so sweet

Sam had a hard time being left at school today. She was so excited to go. She wanted to go 2 hours before class. She was dressed and ready to go...but when we got there she cried and cried and wanted to go home. It was so sad she never acted like that before. I sat around for a few minutes. the teacher sat with her and colored w her while I left. She was still crying. I felt horrible leaving her but I knew she'd be fine. When I picked her up she was as happy as a clam. She was telling her teachers that she has two grandmas one she calls Grandmother and the the other she calls Namy. She said Grandmother died and is in Heaven but Namy didnt die. It was rather sweet. I took her for a treat at Paradise Bakery for some mom and daughter time.

after dinner swim and trike

The kids wanted to swim after dinner tonight. I wasnt in the mood too so Jon went in with them. Sydney refused to put on her floaty swim suit so after Courtney swam for a bit she got to get in so Jon could spend time just watching Syd swim. She is getting to be a pretty good swimmer. we should spend more time w her swimming without the floaty...same with potty training...if we (meaning I) just took the time I think she could be swimming and going to the bathroom on the toilet in no time. Courtney on the other had is happy and content to be just the way she is!

naked scootering!

naked trike riding...

Sydney Swims!

Sydney loves to sing

I was sitting at the computer (playing some facebook poker) and she made me record her. Everytime I turned it off or put the camera down she'd start crying and say "picture picture" so her are a few minutes of this lovely song. I did hold the camera without recording for a long time too!

Breakfast at our house

spills and all...

JEEPERS!

I sure wish this place was in the West Valley. It's such a fun place to go but it's about an hour away so not a spur of the moment kind of place. I really wanted to go to lake Pleasant today but Jon isnt feeling to hot so he suggested this place. Low key and the kids had a blast. It was a bummer though because their two favorite rides were shut down today - the roller coaster and the merry go round. We all had a good time though.

she shoots...

she scores!

They have a lot of games where you win tickets and then you get a pick a prize out in the end. we won 128 tickets and they each got to pick out a "prize"
Sam picked out a fan, Courtney picked out a pink fish and Sydney got a pink ring... good times!

When we first got there the Courtney and Samantha wanted to fly the planes...Sydney got in one but then changed her mind and said it was too scary!

After she watched her sisters do it she wanted to:

quietness

When it's quiet something bad is usually happening....

the artist

Sam drew this and said it was me and her only she was little like the twins...so cute!

Sams feverish

I have no idea what's going on w Sam she has a slight fever. 101* was the highest today. It always seems to happen when Jons gone so it makes for a really long couple of days when we cant get out of the house and do anything. The kids have been playing really well besides a few quick fights here and there. It's so funny when they are playing pretend everyones name is "Rina." The twins have taken to running around the house chasing each other and yelling "super powers" (Wonder Twin powers activate) They have never seen the show but they love the movie "The incredibles" so that's probably where they got it. I haven't cleaned the house for a couple days either so the house looks like a bomb went off and exploded every toy everywhere. Gonna be a fun night of picking up. I did start a chart for the twins potty training and Sam wanted one so she is in charge of picking up her room and putting away everyones shoes each night. 3 nights in a row for her so it seems to be working...Sydney was really good yesterday only one accident and that was at the end of the day but Courtney gave up after 2 times on the potty and 2 in her panties...Today neither one wanted to even try...can't push it I guess!

Courtney sleeps

This afternoon Courtney fell asleep on the floor in the livng room. She got up at 5:50 this morning so I knew she was going to nap but was shocked to see her sound asleep around 1:30 on the floor. We've been having a really lazy day because Sam woke up w a stomach ache and a fever so it's been a movie marathon kind of day...of course when I took Courts picture Syd and Sam wanted their picture taken to...

twin fight

I know it's not suppose to be funny and I should stop it but man can the twins throw it down. Today they were playing all nicely and then all of a sudden it turned on...Syd picked up one of her dads dirty socks and Courtney wanted it so she grabbed for it. Syd was quick and wouldnt let her get. Courtney started wailling on her then Sydney reached over and grabbed her hair and threw her on the ground...This all happened in a matter of 30 seconds. I finally went over there and stopped it. The funny thing about the whole fight was there was another dirty sock right next to them so they each could have had one (like who wants a dirty sock anyways) I picked them both up which made them both cry but by the time I threw the socks in the washer they were onto something else...crazy kids!

banana muffins

An old friend from high school, Julie Bobbitt, updated her facebook status this morning to "home made banana muffins and coffee. yum!" It got me motivated to make some myself. I got out the trusty Betty Homes and Gardens cookbook and made 24 mini muffins. The girls absolelutly LOVED them. We now only have 3 left. Sydney must have ate at least 6 of them herself! I think I'll be making them a little more often now!

