All I want for Christmas

This morning Addison lost two front teeth (the little teeth between the eye teeth and main front teeth).  She pretty much doesn't lose teeth, she has to have them pulled.  To date she has only lost 3 teeth on her own and has had more than that pulled.  For some reason the root never dissolves and the adult teeth can't come in.

I took all the kids to the orthodontist on Monday.  They sent us a thank you card with a $5 Starbucks gift card...  yes, I predict a lot of money being spent in their office.  Kaylee has been in headgear for over a year now and Addison started hers Monday.  Poor thing has developed huge canker sores where the braces are in back and she's having more trouble learning to sleep in her new device.  In time she will settle into it all...

Needless to say... she LOVES getting teeth pulled.  A little happy gas makes for a happy girl.  I told her she can now sing, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"

Lady of Guadalupe

Each year two kids from each classroom are chosen to participate in the Lady of Guadalupe Mass.  This year Addison, Jadon and Cody each were able to dress and carry flowers to the feet of the Virgin Mary.  They looked adorable!!  Kaylee handled not being part of it all very well.... "no big deal" which was really quite a shock and not her personality.

We are the Champions!!

So proud...  Cody and Kaylee's basketball team took the CHAMPIONSHIP!!  Cody dominated as usual and even my Kaylee girl scored!!  They had a super fun season with some outstanding coaches!!!

Every Saturday it rains, so our soccer players have not yet finished up the season... but I don't see a championship in their future.

Cody/Kaylee and their coaches

Veteran's Day

My Dad is a retired Air Force F15 pilot (and Southwest Airline pilot), so Veteran's Day is special for us.  The principal at the kids school is retired military and does an AMAZING job celebrating this day.

Men in uniform helped work the morning carline.  We sang patriotic songs, attended a moving Mass and had a reception.  The reception hall was decorated with military gear (including items from my Dad) and they served food along with a slideshow.  OUTSTANDING JOB!!  I hope the kids appreciate their PawPaw and his service.

Birthday Pic Follow-up

The kids had a fantastic birthday.  A day or two before the birthday, Addison was raking leaves (for fun) and learned a valuable lesson... not to step on the end of a rake.  It came up and whacked her in the head...  huge goose egg!!  We spend Saturday at Main Event (Jadon & Addison's choice of activities) and Sunday we went roller skating (Kaylee's choice).  On Monday, my parents returned from their vacation and we all went to dinner at Mi Rancho.

Ghouls and Bathtubs

Jadon.... gets ghoulish!!!


Cody:  One problem with the new bathtub you are putting in....  "too stylish"
Me:  What??
Cody:  "Poetic Justice"
Me:  ????

What I want my children to learn....

I dreamt I had an interview with God. "Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said: "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"What surprises you most about mankind?"

God answered:

• "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.
• That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.
• That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.
• That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived…"

God’s hands took mine and we were silent for a while and then I asked…"As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?"

God replied with a smile:

• "To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved.
• To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.
• To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. 
• To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.
• To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.
• To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.
• To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.
• To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.
• To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally differently.
• To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them…and likes them anyway.
• To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."

I sat there for a while enjoying the moment. "Thank you for your time" I said humbly.  "Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"

"To learn that I am here.... Always."

People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel.

~ Source Unknown ~

Halloween 2015

Super busy Saturday as we finished up basketball (Cody scored 10 pts. and Kaylee 4 pts.).... soccer was rained out again, and we rushed home and threw on costumes.  Then a quick photo session before going over to my parents house for trick or treating.  Fortunately, the weather cooperated and a great time was had by all.

Also... the boys got their haircut this week and Jadon no longer needed the booster seat....  I remember having to hold him down because he was so scared at the barber and now he is such a big boy.... *tears*

We finished up the evening at Buffalo Wild Wings and fell into bed!!!

Halloween 2014... catching up

Since I never got our 2014 Halloween costumes posted.... here they are.... 2015 coming soon!!!!!

The Days are Long, but the Years are Short....

Today the triplets are 9 years old.  I'm not sure where the time went....  I was laying in the bed the other night thinking.  Almost near sleep and thinking about when I called my parents to tell them it was triplets and thinking about when they were born and in the NICU.  Maybe because I was close to falling asleep, I was able to really recall that time, how I felt and how their little bodies felt.

