Here Piggy Piggy piggy!!

Just before Thanksgiving we got our first real pet- a guinea pig! I had many guinea pigs and rabbits growing up so I was super excited!

After a while of having Linny ( named after the guinea pig from Wonder Pets) we decided she was lonely and since guinea pigs are very sociable we bought a baby guinea pig from the store. It took a while for them to warm up to each other but now they are inseparable! They LOVE to be let loose and run throughout the living room while the kids are asleep and can't chase them. They squeal and dance and run in circles. It is so funny to watch! Bradley and Kiersten named the new baby piggy Charlie even though its a little girl.

Linny (the tan one) is about two years old so she is much larger. Charlie (black with tan swirls) is much smaller because she is about 5 months now.

The kids LOVE their piggys and they are definitely spoiled!

I survived my first semester back!

I am so proud to say I survived my first semester back to school after having kids! The one thing that made it possible was that the kids were enrolled in THE BEST preschool program EVER!! I have NEVER heard a bad comment about their school. Sorry I wont say on the blog which preschool they are in because my blog is not private. And my grades for the semester?? Straight A's baby! In the two classes I found out percentages they were a 98% and a 97%- booyah! My classes were: Public speaking Cultural Geography Soccer- UGH! This teacher drove me CRAZY!!! Constantly canceled class without an email or note on the door!! English 2- This teacher was super nice! Also, on a weird note, she was the mother in law of the principal where Adam student teaches. Funny huh? And finally- Piano. I developed a "relationship" with the practice room. We laughed, cried, and occasionally "he" let me take a nap on the floor using my backpack as a pillow. It was not easy! There were many tears (by myself and the kids of course!) and many late nights turning papers in under the wire. Adam is in the credential program and at times I felt I was a single mom!!! Adam student teaches 30 minutes away at a middle school in the band program. Because we only have the one van, Adam carpools with four other teachers. He leaves at 6:30 am and comes home anywhere from the earliest at 1:30 (if he drives and its a minimum day) to 4:30 with the carpool. He then has night class for the credential program three nights a week and a meeting every other Monday. Add in both of our homework loads! Oyvey! It was busy! There were many "picnics" in Adam's night classrooms. In order for the kids to see Adam for the day, Adam and I would grab dinner, pick up the kids from preschool, then go eat dinner in Adam's classroom. One teacher was very understanding and always made sure the room was open half an hour earlier for us. He was so nice!! The kids and I had to learn to take the bus when Adam needed the car. The kids loved it because it meant no car seats but there were times I HATED it because the crazies on the bus. FYI- if you live in Chico- NEVER EVER EVER take the 15S!! This route goes by two homeless shelters and Walmart- NOT the best people take this bus... I have left this bus, burst into tears, and wanted to punch someone in the face. Why do I keep taking this stupid line?!? Well, it comes and leaves twice as often as my normal route. SO random-funny-bus-related-story-tangent :) One day I was hopping on the bus at the stop across the street from my place headed to my afternoon class. At the exact same time Adam pulled into our place from teaching for the day. We waved to each other like two ships passing in the night. It made me laugh at least :) Anywho! We are now on winter intermission waiting for school to start back again. Adam started back to student teaching and he is now taking over the classroom and doing the lessons.

Crazy school life!

School life is extremely busy but we are surviving. The kids miss Adam a lot because he is gone student teaching all day and has night classes for his credential 3 times a week. The kids LOVE preschool! All of their teachers are amazing and we haven't had a single problem! Their school is so awesome! The kids are learning to label emotions, gaining new friends, can count to 20, and are a TON more independent. The kids helped me study for map test of Africa- which the test suuuucked. On all our map tests we have to memorize all of the countries AND capitals of a given continent and then he just has us name 10 from each at his random choosing. The problem with Africa is that the capitals all sounded alike to me!

So we are still alive. The blog is suffering but most important, keeping up the house is suffering. Why is it so hard to keep a house clean when you aren't home often?! I need a maid...

Cupcake time!

I had to give a demonstration speech in my public speaking class. The first thing that popped into my head that wasn't about being a mom were these super awesome creative cupcakes.

I went crazy finding new kinds of cupcakes on Pinterest. It was a great outlet to make these! My class LOVED them! I wanted to speak earlier than last position so I bribed someone with their first choice of a cupcake... And then I wanted someone to move the table for me because I was wearing my heels. It.was.awesome.

Uhh Did I tell you we took the kids to the zoo this summer? I really don't remember and I don't see a post about it....

The kids and Adam on the carousel

Kiersten and Daddy looking at the giraffes.

Watching the tortoise move sloooowwwwwlllyyy. Well.... That was a quick update of the zoo...

Third Birthday!

Bradley and Kiersten turned three years old last month! It was the first week of school so we knew it was going to be super busy. Adam had about an hour from when he got home from student teaching to when he had to start his night class. We had a party in Modesto with my sisters and nephews (pictures to come when I get them from my sister) We got the kids their favorite dinner- Papa Murphies, then we picked up a cupcake each from B&N (free cupcake for kids for their birthday). We took them home, sang to them, opened gifts, and then Adam was out the door. Bradley got a tool kit set. As you can tell, he was SO EXCITED!!

Kiersten got Bambi, which by the way, is a super scary movie!!

Singing to the kids. They wanted to have a Dora and Diego cupcake. About a month ago while visiting Modesto, we found cupcakes in the bakery with little plastic heads of Dora, Boots, and Diego. Lucky for us, they forgot about them so they were so excited to see them!

Off to school.....

The kids are going to preschool this year! They are so grown up! The first two pictures are from orientation. They were so excited to go. On our list of things to bring with us had swim suits. Kiersten was so excited of the thought of going swimming with 20+ new friends.

Kiersten looks so grown up!

Bradley wasn't as excited but he still was ready for the adventure.