Than & Now August 28th

August 28th 2012 was Ryan's first day of 6th grade when the boys were back to being in the same school. Today they are back in the same school again now that Ryan is a Freshman. I love that they are back in the same school again!!!

Big Smiles

It's just an illusion....Rookie and John were being boogers today....they really aren't smiling....they were biting each other!

Reno Is Hungry

I zipped by the stables after work today. 109* outside but felt great in the stables! Fans blowing with the musters....yep, these guys have it made! I was sitting in front of Renos stall texting Vicki and Reno was chewing on my hair. They all do it, it's hilarious! I really do think the horses think my hair is hay....Vicki is sure one of them someday is gonna pull a giant chunk of hair out of my head! 😂

Reno thought he was going to get a snack!

Reno tasted my shirt too...

I must smell REALLY good to these guys!

A Dozen Each

I made muffins Sunday evening for Monday's breakfast. Somehow it was determined that Ryan ate FOUR more muffins than Ty! These boys really do keep track of these things!!! Soooo, I made them each a dozen and put them in SEPERATE containers so there wouldn't be anyone getting the short end of the deal. The boys were VERY pleased with this! They just LOVE pumpkin chocolate chip muffins!!!!

First Day Of Seminary....Together

First day of seminary!!! 6 am class before school! Ryan gets to go this year. They are studying the Old Testament this year. It was sooo funny

Throwing Out Opening Pitch

Ed was selected to throw out the Opening Pitch at the Desert Mavericks Military Appreciation Game. They are the farm team for the Texas Rangers. He's a baseball player and always was the pitcher so it was a piece of cake for him. I told him he might want to do a practice throw at the field on our base wearing his uniform so he could see what might go bing, sling, snap, pop before hand. Ya just never know on those buttons, ribbons, shirt stays and his cover!!! But he didn't and all went well. His ball even went perfectly into the catchers glove without the catcher having to move! All that was lost was a star off of a ribbon! I think he enjoyed it.....

Car Rides....Always Car Rides

It seems like we are always driving....driving, driving, driving....forever driving to go anywhere!!! This is just another day driving somewhere....the closest place to us is 40 minutes away and that is just to go to another small desert town. But to go ANYWHERE with ANYTHING fun to do is atleast a 2 hour drive!!!! Bleh!

First Full Week!

Wow! First full week of school done for Ty the sophmore,  Taylor the junior, and Ryan the Freshman! Next week seminar starts so they won't be catching the bus every morning. Taylor might be sad....but they are all liking school! Yay!!!

Good Morning Vicki!

Sending Vicki her good morning picture from Barstow....I hope it brightens her day when I send her random pictures...she's really happy with her new adventure in life with her sweet husband but she also misses us...here we are on our way to church....the boys are trying to not notice me taking their picture for their sister!

Victoria Gardens

We checked out a new mall today in Rancho Cucumonga, Victoria Gardens. It literally had every single store any of us would want! I got all my errands run in one place! 

There was even The Cheesecake Factory for lunch!!!

Sadly Eds order was messed up due to slaw being on top of his sandwich...a slaw that was not mentioned in the menu....he got off as much of the goo as he could and than ate his newly constructed sandwich! 

I ordered the nachos and they were DELICIOUS!!!

But could not finish them....and nachos are not good as left overs....

Ed was VERY happy to find a couch and sit while I finished up. My shopping was SUPER fast but the lines were RIDICULOUSLY long and slow!!!

But it was great being on the other side of the mountain and back in civilization for the day!!!

Sometimes I End Up With Friends I Don't Even Want!

Ty and Ryan were talking about making friends again when we move and we were saying how that would suck if Ty had to go to a new school his senior year and start all over again. He laughed and said, "it wouldn't be hard because everyone just thinks I'm really nice and so people just always start talking to me.....Sometimes I end up with friends I don't even want!" That had us all laughing....yes he will be fine if he moves his senior year! 

