Eight is Enough!

Double 4's!

2010-07-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

No, not me silly's!

Today is a celebration of the day my husband was born, thus setting the course for my future :) I am so thankful that my Father in Heaven saw fit to send that baby boy to a loving family who would raise him and teach him well so that one day we would find each other and build a family of our own.

So Happy Birthday to my loving husband!!! And may there be MANY, MANY more to come!

I love you!

Hailey is a whole hand!!!

2010-07-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

Thursday July 8th was Hailey's 5th birthday!!!! Time sure flies when you don't want it to! I can't believe how big my baby is...she's growing into a beautiful girl - with just a dash of attitude ;) haha!

We got as much of the family together as we could and took her to her favorite lunch spot!HA!!! Proof my kids love each other!!! :)

On Saturday, we had the funnest birthday party ever at her gymnastics studio. They did an obstacle course, danced, had races, and played in the big foam pit! I was told by more than one child that it was the "best party ever!!" :) Yes, it was a hit!

After play, play, playing we blew out her candles and opened a few gifts :)

Parker is a good big brother, even holds her mirror so she can try out her new Barbie make up!!

Mom & Hailey at the end of a very good day...

So much catching up to do!!

2010-07-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's already been 2 weeks since our trip to Southern California for Scotty's graduation and I haven't posted a thing!!! So, in an extra long post...let's play catch up!!We had an amazing time on our oh so quick trip to Kim's in June. Even if it was only 48 hours, it was so well worth the trip! The ocean air calls to me! I couldn't believe how grown up little Scotty is! He's like a man now! Time is sure playing some cruel tricks on me these days!

After all the festivities were over, we packed our small bags and headed back to the desert heat. I wish I could say our trip home was uneventful, but just 60 some miles from home, the transmission on our Suburban went out!! It took us 2 hours, but we were able to limp our car home where it sits waiting for a new transmission :(
And then came Independence Day! Our family normally reserves our summer vacation to Southern California to cover the 4th of July holiday, but because of Rich's ever-changing work schedule, he was on call for our favorite holiday of the year! After shedding a tear over my homesick ache for the ocean air and extended family to celebrate with, I pulled myself together and appreciated what I DID have to celebrate with my family here. It turned out to be a great day. Jared and his girlfriend of almost 1 year, Megan, spent the day with us swimming and cooking and eating snowcones and homemade cookies and watermelon. When it finally got dark enough, we headed out front to join our neighbors for one of the best fireworks displays this neighborhood has ever seen! Although illegal, so many of our neighbors had gone all out to purchase the "good stuff" out in Moapa and we watched fireworks for almost 2 hours!!! It was great and the kids were in awe :) Of course just when the festivities were winding down, Rich was called to work, so our night came to an end. The day had been perfect. We flew our Colors in honor of this great country, and felt so much pride in doing so. Rich had put together a montage of patriotic music that he piped through the neighborhood during the fireworks and it was quite moving. So even though I missed my California family, it was a great holiday. I hope yours was as well!I couldn't resist this picture of our cute little "Libby" - short for Liberty :)

A Star is Born!

2010-06-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday June 19th, was Hailey's second dance recital of her cute little dance career! This year they danced to "Ease on Down the Road" by Michael Jackson, from the Musical "The Wiz". My cute little munchkin was dressed as Dorothy and sparkled like the star she is! She was so great! Last year her nerves were a little frazzled from being on the "big stage" - not to mention I think expecting 3 & 4 year olds to learn TWO different dances was a bit much! This year, with a new dance studio which we just LOVE, they only had to learn one dance and she was much more at ease in the lights :) Wish you all could've been there to cry along with me! But since noone lives even remotely close enough to have seen it live - I was able to record this at her dress rehearsal :)

Forever Young!!

2010-06-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend marked 20 years since I graduated High School! If you can't believe it, imagine how I feel!!! I feel nowhere near old enough to have graduated 20 years ago!!! Which leads me to wonder when I will start feeling my age - I mean mentally of course, as my body feels at least 10 years older then I am!

It was a lot of fun to see everyone again. There was dinner, laughter, stories, and fun. Actually looking forward to seeing them again in 5 years!

Tamra was my very BFF my senior year! She's now married to a Chiropractor and busy raising 5, yes I said, 5! boys! How does she still look so amazing!?!?!My beautiful cousin Ann! Even though we didn't graduate together - she married my friend Tony who did graduate with me! :) And Tracey (in red) was voted "Changed the Least" since graduation. Seriously! Why does she still look 18??? The boys....the dork on the left would be the Tony that Ann married...some things never change :)

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge...Play :)

2010-06-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

The photo challenege at I Heart Faces (www.iheartfaces.com) for this week is...play!!! I have always loved this picture I took of Parker at the park last spring!

Frogs & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails

2010-06-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here is the other half of my fun baby photo shoot from a couple weekends ago! Little Hunter was so sweet! 3 weeks old and soooo alert! Can't wait to watch him grow up in pictures!

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice

2010-06-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I got to take newborn pictures of sweet Stella. Well, she's growing up fast! She's 3 1/2 months old now and I had the greatest time taking these pictures of her last weekend! Not only did I get to spend the afternoon taking her pictures, I got to babysit her that night!!! Stella is the best baby ever - hands down!!! She was nothing but smiles, giggles and wiggles! We had so much fun. Hailey dressed her up in every single piece of clothing that her mommy sent over in her diaper bag! We can't wait till she comes back to visit again so we can play some more!

Rattler's Baseball

2010-05-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

Parker's Little League team this year is rockin a 14-1 record this season! Last night, sadly, they were handed their very first loss :( The only consolation being that the team that beat them is the second best in the league. I wish I could say I am happy with the way this season has gone, but unfortunately I have become less and less happy as the season has progressed. We've been with our coach, who for the most part is a really great guy, for 3 seasons now. But for some reason, this season has been different. All the boys on the team, except little Parker, will be moving up to the next division in the Fall. Parker will have to say goodbye to his Little League buddies because he is not old enough to move up for another whole year. That said, because the other boys are advancing, they have been playing a whole different game this season. Their coach has seemed to be a little more focused on winning then teaching, which is the exact opposite of the way he has coached in the past. Parker has been banished to the outfield all season, and truth-be-told, he's not a bad little infielder! He's got a quick scoop on the ball and a good arm with decent accuracy. I'm sad that he has not had his talents utilized/explored:( Next year, my hope is that he will find a team that will allow him to practice more then 1 position....

That said, here are some pictures I've snapped throughout the season. Nothing brings me more joy than watching my boy do what he loves. I hope he continues to love it for many years to come, and the only way that's going to happen is if he has some good coaches :)

Of course, I had to throw in some pictures of his beautiful little sister who goes to support him at EVERY game :)

My favorite cowboy...

2010-05-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

Meet my big brother Mark. In the last decade, he's successfully transformed himself into a fullfledged cowboy! Who would've thought this California surfer would trade in his Van's for Roper's, his board shorts for Wranglers, his trucker hat for a cowboy hat!? I, for one, would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes! Can I just say - well done big brother! I am impressed! You wear our dad's rugged good looks very well! Can I also just say that I love my big brother more than all the grains of sand at the beach! He's always been my hero, my friend, my roll model.

This weekend I got to watch him baptize my nephew. It was a moving experience in more ways then one. First, I felt very sure that our Father in Heaven was very pleased, I felt a beautiful spirit there. But more than that, I was moved to tears because watching my big brother baptize his son, was like watching my Dad baptize me all those years ago. The resemblence he bears to our Dad is almost uncanny, and I could not help but shed some tears for the daddy I lost almost 30 years ago. Mark is just a year older than my dad was when he baptized me and I looked at little Marcus, so young and innocent, and relived some of the pain I felt at his too young age. I know this is why I hold so much love in my heart for my brother, and I hope he knows that. How cute is his daughter Abby? A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!! Hailey got her very first ride on a horse! She was smitten! I'm pretty sure I know what's going to be on the top of her Christmas wish list this year!

Green is for Spring!

2010-04-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I was asked to shoot some photos at the wedding of a dear friend's sister. How fun was this backyard bash?! First of all, my dear friends have an AMAZING backyard - they are always so gracious to "loan" it out on special occassions such as this! Everything was so beautiful...the day could not have been more perfect! And I was so loving the green dress that the bride wore - fit her personality to a T! On top of that - my dear friends best friend happens to be an amazing chef and catered the whole affair with some of the most delicious food I've ever put in my mouth! I came, I saw, I took pictures! Lots and lots of pictures! 476 to be exact! I promise I'm not going to try to post them all! But here are some of my very most favorites!

The green dress I spoke of...

The bride and her daddy

The very happy couple :)

Some of the amazing food I spoke of!

The dear friends who hosted this shindig :) Aren't they a beautiful couple??

Here's to life!!!

2010-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend was busy, busy, busy and I downloaded 230 pictures that I need to filter and edit! S0, just so noone thinks I'm a lazy bones, here are a few pictures to hold you over until I finalize editing and post them in separate entries :)

Totally unplanned & totally amazing!

