Notre Famille!

Howard County GT History Fair

2011-11-18T06:00:00.004-05:00

Joshua works pretty hard in school and I was so proud of how hard he worked on this project! He created a website about a battle over water rights in Los Angeles. He spent hours perfecting his website. He got an interview with a famous author. He put pictures and videos on his website. He worked on it almost every single day for a few months!

Here is Joshua with his friend Duncan who won first place in Howard County and who's parents both attended Yale. For that day we felt kind of proud to be in the mix with a 'Yale' family:) Joshua won 3rd place on his project in all of Howard County.

Here is a link to his website: http://50331554.nhd.weebly.com/index.html

Winter Break 2011 Part 2

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

The weather outside was perfect for miniature golf!

Mike and the kids inside the lodge (they packed their own clothes, can you tell?..I especially like Cameron's all red outfit...ha ha):

Another fun thing they have right next door is this:

My kids love Sonic! Joshua usually loves to get that giant hot dog and eats the whole thing!

Winter Break 2011

2011-11-16T10:18:00.002-05:00

Last February we started to get really tired of winter. I started getting really cold! I just wanted to escape to someplace warm, so we did just that! We drove south a few hours near Williamsburg, VA to a fun indoor water park. It was also really nice outside, so we enjoyed a bit of miniature golf and some touring around town. If I had it to do over again, I would have stayed longer:) Oh and since it was also my birthday gift, Mike surprised me with an appointment to the spa with a massage! Isn't he thoughtful?

The first thing Joshua did when we got to our room was this (I don't know what he would have done if he had forgotten his yo-yo):

Can you tell Madeline was excited? She was the first to get her swimsuit on.

This is how happy Madeline was after she went on a few water slides. She surprised me a bit, because she wasn't afraid of any of the slides. I had to hold her back, because I was getting frightened for her!

There was this really cool wave rider that the boys all had a fantastic time on. I'm just so sad because all of those pictures somehow got corrupted on our memory card and all we have is this lame, teeny tiny picture, so if you can squint enough to get the idea..here it is:

Madeline on one of the many slides she excitedly rode:

Cameron coming out of the ginormous water playground:

Madeline after swimming to the side. She has become quite the little swimmer.

Cameron running off a slide, trying to hurry to the next one:

Joshua must have been coming from and going to the next slide:

Zachary walked across some logs that wobble around in the water and he did a pretty good job!

The kids and I in the hot tub. After all that talk about going to a warm place (it was 80 degrees in there), I still longed for more warmth! The hot tub was super nice for that!

More of Christmas 2010

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Two good looking shepherds, Joshua with his cousin, Jared.

My sil, Jennifer made the costumes for all the kids. Isn't she talented? The kids love acting the story of baby Jesus out and this year we even had a few babies to choose from (we went with the youngest). Oh and my brother is trying to put one of his kids in the picture, who didn't want to be in the picture. ha ha:)

Christmas with Cousins 2010

2011-11-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Every Christmas Eve we gather with siblings and cousins to eat dinner, act out the manger scene, and open a few gifts from each other.

The cousins have a great time together! (Madeline is wearing an angel hat.)

Isn't this just the cutest thing ever? This was almost a year ago. Now they are all three running around, so this Christmas Eve should be even more exciting!

3rd and Last 2010 Baby Blessing

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Can you believe there were 3 Schoeny boys born in 2010? I think they are going to have tons of fun together when they get older! It's so fun to watch all three of my brothers with their kids.
The baby blessed in December 2010 is on the right:

I made a cake for him (well really us, since he didn't eat it):

Cake close up (it looks crooked to me..does it to you? I'm going to say it happened on the car ride over...must have been Mike's driving:)

Here's the happy couple cutting their 1st baby blessing cake! Ha ha, we had a great time:)

Band and Singing

2011-11-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

Joshua plays the saxophone and here are a few pictures from December 2010's concert taken from the very back of the auditorium with a cheap camera, but I managed to capture him!

Joshua also plays in the jazz band, in addition to the regular band. The jazz band is so fun and is the last performance of the night. I think it's also the best performance of the night!

Zachary plays the trumpet in his band (last year it was elementary school, pictured here and this year it's middle school...pictures of middle school will come soon!). Sadly I didn't even get a picture of Zachary playing in his band. The seating was arranged in such a way that all I could get was this! Oh well, he was there, I promise:

Zach also sang in the chorus and I was VERY impressed with their performance this year!

Cameron sang in the same chorus as Zachary. They both said they didn't like it! I thought that was funny, though, because it was really really good. I guess the teacher was pretty strict with them (part of the reason for it sounding so good, I think!)

Joshua's Birthday

2011-11-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

Almost 1 year ago Joshua turned 14 (I can't believe he'll be 15 in less than a month!) Here are a few pictures of the family party we had for his 14th birthday:

Joshua picked Qdoba for his place to eat. We all loved it!

Joshua had 14 candles to blow out. My boys were all in this 'wearing a hat indoors' phase. They thought it was funny and it was kind of cold, so it is kind of understandable.

We couldn't ask for a better 'oldest' child. I don't know why we were blessed with Joshua, but we were. He is the best example for his younger siblings and not only that, but he loves to play with them! My favorite thing is to watch him read books to his little sister! I LOVE that! He also genuinely enjoys playing with his younger brothers, which I LOVE too! He also loves adult time with Mom and Dad, which I of course LOVE!

We Have a Lot to be Thankful For!

2011-11-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last Thanksgiving (2010) we went to my brother's house. This is a tradition every year, since they have the best "Thanksgiving" house.
We eat food that looks like this: (I forgot to get a picture of the pies and cookies, but we have lots of that too.)

The men gather to watch the football game (and get a little sleep at the same time):

The young men gather outdoors to play a football game (much more fun in my opinion):

The girls play indoors and outdoors doing flips and such on the trampoline:

The little girls do about the same things as the older girls:

The oldest girls do mostly the same as the younger girls (minus trampoline jumping...maybe we should try that this year?):

Family Picture 2010

2011-11-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last November we went to a little park near our house with our cheap camera and tripod and took our family picture:

It gets so much easier to use the tripod trick with children who are old enough to get it. Madeline took a little coercing, but I can't complain. She was pretty good too!

Since I am posting these pictures a year late, I thought I'd add our most current family picture here: (tripod again, but now we have a better camera)

Leaving for Their Mission

2011-11-04T06:00:00.002-04:00

My parents left for their mission to Argentina almost one year ago (November 2010). I can and cannot believe it's been one year. At times, it seems the time has gone so fast and at other times I look at my kids and see how much they've grown and what my parents have missed while they have been gone. It still makes me happy that they are serving the Lord and blessing the lives of many.

Some of us were able to be with them when they were set apart for their mission.

Some of the grandchildren were able to be there too.

I dropped them of at the airport and after they walked into these doors I realized I forgot to take a picture! Seriously? I guess we were so worried about them forgetting something, that we didn't think about a picture. So, I thought all is not lost..........I'll take a picture of the doors of the airport they walked in. Adios la madre y el padre!

