New Camera!

For my Birthday/Mother's day, I got a new camera.  My old one still works, but I was dying a slow painful death.  I went in looking for a little Point and Shoot Nikon, but I came out with a Point and Shoot Sony.  What I really want is a big beautiful camera that I don't know how to use, but want to learn.  But for now, this will do the trick! 

I've never had a Sony camera, but so far this one is pretty good.  Here are a few of the shots I took this week. 

Frozen in Time

Have you ever wished for just minute that you could freeze time or freeze one of your kids at that perfectly cute and adorable age that you never EVER want to forget??? I have and I am wishing it right now.

 Noah is at that perfectly cute and adorable age and I never EVER want to forget him at this age.  He is cute and funny and full of life and happiness and at least once a day my heart melts when he says, "Hi Mom, Ya (love) you!"  Or when I hear him singing to himself, or when he counts, "on, two, free!", or when he stomps around the house or sqauts down the way he does when he is dancing, or when he tries to do push ups with the other boys!  He is priceless as all my kids were and I wish that in some way it were possible to freeze him in time so he could stay my sweet almost two year old boy for just a little longer! I'm not asking for forever, but couldn't we just slow down time, Just for a little while????  

I guess I'll have to keep wishing......

Spain!

Time is getting away from me faster than I ever thought possible.  It has already been a Month since Steve and I went off to Barcelona for a week of 'Us" time.  Well if can call an award trip from work "Us" time that is.  We had a fantastic time, met some great people, had some good laughs and enjoyed getting away.  Nana, was AWESOME and came and stayed with the kids.  From what I can tell, they had a great time while we were gone too! 

Day 1

We left on Saturday and arrived in Spain on Sunday Morning. I slept most of the flight and Steve watched 3 or 4 movies! I cannot deny we were exhausted though. Getting through customs in Spain is easier than going through customs in the Canada or the US, which I thought was funny. We spent part of the day on a Bus tour of Barcelona (mostly because our room at the hotel ready). The city is very interesting and so are the people.

A few from the Hill where the Olympic stadium etc is - The tall white building is our hotel

The coolest hair style we found!

 Sunday Evening we spent in the 'Spanish Villiage'  an old part of the city with really fun little shops.  We got to see the dancing horse below and eat some interesting and authentic Spanish Food.  I will say that the Hot Chocolate which was more like a melted Chocolate Bar with the most DIVINE chocolate ever was my favorite!

 Day 2
We went on tour to Monserat.  An old Monestary built on the top of a very high and very steep mountain.  I am always amazed at how these kinds of places were built 100's and 1000's of years ago without the technology and things we have today.  It was a pretty interesting place.

The view of the Mountain from the bus

The Monestary and Basillica

Us

The outside of the Basillica, it was in a cool courtyard with parts of the Monestary on either side!

 We were able to listen to a very renowned Boys Choir while we were here.  The boys actually live at the Monestary and go to school and learn music.  They are required to go through auditions and everything and range in age from 10 to 14 years old.  They were very good.  The Basillica is also home to a very interesting Statue of the Madonna.  There was a whole silly legend that went along with the statue and Steve only got half of it and was irritated about the Legend the whole day!  It was hilarious!

After Monserat we were able to eat lunch at a beautiful Villa in the country!  The food was 'Spanish', but the place was great!


Day 3 - We went to the Picasso Museum and on a tour of the Gothic Quarter.  I guess Picasso lived in Barcelona as a Youth and they have a big Museum.  He was so super talented as a teenager and then started painting some weird stuff as he got older - We really could have skipped the museum. The tour of the Gothic Quarter though was really cool.  Neat old buildings and all kinds of interesting history.  As with most of Europe Barcelona is a city built on top of an old city and on top of another old city etc.  We got to see some old Roman Columns that are still there from the time that is was apart of the Roman Empire!  We also walked through the Barcelona Cathedral, which was Ornate and Dark and Crazy!

After our morning of tours the rest of the day was ours.  So we got some lunch sat by the pool for a bit and enjoyed a walk on the beach.  Our walk on the beach may have been the best/funniest part of the day.  We got a glimpse of many topless women, you know the ones who should NEVER be seen topless. And much to our surprise 1 yes that is right ONE totally nude man.  He was classic and walkin around, posing for pictures with people and really shocking everyone else.  It was comical!

