The McDonald Family

Santa Cruz...round 2

2008-12-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

Almost a family photo...
Emily and Landon by a fallen redwood tree.
Emily reading her "Marley and Me" book by the stream.
We ate in downtown Santa Cruz at Zach's. Emily was thrilled, just because of the name!
Yep, that's a BIG leaf.

Camping in Santa Cruz

2008-12-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

Some of the pics we took on a hike around our campsite!

My babies
Duane and the kids
A boy and his dog!
Little Miss Emily
Mr. Landon

More HSM

2008-11-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Emily and her true love, Troy! Lord help me!
Here Kelly and Dana and I had to take the chance to pose with our favorite "Wildcats!"
Kelly, Damon, and Dana. We laughed more at the movie, I think, than the rest of the audience. I'm sure the people behind us hated us. But, it was fun!
Dalton and Hannah...."Friends." :-)

HSM 3 Mania

2008-11-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

For my niece Hannah's 10th birthday, a group of us (21 people!) went to see "High School Musical 3." We had pizza and then went to the mall to wait...and wait....in fact, these pictures are all taken while we were waiting in the line to get in. We'd had the tickets for weeks, but had to wait off to the side to get in.

Landon and his buddies, Tyler and Cole.
Dana, goes with Tyler and Madison, Diane, Me, and Kelly, who goes with Haylie and Cole.
Emily, mini Troy, and Haylie
Grandma and Grandpa and some of the kids. Birthday girl is the blonde on the right!

Pumpkin Patch in Ramona

2008-11-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

We had to drive for an hour, but we were able to find a pumpkin patch in Ramona. Even though it was a trek from our campsite, it was a fun afternoon full of pumpkins, corn shooting, petting animals, a corn maze, and food!

They thought they had found "The Great Pumpkin!"
The kids in the corn maze.
Landon and me shooting corn. I won't go into details...let's just say we hit a scarecrow and knocked him around a bit. And yes...we were the ONLY one's to do that! :-)
Lorenzo and Duane and the kids.
Monica and I and the random Chevy!

Camping with the Villafrancos

2008-11-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we did something we have wanted to do for a long time...went camping with our friends Monica and Lorenzo and their kids. The campsite, although technicially in Julian, was nowhere near Julian and left a little, OK A LOT to be desired, but we had a great time. We laughed a lot and made great memories with our kids, which is what camping is about. Hope we can go again soon... and this trip will be without a 2nd degree burn or naked strangers in the spa!!!!

The kids by the campfire...it was actually cold!!!
The beginnings of Emily's blister. She got a 2nd degree burn on her hand which resulted in a week and a half of gauze and blisters and ouchiness!
Duane and Emily
The crew: Landon and Joshua, the little brothers, Emily and Alycia, the big sisters.
Emily- doing a little reader in the Villafranco's tent. Our kids wanted to play in their tent, and theirs wanted to be in our trailer....we are never happy with what we have, are we???

More Fresno pictures

2008-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Landon, Aunt Sheri, and Emily

Landon and his buddy, Uncle Steve.
Duane and Christine.
Steve and I.
Hitchin a ride...

Family wedding in Fresno...no Selma...no Madera...I have no idea where we were!

2008-10-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

McDonald Family - October 2008
Landon, me, and Emily
My little man and I....I'm so in love with that one!
My little girl is growing up so fast.....sigh
Kickin it in the hotel room. Always fun to stay in a hotel.

Duane's cousin Jeremy got married somewhere near Fresno. We drove all over the area and hit 4 or 5 different cities, but we had a good time with his family. Here we are getting reading for the wedding.

WICKED!

2008-10-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

WICKED!

For my birthday, Duane took me to see Wicked. I was so excited because we ended up going with a big group. So, my college roommate Jessica, her husband Kevin, my mom and dad, Jeff, Diane, Hannah, and Duane and Emily and I went. Not only was the musical AMAZING, Emily and Hannah were so darling. Emily kept saying, "I can't believe I'm in Hollywood, California." It was a fun night and we have fallen in love with the musical. In fact, Emily will be Elfaba for Halloween. Stay tuned for those pictures.
Mom and I
Duane, Emily, and I on Hollywood Blvd. Yes, in Hollywood, California.
Emily and Hannah
Emily on a star....just waiting for her name to be added :-)
At Ruby's before we went.

More retreat pictures

2008-10-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

2008 Retreat team... Susan, Diane, Me, Heather, Monica, and Dana.
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!" Can't believe we actually did that in front of EVERYONE!

Our speaker, Amberly Neese, and I.

Women's retreat!

2008-10-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

At the Mineral Springs...a bunch of us de-toxing!
My sister and I.
My life-long friend, Heather and I.
My girls...in our annual Charlie's Angels pose.

OK, so fast-forwarding through the first full month of school, past my 33rd birthday, and to the end of September takes us to the Women's Retreat at my church. This is the 2nd year I have been on the retreat planning team and led worship. This year was especially fun because the retreat team are my closest friends, and our speaker was one of my mentors and friends. I schlepped the keyboard, cord, amp, and mics to the retreat and we had a great weekend...being kid free, not cooking or cleaning, laying out, cause it was in the 90's, laughing, being stupid, staying up too late, and just...being girls. Here is the first batch of pics.

I'm back!

2008-10-26T18:51:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Ok, so I realize it's been over two months since my last blog. Julie commented on my Wall on Facebook and guilted me into resuming my blog. (thanks Julie :-) , so here I am. to catch you up, I am obviously back in school, but this year has been the most challenging I have had in a long time. I have very special needs/low achieving kids in both my sophomore and junior classes and I come home physically, but mostly emotionally drained. 165 "NEEDY" kids really takes it out of you. And then, I have a beautiful family to be there for, which is hard at the end of the day. So, I have been doing what I can to take life day by day. Facebook has become my friend, because it is a QUICK way to keep caught up. But, since I have some downtime before the week begins again, here I go with a quick catch up on the last couple of months. Enjoy...and pray for me!

Piano pup!

