Ice cream

Every year we try to make it out to Baskin Robins 31cent scoop night!! Last year it was a mad house when we went. This year it wasn't so bad at all, we were able to get our ice cream quickly and enjoy some time looking at the fire trucks. There was a fire fighter there who let the kids wear his hat and sit in the fire truck. Cooper was elated, he is fascinated by the fire trucks. When ever we see a fire truck he has to point it out. And if you didn't notice both the kids are in dress up clothes. I don't know when this started but Cooper found his camo suit from Halloween and he wants to wear it daily. Allison well she has been dressing up for as long as I can remember! So know where ever I go don't mind my children's clothes because I am tired of fighting with them to wear there really ones!!!!!

Busy Busy Busy.......

If these pictures don't speak for them selves! I forgot to include them with the lake pictures. On the drive home the kids totally conked out, in funny positions too! Of course I had to snap a picture of them! I can relate to there exhaustion we have a million things going on these next few weekends. Allison's birthday party, Allison actual birthday, my sister's is graduating with her Master's/party, Richards graduation/party, our temple trip with my mom, Allison's end of the year Kindergarten program! Just to name a few, plus soccer games and end of the season party! I feel like I am running around like crazy trying to prepare for everything, I've got list every where. I told my sister a few days ago, I plan to do nothing from May 28 until June 14 then off to California for the third time this year!!!

Easter part 2

Friday morning we left to the lake!!! It was a nice drive not to long. I think we left at 9:30am, stopped for a long lunch at Famous Dave's in Abilene. We made it to the cabin at 2pm! We sure didn't waste time either after unpacking the car and checking out the cabin we took the kids down to swim!!! After running around the lake we headed back up to the central hub, my Mother and Father in laws cabin where we ate all our meals while at the lake. My father in law made hamburgers on the grill! After dinner we all decided to fish, would you believe the entire time while at the lake with 14 people we didn't catch one fish! Saturday was full of hiking, fishing, fabulous food all day, Easter egg hunt, water fights etc!! If you could believe it even rained on us Saturday night while my brother and father in law were cooking on the grill!! It pretty much rained all night actually! And of course on Sunday morning the Easter Bunny showed up at our cabin with a few surprises in our kids baskets. That sneaky bunny hide the Easter baskets in the car so it wouldn't get wet! It was a fabulous trip, I really enjoyed all the time spent with our family!

Now its back to reality!! This coming weekend we are having Allison's birthday party, on top of a soccer game! Lets hope I can survive the busy week I have planned!!!!

Donuts with Dad

Today was Donuts with Dad Day! Allison was so sweet yesterday before Richard left for work telling him to remember to tell your work you have to go in late! These two are quite the pair! I remember when Allison was born, thinking wow this child looks just like her father! Allison and Richard have always had this tight relationship. From the day she was born Richard was so hands on, I remember being so out of it and Richard literally took care of baby Allison all on his own. He was that father up in the middle of the night with her. Over the past few years Richard has become Allison's hero, teacher, repair man, cheerleader, soccer coach the list could go on. Richard cringes when Allison talks about boys, or when Allison says something a little to grown up. It is so special to me to see them together because I didn't have that growing up. This morning my little girl was beaming with excitement to drive with just her daddy to school. I tried to get a few pictures before they left, I had to post the one where Cooper is trying to get in on the picture.

Update

So we have been informed that the 6 month training that Richard was suppose to do is only going to be three months training in New Mexico due to his 5 month internship. Once Richard is done with his training he can post out for a position in the surrounding areas. Our second option is, if there is a position available there he will take it in New Mexico. Meaning we have decided we shouldn't move not knowing if we will ultimately end up in New Mexico. That being said we will sign another 6 month lease at our current home in July. And cross our fingers that there is a position her in Midland so we are able to stay here where both our family's are and buy a home! I am so relieved to have something decided, and approved by Chevron! I was just sick with the idea of moving. Anyway so I thought I would share the news with my Blog followers!!!

My day

This afternoon I missed a phone call. People rarely call my home phone anymore. Actually its mainly wrong numbers, I couldn't find the cordless. So I went to the main phone and I noticed our answering machine was full and I pushed play. I listen to 4 messages for the wrong number and then I heard a message from 12/03/2010 and I was blown away. The message was from my Aunt, leaving me a message telling me she loved me and would talk to me later. This message was exactly a month before she died. You could tell in her voice she was weak and lethargic. I could not hold myself together, I cried. I usually don't let my emotions get the better of myself in front of my children. Cooper was wide eyed "What happened!" I bent down and hugged my lil guy and he said "It okay mommy." Allison told me she would sing a song to me to make me feel better. I was so taken back my this message I for one didn't expect it and two it was so personal to me completely directed at me "I love you Stacey." I will never delete the message. Oh how you are missed Ruthie. It is so strange to me at at the end of this journey with Richards school that I cant call and share this excitement with my Aunt. It is so unbelievably strange she is not here, it is not my life with out her in it. It certainly makes moments in life that are petty seem minuscule and unimportant. But instead to truly cherish those memorable moments in life. This picture of my Aunt was taken three months before she passed, she is holding my niece Hailey.

