Mason Moments

Vault Denim Convention~Las Vegas, NV

2011-02-10T16:51:00.005-05:00

At the end of January I had the amazing opportunity to attend the first annual Vault Denim Convention in Las Vegas. While it was a complete whirlwind of a trip (there and back in a little over 48 hours, and all on 3 hours of sleep) I had a blast and got to spend some time with Todd and Jody! The pics are NOT that great, but its all I captured from the weekend~

Above: Karlee Hall, Jody Hall and myself with the owner and CEO of Vault Denim~ Doug Brady and Below is our awesome team The Vault Denim Premium Group!

And the most exciting thing of the entire weekend....drum roll please

The unveil of the all new, X DENIM (pronounced Ten) that will be rolling into our inventories in the next few months! These jeans are amazing, and I think every girl out there will agree, these are going to be the new FAVORITE in all of our closets!! YES, even I am excited and on the jean band wagon! What could be better for a girl who hates to fight the crowds at the mall....all the jeans I can handle in the comfort of my own home!!!

Family Update....

2011-02-10T11:41:00.002-05:00

It's been forever since I've even looked at my blog. I decided last night that I was going to make a conscience effort to get it updated, before the baby gets here! There is so much that I have missed since I last updated, I am not even going to try to play catch up, but rather just start from here, and move forward. So here we go....

ADAM- He is the one member of our family that doesn't change much. He is still working like a mad man, but does alot LESS traveling these days! He has a great job, and does such an awesome job at juggling it and our family. He amazes me everyday with his kindness and love that he has for our kids and me. Lately, he does more than he should have to and I can't tell him enough how much I appreciate the way that he takes care of us!!

LINDY- With only about 14 weeks left in the pregnancy, needless to say I am ready to have this baby! It's been pretty uneventful, compared to the last go round, THANK HEAVENS!!! In March I start my 2 week appts and then April go to one week appts. Although we haven't purchased a single new item for our new addition, we are more than ready to get him here! I am also in charge of some school functions coming up, and staying busy with volunteering there. Mostly my days are filled with entertaining Clint, driving the girls to and from their activities, and all the naps I can manage to squeeze in in-between! I am also still selling my jeans, and have recently been asked to serve on the Executive Leadership Council at Vault Denim.

LEXI-She is getting ready to turn 12 in just about a week. I have no clue how in the world that happened so fast, but it has. Lexi is playing on the 6th grade basketball team at her school. Softball is also getting ready to start for her, as well as 4-H! She is such a good helper with her brother, and we are so lucky to have her in our family!

BRIANNA-is getting ready to finish up her 2nd session of gymnastics. She is still indecisive of whether or not she is going to keep doing that or play softball. She is also on her 5th grade school basketball team. Tournaments are this weekend for both girls! Bri is at the top of her class in her school, and works really hard at being there. She is also going to do 4-H this year. They are both taking sheep this year to fair!!

CLINT-This boy is officially a terrible 2-year old! I can only hope that he grows out of it soon! He has such a strong personality, and knows exactly what he wants and how to get it! He is the light of our days, and keeps this family on it's toes at all times! He talks like he is about 4 but is still so small for his age that he keeps people guessing all the time at just how old he is! When we go to basketball games, (or anywhere for that matter) he is always the center of attention and people just can't get enough of him! He is peeing in the toilet now, but still refuses to do #2. But hopefully before his brother gets here, we will have him potty trained. Fingers Crossed! 2 in diapers, is not my ideal situation!!! He worships his dad, and everything he does. He loves his cars, and tractors. His favorite thing to do is watch "woody and buzz" and we probably have seen Toy Story 3 atleast 200 times. He can't get enough of it! He knows when it's time to get in the car and "go get the girls". This boy loves his sisters! He is happiest when the whole family is at home at night time, when he is the center of the universe!!!

So that is basically what we are all up to! Stay tuned for pics from this weekends basketball tournament, and aslo some scans of the latest ultrasound we had done!

The long Ohio winter.....

2011-02-10T10:54:00.011-05:00

When we moved to Ohio over a year ago now, I never dreamed the winters would last so long. I never thought I would long so much for the sunshine, or to just be able to go outside without 30 layers of clothing on. Clint however, loves to get dressed up in his warm clothes to go "play in the snow"...even if it only last for 10 minutes, and he's back inside begging for a warm bath!!

We knew after our first winter here, that it was just too long and too cold to be here for the whole 4 months of the season, so last fall we decided that we would all pack up, board a plane and head west for Christmas. It was so nice to be out of the cold for several weeks and to get to spend some much needed quality time with our families! The kids spent the entire time with their cousins, and without their coats. The weather was amazing for us!! We even got to have Christmas dinner outside on the patio!

Kate got the cutest pics of Clint and LayneeBug playing together in the grass.....

We were also able to update the Hall family photo this year, since everyone made it home for Christmas...

Not too bad for a timer and a tripod!!!

Now that we're back home, its back to the cold and snow....There is an end in sight though, and before long we will be LOVING the beautiful spring and summer and all that Ohio has to offer. Along with a new baby, we have a lot coming up in the next few months. Until then, we will cherish the days the sun shines and make the most of the days it doesn't.

Fall 2010 Family Pics

2011-02-10T10:43:00.002-05:00

2010-04-13T11:38:00.000-04:00

Cutting wood.....

2010-01-18T13:30:00.001-05:00

This passed Saturday, the weather finally broke, and we were able to get out of the house. We decided to spend the day cutting wood. Here are a few pics I got. Interestingly enough, not one picture is of anyone actually working!! But we did have fun!!

The three of them stopping for a quick pic...

Father and son....these 2 are best buds and Adam can't get too far out of this boys site!!! I love what a mans man little Clint is turning in to!!!

Our Family Update:

2010-01-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, Now that its a new year, I guess it time once again for the all important GOAL SETTING! I am not a real fan of these "resolutions" because I find most people, including me, go all gung ho in the beginning and then a month later they forget all about it! So with that said, I don't have alot of goals and things to accomplish this year, but I would LOVE to be able to say that I am going to keep up on this blog and our famiy!! So here it is, January 6th, 2010! I guess I will start off with Adam and then just go from there!

Adam is still working at the sand place and Im happy to announce that since we have arrived in Ohio he hasn't had to step foot on an airplane. After flying well over 100,000 miles last year and banking every point and reward known to man, he is finally able to take a break! And that makes him and the rest of us really happy! He loves his job, and we all hope to be able to stay in Ohio for a while! When he's not working we can usually find him in the basement, cleaning a gun or tinkering around with his "toys". He just got a new chainsaw, so he's been pre-occupied with that for the past week or so! His travels are going to resume again in a few weeks, but they will be much fewer and far between! Adam is a great dad to our kids, and they are so happy to have him around more! I am sure they talk his ear right off most nights, but his patients for them is far greater than mine most of the time!

As for me, I am pretty much the same. I spend most of my days at home now, due to the inclement weather that hasn't seemed to leave since our arrival. I don't mind it much, as our new home has LOTS of things to do! It will be a full time job just keeping up with this place, and I rarely have a free minute when Im not attending to something or someone! I love my life and am quite content with the way things are turning out for us! Although I miss my famiy terribly, I am 100% certain that we are where we are supposed to be, and know that this is the place for us now! I hope to be able to get back to the quilt I started about 2 years ago, and finally finish a project! I cant wait for warmer weather, when I can start our garden and plant our flower beds!

