The Rich Family

Irvine Classic Soccer Tournament, June 19th-20th 2010

2010-06-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Ashlyn and Amber's Olimpia soccer teams participated in the Irvine Classic Soccer Tournament in Irvine...It was a fantastic weekend of soccer...First, Ashlyn's team took 2nd in their pool of 6 teams with 27pts, 3 points behind the leader. They won all three of their pool play games, 2-1, 2-0, and 3-0. They then moved on to play in the Championship Game..they played their hearts out but came up short losing 2-0. The team played so well all weekend! Although Ashlyn has been playing with Olimpia for the past 1 1/2 years, since the restructering of the team, this was the first tournament for her new team under Olimpia....Olimpia-Orange. Her coach has moved her to center defense, playing in a flat four formation..she used to play defense all the time when she was little before moving to MID, but I think she is back to were she is best. The defense truely dominated this weekend. We were so proud of our girls...Then Amber...again first tournament for her team as well. The girls were a little starstruck their first game, but followed it with a hard fought second and third game. Amber played goalie the 2nd half of all three games..CRAZY! I was unable to see her second game but word is she TORE IT UP as keeper..that girl is fearless. On top of all of that...before the second game when I was leaving, Amber told me if she played forward she would score a goal...well..to my surprise..she scored a goal as a midfielder! So proud of her too! I wish I had more pixs, but my phone died and I left my camera card in the computer..figures! Thanks for a fun weekend girls! Love u!

Ashlyn and KJ

The team before the final championship game.

Olimpia-Orange after receiving their 2nd place medals

Ashlyn trying to "muscle" down an attacker.

Amber playing Keeper..concentrating on that ball!

Amber's 9th Birthday

2010-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Amber celebrated her 9th birthday this year..for all of the girls it is a "family only" party year. So we went out to dinner and a movie and then back home for presents and cake. Since Amber was the birthday girl, she got to chose the place to eat and the movie to see. She chose "On the Border", and The Karate Kid. (fabulous movie) We had a great time as a family. Ashlyn and Abby helped bake the four layer round cake. Amber and I decorated and frosted. Of course the highlight of her evening was her Nintendo DS i that she had asked for. It's actually a pretty cool game system. We celebrated her birthday early this year since daddy had to work on her birthday and we had soccer practice....so on her birthday we woke her up with breakfast in bed..rather on the floor. We didn't know she had slept in Abby's room! Later that week she was treated to getting her nails and toes painted at the Nail Spa..I think she enjoyed her birthday this year! We love her!

Happy 9th Birthday Amber Lizzy!

2010-06-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our little Amber Elizabeth...she official turned '9' at 1:53pm. She was so excited to tell me and even kept checking on her new watch. Amber is a joy to have in our family. She is so her own little person with her own ideas and opinions. She is a unique child and we are so glad she came to us. We love you Amber and hope your day is as special as you are!

Summertime Fun..2010

2010-06-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

So Amber and Abby were told to "find something to do" instead of the computer or watching TV..so they decided to pull out their American Girl dolls..they then decided to have their girls get married to the cats.. When I discovered they were trying to make dresses out of pillowcases...not really working..I suggested tissue paper..So after a little creativity, we were able to design two wedding dresses. We used 2 sheets of white tissue paper, 2 staples for the veil, ribbon and rubberbands to hold the flowers on each girl. It was really fun and they turned out cute...a solution to a rather boring day.

Amber and Abby

Amber's doll Brittany..

Abby's doll Jessica..

LA Galaxy Game VS Houston

2010-06-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night we went and saw the L.A. Galaxy play Houston Dynamo..of course we won 4-1. It was a fantastic game with great seats! We invited Brian and his daughter Kayla to come with. Kayla..KJ plays on the same soccer team with Ashlyn..they are buds. We are totally looking forward to the next game we will be attending..L.A. Galaxy VS Seattle Sounders...can't wait for that one. Until then..2010 World cup, here we come! Go USA!

If only these were the real deal and not statues!

Las Vegas Baby! 2010

2010-06-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

After my birthday celebration at home, we took off Sunday and left for Vegas. We stayed at a great timeshare resort..Tahiti Village Spa and Resort and were there until late Wednesday night. We had been wanting to try it out a few times and we were glad we finally did. It was nice with a large pool area and lazy river. Of course we were in heaven laying out in the sun working on our tans while the kids swam and played. The highlight however of the trip was The Phantom of the Opera Show...It was fabulous! We took the kids to go see it on Tuesday night and they loved it. The special effects, props, singing..everything was wonderful. They even upgraded our seats when we got there. I think the kids are still singing the songs from the show..I am going to have to dig out the CD..I love them too! The last musical they saw there was Mama Mia...I think they are hooked. Hopefully we can see Lion King next time. Someday it would be fun to take them to a show on Broadway in New York!

My "40th" Birthday..

2010-06-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

This year I celebrated my "40th" birthday..it was strange leading up to the day. We were sure what to do...I became very indicisive, going back and forth on possibilities..Finally we decided to celebrate with a few friends..before that though, Dave and I headed out to Palm Desert for the day and night on Thursday, before my birthday. We went and stayed at Marriott Shadowridge Enclaves..They are new at our home resort and very modern and beautiful. They are situated far from were we normally stay and had a more secluded pool area. It was really fun to lounge all day, go to dinner and the casino, and then watch movies until late into the evening. Thanks to some wonderful friends, we were able to go by ourselves and leave the kids with them. The next day, my birthday, we came up and got set up for a little birthday party. Before they came over, the girls suprised me with a powerpoint of pictures from my life. It was fun and really sweet! Friends met us at the house and we headed to P.F. Changs for dinner..we later came back to the house for a fun game, dessert, and gifts. It was a really fun night with lots of laughs and smiles. It was perfect!

Me and Dave

The gang outside of P.F. Changs..waiting for our dinner reservations.

The girls minus a few that were out of town.

Jennifer, Wendy, Me, Suzann, Trisha and Tracie.

The girls being silly...we laughed so much that night!

Didn't see that coming...the guys "surprised" me by lifting me off the ground.

Suzann and Scott

Jeff and Trisha

Robert and Tracie

Jennifer and Me..Josh had to work!

Rick and Wendy

I couldn't decide on one type of dessert for my birthday so I chose four! Cheesecake, Coconut Cream Pie, Chocolate cake, and Red velvet..the only thing missing..carrot cake! I couldn't find one small enough! Yumm Yumm Yumm!

Dave insisted on 40 candles..I somehow managed to blow them out!

Abby's 5th Grade Promotion 2010

2010-05-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

May 20th we celebrated Abby's promotion from 5th grade, Elementary school, to Middle School. It was a nice ceremony and of course as usual, very hot. Abby recieved Honor Roll, Citizenship, and Track awards. We let her choose a place to eat afterwards and she chose Soup Plantation. It is hard to believe I have one child, my baby, left in elementary. Only two years and we will be doing this day again. CRAZY!

