Some from Cabo

So we just got back from our trip to Cabo... boy was it an experience?!?  Many things happened that we did not expect.  I may do a few posts, these are just from the camera phones.  I still have the big camera and the underwater camera to pull from...

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This is 5 am in the Las Vegas airport, eating Cinnabon!  How tired do I look?!?  haha

Our feet in Cabo, clever picture idea from Matthew.  We had amazing views, the pool was a never-ending pool that extended to the view of the ocean.  Really neat.

My crazy good picture taking abilities for this picture.  The waves in Mexico were incredibly powerful.  Matthew would play in the water for 15 minutes and be absolutely exhausted!  Huge waves!!!

The view from our hotel room! 

 This is us the last night we were there at Matthew's Formal Awards Banquet.  I cleaned up pretty nicely, can you tell I spent the night before puking?!?  Yeah, that's a story... and not a pleasant one.

More to come on details... the trip was amazing, fabulous views of scenary that we've only seen in pictures.  Truly spectacular.  Cheap trip too, everything including my meals, pina coladas by the pool, and expenses were all covered by his company.  They spent 1.2 million dollars on this event.  Honestly, my filet mignon was still moo-ing... but I didn't eat it anyways because of MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE.  We were given a Snorkel Cruise, but we didn't get to go because there was no way in this world I was going to be able to go on a rocky boat with my tummy.... but the day prior, Matthew did get some major golfing in (all of course, free of charge including unlimited bar (gatorade for him of course), lunch, and club rentals).  He took pictures, he couldn't believe the views.  No wonder the round of golf was $350 a person.

My favorite part was the haggling.  I thoroughly enjoyed finding little gifts for the girls and bartering my way to a good deal.  I worked it down from $45 to $10, one lady got really annoyed at me when she saw I had a $20 (after I haggled 3 bracelets down to $11, and I wanted change from her).  It was super fun.  At one time on the beach, I had 4 Mexicans all around me trying to get me to buy their specific goods.  Matthew could barely make room to get in around me, it was super fun :)  Bartering is definitely something I was made for!  And I got my peso to dollar ratio DOWN!  lol

It was a fabulous adventure for us, however I realized about 30 minutes after unpacking in the hotel that I made a huge mistake.  Leaving my girls was complete torture, and I did not like being away.  Regardless of how incredible Los Cabos was, leaving them is just not something I can do... or ever will do again, anytime soon.  I cried alot the first 2 days.  In fact, as he came in the door from golfing all morning, he said he was actually worried that I might have found a flight and gone home.  If I was talented enough, I may have been able to do it.  But Mexico and the telephone is not an easy combination, I couldn't even figure out how to work my calling cards.  And the last 2 days, I was vomitting, on the toliet, nauseated or asleep...  I was a great "PLUS 1" for Matthew.  HAHA!  At least I made it through his formal dinner :)

AND on top of all that, Yaya was dealing with both Kylie and Kacey throwing up while we were away... sickness not related to mine, I don't think.  The entire time in Los Cabos, I never sweated..??? Everyone was dripping with sweat from the heat and humidity.  I did not, at all.  Matthew suggested, and I think he was right, that I got sick from dehydration.... but I'm still blaming the Caesar dressing and all that it brought up with it...

SO GLAD TO BE HOME!
-more to come later, Matthew got a lot of underwater pictures!  Did I mention that we had US National Security there because of "activity" around, of course the night before we were supposed to leave... yeah, so glad to be on American soil. 

Little Longhorn Cheer Camp

Legacy High School Cheerleaders put on a cheer camp for girls aged 3-12.  I heard about it last year, but I was a little concerned my girls were too young... and/or didn't know anyone.  Well, this time around a couple of the cheerleaders are my YW from church.  So I knew my girls were well taken care of :)

(Asia, Kenzee, Haylee, Tasia, with Kylie, Sydney, and Kacey)

 Kylie did a really good job.  She's so cute.  How do you get to be in the front of all 3 rows of girls... yeah, I know people ;) 

 Kylie with Kenzee, her cheer buddy for the day

 Kacey struting her stuff...

I was a little bummed, they didn't let the young girls do jumps.  Kacey has an amazing toe-touch, all of a sudden one day she just started doing them.  At first, she'd always land on her bumm.  But now, she can land on her feet.

 All the girls!

 Kadyn with Haylee, I didn't think Kadyn would stay there and do it.  I thought she'd be too young.... now I know just to leave her with Haylee and she'll be fine.

