Too Cute!!! Or at least I think so!

These two are so cute! I love it when Calvin

wears a hat he looks adorable and we are still loving McKenna's beautiful new hair do! They are growing up too fast!!!!!

SO EXCITED......My Mom & Brandy are coming!!!

I'm so excited my Mom, Sister and two nieces are flying in tomorrow Sunday morning around 11am and are staying until the following Saturday afternoon! I have to work the entire week but at least it's only from 8am til noon Mon - Fri....so FAMILY if you are in town I know they would love to see you...come on over or maybe we can meet up in the afternoon or evening while they are here! :o) We want to take them to Amazing Jakes, a museum and a water park or pool during their stay and you're welcome to join us! We can go out to eat or have a bbq....

Somethings about me

I thought this little game (tag) looked fun....

I am: A bit stressed out and very tired
I think: About things too much and over analyze
I Know: That Jesus lived and died for us all without a shadow of a doubt!
I want: My family to be healthy & happy
I have: 2 Awesome kids and one amazing husband
I wish: That we were going on a vacation!
I hate: Soured rags or wash cloths and that I have a bad temper & yell
I miss: My Mom & Sister and all of our family & holding my babies when they were babies!
I fear: Time passes by too quickly and I don't cherish the precious times with my family like I should and that I won't ever have another baby.
I feel: Very blessed to have the two babies I do have, a wonderful husband, and a great family!
I hear: The AC going as usual this time of year and my kids watching iCarly on Disney
I smell: My burning candle mmmmm
I crave: Chocolate and Dr. Pepper
I search: Blogs way too much
I wonder: What in the heck am I doing on the computer again wasting precious time! :o)
I regret: Not taking time for the little things that matter in life and not creating better reading habits for myself & kids and not finishing college. One day!
I love: My family so so much! I also love mexican food especially guacamole & just about anything deep fried!
I care: About everyone, just about everything sometimes to a fault and I also care about what other's think too often, but that's just the way I'm wired.
I always: Fix my hair and put my make up on before I leave the house I was raised that way!
I am not: Patient
I believe: What goes around comes around...so be kind to others...obviously I don't always practice it with those closest to me.
I dance: For fun and sometimes for exercise! I love it even if I'm not good at it!
I sing: All the time....I love to sing, love music and prefer to sing loud and proud but that's hard to do at church with hymns ha ha
I don't always: Read my scriptures like I should, do the dishes, exercise, leave on time, I could go on and on. :o)
I fight: With my kids & sometimes Will when I am stressed because I'm so easily upset (bad temper)....I wish I didn't take out my stress on them poor little kids
I write: A to do list almost daily...weird I know and have since like 5th grade!
I lose: My temper and wish I would hurry and find it and then keep it!
I win: Every time Will or the kids smile or at least I feel that way! I also win all the races I compete in...that would include taking off at every green light as fast as I can! ha :o)
I never: Go to bed or leave the house without hugging and kissing my family I can't say that I never go to bed mad though...hopefully
I listen: To a huge variety of music and love it! It can turn my frown upside down immediately! What a blessing music is to me
I can usually be found: On the computer either for work or for checking out blogs or driving
I am scared: Of all bugs, snakes, anything that is creepy crawly and of course of anyone that is close to me getting hurt, sick or even worse dead
I need: More patience & A serious vacation!!! :o)

Now it's your turn! These are actually therapeutic and help me know who I am and who I want to be. I can't wait to read yours! :o)

Trying not to cry...