The Family

Me, Dave and Abby...middle school here

comes Abby!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin..

Abby and Ms. Magee..her 5th Grade Teacher.

Abby made Honor Roll again this Trimester. We were

very proud of her.

Abby, Taylor and Alyssa..BFF'S

Abby and Keira

Abby and Alyssa

Abby and Dr. Pilgren, the principal of Solorio Elementary.

Abby's 5th End of the Year Activities 2010!

2010-05-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

This year Abby was chosen through tryouts to be on the 5th Grade Track Team. She was really excited to be part of the team. All of the 5th grade teams in the district compete against each other in one big meet. It was a really fun and HOT day. Abby ran in the 100 yard dash. She did well and placed 4th.

Kaia (Cheerleader), Taylor (Soccer Player) and Abby (Cheerleader) all made the 5th grade track team..funny group of girls.

Kiera is a friend from church. She ran in the first

race which was the 50 yard dash.

The 5th grade class also went to Castlepark this year instead of Knott's Berry farm for their field trip. I went as a chaperone. This picture was taken right before we got on the Fireball. Notice we had 9 kids in our group and only 5 wanted to go plus me...It is a big ring that goes back and forth getting higher and higher until it goes all the way around in a circle many times...I about lost my cookie half way through. Needless to say that was my first and last ride of the day. Rides and spinning do not go well for me! We still had a great time and Abby didn't slow down once. She definately DID NOT get my stomach. We did however have about 4 kids puke that day.

Abby and Taylor..BFF'S

The last day of school the 5th graders had a BBQ at the park. I also went to that as a helper and left work early. It was a beautiful day. The kids had fun being together and hanging out one more time.

Taylor, Alyssa and Abby..BFF'S

18th Anniversary and Mother's Day..2010

2010-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

This year Dave and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Hard to believe it has gone so quickly. Before long we will celebrate our 20th...gotta start planning for that one now! Dave took me out to Flemmings..a fantastic, yummy restaurant. Let's put it this way, they also own Ruth Cris. The food and service was terrific. In fact I think we were wished Happy Anniversary from the moment we stepped into the restaurant by the front host, waiter, mater'd, and bus boy...It was nice. The following week we celebrated Mother's Day. We went out to dinner with the girls and saw Iron Man 2. The girls (and Dave) bought me a beautiful sterling silver bracelet as a gift with flowers. I feel horrible that Dave get's hit so hard in May..Mom I know you know how I feel. Dad, you can relate too! Now we are gearing up for my birthday.I know, it all just keeps coming!

Olimpia SC Girls

2010-05-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

My Olimpia SC girls. This was taken after Amber's indoor game, hence the red face like her mom. The girls have been playing indoor all Spring which they love, and it's really fun to watch. They both have a tournament in a few weeks. It will be Amber's first on a club level. We are excited and gearing up for it. When Amber was fitted for her uniform back in February she was asked, "What number would you like to be?" Her reply, "97, just like my sister!" How cute, isn't it?

Part of the team before a tourney in February.

Las Vegas..April 2010

2010-05-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

In April we traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada for Abby's big cheer competition, Nationals. We had a great time there. Midgets took 1st, Pee Wee took 3rd, Mighty Mites took 1st and Dance took 1st. (Abby is on the first two teams). CSA took the Master Grand Champion Award however which is huge! They only gave out two that day. This is a combination of all places, parent participation, spirit, and individual competitions like the stunt down. We later had a BBQ at the coaches timeshare and swam. The teams really worked hard to do well and they pulled it off! That weekend was also Baker to Vegas, a police relay run. We joined most of the guys in Dave's unit and their wives for Dinner on Friday night..Sorry no pics. We hit the roulette tables until our luck ran out. It was a good time. Sunday we took off to St. George and visited Grandma and Uncle Allen and Aunt Linda. It was a busy, but FUN weekend.

Me and Tracie..Cheer Moms...Alex and Becky, Melissa's parents.

Part of the cheer gang at a BBQ after the Las Vegas Nationals.

So we woke up on Sunday morning after the competition all weekend and decided to drive another 2 hours to St. George to visit Grandma. We had a great visit. We went to lunch and then came back to the house to get ready to see Bobby, Mike and some of the kids. The girls decided they wanted to plant Grandma's Easter Lilly so they did. It was a really nice visit and a beautiful day. The girls love seeing their Grandma Grace. It had been a while since we had been there to visit. We were glad we did!

Easter 2010

2010-05-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

The girls had fun waking up to their Easter baskets...Ashlyn I think would of

liked to have stayed in bed a little longer..

The Gang after the BIG EASTER EGG hunt!

Ashlyn, Abby, Amber, Hannah, and Grant.

This year for Easter we enjoyed General Conference and had Adrianne, Stuart and the kids come up. It was a really fun day. The kids enjoyed hunting for Easter eggs and Grant was digging the candy! Of course it was little Claire's first Easter too. This was the last time we saw them...they have now moved to Kentucky. I guess we will have to make a trip back to horse country! Oh, since it was General Conference that day, I don't have any cute pictures of the girls in their Easter dresses...one tradition that was different this year.

CSA CHEER 2009-2010

2010-02-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

Abigail L. Rich

Sharp Cheer Competition, Moreno Valley

2010-02-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

Abby's cheer team competed a few weeks ago at a cheer competition in Moreno Valley. She currently is on two teams, PeeWees and Midgets. Both teams took 1st place! The younger team Mighty Mites took second and the Dance team took 1st. CSA took the overall first place trophy which is the one you see that Abby is standing next too. It was taller than her! We had a great time and the girls did very well. Now we are grearing up for the El Roble competition and then Knott's Berry farm in two weeks! Go CSA Cougars!

Abby and Abbie

Coach Sam, Coach Diamond, and

Coach Morgan

Some of the girls from the team after the awards ceremony.

Some of the younger girls waiting to perform.

Abby and friends from Midgets

Ellisa, Yvette and Abrissa

Midgets 2010

Sam getting the girls ready...hair, makeup, glitter = sparkle!

Coach Morgan getting the girls ready.

Mount Rainer FC Tournament Dec. 29th, 2009

2009-12-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago my brother Scott called and invited Ashlyn to play in a club soccer tournament with his daughter, Ashlyn's cousin, Allie. We of course accepted thinking it would be a fun opportunity to play with her cousin. Yesterday was the tournament and it was an absolute blast! Allie scored 5 goals over 4 games and Ashlyn scored 3..officially 2. Oh..it was indoor soccer so it was fast paced, and constantly moving with subs on the fly. Ashlyn primarily played up front as a forward with Allie with a little bit of rest time on defense. It was fun to see the girls work together to score and just fun to see them out on the field together..it "almost" gives us a reason to move back home..I did say "almost." Anyways, thanks Scott, Allie, Coach Stacey and MRFC for a fabulous day of soccer!

