2 more weeks.....

......until Hawaii!

(Shutterstock)

BUMS

We were all complete bums for Mother's Day yesterday...and it was WONDERFUL!  We've been running around like crazy this past week - Discovery Museum, beach, and birthday partieS (more on all that later)!  So when Tim asked me what I wanted to do for Mother's Day, I said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!  I think the kids felt the same way....they didn't wake up until 9:15am.  And then they climbed in bed with me and said "Happy Mother's Day" for the first time :)  I had the best day ever! 

Btw, I love these bums :)

*****HIJACKED BLOG*****

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Mommy, Happy Birthday to you.

I know that you don’t care too much for the whole birthday celebrations and if it were up to you we wouldn’t celebrate at all. I really want you to know how important you are to me and how much I care for you. So I wanted to take the time to figure out your password and hijack your blog =)

Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I've ever done in my life. It was a sunny day kind of like today. The true story to this is that the first time I saw you I was in love. There was something different about you that made it effortless for me to fall in love with you. I try to describe it to others how you know that you're with the right person, but I can't describe it, it’s a feeling. The times we had going to baseball games, trips to Reno, going out dancing (seemed like we were still dancing, long after the music has stopped), the several times to the comedy club, just reassured me that you were the one. I look back at those times and my heart smiles. I love you and I always will. You are the love of my life. You are not just in my life; you are my life.

You are the most unbelievable, kind, compassionate, romantic, smart, sensible, gifted, talented, kind-hearted, thoughtful, friendly, affectionate, appreciative, loyal, caring, loving, passionate, beautiful woman I know. Having you be the mother to my children was a no brainer to me. You have been the best mother and role model that any father could ask for. Happiness is being married to your best friend. Thanks for making me so happy.

Knowing that I will spend every day, of every week, of every month, of every season, of every year for the rest of your life with you, and thinking, this is exactly what I want. Thanks for making my dreams come true. Happy Birthday baby I love you. I hope you have the best day of your life. Looking forward to spending many more with you.

Easter

I realize it's the end of April and I'm just making it to the first Sunday of the month...Easter!  But here it is.  We had SO MUCH fun!  I wasn't sure how much the kids would "get it" this year, but they LOVED it!  They loved coloring eggs, they loved finding eggs (well, kind of...IF they had candy in them; they'd shake the egg to see it it had something in it....if it did, it went in the basket, if it didn't, it was dropped back on the ground), and they loved the candy, of course...and we loved watching them!  Kids have made everything in life so much better!!!   

Most of the Stacey cousins (L to R - Emma, Dylan, Matthew, Ryan, Kallie, Timmy).  I'm so glad that the kids have lots of little cousins to play and grow up with.  

Timmy can barely wait to go get his candy!

Love this face :)

Emma's face says it all....this Easter Bunny is a little scary.  Kallie wouldn't go near it, and I can't say I blame her!

Timmy wanted to color every egg "buuuuuuue."

Emma and Daddy

Kallie showing off her egg...(thanks for helping Bri Bri :)

Our finished products...a lot better than I expected!

Easter morning!  Yep, they're eating suckers already!!!

I can't lie...these next pics are actually from the day after Easter.  It was POURING rain on Easter :/ so we had a little egg hunt indoors, but decided to wait until the next day, and nicer weather, for a real Easter egg hunt.

Timmy shaking his egg to make sure there's something in it...

Emma checkin' out her loot....

Kallie "protecting" her stash...

All three sitting still...for a moment!

The Queen

Princess isn't exactly one of the words I would use to describe Kallie.  Although she's the "baby" of the kids (if birth order has anything to do with it at all, let alone when you're born on the same day, just minutes apart), she acts like the first born.  She has the biggest heart, can be a total cuddly love-bug, and she often mothers Timmy and Emma (one of her nicknames is Lil' Mama).  BUT make no ifs, ands, or buts about it, she is also demanding and bossy, strong willed, and wildly independent.  And she has always seemed like an adult stuck in a little body.  I can remember when we first brought the babies home, Kallie would open her eyes and look at me with an expression that said, "YOOUUUU are my mom?! Oh brother......(sigh)" as she'd close her eyes and fall back to sleep.  She's always been a little bit of a challenge for me and every once in a while I have to remind her who is in charge (it doesn't hurt to remind myself either...it can be easy to forget when you're being bossed around by three 2 yr olds. on a daily basis).  And if she didn't already act old enough, she has recently started calling me "mom."  MOM....really???  Already???  I waited my whole life to be called Mommy, and all I got was 2 and a half years???  I keep telling her my name is Mommy, but she continues to call me Mom.  I almost think she sees what it does to me and likes the "power" she has.  Nope, this little girl is no princess...she's something more of a queen.  And the queen did not like having her picture taken on the potty!  Can't say I blame her :)

Happy Birthday...Vialpando style (LATE)!

