she's gone for a week :""(

Here is a quick slide show of the night before and the morning of the day lex when away to Camp Hi-Hill, an outdoor science camp. what a growing experience for both of us. i WAS NOT going to send her. really now? 4 nights/5 days without any contact with her family? with kids and adults i don't really know? WHERE DO I SIGN HER UP?! yeah, right. this is a trip that from the beginning she was not going on. then came the 'backs up against the wall' pressure from her teacher and the principle. ok, ok, i'll go to the presentation to hear what the principle of the science school has to say but she still isn't going.

well, after hearing what this guy had to say and after talking with some mom's that have sent their kids in years past ... i caved. obviously, she went. my issue's with this camp was not ...
- will she eat
- will she brush her teeth
- will she miss me
- will she shower
- will she go #2

... but my concerns were (and still are) ...
- what about the down time
- who is going to try and influence my little girl
- who are these councelors that i've NEVER met
- and what kind of influence will they have on her
- and i have major issue with the kids NOT being able to call home if they feel they NEED to ... what do we as parents teach our kids? NO MATTER WHAT, IF YOU NEED ME AT ANY TIME CALL ME AND I WILL BE RIGHT THERE. YOU CAN TALK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING AT ANYTIME. that security was completely striped from her. ok, i may be being alittle extreme, but that aspect just doesn't sit well with me. oh well, she'll do fine and will be more independent because of it. when did she grow up?

nic

Jackson's 8th bday

what a day. the party was pretty laid back. he had a very exclusive list of people he wanted here. "just family" and those friends that we consider family out here. jackson was very easy to please this birthday. you couldn't go wrong if it had anything to do with Star Wars or Lego's.

it is always great to see Kiara. she is so fun to be around. i know anna and damien only live an hour away, but we don't see them nearly as much as we should (or want to). Kiara takes awhile to warm up to us, so by the time it's time to leave, she finally is cool with us. this, of course, excludes the kids. she loves the kids from the second she sees them.

well, i am off to buy MORE school supplies.

nic

1st day of school

here's some pix from the kids first day of school. i couldn't be happier with the teachers each of them got.
the morning ran so smoothly ... too smoothly if you ask me. the kids got up and dressed and served their own breakfast, all before i was even dressed - i guess they were excited about going to school.
tony prayed the night before that he wouldn't miss me so much that he would cry. well ... he held out until he saw me when i picked him up. (actually, as i sit here and write, i think he told me he cried during the day but no one saw him ... so many stories i heard tonight, i can't remember them all) ... anyway, he made it through, really liked his teacher and was happy that some of his closest friends from K were in his class.
jackson said that he liked his class and teacher but it was way too easy. that they did "an addition only math sheet. mom, can you believe it. it was like i was in kindergarten again." i assured him it would get harder. he really enjoyed getting back to playing tether ball.
lexi said that her class was all work and no play. sorry, kiddo, get used to it. she really likes her teacher. she says he is "really nice and lets them talk even when they are doing work." but when he says "some phrase" (i can't remember it now) all talking is to stop. i guess that works. good for him, maybe i should find out what that phrase is and try it at home, LOL!!!
my first day with all the kids in school full time ... well, i worked. i worked out. took a shower and picked them up. very productive.

... til next time ...
nic

bonfire

last night was so fun! our first beach bonfire, and it won't be the last. i know the pictures aren't that great but i hope you can get the idea.

today is a relaxing day. right now, i need to go beat carlos in basketball ... but other than that, hopefully the day will be full of a lot of lounging around.

time to school los,
nic

Disney

sometimes i think i live at Disney, (i know, that's not a bad thing) ... the kids and i have gone the past two days.
one of the best things we did, was get season passes, (thank you Ophelia's place!) Disneyland is only 20 minutes away from us. some days we spend the whole day, some days we just go for a couple hours. i hope you enjoy the pictures.

today, we are off to a play date with some friends and then lexi and i are going to a bonfire at the beach!!

all my love to each of you!
nic

YES!!! we are still here ...

alright, well, here are some updates of what we have been up to the last couple weeks (only). we've taken 4 trips to the beach, that i have no pix of because i refuse to take my new phone into the sand. at disney, i just forgot to take pix. this is just some of the things we have been up to. hopefully, i will have more time to write soon (the kids and i are about to watch a movie, YAY!! MOVIE NIGHT!!!) until then, enjoy these pix and know that we love you all!!

nic

quick updates

team cueva is going strong.

nic and los are working like crazy. ever since being back from NY, i've gotten two new clients. INSANE! i now have to start turning clients away. good? sure ... but the insanity of getting all my stuff at home done is going to take some getting used to.

the kids have stepped it up a notch. they are helping out A LOT around the house with chores. lex has taken over the laundry (all except folding it) ... good stuff!!

carlos is working very hard. he amazes me everyday! i don't know how he handles all that he does. he, again, took on more stuff around the house because of my insane schedule. my family ROCKS!

we've spent a lot of time at the beach these past couple of weeks. and the kids spend a lot of time playing basketball and the wii. carlos takes them on bikes rides often when i'm napping or doing something else productive.

thanks for reading.
nic