Ashlyn and Allie "Kober Girls #13"

Mt. Rainer FC

Coach Stacey getting the girls pumped for the Championship Game. It was an incredible game, super fun to watch and exciting...the girls came up short in the last three minutes and lost 1-0. Ashlyn scored a goal that bounced around in the box...the ref chose not to recognize the goal but we all know it was! Way to go Shooters!

Christmas in Seattle..2009

2009-12-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

This year our family traveled to Seattle, Washington to enjoy "Christmas in Seattle" with our family. We left on December 18th in the afternoon and arrived Sunday the 19th after driving straight through. We made it in 16 hrs..It has been very cold since we have arrived, but has felt like winter which we love. We enjoyed Christmas Eve with our family at my parents and enjoyed a quiet Christmas day with a few visitors dropping in. The girls have LOVED being with their cousins and getting a lot of play time in. We are looking forward to the remaining few days here and ringing in a new year! Here are just a few pictures from our trip so far..

Thoroughbred with Friends

2009-12-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

Traditionally every year now we walk Thoroughbred to see the beautiful display of Christmas lights. People come from all over Southern California to see them. It is quite the production, but we enjoy going every year. For the past four years now we have enjoyed seeing the lights with our good friends, Chuck and Carmella. This year we drove and enjoyed them from the warmth of our car...then returned to Chuck and Carmella's home for some nummy treats!

AYALA USA CHEER COMPETITION 2009

2009-12-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

Abby's cheer team competed in their first competition of the season today and it was a huge success..more than taking first place, all three cheer teams qualified for Jr. Nationals which is held at Disneyland in the Spring! Abby did a GREAT job. This year she is on two teams, a younger and older team. She hit all of her stunts and looked solid. What a fun day...but definitly exciting! Off to the next competition!

Happy 12th Birthday Ashlyn!

2009-11-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Ashlyn Grace Rich

11-29-97

Happy BirthdayAshlyn! We are so proud of you and the beautiful girl you have become. You are a wonderful daughter to have. Sensitive and thoughtful of others, you are a good girl. Remember we love you! Have a happy birthday..and remember...NO MORE PRIMARY!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-29T07:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 40th Birthday Dave

2009-08-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

Dave

The boys..

ok..we'll be serious!

The girls taking advantage of Dave....

Me and Dave
Josh and Jen

Suzann and Scott

Trisha and Tracie

Larry and Nacole

Jeff and Robert

So after stressing and planning what to do for Dave's 40th Birthday, I decided to invite a few of our closest friends and head to dinner at Lucille's BBQ, a favorite place of ours. We had a great time eating and visiting and definately laughing a lot...my throat was sore the next day. All of our friends that we invited were able to make it but one couple. It was small but full of BIG fun. After dinner we headed to my girlsfriends house (she graciously offer..so so nice!) for cake and presents, slide show and a little pool. We again had a great time socializing with our buds. Tonight we will be celebrating quietly with our family..enjoying dinner at CPK and cake at home. Thank you to all of you who have made Dave's 40th birthday memorable and special! Happy birthday Dave, we love you! ps...he loves the Apache Helicopter!

Happy 10th Birthday Abby.....

2009-08-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

About 2 Abby 9
Abby and her girlfriends Friday night after dinner.

Our Abigail Lorraine turned the big "10" yesterday August 18th. We celebrated over the weekend by inviting 4 of her friends to dinner at Spaghetti Factory, then to the movies to see Bandslam and back home for a sleepover. Abby had a great time and I think her friends and sisters did too! Yesterday Dave and I brought pizza to Abby's school and enjoyed lunch with her and her friends. She then celebrated at cheer practice that night and shared homemade cupcakes for everyone! I think she enjoyed her birthday and is already making a list of things to buy with her birthday money! Thank you to all who made her day special!

Blog to check..

2009-07-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

My friend requested the address to one of my favorite coupon blogs... it is cloud9couponing.blogspot.com. If you go to this blog...she has links to many more. krazycouponlady.blogspot.com is one of my favorites. Hope this helps!

That Was Fun!

2009-06-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so all my life I have been a "pick it up and buy it" kind of girl. I know horrible, but it is true...I have gone through my life at different times attempting to do the coupon thing, but usually I forget the coupons at home or don't plan ahead. Well during my trip to Seattle my sister Sarah and my Mom told me about their coupon adventures and how they were really working at saving money on groceries...everything really. They turned me on to some cool blogs that follow deals, coupons, sales ect. I have to say I have become a little addicted to reading those daily...even sometimes going back for seconds. Well anyways, so I have been doing this for about a month now and I have definately seen savings..it is amazing what you can learn by actually "reading" the grocery ads that come during the week...my favorite mail now. So today after careful planning I set out to Von's and Ralph's. Von's is the same as Safeway. I didn't even hit my beloved Winco. Anyways, I was pleased after I was finished shopping at both stores. Funny thing was, my girls got a kick out of it too!

Von's OOP- $63.78

Savings- $82.79

Ralph's OOP- $36.82

Savings- $59.06

Total Cost before Savings- $242.45

Total Cost After Savings- $100.60

Total Savings- $141.85

Yes...I know there are some of you out there that could of probably cut that number in half...but since none of our stores double anymore and I worked with what I had...I didn't do to bad. I was kind of proud actually. Anyways, I thought I would share with you my adventure and challenge you to create one of your own! Happy saving! :o)

I Survived The Sleepover!!!

2009-06-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

Amber's birthday was on June 15th...because of soccer we decided to hold her big 8th birthday sleepover on Thursday. No I never do things simple as my sister would say...but as my mom would say...our family is full of traditions! This is ours...we have a huge, crazy, fun sleepover for their 8th birthday. We had girls from church, soccer and school,15 in all, but it went well! The girls had a blast together and it was a great way to kickoff the summer. BUT, with that said, I can proudly say that I survived my final major sleepover...

Thank goodness!

Raeley, Amber and Jade
Twins, Savannah and Madelyn(Shield fans, they were Vic's daughter)
Amber and Madison

Thirteen...missing Ashlyn and Eva the camp leaders. That pool saw A LOT of action over the last 24 hrs..The girls had a blast. I thought it might wear them out...not so much.
"Amber's Tent"....Where all the fun was! We had a camp
theme this year. It was a lot of fun. The tent is huge, but we barely
fit all fifteen girls inside. Needless to say, they were NOT cold last night.
Eva and Ashlyn....the camp leaders! They
were so helpful! You have to love those "older"
children! Thanks girls!
The cupcake "Birthday Cake ".

Amber's new bike. We drove to three different storeslooking for that perfect bike..and in the end, we ended up back at Target! We LOVE Target!

Happy 8th Birthday Amber!

2009-06-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Born June 15, 2001

About 4 months
About 4

Present

Happy Birthday Amber-Lizzie! We love you and can't

believe you are already turning 8! You are the baby of

the family, but you are growing into such a big girl! We love

you and we are so happy you are part of our family!

Happy Birthday!

