Harris' birthday was the Friday after we got back from our 18 day road trip. We didn't get his presents before we left but we knew exactly what we were going to get him. A fish tank. He used to have a little 5 gallon one when we lived in Utah but when his fish died we just never got around to getting him a new one. When we moved here he started watching "River Monsters" and gained a new love of fish. We decided that it was time for another tank. A bigger one that could hold bigger fish. We picked out one that was 20 gallons with LED lights. It is awesome! I as so excited to give it to him!
The morning of his birthday he got up early and immediately wanted to open presents. We convinced him to have breakfast first. :) After breakfast he finally got his presents.
He got an automatic Nerf gun and a water Nerf gun from his sister
A Jimmer shirt from the Wakefields
And a fish tank from Mom and Dad.
When all the presents were open he wanted to test out his water Nerf gun so we headed out to the pool for a swim and water fight. After much swimming it was time to get ready to go to dinner and a movie. Harris had chosen Olive Garden for dinner and Cars 2 for the movie.
He was sooo excited to see Cars 2! He had been counting down the days to see it since the day he learned it was coming out on his birthday. He loved it! And sat through the whole thing!
Sooo excited!
When we were done with the movie and dinner we went to Petsmart so that Harris could pick out the decorations for his fish tank. After much deliberation he decided on a pirate/volcano theme.
Lights on
Lights off
The LED lights make the tank glow. There are even Glo-fish! We love to sit in the dark and watch them.
It was a wonderful day. I am sooo grateful for Harris. He is my sunshine! Happy Birthday Handsome!
When we were finished with our land cruise up the PCH we made our way to Utah. Jann and Don were headed to Boston and we were going to watch their kiddos while they were gone. I was a little nervous about having 6 kids for a week but we had a blast!
Chet Sr. and Wendy were kind enough to let us hang out at their house everyday so that we could see them too. There was swimming, b-balling, jumping, partying, eating and even boating!
The kids having some fun, except Aubz. She thought it was too cold.
I'm glad she thought the pool was too cold. ;)
Liv loves to "dance" with her Papa!
I'm not sure where I was when this was taking place but if I would have been there I would have stopped it!!
When we weren't swimming they were playing basketball. They have so much fun playing PIG. They get pretty creative with their shots.
While the boys were playing PIG I was chilling with Aubz, who was patiently waiting for the boys to be done so that she could drive her new car that we bought her. We got it for her after Jann told me that Aubz would sneak out the dog door to go play with the neighbors car across the street!! She loves it and calls it her "bye-bye".
I don't think that she could be any cuter!!!
Occasionally she had to take a break from diving and have a drink. :)
One of the days we were there Chet and Wendy wanted to have a little birthday party for Harris since we were leaving just before his actual birthday. Wendy asked Harris if he wanted yellow cake or brownies for the party but he couldn't decide so she made him both! What an awesome grandma. :)
Waiting for the candles to be lit
They got him a football and a basketball. This is how he posed for a picture with his basketball. Silly boy.
After the party Chet and Wendy's neighbor, Rob, came over and wanted to know if we wanted to go out on his boat with him that Friday. Um, yes please!!
On Friday Chet and the kids got ready and met the others at Utah Lake. Rob has a really nice boat and lots of fun things to do with it like a tube and surfboard. The kids were so excited!
Headed out on the boat.
The Chet's are lookin' fine!!
Cam and Liv got the first ride on the tube.
I LOVE Livs face! She looks like she is having the time of her life.
After the girls it was Chet and Trevs turn.
Trev informed me that in this pic he had just swallowed a bug!
Next was Harris' turn and he wanted to go with Papa.
Having a blast!!
Then Papa with both grandkids.
I'm pretty sure my kids have the coolest Papa in the WORLD!!
And of course father and son took a ride.
Hanging on for dear life!
And then all the cousins wanted a turn.
The Three Musketeers.
After lots of turns it was time to try out the surfboard. Trev was up first and it proved to be much harder than it looked.
Those are Trev's feet on the board not Robs. :)
Since it was so hard for Trev to get on the board Rob thought it would be better for the girls if he rode with them.
Surfer girls!
After an exciting day on the lake it was time to head back. On the way back Rob let all the kids have a turn driving the boat!
The Robinson's
The Wakefield's
Love these kiddos!
It was a great day!
The next day was sadly our last day. We spent the morning picking up and packing up.
Packing up the important stuff! ;)
The kids have this silly tradition of throwing baby powder in the air, Lebron style, to say goodbye. I'm not sure how or why it started but they must do it anytime we are saying goodbye.
The cousin goodbye
We had an amazing week! It is always hard to say goodbye but it makes coming back that much more fun!
10 years old, holy cow! I can't believe my baby girl is a decade old. Seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital wondering what we would ever do with a baby...
Ah, memories. It has been such a decade of change for us and I feel so blessed to have a daughter such as Olivia to have shared it with me. She is such a genuinely good person and truly brings so much joy to my life.
