jnfamily

Never

2009-09-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

So have you ever felt so far behind you don't know where to begin. That is me at this moment as I sit at the computer wondering should I even begin. Well the conclusion is yes. So here we go. I mean I have to now Jamie has made my blog so cute. We had a great summer with lots of fun things to do. We even changed it up a bit and hit the beach a couple of times. I was able to go to Utah and Jason met us for a week of Lake Powell. We were able to spend time with family and friends and feel so lucky to have such great people in our life. Well I know that the pics are the fun part so here goes a few. Hopefully I can stay on top of things. Will see.

Better late then Never

2009-01-14T18:49:00.000-08:00

OK so I have so many pictures and great things that happened in December that I will try my best to make it short. And also the events that things happened are out of order but at least they are being documented. Well here we go. This is our cute Little's opening their Christmas eve PJ's. Ellie thought they were fabulous. I love this tradition and the kids seem to enjoy it to.

I love this picture so much I wanted to post it twice. Ok I really just don't know how to get rid of it.

I wanted to do some fun things this year with the kids and make so fun memories. So I decided to take them to sea world before Christmas to enjoy the festivities. It was so much fun. It was actually a cold day here in good old Texas. 39 degrees to be exact and we couldn't have been happier.

Ellie and Maddie enjoying the Sea Lion Christmas show. It was so much fun

How about Shamu in the Santa gear pretty cool. It really was such a fun day. We enjoyed going on rides watching shows and seeing the polar express in 4-D. It started snowing inside the theatre(soap bubbles that is and my kids couldn't have been happier.)

Here is a pic of Cole at his Christmas pageant. He was such a cute cow and did such a great job. It was fun to go watch him.

So my parents came out for Cole's birthday and we had such a great time. I love them so much and it was so fun to be with them and do some fun activities. We went on a little day trip down to Fredricksburg. It has a lot of little shops and was a lot of fun. The kids I think were done by the end but my dad kept them busy with treats and goodies.

We made gingerbread houses or should I say some of us others just ate them. Ellie was loving that she could just go up and eat it.

My cute parents and our day trip. It was such a fun trip and even a bonus that they were able to be here for Cole's birthday. We love Grandma and Pop. Thanks for such a great trip.

Now here is the birthday boy. I can't believe he is four. The time really has gone by so fast. He is such a happy sweet person and truly gets so excited by everything as you can see in the pics.

Now this trip happened at the Beginning of Dec. I was able to go out to Calif. by myself and wow I had so much fun. My sister and brother and their darling families live out there so we had so much fun. I got to go see my sisters baby who was born in Oct. so that was such a treat. Here are the two cute cousins Kate and Brooke and my mom and brother.

My sister and sister in law and myself hanging out. We all had so much fun together. I love my family and feel so lucky to be able to spend time with them.

They are already little buddies. How great that they are so close and can enjoy spending time with each others. Having cousins is the best.

My mom and I at the Grove in Calif. unfortunately I didn't see any famous people but still had so much fun.

Kim and I going to get some cupcakes. And they were delicious . Thanks everybody for such a fun December. And i hope everybody has a great New Year.

Better Late then Never

2008-11-30T14:53:00.001-08:00

OK so these pictures are in no sort of order but I thought better late then never. We had a great Oct. and November but they sure seemed to fly by. We had visitors, birthdays, a visit to Ohio and a loss of a first tooth. Here is a pic of Cole at Maddies dance class he is such a cheese. This is my friend Valarie and I. She came to visit the first week of November. We went down to the river walk and got dinner and did a little shopping. It was so much fun to have her. We were able to pretty much run around and do things. Jason was great and took the kids so we could enjoy our time. It was so much fun to be able to show her around and have her here. Thanks so much for coming Valarie.

So this is right after Jason pulled Maddies tooth. She was so excited. The best part is she thought she had to talk different without it. I can't believe she is starting to lose teeth. Time goes way to fast.

Jason and Maddie doing a little High School musical karaoke. They are both having way to much fun. If truth be told I think Jason was maybe enjoying it more then her.

Halloween. Maddie of course couldn't look straight on so that is her doing some sort of back bend. She was a cat. We had a great time. We stayed in the neighborhood and had a little party.

Cole was a pretty cute Buzz. These are some of COle friends Lucas who was Spider man and Braeden who was a pirate.

Ellie was a fairy who didn't really care to trick or treat or keep her costume on. She was more interested in eating and just playing.

Here was my attempt at a butterfly for Maddies B-day. She was excited about it so I guess it turned out OK. I can't believe she is six. She is so big and getting so mature and helpful. I love her and am so thankful for her.

Ellie and I just hanging out after the party. We thought it was a success.

The birthday girl. We had to open presents as soon as she got home from school.

We were lucky enough to go out to Ohio for a football game. It was so much fun. We were able to stay with Jamie Trent and Lucy and see there cute home and hang out. IT was so much fun to be there. I was also able to go to lunch with great friends. Mindy, Laurie, and Heather. It was alot of fun but sure made me miss it. Also thanks to Heather for watching Ellie Jason and I were able to go to the game.

Jason, Pogie and I tell gating.

Mindy and I. Sorry about the blurry pic.

Gretchen and her kids came to visit in Oct. It was so much fun. The kids loved being together and played non stop. It was so fun to show them where we lived. I feel so blessed to have such great family and friends. And am so thankful that people come and visit it always gives me something to look forward to. I will have to be better about keeping this current because this was alot of fun packed into one blog.