2010-04-06T12:04:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that this Easter weekend was one of the most amazing family weekends I've experienced in awhile. In years past I've gone to great lengths to do everything "perfectly", from turning the house into an Easter wonderland, to coloring eggs & decorating cookies, setting up the "perfect" Easter baskets (complete with the jelly bean trail that Mr. Cottontail left behind in his hurry to get to the next house), and preparing a gorgeous Easter dinner after church on Easter Sunday. Well this year, I let all the "perfect" go and had one of the best Easter's ever!
Elissa & her boyfriend Zach, complete with Subie the pup (who I'm sure went home with a belly ache after eating Mr. Cottontail's jelly bean trail!), came down from St. George for the weekend. It was a big step for Zach, as he's never spent a holiday away from his family! So we felt honored that he would step outside his comfort zone to spend the holiday with our family!
Sunday brought lots of wind and just enough sunshine to send the little kids out for an egg hunt after church. You have to love the looks on their faces while they're hunting for those colorful little things :) After the hunting of eggs was completed, we were surprised by a visit from Rich's oldest son Jared and his girlfriend Megan. 2010 is the first time since we joined these 2 crazy families together almost 8 years ago, that ALL of the kids have been here together on Easter! Totally unplanned, totally unexpected and totally amazing! My heart was so full of love and satisfaction as I sat down at my table to eat an Easter dinner with a family of 12! Ok, so that's a stretch of the truth, we could never fit all 12 people around our table, so there was a little lap and floor eating going on as well :) Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day spent in faith and overwhelming gratitude for a Savior who gave his life for this humble family, that we may be a family always and live with him again one day.
Now....enjoy some pictures!!!

Dramatic B&W

2010-03-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge over at i heart faces is a dramatic b&w, so this is my entry! Not that I really think I have a snowballs chance of winning, but hey, thought I'd give it a shot! This picture is of beautiful little Stella with her beaming daddy! Had so much fun doing this newborn session! Can't wait to watch this little cutie grow through pictures!

Can you say OUCH!!

2010-03-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

To start our Spring Break off right, I thought "Why not get oral surgery??" Silly me!
Actually, as it turns out, Brendan needed his wisdom teeth out and I had some crazy cyst thingy growing in my cheek that needed to be taken out and sent to a lab to make sure it wasn't cancerous - my dentists' words were "It's PROBABLY benign, but we better make sure". Are you kidding me? PROBABLY? Well, I feel so much better thank you!
So, with no school to be missed, Spring Break was the only obvious choice. Everything went swimmingly, no complications, no bad reactions. But let me just bring you along for the ride home with a 17 year old coming out of anesthesia...
Brendan - "I chan taaa"
Me - "What???"
Brendan - "I chan taaa"
Me - "WHAT???"
Brendan - "I CHAN TAAA"
Me - "I can't understand you, you can't talk! Oh, that's what you were trying to tell me..."

Driving down the freeway, I look over to see him putting his cell phone to his ear and mumbling into his phone!
Me - "Brendan, who are you calling???"
Brendan - "I don't know"
Me - "Hang up you dork!"
Brendan - "I'm trying to conversating"
Bahahahahahaha! So I took the phone from him to keep him from embarrasing himself too badly.
Have you ever seen an episode of "Intervention" on A&E? I have, and I sort of felt like I was watching one as we drove home. Experiencing your 17 year old on anesthesia seemed a whole lot like watching the addicts on that show, it was a surreal moment for me as a parent - I pray that I never have to live through seeing my child act that way due to drugs or alcohol!
More conversation on the drive...
Brendan - "I feel like I have Downs Syndrome"
Me - "How would you know what if feels like to have Downs Syndrome?"
Brendan - "I don't know, I just can't think straight, see straight or talk right"
Me - "I still don't know what that has to do with Downs Syndrome"
Brendan - "What are you talking about Downs Syndrome for?"
Me - "Brendan, please stop talking now!"
Brendan - "OK Mommy, I love you! Can I go dirt bike riding later?"

Oh my goodness, I think it's going to be a long day!

A long hiatus finally comes to an end......

2010-03-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

I guess I should start by apologizing for my absence. I'm sorry I let life get so busy and overwhelming that I forget to sit down and take a few minutes to reflect on all the little moments that make my life so busy and overwhelming. I have a feeling that it could end up being sort of therapeutic for me, and as busy and overwhelming as my life can get, some free therapy could be just the thing to help me through!

I honestly had every intention of restarting this blog on New Year's Day - sort of my new years resolution. You can see how well I stick to those resolutions! That one didn't even get off the ground! So, here it is, almost April and I'm finally putting paper to pen, or fingers to keys I guess, haha. I won't attempt to go back and rehash everything that's happened in the last 7 months (7 really!?! Wow time flies!), instead I'll begin afresh with updates as often as feasibly possible. And you know what? I'm not even going to get caught up in the whole "Noone's reading this, so why I am wasting my time" issue, because I've come to the conclusion that I need to do this for me, and for my family, and any friends that have even the remotest interest in what goes on at Casa de Tusko.

This is my journey in words and pictures, to peruse through if you like, or to ignore if that's your choice. Feel free to leave comments, suggestions, recipes, funny anecdotes, knock-knock jokes, or nothing, just don't hurt my feelings by leaving me hate mail please :)

Also, I'm definitely thinking I need to update my look, title, etc. Just thoughts in my head.

Alright....here we go!

Happy Birthday Courtney!!

2009-08-10T09:34:00.001-07:00

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...

2009-07-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-07-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-06-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

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....

2009-06-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-06-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

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!)

Here we go again...

2009-05-28T10:04:00.001-07:00

Well, Mom always said that if you're going to do something, you'd better do it right!! Parker must live by this mantra as he has broken yet another bone! I sometimes worry about this fragile little man, this happened while riding his bike. Another boy - a bigger boy - collided with Parker head-on, smashing his little hand between the bigger bike and Parker's little bike. I can't get angry and point the finger of blame, it was just an accident after all, but sometimes I get frusterated with the bigger kids who don't watch out for the smaller ones. =( So once again we were off to the ER to take care of my broken little boy =(

This picture was taken yesterday after sitting in a hard splint for 4 days...sooo swollen and bruised =(

OK, so maybe I should've warned you that it was an ugly break!! It was broken AND displaced! After going through all the trauma of having needles poked in it to numb it in the ER to set it, he had to have it RE-SET at the Ortho's office yesterday - with NO anesthetic!!! He is such a big brave man! My heart was breaking for him! The Dr. measured about a 12% angulation still left after setting it, but said as he grows it will straighten.....you'd think with all the modern technology available today, we wouldn't have to be left with crooked fingers!!! =)

So after all was said and done, he got to have a cool looking cast - he chose black for some odd reason. He was a champ through it all and we took some metallic markers to school today so all his friends could sign it for him!

P.S. Just so noone thinks I'm a bad mom, he is being referred to a specialist to make sure that he doesn't have a condition that is causing his bones to break more easily than most peoples....believe me, I've worried about it myself!

Lest We Forget...

2009-05-25T10:56:00.001-07:00

As we go through our day, bar-b-queing, spending time with friends and family, may we take a few moments to remember the reason we are enjoying this beautiful day off of work and school. May we take a few moments to give thanks to those brave men and women who have laid down thier lives so that freedom may prevail. Without their sacrifices we would not be the truly remarkable country that we are today. In the words of our former Commander in Chief "May God continue to Bless America!!!" Memorial Day Poem

By: Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day,

It fluttered in the breeze.

A young Marine saluted it,

and then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform,

so young, so tall, so proud,

With square cut hair and eyes alert

He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him

had fallen through the years?

How many died on foreign soil,

How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots planes shot down?

How many died at sea?

How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?

No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,

when everything was still.

I listened to the buggler play

and felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times

that Taps had meant "Amen".

When a flag had draped a coffin

of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,

of the mothers and the wives,

Of fathers, sons, and husbands

with interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard,

at the bottom of the sea.

Of unmarked graves in Arlington,

No, freedom isn't free!

Aloha!

2009-05-13T12:52:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we were invited to attend a Luau thrown to celebrate the first birthday of our friend's daughter. It was quite the extravagent affair for a 1 year old, but it was a lot of fun!!!

Hailey is looking really excited to be here...she actually had a blast.

Hailey with the birthday girl, Madison

See, I told you she had fun....she was in LOVE with the horses. This one's name is "Java", which apparently sounded like "Jaba" because started asking where Princess Leah was!! hahahahah...I love that girl, she's priceless!
She's taking in all the sights...I seem to remember pictures like these of me and my cousins at the horse stables in St. George when I was a little girl. Of course I wasn't in a swimmer and I wasn't nearly as cute!!
My city kids at the horse corrals....what a great day they had!!!
Parker was trying really hard to convince me that the pool was warm enough to go for a dip...I wasn't buying it!! It was a gorgeous day, but still a little cool in the water =(
Not that Hailey minded one bit! She was a soggy girl by the end of it all!

