Bye August Break

August Break I've totally enjoyed you.  I've learned to take more pictures of random moments, little moments that now will always be remembered.

And to my blog, if you don't hear from me very much in the next few weeks it's because I will be working on Volume Number 4 of these.

Can you believe it's been four years?

Lots of memories here.

Skittles

This is Skittles. 

DJ's well loved blanket.

Skittles had to be tied back together.

And doesn't get washed very often because I'm afraid it will fall completely apart.

But Skittles has earned every rip, tear and hole it has acquired because

Skittles has been with DJ from the beginning.

Skittles has traveled internationally.

Here Skittles is in Mexico.

 Skittles has been there for chicks to walk on,

 during all of DJ's shananigans

 traveled in cars and in planes,

 shared with the dog,

 to birthday parties,

 at dress up time,

in the Dominican Republic,

 and in Japan,

 even RVing.

I don't plan on ever getting rid of Skittles.  There are a lifetime of memories in what's left of that little blanket.  And as long a DJ still loves Skittles then so do I.

Story Time

Tonight it was about a boy

who milked cows

and rode a horse to school

and ate sugar cane for breakfast.

He had a dream though,

to play baseball.

And his dream came true.

Count Your Blessings...

...name them one by one.

Isabel

 Alexandria

 DJ

 AJ

A Summer Evening

Guess where we're headed on our bike ride.

"We should do this every time."- AJ with a huge smile

Get Here Soon

I've had ENOUGH of this heat and August drags on so I'm moving forward with or without the weather.

Today I bought Halloween costumes for two kids,

two down, two to go.
We have Captain Jack Sparrow and Princess Tiana.
We do like Disney.

The best was Isabel who informed me that if she, "had the necklace and the shoes and talked like Princess Tiana and had brown skin and black hair," then she "would look exactly like her".

LOL!  

I'm sure we can come up with the necklace and shoes but the brown skin and black hair could be harder to pull off.

Although I do agree her hair isn't black, just a very dark brown.

Six Kids

The ward swim party was tonight.

As usual we added more fun to the chaos

and took two friends.

Cooked

Still waiting for these to finish cooking in our record breaking 114 degree heat.

On record breaking heat days, like today, I'm glad I got to spend my afternoon in the Ice Den even if channel 12 news was there and I looked like I just got out of the shower cause I had.

Memory Monday

I'm not sure what it is about doing the dishes but it's when I remember my best memories.  This morning it was about this chica.  She has always been very responsible, more than her mom.  There have been times when I'll tell her to just stay home from school but she won't.  In first grade she would wake me up to help her get ready.  One morning I was sick, really sick as in not able to get out of bed sick.  Alexandria woke up on her own, did her own hair, got her own breakfast, packed her own lunch and came into my room to kiss me goodbye then walked her little six year old self to the bus stop.  I know Heavenly Father was looking out for me when he sent her to me first.  He knew I wouldn't have help most of the time and this sweet girl has been the next best thing.  Love you Alexandria!

Juice

This is what Papi makes me when I feel a cold coming on,

freshly squeezed orange juice with oranges from our tree.

He made it for us today.

I'm feeling better already.

Squinkies

Do your kids have as much fun with these as mine do?

It's what they prefer to buy with their gems.

I haven't told you about the gems . . .

I think I just got an idea for another post.

My Ice Princess

My Favorites From Today

Over half way through August Break.

Desert Rain

One thing I do love about Arizona

being able to play in the rain at night in your swimsuit and still be hot.