Life... according to Jen

The last 3 months, Whew that is a lot to catch up on!

2010-06-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

I have not blogged for almost 3 months. It has been crazy around here with YW, YM, Scouts, Baseball, Church meetings and work schedules! It seems like we are running around non stop. Rob help me put on a huge ettiquite dinner for the Youth in April and we made a cheesy dating movie for them in June. Chris has been so busy with Scouts and merit badges. Rob is always got work and church stuff. There is homework and chores that never end and a very active toddler to keep up with. I have been healing from my surgery and working in our yard. That ended up being a huge project. My goal is to use this next week to get ready for Utah. We get to go for the rest of the summer and I am so excited to go home. I am going to try really hard not to be such a blogger slacker. Here is the last 3 months and what our family has been up too. I hope you enjoy. :)

2010-06-20T18:26:00.003-05:00

Happy Fathers Day Rob! There aren't enough nice words to discribe Rob. He is such an incrediable Father. He truly loves this calling in life. I never met a Man who is so interested in the smallest details of their Childs life, but Rob is. He cares from big things like problems, grades, scouts, dance, sports etc to what is going in their Christmas stocking, who they played with at recess, and what school clothes they got. Rob loves being a dad and it shows in our childrens lives. My 3 children adore their dad. They call him, they demand to know what time he will be home and if he has a late meeting they are very put out. They enjoy alone time and and quiet little chats. Rob simply put is the best! We love our Rob. Happy Fathers Day!

2010-06-20T18:19:00.003-05:00

For Memorial Day weekend we went to the Beach. It was so much fun. The water was 85 degrees and Heavenly. The kids love to boogie board and swim. It was just nice to BBQ on the beach, make sand castles, play in the water and just do nothing. I love going to the Beach. Corpus Christi is really nice and only 2 hours away from our home. We go as often as we can. Here are some pictures from our fun weekend.

2010-06-20T18:08:00.003-05:00

I have been really blessed. No matter where I have lived I have had good friends. These are my Laredo pals. We are all here for different reasons, some are boarder patro, other lawyers, piolets for the boarder patrol, Dentist doing residency etc. Anyway I am grateful for the church that brings a common bond for each of us and for friendships that keep me going. We have a tradition in our home. At the end of each school year Rob decorates a big cookie for our kids that says congrats and then we give them a little gift for having such a succesful school year. Chris was on the honor roll with all A's and B's. He has worked so hard. Bekah was also successful in her first year of school. This year Chris got a hair dying kit because he likes to dye his hair blonder in the summer. Bekah got some cute PJ's. Of course we couldn't leave Sam out. He got a cute shirt for being the cutest poop. They also get their homework books for the summer and their chore chart for the summer months. It is quite the ritual but something that is fun to celebrate and brings a little bit of organization to our lives during the summer months.

2010-06-20T17:56:00.003-05:00

We had a week long Kindergarten celebration. Rebekah graduated from Kinder. She had a ceremony where all the parents came and it was a huge party. In Laredo eveything is celebrated big. Thank goodness I learned early about the gift giving thing too. Parents came with all sorts of stuff for the graduate. Lots of balloons and build bear toys, candy etc. Rob and I settled on a couple pair of new earings. Bekah was pleased. She also had field day. You had to wear a white shirt that you had decorated. Ok ya that is definiatley not my strong point. I didn't have a clue or the talent to make a cute T-shirt for her to wear. Thank goodness for Dads. Rob did a really cute puff paint shirt with flowers on the front and her team logo on the back. Whew I lucked out on that one. :) She also had a end of school year Hawaiin party. We had to dress her up in a grass skirt for the all day eating fest. Because that is exactly what it was. Parties here are huge even in school and they always involve huge amounts of eating. Yes you have to be careful when you live in Laredo. The food is very good, super fattening and it feels like you are always eating. Bekah had a wonderful time and we are so proud of her. She excelled in Reading and Science. She had a wonderful report card and is ready for the 1st grade. Great Job Bekah!

2010-06-20T17:46:00.003-05:00

Sam is getting to be so big. We have worked really hard to help him get rid of his bottle completely. We are going on two weeks with no bottle ever! We also said good bye to the crib forever! Yeah!!!! We are sporting a big boy bed and I am loving every minute of it. I think Sam likes being big too. He loves to push that scooter everywhere. I think it is funny he wants to wear a bike helmet even though he isn't actually riding the scooter, he is just pushing it around. So cute! He is also almost officially binki free. What a great day that will be. He goes to nursery with out a binki and with out crying. I am so pleased to be on the other side of these hurdles. I love watching Sam grow up. I think he looks like a mini Rob. He is so cute. He can say about 5 words. Ball, Mam (aka mom at the top of his voice :)) Coke, more and sometimes Kris or Dad. Sam is a busy bee and my little buddy. I can't believe he will be 20 months old this week. I love you Sammy!

2010-06-20T17:37:00.003-05:00

We celebrated a fun Mothers Day weekend. The family took me to the Olive Garden for lunch. We also had a nice Sunday and Bekah sang to me with the primary. I got to go to a Mothers day school program that the Kindergartners put on. It was a really nice weekend. I love being the mom to 3 wonderful happy children.