 
The evening was spent at the Gala to honor all the Top Performers in Steve's company.  After a reception to start we were bused to the National Museum where the Red Carpet was rolled out for us (all 500 of us!) It was really cool! We ate a really yummy dinner and to die for dessert and enjoyed laughing and talking with some of the people Steve Works with.  We also listened to some beautiful Opera and watch the Flamenco Dancers (they were awesome).  I think my favorite thing was the getting dressed up part - oh and walking the red carpet! 

 Day 4

We enjoyed a lovely morning at the Spa - I loved my massage, Steve's was ok!  In the afternoon we took off with some of the people we had met and wandered the city!  We toured one of the building that Gaudi designed (he is a SUPER famous architect, I learned that while I was there).  It was a very unique building. After the tour we just walked, walked through stores and streets and a market and saw street performers and then ended up at the Christopher Columbus statue.  It was an exhausting, but great day!  For dinner, let's be honest, we were done with 'Tapas' and sausage and meat and stinky cheese and ROCK hard bread, so we went for Burger King! 

The Gaudi Building

The purse we saw made out of  Sponge - it would put you out a good $350 dollars US

This is in the market and all of that is Gummy Candy!

The Christopher Columbus Statue - you can pay to go up to the top, but that was not for me!

 Day 5
We slept in - like I mean really slept in!  I don't think we got out of bed until 11:00.  It was awesome!  The rest of the day we spent wandering the city again.  It was fun and relaxing, but a little chilly.  In the evening they had a dinner planned and we got to go to the Bull Fighting Stadium and see some Cirque du Soleil type performers.  The highlight for Steve was going to the Bull Fighting Stadium, he really wanted to go to a Bull Fight, but sadly the season didn't start until the next week. 

That's it, that was Spain!  We were glad to head home to see our kids.  We got upgraded to Business Class on the way home and our luggage didn't get lost!

 

18 Months!

This goofball is 18 months and were the time went I will never know.  Everytime I think of how fast he is growing my heart hurts just a little.  He is so much fun and keeps us smiling and laughing.  He loves to entertain the kids and when we sit down for dinner he is immediately trying to get all the attention and laughs.  He adores his Daddy (who can blame him) and asks for him first thing in the morning when he wakes up.  He LOVES any kind of ball and loves to 'shoot' and 'hit' them.  He is smart and super sassy and enjoys getting into everything.  He is starting to climb, much to my dismay, and sometimes if I am super lucky he will actually listen to me.  For my own benefit and memory I will make a list of all the things he says......Enjoy!

• Elmo
• wellwo (yellow)
• bu (blue)
• purple
• two
• seat (for seat and sit)
• heet (hit - as in a baseball)
• ball
• T (this is Tyler)
• Josh or Joshie
• burb (bird)
• burb (this is Brookie)
• sissy (this is also Brookie)
• seese (his soother or binky)
• OoooOooo (his stuffed Monkey)
• juice
• cheese
• cacker (cracker)
• deeda (pizza)
• taco
• Icey (ice cream and he LOVES him some ice cream)
• DD (dvd)
• mote (remote)
• poop
• shoesh (shoes)
• guk (for something yucky)
• arm
• toes
• I know (this is I don't know)
• No
• Uh huh (yes)
• car
• gock (rock, as in rock in the rocking chair)
• saun (as in sing me a son)
• up
• od-ue (hold you)

I'm not sure that is all, but that is all I can think of right now.  Noah is wonderful and we are so lucky to have him.  He is spoiled and loved and adorable and I am lucky he is all mine to love!

The first few days......

Here are a few more pictures of our first few days in Texas!

 One last picture at the airport in Fresno! 

Before the moving truck arrived with all our stuff we 'Camped' in our new house. We had Air Matresses and blankets and pillows and a TV. We also kept the essentials in the mini fridge upstairs until our Fridge was delivered. When we arrived there was snow and ice every where and it was COLD! The plan was for our fridge to be delivered on Friday, but due to the snow they cancelled the delivery for a couple days! It was crazy.

Steve and Noah tucked in together - it was so cute!

 Tater crashed!

 The day my car arrived it was another 'Snow Day' and we watched the guy unload the car!

Back to Frestucky....

Well not Literally, but I just downloaded all my pictures so here are a few of the highlights before we left!

 Noah Looking Daper in his suit and of course we must mention the mullet!

 I just thought this picture of Noah and Nana was cute!

 Ty and His Buddy Dax

 Brooklynn and one of her BFF's Taylie (We miss you Taylie)

 Brooklynn and Duncan (She had a crush on him when she was 3). Jamie and I totally made them take a picture together - they were mostly just embarassed!

