Fun With Cousins!!!!

Payton, Kamryn, Mark, McKenzie and Tanner. These are my cousin Kristy's kids.



Moving out to Arizona we live pretty close to my Aunt Terry and her daughters Kristy, Heidi and more recently, Sabrina. Sabrina had a baby girl on my 25th birthday so when my Aunt and cousins went to Idaho for the baby blessing, I watched their kids for a day. The biggest hit on both days were the costumes.

I ended up watching Heidi's girls on St. Pattys day, so I packed up all five kids and made a trip to Walmart to buy treats. Thank heavens Heidi has very well behaved girls. We picked up all the fixins for cupcakes and then a few bags of dollar toys. Both days of having five kids in the house actually went really well. I am learning the watching other peoples kids makes watching my own very easy to do. They all entertain eachother and I usually dont have to do anything at all!!! It has been so much fun living close to my cousins and having cousins around for my kids to play with. I believe that they are actually second cousins to eachother, but I always get it mixed up!!!




DAY ONE

They were a bumble bee, shark, buzz lightyear, Fifi the poddle and a wizard or Lord Voldemort!

Payton Martin Kamyrn Martin

Tanner Martin

Marky

McKenzie

DAY TWO

Decorating cupcakes with Heidi's girls!! McKenzie, Makenzie, Kylee, Mark and Zadi!!!

Kylee and Mark hard at work

Kylee Stanford

Mackenzie Stanford

Zadi Stanford

She had to make sure she ate every bit of frosting

All done!

She just had to open her mouth!

McKenzie saw Zadi lick the plastic knife so she had to do it too.

COSTUMES!!!!

Sabatical From Blogging

I have to take a couple months off blogging to finish a cross stitch by Christmas. I have been working on the cross stitch for four months and it has to be done before Christmas.

MAY 26th 2009

Today the Supreme Court of California upheld the majorities vote that marriage is a union between a woman and a man. I would say it is a is historic day, but I am still frustrated that this even came to a vote this last year. This same subject was voted on before and then the courts decided they would over turn it. There is already talk of some people trying to get it back on the ballot next year. I guess I just dont understand exactly how our laws work. How many times can a minority of people attack a law, three, four, or twenty times? It seems like it will only stop when the minority gets what they want. Though their way of trying to get what they want include degrating religions, beliefs and outcasting businesses and people that dont agree with them. Unfortunately, I know this issue isn't going to go away, but today was a great victory for those of us who want to protect the sanctity of marriage.

A Day In The Life Of Mark And Z March 09

Mark is such a good big brother to McKenzie.

Things get scary when I pull out the camera.

She wants to be just like her big bro.

They both love the camera.

I encourage the kids in what they like to do, with the exception of becoming a professional harmonica player!!!

Darn the arcades that let the kids buy a harmonica for less then 100 tickets!!

It is cute to watch them try.

Waiting for Dad!

A few weeks after Joe started his new job they decided they wanted him to get not only his real estate license, but his brokers license here so they could open their own real estate company. That meant he would be at work by 7am and then go to classes until sometimes 11pm. This night the kids wanted to stay up to see him, they just didn't make it long enough!!!

Our New Home, for the time being!

QUEEN CREEK, ARIZONA

This is the great house Joe found for us to rent in Arizona. He had to pick it out alone because I was still in California.

Everything happened so quickly. We had decided that we would move out of California and back to Utah when the lease on our apartment was up at the end of February. Joe had been out of work for quite a while and the job market seemed much more promising up there. We couldn't find a place that we really wanted to rent and we were both feeling a little depressed about the move. The last week of January, on a whim, I decided to look at houses in Florence, Arizona. A year before we had thought of moving there if Joe could find a job. He never found a job and we forgot all about it.

The prices of homes had almost dropped 50% from the last time we had looked, making the possibility of buying a home much greater. Joe and I talked about it and decided to look for jobs. He sent out a few resumes and two days later got a phone call. This was like the 28th or 29th of January. It was a law firm in Queen Creek. They seemed very interested but would want him to start immediately. They called again the next day for another chat and offered him the job if he could start on the 2nd of February. We talked it over and decided to go with it if it was okay that he not start until the 3rd. They agreed. The next morning, Sunday February 1st, we packed him and the kids up and they drove to southern Cali. They spent the night at Aunt Carrie's house and then drove to Arizona the next morning.

I stayed in California to finish up work and then Joe flew back three weeks later to drive the moving truck to the house he picked out for us. We decided to rent for the first several months until we find a home we absolutely love.

February 2nd was my 25th birthday. I took the day off work and went out to the Olive Garden, by myself, for lunch. Joe took our only car so I either walked or rode my bike to work for three weeks. Luckily it was only 1.5 miles away, but it sucked at 3:30am. It was kind of a bummer birthday but the move has been totally worth it and so far I wouldn't change a thing.

This is the front door and little entry way and the living room. To the right of this picture is the garage and laundry room. We came from an 800 square foot apartment and dont have nearly enough furniture to furnish this home, hense the empty room!!!

Past the living room is the kitchen with the family room to the right.


This is the pantry and the remaining bins I refuse to unpack until we buy a home.

This is the family room. Joe and I work on puzzles on the table in the corner.

To the left is the hall going to the guest room and bath, and also the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, to the left is Mark's room, to the right is McKenzie's room. More to the right is the kids bathroom. If you make a U turn at the top of the stairs you walk into the loft and then into our bedroom.

The park that is literally just around the corner. The kids and I have spent many hours here. We also like to meet Joe there for a picnic every now and then.

Mark and Joe at Jam Session 09

While I was still living in California, trying to wrap up work at Old Navy, Joe, Mark and McKenzie were living in Arizona. During the weeks they would live with my cousin Kristy's family or my cousin Heidi's family. My cousins and my Aunt Terry were so wonderful to watch the kids while Joe started his new job with Neilsons and Associates. On the weekends Joe and the kids with would stay with Joe's sister Lisa and her family.

One of the those weekends was the NBA All-Star game in Phoenix. Joe and Mark were able to go to the kids Jam Session, before the game, with Joe's brother-in-law Todd, and his boys. Mark loved all the basketball boothes (basketball is reason for living these days!!) and Joe enjoyed seeing all the players. Unfortunately the Kevin Garnett had been there earlier in the morning but had left before they got there. Mark's all time favorite player is Kevin Garnett!!!

Mark playing his favorite game in the world!!! Joe took this picture of former player and now GM of the Phoenix Suns, Steve Kerr.Marks favorite basketball player ever!!! Kevin Garnett!!! The poster was so big they couldnt get it all in one picture!