“Life is like a canvas. It begins blank and every day is like another brush stroke.”
~Unknown Author~
“Life is like a roller coaster; you get jerked one way and another, and you never know whats around the corner, but you just have to sit back to enjoy the ride.”
`Unknown Author~
Music Player: Dont forget to pause this before playing videos!!!
The kids have been enjoying watching their gerbils in all their craziness. Now that they have gotten used to us and thier environment we have been handling them alot more. Gotta love the excitement on the kids faces when they hold them. Lexi is still a little timid, but she has actually started holding Punkin in her ball with no lid so she can pet her, and in her log as well. Making progress. Its SO fun to watch them. Enjoy!!!
Ok so I am a failure at checking others blogs.... LOL!!! K So some of you know that my little sister Debi sent in an audition tape for the show Glee.....
We are still waiting to hear back, but if you have would like to check her out and share her info with your friends to help get her name out click on the button below.....
She has her video entry on there and also the code for her button. Check her out, she has a beautiful voice.....
or you can also check out her fan page on facebook....
Lexi got to have a play date with her best friend on Friday. She has loved being able to spend more time with her this summer. Between dance class and playdates and adventures.... Its been good to get to see them.
She really loved playing with their little pug.
And they made up a tribal dance....
She had a blast and didnt stop talking about it all night : ) Thanks for having her over guys.
Ok so one of our favorite things to do as a family is watch Americas Got Talent every season, usually we have to record it for the kids so they can see it the next day, but its a family thing. We have watched it EVERY season since the beginning.
Anyway, if you havent watched it or missed tonights episode, there were two sisters on the show that sang and it was the most beautiful performance and story that I just had to share it. I teared up watching them and listening to them, so if you are an emotional basket case like me you might want to get a box of kleenex.
(Dont forget to pause the music player first)
They were my reason for changing the song on the blog, this has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard it. But pairing it with their story makes it mean SO much more. Anyway, I am including the words because I just think its a beautiful song and I love it. This has been a rough year for me and listening to their story makes me remember that there are others out there going through SO much worse and still making it, they are such an inspiration. I just have to remember that its not all about the battle its about the climb, thats what helps to make us stronger and makes us who we are. When we make it through to the other side of it all as long as we kept climbing thats what matters. Hope you ENJOY it!!!!
The Climb, By: Miley Cyrus
I can almost see it That dream I am dreaming But there's a voice inside my head saying "You'll never reach it"
Every step I'm taking Every move I make feels Lost with no direction My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain I'm always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be a uphill battle Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there Ain't about what's waiting on the other side It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing The chances I'm taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it But these are the moments that I'm gonna remember most, yeah Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong Just keep pushing on
'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain I'm always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be a uphill battle Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there Ain't about what's waiting on the other side It's the climb, yeah!
There's always gonna be another mountain I'm always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be an uphill battle Somebody's gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there Ain't about what's waiting on the other side It's the climb, yeah!
Keep on moving, keep climbing Keep the faith, baby It's all about, it's all about the climb Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa
Again, Hope you Enjoyed it...... Loves to you ALL, and dont forget to KEEP ON CLIMBING!!!!
We got to go to the Science Center with some good friends today. Its always fun to get to go learn some new things and enjoy the hands on FUN at the Science Center. We love it there. We are hoping to get to spend more time there this year since we now have a membership. Its been great to watch the kids excitement.
Sorry I didnt get alot of picture, forgot the camera at home, Camera Phone pics arent as good.... But I did get a couple for you to enjoy.....
Since they have alot of construction going on at the moment they had a section where the kids could do building with blocks and building toys..... It was enjoyable for a limited time, too many kids and adults wandering around though : )
We also got to stop and see the Eye Demo, Sean has been wanting to see this. They disect a real cows eyeball and show you the parts of the eye. Its pretty cool, but ultra gooey and gorey. The last two times we went they either werent showing it or we missed it. He has been bummed, so we got to stop and see it just before we left. The girls thought it was grouse and icky, but he loved it. I was surprised that Lex actually decided to go up and touch it with him at the end.....