USA JR. NATIONALS

2009-03-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Abby and her CSA cheer team competed on February 28th in the USA Jr. Nationals. The competition was held at the Hyperion Theater at California Adventure. The Hyperion is where the Aladdin stage show is. It was really fun! The girls did great, although they did not place...due to a last minute change in scheduling by USA, we found that they moved our team to the wrong division..one that was at a higher level...We didn't know this until later and STILL thought they did great! Abby nailed her stunts and smiled through the whole routine. Now we are gearing up to head to Las Vegas for the next competition..I am sure they will be great and WE will have lots of fun!

Outside the Hyperion

A few teams lining up for awards.

The team outside the Hyperion following the awards ceremony

Abby and her best buddy Abbie...

Having fun playing at California Adventure following the morning competition.

Cal Cup 2009

2009-03-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

Olimpia

Cal Cup 2009

A few months ago Ashlyn had the opportunity to join a Club soccer team. The photo above was taken of her playing in her first tournament game with her team Olimpia. It was really exciting. The above game they won 3-0, going on to win the next game 2-0 and finally tieing the 3rd game 0-0. They won their pool and went on to play the following weekend in the Quarterfinals where they lost after a great effort. Olimpia is a Bronze East team moving up Silver in the Fall. I mention this because they lost to a Silver Elite team in the quarterfinals. I wish I could take credit for the picture..but it was professionall taken by an action shots company. I think it shows Ashlyn doing what she loves..playing soccer! Now they are on to another tournament this weekend..Wish her luck!

FINALLY!

2009-01-25T19:29:00.000-08:00

Finally, I am so happy to have my blog back to normal. After having Cutest Blog on the Block webpage down and messing up my gadgets, I finally have it back to were I want and not just a boring black background! Yeah! I know sad, but I am really happy!

A Visit from Seattle

2009-01-10T17:29:00.001-08:00

We had a great time when my parents came down for a week long visit. My mom was full of project ideas and by the end of the week had me all set up to add food storage to our collection, files to my filing system, and with the help of my dad, a whole new toliet system! But I have to say that by the end of the week, she was band from saying the "C" word (clean) the "O" word (Organize) and the "P" word (Project). No really it was so nice having them here..we miss the already and hope they come back soon.

I know this was a famous scene from the war..just can't remember what it was called. I think every little boy was tempted to look up her dress!

We took a day trip to San Diego and walked the waterfront down by the cruise ships and the aircraft carrier. It was a cool day especially when the fog started rolling in.

Amber and Papa at Olivera Street.

Mom decided to make fleece blankets for the girls for Christmas. It was a really fun project and the girls enjoyed being part of the process. Even the trip to the Fashion District in downtown LA was exciting..can't say I'll do it again though! :)

The Holidays and The Wii

2009-01-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone...ok so I am a little slow. I like slow, can anyone slow down this year? It is already starting to fly by way to quickly..I mean 2009? Wasn't it just the other day that we were afraid of 2000? Anyways, the holidays were great. Since we had so much company during Thanksgiving and right after, we decided to spend Christmas and Christmas Eve with just our family. It was really nice. No stress, no cleaning, no trying to prepare for a dinner with guests, just us. It was perfect. Of course I think the girls thought it was perfect too...As you can see from the picture above, the girls were THRILLED to get a Wii...oh and may I add that Mom and Dad got the credit for that instead of the big jolly guy in the red suit..that was fun! So, we spent most of Christmas day in our jammies playing tennis and baseball, bowling, golfing, and boxing...oh boxing. If you ever want to see if you are in shape, just box a little! Wow what a work out. Absolutely crazy hard. I was sore for 3 days after playing..played again and then was sore for 3 more. What a blast it was though. I guess that was Mom and Dad's favorite gift too! Happy 2009!

2008-12-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

Although we will not be "home" for the holidays to spend Christmas with our family...you are in our thoughts and we look forward to seeing you in the New year. Merry Christmas!

DRASTIC!

2008-12-23T15:35:00.001-08:00

Ok..so the only word I have been able to come up with is Drastic! Last week we had some crazy weather hit Southern California...we went from enjoying 70-80 degree weather to 36 degrees and a TON of rain. It was crazy..now I know what all you Seattle people are saying...come up here, I have already gotten a lot of flack...however relatively speaking that is COLD for us warm blooded people here..where the sun always shines and we wear capris and flip flops 9 months out of 12...ok, I am sounding like a baby..but it was cold. The mountains too were absolutely beautiful covered in snow. This is a picture of the mountains we see out our window. I too this picture last Thursday in the parking lot where I work. It was awesome.

Fontana Christmas Parade Dec. 13

2008-12-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

Abby and Abbie

LAPD Recognition Day 2008

2008-12-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

On Dec. 11, 2008 Dave was honored with a Life Saving Medal presented by the LAPD and Chief Bratton. It was an incredible honor for him to recieve this medal and stand by many other heros within the department present that day. The girls and I were really proud of him and I know the rest of his family was too. His mom and dad, brother and family from Arizona, his brother from San Diego and his sister and her family from San Diego came. He also had 3 of his fellow officers from the Unit come....the others were working. Those that came, Maggie, Louise, and Tony. We were all happy to see him recieve this medal for all of his effort. PS..since he was wearing his Class A Uniform, he decided to shave..but not cut his hair. It was an interesting look and definately got some attention!

First CSA Competition At Ayala High School

2008-12-23T15:08:00.000-08:00

Abby and Abbie

The girls cheer team CSA participated in their first official competition. The girls had a bast and we had fun too. It was an all day event with cheer teams from middles schools, high schools and novice teams. The team took 2nd place in their division and qualified for Nationals which will be held at California Adventure in March. They have several more competitions in between including one at Knotts. They are working on new stunts and Abby is still a flyer..they want her to try and get her back flexible enough to do a scorpion..regardless..she loves being in the air and nailed all of her stunts at competition without falling. Yeah! On to the next event.

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY ASHY BOO BOO!

2008-11-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

Ashlyn 5 Months WOW! I have an 11 yr old! It is amazing to think that I have a

child this old! It truly feels like just yesterday

that she was born and started our little family.

Her dad and I are so proud of the young women she has become.

She is a beautiful girl inside and out and we love

her very much. We are so glad she is a part of our family.

She is a wonderful example to her sisters. They love her too!

Happy Birthday Ashlyn!

BLUEBERRIES FALL 2008!

2008-11-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Asst. Coach Jeff, Team Mom Beverly, Amanda, Briana, Ariana, Jennalyn, Coach Lisa, Makenna, Nikki, Amber,

Stephanie, and Jaden

It's OVER! Yesterday my team, Amber's team, played their last game of the Fall 2008 season. They won 6-3 which was par for the season...the girls went undefeated in 10 games. They were such a great group of sweet girls all with talent to play Soccer. It was fun coaching at the U8 level again...

Thanks for a fun season girls! I will miss you!

