The Races

Last Friday, we took the ladies to Adam's Motorsports Park in Riverside to watch the Drifting and Time Attack Practices. We thought it was going to be packed, but there wasn't as many people there as on Thursday nights (Drift Night). So it was nice having space, and being able to watch the guys practice. The weather was beautiful!! Before it all started, we picked up some take-out to eat there. The girls loved watching the drift sets. But when it was time for Time Attack, they got a little bored. (Like watching hot wheels go around and around on a track...woo hooo....) so they started digging in the sand. Yeah, those baths were a waste of time! haha. After playing around, looking in the pro shop and sitting in all the go-karts and cheering for our favorite practice driver of the night, it was time to head back home. On the way however, we passed by our second home.......Coldstone!! Yeah, we had to spoil them with ice-cream right before bed! hahaha :) Afterwards, we dropped Nevaeh back off at home and headed home ourselves. It was a short visit, but definitly fun! We have the great priveledge of taking both Nevaeh and her sister Holle this Sunday to the park and out for pizza! All the girls have so much fun together so we can't wait!

They really wanted to race!

Waa-Hoo!!!

Yummy Coldstone!

I swear they are not that dirty on a regular basis! haha

You wont see these girls holding an umbrella! They'll be behind the wheel :)

See!

Playing Airplane

My Poor Baby :(

Our oh so faithful truck finally called it quits about 2 weeks ago. "Blue Demon" was Isaac's first truck. He received it as a gift from his Dad right after we started dating (September 2003). We have many fond memories off-roading to the top of Edom Hill. Our baby came with us when we moved to Houston. She actually held all our junk! She needed some attention when we got there, but after we gave her a little TLC, she did great. Just in time for Hurricane Rita. If we didn't have our truck, we don't know what would have happened. At the time, my Camero was broken down, the truck was our only way out of the city. I remember getting the word from our parents that it was time to go. We packed that truck in 2 hours flat! Took Buggie and our fish Donnie, and hit the road to safety in Dallas. Again, our truck pulled us through that time as well. After our year was done, she brought us home safetly. Since then, she's been there to help us with our moving from house to house trying to find where to settle in and begin our life. She was with us in the beginning, she was with us when Charlee was born, we have even been able to take her out on a few off-road trips too :) When the Lexus was recked, the truck was there to carry the three of us "in style" for a year and a half. Isaac had big plans for that truck. He was going to turn her into one hot tamale! But then , a little over a week ago, her timing chain broke, and it went down hill from there. I'm not sure what that means for us right now. Yeah, we got another car to get us through. With more then 2 seats (we're movin' up in the world!) and air conditioning. We could fix her temporarily for about 200 bucks, and then maybe sell her and replenish our savings account, but I can't do it. We can't do it. She may be just a truck to everyone else, but to us, she's part of the family. It was SO hard for me to sell my Camero, but this is way harder than that. As for moving, we now don't have our little hauler, so maybe it's forcing us to stay where we are for now?? (As insane as it really is here.....oh well) I dunno. I can't believe i'm asking this, but please pray for patience and healing for us. Not only the truck, but Isaac starting school, me trying to finish, looking for a second job, it seems to never end. If you could add peace and balance to that prayer list for us, that would be super! To end this, don't worry my baby! You will work again and you'll be smooookin'!!

