Taylor and Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift LIVE!

Jake in Pa Pa's office

Caden and Pa Pa

Mommy and Tate ready to leave the boys and head on out to the rodeo!

Daddy and his cowgirl

For Valentine's Day we gave Tate tickets. Her Uncle Jason went to great links for me to get these. So, Taylor, me, Aunt Cynthia and Brookie headed to conquer the largest rodeo crowd! We rode the bus there, ate yummy nachos that gave me major indigestion but the jalapenos were so worth it, we hit the carnival fast enough to spend $10 on rides that had waits a mile long so we skipped that and each of them one an animal at a game and were happy with that. We then ate some yummy funnel cake and headed in to buy t-shirts and find our seats.

Brookie and Tate eating dinner

Tate and her carnival win

I was very excited because two of my old kiddos were going to the show and we had scheduled to find each other. It was great to see them. They looked exactly the same just a little older. We then had cotton candy and sat back to enjoy the rodeo. It cracked me up how much Taylor loved everything...the bronc busting/bull riding..everything she just loved it. Brookie on the other hand..not so much! She will def be our animal activist some day. She was so upset that the animals would be hurt! Cyn and I just laughed probably not the most ssympathetic tactic but she was just so darn cute about it!

Amazing seats!! So close!

Aunt Cyn and Brookie

Me, Tate and Amy and Melissa

Tate with Amy and Melissa

Our unhappy activist

Brooke deciding to enjoy the rodeo now

The other fun part for me was this girl who decided it would be OK to sit on her sisters lap the entire time. Why the mother thought this was a good idea is beyond me she was practically in my seat with me! RUDE!!!! Other than that we had a blast! Taylor swift was awesome and was so shocked at the big crowd. Taylor crashed in the car after the bus ride! She was worn out but we had such a good time!

Girl who shared my seat

I think this was the funniest and most bizarre part for me...Mutton Bustin! Yes, this is a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds vested and helmeted hanging on for dear life on the back of a sheep that darts out of a shoot. Taylor wanted to do this of course!

Jake At School

Taylor had a 1/2 day and got to go to the parade with me!

Homemade Shark

Getting ready for music time

At the new Jake's sight with Pa Pa

OK~ Once again I stink at keeping up with the blog so here we go again! Jake had a show and tell in music class for Rodeo Week and I got to go see him sing and dance. Well, he smiled at me, mouthed a few words but jammed out just fine! He HATES singing! But, he still had fun.

A few weeks later that had ocean week and did an ocean parade. You will see my son made his fish all on his own..except I cut it out! You should have seen some of these darn ocean creatures I swear they came straight out of Good House Keeping Ocean Art 101! There was even one that was as big as the child NO JOKE! I was so proud to say my son made it all his own! He also had on snorkel gear they made in class SO CUTE!

The last picture is at the new site for the New Jake's. Michael's family business is building a new facility 10 MINUTES FROM OUR HOUSE!!!!!! I am not excited at all! This is beyond exciting for my little worker-man Jake. Daddy even went and bought him his own work boots so they can go to the sight weekly and check things out. They are digging a huge whole for a retention pond and that is Jake's fave stomping grounds. He never comes home without mud caked on every surface of his little body. It is an exciting time. He is also determined to help pa pa pay for this new building and saves every dollar he gets just for that! My sweet boy!

The one video is of him getting down!

Taylor Turns "7"

Jake and Flutter

Brookie and Tate BFF's

Tate and Gator

OK~ So this is REALLY late! Her b-day was actually 2/22 and so much has been going on I am so behind on pictures and blogging..Darn Facebook! So, to celebrate her big birthday she had her first slumber party! She invited 4 friends and she had so much fun. They ate pizza, danced to HSM3 music and then did a fashion show in their PJ's. They then opened presents, had cake and headed upstairs to watch one of the 3 HSM3 movies she got:) Guess what she told everyone to get her!

Fashion Pose

The Girls

The Cake

Pillow Fight

They then were in bed by 10PM and asleep (except for Brookie my night owl and I made her fake sleep for the picture!) Jake had a sleepover with Brandon and Uncle Jason where we got a call at 11PM that he fell out of bed..hit his hard head and had a major goose egg. So, I drove out to Fairfield and brought him home. I threatened the girls, earlier, if they got up Early DO NOT WAKE ME and to BE QUIET! Miraculously they were and I slept until 8AM. I got them donuts they danced some more and everyone left!