Lexi is almost 11 now, and is turning into a little lady! She has gotten so dang tall and is growing up so fast. She loves to play the wii and her other video games, and surprisingly she has become quite the reader! She still loves basketball, and is developing a love for volleyball as well. Her violin is coming along quite nicely too! Although we haven't gotten her back into lessons here, it is still something that she wants to continue. She also wants to join 4-H in the spring and we have met a few people that are involved in it, so I am sure that is something that will keep our family busy in the coming months! Lexi has the most bubbly personality, and rarely will you find her with a grumpy face!

Brianna is 9 now and in the 4th grade! Bri IS our bookworm and is ALWAYS reading! She loves books and knows so much about them and their authors. It amazes me how much she knows when it comes to certain things just because she read about it somewhere! We have always called her Nan or nanny fannie and now it has become Nan E. Fannie Attorney at Law. This girl is goal orriented and for the last few years has had her heart set on Harvard! She saves every penny she gets and it goes right into the bank! I love her dedication when she puts her mind to things. There is a playful side to this girl to, and when she decides to get a little crazy she become "The Fannie" and pretty soon it is WWF in our living room and she is cleaning house on her dad and Lex! Her acid reflux has seemed to subside since our family has been back together and she is feeling better and better everyday! She is a big help with her brother too. She is also trying to decide whether or not to join 4-H or gymnastics!

And Clint, well he has a whole post dedicated to him just below. He continues to brighten our days and is so much fun! On most days he is either missing a sock or wearing mismatched sock because he's misplaced the match somewhere! He loves his family and is perfectly content being the center of attention!

A much needed update on Clint....

2010-01-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

Im so behind on you little man, that I hardly know where to start! So Im just going to jump in and hope it all makes sense!All but one of these pics were taken on your first birthday: October 12, 2009

You are now almost 15 months old. You are walking all over the place now, and refuse to crawl anywhere.

You love our new house, and you spend your entire day just exploring. You love to climb the stairs, but once you get to the top you turn around and yell down for help. The first week we were here, you made your way up, and then fell all the way to the bottom. You gave me quite a scare, as I thought you had broken your neck. After a few minutes of rubbing your eyes, you let out a little cry and then went on your way again. I stripped you down to make sure there was no scratches and you didn't have a mark on you! You are such a fast learner and now that you know it hurts when you fall, you won't get near the edge of anything!

You are such a big helper to me! You love to unload the dishwasher and cupboards and you also love to throw your dirty laundry down the chute, along with anything else you can sneak down the hole. You love to help your dad fix things and you even have your very own tool bench now.....

You are a pretty good eater, as long as you get to feed yourself. I guess I should add that you are also VERY independent. You think you are as big as your sisters, and that if anyone else is doing something, then you can too! Your favorite foods include mac and cheese, raviolis and meat. You scare me to death with the meat, but somehow you always get it down and rarely choke. But...your favorite thing is CHOCOLATE....you love it....brownies, fudge, candy, anything chocolate! And sometimes, when no one else is looking, you like to wash it down with a big swig of pepsi!! I know, I am a terrible mom, but who says I can't spoil you once in a while?

You have THE best smile, and the happiest little personality. When we go out, you smile at everyone, and more times than I can count people have stopped me and said that seeing your little face has brightened their day! Everyday I get to look at you smile, is a good day!

You are very curious and love to get into things to see what they are. Most of the time I can find you in the toilet slosshing the water and then trying to lick you finger fast before I can get you! It is now a standing rule around here: anyone caught leaving the seat up and the door to the bathroom open is dead meat! It's disgusting son, and we would really love it if you'd stop this one thing!!!

We finally got you to drink whole milk...after only about 5 attempts. Now you love it and you are really starting to pack on a little weight!

Its really cold here now, so before we go out we have to bundle you all up! You don't seem to mind it much, but it is such a hassle. Immediately upon feeling the cold air on your face you start to make sounds and breath really hard! We're not sure what you're doing, but Im sure somewhere inside you, you are calling us crazy and saying take me back to Arizona!!

Clint, you are the light of our lives now, and everyday you do something new, to make us smile. Your sisters can't get enough of you, and yet you drive them crazy at the same time!

Keep being the awesome little man that you are, and always know that your family loves you so much!

Summer Vacation.....

2009-08-12T18:50:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that summer break has already come and gone. Where in the world did the time go? We spent the first 4 weeks of summer pretty much doing nothing but staying close to home. For those of you who didn't know, I was having some health issues. Nothing major, just painful. They finally figured out it was my gall bladder. So in June I had to have it removed. Once that was out of the way, it was time to go have some fun....Unfortunatly we only had about 3 1/2 weeks to go before the kids went back to school. So we started off by heading to Show Low for the 4th of July....

We went to the parade and spent most of the day with my grandparents. That evening we went to Taylor for the rodeo and fireworks. It was a quick trip, but the kids had lots of fun!

On the 11th we headed to San Diego for a few days. We planned absolutely nothing to do while we were there, but relax. And that's exactly what we did!! It was THE best vacation we have ever had! We stayed at the Hilton San Diego Bay spa and resort. It was right in the bay, and we had our own private beach, only for guests! This was the view from our room....

Clint wasn't too sure of the ocean at first....

It didn't take him long though to love it.....

And of course the girls couldn't get enough of it!!!

We spent one entire day at the pool. They had private cabanas you could rent. We decided it was well worth the money to get one. It gave us lots of shade and was big enough for Clints stroller when he was ready for a nap. There was even a tv in it! This hotel was awesome!!!

here is the KING of our castle....

Chillin' on the lounge chair!!

We did pull ourselves away from the hotel for a few hours one day. Adam loves all of the HUGE military ships that are down in the bay, so we ventured over one afternoon and toured a few....

We actually took a boat ride around the bay, that got us as close as you can get to the "active" ships. There were guys up on the top with huge guns, ready to shoot anyone who got close to it, as well as a boat in the water with a machine gun on it!

We took the kids on a real pirate ship....

Here they are with one of the pirates....aaaarrrrrr me matey's....he made sure they didn't put a "G" on the end!!!!

We finished the summer by going back up to Taylor for the Pettyjohn reunion. I have spent the last few months planning it with some of my cousins, so it was so nice for it to finally be here!! I didn't get alot of pictures, cause I so busy chatting and catching up with everyone. Kate got some great shots of the kids though!!!

this ones my favorite...I soooo wish Russy would have stayed around for it...poor guy was so tired.....

Me and my sweet grandma...she was bearing her testimony and I was trying to hold it together....

I love this lady so much!

Garret and Kenzie...best little buddies checking out the cows in the field!

And of course...Clint....enjoying his first red vine! Thank you Aunt Dawn!!

Although it started out rough, we had one of the best summers ever! The kids were so good and helpful through the whole thing. Clint is a great traveler....ok, he's not so great...So on a very lonely stretch of road, we broke the law and let him out of his seat! And look how happy he is!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this boy???

Oh yeah...I almost forgot....the girls FAVORITE day of summer....

Dressing their brother up as one of them!! Notice the purse. This little man looks just like Lexi did!

I am so glad I have this family. We made some great memories this summer! Thank guys for picking me to be your mama!

2009-08-12T18:47:00.000-04:00

Quick note: the following post was composed sometime at the beginning of June...I could never get the pictures to upload to photobucket, so today I finally finished it.

June Update on Clint.....

