OH my goodnes....

Well, the sickness has FINALLY stopped in this house!! I got it after Kory, then the girls got it last weekend and Doug just finished up with it yesterday.. I hope and pray NONE of you get it.

The girls last day of school was May 22nd.. It's gonna be a LONG summer.. it's already in the high 90's and the kids are bickering back and fourth. While listen them yesterday AM I said I am NOT going to listen to this ALL summer long.. So I went online looking to see what I could get them involved in. Ahhh SWIMMING!! Yes, that's it!! I signed them up through our town program. Eight lessons for $22 dollars.. They started yesterday and LOVED it!! Their lesson is from Noon to 12:30 and the pool opened to the public at 1PM. So we decided to pack a lunch and hang at the pool yesterday.

The kids had a BLAST!!

The only downer for the day was that our sun lotion must have been in the heat to long because we all got burnt. :O( Me more than the kids because I kept lobbin on the lotion.. but forgot to get me.. So today we had to go to our lesson and leave afterwards. The kids were just as excited to go to the library as they were to be in the pool all day.. The library is doing a summer reading program which the kids thinks is great. They got their 1st prizes today.. Lame ones but they were happy none the less. Piper is such the book worm.. I'm so glad she enjoys it!!

WOW what a Mother's Day

I got woke up to not Happy Mother's Day but "Mom, I just got sick" from my poor 7yr. old.. Shortly followed by the 3yr old yackin.. :oO

My 16 r. old did make a BEAUTIFUL card for me and french toast for breakfast.
Doug went out and got me gifts from the kids.
But I was sad that they are sick!!

Tonya offered to stay home with the kids because they were to sick. So Doug & I went to church leaving the kids in Tonya's hands. Upon arriving to church Doug stated that he wasnt feeling good. :o( We got home from church and ALL (but Tonya) took a nap. I woke at 3PM. It was a much needed rest.. They were veggie's on the couch all day. Nice part about the day is it was very quiet.. No fighting, arguing or bickering. Hope you all had a wonderful mother's day! I know mine will be one not to forget..

Today Kory woke up a pistol wanting to eat. I was afraid for him to eat.. But feed him and then he asked for MORE!! and MORE!! He's been pestering his sister. Piper stayed home from school. She's been lying around on the couch all morning but looks like she is feeling better now. She's up and about playing with Kory and all that they have eaten is staying down.. Yippie!!

April Update

Sorry I've been bad about updating this but this has been a busy time for me, not to mention hard time.

We finished up soccer in April. I was sad to miss the last game but I had 4 customers at Celebrate Phoenix that I need to be there for.

The week after the last game we had a end of year soccer party at our home. Over 40 people. (10 girls on the team plus family & siblins) It was fun though. Our team mom took her photos and my photos plus some video and put it on a cd to music. It was AWESOME!!

Along with all this going on our HOA (Home Owners Association) Board asked if I would head up our Spring Shin-dig again. So I was in charge of putting it all together. It is fun to do!! I really enjoy doing it but it does take some time and with a BUSY 3 yr old.. It's double the work. We had the party in the park this past weekend, May 3rd. It was a beautiful night and all enjoyed.

Piper and Kory dancing with the neighborhood

Piper shooting everyone at watertag

April was a BUSY month for birthday's too.. From April 2nd to the 9th I had someone with a birthday each day.. A total of 20 birthday's of friends and family for the month of April.. :oO

I also have been very active in the church. Every Thursday Kory and I go to MOPS. (Mothers of Preschoolers) This past Thurs. I severed in the child ministery. Part of MOPS is that we all must serve once the calendar year. I was in a room of 18 children from 13 months to 23 months. I never had an empty hand or lap for 2 hours. It is SOO great to see the love another's child shows you.

Many of you know I'm very active in scrapbooking as well. I make it a point to set up 2 scrapbook nights a month for my Creative Memories customers and myself to get caught up on our albums.. hahahah will we ever be caught up??? I have also been going to local scrapbook stores with my soccer moms and the church's once a month crop. The church has two campuses. The scrap nights are always held at the campus we are not part of, 12 miles further than our campus. So I asked about if they will ever have any at our campus. Carrie said yes and asked if I'd be willing to help her with it. Of course I said yes I'd LOVE to HELP!!!! A couple days later she emailed me to tell me there was a meeting and if I was interested that I should come to get more info. I of course so wanting a local group, I went. At the meeting the lady stated she was so excited to see new faces and wanted to introduce them all. She introduced me as "Leader to the Gilbert Scrappin Sisters" :oO At first I was excited and taken back by heading up this but now I've accepted it and realized that God has a bigger plan for me than I know.

April 30th Doug's Dad and his wife Vicki came out to stay with us till May 5th.
What a BLESSING it was to have them with us!! They spent so much time with Kory that he was crying when they left. It was a break that I needed too..

