Hangin' at The Ranch

Silly Cousins

Auntie Jen, Noah, & AshleyWe Love Gramps!
Little Watchman
Vroom ... four-wheeling Hayden & Uncle Danny

After taking some time to settle in after our drive to mom & dad's, this afternoon we drove out to see my grandparents and spend time with them on their "ranch." Danny, Jen, and the kids met us out there too - Hayden had a great time riding on the ATV with Uncle Danny and Noah eagerly watched, secretly wishing (I'm sure) that he could ride too. After a few rides and letting the kids run around with each other, we decided to take my grandparents out for dinner to a yummy Mexican place up the road. It was nice to be able to spend a relaxing afternoon with everyone, especially my grandparents and I know they loved having us out to visit, doing nothing more than just being together - which for me, these days, is the best way to spend time.

Grandpa, Nana, & Mel

Fun in the Sun

Did we ever have some fun in the sun today! A teacher friend from school, Beth, invited us to join her and her daughter for some swim time at a time share she has a bit north of us. Together with several other teacher friends and their children, the boys and I drove up to Beth's time share and swam for a few hours today. The time share is at Cibola Vista Resort & Spa, about 30 minutes up the road, and has a wonderful pool area with a zero-depth entry which is perfect when you have little ones ... once we were there and settle and lubed up with sunscreen, w all plopped ourselves in the shallow water and our kids played around us. It was perfect ... and came at just the right time especially since I had just finished a six day, 45-hour, class for my teaching certificate and was feeling exhausted and like I hadn't really been able to start enjoying the summer yet with the boys. I can't think of a better way to get my break started ... spending time with my two little swimmers, my friends from school, and relaxing in the pool feeling like I was much farther away from home than I really was. The boys had a blast and though Hayden was a bit on the short end for the waterslide, the boys and I were able to "'splore" the pool, have a poolside picnic lunch, and kick off our summer just right. We are so lucky to have such special friends and are looking forward to more pool time in July when we get home from our California visit! Thanks Beth - we had a splashin' good time!

Super Hereos and Blue

After many attempts of trying to plan dinner with our neighbors, tonight we finally had a successful get-together. Brian and Traci, with their boys, live two doors down from us and we've been trying for what seems like months to get together as families and let the boys spend time together. Hayden and their older son, Jakob, are three weeks apart ... their little guy, Justin, is just about a year older than Noah - they've played together a few times out front but with all of our schedules and life being as busy as we tend to let it get, we've had a hard time finding time to plan something. Originally, we were invited over for Memorial Day but because we had plans already we took a rain check and planned it for this evening. What fun the boys had playing together ... first swimming in the pool, next eating yummy BBQ hamburgers, and then playing with all the boy toys that are somehow more fun when they're at someone else's house. After dinner, the two older boys disappeared for a few minutes and to our surprise emerged from the bedroom as Super Heroes .... Hayden (Batman) and Jakob (Spiderman) dressed up first, then Justin went to find his own hero costume, Mr. Incredible. Noah, being the youngest of the crew, just chased the older boys around but I could tell he wanted something to wear too. Sweet little Justin went and found his Blue's Clue costume and it fit our monkey perfectly. They were so cute posing as a little posse of Super Heroes with Blue as their mascot! Who says dress up is just for girls and only for Halloween .... these boys had a blast, saving their super worlds together, one clue at a time. ;)

Happy 9th Anniversary

It's amazing to think it's been nine years .... where we started and where we are now ... still on our journey ... and still loving every minute of it. We had a chance to celebrate nine years with a date night (woo hoo!) - we went to see a movie and had dinner and dessert over at the Westgate area, which is one of our favorite places to go hang out (when we get a chance to!). It was a special time to celebrate each other and I believe truly in my heart we have many more years ahead of loving, laughing, learning, growing, and celebrating together. In this day and age of craziness, I feel so blessed and honored to have married Chris .... he is my one true love, my solid rock, my best friend - he makes me laugh, makes me feel loved, sometimes he drives me a little bit crazy but through it all honors, values, and supports me as a woman, a wife, a mother and I am extremely lucky to have him as my husband. I love you Christopher! XOXO

Memorial Day

3-2-1 ... Take-off!
Crash Landing
Hmm ... what do I do now?
Making Some Adjustments