Another Baby Blessing Fall 2010

2011-11-03T06:00:00.003-04:00

Our family just keeps getting bigger. Let's see....my parents now have 19 grandchildren. I always have to count, because it's constantly changing these days!

This is another little nephew.

Here is the blessing cake I made for him.

Here are his awesome parents (with him). This is my wonderful brother and fabulous sister-in-law. This is their sixth baby. Do you think they look like they have 6 kids? I don't know how they do it, but they still look like newlyweds to me.

Leaves, leaves, and more leaves! 2010

2011-11-02T06:00:00.003-04:00

Here on the East Coast we have LEAVES! Tons of leaves, every fall!

The kids LOVE to rake them, but they also LOVE to jump in them! I LOVE to watch them:) It always brings a smile to my face and I found out the other day that some of the older couples who live around us love to watch them out their windows! I guess we are loud and entertaining in this neighborhood!

Halloween 2010

2011-11-01T06:00:00.003-04:00

This is Halloween one year ago! Yes, I'm hoping that very soon, I'll have our 2011 Halloween pictures up.

Josh is a pizza delivery guy. He cut the Dominoes sign from a box and stuck it to his hat...very creative, indeed. Zach decided to be a nerd, because nerds are cool (after they finish school and get a great job)! Cameron wanted to be super banana.....totally and completely his idea and I have no idea where it came from, but I think it was pretty funny! Madeline wanted to be Cinderella!

Madeline's 4th Birthday 2010

2011-10-31T06:00:00.008-04:00

It's pretty sad that I'm posting last years birthdays, but I really don't want to skip any! Hopefully soon I'll catch up and have this years birthdays on here!

Here's our little princess one year ago.

This is a closer look at the princess cake I made and Madeline requested.

Oma was able to be there to read 3 princess stories to the girls. Oma loves to read and children love to listen to her, so it was a treat.

We played pin the princess in the window.

Here is the 'cousins' party. Any excuse for a party, right?

Since I'm still posting birthdays that are one year old, I figured I should post a current picture of Madeline. Here she is! This was taken at our Ward trunk-or-treat and this is one of her Halloween costumes this year...yes she has a few. We try not to spoil her, but goodness it's hard not to, being the only girl and all!

Cameron's Birthday 2010

2011-10-19T00:00:00.009-04:00

Here he is, 9 years old with the baseball cake he requested and I made.

Cameron wanted to go someplace that serves milkshakes, so he chose Fuddruckers, which we all loved.

OK, I know this post is about Cameron, but I couldn't help but throw this picture in there of M trying to keep up with her brothers and their eating habits.

Cameron also had a friends party. Here is some of the gang at the bowling alley analyzing their scores.

Since this post is a year late, I decided to throw in a more recent picture of Cameron. Hmmm, he's still a goof, minus a few more teeth. Love this guy.

Baby Blessing 2010

2011-10-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Last fall (2010) we had the wonderful privilege of attending my nephew's baby blessing. Look at all those wonderful men who participated in the blessing! I love living near family. The cake is a baby blessing cake that I made for him (well, since he can't eat it, it was really for everyone else). M couldn't get enough of her little nephew.

.....and I just can't resist posting this one too. This is him now, about a year later. Isn't he cute? I can't believe how much he has grown.

Fall Hiking 2010

2011-10-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Mike and Joshua went hiking with the Young Men in our Ward. Great view, huh? This was another 2010 event that I'm catching up on.

1st Day of Preschool 2010

2011-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy this past year, that I've completely neglected our blog. The longer I neglect it the worse it gets, because I can't just skip over all this time. I feel the need to fill in the gaps, so the next several posts will cover some of the major events we had over the past year.

And this is a major event, M's first day of preschool! Love that little girl and miss her when she's in preschool. What am I going to do when she starts kindergarten? This year (2011) she's in her second year of preschool, but this is a picture of her in 2010.

Over the Hill

2011-04-19T18:56:00.001-04:00

After having our humble family party, Mike got a big surprise! I made this cake for his real over the hill party. He thought we were just going to my brother's for a relaxing evening. Little did he know there were lots of people ready to yell surprise. We had 80's music and some old pictures of Mike from the 80's. The kids had fun on the slip and slide and in the sprinkler.

Some of the guests.

The cook aka my brother. He grilled up some fantastic burgers.

Mike....after he got over the initial shock of it all.

The pinata line.

Madeline hitting the pinata (dinosaur to go with the ancient over the hill theme). She's hitting it with a walking stick:)

Zachary turns 11!

2011-03-06T22:39:00.001-05:00

Wow, time flies! So Zachary actually turned eleven about 7 months ago!.........but I am still catching up, so this is better than never!

Zachary loves to be funny, as he is above in this picture:)

Since Zachary's birthday is in the summer, we seem to have a hard time finding cousins and friends who are not on vacation! Several of Zachary's cousins came over for Zachary's birthday. Zachary requested a baseball cake, so I made the cake and then I decided to add cupcakes.

Can you guess that Zach's favorite sport is baseball? Zachary also loves school and that might sound a little crazy, but I count my blessings every single day! Right now I won't worry about whether or not it is normal for a child to love school, come home and get right to his homework with hardly any persuading from mother, and continue to make straight A's in GT classes. I'm not going to worry, just count my blessings!

Zachary is a tremendous blessing to our family. He is certainly the peacemaker amongst his siblings. He is also the caring child, who always seems to know when someone needs something. He's the young man with the common sense too. He doesn't usually worry about much, he simply does whatever needs to be done to fix anything that's going wrong. Zachary is a GREAT guy to have around when things get stressful. He really knows how to help and how to calm us all down! We absolutely love having Zachary in our family. It is so much fun to have all these different personalities around to contribute to our family in such fun ways!

We LOVE you Zachary!

Some of Summer 2010

2011-03-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

Madeline really improved last summer in swim lessons. She's always been fearless around water, so that scares me a bit. I figure I'll feel a bit better if she becomes a strong swimmer, so I signed her up for more swim lessons. I took these pictures of her last summer.

Another cake I made for the 2nd cake decorating class that I took. We were strongly encouraged to put a basket weave on the sides of the cake.

I made a fondant/gumpaste blend to create the flowers and leaves for the top.

After the first cake decorating class that I took, I decided I wanted to make a ton of cakes! We had a cousins birthday party with all the cousins who live here! Madeline had a special request, a princess castle cake. Cousin O also had a special request, a worm cake! So the worm cake looks a little funny, but it tasted good! Cameron and several others requested a fish cake. We all had a great time playing, talking, and eating!

We took a trip to Flag Pond with some friends. There were tons of jelly fish! The kids were very careful to not touch them and thank goodness no one got stung! They were, however, fascinated by them and had a great time fishing for them with little nets.

2010 Spring Recap

2011-03-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

We've had so many things going on in our family that are blog-worthy and I have FINALLY made the time to blog about a few highlights!

Madeline and her cousin, O., love to play together. They are so funny to listen to and to watch when they play. I couldn't resist snapping this picture. They both decided to dress up. O looks super important talking on Madeline's pink phone and Madeline obviously thinks she's a beautiful little ballerina.

