Sleeping Sienna...

I couldn't find Sienna...I kept calling her and calling her. I went looking and this is what I found...didn't even have to tell her it was time for bed...and then I looked down and saw what she did and it made me laugh out loud...you see she does this stuff all the time...she has been doing it since she was tiny....Hunter use to do it too. She makes me laugh a lot.


Love those bunny slippers...all set for when she wakes up...not sure about the book maybe it's for barbie...

On another note...my latest project...got my banister painted. It's been bugging me since the day we moved it. Finally done! It's like just going down my check list of things I want to change in my house. Eventually I will get it all done...then I will probably be ready to change it. Ha!

Before...

After...



I actually thought the handrails were going to be darker but he said this was the darkest stain before black and he used 3 coats..oh well...I am happy with it. On to the next project...

Life and Stuff...

So Cooper has a little friend named Dylan. For those of you that have been around Cooper and his friends this isn't the Dylan you are thinking of...different Dylan. This Dylan is one of my absolute favorites of Coop's friends..super lovable, funny, nice to Sienna and just has something so so sweet about him...
Whenever Coop asks if he can have friends over if Dylan is involved I can't help but say yes....some of his other friends...maybe not as much....

So I was sitting on my bed on March 4th when Coop comes in and I could tell something was wrong....tears in his eyes....he tells me Dylan just called me mom...he was really crying....he said his mom is in the hospital and his dad told him he needed to come say goodbye to her...she was dying.
Well that's all Coop needed to say till I was in tears...as we both sat there on my bed crying asking each other what does a 12 year old boy do without a mom? Coop says who is going to make his lunch, wash his clothes...take care of him? I say.. I don't know.

Coop woke up Monday morning and said Mom I have a missed call from Dylan at 12:30 am...I am afraid his mom might have passed away....I am grateful Cooper is the kind of friend that Dylan feels he can call at 12:30 am to cry about his mom dying....I am grateful Coop is the one everyone is asking if Dylan is doing okay...even the teachers, and I am grateful that Cooper knows the answers because he is that kind of a friend that he asks Dylan.

How do you make sense of it all? I can't....I tell Coop all I know is Dylan is gonna need us...I will pick him up any time and drop him home, he can come over after school, on the weekends, eat dinner with us... any time he wants.

We just got back from her viewing....I am so filled with emotions right now I don't know what to do with them. Thinking about this sweet boy...when everyone goes home and life goes back to normal....only his won't ever go back to the normal he knew. Who is going to tuck him in at night...I am sure his dad is a lovely person and will do the best he can but it's just not his mom.
Since I lost my mom I feel his pain but I was in my 30's... not 12.

This is the picture he posted on his facebook as his profile picture and I cried when I saw it...

This has definitely made Cooper and I have some pretty serious conversations about death. Tonight I said.. wow Coop I am so grateful that we know Dylan will see him mom again...imagine how awful death would be if you really thought you would never see your mom ever again. I know my mom will be waiting for me with open arms one day....

Sports Court...

I know! I know! I have been horrible about blogging lately....
Too much always going on and I fall asleep with out even finishing my show at night these days!

So February is almost over...wooooo hooooo!
Spring is right around the corner and we are so ready. Shorts and flip flops can't come soon enough...but that also means baseball season is here so mixed emotions.
Jackson has decided to branch out from his brothers and not play baseball this spring, instead he is giving Lacrosse a try. I am super excited about this and think I will love Lacrosse...now only have to sit through 6 baseball games a week instead of 9.. Ha!

So the boys got their Christmas present..the sport court is in and they really haven't come off it since it went in. The doorbell hasn't stopped ringing either....lots and lots of little boys. As long as they are outside I am soooo fine with it. It's things like today when I walk downstairs to the basement and there is a trail of muddy footprints going from the sport court to upstairs....arggggg. I put a very large sign on the door that says TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES BEFORE COMING IN! We'll see how well it works...

So here was the process...

The boys loved this..the cement trucks put the cement in from the front yard..it stretched that far.

Rain and all...can't get them off of it....

So now we are waiting on Landscapers to come in and tell us what to do to get rid of all the mud and make things a little prettier back there...they sure made a mess of the yard. Worth it though....best Christmas present ever...they will play on it every single day. Much better than having them sit and play video games....not that there's anything wrong with video games! :)

The Big J

I started this post but haven't finished due to me having strep throat...sorry J-man...strep stinks!

Jackson has many names...Jackson, J-man, J-dog, Action Jackson, J-diggity, Jaxy....

Well my little Jackson Edward turned 11 years old last Thursday...Feb 3, 2011.

So J-man's day started with scones for breakfast...his favorite cookies from Holly...cards with cash from grandparents and his Aunt Holly...presents...he was very excited about his new Hyperdunk basketball shoes he got that he wasn't expecting...Hunter said oh man I had to wait till I was 16 to get those! Not Fair...well life isn't fair Hunter and they didn't have them when you were 11! :)

and then he was off to school.

