MOVING ON

So, I made the leap and our family has moved on.......to TUMBLR. I encourage ALL of my friends/family to move their blog to Tumblr because it is the best ever. Just a few things to tell you about:

• There's a way to transfer your blog to Tumblr
• You can post a blog from your CELL PHONE without waiting to go home, upload pics and post. It's as easy as posting a picture on Facebook, but now everyone can have access to what you've shared without having to have an actual account. 
• It's the happy medium between Twitter and Blogger. 

Check out our new blog at
http://theyoungbergs.tumblr.com

Obvious Truth

Okay, maybe we I should address the big elephant in the room. Or maybe I can continue to ignore it and post once a month and pretend that is an acceptable rate of blogging. I can't really say not much has been going on, because we have been busy and there have been many photo opportunities to share. But, the fact that I am avoiding the blog world like it's a college paper is a bit bothersome. Here are a few thoughts on the subject (yes, I am blogging about why I am not blogging....and even making my excuses while using bullet points).

• I'm having a Tumblr vs. Blogger ordeal. And then I threw in this new one called Instagram and then Natalie threw back Google+ in my face. So now I am part of Blogger, Instagram, and Google+....awesome. I am still intrigued by Tumblr, but am a little intimidated. I need help. Tumblr seems cooler. Can everyone check it out and we can make a decision together? Come on, I think it will be a fun new adventure!
• We have been practicing for Nancy's driving test for the past few weeks. We even went to the DMV and followed a driver taking his test because we are sly like that. Thankfully, she passed with a near perfect score the first time and she is now my personal assistant! Muah ha ha ha. 
• I took the kids and dogs to Reno/Tahoe for the week and forgot my camera. To sum up, we had lots of fun in Tahoe, hanging out with the grandparents, and eating lots and lots of great food. This is also when I was introduced to Instagram and shared some cool photos....if you have an iPhone 4, YOU MUST DOWNLOAD THIS. It is the best thing ever and you can keep up with me even more!
• I have taken on more responsibility with work, which means I have been working from home quite a bit this summer. Again, doing not-so-fun work on the computer makes me NOT want to blog. 
• Tim is crazy busy with construction on his course. He's busier than I imagined he would be when he took on this new job.....we miss him. A lot. But we are managing and we are excited for the final product. Check out his awesome blog at http://miravistarenovation.blogspot.com/
• Is that enough to earn your forgiveness? I hope so because I am running out of excuses!!!

Noah's Promotion Ceremony

Noah had his promotion ceremony a few days weeks ago and he did such a great job! We can't believe how fast he's growing up, but we are doing our very best to enjoy every moment of it. His class did a little performance and they each received their promotion certificate at the very end. We are so proud of you Noah....we love you very much!

 Performing one of their many cute songs!

 Noah and his buddy getting into it!

Noah receiving his certificate! Great job!

1st Grade Performance

Sophie had her 1st grade music performance the other day. She did such a great job and was so animated and very into it! All the kids were adorable and we enjoyed watching every minute of it. So proud of you Sophie! Great job!

 Here she is belting out a song!

 Part of the 1st grade class

Giving Mommy a huge smile!

Family Time

Aunt Cricket and Uncle George came out to visit and we had a great time catching up with them! They were in the area vacationing and we were very excited to see them and have them meet Nancy. After showing them around Tim's course, we enjoyed a nice brunch in Berkeley and then met up later that evening for dinner. It is always so nice to see family.....here's a picture of them with the kiddies.

Updates in a Nutshell

I can't bore all of you with the chaos I like to call "life," but who really knew there was no such thing as overtime in parenting.....it's just ALL THE TIME. Anyway, we have been a busy family with softball season, birthdays, activities, and part-time jobs. I mean, I can't even schedule in a pedicure for myself....what is up with that? Thankfully, I might have one more week before flip-flop season might be here to stay. But until then, I'm rockin' half blue nail polish from Easter because that's how I roll.