2008-08-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am most definitely a dog person. Perhaps that means I'm needy, but I love the fact that my dog feels the need to lay at my feet whenever I am still. Landon took this picture of me...practicing so I'm ready to lead worship at our Women's Retreat next month. I didn't know he took it, and it's pretty blurry, but I didn't realize that I was playing the piano, and using the sustaining pedal, around Molly's body! I'm so used to her being there, that I hope I can play without her! She lays at my feet when I cook, when I blow dry my hair, and follows me in and out of every room in the morning when I am getting ready. I trip over her going up and down the stairs, which is annoying, but you've gotta love her devotion. She's pretty cute!

Madsen-Waage-Sheets reunion!

2008-08-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed to have special memories with several families from the church I grew up in. The Madsens and the Waages are among some of those families. I have known them since birth and think of them as second parents, and their kids as extended family. We used to get together every month or two for a day at the beach, complete with bonfire, s'mores, and butt charades! (don't ask) Since we are all grown up, we have had a harder time getting together, but were able to have a quick get together. We were missing several from the Waage crew, but the Madsens and Sheets were in full force and we all had a great time. Hopefully we can do it again soon, and Camille, I'LL bring the s'mores stuff :-) The "kids" - Kerry, Diane, Me, Robyn, Erik and Erik, Camille, and Joe. Duane and Jeff were off playing...or just avoiding the photographers :-)
Erik and Erik, and me..... still joined at the hip?????
The girls....Kerry and Camille have become dull-fledged members of this deranged family :-)
Landon and his S'more!
The Leprchauns! Camille and I! Good angle on the picture Erik!

Fun with the ferrets!

2008-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Don't tell the state of California, but my friends Heather has ferrets! And the hugest cat ever. We hung out at their house last week, and the kids had a blast...right up until Landon had an allergy attack! After some Claritin, we were back in business and had fun playing with the forbidden pets. We'll be back at the farm soon for some more fun soon!Emily and her friends
Landon didn't want to hold one. When he finally did, he almost dropped him!
This reminds me of my cheerleading days when our ponytails had to be SOOOOOO tight!
Heather and the largest cat known to mankind!

First Day of School!

2008-08-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Waitin at the gate!
The school crew. Should've brought Landon's sunglasses. We have like 10 pictures with that face!
Victorya, Emily, and Haylie. The big 3rd grade girls!
I eat lunch every day with about 8 or 9 teachers. Here we are, the majority of us, at our first of many memorable lunches!
Mr. Kindergarten. He just loved his backpack! TOO CUTE!

We have officially completed our first day of school. Emily and I started at about the same time, so we took a quick picture and then I drove to my school and Duane walked her to class. Landon started at 10:20, so he and Duane went back to school. Both kids did GREAT and are super excited to go back. I did well, too, although my air conditioning went off in the middle of my 6th period class. The classroom got to about 88 degrees, and my 7th period was not so fun. Other than sweaty, tired kids, the day was good. I had about 30 former students come by to say hi, which leads me to believe I must be doing SOMETHING right! Hard to believe we're back to homework and grading papers, but we are! Hope the rest of you are enjoying your last days of summer. Until next time....

It's beginning to look a lot like school time.....

2008-08-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

RVHS "Cheerleaders." Takes me back to the old days of 8 counts and high V's!
Landon and his cubby- the day before school.
Landon and his friend Cole. They have been friends since they were 2. They were so excited to be in the same class.

Much to my disappointment, it is time to go back to school. While most parents rejoice at the beginning of the school year, which signals the end of LONG, painfully long, summer days, it is an ending that signals the BEGINNING of a long "year" of work for me. Although I mourn sleeping in and days at the beach, it is time to get to work. Surprisingly, we had some fun getting ready to go back this year. Landon was excited to start kindergarten, Emily couldn't wait for 3rd grade, and I was involved in the all district pep rally- cheering with some of my fellow Rancho girls. We had a blast!

No itchy buns for me........!

2008-08-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Me, Jess, and Annie
The pile up at the water slide!
Brennan's action shot
Our kiddos. Not too bad of a shot considering they had been swimming for 4 hours!

Jessica and Annie came over for a swim day with the kids. We had such a great time, catching up, trading stories (I won the award for best drama in a mini-series), and watching our kids play. Annie got the good pictures with her camera, but here are a few I captured with my phone. It was so much fun and I hope we can do it again soon. Plenty of hot weather left. Next time, we can go to Jessica's pool. Or maybe they'll get the hint and sit in a chair next time. Pebble tech can be brutal and I think they went home.....itchy! HAAAAA! Love you girls!

Fun with the Marriotts!

2008-08-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

My friend Krista, now a Marriott, and her two kids came out for a swim day. It was fun to catch up and hang out, while trying to endure the 100+ heat. Thanks Kris, for making the drive, and for putting up with the stinky McDonalds playset! YUCK! Let's do it again soon.

Dance Recital

2008-08-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

Emily's Fans- minus Grandma- the photographer!
Intermission- we got a little silly!

Here are some pictures from Emily's 4th and last dance recital. Her dance studio, Powerhouse, had to close their doors. It was an emotional night, but Emily (and even Duane) danced their hearts out! I don't have one picture of her in her dance outfit, because she had a quick costume change. Bummer!

The Jet Ski Crew

2008-08-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Em
At the sandbar!
Time to get off of the lake! :-(
No words are needed!

Here are some stills, since I am not good enough to get action shots of people on jet skis while I myself, am on a jet ski!

Havadu!

2008-08-07T16:27:00.001-07:00

When Landon was little, he called Lake Havasu, "Havadu." Although he can say it right now, the name has stuck. Here are a few action shots.

Boogie Boy
Let the games begin!
Emily's turn! (Yes, I can take good pictures of other people)
Flying Duane. Actual size too!
Me and Em preparing to jump....

Beach day with Odells

2008-08-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

Cole, Landon, Emily, and Haylie
Aren't little brothers fun???

Here are a couple of pictures from my beach day with my friend Kelly. Our kids are in school together and love playing together. Luckily, so do Kelly and I! We had a great day. The only snag, I'm not that great at taking pictures of myself with my phone. Oops, Sorry Kel.