Honestly, there are no words to describe how I feel about Tim and the kind of man/father he is.  He has far surpassed any expectations I had of him or the dreams that I had for myself.  He is ALL about his family and kids, and he is hands down THE BEST dad I have EVER seen!  Last year, when asked what he wanted for his birthday he said "a swing set."  So it didn't come as a huge surprise that this year he requested something else for the kids...another trip to Disneyland.

Tim, you are an amazing friend, partner, father...and soon-to-be husband :)  You are funny, sweet, caring, romantic, smart, honest, selfless, patient, hardworking, and a ton of fun to be around (I'm blaming all my wrinkles on you for making me smile and laugh more than I ever have before).  I love you for all these reasons and so many more.  Thank you for choosing to spend your life with me...I'm one lucky girl!

And alright, it didn't end up being "the best birthday ever!"  Disneyland was CROWDED (who knew so many people would want to celebrate your birthday ;), we had to buy blackout tickets for Friday, nobody cared about your birthday button, and the kids (and sometimes Mommy and Daddy) were cranky!  But HAPPY BIRTHDAY....here's to an amazing year ahead.  We LOVE you!!!

I'll spare everyone with ALL the Disneyland pictures because I know I've already posted a ton from our previous trip, but here are a few of my favorites...

Daddy turns....

Emma waiting patiently after we found out our passes were blacked out for that Friday!

Daddy with his birthday button....Happy Birthday "im!"

Yes, this is Kallie wearing a 1st Visit button....we figured it was the least we deserved after having to pay for the blackout tickets.  And the kids aren't reeeally old enough to learn from our bad examples yet.......are they???

One of the only pics I have of Tim with all the kids (sorry kids, this is all you were givin' me)!

I think the kids had some of the most fun at the water fountains.  It was a nice way to cool off and there was NO line!!!

I know I've posted teacup pictures before, but I can't get enough of them!  I never get tired of seeing my babies THIS happy!!!

March Madness

Yep, it's the middle of April and I'm just getting around to March.  It seems like the more things we do and the more I have to blog about..the less time I have to do it!  So I'm kinda cheating for March and throwing it all together in this post!  It was a busy month (guess life is pretty busy now :)  We had so much great weather so we took advantage of it by going to the park a ton, we had a couple play dates with our little cousins, and went to Story Time at the library with one of my best friends, Jocelyn and her daughter Torrie...and we made a couple special trips to do fun things with the kids.  First stop.....California State Railroad Museum!

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again....Timmy loves trains!!!  Can't get enough of 'em, so this trip was especially fun for him.  There were big running trains outside, old trains on display in the museum, and lots of toy trains (displayed and running) all over the place throughout the museum.  They even have a huge area upstairs with tracks and choo choo trains for the kids to play with.  Timmy was in "too too tain" heaven!  

Timmy watching the trains run outside...

Kalllie fell right when we got there and got like 5 slivers in her hand.  She's such a trooper though; she didn't complain at all...until we got home and had to take them out :/

Daddy and Emma

Have I mentioned how much this little guy loves trains???

Let me clarify....he LOOOOVES trians!!!

Byt the end of the day, everyone was tired and it was hard getting Timmy to part with the trains, but.....

...a little bribe of ice cream always seems to do the trick!

Another special trip we took was to the Jelly Belly Factory with Grandma.  We had lunch and let the kids pick out a treat before we left.  They're so much fun right now!!!

I told everyone to wait for me at the door before leaving and this is how I found Emma :)

Surprisingly, the kids liked their hats and kept them on.  Wish I could get them to leave real hats on!

Kallie

The Jelly Belly shaped pizza was a big hit!

Grandma and the girls :)  Emma-L, Kallie-R

Timmy didn't quite understand that you're not supposed to just take the jelly bellies out of the containers and eat them.  I found him like this several times....ooops!

March was so much fun!  April has already been just as busy, but it's got me excited about the summer and getting out with the kids.  I guess you never stop getting Spring fever!