Zach's bday

                          
 

 Saturday we drove to San Angelo for my nephew’s 8th birthday party.  Zachary had his party at the bowling alley.  There were two kid lanes and an adult lane.  As usual I stink at bowling and Allison bowled first out of the kids!!  I tell you she has her daddy's talent at anything she tries.  I enjoyed hanging out with my sister, her family, and her friends.  My sister and I had already made plans for me to bring Zach back to Midland to spend a few days with us then a few days with his grandma.  Then my sister would drive to midland to pick him up and come to Beckett's second birthday party!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Museum fun

 This past week we went to the children's museum with a few of our friends.  The museum has a grocery store, vet clinic, bank, Lego room, restaurant, weather station room, and a kiddy area.  Down stairs there's an entire area dedicated to their exhibits featured every quarter.  This quarter it was a space theme.  There is also a sand dinosaurs outdoor area.

 The kids has a blast running around with there friends.  Beckett acted like a big kid and kept up with the crowd.  The space miniature golf was the hit at the museum.  After a few hours we ventured over to the planetarium.  I was impressed with all the computer touch screens over flowing with facts about the solar system.  Plus the many science experiments for the kids to interact with.  We had such a great time were planning another trip back at the end of the summer.

Summer

Pool, park, play dates, slip & slide, chalk, bubbles, puzzles, reading, and traveling.  That's how we've been spending our days.  Cooper is probably the most excited that its summer, during the school year he looked forward to every weekend.  Although it's been hard to keep this guy busy during the days, on top of refereeing between him and Beckett.  Allison spends her time secluded in her room away from her brothers.  We try to have one to two play dates a week and one swim day a week.  I am kicking myself for not signing them up in time for swim lessons or Kids College.  And we missed the soccer camp it started the day we flew into midland!  We did have Allison signed up for two soccer camps one in Lubbock and Fort Worth but we backed out due to spending a ton of money on a water leak at the house!  Oh the joys of homeowner ship!  We still have two trips planned one in July during the 4th and one in August.  I am relieved to have a less busy schedule this summer.  Plus my boys sleep in tell 8, which is a big deal!  Allison sleeps the day away if I let her I wake her up at 10 every morning!  Were try to keep cool in these 100 plus weather days and enjoy our time together!  Yay for summer!!!

Eunice

 

 

One thing I miss about living in NM is the awesome pools!  There are three pools and two splash pads in Hobbs.  Midland has two pools that are run down and in the ghetto and zero splash pads!  Hobbs is only 1:20 minutes away so I figured we would make some summer plans to visit are friends a few times.  There is also this really neat pool fifteen minutes from Hobbs in Eunice.  I made plans with a few friends to meet up with them in Eunice last week.  Which means only an hour for me to drive.  One of my friends asked us to meet them early to play at the park and have a picnic.    We got to Eunice at 10 and left at 4!  The kids enjoyed playing with the friends, and Beckett got over his fear of wearing his folatie.  The poor lil guy feel asleep in my arms after throwing a massive fit and slept for an hour and a half.  Although he woke up and peed on me through his swim diaper and then went number two!  Next time I take a change of clothes for myself!!!!  It was a full day spent with good friends!

Rockhounds & Stanton

This past Friday was Chevrons annual picnic at the Rockhounds Baseball field. The kids were so excited to go I heard all week about it!  I was worried it was going to be beastly hot but a cold front rolled in. It was windy and overcast, perfect weather!  As always the BBQ was delicious,  and the kids pigged out on peanuts, chips, popcorn, and lemonade.  The kids had fun running and rolling down the hills.  Of course the two playgrounds were a hit for the boys!  Allison wanted to watch the game, and catch a foul ball.  Beckett got tired and sat with Richard and Allison while Cooper and I stayed at the parks for an hour!   Perfect night!!!

                                                 Can U see Cooper with his gun??                                                            

Saturday we went to Stanton Trade Days!  It's been years since we've been.  The weather was still beautiful not to hot, overcast, and a breeze.  Both the kids had there own money to spend.  Each picked out a toy Alli a stuff dog with a kennel and Cooper a gun.  We let each kid pick am activity.  Allison went on this trampoline jumpy thing!  She keep doing flip after flip!!  And Cooper choose to do the climbing rock wall. Poor guy lost grip a few times but finally made it to the top.  We got lunch afterwards we ate curly fries, hamburgers, and foot long corn dogs!!  I could not get over how much Beckett loved the curly fries and pretty much ate the whole plate!  We then got ice cream for the kids and walked around.  I definitely enjoyed every minute of our CA trip with my Alli-cat but I was so happy to be back with my whole family.  We had so much fun together this weekend as a family, I really missed my crew!

