30. Little Army Men

Found a bunch of "little army men" in the closet, in the playroom. 

Decided to have a little fun 

and play around with depth of field.

29. Gloomy Day

Today was a gloomy kind of day. Cloudy, drizzling, even a few showers in the late morning and early afternoon. Anthony and the Canyon Country U12 Boys All Stars were playing in the Area 10S semi-finals; they lost 4-3, allowing 3 goals in the last period. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Tonight, Christina is starting "Production Week" for Escape Theatre and will have on-stage rehearsals every night this week. She is performing in "Peter Pan" as part of the ensemble cast and as "Nana" the dog. She is excited, I am worried... Worried that all these rehearsals, so late at night might be too much for her! I guess only time will tell! She is performing in three of the six shows: Friday morning, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Saturday evening show is the BIG one, where everyone is going to watch her.  Stay tuned for photos later...

28. New Hair Cut

I took the boys to get their hair cut this afternoon. They didn't need it that bad, but Anthony likes to "spike up" his hair and it was too long for that. Nicholas' hair is naturally curly and since he wears it longer, it tends to make "wings" on the sides when it's too long.
I also dropped off my backup camera to get repaired; Since we went to Florida, last summer, it has been misbehaving. Intermittently, it gives me the dreaded "Error 99".  I spoke to the camera repair guy and he explained that these errors are usually mechanical in nature and that in this case it looks like it's the recharging unit that is fried. His estimate: $159. This is the same camera that gave me some trouble  a couple of years ago. According to this guy, once a camera starts to have problems, it just keeps happening over and over again.  So, I guess, eventually I will have to replace it with a newer model!

27. Early Spring?

We have had some beautiful weather lately. Spring like weather! But we are only half way through Winter! I find it difficult to decide what to wear... Do I dress warm? Or do I dress for milder temperatures? I have adopted the "layered look". Making sure that I have more than one layer to peel off. Even mother nature seems to think that it's Spring time! These flower images were taken today, right in my front yard!

26. Free Time

This is Nicholas, doing what he does best: nothing. Actually, he is watching television while playing games, surfing the internet or texting, all on his cell phone. I don't blame him. After going to school, soccer practice everyday, and homework, there is very little time left to just relax. I am also proud of him for maintaining an "A" average with most of his classes being AP or Honors classes. So, on the rare days that he comes home with no homework, I just let him do... whatever this is!

25. Healthy Snack

When the kids come home, they are always starving. To hear them, you would think that they don't have lunch at school. So when they ask me what they can have for snack, I always tell them a fruit. But often time, that's not enough; Anthony and Nicholas are always hungry for something else and Christina just likes junk and sweets. So I let them have something else. It could be a granola bar, crackers with cheese, crackers with peanut butter, pretzels, and even sometimes I will pop a bag of Pop Corn. But when they have soccer practices at 5:30 PM, I try to limit what they eat so that they don't spoil their appetite, because on those days, we have an early dinner.  So a fruit smoothie is a great compromise. It's got fruits and frozen yogurt, and it is satisfying enough to hold them until we have dinner. And I found this wonderful Smoothie mix from Yoplait; It contains frozen fruits and frozen yogurt and you just add milk. Plus, at about $3.00 for one package which makes two smoothies, it's a pretty good deal!

24. Creature of Habit

Our other dog, Rocky, is a "creature of habit"; He must have an internal clock, because I swear, he always knows what time it is. He is the one that wakes me up every morning , between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AM. I take both dogs for a walk every morning, so right after breakfast, as soon as I put my dishes in the dishwasher, he lets me know that it's time to go. When the kids come home from school, he knows that Anthony will go outside in the backyard and play fetch with him so he becomes restless until he goes. Around 5:00 PM, he will start following me around, even "head-butting" me until I finally feed him. And finally, around 9:30 PM, he will come and see Allan or me and let us know that it's time to take him outside for potty one last time before going to bed. Even on the weekends, when we are not going through our regular routine, he knows what time it is! Sometimes, I wonder if this is our fault. Did we created this "creature of habit"? Or is he the one who keeps us on a schedule according to his own clock?

23. Six Years

Six years ago we moved into this house. 

It was a brand new house, with fresh paint, flooring, fixtures, etc.

Now the house is not new anymore, but it's comfortable and it's our home!

