Eleven

Today we celebrate Zach's 11th birthday! I seriously cannot believe he is 11. I know he is my stepson, but I have been in his life since he was 5, so yes...I am feeling quite overwhelmed today. We will be heading to dinner tonight...and Zach's pick is Peter Piper...a great place to act like a kid!

This past Saturday we had Zach's party, I would have posted sooner...but life is just busy right now. The theme was a Mad Science Theme. The kids participated in soda geyser and making volcano's. Each kid was given their own 2 liter bottle of diet soda and 7 mentos. Once they dropped in the mentos...the soda shot out of the top! They LOVED it!!

The second experiment that they participated in was making volcano's erupt. My mom helped each kid make salt dough and then they covered their empty 2 liter bottles. We put color dye tablets in the water and poured it into the 2 liters. Once the vinegar and baking soda were mixed in the kids had colored erupting volcano's...another hit indeed!!

Zach's BIG gift was a trampoline! Oh was he ever surprised and excited when he walked into the back yard to see it!! Morgan even enjoyed it...and still does, as she wakes up each day saying "bounce", "bounce".

We had a great weekend and I am looking forward to having some pizza and playing games tonight!

Zach's cake was great, but the kids really LOVED making their ice cream sundaes. I put all of the toppings into test tubes and beakers. Oh...how I love planning parties...Morgan's is around the corner...I'm thinking a little M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E...just might be involved.......

A little of this, A little of that...

Our weekend started on Friday at Imagination Avenue (pictures to come). A great little place that Morgan just LOVED. We met lot's of new friends and played all morning. Friday night Morgan and Zach had sleepover...Zach with his cousin and Morgan with my parents. Shawn headed to the hockey game with his sister and brother-in-law, and I headed to Mesa to meet Danton Thompson with a few of my Mary Kay friends. He is an amazing make-up artist and hairdresser. He began his career as a local hairdresser and soon became famous when he was asked to be Stevie Nicks' hairdresser and tour with her. Danton taught us so many tricks and tips for applying make-up.

From left to right...Brandi, Me, Melissa, Stacey, and Laura

After the girls and I were done I met Shawn at The Shout Bar for a few cocktails. It was a great night for both of us!!

Saturday began by heading out to Scottsdale with Morgan and my Mom to take photos for a friend. Ilalia and her husband Adam along with their son Tyson, Tyson is who I used to babysit.

Morgan and Tyson became good friends. Morgan always asks for "Tys". They enjoyed playing together.

Morgan is busy as always anywhere we go..just a little action shot of her on the go!

Our next stop was Sprinkles...we only get it every now and again, so I MUST take advantage of it when we are in Scottsdale. Lastly we had to hit up the infamous train park. More for the carousel than anything...as Morgan has a thing for horses lately.

Morgan and Grandma

Riding the train...she had so much FUN!

To end our crazy weekend, we enjoyed a quiet Sunday at home. Because our new home does not have a pool, and it is HOT in Arizona, we decided that we would get Morgan a small pool for our house to use on the days we are not swimming at my parents. She LOVED it.

Now to begin another busy week with friends, family, make-up, and vacation planning! So here's to the next time we meet in "Blog Land".

 

Sunday...Funday...

We started our Sunday, Funday at church. Upon arrival things were looking a little different...all the staff was wearing red shirts that said "This IS Church". There was a buzz about them. Worship was the same, then Trent, our pastor, came on stage. He said "today we are doing something a little different..." There went a buzz again from the crowd. For the past 2 months the staff at our church had been preparing different things for us, as the church, to go out and do. Yes, yesterday we were the hands and feet of Christ. Our service was not held in the church building, we went our into our community and served. My friend Lisa and her girls went with Zach and I to a location to help make blankets for cancer patients. When we were done Zach looked at me and said, "Wow, I feel good!"

After church we headed to the train park by my parents house to enjoy a ride on the train. Our friends Melissa and Josh joined us with their kids Ryann and Travis. Here are all the kids waiting patiently for the train.

Riding the train is always fun. Zach brought his friend Bryce along.

After leaving the train park we headed over to my parents house for a little smoked salmon that my dad made and some family play time. Of course, Grandpa just HAD to share cookies with Miss Morgan!!

Pat's SUPERSTAR Weekend....

Ring...Ring...Ring....Hi Chrissy and Stacey this is your National Sales Director Pat!

PACK YOUR BAGS, You both are coming to Texas. YEAH!!!!