 Rolling up the mat

 A little girl from Kylie's class was actually there too, Makayla!

 This is what Daddy and Kloey did.

I couldn't stay at home while cheer camp was going on.  I had to go and be a part of it and take pictures.  So while Haylee had Kadyn, Daddy walked with Kloey all around the cafeteria.  I loved that he didn't just want to stay home, no he wanted to be there (even if it meant walking around with Kloey) so he could watch Kylie and Kacey cheer.

 At the end, they did a little performance for the parents.  And the girls are invited to cheer at next week's football game.  FUN FUN!!!

Matthew was getting the camera ready for the girls' performances, and the adults next to us were SO loud.  HAHA, Matthew was so irritated.  He's telling me, "I'm gonna tell them to shut up!!  Go talk elsewhere."  HAHAHA, now he understands.... And he'll be the Dad in the stands there not to watch the game, but watch his daughter cheer.

 I gotta say, I'm impressed with Kylie's form.  This is the 7-10 yr old group.  Kylie's 7, and she held her own.  She did GREAT!

We've kinda labelled Kylie as the athletic one and Kacey as the dancey coordinated one.  And I take all that back.  Even though Kylie's young, she may be my cheerleader.... and I would love that!!!!!!! 

Kadyn turns 3!

On September 14th, Kadyn turned 3!

It was a little bit of an off day.  This is Matthew's busy time for traveling.  Plus side, we are racking up the hotel rewards.  But he's in and out of state alot.  He actually had to miss Kadyn's birthday.  Let's be honest, is she going to remember?  Nope.  Are we grateful he has a job, that he loves nonetheless, in this type of economy? Yes.  As you can see, she had a nice birthday.  (love Kloey's face in the background)

And you can see the difference in pictures when Matthew takes them (kacey's birthday) and when I take them (kadyn's birthday).  He's much more camera crazy than I am.  So here are 2 pictures! :)

 As the day continued, Kadyn went downhill.  She started the 2 week fiasco of sickness... which coincided in the 2 week fiasco of Matthew's traveling from NC to FL to NV (basically for me to do laundry) and to end with 6 days in CA.

 The day before her birthday started with an unexplainable fever.  The evening of her birthday began the cough.  The night of her birthday began the barking.  I was in the shower at about 9 pm, and I hear what I thought was Maggie.  And I was thinking, "why on earth is Maggie barking?"  Then I realized that it wasn't Maggie.  It was Kadyn.  So we started our naps in the shower.  Every hour, she woke up crying and coughing.  And off we went to lay on the floor in the shower.  Needless to say, I knew I wasn't getting Croup from all my moist air breathing.  Then the next day, Kylie had a temperature and got sick.  Then the next day was my scheduled "well-child" checkups, go figure.  He gave me a bunch of meds for the girls, in case... Kylie got better.  Kadyn was still fighting it off days later.  She slept with me, I did round the clock meds and cool compresses.  Meanwhile, exhausted didn't even explain how I felt.  Remember, Matthew's out of town.  Then I got sick, my throat was on fire.  My tongue was weird, I'll leave it at that.  I couldn't eat or drink soda.  And I get cranky when I don't get my cherry coke zero.  Matthew actually came home for a bit, and we went to Chili's to celebrate Kadyn's birthday.  She fell asleep in the fetal position next to me, on the bench, before our appetizer even came out.  That's how misable she was. :(

Now Kloey has it.  However, I think she's teething... no cough.  Just cries when her hands are in her mouth.  She's not too hungry, and she has a low grade temp.  Oh the rollercoasters of Mommyhood.

Cabo is 1 month away... ready for a countdown?  YES!

Kadyn's first day at Preschool!

Our 5th year at Tater Tot's Preschool, now here we go with child #3.  For those of you who don't know, Tate is my bestest friend and I'd do anything for her.  Love her so much, and I'm so grateful for all she does with my girls... she does a wonderful job teaching preschool.  My girls go into Kindergarten leaps and bounds ahead of the other kids.  (there was thought that Kacey should go into 1st grade this year... but age wise, maturity wise, she's just too young... even if she is super smart! lol)  But Tate becomes such a special person to each of the girls, because she truly loves them and teaches them so much, in such a fun way for those 3 hours she has them. 

 Kadyn was sooooooooooooo excited to finally be the one to get out of the car at Mrs. Tate's house.  She was so happy to have a bookbag and get homework like her big sisters.  And Mommy's so happy because it tuckers little Kadyn Maiden out so she's started taking naps while Kacey is in Kindergarten... which is when Kloey naps... which means Mommy has 2 hours, TWO HOURS, of a silent house.  Wow.

