Summer FuN

Is it really already Fall?? It seems as though school just got out for summer. AND our summer was cut WAY short because June was freezing and then there was the whole gallbladder fiasco in August!! If you want more details on that check out my sisters blog. Let's just say I spent 5 days in the hospital with pancreatitis and then had to have my gallbladder out (it was the worst pain I have EVER been in).

But all is well now.. if I could just get back running everyday again!
And we did manage to have loads of fun this summer...

The kids had a Violin recital ...

Summer played a duet with her teacher called "O Sole Mio"

We went bowling with the Townsends...

We did lots of boating... Summer and I both learned to wakeboard this year! YEAH!!!

We ran the freedom festival 10k with my sister and brothers...

We went camping with the Arthur's... and learned of the luxury of camping in a camper! I will never rough it in a tent again!!

We got a "wheeler"... and the kids have all LOVED learning how to ride it!

We went to visit my sister in Colorado... we always have loads of fun in Colorado. This time we went swimming, went to Elitches, floated down the Pueblo river, rocked out with "Uncle Rock", and of course celebrated the infamous "unbirthday" with a nightmare sunday this time instead of a boring old cake (I think this tradition will stay)!

Summer got braces! WHAT?? Is she already old enough for that...

BEFORE & AFTER

Tyson Turned 2! And he was sick again! He is SO in to Mickey Mouse this year... so we had a Mickey birthday.

Alan turned 30!

He got a rockin' new wakeboard ... and I didn't take a picture of it! DANG! But there is a picture of him getting some sweet air on his new board below :) We had a fun day boating that ended with a surprise party!

Summer turned 11! She chose to go boating on her actual birthday and then she had a big joint party with her friend Chelsea Curtis (who learned to knee board on Summer's birthday!!)

See you next year summertime! :)

Quick Trip

We decided to take a last minute trip to Colorado over the Memorial Day weekend. We were stressed from the issues with trying to buy the new home. Last minute trips are the best, no? There are no expectations, no great anticipation, just good old fun!

Elisa's sister Carolina is in Castle Rock. I don't know if it was all of the rain we have had this year or what, but it was so green out there. It is hilly, mountainous, and only 25 minutes from Downtown Denver.

The drive over I-70 is so sweet. The scenery is amazing. It is quite a drive, the kids last, you

know like 5 minutes before asking, "When will we be there", despite the pep talk not to. It rained a lot of the trip, and it was amusing to see Vail's tax dollars strong at work with over 8 cops lining the whopping 4 miles through the city.

It was so good to see them, with the kids getting older, the jobs, life we don't get to see them as much as we used to. Every time we get together it is so refreshing. Caro, Jamie - you guys rock!

We got a chance to take the kids to Elitch Gardens...which was a blast. The park is just big enough to appease the thrill seeking thirty-something year old kids, and small enough for the monsters to have a good time. Even Elisa did some thrill seeking (if you can't tell it is her in the pic below).

The kids did so well together, the whole trip. I think this is probably the best they have gotten along on a visit such as this...it was great.

It was good to see Jamie and Caro doing so well. They have worked so hard to get where they are, and they are finally starting to see the fruits of their labor. Nice work guys!

They have a great little house, Jamie's practice is starting to pick up, and the kids are doing so well.

Elisa ran in the Bolder Boulder which is a 10k ran by like 50,000 people. This was her first race of this length, and so was kind of big for her. She has been running a lot more lately, I'm proud of her. We decided not to get the kids up early to take them over to see the run, so I didn't get to be there, but from the sounds of it they had a great time. Elisa ran with Caro, and a few of Jamie's relatives. Good job babe!

While the girls ran in the race and got pedicures we took the kids to play baseball. They all loved it, and we had a blast. In the mean time, Tyson ran par for the course by getting into trouble. Muddy puddle...? Ah yeah!!!

Then of course you have to do the "un-birthday"...

Well. It was a fun trip, and we can't wait to have the Townsends out for the 4th.

And Not So Much Change

Just an FYI... we have decided to NOT move and we are staying in our very "cozy" little house! Just thought you all should know, in case you were wondering WHY we haven't moved yet :)

Change

Well, this is going to be kind of a brain dump. I know we haven't updated this forever, and we have all kinds of excuses as to why we haven't, but in the end they are just excuses. I am sitting here...Elisa is at a movie, it's like 11:30 at night and rather than flipping through channels I found myself here at the computer. Carolina's blog just happened to be up...so I said "what the heck".
I thought change was an appropriate title as it is constantly a part of our life with 4 kids.


