Thanksgiving

To start off our Thanksgiving Brad had double hernia surgery! He was in a lot of pain for about a week. Poor guy, the funny part was when they brought him into the recovery room and he was totally drugged up! He sounded like a drunk man.

We did our traditional Turkey Bowl. The kids love being able to play in their own game of football.

Caden and some of the cousins playing flag football.

Brad had to watch this year because of he was recovering. Here he is watching from the side lines. So sad!!

My brother John got to have Thanksgiving at his house this year, Lucky him! :) We didn't have your traditional Thanksgiving feast, we had ribs, hot wings and ham. All pretty tasty.

Here are the some of the oldest boy cousins.

The kids making a mess of John's house.

After the party for my family, we were off to Brad's family's. The get togethers were one hour apart so we had to pace our selves on eating the food.

This year my mother in law had to get a few more tables. The family is getting pretty big!

To top off Thanksgiving, we did our after Thanksgiving Black Friday shopping! We missed my sisters and my mom this year but it was fun hanging out with my cousin Amy, my aunt Sharon, and my cousins Brent and Samantha!

We also got to take Amy's baby Brett with us. Here his is modeling his Christmas gift from his grandma, what a cutie!

On to Christmas now!!

Blog Overload again...

October and the first part of November have been pretty busy! First off Carsyn was awarded Student of the Month! We are so proud of her, she really works hard and is a good student!

Nixon had his first official field trip with his pre school. They went to the Pumpkin Patch and had a fun time going through the corn maze and picking out their own pumpkins! The good thing about Brad working nights, is that he is able to go with me on the kids field trips during the day! The kids love that he gets to come!

Carsyn wanted to do a girls night out when my sister Becky came into town. We went and got pedicures and out to dinner. Next time I'll have her bring a friend because I think she gets a little bored with the adults!

Me and my sisters at Olive Garden.

It was fun having my mom and my sisters along for the girls night.

While my sister was in town we decided to let the kids hang out at the park. My grandparents came and joined us, it was fun to chat with them too!

Halloween is not my favorite holiday!! But this year we decided to have a party because Carsyn wanted to plan one. She decided what games to play and what we did! She is my little party planner! She makes me laugh! They all decorated cookies and played pen the nose on the pumpkin and then my mom dressed as a witch and had the kids put fake ears and fingers etc, into her witches brew! It was cool she scared some of the kids though!:)

Caden was Nepoleon Dynamite, Carsyn was a pretty bat, and Nixon was Megatron.

I never dress up for Halloween but this year since we threw the party, I dressed up a little, I was a nerd, but I just looked like I was going to school or something! :)

Here I am with my friend Leia the 80's chick.

This is were the men were the whole night, I can't remember if it was baseball or football, all I know is that it must have been more interesting then our Halloween party. Haha.

All the people who dressed up, the kids had some cool costumes! Notice the scary witch in the corner, she looked cool too!

I had to put these pictures of Blake and Nixon on just because they make me laugh everytime I look at them!

Caden and Nixon both had successful soccer seasons and they are finished now! Nixon had his first season and did very good. I couldn't believe he actually let go of my leg and went out onto the field every game without me! He even scored a goal!! Caden did well also! He's a pretty good little soccer player! He made at least two goals every game, except for his last game of which he had a few assists! We are proud of both of them. Carsyn is a good sport! She hardly ever complains through all the soccer practices and games. She sits and Cheers them on! I asked her if she wanted to play this year and she said, "Why would I want to do that?" Funny girl!

Brad took the boys to watch the monster truck show! Nixon was in Heaven, even though he was tired and a little sick, he had a blast!

The boys

I love when the kids have programs at school! Carsyn had hers, it was for Veteran's day! She had to memorize about 15 songs! She did great!!

We went to the annual Veteran's day parade this year and got to watch my nephew Tyler marching with the BHS Air force ROTC. He looked so cool!

Brad and I enjoying the parade. :)

Here is the crew we brought this year!

Tyler is the second from the left! I can't believe he is getting so old!

This past weekend we had the 5K fun run that Brad puts on. It was fun just to get out and exercise with family and friends!

Me and the kids before the run!

We have been busy but life is only getting busier! Now on to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Happy 59th Birthday Dad!

Today's my dad's birthday! Happy Birthday Dad! We love you!!

Muffin and Stuff

Brad woke up the other morning and had an idea, he said "lets get the kids a pet fish". So we went to the pet store to check out fish. The kids looked but weren't very interested. Then they spotted the tiny hamsters, all three of them said they wanted a hamster instead. So we picked the fattest one, since it had to be the healthiest one! They named her Turbo at first but then they all kept forgetting her name, and they came up with a new name, Muffin, and Muffy for short. Of course Brad had to pick out a cage for it that was the mother of all hamster cages. So there you have it, we purchased our first family pet! They don't touch it much, but they love to watch her run around in her little hamster ball.

"Muffy"

We went to the pumpkin patch with the scouts, and the kids all picked out a pumpkin. I can not believe that Halloween is this week, years just fly by, it's so crazy! Here are too crazy girls, Carsyn and Kimberly.

Caden and some of his scout friends.

Last, but definitely not least Carsyn got Student of the Month this month, she is an awesome girl, I love her personality! I am so proud of her!

Race Happenings

A few weeks ago all of the second grade classes went on a field trip to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, it was a pretty cute movie and the kids liked that it was in 3D.

Caden received the student of the month award at school this last month. He doesn't enjoy school work but does pretty good at it, we are proud of him even though he tries to fake sick a lot so he doesn't have to go to school! It has only worked once so far this year!

We went to Fresno on Saturday so Brad and his co workers could play in another softball game against the Fresno office. They played at some cool fields! They are replica fields that look just like real mlb fields, the one they played on was the replica field of Fenway Park, where the Boston Red Sox play. It even had a green monster! Pretty cool! Nixon was the only kid that came with us because Carsyn wanted to go to her friend's birthday party and Caden wanted to stay at his cousin Gavin's house. Nixon had fun with the other kids at the game, he even played in a little kick ball game, so cute!

Here is the Bakersfield team, the champs 2 times in a row!

Brad has two hernias right now and so running hurts really bad, he didn't want to run so he made the only homerun! :) Right over the Green Monster! Wow it was an awesome hit!!!

Look a Likes

We were going through some of Brad's old pictures, and Caden said is that me? I didn't realize how much they really do look a like.

Soccer and Preshcool

Caden started another season of soccer on Saturday. He did a great job! He scored one goal, but their team lost 8-1, I think. He was a little frustrated, but then he said, I hope my team looses a lot so we don't have to keep playing after the seasons over. He really got sick of it last year when his team kept winning.

Okay, I got a little emotional today. My last child started Pre School!!!! I can't believe it! He has been so excited everytime I brought up him starting school, well the day finally came and he said " I don't want to go". Here he is not too happy about having to go to school.

This is his MAD look!

After I took a few pictures he got a little happier, he likes to have his picture taken!

My little poser!

We got to school and he got sad again and wanted me to hold him. I finally got him to sit by himself and color, with me right next to him of course! Ever since he was a baby he grabs his ear when he is nervous, here he is a little nervous!

Then he poses again!

He got to pick his own cubby.

Me and Nixon

I finally was able to leave, but one of the teachers had to grab him and console him when I left, that's when I got a little teary eyed! She said he only cried for 3 minutes and then was fine the rest of the time! When I came to pick him up he seemed happy and said he had a good time!! I am so glad!! Here he is at the closing circle time, totally paying attention to his teachers!!

Brad keeps saying that my life is only going to get easier, I guess he's right! While the kids were all at school today, I got so many things done! I think I can get used to this!!!!