Backyard Birthday BBQ

WARNING: MONSTER PICTURE POST AHEAD!!

Blogging has taken a backseat in my life right now. So sorry. Mostly sorry for myself, as this is a family record of sorts and it just isn't getting the attention it deserves. It's almost time to compile and bind our yearly record with Blurb. Has it really been almost a year since our last book?!? I'm really looking forward to finishing this years.

So much to blog about but I just wanted to post about a Backyard Birthday BBQ that we went to the other weekend. It was for Reese's little dance friend, Haley. It was just so much fun and I got great stuff of the kids...so, I have to write about it. The pictures will explain how it all went down.

Let's start with the cake and get the food outta the way. Wowzers does Haley's mom Heather know how to make an awesome birthday spread. Just check out these Princess B-day cakes she personally made...all from scratch.

The bottom layer was an Italian cream cake, the middle layer was a strawberry and the top was a butter cream.

Yes, I was in heaven!! They all tasted (yes I had to try them all) soo good!! There was also a double chocolate crown cake!

And, of course there was a little Cinderella Princess cake for the birthday girl! I don't remember this cake flavor....

Sugar cookies galore!! These were so cute! Haley helped decorate them. Then there was the typical BBQ spread, hot dogs, salads of every kind etc, but again, my personal favorite was the chocolate fondue...which is were I sat most of the time inside the house!!

Here Reese is with the birthday girl, Haley! And yes, she has her own Lia Sophia jewelry collection...right next to her American Girl doll collection! Lucky girl!!

Lots of fun games were played...like put the shoe on Cinderella's foot!

Princess posture practice...balancing a book on your head while walking. Reese had no problems as long as both hands were there to help her out! She's the most clumsy, uncoordinated girl there is!!

Pumpkin chariot racing on a bouncy ball!

But Reese enjoyed most her time playing with all the toys...

and bouncy houses...

and spent a good deal of time in her own personal playhouse village.

Gavin pretty much just stuck to what he does best. Bouncing off the walls...of a bouncy house and climbing the slide...the wrong way of course!

Caden loved having his own personal time in the bounce house while everyone else was in opening presents.

My personal favorite was watching him try to play with the big boys on the super slide. He didn't want to climb up the traditional way, no, he had to do it the hard way!

He did it too! I have a cute video of him attempting his death defying feat:

He also enjoyed a little 'Roller Coaster' lovin'! This is something I gotta check out my local Craig's List and get one for our backyard. He loved it and spent a good portion of our outdoor time with it.


Check him in action!!



Caden (as well as the other kids) also had a fun time on the playset slide as well.



And after seeing Caden's brute strength support his 30lb body with his midget arms on the monkey bars...I just might finally cave in and add a playset to our backyard makeover.


I'll just have to keep Caden away from the swings!! He can't even handle one that is inches from the ground, but he'll hang from monkey bars until his arms give out and climb massive slides! Silly boy!

Finally, Reese was glad to have spent her Saturday with her good friend Haley and especially appreciated the new princess dance tutu and matching bow that she got as a party favor!

She wears it to dance along with Haley every Wednesday to match her friends. They are so cute together! Happy Birthday Haley and thanks for a great weekend! Wish I could have said the same for this past weekend!! Gavin got to go to his friend Kaleb's B-day (I think we have a b-day party every weekend for the next couple months!!) while I got to spend the entire day Saturday dressing Reese in every dance recital costume (the BIG one is coming soon) for personal and group photos!! That's another long post for another day...if I get to it!!

Happy Birthday today, Melissa!

No Anaphylactic Shock Here

He's taunted them by drowning them with the water hose for a while now out in the yard and has even tried to EAT ONE (see end of post)! This weekend our little C-Bear finally met his match and the wasp won!

Look how swollen his foot got!

Caden was out for the count for a bit while the sting was working its way out. Poor little man!

Nothing a little Spongebob and banana couldn't fix though! (Don't ask!)

