Happiest Place on Earth!

My mom came into town on Valentine's Night to help me for the week. I'm having surgury on Monday, so we wanted to have a little fun first before I turned into the patient. So Taylor played hookie from school on Friday and Eric and Curt took the day off and we went to the D-LAND! We had so much fun. We went to Disneyland first and hit all the rides we could, and then to California Adventure. (SpaceMountain, Buzz Light year-Brent's favorite, the Madderhorn, Toon Town- the parade, and then over to Soaring, Grizzly rapids, the jelly fish, the Boomer, etc. etc. We discovered that Brent was tall enough to ride the Matterhorn! It was his first rollercoster and he did great. He sat right in front of me with his hands covering his eyes the whole time. He said, 'Mommy, scared' a few times.







I kind of felt bad like we forced him into something he didn't want to do. Then when we rode the chip and dale roller coaster in toon town he wasn't very excited and then when we went to Pirates, and he was determined not to go. He was like a spider monkey attached to my midsection with his head buried into my chest. The rest of the day, we didn't push him and he had a great time. Taylor has no fear and goes on everything she's tall enough to ride on. She's waiting for the day until she's tall enough to go on Indiana Jones.
I think the parade is still my favorite part. I even love when the characters wave at me. Taylor and I look at each other and smile and think we are princess's too. (some of you might think I'm pathetic, but it's just magical for me) I love it. It was so fun!
My sister, Sarah and her family was also able to come into town for the weekend to see us and my mom. We had a great Sat/ Sunday together. I love my family. My mom is just like a sister to me, I wish Angie could have been here too.
They all went on Monday to the Living Desert while Eric took me for my surgury, and had a great time.
What a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a great day we had for HEART DAY! The young women came over last night for an activity of making cupcakes and Valentine hearts, so we were in the Valentine spirit a little early. I sent Taylor earlier in the week (trying to be on the ball) with her Valentines so she'd have them ready for the big day, and a little girl in her class told her she HAD to hand them out that day (Tues.)! So after a little talk of 'you don't have to do what your friends tell you to do.' We went to Target and bought a second round of Valentine's for her to hand out. Her classmates got lots of love from her this week.

Taylor had a heart healthy party at school for her Valentine Party so I was asked to bring heart shaped blueberry muffins for her class party. So the day before we had lots of fun baking lots and lots of blueberry muffins, some for her class and some for us. My mom was always so cute on holidays and had a little something for us. So following in her footsteps, Cupid came to our house Valentine morning and brought everyone a little something. Tay got a new little outfit, a new coloring book, some new crocks*, and lots of cute Valentine's from her Grandma's/ Great-Grandmas/ Cousins. She also got her cute Valentine bag from Grandma Mimi and Poppie to take her Valentine's to school in. Thanks Mimi and Poppie! Brent got an AquaDoodle, a coloring book and some crocks (*the target version) and Valentines. Eric got some new white church shirts and even Uncle Curt got a new tie from Cupid. We had a delicious Valentine breakfast in these ramekins I've been wanting to use. (I love the dollar section in Target!) I made egg souffles in them and they turned out so yummy! We also had the heart shaped blueberry muffins.
We also had a broker's caravan at our house that morning from 10-1. Since I was volunteering in Tay's classroom that morning we had to have our Valentine Family Breakfast, have the house perfect and everyone out of the house, with Valentines, muffins, and clean children in tow. Whew... I can't imagine if I worked and that was our morning every morning. It'd be so crazy. I'm probably a wimp. Brent went over to Brinley's to play and I had such a fun morning in Tay's classroom helping. Kindergarten is so magical. I'm so grateful for Tay's great teacher, Ms. Orduno. I'm sad she'll have to finish Kinder in another school.
We ran to Costco after Kindergarten and picking Brent up to get a few things before my mom came that night.
Curt was our babysitter for our Valentine's date. Can I just say I am the luckiest girl. Eric is so good at making things magical and memorable. He surprised me and took me to Jillian's. It's a restaurant tucked behind El Paseo in a old house that they've renovated into this quaint restaurant. It is his favorite restaurant, and I've never been before. He's only been there for work functions, so it was fun for me to go. We had the BEST dinner, delicious appetizers, lamb, lobster fettuccine, and mouth watering desserts. I'm still dreaming about the meal... and still having to work it off too. :)
After our amazing dinner we went to the airport and picked my mom up from the airport.
What a great day!

