Girls Weekend!

Got all cute to go to dinner at PF Chang's! Yummy!!!
Britty and Autty!
Jenny and I-- what is that face I'm doing?
Hiedi going to the dark side!
Hiedi and I-- LOVE her hair dark-- HATE my bangs look all funky!
My ALL TIME favorite pic of Jess and I!



Cute toes!!!!


October 22-24 Brittany, Jenny, Jess, Hiedi, and I piled in Jenny's suburban for a weekend of girl time!!! Originally we were going to go to Palm Springs but decided that was far so we went and stayed in random Goodyear! I had so much fun with these crazy girls! I must admit, I can be the craziest one at times, but I haven't laughed as hard as I did that weekend in too long!
We had fun getting pedicures, some of us got our eye brows waxed, going out to eat, and most of all shopping our little socks off! We stayed up late laughing like little school girls and calling our hubbies giggling like teenagers in love. It was so fun! I guess that's what happens when you get 5 girls who have 12 kids between them alone for a weekend!
I've been blessed to have these amazing ladies as my friends for a few years now.. . Britt and I met the Summer before 8th grade and have been besties for what feels like forever, I thought I knew everything there was to know about this girl but I learned this weekend I was way wrong!! I saw a silly side of Britt that I haven't seen since we were in high school, and I LOVED it! So fun to see my friend crazy again! ;) Jenny and I met when we lived in the Parkwood ward but have become closer friends since we've moved out-- why is that? lol. Jenny reminds me of myself, super outgoing, funny, and loves to have a good time. Totally loved that Jenny let me play beauty parlor with her and do her make up super glam! I loved seeing Jenny laugh and be crazy and learn things about her that I didn't know before! :) Jess and I met when she started dating her hubby, Adam, who was my friend but soon Adam's friendship was replaced by Jess! Jess is the quiet type who sits and observes and then strikes. Jess has had a rough past year and a half with the passing of her Mom and becoming a new mom herself. This weekend brought the Jess out that I remember before everything happened and I must say I missed her! :) Hiedi married Britt's brothers best friend, I've known Hiedi for about a year and every time we hang out I love her more. Hiedi isn't shy telling you you don't look cute, or that your butt looks too big in those pants and I LOVE her honesty. She does it in a way that doesn't make you realize she just called you fat! lol. Hiedi is sweet and sassy and so much fun! I am so blessed to have these 4 ladies in my life. I couldn't have hand picked a better group of friends, who after our weekend I have to remain friends with forever or the humiliation of all shared will be out for the world to know about!
I love you girls, seriously can't thank you enough for getting my mind off of work, kids, and a chores! I also am so thankful to my amazing hubby who took care of the kids while I went away and had fun. I don't know how I got so lucky with him!
Girls... can't wait for VEGAS!!!!!! ;)

Disneyland!!

September 23-September 30th we went to Disneyland! Bry had a business trip in Santa Barbara September 19-22 so the kids and I drove to pick him up the 22 and enjoy the what should have been cool weather! Little did we know while we were there it was record heat at 111 degrees!! We still had so much fun enjoying all the rides and fun time with cousins, Grammy and Papa, Auntie Summer, Uncle Jared, Uncle Mark, and Aunt Connie celebrating Papa's 70th Birthday!!
I grew up in Southern California, so I was an old timer to Disneyland but let me tell you, taking my kids to Disneyland and seeing their reaction was so cool! It was like experiencing the magic for the first time all over again! The first night we went on Splash Mountain at least 7 times! For sure we picked the best dates to go, the longest line was 45 min and that was the first night for Space Mountain {which Giovanni sat next to me crying the entire time!} after that most lines while we were there were 15 minutes.
The 28th Bry had to fly back to Arizona from Santa Barbara so we took the day and went shopping in LA! Sooo much fun! We were sad Bry had to leave, we were having so much fun! And I wasn't too excited to take 3 kids back to Disneyland the next day by myself! But I survived!!
We really had a great family trip. We LOVED spending time as a family. I really loved that we had so many days there to really enjoy and take our time. We didn't set alarms, we didn't rush. We got there when we got there and that was good for us!
We all had a blast, our feet were tired, we were tired but I must say-- even I can't wait to go back!!

8 is Great!