2010-06-20T17:15:00.003-05:00

We did lots of cleaning up in our yard. We had the garbage man make 5 different extra pick ups to get all the tree branches and crap out of the yard. We put new sod in parts of the front where it was weed infested. We pulled out 4 trees and layed down some rock trim to make a flower bed. We also planted some really neat plants so the front yard is now done and looks really good. We had a good time playing while we worked as you can see from these photos.

2010-06-20T17:06:00.003-05:00

Bekah has been really busy. Besides turning 6, we bribed her with fake finger nails if she would learn to tie her shoes. Two days later she could do it! Way to go Bekah. She also got her ears pierced which was very exciting. Rob dared her to do it like he always does when we walk by Clairs in the mall. She always says no, but not that night. She walked right over and picked out a pair and bamm just like that she had earings. It was so neat to see the excitment she had about having earings in her ears. She is so cute. She also went on the Kindergarten field trip. I got to go and help. It was so much fun. We even got to ride a stinky loud smelly bus. Bekah thought it was fantastic. :)

2010-06-20T16:49:00.003-05:00

We had a really special event happen this past March. Chris turned 12 and became a Decon. It is so neat to see him pass the sacrament each week. He has given 2 talks in sacrament since turning 12 and done wonderful on each one. Chris also got to go on his first temple trip to the San Antonio temple. It was a youth trip with our Branch. Rob and I were able to go. I stayed outside with the little ones while Rob and Chris went and did baptisims for the Dead. It was so wonderful to see our son enter the temple. What a cool experince that was for all of us to see. Chris has been super busy with Scouts. He has earned 9 merit badges in 6 months and moved up ranks to 1st class. He recently got a responsiblity on troop 96 as the Quarter Master. How proud Rob and I are of Chris and the Young Man he is becoming.

2010-06-20T16:41:00.003-05:00

Between Bekahs T-ball games on the Brewers team and Chris games with the Astro's team we were really busy! It was so much fun going to the ball park. I look forward to it every year. Sam was a really good sport most of the time.

2010-06-20T16:34:00.002-05:00

Then there was Easter that we celebrated. Sam and Bekah matched with their Easter clothes. Chris of course is way to old for that. :)

2010-06-20T16:26:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Bekahs 6 year old Birthday! She got a bike and lots of clothes. We had a princess cake since she is our princess. I can't believe it has been 6 years since Bekah was born. She is beautiful and full of life. We are so glad we have our Bebba boo!!!!

2010-06-20T16:14:00.002-05:00

We took a few trips to San Antonio. We went on a boat ride on the River walk, toured the Alamo and went to the Mexican Market. We swam at the Hotel pool and went to the temple. It was a lot of fun having Grandma with us. We even had lunch for Bekahs birthday at the Rain forest Cafe.

Padre Beach For Chris Birthday!

2010-03-14T20:41:00.002-05:00

Happy, Happy Birthday Chris! We are so glad you are ours. xoxox

2010-03-14T20:36:00.002-05:00

Chris 12th B-day bash. he had the best cake. It was a chocolate fudge cake with Tuxedo Chocolate covered strawberries. The middle was carmel and pecan filling. We gave Chris a new suit for his Birthday. He looked so handsome.

2010-03-14T20:29:00.002-05:00

Playing around in the Yard. Rob set up a tree swing in the back yard. Sam loves the back yard and has to have a bath at least once a day. It is fun to just sit and watch the kids play. It has been beautiful weather.

2010-03-14T20:18:00.003-05:00

So Scout Sunday was a few weeks ago for our Branch. It was quite the event. Even Bekah and Sam participated. Chris finished up his Citizenship of the World Merit badge. One of the things he had to do was attend a international cultural event. We choose the George Washington Celebration that is so big in Laredo. They have a Bridge ceremony for all the dignataries in Nuevo Laredo Mexico and Laredo USA. You had to have a special pass to attend. Rob and Chris were able to obtain one and go. It was really neat. Here are some Pictures from that event.

