Siblings

Love these two...No matter what...they will always have a special place in my heart.
We can't ever agree on whether or not a picture is good. Basically you have to like the way you look in order for it to be a good picture. Seriously one of us can be throwing up in the picture, but if one of us looks great...to that person...Fabulous picture.

I don't particularly like myself here so it must have been Brit or Bob who decided it was a keeper!

Miss you guys. I love you both.

Fresno State Football

Jackson got to go to his first Fresno State Football game this year. My company puts on a HUGE tailgate and we got free tickets from work. Jackson was so excited. I took him that day to the Bulldog Shop and he got some Bulldog gear. I got him a hat at my radio station office. He just couldn't wait.

We parked in the White lot right near our tailgate and met up with our friends at the ESPN Game Day tailgate. Jackson was too excited to eat...so he played football with the kids. He felt pretty special because my boss, Chris, saved us seats in the VIP section of the tailgate. We sat next to a guy who played baseball for Fresno State and had just been picked up by the New York Mets...Danny Muno. Jackson got his autograph on his hat.

We headed into the game just in time for kick off. Our friends, Drew and Tiff and their kids came and sat with us. Jackson had so much fun dancing and cheering with the kids. Oh my gosh. We were laughing so hard at all the dance moves these kids were doing.
Fresno State won! As crazy as that sounds (they didn't have a great season)...and Jackson was so happy. We went down near the locker room and waited for the players to come out after the game was over. Jackson got Pat Hill's autograph...We were sad to see him go! Jackson got Derek Carr's autograph and a lot of other players. All of the guys were so nice and thankful to Jackson for waiting.

Jackson had a blast...Seriously he almost cried leaving the game...He was so happy.

CHS Homecoming 2011

Last Friday was Clovis High School's homecoming game and the Speech and Debate team decorated Lou's car for the parade. Jackson was so excited to be a part of it. He walked with all the high school kids and just loved every minute of it.We were not too happy that their entry didn't win, but all the kids had a fun time working together. They did win the football game! Go Cougars!

Slobber Boobytraps

I have always had small dogs. And they just don't slobber the way a BIG dog slobbers. Let's just say...Boy does Waylon slobber. Anytime we are in the kitchen and there might be food involved...Waylon slobbers. Heck! It you open anything in plastic the dog slobbers. And his slobber forms the spit bubbles out of the corner of his mouth and most times there is a long string of spit hanging from his mouth.

Oh yeah...and when those strings of spit fall to the floor (our house is all tile) they create these slimy, slippery wet spots. This morning Jackson has actually named these...Slobber Boobytraps.
We love you Waylon...and your slobber makes you YOU!

Today...

Oh. What. A. Day. Truly a crazy day...and I am glad it's over. I felt the Lord in my life today. It felt nice to know He was listening to my prayers today. I know He listens everyday, but today I must have really needed that assurance...and I got it.

Thank you God for my sweet family who always lifts me up. Thank you for a peaceful home to come home to. Thank you for getting me all the way to almost Friday.

So looking forward to the weekend...

Waylon

On August 8th (my birthday) our new dog, Waylon came to live with us. Waylon is a 5 year old yellow lab that we adopted from the Labrador Retriever Rescue of Fresno. I had been looking at dogs for adoption for about a month when I saw Waylon on their website. I was lying in bed...I woke Lou up and showed him Waylon's profile. He was just too cute...I had to meet him.

Lou and I went the very next Sunday to meet Waylon. We were in love right away. He is so sweet and gentle. I didn't want to leave him. We found out about the adoption process and took an application. We went home and both of us kept thinking of Waylon.

We knew that the next dog we got was already promised to Jackson. We decided that if we wanted Waylon we needed to take Jackson to meet him. We took Jackson back to Petco that day to meet Waylon and they formed a cute relationship right away. As soon as Jackson got Waylon out of his kennel we laid down on the floor right next to Jackson.

We just couldn't leave without trying to get Waylon. We filled out the application right there in the store. They needed to check our references and do a home visit before we could have him. They also had another person looking at adopting Waylon. We went home and prayed that night that we would be able to bring Waylon home soon.

I prepared Jackson as best I could for the let down...just in case we didn't get him. Later that week we had our home visit and all seemed to go well. Jackson and Lou were cleaning the backyard and securing our fence to prepare for the home visit. The visit went great and that night they called to let us know that we GOT WAYLON! We were so excited.