• Nancy got a part-time job at the mall near our house. I think her employer doesn't understand child labor laws and Nancy is having a hard time asserting this to them. So, I think I just might be making an anonymous phone call to the Dept. of Labor and filing a complaint on their a$$. I don't encourage quitting, but let's be real here.....she still only has her permit and I am ready to throw my chauffeur cap out the window.
• Sophie is now pitching in softball. It's an entirely new level of worry where our measure of success is getting through the inning without INJURING any batters. She's doing great so far and absolutely loves it. Tim and I are doing our best to stay engaged during games that last longer than my college day double headers. 
• Tim's work is busier than ever. He is seriously burning the candle at both ends and I am just trying to make it to summer break before one of us has a breakdown. Thankfully, we are managing and getting through it, but let's not count the number of times I did NOT cook dinner last week. Let's not go there. Please. 
• Noah keeps insisting on growing. I don't understand how he can grow so much in such little time. The other day he was wearing pants that could easily be mistaken for capris. Unfortunately for him, the Urkel look is not a good one for him and I am in desperate need of warm weather to arrive so he can just wear his basketball shorts day in and day out. Until then, his ankles are enjoying the fresh air.
• I am busy with work creating the master schedule for next school year. With a school as large as a small college (2500 students), I am ready to pull my hair out.....or at least all the greys. It's a good challenge for me, but every once in a while I wonder who the hell agreed to do this in the first place. Oh...right.....I did.

Daddy's Birthday Weekend!

We celebrated Tim's birthday this weekend and in good 'ol Tim fashion, he wanted to do everything the kids wanted to do! So, we had lots of fun at Dave and Busters, ate lots of delicious goodies, and spent the weekend enjoying time with the kids. All in all, it was a wonderful birthday and we feel so lucky to have such a fun and loving husband and daddy! We love you!

Another visit from the Tooth Fairy!

After what seemed like weeks of a loose tooth, Sophie finally lost her front tooth! There were moments when I was tempted to just yank the thing out of her mouth, but I let it be and it dangled there for what seemed like forever. Here she is showing it off with her Auntie Michelle! So adorable and I love her cute little lisp!

Junior Prom 2011

Nancy had her Junior Prom this past weekend. She had a wonderful time and I counted my blessings she came home before curfew and safe and sound. Who knew Tim and I would be stressing over this event as early as we have, but we spent the last couple of weeks doing a lot of investigating, comparing, and maybe just a little bit of healthy threatening was thrown in there too. I had absolutely NO IDEA what a reasonable curfew time was.....all I knew was Nancy was NOT going to be "spending the night" at a friend's house. Because we all know nothing good happens from spending the night at a "friend's" house on prom night. Personally, I don't think anything good can possibly happen after midnight, but I loosened up a little knowing it was prom and we felt good about our decision.

So, right before prom, Tim and I had one last talk with Nancy.....allow me to summarize:

"You WILL be home by curfew."
"You WILL NOT drink or be with anyone who does. If I smell a drop of alcohol on you when you come home, you will have severe consequences (i.e. say good-bye to your car, phone, sunlight, and everything else that will give you any sort of freedom)."
----Insert a few more "WILL NOT" directives here.
and lastly, "Have a great time!"

Now that we have a teenager and pretty much just got our youngest out of diapers.....I am sad to inform all of you that we (meaning all parents) will NEVER sleep soundly again. Once they start going out, we start sleeping with one eye open. We watch the late news, we keep all phones next to us on the nightstand, and we never fully fall asleep until we know everyone is home safely in their beds. Thankfully, Nancy has a great head on her shoulders and also has great friends. She said prom was a very memorable and fun night and we are equally happy for her.

 Nancy and the girls getting ready at the house.

Easter 2011

We were so excited to have Grammy and Goppie with us to celebrate Easter this year! They came into town on Thursday and we were pretty much non-stop the entire time they were here! Between visiting the city and the Exploratorium, trips to the park, Easter service, the egg hunt and brunch at Tim's club, we had a fantastic time. As usual, the time spent with the grandparents went way too fast, but we truly did enjoy it and tried to make the most out of the time they were here. Here are a few pictures from the wonderful long weekend!

 Arriving at Tim's club on Easter Sunday....a little chilly that day, but it didn't dampen anyone's mood!

Sophie was soooo excited to start the Easter Egg hunt! Thankfully, the weather cooperated and they were still able to hold it outside!

 Here's Noah telling us how many he's found so far!

 Daddy and Sophie goofing around

 Sophia and Noah in their Easter attire.

 Nancy, Sophia, and Noah hanging out before brunch.

 Sophie and Nancy patiently waiting for the beautiful feast!

Unfortunately, Noah wanted NOTHING to do with the Easter Bunny. Sophie, on the other hand, practically wanted to take him home!

