Del Mar

Chad, Tyler and I went to Del Mar last weekend to watch Lauren ride in a horse show. She did soooo amazing!!! Just about all of the pictures are on Lynne's camera that I still need to get but even without the pictures and videos, Lauren did absolutely amazing. It is so crazy to see how far she has come in such a short amount of time riding. She's competing against older teenagers (she's only 9!) and young adults and doing soooo well! It was pretty intense to watch her in her timed course but soooo neat at the same time! WAY TO GO LAUREN!!! We also celebrated Larry's birthday Saturday night with our big group at a yummy Mexican restaurant and had a good time with everyone!

After the show on Sunday, we stopped by Seaworld on our way home for a couple of hours. We had Tyler's bathing suit with us and he had a blast in the Sesame Street playtown water area of the park. He was also super interested in the big aquariums with all of the big fish which was super cute to watch. Lastly, we headed to the Shamu "Believe" show and yeah... he's not so ready for that. Shamu made his grand entrance jumping up out of the tank and Ty started screaming. Poor guy!!! We tried to console and talk to him for a minute telling him it was okay and then Shamu jumped out again and I figured I didn't want to permanently traumatize the poor thing so we headed out. Maybe next time... The music was pretty intense too in the beginning of the show so who knows what it was...

Overall, we had a great weekend away and out of the desert heat wave we've been experiencing.

Living Desert

Kaycie, Michelle and I and all of our kids (Tyler, Mckenna, Cole, Connor, Charolette and Claire) went to the Living Desert one morning last week. It was mine and Ty's first time there (besides Wild Lights during Christmas) and we had such a good time. I'm really considering getting season passes cause it's a great way to spend a morning and wear the kid out! haha! He's not too into all of the animals yet but had a great time in the Butterfly exhibit, not playing with the butterflies but playing in the fountains, and also another play area in the park that had a water, sand, toy thing. Surprising I know -- water!! It was pretty crowded since it was spring break down here but I'm looking forward to going back one morning in the middle of the week when there's nobody there and we can just walk around and enjoy ourselves.

~ the petting zoo ~

~ we so didn't plan the coordinating colors but they looked so cute together ~

~ ty loved these drums ~
~ some of the kids - we got ty to somewhat sit still ~
~ ty also loved this water/dirt area thing ~

Thanks for a fun morning guys! We need to do it again soon!

Park

Ty and I checked out a new park while we had an hour to kill during work this morning. It's cute and small but Ty loved it! I can't believe how grown up he's looking! What happened to my baby boy?!

Easter Oh Nine

Easter was so much fun this year with Tyler. He's so interactive with everything and everyone and we had a great time celebrating the day with family and friends. We started out with his Easter basket in the morning then quickly hurried to get ready and off to church. After church my family came back to our house for a super yummy lunch and to celebrate my dad and sister's birthday and then we headed to mama and papa Brown's house with the Brown's and Malestic's for another super yummy dinner!

Love his expression... "Really mom? The camera... again?" haha

Happy Boy

Tried to get a family picture before church... Ty wasn't in the mood...
On our way... I love his Easter outfit!
Michael, Dad & Chad (with his nerf gun and all... such a kid!)
Ty and his little bunny cake - thanks Gramma!
Obsessed with water... he had fun getting in with his clothes though! Thanks to dad...
Ty's new water toy from the Malestic's Easter bunny
Yeah... just look at the box and the kids are nicely playing OUTSIDE of the toy... Ty thinks it's definitely his own little jacuzzi or something... hahaha
Justin, Chad and Tyler playing in the spa. The water was freezing but he insisted on being in!

Random...

Just a little paparazzi footage... Out in the backyard and then to the little park in our community to tire the boy out before naptime!

The Ducks & 18 Months

Kaycie and I and all of the kids went over to the LQ Civic Center on Saturday with lots of bread ends (I've been saving up in the freezer for a few months) to feed the ducks. It was a gorgeous day outside and the girls loved giving the ducks their lunch. Tyler on the other hand just wanted to run around and check out the park and all of the surroundings! Yeah... not so much for standing still (especially near water) and tossing little pieces of bread into the pond just yet... Maybe someday, right?! I'm hoping so! My new collection of bread ends in the freezer has started so I'm sure we'll be making another trip back in a couple of months... Hopefully before it gets too hot...

~ Brooke ~

~ Mckenna ~

~ Tyler running around ~ ~ The girls... just nicely feeding the ducks ~

~ The boys hanging out ~
~ And Tyler's off checking out the water fall and then the trees and then the other side of the pond, and the trash cans... the list goes on and on. Gotta love boys!!! ~
~ Holding Ty and chasing the girls - They all thought it was halarious! ~
Tyler also turned 18 months on Saturday. I can't believe it! My baby boy is getting so grown up and I don't know where the time has gone! I know I've said it a million times on here before but yeah... He has changed SOOOO much just in the last 6 months! Here are a few things Tyler's doing or is into right now:

• He now finally, again, says Mama!! It was his first word way back when but as soon as he started saying "dada", "mama" went out the window...
  
• He also says Dada and doggie and randomly said Bobby while he was with me at work last week and we went to pick up Bobby from school...
• He jibber jabbers all day in his own little baby language - it's soooo darn cute! I know he's trying to tell me something!
  
• He points to his hair, ears, tounge and belly if you ask where they are.
• He's begun to understand sooooo much more in just the last few weeks. Anything I ask him to do or go and get he totally does. He may not talk too much yet but he definitely understands a ton!
• He's obsessed with balls! Footballs, soccerballs, baseballs, any balls!
• The second you get him out of his crib in the morning or after nap, he instantly wants out of your arms so he can run to the kitchen, knowing that the doggy door is open (pretty much only when he's sleeping) and jets out to play in the backyard.
  
• He's climbing and getting onto everything! He gets so excited and thinks he's so cool when he makes it up onto the big patio chairs and sits down all by himself.
  
• He LOVES fruit, especially blueberries, and shovels them into his mouth, double fisting the berries sometimes to keep them going in fast!

As much of an animal as he can be sometimes I love my little boy more than I ever could have imagined! He really is like 150% boy and I wouldn't change it for anything!

I love baby showers!

I co-hosted a baby shower for one of my best friend's, Araceli, a couple of weeks ago. I love baby showers! Throwing them, attending them, the games, food, gift opening, everything. It was so much fun being together with family and close friends showering Araceli with lots of love and gifts. She still has about 10 weeks to go and I am soooo anticipating his arrival and totally know what she's feeling as well!

* Blue & Brown *

* Our cute cookie favors for everyone *

* The hostesses & the Mama *
Holly, Araceli, Emily & Jessica
Araceli, Tammy, Nettie, Emily, Desirae and Amanda
Ashley, Me, Kaycie, Jessica and Danielle
* And let's shower the mama! *
* I prepared Araceli with a "New Mommy Check List" with all of the necessities nobody tells you you'll need - That's what friends are for, right? *
* The proud grandmas *

It was such a fun shower and I'm sad it's already come and gone! I love you TONS Araceli and cannot wait for your little one to be here!! You're going to be a great mom!!

DIY Car Wash

So my car was utterly FILTHY and I decided to wash it myself last week during naptime instead of pay $20 - I full on detailed the entire thing inside all of the nooks and crannies and everything!! I've done a somewhat good job of maintaining it the last week too!! Anyways... Ty woke up 1/2 way through the wash and came out to "help" me... This kid is obsessed with water!