Fun Weekend Activities

2008-10-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

So here are some pictures of things we did last weekend. I need to post more pics because Maddie danced at the High School Football team half time last weekend. She had so much fun and did a great job. THe picture above is of Ellie finger painting with pudding. She does a play group with three other little girls. THey are so cute together and have fun. I decided my week we would do some finger painting. It was so funny the other kids that at it and enjoyed the taste, but Ellie enjoyed making a mess. It was pretty funny.
Cole had his first soccer game last Saturday. They are the T-Rex's and are so cute. We are lucky to have to great friends on his team Smith and Robbie. Which means its even more fun for me because i have great friends to talk to during practices. Well this is a pic of Cole scoring his first goal. It was way cute and he was so excited. He is enjoying it but still gets a little tired towards the end.
THis is him after the goal. By the look on his face you can tell he is pretty pumped. Way to go Cole
Here are some of his cute teamates. Evan, Genisus, Smith and Cole.
I think this is Cole's number one fan. She was cheering go Cole go.

California

2008-10-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

My family took a trip to Cali. a couple weeks ago. It was so much fun. We had so many laughs and good times. I didn't take to many pics because I guess i was to busy having fun. My sister sent some great pics that I need to post, but I need to figure out how to do that. This is a pic of the girls minus Brooke and Ellie.
Kimmie and Cort perfecting the smore. So cute. They introduced a fun game to us called "Things". It was so much fun and brought tons of laughter. I highly recommend this game but it can only be found at Target.

Kelly and I at the campfire. Do you love the close up. I think that was the only night I took pics was are first night out at the campfire. We spent almost everynight at the campfire it was the best. I love hearing the ocean it is so calming.
The kids with their Disney ears. Thanks to Kelly and Grandma. THey had so much fun at Disneyland. I don't think their is anything like seeing a little kids face light up with the magic of Disneyland. It was such a perfect day, hardly any crowds and the weather was a perfect temp.Even Ellie enjoyed it. The parade at the end of the night was her highlight. She thought that Ariel was awesome she didn't stop waving. It made me a little emotional to see her excitement.
So this pic isn't actually from California it was on my B-day, but I loved it of her. This explains Ellie messy and so Happy. She is such a spitfire, but at the same time so sweet. She really does bring a lot of laughter into are home.
Here is my cute little family whom I love so much. Ellie was already in bed so she wasn't in the picture. I feel so lucky and so blessed to have a great husband and children. We really had a good time together. It was nice to have Jason to ourselves for a whole week.
My Mom, Kim and Madison went to the princess lunch, and I must say it was one big highlight for Maddie. She loved it. She couldn't stop talking about it and how much fun she had. Thanks mom for taking her and Kim I am so glad you were with her.

My sister and I. We did a self portrait so sorry for the close up. It was so fun to be with her. I love her and am so thankful for her. The kids wouldn't leave her alone and she was always such a good sport.
Pop, Grandma, Maddie and Cole. They love their grandparents. They had so much fun with them.
Me,Kim, MOm and Nate. I love this picture. My siblings are awesome. It was so fun to be with them. It seems like when we are together no time has passed and I love that feeling.
So here is my brother again and his beautiful daughter Brooke aka Minnie Me. Don't they look a like. It was so fun to meet Brooke for the first time and to see Nate and Kelly as parents. THey are so cute. She is so lucky to have such great parents.
So here are the cute men of the family minus Cole. I love that they all get along so well.

This is a picture of the front of the beach house. Do you love the pink and blue combo. It was so awesome and the inside was great.
The back view of our house.
The view. It was so beautiful and peaceful.
Cole waitng patiently for a smore. I think it was probably his fourth one. THat kid loves treats.
Nate and Kelly. Well i had such a great trip with so many good memories. I love my family so much and am so blessed to have them as my family. It was so fun to be with them and spend a week all together. Mom and Dad thanks so much and I love you guys. I wish I could be with them all of the time, but it makes the moments that we are together that much more special.
Also we were able to see Jeff , Erin, Macy and Owen. It was so much fun. I am so glad they didn't mind driving to see us. I love them and loved being able to spend some time with them. I must say we are so blessed with such great families.

2008-09-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

My computer doesn't let me post pics and type so I guess I will do it seperate. Madison started kindergarten last week. She loves it. She really enjoys her teacher and is excited because to of the girls from soccer are in her class. SHe told me that the part she enjoys the most is that she has art,p.e, and music. I can't believe she is so big. Kindergarten is all day here and Maddie is lucky enough to catch the bus at 6:45 am. She has been great about it. If you notice one of the pictures it is still dark outside because it is so early. Cole and Ellie have been bored without her so we took and adventure to the zoo. Cole starts school on Sept 9. He is way excited. Well I am so proud of Maddie and her first week of school. I hope she continues to enjoy it and continues to do well. Love ya Maddie

First Week of School

2008-09-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

2008-08-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

So I have been slacking big time in the blog department. I tried so hard last night to update but my pictures did not want to post. Once again I had to post my pics and then write. Well we have been up to a ton but I really haven't taken many pics. We have had a really nice summer. It started out with Jason's dad coming out and being able to watch Maddie's last soccer game and Cole's t-ball and also Maddies dance recital. My mom was also able to come out and watch them. It was so fun I love visitors. Then the kids and I got to go out and visit family and friends in Utah for two weeks. We had such a good time. Going back always rejuvinates me and helps me get ready for Jason's crazy rotations. Jason's parents left for there mission to Cambodia on July 9th and we were able to spend time with them as well before they left. Well now we have been hanging out at Sea World, Six Flags and just hanging out. I will be better at updating now school is starting. Sorry for the not very fun post but that is what we have been up to in a nut shell. Heres a few pics below.

I am Back

2008-08-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

2008-05-28T20:32:00.001-07:00

2008-05-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

2008-05-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

2008-05-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

So here are some pics from Lake Powell. It was a great trip. We had such a great trip. Also check out Maddie's new hairdo.

2008-05-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

My computer is killing me. It won't let me write and post pics at the same time. We have been up to a lot of fun things. May we had some visitors and it seemed to make time fly by. Meg and JR who are moving here from Ohio stayed with us while they looked for a home. The best part is they found one in our neighborhood. I am so excited. Then we had Jen and Cody and there cute family come out and visit. The month continued so fast and we got to go to Lake Powell with Jason's whole family. It was so much fun. We all enjoyed each others company and the kids were way cute. Now Jason's dad is hear and my mom is coming in a couple of days. I would have to say this is a great month.

