We now have a 5th grader in our midst

Mileena is officially a 5th grader! Definitely going to be a crazy adjustment for all of us. We'll see what this year has to offer!

Road Trip

We left Cali on a Friday and got home on Monday. I decided that throughout our road trip I would attempt to take pictures of each state sign and then a picture of the kids in each state. I got most of the state signs (kind of).

{Warning: A large number of pictures are next. And they're backwards in order, so if you want to look at them scroll down to the bottom and work your way up}

Attempted picture of the Florida sign.

Yay! We're finally home! Riker had just woken up in this picture.

Extremely bored.

Alabama!

Portable DVD at the best on road trips {Thank you so much Bonnie!}

Mississippi!

We missed the Louisiana sign but here are the chillins.




Attempted picture of the Texas sign.


The only happy picture the whole trip and it was taken the first night with food in hand.

New Mexico!

Bored with straws.

First state, Arizona!

This trip was full of-
20 bathroom stops
6 split drinks
4 (Riker) meltdowns
and it was also Riker's first time peeing in a bottle. You may think it's horrible but when you're in the middle of Texas and haven't seen a town or rest stop for 100 miles and your almost potty-trained son saying 'Mommy! Potty!' What else are you gunna do?

Finalish Destination

After Utah we flew out to California, I was most excited about this part of our trip! My grandparents offered to give us their old car, if we could get the car back to Tally. So instead of flying back to Florida we flew there and planned to drive home (definitely not the highlight of the trip for me). We stayed in Cali for 3 days, and most of our time was spent at The Beach Club. This was my all time favorite place as a kid. I use to visit my Grandma for the summer and go to Beach Club. I did that for about 4 or 5 summers. The Beach Club was my heaven, and I could still live there to this day. Most of my time was spent looking at this view-


from my Grandma's 'equipment' as they call it there. It consists of comfy beach chairs and an umbrella.Our first full day in Cali we rented bikes and rode down to check out the Santa Monica pier. Riker got it easy he just sat behind Daddy while the rest of us peddled our lives away!

We also scoped out Venice beach where...

Mileena got a Henna tattoo with her built-up allowance.


Grandma also took Mileena for her first pedicure. She said Mileena 'needed flowers on her toes'. Which of course Mileena agreed with wholeheartedly.

And all made possible because of this wonderful woman! I Love You, Grandma!

Surprise!

After we left Vermont we headed out to Utah to surprise my dad for his 50th birthday. He had no idea we were coming, Mileena and Riker stood at the front door with balloons and when he answered they said "Happy Birthday, Fefa!" He started crying he was so surprised. We had a really fun time squeezing everything we had planned into 5 days. 2 birthday parties, a reception, a dinosaur park, and Mitchell painting and fixing the things on my mom's 'Honey Do List' that my dad hasn't done.

Happy 50th Birthday Dad!!

Riker with T-Rex.

Whoa there, dino!

Mileena, Korbin (our nephew) and Riker.

The Beginning of Our National Journey

For the past year and a half we have been trying to get custody of Mileena. I haven't mentioned it on this blog because I didn't want it to get back to the wrong people. When she came down this summer we realized things had gotten really bad in Vermont. We were expecting a court date sometime in September. On the 20th, Mitchell called me from work saying we had a court date scheduled for the 26th (6 days later) but we needed to be in Vermont by the 24th (4 days later). I couldn't believe it. We were suppose to go out to Utah and surprise my dad for his 50th birthday on the 27th, the day after the scheduled court date! Talk about stressful. We had so many things trying to stop us from getting up to Vermont for this court date, it was insane. Now I truely know that Satan tries to stop good things from happening.
Long story short we got up to Vermont on the 24th, with the help of many gracious family members and friends. {Thank you all so very much}
And on the 26th, Mitchell got full legal custody of Mileena!! It was amazing! We no longer have to worry about her safety and if she is happy. We got to see her little sister, Nyah who we haven't seen in almost 3 years. She has changed so much!!

Riker, waiting to get one of the many airplanes we would be flying over a 2 week period.

Nyah!

I yanked out one of Mileena's teeth while in Vermont. She was freaking out, but I got it done!

Riker had a blast with Nyah.

Mileena's Aunt Karen took all of them on a tractor ride. Riker was in love with this place.

Seesh...11 Already!

I'm EXTREMELY behind on my blog, I know, so sorry. Things have been crazy to say the least. Mileena's 11th birthday was on the 16th and we celebrated by going to Chuck-E-Cheese the night before. The next day she got breakfast in bed for the first time and after church she opened her presents. I can't believe she is 11! She's going to be a teenager soon, ekk!

Mitchell and Mileena playing a game

Pizza for dinner!

Breakfast in bed, she definitely wasn'y expecting it!

She got a skateboard, a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and a new Pet Shop

And we couldn't fforgot the cheesecake for dessert!