Children's Museum - Reno, Nevada

On our way home from Grammy and Grandpa's house we took the kids to The Discovery Museum in Reno.  We were concerned that the kids may be a little too old for it, but it was just right and they had a great time.

They had a little waterway with bridges and boats.

Note - that is not a fanny pack ... it's Mason's hat.  LOL. 

Just can't get enough of this little girls smile.  

I could just kiss her face off ... she was very photogenic that day. 

Yay, a cute one of the both of them. 

Hold on, Mason's a crazy pilot. 

Working at the bank. 

Ride em' cowboy.  He has been so funny lately.  We have a good time together. 

Awe, being crafty like her Mommy. 

Mason must have played with this thing for an hour.  He really is deep in thought.  Tried to get Brian to build one of these for us in the backyard but that was a no go.   

Bald Eagles

As I type this, I'm sitting in the Juror Waiting Room at the Sacramento Superior Courthouse.  You know, I don't mean to gripe, I understand that it's our Civic Duty and all but it really is a pain the the rear.  It sounds like I'm going to be here all day.  Even if I'm excused from one case, I have go back to the Juror Room and wait ... just in case they need me for another.  Really?  I was supposed to work today but now I can't (and won't get paid either).  Fingers crossed that I don't get picked.  

We went to Nevada during the kids week off of school, they call it a Ski-Week and Brian and the kids had every intention of skiing but Brian badly sprained his ankle.  We decided to go to Nevada anyway and Mason and Grandpa went skiing.  Brian went shopping with the girls.  Painful for him I'm sure.  :-)

We saw the coolest thing while we were there.  Apparently, this is the time of the year when the cows give birth and the Bald Eagles come over to eat the afterbirth.  SO WISH I would have had my big lens (be quiet Brian ... he always teases me that I never have it when I need it).  That thing is heavy to carry around.  If you look closely, you can she four bald eagles in this one.  Such beautiful creatures.

Me - Age 8

Wow, who looks like me?  I get it all the time but usually don't see it.  Mason.  He looks so much like me in this photo, it's crazy.  Minus the bangs. 

Holding my niece Crystal.

Valentine's Day Date Night

Once again, loving where we live.  We have 3 babysitter on our block so Brian and I decided to take advantage of it and have one of them watch the kids on Valentine's Day so we could go out.  We went to dinner at Cattleman's (love me some steak).  Had a delicious meal, although we felt a bit rushed and herded and it was too early to go home so we went to Sudwerk's on the River for a drink.  OK, we're officially old. We had one drink and were trying to make small talk with each other but were just too tired.  Already had dessert, didn't want anything else to eat or drink so we went home.  I think we were home by 8:30.  By 9:00 it was jammies and some TV... which was alright by me.

Happy Valentine's Day

Mason had a big dilemma on his hands this year for Valentine's Day.  Should he pass cards out or not?  Apparently there are a few girls in his class that "like" him and he didn't want to give them Valentine's but the rules were that you have to give them to everyone.  I'm not into the store bought cards, they just aren't cute and are kind of mushy for boys.  We (mostly me) decided we were make our own this year and found some printables on Pinterest that passed the Mason seal of approval.

Kyla and I decided it's best to give out something her friends can keep and use so we made bookmarks.  They turned out super-cute and she did most of the work.  Love that.

Mason passed out bookmarks that were Star Wars and we cut a hole out where the lightsaber was for a glow stick.  The saying was, "May the force be with you on Valentine's Day".  Not mushy at all.  From what I understand, they were a hit.

Kings with Upward Basketball/Cheer

The kids have been doing basketball/cheer for a few months with Upward at a local church and were given such a fantastic opportunity.  Mason was able to go out on the court before one of the Sacramento Kings basketball games and hold the flag for the National Anthem.  Kyla was part of the High Five Squad.  The Kings played against the Houston Rockets.

Kyla got a VERY LARGE souvenir shirt.

Practicing their High-Five's.

So exciting ... I loved being down on the court too.

She got to High Five one of our favorite players, Demarcus Cousins.

After all of the High Fives, they got to sit on the court and watch the Kings warm up for 10 minutes.  Very cool.

Demarcus Cousins.  I really was that close.

Shoot it!!!

And Isaiah Thomas ... we love him too.  He's only 5'9.

Having fun during warm-ups.

Even sneaking down as low as I could, this was the best picture I could get.  Mason is right in the middle of the photo in the white jersey.  He was excited because the Head Coach (Keith Smart) came over to him and gave him a High-Five.

Awe, look at my boy.

Daddy/Daughter Date

Kyla had been planning on going to the Daddy-Daughter Dance at the Community Center but when Brian tried to get tickets, they were sold out.  Who would have thought?  Well, Kyla was initially bummed but once she found out she still got to go out with Brian on a "date" she was over it.  So Saturday night rolls around and she insisted that Brian not only take her out but he had to take her all the way to Midtown because she wanted to go to Joe's Crab Shack.  The kids love the Popcorn Shrimp there.  She got her dress and wedges on and out they went.

Once they got there, it was an hour wait but she insisted on staying.  Brian couldn't believe what she ordered ... pizza!  That girl.  After dinner, Brian took Kyla to Rick's Dessert Diner before coming home.  He's such a great Dad and Husband.  

A FEW KYLA FUNNIES

Kyla - Mom, is it true that someone has a stroke in America every 53 seconds?

Me - Yes Kyla, strokes happen often.

Kyla - But only to old people, right?

Me - Yes.

Later that evening Kyla was having a mini meltdown about not wanting to clean up her room and said, "I think I'm having a stroke!!  While crying, "I can move my arms and talk but I can't move my legs!"  Waaaaaaa.  

I was coughing this morning (I've been coughing for a month) and Kyla said, "Mom, are you feeling sick today?"  I said, not really, why?  "Well, did you know that Kaiser Permanente has an app where you can talk to a doctor and stuff?  It was on my radio."

We went to a Sacramento Kings Basketball game a few weeks ago and they have one of the sling-shot thingies that shoots T-Shirts out of it.  Well, the kids were all into it and they shot one to the section right next to ours and an older man tried to catch it but was fumbling around and dropped it.  Kyla yells, "Butterfingers!"  That girl ... she's funny without trying to be.