2008-04-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

Long Time No Blog

2008-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

So I haven't blogged forever and i though i better because I am getting some threats that people might stop looking. Just kidding. I don't know what I have been doing but I guess I just haven't been blogging. Since I have last posted we have done a lot of fun things. Jason's parents came out at the end of February and we took a trip to the beach and we had such a great time. Ellie turned one, Jason has got one month of Ortho trauma under his belt and I was able to go home to Utah and see family and friends and celebrate with my family my moms birthday. Here are a few pics of what we have been up to. I will update later with some recent ones but one thing at a time so I don't feel overwhelmed.

I Got Taged!

2008-02-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

So I got tagged by my friend Heather Teeples about the person I love so here it goes.
WHO DO I LOVE? His name is Jason Paul Richards.

How Long Have You Been Married? Jason and I have been married for almost eight years in March.

How Long Did You Date? So this was is one to top. Jason and I started hanging out in the eigth grade and remained hanging out until we got married. We had some breaks in between like our Junior year,mission and maybe some others but we have been together for a long time. So if i had to sum it up in years i would say about six years.

Who Said I Love You First? Jason and i were talking about this and we know he did but we can't remeber when. You know we have been together for a long time.

Who is Taller? Jason is defenitely taller and I love it. He is big and strong and when he hugs me there is nothing better.

Who can sing better? Jason can also sing better. He has a great voice. He use to tease me that he was going to try out for Les Mis. I love when he sings and I am also thankful because I think my kids voices are good as well. I love to sing though.

Who is smarter? I would have to say Jason. I would hope so becasue he has done nine years of school and we are still going strong. I know residency isn't school but he is still learning.

Who Does the Laundry? I do the laundry although at the beginning of our marriage Jason did it. I don't mind doing it, but I don't love putting it away.

Who Pays the Bills? I pay the bills but Jason always knows what is going on with our account. He is very aware on what is being spent.

Who Sleeps on the right side of the bed?Jason does.

Who Mows the Lawn? Jason mows the lawn although I am wondering if we are going to have much of a lawn next year it is so dry here.

Who Cooks dinner? Jason does if hes home and if not then I do something frozen or a sandwhich. Jason is an amazing cook. I love everything he makes and I am thankful that he enjoys it.

Who Drives? Jason drives. As everybody knows I tend to drive on the slow side. It is so bad that one time i was driving with my mom and she told me to speed up. Jason is a great driver.

This was fun and I hope you all enjoy. I just want to say that I love Jason so much and I am so thankful for him and all he does. I also am going to tag Kim , Kelly, Kami, Jenn Haycock

We rocked out the show!!

2008-02-02T20:21:00.001-08:00

Last night Madison and I went tot he Hannah Montana in 3-D movie concert. She wanted to take a picture before we left. They told us to get their about an hour or so before the movie because it was going to be crazy busy. Well she was so excited and our adventure began. It was crazy. We got there about an hour and ten minutes before the show started and it was already pretty crazy. It made me laugh to see all of these young girls so excited.. Maddie was excited at the beginning but then she was just bugged because she was ready for the show to start. I think one of her favorite things was the 3-D glasses we were able to wear. Her is a ;icture of her, Mackenzie and Becca they had fun.
Thise is Maddie jamming out to one of the songs. She got up and danced. I am afraid to say I think she has my talent of singing along even when you don't know the words. I love it. It was fun to watch her and be able to enjoy some time with just the two of us.
I loved the glasses to. We had a get a picture they are so stylin.
Mackenzie and Maddie after the show doing a few poses of their own. We had a great time. Maddie now wants to try to get tickets to the Jonas brothers but thats because everybody kept saying we love the Jonas brothers. It was a good time. I loved having a girls night out and we rocked out the show.

Ellie is 11 months

2008-01-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

So this is one of Ellies favorite faces to make. She is so funny and has such a great little personality. I can't believe how big she is getting and that she is almost a year. The time is sure going fast. It makes me sad but at the same time this is a fun age because of their great little personalities they have. This is Ellie's favorite blanket which she loves to play peek a boo with. That is currently her fav game. You can also say wheres Ellie and she lifts her arms above her head and says Here I am. Not that clear.She is different from Maddie and Cole in which she loves her blanket more then her Binky.
She really enjoys the swing. Although she doesn't look so pleased in this picture. I love having her around she is so much fun and is way to funny.

Maddie and Cole i thought that this was a cute pic of them. They are such good buddies. Maddie is such a great helper and loves her brother. In this pic she was trying to show off her hair cut.
Cole always has us laughing but has sure been full of attitude. He must be three. I love it they keep me on my toes.

Tis the Season!!

2007-12-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas has come and gone and we sure had a great one. The day after Christmas is always a little sad for me. All the hype has died down and things seem so quite. We had a great Christmas and the kids really had a good time. I have been slacking in the blogging thing so here are some pictures of some fun things we did in December. Here are Maddie and Cole playing the Wii. They especially love baseball and bowling and they are way to funny to watch. Thanks Mom and Dad we are loving to play it.Madison is also way pumped about her heeleys. Hopefully no visits to the doctors with those crazy shoes. I think the best thing about Christmas day was Jason was able to be with us. He didn't have to end up going in so it was a great present for us. Jason and Maddie really take this serious. I have no idea where she gets her competitive spirit.
Cole and Maddie really enjoyed making the gingerbread house. Although I think most of the Candy Cole touched went into his mouth. This kid I tell you what can really eat with the best of them. i think he has had a stomach ache the whole month of Dec.
They did a fabulous job on the house. It was fun watching them make it.
We made sugar cookies for our neighbors and friends. Madison and Cole were such big helpers. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. They turned out great but i forget how much time they take.
We went on Christmas Eve and looked at lights around are house. The kids had there new pjs and coco in hand. Although it was 65 degrees outside. I don't think Maddie realizes your not suppose to do bunny ears to yourselfThe lights were fun and this neighborhood sure goes all out. It was something fun for us to do on Christmas Eve.
Sporting the new pj's although Ellie didn't really care to show hers off.
Cole got a train and train table for Christmas he has not stopped playing with it. I think he was pretty excited about it.
Maddie and her Hannah Montana CD she was so happy. Although I don't know how happy I will be she hasn't stopped singing the songs. We sure missed our family and friends but were thankful to spend Christmas with friends here. but forgot to take pictures. We had five other families here. It was fun and thanks to all for making it happen. We hope all had a very Merry Christmas and Have a wonderful New Year.