2009-06-30T02:13:00.001-04:00

Well, in the month of June, we had sooo many milestones! I hope that I can get them all. Clint turned 8 months in June. Since he had RSV in April and a cold in May, we weren't able to do his 6 month well-baby check/shots until this month. (So not only am I behind on blogging, everything is behind in our world right now.) Anyway, we finally got him in for his check-up and the Dr. couldn't be more pleased. He said our little man is doing fabulous, and even said to me that "I don't know what a lucky mom I am" AAAHHHH!!! Thanks Dr. Wallace! He said Clint is such a good boy, and just doing everything "by the book". So he weighed in at 17.6 lbs. He is only in the 25th percentile on the growth chart for his weight. His height was 27.4 inches and that put him in the 50th percentile. So we have a lengthy, skinny boy!! HHMM..... wonder where he gets that from???

Along with growing like a weed, our boy is learning so much. This past month you could find him doing all sorts of new things. He learned how to get from butt to stomach without falling on his face and then back to his butt again! He started the month off by scooting around on his belly and ended it full on crawling!! And let me tell, this boy can move!! Especially when he is after something he's not supposed to have. Fair warning, I can't be responsible if he drools your phone to the point of not working!! He can also pull himself up to anything that won't slip out from underneath him...

good thing the vacuum cleaner has a neutral button and doesn't move to well in this position!! He will also let go now and has stood in the middle of floor completely on his own for over 10 seconds at a time! Afraid he's gonna be an early walker!!

Clint loves to eat. I always know when he is ready cause he will start humming, and saying mom...mmmmmm.....mmmmmmm.....mom!! And after every bite he gets he always says mmmmmm!!! His dad gave him and entire dinner roll, and he loved it!! Too bad he stuffed the whole thing in his mouth and started choking....we had to take it from him! Sorry bud....

He is eating pretty much all table food. Crackers and finger foods. He loves his Gerber puffs. So do I, their not messy!! Clint also got his first tooth this month. Finally!! We've been waiting along time for that milestone. It's on the bottom. The left front tooth. And it's sharp!!

Clint already has quite a vocabulary. His list includes: mom, dad, hi, lala(Lexi), Nan (Brianna), baba...he also loves animals, and though he can't say what they are, he knows how to get their attention. He yells "hey" at them til they look at him!! He also loves to clear his throat. Don't know if he thinks he's talking or what, but he does it all the time!!! At first cute, now it is just annoying!! But he loves it, so we love it too!!

Clint had his first swim just this last weekend. He wasn't crazy about it, but loved the dive sticks. I think I need to invest in a few...they made great teething sticks for him!! He was so cute in his little trunks!! Hangin with his daddy!!

Happy Birthday Brianna.....

2009-06-30T01:20:00.000-04:00

We did celebrate Brianna's birthday this year, it has just been a crazy June, so needless to say, I am waaayyyy behind on my blog. Brianna was so lucky to have so many people come and help her celebrate her 9th birhday. Yes, I said 9TH! And don't ask me how that happened. Thank you to everyone who came: Papa and Mema from Taylor, Papa Ken and Gma Skeet, Aunt Kate, U.Todd and A.Jody, Brennen, Mak, Garret, Russy; Matt, Lisa and Ben; The DeGooyers, The Smiths, and Kayden, I know that I've said it before, but we have the best family and friends in the world. They are always there for our kids and it means so much to them and Adam and I.

So here are some of the moments that I captured on her special day.....
Some of the kids having cake and ice cream! Yummy...for some reason I didn't get a picture of the cake or blowing out the candles:( Sorry Nan!!!

Makenna taking a shot at the pinata

Waiting for presents....ooohhh the anticipation

A build-a-bear game for her ds....which they now fight over!! Thanks Kayden!!

This was her favorite gift....her friends made it just for her with her name on it and everything! Thank you Kiara and Katia!!

Along with all of the cake and ice cream, friends and family, and pinata fun...we also had a huge feast to eat! Brianna wanted sub sandwiches for dinner. Along with it we had all the fixings: macaroni salad, veggies, dips, chips and salsa, deviled eggs, and all kinds of stuff to drink!!

Brianna, you are such a good kid. You strive so hard to please everyone around you and always try to make good decisions. I am so proud of you and am so thankful that we have you in our family. You are the best little helper any mom could ask for, and I appreciate all you do in our home to make it run smoothly. I am sorry this is late, but hope you know how much we love you. Happy Birthday little Nan!!

2009-05-06T17:53:00.000-04:00

Its been a while now since I've posted on Clint. Honestly, I have been waiting to get him in for his 6 month check-up and then give a full rundown. But with the lingering cough he keeps getting, I have put it off. They won't give him shots unless he is perfectly well. So here are a few updates:

He loves hanging out in the laundry baskets. He has even stood himself up in it once. Good thing I was right there, cause it quickly tipped over!!

He is eating just about anything and everything he can get his fingers on. Although I don't let him have anything that will choke him, DUH....anyway....he loved chewing on this celery stick. It kept him busy for quite a while. He still has no teeth, so there was no risk of him getting the strings stuck in his throat.

Yesterday, we met Aunt Kate for lunch. I had a pickle on my plate that I wasn't going to eat, so to be mean, I gave it to him. Thinking he would make funny faces, and we'd get a good laugh at his expense!! To my surprise, he loved that thing. And not one funny face. Before it was over, he had it squishing out of his fingers. There was pickle seeds everywhere. I HATE pickles. Mostly because they STINK......

Needless to say, I was smelling pickle the rest of the day. Guess the joke was on me!!!

Lately, when I am getting ready, Clint has decided I need his help. Yet, he won't sit on the floor and play. Nope, he has to be right up in the middle of it all. He thinks that he has a buddy there every morning waiting to play with him. He get the biggest kick outta watching himself in the mirror!!

I don't know how many mornings I go into in his room, and he is cuddled up with his little fluffy dog. He loves this thing.....

This was the first time he crashed out on the floor. He was so tired and we were all busy doing our things....he couldn't wait any longer.....

I love this picture. He is just exhausted after a hard day!!! I love the hand!!!

A few more things:

He sits up completely on his own now
He can say mama, dada, La (lexi) and Nan (Brianna) we think he says baba (bottle) too, but not sure if he knows what it means!!
He plays well on his own. Unless he sees you leave the room. He hates to be alone!!
He is very nosey....HAS to be in the middle of everything
Puts himself to sleep when we lay him in his bed. No more rocking chair.
Loves to flirt with the girls
Has just enough hair for a baby mohawk
Still no teeth
Thinks he can stand on his own and wants to jerk his hands out of yours to do this
Did we mention he's independent. HHMMM wonder where that came from???
Sits in the high chair/shopping cart...No more car seat when we're outta the car!!!

He brings so much joy to our world. I know I say it all the time, but I just can't get enough of him. Love you Prince Handsome!!!

Fifths Disease

2009-04-29T16:15:00.000-04:00

This is only the 3rd time in my life I have ever heard of this terrible illness. And 2 times has been in the last week. My visiting teacher is the attendance lady at the school the girls go to. During her visit last week, she told me about her daughter having it when she was in high school. She also mentioned that it had been going around school. It wasn't until Monday night that I put 2 and 2 together. Brianna came in the living room after her shower, and showed me the rash that covered her entire body, except for her face. She says "mom, Lexi told me that I should let you know I have this rash. I have had it since LAST Monday." So I checked her out. It wasn't red, her skin just appeared really blotchy. I asked her if it itched at all. She said a little but nothing bad. I also told her if it got worse or started bugging her, we would call the Dr. Tuesday came and for some reason, this thought enters my mind, that she may have this "fifths disease". So immediately I get on the computer to try and rule it out. Oh no, sure enough she has all the symptoms. When I picked them up from school, I stopped Cortney, (my vt's daughter) to talk it over with her. And she said I bet she has it. So this morning I called the Dr. He said that at this point, she is no longer contagious, but is positive that is what she has. Not to worry, as long as the fever doesn't return, she should be fine. Side note: Brianna had what I thought was a mild flu bug on April 6Th. 2 weeks later, the rash developed. It says that it can last for 17-28 days in children. In adults, it can take up to 2 years to get over:( Are you kidding me....2 years!!! After talking with the Dr. I gave Clint his bath, and sure enough, he too had the blotchy rash on his skin. Last week, when I thought his fever/vomiting was him teething.....turns out it wasn't. Thankfully in children it is very mild. The older you are the worse it becomes. It eventually starts attacking your joints and muscles and can be very debilitating. So please keep your fingers crossed for all of the adults that my children have been around. So while the rest of the world is battling swine flu, here in Florence, Arizona we will be dealing with a mini pandemic of our own....fifths disease!!!

