Tuesday, August 11, 2009

PAAARRTTAAAY!!!

I absolutely LOVE the first day of school! The boys are excited to go. They get up and get ready for school before the crack of dawn. Even before scriptures begin. I need the schedule bad. They need the schedule. Our family functions so much better with a routine. Even if the routine seems to be a little crazy at times. I love cleaning up the kitchen knowing that nothing or noone will destroy it before 330p! Why this matters, I have no idea. I just feel less stressed. I love a little peace and quiet. I love that it's just Ryan and I hanging out. However, I do love when they come home from school. I love to hear about their day. I want to know everything...who they sat by at lunch, who they played with at recess.....and of course what they learned.

This year Brandon has started High School. I cannot believe I have a kid in high school. He is not even nervous, he doesn't have one friend in any class, but yet, he is excited. Seminary. He loves seminary. He came home from seminary and read 5 chapters in Mormon. Who does that? I love it!

Cameron has entered the 5th grade and is in a class with his 2 buddies. He has never been so happy to start school! He had to get glasses this year, but again he was very excited. Here he is on the first day of school with his buddies....
Michael was excited until we got to school...then he became extremely nervous. He told me he was going to throw up. We said another prayer and pushed on. Michael is so crazy and acts like nothing ever bothers him, but things really can. Here he is outside his classroom right before class started. I had to ask him about 10 times to smile before he actually did. Ryan and I are living happily ever after right here in the house. Getting back to the gym after being gone all summer, running errands and doing laundry. All with my little buddy. Preschool doesn't start for a couple of weeks. Next year, I will not be screaming PARTY! Next year I will be crying my eyeballs out as my baby will venture onto kindergarten. I will be on some kind of muscle relaxer I'm sure. It will be too much for me to handle.
Oh the joys and sorrows of being a Mom...I love it!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

FLAG FOOTBALL


So we signed up Mike and Cam for flag football this year. I thought Michael in all his aggressiveness would take the field over and dominate. He wasn't quite ready for that. To our surprise Cameron really got into it and did a great job....not that Michael didn't, he just wasn't as into it. :) Anyway, it was fun to watch them both play on the same team. What was not fun to watch was some of the coaches and parents screaming their guts out at these kids... C R A Z Y!!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

FINALLY!!

A few of my friends have now begged me to write a new post....no more hidden Mickeys! haha! I have really slacked in the Blog department. I have had so much to write about, yet no time to write.
I do need to go back to April when I attended Womens Conference with Andrea and Jen. Best trip EVER. Perfect company, perfect weather, perfect everything. Here we are with our friend Shawni who was working her booksigning there.
One of the best parts of the trip, besides the break I got from my kids and being spiritually and emotionally uplifted, was meeting Sis Elaine S. Dalton. She is the General YW President. She is incredible..a great speaker and very inspired. I felt like I was 14 yrs old when Andrea took my pic with her. But, seriously, she is Amazing.
Oh, I also need to jot down that Brandon and Robert attended the Priesthood Session of Conference this last April as well. They had an amazing time. Just the other day, Bran and I were talking and I asked him, "When do you remember a time where you know you felt the Spirit?" He quickly replied..."When the Prophet walked in the room at Conference." That brought me so much joy and tears....I will never forget that. I am so glad they had the opportunity to go. More to come...I have a ton to catch up on...

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Hidden Mickeys


So, my kids saw the last post, and said, "Mom, what about the Hidden Mickeys?" what is a Hidden Mickey you ask....A Hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey Mouse concealed in the design of a Disney attraction (ride, resort, etc...). Originally, it took the shape of a head and ears silhouette, , i.e. one large circle with two smaller circled on top in the appropriate place, but Hidden Mickeys can take on many forms.

In designing, constructing or adding the final touches to an attraction, Imagineers subtly "hide" Mickey Mouse silhouettes in plain sight. Soon, it became a tradition, and as the word spread, Disney fans everywhere went on the search for Hidden Mickeys in Disney movies and theme parks.

