"I'm On TV...Again"

I got a text the other day when Raya got out of school that said "I WAS ON TV!!!!!" Good Day Sacramento is the number one rated morning show in the Sacramento Area. Raya and I had the oppoturnity to be on it long ago when we participated in a bootcamp and Raya just happened to be in the right place at the right time for another 15 minutes of fame...

Mark S. Allen, who is a celebrity in our area headed over to the Jr. High to do a story on their media class, which Raya happens to be in. The first part of the show was a different class, but during that segment, Mark S. Allen ran over to another classroom which happend to be Raya's homeroom. You can see glimpses of her here and there while Mr. Allen is in the class. The second segment of the show took place during Raya's period where we can see her fake working on her project in the background.


(to view this video, watch "Raya Good Day" on the DVD at the end of this book.

She was so excited that she was on TV. It reminded me of this:



"I WAS ON TV!!!" ~Mike Wazowski, Monster's Inc.

Say What?

I am someone who gets bored with stuff, but often find that I have very little or no time at all to change things around. My blog is one of those things. After much contemplation, I have decided to "re-do" my blog and am unfortunetly going to be getting rid of "the kid quote of the week" section of it. This doesn't mean that I won't be posting the funny things that my kids say, I just won't be obligated to change them around every once in a while in a sidebar.

I have a running log of the funny things the kids say but at the rate that I actually change the quotes on my blog, they could be and some are outdated. So, I am going to add all the ones I've gathered here and will add others as they are freshly said out of the mouths of my babes. The ages of the kids when these were said were: Raya, 12 - Malia 9 - Ethan 6/7 - Carly 3/4. Get ready to laugh...

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Carly: "Mom, what color are hiccups?"

Me: "hiccups don't have a color. What color would you want them to be if they had a color?"

Carly: "Uh, lellow."

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While holding a piece of Halloween candy…

Ethan: "Mom, I am going to practice unwrapping stuff."

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Ethan: "Let me hear your heart with this doctor thing"

Me: "Can you hear it?"

Ethan: "You don't have a heart"

Patrick yelling from the other room: "I knew it!"

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Ethan: "How come I can't have a sleepover with Carly?"

Me: "Because it's a school night."

Ethan: "School is ruining my life!"

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Ethan: "Do we have church tomorrow?"

Me: "Yes."

Ethan: "But it's summer vacation, I thought we didn't have to go to church during summer vacation."

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Carly: "I was a baby in your tummy"

Me: "Yes, you were. Do you remember being in my tummy?"

Carly: "Uh hah"

Me: "You do? What did it feel like?"

Carly: "It was comfortable when I was sleeping."

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Ethan: "Did you know that chameleons change colors when the weather changes?"

Me: "they do?"

Ethan: "ya, they camouflage themselves...it would be really hard playing hide and go seek with a chameleon."

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Me: "Hey Ethan, come and give me some loves"

Ethan: "Are you lonely"

Me: "Not really, but I love Loves!"

Ethan: "I sure do you love you mom"

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Me: "Ethan, you had a hard day today. You weren't using your good ears."

Ethan: My good ears?, What's that mean?"

Me: "You weren't listening and doing today"

Ethan: " Oh, I didn't hear you, I guess my good ears weren't turned on"

Me: (chuckling because he was serious) "Well, tomorrow is a new day and you can do better tomorrow."

Ethan: "I guess I'll turn my good ears on tomorrow."

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Ethan: "I need to wash these up" as he heads to the bathroom

Me: "The batteries?"

Ethan: "Ya, it will make them feel better"

Me: "Maybe they are just dead"

Ethan: "They were dead but now they are alive"

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Raya: "What would you do if I accidently dropped this out of the car window? How would we get it?"

Ethan as serious as can be: "Using the Force."

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Wearing my hair in a ponytail for the first time in a long time

Ethan: "Mom, did you get a makeover?"

Me: "No, is it because my hair is in a ponytail?"

Ethan: "Ya, you look like a rockstar."

Me: "Awesome!"

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Ethan giving me a high five

Me:" Ouch! I think you broke my hand"

Ethan: "Hehe...Is that awesome?"

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Carly: "Shut the door so no one will take me. Because then you'll have to get another Carly."

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Ethan: "What happens when Aunts grow old? Oh, I know, they turn into grandmas"

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Me: "You can't go with me. You get to stay with daddy. Don't you want to stay with daddy? You hardly ever see him."

