Redlands Bike Classic

Redlands Bike Classic

So this weekend once a year the city of Redlands puts on a legit bicycle race, the Redlands Bike Classic. It is a race for Pro's but, also involves the community/city and is a really fun filled 3 days. On Saturday, the hold in the morning races for every age group and type of bike. So of course we had to get in on the action. There is a 50 yard dash held for the little ones and broken up into age groups. Buggie was in the 3 year old tricycle race and Jac was in the 5 year old training wheel race. Buggie competed with only about 10 other kids, and Jac competed with probably 30 other kids. It was adorable to watch. Buggie was excited and ready to pedal. Jac was a little nervous but, pedaled her heart out. And then there is my husband. Jon, rides a "fixie" (a bike with no gears/brakes). So the fixie underground group did a bunch of races/tricks last night. And I didn't race. I was the mom on the sidelines in my sweats, visor, sunglasses, holding my camera in one hand, and my big cup of coffee in the other. Go Moms!

Showing off their 2 medals

Jon treated the girls to a shaved ice, to celebrate. I think we ended up eating more of it than they did but, concluded that cotton candy would not be my flavor of choice.

The video below is off Bugge racing. She is #6, towards the left, the only one wearing bright yellow sun glasses.

Recent Jac Quotes

As we walk outside to get in the car to go to school she says
"God is so awesome. He made it Spring"!

She is going to be in a bike race this Saturday, and as we were walking outside in the wind she said "Dear God, can you make it windy during my race, so I can go super fast. Amen". After she prayed it got super windy and she says "Mom, I'll take that wind as God saying yes".

She was sitting her bed this morning and said to me
"Mom, this is just going to be an insane day".

We were on our way to Target and as we park she says
"Mom I hate shopping unless we are shopping for me, then my heart is happy".

When she woke up the other day Jon went to go get her and she said
"Daddy my bad dreams come so quickly".

As you can tell, I have a 5 year old that is quite a hoot to raise.
Oh Jacqueline Ruby!

A Spring Weekend

This weekend has been such a treat. It has been filled with relaxation, and much needed family time. It's tough when the weekdays and the weekends are busy. And that is what it's been lately. Here are some pics of our day on Friday at the University. It's pretty awesome to live so close, and enjoy the beautiful grounds and college peeps.

Bugs

Jac did such a great job flying a kite by herself. She actually did better than any of us.
She had the whole "motion/skill". It was pretty funny.

I love this picture. It makes me so happy.

My "sweet and not so good for you" favorties from Trader Joes

So I have been raised on Trader Joe's. And is also my "home" market of choice. I met one of my dearest friends there (she was a cashier at the time) and do happen to go in there way too many times within a week. I now know many of the workers that work at my Traders, and love shopping there, and trying new things. Every week I buy at least one thing that I have never tried, and almost always end up buying it the next week and the week after that. Let's just say that my grocery cart is almost always full. So I thought I would share with you some of my favorite things that are sweet, and not so healthy but, worth it! I will post sometime soon my favorite healthy things at Trader's but, since I have given up sweets and junk food for lent this is what I keep thinking about. It's been good for me to detox, as you will soon see by scrolling through this list I have a bit of a sweet tooth.

These are so good baked and dip them in marinara sauce. YUM!

Beer Bread Mix. This bread is amazing, and taste so good! Just mix in one can of beer, drizzle some butter, bake, and enjoy. Amazing!
Oh and I can eat the whole loaf, and have before.

This is Jac's favorite breakfast, and becoming one of mine too. You let the croissants sit out overnight and just pop them in the oven in the morning.
They are amazing, and taste homemade, really they do.

I put 2 cookie dough balls in a ramekin and cook them in the oven for just a little bit, so they are pazookie style. Then I pull them out of the oven top with vanilla bean ice cream and I have an amazing pazookie! Oh and also I just eat the cookie dough frozen.
You can't go wrong.

Bake in the oven, and top with berries and ice cream. Dangerous!

I love this cake with chocolate frosting but, my favorite is making it with homemade cream cheese frosting and then top with whole fresh blueberries. It is the best ever!

I am a "gummy" lover. It was only a matter of time till Trader's making
gummy treats.



My sister says that if she didn't have self control
she would eat all 4 that come in the box in the same sitting.
And I will admit they are very delicious!



Very thin cookies, amazing with tea or coffee, and very easy to eat 20 of them!

I love Trader Joe's!

Yesterday afternoon the girls and I were watching Strawberry Shortcake.
There is a scene where Huckleberry Finn sings a song to Strawberry Shortcake about how she is so beautiful on the inside and that is what matters, super cheesy but sweet. Well, I was watching Jac as he sang the song to Strawberry Shortcake and Jac looked all embarrassed and put her blankie over her head. She was smiling so big, and seemed very captured by their relationship. When the movie was over Jac said to me "Mom do you know why I get so embarrassed when I watch people in love like Huckleberry Finn and Strawberry Shortcake?
Its because its how I feel towards my prince (her best friend Hudson),
I think he is so special Mommy".

Butterfly Princess Party

This past Saturday we had Jac's Butterfly Princess Party. Last year, it was a Puppy Princess Party. This year was a bit easier, I guess. There were many, many, many babies and kiddos running or crawling around. And many parents trying to find their child, it was pretty funny. We played caterpillar limbo (Jac's friend Sammi won), and then wrapped the kids up in toilet paper to be in a cocoon (they didn't really like that game too much). Oh well. We had pizza (thank you Costco), really yummy salads (thank you Nita and Jewels), and very tasty sweets (thanks to me). It was a great time, and Jac felt loved and celebrated.

I made these using vintage clothes pins, scrapbook paper, and yarn. I am gonna keep them up in my kitchen, they make me happy.

I made these butterfly's using felt, vintage clothes pins, and thick yarn. These butterfly's were everywhere. On my mantel, on our chandelier in the dining room, and here on my hope wins piece. It was fun to have so many butterflies everywhere.

This is the caterpillar for the "caterpillar limbo". I used a noodle (for swimming), put pieces of paper in it, and stuck pipe cleaners in for legs.

The party treats

Vanilla bean cupcakes with pretzel butterflies on top

Butterfly iced and sprinkled sugar cookies.
I am kind of obsessed with sprinkles these days.

Buggie being "Buggie".
My mom bought her that yellow bathing suit at Old Navy.

Jac and her best buddy/prince HUDSON

This is Buggie and her best buddy/prince MIAH, with Jac

And this is me with my prince JON. He's the best.

My girls and I.
Buggie has been doing this smile more and more, it's so fake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAC JAC, YOUR 5 YEARS OLD!

San Diego

Every February we head down to San Diego with Jon's family for a couple of days. They spend a whole week down there, and we come for as much as we can. They rent a house right on the strand, and find it to be quite a treat. The weather was perfect, and we had a great time. We even made it to Sea World (it happened to be the day after the tragedy in Orlando). Our kids love spending time with their cousins, and being able to get sandy, wet, and build sand castles.

We left San Diego on Fri and had Jac's BUTTERFLY PRINCESS PARTY the next day. We celebrated her 5th bday! I can't believe I have a 5 year old. I will post those pics hopefully tomm.

You can't really tell in this picture but, Buggie is getting the cutest freckles all over her nose and cheeks. When I was growing up my dad called freckles "angel kisses".



This is Jac and her cousin Ellie.