The Fenske guys and their gal

Jacob turns 12

2010-04-04T13:35:00.001-07:00

I can't believe my first baby is 12! It's brought back alot of memories of my pregnancy and first weeks with him being pregnant with Kaylee now. I am so proud of the young man Jacob is developing into, no facial hair or voice changes yet I'm sure this year will bring even more changes.
What a busy weekend. Marty's birhtday was March 4th, Jacob's was March 5th, and my baby shower was March 6th. It worked out well because my mom and Marty came up for the shower and we had a little family party friday night. Keeping with our new tradition Jacob decorated his own cake. We assked Jacob what he wanted to do for his birthday and he 's been planning this for awhile he said "Mom I'm 12, I'm ready for the extreme rollercoasters, I wanna go to Magic Mountain" So while mom and I went to the shower Steve, Jacob, the little boys and Jacob's best friend Luke went to Six Flags. I ended up picking up Steve and the little ones early, not much for them to do there. Marty, Jacob, and Luke had a blast and stayed till closing. There were no lines the perfect day! Sunday Jacob got set apart and recieved the aaronic priesthood which was really cool, I was so proud! It was neat to see him passing the sacrament the following Sunday. It is so exciting to see your children grow and develop in the church. It reconfirms my own testimony and makes me want to be a better example to my children.

Trampoline

2010-02-12T16:56:00.001-08:00

I love this picture! Jacob caught it right at the perfect time. Don't worry everyone I'm not out jumping on the trampoline I just thought the picture would be funny! Me at 34 weeks.

Grandma and Grandpa Fenske got us a trampoline for Christmas this year. Well they gave us money and this is what we bought. Steve put it together all by himself. The boys love it and I love it too because when they are crazy and full of energy or in need of some exercise I just send them in the backyard. Yes there are tears but for the most part they are having a blast! Jacob is amazing the tricks he can do, I'm sure it won't be long before Lucas is doing the same tricks!

Ben's big month!

2010-01-31T16:04:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of my little Ben! For a kid that was not excited to go to school he has adjusted and is doing really well! So well he was student of the month for January. Keep up the good work Ben

On January 19 Ben turned 6 years old. I brought cookies into his class and they sang to him. He was most excited about getting to wear a birthday crown. He and Lucas decorated his cake. This is a great tradition I think I will keep every year. They had such a great time, I had to help with the frosting. It's crazy when Jacob was in Kindergarten I was pregnant and had Ben and now Ben is in K and I'm pregnant and will have Kaylee in March. Steve threw him a party that weekend, he was so excited to have some of his school friends over. He said it was his best birthday ever!

Bridal Shower for Shanna

2010-01-31T15:49:00.001-08:00

This is my good friend Shanna, we have been friends for 7 years. We were in the same ward in Oxnard together and after a messy divorce she ended up in our ward here in Moorpark, her mom lives here too! Her son Luke and Jacob are best friends. I was so happy for her when she met a great guy and they decided to get married, I threw her a bridal shower. I am not a hostess by nature but I kept it simple and it turned out great and Shanna felt our love and support which was the whole reason I wanted to do it!

I was especially proud of the cake I made! I'm so mad at myself for forgetting to bring the camera to the reception(sorry Tiff!) Shanna looked so beautiful and happy and I've never seen a Mormon cultural hall look so elegant and lovely!

First Day of School September 2009

2010-01-20T12:34:00.001-08:00

Summer is over, time to go back to the daily grind. An exciting new adventure for all 3 boys. Jacob started 6th grade at Mesa Verde Middle School. 6 different classes and teachers. I was very nervous for him, I like that they keep the 6th graders seperate from the 7-8th graders. He really enjoys middle school and is doing well. He got 2 A'S and 4 B's on his reprot card!Ben started kindergarden at Campus Canyon Elementary, his teacher is Mrs. Fisher and she is great. It is a K/1st combo class and I worried Ben would fall behind. He is doing so good, he is reading and writing and behaving well! I am so proud of him

Lucas started preschool at Mountain Meadows. He goes 3 days a week from 12-3. I work in the class 2x a month. As you can see in the picture below Lucas was jealous he wanted to go to kindergarden too! He's at the desk crying behind Ben. So I had to bite the bullet and pay for preschool, luckily this preschool is very affordable and Steve has been doing really well at work.It has been crazy running around between 3 schools at 3 different times. I'm so grateful to be in a carpool for Mesa and our neighbors and friends the Omer's take Ben to school in the morning and then I pick up. It's not so bad and it's only 1 year and the perk is I get 2 hours by meself 3 days a week! Next year Ben and Lucas will be at C.C. all day and I'll have lots of quality bonding time with my daughter!

Almost time to rename the blog.

2010-01-18T14:16:00.001-08:00

I resolved to start blogging again this year, where to start? I was feeling overwhelmed so I'll start with the biggest news. In June we decided to have another baby and even though I changed my mind it was too late, in July I found out I was pregnant! I prepared myself to have another boy. At 16 weeks he told me it was 80% likely to be a girl. I didn't let myself get too excited. At 22 weeks he confirmed it was 100% a girl. I cried . I still can't believe I'm going to have a daughter. I guess I'll believe it when I am holding her in my arms. I am due April 1st but will have her the last week in March via c-section. This picture is me at 27 weeks. We are so thrilled to have a baby on the way. Her name will be Kaylee Joy Fenske. I guess my blog will be called "The Fenske Guys and their Gals"?

Kindergarden jump start

2009-08-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ben had his first day of school kinda......First Five has a program for children entering kindergarden that didn't attend preschool, we do the free preschool that is a mommy and me thing not real preschool. They go to mock school from 8:30-11:30 for 2 weeks. For a kid that didn't want to grow up and was not excited about kindergarden Ben loves it! I cried yesterday when I dropped him off and he was like c-ya mom!Lucas is really having a hard time with it, he wants to stay when we drop him off and go to school too! When we got home Lucas was like I miss Ben and started crying that we left Ben at school. I am going to fork out the cash and put Lucas in a cheap preschool this fall. This morning Ben was up at 6:30 dressed himself and was ready to go, I hope this behavior continues throughout his academic carreer unlike Jacob who hates to get up and I have to rush to get ready! The days drag by but the years fly I can't believe Ben is in school.

My surfer dudes

2009-07-02T20:19:00.001-07:00

Steve has dreams of family surf trips and taking his boys out with him when he goes surfing. He got one step closer today. Jacob went out with him. Every time we've gone to the beach so far this summer Jacob spends most of the time in the water, bogeyboarding or body surfing and now surfing. It's funny when I was in high school I always wanted a surfer boyfriend, there were lots of posers but I ended up marrying a real surfer! Now he's sharing his love of surfing with Jacob and he enjoyed it. I couldn't believe he didn't complain once and he did wipeout alot!
I can't believe how big my boy is getting! I am so proud of him!
He actually got up 2 times.
This is my favorite picture...what a stud!
Steve is such a great teacher. He has alot of patience and does most of the work. It's very hard to turn a long board and paddle out. You get worked alot. So it's nice to have him helping you out!

Mother's Day 2009

2009-06-28T13:19:00.001-07:00

For the first time in a long time I got to spend Mother's Day with my mom! It was so nice to have Grandma here. We went to church and I got to sit with my mom in Relief Society. This is a big deal because I am the only member in my family and I feel sad about experiences I have that I never get to share with them. I was blessed this day because we sang 2 of my favorite hymns, one "love at home" and the other "Teach Me to Walk in the Light", this paticular song has special meaning because we sung it at my baptism and my mom was not there. So I got to sit by my mom and feel the spirit as we sang these songs. For me that was a great Mother's Day gift from my Heavenly Father. I will never forget it.

Post Marathon

2009-06-27T06:08:00.001-07:00

I love this girl, Shawna she is my most hard core friend. I would have been so lonely through out my training and at the start of the race if it wasn't for this girl. I've talked her ears off and "copped a squat" so many times around her and she still loves me! We stayed together until mile 13 and met up at the finish, I think her time was 5:10 ish. This gal works full time, exercise instructor part time, has a social life and still managed to train for a marathon....she's awesome! Thank you Shawna for sharing this experience with me and being my friend. We drove home together stinky and sore. When I got home I had a sweet surprise.........

Ruthann watched the boys and helped them make posters and signs and hung them on the garage and in the widows. My favorite was in the front window" Our mom ran the L.A. Marathon today!" All my neighbors kept congratulating me which was kinda cool!

My boys were so impressed with my medal. Ruthann got me a really cool box to mount on the wall to hang my medal, bib, and race photos in! Then we partied up at the Fenske's, yummy food, Iwasn't all that hungry but my knees were in alot of pain.I iced them the whole day every time I would sit or stand for a long period of time they would stiffen up. I taught a spin class the next day and my class thought I was crazy but you wouldn't believe how good it felt to get my muscles warm, I kept the resistence low. It took me about 2 weeks to fully recover and feel normal again. One thing would stop hurting and then I would realize another new pain/soreness!

I ran 2 straight miles for the first time yesterday, I think I'm going to do a 10K on the 4th of July. I love to run! I used to run to be thin, not anymore f.y.i. you would think you would lose weight training for a marathon not me I gained 5 lbs! Mostly muscle my claves got gynormous and my quadsjust call me quadzilla! So I'm focusing now on losing muscle and getting lean! Always gotta have a goal!

L.A. Marathon 2009...I did it!