Cole is Three!!!

2007-12-11T21:04:00.000-08:00

Cole on his first birthday. The kid couldn't get enough cake. We thought for sure he would be sick ,but nope he downed the whole thing and probably could have had more. He is such a happy person for the most part and you have seen how funny the kid is. I should have known from this that the kid had a major sweet tooth. This is Cole on his second birthday which looking at the picture still makes me so sad. He broke his femur three days before his birthday and was put in a body cast.(Spica cast) He didn't let this ruin his birthday though or anything else for that matter. Maddie was such a good helper. She always made sure he was being taken care of. I still am so thankful for family and friends who helped us out.
The big Three. And yes folks that is a train cake made by me. OK so it was a cake pan, but I am still proud of myself and the fact that Cole thought it was cool was even better. I don't think that he was that excited that it was his birthday do you? We were lucky to have Jason's parents here to celebrate his birthday. You can see Doug in the background.
The kids loved that Grandma and Grandpa were here and we had such a good time with them. Thanks for all of the help and company we had a great time. Also I will have to put pictures of my lights on my trees Doug helped me out. Thanks again we love you guys.
Cole has his Thomas the train suitcase packed and he is ready to go to Utah. He called Grandma Hardy and told her to pick him up he wanted to see everyone. The kid cracks me up. He really thought he was going. I just want to say that I am so thankful for Cole and the sweet little guy that he is. He always has us laughing and I don't think that his sisters could love him more. I hope he had a great birthday. We love you Cole Happy Birthday

Christmas at the Riverwalk

2007-12-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we headed down to the River walk to check out some Christmas lights and enjoy the festivities. This is Cole and Maddie standing on the stairs by the big tree. They loved the lights. I didn't know it was going to be so crazy but fans from Oklahoma and Missouri were every where. They were playing at the Alamo dome. Jason would have loved to go but was on call the next day and new he needed his sleep. We are excited Oklahoma won so maybe the Bucks will be going to the big game.(sorry Kelly). It seems like we can never get a good picture of all three of them together and usually it is because Ellie doesn't want to sit still. I think she enjoyed walking around and seeing the lights. Although you will notice we are all in short sleeves and it is Dec. 2nd.
This was us at dinner. We had fun. I was glad Jason could come and enjoy the lights. Although I think he really would have rather watched the game thank goodness for tivo.
These are carolers at the river walk. It really was fun and made it seem more like Christmas.
Are view of the lights from dinner.

9 months and on the GO

2007-11-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

I tell you what this girl is always on the go. She thinks she is so big. I love it because she really is content as long as Maddie and Cole let her do her thing. I can't believe that she is 9 1/2 months. Maddie and Cole love her and love to bug her. Her personality is pretty strong willed. Does that suprise anyone? I love having her around and watching her learn new things.
I love her little face and those beutiful blue eyes. I sure hope they stick around.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2007-11-23T19:27:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving with great company and food. Jason did the turkey and it was excellent. He did a new rub and it turned out fabulous. I felt bad he was on call the night before and got no sleep what so ever. He didn't have a very good night, but he didn't let it show and was a trooper. I am thankful for Him and all he does he made Thanksgiving fabulous. We went to Lidell's for dinner and were joined by three other families. It was a pretty good crowd . Thanks Sandy and Aaron it was great. Here are the kids enjoying a little Charlie Brown so we could get things cleaned up. They all had a good time and got along so well. I think at this point they were very tired. I know I was
We tried to get a family pic but as you can see everyone was done. Ellie was in no way going to let us get a good picture. It was a good night.Happy Thanksgiving.
So Friday I did a little early morning shopping and it was great. Jason stayed with the kids well I guess they all slept. When I got back we decided to get our Christmas stuff out and start putting things up. So I have said that my son is way to funny, but this might take the cake. While we were putting up are tree he asked where we were going to put our socks because we don't have a fireplace. I told him I had a good spot for them. Well he disappeared and then came back with his socks and began to hang them on the tree. He was so proud of himself. I tell you what he never gives us a dull moment. The ankle socks were the best.
Maddie,Cole and Ellie have a tree in their playroom and enjoyed decorating it. they really did a good job. Maddie was cracking me up taking pics of the tree from all angles. I love the holiday season. We did have a great thanksgiving but I sure miss family and friends. I hope all had a great Thanksgiving.