Along with all this I have been struggling with MANY things from my past. My X's son called in April didn't help matter's. I can only hope it's for the right reasons, getting reconnected with his siblings but one never knows. I haven't shared these "troubles" with many but my dear closest friends. I'm so very grateful to my wonderful husband that has been VERY supportive and helping me through these times. I also want you to be aware that I am in contact with medical help to get through this. Just a couple sessions and we've seen a BIG improvement. God is there to guide us as well and all will turn out wonderful.

Prayers to my friends that are dealing with so very much more.. Tonia, Amy, & Stacy our prayers are with you!

So sorry!!

I REALLY need to get better about this but it has been a busy time for me.

Last week Friday the 11th, I had Bunco here at our house. Twelve of us gals get together monthly and play. It was my turn to host. We also wanted to have a baby shower for one of the gals that is expecting in May so we combined it with Bunco.

Saturday the 12th was the girls LAST soccer game of the season and I had to miss it.. DOUBLE SAD!!

I was at Celebrate Phoenix an ALL day scrapbooking event. I went as a Creative Memories consultant and had 4 customers there. WOW was it over wheming... All the NEAT designs displayed, networking and help my customers. It should be a two day event. :O)

Being over excited about going to this event as a consultant I wasn't able to get much sleep and didn't get to bed until after midnight when the Bunco gals left.



Tues. night Doug and I finally had a date night. We use to make it a point to have one every Tues. night but haven't lately. It was nice to just have some one on one time to talk without any interuptions. I've had alot on my mind lately.



Thurs. AM's Kory and I go to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) through church. It is great for him to have play time with others his age and me to get to have some adult time.



At our last HOA (Home Owners Association) meeting the board sprung on me the Spring "Shin-Dig" Men and their names... I am the communications director and it is my job to plan parties for the neighborhood. Each year we have a Fall and Spring festival.. The men of the board wanted a different name then festival so they came up with SHIN-DIG.. :oP This year they gave me 30 days to pull it all together. They have been himing and hawing on dates.. At the April's meeting (3-3) they said lets go with the 4th of May.. :oO DJ was already booked.. so I found another. One of our board members wanted to go with hot dogs.. Last event we went with Pizza.. it was a HIT!! Last Monday I got an email stating lets go with the pizza.. So I had to line that up, thankfully I know the guy and he's VERY accomidating. Went round and round with the Bouncy companies and FINALLY got all that locked in.. So it is all done and ready for May. Wheewww



Today we have the WHOLE soccer team coming over for an end of year party.. We have 10 girls on the team and their family is joining us. Tonya and I cleaned up the house and yard. We put the slide up last night and are HOPING that the sun comes out.. It's not looking so promissing. I just finished baking a cake and now off to the store.. I'll post some photo's tomorrow?? I hope!

Daddy's NEW Grill

After listening to MANY complaints about his "old" grill, Tonya and I convinced him to spend the money and get a real grill. What a pleasure it was last night to have him happily cook perfect pork lions. And MAN were they good!!

Update on family

Dr.s office called and said Doug's X-ray was clear for Valley Fever and Phenomena. Thank goodness... But his ear infection is really getting the best of him. It's making him lightheaded and nausa. Otherwise he's on the road to recovery with LOTS of rest (which is driving him nuts) and liquids. I went to the Dr. on Wed. and she put me on antibotics as well. I'm felling a lot better already.

Update on Doug

Friday when Doug came home from work he wasn't feeling to good. Went right to bed. He hasn't been the same since we got back from our trip. If you recall he was sick Monday the 25th while in FL. He was in bed all this past weekend. Needless to say we did not make our anniversary dinner and he never made it out of bed.

Today I got a call from him asking me to call the dr. WOOOOOOW he must really feel crappy. I called and got him in today. He calls me up said the dr. put him on antibotics for cough, ear infection and sinus infection. Plus he wants to send him for a chest Xray that he might have phenomena?? So we are awaiting on the chest Xray. Being I too can't shake my cough and sinus headaches, I'll be going to the drs tomorrow so I don't get phenomena.

Highlights from our trip to Florida

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/CandieX0/Disney%202008/?action=view&current=470f7f25.pbw

Update on James

I recieved a letter yesterday from him asking that I share with you his new graduation date of May 30th. Also his new address is

PVT Mariano, James
Bravo Company
2nd BN 81st AR REGT
5922 Wilson Rd.
Fort Knox, KY 40121

The letter from his commander ask that we send letters to our soliders but PLEASE do NOT send care packages.

Pictures through out this website

FYI ANY pictures in this blog.. Click on them any of them and you can view it larger.