22. All Stars

Today was the second day of Area 10S All Stars. The Canyon Country U12 Boys only had one game against Castaic "B". They won their game easily 5-1 and therefore were ensured a second place in their Pool and a trip to the Semi Finals. Next week, they will play against Saugus "A" to determine who will advance to the Finals. If they win this game, they are assured to go to Bakersfield for the Sectionals. Anthony has been an All Stars for 4 years and this is probably the closest he has ever been to moving on to Sectionals. Nicholas was an All Stars for 3 years and the third year, his team made it to Sectionals. It is a fun experience but the competition is fierce at this level. If Anthony's current team makes it to Bakersfield, we don't expect to move on to State.

21. Dogs & Allergies

I think our old girl Catie has allergies; Every year, usually in the Spring time, she gets a runny nose, accompanied with a lot of sneezing. She also gets very itchy. It lasts a few weeks and then it passes. And right now, she has all the symptoms of allergies, even though it is only January. It could be because we've had Spring like weather for the past week... Or maybe she just caught a cold. Although, I'm not sure if dogs can catch the common cold. In any case, I hope she feels better soon, because her sneezing and itching is waking me up at night. Not to mention that her nose is all snotty, which is not very appealing!

20. High School Soccer

Today, I watched Nicholas and the Golden Valley Frosh team play against Hart High School. High School soccer is new to our family. And it's a learning experience... For example, the team lost two of their better players, one moved up to the JV team and the other to the Varsity. They also lost a player due to ineligibility (he couldn't make the grade requirement). We also gained other players who moved down from the JV team. It seems that every week, the team needs to make adjustments to the line up. And there is also injuries... I think that every player on the field has hurt himself during at least one of the games they have played so far. Nicholas pulled a muscle in his calf last week and today he twisted his ankle at the end of the game. They are only minor injuries but since they play 2 games every week, they don't have much time to recover. Despite all that, the GVHS Frosh team is doing pretty good with 2 wins, 1 tie and 1 loss, so far. Let's hope they continue to do well!

19. Remembering Lexi

Six and a half years ago, a client of mine past away... She would have been 11 years old this month. Lexi was a miracle baby; She was diagnosed with Holoprosencephaly, a congenital malformation of the brain. She had increased muscle tone making it difficult to move her body, arms and legs. She was dependent for everything, even eating. She also had seizure disorder which was difficult to control, even with medication. But she also had a beautiful smile, loved music and loved to be around others. She also had wonderful parents, willing to do anything for their little girl. Her mom was very crafty and would make jewelry to sell. She also made the best Salsa I have ever had! When Lexi passed, she made these beautiful bracelets for the therapists, teachers and people that touched Lexi's life. And the following January she called me to ask if I would wear the bracelet she made, on Lexi's birthday, to remember her. So every January, since then, I make sure to wear this bracelet in memory of Lexi, a very special little girl that touched my heart.

18. Pink & Pretty

During winter break, we re-arranged Christina's room; It was her idea and in return, she went through all her toys and put aside those she no longer plays with. We donated a lot of them to Goodwill and threw away the broken ones. She asked me to take down her poster of the Disney Princesses and she doesn't want her little table and chairs anymore. I guess she is growing up! But there are still a few things that reminds us that a 9 years old girl is sleeping in this room: Her stuffed animals, her favorite picture books, her American dolls...

17. California Cuties

Our family loves these little oranges; the kids call them "baby oranges". I remember them as "Christmas Oranges" because in Montreal, they were only available from Mid-November into January. I remember these little oranges being imported from Morocco and they were very popular in my home town. Their real name is Clementines or seedless mandarins. In the United States, they were first grown in Florida but in the year 2000, Sun Pacific and Paramount Citrus Association introduced the "Cuties". They are available from November to April, are very sweet, easy to peel and most importantly, seedless. Because of these reasons, it is the perfect kid - friendly snack!

16. Driving

This shot was taken at Central Park, last Friday evening, using the Hipstamatic iphone app.

Today was Martin Luther King's Day and the kids and myself had the day off. So we went to Mountasia to have a little fun. Since it was a beautiful day, I purchased the 3 hours unlimited pass for outdoor activities which includes: miniature golf, Go Karts, and Bumper Boats. They started with a round of miniature golf which amazingly didn't end up in a fight. Then, it was time for the Bumper Boats. After a few turns, they were getting pretty wet and decided to go for the Go Karts. The boys are tall enough to ride by themselves. But Christina is not, so I had to drive the Double Kart for her. I have to admit, I was a little scared at first; I don't like to feel out of control and the Go Karts don't have the best traction. Needless to say that I got passed plenty of times, to my daughter's disappointment. It was interesting to watch Nicholas and Anthony around the track; Nicholas is a responsible driver (very typical for him). He drives fast enough but does not take unnecessary risks and will only pass when it is safe. Anthony, on the other hand, is either clueless or fearless; not only does he drive fast, but he also tries to pass when it is completely unsafe and doesn't seem to care about the consequences. I witnessed my second born spinning out of control at least twice and he made me crash a couple of times when trying to pass me! If this is a glimpse of how they are going to be like when they get their driver's license, I am not looking forward to Anthony learning how to drive...