Happy Monday

Taylor didn't have school today. I think it's Martin Luther King's birthday, or something significant I just can't remember. But it was fun to have a little day off. We decided to go to the Living Desert and spend the morning. I left the house tidy, just as I usually do these days since we are selling it. But I didn't leave it "show ready," with all the lights on, the music playing, etc. etc. So as we were walking in the entrance I got a call from Curt saying a realtor called and wanted to show it in an hour. He was sweet and said that he'd moved some mail I had out and made Taylor's bed for me. When I told Taylor about the realtor, she looked at me with big eyes and said, "I didn't make my bed this morning." It was cute... I reassured her that Curt had done it for her. I told her we'd have to run home and she was devastated. I swear, selling this house is getting in the way of me trying to be a good mom. So I called the realtor hoping my phone wouldn't die, (I didn't charge it the night before) and asked if she could come in the afternoon. Whew... it all worked. We saw the giraffe's, the wild animal show, the butterfly exhibit and we were out of there just in time to get home to make the house perfect and leave again so they could see the house. We had so much fun. We haven't been to the living desert for a while and Brent is at a perfect age for LOVING all the animals and especially the big train. (The Living Desert is getting a Lion Exhibit soon.. big news. Tay was really excited)

We love our Uncle Curt

Eric's brother, Curt has been living with us since Christmas doing his internship with Marriott Vacation Club as a Marketing Executive during this winter semester. He's going to BYU Idaho and is graduating in business in December. He's been staying in our guest room and has his own little area of the house for privacy. We have loved having him here, especially with Eric still traveling and gone to orange county most of the week. It's so nice to go to sleep and know that I'm not the only adult in the house and even better, to have a priesthood holder just across the house. I sleep so much better. It's made Eric being gone more tolerable. Curt is so helpful around the house and the kids just love him. He very patient with them and even lets them climb in his bed and he'll upload their favorite Rascal Flatts 'Cars' video and they'll dance on his bed. (I'm sure a few of you are wondering if you have cute single sisters, yes, he's taken. He has an adorable girlfriend patiently waiting his return to Idaho)
We love you Uncle Curtie, thanks for being so great!

Crazy for Hannah Montana!

Taylor got to use her Hannah Montana Concert Movie tickets today that she got in her stocking on Christmas morning.
For any of you not familiar with Hannah Montana/ Miley Cirus, she is quite the phenomenon and the big hit right now. Even though Taylor is only 5 she really loves her. Her songs are quite cute, and innocent for the most part. We thought it would be fun to take her to the concert last summer when it was here in L.A. but tickets were impossible to get and I'm wasn't going to be crazy and pay through the nose to get them. So we thought the concert/movie was the perfect plan B. It was a mommy/ daughter date and we had so much fun. I didn't want to miss Pres. Hinckley's funeral broadcast that Saturday, so we got to the movie theatre only 15 minutes early. big mistake... We were lucky to get a seat. There weren't any two seats next to each other in the entire theatre, so Taylor sat on an end seat and I sat behind her and then moved into the aisle and sat next to her. It was so much fun and I loved it too. There was so much screaming in the theatre, you would have thought Miley was there in person, but the kids were so excited, it was really cute. Taylor and I sang to the words and she looked at me and asked me to be quite (she actually joked with me and said, 'mom, zip it," and laughed) the whole 'zip it lock it put it in your pocket' kindergarten phrase is coming to bite me back. I guess I was embrassing her... only she could sing along. oh what I have to look forward to.... :)
We did love our little girl date and even went and got our toes painted afterwards. I love my little girl.

A Great Tribute

I have to admit Glenn Beck is one of my favorite people. If you don't know him, he is a Policitcal Pundit/ Conservative Radio Talkshow host/ and now has his own TV show on CNN Headline News/ and Author. I love his take on things. He doesn't claim loyalty to a political side, but claims himself as a conservative/ a thinker/ and sometimes a rodeo clown. (he's also a comedian) So anyways, I listen to his radio program everyday, and when I miss it, I listen to the podcast later. Because I'm a Glenn Beck Insider, I have access to all his podcasts, etc. Anyways did I mention that I really like him. I'm hoping to visit his studio next time I go to NYC.
OK, I know I'm a geek. And Eric has even accused me of having a crush on him, which is not completely accurate, but has a little truth to it.
On Monday night he gave a great tribute to President Hinckley at the end of his show that was really touching. I just wanted to share. I thought it was really neat that he did this dedication on a live television show. (he is LDS by the way)

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/200/5127/?ck=1

I truly will miss our dear President Hinckley. I am grateful for his lifelong service to our church and to the Lord that he dedicated his life to. I know he and sweet Margarie are still making their rounds greeting and embracing the many people in heaven who are welcoming him home. Think how many people have had their temple work done because he dedicated and built so many temples here on earth. I hope that I can look to his wonderful example and strive to be better.

