A Schweitzer Life

January in iPhone Pics

2012-01-30T22:34:00.000-08:00

I took actual camera pictures one day this month. The first. Thank goodness I pull out my iPhone to take pictures daily so I at least have some recollection of what happened this month.

This month Alexis lost the very first tooth of all the girls. Boy oh boy was Maile ticked. Daddy offered to loosen one of hers up, she wasn't too keen on that. Alexis on the other hand was thrilled, especially since the tooth fairy pays well for the first tooth! I took this pic of her on a day she stayed home sick, the hair looks lovely!

Speaking of crazy hair, the school actually did something fun for the kids and had a crazy hair day. I like controlled crazy, so this was what we came up with.

Zach and I actually went out for a date night. We ate out and then ended up watching a movie on the couch...party animals I tell ya! It was nice spending time with the hubster and not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to feed kids...thanks Mom for taking the kids!

This month I decided each kid needs some serious one on one time so Maile got to go first and she jogged up the Mountain's Edge hill with me. According to her it was the best day ever...mission accomplished I would say.

Not sure this is possible but this month Natalie got cuter and more funny than ever. Man that girl is a hoot!

Last but not least if you have not been living in a hole that past month you have had to have seen the amazing sunrises and sunsets that we have been blessed with this month. And yes I can now say that I have watched the sunrise for 3 weeks now!

Hope everyone had a happy January!

New Years Eve

2012-01-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

Since Zach and I have been together New Years has always been pretty low key, usually getting together with friends and letting the kids run around and play. This year was no different, our friends brought their kids over, we grilled some food, did some leftover fireworks and sparklers from the 4th of July, had some dessert, did our New Years toast at about 10:45 and Zach and I were sound asleep by midnight.
Are we lame or what! The party part is fun and we really have been gearing these parties to our young children but the fact that someone calls at midnight and it wakes me up is pretty darn geriatric if you ask me. There is logic to this, we always are up pretty early on New Years day so we can get out to the mountains in enough time to get decent parking. The extra sleep is good but I am thinking next year we will just have to pull a card from our high school days and skip the sleep for a bit of excitement! We shall see how that works out! Anyhow here are some pics of our knee slapping good time!

Christmas...

2012-01-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

...it was here and now its gone, just the way I like it. I always have so much anticipation for the holiday season and I love the warm feelings I get during this season, but I always love when it is over .

Christmas eve we headed to my sisters where we celebrated with a full house of family and friends. The best part of the evening by far was the food, our traditional Italian spread was delish as usual.

By the end of the night my pretty girls were tired and ready to sleep and "Santa" got to work putting together the trampoline. (Never again, might I add)

Christmas day started nice and early. The girls loved their Santa presents spent the entire morning playing with Daddy on the tramp while Mommy got in a much needed nap.

That afternoon we headed to my Mom's for a huge Christmas dinner. It was so special getting to spend our first Christmas in my mom's new home.

The only part about Christmas that was missing was Zachary. He spent the Holiday with his Mom and her family in California. He had a good time and didn't mind coming home to a pile of presents to open!

Pretty December Weather

2011-12-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the park and it was absolutely beautiful outside. One reason I can stand living through our extremely hot summers is I know the winter will be mild and we will get to have days like we had today at the park. I met up with my sister and her kids and we tossed the football, played some soccer and just took in the outside air. Hopefully the weather stays nice like this for a while so we can go have some more fun at the park! The pics are from my iPhone so excuse the quality!

Is Santa Real?

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

My girls have been questioning the validity of Santa the past few weeks so we took a trip over to the Bass Pro shops to pay him a visit. Just when I thought I got them back to believing Santa breaks character right in front of my kids! He started talking about his kids to me and my kids sure looked puzzled. In the car on the way home Maile says "I didn't know Santa had kids?!" Apparently neither did I but I was able to throw them off by talking about North Pole Elementary School and how that must be where his kids go to school. Anyhow, with no help from Santa it seems I have little believers once again and hopefully all is well until they are a little older.

Natty Is 15 Months

2011-12-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

Well my little SILLY Natty is getting so big, I am a bit sad but everything she is doing right now is just so dang cute I cannot complain.
Right now Natalie is huge into imitating her big sisters. She knows how to push the stool to the sink to brush teeth, she sits and does homework with them, she wants them to help her accessorize, she knows how to throw a fit like them and the list goes on and on.
Over the past month or so Natalie has really started talking she has added be-beh for Becca, Bu for bus, uh oh, ya for yes and she is still signing please and all done.
Natalie currently has two top and two bottom teeth and is getting a few more random ones right now...a molar and one of the bottom ones next to the ones she already has.
Natalie who used to be my great eater had decided to be a bit more picky, she still will eat good but I can only feed her certain things now. Of course fruit is a favorite and she also loves soup.
There are some pretty cute things she does that I don't want to forget so I am going to get in down on this blog...
-Lately when I ask Nat to look at the camera she just scrunches up her face.
- If Natalie wants something on a counter she will get something for her to step up on.
- Natalie goes down the stairs on her butt in a worm like motion hitting the back of her head on every step...we really need to help her find a better way.
-Natalie likes to hoard her paci's...she had three when I got her from her nap today, one in her mouth and one in each hand.
-Natalie likes to wave hi to everybody we see at the school, and she likes to give random people hugs.
- Natalie is my exercise partner, she will get one of my three pound weights and lift it if she sees me doing it.
-Natalie loves to dance and sing. Any time she hears any music she is dancing and I caught her blah blah blahing along with the words too.
-Natalie is funny. She has some serious comedic timing and thinks she is pretty funny too. Out of all my kids I am pretty sure she was blessed with the best sense of humor. Ever since I can remember she has tried to make us laugh.

I am having so much fun spending time with Natalie while the girls are at school. I feel so fortunate to have her in our family, she was the perfect last child and everyone in this family is so thankful for what she has brought to our family!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T10:34:00.001-08:00

We spent this Thanksgiving with Zach's brother and his family. Nick and Rochelle cooked up a huge feast for us and it was very yummy! It was a nice evening and I missed seeing my family but it was nice not having to jump from location to location.

During the past few weeks surrounding Thanksgiving I have been trying to teach my kids how to express gratitude. I would ask them what they were grateful for and they would respond with something I would expect 6 and 5 year old to say. What is hard is trying to help them understand that it is not just the big things we need to be thankful for. This is defiantly going to have to be a work in progress and not one that we approach once a year, but every day.

I realize I must be the example and show much more gratitude in my everyday attitude, I know I spend way too much time stressing about silly stuff when I should just be thankful for all that I have which is so much!

I am thankful for my husband. Good times, bad times, I know he loves me no matter what and that is all that matters.

I am thankful for my children. They make me a better person each and every day. I love learning from them and I love teaching them and I only wish I could be on my A game for them everyday!

I am thankful for my family. Did I ever get lucky to have such supportive people to call my family. I am truly blessed for all they do.

I am thankful for my friends. I have amazing friends. Such strong, amazing moms who set such good examples for me everyday!

I am thankful for school. Not only do I love seeing my children learning I am also so grateful for the opportunity to go back to school myself.

Things are not always easy but by taking a minute to jot this stuff down, I realize just how lucky I am!

Proud

2011-11-16T20:46:00.001-08:00

My Mom has spent her entire life taking care of people. She is a giver and would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. A few years ago she decided that she was going back to school. Mind you she still had a full time job, was a full time Mom to my sister Samantha and still managed to fulfill all her Grandma duties of spoiling the Grandbabies. I am so amazed by her determination to finish and so proud that as of Monday she is officially an RN at UMC in the Labor and Delivery Department. I foresee many good things in the future for my Mom and she has been and still is who I look up to everyday!