Flight of the Gliders

In a quick stop at the store to pick-up a few last minute items for the Memorial Day BBQ we had at Chris' mom & dad's today, we browsed down the aisle of "extras" ... you know the aisle that has the flip-flops (which I got some really cute ones for Mother's Day there!) and summer necessities (goggles, snorkling gear, etc.) and the giant gliders. So along with our rolls, we also left with a giant glider for Hayden. He was pumped at how huge it was compared to the little wooden ones he and Noah have been playing with recently. Once out of the bag, you can imagine it went for a few test flights before he really figured out how best to guide it for gliding in the right direction, without crashing (which inevitably, it did!).

Following the flights of the glider, it was time for swimming ... our little boys truly amaze me at how adept and comfortable they are in the water. Hayden really has become such a good little swimmer, has total confidence and ability to tread water and swim on his own without assistance. He'll be ready for the swim team soon! Our brave little monkey is also without fear, as his favorite new thing to do is jump into the water and "swim" out to you. A few times today I heard him tell me to go away or move farther back in the pool, giving him more room to jump, and then he does just that - jumps right toward you, or at you, at the moment you're not quite ready for him. After a few near heart-stopping moments, we got into a good jump and catch rhythm - though it doesn't take away the fact that it doesn't he is going to be the reason my hair turns gray.

Of course Memorial Day isn't complete without food .... and enjoy food we did. We were joined by cousins: Tim & Lindsey and Chris & Jana and though there are no pictures to show it (thanks to a dead camera battery), we loved hanging out all together and spending time with each other, remembering the day for what it is: a time to remember and hold dear the memories of those who serve, or have served, in our military. Family gatherings and BBQs are what I grew up with, and I am so thankful that I can give my kids a little taste of what that is like. Though I wish, of course, the rest of our families lived closer so the BBQs could happen more often, it was comforting to have a little bit of it today.

Monkey on a Noodle Two Little Fish

Hot Stuff!

Memorial Day Flag Cake (YUM!)

Moving Up, Moving On

This week marked some endings, celebrations, and some new beginnings for our family. On Monday, Hayden celebrated with his friends from preschool with a promotion celebration, starting with chapel followed by receiving a "diploma" from his teachers. Grammy, Noah, and I went to celebrate with him (Daddy was at a meeting for his "new" job). It's amazing to think how fast time has gone by and come August, he will be starting Kindergarten and will be coming with me to my school. I don't know who's more excited about that - him or me. Hayden's last official day of preschool was on Wednesday and Noah and Chris went with him to help with the "water play activities" that were scheduled. I am not sure though that Chris was able to really help considering Noah was playing in the water right along with Hayden and his friends. Thursday marked the end of my school year and the end of my job-sharing journey in 4th grade. I have had such a wonderful opportunity these past two years to work part time, together with my friend Jennifer, to better balance teaching and motherhood. It's time I wouldn't trade for anything and though I do have sad feelings about it ending, I believe and trust the changes that lay ahead of me are for the best. Next school year I will be back in the classroom full time and back in 2nd grade teaching with a new team of teachers who are, and will be, wonderful to work with. I truly am excited!
As for Chris, he has come full circle and will be flight instructing again back at the school where his pilot training and flying career all began. This week marked the beginning for him with meetings, initial trainings, and his first student in four years. We are all experiencing a bit of change these days, but we're blessed to have them because they help remind us life is moving on and moving forward. Doors open, doors close, and by the grace of God, sometimes they even open for us again if we're lucky, giving us a chance at new beginnings and opportunities. What a week it's been .... we're moving up, we're moving on and I'll take it!

Old Friends, Good Friends

Heather, Mel, Dulce, Ellen, Barb

Tonight I had a chance to have dinner out with some great friends I've had since I started teaching. These ladies and I all worked together when I first began teaching 2nd grade back in January of 2003, all on the same teaching team and Heather was our school counselor. We met for dinner at Vogue Bistro and had a wonderful reunion filled with eating, drinking, talking, laughing and just being together. In 2005, all of us, with the exception of Heather, moved schools to follow our principal at the time. Though our paths have taken us in different directions, and Barb's path took her out of state once she retired two years ago, it's wonderful to have such a bond with these women to be able to take time out and be together.