Tennis anyone?

Since soccer ended in December, Taylor has started Tennis lessons now and she is loving it. She is taking them over at the Tennis Center at the JW Marriott. (gotta love that even Tennis lessons have Associate Rates) :) There are only 4 girls in her little class, so it's a nice small group. It helps that her good friends, Emma and Claire Jones are in her same class. They have so much fun. The entire hour is full of games, games and more tennis games. The girls don't even realize they are actually learning tennis skills because they are having such a blast. All 4 girls where pink every week, and even their teacher wore pink today, they were so tickled. They are the cute pink tennis girls!

Brent needs a 2 and under class to join. He runs along side with them and when he gets away from me, he joins in their drills. He's actually really coordinated. We've learned to bring my racket for him to play with on the sidelines with me. Otherwise he's stealing everyone's elses racket and running for the loose balls.

It's Official....

We are moving. Yes, it's official. It has been in the works for the last few months. Marriott wants Eric in the Orange County office M-F. Since last March, he has been leaving Tues and coming back on Thurs, and then at his Shadow Ridge office on Mondays and Fridays. It is really a blessing for our family, it has been hard to have Dad gone during the week and we are excited to have him home every night. Wow, what will it be like to not have to get a babysitter to go to YW's, Enrichment or a girls night every once in a while? Although I do have to say it has been nice to have Eric's brother, Curt here to help out with the kids at night when I need him. He is living with us and doing his internship at the Marriott until April. So he will pack up with us and probably work out of the O.C. office also.
It is really so bittersweet... We love living in the desert. We love the friends we've made here, we love our ward, we love our house and yard. But we know this is an answer to our prayers so we can be a real family. I am grateful that Marriott is moving us out there... that means I don't have to box up anything. YEAH! And I'm grateful that they've made it so we can afford to live out there too. Yikes, yes the neighborhoods are great and all but it's expensive.
So if anyone knows anyone who wants a great house for a great price send them our way. (4 bedroom/ 3 bath, 2060 sq.ft. gated community/ quite neighborhood/ DSUSD schools/ lots of upgrades in the house: 4" baseboards throughout, new custom media center and cupboards in the family room, upgraded guest area with laminate wood floors, wainscoting, and beautiful custom tile guest shower/ bathroom) ... I can't say enough great things about my house. I'm sad to leave it.
If any of you have any suggestions on neighborhoods/ areas you know of in the O.C. that are nice, let us know. We have an idea where we want to be but it's not set in stone. We really like the Rancho Santa Margarita area. (It's just past Mission Viejo)
So now the fun begins... keeping the house spotless, for potential viewers. (I know the market is slow, so maybe they will be few an far between but I still have to have the house ready to show.) So I forsee many movies for the kids so I can make my vacuum lines while they sit on the couch. :)

2007 Gillis Christmas Movie

So for Christmas, we put together a little movie with all of our pictures from Christmas. Take a look and tell us what you think!

Go to: http://gallery.mac.com/ekgillis#100029

Or you can go to the Gillis Media Gallery on our links to the left and then click on the Movie. Hope you enjoy.

Sioux City Root Beer

This is good Root Beer, but lost a lot of points because it is an impersonator. It is a mix between Barq's and A&W. It has a lot of likability, but I am looking for a Root Beer that stands out on its own. There is a fine line with Sparkle and Smoothness. This is an argument in the family right now; can you have strong sparkle, yet still be smooth. I argue that you can. I have yet to find the perfect combination, but it has to exist. What are your thoughts? Do you have an opinion on this?

