What?!? It's already February!?!

Time flies. Sulli is getting huge. We are always running a hundred miles and hour it seems. Life is full and always an adventure! Our little family is enjoying our new jacuzzi. A special time for the 3 of us. We usually follow our soak with air popped popcorn and fresh squeezed orange juice -- and a Fam-uh-leee Movie, as Sulli says. Evenings together are the best times of the day. Looking forward to a weekend trip to the coast at the end of this month. A Valentine's/Anniversary trip with Sulli and the in-laws! Can't wait. We're coming up on 8 years of marriage. Crazy, eh? Like I said, time flies. :)

Summer Wrap Up

So, I haven't had a chance to post in a really long time.

Summer was nice, we remodeled our kitchen, went to a few Dodger games, went to the coast, went on a Mexican Cruise, and Sullivan finally became a big girl (potty trained... fully... kind of). School is back in session, so I am having my normal bouts of blues due to lack of time with Sulli and Football consuming Ryan's schedule. However, this year has been a bit less stressful as Ryan has taken the ASSISTANT coaching position in Dinuba. So.... he doesn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore, which results in a happier home for the Phelans!

Sullivan began attending Sonshine (Shun-Shine) Learning Center after Labor Day. She has done very well... no tears yet. She goes M-W-F for 3 hours each time. It's soooo good for her. She has only been playing with boys so far, so hopefully that's not a bad thing. And thanks to my Aunt Dodi and Sullivan's recent 3RD BIRTHDAY, she is stocked up on cute little school clothes. It's fun to dress her and send her off... although I only get to do it on Friday's when I am off work.

Ryan and I recently attended my 10 Year Class Reunion. It was fun, but kind of a let down after all the anticipation and work on the committee. I enjoyed seeing classmates that have moved away and grown up. It was kinda weird, and I think Ryan is glad to have it behind us. :)

Besides that, our lives have just been busy with work, church, family time and football. Go Emperors... or at least "Go Daddy's Team" as Sulli would say (pink pom-poms in hand). Things haven't been all rosy however... a recent trial for our family has been my Grandpa (Dad's dad) Jim's cancer. He was diagnosed and they started chemo & radiation right away, with a not-so-encouraging prognosis. We are praying for recovery, but more importantly we are praying for his salvation. As a non-believer, he is unsure of where he will spend eternity. He has also been pretty resistant to discussing the Gospel in the past. My prayer is that the Lord would provide an opportunity for a friend or family member to share the precious gift of God's grace with him, and that the spirit would guide his heart! :) I am hopeful that the Lord is working here!

Almost 3 Years old!!!

VBS

Vacation Bible School was great! I helped with the older kids and Sullivan was in the "preschool" group. She really got into it. She is still singing the theme song and talking about the crafts. She would often see me crossing the campus and say, "I'll see you in the boat (the sanctuary was decorated like a boat) yater (later) Mommy". I think she'll do fine in preschool... IF potty training continues to go well.
Now we're really enjoying our summer . Ryan get's up really early to run, when he gets home I head out... meanwhile Sulli is still sleeping. Then, when I get back Ryan goes to teach summer school at KHS... he usually rides his bike since it's so close. Sulli and I then take our time getting ready... enjoying bowls of cereal together and maybe a bike ride or walk. Most of the day is concentrated on potty training which is going MUCH better.
We are looking forward to a family wedding this weekend... which will be preceded by a Dodger Game for us and 18 other friends/family members. Ryan's cousin got us a Luxury Box all to ourselves. So cool!! Sulli can't come but family will watch her. It'll be a fun weekend!

the Phelan's have been busy!

So we went to Hume...

and we ran in a race...

and we saw old, far-away friends...

and we celebrated mommies...

Now summer is here! We've been swimming, and playing "baseball" with Sulli (and her Dora ball and bat!). Football spring practice has started, which means our evenings are a bit crazy, but it's been great so far at DINUBA!! :) Ryan is really happy with his job change.

Easter Blessings!

We recently returned from San Diego for Spring Break. Ryan's folks rented a condo for the week, in Imperial Beach. We chose to take our dogs with us, and it wasn't that bad, but they do add a lot of work. The long drive down there was the hardest part. We enjoyed the waves crashing right outside our windows the whole week. Wow! I would LOVE to live at the ocean... but probably not in Imperial Beach. :) We could see Tijuana just across an estuary... a little wierd huh!? But overall, it was a great vacation! Thanks Mark and Kathy!!!

We had Easter lunch at our house this year! It was nice, but Sulli is sick, so that was a bummer. She's also being a total two year old lately... it's been rough! Spending time with family was nice, and we had some great food. Going back to work (after a week off... enjoying the beach in San Diego with the inlaws) will be hard, to say the least. However... I think I do NEED to get out of the house! :) I am looking forward to the New Kids on the Block concert this week... I am going with my two childhood girlfriends who shared the NKOTB obsession. It should be nice! (Ryan surprised me for Valentine's Day with tickets!).

