Homecoming hoopla...

While Kenya and I were in Utah celebrating Kelli's wedding, back home Dana Hills High School was celebrating Homecoming...I was a bit sad that I was missing out on the festivities...my boys committed to performing in the school's halftime show the leads up to the announcement of the school's homecoming queen...it is a bit of a mystery to me what spurs my boys to dance in front of a bleacher filled stadium since they keep their dance skills hidden from us at home when asked to show...but I can tell they have a lot of fun with it...maybe its because of the cute girls and they outnumber the boys by a lot...then again maybe its because their friends are doing it and both seem to be able to laugh at themselves and their friends pretty easily resulting in fun times...either way I am thankful for a good friend who took photos for me and Greg's account of the event so I could at least visualize the happenings...now if I could only get Sandon to show me his shimmy...word had it he was very good at this :)

Mckay came back for Dana's Homecoming game and Kendall was soooo excited to see him.

Sophomore class performing to an "alien" theme...can you see Karch...hint look in the middle of the second photo...

Sandon's class performing to a "sailor"theme...so sad I missed this...would have loved to have seen them in action :)...hint: first photo Sandon is 2nd row 4th boy from right...thanks Amy for the photos!!!!

The next day Karch and a group of his friends attended the Homecoming Dance...again I missed the photo opp beforehand but thanks to wonder hubby (this is what he was this past weekend filling the needs of my kids, which were many, while I was gone...) he was able to get some shots for me...

Encore!

Last Friday I met Greg in Arizona. Greg had been in Arizona for the week working. I made the quick trip so that I could see Greg's son perform in his school's fall play. I was excited to make the trip. I had yet to see Steve act. I kept hearing what a good job he does in these plays.

Steve had one of the leads in the play "Nightmare High School". From the moment the curtain went up I was so impressed with his acting. He was confident, natural, his voice projects really well and he played his role very convincingly. The whole production was entertaining and fun. It was great to spend the time with Natalie, Andy and Steve. We miss them and are glad that things are going well for them.

Bravo Steve!

(sorry for the blur in some of the photos, no flash photography allowed...)

Ummm...I think Greg is going to want to strangle me after this post...

Good thing he loves me sooo much!

Greg's 5 minutes of fame.

The San Diego Tribune ran this photo and article on Greg...what a stud! :)

(love you honey :))

click to read article, if you are curious

A quick trip to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

The storage unit...

So my mom and dad are moving...and not just to a different house or to another city...but actually moving out of state...yep...Spokane, Washington will be their new home...

They had decided that finishing their lives close to their daughters would be the most ideal...being able to watch their grand kids grow in person...the problem was that one of us lived in southern California and one in Spokane, Washington...and due to the high cost of living where I live (big bummer), it makes more sense for them to pack up their things and move near Stephanie...I understand, but still am jealous that my sister and her kids get them and we don't...

The moving date is October 31st.

With only one month to go, there is quite a bit of organization and packing that needs to be done...how do you pack up 40 plus years of stuff????...I have decided you don't...

So this last weekend Kendall and I drove up to Sacramento after work on Thursday for a couple of days of packing, sorting, cataloguing, and TRYING to toss...my super duper Aunt Shirley flew in from Connecticut to help as well...

We also got to celebrate my mom's birthday...76 years...(ummm mom you don't care that I just listed your age right? Well you shouldn't because you look fabulous!)

We "packed" much into the weekend. We spent the whole day Friday at their storage sorting, documenting and TRYING to toss...but realizing that tossing things even if you have not looked at these items in years is hard to do :)...Kendall had fun going through her grandpa and grandma's things, learning more about them (especially her grandpa) in one day then in the last 12 years of her life, Grandma even taught Kendall how to create some very cute bracelets...we had fun with Aunt Shirley, and Kendall was able to learn in person why Aunt Shirley needs to get her butt out to the west coast...of course that is so she can be around her wonderful niece more often. :)

A big hug to you mom and dad...we had such a fun time, thank you, which went way to fast...wishing we could be nearer to you this next month...we love you.

Grandpa making sure that I don't toss too much...

A trip to D.I...Kendall became an expert at creating some colorful bracelets, thanks Grandma!

Aunt Shirley got a special bracelet made just for her...

The Birthday Girl!

The Last of the bunch...

This morning Kendall began the ritual of improving her smile...two long years...she was pretty excited to get her braces on...I am wondering if she will be feeling the same way tonight when she tries to eat something...I am happy because she marks the last of the kids to get ortho treatment...Sandon is in the middle of his treatment...I and my wallet though will really be excited when there are no more monthly trips to the office for the adjustments to the braces and the withdrawals from my bank account...

Happy moments...

Elyse and Rob all smiles

Saturday Greg and I were able to see my dear friends daughter married in the Newport Beach Temple...it was truly a happy occasion...there is always something special about weddings...I could not help but look at April(mom of the bride) while sitting in the temple...which happened to be a mistake because instant tears formed immediately...I saw in her eyes contentment, satisfaction, joy...I am so happy for her...I then looked at Elyse's(the bride) face and saw happiness, hope, excitement and could not help but be thrilled for her...as I looked around this particular sealing room I was reminded of another Saturday about a year and a half ago where I was that bride in that very same sealing room and I too had felt that same happiness, hope and excitement...and as I held Greg's hand this past Saturday I still felt so happy and blessed for the marriage I have with Greg...and how grateful I am that he loves me regardless of my imperfections...I could see in Rob's eyes how much he adored Elyse...I could feel and see that April knew this as well...and then I felt more than anything that I hope that my own daughters get to experience that happy moment as well.

Enjoying a moment with the very beautiful mother of the bride...wait are we really old enough to be a mother of the bride...apparently April you are!

Photos courtesy of Shawna Johnson

1st Day of School

Loving that my kids will still humor me and let me take their photos on the first day of school...

Sophomore and Freshman year!!! Happy that the boys are at the same school again!

7th Grader...no problem...

Kendall and Skylar...looking good girls!