Waylon came to live with us the following Monday. He adjusted to our family so quickly. We just love everything about him. He's so funny! So smart! So cute!
He loves to play ball. He forgets to let go of his ball sometimes, but that's okay!

He knows lots of neat tricks...he sits, stays, lays down and shakes hands/paws.
He knows that he can't sleep on my bed and he doesn't get on our furniture without an invite, but he already knows that he can get on Jackson's bed. This is where we find him a lot of the time. Most of the time he and Jackson can't sleep in his bed together because they crowed each other out. Waylon keeps it occupied when Jackson isn't home.
We love you Waylon. So glad you joined our family.

Pismo Trip - Summer 2011

We took a trip over to Pismo this summer. We had a certificate for a 2-night stay on Oceano, and we didn't want another summer to go by without a trip to the beach. The weather was perfect...chilly in the evening and pleasant during the day. Not hot, but not too cold.

Jackson couldn't really remember the last time he was at the beach so this was a really fun trip for him.

We walked on the pier...
Drove on the beach...This was a fun adventure for Lou and Jackson. Honestly, they would have probably liked to do more "off-roading."
We spent about half of one day down on the beach...playing in the sand and water. We took a picnic (reminded me of when I was a little kid) and spread out a blanket and just enjoyed the ocean.

Jackson did not want to stop playing in that freezing cold water. He loved it!

We hunted for shells and sand dollars.

I enjoyed laying in the sand. Just being lazy.
That's Jackson way out there.
It was a fun trip. We found this place called Doc Bernstein's Ice Cream Lab. They made all kinds of ice ream right there in the parlor. There was a line out the door the first night we went there, but the next night was not so bad. Yes...we had ice cream both nights we were in Pismo. It was THAT good.

All in all it was a great trip. Next time we want a few more days.

So grown up!

He is listening to his iPod. What? How did he get so big?

Sisters

This picture makes me laugh everytime I see it. My sister, Brittany, and I have laughed like this many times during our life. My favorite...when we're in the dressing room trying on clothes. One of us always ends up peeing. I always think to myself that any other women in there, must think we're crazy...and we usually are.

It's so fun...When Brit and I get together we always end up eating...We like to eat. We almost always go shopping...even if we have NO money to spend. And for some reason we always end up doing a lot of walking and a lot of...laughing.

Life has changed a lot for both of us...We spend less and less time together these days, but when the two of us hang out together...I can almost always get a good workout just from laughing.

Brit, I don't feel like I tell you enough...I love you. I can honestly say...I'd keep any secret, wake up at any hour just to talk, drive across the country to get you if you needed me to.

I have some good friends, who might seem like sisters at times, but YOU are my only sister...and I love you.

Fresno Grizzlies 2011

A few weeks ago we went to a Fresno Grizzlies game. We haven't been to one in a while so we were all excited to go. Since Jackson got so involved in baseball this year, he understood the sport better and really got into the game. He took his baseball glove in hopes of catching a foul ball. He didn't catch a foul ball, but a guy a couple rows ahead of us did...and he ended up tossing it back to Jackson.

Jackson was thrilled. So happy I thought he was going to cry. He asked to go to the gift shop to look around so we went down and I ended up letting him get the jersey. He wore it the rest of the night.

At the end of the game a few of the players were going down to the gate to give a short insirational story. Jackson and I headed there right away. I dug through my purse to find a pen and Jackson had his foul ball in hand. We wove our way through the crowd and stood right by the players. I told Jackson to "very nicely" ask for some autographs. He ended up with 3 autographs on his foul ball.

He was over the moon. What a night!

Water of Life

I just bought a water cooler for our family. It was kind of a big purchase, but I was so tired of buying bottled water by the case. I felt guilty about all those little bottles (even though we recycle), and it was starting to get pricey.

I finally broke down and bought a water cooler. I went to Home Depot and picked up 3 5 gallon jugs of water (Alhambra) and we started drinking.

We LOVE it! Lou mentioned last night that it is like having a cold drinking fountain right in our house. We have already gone through a 5 gallon jug. We fill up our cups at bedtime, we fill up our dog's bowls, we fill our to-go cups and away we go.

This morning on my way to work I was hit with this reality...On the other side of the world there are so many people in hospitals with illness from drinking unclean water. Mothers are faced with the decision daily of weather or not to let their children drink the unclean water.