High School Reunion

2008-07-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

Paula, Rae, Kendra, Audrey, Jayla, Kristy, Emily, and Landon. Courtney and Katee were MIA and Jen and Miss Kate had to go home to nap!
Aren't we great lookin English teachers? Those are some lucky kids! :-) (We like to think they are!)

OK, before all of my blogging buddies panic, no, you didn't miss and Ocean View Reunion! A bunch of the girls I teach with came over with their kids for a swim day. It was good to see them, since we spend so much time together during the year. And it was even better that we got to hang out and not have to go grade papers, or be told by a bell when our socializing was up. Thanks Jen, Rae, Paula, and Kristy for making the drive. Can't wait to see you next week for round 2!

Crack kills!

2008-07-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Uhhh.....nice tan, buddy.

Frolicking!

Me and Jess, the newlywed!

But, it doesn't keep us away from the beach. Em, Landon, and I went to the beach and met my college roommate Jessica for a couple of hours of sun. The kids had a great time and I spent the whole day trying to keep Landon's pants up. I NEVER had that problem as a kid, and I certainly don't have it now. But, it was a great day. Hope to do it again soon, Jess.

A Day at the Beach in Dana Point???

2008-07-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

Our picnic at the park.
"Please be my friends." Asher shared his bike with Em and Landon and then reclaimed it quickly!
Sidewalk chalk. Fun to play with and, if you're Asher, it's fun to eat!
Em took this picture of us on my phone. We do both have heads, with hair, but Emily had chalky hands when she took this, so it's the best I've got!

Last week I called my friend Dawnielle and we planned a beach day for our kids. Emily and Landon and I drove from 95 degree heat towards south county, and were greeted not-so-warmly- with rain. It was depressing on one hand, but also a nice break from the severe heat at our house. So, we made adjustments and had our lunches at the park. My kids had a great time playing with Asher, Dawnielle's 18 month old son, and D and I had a great time catching up. It was a great day and as I left, I had one of those moments where you thank God for friends, the friends who will always be your friends, no matter what circumstances life throws at you. I feel I have reconnected with several of those types of friends this summer. And I am so thankful. It was a great day. Thanks Dawnielle- we're off to Frank and Nanc's next!

4th of July Fun!

2008-07-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

Fun with glo-sticks....kinda creepy! Thanks Dad!

Fire pup! The picture below is on our way home. The dogs were EXHAUSTED from all of the exercise and fresh air.

We took another trip to Arrowhead this year on the 4th of July. We had a great time with Duane's family (minus Steve :-( ), and my parents. Here are a few pictures of the fun.

San Diego Trip with the Girls!

2008-07-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

The girls- Susan, Birthday girl, me and Dana. We sing a mean version of "Livin on a Prayer." Move over Bon Jovi!
Me and Diane
Dana and Susan
Diane and the waiter at the piano bar. Apparently she was the first ever to order a box of animal crackers, which were on the menu. Go figure.
The white blob in the middle is Diane, who was being, um...serenaded, no, embarassed by the guy at the piano. Happy Birthday!

My sister is....well, she's a year older. For her birthday, we went with a couple of friends to San Diego, without the kids or husbands. We laid out, swam, karaoked (totally not a verb), ate, slept in, ate, shopped, went to a dueling piano bar and embarrased Diane, got a tattoo- well, one of us did, ate some more, and laughed a lot. We had a great time, one I will remember for a long time. We really need to do this more often, girls. Love you.

Em's Birthday Bash

2008-07-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

The Wall-e crew. We added Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Di, and Noah too!
It's a horrible picture, but here are the kids in the spa, watching the movie.

Those are some tired girls.

Emily turned 8 this year. We'd already had a birthday party for her, so we took a couple of her friends to see Wall-e and then back for a "midnight swim," which happened at about 9:30pm. During the swim, Duane set up a projector and the kids watched a movie from in the spa. After that, they tried to stay up super late, but pretty much crashed. It was a fun night....except for the fact that my baby girl is 8! Depressing!!!!

Mom's first trip to Build A Bear

2008-07-10T13:32:00.001-07:00

Most of you probably know that right at the end of school, my grandma died. After her 3 1/2 year battle with Alzheimer's, she finally went home to Jesus. It was really tough, although the peace of knowing she is in Heaven and that I will see her again makes it so much better. The week after Grandma died, my mom, Diane, Hannah, Noah, Emily, Landon and I went to Build-A-Bear to...well, to build bears. We had a great time as Mom and her 4 grandkids made new friends to love. And each kid put a heart into my mom's bear... cheesy if you have never been, but after losing her own mom, my mom thought it was pretty special. It was a great time of family and togetherness, capped off with a trip to Sees in honor of Grandma. We wouldn't have eaten it, really....but it was her favorite :-) So, we all had some chocolate in her honor. The things we do for love! Thanks for the great day guys...I hope we can do it again sometime soon. Love you!

Aerial Tram

2008-07-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

The view on the way up. Not my favorite part~
So, the new Coach purse probably shouldn't have come on the outdoor hike. It was a pain. Below is Duane being a dork....we love taking stupid pictures like this. :-)

One of the things Duane and I did on our trip was take the Aerial Tram up the top of the San Jacinto (San Hachinto :-)) mountains. Here are some of the views:

11 years!

2008-07-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

WOW! Duane and I have been married for 11 years. It's hard to believe that we are into our 2nd decade of marriage. We had a great mini- get-a -way to La Quinta (Jess- we were right by your house!), where we stayed at a bed and breakfast and then went shopping and took the Aerial Tram to the top of the mountain. We ate at some NEW restaurants that the kids would've hated and had a lot of fun being together. Here's to another 11 more.... I love you babe!

More family camp

2008-07-07T22:29:00.001-07:00

I am Liam....sandboy.
Emily and Miss Molly- snuggling
Auntie Bean and Hannah
Grandma and Hannah Banana

Family Camp Fun!

