So obviously it's been too long. Blogging has just been one more thing on my plate and my plate is already overflowing! I hate that I don't have time or maybe it's that I don't make time. I find myself bending over backwards to take care of everyone else yet the 5 or 10 minutes that it would take me to blog seems like a luxury that I can't afford. How many times do we as moms loose ourselves? I have that mom guilt...you know what I mean because I know you've felt it too! So today I say NO MORE! I WILL take care of myself. I WILL take time for me to do something that I enjoy and that does NOT include grocery shopping! I WILL tell myself that it's ok...everyday. Let's be honest... life is sometimes overwhelming. There are days when getting out of bed is a chore...let alone making the bed! There are days when we as moms, wish that time would stand still for just another hour so that we can sleep just that much longer!

A week? Already?

Um... sorry for not posting for a week. Time sure does go by fast.
My excuses - I mean reasons for not posting are as follows....

I had 13 loads of laundry. No...I'm not joking.

I had to pack suitcases for 4 kids, myself, and a husband that needed 2 weeks worth of clothes.

I had to play with my new dogs.

I had school work.

It was our 10 year Anniversary on Saturday and we hid at my parents cabin for the weekend.

Steve left for a business trip (2 freakin weeks!).

Came back from our weekend and um...I'm tired.

Do I really need to say more?!?! =)

So, it's true. It's been 10 years. Steve and I can't believe it.

We purposely ran into our college roommates (they married each other) this weekend and we visited with them for a bit. We were driving up to my parents cabin and they live up in the mountain community. So, as we drove by Steve says..."If their light is on...we're stopping!" **sorry Ryan and Jaime!** They were gracious enough to visit with us unexpectedly. =) Jaime was my roommate my sophomore year and she had lived next door to me our freshman year. Ryan was Steve's roommate in the...um...1 year that Steve was actually in school.... =) We used to hang out a lot so it was nice to visit with them.

They live up near my parents cabin so it was nice to see them. One of their daughters is Annabelle's age and the other is just a sweet, happy 10 mo. old baby. It was fun because they were having their littlest one dedicated on Sunday and all of their family was going to be there. We went to their church for the dedication and were able to visit with their families.

Steve had a wonderful guidance counselor at college and he truly respected and loved her....well, she was the aunt of my roommate, Jaime, so she was there at the church. It has been about 10 years since we've seen her (at our wedding I'm sure) and Steve was stoked to see her. They are just a great family.

Anyway, Jaime's mom and aunt were reminiscing about our wedding and we just laughed because it rained on our wedding day but they remember it as a "wonderful, sweet mist" !!! lol I love it! I just remember it as RAIN! =)

So 10 years later and 4 kids later....we are still together. =)

The cabin was wonderful. The weather was great and we walked around the Arrowhead Village for the day. We actually shopped and Steve got me an adorable dress and some new shoes! =) Yeah! It was strange that we didn't have the kids... but it was nice to be able to relax. We spent a couple of hours with Ryan and Jaime and the girls. Their littlest one had surgery this past Monday for a cleft palate. She is so little...it's hard to imagine such a little one having to deal with something so horrible as surgery. But she is a trooper because she has already dealt with a feeding tube and other medical things. Keep her in your prayers.

I guess that's about it for this week. I am not working for the next 2 weeks because of Steve being gone so that is kind of a bummer. I stopped in there yesterday and they were busy.... I miss it already!

Oh... it is Parent Teacher Conferences this week at the kids' school. I met with Hailey's teacher today. She has a wonderful teacher who is just the sweetest thing. Hailey is doing well...which is great. Tomorrow I'll be talking with Jeremiah's teacher. We love her too....so it's a good year! =)

Summer Vacation

The last fun of the summer is now over. School starts Monday. Yeah! Oh..um...I mean..bummer! =) lol So, our last fun of the summer was spent at Huntington Beach, Angels' Stadium and Knotts Berry Farm. We really had so much fun that I wish it could've been a longer vacation. The kids, of course, LOVED the beach. Bella was a little timid of the water but enjoyed running and digging. The boys and Hailey loved having the waves knock them over! They didn't get the idea of "body surfing" ! It was so fun for Steve and I to watch them giggle and have fun. The day was really great too because it was a litte overcast and so the sun wasn't so flammin hot! I had to give you a glimpse of my fun... the camera isn't working so great lately so ignore the poor picture.




So after the beach we went and checked into the hotel. Have you ever used Hotwire? I did for the first time and it was such a surprise. We got a killer deal on a HUGE room. The hotel was called Candlewood Suites and it was perfect for us. There was a full kitchen - including a full fridge, and a seperate bedroom for Steve and I. The kids slept on the fold out couch and recliner chair.
It was really nice and I would HIGHLY recommend them!

Anyway, from there we went to the Angels game.


The family section is our favorite because you are right behind the bull pen and can see all the pitchers warm up. If there is a homerun to left field then there is a good chance for catching a ball. The game was going great...Angels were winning... we were having a great time... till an error was made and then another...and another... they lost. *sigh* Bummer...12 innings ... and they still lost!















The kids had a blast though!




















It was late...and the hotel wasn't too far so that was great. We woke up the next morning and headed out to Knott's Berry Farm. Steve and I remember going there when we were little and were excited for them to experience it.




I took Hailey and Jeremiah when they were tiny...4 and 2 so they pretty much didn't remember a thing. It took them a while to get excited but once we went on a couple of rides they were bouncing around. Annabelle was funny because she really wanted to try every ride! I'd tell her that she was too little and she'd come back with "I'm not too little". Knotts has a great kids area call Camp Snoopy and they had quite a few rides that she could do. Some of them, though, parents couldn't ride on...so I was a little nervous about letting her go alone. Hailey took her on the airplanes and she seriously had a blast!!! The race cars too.

It was one of those proud moments as a parent when you can sit back and watch your children be a child and have fun. Hailey is such a great help and a wonderful big sister. Bella adores her. Jeremiah and William are buds too and it was so sweet watching Jeremiah help Will. They went on this mailbox ride and Will was a little to small to get up on the seat by himself so Jeremiah - without me asking - went over and picked him up and got him in the seat. Then he sat next to him and they just laughed.

I felt like a little kid again because we took advantage of the fact that the park wasn't packed so I got to ride some rides! =) It's been a LONG time since I've been on a roller coaster and it was so much fun. There were no lines... so I practically just walked on. I think the longest I waited was for 10 minutes. Steve took the kids on the Log ride (big drop and lots of water!) and they HATED it. He said his ears were hurting from their screams! lol We did manage to get Hailey to ride with me on Sidewinder. It was so fun. She was scared but did so good. I told her I was so proud of her. She ended up going again with Steve and then on Jaguar twice and Montezuma's revenge (her first upsidedown roller coaster)!

We will cherish these memories.

The kids have already asked us when we can go back! =) I love it!