15. Soccer = Frienship

Anthony, Stephen, D.J., Dylan, Gianny, and Eric were all on the Canyon Country Crew last year.

Today was the beginning of All Stars for Area 10S, basically for Santa Clarita. Anthony is in the U12 Boys All Stars Team from Canyon Country. This is his fourth year playing as an All Stars. This is also his last... He will be playing Club Soccer next year, and there is no All Stars in Club. Along the years, he has made many friends; some are still on the team, others have moved on to Club already and some have moved away and are now playing for other Regions. Stephen Presiozo (in the orange jersey) was on Anthony's All Star Team and tournament team for the past 3 years, but moved away last summer and is now playing for Valencia. This morning, his team was the opposing team and the boys had a chance to reconnect.

14. More knitting

Finished Anthony's scarf today... 

Of course, we are having a heat wave right now! 

Almost 80 degrees here in Santa Clarita! 

So he won't be wearing it anytime soon. But it's finished anyways.

13. Cocoa Puffs Treats

This is a delicious treat made with Cocoa Puffs cereal, peanut butter and M&M's. It doesn't look nearly as good as it tastes. But believe me, everyone who tries them, loves them! This is actually a desert that I have to make from scratch... there is no pre-made mix for Cocoa Puffs Treats. I found this recipe in one of those recipe booklet from Betty Crocker that you find at the cash register of your super market, next to the magazines. It was in a section of the booklet titled: "From Kids with Love" and it is supposed to be a kid friendly recipe. I'm not so sure about that; It is pretty easy to make but it is quite messy. And you have to bring a mixture of corn syrup and sugar to boil, while stirring constantly. Not something I would let Christina or even one of the boys do without my help! But once the mixture has boiled, there is no more baking to be done. It takes a little bit longer to make than Rice Krispies Treats but it also tastes a lot better (or at least I think so!). So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup light corn syrup
-1 1/2 cup peanut butter
-6 cups Cocoa Puffs cereal
-1 1/2 cups M&M's

1. Spay or grease the bottom and sides of 13X9 inch pan. In 2 - quart saucepan, heat sugar and corn syrup to boiling over medium - high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted.

2. In extra - large bowl, stir cereal and peanut butter mixture with wooden spoon until cereal is evenly coated. Stir in 1 cup of the M&M's.

3. Press the cereal mixture in pan. Immediately sprinkle with remaining M&M's; press lightly with fingers. Let stand about 30 minutes or until cool. Cut into bars. Makes approximately 24 bars.

12. Twinkle Toes

I started this Project with a post about Nicholas being taller than me. But he is not the only one who has had a growth spurt; After Christmas, Christina went through all her shoes and told me that none of them fit her anymore! The only shoes she had left were her new soccer cleats (which we bought just before Christmas) and her boots (also bought just before the holidays). So yesterday, I took her shopping for shoes. We went to Payless since she obviously needed more than one pair! But there was a lot of negotiating done... She wanted slip on shoes I wanted tie up shoes. She had her heart set on a pair of canvas shoes (slip on) and I wanted her to chose a good pair of shoes with support! She liked high top shoes but again, they don't provide much support! So we compromised: She gets to pick 2 pairs of shoes that she likes as long as we get one pair of sneakers. These are the two pairs that she picked. Noticed the sparkling toes? Apparently it's the fashion these days. They are called Twinkle Toes and they are all over!