2008-07-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Tyler, Emily, Madison, and Landon....filthy, sandy kiddos.
You can't tell, but these boys were COVERED in sand.
Not sure what is up with the porn star pose!
Fun in the sun.

Duane and I love camping- especially with friends and family. It's been too long since we've been able to do it. We've now had four "last trips" in the trailer, but we finally decided to trade in our LONG trailer for a smaller one and go ahead and rent it our to friends and family (let us know if you'd like to take a trip) and be able to enjoy it more ourselves. Here was our official LAST TRIP in the Cougar...our church Family Camp at Campland in San Diego...more trips in our new Kodiak to come...

Preschool Graduation

2008-07-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Landon with proud mommy and daddy.
Mama and her baby boy!

Nana, Papa and LJ.
There's my boy....and his sister. They love their cookies.

My baby is officially graduated. He was so proud and looked so cute singing his songs in his cap. My parents and the Gibbs were already at family camp, so Duane's family helped us celebrate. After graduation, we took off for family camp with our church. It was a great start to a great weekend.

As seen through the eye of a squid.

2008-07-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

These picts cracked me up. Apparently, this is how a squid views the world. I just want to know, did they ask the squid? I mean, who's to say this isn't just made up? Has anyone ever BEEN a squid? Here are the picts anyway...

Yep- Sea World...AGAIN!

2008-07-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

Emily and Landon with Cookie Monster
And Elmo
And Zoe.
Watch out world...I'm almost 8!!!
And I'm just a goof!

I'm not sure how many Sea World blogs I've done....but we always have a great time there. We went to see the new Sesame Street Bay of Play. Here are some picts that I thought were super cute.

Last Day of School!

2008-07-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

OK- so I am really behind, but a lot has happened in the last month. So, here are the kids on their last day of school.

Birthday Boy!

2008-06-03T16:56:00.001-07:00

Landon and Chad and Emily- let the tickling begin!

It's official- my baby boy is 5!!!!!!!!!!!! He turned 5 this last Sunday and woke up with a new revelation. He said, "Mommy, I think I'm taller today." It was so.....Landon. He is so sweet and so excited about life. He endured a blood test and shots because he can't wait to go to kindergarten. He also got to pee in a cup, to which he declared, "I'm a member of the pee in a cup club!" Whatever that is! He is excited to be a Lasselle Leopard like Emily. He finished pre-school with a bang and made sure to say good-bye to all of his friends and thank his teachers- all on his own. I'm sure we've had SOME impact on him, but I think God made him extra sensitive. He is a precious little person who tries to make me feel better when I am upset and who cheers for his sister's victories as if they were his own. I have TWO amazing kids...today I thank God for my little Landon- the precious boy who melts my heart with his sense of humor and intuitiveness. He is truly yummy. Happy birthday buddy! Mommy is so proud of you!

Landon's special relationship

2008-06-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Landon spends Monday nights at my parent's house. Throughout the past two years, he has had some really great times with Grandma and Grandpa- night filled with "Dancing With the Stars," hot chocolate, Wii sports, planting flowers, swimming, sleeping with their dog Sadie, and having yummy breakfasts made by Grandma. Whether he knows it or not, he has had something very special that most kids don't get- regular time with his grandparents. And. although they do it to help me out while I am at work, I hope that they have enjoyed their time as much as LJ has. I know they'll all miss their sleepovers during summertime. Thanks mom and dad for doing more than taking good care of Landon every week- thanks for making your house his 2nd home. We all love you.

Hail Storm!

2008-06-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hail came to Moreno Valley- in full force. After a week of 100+ temperatures, we had strange rain and thunderstorms, and even experiences a hail storm, followed by two tornadoes. Our house was OK, other than some SERIOUS flooding (the week after we had just cleaned the entire backyard !), and my sister-in-law, who was caught in one of the tornadoes on the way to our house, was shaken, but OK. Other than that, it was pretty fun to see the streets and rooftops white with hail. It was quite a sight and a nice break from 110 degree heat! A good summer storm is fun once in awhile, but a summer storm with hail is pretty spectacular!

Fun at Target

2008-06-03T16:31:00.001-07:00

OK, so Duane will probably kill me for posting this, and I'm sure Landon will hate me in a few years, but here is a picture of us one afternoon at Target. I was trying on shoes and Emily wanted to put on a pair too....and so did Landon. I sent it to Duane and I think he was.....well... less than thrilled at the idea of our son running around Target in high heels. But don't worry babe, he only ran down the shoe aisle and back. You should have seen what he did in the make-up section... (OK, I kidding....or am I?)

A Dream Come True!

2008-06-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

So, Emily will have a picture of her and Troy, the love of her life, to remember her first celebrity crush. Even though he was a cardboard cut out, she was ecstatic. (And we thought he looked fairly dapper.) An although the reality of Emily's first crush lasting for 10 months now is hard to imagine, we are glad she is in love with an icon who can't show up at our door! Isn't she only 7!!!!!!!

Sea World with the Mumfords

2008-06-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

OK, so they aren't really the Mumfords, but we have many nicknames for Chad and Amy. The fact is, they are true friends who have become members of the family! So here are a few pictures from our day, one of many days we will share at Sea World, or doing any of the various things we love to do together. Hey guys, we haven't been to Coldstone's lately......

Family fun in Havasu!

2008-04-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

Daddy (hat boy) reading the kids a story on the beach!
Rhino time- check out Emily and her goggles!
This day was too windy for the jet ski, so we took a hike and tried not to blow off of the mountains!
This was as close to the cold water we got this day.
Game time with Grandma!

Havasu

2008-04-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

When warmer weather comes, Havasu calls. this spring break, like the last few, found us at my parent's house in Havasu. Jeff and Diane and their kids were off driving through snow storms in the midwest, so they weren't there. We missed them, but were able to have some fun. Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

Julie's Miracle Baby!

2008-04-26T22:17:00.001-07:00

The top picture is of Julie and I. The picture below is of Camille, who married Julie's brother Erik, and Julie and I. Camille and Erik met at APU, where we all went to school. It was great to see Camille and her daughter Claire too.

