Lake Mohave

Finally a weekend where mom gets to do exactly what she wants to do.

TUBING

BOATING

CLIFF JUMPING

RELAXING

WAKEBOARDING

Oh how I need another weekend like this!

Jessica swimming

This is Jessica swimming after only 3 days of lessons. Who says a 2 year old can't swim!!! She'll be swimming in no time.

Baseball by the Call Boys ... oh and Jessica too

ANDREW

I love these 2 pictures of Andrew playing T-ball. In the first picture I love that Andrew is playing first base and so ready and determined to catch the ball that was thrown to him. I love how in the background the outfielder looks like he's ready to do a ballet turn. The poor outfielders got so bored in t-ball. The second picture cracks me up. This is so typical of t-ball. Andrew's playing first base again and throwing the ball to the pitcher. The runner stops at first base and starts playing in the dirt. How about run to second base little boy????

TYLER







These 3 pictures are of Tyler playing on his baseball team, called the Terminators. It was a 7 - 9 year old division and he was one of the youngest players, but one of the best. Tyler usually played pitcher, short stop, and 2nd base. He hardly ever played catcher so the one game he did, I had to snap the picture. He looked so darn cute in the catching gear.

We were so proud of Tyler for pitching when he was one of the youngest players. He had to try out each week to be pitcher and would constantly make it. At the 2nd to last game, Tyler pitched the 2nd inning. He had one batter hit and struck three batters out. He has had a good arm since he was 2 years old. When he was 2 years old, he would go pitch a bucket full of tennis balls to my dad and pitch everyone to the exact same spot. He liked being a pitcher for the team.

JUSTIN






These 3 pictures are of Justin. Justin usually played shortstop, 3rd base, or pitcher. I love the first picture and his windup position while pitching. He actually liked being the relief pitcher the best.

At their 2nd to last game of the season, Justin got called in to be the relief pitcher for inning 4 (their last inning). The bases were loaded and there were no outs. Justin struck out 3 in a row to save the game and their team ended up winning. Justin also hit almost everytime up to bat. He was a great asset to the team.

JESSICA





She just stayed content at all the games if she had junk food or snacks to keep her occupied. Can you tell?

And Last but not least.... the coach of it all

Jeff, DAD, we couldn't have done it without you!!!

Pinewood Derby

Justin participated in his first Pinewood Derby for scouts. He and Jeff worked really hard on his car. They didn't win any races - about 3rd or 4th place each time. But, he did win the award for the best sportsmanship. That's more important anyways!

The boys got suckered in...

So what happens on a boring Sunday afternoon when the boys 2 year old sister whines, pleads, and screams loud enough...


Yep, you get dressed up by your 2 year old sister.

This next picture I just had to post. 1 - Andrew is so cute in it. 2- check out his pink high heels. Someday I could use this picture as black mail. Don't you think?

Cutest little t-ball player ever

This is Andrew's first year playing t-ball for Gilbert National Little League. His first game was on Saturday. Jeff got him dressed in the full uniform -- pants, cleats, socks, belt, hat, glove, etc. and he came walking downstairs I almost started crying. He was soooooo adorable and I couldn't believe my baby boy was headed to his first baseball game. I felt like he jumped a few years and was now in the league with Justin and Tyler in doing sports.

In the picture where is he trying to catch a grounder, he actually did catch it and it was the cutest thing. He picked it up, his eyes went really wide open, he smiled a huge smiled, and said, "I got it. I got it." He was so proud and just starred at this ball in his gloves while all the coaches were yelling, "throw it to 1st base. Andrew throw it to 1st base." It was so cute.

Justin Guarding Goliath

The picture doesn't do it justice. Justin is always one of the tallest on the court. This guy was way taller than him and so chunky. I thought the guy was going to crush Justin. Justin gave it his all to guard this guy and it was tough for him to do, but he hung in there. Justin always tries so hard on the court to do his best. I do love that about him.

Tyler and Basketball

Look at that form! He has a natural ability for basketball and loves every minute of it. He is so serious on the court and during his game. After his game yesterday he said, "I hated having that one guy guard me. He kept rubbing his but on my stomach and singing 'You're going to miss it. You're going to miss it.' It was so gross." I had a good laugh. I told Tyler he should have yelled at the guy to get his big fat butt off of him. He just laughed too.

Reality TV Junkie Family

So we watch almost all the reality tv shows out there and love them all. But, you know we are real reality tv junkies when your 5 year old who is in pre-school says:

Mom, you know that fat kid on my basketball team? The one who has a tummy stick out. He really needs to go on The Biggest Loser.