Utah Trip

2010-03-14T20:11:00.003-05:00

Playing Catch up

2010-03-14T19:33:00.004-05:00

I know it has been a long while since I last blogged. I don't know what to say except that it has been really hectic. In Jan my Grandma Peter passed away. Rob and I were able to take the kids and fly to Utah for the funeral. It was so great to see my family. It had been exactly 2 years since I had seen everyone. I got to meet some nieces that I had never seen before. It was a lot of fun catching up with Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. It was a crazy fast trip, but worth it. We also got to see Great Grandma Reeve in St. George. Sam had never met her before so that was fun to get to see her. February 1st my mom flew out to live with me for the winter. Ther first 2 weeks she was here I swear it rained everyday! Now it is in the 80's and really hot. Go figure. We are having the best time with her. My mom is the best. She has so many qualities that I wish I had. She is such a big help and so fun to hang out with. Her visit has not gone with out some hicups. I was not expecting to have surgery in February. Thankfully she was here to help me. I was out for a week. I had to have my Ureatha tube fixed because of a Diverticulium and stump that was on it. It was creating UTI infections constantly and very painful. I also had a sling placed on my bladder. I was not expecting that and so I had some incisions that were painful. I didn't heal properly from the surgery because I swoll so much. There is a tear on the Ureatha tube that if it doesn't close on its own I will have to have surgery again. The problem is that I have a permenant Catheter in place that is very painful. It is so awful! So I am not functing very well. I don't have a life because I can't really walk so well. I finially had to swallow my pride and drive one of those carts at Walmart that you see people who can't walk in. Ya I was totally embarrassed, but I hurt so bad that I had no choice. Sam sat between my legs and we cruised all over that store. Oh the stares we got. Sam had a good time so that is good. To top it all off my mom fell a week ago. It was horrible. We though she broke her hand it was so deformed. She hit her head really hard and kept passing out. I was terrified. Luckily Rob was with us because I couldn't lift her and we needed help. We got her to the emergency room where I started freaking out because there were 20 people already waiting to be seen and my mom can't hold her head up from passing out. I must have been quite a sight to behold because they got her right back. Thank goodness. She ended up with a dislocated finger and a stitch on her eye and small concussion. I feel like we were shown a tender mercy from the Lord because it could have been so much worse. I felt so bad about the whole thing. So between the two of us we make one whole person. :) Inspite of everything I have been dealing with Sam woke up with a rash all over. He was so miserable I took him to the Dr's. Oh he has hand, foot and mouth disease! For real, my child!!! I am clean freak over here how did that happen? Oh I have thought long and hard and I am certain it happened at nursery the week before. It is very contagious! Chris and Bekah have been complaining about sore throats I hope they aren't getting it too. So on a more possitive note Chris turned 12! Talk about a mile stone in his life. I am super proud of the choices he is making and the fine young man he is becoming. We celebrated his b-day at the beach. It was so much fun. It was wonderful hearing Rob ordain him a Deacon. What a special day this was for Rob and I. Rebekah got student of the month award. I am so proud of her! Both Chris and Bekah are in baseball. So we have been busy doing that and Chris has earned 5 merit badges for Scouts in the last 2 months and moved to firstclass rank. Rob has been traveling a lot for work so he has been gone a lot. I am not a fan of the traveling. Nothing ever goes right when he is gone. Well, that about sums up the last few months. I am hoping that everything will get back to normal in the next few weeks. All I want is to be healthy once again.

Random Pictures

2010-01-03T20:47:00.001-06:00

Holiday Season

2010-01-03T20:27:00.002-06:00

This was a very fun holiday here in Laredo. I was worried that the days would go by slowly since we were not with family, but I can't believe that tomorrow school starts back up again. Chris was able to go to Winter Scout camp this last week. He slept over night with his dad and loved it. It rained for some of it, but they got to ride in Boarder patrol air boats and Chris thought that was the best. He also earned some Merit badges which is nice too. Rob said he had never been to a scout camp that had such great food. I must say that the Mexicans know how to cook! Rebekah has been busy playing with her new Barbie house and the DS player she inherited from Chris. She is a big help to me with Sam and doing little jobs in the house. She raked up a bunch of leaves in the yard for Rob the other day and had a delightful time all by herself. Sam is now 15 months old. He is walking and cruises all over the place. I can not imagine my life with out him in it. I am buiser and have to really keep an eye on him because he is into everything, but he is so stinking cute! We were so lucky we got two sets of Sister Missionaries over to our house for Christmas eve dinner. It was a wonderful evening for our family. Rob and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary. We had a nice night on the town with out the kids. That is always nice. We have been busy buying new bedroom furniture, putting up the rest of the pictures in the house, "spring Cleaning", and some yard work. It has also been a productive holiday vacation. We went to a hockey game that was really fun. Sam loved watching the players hit the puck and fight. Bekah was way into getting a hotdog and popcorn. We are looking forward to 2010 and the wonderful adventures waiting for us.

Waiting to see Santa Claus

2010-01-03T20:14:00.005-06:00

We took the kids to see Santa at the Mall. They won't let you take your own pictures so I don't have a picture to show you the kids on his lap. Sam was not scared at all. He thought the whole thing was fun. We also had Picnics in the back yard over Christmas break. Another fun thing we enjoy doing is puzzles. It has felt like fall here. I noticed that the Orange trees are in full bloom right now. I sure wish I had one in my yard. That is on my list to plant this next year.

Christmas Trip to San Antonio

2010-01-03T20:03:00.003-06:00

We went to San Antonio during December. They light the river walk with Christmas lights. We also went and took the kids to walk around the Temple grounds and ate dinner on the river walk at Joe's Crab Shack. It was a lot of fun. San Antonio is one of our favorite places to visit.

The Reeve Dance Crew

2009-11-22T20:20:00.001-06:00

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Merry Christmas!

2009-11-22T20:13:00.003-06:00

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB!