March 7th - 9th 2008

Doug went to bed Friday night feeling ill. He was so ill that he stayed in bed all weekend. Missed the soccer game, church and Kory's first visit with the Easter Bunny. You know he's ill when he takes medicine. Hopefully he's on the mend.

Sunday I took the kids out with me while I did a couple errands and hope that would put some peace in quiet in the house for Doug. Not that the "noise" seemed to bother him. But the kids were getting restless "locked up" inside. So we went to Walmart to get Tonya her Blake Lewis CD, that was "payment" for all her help with the kids the last couple days. While there the "Easter Bunny" was there.. Kory SOOOO wanted to go see the Easter Bunny and tell him that he wanted a gun.. :oO They were taken photos of the kids.. Kory possed for the photo. He was in heaven and didn't want to leave.. Thankfully the Easter Bunny had to go for a potty break. They even gave the kids a sheet to color. Kory and I went back today (March 10th) to bring their pictures back and got this free 4X6 photo that they took of Kory yesterday.

March 8th 2008

The Pink Panters were on FIRE!!

I'm so proud of the girls!! The girls played so hard and ALL of them gave it their all!

They left NO mercy for the other team. Not even giving them one goal. Some of my newer adopted girls really came out shinning today.

Girls cheering and Piper wiggling her loose tooth

The best play of the game was made by ME at half time. The whole first part of the game Piper wasn't into the game because she was to busy wiggling her loose tooth. I knew if it stayed in I wouldn't have Piper as a player. So during half time I asked all the girls to come over into a huddle and told them what a great game they were playing.. The whole time while talking Piper's wiggling her tooth. So when I was done with my "prep-talk" I asked the girls if they saw Piper's wiggly tooth and when she opened her mouth

I snuck in for the tooth!

POP it fell right into her grape snack bag.. GOAL!! heheheheh

Piper's corner kick


Pipers Goal

March 6th 2008

Nine years ago on this day I married the most WONDERFUL man!!
I tell him all the time that he is my angel hand picked by God for me.
I love Doug more today than the day I met him 12 years ago on Good Friday!

He is so giving and forgiving. He lives for us foremost and the rest is all in a day.

Our anniversary was celebrated as every other crazy day in our life.. Just another day!

Kory and I decided we'd surprise Doug and go to his work and take him to lunch. Being we just got back from our vacation work has piled up and he had a meeting that he needed to attend so he wasn't able to go to lunch with us.. :o(

Thursday is soccer practice so after work and school we wisked off to practice. After soccer we hurried home to make our HOA meeting (Home Owners Association). This is always on the first Thurs. of the month and Doug is on the HOA board so he needed to attend. I to attened because this month we had issuses within the community that needed the Home owners support and I am on the communications committee. We glared a couple loving smiles across the room and I even flashed him a "I LOVE YOU!" note. :o) Upon getting home we got caught up on AI & Lost and then it was off to bed..

Doug and I will be taking some time this Sat. to have a "special" dinner together.

WOOHOO Tonya

My 16 year old daughter is going to E.V.I.T. (East Valley Institute of Technology) for Culinary. On Friday Feb. 29th Tonya was honored by her teacher for her hard work and was given a pin that most 2nd year students don't get. Were so PROUD of her!! She is so very helpful around the house and with her brother and sister. She's been cooking some AMAZING dishes.. Last night for our anniversary she cooked a yummy chicken over a salad bed. She's getting very good at plate presentation too.. Keep up the ROCKING good job Tonya!

Update on James

As some of you know I have an 18 year old son that enlisted in the Army.
On March 4th he phoned me to say he got into a fight with another solider. Thankfully he did not hit him but in his anger hit the wall and broke his hand. So Unfortunatly he will NOT be graduating in March. I will keep you posted on his new graduation date.

Replacing Trees 3-05-08

This past winter was very hard in AZ. We had a BAD frost and lost all 3 of our trees. We have been awaiting the warmer weather to replace them.

FINALLY it is HERE!!

On Wed. we had 4 trees delivered. YIPPIE!! It is so nice to finally see them there back in the back yard. You never realize how much they were missed until putting another in their place.

Kory got a big joy out of helping them plant the trees. The guys who planted the trees were WONDERFUL and very patient with Kory.

Here is some pictures of the day!
http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/CandieX0/New%20trees/?action=view&current=082f1b56.pbw

Feb. 21st - Feb 27th 2008 Our Trip to Florida

As many of you know our family just recently got back on a trip from Florida.
What an exciting week it was. I wish we had another week because we only touch the surface of things and it didn't help to slow down because the family was getting sick.