New Guns for the Girls.....

2009-04-22T13:50:00.000-04:00

The weather here has been just awesome! To nice to stay inside. The last several weekends Adam has been home, he has taken the girls out on the quad to do some shooting and rabbit hunting. Most of his guns are just to big for the girls to handle, so we decided to get them each one their own!! Nothing too fancy, just a bb gun. One that they can get the fundamentals down with.

Before they could handle their new "weapons" they first had to have a conversation with dad about safety. Cause "nothing we do is worth getting injured over"!!!

After the briefing it was time to get to it!! If you're gonna learn to shoot, you gotta have a target...

Nothing like a pampers box, with a self-adhesive target smacked to the side of it!! Thanks Clint for your box!

Ok...yes the barrel is pointing straight at her face, however these things are hard to caulk, and the safety was on....

While Clint didn't get his own gun, he did get to sit in the dirt for the first time and cheer on his big sisters at the range!!! Ok, we were in the back yard!!

Of course he had to put the dirt in his mouth...

And have a man to man chat with dad about gun safety....

I don't know if I should be pleased to report this or not...but as of last night, Lexi has killed her first bird. While we don't encouage this type of behavior, the temptation of it sitting on the top rail of the fence was too much!! And who would've thought she would get it!! Nice shot Lex!!

Our Pantry....

2009-04-22T13:38:00.002-04:00

So most of you have been to our home, and had dinner with us. It never fails, at every get together someone always has to comment on our pantry. While it is never completely stocked, especially now that Adam is gone so much, it is almost always organized. I wish I could take credit for this, but I can't. I always have to say thank you, but then give the credit over to Adam. He hates it unorganized. This past weekend, after a long trip to Safeway, I caught him once again....hard at work......

He is so going to kill me for this post, but I couldn't resist!! I am so happy to have him!! He is so good about pitching in and helping me, even when he has been gone all week, and really just wants to hang out on the couch or at the barn!! Anyway, here it is....our lovely, organized pantry......

Notice every single label is facing out, so you know exactly what you're looking for!! I love it!!!

The gift of a sister....

2009-04-16T14:25:00.000-04:00

Today, as I hurridly dropped the girls off at school, I was taken back for a moment. A precious moment that stopped me in my tracks and brought a tear to my eye. There was a school bus pulling up to the curb in front of us, so in a split second I realized that if I continued to the usual drop off spot I would be stuck. I was already running late, so I cut to the left and proceeded to let the girls off in the middle of the parking lot. I hate hate hate doing this, because they normally don't pay attention, and most people are running late as it is, and in a huge hurry to be the first one out of the lot. As I said goodbye to them, I stayed there for a moment, making sure they went straight to the crosswalk, and made it safely across. When they reached the crosswalk, they both looked at eachother, and at the same time, they grabbed on to one anothers hands, and together they crossed. Such a simple thing, but to me it was more. Just the night before, they were both nearly at the point of meltdown with eachother. But there, on the school campus, they were looking out for eachother! I was suddenly taken back to a time when I too, had little sisters to look after. Before I knew it I was reminissing all of our good times and memories that we have made over the years. I thought about the countless days Mattie and I would spend fighting, just to wind up in one anothers room laughing until we cried! I thought about every early morning trip to the dentist with Kate, and going to every single softball game of her Jr. high and High school career! I thought about joining the gym with Jody. And after our night-time work outs, sitting in our driveway til 2:30 in the morning, talking about who knows what...but laughing til it hurt. I thought about vacations and trips to Vegas with Anna, and how much I miss our weekend BBQ's!! Every favorite memory I have are with these girls. My sisters!! As I watch my girls now, I can only hope that the bond they have, will remain ever so strong!! I hope that one day they look back on their lives and realize that no matter where they were, they always had a BEST friend!! I know in my life, these are the first ones I call, no matter what. My sisters!! I love these girls with all I have in me. Sisters are the best gift ever!!

New Glasses for Lexi.....

2009-04-15T19:35:00.000-04:00

We finally made it in to get Lexi's eyes checked and new glasses! She broke her old ones before we even moved back from Colorado, and I've just been terrible about making appts. So The 2nd week of the kids spring break, we made it a point to do the necessary dentists and eye doctor visits. The good news, no cavities!! Yeah!! But Lexi did have to get glasses. She looks so grown up in them!! Nice choice on frames Lex!

Ohio Trip.....

2009-04-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to go to Ohio for quite some time now, to see where Adam is working, and how life really is out there. We had been discussing a trip, but that was about as far as it went. About 3 weeks ago, Adam was searching flights, and they just happened to have a good deal for the week of April 7th. So we called my parents and asked if they would keep the kids and we booked the ticket. Not even realizing it was the week before Easter. Well, with the help of Todd and Jody taking Clint for the week, and Megan helping out before school, we were able to still pull the trip off. It was so nice to get away, just the two of us. I was nervous leaving Clint....not for his sake, but scared for Jody, to have two little ones at home all day by herself, plus Garett!! So, I thank her for even offering. So here is how the trip went. (Mind you, this was my first time to the East, besides an 8th grade trip to the D.C. area!!)

It was so beautiful!! Everywhere you looked was like a postcard image!! My neck actually hurt from all of the head turning I was doing!! This is a picture of an Ice Cream Factory. The Velvet Ice Cream Company, if you've heard of them! Unfortunatly they were closed for the season, but it is on our list of things to do this summer when I take the kids back!! This is an actual working wheel that powers the entire mill!

A little history on the wheel!

After a few days of working, Adam was able to take the day off, so we planned a trip up to "Omish Country" as the locals call it. What an awesome day. I totally felt like I had stepped right back in time!! These signs were everywhere, and you really had to watch out for the buggies. You could always tell when one was near, cause there would be fresh horse poop right in the middle of the road!!

They literally drive their little buggies right down the main roads!!

here is another one.....

And at the local grocery store there is a hitching post, so they can go in and do their shopping, or trade their goods.....

This is the general store:

Their store was awesome!! Everything in it was home grown! They even had a container of what I thought were peanuts for sale, until I noticed the lever on it. When you pulled down, it released fresh peanut butter!! We were like 2 kids in a candy store there. We had to buy some fresh dinner rolls, still warm, along with some cheese!! We also found this purple popcorn and potatoe soup mix, (which we will try when Adam gets home this weekend).

This was the popcorn. It still popped up white, but the kernal parts inside were really purple!!

We found this guy out plowing his fields, getting ready for the summer planting season...

Notice his dog running right next to him!! Loyal little buddy!!

They use this little wagon thingy as a way to spread fertilizer on their feilds!!

My dang camera delayed when I went to get this picture below: it was such a funny site. This gravel truck hot on the trail of a buggy!! I wonder if they ever get ran off the road??