In May my Aunt Susan threw my mom a huge party for her graduation and my sister's and I put together a pretty cool desert table for the occasion.

My Mom got exactly the job she wanted...it was worth the wait!!!

Halloween Festivities

2011-11-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

My four girls all dressed up in their costumes for the school trunk or treat. They were really excited to finally get to dress up, and of course get their first candy of the Halloween season.

Natalie was so stinking cute in her fairy costume. She was twirling around in circles, it was adorable!

Next was Trunk or Treat for our ward. I love seeing all the costumes that the kids are in, there are some seriously creative and talented women in the ward and they always impress with their costumes. It was a fun night except when Maile got lost. That was just scary, good thing for the awesome Missionaries who found her and brought her to us. She went to the car when she couldn't find us. Smart girl. Hopefully I will get some pictures of actual Halloween soon, I was in such a rush I forgot my camera, so now I just have to wait to get some from my mom and sister. To be continued....

Happy Baby

2011-10-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is the face of a happy, not teething, not sick Natalie. I miss this face. I hate teething and sickness. I miss my fun baby. I miss sleep too. Here's to hoping she feels better soon.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

We love the pumpkin patch. It is always a good time, I love seeing all the kids run around and have fun together. It is also fun looking back at previous years pumpkin patch pictures and seeing how our group has grown! I am pretty sure we are at a final count of 14 kids between our three families. Such a cute group of kids we have!

My kids know the drill. Sit for pictures, smile nice and then and only then will you get your ride tickets. It's a system that works pretty good, I am not allowed to ask them to be still for pictures after that. So all we get are the goofy ride pictures that Daddy takes a hundred of.

Natalie was loving the pumpkin patch. She was dancing, picking up pumpkins, riding the rides and of course waving to everyone! I am pretty sure Zach and I are smitten with this one right now!

Always a good time! And a post about the pumpkin patch wouldn't be complete without a shout out the Mommies who make all this fun happen year after year! Thank you ladies for always being game to have fun!

School Photos

2011-10-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

Maile

Alexis

Rebecca

Happy 30th Lezlie

2011-10-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl Lezlie, Me, Anna Bananna

My older sister turned 30 this year, very exciting except for the fact that it means I will be 30 next year. I got a chance to hang out with my sister two nights in a row first night to see a movie and the second night to hit up the town. I was really dreading going out, (don't really like dressing up right now) but of course I would do anything for my sister. So after a late, late dinner we went dancing/clubbing. It was fun even though I was so out of my element. Of course my sly sister sweet talked the bouncer and our whole group got in free and then to our surprise we got an impromptu concert by none other than LL Cool J himself. I am not a huge fan but my dear husband grew up listening to him so I knew I had to get some video for him. It was exciting, we happened to be at the right place at the right time and were in the front row of where the stage was. At one point he pointed to around where I was standing and told us to come on stage, I didn't want to but apparently he gets what he wants because the bouncer I was next to yanked me up with a bunch of other girls my baby sister included. Even though I really didn't want to be up there but I took advantage of the situation and after he was done performing I tapped on his shoulder got a hug and some video of me and him (all for Zach of course) :). Needless to say I had a really fun time with my two sisters and it was fun showing Zach the pics/video's of LL when we got home. He thought it was pretty cool even though I woke him up at 4 am. You probably won't catch me out at a club for a long time, if ever again, but I can say I love hanging out with my two sisters.

Me (dork), LL

Springs Preserve

2011-10-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

I just found these pictures on Zach's phone and am so glad he got some of this day. It was a rare day that daddy was home and able to do something fun with us. It was our first time at Springs Preserve and I had no idea all the fun stuff it had for kids to do. We had a really great time and the weather was perfect.

Grandma Fayeannette

2011-10-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Zach's mom was came down from Sacramento two weekends ago for a visit. The kids adore Grandma Faryeannette and she sure knows how to spoil them. Nothing like a trip to target to pick out a toy to get a bunch of kids excited! (9 kids...it was pretty crazy!) This trip I got to spend extra time with Grandma Faye and we really had fun together! We look forward to another Grandma visit, the kids love having her here and it brings Zach's brother and his family closer since they come over the whole time she is here. The kids were loving all the time they got to spend with their cousins.

2011-09-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

I have been longing for another cloudy day like this...

Birthday for Two!

2011-09-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Alexis and Rebecca had their 5th birthday about two weeks ago. On their actual birthday I took cupcakes into their lunch at school, we all went to the park and then Aunt Susan came over with presents and helped us sing happy birthday to the girls.

Friday was finally their PJ sleepover party that they have been asking for since last year. It was CrAzY with about 18 kids aged 1 year up to 12 but it was so much fun. We danced, played, ate tons of treats and then calmed down (kinda) and watched a movie while we waited for parents to come. The girls looked so happy the whole time that I am so glad we did it and I will say it went pretty well for having so many kids!

The Birthday Girls

Auntie Amanda, Auntie Sam, Paige, and Grandma (the best helpers ever!!)

The kids, Chloe, Alexis, Rebecca, Illiana, Seth, Alex, Aidan, Lennox, Natalie, Lailie, Jacob, Josie, Maile, Leila, Cooper and Urijah!

Party Time

2011-09-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Natalie had a small little family party last night and she sure had fun. She played and played with all her cousins, ate some bundt cake and opened some presents.

Happy Birthday Natalie

2011-09-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

It came and went in the blink of an eye. I can't believe my last baby is a one year old. I don't want to believe it but it is my reality. As sad as I am, I can say that she is becoming one of the cutest toddlers I know. She is a funny little girl, always trying to make us laugh making her funny faces and noises. She loves to be her own person, don't try to help her do anything! She loves to sit in things and loves playing with all the big kids. Natalie is a great eater and could be a better sleeper for sure, maybe one day! I am very excited for what Natalie has in store for us as she grows!

School!

2011-09-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

This past Monday I watched all my kids get a little bigger. Zachary off to 7th grade, Maile to first, Alexis and Rebecca to all day kindergarten. A new chapter in our life is starting and we are all really excited. I will be honest and say that the past year has been pretty hard, my patience level has been really low and I couldn't keep the twins busy enough to stay out of trouble. I can already tell that being in school is going to give them the stimulation they have been needing for a long time. It is also going to give the really worn out mama a much needed break! Everyone likes their teachers and so far we had a really good morning routine going. I am so excited to see what this year is going to bring us!!

Bee-U-tiful Day

2011-08-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

I am not going to lie. I am scared of bees and wasps. Really scared. So lets just say a couple of my friends and I pack up our kids and some lunch and head out for a little fresh air in the Mountains. The picnic area I have been to a few times before was closed so we chose a spot just barley off a hiking path nearby. We lay down some blankets, open our sandwiches and all of a sudden there are few bee's (or yellow jackets) flying around us. I didn't panic at first because I still thought they were the little things that look like bee's, you know the ones that fly funny but don't sting. Anyhow before you know it there were lots of them and they wanted our lunch. They were flying all around us and in our bags and on our food. Now me pretty darn scared, my kids pretty darn scared, Danielle pretty darn scared and lucky for us Chrissy, brave as can be. She pretty much saved the day and picked up all our stuff for us, took on hungry bee/wasp things and rescued all of our lunch. Now we thought we must have been near a hive so we chose another spot that seemed to be free of the pests. Well no such luck, they followed us there and then all the way to the car. I thought the day was ruined but we decided to eat in the car and then drove back down to the Mt. Charleston hotel where the kids got to run around, we got some pretty pictures and we only had to deal with a few bee/wasp things there. What I thought to be a spoiled afternoon turned into a pretty good time. Unfortunately I had my camera set all funky and didn't realize till half way through the day but I love these pics so I had to do some serious stuff to them to make them even light enough to see but I love them anyways. These kids have grown up together. I love seeing how big they all are getting and how much they enjoy each other when they are together.

