Garth Baby!

Thanks Cathie and Staci for an amazing evening! We went to see a 1030 show of Garth Brooks at the Wynn. Let just say that I had 3 hours of sleep in the last 36 hours, plus I ran about 12 miles. There was still enough energy for Garth though! He was so amazing. He was all acoustic. Just him and his guitar. We were right in the middle about 20 rows up and the minute he started to sing, I was like , "oh my gosh, it's Garth!" He was amazing and the best performances were of course The Dance and Friends in Low Places! This was a once in a lifetime experience! I couldn't have spent it with 2 better friends! Thanks for sharing it with me!

Ragnar at it's finest

I just got done running Ragnar Relay. What is Ragnar? 12 of your friends all pile into 2 vans and run 188 miles through the Nevada desert. Crazy? Well, maybe a little. We finished in like 32 hours and placed 11 in our division as an all female team and around 240th overall. there were about 480 teams that ran, so I think we did pretty well. Our team was the RED HOT PHILLY PEPPERS. everyone on our team had lived in Philly as students. I knew 10 of them. My van was Megan, Jordan, Jamie, Kim, me, and Alyssa. I knew all of them. I ran 3 legs all beween 3.9 and 4.5 miles. My first leg was around 3p.m and it was all uphill and about 90 degrees. I had a rough time because I didn't bring water with me and the only water station they had set up was about 1/4 mile fromthe exchange point. I suffered from a little heat exhaustion and didn't think I would even be able to finish my other 2 legs. I got physically sick! I had to lay down for an hour or so and the tent and felt sick for another 4 hours or so afterwards. It was bad. Luckily by the time my next leg started at 2 am I was ok and was able to run it. It was actually a really fun leg --out in the middle of nowhere at 2 am with a head lamp on. Plus it wasn't 90 degrees. Then I had 2 hours of sleep in the fetal position in the front seat of the van. My last leg was about 2 pm the following day and it was another hot day, but not as bad. I have never done well in heat. I hate living in Vegas because it's so hot. So to run in it was a bit difficult for me. But I had such an amazing experience and would totally do it again. I think my team made it for me. Being with people that I haven't seen in 4 years was so awesome. Dental school was such a great time in my life, I wish we could just go back sometimes. I was so sad when the race was all over because everyone went home, and I went through withdrawls. I really miss my Philly friends! And if you ever want to do another, count me in! I really had an amazing time! Pre-fuel carb loadup at Cheesecake the night before the race
Our Van! Go RHPP!
Our totally hot team right after we finished the crossing line
Me!
Me again!
Alyssa and I watching Jordan finish our last leg.
Me getting ready to run my 2am run. It was actually cold!
This was some crazy underwear man running
Our team van pic
The back of our van

Megan and I watching Kim finish her leg. We were freezing!
eating dinner after our first leg. I did not feel well in this picture!
Tamar brought her girls up that weekend and so my girls got to hang out with Emma and Abbi for 2 days! They were in heaven! These girls were little friends in Philly.
Audrey and Emma with their first preschool teacher Miss Jamie. She was the best!

Halloween creations

I went a little overboard for the kids classes this year. 30 Mummy juiceboxes for Drew's class and 1 vegetable man for Maggies class. Never again! ok, maybe not never.

Our Spooky Weekend!

Halloween Weekend was a rather busy one! between carving pumpins, class goodies that I went way over board for, and Audrey's Nevada poster that was due on Nov 1, it was was a crazy one and we're glad it's over! On Sunday we carved pumpkins which I'm sorry, but next year we do 1 pumpkin. The kids can't carve their own pumpkin! What were we thinking? Owen carved 4 pumpkins that night! I'm not much of an artist so he got the brunt of the deal.
Audrey as a witch.....again!
Drew as a Jedi
Maggie as a Vampire baby aka Renesmee. Although she doesn't know who Renesmee is, I thought it was appropriate. At first she was a baby, and then being the kid that she is--never wanting to be just cute, she has to be something gorey and scary, so it turned into a vampire baby. When she went trick-or-treating, though, people thought she was an abused baby.
Miles after eating a few suckers!

The Bellagio

The kids had a couple of days off of school, so I took them down to the strip since we hadn't been for a while. Honestly, I hate the strip! There were naked lady pics all over the ground, and everyone was drunk at 3 p.m. and everyone was blowing their smoke in our faces--not to mention it was so crowded! The only thing we do like is the atrium and the fountain show at the bellagio.

#1 Birthday Present

yep, I'm moving up in the world.

Soccer!

Drew started soccer this year and has loved it. He is the only kid on his 5 kids team that doesn't wear cleats, butwe really wanted to see how much he loved it plus they don't keep score and it's only 3 on 3. He has already said that it's soccer in the spring and not baseball like last year. so I guess we'll get the kid some cleats!

found this little honey

Oh the joys of living in Vegas! Found this little guy in my garage. Oh, and found another one in my house the other day. I'm a little afraid of them since my friends little 5 year old spent 4 days in the peds ICU for a scorpion bite. He had some neuro issues, but is ok now. That scorpion just climbed up on his pillow and bit him in the middle of the night too! Scary!

smore time!