And of course, what Luau would be complete without a roasted pig! I know that for most of you this picture has no significance, but this guy has been the "Pig Farmer" of Vegas since the beginning of time and he and his crew roasted a real pig for this shindig! I couldn't pass up the chance for a picture of "The Pig Man" with a "Pig" (not my favorite slang for cops, but it exsists and I saw the irony =])

One Less Hero...

2009-05-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Las Vegas lost one of it's finest....Metro Officer James Manor was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call when he was in a tragic car accident. Even though we didn't personally know Officer Manor, Metro is a family, and when you lose a family member, no matter how close, it leaves an empty place in your heart. It makes you remember how precious life is and that you should never take for granted that your loved ones will always return home at the end of the day.
So today I made sure to hug my family a little closer, speak a little softer, and tell them that I loved them a few extra times. There's a country song by Diamond Rio called "One More Day" and it seems so appropriate right now. "I'd hold you every second, say a million I love you's, that's what I'd do with one more day with you."
Please tell your families how much you love them before you/they walk out the door. You may not get another chance....I love you all!

Go Divas!!!

2009-05-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had the priviledge (I use that term loosely here) of spending 3 straight days sitting on hard metal bleachers to watch Courtney's 10 year old Fast Pitch Softball team take part in a tournament. Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you've spent 9 straight hours at a Softball field with a 4 year old, a 6 year old and a 16 year old!

Although it was more pain and agony than excitement for me, I'm so very glad we stuck it out and watched our girls take second place in the tournament! Way to go Divas!!!

They played their little hearts out and ran like there was no tomorrow! Courtney even had a few fantastics hits herself! They made it all the way to the Championship game (after 9 wins and only 1 loss), and were finally overcome by the fatigue of it all. I must say how proud I was of them for not getting shut out by a Club Ball Team - you know, those teams made of up parent's living vicariously through their children. (Shame on me, that wasn't really nice. It was true, but not necessarily nice!)

So here are some shots I got of the whole experience...it was a CRAZY few days for

The Motely Crew after 3 days....thank goodness you don't have "smell-o-vision"!!

School Days....

2009-04-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

This has been a busy week for Parker at school. In celebration of Earth Day, his class did a performance of one of my Primary favorites - "Popcorn Popping". They were so adorable up there!

This week was also Reading week and Parker was so proud that his school asked his Daddy to come and read to his class.

Naughty Bunny!

2009-04-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny came to our house yesterday, and he left behind some great goodies in the Easter baskets! Although he did leave behind a messy trail of jelly beans that he must've dropped along the way! Naughty bunny!

After all the baskets were explored and almost all the candy eaten =/...it was time for Parker and Hailey to put on their new Easter clothes and off to church we went for a very moving and awesome reminder of just exactly what this day is all about. "I am the resurrection and the life." We are so thankful for the Atonement and the knowledge that we will be in his presence again one day.

Back at home once again, it was time to hunt for all those eggs that that messy bunny hid....Parker and Hailey were joined by their cousins "big Hailey" and Dylan for an egg hunt to remember!

At the end of this beautiful spring day, we sat down with part of our family (Elissa was in Utah and Jared and Courtney were at their mom's this year) and enjoyed an Easter dinner just before the phone rang and Rich was called to work. We are so very thankful that he was able to spend the day with his family!

"Egg"ceptional!

2009-04-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

Parker and Hailey had so much fun getting ready for E.B. (Easter Bunny)! They dyed eggs till they were covered with every color possible, then they decorated them all with stickers, and finally - the set up! It's all in the presentation! I'm pretty sure E.B. will be totally impressed wtih the effort put into these beautiful masterpieces!

Hope your families had as much fun as ours!

He died for us...

2009-04-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

I hope that we will all remember that Easter isn't really about baskets and bunnies, colored eggs and candy. Although we are living in a tumultuous time, we were given the gift of repentence on this most sacred day. I am so grateful for my savior, grateful that he loved all of us so much that he suffered and bled on that cross, and died for our sins. I am grateful for friends and family that know these things to be true and live their lives as examples to the world. I am grateful that I live in a country where I am free to celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday. I hope you all are grateful too.

The wonderful world of Hailey!

2009-03-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

My Hailey Belle is so much fun to photograph!!! And I've been trying really hard to learn how to use Picasa....so here is a collage I made of my little monkey! Don't worry, I will probably being posting more of the other kids for you soon too!

Ouch!!!

2009-03-02T16:39:00.001-08:00

So, here's an update on little Parker....he went and saw his Orthopedic Dr. on Friday and this is what we saw! The Dr. was dumbfounded!!! I have to hand it to Parker, he left the Dr. a little amazed that he was able to break the bone in the EXACT same spot as last year! The strange thing was that the Dr. said there is NO evidence of his previous break.....which has left him somewhat concerned because there should be a shadow on his bone where his old break was. But we are just going to watch it and re x-ray it in a few weeks to make sure the kid actually does heal!

Take These Broken Wings....

2009-02-25T16:04:00.000-08:00

So once again, my Parker bug has managed to break yet ANOTHER bone! Actually, that's not quite accurate. He has RE-BROKEN the same collar bone that he broke last February, and in the exact same place! This poor kid has been through it! 3 broken bones in 6 years! This, too, was the result of big kids, little kids and a trampoline! They don't mix, so don't try it at home!

For all that he went through last night, he was a pretty brave boy! He even had to get a little IV so that he could have medicine for his pain, otherwise he would not cooperate for the x-rays to confirm our suspicions.

His cute Kindergarten teacher called him today to check on him and tell him they all miss him! (No, he's not her favorite at all!!! :) )

So say a little prayer that his little broken wing will heal in time for the baseball season that starts in a few short weeks. Oh, and another one to keep his little wings safe from any future mishaps!! :(

Some Valentine Folklore

2009-02-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

This Valentine's Day has found love in my heart and happiness in my life. I am so grateful for a husband who adores me and treats me like his Valentine all year long! And for children who are the loves of my life! I hope the same for everyone I know. Enjoy your Valentine's Day, let those around you know how much you love and appreciate them, even if you've already said it 50 times, say it again! I love LOVE!

So here are some little Valentine facts that I found online that didn't focus on the paganistic roots of this holiday of LOVE! Enjoy!

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him. Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

(Apparently I saw a robin flying overhead !=] )

A not so Sweet 16 :(

2009-02-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe I've let a month get away from me without uttering a word! How totally unlike me....I'm usually so hard to shut up!! It's not like NOTHING has been going on, or that I don't have anything to blog about, I guess I've just been busy livin the life and trying to get through my busy days!

So, sadly, I didn't even give my boy the attention he deserved last week on his big 16th b-day! I feel like a crappy mom - I've been blessed with such a great kid and he deserves some recognition, so here it is! Last Tuesday, my oldest boy Brendan, turned the big 16!! He's so easy going, he didn't even want to do anything for his birthday! No party, no cake - he's not much of a cake eater (he definitely doesn't get that from me!). He didn't even want to go out to dinner - he just wanted a grilled cheese sandwich - his favorite dinner. But because my big sister, Debi, and her husband, Brian, just so happened to be here from Orem on this awesome occassion, we talked him into going somewhere that had grilled cheese on the menu! Then we went to Cold Stone for some birthday ice cream, I practically had to force feed it to him! And the only gift he wanted was money! (he's saving up for his car!) So we took him to the bank and opened him his first bank account and loaded it up with money! (Yea right!) Although he did do pretty well on the gifttage from all his extended family members! And I'm such a bad mom that I didn't even remember my camera! Although, in my own defense, because of the economic state of the world today, I have been working a little and I happened to work that day - an 8 hour shift that began at 6am - ugggh! So, by the time we got to dinner, I was pretty wiped out and ready for an early bedtime - as I had to go back for another 8 the next morning.

I guess I just wanted my blogger friends to know I hadn't fallen off the face of the earth and that I love my son with all the love I have in my heart! I'm so grateful I have been entrusted with his care and I do my best everyday to raise him the way he deserves to be raised. He is so loving and has such a good heart, he is a good big brother and so much help to me and Rich. Thank you, Brendan, for being you!!! I love you!

Playing at parks with friends!

2009-01-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

January has brought some beautiful weather our way, so we've been taking full advantage of nature and the wonderful parks the city of Vegas has to offer. Say what you will about "sin city", they build some great parks for families! Today we visited 2 parks that are connected by nature paths and share an outdoor amphitheater. One park is all butterflies and flowers and the other is all dinosaurs and outdoor creatures! I almost love them as much as the kids do!!!
Wanna come play with us?

Auld Lang Syne...

2009-01-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS - HAPPY 2009!!!

The Tusko's spent a quiet night at home with our family ringing in the New Year! Sparkling cider for all and watching the spectacular Vegas fireworks - ON TV of course. You'd have to be half crazy to venture down to that mad house! Hope yours was happy and as uneventful as ours!

A Merry Christmas it was!