Sunset

2011-08-16T21:47:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things is a pretty and colorful sunset. I have shared this love with my kids and if we happen to catch one I make sure to point it out and have everybody stop the usual chatter and drink in the beautiful colors. I thought it was time for the girls to get a better vantage point to see the sunset so we took a quick hike up the Mts. Edge hill. They loved it. Wind blowing in their faces, pretty pink sunset and big girl time with Mom. It was a quick moment but one I will remember for a long time.
The flash on my iPhone is pretty funky so everyone has crazy eyes My little sunset watching zombies.

California

2011-08-08T12:58:00.001-07:00

A few posts back I think I mentioned that I have really awesome Aunts. Well lucky for me my Aunt Lezlie lives down in Newport Beach. We got the chance to go visit California Aunt Lezlie for a week and the girls didn't want to leave. We had a blast swimming, going to the beach and hanging with my cousins. It was a relaxing week and I loved watching my kids enjoy themselves so much. I am so thankful that Aunt Lezlie and Uncle Kevin are so willing to have me and my four crazy girls come and stay. We really had a lot of fun and all my girls can talk about since we left is when we are going back!

Bellagio Garden

2011-08-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

We are all having so much fun meeting up with our friends for "Field Trip Friday." Even if we are having a boring week, we have had our Friday's this summer to look forward too. Two weeks ago it was at the Bellagio Gardens. It is so pretty but there isn't much to do besides look and get some cute pictures so we were in and out in half an hour.

My Sweet Maile

2011-07-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Maile is six! Life is speeding by and my baby girl is growing up. I am feeling a few emotions thinking about her, I am looking forward to all the exciting things that come with getting older but at the same time I wish time would stand still so I can keep her my baby forever.
At age six Maile is becoming my helper more and more. She helps me with Natalie and tries most of the time to teach Lexi and Becca how big girls behave. Maile loves to swim, she loves to dance, loves riding her bike, loves being silly, love her big brother and to wrestle around with him, loves to please Mama, and adores her Daddy. For Maile's Birthday Grandma, her sisters, her brother and I took her to lunch at her pick Metro Pizza. It was so nice sitting and reminiscing with my Mom about the day she was born. Such a scary but happy day for all of us. Maile was such a little fighter! Maybe that is why she is so stubborn now :) Later that evening we had all the family over for ice cream sundae's. Maile's told me she didn't want cake, just ice cream so we did our own little ice cream bar. Maile got everything she had been asking for and was especially excited to finally get her Happy Napper!

"Great"

2011-07-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly lucky to have such a big family and I am also so lucky for the love they show my kids. On this particular day "Great" Aunt Susan planned a whole day for the kids. First a very yummy lunch followed by an afternoon of making goodies. The kids each got to pick out a cake that they wanted to make and then they spent the afternoon baking and decorating away. They were so excited to have their own cakes and they turned out really cute! Thank you Aunt Susan for a really fun afternoon!

Summer Time

2011-07-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

We had our friends come over to BBQ and watch the USA World Cup Final and we had a lot of fun but unfortunately USA lost. It was pretty disappointing but they had a really good tournament and as usual are such good role models for little girls everywhere.

Saturday we drove out to Boulder City with some friends and started our day riding the Boulder City Train. It was a cute little ride, not going too fast, a perfect speed for Mommies with kids who want to look out over the edge. I am pretty sure Natalie enjoyed the ride the most out of my girls, she like the wind in her face and wanted me to stand so she can look over the rail. The older girls had fun hanging out and chatting with their friends. After the train we took the kids to A&W Root beer and got some lunch and of course root beer floats. After lunch we headed out to see good old Hoover Dam. I enjoyed seeing the new bridge and we got to walk out onto it. It provided a perfect view of the Dam and a good spot for more photo's. By this time all the kids were hot and tired so we knew they had enough. That is probably why when I asked the girls if they had a good day and they pretty much told me that looking at stuff is boring and they didn't even get to play. We had a good chat on the way home about being grateful for things we get to do and see. Hopefully they will look back in a couple of years and have good memories of the day.Friday was "field trip Friday" and we went bowling with friends. This day I had no complaints from the kiddies, it was bowling and then lunch at Burger King and then they got to play in the play thing. They played really hard and had lots of fun!

This was a fun day with just me and my girls. We had to go pick up our car from the shop at Carmax so I was trying to think of fun things to do in Henderson. That's when I thought of Ethel M. We got to go in and see where they make the chocolate, taste the chocolate and then we finished it off with some ice cream. All the girls were on their best behavior and I always love days that I spend with my girls.

10 Months

2011-07-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

-Natalie is my funniest baby, she is a mini comedian and knows how to make us laugh.

-If you ask her to "show me what you got" (poor English I know) she will open real wide and stick out her tongue.
-Natalie loves to play peek-a-boo and hide her face.

-Natalie will wave hi and bye and also claps her hands.

-Natalie screams for ice cream.

-Natalie will be walking before we know it, she took her first real good steps last night.

-Natalie is talking, her official first word is ma-ma and that was quickly replaced with ba-ba and a few times da-da and if she really wants something she will say ya-ya-ya-ya!!!

-So over baby food, she wants to eat chunky stuff so she eats toddler food or what we are having if it is soft enough. Her new love is watermelon, she screams for that too.

We are all in love with this girl, she is going to be pretty spoiled with all the love and attention she gets but that's okay at least for now :)

Back Yard Pool

2011-07-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

It's more like a puddle than a pool but the girls had fun sliding down into it. It was good old fun until a bee thought we put it out there for him....seriously like an hour after we went inside he was still hanging around it. Maile already got stung this summer and I am not looking for a repeat of that.

Independence Day

2011-07-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

I am proud to be an American. I am so thankful to live in The United States and to have the freedom to live my life the way I choose. I love to celebrate July 4th and I want my kids to love it too. We had an amazing day yesterday. We started our day off watching the Summerlin Parade, went home to rest and then had a BBQ at our house with some family and friends. We ended the day in Boulder City watching a SPECTACULAR firework show. I am never disappointed, it is seriously the best fireworks I have ever seen year after year. I love a day that my kids play so hard all day long that they pass out at the end of the night and I can just tell they just had the most fun ever. Those are really good days.

Hawaii Day Four

2011-06-22T10:24:00.001-07:00

This was our last day in Hawaii so we decided to go see some of the more historical areas. The history of Hawaii is very interesting and I am curious to learn more now that I have four little Hawaiian girls running around. We also drove around to our favorite areas, got some shave ice, watched some surfers, got rained on and then went to the airport. It was a quick four days but really feel like I got to see a ton of Hawaii. It is a beautiful place and I cannot wait to go back and take the kids to see it. I loved meeting all Zach's family and seeing the place he grew up in. It really was an awesome trip!!

Hawaii Day Three

2011-06-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Day three was Fathers Day and the family reunion. This is the first Fathers Day we have been able to be with Zach's Dad since Zach and I have been together. The beach was beautiful and Natalie loved playing in the sand and water. Just want to say thank you to Zach's Day for getting us to Hawaii and we had such a great time!!