Lake Gregory with the Girls

This last Sunday (the 12th) we took our second visit to see Nevaeh. We took the girls up to Lake Gregory for the day. Again, beautiful weather up in the mountains :) High of 79 degrees :) We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch on the shore of the lake, but of course the girls wanted to swim in the lake right away :) They had a wonderful time crab walking through the shallow waters and collecting different leaves and kelp. The lake was cold, but it felt great! After swimming, we rented a little paddle boat. Nevaeh took a turn paddling and she loved it! Charlee loved reaching over and touching the water as we were moving :) Nevaeh had been asking all day to have a turn on the water slide they had, so after the boat we raced over there before it closed. I took her up to the top while Dad stayed down with Bean. When Nevaeh and I went up to the booth to pay and get our mats for the slide, we realized she was too short. The lady was so nice, she told Nevaeh to stand on her tippie toes! After she was still just shy of 4 feet, I took her big mop of hair and plopped it on top of her head, magically she was 4 inches over the line!! hahaha :) While waiting to go down, I learned that she had never been on a water slide before. She was a little nervous. She was wearing a life jacket, but I then remembered that the slides at Oasis were pretty intense. Ironically, the attendant came over, saw her life jacket and asked it we wanted a lifeguard to catch her. Perfect :) We both felt much better and Nevaeh conquered her fear and LOVED the slide! I would have gone down it again with her, but they closed it down right after we went! I promised her though that we would go back there again for sure :) After the lake, we had more time, and surprises for Nevaeh. We found the only open cafe in town and went in for some dinner. While waiting for our food, Dad brought out her first surprise. Last time, she had asked for a car calendar so she could see the next time we were coming to visit. We made her a calendar online with car photos that we personally took at all the races we've been to! I even put her picture on the date of her birthday :) She LOVED it! Then, Dad brought out her big surprise. A handmade wooden garage for her RC car we bought her for Graduation! She had requsted it last time, and also wanted to build it with Dad. We spent all that previous evening making the box, and taking it apart so she and Dad could build it together. It was precious watching them bond over building this special box :) After dinner, we took her back home and had some fun with the other kids before bedtime. I think we decided that next time, we are taking Holle with us too. Those girls are just too precious all together, we can't leave one behind! Our next trip will be the 24th. We are taking the girls to Adam's Motorsports for some car racing! If we're lucky, Nevaeh will get to ride along with Dad if he does a time attack in the MR2. (Just a small race of him against the clock. No other cars)

Sweet Sisters :)

Sand Crab #1

Sand Crab #2

Look, I can float!

Daddy, i'm COLD!

Dad and his girlies

Christmas Card 09 for sure!

Showin off her big muscles!

Domo Face!

I took a pic like this when she was a year old

Come on Mom let's GO!

Awww. She makes those mountains pretty :)

Mommy and Beanie!

Dad giving Nevaeh a driving lesson

Making the Garage!

She was wonderful with a screwdriver!

Charlee helping out :)

Ta-Da! Garage, with upper compartment for storing her remote control :) Nice Work!!

The temporary jungle gym!

Holly serenading us with her kitty tail!

Nicholi being oh so dramatic! He was too CUTE!

4th of July

First, I'd like to say that I had the night off. Ohhhh YEAH! Once again, it was a fabulous night at our buddy Kris's house! Lucky's tri-tip was A-MAZING. We all brought side dishes and boy was it a feast! Sean brought Tori, and Randy and Sasha were there with their kids too. Alyssa, Jeremy, and baby Madelyn Moon. Charlee had a blast with all of them :) The night kicked off with some games, and homemade fireworks (muah haha). Kris's house was the perfect location to watch the Palm Desert firework show. After that, we lit some more fireworks, played Apples to Apples, Bang, and then headed over to Joe's for some after party games, etc. The night was long but fun. My pillow was waiting for me at 3:30am.

The Rebel in Bare Feet

Only Jesus could light a firework with a beer in his hand :)

Daddy helping Bean with her popper

I tried to get the American flag waving in front of the fireworks

Alyssa and Charlee took refuge on grandma's car while their parents played with fire! lol

This was actually funny. When the firecracker went off, it spun around, on to the driveway and popped right next to Sasha's feet while she was holding Jeremy. She didn't even realize it until Kris soaked her feet with the hose to distinguish it beofre it did any damage. She just started yelling at Kris for spraying her! (until she realized why that is!) We were laughing pretty hard!

Breakin the law, breakin the law....

The Irony

Sean, our designated fireman!

The princess and the sweet pea :)

Princess Charlee and Princess Tori

Ahh a break from the HEAT!

On the 3rd, we realized that our summer heat was coming fast, and it was showing no mercy. Out of desperation for some sanctuary, we took the day and went to Idyllwild! I will take 82 degrees over 107 degrees any day! We just spent the day looking at the shops and enjoying the cool-er air. Charlee enjoyed making her first ceramic project at Earth and Fire, and getting some sugar at the Candy Shop. We also enjoyed taking a nice hike off the 74. I love being reminded just how beautiful God's green earth really is, well when you see the green part that is :) lol! In addition to Isaac, Charlee and I, we were also there with our Aunt Trudy, her dog Sarah, and our dog Buggie. What a great relief for our "babies" to get a break from the desert!

For you desert folk, this is what "green" looks like! haha

Family Photo

On our hike

Pretty Girl :)

Dad making the finishing touches

Painting

She chose a Star

Hope you enjoyed it, cause you aint gettin' more for a long time!

what's that?

Look at the fountain I found!