Kacey turns 5!

September 5th was Kacey's 5th birthday!  It was actually Labor Day, so we were all able to go out to lunch and celebrate... Kacey, as I remind everyone, is of the 5% of the population that were born on their actual due date.

I say that I can't believe she's 5, but bless her little stubborn heart, I feel like I've drudged through all her drama with every passing day, week, month, year.  Love her to pieces, but she gives me as much grief as the other 3 combined. 

But I will say, that no one loves me like that child does.  From day 1, she's had the ability to just mold right into my chest.  To hug and hold onto me as if she wanted to physically be inside my heart.  Love her sweet little Spirit, she may turn my every hair gray but that child is so special.  I remember being pregnant and having a dream that I was holding a little baby girl.  At that point, I had no idea Kacey was a girl.  All I remember was I was sitting down and there was lots of light behind me shining on her.  Without words, she told me her name was supposed to be Kacey.  And when I woke up, I told Matthew if we were having a girl... boy did I have a story for him.  And lo and behold, now we have our Kacey.  I joke and say no one loves me like she does, but it's very true.  If I were banished to the ends of the earth with no food/drink, this child would gladly come with me.

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Lots of pictures from her birthday...

Kadyn keeping an eye on ALL the cupcakes!

 Under my brillant direction, Matthew always decorates the kitchen the night before birthdays.  Just something small, but the girls really look forward to it!

 Kloey and Papa... Kloey's got him wrapped around her teeny tiny finger.

 MAKE A WISH!

 Our whole fun group, Aunt Judy was actually visiting too... we had a super great time :)  And we really miss her!

 Kloey's mouth open, "ummm I thought that was my bite?"

 PRESENTS!

 Kylie labeled the day as "the worst day ever!"  She really liked all the presents Kacey got (you know all the summertime toy clearance finds....??), Kylie had a hard time... so too is life.

 I love my face here, "ok, can we clean up and do baths and go to bed... I'm tired." LOL

Happy Birthday Kacey Lacey :)  We love you!

The First Day of School

We started at our new school on Monday.  Kylie and Kacey now go to Goynes, and they are GLADIATORS!  kinda cool...

Kylie is in the 2nd grade, with Ms. Gaura.  Here's a quick pic on our front porch, bookbag and lunch bag included.

 

 Just sweet little her...

 SO, Kylie's drop off was at 7:50 am... school starts at 8 am.  THEN we do round 2 with Kacey.  Kacey is in PM Kindergarten with Ms. Rennie. 

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(No, they aren't wearing the same first day of school outfits... and boy did I catch some grief over it.  Everyone asks if my girls dislike dressing the same.  ON THE CONTRARY, when they don't have the same clothes, I hear about it.  I just won her the exact same dress from ebay so she'll be elated!)

Here she is outside of her school.

 Oh yeah, she's gone... Matthew and I were just slowing her down-- lugging all her school supplies.

 Quick one in the classroom...

 It was rough.  I'm not gonna lie.  When Kylie was in kindergarten, they let the parents come in... sing a song, stay for a bit.  Not so much this time.

Let me tell you, my house is silent from 11:45 am to 2 pm.  Kloey goes down for her nap.  Kadyn just looks at me like, "what do we do?!?"

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After the first few days, I really like our new patterns.  This school is an hour earlier than our old one.  So Kylie is on Matthew's schedule, and we are all able to have 30 minutes together for breakfast in the morning (Kylie and Matthew fully dressed, the rest of us in our jammies).  It has been great.  Then Matthew takes Kylie to school.  Which relieves me and my taxi-cab driving mommy kind of life. 

But they get out an hour earlier also, which is great.  Kylie walks from her classroom to Kacey's class (other side of the world practically) and picks up Kacey and we have a "meeting point."  (which is super far away, this school is packed with kids and parents)  I saw them coming today from my car (I got there about 25 minutes early to get the best parking spot), they were holding hands and talking as they were walking through the grass... so precious.  They both had smarties candies, and I asked where they got them.  Kylie worked extra hard to earn 2 candies today, and so when she picked Kacey up, she was able to give Kacey one.  I love stuff like that.  As they go to school and are away from me more and more, I realize  that the best thing I can do to help them grow up is make it so they find comfort and love with eachother and I need to do everything I can to encourage those strong sister bonds.  It's an awesome feeling to see that come though- even just the walking, sharing candy, and holding hands through the grass!