Goodbye Sleep

The Holidays!

2011-01-02T10:22:00.001-08:00

Please make sure to check the link in the previous post often. I add pictures there instead of this blog. Enjoy!

Lots of pics - too much to post

2010-11-02T08:30:00.001-07:00

Instead, follow the link and see them for yourself! It's been a fun summer for Miss Ashley!

http://gallery.me.com/traceelarocca

4th Of July

2010-07-05T20:34:00.001-07:00

Ashley and I spent the weekend out in Claremont where I grew up. Claremont has a 4th of July parade every year and I used to always decorate my bike and ride in it with my sisters. It was so fun to see the tradition carried on by our daughters. It was a perfect slice of Americana. Looking at the world through my daughter's eyes reminds me of all that is good and honest and pure.

My Sweet Girl

2010-06-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

First Trip To The Dentist

2010-05-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Ashley went to the dentist for her first cleaning and check up. The office was SO wonderful. First they cleaned her Tiger's teeth so she could see exactly what they were going to do. Then they showed her how the water, suction and air worked on her hand. Then she picked out a giraffe toothbrush so that they could polish her teeth! I was floored by how great she was ... see for yourself!

When we got home, she ran upstairs to brush her teeth again. She said, "I like going to the dentist Mommy!" Let's hope it stays that way!

The Best Song EVER!

2010-05-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Latest Soundbites...

2010-04-27T08:18:00.001-07:00

Ashley has quite the imagination now. Here are a few little gems:

A: Mommy, I want a pet.
M: Really? What kind of pet?
A: Um, like a doggy or an elephant.
M: Don't you think an elephant is kind of big?
A: No. I'll get a little one!

The other morning she was sitting in her little chair pretending to drive.
M: What are you doing Ashley?
A: I'm driving.
M: Where are you going?
A: Fashion Island!

We recently bought the movie The Princess and The Frog. It's a Disney movie set in New Orleans and the music in it is really fun and funky. As we were watching it she looked at me and said, MOMMY! I have to move my body!" And proceeded to get up and dance.

She just cracks me up... when she isn't having a tantrum. She is definitely in the defiant phase, but usually understands after you threaten her with a time out. Man, those things work. All in all, she is seriously the best part of my day.

Easter Sneak Peek

2010-03-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Always Late But Worth The Wait!

2010-03-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

My best friend used to have that as a license plate frame. It's really horrible, isn't it?! Anyway, here are some pictures that I have been meaning to post since the holidays. Boy, time is flying by ...

THANKSGIVING FUN!

CHRISTMAS JOY

I just loved the holidays. We had so many visitors - from grandparents to aunts and uncles to cousins! It was so much fun... even if the pictures got posted a little late!

I Know, I Know...

2010-01-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

It's been a REALLY long time. That's pretty much a sign of how my life is going lately. I have lots to share - many great pictures from Thanksgiving to Christmas! I'm working on it. Hopefully, this little video will make it all worth the wait.

A Few Pics

2009-11-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Everything is pretty crazy right now, so I never seem to have time to sit down and write anything. Here are a few cute pics to hold you over until I get a few minutes to my self!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T20:08:00.001-07:00

Well, Halloween is an official holiday for our family now. Ashley was a bumblebee (costume courtesy of our friend Ann Piper - it received RAVE reviews!) See for yourself!

Ashley met up with her best friends Nina and Ryan at the Halloween Pageant and then hit the streets for some door to door fun. It was so hysterical to watch them rush up to the door, fight over who was going to ring the bell and then yell, "Trick or Treat!" before the door even opened.

And Halloween wasn't just for kids this year. Chris and I went to a party on Friday night and actually won the costume contest with this one! Presenting: The Drunken Bridal Party!

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

First Trip To Disneyland

2009-10-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Ashley's very 1st trip to Disneyland! My work had an offsite there in the morning and then Chris and Ashley came around 5pm. Ashley was very excited about going to "the place where Mickey lives." It had been years since I have been on the rides in Fantasyland, so I wasn't really sure which rides would be the best for her. Pinocchio's Daring Adventure had a short line and from what I could remember, that story was just about a puppet that wanted to be a real boy. How charming and cute! That couldn't be scary, right?! Wrong. There were surly underworld foxes in seedy back alleys and giant scary whales with sharp teeth that lunge at your car. Poor Ashley spent the ride tucked under my arm yelling, "Scary Mommy!" Once again, Mother of the Year goes to me.

After that we decided to head over to Toon Town. You can actually go into "Mickey's House" and walk around and then you meet Mickey himself. Ashley was super excited. As we were walking through she kept calling, "Mickey! Where are you!? Where are you, Mickey!?" Once we finally got to Mickey, girlfriend wanted nothing to do with him. Zip. Zero. Nada. So the whole family trotted up and took a picture with him.

After the picture, Ashley was all smiles. Blowing kisses, waving, saying, "Bye Mickey! See you soon!"

All was good so we decided to try one more ride. How scary could Winnie the Pooh be?! The ride started and Ashley was waving to Pooh and Tigger and having a great time. Then Pooh fell asleep and had a "fantastic dream" which is basically a full blown acid trip. Everything got all psychedelic and loud and crazy. Ashley was completely freaked out. So I took it as an early opportunity to lecture her on the dangers of illegal substances.

Ashley after Winnie The Pooh:

Ashley after a trip to Mickey's gift shop!

The 1st trip to Disneyland is a pretty significant moment. We did have so much fun and Ashley was so exhausted that she fell asleep in about 30 seconds once we got in the car. But considering most of the rides are out for at least another year, we can probably get by with an occasional trip to the Disney Store instead!

Girl's Day

2009-10-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Ashley and I had a great time doing girl stuff together. We went out for lunch! We went shopping! I would try on clothes and she would say, "Pwetty Mommy!" We went for a ride on the carousel and played in the fountains. How lucky am I to have such a good buddy?!

Ashley Has A New Cousin!

2009-10-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

My sister Jenny gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night. Lauren was a perfect 7 lbs. 11 ounces. Congratulations to Jenny and Chris. We love you!

Crazy Cousins

2009-10-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Cousin Sylas was back in town for a little visit. The kids go absolutely crazy when they see each other. Screaming, running around in circles ... its so cute! It was a short visit, but they sure had a great time. We topped off the trip with a visit to Tanaka Farms to see the animals and jump around in the pumpkins. Enjoy!