He was anxiously waiting for me to bring him something delicious for lunch...but instead I surprised him and picked him up from school before his lunch (which btw starts at 11:00 am! Talk about early lunch!)

He was a little bit happy...(Jackson got to wear his clothing of choice for his birthday which is why he is in basketball clothes..even though I told him he should wear jeans seeing as it was 29 degrees out..he convinced me to let him pick then when he got to school the principle scolded him telling him he needs to be in long pants and shirt! Ha!)

So then we were off to his choice of lunch Ci-Ci's...(not my favorite place)

But these two were very happy to be there.....

Bad pic of me as I had strep starting out and didn't know it was strep but not very often I get a pic with J-dog smiling so had to use it!

Conwey had to fly to Arizona in the afternoon...he was so sad to leave on J-man's b-day. We went to dinner the night before with the family and Jackson chose his favorite restaurant Nagoya....

I will have to put those pictures in later because we took them on Hunter's phone and I have asked him a million times to send them to me and of course he still hasn't.

So then Sienna had school so Jackson and I were gonna go to a movie but there wasn't one that worked in our time frame so we ran and got video's and treats before his Aunt Rachel came up.

Then he went and played basketball with brothers and friends...

When he came home he saw this from Rachel and Hudson..

Talk about a nice aunt! Jackson thinks Rach is the coolest!

So then we were off to dinner at Jackson's choice The Steak House...does it seem like we had a lot of eating out for Jackson...it did to me!
Conwey had left on the airplane so Jackson wanted to invite his BFF Grant to go...so thats what we did.

They had a good time...

Grant and his mom and my friend Lisa...

The things we have to do to get a smile out of Jackson!

So that was that...we are now trying to put together is friend party between basketball games and cold weather it is pretty tricky trying to find the right time...but we will figure it out.

So My 2011 things I Love about Jackson Edward Casillas....

1. I love that he was born in the year 2000 makes remembering how old he is so easy! Ha!
2. Even though he seems like he's getting so big he still needs hugs and snuggles...and is happy to give them out.
3. He is an AMAZING little Athlete...
4. When he isn't teasing Sienna he is playing tea party or reading her books...sometimes I just sit and listen from the other room to how sweet he is with her.
5. He is such a good kid...always chooses the right.
6. He has a great laugh..
7. He soooo looks up to his brothers and would do just about anything they tell him to. (good thing they are good kids!) Especially Hunter..I think there is enough of an age distance that those two really get along..
8. Does amazing in school and always has...
9. Still the fastest go getter around..Jackson run and grab that thing upstairs..he's back before I even finish my sentence! :)

10. I love love love that he has decided to branch out from baseball and what his brother's have always done and try Lacrosse this year. He isn't afraid to be different from his brothers.

I really really really can't believe he is 11 years old. I could swear we were just having his 8th birthday yesterday. I really wish these kids would just stop growing up!

I love you J-Man! Your are a light in my life that would be so dark if you weren't in it!

Thanks for being such a wonderful son!

Love,

Mom

Zoe

So a few weeks ago a friend of mine got some horrible news that her sweet 4 year old has a tumor behind her eye. It has caused complete eye sight loss in that eye and that they had 3 options to consider...they decided to go with chemotherapy that will start this week and they will have to do for a whole year!

As I have thought so much about my friend April and her little girl the last couple of weeks I just wonder why some people have to endure these horrible trials and others don't.

I can't even imagine having a trial like this and pray I never will. I am always so amazed by the strength from these parents as they go through these things.

I feel like I have never taken my health or my children's heath for granted I am grateful every single day for our health.

If you would like to read sweet Zoe's story you can follow her mom's blog she started by going here... http://z-o-e-thegreekwordforlife.blogspot.com

Conwey- January 15th

So today was Conwey's Birthday. It was a crazy day full of basketball games...probably just how he loves spending his day, which was probably good since I was feeling a bit yucky...

We made him breakfast in bed, gave him his presents, and then he was out the door...

Sienna was excited to bake him a cake with blue frosting because that is the color of his basketball team he coaches...(the Tar Heels) We all went to dinner at one of his latest favorite restaurants The Dock...then we all watched a movie together.

So just wanted to do my 10 things I love about Conwey before his birthday is officially over...and it is 11:59 p.m. right now!

1. He loves his kids and family more than anything in the world....I love how much he loves his family...his dad...they have a special relationship...neither of them talk too much but they understand each other (because they are sooooo much a like) it's very sweet.

2. He is a great provider.

3. He is an awesome coach...parents and kids just adore him. (with a undefeated team so far!)

4. He is an Amazing Sunday school teacher...kids fight to get in his class...some sneak in and have to be escorted out.

5. He is very passionate about sports...

6. If Conwey is your friend he will do anything for you. He will give you the shirt off his back.

7. He makes THE BEST guacamole in the world.

8. When Conwey starts laughing you can't help but laugh..and when he and his brother Nico start laughing (especially in movies) it just makes you laugh. (even if it is the dumbest movie ever!)