2009-06-27T05:55:00.000-07:00

It feels amazing to accomplish something you've wanted to do for the past 3 years but didn't have the guts to go for it and just do it! I finally did it! For those of you that don't know I ran the L.A. Marathon on Mon. May 25. A marathon is 26.2 miles. There were over 15,000 runners so it was a slow start, it finally started to break up around mile 2. I was great until mile 20 when my knees, hips, and feet started to bother me. By 25 the pain was almost unbearable, my knees felt like they were going to buckle and snap, my feet were throbbing, and my hips were incredibly tight at this point it is all mental. It is amazing to see mile 26 but that last .2, the finish line seems so far away. The crowd lining the streets cheering you on feels incredible, like you are a celebrity. I crossed the finish line and cried not because of emotion or satisfaction but I've never experienced pain like that but it's worth it like the signs people were holding say "pain is momentary but glory is forever" It's true I'd do it all over again.
My time was 4:40, I'm a little disappointed I must confess I thought I'd do better. Maybe next time? I like awake at night wondering where I went wrong? What I could've done better and these are the 2 things I have come up with...I should have foam rolled out the night before, I should not have switched out my shoes 2 weeks prior but my old ones were done! Better planning and have 2 pair of shoes alternating while training.

Steve and my mom came down to support me. It was so great to see my mom's big hair and her cheerful face around the corner at mile 18, thanks for coming you'll never know how much that meant to me!
I just want to encourage you all if there's anything in your life that you've been wanting to do and it seems impossible.You've got to visualize yourself doing it and don't give up! You can do anything you put your mind and whole heart into!
Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm and well wishes!

The Soup

2009-04-23T12:17:00.001-07:00

Yes it's me and Joel McHale! If you watch the E channel you will know who he is, if you don't he is hilarious and he hosts a reality clip show. My friend Nicole has a friend who knows a guy that works for E and got us tickets to a taping of The Soup last night. It was hilarious as always and Joel is a super cool guy. At the end of taping he thanks everyone for coming and shakes their hand, I asked for a pic cuz I love the show and I had to have some visuals to go with my bragging! Bruno, the judge from Dancing with the Stars made a cameo but I don't watch that show so I didn't really care. We went out to dinner and had a fabulous girls nite out! A shout out to Rebecca for watching the boys until Steve got home from work! Lucas will not stop talking about Matthew and all the fun they had!

Agoura Great Race: Half Marathon

2009-03-31T08:41:00.001-07:00

Shawna and I before. It was soooo cold! I couldn't feel my toes until mile 3, they were so numb from the cold. We did the Pacific Half instead of the Chesebro this year which was all street. We thought it would be easier and didn't really train at all. We were wrong! It was all up hill on Kanan rd. and around Malibu Lake down and around and back up hill to the finish at Agoura High School. The scenery was beautiful but you couldn't really enjoy it because there was one hill after another!

Me crossing the finish line, I know I am a dork! My goal was to finish under 2 hours and my time was 1:59:06, I barely made it but I felt fine after I wasn't sore the next day except for my shins from the downhill on the pavement. So I'm pleased to announce this was the beginning of my training for the L.A. Marathon on May 25! It is on Monday this year, it's usually on Sunday as most marathons are and I want to be obedient to the Sabbath so I know this is meant to be!

Shawna and I after. I talked Shawna into doing the L.A. Marathon with me. She is my most hardcore friend and she likes to push herself as hard as I do! Wish us luck!

This year the race had extra special meaning. Last year my friend Ginger Clinton that passed away ran the 5K and she was very proud of her accomplishment. To honor her memory a big group of us, her whole family included, all participated in various races. We all wore red shirts, her favorite color, with the word "Happiness" on the front and her initials on the back. It was very cool to see all the red shirts and remember Ginger. Honestly a couple of times throughout my 13 miles I called on Ginger to help me, I felt her spirit and presence there. She was such an awesome person! I miss her so much!

Disneyland again

2009-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

They were even stressed about "Small World".ME: "It's not scary. It's just a bunch of dolls singing." Boys: "Are the dolls scary?" it's finally open with some new additions and the boys loved it like I knew they would

It was a little chilly but sunshine all day, even Jasmine and Alladin have their coats on.

They changed Tom Sawyer's island to the pirate's hideout...this was new for us.

It's "Captain Underpants"!

2009-02-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

I was up on the computer and Ben calls me and says "look mom I'm Captain Underpants!"

I had to grab my camera and blog it, I can't wait till he's 17 and show these pics to his friends!

If you've read the books you know what I'm talking about!

Lucas, the drama boy

2009-02-23T15:38:00.000-08:00

This kid is all drama! He's definately a Leo, just like his mama.

Bonding with Sara

2009-02-06T14:43:00.001-08:00

We made a cool club house out of a big box. Ben adores Sara and tries to do all he can to make her happy. Lucas on the other hand not so sweet but he loves her just the same he just has an annoying way of showing it, she's a tough cookie never once has she cried because he did something to her.

My little niece who is growing way too fast has a bad case of seperation anxiety from her mother.

She screams and is inconsolable whenever her mother leaves the room. Not even her father can calm her down. So when Maryann asked for some help with this problem I was all to happy to help....it's hard to bond with a child when she only wants her mommy and this is my daughter that I'll never have so we need to bond! Anyways Maryann has been bringing her over tuesdays and thursdays and sneaking out for a bit. Yes she cried but she did let me hold, console, and read to her which was nice and last thursday she didn't cry at all! She whimpered when she noticed MA was gone but didn't cry!

Student of the Month!

2009-02-05T15:11:00.000-08:00

Fifth grade has been a challenge for Jacob. He doesn't pay attention in class therefore he misses instructions and it's been affecting his grades. His teacher is awesome and really cares about Jacob. He got him into the afterschool homework/tutoring program which was a huge blessing for me because Mon thru Thur. I dreaded homework time. Jacob and I now have nice conversations after school instead of annoying fights over homework. I got a call from Mr. Keatts and my first reaction was now what...he's had behavior problems. I was pleasantly surprised to find out he choose Jacob as the student of the month because of his improvements and he was calling to invite me to the award assembly. This is when I am grateful I don't have a job and of coarse I would be there. I was so proud. I cried of coarse. I love my little "doots". I am so proud of his hard work and efforts to improve! I of all people know how hard it is to pay attention and not talk when it's not the appropriate time. I also know how important school is and this is the point in his life when he is either going to fall further and further behind and eventually give up and hate school or work a little harder, be successful and hopefully excell like I know he is capable of doing.

I am also very proud of Ben and Lucas who sat through the assembly, it wasn't short and Jacob was the last person to go up, they were very well behaved and they cheered real loud for their big brother which was cute.

Does anybody Blog anymore?

2009-01-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

Or is everybody on Facebook? I caved to the pressure and invitations to be friends and I'm on it. I was very skeptical and negative but it's been so fun connecting with old high school buddies but it is consuming way too much of my free time!

Sick of birthday cake!

2009-01-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ben choose to have his party at Chuck E. Cheese. I despise this place...but it wasn't my birthday!The party got off to a bad start...Steve had an unexpected campout with the scouts so I was left alone..I got one of my ctr 9s to be a mommies helper ...the minute we walked into the chaos I was inline to pay for the pizza and tokens, Ben had to go pee but didn't tell anyone and didn't know where to go so he peed his pants naturally. Luckily I had a bunch of clothes in the back of my car that I've been meaning to drop off at the Salvation Army, they were a a little small but they worked...the one time procrastination paid off! My friend Sarah, Brooklyn's mom helped me out alot too...thank goodness for friends...the kids had a really good time and Ben said it was great, that's all that matters!

It's official..his party with friends wasn't until friday but his actual birthday was the monday before, he was very upset about this and said he was not 5 until his party with his friends.

He had 7 friends to help him celebrate: Taylor, Emily, Brookly, Blake, Jonathan, Sophie, and Matthew and his brother Lucas who had a hard time being happy for his brother, he keeps complaining "when is it going to be my bday?"

After several parties and much cake the birthday festivities are over! Steve's is the 14th and Ben's is the 19th. We had 2 family parties one with the Fenskes and another with the Woznys (who surprised us with a visit on the way home from their trip to the Grand Canyon) I made cupcakes for Steve and his scouts on his bday and then had cupcakes last night! Believe it or not...cuz I love cake...I am sick of cake!

Christmas

2009-01-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

This is a great lady and I'm not kissing up Steve. Her family is so important to her and she so selflessly gives, cooks, cleans, babysits, and is an awesome grandma. Thankyou Ruthann for being you and letting us take over your house for the week.We had some good times and made some great memories!

Steve's brother David, his wife Cinthya(she's a really cool dancer), their boys Dylan and Preston, along with Uncle Paul came home from Utah for a week. We went to FO FO Figgleys, too bad uncle Paul threw up in the car and had to go home. Luckily he felt better Christmas morning!

I love this picture. I also love no matter the distance between them when cousins get together it's like they've never been apart. Ben adores Preston he was by his side the whole week! It was very cute.

The highlight was the Wii, grandma Fenske got one for the boys to play and we got our own from Grandma Karen and Marty. Jacob is awesome on guitar hero. I like boxing. It's funny I'm pretty fit and the next day my back was sore from it...great workout! The other night Steve and I stayed up golfing just the two of us. It's a great gift! Thank you Fenskes and Woznys!

We had such a great Christmas this year! The whole Fenske clan was together for the whole week and my mom and Marty came up Christmas day. It was so great to be with our loved ones except my sister..someday we will spend Christmas together girl!