And this is the house that Adam will buy me BEFORE I move there!! It is was so beautiful. Up on the hill and down below there was a pond!! Someone just decided to build it and then never move in!! I think it's waiting for us!!

It was a wonderful 5 days. But I couldn't wait to get home to the kids. I missed them so much! I took these on plane coming back. I thought it was so pretty up above the clouds!

And another one....

I can't wait to go back with the kids!! It will be much more fun having them there, and not worrying about them! Thank you to my family for letting them stay. They all had a really great time!!

April Fools Day 2008....

2009-04-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

Last year on this day, I remember laying in bed. I had just had my "pick" line put in the night before. ( I know "pick" is not how to spell that abbreviation, but anyway it is basically a long term I.V. port) My nurses were coming to the house today, for the first cleaning and maintenance on it. I was scared. There was a lot of tape around it, and it looked awful. It was very sore, and the thought of it, to this day, still makes me sick. My girls were home from school. It must have been spring break. They were anxiously coming in and out of the room, asking me "how much longer, mom?" Finally the nurses arrived. They had lots of bags with them, and lots of medical supplies, that they were leaving with me, so that I could "take care of myself" and not have to go back and forth to the hospital. They started setting up, and told the girls they couldn't be in the room with us. Because it was such a sterile process, even I wasn't able to watch what they were doing. Not that I minded that one bit! I had to wear a mask over my nose and mouth, and keep my head turned away from the site. Even the slightest germ from my own breath could have caused a serious infection. As she started removing the tape and poking and proding at the line, I remember thinking "how in the world did this happen to me?" The tears were rolling down my face, because it hurt like no tomorrow. The stuff they used to clean it burned and they had to force it down inside my arm, to make sure no infection could get in. The nurse doing it, was in training. It was her first time. She was very nice, but a little rough. I was sitting there all alone. Adam had meetings in Texas that week, that he just couldn't miss. And the girls were quarantined from the premises. If you don't already know, I hate needles, doctors, medicine, anything that has to do with getting poked, I just can't take it. Even getting blood drawn, usually takes me out for the rest of the day. I always insist that Adam is right by side, to let me crush his hand in mine as they look for veins. So it was very tramatic for me to go through this alone. After what seemed like an eternity they were done. They showed me how to hook up the IV bags, and how to clean the two ports. How to hook my "chemo pump" (as we called it)up to the port, and how to change out all the pumps that were connected to me! It was alot to remember, and I was more nervous now than ever. Not only, had I not eaten in weeks, I was so sick, that I could barely remember where we were half the time, and now I was responsible for maintaining myself as well!! I remember thinking, "ok, I can do this, I only have to hold out a few more hours and Katie will be here! She was coming to stay with us, til Adam returned from his business trip. By this time the girls were crazy excited waiting for her. Not only were they happy to see her, but they had planned an Aprils Fools day joke for her, to break her in right when she got there. Katie can not even stand the thought of throw up. It just grosses her out to the max! As soon as she pulled in the drive way, out they ran! "Katie, Katie...oh thank goodness your here, mom is so sick, and just puked all over herself! Come and help us!" At that moment, I'm not sure why she didn't just get back in the car, and go home! But she stayed....she stayed to stick out, what she says was the "hardest week of her life." From that day, my condition worsened. We literally spent the next 2 days, going from the dr. office to the hospital, back home. Finally, after 3 days of pure hell, my dr. said he could do no more for me. It was time to go somewhere else. I was sent to Memorial Central (I think that was the name) in the down town area of Colorado Springs. We had never been to this side of town, let alone Katie. So not only was I sick, now I was lost, and not really sure where I even was. On top of it all, a big snow storm was brewing and it was freezing! They admitted me to the hospital that night. Katie stayed til it got dark. At one point they drugged me up with something, and we went from being very serious and scared to just about splitting our pants in laughter!! Imagine that, me and my sisters finding something to giggle about, in a desperate moment! It was short lived. I laughed so hard, I was throwing up, and Kate had to leave!! She was such a trooper that week! Going from hospital, to home. Taking care of my girls. And everything else. What a wonderful gift family is. I am not sure how we would have made it through this without her. She is the only one (besides Adam) who saw me at my worst! I feel bad for putting her through it, but am so thankful that I had her by my side. I know there were moments when she wanted to break, but she didn't. She kept things together for the sake of our girls, until their dad could back. BTW.... at this time, one of the airlines were having issues and all of the planes were grounded. He didn't even know if and when he was gonna get home. I spent the next 8 days there. They had me on who knows how many different medicines. And nothing to eat. Not even a stick of gum. Nothing!! I had not eaten in 7 weeks. I was seriously thinking that by now, I should have starved to death. I lost almost 25 lbs. Not a recommended crash diet, but it did work. After 3 days there, they decided to start introducing me back to food. By day four, I had mashed potatoes!! I never thought hospital food could taste so good! Before long I finally had a little bit of life back in me. Some days I think back to those months and wonder how can it be so easy for some and so difficult for others? Why was this time so different from the others? I don't know those answers, but I do know this: my life has been so blessed with a perfect a little miracle. He has already brought so much joy and light into our world. I look at him and see him smile, and know, that if someone took him from me, and said "the only way you get him back is to do it all again", I would do it. A thousand times. Just to have him in our lives! So many times, I wanted to give up, and thought I didn't have it me to go on! So glad I didn't give up.......

Oh, how I love this boy!!! I will forever remember April fools day, as being no joke!! It will always be a day that I remember no matter how big life's challenges are, there is always and end. A silver lining. Clint is the light at the end of my tunnel. And will always be my reminder: to choose the right, and stay close to the things in life that are good. That with your family, you can get through anything. They are my world. I love my family!!

Think back Thursday......

2009-03-26T22:45:00.000-04:00

So normally, I would title this post: Flashback Friday, however Adam comes home tomorrow and I'm not sure if I'll get to blog for a few days. But I had to add this pic! My mom shows up at Amazing Jakes sporting this retro fanny pack!! Although very practical, we had to get a few jabs in on her while we were there!! Thanks mom for this weeks inspirational look back!!

I tried to find a photo of the very famous Hulk Hogan with his on, but this was as good a pic as I could come up with!! So, I guess she is not the only one with S-T-Y-L-E!!!!!

Clint's week in review.....

2009-03-26T00:31:00.000-04:00

Wow!! What a busy week for Clint and his accomplishments! This week our little man has just about mastered sitting up on his own. If his head wasn't quite so heavy or he had just a little stonger neck, I think he would be all grown up! Tonight as we watched tv, we sat him in the floor on his blanket, and he sat and played with his toys for well over 5 minutes, without even tipping over once!!

Look at his fat belly!! He must be a little uncomfortable! He loves his piano from Uncle Kelly and Aunt Becky!! It has a little mirror on the front of it, so he thinks that there is another handsome little devil playing right along with him!!

Also tonight we tried some food. Although this wasn't his very first attempt at baby food, or even table food, this was the first time he actually understood what we were doing and liked the process!! Butternut Squash was on the menu tonight, and I think he is gonna be just like his mom. He loved it!!

This week he also discovered his feet!! He has played with them before, but now it is a must at all times. Which works out really well in the morning, when I am still too tired to play!! They seem to keep him occupied for quite a while!!

He can almost get them into his mouth now!!

I can't believe how fast he is growing, and what a joy he is to have around. Who needs a tv anymore, when you can just watch him!! I wish the time would slow down so he would stay little and fun forever!!
(side note to Adam: we were all standing right next to him as he played on the couch tonight! I promise, we won't let him fall again!!)