Rancho Cucamonga Founder's Day Parade

2008-11-16T09:36:00.001-08:00

Abby and Maddie

Only part of the team..Maddie, Abby, Rosalyn, Micah, Abrisa, Josalyn
Gearing up and waiting...in 80 degree weather!

The girls following the Coach's Hummer..

Last weekend Abby and her Cheer team participated in the Rancho Cucamonga Founder's Day Parade. During the parade they stopped at the MC's booth where they performed and were judged. We later found out they had taken first place. The trophy itself was as tall as Amber...HUGE! She is having a lot of fun with the team. They are now gearing up for their first competition in December and a Christmas parade. We wishe them luck! GO CSA!

HALLOWEEN FUN!

2008-10-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

Ashlyn, Abby and Amber on their way to the ward Halloween party. As usual there was a HUGE turn out and lots of candy for the kiddies. It was a fun night hanging out with friends.

A FAMILY VISIT!

2008-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Jeff and Charlotte came for a visit this past weekend. Of course the girls were thrilled to have them here and we have to say we enjoyed their visit too. Between soccer games, a football game, cheer camp and a night out on the town, there was no shortage of entertainment. I think Jeff thought he would be able to take it easy, instead he had to try and keep up with us all while nursing a sprained ankle. Sorry Jeff. It was still fun dragging an invalid around.

A CHEER GIRLS DREAM!

2008-10-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

Abby and Kaia.

Abby the Cheerleader. Abby went to a day cheer camp that Etiwanda High School (our school) held a few weekends ago. The girls then performed with the Etiwanda Cheerleaders at a football game last Friday night. She had a blast and of course loved being in the spotlight and I have to say, I loved watching the game! It's been 20 year since I have been at a H.S. game! Last Saturday she went to another camp with her team and will be performing again at another high school football game this Friday. This is SOOO Abby.
The little and big cheerleaders!
Abby and her Cheer buddy. She spoiled Abby ALL night!

A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND!

2008-10-13T21:11:00.001-07:00

Scarey Mickey..
Crazy Girls on Thunder Mountain.
Do we have to take a picture?
Wish we were invited to her party that night...we weren't! They just tortured the girls all day with all the decorations. We could only imagine the festivities that would take place at Miley's 16th Birthday Celebration. The day was still fun none the less. Amber was FINALLY able to go on the Screamin' Rollercoaster at California Adventure. She's thinking she's cool now! It was a great time, we love the fall decorations they put up to. We always look forward to the change. Anyone want to come down?

Dancing With The Stars Report!

2008-10-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

My Friends, Tammy, Linda, Trisha and me. We had a FABULOUS time at Dancing With The Stars. It was so fun to be so close to so many stars. Susan Lucci was definately the sweetest and most sincere. We yelled to her from the balcony and she waved and smiled! Benji however (winner of So You Think You Can Dance/ brother of Lacey) wasn't so nice. When we yelled to him he simply acted like he didn't know us. Funny thing was, he and his family sat behind us after the show at Cheesecake Factory and we all totally stared him down. It was funny. Anyways, we saw Helio, Marissa, Kristy..Bruce Jenner, Derick even came out to the waiting room to say hi and get all the fans excited. It worked, he's a hottie! Oh, and when the show was over we saw Kiely one of the Cheetah Girls. It was a total blast. Can't wait to go again! Go Brooke and Derick!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2008-09-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Me

Hawaii- 2007

So if you look up forgetful in the dictionary, I am sure you would find my name next to it..or maybe I could blame it on old age or something after all I am ALMOST 40...who knows, however you slice it...I ALMOST forgot...and did forget to send off a card. Fortunately in the 11th hour..not quite that late, I remembered, but it was too late, Sarah was out partying the night away according to her blog! Seriously, all kidding aside, I hope Sarah you had a wonderful and memorable birthday. I am jealous that it wasn't you and me having a girls day out, but I am glad you shared it with a good friend. Your an awesome sister, and though miles seperate us, you are always close to my heart! I am proud of you, your family and life you have made for yourself. Thanks for being my little sis...Happy Birthday!

Dancing With The Stars!!

2008-09-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, It's true! I am attending the taping of Dancing With The Stars this coming Tuesday. I have invited a few of my friends and we are totally excited! I guess you could say it's a girls night out! The show is a performance and elimination night, so fortunately we will still see everyone live before anyone is gone. Of course it would of been fun to go Wednesday night, Jonas Brothers are performing..nah, Ashlyn would of been jealous. Now I just have to figure out what to wear without looking too fancy..I am really not into the formal attire thing, but I can go the upscale route. Anyways, look for me with three friends, Trisha, Tammy and Suzann. Happy dancing!

Back To School! August 25th!

2008-09-01T16:35:00.001-07:00

The Big 6th Grader

Heritage Middle School

The upper grader (4th) and the lower grader (2nd)

Solorio Elementary
So, as you can see we are full fledge back into school. With one week under out belt, I feel pretty good. Ashlyn starting middle school this year forces me to get up much earlier, and keeps us all on time. So far the schedules are going well..even mine now that I am working. Dave mentioned after the first three days, how weird it was to wake up and have the house so quiet. He definately is NOT complaining and has even snuck in a bike ride or two. But even with everything going well this week, I was still happy to have Friday come and a long weekend. Now it is back to the grind of school, soccer, homework, work, church, PTA and cheerleading. There is however something to be said about structure and schedules!

Birthday Celebrations and Friends

2008-09-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

Happy 9th Birthday Abby!

This year, the kids are given "family" birthdays instead of the grand, out of control birthday parties that they are used too. I have LOVED it and it has proven to be just as enjoyable. For Abby's birthday this year we went to Disneyland over the weekend, saw a movie, had her nails done and had "family" over. No not our blood family, but friends we have known since I was pregnant with Abby. They have shared in many birthday celebrations and joined us for the last time for Abby's. Yes, I said the last time as they moved to Nebraska five days later. I can say that over the past 9 1/2 years we have had some ups and downs, but we have had some wonderful memories too. Now they have moved. I hope that we will always remain friends across the distances and keep in touch...its that old attage..you never miss something until its gone. We will miss them!
Picture: Leo (Jess' boyfriend), Kyle, Lyndsie, Jessica, Erin, Kristina, Amber, Abby, and Ashlyn. Dan was already in Texas training.

Palm Desert...Shadow Ridge

2008-08-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

After returning from Vegas, we dropped off Ashlyn's friend, stopped at the house to check on the animals, and headed out for a week in Palm Desert at our home resort, Marriott Shadow Ridge. Although we have been going every summer, we look forward to the R & R we get from going there and doing very little. In fact, I think every morning our day didn't start until 10! But with all the running the past month in Cancun and Vegas, it was time to just vacation. This year our room was on the first floor next to the lake with a little peninsula. The girls had fun trying to catch polywogs, and feeding the ducks. They made several friends at the pool each day and caught up on all of their Disney shows! They even painted some pottery poolside. One highlight? We all went and saw The Dark Night. It was a fun, action filmed movie. Such a shame Heath Ledger isn't around any longer..Anyways, it was a fun week, one we always look forward to.

