Family Vacation

Also this month we went to my uncles wedding in Southern Utah and had a wonderful time. We met up with my cousins, aunts, uncles and numerous other family members. It was a fun filled weekend. We started the weekend with a Halloween party for the kids. The kids loved it and it was fun to see them all dressed up. They played games together and were so excited to see each other.

The next evening was spent riding horses, riding quads, playing in the bounce house, and ending our evening around a warm cozy fire. The big boys also enjoyed being kids and wrestling, until someone enevitably gets hurt. (Tim fractured a rib.) It was so much fun. (For everybody except my dad who was very ill after getting into town.)

The next morning was a layed back morning of breakfast and wedding in the park. It was a casual wedding near the base of Zion National Park. The weather and scenery were beautiful. After the wedding it was onto a delicious bbq and more visiting while the kids played in the park and the parents hula hooped!! (My poor dad missed this too.) Here are some pictures of the day. My uncle played one of his beautiful flutes that he makes.

The next day should have been our goodbyes. Most of us left, but Tim and I stayed a bit longer enjoying another couple of days with the kids riding quads and visiting. (oh ya and waiting for my dad to get out of the hospital.)
Overall it was great for most of us. It was so nice seeing my cousins and their kids again. We miss you guys!!

Neglected

Ok what else can I say, but I suck. I have not blogged in nearly a month. And what a month it has been. So I will try to catch up. It may have to be a few back to back blogs!

This month we had a visit from Tim's brother Darren. He is engaged to a wonderful girl named Linda. They just celebrated the birth of their beautiful daughter Annabeth in August. We had so much fun visiting with them and getting to see them as parents too. Here is a picture of Aidan and Annabeth. He wasn't sure what to think of her, but was fasinated by her.

This Week........

Last weekend we went hiking at the White Tanks and brought a picnic lunch with us. The kids had a great time except for the massive amount of bees that were out there. Needless to say the picnic part didn't last long and nobody was stung. We brought my nephew Brennan out there too. So here are the pictures from the day.

Skipping ahead to Wednesday night Ashlyn felt the need to cut her hair AGAIN!! It has been a long time since the last two incidents and maybe she felt the need to look more like Abby next week when we go to Utah. (See my cousin's blog at http://www.stockbergerfamilyblog.blogspot.com/ Well I attempted to do something with it today, but I have to admit she is making this more challenging with where she cut it. It is in the crown of her hair right in the center. She only left 1 inch and I couldn't get it up in a ponytail!! Pair this with the fact that I am trying to grow out her bangs (still from the haircut she gave herself last year) and she thinks she can decide daily how she wants to wear her hair for the day. What can I do?

Busy and Exciting Weekend

This was a very exciting weekend around here. Friday night was the Homecoming game. We all attended the game. During halftime Marissa's dad and I walked with her and the other nominee's onto the field where they announced the winners. SHE WON FOR THE FRESHMAN ROYALTY . Her title is Lady Monsoon. It was a very proud and exciting moment. The Freshman boy that won was her very good friend Matt who has been in her class since 3rd grade. It was so cute that each of them WON!! Their school won the game too! Saturday night was the dance. She went with her best friend as her date since she can't date yet. She got to dance with Matt during the Royalty dance. She had a great time! Not to forget the little ones. They went to a birthday party for a friend of ours daughter. The girls got their faces painted. Hannah is a dog and Ashlyn got a heart. They also had a great time.

This Morning

Everyday Ashlyn goes to school she asks if I will take her in the wagon and walk to school. I keep telling her not until October, because it is to hot. She keeps asking! So today I gave in and walked the 8 blocks to school with her and Aidan in the wagon. Yes it is still to hot to do this, but we did this anyway. On the way back Aidan laid down and cuddled up with the water bottle. I think he liked the movement of the wagon and the warm sun on him and it was to bright out. He fell asleep before we got home. It was so cute.

Homecoming Nominee

Last Friday Marissa was nominated for Freshman Royalty for her Homecoming. She was so surprised. There are 5 nominees out of the 700 in her freshman class. This week has been very busy getting her dress, shoes, and jewelry. (They actually treat Homecoming similar to Prom these days.) She also had to make a sign to wear all week and participate in every silly Spirit Week event this week. So everyday it is something around here. The game is Friday night and they will announce the winner during halftime. The dance is Saturday night. We'll let you know next week if she won. (Here she is with her sign she had to wear all week.)

