Monster Jam

Dad and his boys! Oh he is so Lucky!

Aiden held his hands over his ears most of the night. He didn't like the loud sounds from the trucks.

Aiden hanging out with dad.

Matt had the night of his life, as he says. He LOVED the monster jam. He and Jared would stand up and cheer, and yell, and get loud.

We surprised the boys with tickets to Monster Jam at the Silverbowl. We actually told the boys, Matt and Zach, that we were going to an outdoor church event, and they had to get up and sing a song. On the car ride to the Silverbowl, we had them practicing singing church songs. They were both terrified and nervous and NOT happy. As we pulled into the event, and Matt saw all the people, he got mad, and said he wasn't going in. We kept telling him it would be alright, he just had to be brave.. I know I know, kind of a mean joke... but we wanted them to be really surprised, and think we were going somewhere they wouldn't really want to go.. i mean really, what kid wants to go to church on a Saturday night, and have to sing in front of thousands of people. As we walked in, the kids were of course complaining and scared... and then all of a sudden they hear this ROAR from a truck and they both stopped, and looked at each other, and smiled. They instantly knew this wasn't a church function, but something probably FUN. So, we told them, and they both stood in utter relief and starting screaming and laughing and jumping for joy. A priceless moment indeed. We had a blast, most of us at least. Zach was bored by the first hour, and actually fell asleep in my lap. Aiden didn't like the noise, but was really good. Matt and Jared had the most fun, and will definitely go back next year.

San Diego-Spring Break

Pacific Beach

Zach and his BFF-Dominic. We roasted hotdogs on the beach

World Famous San Diego Zoo

Every year, well for the last 5 years, we have been going to San Diego for vacation. We take the trailer and camp at Campland on the Bay, which is an RV resort located on Misson Bay. This year we went during the kids spring break from school which was the last week in March. We went with the Hurley, and Castenada Family. What a blast.. We spent a day at the beach, went to the zoo, roasted hot dogs on the beach, went to Seaport village, took a 6 mile bike ride from the RV resort to Pacific Beach, (with 4 kids on bikes, and 4 adults) San Diego is definitely one of our family's favorite places to go for vacation. We can't wait for next year!

February 2010- Dumont Dunes

Aiden is READY to RIDE

Matt and Zach on the quads

Zach making doughnuts

Matt making doughnuts

Aiden sitting on Jared's quad

Dominic, Zach, Gabriella, EmmaGrace, Matt, Aiden, and Garrett.

For the last couple of years, over President's Day Weekend, we take the trailer and quads to Dumont Dunes. This year we camped with the Hurley Family, Aughenbaugh family, and Castenada family. The kids had a blast, all they wanted to do was RIDE RIDE and Ride. poor Aiden, can't wait for the year when he can ride. We took up a battery powered quad, but it wouldn't move on the sand, so he spent half the time just sitting on someone's quad.

January 2010 Snow FUN

We live across the street from our good friends, the Hurley's, so almost everyday the kids get together and play. Today, they decided to play football with Jared and Jeff.

Dad and the boys.

We took a family trip to the house in Hatch in January for a weekend of snow fun. We have a favorite place we like to take the intertube on Cedar Mountain. This particular day was pretty awesome for me. **Disclaimer, I don't claim to be the smartest person in the world**

Jared had taken Matt and Zach up to the top of the hill, and I was standing at the bottom with Aiden taking pictures. There was another little boy and his friend who had come down the hill, and crashed into each other. They were both crying, and one boy was screaming that his back was hurt. Jared was waiting at the top, along with the other boys family. Since I was so close to the hurt boy, I figured as a mother, I should go and see if he was okay. I walked over to him, and asked if he was okay, he said no, and he couldn't move. I am no doctor, no medical training at that, so figured I shouldn't move him in case he was really hurt. I looked up at the top of the hill, and the boy's mother, and a friend were coming straight down the hill to help him.. but headed right at him. I think in my head, oh no, she is going to run right into him. I am thinking, what kind of mom heads straight down a steep snowy hill, on a sled, towards her hurt child. Well, obviously not a very smart one. Then I do something even smarter.... I decide I am going to STOP her on the sled from hitting her child. So I stand right in front her, thinking that I can stop her. Well, she hits me, I fly in the air, and land head first in the snow. Thank GOODNESS, i wasn't seriously hurt. With my track record, it could have been worse. Sore back for a few weeks, but nothing permanent.

Needless to say, I learned my lesson. I am not a superhero. I do not have the ability to stop 300 pounds of people on a sled.

Soccer SuperSTAR

My little superstar!

Zach doing a little " Oh YEAH" cheer for himself.

Aiden, lounging, while watching the game..

Zach getting in the mix of the game. Go ZACH.

Zach and one of his favorite team mates... Jayden

Zach has been such a good sport the last few years always being on the sideline while Matt has played baseball. This year, we put Zach into soccer and he LOVED it. Zach is such a goofy little boy, for those of you that know him. He is really smart, but can be a total SPACE cadet. He was really fun to watch playing soccer because he would chase after the ball, and then stop and do a summersault. He would kick the ball the wrong way into the other teams goalie... He was just fun to watch. GO TIGERS!!!

Polar Express

This was the snowstorm we hit leaving Arizona. It was beautiful!

Warming up at the fireplace with Evan and Matthew Vendetti after the snow fight.

Playing in the snow..... I didn't realize there would be so much snow, and didn't pack snow clothes for the boys. thank goodness they did bring gloves and warm jackets...

Matt and Zach fell asleep on the train ride back from the North Pole. We were on the late train and they were TIRED...

Santa Claus giving Zach his magical bell... " I do believe, I do believe."

Aiden watching out the window, looking for the North Pole.

On the TRAIN...

Daddy and Aiden outside the hotel. It was so cold there.....

The Fam, standing in front of an old train... Photo moment.

The kids waiting in line to see Santa before we headed to the North Pole.

On Monday, December 21, we took a road trip to Williams, Arizona (about 4 hours from Vegas) We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, and took the Polar Express to the North Pole to see Santa. I will have to say that one of my FAVORITE Christmas movies is the "Polar Express" starring Tom Hanks... I guess I was expecting the train ride to be more like the movie, and so were the boys. They were so excited on the train to get to the North Pole, and when we stopped and didn't get off, all the excitement was gone. That is until Santa got on the train to pass out magical bells. Overall.... was it worth the $500 it costs...hmmm I would say I don't know. Will we do it again?? not sure. Maybe in a few years when I forget how terrible the food was... I will convince Jared to take us again. The boys did have fun... in fact the best time they had was the next morning when we woke up and there was new fresh snow on the ground. We ran into our friends from Vegas, and all the kids played in the snow for a couple of hours. That was their favorite part.