Happy New Year

2009-01-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Christmas has come and gone and we are already into the 2nd week of 2009?
I haven't felt like blogging lately, there is lots to blog about. I just haven't been in the mood. Maybe another day! Anyways Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving 08

2008-12-05T15:27:00.001-08:00

This year we were lucky to be invited to my mom and Marty's, he is an awesome cook and it's always exciting to go to someone else's house! We left Wed. night and came home Sunday night. Mom and Me with almost the same hair color...a first!

Mom sets the table, Marty cooks I usually take a picture of him and the turkey but I forgot this year.

7 years down..........eternity to go

2008-11-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

7 years ago on this day Steve and I were married. I never thought about getting married until I met this man. Even on our first date I felt like I had known him forever and the moment I saw him with my son I knew he was the one. He makes me want to be a better person, he believes in me and he loves me! He is so good to me even when I don't deserve it, I can be moody and hard to please.
The last time I went to the temple Steve's young adult bishop and his wife Mary were in the same session. After in the dressing room we got a chance to catch up and she said "your wedding is still my favorite wedding I've ever gone to" I laughed our wedding was a blast and it's the best I've been to too! she smiled "No seriously, you two were so in love, so happy, I didn't even know you but I could just feel it."
Maybe because I yelled "yes" very enthusiastically twice.
Anyways he annoys me a little more now but the love is still there and it gets stronger each year that goes by. He is my best friend. I am so blessed to have met the man perfect for me at a time in my life when I was smart enough to recognize it. Happy Anniversary Dadzz, I love you and can't wait to go away with you this weekend!

Happiest Place on Earth Again!

2008-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

We finally got a picture with Mickey!

Ben really wanted to do the teacups...I don't think I've ever gone on them before..Jacob didn't want to ride with us, he went in his own teacup!

This picture is blurry...too bad I love Jesse! Since Ben and Lucas have watched "Toy Story" 5 times

Toy Story Mania is awesome!

They had all the Christmas decorations up.

For the 4th time this year I went to Disneyland...another great trip! Steve took the day off of work and Jacob took the day off from school.(shh)We do something new every time, we went on Nemo, Autotopia, Star Tours and took the little guys on Splash Mountain, which could have possibly ruined our day but Lucas loved it and Ben not so much. They take your picture on the drop you should've seen Ben's face...pure terror! He did not cry though he just told us he doesn't want to go on that ride ever again. They have the most amazing show instead of a parade on the water in New Orleans Square..it is amazing! Small World was still shut down! Oh well an excuse to go back sooner! Maybe after the holidays....maybe sooner...Who has passes? Wanna go? Mom this was the best present ever! I believe we got our Christmas Card photo too...you'll have to wait and see!

Time for a change!

2008-11-19T09:54:00.001-08:00

I'm so bored with my life I needed a change, What do you think? I love it! I always see these beautiful shades of brown and wonder if I could pull it off? I'm so lucky to have an awesome friend that does hair, thanks Mandy!I needed this!

Happy 1 year Anniversary Fenske Guys and Their Gal!

2008-11-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

So it's been a whole year that I've been blogging and I look forward to many more! I love blogs! I enjoy reading them and having my own. I feel like I totally know what's going on in people's lives even though I hardly ever talk to them. I am super excited to make my blog into a book for my family and their posterity to look back on. Blog on People!

Happy Birthday Mom and Baby Sara turns 1!

2008-11-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

Too bad the party got rained out so we celebrated with a family dinner at our house!

I was so excited to make a strawberry shortcake cake. I was going to put fresh strawberries around it but they were rotting!I am a crappy auntie! I spelt Sara's name wrong on the cake! In my defense I have 2 friends named Sarah and they both spell it with an H! Good thing she can't read! Sorry Maryann!

My mom and my niece have the same b-day, Oct. 22. I always forget to buy my mom a card and actually write in it and get off in the mail by her birthday, that's what she gets for leaving me...j/k anyways I bought a little write and wipe board for the fridge to remind me to do things because I am very forgetful and get distracted easily so all week I kept saying I've got to get grandma Karen a card....(cute story alert)Ben comes to me in the kitchen and says"I got Grandma Karen's present....I hope she likes it!"he's holding a gift bag. I ask "what did you get her?" he opens up the bag and pulls out one of his toys. He proudly says "a rescue hero!"

I love this sweet, thoughtful, little boy!

Halloween Night

2008-11-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

Ben decided to go as Batman trick or treating. Lucas who did not take his costume off from the day before except to go to bed was "Hulk Smash!"and Jacob was a toy slodier from the movie toy story, it was thrown together last minute. I wish he would've let me paint his hands but he didn't want to.

Preschool Halloween Party

2008-11-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

Ben decided to be a pirate again for the 3rd year in a row, I love this costume and it has been well worth the $20 I spent on it. Lucas was not the Hulk but as he called himself "Hulk Smash"

Thanks to my awesome friend Tiffany I can now caption my pics! Yeah! This is our preschool class. Our party and costume parade was on Thurs. Everybody looked so adorable!

Pinneo's Annual Halloween Party 10/24

2008-10-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our friends Mandy and Charlie have a great party every Halloween. You have to wear a costume and no children allowed! This is the 3rd year and it keeps getting better and better every year. I was Hannah Montana, and if you don't have kids over the age of 5 that watch the Disney Channel you probably don't know who that is, Mom. It's Miley Cyrus'alter ego, she's a pop star. Steve was a fat sumo wrestler. Everyone votes for their favorite costume and the winners get prizes..good prizes! First place went to the Eggleston's a.k.a Sarah Palin, she looked just like her and John McCain. 2nd went to the Scooby Doo crew, and 3rd to the clothesline hanging between 2 trees.(I'm bummed I didn't get a pic of the Wright's)Charlie and Mandy were Ms.Hannigan and Daddy Warbucks from Annie. Good food, good friends, good times! Thanks Pinneo's!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

We had a preschool field trip to Underwood Farms again. This time we got to pick a pumpkin. It was so much bloody hot that day it kinda put a damper on things but the boys really enjoyed the corn maze, it was hard but we made it through. After the pumpkin patch the kids ate a snack and threw hay at each other while country music blarred out of the sound system. I love watching kids play. They don't have a care in the world, too bad we have to grow up!

More prop.8 madness

2008-10-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

So the other day I was at a stop light and I hear someone yelling at me "Gay people deserve to be married too!" Obviously he opposes prop.8 and my bumper sticker annoyed him so much he thought it was o.k. to yell at me and my children, ya know the whole equal rights bit yada yada, it was a very long light anyways Jacob yells out the window "yes on 8" we all started chanting, it was fun.
Today Jacob came home from school and tells me "I told Jed to encourage his parents to vote yes on prop.8" He said "of coarse they are voting yes, if they don't some guy might ask me to marry him, gross!" Kids tell it like it is!

B is for bikes, L is for Lucas, P is for praying mantis

2008-10-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

We bought the boys bikes this summer and they love to ride them. I cone off the entrance to our alley and sit in my beach chair while they ride around and train for our future family bike rides, I'm the only one now who doesn't have a bike but I guess I could run along beside them...........Here's Lucas practicing his L's, he's mastered the L..now we'll work on U.........This big praying mantis was on our gate yesterday, I thought it was pretty cool!

I love a parade!

2008-10-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

On Sat. we walked with other families in support of prop. 8, a proposition on the upcoming election to keep marriage between a man and wife! For those of you that don't know the California Supreme Court, 4 San Francisco based judges, gave gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. Prop 8 restores traditional marriage, between man and wife, and is an ammendment to the state constitution which cannot be overturned again. In 2001 California voters said "No" to gay marriage, we are hoping for them to come out and vote the same!
This has nothing to do with gay or lesbian rights, this prop does not take away any rights or benefits from them. I am not homophobic, I love Ellen Degeneres and Portia DeRossi, I wish them all the best and I would never discriminate against anyone who was gay. I'm just protecting something that I believe is ordained by God and it is sacred.
Without prop 8 our children will be taught in public schools as early as kindergarten that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage. I do not agree and that is my religious freedom to feel that way.
I'm so tired of the line between tolerance and acceptance getting blurred. Yes I tolerate it but no I do not have to accept it as right! Anyways we have been out knocking doors to inform/educate voters about and rally support for prop.8 and this past Sat. we walked in the Moorpark Country Days Parade. There were 350 of us families, we passed out fliers and candy, we all had on matching tshirts and balloons and we sure made a statement! Unfortunatly it rained but that didn't damper our spirits or the crowds.I was so proud to walk with my family and support this righteous cause!
Please vote this election and if you live in the state of California please vote Yes on Prop 8! www.ProtectMarriage.com

Disneyland again!

2008-10-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

The gift that keeps on giving.....We upgraded the tickets my mom and Marty bought us for Christmas to an annual pass! So far we've gone with the family, just Steve and I, and this time just me and the little boys. We called Grandma Karen to see if she wanted to meet us there and she did! I'm so glad she came, it was like old times. We used to go everywhere together up until she moved away! Anyways it worked out perfect we pulled up in the parking garage about the same time. We had a great day. Our longest wait time was like 15 minutes for Toy Story Mania which is brand new. It was incredibly hot in the day but it turned into a perfect night! The boys were so good! It really was a perfect day! The only disappointment was the playhouse Disney Live show at California Adventure was cancelled for the day and the boys were really bummed. Lucas said "that stinks!" and "It's a Small World" ride is still closed until Nov. I love Disneyland, it is so magical. I still get excited even now after 3 trips. We are going again, the whole family for Halloween. I'm so excited to see the characters costumes! Thanks again Mom for joining me, it would have been kinda lonely without another adult to talk to and I know the boys loved seeing you again so soon! I love the picture of you and Lucas with the icecreams. Another shout out to Nicole and Kate for helping me out with Jacob!

