I will post soon I swear!

So I haven't posted in almost 2 months I know! I also know that I've already blown my new year's resolution to blog more! I have a good excuse though...Jack broke our printer. Well, not the actual printer but the means to download pics anyway. He decided to jam a paper clip into the USB port where I normally insert my memory card with all the cool pictures that I post on here. So, be patient and hopefully next week I will have some amazing pictures and info to share! Just wanted to share in case some of you weren't sure I had fallen into the black hole or something. Stay tuned....

Our little skaters!

Today we had our first day of ice skating lessons! Haylee and Jack are in the "Baby Blades" and Kenzie is in her own big girl class. It was so fun to watch! Kenzie did amazing looking like a natural on the ice and Haylee and Jack did a lot of falling down!

Learning how to fall and get up correctly. I had no idea their was a right way to fall down and a right way to get up.

Jack getting on the ice! He was soooo excited but wondering where his hockey stick was. :-)

Practicing the falling down was key
So this is our new Mondays! We will see how long Jack lasts as he doesn't really like the falling down part. It seems like just yesterday it was AJ out there pushing around a chair and crying every time he fell down. I thought he would never get it!

Merry Christmas from the Sheridans!

I have totally neglected my blog and that is part of my New Year's resolution....to blog more! So, Thanksgiving came and went...my mom and I cooked up an awesome meal and Adam, Jenn and the girls came over.December started off with shopping and more shopping getting ready for the big day. McKenzie turned 5 and we celebrated with dinner @ Cheesecake Factory and Build-A-Bear. We tried to go see Santa but Jack wasn't having any part of him this year. My mom usually comes the day after Xmas and stays through the New Year but this year she came December 18th and stayed until December 26th. It was fun to have her here to get ready for Christmas versus after although we will miss her terribly on New Years eve. This year we did something we haven't done in about 4 years...we got a REAL tree! Since Jack is only 2, he's never known anything but our artificial tree so he was totally fascinated with it!Last week we took the little ones, aka Jack, McKenzie, and Haylee, to IrvinePark to ride the xmas train and ride the ponies. Here's where I would normally put a couple of great pics but for some reason I was unable to get them off my mom's camera. All kids rode the ponies and the train was really fun. Christmas eve we had Adam and Jenn and the girls over for prime rib dinner and the gift exchange.

After dinner we went to Saddleback for Christmas eve service and did our usual Christmas lights drive on the way home.

Christmas morning was awesome! The big gifts this year were Ipods, Uggs, Rock Band, XBox, scooters, and trains. AJ and Ali wanted cars but that wasn't happening :-)

Trying to Get to Turkey Day

I love this time of year! Our weather kinda starts to change which for us means that it's like in the 70's and 80's as opposed to the 90's and 100's, the kids are settling into their sports and I'm finally settling into the schedule that follows. This year, I think I've mentioned, is crazy! Lots going on and not enough cars or "me" to go around. Doug has taken on a new venture and is coaching a team that practices about 80 minutes away and most weekends around here are crazier than the weekdays.

This year our Thanksgiving will be hosted at our house as usual with our amazing cook...aka "Gammie" with her sidekick aka "me"! I'm hoping to try some new things along with the traditional things we have come to know and love. The Gorgonzola Broccoli dish is making my mouth water just thinking about it right now. And no Thanksgiving vacation would be complete without the hockey tournament for us to be running back and forth to which will be Ryan's this year. Unfortunately this year, Mark and Stacie and the kids will not be within driving distance to come over for the fun since moving to Florida. They will be missed!

