July 4th, 2012

We love the 4th of July in HB!  Park your car, and either walk or ride your bikes wherever you want to go.  People are all over the place, every sidewalk is lined with parked cars, streets are closed down, and people just ride their cruisers up and down major streets like it's what they do everyday!

Our 4th of July started on the 3rd of July at 6:00AM...We normally let our good friends, the Wilson's save our parade-side seats for us on July3rd, but since they moved out of state, it was up to us...and Jeff was out of town, so it was up to me!  dang!  I had to wake up early.  My neighbor, Jillonnie set her alarm and knocked on my door at 6:00 so she could sleep on my couch for when my kids woke up.  She gave Scarlet her second bottle of her life, and helped Max and Ivy get situated when they woke up.  I sat on the edge of the street with my sidewalk chalk bucket from 6:10 until 6:59 reading my kindle.  At 7Am, you are allowed to chalk your position.  I finished my doodle at 7:03 and headed back home!  We got some good seats!

On the 4th, Jillonnie and I joined the resident's run on Main Street downtown.  We live close enough to just walk over to the starting line, run the race, and then walk home.  it's such a fun run to do every year!  Next year, I'll do it with Maxer!

When I got home, Doyle and Marie met us at our house for a red, white and blue breakfast (blueberry pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream) and then we headed over to the parade

 The parade is no Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade...but there is such a fun spirit downtown on the 4th, everyone is friendly, and there are so many people out there, it's just fun to sit and people watch, laugh and snack for a couple of hours.  we love it!

 I got the kids a couple of bubble guns which kept them occupied.  (well, those and the sweets that they NEVER get!)

 God Bless America!

 Marie and Ivy...Marie and Doyle were here when Ivy was born, and they have meant so much to our family having them so close...they are an amazing couple, and we love their family so much!  We were so glad to get to have them spend the WHOLE day with us this year!  (usually, we crash all day at their house)

 Scarlet slept on my lap the whole time...she is such a good baby!)

 face painting by the Indian Guides

 Doyle and Ives

 After the parade, we just hung out and played for the whole afternoon.  Doyle threw BP to Max in the yard, and Marie and I fiddled and chatted the whole day away with our Diet Cokes

 Jeff BBQ-ed us a yummy dinner, and I got to try out these fun layered drinks...everyone loved them!

 After dinner, it was firework time, since fireworks were legalized in HB this year!  woo hoo...holy, there have been big m80s going off by the crazies all week long!

Jeffer....

 River and Max

 Here's our fire-cracker crew...Back Row: Jeff, Doyle, Jacob, Crew, and Matt

Front Row, Ivy, Max, River, Shelby, Brooklyn, June, Callie and Brian

 Ivy loved the sparklers...and accidentally stepped on one with her bare feet...i can't keep shoes on her!

 After the fireworks, we walked back down to the beach to await the annual fireworks show off of the pier.  we brought some little sand toys for the kids to play with while we waited...

We had such a great day!  We love the 4th of July!

Our Swimmers

Ivy just finished up her little 2 week stint of swimming lessons and improved by leaps and bounds...she is swimming so much better than even her first day of lessons this year!  I love it.  her little body works so hard, and she barely moves...but she's almost got it figured out.  a few more times in the pool, and we'll have it figured out!

Max took a little 1 week refresher, and is such a great swimmer!

Family Karaoke Night

We busted out our Glee karaoke tonight, and borrowed the Disney one from our neighbors.  

heehee

good clean family fun!

Don't Stop Believin'

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella)

First week of summer: Beach!

We had a fun first week of summer this week, including hitting the beach for the first time by myself...well, of course I had my friends there, but me and 3 kids.  whew!

We were at the beach from noon until 5, and it was fabulous!

Scarlet sat in her little swing for much of the day and dozed under the umbrella, while Max and Ivy played like crazy with all of their friends

 Here are some of the crowd that was with us...they were all so good!

 I made Ivy into a mermaid...she loved it!

 Scarlet slept a little, ate a little, looked around a little...

 It was a GORGEOUS day at the beach!  I can't wait to go back next week!

 ...and today was the last day of swimming lessons for Max and Ivy...they both do so great in the pool, I'm sad to stop their lessons, but we'll keep practicing at the pool all summer...(like max's burn on his back...I reapplied...but apparently you can see where I missed/he ran away too quickly.  oops!)

 ...as long as little Miss keeps on doing this so well!

Kindergarten Promotion & a bumbo

Wednesday was Max's Kindergarten Promotion...

They sang a few really cute songs and did Sign Language to them, which was fun to watch

And then he got his memory packet, which included a project and a picture of him from each month of the year.  He was so proud of it and couldn't wait to show it to me.  

