Abbey's 1st Day of Preschool.

So I am a totally lame blogger and mom. Here it is two months later when I finally get around to posting my last baby on her 1st day of school. She is going to Mrs. Christi's preschool, where Hunter and Madyson have attended in the past. I was very apprehensive because if you know Abbey she does not leave my side well. For so long I would drop her off anywhere, even the places she was most comfortable, she would still cry like I was killing her. I tried her there over the summer and had Madyson go with her to try to transition. So here she is on the 1st day and she was sooooo excited. The other little girl is a neighborhood friend that we carpool with. I really was surprised when off she went without a word or a look back. I thank God she loves it. When I got there to pick her up she could not stop talking about her day. She went through the entire morning blow by blow as to what her teacher said. NO GUM MOM! The trash can loves trash. You have to wear shoes..... There is a boy that does not listen here mom!! It was the cutest thing. I mean come on how many of us moms get the dreaded answer "I Do not Know" or "NOTHING" when asked what they did at school today???

Abbey's Twin!

So this weekend when Steve was playing at the Oktober Fest I got to see a lot of people I had not seen in some time. One of the people I see at some of his gigs (Michelle) was there this year. She decided to bring her daughter.......... I about died when I saw her I actually had to think for a moment that I actually did not bring my daughter with me!!! She not only looks exactly like her she also acts just like her. You know what they say, everyone has a twin well here they are!

1st day of school!

This is the boy who will not allow me to take his picture. He decided to try to be cool.

At least I have a typical picture of a high school kid right??

This is just too cute. I was trying to take pics of the school kids when Abbey decided she wanted in on the picture with her cool 3-D glasses Christopher was wearing .

The coolest 1st grader!

The studs!

Our newest school girl!

My Birthday!

I am having one of the best birthdays ever. I had my math final yesterday, and found out that I passed it and got a B in the class. That was such a HUGE relief. I have really been stressing out about that and was worried I would not pass. Then last night I went to the movies with about 15 of my friends. It was such a surprise to me that everyone was able to go. Having a birthday in the summer has always been tough because of friends doing the vacation thing. We went to see Mama Mia. I have never laughed so hard. It was the cheesiest but funniest movie ever. It was one of the best times I have had in such a long time. We went to Apple bee's after for dessert and talked until midnight! Then of course my friends had to embarrass me by getting them to sing to me. It was so funny I heard them start to sing and I turned my head and thought WOW who's birthday is it and realized duhhhh its me!

Flowers from my son!

I got a GPS that I always wanted!
Alyssa got me a gift card for I tunes and a pink bag to take the towels and such to the pool!

(So I would not use hers anymore)
Patti got me the cute little book, notepad and figurine!
Tabitha brought me a yummy Jamba Juice and a gift card too!
Julie got me a bunch of cute note cards, magnets, Scrap stuff and some candy not in this pic!
Becca made this adorable necklace for me.
Shelley and Alice got me these yummy smelling soaps.
Tami got me the gift card to Barnes and noble!
Here is some candy I got and the candy that was from Julie too!
A really cool mirror!
I bought myself the soundtrack to the Mamma Mia!

Thanks for the awesome treat melody!
My daughter Alex made me this cute cake!
Little Make-n-Take at the Scrap store the morning of my big day!

Happens to match my scrap room perfect!
One of my friends Ronnie made me Jammi pants!

On the morning of my birthday my son got up and let me sleep in after my hubby went to work. I then went to the Scrap store for the little project. Ronny, Julie and I went to lunch at Nando's. Thanks girls. We went to wally world to get my CD and then headed home. I went out with Steve for dinner to Cadillac Ranch in Tempe Marketplace. That was fun since I had never been there we got to shop a bit. A huge wait for food but was a good night.

A huge thank you to all of you who called, gave gifts, came by me house, went to the movies with me, Lunch with me, and to all the people who gave me various cards and treats not pictured here because I ate them before I could take a picture:) I had a great day and thank everyone for helping be a part of it!

