Phone Number

Hey guys, I wanted to tell you guys that we now have a stateside number. The number is a Lubbock number but it will come through to our computer in Mexico. We are looking into actually buying a handheld phone that will receive the calls through the computer. This will be great because now we have to be sitting at the computer to talk and with three kids that isn't always the most convenient. Anyway, the call will not cost you any more than if you were calling Lubbock, many of you either live there or can call there free on your cell phones.

Last week we got a call from an old friend in Tulia, TX and it was really exciting to get to talk to her. I just got off the phone from talking to some good friends or ours in Oklahoma. Feel free to call anytime - there is even an answering maching hooked up to it so if we don't answer just leave a message and be sure to leave your number so we can call you back. The number is

1-806-589-0911

Tree planting

Every year Starbucks has a re-forestation program. They plant trees in a nearby forest. This is our second year to attend. We didn't have as big of a turn out with church members this year because we only found out about it 5 days ahead. There were probably around 25 of us. Cory was out of town so I took the three kids and the AIMers and we had a good time. Hannah really thought it was fun and enjoyed getting the trees from me and dropping them into their holes.

I didn't get a picture of Josiah. He and his friend Quincy were on "tree police" duty. They went around making sure that the trees weren't getting stepped on etc.

So as you should know we are big time Red Sox fans. This is how Josiah woke me up yesterday morning. He worked so hard on it I thought it deserved being published on my blog. He made it out of magnetic letter and a board that my parents got him. He loves it and I think it is a great learning tool.

Heres a picture of the kids before they ate up their pink and blue pancakes with their initial on it.

ME DO IT!

We are right in the middle of the "me do it" stage with Hannah right now. She is definately two and wants to do everything by herself. Even more so than my other kids - I think mainly because she wants to be like the other two. She wants to do everything they do.

Everything is "Me do it" wether its getting out of her car seat, getting out of the car, shutting the car door, opening the house door, shutting the house door, putting my purse up - are you getting the picture? Everything! It gets really old at times and a lot of times I just don't let her. When its not an inconvenience to someone else and we have time of course I let her. Its always fun when she is intent on doing something and after much trying she has to give up and ask for help. She is really good at eating her cereal by herself but once she gets to the end she has a really hard time getting those last few cheerios on her spoon. That is when she always gives in and asks for help. I am only allowed to put the cereal on the spoon and then she wants to have the spoon back and feed herself.

Is this ringing a bell with anyone? It is reminding me of myself a lot (not as a kid) but now. Sometimes I am just too stubborn and want to do it myself when really I need to have help.

Why is it so hard to ask for help sometimes. The sad thing is that God intends for us to ask for help. If He hadn't intended on it He would have made us with the ability to do everything but He didn't.

While we were in Zacatecas we took the kids to a McDonalds. Hannah isn't quite big enough to climb on the playground equipment yet. Usually Josiah picks her up each level. For some reason this time Josiah decided to let her climb on him. It was the cutest sight. He was happy to help her and she looked so proud to be able to do it with her brothers help. They had a lot of fun working together.

This is how it should be in our lives also. We should both be happy to help and proud to acknowledge when we can't do it on our own and choose to ask for help.

Beach here I come

So, Cory and I just celebrated 9 years of marriage in July. We were in the states and didn't do anything for our anniversary. I had wanted to go somewhere without kids while we were in the states but that seems really complicated. To be honest with you in nine years we have only left the kids twice overnight. I don't think we have ever both been away from them for more than 24 hours.

Two of our favorite couples (Kris and Barb Smith and Jeff and Stacy Smith) are taking a cruise this next week. It just so happens that they are going to spend a whole day in Puerto Vallarta which is only 4 hours away from where we are. They asked us if we would like to come spend the day with them. We love Vallarta, it is where we honeymooned. We talked to our teamates and they agreeded to watch the kids for us. Since the boat arrives early in the morning we are going to go a day before they arrive and since the boat leaves late at night we are going to stay a day after they leave. Thats three days at the beach and no kids!!!!

The really fun thing is that we are going to stay at the same hotel we stayed at 9 years ago for our honeymoon. It is a great hotel and the best part is that it is all inclusive. That means all meals, drinks, snacks etc are included. If any of you ever come to visit it is a great place to go. Right now the rate is $120 with tax - that includes everything for two adults and two kids stay and eat for free (maybe next time)!

This is a picture I got off of the website but it looks like it was taken right out of the window we stayed in 9 years ago! I will post pictures from our trip next week!

Summer pics

Last night I was talking to my mother in law. She mentioned that she wished I would blog everyday. As much as I would love to both she and I know that there just isn't enough time in my day. She has motivated me to try and post more often but no promises it will be on a daily basis. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is even reading the blog. Then, I hear about people that are reading it.

I was thinking that I had some stuff from the summer that I still hadn't posted.

We had a great time at my parents house in July. We were in South Dakota for a week. Being South Dakota there is a lot of snow but we obviously weren't there at the right time. Well, my parents had made snowballs and stored them in their deep freezer! So we ended up having a small snowball fight - lots of fun.

One of the greatest things about the summer was getting to spend time with people we love. Here is a picture of Hannah and Elizabeth. They had just gotten done swimming after the 4th of July parade.
Of course we had to go for a ride in dads 1949 Jeepster. He has worked really hard on this car it was in pretty bad shape when he bought it some 12 (more or less) years ago. We took the car for a spin to Dairy Queen (which was closed because it was the 4th of July). We ended up at another mom and pops ice cream shop.

This is a more recent picture. It is a picture of the hair that Abigail cut off of herself while doing homework. The section on the right was donated by her Cabbage Patch. It is pretty un-noticeable. In fact I had a really hard time figuring out where the hair had come from. One day as I was pulling the sides up into a ponytail I easily found the section she cut. It is a straight cut about 2-3 inches long on the back of her head at about ear level. Luckily there is hair on top of the part she cut so the only time you notice it is if her sides are pulled up.
Well, against my better judgement we are now owners of a Playstation 3 (Corys Birthday). Of course we also have guitar hero. The AIMers love it and so does Abigail. She is really cute when she plays it because she taps her food and rocks. We also got a guitar for Cory's dad for his fathers day/Birthday present. Watch out Papa you have competion!
Cory is still in Lubbock. He has been gone 6 days and will be back in 6 days. We are ready for him to be back but are glad that he is having a really good visit.