First day wearing clothes all day/Rough start to the season

2008-09-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

Jacob's soccer team this year are "the Spitfires" and we have yet to burn anyone. We tied our first game 0-0, it was a good game and last week we were gone but the team lost 6-1 and today we lost 4-0. Yikes! We just need to get organized.
You might have noticed most of the pictures of Lucas indoors he is wearing nothing but a diaper. He loves to be "nakey". Everytime we walk in the door he strips down. I thought maybe when he started wearing underwear he would leave his clothes on, being a big boy and all, nope he just kicks it in his underwear all day...I know I know total white trash! Unless we have friends coming over then I make him put clothes on because "nobody wants to see you in your underwear",you've been forewarned if you stop by unannounced. Can you believe he actually wore clothes all day yesterday! We will see if this is the start of a trend?

Good Bye Summer Campout

2008-09-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Steve wanted to go camping one last time before it starts to get too cold. We had had a perfect Labor Day weekend and I think Steve was trying to recapture that. Labor Day weekend we went to the beach Sat. and Mon. the latter was the most perfect beach day all summer. Steve's dream came true those days, the water was warm and all 3 boys went out on his long board with him, Jacob even stood up and surfed the white wash like 5 times. The water was so warm that I even went out and surfed, I got up twice but after getting worked just to get out there I was done! Our friends The Murrays joined us on Mon. and Becky and I boogie boarded with not much success, it's not as easy as it looks!
Unfortunatly the weather and water were not so warm for our little camping/surf trip at Carpenteria State Beach. It was down right cold! Good thing we brought jeans and sweaters. The sun did peak out on Sat. right after we left the beach and cleaned up! Oh well we had fun and bonded as a family.
Some funny things happened Fri. night....We were sitting around the camp fire that took Steve 2 hours to get going and it never really got to be the towering inferno that he promised,I guess that was my fault, I got the wrong wood! I didn't know there was a difference between hard or soft..oops. It was hillarious he was all pyscho sweaty trying to get the thing going! So we are sitting around our tiny ember fire with just enough heat to make smores when all of a sudden Lucas, Steve, and I get pooped on! Gross! What are the odds you get pooped on twice in one night? Pretty good if your sitting under a bird's nest, yes it happened again soon after. Lucas was freaking out crying for like 2 hours he kept saying "I wanna go home!" After singing and stories we hit the tent for some sleeping bag Uno. I dominated. Poor Steve is such a light sleeper as it is, he didn't get any sleep thanks to the racoons that raided our food we left out! I was too lazy to get up and take a picture of them. The next morning I made egg Nikmuffins, that were delicious! Steve took the boys on an adventure and I went for a long run.
Grandma and Grandpa Fenske came up and visited us. We played cards and went to Fosters Freeze. Then we packed up, had one more camp fire(Steve had to redeem himself and this time it was a towering inferno!)the boys got to be little pyros just like their daddy! Then we headed home to our nice cozy beds.

Free Jamba's and Gentle Ben

2008-09-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

A gal from one of my classes gave me a Jamba juice gift card and told me to go take my boys for a smoothie! Very sweet. Yesterday we dropped Jacob off at soccer practice and went to the gym for my 6:30 class. We were super early and Jamba juice is right next door so I said "Let's get a smoothie". We never get stuff like that so the boys were super excited, it was fun to sit at the table and hang out with them. After I ordered the cashier told me their machine wasn't working so it would be free! Yay! Then the other worker said "Oh do you mind if it's a large?" Ofcoarse not, so I got extra cups and brought the girls in the kids club some. Well Jacob freaked out and was bitter because he didn't get one, can you say spoiled? Anyways today I had the great idea to make smoothies at home and Ben said "Mom, don't forget to make Jacob one so he won't be sad again." Even though he is inappropriate alot he is the sweetest, kindest, thoughtful, loving little boy. He always hugs me and tells me "I love you all the time" every day. He is always trying to make his brothers happy.

Done with Diapers!

2008-09-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it, after 4 1/2 years straight, I'm done with diaper duty! It's been 4 days now that Lucas has been wearing underwear and only 1 accident last night in bed. He didn't even wake up. Oh I take it back he did start to poop in his underwear today but finished in the toilet. He's been ready for awhile,pooping was the hold up and I wasn't ready to commit, but after Monday night I had no more excuses. We had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Fenske's, we had been at the beach all day and I forgot to bring a diaper. Not a big deal he'll tell me if he has to go pee if he's not wearing a diaper. He tells me "mom I gotta go poo!" I said "o.k. you have to go on the potty! Cuz I don't have a diaper" and he did it!
There's something special about G&G Fenske's toilet.The same thing happened with Jacob when Steve and I were dating. He was potty trained but would only poop in a pull-up. He would specifically ask me to put a pull-up on him so he could go poop! We were there having dinner and he told me "Mom, I need a pull-up" and I didn't have one so I said the same thing "I don't have one , you'll have to use the toilet" and he did and since that point on no more pull-ups! I guess if you are having a hard time potty training, specifically pooping, bring your boy over to the Fenske's magic toilet!

The Discovery Center in Santa Ana

2008-08-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

On Sat. we met mom and Marty half way to pick up the boys. We went to the Science Museum, the big black cube off the side of the 5 freeway a few miles past Disneyland. When I walked in and saw the boys they ran to me and smoothered me with hugs and kisses, that was the best part. The museum was really cool and we had a good time. Jacob really enjoyed everything, there was lots of hands on stuff. Ben liked the Bob the builder exhibit and Lucas liked the fossil puzzle in the dino exhibit. They had a "grossality" exhibit. It was all about feces(poop) one of my kids favorite words, bugs and other yucky stuff. After we had lunch at the huge mall there and walked around.

Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

2008-08-31T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here's some pictures from the boys time in San Diego. They went to Sea World and had breakfast with the Sesame Street characters, the zoo and rode the train at Balboa park, Grandpa and Jacob went to the movies and saw the Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor(Jacob said it was kinda scary)and went school clothes shopping, ate lots of gogurts and cheetos, and the highlight of the trip they played the WII. I asked each one what their favorite memory of the trip was Jacob and Ben really enjoyed Sea World and Lucas said DOO DOO's, my mom's dog.

O.K. I'm starting to miss my boys!

2008-08-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Just when I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown and ready to run of to the funny farm for some rest and relaxation my mom and Marty came in to save the day! Aren't parents wonderful? They are always there for you especially when you feel you have no one you can turn to, they are there to help in any way they can! My parents had mentioned taking the boys for a couple of days this summer but I wasn't going to call and bug them. Summer came and went and just in the nick of time, 1 week before we get back to the daily grind, that's right school. My mom called and said can we take the boys? You betcha! I love my boys, they just wear me out! Saturday night my parents came in from San Diego and we went to our ward activity, a potluck in the park. They stayed the night and took the boys home with them after church on Sunday. I called Tuesday night and everything was going good so she decided to keep them till Sat! Steve and I are having the best time being what feels like newlyweds! We are so good together, he really is my best friend! So what have I been doing with all my free time? Long runs, sanded down and painted my bathroom(which is a lot of work!), cleaned out the garage, went through all my old baby clothes and gave them away, hung up my curtains, mopped my floor, wiped down the walls and doors, taken several pilates classes, and not cooked a single meal all week, and lets not forget the coveted uninterupted watching T.V. and resting! As great as this has all been today I miss my children! I'm tired of cleaning and working. I'm all rested and ready to do what I do best; be Jacob, Ben, and Lucas's mom! I'm so grateful that my mom and Marty were able to take the boys and bond with them. They will never forget the memories they have of these times. I never really knew my grandparents that well so my boys are really lucky! As am I to have such wonderful, loving, and giving parents that I have. Thank you Mom! You'll never know how much this time means to me and how good it has been for the boys, myself, and my marriage!

"Wicked"

2008-08-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

My last post I said that Lucas was the best birthday present ever, that was before I saw "Wicked". Just Kidding, most of the time. It was amazing! I have never been to a broadway show or any kind of theatrical production of this caliber. The performaneces, the set, the dance numbers, costumes, singing, the story....fantastic!!!! I wish I could go again, I might have to try the $25 front row lottery one week night before it ends its run. We tried but did not get picked lucky for us they offered us $45 tickets because we already agreed we would not pay more than $100 for both tickets. Our seats were great and even if you did pay alot more it is totally worth it! My favorite scene was "Defying Gravity" it absolutely took my breath away and gave me chills. Poor Steve I kept hitting him all night saying "this is great,this is amazing,can you believe this!" He loved it just as much as I did. Whoever wrote the story is so talented, it all ties together so well. I will never watch the movie the Wizard of Oz the same again. I am going to buy the CD tomarrow! I am so glad I got to share this experience with my husband, we had such a great night and we needed a good date night! If you haven't seen it, you really should!

Lucas turns 3, I turn 33.

2008-08-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is a little late but Happy Birthday Lucas! He turned 3 on July 23. It's crazy cuz it feels like I just had him. They have been a hard 3 years but I love my little kookadoos! He has the best smile and beautiful hair. He is the best birthday present I've ever gotten. My birthday is the day after his July 24. It's funny when I was a little kid I remember my mom being 35 and it seemed so old and now I'm almost there. We got lucky this year, Auntie Heather and Jonathan were here from New York and got to celebrate with us, twice. Once in San Diego at my mom's house. We went to our favorite restaraunt in El Cajon, they have live marachis singing and the best mexican food. I get my birthday present tomarrow night, we are going to see "Wicked" I have been dying to see it and I can't wait!

