Just a kid comment for the day....

The boys were just eating breakfast and Jadon and Cole were pressuring Carter to pick a career for when he "grows up." Jadon then announces that when he grows up, he is going to open a restaurant. To which Carter follows, "when I grow up, I am going to open a present!"

Jadon's Walmart Commercial

Well, we finally found it on youtube. Actually, my aunt found it on youtube. Enjoy!

No time!

Okay, so did I mention that we changed agencies at the end of September? Our life had been sheer madness ever since because they are definitely doing their job. So, that is my very weak attempt at an apology for not posting sooner. That said, I am up early due to insomnia related to excitement over a couple potential jobs for the kids, which means I've got a few extra minutes to post here.

So briefly, we had a fantastic Thanksgiving spent up in Lake Arrowhead at with family whom we don't normally see for the holidays. My cousin came down from Colorado with her hubby and SIX kids so adding my three to the mix made for an LOUD and eventful holiday. I think the kids got some great memories out of it, which are sure to last a lifetime.

This past Tuesday Arnie had minor surgery to repair a hernia, so I've been taking care of four this week. He is doing great and recovering quickly. Additionally we had several auditions and callbacks and are very excited that Cole is once again "on-hold" to shoot a national ad AND all three boys are on-hold to shoot a different national ad together in the middle of January. Please cross your fingers for our little guys. This is the last hurdle before booking, but they could easily be released as well. One just never knows! The kids continue to enjoy their classes. Soccer is over, but gymnastics and religious school continue. Singing class in on a break until after the new year, but holy moly, do they like that class!

To close I'll so "funny things my kids say":

So last night in the middle of dinner Cole says "So guys, even though it is not a holiday, let's all go around the table and say what we are thankful for." That in itself was pretty cute, but what followed was even better. So Cole, in his best TV host style, let us know when it was each of our turns. Then it was his turn. He said, "I am thankful for my family and I am thankful that I am a boy and that I don't ever have to have a baby." LOL! I guess I really need to stop using "Baby Story" on TLC as background noise while I get stuff done around the house.

La Habra Children's Museum

A few weekends ago we went to the La Habra Children's museum with an old friend of mine from high school. It is a great kids museum if you ever find yourself out the way. We lucked out because it was Target FREE Saturday and they had all sorts of Halloween/pumpkin activities going on. It is so nice to get out and do things as a family.

Carter driving the real school bus. Of course, it doesn't run!

Carter making a butternut squash quesadilla with black bean sauce during the free cooking class.

Jadon and Cole helping to make a pumpkin smoothie during the cooking class.

Cheers!

Jadon painting a pumpkin.

Ivy's daughter painting a pumpkin. Carter was over the pumpkin painting pretty quickly.

Christmas in October for Jadon

Well, Jadon got a huge break this week and it paid off BIG time. He was booked as a back-up to another little boy for a Walmart commercial. Long story short, after two hours of shooting on the first day the producers didn't like what they were seeing. They reformatted the commercial, brought Jadon on to set, gave him all the lines of the other two boys who were supposed to be doing the commercial and sent those boys home. Jadon shot the whole commercial with his "sister" and had the time of his life. I think we got to see many of the most popular tricks in Hollywood on this set. He got to ride in a car and deliver lines while being pulled by a trailer with a camera crew riding on it with a police escort! The best though, was the snow. They brought in a huge truck that shaves ice and then shoots "snow" out of a giant hose. They literally covered someones yard with 2 feet of snow, built a huge snowman, Christmas lights...the works. Then "the family" got to have super fun having a snow ball fight, "making the snowman," and again Jadon got to be mic'd and deliver lines. It was really a wonderful two days. Moreover, in the gift opening scene they let Jadon and his sister keep the present...a Fisher Price portable DVD player! This is a toy commercial and should be out very soon given it is a Christmas spot. It should be aired nationally, so wherever you live (in the US) you should see it. Let us know if you do because we'll be looking for it too.

Okay...now back to the real world.

Jadon in the hair chair before the Christmas morning scene.

Jadon and his little sis watching a DVD while they wait to be called to set.

In the van on the road shooting the scene. We followed behind in a van in case the kids had any problems. We had pulled over here for a minute for the crew to check something.

Blowing snow. This equipment was amazing.

Still getting the house ready for the shoot.

The snowman on the monitor.

Snow ball fight on set.

One more shot of the scene being filmed. I couldn't get very close, so this was the best I could do.

Yom Kippur = ER (warning...a bit graphic)

Well, with 3 boys it was bound to happen, but did it have to happen on our holiest day of the year?

Our first trip to the ER:

Yesterday the boys were to stay home from school and go to children's services in the afternoon. I was awoken by Jadon screaming and running into our room with blood dripping from his forehead. Cole and he had been "playing" and Cole had pushed him off the bed with his feet. Jadon fell forward and hit his head on the dresser. It looked like a bad enough cut that it at least needed to be seen be a doctor, so I threw clothes on him and myself and off we went.