So, we heard about this, bought this book........
and made a game out of it....it was fun! Ryan actually got pretty good at it! I'm not gonna lie though....some of them you would never have found unless you had the book! Just look.....this is on the Astro Blasters ride...ya know the Buzz Lightyear ride.....

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Quick Trip

Randomly, I decided to take Cam, Mike and Ryan to Disneyland the week before spring break. I can't stand going to Disneyland when its crowded...so I pulled the boys out of school and took off with my sister after church last Sunday. My Mom joined us at the last minute. We had such a great time. I felt guilty leaving Brandon home but, it ended up working out great for everyone. Especially Robert who is NOT a big fan of the Magic Kingdom. Robert and Brandon had a great time together, they went to a youth fireside Sunday night and then out to dinner every night that week which was such a great bonding time for them. And, on the other end....Cameron and Michael had to hang out together, which doesn't happen so much when Brandon and their other friends are around. So, it was great for all.

Here is our TOP TEN MUST RIDE list;
1. Tower of Terror
2. California Screamin'
3. Space Mountain
4. Splash Mountain
5. Thunder Mountain
6. Midway Mania (see pic below :) )
7. Soarin' Over California
8. Astro Blasters (aka..Buzz Lightyear Ride)
9. Maliboomer
10. Matterhorn

It was a great trip!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Michael's Baptism


Michael has been so excited about his baptism. I love how my kids really have a desire to get baptized. Michael could not wait to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Michael has always had a love for church and the gospel. I really think it had a lot to do with his nursery teachers. (Thanks Kemptons) He loves church and he loves FHE. He loves learning from the scriptures and the stories in them. He retains everything he learns so well. I'm so grateful for his desire to learn the gospel.
His baptism day was so great! We had all of our family and close friends there. Quite of few of you all had already left when we took this picture,I feel bad about that...sorry. Funny thing about this picture. We asked this older gentleman to take this picture for us so we could all be in it..... turns out he was partially blind! So, we will just take this picture and be happy that we have it. haha!! I'm just so grateful for a loving, supportive family and close friends who shared this special day with us!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Incredible Weekend! (Catch-up Post #1)

So, I don't know, maybe I should actually write a post on this blog of ours! It seems like there is no time anymore! It is already the middle of February and I have not posted so much of our lives. So, over the next couple of days I vow to 'catch up'. Let's go back to December and our INCREDIBLE weekend.

Our neice Brittany got married in the San Diego Temple. It was an amazing couple of days we spent at my sister-in-laws home. As a family, we looked forward to this event. I got all the boys new suits and they were so excited to wear them. We drove over on Thursday and helped my SIL set up for the wedding reception in their beautiful home. They were married Friday at noon and it was such a beautiful sealing. Brittany was a gorgeous bride and Scott couldn't be more perfect for her. He just fits right into our family. Brittany is an incredible young woman. She was so prepared for this day, spiritually and really just so mature. The San Diego Temple is great, it has a little waiting room at the front of the Temple with a tv and church DVDs to watch. Our 4 boys watched Mr. Krugers Christmas and Legacy! That's how long they were in there!! Yikes! Cameron told me that the Temple worker came in to tell some other children they should try to be like these nice reverent boys (meaning our boys). Yeah, I know! Unbelievable! But, it just goes to show that the Temple is such a sacred place and our Heavenly Father's spirit dwells there. Once inside, my boys could feel that and were reverent and respectful of the House of the Lord. And...this might of helped too!
Here are some pics after Brit and Scott came out of the Temple.....




Here are some from the reception....Ryan and my neice Brinley were a definite attraction that night as they started out just sitting on the couch and then fell asleep..so cute!
This last picture is of Michael and Alyssa. Alyssa is such a cutie. She was one of Brittany's bridesmaids. Michael was INFATUATED (is that how you spell it?)with her! He followed her around like a stalker...hahaha! Anyway, turns out Alyssa is Ariel at Disneyland...she looks totally familiar to you now, huh?