Kids I have to jump out of my skin every once and a while and look at the kids...they are changing right before my eyes and it is easy to miss. Tyson was going through quite the grumpy phase (I wanted to use the word "honry" there...but I obviously have no freakin idea how to spell it...total brain fart...LOL) phase. I think it was just before a growth spurt because now he is eating like food is going to be non-existent and is pretty happy. He is such a funny kid. So fun , but shy at the same time. He has started this screaming thing, which I'm sure makes the downstairs renters think we've just beat the kid to a pulp.

Hallie is as sweet as ever, however just as devious at the same time. It is so funny how she tries to pull the wool over mom and dad's eyes. She is dancing at some studio in PG (sorry soccer moms...not as into the details as the female half of this deal). Summer dances there as well, and they both seem to love it...even Tyson is starting to join the dancing thing...you should see that guy shake it.

Jaxon is playing soccer and loving it...although I think he is the most excited spectator while playing...if there is such a thing. I get's so excited to be out there, but forgets that soccer involves human-ball interaction. I think baseball will be his sport, but don't worry, dad still takes the opportunity to be the annoying, yelling parent-living-through-his-kids-shoes guy.

We took Jaxon skiing for the first time this year, which he totally loved...how about that face...? Look forward to doing that more.

Summer is so mature, it makes me sick...she now has a nicer cell phone than her dad...has a laptop, is going to boys' birthday parties, and texts more than she talks...I'm in serious trouble. She is a lot of help around the house though...I can't tell you how good she is with the kids...it's amazing. She has a lot of friends - spring break? Sleep-overs, sleep-overs...and yeah...yep you got it.

All the kids are still playing the violin, Kudos to Elisa for keeping with it...it is a lot of work...nice job hun!

So what is new with the family...well we have lived in this house for four years...finally bought it last year just to turn around and move. We knew this wasn't the end-all, be-all for us, but man was it a hard decision. We bought a house in the ranches...yeah clear out there...but hey we love it...it is quiet, semi-rural-feeling-ish and you can get a lot of house for the money right now. It isn't all that much to look out...a big box with a third car garage. Well, hey it's 4bds with room to grow, and it's got lot's of room for those all too well know latinos parties...(just kiddin' Sosas). It is also up on the hill with a decent view, south facing garage (something I've always wanted...don't understand? Haven't lived in Utah long enough)
We are excited!

With the market the way it is it was a great time to buy, not a great time to sell...so we have somehowe finangled a plan to buy this one now, rent out our current house and then in a year we'll see how the market looks to see if selling makes sense.

We are going to miss all of our neighbors here (except the latinos next door). We have lived here longer than anywhere else and owe a lot to friends we've had over the years.


So what else is changing...my brother is leaving for the summer again...punk! I hope things go well for them in Chicago, he promised he would buy a dirt bike when he gets back so we can go kill ourselves...I guess I can hold out for that. We have a lot to do to get ready to move...basement apartment needs an overhaul...this generic looking house you see above is just as generic on the inside...so that needs work...what have I signed up for? Elisa is super busy...you can imagine with 4 kids, 5 including me, work and everything else you moms do. She has been a trooper though...I think the new house has been a motivator, because she is going like crazy. One of my other brothers is getting married...then he's not...then he is...and somewhere in there having a kid...some kind of dis-jointed family, huh?


Well Elisa still isn't home...but I do have a job that waking up for might be a good thing. I need to figure out how to post this thing...sorry I'm not the blogger my wife is, and sorry this took so long, but this was good for me anyhow.


See ya!

... And School has begun!

Well, school has actually been going for quite a while, and I am muy muy late getting these up.

But hey, late is better than never...

I just have to share how proud I am of my kids. Lets face it people, the first day/week of school is no walk in the park! And this year seemed to be especially tough on the girls, which is so CRAZY because I was CERTAIN that Jaxon would be the one having a hard time. But he has actually had the easiest transition into Kindergarten. I am SO PROUD of my little MAN!! I seriously expected crying, clinging, shyness, anything, but I was VERY surprised when all I got was a very BRAVE little guy!!

He was SO proud of himself for going to school and that smile on his face that first day when I picked him up on the corner with Summer is PRICELESS!!

Summer had a rough start. We had a few EXTREMELY emotional days around here. Days I had no idea how to handle (I have no idea how to raise a pre-teen), which made for a really hard first week of school, but she has pulled through it and now she has loads of friends at school. I am very proud of her for STICKING it out and having courage to do things that are NOT easy!!

(apparently I have no pictures of Summer's first day... guess the novelty of the first day of school wears off after 1st or 2nd grade...)

I thought for sure my little Hallie would do GREAT in preschool this year since she has Jaxon's old teacher and she was so excited to be in Mrs. Mulliner's class, but she has had a really hard time and we still have days that she really doesn't want to go. This is so not like Hallie. It makes me worried, but I know Hallie and she can pull through this. She is my BRAVE little PRINCESS!