Stop It

2009-10-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

I can't ... it's like having my own little doll to dress up. I had to bribe her with 3 Elmo stickers to get these darn boots on her feet. But seriously, how delicious is this outfit!? And the mischevious little smile is beyond fantastic.

So Lucky...

2009-10-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

I am reminded every day of how lucky I am to have my daughter. I love being her mom more than anything else in life. She is so much fun to be around. She is silly and funny and determined. I could look at her all day. That perfect little nose, the softest skin imaginable, those beautiful blue eyes... I can't believe she is mine sometimes. Every morning when she calls my name, I find myself practically skipping down the hallway to see her sweet face.

I'm not sure what's in store for our family, but if Ashley happens to be our only child, I know that will be enough for me. She is truly a blessing.

Cupcakes Galore

2009-09-15T19:35:00.001-07:00

September was a big party month for this family! First up was Ashley's 2nd Birthday Party (AKA A darn good excuse for her Mom & Dad to throw a shin dig). We had over 50 people in attendance and the day was topped by the new purchase of a dual sided margarita machine (every kid's party should have one, right?!), a bouncy house and a taco man. It really was a great day and we had everyone with us except the Barrett's and the Flynn's. And they were missed!

Next up was the beautiful party for Chloe's 1st Birthday. Beautiful food, amazing decor (Jenny is seriously CRAZY good at just about everything!) and good times with friends and family. I could get used to weekends like this! Happy Birthday Chloe!!

My Baby Girl Is 2

2009-09-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

My sweet little Ashley,
What a wonderful gift it is to be your mother. Every day you surprise me with something new; From counting to 10 or singing all the words to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to the littlest gesture of wrapping your little arm around mine as we sit together on the couch - you make every moment feel like a gift. I cannot imagine how I lived so long without you in my life. The absolute best part of my day is when I walk through the door from work and hear you scream, "Mommy!" and come tearing down the hallway to throw yourself into my arms.

I love you, my little bug. More than there are words for... Happy 2nd Birthday!

No Organic Cupcakes This Year! Yummy!

Balboa Island Vacation

2009-09-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

G-Daddy and Mor Mor came for a vacation last week and we were able to enjoy their beach house on Balboa Island. It was so much fun to share such a wonderful piece of nostalgia with Ashley. I spent many a sun-drenched afternoon on those beaches as a child and they seemed to hold the same joy and wonder for Ashley.

Feeding Ducks With Auntie Jen

Building Sandcastles With Daddy and G-Daddy

Dancing With Mor Mor

Sunset Photo Shoot

Blowing Bubbles With G-Daddy

The Walker Paddle Board Experiment

Just Hanging Out

We're looking forward to seeing you again in November Mor Mor and G-Daddy!

Do I Really Need To Think About This Stuff Already?!

2009-09-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

Oh Give Me A Home...

2009-08-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

We have just arrived home from a few days with our dear friends Ann & Glen Piper at Camp Comfort in Buffalo, Wyoming. Ann's family is responsible for this amazing compound that generation after generation has come to stay and unplug from the stress of the world. No TV's, one working rotary dial phone and no cell service. (Although my husband somehow managed to get a few bars, much to everyone's dismay and chiding.) It truly is heaven on earth and we feel so lucky to have been invited to stay and enjoy this magnificent place. The Piper's have a 3 year old named Kate that Ashley adores. They played beautifully together and had so much fun running and singing and laughing together. Their son, Baby James, just tried to keep up and gave everyone big smiles! I hope you enjoy some pictures from our trip.

The Larocca's at the entrance to Camp Comfort

A gift from the Piper's - Ashley's 1st fishing pole!

Ashley and Kate taking a walk to find Verne the Horse.

Coloring...

Snacking...

Ashley enjoying some time with Mommy and Daddy

Mowing the back 40

Showing her teeth

Our gorgeous girl

The tradition at Camp Comfort when anyone leaves, is for the remaining people to gather at Cabin 1 and wave white flags. As you are driving away and get up to the ridge, you look down on Camp Comfort and are treated to a fond farewell. It is actually quite emotional. If you look closely at the red cabin, you can see the white flags that Ann and the rest of her family are waving.

Thanks again to the Piper's and to the Leahy extended family for a great trip!

At Long Last

2009-08-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

I know ... its been scarce around here. I am sorry - its just that I never seem to have time to take care of the little details that I used to pride myself on ... I guess that's part of being a working mom. You just have to let that stuff go. (It KILLS me though!) Anyway, here are some of the things we've been up to this summer.

Riding bikes on the Newport Peninsula

Meeting Grammy & Grandpa at the San Clemente Farmer's Market

Going to the fair with Auntie Jen. The first stop was the petting zoo ...

Apparently the pig said something to Ashley that made her uncomfortable, hence the death grip with her left leg.

After indulging in all the fried delicacies that the fair had to offer, I thought it would be a good idea to take Ashley on a kiddie ride. It all started nicely...

Then everything started flying through the air at a million miles an hour and each car started spinning individually. Ashley looked at me with sheer terror and all I could do was hold her and close my eyes. (People, we're talking Disneyland Teacup spinning! Yuck!)

This look says it all...

The Flying Elephant ride went a little better. Although Ashley still held on for dear life.

After that, we decided to cap off the night with some ice cream and funnel cake. I think Auntie Jen definitely had the right idea!

The latest of our trips was up to see Aunt Jenny, Uncle Chris and Cousin Chloe. (Ah yes, the 1, 2, 3 Swing game! Never gets old.)

The girls treated us to a fabulous solo on the piano too.

Last but definitely not least, the good ole park. Enjoy...

Adventures In Babysitting

2009-08-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

Auntie Jen came through in the clutch this week to stay with Ashley since I have been shooting and Chris is traveling. (THANK YOU!) Of course, Ashley played super model as she snapped these shots and sent them to me. Love it!

Grammy and Grandpa are stepping in tonight! Hope to get some cute pics from them too!

Ice Cream For Dinner

2009-07-31T07:49:00.001-07:00

Isn't that what the fair is all about? (More to come later today...)

Picasso

2009-07-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Gymnastics with Sy

2009-07-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

Cousin Sylas cracks me up in this.

At the Park...

2009-07-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

...with Uncle Brett & Auntie Jen. How is it when I ask Ashley to come smile for a picture she runs the other way? When Uncle Brett asks, this is what she does...

What's Cooler Than Bein' Cool?