11. New Leash On Life

A few years back, Christina and myself decided to volunteer for a dog rescue called "New Leash On Life". Christina was constantly bugging me about getting another dog so, I figured if she could pet a few dogs each week it might satisfy her need to get a new dog.
We volunteered for a few months, walking, petting and playing with at least 3-4 dogs once a week. She got attached to a couple of them and it was hard for her when they were adopted. Then, things got busy and we stopped volunteering.
I kept in touch with the organization through Facebook and last Summer, they sent out a message to all their Volunteers (current and past) about getting involved with Social Media and writing Blog posts. So I volunteered myself. They asked me to create a Blog for their Lend A Paw program. So I did and I have been writing posts for them ever since.
Today, I went to "The Ranch", New Leash On Life's facility in Santa Clarita to photograph potential Lend A Paw "trainees". And just before I was leaving, one of the Staff took out this beautiful dog. He is only 11 months old and was "dumped" at "The Ranch" Sunday night. He was tied to the gate and left there with a note explaining that his owner could no longer take care of him. The poor dog was probably very cold given the low overnight temperatures we have had lately. Not to mention that he was probably very scared! NLOL is trying to contact the owner to make sure that he is really giving him up. If so, he will be put for adoption and I am pretty sure he will find a new family very quickly!

10. Bargain

As with most homes in Santa Clarita, we have hard water and therefore, hard water stains all over our dishes. Our glasses are probably the worse. Plus, our "drinkware" is comprised of left over glasses from 3 different sets and from plastic tumblers. Needless to say that it is time to get new ones!
So, when I saw these Tumblers in the clearance section at Target, I couldn't pass it up! Twelve Tumblers (16 oz) for the bargain price of $3.98! I was shocked! Are they even making money on these? Well, that's not my problem! So I bought two sets. Twelve for now and twelve for in the future, when half of them have disappeared or broke and the rest is so stained they look like white tumblers instead of clear ones.

9. Computer games

Christina is obsessed with a computer game called "Club Penguin". She will spend hours (if we let her) sitting in front of the monitor playing this game. I have watched her play and while it is not very educational, it is not a bad game; There is no violence, no bad language, no sex, and it protects against Internet Predators via chat filters and on-site staff who monitor online activity and chat. They even have a donation program called "Coins for Change" where the players can donate their coins to one of 5 Charity. The game is free to play but of course, if you pay the membership fee, you get extra "stuff".
Club Penguin is part of Disney and it's not only a Computer game. There are also Nintendo DS games and a Nintendo Wii game. There is all kinds of merchandise ranging from plush toys to card games and apparel. With every plush toys that you purchase, you get a code for the Computer game which gives you more "stuff".
The game has been around for a while; I remember a couple of years ago, Nicholas and Anthony were also playing. But it only lasted a few months and they gave it up for other video games.

Christina had not played for a long time. But when she started school in August, she started playing again on and off. Until Winter Break when she started playing pretty much everyday. I think it's because her little friend Destiny is into Club Penguin. They are both very cute... they will call each other and play at the same time while chatting on the phone!
I am amazed at what my 9 year old can do on the computer... And I guess it is because of games like Club Penguin. So even though it is not very educational, it does help master certain computer skills which will surely help her later in life.

8. Cherries

Picked up these cherries at our local Stater Bros. yesterday. They were on sale for a good price and looked pretty good. I thought that cherry season was in the summer. I guess it must be cherry season somewhere! Well, in any case, they are DELICIOUS!

7. Nerf Battle

When Nicholas was born, I told everyone that I would never buy a toy gun for any of my kids. And for the first few years of his life, I kept my word. But eventually, I had to give in. After all, water guns and "super soakers" are a lot of fun in the hot summer days. Not to mention "Bionicles", those Lego robots armed with all kinds of weapons, that both Nicholas and Anthony were so found of! Building these things kept them busy for hours at a time. How could I not buy those for them?

So when Nerf came out with these big guns that shoot Nerf darts, of course, both of them wanted to have one. Nicholas enjoyed playing with them but not nearly as much as Anthony; And for the past 4 years, that's all he wants for his birthday and for Christmas. Over the years, he has owned at least a dozens Nerf guns of all sizes and shapes. What can I say... It does not make him more aggressive.

And yesterday, as I was watching Nicholas, Anthony and his friend Nicolas play "Nerf Battle" outside, I realized that their game is more a game of strategy; Of course, they run around shooting each other. But they actually have rules and a goal! They each take up a corner of the front yard and each has a flag to protect. The ultimate goal is to steal the others' flags without getting "killed". It was interesting to watch each boy defend their flag: Nicholas built a wall with the Boogie boards to protect himself and his flag. But Anthony, was patient and waited until each player was far enough away from his flag. Then, he made a run for it and capture everyone else's flag. It was bold, but it worked. And in the end, Anthony was the "last man standing"!

