La Familia Kleinow

Coop's Door

2012-01-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Coop has decided he will decorate the outside of his bedroom door with all kinds of artwork. I think he does this because he has a strange obsession with...yeah, you guessed it...tape.

Look at those LONG strips of tape he has used. Dave & I had to try not to burst into laughter when he proudly called us back to his door to take a look at his masterpieces. Truthfully, the first thing you notice is the tape. :)

Currently, there is a quarter wrapped in a tiny piece of construction paper, just waiting to be opened by Hunter on his birthday, which is 10 days away. If I took the tape off it, I could use it to wrap an entire gift and still have some left over! Guess whose idea that was...he can hardly wait for his brother to unwrap his "surprise present"! Ah, how these boys bring smiles and joy to me each and every day. I am surely blessed.

Oh Snowy Day!

2012-01-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

You know how sometimes you just wish it would snow? You may not even LIKE snow, but there is this voice in your head saying, some snow would be nice right about now... Well, we finally got some and our whole family was ecstatic!

I, personally, have a love/hate relationship with the stuff. I want it only if I can sit by the window and watch it falling silently to the ground, with a cup of coffee or cocoa in my hand. But who are we kidding...that would never really happen! However, I did enjoy the afternoon yesterday, after it had dumped snow all morning. Dave picked the boys up from school a bit early and got out the little snowmobiles. They tore up and down the street, around and around the cul-de-sac and even used the yard of the empty house right next to us. Neighbors stuck their heads out their doors to watch the show. I'm glad they are all pretty tolerant of noise and none of them called the police. LOL!

The red one was lent to us by our cousin - it goes 8 miles an hour and is perfect for Coop!

Okay, he is just a natural...he was riding while standing up, doing some little hops and riding with one hand. SO GLAD it only goes 8 miles an hour!

I insisted on standing out in the road, so they wouldn't get run-over by a car...or crash into each other!

Dave bought this little thing on Craigslist last week. It goes FAST, and Hunter is a little timid but he is getting more confident with each time on it.

I think they are developing their Dad's love for snowmobiling...and I think I am okay with that. :)

Today school actually got cancelled because of the ice and freezing rain. Currently I am blogging in my pj's, drinking my 3rd cup of coffee and thinking of dragging out a board game to play with the boys. It's days like this that I appreciate even more the fact that I am a stay-at-home mom. It may be tough sometimes, both socially and financially, but it is SO worth it.

My Hero

2012-01-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

I'll tell you what...when I started to fall in love with him, all those years ago, I had no idea he would turn into such an amazing husband, father and friend. :) I love him more every single day. God sure did bless me when He sat Dave next to me in the trumpet section in high school band class...LOL...what a fun adventure we have had! And I know we are just warming up...the best is yet to come!

Giving It One More Try...

2012-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know...you've missed me. And you know something? There really is no excuse for not posting a blog since APRIL of last year! Goodness, you'd think I had been out saving the world or something. But sadly, no...that's not it. I've just been kinda busy! Busier, in fact, than I have been in a really long time. Some reasons for my business are the same - they are called Hunter and Cooper. But other reasons include my weekday girlies, Kora and Ava!

Kora and Ava are the girls I take care of during the week. They truly are so much fun (with a little work thrown in :). It's hard to believe I've had Kora since she was 3 months old. She will be 4 in May, so she is pretty much my daughter. LOL! And sweet Ava came to me the beginning of the school year this year and will turn 1 in March! I love having these girls in my home...and the rest of my family feels the same way.

But I do have to say that I've really missed blogging about our family adventures, so as a resolution for 2012, I've decided I have to start up again. Another resolution...and I'm sure it comes as no surprise...is that I am back on the weight-loss wagon! Giddy-up! I plan to lose about 15 pounds by my birthday (which is not until May, so surely this can happen...right?!). So I may throw in a blog or two about that journey, assuming it will go somewhere besides OFF the wagon.

So stay tuned, people! La Familia Kleinow is BACK!

The Littlest Baseball Boy

2011-04-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Oh Coop...the one who was practically born with a bat in his hands.

It has been pure JOY to watch Coop do what he loves to do. All that practice in the living room is really paying off on the field - ha! He loves being on a real baseball team...with a real uniform and everything. All that t-ball stuff wasn't his cup of tea, apparently. He loves that his Daddy is his coach, he loves catching, he loves hitting and playing 1st base. Although I heard him tell Hunter the other day, "I'm a pretty good 2nd baser."

He is getting better at staying in his position and letting other kids get the ball. And he is getting quite a few hits off the pitching machine (those balls come pretty fast)! He knows Mondays and Wednesdays are his game days and he is happy and excited on those days, and asks all day,"When is Daddy gonna be home so we can't be late to my game?"

My littlest baseball boy...oh how I love you!

Easter Sunday

2011-04-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day. One of the best I've had in a LONG time. Such joy filled my heart from the very first sound of Hunter running down the hall to the living room to see what the Easter Bunny had brought to the very last sound of Dave saying, "What a great day...", right before I fell asleep.

I made a big breakfast for us while Dave worked out before church. Hunter got the 'Dennis the Menace' DVD in his basket, so we watched it and laughed while we were getting ready. I have not heard Dave that loud and that much in a long time. Hunter said right before we left for church, "Did you hear Dad howling and cackling?" Ha!

Church was WONDERFUL! Such great songs, a great message, such loving and special people...Dave & I left feeling overjoyed and refreshed. Coop said on the way home, "I feel good when I'm at church." That made me smile. :)

The food at Mom & Dad's was SO good! I ate way too much, but I couldn't help myself! The sugar cookies we helped Nana make on Saturday were especially delicious. Why are those things so dang irresistable?

Finally, we ended the day spending some time with Dave's family. His mom and stepdad just bought a new house and it is big and roomy and has lots of space to spread out and have fun. The boys had fun dying eggs with Grandma and their cousin Rykker.

I just can't say enough about Easter 2011...it means so much to know I am saved by the blood of Jesus. I hope the joy spreads out into this very busy week and I can keep my eyes fixed upon what's really important.

Hey, two blogs in one week! I need a prize for this!

Wow...

2011-04-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well, for starters, I just have to say that I have seriously thought about deleting my blog. Not that I don't love doing it (when I actually do it), but I have been absolutely terrible at taking pictures! I have just a handful since Christmas. And you'd think I'd have a ton, since the boys have been so busy with spring sports. But no...no I don't. And the ones I do have were taken by other people - ha!

So here we go: I'll do a run-down of what we've been up to. Hunter started playing AAU basketball this winter. He is a 3rd grader playing on a 4th grade team, and none of the players have played before so it's been a real learning experience for everyone. They finished the winter season with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses, but they won their first game of spring session just last Saturday and we are seeing tons of improvement! Coop also practices on a basketball team of little guys. Their plan is to practice, practice, practice and then enter the fall AAU session. Coop does a great job at basketball practice. The hoop is still a bit high, but every once in awhile he makes a basket and he is so proud of himself!

Baseball has now started for both the boys. They play in the Grandview Cal Ripken league. Dave helps coach Coop's 'Rookies' team and Hunter plays on the 'Minors' team. Hunter had his first game this past Tuesday, and was the starting pitcher. He was nervous, but did a great job. It is quite a difference from hitting off a pitching machine, like they did last year. We are anxious for Hunter's team to learn lots more of the fundamentals and start winning some games.

I have not been able to be at any of Coop's baseball practices because I take Hunter to soccer and basketball practices on those days. But from what Dave tells me, Coop is quite the player...but then I already knew that. He spends all day in the living room swinging small wooden bats, catching pop flies he throws to himself, and doing a play-by-play announcement using various MLB players' names. At this very moment he is pretending to bat like Kevin Youkilis and he just said, "Home run! Out of here!" Now he is humming the song they play at Safeco Field when something good happens and everyone stands up and claps. Hahaha!

First soccer game of the season is tomorrow, along with the 2nd basketball game of the season. Dave is playing softball so the boys and I will be on our own, then we'll go up and watch Daddy play. I have been tempted to complain a few times during the past few weeks...we have practices or games on EVERY day of the week. But then I remember...this is what I always dreamed I'd be doing. Now I'm living it and there's no way I'd trade it for anything in the world. As long as the boys are okay with it, then I'm okay with it.

Toby Mac!

2011-02-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

A wonderful weekend was capped off on Sunday with an early birthday lunch for Hunter at Red Robin and the Brandon Heath / TobyMac concert. After church we went to Sports Authority where Hunter picked out the most awesome new baseball glove! He seemed a little confused as to why we were telling him that this was his birthday present...I think he was a little bit sad, thinking maybe he wouldn't get any presents on his birthday, but there is a possibility that he will. :)

Then to Red Robin, where Aunt Kris, Uncle Kev, Nana and Papa all met us. Hunter said he just wanted the birthday sundae, not the singing...but that doesn't fly in this family. Ha! So we had the singing and the balloon and the sundae and all of that. He tried really hard not to smile. That must be a 9 year old boy thing?

It was chilly standing in line waiting for the doors to open for the concert, but we kept busy by laughing at what people were wearing...I know, I know...making fun of people at a Christian concert sounds funny to me too, but seriously! It's like you just want to say, "Excuse me, but did you put that on on purpose?"

We found some good seats, then Coop noticed that a little boy in front of us had a new pair of TobyMac drumsticks. He proceeded to whine about how we "needed" to take him to buy a souvenir. I'm positive he feels like he is entitled to a souvenir everywhere we go because my dad actually does buy him something wherever we go! I gave him a piece of candy instead. LOL! Meanwhile, Hunter started to act a little weird. He put his hood on and jammed his hands in his pockets like he was bored.

House of Heroes was the little opener band...they were good. Brandon Heath followed, and he was awesome! He has a really great voice, and it was fun to see the looks on the boys' faces when they realized they knew most of the songs. Coop proclaimed, "Hey mom! They play these songs on K-LOVE!" Next came intermission, or "halftime" as Coop called it. At this point, Hunter actually perked up, but only because Dave told him he'd buy him some popcorn.

Then the lights went off and the countdown began. 2:00 flashed on the big screens in neon green lights...and counted all the way down to zero. We were all on our feet screaming and going nuts! Well, everyone in the arena except for...you guessed it...Hunter. I tried to get some good pictures, but I have a really bad camera. So I just decided to take it all in and try to remember it. It was so fun watching Coop dance and clap and wave his hands in the air. He grabbed my cell phone and started waving that too. He was all-smiles the whole time. Hunter waved Dave's phone around for about 2 seconds. The ONLY point that I saw him actually smile was when he looked across the aisle and some old ladies were dancing around and waving their hands in the air and shouting. Hunter poked me and pointed them out and we both laughed really hard. :)

There is just something about that music that gets me excited about Jesus. I mean, TobyMac is a self-proclaimed 'Jesus Freak', so why can't I be one too? I have a feeling it's not the last time we see him in concert...let's hope next time ALL of my family will enjoy it! Ha!

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-16T13:30:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! I told myself I wouldn't say it, but my goodness…hasn't this year just flown by?! God has been so good to our family this year – I just have to share the highlights with you all!

We like to say Coop (age 5) is in his senior year of preschool. While he could care less about learning his letters & numbers, he loves his friends in his class. I think he gets his "social butterfly" nature from my dad (or possibly me – ha)! Coop played t-ball this summer and made a double-play in his very first game! The kid lives and breathes baseball, and we can't wait to see how that talent progresses in the years to come. He is a huge fan of WWE wrestling and John Cena…he never misses an episode! He has 3 wrestling rings and lots of action figures and acts out all the matches. Coop loves being outside and helping Daddy on projects around the house. He keeps us on our toes, but he is such a blessing!

Hunter (almost 9) is in 3^rd grade and is December's Student of the Month at his school! He never ceases to amaze us with his vast knowledge on every subject and his dry sense of humor. With a brain like a sponge, he is always quoting random facts that he has read in a book. He played 1^st base in Cal Ripken baseball and continued playing soccer this year. He improves and learns more every season. Hunter loves his PSP video game! He is also a great big brother…his patience with Coop is very admirable. He spends many afternoons in the backyard pitching balls so he can practice his pitches and Coop can practice hitting. Many times I find myself thinking, "Hunter is one of my best friends."

I think it's safe to say I have had one of the BEST years ever! It is truly a blessing to be able to stay at home with my boys. I also watch a 2 ½ year old little girl during the school year, and she is just wonderful…the daughter I never had. In June, I got to go to Vegas with my sisters and a few of my cousins…we had a blast! We also enjoyed a camping trip to Ocean Park with family and friends over the 4^th of July holiday, and 2 days at the Great Wolf Lodge! And of course, those who know me understand that I live for softball season. I am Dave's biggest fan and the boys & I travel with him wherever he plays. So many fun memories are made out on the softball fields, plus I get a great tan!

And then there is our hero…Dave. As I like to say, "Everything's better and more fun when Daddy's home!" He loves the snow, and took a couple of snowmobiling trips to Halfway, OR. When that was over, he started softball again – his team took 4^th place in the state, and they also won several other tournaments! He helped out on the boys' soccer/baseball/t-ball teams too! But the most exciting news of this year has been his new job. In August, he started at Hanford as a planner/scheduler. He really likes it and enjoys doing something different. He still owns his business, so he is pretty busy, but he takes such good care of us and we are so thankful for him!

We are also thankful for the birth of our Savior, Jesus! We know we would BE nothing and HAVE nothing without Him. We hope all of you, our friends and family, will let Jesus fill your hearts with much joy and peace this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. We love you all!

The Kleinow Family – Dave, Ali, Hunter & Cooper

December...

2010-12-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's been good so far! I think this is the earliest we've ever gotten our tree up, but it's beautiful and it makes me happy. Another thing that made me happy was that the house got a good dusting since I couldn't just put up the decorations on top of a layer of dust (even though the thought did cross my mind)! I have appreciated each time it has snowed, and also each time it has melted. :)

What has really ticked me off, though, is this year's Christmas card. The picture I chose is not the best, in fact neither Dave or Hunter is smiling. To top that off, I ordered 125 of them...and am now debating whether to send it out or do a completely different one. Just thinking about it makes me have a headache, so enough of that...

Aunt Kris came over and we made some AWESOME sugar cookies! The little ones, we just called "dippers" - we just dipped them into the tub of frosting and ate them in one bite. We came to a quick understanding of why mom does this only once or twice a year...it takes forever!

Hunter's Christmas program this year was different than any other one he's ever had. It was held at the middle school gym and his 3rd grade class actually wrote a song about elves and performed it with Buck & Elizabeth ( a couple who travel to different schools and do assemblies). In the picture, he is third from the right. It was fun...Cooper loved it!

Coop's class is having their program on Friday, so stay tuned for those pictures. I am positive it will be hilarious...Coop + a stage + an audience = hilarious.

Thanksgiving at Rockaway Beach

2010-11-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Our trip was SO fun and relaxing. The view from our house was absolutely beautiful...such a gorgeous sight to wake up to every morning! We spent every morning sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee and watching the waves. The boys INSISTED they saw whales, hammerhead sharks and sea turtles through the telescope. :)

The house was big and comfy. My Uncle Ruben and his wife Denise, my cousin Stephanie and her kids Kellsye, Sydnie and Rylin all came to Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. As you can see in the picture, Dad made the mashed potatoes. :) It was so fun to have them there with us! We had a coloring contest and watched a whole days' worth of football. We also got to drive into Tillamook to visit Dave's grandpa Kleinow and his aunt, uncle and cousin. It was a long, full, fun day spent with family - absolutely perfect.

