80's Night

We went to 80's night at the Diamondback's game this month. It was a blast, we looked like dorks with some of our favorite people! Don't ask me how I got Jason, the notorious party pooper when it comes to dressing up, to do this. I think the guys were a little confused though, they thought it was a Joe Dirt convention (mixed in with a little Saved By The Bell style!!)...

The Bus!

Dean started riding the bus to and from school, these are some pictures of his first day. He met his bus driver, Mr. T, who Dean tells me has "handsome hair". Dean gets to ride with his cousins Case, Angel, Aren, Tanner, & Brianna, he has a blast!

First Day of Pre-K at PCS

Addison thought she was going to school too! She was went to work with Daddy while I took Dean to school & I'm told she was hiding under the table pretending to be "at school" the whole morning!
Dean couldn't wait to put on his new school clothes & backpack. What a handsome boy!
Cheese!
Dean and his cousin/best buddy, Case, get to be classmates & they couldn't be happier about it! They were so excited when they saw eachother at school, they ran and grabbed hands and took off to the playground!

Worries

Dean goes on Wednesday to his first day of Pre-K. This year he'll be going all day on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. It feels so strange to be sending him away from me for that long. As I'm about to send him off I have all kinds of thoughts like: I hope he likes it. I'm worried that he won't make friends. I'm worried that he will make the WRONG friends. I'm worried that I didn't put into practice enough Dr. Dobson advice and he'll spend all day being "strong willed" (that's parental lingo for bratty). Am I sending him too early? Did I teach him enough at home? What if he's too smart and doesn't learn anything new? What if he's NOT smart? Ugh.

Mostly, I just love that child more than life itself and for some reason that powerful, parental love occasionally erases all the common sense in a woman's brain. I know he'll be fine, I know he'll have fun, I know he'll learn, and I know I'll get a much needed 3 day a week respite...now I'm off to make myself believe it;)

Summer Time Happenings

The summer is flying by...but it's been lots of fun!

I finished my first marathon- yeah!!

I had a bout of what the dr. thinks is exercise induced asthma, but other than that it was a great experience! I've already begun training for my second marathon, San Francisco in October...some say

I'm crazy (and while I can't argue too

much) marathon's are a GREAT

excuse for a little vacation! Mom flew out on Saturday night & completely pampered Nicole & I during and after the race, it was awesome! This picture is Nicole & I flashing M's for our MOPS girls @ home...Yeah, we're mean looking thugs;)

The weekend we got back from the marathon was Jason and Jill's wedding. Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Voss & thanks for a great party!

We took our annual family vacation

to the White Mountains and had a great time with family and friends. The kids played in the dirt and fished to their hearts content, it was a blast!

In July Jason and I headed off to Lake Powell with the VH family minus kiddos. It was an amazing trip, I think it's my new favorite place! Megan & Jamie got engaged on the trip, it was very exciting! Unfortunately when we got home we had a little surprise waiting...someone had broken into our house & taken all my jewelry, including my wedding rings, as well as some other stuff. Jason's playing Rambo, so I'm sure our robber won't be on the loose too much longer;-) (pictures of Powell to come!)

This past weekend the kids and I took a little road trip to Great Grandma/pa VH's cabin in Munds Park with my mom & dad, Sue, John, & Julia. We enjoyed the cool weather, built a really cool fort out back, and had fun enjoying family time. We also took the kids for their first visit to the Grand Canyon. It was beautiful, but if you want a relaxing evening, don't take a two & four year old to a big hole in the ground that has signs up stating that "...people who fall into the Grand Canyon rarely survive the initial 300 foot drop..." Yikes!

We've had a fun, but crazy busy summer & there's no slowing down ahead...Jason is working a side job for Chase Bank clearing some lots, I'm headed out of town for MOPS retreat next weekend, Dean starts Pre-K at Phoenix Christian on August 12 and on top of all that we're starting Dairy Tours at Dutchview this fall. We're looking forward to lots of fun

new experiences this fall- can't wait to see what else God's got in store for us!

Dean's 4th Birthday

Last weekend we celebrated Dean's 4th birthday with a "messy" party. Dean & his guests had lots of fun doing all those messy things they're not allowed to do at home!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I'm still finding it hard to believe that Dean is 4...he is growing up so quickly. I hope I'm remembering to take the time to tell him how special he is, and how loved. Here's to another happy, healthy year of growing "slowly" (I always tell him not to grow up too fast & he tells me he's doing it slowly & it'll take him a long time!). Happy Birthday Dean!

Okay you pests, I'll post something;)

Yeah, yeah, it's been awhile! We've been crazy busy, as evidenced by my lack of posting. Here's a few months in review to get you caught up...

February was Addy's 2nd birthday, the poor girl got shafted...just a cake at home with mom, dad, & big brother. A computer crash without backup erased all evidence though...Here's a picture of Addison in her first ever mommy-made dress. Pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

In April, Jason turned 2o- something (I've heard we're on the wrong side of 25 now and as such I'm not telling either of our ages anymore!) Dean loved the candles as much as dad.


Easter was lots of fun seeing the whole family and hunting & coloring LOTS of eggs. Picture #1 was the kids at the Laveen Easter Egg Hunt, which was a blast lots of fun stuff to make & do and a BIG Easter Egg Hunt! Pic #2 is coloring eggs w/ Kaitlyn & her family at our house. By the end of the night Dean had colored every egg green, Addy's hands were died pink, & we had a dead Tree Frog on our hands, interesting evening. Pic #3 Hunting Easter Eggs @ Nana & Papa Agazzi's after church w/ all the cousins.

I'm in the home stretch before my marathon, which my family has sacrificed Saturday mornings for me to train for over the last 16 weeks. I'll be one happy woman on June 1st, both because it's our 7th anniversary AND because it's the day after the marathon! MOPS finished up a couple of weeks ago & school is out June 12th, it'll be nice to slow down for the summer! You can check out my marathon course (and track my race day progress on the 31st), if you're so inclined, at http://www.rnrmarathon.com/home.html

Jason is busy with the dairy, as usual, but he just returned from a weekend trip to IL, thanks to Jason & Robin for giving him a place to lay his head & happy birthday Jason R! He had a great time catching up, playing paintball, fishing with Marshall, & watching Breanne & Marshall's boys play ball. We miss you guys:(

Dean will turn 4 next week, he's having a "messy" party complete with paint and on Saturday with our closest friends and family, our little boy is getting so big! He's still going to preschool at Trinity 2 days a week, it'll finish up for the year on May 21st. Next year, he'll be off to Pre-K at Phoenix Christian Grade School with his big kid cousins, he'll even get to ride the school bus (kind of scary for mom...). Pictures are of us at Dean's Pre-school's Spring Tea & Program. Dean is a major ham these days!

Addison is, much to our delight, potty trained!! Yay, mom (and dad too, sorta..)! It's true, girls are easier & much cuter when training than their male counterparts. Addy is our little girly girl, she loves dolls (all her babies are named Bob, thanks Papa Agazzi!), purses, shoes, phones, & sunglasses. She constantly "on the phone" with her dad or her cousins...she's a joy!

Both kids are doing ISR, infant swimming resource, which is an intensive swim/lifesaving skills class, this summer at Grandma VH's pool. I'm excited to see how it goes, hopefully a couple of months from now we'll have two swimmers on our hands! I'm sure I'll have lots to report soon, we've got plans for a camping trip to the White Mountains in June and we're houseboating at Lake Powell in July- we can't wait!