I took a few cake decorating classes during the Spring and Summer of 2010. These are my very first cakes. It was really fun to learn several different techniques and my family all loved eating the many cakes I baked!

An Orioles game with great seats, fun friends, cousins, and great weather!

Madeline and cousin O. love the sandbox. What child doesn't love to play without shoes and get sand all over and inside their clothes?

This also brings back some of my own blissful childhood memories:)

Joshua is still in band, playing the saxophone. Here you can see him a bit, even though this picture was taken from the very back of a dark auditorium, so not the best shot. Nevertheless, he is doing really well and is 1st seat this year!

Orioles game! We had great seats for this game, but the weather was a little chilly, not what you expect during baseball season! We still had a really fantastic time!

Mike brought Zachary on a fishing trip to the Chesapeake Bay during the Spring of 2010. Zachary had so much fun that he talked about it for weeks afterwards. These are the fish they caught. Here in Maryland we call these Rockfish. This year Joshua gets to go!

Our kids absolutely love to roast marshmallows and hot dogs with Opa in the backyard. Such a simple, yet enjoyable and relaxing thing to do!

Washington D.C. Cherry Blossoms!

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C.

Madeline with her cousin O. at one of the many fun parks near our house.

Nest like a Heron....Madeline with cousins O and M at the Baltimore Zoo.

Baltimore Zoo with cousins.

Our Boys Sing an African song

2010-12-28T20:03:00.000-05:00

African song from the Olivier boys

We were all thoroughly entertained with this song. Zach and Cameron learned it in school, then taught it to Joshua. Fun times.

End of Summer 2010 and Into Fall

2010-09-01T18:28:00.000-04:00

Last year Mike turned 40. We had a family party. I made the cake, which was also my final cake for the cake class I was taking. Mike thought the partying was over with a very humble family party.....little did he know:)

First Day of School..all dressed in Ravens gear!

Joshua hiking on one of his many Scout hikes/campouts.

Six Flags! We ended the summer with a wet and wild bang. We went to Six Flags. Here we are soaked after going on a wet boat ride....so fun! The Six Flags here also has a water park, so we were able to enjoy water slides, wave pool, lazy river, and roller coasters all in the same day. I'm not a fan of roller coasters and I get frightened every time my children go on one. I'm always super happy when they step off those rides, but I still let them have fun:) I love to hang out with Madeline on the little rides. We all had a great time!

Swim Team!

2010-08-22T19:02:00.001-04:00

This is Joshua in All-City. He swam free style and butterfly. He did really well in both. He earned 3rd place in butterfly in the 13 and 14 year old age group!

Cameron swam back stroke and free style in All-City.

He did really well in his age group too.

Zachary swam on swim team this year, but he decided to go on his first scout campout instead of swim in the All-City meet this year. This picture is him at day camp, though, since I don't seem to have a picture of him on his first campout.

I also can't seem to find a single picture of him at a meet this summer. I'm going to have to ask around for a picture!

Baseball!

2010-08-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

The baseball season is really fun in our family.

All three boys love the game and their mom and dad love to watch them play!

Cameron hit a triple here. He really had an awesome hit!

The top picture is him running home.

Zachary is catching a ball and preparing to hit a ball here.
He did a fantastic job this year!

Joshua was pitcher this year for his team. He pitched most games, missing maybe 2. When he wasn't pitching during the game, he was usually playing shortstop. Joshua also really improved his hitting this year. This was the first season where he managed to not break a SINGLE bone! Yay!!! He got to play all season! It was so fun to finally see his incredible baseball skills all season long!

Assateague National Seashore

2010-07-26T12:42:00.001-04:00

This is the first thing we saw when we drove into the park.

There were so many wild ponies and the kids absolutely loved seeing them!

Zachary and Joshua had a fantastic time using their boogie boards.

It took Madeline a while to brave the water, but once she did, she couldn't stop laughing as the waves came up and hit her feet.

Cameron worked really hard on this sand castle and

Zachary helped with some finishing touches.

Madeline and Brooklyn had the best time just playing in the sand.

Boogie boards! The boys have so much fun riding

the waves and this was a gorgeous day for doing that!

The three boys that I LOVE!

With my sweet and oh so adorable little princess that I LOVE!

We ate at a place that served seafood after spending the day at the beach.

The food was great, but the wait was long!

Emma and Madeline had so much fun together while waiting for their food. I can't believe how happy all the kids stayed. We were there for several hours, but it was a fun several hours!

4th of July Fun!

2010-07-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

Cousins! We got together with Paul & Jennifer's family and Jeff & Shelly's family. Jeff and Shelly came to visit D.C. so we were able to spend the 4th together. Some weren't very happy to have their picture taken. Some were hiding, but if you look closely, you can see them all in this picture!

Madeline with her cousin, Cade. They are so stinkin cute together! I just can't get over it:)

I actually sewed this dress for Madeline. I was supposed to sew a matching skirt for me, but ran out of time...so hopefully soon it will happen.

Paul, the gourment chef. He cooked up some great meat for us all. Super Delicious!

Rachel and Nicole. We spent the 4th with cousins from my side and Mike's side.
These girls had a great time together!

Dishing up.

The boys played a great game of Uno.

Sparkler fun!!

More sparkler fun!

Fireworks.

Random shot of two lively girls! Emma and Madeline really hit it off. It's been a while since we've seen them. Madeline's already been asking when she gets to see Emma again.

Watching the fireworks.....on top of the car.

There are lots of trees here, so you have to get creative!

Boys atop a different car. It's funny how they split themselves up like that.

Ladies watching the fireworks. We had fun too!

Easter 2010

2010-06-04T09:53:00.000-04:00

Madeline, Rachel, and Makena enjoyed watching the sheep next door. My brother and his wife live right next to a sheep farm. The kids love to watch the sheep and it was especially fun this time because there were tons of little baby sheep running around. Madeline adores any kind of baby.
Madeline with cousin Cade. So cute!

Rachel and I decorated these fabulous Easter cupcakes!

The cousins all waiting to make the mad dash for the eggs!

The little ones get to go first!

Madeline was fast!

Zachary got some eggs too.

Even Joshua, 13, had a great time running around finding eggs!

I think he must have been hungry.

Blizzard 2010!

2010-06-04T09:49:00.001-04:00

Looking down our street. It was a true Winter Wonderland!

The kids are there, but where are the cars? It took quite a while to get the cars out from under all that snow, but it was oh so much fun!

Christmas 2009

2010-06-04T09:29:00.001-04:00

The cutest little Joseph and Mary ever! Drew and Madeline played their part with perfection!

This is truly the best part of Christmas. Oma has this fabulous tradition every year. She loves to get her costumes out and have all the grandchildren act out the story of the Birth of Jesus. This always helps us to remember the real reason for the season and gives us all a great feeling. How did Uncle Paul get in there?....we have fun with it too!

Christmas wouldn't feel like Christmas without music. We all enjoyed listening to this wonderful quartet! My brothers are terrific singers and so is Lopaka.

