Just Because She is Sweet!

Our kids call all of our friends' by their name, but use the term "auntie" or "uncle" ahead of it. Now, they aren't true aunts or uncles by blood, but they are as close to my children as any of their real aunts and uncles are - sometimes closer, as we spend lots of time with our friends!

In return, I am an Auntie Jenni to many, as so many of our friends have children. Not really sure who/why/how we started this, but we are all like family and it just kinda stuck!

One of the things I remember growing up was how cool it was to go with my Aunt Heidi (real, my mom's sister), just her and I, and she would buy my swimsuit every year! It was our special thing. Our girl time that we got to spend together, just the two of us! I loved and cherished every second of that! So Auntie Heidi (who also showed me how to make those fantastic cookies) if you are reading, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for just me. I know I have said it before, but it really was special and I thought you were the coolest. Thank you!

Ok, I got a little sidetracked I know, but I swear I am going somewhere with the story and the whole Aunt thing! One of my "nieces" is very special to me. Her name is Amaya and she is the best helper, (she does things just because and will always ask you if you need help) an all around great kid and as sweet as can be! Well, I started thinking about those that made an impact on me while I was growing up and at an impressionable age (I had many strong, beautiful, wonderful, positive influences in my life ~ yes, I was blessed) and I thought that maybe I could be that for Amaya. So, I made a hair appointment for her (after she expressed a little concern that her mom got a hold of the scissors and that she didn't really like the way it turned out) and planned a few surprises to make her feel special! Based on the permanent smile she had the entire time I was with her, I would say it was a great night! One I hope she will remember for a long time and look forward to doing again in the future!

The only thing she thought she was meeting up with me for was her haircut. When she sat down, I had a little package for her, but told her that she couldn't have it until her hair was all done (it was a new dress, we were going to take pictures of her when she was all finished)! She was so excited during her haircut and she really just smiled through the whole thing!


When she finished with her hair, she went and put on her dress and then I took her to get her nails and toes painted! She wanted bright colors to match the bottom of the dress!

After her hair and her nails/toes, I took her to my favorite spot to snap a few photos of just her! She was the perfect model and looked beautiful with her new haircut!

I guess I am in a black/white mood - LOVING how these turned out!

Isn't she just beautiful?!

I had a great time with you Amaya! I hope that we will have many more days like this to come! I think that you are one of the smartest and most beautiful little ladies that I know and I am proud that I have moved from "auntie" to "like a mom" status to you! Love you lots!

PS- Do/did any of you have special "aunties" in your life now or growing up that made impression on you? I would LOVE to hear about them!

A Memorial Day (More Like Weekend) to Remember

Sunday afternoon we got together out at the Estrella Waterpark for a splish-splashin' good time! My parents went back and forth with where to host their annual party (their place at the point or at the Waterpark) and I am so happy that the Waterpark won! I think all who came had a blast!

Thank you mom and dad for a wonderful time and for always inviting our friends to join in on the fun! I am proud to say that you guys are REALLY COOL PARENTS (I don't think I thought that while in high school, but I am proud to shout it now)!
LOVE YOU!

Oh, how I LOVE that they LOVE each other so much!

A major feat that Kyan tackled this time around was that big giant water slide! Last summer there was NO WAY he was going down that thing, although he climbed to the top on more than one occasion to try.
This time, it took Kyan's friend Gianni to show off just once before he was joining in on the fun! Then, there was no turning back! He had to have gone down that thing several dozen times! He even went down the "dark slide", as we like to call it, towards the end of our afternoon, not once, but twice! I was a proud mama for sure!

And Little Miss "Thang" loved her some water! She had so much fun getting twirled around by yours truly and splashing in the fountains that shoot up along the beach front entrance into the pool! Lola was in her element and is a water baby for sure!

I begged for Chad to take pictures of me with the kids during the day, and I mean begged. I think I might have whined a little too (ok, maybe a lot)! He just got them of Lola and I, but that was because Kyan was off playing with his friends and being Mr. Independent (they grow up fast)! One of the things that I love about Estrella's waterpark is that you can see the kids from just about anywhere you sit and lounge (see next picture - I did a lot of it)!

This is pretty much what I did all day.
It was pretty perfect!

I adore the girls that I work with - they even started blogs this summer! OK, to be fair, Angela has had one for awhile, but she just started updating a little more faithfully just recently, and Kristin is a newbie, but she is getting good and just started adding yummy recipes!
Did I mention how much I love bloggy blog friends? No. Well, I do!

He really is my little fishy! He can swim so good and his favorite way to swim by far is underwater!

While kicking it with grandpa (that top picture that you saw, my dad pretty much laid around all day holding down the fort for everyone, just relaxing, visiting, and reading the paper) Lola found some flowers that grandpa helped her pick! She loved them and held them so gently!

By the nights end (after the waterpark we went for a pizza party back at the house) the kids were pooped! They did fall asleep on the way home, but got their second wind for about an hour when we got home! So, after getting ready for bed, they both laid together and watched cartoons until they crashed!

I love sleepy time pictures. My heart officially melted (gosh, it seems to be doing this a lot lately, must be summer) when I saw them like this.

But our Memorial Day celebrating didn't end Sunday night...
On Monday, my mom, Linda, and I snuck off to the mall for some serious shopping (and sales)! I was kid free and took full advantage of some much needed mommy shopping time! I made out like a bandit too! Some new tops from my favorite store on the planet (Anne Taylor LOFT), a new swimsuit (my first one piece in a long time and I am in LOVE) and a new Coach purse (I am a Coach snob, I hate to admit this, but I am. It is like a disease, I swear)!
I couldn't hang with the old ladies (haha - just kidding girls, I love you!) too long, they are serious shoppers, they could seriously shop from store open to store close, because we had another party to go to!
The Butler's had a little get together for friends from school! It was nice to see everyone (again! We saw some of them Saturday and Sunday too) and hang out in the backyard with for swimming, food, and fun! See the proof below!


