Recital. Cars. Growing Up!

So this whole last week has been a bit crazy. Neya had a few dress rehearsals, I was on the road for work on Friday and man, the whole week just seemed to fly by. Which would have been great if our whole weekend wasn't packed as well :)

Friday I was on the road for work, not far, just local in Healdsburg but still, I hate to be on the road on Fridays. So I drove there and got home early enough to grab Rian and get some mommy/son time before I had to head up the hill to the girls. They decided they didn't want to come down that day. Poor them because I decided to take Rian to go see Cars 2 and he loved it. I think I heard about a million times about how "this was the coolest movie ever" and although he didn't sit the whole movie, he watched the entire thing. He only got up to play with his cars as the movie progressed. Kinda Funny. We were going to go with Matt and Xander when we were in AZ but with my crazy work schedule I am not sure when that will be :( Not to mention Rian never gets one on one time at the movies, he always has to share his time with the girls!

After the movie we headed to the store to get some last minute things and what do you know! They had 2 race cars there with simulation driver machines. So of course we took advantage and had Rian take some pics. He looks so serious or upset but its funny cause he was just mad that I wouldnt let him touch, get inside of or drive the cars. haha. What a funny kid. While were there we also got him two new Cars characters to add to his collection. He is funny because although the new racecar in the movie is named 'Francesco' he insists on calling it 'The new Lighting McQueen'. Guess he just wants everything cool to be Lightning!




ALSO while we were there Carina kept texting me over and over again to buy her a razor. HELLO She is only 11, why on earth would she want a razor. She says its to get ready for middle school and not go in with hairy legs (sorry if this is TMI) but really I think its so that she can strip any little morsel of her childhood away from me quicker than I would like. I mean, she didn't even know I was GOING to the store and she was asking me to buy her something. So what did I do. I bought it for her. NOT because I want her to grow up to soon but because I want her to understand. If mom says wait, you should listen. So I go home, with the razor in hand, tell her I didnt buy it, watched her get all bummed and shoulders all slumped from dissappointment (I know, evil mom) then I pulled it out and she just about fell over backwards, not to mention left me nearly deaf from screaming. I told her not that night, I felt like doing nothing so instead I let her do it the next day. It took a solid hour for ONE LEG! Ugh. She was super nervous, with reason I suppose and then onto the second leg while I showered and prepared for Neya's Recital. Needless to say the outcome was of course, monumental for her and sad for me. I guess all kids have to grow up at some point and very rarely is it at the same time that parents are ready for it.

THe rest of the weekend was filled with driving here and there to get Neya to her first recital! This weekend she had two recitals, same thing, but on two different days. It was great and she did soo good. I mean, I am not dancer and cannot begin to critique but she looked great and thats really all that matters. hehe. Saturday, my parents, my little bro, his GF, our little fam and RC's mom and grandma showed up. We took up only half a row so I guess it wasn't that bad. Sunday were weren't going to go at all, but she was kinda bummed that only dad was going (he didnt make it Saturday due to work) so Grandma Jackie, me, Carina, Rian and even Tiffany showed up on Sunday. She was less nervous and she did even better. I got two videos, but the second days one will have to wait because I dont have the connecter for my phone. THe first one was from our camera and of course, she is the cutest one in the line :)All in all the total of 7 hours we sat in seats waiting for her to perform for a mere 4-5 minutes was totally worth it and I will gladly do it all over again next semester.

I get a whole 5 weeks off right now with no softball, no dance and no real plans outside of enjoying our summer weekends! Come August I will be greatful for the rest though because BOTH girls have let me know they want to do dance. THey will each be doing 2 nights of dance and so far it doesnt look like ANY of the nights are the same! If someone is trying to get me to really hate the fact that we moved up the hill, it is slowly working! I love the hill, love the calm and quiet but I hate that I cant go home during this time to throw a load of laundry in and then get back to pick them up or cant go home, throw grub in a crock pot and head back to pick them up. Lesson learned though, on these days I just make sure that I make a list of anything we need at the house and run my chores at that time. Either way so far I am not tooo worn out from all the driving but I fear our kids crazy schedules may be the deciding factor on whether or not we go another year up the 'hill'. BOOO.