This was Madeline's favorite present! Madeline thrives on stage!

Madeline and Uncle David with their guitars. What fun!

Teenager

2010-05-02T19:56:00.000-04:00

Joshua actually became a teenager about 5 months ago, but life is so busy with a teenager in the house, that I'm finally posting about it.

He had about 15 teenagers come to his bowling party. We all had a great time!

(Madeline wanted to be in a picture holding balloons, of course.)

I cannot believe it's already been 13 years since Joshua entered our home. We didn't know exactly when he would present himself, since ultrasounds gave us 3 different due dates. He did pull a fast one on us, though, by coming before any of the due dates. I remember feeling like I just got the best (a little early) Christmas present ever! We were living in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment with no money, but I remember feeling like I wouldn't trade this little guy for all the money in the world. Joshua was easy going from day one. He rarely made a peep. I was told I'd be up all night with my newborn, so the first night we came home from the hospital, I couldn't sleep at all! It wasn't because he was fussy, though! It was because he was sleeping soundly and didn't make a peep. I think I woke up every half hour to make sure he was still breathing. I remember thinking he should cry when he's hungry, but I'm sure I can count on one hand the number of times when he cried.

Joshua grew and grew and grew (and now he's taller than me). Joshua now has a deeper voice than his father (sorry Mike) and his feet are the same size as his father's. I'm getting used to the deep voice, but at first I would wonder who that man was in the house.

(Joshua invited Zachary and Cameron to bowl too....he would never leave out his brothers!)

Joshua is good at just about everything. He has proven to be the dream child. Sorry, I really don't like to brag, but I'm going to. Joshua loves to do well in school. (Is this normal for a teenager??) Joshua is in the 7th grade, but has tested into all 9th grade classes and still pulls off straight A's. How does he do it? He's smart and responsible. Joshua also loves to read. He's the child that would sit on the playground with an 800 page book while all the other children are running around having a grand ole time. Joshua does love to play outside, though........if he's playing competetive sports. This boy thrives when it comes to competition (not a great thing all the time, but we're working on that part). Did I mention that Joshua is responsible? He is a superb babysitter, housecleaner, lawn mower, you say it and he is right there helping out. He's the oldest (and so was I, so why do I repeat the activity of slave-driving my oldest??). Well, he so happily helps out and I don't know what I would do without him...really! Joshua is also musical! He is a concert pianist (or I think so) and he plays the saxophone like no other! Joshua, what in the world would we EVER do without you!

We LOVE you!

Little Piggies

2010-05-02T19:34:00.000-04:00

I just love these little piggies!!!

I Walked Out With a Mullet

2010-04-12T14:23:00.000-04:00

I haven't had a bad hair cut for years. I've been looking for a new hairdresser since we moved across the country. Guess what? The lady who just cut my hair will not be my new hairdresser. It was one of those moments when you realize you better just get the heck out of there before she makes it worse. She gave me way too many choppy layers all over and left a lot of length in the back and let's just say......... it looked like a MULLET. The good news is that now I know a mullet does not look good on me (not that I ever wanted to find out if a mullet looked good on me). I was so upset by this bad hair cut that I decided to go get another hair cut at a different salon. I am normally a very thrifty person and I will go as long as 9 months without a hair cut, but this was one cut I couldn't live with. In order to fix the cut, however, many inches had to be taken off to get rid of the mullet, so now I'm left with hair that's quite a bit shorter than I had wanted. The 2nd cut was better, but honestly, I wasn't too impressed with that one, either.

I've decided, however, that I need to get over this silly incident. There are people I know who are struggling with things far worse than a bad hair cut. I really have a LOT to be thankful for. First of all, my hair grows pretty fast and I am thankful for that! I am thankful that I can go running whenever I feel like it because I have two legs and a healthy body. I am thankful that I have 4 beautiful children. I am thankful that I get to care for them. I am thankful that I get to help my children with their homework. I am thankful that I get to buy groceries and cook meals for my family. I am thankful that I get to take my boys to baseball. I am thankful that I get to put bows in my daughter's hair and enjoy her beautiful smile and personality. I am thankful that I get to volunteer at my children's school. I am thankful that I get to serve at church. I am thankful that I get to clean the house and do the laundry. I am thankful that I get to go for walks and to the park with my children.

I have had running injuries before where I couldn't walk. I've been on bedrest during a pregnancy before. I know how hard it is to not have all of these blessings. I know that I should be so grateful for what I have and I am! Finally, I am grateful that I get to go pay for two bad hair cuts because my husband has a job!

More Fall of 2009

2010-03-18T14:48:00.000-04:00

Air and Space Museum with our kids and cousins.

Before our run the day after Thanksgiving.

It was beautiful running weather!

The ladies and cooks on Thanksgiving Day.

Most of the kids ready for their Thanksgiving Feast.

Not the best picture quality,

but I had a great visit with Rachel and Emily!

D.C. Zoo field trip!

I had a great time with Cameron and his friends.

Rich man, poor tooth fairy.

Cameron lost 4 teeth in one week!

Random Halloween shot with friends and family.

Pedro, also known as Zachary.

Banana, also known as Cameron.

Cupcake delivery boy,

also known as Lopaka.

Some cute little trick or treaters.

Caroline, Owen, and Madeline.

Madeline Turns Three!

2010-02-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

Madeline wanted cupcakes again for her birthday this year. I think she must love cupcakes! This year she wanted to help me make them, so we had fun making and decorating cupcakes together!

Blowing out the candle.

More dress up dresses and happier than ever!

Too many shoes? A girl can never have too many:)

Madeline loves her baby dolls!

Dancing!

Since his daddy might not like this picture, I just want to remind him that....TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK! This is Maddie's cousin that she loves to play with almost daily!

All the ladies that Madeline was giving a dance lesson to.

From left to right: Mom, Oma, Maddie, Grandma, and Aunt Joni.

Madeline's Uncle made a special appearance all the

way from England to visit Madeline for her birthday.

What fun!

We have been so blessed to have Madeline join our family. She is so sweet, cheerful, and fun to be with. Madeline is a loving girl, who is always right there to help you with whatever you may need. Madeline loves to give hugs and she loves to make people happy. Madeline was early with just about everything. She is a talker for sure. She loves to talk with everyone!

She is our beautiful, smart, and happy little princess! What joy she brings into our family!

Some of the things we were up to last fall......

2010-02-08T13:21:00.000-05:00

We visited the Baltimore Science Museum last October. (I know, it's taken me a while to post this stuff.) We all had a great time digging for dinosaur bones, putting bodies together, and Madeline LOVED the huge water play area! Grandma and Grandpa Olivier were there with us at the museum.

Yes, we were crazy again! This is us after the marathon. My brother Paul and I ran the Baltimore Marathon last October (all 26.2 miles) and Mike ran the half (13.1 miles). Paul was kind enough to run the whole thing with me. I came in close to my best time (4 hours and 10 minutes). I think Paul wouldn't want me to leave out the fact that this was his worst time (like I said, he was kind enough to run the whole thing with me). This was one of the most fun marathons I've run! We're all gearing up for our next one here soon.