My friend Julie is having a baby! That's exciting news, but especially for Julie, because she has been waiting for God's timing to become a mommy. And that time is now! It's been quite a journey, but she is now pregnant with a baby boy. I couldn't be happier for her. Although this pictures are bad, here is an attempt to show you how cute she is. I'm praying for you Julie! The next time we come to Colorado, we'll have to visit the "3 of you." HURRAY!

Go DUCKS!

2008-04-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

Laurie looks awesome- my face looks strangely chubby. But even so, we had a great time.
Horrible, blurry picture, but we were there!!!

Another stop on our friend journey took us to another old stomping ground- Anaheim, where we went to a DUCKS game with my awesome friend Laurie, and her husband, Jason. Laurie is the one who makes my cute shirts- better than bedazzled :-) We had a great time, even thought the Ducks lost. At least I got a cool towel out of it. Thanks for the great game and the carmel popcorn. Can't wait until next time.

My friend Denise

2008-04-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here I am with Debbie, Denise's sister, and Denise.
Landon and Lexy- the 5 year olds.
Landon James, Emily Diane, and Alexys Christine :-)

As you will soon see, April has been a really great month for me. I have had the chance to re-connect with SEVERAL friends. So bear with me as I re-tell it all. I am a whole month behind on my blogging. These next few pictures are of my friend Denise. We have been friends since I was in 7th grade (maybe before that), and I was in her wedding, just as she was a part of mine. A couple of years ago Denise and her husband Blake and their kids moved to Colorado. We have been there to visit a couple of times and they are working hard on trying to make us neighbors. This visit, however, was in HB- our old stomping grounds. Actually at "Bella Terra," which may look awesome, but which will always be "Huntington Center" to me. Duane and the kids and I had a great lunch catching up.

The Kiddos

2008-04-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here are the twins, Christina and Sarah, who are 10 1/2. They are sweet, beautiful girls and it was fun to spend the day with them. they've come a long way since we first saw them in the hospital the day they were born.....

And below are Landon and Grace, the babies of the family with some serious personalities. they kept us laughing all day!

Dave and Duane

2008-04-26T09:49:00.001-07:00

Here are the boys. We have often jokes that Dave and Duane and I share a brain. Of course, I hold 1/2 and they each share the other half, but we love to laugh and make fun of ourselves. It was nice to see Dave and Duane laughing together. It reminded me of all of those times we hung out when we were dating- 13 years ago (without all of the kids, of course!)

Christine and Patti

2008-04-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Patti. She was in my wedding (with her twins in her tummy). It was great to hang out again- like no time had passed since we'd seen each other. Thanks for the fun day, Patti! Love you!

The Davendonalds

2008-04-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, the McDonalds and the Davenports spent a great deal of the free time together. Twins came first and then a little boy was added to the make the score "Davenports 5, McDonalds 2." A little McNugget girl was added to even the score, but then came one more Davenport child, another girl, and a weak attempt by the McDonalds to even things out...this time, a boy. With the birth of 6 children and the change in locale for the McDonalds, they soon realized it would be difficult to spend as much time together as they had. But, lo and behold, Spring Break 2008 came around and things were "just like old times," except that the children were 10 1/2 ( x2), 8, 7, 5, and 4. WOW! They swam and BBQ'd and had a great time. As the Davenports left at the end of the night with tired, thristy kids, they all sighed and hoped they could hang out again soon. And so far, they have all lived happily ever after!

The 4 Musketeers

2008-03-30T15:21:00.001-07:00

These are the four most precious little people in my life. I can't believe that this year they will be 10, 8, 7, and 5. Our babies are growing up and I'm so glad to be a part of it all. I love you guys.

For those of you who are confused, Emily and her Webkinz are on the left, then Hannah my niece. Next comes Landon (the kid with the chocolate face) and finally Mr. Noah, my sweet nephew. They continue the tradition of my nickname...to Hannah and Noah and their friends, I am Auntie Bean....... Apparently, I'll never grow out of my nickname. :-)

The Egg hunt

2008-03-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

It's an odd tradition if you think about it. Boil eggs and then dip them in colored vinegar water and then hide them so you can find them again..... where did this tradition begin? It's a question I'll have to research later. Regardless of it's origins, it is, of course, a fun tradition. So, off we went. We hid over 120 eggs and the 4 kids went to town. Of course, I think the daddies and grandpa's had more fun hiding them. You'll notice Duane hid one on the kickboard in the pool. Emily dove in to get it! Great fun.

My beautiful blessings!

2008-03-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here are Em and Landon, in their Easter outfits. Emily looked so grown up with her curled hair and matching purse and shoes (sigh....could I be more proud?), and Landon was too cute in his California shorts and flip flops and "Ryan hat" (any High School Musical fans?) I loved this picture.....

Easter Sunday!

2008-03-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

HE is Risen! Happy Easter everyone! This year began with an early morning Easter basket hunt. The Easter bunny brought Webkinz to my kids. We've resisted the trend up until this point, but now we have joined in. The kids were super excited. We went to church early since Duane had to play and I had to sing, and had a wonderful day. My friend Heather and her husband Tom came to check out our church, and we saw all of our friends at church. After church, we had a small handful of our favorite people- all of our family, minus uncle Steve, came over for a BBQ and a day in the pool. It was a wonderful day for us! I hope it was for you too.

Sea World

2008-03-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to Sea World last week- something we do several times throughout the year. As always, we had a great time. This time we started our day with the Elmo 4-D show, which Emily opted out of after the first 3 minutes. She informed me that it was "too intense" for her and her baby doll. So, we left and waited for the brave boys to finish the show. We ended the day with a ride on the "Shipwreck Rapids," which I DON'T recommend at 5pm. Too cold, soaking wet- even down to the undies. It was a LONG drive home, and not only because we had taken the 8 West almost to Julian (oops- where was that 15 on ramp?), but because we were still wet. So next time, we'll bring a change of clothes and directions. If any of you are even planning on going, let us know. We get in free for the rest of 2008!