They got to see lots of exhibits on the brain and the body, they learned about what it takes to build a house, they learn about magnetics and how they work, they learned about sound waves, they enjoyed the forces of nature exhibit (one of their favorite, you actually get to feel a taste of what different aspects of nature feel like, from earth quakes to tornados, from lava to hurricanes.... Its pretty awesome, Sean would watch it over and over for hours if we let him). Sean finally got to go through the goosebumps face your fears exhibit, he has been talking about it since the last time we were there and I didnt let him go, it was pretty cool. I was glad we went this time. The kids were excited at first but realized how jumpy they are with new things and the unexpected. They had you stick your hand in boxes and see if you could feel a bug inside, you had to stick your finger in a pipe and see if you got shocked and how you would feel, you had to sit in a room and watch yourself on camera as they shocked you with an unexpected loud noise and see how you reacted and you could have yourself strapped to a board and dropped backwards to see how you reacted.... None of the kids or us moms for that matter did the board. They also loved watching the diagram of the man that was showing the signs of fear and how your body reacts (their favorite part was when he wets himself.... lol.... gotta love kids and the things they find funny). All the time you are testing your fears there are people on the other side that have just been through it that are watching your reactions, it was kind of fun to stop and watch a couple. They also got to see the SRP exhibit on electricity and energy for the first time, its a new exhibit and was quite small but the kids seemed to enjoy it. Then we got to make a stop at the gift shop for some goodies and the cafe for some good eats.....
All in All it was a good day. As we were leaving the kids said they have FUN and it was AWESOME (except the yicky eye, according to the girls.... lol)
Thanks guys for coming with us it was a BLAST!!! See you soon!!!
Sean and Lexi have a new little cousin. Peter James was born on Friday June 11th around 10am, weighing in at 5lbs 13ozs (just 2ozs smaller than my littlest peanut was) and 18inches long. He is SO precious, we cant wait to meet him. Congratulations Guys : ) Good Work!!! See you soon. Love you ALL!!!
Today we had a get together with Grandma and Grandpa Blaylock. We met at Arizona Mills mall. We had lunch and then went to the new Sea Life Aquarium..... It was a blast!!! It was a lot cooler than we expected for an aqaurium in the mall.
They had lots of peek holes where the kids could climb inside the tank without getting wet and get up close and personal with the fish.
They also had a hands on tank with Starfish and Shrimp, it was cool the kids got to touch the starfish but the shrimp were a little skiddish....
There were lots of different tanks with hundreds of species of fish. It was fun to watch the kids eyes light up. They had seen most of these fish when we went to Sea World, but it was a totally different experience and they were SO excited to be there....
They had a room with one large tank in it where you could go up above it and look in, as well as go into the peek holes on the side (and behind) to get a better view. It was filled with beautiful colorful coral and sting rays, as well as some other species of fish.....
They loved stopping at the peek holes every chance they got : )
And we stopped to watched a video on ocean life too....
The highlight for Sean was getting to walk through the Shark tunnel and be surrounded by the sharks and fish. They also had some BIG bones which he called the Dino in the tank as well. The tank was above and below as well as both sides. It was a cool feeling to be walking on the glass and look down at the fish below.....
They had a standing C shaped Aquarium where you could walk behind and feel like you were inside : )
They were surprised that the jellyfish were as small as they were....
More peek holes.....
There was a game on the floor where the kids got to step on fish to answer the questions...... of course Sean loved it and Lexi joined in on the fun. The lights changed colors depending on if your answer was right or wrong....
We walked through the toddler play zone on our way out and stopped at the kid sized coral for a photo op....
Then we made our way out to the gift shop and stopped for another photo op....
Thanks Grandma and Grandpa it was a FUN day....
We also managed to get a pic of all of us as well...
ALL DONE.... Well Almost.....
We ran outside to get some snow cones and cool off some.... They were YUMMY (and sticky)!!!!
Showing off their FUN new toy and book....
Then it was home to rest for a few, change and then off for Group and Family pics at the church building. Home to change one more time and back to the park for a picnic and games with the Doucet Clan.... Nice ending to a GREAT day.... Thanks Everyone!!!
Our little family consists of the Happily Married couple: Jennie and Brandon; and the kiddos: Sean (age 10) and Lexi (age 10). Both of us come from BIG families and have lots of fun going on always, Check out the Pics and see for yourself.
Our hope for 2011 is that we can find the time to come closer as a family and build happy memories. And that all our friends and family will have a happy and prosperous year. 2010 was a hard year and we are hoping for something much better....