I can't believe this is my bed!

2008-08-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

So lately I've been really depressed/embarassed because my house is so dirty, dumpy, and crappy. Everything we have is used or thrashed from my kids. Pretty much all of my friends and family have nice houses and most of the time it doesn't bother me, I'm just happy to be able to pay our mortgage,but this week it really got to me. It started when I ordered slipcovers online for my couches, that are filthy dirty just like my carpets! Anyways I got all excited and got a really good deal...... I should have known better........ofcoarse they did not fit on my oversized chair, I guess I measured wrong and since 1 didn't fit I had to send them all back.....why can't things just work out? I'm never going to order anything online again! What a hassel to return everything! I better get all of my $$ back, I have the worst luck! Now I'm depressed because I don't think any will fit. All of our furniture is oversized with padded arm rests and I'm scarred to try and go through the same hassel again. Anyways, in my quest for slipcovers I looked in Linens and Things which is going out of business everything is 50-75% off. I found the most awesome deal! I got a whole bedding set in a bag including 2 sets of sheets, 2 matching window treatments with valances,3 throw pillows and a throw blanket! It's beautiful, it matches my red walls and I have 2 windows! Perfect! It gets better...the original price was 279.00, which I would never pay, I got it for 79.99! I can't believe it worked out I was so nervous because all sales are final. I love it and it makes me happy. I can't wait to sleep in it and ya know do the other things you do in bed! Sometimes I do feel guilty when I make large purchase that I don't really need but I deserve this the comforter that was on our bed we got when we got married, 7 years ago from Target,and it was nothing special. Now to keep my kids from thrashing it.

Ginger Dee Clinton R.I.P. 7/20/08

2008-07-28T16:31:00.001-07:00

My friend from church, Ginger, passed away unexpectedly early Sunday morning. She had a seizure in her sleep and her heart stopped. She was 33 and in good health. She leaves behind a great husband and 4 beautiful children ages 7,6,3, and 1 years old. Our ward is devestated. We were out of town so I got word late and it took me a while to process it. It still doesn't seem real. The funeral was on my birthday and I couldn't believe how many people were there, The Thousand Oaks Stake center was full, people were standing in the back. This is no suprise how could you not love Ginger? I'm looking at the program with her face and I just cannot believe it? What I do know for sure is that she is with our father in heaven and I will see her again. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation and that I know these things are true. I can't imagine going through death, especially when it has happened way too soon, without God and a testimony of Jesus Christ. My favorite, most recent memory of Ginger is on the 4th of July. We were at the Emery's swimming pool. I am really tan and sometimes it is kind of embarassing, like I lay out all day..I swear I use SPF30,Steve calls me his little lamanite, anyways Ginger showed up and she was really tan too! I said to her "Ging, I am so glad your here, I hate being the only dark person." We had so much fun that day, I was doing all my tricks for her daughters. At the b.b.q after we all sat around chatting. I really am glad she was there that day and I got that time with her. I will miss her so much. Please say a prayer for her family.

Fun with Grandma

2008-07-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

On Thursday we got together with Grandma Fenske and Maryann. We went swimming at baby Sarah's pool.It's always fun to go to someone elses pool. Then had lunch at Pizzatopia, an all you can eat pizza buffet in Simi Valley. Thanks for lunch grandma!
Grandma and Grandpa Fenske are off on a 3 week vacation to Canada and Utah for cousin Preston's baptism so we had the family over Sunday to see them off safely. Lucas and I got our birthday presents early!$$$$ We will put it to good use, we are heading off to San Diego on Thurs. my sister and her family are coming from New York! I love my family and I am so grateful for their love and generosity.

Pudding Face

2008-07-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

I love sugar free chocolate pudding with cool whip. It is the best low calorie treat! Lucas loves it too! I thought these were some funny pictures so I'm posting them.

WOODY: the wonder dog!

2008-06-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

We dog sat our favorite dog again, Woody. We love this dog! He is so awesome. We found out not only does he climb trees he also swims! I couldn't believe it we took him to the pool with us, I thought he'll just hang out and lay down on the deck... Yeah right. He jumped right in and was swimming laps around the pool, I couldn't believe it! I thought for sure he would get tired and come out. Nope he just kept cruisin around the pool and playing with Jacob. He would come to the stairs and jump back in for like 45 mins. Finally I dragged him out and tied him to the chair he started pulling the chair and crying to go back in. I made Jacob take him home because I was afraid I was going to get in trouble, you know those hard core H.O.A. members. Don't tell Woody but we cheated on him with another dog, Mooshu. Woody left Friday and Mooshu arrived Tues. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of her. She is a little lap dog but lots of fun too! We love dogs so much and dog sitting allows us to enjoy them and then send them home to their families so it never gets old or expensive or destroys my house!

School's out, Rock till you drop!

2008-06-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah for summer vacation! Jacob is done with school and preschool is over. Lookout pool and beach and lazy days!I simply love summer. Especially since we moved to Moorpark, I love the heat and I love summer nights! No plans for any vacations this year, oh well I'm just grateful Steve has a job that can pay the bills and with gas so expensive, who can afford to drive anywhere? I just filled up today at Costco $81.60, I get so depressed. Anyways this year I resolved to wear SUNSCREEN EVERYTIME I AM IN THE SUN! My skin is really starting to look it's age! Why does being tan have to be so dangerous, can you say melanoma? A tan just makes me look and feel fabulous! I love the sun!

Camping

2008-06-11T07:01:00.001-07:00

Our friends from church, the Weymouths, reserved a group campsite at El Capitan State Beach in Santa Barbara and invited us to go. I'm so glad they did! We love camping but it's so much more exciting to go with other people! There were like 9 families, you can imagine all the kids right? The boys had a blast! We try to pack the minimal and keep it simple, Costco pizza foil dinners. When your only there for a day and a half you want time to relax and enjoy yourself right? Steve and John went diving Fri. night but came home with no fish to fry... good thing we got the pizza! I got to go for a long run Sat. morning and the boys had plenty of adventures, water balloon fights,and ofcoarse smores. We were on a cliff above the beach so we had lots of fun at the beach too! Good times! Jacob even got to sign off a couple scout requirements.

Preschool field trip

2008-06-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

So I had the boys in preschool the past 13 weeks and it was such a great experience for all 3 of us. It is a free co-op preschool Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 It is funded through the county. Parents participate 100% and I was doing things with the boys I would never do at home... art projects, singing corny fun songs, musical instruments, we even had 2 field trips to a dentist office and Underwood Farm to pick strawberries! We had the best time and the strawberries were delicious. The whole experience has really helped me appreciate being able to stay at home and be able to make these memories with my boys!

To bang or not to bang?

2008-05-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

So I'm at a crossroad with my hair. I've been growing it out and working with my natural wave and trying to make it look like this picture. The problem is I always have it pulled back unless I'm at church and I pull my bangs behind my ears and I look all forehead and flat! I've always had bangs and I kinda miss them. I don't know what to do! I hate my hair!

Which Disney Princess are you?

2008-05-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

So I've seen this on a couple of people's blogs so I decided to do it. It makes perfect sense, this is my all time favorite Disney movie, now I know why!
Add this Quiz to your Journal Blog or MySpace

You Are Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?
Take more Quizzes!

My little artists

2008-05-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

We have write and wipe board that the boys, Ben especially, love to draw on. Here is a sample of just some of their work. It's actually pretty good!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

2008-05-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

I love Disneyland! It is so magical, it brings back so many childhood memories. I am so grateful to my mom and Marty for getting us this great gift and I could make some memories with my own family! We had such a great day. I had never been to California Adventure either had Steve, so that was cool to experience and best of all it was only $30 each to upgrade to an annual pass! Which makes the day even better cuz you don't have that stress of we've got to see and do everything cuz you know you can come back soon. We stayed from open to closing, the lines were not bad at all! We walked right on to the big attractions, the longest lines were to see Mickey and Peter Pan, 30 mins which I refuse to wait that long so next time we'll hit those first and Nemo ofcoarse. Small world was shut down! Bummer that's my favorite too bad the average American is now overweight and they have to redrudge the canals cuz the boats were dragging on the bottom, sad but true!We saw so many characters and both parades and nobody got lost or hurt! Can't wait to go back!

This time last week.

2008-05-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last Monday after Steve got off work we headed down to Anahiem. My mom had gotten us passes to Disneyland for Christmas and the boys had really been bugging to go so Steve took Tuesday off and we went! We got a hotel room the night before that way we could be the first ones there and all fresh and ready to go! We had fun at the pool that night, great weather! The boys were up at 6:00 a.m., unfortunately Disneyland didn't open until 10:00,3 boys cooped up in a little room pumped for Disneyland is not fun, they must have jumped from bed to bed a million times! We walked over and lined up about 9:00 and they started letting us in about 9:30ish.

Keep checking, updates and pictures coming soon!

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

We had no internet service for like 2 weeks, long story but I'm back and lots to post, coming soon, I promise!

Inappropriate Ben

2008-04-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

So "little Steve",Ben, I call him that because he looks just like Steve when he was a little boy and he has his same sense of humor. Steve is crazy. Ben has a little potty mouth, he loves to say innapropriate things. We've been working on it consistently and he's doing a lot better.
The other day I was upstairs at the computer and he comes up with no pants on and says "mommy I've got a surprise for you." He turns around and spreads his cheeks apart and surprise he put a corn flake in there! Oh Ben!

1/2 Marathon picture

2008-04-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my friend Shawna and I after the race. We got finishing medals which are really nice and heavy.

The results are in!

