Christmas 2010

The boys in front of the tree

Cooper almost ready to have his training wheels off

Caden with his new "Rock It" Huffy bike that Santa brought

One very happy little boy

Arizona Sunset

A recent picture I took out in front of our house of a December sunset.

It's Fall!

Coco

Caden

Caden in the leaves

It's finally Fall! That's what Caden told me when the leaves finally started turning yellow and falling off the tree. He's been learning about seasons at preschool and has wanted a leaf pile to play in for the last few months. He finally got his wish this month... (gotta love Arizona)

It was so much fun to watch him throw the leaves up in the air and play with Coco.

Sugar and Spice...

I thought it would be way too soon to be able to tell today, but the sonographer was 99% sure we are having a baby girl! She said normally she won't even say this early, but it was pretty apparent from the views she had of the baby. Talk about surprised and elated! This will be so different, and very exciting. I can't even imagine how much this is going to change our lives...

Cooper

Playing Wii before the surgery

After his final soccer game

Cooper turned 7 last Sunday and had a tonsillectomy the week before. It's been a pretty rough 2 weeks with him recovering and refusing to eat (more than normal). He has lost way too much weight and is still not eating like he should be. He had to stay overnight in the hospital so he could be monitored and then was discharged the next day. It's been such a difficult recovery...I really hope neither one has to ever have surgery again! I knew it would be hard to see him in pain, but I didn't expect that getting him to eat or drink anything would be such an ordeal day after day. I'm sure glad we celebrated his birthday the weekend before!

Accepted!!!

I just found out today that I was accepted to NAU's Graduate program.

I am so happy!!!!

After bracing myself for a possible rejection when I was opening the letter from NAU, (after all, it did take 11 weeks to hear back from them) I was very surprised to find out that I was accepted to their Master's program. I started laughing. Eventually the tears set in as I realized how much I wished I could have shared this with my Dad, since I'm the only one of his kids to go into education like he did. It was also the first time I really felt like I was "moving on" with my life since the last few years have been a nightmare of neverending deaths and funerals. I have felt so "stuck" for so long and unable to move forward.

I've been wanting to pursue a degree in Early Childhood education since I first started student teaching 10 years ago, but it seemed so out of reach and a very long time away.

I'm thrilled that I finally get to move forward with my life and accomplish something I've wanted to do for a long time. Even though it won't be easy, I'm excited for my children to see the process as well. I'm finally moving on and that's a very good thing!!

High School and College

With my college roommate, Emalie

(love the furniture...)

High School Football

Senior Year
~~~

Not sure why, but I've been thinking about my high school and college years a lot lately.
Some really fun memories and really good times. I hope my children enjoy those years someday as much as I did.

Halloween 2010

Superman and Indiana Jones

Superman
(with Indiana admiring himself in the background)

Indiana Jones
~~~

The boys loved the costumes they chose this year for Halloween. We went to Cooper's school carnival and a Trick or Treat party this past weekend. Caden has been wearing his costume every day for the past two weeks. Indiana wasn't too sure about the 5 o'clock shadow I put on his face until he saw it in the mirror and then he couldn't stop looking at himself. (It was too funny!)

Disneyland!

Sleeping Beauty's Castle at night!

Teacups
(rode them 3 times)

Caden at one of the restaurants in New Orleans

Our 3rd morning there

We loved the Halloween decorations

Cooper at California Adventure

California Adventure

The boys with Mickey

(Caden wasn't too thrilled...)

Goofy!

The Sword in the Stone

(We showed Cooper the movie before we left for the trip)

Alice in Wonderland!

(Caden cracks me up...I had to make him stand there)

Teacups!

In front of the Mark Twain

We all love this ride!

On Mainstreet

~~~

We went to Disneyland for Fall Break last week and had a wonderful time. We had never been in the Fall before so it was a lot of fun to see the special things they do for Halloween. Caden was tall enough to go on just about all the rides this time, so all four of us were able to ride together, which was fun. He didn't really care for taking pictures with the characters, though, which we thought was hilarious. Every morning was really foggy, which was cool, except that my hair ended up looking like Little Orphan Annie's the whole time. I think Cooper and Daddy averaged 37 rides the 3 days we were there. Thankfully, Caden liked the rides I like, plus he likes to shop, so that worked out well for me. We stayed at the Camelot again which is within walking distance to Disneyland so it was perfect. We were exhausted, but had a blast...and the kids are already planning the next trip!

Caden's 4th Birthday

Caden with his "Finding Nemo" cake

Just before blowing out the candles

~~~

Caden turned 4 years old this week. We had a little birthday party for him after Cooper's soccer game on Saturday and he absolutely could not wait to have everyone sing to him and blow out his candles. Afterwards he and Cooper played with the sprinklers in the backyard and they had lots of fun. I can't believe my baby is growing up!

Soccer

The next David Beckham...

~~~

Cooper had his first soccer game Saturday. A lot of his school friends are on his team. With practices twice a week and games every Saturday for the next two months, it's going to be a busy season!

Krispy Kreme

Cooper and his homework

Caden and his doughnut


After the cemetery I promised the boys I would take them to get donuts at Krispy Kreme. They thought this was a fantastic idea since they both got to wear the hats... As we were walking to our car afterwards we saw a double rainbow in the sky. The boys were very excited. I told them they were very lucky and it was an extra special sight to see a "double" rainbow... and that maybe it was Grandpa showing them how much he loved them.

3 Years

Caden and Cooper

the flowers we placed

the back of the bench

~~~

Today marked 3 years since my dad passed away. I took the boys up to the cemetery in Chandler where he is buried and we placed flowers on his headstone. It was a rough day for me but it helps to have the boys remember him with me. I guess the pain lessens with the passing years, but the sadness doesn't. Cooper told me he wished that Grandpa could see him as a 6 year old and I assured him that he does...

First Day of School

the Preschooler

Cooper's "Mario Bros." backpack

The Big 1st Grader

~~~

Cooper and Caden started school today. Cooper was very excited to finally be a "grader" and not a kindergartner anymore. He has most of his old friends from his class last year in his class this year, and his classroom is right next door to his classroom last year. He told me this morning that 1st grade is a lot like kindergarten so far...

Caden is at a new school for preschool and also has a new teacher so it was exciting for him, too. He also gets to eat lunch at preschool this year! As for me, I'm pretty much a taxi driver during the week again. It's hard to get much done when I have to always be somewhere every 2 hours to either drop off or pick up one of them. At least this year their schools are on the same side of town... I'm very glad school started though :)

Last Day of Freedom

Cooper

Caden (a little too happy)

Caden

Caden

Cooper
~~~
We took the boys to the Sealife Aquarium today at AZ Mills. It was their last weekday of freedom before school starts on Monday. The boys loved seeing the octopus and stingrays swim overhead and underneath our feet. I loved the seahorses. ( I've always been fascinated with seahorses) They also had to ride the carousel, of course, and Caden's happy face was hilarious. It was a fun way to end the summer.