On Saturday we drove into Seaside for a little "adventure", as the boys called it. We went to the outlet mall and did some Christmas shopping, ate lunch at El Mariachi Loco (our favorite Mexican restaurant in Seaside), rode the carousel and of course we had to go to the arcade! Papa bought the boys some more stuff at the toy store. Everywhere we go, Papa buys his grandboys something special. Hunter ended up with a bag of marbles, a koosh ball shaped like a pig and a package of glow-in-the dark stars for his bedroom ceiling. Coop picked out a rubber snake, a 'Cars' die-cast car and a harmonica (which had to be confiscated once or twice). He left the snake in Nana's pillowcase and scared the daylights out of her. :)

I have not stopped thinking about our trip since we got home, and every time I think about it I thank God we got to go. There was a time not too long ago where we could not go anywhere for more than a weekend because of Dave's job. Now that he has a different one, he can take more time off! We are already talking about renting a bigger house next Thanksgiving, that way we can invite more people!

I love my family and I love my life. Thank you, God, for these blessings!

A Day in the Life of Coop

2010-11-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Coop's favorite movie of all-time is 'Cars' - or "Lightning McQueen", as he refers to it. Almost every day after we drop Hunter off at school, Coop asks to watch this movie. After I put it on, he soon starts to drag out a lot of toys...mainly his HUGE collection of die-cast Lightning McQueen cars and a few airplanes. But recently he's been asking me to bring out our big cardboard blocks, so I spied on him to see what he was up to. See for yourself...

You see, everyone is at the big race. You know where Lightning, the Dinoco King and Chick Hicks all race at the end? This is Coop's version of the movie. He watches it and acts out every part. He really has an amazing mind. The kid is smart. His imagination runs wild! He can't recognize letters of the alphabet or tell you what number that is on his flashcards, but he can set up this entire racetrack using blocks and place each one of these cars in just the right spot. Oh, what joy he brings me! Look at that proud smile. :)

2010-09-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

My mom. She is one tough lady, I'll tell ya. This picture was taken at Coop's birthday party, two days after her ankle surgery. Doesn't she look good? Well, it's been almost a month since her surgery. And even though she's had some really hard, rough days God is good and has shown mercy on her through it all. She continues to get stronger every day, and I've noticed that she has gotten more confident in what she can do, and her determination level has increased as well! Praise the Lord! She may not know it, but she is setting a wonderful example of how to take a disappointment such as this, and just leave it in God's hands, trusting His will for her. I have gotten to spend a lot of time with her the past month. Our visits have been fun, and I've enjoyed letting her depend on me for a change! We have also enjoyed watching as much HGTV as we want!

And I MUST give credit to my Dad! That man has worked harder around the house than ever in my whole life, and he's doing it out of sheer love. It's the kind of love I always knew was there, but never really noticed until now. He sure has a servant's heart. It is so funny to see him rinsing the dishes before he puts them into the dishwasher, because it "bugs him when people just load them all dirty with caked-on food and stuff." And he scrubbed the microwave last week too - haha! Anyone who knows him knows that he is a pretty social guy, and it's been hard on him not to be able to go here and there and visit with people whenever he wants. But he is exhibiting the perfect picture of Christ's love towards my mom, by serving her and taking care of her and I am supremely PROUD of him. In fact, I've never been prouder of either of my parents than I am right now.

Mom keeps telling me "thank you". And I keep telling her, "This is what family is for, Mom." And that's what I truly believe - family takes care of each other. I am truly blessed to be a part of THIS family...

First Days of School - Already?!

2010-09-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Without too much grumbling or groaning, the boys are starting to settle into the school routine again. I think it is harder on me than on them, actually. I am so used to having them here, chatting about this and that and making fun plans for the afternoon or the next day. Luckily, Hunter is really enjoying his teacher this year, which is a huge blessing since last year's teacher wasn't at all what we expected. 3rd grade...wow. He is just growing up too fast!

Coop is back at the same preschool as last year, but he is going different days, different hours and with one different teacher. He is taking it hard, and he has been known to follow me around the entire morning asking me not to take him to school, but once he gets there he is okay. Needless to say, I've been doing A LOT of praying for him! I'm pretty sure it was a good idea to keep him out of kinder this year...we both would have been crying the whole year!

Our Summer (So Far), at a Very Quick Glance!

2010-08-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Wow...I don't even really know what to say here, except that I have thought at least a hundred times, "I should update my blog", but here we are 3 months later and I haven't updated once! Then, to top things off I got on here and started fiddling with the settings and the site won't let me add any cute backgrounds, so I apologize for the boring look. I may keep trying to figure it out, but I'm pretty sure I might have a panic attack because it's making me so mad, so we may just have to deal with it.

We have had a pretty eventful summer, which is just the way we like it. I won't pack every little detail into this post, but I will try to at least add some of the highlights.

First up - Coop absolutely TORE IT UP on his t-ball team. It was pure entertainment everytime he had a game!

For the 4th of July holiday, we took a long weekend and went camping at our friends' property in Long Beach. We had a BLAST! It is so refreshing to wake up and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. I think what made it so fun was that our entire family was there. It's been a long time since we all went on vacation together!

One other really fun day, me, my mom, my sister Kristal and the boys all took a day-trip to Portland. We went to the zoo and to OMSI. It was a very long day, but it was worth it because we all had so much fun. The weather was perfect, and we enjoyed being together. I think we'll try to do a trip like this every summer.

The boys also had swimming lessons this year. Their teacher Breanna was wonderful with them, and they have since become quite comfortable in the water (which is a great improvement over last summer when they were afraid to get water in their faces)!

I guess that leaves us with this last weekend, which was BY FAR the most fun we've ever had as a family: a night and two days at the Great Wolf Lodge, and a 4th place finish for Dave's softball team at the State tournament. I really can't say anything bad about the lodge, it is just a super fun place to stay. And even though it was a bit on the expensive side, it was absolutely worth every penny to see the looks on the boys' faces (and Dave's for that matter) when we walked into the place. It is gorgeous. Speaking of gorgeous, the fields where the tournament was held were the most beautiful we've ever played at. It was a LONG weekend, but we had so much fun. I am so thankful to God for weekends like these, where we spend time together doing fun things, making memories we'll all treasure forever. I will end with a picture of the boys at Cabela's in Lacey. Coop's face totally reminds me of a Rodney Dangerfield movie...

A Preschool Field Trip...to Kindergarten!

2010-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went along with Coop on his field trip to a REAL kindergarten class! The preschoolers loaded into a mini-bus (for some, like Cooper, it was their first time on a bus) and it took us to the school, where we visited with a wonderful teacher and her class. It was very exciting! The kids listened to a story about butterflies, colored and cut out a butterfly, washed their hands in the "big-kid" bathroom, and played outside. It was a delightful day. :)
Coop & his friend Carl...all buckled up and ready to go!

...shaking hands with the principal...

Here's Coop coloring the most beautiful butterfly I've ever seen!

REAL butterflies!

What day at school is complete without a good climb on the jungle gym?

Even though Coop still has another year of preschool before heading out to kindergarten, I was so impressed by the way he behaved while he was there. I think he will follow in big brother's footsteps and be a very good student. :)

Scroll down for Mother's Day tea party/Mother's Day pictures!

Mother's Day Festivities

2010-05-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Me, my mom and Dave's mom had so much fun at Coop's Mother's Day Tea party last Friday. The tables were set so fancy, and we even drank actual tea from china tea cups! The preschoolers performed a few songs and gave their mommies some gifts they'd made us. I will be sure to hang on to those...they were precious!

Cooper and Grandma

Cooper and Nana

This is what my mommy looks like...he drew a picture of me. And the top-right picture is my favorite: This is what my mommy likes to do...I am so glad he knows I like to use the Clorox wipes! LOL!

Sunday was a very special day. The boys and Dave got me a GORGEOUS hanging basket and some really sweet cards. We cooked a big breakfast for my parents before church and gave my mom her present. I think she liked it. :) Then after church we went over to Dave's family's house and had a delicious bbq there. Dave's mom loved her gift too! The evening was spent in the hot tub, watching baseball and eating ice cream from Dairy Queen...couldn't have gotten any better than that! It is such a joy and a privilege to be a mom! When I look at my boys, I am reminded just how much God loves me...he gave me the most precious gifts in those two!

Ummm...please excuse the picture of me with no makeup!

I am also blessed to have a strong, kind, faithful, loving mom. I love her so much! Mother's Day gets sweeter and sweeter every year.

First M's Games of the Season

2010-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago, we took the boys to Seattle for a very fun, long-anticipated weekend of fun.

Friday afternoon was spent at Gameworks, playing video games (and lots of Skee Ball). We met up with Mike, Katy, Gracie & Cole for just a few minutes and Katy beat me in basketball. I demand a rematch. LOL!

Then Friday night was Ken Griffey, Jr. Bobblehead Night at the Mariners game, so of course that was the most important part of the day. We didn't even have to stand in line that long, so that was a plus! Our seats were down the third base line in the 6th row. Not the closest we've ever sat, but awesome seats anyway! The Mariners won 11-3 that night...lots of hits and runs and cheering and jumping up and down. (Except for when Coop fell asleep on my lap, which changed my jumping up and down to just giving high fives).

Coop, Hunter & Daddy trying to catch a ball during batting practice

Gotta have licorice...

The boys sported their Ken Griffey Jr. shirts that Nana & Papa bought them.

I love this picture!

Ha! Love this picture too!

Wow, we look sleepy there, don't we?

We were able to stay at our friends' house, which is where my little sis, Ashlee, lives too. So Saturday she came with us to lunch at Red Robin and to Funland in Tukwila, where we played miniature golf (or Mariner golf, as Coop likes to call it), drove the Go-Karts and Bumper Boats. Dave & I also rode on a swinging-back-and-forth ride of some sort, and I have to admit...the bungee thing I did last year at the Puyallup fair was A LOT less scary than this one. I won't be going on it again.

Then Sunday, we went to the Mariners game again! It was Felix Hernandez jersey day for all the kids, so the boys got jerseys. They are XL's, so they'll have to grow into them, I guess. Even though the M's lost, we still had fun. Ash was with us, and the boys fought over who got to sit by her. LOL!

Kanekoa Texeira, M's rookie pitcher who pitched in that game, signed Hunter's ball! He was pumped!

I came home from that weekend thinking that it had been one of the funnest weekends that I've ever spent with my family. As the boys get bigger, it is getting easier to take them places and trust that there won't be any fits or temper tantrums. The smile on their faces while we were doing all of those fun things were worth every dollar spent to make their weekend as fun as possible. Each and every day, I thank God for the blessings He's given us...but mostly for Hunter & Cooper. For without those little guys, our lives would be a lot less exciting!

Cal Ripken Baseball

2010-04-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hunter has finally started playing baseball...on a REAL team..."with REAL uniforms"...as he likes to tell people.

It has been so fun to watch him and his team compete in their games. So many of them have made improvements, and we've only had two games! Their coach is really great - you can tell he loves the game and he is so good with the kids.

These pictures are from Hunter's first game. He played 1st base, and he did an AWESOME job. He caught almost everything that was thrown to him, plus he made several plays on his own. He is always looking to make a double play, too...which is funny.

#9 has been Dave's # throughout his sports career...still is today in softball! And since 51 wasn't available, Hunter picked 9. Couldn't have made Daddy any happier!

We will be playing for about 6 weeks, on Mondays and Wednesdays. He has soccer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so we are pretty busy. But he is loving it and so are we. I just keep saying to myself, "Soak it in, Ali...because before you know it these times will be gone."

Spring Break and Easter!

2010-04-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

Ah...spring break. We look forward to it every year, and every year it seems to fly by. But we really did have a fun time. We spent a few days at Kristal's house, went to a couple of movies, went out to lunch, to the library and shopped for Easter clothes. I loved having the boys here every day, and they loved being here too. They stayed up late and slept in. It was so nice!

Cooper likes to get outside with Daddy and "mow the lawn". He's such a great helper.

The boys love Zags, my sister's dog. She also has a bigger dog, which they are getting used to...but they wanted their picture taken "with just Zags. Ripken won't sit still." LOL

Easter was different this year...it definitely feels weird not to be with your own family on such an important holiday. But since my parents were out of town and Kris was having her in-laws over, I offered to have Dave's family over at our house, and despite my worrying everything turned out just fine. We taught Sunday School, had an awesome church service then came home and cooked up a storm. Our dinner was delicious! The boys hunted eggs in our backyard, and Daddy pitched balls to them later. It was a very enjoyable day!

I think part of why I was so joyful was that for the first time, I was truly focused on the TRUE reason we celebrate Easter. I mean, I have known from a very young age what it was about, but this year I was FOCUSED on what Jesus did for me. I FELT it all weekend. From Friday to Sunday, I could not stop thinking about the price He paid for us. And it was a wonderful feeling.

Hot Tubbin'

2010-03-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

Daddy finally cleaned the hot tub!

Hunter says, "Hey mom! I'm swimming!" This, from a child who is afraid of the water...

Coop says, "Hey mom...I'm a shark jumping out of the water." This from a child who is fearless...

And mommy finally got some pictures to blog. :)

World's Best Mariners Fans Visit Safeco...

2010-02-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

...and by "World's Best", I do mean my children...Hunter and Coop! There is no other way to describe them, actually - if anyone loves the Mariners, it's those two. I wanted to keep it a secret that we were taking them to Safeco for Fanfest, but they heard me talking to my dad about it and their little ears perked up. Even so, the anticipation was wonderful knowing that on that specific Saturday we'd be waking up early, driving to Seattle, and actually playing and running on that beautiful field! The word 'excited' just doesn't do it justice. They were ECSTATIC!

It wasn't all fun and games though. The standing-in-line part wasn't a big hit, and there was quite a bit of that while we were waiting to get into the field and also while we were waiting for an autograph. But after all that waiting, we got to do some amazing things...including catching a fly ball in the outfield, hitting a ball over the center field wall and running the bases. :) There were so many other fun things we could have done, but we simply didn't have enough time. Maybe next year...'cause I really wanted to visit the clubhouse and the weight room!

1 1/2 hrs. later and we were at the table where Chone Figgens and Casey Kotchman were signing autographs! Whew!

Yup...Hunter struck out Raul Ibanez. Look at that pitching form!

Coop tried too...his pitching skills need some work...but he's got the batting ones down!

Coop thought if he just stood there the ball would fall into his glove. LOL!

Hunter actually ran to catch his ball...it hit his glove, but fell to the ground.

Ummm...this picture is self-explanatory...

Me and the boys in the visitors' dugout.

Daddy and his boys. Maybe one day one of our kids will be sitting there playing! Okay, that is a big maybe, but hey...we can dream!

I will say that Dave did not only put the ball over the wall...he almost cleared the stadium! He is such a showoff...

I still got it! Ha!

It was a great day and it just confirmed what I have known all along, which is that we REALLY do have the MOST fun when we are all together as a family. Now please be sure to scroll down and take a peek at my post about Hunter's 8th birthday!

Say It Ain't So...Our Hunter is 8?!

2010-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, people, there is absolutely NO excuse for these posts being so late...truthfully, I have just been a lazy bum!

