Our Vacation to Nebraska

For our fall break, me and the kids drove to Nebraska to visit my mom and dad on their mission. We left at 145pm on Friday Oct 2nd made it to Albuquerque, NM at 1045 pm and spent the night at a hotel. I didnt know it was the "Balloon Festival" in NM so the first hotel we check at told us about the festival and to go back the way we came to the next group of hotels because all the ones the direction we were headed were all ready booked. So the next one with a vacancy was not very nice, but after 9 hours in the car i just needed a bed. They did have a very yucky continental breakfast for free!!Then we hit the road again.So saturday we drove thru Colorado, Wyoming and to Nebraska!! The icing on the cake was meeting up with my parents at a Mexican Food Restraurant for dinner. YUMMY. We decided to stay the night at another hotel to rest. This one was fabulous fluffy beds, and a wonderful breakfast.Then on the road for another 2hrs to moms house. I have found a new love for piece and quiet, calmness, wild life. Her home is about 15 miles down a country road over the hills and plains to the cutest house on a hill surrounded by 5 lakes, geese, deer and everything in between come up to visit. This is a church ranch called the Paulette-Lucky Ranch, were they ranch all the cattle.

On Monday we just hung out at home to rest, well me and the girls rested and played, Zach and Josh went with Russ to the ranch house he is remodeling for the new missionary couple coming next. That evening we hosted the family home evening, mom decided i needed to give the lesson. It was fun both of the other missionary couples and the Head Herdsman's family came. We made homeade cinnamin rolls for dessert and had a fun time listening to their way of life.

On Tuesday we drove to South Dakota to the Wind Caves. This National Park is a cave found in the ground that the wind blows through and has Stalagmites and Stalagtites. Also the Custer National Park surrounds it with Buffalo, and Praire Dogs everywhere!! Then on to Mt. Rushmore. Wow that is the most unbelieveable site. The whole experience is wonderful. The Visitors center is beautiful with ampitheaters, theaters and exibits to walk you through the start to finish of the project. It had also snowed the day before, so the Black hills were white and beautiful. We then drove down to the small town and did a little shopping for suveneirs. Then drove on home.

On Wednesday Russ took us on a tour of the Ranch! It is huge, each ranch is about an hour apart. With cattle, and deer all along the way. We visited each of the Ranches, and visited with each of the families that live on them. At the last Ranch, the sweet lady, had a hill full of pumpkins, she let the kids pick the ones they wanted! Then on to the nearest town "Alliance" for a mid afternoon lunch at Arby's. And on home to play at the lake catching turtles, and playing on the windmills. We have made homeade banana nut bread, and are ready for a yummy Chicken Chipotle Dinner.

We woke up to SNOW thursday morning!!It snowed until noon, the kids went out and picked carrots from the garden and made little snowmen. They were so cute.So me and my mom made a crock pot full of stew, and I made a Pumpkin pie from scratch. Picked the Pumpkin, Roasted the pumpkin in the oven, pureed the pumpkin, made the crust, baked a pie!! It is a really rich taste, so much better than from a can. Later on in the afternoon I finished my book for the trip "Wings" it is a really cute story. My kids started yelling deer and we went to the door and a deer and her baby were at the bottom of the stairs grazing in the lawn.

OUch "38"

Well it happened!I had another birthday, as much as I tried to avoid it.I had a very quiet day, which was kinda nice. I looked up facial recipes online, ended up with an avacado & banana facial that was wonderful. Then soaked my feet in hot soapy water and gave myself a pedicure!NICE. Then I shopped with a gift card for a few new shirts. I did make myself a rather fabulous dinner though!Steak, Crab, Shrimp, Potatoe skins and yummy brownie a la mode for dessert!After dinner my birthday buddy(Jordan who shares my birthday with me), came by with the new GEORGE STRAIT cd!!!!Here is a picture of us another year older!!