Smoothness:.......2
Rootness:..........2.7
Sparkle:.............4
Originality:.........1.5
Likability:..........3.5
Branding:...........3

Overall:............ 2.8

Mason's Root Beer

This was a pleasant surprise and one of the better Root Beers that we have had in the show down. It claims to have a keg brewed flavor, and I would have to agree with Mason's on this count. It had a great smoothness to it and a good root flavor as well. This would be a good ol' BBQ Root Beer that you could break out for the friends. Website: www.realsoda.com The score is as follows:

Smoothness:........4
Rootness:............3
Sparkle:..............3
Originality:.......2.9
Likability:........3.5
Branding:..........2.5

Overall:.............3.2

Baron's Boothill Sassparilla

Well, the packaging is nothing to right home about, but I guess it matches a Sassparilla. When testing this Root Beer, it just came up with very little taste to it. It was still better than the Abita we tested before this, but lacked some of the other characteristics I'm looking for, like rootness. This is a Root Beer you give to your kids or your in-laws to make them feel special because it's Root Beer in a bottle, but you feel good because you didn't have to waste the good stuff on people who wouldn't appreciate! So here is the score:

Smoothness:.........4
Rootness:..............1
Sparkle:..............2.5
Originality:.........3.5
Likability:...........2.5
Branding:.............2

Overall:..............2.6

Does she remind you of anybody?

Let's just say Taylor is going through a stage. At least I hope it is! My five year old is going on fifteen. We have arguments/ melt downs every morning about what she's wearing for school. AND her School has UNIFORMS. It should be easy but it's not. She will cry and say I have nothing to wear. I don't like that, I don't like this... etc. Which some mornings I'm patient with and we go over many options etc, and some mornings it just makes me mad and then I'm probably just sinking down to her level by arguing over a silly outfit. She's 5 shouldn't I be able to have some say in what she wears?
Well today I threw in the towel. To try to solve our dilemma last night I suggested that we pick her outfit out so we wouldn't be rushed the next morning. She then told me that when she's grown up she wants to be a fashion designer. (I didn't even know what a fashion designer was when I was 5!) So I let her put together her own 'masterpiece.' Being tired it didn't bother me too much, but in the morning I almost took back my promise, but I stayed strong and told her it looked great and she did a good job choosing. I don't ever remember my mom telling us we had to wear something (except something appropriate for church) And that's how kids express themselves... right? Well Eric and I thought there was a slight resemblance to a certain childhood TV star. So Taylor is our new little PUNKY. And we love her that way!

Abita Root Beer

Well, this is a Root Beer from Louisiana and made from pure Louisiana Sugar Cane. Katie, having been born in Louisiana, should have a little pride in the Root Beer. But from the mouth of a native she said, "this is low-income housing Root Beer, or the projects of Root Beer". With that said, this is a pretty terrible Root Beer. I wouldn't wish this upon my BYU friends. Here are the results:

Smoothness:.......1
Rootness:...........1
Sparkle:...........4.5
Originality:.........2
Likability:...........1
Branding:...........1

Overall:............1.8

Boylan Bottleworks Root Beer

Smoothness:......3
Rootness:.......2.5
Sparkle:..........4.5
Originality:........4
Likability:,,,,,,,,3.5
Branding:...........3

Overall:..........3.4

This was an interesting Root Beer. It had a good strong impact on first gulp because of the strength of the carbonation (sparkle). I felt that this was more of a creme soda than an actual Root Beer. It is made from pure cane sugar, so this would be the cause of the creaminess. I'm all for a good creamy Root Beer, but this was a sweet cream taste that I would get from a good cream soda. It was a good soda, but lacked the true characteristics of a good Root Beer.

Jackson Hole Soda Co: Buckin' Rootbeer

So this is the first Root Beer that I'm judging. You can review more sodas from this company on jhsodaco.com.

The Results:

Smoothness:.....5
Rootness:.........4
Sparkle:............3
Originality:.......3
Likability:.........4
Branding:......3.5

Overall: ........3.7

This was a pretty good Root Beer to start the showdown off. I tend to like a stronger Root Beer, meaning a little more carbonation. If this Root Beer had some more, it would have gotten a much better score. It is very smooth going down though. The branding was original, but they could have had a better picture. It still doesn't beat a cold Henry's.

