Disneyworld...14 days away!!!

Well, the big trip is just 14 days away and I am really excited! We have things planned but not too planned and we are having meals with....
Cinderella and her friends in Cinderella's Castle in the Magic Kingdom
Jojo and Goliath and the Little Einstein's at Disney Studios
Mickey and his Friends at a hotel
Alice and Wonderland and Mary Poppins at another hotel
and then again with the Princesses in Epcot

I thought it would be fun to take a look at the pictures from past visits...these are backwards by time, as you can see :)

Visiting Grammy and Family

Ok, so I know that I was the only one who took pictures but because it was a new camera, I now have not been able to get them off! So, pictures will be soon to come, I promise!

Last week the kids and I managed to FINALLY get back to see Grammy Stacy, Auntie Jelli, Papa Steve, Cousin Jamie, Cousin Josh and all the cousin kids! What a great time we had! We arrived into Sacramento on Memorial Day around 10:30am. This was definitely not the first time that I have flown on my own with the twins but this is the first time I rented a car with them on my own. We made it in our little Chevy Cobalt, which I would never recommend to anyone, and settled in just nicely with some yummy steaks, fruit salad and homemade beans! Does it get any better!

We spent the next 2 days waking up leisurely, playing outside, catching up on family chat and just being. Grammy took the kids shopping for their birthday (which is 2 weeks away) and they had a blast picking out toys and clothes. I really had to limit the spoiling because we had to carry on (ahhh, the joys of non-rev travel) and we barely, barely, barely crammed it all in! Grammy also decided to throw a little birhtday party (with 3 cakes!!!) for everyone which was really sweet. I was go thankful that my cousin Josh was able to be there!

The night that Grammy took us to dinner I started noticing that our fabulously sturdy piece of garbage rental car would make a weird grinding sound right around 45 mph. So, the next day I took it down to the Redding Airport Budget counter. The guy took it out for a test spin and of course could not hear the sound "that's like when you go off the side of the highway, you know the little marks on the side of the road to wake you up". No kidding because he took it up to 60 when I clearly told him it was when you are going 45ish. Anyways, after pleading my case that I didn't want to get stuck on the side of the road alone with my kids, he decided to give me a new car...a bright blue Versa, which was actually kinda fun to drive! After that it was smooth sailing home!

While we were there Kelly had her baby girl, Chole Sarai Kron. I knew she would go into labor while we were gone! She has a full head of hair and after a frustrating birth process which ended in a c-section, both mom and baby are healthy. Chloe is a "cutie peanut" as Avery and Andon call her! Welcome to parenthood....it's a wild journey but worth it!!!

Ok, so now I will get back to getting the pics off the computer to post from our visit!

All-Day K

Well, it's official, Avery and Andon will more than likely be going to all day kindergarten next year. Arizona has been in an amazing budget cut debate that it was completely on hold. One by one districts have been announcing that they will be keeping free all day k and Mesa finally announced that they were keeping it, too. When we had decided that enrolling in Sirrine we completely had God's hand in it and we put all faith and trust in HIM in whether it was going to be full or half day.

I came to terms with that before it was decided, however, I am completely torn on how I feel about this now! From teacher side, I know that all day k has it's benefits. Half day when I can be home with them does too! I think I'm struggling the most because once they start full time school, they will be on that journey until they are 17! Playdates, lunch dates, early morning zoo trips when it's not busy on the weekdays all are coming to an end as we know them now. Sure those things can happen, but are the kids ready for that? Am I ready for that?

I can see myself crying my eyes out as I say goodbye to them and drop them off that first day of school....geesh, I'm crying my eyes out now just thinking about it! Yes, I will be able to attend church staff meetings, lunch meetings, Mark and I will be able to fully train for cycling races, help lots in the classroom, and hey, I just may have regular hair nail and massage appointments at mom's salon but really, I'm not sure why I'm struggling so much!

Ok, enough about that....

Ok, enough abouy that...

France pics 2

In front of the roundabout iinto Bedoin...Mark climbed the mountain behind it! This is why people come here so climbing this is a big deal! The snowshoers that he met at the top said that Mark was the first cyclist of the season that they had seen at the top!

The boar sausage stand...

In front of the Gigondas Winery...

Sand carvings in the woods behind our house...this one is a camel!

Our "France Car" in front of the gite...

