Just this last weekend (Sept.14-16th) me and my friend Misty went to Phoenix, Arizona for a Scrapbooking Convention. I absolutely had the best time I have had in LONG time. The drive: 7 hours. What did we talk about for 7 hours? Hmmmmm, well let me think......anything and everything! It has been so long since we last hung out without kids interrupting a million times. It was nice to get to do the things I love, and release, and relax doing. And learning more about myself too. I think I want to get a degree in Design. This is one of the projects I made. Kathryn Brooks (from Deluxe Cuts) taught this class. We just used paper to cover a simple and CHEAP composition book that you buy at Walmart or wherever. I enjoyed this class immensely. I learned so much! We plan on going to next year.

So as I doing my blogs, I noticed I didn't have a single pic of MarleeRae on my blog. The pic with the boys is her 2nd birthday, the one of me and her was just random-she's about 18 months there. I think we look ALOT alike, and the cute one of her on the stairs (in Old Town) was taken last month (August). Her personality: fiesty, sweet, headstrong, silly, loving, goofy, bossy. With 2 older brothers, she definitely holds her own. Up until a few months ago she would only play with the boys and their toys. But now she loves to take care of her dolls and the babies at my work in the childcare. She says "hi" to EVERYONE, even when are driving in the car and they can't hear her: "hi","HI", "HI!" "HI!!!!" We call her our little chubber. She has brought so much joy in our lives.... and drama; she screams even if you just look at her. Girls are so emotional.ha!

This is the Erna Fergueson Library--our favorite one. We must have at least 8 eight libraries in Albuquerque. It's one of our favorite past times and going to the "Toy Library" too. Abq. is starting to grow on me. There is so much diversity and art here. Look for my future posts of "Around Albuquerque". The boys always ask me to take a picture with the letters and I usually don't have my camera, but this time I did. This was taken last September right after Jamuson's soccer pictures.

I love this picture yet at the same time I am sad. I love my Jamuson. I always tell him:"you are my favorite Jamuson in the whole wide world!" He usually smiles at me and gives me a big hug. And Jim is a great dad.

All summer Jamuson excitedly talked about Kindergarten. The night before he Pickout which shirt he wanted to wear (red is now his favorite color). He was so excited that it took him 2 and 1/2 hours to fall asleep the night before the "Big Day". He woke up the next morning at 6:30, got ready and was rearing to go by 7:30. School didn't start until 8:55. His first day was August 10th.
maybe a little apprehensive here?

Joses was really sad to see Jamuson off to his first day of Kindergarten. Jamuson and Joses have played, fought, wrestled, got into trouble, learned, you name it together all of Joses' life. They are such great Pals. They may pick on eachother and fight, but by golly if anyone tries to the other one sticks up for his brother. sniff, sniff.

Considering that there were a lot of jellyfish on the shore this summer and that they both got stung two different times, the boys played in the water quite a bit.

Adventurous Joses dragged Jim out into the ocean.....yet again another picture-taking moment!Love it!!

It is so Joses to gather and collect all the sandcrabs he could find. He spent a couple of hours digging collecting. I couldn't help but take a picture of his prize possessions.

What a cute bunch of cousins!

FUN IN THE SUN

The boys had a blast digging in the sand and being buried by their cousins and aunt. As usual, Jamuson wasn't sure about the whole sand idea of being in those places where the doesn't shine. Jim told him not to worry about, that he could take a shower and he seemed to be okay with that idea. And Joses jumped right in and dug and dug...... and dug some more.

Last August we made a trip to California to attend Leif and Jennifer's wedding, and of course to visit family. We decided also to make it our family vacation. So we ventured to Disneyland with the boys (Meggan insisted on taking MarleeRae , 15 mo. @ the time, which we were exstactic about, and grateful!). Julie came with us. She was so fun to have around and a huge help. The next day we met up with Aaron and Kasey and their kids at Huntington Beach. Let me tell you, after a whole day of Disneyland with a 3 and 4 year old, this was the perfect way to relax. Jamuson and Joses dug in the sand, made sand castles, hunted for sand crabs, chased the waves, got stung by jellyfish:(, and had a blast with their cousins and aunt. And I did what I absolutely love: taking pictures of the kids.....and relaxed a little here and there too.Every time I look at this picture it brings me so much happiness and good memories. The boys loved the beach and ask "can we go to the beach tomorrow?"