Watermelon! I would say that she is a fan!

Swimming!

Lola's new favorite way to be in the water! She calls it her goldfish!


She is silly!

He could play all day long!


Hands down, this one has to be my new favorite picture of me and the hubs!

Now, with everything that was so amazing going on this weekend, I did not forget what Memorial Day is and why we celebrate it.
I am grateful to the Armed Forces and to those that spend each and every day protecting and serving our country. I thought about my little brother all weekend (I even got a chance to talk to him on Monday!) over in Bahrain, doing just that. Protecting and serving our country so that we can be safe here at home. Yes, I wish that he could have been with us celebrating too, but I am so thankful for him, and those like him!
Thank you little brother. I love you.

They Are Here!!!

YAY! I picked up my parents at the airport on Friday evening and I am not sure who was more excited...me? My kids? Or them?! Either way, as soon as they arrived, it was off to their place where Chad and the kids met up at the Estrella Golf Course for some yummy dinner! The kids love it there, they get to run around on the practice course at night and the outside patio that we eat at is a good place to let them run around!



For part of this trip out, my mom's wonderful friend Linda is joining them for about a week, along with my Aunt Sue and her daughter (my cousin) April! April is super excited to be moving here in about 7 months to finish up her schooling!

As soon as we got back to my parents house, Lola wanted to play outside in the fountain (but there wasn't any water in it - they drain it when they leave for extended amounts of time) so she immediately turned to grandpa and told him, "It's broken, you fix it for me?" in the sweetest voice she could! Melted my heart and it must have melted grandpa's because he went and got the hose and put water in it right away! She LOVES that fountain and needed grandpa there to play with her in it!

Meanwhile, Kyan and grandma were busy hiding and seeking the snakes that grandma brought him for his surprise! Usually they hide G.I. Joe guys, but because the snakes were new, they hid those this time! Kyan could (and sometimes does) do this for hours with grandma! They take turns and use the expressions "hotter" and "colder" to locate their hiding things!

Grandpa and Grandma Nebraska are here for another two weeks and we can't wait to spend every second that we possibly can with them! They joined us last night for our little get together that we had at the house to watch the Suns game (so sad they lost) and UFC fight and we are off to spend the day with them today at the waterpark out at Estrella!

WE LOVE YOU!

The Little Lady Sleeps

Just when we think that Lola has made it another night in her big girl bed (we converted her crib into the daybed/toddler bed a few months ago) we find her sleeping ever so sweetly right outside our bedroom door. We sleep with our door open, so we can't quite figure out why she doesn't come all the way in (because that happens too - then I have to make her a little bed on the floor). Now, this is happening less and less (so thankful for that, and knocking on wood now) but I couldn't resist capturing her in this moment.

Preschool Graduation!

(this song was playing on the cd that the teachers made for parents, when you hear it with all of those pictures, it definitely gets the tears going)

Wednesday was a very special day, Kyan graduated from Preschool! I thought that I would be able to hold myself together, but I had BIG huge tears on several occasions during the hour or so we spent celebrating in his classroom.
{Gulp, I am getting a knot in my throat just thinking about it now}
Where does the time go?
He was so proud and expressed on several occasions that he was a Kindergartner now!
His teachers were amazing and so proud of each and every one of their kiddos! One of the neatest things that they do for parents at Christmas and at the end of the year is present us with a cd/movie of pictures and videos that they take on a daily basis of our kids. It is so special and it makes me feel like I am there with him when I obviously can't be.
Preschool was a wonderful year!

Kyan's Preschool teacher's were beyond amazing this year!

We are so lucky that Kyan was placed into their warm, loving, caring, and incredibly friendly and welcoming classroom!
We are going to miss them!

Before the ceremony started, the kids passed out the Father's Day presents!
Kyan was so excited to give his to his daddy!

A proud graduate of the 2010 Preschool Class!

Oh Kyan, I am beyond proud of you and had so much fun at your celebration! I can't wait to see what Kindergarten and the future holds for you! I love you.

So Close I Can Almost Taste It!

Summer.

Yep, only one more week and then it is summer vacation!

On Friday evening, the 8A crew gathered our families together over at the Casillas' house and celebrated an end to our academic school year (in 8th grade, the last week of school is a big promotion celebration, so no classes! Yay for teachers, as well as the kids)! It couldn't have been a more perfect way to end our year! I would say that every single person there had a fantastic time!

The kids had the most fun! They slipped and slid until the grass was flooded! It is nice that they are all a little bit older too, while they played, the adults got to sit around the table/campfire and visit! So relaxing! We each brought a little something to eat and ended the night cooking smores!

Soccer Champ

This past Saturday marked the end of the Kyan's first soccer season!

It has been so much fun to watch him grow as a little goalie (his favorite position to play)!

Our schedule was crazy busy, and Kyan actually had his soccer game an hour earlier than it normally is played, so Lola and I missed it, as we were at her gymnastics class. We tried catching the end and the trophy hand out, but we were too late! By the time we were walking up to the field, the boys were walking to the car! It didn't matter though, Kyan was still as proud as ever to show off his trophy and was happy to pose for a picture!
Good job on a great soccer season my handsome little man!
Love you!