Friends Friends Friends!!

We had so much fun swimming at Leslie Winters pool. I got to hang out and chat with Leslie and Kirsten for about 3 hours while the kids swam. All our kids get along so well. I don't think there was even one disagreement among them today. Thanks for being so generous Leslie! We love hanging out with your family.Noah, Morgan, Nicole, Haley Aiden, Ellie, Olivia, and Austen

The floatie trio. Aiden, Liv, and Ellie

Leslie Kirsten and I

My gorgeous Mosey

Beautiful Ellie

Surfing Haley. The kids did this for at least an hour of the swim time. Fun to watch, but Kirsten and I kept worrying that they were going to go backwards and hit their heads.

Austen and Haley

Ellie and Olivia are such cute friends together.

Leslie also has a fun swing set to play on. My girls had such a fun afternoon. We hope to have many more together with the Winters and Greenlaws.

I love Sunday Dinners!

Tonight we had some yummy food and great company!
Kirsten and Corey Greenlaw (who we served with in the PP ward until Corey went and got called into the Bishopric in their home ward) and Kirstens parents Brent and Dana Ekins (who have been serving in the PP ward for 3 years now), and my awesome parents Don and Nedra Zambrana. We love having friends and family over. I think probably 3 out of 4 Sunday evenings we have company here, or we are someones company. We are so blessed to have so many great friends. The yummy dinner

The fun kiddies (minus Aiden..he must have been off playing)

The awesome adults

Darling girlies Ellie and Liv

Chris and Corey...the shrinking men!

Corey won a contest at work..He's lost 45 pounds. So great!!

At the end of the evening, I realized I didn't get any pics of me because I was taking all of them,
so Nedra snapped one of Dad and I.
Everyone was teasing that I would have this post done before dinner was over. WHATEVER!!!! lol
Thanks for a fun night Greenlaws Ekins and Z's

David &Yvonne

Tonight Chris and I took the girls to the reception for
David & Yvonne Reynders. Yvonne babysat for the girls for many date nights for Chris and I. We absolutely love her. We were so happy to learn that David and Yvonne got an apartment in our home ward! Who knows when we'll be back though. We just love the Pioneer Park ward so much.

Cousins

This is what happens when Uncle Gabe babysits! Our Temple session was at 7am this morning, so my brother Gabe just spent the night so he wouldn't have to get up early to come over. When Chris and I got home, some of the kids were playing on the trampoline with the hose. Such fun!! I remember doing that all the time when I was young. Thanks for taking good care of my girlies Gabe!!

Ward Temple Day

We were able to go to the Temple with the Pioneer Park Ward this morning. What a blessing it is to have a Temple so close to us now. It wasn't that long ago when we had to drive to Oakland to attend the Temple. Here are a few pictures we took as we were leaving.Our friends Becky and Dan Alder

Chuck Seagle and Chris. Linda was visiting her parents this weekend. We missed you Linda!

Chris and I

Bishop Dave and Randi Farley. We absolutely love serving in this ward. Bishop and Randi are some of the most loving and kind people we know. We are so grateful to be able to learn from their example.

Morgan's earrings

I never scrap booked Morgans ear ring experience, so I figured I'd post it. I took the girls to the mall to pick up a calendar. ( so this was back in late December) Morgan had wanted to get earrings, but she had been scared. As we were shopping, she saw a Webkins doll she wanted. I bribed her and told her that if she got her ears pierced I would buy it for her. She was all for that! So the story goes.......Excited :)

Scared

Hurting

Almost excited

One interesting part of the story to journal. Olivia had actually been the one who really wanted to get her ears done that day, but I wanted to do Morgan first since she was older. Well, soon after her ears were done, Morgan had stopped crying and was happy with her earrings. A moment later, she told me she didn't feel good. I looked over at her and her face had no color in it. Now all us moms know this look. I had just bought the calendar, so I ripped it out of the bag and put Morgans face in the bag in the nick of time! Morgan had a reaction I had never heard of and totally didn't expect. She went into shock a little and totally barfed. Thank goodness for quick thinking and lots of wipes in my purse. Lets just say that after that, I was not interested in getting Olivia's ears pierced that day. I will say though, Liv was the easiest to have done because she was younger, and had no idea it would hurt at all, so she wasn't scared and she got over it very quick. If I could go back, I would have done Haley and Morgan when they were younger too.

Tired

Ok, so I had a long day at work and came home pretty tired. The girls have been able to play a lot this afternoon because I was too tired to enforce chores and stuff. Any way, this is what I found as I walked down the hall to start dinner. I know, pretty pathetic. I haven't been the best at doing productive things with my girls today, but they are for sure not complaining. They don't get "free" game boy time very often.

