Happy Birthday Courtney!!

Another year has come and gone already....today is Courtney's 11th Birthday! I can't believe it's been 9 years since this little girl came into my life! When I met little Courtney, she was still in diapers and hardly said 2 words....now she's the loudest one in the whole house =)!

Time flies when your having fun I guess. It's been quite a journey watching her grow up, she's had so many adventures and has gone from baby of the family to big sister two times over! I look back at pictures and can't believe the similarities between her and Hailey - boy does their daddy have some strong genes! =) She starts Jr. High in 2 weeks and now the real adventures will begin!

Happy Birthday Courtney! We love you so much, it's been so fun being your parents! =)

I've been boycotting...

OK, so it's been awhile since I've even sat down at my computer because I just needed a break from it all! After our family got home from a glorious 10 days in sunny Southern California, we spent a week at home having a "Staycation". Rich took the whole week off and we had plenty of time by the pool, doing puzzles at the kitchen table and sleeping in! It was actually kind of nice to get relax time at home. Although I did have 12 loads of sandy laundry to get through, it's all done now, ironed and put away and it feels so good to be back!

I have pictures from vacation that I haven't posted so I'll do my best to highlight. After a fabulous 4th with my sister's family at the beach, we took a couple days to just do NOTHING! We went to the hotel pool, went out for pizza, went to the beach and slept in LATE! It was nothing short of wonderful! Then it was off to the happiest place on earth for 2 days with Mickey and his friends! Tuesday we went to Disneyland and the crowds were down. The big kids were able to do every ride and Rich and I spent the day taking Hailey everywhere her heart desired. She met so many characters and rode so many rides, she was plum tuckered by the time it was time to say goodnight.

Wednesday was our little princesses 4th birthday. We had reservations to have lunch with all the Disney Princesses at Ariel's Grotto that afternoon. We were not disappointed - 5 princesses at once! Hailey hit the princess jackpot! She was in 7th Heaven! So we left the grotto with a MUCH lighter wallet and many happy birthday memories and set out to ride the rides of California Adventures. It was another great day with minimal crowds and once again the big kids rode every ride while Rich and I took Hailey to see all there was to see. They were 2 very long, tiring days, but they were great days!

We had a few more days of lounging on the beach and dinner with family and before we knew it it was time to pack up the 'Burban and head back to the heat!

So there's my fastest summary of Summer Vacation 2009! Before we know it, we'll be back to school! (Yeah! for me!)

I do have so many more pictures of Hailey's birthday, so they will wait for another entry! TTYL!

A day to celebrate...

DAY TWO...

OK, today was a much better day. After a quick sleep (we finally got the kids to stop giggling and talking at about 2am!!!), we headed up the road to my big sisters house in Laguna Niguel...it was a perfectly gorgeous southern California day. We BBQ'd and swam in their amazing back yard before heading to the beach house for some fun and sand between our toes. My brother-in-laws family is always so gracious to let us crash their 4th of July beach house get-togethers and we feel like we're part of the family now! =)

The beach house and the beautiful view!
There was time for football, baseball, board/card games, more BBQ, S'mores, sitting around the fire pit and finally it was time for the fireworks! From the San Clemente beach we had a perfect view of 2 different fireworks shows, San Clemente Pier to the south and Dana Point to the north.
Sisters....SOMETIMES they're BFF's!
My big sister Kim with her first grandbaby - my little great nephew - Dallen!

It was a truly great day and I had plenty of time to reflect on the reason for all the celebration...we are so blessed to live in this amazing country and to enjoy the liberty's that so many sacrificed to provide for us.

They sleep again! Busy kids turn into exhausted kids!

Tomorrow....whatever we feel like!!!! =)

Summer Vacation 2009

DAY ONE.....

Well, Day One got off to a slow start as we couldn't leave town until Rich got off work on Friday =(... so we got the car loaded and hit the road by 6pm. We got to our paradise by the sea at just before midnight. Our arrival at the beach was somewhat anticlimactic....oh well...tomorrow - THE BEACH!!!!

Parker lost a tooth!

FINALLY!!!! Parker has had a wiggly tooth for what seems like forever and today it FINALLY came out! He has worked so hard on that poor tooth, everyday wiggling, turning, wiggling, I can't believe it held on as long as it did! He's so super excited to see what the Tooth Fairy trades him for his FIRST tooth! My little boy is growing up =(

Some catching up to do....

I can't believe I've let so much time slip by without posting some of the great things that have been going on around here! Well, here's a little catch up for you all....I say all like there are so many people even reading this! Ok, so it's an update for all 3 of you that even read this anymore!

Say what you will about the Clark County School District, but I think one of the best things they do for our kids is put them through the D.A.R.E. program in 5th grade - just in time to start Jr. High when all the fun problems seem to start. This year it was Courtney's turn and she graduated with flying colors! The best part is that so far, all 4 of our oldest kids have had the SAME D.A.R.E. officer - and he happens to be a good friend of Rich's. So, anyway, we are so proud of our Courtney for taking a stand against drugs, alcohol, and smoking! We love you Courtney!

We also recently had the pleasure of having my little brother Billy come through town and stay a day with us. It was nice to see him, I only get the opportunity to do so about once every coupla years because he lives quite an adventuresome life! Well, he was in town with a friend of his while they were traveling through the western states performing their music at some small venues to help pay for their travels. The two of them call their band the Dela Project, and I hanve to say it was qutie enjoyable. He is so talented - still not sure what happened to me - I'm still looking for my talents! Anyway - I'll post a video at the end for you to listen to if you wish. It was a great visit and I was very happy to have him here - especially since he was able to come and watch Parker's Kindergarten graduation before they left town! Love you little bro!! Hope your travels are adventurous and safe! Brendan and Hailey really loved listening! They are forever fans!!!

Let Them Be Little...

Another school year is coming to an end. It seems that each year goes faster than the one before! Last year I cried as Elissa walked to receive her High School diploma and this year I cried as my little Parker received his Kindergarten Completion Certificate! It just doesn't seem possible that the little tiny boy I once held in my arms is so big already! On to the 1st grade and gone from his mommy for 6 hours a day next year! What will I do without him? I know I sound crazy, most parents relish at the thought of this newly found free time, but I just know how fast these next years will pass and before I know it, he'll be ready to leave home as well.
OK, so enough boo-hooing and onto the celebration! His elementary school put on a great program. All the morning Kindergartener's were on stage and sang us an array of songs they've learned through the school year, including their rendition of "Celebrate". Then it was time for a couple of slide shows, which started the water works for most of the moms, especially me, and then it was the distribution of Completion Certificates. They were all dressed up in their Sunday best and were so great! I'm so blessed to live in the boundaries of such an amazing school! I've posted a couple videos of their songs, so enjoy!!! And the best part of it all was that my little brother, Parker's Uncle Billy, just happened to be in town for the big event and he joined us at the celebration! What a special treat! (I'll post more about Billy's visit soon! What a great musician he is!)