Ariba Ariba

That is Mexican right. Anyways, i could care less because tomorrow at this very time I am going to be on the plane to MEXICO!!! I can't even begin to express how stinkin excited i am. Everything today is "tomorrow at this time I'll be....." My dad is coming up tonight and taking us out to dinner so tonight will go quickly. Then I'm going to lay in bed with my babies until they go to sleep, because we will be gone by the time they wake up tomorrow. I had a 10 pg paper and a presentation last night at school - which kept me busy and makes the vacation even more needed. Plus my baby sis was in the hospital all weekend up here in StL, so I spent lots of time up there. (She is home and all fine right now!)
I just can't really believe we are going on this trip. All from a simple conversation with our neighbors over dinner while the kids were at a church babysitting night. Scott and Cheri are going to be the perfect couple to travel with. They are just as laid back and fun as we are....well ALMOST. I mean Aaron and i are the coolest cats on the block! LOL See can you tell in my writing I'm just giddy with excitement. I absolutely cannot wait to have endless uninterrupted time with Aaron. This is going to be like a second honeymoon!!!! ahhhhh...naps...frozen drinks....swim up bar.... Oh and did I tell you all, by complete luck - not planned - my brother and his wife get in to Cancun tomorrow too and it looks like their hotel is literally right next door to ours! How cool huh. I think we are going to try to hook up with them and do some para sailing one day.
Oh and we are NOT taking our computer, or cells, so you'll have to wait until we get back to get updates. If there were an extreme emergency - the website of the resort is on the blog and I'm sure they could track us down. Check back next week for the picture overload!

Sears Photos

Here are our pictures that we got done this weekend. I was so happy with them. These are all the ones we ended up getting. LOVE the brick wall effect. Austin thought it would be fun to run around the whole time, and if you look at the full album of pictures, Turner was being a clown! So needless to say - coming out of it all with these pictures was a pure shot of luck. Oh, and after we were done with all the family/kids ones - I asked the guy to take a couple of me and Aaron and am so glad that we did. These will replace the engagement picture I have in our room. It is nice every once in a while to have the physical reminder that we are more than a family, more than just a mom and dad, that it all started with just the two of us, and that we have to keep the two of us strong and separate every once in a while as the foundation to this family.

Memorial Day Weekend

Austin and Madison
This kid LOVES some corn on the cob!

My little Rascals.

Really, I just can't get over how handsome this little guy is.

Family self-portrait at the ballgame

Mommy and Kenzie self-portrait

Turner in heaven - dreaming of the day he will be out there

Just stinkin cute!

We had a great extended weekend. I wish every weekend was a 3 day weekend - it was great. Saturday morning everyone woke up in a fabulous mood ready to find out what our "surprise" was. The kids were ecstatic about going to the baseball game. This place is so much better than going to a game downtown. I mean - bounce houses and playsets and LOTs of room to sit, lounge and roam - made for one easy (and pretty cheap) day being outside. When we got home we filled up the kids swimming pool and Aaron and I practiced tanning in the sun. We don't much more time till Mexico, so practice we must! We decided to continue practicing with a frozen Margarita and relaxing on the patio with neighbors. We made Smores with all the kids and had a great relaxing night.

Sunday we didn't end up doing much. I had to run a few errands to the stores and that took up most of the day - well with the well planned nap in the middle of the day. Again - practicing for Mexico!

Yesterday we went and got family pictures taken. They turned out GREAT. I can't wait to share, I'm just waiting for them to be available online.

In between all that fun, I had a lot of school stuff that I got done and kept the house in pretty decent shape. Oh and i got Aaron signed up to run a 5K with me in July when his parents are here, so we both did 3 miles each day this weekend. I can't wait for a good early morning run on the beach while I watch the sun rise......

Happy Birthday Little Buddy

For everybody saying, huh?? Well, today Turner is 3 and a HALF! Tomorrow we are going to a baseball game to celebrate. He is going to LOVE it, this kid is crazy about baseball! We also have a trip to the park for a family bikeride planned this weekend - so should be lots of fun. I'll just have to remember I do have to do a lot of school stuff, so can't be playing all the time!!!

Pre-Kindergarten Graduation

With all her loot - balloon, flowers, and stuffed kitty.

(Isn't she just gorgeous)

This past weekend was Mackenzie's graduation. I am so proud of my little girl. Aaron and i were beaming with pride. She had a speaking part in the opening poem - of course they wanted to start off with their best foot forward! -

I'm glad you came to see us,
And so are all the rest
We hope you like our program,
We'll do our very best

She said it PERFECTLY. You couldn't help but laugh and smile through the whole thing. I mean, there truly isn't much else cuter than any program at this age. Mackenzie will miss her teacher, and her teacher will miss her. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone - but I think she may have been the favorite :) She has come so far this year, learning to read, knowing so much. The school was great, both her teachers very opposite, but both wonderful. She loves going to school and I'm sure will love Kindergarten just as much.

When they started playing the march, it was like I could see that 13 years from now when I'm at her HS graduation, this is still who I will still see walking down the isle getting ready to take on the world all by herself.

Saying goodbye to her teacher. i remember the first day after she had switched classes and I asked her if she liked her new teacher, and Mackenzie told me that her class was a lot louder because when she asked them something, they all yelled "yes" to her. She had great energy and the kids loved her.
All the grandkids loving on their Grandpy

And with Great-Grandma D

And Nana and Aunt Cheryl

Grandpy hung out with Austin once he started getting restless so I could watch my baby's program.

Aaron seems to think that the stubborness gene runs through this bloodline~ (I may have to agree) lol

My goodness, sometimes I just can't get over how handsome this little guy is.

We weren't a bad looking bunch if I say so myself.

And one last picture - totally unrelated to graduation. I was putting away laundry the other day and the kids were playing in my closet with the door closed. Mackenzie comes out saying that she is dressed like mommy because she put my shirt and shoes on, and that they dressed Turner like daddy. - I just had to grab my camera

I think I can make it through anything now that our trip is booked!!!!!!!!!

Done trying

Today I'm so tired, tired of trying.
Tired of trying to lose weight,
Tired of trying to get tan,
Tired of trying to keep the house clean,
Tired of trying to figure out what to do for dinner,
Tired of trying to make the kids eat,
Tired of trying to find the time,
Tired of trying to go on vacation,
Tired of trying to better myself,
Tired of trying to better others,
Tired of trying to talk people into wanting to be around us,
Tired of trying to be enough....

So today, I'm too tired, so I quit. I quit trying. Aren't the things that should be, just be? Shouldn't I not have to really "try" for everything?

So today, I will be fat without a tan, sitting in messy house with the mirage of a vacation on the horizon and the kids might eat candy for dinner. That is all fine, we will all survive, we will be together. But if I stop trying on people will they all go away. Will the kids and I end up sitting here alone, together, in our own world. Is it better to have to try to not be alone, or be alone without the hassle of trying? Is that better or worse. Is it better to keep trying or to stop, or am I just worried what will happen if I stop. Will other people try if I stop trying?

So now I'm just going to have to try to stop trying - and I don't know if I can even do that.