Family update...

Well Sofie's little thumb is almost back to normal. She's not wearing the splint anymore, and the bruising has almost disappeared- she was such a trooper!! Maddie's track-meet Tuesday was AMAZING!!! It was in Bowie, so the whole family got to go! Mad placed 2nd in the 100-meter dash- right behind a 6-ft-long-legged girl!!! (Mad is 4ft 11in) Then in the 800 relay; her team place 1st- Maddie was 2nd leg, and flew passed the girl in front and was so far out front the rest couldn't ever catch up!!! I just get so excited watching her run- I ran track in middle school, and I never won anything!!! She gets her speed from Mamu I guess. They got second in the 400 relay; and the whole time Victoria & Sofie are having their own races with their little friends, it's just so cute!!! I think Sofie will surpass Madison's abilities in sports- she just has that speed, and drive in her - she is so very competitive!!! Victoria's little legs just can't seem to get going that quick- I think it has something to do with all of us carrying her when she was a baby, and not walking until age 15 months!!! She looks like a little orangutan when she runs!!!! Good thing she can't read this yet :) Mark & I are just working as much as we can; we spent ALOT of money on Spring Break (not 1 regret though), and the house & yard-work takes up alot of time as well. Our yard, flowerbeds, & trees had been neglected for many years, but it's coming together... Paige is having a hard time staying focused in her last semester of high-school, and it's driving us batty!!! She finally got her driver's license, and is working on getting her car running- it needs a new battery, and a tune-up, maybe tires, and a new head (whatever that may be)- Her grades have been under par- and I'm kinda worried she may not even graduate, so we haven't even ordered graduation announcements yet... we just keep praying for her, and trying not to yell at her too much, but DANG!!! She is 18-yrs-old; it's very , very, hard raising someone else's teenager (well she's my teenager now) and I am proud to be raising her- but it is hard. She wasn't taught about saving money, the value of money, planning for the future; things she would've known if she had been mine all along; she didn't know how to balance a checkbook. So please pray for Paige (& us) to get through this... I love her dearly, and that keeps me from strangling her in her sleep!! ~wink~ Just kidding- don't call CPS on me- she is 18 remember?!

Six Flags!!!!

Yes- we are crazy!!! We took the kids to 6 flags on one of the busiest days of the year! We had to spend an extra 160 BUCKS to get the Flash Pass, so we didn't have to wait in line for 3 hrs per roller-coaster- a definite MUST-HAVE!!! We were able to go up the exit ramp and get on the rides after only about 10-20 minutes!!! We brought 2 cameras- & left both in the truck- so all these pics are from our phones- not the best, but at least we got some!! Mamu came along & was a life-saver- she took the little girls around to the smaller rides, so we big kids could go ride the scary stuff!!! Victoria was so thrilled- she was tall enough to get on the Judge Roy Scream!! Sofie rode it last year, so V was thrilled that it was her turn. But I don't think we'll get her on it again any time soon- she didn't cry- but her little face never showed so much fear- she wanted to jump off of that thing about 2 seconds into the first hill!!! We had a ball, but I think we won't ever go on Spring Break again- just too crowded...








V & Sofie riding the Mini-mine Train for the 5th time in a ROW!!!

Victoria & Mommy on the Conquistador- right before she started to FREAK OUT!


Maddie, Mark, & Tyler have lost their minds...too many roller-coasters!!


Mark getting ready to fly with a guy from Alaska!!! Scary!!!


Mark & new friend flying!!!

Galleria Ice Rink

Spring Break '08

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Our first day of Spring Break '08, we went to the Galleria to ice skate!!! So much fun, and the girls were really good- their 1st time too!! Mad wouldn't stop shopping long enough to join us, but Paige & Mamu skated!!! Paige skated circles around us (backwards), I only fell once, and Mamu did too- but we are OKAY!!! I took the whole week off- we are going to do something fun everyday!!! We had to go get Sofie's thumb x-rayed today- the swelling wasn't going down, and it's bruised down the thumb into the palm- she broke it in 2 places- just little chips of bone - but it looks horrible- we just have to keep it in a splint and ace wrap for about a week- she's being a really good patient.

