Toby Update...

Toby has been growing so much!! The nerve of him. LOL...he had his vet visit this week and he is now 9.3 lbs! I knew he had to be growing because he was outgrowing his little collar, and now when i held him his little body was so long. And you can see it in his face. He is 18 weeks now or 4-1/2 months old. The kids have loved that now he has had all his puppy shots so they can take him outside now. They take turns holding the leash and walk him all over the neighborhood. And since this is the first few weeks he's been outside, the neighbors get to see him for the first time. So they have been having fun showing him off.

For Christmas, Toby had a present from my parents to open. They had gotten him a stuffed Monkey toy that squeaks when you squeeze his belly. Well, it was love at first sight literally for Toby and that monkey. If we dared to touch Monkey to play with him or move him, Toby would let out a little snarl and baby growl and let us know we were NOT to touch it. It was so cute. He dragged this poor monkey everywhere. Upstairs, downstairs, to bed, to kitchen to play, everywhere. It has these really long legs and arms, and I waited for the day Toby would trip on them with his short little legs, but he never did. He loved that monkey.

One day I was working and found Toby sound asleep. It's not that him sleeping was so strange, it was seeing him sleeping like this:

He had dragged Monkey to his spot and curled up with him to sleep. I love that he has his paw protectively wrapped around monkey and his face snuggling him. So cute!
A few weeks after he had it, i noticed a few areas that the stitching was coming apart from his teeth grabbing it. So when he wasn't looking, i grabbed it and hot glued the spots (it really worked great! I was worried that if i sewed him he would rip it again) Toby never seemed to notice. Well, a few more weeks went by and I had to perform more surgery with the hot glue gun.

The other day I came down the stairs to find poor monkey in pieces. He was missing two arms and his belly was ripped open with stuffing all over. Poor monkey had met his match and he had to be sent to a better place in the sky. Toby has not been the same. He wanders the house looking for his monkey.

We're hoping the Easter Bunny brings Toby another Monkey...He sure loved him.

XOXO

New Toby/Monkey update:

Seeing as how this past week, Toby has taken to running off with my new slippers i got for Christmas because they are the same color and material as Monkey was, and have found him chewing them and hiding them under his bed...I have found out the location Monkey was bought from and we will be buying him a new one TODAY so I can have my slippers back! Sorry Easter Bunny, but my slippers will not make it to Easter waiting for you to bring a new Monkey. :o)

Happy Friday Quote!

"You should never Judge somebody before you get to know them. You never know; they could become your favorite Hello and your hardest Goodbye!"

Thanks Kaci for that one...Love it! And that is exactly what you have become for me!
XOXO

Feed the Hungry...

Austin belongs to this club at school called "the builders club". Basically they do a bunch of fundraising all year for groups or organizations to help families. They also held a Bike Safety event and do Creek Week Cleanup around town. They made blankets for homeless kids, did Coats for Kids, and a canned food drive. It's a great club to belong too since they teach them about helping others and being responsible. One of his teachers from last year runs the club. After their meeting yesterday, Austin came home asking to get on the computer to look up something his teacher had talked to them about. He was so excited about it, he had me sit down and told me all about it and how this one website can help so many people. So I played around with it last night, and really wanted to give them a shout out. Not only do you get to play a game and have fun as well as learn new things, but you are feeding starving families and kids in Africa. It's all free for you, there's no gimmick. Just check it out and have some fun.

http://freerice.com/

After you answer each question, it shows you your totals of rice you collected in your bowl. You can hit subjects at the top and pick any subject you want. At the bottom left of the screen is a short video you can watch that touches your heart. This website is really cute! Austin was so excited about helping people, he played on it for an hour and got over 14,000 grains of rice!
XOXO

We finally did it!

With my nephew, Nick, leaving this year right before Christmas, and him being the first born grandchild to leave the nest, I thought it was high time we did a family portrait of all the grand kids in the family before he left. So as an Anniversary gift to our parents (their day is Dec.26) my siblings and I got all the kids coordinated and together in one spot for a picture. We had this taken 7 days before Nick left. I think it turned out so good! The last time we did a Grand kids portrait, Emily was 6 months old (she's 8-1/2 now) and she was the youngest one. Now my sister had another son and we needed an updated pic.

Thanks to everyone for helping to get this done. Oh yeah, and Mom & Dad totally cried when they opened up the portraits framed! We got them good!

XOXO

My future Lead Singer...

