I'm back!

Well it must be that time of year again where I feel the need to update the good ol' blog. This post will be a mishmash of things as there as always many crazy things happening in life. First, I just emerged from the dark three day hole of "The Hunger Games". The dishes need doing, the laundry needs folding, and the kids are probably starving (I kid, I kid). Such a good book series, I really couldn't put it down, and I highly recommend you check it out from your local library (or buy off of amazon). So good. Sigh. I am still mourning the fact that it's over. AND I know when you read the description it sounds like a weird book (I was also skeptical), but TRUST ME.  So, on to things that DON'T make me sounds like a huge nerd or a neglectful mother....

I am publicly recommitting myself to my health goals. I've had a hard time the last couple of weeks, and I'm having a harder time getting back on the horse. Which is weird, because I feel awful so you think that would be enough. But its a total downward spiral where I feel like crap, then I'm tired and sluggish, and then I don't want to cook dinner, so I do something easy like pizza and then I feel like crap... you see the pattern. And it's so funny, and I know you all have experienced this, that even though I think I have officially gained back 2 pounds, I feel like everyone is looking at me and THEY CAN SEE IT, like the 2 pounds are just huge packs of hamburger meat slapped to my butt. But here I am. I have 10 pounds to go, and these last ten have been the hardest. One day I'll get gutsy enough to post before and afters (My hesitation is that I'm wearing a 2 piece, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for the whole world to see that, haha) :). If anyone is interested in how I've been doing it (I started about a year ago), it's been the eat clean diet and P90X. I truly couldn't think of a healthier and more logical way to lose weight.


Dance classes have started up for Kam again. She's taking a ballet/tap combo class and is loving it. And poor Annabelle has to watch with her face pressed to the glass, she is DYING to go in. Calvin has also started soccer. I'm loving the warm days and sitting in the grass at practice. I'm sure all that will change when the rain starts up again. : ) But I have been loving these kids lately. To be completely honest, I feel like something in me recently has clicked and I am enjoying them more and more. Each snuggle just warms my heart and I feel like I have been full of more love then I ever have before.

Pumpkin Patch!

We took the kids this last week to a "farm" out by our house to pick out pumpkins. Calvin had to go to the bathroom the whole 10 minutes we were there and had to remind me every 10 seconds of that fact. Annabelle insisted on eating the straw off the ground, and Kameron enjoyed picking up pumpkins and intentionally dropping them on the ground (sorry farmers!!). All in all, a successful trip I think. 

This is where she picked it up.... and I'll let your imagination figure out 
what happened after that.

My little pumpkin.

He claimed his pumpkin. Of course it was the 
biggest one he could find.

Notice the extra load on the right leg. He's such a good daddy. : )

He actually wheeled the whole thing out to the car. 
I love having older children. So helpful. : ) 

Proof that I was there. 

Calvin took this picture. It took a 5 minute lecture on 
how to hold my camera and all the awful things 
that will happen if he dropped it. I was pretty
 impressed with the outcome.

The Cat Came Back.

I'm just going to start blogging and completely ignore the fact that it's been over a year. I would catch you up, buuuuuut that would take forever. Hopefully someday I can do a little back-blogging and write about the all the "important" events. But for now, you get stuck with my present life. Muahahahaha. I wanted to dedicate my first post back to my oldest and most favorite son ever, Calvin. Here's his story.

Born November 22, 2002, after 29 hours of enjoyable labor, my little 8lb 11oz bundle of joy entered the world. Calvin was always an easy baby (but he was my first, so I didn't know that).




He's always had a love for animals, particularly marine life and reptiles.



He's never been one to be dependent on friends to entertain him. He loves to learn and read. He loves science, and is constantly asking me to help him with "experiments."




It's been really fun as he's gotten older to be around him. He's funny, but not in a "oh, that's cute that he said that, funny." But because he's actually witty. I love that we can just hang out and make each other laugh. He reminds me a lot of my Dad, which is special for me. Not only do they look so much alike, they're personalities resemble each other. Here's a comparison...





He's also an incredible big brother. It comes naturally to him, and he's great with the girls. He loves to make them laugh and will pretty much do it at any cost (including getting in trouble at the dinner table).
I think he'll be a great protector as they get older.


He's always been my child that will eat anything and always twice as much as what I eat. I'm going to hate to see our grocery bill when he's sixteen. He's also playing soccer this year, which has been so much fun to watch. I've always hated soccer, but it's MUCH better when it's your kid that's playing.


Sigh, I love Calvin. He seems to get better and better the older he gets.

Calfornia: Days 2 & 3 (DISNEYLAND!!)

First off, Disneyland IS the happiest place on earth. You might have thought different after looking at Calvin's face when I told him we weren't buying him that $12 balloon, but otherwise, the happiest place. We spent two full days at both parks, which ended up being one and a half days at Disneyland and about 4 hours at California Adventure. There just wasn't enough time!! We had a ridiculous amount of fun. The rides were great. Kameron loved the tea cups and Dumbo. Calvin loved Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribean (who would have thought!). Brian was able to go on a few grown-up rides with his family since I'm pregnant and not really a thrill seeker these days. My favorite was Nemo, if that tells you anything. : ) It was great. The fireworks show at night was unlike anything I have EVER seen. I literally had tears welled up in my eyes the whole time, it was so magical. We had a a great time with our extended family!

California Trip: Day 1

hello.......Heeeelllloooooo...... HHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO??? Anyone still out there? I have become a horrible blogger. Life does get in the way sometimes. I have MUCH to catch up on, but for now, I need to tell you about our FAMILY VACATION!!!!! Can I start off by saying that this trip has been 25 years in the making?? I have never been to California so this was QUITE the experience.

It all started at 4:00am Monday morning when thank goodness my alarm went off. I was bursting with excitment so it wasn't that hard to get up. After packing the car, and getting the kids up at 4:30am, we were on our way. I thought that I could scoop Kam out of her crib and gently put her in her carseat and she would go back to sleep. OH NO. That little lady had eyeballs the size of saucers and was raring to go. We made it to the airport at 5:30 (courtesy of Dad) and boarded our flight pretty painlessly and without any waiting. Sad to say, one member of the Kilner family did not make it on time and had to wait till the next day to take a flight. The plane ride was alright. I guess as good as could be expected. I got stuck on one side of the plane with Calvin next to me and Kameron on my lap. Brian got to sit on the opposite side of the aisle and got to take a nap (funny how that happens... and no, I'm not bitter). But HALLELUJAH! After 2 hours and 30 minutes we finally arrived at LAX!!! We got a shuttle to our hotel and since it was so early we didn't get to check in yet. But we rented a giant van and drove to Laguna Beach. I will post pictures momentarily because there is nothing that I can say that will do it justice. It was WONDERFUL. Kameron slept on a beach towel a majority of the time, and Calvin liked running from the waves and playing on the beach. The waves were awesome and Brian went body boarding. And I just layed there and soaked up all the vacation I could (after the plane ride I sure as heck needed it). It was perfect in every way. We got back to the hotel, unpacked, and headed out to dinner. I took the kids swimming at the hotel later and then we hit the hay.... Disneyland was day number 2 and we were going to need some rest.

PICTURES UPDATE!