Las Vegas Trip…….Day 2

This was Kiersten's only full day to hang out while in Vegas.  The other days she would be at dance classes til mid afternoon.  So we took full advantage of the day!

All the fancy casinos were fun (and sometimes scary) to walk through.

The kids couldn't believe all the people gambling their money away.

We went to Mandalay Bay Hotel and saw the Shark Reef Aquarium.

The kids enjoyed getting to touch the stingrays!

It is pretty cool to touch them………they are so slimy.  There was one that kept coming by and splashing…….the kids thought that was funny.

The sharks were awesome to see.  I've been scuba diving several times and seen sharks so it was nice that they were behind glass this time.

This was our second buffet experience at the Luxor.

Hunter just had to have this picture to send to his friend Carsen Davis.  The things we do to please silly 9 year old boys!

Yes I did gamble a little………I had to show the kids how fast you can loose $10.  They couldn't believe it and we all agreed we'd rather spend our money on shows and shopping!

This picture is blurry I know but I just had to include it.  Hunter is my little "cool guy".  He wore my Beats all over Vegas because so many people commented to him about him being so young and having beats.  Just cracks me up that he is so into style….I can't imagine what he'll be like as a teenager!

I think Hunter was most excited about this show……The Criss Angel Believe Show at the Luxor.

It was a good show, minus a few things that I didn't find appropriate for my kids.  The actual magic was impressive for sure!

We all enjoyed looking at all the choppers in the waiting room before the show.

It was a fun night for sure!

We also enjoyed some shopping and just looking at the way the malls are decorated.  The Venetian was one of our favorite malls as far as the atmosphere they've created there.

I think we all agreed Vegas, better yet the Strip, was a fun place to visit but I wouldn't want to live by it or have to go down it on a daily basis!  It was fun to see all the fancy decorations through out the hotels and malls.  We loved people watching………and Vegas surely did not disappoint!

Las Vegas Trip….Day One

Kiersten had a dance convention/competition in Las Vegas.  We were able to talk Marla into letting us take Aubrey with us and they would pick her up on their drive up to Utah for EFY.  Kiersten could not have been happier……….she LOVES Aubrey.

It was suppose to be just us three girls but last minute Justin and I decided Hunter should get to come with us as well.  Hunter was thrilled………he had been wanting to go on this trip and he earned it in my opinion! 

The hotel we were staying at was about a mile from the Strip.  It was where the dance convention was held.  It wasn't a very nice hotel where we had to stay which was a bummer.  But we didn't spend a whole lot of time in the actual room so it was fine.  The kids loved walking the strip…….and of course they loved the M&M store.

Now we couldn't pass up the chance to take a picture with Optimus Prim!  The costume was pretty awesome!

There were two times that I took the kids to buffets while in Vegas.  It's not like the good old days……….those buffets are pricey now a days!!!!  But I wanted them to experience all the fancy food and trying new things.  And yes I let them try one of everything on the dessert table!  It was awesome!

This particular night Aubrey tried wasabi sauce at the sushi bar for the first time.

WOW was it an experience!  I thought she was kidding when she took a spoonful of it and said she was going to eat it.  She did just that and she swallowed it all!  Then she pretty much had an asthma attack and heart attack at the same time.  She was FREAKING OUT!!!  The kids and I were laughing so hard we cried!  It was the most dramatic 10 minutes of the trip!

The first night we got there we went to see Blue Man Group!

The kids were super excited to watch the show!

Blue Man Group sure are entertaining.  They do some interesting things.  It wasn't my favorite show we saw in Vegas but I was glad the kids got to see it.  I've been to see Blue Man several times, both in Vegas and in Chicago.

The end of the show with all the toilet paper and huge beach balls sure made for some fun.  

The black lights added to the fun ending of the show.

We had to get pictures with the band!  They sure rocked!

One of the Blue Man Group!

Their facial expressions were priceless!

The kids were really impressed once we left the show and they saw the Strip all lit up!

I've never brought kids to Vegas before.  It actually made me really nervous and when you are walking the Strip with your sweet kids you REALLY notice all the bad things you don't want them exposed to.

We all enjoyed the water show at the Bellagio.

This guy was on America's Got Talent.  He is an extortionist.  The kids remembered seeing him on TV, so they thought it was super cool to see him on the streets of Vegas.

It was a fun first day in Vegas!

Happy Birthday To Me

Well turning 36 I wouldn't say was my favorite birthday or anything but how could I complain when I wake up to breakfast in bed?

Aubrey, Kiersten and Hunter had all helped make me this yummy breakfast!

Complete with a delicious smoothy!

I could get use to this kind of treatment!

My mom made my day by making me my favorite cake……..

Homemade German Chocolate Cake with homemade frosting!

I could seriously eat this entire cake by myself and the horrible stomach ache that would follow would be so worth it!

That evening we decided to take a ride my Taylor Canyon!

I really love going out for rides in the rail and our new toy, the rhino!

We called it my birthday present because we bought it the week of my birthday!  Gonna be hard to top this birthday Justin!  Might have to take me to Hawaii next year or something….hahaha!

Thanks babe for a wonderful day!  

It happened to be the 24th of July celebration, so after our ride we made it to see the fireworks.  I always love it when the pioneer day celebration is on my actual birthday!

Makes for a great birthday for sure!

Kiersten surprised me with this bouquet of coupons.

I was pretty excited about this!  She is such a sweet and thoughtful girl!

So I guess turning 36 wasn't so bad after all.  Definitely not when you are surrounded by such wonderful people!