They can buy wood to boil the water or they can buy food. A lot of the times they chose to risk it and buy food for their family instead of wood to make a fire to boil their water.

Compassion is a beautiful organization. And they have a way to help...

Water of Life

Provide Water of Life
Give a Child in Need One of The Greatest Gifts – SAFE WATER FOR LIFE!

Compassion's Water of Life, a safe water system goes to the heart of one of the greatest and most urgent needs in developing countries today – providing safe drinking water to children and their families.

Every day over 4,000 children are dying of water-related diseases such as cholera and typhoid that are easily preventable. Many more are suffering sickness, diarrhea and acute stomach pains – illnesses that stop children going to school and growing up into healthy adults.

When you give to Compassion's Water of Life, you are not only giving safe drinking water, you are protecting a child from life-threatening diseases and allowing that child to go to school, to dream and reach their full potential.

Your donation of $55 provides:

Compassion's Water of Life system – safe water for life (over 1 million gallons) for a child and their family in developing countries.

Education on improving hygiene and sanitation

Support for improving community water and sanitation sources where needed.
Each tax-deductible gift of $55 will provide a complete Water of Life system to a child and his or her family. Consider a gift of $55... $110... or even $165!

I don't normally post things like this on my blog, but this touched my heart. I jumped online and gave a donation this morning. You can give too...Here!

Jonah & Addy

Tonight we had my cousin Adam, and his wife (and my good friend) Ashley over for dinner with their sweet kids. Jonah is almost two and Addyson is two months old. We had a nice visit. Jackson is very good with Jonah. After dinner we played the Wii...and had a lot of laughs.

I have been playing with my camera again lately...Taking and editing pictures when I can. I still know nothing about any kind of photography techniques, but I got a couple of cute pictures of our little company tonight.

Sweet Baby Addy...

Cute Jonah....

We have a lot of fun with Jonah right now. He has the sweetest little personality.

Another Baseball Blog Post...

Baseball has been our life lately...at least it seems that way the last 5-6 Saturdays. Right after Jackson's Angel League he started playing in another league on the Dodgers. He knew a few of the boys on his team, but he also got to meet a lot of neat boys on this team. We're hoping some of them keep in touch even after the season is over.

Today was Jackson's last day (he will be out of town for the last game next week). All the boys crowded around for a team picture and to tell him goodbye.

Jackson, Brayden & Darrell.

Team huddle...Up to bat...Making his way to second base.

Going out to first base...Making an awesome catch...Today we were so proud of Jackson. He got a little discouraged when he struck out, but he hung in there and ended up hitting a HOME RUN!!!!! WooHoo!

Lou and I met some great parents on this team. We are both a little sad to see it end...It's hot though! We'll be back next Spring for some more baseball fun!

Up next...Soccer! Soccer blog post coming this fall.

Happy Birthday...VIP Style

This year I was a little late planning Jackson's birthday party. We tried to have it at Bounce U this year, but I couldn't get it all coordinated in time. About a week and a half before his birthday, I went home feeling sad about not being able to make all the Bounce U details work. I sat down with Jackson and said, "Buddy, I am sorry I didn't start planning sooner. How about if we just have some kids over at our house? We can bring out the speakers and the microphone and you can plug in your iPod?" I was really trying to make it sound "cool." Jackson's reply..."Can we have a VIP area?"

WHAT? How does he know about VIP areas? We've never been anywhere VIP.

And that's how we came up with the VIP Party.

We created a VIP Lounge in our front room. Jackson and Lou put together a playlist of Jackson's favorite songs. We set up the microphone and roped off the section...for VIP's ONLY. It looks like Simon got in without a VIP pass.

We set up a chocolate fountain with a large variety of items to dip (or not). Cheese puffs, marshmellows, graham crackers, chips, gummy worms, oreos, etc.

Everybody loved it...including Uncle Bobby...I asked the boys to dip the craziest thing in the chocolate...chocolate covered Ruffles...Yuck!All the boys wanted to sit by Jackson...

Our friend Tiff made the cake! We loved it.Uh-oh! Is Grandma Bevy in the VIP section without a pass?

I'm sneaking in to get a drink...Present time...

Jonah had a fun time playing with the big boys...

It's time to play the Wii...VIP Style.
We love you Jackson! Happy Birthday.