Mamma Mia!

2008-08-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

So after arriving home from Cancun, we decided to book a trip to Vegas using our timeshare membership. We invited one of Ashlyn's girlfriends to go with us for the week...(girls her age get SO BORED without a friend). We left on July 12th and stayed until the 18th. We had a wonderful time. Dave and I decided to treat the girls and take them to see the musical Mamma Mia at Mandalay Bay. It was so great and so much fun! The girls loved it and of course dad had to run out and buy the ABBA CD. If you haven't had a chance to see the movie, you should! Aside from Pierce Bronson being a little corny with his singing, it was really fun too! Mamma Mia! was definately the highlight of our trip to Vegas!

Abby, Ashlyn, Mackenzie, and Amber

LA GALAXY GAME

2008-07-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Because we won our division's championship, we were invited to attend the Parade of Champions Game with the LA Galaxy on July 10th. We took the whole family and the team. It was great fun, watching Beckham and Donovan play GREAT soccer. We hope to go again soon.

What a BABE! We had corner seats and were fortunate to be very close to Beckham each time he had a corner kick. It was awesome!
Parade of Champions on the field. It was wild and crazy. There were so many teams and of course they were screamin with glee! It was lots of fun!
Here is only part of my team. A few were still arriving and a couple couldn't make it. It was lots of fun. The Galaxy play at the Home Depot center in Carson City. We had a blast...Dave even enjoyed watching the game.

It's BRACES Time!

2008-07-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Well it finally happened, she has her braces. For the past few months she has had an expander to expand her mouth and now we are finally on to the next stage. She was excited but nervous to get her braces on. Its hard to tell in the picture, but she chose torquoise blue for her bands around the brackets. It actually looks cute. I think she thinks she is pretty cool, but in a few months..she'll be ready to be done with them!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

So this year we actually were home..meaning in California to celebrate the 4th of July. The past few years we have been fortunate to spend the holiday with family in Washington,
spending LOTS of money on illegal fireworks, eating a ton, and staying up really late..along with all those things, I usually take lots and lots of pictures! Well, this year was still great, we ate a lot of food and watched plenty of fireworks and spent the evening with friends. But...I didn't quite take the pictures I usually do...so for this entry..you just get the flag. But really, isn't it all about that anyways? Happy 4th.

Our Cancun Mexico Trip!

2008-07-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

On June 20th we left for the airport to catch a red eye flight to Cancun. Now when I mean " red-eye", that's exactly what it was. We wanted that kind of a flight but because we had a stop in Guadalejara and a change of plane in Mexico City...we literally did not sleep! We left Ontario airport at 12:15am on the 21st and arrived in Cancun on the 21st at 1:00pm. We figured we were up for about 36 hours. Amber had the most sleep at 3 hours. But, with that said, we would totally do it all over again, it was worth it! We were glad to be there.

The Resorts

2008-07-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

While in Cancun, we stayed at the Royal Carribean and the JW Marriott Resort and Spa. They were both great! At the RS, we would walk to the bus stop(Abby sat on a bee on the bus and got stung) and there were TONS of iguanas on the other side of this fence. It was amazing. Needless to say, Cancun is full of iguanas everywhere. I think they are the "squirrels of Cancun."

Pool Fun!

2008-07-07T16:32:00.001-07:00

Many days we just hung out at the pool at both resorts. The girls always made friends to play with and the resorts had fun things for the kids to do like face painting and water games. The pool was a great way to pass the day relaxing.

Captain Cook Dinner Cruise

2008-07-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

This was a fun night. It was a steak and lobster cruise with tons of entertainment. There were three boats, the red, the green, and the black pearl. Near the end of the cruise all three were next to each other in the middle of the ocean and had a pirate fight from one boat to another. There was comedy, dancing, food. It was great fun. Another very hot and humid evening, but totally fun. The girls liked it.

The Beach in Cancun

2008-07-07T11:18:00.001-07:00

This is the beach in front of our hotel, The JW Marriott Resort and Spa. The girls begged EVERY day to go to the beach. They love playing in the waves and seeing how much sand they could get in their hair! The water was warm and a tourqouise blue color. It really was a beautiful beach.

Xel Ha

2008-07-07T11:07:00.001-07:00

One of the first places we visited was Xel Ha. It's pretty much an outdoor aquarium. Really a neat and beautiful place to visit. We ate lunch, snorkeled, floated down a river, and the girls and Dave jumped off a 15 ft cliff. We all had a good time...

La Isla Mujeres

2008-07-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

One of our excursions was to Isla Mujeres. It is an island that is only 7 miles long and 1 mile wide. We had a blast. We first went snorkeling which was crazy because the waves were huge and rolling..(made me sick) but we all did well and the girls saw a stingray below them. Then we went to a private beachclub where we had a lunch buffet, swam, kayaked, tanned and played volleyball. We all even held a toothless shark. It was freaky! He was heavy and his skin was really rough! Amber was really into all the coconuts. She named each one she found and played house in the sand. Then her and Abby served up lunch on the beach to a couple using shells, seaweed, sand and wood. It was funny. We then rented a golf cart which was totally fun and toured the island. One stop was a Turtle Farm. Now all the girls want turtles..Anyways, the ride on the boat home was fun. We were all dancing, and "Cassandra" one of the boats crew, was getting frisky with Dave! The crew were very friendly and a lot of fun!

2008-07-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

2008-07-07T07:38:00.001-07:00

The Cenote at IK Kil

2008-07-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

After we visited Chichen Itza, the tour took us to The Cenote. It was this huge freshwater swimming hole. We had to walk down tons of stairs to get to it. It felt so nice after being so hot. The funny thing is, we swam with catfish! There were a lot just swimming around the surface. It was beautiful though. All of the girls and Dave jumped off the cliffs..even Amber! Me...I was the chicken and just watched them jump. It was fun!

Chichen Itza Ruins

2008-07-06T11:37:00.001-07:00

We took a bus tour out to Chichen Itza to see the ruins. It was about a 2 hour ride each way, but totally worth it. The ruins were incredible to see and hear the history and stories behind them. The girls did well, but we were all very HOT! The humidity was intense, and we were literally dripping with sweat. It was well worth it though..our only regret is that we didn't make it to Tulum..I guess that is for next time!

Royal Haciendas at Playa Del Carmen

2008-07-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

This was about 6 days into the trip. We went and visited another Royal property in Playa Del Carmen. It was the only day that was overcast and rainy. Of course we were stuck there until the shuttle came back, but the girls were thrilled to play in the rain. It eventually stopped. The night before we had incredible thunder and lightening. It was very pretty to see, but VERY humid.

Another Trip to Disneyland!

