Kim and Ken's visit

Ken had a work conference earlier this month at the RIO downtown and decided to bring Kim along for fun! We were so excited to have her here. Mom and Dad came down and Kandra came over for a few days with her family to join in the fun. Our most favorite day with them was when we went to the Venetian canal shops, had lunch, and went on a gondola ride together.
We discovered Peter Lik landscape photography. He has a gallery in the Venetian. I was so intrigued with his use of color and the outdoors. AMAZING!!

The fall decor in the Venetian that we all enjoyed taking pictures of



Roberto our gondolier was amazing! We heard a few others during our ride and decided he was really the best. He was singing Andrea Bocelli and many other italian solo numbers that sounded familiar....(I guess I need to brush up on my italian opera trivia or learn it at all). I started joking with him and singing to Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato pie, pancakes piled up till they reach the sky....to which he responded with an amazing rendition of the real song in the most beautiful italian tenor I had ever experienced first hand. What a ride. We were laughing about how we felt like we were really in Italy except for one minor thing: the bridges and water were way too clean!
Ken was nice enough to stay behind and take a million photos like the papparazzi. After our ride we had worked up quite an appetite and headed for a fancy Italian meal at Canalettos in the Market Square. It was yummy!
Other highlights of the trip here included all the girls sneaking away for pedicures, sharing Cole's first birthday together, cousins playing nonstop, and a trip to my favorite fabric store where Kim helped me decide what sewing machine to buy. I finally got a BERNINA (insert loud cheerleader style hoorays here). Kim helped me pick it out and Dad helped me pay for it. I'm a spoiled, lucky girl!

Birthday Boy

A year ago today this little man came into our family. And although we were all a little surprised to have a boy, he quickly became part of our family. It hardly seems like its been a year. You are such a joy to have around. Your sweet tempermant and smile. Your ability to captivate and be our everything. It has been especially rewarding to watch the other kids care for you, protect you, and LOVE you with every ounce of LOVE they have. You have become the center of our family's world. We would be lost without you. What a blessing to have this sweet little boy; healthy, happy, and perfect come into our lives. We love you baby Cole.


It was great watching you discover the bike we picked out for you. At first you just went backwards. By the end of the night, you had it all figured out! You were even dancing to the music! You started crying when we took you off to sit in your high chair for cake.

We were lucky to have grandparents in town and aunts, uncles, and cousins here to celebrate with even if it meant having your party a few days early.


I Always joke that the first birthday party is really for the parents: We made it through the first year yeah!!

Tuacahn

Jen and I took the girls to Annie on Friday night at Tuacahn. It was an amazing show. Not even 5 minutes into the show, Hanna was leaning over telling me thank you for bringing her and how much she liked it. By intermission she was already picking which character she would love to play! Tuacahn is such a fun atmosphere for an outdoor theatre. I love it!!

You Might Be a Mom of 5 Kids if.......

On monday I was running late getting Josh to his soccer class at the YMCA. I had planned to drop him off and then go work out while he did his class. As we were hurrying into the "Y", I looked down and realized I was dressed and ready to workout except for one minor thing....my shoes. I had forgotten to change them. I was still wearing my sandals from dropping the big kids off at school. I think some people would have had a good laugh at me on the tread mill had I chosen to work out. So while I sat during Joshy's class and contemplated my current life's status, I started writing this list. Afterall laughter is the best medicine when alas you find yourself with 5 kids, overworked, underpaid, sleep deprived and going on your 7th day of a sick baby!
Maybe there only funny to me.....

You Might Be a Mom of 5 Kids if.....
1. You take your kids places with uncombed hair and have stopped caring
2. A bath for your baby consists of a wipey rub down and applying more lotion
3. You arrive frantic and late just about everywhere you go
4. Your "to do" list has been the same for 2 months
5. You want to get sent to time-out in your bedroom all afternoon
6. You realize you have a middle child whom you completely forgot about
7. You swear the homework, shoes, and backpacks are multiplying overnight in the hall closet
8. You remember saying, "I'm never going to be one of those mom's who"_______ and laugh at the things you used to fill in the blank with
9. You are cleaning the breakfast dishes off the counter while making dinner
10. Your little one eats 4 bites of meat, 2 rolls, and 2 bites of salad smothered in ranch dressing and you feel accomplished
11. Your 3 year old often shows up wearing skeleton gloves, cowboy boots, and a cape everywhere you go
12. You go upstairs to do something get distracted; clean up some toys, move the laundry along, make a bed,and head down stairs to realize you never did what you went up to do(repeat the cycle 20 times a day)
13. You can't go to the bathroom without at least one visitor
14. You greet your kids at the door after school and have no idea what you did all day
15. Make-up is optional some days due to time constraints even though you've never needed it more!
16. You wear your 5 kid gut proud or at least that's what you tell yourself, right??
17. You arrive at the gym to work out and look down to see you are wearing your sandals

Now go hug your kids everyone and realize how blessed you are to be called "MOM".