I guess the biggest news around here is that we have an 8 year old. I won't cry right now, since I already did that last week...but seriously, I just can't believe that Hunter is 8! But I'll tell ya this...he is the greatest 8 year old we know! We celebrated on his actual birthday, which was the 4th, by bringing cupcakes to his class during lunch. The kids have a tradition of singing Happy Birthday, but in between the "happy-birthday-to-you's", they shout, "cha cha cha". It is the funniest thing EVER! I am so glad I get to do things like this on my kids' birthdays...spending just a little time in the classroom tells me a lot about what their day at school is like.

Hunter's best friend, Ruben, got to hold the cupcakes while Hunter handed them out.

Then that evening we had family over for pizza, MORE cupcakes and rootbeer floats.

He got a lot of good stuff!

On Saturday, we had a few of his friends and cousins come to the bowling alley for a couple of hours of bowling, food and video games! We could not have had more fun even if we tried!

I just have to say that a bowling party is the way to go. They all had a blast! And when they got tired of bowling, they just played the video games (special thanks to Papa Gil and Papa Chuck and Daddy for supplying lots of quarters:).

And even though Coop's birthday is 6 months away, he is already planning his birthday...which will be at Chuck E. Cheese, the bowling alley and our backyard - LOL. He has big plans, I'm tellin' ya!

Thanks to all of you who that made it to one (or both) of Hunter's birthday parties! It wouldn't be the same without each of you there! He really knows he's loved, that's for sure...but I hope I don't have a nervous breakdown when he turns 9! Ahhhhh!

Our Boys...Always Makin' Us Proud!

2010-01-26T16:17:00.001-08:00

We are so proud of Hunter. He was chosen Student of the Month for his class for the month of December! Today was the assembly where parents could come and watch their children receive their certificates, so I took Coop and Kora with me. (They were actually very well-behaved, thank goodness)!

Mrs. Wysong usually mispronounces Hunter's last name, but neither of us noticed whether or not she did this time...we were too excited!

He actually got to go down to the front two times - he also got perfect attendace for 2nd quarter!

Hunter also brought home a very impressive report card today, which was like icing on the cake! We are so super proud of him for the effort he puts into the things he does. There are so many things about him that make him special, but the fact that he does well in school and shows respect to others are among the best!

While Cooper doesn't have awards like this in preschool, we have noticed lately that he has improved A LOT in writing his letters, numbers and his name! Preschool has definitely been good for Coop - not just for things like this, but for social skills, learning to play with others and learning to respect authority. We are still working on his speech - he has some trouble pronouncing the letters 's' and 'f'. But he makes us as proud as Hunter makes us, in the fact that he has become more eager to learn, to do his homework, and to be nice to everyone in his class. He loves to help me around the house, and he has such a tender heart...he really is a lovey little guy! What can I say? These guys are our life, and we feel so blessed to be their parents!

Frosty...

2010-01-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

The boys and I spent New Year's Day at my parents' house, since Dave was snowmobiling. We had quite a bit of snow, and I knew the boys would love to build a snowman, so we brought our snowclothes over and persuaded Nana & Papa to come outside and play with us!

It started out very innocent...a nice snowman and a couple of very cute snow angels. But Papa can't resist starting a good snowball fight, so soon we were all pelting each other with snow. Only two people cried...I'll let you guess who. LOL!

We had a nice lunch together, and played Sequence and Candy Land with Nana while Papa took a nap. We can always count on them to let us come hang out when Daddy's gone snowmobiling...it gets lonely sometimes!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Precious Christmas Memories...

2010-01-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was very special. It seems as though each year gets better and better, and I really think it's because our children are finally understanding the MEANING of Christmas! It is so special to hear them say things like, "This is the night that baby Jesus was born!", or "It doesn't matter if I get everything I wanted, it's more important that we are just all together on Christmas."

We opened our presents on Christmas Eve morning, to have our own family celebration. We invited my parents and my sister Ashlee over for a nice lunch, then spent the evening at Uncle Tony & Aunt Marci's house. The boys were so excited with what they got, and Dave and I were too!

Hunter really loved his new Bible (with his name on it), his John Cena PS3 game, his big Optimus Prime and his Nerf gun!

Coop was especially pleased with his John Cena wrestling ring, his Randy Orton wrestling figure and his John Cena shirt and beanie!

Christmas morning at Mom & Dad's is always fun. My favorite part is my mom's Christmas breakfast! After breakfast comes presents galore, and even though it takes a long time we all treasure each moment and each gift. It is especially fun to watch others' reactions to what we got them! My dad got my mom a gorgeous new wedding ring - it was a moment I'll remember forever - so sweet! We played cards and Apples to Apples, which turned out to be really fun, and ate so many sugar cookies that we all had belly aches that night!

Mom and Ash...such beautiful ladies. :)

Hunter got a REAL digital camera from Nana & Papa!

Coop's Buzz and Woody pj's from Uncle Kev & Aunt Kris!

REAL football helmets and jerseys!

The next day we had two different celebrations - my Nana & Grandpa's house, then Dave's family Christmas. Although we couldn't stay long at nana & grandpa's, it was still fun and we got to see some family that we don't normally get to see. The boys got some fun gifts from their cousins! And Dave's family get-together was equally exciting. We played games and ate yummy appetizers and opened gifts. Again, the boys got some fun toys - a remote control truck and a flag football set!

A Decepticon Transformer from Daniel..

A hamburger restaurant Play-Doh set from Brandi!

Grandma and Papa know how much Cooper loves Hot Wheels toys!

RC truck from Jakey!

The Kleinow grandsons...Taylor (12), Coop (4), Hunter (7), Jayden (5), Jake (7), Rykker (6)

I do have to admit that when Christmas is over, I always feel a little bit sad. I just love to have things to do, places to go, people to visit with - and when it's all over I can't help but feel depressed! But I am so thankful for the special times we spent together as a family this year, and all of God's many blessings! I'm sure when Christmas rolls around again, it will seem like this one just passed and we'll all be going, "Hey! Wasn't it just Christmas?!" Haha! I really hope you all had a blessed time too, and that this new year will be a special one!

First Weekend of December = Busy, Crazy Fun!

2009-12-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Friday night, Coop's preschool class sang a few songs at the town's annual Christmas tree lighting. He was so excited, and kept reminding all of us that we needed to get ready so we wouldn't be late. We were all under the impression that he wouldn't know any of the songs, since he couldn't even remember the words to Jingle Bells, but imagine our surprise when they put him smack in the middle of the pack and he sang the loudest! I SO WISH my camera would take video in the dark, because it was absolutely PRICELESS to watch his goofy grin while he sang the songs and did the motions. Several people were laughing at him, but in a good way. Our friends Caleb and Desi came to watch, and Uncle Leroy and Aunt Juanez ended up being there too, to meet some of their friends. So it was a nice (although very COLD) little gathering, and we all had a fun time.

Saturday was such a whirlwind day, but one of the best we've had in a long time. Dave & I got to go Christmas shopping by ourselves, while the boys stayed with Aunt Kris and Uncle Kev. We got a lot done, and managed to not even get into any arguments about what we bought! LOL! Then we rushed back to Grandview, picked out our Christmas tree, brought it home, put it in the stand and changed our clothes for the Lighted Parade. A quick stop at Starbucks for some coffee, cocoa and snacks, and we were ready! Dave brought his little heater, which we hooked up to our propane tank and sat in front of us on the sidewalk. Thank goodness we had that thing! It was a FRIGID evening...but when we saw Papa's float coming down the street, all of that numb, cold feeling went away for just a minute, because we were all so excited! Dad's City of Sunnyside float won 1st place in its division. He and all his friends were very pumped!

Dad & Mom drove the float, and there's Hunter cheering them on!

They even had the voices from the movie playing!

Up on top of the tractor is sad-looking Charlie, kneeling by his floppy tree.

We were finally able to get the tree decorated Sunday after church. And I must say, it looks much better with the lights and ornaments on it because I was afraid after getting it into the stand that I'd picked a dud...LOL! Tonight I have big plans for wrapping a few gifts, but I'm afraid once they're out there Cooper will not stop throwing fits to open some! So who knows... Wow, this has been a long post. I admire the bloggers who can just post a picture and a sentence. I, however, have the gift of story-telling, which I probably got from my dad...okay, which I ABSOLUTELY got from my dad - ha!

Thanksgiving, Bowling and Christmas Decorating, OH MY!

2009-12-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

There have been several blog-worthy events since Thanksgiving, so I'm wrapping them all into one!

Thanksgiving this year was spent with Dave's family. I always look forward to his mom's cooking, and she didn't disappoint this year...everything was YUMMY! She is the mother of all boys, and all of her boys have boys...no girls...so it gets pretty rowdy, but that's the way we like it. They all played football in the rain. I went out to take a few pics, but there was no way I was gonna stand out there and watch! LOL!

Friday, Kristal and I went shopping. Even though we didn't get up SUPER early, like all the other crazies, we did get a lot done. Dave and the boys wanted to go bowling when I got back, so we called my parents and they came with us. Dave's mom and stepdad ended up being down there too, so it was a true family affair! As always, Dave and my dad had the best scores and Hunter pouted the whole time because he wasn't "doing good". I think he gets his competitive attitude from my side of the family! Coop is a natural. He always makes sure we're all looking, then lets the ball go and watches it 'til it hits the pins...even if that is ten minutes later...LOL! I tried to stay even with my mom's score, and we did okay. :)

Finally, we got our house decorated - inside and out - for Christmas! I worked all day Saturday and had it almost done by the time Dave got home from snowmobiling. Sunday after church, Dave mustered up some Christmas spirit and got all of the outside lights and decorating done. I tried to help as best I could...and was actually a bit sore the next day! Whew...I'm out of shape!

We sincerely hope that this time of year is special for each one of our friends and family. More fun blogs to come, so check in often!

100th Post

2009-11-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

Several of my friends have gone with the tradition of sharing 100 random facts about themselves on their 100th post. I have loved reading those blogs, and I have been waiting a long time to do the same! So here goes...hope no one gets bored! LOL!

1. I have been thinking of things to put on this list for MONTHS! Now, for some reason, none of those things are coming to mind...darn it.

2. I am the oldest of three daughters.

3. I have always taken pride in the fact that I am 1/2 white and 1/2 Mexican.

4. My parents brought me up to believe in God and to have a personal relationship with Him. That has helped me in my life more than anything else.

5. I have been going to the same church, Mabton Grace Brethren Church, ALL MY LIFE! And I love it there.

6. My birthday is May 12, 1978. I expect everyone to make a big deal out of my birthday every year. And if they don't, I don't have any problems reminding them that they need to. Ha!

7. I really loved growing up in Mabton, even though a lot of people look down on the town. In my opinion, it was always very safe, and I had the best teachers.

8. Sports have always been a big part of my life, and I played 3 sports in high school.

9. I wouldn't say I was any good at any of those sports, but I knew the rules and the fundamentals. I just couldn't make my body do what my brain knew I should be doing!

10. I still have dreams about playing basketball, and I always make the winning shot - a 3 pointer at the buzzer. Man, that dream never gets old!

11. Speaking of basketball, my sister Kristal bumped into me and caused me to shove the girl I was defending...fouling me out of my last home basketball game of my career. I was very mad at her.

12. My sisters are extremely special to me, and I treasure the time I get to spend with them.

13. My middle name is Elena, after my grandma (my dad's mom). I am so glad I am named after her. She was very special to me, and died too young.

14. Speaking of grandparents, my nana and grandpa (mom's parents), have been married 55 years! I love my nana and grandpa SO much! My nana is a prayer warrior, and I have felt her prayers many times in my life.

15. I used to be the BIGGEST Michael Jordan fan. His posters were all over my room, which was painted black and white with red carpet (for his team, the Chicago Bulls).

16. I always had more friends that were boys than girls. I don't know why, but other girls hated that.

17. I played the trumpet in the band.

18. I wanted a saxophone, but I'm glad I never got one since I met my husband in the trumpet section of band class. :)

19. Playing the trumpet with braces on your teeth is not a joy. That is not a random "fact", but rather a statement I felt compelled to share with you all.

20. Yes, Dave was my high school sweetheart. His nickname was "Bird", because people thought he looked like Larry Bird.

21. When I told my dad I was "going out" with a boy named "Bird", he asked me what his real name was. I told him I'd have to ask the next day! LOL!

22. Our first date was to his Jr. prom. We looked goofy as heck, but at the time we looked pretty cool, I guess.

23. I didn't go to my Sr. prom because Dave had just had knee surgery and couldn't go. So I skipped mine and went with my friend Sam to his prom at White Swan. It was fun!

24. Ah, the White Swan crew who all went to church at Harrah Grace Brethren...WOW - I loved those guys so much!

25. We had the biggest youth group at my church when I was in high school. My parents and several others were the leaders.

26. Youth rallies and various churches every quarter and Camp Clear Lake every summer are times I will NEVER forget!

27. I went to Jr. Camp one summer (or maybe two - I can't remember), and was a counselor / cook helper. I got up early for kitchen duty, but it was worth it. Those were awesome kids!

28. I never had a job in high school, because I was always playing sports. I babysat, but that's about it...

29. I had always wanted to go to college, but seeing as how I thought I might be getting married soon, I opted to go to a junior college and live at home. Plus, I got my first job.

30. That job was waitressing at The Dykstra House in Grandview. My first night I made over 50 bucks in tips!

31. Linda, the owner, told me I "set beautiful tables"...I don't know if that's because I really did or she was just trying to find something nice to tell me. Waitressing was an awkward thing for me.

32. I was proposed to in front of my mom's entire family at my nana and grandpa's Christmas gathering. My Aunt Debbie held my hand because I told her I was scared. LOL!

33. We were married on August 9, 1997 at the Nazarene Church in Grandview.

34. We picked the 9th because 9 is Dave's favorite number. It was his football jersey and baseball jersey #.

35. We went to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Sea World and Knott's Berry Farm for our honeymoon.

36. Between the time we got married and then moved to Wenatchee to go to school, we lived in the parsonage (where Pastor and Jane live now). It was only for about a month.

37. We both completed our 2nd year of college at Wenatchee Valley College.

38. We worked at Easy Auto Wash. I ran the cash register and pumped gas and Dave ran the car wash.

39. I LOVE PUMPING GAS! Ha!

40. Being away from my parents was VERY hard for me, but Dave & I look back on that first year with fondness, because we were each other's only support system and we learned a lot about each other.

41. We came back to Grandview because Dave got his job at Horse Heaven Heating & Cooling.

42. Horse Heaven Heating & Cooling is now Horse Heaven Refrigeration...Dave acquired the business in 2005!

43. I loved the time I worked with the middle schoolers at Grandview Middle School. If I could get my job back there, I'd go in a heartbeat.

44. I sometimes feel bad that I never got my teaching degree. Maybe someday...

45. I bet you're wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about my kids!

46. Hunter Reece was born Feb. 4, 2002.

47. I loved being pregnant, but his delivery was horrible.

48. Cooper Chase was born Aug. 22, 2005.

49. Coop's delivery was a close one, but it was a piece of cake. :) Still loved being pregnant, but the morning sickness I could have done without.

50. MY BOYS ARE MY LIFE!

51. I love my husband, Dave, with all my heart.

52. He is a great example to our kids.

53. I am so proud of the man Dave has become. Before he had God in his life, he was headed down the wrong path, but now his faith is so strong and he is a wonderful head of this household.

54. I go back and forth with myself about whether or not I would like to have a little girl.

55. I was no good at potty-training, which kind of deters me from wanting another child!

56. I think picking boy names was WAY easier than picking girl names!

57. I had to know the sex of my babies. I can't stand for other people to know things and not tell me.

58. I have a VERY hard time keeping a secret, but I have gotten way better in the last few years.

59. I used to peek at my Christmas presents. I have grown out of that now.

60. Speaking of Christmas, I can't sleep on Christmas Eve! I have been this way since I was a little girl!

61. I do not like the green Tums. So if you come to my house and need a Tum, chances are you'll get a green one since that's all there is left! Ha!