2009-07-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Peter Piper picked peppers and Ashley rocked rhymes... Ashley and Sy straight up chillin:

Wanna lick? Psych!

Grunge is alive and well in Newport:

Favorites

2009-07-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some cute pics from the past few weeks ... (Grandpa, Gigi and Auntie Jen: You must be camera shy! We need to get some pics of you ASAP!)

4th Of July Weekend with The Wesley's and The Piper's! Apparently, you have to be blonde and cute to attend!

Ashley's 1st Dance Class with her BFF Nina!

The Fabulous Foursome!

We Have A Little Work To Do ...

2009-06-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Really good opening, but even better improvisation in the middle!

Father's Day!

2009-06-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoy Ashley's gift to her Daddy for Father's Day! And a very happy Father's Day to our dads! (Please excuse the HORRIBLE resolution! The regular file was too big for the site, so I had to compress it!)

Too Early?

2009-06-16T19:24:00.001-07:00

I was painting my toenails tonight and a certain someone was very annoyed that she was not having HERS painted! So...

(This can't be the gateway drug to a toddler beauty pageant, can it?!)

Fakers

2009-06-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

Chillin' With My Homies

2009-06-03T14:46:00.001-07:00

Big Ashley, Nina and Ashley hanging at the park.

(I've heard about mixing patterns, but my child is dressed in an obscene amount of stripes!)

In other news:

Ashley went pee-pee on her big girl potty chair last night! Well, actually she started peeing on the floor and we rushed her over to it and she finished going ... but it played a big song for her and she got very excited, so we are optimistic!
Ashley finally gave up her bottle. (She also refuses to drink milk out of a cup, but she will eat it with her cereal and has plenty of yogurt and cheese to make up for it.)
She can sing her ABC's all the way to "G" which I think is pretty darn good. She also sings along to "The Wonder Pets" theme song and "Wheels on the Bus." If I can get her to sing the hook to the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow," I think we'll really be getting somewhere.

She continues to amaze me by pointing out "airpanes" in the "ky" and tells me it is "winy" when there is a breeze and that she is "code." She talks about any and everything and I can barely keep myself from bolting out of the office to get home to her sweet little face. AH! I WANT TO EAT HER!!!

Just Got This...

2009-05-29T12:27:00.001-07:00

I was just sitting in a meeting and our nanny Claudia sent this picture to me. I love it! That's my girl!!! Love the shades!

So Much Happening...

2009-05-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

We seem to be so busy lately that I have no time to update the blog. Between our travel schedules for work (thanks to Grammy & Grandpa for being amazing helpers!) and a little vacation (thank you Gigi and Papa for hosting us on a fabulous Kauai escape!), it seems that life is just flying by ... Here are a few videos to keep you up to date with Miss Ashley:

I see some cousin-based peer pressure in our future!

Dancing is a lot of fun ... until your tummy gets in the way.

Cousinpalooza

2009-04-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a GREAT trip to Boston where all of the "girls" got together! It was so fun to be with two of my sisters (Christina and Jenny) and their kids. Ashley, Chloe, Taylor and Alex were in full effect all weekend. It was so much fun and I promise a full update this week, but here is a group photo to tide you over! Enjoy!

Hoppy Easter!

2009-04-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Gigi and Papa's house today! Cousin Chloe and Auntie Jenny & Uncle Chris were there, along with Great Aunt Suzy and Great Uncle Roger! There were toys and plastic eggs and cheerios everywhere! Hope we didn't leave you with too much of a mess! Thanks for hosting us!

Hard Day At The Office

2009-04-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Snuggle Time

2009-04-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how hard it is for me to fight the urge to climb into that crib and cuddle this little piece of deliciousness!

Easter Portraits

2009-03-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

Where did my child get these beautiful eyes?!

(Thanks to Grammy Sue for the gorgeous dress!!!)

...And as a footnote, I took exactly 116 pictures to get these two. Hmph, Models...

Seriously?

2009-03-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of dollars spent on toys and this is what she wants to play with...

Yeah, you're pretty funny alright...

My New Intern

2009-03-26T19:23:00.001-07:00

Its nice to have someone to type out your memos and emails... especially when she is this cute!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T13:03:00.001-07:00

Some Cute Ones!

2009-03-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm Sorry...

2009-03-11T22:15:00.001-07:00

Maybe it is the two glasses of champagne I had tonight, but this just cracks me up.

Another Digital Short

2009-03-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

Still playing around with iMovie...this one is short and sweet.

Cousin Sy Comes To Town!

2009-02-25T22:50:00.000-08:00

This is my first try with the new iLife version of iMovie, so this movie is a little lame, but still kinda cute. Hope you enjoy it! I'll keep learning!

Our Little Star

2009-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here is some new video of our little pumpkin. She really needs a haircut, so just know that I know...

The Little Faker

Yummy Yogurt - This is long and nothing really happens, but its just cute to see her feeding herself!

Bathtime Fun!

The Blair Witch Project ... And Other Videos

2009-02-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

Seriously, you need some Dramamine before watching this one. It gets less jumpy after the first few seconds ... but you still might get a little queasy! The reason I am posting it is because she is reading and I think her voice is just too cute...

This is some video of lunch with Grammy & Grandpa (OUR CANCER FREE GRANDPA! HURRAY!!!!)

And finally, a little cooking class with Chef Ashley.

Life Lessons

2009-02-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

I am totally caught up in this Facebook business. I have reconnected with friends that I haven't talked to in years! Today, someone posted a picture from my 2nd grade class! Looking at it brought back so many memories and some of us started writing to each other. We were all laughing about games we used to play, our teachers and the joys of being an office aide.

A little later in the day, one of my classmates sent me a note and I want to share what he wrote:

"Tracee, I have to tell you as an aside that I don't have many regrets in this life. One of them, however, involves you.

Back in the Sycamore days, I called you a name on the playground that was especially mean. It was probably because I had a crush on you at the time (I was never the rock-throwing type). In any case, you handled it with such diginity and maturity that the rudeness of my remark and your very thoughtful response have stuck with me all of these years. You told me (I think a day or two later) that what I said had hurt you, that it was wrong of me to say, and that it was beneath me.

I apologized, as I recall. But it was one of those lesson-moments that stick with you forever. In any case, thanks for forgiving me back then and thanks for the lesson."

We are 36 years old now! And he still remembers this day! (I have absolutely no recollection of this moment.) But reading this made me think of something ... this had almost nothing to do with me and almost everything to do with my mother.