VEGAS BABY!

Pismo 2009

We had the pleasure of spending a weekend in Pismo Beach. When we arrived at our hotel we were upset because the pools were under construction... but we ended up with a little discount (after I went in and complained!). Sullivan ran straight into the ocean... clothes and all, as soon as we arrived. She followed that up with wanting to play with her sand toys and her "tite" (kite). We enjoyed some good food, fun times with Nana and Grandad (my folks) and lots of beach time. I enjoyed jogging on the beach for the first time in my life. It was really hard but inspiring. It helps to have a beautiful scene around you when you're sweatin' like that. Unfortunately, Ryan was under the weather most of the time. He was a trooper though, and continued to tag along with us when we wanted to go to the beach or look in shops. We also were invited over for a BBQ with some old friends at their home in Santa Maria. It was a good trip!These are a few of our favorite places at the coast...
Cambria's BJB Round Up Pizza (amazing pizza sauce and dough!)
Morro Bay's Outrigger (Ryan loves there fish and chips and clam chowder)

Pismo's Pierside (Ryan loves there fish and chips), Pismo Yogurt, and Old Juan's (good mexican food!). We stay at Kon Tiki Inn (GREAT location and view).

Avila Beach's Custom House (but they serve b-fast till 11:30 on Sundays... a bummer when you're looking forward to a great lunch on the way home from Pismo!!)

I wish I knew more about the best places to eat in Pismo (or on the central coast in general)... so I would love to hear from you if you have some favorites too!

February 2009

A pretty little Princess!

An artist in the making?









My Sweet Little Valentine









Already kissin' the boys!









Me and Jen rocking the Dala Horse!

The Game of Life

So life has been sorta weird lately with all the tragedy and crazy economic/political stuff around us. I am so assured that God is with us, even during the rough patches. He gives me a peace about trusting Him. He is bigger than our political leaders, our problems... He is greater than SIN and SATAN. How refreshing! That being said, we are human and some days are just plain hard. I hate thinking about losing someone in my life, like Kristie lost Scott. I can't even imagine. I have lots of fears, especially after becoming a parent... what parent doesn't. But I just keep coming back to the fact that this world is only a temporary home for Christians. I look forward to the day that I will be in Heaven and apart from my humanness.

Sullivan has been giving us a lot of trouble lately. I think the terrible twos/threes are in full swing. She is very testing on my patience. She refuses to do potty training, she fights us at every meal and at bedtime, she says "No" and "I don't like to!" all the time, and she is constantly whining and crying. It's like over night she developed this new attitude. So, we have been putting her in time out a lot, but I hate to focus on negative... so today is a new day. I took her to play with a friend and then to the park. She ate her lunch (with squash hidden in it, hee hee), and ate it all! I allow TV only if she is behaving. So, we are having a good day so far. It's just so hard when I am not home with her consistently. Everyone has different styles of taking care of kids, and I think Sullivan knows how to work us both (my mom and I). I am so grateful that I can take Sullivan to my mom's 3 days a week and not worry about other kids or illnesses or anything. But, I would much rather be home with her full-time. It's a tough one. BUT, Ryan has been sooo great lately about helping with house chores and juggling Sulli all the time. It makes our house run so much smoother. Life is good.

As for me, I have been on a mission to lose weight for a while now (since September when I weighed in at my heaviest at the Doctor's office). I have been counting calories and I just recently started jogging. Today (for the first time) I did a work out video with my friend Erin. That was SOOOO hard for me. It's much easier for me to jog 1 or 2 miles than do a 20 minute ab workout. Yikes. I feel really good and am fitting into smaller clothes, but I still have a bit more to lose. I do have a bit less energy on the days that I jog, which I think my body will eventually adjust to, but is hard to get used to. Also, being a vegetarian, it's hard to find the right meals that supply all the appropriate nutrients, etc. I would love ideas on healthy, protein rich meals with no MEAT in them. No FiSH, no chicken... no flesh of any kind. (It's a texture thing). I am finally in the "healthy" category for my body mass index (or whatever it's called). I really , truly just want to be healthy and happy. I want to live a long, healthy life, and all I have control over is what I put in my mouth and how I treat my body. So... as long as I can stick to this system, I think I can feel good about my health.

Shock of a lifetime...

Ryan's cousin, Scott Murray, died in his sleep Friday morning. The cause of death is unknown. Scott had just gotten married in May of 2008. He was only 32.