Thank goodness Gavin was near Caden (I was inside getting more popsicles) and was able to pull the stinger out! I'm just glad he didn't have a bad reaction to its sting! So now I know that both Gavin and Caden are not allergic...just have to wait for Reese now!

"Beach"

We went to our local "beach" (aka Hubbard Lake) yesterday so Christopher could train for his upcoming Olympic distance Triathlon open water swim which happens in July. Yes, he doesn't own a wet suit (yet), so he wanted us around in the event of him cramping up and drowning. Fortunately for all of us, this was not a problem.

While Christopher did his thing, we did ours. Namely, the kids played with the sand and threw rocks into the water while I took pictures.

Caden was NOT happy about leaving. Good thing for him, Christopher's training will be taking us "to the beach" many days a week! I am planning a real beach trip vacation for this summer, even if it's just to Galveston Beach! The kids love it! Looking forward to summer this year more so than any other summer! For the past 6 years I have been massively pregnant or with newborn every year...so, there is a new sense of freedom I feel this year. Watch out good times here we come!

Cowboy Round Up Time!

This past week Gavin had his Kindergarten Round Up for the upcoming year. Kindergarten (K) round up is where those K kids that are starting school the new year get a tour and such while mom gets to sign a bunch of papers and get 'em registered. Gavin is lucky that his friends Ruben and Hannah from church will be going to the same Elementary school as he.

Lined up and ready for his group tour while mom stays at the cafeteria and fills out a booklet of paperwork.

After the tour was over, Gavin got to enjoy a little snack with his friends until we were ready to leave. Once the paper work was finished, Gavin just had to take me around the school and show me all that he learned. Surprisingly, he liked the library the most! In Kindergarten they will learn how to read, but we are working on it right now with help from his current Pre-K teacher at MDS. We received a list of sight words that he has to know by the END of his K year, and well, he knows 90% of them already! I hope he is challenged enough at school. I'm sure his age gives him an edge so I'll have to keep him learning more at home if needed.

Here's the kicker, I have never gotten emotional with Gavin leaving to go to school the last 2 years for Preschool. However, something about leaving him at 6 years old to fend for himself at school with 11 and 12 year old boys (the Elementary goes through 6th grade) and their influence is a little unsettling. Kindergarten is from 7:40 am to 3:15 pm!! He's always been a strong boy with a polar personality, is liked by his peers and makes friends easily so I shouldn't worry,...right?!?!

Maybe another year at MDS is worth the cash!! I am extremely blessed however we live in an awesome district. According to Great Schools Gavin's school is the best in our district on many levels and doesn't have a problem with some of the other personal worries I had. This does ease my heart and mind.

I know I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I need to, but hey, cut me some slack, I'm just a first time mom at all this! Reese wont have such an anxious mom come her time. Although, she is starting Pre-school at MDS this year!!! Can you believe it?!?! Just me and Caden at home most of the week! Pure bliss!

A 31 Flavor Date Day

Last Friday we went out with the kids to get our flavor on at Baskin Robins. The kids had fun trying pretty much all 31 flavors in an attempt to find their favorite. In the end, Rainbow Sherbert won them over. Go figure!

Caden was so excited about having his own cone this time!

Caden decided he was a big enough boy for his own kids cone! He was kind enough to share with me...all over my face, mouth, nose, neck, arm and pants! Thanks my man! Always too generous!

My Triathlete Update

March 8, 2008 Christopher and his little brother Tyler went to their first Triathlon for the year. It was crazy cold but they toughed it out. The race started and it was 31 degrees outside. Luckily the swim was in a heated pool, but they both couldn't feel their hands or feet when they got back from the 14 mile bike portion. Christopher's really getting good and came in 12th place out of about 200 finishers! And he got 2nd place in his age group! The kids and I weren't able to go because it was so freaking cold and even though I love to cheer on my Goosey Love, I couldn't put myself through hours of child wrestling in a damp very cold field. At least Christopher's parents were able to go and take a few pictures.