I Love You

On Fridays I have lunch with Allison. Today was no exception, Cooper and I ordered her free pizza (due to the reading program reward she received) and headed up to Allison school. I really enjoy doing something special like this and visiting with her at school. I mean the child is literally beaming with excitement when she sees me. We had a good lunch. When I left the school I drove past the playground and I can see Allison holding on to the fence waving to me, I roll the window down and Allison screams "I love you mommy" with the biggest smile on her little face with her daddy's sparkling eyes. She just melted my heart.

This morning Cooper was not his normal self. We had been busy with running around but I was worried for potty training purposes. And of course we had an accident on top of his grumpy attitude. We ended up having to go back home to change. I was changing Cooper and trying to talk to him, about how important using the potty was, and to tell mommy when you need to go etc. I ask him what he thought and he said "Sorry mommy." wasn't what I expected so I went back to the car and I buckled him up. I was driving down the street thinking this potty training thing has got to get better, why is it taking him so long to figure this out so on and so on. Then I hear Cooper "Mommy, (long pause) I love you."

Its interesting how those three words can completely change the way you feel. I know is ridiculous how emotional I get about it, but goodness I love those two more than I could possibly explain to anyone let alone in words. I couldn't be more thankful for my life at those moments. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for those particular moments when reality is brought into prospective and I am able to remember how very valuable and important life really is.

My Toy

My new favorite toy, my Dutch oven! My Aunt Steffer often cooks with a dutch oven. She makes the best roast and chicken with her dutch oven. I tried some of these recipes with my sisters dutch oven and they came out fabulous. And I finally got my own dutch oven, my Aunt surprised me and sent me one! Today I visited my sister for our weekly bake day and made a vanilla cake in the dutch oven and icing from scratch. It was beyond Delicious!!!

Car wash

Apparently the car wash is a frightening thing!! Today I took the Highlander to the car wash, the one you drive through while in the vehicle. Cooper was with me and I thought it would be a fun experience for him. My little guy was seriously shaken up by it. He kept asking me to hold him! Cooper was shaking so bad I went to the back of the car and sat with him. Cooper told me "Tell them to turn it off, mommy!" Iam not sure I'll be taking Cooper to wash the car with me for awhile.

Alli-cat and Coopster

My two little loves. Some days I feel immensely blessed, on those days I want to shout out how very happy I am. I know you cant enjoy the good with out the bad. If you cant tell I am a really optimistic person, for some reason I always try to see the good in things. Today Cooper and I enjoyed a day of hide and seek (our favorite game), pillow fights, horse back riding, and building trains! Some days the dishes can wait, I can load the laundry later, and the mess around the house will still be there at the end of the day. But playing with my little guy is more important. I remember the days before Cooper was born, just my Alli-cat and I. I seriously use to take her to the park everyday! Now my little girl has grown a bit and has other ideas of what she considers fun. Every morning when I wake up Allison I bring her into my bed and we snuggle for 15 minutes before the day begins. My favorite memory with my own mother, was laying with her in bed and wiggling my toes against her. I feel so very lucky to be the mother of these special children, and I want to strive everyday to be the best "me" I can be for them.

Easter part 1

Allison and Grandma

My mom, Allison, and my sister Jamie

My sister Courtney and her daughter Hailey

My big sister Jamie and Baby sister Heather

Me and my sweet Hubby!

All of us girls!!!

Cooper, Allison, and Zach,

My sister Heather's son Zach

Courtney's son Ryu

Miss Hailey

Jamie and her husband Jacinto, Heahter and my mother

Because we will be out of town at the lake with Richards family Easter weekend, we decided to celebrate Easter early with my side of the family. I hosted this years Easter event!!! On the menu Ham, rolls, corn, mash potatoes, mac and cheese, and broccoli casserole. I was in heaven with all my immediate family together at my home. I literally couldn't whip the smile of my face. All the children running around, my sisters chatting it up, and my mother in the middle of all her grandchildren. Dinner was beyond fabulous. I was the camera queen snapping pictures everywhere I went, trying to document our festivities! After our meal we headed to a near by park and sent my sister Jamie and her husband to hide the eggs! The children all had a blast, especially this year becuase all the kids were able to participate and understand what was going on. I feel so very blessed to have such a close family.

Donut's and Soccer

This morning before Allison 9am soccer game we decided to get donuts for breakfast! Cooper is in love with pigs in a blanket. We all enjoyed a calm breakfast before our busy day ahead. I was able to take a few pictures after we ate. Then we head to to our first game. Success, the girls played well even down two players! Allison even scored three goals! Cooper was happy and behaved the entire game. This season we got four new girls, and one of our new girls is apart of a family we know from church. There daughter Katelyn and Allison have know each other since they were one. Well Katelyn has a brother Cooper's age his name is Samuel. Cooper and Samuel had a blast today, sharing candy and tickling each other. The bumblebees won the game!! We eventually had lunch and then went to Sam's for a bit of light grocecy shopping. After a few hours at home of resting we left for our second game of the day. It was awful outside, the wind was so bad all the girls were getting dirt in there eyes it was so hard for them to play. Then the soccer ball pretty much just flew from one side of the field to the other. Lets just say our girls couldn't play in these conditions, we lost our game! It was a bummer, as soon as the game ended the winds picked up goodness it was beyond horrible out there! I was glad the game was over and I am ready for next week!