Cameron's Birthday and Baptism

2010-02-08T12:39:00.000-05:00

When we were living in AZ, we were actually going to travel to MD to celebrate Cameron's 8th Birthday and Cameron was going to be baptized in MD, so we could be closer to cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. It's funny how things work out, though. We're now living here, so there was no traveling required.

Cameron was able to be baptized and have cousins, aunts, uncles, and both sets of grandparents there with him! What a wonderful day it was!

I cannot believe that eight years have gone by. Cameron is loving, full of life, super fun to be with, makes friends quickly, and the list goes on. Cameron is the child that makes the party come to life. There is NEVER a dull moment with Cameron. Cameron we all LOVE you and we are SO glad you are a part of our family!

Cameron also loves the gospel. He's super smart when it comes to remembering things he's learned in church, family home evening, and family scripture study. We are happy that he made the choice to be baptized.

First Day of School and Mike's Birthday!

2010-01-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

I'm really late in posting this, because I've been very busy.......I was going to post things to my blog when things calmed down a bit. I put it off, got all my Christmas shopping done, mailed all my Christmas cards and thought....wow....I have almost everything done...maybe I'll have time to post to my blog. Then guess what? Shortly before Christmas, I got called to be Primary President. We have about 110 children in our Primary and I have an awesome Presidency. Needless to say, I've had a few things to do. Now, I feel like things are settling down a bit.

So.....back on August 31st, the boys had their first day of school here! Cameron is in 2nd grade, Zachary in 4th, and Joshua is in 7th. School here is VERY different from what they were used to in Arizona. I am happy to report, several months later, however, that they have adjusted VERY well! They are all in gifted (two years ahead here for everything gifted!) and they are making good friends!

Since Mike's birthday was on the first day of school, I decided to make a school bus cake!

We managed to fit 39 candles on the cake! ...(and we didn't burn down the house!)

A few of us...there were more, but I didn't get many pictures.

Wedding!

2009-11-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

The oldest boy cousins on the Schoeny side (missing the 5 youngest).

All the girl cousins on the Schoeny side (they're outnumbered)!

Madeline climbing the steps at the Washington D.C. Temple. She's been talking about and planning her wedding, wedding dress, etc. every since this:) I guess we have a few years to plan:))

My brother, Joseph, got married to Alyssa this past summer. It was a beautiful wedding. It poured the entire weekend, but it turned to a mist outdoors while we got these and more pictures. I'm glad they got some pictures in front of the temple!

Us!

Chocolate Bars

Refreshing!

Madeline and Trevor dancing.

Trevor was a good sport for about an hour of Madeline dragging him around!

Luncheon.

Owen in his little tux!

Cousins.

Enjoying some sparkling punch.

Orioles game!

2009-11-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

The kids all got free tickets to the Orioles game for reading this past summer.

We used them in August.

They had a blast with their cousins who also got free 'library' tickets.

Makena and Madeline enjoyed cheering.

I'm not sure if Madeline knew what she was cheering for,

but she enjoyed it anyway.

Scout Camp

2009-11-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

Joshua had a great time at Scout Camp this year. They were able to have camp on the Bay, so they had classes like water skiing, boating, and other great water sports.

Joshua got to climb daily!

Joshua said the food was great!

Polar Bear Swim early in the morning, only Joshua said it was pretty hot, so he wouldn't call it a Polar Bear Swim.

More boating!

Exhausted after a week of adventure!

All City Swim Meet

2009-10-27T11:25:00.000-04:00

We have been so busy lately, that it's hard for me to keep up with blogging much about all that's going on. I'm a little late in posting these pictures, but the boys did really well in their All City Swim Meet. They all placed in several events swimming against the whole city!!! Perhaps part of it is all that swimming they did while living in AZ. Above is Cameron starting one of his events (black and orange suit).

Joshua starting one of his events (black and orange suit).

Friend, William, Zachary, and cousin, Tyler.

Madeline wanted her picture taken with Cameron's purple ribbon!

Zachary with his 2nd place medal in All City!

Cousin Makena and Cameron before competing.

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Joshua with one of his 3rd place All City Medals!

Cameron, Joshua, and Zachary with their medals and ribbons! They tried their best, had a blast, and did great! What a fun day it was!

Happy Birthday Zachary!

2009-10-06T16:22:00.000-04:00

OK, so I'm a little late in posting this, but Zachary turned 10 on July 30th! Whoo Hoo! He really wanted to have his party at his Uncle David and Aunt Joni's house.

He got some great gifts!

.....more gifts....

For some reason, Zachary picked out a giant bird as his pinata. We think it was a Parrot, but we weren't exactly sure. Whatever it was, the kids had a grand time hitting it and finally Cameron broke it and the kids got all the candy!!! I think some adults got candy too, I guess they thought they were some of the kids....don't know.

I made a bunch of pan pizza's from scratch (took me a whole day) a few days before the party, froze them, and reheated them on the grill. They actually turned out really well! They were some of the best pan pizza's I've ever tasted.

Some of the kids enjoying a pizza break.

More kids eating pizza. YUM!

WAR! Zachary wanted to have a war for his party. All I have to say is the kids had a great war. My brother has a pretty large and secluded yard, so yelling, screaming, squirting, running, acting like crazy people, and whatever else suits your fancy works in his yard. I don't know his neighbors either, so that's a PLUS!!!

More squirting and running around getting dirty. What a great party for mostly boys.

We are so so so glad that Zachary is a part of our family. Zachary's the one who tends to remain calm, cool, and collected, under times of stress. Zachary is the child with the good head on his shoulders. He's the kid that you go to when you need good advice, when you need a true friend. Zachary is the middle boy, the peacemaker, the child that puts you in your place when you're being irrational. He's the child that see's the true potential in everyone. Happy 10th Birthday Zachary! We love you! What would we ever do without you!?

Happy 4th!

2009-07-23T08:55:00.000-04:00

These were our celebrations of the 4th. We all had a wonderful time swiming, splashing, socializing, laughing, canoeing, fishing, creating our very own fireworks show, eating, and then laughing some more!

New Glasses

2009-07-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

Joshua went on his first temple trip here
with the youth from his ward.
He's sporting his cool new glasses here too!
Here is Joshua on a scout campout here.
He has a phenomenal scout troop here too, by the way!

Feliz Cumpleaños!

2009-07-23T08:12:00.000-04:00

Little Owen celebrated his first birthday with a giant pinata that Joni's sister made for him. Once he figured out that we all wanted him to hit it with his little stick, he looked at us all as if we were a bit ridiculous, but it didn't take him long to think hitting the pinata made for a riotous event.

After all the candy was gone, this is the only little sweet that Madeline ended up with. She didn't really care, though. She just thought everyone was acting a bit preposterous.

Just a random picture of us miniature golfing with Tyler and Makena. Fun times!

More birthday fun! We went to Rachel's house to celebrate her 10th birthday!

Prima Ballerina

2009-07-23T07:46:00.000-04:00

I made these Tutus for Madeline and she is crazy about them. This photo session was such a cinch and at the same time completely delightful and entertaining. Madeline was adorable, acting as if she were Little Miss Prima Ballerina.

