End of Summer?

Twenty Six years. Its been great and I'm glad we could celebrate our wedding anniversary. I stopped by my folks earlier in the day and they spoiled me with a yummy healthy salad in the aloha side of the yard, They have misters and it was a lovely time. I wanted to go out with Brian too, and we were able to. It felt like a date night like back in the day, We even went to stores after and walked around the fountains and I got clothes, candles, and chocolate at the Lincoln TJ Maxx. I had been worried about the heat, but it turned out to be really nice out especiially compared to the next few days after our anniversarry. We had extreme heat and a thrunderstorm that was scary. that caused fires and so here we are a few weeks later still having smoky skies. There are nice things though, like Emmy is in town and we are getting a lot of fun family time in and we are having regular reminscing sessions and projects. We are painting Celia's room light pink. She is doing well in  her first few weeks of school , but I thought a new wall paint would be great for renewing her space and starting high school, plus its kawaii.~  

Spence was a happy boy even though he had a new roommate. It has changed and being the mama bear I am, I advocated for him to get some peace and quiet in his home. So more changes coming with that. I love that boy so much and his happiness or lack there of affects me so. We will get him taken care of and stable and learning. He has great helpers too, so its nice. I am proud of his independence. I have enjoyed his siblings playing games together and treating each other well, also. I love my kiddos. It is a postiive part of my life that I have access to them so often. I am taking it anll in and being grateful for it.

Quite the Month

Brian and I had a day date for our 23rd  Wedding Anniversary. We went to brunch at La Province restaurant and terrace. They were serving brunch so I had a fancy bleu cheese burger and Brian had an Au Jus cheesesteak sandwich. It is such a beautiful and romantic restaurant. We reminisced of going there for a wedding reception and enjoyed the beautiful views. The waiter found out it was our Anniversary and brought us a free Creme Brulee for dessert. August is just a celebratory month and we take respite when we can. On a Thursday Connie was available so Brian and I took Emmy and Joseph to Flame Fire. We had a Groupon for this pricey yet fabulous place. We used our green go markers and had quite a few different Brazilian meats an the delicious pineapple. Joseph was the first to get full, but the rest of us quit shortly after.

I love having Emmy in town and going for our Saturday rides. We went on our usual run, but stopped off at Dunkin Donuts and tried it out. Bavarian creme filled donuts and peppermint hot chocolate It was very yummy. After stopping in at half price books,  we went to the nature preserve behind Costco in our old stopping grounds. I love to get out and walk a  little with the kids.  I don't know what it is a bout being out an about, but we come together for family time really well!
Celia and Joe started school this month an so far so good. Although Joseph rear eneded someone in his Landcruiser, ran out of batteries and locked his keys in the car all within the month, we are doing well and much has been learned.

 We have had kind of a lot of bother with cars lately. After all the fun in Colorado, we needed two new tires , an alignment and new brakes. For some reason the new brakes they installed at Les Scuab were making the car smoke a lot like billows of dark smoke an it had a terrible odor. I turned around and we got that taken car of the next day. Meanwhile.. Brian's car from work died. It turned out to be a faulty part on recall and we got him back in business. Emmy got a new grill part to fix up her vehicle completely an I checked the brakes on my black car since it had been squeaking. They were fine, but it took a lot of time hanging at the mall and being away from home to get that one checked up on.  We still have Joe's car to look at a little fixing going on soon, but wow having a bunch of cars is a lot sometimes, hehe.

Celia is looking at getting braces. I may have bribed(reinforcement) her to get  them. She will  be able to get a comfort dog at sometime within the two years of having braces. We went and had her first ortho appt. on the 21st. The day of the eclipse. We watched with her at her school. It was neat and so great to feel the energy of all excite for this event.

When September Comes

     Fall is coming soon. The weather is changing, we see clouds more and the grass seems happier with a little cool air. I'm nesting a little. I want to decorate for fall and cook more. I think I've cooked every night this week which for me is a big deal.  Joseph has been having more of a say in things now that Emmy went back to school. He wants enchiladas all the time, tacos at Chando's, and to be chauffeured to birthday parties, dances, and other activities with friends. He wants to learn the banjo and is talking up as storm about his fantasy football team. Joe is also going to be taking his online permit test soon too. My little seeds are growing up! 

Spencer is still so tall an now skinny. He is doing a little better. He is calming down as the storms of new school changes have happened.  We continue to try and make things loving and consistent at home and it helps. We also stopped taking him by the Antelope house, which I'm sure helps his annoyance level to decrease. We are waiting to close and are hoping and praying we will make it through the home inspection process. It is a joke how much they find that seems to be wrong, but is really quite minor.  

    The kids are all in school now and Celia has tutoring again. Still none for  Spence, but the arrival of a tutor for Celia helps Spence relax a bit. 

