Sweet Sixteens!

Liz & Steph

Steph

Liz

We are officially parents of two 16 year olds! Steph and Liz turned the big 1-6 today and we are filled with mixed emotions. Yes..yes....we want them to be able to drive, date and all the rest of that teenage stuff...but it is also sad as parents when your kids grow up...especially the oldest ones. Soon they will be dating, then graduating, leaving for college and then getting married. Time does fly...especially when it comes to your kids.

When Leo and I first met, Steph and Liz were only 3 years old. They were so little, sweet, cute and had the highest pitched screams and giggles. I fell in love with them instantly...even before I fell in love with their Dad. They have always been accepting of me as their Mom and I am so thankful to them for that. They are wonderful girls and have so many great qualities, I could seriously go on and on and on...

And to speak for Leo...his Twins are his life. He loves those 2 girls more than anything...he always has. So, it is only fitting that Daddy would want to spoil his Twinners on their 16th birthday with the only thing 16 year olds have on their minds.....

a Twinmobile

Leo and I had discussed over the last few months about the twinmobile situation. He is ready for a newer car...so we decided that the Twins would inherit his once they got their license. We also agreed to pay for their insurance as long as they keep their GPA at a 3.6 or higher...if not, they will have to pay it.

Well, they can't get their license until December because they just finished Driver's Ed and you now have to have your Learners Permit for 6 months before you get your license. But, Leo still wanted to deck the car out with bows and make sure it was sparkly clean. I thought it was kind of funny...he spent 2 hours cleaning it out, even shining the tires to surprise the Twins...even though he will still be driving the car until December. But, he wanted to do that for his girls. It was pretty cute!

After we suprised them with the car (their two BFF's were with them)...they asked to drive Kayla and Eliza home which is literally 3 houses down the street. They all jumped in the car and Leo and I stood at the end of the driveway watching. We could hear their giggles and excitement. Once they got to their friend's houses, Leo called them on their cell phone and asked them if they got there okay. Obviously, we were watching the whole time...it was just to tease them.

Happy Birthday Steph and Liz...we love you so much!

Now onto Dating.....

Lake Powell 09'

So in January we (adults) started up a neighborhood Phat Club. This was a weekly exercise competition which lasted until June 1st. We decided that after the 6 month long challenge, Lake Powell would be the reward.

Last week we headed on down to Lake Powell. The kids were VERY excited as were the adults. I was a little bit nervous...camping isn't really my thing, and this was camping on the beach itself. Luckily, we had the good old tent trailer we bought from Barb. Once we arrived I was happy to see that there were indeed bathrooms on the beach!

Lake Powell

We had 2 boats, 4 wave runners and tons of toys for the kids to play on and with. We spent most of our days on the boats and toys, hauling the kids on the tubes. The highlight of the trip was the cliff diving. We set out to find the perfect cliffs (which were probably only 20 feet high...but they were still cliffs) and all the kids and some adults got out and jumped and jumped and jumped. On our way home from cliff diving we got lost...so we didn't get back to camp until it was almost dark. We love adventures!

"Cliff Diving"

Some of the things the kids enjoyed most were:

*Tubing on the Taco

*Feeding the Carp's licorice at the gas station

*Talking and telling stories in the tent until late at night

*Making Smores..not eating them but feeding them to Mom and Dad

*Singing Kareoke

*Playing "I've Never.."

*Cliff Diving

*Building endless sandcastles

*AND last but not least, and very, very gross..(but I was told that everyone at Lake Powell does this)... they loved to pee in the water while they were out swimming...all of them.

On our last night there I started to feel kind of sick...I had had way too much sun the day before. When I woke up, my lip was so swollen I could barely swallow. We decided to leave a few hours early and head home so I could start on some medication. After we packed up in record time, we started on the main road, not even 2 minutes into the drive we realized our trailer tire was flat. No Gonzalez trip is ever complete without a blown out tire or two.

So, we pulled over, Leo changed the tire, put on the spare....and you guessed it..the spare had a hole in it too. Did Barb sell us a lemon or what?