Will left today at about 12:30pm for Scout Camp and all of us miss him already! Calvin began crying as soon as we dropped Will off and cute Kenna tried comforting him by telling him that it would only be 2 nights etc...but after he kept crying she decided that she too didn't like when Daddy is gone and had a very sad face and watery eyes. We get home and I had a ton of stuff to do for Will on some house deals....wouldn't you know that the Internet goes down...the fax machine starts acting up and the deadlines come and go. I tried everything to fix the computer...ended up calling & texting Will until just about an hour ago. I've felt like crying all afternoon myself...it's almost 7pm and I've not made dinner...don't feel like it....my dryer is beeping...my house is a wreck...I've not prepared FHE...I have a ton of projects I wanted to do before my Mom & Sister & Nieces get here Sunday (like painting, re-organizing the garage & closets etc). I know I should be counting my blessings instead of crying the blues. What a baby I am...just had a bad day and I don't look forward to tonight because I'm a wimp and hate sleeping without Will in the house. I know it could be way worse....thankfully I was finally able to tap into a neighbor's Internet with Will's wireless laptop. Tomorrow I'm off to work then as soon as I pick up the kids out doing a ton of bpo's in town, grocery shopping and finishing what I didn't finish today. Never ending busy cycle we call life right. :o)

Will's Animal Office

THE NEW COYOTE

So for those of you who don't know Will absolutely LOVES to hunt and this is the room he puts all of those trophies in! He has recently added a Rattle Snake and just yesterday got his Coyote back from the taxidermist.


So this picture shows his Mountain Lion, Coyote and a beautiful mountain scenery picture that my Great Great Grandma Webb painted.


This one shows the Rattle Snake, some Deer Antlers, the Huge Trophy Bear, the Bear's Skull and the Arrow that he used to kill that Bear.

He has a few other things like a turkey above the door and other hunting stuff and outdoor decorations. Calvin loves going in there and McKenna proclaims that she is going to be the best female hunter in the world! :o) He loves his office and I love that all of his animals are contained in it. :o) One day he hopes to have a mini Cabellas in our home...not with the merchandise but all of the mounts and stuffed animals and live fish tanks. He'll have to get a much bigger home to house all of that so until then I think we'll just visit Cabellas!

Backyard Summer Fun

Holy cow...I almost messed up my blog

Ok so I was trying to download a cute new blog background and ended up changing my template by mistake which removed all of my side bar stuff and gave me a heart attack! Needless to say I am archiving everyday now. :o) Thank goodness it is easier now to download a cute new background at least from www.thecutestblogontheblock.com and you just add a page element and then copy & paste it there without going into your template. Whew!!!

So don't be scared just follow her instructions and it will be fine and I realized that you really can't lose anything as long as you don't exit out of it. Take a deep breath and change your template back to what you had (mine was minima) and then everything re-appears like magic! :o)

FHE with the "old" Young Men's Presidency & Advisors

Marriage Tag

Our dear friends Michelle & Anthony tagged us. This one is a little different because you sit down and answer the questions together as a couple...I might suggest answering them on your own individually because this got me a little hot under the collar. ha ha (Will didn't accurately recall the true answers to some of these questions.) So I tag any married couples that can handle this tag. :o)

How long have you been married?
Me: almost 12 years September 20th it will be 12 big ones WOW
Him: 11 years

Who eats more?
Me: For sure he does just ask anyone...unless it's dessert then I can out eat him any day! :o)
Him: Leslie

Who said "I love you" first?
Me: He did...but it sure took him a long darn time to spit it out. :o)
Him: "To each other?" He said that I did but I KNOW I didn't!!!! I would have never said it first ever!

Who is taller?
Me: Will is
Him: I am

Who sings better?
Me: I think it's a close call but I'd tip the scale to me :o)
Him: Me

Who is smarter?
Me: Will is and and I am so glad.
Him: "She is because she married me."

Who controls the TV remote?
Me: Definitely him and if I don't like it I go to another TV :o) But I usually like it.
Him: "Me, it's mine!"

Whose temper is worse?
Me: For sure me! Obviously if his answers made me mad already. ha ha
Him: Leslie's is way worse!

Who does the laundry?
Me: I do 98% of the time but I'm trying to train the kids to help.
Him: Me

Who does the dishes?
Me: Lately Will & kids mostly but before I went back to work I did 95% of the time.
Him: "I do all of the time and have for years."