Oh my...

Jessica's haircut

So I was prepping Jessica all day that she got to sit on a big chair, wear a cape, and get her hair cut. She was so excited until.... the time came to actually do it. She was screaming, squirmming, wouldn't sit on the chair, etc. She did not want to sit with a cape on. My neighbor is a hair stylist and Jessica's best friends mom. So she even knew the lady that was cutting her hair.

Well, Amy (the haircutter) was trying to calm Jessica down and said, "Do you want me to turn you into Belle." Jessica so excitedly responded, "yea!!!!!" Amy said, "well sit down and I'll cut your hair to be as beautiful as Belle." Jessica climbed up in the chair, sat still, and didn't make a peep the entire hair cut. After the haircut was done, Jessica said, "mom, I'm Belle." All day long she continued to tell me she was Belle. Boy, how they fantasize about the Disney princesses at this age. She loves them.

Tyler's school assignment

So Tyler brought home a paper yesterday that he wrote at school. It goes like this...

"If I worked at an animal shelter i would hate it hate it hate it because I hate having pets. I don't like talking care of them and I don't like buying food for them."

I just had a good laugh because I can't stand animals. They scare me and they stink. I've never taught my kids not to like them,but apparently they don't like them. It must be genetic. I had a good laugh over it.

2 addictions

So our family has 2 favorite games right now and we just can't get enough of them, BUT.... here's the problem.

Jeff wins this game every time we play


I win this game every time we play


So... what game should we play kids??? Good thing the boys like playing games and are just good sports with their competitive parents.

Valentines Day

This...

leads to....




Boy that Valentine Man brings so many smiles!

Conversation with Jessica

Jessica is constantly dressing up. She puts tiaras on, high heels on, necklaces on, and whatever she can find to dress up with. Well yesterday she put a really cute pink hat on that had a strap for under her chin. She came over to me and said:

Jessica: Mom, I a "dow boat"
Mom: You're a tow boat??
Jessica: No, I'm a dow bow.
Mom: You're a bow??
Jessica: NOOOOOO, I'm a dow bowl.
Mom: You're a dow bowl???
Jessica: NOOOOOO, I'm a dowabowl (pheonicatically spelling here)
Mom: OOHH, you're adorable.
Jessica: Yeeaaaaa, I'm adorable.

Man, you would think by my 4th child I could interpret some of this stuff. Thank goodness I finally got it. And she was ADORABLE!!!

Conversation with Andrew

Ok, some of my conversations with my kids crack me up. I just always forget to write about them. So now with this blog, I'm going to try to write down some of those funny moments of conversations.

The other day we were driving home and this is how the conversation went with Andrew:

Andrew: Hey, mom. Did you know we got a new boy in my pre-school class.
Mom: Oh you did.
Andrew: Yea, he's 5 like me, but his birthday is November 19th so I'm a little older.
Mom: Oh that's cool. What's this boys name?
Andrew: Pencil.
Mom: What is it?
Andrew: Pencil. Isn't that a silly name mom?
Mom: That is. (I'm thinking to myself what name is he trying to say? Half the time I can't understand what he is trying to say. So I'm trying to think of some hispanic name or asian name or any name at this point that might sound like pencil.)
Mom: Do you like this boy?
Andrew: Yea, but sometimes at recess he pushes me and I don't like that.
Mom: He does?
Andrew: Mom, don't talk to Mrs. Dreyer (his teacher) about this new student.
Mom: ok, why?
Andrew: Because he's invisible and Mrs. Dreyer doesn't even know him.
Mom: Ok, I won't say anything. That's cool you have a new friend named Pencil (as I am dying of laughter inside and trying to talk without laughing about it.)

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth...(ok, a little late)

Tyler lost his 2nd tooth on top last week and was so excited to finally have a big hole on top. He had me try to pull the tooth out. It really grosses me out to have to do that. So I use a washcloth and pull. It makes my stomach turn and I feel like I'm going to throw up everytime. I hate the crackling sound and feel there is when pulling a tooth out. So anyway, I gave up and he pulled it out himself. He was so excited that night to get a $1 from the tooth fairy.

Jessica at the Superbowl Party

Once again Jessica is not into all the sports the boys in this family do/watch. So she finds a friend at the Superbowl party and goes and dresses up. She is constantly finding high heels, purses, and sunglasses to dress up in. It cracks me up!!! Everytime she dresses up I get the best dose of laughter.

