Trip to Idaho

A2 helped herself to my breakfast in the airport.
After flying and 2.5 hours in a car and 1 hour in a restaurant, we took some desperate measures to entertain our 1 year old. Some noise canceling headphones and an ipod did just the trick. Home Sweet Home
My kids love to see snow!

Oh my goodness... we are addicted to the iTouch! This is pretty much what the little boys did. They would play it until it was dead, wait the hour for it to charge and play again.
It's hard being the only 2 boys out of 9 girls.
Kyle and Becky's girls. Aren't they adorable!?!?!

Sunday night, I ragged 6 heads of hair. Al's girls weren't home yet so they weren't in this picture. I really missed my Sassy girl in these moments!

I even did all their hair the next morning before the funeral.

I have to admit my fingers were perdy darn sore for a few days after all of this.

Ryan's Little girl and A2 with their Papa. These two little girls are only 2 months apart.

I so wished they lived closer.

Al and A2 at the T's basketball game.

3 little girls playing at the bball game.

A1, Al's youngests, and Kyle's youngest

Happy Birthday mi Vida!

Happy 35th Cheeto! Sorry I'm not there to celebrate your day!

Here are only a few of things I absolutely love about you...

1. the way you cuddle with me on the couch
2. when you kiss my neck when you get home from work
3. how you teach the kids to tell me I'm beautiful!
4. how patient you are to answer all my football questions during the game. :)
5. for being my strength when I am weak

6. for giving me 4 of the most beautiful children
7. for warming up my side of the bed before I get in
8. for carrying me to bed when I fall asleep on the couch
9. for putting up with my picture fetish
10. that I rarely have to empty the dishwasher

11. when you play soccer and basketball... very HOT!!!
12. that you consistently ask me what you can do to help me
13. that you support ALL of my crafty addictions (too many to list)
14. that you do your best to do A1's hair when I am gone
15. for always being able to make me laugh (even when I don't feel like it)
16. YOUR HUGS!!!!
17. for working so hard
18. for being self-motivated
19. for being worthy to hold the priesthood
20. that you take me to the temple
21. YOU in a black SUIT! SO SO SEXY!!! (so glad you wear one weekly!)
22. that you'll iron ALL of our church clothes every week!
23. for letting ME paint and re-paint our house so many times!
24. for being so patient with all my ailment for so many years
25. for giving me a loving happy home
26. for taking the kids for one-on-one dates
27. that 11 years later, we still really have a lot of fun together


28. that you'll still golf with me (whenever we can)
29. YOUR HANDS!
30. that you are selfless
31. for making me a birthday cake every year!
32. that the boys have so much in common with you
33. that even when you can't make it to go with us places, you send us anyway.

34. for your sense of humor and silliness

35. THAT YOU ARE MINE!!!! I thank Heavenly Father everyday for that one!

Again, Happy Birthday!

Las Vegas

I have had an issue with a tooth for about 9 months now. I don't have dental insurance and it was going to cost quite a bit to get fixed. Cheeto's Mom's nephew is a dentist there and offered his services. I was so grateful. Initially we thought it was a crown issue, thankfully it was the tooth next to it that had broken apart. I was really close to getting a root canal but didn't. We met at the office at 6pm and was done by 8pm Tuesday night. YES! I thought I would be in and out of dentist appointments all week. I was so grateful for all his and his family's help.
Because I was done that meant I was able to spend the rest of the week bumming around with my parents. We spent Thursday visiting shopping malls, Casino's (just looking of course!), and eating yummy food. That night we got a call saying that my Grandma (dad's mom) passed away. We spent the rest of the night trying to find a way to change airfare. I didn't have much luck that night. After many prayers later, I got a lady that was really nice and got it all worked out at 4am Friday morning. I left at 11am for Salt Lake City. I am so grateful for fabulous in-laws that were so supportive and agreed to help with the kids for another 5 days. Also, what an incredible husband I have! He encouraged me to go, even though that meant more work and stress on him. He does a great job juggling his job on top of mine as well.
Thank you honey! I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

A couple of silly things about A2 on this trip:

She is scared of elevators!
She enjoys city lights.
And she requires music to be on ALL of the time! It just makes her happy!
I think I might get a shuffle to tie around her waist. :)

Sassy turns 4!

Happy Birthday our sweet Sassy girl! Thank you for bringing a smile to our lives everyday. You are such a blessing to our family! WE LOVE YOU FOREVER and ALWAYS!

She has been patiently waiting for this day for months now!

She asked for a cake with filling and it didn't turn out quite as she had envisioned. I was upset about and she said, "It's ok mom." But the next day.... it so wasn't! She asks me almost every day since for a re-do. We will have to see what I come up with on that one.

It was still very tasty.

HURRAY! G'ma and Papa C gave her "VERY OWN" sleeping bag.

No more borrowing one of the boys! She has been asking for one of these for awhile now.

At the last minute, I decided to make her a dollhouse. I think it turn out pretty darn adorable. The next will look a bunch better. Ya know, trial and error! K helped me get creative and make it really look like a home inside and out! Here are the outside pictures

Here is the inside. I even made her a couch and coffee table.
Notice our picture above the mantel.
It's so funny that even the boys play with her. They each have requested one of their own. K wants one that looks like a school house, C has asked for a barn so he can use his tractors and such. They have talked about me making enough so they would make a little village.
Seriously? Who do they think I am? :)

December 31, 2009- New Years Night

Los todos Arellanos

More Twister. Even the adults played.
However, there is as much room on the mat when adults play.

The boys playing Kung Fu Fitness on Wii Fitplus. It was so funny! How cute are they?

Silly kids at 10pm. Happy and going strong.

Funny Kid Quote of the Day

December 29, 2009 - Temple Trip

About the only thing Dad wanted for Christmas was for all of us that could go, go to the temple. Thanks to great family friends who watched our kids so we could. After the temple we met at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner with Marcos, Haley and Lettie. It was a really late night but lots of fun!

December 28, 2009 - Caswell Christmas Lights

Of Course, we were make our 3rd year tradition of going to Caswell for the Christmas lights. We waited until after Christmas so Adam's kids could go too. Oh was it COLD!!! But no one really cared, at least the kids didn't, the lights just made them all excited! Lots of fun!Last year, Tia Lettie bought Cheeto and the boys Panther's Santa hats (I'm sure you have seen them in Christmas pictures before). A1 has been bugging for one for her. They had some here for only $2 so we got her one. She was SO happy! However....

as you can see in this picture, it didn't make one little boy very happy!
We had to go through the whole, "why did she get one" ordeal. (sigh) we never win!

Little peanut all bundled up in her stroller!

Adam and his kids
Little L sporting the new hat and gloves I made her for Christmas.

Funny Kid Quote of the Day

December 25, 2009- Christmas

Christmas morning... I remembered at midnight that I forgot to have the kids wrap their gifts for each other. So before we got to go see Christmas we had to pause to wrap a few more things. Ah, Shena! Get it together! I found a good deal on some great socks a week before Christmas. I told Cheeto he could wrap them up for me for Christmas. He thought he was hilarious and only gave me on sock of each pair. About 4 gifts later, I got the other sock. That's my Cheeto. He was mad the night before because I guessed that he did something like that. Well, I know him well! :) It was a great Christmas!

I found a KILLER deal on Costumes after Halloween. My Christmas shopping was done but Nola was still looking for ideas so we got all the grandkids dress-up clothes. WOW! They were a hit! All the boys got Star Wars ones and the little girls got dancing clothes.

Sunday after Christmas

Little L sporting her hat and gloves I made her. She is adorable!