Break Part 3 -Ta Tonga

Dave had the opportunity to go to Tonga with some friends to do dental work over the summer break. I am so proud of them and all they were able to accomplish. They were gone for 11 days and when people asked Audrey where her Daddy was, she would say, "Ta Tonga."

Dave working on some of the Tongans. Some people waited for five hours in line in order to been seen.

A kindergarten classs came into the clinic and sang songs for the group. Some of these cute kids were also patients.

The dentist, and dentists-to-be in front of the clinic.


Work hard, play hard. The boys were taken out by a noble family on a boat to this private island and snorkle around the entire island (the one on the left).

They went to this beach that had blow holes off the shore. It was Tonga's version of the Belligio show in Vegas!

This pillar was made in 1200 AD and the king used to stand on top of it to watch and talk to the people.

I can't wait until it is my turn to go along! Until then, we will continue to make a big scene at the airport when Dave and the other dads comes home:

I asked Audrey what she wanted our welcome home sign to say, and she said, "Ummmm, welcome home Prince Charming!" And so it did.

Welcome home Daddies. We missed you.

Rolling Over

On July 5th, this happened for the first time...

Audrey was a very proud big sister

Break Part 2 (Warning: very long)

I didn't take very many pictures of our family vacation to Mexico, but my sister did. She put them on Costco.com so I could blog about them, but Costco's site is under construction and it kicks me off every time I try to access the pictures. I will have to blog all the Mexico pictures later, because I really want to finish blogging about Dave's break from school.

We went to Nuevo Vallerta with my family for a week and had a great time (more pictures to come). I turned 28 in Mexico and had a great birthday with my entire family (we missed you Lukie). We spent the entire day by the pools, my mom and I went to the spa and I had the best massage I have ever had, then Dave and I went out to dinner, just the two of us. He left for Tonga the next day (blog post to come) so it was nice to have some one on one time together before he left for 11 days. Here are a few pictures I took.

My sweet kids.

Audrey sleeping in her big girl bed.

My 28th birthday.

Dave left straight to Tonga from Mexico and I flew home with the kids and my family. Some of the mommies that had their husband in Tonga (or who had a husband who worked crazy hours) knew we would need some adult interaction so we rented a beach house in Bodega Bay for three days. We had a great time going to the beach with the kids, letting all nine of our kids play together, taking them to the church where the movie, "The Birds" was filmed (shudder), cooking, eating and of course staying up way too late after all the kids were in bed.
My sweet friends made me a birthday cake from a mix they bought in Bodega Bay. Too bad the mix had expired in 2006...we didn't eat the cake. Just for looks.

Eating something yummy (not my birthday cake).

Jumping from bed to bed.

Rocia told all the kids to act scared (this is the church where the movie was filmed).

This is the second time in their short little life that these two friends have been to Bodega Bay together.

Blowing bubbles at the beach.

The four sleep deprived, but happy mommies.

After Bodega Bay we went to my in-laws for the 4th of July. Audrey had a great time pushing her little brother in the swing in Memor and Fafa's front yard.

We went to my sister-in-laws for a BBQ to celebrate the 4th. My in-laws brought stuff for the kids to decorate their bikes and they were the hit of the party!

First bike ride, he loved it!

Then Memor spoiled us rotten and took us to the fair. I used to have a stomach of steel, but I can't handle the spinning rides anymore! Memor was the brave one that took Audrey on all the spinning rides. She also bought us cotton candy, candied apples, shaved ice, corn dogs, corn on the cob, tickets for all the rides, and a pony ride for Audrey. You are one lucky little lady Audrey.

Almost caught up!

Why is she so big?

Dave had the opportunity of putting Audrey to bed tonight, and Audrey LOVES when Daddy is home to put her to bed. Dave made her promise that if he read her a few more books that she would go right to sleep. About half hour after he put her to bed, Dave heard her yelling for me. I walked into her room and her sweet little face was trying so hard to be brave but the second I asked her what was wrong she completely melted. She started sobbing and saying, "I broke it! I broke my promise!" She was so upset that she broke her promise to her daddy and didn't go right to sleep. She is growing up way too fast.

Tub tub

I love bathing my kids. They smell so good afterwards and their skin is so soft. I, on the other, hate baths. I am a shower girl all.the.way. I am too much of a germ-a-phobe (made up word) to take a bath. The thought of sitting in my own filth - sick (I do make my kids stand under the shower after their tubs to rinse off the yucky water). Tonight, I have changed my ways. My shoulder, hip and neck were killing me (it must be my old age!) so I decided to take a bath. I used my antibacterial body wash as bubble bath to help ease my troubled mind, I showered before and after the "bath" part, and I must say I quite enjoyed it. This is my first bath since high school when I used to lock myself in the bathroom and talk on the phone-with four sisters it was the only place with privacy. I think I am hooked...

Four months

On July 9th our little man turned four months. I can't belive how quickly the time is going. At four months our sweet boy:
* weighs 18.6 (95%) and is 26 inches (70%)
* giggles and smiles like crazy
* reaches for his toes
* still sucks his thumb
* loves his toy dinasour and ball (his is all boy)
* sleeps like a champ
* eats like a champ
* rolls from his stomach to his back and has rolled the other way one time
* drools all.the.time.
He is such a mellow little guy and we love him to pieces.

Since blogging wasn't around when Audrey was four months, here are some pictures of her at that age. It was in December, hence the Santa get up.

An (almost) everyday occurence at my house...

Break-Part 1

Dave finished school on June 11th and we had a fantastic break. He started school again yesterday-sigh. We did lots of fun things during break, and I am attempting to do laundry, shower, play with my kiddos, make them something to eat, and blog all at the same time, so my "Break" blogging will have to be done in parts.
Part 1
Dave finished school on Wed, June 11th. We spent that weekend at my parents and my newly returned home brother. On Tues, June 17th we went to Six Flags with Dave's family. We had a great, great time and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area.
Audrey was at first a little afraid of the big stuffed creatures, but then she became obsessed with them, wanting to stay by them forever, give them hugs and kisses and hold their hand.

Up close and personal with the walrus.

Checking on baby brother. Audrey is such a good big sister.

My favorite part of the day was watching Audrey watch the dolphin and whale shows.

Enjoying a ride with Aunt Ritz and Nathan.

Celebrating Dave's and my upcoming birthdays.

Audrey feeding the giraffes. She loved it.

Oh I love this girl.

The fun group. Thanks Memor and Fafa for a very, very fun day!

First day of third year

I forgot to take a picture of Dave the morning of his first day of third year, so this picture was taken that night at Joshua's last feeding. Time flies. I can't belive we are in our final year. Sad, sad, sad.