I was always short. My ears stuck out and eventually, my near-sighted eyes forced me to wear glasses. But my mom was always pushing me to stick up for myself. Whether it was when I came back to the car without an ice cream cone because someone had cut in front of me in line at 31 Flavors or when I came to the car crying because Andrea Pollard had told me that she was going to kick my ass every day after school for a week ... My mom somehow got me to believe that I should just march right up to these people and say, "EXCUSE ME! I AM NEXT!" or "IF YOU'RE GOING TO KICK MY ASS, THEN WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO IT?" (This one was particularly scary ... Andrea Pollard was rumored to have a boyfriend named Spike and they supposedly met at the graveyard at night to make out!)

My mom instilled a self-confidence in me that has allowed me to be the person I am today. I'm not always totally sure of myself, but sometimes I can hear her cheering me on and it gives me enough courage to just pretend! Looking back now, I see what a gift that was ... Thank you, Mom, for encouraging me to stand up for myself. This is just one of the great things that you have done for me as a mom. And it wasn't just a life lesson for me - it also touched another person enough to make them remember that day on the playground almost 30 years later.

That's me in the front row on the left.

Lucky!

2009-02-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

OOOH! A box arrived for us last week from Chris' cousin Beth. It wasn't anyone's birthday so I was really curious about what might be inside.

FABULOUSNESS!

Beth sent Ashley a whole box full of hair bows. I thought I was in Heaven! She makes them herself and sells them and is obviously SUPER talented! Look at the cute butterfly clips! Check out her site RIBBONS TO BOWS. She will also make custom designs! Just tell her what you want!

Beth - Thanks so much for all of the darling clips! Ashley wears a new one everyday! (I promise to post a picture of her wearing one soon, but I haven't had my camera handy!)

New Look!

2009-01-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

I know my little sister is probably SUPER annoyed with me for copying her, but hey, that's the best form of flattery, right!? Plus, this looks WAY cuter than the other layout. So I couldn't resist.

More posts soon!

No post today, just some favorite pics from the last few weeks...

2009-01-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

My sick little girl and her Gigi...

The Two West Coast Heat Fans!

Lots of Love From Grammy & Grandpa!

My Big Girl

Being silly with the neighbors...

A Day Filled With Hope

2009-01-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

As I stood this morning, holding my daughter and watching the first African American ever to take the oath of the highest office in our country, I was filled with emotion. I felt proud. I felt humbled. I felt nervous. I felt hopeful. I felt encouraged.

Every generation has their fears, but the unknown that we face now makes me hope that this historic day will make all the difference for our country. I don't believe that our 44th president can change everything, but I believe he has restored faith in our country for many Americans. Faith is what powers Patriotism. And Pride of Country is something that our younger generation has not yet had the opportunity to experience.

"We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist..."

However you feel about President Obama, his election has made it certain that our children - no matter who they are or where they are from, can do anything they wish to do.... I am filled with optimism for my daughter and her generation. I hope this new era inspires all of us to do our part in making our country a better place.

God Bless America.

Elmo Comes To Town

2009-01-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Ashley went to her friend Cash's 1st Birthday party. It just so happened that Elmo was there too. Big. Huge. Furry. Elmo. I wondered what would happen...would Ashley be afraid of her favorite buddy? Oh no ... girlfriend was the first one at the party to walk up to Elmo. She greeted him with waves and kisses! I couldn't believe it! I mean, this Elmo kinda scared me!

Here's some great video of our cutest little girl. I can't believe how grown up she is already! (Especially when she is busy doing something and can't be bothered with Mommy's requests...)

Queen

Coloring

Showing Off

15 Months!

2009-01-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

Ashley had her 15 month checkup today. Girlfriend weighed in at 24 pounds. Nice. I thought it was going to be 30. It sure feels like 30 when I try to set her down on the floor and she converts herself into complete deadweight and will not put her feet down to help me out! I guess sometimes you just want to be carried around! ...Diva!

The doctor said that at 15 months, babies should be able to say 3-6 words. Um, here are the words and sounds that our brilliant child has already mastered:

Bottle - Ba Ba
Mama
Dada
Up
Down
Ouch
Hot
Hat
Duck
Bird
Dog
Night Night
Bye
Hi
Blueberry - Booberry
Cracker - Cacka
No (she is very good at this one...)
All animal sounds (Moo, Bow, Meow, Ssss for snake, trumpet sound for elephant, bubble sound for fish...)
Shoes
Eyes
Nose
Mouth
This - Dis
Baby
Agua (Ah yes, she is also bilingual!)

3-6 words ... that's for sissies!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

This year, my resolution is to find a better balance. A happy mom makes a happy family and I just need to figure out how to fit in a little more time to do the things that make me happy. Working and being a mom takes up almost every second... I need to figure out how to find some time for myself ... a yoga class, curling up with a new issue of Bon Appetite and a good cup of coffee, finding the time to have a good chat with one of my girlfriends without "girlfriend" chirping up in the background, having a night where I get to actually TALK to my husband about things that matter ...

This year, I really want to be a better mom, a better friend and a better wife.

*Addendum: It appears that I have already failed in the resolution department. I have just been reminded that I did not mention our annual trip to Carmel. Luckily, Grammy & Grandpa offered to babysit so that Chris and I could have an actual "vacation!" It really was wonderful. I love the drive up north and we always cut through to the coast on some obscure little road that takes us right through Steinbeck country. For a beach girl, I am always surprised how much I love to see the rolling hills, old trees and wide open spaces.

And since we are chronicling our every moment over the holidays, I also wanted to thank Papa, Gigi, Auntie Jen, Uncle Chris and Baby Chloe for taking care of Ashley when she was super sick and Chris and I escaped next door for a "Boxing Day" party. Poor things all got sick as a result - we are so sorry!

The First Haircut

2008-12-30T20:34:00.000-08:00

Girlfriend was starting to get what looked like a White Trash mullet, so we had to cut the hair. As you can see, she was SUPER excited about that...

After that, we went for a nice walk and she recovered. Look at her super cool coat that our friend Mita brought her from London!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-30T19:51:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful, wonderful Christmas we had this year. After our "trip", I had to fly out to New York for a very intense work week, so my stress level was at an all time high. I came back the Thursday before Christmas and collapsed into bed by 8pm. Oddly enough, I woke up feeling so excited about hosting 18 people for Christmas Eve and wanting the holidays to be relaxing and enjoyable for everyone!