Don't mess with me :-)

2008-03-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

My husband, great man that he is, thought it would be funny to read and EDIT my blogs. So first he points out all of my typos, which I probably deserve since I am an English teacher. Then, he points out the fact that I am wearing either my Rancho shirt, or another red shirt in the last few blogs. He didn't call it the "red shirt Chronicles," but with the mood he's in, I'm sure the mockery will continue. So, I decided to fight fire with fire. I mean, if you looked like this in a picture, would you be giving someone grief? I know I wouldn't. So, enjoy the picture and I'd like you all to know, I'm wearing a black shirt. Not red! So there.....

P.S. I love you babe! :-)

Dynamic Duo

2008-03-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Heather and I were inseperable in high school. we were together as such as possible and had a million inside jokes. She has lived in Arizona for 9 years, but has recently moved back to California and lives only 30 minutes away. What are the odds? We've had a couple of chances to hang out and although we haven't taken any real picts to speak of, I had to put the one Landon took at soccer practice on the blog. Here's to many more memories Heather. And remember ...."Bzzzzzz, just kiddin Mare."

Grandma's 82nd birthday

2008-03-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those defining moments in life? Well, I had one a couple of weekends ago at my Grandma's 82nd birthday party. For those of you who do not know, my grandma has Alzheimers. It is increasingly hard to watch someone you love forget everything that is important to them. It is hard to see Grandma, who 5 years ago was swimming (in her swim cap of course) in Lake Havasu, Grandma who took me school shopping and came with Grandpa to every cheerleading event, choir concert, candle party, and has been such a crucial part of my life, not really know who I am. And as my cousin Maggie and I each took part in a reading of 50 years of memories that Grandpa wrote for Grandma (15 pages!), my life's troubles were put into perspective. Life involves it's ups and downs and it is how we deal with those ups and downs defines how much of life we really live. I think it was therapeutic for Grandpa to remember the GOOD times they have shared over the past 50 years and although it was painful to watch him watch HER face to see a glimmer of recognition, it was touching to see the "in sickness and in health," "For better for worse" part of marriage be lived out! It reminded me that life isn't about paying bills, having a perfectly clean house, making lots of money, or about all of the stress and craziness that we put into our daily lives. Nope, it is about living life and loving God. It is about putting the needs of others first and sharing our lives with family and friends. Life is about love. So although the night held mixed emotions for me, I felt I was given a gift of a refocused view of what is important. I miss my Grandma and wish my kids would know her as I do, but God gave me some of the best times with my grandparents and for those I am grateful. Even though Grandma has forgotten, I will remember the special relationship we have always had and hold them close to my heart. So, here are some picts.

Go Mustangs!

2008-03-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

The high school that I teach at, Rancho Verde, went to the CIF Basketball Championships at Arrowhead Pond....and WON! Duane and the kids and I went and had a great time. We sat with a bunch of teachers and administrators from our district and I got a great picture with a couple of my friends and I, Teresa and Kristy, wearing our Rancho shirts that my friend Laurie made for us. Even the foam finger made the trip. Rancho Verde won the Division 2A CIF title and we were there to be a part of Rancho history! Go MUSTANGS!

Friends AND Family!

2008-03-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

It is so fun to have a sister and brother-in-law who are more than just family, but great friends. It is so much fun to share experiences with people you love...vacations, children, puppies, houses, dinners, and now...an 80's party. It was fun to hang out with you guys. We love you!

White jeans should be outlawed!

2008-03-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

Attention Damon: the 80's called and want their white jeans back. And you made fun of Diane's overalls???????? Seriously, great party and great get-ups. We had a blast!

My friends!

2008-03-17T19:28:00.001-07:00

These are my good friends, Susan, Kelly, Dana, and of course, my sister, Diane. We started a mom's group a few years ago and have grown so much closer over the last few years. We're down one member (we miss you, Lisa), but I am so thankful for these girls and the support they give to me. Whether we are trying to have a bible study over the yelling of our 10 kids, swimming and playing horrible pool volleyball, shopping, eating, or finding questionable items in hotel rooms, these girls are some of my closest friends. They pray for me and with me, make me laugh, and support me. I love you girls. And Susan and Di- loved the beads!

WOW!

2008-03-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

This is a look that should NEVER be repeated. We had a roomful of people laughing at how nasty Jeff (my brother-in-law), who is actually an attractive guy, looked!

The Sheets girls

2008-03-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

I'm sure my mom and dad would be so proud of these pictures. I think these are outfits that only a mother could love.

Dana's 80's party

2008-03-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

SO, my good friend Dana had an 80's birthday party for her.....25th birthday. And although I don't remember the 80's as well as some of the other party-goers, I remember bad fashion, Michael Jackson, BIG HAIR (compliments of AquaNet), flourescent clothes, and for me, braces. Here was our attempt at reliving the fashion part of the 80's.

A proud little man!

2008-03-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

Grandpa showed Landon what all of the pins meant on his uniform. Landon had so much pride as he shared them with me. I think it was one of the coolest days ever for Landon. Wearing Grandpa's "real uniform" was very special to him- thanks dad. The only bummer is he is now asking when he'll be old enough to shoot a "real gun!" I'm sure that question brings back memories for my parents.....YIKES! I can't believe I am discussing gun safety with my 4 year old!

Sheriff McDonald

2008-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here is Landon arresting Emily- I'm sure its something every little brother dreams of doing. Unfortunately, Emily didn't seem bothered by the allegations of cruelty. She smiled the whole time. Again, you'll notice how serious he is.

Little Man Landon

2008-03-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

So, if anyone tells you that 4 year old boys don't "play dress up," they are SO WRONG! This was what greeted me at my parents house last Tuesday when I went to pick up Landon. He was taking his job as Sheriff so seriously. He did not falter from his character for a moment. I was interrogated after being cuffed and led to the questioning chair. Luckily, I was set free and exonerated for my crimes. WHEW!

My new favorite picture

2008-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the kids getting ready to go and play in the snow. It is my new favorite picture. They are So precious!!

The Arrowhead crew- minus 2!