62. Being a mom is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me.

63. Sometimes I do wish I did have a job outside of the home, since I am such a social butterfly, but I know it's best for me to stay home with my kids while they're small.

64. I feel extremely lucky to be able to stay home, because I know so many mom's who'd like to, but it is simply not an option for them.

65. I love Jesus!

66. I have a strong desire to make my relationship with Him deeper and more meaningful. I know everything I am and have is because of Him!

67. My oldest son, Hunter is so smart. He has a brain like a sponge, and it is full of random information that he just spurts out from time to time. He reminds me of myself when I was his age!

68. My youngest son, Coop, is a crazy spitfire of a child...he reminds me of his Dad!

69. I sometimes feel like I could use a class or a book about how to be a better mom. I love being a mom, it's just that I feel like I could be doing a better job!

70. Summer is my favorite time of the year.

71. This is mostly because of Dave and his softball team. Softball season is crazy, but we love it!

72. I have been known to occassionally yell at an umpire or two. Hey, I know the rules!

73. I especially enjoy it when Kev plays with Dave, that way I know if I need to yell at an ump, my sister Kristal will be there to yell with me!

74. Our Dad was a basketball referee and an umpire, and he took us to lots of his games. So we know what we're talking about!

75. I have some pretty special women in my life that I try to be like: my nana, my mom and my aunt Marci.

76. Cooking is not really my specialty, but I have gotten better thanks to 12 years of marriage!

77. I just learned how to make mashed potatoes last year. Not hard at all - don't know why I waited!

78. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. As far as I'm concerned, that is the only good part about winter.

79. Winter is hard, especially on the weekends, since Dave snowmobiles. I used to get really worked up about it, but now that I have kids, it's easier to just go with the flow than to argue about it.

80. That's something really special about Dave and I, is that we hardly ever argue. Seriously. It's kind of weird.

81. I have struggled with my weight since I had Hunter.

82. I desperately want to lose about 15 pounds, but I am not motivated at all. I know how to do it, but I have all kinds of excuses as to why I can't...basically I am lazy, I guess!

83. I believe in the power of prayer, and we are teaching our sons about it. I hope they grow up to know and love Jesus the way we do!

84. I clean my ears with a Q-tip about 3 or 4 times a day...not so much because they need cleaning, just because I think I have OCD. LOL!

85. I also wash my hands A LOT, which is part of that OCD, I believe...

86. I cannot just sit down and watch a movie. If we're at the theater that's okay, but when we're at home, I just can't do it. I don't know why. Dave gets annoyed with me about it.

87. I used to be paranoid about driving on the snow, but in the past few years I've been much more relaxed about it. Snow is fun for a few days, but I like it to melt the same day and start again in the morning.

88. Shopping on Black Friday used to be one of my favorite days to shop, but now it's not so much for the deals, it's just so I can go to the mall by myself! (Dave and the boys always hang out at home on that day).

89. I have been babysitting a little girl the past two school-years. Her name is Kora and she is almost 18 months old. She is a friend's baby. We love her so much!

90. I have vacation on the brain just about every day. I really want to take the boys to Disneyland! Just waiting for Coop to be tall enough to ride all the rides!

91. My best friend, Katy, is at Disneyland right now with her whole family! I miss her lots!

92. I am a Husky fan, and not ashamed of it! LOL!

93. I cannot wait until tomorrow at 10:00 AM because I am getting my hair cut and colored! Too many gray hairs!!

94. I am on Facebook way too much, but I am addicted to it.

95. I am especially addicted to the Bejeweled Blitz game. If you haven't tried it, you should. You can waste a lot of minutes playing that game!

96. Music is something that I really love. All kinds...but this time of year I like to rock out on the XM Holly station on my TV...Christmas music!

97. I am going to meticulously edit this post for spelling and grammar errors. I do not like it when those kinds of mistakes get past me and onto my blog!

98. I am thankful for all of my friends who read and comment on my blog. I sometimes get bummed out because I only get a few comments. I know, I am so attention starved...

99. Almost done - whoa! This has been really fun! Hopefully none of you are snoring yet...

100. I am truly blessed to be living this life God's given me. My joy and happiness is all because of Him!

Tuesday Night Fun

2009-11-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

The kids have been looking forward to the "Merry Madagascar" special that's been advertised on TV the last few weeks. FINALLY, yesterday was the day. We had a nice dinner (Coop ate it without too much whining and gagging). After that, we got in the hot tub for a little while, then came in and got all cleaned up. We had peppermint ice cream in our jammies and watched "Merry Madagascar". I love fun evenings at home with the family. Hopefully, these will be the times we'll remember forever...

Daddy lets the boys be wild, and Mommy is paranoid...

Awww, brotherly love...and goodness - what does Coop have in his teeth?!

Sacked Out...

2009-11-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

We took the boys to see Disney's "A Christmas Carol" movie. Dave & I loved it, but it's not for little kids...they were freaked out the whole time. Anyway, we got home, and about 7:30 they were both sacked out on the couch. Coop even has a cup of french fries in his lap. LOL! We were all in bed by 8:30 on a Saturday night. That's right, people...we're party animals over here.

Bumblebee and Optimus Prime Go Trick-or-Treating...

2009-11-01T19:06:00.001-08:00

Halloween this year was so fun. We haven't had a Saturday at home for over a month, and it felt so good to just wake up whenever we wanted and go at our own pace for once. We had a late breakfast, did some work around the house, Dave emptied the hot tub and cleaned the filters, we played some Rock Band and even took in a Grid Kids football game!

But after all of that came the funnest part of the day, which was when Optimus Prime and Bumblebee came out to play...and ask random strangers for candy.

Hunter, I mean Optimus, felt like he needed to walk everywhere with that gun-thingy pointed straight out. LOL. Made it hard to hold his hand! Coop, a.k.a. Bumblebee, walked around with his mask too high on his face, so I had no idea how he could even see.

I had to throw this pic in. It's my parents' front porch. It looked SO beautiful!

It was a very fun evening...the weather wasn't as cold as I thought it would be, and the boys held up pretty well. We didn't have any emotional break-downs or costume malfunctions, so that was a plus. Now we just need to figure out how to get rid of this candy! I'll give it a week, and when all the chocolate's gone, the rest is going in the garbage! LOL!

Building 429 / Todd Agnew Concert!

2009-11-01T18:48:00.001-08:00

On Friday night, Dave & I took Hunter to Calvary Chapel in Kennewick to see the Building 429 / Todd Agnew concert. It was a late night, but we were super glad for the fun evening spent together and the amazing music! Coop stayed at my parents' house, and helped Nana make some yummy Halloween cookies! He is quite the cookie-decorator...all of the cookies were FILLED with chocolate chips, sprinkles and candy corn! LOL!

Hunter had fun with his friends Gracie & Charlie

We love going to concerts...we have been to several in the last few years. We hope to continue this tradition, and maybe even start taking Coop with us one day soon!

Carving Pumpkins...Again!

2009-10-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, my parents came over and watched the kids while Dave and I went to the Life Options banquet. We came home to find two spooky-looking pumpkins on our front steps....

Hunter's pumpkin...ooooohhhh, scary!

Coop's pumpkin...even scarier, in my opinion. Ha!

Then last night, we decided we had another two pumpkins to carve, so we did those as well. We had fun, except I almost puked when I put my hands in to gut mine. I usually do get grossed out, but this one was BAD. Super slimy - yuck! I know, I'm such a whimp.

Coop drew all over one, which we decided not to carve...but he sure had a good time!

Hunter drew this one's scary face...he is quite the artist!

Dave's finished product! Not too shabby!

Mine - which was declared the winner by me. Ha!

Coop's, Dave's, Hunter's, mine - top to bottom

Carving pumpkins is seriously a tradition that will NEVER get old in our house. And I have a feeling the competition will continue to get better as the boys get older. I can't wait! Happy Halloween, everyone!

Last Soccer Game of '09

2009-10-19T12:42:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday was Hunter's last soccer game of the season. It sure flies by, and we are always a little bummed when it's over. Each year, we grow more and more attached to our teammates. They are such fun little guys, and we really love watching them and getting to know their parents, brothers and sisters. It really is like a little soccer-family!

Standing: Giodani and Xavier, Middle: Mark, Jorge and Trevor, Front: Ben and Hunter

Even Aunt Kris got in on the cheering action!

Xavier's grandma always brings snacks on the last day...and we are always so impressed with what she comes up with!

Hunter had his best game of the season, scoring 3 goals! We were all pleased with his performance, and went out to El Rancho Alegre to celebrate afterwards. Our Mondays and Thursdays will be free now, until April, when it all begins again!

Hunter's Walk-a-Thon

2009-10-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Friday morning was Hunter's annual Walk-a-Thon at school. He raised over $160.00 for his class, thanks to my dad taking his sponsor sheet to work. He also had some other very generous donors, like Uncle Tony & Aunt Marci and Aunt Angie & Uncle Dan. :) Last year he won the prize for the most money raised, and he was really trying to win that prize again. We'll see once all the money is counted.

Kora & I went over to the school to watch and cheer for Hunter's class. They ran for 20 minutes, and Hunter did 11 laps in that time. He ran a lot, but towards the end he got a little winded and walked a bit. I was very proud of him. And I think he was proud of himself too!

Each and every day, I thank God for giving me my boys. Hunter is so smart, kind and witty. Even when he is nervous or upset about something, he is always making sure I am okay. And Coop brings so much fun and laughter to our house. He keeps us on our toes, but we can't begin to imagine our lives without him. I am so blessed!

A Visit to the Fire Station

2009-10-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Coop's field trip to the fire station. I arranged to not have to babysit that day so I could go with him, and I was so glad I did! We had so much fun! Coop's "buddy" was his friend Justin. They had to hold hands wherever they went, so no one would get lost. Justin was decked out in his Cougar clothes, and Coop was wearing his Husky jacket, so it was pretty hilarious.

The fire chief gave the kids a lot of good tips on fire safety. They learned to stop, drop and roll and were allowed to sit in a fire truck. They LOVED that part. :) Coop definitely did his best to impress me yesterday. Each and every time the teacher asked them to do something, he had to inform me of what they were doing. However I did notice that he is not always paying attention and occassionally goofs off when he's supposed to be listening, so I didn't know if it was just because I was there or if he acts like that all the time...hmmmmm.

It is such a joy to be able to go with my boys on their field trips. I have been going along on nearly all of their fun trips since Hunter was in preschool, which was 3 years ago! And even though they are the same kind of thing every year (police station, fire station, pumpkin patch, park, etc.) they never get boring! I hope these are times we all remember forever!

Fair Fun...Puyallup Style!

2009-09-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to Seattle to celebrate my little sister Ashlee's birthday, and to go to the Puyallup fair. We went along with my parents and my other sister Kristal, and we all stayed at our friends' Lee & Pam's house. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN! Friday night, we had pizza and cake & ice cream. Sean (Ash's boyfriend), Uncle Tony, Aunt Marci, Karmen, Geramy, Kara and D all came. It is so funny when we all get together because we are constantly laughing. Let's just say it was super loud, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Then Saturday we all went to the Puyallup fair. The weather was perfect, so we went early in the morning so we could ride the rides before it got too busy. The boys and I rode the Giant Slide, then they rode a few different things like the Tiger roller coaster and the cars and helicopter. We went through a few animal barns and saw some cute piglets and rabbits. There were a lot of things we didn't get to see, but the boys had about had it after the ice cream wore off, so we accepted the fact that we weren't going to get to see the entire fair and left before it got out of hand. LOL!

Ash rode with Hunter

I rode with Coop

Neither one of them would put their hands up...

We ate corn dogs, curly fries, ice cream and snow cones. And Dave stuffed down a Philly cheesesteak on the way out-ha! The adults got to ride a few roller coasters too, which was fun. I love rides. Speaking of rides...

I have always said that I wanted to do the Slingshot - the thing that bungees you way up high in the air. Except that whenever we are at the Yakima fair we are always alone, with no one to watch our kids. I had always assumed Dave would go with me...so here we are at the fair, with family to watch our kids, and no one wants to go with me. FINALLY, Ash stepped up and said she'd go, so Dave gave us the $$ and we went. And OH.MY.GOSH...it was the craziest, most scary and fun thing I've ever done! It was sooooooo awesome! I would do it again and again and again if it didn't cost so dang much-haha! I am so glad I had the experience, and that I got to do it with my little sis. The video doesn't capture the whole ride, but it gives you an idea. So enjoy! And if anyone ever needs a partner on that thing, you just call me up! Next big thrill: Skydiving!

Seaside / Tillamook Vacation!

2009-09-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so everyone knows we have been wanting to go to the ocean for a long time. I only put it as my Facebook status, like, every other day. Haha! Well, Dave was able to get away for a couple of days so we took advantage of it...booked a hotel in Seaside for two nights and spent the other two nights camping with Dave's family in Tillamook. We had the best time! It was so relaxing and fun, and we can't wait to go back very soon. Like tomorrow would be good. Don't forget to click on the collages to see the pictures better!

Coop hadn't been to the beach since his 1st birthday, so I don't think he even knew what to expect, but it didn't take him long to figure out that there were a million fun things he could do there. His favorite things to do were playing EVERY game at the arcade, and sitting in the sand and drawing things with his finger. Oh, and swinging on the swings on the beach. He could have done that all day! He was a little ticked when he found out he'd have to be a passenger on the Go-Karts, and that he had to ride with me instead of his Daddy, but he lightened up a bit after we got out there. He says we won, but actually we came in second-to-last! Oh well...

Hunter knew exactly what to expect. That kid has an awesome memory, because he remembered a lot from the last time we were there in 2006. He loved playing Deal or No Deal and Skee Ball at the arcade, and he was the main construction guy on the big sand castle we made. He found TONS of shells and sand dollars, and he could have spent all day running away from the waves. He gets that from his Daddy, I suppose. Dave is the same way. :) Hunter was a real trooper when it came to taking a break to do some of his homework, since his teacher thought it would be appropriate to send home 4 reading things and about 10 math things. Ugh, don't even get me started! He finished it all though, and we were super proud of him.

As for me and Dave, we just had fun being together. It is so great for me to see my husband enjoying himself, laughing and playing with the boys. He works so hard every day, trying to keep up with all the aspects of running a business and he really deserved these few days to relax and have fun with his family.

Camping in Tillamook was nice too. It rained the first night we were there, and although we stayed dry in our tent, most of our other stuff got soaked. But it cleared up that afternoon and we had beautiful weather the rest of the time, thank the Lord! Dave's brother and his family and their mom and uncle were also there. We picked a pretty spot to spread Dave's grandma's ashes in the water. It was very peaceful, but emotional - kind of hard to explain. We know though, that whenever we come to the ocean, we will "visit" Great Grandma. :)

My favorite picture...

Sorry this has been such a long blog! I could have just posted pictures, but you know me...I love to tell a story. We are so thankful for this little getaway, and are sure it will be something we remember forever! Tune in next week for Puyallup Fair pics! Haha!

