We Are Thankful For...

Our beautiful house on our beautiful street...

waking up to snow on the mountains we can see from our yard...

a bit of the forest in the middle of a busy city where I get to run...

Vance loving Soccer and being a great player...

River not always running on the field and trying to play... and sometimes even sitting and letting us watch Vance play soccer...

Treyton being so awesome and making Principals honor roll...

We are Thankful for The Martins Hosting another beautiful Thanksgiving in Santa Cruz.... and...

River looking like he is eating cat food but really it is his Yogo's (phew)...

the boys being so well behaved...

Joe being such a fun and patient cuzin...

Hannah for just being perfect Hannah...

Rivey for counting for a game of hide and seek all by himself...

cuzin pyramids...

funny faces at the table...

our baby boyfriend...

We are thankful for Jack and Mary and their baby sitting skills and comfy lodgings... and...

rainy walks in Scotts valley...

Hannah for reading and being so sweet to River...

the cuzin love...

and last but not least for my favorite lil guys who sat thru an hour of me barking orders to smile for our christmas photo shoot! everyone was crying by the end! I am so mean :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

29 and Feelin Fine

Well Wednesday Nov 4th was the day I turned 29...

I had a really bad day! I told some it was the worst day ever.. but that is silly.. I have had worse days.. this one was just so fresh! As you all know I love my children even on bad days- I have explained it this way.. My kids make me laugh and make me cry... make me gasp and make me proud... I guess they are doing their job-

I won't go too deep into the dreadful day of... cleaning up after Treyton being sick (poor guy) or the two little ones "dumb and dumber"... (yes I called my kids dumb... if you were here that day you would too!) I swear Vance and River were fighting ( literally) for the title of worst child of the year ( I know there is an award for that!)... Vance, clearly the winner- although River wasn't far behind-

So I decided that I was changing my birthday to Saturday.. and I can do that cuz it was MY birthday! Saturday ended up really nice... I got to sleep in, the kids were well behaved, Vancey scored some goals at his soccer game and we went out to my favorite Restaurant for dinner... don't laugh.. cuz Jeremy was like... you can go anywhere and you want to go there?! umm yes I love chips and salsa!!!

I guess my kids aren't all bad!

Cheers... Señor Jeremy!

If Vance was like this always.. my life would be much easier but not half as exciting :)

Treyton looked more Like... Señor Boy George

Señor River's sweatshirt looked like a poncho!

29 and Feelin Fine... the Midori Margarita helped with that!

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Anyways I usually don't care about my birthday.. it is so close to Vance's I usually forget about it until the 3rd but this year was a little different - the last year of my 20's... I am not worried about being 30.. actually I am excited for people to take me more seriously as a mom and maybe my voice will change so people who call my house wont ask if my mother is home.. but I know that one is just wishful thinking- but 29 is a big birthday I think...

I have been thinking so much about how different I am since entering my 20's, I was a new mom... trying to act like an adult even though I was far from one! oh wait... even though I am a seasoned mom.. I still pretend I am an adult:)

but really though... I feel the 20's are a time where you change the most- now that I am 29 I am starting to feel like I finally get it.. what is "it" you ask... well I think I am figuring out who I am- I am a wife and a mother, yes but me as a human... I always ask myself what I want to be when I grow up before... as a kid and teenager... I wanted to be an actress- I even moved to LA after high school to accomplish that ... but big bad hollywood scared the crap outta me and I got outta there and moved to santa cruz where I met Jeremy a few months later... the rest is history!

Now that I am a bigger kid:) I still think about what I want to be.. well for now-

I am starting an art class for elementary school age kids... called "The Blank Canvas Children's Art School " I am getting all the permits and stuff in order and trying really hard to get my plan together.. I already have three kids who want to sign up... not counting my kids:) I will be teaching all sorts of Art-tastic things- and I cant wait to get it started!

I cant believe after 29 years I am finally finding something I know I will be good at (besides being a mom:) Hooray to growing old and getting it together!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Two Birds.... One Stone...

As most of you know .... Vances Birthday is on Halloween.. This year we did it right! We went to Disneyland to celebrate !

I wanted to show the picture that sums up the entire weekend first... Fun was had

My wonderful in-laws.. Jack and Mary or (Papa and Tutu:) came into town to help celebrate...

Friday night they joined us in some present opening and yummy dinner... where the waiter sang happy birthday in Italian to Vance... Vance wasn't into it and made a weird face the whole time! We were dying!

The next day was Halloween so I got the boys all dressed up and ready to go hit the park

Yay Disneyland!!!

My little Birthday Boy!