Hawaii Day Two

2011-06-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Day two consisted of more touring the island and then in the evening we went to a Graduation party for Billy Boy, one of Zach's cousins. The party was huge and there were so many people to meet. Tons of Auntie's,Uncles and cousins that Zach has not seen in years. It was really fun to meet all of Zach's family. The party had Tahitian dancers, a fire dancer, and an Elvis impersonator who was actually one of Zach's cousins. We spent the night enjoying family and watching all the amazing entertainment.

Hawaii Day One

2011-06-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I finally got a chance to go to Hawaii and see where my hubby grew up. Zach's Dad flew us out so we could attend a family reunion for his family. Hawaii is as beautiful as I ever imagined. Day one we spent driving around Oahu seeing all the sights. The weather was sunny, then rainy, then overcast but it was all so pretty. I was just in awe of how gorgeous it all was. Natalie was a good little baby and also enjoyed all the things to look at!

Maile-Alexis-Rebecca

2011-05-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Over the past 8 months since Natalie has been born, these three girls have somewhat been neglected on my blog. Every other post is about the new thing Natalie is doing and I realized I don't want to forget what is going on with my big girls so here is a little end of the year (school year) recap. Maile- My big girl. Even though she is only 14 months older than her twin sisters she is much more mature at this point in time. She knows that helping Mommy is a much better idea than going against me and she is my eyes when I am not around. I can count on her to let me know when something is going down. Maile is doing well in school, she is finally getting a little more independent, she has even started walking into the school yard on her own...huge step for her! This year has been really good for her, she has lots of friends who like her even if she hasn't said a word to them all year. She is my super shy girl for sure. Maile loves getting kisses and can eat ice cream by the bucket, preferably chocolate. Maile still sleeps with her doggy and is happy that we moved her bed in with her sisters. Maile is such a sweet girl and I am so proud of her all the time!Alexis- I will always consider Alexis my most passionate child. When she feels an emotion it is never half way. If she is happy she is sweet, kind, helpful, funny and smart. If she is mad, she is knock down drag out mad. She will yell, scream, hit things, sass and be very defiant. No matter what though, we love our Lexi. I can no longer outsmart this girl, nothing gets past my Lexi. She is so ready for school next year we can both hardly wait, I am pretty sure if we get some time away from each other we will enjoy each other's company much more :) Right now Lexi loves to sing and dance, is always hungry and loves to be pretty. She will smile at herself in the mirror and always wants to see her photo after I take it. Love me some Lexi.Rebecca- My talker. She is talking all the time, half the time she is repeating herself because she never listens to my answer or can't hear the answer...that is something we need to look into for sure. Rebecca is my silly girl, my flighty girl, my picky eater, my itty bitty skinny girl and my sleeper girl. Rebecca loves to accessorize and then use extra hand movements to shake all the bling around. She loves to sing, has no censer yet (was practically yelling about the little person we saw at the store the other day), will kick her feet like a baby if she is upset, will be so cute if she is in a good mood and is a pretty good kid for always being sick. She too is ready for school too, she is a pleaser and loves all the teachers and parents at the school already. Becca Boo you are a cutie!

Fun Friday

2011-05-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the park to help celebrate a friends birthday and Natalie finally got to hang out with her little buddies. It was so cute seeing all of these little babies together and rather difficult to get them to all look up at once...just want to pinch all that cute baby chub!!Later that afternoon we got to go to Maile's school for the CrAzY CiRcUs. It was pretty fun, we saw all our friends and got to play lots of games. I love watching my kids during these kind of events, they get so excited and their different personalities really come out. Overall we had a busy and very fun day!

Tubes

2011-05-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Natalie got tubes put in her ear yesterday to help alleviate her chronic ear infections. The procedure was pretty short she was in and out in just a few minutes. My Aunt Susan is an RN at the Surgery Center and was able to be our nurse for the morning and that was awesome. Nothing like a little VIP treatment :) Not to mention I got to hang out with her and chat, that's always fun too. Over all Natalie is back to her normal self already, which is a good sign that everything went well. Hopefully now she will get some relief!

8 Months

2011-05-13T12:57:00.001-07:00

At 8 months old little Miss Natalie is still a busy little baby. She crawls, climbs, stands and gets into everything. She has been sampaling new food, she loves crunchy stuff and loves when we sneak her some sweet stuff.
Natalie is still not sleeping through the night and still thinks our bed belongs to her but I am hoping that now that she got her tubes in she will be more comfortable.
Natalie is also becoming more social, she like other people besides Mommy and I guess I can share her :) Love that baby girl sooo much!

Zachary's 12th Birthday

2011-05-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women in my life who have helped me become the mother I am today. I love each and everyone of you and appreciate all that I have learned by your example!

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Easter this year was really good. Had a wonderful time spending it with my family. Only one thing missing, Church. Really felt a need to get back to church after this weekend. I want my kids to know about our Savior and that Easter is about more than bunnies, eggs and candy. Its been too long. Hope everyone had a great day!

Eggs

2011-04-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

Staycation 2011

2011-04-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

This past week during spring break my mom decided she would treat the kids to a little staycation. She booked a room at the Red Rock Hotel for two nights and took the kids for a ton of fun. It was so much fun that I couldn't even stay away for long, even though my Mom had also intended it to be a break from the kids for me. The first night was check in, and the room was fabulous! Awesome view, huge comfy beds and not to mention a jacuzzi sized tub! After scouting out the room Mom ran off to school and I took the kids bowling. That was fun but the girls got lazy because they wouldn't let them use the ramp. After bowling it was dinner and hanging out in the room with Grandma and of course the girls had to test out the tub. Lots of fun, best part I got to leave with Natalie and go home!!Day two was super windy so the pool was not that much fun but Grandma and Auntie Sam took all the kids to see the movie Rio , then later after I left with Natalie they all went out to dinner at the buffet. Day three was pool day, the weather was finally nice enough to stay out there longer than a few minutes. We just lounged away while the kiddies got to play in the water. Everyone got to work on their tans and it was a lot of fun visiting with my mom and sisters. The kids are so lucky to have such a giving Grandma, she always thinks of fun things to do with them. I know they will always remember this awesome spring break!!

7 Months

2011-04-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Natalie turned 7 months this Wednesday and we celebrated at the Dr.'s office with a double ear infection. Poor baby girl just can't catch a break. It has been four in a row and now we are headed to an ENT and most likely she will need to have tubes put in her ears. I am not happy about another baby needing to go under anesthsia but if it will prevent her from having more infections or hearing loss it is worth it. Besides the ear issues Natalie is a pretty happy busy 7 month old. She started crawling a few weeks ago and has been exploring her space ever since. Just today she decided that she could stand up next to the stairs. Natalie is still waking up at night and even though she now has her own room, she still ends up with mommy most every night. It is hard to make a sick baby cry it out in her own room and I am a sucker for that baby girl! Other fun things are her finding her voice and yelling all the time, finally getting excited for daddy because she loves how he plays with her and how she loves seeing her siblings. Not so fun things is she has turned into a pincher, that girl gets me behind my arm every time I nurse her! Her fingers are like little tweezers and it hurts!

Super Baby

2011-04-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

I am so mad at myself for not running down stairs and grabbing my real camera. Now I all I have are blurry pictures but they are still cute. Natalie's big sisters thought it would be funny to put the cape on her and it was pretty cute. She didn't even care she just wore the thing and went about her busy business.