Day 1 Recital






Day 2 Recital




And when Neya looked really closely at her roses she noticed one had a little slice in it in the shape of an 'L'. She thought this was oober cool so I tried to take a pic so she could see and thought, hey, maybe my blog readers would think this was kinda cute to :) If you can't see it please don't blame it on my crappy photography skills :)


Video of Neya's Recital


And to end this post a hilarious pic of our little man :) I guess this is what happens when your your third kid is a boy who is only around his older sisters and all their little girly friends :)

Best. Daddy. Ever.

I have a lot going on and on my weekends with the kids sometimes I forget to just let loose and have some fun or I am to worried about finances, time, laundry, chores, and my sanity to really entertain the kids to the fullest extent. Luckily they have the best dad ever. He may not always fold the laundry quick enough, do the dishes just right, help out but when it comes to the kiddos (bathtime sometimes gets missed) but he always steps up at the best times for the kids, even if he would rather be taking a nap. His last day off he took the girls to see a movie and headed to the mall for daddy daughter time and they raved about it for three days straight and this last Tuesday he had another day off and he braved the lake with all three of the kiddos. They all had a blast and I just have to say, I am super lucky to have been blessed with such a great daddy for our kiddos.

Daddy Day and a Birthday...

This weekend was jam packed. Now I sometimes kick myself for my post a ways back that said I wanted to commit to doing more on the weekends because now I get NO down time but hey, it is what it is. And what it is...is...FUN! We had a blast this weekend. No doubt I am exhausted, we slept maybe a total of 10 hours from Friday to Monday morning but hey, all is fair in the game of life. At least we were up having fun (most of the time).

Friday night my cousins fam came over and spent the night. We live in a pretty small house and we each have a good amount of kids. Total we had 7 kids and 4 adults in our house, no to mention the puppy and the kitty. It was a full casa but honestly, it didn't even feel that bad. It was homie and we all got to chit chat and hang out and it was fun. It also happened to be Alexis' (my cousins daughter) 12th birthday and it has been a while since we were able to celebrate with her so we made her cupcakes, got her a little gift, the girls had made a sign for the door and it was good times. We stayed up WAY to late, we had kids that stayed up WAY to late, we woke up Saturday morning, made breakfast, had the kids play in our little pool on the patio and we just hung out till late afternoon. I did have an invite to hang out at R-Ranch with my faves the Snooks, but family is family and well, we had a great time so...next time Oah and DayDay, next time!










Now then you fast forward to what the girls would call Fathers Day Weekend as opposed to just the day. They insisted we make a dinner for him or take him out and the plan initially was to go out to Red Lobster but that fell through so instead we made him dinner! I made him some of his faves and of course he loved it. We even bought him Cherry Pepsi. Now I have been trying to be good but this last week I have literally fallen off the excercise wagon and I feel terrible. Nothing like putting on your fave jeans and feeling like that work you just did for two weeks has now been negated due to the consumption of cupcakes, candy, soda and all those other glorious things that stick straight to your thighs and in my case cause cellulite. I know, seriously terrible mental image. Ugh. Anywho. Anything for my hubby! Haha. We were low key, we got him a movie he had been asking for and we got him a pair of board shorts for the boat that actually reach his knees (some of his other ones are TERRIBLY short) and we ultimately had a sweet lowkey Saturday night. Sunday morning Carina and I woke up bright and early. I made cinnamon rolls (per the girls request for their daddy) and Carina went out and decorated the car he was to drive for the day. We had hopes in bring my dads old school boat up the hill but that feel through...however...it will be up at the house soon enough and we will be mashin' the 1972 disco boat through the lake! We had to say our goodbyes to RC though as he had to work the first half of the day (boooooo) and we headed down to go to breakfast with my dad and mom to celebrate Fathers day with Grandpa :) AND NOOOO I did not eat a cinnamon roll then head to breakfast...I went to breakfast and ate a cinnamon roll after dinner. haha. We went to breakfast with my dad, then the girls and I got one last little gift for RC and then we headed back to my parents where we worked on the boat seats a bit. After that we went to a late lunch/early dinner at Taqueria Rosita with my mom and dad, our fam and RC's bro Rico and his lady. It was fun. We had a blast and we also took up half the darn restaurant.