They say what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.....
We should be Hercules by now : )
Sean is doing AMAZINGLY well (considering), If you missed the last couple updates Sean has been diagnosed with Aspergers (High Functioning Autism)a year and a half ago. It was a tough road to get to that end result, but we are picking ourselves up and dusting ourselves off and moving on in the direction that is best for the little man.
Sean was able to be a part of a program this last school year that helped immensely with his sensory needs, coping mechanisms, language helps and keeping him on track educationally without the chaos of a "normal" classroom getting in the way. He made so many friends, friends that understand him and his quirks and LOVE him despite them. He was finally able to see that there are people out there like him and he is not alone in the world. We were SO blessed to have that oppurtunity. After a couple months of waiting for the new school year and homeschooling he is back in the program at a new campus and loving it (Pieceful Solutions) they are a God send for us.
Check back to see how our Aspie survives the new school year at his new campus!!!
Lexi has had a rough school year last year BUT she is LOVING her new school and her new teacher, her and her BFF (in Florida) are enjoying being pen pals still. Miles cannot come between them, they are still forever friends and always have each others backs. Its nice for her to have a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen from someone who is her "two peas in a pod" bud and will always get what she is going through. She loves her and misses her terribly, but they are making it through.
After a couple months of being homeschooled last year (which really turned out to be a great experience for both of us despite the added stress at times) Lexi is very excited about being back in a brick and mortar school. She is enjoying the cheer and dance club as well and chapel time on Fridays. Its been great for her to make new friends. She has also been taking a ceramics class (her bday present this year) that she has learned to love. She looks forward to see what this new year has to offer. Keep checking back for updates on her going ons at school and with her friends.
For both kids this new school year is a BIG change and an oppurtunity for them to grown in their own ways, It will be good for them to have much different experiences and growths. As much as they grow apart in some ways they are growing closer in others. Its been a struggle, but a good life lesson for Sean to be attending Lexis class for some parts of the day. Its good to watch her friends reach out to him, and to hear her want to stand up for him with the couple kids that dont understand him. Hopefully this trend will continue and they will remain close. As much as they get on each others nerves, they both know they have each others backs.
Brandon has been working hard and traveling ALOT (still, some things never change). We have been VERY blessed that he has been able to keep steady work this last couple years or so with the economy the way that it is. And we are hoping that it just stays that way.
As for me: I have been enjoying just being a mom and having the oppurtunity to help my kids learn and grow this last few months. I was blessed with the oppurtunity to give them all of me and everything they needed this last year. And they blessed me right back with a few lessons I needed to get out of life on perserverance and endurance. I love those guys to peices; and none of it would have been possible without the hard work of my loving husband. He is amazing, and although things arent always perfect between us he never gives up and always fights hard to provide us with everything we need. I love him more than words can describe.
I am looking forward to this school year and being able to take a more stand off approach. Still being involved but seeing how much they can flourish on their own. Still being there to help them with homework and attend their fieldtrips and events. Still helping occasionally in the class, but allowing them space to thrive. This should be a good experience for all of us. Cant wait!
Thanks for Checking in with US!!!
Keep Checking Back!!!!
Professional Family Pic at the Mesa, AZ Temple Still Life Studios (click)
Valentines Day 2009
The Happy Couple
Eternally In Love
Happy Kids
Playing with Babe Universal Studios March 2007
Brandon
Trying to prove he is King of his Castle atleast : )
Jennie
On the road to Tuscon August 2009
Sean
Spring 2009
Look at those muscles : )
Alexis
Spring 2009
She should be a model I think : )
Bugga Boo and Doodle Bug
Christmas Outfits 2007
Easter of 2008
Love Bugs 12-23-08
Waiting on another winter storm they love the clouds!
Are YOU Aware???
Autism Info and Help....
Click here for: the Autism Society of America (ASA) With Seans new diagnosis the info they have has been incredibly helpful Read up, even if you are just curious about Aspergers!
Signing Videos for Young Children Put to music, Awesome Product My kids still remember the songs & signs! Great Product, New Additions Often.
American Cancer Soceity
(Click Here for More details)
Please do all that you can to help, we have children (and adults) dying from this horrible disease everyday, lets help find a cure, an early detection, a treatment more suited for children, and give back to our community so that those we love wont have to lose the ones they love prematurely.