Carly: "But mommy, I came out of your tummy."

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Ethan: "Mommy, can you email the mailman and ask him to bring me the Star Wars 3 movie?"

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Raya: "Wow mom, this is like real dinner."

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Carly: I'm too busy to work mom, just like you.

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Carly: Pokee Nokee Oh (This is how she pronounces Pinocchio)

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Carly: "how did I get on earth as a baby?"

Me: "I gave birth to you."

Ethan: "How did she come out?"

Me: "I pushed her out"

Malia: "Kind of like going poop"

Ethan: "I'm so glad I'm a boy."
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Me: "When you turn four, you have to stop sucking your fingers."

Carly: "I don't want to grow up."

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Carly: "I don't suck my fingers anymore.

Me: "Why?

Carly: "Because I am a big girl. You are not a big girl, you are just big."
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What's in a Name?

Personalization of items has become a lot bigger since I was a child. I remember hoping that whenever I walked by a a kiosk that had personalized items such as jewelry, cups, ornaments and the like, I would find one with my name on it. Unfortunately, I NEVER could. I guess I could just blame my parents for spelling my name differently than Rachel from the bible. It wasn't until I was in high school when I friend of mine found a ring that spelled my name correctly RachAel. I was so happy that she thought of me and bought it for me.



I still have the ring to this day (so what if it turns my finger green and has an adjustable sizer). I have yet to find anything "off the rack" with the correct spelling of my name since receiving that ring.

As you can imagine, the "hunting for my name in specialized kiosks" experiences weren't fresh in my mind when Patrick and I decided on names for our children. Thank goodness Internet became big and items could be ordered to specifications once my kids arrived here on earth. One would think that with names like Raya and Malia, I wouldn't even bother looking at the "pre-made" items with names on it that we see so much these days (especially around this time of year), but for whatever reason, I can't help myself. Even Carly is hard to find these days and there must be a little hope left in my soul that one day, I will find something...anything that spells my name with that extra "A" in it.

I got a facebook message from a friend who asked if I was heading out and about and if so, to stop by her house. She had something for me...and...this...was...what...it...was.....



Not anything with an additional "A" for me, but RAYA?!?! That name is so uncommon I was surprised that there was even something printed for the mass of people with that name on it. Of course she said a friend got it for her in Dubai...perhaps the name "Raya" is a tad more popular on the other side of the world...

Allergies

When I was probably 9 or 10 years old, I remember my mom taking me to an allergist to have some tests done on me to find out what I was allergic to. I remember them drawing a grid on my back and putting droplets of condensed items I could possibly be allergic to on my back. The doctor then proceeded poking holes one after the other in my back allowing the droplets to reach my bloodstream. It was one of the most miserable day of my life. Not only was I being pricked one after the other, I was also allergic to almost everything they tested on me. Since it was on my back, I couldn't see what it looked like but I envisioned one big huge mosquito bite...and it felt like one too.

A few days before Thanksgiving, Raya came to me complaining of an itchy face. she has had this type of thing twice before and we just passed it off as that she was allergic to something. Her face seemed dry and red, but nothing too extreme. The day after Thanksgiving, I woke up and went to the table and started working on some stuff. Raya was in the other room watching some television. I called to her and asked her how her face was doing. She said it was worse. Raya doesn't seem to have a high pain tolerance so I just passed it off as it probably itched more. About 30 minutes later, she got up and walked by me and I got a glimpse of her. I told her to come back and this is what I saw:





The poor baby had an enormous face! It sort of freaked me out a bit. I immediately tried contacting the doctor but of course due to it being Thanksgiving weekend, the office was closed. I then went to facebook and asked my nurse and doctor friends which really couldn't give me a straight answer either. The concern at this point was if she was having difficulty breathing which she said she wasn't. Patrick ended up taking her to a doctor at an urgent care center who he described as the nicest and most caring doctor he had ever met. They prescribed a ridiculous amount of steroids (80mg for 4 days, 60mg for 3 days, 40mg for 3 days, and 20 mg for 3 days). Her face seemed almost normal by the time she had to go back to school on Monday.

This whole ordeal brought back the memories of when I had to go and see the allergist as a child. I decided that I needed to make an appointment with our regular doctor and she of course has referred us to an allergist. I've already told Raya all about my experience and so you can only imagine how excited she is about going and seeing one.