2008-12-31T16:00:00.001-08:00

Chistmas morning came way too early for me, after a late night of last minute wrapping and waiting for Hailey to finally fall asleep! But bright and early, I heard footsteps RUNNING into my room, Parker could barely contain his excitement! He'd peeked down the stairs and saw that Santa had left him his very own, pint-sized drum set! Needless to say, within 30 seconds the rest of the house was awakened by his very first drum solo! I think it may have woken a few neighbors as well! :) Yes, Santa must have thought that Parker was ready to pursue his musical talents with drums....after all, Daddy was a drummer. I just wish they came with a volume knob!!! hahahahaAfter a whirlwind of bows and paper, the gifts were opened and the playing began. The big boys got a Wii, so they were pretty much MIA the rest of the day. And Hailey was perfectly content playing with her new baby and Disney nursery set.

Thank you Santa for another job well done! We hope everyone's Christmas' were equally as Merry and that through it all, the true meaning of the season was able to reside inside everyone!

My favorite gift was having my college girl home for Christmas morning! I love that girl! And I know she'll be back to school before I know it :(

Thank you all for your cards and Christmas wishes. I hope you all had a beautiful holiday!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

2008-12-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went in a hurry! Doesn't it always seem to do that? Well, unfortunately for us, Hailey was feeling a little less Hailey than normal this Christmas Eve, she had a fever and a tummy ache and spent most of it curled up on the couch waiting for the Motrin to work. So needless to say, we missed Christmas Eve services at Canyon Ridge Christian church, which is sad because they always do such a great Christmas Eve program to help keep everyone in the right Christmas spirit:( But after a cool bath and some new Christmas jammies, everyone was feeling better, so we left cookies and milk for Santa on the fireplace and read Christmas stories in bed instead! It was a nice quiet evening at home with much anticipation for what Santa might leave us under the tree! Hailey is old enough now that she was sooooo excited, when I was trying to get her to sleep she kept getting frusterated with her lack of fatigue. She kept putting her hands over her eyes and saying "Stop it eyes! Go to sleep! Mom, they won't stay closed!" She cracks me right up! Thank goodness her eyes eventually cooperated and she finally fell asleep!

Snowballs

2008-12-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

Here are some cute videos with Hailey playing in the snow with her daddy learning to make snowballs

Let it snow!!

2008-12-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

I know Vegas and snow are not two words used together very often, but yesterday we had one heck of a snow storm blow through town - well more like, stay for 6 or 7 hours and then move on! We live in the far Northwest of the valley closer to the mountains, so whenever there's weather, we usually get more of it up here! And while most of the Las Vegas valley enjoyed a light dusting of the white stuff - we got dumped on!! By the time it was through with us we had upwards of 4 inches, on the ground! It was so much fun to play in! We put aside all chores yesterday and had a snow day! Parker and Hailey had a blast throwing snowballs, making snow angels and building their first snowman - sad as he was! It is so much fun to have snow - as long as it only comes around once every year or so!!! :) Oh, and I almost forgot the coolest part! Hailey and Rich were on the news! We were standing outside of a Starbucks showing her how to catch snowflakes on her tongue and local news crew was in the area interviewing people. They saw Hailey and came right over to say hi and see if they could put her on the news, well, she is adorable, but I'm just a little biased! She didn't really want anything to do with them at first, but once Daddy picked her up she was a total show off - catching snowflakes and saying they tasted like bubble gum! It was so cute to see her on TV - she was quite proud of herself! A star is born!

This is when we were in front of Starbucks when the news guys came over.

Going to Town at Garehime Heights

2008-12-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

The other night, Parker's school (Garehime Elementary, a.k.a. Garehime Heights) hosted their fall festival, ushering in the holiday season. Parker and Hailey COULD NOT believe that Santa had time to come all the way to Parker's school! How great was that? Well, for Parker and Courtney it was great, Hailey decided she really didn't know why she was so excited about talking to him once we got her to his lap! This was the absolute best picture I could get of her with Santa without a completely disgusted look on her face! The only thing she would utter when Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas was "Derella" in a teeny, tiny whisper - Dad had to explain that that means Cinderella....her favorite princess of them all.

Parker, on the other hand, was so excited to tell Santa that all he wanted for Christmas was stacks and stacks of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards....hmmmm.

And of course Courtney doesn't want much - just a new cell phone, a lap top, a new bike and oh, some new shoes and clothes if it's not too much to ask! Dream on sister!:)

So, a great time was had by all once we put Santa in our rear view. It was onto the arts and crafts booths and then a game of Twister, played on the BIGGEST Twister mat I'd ever seen!!

Family Pics

2008-12-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

Happy December everyone!! I just wanted to post some of the great family pictures we were able to get taken while Elissa was in town for the Thanksgiving holiday! I'm so grateful to all who helped get everyone together to take the shots...I was so worried it wasn't going to happen - it's so hard to get everyone together now that they're getting older :(
We had so much fun taking the pictures...thank you Elissa! We love and miss you and can't wait to see you at Christmas!!!

2008-11-18T13:12:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, our family had the pleasure of attending the Retirement ceremony for my exceptional husband Rich, after 24 years of unfaltering and dedicated service to the US Navy. It was a beautiful and meaningful ceremony filled with traditions as old as the Navy itself. If you ever have the opportunity to attend one, I highly recommend it...it is a very moving experience.

My friend Leah and I spent the entire month of October and into November preparing every last little detail of the ceremony, and I have to say that it went off without a hitch. We had family from 2 different states make the drive into town to be a part of this monumentous event, and to those of you who could not make the trip, we fully understand and we appreciate your cards and phone calls.

I just want to take a minute to thank my husband for being who he is. He is probably one of the most honorable people I've been blessed to know. He has been a beacon to me and to our family. He is so patriotic and proud of this beautiful country in which we have been blessed to live, and watching him retire and "stand relieved of his watch" was a bitter sweet experience. I know he will miss the commeradery of his shipmates and the honor of wearing his Navy uniform in service of our country. I know closing that chapter of his life was hard, and I just want to thank him for giving us the opportunity to honor him with a ceremony. (no, he did not want one - but I insisted! I think he's kind of glad I did now.) I am so grateful that the Lord saw fit to bring our lives together. He always knows best!!

That said, I hope to have the pictures and videos of the ceremony soon, as I was trying to focus on the event itself and at the same time keep the kids somewhat quiet, I really didn't do much picture taking. But there were at least 4 other cameras going the entire time. So, I should soon have discs of the entire thing to share with you.

Congratulations babe!! It is all so well deserved!! You're the best!

Bowling with 6 year olds!!

2008-11-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

Ok - I'm FINALLY getting pictures from Parker's birthday party up...I know, I know. But I've always lived my life better late than never!!
Rich and I, with the help of a couple of my bff's (because heaven knows I couldn't function without them!) took ten, yes I said 10!, 5 & 6 year olds bowling! To be honest, besides the noise, it was a lot of fun! They bowled their little hearts out! I'm sure the bowling alley had some new dents in the floor by the time we were done, but they had a good time making them!

I think that ball weighs more than Parker does!

Johnney's going for the wind up!!

And there's the release!!

Parker's trying to get some tips on form from Dillon.Hailey's turn!waiting....We're still waiting to find out if that ball ever did make it all the way to the pins!

Beautiful Boy...

2008-11-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

Today is Parker's 6th birthday! I can't believe 6 years have passed so quickly, I remember the day he came into our lives like it was yesterday. In the short time that he has been in this world, he has blessed our lives so immensely, with his loving hugs, his beautiful smile, his sweet disposition and caring ways. I fell so completely in love with that little boy the first time I held him in my arms, and I have continued to love him more everyday. I am so thankful that he was sent to our family, so thankful that a wiser, higher power knew what was best for me, for all of us.
Happy Birthday Boo! We're so grateful to be your mommy and daddy and we love you with all of our hearts!

Ghosts and Goblins...

2008-11-02T14:48:00.001-08:00

Parker and Hailey had a fun night knocking on doors and collecting their "treats". Poor Daddy had to work, so we hit the road, just the 3 of us, with some of our friends. Hailey and her little friend Becca were so adorable in their matching Cinderella dresses, riding in their daddy drawn carriage - (Becca's Daddy that is). And thank goodness Parker, I mean Optimus Prime, was there too keep us all safe from the bad guys! It was a fun, safe, night for all - well, except for Daddy...we missed you!

He's on Two Wheels!!!

2008-10-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today Parker's Daddy took his training wheels off, and off he went!!! No wobbling or anything...he was up and down the sidewalk all afternoon!
Way to go Parker, you're growing up so fast!

The Great Pumpkin!

2008-10-21T10:57:00.001-07:00

This weekend was our annual outing to one of the gazillion local "pumpkin patches"! Parker and Hailey had a great time in the petting zoo, sliding on the giant slide and being bounced high in the sky! Oh, and we got a couple of pumpkins too! I love the holidays!