 Max had the most darling teacher...she was so good and patient with him, she was the perfect teacher for him this year, and I adore her!  

 Mrs. Anderson, Max and Ivy

 I only snapped a picture of Max and his friend Tai, though I wish I'd grabbed a few other kids, too, since Max will be at a different school next year (his choice; I'm sad to leave the fun friends I've made there!)

Max got his report card today: freaking awesome!  Bring on first grade, dude!

 and, on another note...somebody is super good at sitting in her bumbo chair!  :)  cute little Scarlet!

Angels vs D-backs

We found out the Diamondbacks were in town...and we HAD to go watch!  Max and Ivy had been to a Dodgers game before, but not an Angels game.  One of Jeff's friends hooked us up with Tickets!

Jeff bought a ball this afternoon before we went, in hopes that we could get some guys to sign it.  

Jeff flashed his scout badge at every turn, we got Front-Row seat parking, and eased past every usher we encountered.  serious VIP-age.  

We got to the game about 2 hours early to watch BP...we saw Jeff's friend Mack in the dugout and Max, Jeff and Ives got to go down onto the field and into the dugout to prey upon any player that dared enter...

 The first victim was Paul Goldschmidt...first baseman...They got autographs from him, Willie Bloomquist (whom Ivy had drawn and cut out a crown, and stuck it in an envelope for) Gerarado Parra (who gave them each a piece of bubble gum) Justin Upton, and Josh Bell.  They were pretty much the envy of every little boy yelling over the dugout at all the players to get them to sign cards and balls, etc.  

Scarlet and I watched from afar and took some pics.  

 Angels Stadium...check!

Tball Party!

Wednesday was the Anteater's end of the year T-ball party.  We were so lucky this year to be on the same team as 4 of our friends...and it was fun to make a couple new friends as well.  Our coaches, Coach Gregg and Coach Steve were SOOOO amazing with the boys (and 1 girl), especially with Max.  They made sure the guys had fun, but learned how to play.  We were for sure the best team in the league!  :)

 Here's Max and Coach Gregg!  We hope we're on his team again next year!  We got to keep our pennant from the year, and Max was thrilled to add another trophy to his collection!  

I'm going to miss watching Tball games every Saturday!  dang!

100 Mile Club!

Max reached his goal of running 100 miles this year!

 I got to go to his award ceremony this week to watch him get his certificate and his medal.  They read his number of miles incorrectly in the award ceremony, but he and his friend Shaunessy had the most miles in the class, and easily ran over their goal!  

 Only the kids that hit the 100 mile mark got medals...he worked so hard running at least a mile before school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays...and during lunch on Fridays.  I had fun running with him before I got too big...and then a couple of times after Scarlet was born.  

Good Job, Max!

Some pictures of Scarlet, just because

we walked down to the street fair with a bunch of our neighbors on Tuesday...we ended up coming back soon after we got there, but that's not why I'm posting...she just looked so cute all snuggled up...

She's so smiley!  We love her so much!

Scarlet's Blessing Weekend

We had lots of family in town this weekend for Scarlet's blessing!  We Jeff's brother Steve and his fam, minus 1, Jeff's brother Todd and his fam, Jeff's Parents and my parents.  It was a quick trip for everyone, but it was fun to have everyone here in our neck of the woods!

They made it just in time to see Max's last tball game...he played so good...and hit a seriously rad line-drive over the 3rd baseman's head for the last hit of the game...(and he wasn't hitting off of the Tee, either!  Coach-pitch, baby!

Here's him shakin' his booty on 3rd...with all the daddy's watching him in the background.  haha

 We spent all day at the beach on Saturday, it was Scarlet's first beach day...oh man, I have a summer full of dragging a whole lot of sh-tuff to the beach every day!  here we go!  but it was fun to sit on the beach and do NOTHING!

After the clouds rolled in, we set up a bonfire and had a corn and weenie roast...a first for the Moussers, and everyone loved it! (except Becky!)

 And, Sunday was the blessing, and lunch right after...everyone went home after that except my mom and dad...we got to keep them for 1 more day!  Everyone that was there (except Todd and Brett)

 Our Family of 5!

 Me and Little Red...isn't her dress rad?!  Grandma made it!

Announcing...

Scarlet's announcements are finally here!

my genius friend Kim took her pictures, and designed the card for me...though I pretty much just wanted exactly what she did for her baby announcement over a year ago.  

I love them, and was so excited to get them in the mail!

Pictures from last week!

When Scarlet was born, my mom brought a treat for my kids straight from their Great Grandma (who they call Boo Boo)  $5 in quarters so they could buy their own lunch!  I wanted to take them each individually so we could make it a date with JUST mom, especially because their time with me had just gotten slashed.  Ivy was easy to do, we just went some random day when Max was at school, and I let her play in the play land by herself: she had a fantastic ole time.  We had Scarlet, but she didn't make a peep in her carseat.  