Working Out for a Good Cause

A little 4 year old boy, here in Pima, named Brock Innes recently found out he has a rare form of cancer.  He is under going chemotherapy treatments.  They were having a fundraiser to help with those costs.  It was a Brock's Superhero Mayhem Run!

It was at EAC and they had tons of fun obstacle you had to do.  All my kids enjoyed being a part of it.  We tried to get Justin to get out of bed and join us but he refused.  It was at like 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday.  By the time we ran the course, ate a breakfast burrito and made it home it was close to 9:30 and Justin was still in bed!

But the kids and I had a wonderful morning and it's good for the kids to get involved in things like this in the community I think.  The Chicago cousins were visiting and Aubrey was the only one spending the night at our house that particular night so she came with us.

Thor seriously looked like the real deal so we had to take a picture with him!!!  And Superman is pretty darn cool himself so it made for a great picture!  Great news is Brock is now in remission and doing great!

So glad I have such great kids that will get out of bed and come support a great cause.

Swim Team 2013

It was another fun summer of swim team!!!

This year we decided to not play baseball and just do swim team.  It was wonderful!!!!

What beautiful kids we have!  They are such fish!  They did a great job on the swim team!

This summer they each were the younger kids in their age group which makes it harder.  Kiersten also had to start doing 50 meter races instead of 25 meters.  That to me is the hardest summer to make it through……..Kiersten did great!  She is such a trooper!

Of course being short, as all our kids are, doesn't help in the swimming pool!

Logan and Ryker

Hunter and Logan

Logan racing the breast stroke at a meet at the Safford Pool!  It was close but he pulled off the win!

Kiersten showing her breast stroke skills.  She really is a fast breast stroker……..just like her momma was!!!

I really enjoy watching the kids at their meets!

Swim team is such a fun part of the summer and it helps keep the kids active and in shape.

It's not easy to get up early every morning and swim as hard as they do that's for sure!

Lazy kids aren't on the swim team!!!!

Logan was excited to metal in butterfly!

Great job!

Hunter got 2nd place at the final meet in breast stroke!!!

Way to go!!!

And look at how much taller the other boys are then him.  I reminded him that that means he really has to swim quite a bit faster to beat them because they have so much more length on him.

Kiersten got two 5th places………one in breast stroke and one in the IM.

They have to qualify in the previous meet to even get to race at the finals.  So I am proud of each of them for qualifying and doing their best!

Seriously, Look at how much taller those two girls are than Kiersten!  Way to go Kiersten……….you really must be fast to beat such tall girls!!!

Wonderful job my little fish!

4th of July Archery Shoot @ Sunrise

We have enjoyed several weekends up in the White Mountains at the 4th of July Archery Shoot.  I was super excited to get out of the heat.  The heat has made my morning sickness so much worse then other pregnancies so I was ready for some relief.

Doesn't Rieley look like a giant and my kids look like midgets?

Well the first night we were there I got word that my dad was at the Emergency Room and that they were shipping him to Tucson for emergency surgery.  I was torn with what I should do……….the situation with my dad was extremely serious and I longed to be with him and my mom but we had just made the 4 hour drive to get here and I was really looking forward to spending this weekend with my little family.  That night was actually the 4th of July and we went in to Show Low to watch the fireworks and make several phone calls.  The phone service where we were camping was patchy. 

It did happen that we had two cars because with Rieley we all couldn't fit in Justin's truck.  So it would work out for me to travel home and then on to Tucson if we decided that's what was best.  After having a good friend advise me on how serious my dads condition was I decided the next afternoon to go ahead and make the long drive home then on to Tucson.

My sweet friend Tressie drove me from Pima to Tucson so that I wouldn't have to go alone and so that I wouldn't have my car there.  My mom had drove herself over the night they took my dad by ambulance.  They really wanted to fly him over but there was a summer monsoon that kept them from being able to do so.  In fact they were so worried about him that they sent a couple of the flight crew with him in the ambulance in case they needed the extra hands.

It was pretty touch and go with him at the emergency room in Safford.  His blood pressure got extremely low and they were afraid they might loose him.

He ended up having surgery when he arrive at TMC around one in the morning.  He had a couple of tumors in his small bowels which was cause him extreme pain.

We found out shortly there after that the tumors were indeed cancer. And a very aggressive form of cancer…………He started Chemotherapy about 7 weeks later, once his large incision was healed up.  He will end up having 6 rounds of chemo, one every 3 weeks.  It's just crazy to think that almost exactly a year ago we  went through my mom having breast cancer and chemo treatments.

One thing I have learned through these two experiences is to be grateful!  Grateful for the small things and the large things………..every moment counts and is a blessing!

Back in the White Mountains, the kids and Justin enjoyed the archery shoot.

Justin even took them to a rodeo one night!

They were all worried about their Grampy but it was good for them to be away and have a distraction.

Rieley was a big help to Justin and of course the kids loved having him there.  Quincy and Gloria and their kids were already up in Pinetop for a vacation so they stopped by and visited and did a little shooting with the kids.  I was bummed because I had just got a bow for myself and was looking forward to shooting at my first archery shoot.  It's a great stress relieving sport!  I think it would be great for Justin, if he could find the time for a hobby………..pretty much all he has time for is the company and surviving his day.  I was really surprised he even took off two days to take us to this archery shoot. But I think he was at a point of frustration that he knew he needed to get a breath of fresh air, even if it meant a load of work once he got back.