Ok - Let me set the scene. Last spring, we went to a Surprise Birthday party for Austin's Baseball coach. It was super nice, they had a rented room, food, bar, activities for kids (it was on a golf course so the kids got to Putt balls) and a live Band with dancing. Now keep in mind my daughter Emily, for those of you who don't know her, she is a "special" child who is extremely SHY! She is usually glued to one of my legs and wont talk to people she does not know. Well, for some reason that night, she decided for one very rare moment in her life, to come out of her shell and ROCK OUT! After dinner, the band got on stage and started warming up. We had been milling about, socializing and talking, and the kids had been running in and out of the room from the putting greens to us, so I wasn't super concerned with keeping an eye on her, as I was sure she would not go to far. Suddenly the friend I was talking too pointed behind me and says, "isn't that Emily?" And as I turn around, this is what I see...

I was in shock! And completely speechless! Everyone in the room started to realize what was happening and were soon watching and coming to me and DH to comment on her. They have all tried all season to get Emily to talk to them or play with the siblings, but not one peep out her for months on end. So they were all as shocked as we were. It seems the Band members (we knew the lead singer) had seen Emily standing on the side of the stage and invited her up. They set her up with her own microphone (but had the volume super low so only she could hear her voice) and made room for her to join them. After some time had gone by, a few other little girls ventured up there with her, but after a few minutes they would leave. Not Emily, she stayed up there for 1-1/2 hours!!!! I tried everything to get her down, but she wasn't leaving. Then we noticed she would do these crazy movements with her arms and stomp her feet. When I snuck up on stage to grab some pics, I realized what she was doing. From her vantage point, she was watching everyone on the dance floor dancing. So she was mimicking their dance moves and would step to the mic, sing a few words and then dance a few steps and repeat all night. Finally at 10:30pm, we literally had to drag her off the stage and take her home. She was so exhausted from dancing and singing so much, she was asleep in the car before we got home 3 blocks later. But it is definately a memory DH and I will treasure forever of our little Rock Band Singer. I have video of her up there, and as soon as I figure out how to transfer it and post it, I will.
XOXO

Does anyone know these two?

Can you please send help??? ;o)

Being silly one Saturday morning, DH and Austin put on Emily's "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus" Wigs and grabbed their guitars. They then proceeded to crank the stereo up really loud and dance around the house like their were in a rock band. It was so hilarious. Emily then got in the swing of it and grabbed her "Hannah Montana" microphone and started singing along side them.
Someone save me...I'm the only sane one left in this house! LOL
XOXO

Have you ever told a white lie to your kids?

Just to get them to stop asking you something? Well...that happened to me over Labor Day weekend. My parents were camping about 1-1/2 hours away at this really neat campground, and we packed a picnic lunch and drove out to see them for the day. They had this really cool fish pond with ducks in the kids loved, and the indoor heated pool and spa were a huge hit! We all enjoyed that for a few hours. As we were walking back to the campsite, we noticed they had these adorable little cabins you can rent if you dont want to camp. So we got the keys and toured a few of them thinking how nice it would be to bring a bunch of family up and stay there.

Well...Emily fell in love with this one cabin and did not want to leave. It was like a giant Dollhouse to her. And the only way to get her to leave and to stop crying and throwing a fit about wanting to stay there, was to tell her we'll come back another time (not really knowing for sure if we ever could). Well, that paused the tantrum for awhile, and after a few hours I was pretty sure she has forgotten! Until we got in the car and started the long drive home. And in the dark, this little voice says, "Mommy, when are coming back to stay in the little house?" Ummm...I'm trying to think quick. My husband starts telling her we are not coming back and shush him quick before another meltdown starts. I said something like maybe in the spring. And she says back (isn't she so smart?) "like in April?" And I say, "Sure, April". Well...months have passed, and I only agreed and said that knowing in my heart by the time April came around that she would have totally forgotten all about the "little" house and staying there.

Well...she has NOT forgotten. And last week she reminded me out of the blue that "don't forget mommy, in April we're going to the little house and go swimming and see the ducks." Sure I say, we'll see...then yesterday the neighbor girl is playing with Emily, and Emily informs her she will not be here for her birthday, because in April she's going to stay in a new house and will not be here!!!!

Now how do I tell her that we ARE NOT going????

Not that I wouldn't love to stay there! They were really cute, and we did have a lot of fun. But those little house were REALLY expensive. $240 a night with a 2 night minimum. I'm sorry Emily...but that's a little outside of mommy's camping budget. I'd go to Disneyland before I paid that to camp.

Sorry Honey...

Do you need a Doctor?

Someone sent me these and they were so cute, you gotta check them out! Kids say the cutest things!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a189xAYBRv8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AahLHn4WhvY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R41MtBhKrbE&feature=related

XOXO

Happy Friday Quote

Happy Friday everyone!