My son is way to funny

2007-11-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting here watching the CMA's and chuckling to myself because of my son. I tell you what this kid cracks me up at least once a day. He is either doing something funny or getting into trouble. I just thought i would share this because it is something that made me laugh. I was getting Ellie ready for bed and Cole was already ready but decided to get in the bath with her.(mind you there was hardly any water but he didn't care) So after i got her out I told him to put his pjs back on and to get into bed. To make a long story short i hear him on his little bike that sings and he does not have his pajamas on but some random hot pink shorts. At first i thought they were Maddie's but as I got a closer look I realized they were Ellie's hot pink flannel sweat pants. Size 3-6 months. They were so tight that he really couldn't move that well. The best part is he wanted to sleep in him. I made him take them off but got some pictures first. I tell you what Cole always gives our family some good things to laugh about. I love you Cole. Oh and the weird move he is doing with his arms is how he flexes his muscles.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween was a completely different experience in good old Texas. The weather was great and the kids didn't have to have coats to hide their costumes. Here is my cute little family before we started trick or treating. Spider man aka Cole loved it this year and made sure he said thank you and Happy Halloween to everyone. Tinkerbell loved that her cousin Graice was here to run around with her. I think they all had a good time. Ellie was a monkey and not to pumped about her costume, but she hung in. We were lucky to have Jason with us. This was my neighbors pumpkin I thought it was pretty cool. They had another one that was good as well. Everyone had pretty cool pumpkins.
How cute are they. The two tinks were awesome and spider man couldn't have been cooler. They had a good time. We are so glad that Janae, Christian, Graice and Izzy were here to go with us. Thanks for coming out and making this so much fun.
Ellie and Izzy were monkeys and they were just along for the ride. Ellie passed out not to long after this picture,but Izzy enjoyed the whole evening.
Three Tinkerbell's. This is a little girl from Maddie's class at school. She came up to say hi. They had a good time.Well the evening was a success and the kids are in bed. They have enough candy to last them months. Cole will have to be monitored because that kid has one major sweet tooth. I have no idea where he got that from. We sure had fun. Thanks guys

I can't believe she is 5!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

So I can't believe that Maddie is 5. The time has gone by so fast and I can't believe the many stages we have gone through toghether. I just want to tell Maddie how much I love her and how thankful I am for her. She is such a joy to have around and a help. Five things I love about Maddie. 1-Her confindence.2Her love for everyone3-Her sensitivity(although just for certain things)4-her love for her family5 and mainly the joy and love she brings to our family. Maddie happy b-day we love you. So Madison wanted to have her party at pump it up and I thought that was a great idea. It was so nice because all I had to do was bring the cupcakes. We all had such a good time.(even the adults) We are lucky enough to have Maddie's cousins Graice, Izzy, Janae(aunt)and Christian(uncle) here. It made the party all the more fun. We are enjoying having them here and to share b-days and Halloween.
Cole also had such a good time and couldn't get enough. He has also decided that pump it up sounds good for his b-day.
Ellie thought the party was a hit as well. This is her and Izzy chilling and having some fun as well. They have been good little friends.
Maddie and Graice sitting on the b-day chair. I think a good time was had by all. Once again Happy B-day Maddie.

8 months already

2007-10-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

So this isn't the picture that is suppose to be first. Cole, Jason and Madison had a good game of baseball last night. It was so much fun to watch. They were loving it. We have had a couple of cool days and I am loving it. It makes me laugh because people have pulled out there winter attire and its in the 70's. Ellie is eight months and I can't believe it. The time has gone by so fast. She is such a funny girl but man does she have an attitude. She is one sassy fras. I love her. The things I love is her personality, the army crawl, and that she just wants to be hanging out with her brother and sister. She sure is fun to have around.

So I was trying to get a picture of Ellie in action of the army crawl but she thought it was funner to stop and strike a pose. This girl loves to get her picture taken.

So I didn't get her in action but we still had fun taking pictures. Today she started crawling. I can't believe how big she is getting. Love ya Ellie
Maddie hitting the ball. That wasn't the only thing she hit that night. She hit her dad twice in the face with the ball and once in the leg. She has got a pretty good swing. So does Cole. We had fun. Especially because Jason was able to hang out with us. Thanks for the fun night.

Fun with Grammie and Pop!!!!

2007-10-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

So I finally remebered my camera and got some pictures. We had such a great week and wow how the time flew. The begining of week we spent are time down at the riverwalk and that is when I didn't have my camera. We did a lot of walking around, boat ride, swimming and even had some room service. The kids thought that was awesome. Then my parents headed here and are adventures began. We went to Chachos and had some good food. My dad and Cole were loving it. They were buddies this whole trip. Heres a picture of Pop thats what Maddie calls him picking her up from the bus. It was so fun to do the everyday things and have them here to do them with us. Maddie loved that they were here and could see her ride the bus. We also were able to go to school and have lunch with her. She thought that was great. It was fun for us to be there with her.
Cole had papa doing everything with him from eating,playing playdough, and throwing the ball around. They had a blast. Although I think Pop might need a vacation after a vacation.
We went to La Cantera and went to dinner. We had some time to kill so we headed to the litlle park and when I say little I mean little. The kids had fun and it was fun to watch them.

Cole thought eating out was way to much fun. He loved it. Once he was done with his food he moved on to others. He is one funny kid.
So I know what you are all thinking we sure ate a lot. We did!!!! It was so much fun. Thanks mom and dad.
Look at the size of the nachos. Mind you that was a half order. We didn't even come close to finishing. Jason was loving it.
My mom and I.
Saturday was a busy day for us. We woke up and headed to the fair at Maddie's school and then headed to Sea World. Cole won a cake in the cake walk I love that game. He was pretty pumped.

Maddie playing a game at the fair. She thought it was so fun. The little things that make them happy.
This was before we began are crazy day. We sure loved having them here. Thanks mom and dad we had so much fun having you here. We already miss you. We love you so much thanks for everything.
Ellie is always along for the ride and always seems to be having a good time. Cole is on an adventure

Pop and Maddie putting a puzzle together. They always had them playing.

Face painting at sea world was a blast. Madison was a cat and Cole was spiderman. They tried to keep them on so Jason could see, but more ended up on the pillow then on their face.
We fed the dolphins and it was so much fun. They feet so cool. I think that was maybe the highlight of the seaworld trip.
Ellie liked the dolphins as well.
Maddie and Cole loving the pumpkins. Thanks again mom and dad. We had so much fun. Can't wait for you to come back. Love ya

Family is in town

2007-10-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

My parents came in town on Saturday and we are having a lot of fun. They are staying down at the riverwalk because my dad has business. We have enjoyed going down there and hanging out. I am so mad at myself because i keep forgetting to take my camera. We are so glad they are here. I promise I will have some good photos.