Over the past 3 months Stacey and I have been working VERY hard on a challenge from our National Sales Director. The challenge was to facial 30 new faces each month, interview 10 different people each month, sell at least $600.00 each month, recruit 5 new people so you are on target for your car. We each got a call from Pat and she told us to pack our bags, as we earned the trip!!! She expressed how great of a job we did and that the Superstar Weekend is truly for STARS!! So here we go to Texas for a Fantastic weekend of STAR training and STAR treatment!!

I have been working my Mary Kay business for 3 months...that's it...and I am already being rewarded with a HUGE reward for my hard work! I have made new friends, earned prizes and LOT'S of recognition each week, sometimes on a daily basis, and I'm making the amount of money I was making as a teacher! All from MY home, with MY family and on MY terms!!! I couldn't have it any better! Now to figure out how to pack Miss Morgan in my bags so I can sneak her with me....4 days away from her will be a LONG time for me!!

Oh "Hoppy" Day!

Easter 2010...what a blessing sharing this day with our family and friends. We started our day at 3:00a.m. with a Morgan having a fever of 102.6 and Shawn having to be to work at 5a.m....so no church for us today. We headed to my parents about 10 and joined in on an i-chat with my family in Colorado and my cousin in Germany. We celebrated my cousins 20th birthday with him via i-chat and Easter with everyone. After i-chat we decided to color eggs. Morgan and her cousin Ashlyn had a blast...and were VERY messy!

After coloring eggs we decided to go outside and play with the chalk...more messy girls! :)

We had a great day with everyone despite Morgan running a fever. After we left my parents we came home to enjoy the company of Shawn's family for dinner. I made pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches. We also had salad and plenty of dessert.

 

We hope everyone had a very Blessed Easter as we did!

A very Blessed Day

Wow, I cannot believe that Morgan is now 20 months old. We are so very blessed to have her in our lives.

Morgan's vocabulary is becoming very large.

We work on new words and phrases each day. Some of her favorites to say are:

• "on the couch" (when asking her where my sister's dog is, this is the response we get).
• "boogies" (if she has boogers she comes to me and points to her nose).
• "all done" (whether it be with eating or done in the bath tub, she will let you know when she is done).
• "away" (she says this when there is trash to be thrown away, then she goes to the trash and tosses it in).

Some other words include:

movie, outside, keys, kitchen, bed, towel, nasty...and the list goes on.

We are currently working on counting. Morgan can count to five and just LOVES to count the rocks from a center piece I have on one of the patio tables. We are also working on her shapes and colors. Morgan still just ADORES being outside playing with bubbles, in the grass, and on her slide. She will look out the window and say mama grass, or mama slide...she will also tell you when she wants to go to the park...which lately is everyday.

She LOVES to wear my necklaces, and bracelets and is starting to pick out lot's of skirts to wear. She tells me either "pants" or "skirt" in the morning as I am picking her clothes out...so cute. We are so very blesssed to have her in our life. I am getting super excited for her 2 year birthday. I am trying to focus on the planning of Zach's 11th birthday right now, but it is so hard not to pick up stuff for Morgan's when I am out.

60 miles...of HOPE

In November 2007 I walked 60 miles in 3 days to help support Breast Cancer. It was one of the most significant memories of my life. I cried, laughed, and cried even more as each day went on. The support from the communities and cities that we walked through were incredible. When I was asked to do this, I immediatly thought of my friend Lynne's mother. Eunice passed away in the summer of 1995 from breast cancer. So I told Lynne that I wanted to walk in remembrance of her mom. I raised $2500.00 with the help of family and friends and began my journey. After the 2nd day I told myself pain or no pain I will do this again. Then day 3 came and I thought I would NEVER be able to do this again. I got shinsplints sooo incredibly bad that I was not even sure I would be able to finish the 3rd day. They were in both legs and I could barely walk, and when I did I would cry. When we reached the first pit stop I asked the medical personal to wrap my legs...and they did just that...from my knee to my ankle on both legs they wrapped them tight and gave me extra tape just incase. Well I made it...all 60 miles in pain, but I did it! Well me being scared of such pain again I have not done it since! So this year I conquered a 1/2 marathon, running the entire way without getting shinsplints, that I have decided to walk again in the 3 day, 60 mile Breast Cancer walk this November. I will again walk in remembrance of Euince, but my list has grown to add survivors in as well. Both my mom and I have already had the scares of breast cancer and see our specialist on a regular basis. I feel there is no better way to support a cause than actually participate in helping the research. And that is just what I plan to do. My goal is to raise $3000.00 this year. I am right on track and cannot wait to cross yet another finish line of success in November.