Jeremy invited his mustache along

The kids were having so much fun! I think the adults were too!

Nice shot Papa!

If Vance does it River has to also!

After all day being toted around River was still all smiles!

he did get a little tired though and slept for a couple hours which gave us some time to run around with the Big boys

this is so cute.. but look at Vance's face.. he seems a little scared! :)

The decorations were so awesome-The Haunted Mansion the best! the laser light show and fire works finished the night off with a bang.. (sorry I had to say that:)

We had the best Time ever- Vance said it was the best day of his life! Jack and Mary were so awesome and stayed behind with the kids when they needed a break ... thanks guys you were so much fun and so helpful!! You made Vance's birthday and our Halloween the greatest!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

the Young family Five looooves October!!!

First we decorated our front porch... Vance helped me out a ton!

Then we headed to the pumpkin patch.. I do have to say I missed the ocean being in the distance but this pumpkin patch was pretty awesome- on a farm in a town called Apple Valley .

The muffin pumpkin

There was the most elaborate Corn maze I have ever been in... no I am not kidding we were in there for 45 minutes! It reminded me of "The Shining"... thank goodness it wasn't snowing *yikes!*

The boys had so much fun trying to figure out how to get out but River decided to try the easy way and kept running thru these holes in the bottom of the corn... perfect size for him.. but as we chased him we would get hit in the face with corn... he is so sneaky

We finally made it out and the boys wanted to do it again... ya right!

River loved talking to all the scarecrows...

Then we carved our pumpkins... Rivey did a good job supervising and keeping us happy:)

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!!!

The Young Boy's Break down...

Lately the big boys have been helping so much... they want to get River out of his crib in the morning and push him in the swing- Usually when the house gets quiet that means trouble is a brewin... but lately I go and find all three of the boys sitting together and just hanging out- I look at them and imagine what it will be like in 10 years when Treyton is at college... when I imagine that, I have to also remind myself to go back to this memory of the boys sitting small to tall playing-

Treyton continues to amaze us with his smart brain, and silly personality,we are so proud of him!

Vance is in the stage of asking us the strangest questions ... oh how that little mind works;) He would stay outside from morning to night if we let him, collecting bugs and lizards and making little homes for them- He is really liking soccer - it is a really good sport for him cuz running around is his specialty!

River is talking up a storm... my favorite things he says are... Trech (Vance) di do (thank you) da com (you're welcome) he says lots of things plain as day but I love when he thinks he is talking and it sounds like another language-

He has grown really scared of the vacuum.. I don't make it any easier cuz I laugh when he runs and hides, but it is hilarious! He also is a big pretender and will pretend to be asleep but if he is tired at all he will actually fall asleep.. anywhere on the wood floor face down... on a pile of laundry... in the grass... he is so funny:)

Well we miss everyone and hope you're all doing well drop me a line sometime so I know you are still out there!

love ya!

Into the Mystic...

Our families have lost a few important people these last couple months... First I lost my Grandpa Wayne.. He was an amazing guy always making me laugh, he was full of love! My Grandma Sandy is doing a great job truckin along and we want her to know how strong we think she is xoxo!!!

Then Jeremy Lost his Grandma, Charlotte... she lived a great long life and we are making sure to take good care of her roses!

We miss both of you very much!

This last weekend we Celebrated a life that was taken a bit too soon... Lee Draper lost his battle with Leukemia on 9/9/09

We went up to Santa Cruz to attend his Memorial- Lee didn't want anything sad and it sure wasn't! He had planned an all day music festival on his beautiful property in Scotts Valley- Sue, his wife made sure it was a day filled with music and love from his close friends and family - It couldn't have been more beautiful... Our friend Tim organised a house band that played some great songs thru out the day-

Tim and Linda performed a perfect song (no pic.. but it couldnt have been any sweeter)

Lil Matt and Bill Abraham got up there and sang their hearts out -

super cute!!!!

even Jeremy and I got up there and sang.. ( with River in tow of course)

it was fun to be a part of the day:) Jeremy blew everyone away with his performance of Into the Mystic... Jeremy originally was going to be up there all by himself but the house band just happened to know the song and accompanied him... it was magical and perfect! I am searching for a video of it that I will post cuz a picture just doesnt capture how great it really was! Plus later He got to jam with the house band!

(Jeremy in right corner playing)

We spent the day roaming around the spectacular forrest home that Lee and Sue Draper created together- It was overwhelming to see so many people there to celebrate one man... but from talking to all those people I see how important each and every friendship was to Lee-

The Big boys were running around all day with all our friends... they had such an awesome time finding frogs and playing in the creek and pond- I could tell it was fun by how dirty Vance's clothes were!