Superbowl Sunday

So isn't that the cutest cookie. I had to get it for the Superbowl Party that we went to. It fed like 30 people. We had a blast at the party and loved watching the game on our friends huge movie screen in their movie room. As you can see in the top picture everyone went crazy when the Cardinals made their last touchdown with only 2 minutes left in the game. Unfortunately, the Steelers made another touchdown in that last 2 minutes to leave us losing the game. After we lost, Justin was crying, but he didn't want his friends at the party to think he was sad over the game. So he started complaining that he was sick and that his ear hurt sooooo bad. Creative thinking to mask the tears.

What Jessica does at the boys basketball games...

Saturday - means basketball games. Well, Jessica is bored at the games so she finds friends at every game. The little boy is Luke who Jessica loves. He lives across the street from us and they adore each other. Everytime they see each other, they go running up to each other saying "Luuuuuke or Jessssssica." They had no idea I was taking pictures of them. These are candid pictures. Then the other girl is Savanah who Jessica just goes and talks to. Savanah is in 6th grade and is listening to music with Jessica on her iphone. Jessica thought she was as old as her. Jessica is a little social girl and wants to be friends with anyone. She is so funny that way.

Grandma Call

Jessica loved having Grandma Call here. She couldn't call her Grandma. She had to add the Call to it. It was so cute. She was constantly saying, "Grandma Call, Grandma Call, etc." I think that's how she differentiates between Grandma Callister and Grandma Call. Grandma Callister is just Grandma. Anyways, she loved being with her and wanted to spend every minute she could with Grandma Call. Linda was a good sport and even got on the trampoline with her. Jessica was so concerned and kept telling her, "you're going to fall." Linda did a great job jumping at age 67. I hope I look that good and am in shape enough to jump on a trampoline at age 67 or...is she 68???

Babysitting Co-op

I'm loving this babysitting co -op that I am part of and actually organized. It's not a job, it's freedom. Sure, I have to do my part, which is only to stay home 3 hours a week (Wednesday afternoons) and watch little kids for other moms who need a baby-sitter. I earn tickets- 1 per half hour, per child, which I can turn around and use whenever I need a sitter for Andrew and Jessica. We start off with 30 tickets, and the idea is to try and maintain about 30. You should spend your tickets at about the same rate you use them. It's awesome. The best part is that it's totally guilt free- as long as I have tickets I can drop my kids off, walk away and do whatever I want without feeling I am taking advantage of somebody who might have better things to do with their time besides watch my kid while I go shopping, get my hair done, etc. I generally hate asking other people to watch my kids, but there have been sooo many times- Dr.'s appointments, volunteering at school, that I have desperately needed help and so would ask then, but I still felt bad about it. But now, the guilt is all gone. It's liberating.

I don't know who the genius was that came up with this idea, but boy am I ever grateful that she had the idea, and it filtered down to my neck of the woods, and I now have it in my neighborhood.

I've used this babysitting co-op a ton already. On Monday I used it to clean my house. I took the kids over to a friends house who has Monday morning as her time slot, they had fun playing, and I was productive cleaning. The next day I took them to another friend's house (the Tuesday afternoon slot) and went out to lunch with a friend of mine. Then on Thursday I used it again while I went to traffic court. This is the best thing ever!

Just a side note- a friend of mine was telling me her husband was looking at the tickets and was like "I could totally make counterfeit tickets and sell them to the moms at church!"- which of course totally defeats the guilt-free, do your part, fair trade of service idea.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

So last night we took the kids to Baskin Robins as a family. We try to do something fun with the family on Friday night and then Jeff and I go out on Saturday night. Anyway, Jessica had never been there and could choose any ice cream she wanted. She looked all around and ended up choosing mint chocolate chip ice cream. When I was little that was my absolute favorite ice cream. I would sit with a gallon of it on my lap and watch tv while I just ate and ate. Kaylynn also loves mint chocolate chip ice cream and eats it just like I did. So when Jessica chose that I about died. She loved the ice cream and it must just be genetic to love mint chocolate chip ice cream. She is a girl after my own heart.

2 blogs now

Ok, so I have 2 blogs now. One for everyone or really anyone who wants to read, and then one for myself to use as a personal journal. I was having a hard time trying to work out this whole blog thing. I wanted one that I could write personal feelings and experiences on, but on the other hand I wanted one that I could someday print into a book for my kids to have. Plus, I have so many people ask if I "blog" or why they can't read my blog. So here's the one for all to read.