my weight, in fact I think I have an unusually high self esteem. Sometimes I wonder if thats a good thing...
9. I crochet hats for cancer patients. My grandma taught me to crochet when I was 5. I know the stitches, but I can't seem to be able to follow a pattern. Its like walking and chewing gum, I can read the pattern, know what they are talking about, can visualize it...but just can't do it. Brain connection broken.
10. Sometimes I wish I could teach religion or political theory in the university setting. That would require additional education, and I don't have the fortitude or financial resources to go down that path again.
11. I went to college on a full scholarship. I could've gone anywhere and I chose the University of Redlands. It was a mutually appreciative relationship :) 
12. I'm thinking about becoming a certified IBLCE Lactation Consultant. I've looked into it, the coursework and cost is doable. I wouldn't be able to support my family on a LC salary, but thats okay, sometimes you just need to learn for the sake of learning. Plus I love helping women.
13. I'm naturally a pack rat (it runs in my family) and I have an affinity for clutter. 
14. I do not believe in organized religion, but am utterly and completely fascinated by the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, so much so that I read about the faith constantly. My library on Mormons (mainstream LDS and radical fundamentalist branches) is impressive...
15. I only have half a toe nail on my big toe...don't hate!

Viola, I am Wiski!

30 Day Blog Challenge

Okay....so its been obvious for quite some time that I've been a HORRIBLE daily blogger. Sigh. I thought I would last a little bit longer than I did though! (side note: I do still have some old blogs to post though)


So....a friend of mine is doing a 30 Day Blog Challenge and I've decided to do it! Each day has an assigned blog topic and a plan of sorts to follow. I think it will be good for me to follow a plan! Today will be day one!

My Pet Spider

So....I have a pet spider. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but its totally true. She lives in the corner of the ceiling in my shower....and she's dying...and I'm sad. Every morning when I shower I look up and there she is. She used to drop down on her spidery web and look at me and now she's hardly moving.

I'm losing my mind because I actually have grown to care for this spider and now she's dying.

The Next Best Thing

I’m the daughter of a working mother. When I got out of school I didn’t come immediately home. Thankfully my “babysitters” were pretty much always family members. Sure, my mom didn’t have fresh out of the oven cookies waiting for me, but looking back I realize that I had the next best thing. I will always remember watching Channel 7 Soaps with my Grandma and I will always have fond memories of my Aunt Patty driving her minivan like a little old lady (Oh, and I’m pretty sure she still drives like that). Heck, I even have fond memories of my bossy Aunt Bonnie belting out “Dancing in the Streets” by Martha and the Vandellas.

Its memories like these that remind me that despite the fact that I’m not a stay at home mom (SAHM), my girls will turn out okay. I won’t be the sole person memory maker with them…and that’s okay. I know Irelyn and Ellie are in good hands with Granny and PopPop. I know without a doubt, that like me with my grandma and aunts, having their grandparents with them during the day is the next best thing.

But today…just for awhile there…I was totally and completely jealous that I’m not the parent at school with Irelyn today. The Lizard Wizard is visiting her classroom and he’s bringing all sorts of critters! Scott will be there though and at least I know he’ll capture plenty of pictures for me! Anyways, its lunch time and this is what is currently on my mind.

Laundry, lots of Laundry…

I’m a full time working mother to two young girls. I also happen to cloth diaper. What one word sums up a good chunk of my free time? Yep, you guessed it, LAUNDRY.

I’m off of work today (thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and rather than doing something fun (that was the previous couple of days), today I’m buckling down and tackling the heap of laundry that is chilling in front of my bathroom door. If you’ve been to my house, then you know exactly what the hill, um mountain, of dirty clothes I’m talking about. Oh, and no, the dirty diapers aren’t in that pile! (just throwing it out there in case your mind went there)

I’m estimating (by the height of the mound) that I have about, oh, um, 7 loads of laundry to do today. Envy me much?

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

We rode the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway today! Definitely not your typical trip to the mountains. 

I'm terrified of heights, but surprisingly I didn't freak out on the tram. I did stay in the center of the tram car and I did NOT look down.

Irelyn LOVED seeing snow! A bit of a back story...one morning around Christmas Irelyn woke up and ran out to the living room and looked out our front window. She looked at me exsaperated and asked, "Where is the snow Mama?" I was like, "huh?". She explained that on all of the Christmas cartoons she's watched she's seen snow. I was amused and felt kind of sad for her. I explained that we live in California near the ocean and it doesn't snow in our part of California. So...when I told her we were visiting snow today she was like, "But Mama, we live in California!" Too cute!

Today was also Scott's first snow adventure! :) 

Here are a couple of memorable pictures from today.

Excited Snow Bunny

Trying hard to make a snow ball

Ellie didn't seem to thrilled about the snow...

Slightly freaked out....trying to smile through it

Great view of the back of Ellie's head :)

Rossmoor Park

We are experiencing unseasonably warm weather right now. Its been in the high 70 to low 80s at my house, absolutely PERFECT weather to be outside. I decided that I wanted to take the girls to the park this afternoon to blow off some steam. When Scott came home from work off we went!


Scott decided to switch things up and visit a new park. We were going to go to Target after our park adventure, so Scott looked for a park near the Target in Seal Beach. As we pulled up I just knew we discovered a park that we'll revisit over and over again. Its beautiful! The playground is large and partially shaded, the families were friendly and I just overall loved everything about it.

Irelyn went on the TALLEST slide!

And swung like a monkey...

Look at how Ellie's grown! 

Ellie discovered sand for the first time!

Pretty Ellie

Mama people watched. (there was an interesting group of Muslims having a family bbq not too far from where I was sitting. I loved noticing each of the beautiful scarves the women wore)
Daddy pushed his girls on the swings.


There was a light breeze and it reminded me of my childhood. Kids these days don't spend nearly enough time outside being kids. Everything is digital, requires a game control and batteries. Irelyn loves her "adventures" outside....I really hope Scott and I remember to foster those feelings in our children.