2009-11-22T19:26:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday Rob. We took Rob bowling for his birthday. It was fun to watch the kids bowl. Afterwards we went and had pizza. I just want Rob to know that he has made my life complete. I don't know what I would do with out him. I hope this next year is a wonderful year for you. I love you!

2009-11-22T19:20:00.003-06:00

Look who is 14 months this week....

2009-11-22T19:10:00.005-06:00

Sam I can not believe how big you are getting. What a delight you are. You like to tease and talk. You are always talking about something. I love the gibber that comes out of your mouth. You like to eat and get into everyones stuff. You are loud. No matter where we go, everyone knows that you are there. I love that about you. You have a smile that attracts everyone. I love your dimples. Sam you are one of a kind. I don't know how we got on with out you. You brighten my days. We sure love you.

Chrisy Boy

2009-11-22T18:59:00.003-06:00

So Chris football team made it all the way to the big championship game undefeated. It was an incrediable season and we are so proud of him. I am happy to say they won the Championship game. Way to go Chris!!! Chris also had his first ever science project due this last week. Oh the man hours! I am proud of Chris for the long hours he worked on it and for the fun we had learning about air inversions. I added a few other pictures because Chris is such a great big brother. Sam is not easy to hang out with. He likes everything done his way. Imagine that. :) Chris always takes care of him and plays with him. Sam just adores Chris.

Halloween festivities

2009-11-22T18:44:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pictures of our Halloween festivities. We had a Branch truck or treat that was super fun. It was also a chili cook off. I made a white chicken chili and got 3rd place. I was pretty proud of that. Rebekah had a little Halloween parade at her school and Sam and I went to watch. This year Bekah was a fairy princess. She looked so cute. Chris was a football player and wore his team jersy. Sam was a lion. He didn't like wearing the hat part of the costume, but he looked darling. He didn't have a clue about anything that was going on, but he enjoyed himself and all the treats he could get his hands on. :) I also took the kids to Robs work to trick or treat in his office. They thought that was really cool and Rob liked showing them off. On Halloween I took Chris and Bekah out trick or treating and Rob and Sam stayed home to pass out candy. Boy we didn't have a clue how to celebrate Halloween till we came here. It was a big street party. Everyone had music blairing in their yards and had the BBQ's out. They were celebrating with family and friends. Some houses even had haunted houses in the yards. It was incrediable! The air smelt so good because everyone was cooking on the grill! I decided next year that we have got to step it up a bit. It was a lot of fun.

Reeve Halloween Party

2009-10-29T21:07:00.001-05:00

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Carving Halloween Pumpkins

2009-10-25T21:28:00.004-05:00

I love this time of year. Each year we decorate and carve our pumpkins out. Last year I was big and fat from just having a baby. My mom was visiting and Sam was just an infant a few weeks old. We were in Dallas and Rebekahs burn was still healing. Chris was in elementary school still. Little did I know how much our lives were going to change once again in a few months time. Rob got a new job that brought us to Laredo. Chris is in Middle school, Bekah is in Kindergarten. Sam is now one and thriving. We bought a house our first since we left Utah. I lost all my baby weight and we are all doing well. It is amazing how much can change in a year. My only regret is that my folks won't be out this year like they were last fall. I am looking forward to the winter months because I will get my mom for 10 weeks! I am looking forward to some late night chats, nice morning walks, exciting weekend trips, and quiet lazy days. I am gratful for the blessings I enjoy and that a whole wonderful year has passed and how much my family has grown and how well everyone is doing. I am looking forward to the holidays and the wonderful fall weather that Laredo is enjoying. We are still having some 100 degree days. It is crazy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMY

2009-10-25T21:21:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that one year has passed since Sam was born! It has gone by so fast and he has grown so much. I can't imagine my life with out Sam in it. He has got a smile that will melt your heart. He is happy and playful and just adds so much to our home. I am so gratful to the Lord for getting him safely here. Sam we love you and our so glad you belong to us! Happy Happy Birthday.

Foot ball season

2009-10-25T21:14:00.003-05:00

So Football season is here again. I love this time of year. I am happy to report that Chris team is going into the Playoff series undefeated! It is very exciting and we are so proud of him. On another note Chris also made the A honor roll for this last school quarter. It was hard work and we couldn't be prouder. Rebekah has learned how to read and is doing so well in her school class. She has made lots of friends and is super busy with her school work. I am pleased the kids have had a very successful school year so far.

The walking wounded and look whos getting so big!

2009-10-25T21:05:00.003-05:00

Ok so this has been a fun month for Rob. He was out trimming the lawn and something flew up and hit his eye. Luckily his eye lid was closed other wise I am pretty sure he would be blind right now. His eye lid blead and was swollen for a few days. He is also allergic to the fire ants here. Everytime he gets bit on the feet his whole foot swells up and puss comes out. We have had two of those episodes this last month. On top of that he had 5 skin cancers removed off his chest and back, he got the flu real bad and was sick for a week. I think he is just getting old :) It has not been Robs month! We are happy to report that he is doing well and is healthy once again. Sam is now one and he is getting so big. These are just some cute pictures of his busy life this last few weeks.