This past Saturday, April 12, 2008, they got together for their second triathlon. They got up really early for this one even though it was just down the road in Irving. They wanted to see what it would be like to actually get to the race before it was about to start. Go figure. Well, I really wanted to go again, but the thought of Caden gave me a migraine. However, Tyler's wife, Amanda was able to use our camcorder to get some footage. Christopher did really well in this race even though he didn't train for it AT ALL and his running shoes are worn out and make his knees hurt really bad. Still, he came in 17th place out of about 300 and 5th in his age group. He also set a new Personal Record of 1 hour and 2 minutes! His goal is to do one of these sprint distances in under an hour.

Anyway, he made a video using the pictures from the Athens triathlon, and the video footage from the Irving triathlon. Check it out!

Check out last years race footage of ATHENS and IRVING.

21 Short of 100

OK, first of all, I can't believe I haven't updated my blog in forever. I just can't find the time anymore. Anyway. Many a people have 'tagged' me with 100 little known facts about ME! Well, I could only come up with 79 and now I have run out of time (it's already taken me all day). So, if you can think of something not mentioned here, add it to the comments and let's see if we can't make it to 100!

1. I'm a night owl AND a morning person...if that's possible. (I go to bed after midnight and wake up before 7am.)
2. I have a tattoo.
3. I can 'accidentally' spend $200 at Target all the time.
4. I watch little to no TV, that's what Netflix is for and I'm their #1 fan!
5. I'm deathly afraid of deep, dark waters...but love the beach.
6. I can't watch movies with under water scenes (like the Abyss) without getting restless and hyperventilating.
7. Never broken a bone in my body, ever.
8. Had several stitches in my head from a failed assisted back flip when I was 11.
9. Once saw a Spanish doctor who helped extract a small piece of metal that was oxygenating in my eye!
10. Cheesecake (just about any kind) is my favorite cake of all time.
11. I absolutely love to cook new foods...and eat them too...obviously!
12. I HATE raisins! Hate them.
13. I got married when I was 24 and Christopher was 22!
14. I'm still addicted to Diet Pepsi Lime!
15. I reeeeally want to take my kids to Disneyland or World...but Christopher wont let me until Caden is a little older.
16. I really wish Reese could have had a sister...sisters are da best!
17. I love to travel and explore new places.
18. Christopher and I are going to retire in Spain!
19. My blood type is type O+...I bleed for everyone.
20. I love short hair so much, I don't think I'll ever go beyond my shoulders again in my lifetime.
21. My first job was a 'bagger' at Albertsons at 16.
22. I'd rather take a shower than a bath. If I do take a bath, it's after a shower. Don't like the thought of sitting in my dirt and dead skin cells!
23. I don't have a middle name.
24. I wish I had a room dedicated to quilting and made more time for it!
25. I LOVE pizza and generally any type of CARBS!!
26. I was never a real fan of chocolate, I could take it or leave it...that was, until I got pregnant with Reese. Can't get enough now!
27. I always carry a pack of Orbitz gum with me! Gotta keep that breath fresh!
28. I'm a firm believer in paying tithing.
29. My wedding dress is tucked away in a trunk since my last reception, over 7 years ago and hasn't been out since!
30. In college I used to play the 'freeze out' game with friends until...um, I could have died from total exposure!
31. I have been highly entertained by the "Twilight" series.
32. I have never had a cavity in my life...knock on wood.
33. My skin is allergic to anything other than pure minerals. Gold, silver, platinum...but not nickel.
34. I was born in Germany.
35. I love to help people however I can.
36. Both my baby toes lay sideways. Yep, I'm a freak.
37. I really want to be a size 8 again, if not a size 6.
38. Christopher and I BOTH love to shop!
39. If all goes to plan, we could be debt free by the end of this year! Yippee!
40. I've never been on a cruise and I'm dying to!
41. I love laughing and Christopher keeps me rolling.