"You know your children are growing up when they stop telling you where their going, and start telling you where they've been."

I love this one so much I put it on my signature on my emails. Ain't it the truth too?
Enjoy your weekend, XOXO

My Nephew is Graduating Boot Camp!!

Wow - Where did the time go? My Nephew, Nick, is graduating this Saturday from his Navy Boot Camp! I am so proud of him. Then starting the next day he starts his "A" school. Which is pretty much where they learn for the next 8 weeks the trade they chose to go into. It will be pretty much in-depth and very intense schooling. I'm hoping then he can start recieving packages so I can mail him some home goodies. My Brother and Nick's girlfriend are flying to Chicago to see him graduate. I'm so jealous, but very excited for Nick to be able to see someone from home. We've sent him many letters and recieved a few from him. He has passed all his inspections, exams and drills with flying colors, so last Saturday he got some free "Rec Time" earned for 2 hours. So he got to call home for the first time since being gone about 7 weeks. His parents had no idea and were luckily home when he called and were so excited. They got to talk to him for about 1-1/2 hours, passing the phone around between his sisters and parents. They say he sounded really home sick hearing their voices, but says he's doing pretty good. He finally got to shoot his first gun there,and says that was pretty cool! He's a typical boy, isn't he? LOL... Nick and Girlfriend, Amanda

I am very proud of you Nick for making it this far and we cant wait to see you!
XOXO

P.S. I LOVE YOU!

OMG - if there is ever a chick flick movie you need to see it is this one. But grab a box of tissue when you do. I watched it alone Sunday and bawled like a baby through most of it. But don't worry, I cry at anything emotional. You can't help but put yourself in Hilary Swanks shoes in this movie, and I think that's why I cried so much. Imagining that happening to me. How I would deal with it? Monday, DH wanted to see it, so I watched it again with him, this time only sniffling through a few parts. Plus you know, Gerard Butler being so cute, makes it easy to watch again! ;o)

http://psiloveyoumovie.warnerbros.com/

Very good movie....definitely a chick flick. Check it out.
XOXO

Breaking News!!

My son has been captured and jailed! Please send money for bail! My two nephews and Austin on the right.

We have this really cool pumpkin patch about 30 minutes from our house that we have gone too for a few years. They have a petting zoo, corn maze, coyote slide, fortress, old western town, train, food and shops galore and and of course acres and acres of pumpkins that they take you on a hay ride out too and you walk around and pick and cut your own pumpkins right off the vines. The kids have a lot of fun. This year we kidnapped my sister and her family to go with us, and we packed picnic lunches and spent the day there. All the cousin's had a blast!

Emily and her favorite cousin!
XOXO

Another Happy, Happy Birthday!

To my sis-n-law (really should just call her my sister as she means that much to me)!! I won't say how old you are, but it's another BIG birthday!!!XOXO

Happy, Happy Birthday!!

It is DH's birthday today!!! I promised I would not tell how old he is...but it's a big one!!! ;o)I love you honey...

XOXO

Emily's first year of Soccer

This past year we signed Emily up for soccer to see how she liked it. She has always been dragged to all her brothers games and practices and has shown interest in playing. I was the team manager for her team as well, and although we had a great time with playing and meeting so many neat friends, we soon discovered that team sports was not for Emily. She needed something that she could excel in individually. She like practices, but come game time, she would freeze out on the field. We couldn't quite figure it out, until we stood and listened. And it can be scary for little players. You have not only coaches on both sides of the fields screaming plays and directions at you, but 12 sets of parents on both sides of the fields screaming and cheering as well. It was enough to make me nervous. As an adult, we tend to tune sounds and outside activities out, but little kids, especially special ones, they can't do that. So although we finished the season out, it was tough on her. We finally told her toward the end of the season, if you kick the ball once we'll let you pierce your ears (she had been asking for a year). And lo and behold, that very game she ran after that ball and kicked it right out of the goal and saved our team!! All the parents screamed with us and cheered as they knew the situation. Sure enough, we drove to the mall after the game and let her get them pierced! She was so proud!!!
There's Emily guarding the net!
XOXO

Happy Friday Quote

“Never let what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do.”

Happy Friday!

XOXO

The Professional Soccer Player

That's Austin in the Green kicking. I love this shot of the ball coming right off his shoe.

Austin has been playing sports since he was 4-1/2 years old. He played Soccer first in the fall of his Kindergarten year and that spring he played Baseball. I am so glad we did because he has continued playing them both every year since. He has really excelled and grown with each year and acquiring new skills. It is absolutely amazing to watch him. We even have past coaches or friends who come to watch him from year to year. His soccer coach came to several of his baseball games this year, and we played his baseball coaches team in soccer.