We were so glad we made it up to spend time with Jack and our good friends (we miss you guys sooooo much)

(the old NSV crew:)

(the pals are back together just like old times)

It was a great day and I know Lee was smiling down...

We send all our love to Sue, Matt, Mandy, Kelsey & family!

Love, Love will keep us together....

Kay And Nathan

September 19th,2009 Palm Springs Ca.

This weekend we celebrated the marriage of my big brother and his lovely Bride ~

Despite the 100* plus weather, we had a beautiful time in Palm Springs! We had the greatest dinner and good music and to top it off everyone got to go swimming!

The ceremony was perfect ....their vows... couldn't have been sweeter... I have never seen my brother so happy;) we are lucky enough to not only gain a new sister/ daughter /aunt in law but we get a adorable new niece Evie... ummm I couldn't love her more! Hooray to the happy new Family!!!

Yay Uncle Phil "the baby wrangler"

Alec and the Flower girls Emily and Evie

Best Man Uncle James and My Bro

my new niece Evie

Kay and her dad Joe

The best Mexican food ever!!

The Ace of Cakes... baker Nicole!

Our Dj for the night

My baby cousin Molly

Every single one of the Grandchildren!

The Party was over for these two!

Everyone worked so hard to make this day happen- the Whole family got involved... Thanks to my parents for everything you did, Nicole for the awesome cake,Uncle James for your lovely house, Nancy for the beautiful flowers, Jeremy for the music, Joe for the perfect ceremony, my kids for not jumping in the pool til it was time:) and everyone else who made this day so perfect!

We wish Nathan and Kay

love and luck on your new journey together!!!!

The children are our future....

Hey ya'll !

Treyton started 3rd grade!!  He is loving school so much... his school has turned into a "Smart School" which means every child has a laptop and every  class has this thing in the front of the room the size of a chalk board that is actually a computer screen.. you can write on with with special pens and it is linked up with the teachers computer.. I am not explaining the awesome-ness that it really is though:)  we are the only school in the area with this new technology - I cant wait to see how this takes learning to a whole notha level! 

We are already knee deep into homework and learning:) and Treyton seems to be loving the challenge... he has a fundraiser he has started and is super excited about it.. 

the more items he sells the more he could win some amazing prizes!  If you would like to help raise money for our school we would  really appreciate it!  It is super cheap! You can go to this website and take a look-  (click shop online now)

http://www.signaturefundraising.com

 If you find anything... when you  are ready to check out just fill in Trey's info into the space on the right

Treyton Young

Sierra Vista Elementary 

Upland  CA

*The last day of ordering is Sept 14th*

I would never post something like this if I wasn't fully behind it... Our school is so awesome and we are so lucky to be going there- these fundraisers help fund our kids education!!! 

Cuz.. Like I said.... The children are our Future.... :)  Thanks!! 

P.S. we will owe you big time...and promise to support any fundraisers you have:)

These are a few of our favorite things....

Ahhh.... This summer has been such a great one! We have been traveling all over California since June and finally had some time at home... then the kids got bored!  so I gave them an assignment...  I told them to take the camera and take pictures of 10 things they loved and tell me why they loved them... *note Jeremy was out of town or he would have been in all the pictures!*

  

Treyton Empire loves...

 

My sunglasses cuz they are white and cool

My Legos cuz I can build all day and not be bored 

 My pogo stick cuz it was my cousins

 

My I-dog cuz I love to dance  

 

Pirate flag... cuz Pirates are awesome

 

My webkin "Chili Dog" Cuz it is 

the closest thing to a dog that I can have (so dramatic!)

 The Star Wars picture... cuz It's Star Wars!!! 

  

the tree in the back yard cuz of the shade 

it gives and the baby has his swing on it     

  

   

The ceramic hand I made in Art preschool cuz I got to make it all by myself and my hand was so little then

   My brothers cuz even though they are loud and annoying and take my stuff ... they are fun to play with-

Vance Lennon Loves...

 My Red Wagon cuz I can pull the baby in it and fill it with dirt-

  My Webkin "Sophia"... Cuz Sophia gave it to me

                             

My fish "Ninja turtle" cuz she grew up to be big                        

  My scooter cuz this might be the last summer I use it

 My skateboard cuz I like to learn cool tricks like a real skateboarder who gets money to skate

    

The fisherman cuz it shows us when it is really windy 

   

The lizards cuz there are a million that live here and I catch them all day but mommy makes me free them

My bat and the grass in the back yard cuz my daddy plays with me

The leaves cuz they are green and shiny 

 

when mommy sings to River cuz he sings too