We got to the ER at 9am and they were ready to stitch him at 10am having commented that it was an uneven cut and against the natural grain of the skin. I decided to ask for a consult from the plastic surgeon. I swear the ER doctor and nurses hated me. I could see them rolling their eyes in the hall and pointing to their heads and discussing what a small cut it was. I felt like an idiot for having asked, but the cut was on his face and whatever scar that was left was going to be there for life. I was on the verge of tears, but sucked it up and stuck to my guns. The plastic surgeon came down around 11am and looked at it. He said that if he stitched it like the ER wanted to (by tying Jadon down) it would leave a bad scar because there was no way Jadon was going to keep his head still. Jadon told us this himself. So we had to consciously sedate him, but first the doctor had to go finish a case in the operating room. He said he'd be back in about 45 minutes. Two hours later (1pm), IV in, heart monitors on, pulseox on, blood pressure cuff on, we were ready to begin. The procedure didn't take more than 20 minutes...tops (I wasn't timing it). The doctor trimmed the edges of his cut to make them even and then put in about 5 stitches. Jadon had a hard time shaking the sedation. It was conscious sedation so he never really slept, just had a glazed over look and was out of it. He was very agitated when he started to come out of it. He screamed and cried and vommited a few times until they finally decided it was too much and gave him some anti-nausea meds. It took him two and a half hours to shake the sedation enough that he could walk without falling over and speak without slurred speech and then we finally got discharged at 4pm.

On one hand, I feel ridiculously guilty for asking for the plastics consult. If I had just let the ER do it we would have been out of there by 11am, he wouldn't have had sedation, and it probably would have saved me a ton of money. On the other hand, now I know his scar will be minimal, there was probably less psychological trauma by being sedated rather than tied down while they put lidocane in his head, and the plastics doctor was SO much nicer to him than the ER doctor. In retrospect, I think I made the right choice and I highly recommend that anyone who gets a cut to their face ask for a plastics consult. That doctor clearly knew how to make Jadon's head look as pretty as possible...the ER doc was just going to patch him up with little regard for the scar.

And so life continues here at the Sand houshold. Jadon has to have ice for 10 minutes off for 30 minutes for 72 hours while awake. The bandage should fall off on its own along with the stitches in about 5 day. We will go in for a follow-up with the surgeon sometime next week. In the meantime we prepare for some auditions and a possible commercial shoot for next week. Good thing his long curls cover the cut!

Finally, as a new addition to my blogging and totally copying my cousins idea I introduce "Funny Things My Kids Say."

Funny Things My Kids Say:
As we drove home from Yom Kippur dinner last night Jadon said, "Mom, what do you prefer, throw-up or poo poo?" I respond "poo poo." To which he responds, "Well then you'd better drive faster."

Rosh Hashanah

So Tuesday night my family minus one (Arnie was out of town) decided that before bed we would have some apples dipped in honey to celebrate the sweet new year (a Jewish tradition). Carter had put a bowl of applesauce on his head during dinner thanks to Jadon and Cole egging him on. I was in a hurry to get them served and into bed on time since they had school the next day. So I quickly dumped Carter into the bath and as the water was draining I encouraged him to get out quickly. I was met with protest. He loves his baths. So I said, "Carter we have to get out fast so that we have time to have apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah." That sufficed and he hopped out. As I was changing him he said, "Is she here yet?" Is who here yet, I asked. Carter's response: "Mrs. Shana." So then I had to explain that Rosh Hashana wasn't a person, but a holiday. He repeated: "She's not a person, she's a holiday." Okay...close enough. So we were all set to sit down and eat our apples. Carter was loving the honey, which he has never been allowed to have before (for those non-parent readers, honey often carries botulism spores harmful to young children). So I said, "Carter, do you know where honey comes from?" No answer. I say, "Bees make honey." Carter replies, "No they don't, Mrs. Shanah makes honey." Oh well...I guess we'll work on the whole "not a person" thing next year!

Questions

My good friend Eve got this idea to interview her kids from one of her friends. I decided to try it too. Thanks for the idea Eve!

1.What is something Mama always says to you?

Jadon – I love you.

Cole – You’re naughty.

Carter – I don’t know.

2. What makes Mama happy?

Jadon – Right when I came home from preschool, I gave you a little pretend thing of flowers. That made you super happy, didn’t it?

Cole – I love you mom, 95. (I have no idea what that number means.)

Carter – This (holds up one of my hair ties).

3. What makes Mama sad?

Jadon – When Carter runs away from you and I have to go and get him. It’s true!

Cole – I stepped on your puppy.

Carter – Pinching me.