This year in soccer, his team bumped up in his age group from 4th division to 1st. Which means they were playing the best of the best this year from each town around us.

We ended the season in 2nd place out of our U12 1st division teams (there are 6 teams in each division and you play them all for your standings). But for our League, we came in 1st place for all the U12 teams!!!!

We have been on this same team for all 7 years that he has played, and I have been the team manager for 6 of those years. So I have gotten to know these boys from year to year and watch them grow up. I just love starting each new season as it feels like seeing family again. We have made many wonderful friends.

I am extremely proud of Austin and all the hard work he puts into it!

XOXO

Gymnastics...

Emily has always loved active events, but with her limitations, it is hard to find activities that she can participate in as well as enjoy. This last summer, we enrolled her in The Little Gym, an elementary age Gymnastics place. We loved it when we went to see it, because it is a small group setting (not like the bigger gym's where you have 50 kids running around). And it actually worked out to our advantage. When we signed up in the spring, she had 3 other kids in the class with her, and she learned by actually following the other kids and mimicking them. When the summer session started, the other kids dropped out and Emily was the only kid in her class, so she had 1-2 instructors all to herself and really got some one on one time to learn the basics. She loved it. Her favorite being the gymnastics clothes she got to wear. They play kid-friendly music and dance around to do warm-ups, so it all seemed like play time to her. She really excelled in it. I would have kept her in it through the fall, but they changed the class time to a weekday and I work. :o(

She recently asked me about it and now that the spring session is starting up again, I'm going to see if I can get her enrolled again. She's been to several birthday parties there too. They have so much fun.

On the last day of class, they do a program for the parents and have an awards ceremony. She wore that Medal for a week!

XOXO

Sammy Hagar fan unveiled

Ok - Most people who meet me would never guess that I am a HUGE Sammy Hagar fan! My husband is to blame really. I loved Van Halen in high school, but never would have gone to a concert on my own. When I met my DH, he took me to a Sammy Hagar concert in our first month of dating, and we have been hooked ever since.

We have been to probably somewhere in the field of 50 Sammy concerts in the last 18 years. So much so that we have become lifelong RedRocker fans and met many wonderful friends and fans along the way. We have been backstage and onstage with Sammy over 6 times and have lots of memorabilia signed by him. We have even been to Cabo San Lucas, twice to see him. We have also over the years befriended his son, Aaron Hagar who manages one of Sammy's clubs. Aaron is an amazing artist who has painted several portraits of Sammy and sells them. He is so down to earth and we love to hang with him when we get the chance.
This is a shot from onstage. It's blurry because he dances and moves so fast, it was hard to catch him standing still.

Sammy is an amazing performer and man all on his own. He puts on a show like you would never believe. It is hard to believe he is 61 years old when you see him dancing and singing. He is 100% about his fans, and the whole show is really a tribute to us, the fans. He signs everyones stuff, lets you bring cameras, drinks with you, awesome! My boss's wife learned of our Sammy obsession and informed me she loved him too. At the next show we went too, she had me book her a room and tickets to the show as well. She took with her my mother!!! I know, I know...I was freaking out having my mom there. It was at this concert that DH and I would be onstage with Sammy, and although I was glad my mom would finally be able to see what we do and get to experience, I was worried what she would think, as this is not her type of music. We got them settled in the bleachers at the back of the arena, and we made our way backstage. About halfway through the show, I could see them leaving their seats. A few minutes later someone taps me and points to the crowd. My MOM and my BOSS's wife had pushed their way through the crowds to the front of the stage area (known as the "pit") and were dancing and having a blast! My mom later says it was the best time she's had. And agreed he puts on an amazing show.

So there you have it, I am a RedRocker, Redhead Fan who drinks Cabo Wabo Tequila (Sammy's brand)!

Love you Sammy!
XOXO

Who watches Food Network Channel??

I am so addicted to all the cooking channels. I watch Paula, Emeril, Bobby, Rachael and Iron Chef. But recently, I got to meet Guy Fieri from Diners, Drives and Dives show! I was so excited. He opened a restaurant in our town, Johnny Garlic's, and was there autographing his new book! So I got my butt up there and stood in line for 1-1/2 hours and finally got to see him. It was worth it! He is so nice and friendly. In August, we were at a Sammy Hagar Concert (we are HUGE Sammy Hagar fans) and who comes out on stage with him but Guy Fieri!!! So I had that to chat up with Guy (thus why I was wearing the Sammy shirt). Because of our Sammy connection, he signed my book, "You Rock!"
XOXO

My Nephew left the nest...