2008-07-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

Tim, Emily, Dylan and little Jake, came out to California and joined us for a few days at our house and Disneyland. We had a really great time. Jake was a kick to watch..he is such a busy body, and Dylan, definately a ladies man. It was a fun few days, and again we have gotten use out of our passes.

Uncle Dave and Jake
Abby and Dylan
Dave and the Girls
The Gang..Girls VS. Boys.

Happy Birthday, Happy Father's Day!

2008-07-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

June 15th was a BUSY day for us. We celebrate Amber's 7th birthday, celebrated Father's day, and welcomed company from out of town. Unfortunately in being assigned the camera girl, the camcorder girl and the chef, the only picture I had of Dave was eating breakfast in his underwear...so I decided to spare him that post and just post a picture of Amber.. It was a good day though...we love you both!

2008-07-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

The girls made breakfast in bed for Amber and Dad!

Rich Girls Going Green

2008-07-06T10:32:00.001-07:00

Wow, June has been so busy that I have finally found time to update my blog..sorry some of the next entries will be a little old, but I still wanted to add them. So lately all I hear is "Go Green." Even my soap opera has been talking about going green...personally, I think a lot of it is crap. But..we did decide to do our part even though it didn't start out that way. Last January we told the girls that if they wanted to start collecting plastic bottles...water, soda, juice..that they could turn it in and keep the money they earned. Well ever since then we have been on a mission to collect bottles. Its amazing when you decide to do something like this how AWARE you are of EVERY bottle in the street, garbage cans..everywhere! But it was fun, and here you see that we finally, after 5 months of collecting, took them in to the recycle center. The girls earned $39.00 and took the money to Cancun. It was fun for them and fun to see what we could from just collecting garbage. So try it, you might enjoy.............. "Going Green!"

CRAZY PEACHES WIN CHAMPIONSHIP!

2008-06-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dex, Ariel, Ashlyn, Nani, Lauren, Jade, Me

Kastel, Laura, Elena, Maegan

We did it! After a great regular season, we made the playoff journey all the way to the end and took the U10G Divisional Championship! Talk about an awesome feeling! Yesterday we had only one game standing between us and the championship game when we started the day and we cruised through that game to win 4-1. But as we headed into the championship game, I will say I was nervous. I was playing my friends team who had been undefeated all season..in fact his daughter was on my team last fall, so I knew she was a good player. We wished each other luck and started the game...I think the lead switched back and forth 3 times as we battled it out for the win. In the fourth quarter, we were down 4-3 when my forward who had been struggling all season to score, popped it in to tie 4-4...we went into overtime. In AYSO you are given two 5 minute halfs and then a shootout. I really didn't want to win by a shootout. First half started...right out of the shoot Maegan scored...her 4th of the game..next up Ashlyn! She has been playing Midfield all season for me because she is incredible at stopping the attackers and covering the mid field area...on a throwin the ball bounced off someone and deflected to her where she was centered on goal and slammed it in! We went up 6-4. Second half the other team scored one and then we were able to hold them to a 6-5 VICTORY! What a game...now on July 10th, we are off to The Parade of Champions at the L.A. Galaxy game! David Beckham here we come!

5th Grade Promotion...Off and Running!

2008-06-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today Ashlyn took part in her 5th Grade Promotion. It was CRAZY to think that she is on her way to middle school next year. We are so proud of her and the student and girl she is. She made Honor roll again this year and recieved many other awards including, citizenship and track. I will miss her next year at the elementary school, but I am so excited for what the next few years will bring. Congratulations Ashlyn! We love you!

Proud Parents!

Ashlyn and lil' sisters

Alex, Ashlyn and Kelsey..

Friends Forever!

2008-06-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

Among all of the "end of the year" activities for 5th grade, one is a field trip to Knott's Berry Farm. We left at 8:30 in the morning and returned at 7:00. We had a great time and outside of a splitting headache, managed to keep up with the girls. Pictured are Ashlyn's BFF'S, Kelsey, Ashlyn, Eva and Alex.

Precisions Spring Olympics

2008-06-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

For the past year, Abby has been taking a combination of Cheer and Tumbling classes at Precision Gymnastics. She has loved it! This past weekend she preformed in their Spring Olympics. The cheer team preformed a cheer and routine. In the routine Abby was a flyer in a basket toss! It was great fun. I think this is only the beginning for her and her cheer career. Guess it's time to start saving! Here is Abby and her cheer coach Amanda.

We Just Can't Stay Away!

2008-06-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, here are the "A" girls in front of California Adventure again. See after two years of having nonstop fun with Disneyland/California Adventures, we decided to take a break. Maybe wait a year before renewing our passes...so we let our passes expire. Well, that lasted a whole 2 months. Of course the year we decided not to renew we have family from both sides wanting us to go to Disneyland with them...so, yes you got it, we renewed AGAIN. We just can't stay away.

The Jackson Visit

2008-06-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Jake, Sarah, Kennedy and Pieper came for a visit over memorial weekend! We had such a blast with them. Let's see....Zoo, Concert, Palm Desert, Disneyland, oh and a little "bro-mance" on the side! Yes, Dave and Jake had a blast hanging out together. My girls loved being "older sisters," to Kennedy and Pipee and even their friend Ryan. Abby couldn't get enough. Thanks Sarah and Jake for spending time with us and sharing your vacation with us. We really had a good time!

Happy 16th Anniversay to Us!

2008-05-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

Well today Dave and I have been married for 16 years! It is hard to believe it has been that long..honestly! For some reason 16 seems so much longer than 15 or 14 even did... But...it actually feels like just yesterday that we were two young 21 and 22 year olds starting an adventure of a lifetime. I guess as your life gets more complicated and busy, time flys faster and faster. Well, I am grateful that Dave and I were married on this date 16 years ago. I love him very much and always knew he was the one for me. We have a wonderful life together and three beautiful girls that keep our life interesting! I look forward to what the next 16 will bring! Happy Anniversary Babe!

Oooh How I Love California..

2008-04-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

So I agree, California has it's issues...a Govenor who speaks broken english, immigrations problem, high cost of living, oh and let's not forget we are BANKRUPT. But on a beautiful 94 degree day in the middle of April all of that seems to be forgotten! We truely are blessed with some of the nicest, mildest season in the world. Can't hate California for that!

Soccer Saturday's

2008-04-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

So our Saturday's are pretty typical this time of year...soccer, soccer, and more soccer. Today was was no exception, however we only had one game today instead of two. Amber is playing her first season of soccer in the U8 division. It has been so fun to see her play...the coach has her playing midfield, I think that's because it allows her to pretty much go EVERYWHERE. And that's ok since she is still figuring out the whole position thing. After working with U10 girls its very fun to watch these little girls play. Who knows, maybe she will follow in her big sister and cousin's footsteps in playing soccer...as long as she can control the need to cartwheel...I guess you can't ask for everything!

2008-04-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

Amber's Soccer team

and Coach getting

ready for the big

game.