We bought a fire pit in the summer thinking we'd roast marshmellows and have a nice campout in our own backyard. Sometimes I forget how dang hot it gets here in Vegas. What the heck was I thinking? The first time we built a fire at 9p.m in July I thought I was going to die! It is finally cool enough here to put some good use into it. We even had the missionaries over one night and they came and told ghost stories around the fire.

Cleaning Lady

A couple of years ago, I discussed with Owen about how when he's done with school that I would want someone to come in and do my ddep cleaning--you know the stuff that gets ignored for weeks and then you finally get to it in utter disquest? You may not have this problem, but I do. i have 4 kids, one of whom is a 2 year old and reaks havoc on this house, a very busy husband that works 6 days a week, and the last thing he wants to do is clean, and 3 other kids that hate to clean. So, I try, but it's too much work for 1 person. So when I brought up the idea of having a cleaning lady, Owen said I would have to get a job to pay for her. What? What? So the other day I was talking to my friend Cherie and her husband. He finished his residency about 4 years ago, and the first thing he did when he graduated was hire a cleaning lady. He said through his residency, he would work 36 hours and then come home and have to spend 6 hours cleaning the house. He HATED it! He said he has more time to spend with the kids, he's happy and everyone else is happy. They gave me their ladies card and said it would be well worth it. I know it's well worth it, the problem is convincing Owen. I went home and told him about my discussion, and he immediatly agreed and said "when does she start?" Ha! I was surprised and so relieved. Yeah for me! Do you know this is a dream come true as I'm kind of a clean freak. Now, my kids are still going to have chores. There is always going to be picking up, dishes, laundry etc. But at least my toliets, floors, dusting, and all the rest of my deep cleaning will be done and then maybe I'll have time to do a craft or two like back in the olden days. Money well spent I say!

Vampire girl

Maggie is sporting double teeth on both sides of her mouth. I keep asking Owen if he thinks she should have the baby ones pulled. At first he said to give it time, they will fall out. Well, they haven't so when are we going to pull these babies out? "well, I'm just so busy, I don't think I can work her into my schedule." You think having him as their dentist is an advantage? Next week, Maggie has to go in after hours for this. She is not happy.

Labor Day goodness!

One of the benefits of living in Las Vegas-(-since there are so few of them) is that we are 4 hours from Long Beach Ca where Owens parents live. So we decided to have a weekend getaway to escape the heat here in Vegas. We always have to take a trip to the beach and collect shells, put our feet in the water, make sand castles and of course get wet! We had no intention of getting wet, so next time everyone is going in their suits even if we say "we aren't getting in the water." I'm sorry but a swim suit dries a heck of a lot faster than jeans. ALl I remember was 1. Maggie complained A LOT about being cold and wet. 2. Miles did not like the water, much too scary. 3. Audrey and Drew do not care and have no fear! Just happy to be alive and at the beach--that explains why they are my easiest children. 4. I just wanted a good family pic that noone wanted to cooperate with me on. 5. Owen is in his own world when we are there. He starts having visions of himself owning beachfront property so he can come to the beach everyday.

First Day of School

Well, another school year has begun. We really thought we would be another state, but that just didn't happen. Soon, We hope.
First day of school the kids woke up super early. They were ready probably ready an hour before it actually started. I remember how happy Maggie was. She was singing Billy Curringtons song "Love Done Gone" all morning.
Maggie started 5th grade this year. King of the school right? Here in Vegas 6th grade is in Jr. High, so she could very well be in Jr. High next year if we stay..which we're not.
Maggie is starting the whole puberty talk. Before school, she started shaving her legs. They were pretty hairy, but I never said a word. It was all her doing and I gave her the lecture about how it was going to be a life committment. I think she's just beginning to be self concious about stuff like this. We found out that she already knew the birds and the bees when we gave her the rundown addition. Wasn't as painful as I was expecting. Today she came to me and said she wants to get a training bra because Gabby is always talking about hers. Oh, Mercy me. AM I ready for all this? nope.
Audrey started 3rd grade. She got lucky as usual and has all her 3 BFF's in her class this year. Audrey, Brooke, Lexi and the other Brooke. This could be trouble. She's a good kid so I'm not worried, just worried about her focasing since she is in her own world half the time. La te da te da and care free.

Drew started kindergarten this year saints be praised. We decided half day afternoon. Full day was $330 a month! Morning started at 7:50. Drew is not a morning person so that was a no go. An added bonus is that Miles naps in the afternoon so it's a win win for me. My afternoons are filled with veging on the couch watching Days of Our lives. Well, I wish, it's pretty much catch up time, but at least it's in peace. Since Drew turned 5 last December, he is one of the older kids in his class. His preschool teacher last year was on him with reading last year too. So he is very much ahead which makes it easier for me. I'm grateful because there are kids in his class that don't evern recognize the #1. I still have to reward Wii time for homework though. The wii is his first love. Isn't he a cutie? I love this little boy of mine!
And then there's Little Miles. He insisted on wearing his backpack to drop off and pick up.--everytime. Now the kids just meet me at the corner so we don't have to get out of the car. No more backpack. It was pretty cute the way he said it too.

The 2 little buddies

ANd a shout out to the Packit! These little lunch bags are a dream come true. You put them in the freezer the night before, and they keep everything cold for 12 hours. No more warm chocolate milk or cheese.