Once again, I hosted The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. This is an Italian tradition which comes from the observance of La Vigilia Di Natale — the wait for the birth of Christ — in which early Catholics fasted on Christmas Eve until after receiving communion at Midnight Mass. The seven fishes represent different things depending on what your family believed ... most think of it as the number of days it took Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem. I'm not Catholic, but I did marry an Italian and I really wanted to establish a tradition that Ashley would remember and maybe carry on...I just love the idea of having a house full of family with delicious smells coming from the kitchen while everyone tucks into a cocktail or two!

I really wish I hadn't been so absorbed in cooking that I forgot to take pictures of the table settings and display of food taking up every inch of the island. It really was something, if I may say so myself. In the absence of photos, here is the menu for posterity:

Ron's Antipasta Platter
Christmas Crab Dip
Scallops Wrapped in Bacon
Crudite Platter

Proscuitto Roasted Halibut
Baked Shrimp Scampi
Traditional Italian Cioppino
Baked Ziti
Fresh Italian Bread

Jenny's Fabulous Feast Fish Cookies
Coffee & Lemoncello

I loved every minute of it and was so happy to have the Swanson, DeLazzer, Larocca & Richey clan altogether again. It only happens once a year! (Unless someone gets married ... so let's get on it Scott, Trent and Paige! ...Well, maybe not Trent & not Paige for sure!)

Christmas morning was a blast. Ashley was very excited by all her gifts, but a little overwhelmed too. It really was fun to see her rip open her presents. She wanted everything out of the box immediately. The first pictures are of her riding her brand new rocking horse from Gigi and Papa ... she wasn't sure about it at first, but she warmed up to it pretty quickly! (if she didn't like it so much, I would be REALLY annoyed by the size of this damn thing! You're lucky Gigi!)

And I'm sorry, but Ashley's Christmas jammies are too cute, aren't they?! Oh ... and one other thing, I wasn't very good about taking pictures on Christmas morning either so I don't really have pictures of anyone! (which might just be a blessing since none of us had any makeup on, Ha!)

Um, No. You Cannot Do It All

2008-12-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

So I have finally come to a realization that the "SUPERMOM" does not exist. I have tried to be one with every fiber of my being. And I really believe that if it was possible, I could do it. Let me tell you... NOT. POSSIBLE.

Oh, you can absolutely ATTEMPT to do it all. And you may even succeed for a little while, but at the end of it all, you will be left a shell of a woman with big dark circles under your eyes and not even enough energy to care.

Horrifying.

Actually, I feel much better admitting this. And I am not even sure if I am going to stop trying to do it all...but just acknowledging that this idea is unattainable makes me re-energized.

On a slightly related note, we decided to take a little family vacation the day after Thanksgiving. How relaxing it would be for the three of us ... so me, my handsome husband and my darling 13 month old jetted off to Maui for a "vacation."

It was this very event that defined the difference between "vacation" and "trip." For those of you who don't know the difference, let me share my knowledge with you ...

A "vacation" includes a lot of sleep, a lot of sun and many, many poolside cocktails.

A "trip" includes ... everything you normally do, just in a more exotic location.

There is no such thing as a "vacation" with a toddler. Girlfriend was up before the sun, hated the sand (well its anything that makes her hands dirty, really ... she's a girl, what can I say?). She is walking everywhere so there was no laying on the lounge chair. She was in the pool, out of the pool, walking around to everyone's lounge chair and smiling. And of course, there were the two naps a day...so the minute you got down to the pool and covered her from head to toe with sunscreen, you had to pack it all back up and go up for a nap.

Where does the pina colada fit into this scenario?!

We did have a wonderful "trip," but boy did I need a vacation.

Please Suh, May I Have Some More?

2008-12-14T21:17:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T13:49:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had such a nice visit with G-Daddy & Mor-Mor in from Miami. They brought Ashley a baby doll and she was VERY into mothering! She must get it from me! Enjoy the photos of Turkey day with the Walker's and Larocca's...

What Up Cuz?

2008-11-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

No time to write ... super stressed, family is sick and holidays and vacation are looming! But Cousin Sylas was in town and we all had a great time! Here are the pics!

The Gangs All Here!

2008-11-10T10:11:00.001-08:00

Well...almost. This past weekend, I attended the wedding of a dear family friend. He was the first of four boys to get married, so it was certainly a celebration! Chris was out of town this weekend, so I was lucky enough to have Aunt Jenny and Baby Chloe as my two dates! Gigi and Papa were also in attendance, as well as Great Aunt Suzy and Great Uncle Roger. With Chris out of town, Grammy and Grandpa offered to babysit Miss Ashley, so we all got to hang out together on Sunday morning to celebrate Chris's 36th birthday! Also, Ashley got to spend a little time with her baby cousin Chloe. She really loved sitting with her and wanted to give her hugs and kisses. She kind of needs to work on her finesse, as evidenced in the video below...

The Little Ladybug

2008-11-03T12:16:00.001-08:00

This Halloween, Ashley was a little ladybug. As you can see from the picture below she loved her costume...

Actually, she was just fine as soon as we removed the headpiece! We took her to the neighborhood Halloween Parade and she was quite the little party princess!

This one is a personal favorite ... Ashley wouldn't stay still long enough for a picture with the grandparents! Gotta Go!

All in all, we had a lot of fun and I think our little ladybug did too!

Our Little "Walker"

2008-10-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Girlfriend is on the move...literally. She wants to walk everywhere! She can take several steps by herself, but mostly just wants to hold your hand and cruise around. Chris and I took her to Fashion Island this weekend to enjoy the beautiful weather and spend some time together since Chris has been gone for a couple of weeks.

We took a traditional trip to the pet store for Ashley to scream with delight at every puppy she sees. As we left, she insisted on walking from the pet store all the way to the carousel. So, walk she did...

After her long walk, she took a fun ride on the carousel with Daddy.

Again, she decided that she would rather walk to the car than hitch a ride in the stroller or in Mom or Dad's arms. She walked all the way from Macy's to the Koi Ponds, through the Atrium shops and out to the parking lot. For those of you not familiar to Fashion Island...that is REALLY far.

Once we got back to our car and we buckled her into her carseat, I took off her little shoes to cool off her feet. What did I find? Two big blisters on her big toes. My little girl is learning one of the most important rites of passage to womanhood at a very early age...I guess it's time for Baby Jimmy Choo!