Dance Recital

Each year the girls are in a dance recital. It is a huge production that lasts all weekend. This year was Ashlyn's first performance. She was so excited about it and asked to wear her costume all of the time. She did a tap dance to "It's My Party". It was the most darling thing ever! The day of production she did so good. She wasn't at all intimidated or distracted by the 800+ people watching them. She remembered her moves (ok maybe with a little help from the teachers in the wings.). When the song was over she marched off stage, but hesitated at the curtain before exiting waving at everybody. She is such a performer. I think she is taking after her big sister.

Hannah too was in the recital. This is her 4rd recital. She did an acro routine to "Let's Hear it For the Boys" from Footloose. She did so good. She was a little peanut up there with all of the bigger girls. (She is the youngest in class.) She is really good at acro. She is more of my gymnast. The routine and costumes were so cute.

Marissa of course did great too. She was so busy with costume changes and helping out with the little ones I didn't get a picture of her in her costumes. I will have Aunt Jen take better ones soon though.

Climbing Stairs

Here is Aidan's newest trick. I keep finding him on the stairs!! He first learned this up at our friends cabin about a month ago, but only tried the first stair. Now he has gotten so fast that I turn around and he is already at the top. This is very scary since his sisters aren't so good about keeping the gate closed. I suppose the only good thing about this new found freedom is that he doesn't know how to get to the stairs from the main areas of our house. (He has to go around a corner before he can find the entrance.)

"Daddy Daughter Trip"

Tim and Hannah went camping last weekend up to Lake Mary with our friend Scott and his daughter Madison. It was a great bonding time. Tim loves that Hannah is slowly but surely turning into our little "tomboy" . She loves to hike, camp, fish, and watch and play sports. Her latest pass time is definately fishing and she has become quite good at it. She will even bait her hook and clean her own fish! GROSS! The final count for the weekend was Hannah 2 and daddy 3 (but her fish were definately bigger!) The only bummer part of the weekend was it poured on and off ALL WEEKEND! Overall they had a great weekend. She is already talking about the next camping trip!

"In High School Now"

Can you believe it? Marissa started high school last week! She was very nervous (just we were too!) She is adapting very well though. She loves the freedom on no uniform although it takes her twice as long to find clothes to wear in the morning. She loves her classes and the new found freedom of life on a high school campus. She even commented on the difference from a private school to public high school. She said there are no cute boys in her classes just weirdo's with mohawks. This past weekend she was upset as she couldn't find a friend to make plans with on, "Her first weekend of being in high school." She even said, "And I look cute today with no plans." Wow sometimes she really tires me out.

"Our big 2nd Grader"

Yes time really flies. Hannah is in 2nd grade this year. It is hard to believe it, but she is in her 3rd week of school already. She only cried the first two days this year which is a huge improvement from the first week of 1st grade and the first month of kindergarten! She is such a sweet, smart girl and loves school. This week she was moved up to the highest math group! She must take after her dad!

"Our Little Girl is Growing Up"

Or so she thinks. Ashlyn has been trying to follow in her sisters footsteps for a long time. Today she finally got her wish and started school too. She is now in preschool. She has been counting down the days and this morning she informed me I didn't need to walk her to school as she would go by herself. (The preschool is at somebody's house in our neighborhood.) I had to remind her that she isn't old enough to cross the street yet and she didn't know the directions either. This all important day was even more important as she also got to be the "All About Me" person in class today and also bring the snack. All of this must have gone to her head as she informed me on what shoes she was going to wear and how to do her hair. She definately has a mind of her own! I can't wait until high school!

Growing Little Man

We are so happy to announce our little man isn't considered so little anymore!! He had a follow up appointment with the GI doctor at Phoenix Childrens Hospital. We are happy to report that he has put on over 4 pounds in the past 2 1/2 months!! The doctor and nutritionist were amazed at his progress and can't believe how much he put on. They are making some changes to his diet and weaning him off of his "steroid" bottle (a higher calorie mix) over the next month. They wan't to make sure he can gain weight without the mix and begin proteins which can make you lose weight. He has to follow up again in 2 months. They are saying at this point that it was probably a combination of Reflux and not absorbing my breast milk. (Since they did know that I was producing enough by having me pump.) Anyways we are so happy!! He has some meat and rolls on him now! From the pictures I guess you can see I cut his long hair! :( Tim and I miss his long surfer look so we will let it grow back out, but his new do is cute.