2008-04-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

O.K. So it was much harder than I remembered,lots of hills, some stright up! My goals were a little ambitious but I came pretty close! Drum roll please...... My time was 1:49:26! That's an 8min. 22 sec. mile pace. In my division ages 30-35 I placed 8th out of 119 women! Overall I placed 178th out of 1264 runners total! I am pretty proud of myself, I've gotten so much faster over the past 2 years and the best is yet to come you should see some of the times of the women 35-40 even 50+. Can you believe the fastest female's time was 1:30:58, that's a 6:56 mile pace, crazy for 13 miles!
I am really proud of my friend Shawna from the gym. This was her first race ever, she's lost like 55lbs over the past year and 1/2 and she was looking to do something really challenging. She's hardcore and in great shape so I knew she could do it. Her time was 2:20:12 and she ran the whole thing. I'm so glad we went together and I got to see her cross the finish line! What an accomplishment!
My friend from church Amy wants me to do another one with her in May. We are about the same pace so we would push each other to be faster and I really think I could be
with a little motivation along the way. I'm so sore today, my calves are like rocks, but I want to do it so bad! I love to keep challenging myself and improving my times!
There was a girl in the race that had a shirt on with this quote and I'm totally biting it..."Why do I run you ask? Why do you breathe I ask?

The Dole Great Race.....1/2 MARATHON!!

2008-04-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I am so pumped, my favorite race is this weekend and I am hoping for my best time ever!This was my first ever competitive run 3 years ago. It is 13.3 miles of beautiful scenery, an awesome challenging course! I hope to finish under 1hour 45mins but will accept anything under 2 hours!Wish me luck! I'll let ya know how it goes. Lots of friends from church are doing the 5k and family run so it should be a fun after party aswell!

Great first day of Spring Break

2008-03-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

So we've been having the best weather lately! Easter Sunday was beautiful so Monday morning I decided to call some friends and make it a beach day! I'm so glad I did because it was a perfect day! We got there at 11:00 and stayed until 4:00 and I had to drag the kids off the beach. Unfortunately my back and shins got burnt really bad but the kids are fine! The water was freezing but it was warm enough to frolick in! Jacob had some buddies there, Luke and Darren and they dug a huge cool hole or "fort" as they called it. I can't wait for summer!

I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes!

2008-03-18T15:39:00.000-07:00

Jacob is outside right now playing football with his buddy Eddie from across the street! Steve would be so proud! He is not very athletic and I try to get him to be more physical but you know I'm just the annoying mom. He got into some trouble at school and can't play the computer, originally 1 week but his grades weren't too stellar so it's indefinate until he gets a positive note home from his teacher. It has been so good for him socially. Video games and the computer are fine but there has to be limits, I see why now. It was so easy to let him sit on the computer for 5 hours because he wasn't bugging me or his brothers so what's the harm right? As with all things in life there needs to be a balance. He was so obsessed with that game, it was all he would think or talk about. I hope he realizes this too! There's more to life than Runescape.

Happy Birthday Best Friend!

2008-03-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

This is a tribute to my angel and best friend Tiffany Pankau. She is my angel because she brought the gospel into my home and set an amazing example of love, charity, virtue, and righteousness. When I look back and think about those days I realize how easy it could've been for you to join me and have a drink or go to the club. I didn't realize how fragile you were then going through your repentance and all. Knowing what I know now I have all the more respect and admiration for you than I had before, if that's possible! She is my best friend because she is kind, honest, and does not judge me. You have always been there for me! Thank you for being my friend.I miss you so much now that you are in Georgia but I'm so glad your just a phone call away! Happy Birthday Tiffster, Tiffster, cool rockin' riffster!

Wonderful grandparents!

2008-03-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

My boys are so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents! It really is a blessing for them to be so involved in our lives. My mom came up from San Diego for Jacob's party. We convinced her to stay an extra day. We went to The Garden of the World in Thousand Oaks, it was beautiful.It's a great little walk and it's free! We are definately going back when all the rose bushes are in bloom and we will pack a picnic and chill, they have tables and benches to hang out on. I love my little mom! Thanks for coming! I can't imagine living out of state away from our parents, I never really knew my grandparents, they lived in Minnesota. I think I saw them like 5 times in my whole life. I see the bonds my kids have with their grandparents and the joy they bring to each other and it makes me happy. Grandma Fenske took Jacob out for a birthday date. They went to lunch and saw "The Spiderwick Chronicles" at the theater. I know that he felt very special and really enjoyed it. If we ever go looking at houses in Boise again someone remind me of this post!

Birthday Party Pics.

2008-03-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jacob

2008-03-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

We had a swashbuckling good time Sat. at Jacob's pirate party! The party started at 1:00, we had pizza and then off to a really "ambitious" treasure hunt. There were 9 boys, both grandmas, and Chris and Maryann with baby Sarah. Steve is so awesome! He made 8 clues and at each spot they had to perform a task. We did it at the college. The boys golfed, kicked goals,walked the plank, and did dope on a rope all leading to the treasure he buried in a huge dirt mound at the college. It was a pinata. They had so much fun! We came home for a pirate ship cake that I made, my most ambitious one to date. I had a little fiasco the night before, it split in half so I baked another one froze the cake this time and it all worked out! Presents and busted open the pinata! The boys were all very well behaved and everyone got along great! It was a great party, lots of work but totally worth it. Later Jacob came up to me with a great big bear hug and said "Thanks mom for the best party ever!" That makes it all worth while! I love you Jacob. You are such a blessing in my life. I am so fortunate Heavenly Father has trusted me with you, you are the reason I got my act together. You always can make me smile. I am so proud of the young man you are becoming to be. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be!

Blue and Gold dinner

2008-03-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

Every year the scouts have a family dinner to celebrate scouting. It is combined with MP1 and MP2 wards. It is really fun for the boys. The boys bake and decorate a cake with their dad at home with a different theme every year. This year was "Chinese New Year" pretty tough but this is what Steve and Jacob came up with. They had to name their cakes ours was called "fish in da whatr" with chinese accent, that's why Jacob is cracking up he couldn't say it with a straight face! I was amazed at the creativity and talent showcased! Unfotunately there are 25 cakes and cake is my weakness! I don't even want to think about all the calories I ate that night! I am so proud of myself, I threw the rest of ours away! Jacob was supposed to recieve his Bear that night but I don't know why none of the boys got their ranks, so we start Weeblos on Wed. I can't believe Jacob is going to be 10 on Wed!

Feeling Better!

2008-02-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

So I had a rough week last week it started off well but by Tues I was feeling really run down! I knew I was fighting a bug so I started taking Zinc, it boosts your immune system I learned. It really works! By friday physically I was feeling better but emotionally I was a mess! I think I have mental problems and craziness does run in the family, sorry mom but it's true! My highs are high but my lows are really low, scary low. I'm not fishing for compliments here or trying to have a pity party it's just how I feel sometimes. I looked at a picture of Steve and I when we were dating and that set me off. I felt old, I couldn't recognize the girl in that picture. She was so young, pretty and hot! What happened to me? Then I start obsessing and loathing myself. I know it's crazy. I'm not old and I'm not ugly and I'm not fat and I am a good mother but it's never good enough, yah know what I mean? I gave it to Heanenly Father and begged him that I might feel better about myself and by Saturday I was feeling better. I still hate my hair and clothes but what are you going to do? Atleast I'm not crying and laying around on the couch! You might be thinking how can a girl that exudes so much self confidence be so insecure? It is all an act. I am insecure and feel so inadequate most of the time. I know these issues will rear their ugly head again, they always do and I will keep pressing onward trying not to let it get the best of me. Most importantly I will remember that I am a daughter of God and he loves me just the way I am with all my faults and imperfections. So here's some advice if you too go through depression, take a shower and pray! It works! Thanks for listening!

No more pictures.

2008-02-13T16:20:00.000-08:00

So I am totally bummed. There will not be any more pictures on my blog unless someone has a camera and emails me the photos. It is my own fault, I have no one else to blame except for the loser that stole my digital camera out of my car! I never lock my car. I hate my car and wish someone would steal it! I usually don't have anything of value in it besides carseats, tennis rackets, and sweaters. I took my camera to the park the other day to take some pictures of the kids with the dog and forgot it in my glove compartment. Of coarse the one time I left something of value in there it gets robbed. It could have been so much worse. The dog jumped out of the car and started barking at this kid as I was unloading everyone so I went after him and left my keys and my wallet in the backseat! Lucky for me they just went through the center console and glove compartment. Can you believe they still robbed me even though there were scriptures sitting right there in the front passenger seat? Some people have no conscience.
How awesome is my husband? I felt so bad, it's his camera, he didn't even get mad at me! He had every right too, I would've been annoyed! He didn't want to make me feel worse and what good would yelling at me or lecturing me be? He is so wonderful and easy going. I never worry about him yelling at me or treating me badly. He doesn't care about "stuff" he just wants me to be happy. Too bad "stuff" makes me happy!

We miss Woody!

2008-02-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

For the past year I've really been wanting a dog. Everybody tries to talk me out of it but I think it would be good for the boys. We dog sat Einstein, the Nelson's dog, last year. Steve thought it would make me change my mind, it was a great experience. My friend Alicia from the gym went to Vegas on Sat. for 3 days and she didn't have anyone to watch her dog, ofcoarse I jumped at the chance to do it. A little more of a challenge because this was a big dog and still a puppy. His name is Woody, he's an American Bulldog, so playful and so good! We had the best time with him. He loved chasing us around the park and playing fetch. Steve got a little jealous at night because he would snuggle with me. We miss him so much! Wed. morning Ben kept crying for him, luckily we can visit him and we'll get to watch him again maybe in April! So anyone out there that nedds a dogsitter we'd be more than happy to do it as long as it won't pee or poop on my floor!