France Trip Last Month

Last month, I can't believe it's already been a month, Mark and I were able to head back over to France. This was a totally different trip than the last two. We did not go to Paris but made our way to Bedoin, about 2 1/2 hours from the southern coast. We rented a gite, French for guest house, to a wonderful couple from the UK Sally-Anne and Christopher. It was much cheaper than a hotel and much more convenient. We rented some bikes, saw a pro cycling race The Paris-Nice, went to some local markets, visited some wineries(drank a little more wine that we are used to), saw a Roman theater, the Pope's Palace in Avignon and drove around all over the south of France....my favorite trip!!! Christoper is a writer so when Mark went out on a huge cycling climb to the top of a snow-covered mountain, I opted to stay at the gite and read one of his novels, Lonicera! It was a quick read but I really enjoyed it. We were able to sit first class on all the flights so we are now spoiled and will probably only visit int he down season because of that...I guess the kids won't get to go with us until they are 8 because that's the age that kids can sit first class on Delta!

I'm on stage at the Roman Theater...

A cute little bridge in the turnabout...

In front of the Palais de Papes..

Mark on top of Mount Ventoux...

Cycling near Flassan...

Time flies...

Life has been busy here in AZ...I will catch up on blogs as soon as life slows down which may not happen until the kids go to kindergarten in August!

I need to post about:
France trip last month
Easter visit with Grandma and Grandpa
Upcoming events

We are all busy as can be. The kids only have 5 weeks left of school and then they will move on to kindergarten! THey will be going to the same school that I went to, Sirrine, and I am looking forward to helping in the classroom and utilizing all my education and passion for kindergarten! Avery is still reading up a storm! Andon is energetic and is getting close to stopping sucking his fingers. If you know Andon, you usually see him with them in his mouth! We get a movie pass from the dentist when that happens so we are hoping to catch Monsters vs Aliens before it leaves the theaters!

Everyone seems to be having babies! We are still content on that subject!

I have been busy planning our DisneyWorld trip in June with the Chicago Bibbeys. It will be a grand trip with lots happening! The kids still do not know! I love my new position at church. It's been an added change in schedules but we are adjusting.

Ok, so I will get back to posting more pics in the next week or so, I promise...does anyone even read this????????

It's almost MARCH?!?!? What???

Seriously, where did February disappear to? I know, we have been so busy planning 2 vacations (France in a few weeks and Orlando in June), training for cycling races, flying airplanes, coordinating classrooms and MOPS meetings, figuring out what to do for kindergarten next year, getting pugs adopted, taxes (nice return this year, woo hoo), teaching Andon and Avery right from wrong (no easy task) and applying for The Amazing Race!!! That's not including our day to day stuff like cleaning and grocery shopping! SOOOO, if I have failed to stay in touch with you, now you know why!

We have been WAYYYY over-scheduled lately...not intentionallly, just lots happening. I think the kids are on crazy mode now that it's back in the 80's again. Some sort of weird, goofy shift occurs when the weather starts to warm up. I think we'll stay here though so hopefully the transition will happen fast!

I am loving my new position as N-2's Director at our church. We are finally getting used to the change in schedule. I have been working on establishing a new, strong steering team for our next MOPS year and we are well on our way! I will be stepping down this year, which will be hard after 4 years of leadership, but it's on to the next chapter of work, being an involved kindergarten mom, soccer games and more!

Mark is still flying people around the country and cycling around the valley. He helped get Focus Racing, a cycling team for the bike shop that he is attached to! It's still in the baby stages but they are official!

Andon is still as energetic as ever! He has started to calm down a little bit though as he learns self-control. He's doing very well in preschool and LVOVES going to school! Right now he is into riding the big bike (he's done with the Thomas bike) without training wheels and anything outside...although he only wants to wear pants and long sleeves for some reason!

Avery is a smarty pants! SHe is reading and writing anything and everything...the other day she read "Available" on a sign as we were driving to school! She has started with little readers at school and usually reads them once or twice and it ready to read it to the teacher. She loves to draw, sing, dance, read and write! Her next tap recital is next week and her teacher wishes she was 6 so she could move up to the next level because she's ready....doesn't she know that they grow up too fast as it is!?!?!

We drove up to The Natural Bridge last Friday and it's a good thing because as on Monday they closed the park due to funding. It's one of my favorite places to drive to and spend the day...maybe they'll reopen it in the future.

We still have our foster pug, Charlie, or as Mark calls him, "Old Man River". He's a good dog though so we don't mind him hanging around!

Well, that's enough rambling for now....hopefully I'll get on here more often!