Fiesta!

So apparently...Fiesta is a pretty big deal around here. Its been reported that it draws a bigger crowd than Mardi Gras!  Rod happened to be in the city for a lacrosse game with T on Thursday night. I had requested he pick up some sombreros for kicks. Rod came back with zero hats & a fun story of how crowded & insane the streets were.  He was brave to even attempt downtown. Thats love for ya!  School is even off for Fiesta here. Knowing this our little group of neighbors planned a block party. Complete with bouncy house, grilling, watermelon, cascarones (yeah I wasn't sure either till we moved here.) & a movie at nightfall.  After a bit of google searching I got bits & pieces as to why Fiesta is celebrated. Much of it has to do with preserving  Mexican tradition & culture. Much to do with history & some sites even noted that all the money raised by the fiesta kings & queens goes to scholarships. pretty neat.  Our first Fiesta was memorable! 

       

       

so that was Friday. & then come saturday Rod & I hosted our dinner group at our home. We had a Fiesta theme of course. Decorated the house all fiesta-ish & tucked the little ones in bed. We ate some delicious mexican food. Our sweet friends even remembered that onions kill Rod. He survived all the mexi dishes. yay for him! 

the pool opened this week & I am sure we will spending a lot of after school time there as T has no more paper homework assignments for the year. Bring on summer! 

{how to treat a girl}

Since Presley was born we have been big advocates for the proper treating of ladies. We tell our boys frequently that it is detrimental that they treat Presley with the utmost respect, because that is how she will set the standard on how a man should treat her. If they are mean to her, she will think its okay for men to be mean to her. If they are kind & gentle with her she will expect men to be kind & gentle with her. The boys really subscribe to this concept. They are very tender with their baby sister. & you can tell she feels loved by all the kisses & rubs she offers them. Her kisses are sloppy & messy & make you cringe & laugh at the same time, but they suck it up & let her slobber on them. Good troopers! Today she was dancing with her Dad when she decided to switch partners to her biggest big brother, T. T & Presley have a special bond. I think she knows he can care for her in much the same way mommy & daddy do. He often reaches cups for her, or gets a toy untangled, or lets her sit in his lap for a show. I hope as they grow this fondness continues & that she feels he is someone she can always depend on.

{bedroom}

After bath, songs & prayers

& before jammies, & night night kisses.

she is still very much a dream come true.

after We tucked the wee lady into bed, the boys grabbed their bikes for some more fun with neighbors...all of which included snow cones for the kids & chats in camping chairs for the adults.

I know we all will look back at these times with fondness.

{cousins}

Id like to introduce to you the sweet baby Maddox BEGS to visit every single moment of every single day.

This is darling Norah Marie. My Brother & his pretty wife just welcomed their first child into the family. She makes us all smile.

We FaceTimed with baby Norah's mom & dad just a few days ago. Norah napped & we chatted & laughed about all things baby. The boys pray for Norah in our morning prayers before school. This new babe makes me think much of our other cute niece & nephew. Growing up, my brother & I were incredibly close to our cousin's Dana & Craig. we swapped houses on weekends. We made forts, made up games, made fun of each other. Most of my childhood memories have them in it. I hope my children have that...which means I need to make a huge effort to shorten the miles between us. Oddly enough...this was my new years resolution. I want my children to love their cousins the way I did! I haven't made a stride towards this yet, but Norah's birth yet again reminded me that while the boys & Presley are small I need to do much of the leg work. Its a big deal. Well, I think so.

here are some of my own cousins...who I miss dearly...along with my baby brother.

{this look}

see this look...

this is the look I often get just before Madds questions me.

It is difficult to argue with such blue eyes.

{orange}

Rod bought our little lacrosse players a goal. They shoot, & run drills, & Dad teaches them new tricks. The big boys are getting pretty darn good. Maddox likes to hoard the balls in his huge Tonka truck & Presley likes to hang out on the net. Its family fun all around. All this increased use of lacrosse sticks reminded Rod & I of his coaching days at THS in Utah. He & those boys had a stellar season & had a big tragedy too, but they came together & we just love those boys. I always told rod to forget med school & go into teaching bio & coaching. He had such a blast coaching. But as you can see...a Dr. he be.

& II dug through the THS site & my old pictures & found plenty of orange from Rod's coaching days. I am really proud of Rod. He was super invested & really cared about that team. It gave me a glimpse at how he would be as a father someday. He is a good man.

The little coach Sclater. Tre dressed like his Dad, ready for a game.

(I wish someone had told me how to wear makeup 6 years ago. geesh. someone help a sister out! )

Baby T & I went to just about every game.

Gorgeous, no? I miss those mountains deeply!

as promised to my hubs, no pictures of him..well I kinda kept that promise he is the center speck below with khaki pants pacing in front of the boys. Head Coach Rod S. doing his thing.

well that was a fun walk down memory lane for us. we even got in touch with a few of the team mates to find them as return missionaries & happily wed. so fun.