Surprise Date

2011-04-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Zach asked me to get a babysitter for Monday night and told me he had a surprise date planned. I am not one for surprises, I need details so I know how long we need a sitter, so I know what to wear, ect ect....but after bugging him for a bit and getting no answer I decided to just go with it and let him surprise me even though I was a tiny bit worried we would be spending the evening watching a fight of some sort or some annoying action movie. Turns out Zach got some tickets to see Girls Night Out, a big country shindig that honors the women in country music. It was AmAzInG!! Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, REBA, The Judds, Vince Gill, Jennifer Nettles, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Sarah Evans..I was in country music heaven AND I got to spend some much needed alone time with the hubbster, something we never get to do. It almost felt like we were dating again. I had a great night and it was the perfect start to another busy week.

LUCKY

2011-03-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure that I am the lucky one here. May not always seem like it but at the end of the day when it is quiet in the house I feel extremely lucky. We had a great St. Patty's Day this year just spending time with friends we are oh so lucky to have!

Six Months Old

2011-03-18T22:13:00.001-07:00

We did some fancy pics for Natalie at 6 months but this is just her hanging out everyday. Things I love about her right now are how she touches my face while nursing, she laughs so hard at Maile (only Maile), how she thinks our bed belongs to her, how she is already trying to escape the crib and most of all the slobbery kisses she gives all day long.

Park

2011-03-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

We love the park. If everyone is feeling good and the weather is nice, we want to be there for sure.

Quality Time

2011-03-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

I spend lots of time with my family, but not all of it is good quality time. What I mean by this is that all 7 of us were together, no kids were fighting, Daddy and Mommy were happy and we just had a good time. With so many attitudes and feelings to contend with on any given day I can assure you this time is hard to come by. It was a great day, we had a really fun lunch, and then came home and worked together to accomplish a task. It was a great day!

Thing 1 and 2

2011-03-10T23:02:00.001-08:00

I can say that these two beautiful girls, whom I love so dearly are teaching me a lot about myself. I have never in my entire life been pushed so close to the edge than I have been lately while dealing with them. I can appreciate and am very happy that both of my little twins have such strong wills, but it is not making it easy to parent them. I am hoping that this testing mom stage passes soon and we will find ourselves in calmer waters, but until then I am going to continue to persevere and cherish the moments that are good and continue to better myself in the bad. I took this picture in 2009 and I have always loved it.

Happy 1/2 birthday!

2011-03-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

At six months old Natalie is busy as ever. She is now sitting up on her own, she is crawling backwards and rocking on her knees trying so hard to get forward motion. She reaches for Mommy now when she wants me and she is attached to my hip. She is also a great eater, her favorites are Pears, Squash and Bananas and she really doesn't care for apples and peas. Natalie's personality is really shining, she is such a happy baby, that is unless she is getting frustrated at her toys, they sure make her mad especially if they are too big to get in her mouth. I will say it again just how blessed we are to have this little sweetie in our life. Oh and I want to give a shout out to Grandma Liza for taking these beautiful pictures!

Cousins

2011-02-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

Valentine

2011-02-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure I know who everyone's Valentine is in our house this year, it would be safe to say that we are all just smitten with our Natalie!

My Girls

2011-01-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

Love spending time with my girls.

Milestones

2011-01-18T13:08:00.001-08:00

Enter proud Mama...Ok, so my super smart and extremely advanced 4 month old (4 months and 12 days if you want to get technical) decided that she was just going to be awesome and impress everyone with her outstanding capabilities! So are there any collage scholarships available for rolling over?? Toy grasping?? Cereal Eating?? Oh did I mention she typed this??

My Many Resolutions

2011-01-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

I just had all the reasons why 2010 was such a difficult year all typed out and then I remembered that one of my resolutions was to be more positive so I decided not to rehash the last year! So my resolutions for 2011 are as follows....there are a lot so hang with me!

1. Be more positive...I have been feeling doom and gloom for a while now and I want to find the best in situations instead of the worst.
2. Be a better Mommy and stop yelling. I can admit that I did my share of yelling at my kids and I need to turn that around. I keep telling myself it is not working but I am a slow learner apparently!
3. Take time for me. I put everyone before myself and if I want to be able to accomplish all these great resolutions I need to become a priority.
4. Start living healthy. I don't want to just drop weight that hopefully with just be an added bonus but I want to learn to eat better and feed my family better. I want to get active daily and make sure the kids are too and do things that benefit our family's overall heath.
5. Go back to school...this looks like it will happen in the fall now, was hoping for spring but I just didn't get it all together in time!
6. Enjoy the hubby... we can certainly use a little hubby-wifey time alone this year. I have to make him a priority also so date nights here we come!
7. Go back to Church...I know that everything will be easier if we make room for our faith and I have been missing feeling the spirit so much.
8. Everything else I have been slacking on such as cleaning, saving, organizing, and just plain enjoying life!

I am really looking forward to this year and hopefully I will be able to stick to all of these resolutions.

Natalie is Four Months!

2011-01-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

At four months old Natalie has tasted rice cereal and likes it, she has officially found her hands and figured out that she can make them do things, she is trying very hard to roll from her back to her tummy, loves when Mommy talks on the phone (she thinks I am talking to her), still wakes up once a night and loves all her new toys. At four months old I am still just in love as I was the day she was born, even more so. She is a funny little baby and still has the most awesome head of hair!

Christmas Cheer!

2010-12-27T17:39:00.001-08:00

This holiday season came up super fast and I was really really unprepared this year. That being the case I wasn't very excited, more like dreading the whole thing. That was until we received some unexpected holiday cheer. For 10 nights a secret Santa delivered treats, gifts, a turkey! and most importantly the message of what Christmas is all about. Day by day I felt more and more of the spirit that comes with Christmas. It was so fun each day and the kids couldn't wait for the doorbell each evening. So whoever you are out there who was so generous, we thank you and appreciate you.

Christmas Eve we spent at my sister's home and enjoyed a great dinner and time with family. As usual my sweet children were spoiled rotten and brought home a gazillion new toys to play with. Natalie seemed to want to sleep rather than enjoy the festivities but she sure looked pretty all dressed up!

Christmas morning was just more toys and fun, and preparing a turkey dinner for Zach's family. We had another great day just hanging out with family. The holiday turned out great and we are so thankful for our families!!

Natalie is Three Months!

2010-12-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

Time needs to slow down now, this is all going too fast! Natalie is three months today and I am not ready for her to get any older. I absolutely love this age, all the smiles and the cooing. She is so sweet and even if she is crying it makes me smile. Natalie at three months is a tummy time pro, she loves her mobile, she loves to be talked to, she loves to coo, she has found her hand and can bring it to her mouth and suck her fingers, is still nursing great and will sleep 5 hour blocks for mama. We are so lucky to have such an amazing baby for our last, it is making this so enjoyable and I am so loving every single second!

Natalie is Two Months!

2010-11-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

Natalie is already getting too big, she started smiling at us around 7 weeks and quickly started cooing right after. She is a whopping 13 lbs already and loves to eat, so much so that she still wants to wake up 3 times a night to nurse. I love how she is spending more time awake and alert during the day she loves watching her crazy sisters! Natalie has been such an easy baby hardly ever crying, even during a long weekend away from home! We really are lucky to have this little cutie in our home!

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't love an early Christmas present? Especially if it involved a little place I like to call Disneyland. My Mom who is just awesome decided to make her Christmas shopping easy and take all her kids and grand kids to the happiest place on earth for our gifts this year. It was soo much fun and I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with my Mom, sisters and their families.