My Apologies, Dear Readers

2008-10-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Originally, I had a grand plan to start a blog about what its like for a working woman to handle the transition to working mom. I thought I would have all of these cute stories to post and I really wanted to make people laugh and provide a little reprieve from daily life for our friends and family... How cute I was, thinking I would have all of this free time to luxuriate over how to dramatize our little stories.

My original intent was never to post an online scrapbook - it was just to share some funny anecdotes about motherhood and cute pictures of Ashley. So please know that if you haven't seen yourself on the blog or are wondering why you haven't seen certain pictures of family or friends, it's just because I was trying to make this into something different.

We are blessed to have so many visitors, both frequent and infrequent ... but sometimes we also just don't have the camera out and ready! All 6 grandparents visit quite frequently and so do Ashley's aunties and uncle. If you don't see pictures of them, its not that they haven't been here, its just that we might not have snapped any photos! I promise to try and be better about that and once a month will try and post pictures to share all of our fun photos of family and friends - regardless of whether or not I have a funny story to share!

And to kick off my monthly promise, here are some fun summer photos of Ashley and family! ...And sorry to our other dear friends and family that aren't represented here! I will try and do a better job at being the "historian!"

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-20T10:38:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I took Ashley to the Pumpkin Patch. We had a great time - there were pumpkins and tractors and a petting zoo ... but really, its just a bunch of us parents being super annoying while trying to get our kids to smile for pictures. Here is some video for your amusement and please excuse my annoying voice!

The Great Escape

2008-10-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

It seems our little darling is already trying to sneak out of the house!

Is That All You Got?!

2008-10-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

I took Ashley for a flu shot today. Girlfriend didn't even flinch when they gave her the shot. No tears, no crying, nothing.

Tough as nails.

She Walks! And Other Cool Stuff

2008-10-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

On Friday, when I got home from work, Ashley took her first two steps! I wish that I had the video camera out, but I honestly wasn't expecting her to do it! It was so wonderful to be there for that momentous occasion (and not at work, like I was when she crawled for the first time!) She did it for her daddy too - and then hasn't done it since! At least we both got to see her first try!

In other "firsts," Ashley went on her first Duffy boat ride this weekend. The life jacket was tolerated for about 2 minutes and then it was clearly just annoying. She did show some mild amusement when she was allowed to "drive," as referenced in the last photo below...

And lastly, enjoy this video of our little monkey.

Chloe Comes To Town!

2008-09-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Jenny and her husband Chris drove down with Baby Chloe so that we could all meet her! We were so excited! She is such a sweet little baby. So alert, but just mellow and precious. And so tiny! I seriously cannot remember Ashley being that little!

Ashley was very excited about her new cousin and kept pointing to her saying, "Ba! Ba!" (That means "baby" for those that don't speak Kid!)

We had a fabulous little photoshoot... Hope you enjoy the pictures!

And here is one of three generations! (OK, admittedly, not the best picture of me - but it was the only picture that everyone had their eyes open!)

Lost Yearbook Pictures

2008-09-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have been laughing at that picture of Chris non-stop...you need to try this site: www.yearbookyourself.com

Baby Chloe is Here!

2008-09-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ashley's little cousin arrived yesterday at 7:00AM! Her name is Chloe Lynn and she is super cute with a little bit of dark hair. We can't wait to meet her and are so excited for Auntie Jenny and Uncle Chris! Congratulations!

Cute Birthday Girl Pics!

2008-09-09T14:47:00.001-07:00

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY ASHLEY!

2008-09-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

Dr. Suess

2008-09-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

Doesn't she look like Cindy Who?

Nothing Better Than A Sleeping Baby

2008-08-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

I just love going into Ashley's room after she's been asleep for a few hours and staring at her cute little face. I've started taking a some pictures at night to capture that sweet innocence that I love so much...

Things I Love About My Daughter That I Hope I Never Forget

2008-08-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

The way she spins around in circles in the tub when she takes a bath
When she nods her head yes vigorously
The way she claps when I get out the Cheerio box
The smell of her sweet breath when she is fast asleep
When she screams in delight as soon as I get home from work
How she looks surprised when she snorts water in the bath
The babbling conversations she has with me in gibberish
Her belly laugh when I tickle her under her cheeks
The way she makes little circles with her feet when she is excited

There are many more things I love about her, but I am so tired that these are the ones I remember now. She is just so much more than I could have ever imagined. How very lucky I am to have such a beautiful and happy little girl. I can't believe that she is almost a year old! I just want everything to slow down so that I can absorb every second of her. It has gotten harder and harder to leave her for work... even though I still love my job, I sure feel like I am missing so much time with her.

Exhausted. Must sleep.

So Tired...

2008-08-05T22:03:00.003-07:00

Upcoming posts that I have been too tired to get to, but will eventually:

House construction and those who helped us through it (Basically EVERYONE, but there are some great stories here and some MVPs!)
Grandpa Larocca's Surprise 65th Birthday Party & Larocca Reunion Weekend
Probably a few more that I can't think of right now...

Sorry for my lameness. I am really trying to get it all done, but there are only so many hours in the day! I hope no one feels slighted. I'll get to it, I promise! In the meantime, enjoy these two photos of Ashley and her cousin Sylas from this past weekend.

NOOOOOO!!!!!

2008-07-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Today a woman came up behind me in Target and said, "Just let me do this for you..."

...and proceeded to zip up the back of my dress.

HORRIFYING! How did I become this person!?

Ah yes, I have a teething child. That should explain the dark circles under my eyes, the reason 9pm sounds like a delightful time to go to bed and why I am leaving the house without properly dressing myself.

Baby Chloe's Shower

2008-07-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, Aunt Suzy, Cousin Paige, Auntie Christina and I hosted a little shower for baby Chloe and her mom, Jenny. It was a fabulous pink and green affair and we all had great fun celebrating the upcoming arrival. Jenny looked beautiful and glowing as you can see...

Ashley was so excited about being with everyone and can't wait to meet her newest little cousin in September! (She is secretly hoping that Baby Chloe is born on her birthday!)

Here are some pictures of the Girlie Affair!

Even Aunt Teri flew out for the affair! Thanks to everyone who came from near and far to help celebrate. It was great to see everyone!

(If anyone took a picture of the cupcakes, please send it to me! They were so cute and somehow I missed them in my poor photographic efforts!)

