First Day of School

Today is the first day of School for my children, but today is especially unique because it is the first day of attending a Montessori school in Dallas.  I enrolled the children in Westwood Montessori this year.  It was a very hard decision for our family.  This means added expense, not being at the same school as the children in our community, and of course driving a half hour to and from school.  Many tears were shed.  I made this decision due to the fact that I too am taking this Montessori journey with my children.  I will begin my Montessori teacher training this September and by July 26, 2013 I will be a MINT graduate and be able to teach in a Montessori school.  I know in my heart this was the right thing for our family and am so very excited for this amazing journey.  Being able to be the one to drop them off and pick them up from school was the most important thing for me.  I'm sure we will have lots of fun conversations in the car, during our 1/2 drive each day. It will be a hard school year and sacrifices will be made, but "If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough"!

Mason begins his third grade year.

(he was very nervous about attending a new school and deeply misses his friends at Hertiage Elementary School)

Sophie is in her first grade year.

(she is so very excited about being at a new school)

Owen is now a full time pre-schooler going to school Monday-Friday from 8:30am-3:30pm. We hope he won't be too exhausted.

My children mean the world to me and I hope one day they will know that everything I do is to help them grow and "it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are"-EE.Cummings

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the two special men in my life! My oh so thoughtful husband and my amazing father!

This is my dad, Robert John, but everyone knows him as Bob. I have to say I have the best dad in the world. Growing up he always made us laugh and always made us feel special. I remember all my friends always telling me how cool my dad was. He is a man with great integrity and honor. I have learned so much from my dad. He is calm, collective, friendly, forgiving, compassionate, giving, and always willing to help. My father taught me how important it is to be honest, get an education, and respect others. I am so thankful to my dad for so many things in my life. He is the quiet one, who is always listening and watching and there when you need him most. I will never forget early mornings at the gym to practice basketball, Slurpee talks, and movies. Dad, I love you tons! Thanks for helping me become the person I am today!!!

As you can tell from the photos, my dad likes to hold the babies. All the grandkids love popa Bob.

Happy Father's Day to my father-in-law, Gary. Gary is an amazing Grandfather. He is always so involved in the kids and their activities. I admire Gary's determination and dedication to his family. He's the grandpa who is always playing games with the kids and enjoying every minute of it. As you can tell from the pictures below he even rides the rides at Disneyland with the kids!
Gary is one of those men who is never forgotten once you have met him. He is kind and always extremely helpful.

Bumper Cars at Disneyland!

And this is my wonderful husband. Happy Father's Day to you! (It's a little song we sing in our family, totally silly, but fun. My mom started it). What can I say about this amazing man. He is so wonderful and such an amazing father. He takes time with each one of the kids. He taught Mason how to ride his bike without training wheels at 4 years old and when I said he was too young, Keith believed in him. He laughs with Sophie and her silly randomness. He toughs it out with Owen and his stubbornness and tantrums and is always so patient while doing it. He believes in each one of our children that they can do anything they put their minds to. What an amazing thing to instill in children. I love him for that. He taught Mason how to play Chess, even though I didn't think he would be able t remember all the rules. Keith is a go getter, no task is too challenging, he will figure out how to fix or do just about anything. Whether it's fixing the brakes on my car or changing the color wheel in our t.v., Keith will find a way to teach himself how to get the job done and I am so glad our children are able to see this and know that they too can accomplish anything in life. I love him with all my heart and know how much of an impact he is as a father. Happy Father's Day to you!

World's Best Dad!!!

Mason the Soccer Star!

This Spring Mason played soccer with Henderson United. He had so much fun! He may be the smallest one on the team but he's definitely the most aggressive. Sports is Mason's passion! He loves it. He loves playing any sport and he loves watching it too. I had so much fun coaching Mason's team this year and plan on doing it again in the fall. Send any soccer drills or secrets my way.:)

Look at that determination!

Future Soccer Star!
Following in big brother's footsteps or maybe he just wants his mommy.:)
Big Owen!

Click on this link to check out the 10 minute movie of Mason and his soccer team:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki0xqivcecA

Where's the Love, Sophie?

So Keith had to work late tonight and when he got home I was laying by Sophie, scratching her back. Keith came in to say goodnight to Sophie. I asked her if she wanted daddy to lay by her. Sophie's response was, "No, mommy!"
Daddy's response, "It's okay, I still love you. I will see you in the morning." And he leans in to give her a goodnight kiss and Sophie puts her hand up and says, "Get out of my room." (and she said it so matter of factually...it was hilarious)
Keith and I just started laughing. She can be so heartless sometimes. I don't think I have to worry about any guy breaking her heart when she's a teenager, it will probably be the other way around.:)

Mason's 5 Years Old!

My sweet Mason was born on March 21, 2004. He was 9lbs. and 6 oz. and 21 inches long. He was one big baby. Now we celebrated his 5th birthday, this year. Wow, how time goes by. He is so fun and always full of energy.