On Thurs. the 21st we left sunny, chilly (for us Arizonian's) Phoenix Arizona. Or so we thought we were going to be leaving. Upon arriving to the airport and checking all our bags in the lady at the counter asked for our ID's. Doug handed him hers, I looked at Tonya making sure she had hers.. As I dug through my fanny pack, mine was no where to be found? GASP??? How could I have packed for a family of 5 and forgot the most IMPORTANT item.. ACK!! I did, I forgot it.. What a joy that was going through airport security, being scanned with a full body machine and held a little extra time then we needed to be held. I felt so horrible to have to put my family through this. Thank goodness my husband goes by the book and we were there 2 hours before take off.. All cleared fine and bless my dear neighbor who UPS my ID to me in Florida, so we could get back with less trouble.

In the days followed, we manage to go to Magic Kingdom (AKA Walt Disney World) on Friday the 22nd., EPCOT on Sat., Animal Kingdom on Sunday and our whole party (18 of us) went on a airboat ride Monday and afterwards we took the kids to the beach.

My highlight at MK was when Kory & Piper were named honorary Prince & Princess for the day in Fantasyland.
The highlight for EPCOT would be the Character Breakfast & we saw A LOT of characters. The kids highlight at AK was getting a photo with Donald Duck.. 3rd park a charm.. they didn't see him anywhere else.



Monday the 25th was such a memorable day for me as it started out that we were just going to hang out and maybe go shopping. Then my sister called up and stated they were going to go on an airboat ride. This is something my family most likely wouldn't have tried.

Thanks Heather & Greg for that experience.

Not only was the ride fun and neat.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/CandieX0/Disney%202008/MomsFeb252008074.jpg
While sitting on the dock awaiting our boat ride there was a guy on the dock with a LIVE alligator. He let all that wanted to hold him hold it. WOW!! I had NEVER been so close to a real one before. Now I can pet it and hold it. All my kids got to hold him.
After the ride the group split up and my family wanted to go to the beach. We were planning on stopping at the beach on our way up to Palm Coast on Tues. but weather forecast was for nasty rainy weather. So we took the opportunity to go on Monday. Piper had been on the beach when she was 2 but of course didn't remeber and Kory never had been on the beach. So this was a special treat to them. We weren't even on the beach 11 mins. and they were SOAK head to toe but having a BLAST!! I captured a precious photo of Kory that shows the fun and joy in his expression.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/CandieX0/Disney%202008/MomsFeb252008158.jpg
The 25th was Grandmother's 80th birthday. That evening Doug was hit with a nasty cold/virus, Kory got it Wed. follwed by Piper, myself and my extended family that was on the 80th birthday party/renioun for my Grandmother. Bless my wonderful husband for being a trooper and staying through dinner for me & my family. I made a Creative Memories storybook as my gift to my grandmother and it highlight on many of her 80 years and fond memories I had of her. It brought tears to her eyes.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/CandieX0/Disney%202008/MomsFeb252008211.jpg
I was so glad she enjoyed it!

On Tuesday went up the coast to my Grandmother's home in Palm Coast. We have a lovely ride up, drove past Daytona.. That killed Doug.. hehehehe Upon arriving to my grandmother's the weather was nice. We got a tour of their Beautiful home. Afterwards the gals went to the sub shop to get sandwiches for everyone. We proceeded back to the house were we sat on the back porch and had a perfect lunch with my Grandmother, grandfather, Aunt & Uncle. Thank you Romy and Den for lunch. We got entertained by the "PIPER SHOW" and sat back and got caught up. It was a WONDERFUL afternoon. Soon the storm started to roll in.. Aunt Romey and the kids went inside and played some cards while the men told war stories and I got some one on one time with my dear Grandmother. Around 5PM we decided that we better get back and start packing and that with this storm it would take us a but to get back.. The storm was HORRIBLE... I tought AZ monsoons were bad.. Luckly we made it back safe to the hotel.

The following day Wed. it was time for us to head home. We packed up and left the hotel at 6AM to make our 9:30 flight. The trip back to the rental car place was easy and painless and they shuttles us to the airport. Where a skycap was there awaiting to take our bags.. checkin in minutes WOW!! Off to the security check.. A walk in the park compared to our departure from Phoenix.. :o) Caught a nap and a couple bits to eat and we were off on our way back to Phoenix. Kory sleep the WHOLE trip back.. wow!! It was a very painless trip back.

Can you believe that we took over 1,500 pictures.. Between Tonya, Piper and myself.. WOW!! and that doesn't include the photographers 200+ on photo pass. I'll have a LOT of scrapboking to keep me busy.. When I get some time I'll make up a slide show. Now back to the relality of life!

THANK YOU to my Grandmother & Grandfather for making this ALL possible!! We love you so very much!! Sorry we love you so much that we shared that nasty bug with everyone.

Starting a Blog!!

Thanks to my fellow SS friends for inspiring me to create a blog!



Though out the days, months, and years, we all have SO much to share with others but quiet frankly there's not enough hours in a day to shout it out to you. What better way to touch everyone when it's convient to them, then through a blog!