Dancing Machine

2008-07-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Check out girlfriend ...

She finds alarm clocks have a nice beat as well ...

How Ya Like Them Apples?!

2008-07-10T22:45:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th Of July!

2008-07-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. After returning from an early dinner with friends, we stepped out onto our bedroom balcony and looked down the canyon to a HUGE fireworks display! What an added bonus!

We had a pretty nice weekend despite all the construction that is going on at our house. (That is a separate post that will come soon. We have a lot of people to thank and a lot of pictures to post so that you can appreciate what we have been living through!)

Here are some cute pics from the weekend.

The Littlest, Biggest Heat Fan!

2008-07-03T10:08:00.001-07:00

Doesn't Ashley look like she has waited all her life to meet Alonzo Mourning?! She was seriously starstruck by #33!

(Please pretend that I don't look like I was out until 4am in South Beach the night before ... even if I was. Trust me, I wasn't planning on being in this photo.)

We're all hoping for a BIG season next year! GO HEAT!

Move Over Gerber Baby...

2008-07-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

There is a new kid in town...and she is WAY cuter than you!

Batten Down The Hatches

2008-06-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

Girlfriend is on the move!

Ashley started crawling on Tuesday while I was at work. (Ask me how I feel about that...) Luckily, Claudia got it on video!

As Will Smith Would Say, "Welcome To Miami!"

2008-06-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

I will admit, a cross-country red eye with a 9 month old sounded daunting. But of course, my little world traveler fell asleep like a little angel within the first 10 minutes of the trip. I didn't sleep a wink because she is just like me and tosses and turns all night, but she slept the entire 4.5 hours to Miami. We arrrived at 5am and were greeted by a sleepy, but excited G-Daddy and Mor Mor. Ashley was pretty excited too and stayed up the whole drive home and was so excited to meet Wade (she is their cute dog) that she wound herself up and was almost immediately past her jetlag!

I said goodbye to Ashley that afternoon for my conference and she got to spend Monday-Thursday with just her grandparents and the dog! It was pretty hard for me - I had never been away from her for so long, but she sure seemed to be having a blast everytime I checked in! (Mor Mor had gone above and beyond to have everything ready ... from formula, bottles, diapers and food all the way to toys galore! Ashley felt right at home!)

Here are some great pictures from the trip...

And she would not be my daughter if she didn't just LOVE the Johnny Jumper!

Sunday evening we headed to the airport for our flight home. By the time I got us and all of our gear through the security checkpoint (This is a pain in the you-know-what when you have a kid with you! A girl can get pretty sweaty in this process!), Ashley had taken her 2nd diaper opportunity, so I headed to the DIRTIEST bathroom I have ever seen to change her. I took her out of her stroller, only to have it then tip backwards and her diaper bag and cooler with her formula went crashing down onto the dirty floor. In the process, two of the bottles of formula broke into a million pieces of glass. Sweaty, trying to change Ashley without having her touch anything while holding the stroller up with one foot, I must have looked just like the calm, cute mother I have always aspired to be ... NOT! Anyway, once I got us through this ridiculous escapade, the pre board was already over and we were boarding with everyone else. So much for having time to get ourselves situated. The weather was less than perfect and we were delayed an hour on a tarmac. Ashley was not bad, but I will admit, I was working HARD to keep her content. Let's just say I got over any germophobia on this trip. If girlfriend wants to sit on the floor of the plane to play, then girlfriend will sit on the floor! All in the name of sanity! After 7 hours of air travel, we finally returned home. Her daddy was sure excited to see her!

We were so lucky to spend the time with G-Daddy and Mor Mor. We don't get to see them often, so it was a lot of fun for both of us! Thanks for the wonderful hospitality and we hope to be back sometime soon!

SORRY!

2008-06-14T15:49:00.001-07:00

I know that many of you have been checking here for an update. And I have so much to tell you ... its just that I have no time to tell you! Our life is just upside down right now. Work is very busy and we have been finalizing a lot of details with our remodeling/upgrading home process! On top of all that, I am just so darn tired. Sorry, Sorry, Sorry...

I feel terrible because I REALLY have been wanting to post about my Girl's Weekend to Vegas. It was a Mr. Mom Weekend and Chris did a great job with little Ashley. And if you weren't sure about Chris yet, when I got home he said, "I really liked having her all to myself. I feel like we bonded!" Yeah, I think I did pretty well in the good husband department, don't you?

We also have some great video of Ashley, "Miss Larocca If You're Nasty" showing all the latest dance moves. (I am concerned that she may have her father's rhythm. Trust me when I say that IS NOT A GOOD THING!) Nonetheless, it is pretty cute. The catch is that I haven't had the time to figure out how to download it from our new video camera. I know, big tease, but I will do it soon.

Ashley and I are leaving on our first cross country, red eye tomorrow night. I have a conference in Miami, so Ashley will be vacationing in Coral Gables with G-Daddy and Mor-Mor. She will be livin la vida!

When we get back, we will post pictures and videos galore! Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there!

Who Says That Yankees & Sox Fans Can't Get Along!?

2008-05-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day weekend, we were lucky enough to have a FULL HOUSE! My sister Christina brought her cutie pie girls out to meet their little cousin Ashley! Taylor and Alex sure entertained Ashley - she absolutely loved watching them run around the house!

The whole family was on deck for the event, including Aunt Jenny, Uncle Chris, Papa and Gigi. We all went to the park on day two and everyone enjoyed the merry go round...

Including Ashley!

It was pretty cold, so there was a lot of bundling for the kids on the west coast. (Christina kept teasing me because I had the heat on to take the "chill" out of the house!)

Aunt Jenny and in utero Cousin Chloe were lots of fun. Not to mention the fact that Ashley fell absolutely in love with Uncle Chris. She was constantly staring at him like a love struck teenager!

The highlight was a trip to the Fun Zone on Balboa Island where Ashley enjoyed her very first carousel ride! This was very special for me since I clocked a LOT of time in the Fun Zone growing up. It is so fun to experience it with a whole new perspective!

It was so wonderful to have everyone together. With everyone being so spread across the country, it is not easy to coordinate. I hope that Ashley and her cousins will still build a lot of memories together! We all miss you, Christina, Taylor and Alex! (Even though you're Red Sox fans!)

Let me just leave you with this scrumptious photo...

Our 5th Anniversary!