Outdoor World

We decided to check out Outdoor World today. The store by us In Rancho Cucumonga is the store they use for the exterior shots of one of our favorite shows, Last Man Standing. 

Soooo, we headed in!

Of course Ed was endlessly on the phone taking care of things with work! I'm sure everyone in the boat section was there for the boats....but not me! There were awesome sharks hanging from the ceiling!!!

Than we were off to fishing...I don't think there were enough rods to choose from...the kelp hanging from the ceiling reminded us of swimming thru them on Catalina Island. That was an adrenaline rush I don't want to experience again!!! Ya just never knew what was going to be on the other side of the kelp as we weaved thru it!

Not sure where PETA was with the abuse going on with these critters!!!

The store had lots of scenery...I think I saw every animal you can hunt and every fish that can be caught....and lots of yummy and funny stuff in between! 

The shooting range looked really fun but Ed didn't feel like fake hunting today....

But, any day down the hill, out of the desert, and back into civilization is a good day for me! Especially with Mr. Hottie!!!

Mom Can Beat Us All

The boys were talking about swimming and how I am the best swimmer of the family. The boys were saying how none of them could beat me. Ed says, "I've beat Mom before!" Ty and Ryan both laughed and said, "NO WAY!!!" Ed says that he did beat me before and I said, "I must have been pregnant!!!" Ed laughed and said, "yes you were!!!" We laughed and he said it was the Miramar pool. I laughed and said I had to have been almost 9 months pregnant at that pool. He said I was and that he has to take whatever advantage he can get racing me in a pool! We teased Ryan telling him he was the one that gave dad the advantage because I had an actual human being hanging out inside my tummy causing some serious drag!!! 

The Hershey Guy

Ty: I'm forever going to hold the Hershey guy against you guys. 

Me: What?

Ty: Dad said he'd give me 20 bucks to tackle the Hershey guy and I wish I would have!

Me: I'm sure we'll be in Vegas again Ty.

Ty: Wow, that's not really an answer a mom would give, like something I should have on video or something.

The Fourth War

I just finished this book. It was REALLY good!!! Had me tricked even at the almost very end. It would make an awesome movie!!!

I'm In Love

Ty: I'm in love!!!

Yep, that is what he said after tasting his mint chocolate milk shake he made for himself after football practice....and it was a GIANT milkshake that he had to put in in the GIANT Tun Tavern mug!

One Years Difference

Well, here are the boys one year transformations....they haven't changed too much...

First day of school 2014...

Ty from last year to this year....

First day of school 2015.....

Ryan last year to this year....

Back To School

Wow!!! My two youngest are in high school! Where has the time gone!!!  It seems like yesterday that The Dude In Cammies was in Iraq and both boys were having their first day of school at Zukeran with Ty in kindergarten and Ryan in sure start! Papa bear was happy to be home to see these two off to school.

Morning hugs and tickles before heading to the bus stop.

Taylor, Ty, and Ryan waiting for the bus

The Dude In Cammies zipped over to say hello and goodbye on his way to work. It was just the three of them on the bus for this stop.

Off to school they go!

Mysterious Package

A small box came in the mail today. It was from my dear friend Carrie that I have known since our Parker House days in the late 90's on Camp Pendleton. The box contained a movie....a movie she had borrowed waaaaaaaaay back when were both on Okinawa! I laughed because this had to be atleast over 6 years ago! Life in the military! ❤️

It's Cooled Down

The boys had fun this evening....we waited until it cooled down! Baseball and football was on the agenda. I just watched and took pictures....and retrieved the ball....i'm definitely the odd man (girl) out! 

It Is HOT!!!

This is the first time this has EVER happened to me!!! 🌝🌵😎😁 I guess it is just a tad bit hot today in the desert!

Back To School Shopping

Boys are soooo easy to shop for! We zipped into Old Navy and than Quicksilver and we were done! Ty is an Old Navy guy and Ryan Quicksilver! In N Out was our dinner. I sent pictures to torment Vicki! She misses this burger place!!!