 Tater and Teacher Ashely.  He loved going to preschool at Miss Ashley's and misses her and all his friends!

 I love this picture of Josh and Carter and Nash.  This picture just says it all!

 Brookie and Mrs. Vogt

 Ty saying goodbye to Mrs. Saunders!

 A last picture in front of the school!  Sad! 

 Brookie and Grace - These two are so cute!

 Trev and Ty - These two were totally Best Friends. Not only does Ty miss Trev, but I do too.  He always had a smile on his face and is the best kid!

 One last picture in front of our house.  It was harder to say goodbye to this little place than I thought!  6 years and the addition of two babies made for a pile of great memories!  I took a picture of Ty and Brooks in front of the house (although on the driveway) the year we moved in.  So I had to have one of my four kiddos before we left!

 Me and my boy!  I love this kid.

On The Other End!

We are slowly settling into our new house and new routine.  I mean really slowly.  We arrived last Thursday to some of the worst weather Texas has seen in a long time.  The roads were wicked icy, the parking lots were literally sheets of ice (I mean for reals) and a huge over night Snow Storm was predicted.  I doubted it would snow, I really doubted it, but I was WRONG.  We woke up to a winter wonderland.  It was beautiful, but watching the news in the morning had both Steve and I giggling.  People here just don't know how to deal with snow - they even talked about pumping your brakes on the news.  Being from the North it was super commical.  EvERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING shuts down in the snow. 

Of course the SNOW was not going to stop us, no chance, we had a house to get to.  We clearned out of the hotel and headed for our new digs.  It was so awesome to see the kids so excited about our new place.  We are excited too!  We spent the weekend sleeping on  Air Matresses and running upstairs to the small fridge at the wet bar for Milk, but we survived (Barely).

Yesterday all our boxes and furniture arrived - and I am now in the midst of mess and unpacking, but I am so grateful to be here.  I am also grateful  that Josh enjoyed his new preschool and Brooklynn and Tyler enjoyed their first day of school today.  Brooklynn came home and said, "Mom it didn't feel like my first day at a new school at all!"  Although how can you not start off well, when you arrive at your new classroom the kids cheer for you! 

Here We Go.......

I am sitting in my Family Room and listening to the sound of boxes, paper and tape.  It is loud - add Noah's sick little self to the mix and wow this is so much fun!  I love moving!

My Tater is Five......

Dear Tater,

Oh my goodness, will you please stop growing so fast.?  I cannot believe you are five, but how grateful I am that you are.  Despite being a little tiny mite who came into this world much earlier than I would have liked, you have grown into such a tall kid.  I love your silly smile and your chicken little glasses.  I love that since you were just little you have always loved to sing and I'm pretty sure you still sing yourself to sleep.  I love that you always give me snuggles, but I have to admit I miss having 'eye-dash' kisses like you used to give me, (I think I'll blame it on the glasses).  I love how much you adore your brothers and sister and I'm pretty sure they love it too.  You are so determined that sometimes it drives me crazy, but I know that it will come in super handy for you someday.  Your sense of humor makes me laugh and I love that you will forever be my little blond boy!  Happy Birthday!  Thanks for being as cute as you are -

I LOVE YOU!

Mom  

Brooklynn's Birthday!

I promised, last year I promised. Yep, I did it - I promised Brookie she could have a birthday party.  I didn't want to do it, but I knew that despite my moving stress I had better come through with that promise.  Let's be honest here people I AM NOT GOOD AT PARTIES.  So, thanks to Auntie Kari's idea, Brookie invited 3 of her adorable little friends to go to Color Me Mine with us.  We even got to go on her birthday thanks to no school for MLK day.  It was the perfect little party and in the words of Brooklynn, 'I loved it mom!'  She is so adorable and so easy to please - I love her.  The girls all had a good time and each created something very different.  Brookie made herself a piggy bank, Taylie painted a horse, Grace made a cupcake, and Lily painted a water bowl for her cat.  I cannot wait to see how they turn out when I pick them up later this week. 

After painting pottery the girls came home with us and Brooklynn was able to open her gifts. We then sang to her and ate some delicious cupcakes from the Sugar Shack. (Honestly, it is a good thing we are moving because the Sugar Shack is around the corner from my house.  I am not a huge cake eater, but dang people them's are some yummy cupcakes!)

Anyway, it turned out to be the perfect birthday and the Birthday Girl got her wish for a party......