Cousin Fun!

2009-06-16T07:53:00.000-04:00
The kids have thoroughly enjoyed spending time daily with their cousins. We have been so busy having fun, that I hardly even took any pictures. This is just a glimpse of what we've been doing.

All the boys are already on swim team. Cameron just finished his swim practice and I found him playing D.S. at the pool with his cousin. Boys, you can do that at home. The pool is for swimming.

Madeline, having no sisters, is having a great time with her girl cousins. Makena swam with Madeline while the other boys were having swim team practice.

We got to see Fro's family before they went off to England and this is the only picture I got! I think I need someone to send me some pics:)

Madeline ran off to play at her Uncle Paul and Aunt Jennifer's house. It's nice that they have such a big yard to run around in!

Madeline at Cameron's Game

2009-04-25T16:28:00.000-04:00
Our boys are well into baseball season and I thought this was funny. This is what Madeline was doing today during Cameron's game. She found another little girl to play catch with. Mike thinks she looks like a natural. I say, let's try ballet first:)

Another Broken Bone!

2009-04-24T23:24:00.000-04:00

Joshua has really done it this time. He has broken his ankle and sprained a ligament. He did manage to play five games of baseball this season and he happened to be a star player on his team, mostly playing first base and some pitching. His team was on a winning streak (and actually still is), but the sad part about that is that Joshua can't play anymore. The orthopedic surgeon said he's out for the season, but we're holding onto a little bit of hope that Joshua might be able to participate in playoffs.

So, how did he do it? Joshua was playing football in the rain at a scout campout. Joshua is one of those kids that just goes all out in everything he does. We think this is a wonderful quality that Joshua possesses, if only it didn't always lead to injury!

Needless to say, things have been a little tough at our house. Joshua is reading again even more than before! I am happy that he's an avid reader, though. The worst part for me is, he can't help me out anymore! Believe it or not, he used to be able to vacuum our entire house in just a few minutes. He was always helping with Madeline and now that is rather difficult because Madeline requires someone who can run after her very quickly. Joshua also can no longer pass the sacrament at church. This is kind of sad because he only turned 12 about 5 months ago. He also can't run up the stairs and take a super fast shower anymore. He has to sit in a tub with his leg up. This means people are waiting a little longer for the use of that bathroom. Joshua is taking all of this with a pretty good attitude, though. We will all be very happy when he is healed!

Egg Drop!

2009-04-24T13:48:00.000-04:00

Every year our school does an egg drop and this was Cameron's year! The school principal drops the eggs off the roof of the school and the kids have a great time laughing at every egg as it lands. Sometimes the principle throws an egg down really hard and sometimes he tosses the egg up in the air. You just never know how he'll throw your egg down.

Cameron wanted to put his egg in peanut butter, so we put the egg in a green bean can with peanut butter around it, then in a square box with cotton balls.

His egg survived! It was a bit messy, though:)

Zachary Got Donuts!

2009-04-24T13:40:00.000-04:00

Our school does this thing called Character Counts where every month children are recognized for a specific characteristic. This month's theme was trustworthiness and Zachary was chosen for his class! I think Zachary is a very trustworthy boy as well:) We had a great time at school with Zachary when he ate his donut and got his ribbon.

Engaged!

2009-03-03T13:01:00.001-05:00

My brother, Joseph, recently got engaged to Alyssa Huber! We are so happy for them! (and so glad that we have another excuse to go back home to Maryland!) Joseph is the last out of us six kids to tie the knot. They are scheduled to be married in the Washington DC Temple. Our family is just growing like crazy! It's so fun!

Don't they make a great looking couple?

A Few Random Crafts

2009-03-03T01:11:00.000-05:00

I was feeling a little crafty and decided to put together these lovely burp cloths. My inspiration came from my great friend Laurie who actually makes and sells these cool things....http://krissilus.blogspot.com/ Hers are very cute!

On to my next crafty thing that I made a while back....I have actually made tons of birth announcements, but these are the first I have posted to my blog. I really like how they turned out. These were done for my very cool brother and awesome sister-in-law and their adorable baby boy!

This is what my dear daughter did while I was making the birth announcements. I figure it could have been worse. She could have taken permanent marker and colored all over the wall or the white couches. We were both happy!

The Splint

2009-03-03T00:30:00.000-05:00

Joshua goes all out when it comes to sports, there's no denying it. He pushes himself to the limit. He is our most injured player thus far and this is what he did playing football. And, yes he is a lefty. Why does he always injure the left hand? We really hope it heals quickly, so he can get some of his baseball season in. This is his second year in a row that he won't be able to put in a full season of baseball due to injury.

Since he has been injured, which has only been a day and a half, he has read a complete 700 page book. I tell you, there is no stopping this kid.

I Need Chocolate!

2009-02-23T19:59:00.000-05:00

I asked Madeline what she was doing when I found her like this. She said, "I need chocolate!" I guess sometimes we all need a little chocolate, but apparently Madeline needed A LOT!

Our Christmas

2009-01-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

This year, we couldn't get enough lights in. We decided to go to the Zoo Lights for the first time. I must say, I was impressed. When we first arrived the zoo parking lot was full, so I was a bit worried, until I saw the sign for overflow parking. It turned out to be a good thing, though, because the kids had the experience of riding on a city bus and the bus dropped us off right at the zoo entrance. The lights and the bus were a joined adventure for the kids.

Who can celebrate Christmas without eating cookies? Madeline ate as she frosted. Maybe next year, she'll have the willpower to actually wait until it's time to eat the cookies...of course if she takes after her mom, maybe not.

Every Christmas Eve we sing numerous songs, like 'Away in a Manger', 'Silent Night', and so on. In conjunction with the singing we read from the Bible about the Birth of Jesus. Joshua was Joseph, Madeline was Mary, Cameron was a Wiseman, and Zachary was a Shephard. Madeline must have realized the grandeur of her roll and took her part with much importance.

And the stockings were hung on the stairwell with care.......

Madeline unwrapped her big gift with great excitement! We didn't capture a great picture, but she absolutely loves to play with this doll house.

We couldn't get enough Temple Lights! We went back with Mike's parents and it was really nice.

Unbelievable!!! Cameron was a bit dissapointed on Christmas morning when there was no snow. He had specifically asked Santa for snow and he was very very sad, so sad in fact that he said he was going to sue Santa! Where does he learn these things? The next day we went outside and low and behold SNOW! Our neighbor had a truck full of it! It had snowed in the mountains on his way down to the valley. Cameron made a snow ball and yes, it is STILL in our freezer.

We went with Mike's parents to visit the History Museum here. The boys had a fabulous time panning for gold.

Grandma and Grandpa Schoeny's visit

2009-01-31T13:18:00.000-05:00
The Holiday season arrived and things were so busy. I simply did not have much time to relax, even though the memories are great and can't be forgotten. Now all family has departed and I have a moment to play catch-up and blog about a few highlights.

