Fall Break

Just a reminder....we will go private soon.  Like in a couple of days.  Email me at terilwatkins@hotmail.com or leave a comment with your email if you already haven't.  Thanks!!

Sigh......Oh how I loved our Fall Break.  It was such a great week.  The beginning was just crafts and time with family.  In the end we went to San Diego!  We left around 4 or 5 am (can't remember) on Thrusday morning.  We arrived at Coronado Beach before noon.  Can't beat that.  The drive up was great and the weather was lovely.

 

I have never been to San Diego and I loved it.  Here is little Spencer in the Sand.

Next we went to SEA WORLD. I didn't take enough pictures. I guess we were too busy having fun. We Saw Shamu...polar bears..seals you name it!! We loved it!!

 
My favorite part was how excited Aubrey was to get a Shamu for her Birthday.  She "trains" him all the
time.  It is so cute.   We had planned on going to Sea World then the beach again.  However, they were running a special pricing at the San Diego Zoo for the month of Oct.  So we changed plans and decided to go to the Zoo as well.  I have to admit we were definetly tired after two days on our feet. 
 Weston rode the Skytron/ something or other with me.  It was so fun! 
I loved the Giraffes and Panda the best.

Beautiful San Diego

Here is a picture of Aubrey helping out at a Magic Show at the Zoo.  She got called up to say the Magic words.  She made 2 rabbits turn into 20!!

Best parts:  Swimming at the Hotel.  Seeing Shamu.  Seeing our kids eyes light up!  Spencer taking a 3 hour nap at Sea World.  Fish Tacos.  Seeing Jake and the kids having fun at the beach.  Sleeping in a great hotel.  Not doing dishes or dinners or laundry for 4 whole days.  Overhearing the kids telling perfect strangers all the fun things they were doing.  Being with our family!  Love these guys.

Worst Parts:  Spencer crying for at least an hour on the drive home.   Bad naps.  Never sleeping in.  (Doesn't happen ever, but would like it to on vacation.)  Eating fast food.  Gaining 3 lbs.  Sore feet.  Coming home.  Not a lot to complain about for this trip.  It really was great!  

Fun Stuff.

Disclaimer.  The blog thingy for uploading pictures changed.  I don't know how to move them.  So this is post is very messed up for today.

I just haven't had the time to blog like I would like. However, we have been having fun making crafts, sewing, going shopping, working etc. Life is good. I love pictures and here are a few.

Aubrey's new skirt.  I  just thought it was so fun to sew.  She was being a "model".

Weston becoming a Jedi!  I made the cape.  He will be Obi-Wan for Halloween and his costume will probably be worn out by then.

He loves it!

Visiting Aubrey at school to celebrate her upcoming birthday.  She is turning six!

Weston working out with me.

This is just the kids at the mall.  It is so fun now that Spencer is so mobile.  He crawls everywhere...he is so much fun!!

My hair cut. I love Jen Hensley! She does a great job. This is showing the new color.

Spencer working out with me too!!

Catch up for September...

I feel like a lot hasn't happened lately...but that isn't really the case. I was just sick for the last month and so blogging was not top priority and so much was going on ...it felt like no time. I am doing preschool this year with Weston and started teaching 4 days a week from 9:30 to 12pm. I am really liking it and will tell more about that as the year goes on. I am adjusting to a new schedule and sometimes finding it hard to "do everything." How does one clean, work, exercise, discipline, cook, do homework, errands etc!!!????

This is a really random post. Here is frozen yogurt. (so good) I also figured out how to make home made yogurt from scratch. Super yummy, cheap and weird!! I say weird because it is so wierd to see your milk grow into something before your very eyes. It really is cool though. Weston got a new bike this weekend. No reason...other than he literally wore the other one out. He is so excited. He can ride on two wheels. But this one is so big, I am nervous.

Our neighborhood ice cream social: So much fun. We have great neigbors and friends here and feel very blessed. The water slide was a huge success. Thanks Jen H.!!

Spencer's first time down a water slide. He didn't love it! Neither did I....

Our AWESOME neighbors the fingers. They are always just there for us. I think we "borrow" something daily. The oldest M. is our babysitter and we just love knowing them.
Our baby: Growing up too fast. We freaking love this kid!!!!!!

