Tyler turns 11

How is it possible that I have an 11 year old?? Where has the time gone?? I couldn't ask for a better firstborn child. I'm not sure how we lucked out but we did. Tyler is such a good young man. He is sweet and kind. He is selfless and thoughtful. He's becoming quite funny and witty. He's competitive just like his dad and picks up sports like that! I like to think he gets his giving heart comes from me:) heehee. Honestly, he's just a good kid all around. We love him so much and are so proud of who he is. He turned me into a mother and Dave into a father. He made my mom and dad grandparents. He make my grandparents into great-grandparents. My brothers and sisters into aunts and uncles. He was the first for many. I hope that as he continues to grow up that he keeps in kind nature. I hope that he keeps his thoughtful heart. I hope that he continues to be just who he is......a sweet boy. We are so blessed to have him be the example for our other children. He's such a good helper and great big brother. Happy Birthday Tyler.......we love you!!!

Ashlynn turns 8

Wow.........I can't believe my baby girl just turned 8!! On May 19, 2005 in Davenport, Iowa I was walking through the mall trying to get my labor going. I had chosen to do this delivery totally different and got a midwife and was planning on a natural birth. I remember walking to the post office the day before with Tyler in our little town of Eldridge that we lived in. Literally in the middle of corn fields and farms. It was such a quiet and beautiful town with only 4000 people. Walking to the post office wasn't that far. Later that night my contractions were coming more often. I was able to sleep just fine. But in the morning I was way anxious and wanted to see what was happening. So we went to see my midwife and she said I was at a 3 and I needed to stay busy and go walk around somewhere. So we went and a lunch at Qdoba......they have yummy burritos:). Then we walked around the mall for a couple hours. By the end I could barely walk and it was time to go to the hospital. We checked in around 3pm and this sweet princess was born at 5:20pm. My midwife was amazing and I was able to deliver Ashlynn on my own with no drugs. It all happened so fast and it was an amazing experience. I felt fantastic after and seemed to recover and heal so much better than with Tyler. All and all it was a great experience. This girl has brought so much happiness, fun, drama, emotion, spunk, personality and everything else you can imagine. She is 100% girl through and through! We love her so much and are so grateful she joined our family. 

We love you Ashlynn Michelle!!

They did it!!!

 Tyler's been playing baseball since he was 4. All these years has led up to this exciting.....nail biting moment!! His team this year are GNLL Tournament Champions!! It was the craziest nerve racking game! We were all on the edge our seats and could barely contain ourselves. But they pulled through and did it! We are so proud of Ty and all his hard work. We are especially grateful for the good coaches he had this year and how they taught all the boys. They were a class act and did a fantastic job!! Way to go Orioles!! These boys have also been chosen to represent Gilbert in another tournament game against all the different city leagues in Arizona. What an honor for these boys. We have a great amount of family support that came to cheer Ty on at every game. We are so grateful to be close to home by family!!

Mexico in May

 May is ALWAYS a crazy month for us. It's probably a crazy time for most I'm sure. It is filled with baseball games, birthdays and the end of school. Our kids are born all within two weeks of each other. This year Ashlynn is turning 8 so we have her baptism to plan for and a special party. Dave's been working many weekends so I decided to squeeze in a trip to one of our favorite getaways........Rocky Point, MEX. Why not add a vacation along with all our craziness?? We had some long time friends come with us and we had a ball!! Its the cheapest no brainer trip and we love it! Can't wait to go back. We chill on the beach all day and eat mango's and play in the sand. This time we had boogie boards and Tyler never was without it. They were a big hit! Ashlynn loved dancing around in the water or swimming in the pool. Little P man sat and played with sand toys forever. They have the best sea shells that I could literally walk around and pick up all day. It was some much needed family time:)

 P photo bombed us but he's so cute that I had to share!

Its April........

How is it already April?? How is half the year almost gone?? I wish I was better about writing on here and documenting our lives. I've been caught up with the latest iPhone.....using it to take pictures instead of my actual camera and using Facebook or Instagram to post the latest buzz. I need to get back to the blogging world and less of the other. I'm really feeling the need to simplify my life and not be so busy with things that don't matter. I need to watch less T.V. and read more, study more. I need to get more organized and not let things around here clutter up. I need to spend more quality time with my kids and not let moments pass by. I'm trying to be more active and exercise each day and eat better. I think that summer is fast approaching and bathing suit season is around the corner might have something to do with that! I need to spend more quality time with my husband and work on strengthening our relationship. I need to be better at planning meals and cooking dinner for my family. We are pretty busy. We have our kids involved in a lot of activities to where I honestly feel like a taxi driver half the day. So there are some nights where a box of mac & cheese or ramen noodles fills my kids bellies. Hey....whatever works right?
I guess all I'm saying is I'm feeling a need for personal improvement in most areas of my life. I want to be inspired......I want to love more......I want to learn more........I want to be better. I think I just made myself look like a total slug. Hopefully it just made me look real and hopeful. I want to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I also want to make sure I'm taking care of myself and doing the things that my spirit needs to get through each day. So here it goes.............:)

Our Ballerina

Ashlynn has been taking a ballet class since September and has fallen in love with it all! Her ballet studio was having auditions for the Nutcracker and suggested Ashlynn try out. She did and was given 3 parts! We were thrilled for her and she was ecstatic!! This is our first experience in the dance scene and didn't realize how demanding it was going to be. If this opportunity comes along again we will have to think long and hard about committing. Ashlynn lived at the studio for many many hours every weekend for a few months. But her hard work paid off and she did such a wonderful job. We are so proud of her!!

 Great Grandma Glasgow came with Grandma Johnson

 Uncle Brian and Aunt Kirsten came along with Grammy and Grandpa

 Ashlynn was given flowers and gifts afterwards

 Her very own nutcracker from our sweet neighbors and good friends next door....The Englands. 

 It was an exciting night.........good job Ashlynn, we love you!!