Sisters

2009-09-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day we had a big family BBQ at my Nana & Grandpa's house. Mostly all of my mom's family was there, except for just a few. Thankfully, my baby sis Ash moved to Seattle after living in Idaho for almost a year, and she was able to drive over and spend the long weekend with us! I always have big intentions of getting everyone together for a family pic, but of course I forgot. But I did have my mom snap a few pics of me, Kristal and Ashlee. I love my sisters so much, and I'm so thankful God gave them to me! They truly make the best friends, and I know I can count on them for anything. We totally embrace the fact that we are a family of 3 sisters and no brothers, and take pride in the fact that we know A LOT more about sports than most girls (thanks to Dad. :)

Kris and Ash...always my sisters, forever my friends.

Watch Out, Preschool...Here Comes Coop!

2009-09-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

Coop started Bethany Preschool today. He has been asking, "How many sleeps..." until he got to go, and finally last night I told him it was "one more sleep 'til preschool!" Boy, he got the biggest goofy grin on his face after hearing that! :) He woke up bright and early this morning, took a bath, got dressed and ate breakfast...all without one complaint. I thought to myself, "Whoa! This preschool thing is gonna be good!" Because he hardly ever does any of those things without a fight!

We had a busy morning, but finally it was time to go. So I loaded Coop (and Kora) into the car and we were off! We pulled up, got out, took a quick picture in front of the steps and took him into his classroom. One of his teachers showed him where to hang his backpack. He gave me a big kiss and hug goodbye, and ran off to play! No tears, no whining...it was really wonderful! He has never done anything like this by himself. Usually when we leave him somewhere, Hunter is always with him. But today he acted like such a big kid and I was so happy and pleased. My little guy is really growing up.

Trying to look cool for the camera...

"Awww, c'mon Mommy! Enough pictures!"

So here I sit, with both of my boys gone. It's just me and Kora, who's actually sleeping right now. And I'm going, "It is WAY too quiet in here...BUT...I get to watch what I want on TV! Woo Hoo!".

H-Dawg's 1st day of 2nd grade!

2009-08-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Today was Hunter's first day of school. He's a big 2nd grader now...I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that, but I'm holding it together. Kora is here today, too. It actually feels good to get up early and get some things done before the kids are awake. I managed to get dishes done, as well as laundry started and breakfast made before 8:00! We didn't seem to have any trouble getting back into the swing of things...hopefully everyone will adjust easily! Here are the annual First-Day-of-School pictures - Hunter sure is changing and growing each year! Coop too, for that matter!

Awww, these guys actually love each other, they just don't act like it most of the time!

Hunter, Kora and Coop - they were all excited to see each other this morning!

This is Hunter's 1st day of 1st grade picture...

1st grade seems like just yesterday...:(

1st day of Kinder...waaaaaa! Ok, maybe I shouldn't have done this...

Hunter has chubby cheeks in this pic! And look how teeny Coopie is!

Well, Cooper starts preschool in a week or two, so we'll have more pictures to share on that day. I'm praying he adjusts to that well. Getting up and eating and getting dressed has always been on HIS time, and we'll have to hurry him up - not sure how he'll deal with that. We will just have to wait and see!

Coop Turns the Big 4!

2009-08-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Friday night we had Coop's 4th birthday party. The weather was perfect for a backyard party, and everyone enjoyed themselves. We had 6 kids here, which was perfect for the pinata-hitting...even Dave, Ryno and Uncle Jr. joined in the fun. :)

Ohana (my cousin Chris's daughter from Ohio), Naya, Coop, Zags, Hunter, Keirrah, Kaitlyn

Coop takin' a wild swing at the pinata!

Ohana was a little timid at first, but then she got into it...

Everyone else's bags were full of candy, but Coop's was only half full so the girls shared. :)

Coop got a TON of cool presents...he actually had fun opening them this year!

Mommy's favorite present...a Bumblebee Transformer costume from Aunt Kris & Uncle Kev.

The next day, which was Coop's actual birthday, we had a Trevino family reunion up at my Aunt Mindi's house. It was so good to see everyone and the cousins had lots of fun playing together. We don't get together very often, and my Uncle Jr. hadn't been here from Ohio for two years, so it was really special.

Rylin, Hunter & Coop, Trevyn, Sydnie, Brielle and Ohana

Uncle Jr. , my dad, cousin Troy and his wife Susan, Uncle Ruben and his wife Denise.

Uncle Jr. , Uncle Ruben, my dad, Aunt Mindi

Had to throw this one in...two tired parents after two days of birthday celebrations!

4th Place at State!

2009-08-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we went to Bellingham (Ferndale, actually) for Dave's State softball tournament. We weren't sure how we'd do, since we only had 10 guys and the season has been a bit disappointing, but they really showed what they were made of and came home with a 4th place plaque! Out of 18 teams, we all thought that was pretty darn good.

The season is dying down now, but we've had a lot of fun. Our softball friends are really special to us, and we love spending time with them. We do a lot of laughing and joking around, that's for sure!

The kids are not allowed in the dugout, so they just have to stand outside of it and cheer. :)

Coop has that Mariners hat on ALL THE TIME!

Between games...adjusting the knee brace. He's sore, but happy. :)

Nice red pants!

I'm sad Coop has his eyes closed, otherwise this would be a sweet picture!

Dad and his biggest fans...Coop and dorky Hunter!

Hunter had just proclaimed that he "hates tournaments", but he looks pretty happy here...

Coop and Samantha are birthday twins...born the same day/same year/same hospital. :) They are best buds whenever we're at games.

Dave's team: Demolition Softball - 4th place State Championships 2009

In two more days, we'll be heading to Wenatchee for another State Championship in a different association. We're hoping we can do even better this time!

The Adventures of Hunter & Cooper at Woodland Park Zoo

2009-07-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, Kris and I took the boys to Seattle to the Woodland Park Zoo. We left around 8:00 AM and got home around 7:00 PM. It was a long day, but it was totally worth it. The last time we'd been to a zoo (Portland), Coop wasn't even 1 and Hunter was only 4. So it was definitely time to go again. The weather was perfect, the food was good, the boys walked all around the trails without complaining once, and all-in-all it was just a wonderful day. I hope it will be a day trip that we all remember for a long time.

Here they are in this little hut...I told them they were in jail. And they rode the carousel, which was huge!

Hunter's favorite...the jaguar. It was SO beautiful! Coop didn't want to pose for the picture though, because he didn't realize there was glass there and didn't want to turn his back on the animal...hahaha!

Coop's favorite...the elephants!

We laughed because we were saying this guy looked like he had his nose in the corner!

Other fun things were the brown bears, the otters and the reptile/rain forest shed.

Hunter was so cute, he had to read all the information on all the animals. Sometimes we wanted to quickly take a peek and move on, but there he was, standing at the information board just soaking in all the info. He is so smart! He walked all around with the map in front of his nose, and one funny thing he said was, "Okay. We're headed for the arctic fox next, so it's probably gonna get a little cold." LOLOL! I could not stop laughing. Coop was a real trooper. He desperately wanted to see his elephants and the giraffe, but they happened to be at the end of the loop. He was pretty patient, which is hard for him. I think the next time we go we'll have to drag Daddy along...we missed him!

Raging Roosters Season Comes to an End...

2009-07-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Yet another baseball season has come to an end. Our Raging Roosters had their last game last Thursday, and OH - MY - GOSH it was so hot! Dave got it into his head that we needed to have a pizza party after the game, so we bought six pizzas and had them delivered to the fields. We handed out certificates, and had pizza, Capri Suns, and cupcakes...all the things kids love. :)

The season went really well. Each time we left the fields, Dave & I would remark to each other how we thought the kids were really improving. Even the little girls who could barely hit the ball at the beginning of the season were hitting bombs during the last game! It made us so proud. Cooper even got to hit the last two games. The other coaches didn't mind, and he is so persistent when it comes to baseball, we just had to let him. He hit it really far, and ran around the bases and even slid into home plate. He was beaming the whole rest of the night.

Dave started pitching to Hunter over-handed, and I think he hits way better like that. He hit his farthest hits the last two games, and it was fun watching him run all the way around the bases, that huge grin on his face. I love to see my kids excelling in a sport they truly love. I guess it's just in their blood. Oh, and I have to say, we had the best looking uniforms of all the teams. We go for the bold colors, you know...gotta be noticed.

We had an extra certificate, so we made one for Cooper. It's hanging on his bulletin board in his room.

Hunter looking lonely in the outfield...

Orange shirts with navy blue script...a shirt I wear proudly, but Dave says he'll probably never wear again - haha!

Old Yard, New Yard

2009-07-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Dave has spent countless hours out in our backyard, and it is finally almost finished! Here are the before/during/after pictures...

BEFORE:

As you can see, there is a slope to the right. I have slid down that thing more times than I can count!

We took off the railing of our deck, because that was where the retaining wall was going to be.

This picture was taken from the top of our hill. Kora's sitting in the high chair talking to Dave - haha!

DURING:

Here, the wall has been put up, but as you can see, the caps need to be stuck on with mortar.

Dave's friends came and helped him cut the caps and mortar them on. It was a HOT day, but they were troopers.

The steps still need poured in this picture, but the dirt is pretty level, thanks to Dave's endless raking. And raking. And raking.

Next came the sod. It went down quickly, and the weather was perfect.

Steps look okay. It's nice to have them, that's for sure!

Those fence poles have since been cut down to a nice size. Dumb neighbors made that fence, then left the poles sticking up in the air like that! How tacky!

AFTER:

The view from the back fence

We are looking forward to planting shrubs and flowers along the fences!

The view from my bedroom door.

We are planning on having a "HOORAY, OUR YARD IS DONE" party soon. I can't wait for everyone to see it!

Long Time, No Blog!

2009-07-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, people...it occurred to me today that I have been a terrible blogger! There have been so many fun things I could have blogged about, but I have been doing other things. These things include trying to beat some of you at Bejeweled Blitz and Farkle on Facebook - haha! No, but seriously though, we have been keeping ourselves pretty busy around here!

Hmmmm....so where do I start? I think I will just have to do one blog a day until I'm caught up, otherwise this would be a terribly long post! And even though it was almost a month ago, I really have to start with Hunter's last day of school.

He had a very wonderful teacher this year, Mrs. Aguilar. She was kind and patient and Hunter really loved her. I would have loved to go in and help a lot more, like I did when he was in Kindergarten, but since I had Kora it was kind of hard! He had a super year, got Student-of-the-Month for January, his report card was outstanding, and we are just soooo proud of him!

Coop always has to get in on Hunter's big moments - haha!

Hunter, Isaac, Alonzo

Congratulations, Hunter - you are a 2nd grader!

A Surprise Visit...

2009-05-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last week Coop and I were in my room folding laundry, when we heard a strange noise outside on the deck. I peeked out and saw a mama duck quacking loudly at her TEN baby ducklings! I quickly grabbed my camera and picked Coop up (since he had no shoes). Our yard is in the process of getting totally redone, and it was pretty filthy out there, but we still had fun following them around the side of the house and watching them cross the street to the canal. Coop could NOT stop giggling. :) Heck, I couldn't either, for that matter!

Here's the mama with two of her babies...the others are down on the deck

Oh gosh, I wish I would have cropped those dandelions out of there - haha!

Hunter was so upset when we told him about it after school. He keeps going out there everyday and running in excitedly saying, "Mom! I think the ducklings came back because I just went outside and I saw some baby duck footprints!" LOLOL!

When the yard is done, I'll do a before/after post...it's going to be incredible! We can't wait 'til it's done!

Field Trip Fun!

2009-05-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Hunter's class went on a field trip to the Children's Museum and Howard Amon Park in Richland. I offered to chaperone, but got to thinking that Cooper would probably like to go too, so he and I just drove up and joined in on the fun. It was a super day!

Katy, Cole, Joey, Eli and Faith met us there for lunch, too! Gracie was at school, but we missed her. :) Hunter and Cooper were so happy to see those guys, that they just played and played the whole time, and Hunter hardly even played with anyone from his class! The weather was absolutely perfect - not too hot, not too cold. All in all, it was a really great day, and we were so pleased to be able to spend time with our good friends, The Isley's! We can't wait 'til school's out so we can do all kinds of fun stuff with them whenever we want!

Hunter on the zip-line - so fun!

Coley, Coop, JoJo and Hunter - best pals!

Mother's Day Moments...

2009-05-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, this may come as quite a shock to some of you, but to most of you who know me - you will laugh in agreement that this statement I am making about myself is true: I love days that celebrate...me. Namely, Mother's Day and my birthday - which this year just happen to be two days apart. Tomorrow we will celebrate my 31st birthday, but this post is about the wonderful Mother's Day I spent with my beloved family yesterday. It was one of the best, funnest days EVER!

First, I just have to brag about what my hubby did for me on Saturday. I spent all day at church having a fabulous ladies' retreat day with a bunch of really fun women. And boy, did he and the boys have some surprises for me when I got home that night - a beautiful new ceiling fan installed in the living room and a huge new patio umbrella on the deck! (Our old one had gotten broken last week during a wind storm). I'm tellin' ya...Dave out-does himself EVERY YEAR!!

Then on Sunday morning, I got some really sweet homemade cards from the boys and a Target gift card! I am so spoiled, it's not even funny. :)

Sunday morning, we took Dave's mom and family out to breakfast. We had a really fun time together and ate some really yummy food. Even the boys ate a little, which was a plus because I didn't have to yell at them on Mother's Day...or at least not at that moment, haha! We got to see them all again that night, when we went over to their house for ribs and baked potatoes! Everyone was laughing at me when I told them I'd never eaten ribs before. Seriously! And they were sooooooo good! I made such a mess! :)

Between breakfast and dinner, we went to church, and were uplifted and encouraged by Pastor Paul's great sermon on moms. Then we enjoyed a barbeque with my parents and a whole bunch of family and friends. The day just couldn't have been any better - well it could have if Ash could have been there! (Plus, mom made me a birthday cake, and we all know how excited that made me - LOLOLOL!) Oh, and Cooper gave me a mother's day head-butt and split my lip open when I was chewing him out for throwing a fit...now that is one Mother's Day moment I'll never forget!

I adore these women - my Aunt Marci, my Mama, and my Nana.

It has lately become impossible to take a nice family picture...someone either has their eyes closed or is picking their nose!

I sincerely hope all of you who are moms had a wonderful day full of blessings and laughter!

Mariners and Funland...You Can't Get Much Better Than That!

2009-04-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

"Am I gonna get an Ichiro Bobblehead, mama?" Imagine that being asked about a million times, and try to guess which one of my children was asking this the entire way to Seattle. Yup, it was my sweet Cooper - he is Ichiro's biggest fan, didn't you know? Haha!

We really enjoyed ourselves last Friday and Saturday, and the boys were very well-behaved the whole time, which was wonderful. The weather couldn't have been any nicer, and we all came home feeling happy and joyful. (Except for poor Hunter, who was enduring some pretty nasty coughing and an earache).

The game was one of the best the M's have played this season. It didn't start out very good, but they had a big inning in the 5th, and ended up winning! We had great seats and pleasant fans around us - no one with stinky garlic fries and no one drinking too much alcohol. Coop even managed to get some peanuts from the guy behind us and some cotton candy from the lady to the left of us. He just said, "Hey, I want some of that!", and they just handed it over...the kid is too stinkin' cute, that's the problem. Haha!

We spent the night with our friends, Lee & Pam, and then went over to Funland and had the best time. Go Karts, Bumper Boats, mini golf and lots of arcade games. We were there for about 3 hours and were going, going, going the whole time. Everyone was ready to come home, though, because when the tokens finally ran out we didn't even hear any complaints, which doesn't happen very often. :) We'll definitely be going back there...in the summer when we can actually shoot water at people while we're in the Bumper Boats!