Grandma Carol and Grandpa Bill come for a visit!

2009-10-25T20:59:00.003-05:00

So Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit this last month. We had so much fun with them. The visit was way to short and we miss them terribly. They came right in the middle of our big construction mess so hopefully now that it is done they will come back soon and see the end result. We love you! Thanks so much for a fun evening together!

Construction, construction

2009-10-25T20:51:00.003-05:00

So here are a few more pictures of my big mess! Yes we are living in it besides. I can't tell you how dirty and awful some days have been. I am smiling as I post this because it looks so different now. I will post those pics soon. We have some last minute touches we are doing and then I will take pictures and post. It has totally been worth it. It is a brand new house! The picture of the flood is our backyard. It doesn't rain for months on end here and then when it rains it pours for hours at a time and this was the end result of a flash flood type rain that lasted for 3 hours.

2009-10-25T20:47:00.002-05:00

This is the hall bathroom and Kitchen construction we have been under. It has been a complete overhall and this month has been so busy dealing with all of that.

2009-10-25T20:36:00.003-05:00

So these are some fun pictures of some halloween treats we have made this last month. The cupcakes were a lot of fun. The bread sticks are hairy witch fingers and the Ghost cakes are for Sams one year old Birthday bash. We were a whole month late celebrating because at the time we did not have a kitchen sink or oven. So we decided to have a Halloween themed party for him today. He loved eating his own cake. I can't believe a whole year has passed.

Random thoughts

2009-09-17T21:00:00.003-05:00

So I just saw the New Moon movie trailer and I have to say I am totally excited! Rob, Chris and I are counting down the days. It looks so good. I am sick once again. I hate that. Last week I had the flu super bad and this week I have a horrible chest cold with a hacking cough. I will be glad when this sick streak is over with! Sam is cutting 2 more teeth and has decided to crawl. It only took him 11 months but he is cruising around. I love watching his fat legs move, he is too cute. :) It is still pretty hot here. Yesterday it was 100 degrees. Today was hot too. I wish it would cool off just a bit. It seems weird to be half way through September and still be so hot. I am looking forward to my new Kitchen that is hopefully going to be installed next week. I have all the samples Rob and I picked. I can't wait to post some Pictures it is going to look awsome. Rebekah is so cute. She informed me that she took some pass along cards to school with her to give to the mean boy Orlando so that he could learn how to be nice. Can you just see her passing those out. I had to laugh. Every morning in her prayers she prays that her color at school wont get changed because that would mean she got in trouble. She is so funny. Chris loves Football. I took him to go get 4 shots he will need for next year. I checked him out of school a little early and on our way to the Dr. he pulled out this sweet note that said he loved me and that I was like a sweet piece of chocolate. He had taken his money and boughten one of those fundraiser chocolate candy bars and gave it to me. I felt bad that I was hauling him off to get shots. What a sweet boy. He is also going on his first Boyscout camp out with out Rob tomorrow night. I am excited for him. He is getting so big! I should have some pictures to share with ya all soon.

More Pictures to share

2009-09-13T20:24:00.003-05:00

Odds and Ends

2009-09-13T20:07:00.003-05:00

So we have been really busy with fixing up the house. It is slow going. I am tired. Last week I had the flu really bad and Bekah missed 4 days of school from it. It has put me out of commission sort of speak. Anyway Foot ball is 5 days a week this year and Chris really likes it. He always has lots of homework. He has 10 different teachers so I feel like we are always doing something. I have been trying to coordinate all the workers coming in to do my jobs for me and then YW is busy on top of everything else. Rob just got called as Executive Secretary to the District President. He is gone a lot and always busy doing something with that. There are somedays I feel like I didn't get anything done with all of this going on. I will be so glad when the house is finished. I am hoping in the next 2 weeks. I need some down time when I am not sick. :) Sam is crawling and is everywhere. He is super fat and way cute! He has gotten a little attitude of late and if you do something that makes him mad no matter who you are he won't hesitate to let you know. Where does that come from? Sam is busy and wants to be part of it all. It has rained a lot here of late. I guess September is the wet month for Laredo. It is nice because the yard has needed it. I really do like it here. We have made some really great friends and the Branch is great! I feel like this is where the Lord wants us at this time. I am excited to be able to post some pictures from our house as soon as it is finished so you can see before and after. It is going to be really great.

First Day of School

2009-09-13T19:40:00.003-05:00

Sorry I am so late at posting these Pictures. All I can say is it has been really busy! Christopher loves Middle School and has some good teachers and made some nice friends. Rebekah loves Kinder (That is what they call Kindergarten here) She has a wonderful teacher and lots of friends. She likes art and writing. They even take a nap. I guess when you go to school all day you need a nap. Sam has learned to crawl. All I have to say about that is better late then never. :) He will turn one on the 25th! He is teething and that is so much fun. I feel bad for him. Anyway these are some pictures from the first few days of school. I hope you enjoy!