As I type this post, I'm listening to AJ play XBox with some friends via "Live", Ali and her friend prep for a bonfire party tonight, and Ryan and Jack arguing about who knows what which always ends with Jack telling Ryan to "go away"...I'm tuning it all out to think of the things that I am thankful for this year. Here are my top 10 things that I am thankful for in no particular order:

#1: Less frequent ER visits

#2: Magic Erasers

#3: Car Insurance

#4: Red Wine

#5: Halloween candy

#6: my BFF because she gets an earful on a daily basis and comes back for more

#7: OxyClean and Bleach Pen (I love you both equally)

#8: my DVR for making my life so much more organized

#9: Target

#10: my family...if it weren't for all of you, I would have nothing to do but sit on the couch all day and eat ice cream

What are your top 10 and I hope we are one of them! Happy Thanksgiving! XOXO

Another Busy October

October started off pretty amazing with a trip up to Washington to visit Micah and family. Jack and I had a blast visiting and relaxing and enjoying the wonderful weather we miss down here in Southern CA! The second weekend in October was Ali and AJ's homecoming. AJ didn't go but Ali wouldn't miss it for the world. She went with a friend and those great purple heels didn't make it past the first hour and she ended up wearing her Vans. McKenzie and Haylee hung out with us for a whole day pretty much so I decided we needed to make some pumpkin cakes and decorate them. Messy but fun! AJ was a huge help since Ali was working....yes, she has a job now working at Aliso Viejo Ice Palace running the birthday parties.





Potty training my last child! ......not really but he will sit there and go in his diaper and read...I guess it's a start!

Today we went to the Irvine Park Pumpkin Patch with Adam, Jenn, and the girls. I had not been there since AJ, Ali and Ryan were about 7 and 2. The kids had a blast! Ali was again working (go Ali!) so for us it was just the boys.

Back to School! Back to my sanity!

We made it to the first day of school! As sad as my kids are to see summer go, I am definately one of those moms that by August is ready to be back into a routine. Maybe it's the constant taxiing or the 50 million sleepovers or just the fact that I am slightly...ok, more than slightly OCD and like things that are routine. I like my morning mocha while I watch the news and then having my time with Jack until he goes down for his nap and then taking my "me" time which is usually laundry or showering until the kids roll in around 3ish. This year is total chaos! The kids started school this past week and now that AJ and Ali are juniors, they had alot of their classes done and are able to not take a full days worth. So let me give you an example of what my typical day looks like:
6:20am AJ and Ali leave for school which starts @ 6:45...thank God for my neighbor Heidi who gracially takes them every morning
6:45am Get Ryan up so he can be out the door by 7:30...he rides his scooter
12:00pm Leave to pick up Ali from school
2:30pm Leave to pick up AJ from school and drop off Ali back at the school for cheer and ryan is usually getting home right about now
5:30 pm Pick up Ali from cheer practice at school

Now that is just my Monday. On all the other days of the week, they have "block" scheduling which means they only have 3 of their classes which also means that some days AJ is out with Ali and then somedays he's not. And on Wednesdays Ryan is out at 1:05. Oh, and did I mention that today AJ dropped his Trig class and now his schedule totally changed!
With all that said, believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to this year. Ali is on the Varsity Cheer team so that means going to Varsity Football and Basketball games (no offense to JV but they just aren't as exciting). AJ is playing on the Varsity Roller Hockey team and as of right now, Doug has been asked to head coach. Ryan started playing ice hockey for OC Hockey Club this year which is already proven to be much more exciting with a tournament already this past weekend. And then there's Jack. Back in June I bought that "My Baby Can Read" program and told myself that we would start once the kids were back in school. So far so good. It seems very mommy-friendly which I like and Jack seems to already be picking up on some of the words...we will keep everyone posted! Aside from that he is obsessed with shooting pucks in the garage and almost everyday wears some form of super hero garb. Most of the time it's the Superman cape my mom made for Ryan when he was little and he climbs up on the coffee table and tells me he can fly as he jumps onto the couch 100 times.
As for Doug, business is...well business. It's slowly but surely picking up and he's making some pretty positive moves towards merging with some big companies. I am so very proud to have such a hard working husband that at the end of a long day in this tough market, never says no" to a toddler that wants daddy to shoot pucks at him while he plays goalie.
My computer isn't cooperating with me lately but stay tuned for some great pics from our fun filled summer!

Guess who's getting their tonsils out tomorrow???