2008-03-02T19:47:00.000-08:00

So, here is the Arrowhead crew, minus Steve and Sheri who were off shopping. As you can see, we had quite the group. 2 Grandpas, 2 Grandmas, 1 mommy, 1 daddy, 1 aunt, 1 uncle, a girl, a boy, and 4 dogs! We had so much fun.

A trip to Arrowhead

2008-03-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, Duane's parents found this cute little place in Arowhead called "Saddleback Inn." It is a nice, cozy place where we can all go, bring the dogs, walk to the village, and just...be together. For Duane's birthday (Yep, he's FINALLY 35!), we took a trip to stay at "our cabin"....The Raven. There was still plenty of snow and the kids were able to play in it, throw it at us, make snow angels, and even do some sledding. The sledding pictures are in Duane's camera, so those will come later, but here are a few picts to document our fun. Ok, so Duane hates the last picture, and I can't really disagree with him. We look, um, well, like we've had too much cake. In reality, we are actually much smaller. Really, I mean it!

Our best Chess ever!

2008-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

Emily is in chess club. Have I mentioned that before? She clearly did NOT get the desire to sit around, watching little pieces move around a board, from me. I have the patience for one game. But Miss Em has been to 3 chess tournaments this year. They usually play about 7 - 9 games at each tournament. The first one...well, it wasn't so successful. But we had fun. She got a little better at the last tournament. Then this tournament, she won 2 games!!! And although she did not get a trophy, we couldn't be more proud and, n, I can't believe that my little 7 year old is mastering moves like "The 4 move Check Mate!" What a smarty pants! It was the first tournament my parents were able to make it to. Maybe Grandpa and Grandma are good luck???

And now, a commentary from Molly!

2008-02-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

So everything at my new home was great- that is until one day. My new parents kept talking about how I was a big girl now and I'd soon be able to go on walks. What they failed to mention was the price I would have to pay for those blessed walks. They took me to the vet, a place that has always been nice to me in the past, and let the doctor stick me with needles, give me more shots, and take out a part of my insides. Oh, and they put some kind of chip in my back. I woke up feeling very strange. I couldn't find the fat beagle who lives at my house ANYWHERE! Actually, I couldn't see very well at all. I had this large white thing around my head. It itched and I kept running into things with it. Mommy and daddy wouldn't take it off. It was hard to eat, impossible to play, and worst of all, I couldn't get a good look at my new tummy. But, low and behold, when I thought all hope was lost and was sure that my new owners hated me, I was allowed to keep it off. The last picture is one of me at the park- yep, that's the outside world. I'm a big girl now and it was all worth it!

Princess Emily

2008-02-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

So, not to sound too melodramatic or anything, but is it possible that my daughter was actually meant to be a Disney Princess and somehow ended up in my house? This is how I found her one night- completely asleep. She was waiting for Prince Charming, or maybe for Troy Bolton to come and rescue her. From what? A life of having to eat healthy something other than nuggets and fries and from one in which toys left all over the ground are not acceptable. The poor thing! Someday her prince will come...............

Julie Barnhill- my next new BFF!

2008-01-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

This is my year for meeting the stars. About 2 years ago, a group of about 10 of us read a book called "She's Gonna Blow." It was written by julie Barnhill and was as funny as it was inspirational. It dealt with dealing with anger that mom's can face on a daily basis. Our mom's group was a great time of growth, as well as a time that I really grew close to a group of girls. So, here are 4 of us with Julie Barnhil,l who spoke at the Hearts and Home conference. So, let's see...David Crowder...Julie Barnhill...I think Ryan Seacrest is next!

Hearts at Home

2008-01-31T19:32:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Hearts at Home conference in Escondido. It was SO wonderful and I am SO glad I went. We started the weekend with a little sleep over at a hotel in San Marcos. It was nice to have a little "girl time" and to be able to get a good night sleep and laugh a lot. The day of the conference was a beautiful day and the conference was such an encouragement to us all. Sometimes we forget the gift that our children are. In the midst of our own busy schedules (which we create for ourselves!), being tired, trying to be wives and super mommy, we often get bogged down by fighting and whinig kids and forget to enjoy them. Do you remember 2nd grade? I do and as I sit here, I realize that the memories (good AND bad) that I create for Emily will stay with her for a lifetime. I was encouraged to slow down and make the most of my children's childhood before it is gone- for both our sakes. I could go on and on, but it was a wonderful experience. Here are a few picts of our day! Until next time, give your kids and extra hug and a few minutes of your undivided attention- it'll do wonders for both of you :-)

Musicians in the making!

2008-01-20T22:23:00.000-08:00

NAMM really is fun- even though it takes Duane away from us for a week or so. The kids had a great time playing all kinds of instruments. And Amy and I were able to rejoice in the fact that, for another year, we are no longer "Roland Widows." Welcome home again boys!

Our new friend "David"

2008-01-20T22:18:00.000-08:00

Just call me David, he said. Our new BFF, David Crowder.

David Crowder Band!

2008-01-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of Duane's job is that he gets to meet a lot of musicians. Today at NAMM they had a worship connection with several Christian artist. After we went to our own church, the kids and I rushed back down to Anaheim to see the David Crowder Band. The kids recognized some of the songs too, which was fun for them, and then we got to meet him, (Duane has already met them, but we hadn't), the kids got autographs, and we took a couple of pictures. It was really fun to get to worship...at NAMM. LOVED IT!

Here Comes the Bride!

2008-01-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

My roommate from APU, Jessica, is getting married in 2 weeks to a wonderful man named Kevin. I am so excited for her and got to help her celebrate this weekend at her shower. I can't wait to be there as she begins this new chapter of her life. Congrats Jess! Love you!

NAMM has begun!

2008-01-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

So, that time of year has come. The NAMM show is upon us. Per our tradition, we spent a night at Rainforest Cafe after the show. This year we went with Chad and Amy and Steve and Sheri surprised us by being able to come. As always, we had a great time and the kids loved seeing daddy after 4 days without him. Here are the picts.....

The McDonalds- and Jeffy, the dog!