2008-05-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated our 5th anniversary. Five years always seemed so long to me before, but now it feels like just yesterday we were getting married on that beautiful afternoon in Dove Canyon. Ah yes, I was the sweatiest bride that every lived - spending every moment on the dance floor. Luckily, Chris was able to look past the sweat and stick with me!

We spent the day at the Montage, getting massages and relaxing by the pool. It was 85 degrees and the weather was perfect! That night we headed out to a new restaurant in Newport Beach called The "A" Restaurant. It was formerly known as the Arches and has been remodeled and updated. (Chris loved the fact that the valet attendants were all hot girls! I am kicking myself for not coming up with this idea in the first place!)

On Sunday, we spent the afternoon enjoying a stroll around Balboa Island.

Here is some video of Ashley - island life suits her, doesn't it?! (I love how she has her feet propped up on the crossbar!) Note the two pairs of sunglasses...if you don't give her a pair to hold, she pulls them off her face. It is quite the choreography, putting the one pair on and quickly holding the others in front so that she thinks she is pulling them off. I like to call that "strategery!"

Cuteness

2008-05-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Just when I think she can't get any cuter...she does. (Try and ignore my annoying voice...)

My Very 1st Mother's Day

2008-05-12T21:30:00.001-07:00

It all started with breakfast in bed (Uh, that was a first! Nice hustle by the husband!) and ended with a long walk on the trails by our new home. After all the craziness with the new house, it was nice just to unwind by ourselves and enjoy being together as a family.

Dramarama

2008-04-28T17:42:00.001-07:00

For those of you that don't know, we have been in the process of buying our dream home. It is FABULOUS and after several months of the sellers trying to get us to raise our offer, they finally agreed to take what we had originally submitted. They asked us to comply with a 21 day escrow and to remove contingencies in 12 days. Yeah, not an easy thing in this credit market. Reluctantly, we agreed and set off to get our funding.

We were hoping to close on the house last Thursday, but the lender was not able to get the loan docs completed. Obviously, with the current credit market, it is very difficult to get anyone to loan you money and once they agree to do so, they have a lot of paperwork. Put on top of that our 21 day escrow (ending Monday .. uh, today) and we did not have very good odds. We talked to the seller's agent (who happened to be the seller's sister) and she said that this was not a problem, as our lender had approved us and was going to fund the loan by Tuesday. On Friday morning, we received a letter from the seller's attorney that stated if we don't close by Monday, they were pulling out of escrow and keeping our $80,000 deposit. I don't know about you, but that is a whole lot of cheddar where I come from...

We scrambled and found another lender that would get the loan done on Friday, but wanted their appraiser to go to the house before funding. After the appraiser's calls went unreturned, we got another letter from the seller's attorney stating that the appraiser would not be allowed into the property. They stated that since contingencies had been lifted, they had no obligation to let anyone into the property.

So we went out and hired ourselves a bad ass attorney.

Over the weekend, we warned the sellers that we would file suit for breach of contract and failure to perform, as they wouldn't let the lender's appraiser into the property. We are (as our attorney stated) ready, willing and able to execute the contract, but they are prohibiting us from doing so. So, either they comply by 12 noon on Monday (uh, today) or we file our suit against them which will not only tie up the property so that they can't sell it to someone else, but will also potentially cost the seller a whole lot of scratch.

On our end, we had until 1:00 to fund the loan so that the sale would record on Monday. By 10:30, the escrow company told us that the sellers agent's email had been disconnected and that they had no way of getting a hold of her! This was getting ridiculous! At 12:00, we still had no answer. Chris and I were just driving around trying to burn time. 12:30 - nothing from the lender. At 1:00, we got a call that they filed an extension and had until 2:30 to fund the loan. (At this point, my stomach was riddled with ulcers.) Chris and I kept a positive attitude and threw a lot of positive energy towards the situation. (Even when the email came through from their attorney that the escrow company was not to allow the sale to be recorded if they did not meet the cut off time.)

At 2:30, the loan had still not been funded. We had missed our window to close and both of us felt miserable. Our attorney raced to the courthouse to file the suit which included restitution and punitive damages against both the seller and their agent. He then shot off an email to the seller's attorney stating that any failure to close was a direct result of the sellers bad faith and interest in seeing the deal fail. He also reminded their attorney that they would be looking at substantially more in damages.

Back at the ranch, we got an email from our lender ... approximately 56 minutes after we had needed it ... that they had approved us and would fund and record tomorrow. Day late and a dollar short, as they say. Both of us kind of moped around and tried to buoy each other with, "Sometimes bad things happen to good people!" And, "Everything happens for a reason!" We also called our landlord to see if we could extend our stay at our current rental. (I think I would have died if they had already rented the place!) We felt down, but we felt that the law would prevail ... we just had wished that it hadn't come to a big nasty lawsuit.

While we were waiting for Ashley to wake up from her afternoon nap so that we could drown our sorrows in a Cadillac Margarita and some mexican food, our attorney called. It seems he got a phone call from the seller's agent (the one who wouldn't return anyone's phone calls and turned off her email address so that no one could get in touch with her) who said that they were just trying to make sure we closed on time and didn't really mean anything by all this and it would be OK to close and record tomorrow. JUSTICE PREVAILS! (Or at least our bad ass attorney did!)

So tomorrow, we close on our dream house. After much drama, stress and heartache. We can't wait to have you over to see it. Hope you like Top Ramen Noodles! We're going to be living on them until we sue the sellers for something we haven't thought of yet! (Kidding, sort of...)

Check out girlfriend's shoes...love them!

Too Tired To Write...

2008-04-16T22:22:00.001-07:00

...I know, I know... I need to post something, but this week has totally drained me. Instead, please enjoy this video of Miss Ashley Pants showing her clapping and waving skills. Seriously. She. Is. Smart.

More Exciting News!

2008-04-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Aunt Jenny came down last weekend with some big news - they are having a little girl! Chloe Lynn is due in early September. Yeay for September Babies! We all had a great time shopping for Baby Chloe. (Don't worry, Ashley wasn't forgotten ... Gigi bought her a cute chair! We're not sure if Ashley likes it yet, but I fit into it quite nicely!)

We also felt the need (when I say "we," I mean "me") to put her back into her fishy costume from Halloween. She was all happy and animated and we stuck her in that thing ... and well, she became like a limp fish!

(Seriously ... when are Child Protective Services going to take her away?!)

Ashley is very talkative now... enjoy this video of her in her jumpy...it is too cute.