Tim's Big Day

Last night we attended Tim's Grand Opening of his new facility. It is finally complete and now the next phase of construction begins in a matter of days on the golf course. We arrived before 5pm and members started rolling in shortly after, walked around, and checked out the beautiful new place. I could tell Tim was a bit nervous, partly because he couldn't sit still but mostly because he told me he felt like throwing up!

After about an hour, the members gathered and Tim gave an incredible speech and introduced the kids and me to the membership. He is such a natural and so charismatic. No one would ever know he was nervous the way he spoke with such ease, cracked some very funny jokes, and kept the members engaged. In all honesty, I had all intentions of taking pictures during his speech, but I was too interested in what he had to say that I forgot! Needless to say, I was beaming with pride and admiration, and completely enjoying his moment. Seeing him in his element and witnessing the passion he has for what he does was such a great reminder of how lucky we are. Lucky that we have both found our calling; lucky that we both love what we do for a living and truly enjoy our careers. Sure, some days are good and some are bad, but last night was a great example and reminder for Tim that hard work can and does pay off. Congratulations Tim! What a great night!

 Members are beginning to arrive and check out the shop.

 Champagne, beer, and appetizers on hand.

 Speech time!

 Tim's office.....finally!

 Nancy and Sophie taking a rest.

Noah is ready for a real tractor!

Working it Out

Sophie and Noah are 6 and 4, which also means they argue CONSTANTLY. They love each other to death, but they can go from best friends playing happily together to WWIII in 2.5 seconds. Lately, when one of them comes to me and tattles, I typically start asking them questions like, "Really? S/He did that? What do you think I should tell her/him? (wait for response)....Hmmm. Well, that sounds pretty good. Why don't YOU tell her/him that?" And then they do....and then they get along for two more seconds and start fighting again. That's when I usually tell them to "Work it out." I really want them to quit bugging me about their petty arguments learn to express their feelings and develop some conflict resolution skills, but this recent conversation didn't work out so well:

Sophie and Noah are taking a bath and start arguing. They go back and forth for what seems like forever and finally Noah seeks some help.

Noah: DADDY! Sophie keeps bothering me and (fill in the blank with whatever annoying thing most kids do) 


Daddy: Okay, thanks Noah.


Sophie (to Noah): (smirking) How'd that work out for you, Noah?

Noah: (silent, but definitely ready to do something that would end with him in the corner)


Don't worry, though. I'm sure they were hugging and singing Kumbaya within moments after this interaction. Gotta love it.

Spring Break 2011

We had a great week off as a family and, naturally, it went by faster than ever! We spent most of the week in Reno hanging out, enjoying the snow, and I especially enjoyed quite a bit of retail therapy! I'm definitely not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow since it is typically one of the busiest times of the school year for me. But, I'm taking deep breaths and doing my best to have a positive attitude....it's not working. Let's just say the countdown has begun!!! Here's a few pics from our heavenly week:

We were home for a couple of days before leaving for our Reno trip. I made sure to keep the kids busy with crafts and friends!

 Sophie, with her bunny ears, and her good friend, Gracie.

 Taking a quick break from our drive to Tahoe. Took a few pictures with a view of the lake in the background.

 Noah smiling after dodging one of many snowballs thrown at him!

 Sophie getting ready to attack Daddy with a snowball!

Auntie Michelle and kids taking a quick breather so I could take a picture! Meanwhile, Daddy was busy making more snowballs!

Opening Day At-Bat

Okay, okay.....I know she's batting from the right side. We're working on it!

Opening Day 2011

The rain finally decided to take a break and we were able to get Sophie's first softball game in! She did fantastic and was excited to play with her friends again. This year, it's a little more exciting since the girls are no longer hitting off a tee, but are now hitting live pitching (from the coaches). Sophie did great and had two good hits! Go Dolphins!

Every Student Succeeding

Nancy was honored last night at the annual ACSA (Association of California School Administrators) Banquet. She received a very prestigious award known as "Every Student Succeeding." Students are nominated by their school principal for achieving great things despite the challenges they face. Nancy was one of five chosen in our large county and she was acknowledged as the scholarship winner for our region. It is quite a big deal and tonight she was recognized and celebrated among elementary and secondary principals, superintendents, and other educators. Such a special night for Nancy and we couldn't be more proud of her. Congratulations!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Leprechaun Poop?

