Summer is almost over!

Well, school shopping has begun, summer is winding down and even though the kids (I am sure) could go for another month or two of summer, this momma is ready for them to get back into school. We started out with minimal bickering this summer and these days its almost a daily occurrence again which means...the children must return to their normal habitat of school, homework and that torture called "real life". We like to teach them at a young age that its not all awesomeness.

After camping we were still on a GO GO GO mission and these are a few of the things we did...

Saw Al Pacino Live...Yes. Oh. Mah. GAWD! I got to listen to one of my absolute favorite people in all the land speak live in Reno, NV. A huge thank you to both Rich and Jared for making this possible. I swear, the night was amazing, minus the $60 I lost at the BlackJack table. Yeah. Apparently I can't win unless I am sitting at a penny machine. Either way it was amazing. Also happened to run into (very briefly) some acquaintances/friends from back home. Cute! He was really great and just this last weekend Jared and I watched one of the newest movies he has out. Danny Collins. Probably the first Al Pacino movie I ever cried during. It was pretty good, and oddly a total chick flick. Rich was soo kind he kept 5 of our 6 kiddos (Carina was in Ventura with her Tia) and he didn't even have a meltdown by the end. Brave, brave soul.

The other awesome thing that has happened is that my friend Lauren and her wife Kari had their baby girl. Emerson Grace Pryatel Tucker. I honestly didn't think I could fall in love with another baby as quickly as I fell in love with my own and yet...I totally have. She has melted this aunties heart and I absolutely love her. She was only 5lbs and just itty bitty so of course we went out and bought as many small clothes as we could find and shipped them right out. Sad to say they are still even a little big but glad she got them. We will be seeing her in a couple weeks and I am sure this blog will be inundated with even more baby pics!

Since we have been on week to week schedule with the kids, I haven't totally taken advantage but I did get to do something I don't normally do and snuck in a weeknight baseball game. It was totally fun and Desiree and her sis in law were tons of fun! Sometimes I forget that I have friends out there that will do fun things with me. I get so caught up in home life! Its always a good reminder to stay close!

The most recent big event that occurred is that Rich and Sherrie finally had their wedding reception. Sadly I didn't get to join in the fun of Cancun but I did finally get to meet Sherrie's sibling and boy are they incredibly fun, outgoing and they like to karaoke. My kind of people completely. I really had a blast and ALSO had the  honor of making Rich a grooms cake. Sherrie gave me an idea and I ran with it. Soo much fun! My kids weren't able to go as they were having fun in Tahoe with my parents and my brothers but it was a quick trip so I suppose they didn't miss to much. Next time, we always have next time. Jared also took a detour on our way up and we went this totally random way and saw this cute little town called Cool. Of course. We took pics. Duh! It can't go without being said however that in all my years of knowing Rich I have never seen him so happy and I am ecstatic that I get to be a part of it all. He is a great man and I can only hope this happiness continues.

The most recent depressing event is that we started back to school clothes shopping for the kiddos. Yes. It was as painful as it sounds. I went in with a nice hefty bank account balance and left with one that was all murdered and non existent. The good news is that Rian is all taken care of, the girls are almost all taken care of and I won't have to buy clothes for like...a month. Or at least until Christmas. Haha.

Up next on my list is to start planning for Carina's Sweet 16. I cannot believe my baby is going to be 16 soon but its true. First party at our house, first party that I get to really get all 'grown up' on and hopefully its great. If not, oh well, I am sure I will have fun planning anyways.

Life has been crazy, it hasn't been without its hardships, what with schedules changing for Jared, football starting and my crazy kids being on all sorts of trips and vacations and of course our own hectic stuff but I would not trade it for anything. EVER. I love this crazy life we live and am so blessed to be on it with my crazy guy!

well. Well. WELL.

Okay then. It has been a month or two or more. Who knows anymore. Our household is finally back to complete, with Jared home and the chaos still in full effect...and has been for the past few weeks. I would be lieing if I said that somehow magically every day was perfect and easy but there are still bad days mixed in with the good and we have even already had a hurtle or two to get over. I suppose this is normal and to be expected but that doesn't always lessen the blows.

Other than the hiccups and crazy we have also in the last two weeks gotten into a really good routine, we have chores almost nailed down to where no one can complain about their responsibilities and this last weekend although hectic and insanely busy we did manage to get the house cleaned, chores completely done, our room redecorated and we even have a 15 year old who is all ready to schedule her permit test! I cannot believe it! Life has quite literally just been moving a million miles a minute!

All the boys are signed up for baseball and Carina is signed up for Softball. Alyssa continues to do dance (ballet and tap) and Laneya, well....we are still trying to figure out what exactly interests her, so for now she just makes it a hobby to boss around all the other kids. So far she is doing a fine job. Rian and Alyssa have both learned to ride a two wheeler and its pretty neat. I guess that's what happens when they have each other to feed off of as well as 4 other kids. No one wants to be left out so you either join the crowd or you don't. Needless to say, it worked out well and they are pretty encouraging towards one another for the most part.

I think really that is about all that has gone on that at least I can rack my brain about as I sit here at work (on my break) but if I think of anything else I will make sure to include it in pics! So for now. \

Enjoy!

Laneya's trip to the Lawrence Hall of Science

 

I got to chaperone :)

 

Aidans award ceremony. Such a stud!

 

Family trip to the California Academy of Sciences

Impromptu trip to Six Flags

 

Laneya's 2nd Donation to Locks of Love

Jack. Being a dog. 

Valentines Day flowers from my main squeeze

 Laneya's D.A.R.E Graduation

Date night!

Although I don't have before pics of the dresser when it was black or the tv without the frame or the bed even, the after pics speak for themselves. I repainted our dresser to go better with our awesome gray walls and then I came up with some sweet ideas for a TV frame and Headboard and the mister made my ideas come to life! I am sooo in love with our room. Now to go shopping for room décor!