Mason's 1st Birthday!
Safari was the theme of Mason's 1st Birthday. We went on a lion hunt. So much fun!

Turning 2 was so much fun! Elmo was the theme of the party this year! What kid doesn't like Elmo at this age!

Mason and Annison's 3rd Birthday! Do they look like twins or what? Can we arrange their marriage if they don't choose it on their own?

Turning 4 Years Old! Baseball was the Theme!
Mason LOVES sports!

Mason 5 years old!
LOVES
Sports
mini corn dogs
plain hamburgers from McDonald's
Star Wars-The Clone wars
The Wii
Friends and Dyllan

FAVORITE THINGS
color-red and blue
movie-The Polar Express
sport-baseball

When Mason Grows Up He Wants to Be
A Jet Pilot

Toe-Nail Painting

Last week Sophie wanted to paint her nails. I, of course, painted them for her. However, she insisted on painting mine, herself. At first I said, "NO." Thinking about the mess she would probably make and then I thought, "What the heck. She'll enjoy herself." I do believe she did an okay job for a 2 1/2 year old, don't you? Notice the difference in skin tone...so glad she got Keith's skin. Sorry, Owen you and I are the whities!!

What? Gum? Your kidding, right?

This is Mason. He is currently 4 years old and quite intelligent. He recently learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, can write his own name, and is currently learning how to read pattern books, so we find ourselves asking why such a child would stick gum up his nose. Not only did he stick gum up his nose but he didn't tell us for about 2 days which in turn caused an infection and he broke out in a pimply rash on his face. Keith found the gum two nights ago while helping him blow his nose, thinking he was just congested from a cold....oh no we were wrong...it was the gum and the infection that was causing the stuffy nose. He blew it right out and we, well I couldn't stop laughing. Ah the joys of parenthood. This will be a fun story to tell his first girlfriend for sure!

New Year's Resolution!

Okay, you may be wondering why I am posting this picture of me with an elf hat...well it was taken over 2 years ago at a family Christmas party and it is one of my favorite pictures because it makes me laugh and reminds me of that fun family party. My New Year's Resolution is to simplify my life, slow down, and enjoy every moment. This picture reminds me to do that. I need to slow down and wear more elf hats.:) I am a person who likes to go go go and it has really taken a toll on my family and myself so I made a goal to simplify and slow down. One week into my resolution and life already seems better. My days seem longer and my life more organized. I am really enjoying the "simpler" way of life. I hope for great things this year and I truly feel like this is going to be an exceptional year, filled with joy, laughter, friendship, and fun! Happy New Year!!!

Ceci Family Pictures

Mason is our oldest. He is our most sensitive child who never likes to be wrong about anything. Mason is so kind hearted and absolutely LOVES sports. He has tons of energy and is a very fast learner. Mason enjoys playing and watching sports on t.v., playing the Wii, and reading books. He just mastered how to ride his bike without training wheels, thanks to dad's help. :) Mason is a great helper around the house and very independent. He always tells me how much he loves me and it melts my heart every time.

Sweet Sophie! Our middle child. She is surrounded by boys, but that doesn't mean she can't be totally girly. She loves to sing, wear high heels, have her hair in ponies, and read her princess books. Sophie makes our family laugh with the funny things she says and does. She loves sweets and always eats all the frosting off cookies and cakes. She is such a joy!

Ah, little or should I say BIG Owen. He has completed our little family. He is so much fun. He now says, "mama"(well he's been saying that for awhile now), "papa", "hi", "bye-bye" and "MINE" Keith is still waiting for "dada".:) He hasn't mastered walking just yet, but he is working on it.
Our Three little rascals! They are the happiness in our world!

This is our little family and I think they are all amazing...then again I am the mom so I am a little biased. I think it is important to brag openly and publicly about your children (tastefully of course). They need to know that we, as their parents, think they are wonderful little people. It helps build confidence. I know my children are not perfect but they have some amazing personalities that I truly LOVE. It is so great being a mom. Some days are completely exhausting, and if you are a mother you can relate, but other days are so wonderful and so rewarding. Each day is a new adventure and a new enlightening moment. So to all you mothers out there...BRAG AWAY!!!

Owen Pics!

Coldplay in Salt Lake City

So Coldplay is touring and we are total groupies!!! I absolutely LOVE this band! I got chills at the concert when they sang Fix You and danced like crazy when they sang Viva la Vida! Can I just say that Coldplay is by far the BEST concert I have ever been to! We saw them in Vegas and just had to see them again, so Keith and I drove to good old Salt Lake City and it was so worth the 6 hour drive! I wish I could see them in the UK, now that would be one amazing show. So awesome when they sang Reign of Love and they had paper butterflies fall from the ceiling. Ahhhhhhhhh! It was amazing!!! Here are some pics from the concert, sorry they are blurry our camera was acting crazy but try to image what it was like!

The stage was amazing!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Chris Martin!!!!

I didn't want the night to end. They played most of my favorite songs and I absolutely love watching Chris Martin play the piano! He has so much passion and he gets so into the music! LOVE IT!