Best baby in the world!

2008-02-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Every week I trade babysitting with my friend Becky. I watch her kids, Camille and Tanner, for two hours on Thurs. and she watches mine on Fridays. It's great I love it except for one thing. "Baby Tanner" as we call him is the best baby and so cute! I love him and every Thursday he makes me think I could handle another baby. He is so good and happy! But who am I kidding? It's only 2 hours and I'm sure he's not like this with Becky, kids are always better for other people than they are with their parents.Why are babies so much more enjoyable when they are not your own? That's right because you can give them back! I won't be fooled and don't worry I won't be trying for another one anytime soon, atleast until the other two are in school?

One of the greatest movies of all time!

2008-01-29T13:59:00.000-08:00

The other day Ben was picking out a video and he choose The Wizard of Oz. Since then they have watched it over and over. They love it! It really is a classic. They love singing the songs. A new generation of fans have been produced. How can you not love this movie it is so great! Besides Mary Poppins, it is my favorite kids movie. Can you believe Steve had never seen it before? What rock was he living under?

Happy Birthday Steve and Ben

2008-01-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

Steve's birthday was Mon. 1/14 and Ben's was Sat. 1/19. We had a family party last weekend and I made this cake. We're not really big birthday people. I know some people that have like a whole birthday week. It was pretty low key! Happy Birthday guys! He wanted Elmo and it was supposed to be red but it is very hard to make red frosting!

Cake Decorating

2008-01-13T14:43:00.001-08:00

So I really enjoy cake decorating. I used to work at Albertson's and did work in the bakery a couple of times but no formal training. I'd love to take a class. I'm strictly an amatuer. Last year for Ben's birthday I made this cake. My friend Amy had this article on her blog and I couldn't believe my eyes.click this link to check it out. Let me know what you think.

It was bound to happen..............

2008-01-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

So you know when you take your kids to the grocery store and they are too big to sit in the seat but too slow to walk by themselves so you let them stand in the cart? We all do it. How many people tell you "oh they should sit down, that is so dangerous, they could fall out and crack their head open" and my response is "Yeah, whatever, as long as they are being quite and I can get out of here as quick as possible without any major meltdowns, I'll take my chances"
Friday at Costco it finally happened. We had finished checking out when Ben says "I gotta go potty!" O.K. atleast we're not in the car and the bathroom is pretty close.
He finishes and I lift him up back in the cart that is parked up against the wall. He decides to sit on the edge and as I pull it out to go, he falls back and lands on his head! Ouch! I tried to grab him but you know how big those Costco carts are. The thud of his head hitting the concrete hurt my head. Luckily he did not crack his head open but he sure had a gnarly goose egg! An employee gave him an ice pack which was the best thing that could've happened because Ben loves ice packs, he is always playing with the one we have at home and he felt special because now he had his very own. He held it to his head for a minute and said "I'm all better now!"It is amazing how resilliant kids are.

Watch The Ellen Show today!

2008-01-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone be sure to watch the Ellen show today and look for me! I went to a taping yesterday and danced right next to Ellen in the front row! It was a 2 hour wait but well worth it! My friend Renae had tickets and for those of you that know me well know I've always wanted to be on T.V. So I jumped at the chance to go and how awesome to see Mary J. Blige so close, she was amazing. The whole experience was very surreal it was so great! A big shout out to Ginger, Nicole, and Ruth Ann, for helping me out with the boys!

Back to the same old same old.........

2008-01-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

Well the holidays are over. Jacob went back to school today and I'm a little depressed. I absolutly hate school. I hate the morning rush, making his lunch, feeding the other two, waking him up, hurrying him to eat, get dressed, brush his teeth and hair, don't forget your backpack! Now that it is cold I also have to dress the other two and one of them hates to wear clothes, warm up the car, buckle the other two into their seats all by 8:15! Lucky for me the school is only 2 minutes away! Atleast he walks home! Now I have homework to look forward to and all the fun that that entails. I must admit it has gotten much easier, not so much of a fight although it has been two weeks so it probably will be today! I enjoy having Jacob home, he is very good at entertaining himself. I miss his company during the day! I can't wait for Spring Break already!

Baby Sarah

2007-12-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

For those of you that don't already know Steve's sister, Maryann had a little baby girl on October 22, my mom's b-day also. Her name is Sarah Elizabeth Gulden and she is beautiful. She is the first granddaughter on both sides so she will be very well taken care of! They had her blessed this past Sunday, her daddy's birthday, and we were able to go before heading down to San Diego. Chris and Maryann can never move away from us because I am counting on her to be the daughter I'll never have, atleast until my boys get married! Ben sure loves his new cousin, she will be well protected by the Fenske boys you can count on that!

Christmas in San Diego

2007-12-28T15:04:00.001-08:00

We headed down south to my mom and Marty's this year. Our first Christmas there, they've come up here the past 3 years. We just had to check out their house, you know how you drive to houses that are all decked out with lights and lawn fixtures, well that's their house inside and out! We had a great time and the weather was awesome! On Xmas eve we went to Balboa park it was like 80 degrees, Xmas day we went to the beach after presents and a run for mom. Steve went surfing and the kids and I played in the sand. Back to grandma and grandpa's for the best dinner ever! Marty is an amazing cook. We came home Tues. night and then celebrated again Wed. night with The Fenske clan. Paul came home from Utah with a new car to show off! I'm so grateful for our families they spoil us with love, the gifts are nice too, Disneyland tickets for the whole family plus $100 gift card to spend in the park!!!!Most of all I'm grateful for the Savior, our lord Jesus Christ, his love and his life are truly the best gifts of all. I am so grateful to know my Savior and love this time of year especially when we celebrate his birth.

Yum.....Hot Cocoa........

2007-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

It was really cold the other day, by Cali. standards, so I made the boys hot chocolate these pics were so cute I had to post them! Merry Christmas everybody We love you all!

Benjamin Gary Fenske!

2007-12-17T14:04:00.000-08:00

Whenever you say your childrens full given name it's usually not good. Let me tell you this morning was really bad! I can not believe my little "totals". He intentionally pushed over the Christmas tree! I couldn't believe it.Luckily it's fake and there are no super fragile expensive ornaments on it. I didn't know what to do. I yelled, spanked, and sent him to his room then cried. Lucas was so cute he was patting me "don't cry mommy, I'll clean it up" and started hanging the ornaments back up, all on the same branch but I appreciated the help. I tell ya if it's not one it's the other or the other. Will there ever be peace in this house? Forget peace on earth I just want a little in my home this holiday season. j/k. Anyways I'm glad it happened here and not at someone else's house. Hopefully it won't happen again, Are you ready for us mom? ha-ha!

My Honor Student

2007-12-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud of my Jakies! He made the honor roll at school! All 3's and 4's on his report card. At first I thought it's elementary school, everyone probably gets on it, but I was wrong!Out of 64 fourth graders, only 34 made the grades! There was an assembly today and Ben, Lucas, and I all went and cheered real loud when they called Jacob Fenske! I was so proud I was crying. This is Jacob's first award of many I'm sure! We've had some struggles in the past and I'm sure many more to come but this was one of those moments when it's all worth it and you can't help but think you must be doing something right! Way to go Jakes!

Fenske guys

2007-12-11T15:36:00.001-08:00

So I took this picture on Sunday and I had to post it. How did I get so lucky? I have the best looking boys in the whole world!

My Lucas

2007-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

How can the sweetest boy in the whole world be so stubborn and throw the wickedest tantrums? I love this kid so much. He is such a great eater, goes to sleep in his own bed without any protest,doesn't really get into too much trouble but man is he stubborn. There is no reasoning with this kid! Especially when it comes to candy. One piece won't do for him and he always has to hold the bag of whatever it is. He loves to be "nakey" we call it, nothing but a diaper. The minute we get home from anywhere he strips down. So this morning we get home from the gym and he starts pulling off his clothes, he's been wanting to do everything on his own lately, so the shirt is stuck on his head and one arm, he's screaming but won't let me help him because he wants to do it himself. This continues and everytime I go to help him he runs away crying but yet it's still stuck. I couldn't help but grab my camera. This kid eats a ton but is so skinny!It's no wonder. He probably burns like 300 calories each tantrum, full body flopping on the floor style and thrashing around in his crib when I put him in there because he can't get control! So multiply 300 by 3, atleast on a good day, 900 calories burned! Forget the gym I think we should all start throwing tantrums, nah too exhausting. I get tired just watching him. Hopefully this too shall pass! SOON!

I don't want to be "that" instructor!

2007-12-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

So a couple of weeks ago I got a backhanded compliment, after my Wed. night class one of my regulars approached me.She asked me if it ever bothered me that I was the only instructor without a boob job? I really am the only one.Let's be honest it has always bothered me since I am extremly flat chested pretty much always have been with the exception of my pregnancies and breast feeding.I explained to her that I just couldn't imagine spending $4,000 for boobs! She agreed and told me she thought it was cool and appreciates the fact that I'm real and that's what she likes about me. She went on about how I dress and she appreciates that I'm not half naked like some of the other instructors. I have always wanted bigger boobs and have thought about augmentation. I don't want to be that instructor! I'm me and it is what it is! I can run and jump without any extra baggage. So if we have an extra $4,000 and you hear me taking about a boob job will you please remind me of this post! It's so hard to not get caught up in the images of the world we see and we begin to think that is what is normal and we should look like that. We are who we are and as long as we are trying to be the best we can be that is enough! Who defines perfection? Christ does and is perfection and if the world all strived to be like him we wouldn't have all these distorted perseptions! Just wanted to get that off my chest, no pun intended!