My little sugar sitting with the "sugars"...
So cute!!
Parker and Hailey - she was pretty much ready to go!
Parker and his big brother...
The 4 of us sitting amongh the pumpkins...you wouldn't believe the hives I got from that bail of hay! Good thing I didn't grow up on a farm! :)

Happy 233rd Birthday!!!

2008-10-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

Navy Birthday Ball 2008...
This past weekend, my husband and I helped celebrate the 233rd birthday of our beloved US Navy! What a birthday party it was! It was held at the Hard Rock Hotel here in Las Vegas and was attended by active duty, reservists, retirees, family, friends, and even the #1 in the Nation Centennial HS Navy JROTC unarmed and armed drill teams! It was awesome, as it always is. We celebrated the service of our fellow sailors, as well as all other members of every branch of service. Tears flowed as always, as we remembered those who have fallen, those who were currently away from their families in service of our country, and as we celebrated the return of those who have recently come home from long absences.
The next time you see a member of our armed forces, please remember to thank them for all they do!!!

Baby it's cold outside!!

2008-10-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it was like 56 degrees! But for us desert tortoises, that's like arctic weather! It only lasted 2 days...and now we've returned to the 80's! Anyway, the kids were hilarious all done up in their winter gear to go out front and play, so I had to share their ridiculous pictures so everyone could have a good laugh at our non-tolerance for the cold! :)

Doing it up "Vegas" style!

2008-10-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Homecoming 2008!!

I'm so far behind on posts it's sad! Our family really has been plenty busy lately, maybe that's why I got so far behind! So here starts the update!
Two weekends ago, Brendan went to the Centennial HS Homecoming Dance! He had a great time and went with a great group of kids (since he's not officially "dating"). The girl he asked was a just a friend, but they had great fun. All 20 kids - yes I said 20!- met up at one house where they loaded onto an "eco-friendly" huge party bus! The limo driver took them all to the dance where they stayed long enough to take a picture or two. Then it was on to In-n-Out burger for dinner - so classy! Then they got to cruise the strip for a couple of hours listening to music, eating junk food, and having good, clean fun! Yes, this is how they do it in Vegas! His dates' mom was a little stressed about letting her little girl go out on this "party bus", because this was her daughter's first dance. But I assured her that, having raised a girl first, this is the "norm" for Vegas dances! The driver's are very professional and don't tolerate any rule breaking. In fact, this one gave all the parents his card with his cell number in case we wanted to call and check on them during the evening. Wow - I hope he got a big tip for dealing with 20 teenagers for 5 hours!!

School Days...

2008-10-07T15:27:00.001-07:00

Today was a sad day at school for Parker. (I know he looks real sad right?) His friend Lena is moving away and today was her last day of school! Lena was his first friend in Kindergarten - she is such a sweetie - and he is going to miss her. So to make the day memorable, I took lots of pictures before school this morning, then I hurried home and printed them and put them in a little album for her to take with her to her new school. We didn't want her to forget us!!

Goodbye and good luck Lena!! We'll miss your sweet smile every morning! (and little Ava too!)

My Mother, My Friend

2008-09-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my Mom!!

(My Mommy and me Dec. '72 - I was 4 months old - in Rowland Hts., CA)

I know I'm always a day late and a dollar short...but I wanted to wish my mom the happiest birthday ever! I was out of town over the weekend, so I'm posting this wish a day late! Yesterday was the day the world was blessed with the gift of my mom! The number of lives she has touched is infinite, I'm sure. She is the most compassionate, caring, loving person I've had the pleasure of knowing, and I have the honor of calling her "mom".

She molded me in so many ways that went completely undetected until I reached motherhood myself. I'm proud to say that I am so much like my mom, and hope to be more like her in the future. I wish that everyone in the world could know her, her heart is enormous and I think the world of her!

All my love, mom! You're the best!

Patriot Day 2008

2008-09-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Have you forgotten? More and more, I feel like the world has forgotten the tragedy that rocked our very foundation 7 years ago. I know they say that "time heals all wounds", but this is one wound that needs to be revisited, so that we don't forget those that gave their lives that day, and all those who have given their lives since, in the name of "freedom". Do we stop to realize how blessed we are to have been placed on this earth at this time? We should never take that for granted. We have a responsibility to our posterity to preserve this land, our freedom, so that they may experience all that we have had the priviledge of having, as our forefathers did for us.
I hope you will all take a moment today, to remember the fallen, to send thanks above for all that we have, and to do your part in preserving this great country and all that it stands for.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

College bound!

2008-08-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today was Elissa's first day of college!! Can you believe it? She called me this afternoon to tell me how kind of crazy her day was. First of all, she's overwhelmed by how big the school is, finding her classes has been an adventure. Apparently, one of the classes she registered for online, is at a satellite campus about 40 minutes away!! Oops! So now she's trying to switch into a local class, and guess what? They're all full! It's a learning process for sure! Other than that, things are going pretty great for her. She's still job hunting, she's been waiting for a second follow-up call at a bank that wanted an interview with her...cross your fingers. That would be a great job for her school schedule!

Anyway, I wanted to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed this transition that has taken place between me and my now adult daughter, as of late. We all know the trials and tribulations of raising a teenager, it's almost heart breaking at times. But it has felt so good to have crossed over to the "friend" stage with Elissa, now that she's grown and living on her own. I probably spend more time talking to her on the phone since she's moved away, than I spent talking to her face-to-face her whole senior year! It makes my heart happy to know that she talks to me now because she wants to talk to me! My mom has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and I know that Elissa and I will be one day too!

These are some pics of Elissa's new place! (She's renting a room in my sister's condo - thanks Kim for giving Elissa a home-away-from-home!) It's so relieving to know she's with family - and safe! And it's adorable, cozy, homey, and huge for a college girl! Good job Aubs and Jacki on the decorating! (Some of Aubs' early work, I presume!) Top left - Elissa's room - we helped her get it all put together and decorated!; top middle - Elissa doing what she does best - MySpacing!; top right - Elissa's/guest bath; middle left - family room; middle - me and my girls!; middle right - more family room; bottom left - the "huge" kitchen!; bottom middle - dining room; bottom right - the fam! (Jared ducked out and Rich took it!)

We love and miss you Elissa! Have fun in college - we're proud of you too!

Back To School!

2008-08-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Is summer vacation really over already? Oh my gosh, how did that happen so fast!? Well, like it or not, it's time for back to school! And today was Parker's big First Day of Kindergarten! He was so cute! And soooo excited! When we got to the parking lot, he told us that we could just drop him off because the school gate was already open!! Wow - not even a little apprehensive about being away from mom and dad! I guess that's good, he'll be independent - but I have to admit to being a little sad that he wasn't going to miss me at all!
He has a couple of friends in class, Grant and Tucker - yes, someone named their little boy Tucker! I just hope he doesn't spend the whole time chatting and getting in trouble on the first day!

Way to go Parker!! You're in school now!! I just wish they would keep this excitement about it all the way through High School! Although, I think Brendan was pretty excited to go back today. He's not a little Freshman anymore!

And speaking of not a little Freshman anymore - today Jared goes for his Senior pictures! Can you believe it? When Rich and I first met, he was only 9! Wow does time ever fly!

Enjoy the pics - I'll post the rest of our end of summer updates soon!

Day 10 - the end of the road

2008-08-12T00:44:00.001-07:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by heather_n_lv

Yeah!!! I caught up with posts about our trip!! And just in time to head home tomorrow! (OK - today, being that it's after midnight as I type this!)

Today we took the little ones and Elissa for one last excursion to the beach. The big boys went with my nephew, Scott, who took them skim boarding with some of his friends.

We took some fun video and pictures to remember the last day of our summer vacation of 2008! It's been so much fun, and I'm so grateful that we've been blessed with the means to make these memories with our family. I have so many fond memories of family vacations when I was a little girl, I hope my children are able to look back on our trips and smile. Not to mention that this may be the last time Elissa will be able to accompany us on "family" vacation, she's off to college next week, and who knows what the future holds for her.

Thank you for coming along on our trip with us! I love all of your comments, and I love you all!

Day 9

2008-08-12T00:04:00.001-07:00

La Jolla Coves
Originally uploaded by heather_n_lv

Sunday August 10, 2008

Today we decided to head out on an adventure. We weren't 100% sure where we were headed, but we headed south toward San Diego and decided to go where the road took us.
Originally, we thought we'd go down to SeaPort Village and walk around and window shop. But while we were driving, I remembered these cool sea caves I'd seen years ago in La Jolla and asked if anyone wanted to go check them out. Everyone seemed game, so we went on a little tour of downtown La Jolla in search of the caves. After stopping for ice cream, and to ask diretions, we finally found them! They were soo cool! And there were sea lions all over the place! Brendan and Parker got within a couple of feet of one sunbathing on the rocks! Then we decended the 145 steps to one of the caves known as "Sunny Jim" - apparently the opening, when viewed during daylight hours, forms the silouette of an Indian. It was a cool adventure. And apparently you can go on Kayaking and snorkeling tours through all 7 caves - maybe when the llittle ones get a bit bigger.
So, on our way back to our car - we passed a beautiful, red, Ferrari F40 parked in front of one of the hotels, so we decided to take a picture for the testosterone factor.
When we got back to Kim's, they were surprised to hear that such caves even exsisted! Imagine, they've lived here their whole lives and have never been. So now they're planning a trip down with some friends!
It was such a fun day!!!