Aubrey's first day of school. I love seeing Weston in the sunglasses. I didn't realize that was Jake standing behind them. He is getting so thin :)This is Mrs. Bennett. We love her and will miss her. Aubrey and Weston have both started school. Aubrey started at Legacy and then just today we moved her to Pathway. She is just a little "SHY". By the way I hate that word so we try not to label her that. She is not shy once she knows people. Anyway, school being full day, skipping a grade, and no friends...not a good combination. So hopefully at Pathway Prep. with her "many friends," life will be good. She is a great student and we love her so much. I can't wait to go pick her up and see how her 2nd/1st day of school went. Both Weston and Aubrey have been so easy in school settings. Homework and learning is fun! Yeah! We feel so blessed to have our little "learners" in our lives.

1st Day at Pathway with Miss Merritt. She is now an official Merritt's Monkey!!

So here is Spencer when he first learned to crawl. He was so slow at starting, but skipped entirely any sort of scooting or army crawl. He crawls everywhere now and and pulls himself and walks around furniture. He has even been letting go and standing a bit. He is 23 lbs and only in the 30% for length now. 95% for weight.

This next one is of Aubrey this weekend. She learned a new trick!!

8 years and counting...keeps getting better!!

Don't ask!!

So Jake and I just celebrated our 8th anniversary! In some ways it seems like it has totally flown by; in other ways it has been a long, hard 8 years. Not because of Jake, just life. 4 kids, loss of jobs, 6 moves, new jobs...new friends, new houses and a lot of painting!! This anniversary and year has seemed different. Jake in loving his job (well not loving, but enjoying,) and we feel settled here in little ol' Maricopa. Our children are growing up and we are not experiencing any child with colic at the moment. (which is a good thing) On top of all that, we are getting along so well!! I love being married to this guy. He really is the most funny, helpful and just plain easy to be around person. We are really finding a balance in our marriage and it just keeps getting better for us.

Our anniversary weekend really seemed to show this. 1st we hung out with friends. Sat. night we went to a surprise b-day party and went as couples. You need good friends...and I am grateful for ours. Next on Monday we went out on our DATE! We went to Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert. I highly recommend it. We got frozen yogurt and walked around in some stores and just enjoyed each others company. Grandma Sue watched the kiddos and we ended up spending the night at her house. We bought picture frames and had some family pictures blown up for our photo wall. Super perfect anniversary present if you ask me. It turned out great! The next day we took the kids to lunch and Cheesecake factory...yummo! They loved spending time with us and our life would be so incomplete without them. I am grateful for a husband who loves his kids and wants to spend time with them. Our marriage means more to us, because of our kids! Later that day I really wanted to get our photo's picked up for the picture wall, so Jake tended the kids and let me go with my friend Jen into town and get the pictures. We also decided to go to a movie (Jake didn't want to go.) I guess once again another compromise but just another part of figuring out this marriage thing. Jake doesn't like movies...I do, so problem solved...I go with someone else. :) So late last night when I got home we started our project. We worked together and hung our pictures. All in all, a great couple of days, an awesome husband, 3 cute kids, family, friends, projects... and dare I call it ... PERFECT!!

Random moments...other goings on!

Aubrey is starting ballet. She is very excited and quite disciplined. Playing wii right before we head out.

Going to Beauty and the Beast and the Hale theater in Gilbert. Highly recommend it. Aubrey was there too, but being a little "shy."

Cute baby!

Weston turns 4!

Weston ended up being quite spoiled this birthday. First we had a party with the Watkins side of the family. We swam, had subway and just enjoyed each other over at Aunt Connie's house. The next day we decided to have a "few" friends over that have kids Weston's age. He thought it was sooooo awesome that there were so many people here. He likes a crowd as much as I do I guess. We feel really blessed to have such great friends here in Maricopa. He really was so cute and well behaved. We sure love this guy and all the laughs he has brought into our lives. He has his moments, but we wouldn't trade him for anybody else.

Weston first day of "real" preschool.

Spencer was in a good mood that morning as well.

So we decided to send Weston to our neighbors Jumpstart Academy. I am so glad we did. Here are pictures from his first day. He was so excited to get on his bike and ride the couple hundred yards to Ms. Jen's House! He is loving it as well, so we couldn't be happier.