Day One
We went up a day early and got to spend some time at the beach which was so beautiful. I loved going to California ever since I was a little girl because we always got to go to the beach and hang out with my Aunt Lezlie. It is so fun getting to see my kids get to experience the same fun I always had...they adore "California Aunt Lezlie!" So it was Natalie's introduction to the beach and Alexis broke her in by throwing a nice handful of sand in her face. Thank goodness she was asleep by that time and so her eyes and mouth were closed. Other than sand in the face I am pretty sure she enjoyed the beach, if nursing is her favorite thing to do than doing it on the beach is a double bonus! My three older rascals took a minute to get used to the sand and seaweed but were over it in an instant and ended up soaking themselves in the water. Who said swimsuits were needed at the beach? Zachary also had a good time hanging out with my cousin who is pretty close to him in age.

Day Two

Disneyland...Costumes...Trick or Treating....pretty much the best day ever! We spent most of the day riding rides and just enjoying seeing the kids have soo much fun. Before I had kids I never knew why so many adults were sooo obsessed with Disney. Well now that I have kids I too am obsessed, its hard not to when you see how much fun they have! It was such a great day with my family!Right after Disneyland we checked into our hotel then went back to my Aunt's house for some trick or treating. By that time I was exhausted and was pretty sure my kids were going to crash, but amazingly they were fine and had a blast trick or treating with all their cousins! Day Three

Back to Disneyland for one more day! This day was more relaxed we didn't end up riding on too many rides, if you ask Maile she will tell you "only FOUR" if you want to be exact but we did get a chance to eat a really good all you can eat BBQ lunch in frontier land. Zachary pretty much ditched us and the young kids to have some tween fun with my little sister and my cousins. He had soooo much fun riding all the big kid rides and not having to deal with his parents. A big thanks to my Aunt Susan and Aunt Lezlie for taking them around. Overall the day was great and Grandma took all the little kids back to the hotel for a slumber party and the hubby, my older sister and her husband all got a chance to go back and ride some adult rides. That was the best, and I decided I could use a healthy dose of adrenaline everyday if only I had a roller coaster or a free fall in my back yard!

One Month Old

2010-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by and Natalie is already one month old. I have really loved this month just hanging out and snuggling my baby..Zach says I am spoiling her but she is my first baby that I got to bring home and the last baby I will ever have so I am going to enjoy every minute no matter what. She really has such a sweet disposition, hardly ever crying and she just sleeps the day away. I am totally and completely in love even if I am getting very little sleep!

Soccer Games

2010-10-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well looks like I just might have one soccer player on my hands. My little Becca has energy for days and chases that ball up and down the field while Lexi on the other hand is more suited to stand and watch, she gets too hot, or at least that's what she complains about. Anyhow, it is fun to see them out there on the field in their cute little uniforms!

Happy Belated Birthday!

2010-10-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

Alexis and Rebecca turned four the day after Natalie was born so I am lucky enough that while I was in the hospital Grandma and Aunt Lezlie took them out to breakfast for some pancakes and then took them shopping for presents. I am pretty sure they hardly noticed that they got somewhat skipped over this year because getting a new sister was pretty much all they were excited about. What a neat present...except now they have to share their birthday week with another sibling! Happy birthday my sweet, adorable, funny, stubborn, challenging and crazy twins, our family would be really boring without you two! Love Mommy!

Natalie

2010-09-15T17:05:00.001-07:00

Soccer Girls

2010-09-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Alexis and Rebecca couldn't wait to start soccer, ever since last fall when Maile has played that is all they talk about wanting to do. So here we are with two really cute little players who did just that, played. It was awesome not to have to beg them just to stand on the field! It was only the first practice and I hope nothing changes! This year is going to be fun with their cousin Leila and best buddy Aidan on the team. Can't wait for games, its fun being a soccer mom!!

First Day of School

2010-08-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year so much, I love a new school year, getting back into a routine, all the activities and the holidays up ahead. The first day of school sets of the beginning of all of that so it is always a fun day! Zachary is an old pro by now, just couldn't wait to get out the door. Maile was extremely excited and adoring herself until we were halfway there. She really wanted to bring her teacher an apple and of course we forgot it. From that point forward her mood changed into serious mode. I couldn't get her to smile for the life of me once we were there and I had to drag her to the door. I really hope things went smoothly from that point. I am sure she is fine! I just can't believe I have a child in kindergarten!!

Dance Dance Dance

2010-08-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Soccer didn't really work out for Maile but we are trying a different activity and so far so good. Maile started dance two weeks ago and is already making progress. She practices at home and talks about it all week long. Yay for my little miss!

Holy Cow!!

2010-08-30T13:40:00.001-07:00

Holy Cow.....good title for my babyshower post because it can positivly or negativly describe things as need be for instance, holy cow the food and goodies were amazing! Or holy cow, I am so lucky to have gotten so many beautiful things for my baby. Also, holy cow my family and friends are the best I could ever ask for! And finally.....HOLY COW I am HUGE! That about sums it up! Get here already Natalie!

The Hostess with the Mostess

20 Days....or less

2010-08-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have always wished my babies to be able to stay in...now I am wishing this baby out! Who knew how slow time would creep by when you are in the last month of pregnancy, I sure didn't. This is excruciating. Everything is ready, clothes are washed, hospital bag is packed, crib is up and now all I need is a baby girl to exit my belly. My back hurts, the heartburn is unbearable and I am still packing on the lbs! Life is at a standstill until she gets here, or at least that's how I feel. Lucky me I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My Dr. has scheduled my c-section for one week early and if I am lucky I am hoping to talk her into three days earlier than that. (would really work out better to have a baby on Friday rather than Monday) We'll see....until then I guess I can keep myself preoccupied with Maile's first day of school and my twins 4th birthday. Tick tock little baby, anytime you would like to join us we would be thrilled!!

Maile is 5....oh my!

2010-07-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

Will I really have a 5 year old starting tomorrow? That would be yes. Where oh where did the time go? It doesn't seem that long ago that we were bringing her home from the hospital (finally) and now she is going to be headed to kindergarten. It's crazy! I think we can take a little stroll down memory lane to commemorate this exciting milestone in her little life.

Maile Angelina born July 25, 2005, 2lbs even and 13 inches. (ignore the dates on the pictures they are all wrong!)Daddy getting to hold MaileMommy and Daddy getting practice at the hospital without all the monitors so we could take Maile home...Maile's first day home...she did great, I was a wreck (one night practice was not enough!)Maile turns one! Little chunky monkey too, who know she was 2lbs at birth??We spent Maile's 2nd birthday in Seattle and Montana.Maile turned three with a party at the pool!Four years old, getting way too big...Now my baby has grown into a beautiful 5 year old.
I really am so lucky to have this little stinker in my life. She always surprises me, sometimes good, sometimes not so much but she is always entertaining. Maile loves to give kisses and she loves her siblings most of the time. I know she is going to be such a good helper with the new baby and I know she is going to shine in school. She thrives on positive feedback and always tries to make us proud. Which we are...sooo soo much. I would say Zach and I are pretty lucky to have such a little miracle bless our lives. Happy Birthday Maile!!

The Mountains

2010-07-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Last week we escaped the heat by traveling up to a picnic area in Mount Charleston with some friends. It is so pretty up there and I always forget how much we enjoy spending time up there. It is only an hour drive so I am going to really try to go up more often. It was fun just letting the kids loose to forage and explore the wilderness, they forgot all about how much they hate bugs which would make Daddy really happy! Can't wait to go back!

July 4th

2010-07-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

My kids couldn't wait for "firework day", its all they could talk about all summer. We really had a blast yesterday and I am already looking forward to next year!

We moved....again!

