Back to School 2013

First day of school....2013.  It seems like every year at this time I freak out like just a bit.  With each passing year, they seem to pass faster than the last.  This year we have 2 in middle school!!  How can that be?  Nicholas and Cody are both at Kastner together and Brett is bringing up the rear at Nelson in 5th grade.  Nick and Brett were very excited to start school, but Cody was a bit more apprehensive, not knowing what to expect at a bigger school with more kids and 6 classes! But Cody never ceases to amaze me.  I am so proud of him, who he is and who he is becoming. 

Cody is the most determined boy that I have ever met.  When given a challenge or a competition, he will work for hours or compete to the death.  :)   He has been known to spend 8 hours in one day working to put together a model car, only to take it apart and rebuild it because it was not quite right.  He decided to run cross country again this year (he has not run since 4th grade because he played football in 5th and 6th grade) and in only his 2nd race, he took first place in the district against all of the other 7th graders! He has decided to take up tennis for real this summer and begs us to go play every day.  He is small but mighty and I know that God is going to use that determined heart to move mountains for Him!  Cody also continues to grow in his love for Jesus, acknowledging him first in any Block N acceptance speech and always mentioning Him as the most important in all of his first day of school papers.  I am so proud of my fierce yet tender hearted, sensitive warrior that God has blessed me to raise.  Although he is stubborn, he still gives the best hugs!

 

 

** I am not excluding my other boys.  I wrote some nice things about Nicholas last year as he entered middle school and Bretty will get his fair share when he does too.  :-)

Summer Recap

This summer went by in a blur.  With all three boys playing all star or travel baseball again this year, I estimate that Neil and I watched approximately 2,318 baseball games this summer.  Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but some weeks it felt like it.  Yet, we are not complaining.  We enjoy packing our beach chairs to sit in the outfield with our seeds and our diet pepsi's watching our boys do what they love. 

Brett's All-Star team actually made it all the way to the State Tournament in Bakersfield!!

Brett had a great season and it was so nice to see him get to compete again. Thank you Jesus that he has fully recooperated and you cannot even tell he was ever in an accident!!

 

 This is a picture of the boys running through the dunes in Pismo at sunset.  Brett and Cody's team had a tournament in Pismo and the boys had lots of fun after the games with their friends on the beach.

Brett got to experience Wagon Train up at Hume with some of his friends from school.

Mommy and daddy were able to find 2 days to escape for a little to celebrate our anniversary early.  18 years! Wow! I feel old!!

 And of course we capped off our summer with our annual trip to Cayucos to enjoy great friends, great food, great memories and lots of relaxation! We took a trip to visit Hearst Castle for the first time and also hiked in San Simeon. 

 This year we were so excited that our cousins were able to come and stay with us for a few days too.  We loved having time to play on the beach all together!

Cody Turns 12!

For Cody's 12th we celebrated at home with the family enjoying a great night of pizza and swimming.  For his 12th, as was the case with Nicholas, Cody got his first cell phone.  Of course, he chose a Jayhawk blue color!

Cody wanted to decorate his own cake this year

After Lincoln blew out the candles, we relit them for Cody.



All the crazy cousins....so thankful for this bunch!!

Cody after his last baseball game as a Nelson Roadrunner his 6th grade buddies

Quick Visit to Paradise

Cruisin around the island

I was very blessed this week to go along with Neil to his teams' conference tournaments. Did I mention that the tournament was in Hawaii?? It was such a nice time for the two of us to get away and have fun.  Although Neil still had to work, I had plenty of time to go for runs on the beach, shop, relax in the spa, and get lots of rest.  I have not had an opportunity like this since before Nicholas was born so I must say that I enjoyed and cherished my time there.


Climbing to Maakapuu Lighthouse

At the top of the mountain with a 280 degree view of the ocean...breathtaking

Tennis Banquet

My view while in the sauna

View from our hotel

On our 6 am walk on the beach...we were still on CA time

Spring Break 2013

This year for Spring Break, we were able to get out of town for a couple days.
Neil and I were both embarrassed to admit that although we have both lived in the valley our entire lives, neither of us had been in to Yosemite National Park to do the Yosemite thing.  And, aside from one visit to Badger Pass, our boys had also never been in to experience Yosemite.
So, we decided to take a day trip and do the Yosemite thing.  We drove up in the morning, hiked to see some of the waterfalls, had a picnic in the valley, and enjoyed some great time together.

Then, later in the week, we decided to take a spontaneous trip to the beach.  We branched out and instead of visiting the central coast, we decided to experience Manhattan Beach for the first time together as a family.  We played volleyball on the beach with friends, visited the Santa Monica pier and Third Street Promenade at night, and even played a round of golf with the boys on our hotel's golf course.

My morning run.....heaven

As the boys are growing older and the finish line is beginning to come into view of how long I get to have them at home with me.  It makes it all the more clear that we need to take advantage of every opportunity we have to spend time together making lasting memories and laughing together.