It has been too long since I last posted and and I have too many memories to get down and it feels overwhelming to try to catch up. I decided to re-cap 2018 and start fresh from there. Maybe one day I will have time to fill in the blanks of 2016-2017 but that will have to wait.
Rebecca, Alexis and Natalie started playing competitive soccer in the fall of '17 and haven't stopped since. Practice, games and tournaments are where you will find us most of our free time. I love it, Zach is getting used to it. Maile is a good sister fan and the three littles have found their "thing". I will support them as long as they love it.
Spring break this past year consisted of lots of outdoor time. We hiked, went to the lake and spent time with family. Best way to enjoy our week off of school.
Right before summer hit for Zach we ran down to Laguna Beach and Newport Beach for some family time in the sun. It is always fun when Zach gets to go on adventures with us.
July 4th is always my favorite holiday and this year started with a Breakfast and Parade with our church family. Next we headed to our traditional baseball field in Boulder City to watch the fireworks. Love the Red, White and Blue and patriotism displayed on this day!
Summer time is girls camp time and this year I got to be a tent Mom again for Lexi and Becca's first year at camp. Exhausting, spiritual and fulfilling are some words to describe our week at camp.
Shortly after camp we teamed up with our favorite traveling Texans, Ryker and BJ and headed to Park City. Aunt Lezlie, Uncle Kevin, and "the boys" gracious as ever, took us in for a few days. We ate good food, kayaked, paddle boarded, swam, and celebrated Maile's 13th birthday at the lake. We rented a wave runner and had a blast on the water. (well some of us, a few of us were a little scared).
Let's take a minute to talk about a small obsession we have acquired this past year. It all started with a recommendation from a friend. She reported not being able to stop listening to the Hamilton soundtrack and I am always game for new music. One afternoon I started playing it while we were driving and that music took hold of Natalie and held on tight as she became quite obsessed. So much so that I knew I had to take her to see the play when it came to the Smith Center here in Vegas. Tickets were not cheap or easy to obtain but I managed to score some cheaper seats on offerup. It was a magical night but we were sad Daddy and sisters didn't get to go with us. Well, they all decided they loved Hamilton just as much and needed to go too. The plan was that just Daddy and Big girls would go, but then of course Zach surprised Natalie and I with tickets to go again. I loved it even more the second time. It really is that good. The best part is the interest it sparked in my girls to learn more about our founding fathers and the creation of our country. Win, win.
We had a busy and fun summer. We always enjoy time with friends and family.
At the end of August Zach and I took a trip to Dayton, Ohio for the wedding of my cousin Andreis. It was a great wedding and Zach got to meet all the midwest part of my family. It was also a good opportunity for us to spend some hubby/wifey alone time together.
Labor Day weekend we decided to head up to the mountains to celebrate Rebecca, Alexis and Natalie's birthdays. Best part of the trip was to have my big girls teach me how to set up our tent. I was pretty impressed, they helped me set up the whole camp while Daddy was still working. For the rest of the weekend friends and family made their way up to spend some time with us. It was a great way to celebrate our special September birthday girls.
October was a fun month. In between soccer games, school performances and tournaments we managed to hit up the pumpkin patch and corn maze in Moapa. Natalie starred at Eliza Schyler for Halloween and I realized the big girls are just not that into dressing up anymore. We celebrated the newest addition to our family, little August who came just in time for the holidays.
November marked the end of an era. Zach's 30's came crashing to an end and he turned 40 on the 22nd. To celebrate what a hot and handsome 40 year old he is, we traveled to Cedar City for some fun with friends and family. We laughed our way through the weekend and I know Zach had a great time. It was the perfect start to the decade ahead!
There is no better way to spend Thanksgiving then surrounded by family. I love when the cousins get to spend days on end together. Park City was hit with the most beautiful snowstorm and the kids played in the snow every second we let them. I held baby August every second my sister would let me. It was a great trip!
Christmas time felt extra magical this year. It we really had a good holiday and the highlight was Zach's Dad spending the week with us after Christmas. Zach is just content when his Dad is around. Overall, 2018 was one of the busiest, most exhexhausing years yet. I am just plain tired and still trying to recover but as I look back at all the pictures of the year, I wouldn't have had changed anything for our family. It was a great year!!