So, we drove to Page, AZ picked up 2 new trailer tires, hung out in town until they were ready and then went back to change the tires. Our 7 hour ride home turned into an 11 hour ride home..but we had a blast. The kids even got into a bologna war with Leo while he was driving.

The next time we go back to Lake Powell, I think we will be staying at a hotel...do they even have any?

6th Grade Dance

Michael and Haili

Last week Michael and Haili had their 6th Grade Dance. I thought it was SoOoooO funny because Michael had been prepping for this for the last 3 weeks. This was not your typical 6th grade dance...they had to dance the Waltz, Cha-Cha, Country Swing among other things their teachers taught them.

So, Michael was way excited to dance with some of the girls he liked...Shatara, Danielle, Emma...etc. He kept talking about what he should wear...and really wanted to wear a black button up shirt. Well, I totally spaced it off and on Thursday night he reminded me the dance was the next morning. So, he went through Leo's closet and found him a black button up shirt...a few sizes to big. I told him it was too big, but he insisted.

So, the next morning came. Haili was excited, but not to the degree Michael was. I helped Haili straighten her hair and accesorize her earings and stuff. Michael got all ready...and of course, no outfit is complete without at least a few sprays of Axe Cologne. My house smells like this each morning...normally it is only 2 sprays...but the 6th grade dance is a big deal, so he felt 4 sprays was necessary.

Haili & Emma

BFF's

Emma, Aubrey & Haili

They came home and said they had a great time.

BTW..Michael is 5'8" already...people always ask where he gets his height. Isn't it obvious, me!

Ktichen Update...finally done!

Back in December we started updating our kitchen. First we took down the hideous light box and put can lights. Then we replaced the white countertops, and FINALLY...FINALLY after 2 1/2 months of staining cabinets...it is finished!

Can I mention that the cabinets wouldn't have taken me SoOOOoooOO long if I would've gone with my gut instinct about the finish. I didn't want a shiny finish and the least amount of sheen I could use was Satin.....(the Matte was oil-based). So, I finished the cabinets and HATED the shininess. Leo told me to just leave it, he thought it looked fine. But after spending that much time on a project, I wanted to make sure it was exactly how I had imagined it. So, I sanded the cabinets all down a couple of weeks ago and spent the whole day painting them again! I am now satisfied.

Before

After

Before

After


So I put all our appliances on KSL classifieds and they sold the next day. I wasn't prepared to go a whole month without a stove, dishwasher and microwave. The kids hated me for doing that...they had to handwash dishes for a whole month. Here is Leo holding up the old microwave...we couldn't figure out how to get it out. So, we took turns holding it on our back for 30 minutes until our friend came over to help.

My only bit of advice for redoing cabinets...use the Gel Stain

Meet Daisy Gonzo...and maybe Buzz

Daisy Gonzalez

So...we did it again, we bred Lulu for the 4th and LAST time! The 3rd time was supposed to be the last...but our little puppy Rosie was hit by a car and passed away when she was 12 weeks old. On April 18th, we welcomed 8 puppies to our family. 5 girls and 3 boys. Mason named them all after Princesses, even the boys. Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Aurora, Fiona, Jasmine, Ariel & Melodi. WE, the kids and I, named the girls after flowers and Brandon named the boys. We have: Daisy, Daffodill, Lilac, Tulip, Chrysanthemym, Yo-yo, Jo-jo & Buzz.

Daffodill, Daisy, Buzz & Tulip

Mason & Tulip

Beezer & Tulip

They have been so much fun, as usual. The neighborhood kids all come over before and after school and play with them and they have named the puppies other names as well...so basically we are going to have 8 puppies that are going to be confused as heck about their identities.

We have sold 4 of them and have 3 left to sale since we are keeping Daisy. Brandon has really gotten close to Buzz, and wants to keep him as well. I am a dog person, but 3 dogs is a little much for me...even though we have a big backyard, we like to keep Lulu inside with us. I am trying to come up with some long, drawn out story about a sick little boy who really wants Buzz for him....crossing my fingers that that will work so Brandon will give him up.

Buzz and Beezer

Until then, if you know of anyone interested in some really cute puppies, tell them I will give them the deal of the century!

