Our Trip to Disneyland

Disneyland is offering a free admission day on your birthday and I have to say what BRILLIANT marketing....we signed up our kids and decided for Alexis' b-day we would go as a family. We haven't been in a few years so we thought it would be fun. It was expected to rain and we were a little worried, but the weather held out for us and kept the crowds low. It was such a fun day. The kids are all getting so big that this was our first time without a stroller. We kept it in the car just in case, but only had to get it out the very end of the day! I forgot how much fun Disneyland is and the joy it brings to children.....

Alexis' 12th B-day

Alexis is 12...I just can't believe it. She is growing up so fast. She had her bestest girlfriends over for a outdoor sleepover (yes, in January) and they had an amazing time. They roasted marshmellows and drank hot cocoa. They were up until 1:00 in the tent watching movies and talking "boys".

I got a little teary eyed looking at my big girl who was just a little girl a short time ago. She is growing up to be such a beautiful young lady and I am so lucky to have her. She is such a sweetie and I am thankful for her every day!!!

25 Ridiculously unimportant things about me

I did this funny questionnaire on Facebook and thought I would post it out here too!!!

1. I met my hubby online at "Love@AOL.com" and have been married to him for almost 10 years
2. I Ice Skated from age 6 to 11 in Lake Arrowhead
3. I grew up in Running Springs CA
4. I would move to Colorado in a minute if my hubby liked the cold better
5. I traveled to Germany when I was 12....Loved it
6. I love Reality TV...ie. Survivor, Amazing Race, Real Housewives of the OC
7. I hate the ending of anything. I get choked up over the ending of anything...
8. I wish I could be a better friend to my friends...I feel like I am always letting them down
9. I love the Rah Rah of life. I especially love motivational speakers and conventions...I could go to a conference to sell Vaccumes and I would love the motivational speaker part!!!
10. I want to climb Mt. Whitney someday
11. I have gained and lost the same 20lbs 5 times over the last 5 years
12. I hate that there are people out there that don't like me...it bothers me and I just can't let it go
13. My hubby and I watch COPS on Saturday night and call it our "Date Night"...we love it
14. I dance in my kitchen when nobody is looking
15. My favorite movie is The Long Long Trailer with Desi Arnez and Lucielle Ball
16. I hate watching movies at home...to many other things to do!
17. I drink way to much Diet Coke...I have tried to quit...I just can't
18. I have never done any type of drugs
19. I have had 3 C-Sections
20. I want a Tattoo, but I am afriad of the pain!!!
21. I wish I had long hair
22. I have a cat named Tiger Lilly. We thought he was a girl, but turns out he is a boy...I think we have permenantly damaged him!
23. My dad used to call me Fred when I was a kid...I think he wanted a boy
24. My feet are VERY ticklish!
25. I love to eat wings with Christina and then go to the grocery store!

Merry Christmas!!!

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year! This year has been tough for a lot of families and the economy is rough, but santa was so good to our family and we have so much to be thankful for. We are so grateful for the support of our family and friends and all the love they show us!!

This year I focused on traditions with my kids. We followed many of our old Christmas traditions and made a few new ones this year. I am a sucker for family heir looms and this year my favorite Christmas gift was my Grandmothers nativity scene. I had read one of those "things about you" emails by my cousin in Texas and she mentioned having my grandma's nativity scene. I emailed her and asked her to send me a picture and she sent me the nativity scene. I was shocked to tears and so grateful. THANK YOU AMANDA!!!
As of today...the Chargers are in the playoffs....my hubby is beside himself happy. That is his Christmas miracle!
Andrew and Kiki were so excited for Christmas that they woke us up at 1:00am to open presents. I am not sure who went to see below the tree to see if Santa had come, but they were so excited that they could not go back to sleep. We told them we would get up at 6:00am and they played in Kiki's room until then. Alexis is getting to be a teenager and would have slept in much longer than 6:00 if we had let her...haha. The kids were all so tired on Christmas day!!! Kiki fell over on the couch asleep right before we were to leave for Poway to visit family there. It was hilarious.

We got the kids a Wii for Christmas. Christmas morning we sent them on a trail of clues to find the Wii. It was so fun to watch them run all over the house. The looks on their faces was priceless when they found what they were looking for. Our whole family loves the Wii. We have a great time with it.
I would just like to take a minute to thank each of you for loving our family and supporting us. We wish each of you only the best in the New Year!!!

Love the Hess'


Here are the kids looking at clues around the house for the "suprise gift" (Wii)
Andrew asked Santa for a Rip Stick!!!
Alexis asked Santa for a touch screen MP3 player!!!
Kiki asked Santa for a Wow Wee Lion cub
This year we drew names in our family and the kids got each other. Kiki got Andrew a set of army men and tanks...He loved it and played with it a ton that night!
Alexis and Kiki loved the gifts they got each other!
I made a traditional ham meal for my family. I have never cooked for that many people. It was so much fun!!!

Decorating our Christmas tree

The kids had a great time decorating the Christmas tree. Kiki drew the straw to put the Angel on top this year.









Rick and I laughed because what would we have done to get the big kids up there!!! Kiki is still so easy to lift that high!!!

Kiki's first school presentation!!!

Kiki did her first school presentation. She had to learn about family traditions. We picked our Irish heratige and she told of the candle in the window tradition. She made a posterboard and some Irish Soda Bread to share with her class. She did a GREAT job and learned a lot!!

Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating with family in Poway. The kids baked a cake and pie to enjoy. We stuffed ourselves and enjoyed seeing all our family!!




Michael (our nephew) is always wonderful to teach Andrew new moves to use on his friends (and Dad!!)


Alexis is wonderful with the little kids (Reghan our neice is pictured here with her)...she is the only big girl at family functions and I think we all love having her there to help us out....she is always so loving with the little kids!!!

And the little ones do get really wild when they are together...It is amazing how much Kiki (curly hair) and Jadyn (our neice in the long black hair) look alike (haha...they are 8 weeks apart in age and look totally opposite!! We always joke they are the "twins") Reghan (our neice, loves to get wild with the girls now too!! She is getting so big!!!


Baby Layne (our youngest neice) is getting so big and we all were saying how much she looks like Andrew!!



Nick carved the turkey for us to all enjoy (and Paula cooked it!! Thanks Paula)





And we all ate a LOT of food!!



We ended the evening getting some great family pics!!!





PS...NATE WAS THERE TOO!!!