Owen's First Birthday!

My little Owen turned one on Saturday, November 15th.  He is so much fun!  He is such a happy baby.  I love when he wraps his little arms around my neck and hugs me tight.  He's my little lovable baby.  He loves pushing cars around on the floor, throwing balls (or anything for that matter) and crawling towards the stairs as fast as he can thinking we won't catch him.  I can't believe one year has already gone by.  Life goes by so fast and the little ones seem to grow even faster.  And now that Owen is one, I decided it was time to get him to sleep in his crib and guess what? He is doing very well.  He wakes up once maybe twice but I just go in and pat him on the back and let him know I didn't abandoned him.  No crying for hours and hours, just some crying for about 15 to 20 minutes and a little comforting and he is back to sleep.  This I can handle! I have to admit, I do miss him sleeping next to me.:) He is one happy baby!

Owen's favorite things:

Mommy

Pacifier

Rocks

Balls

Bath time

Being Outside

Chicken Nuggets

Sweet Potatoes

Balls

Music

The Wii (he gets so excited whenever Mason turns it on)
More Pictures to come!

Keith's Race!

This past Saturday Keith and Mitch participated in a Triathlon in Boulder City. The Wells family came out to show their support! Thanks guys!

Keith's mom also came out to not only show her support but to help me out with the kids. Thanks Pattie!:)

Here he comes, about to cross the finish line. He swam, he biked, he ran...he did it! I am so proud of Keith for this great accomplishment. It was so much fun to cheer him on as he switched from biking to running and it was even more fun to cheer him on when he finished the entire race. That is one of Keith's most admirable qualities, DETERMINATION! Once Keith makes a decision about anything in his life he sticks with it and gives it 110% ! Good job honey!!!!

How lucky is Keith to have such a smokin' hot fan! hee hee

Here's Keith giving his best friend support. "Come on Mitch, your almost there!" Not sure that is what he said but it sounds good to me.:)

Yeah you did it Mitch! Jenn made the cutest shirts for the girls that said "Swim Daddy Swim, Bike Daddy Bike, Run Daddy Run!" So cute! I know Jenn was very proud of her husband too!

Friends that race together...stay together!:) Great job guys!!! When is the next one?

Getting Owen to Sleep through the Night! Sad Night!

So my little Owen is now 10 months old and still getting up to nurse about every 3 and 1/2 hours and it is exhausting to say the least. Keith has been out of town all week and my mom took both Mason and Sophie last night for a sleep over, thank you mom!! So I decided it would be a good night to let Owen cry it out because it was just me and him. He went to sleep around 7:30pm and woke up crying around 10:50pm. I let him cry until 11:00 and then I went in, gave him a couple of more pacifiers so he would have enough, patted him on the back and went back out. It was so sad, he cried so hard and I just sat at the computer and wanted to cry. He finally stopped crying 15 minutes later and I watched him on the monitor. He was just sitting in his crib and every once and awhile he would fuss a bit. I decided to go in one more time to make sure he had his pacifiers. He had thrown all 3 out of his crib and when he saw me again he started crying and reaching for me. I could resist and I picked him up and nursed him. He didn't go back to sleep right away. Instead, while I rocked him, he just kept lifting his head and looking at me like, "Why did you do that to me mommy?" So sad! I'm too much of a softy and so I guess I will endure the sleepless nights a few more months. Maybe I will try again when he is a year. It's just too hard! Any suggestions????

Mason's First Day of School!

All buckled in and off to school!! Yeah!

"I'm Four! But can't wait to be five so I can go to kindergarten!"

Is Mason so funny or what?!?

Super Kids! Mason's teacher made capes for the kids that said "Super Kids". Mason of course LOVED it! I love Mason's preschool and he has a great class this year. He's still out numbered by the girls (7 girls and 2 boys). He doesn't seem to mind it much. His teacher is great too!

Mason Moments

Ahhhhh, my sweet boy Mason! He is so full of life and never wants to miss out on anything. The other day he was having a very rough time right before lunch. He was crying and throwing a big fit and I had to put him in his room twice to cool off. After lunch I put Owen and Sophie down for their naps and Mason wanted to play on the computer and I thought before I let him I better give him a little lecture about proper behavior. So I asked him to come over by me and he just gave me this look like, "Here it comes, I'm really gonna get it now." So instead of lecturing him, I just gave him a big hug and kiss and told him how much I loved him and this is what he said back, "I KNOW YOU DO MOM, BECAUSE YOU JUST NEVER GIVE UP ON ME!" I wanted to cry!
Mason loves his little brother. When we are out running errands and Owen falls asleep, Mason is always holding his hand and then Mason will fall asleep too. It is too cute!

For awhile we would hear lots of jumping around after putting Mason to bed. I always go and check on all my babies before I go to bed and for about a week or two we would find Mason asleep on the floor. Probably exhausted from all that jumping around. I would lift him up and put him back in bed.