Who cooks dinner?
Me: I do and have for years! I cook better when I'm not a working Mama
Will: Lately she has or Barro's Pizza

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Me - I do
Him - She does

Who is more stubborn?
Me: He is and it's getting worse the older he gets.
Him: "That's a tough one but I'm more stubborn."

Who is the first to admit they're wrong?
Me: I totally am...have I ever heard him say he was wrong??? hmm
Him: Ahhh Me, as soon as she apologizes I'm the first one to say it.

Whose parents do you see the most?
Me: We see my mine more often actually and get to see my Mom again on the 27th! Yeah!!!
Him: We see Leslie's Mom more even though she lives in Utah

Who has more friends?
Me: I totally do...and I really try hard to stay in touch with them they are like my family.
Him: Me

Who has more siblings?
Me: He does
Him: I do but he had to count it up first :o)

Who wears the pants in the family?
Me: He does because I respect him...but we know gals we can be very persuasive when we want to be, but overall I let him decide.
Him: I do

Thanks Bocchino's this was fun! Now I look forward to reading all of my friends & families Marriage Tags. It funny to see how different our answers really are. :o)

I love you babe! AKA Will or the first guy I ever said I love you to but only AFTER you said it to me because I'm so very old fashioned!

Relief Society Presidency's Last Meeting

The first Relief Society Presidency for Maricopa 5th Ward in the Maricopa Stake in Maricopa, Arizona was called the beginning of September 9th, 2007 and released July 6th, 2008.

From left to right: Stephanie Martinez who was the 1st Counselor, Kathy Amador standing next to her was our President, then me sitting down was the secretary and Jenna Scoresby the 2nd Counselor. I had an assistant, Sarah Dominguez that was recently called but was out of town for the past month so didn't really get to work with her.

We decided to have one last get together as a presidency last week. We met at Jenna's home, had McKenna snap a couple of pictures of us and then headed out to the local Sonic which is a dine in or drive through only (not the normal car hop Sonic). These ladies are awesome and such a great example to me!

I fotgot to mention that I was the OLDEST person in the group too!!!

Photo taken July 9th, 2008

Church Callings....

Will was called to the Young Men's Presidency as the 2nd Counselor and he was released as a Young Men's Advisor but kept his other calling as the Assistant Scout Master. It's official now as he was sustained today in church.

I think that Will has pretty much always had a calling in Young Men's since we've been married actually so almost 12 years. He loves it and the boys do too. I'm very proud of him and his desire to serve so willingly.

I love you babe!

Funny thing that today as we were hearing all of the new callings and sustaining them...my successor is going to be my very dear friend Robyn Barker. I was thrilled because it will be such a great transition and so easy letting go to such a wonderful person who I know will do an outstanding job! The funniest part was she called me this morning and asked me if I could help her during 2nd hour with her 4 year old primary class and I told her that the new RS President had asked me to train the new secretary today...little did she know that it would be her because they just called her right before church. :o) She's amazing and going to be missed in Primary & in Scouts I'm sure but she'll be great in Relief Society!

I think it's safe now...2 hush hush items

#1 - July 1st I started a new job at Maricopa Unified School District. It's been more than a week and I haven't wanted to quit yet so that is a good sign right? ha It's the district that I have wanted to work at for a little over a year now but it's tough to get hired on...luckily I had a couple of friends that put in a good word for me after I interviewed. So it's part time 8am to 12pm Mon - Fri which is perfect! I'm a payroll clerk doing payroll for all the schools & district employees. Over a million dollars in payroll every two weeks for little Maricopa...yes I'm amazed too!

#2 - On the morning of July 6th I was released from my calling as the RS Secretary along with the entire RS Presidency, the Young Men's Presidency, the Primary Presidency and Young Women's Presidency. It was kind of a shock especially to our ward that afternoon, but one that I totally know was inspired. It was funny because Jenna Scoresby (2nd councilor) and I had discussed it twice before within the past 3 weeks...weird huh? Sunday morning as I was praying I had a feeling that I was going to be released and have to turn over my box of attendance books etc. I'm so thankful that I had that bit of a warning because when it actually happened it wasn't as big of your heart dropping to your stomach feeling. It's a bitter sweet release. My calling was taking about 20 hours a week of my time and although I've complained a time or two about it; it truly was fun for me and one that I thoroughly loved. The new RS President has asked me to stay on for a week or two so things flow properly, attendance is done correctly and training of the new secretary & assistant secretary....which I'm happy to do.

