Another Busy Summertime Week

According to the clock on my computer, I have 4 minutes to complete Fabulous Foto Friday and do a quick update. So... here goes!!



Saturday the 20th we drove to Albuquerque with the sole intention of watching the Isotopes play. We got 20 minutes out of Bloomfield, which is 5 minutes from Aztec, and we (Chad) realized that we (Chad) forgot the tickets to the game. So we turned around and changed our dinner plans with some friends, got the tickets and headed back out. The game was so much fun, but, and I'm not kidding about this, we spent $80 on food at the ball park!!! How ridiculous is that?? For example: 3 hot dogs, 1 order of nachos, 1 large soda and 2 small sodas = $26!! Crazy, right? Jayci and I and our friends Derek and Aaron ended up being shown on the local news station for about half a second that night. At about the 5th inning (8:45 pm) the girls started getting restless and it was getting dark. I knew we weren't going to make it through the entire game so I decided to throw in the towel before it got too dark and I was afraid to walk to the car by myself. The girls and I left and Derek and Aaron brought Chad and Ethan back to the hotel later that evening.


The "Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel" where we stayed on our trip.

Watching the Isotopes warm up

This is "Orbit" the mascot for the Isotopes.

Chad, Jayci, and Ethan at the game. We were about 20 rows back from home plate. Great seats!

Me and Kamryn at the game. Of course we had blankey too!

The next day was Father's Day and our dinner plans from the night before had turned into lunch plans for Sunday. We went to a wonderful restaurant in Uptown Plaza on Louisiana called Bravo! for lunch. Our friend Kerri's husband Francisco is the Executive Chef there and he HOOKED US UP!! We enjoyed two delicious appetizers, our entrees, and some magnificent dessert samplers, all on Francisco! Wow! What a meal! I highly recommend Bravo! It was excellent!

After Bravo! we were off to Cottonwood Mall to pick up Halle from her stay with Randy and Traci. I saw her and thought, Oh, my goodness! She's a teenager! She looked so grown-up and tan. I just look at her and can't believe how much she changes in such a short amount of time. I have tried to make her slow down just a bit, but to no avail. She just keeps growing and growing. Sad.

We headed back to Aztec and went straight to Kendra's grandparents' house. Kendra is Halle's best friend since Kindergarten who moved away last year to South Dakota. Needless to say, after being away from home for over a week, Halle was more excited to see Kendra than she was to see any of her family. They've had quite the reunion, speding only one day apart since Halle's been home. It's so good to see them together again. It's like old times.




We then found out that Manny Ramirez, who plays for the LA Dodgers was going to be in Albuquerque playing for the Isotopes during his recovery. This is important because Jimmy and Sherry hosted Manny during his visit to Farmington for the Connie Mack World Series back in 1990. Sherry was able to score tickets for 2 different nights and she and Ethan jumped in the car and were back in Albuquerque for games Tuesday and Wednesday. Ethan was able to get his glove signed by Manny and Sherry was able to get a hug from her long lost Dominican son.

Thursday, we welcomed Grandma Jackie (Sherry's mother) to Aztec and Friday we welcomed Melissa, Sienna, and Chelsea back after a long day in the Denver Airport. I can't wait for the rest of the week to play out because I love the 4th of July and I'm so happy that we'll all be together as a family for such a wonderful holiday.


As for FFF, this is a picture of a waterfall near Silverton, CO. I chose this picture for this week because Silverton is where we go for the 4th. It is the most beautiful, quaint town with 360 degree views. No matter where you go, what trail you follow, you will see this beautiful scenery that God has blessed us with just like this near Silverton. I'm so excited to be there and to be there soon to celebrate our Independence! Happy 4th to everybody!


"Mountain Waterfall"

Raising a Son

I could probably have an entire blog about the adventures I've had raising my little son. The most recent adventure was yesterday...Here goes.

My niece Aspyn was here playing with Ethan and Jayci (if you have kids, you know the more there are the easier it is because they keep each other occupied). Aspyn came inside to tell me something and we heard Jayci crying. I went outside to see if she was okay, and she wasn't crying anymore, so I just stood there on my front porch looking out across the cul de sac where our trailer is parked in our neighbor's driveway. I think I was just watching to make sure that Jayci was truly okay, or if she had gotten a splinter from the trailer or something. All of the sudden, my dear, sweet, little Ethan grabbed Jayci's arm, and just started spanking her!!