The last 3 weeks in a Nut shell

2009-09-03T10:28:00.003-05:00

I need to post some pictures, but I haven't had a chance. Hopefully in the next day or two. So the last 3 weeks have been hectic! Here is a little about what is going on down south. Construction, construction, haircuts, Dr appt, Dentist apts, more construction, painting, Yard work! Kids vomitting everywhere, 1st day of school, homework, sign ups for dance, Football,buying of lots of school supplies, construction, painting, and of course more yard work, Trip to the Beach, Young Womens, teaching, scouts, talking in sacrameeting, celebrating a birthday, making new friends, excercising on our awesome track around the neighborhood,unpacking boxes, choosing new appliances, tile, wood flooring, carpet, and kitchen counters and cabinets,enjoying some splendid rain showers,trying desperately to clean the house, laundry,cleaning and unpacking the garage,and last of all construction!!!!!! We have men over here working almost everyday. It is a mess. My closets are all getting re done so as you can guess my house is a disaster area. Hopefully by the end of next week that won't be the case any more. I am tired of painting. My job is all the trim and doors in the house. Rob is painting all the walls. It is exhausting. The yard is nice but needs some attention. Every tree and bush needs to be cut back the lawn needs serious attention etc. So we have been doing that little by little because the garbage can only hold so much. I can't speak a lick of Spanish so communtication with the construction workers is me making hand signals and pointing and them nodding their heads as if they understand. Oh man! Rebekah of course is a pro at speaking "Pretend" Spanish which she does on a regular basis. If only it were that easy for me. :) Sam got his first hair cut this morning. He is mad at me. He hated it. I normally would never have touched his hair, but people kept asking is he was a boy or girl because he had all these tight curls in his hair. It drove Rob crazy. He informed me he needed to look like a little boy. So today was the day. It looks pretty good but Sam had to take a nap afterwards because of the trama from it all. Bekah woke up in the middle of the night screaming. I wake up from a deep sleep run in to find that she has puked all over herself and the bed. It was awful. So I threw her in the bath and started a load of laundry. Just so everyone knows the rest of the family slept soundly through it all just in case you were wondering. I informed the Young Women that night who were talking about service that none of them would be able to top my service for the day. Which was cleaning up vomit all over my daughter. Only a mother would do that! /football has started and it is 5 days a week. So I now no longer have a life which normally does not bother me, but my honey do list is out of control so while I am sitting a football I am thinking about this stupid list! Chris is in middle school and loves it. The supply list was huge and trying to find exactly what the teachers wanted along with everyone else who lives in Laredo was crazy. So I hate Walmart this week. Actually I hate Walmart everyweek. I only shop there because I am cheap. Yes I said it and I freely admit it I am cheap! We spoke in Church last week. Is it bad I recycled a talk I gave less then a month ago in Dallas? Ask me if I care because I don't not this week anyway. I have had my moments of Drama. You might find this funny but at the time I did not. So my carpenter would not take a check for the work he did for us. He wanted cash. So Rob had to go all over town to different ATMS since our bank isn't here just to get this stupid money. A week goes by he shows up at my house and gives me a $100 dollar bill and tells me it is a fake, Oh and it is and that he needs a new one. So I tell him to come back when Rob is home from work. I am thinking this is so going to be Robs problem. Rob can tell him in Spanish that he is nuts and that he isn't giving him any more money. Maybe he should take a check next time. Like we deal in counterfeit at my house. Please my lifestyle would be entirely different if I just had all this money I assure you. So there you have it, my life in a nut shell. I love it here, my house will be done in about 6 weeks and it will be worth it. I tell myself that everyday! I will post some pic soon.

Saying "Good bye"

2009-08-02T22:38:00.005-05:00

My heart is very full. We had a final fairwell party with our ward tonight. The Stevens family was so nice to host an open house for us. I was overwhelmed with all the love and wonderful friends we have made. As I look back on the last 13 months here in Dallas I am amazed at the Lords hand in our life. We were so blessed to find this ward! We have met some incredible people and have so many friends. It is hard to say good bye to people that you love. I am so grateful for the gospel and the knowledge I have that we can return to live with Heavenly Father one day. I am looking forward to the socialization part of that. I have had many friends in the last few years I have had to say good bye too. I look forward to meeting them again if it isn't in this life then the next. I am going to miss Dallas but I am looking forward with a lot of faith that the Lord has a plan for us in Laredo. Here are some fun Pictures of tonight.

2009-08-02T22:30:00.001-05:00

Chris First Court of Honor

2009-08-02T22:10:00.004-05:00

Ok so tonight was our first Court of Honor with Chris. It was very exciting! Chris advanced rank to 2nd class. He also earned his Athletics Merit Badge. It was fun to see the boys and the different Merit badges they each earned. I am so proud of Chris, this first Merit badge took a lot of hard work over a 4 month period of time. He worked really hard. I look forward to many more Court of Honors Chris!

Cooling off (need I say more...)

2009-08-02T22:03:00.002-05:00

After such a long hot week of Baseball we hit the pool! It was nice to relax and cool off. Here are a few pics

World Series Week

2009-08-02T21:44:00.006-05:00

It was a great week for Chris and his team! They took 3rd place in the copper division. Chris had some great hits and plays. We are so proud of him. There were over 100 teams there so 3rd place was a big deal. The boys worked really hard. Go Thunder!!!!