We went in to the Bishop's office last night as a family for a new calling and saw about half of our ward there...no surprise when you release all of those presidencies. :o) So if you were wondering it wasn't for me! Bishop told me that they don't have a calling for me as of yet because they felt like I had one of the toughest in the ward and deserved a break and thanked me for doing such a great job. Wow...what a surprise! That was very nice to hear but I know their callings are much harder and demanding. I'm so thankful for all of the men and women that volunteer their time and talents to callings within our church. I've learned alot in this calling and feel extremely blessed to have had it for 10 months. I know the new Presidencies will do a great job and I will help out however I can.

Heavenly Father blesses us in so many ways....I lost 20 hours a week in a calling but gained 20 hours a week to a job so I guess I know what I'm doing with my extra time. ha ha I think it's Will that is going to have a bit less time now a days with his new calling but he's very excited about it! I guessed it before hand so I was WRIGHT I mean right. :o)

Donuts....remember these????

So we were really poor growing up but I'm not sure if that really mattered or not maybe back in the day everyone made donuts out of those can biscuits you buy in the refrigerated isle of the grocery store. All I know is I had gotten a ton of them with coupon sense for 39 cents a can and they are expiring this month so last night I was making taco's and thought I should fry up some tortillas and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them for a dessert which I did. While doing that I had another great idea....make donuts with those biscuits like my Mom use to make. So I did and wow they were as good as I remembered when I was a kid! :o) Not pretty but very good, cheap and easy! Everyone loved them so much I made some more tonight. :o)

If you are what you eat, then I'm fast, cheap and easy! ha ha (I made a vinyl sign for my sister that says that since practically everytime I call her she is ordering take out at a drive thru...hee hee....Love ya Brandy!!) But add sweet because we've gotta have our sugar and she really is sweet!

So were we the only ones that ate these cinnamon sugar donuts or did your Mom's make them too??? If yes did you like them and have you ever made them??? Will & I are curious and have a little bet riding on your responses if any. :o)

Are you a teenager or an angel????

I posted about Calvin and the milk now I need to post about McKenna my tween. About two weeks ago McKenna and Calvin were arguing as usual or so it seems. Anyways I come out of my room to see what all of the yelling is about (see the yelling I'm passing on). Both of them begin telling me their side of the story at once all the while both crying. I tell them very loudly to "LISTEN (see I do scream that word alot) to me...we need to lower our voices" all the while lowering mine and then ask them to explain one by one. Calvin goes first and to be honest I have no idea what they were evening arguing about now but it was obviously very important because we had a serious melt down. ha

So after hearing what happened I start to tell McKenna that she needs to listen to what I had told her 15 minutes ago and this would have never happened (I told her to get in the shower) and before I could continue my sentence she yells at me, "you NEVER help me out!" and stomps off to her room.

I have to admit I was a little taken back I was still talking and she just talked back to me and walked off while I was still speaking and then shut her door. Had she slammed the door I think we would have had a serious problem in the house because I would have LOST my temper. Normally this would have made me extremely mad, caused yelling and maybe even cursing but for some reason it seemed a bit surreal....a bit funny....and a bit sad all at the same time. My 10 year old was acting like a teenager already.

So I sent Calvin to time out because he did deserve it but she didn't wait for that otherwise I think she would have been satisfied that I was helping her out.