Abby starts Kindergarden

Isn't this the cutest Kindergardener you have ever seen???Okay, so Abby's birthday is not until November. So she missed the cut off to be able to attend public school. I decided to enroll her at Crown Charter School (Alexa went there). We had to wait on a list to get in because it is so popular. They called us the week before school, and we went down to the school and had a simple evaluation to make sure she was ready!Green light, its all a go!On monday, was an orientation day where the moms could go with the kids to introduce the whole school life to them. Wrong, we waited in the mad house of a line just to park. Then we went into her class saw the teacher, she gave us some paperwork and that was it!!!Fast forward to day two. We wait in the long line again to drop off our students, and they expected us to open the door and kick our kids out at the curb! Wrong, Abby is 4 and extremely shy!!!She is not getting out of the car with a stranger and then expected to wander around a new school until someone finds her and gets her to the right place.So I park, find my way toward the classroom, only to hear a crazy lady on a P.A. system singing at the top of her lungs!Abby lost it, crying, clinging to my leg.Then the lady started yelling at the parents to leave the area, and we were not allowed to accompany our children any further if she found us in any of the classrooms we could take our child and go home!!!!Oh it gets better, Abbys teacher has a handicap and uses a scooter or cane to walk so she could not help us with our verrrrrry scared children.So its time for the kids to go to class,and they are to follow her.Not, Abby already has her breaks on.I tried to walk her to the door but she wouldnt go in, so a very nice lady asked if she was suppost to be in that class and nodded and she took Abby's hand and led her to the door. When Abby realized i wasn't coming she let out a blood curdling scream "MOMMY" and then the door shut!!!I almost died, i hurried to the car to cry all the way home. I was in shock all day, an hour before release time I jumped in the car and raced over.I was glued to the walk way waiting for the first glimps of my baby!!!The minute i sat eyes on her, I burst into tears.She jumped into the car talking a mile a minute about how much she loved school!!!!Go figure, my baby has grown up!!I love you Abigail.

AZ GRAND RESORT

We just got back from a "Stay Cation" at the AZ Grand Resort (formerly Point at South Mountian). You can see by the fabulous photo, that I forgot my camera!!!I am such a dork. Oh well, we have alot of fun memories. They are so relaxed there, which is so nice for my huge family. They let us check in anytime on the day of arrival and play at the full size water park. The park stayed open until 8pm, we also had a swimming pool right infront of our room that the kids could play in until 10pm. They also would let you come and go all day. We could go back to the room for lunch or snacks, dinner what ever and then go back and play again later. They also provided swimming towels, i dont care who you are fresh towels that dont smell after a day, and dry towels every time you get out of the water is heavenly!!Also they had fresh ice water set out around the park, no spending a ton of money to stay hydrated.
We had a really fun dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. Talk about yummy food, we shared fresh pots of crab, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn. Besides the dorky bibs they tied on us it was a good time.
We also went over to Az mills malls to watch G-Force. Such a cute movie. The kids really liked it, Abby was exausted and made it through the whole thing!All in all i am really pleased with the choice to save the gas money and amusement park fees. We had a great time before everyone heads opposite directions!!!

Rocky Point 2009

Alexa and Aspen shopping every vendor coming down the beach to find the perfect Glasses!!!

Zach is such a goof ball.

Abby isnt much for camera shots, but I found a weak moment while she was tanning!


If you cant tell, this is the banana boat ride. The highlight of the teenagers trip, is to get thrown off the raft out in the middle of the ocean. Not what I would concider fun. Im sure they had about 5 rides each this trip!

Josh should I say more!




Rocky Point, Mexico has to be heaven on earth for us! We truly wait all year long for our extended family vacation. This year we moved locations from the beach house to Las Palomas Resort. This was the best idea we have had! Not only do we have all the fun and sun we can get, but we have maid service and airconditioning!!! Here are a few fun photos from the trip.

High School Graduation

Zachary graduated from Westview High School, on May 20th at 3:00pm. The graduation ceremony was held at the Cardinals Stadium. Wow what a great ceremony, comfortable seating, air conditioning and a front row seat to see our first born son graduate from high school. After the ceremony Zachary choose to eat dinner at Macayos! We had a great afternoon and a yummy dinner. We love you Zachary, we are so proud of your many accomplishement!!!

Recorder Concert

Aspen had a recorder concert to show us all of the fabulous song she has learned in third grade. I was expecting alot of screeching. Funny enough they played about 6 songs, and everyone of them were recognizeable and really good. She was so proud of herself!!! So are we, little Aspie great job!!