Hunter was excited until he realized he couldn't drive his own car, then his smile turned into a frown...

Handsome Coop and Handsome Daddy...

We tried to go fast, but I had it floored and it wasn't fast enough...we were passed by several teenagers, much to Hunter's embarrassment!

Hooray! Finally something Hunter could do without an adult!

Our Easter Celebration

2009-04-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well, Easter Sunday could not have been any better. I am especially thankful for the awesome music and message during our church service! I am getting goosebumps just thinking about it! Knowing Jesus was beaten and put on the cross for ME...now that is pretty humbling. Saying I'm thankful doesn't even begin to express my gratitude. And just imagining the stone being rolled away to reveal an empty tomb?! How amazing and wonderfully exciting! So thank you, Dana, and Pastor Paul for a really encouraging and uplifting service. My entire family appreciated it. :)

Sunday morning brought both excitement and chaos to our house. Hunter was up especially early, and ran out to the living room to see what had been put in his basket. He kept running into our room and telling us what he got. Dave and I were half asleep, and informed Hunter he'd better not wake Cooper up...it's not every day that Coop sleeps past 7:00 AM! When Coop finally did wake up around 8:00 and asked if it was "Easter Bunny Day" for the billionth day in a row, and we said "yes", he ran out to find...his basket had totally been emptied by his big brother! Hunter had not only looted through his own basket, but taken everything out of Coop's basket, too! He got a little talking-to, and then proceeded to look like this the rest of the morning. You'll notice his lack of enthusiasm...

At least someone's happy!

As usual, we forgot to have someone take a picture of all of us, so we just have these. Remember to click on the collages and they'll get a lot bigger.

BBQ lunch and easter egg hunting in Uncle Dan and Aunt Angie's awesome yard!

Cloudy skies could not stop these kids! Jenae, Jace, Hunter and Coop made a haul! Poor Trey slept through the whole thing....he was one tired little guy! After that we went over to visit with Dave's family for a bit. The kids played the Wii and ate more candy. :)

We are so blessed to have families who love and care for us. We look forward to big holidays like this because we know we'll see family and have good food and a lot of laughs. What a great reason to celebrate - Resurrection Sunday! Thank you, Jesus...for loving us the way you do...

Backyard Blues

2009-04-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been wracking my brain trying to think of a blog-worthy event to post about. It has been a LONG time! We had an uneventful spring break, and I haven't taken any pictures of anything for ages. But THIS...THIS is something I can blog about. It doesn't have anything to do with my kids, though, which is kinda wierd!

Some of you may remember the problems we had in our backyard last summer. It had to do with irrigation pipes getting plugged up in the back corner of our yard and causing some pretty horrendous flooding. Not to mention, we had it turned completely off and the people who use it and need it were upset! (It is important to note that we pay for irrigation water, but we don't get to use it - we water with city water). After contacting the city and the irrigation district, no one would claim responsibility, so some nice men who actually need the water decided to come into our yard and fix the problem....or so we all thought!

Two days ago, the irrigation water was turned on and we had flooding! Again! Only this time the nice men came back and found the entire line in our yard was being plugged up by tree roots. They brought in a little tractor and dug up the entire line and are in the process of replacing the whole thing - all the way across the back fence, and down the right side of our yard.

I am not complaining. It is a little inconvenient that our boys can't play out there right now (especially since the weather has been so nice), but we are really thankful that these men have been so diligent and kind about fixing the problem. They understand it's not our fault our house was built over these crazy irrigation lines, and they are just doing what they have to do to get the problem fixed so that they can water their cherries! They have even offered to replace our torn-up grass with brand new sod. We thought that was very generous.

Tonight is Hunter's first soccer game of the season. We'll be doing soccer every Thursday for six weeks. We're all super excited! Spring soccer weather can be a bit crazy, but it's great to just get out and do something after being cooped up in the house all winter.

I promise to be a better blogger, for those of you who enjoy keeping up with what we're up to. Tune in Monday for Easter pictures!

Two Black Eyes and the Flu

2009-03-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this morning Hunter woke up with his left eye all puffed up...nearly swollen shut! I'd noticed all weekend that it was a little red, but this was waaaaayyy worse. I didn't think to take a picture, I just grabbed our antibiotic eye drops (it also happened in July, so we had medicine) and have been putting them in every three hours. After the first drops at 8:00 AM, the puffiness went considerably down! Now as I write this, it actually looks pretty good, but Dave just called me over and told me to look at the white part of Hunter's eyeball, which has a huge scratch on it...Coop probably scratched him. Ugh! Anyway, I just took a picture of his eye. You can tell it's swollen on the top lid and underneath, too. We'll continue to put the drops in for a few days - hopefully the drops will heal it up soon.

THEN - this afternoon Coop totally slammed into the front door and hit his face on the doorknob. I could tell it hurt because he did a sort-of "holding my breath" kind of cry. He finally told me where he hit and I could see his right eye swelling up pretty good. About ten minutes later there was a purple doorknob print right around his eye. OH. MY. GOSH.

All this on a day where Dave stayed home from work because he felt like he was getting the flu...he feels better now though, thank goodness! I have been doing a lot of praying over my family today...for God's healing touch in their bodies. I love these guys sooooo much, that I physically feel their pain when they're hurting! Currently they're all snuggled up watching that stupid show I despise, Monday Night Raw (wrestling). But at least they're all feeling somewhat better. It's safe to say eye'm ready for this day to be over and start fresh tomorrow! LOLOL!

Bikes and Bruises

2009-03-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hunter got a new bike for his birthday. So a couple of weeks ago, Dave decided Hunter needed to learn how to ride it. I know, I know...he should ALREADY know how to ride his bike, but a few summers ago he took a spill in the park and he's been deathly afraid ever since. Hunter started off pretty scared, but with Daddy right beside him he got a little better and a little better...until he took another spill. So sad. Here are some pictures I took from the garage (our driveway was all torn up that weekend, waiting for our concrete). We are anxiously awaiting warmer weather so we can get out there and practice some more! There are going to be a lot of days this summer when we're going to want to ride our bikes over to Nana and Papa's to swim and slip n' slide!

Notice, he's stopped pedaling now that he feels Dave's hand let go of him...CRASH!

I know it's been a long time since I've blogged...we've been really busy, but I haven't taken many pictures! I promise there will be more blogging soon - softball starts this weekend! Yay!

The Elk-Feeding Station

2009-02-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday after church, Dave announced for us to change our clothes and grab our coats because he was taking us on a little outing. I was happy, because we'd spent all day Saturday cooped up in the house .... not fun. We grabbed a snack for the ride, then headed out.

We ended up at the elk-feeding station in Naches! The boys were ecstatic! There were tons of elk, and a lot of people there that had the same idea as us. The only bad part was that the majority of the elk were a long way from where the people could stand, so we couldn't actually see a whole bunch of them ... apparently they don't like people gawking at them while they eat? Lucky for us, we had the binoculars. :)

We love Daddy for all the fun places he takes us!

Party Pictures

2009-02-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting pics from Hunter's parties. Yes, I said parties! Last Wednesday was a busy day for us, but it was totally worth it to see how happy Hunter was all day long. I have nothing else to say, except that I love that little boy with my whole heart. He is such a blessing!

Coop decorated all the cupcakes, which we took to Hunter's classroom at lunchtime.

It was pure 1st grade silliness for about 20 minutes, but it was great :) I feel like I fit right in!

Whoa - cool Batman cake!

Cool! A Transformers game for the PS3! (He's been playing it non-stop)!

AND - a red & black bike from Nana & Papa...just what he asked for!

Then on Saturday we had his "friend" party at the roller-rink, which was lots of fun too. We had 8 kids there, plus their parents. The kids skated, played games in the arcade section, got their faces painted and we had cupcakes, ice cream and juice. It was a long afternoon, but again, totally worth it. You can click on the collage below to see the pictures better.

Now I'm planning a party for Dave! Whew, they never end around here!

Hunter Turns 7

2009-02-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Today is Hunter's 7th birthday! I have to admit that last night after I got done reading to him and we were talking and laughing, I actually SAW the last 7 years flash before my eyes and I had to leave the room before I started to cry :( I saw his crazy curly hair and his chubby

2-year-old cheeks and his proud big-brother grin..... where has the time gone?!

Here is our little guy when he was 4 days old. We went to the hospital late Sunday night (Super Bowl Sunday), but the contractions had stopped by the time we got there. (Nothing like being first-time parents and jumping the gun :) But they let us stay and rest, and induced me at 6:00 AM the next morning.

The whole "giving birth" thing kinda did a number on me, as they'd gotten the epidural too high, which made me numb from my neck down! And Hunter's heartbeat dropped way down right before he was born because the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, so that was VERY scary. But our families were there to support us and help us through, and Hunter Reece Kleinow was born at 2:57 PM on that sunny Monday afternoon.

He had a ton of brown curly hair and weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 1/4 inches long. He was perfect! He was such a happy, silly baby and everyone adored him. Being the first grandchild on my side and the second on Dave's side, he was pretty much SPOILED!

His hair soon turned blonde, and grew into this huge mess. We cut his hair, but it just got curlier!

We honestly thought it was cute at the time, but whenever we look back at the pictures, Dave & I look at each other and say, "We let him go out in public looking like this?" Haha!

He's been to a TON of Mariner games in his short life! We've made him into a life-long fan :)

And boy, does he LOVE his Daddy!

Here he is with me and Aunt Kris on his 3rd birthday. He was a Nemo fanatic!

Preschool and Kindergarten flew by, and here we are with a 7-yr. old 1st grader! There are so many things we love and appreciate about Hunter. He is kind and compassionate; he can tell when you need cheering up. :) He is obedient (for the most part) and always tries to do the right thing. He is helpful! He is a great big brother! He is SMART and is great at all kinds of sports. Also, he is a superb video game player...( I thought maybe he'd like it if I put that in - haha :)

Hunter ~ We love you SOOOO much and you've made us so proud. We hope your birthday is as awesome as you are! Love ~ Mom

Super Bowl Sunday

2009-02-02T11:16:00.001-08:00

We were all very excited to watch this year's Super Bowl on our new TV! We invited a few people over, but no one came. Soooooo....we had our 1st Annual No-One's-Coming-To-Our-Super-Bowl-Party party! WooHoo!

Dave & I made some delicious enchiladas, I whipped up my first-ever bowl of Pico de Gallo (which turned out to be VERY good), and we ate an entire bag of peanut M&M's, along with a ton of other snacks. It was a great afternoon! After all - it can never be boring around here with two rambunctious boys bouncing all over the living room when you're trying to watch a football game, right? :)

Here are some good pics of us in our awesome 3-D glasses...which Hunter declared "didn't even work that good!" LOLOL!

Coop's glasses were all bent by the time it was actually time to use them.

Oh, how trendy are we?!

They had to wear their jerseys, you know!

We were really sad the Cardinals lost, but oh well, we still love Kurt Warner! Maybe next year the Seahawks will be in the Super Bowl! Ha! And maybe we can invite some people off the street over to our house for some good food, since the people we know don't seem to want to come over :) I'm not bitter or anything.

Bowling!

2009-01-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I was feeling a bit down-in-the-dumps, so my wonderful husband decided to cheer me up by taking me & the boys bowling. I LOVE BOWLING!! I am by no means GOOD at bowling, but I love it anyway. I always try to beat Dave, and I have at least once - but this particular evening I was off my game. I think the boys even beat me the last game! Anyway, I took a few pictures...

Dave's approach to bowling is to throw the ball as hard as possible. It works for him :)

Coop ALWAYS starts clapping his hands when it's his turn :)

Hunter is EXTREMELY competitive! If he doesn't do well he slumps in a chair and pouts. He seriously thinks he should get a strike every time! He gets much better, though, as the game goes on. Thank goodness!

If any of you ever want to go bowling, give us a call! We'll be there!

The Loss of Someone Special

2009-01-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

This is my dear Uncle Leif, who tragically passed away this past Thursday. It has been extremely hard for me to accept that he's gone. I've been wandering around my house thinking about him, remembering and wishing I could do something to make it all better. The only thing I could think of was posting a blog about him. So here goes...

When I met my Uncle Leif about 26 years ago, I instantly liked him. He was silly and fun. And we could tell he liked us too. He would talk like Donald Duck, which made us giggle and giggle. And he & Aunt Mel gave us the best Christmas presents. :) He would play with us, open all our hard-to-get-into gifts with his handy pocket knife, take us for rides on his 4-wheeler, and let us drink as much Pepsi as we wanted. He thought it was ridiculous that us girls would get grossed out when he poured horseradish all over his roast beef!

He was into the latest technology, and always had a new camera or video camera. Nearly everywhere we went, he had the camera around his neck, documenting the fun we were having. He was a fun-loving guy, who knew how to make you laugh and feel comfortable. He loved my Aunt Melinda and his son Trevyn with all his heart, and he did many wonderful things for them and with them. He was a great husband and Daddy.

I was so pleased when I found this photo of him on my computer. I cropped everyone else out of the picture so it would just be him. I'm sure in this picture he was telling us a great story and making us all laugh. In fact, I can hear that great laugh of his in my head right now. It is a beautiful sound which I hope I'll never forget.

So this is my tribute to him; my testimony of what a great man he was. I hope he knew just how special he was to us. But just in case, I'll tell him one more time...I LOVE YOU UNCLE LEIF. I miss you terribly, but I'll never forget you.

Apparently, sledding can be dangerous!

2009-01-05T16:09:00.000-08:00

...or in my case, just walking around in the yard when there is snow on the ground can be dangerous. But I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise to many of you - I have never been what you would call "graceful" .

We were so excited Friday when we woke up to snow! We hadn't been sledding yet (even though Papa had bought us a new sled), so Dave & I bundled up, along with the kids, and we trekked out to our back yard, which is on a pretty good slope. Now, I have been known to slip down this slope even in the summer, when there isn't any snow... so you can imagine how hard it was for me to go up and down this hill IN the snow!

The first time I fell, I got up quickly and said, giggling, "Haha! I fell down!" No one had seen me :) The second time, though, they were watching. I started down the hill to go inside to get a few carrots for our snowman. I knew they were watching, so I turned around to tell them to stop watching, and felt myself start to go. I attempted to make a run for it, since the deck was within reach, but it didn't work. I was airborne for what seemed like forever, then I came down flat on my back and my head banged into the ground. I didn't get up so quickly that time...I couldn't! My back hurt too bad! Plus, I was a tad-bit mortified. Dave fell to the ground laughing...holding-his-breath-laughing :) I told him later that I don't think I've EVER heard him laugh like that! EVER!

Dave made me get up early the next morning and get in the hot tub. Thank goodness for that thing - it helped so much!

Coop didn't want to sled, until we MADE him get on, then he wouldn't stop!

Hunter is like his Daddy - doesn't mind the cold weather or being soaking wet...just wants to have fun!

I think next time we decide to do this, I'll just stay at the bottom and take pictures...I AM thirty now, you know!

Old-Fashioned Trevino Christmas

2009-01-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

I look forward to Christmas at my parents' house every year. Mom cooks a huge delicious breakfast, we open presents, we snack, we eat a nice lunch, we play games, we snack...haha! Can you tell which part is my favorite?

Dad & Mom go a little overboard sometimes when it comes to buying presents, but there are never any complaints. They put so much thought and effort into buying just the right things for everyone - especially the boys! This year they got an air hockey table! WooHoo!