We had all the grandparents over Sat night to celebrate with lasagna and brownies (her request). Sunday her real birthday her cousin Jessie came to spend the day and Michael and I took just the two of them for a yummy dinner at Luby's (again her choice).

Dinner with Grandparents

Jake got to bring the class pet home again, flutter, so you will see him pop up in a few pictures and Taylor got to be "Star Student" this past week. She got to make an all about me poster and the whole week was about her at school...she LOVED the attention. I got to go read to her class Friday and she was so funny in that setting. I loved seeing her loving school and making sure all her friends were taken care of and could see the story! She is such a mother hen!

Fashion Diva

All About Me Poster

Brookie broke her poor arm

Brandon and Jakey

The Gang

So, that is it for now. I will try and post more regularly!!

Hawaii

Our first two nights in Hawaii

Wow~ It seems like I was in Maui a year ago. We got home last Saturday morning early (hated the overnight flying) and I walked in to Taylor with a fever. On Sunday she was diagnosed with the flu. She has been SO sick and just returned to school today. Jake was diagnosed on Tuesday and he is back to school today and Caden was diagnosed yesterday. He and I are hanging out in a peaceful house today! So, I am ready to go back to say the least.



Our spot on the lawn


Our view laying out


One afternoon we saw this laying out. A mama whale and a baby whale!

While I missed my kids very much I had the best time ever. It was beyond relaxing and so beautiful. Michael and I took a hike to see the waterfalls but it was raining and they flooded and looked more like the chocolate river from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Thursday we went on a huge 60 ft catamaran sailboat and went whale watching AMAZING!!! We also snorkeled...well he snorkeled it was so cold! We realized quickly this was Hawaii's rainy season and had more cloud coverage than I would have liked. We got to hang out with our good friend Rhett from Virginia a bunch. He and his girlfriend will be coming for a visit in April. He is loads of fun!

The waterfall I was going to swim in

Whales from the boat



More whales

Outside our hotel

We had MANY good dinners our two faves were Mama's Fish House and Cafe Ole' (no not Mexican). MFH we went to our last day with my SIL and BIL. It was by far the best place to eat...lobster guacamole, yummy bread, macadamia nut crusted snapper that was stuffed with lobster and crab meat..I gained so much weight!

The Chaple on property (where Jon and Kate got ready for the wedding)

Around the grounds at our hotel so beautiful

More outside our hotel room

I can not even describe to you how beautiful this place was. I am sitting in my study so wanting to be on my hotel balcony that overlooked the ocean. Yes, it was cloudier than I would have liked but that didn't stop Michael and me from getting burned the first day there. I got a stripe down one side of my body like a skunk! We found a place at the Adult Pool (so relaxing) and they had a grassy hill that would lead down to the beach. You could find me there everyday sun or not with a book in hand and my ipod on sipping on a lava flow it was the best seat in the house. The hill overlooked the beach it was amazing. I read 6 books on this trip but could never get into my book club book the one I actually needed to read OH WELL.

At the luaua


Outside Mama's Fish House
Outside Mama's

I talked to the kids and my folks several times a day. Caden always wanted to talk and Jake would stay on for 30 seconds if I was lucky. It was my sweet Taylee who kept me on the phone forever! I would have to finally yell "go to bed". A huge thanks to my folks who kept everyone in line for a full week! What a blessing to us!

You can see all photos at my flickr site

http://flickr.com/photos/benchcrew

My Crazy So Called Life

Well.....let me take a deep breath....where do I begin! I have to put this day in the blog so I can one day look back and laugh about it..one day!

Last week Taylor and Caden were sick. Tate had asthma issues as did Caden. Caden had previously been on antibiotic and steroids for a sinus infection and asthma issues. So, on Wed he gets put on a new antibiotic and Tate on a higher dose of her inhaler to prevent her from steroids and on we go. Thursday everyone is getting better....Thursday late afternoon not so much. I drop Caden and Jake to the MIL so I can go have GNO with Kate Gosselin (amazing BTW) and Caden is breathing not so great. So, as I am shopping in Justice with Cyn I call the asthma doc and we discuss and we decide to start his second round of steroids. Side note: 2 year old on steroids for 2 weeks not so fun. Michael calls around 10PM as I am waiting in line for my pic op and autograph and shares that Caden is sounding really bad. Get home and have horrific night. Up all night..breathing him every 3 hours and praying his chest opens up. Friday morning finally comes and he will not be going to school DARN IT! But, he is sounding so much better. At about 5 AM he starts breathing better.