Oak Glen

2008-01-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

OK- so we actually went to Oak Glen in November, but I wasn't a "blogger" yet and I just came across these pictures and wanted to share them. There is nothing better that fun with family and friends! The kids had a great time- Emily with her bow and arrow and Landon and Austin with their marshmallow shooters. And, I loved the picture of us "girls:" Mom, me, Susan, and Amy. Hope we can do it again.

Did I really marry that person?

2008-01-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

They say people change and age over time....but this is NOT what I bargained for!

Fiesta with the Villafranco's

2008-01-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

OK- we had turkey sandwiches- not super authentic mexican food, but when with the Villafranco's, one must use appropriate lexicon, so I chose to call it a fiesta. We had a great time today hanging out and laughing over the stupid things we have done! We were also able to witness a special concert put on by Emily, the boss, and the Heart Band- Alycia, Joshua and Landon. What a fun treat! I told them they needed to take pictures to put on my blog and Monica made fun of me, but I know deep down she wants to be published online for all to see. Afterall, she is my BFF! :-)

The sleep over- Did anyone sleep?

2008-01-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

Ok, so when Landon found out Cole was sleeping over, he was excited. Emily and Cole's sister Haylie- not as excited. But, the kids were really good, just not very quiet, which is tough at 1am. I'm sure this is payback for all of the noise Amy and Sheri and I made telling stories and talking about Henry, "The Chinese Ghost" Amy was so sure lived at the top of the stairs- LOL. Or the discussions about Ryan Werlich or Jeff Bruner or Seth and Matthieu. Those were the days. But, even though I am exhausted, I am glad to be giving my kids these memories. They had a great time and giggled a lot. I can't wait til they are old enough and I can take them toilet papering. Does anyone do that anymore? I think I need to go sometime soon. Hey girls, Hoffmaster still lives in the same house she did when we were in high school :-) Wouldn't that be awesome!

The kids are cute too!

2008-01-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

Here are our munchkins. The boys with their energy and sound effects. And the girls with their...DRAMA! This was just after eating their "dirt dessert" at Mimi's. Hey boys, heard of napkins? What Susan and Diane don't know is that I ended up taking four of these kids home for a sleepover. Duane approved it, but it was a great form of birth control. We are definitely stopping at 2!

Girls Night Out- Take 1

2008-01-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

OK, so far, in the new year, we have already accomplished 1 girl's night out. Granted, Dana was missing and most of us had our kids, BUT we were able to get together within the first week of 2008! Let's make sure we make a habit of it! You guys are a great support system to me. Love you!

Serious boy!

2008-01-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

You know the Build A Bear drill...stuff, give a bath and brush. Landon was SO serious and took FOREVER to brush and cwean his dog. If only he gave as much attention to his own appearance! Too cute!

Build A Bear

2008-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

OK- so we have built probably 20 bears between the three of us- I know, it's ridiculous, but today the kids wanted to go build bears that they themselves paid for. (Christmas proved to be quite lucrative for them this year and mommy is making them put most of it in the bank!) OK, so we didn't actually build any bears, but we built one cute dog (named "Jeffy"- don't we already have one of those in the house?) and one pink leopard named Angie Boenzi (after Em's teacher at school- they are the Lasselle leopards). And more importantly, they had a blast. I heard the two of them talking to their animals on the way home telling them that they were going to have to take naps when they got home. Then they decided that since they were now "parents," they would get to do what parents do: stay up til midnight watching movies and telling scary stories, and have a midnight snack. If only they knew how mush being an adult is NOT like that- more like dragging tired bodies to bed after long, full days. But it made me smile. Their innocence is so wonderful in a world that is not innocent. They continued to talk about how grown up they were and how important it was to be good parents to their new friends and then Landon said, "I love you Emily. I love you mommy." How can you put a limit on an umpteenth stuffed animal that promotes such sweetness. It was another fun day to add to our wonderful vacation. 3 days left until.......SCHOOL RESUMES!

I don't have two chins, I swear!

2008-01-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

So here is a picture of the bowling mom's. I will definitely have to stop taking pictures of myself from that angle. I look like I have at least two chins. Not the most flattering, but my friends look good. Paula was the big winner...Rae...well, she had fun, I think!

2008-01-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

Roller skating anyone?

Um, the answer to the question "Are there any roller skating rinks still open?" is...Not in the IE! A couple of girls I work with wanted to go roller skating with all of our kids, but we found that roller rinks are not up and coming around here. So we took the kids bowling instead. We had a great time and ended our day with a trip to McDonalds - the real low point I thought :-)- but the kids had a great time. It's so fun to connect with "work people" in a different, fun way that involves our families. What a great day!

2008-01-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here is the product of our first official sewing effort. On New Year's Day, we all carted our sewing machines over to my mom and dad's and set up what Duane referred to as "The Nuevo Sweat Shop." Diane worked on her quilt, mom and Hannah worked on a skirt for her and Em and I started and finished our project. We were so proud. It's a little funky, but keep watching for it because she's worn it a LOT lately. More to come....

"All I want for Christmas is..."

2007-12-30T21:03:00.001-08:00

Landon- "A boogie board?" Um...OK! Santa must've had a rough time finding that gift this time of year. As for Emily- Well, you've heard the song!

Emily- the new Martha Stewart

2007-12-30T20:56:00.000-08:00

Here is Emily with her new gift from Santa. Watch out Martha Stewart! And watch out Auntie Di!

Emily and Molly- my two girls:-)

2007-12-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

Here is Emily with our new puppy- Emily was SO excited!

Christmas 2007

2007-12-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was FABULOUS!- We hope your was too. The kids were surprised by Santa. How does he ALWAYS get what we want? It was a Christmas with a couple of themes....Wii- Duane is becoming a pro at Guitar Hero III....Landon is mastering Wii Star Wars, and Emily is becoming a Dance, Dance Revolution queen. But the big news, and our second Christmas theme, was that we got the kids a puppy. Molly is an Australian Shepherd and has been so much fun. Between watching her and Jefferson play and just marveling over the cuteness and ENGERY of a puppy and playing LOTS of Wii, we have been busy. We've had so much fun! More picts of her to come soon.