Happy 7th Birthday Austin!
We are so glad to have Austin a part of our family. He is such a good sport, a great big brother and a good helper. He really didn't get a birthday party since we went to Disneyland but him and a couple friends get to go bowling and get ice cream at cold stone. Plus yesterday on his birthday we went to the Sand Dunes in Green River and had cupcakes and sang him happy birthday. We went riding our 4-wheelers and had fun in the HOT sun. We gave him a BB gun and a new bat and bat bag, he got money from grandparents and a helicopter from the Leonard's. So I think in all he was pretty spoiled rotten. He lost his front tooth a couple months ago so check it out in his photo. Plus he just got done with Soccer which he was a pro at. He scored avg. of 4 goals a game. He right now he is in Pee Wee baseball and is doing GREAT. He had a choir concert from his school which he stood up in front of everyone and gave his part, I was so proud of him. He also just got back from Turkey hunting with his dad and grandpa and Shawn. He loved it and said Grandpa shot a bigger turkey than dad. I don't know if he was hoaxed into saying that but he is quite the hunter. We love you Austin and are soooo glad you are a part of this family.

Dj Graduated from Peek-a-boo Preschool and Head Start Preschool. He will start kindergarten in Aug. He loved Miss Sandy and all his other techers. If there was a day that he couldn't go to the daycare to school he would be sad. His birthday is in Aug. so I put him in the 2 schools and he has came a long ways! He knows how to write his name, knows his colors, the alphabet and everything else. He is a quite shy boy but his teachers always said he was a great helper. He had his good friend JR in class with him, which he enjoyed playing with along with all the other new friends he made at head start. He loved riding the short yellow bus with Miss Nita. If anyone ever saw it around town they all knew it had to be DJ's bus. So those were some of his fav. memories of school.

California Family Vacation

So we have been home for 3 weeks and I haven't posted yet. But I wanted to share our pics and details. We rented a condo with our friends Val and Cody in Ramona, cute little town but far away from everything else. We ended up going to Disneyland the first day and had a good time. We got to see Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Buzz, and some other fun characters. WE rode all the rides and even Austin and Dj and Zaydree could ride alot of the rides. Z was excited especially for the Nemo ride, she is a huge fan. Next day, We went Lego land and it was Austins favorite place. We could've spent all week there he said. After that we went to Sea World. It was so hot that day in the 80's we got a tan. This was Zaydree's favorite place because she loves fishes, dolphins and all other water animals. Next we went to Wild Animal Kingdom. It was something new for us. Not our favorite place but the kids had a good time and we went on a little safari to see all the animals. DJ sure liked this place though. Then we went to San Diego to the beach. We let the kids collect sea shells but it was a little too cold to swim much. Plus I think Austin was over stimulated because the both of us exploded at each other. Then the last we went to California Adventure land to ride the fun rides which I loved the roller coaster there. The other rides we enjoyed were Toy Story, Bugs life 4-D, Pirates of the Caribbean, Soar in over California. DJ loved that he got to see Lightning McQueen and Mater there. They all saved their money to buy souvenirs at each place. The ride there and back wasn't bad at all the kids actually did well. I advise if you are going to travel in a big city get a garmin nu vi it was a life saver. I only got us lost once, but it was my fault. So we sure enjoyed our vacation together as a family!

On April 13th which was Zaydree's Birthday we got some very sad news. My cousin Callee and Zac had lost their darling little 6 months baby Kamdyn Lilly to SIDS. It had upset all of our whole family, but most certainly it made us make sure and put our arms around our little ones that day and squeeze them just a little tighter. I became close with Callee as she worked with me at Blockbuster and as a mother to see someone close to you loose someone you love so much broke my heart. But between her and Zac they are strong and with the gospel on their side they know as well as we know that they will be together forever as an eternal family. No one knows why things like this have to happen, but the Lord has a plan for each and everyone of us. Callee later told us her friend Michelle that was killed in a car accident said if she ever had a girl her name would be Lilly, so Callee gave Kamdyn that middle name for her friend Michelle. So we think Callee had that baby for her, now Kamdyn is in heaven with her friend Michelle looking after her. My heart goes out to them and the Carlson and Cloward family. It is always nice to see family pull together in hard times and show what love and support we have for one another. WE love you, Callee, Zac, and Easton.

So we recently just got home from a family vacation from California and to my lead foot I receive a big old fat TICKET! Yes my first ticket in 13 years. Here is the proof!

The funny thing is that just before I got it near Cedar City we were talking on the radio to our friends about how I go fast but have never been caught. And I was driving because Mark had thrown out his back. Plus I was saying that it is kind of a boring drive to get to St. George in some areas and I think that is why I have a lead foot. 2 other cars were ahead of me and we were passing the slow vehicles through fillmore/beaver and coming around a bend they got into a the slow lane and I couldn't get in fast enough but when I saw the cop I knew I was busted. It was so hard for me to not laugh. Not that it was funny or anything, just the fact that if Mark was driving and got a ticket I would've been pissed, but knowing this was my first real ticket I tried really hard not to laugh. My kids really didn't know what to think. I think they were into the movie too much or else I know my boys would have given me crap. They always say, "mom put on your seat belt or you will go to jail." Luckily they never knew what was really going on with mom going 84 in a 75. (Well that's what he wrote on the ticket, but I think I was going a little faster.)

My little girl is 3!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Zaydree! I can't believe you are already 3. Where has all the time went to? She has been so hilarious in prepping her for her big day. She tells everyone she is 2 or 5 she won't say 3. And she did not want to open her gifts or hit the pinata today until all the others did it first. A few days ago we told her about her birthday, she kept saying no and that she wanted it to be DJ's birthday and that she didn't want no gifts so we all said we would give them away. I told her that now she is 3 we need to start going pee pee in the potty and she just refuses and cries still. But I surely am going to try this week!
So now we are past the terrible 2's here comes the HORRIBLE 3's! We love you Zayd and are sooooooo glad that you are a part of our family!

Can't wait for summer!

What nice weather we have been having that everyday my kids want to be outside! So I only know what is to come for the summer. But Zaydree has been sooooo cute! She got her bike for Christmas and has already mastered it down with the training wheels and brakes. She thinks she is so big just like her brothers. She wants to be out everyday forever. Mark and I will just go sit out there just to entertain her. Our street is getting busier and the fast traffic doesn't help, but she loves our driveway. She is a walking advertisement for Dora the explorer though, her helmet and shin guards are Dora, her shoes were Dora. So I know come this summer we will be spending many hours out with Zaydree and her bike.