4. How does Mama make you laugh?

Jadon – When you go "buzz, buzz, buzz" in that book. (It was "this little piggy" book so I tickle their toes).

Cole- Tickle me.

Carter – I don’t know.

5. How old is Mama?

Jadon- I don’t know.

Cole - 32

Carter – I don’t know.

6. How tall is Mama?

Jadon – Let’s see…as tall as me.

Cole – Really tall.

Carter – I don’t know.

7. What is Mama’s favorite thing to do?

Jadon – Do things on the computer.

Cole- Work on the computer.

Carter –I don’t know.

8. What does Mama do when you're not around?

Jadon – Help with Carter.

Cole – Uh, I don’t know.

Cater – The trash truck.

9. What is Mama really good at?

Jadon – Tickling.

Cole – Uh, working on the computer.

Carter – I don’t know.

10. What is Mama not so good at?

Jadon – Soccer.

Cole – Bowling.

Carter – I don’t know.

11. What is Mama’s job?

Jadon – Hmm that’s hard. I know dada’s job…not mama’s. I know…becoming a nurse, maybe.

Cole – Uh, to work.

Carter – I don’t know.

12. What is Mama’s favorite food?

Jadon – Turkey sandwich.

Cole – I don’t know.

Carter – Chicken soup.

13. What do you and Mama do together?

Jadon – Uh, go places.

Cole – Play.

Carter – I don’t know.

14. How do you know Mama loves you?

Jadon – Cause she kisses me, tickles me, rubs my back, and hugs me.

Cole – Uh, she loves me a lot.

Carter – I don’t know. How daddy loves me?

Well, this goes to show that I spend way too much time on the computer, but I think most of you knew that already!

Overdue!

So I've been reduced to a pile of nothing with the boys in school. I am officially just a taxi driver now and my free time seems even more sparse then it was when I was in the school.

Here is a brief synopsis of what we've been doing lately. 1) School M-F 8:45-12:15. 2) Gymnastics for all three boys 3) Singing for all three boys 4) Soccer for the big boys 5) Religious school for the big boys. And oh yeah...there is that acting thing that Jadon is so obsessed with too. After 5 meetings in two weeks we have finally chosen a new agent as of Wednesday night. So Thursday we were out on two feature film auditions and Friday we went to Malibu for a voice over for an animated feature film. Fingers crossed...we know he did well on the animated one and he and Carter together did well on another. Film auditioning is totally different than commercial, so we'll just sit and wait!

This coming Tuesday is Rosh Hashanah. Normally we'd go to my mom's house and have dinner and see family. This year my mom's house is having a little updating done and so we aren't going. Arnie will be out of town too. The kids have both Monday and Tuesday off from school. So, I can't believe I am saying this, but we may just do our normal Tuesday stuff (gymnastics for Carter, singing for all, soccer, and then maybe back for a make-up gymnastics class for Jadon and Cole). Sigh...that is of course if we don't have an audtion. ;)

Here is the latest product of our audition efforts. Jadon's KIA commercial discovered on youtube by another mom of an actor who I befriended at the shoot. As it turns out, they live in our area! Small world.

Kindergarten!

Well, it officially happened. Despite many tears and protests and a little fit throwing (all by me...I admit it) the boys started Kindergarten on Tuesday. They had a great first day. Nobody cried...except me. Even the principal was shocked by the ease with which the Kindergartens transitioned. So far I LOVE the school. Really, had this not been an option, I'm not sure there would have been a first day of Kindergarten for my boys. Their teachers are so nice (they have the afternoon K teacher and an aid in their class in addition to their teacher) and the entire staff at the school is so welcoming. You can drop the kids and run (valet service in fact) or you can come in and linger for the whole day. It is entirely up to the parent! Amazing. The transition was made easier by the fact that we were able to meet the boys' teacher weeks before school started and stopped by a few times leading up to the first day of school to "visit" and check out the progress of the classroom. I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this is a permanent situation...that my job will now be a shuttle service driver for the next 14 years...at least. I am also struggling with the loss of freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want to. That said, I am so excited to watch the boys learn and grow as individuals and I know that this is a good thing for them. I just can't believe we are already at this point in life. What happened to my babies?

Cole is ready to go. He's got 3 books and 2 snacks.

Goofy smiling Jadon.

Cole and Jadon with their Kindergarten teacher.

Exploring the classroom on the first day.

Wa Hoo! First day of school

Reading one of the books he brought from home.

The "Student Center," aka: the lobby in front of the hall to the classrooms. A gazillion parents ended up just hanging out here after school started along with the principal and the founder of the school. We were just taking it all in.

Four Kindergarten boys - best friends - two sets of twins, ready to start their first day of class together! How lucky they all are to have each other!

More fun!

