More Summer fun.

Little E has really taken to country life...Can you tell?

This little cowboy loves him some cowboy hats, but here he decided mom's flip flops were more appropriate to the scorching weather.



We attended Sunday Services in San Juan.
The boys had never attended a Catholic service before.
Being raised Catholic I was happy to take them. They actually liked it and Z & E even tried jamming out to the Mariachi music.




The boys checking out dad's 18-wheeler ahem or how they like to put it.....
"Grandpa's Transformer", Z even wanted to know if he could watch it transform....pretty cute.





Posing with Grandpa Tony.

Of course summer isn't summer without daily water splashings.

They kids had so much fun, we switched on the sprinklers for them.

Here they all are playing water Ring around the roses.

I love this picture!

Monkey Milk! I made the kids a refreshing drink of milk, bananas, vanilla and ice.

A simple banana milk became Monkey milk..needless to say Little E loved this!

Zenny wouldn't have it so I made him some chocolate milk and told him it was Piggy Milk, because it was brown like mud...he bought it.

They swallowed down their drinks with a cookie or two...or three.

Franky had the cutest mustache with the cutest smile to match.

After the water fun they ended it with Tetherball...I think thats how you spell it.

My sister Lori and I used to have one as kids. We used to get ready for school and play early before the bus came for us(yeah getting sweaty and dirty before school made mom REAL happy)...we played to the very last minute....we almost missed the bus a couple of times, but we couldn't stop until someone won.

I'm glad the boys can enjoy their summer, they're having a blast but I miss Pop's and quite frankly I am exhausted!

Summer fun.

Just a few pictures so the Pops can see what his boys are up to.
Little E really misses his Daddy.

Mom doing what she does best...baking.
Gathered all the boys up and they made lollipop cookies.








When the day permitted they headed out to get wet with the garden hose.
Zenny and Little E loved splashing puddles.




Waiting around for grandma, we were all going for a nice evening walk.




Before our walk they decided to act like monkeys on the fence in the front yard.




Look at that open road...sad the loose dust got to be too much for us all.
So we retreated to the park where the kids enjoyed a nature trail walk and looked at some wetlands.




Boys being boys at the park.



More summer pictures to come!

Greetings from La Blanca, Texas.

Our arrival to mom's has been a whirl wind of things to do.
The boys really enjoy getting sweaty and dirty outdoors.
Yesterday Ethan found a cool white toad. We put him in a jar and just really checked him out.
We let him go later, so he could go live a good ol' country life.

Little E really dug his little froggy find.



My sweet nephew Franky, he and the boys have a sweet little bond.



Z checking out "Friggers", yes that's what little E named him.



When the day became way too hot we hit the town. What better way to entertain 5 kids but with a trip to dollar tree.
That's a place a parent can splurge, these little pirates were way cute.




This afternoon the heat was beyond bareable here is South Texas.
What better way to beat the heat but with a good ol' water gun fight.
I don't approve of gun play but great googly moogly its hot, I had to make this an exception!

No one was safe with Outlaw E around...this boy was ruthless.



My nephew Freddy and Little E refueling with ammunition.




Even mom got into the action, she took one too many hits and it was time for some retaliation.
Kids were tickled to see grandma join in the fun.



Z did a sneak attack on his aunt Rita. She squealed with laughter when she felt the cold stream of water that it really tickled Zenny. She soon became his favorite target.




More water fun.

All in all the boys are having a blast.

They do miss home and E asks for his pops daily.

And Mamaw see how much fun the boys are having? They send you a big "Thank You"...your the best!