Life or a Sitcom

2007-10-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I took the kids to Fiesta Texas for the fright feast. It was a lot of fun. The temp. was actually really enjoyable. Jason now has to work on the weekends so it was good for us to get out. I went with two of my neighbors and their kids. They had it decorated with festive Halloween decor and played music. The kids thought it was fun.

So when i got home from Fiesta Jason was home and everything was running smoothly. We got the kids to bed and then we started getting ready ourselves. Well when we went into our room our fire alarm was chirping.(In need of a new battery). So Jason went to replace the battery but we didn't have the kind we needed. He just took out the old one, but it continued to chirp. He was getting so frustrated because he needed to go to bed. I was beginning to feel like I was on a episode of Friends like the one where Phoebe was struggling with her fire alarm. I was thinking this was all funny but Jason was not. He went down stairs got some tape got two pair of my socks and taped them around the alarm. It drowned out the chirping a little, but you could still hear it. Thanks Jas for the good laugh.

The Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-05T15:11:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I headed to the nearest pumpkin patch. Now I must say this was a cute little patch, but it did make me miss Ohio and the great pumpkin patches they have. Ellie was excited that she was able to have her own pumpkin although she did think it was to eat. The kids had fun and enjoyed walking around. Maddie and Cole love blow ups so they were excited to get their pictures taken in front of them.Cole cracks me up with his crazy faces.

These are the pumpkins they each picked out. I am glad they went with the small ones. The bigger ones ran around ten dollars. Once again Cole making a goofy face. I wonder who he gets that from. It must be his dad.
I thought this was a cute picture of Ellie. I tell you this girl is one stiff cookie. She can sit by herself when she decides she wants to. Other wise she would prefer to stand.
Maddie was all about posing which I was loving. We had fun. It was nice because it wasn't far from the house. We are going to be venturing to a bigger patch with some activities it shall be fun to.

Cole driving the tractor.
Maddie also driving the tractor.
They wanted to make funny faces. Maddie did a good job holding Ellie. Ellie wasn't loving it but she was a good sport.
The albino pumpkin was a hit. We have seen a lot of them here. I think they are cool.

Trying to get into the swing of things

2007-10-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

So I have almost been back from Utah now for two weeks and I am still struggling to get into the swing of things. I haven't even had time to keep my blog updated. So here I go trying to get things organized. Here is a picture of Jason and the kids. They all wanted to lay with him. They love when he is around. He started General surgery on Monday and it is suppose to be pretty crazy, and today is Tuesday and it has been crazy. I am so glad I have visitors twice this month. I would say I am one lucky person. So I know i always seem to post two pictures twice but just try not to focus on that. I don't know how to fix it. Maddie is turning over a new leaf. She has decided that she can wear more then the five outfits. Yesterday this is what she picked out and I was so proud. She even wore different shoes besides her flip flops. She has been a great helper making her own bed and also helping me put her clean clothes away.

Cole was given this scooter by our neighbors and he is loving it. He is getting really good and even decides he may want to try some tricks. He cracks me up. Cole has also been such a big helper and has been making his bed and getting dressed. I sure appreciate all of there help.
Maddie cruising on Coles bike. I hope that we can get her riding with out the training wheels. We have been going out every night to get some energy out.I just wish it would cool down. I am still sweating with the oldies and its six o clock at night. Ellie is also army crawling and is going pretty fast. I will have to post a picture of her.

FUN TIMES

2007-09-23T20:00:00.001-07:00

So my mom is probably not going to be very happy but I had to put her picture on. I was lucky enough to spend my 30th b-day at home with family and friends. My cute mom and dad put a little party together and it was a lot of fun. Not to mention I love the fall and was able to experience a little of it while I was in Utah. We had such a great trip. I am so thankful for the great family and friends that I have. I wish my sister and brother and their spouses could have been there.but I was able to see Kim and Cort earlier and Nate and Kelly say there coming to see me. (the pressures on now guys). Here are some pictures of family and friends that i was able to be with on my big 30th b-day
Crazy Cousins

Now my mom is really going to be mad it posted her picture twice. I think it is cute of her and Ellie. Love ya mom.

Maddie and Cole were very excited for my birthday. I think they were really just excited that they got to help open the presents.
Great friends. It was so much fun to spend time with friends from Ohio that are now in Utah. Madison and Cole really enjoyed seeing them. They are some great friends.
More great friends. Thanks Jen thanksgiving point was so much fun. We sure miss you guys.
Here are some friends from High school. We had a baby shower for Cassi. She is having a girl and I was glad I was able to be there for the shower. It was a lot of fun to see everyone. Once again i just want to say what a fun trip. I love my family and friends. And so far thirty isn't to bad.

Trip to Powell

2007-09-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

We just went home for two weeks and were able to do some fun things. Jason had the opportunity to have a week off so we headed to Powell with his family. It was a fun trip. We all participated in some water sports and had a good time. Every body thought it was a little on the hot side, but I have to admit I was loving it. Hot with out humidity is like a whole new world. Here are some pics of some of are activities. Cole trying so ski was the best. He did a great job although he forgot to hold on with both hands. He kept one on Jason and one on the handle. Good job Cole for trying. Maddie skiing was great. Although if you can tell by the picture she was not that pleased. We love watching her. She did a great job.
I even wakeboarded and had a great time. I managed to go everyday and even made it twice in a day. I really feel my skills are improving. (just kidding)
Here is my husband crazy as ever. He had a great time and did some great tricks. He always has such a great time. I really enjoyed being able to spend such great time with him. His schedule is going to get crazy so it was fun to have him around. Also it was nice because he didn't have any injuries.

This picture was suppose to be at the beginning. Maddie makes herself comfortable wherever she is.