I always get so wrapped up in the moment that I usually forget to take pictures, but we did manage to get a few...

We had to set it up right away - Mommy wanted to play!

Mom & Dad MADE these signs for each of us! They were definitely the most special gifts of the day.

Dave was getting a bad cold, so wasn't feeling that great, but this cheered him up!

Indiana Jones legos!

A Christmas angel...LOL...I am full of myself.

Can you tell what Cooper's saying? "CHEEEEEESE"

Thank you, Mom & Dad, for always making Christmas special. Can't wait 'til next year!

Our Very Merry Christmas

2008-12-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year! Each year, I make a comment like "this was the best Christmas ever..." But this one has definitely topped the cake! I really feel that it is because of the past few sermons Pastor Paul has preached. They were about "not missing Christmas"...getting so caught up in the hurry and worry and hustle and bustle of the season that we actually MISS why the season is so special in the first place! And that is the fact that our Savior was born!

Those sermons really spoke to me, because it is very easy for me to get caught up in everything - the shopping, the wrapping, the baking and the gatherings. But this year, each time I felt myself starting to get anxious and worried that I wouldn't get everything done, I stopped and thought about why we have Christmas, and reflecting on what was important always brought me back to reality. And, quite frankly, made me a lot more joyful!

Of course, something else made me very joyful, too... the fact that my sweet husband bought me a new wedding ring for Christmas! I couldn't stop crying :)

Coop's favorite present was his bike. He likes to sit on it and make motorcycle noises. AND - he asked us in a very stern tone, "Where is my helmet? I have to have a helmet when I ride my bike!" I guess we'll be buying him a helmet.

Hunter's favorite present was his PSP. We made him open it last, and everything he opened prior to that was like a huge let-down. We have lots of pictures of him holding things up with a disappointed look on his face, like this...check out the difference.

Boring...

Woo Hoo!

Dave's favorite present was his snowmobiling backpack. He showed it to me in his magazine right before Christmas, and thankfully I managed to order it in time.

Of course we got a ton of other stuff, too...especially at my parents house, but that deserves a whole blog to itself, so look for that in a couple of days. For now, I am filled with peace and joy knowing this wonderful celebration signifies something much greater...a chance for all of us to have eternal life with our Savior!

Our Two Handsome Sons

2008-12-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

I took these pics of the boys today after we got home from church. They looked so cute in their "fancy clothes", I just had to share them with you all!

I realize I haven't put up a new blog in a couple of weeks, but we have been extremely busy...as I'm sure all of you have been, too! I've been trying to bake some goodies to put in the freezer for various get-togethers we'll be attending. So far, I've made more peppermint bark and peanut butter balls, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, peanut blossom cookies and gingersnaps.

Last week, I was at Hunter's school three days in a row: Wednesday I helped for a few hours in the evening at his book fair. He went with me and we had tons of fun! Then Thursday we went to his Christmas concert. It was VERY cute! The 1st graders were, by far, the loudest singers. :) Friday, Coop and I went to Hunter's Christmas party...more fun!

We are all really looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas. I have a little more wrapping and a little more baking to do, but I'm determined to get it all done in the next couple of days. I hope you all have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones!

Fun-Filled Saturday!

2008-12-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

I was invited to my sweet sister-in-law's house for her 1st annual baking day with her sisters and her mom. We each brought recipes and ingredients for a Christmas treat and we all kind-of chipped in. Actually, now that I think about it, I didn't really help anyone else...hmmmmm. Anyway - I didn't get pictures of all of the treats, but I can attest to the fact that they were all very delicious! We split them up so we all could have some! Thank you, Jamie, for always including me in your fun family stuff! I had a blast!

Peanut Butter balls

Homemade almond roca! YUMMY!

My contribution was the Marbled Peppermint Bark. It actually turned out pretty good. My family wished I'd made more!

THEN....Saturday night was the Lighted Parade in Sunnyside. My dad and his co-workers had spent a great deal of time decorating their small dump truck for the event so we wanted to get a good spot. We took our truck down to the high school parking lot and parked it there around 3:00 PM. Then we came home really fast, ate some dinner, grabbed our blankets and Mr. Heater and shot back to the school. We sat in the bed of the truck and enjoyed the parade and were very toasty warm! James, Jamie and Taylor also joined us, as well as Jamie's sisters and their kids! It was so much fun!

The top pics are of my dad's float. It looked awesome!!

We all had a great time that night, and were thankful for our family and friends who joined in the fun!

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday evening, we went across town to get our Christmas tree. The little man there always remembers us, and we look forward to getting our tree from him every year. He had a huge selection, as always, but a lot of them were way too tall and would never have fit in our living room! But Dave soon found one that we all agreed on, and I must say - it is perfect!

Hunter took these pics of me and Dave - he loves using my camera!

Coop hung all his ornaments in the same spot :)

And Hunter hung most of his in a spot really close to Coop's :)

And Mommy waited 'til they went to bed and moved some into different spots - no one noticed :)

Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to update my blog with all of the Thanksgiving photos, but it's been like a whirlwind around here the last few days, so FINALLY...The Thanksgiving Blog!

The drive there wasn't too bad because we split it up. We stayed in Boise Tuesday night - got to our hotel about 10:00 PMtheir time. The room was nice, but the guy upstairs had his TV on really loudly until about 3:00 AM! The boys slept really good, but Dave & I were very sleepy the next morning! I thought back to my previous post about being crabby after no sleep...and I must say, I did pretty good! Thank goodness :)

We got to Ash's the next day about 3:00. We met some of her friends at work and scoped out the new store. It was so quiet - not anything like the Costco's around here, that's for sure! And they had self-checkout!

Ash's apartment is very spacious and there was plenty of room for all of us - and our junk! It is amazing how much stuff we took - food, games, 3 suitcases of clothes, sleeping bags, air mattresses, pillows, and of course we had to bring the RockBand and the PS3!

It was so nice to just get up and hang out, not to have to go somewhere or get ready to go at lightning speed. We just took our time each morning and relaxed. Except for Friday, when I went with Mom and Dad to the local mall pretty early in the morning. I got a few good deals, but I wasn't in that shopping mode yet, I guess. (I'd better get there pretty soon, though, hadn't I ? ) We ate at a lot of fun places, including Chili's, Texas Roadhouse and Johnny Carino's! Plus, the Thanksgiving feast was delicious, of course! Mom did all the cooking, but Ash and I tried to help with the little stuff.

The boys were SOOOOOO good! I was pleasantly surprised by how well-behaved they were. They each had their moments, but for the most part, everyone got along famously. :) If they weren't playing the Playstation, they were coloring. And if they weren't coloring, they were begging someone to play Sorry or Sequence or Apples to Apples with them. Those boys LOVE to play games!

All in all it was a wonderful trip. We're very fortunate to be able to take trips like this throughout the year. They are always fun and prove to be good for our little family. Tune in later for another post about decorating for Christmas - we're getting there, but it has been a two-day ordeal! Love to you all!

A Joyful (for the most part) Sunday

2008-11-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

There was a day last week that I had a hard time getting through. Frankly, I felt a little depressed! We were all tired because Coop and Hunter had colds and weren't sleeping very well at night. And it may sound childish of me to say this, but if I don't get good sleep, I am pretty crabby the whole next day...(shocking, I know).

But Sunday, God blessed me with a nearly perfect day! I woke up happy, made breakfast for my family, and then we all went to church. The boys were very well-behaved and even decorated some really cool tiles while at children's church. There was a time when Cooper cried every time we drove into the church parking lot because he hated going to the nursery. But now that he's old enough to go to video club, he's a totally different kid! Praise the Lord that all of my family members enjoy going to church now!

We were having a wonderfully fun and relaxing afternoon together (Dave even made cookies) ...until...I ran to Safeway to get a few things and came out to find that the door of our brand new truck had been keyed! :( Yup - a big, deep X had been scratched in the driver's side door. I felt like I was going to throw up. I came home and showed Dave and he was very upset, but thankfully didn't blame me or make me feel bad. I think he knew I felt bad enough. He knew it wasn't my fault, but it's hard not to blame the person driving, you know?!

Shortly after that my parents came over to visit for a bit. They had bought the boys some Rock Band/guitar shirts. They were a big hit! Hunter says he's going to wear his every time we play Rock Band, haha! Them being here helped us forget what had happened to the truck, so that was nice. Then Dave and I made enchiladas - yum! I love it when he helps me make dinner, and I think he enjoys it, too. We told the boys (who sometimes don't like to try new things at dinner), that if they ate their enchiladas we would ALL get in the hot tub. Now that is motivation, people! Soon we were all relaxing in the warm hot tub in the chilly night air, and it was so fun!

God has blessed me with a family that loves me. Me! The mommy/wife that was so crabby last week they probably all wanted me to leave and never come back! I LIVE for days like Sunday, where we get to spend time together and everyone is happy and healthy! My prayer is that this week, as we travel a long way to visit Ash for Thanksgiving (and things could likely get tense at times) I will be able to show God's love to my husband and children in every way possible. They deserve kind, patient words and actions from me, regardless of whether I've had enough sleep! We'll see though, won't we? Haha! Have a very enjoyable Thanksgiving, everyone! We love you all!

Thanksgiving Memories

2008-11-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Not because I get to stuff my face with all kinds of wonderful food and dessert (even though that's fun too), but because we all get to reflect on what we're thankful for - together! And that brings a happiness over me that I can't explain. Don't get me wrong, I don't wait until turkey day to be thankful...oh no, I thank God EVERY DAY for the blessings in my life! I'm sure all of you do, too!

Anyway, I'm especially excited for Thanksgiving this year because we're going to be traveling to Ash's house in Pocatello! But since I don't have any pictures or fun stories to share - yet - I want to share some pictures from past Thanksgiving gatherings...

This is our first Thanksgiving at our house! 2005. Coop was 3 months old :) We had my family and Dave's family over. My mom helped me cook, so I can't take all the credit - but it was good food and good fun!

This is one of my favorite pictures of me and Hunter! He looks so little :(

This is Taylor, Hunter and Rykker on Thanksgiving Day 2006 at Dave's mom's. We had to break the boys apart from wrestling for this picture...that's all they do when they're together! As usual, the food was DELICIOUS!

I'm sad I don't have any pictures of all of us sitting down at the table; I guess we're always so hungry that no one thinks to get up and snap a picture! But as the holiday approaches, I pray you're all happy and healthy and THANKFUL for what God's given you. We sure are!

Hunter's First Trip to Husky Stadium!

2008-11-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

WARNING: THESE IMAGES MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR COUGAR FANS...READ ONLY IF YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE IT...KEEP IN MIND THAT YOUR TEAM ISN'T DOING SO HOT EITHER...

Our friends, Ty & Mandy, couldn't use their season-tickets for this past Saturday. They kindly thought of us and gave them to Dave & Hunter. And even though the Dawgs aren't doing so great this year, Dave & Hunter were excited to go...especially since it would be Hunter's first time at Husky Stadium!

We got up early and headed for Seattle Saturday morning - Coop and I stayed at some friends' house and Dave & Hunter bundled up and headed to the game. It looked as though the Huskies might pull out a win...until the dreaded second half :( But on the bright side, they managed to stay pretty warm and dry, and they were pleased with the location of the seats - a lot of the action happened right in front of them!

I am so happy Dave & Hunter got to spend the day together. It is always good when Hunter gets to spend some quality time with his Daddy...without his little brother around! The guys have both said several times that they had a really great time, and I'm sure it will be an experience they'll never forget!

Halloween Fun and a New Desk!

2008-11-03T11:05:00.000-08:00

Friday was lots of fun. We were a little worried when we woke up to rain, but by the time Hunter got out of school, sunny skies had chased those rain clouds away! We waited for Daddy to get home from work (he did good and got home EARLY), then got on our costumes and headed to Grandma's house.

Aren't they the cutest little Black Spiderman and Dash (from The Incredibles) you've ever seen?

Then we went to Nana & Papa's house, and Uncle Tony & Aunt Marci's house.

We trick-or-treated in that neighborhood, where it was well-lit and the street wasn't packed with cars and people. The weather was great! The boys were bundled up underneath their costumes, but Dave & I just had to wear our sweatshirts - it wasn't freezing cold like it's been the last few years! We came home, warmed up with bowls of Taco Soup, and dug through the candy. All in all it was a very enjoyable evening :)

Saturday, Dave put together our new desk! He worked on it for almost 5 hours, but it was worth it because it is absolutely beautiful. The boys said they'd help - and they did - for about 30 minutes, but they soon lost interest.

Coop started making a tower with some of the pieces, and when I tried to take a picture of it (you can kinda see it in the background), he got right in front of the camera - what a nut.

Then he sat down on a box and had some toast.

I tried to make myself look busy, thinking maybe Dave would not solicit my help, but it didn't work. We only got annoyed with each other once during the ordeal, so I guess it wasn't that bad :) We really needed a new desk...our old one was just way too small for someone who owns a business. There is soooo much paperwork! Hopefully with more space I'll be able to help keep him a bit more organized.

I have a lot more ideas and inspiration now to get my home spruced up - paint, artwork, etc. It's about time - we've lived here for almost five years now! Happy November, everyone!

7 Random/Weird Facts About Me

2008-10-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Katy "tagged" me and wants me to share 7 random or weird facts about myself...

WARNING: I am a very boring person.

1. I cannot roll my tongue or do the Star-Trek sign. (It's a shocker, I know).

2. I married my high-school sweetheart. I have loved him since I was about 16 years old (almost half my life)! I was 19 and he was 21 and we went to Disneyland for our honeymoon.

3. I am the oldest of three daughters, but we all consider ourselves to be tomboys :) We wouldn't have it any other way.

4. I lettered in Varsity volleyball, basketball and softball in high school, and was the secretary for the FFA. My favorite class was woodshop and I never took home-ec. Perhaps that is why I am lousy in the kitchen but I can build a mean bookcase.

5. I am on the verge of having a panic-attack each and every time I go to the dentist - even if it's for a cleaning. I have to take Hunter in today for two fillings and I just may ask for some of the nitrous.

6. I am terrified of cats. Katy used to have a cat named Daisy that freakin' freaked me out! Thank goodness Mike gave it away without talking to Katy first. Ha!

7. I can't drive a stick-shift. My dad tried to teach me, and so did Dave. I simply don't like people telling me how to do things; I got embarrassed if I messed up and I usually would start crying.

I'm actually supposed to "tag" 7 more people, but I can only think of a few gals that read my blog that might actually do this, so I'm tagging:

Julaine

Lolli

Emily

Hope you all enjoyed reading this jaw-dropping information. Tune in this weekend for Halloween pictures!

Whirlwind Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin carving is usually a big deal at our house. Everyone has a pumpkin, everyone carves one...until this year. Dave got home from work later than usual and the boys and I had already eaten dinner. The boys had already had a bath, in fact! As soon as Dave walked through the door, Hunter & Coop were all over him, "Can we carve pumpkins? You said we could carve pumpkins!"

I had just gotten done working out and was tired, sweaty, and in need of a shower, but Dave wearily looked up and smiled, "Yup! We're carvin' pumpkins tonight!"

Awww, what a great Daddy! So he wolfed down his dinner and the carving began. I didn't have enough newspaper, so I unrolled an old roll of wrapping paper and laid it out across the table. But Coop only wanted to draw on his pumpkin, not do anything else to it. He ran away screaming when Dave wanted him to help take the guts out. He found the tube from the wrapping paper and played with it the whole time - never came back over to the table. So Daddy did Coop's pumpkin.