YW meeting :)

I am so blessed to serve with such great women! We all met at a fun Thai restaurant to discuss the YW activities coming up for the Summer. Our next meeting will be on the way up to Gilroy to shop!!

Top pic LtoR Karen, Becky, Christine..Bottom Maxine, Koua, me, Linda

olivia's earings

Olivia has been asking for a while to get earrings. She often goes through her sisters earrings and asks if she can have some yet. This afternoon, Haley and Morgan were at a play date, so the time was perfect for me to take Liv. She was sooo excited, but she was perfectly innocent and had no idea what was coming.

Here she's getting a little nervous.

These two are self explanatory :(

She's seeing her earrings in the mirror for the first time, but she's not positive she's happy yet.

All better!! She loves them!

Liv got to ride the purple horse with her new earings.

After it all, Liv wanted to call Dad to tell him what she got!

Free Movie

We have so many kiddies!!! I love it! Cousins are so great! We went to the movie today with Krista and Gabe. Such fun, and it's FREE!!From LtoR Morgan(mine) Haley(mine) Cannon(Krista's) Jet(Krista's) Olivia(mine) Kayla(Krista's) Heidi(Krista's) Logan(Gabe's)

I just love Jet!! He has such a great personality! I love his mmmaa's (his kisses)

Uncle Gabe is always messing with the kids. We had a "crazy" uncle Dennis when we were young. Our kids have "crazy" uncle Gabe. We love him. He keeps things loud and fun.

Journaling

I just wanted to journal something funny that Haley said this morning. First, as I'm getting ready for the day, Haley comes in and asks if I would sell her for a million dollars. I told her of course I would. She looked at me funny and then realized I was just teasing her. She just walked away laughing.
Next, Olivia needed help getting some breakfast, so I asked Haley to help her. Haley came into my room a few minutes later and and says, " first Liv wanted Corn Pops, then I had it almost ready for her and then she decides she just wants the waffle on the table (left from Morgan). I said to her "welcome to my life honey". She rolled her eyes and walked away.
And last..this is the funniest. As I'm trying to type this real quick, Liv needed help cutting her waffle, so again I ask Haley to help her. Haley comes in and sees me on the computer and says "what? I'm working while you play on the computer? Welcome to your life huh?" Little bugger! Are kids supposed to be this sassy at 10? I do love that Haley! I love to see her personality as she grows. Truly she is a great helper to me and tries very hard to be a good example to her younger sisters. Chris and I are blessed to have her as our oldest daughter.

Molly Mormon

I need to boast for a minute. ;) Krista began making her own bread a while ago, and I loved it so much that I wanted to do it too. (plus she got tired of me snatching her bread all the time) I am finally to the point where I think I make it pretty yummy. I grind the wheat myself and make delicious bread for my family to munch on!

So, one of my clients gave me some fruit, and my dad brought some over and I realized I had more fruit than we were going to eat. I thought I would give making jam a try. I have made it a few times with some friends, (meaning I watched as they the pros made it) but never completely on my own. I was a bit nervous. As I was at the store picking out some Pectin, a very nice lady talked to me for a while and gave me some great tips. I chickened out yesterday, but got up determined this morning, and did it. The girls and I came in from swimming and couldn't resist opening a jar and trying some. Total success!!! We tried the pluot jam and loved it. Maybe we'll have to have toast for dinner so we can try the apricot/peach jam. :)
( by the way, thanks for hanging out with us this morning Krista, I love all the free time we get in the summer time.)

Tuesday Weigh in

Chris is doing so well! He's lost 73 pounds now. I can't even remember how he looked before. One thing I forgot to mention earlier, is that within the first month after the surgery, Chris was taken off all Cholesterol, blood pressure, and Diabetic medication. The only thing he takes now is a multi vitamin.

My Liv

After everyone had left, My wonderful brother Garth and his wife Barbara stopped by. Garth is one of the most generous people I know! He is always willing to help anyone anytime. He had come by to see if he could fix my garage door for me. I love him and his sweet wife. :)Liv had fallen asleep right after dinner, and I thought she would be out for the night, but no. She woke up and came into the kitchen and asked "Can I have a brownie?" I can't resist this sweetie. She's been hanging out with me as I pick up the house for the night. I turned around at one point and caught her in my shoes. So cute. I love hanging with my littlest darling. :)

Sunday Dinner

Tonight the Elders came over for dinner.
We have such great Missionaries in the Pioneer Park ward!
We really enjoy them when they come over.

The Elders had to leave early for a Baptism, so Dad, Nedra, Tony and I got the Rummy Cube game out. :) Dad is so funny, he was trying to jump in the picture of Tony and I as Nedra was taking it. My family is so funny!! I'm so lucky to have most of them so close.

After the adults were done playing, Nedra and Haley played against me and Morgan. Sadly, my girls can beat me. I'm too slow at this game. :)