Jason and Ellie enjoying the water.
Maddie learning to wakeboard. She did a great job she even got up for a minute. She is so much like her dad.
The girl has no fear. I think Jason loves it. She asked if she could do a back flip off it. Crazy
Cole loved swimming. The best was he thought that it was a whole bunch of swimming pools together. He is a crack up.

Six Flags: San Antonio Style

2007-09-01T20:37:00.001-07:00

Kim and Cort arrived last night and I am so happy. We woke up bright and early and headed out for some Fiesta Fun. Kim was pumped she finally saw her stars ,even though it wasn't in California. Cort and Kim are thinking about making the move from Hollywood to Toon town. Kim has seen enough of the stars in Hollywood....she is ready to take on the San Antonio stars. (Tony Parker & Eva Longoria) We had such a good day. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was actually tolerable.Jason and Cort took advantage of the rides and having one another to go on them. They were absolutely convinced we had to go on Superman. Kim was afraid, but we made it out alive. It was fun. The kids couldn't be happier having them here. Madison is a little bossy on what Kim was able to do.
The tea cups were a big hit. They were laughing so hard. Jason went a little crazy toward the end and got feeling sick. Cole likes to take it easy. Put his arms up and enjoy the ride.
Cole also hit a milestone today, he wasn't afraid of the looney toons. It must be Kim's influence from LA. We finished our evening at Chachos.(texmex) It was great. We got home about 9:00 pm and the kids crashed. We are now enjoying the quiet time. Have I mentioned how much I love having them here. There is nothing like having family. Love You guys.

First Day of Pre-K

2007-09-01T19:51:00.001-07:00

Maddie has started Pre-K and she is so excited. Cole was glad he could go and drop her off for her first day of class.Her teachers name is Ms. Lawhorn and she is great. Madison has gone for a week and is really enjoying it. I am so glad that she has enjoyed it so far and is being such a good student. Cole,Ellie and I don't know what to do with our time.
Here is a picture of the three of us wondering what we are going to do without Maddie. Cole gets a little bored, but I think he enjoys having me more to himself. We are glad she has a chance to go to school. We hope she continues to love it so much.

summer days driftin away......

2007-08-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

So summer is coming to an end and we are trying to fit everything in before school starts. Although I understand that it is hot here until after November,so it will continue to seem like summer. The other night we stayed out and enjoyed the evening and friends. Jason was a big hit when he came out on his long board. All the boys thought that was way cool. Maddie is going to have a hard time with all her friends going back to school full time. Although it may be a nice break for me. We decided to head to sea world since we haven't been there forever. This was a picture taken by Maddie in the back ,on our way. Nice job Maddie. Ellie is always such a good sport and hangs out for the ride. She likes to people watch and has fun doing it.
We went to sea world with a couple of friends.(Sandy,Lisa and Amber) This is Cole and Lucas enjoying the water park. Cole has become very adventurous and enjoys being crazy. He is the funniest kid. I love his personality although the terrible twos are in full swing.
Here is a picture of Madison and Georgia. They were also enjoying the water. Maddie and Georgia will be going to Pre-K together. They will be going everyday. Maddie is looking forward to it. I think Cole and I will really miss her while she is at school. She is his best bud.
We finished the day by going to the dolphin show. It was great and the kids loved it. Although I was a little excited to get out of there considering my clothes were stuck to me. This weather is a little hot for my likings. We had a great day. The kids had so much fun. This summer has been fun and we have enjoyed are many outings

She Did It!!!!

2007-08-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we actually did something besides go to Fiesta Texas. I forgot my camera of course but we ventured to a museum. The kids had a great time. They had a great dinosaur exhibit and that was there favorite. The museum is surrounded by a great park. So we headed there afterward to play. Maddie decided that today was the day to conquer the monkey bars, and she did. She took a pretty good fall and ended up with a fat lip. Thank goodness no broken bones. I just wanted to tell her good job. Way to go Maddie

She Did It

2007-08-15T13:41:00.001-07:00

Maddie conquered the monkey bars,but not without an injury.She has worked hard and was way excited. Her fall was pretty hard and were glad she didn't brake any bones. The picture doesn't do the fat lip justice. We just wanted to say good job Maddie. Yea Maddie

Obsessed

2007-08-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

So I just finished the best book last night. Twilight for those of you who haven't read it I highly recommend it. I loved it so much I stayed up until four am to finish. I must say I am paying for it now. I fell like I could fall over. I was excited I actually am talking about something else besides swimming or Fiesta Texas.

Fun Fun and more Fun

2007-08-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ventured to Fiesta Texas with the kids without Jason. And we survived we really had a good time. Jenny invited us to go and I am glad we went. Thanks Jenny. Although ,Cole is now getting a little braver then I would like, but I guess it had to come' he is a boy. Maddie was great with Cole and they sure had fun. Ellie was once again a champ and hung out. Thanks Ellie.
Today we went to Natasha's pool and went swimming. We had a great time. Here is a picture of Madison, Cole and her little boy Cade who is three. She also has an 20month old but he was to busy for pictures. Her husband is doing Orthopedics as well so we have the long haul together. We are enjoying being able to play in the water to beat the heat.

MILESTONES

2007-08-04T20:45:00.001-07:00

This is Cole who is usually holding onto me for life. He decided that he was ready to be brave and try things on his own. He did such a great job. Here is an action picture of him jumping in by himself,going under and then swimming to the side. He also made it out to the deep end by himself. Not to mention his sister Maddie was way proud.

Here is Madison practicing her water ballet. Just kidding. She is a great swimmer and really enjoys playing in the water. I have loved watching her and how she is progressing with her swimming talent. Although I am not a very stressful person and she gives me some major anxiety with some of the tricks she decides to try. Really I love that she is so brave and is willing to try things.
Here is little Miss Ellie she loves this toy. I thought I better have some pictures of it because she always seems to have it with her. She went swimming with us but I wasn't able to get pictures of the two of us. She also loves the water. I am so glad my kids love the water .Especially because we love the water and enjoy the activities we can do together. Also thanks to Lisa whose house we went swimming at. We are enjoying summer.