2008-04-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

This month Abigail recieved Student of The Month. We are so proud of her and all of her accomplishments. She always tries hard and is always well behaved in class....we were lucky to have all three be chosen Student of The Month for this school year.

Student Of The Month

2008-04-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

Quakes Performance

2008-04-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night Abby performed at the Quakes Baseball Stadium. This was the second time she was able to perform. They sang the National Anthem while we all looked on. We had a great time watching and hanging with all of the Solorio families...I can't say I saw much of the game, but it was fun to gab!

Performing at Quakes Stadium

2008-04-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Abby and Choir Friends

2008-04-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

A Face Only A Mother Could Love...

2008-04-10T17:41:00.001-07:00

So last night Amber informs me she has a loose tooth. I feel it, it's loose, but not really...She proceeds to spend the next 15 minutes trying to wiggle that tooth looser...then Daddy enters the picture. Within seconds the tooth was out! She has been so proud of herself to FINALLY loose a tooth. This morning she promptly got up and went down stairs to share the news with Kitty the cat..thank goodness for Daddys.

It was AWESOME!

2008-04-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

OK, can you say AWESOME!! What an absolutely incredible show. We had so much fun. They sounded so good and oh my gosh, JON IS HOT! What a babe. Sorry the Pic isn't great. Hope you all enjoy the video. I snuck it with my camera. Oh, and Chris Daughtery opened...VERY GOOD. He came out later and performed Blaze of Glory with Jon Bon Jovi. Way cool....Wish you all could of enjoyed like I did...literally, I lost my voice!

BON JOVI!!!

2008-04-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

Three Days To Go!

2008-04-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, I promise...it's almost time for Bon Jovi to leave the blog! Three days to go, can't wait! But of course, wouldn't you know it, tickets were lost in the mail and we will have to pick up new tickets at will call....I'll do it though, anything to see my Johnny...What a Hottie!

Me and Dave

2008-04-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

Me and my Grizzly Adams! Dave was given a new assignment with the department and has been working on changing his looks. Lucky for me it's like having two men in my life! He is excited and looking forward to the change. He wanted to go a little scruffy...mission accomplished!

Meteor Crater in Arizona

2008-04-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

On the way to ABQ we stopped in Winslow, Arizona and saw the crater that was left after a meteor fell 50,000 years ago. The girls had fun seeing it. It was amazing how big the crater was! This was a place Dave's Grandmother took him many years ago. As he says..."once in a lifetime opportunity to see it," twice for him now!

Messing Around with Jeff and Charlotte

2008-04-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Of Course the girls couldn't resist trying on hats
in Santa Fe. Looks like Jeff and Charlotte had fun
trying on hats too!

The Albuquerque Zoo

2008-04-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

The zoo was a lot of fun.
They love seeing the animals.
Their favorites, the elephant,
polar bear and monkey..
Daddy's favorites?
His girls....

Albuquerque or BUST!

2008-04-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

Finally after a lot of talk, we made the journey to ABQ, New Mexico to see Jeff and Charlotte over Spring Break. I say "journey" because it truely was..after 11 hours in the car we finally arrived at their home. We had a fun time with them and they definately were great hosts! We traveled to the top of a mountain to stand in 37 degree weather, drove to Santa Fe to eat at the Cowgirl, saw the ABQ temple, played a little poker and roulette, and took our little animals to see other animals at the ABQ zoo! The girls love their Uncle Jeff and Aunt Charlotte, but I know after 4 days...they were ready to have their home back. All and all it was a great time, but I will leave that for you to discover for yourself! Jeff and Charlotte....move back here, we miss you!

Easter

2008-04-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

So this year Easter was actually VERY relaxing! We had planned on having company, but when that fell through we ended up celebrating just as a family. Of course if I had my choice, I would of rather been with all of my extended family, but in the end, it was a wonderful day. The day started with the girls waking up to their Easter baskets and more webkins! Then a nice breakfast and off to church. We came home to 83 degree weather and had a quick Easter egg hunt in the back yard...we had to hurry before those chocolates melted. Then on the dinner. Can you say leftovers? Yes I had enough funeral...oh, excuse me, "holiday potatoes" to last me a lifetime and of course I had chosen the BIGGEST ham possible from Costco..oh well. It was good..compliments of Chef Dave..Then on to a movie and a walk in the dark. Couldn't have asked for more...ok, I could of, but I didn't!

WorldVenture Friends

2008-04-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

WorldVentures National Convention

2008-04-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

WOW! I can't believe it has been almost two months since I have blogged! I am so sorry to those of you who are sick of seeing Jon Bonjovi! This last month has been crazy busy for us! Dave and I had the opportunity to attend WorldVentures National Convention in Las Vegas. It was AWESOME! There were almost 5,000 attendees. It was held at the RIO which is slightly off the strip. It was great! We had almost 50 people from our team attend. This company is really doing some great stuff in the short time it's been around! I truely hope we can get our financial freedom, our time back and make lots of memories traveling the world with our family! I hope you will all consider getting on board! Wouldn't it be fun to go places together? Ok, not ALL the time...here are a few of our friends! Happy traveling!

Bon Jovi or Bust!

2008-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

So after weeks of hinting and begging (literally) Dave agreed to purchase tickets for us to see Bon Jovi in concert! Yes, April 4th at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Unlike the Def Leppard, Styx, Foreigner concert, we are heading off by ourselves. I absolutely can't wait. Dave actually was going to surprise me for Christmas with tickets but him thinking we needed front row seats couldn't find anything for less than $600.00. Little did he know I would settle for $65.00 tickets. Anyways, can't wait to go, keep you all posted when it comes!

Science Fair Madness

2008-02-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so when your children are young you look forward to all the things they are going to be doing. I think secretly we can't wait till they take that first dance class, play on a sports team, have fun sleepovers with friends and of course go to school. We all think, FREEDOM right! Wrong...hate to break it to you rookies ( I mean that in the best way) it's not all that it is cracked up to be. When your child starts school, you get to start school too...Yes, I think by time I am done, I will have attended 52 years of school. Isn't that great! So, this week we are knee deep in our and yes I said "our", Science project. You know the kind that..are optional but if you don't do you will not get an "A". Ashlyn chose to compare different kinds of beverages to see what kinds are hardest on your teeth, using chalk as our teeth. It actually has been interesting...especially since it is the first time we have ever made coffee in our house! Oh the fun of a 5th grader!

Oh, It's Hannah Montana!

2008-02-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Ok, so after much whining and begging, I caved and bought tickets to the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 3D Concert. Most of you know Ashlyn had the chance to see the actual concert back in November. I have to say it was a lot of fun and even found myself wanting to stand up and dance...ok so I even sang a few of the songs. Yes, sadly enough I do know them. But my favorite part really was when the Jonas Brothers performed. They are cute! Where were all these boys when we were kids? Oh ya, we had Shawn Cassidy and John Taylor. Anways, it was a lot of fun and well worth the leg and arm I gave up to purchase the ticket! As for Dave? He passed on the fun.