January 2011

We Kicked off January by spending New Years Day in Las Vegas with my sister Bethany and her family. It was fun to spend the holiday with them. The weather was perfect. The kids got to go swimming in the hot tub. They didn't want to get out and they didn't want to leave at the end of the weekend.

On the 8th, Austin turned 6. We celebrated at home with the dinner of his choice, dessert and presents. When I asked Austin what he wanted for dinner, he said, "carrots and bread." I explained that carrots and bread might be his favorite things to eat but it isn't a meal; he thought some more then decided on orange chicken and rice. He also wanted a Batman cake. It was a nice day. But the real celebration was two weeks later when we met up with Jon's sister Kari and her husband Mike And went to Disney on Ice. It's always fun to spend time with Kari and Mike, so it was cool that they could come. We stayed the night in a hotel, then went shopping the next day. It was a fun weekend.

At the end of the month, I brought home two new foster puppies. Their names are Jax and Juice; they are 4 day old pit bulls.Not sure at this point how long we will have them. The boys love that they can both get one and help. We are bottel feeding every 3 hours. It's been hard to wake up in the middle of the night for feedings. We are not used to that here!

With Bethany's kids. New Years Day

Austin's 6th birthday

Coy at the rain forest cafe.

Austin on the merry-go-round his birthday weekend

Austin with Juice.

Jax and Juice.

December 2010

Coy and I started the month by having a date at the zoo. He has been behaving much better at school; so I told him we could do something special. We went to the zoo, and then did a little shopping, then to lunch. It was fun to just spend time with Coy.

The boys had their Christmas program at school. Austin sang a few songs and rang a bell. He was happy to ring that bell. Coy was in the play and sang his heart out on the songs. I think I even heard his voice.

For Christmas, Jon's parents came to visit. They only got to stay the weekend but we had a good time. The boys are always excited when family comes to visit. The boys got a wii, tv, and a few games. We set up their stuff in the computer room so they can have their own space.

Jon and I got to soend a little time together for his birthday. I got off work early and he didn't have to work until later that evening. We ate fajitas and an ice cream cake. He got a chain saw and can't wait to start cutting some wood.
Coy at the zoo.



Austin and Coy at their Christmas program.

After decorating the tree.

Christmas Eve

Coy and two of our dogs.

November 2010

On November 3, Coy lost his first tooth. He told me that is tooth was hurting and wanted me to look at it. When I told him it was about ready to fall out he said, "I've been waiting for this my whole life." When the tooth fairy came she left, $2. Coy was super excited and a week later he lost another one. At this point he has only lost two teeth, but he checks then at least once a day to see if any more are loose.

The boys finished soccer for the year. Coy got a metal and Austin a trophy. Coy wore the metal everday for about a week and took it to show and tell. Austin wanted to sleep with his trophy and also took it to show at school.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at home, with just the four of us. This is the first year we haven't had someone visit in many years. The boys kept asking when Poppy (my dad), or their cousins were coming. Jon had to work that night, so I took the boys to see the movie, Tangled. We had a good day with lots of food.

The last thing we did for the month was bowl in the Turkey Doodle Bowling Tournament. Jon and Coy were on a team and Austin and I were on another. If you bowled three strikes in a row you got a turkey. Jon did it and the boys were so excited that we got to take one home. When it was over and they posted the scores, Ausitn and I came in 6th place and Jon and Coy came in 7th. It was a lot of fun and the boys are already talking about next years.

Coy and his missing tooth.

Coy with his soccer metal.

Austin and his soccer trophy.

My boys and the prize turkey.

October 2010

In October, Jon and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. It was my year to plan the date. We went horseback riding, then to lunch. Loved the horseback riding. My horse was a little stubborn and wouldn't stay on the trail and didn't move at the pace he was suppose to. All he wanted to do was eat all the grass we past. At one point the guide had to take control of my horse. My horse George didn't like that and tryed to get away from the guide and back to the grass. I was too much of a softy to make him do anything. We rode for 2 hours and I was so sore when we got done. Jon started feeling sore the next day. That night we went out to dinner with the boys. It was nice to have our alone time but also to spend some of the day with the boys.