On August 14 Natali was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was so excited to be baptized and couldn't wait for her special day!
In our new ward (and maybe this is how they do it now, it's been 3 years since Andy got baptized) they do Stake baptisms and have a ward "host" the baptisms. It was not our wards turn, but it was nice to be able to enjoy the speakers and music.
One speaker told all of the kids getting baptized to imagine they were at the carnival and that the rides were all there but they needed work. Some needed oil, some needed paint, the games needed attendants. He said that being a member of the Church was very similar to a carnival. That while you are young you get to enjoy the rides and the games, but as you are older, you still get to enjoy but you also get to enjoy "working" at the carnival as well. I really liked that analogy. It helped me to remember how important callings are in the church.
We were so excited to have so many friends and family members with us to share Natali's special day! We loved having everyone come over after for lunch, too! Thank you for everyone who shared in our sweet girls special day!
I am so proud of Natali and the testimony she is developing. She loves to write in her journal and read her scriptures. She loves going to Activity Days also! I love seeing my little sweet heart developing her testimony and seeing her share her light with others!
Congrats, Nati-do on getting baptized and becoming a member of the Church! I love you!

Alive... I think...

It has been so long since I blogged last, I just thought I'd let you all know we are still alive and I have sooo much to blog about!!

Like...

Natali's baptism
Our trip to Disneyland

BUT those are going to have to wait because my little bugs are watching The Princess and the Frog on my computer with all of my pics on it... rats!

In the mean time, you'll just have to know we had a super good August and September and you'll be updated shortly! :)

The "P" Present

For the past month the kids have been trying to get out of us what their "big" present is for their birthday's... Well, since Natali is first up in the busy birthday month we decided to be nice parents and unveil the gift on baby girl's birthday.


These were the hints they were given

1. It starts with a P
2. It lasts a year
3. It wasn't cheap
4. It could sometimes be dangerous
5. Parts of it were electronic
6. If you didn't stop asking questions you weren't getting it! :)

What would YOU have guessed?

They guessed pony (apparently it was a sickly pony that would only last a year?), pool, plane, parachute, pigs, phones, 'puters, poop, pizza (like cici's for a year lol) , Paris (temporary relocation?), pawns, peasants, and the list goes on... it was seriously so funny hearing all of the things they all came up with. BUT they NEVER guessed they were getting

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PASSPORTS to Disneyland for a whole freakin year!!!!!! {before you ask, kids, no, we can not go every day and no, we are not going today}


Happy Birthday little loves! We hope you enjoy your super fun present as much as we have enjoyed not telling you what it is! We love you more than life itself and are so glad we are a forever family! {Btw, Natali, don't feel cheated, I'll blog about you later I just thought it was cruel to make you all read 2 blog posts before finding out your "P" present! Happy Birthday, baby girl!!}

A few of my favorite things

This afternoon we decided to go to the Temple and take some pics for Natali's baptism announcements. We got some pretty great shots, but I was sad when my battery died almost right after we got there!


Am I the only one who can't believe my baby girl is turning 8 Saturday?!

What? I don't have attitude!

The boys' faces in this pic are classic!!

Giovanni was so worried Andy would fall in!

And now Natali with the crazy face!

My three little lover buggers!

My baby girl, she is so grown up and so excited to be getting baptised! Tomorrow on the agenda is getting all of the supplies for the invites she must have! I'm so lucky to be the mom to these three precious kids. I couldn't imagine a day without them {or my handsome hubby} in my life!

A post I never wanted to write

Many of you already know, but in case you didn't... I had a miscarriage on Friday July 2nd. I will just say my heart is broken. After 3 plus years of trying to have a baby the thought of actually being blessed with one was so exciting. Our kids talked about the baby on a daily basis. Giovanni kissed my belly several times every day. The thing that was so strange about everything, the whole time I was nervous. I never fully could wrap my mind around the fact that we would be having a baby. I was so excited, but very, very nervous. Not that it made miscarring any easier. My heart still hurts. I laid in bed and cried with my kids and hubby most of the day Saturday. I'm trying to be strong, and have faith that one day when the time is right we will have a baby, but it's hard. I want one now. I'm angry, sad, frustrated, and a thousand other emotions right now. I know that the Lord knows what is best, and He schedules while I plan, but, nothing is making me take comfort in that right now. Especially when we were leaving to go swimming Friday night and Giovanni said,"I wish the baby were here still" my heart broke.
I am thankful for the Priesthood blessings both Bryant and I received from my Dad. I take comfort in the words that were spoken. I am thankful for a loving family who realize that at a drop of a hat I cry. I feel so blessed to have friends who are willing to listen to me say over and over how bad this sucks. I am thankful for the many prayers that were said for my family. I'm trying to make goals for myself so I don't slide deeper into the dark, this week my goal is not to cry. Well, at least not in public or at work. Good things will happen for my family, and we have seen blessings this past week that we weren't expecting. One being Bry got {and accepted} an amazing job offer. I guess the thing is, it's so easy to just be sad. It's so easy to want to lay in bed and cry and think about how bad this sucks. It's so easy to let myself go to that dark place. But we all know just because it's easy doesn't make it right. Sorry, I'll stop my huge run on of a sentence now. Again, thank you for the calls, the stop in's, and all the prayers.