Don't believe in ghosts.....

2009-03-25T02:49:00.000-04:00

While going through some pictures on my moms computer, my sister Mattie found this picture. It was taken atleast 2 1/2 years ago, at my parents home in Oracle. We always joked that the house was haunted. The lady my parents bought the house from told them that there were some "warrior spirits" or some dang thing living in the home. My parents suspisions were confirmed as random things happened to them while living there. However, us kids were a little skepitcal............until this......look in the center of this picture!!! This is not a joke, or an altered photo:
Are you a believer now?

Spring Pictures of our kids......

2009-03-24T15:34:00.000-04:00

On Saturday before heading to Amazing Jakes, we stopped at Val Vista Lakes to take some pictures of the kids. We ended up taking quite a few that day. Here are some of my favorites!

Lexi and Bri had Clint just cracking up in this picture. It was definately his hardest laugh to date. He was laughing so hard his shoulders were bouncing up and down! Way too precious!!

You just gotta love that drool! We think he has been teething for about 2 months now, but still no teeth yet!

Today, Clint discoverd the grass! I'm not sure why, but he just loved it. I remember the girls hating the grass. I think it was just too pokey for them, but the boy in him really liked it!!

Our little Lex is all grown up and looking way to cute.....

And so is her sister.....

I think it is probably time to start thinkin' about loading those shotguns dad!!

Below is my favorite pic of the day! To cute....

I wasn't planning on being in the photo shoot, but Kate snapped this shot as we were finishing up and I couldn't resist adding it to the pot!

What a great day, a so many memories to add to our book!! We are such lucky people to have 3 beautiful children who mean the world to us! Our lives have been truly blessed with these precious gifts.

Spring Break Week 1.......

2009-03-22T23:35:00.001-04:00

Before I even get going on this post, I must warn you, it is a bit lengthy with lots of pics! So here we go....We started the week off at about 6:00 am on Monday morning. Adam had an early flight out to Ohio, and since we had to go to Buckeye anyway that day, we decided to take him to the airport. After dropping him off we headed straight to Aunt Jody's house to pick up Makenna for the week!! Usually the girls ALWAYS end up staying at Todd and Jody's, so it was a nice change to have Mak at our house! After a stop at Panda Express with the whole gang, including Gma Skeet, we were on our way east!! Somewhere along the way, we decided to call Aunt Megan and see if Jordyn and Maddy could meet us at the park to play. I forgot my camera, so we have no pics of that. However, afterwards we ended up having them join our sleepover! Sorry the next few photos are outta order, still having some issues with uploading, but here is a re-cap of the big slumber party!!

Darrin and Kimberly's horse had a new baby, so on Tuesday morning after breakfast, we decided to take a feild trip to the ranch to take a peek for ourselves. This is Semper Fi.....he is just 5 days old!

This was the girls at breakfast!! See I can't get these pics right to save my life:(

Ok....back at the ranch....They tried all morning to catch a rooster on their own, but it took the skills of Wyatt to round this one up for Lexi to hold!

Wyatt just caught one and now he is going to show them all how to hypnotize a chicken. Yes, he can do this, and it is pretty dang funny to watch. However, the chicken on this day had to many spectators, and failed to perform! So anyway, back to the sleep over. The whole way home from Buckeye the girls were planning a fashion party. Makenna brought over all of her make-up and the girls had some of their own as well. They even tried to talk me into buying cucumbers at the store, and mixing up some oatmeal for facials. They couldn't wait for night to fall so they could begin. Well, the night of beauty only lasted about 5 minutes and before I knew it they went from being fashion divas to Pirates!! They used their eyeliner pencils to draw facial hair, chest hair, and you guessed it.....armpit hair as well!!! Lexi was the tatoo artist, giving skull and cross bones to the Powers' girls and herself, while Makenna sported a non-pirate looking butterfly!! Brianna had the painted on eye patch and some serious scratches bleeding down her chest!! These are our girls.....nothing girly about them!!!!

So on Tuesday after Gma Ev came and got Jordyn and Maddy, we had another trip to make back to Buckeye. See, I failed to mention that while we were eating at Panda, we all decided that we hadn't had our St. Paddy's Day dinner in a few years, and that we needed to do it! (For those of you who don't know, We live 1 1/2 hours away from Buckeye, and that's if there is no traffic, so it's not like we are just down the road!) My mom has always made corned beef and cabbage with red potatos for dinner! I could do without the cabbage, but the rest is delicious!! When we got there, Brennen and Gma had made a scavenger hunt for the rest of the kids. They had clues to figure out, and at each station was a prize for a different kid! At the end was a "pot of gold" and they each got a coin to turn into Papa after dinner for a green desert! They had so much fun! Anyhow, we didnt end up leaving there until about 9:00 that night, so it was After 11:00 before we got home. I had three sleeping girls, (Mak came back with us) and Clint who was beat!! And no pics. Aunt Jody said she would send me one when she gets them off her camera! So Wednesday, we decided to take it easy. I let the girls sleep in and we just lounged most of the morning. I had to make a trip into Coolidge for Adam's dry cleaning, so we headed over around 1:00. I took the girls to Sonic for lunch and then back to the AWESOME park at Anthem. They ended up playing for about 2 hours, before I realized the time. We still had to get to Wal-mart to get sunblock and a cap for Clint for our Thursday at the Zoo!!

And here he is, sporting his new sandals, and his first hat!! Nope! It's not a cowboy hat, but it will do for a hot trip to the zoo. I think we picked the first day of 90+ degree weather this year, cuz it was a warm one!! But we still had a great day!!

Here are the kids as we left the zoo, still smiling!! Even Clint. BTW....this was the first time ever to get his smiling face on camera....he learned fast, cuz now he is doing it for us everytime. Yeah!!!

We met some of our friends there, and ironically all 6 of the girls showed up in pink! Not planned at all....just pure coincidence!! However, it made for a really easy time keeping track of everyone!!

Friday was another low key day. We stayed home almost all day. The kids just did their own things, while I caught up on my mountain of laundry and filthy bedroom/bathroom that had been neglected all week! When late afternoon rolled around, and it cooled off, we decided to head to town and do some shopping!! We hit Kohl's first and found some good stuff, but were still missing some shirts that we needed for Spring Pictures, so we hit Justice. Not sure why I even walk through those doors. That place is so darn expensive, it makes me ill. But, the girls talked me into it. 2 t-shirts, 4 webkinz, and $60 later we were on our way! I took the kids out to dinner and then back home we went! Saturday was a busy day for us. We had to pick up Aunt Kate at 2:00 and try to take pics before our family party at Amazing Jakes. We were gonna go to Freestone park, but decided to try Val Vista Lakes first!! We got some really great pics, but I am saving them for another post. So stay tuned!!

Gma Skeet and Papa Ken took us all to Amazing Jakes as part of our Christmas present. We always have the best time there, and end up staying waaaayyy to long. I don't think we have ever made it outta there in less than 5 hours!! Here are some of the highlights from the night.....

This is Clint on his very first Pony ride. He picked the Yellow Mare, so he could be just like his daddy. Too bad he was more interested in licking that shiny gold bar than he was the horse. It was all I could do to keep his mouth away from it as we went round and round!!

Lexi...going for a spin in the tea cups!!

Brianna, Chadd, Tayler and Kenzie in the little train!! Aren't you too big for that ride Nan?

This is Katie, Brennen, Makenna, Chadd, Tayler and me waiting to board the frog hopper!! Not sure who was supposed to get the pic of us on the ride, but I guess they forgot. That thing is hilarious.....definately my favorite thing to do at Amazing Jakes!!!