Father's Day 2014

 

 

The kids and I were super bummed Richard had to work.  Both kids even complained about going to church with out Richard.  Allison started to tear up and said she didn't want to sing the Father's Day song the primary children were going to sing at church.  Cooper told me after church he never wanted to go to church with out daddy on Father's Day again "I almost cried mom".  We did however surprise Richard with a few goodies before work.

We also had plans with Richards family for dinner.  We had a huge buffet of Mexican food everything from fajitas, tacos, and enchiladas!  Richard requested brownie Sundays for dessert.  I took two huge batches of brownies with all the fixings over to my sister in laws.  We ate and watched the World Cup it was a perfect evening!  It is a blessing to spend time with family.  After we put the kids to bed we stayed up tell nearly midnight watching a movie and indulging in another bowel of brownies, ice cream, and chocolate sauce!  Best day ever!  I am so grateful to my husband he is such an incredible father to our children.  I couldn't ask for a more hands on dad and partner.

 

I can't leave out another important person on this day my sweet Aunt Ruthie, it was her birthday yesterday.  Your presence is missed daily.  How I function without you in this world I will never understand or get used to.  I had you for 26 years, but to live without you the rest of my life seems impossible.  Thank you for being a constant figure in my life when others weren't.  Happy birthday Fufi!

 

Schools over

It was awkward coming back to TX and being thrown into summer with the kids.  We left and the kids were in school.  It seems crazy that the school year is already over.  We moved back to midland the week that school started.  I love the kids school and I loved there teachers.  Both kids struggled in different ways but both truly grew leaps and bounds through the school year.   They also both made a ton of friends!  Kinder was tough for Cooper and his active personality.  I realized what a smarty pants he is, and how quickly he learns material.  He was quite a bit smarter than his classmates but he was also very immature!  Thanks to a loving teacher who was patient with his over active personality he improved and was so well behaved the last two months of school!  He graduated kinder way ahead of his peers reading on a solid first graders level.  I was so very sad to miss his kinder graduation but grandma and brother were there to cheer him on!

Allison started off the year behind thanks to the lovely education system of NM!  She struggled to keep up all year.  It was also a scary year with the STARS test looming over her.  Know that it's past her and she knows what to expect I don't think she fears it as much.  Allison made some truly amazing friends this year!  I was also her class room mom and I got to know parents, kids, and her teacher.  It was tough but a blessing to be with Alli so much.  Allison ended the year with A's and one B!  Also Allison finished there on grade reading level which was a big deal for her.  She didn't pass the STAR test by twenty points but still graduates to fourth grade!

We started our summer with a bang!  My friend and neighbor had asked over a month ago if I could watch her son for a week.  So not only did we fly in at 9pm but I was babysitting in the morning.  Did I mention the boy is Cooper's best friend!  The week went by fast and the boys had a blast!  We have a lot of summer plans ahead!

Steffer

Every summer from when I was 6-18 I went to CA to visit my Aunts Ruthie and Steffer.  Even as an adult I've only missed one year going to CA the year I was pregnant with Beckett.  I've lived in CA as a baby and consider myself a CA girl from TX.  If you know me at all CA is a centrical part of my life.  When my Aunt Ruthie died my yearly visit wouldn't die with her.  My Aunt Steffer is such a huge part of my life you wouldn't believe she lived states away.  We talk on the phone, text, and email regularly.  She shares in my triumphs and struggles.  She has her hands in everyone of my kids birthdays, holidays, and any special event.  I truly love her with ever fiber in me.  Visiting with her this trip and spending time with Alli and my Aunt was a dream come true!  Such special memories made, until our next adventure.  I had to include a picture of Allison at the Oakland airport when we were flying back to TX.

 

CA Day 5

 

 
Our last official full day in CA.  We slept in, ate breakfast, and packed.  It was Sunday and we went to church.  During my summers spent in CA as a kid I got to know a lot of people at church.  My aunt was also involved in church through her calling and of course her out going nature.  Any time I come to CA I want to go church.  It was nice to see all our friends and catch up.  Sunday afternoon we went to my cousin Jessica for the graduation party for Victoria.  It was a beautiful day for a BBQ!  I believe there were about thirty family members all together. I am a social butterfly and I made my rounds talking to everyone.  It was so nice to see what all my cousins are up to, Facebook can't tell you everything!  Allison enjoyed her cousins I rarely saw her.  Playing with the frezbe, soccer,  jumping on the trampoline, and a water ballon fight!  I was disappointed I didn't get a picture until several people had already left.  It was a wonderful day spent with family!