Day 8

2008-08-11T22:43:00.001-07:00

Saturday August 9, 2008

Day 8 found us at yet another beach! We headed just south of my sister's house and found ourselves in San Clemente, so we thought, what the hay, we'll stop here today! I just love being on vacation...no schedules, no timelines, no agendas, just go with the flow! I have to relish it while I can, because I know it's coming to an end - and all too soon! :(
So, we're sucking up as much of this beautiful California sunshine and ocean air as we can while we still have it to enjoy.
After the beach, my sister, Kim, and my brother-in-law, Kenny, took us out to a birthday dinner. It was nice to visit, and a great meal too! Thanks you guys, so much, for the dinner, the hospitality, and all the love and friendship you've extended our family while we've been here. I said recently, that the older I get, the more my family means to me, and the more time I want to spend with them.

Happy Birthday Courtney!!!

2008-08-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dear Courtney!!! You're a big 10 today - double digits baby! We miss you so much on our trip, we really wish you could've been with us. I hope you're day was everything you hoped it would be! See you soon - WE LOVE YOU!!!

Days 5,6,and7...

2008-08-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

Since I'm getting really far behind pictures and events of our trip, I'm going to have to throw a few days together!!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 found us packing our bags to head up the coast to Laguna Niguel where we are now enjoying the hospitality of my big sister at the Casa de Messick. The kids immediately jumped in the gigantic pool and were in seventh heaven.

Thursday, August 7, 2008 we took the crew to Knott's Berry Farm. Camp Snoopy was a huge hit for the little ones, and the older ones loved all the roller coasters. Parker got to ride his first roller coaster, but was sad to discover that he was too short to ride the bigger coasters with the kids. The best part was the short lines!! You've gotta love Knott's Berry Farm!!

Parker and Hailey got to meet Snoopy!!

Hailey has no fear of anything!!

Friday, August 8, 2008 was the end of the trip for Elissa's boyfriend, Zach. He had to head home to Utah to move into his apartment in preparation for college at the end of the month. We dropped him off at the Santa Ana airport then headed up the freeway to Westminster for a day with Rich's dad and step-mom. Grandpa Joe and Grandma Sharon were great to put up with all the kids. We had fun playing in the backyard and looking at pictures of family members that we don't get to see very often. After a nice dinner to celebrate Rich's and my birthday, we headed home to my sisters to get some sleep!! It was a great visit and we're grateful for the times we get to share with family. Thanks grandpa and grandma, for everything. We love you so much! We miss you when we're so far away, we look forward to seeing you again in October ,when you come up for Rich's Navy Retirement Ceremony!

Day 4 - Back at the beach!

2008-08-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

Back to the beach today! Parker decided to test his skills on the boogie board. He caught a couple of small waves, and took a few rolls, but he loved every sandy second of it!! It was a nice relaxing day in the sand and the surf. We took it easy today because tomorrow we pack up all this sandy stuff and head up to my sister's house in Laguna Niguel. Can't wait to see the fam!!

Day 3 - Sea World

2008-08-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Monday August 4th, 2008

Once again, Shamu did not disappoint. It was hotter than blazes, and really humid, but the show was phenom. Hailey loved every second of it, especially because her big brothers and sister sat with her in the "soak zone" so she got splashed and thought that was great!!
We managed to hit every show - except the 4D theater - oh well. The kids also explored the tide pools, where the sea stars live, the bat ray pools, the Manatee Rescue, the Arctic Zone - where the Polar Bears, Beluga Whales, and Walrus' live, the Penguin Habitat and the Shark Encounter.
Parker said that the Cirque De La Mer was the best show at Sea World, but Hailey LOVED the dolphins. Elissa likes Clyde and Seamore - the Sea Lion and Otter show, and the big boys just liked the girls that worked there!
Personally, I love Pet's Rule, and Rich loves the Belugas whales in the arctic zone and the funnel cake!!
We closed the park down - stayed for the fire works and all. Hailey and Parker ran to their little hearts content in the new Sesame Street play place, then immediately passed out almost as soon as their seat belts were on!
Another summer, another trip to Sea World - we love it!! It never gets old - expensive, yes, but not old!
Tomorrow it's back to the beach for a little r&r.

Day 2 - Beachin' it!

2008-08-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

So Hailey didn't want anything to do with the sand when we first got to the beach, but she quickly got over her little phobia!!!

Hailey before liking the sand.......and after getting used to it!!

She and Parker both took sand baths, they were covered in the stuff from head to toe, and loving every second of it!
A good time was had by all, the water was perfect, the sun was out, we couldn't have asked for a better day.

After the sun and the sand, we came back to our hotel for a quick dip in the pool, then we showered and headed out for dinner at our favorite pizza place in Carlsbad, "The Pizza Port".

It was as yummy as ever. After pizza and beer buddies (their name for their yummy garlic bread), we headed over to "Cessy's" for the best soft serve ice cream on the beach. We then loaded up the little ones, with their ice cream cones in hand, and headed over to Frazee park to watch an absolutely amazing sunset, along with about 50 other Carlsbadians. After watching "Robert the fire juggler", we headed back to our room to get ready for bed.

Tomorrow - SEA WORLD!!!

Day 1 - Carlsbad or Bust!!

2008-08-03T21:45:00.001-07:00

The only thing I wanted for my birthday was to watch the sunset on the beach...well, this was as close to a sunset as I got - the marine layer had settled in. But at least I was on the beach!! It was beautiful anyway, and it was only 71*...a far cry cooler than the 109 that it was in Vegas. We packed all our suitcases into the Burban and piled in all 8 bodies for a trip to the beach. We made it to San Marcos by dinnertime, so we got to eat at our favorite restaurant "The Old Spaghetti Factory". It was so yummy, we wish they would come back to Vegas.

Then it was off to the beach to watch the sunset, and finally we made it to our hotel to settle in for some rest. It was a wonderful birthday - frusterating teenagers and all!! Thanks, babe, for a picture perfect day!

Our home away from home.

Happy Birthday to you!

2008-08-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday babe! Still adorable after 42 years!!

(OK-so it was yesterday - I'm a bad blogger!!)

Cinderella visited the Tusko Castle!

2008-07-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

OK - I FINALLY got around to posting pictures of Hailey's Cinderella party!!! Wow - what a couple of weeks I've had! It seems like there is so much to get done all of a sudden, we're leaving for our summer vacation next weekend, and when we get home it will be time to get ready for the new school year already! Can you believe it? I can't. So, needless to say, we've been cramming in Dr's appointments, dentist appointments, and everything else you can imagine. In fact, we spent this past Monday in the ER with Brendan, he has an inguinal hernia that will require surgery in the near future!! Poor kid! So that will be something else to get done before school begins!
Well, anyway, the party was a big hit, a good time was had by all. Hailey absolutely adored Cinderella - and Cinderella was wonderful with the kids! They sang songs and danced, went on a treasure hunt, she did face/hand painting, and then did a little "magic" show. Then it was time to blow out the candles on the birthday cake and she even made time to pose for pictures with each individual child so that I can send pictures to all their parents! For those of you that came - thanks so much for coming, for those that couldn't make it, we missed you!
I'll be back soon with some more summer memories to post!

Two Great Men; One Great Day!

2008-07-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

My daddy and me - 1972; mom and dad - 19??

Ken and Kim

Happy Birthday to two great men in my family. My Daddy and my brother-in-law were both born on this day, and Kenny, you became such a loving father figure when I lost my dad, it's fitting that you share his birthday.

My dad would have been 77 years old today...but, he is eternally youthful in my memory.

Have a wonderful birthday!! You are so loved!!
(sorry I had to recycle your picture guys - I guess I need to take more of you!!! Oh, well, it's a great one!)

Hailey's 3 Today!!!

2008-07-08T17:36:00.001-07:00

At 7:55 in the morning on July 8th, 2005, our little peanut, Hailey Dallin Tusko joined our family. It's hard to believe that 3 years have gone so quickly! Hailey is growing up so fast, and she is the apple of her Daddy's eye! I put together a little slide show of her for those of you that don't know her all that well!
This Saturday, Cinderella will be visiting her birthday party to play with the kids! It will be so much fun...she is such a little princess herself!
We love you Hailey Dallin, you are the light of our lives! You are an amazing little girl, you're little, but you're feisty, and so full of life and curiosity! I can't wait to see what all your tomorrow's bring!

The Graduating Class of 2008

2008-06-18T16:27:00.001-07:00

Elissa graduated!

