To My Wonderful, Amazing, Loving, Grandpa Wayne!

This is to my AWESOME Grandpa Wayne!!

Raise your hand if you know The Old Prospector Stories. Raise your hand if you have a fun, genuine, faithful and loyal grandpa just like mine!!

My Grandpa has been thrown many curve balls in the test that we live daily, called life. But he never let go of his faith, he has been a good dad to my dad, and a wonderful grandfather to me and my children.

What you should know about my Grandpa is, he has the best sense of humor. He makes good salsa, he even called me a wuss once for not trying it because I don't do good with heat. Well Grandpa guess what, I can eat it in small doses now! The wuss was an inspiration. On a side note, he's WONDERFUL about doing family history, I know sooo much more about my family than I could have ever known, he's awesome at doing it, and telling us about our heritage that we probably wouldn't have ever known.

He and my Grandma make tamales, and they'll blow any mass manufactured ones way out of the water.

I've noticed over the years, my Grandma and Grandpa, make a really good team. Seems like a good balance from observation.

I remember one time when I was a kid, and I'm sorry Mom and Dad for just now coming clean about this! We were due to go back home to San Bernardino from Tucson. I was HORRIBLY upset, the thought of leaving my grandparents made me so sad. Not to mention I was having fun with my cousins too. I had started to get a bit of a back ache, and...I'm so sorry for admitting this 20 years later! But, I kind of blew it out of the water and said it hurt more than it really did, so it would buy me more time with my grandparents. It bought me about 20 minutes while my parents convinced my to take a pain reliever. I was even in tears I didn't want to leave. I just remember, that what made me feel better, was when we were pulling away from their house, they said "We love you!!" and waived good bye. I think that was all my little 10 year old soul, needed to hear.

But Grandpa, you've taught me SO many things, to never lose faith and hope, and to always pray, and that family is IMMENSLY important, it's who we are. I've learned that laughter and stories are memories in itself, I've learned that you are really a dang good catch. I love you more than this entry could ever tell you, you're a amazing grandpa and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I LOVE YOU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!!! 83 has never looked so good!

A thousand percent random.

Ever sit back and think, who the heck thought of that?

Things like:

Ice Cream Cake
Traffic lights
Underwater Aquariums
3D Televisions
Computer Animated Films
Latex Mattresses
The Internet
Silicone Bra Inserts (yes, they do make those as I have seen them)
Atomic Clocks
Toys That Talk (WAY TOO MUCH!)
Speed Limits
Bacon Flavored Candy
French Fries
OR
FRY SAUCE (sorry, not a fan of that stuff, it seems to be a UT and ID thing)


Or, have you ever wondered how Harrison Ford managed to be in his 60's and pulled off a successful Indiana Jones Film in the past 5 years? Talk about aging well!

Or, why the Ford Focus looks way too much like the Fusion over time?

Or, why people ask if Landon is "ok", because Jeff is 5'3, this still gets me. He's just short, nothing is "wrong" with him.

Why ear infections have to be so brutal? I would've been in less pain as a child if this were the case.

Why and where does cancer form, why aren't we as clued in as the doctors yet? ANd why do they always grow in the bra region on women? Ok, not ALL but that is a big chunk of people.

Why do people drive slow on the highway?

These are life's questions, if you know the answer, post them to amuse me.

Girls just wanna have fun!

I've lived here for about, almost 13 years. And that's about how long I've been friends with these ladies. One by one they're all getting married, having kiddies etc. All in all, there are about 7-9 of us, that have been friends since high school (I was "adopted" my sophmore year in high school) and some since 2nd grade they've been friends. Anyway, we were talking about it, and we realized not many groups of friends, stay in contact as well as we do, especially after high school. 10 years later, we've all managed to keep in touch very well, and pulled off many dinners at Red Robin as well too. I Love these ladies mucho, we're all good/close friends. Life wouldn't be the same without that, and I can honestly say that!

Melissa is getting married next month, so her bachlorette party was at the lovely KOA in Leavenworth. I had made plans with Jeff on Saturday evening, so I could only go up for a day, but I'm glad I went. We don't get much time away from kids and home life, so it was much needed as well as fun.

Anyway, here are the photos!


Attempting to hang a banner from a tree, with bubble gum....that worked, briefly.



Kacie


Hanna


Andrea


Jen

A smidge of gratitude

As I was running around cleaning my house like a mad man, I was noticing all the things I was picking up. Cars, DSi games, more cars, legos, the list goes on. And then the thought hit me, I can't possibly imagine my life, without my kids!!

Without my kids, I would:
-be lonely
-never slip and fall on a hot wheels cars
-never step on a lego, barefoot
-never wake up to cold hands and feet being put on my warm sleepy self
-not know what to do with my days
-not have anyone call me Mommy
-not have the fun of going and buying a variety of girl and boy clothes, in their perspective sizes
-not have to turn off the xbox 360, many times daily (Landon turns it on as it's at his level)
-not do 8 loads of laundry in a day
-not cook 3 meals a day
-not change 6 diapers a day
-not have to go up to Seattle every few days
-not go to the park, swimming pool, water park, achievement days and pediatrician appointments

And a MILLION other things. But, WITH my kids, I have learned to:

-be loving
-be kind
-be patient
-be sincere
-be genuine
-be honest
-be healthy
-learn to cook a massive variety of things
-watch my actions, in every way, 2 small people are watching
-teach my children about the blessing of life, and the many that just our family has received
-appreciate every single milestone
-appreciate legos, they really are an art, honestly
-love cars
-laugh at MANY things, funny or not
-give countless hugs and kisses, even if I'm in a funky mood
-do more pretty hairstyles
-cut little boy's hair (sorta)
-appreciate the sacrifices that everyone in our family goes through, for them

And so on and so on. I can't believe Leena is almost 9, she's not fully a lady, but we're working on the bot things she in advertantly does, per the boys at school teaching her. Landon is my car and toe enthusiast. He loves to gives hugs, blow kisses and most importantly, talk to stangers. He greets everyone at the park with a big warm smile and a cheerful "HI!!! HI!!" It melts them all. I'd be a lost soul without my kids, I really can't imagine how my life would be so drastically different, and I'm not sure if it would be in a good or bad way. But with them, I feel so whole and happy, they are my little healers when I'm having a a bad day, the sweet hugs and kisses and "I love you Mommy", maked every ounce of bad day, just vanish. I love those little kids more than anything!

So much, so fast.

Landon is my little chatterbox. He's putting sentences together and I'm just loving it, not to mention THRILLED at this big break in our communication with him.

We were getting in the car, which he has his prized hot wheels (toy cars)in, and I open up the car door, and he looks at me...I can tell he's processing something and he says "Mommy....cah pees?" I clapped and kissed him and handed him not one, but TWO cars for a job well done, YAY LANDON!!!

He usually says "MommyMommyMommy" as fast as he can numerous times, just for kicks. Today at dinner, I said "Can you say "Landon", honey?" and he smiles and says "Un-Eeeee!" it cracked me up! And I asked him again to say his name, and he sits up and shouts "NANDY!" HAHA. We do call him "Landy", for short, rather often so I'm not surprised in the least bit that's what he said. It was so cute and just made me so proud and smile a million times over. What a sweet and precious little soul he is!

We've been working on his relatives names, particularly the ones we see the most often. Such as my parents, and siblings (Katie, Cody, Seth, Hillary, Aaron) and I took a video of it, cuase it was so cute! Here it is! By the way, Papa, is my dad. His other Grandpa, goes by just that.