I yelled, "Ethan William, you better get yourself in the house, RIGHT NOW!!!" At this point, he knew he was in a boatload of trouble, what with hitting his little sister and all... Long story not so long, it turned out that my sweet boy was having a competition with the neighbor kid to see who could hit Jayci the hardest. Ethan's defense? "We weren't HITTING her, Mom. We were just spanking her on the butt." And now he's grounded for 2 weeks.

Oh, the joys of raising a boy. God Bless those of you with more than one, because, I've had my fill.

Busy Busy Busy

It has been a busy week of doing a whole lot of nothing. The most eventful thing was a trip to the La Plata Mountains Sunday. It was beautiful! The clouds actually spit some snow on us! I finally got my vegetables and a couple fruits planted (a little late, hope they're still successful) and Halle is off to Albuquerque and Dallas to spend some time with Randy and Traci and their family. Chad is having his 10 year reunion this weekend and we are very excited to see all of his old friends.



On Thursday morning, I was taking my kids and my niece Aspyn to the Aztec Museum. I couldn't remember how much it cost last time we went and Halle said, "Mom, what are you going to do if it's like $50?" I said, "Then we'll go to Sam's (a friend) house to jump on the trampoline!" and all of the kids yelled, "Yeah, yeah, let's go to Sam's house!" So thanks to my friend Amber for the free entertainment yesterday, and lunch!



It is Friday and so, instead of a "Foto" for Fabulous Foto Friday, I'm uploading a video of a beautiful waterfall we saw on our mountain drive. I did take some photos of it, but they just don't do it any kind of justice. Have a great and safe weekend!

Be Thankful, Be Humbled

I must apologize to my dear friend Angie and anybody else who might have viewed this video with no warning of the extremely touching content. I had no intention of leaving here just sitting on my blog as a link to a YouTube video. It could have been ANYTHING!

I got this video from a blog written by a woman named Leslie whose husband died about a year and a half ago when he was 30. She was left raising their young son by herself. Selfishly, I read her blog when I'm having a rough day to remind myself that, even though my husband goes to bed without helping me put the kids to bed, at least he'll be there when I finally get there. At least I have him to hold my hand at the movies.

The video is of some African children (I think from Uganda) who are in dire need of food and medical attention. I am not posting it with the expectation that you send them money or aid of any kind, but just to remind you how good we have it. My mother says sometimes that when she gets into a warm shower, sometimes she just says, "Thank you, Heavenly Father, that I live in a place where I can have a warm shower everyday." How true this is. Let's remember not to take for granted the little things and to be thankful for the small luxuries we have daily.

This video made me cry like a little baby, so don't watch it at work or anything. Halle watched it with me and I think it touched her, but I don't think she understood it fully either. And, sorry, but I couldn't figure out how to embed it into the message, so you'll have to follow the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v7ZQUzr0yo

Quick Update and Fabulous Foto Friday

Well, there's not much to report. And isn't that nice. Uneventful is always good. The kids have been enjoying their summer. Halle and Ethan spent the first weekend in Albuquerque with Randy and Traci. They went to the circus and swimming at Traci's mother's house. They always have a good time there.

Jayci and Kamryn don't really care that it's summer vacation. Nothing has really changed for them. Just the same-ol-same, but now Halle and Ethan are here with them. We plan on camping more. The kids have been brushing up on their chores. They tend to slack on them during the school year, but they're very good at them by the end of the summer. And I guess that's all there is to report.

As for Fabulous Foto Friday, I am trying to decide whether or not to sell my collection of photography, so I watermarked my photographs. You can still she the photo very well, but just wanted to let you all know that's why it says "Magee Photography" on it. This one is of Kamryn. She was sitting outside in her walker while the kids were playing in the yard and Jayci found a ladybug and put it on her head. The only color I edited was the black and white part. That means, Yes, that is the real color of her eyes! This is one of my favorite pics!!