My parents spent some time with us and we had a great time together. My kids call them Oma and Opa. Madeline loved her days with Oma and Opa when all the boys were in school. We took a trip to the zoo, which was very entertaining, mostly due to Madeline. For me the true amusement is watching the kids get so excited about the animals. Madeline was unique, though. She placed each animal into a family. She would point out who was the Mommy, the Daddy, and the baby. It was simply adorable. She especially loved the goats and was not afraid to go brush them, in fact she didn't miss one. We were in there for a while watching Madeline make sure that every goat was well cared for.

On our way through the zoo Madeline noticed this Monkey Statue. She immediately yelled "DAD!" We all had a good laugh about it and she wanted her picture taken with Dad. I'm hoping she really meant it was the Daddy monkey.

We also visited the beautiful Temple Lights. They don't really compare to the Washington D.C. Temple lights, but it's still an impressive sight and a little warmer, which is a plus.

I can't forget the real reason for my parents visit. My oldest boy, Joshua, turned 12 in December and he was ordained to the office of Deacon in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My Father was able to be there and participate. This is the wonderful three generation picture of Dad, Joshua, and Opa.

I'm still alive!

2009-01-19T18:55:00.000-05:00
I fear that the longer I wait to post something to this blog, the more overwhelmed I will feel. Things have been very busy for us lately. We drove practically across the whole country with all of our kids in tow to my grandfather's funeral. We had a wonderful time together. It's so powerful when you have the time to reflect on what is most important in the grand scheme of things. I really love my family:)

Happy Birthday Joshua!

2008-12-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Joshua is 12 years old already! How swiftly time flies when you've been busy. We are so proud of Joshua and his many accomplishments thus far. He is an outstanding athlete, a straight A student in his gifted classes, an incredibly hard worker, an avid reader, a great musician, and the list goes on. He really has an outstanding mix of talents. Joshua is also the best big brother, ever. He is very conscientious of the needs of his younger siblings and he's always right there to help me anytime I need any help at all around the house. He cleans and he's learning to cook too! Let me just sum it all up. His future wife will be one lucky lady:) We love you Joshua!

Mad Dog

2008-12-13T01:26:00.000-05:00

My brother, Joseph, came up from San Diego to run this Mad Dog race with me in Scottsdale. It was a 16 mile race around a lake. They call it the Mad Dog because you run around the lake 7 times. I thought for sure I would feel like a Mad Dog after running around in so many loops, but it was surprisingly pleasant, especially since the weather was perfect and the scenery was optimal. Here we are sporting the great shirts we were given.

Halloween

2008-12-13T01:19:00.001-05:00

I'm finally posting my kids Halloween pictures. They had a great time this Halloween! Joshua was Napoleon, Zachary was Pedro, and Cameron was Kip. Maddie dressed as a fairy. The boys received lots of laughs! They were excellent actors too. It was so funny to listen to them repeating lines from Napoleon Dynamite!

Cameron's Christmas List

2008-11-16T18:28:00.000-05:00
This morning I came downstairs and found a captivating list on the kitchen table. It said:

Dear Santa,

I have been such a good boy this year.

I want..
A long carit. (carrot)
Lumps of coal.
A black hat.
2 twigs from a tree.
A HUGE ball of snow.

Poor Cameron. How is it that a list so uncomplicated, becomes so difficult? It's just a little too warm here for this to be feasible. Ahhh, Cameron is a true treasure! I love his fervor for the simple things in life. We might just have to take a trip to visit the snow:)

Madeline Turned Two!

2008-10-31T12:38:00.000-04:00

Madeline turned two! First of all, I can't believe I have four kids. Secondly, the time has certainly flown with number four. It seems like yesterday when I came home from the hospital with Madeline. I will never forget the day Madeline was born. I had three ultrasounds which all revealed a baby girl, but I wouldn't believe it until I saw her in person. When I saw Madeline for the first time I was so relieved that she really was a girl. We would get to keep all the dresses and keep the room painted pink! Madeline has been such a joy to have in our lives. She loves to play with real babies and dolls both! It is so cute to watch her feed her dolls, push them in the stroller, talk to them, and care for them. I just love it. Madeline is also very competent already. She loves to help me fold and put away the clothes, put dishes away, vacuum, clean, etc. She's even organizing the pantry as I type this:) Oh and I can't forget the fact that Madeline loves to talk! She talks about everything to me and on the phone. It's so much fun having a girl!

The thing I have been the most impressed with, however, is just how tenacious our sweet and angelic little girl can be. She has her big brothers completely wrapped around her little finger. She has all the control when it comes to just about anything and her brothers love every minute of it. She is becoming quite the little helper, though. The other day we were on our way out the door and Zachary was getting in the car without shoes. I didn't notice and neither did Zachary, but Madeline sure did. She said, "Zachary! Go put your shoes on!" Maddie is so aware of everyone's needs, I just love it! She's acting like a litte mommy already. The moments I spend with Madeline are simply priceless! I love every minute of being her mom!

Vote!

2008-10-26T19:42:00.000-04:00
Your vote does count! I believe that legal marriage should only be recognized between a man and a woman. We all have the latitude to make our own choices and I do implement tolerance. This does not mean, however, that people should have the liberty to alter the divine institution of marriage. Marriage is the state of being united as husband and wife. Please vote yes on 102!

http://www.yesformarriage.com/resources.php

Madeline's Performance

2008-10-17T14:23:00.000-04:00

Madeline knew exactly what to do with the microphone and she loved every minute of it. We rented Pump It Up for Cameron's Birthday and Madeline took it upon herself to sing Happy Birthday to Cameron!

(You'll have to click the pause button on my playlist, right side of screen, so the music doesn't interfere with Madeline's performance.)

Baltimore Marathon!

2008-10-17T01:37:00.001-04:00

This marathon was one of the best so far! I especially loved the fact that people are cheering you on for most of the race! This is my fifth 26.2 mile marathon and I am feeling like each one gets easier. Mike did the half-marathon (13.1 miles). He finished in 2:09. Way to go Mike! My brothers Paul and Joseph did the full marathon, but they finished almost an hour before me! My time was 4:18. Paul and Joseph were only 7 seconds apart, coming in around 3:37! I am adding this to my list of best marathons for sure!

Our Trip to Maryland!

2008-10-17T01:13:00.000-04:00

We had so much fun back home in Maryland and took so many pictures, that I thought I would create a slide show instead of posting individual pictures. I put a few captions on, so hopefully you can tell kind of where we are and what we were doing. I picked only a few of our pictures and still ended up posting over 150 pictures! Enjoy!!!

Funny Things That Happened at our House This Week

2008-10-02T12:15:00.000-04:00
1) Madeline LOVES apples. OK, so all my kids LOVE apples. I'm happy about this:) I love it, however, when the kids get old enough to just get an apple all on their own and I don't have to cut it anymore. Well, guess what? My older kids are old enough to give Madeline an apple. I don't have to do anything at all! So the other day Zachary asked me if it was ok if Madeline had an apple. I said sure, why not. Well, I kind of forgot about it until later when I was looking at the couch. There was this interesting looking thing sitting on the couch. Yes, it was red and a bit brown with quite a nasty appearance. It wasn't very big, either, quite tiny in fact. Upon careful inspection, I found that it was part of an apple and I mean a very small part of the apple. It all came back to me. I realized it was Maddie's and she had eaten most of the core, seeds, stem, and all!!! Oh my!