The Root Beer Showdown

Well, I am going to share this blog with my lovely wife, I hope you don't mind some mindless banter. Several years ago, I professed over the pulpit while giving a talk in church that I have a fascination with Root Beer and I am on a never ending quest to find the perfect Root Beer. Having professed this infatuation in public, I now receive root beers from all over the country as gifts and tokens of friendship. Recently, I received a crate full of Root Beer from Creedence Anderson for helping him snag a room for his honeymoon. The Anderson family has been a major contributor to my Root Beer quest. Whenever they find a new and unusual Root Beer, they bring it home for me to test. I sure appreciate their help in this quest. So for the next month or so, I will be documenting and rating the 24 Root Beers that I just received. I have tried several of the ones I received, but their are quite a few new ones that I have not. I am rating each Root Beer on the following categories:

Smoothness: How it goes down
Rootness: How strong is the taste of the actual root
Sparkle: The level of carbonation
Originality: Does it have a different taste than the every day root beer
Likability: Does it have an overall likeness to it, this is obviously very subjective
Branding: How is the labeling and the name of the root beer
Overall: This is the overall score of the rootbeer and an average of the above scores

The scale is from 1-5; 5 being the highest score.

If you have suggestions on your favorite Root Beer, please let me know and I will test and rank it. Currently right now, my favorite is Henry Weinhardts Root Beer. Donations are always accepted! :)

Christmas Break

We have enjoyed our few weeks off of our normal routine of school, etc. Taylor is looking forward to starting school and Tennis this week. She is going to start a 6 week Tennis camp I guess you would call it. Eric and I have gotten into Tennis this past year, and subsequently she has started liking it also. We love to go to Fritz Burns Park in La Quinta on Monday nights for FHE and play tennis as a family. Soccer season is now over and it's nice for her to have something to look forward to. And a little exercise is always good.
Brent is talking more and more everyday. It's so fun to see his vocabulary increase so quickly. He loves to announce when someone walks into the room and joins the group. He's say, "Tays Home!" or "Daddy's home". It's so cute that he confuses the 'home' with actually 'here' but it's the same concept, right. He is just my snuggle bug. He loves to give numerous hugs during the day. He has a hard time when Taylor goes to school. He wears a backpack when we walk her into school. I think he's hoping I'll let him stay someday. So he plays with all the other kids on the playground, he climbs the stairs runs across the bridge, under the clubhouse and down the slide. There are like 7 kids on his heels doing the same thing. They all squeal and laugh, they just love him. And Taylor doesn't seem to mind sharing the attention (surprisingly). I think she's proud that he's her brother.
Taylor is learning to read and doing such a great job. She is just taking off with her sounding out of words and memorizing her sight words and numbers. She is reading Dick and Jane-like books and loving her new found skill. I'll be reading to her at night and she will point out the words on the page that she knows and she's so proud of herself.
I have to mention the cute thing she said on Christmas Eve when I was laying down with her to help her fall asleep. She turned to me and said, "Mom, these darn Sugar Plums keep dancing in my head, and Mom, I don't even know what Sugar Plums are!" It was so funny. I guess we read the Night before Christmas one too many times.

Some commentary on the pictures: We got a croquet set from Sarah and Chad for Christmas that we LOVE. Brent and Taylor have had so much fun, and so far, no broken windows. Taylor did break a mallet by throwing it on the ground because she was mad she missed a wicket ( for those of you unfamiliar with croquet jargon, that is the tunnel shaped wire the balls go through). I think we might need a little Anger management at our house.
We also enjoyed visiting with my sister Sarah and her daughter Audrey over break, so this is a picture of the cousins. ;)
What do you think? Does Brent need a hair cut or what?

Christmas in the Desert

So we had a fantastic Christmas week staying here in the Desert. Eric's parents came into town and stayed the week with us, along with his brother Curt and Grandparents from LA. Curt will be here for the next 3 months while he does an internship with Marriott. We are excited to have him around the house, and look forward to him babysitting! Hah Hah! We did a lot of the toursity things this week with Eric's parents in town, like the Tramway. If you have not done this, I highly suggest it. We got up early and got to the top around 9 am. When we got up there it was in the 10's and freezing. It warmed up a little, and we were able to hike around. Eric and his brother and dad have now planned a Gillis Boys hiking trip for the summer up in the San Jacinto Mountains. These were the same mountains that his dad grew up hiking. Well we had a great Christmas; Eric and I spoiled each other and got a new iMac, which is sooo great. I am looking forward to all the new things that I can do with it!! Well, Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope everyone travels safely through this time of year.