Hunter drew an awesome face on his pumpkin. We cut the top off and Hunter got some guts out, but had to go wash his hands about every other minute (that look on his face says it all), so I finally took over.

I look so gross in this pic, but Coop looks so hilarious I just had to put it in...

Daddy and Mommy were then too tired to do our own pumpkins, so we quickly went outside, lit them up, took a couple of pictures and that was it. It seemed like a whirlwind and since not everyone participated, it wasn't even that much fun. But we did it. Maybe next year will be better! :)

6th Folder, 6th picture...

2008-10-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

I got this idea from Katy's blog. You take the 6th picture out of your 6th folder of pictures and blog about it. And this exciting picture is the winner! It was taken in June of 06.

I drew a big WE MISS YOU AUNT ASH on a piece of paper and let the boys color all over it, then we were going to email her a picture of them holding up the sign. But as I think about it, I don't think we ever did! Oh well, now she can see it on my blog. We do still miss you, Ash!

Gosh, the boys look so little don't they?! I like this idea of blogging a random picture...we should do it more often ladies!

Naptime Nonsense

2008-10-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

Sadly, my Coopie is fazing out of our naptime ritual. He puts up a good fight every afternoon, but usually stays in his room until he falls asleep. For the last couple of weeks, though, I've heard him kicking his wall and found him lying on the floor, etc. All kinds of ridiculous naptime nonsense is going on in there. Today topped the cake.

He didn't really cry when I put him down this afternoon, but he was pretty hyped up. He sang and talked to himself for a LONG time. But about 45 minutes later, I didn't hear him anymore. Yes, I thought to myself. He finally fell asleep. So I went in to take a peek at my handsome sleeping prince. And this is what I found:

"Taaaa Daaaa" he says, smiling very cute and innocent...

I took this video to show Dave, but I wanted to share it with you guys too. You might have to turn it way up. I took off my music so you could hear it better. When I ask him what he's doing, he says "cheesing". Then towards the end he tries to change the subject by telling me he likes pizza "all the time" and just saunters out of the room...CRAZY CHILD!

I couldn't be mad at him...that is the biggest tower he has ever built - and he did it in the dark without making a peep! My baby is growing up way too fast.

Ah.......Hawaii

2008-10-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, we arrived in Honolulu for 10 glorious days of blissful, kid-free paradise. I want to go back. I want to go back very badly. Like tomorrow would be nice.

I know you've all probably noticed my Hawaii slideshow over there to the right, but I've never really shared what exactly is in those pictures, so in honor of the one-year anniversary of our first (but definitely not last) trip to Hawaii, I'll give you all some details.

The day we got there I had the stomach flu. I'd battled it at home the whole day before, and I still wasn't quite over it once we got there. The humidity didn't help at all. So we only left our room once for Dave to get something to eat. I felt really bad, but Dave kept telling me it was okay and I'd be better in the morning. And sure enough, I woke up perfectly fine at 4:00 AM and was raring to go! (Time change people :)

Day 2: Pearl Harbor and a trip to the Aloha Bowl flea market

These are the names of people who lost their lives when the USS Arizona went down.

Day 3: We hiked to Diamond Head...and then we hiked to the TOP of Diamond Head!

Okay. We waited for the bus to take us to Diamond Head, but the bus was full. So an old man next to us says, "I know how to get there, do you just want to walk?" And my hubby says, "Sure!" Little did we know it was going to be a five mile uphill hike to the base of Diamond Head, then we had to hike to the top! And I was NOT happy. In fact, I remember throwing a fit or two. I also had to stop and eat some of the old man's trail mix because I thought I was going to hurl.

Once we got to the top and took in the gorgeous view, my mood changed a little...

Day 4: Polynesian Cultural Center

The bus picked us up around 10:30 AM and we spent the entire day there. It was very fun and included a luau and a cool show. We rolled back into our hotel at about midnight. It was a long, HOT day, but definitely one of the most enjoyable experiences of the trip.

Days 5, 6, 7: Lying on the beach, driving straight through the middle of the island and thinking we were driving around it - ha! , and connecting with an old friend (who took pity on us and drove us around the island the right way)!

Days 8, 9, 10: Submarine, dinner cruise, and lots of other stuff!

Yeah, that's a sea turtle!

We spent most of our time out on the deck taking in the stunning view of the Waikiki Beach skyline

There was a sign that said not to jump, but Dave normally doesn't follow the rules.

These guys are up on the sand just chillin' and sun-bathing.

Okay, sorry for the extremely long post, but it's been fun remembering our amazing time together in Hawaii. I hope it's not TOO long before we go back. It truly was a wonderful 10th anniversary present...thanks, honey!

Ali Loves Dave

2008-10-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

How did I get so lucky? Tomorrow I get to go out of town to a friend's cabin to scrapbook with a group of girls. Hooray! But those who know me know it is extremely hard for me to leave my boys (including Dave). So I just got finished packing up the car and getting everything ready here at home so everyone has everything they need, and I'm thinking - God gave me such a great guy! Dave encourages me to go on these weekend trips to relax and clear my head and get away from the everyday life of "mom".

He had something he would have liked to do this weekend, but instead he put off those plans so I could do what I wanted to do. He's actually done that a lot throughout our marriage. And I just want him to know how much I appreciate it. I feel blessed that we can do things like this for each other, and I love and respect him more each and every day. I know he will do something fun with the boys while I'm gone, and they'll all have a great time. Hopefully that something might include buying me a new dishwasher? Ha!

Ali + Dave = FOREVER

Pickin' Pumpkins

2008-10-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon Mom called and asked if me and the boys wanted to take a little trip to the fruit stand to pick out some pumpkins. I'd just thrown Coop down for his nap, but do you think he was sleeping? NO. So I said we could go. It wasn't raining...yet!

We picked a few big ones and some smaller ones, but they didn't have any shocks (dried corn stalks tied in a bundle for decoration), so Dad called Nana and asked if we could come over to her field and cut some down.

Coop & Hunter trooped back and forth from Papa to the truck, carrying the stalks. After we got home, though, we were all ITCHY! I dug out my outside decorations and we were all set!

Looks cute, huh?

Hunter takes better pictures than me!

And then it started pouring - and I don't think it's even stopped since!

Who Doesn't Love the Fair?

2008-09-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

We promised the boys we'd take them to the fair, so we went this Saturday...and what beautiful weather we had! We got there first thing in the morning, so it wasn't crowded at all. Here are some pictures of the day!

They were both afraid of a cute little piglet!

Coop kept calling all the rabbits "little guy"...it was hilarious!

Not afraid of a HUGE python, but afraid of a little piglet?

This dude clearly wanted out of his case

Hunter thought this was a tad bit boring, but he rode with Coop anyway.

Daddy & Coop on the airplanes! Hunter chose the pretty pink one in front of them...he got made fun of for that :)

I rode with Hunter on the Wacky Worm...

...and Coop rode with Dave! Coop had his hands in the air the ENTIRE time! It was too funny!

Be sure to scroll down and take a look at what we did on Sunday...another really fun day!

Football at Grandma & Papa's

2008-09-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday we went out to Dave's mom's house after church to help her celebrate a big birthday. I cannot say how old she was, I don't want her to get mad at me :) We all had a lot of fun. We wore our Seahawks jerseys (even though they didn't have a game), which inspired a touch football game in the yard. Dave's team won. He picked all the kids to be on his team; our nephews Taylor and Rykker, and Hunter. Coop couldn't decide whose team he wanted to be on, so he was occassionally on his daddy's team but mostly on Uncle James' team. I love how he's lining up in the above picture - he looks like he's a real linebacker! The ladies went out and cheered them on, and laughed our heads off. Dave and his brothers are extremely competitive (go figure)! They have been known to play football in the sunny, rainy, windy and even snowy weather. I'm sure they'll be out there on Christmas wearing their coats, boots and stocking hats!

Scrapbooking Fever!

2008-09-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

My best bud, Katy, plans a scrapbooking weekend every year at her grandparents' cabin. And it is coming up in just a couple of weeks! Yay! But in all the excitement that comes along with this, also comes a sinking feeling of where to begin...again.

Everyone who knows me knows that I love to scrapbook. Sadly, though, I haven't done it for TWO years! (Last year I couldn't go to the cabin because we were headed to Hawaii the very next weekend, and I couldn't bear to leave the boys). So I've begun to drag out all my stuff, trying to get organized. I took out all of the paper that is outdated or that I know I'll never use, and I found A LOT of things that people have bought me for Christmas that I forgot I even had, so that's been fun. Then yesterday I took out my albums to find out where I left off. And I was shocked to find that I am only through May of 2006! That isn't even to Coop's 1st birthday! So now I feel whiney and sad because I've got so much work to do, but the really sad thing is that I'm afraid if I get those pictures developed from 2006 and 2007, I won't remember where we were or what we were doing! (My memory is fading, folks - sad but true :)

So I've decided that I'll do Coop's 1st birthday pictures first, then I'm going to do this entire year - starting with Hunter's 6th birthday party. If I have time (I just might because I plan to stay up VERY late), I'll go back and do the rest. That's the plan people. Let's just hope I can get those creative juices flowing and bust out some good pages. I'm determined to get caught up! I can't wait for scrapbooking weekend!

Meet Kora

2008-09-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

This beautiful little girl is Kora. I am babysitting her this school year! Her mom is a friend from when I used to work at the middle school, and she was in a jam so I said I'd help her out. And I am so glad I did! It took some adjusting - we haven't had a baby around here for a long time, let alone a girl baby! But Kora is such a sweet little girl. She is smiley and good-natured and lots of fun.

The boys ADORE her! Every morning Coop wakes up and says, "Towa coming today mommy?" When I say no (she doesn't come Fridays), he gets mad at me. Hunter is so good with her. He is very quiet and gentle and loving toward her. He is very careful to not be too loud or move around too quickly so he doesn't scare her. He is just a very considerate little guy for only being six years old. Anyway, just had to share these pictures with you all. Meet my Monday thru Thursday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM daughter!

I Must Be Nuts

2008-09-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

I just had to sit down and take a break. And vent to all of my closest buddies about how stupid I am for having a yard sale tomorrow. Oh believe me, if half my garage wasn't being taken over by all of this junk, I WOULDN"T be having a yard sale, but I can barely fit my Durango in there, so it's time. I have been pricing stuff every day for 5 days! I have used over 800 little yard sale pricey sticker thingy's. My whole left arm is asleep. Okay, that's neither here nor there, but you get the picture...I'm TIRED & CRABBY.

While Hunter was at school, Coop & I ran around and got change, a permit, and poster board to make signs. I filled my entire Durango up with stuff that's already been priced, and we'll probably fill up the entire truck, too. Thank goodness my mom has agreed to let the yard sale be at her house. She is much more cool, calm and collected about these kinds of things than I am.

On a more positive and sentimental note, it has been bittersweet to go through some of the baby clothes. With each outfit I've priced, I could actually hold it up and SEE my kids in it - way back when, when they were teeny little guys. I can remember who bought it for them and everything. Some things I have looked at and thought, "Okay, I cannot let this go." So I've started a little pile in the corner of my bedroom of things that I can't sell. Each of those things had such strong memories to go along with them that I simply could never imagine letting someone else buy them for a quarter.

So I'm hoping, after I've had this little break, that I can finish all of my pricing. I hope I have time to go through my kids' toys and clean some of them up to sell. I'll let them keep the money for those things, of course! That way they won't cry and scream when they see some kid carrying it away tomorrow. :) And I'm hoping that my garage will be nice and clean and straightened up now that those things will be out of there. Oh, who am I kidding? We'll just find some other junk to throw in there in about a week, I'll bet! I know I'll be able to get to my exercise bike now! I don't quite know if that's a good or a bad thing.

I'll let you know how much I make! Wish me luck!

PS: This is my new favorite song by tobyMac...I love the line that says, "I'd rather burn for You than fade away, I'd rather burn for You than go my way." AMEN!

Ash's New Adventure

2008-09-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

My baby sis just got a great new job doing payroll for a brand new Costco opening up in a few weeks. Too bad it's in POCATELLO, IDAHO! Mom and Dad moved her there on Friday, got her settled and came home yesterday. They said it takes about 8 hours to get there.

That's pretty far away!

We are so proud of her, though. She was hand-picked by the guy who'll be the manager, which says a lot about what he thinks of her. We know she'll enjoy her work and do a great job. It will be hard not to see her at holidays and things like that, but we're trying to plan a little trip over there sometime very soon. She's only about two hours away from Yellowstone, so we'll definitely go there, too.
But for now, we're just praying she has fun, adjusts to life in a different city, and meets lots and lots of great people! (And if I say the word 'great' again, please shoot me :)

Here are Ash and Kris

"Always my sisters, forever my friends"

Soccer Season Starts with a Bang!

2008-09-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we know what we'll be doing every Thursday night for the next 5 weeks - SOCCER! We kicked off the season this past Thursday with a "win" over Prosser. I know we're not supposed to keep score, but PLEASE...do you know who you're talking to here? I'm only the loudest, most competitive mom on the planet!

It was a long day, start to finish. We had a little trouble getting to school on time because...well I don't remember why, I just remember we barely made it. Then Hunter had a dentist appointment that afternoon, which Dave took him to. I found out WAY later that he did great! No crying or whining, Hunter just bucked-up and took it like a man. (It was only a cleaning, but if you only knew what we've gone through during prior appointments...)

Anyway, Dave & Hunter never came home! I kept thinking, "Oh boy, he's really giving it to them this time. I'm sure glad Dave took him and not me." Finally, about 20 minutes before the game was supposed to start, I called Dave and asked him if he knew Hunter had his first game. And guess where those two were...Mabton! Dave had taken Hunter there to finish up a job he'd started earlier that day. Can you say ANNOYED?

Okay, so I hung up the phone and realized, "Oh crap - I have the snacks for tonight, but no drinks! I'll just call Dave back and tell him to meet me there." I quickly changed Coop's clothes, and ran to the bathroom to put a little hairspray in my frizzled hair, and I heard a dripping sound. I turned to my right and realized the toilet was overflowing! And no one had used that bathroom for like, 3 hours! Can you say FREAKING OUT?

I quickly mopped up that mess and then I heard a crash outside. Then another crash. I ran to the window to find our neighbor boy and about 20 friends all gathered in the street. Apparently there had been some sort of accident but they were all laughing and it wasn't life threatening, so I ran back inside to gather all of our junk for the game. Meanwhile, in walk Hunter and Dave, non-chalantly, as if they have all day to get ready. It is now game time. And I still have no drinks. But hey, we may not even make it there, so...whatever.

Dave dropped Hunter & I off at the field and he and Coop ran to Safeway to get the drinks. The game hadn't even started yet because we didn't have enough players. I don't know, maybe everyone's toilet had overflowed at that same exact time? But the very BEST part of the day was this: Hunter scored not 1, not 2, not even 3, but FIVE goals! We were absolutely shocked! He was aggressive, he went after the ball, and he was the star of the game! His coach and teammates even dog-piled him afterwards, which I sadly didn't get a picture of. We had snacks, we had drinks, and our family went to Dairy Queen for dinner and ice cream.

All of that trouble during the day did not even compare to the joy and pride I felt while watching Hunter excel in soccer - something he is not all too familiar with. AND knowing he'd done a great job at the dentist - wow! He really is growing up! I thank God EVERY DAY for my two awesome sons and my wonderful husband...life is good.