Putt-putts

Sums up my world without using words!
N is the T-Rex, S is the little dude, & G is the pig

White bootays

We've gotten more use out of our pool in the past few weeks than we have in previous 3 years. The boys have gotten really tan and have developed distinct tan lines. Z hasn't gotten as much sun as the rest of them, but we're working on it.

They even got new diving rockets. G has no fear and will swim to the bottom of the pool (in the deep end) to go retrieve them. We've got a fishy on our hands! N's expression pretty much sums up his interest in swimming. He'll jump in and swim, so long as his head doesn't have to go underwater.

He saw me taking pictures of the older boys and when they were done, he ran over to the wall, stuck out his booty and was shaking it, all the while yelling, "cheese!"

Yippee, $ for me!

This will be our 4th summer here. Do we love it? Not necessarily, but we are firm believers in finding good in wherever you are. Given the twists and turns we've been dealt in our life, we feel as though we can't complain about where we've gotten or how we've gotten there for that matter. We know we are where we should be and (hopefully) doing what we're supposed to be doing.

Choosing to go to school was tough. I felt as though there were a thousand other things that I should be doing with my time and school would consume lots of time. [Any of you who know me know I'm a complete numbers girl. The numbers have to work, that's just how I operate.] Our initial plans a year ago were for me to go back to school and we based that off of the tuition back in CA. We did the math and decided we would forge ahead and do it. We put the house up for sale and... well ok nevermind, God didn't want us to move back to CA. (silly us, thinking we knew what should happen) As the next summer approached, we knew that God had made his point and we weren't going to try to sell the house, but we would still continue with my school plans.

I go about my business and look into going to school here instead and hold up! No, this can't be! Seriously, tuition is how much? Initially we based my going to school on $xx each class (remember, I'm a #'s lady) but now it's going to be 3.5x that amount?!?! Aaahhh! Serious second thoughts because we planned for the original amount but not the 3.5x the amount price. Talk about sticker shock.

After much praying and informing Heavenly Father (just in case he hadn't been fully aware of the situation) that I was very uneasy about the immediate financial costs but would leave it up to him. In all honestly, it made me feel better just in case it didn't go right, at least (in theory) it wasn't me making the final decision. Sounds lame I know, but that's me. :p

So we ponyed up and start saving what little we have so we could afford to pay for school without sacrificing what has become "necessities" for our family. Summer 1 tuition, paid! Slightly painful, but we did it. Summer 2 tuition, paid! Hurt a little more, but it's for a good cause. It's not like it's going towards some fancy smancy electronic gadget or something, it's an education for crying out loud. Fall tuition's due date is rapidly approaching... aahhh, brace yourself, it's gonna be a doosy.

I was in the shower and ..... [ring ring ring- no I take that back, it rang we wish you a merry christmas because we still haven't changed the ringtone; just preparation for this year, that's all] you hear E on the phone then the talking stops and he comes in to say, "uumm, I think you may have just gotten a scholarship." I immediately warn him that he can't tease me like that, that's one place he didn't want to go. I quickly finished my shower and returned the phone call.

"Hi, this is Karen from the Chamber of Commerce and we've selected your essay as the recipient of our 2008-09 scholarship." Alright! It was exciting to know that people acknowledged my hard work and my essay stood above those other thousands that also applied. The following week, E and I got to go to the sit down dinner (400 people in attendance) and smooze with all the big wigs of the city. For those of you who live by us, OMG words wouldn't describe how awesome our city is. Getting invited to attend this awards banquet was an amazing opportunity. We got to see first hand all the hard work people have put in, to make our city what it is today. We also got to see the recognition that the Chamber of Commerce gives to people from large companies, to Mom & Pop shop owners, city police officers, and well as teachers and principals throughout the school district. All the more reason to enjoy where we're at right now.

Add that awards dinner to the scholarship that will cover 1.5 semester's tuition and I am one happy lady. Once again my Heavenly Father has given us blessings when we're doing what we're supposed to be doing. I want to send a big thank you to Mrs. Barbara and Joshua for watching our little monkeys so we could have our "date night" dinner.

really, it's 100 degrees outside and we're going inside a tent?


But it wasn't your ordinary tent, it was a tricked out version. Ya know, the kind with chandeliers, big screen TV's, and an ice cold AC




these guys work for the company that sponsored my scholarship


I pitched in some $ (100% goes back into the scholarship account to be awarded to other students) and got to keep the centerpiece. Isn't it cute?