Tagged

2007-08-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

Jobs I ve Had
Macey's Video
Rocky Mountaion Water Co.
Washington Mutual Bank
Bath and Body Works

Movies I ve Watched over and over
How to lose a guy in 10 days
Parent Trap(with my sister)
Father of the Bride(once again with my sister)
Bridget Jones
Holiday

Places I've Lived
Salt Lake
Columbus Ohio
San Antonio TX

Fav TV shows
Greys
So you think you can dance
American Idol
What About Brian

Fav Food
Ice cream(handles)
chips and salsa
mexican

Places I'd rather be
Utah/California
Hawaii

People tagged
Erin
Janae

All Aboard

2007-08-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Today we went to a little park with some friends. The park is right by the zoo. It is a great park it had a train and a fun park with a river running through it. The water felt great because the temp is starting to heat up around here. We have been having a lot of rain and now it has stopped and the heat has come. Madison, Cole and Ellie loved the train the tunnel was their favorite because they could be so loud. Ellie even liked the loud noise. What can I say I have a family that enjoys being loud. Maddie and Cole also enjoyed that their friends Lucas,Landon and Brady were able to come it always makes it more fun. Although I must admit getting to the park was an adventure because I am still learing my way around, but we made it. We had a good time.

My McDreamy

2007-08-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Jason started a new rotation today and he is looking hot in his scrubs. He is excited that he doesn't have to dress in a tie anymore. He started anesthiology(sorry if its spelled wrong). This is also going to be a great rotation we are loving life. Seeing him in those scrubs makes me excited for Grey's although it better not be so down and out. Jason is liking being in the hospital and getting to have some hands on experience. He also will have the opportunity to moon light so let will bring in some good experience and a little money. We are so glad he is fulfilling his dream.

Fiesta Fun

2007-07-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

Friday we ventured off to Fiesta Texas also known as Moesta Texas by Cole. We had a great time. We have been lucky that we haven't had to try to go by ourselves Jason has been able to go with us. The kids love it. Maddie loves the rides and gets frustrated that she can't go on the big ones as well. You will see Cole is happy just riding the train and doing rides that are just his size. Ellie is always such a trooper hanging in the stroller and relaxing. Jason and I had fun as well. Jason decided that he was going to try some of the rides out because it wasn't crowded we had a good time.

What a Great Weekend

2007-07-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

We had such a good weekend with lots of fun. Maddie was able to go with a friend to Go Diego Go. Live. She thought it was so much fun and couldn't stop talking about the cool river.(no idea what she's talking about) She was able to go with the little girl across the street and her mom. She was nice and brought her brother back a baby jaguar mask.He thought that was great. Cole is also starting to potty train although we have to remind him that he only needs to wear one pair of underware that his head does not need them. Jason and I were able to go on a date last night with two other couples,so we thought we would venture to Sea World and it was a ton of fun. We went on some great roller coasters and water slides. I told Jason I felt like a little kid because I kept laughing on all the rides it was great. We had a great weekend

Ellie is five months

2007-07-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it our little Ellie is five months. I can't believe how time has flown and how fast she is growing. Her new thing is,is to roll over and then get stuck so she decides she needs to scream to let us all know she needs a helping hand. She is so much fun and still as happy as ever except for when she gets stuck. Ellie has also given baby food a shot and is a big fan of sweet potatoes. We love her she is great.

2007-07-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

Just a quick side note I have been asked who took our family picture. His name is Scott Heffernan and he was great. We really liked him and he did a great job. He is going to be coming out with a website soon so you will have to check him out. www.scottheffernanphotography.com. Just thought i would let everybody know.

Cole is one funny kid

2007-07-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

We are currently experiencing something new and exciting with Cole. He has decided that he is just too big for naps,and has decided to go without. So now we are experiencing him falling a sleep at the dinner table but manages somehow to finish his meal. I tell you what this kid is too funny. Maddie thinks he is funny and Ellie well she is just happy to hang out. Things are going well and we are loving Jason's rotation now because we have been able to have him around so much. We have enjoyed some playgroups and the chance to continue to meet new people. Today Maddie and Cole decided to paint each others faces with a yellow marker. Maddie painted Cole's face like spider man and Cole had started to paint Maddie up as a butterfly, but that's when we spoiled the fun. Click on the picture to see a close up of their work.

2007-07-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

This week was our first week with out having Jason around all day because he started work. His first rotation is a good one it is PM&R which is helping people with rehabilitation. He works mainly with prosthetics. It is a good rotation because he doesn't have to leave too early and he gets home to eat dinner with us. Maddie finished swimming lessons this week and did well. She has learned to dive and is filling pretty good about swimming. Cole, Ellie and I enjoyed going, it got us out of the house and we enjoyed watching her. This last week was the fourth of July and we had a barbecue with two other families, it was fun. Although I will say it was different then having it back in Ohio because the yards here aren't quit as big. After that we went and watched the six flags fire works in a mall parking lot that is right by six flags. We had a good time. I have joined a group of fellow residents wives and think it will give me a good opportunity to meet others in my situation. Well we love and miss you all. Talk to you later

2007-07-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I thought i would start a blog since everyone knows how good I am about emailing. We have been in Texas now for three weeks rnd things are going pretty well. We have been able to go to Sea world and Fiesta Texas which is six flags and had a good time at both. Jason decided to get season passes to both so we will see how brave I am to take the kids by myself. We had the opportunity to meet Jason's fellow co-workers and their families this last weekend and everyone seems really nice. Maddie has made friends with everyone in the neighborhood and Cole is the social butterfly as well. Maddie is taking swim lessons and liking them alot. Cole gets to go swimming while she is taking her lessons but is to young yet to participate. He is getting braver and really enjoys Texas. Ellie is doing great and is so much fun to have around. I am doing my best to get adjusted and think I am going to likeit here.