We are so shocked and saddened by this tragic loss. It seams that his life was just starting, and then it was taken away. I am asking for prayer for Scott's wife Kristie, for Scott's parents and sister, and for Ryan who loved Scott like the brother he never had. This is a very difficult time.

Happy 2009!

We brought in the new year with a pizza and ice cream feast at our house. We had Ryan's sister and parents over and played Apples to Apples and Taboo. Well... some of us played. :) Papa Murphy's pizza was yummy, and was followed by an even yummier hot fudge cake... which I didn't have since I'm counting calories (kinda). I did endulge in 1 cup of double-churned vanilla ice cream however! Sullivan hammed it up as usual with the 2009 glasses and "big girl juice" (apple-grape cider). We lasted until about 11:00 PM I think, and then we closed it down.

Starting this year... Sullivan WILL sleep in her own "big girl" bed, I WILL stop biting my nails I WILL keep up on my grading, and I will lose more weight. :) Those are my personal resolutions. So... let's hope... here's to 2009!! Woo hoo!

Disney Christmas 2008

So we had a blast in Disneyland. We stayed for three nights... it was great being so close to the park (at the Disneyland Hotel). Sullivan really loved it. She was generally pretty good, but had her moments of acting a bit spoiled. We did almost everything a little girl would want to do. It was kinda nice to get home to Molle and our own bed... but Disney puts on a great show at Christmas, wow! I recommend visiting during the Holidays if you haven't before!

I also have to say that my in-laws were amazing. Between Ryan's parents, his sister Ashley and the two of us, Sulli had PLENTY of attention. She was a busy little Princess! :) Speaking of princesses... we had lunch with Belle, Aurora, Snow White, Ariel and Cinderella! Sullivan was so funny... she had a serious face almost the whole time. She dressed as Princess Jasmine and was disappointed that she did not attend the lunch. The princesses told her that the "real" Jasmine was on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin. :) hee hee.

After all that walking, and eating out at fancy restaraunts, we were so tired each night! The trip was very memorable!

Merry Christmas...













She was really good when we went to visit Santa, but she was also very serious, as you can see. Sullivan can't wait to leave Santa "Cooookies and Mulk" on Christmas Eve. She also told him that wants a "prize" and that she likes "Bah-bies and Tandy". Hee hee! This will be such a fun Christmas!!

Giving Thanks

I am so thankful for my family. Ryan and Sullivan are the joy of my life. I am so thankful for our parents and our grandparents, and aunts and uncles... we are so blessed to have so many relatives close by. We can almost always find a babysitter! :) As I sit here and wrap Christmas gifts (you know, out with Thanksgiving and on with Christmas!), I realize how good we have it. As Americans we have so much freedom and security, and as Christians we have our faith that can be shouted from the rooftops if we want it to! I am personally so thankful for my marriage and my daughter, who is a miracle that I am reminded of each morning. Hopefully I can make this thankfulness last throughout the year, and not just when I feel all warm and fuzzy for the holiday season! :) Most of all, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is only by His death that I can have an eternity in Heaven. It blows my mind that God could sacrifice his only child, for ME!?!?! As a parent, there is no WAY I could do that for anyone! God is good!

Ryan and I went to the Fresno State game last weekend. It was actually kinda fun. We had great seats... front row!
Sullivan and I had fun baking apple crisp while daddy was working late. She and I have new aprons which she is very excited about!
She is NOT really this happy about potty time. But I recently added some books and a sticker chart to our bathroom routine. So far, it's helping... a little!

Go CVC!

Ryan's team won again... against the undefeated Exeter team. Yikes! And I wasn't at the game. I opted to attend a student's play in Fresno that night and missed a great game. I was so bummed! So, Ryan is excited because his team got the 1st seed in playoffs. He gets a bye this week, and then plays either Selma or Arvin (at CVC), the day after Thanksgiving. We are enjoying the wins and are so proud of the boys! I just have such mixed emotions... I want nothing more than to have my hubby back, but I want his team to go all the way too! It's a tough spot to be in! :)

Another Win

Ryan's team won again. This time against Selma. I was so glad... not because Selma was Kingsburg's rival when I was in school, No, I could really care less about rivalries, but I was excited because Ryan's birthday was on Sunday. He wasn't sure if he would be up to doing anything on his birthday if they lost on Friday. Sooo, we ended up having dinner at Cattleman's with his folks and his sister, and then cake and ice cream at our house. It was fun. I love when our weekends go well and that often results from a win on Friday. So, yes, that's why I cheer at his games. For a sane and relaxing home life. Hee hee....

Halloween 2008

Sullivan dressed as Princess Jasmine and we had a fun time visiting with the grandmas and aunts. She got some candy, but I didn't let her eat it. Well, not all of it. We then spent the evening at Ryan's game in Dinuba. He won, so that was a great end to the evening.!