   My folks had their 47th wedding anniversary and we had them over for dinner and games. The meat had bone on it so there was less amount than usual. Emmy took a bunch then we divided it differently and all was well. they kids are so spoiled with the abundance of food, support and love around here. We have enjoyed having Emmy home and hearing her two cents on things. We got her applied for BYU winter and and hoping for the best on that front. She will grow and learn so much in Utah as well as  she did in Idaho, maybe more.

   We seem to have more people over lately. I guess we are coming out of our shells a little bit.  We are doing better at family pictures too! We went over to picture people located in a baby store and were able to look forward and get a family picture. Emmy was so pleased and surprised how much better it went than in years past. I think keeping it short and simple works well for our group. Maybe someday we can get an on location professional photo shoot in nature and have it be a great success.

   Cub scouts has been going well. So far I enjoy being Cub master very much.We had a campfire over here in the backyard. I knew we should get a fire table for something! The kids enjoyed cooking S'mores and running around in the backyard.  We have a big pack meeting this month on being an everyday hero. I have to finalize the details and delegate somethings so it can run smoothly.  We are looking forward to Brian's birthday and a a visit to the cabin and Albuquerque for him. Things are great with the family and we are so grateful and thankful for our many blessings.

22 Years of Married Bliss

I can't believe it has been twenty two years since we were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple. I love to do temple work and there has been so much work coming available lately for my mom's side of the family. It has brought me great joy in doing temple work for those ancestors we've found. I'm so glad Brian and I share in these saving ordinance with our little family. I was reminiscing of our honeymoon and the day. We were truly blessed. We still are to be in love and to be happy with our choices we have made thus far in this life with regards to marriage and family.

We went to the Goldthorpe's Wedding reception for their daughter, checked on the Antelope house(seems like that is all I do these days) and then made our way to Red Lobster for dinner. Rocktail lobster and steak are what I got and Brian had the snow crab legs. Both were delicious and even better was our tie together. I''m so glad we take time for date night so that when all the children are gone we will have maintain that friendship love, and camaraderie as we have grown together through the years. So blessed to have Brian in my life.

Family Time and Couches

It was a pretty special opportunity to take Emmy and Joseph to the Sacramento temple with us for Stake Temple day on Labor Day. It was Joseph's first time and Emmy said he was all smiles doing baptisms. I had some family names and it was very special remembering them and doing their work there. Brian and I did sealings and felt great about it. It makes me want to go back and do more. The stake Relief Society president was in our sealing session and told me after that was very special, and it was. I was so moved by the presence I felt there and the knowledge that families can be together forever and we can know and do things for our ancestors.

My folks celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary yesterday. There are having a great time on a cruise and were in Iceland on the day. The cute bench with the waterfalls to watch seems like a great anniversary spot! I'm glad they have been great parents to me and that they've made it this long, hehe.  I feel grateful they have taught and lived the gospel for me all of their lives. Emmy and I are counting down the days until we visit them in October and see her favorite band, Yellowcard in concert.

Also, over Labor day weekend, we got new couches! I love that we have a set a long couch and a loveseat. Even though we got them from some ward members that didn't want to move them to their new house they fit great in our house! They are my style and colors I like. The family has been liking hanging out on them and I'm glad we have more seating for when family comes to visit.~

Our Anniversary and Chama

We have this way of saying Chama in our family. It is quite raspy and loud. Who wants to go to CHAMMMA? Brian will say and the rest of us say Chama. It is silly, but we love the beautiful ride there. We always see deer and animals. I saw over 20 elk grazing on the hillside. Even with my super zoom lens, it was still so far. It was exciting to see four bucks hanging around in a meadow although only three cooperated for me for the picture. Culmbres and Toltec railroad runs through the mountains to Chama. It truly is a scenic route. I love the national forest there and that we go from Colorado to New Mexico in our visit to Chama. Also, we visit the family dollar that the kids love.

Brian and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary while in Colorado. We went to the Great Sand dunes. The stream was dried up so we filled and refilled our water bottles and tried making a sand castle. I liked covering my feet in the sand and the kids ended up making a hole in the sand to find wet, cooler sand. Joseph made sand angels and Celia wanted to go back day after day.  We tried making our way up the Zapata falls trail, but the road was being worked on and the rocks were huge. We got stuck in our mini van on the trail for a little bit then headed back. It made me laugh and smile to be bouncing around and getting stuck. We'll have to go back in a 4x4 another time! Joseph was all about gift shops and loved the arrowheads he got. The sand was great sensory for Spencer and pizza hut in Alamosa tasted pretty good after a long day on the sand. being together and having a great day made for a wonderful celebration for our anniversary. Bri and and I played games after the kids went to sleep and I think I won.:)