Yes, we're still here!

Indeed it's true, we're still here. It's been about 3 weeks since the last post. Here's yet another recap...

Sam entertained himself while I was taking a shower. Just as I was getting ready to open the shower door, Nate came running in saying, "Mom, hurry, come see what Sam did!" I went to the kitchen and saw Sam sitting at the table with his usual. [he thoroughly enjoys getting the egg carton, bbq sauce, ketchup, and salsa out of the fridge to line them all up on the table.] He threw his hands up into the air and gives a big smile. He was so proud of his accomplishment. Everything got put back into the fridge and this time I tie the fridge shut. I go and take a shower, get out to dry off and here comes Nate again, "uumm, Mom, there's a mess now." In to the kitchen I go to find this. In his defense, he did get the towel to clean up his mess. [I've taught them well and he knows it's in his best interest to at least attempt to clean up his mess before Mom comes.] But seriously, does he really not know how expensive 18 of these are nowadays? Why don't you choose something that doesn't cost a lot of money, like water, little boy?






I caught a glimpse of heaven; isn't this what it's like? Aaahhh, 3 sleeping boys!


Sam has learned how to redeem himself. I suppose we can't be too mad at him because he's still so darn cute! Why else would we keep ski boots in the closet for?

Better Batter Baseball is the new favorite at our house. Nate got it for his birthday and it is getting well used. [You step on the red circle at home plate and the little cage automatically lifts up the next ball for you to bat.]

Zeke isn't our little baby anymore. It's a sad fact of life. Our little boy is 7 1/2 months old now. He rolls around anywhere he needs to get and can slither backwards. I went to get him out of bed yesterday and caught him on his hands and knees rocking back and forth. Oh come, that's means trouble is right around the corner.

Sam is ready to be potty trained, even if that means he takes matters into his own hands. He obviously knows something that we don't. Shortly after his 2nd birthday, he decided that whenever he needed to pee, he would take off his diaper and run to the bathroom. He is now a proud member of the "let's pee on the rocks when we're outside" club. If Mommy would just get on the ball and encourage him a little more (i.e. be ready and willing to clean up accidents) he could possibly be potty trained in the next month or so. We'll see!

3 weeks down, 2 more to go. I am more than 1/2 way done with my first summer session. I currently have 100% in my English class. It's not nearly as bad as I predicted, but ask me when the next session starts and I have to be AT school at 7 am. [I'm NOT a morning person at all. The world couldn't possibly have a reason to be awake sooner than 8.... those of you who have seen me before 9 am know that I'm a grouchy, stinky mess and let's be honest, you know it wasn't because I wanted to be awake.]

(Perhaps only Becca will find this humorous) Our potato masher, memory card, and cellphone are all outback next to the couch. Wait, scratch that, the potato masher has been located. The memory card and cellphone are next to the couch outback. Any of you wondering, the couch is at the bottom of the pool. Still can't see it? Go back outside and check again and don't come in until you find it. hahaha [it's what we'd tell the kids when the adults were playing cards and wanted the kids to get lost] Are you lost or confused? Good, take 99 North and get off at Shaw, then make a left. Guarantee you'll find it on Shaw, everything is just off Shaw!

Call me Zebra Woman! I was babysitting for my friend and lost the cell phone. It was somewhere between her house and mine, but not quite sure exactly where. We went a few days and without much luck in finding it, we went and got a new one. The boys think it's the coolest thing (besides Braxton wearing a baseball hat and listening to an MP3 player- that's for you HB) that we have a "zebra" phone.

The Razr cellphone has been located. It was by the couch, just happened that it was a different couch at a different house. The memory card has yet to be found and is still next to our couch outback.

The car is fixed and has new tires. The tires hardly had any tread left and we're better safe than sorry. We bought them at Costco and love them. [E says that it feels like it's gliding because of them being filled with nitrogen.] Anybody wondering what happened with the car when it was broken a little while back, you'll need to ask E about that! That's his story to tell. Let's just say that whenever you need to take wheels off for anything, it's a good idea to make sure you put them back on and tighten all the lug nuts.

E's bike has a flat tire. Yah, that's right- you fix one thing and something else has to give. It just happened that the thing that gave happened to be his back tire on the ride home, 1/2 block from his work. I thought that him pushing his bike home was funny, have you seen him carry a bike home?