The boys were busy all month with soccer and bowling. Coy is doing better with each game and is even starting on most soccer games. Austin is loving soccer this year and has even scored a few goals.

For Halloween Coy was a Wheates box and Austin was a solider. They love trick or treating and didn't want to take the costumes off after we got home. Of course they loved the candy too and wanted to eat it all before bed.

Jon on the trail.

Crossing the river with George.

Austin

Coy and Austin on Halloween.

All of us on Halloween.

September 2010

In September the boys started soccer. Coy is with kids from 6 to 8, even with the older kids on the team Coy is starting. He is doing great and scored a goal at his second game. Austin is still with kids his age and is having a good time playing this year.

We had to say goodbuy to our foster puppy. She was old enough to be spayed and find a home. It was harder to let her go than the last foster we had, but she got a good home. I even got to pick her adopter.

Jon finally gave me my last birthday present. He surprised me with a weekend getaway to my favorite city, Durango, CO. He arranged everything from the babysitter to my days off work, I'll I had to do was pack my bag. Spent four days there in beautiful weather, went on a train ride and ate at a different restaurant every night. If you've been there you know there are lots of choices for food. We had a great time and it was hard to come home, except to see the boys.

We ended the month with the county fair in Prescott. We watched a stock car race, saw lots of animals and the boys rode all the rides they wanted.

Austin and Lulu on her last night with us.

Coy saying goodbuy to Lulu.

The train

View from the train.

On a ride at the fair.

August 2010

We started off August by going to national night out. That’s where the police and fire departments get together and show all the different services they provide to the community. They have a BBQ and different booths you can visit. We got to see the drug dog bite someone, have the boy’s fingerprints done and sit on a helicopter. Of course the helicopter was the highlight of the evening.

On the 16 the boys headed to school for the New Year. Coy is in 1st grade, Austin in kindergarten. They were both so excited to go to school. Austin was worried about being the new kid but we just reassured him that everyone was the new kid. Coy was excited to see his old friends and make some new ones too.

The boys were on a bowling league for the summer and their team won 1st place. They both learned a lot and had a good time. Coy’s highest score was 93 and Austin was 71. They didn’t get to use bumpers and Coy was bowling with one hand by the end of the season. We went ahead and signed them up for the winter league.

We are fostering another puppy. This one is a Jack Russell Terrier named Lulu. She was 6 weeks old when I brought her home and will be with us for a few months. She is very smart and active. She will be a hard one to let go of since we are all falling in love with her.

We ended the month by celebrating my birthday on the 31. Jon and the boys made my day very special by cleaning the house and making dinner. Jon gave me a few small things because my big present isn’t in yet. Not sure what it’s going to be. Jon is being very hush hush about it. I’ll let you know what it is when I get it.

National night out.

Austin on the helicoptor.

First day of school.

With their bowling trophies.

Lulu.

The Last Six Months.

It's been a while, so I thought I'd update you on everthing that has happened in the last 6 months. In February we celebrated Coy's 6th birthday. We went to Tucson to see Jon's sister Kari and her husband Mike. We went to the desert wildlife museum.

In March, we fostered a 10 day old puppy for 2 months. His name is Wyatt and is a lab mix. He was so cute and we even fot to bottle feed him. We kept him until he was ready to be put up for adoption. Also in March, we switched Coy to a new school. We kept having nothing but problems with his first school, so we sent him to a private Christiam School. He finished out kindergarten there and is much happier.

In April we celebrated Easter, by going to the Baptist church for a service and Easter egg hunt. The boys looked so handsome in their outfits.

In May, we celebrated another year of being a family. We went to Peter Piper Pizza, for food and games. Can't believe it's been four years now.

In June, we went on vacation to Lake Chelan in Washington. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect. We went on a boat ride, went to a water park, a botanical garden, and went swimming everday for a week. It was hard to come home to the heat.

In July, my sister Bethany got sick, so we headed to Safford for a visit with her and the rest of the family in town. We spent the 4th of July weekend there and had a great time. Went swimming and saw the fireworks. Wish we could see them more often; it's hard somethimes to live so far away.

My boys at the Museum.

Coy's 6th birthday.

Coy and Wyatt.

Easter

Botanical Garden.

Miniture golf at the lake.

Waterfall near Lake Chelan.