West Side Story

Every couple of months my family gets together to celebrate birthdays. It's now become a downright competition to see who can find the best cards... BRING IT ON! I'm pretty sure that aquiring fantastic cards is one of my gifts, which include precise laundry folding and speaking without fear into any nearby microphone. Analyze please. Anyway, this time around, lines were crossed (card wise - and not even by me!) which opened the door for all sorts of mayhem. I've got a funny family, and you can take that any way you want.

Terry and Brenda

Irish Matt and his girlfriend, Megan

Brittany and Jer

My family is obsessed with dominoes and everytime we get together they play some sort of crypic game that I have never, ever figured out. I, myself, adore games and tend to complain that we should play something else...

which is how I got relegated to THIS table...with the kids... which all beat the crap out of me...even though it was a word game and I think I use to teach that stuff.

However, I'm smart enough to remember what really counts.

And A New Decade Begins...

Not for me... I did that in February, and yes, I am fine with it.

However, Jen turned the big 3-0 this month and to celebrate this momentous occation, Sean treated the four of us to a night at the JW Marriot Desert Ridge. Katie, the all powerful Queen of Making Friends and Influencing People, scored us a room with the best view possible.

We took a walk around the resort before getting ready for our night on the town.

On our way to Bennihana.

When we got there we were seated next to a couple with two small kids, "This is Gracie!" Since we were on vacation, I asked the waiter if we could move to another table without tiny humans - which he promptly did, and then promptly added another couple with a toddler.

On Saturday, we spent our morning by the lazy river while Jen had a spa treatment, courtesy of Sean. Afterwards, we went to Kierland for a bit of lunch and shopping.

Check out Katie's blog for more pictures.

Happy Birthday, Jen!

Giddyup CowGIRLS!

Twelve of us play a little game called Bunco once a month. Tonight was the beginning of our third year and Cathy decided to host with a cowgirl theme - although a few cowboys unintentionally showed up, one with the tag still on her jeans...

Cathy

We played for cold hard cash this time and yours truly won enough money to pay for the waaaaay too small cowboy shirt that I bought at Savers without trying it on first.

Holly and Robyn

Game Robyn took home the big prize for getting an almost unheard of five Buncos.

Me (not Ellen), Jen and Kelley

"Mom, you look like a cowboy!"

Nice...

Graduation Day!

Today was Kate's first Sunday as a Gentle Giraffe. I reminded her on the way to church that she was going to her new class and she yelled, "Mia's class?!" The girls are 6 months apart, but they haven't been in the same room for a while.

Amelia and Kate

They colored pictures of locusts today (no, Mom, it's not a grasshopper!) because they were learning about John the Baptist. I'm pretty sure JB ate locusts, so I really don't understand why it's waving and looking smug.

Miles is in the Little Leopard class and this is his wonderful teacher Angie.

What a sweet life...

Post Script: Kate just came downstairs and asked for locusts for a snack.

Any Given Sunday

God has blessed us with a wonderful church. We have seen LifeQuest grow from the very beginning and it is obvious that He is working mightily there. Kate loves Sunday School and has been learning Bible verses and songs about Jesus. This last Sunday was her final day in the Zany Zebras class and she will be moving up to the Gentle Giraffes next week. I am half in tears writing this (when did she get this grown up? Underwear? REALLY?) thinking about just how fast time does go... but then my other half is laughing and thinking... I wonder if she will lose just a little bit of her "zany-ness" and adapt a smidge of "gentleness."

Zany

Gentle

This Sunday was dedicated to our KidsKwest Ministry and our fantastic new director Rochelle organized a mini version of what goes on in there each week. This is a ministry that gets taken for granted quite a bit (in my humble opinion). We drop our kids off so that we can go to service each week, and it's easy to forget that it takes volunteers to not be in service - or to go to both! Here's my soapbox (it most likely stems from former-teacher-itis)...

Please volunteer. Especially if you have children in KidsKwest each week. Even a Sunday every once in while would help. A huge thank you goes to all of those who teach our kids on a regular basis. What a lifelong investment.

Scott and Amelia sang a duet during service as well. Katie has a video (with sound, people!), so rush on over and cry your everlovin' eyes out.

We also got a visit from Uncle Jake, Aunt Jocelyn and Gavin. We went to eat after church and did all we could to keep the kids from taking over the restaurant. The boys are just two weeks apart in age which should be fun around adolescence.

Gavin

I don't even have words for this...

Oh, We're Rockin' Now!

Miles is getting ready to crawl. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure this day would come because it's gotta be hard to get all that weight, you know, off the floor. Enjoy the video even though our camera lacks the sophisticated "audio" element.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whEAld784gA

Kate, you better hide your Polly Pockets!

The green eyed monster will eat anything in his path...

"Lance" and "Robyn"

Go Forth and Multiply

We sort of invited ourselves over to Sean and Jen's house for Labor Day. Not only that, but we invited 8 others as well. It's been forever since all four of our families have spent down time together - at least since the last baby, that being Miles. We used to hang out all of the time, but that was when Owen was the only kid. Now it looks like this:

From the top - Amelia, Madison, Luke, Kate, Owen, Scotty and Miles The day included Sean and Jen's sweet pool, a chocolate fountain, Dora the Explorer at high volume, 10,000 kebabs, Lance's now famous Hummus, a Wiggles Dance Party at "almost midnight!" (Amelia), and all the shrimp you could eat while swimming.

Madison and Kate

Brother and Katie

Luke

Me and the kiddos

For more pictures, head on over to Katie's blog...

Yes, I've jumped on the blogwagon

I'll admit it - I've been a blog stalker for quite a while now, so I figured it was time to contribute. Mostly, it's a way to post sweet pictures of my kids without sending emails with a billion attachments. I asked Kate what we should name the blog and she said, "Amy." Kate will be three (three!) in December and Miles is 6 months old...I swear I just gave birth yesterday, but he's proving me wrong by flashing two pearly whites and eating solid food

on purpose.

Other facts of note (even if it's just to me) - Miles weighs in at 21 lbs 7 oz and is now being seen around Arizona in his new big boy car seat. Josh has been known to call him "Fatty McButterpants," but he also goes by "Buddy" "Mister" and "Sucker." Loves: Baby Einstein Hates: Naptime

Kate is close to being able to add "potty trained" to her resume and is currently in Miss Maryn's class at The Little Gym. She's awesome. She answers to "Kater" ... sometimes, other times she just runs the other way. Loves: Munny the Bunny Hates: Being told what to do

Josh and I have been married for 5 years and are seriously considering staying that way forever.