Holy Shit - We have a teenager!

 Happiest birthday to my baby girl, monkey, Emery Jean, you are becoming quite the young lady. (9 days late - I am behind on everything!) The past 13 years have FLOWN by! I remember rocking you in the chair with tears streaming down my face, thinking about how unbelievably happy I was, how devasted I was to go back to work, and how I wanted to just keep having more babies :) You are an amazing girl in so many ways:

- So smart! The ease I which you achieve fantastic grades proves this but what makes me proud is that your goal for the year is to have a higher grade in accelerated math than PE. You go girl!

- So strong! Both mentally and physically! You are tough as nails and stronger than any girl I've known at your age. Keep on beating those boys at pull-ups at school

- So inclusive! Your desire to be friends with everyone and be inclusive of everyone is very unique for a middle school girl. Keep being you and inviting more people who don't fit at your lunch table 

- So aware! You can be quiet and reserved (like me sometimes) but are so sensitive to how people feel around you. You don't show it but tell me all the time how sad you feel when you see old people alone and homeless people who need help. Don't ever stop caring

- Fearless! Watching you excel at gymnastics says it all. Who the hell leans backwards to let their hand grip a 4 inch beam?! You never cease to amaze me.

- Beautiful! Inside and out :) You are a natural beauty when you smile and you always have been and continue to be the prettiest girl in the room for all of the reasons above

I love you more than anything in the whole entire world. Let's stay close as we embark on this teenage journey together :) 

- Mommy 

Lucky Me

Its been 80 degrees and sunny this past week. Weather combined with sports is a great excuse to get back out an exercise! The sunshine tax is a thing - but its weeks like this that make it worth it! A few pics from the beach and bay during my runs while Ryan is a baseball practice :)

 

Lucky Boys

 We always plan lots of fun on the weekends but Ryan and Owen have been especially lucky lately!

Ryan was invited to go fishing with the Brubakers to celebrate Greyson's 10th birthday. What a lucky kid!

They went 15 miles out in the ocean!

Ryan caught 3 sculpin!

He cooked it up himself :)

And besides a small bite - didn't even share! It was super mild and really delicious 

Meanwhile. Owen and I went to the Wild Animal Park!

He loved the carousel - we rode it over and over 

A nice older lady took our picture because she said Mom's are never in them :) 

And Owen got to hang with his buddies at Bennett's bday party 

Besides that - lots of sports! Ryan is finishing up basketball and starting the baseball season :)

Rounding out the first month of the new year!

 We sure hit the ground running in the new year with basketball, gymnastics, friends. work, a new outlook on health and life, etc. Some pics to tell the story of the last month. 

Believe it or not - Josh and I both had January 3rd off and all 3 kids were at school! We wanted to do something different (especially since Josh is doing a dry January and me a light one) so we went on an awesome 6 month hike!

It was no joke! I was sore at the end of it but it was so fun! We actually got to talk, walk and see San Diego. Best way to start the new year

Following the theme of health, we went to Annie's Canyon a hike we've been wanting to try for a really long time and it did not disappoint!

It was TIGHT!

Owen is still wearing a baseball jersey to school every day...

Ryan is dominating the court - in a mask! I don't know how he does it

Emmy had her first meet of the season in Long Beach - also competing wearing a MASK!

A little pit stop to shop on the way home :)

Back in SD - The boys went to the monster truck jam! Owen is still talking about Grave Digger :)

The trolley just extended to Clairemont so they took it downtown.

A little drawing of Martin Luther King after they both learning about him at school :)

Sadie - still living her best life

We've never let her on our bed but recently she's been sneaking up, moving all the pillows and laying right where we sleep! The more Josh tells her know, the more she creeps to his side of the bed. Hahaha

Josh and Ryan went to a SDSU basketball game!

And we held down the fort playing a matching game

Ryan played his first season of fantasy football. Marc helped him during the draft but for the rest of the season, he was on his own! I don't understand all you do but know he was very committed to reviewing/trading players throughout the season and WON!

O-dog is one of a kind

Emmy got to spend the day at Sea World with all her friends. I hope they know how lucky they are!

I am learning to accept ipad time. They always sit so close they are touching and are able to play each other. I guess its the same as what we did growing up when we played Nintendo

Most of Emmy's friends are playing basketball are were split on two teams so I took her and 2 friends to watch them play against each other Friday night. These girls are some ballers!

Meet #2! Her new leo is so pretty :)

Last year only one person could watch each gymnast so this is the first time in two years the boys got to see her compete

It was one of the longest meets - it took 3 hours and they were so patient but squeezed in a little monster truck game to kill the time

Beam - 1st! 

Bars - 1st!

Vault - 3rd!

All around - second! 0.2 away from first! 

So proud of this girl