2009-08-02T21:26:00.002-05:00

So the kids did really well this last week at the World Series Tornament in Flower Mound. Rebekah had a few friends she played with. Our good friend Maria likes to crochet. Anyway Bekah has gotten a kick out of watching her this whole season. So Maria got Bekah her own crocheting kit. She loooved it. It has kept both Chris and Bekah busy this last week. :) Sam on the other hand was happy with sips of my Diet Coke, treats from the snack shack and playing with anyone who could stand to hold his heavy fat little body for any length of time. :) Over all it was a success I would say! :)

Pins, Pins, and more Pins!

2009-07-19T21:32:00.003-05:00

The World Series is here! Opening day was yesterday. It was so much fun. There is 172 teams participating over this next week. Every team makes up their own logo pin and makes up a bunch so when you get there you trade pins. I must say some of these pins were spectatcular. Chris got 44 pins it was so much fun to trade with other teams. It was fun looking for the "cool" pins and bartering for them. We got a nice collection. You pin them to your own hand towel. I must say no one does sports quite like Texas. They had a parade of teams and hat throwing to start the weeks events off. Even though it was a 100 degrees we had a great time. I must say that Sam had a rough start. He had to get a supository in the car. It was horrible but he had huge pooping problems. I swear of all days, then he got stung by a bee on his stomach. Not to mention he is getting two more teeth in. Poor Sam, I felt bad for him. However through it all he was actually in great spirits when his poop came out. Rebekah loved looking at all the pins and showing everyone the ones Chris got. I loved watching chris trading pins. He was so into it and quite good at it. He got every pin he wanted. He could wheel and deal. Let the games begin!

OKLAHOMA IS OK

2009-07-19T21:20:00.002-05:00

There is something magical about Oklahoma. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I met Rob there, but I love Oklahoma. We were able to go back for my cousin Johns homecoming. It was wonderful. We love the Killpack family! Anytime we have an excuse to go there we do. We were able to see Emma and Ava. We went to the pool, the zoo and BBQ. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone. Chris loved playing hearts late at night with all my cousins. Bekah liked playing with Emma. Sam just liked all the attention he got from everyone. It was such a fun weekend. Thankyou Killpacks for showing us such a great time!

2009-07-19T21:16:00.001-05:00

2009-07-19T21:12:00.001-05:00

2009-07-19T21:07:00.002-05:00

2009-07-19T21:02:00.001-05:00

Swim team season come and gone for another year

2009-07-19T20:46:00.005-05:00

So Swim team is over for the season. No more getting up at 6:45am to make it to swim team to swim for an hour half. No more going again in the afternoon for Bekah's class. It is always bitter sweet for me. The kids are getting so good with their strokes, but I hate getting up so early. I am not a morning person so this is a huge thing for me. :) Anyway at the end of the season they have an awards dinner for the kids and their families. It is always super fun. Here are some pictures from the night.

Lazy Summer Days

2009-07-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

I was hoping for some lazy summer days this year! It has been really busy, but we have found a new past time. Rob bought a bunch of different puzzles that are 500 pieces each. We have only had time to put two together so far this summer, but I love it. They are spread out on the kitchen table for a few days at a time and everyone walks in and out as they are going about their day trying to put it together. It has been nice to have the computer, video games, and TV off and be gathered around enjoying good conversation as we put these puzzles together as a family. Chris really has gotten into it. Bekah just enjoys watching and Rob can spend hours looking for different pieces. Ahhhh the joys of summer!

Chris and Hunters Field Day

2009-07-06T22:28:00.004-05:00

Chris and Hunter have been working for the last 3 months on their Athletics Merit badge. Chris has had to do hours of swimming and running to stay in shape for the Baseball season he has played for this merit badge. He has also had to improve his times on different excercises. He also had to volunteer at a sporting event and put on a field day with 10 different events. It has been a lot of work and I am so proud of them. We had a good time at their field day. We had a crab walk, tug of war,distance ball throwing, 50 yard dash, orange relay race, water balloon relay and popcicle eating contest were just a few of the fun things that they did. Way to go Chris and Hunter!!!

Chris and Hunter's Field Day cont.

2009-07-06T22:22:00.002-05:00

4th of July Weekend!

2009-07-06T22:09:00.003-05:00

We had a busy but great holiday weekend. We had our swim meet, ward pancake breakfast that Rob and I were incharge of. We saw a movie, swam at the Larsens and went to 3 different BBQ's. We also got to see some great fireworks in Rockwall and Sunnyvale with the Larsen's. It was nice having a 3 day weekend, but I must say I crashed today! :)

2009-07-06T22:04:00.002-05:00

2009-07-06T21:50:00.003-05:00

The 4th of July Swim meet was lots of fun. Both Chris and Rebekah swam in it. Chris did the 50 meter free style, 50 meter backstroke, 50 meter breast stroke and 100 meter I/m race. Rebekah did the 25 meter backstroke, 25 meter free style, and 25 meter breast stroke. They both did a great job. Sam slept for part of it. It was so hot that day, over a 100 degrees. Rob volunteered to take times down and Chris also helped for part of his merit badge he is working on. Rob and I were real proud of the kids today!