2010-07-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

What a relief to be in a home that we all like, that is big enough for our family and that is back in the area we love. It has been a trying two months for me and I am so glad we are settled. I think the worst feeling for a pregnant mama is not feeling ready for the baby and I was really stressed out not knowing where we were going to end up. But here we are and I feel relaxed and ready for all that is coming in the months ahead. First, Maile going to kindergarten, then Natalie popping out and then of course my favorite time of year. So much to look forward to!

Bowling....Sorta

2010-06-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

Who knew that they had these awesome ball ramps that kids could use at the bowling ally so you don't have to sit there the whole time waiting for a ball to inch its way down the lane just for it to stop short of the pins. These things send the ball flying into pins and coupled with bumpers it gives the kids a pretty good rookie score. No turkey or anything but Maile was able to pick up a spare and they had some fun. Being a little burnt out or burnt literally from all the pool going last week we decided that some indoor fun was in store. I also needed some mom and sister time so it was the perfect combination for me and the kids. Here's to a Las Vegas summer! (btw don't let my chipmunk cheeks scare the crap out of you or your young children, looks like I have stored enough for two winters!).

Pool Rats

2010-06-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Since we are making the most of our quick move we are calling this itsy bitsy condo our summer rental... You know like people who pay to stay by the beach, well we are paying to stay next to a pool. That is the best way to look at our current situation. With that in mind we are also making the most of this 100 degree weather and went to the pool every day last week. The kids are having a blast and anyone who wants to swim at a clean pool with a clean potty (hard to come by at a public pool), you are welcome to join us!

Irritated

2010-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Why you may ask??

-Moving stinks
-Even worse when the washer goes out in the first week and now I have a gazillion loads of laundry waiting for Zach to hook up the new washer
-Even worse than that, at this point Zach cannot park his new truck in our new condo complex and I have to drive him too and from his truck.
-Allergies. Give it a rest already, and I am talking mostly to the wind who keeps stirring up the pollen!
-Sick kids are never fun.
-I have turned into a chubster this pregnancy but still feels icky if I don't eat.
-I can not longer sleep on my tummy
-Maile's baby talk has returned after months of being obsolete.

That sums it up pretty good. So now after writing all that out I feel better, I can even think of a few things that are easing the irritation, such as...

-All the kicking I am feeling from my baby girl
-Zach being extra sensitive since the move
-Not having to deal with the pigeons that were invading our last neighborhood
-Realizing how lucky we are that so many people would drop everything to come to our aid when we need them the most.

And that's it for today!

Sand and Surf

2010-04-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

This week I decided to take my girls on an impromptu trip to visit my Aunt Lezlie who lives in Newport Beach. It sounded like so much fun that my sister and her three kiddos decided to join us for the ride. We all crammed, and that is not an understatement, into my car and took off. Nothing like road tripping with 6 kids ages 7 weeks to 4 years old. We got going on Tuesday and of course had to stop off and visit my grandma who lives in good old Barstow, CA. There are two things I love there, one being my grandma and two being a Del Taco that is the best you'll ever eat. Next it was off to Newport. I don't know about anyone else but there is a distinct California smell that fills your car as you get closer to the beach. It is probably one of my favorite smells ever, so full of memories from when I was a kid going to visit the beach. Ok so smells aside, we got to our destination and waited in anticipation for the morning, beach day #1. We visited San Clemente beach Wednesday and it was sort of a let down. The beach was pretty crappy due to all the storms and the sand was too rocky for our taste. Not to mention the swarm of bees that had me pregnant and sprinting through sand with a three year old in my arms. My back still hurts. And swarm means hundreds, not 20. Needless to say we packed up immediately. I was pretty bummed, I drove 4 hours to be attacked by one of my biggest fears! But no worries beach day #2 completely made the trip satisfying. Leave it to the locals to take you to the best beach spots. My Aunt Lezlie went with us and took us to this little cove in Laguna Beach and it was AMAZING. Fine sand, beautiful surf and a day of fun. My kids absolutely love playing in the sand, the water not so much. Maile told me she doesn't like Las Vegas anymore due to lack of beaches. I couldn't agree with her more. Anyhow we drove home that night, (last night) and it was slightly rough on the ears. After a certain point it seemed like if one kid wasn't wailing another would start up, but it was a small price to pay for a fun trip. Aunt Lezlie and her family are so gracious to host such a huge party of kiddos. It makes me so happy that my kids are getting a chance to have the same childhood memories I had of visiting Aunt Lezlie at the beach. Can't wait till next time!

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

Too exhausted to type details but here are some pictures of our wonderful day!

16 Week Belly

2010-04-02T17:01:00.001-07:00

Love that I look like I am 6 months preggo but oh well at least my lady lumps got bigger too. Here is my two days till sixteen weeks photo.

Coloring Easter Eggs

2010-04-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Today Grandma Liza, Auntie Sam, Aunt Lezlie, Jake and Leila came over for an egg coloring party. We had a yummy lunch and then got down to coloring eggs. It was a messy good time and we only cracked about half the eggs but the kids had fun and that's all that counts. Grandma then sat with all the kids and made some cool Easter crafts. Thanks Mom!

"Sister Cuts"

2010-03-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

If you put kids on timeout in their room quite possibly they will find a way to pay you back. Especially true if they happen to have a pair of scissors with them. Becca got it the worst. Maile's was virtually impossible to rebair but can be hidden and Lexi didn't have much damage besides the back. Went straight over to my very talented friend Jasmine and she gave them all new cuts. They are pretty happy with the end results.

Butchered Becca

Becca After

Lexi Before (her damage was barley noticeable)

Lexi After

Maile After (didn't get a before pic of her)

Feeling Human Again

2010-03-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

The past 12 weeks have been the hardest 12 weeks in my entire life. Being sick was one thing, but the mental aspect was something I have never felt before. I had some serious self pitying going on and I was doubting everything about this pregnancy. I was not in a good place and everyone in my family suffered. Lucky for me my hubby and kids are supper resilient and I had a huge support from family and friends. Fast forward to today and I feel like I am on top of the world! It is amazing what a few really amazing days can do for you! I am feeling pretty good comparatively speaking and I am finally feeling excited about the little spirit growing inside me. I am loving the nice weather and finally got to take my kids out and about. When I was so sick my Becca would ask me everyday "where are we going?" and then "well who's coming over?" She would be so sad when I would say "nowhere" and "nobody." So I am sure they are glad that we got to leave the house everyday this week so far. I am really looking forward to the rest of the month and for the upcoming summer, we are going to have some fun! I was able to get some pictures of our park fun this week and now that I am feeling better I hope I can keep up better with my blog! Thank you to everyone who listened to me whine and cry and mope about, you all mean the world to me!

Preggo

2010-02-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

Well I still haven't had my first appt. yet but since everyone already knows I guess I can finally blog about it. After peeing on four different sticks we got four positives and that was enough to tell me that I am definitely preggo! Now I was very excited when I first found out the wonderful news, but 4 weeks later I am trying to figure out what I was thinking when I decided to give it another go. However, I do realize that am very blessed to be able to get pregnant and I should take the being sick part as my body working really hard to create a miracle (that's what I tell the kids) but it is kind of hard to have that kind of attitude when I puke so hard I break bunches of blood vessels around my eyes. I know this won't last forever and I am trying very hard to see the light. On a more positive note, the kids are happy as little clams that I have a baby in my tummy and subsequently they walk around the house with "babies" stuffed into their shirts. Very cute I must say. Another positive, Zach has really been helpful, he even went grocery shopping for me which if you know Zach it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. No really he has stepped up to the plate hoping that this will be our best pregnancy ever and reminds me of that point every time I whine about how bad I am feeling. Hope he doesn't lose his zeal due to my poor attitude. So I go get the official your preggo from the Dr. in about a week and I am very much looking forward to hearing that beautiful little heartbeat, kinda makes it all worth it!