Within the last couple of weeks Jadon asked me to buy him underwear w/o characters on them.  One of his classmates laughed at his underwear and he said when he goes to 4th grade he will have to change with other boys and wants plain underwear before 4th grade.  Oh, the sweet innocence.  I went out the next day and bought him plain white underwear... but it made me sad.  Cody is still happy to wear his superhero underwear and wears them with pride.

Mom and Dad are on the other side of the world enjoying a 2 week vacation and they come home today, so over the weekend we celebrated birthdays at Main Event and Roller Skating.  Tonight we will eat cake and go out to dinner at Mi Rancho.

Here are this years cakes (I've included Cody's)


Jason's Cake (Keyboard/Music)

Kaylee's Cake (She told me to surprise her - I went with RIO)

Addison's Cake (Maleficent)

Cody's Cake from July (Harry Potter)

Silly faces at the Roller Rink

Cheer and Honor Roll and Sports.

This year the kids school starting cheerleading and girls are part of the squad.  They are so young and lack real cheer skills but it's fun and we are enjoying going to games.

Today was honor roll after Mass.  We have noticed a real step in school challenges with the 3rd grade.  Jason made one B (a 90) putting him on Academic Honor Roll (all As and no more than 3 Bs)  Addison and Kaylee also made Academic Honor Roll and Cody made Principal's Honor Roll (All A's).

We are struggling a lot with 3rd grade and Addison just can't seem to get her head in the game.  Fingers crossed we meet this challenge and 4th grade is smoother....

Right now, Jadon and Addison are playing soccer and Cody and Kaylee are playing basketball so our Saturday's are pretty busy.  Overall they are doing really great.  Better than when they all played soccer a few years ago.  Cody is just a natural at sports.  Kaylee lacks confidence and size so she is actually playing down a level w/Cody and seems to fit right in.  Jadon shocks me...  he is soooo into soccer and is actually showing some aggression and hustle.  Who is this boy?????

Cody after playing outside at the football game!!!

And just for fun... on crazy sock day at school....

GOTTA WATCH THIS.....  SO PROUD????? 

Goodbye Little Sushi

Last night the kids were reading my blog books.  I used to blog ALL THE TIME when they were little and I was home with them everyday, but then they got bigger and life got hectic.  I started the photography business, they started school and we seem to be going all the time, but I regret letting this fall off my plate and for them... now that I've seen them enjoying it... I will make this blog a priority.


Unfortunately, I am starting this blog back up with the loss of Sushi.  I want to capture the little things, but I cannot let this big thing pass and not capture it.

I got Sushi in 2001, before Jerry... before the kids.  She was ADORABLE.  A year or so later, Jerry and I got together and I got Sake to keep Sushi company.  15 years later....

Back in June, I took Sushi to the vet with an eye ulcer.  It required surgery and that very day it was performed to save her eye.  She whimpered and cried for 3 days and had to wear a cone for 3 weeks.  At only 5 lbs, we was miserable with the cone.  I questioned myself and whether or not I made the right decision.  For months, I put drops in her eye several times a day, but noticed her vision going.  She already couldn't hear... but I noticed her truly not being able to see.  At her next eye exam, we discovered an ulcer in the other eye.  A genetic trait and reoccurring.  We could have opted for another surgery...  but it would only be a temporary fix.

Sushi was 15.  She struggled to get in/out of bed and suffered from a loss of hearing, sight and other afflictions.  Another surgery was not in her best interest.

We spent the weekend with Sushi and on October 5th, I took her to the vet.  I held her wrapped in a blanket.  She was relaxed and almost asleep when the vet administered the drugs and we let her go.  She is buried in a shoebox with a pink blanket and loving notes from the kids in our bluebonnet field and an angel statue to look over her.

It's been two weeks and my heart still breaks.  I knew I loved her, but never imagined how much I would miss her.

A Dog’s Plea

Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I might lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the thing you would have me learn.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the world’s sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when the sound of your footsteps falls upon my waiting ear.

Please take me inside when it is cold and wet, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements.  I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.

  Feed me clean food that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger.

And, my friend, when I am very old and I no longer enjoy good health, hearing and sight, do not make heroic efforts to keep me going.  I am not having any fun.  Please see to it that my life is taken gently.  I shall leave this Earth knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate was always safest in your hands.

Sake has become very spoiled since the loss of Sushi.  She spends her days in the studio with me and finds herself getting to go on a lot of car rides.  I know she misses Sushi as well.