After that long day we went home, gave RC his last gift, its a sighn that says 'Dads Office' and we hung it on the bathroom door in our Master Bedroom. If you know my husband at all it fits perfectly. Haha. He loved it, we got all the kids in bed and watched a movie and had popcorn and called it another late night. Ugh.This fathers day was low key and I just wish our life wasn't so crazy with RC's new work schedule. Its gotta be the biggest downfall to having him work a 'real' job again.







On a totally unrelated note, the dog is doing decently with the potty training but is still getting carsick. We still can't take her much of anywhere for fear of Parvo and its seriously killing our summer camping plans and such. Oh well. RC and I are also having some withdrawls from one another. I didn't realize how much I began to like his schedule but not being able to see him on a regular basis or rely on him for help wtih the kids or even just as a sanity break is proving to be difficult. I know its just a rough spot but I tell ya, I dont know how those families that have two work crazed parents work. I miss my hubby and our family time, I don't know how anyone else wouldn't miss the same things. I have also decided that all the after school type of things that little girls can do (like dance or gymnastics) must assume that there is a stay at home parent in the mix. Seriously. When it comes to sports they are conciuos of the work schedule but when it comes to the "The Performing Arts" type of stuff they must assume that a dedicated mom or dad stays at home and only tends to the needs of their aspiring performer. I mean, I work. I was at one point a single mom, I cant just leave at the drop off a hat but we got the new class schedule for Neya and Carina (if she decides to dance instead of do softball) and the classes each start at 340. Uh. Hello Dance people. What working parent can take their kid to 2 classes each week (4 in my case) at 340 each day. I mean seriously. My kids are my life but I also need my income. NO way that is going to be doable without making my boss totally question my committment to my job. I would have to leave work each day at 3pm. Which means I would only work a 7.5 hour day (if I didnt take a lunch) because due to RC's work schedule I have to take Rian to school and that doesnt open until 7am. Ugh. This dance class is great but the girls may not have a choice and they may have to quit dance if I can't figure out someway to not have to take them each day. Blah.

Clearly we still have tons going on and this week is no exception. We have 2 dress rehearsals for Neya, Cars 2 comes out, dance recitals Saturday and Sunday and at some point I think I need to breathe and just take some me time. Maybe. The girls were going to do a sleepover as well (not at our house thank goodness) but with our schedule I am not even sure that is doable. I know Parenting is said to be one of the most challening yet also the most rewarding jobs ever but uhm...I could sure use some rewarding these days. How about a nice kid free vacation to some exotic beach! Dreams. I can have dreams but only day day dreams because we all know moms give up sleep to happily fold laundry and do dishes late at night :)

OH and as I was finding pics to upload I found this pic of Rian that I must have taken randomly. I guess when I say where is my reward, its sweet random pics of nothing in particular that are the reward. They make my heart smile.

Nom Nom Nom

So a friend of mine took the girls to a water park yesterday and in return she just wanted a grubbin' dinner. Well dinner was sort of boring, bbq chicken, mashed potatoes and grilled corn on the cob. BUT I did have her be my test dummy for my first Homemade Apple Pie. I figured that made up for the boring dinner! I got the recipe from my SIL Dusty and the last time she made it, it was UH-MAZING! I felt like mine could have been better, certainly could have LOOKED better but hey, it was my first try and outside of cupcakes I suck at baking anything so it could have been worse.

Here is some proof that I, Andrea Hernandez, baked my first homemade Applie Pie. Nom Nom Nom. Try not to drool on your keyboard!





P.S. Do you see Rians darn lightup shoes haunting me in one of the pics. That boy!

Loathe...