My guess as to what she is allergic too:



We are pretty sure this is what caused her to swell...Now when the kids are begging me for an animal and I almost cave in, I have a legitimate reason as to why it will never happen...sorry kids...you can just blame Raya :)

"BollyBall"

"Mommy...Are we going to Raya's Bolly Ball" ~Carly Fox

Like my previous post mentioned, Raya is on the volleyball team at her school. At her first game I came prepared with my camera to take some awesome pictures of her, but just before her game began, Carly saved herself from falling headfirst onto some concrete, but in doing so, she hit her nose on a metal pole and after we cleaned up the what seemed to be a never ending gush of blood, I could see that she bruised the heck out of it...so much so, I thought it could possibly be broken:

Fortunately for me, a friend of mine whose daughter was on the opposing team, was there and she just so happens to be a nurse. She took a look at it and told me that even if it were broken, they (the doctors) wouldn't do anything about it because they don't want to XRay the face. So, as Carly sat and pretty much cried the entire hour, I took the few pictures you saw in the previous post. Here's Carly the day after:

You can see that it is still swollen (was swollen for over a week) and a little bruised around the inside of the eyes. Ethan just so happended to have a doctor appointment the day after Carly hit her nose and so I asked the doctor if he could take a look. He said that her nose wasn't broken, just bruised and swollen. Phew!

Yesterday's game prove to be a much better experience for both Carly and I. Here are just a few more photos of miss Raya...She's really taking to this volleyball thing...I almost wanted to get out on the court and play with the girls...almost...

Top 5 Reasons Blogging Has Been Sparce!

I really love blogging. I do, but life happens and more important things get first dibs on my valuable time. I've compiled a Top 5 list of items that have really helped in the staleness of my blog. They are:

5. Fundraising...

It's that time again. Raya brought home an Incredible Edibles fundraiser and the day after those were due, she brought home a magazine subscription fundraiser. Malia and Ethan have gotten their annual Jog A Thon Fundraiser going on now and if this year is anything like the past 5 years, they will be bringing home another fundraiser for yummy desserts shortly after the Jog A Thon is over...seriously...I'm broke and I'm tired of hitting up people for $$$!

4. Homework...

Although this is a picture of the King of Homework Quickness...Homework really sucks around here. Some nights are better than others, but it's been quite a challenge making sure the girls have their homework completed before 10pm... The next few items on my list will give you reason as to why homework is getting done so late!

3. Extracuricular Activities...

With 3 kids in soccer, 3 times a week, one would think that would be crazy enough. Any normal person would think so, but not us...The Durlings can't get enough crazy so we twisted Raya's arm and forced her (ok, maybe it was the other way around) to join her school's volleyball team. Not only does she have practice twice a week, she also has 2 games a week all the while keeping up with her soccer team and school work. It wouldn't be too much of an issue except that the games are all the way out in Carmichael which causes for about a 30 minute drive both ways which is why this (along with many other reasons):

is my second home!

2. Yard work:

Yes, we are still not finished and I really don't want to talk about it so don't ask...

And the number one reason why blogging has been stalled...

LAUNDRY...it never ends!

Let the Soccer Games Begin...

Here we go again...3 kids playing soccer. 6 practices per week. 3 Games each Saturday...The crazy things us parents do for our children. Here are my soccer stars in action!

Art Class

The artist gene runs in my family. I am constantly amazed at the artwork my brothers do! Drawing, Paiting, Sketching...you name it, they do it.

Even though the gene is recessive in me, it kind of peeks out every once in awhile, but I have to be inspired by somebody else's work first.

My kids all draw, they enjoy it, but they don't necessarily have a "passion" for it per say. I signed them all up (sans Carly) for a free drawing class down at the Parks and Rec center. It was free and the kids loved it!

And then there's this guy. I guess you could wonder now if he's my favorite child since I've posted numerous things about him, but really...he LOVES to draw!!! I love watching him too.

Here are a few of his pictures.

He is totally into Star Wars so it's only fitting to draw characters from it. Batman and Spiderman are also at the top of his most liked character list too. Malia actually brought home a book from the library that shows you how to draw characters from Avatar the Last Airbender and he's been working on Momo, Appa, and some coy fish all afternoon. He is soooo going to love his art class in first grade! Can't wait for hi to meet Mr. Art Dude!