Memorial Day Weekend

Our Memorial Day weekend was a nice and mostly relaxing time. Saturday, Ashton had his final tee ball game for his first season of playing. He did a great job and managed to hit the ball out of the in field for both his times at bat. We were really happy for him and he was beaming. Ashton got his first trophy for the season. He is very proud of it! He couldn't wait to get home and put it on the shelf with his game ball in his room.

After Ashton's game, we went to a friends house for a get together. John and Laurie are getting settled in their new house and so it was a great time to visit, check out the new place and have some holiday festivities. There was tons of poeple there and we all had a great time!! The kids were so worn out when we left, they managed to get out that they couldn't wait to go back to their house and then they were both asleep.

The rest of our weekend was spent just relaxing and spending some time as a family. We hadn't been back from our trip long and it was the perfect LONG weekend to get back in the swing of things at our house. The kids weren't ready for Alex to go back to work when it was all over with. We'd enjoyed our time together!!

California Trip

Alex and I started last year taking a summer trip, just the two of us, to spend some time together without the distraction of the kids. It was really nice and we both looked forward to doing it again. This year we decided to stay a little closer to home since Casey is getting pretty far along in her pregnancy and she is our primary care giver when we go. (Thanks Casey!!!) However, as time got closer, she started having some issues with her pregnancy and we had to mix up the plan a little and we ended up with several helpers. The kids started with Alex's parents for a few days, then went and stayed with some of our friends, The Reed's for the weekend, and then ended the trip with Casey and my Dad. They had a great time, but were definitely ready for us to come home. Maddie doesn't care for us to ever go on another trip! LOL

California was our destination for this summer. We started out in La Jolla, in the San Diego area. We did a lot of driving around checking out all the local sites and suggested places. We did a bicyle tour on our own on this double bicyle as you can see. It was definitely an interesting adventure. Alex swears he did all the work, but I can tell you that it wasn't all easy for me either.

We did look really cool though and NO ONE could tell we were tourists! LOL

This is an area at the La Jolla Cove where all the seals sunbathed. I thought it was neat just how close you could get to them. We had planned a kayaking trip of the coves, but the day we were going the tide got too high and we couldn't go. I was bummed because that was one of the things I really wanted to do while I was there and it just didn't happen. :(

After five days in San Diego, we hopped on a plane and headed over to San Francisco to wrap up our trip. I have always wanted to go there. Alex has already been before but couldn't wait to show me around himself.


We did a tour of Alcatraz Island, which I have to admit, I had NO desire to do, but went. I was pleasantly surprised!! It was really neat and a lot of interesting history there. I really enjoyed it.

We got to see almost the entire facility. I couldn't believe just how small the cells where. It was unbelievable. And then the isolation cells where even worse. WOW! I took so many pictures and looking back, they just don't do justice to actually being there. It is something I would recommend you check out if you ever get the opportunity.

We did so many things while we were there, that I can't get them all in, but I wanted to hit some of the high points. We went to the Fishermans Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, wine country, and Chinatown.

I got to ride on a cable car, which I have never done and thought would be so cool.

It was a fun trip, but I think we were both ready to be back home with the kids! We missed them!!!!

Ashton's Pre K Graduation

Today, Ashton graduated from his Pre K program at College Hills Tuesday/Wednesday school. He was super excited about it. He just kept telling me how he was graduating from Pre K so that he could start at his new school in Kindergarten. I'm so glad that he is getting excited because when I took him for the testing a week or so ago, he was scared to death. Hopefully, all the hype will get him more excited and less scared!!

I thought I'd share a couple of pictures from today. This one is him receiving his certificate from Miss Wendy.

And here is Maddie standing with Ashton. She is smiling from ear to ear because Ashton is wearing a "dress" and she thinks that is just too funny. Ashton, however, isn't laughing and wants me to hurry up so he can have another cookie. :-)

It is just so hard to believe that my little boy is growing up. He is five years old and starting Kindergarten in just a little over two months. WOW! Time flies!

The Hair Salon

Earlier today, Maddie asked if she could fix my hair. I took a break from sewing and went in her "hair salon" aka her room. She had a million things going from brushes, curling iron, flat iron, blow dryer and a MILLION bows, clips and barretts. She was so excited and having so much fun torturing my head.

Not long in to the process, Ashton came in and decided he wanted in on the fun and I got many different new do's along the way. This is the final one and Alex got home just in time to capture a picture of us.

I know, it is a WRECK!!!! But they had so much fun and that is what it is all about!!!!!

California here we come.....

Next week, Alex and I leave for our California trip. I'm getting really excited. I can't wait!! I've never been to the west coast before and I'm just really looking forward to taking it all in. We have a couple of friends at church that are from that area, so we've been given tons of places to see and check out while we're there. Alex has already bought us Alcatraz tickets and he can't wait to take me there. He has already been with his dad, but wants to go again. I'm not a real history person, but I'm trying to keep an open mind about it. Who knows?? I might actually like it. I'll keep you posted on that!!

I'm a little nervous about leaving the kiddos behind this time for some reason. I think part of it is because they are going to have to bounce around more this trip than previous ones. I can't help but worry even though I know that they will be well taken care of while we're gone. I guess that is just a mother thing. :-)

Stay tuned for tons of pictures and posts about our trip!

Ashton's gift to me

Ashton and Maddie came home from school yesterday with their Mother's Day gifts that they made at school. Ashton had made a card and inside I found a fill in the blank survery type deal. I thought his answers were great so I wanted to share it with you. (I'll put his answers in bold.)

My mother's name is Courtney.

She is 18 years old, has black/yellow hair and blue eyes.

Blue is her favorite color.

Her favorite TV show is Survivor.

Her favorite thing to do is sew.

She really likes it when we vaccum together.

My favorite thing to do with her is play baseball.

The funniest thing I ever did with my mother was play basketball.

My mother is the best mom in the world.

She teaches me how to read.

She also helps me score goals when I can't.

It makes my mother happy when I ride my bike, but it makes her sad when I don't ride my big bike.

My mother's favorite food is salad, but she does not like to eat chicken.

The first thing my mother does when she wakes up is makes breakfast.

If I could give her anything, I would give her new tires.

I love my mother because she is my favorite mom in the world.

I love it! He is such a sweet boy and Alex and I couldn't help but laugh at some of his answers because they were so true.

Rainy Day

We woke up this morning to pouring down rain. We decided we'd make a trip out to see Alex's Geega and help him with something. We visited for a couple hours and then started making our way back home. It was raining unbelievable hard. Ashton commented that all he could see was gray. As we got off the interstate near our house, we quickly realized that it must have been raining harder at home than at Geega's. The roads leading home from the interstate were covered in water and some totally flooded. It made for an interesting drive home and the kids loved seeing all the water.

After we got home, Alex took the kids outside to let them play in the water and they had a great time!