There are only very few things I truly loathe in all the world and my husband being as sweet as he is decided to make me have one of these things in my household. So now. My son. Is a sweet owner of velcro sandals WITH characters and as if those two things are not bad enough, they also have lights. Yep. My child has shoes wtih characters on them. Ugh. HOWEVER, he is absolutely in love with them and seeing that smile, makes the loathing a little less terrible than I thought it would be :)

Fun Weekend...

Okay so ever since making my pact to stay a bit more upbeat and not let the lack of social life get me down things have been going good. I have two baby showers I am planning (both with help of course) I helped my lil' bro celebrate his 21st early, I was invited to a night at Chefs Market although had to decline due to my 4th child at home (Chloe the muttley) and I have had the kids take bit more time to have some fun, we took walks, we bought a little pool for the deck and so on and so forth. Needless to say, laying down and relaxing hasn't quite been in the cards buttttt soon enough my dear friends.

The girls are on summer vacation which started last Friday and already they are telling me stories of how bored they are. I have hopes to get them into the boys and girls club starting in a week for at least 2 days a week, I have a friend taking them to her house for half a day, twice a week for swimming, and at least one day a week RC will have off so he can keep them on those days. Not to mention a trip to the water park, a trip to Disneyland and if all goes as planned a trip to Arizona to say hello to all our friends. All in all I think it will turn out just fine, and I hope they don't get too bored over the next 8 really long, and utterly 'jam packed' weeks.

This last weekend was fun. My little 'big' bro (he is like a foot taller than me) is turning 21 on the 18th of this month and since he is all responsible and what not he got a job for the summer off from college and won't be able to be with us his birthday weekend, instead he will be working and of course having a college style 21st b-day with all his buddies. Of course. However being the great fam we are we got together, gave him a good yummy steak dinner, some sweet gifts (mostly containing alcohol) and my mom was soo kind as to buy him the manliest cake she could find at Costco. And by Manly I mean super ultra girly. All in all I think he had a good night but man it makes me sad to think he is already 21. I remember the days when he used to play with his dinosaurs and watch Fantasia on permanent repeat.

Either way. Happy Birthday Gabriel Dante Peralez. I heart you with all my 5 foot 1.5 inches (that sounds TERRIBLE) and I hope you have a fabulous 21st birthday that with any luck you don't remember :)







Okay well that was Saturday. Now onto Sunday. We get bored up at the house and I don't always have a million free hours but the kids do get bored so early sunday (like 11am) we headed down the hill. We got groceries, got gas (not the eat your magical beans kind), got lunch and then got a little pool for the kids. We ended up meeting up with Carina's Nana on our way back up the hill as her Aunt was having a suprise party but eiter way once we got up the hill we blew up a little pool and threw it on the deck as our lawn is way to non level, dragged the hose through the house (man next time I will get a pic of that) turned it on and filled it up. Now I say we pulled the hose through the house but picture this (since of COURSE I didnt get a pic of my ghettoness) the gray garden hose laying across our floor, carpet, linoleum, over our chairs and table and into the pool where I taped it to the edge to fill up so I didnt have to stand there the whole time. Yeah it was a site...but after only 23 minutes the pool was full and the kids were having a blast. This weekend I shall buy me saw of those sweet trifold plastic chairs that your butt falls through so that I can get a good tan while the kids splash around like fools. Hehe.



On a completely different note, remember how a couple posts back I mentioned how our garden was put in and we would see how crappy our non existent green thumbs were. Well yesterday I noticed that it had been two days since we watered our lawn and the damn plants were all shriveled from the heat, but we promptly watered them and hopefull I find them today not dieing of thirst. HOWEVER the one thing that did live and stayed perky were the strawberry plants that Carina planted. How cool is it to see your little flower buds turn into itty bitty strawberries. SUPER cool. So what did I do. Well, the same thing any other camera crazed person would do! I TOOK PICS! BUT I will only post the one and you can ooh and aww at our amazing strawberries, or rather, Carina's amazing strawberries because so far I have nearly killed all my other flowers. I can't even blame the deer for eating them because they don't, probably becuase they are thinking...