I decided to not do or say anything to her about it until I had more time to evaluate this situation and think of how to best handle it....so I finished the laundry. It was towels and so I took a stack into the bathroom where she was showering and put them away and as I was walking out she said, "Mom?" and I said, "yes", she peeked her head out of the curtain and said, "Mom, I'm really sorry that I yelled at you and stomped away especially since you were still talking to me...I didn't mean what I said, you do help me all of the time and Mom, I'm really sorry." I said, "thank you for apologizing, that means a lot". She then gave me that cute little smile and said, "I'd hug you but I'm wet and in the shower". With tears in my eyes I walked out of the bathroom wondering are you a teenager or an angel? :o)

It was a real eye opener.....ONE - that I might not survive the teenage years but TWO that my baby girl is maturing and much faster than I want her too. I know there is going to be many more of these type of conversations in the future, I just hope that they all end the way this one did and that she still cares enough to ask for forgiveness and to forgive me as this is a learning situation for both of us.

I wish all kids came with detailed instructions for their parents sometimes and I'm sure I'll be wishing that even more as we approach the teen years shortly ahead.

I love you McKenna!

Don't cry or yell over spilt milk........

Ok so first thing this morning Will had already left the house to go show houses. I was reading the new Ensign and really enjoying that while the kids slept in. Calvin got up and came down stairs and decided he was starving, so he proceeded to get himself some cereal...no big deal. So I continue reading about our amazing first presidency and then I hear a huge mess. I jumped up to see what happened and Calvin spilt about a half gallon of milk all over the table, himself, the chair and all over the floor. My first thought was to yell, "what were you thinking...you know you can't pour a full gallon of milk?" but because I had just been reading something spiritually uplifting thought twice. Luckily I didn't say a word because when I looked down....my little Calvin had the biggest alligator tears you've ever seen running down his face. Instead of yelling I found myself trying to stop him from crying. I told him lovingly it's OK, it was an accident don't cry, I'm not mad at you and got a two towels. The tears were streaming down his cute little chubby cheeks of which I'm so thankful he still has, because I just love chubby cheeks and it was me trying to convince him not to cry over the spilt milk. I was proud of myself for not yelling because unfortunately that is something that I tend to do more than I'd like to admit and without hesitation. (I'm working on it) I gave him the other towel and we both cleaned up the milk. He actually spilt so much that he was soaking wet, so he had to go shower before he could even eat poor little boy. I needed to mop the floor anyways right? :o) I should have stopped to think how many times I've spilled milk and especially when I was little. Why sweat the small stuff?

The Name Game

Scattergories
I like the game Scattergories but have not played it in forever so here is a mini version of it. You have to use the first letter of your name to answer each question.

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each question:
1. What is your name? Leslie
2. 4 letter word: love
3. Vehicle: Lexus
4. City: Las Vegas
5. Boy Name: Leroy
6. Girl Name: Lily
7. there was no seven from the person that tagged me
8. Occupation: Lecturer
9. Something you wear: Long undies
10. Celebrity: Leona Lewis
11. Food: lemon meringue pie
12. Found in a bathroom: Lotion
13. Reason for Being Late: Leslie is my name Late is my game
14. Cartoon Character: Lilo
15. Something you shout: LISTEN
16. Animal: Lion
17. Body part: Leg
18. Word to describe you: Likable
19. Something you like to do: Laugh
20. Place you'd like to be: London

I tag...everyone. :o)

Swimming at Pecos Park

Yesterday we went to the Pecos Pool in Ahwatukee which is about 18 miles from our house, closest public pool with some friends from the ward. We went last week and had a great time and yesterday was no exception. :o)

Here Calvin, Kenna & friend Matthew racing to the water

So refreshing since it's 110 degrees outside!

Lots of cute things for the kids from babies to big kids! I went down the yellow water slide and actually had my stomach flip! I guess I'm turning into a big wimp!! I thought it was fun but a little more scary than I expected...granted I laid flat on my back and got to going way too fast and at the last turn almost flipped over (that's when my stomach flipped). hee hee

After about an hour they needed a snack break

Hey cheap thrills for $3.00 we had a great day of fun & swimming with friends. Our backyard above ground pool has been awesome this summer but we don't have the fun water slide.

Fun Summer Memories