2008-06-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger lately, and I'm sorry! It feels like the last week and a half disappeared without me noticing! So many things went on in such a short amount of time...where should I start? Oh yeah, Elissa graduated! I had a lot of family come into town, we spent a lot of good family time together. On Monday night (last monday!!) we took Elissa out for a pre-graduation dinner at the O.G. It was nice to be together with everyone and enjoy a good meal. The next day it was hurry up and wait, as her graduation ceremony wasn't until 6pm. Time finally won over and it was time to leave, I felt excited, nervous, proud and sad all at once. This was such a big day for her, I didn't want to spoil it with my tears, so I kept it together until they started playing the "Pomp and Circumstance". I had a good cry and then decided to pay attention so that I could get some decent pictures to commemorate this day forever. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went...with close to 800 graduates to announce and 7 Valedictorians, 3 Salutatorians, and some school officials to speak, I thought we'd be there for hours!!! Not so, we were outta there in 2 hours flat! It seemed miraculous, but I guess they've had a lot of practice and have down to an art. After the commencement, we headed outside for some family picture time, wow, it was a sea of people! Luckily, after just a few short minutes I found my girl and hugged her tight. We took some shots and let her get on her merry way to go have some fun with her fellow grads. It was a good night, I was actually smiling more than crying, which made for better pictures! So, now she's slowly packing her things, getting ready for her move up to St. George in a day or two live with her Dad for the summer, and hopefully work enough to put some money away for the fall semester of college. I'm going to miss her so much, I'm a little numb right now, still waiting for the finality of it to sink in.

Thanks fam, for coming and supporting us. I loved having you all here - drama and all! We're family and I love you all!

Another Anniversary

2008-06-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to send a shout out to my awesome big sister Kim and my best brother-in-law Kenny (sorry Brian - I've known him longer! 8) ), on this their 26th??? Anniversary? I lost count a LONG time ago!!! Congrats you guys, you're my idols! You are a great example and an inspiration to us all!!! Aren't they a beautiful couple? Love you guys!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

"Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be." Robert Browning

2008-06-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

6 years ago, on this day, I was honored to marry my best friend, and we joined our small families together to become one big happy one!

Our lives have taken so many turns, gone down so many paths we never imagined we would travel. In 6 short years, we've brought 2 more beautiful children into this controlled chaos that we call our lives, we've endured separation due to military service, we've shared trying times, sad times, joyous times, watched our children grow from babies and pre-teens, into more pre-teens and adults, we've shared family times, alone times, memorable vacations, and days sitting around doing nothing.

I want to wish my awesome husband a Happy Anniversary, and thank him for the life he has breathed into me. Before our life together, I was just kind of enduring one day at a time, now I love to live every moment.

No, things aren't "perfect", but they're perfect for us! I look forward to spending the rest of my days with my best friend.

Thank you babe! I love you!!!

Graduation Season has begun!

2008-05-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

I took a quick trip to Utah on Thursday, to attend the graduation of my neice Randi. Unfortunatley it had to be a quick trip, because of our busy schedules, and I had to go by myself with the little ones, because Rich was working and Elissa and Brendan had finals. But, even though it was hectic, I'm so glad I was able to go!! Randi was a beautiful graduate and the whole ceremony was really awesome! Not to mention, I got to see 2 of my sisters, my mom, my Uncle Darrell, Aunt Joan, and my nephew TJ (whom I haven't seen in ages)!! Not bad for 24 hours! The night before graduation, Parker, Hailey and I got to go to dinner with Randi, my sister (her mom), my brother-in-law (thanks, by the way, it was so good!), my mom, and another of my sisters at PF Chang's. Yummy!!

Then, it was back to my sisters house for some marshmallow roasting over their awesome fire pit in the backyard! I gotta get one of these at my house!!

The, next morning, it was time to graduate!!

The proud mom and graduate!!! (that's going to be me in 10 more days!! Only, I'll be crying like a baby!)The proud big brother!!!The proud grandma!! And finally, proud me!!

After grandma treated us to a nice lunch at CPK (thanks grandma - it was delicious!), it was time to head back home! We were worn out, but at least they slept for a lot of the trip!

I just want to thank my big sis for the hospitality and Brian for the yummy chocolate chip pancakes and warm fire! You guys are awesome! Next time I'll try to stay longer! Love to you all!! See you soon...and bring your shoulders, because I'll be emo!!!

I Got Tagged...

2008-05-27T20:30:00.001-07:00

All About My Sexy Husband...

1. What is his name? Richard - but we call him Rich, or Ritchie, or Daddy!

2. Who eats more? He does at meal time - but I snack more!!

3. Who said I love you first? He did, I was way too afraid to admit it!

4. Who is taller? He is, and according to him, I'm shrinking!!

5. Who is smarter? I'll call it a tie! He's definitely got me in some subjects, but I can hold my own!

6. Who is more sensitive? That depends...I'm not usually, but for 1 week out of every month - you can't say anything that won't get under my skin!

7. Who does the laundry? ME!!! I don't like anyone washing my clothes but me! Yes, I have issues!

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at it, he does.

9. Who pays the bills? HE DOES! I got way too stressed out - I'm not the best with money - I'd rather go shopping then pay bills! He's much more disciplined than I.

10. Who cooks more? I do - but there are a couple of things that his mom used to make him as a kid, so I make him cook those meals because - well, he's picky and I don't want to mess up his "favorites" by deviating from the original version.

11. What meals do you cook together? Taco's and BBQ.

12. Who is more stubborn? I AM!!! Please, for your own sake, never ask me if I need help with something!!!

13. Who is the first to admit they're wrong? Obviously he is, because I'm never wrong!!! ;0)

14. Who is more clean? We're both neat freaks, but if I'm going to clean something, I'm going to clean it right! It takes at least 2 or 3 cleaning products to clean a room! He's more of a put away the clutter so it looks clean.

15. Who has more siblings? Me - I'm #5 of 6. He's #1 of 2.

16. Who wears the pants in the relationship? I let him! ;0)

17. What do you like to do together? Chores, I know, weird. We like to do the yard work, wash cars, clean the house. For fun, we like to watch movies.

18. Who eats more sweets? He does. He's a dessert person, I only like it once in awhile. However, we both LOVE a good cheesecake!!!

19. Guilty pleasures? I don't know if he has any - maybe Starbucks and vampire movies!

20. How did you meet? In the Navy - we were in the same Navy Reserve Unit, and knew each other for a few years before we ever started dating.

21. Who asked who out first? He did - actually, we went with a mutual friend to a movie so that people wouldn't start any "rumors" in our Reserve Unit.

22. Who kissed who first? He definitely kissed me first.

23. Who proposed? He did - and I was mortified!!! We were in such a public place - I hate making a spectacle of myself - I saw him start to bring a ring box out and I almost ran away! Looking back, it was quite romantic - we were on the observation deck of the Eifel Tower (OK-just the little one on the Vegas strip!), watching the Fountain show at the Bellagio. I just wish there hadn't been so many people around!!

24. His best features? His sexy runner's legs, his smile, and his hair, with just a sprinkling of gray starting.

25. What is his greatest quality? Just one??? I can't name just one! It's his undying devotion to his family, his work, his country, his faith; his honesty; his self-confidence; his humility; his pride; and the fact that he loves his family and is not afraid to show it.

Who do I tag? Well, I don't know enough people in this blogging world, so...I guess, Jacki and Mom!

Elissa's Senior pix

2008-05-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share with you some pictures that I recently took of Elissa and her best friend Brittney. Elissa wanted some "Senior" pictures that were different than anyone else's, so this is some of what we came up with. They are both such beautiful girls, there was no way I could get a bad shot! We had fun, and made some great memories at the same time!

HOT, HOT, HOT!

2008-05-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Oh brother it's been HOT!!! It's only May - the MIDDLE of May - and it's already gotten above 100!!! I sincerely hope that this is not a sign of what kind of summer we're in for! That's the one thing about living in Vegas - the summer's are miserable!

So to escape the scorching heat, we spent the day swimming! It was so refreshing and wonderful! The kids had a blast - even Brendan joined in when he got home from school.

Parker and Hailey's fun weekend

2008-05-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Parker and Hailey had so much fun this weekend. They got to go see their favorite show on PBS LIVE!! Signing Time with Rachel Coleman came to our local library on Friday night - it is probably the best show on TV! Parker has picked up a huge vocabulary in sign language - he has the most amazing memory. And Hailey loves to dance to the songs - her little hands still struggle to make a lot of the actual signs - but she tries - and it's so adorable. They had a good time watching "Hopkins" the frog and Rachel doing their songs on the amphitheater stage.

Then on Saturday morning, Parker had another T-ball game. He is getting so much better. He was starting to develop a little fear of the ball - in particular - getting tagged out at a base, so he would run off the base line and try to avoid getting touched by the baseman with the ball. We've explained to him the importance of staying on the white line - or he'll be called out anyway. On Saturday's game he stayed on the line!!! And when he got tagged out, he wasn't all mopey. And his slide into home is coming along great!!