Max was a different story.  Jeff has been out of town a ton, so I didn't have a Saturday I could work out, and I just hadn't gotten a babysitter for Ivy so I could take him out of school for lunch...until this week, daddy came home early from AZ (earlier than I thought), and as soon as I saw Jeff on the sidewalk out front, I grabbed the bag of quarters and Scarlet and jetted out the door!  The timing was perfect, I took him out of the end of music class.  Oh, the thrill!  The office called his teacher to have Max sent to the office, and when he saw me, he shouted my name and ran to me.  He was so excited he could hardly stand it.  I loved that it got to be a fun surprise, and I know I made his day.  Sooo fun!

 Scarlet is trying to figure out naps...she's awesome at sleeping at night...and she falls asleep in her carseat like a champ...but to just up and take a nap?  no chance...so she's taken a few on my pillow in the middle of the bed...that won't last long, but it's better than holding her all day long because she's overly-tired!

 (check out her wacko-sauce hair!)

 At 6 weeks, she started smiling at me on cue...i love that part!  She smiles when I say 'boo' to her, and when we sing a little song to her when she wakes up that I remember my mom singing when I was little.  

 Max and Ivy sing it, too, and she just smiles and smiles at them.  My sisters and brother would know it...good morning to you, good morning to you, la la la la la la, la la la la la la  (b, e & c, do you remember?)

 anyway, this is just a picture of Scarlet smiling so big when Max sang it to her...when she woke up from her nap.  (on my bed, haha)

and...lastly, my kids are just sooo sweet to baby Scarlet, they love her so much, and love to hold her, and help take care of her.  They have to kiss her goodnight and can't wait for her to wake up in the morning...and she's all max wants to see before he goes to school, and when we pick her up.  

I've got 3 really good kids, and I'm so grateful for each of them!

Max's First Field Trip!

Max has been working hard for the last month or so in class learning about farms and farm animals.  He's got all sorts of knowledge and random facts about the farm and what goes on.

 The day finally arrived for his class to go on their long-awaited field trip to Centennial Farm.  All the kids were told to wear school colors: teal and purple.  And Max got to ride a SCHOOL bus for the first time!!  He's been begging me all year to LET him go to daycare {really?!?} so he could ride the bus!

 They held baby chicks...

 ...and saw piglets eating from their mom.

 and lots of other animals.  He had such a fun time...I wish I could have gone with him!!

Mother's Day 2012

I had a great mother's day!

I'm so grateful to be a mom, and feel so lucky to be able to stay home with these 3 crazies to play with them, learn from them, and teach them some of the things that I know.  Most days I do a crummy job of muddling through this job of mine, but I sure love my kids and my hub, and am grateful to know that we get to be together forever!

Thanks to Jeff and my kiddos for a great day today!

random pics from this week

Ivy's Arm next to Scarlet's leg...not sure they're the same race.

 Ivy LOVES tubby time...LOVES {seriously}.  and we love our colored tubs, and crazy under the sea mermaid hair.

 After her bath, Ivy came out with her doll...'Mom, Peanut is hungry so I'm feeding her just like you feed Scarlet.'  (I said, oh my gosh, please stay just like that while I grab my camera)

 and sweet max...he's been so good this week!  He earned a treasure a couple of days ago, and this is what he chose: and he wore it to bed...a glow-stick baseball hat.  He's such a good boy.

i love my kiddos!

Ivy singing to Scar

Every night, Ivy and I sing a song that Great Grandma BooBoo taught her.  I was about to sing her the song, and she asked if she could sing it alone to Scarlet...so I ran and got the video camera.

i lOve it!

and then there's some cute baby sneezing afterwards!

Ivy taking a stand against naps

A few weeks ago, Ivy was supposed to be having a nap...but I (for once) let her choose if she'd like to have quiet time instead, like Max, and read some books and chill in her room for a little while.  I don't know what was up her rumplestilskin, but she was not havin' it.  no nap, no quiet time, no door shut, not playing....just totally being Miss Sassy Pants.  

So she sat on her rocking chair and refused to take a nap.

Ellsworth Cousins 2011

My sister Brandy just sent me this picture of all of the Ellsworth cousins from when we were all together in Seattle over the summer (2011)

I hadn't seen the picture, and I loved it!  We were only all together for like a day and a half...but it was so fun!

These are all the cousins (except Scarlet, of course!)

From the left...Clara, Carson and Sam (top left) Max, Carter, Syd, Ivy and Kimball (up front) Adee and Baker