This whole St. Patrick's Day thing is a new experience for me. I really only knew it as a religious holiday, but never really practiced the different spirited traditions:

Friend: Where's your St. Patrick's Day spirit?
Me: I don't know. What is that?
Friend: What? You don't know St. Patrick's Day? Where's your green? I get to pinch you!
Me: (WTH!) Ouch! Do I look Irish to you?

The rest of my childhood included the celebration of this holiday not just in church, but also in school and NEVER forgetting to wear green. And then adulthood came and it typically meant gathering with friends for a frosty beverage or two. But now that my children have learned they do have a little bit of Irish in them, it is a celebrated holiday in our household. Unfortunately, I knew NOTHING about this holiday other than the obvious stuff. I have researched on Google, Wikipedia, Food Network, and have come to trust some of my fabulous Irish Facebook friends. Thank you, fabulous Irish Facebook friends....you have taught me well.

So, now we are waist deep in this holiday, even though Tim thinks I'm crazy because Sophie and Noah have as much Irish as Tim's big toe. Nonetheless, I am learning. Leprechaun trap has been made (thanks for your help, Nancy), green breakfast is in process, and green lunch is packed:

Green celery with ranch, grapes, green jell-o, green Gatorade, and green cookies for a treat....oh, and her turkey and cheese roll-ups that have maintained their natural color.

I will not be trashing the trap and laying leprechaun poop everywhere (sorry, not that advanced). But we shall celebrate this wonderful feast day and learn a little more about the many cultures that make up our family. It's been a fun process learning and seeing the excitement in my kids' faces certainly makes it all worth it!

Out like a light!

One second the kid is talking non-stop trying to get my attention to help him on the computer....the next second he is conked out on Mommy's chair. So cute!

Softball Here She Comes!

I can't believe it's softball season already! We have had spurts of sunshine and have taken full advantage. Sophie is loving softball and so excited to hit the field with her teammates! I'm just as excited to cheer her on! Go Dolphins!

Phobias

Given my background in therapy, I have consulted with colleagues and am seriously debating whether or not I should submit some potential phobias to add to the list in the DSM-IV. I mean, Tim is a walking phenomenon of phobias and seems to fascinate me on a daily basis. I am still in the process of collecting important data, but I'll share the little bit I have so far:

Drawerphobia: This is known as a fear of closing drawers completely. This act should occur fairly frequently to be considered an actual phobia. Tim is sincerely fearful of closing a drawer ALL THE WAY. His underwear drawer, t-shirt drawer, junk drawer must always protrude even the slightest bit. It's almost like he's afraid his boxers can't breathe in there. But then again, maybe he thinks he actually does close his drawers because I'm an enabler and shut them for him every morning.

Clean-dishes-phobia: This is the fear of actually emptying a dishwasher. I worry often because Tim seems to have absolutely no problem loading the dishwasher and heck, I think he actually ENJOYS running the dishwasher. But emptying it? He shakes at the thought of it. His fear seems genuine because I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him actually empty the dishwasher. I know this because he seems to announce when he has emptied it.....like he's waiting for some sort of badge of courage.

Wheelophobia: Tim seems to have a serious fear about having more than one hand actually touching the steering wheel while driving. Driving over the summit, Berkeley hills, and any other winding road will be driven with one hand.....when observing, it's almost like he believes he will be electrocuted if both hands are ever caught on the steering wheel at the same time. 10 and 2 are NOT in his vocabulary. It's usually 5 OR 7, but NEVER both.

These are a few examples of the types of phobias I am considering submitting. After consulting with other spouses (all wives....coincidence?), they seem to observe the very same phobias in their husbands. Quite fascinating, no? I'll let you know what I find....stay tuned.

A Thousand Words

I'm not quite sure why, but this picture seems to symbolize the fact that my daughter is growing up way too fast. Who knew a towel turban could create so much heartache for me! Next thing you know, she'll be putting on make-up, wanting to highlight her hair, begging us for a car.......all of these crazy thoughts enter my head just from looking at this picture. No need to validate the fact that I'm nuts....I'm fully aware!

Happy Birthday Mama!

We wish we could be there with you to celebrate your birthday! Hope it's a great one and we can't wait to see you this weekend.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA! We love you!