Bowie Youth Rodeo

Bowie's Youth Rodeo is a saddle series this year. This past weekend was rodeo #2. The first was last month. I took video, but can't upload that to my computer yet; these pic's are from this past weekend! Maddie placed 1st in 3 events (barrels, flag-race, poles) and 2nd place in the goat-tying. So she won all-around cowgirl and took home ribbons and a beautiful pink rhinestone breast-collar. Sofie placed 6th in the goat-tying- and it was her 1st time ever to do that in competition!!! She was thrilled- she's the youngest in her group (7-11). Victoria placed 3rd in barrels. (6 & under) This past weekend, Sofie broke her thumb in the horse-trailer door right before the rodeo- so she didn't compete. Victoria placed 4th in the ribbon-goat race, an Mad placed 1st in ALL 4 EVENTS!!!! We were so excited for her!!! My Dad, my brother Matt's mom Brenda, Matt's kiddos, Nathan and Ryleigh, Mamu, Mark, and Gigee all came to watch!
There are 3 more rodeo's to go; one each month; Mad should win the saddle if she keeps this up!!!

Cameren Michael, my new nephew!!!

Kodie-Koe is a Big Sister!!!! He was born March 4, weighed 9lb. 14oz. Can't wait to hug him, and kiss him, and hold him, and smell him- (does that make me weird?)

Paige took this picture of Sofie Bellaluna (Mark's pet-name) in the backseat the other day- she looks much older than 7 to me!





My little brother, Jason, & his toddler, Kaylan!!





I think she may have him wrapped- ya think?

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY MADISON!!!!

The Best Rockstar Party EVER!!!! Seriously- the best group of kids!!! We had so much fun!!!

Mamu's Team "the Winner's" getting their scavenger hunt item : get a Walmart employee to kiss the Team Leader. Notice the underwear outside of the clothes?

One scavenger hunt item was : Hold your team Leader in front of the Sonic. This is my team!!! They ROCKED!!!

One of the scavenger hunt items was : Get your picture made with a police officer: this is Mark's Team at the Bowie Police Dept.

The party's theme was "Rock N Roll". Everyone wore concert or band T-shirts, Mad and the other girls, and I, put eyeliner on all the boys- even Mark!

Can't believe I have a 13-year-old!!! She is not your usual kid though, she wanted her PARENTS & Grandma to be a part of her party- weird-huh? She doesn't even mind too much when we embarrass her! :)

Madison made most of the cake herself, I helped melt chocolate for the strawberries and guitars. I also put the frosting on, but she did most of the work!!! It tasted fabulous too! Good JOB Mad!

SNOW!

Wow- I almost got stuck at work Thursday- it snowed about 8 inches in Decatur, I finally got to leave work at 2- and it took me an hour an a half to get home!!! Horrible- I needed a glass of wine when I got there, I was so stressed. When I got home Mark and the kids had built 2 snowmen, had hot chocolate, played with the neighbors, had their picture taken- and they were all just so happy and cute!! Mark is so sweet- he really enjoys doing kid-stuff- and I LOVE that about him!!! (Thank you honey)... Today we're getting ready for Madison's b-day party- my baby is 13!!! YIKES! We made the coolest invitations- guitars that we decorated all differently, then we laminated them- and she passed out 11!!! We are going to have 3 teams of 4 kids each- myself, Mark, and Mamu are going to drive them around in our cars that I'm letting the kids decorate w/ shoe polish and balloons- for a scavenger hunt through town- lots of crazy tings to do- each car w/ a camera to catch all the kookiness!! Then pizza and banana splits, and later- Mad wants to play hide-n-seek in the dark- in the woods behind the house- sounds like I'll be up late!!! Sofie's getting to stay the night w/ her best friend, and Victoria is going to stay w/ Gigee. Can't wait to post the pics from this night!!!