This years birthday was a little crazy. We spend the actual day driving from Moab to Lehi to have a birthday party before we left the next day for a flight to California to be with my family at Disneyland for Spring Break (but that's another post).
Birthday parties at Jann's house are always awesome. She carries on Lisa's tradition of wonderful family parties and we value them even more now that we don't get to participate in them as often as we would like. Thank you Jann for helping my baby girl feel special on her special day.
We took off the next day for some time in Disneyland to celebrate my Dad's 50th birthday and spend some time with Chrys before he left to serve a mission for 2 years. While in California we got to have an amazing family party to celebrate birthdays and a general get together. Special thanks to Grandma Cheryl for such a great time!
So much activity left no time before Spring Break for Liv to have a party with her friends so once we returned we picked a weekend and had Liv invite some of her friends for a party at the local rock climbing gym.
Liv had the chance to attend a birthday party last year at this gym, called Stone Age, and really liked it so when she asked if she could have her party there we said yes.
With that I will now switch to picture mode and will count each as around 1000 words (that should meet Jaime's word count quota that she gave me)
Liv opening gifts the 2 days before her birthday (she had school the next day and we were leaving right after for Moab and then Lehi on her actual birth day)
Party time with the fam!
Liv enjoying getting gifts.
In California the next day at a party with my family and extended family. It was awesome!
Liv climbing high!
Harris climbing high!
Chet climbing. (so it doesn't look high because of the zoom but I was actually, at least, 4 feet or so up in the air)
Liv and Jaime decided on cupcakes instead of the traditional cake. We get these at a place called Cake Fetish here in ABQ and they are fantastic.
Group action photo of the festivities.
Me lighting the...cupcakes. It was pretty hilarious (apparently).
I think that people were laughing because the candles were "sparkler" ones and kept shooting sparks into the air.
Last weekend my wonderful sisters and darling niece flew down for visit. It was so much fun having them here! We spent most of our time just hanging out and talking. Chet said we were like hens because we were "clucking" so much! Here is a recap of our fabulous weekend:
The first order of business was lunch. I took them to a very popular place here called Flying Star Cafe. They have lots of yummy food but their breakfasts are to die for! However none of us got breakfast, either way it was delicious!
Friday morning after I took the kids to school I came home and got Jann so that she could go for a run. That meant Linz got some quality time with Aubry before her morning nap. Isn't she the cutest baby?!
Chillaxin with Auntie Lindsay
When Jann got back from running we put Aubry down for a nap and headed out to the pool for some relaxation time. It was so nice to just sit with them and relax. Usually the pool is filled with kids and the dog so it isn't very relaxing. When Aubry finally woke up we were still sitting pool side so Jann brought her down so she could swim too. Jann forgot Aubry's bathing suit but we figured she would be fine with just a swimmie. She loved it!!!
Aubzy and Auntie Lindsay skinny dippin' Swimmin'
That night we took them all to dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant in Corrales called Casa Vieja. It's a little tiny hole in the wall that is inside an old church (from like the 1800's). And supposedly the church is haunted by the priests that are buried in the walls! How creepy is that?! It's a good thing their food is amazing or I don't think I would eat there. ;)
In the courtyard at Casa Viaja
They are famous for their green chili chicken enchiladas. They are huge! So Chet and I split one and Jann and Lindsay split one.
The great debate: Red or Green
Dessert! A fresh doughnut plate! Seriously the best things I have EVER eaten!!!
Dinner was amazing!
After dinner we headed home to put the kiddos to bed. After all the kids were sleeping the adults headed out to the hot tub for a little more relaxing.
Saturday was much like Friday in that we spent lots of time by the pool and eating lots of yummy food.
You can't enjoy sitting in the sun without some liquid refreshment. Hard to tell we are sisters. ;)
Love my sisters!
Auntie Linz and Harris
Linz attempting to throw Liv
Jann getting a tan while reading on dad's her Kindle
When we were done swimming we got ready to go to dinner at Tucanos for Chet's birthday. One of Chet's birthday presents was a gaming table with ping pong, air hockey, and pool. So while some of us were getting ready the others played some games.
Some serious competition. Just look at the concentration on their faces! ;)
Dinner was so yummy. I love Tucanos!
Awwwww
During dinner Aubry grabbed the lemon from Chet's water glass and started sucking on it. She didn't quite know what to think of it. But it was sure cute to watch.
Tucanos is right in the heart of downtown so on the walk back to the car Linz wanted to stop and look at one of the fresco's on the side of the building.
On the way home from dinner Jann was dying to go see the Rio Grande. She didn't think that seeing it from the freeway was good enough so we drove to a park that has a walking path to it. It was a pleasant walk except for the mosquitos that were eating us alive!
Halfway down the path it ended and was just sand so to make sure we were headed the right way Chet pulled out his iPhone and checked the GPS.
Multitasking
We made it!
(I know, I should have put pink on)
It was a fun and relaxing weekend and I am so grateful that my sisters would take time out of their busy schedules to come down here and see us. Thanks guys! Love you!