"This woman...planting flowers to mock our appetites and then she kills them...well we will show her...we won't eat them so she can only blame their death on herself and her crappy green thumb!!"

Yep I am certain that is what our neighborhood deer are saying. Well phooey on them, I missed one day. They will come back to life, don't you worry!



And to end this sweet post, here are some clips of my kids singing and being all around weird. Rian had no idea I was recording him and the songs of choice are...

"I'm a little teapot" or as he says it "I'm a little teapop shot and spip" and one that he made up that I will name...."Stop Stop STOPPPPPP" I think he may have been talking about my driving but who knows. and then of course sweet little devil child Neya dancing to none other than Justin Bieber. Just when I want to strangle this kid she goes and does something cute. ugh.

Graduation and a Game!

It is hard to believe that just 11 short years ago I was holding my baby girl in my arms wondering how on earth such an amazing little being could have come from me. She was an 8lb 10 oz ball of love and I knew right then and there I wouldn't trade her in for the world. Now, 11 years later, I sometimes watch her roll her eyes at me, I hear me yelling at the top of my lungs how disrespectful she is or giggle at how she slumps her shoulders when she doesn't get her way or how she so smoothly loves me all the sudden when we walk into any store...and I mean ANY store, hello did you know that kids even love to ask for stuff at OSH. Weird. Either way, at the end of the day she is my baby, will always be my baby. She has truly grown up into a great little girl and to see her at her graduation so proud and so darn smart I was amazed. I am amazed still that that little being, could have come from me!

Throughout this year she had to start a new school, she had to make new friends, lose some of those new friends and start all over. She learned that drama is everywhere at this age and that it's not always the hottest guy in the schoolyard that will be the nicest when you're down in the dumps. She learned to stay true to herself, she learned how she doesn't want to do drugs and she learned that middle school is a whole new world and that she isn't quite sure she is ready for it.

As she continues to mature I hope she learns that money doesn't buy happiness, that the coolest jeans don't make you the most popular and that being rude to your parents, your friends, strangers or ANYONE doesn't make you 'cool' and won't earn you friends. I hope that she learns that she paves her own path and that she can't have anyone do it for her and that she grows up to be a leader not a follower. I hope that she realizes that life is exciting and to not take every little thing so personal and that sometimes shrugging your shoulders and saying 'whatever' is the easiest thing to do in a not so great situation..becuase you can't change the past you can only make a better future.

What she grows up to be, whoever she grows up to be I mostly hope that she knows that we are here for her, we love her and although we will not agree with every decision, every friend, every boyfriend and every bad grade we will love and support her to the end.

Carina we are so very proud of you and the little woman you have become and now that you are going into middle school...yes...you can finally shave your legs!

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At Carina's graduation they played a video of all the kids from baby to who they are now which made me cry. They gave awards and Carina, unbeknownst to us all received an award. She got the Gold Presidents Education Award which meant that she not only met the requirements for her age/grade, it means she went above and beyond with other academic achievements and for that they rewarded her a 'signed' award from Barack Obama along with a little pin. So cute. We got there late so I had to stand in the back but ya know, its okay...better than standing in the front and having angry parents yell at me. haha. We got pics of course and although her Nana had to leave early what she said before she went really made me smile and feel proud. She told ME 'thank you for doing such an amazing job'. Me. A mom, and doing an amazing job. I owe my life to Carina because without her I wouldn't be the amazing mom that folks like to believe I am. Although she came earlier than we had all hoped she helped me to become the person I am today and every birthday, every graduation and every moment she isn't being a bratty tween I will remind her of this. She is great, I wouldn't ever go back and say that I would have done my life different and I hope that as she gets older she makes wise decision but can also say that when she is an adult.






Wednesday the entire 5th grade had a 'graduation' field trip to an SF Giants game. Not much to report there, kids were kids, Carina walked around with her friends, it was sort of freezing but sunny (weird) and I dragged Lauren along since I had an extra ticket and RC had to work. It was fun all around, but I will let the pics get posted because well...it was a Giants game, we had fun, ate yummy ballpark food. I mean...does anything more really need to be said ;)