MESQUITE SWIM MEET

2009-07-06T21:37:00.003-05:00

Remember the Alamo and the River Walk

2009-06-28T20:04:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Fathers Day in Laredo this year. It was nice to get away for a week. Rob you are a great dad to our kids, we love you very much!! We also went and saw the Alamo in San Antonio. They were having a street fair the day we went so we got to see some bull riding in the middle of the street. That was really fun to watch. We also walked down to the River walk. It is beautiful and there were so many fun places to eat. We will definiately be going back again. I don't know if any of you remember the movie Cloak and Dagger, but it was filmed on the River walk and inside the Alamo. Just a little trivia for ya. It was a nice mini vacation. We are looking forward to our move to our new home in Laredo next month.

Family Time in Laredo and San Antonio

2009-06-28T19:49:00.004-05:00

"Girls night out" Rascall Flatts Concert

2009-06-28T19:35:00.007-05:00

I know I am a little slow in getting this post up, but I just wanted to thank my friends for a great last girls night out before I leave! Kayla, Tori, Michelle, and Megan were such a blast to hang out with for a night. We went to dinner and danced and laughed at the Rascall Flatts concert.

COUSINS

2009-06-28T19:11:00.006-05:00

My sister Holly and her kids Abby and Jack came for a visit. We had so much fun. We went swimming, to the movies, Sam Moons, and to Lake Ray Hubbard. We had never seen Jack before and it was so fun getting to meet him and seeing how much Abby has grown. Jack and Sam amused each other. Jack learned how to walk while he was here and Sam just watched. :) He had no desire to follow after him. Bekah and Abby had a blast playing dolls and dress up. Chris enjoyed watching our daily circus with 4 little kids. Holly and I enjoyed late night chats and just being together. It has been a year half since I have seen her and it felt so good spending this week together. I really felt bad when it was time to take them to Kiera and James house for their week. We got just a few hours with Jared before the farewell and it was fun to hang out with him too. We miss you guys. Thanks for such a fun week!

Trip to LAREDO

2009-06-26T22:13:00.005-05:00

Our trip to Laredo was successful! We were able to find a house we like and buy it. Laredo is very hot right now. We were at least 100 degrees everyday. It is beautiful on the North end where we will live. There are beautiful Palm trees and a real desert feel. We went to our new Branch while we were out here. We are in the Mission Field and their is a lot of work to do. I am looking forward to helping forward the Lords work. Rebekah is sure she knows Spanish and pretends to talk to me in Spanish all day. Of course she doesn't and it sounds like baby talk. When I ask her what she is saying she says "I don't know mom, but it is Spanish" We found out today that the kids will be wearing uniforms to school. What a sad day that was. Rebekah was upset because they don't have pink uniforms and Chris can't believe he can't just wear a T-shirt and some cargo shorts to school. It has to be a collared or button down shirt with dress shorts. Oh boy that will be a little bit of an adjustment. I did find some way cute things for Bekah so I think it will work out ok. :) We will spend the weekend in San Antonio before headed back to Dallas. I am so excited to finially be settled somewhere and to have a house again. As Bekah would say, we now have a house on the ground and not in the air (2nd story apartment living)

This is a picture of our new home!!

Home Sweet Home!

Growing up with "Sam I am"

2009-06-19T00:20:00.002-05:00

Sam is 8 1/2months now. I can hardly believe so much time has passed. He weights 22 pounds. Sam can sit up and roll around, but he does not crawl or climb up on things yet. Sam has wonderful dimples on his cheeks. His eyes are still blue and he has beautiful Auburn hair with a tint of red in it. Sam is very happy. He sleeps good and obviously eats well! :) I don't know how we ever got along with out him. We love you Sam I am!!!

Kindergarten here we come!

2009-06-19T00:02:00.001-05:00

Rebekah has officially graduated from Pre-school. I can hardly believe that 5 years have passed. Rebekah is a shinning light in our family. She is super excited to go to Kindergarten this fall. I have mixed feelings about it. It is all day kindergarten here in Texas and I will miss her a whole bunch. I love to listen to her sing and play with her dolls. The house will feel strangly quiet I fear. Bekah we are so proud of you!

"Play Ball"

2009-06-18T23:27:00.003-05:00

Congradulations Chris! Go Texas Thunder!! They won the Championship game and took first place tonight. It was so exciting. The score was 14 to 6 against the Yankees. They took 2nd place for the overall season. It made everything worth it. The hot hot heat, the black eye, the late nights with games ending at 11:30pm, Sam our teething baby who lets face it sometimes was not happy to be at the game. :) We are so proud of Chris. Thanks for a very memorable baseball season and we look forward to the World Series in Flower Mound next month. Check out Chris Team web page at www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=texthunder