Pirates Cove

Whew...it has been a long Summer already and it is only June 7th! We had an awesome mini vacation to St. George and on to Pirate's Cove which was a ton of fun for us....but a lot of work for Leo. He was able to score us the trip to Pirate's Cove through work, and we had a blast!

Leo was in meetings the whole time and we couldn't check in until Thursday, so I checked the kids out of school on Tuesday and drove down to St. George MYSELF, stayed at Sandra's condo and then drove on to the Cove (Lake Mead) on Thursday.

Lovely pic of the Twins

Mason, just happy to be there with his 2 ponies

B with squishy ears


Haili Boo

The crazy house we pass each time in St. George

As soon as we reached Pirate's Cove, we all couldn't
believe this place. It was UNBELIEVABLE...we were there for 4 nights and I swear I still didn't know my way around this resort! A man actually built this place for his family and then kept adding onto it...it now has 26 Casitas...3 large pools, 2 waterslides. and millions and millions of pirate memrobilla.

Overlook of a section of the resort

The kids were in the pools the whole time. They walked the planks, jumped off the ships and ate endless self-serve slurpees and ice cream.
Steph pushing B off the plank
Michael on the rope

Macey & Dad ...check out those guns!

Michael swinging B
The casita we stayed in had 3 levels. The first level was the condo itself...the main floor and then a loft. The 2nd and 3rd levels were outside and you had to get to it by a spiral staircase outside...go up one level and this brought you to the outdoor game floor. There was a pool table, foosball, ping pong and all kinds of stuff along with your own personal water mists that went off all around you. The 3rd level was again on another spiral staircase that led to the top outdoor floor which had a HUGE teeter-toter along with lounge chairs. I didn't venture up that high....although the kids stayed up until 4 in the morning playing up a storm.

Our Casita

We were very fortunate to have our BFF's down there as well....we just love those Summerhays' so much! On our last night there, the 4 of us went into Vegas and Jaime and I went to see The Flight of the Conchords...very funny stuff! Leo and Danny went to eat sushi and waited until we were done.

BFF's

I was very happy to have Leo with us on the drive home...7 hours is a long time to drive on your own, especially with 2 little stinkers like Brandon and Mason.

Brandon Babbles.....

DISCLAIMER: My 5 year old has a sassy, not-so-well- mannered mouth lately.

I decided I better start writing some of the funnIER things Brandon (Beezer) has been saying lately before it all becomes a blur.

On the way to Preschool
B: Mom, will you put my jacket on and zip it up?
A: No, it's warm, you don't need your jacket on.
B: Mom, I told you to zip up my jacket!
A: Why? It's hot!
B: Because...I don't want anyone to see me in my garments!

After my visit to Chicago without Brandon
B: Mom, how many sleepies until Holland and Ethan come to our house?
A: (I show him with my fingers and hands and then Haili makes a chain calendar with 30 paper chains and hangs it all over his room)
B: Okay, then how many sleepies until I leave on my mission? Will you make a chain calendar in my room for that?

In the car, getting an icecream cone
B: Mom, if boys have a penis, what do girls have?
A: They are called vaginas.
B: Oh...kind of like the place called China?
A: Exactly
B: Mom, when can I go to China?

After school
B: Mom! Look, I have a pimple!
A: Oh, that is such a cute pimple Beezer! Do you want me to take a picture of it?
B talking to Michael: Michael, why don't you pop your pimples and put the stuff on my face so I can have more. You already have enough!

In the car
B: Mom, do you know who the President of the United States is?
A: Yes, do you?
B: It's Barrako Hinckley...we have a picture of him at school

Leo & I watching our favorite show...listening to Mason scream his head off in bed
B: Goodnight Mom and Dad. I am going to bed so Mason will stop crying.

Us looking in on Mason's room and discovering that Brandon had ended up cuddling his little brother so he wouldn't cry. A very RARE moment between these 2 little stinkers...but so worth it!

Something to think about on those TOUGH days...

I heard this quote at Church today and thought I would post it:

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." —

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Buenos Dias Bogota

Where has Leo been these days you ask? Well, let me tell you....he has been basking in the Bogota beauty while I am at home raising 2 little hellians (Brandon and Mason).