Our trip to California!

We went to Steve's mom for 4th of July this summer. We had a blast. The kids had so much fun and we all got to visit family that we had not seen in years. With having such a large family it takes alot to get us to go anywhere with 8 people. The expense is huge and frankly the kids are tough to deal with when not in our own little environment. However this was different we all got along good and for the most part the kids did great.

This was Abbey on her first plane ride ever!

Madyson was trying to go back to sleep but it never worked. We took a late flight out and it was way past there bedtime.

The Thursday after we got there we went to a place called Borge's Ranch! They had a real old house that gave tours but not open at this time. They had an area with these old tractors that the kids played on.

Look at the size of this pine cone!

A real well that had water that was about 58 degrees in it!

This was a old out house in the yard and the kids were so interested in it. I had no idea what was so cool over there until I went to see and found a nice dead squirrel in it.(gross)!

Thanks Tami !

Another one of my great ideas came to bite me in the butt this summer. SCHOOL! 2 years ago I decided to go back to school. Yes its already been 2 years crazy huh? Well when I applied they asked to see my math and English scores..... UM huh? what scores? they have this nice little test that you have to take and it places you in the appropriate level of Math and English. I about lost it. I walk in to go back to college after about 15 years and the first thing you say is fine here is a test. So I decided to take it right there on the spot and get it over with. I then hand it over to the lady who I think is going to say we will call you in a few days with the results, no... technology has changed since I went to school last and they run it through a machine and there is your immediate score! I placed great in English and Math. I placed above the required classes but then they tell me I still have to take 2 English classes and 1 math class.

For the 1st semester back I did my English and then dove into all the Biology classes that I love to take. The summer is approaching and I get this lovely little notice in the mail that says my test results for my Math expire this summer!!!!! OUCH. I decided to just suck it up and take Math this summer. Ok now I find no class available except one that is 5 days a week. Not going to work with the kids home for summer. So another great idea...ONLINE. I enroll and here comes the day to start the class.

Now realize I have really not done Math is like 18 years at this point. I think the only reason I placed in this high of a math is because I had been helping Christopher with his math the last few years. So in the first week I realize I am up to my neck. I have no idea what I am doing and this is a16 week class shoved into 8 weeks and I have to self teach myself. Not fun. I had decided to drop the stupid class but noooooooo Steve convinced me to go ahead and suck it up and stay with it. Well I should have listened to my gut because I would have never been able to do it with out my friend Tami.

Tami is the best. She is a friend in my neighborhood that majored in Math when she was in college. So I get through my first test and got 79%. Ok for those who know me that about killed me. I am a perfectionist and it did not go over well. The class is just getting harder and I am panicking at this point. so Tami to the rescue. I would call her with problems and we would analyze then forever. I should have just asked her the answer and saved us both hours hahaha not. Well Tami was a trooper. She talked me through tons of problems for tons of hours. She took time away from her kids who wanted her off the phone! She took time away from her hubby who she never gets to see these days. She researched and researched info for me on the Internet, looked through her books, let me borrow books, and really went way beyond just giving me a hand. A huge thank you to her kids for dealing with their mom being on the phone so much. (tell them I am finally done). I am soooo thankful to have had her this semester. She is the most amazing woman ever. She sacrifices anything to give to anyone who asks. She never told me no she never said hey lady this is your class. She sucked it up and helped me the entire semester. I just wanted her know that I saw how much it took away from her own life to help me. It meant the world to me and I am so grateful to have had a resource like that this semester. If I had not I know I would not have passed this course without her. So a huge thanks and kuddos to one of the most unselfish person I know. Oh by the my final is at 7am tomorrow wish me luck cause I cant take Tami with me!

THANKS TAMI!!!!!!

This is a picture of my dear grandma. She will be 86 years old tomorrow. I took this picture last weekend when I went to see her. She has really been going downhill and has been diagnosed with Dementia. It is the saddest thing in the world to see your own family member getting old. Just a post dedicated to her and wishing her the best birthday!