Official

There's no doubt we have been functioning as a family of five for some time now, but I am so glad to announce that the courts have officially recognized us as a family of five!! Donna moved out last month as she is in college and hoping to gain her independence, so there was no need to go through the courts since she is an adult. We adore her and continue to keep in touch with her regularly. She will always be a part of our family.

But since Nancy is still a minor, we knew we wanted to make sure she was protected and cared for so the long process began with the courts. Finally, after several months, the judge gave her stamp of approval! We celebrated last night with a nice dinner and now I get to move forward and do even more paperwork with insurance, physicians, etc. It really is never-ending.......but gosh, it feels so good. We are feeling blessed beyond belief.

Updates

I think I would be a better blogger if I had 3-day weekends every week. For once, I am able to sit down and actually relax...we decided not to go out of town this weekend because of the crazy weather in Reno and I am feeling glad we laid low. My thoughts and updates in a nutshell:

• Nancy is learning to drive and I get to teach her...in my minivan...I understand this became my life.....but really? She's doing a good job so far and I have kept my cool.....relatively.
• Sophie started softball already...just in time for us to receive 5 inches of rain in less than a week. 
• Sophie's teacher sent out an email with ADDITIONAL optional worksheets to work on because some parents asked for more homework....who in the heck ARE these parents? What if I emailed and asked for LESS? Would she take away a few stacks? Whoever these parents are....I hate them.
• Noah was frustrated the other day and said, "Crap!" Unfortunately, I think I am the only one in the family that actually says that, so it's pretty clear who he got it from.....CRAP! 
• Tim's renovation at work is underway. So, thankfully, our schedule is now busier...because that is what we need in our lives!

Happy Birthday Uncle John!!!

So many birthdays! We wish we could be with Uncle John to help him celebrate his birthday! Noah said he would get him a tractor cake and green ice cream to match! We hope you had a fabulous birthday, Uncle John.......wishing only the very best for our favorite uncle! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday Auntie Michelle!

We had a fabulous Saturday! On top of it being my sister's birthday (Happy Birthday Michelle!), we had 80 degree weather and took full advantage by spending part of the day in the city, then the afternoon golfing, and finished it off with a yummy dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory! We also indulged in Kara's Cupcakes (using Michelle's birthday as yet another excuse to be bad!). Overall, a wonderful day and hopefully a very memorable one for my sis.

 Michelle fell in love with our Keurig coffee maker, so we decided to get her one for her big day!

 On the tee and ready to hit it down the middle!

 Jen was Michelle's chauffeur.

 Exploring Daddy's golf course.

 Noah mercilessly tackling Sophie to the ground!

 Happy birthday Auntie Michelle!

We were lucky enough to catch yet another gorgeous sunset at Tim's golf course. Such a great day!

Winnie the Pooh....or Monster

Tim thinks it's funny to run around the house and scare the kids while wearing a Winnie the Pooh pillow as a mask. Who knew Winnie had the potential to look creepy? Oh yeah, he can't see either, which makes it all the more fun to watch.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

I've held hundreds of conferences with parents, ran meetings with the PTSA, given presentations to parents about "how to be an involved, yet not an overbearing parent," but talk to me about attending my own child's conference and I get weak in the knees and start looking for the nearest can to puke in.

Today was Noah's very first parent-teacher conference (yes, even in pre-school) and I was extremely nervous. I shared this feeling with my husband who then got so annoyed with me he started to get anxious himself. We arrive just in time to have to wait (ugghh) because God forbid I am one second late to my slotted 15 minute conference. And when they say 15 minutes, they really mean it....not one second more. And if you're late....then tough cookies.

Once again, I was fretting over nothing. I was delighted to hear how well Noah is doing and was so glad someone else confirmed that he is a GENIUS. Okay, maybe the teacher didn't say that, but I most certainly walked away with that belief. I guess it's not that hard in pre-school......follow directions, clean up, listen during circle time, play nicely with others, recognize a few shapes and colors = super genius. And in this case, my little Noah! Tim and I walked away feeling very blessed knowing we have a happy and thriving son. We celebrated this evening with an ice cream cone! Great job, Noah!

Happy Birthday Dad and Nancy!!

Happy birthday Papa! Hope you have a great day with lots of good food and fun! Nancy also celebrated her birthday this past Friday, so we haven't stopped celebrating since Christmas!

Happy birthday to the both of you!