And last, but not least.....The "Birthday Girl" We had to tell them it was someone's bday so we could get the special pricing.....So we picked Aunt Kate!!! When the girl on the phone asked how old the bday child was, I had to laugh....and then tell her.........23!!!! Thanks Jelly Bean....you were such a sport!!

So that was week 1 of our Spring Break.....Yes week 1. We have one more to go and I have already got everyday filled up on my calender. BTW....Did you all get the part about the first thing we did, Monday: drop Adam off at the airport!!! Well here is a glimpse into week 2. Friday, the last day of Spring Break: go to the airport to pick up Adam:) Yes, I have been on this adventure all alone....can someone please find the guy that thought up year-round school, and shoot him!!!

Help!!!

2009-03-20T17:49:00.000-04:00

Just wondering if anyone else has issues uploading pictures? Everytime I try to load them, they end up in some random order and I can't figure out how to re-arrange them in the order I want them in. If anyone can help me figure this out, or is experiencing the same issues, please let me know!! Until then...stay tuned for our update on Spring break. We have two weeks, the first one is almost gone, but it has been full of adventure!!

Seussical Jr......

2009-03-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

In January the girls both tried out for the school musical, Seussical Jr. (Horton Hears a Who)Since then, they have both been working very hard at learning their parts, and ALL of the MANY songs, that were part of the play. We were very proud of their dedication to their school....and more than once, had to very politely ask them to please "turn off that music"!!! In the end they were leaving the house at about 8:15 am and not getting home til after 6:00pm. Although they didn't make leads, they both recieved smaller parts.

Lexi was the part of Jazz...one of the Who's and got very used to putting on make-up!!! Sorry Lex, you're still to young!!

And Brianna played a dual role, as a Tiger, Tamara and also a fish!! (Brianna on the other hand hated the make-up and asked if she could just go with out it!!) The girls had lots of support as they performed the play 5 times in 3 days. Among their cheering section was Gramma Skeet and Papa Ken, Grandma Debbie and Uncle Travis, Aunt Katie, Uncle Todd and Aunt Jody, Brennen, Makenna, Garret, Russy, Uncle Deke and Aunt Mattie, Chadd, Tayler, Kenzie, Pat and Megan, Jordyn, Madyson, Zachery, and their entire activities day class from church!! I think they were the most represented kids there.....as always!! Our family and friends are the best, and always support us in everything we do. Thanks guys!! After the final curtain call on Friday night, we packed everyone up and headed out to Barro's for pizza!!

Here is a picture of the girls with all of their cousins!! In the end it was a great experience for the girls and they are already talking about next years musical....Charlie and Chocolate Factory....right now they are thinking about being the oompa loompa's but we will see!! As for me, I am hoping to be able to get things back to normal around our house, and resume sleeping without the music running over and over in my head!! Great Job Lexi and Nan!!

Happy Birthday Katie!!

2009-03-06T16:55:00.000-05:00

Today my little sister Katie, turns 23. Just wanted to let her know how much we love her and hope she has a great day! She is in a close tie, for the being the best little sister ever, and the greatest Aunt of all times, to all of her nieces and nephews!! Well, next to me....anyway, I love you Kate.....Happy Birthday!!

Science Club.....

2009-03-02T16:51:00.000-05:00

After placing in her school and district science competitions, Lexi had the opportunity to compete at the Pinal County Science Competition on Saturday, in Coolidge! What a fun day it was. The weather was perfect, and that was good cause we spent nearly all day outside! She made it in two events. Starry Starry Night and Pentathalon. Overall her and her partner Storm took 3rd place in Starry Night! We are so proud of her commitment and dedication to her club. Congratulations Lexi on your medal!!

2008-2009 Anthem Science Club

Lexi and Storm waiting to compete

It ended up being a very long day.....a little too long for Papa Ken!! Lexi is so lucky to have such a great support system. She ended up having quite a cheering section! Among the crowd were her Papa Ken and Gramma Skeet, Grandma Debbie and Uncle Travis, and Aunt Kate!! Thank you guys for always being there for our kids!! We have the best family ever, and love you all! Thanks again for coming out and supporting Lexi!

Flashback Friday.....

2009-02-27T00:23:00.000-05:00

I have to start off by giving kudos to my friend Valerie for allowing me to steal her idea for "flashback fridays" I always look forward to checking her blog Friday mornings to see what creative "blast from the past" she has come up with. So to go along with my own "blast from the past" post, I thought it was only right, that I show the girls how to really "spike" those bangs!! I think I was in 5th grade in this photo, but it may have been 7th. I can't remember!!

Side note to mom: why on earth were we allowed to fix our own hair? Was this your way of letting us "express" ourselves as children? I blame you for this photo!! And thank you for teaching me that big hair is so cool!!!

Zodiac Signs....

2009-02-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are into astrology, my sister Katie hooked me up with this site. It is freakishly dead on!! I read mine, Adams and the girls and they are all for the most part, exactly right!! You have to check this out!! Mine even said that I should skydive!!! Yes, that is me....floating to the ground, after jumping out of a plane!! And that I will marry a Virgo.....and You guessed it....Adam is a Virgo!!! Check it out: http://www.lilycat.net

A blast from the past......

2009-02-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

Last week the girls had spirit week at school. Most of the days were rather boring....school colors, western day, and few others that I don't remember. However, Wednesday was 80's day!! For those of you who don't remember, I was queen of the big hair!! I loved it then and still do now. I can't wait for it to come back!! I was able to talk them into letting me "spike" their hair, but they were not up for folding over their jeans at the bottom and puttin a few rolls in them!! And when I said it looked even cooler if they pulled their socks up over the top of their rolled jeans......let's just say they rolled their eyes and told me I had lost my mind and that that would be the most embarrising thing ever!!!

Brianna wasnt too sure about curling her bangs....but she gave in!!

Here are a couple more pics from the week.....they have nothing to do with the 80's or spirit week, but are pretty darn cute!!

The girls thought it would be fun to wrap his towel on his head and see if it made him look like a girl!! His dad will not be impressed I am sure!

And this is him in his new toy!! He thinks that he a big boy now, and insists on standing at all times. If you even try to sit him down he will arch his back and start to throw a fit. So we found this for him, it allows him to stand on his own all he wants too!! He really likes it and is able to work most of the toys on it. It makes lots of sounds and has blinking lights too.....he better like it. The dang thing cost a small fortune....but from the words of his father "nothing is too expensive for my boy"! Do I hear a little favortism?

Look who's 10....

2009-02-19T00:10:00.001-05:00

Wow! I can't believe that our little Lex is 10! Where has the time gone? We started the day off getting ready for school. She tried to talk me into letting her skip it "just this once", but I made her go. Besides, we had spent half the night making cupcakes to take in to her class today. I thought that she was getting too old for this, but she insisted "everybody brings them". So I couldn't tell her no! After school she had musical rehersal, so she didn't get home til almost 5:00. I gave her the option of going out to any place she chose for dinner, and she opted to stay home and make her favorite meal. Fetticinni Alfredo!! Great choice Lex!! She invited Aunt Kate out, and also her bff Kayden to come over to join us. She decided not to have a cake this year, since we had soooo many cupcakes left over. After dinner we loaded one up with 10 candle and lit the thing.....

