so behind

i am so behind in my blogging! ever since i got my new camera and my mac ran out of memory, i haven't blogged. but it's not my camera or my mac's fault, it's mine. just because it's not as easy to upload my photos, it's not impossible.

there are also some other stressors involved, but that too shouldn't stop me from blogging. so i will have to backtrack. so behind!

homework

m&m are back in school after a 3 week break. that means back to homework time, which hasn't been so bad with lia. but because micah will be starting kinder in july (which makes me cry inside every time i think about it), we started homework time for him. he hates it. and so do i because it's taking me back to when lia started and we would argue. there's lots of whining, and stalling, and getting distracted. so roel and i have to tag team because patience is nowhere near my name. (and believe me, i pray for patience every day.) but we'll get there.

malia is 8

the little girl turned 8 today! she thinks she is SO old. i sent cupcakes for her class at school, then i picked her up. it was her half day. we went to one of her favorite places - the mall. i told her she could pick out her birthday present since micah got to pick out his birthday present at disney world. the first thing she picked was a small toy in target. then she picked out some dresses at H&M. we also picked out her christmas dress. and then, she enjoyed a free ice cream from baskin robbins, her favorite place for ice cream.

after that, we went to buy her cake at hans&harry's. the flourless chocolate cake is still her favorite. our friend, charlotte, was sweet enough to give us the cake for free. i had also found a deal online for a small cake and cookies, and that was delivered today.

(not bad for $4, right? and it was good.)

after homework, she received a phone call from princess jasmine. it must have made her day because she immediately went to write a letter to jasmine to thank her for the phone call. i will send the letter to the fanmail address, and she should receive a picture of jasmine in a couple of weeks.

disney store halloween dress rehearsal

took the kids to the disney store at plaza bonita this morning for a costume parade. they played a 'snow white says' game, a 'guess who' game, and watched a short video on rapunzel being coronated the newest princess before actually parading around the store and in part of the mall.

afterwards, they got some prizes. malia got some fairies cards and a tink magnet. micah got a cars memory game and cars stickers. and they both got a mickey flashing safety light to use on halloween.

after we were done with that, i asked them if they wanted to go to the disney store at fashion valley mall to do it again, and they said yes.

micah was the only spidey at both events. it's funny and cool at the same time how spidey is now disney.

i wanted them to see how cool the disney store at fashion valley mall is. malia loved the castle. i personally thought the cast members at fashion valley did a better job with the kids, but malia liked the event at plaza bonita better because the actual costume parade was longer and they went out of the store and in part of the mall.

lego building at toys r us

i often read about free events at toys r us and want to bring the kids, but i always forget. guess i need to write down more notes to myself.

we actually made it to this one by coincidence. this one was for building the cars 2 spy car, torque.

they were happy to get a new toy and i was happy because it was free.

WDW: the plane ride

we took a red eye flight to get more time at WDW. i thought it would be great that the kids would be asleep most of the time.

it was a "coincidence" that we ran into the aquino family at the airport. the kids thought it was cool that they were flying together.

it was micah's first time on a plane, malia's second. they liked it. they asked me if we were in outer space. malia knew i was a little scared of the take off and landing, she held my hand each time.

the kids did fine sleeping on the plane, i didn't. i forgot how loud it is on an airplane. but i was thankful we got to orlando safely. next time we probably won't take a red eye flight.

getting ready for "the trip"

last december, we decided to book a trip to disney world. seemed like only a dream back then, but now that it's almost here, i cannot contain myself. we are vacationing with the aquino family. we decided to surprise the kids, so we've just been telling m&m that we have a conference to go to in another state. malia was asking so many questions, i thought she was catching on to the surprise. so the story changed, and now "the trip" means we are going to boston for the conference and visit our cousins while we are there.

cookie in church

went to church early this morning. m&m had a hard time behaving. on the way back to the car, this was their conversation:

malia: i'm so hungry, can we eat?

micah: but you already ate, you had a cookie in church.

malia: micah, that wasn't a cookie, that was the Body of Christ!!!

i didn't hear the rest of the conversation. i was too busy cracking up.

i love you

i started an experiment a couple months ago. we were all in one room, doing our own things. i decided to say out loud, "i love you," to see if anyone would say it back. without hesitation, malia responded right away, "i love you!" i knew she would. i kept saying it and she would say it back. by the 4th time, micah caught on, then roel.

of course i frequently tell them all that i love them. but i like to do it randomly, without addressing anyone in particular. and now they say it back without hesitation. even better, they start the "i love you" gesture first.

i want them to know that it's okay to say "i love you" any time, any place. we'll see if they will still be comfortable saying "i love you" through the teen years.

on the way home from micah's school

micah: do you know who died for us?

me: who?

micah: jesus.

me: how come he died for us?

micah: because he love us. hey, the clouds in the sky look like jesus footprints!

me: are you going to follow them and be good?

micah: yes.

me: so that means you'll be nice to your sister?

micah: (nods slowly) but how come she's mean to me sometimes!?