Alyssa babysits

One of the things we ask Alyssa to do is watch the kids one night a week so Jon and I can have a date night. At first we weren't doing it that much but now we are really trying to make sure we have a weekly date just the two of us. We are flexible on the days since Alyssa works in the restaurant business we have to go out on nights she doesnt work. Last night we had one of our pre marriage dates- sushi and a movie. Jon has been using Yelp.com a lot to find places. It's a website that gives reviews of places in your area. He found Yen Sushi & Sake Bar and it is the first one he found that didnt have one bad review all 4 and 5's. They had a great variety of stuff and everything we ordered was really good. We will definetly being going back there! After dinner we went and saw G.I. Joe- Rise of the Cobra. It's funny since we dont go to the movies that often but when we do we pick action packed movies to see on the BIG screen. And G.I. Joe was certainly a ride! We were going to get ice cream afterwards but we were both still stuffed from all the sushi. It was a fun date! Looking forward to next weeks...

Basha's "cub" house

The grocery store down the street has a play area for the kids. It's great because they love it and I dont have to shop with them! It's nice to because they have tv's thru out the store so I can see what they are doing. I thought it was funny that they all three were doing something completely different. They also have a starbucks in the store so I have just put them in there and sat down and enjoyed a cup of coffee and a few moments of silence!

Courtney's song

Courtney made this song up while we were in WA. She sings it all the time but everytime I get the camera out she would run away. I finally got part of it on tape today. Sydney knows the words too so she helps out! The name of the song is "my mom, my heart" Warning: It's super cute and the ending is worth watching the whole thing!

Jack and Jessica

Kims youngest two are spending the weekend with us. Kim had to go to LA to visit her ailing grandma. Her oldest two stayed at home (with Alyssa spending Friday night w them and they spent Saturday night w their aunt.) It sure has been fun having them here. Friday night we watched a really cute movie "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." I was expecting it to be really stupid but it was a very fun movie. Saturday w just hung out around the house. Jon finally put up the swing set which the kids promptly wanted us to push them on but its way to dang hot out there! The kids kept themselves pretty much entertained and I even got the house somewhat clean. Jon took them to get movies and a video game while the twins slept. All in all it was a pretty good day doing pretty much nothing!

New outdoor furniture!

Our outdoor furniture came today and we are oh so very happy with it. It turned out great! We ordered it in mid July from Arizona Iron Furniture. We had been looking for awhile and they had a craigslist ad one day so we went down and checked them out. They were exactly what we were looking for! There prices were great and we spent money locally which is always good!

I had them put the extra ring around the kids barstools so they could climb up. Jon thought that was a great idea and now the kids can get in and out very easily. Lots of dinners are going to be served right there!

love those after dinner swims

Jon bbqd up some turkey burgers tonight and we sat outside on our new barstools. The kids kept getting up and taking a quick swim. Its still hot here so sitting outside isnt really that comfortable unless you can jump in the pool. I made way to much food too! We were played in the pool until it got dark outside. It was a lot of fun. Love nights like these!

the girls are such hams!

Sam and her bathing suit pose...she just cracks me up!

A Sam original

twins today

Today the twins were being twins. Sydney got herself dressed then I helped Courtney. She picked out a dress (its to small now so it'll be the last time she wears it.) Sydney has a matching one and when she saw Courtney she ran into her room and changed. I took them to the childcare play center at Basha's (grocery store) and when it was time to leave Sydney was ready first. She picked out a airplane sticker. Courtney wasnt paying attention at all to what her sister was doing then when it was time for her to pick her sticker out she pick the exact same one. Very weird since there were tons to chose from. They have been so loving towards eachother today too. It's so cute to see... on another note I didnt like seeing Sydney on top of Samantha in the bath french kissing her though. I had to give them the personal space speech today...ugh!!

Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

This is the first "pop" song that Samantha asked for. She loves the "she wear high heels I wear sneakers" Sadly though Sam will probably be the one who wears the high heels and is the head cheer captain!
Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

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chutes and ladders

game night at the Howe's house!

MWF preschool

Sam started her 2nd year of preschool on Friday. She was very excited. She picked out her own outfit and even did her own hair. (Alyssa helped a little bit) She will be going MWF from 12-3. Her teachers name is Mrs. Biel but she doesnt remember the teacher assistants name. She came home and told us that there were 4 boys and 6 girls. There is one girl from her class last year but she doesnt remember her name either. I think the name thing is from me...I never can remember peoples names!

walking into school w Alyssa

posing in front of the classroom

getting right into it!

concentrating!

My favorite family photo

crabbing

We were suppose to leave WA on the 10th of August but we realized that crab season started o n weds the 12th. Jon has been mad that everytime we go up there we have been out of season. Growing up in the pacific northwest I had put a few crab pots in the bay and had told him about all the crab feasts I had gone to. He was a little jealous and really wanted to do it. He loves the show "deadliest catch" but crabbing in a little boat in Birch Bay is like a kiddie ride at Disneyland copared to that show. He had so much fun!

loading the dinghy with crab pots

off he went w Jom Blair to drop the pots

bringing back the first load

we are running to see the catch!

CRAB!
so cute and so tasty!

trying to get a cute shot of the girls

cleaning the crab

coming back from another run w Brandon Blair

the fruit of all the labor!

Sam carrying the loot

BOILING
Another trip out w the little ones

CRAB!

Oh so tasty especially in melted butter!
the feeding frenzy.... we had so much left over crab it was ridiculous...Stuffed!!

after dinner crab pot check...only two!