About a year ago...Leo and I had a deep conversation about me quitting my job at JB to stay home (I already work from home, so not a huge difference) without having to worry about getting my JB stuff done on top of all the rest of the chores I have in my glorious life. I was soOoooO close to quitting, like seriously putting my 2 weeks notice in the next week when what appears in my email inbox: "JetBlue beginning service to Bogota, Colombia."

That exact second this message appeared, I knew that my exsistance at JetBlue would be permanent for the REST of my life because Leo is from COLOMBIA. And what are the odds that JB would have started service to South America to begin with? And to be even more far-fetched, who would've thought they would've started in Colombia? Hello...drug capital of the world! But, being the good wifey I am, I forwarded Leo the email and of course, he was exstatic. He has lived in Utah for almost 20 years and has only been back to visit once, about 7 years ago because I surprised him, and we flew there and spent 1 lovely month in mostly paradise...aside from the hijacking at the airport when we first landed.

Anyway, Colombia is a beautiful country, the people, the city, the Andes Mountains and all the lush, green cocoa plants....and Cartagena, where Romance and the Stone was filmed, one of my favorite movies of all time. And yes, Leo and I visited there and reinacted the dancing scene in the moonlight like Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner did (Leo even wore a white linen shirt for me that night, it has got to be the most romantic night of my life to date). But more than anything, my Bunny was really, really happy to be able to go back and visit, and visit for free.

Our life, like many lives these days has taken a little turn and we have had to be a little creative with our finances since Leo owns his own business...and thanks to our BFF's a new business venture presented itself. Leo had the brilliant idea of taking this business to Colombia, which means he is gone 2 weeks out of the month to his beautiful birthplace and I get to break up fist fights, screaming matches and headbutting contests. All in the name of love and support for my Bunny. I hope he appreciates it....after all, his famous sentence these days are, "In a year from now Amber....". I hope he is right, that in a year from now all he hopes for will have happened. And most of all I hope he will be able to co-ref the fighting matches with me and be home for good.

To that beautiful city, I am not liking you much right now....although I do plan to visit you come April, so take care of my Bunny for me until then.

Adios!

And thank goodnes for Skype

Favorite Things about Mason

Mason - January 2009

My Baby Boy is officially 3...about 1 month ago. These days I am a little slow in getting around to doing much of anything. But, better late than never.

I decided I am going to post my Favorite things about Mason at this age:

• I love how he asks for a kiss and hug before every nap and bedtime
• I love how he carries his darn "pack-pack" around with every animal he owns inside
• I love how he loves me and misses me when I am gone
• I love how he asks to cuddle, but he likes me to pretend he is Lulu (our dog) when we do
• I love how he likes to sing Disney songs with me to You Tube...mostly Princess songs
• I love how he loves his brothers and sisters, but mainly how much he loves Haili
• I love how he tries to get himself ready each day, with different shoes
• I love how he tells Brandon to stop whining and crying
• I love how cute his "funny" laugh is, and how he pushes it out all the time
• I love how he makes all kinds of animal noises 24/7
• I love how he cleans his room and listens...he is the best cleaner out of all 6 of the kids
• I love how he says "Love you Mama"
• I love how he thinks he such a big boy, yet still thinks he is a baby
• I think it is kind of funny how he doesn't like to go to church, and says after 5 minutes that he wants to go home
• I love how he lays on my bed on his tummy with his hands on his chin and just sits there by me and stares
• I love how he still has blankies: Zebra blankie, Truck blankie, Horsie blankie, Giraffe blankie.."blanks"
• I love how he gives nosie kisses using different animals: zebra, elephant, horsie
• I love his big lippies
• I love how he loves to read books
• I love how I am the only one who can understand most of his words
• I love how he says "itta bit" for a little bit or "hoe it" for hold it
• I hate how he is still in diapers

Blowing out the candles took forever, they finally went out as he inhaled for another breath

His Birthday Dinner: Mickey Mouse Pancakes

Getting ready for the day (January)

Sleeping with his Pack-Pack

Hugging his Best Friend

We love our little Mason! I can't imagine my life without him. Sometimes he is the one thing that keeps me going after a really hard day. Just to see his cute smile and how much he loves me, it really makes this Motherhood thing worth it!