9. Conwey is very quiet (I know so opposite of me right...guess opposites did attract) unless he is comfortable with friends or family and then he gets on a roll and has everyone laughing...

10. 20 years ago I met a guy named Conwey (weird to think I was only 3 yrs older than Hunter is now when I met him!)...I hadn't ever heard of anyone named Conwey..(except Conway twitty) something about him intrigued me...he wasn't like all the other guys...little quiet, kinda kept to himself...beautiful blue eyes...ambitious...smart...nice...AWESOME athlete...had amazing legs...(first time I met him he was getting ready to go for a run) The first time I had a chance to really talk to him we talked all night long...(who knew Conwey could talk all night long??) ended up being my best friend the rest is history...20 years and 4 kids later...

Happy Birthday Conwey!

**So we have very few pictures together...I am always the one taking the pictures...but we got this one last summer at a beach wedding we went to...It was a great time with good memories so I like it...

The January Blues....

I think I have the January Blues...it always seems to happen.

There just isn't much to like about January...I take my Christmas decorations down and everything seems bare. I find myself looking for new decorations all the time because I feel like my house seems so blah...

It's so stinking cold outside I have to make myself go places because it just hurts to walk out....

There just isn't anything to look forward to..(besides Merry's Birthday celebrations :) and Conwey's too...)

The gym is insanely crowded with all the new years resolution people who take all our bikes, equipment, car spaces and then they are all gone by February...not to return till next January....happens every year!

The kids faces are all so pale that they look almost sick....

I get spring fever and then realize I have like 3 more months!

Tell me what is there to like about January? I would love to know....

I think I need to figure out some fun January traditions to make the month a little more fun....anyone have any suggestions out there?

I defiantly have the January Blues....

Christmas Morning-2010

The brutal waiting on the stairs to come down.....

Hunter, Coop, and Jackson's big present this year is that they are getting a sports court put in the back yard. Can you think of a more perfect present for them? They are all just a tiny bit excited.

Sienna's present from Santa...I think I am having more fun playing with the cute pieces than she is!

Sienna got her long awaited Easy Bake Oven from Grandpa Vic...I soooo remember making cakes in mine when I was little. So funny they are still such a hit! I think Cooper has had more fun making cakes in it than Sienna...he's an expert now.

My favorite part of Christmas morning is all the hugs! We hugged after every present when I was growing up and thank heavens Sienna is keeping that tradition going strong....

I love watching the kids shop for each other...thinking of the perfect gifts, then wrapping them, and the excitement as they watch each other open them.

I also loved each of their sweet gifts they gave me. Coop gave me a cute silver heart necklace, Jackson gave me some awesome pajama pants that I love, Hunter gave me a ton of my favorite gum and Sienna she gave me a really awesome bench from Anthropology...hmmm not sure how she pulled that one off since Conwey and I agreed on no gifts this year for each other!


Sienna loved her pizza making Barbies from Holly and Little Jackson....

Hunter actually gets harder and harder every year. He had no list for me this year...I had to guess on everything he got. And fyi because of the sports court we weren't going crazy on the gifts so it made shopping for Hunter nearly impossible...but I think he was pleased...mostly with his 20 bottles of hairspray he got..or maybe his zit medicine Jackson gave him! Ha! I love funny gifts.

J-man's comment to me on Christmas afternoon was priceless to me. He said

I LOVE my life...I have everything I could ever want. Wow...after a month of stressing over Christmas I was pretty happy to hear that one!

Hmmm Coops gifts look strangly familiar...like exactly what he wanted last year...just a different name on the back. He was very happy to get his Rondo jersey.

Jackson was dying for a pillow pet this year....Conwey was like I don't think my 11 year old son needs to be a getting pillow pet...so this was the next best thing. He said he actually likes it better...phew!

Sienna has been longing for these dress up high heal shoes...her 2nd cousin has them and she wears them every time she goes over. I had a heck of a time finding them but finally tracked some down on ebay...phew again! She hasn't really taken them off since.

My sister Rach gave all the kids really sweet and thoughtful gifts...they all loved everything she gave them. The fake blow up tongue was actually fought over...strange. :)

Grandpa Vic sent the perfect gifts for everyone! Just how he knew exactly what they all wanted I will never know! ;)

Really one of my favorite parts of Christmas is going to the mailbox every single day and getting all your cards. I hope this tradition never ends in the electronic world we now live in!

So even though I felt very overwhelmed this Christmas for some strange reason I really really love Christmas time. I love the gift giving...I love the daily thoughts that somehow always turn to Jesus birth...I love the Christmas music...the lights that decorate all the neighborhoods...the baked goods that show up on your doorstep....and just the magical feeling of Christmas Time!
So here's to 2010 Christmas! Till next year....peace out.

(Don't know why I just typed that but I am keeping it in because it made me chuckle.)