42. Every time we get in the car, Gavin, Reese and I play "I Spy".
43. I've never been to Hawaii and I can't wait to go!
44. I am SOOO not an pet person.
45. The only "crafty" skill I have is making babies!
46. I pray every night for the Lord to help me learn what I need so I can be released from my calling. I'm pretty sure it's desperation not inspiration at this point!
47. I LOVE living in Texas! I'm not sure I would want to live anywhere else.
48. I have 2 younger sisters and 2 younger brothers, I'm the oldest.
49. I grew up all over (mostly in WA), I'm a military brat.
50. I look forward to my nightly movie watching with Christopher.
51. I can't wait to own a Dyson! I love to vacuum...at least twice a day!
52. My husband thinks I'm a little OCD. I think he's right.
53. I wish I knew something about interior decorating...my home needs help!
54. Sometimes I wish my sisters lived near me.
55. I really love to clean and organize my house!
56. One day I hope to be able to take and edit great photographs.
57. I'm not that close to my parents, although I love them to death.
58. I love nothing more than to be outside soaking up the sun, playing with my kids.
59. I have an intimate circle of very few, as I call them, 'close' or 'best' friends and lots of 'other' friends. lol.
60. I love to scare the bejibers out of Christopher all the time...it's so fun and so easy!
61. I have a chunk of white hairs that have developed on the left side of my head and I really like it! I want a head of white hair!
62. One day I hope to own a Black Range Rover.
63. I'm not opposed to body restoration...I'm getting a tummy tuck and "lift".
64. My kids have never tasted jello. That's right, I don't like it and have never made it for them. They aren't missing anything.
65. I love watching Enchanted with my little Princess Reesie and dancing to each song.
66. My favorite season of the year is SUMMER!!!
67. Pizza has always been my favorite food...I know, real original.
68. I consider myself fairly patriotic...I choke up almost every time our National Anthem is played.
69. I have never bought an American made car however, and as of right now, don't have plans to.
70. I actually enjoy doing laundry and don't mind folding and putting away clothes.
71. LOVED the movie Juno!
72. I say, "hot in the city, hot in the city tonight" and other silly sayings all the time. My kids love it!
73. Standing at the foot of the bed, I have always slept on the right side.
74. I have never finished an entire episode of Survivor and don't know what the fuss was ever about.
75. I love roller coasters and theme parks!
76. Lately I can't seem to make enough cookies and cupcakes! Never a good thing when you are trying to watch your wait.
77. The series 24 should have stopped at Season 5! Jack Bauer rocks!
78. Who ever invented the shout out 'Color Catcher' is a genius!
79. I stopped watching American Idol after Season 4 or 3, can't remember.

Hopefully I'll be back with an update soon and I'll try to catch up on everyone's blogs soon!

Backyard Water Bliss

We've been busy these last few weeks therefore it was a 'cool' treat to spend some time outside in the backyard doing what we like best. Playing with water (although our POOL (see end of post) isn't up yet, waiting until our backyard makeover happens in a few weeks), eating popsicles and working on our Texas tan!

The kids decided that the toy shopping cart needed a good wash!

One on one water hose time is a must with these kids!

Popsicles...mmmm mmmm good! Can never have too many popsicles!

Video of Caden playing in the water (mud) puddles!

I will never forget CADEN'S FACES from last year, though! What a character! My has he grown!

Sunday Afternoon Fun!

How Lucky Am I?!?!?

This picture was taken over a decade ago at a special mission meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, now second counselor in the First Presidency, was our missions presiding Seventy at the time. I enjoyed hearing this man of God speak then and equally this conference weekend! Love this man! The lovely lady with him is his wife.

Cherie, were you and I companions then?

(We didn't have digital cameras "back when I was a missionary" and our scanner is down, so this is a picture of the picture....if that makes sense.)