And while Parker was playing his heart out, Hailey was busy with her new BFF, (the cutest little girl named Maddy). Maddy's brother is on Parker's team, so they're always playing together during the games. Maddy's a little older than Hailey - and she has the most beautiful hair I've ever seen on a 3 year old!! Hailey and I are a little jealous!

Finally, that afternoon, we got to meet my sister Kim and my awesome brother-in-law, Kenny, for lunch at Chili's! We don't get to see them more than once or twice a year, so it was so fun to see them. Even if it was just for a quick lunch! Thanks for meeting us guys!! Next time, I promise I'll have the house clean and you can sit and stay awhile! We love you guys!

"beautiful boy"

2008-04-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the most amazing book called "beautiful boy" by David Sheff. It is a memoir - written by the father of an addict. It has to be one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. With 6 kids, I cannot even begin to explain the fear I have that one of them will make some of these horribly devastating choices in life. There is some language in it, and I don't agree with everything that the author says and does - so it may not be right for everyone - but it's a true story, and it absolutely broke my heart. I would be sitting on the couch reading, with tears streaming down my cheeks, and my own beautiful boy (Parker) would come up to me and put his arms around me and ask me why I was so sad. It was so hard to read the story of this boys childhood, he was such a cute, normal, happy kid. He had so much potential - so smart, talented, the world at his feet - then he just spiraled down this path of self destruction.

I learned so much about what drugs (meth specifically) will do to a person - not to mention their family, physically and emotionally. I think that I have a much deeper understanding about addiciton. I've been very critical and naive about "addicts" up until now. I've always taken the attitude that "if they wanted to quit badly enough, they would", kind of a will-power thing. I've been so wrong. These drugs truly cause damage to your brain, that is sometimes irrepairable, and you are no longer yourself. I've always believed that people were either born with an "addictive personality" or they weren't. That part is sort of true - they have linked addiction to genetics. This book gave me an education - I hope I will never need to call on it...

I cannot imagine watching a child, that I gave life to, doing these things to themselves. It scares me to death. I think one of the most important things I learned was not to be naive, and that early intervention is the BEST remedy. I know our family is blessed, I pray that we will continue to be.

TGIFriday?

2008-04-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Friday - I don't understand why that's such a big deal! Oh yeah, it's because the work week's over and it's relax time on the weekend! Wait - how come my weekends are just like my work weeks?? Whoever thought being a stay-at-home mom was such a hard job?! I can honestly say that I don't know how I used to handle working full time outside the home and still managed to get anything done around here! My job is home - and I'm always behind!!! The laundry's never "finished"; as soon as I fill the dishwasher, I turn around and find a counter full of dirty dishes; as soon as I mop the floors, they're dirty again; and don't even get me started on picking up the toys!! (I swear I think they multiply like rabbits when you have your back turned!) I don't know how my sister always seemed to have such a clean house with 4 kids! I don't stop picking up, putting away, cleaning, or washing from the time I get up until the time I FINALLY crawl into bed (if I'm lucky that's before 11 pm - but I'm not ususally so lucky). And on top of all that there are always errands to run, owies to kiss, books to read, games to play, coloring books to be colored in, homework to help with, meals to fix, buttons to sew, I could go on and on.

So I'm listening to the radio this morning and they're all "TGI Friday!! Woohoo - it's the weekend! What are your big weekend plans?", I'm thinking to myself - maybe I need to get me one of those job things, then I can celebrate Fridays too! Because my Saturday's are just like my Tuesday's, and for that matter my Monday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's too! The only day I really don't do AS much is Sunday - but then again - have you ever tried getting 6 kids ready for church, then loading them, your mother-in-law and sister-in-law all in 2 vehicles (because even the SUBURBAN isn't big enough anymore), sitting through church with a restless 2 year old, who would rather dance in the aisle or kick the seat in front of her, then draw quietly and eat her plethora of snacks that you've so thoughtfully -yet in vain- packed to keep her "busy"? Well, don't try, you may hurt yourself.

Instead of Fridays, do you know what I look forward to? Bedtime!! I long for bedtime like a kid longs go to Disneyland! I really do, and that's so sad! I cannot wait to crawl under my covers and lay my head down so I can just be in the same place for more than 5 minutes! You know, for awhile after I had Hailey - I thought maybe there was something wrong with me, like I had "Chronic Fatigue Sydrome" or "Mono" or something! But then I realized that I'm just suffering from Chronic Mom Syndrome!

So, for all of you who can enjoy it - go enjoy your Friday!!! I'll be looking forward to my bedtime!

2008-04-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

My baby girl...

2008-04-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was my baby girls Senior Prom. Where have the years gone? And when did she get so grown up? She looked beautiful, like a woman! I'm so impressed with the young woman she's become, she really is such a blessing to our lives. The teenage years had so many ups and downs, I felt like I was riding Space Mountain - I never knew what was around the next turn. Now that she's 18, things are different. She's grown so much in just the few short months that have passed since she entered adulthood. She'll be graduating in less than 2 months and everytime I think about it, my eyes well up and my heart aches, because she'll be packing her room - all those childhood memories, and enough clothes to fill a boutique - and she'll be heading off to her future as a college freshman. She's been accepted to UVSC (which becomes UVU in July) in Provo, Utah, and she has actually voiced an interest in Nursing! I couldn't be more proud of her...When she was a baby, 18 seemed a lifetime away. Now that she's 18, does that mean I'm old??? I'm old enough to have an 18 year old? What? Now I have a headache!
And yes, she has a boyfriend that she "loves"! He came down from St. George to take her to her prom, that was actually pretty sweet. My biggest concern is that he is ALSO going to UVSC, and I'm not sure how much "attending" is going to be going on! I'm not ready for this!

2008-04-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm embarassed to say that I JUST finally figured out how to get this dang slide show onto my blog page. But I have yet to figure out how to add text to it without losing it! You'd think that I'd be a little more computer savvy by my age...alas, I am not. Sad, I know. Well, it'll be an adventure for all of us!!! 8)

Parker's T-ball

2008-04-14T21:59:00.001-07:00

2008-04-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness it's baseball season again!!! I know I'm probably the only wife/mom that likes to actually watch baseball on TV...but I do! I love to watch my teams (all the SoCal teams, but our favorite team, hands down, is the Angels!!! Loved them since I was a kid and my dad used to take us to the home games! In those days they were the California Angels.) So far the Angels are 3-2 on the season!!! Go Halo's!!!

Also, our little Parker started his first year of Little League this week...big T-Baller! He had his season opener last Saturday and they were sooo cute! - I mean cool! (Parker doesn't like to be "cute" anymore, now he wants to be "cool") Tomorrow is his second game of the season and he's actually ASKING to go to bed so that he has enough "energy" for his big game tomorrow! That never happens! His team is the Raptors - as in the Ogden Raptors. They are, by the way, the rookie team for the LA Dodgers! And they're rival team is the Orem Owlz - with a Z - who play on the field at UVSC (soon to be UVU-where my oldest will be attending college in the fall). And they are the rookie team for who?? That's right...the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Just a little baseball trivia for those who are as crazy as me!

Anyway!!! Tomorrow I'll have some pics of Parker's game. I should probably get to bed myself so that I can get up and take to his big game!!

2008-03-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

So, I feel like I'm living in the stone age over here because apparently "everybody" is blogging now. I spend a good amount of time everyday reading the blogs of my friends and relatives and decided, maybe this will save some time with phone calls and emails!! Maybe not, IDK, but I do know that I love reading my 25 year old neices blogspot...wouldn't we all love to be 25, single, beautiful and have the world at our feet?? Well, she's a doll, and since I love reading her blog so much, I thought I'd give it a shot. I know this is pretty generic and not much to look at yet, but hey, it's my first day, first entry, first attempt at this, so give me a chance to figure out how it all works before you decide it's boring and sign off! Deal?
Anyway, it's the baby's nap time right now, so I don't know how much time I really even have to sit down and let the words flow, because heaven knows that when Hailey wakes up, she is the center of the universe and everything must cease in order to see what it is she wants. I love that little girl, she's got us wrapped around her little finger, but she's in that 2 1/2 year old phase, (you know the one they don't grow out of until they're 20) where she has that whole ego-centric thing going on. This is Hailey's domain, we are all just priviledged to live in it! LOL!
Besides the ego-centric baby, I also have an 18 year old daughter (down boys), a 16 year old step-son, a 15 year old son, a 9 year old step-daughter and a 5 year old son. If that weren't enough people living in one house, we also have a nephew that lives with us - he'll be 20 next week and I told him his birthday gift is going to be an apartment guide and a 2 week notice!
It's not really as bad as it sounds, I promise. My daughter and nephew have full-time jobs, so they're not home much, and my husbands kids are only hear about half the month. So it's really only chaotic about half the time! I can actually find quiet time every once in awhile if you can believe that. That's when I like to read, or check emails and blogs, or clean the house, do the laundry, you know, the essentials.
Well, the baby just walked in and so I must go for now. I hope to be able to make it more interesting soon. Let me know if you have helpful hints or ideas for me. Thanks!!