Well, that was a near disaster....the wax started melting fast and dripping on her hands. We told her to hold it steady for a quick picture, and what ever she did DONT DROP IT!!! She managed to pose, and then get them out quick!! Aside from her dad being gone, she said she had a really fun day!! She also got to go to Peter Piper Pizza on Monday with all of her cousins, but I am soooo bad about having my camera with me, so we have no pics of that! Anyway, here are a few more pics from the night. Me with the kids...........

Aunt Kate and the kids!!!

We are so glad to have Lexi in our family, and can't believe she is already 10. She has grown up so fast, and is turning into a little lady right before our eyes!! Adam said to me last night....it is not the fact that we are now 30 that has him feeling old....it is thinking that in only 6 years she'll be driving....and dating!!!! Oh, the things we are about to go through!! Happy Birthday Lexi. We love you!!

This is our story...

2009-02-13T00:50:00.000-05:00

I've recently been reconnected with many of my friends through facebook! Alot of you are asking where Ive been the last 10 or so years so instead of telling the story 15 times I am redirecting you to my blog! So here is the condensed version...My family moved to Utah when I was a junior in high school, 1995. I graduated in 97' and started working for a manufacturing company. In November of that year I came home to Az. for a friends wedding. Adam was there too, and the rest is pretty much history. We had known eachother since the 4th grade. We dated a little in high school, but nothing too serious. By the end of the month I knew he was the one. In February of 08' I moved to Nevada, where he was living. We decided to "play house" for a while, but both knew we wanted to get married. In June I got pregnant, so it was time to plan that wedding. We were married in August, and shortly after moved back to the valley. Lexi was born in February of 09' and Brianna came just 15 months later in May of 2000. With having babies outta the way, it was time to get serious. Adam worked for a sand company in the east valley and I worked for a landscape company in Mesa. We bought our first home in 2002 in Mesa. We soon realized that our babies were growing up way too fast, and we were missing it all, so we opted for me to stay home with them and quit working. By this time Adam was a manager at his job and we were doing pretty well. Our little house soon became very small and we needed to find a new one. We were sick of being in the city and Adam was driving all the way to Florence Jct. everyday for work, so we found a place out near Florence where we could have horses, and our kids could grow up in a small town environment like we did. We started building in 04' and moved in in August of 05'. After about a year, Adam decided he was going no where with his job and we decided to look for something new. He landed an awesome opportunity for us, but it meant we were moving to Colorado. We put our house up for sale, packed up our home and off we went. When we got there it was fun! A new place, new people, snow!! But I was lonely. I got a job, but it was boring. Soooo, I decided to talk Adam into having another baby. And it worked!! The first time was our charm. In January of 08' I was pregnant. By the first week of March the excitement was over and I was sick. In and out of the hospital twice. The 2nd stay revealed we were not only having one baby...there was two!! That explained the sickness:( The 3rd week of March I was back in the hospital, this time it was my appendix. They weren't sure if it was going to burst, but said it was best to get it out. So they took it. 3 weeks later we were back down to one baby. The rest of April and May was mostly the same. Hospital...home...hospital...home....nurses at home....dr. visits....hospital...etc. ect. ect. Finally, my dr says enough and sends me to some specialists!! They end up putting me on a cocktail of pills that actually worked, with no side effects to the baby. I was taking them 4 times a day, and not sick. The only kicker....they caused drowsiness. So I slept away the rest of the time. In August, Adams company decided to purchase a plant in Phoenix, and said he could take it over, since we still had not sold our home. We didnt hesitate and packed our stuff. The day we got back they put the cabosh on buying the plant, but said he could still work out of our home, he would just have to travel more. In October it was finally time to have a baby!! I was due the 30th and couldnt wait for it to finally be over. On the morning of the 11th I woke up around 5 am and was sick! I hadnt been sick in 3 months! Was the medicine finally going to stop working or did I have the flu. Were still not really sure, but it didnt matter, cuz I was in labor! We got to the hospital around noon and at 8:40 the next morning, yes 20 hours later, we had our son!! Clint was born on October 12th of 2008! Adam just got promoted to an area manager, and now instead of flying to Colorado and California every week, he will be going to Ohio. For now we will stay in Arizona, but may be embarking on another adventure soon. It is so hard to spend so much time apart, and now he has his little boy that changes so much in just a weeks time! This blog is mostly for Adam, so that he can keep up on the goings on in his home when he is away! Now you're up to date on the Masons!! Enjoy our blog....

Our baby is growing up....

2009-02-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

Today Clint turned 4 months old. It seems like we just brought him home and he is already getting so big. He is such a great baby, and so happy all of the time. I waited so long for him, and am so happy that he finally came to join our family. I have tried all day to get a good shot of him smiling, but for some dang reason the camera makes him so serious, and he just wont. It could have something to do with the fact that for the past two weeks he has been so sick. Anyway, it's the best I could do!!

Sisters Birthday Weekend......

2009-02-10T19:52:00.000-05:00

Recently my sisters and I had the opportunity to sneek away for our first annual "Sisters Birthday Weekend"! We have never as adults been anywhere together without our kids or hubbies so this was a much needed get away! We decided that since it had been years since we all skiid, 10 for them and 4 for me, that we would hit the slopes!Katie took the afternoon off work so we left around 2:00 on Friday afternoon. After a quick stop at the Burger House we were on our way!! We didnt even make it to Show Low, before we were stopped on side of the road. We were laughing so hard that it was unsafe to drive and Mattie had to pee!!! Yes, we caught the whole thing on camera however, I will save those photos for another day! We went straight to the ski shop to rent our gear, we wanted to be ahead of the morning rush!! I think the man at the shop thought we were either drunk or on drugs cause once again we were laughing at our own jokes!! Since Adam is a HiltonHonors guru, he was able to score us a free night at the New Hampton Inn, so we could get a good night rest and be ready to go first thing Saturday morning. Needless to say we were up most of the night, and nearly the last one to arrive at the hills. Bad idea! The long hike through the parking lot to the lifts nearly did us in before we even started our day. For those of you have ever walked in ski boots, you know what we were going through!! Our plan was to hit the bunny slopes a few times to get our ski legs back and then the fun would start. So up we went. And down we came!! It was easy!! We all made it on and off the lift and down the hill without incident. Now we were heading to midway.....up the mountain we went, discussing how it all just came right back to us. It was like riding a bike! As we approach the exit off the chair I remember scooting to the edge of the seat and concentrating hard on getting off and turning to the right. As I look back, I see Mattie on the ground and nearly being decapitated by the lift chair! What went wrong....well when Katie and I got off, the chair went off balance and launched Mattie in the air...she wasnt able to land it and the rest was history!! When we got her up, (of course we were all laughing) we decided to take the less traffic route down the hill. We wanted to take our time and not be anybodys way. So off we went. Well, there was a reason that trail was less traveled. It was like ice for one, and second, it had been driven on by something that made deep ruts in the snow. Once our skiis were in them we couldnt get out. Not good! Well, Kate managed to get down the hill, however Mattie and I werent so lucky. We decided not to risk it and took our skiis off and walked it out!! From now on we will take the busy trail, no matter what. So we get back on the lift and head back up....once again we are planning our exit. This time we put Mattie in the middle so that if she was off last the chair wouldnt launch her....it sounded like a good plan....but once again, down she goes!! Not sure what happened that time, but she was a sport. The rest of the day went pretty good. Mattie had a few more crashes, but all and all it was a great day. We had to drive home that night, so we called it quits around 3:00pm and headed for home. What a great time it was to spend with my sisters. It is so wonderful to have them in my life and to have such great bonds with them. I cant wait to see where next years trip takes us....perhaps skydiving girls??? Or am I still the only brave one in the bunch!?!