Day goes on....late Friday evening he begins a downward spiral. Michael and I have plans to go see Debbie Dean. You all know my old student Dana (whom I adore) she is like my little sister. Her mom has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I had not seen her since her big surgery. We are heading out to meet with her and Dana and her hubby are coming in from Dallas too. Ultra important we go see them. So, I leave my problem breather and two other kids with the babysitter with my mom on back up to come at 8PM if I am running late (thanks mom for allowing us to stay later and breathing kids and putting them to bed). Another really bad night. Feel like a horrible mom b/c I did not take him in that morning but he had sounded so much better!!!

Saturday morning Michael and I take him to after hours....O2 level is 96 not bad but not great. He is so tight in his chest. He has also developed and ear infection which explains why he took the downward spiral late Friday. So, he is on one of the best antibiotics so we now get to do three days of Rocefin shots. They also give him a steroid shot and a breathing treatment in office b/c he was in slight distress. We head home and I am exhausted. He sleeps ALL night.

Sunday morning we wake up and have to take Caden back to doctor for second round of shots...Jake has a horrible cough and Taylor is running a 102 fever...,ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Have I mentioned I leave THIS Friday for Hawaii for 1 week! So, my sweet husband takes Caden for his shot and makes appts for all kids for today. We sleep ALL night except for the few times Tate's fever would spike.

Present day....All kids were threatened within an inch of their little lives to behave or their mommy was not reasonable for what I would do to them even in public. All went great. Nana met us there to help out and hear what the doctor says since she will be in charge next week. Caden gets his shots, Tate is diagnosed with a really bad virus (WBC Counts at 3500...5000+ is norm) and Jake is doing better. Nana gives kids $$ for McDonald's for a lunch treat! Enter neighborhood and Tate starts to gag. I scream for her to grab her bag from lunch and she gets sick. By the third time she overshoots and throws up all on the floor. I scream a choice word a few times and she then tells me I have said that already! Really, you are sick there is no time for sarcasm! We get home and I get her in bath and am cleaning all up. Put Jake (yes a 4 year old) in charge of Caden who is playing in the front seat of my car. Come inside to put all dirty rags in wash and turn around to find the 4 year old. I tell him to get back to Caden he says he wants to "fill my bucket" I say you will if you get in the car. I am screaming this as I remember my full Diet Coke in the front seat. I yell to him to go get hit..he yells back not before he gets me some more towels to clean up with to help fill my bucket. I scream the only way my darn bucket is going to get filled is if he gets my Diet Coke...20 seconds later "Mom Caden spilled your whole Diet Coke in your cup holders". UGH!!!!!!!!!

I cleaned everything and then counted down the days until I will be on a sunny beach with a fruity drink in hand!

God is making sure I am darn grateful for this vacation!

Caden's 2nd Birthday

Caden ready for his party

Tate and Jessie

I can not even believe time has flown by so fast. My littlest puppy is now TWO! God is so amazing how he put that seed in my heart to have him. I NEVER would have had a third without divine intervention into my heart!Caden is truly the laughter of our family. His new saying "I Cool!" SO FUNNY! He is finally talking more and more each day! Praise God!

Aunt Kimmy, Gator-bug and Trevor

Nana and Pops and Caden

Aunt Shelly and Sweet Caleb

His Mickey Mouse Cookie Cake

Granny and Paw Paw


Nana and Caden checking it out

Getting ready for cake (that he doesn't eat)

Family Picture before cake time

These pictures are from his Mickey Mouse Party. We had it a week early because I judged a Dance Contest the weekend of his birthday! He was SO excited. I had been telling him for days about it but he never "got it". When the first person arrived he went nuts and had so much fun with his friends!

Nana and Maddie

Caden's basketball goal

Opening presents

Breathing on his actual birthday