2) Something else funny happened to me this morning. Have you ever bought something 2 or 3 times, only to come home, put it away, and realize you already have it? I have done this many times. When people ask if I have my years supply, I don't really know, but I'm sure that I must. We are big Costco people and I mean BIG! I thought we were out of paper towels, so I was going to buy more at Costco today. I decided, however, that I needed to tackle the beach towels first that were piling up in the laundry sink. I was thinking this was going to be a HUGE load of laundry and surely it wouldn't all fit. As I was loading the towels into the washer, guess what I found? I huge pack of paper towels from Costco hiding under the towels in the laundry room sink. LOL! How did it get there? I have no clue, but I'm happy that I don't have to buy paper towels!

Diamondbacks Game

2008-09-22T20:52:00.000-04:00

We had an awesome time going to the D-backs game with our very cool friends, Noah, Hailee, and Krista. The kids all had a great time eating popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, drinking root beer, and watching the game. After the game we had the privilege
of watching Jessica Simpson in concert! We all had fun. Madeline in fact really wore herself out because she managed to fall asleep several hours into the game and slept all through the concert. Amazing.

Little League

2008-09-15T00:29:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Joshua, Zachary, and Cameron are all playing Fall Ball. They really enjoy the game and Madeline and Mom get to watch every game and every practice. Mike has the opportunity to be Zachary's coach for the 2nd season in a row. We spend several evenings and every Saturday watching our boys play ball. Here are a few of the highlights!

Hiking

2008-09-05T12:10:00.000-04:00

We decided to do something different this year for Labor Day. Our kids all love the outdoors. They can walk and run for miles and they never seem to get tired. Maybe they get that from their mother??? So, we hiked up South Mountain as a family and we all had a great time. We probably hiked for 4 or 5 miles. We forgot to bring the Garmin, though, so we don't know for sure. We started getting closer to the top and the drop-offs were getting steeper and the trail was getting narrower and I was getting more and more nervous. Needless to say, I told everyone that we had come far enough and if we kept going I might have a heart attack. I was just getting too nervous watching the boys getting so close to the edge. So, the boys, very reluctantly, I might add, turned around and we walked all the way back down the mountain. We did end up driving to the top for the great view, though. All in all we had a terrific time. Madeline thoroughly enjoyed it as well, especially drinking from Mike's camelback.

Our Little Princess

2008-08-31T01:39:00.000-04:00

I'm really not sure how we created such a beautiful little daughter! Anyhow, this is the adorable little princess that I get to spend my days with. Madeline is just getting to be so much fun. She loves to dress up like a princess. She loves to pretend like she is mommy and takes care of all of her babies. She also LOVES to go shopping! OK, so Mike isn't quite as excited about the shopping part as I am, but he is happy about one thing....It won't be long and I really won't have to drag Mike shopping with me any more. What fun I have to look forward to!

Broncos/Cardinals Game

2008-08-31T00:10:00.001-04:00

For Mike's 38th birthday, he really really wanted to go to the Broncos/Cardinals pre-season game. We really were rooting for the Broncos, even though it looks like we were rooting for the Cardinals. I have never even been to a football game and I have to say, it was a lot more fun than I expected it to be. When you watch it on tv you don't get to see all the cool things they do during the commercial breaks. They throw t-shirts and stuff like that up to the audience, kids get to go out on the field and play flag football, etc. Oh and you get to see the drunk guy in front of you almost take out the other drunk guy sitting next to you. Yes, it was all extremely entertaining! I must mention the food. They had Honey Bears BBQ there, so of course we got some. YUMMY! Then I had to get some nachos, cause the kid next to me was eating some and they looked really good. I ate two and Mike felt obligated to finish them, because they were so expensive. All in all it was great fun.

I forgot to mention the minor little detail, that the Broncos won!

Happy Birthday Zachary! We love you!

2008-08-07T10:21:00.001-04:00
Zachary had a terrific 9th birthday! Here he is sporting the sunglasses that Madeline gave him!

Zachary had the wonderful opportunity to have his grandparents here for his birthday! They just got off their mission to Malaysia.

Zachary coming down the big slide we had set up for his party.

Our kids testing the waters before Zach's friends arrived.

Grandpa was kind enough to make snow cones for 22 energetic kids. They each had more than one snow cone too!

Grandma gladly cut cake for all of the partiers.

All the gifts after a long day!

Madeline thinks all bows go in her hair!

Zachary was on Whirlybird Wednesday for his birthday!

2008-08-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

Zachary had a terrific birthday this year! Fox 10 News just happened to be visiting his school on his birthday. They landed a helicopter at the school for all the kids to see. Near the end of the news broadcast they decided to sing happy birthday to Zachary on the news! Zachary was so happy. He absolutely loved it!

Send me an email if you'd like the link to view the video clip on the news.

San Diego

2008-07-14T16:44:00.000-04:00

We went to visit my brother who lives in San Diego. It was awesome! He lives pretty much right on the beach in La Jolla. Our kids had so much fun just playing in the waves and they absolutely love their super fun Uncle Joseph!

Madeline loved the water too, but she loved drinking this diet Squirt even more! She loves to copy mom:)

We attended Joseph's singles ward and it was great.

Just a few of the many cousins...

2008-07-03T19:38:00.000-04:00

Our kids had so much fun playing with all of their cousins in California. Including first and second cousins, they have over 100 on Mike's side. It's crazy!

We took up practically the whole Cold Stone...

2008-07-03T19:31:00.000-04:00

Some of the kids' cousins apparently couldn't get enough of the heat here, so they came back two weeks later! Anyone who has visited us during the summer knows that there are only two things you do during this season here. You swim and you eat ice cream. This is one of the times we ate ice cream. We had 5 cousins with us too.

We went to California...

2008-07-03T19:17:00.000-04:00

for Mike's family reunion... One of Mike's cousin's brought their five kittens to give away.

Cameron and Madeline both wanted to take home a kitten, but the thought of having something else to be responsible for just sounded a little exhausting to me.

I got some cute pictures of them anyway.

I've Created a Blog!

2008-06-25T23:42:00.000-04:00
My wonderful friends taught me how to create a blog a while back and I finally came up with the courage to tackle this! So here goes......

Last week we had a fun and slightly crazy week. We had 3 cousins visit with Grandma and Grandpa. We had to get creative because when it's 115 degrees outside you really don't want to be out there unless you have lots of water both inside and outside of you. We managed to swim in our pool several times, go swim at the aquatic center with slides, lazy river, swirly pool, etc. We also went to see Prince Caspian and it was pretty good. We went to a splash pad that they have at the outdoor mall here. People get hot walking from store to store, so they go jump in the splash pad. We got ice cream at the mall too, because the splash pad started getting hot:)

Now I have to go pack for the family reunion that we are headed to.....