Yesterday Jadon shot a small part in a music video for a Russian recording artist. It was shot later in the day at Venice beach so I brought all the kids and picked up Arnie at his office to help. Jadon's scene was almost cut because they were running out of sunlight. At the last minute they had to shoot it and it was so stressful. This seems to happen to us every time we are on a set. There is some sort of tremendous time pressure right at the end of the day (usually due to child labor laws regarding hours). You can see some pictures from our day below.

Today, Jadon and I went to the screening of the student film he just finished working on. The screening was held at the Warner Brothers Studios. It was Jadon's first time on a studio lot. He liked it and said he would LOVE to go to work there everyday. Of course! We saw the dressing rooms for the stars of Pushing Daisies, but since it was a Saturday and a holiday weekend to boot, we didn't actually see any stars. Due to the "highly sensitive" nature of the WB Studios, I could only take photos inside the screening room. I did manage to take a few others on the lot, but not many! While we were gone, the other boys went bowling with dad. Carter is finally old enough to truly enjoy it and apparently bowled a 62 (with help from dad). Cole and dad bowled a 213 game! I think, again, that that was probably mainly dad.

From a distance: Jadon's "set" being set up.

Jadon on set. His set teacher is behind him and to the left in the black hat. She was awesome! Probably one of the best teacher's we've ever had. Crazy fact: Set teachers in California must be dually credentialed to teach both elementary and junior high/high school!

Jadon is waiting for his turn, while the star (behind him in the white and silver dress) dances on the beach.

The star waiting for another take of her scene. Doesn't the guy running by her with the camera look like paparazzi?! He was with the crew. I have no idea why he was running like that.

Jadon prefers swimming to surfing...for now.

Hmmm...a duplicate...whoops!

Daddy and Carter hanging out and waiting for Jadon to shoot his scene. Hurry...the sun is going down! Note: It was probably 7pm when this photo was taken. Don't let the light fool you...it was getting dark fast.

Jadon and Cole pretending to surf. Carter is just oblivious!

Jadon built this sandcastle while he was waiting for his turn to shoot. It was a long wait. Either that or this is a prop made of foam with sand glued on it. You be the judge.

Jadon and the director of the student film, Daniella, meeting in the Warner Bros. parking lot while we wait for security clearance...on a holiday weekend...when nothing is taping.

Jadon in the screening room (beautiful) waiting for the films to start.

Jadon and his co-star hanging out outside after viewing their film. Not all films were appropriate for kids. Jadon is showing her his new book that Daniella gave him as a gift. She doesn't know it yet, but Daniella has one for her too!

Are they an item? She actually asked Jadon if he would marry her! It was very funny.

We brought flowers for Daniella. The kids hit her up for some. Those little turkeys! Note: Meeting new friends is one of Jadon's favorite parts of this business.

A photo I wasn't supposed to take with Jadon in front of the WB cafeteria (that was closed). I had to hurry so I didn't have time to mess with the plant shadows on his face...LOL! Note: The security at the studio was amazing! Guards everywhere.

What busy times!

Well, when May hit and the boys turned 5, a whole new world of opportunities opened up for them and I just couldn't help myself...I want them to try everything! So what have I done? In addition to them starting Kindergarten next week they are also taking singing, soccer, gymnastics, and a hip hop/break dancing class. Once soccer ends in November, the plan is to try karate and Jadon wants me to find him another acting class (the boys just finished one last weekend). Of course there is also the actual acting thing that has taken up an enormous amount of time lately! In addition to the jobs mentioned in the previous post, we just found out that Jadon booked a music video (foreign) that will shoot tomorrow. So much for our planned trip to Disneyland...good thing I don't tell the boys what the plans are for the day until the very last minute! He has now booked 4 jobs in two weeks. This is crazy!

Enjoy the collage of picture from the last several weeks!

Jadon playing at a local(ish) park with water equipment after seeing "Clifford's Big Movie" for free at a local theater as part of their summer movie series.

Carter enjoying the water park as well! Cole was hiding from the camera and doing his own thing (as usual).

Jadon on the first day of soccer practice. Mommy has since purchased shin gaurds and a ball for him.

Cole playing with friends on the first day of soccer practice.

Day 1 on the KIA set with friends. Come on guys....you can smile better than that! All three moms were trying to take pictures at the same time! Like Jadon's outfit??

Jadon before he was dressed for the day and his new friend, dressed and ready to go!

Day 2 on the KIA set: A real live Indian!! Really! Full Apache. Cool, huh? He was in the commercial too!

There were SO many people surrounding Jadon for every shot that I couldn't see him, so instead I took this really cool picture of him on the monitor.

The day 2 shoot was on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The tourists had to stop and watch everything that was going on. They thought a movie was being filmed!

Jadon and a friend on set waiting to do one of the last scenes of the day with the star of the commercial...the car.