When Mom Leaves...

the boys get really creative. Yesterday they found the facepaint. This was Dad's creation.

Viva Las Vegas

This weekend we spent a few days in Las Vegas with Grandma and Grandpa. We had a great time celebrating Grandpa's birthday, touring the Hoover Dam, seeing downtown Las Vegas, eating REALLY yummy food, and swimming in the beautiful hotel pool. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for spending the weekend with us! It was fun to get away and play for a little bit!

Happy Boys! All smiles when Gma and Gpa are around!

Checking out the M&M Nascar. I'm not sure how they got it up to the 4th floor.

This will be a bridge that goes across the Hoover Dam starting late 2010. The picture doesn't do it justice, it was amazing!

Down inside the Hoover Dam-Kevin was very interested in how it all works, and loved looking at all the big tools and machines.

The coolest souveniers ever!! The boys were working on the Dam. I can't get them to take off the hard hats! I think we may have just discovered our Halloween costumes for this year.

When I Grow Up.....

Mark had to take some things to his jobsite (the Foster Farms plant in Livingston) and we decided to make a family trip out of it. The boys love going to dad's work to see the crane, boom truck, and tractors (not sure what exactly they are called.) They found some hard hats and vests and played the boy version of dress up. Of course they didn't want to take it off and leave, but we bribed them with dinner and ice cream. Overall it was a fun way to spend the day as a family!

Birthday Pictures

Kevin trying ou the pinata

Mark tried too, it took many tries to break it

Making a wish and blowing out the candle

Anxiously waiting to open presents

FINALLY!!!!

I am very aware that I have gone the entire summer without any updates to the blog. I feel like the summer came and went and I somehow missed it! So what have we been up to?? Well let me tell you!!

June-

-We inadvertantly found out that the house we were renting was headed for foreclosure, so we decided to take advantage of all the tax credits and purchase a house.

We are so excited to have a home that is actually ours!! And I am really happy to be done moving. We will be staying here for many years!!!

July-

-We celebrated 4th of July by hanging out with friends and attending the Grizzlies baseball game. This has become a tradition for our family and I look forward to the fireworks show after the game!

-Mark's family from Colorado and Utah came to visit us for a family reunion at Shaver Lake. We had a lot of fun, and with 10 kids running around, there was always someone to play with! The kids cried when their cousins left, it was so nice to have them here!

-Marky turned 5! His birthday happened to be during our stay at Shaver lake, and he had to best day ever (according to him). He went fishing, drove a boat with grandpa, played at the lake, and had a party with all of his cousins. It really was the perfect day. I DO have pictures, however I am having difficulties downloading them, so I will post soon!

-Teresa (Mark's sis) and Sperry and their kids stayed a few extra days and since it was 105-110 in Fresno, we headed to the beach for some cool weather and relaxation. The kids got a kick out of being buried in the sand.

August-

-We have been busy preparing for school!!! I can't believe that I have a child in school, it just feels too weird. Today was Mark's first day of Kindergarten. I really need to stop calling him Marky, since he reminds me all the time that his name is just Mark. He seems to have grown up a lot in the last few months. He has been really excited about starting school and getting to play with his friends every day. I am excited to be on a normal schedule once again. This summer was kind of all over the place for us, and I discovered that we don't do too well with no structure. Anyway, here's to a great school year! I'm sure Mark and I will both be learning a lot!

All Grown Up

Easter 2009

Making a mess with the eggs

Kevin finding his treasure

Mark trying to figure out how to get to his treasure

Posing before church with some of their loot

This year we had another quiet Easter Sunday at home. We went to church, dyed eggs, and had an Easter egg hunt in the back yard. It was low key and a nice way to spend a Sunday!

Top 10 Reasons I Love Mark

10. He's the handiest man I know. He can fix anything. He can build anything. And we have garage full of tools to prove it.

9. He works hard at everything he does. He puts in an amazing amount of hours at work and then comes home and helps with the dishes, gives the boys a bath, and sings to them in bed. There's no "unwinding" time in his schedule, and he never complains about it.

8. He once got out of bed to drive 30 mins to change my flat tire.

7. I can still see a glimpse of the crazy, funny, teenage boy I had a crush on in high school.

6. He's always setting goals, and pushes me to do the same. There is nothing stagnant about life with him.

5. After 8 years, I still get excited to go on dates with him!

4. He stands up for his beliefs no matter what.

3. He lets the kids work along side him, even if it takes twice as long to complete a task.

2. He is a hero to my boys.

1. For some reason he wants ME to stand beside him forever, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend MY forever!

Happy Birthday Babe! I love you!!!