I really don't understand it, I mean, I manage to stay young, but all these nieces and nephews keep getting older! My nephew, Nick, is the oldest grandchild, first born in our large family. So we get to experience a lot of first with him. First prom, first graduation, and now the first to leave the nest and venture out into the world. Nick is 18 years old and left on November 25 for the Navy! I know...I know...I can't believe i'm young enough to have an 18 yr old nephew! (Notice I said "young" and not "old") :o) But the kids and I went along with other family members to watch him get sworn in and say goodbye as he boarded a plane for Chicago to attend basic training. It was a very emotional time. He is the first one we have had to see move on in life. Our last Thanksgiving, our last Christmas, our last birthdays with him. Basically the last year has been a cry fest at every event, knowing he was leaving and treasuring all the memories we could grab.

I remember when Nick was born. I was 16 yrs old and in high school. I was sooooo excited when my brother told me they were having a baby. All my friends already had neices and nephews and now i would finally have my own to brag about. I would steal him from his parents every chance I had. I would take him everywhere and pretend he was mine. He was so adorable. I had the best time showing him off.

Here is Nick's Kindergarten picture:

And now Nick's Graduation Picture:

They grow up so fast!

Nick has known since he learned how to talk that he was always going to grow up to be an "Army Man" like in the movies and the little figurines. That is all he talked about. And the fact that he never let that dream go, and was able to pursue it through all obstacles, makes me extremely proud of him!

We miss you Nick and pray for your safe return very soon!

XOXO

Reminder to self:

Do not let Daughter near Sister when Make-up is involved!

My dear sister is Aunt and Godmother to my sweet daughter, Emily. One day last year, she babysat her for a few hours for us and she decided to play dress-up with her instead of Emily's doll. This is what we saw when we picked her up:

As cute as she looks, she is only 6 years old in this picture! She looks like one of those child beauty pageant contestants...Auntie and Niece had fun on their dress-up day, but rest assured it was all washed off at home! ;o)

Happy Friday Quote

This past year I have been crazy about quotes. Reading them, sending them, saving them. So with this blog, I now have a venue to share with you some of the quotes I have loved and hope they mean something to you too...
"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did"

Happy Friday!

Our Family Christmas Present

Santa came early to our house and we were surprised (by DH) with a Puppy! The kids have been pestering us for a year to get another dog after we had to put our beloved Buddy to sleep last year. Buddy had been with us for 14 years, so I was in no way ready for another pet for awhile. I needed time to mourn Buddy as well as enjoy the quiet around the house. Well, time came and went and the more the kids pestered, the more I started dreaming of one. I knew if we got another dog, I wanted a Puppy so the kids could grow with it, and I was for sure getting a small indoor dog this time. Well, hubby was not on the same page I was, and no sweet talking was gonna get the dog. So I resorted to the Hubby guilt trip "Wouldn't the kids be soooo excited on Christmas morning to see a puppy waiting for them?" I got a "Hmpf" out of him.
A few weeks later, a new pet store opened by our house, and without telling him, I snuck out to see the puppy's. Now I had no intention of bringing one home without his OK, but when I saw them little eyes and tails and fluffy ears, I melted. So I ran home and said I found a dog! Um...I got the most horrible glare from my husband. So I Sulked away and contemplated how much trouble would I be in if I just brought one home.
The next weekend, my DH tells me he has to run to Home Depot, and NO I can not go with him. And NO I can not ask him to pick me up anything. And he needed my cell phone to take. Hmmm...I smell something sneaky going on! Well, I don't know any Home Depot that sells this cute little bundle, but my DH came home with this little guy. Apparently story has it, DH had been speaking with this breeder for weeks and arranged to get the Puppy, but when I told him of my pet store visit, he paniced. So he brought him home early so I didn't show up with one. LOL!
He is a Miniature Dachshund and is now 16 weeks old (he was 12 weeks when we got him). The kids voted and named him Toby. He is such a lover. He curls right into my neck and sleeps. He won't get any bigger then 11 pounds. He is a Smooth Longhair for those Wiener dog pros.
And now I know why I stopped having kids...oye..the potting training, feeding, crying, tripping over, stepping on toys all over, stealing my stuff, getting into trouble. But in the end, when he crawls into my lap, I forget all about the other stuff! :o)

XOXO

I finally got with the times!

Well...I have now joined the majority of the world and started my own blog! Don't know who will read it, or why, but Kaci over at Ellyphant has been bugging me to start one, so now I have.

I will post pics of my family, updates for that family out of state and funny anecdotes for those of you stopping by. So patients please why i figure out this blogging thing, LOL.

Happy New Year!