6. Knitting

I used to knit all the time when I was living in Canada. I guess with long winters, knitting was a good pass time. I use to knit scarfs, mittens, but mostly sweaters. Even after I moved to California, I continued to knit. It kept my hands busy while I was watching television.
Then came the kids and all my energy vanished... Now, most of the time I fall asleep while watching television! But when Nicholas asked me if I could knit him a scarf, I couldn't say no. So we went to the craft store and bought some yarn and I started to knit... And all of a sudden, it came back to me; I really enjoy knitting! It's not just a pass time, it's something purposeful to do while resting. Especially when I am knitting for someone else. And of course, when Anthony asked me if I could knit him a scarf too, I immediately said yes and got started.
So I guess it is safe to say that you will see a picture of Anthony wearing his scarf on this Blog in the near future! 

5. Peanut Butter Blossoms

I love baking! But I am a cheater... I don't always bake from scratch. I take short cuts and my best friend is Betty Crocker!
Take these Peanut Butter Blossoms for example; On the back of the Hershey Kisses bag is the recipe. I probably have all the ingredients in my pantry and could surely follow the recipe. But, over the years, I found that sometimes, using cake mixes and pre-made cookie dough not only saves time but the result is usually just as delicious!
So, today, I did just that. I used the Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix and followed the instructions for Peanut Butter Blossoms on the bottom of the pouch. It was fast and easy and the cookies were ready to be baked before the oven was completely pre-heated!
And believe me, they taste as good, if not better than they look!

4. Music to my ear

Anthony received a guitar for his 7th birthday.  He took a group lesson (once a week for 8 weeks) a few months later and learned a few notes and chords. He couldn't play much of anything, but he liked it. So we found someone who would teach him how to play more than just a few bars from a child's lullaby, not knowing where it would take him.
At 9 years old, he started to learn to play the piano and he switched from an acoustic guitar to an electric guitar (thank you Ken for giving him yours!). He likes to play classical music on the piano and prefers Rock n' Roll on the guitar.
He also has learned how to compose a piece of music using a simple computer software called "Garage Band" and he enjoys that as much as playing video games. So it was not surprising when he started composing songs on the guitar and the piano. He even performed one of his own guitar composition at a concert before the holidays.
I have to be honest, I never thought that he would play for this long... I thought it was just a phase and that he would get tired of it. After all, he has to practice everyday, both instruments, just to continue to improve. And finding time to practice can be difficult with our busy schedule. But every morning, after having breakfast and taking his shower, he sits at the piano and starts playing. He will practice for about 30 minutes and will then continue practicing his guitar until it is time to go to school. The piano is on the loft, at the top of the stairs, right next to my bedroom and often time, I can hear him playing while I get ready for work. It's literally music to my ear... And I can't think of a better way to start my day!

3. Just like Montreal

Every morning, I go for a walk with the dogs and yesterday was no different... except for the snow! I have been living in Santa Clarita for 17 years and have never seen so much snow on the ground. So when I went for my morning walk with Rocky and Catie, I took my camera with me.

I have to say that being from Montreal, Canada, this is not my first "snow storm". In fact, as I was walking around my neighborhood, the scenery reminded me of Montreal after an early November snow fall. Not too much snow on the ground, but just enough to remind you that winter is here!

2. Snow in Santa Clarita!

Yesterday, January 2nd, 2011, snow fell at our home in Santa Clarita, CA. At first it didn't stay... it melted right away. But throughout the afternoon, as it kept coming down, the snow eventually started to accumulate. The kids enjoyed this very unusual winter storm and made the most out of it; they had a snowball fight, they tried tobogganing down the driveway and Christina even made a snowman!

We also took Rocky and Catie outside to see how they would react. Rocky was pretty excited but Catie was not impressed!

Allan took a bunch of video clips with my Flip and I, of course, took a bunch of photos. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Time Flies

This morning, when Nicholas came downstairs, I told Allan that it seems he (Nicholas) is getting taller. Allan asked him: "So, how tall are you now?" and Nicholas responded: "5 foot 8 inches".
I am 5'7" and didn't think that my oldest was already taller than me so Allan told us to stand back to back so we could measure...
As you can see, he is not only taller than me but passed me by at least an inch!
It is hard to believe that my 14 year old is already taller than me. It seems like yesterday when I was holding him in my arms for the first time. Time goes by too fast.
That's why I decided to start this 365 Project; one picture each day to help me remember everything that happens in one year. I am hoping I can go through with it and post everyday. One down, 364 to go!