Holding Hands

Yesterday Nick and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary.
8 years already...so hard to believe.
But our time goes back to 1997 when we first met. He was my roommates cousin, and I thought he was sweet.
Time went on and we became friends, running partners then best of friends.
I'm glad we were friends first you learn so much honest truth about one another.
We finally started dating then became engaged.
2 years had gone by and we married on June 9, 2001.
I was 30 minutes late to my wedding, I was at my sister's house puking up a storm...I was so nervous.
Nick was waiting at the alter chewing his nails then a relative commented "runaway bride", he was then scolded by his mother..aye yay yay.
I arrived, Mario married us and put our hands together and told us we were now husband and wife.
To this day we haven't let go of one anothers hands.
Mushy as it may sound but its true.
I don't consider myself a romantic or anywhere near mushy but a fact is a fact.
We've seen heartache, sick babies, test and diagnosis after diagnosis trying to tell us why our son wasn't talking, melanoma scares, job loss, rock bottom.
But the whole time we never let one anothers hands go.
We just held on tighter.
Nick came home early the day before our anniversary, he had with him a little red box.
Now most girls get all giddy with a little box from Tiffany's, I get giddy with a little box from James Avery.
He bought me a beautiful anklet that matches my necklace he bought me for my first birthday celebrated together as a couple.
I love it.
We then ate dinner at a little Italian restaurant as a family, perfection.
Nick and I sat side by side and on the other side the boys whined and drove us insane. But I wouldn't of wanted it any other way.
To many more years, and through rough times to good times I will always be holding his hand.

Nick and I when we were just pals, we were out at a bar or club can't remember which.



Right after we married.



Our first dance.




Oh then came this little penguin 2 years later.




Then exactly a year after the first meatloaf came the second meatloaf.




We're done with Meatloafs and I am so grateful for what God has blessed us with.
A faith filled marriage, beautiful healthy children and one another.
Who could ask for more?

Camping Trip

Long time no write but with end of the school year activities keeping me busy, the computer is one of the last things I've really had a chance to get on.
Z was promoted to first grade, Pops and I couldn't be happier.
I will be working with him this summer to help him with his reading and sight words. And I will be working with Little E, he can already write his first name so I am going to see if I can have him writing his first and last name before school starts.
Wish me luck!
For the now we just arrived from a camping trip.
The boys loved it and the word "camping" is a house hold word for now.
They enjoyed the sandy beach (lake) the best I think.

Here little Aiden must of REALLY loved these crackers looks like he just can't get enough.




Building in the sand, these little ones just really enjoyed their sand time. So much so us parents sat back on straw mats and enjoyed some lovely conversation.

Dave in the lake with the munchkins.

I didn't get in the water the men did most of the water time with the kids.

To me it was rather surreal.

Looking at Nick and Dave in the water.

They grew up so close and now there they were, Dads.

Both fathers to two sons, how ironic is that?

In the evening we made smore's.

John and I tried to perfect the science of smore making, I think we just may have it down.

In the meantime the kids wore their glow in the dark bunny ears.

(Riley, Ethan and Zenon)

All in all the trip was quite a success. With the exception that Tonya and the girls left early due to the fact that Presley got sick.

I just had a feeling someone was going to get sick on this trip. But I seriously thought it was going to be Little E since he's had a cough.

Maybe on our next trip no on will get sick...here's to hoping.

Where does time go?

I was putting together a photo CD for Zenon's teacher. I have tons of pictures of the whole class that I've taken throughout the year and while digging for them I fell upon some of our old family pics.
Thats when it hit me.
Where does time go?
I can hardly believe how much my boys have grown.
How little they were when we bought this house just three years ago.
Here are some of my favorites...classics really.

While packing for our big move, the boys grew increasingly quiet. Which any mom knows can only mean trouble.
Well it did.
The boys got into their diaper ointment and decided to give each other a new do.
Look how smug Zenon looks...stinker.



After several washes their hair was still super greasy.
Thank goodness for mom who so plainly put it... "Look for a remedy on-line."
Voila...cornstarch.
Worked like a charm but they looked like Einstein in the process.

Oh Z, you don't look too smug now...hee hee.






Smiling? Is this stinker smiling? Oh they still had their baby faces!





Then I came upon these.
Our boy's first time in their own backyard.
This here is why Nick and I saved and saved and saved.
Our kids deserved this..... a big yard to run around in.




Getting into the cats water bowl.

Giving Kiley some love.

I wish I could slow time down sometimes.

I really want to know where it goes and why does it insist on going by so fast.