New Year Fun

2010-01-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Holiday Time

2009-12-27T23:29:00.000-08:00

Some highlights of our very busy Holiday are as follows....

-The girls seeing Santa driving a car in the Walmart parking lot..apparently he needed to get some last minute items also!

-Yummy dinners too many nights in a row resulting in extra poundage around our midsections

- Being completely spoiled by anyone who has a name starting with the word GRAND

-Becca forgetting how many times she talked about getting a car from Santa when she saw her new bed (whew...I was worried about major disappointment)

-Last minute Christmas card photo session (which turned out awesome, thanks again Jenn!) and getting my card out so at least the Vegas recipients got theirs on Christmas Eve!

-Getting to sleep through the night now two days in a row thanks to the wonderful Santa delivery of new beds!

-Zachary telling my Mom when he was done opening gifts, "wow, people like me!" Too funny, like if he got not so great gifts it would mean that people don't like him...silly boy!

- Getting a three and a half day weekend with my honey pie.

- Maile looking like such a big girl all weekend.

- Big poofy dresses that make little girls feel like princesses, superhero capes and lots of new Jammie's.

-Major family time that is the best part for sure!

I don't have as many pictures from Christmas Day as I would have hoped and I am done messing with blogger to make it the way I want so this is it for tonight!

Family Pictures

2009-12-21T11:32:00.001-08:00

Ward Christmas Party

2009-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday evening we had our ward Christmas party. It was lots of fun and the kids actually sat on Santa's lap this year. Every other year they have been too scared to even get near Santa. Maybe it was because they finally understand that he's the guy you have to talk to in order to get presents. No matter what it was really cute finally hearing them tell Santa what they wanted. Oh yeah one more thing, would just like to apologize to anyone who got my cheesy scalloped potatoes...they were really underdone big opps!!

Maile's Last Game

2009-12-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Maile's last soccer game and I will admit I am relieved. As much fun as I had getting to know all the kids on the team I don't think coaching is for me, thankfully I had some awesome assistant coaches and a fabulous team mom to help get me through our season! The best part of the season for Maile it seemed was always snacks at the end of the game and especially getting her bobble head trophy! This was a fun experience but I don't think Maile will want to play soccer at least for a few more years!

You are Invited!

2009-11-09T16:09:00.001-08:00

Calico Pics

2009-11-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

Halloween Week

2009-11-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

Halloween night we first went trick or treating over at my Dad's house and then we headed to meet up at my Aunt Susan's with all of our cousins. It was a so fun seeing all the kids together, and of course it was fun getting to see the kids trick or treat. It was a great night if you minus out the cactus that got stuck in my bum and I can't wait for next year. Even though my mom who made all my girls and my niece and nephews costumes said she won't be doing it again....I think I will be able to talk her into it!

This year my we started a new tradition by driving into California to go to Calico Ghost town. My parents have been taking me and my sisters there for as long as I can remember so it was fun finally taking the girls. We drove into Barstow Friday morning and met up with my Grandma at the Del Taco (Barstow hot spot) and had lunch. Next we were off to Calico. It hasn't changed all that much since I was last there and it was fun showing the kids all the things I thought were so cool as a child. The highlight of our trip was when we decided to get one of those old black and white pictures taken of the kids. It was hilarious! I wish I knew how to get my printer to scan in pictures because it turned out so cute. The kids loved dressing up as characters from the old west. Over all the day was great hanging out with my Grandma, Mom, Sisters, and all the kids. We will definitely be going back next October!

Trunk or Treat this year was on my soccer game night so Daddy had to get the girls ready to go and I met them there. I would have to say he did a great job helping them with their pantyhose and princess dresses! The night was pretty chilly but not cold enough to stop us from collecting more and more candy, Zachary and the girls had a blast but I am sad I never got Zachary to stand still long enough to take a picture!

Our ward playgroup party consisted of yummy cupcake decorating, bag decorating, slime making and balloon stomping. We had lots of fun playing with our friends and of course left with four bags filled full of candy!

Pumpkin Patch 09

2009-10-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Oh how we love our parking lot pumpkin patches here in Vegas! I grew up here so I am used to it but one of these years no matter what the drive is I am going to take my kids to a real pumpkin patch, they will be shocked! No matter what we got to hang out with some good friends and the night was great! I love the fall season and this is one of the activities that my kids really enjoy so here are some pictures of pumpkin patches Vegas style!

Playing Soccer.....or just wearing the uniform

2009-10-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

This fall we decided to see how Maile would do playing soccer. A few of our friends wanted their kids to play also so I decided that I could coach and it would be tons of fun. Well, coaching has been fun and a bit challenging and Maile gets really excited to get ready for soccer and go, but she always decides that she is better off on the sidelines, or on the playground. I am slightly disappointed but I know that she is super young and might eventually be ready to play! I will say though that she does look like a soccer player all dressed up!

Alexis and Rebecca Turn 3

2009-09-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

The main reason for taking our trip was to celebrate our twin girls third birthday. Let me just say that these two little people who look so much alike bring such different personalities into our family. They never cease to amaze me every day. I feel so blessed to be able to call them mine! Lexi is funny, independent, loves to please, loves to dance, loves to help and is so polite. Rebecca is sweet and sassy, and loves to be cuddled, loves her daddy more than anything and is just so darn cute! This past year has been so much fun seeing them turn from babies to big girls. I love how much they love each other and look out for one another. I love you girls so much, I am so happy to be your Mommy!

Birthday Day!

2009-09-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

For the girls birthday we woke up and drove into San Clemente and went to the beach for a few hours, we then took a scenic drive up PCH into Newport Beach where we went to my Aunt Lezlie and Uncle Kevin's house. There Aunt Lezlie had balloons and presents for the girls and she even baked them a cake! The girls were very excited to open presents and and they even helped us sing happy birthday to them, it was a pretty great day!

San Diego Zoo

2009-09-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we went to the San Diego Zoo, it was packed but we made the most of it. The kids loved seeing the animals and really enjoyed the ariel tram and the tour bus ride. Their favorite animals to see were he elephants and giraffes. I just loved getting to spend so much time with my family. Just another great day all together!

Disneyland

2009-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

We wanted to wait until the labor day weekend was over to go to Disney with the hopes that it would be less crowded and we got pretty lucky. It was a great day to go, the longest we waited in line for anything was about 15 minutes. The girls did pretty good, each taking their turn to be stinkers but overall everyone was so good for it being day 4 of our vacation. The girls didn't really love the scary rides but they did love the teacups, dumbo, and especially the roller coaster in toon town. They also got to meet Minnie and Mickey mouse, but were bummed that Daisy Duck does not do appearances. Overall their favorite part of Disneyland was the parade at the end. They loved the dancing and singing and I think we have figured out what Lexi's calling is, she loves to dance, she went out there when they let the kids join in and didn't want to stop, she was a dancing maniac! It was really so darn cute. Over all I am so glad we waited to take them until now since they did so well!

Ward Party

2009-09-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago we headed up to Mt. Charleston for our ward picnic and it was beautiful! The 20 degree change in weather was a very welcome change. The kids loved being able to run, jump and play in the wilderness, while we got to visit with friends. I love our ward and am so thankful to have so many great families to get to know!