My little angel

2007-12-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

So it's that time of year again, we pulled out the tree, yes it's fake. I thought I'd never have a fake tree ever but we got it free and it really is easy, less mess, and safe! So I start pulling out all the ornaments with the kids telling them about all my favorite ones. Then I pull her out, my little sentimental beauty, my angel. Every year Steve and I go at about how ugly she is and how much he hates her! Christmas is about family traditions, right?
I had this angel on my tree growing up until my mom upgraded and I had my own place and she gave her to me. Yes she's from a craft fair and made out of a paper towel roll but she's beautiful to me and represents my childhood Christmas memories. We didn't have alot of money growing up but somehow my mom always made Christmas special and memerable, except the year we ended up at Denny's, who knew everything was closed on Christmas, it's o.k. mom cuz even that is a great memory!
Any ways I convinced him yet again that this year will get a new tree topper at the after Christmas sales. That's worked every year so far but lucky for me he forgets and we pack her up till next year! I think this really will be her last year, he was pretty adament about not waiting and getting something this week. He wants a star. Wait till he sees how expensive tree toppers are then I think she'll be around till New Years.

I've been tagged!6 random things about me.............

2007-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I'm doing this! I never respond to these things but I like being in the blog crowd and I don't want to be a party pooper, if anyone cares................
6 random things about me,
#1 I don't have a gall bladder. During my pregnancy with Jacob I developed gall stones, very painful, after my C-section I had to go to the emergency because I was in so much pain. I thought maybe the Dr. didn't put everything back in right. Anyways I had gall stones and the remove your whole gall bladder because chances are you'll produce more if they only remove the stones. I have the actual stone if anyone wants to see it.
#2. I love to do crossword puzzles,especially celebrity ones like in People or In Touch magazine
Which leads me to #3. I love to read celebrity gossip magazines and I know way to much "pop culture". Stuff that really doesn't matter!
#4.When I was pregnant with Jacob I bought my own engagement ring and wore it so I wouldn't look like another statistic, typical 21 unwed mother.
#5. I make up silly nick names for all my kids, "Scoots/Dootles/Doots", "Totals", and "Kookados/Kook(s)" and speak a language we call "zzzz's"
examples:"Hi'zzzz" "Dad'zzz"
#6. I used to love to slap my mom's butt and she would get so irritated but that was the best part! Now when Steve does it to me I get so annoyed, payback I guess!
So this was fun and I can't stop laughing at myself I'm such a dork!

I'd marry him all over again!

2007-11-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Sat. Nov.24 was our 6 year anniversary! I know Steve probably feels the same way, I'm pretty moody, some days I ask myself did I marry the right person. I'm always so tired and not in the mood to be romantic or intimate.You kinda wonder does he still do it for me? We went away to Pismo Beach overnight and let me tell you I fell in love all over again! And "YES" he still does it for me!
We arrived in Pismo about 3:00p.m. and checked in to our hotel which was actually pretty nice for the price. Then we went rollerblading around the beach and watched the sunset.Back to the hotel and we hit the pool and jacuzzi. Then we had dinner and went to the movies and saw Enchanted, with McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy, which is totally adorable. Steve liked it too! The next morning we slept in and snuggled with each other,usually there is a Ben or Lucas in the mix.We had breakfast at Denny's and then we rented quads and went ATVing in the famous sand dunes. What a blast it's like a whole culture out there.Next stop the Monarchs, butterflies they migrate there to the eucalyptus trees there was like 10,000 of them in the trees it was awesome.One more walk on the beach there's some caves and tide pools to explore. There were sand dollars all over the beach. They were'nt all broken either so we collected a ton of them it was so cool. It was a great trip with my best friend, my husband, Steve. I love that man.We got home to the kids and Grandma Fenske around 7:30 sat. night. I'm glad they were good for her and Jacob was a big helper! It's a good thing we came home because Ben and Lucas were really sick that night, Ben was up all night coughing.
It's good to get away, we decided to do it more often and not wait another 6 years! When your sawing away, in life, no matter how long or how hard you saw your not making any progress unless you keep your saw sharpened, right?

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

So this year we hosted Thanksgiving at our house. My mom and Marty, Ruthann and Gary, and Chris and Maryann with baby Sarah all attended. I have to admit I had a little help with the turkey, I ordered a precooked one from Albertson's but I have to say I basted that baby every 30 min and it was juicy! All in all a great day! Since dinner was at our house I wanted to start a little tradition of our own. We made a 'thankful tree' and I have to give props to my mom because she made the whole thing happen. While I was cooking,Steve and Marty were at the park with the kids,mom traced and cut out all the leaves and tied them with string. We talked and had some nice mother daughter time. It was a nice peaceful moment, that is rare especially in my house. So everyone had to write something they were thankful for this year and we read them out loud, it was also a very cute centerpiece! I enjoyed cooking and am really proud of myself! Miss you Heather wish you were close by! Hope you all had a great holiday, the food is nice but family and love are what makes the day so special and one to remember!

Still smiling! We're so hard core!

2007-11-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Biathlon pics

2007-11-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Nikki, the Biathlete!

2007-11-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is old but I have a lot ofcatch up to do since I just started bogging.
So my friend Amy Adams, the only friend in my ward who gets the whole 'running thing',calls me one day and says "hey Nikki, there's this race at Zuma beach, it's a swim and run and it sounds like fun wanna do it?"
"Sure I love running, I'm not a swimmer but I'll try anything once."
So it's a 1/2 mile swim in the ocean onto a 3 mile run. Piece of cake.
So I'm training twice a week, swimming laps in the pool at the gym. I'm not a swimmer, remember? A 1/2 mile is 34 pool lengths, 17 laps. The first time was tough but it kept getting easier and I was getting faster so I thought I'll do great!
Let me tell you something swimming in the pool is nothing compared to the ocean! I thought I was going to die! It was so hard to get out past the break and I was all freaked out because you can't see anything when your head is in the water. I had the wrong wetsuit on, I used Jacob's for surfing which is way to thick and heavy. I wanted to take it off so bad but I thought Steve would get mad at me. I kept looking at the bouy and thinking I'm never going to make it! It's all mental I kept telling myself, "yes you can, your an athlete, your not a quitter, you can do this, keep going"
It worked I made it. When I ran up on the beach I felt amazing I was yelling " did it, I made it!" I had a pretty decent time like 45 minutes give or take a few seconds, I never officially checked the results. The moral of the story is you can do anything you put your mind too. It's 25% physical and 75% mental. If you think you can't, you probably won't!
I don't know how soon I'll be swimming in the ocean again, so don't expect any triathlons in the near future. What an amazing gifts our bodies are. I can't imagine being afflicted with any kind of illness or pain that would limit my pyhsical abilities. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for this gift he has given me, my physical body, I treasure it and I love challenging it!
Thanks Amy, I'm so glad we got to share this experience, it was fun!

Optimus Prime, A Pirate, and Blue

2007-11-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

Mom, I swear Ben was Spiderman at the ward party, he just decided last minute he wanted to be a pirate again on Halloween night! Grandma Karen bought Jacob and Ben their custumes this year! Thank you!!!We had a great time trick or treating. Ben would rather stay home and pass out candy, Me too!

Love my boys

2007-11-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

So way too often I wish I worked and could get away from the kids for more than an hour or two at a time. It's been especially hard the last couple of days because we've been home bound, good ol'hand,foot,and mouth disease, see Ben's hands. Anyways, they were really buggin' out so I put them in the bath to kill some time and we had a great time! I realized something, if I was at work we wouldn't have had this memory or these great pics! I love you, Jacob,Ben, and Lucas. I really enjoyed having Jacob home from school on Mon. he's great company, most of the time!

Show off!

2007-11-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

So Mandy just emailed me this great pic of me waterskiing and I just had to post it!

Camping,Vacation or Work? Totally Fun!

2007-11-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

I was having a hard time getting over the fact that last summer I did not get to go on vacation. I had been spoiled every year that we've been married we've taken several cool trips. Anyways we've been having a hard time financially and it didn't look like we were going to be able to get away this summer either. Until our good friends Mandy and Charlie Pinneo invited us to crash their annual family waterskiing/camping trip at Lake San Antonio. My first time waterskiing and I got up and had the best time of my life! However Mandy's dad a.k.a "the back breaker" took me and Amy out tubing. The water slapped me so hard in the face! I was so sore for the next few days I could barely turn my neck! It was the best time ever! The boys had a blast. Jacob's good friends from church Darren, Blake, and Ryan were also there so we didn't see much of him only eating and sleeping time! Ben had just been potty trained and so when we got home it took us awhile to break the habit of just dropping your drawers anywhere and peeing! Our tent was right on the lake! It was awesome just writing this brings all those great memories back. THANKS AGAIN Pinneos'
We love you guys!

So I'm Blogging!

2007-11-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

Yeah for me after months and months of always envying everyone elses blogs and telling myself I'm going to get a blog going, even begging someone to help me because she has the best blog of all time, Mrs. Zeedik. I finally took the time to figure it out and go for it! It's not that hard, you know how computer illiterate I am. I barely learned how to copy and forward an email! I still need you Kate! I want people to know what we're up to and since I don't like to talk on the phone or type emails this is great! Also like Melissa I can use it as a type of family journal! I love you all and can't wait to get started!