Family Visit to AZ - Take 1!

I don’t know what it is with us and having family visit just as we’re about to MOVE! (We bought a house just down the road, and the details shall follow soon!)
The weekend before we moved, my family and Gurpie came to visit for a few days. It was in the beginning of September, which means they got to experience Arizona’s grand 100+ degree weather! My mom did not leave our house. Once she had gotten into our air-conditioned home, she was more than happy to stay there…with the excuse of watching Linky for us ;) She was willing to brave the heat just once – the day they all decided it was time to buy gifts for their WA peeps.
My dad was more than happy to see the sights…in the first 24 hours; and AJ and Gurp were more than happy to sleep :)

Towards the end of their visit, there wasn’t much else to do because summer in AZ is like winter everywhere else – we all stay indoors, avoid the adverse weather conditions, and run from our cars to the inside of the store when we have to go somewhere! Also, Tim and I were busy closing on the house and getting it ready for our moving day.
Still, it was a fantastic time with my family. The nine of us cozied up in a 1400 sf rental, enjoyed Mom and Dad’s wonderful cooking, survived the shrieks and whines of the children, and even battled a certain critter than rhymes with “sockpoach.” Fun times ;)

Who says a Filipino feast can't begin at 9 p.m.??

Of course, there was swimming ;) What a good tito!

The Brown Duo doing their thang!

"My Indian Name is 'Runs With Beer'"

Dad being Dad :-P

Grandma and Linc :)

One would know how much they’d been missed, and how much they would be missed, by Aislin’s reaction at the airport. She knows what airports are about…so when we pulled up to the loading zone and got out of the car to say our goodbyes, Aislin wrapped her arms around my leg and would hardly budge towards her grandpa. She knew that if she gave him a hug, she would burst into tears. Then, as we drove back home, we both sobbed as quietly as we could.
Of course this won’t be their last visit to AZ, and we’re planning on making a trip up to WA next Christmas…so hopefully we won’t go more than a year without seeing each other. It’s my first time living in a different state, and with kiddos who love their grandparents and uncle so much…but it’s a life experience, and I’m grateful for it.

Let the countdown to visit #2 begin!

8-months-old already?

Lincoln crawls...pulls himself up on things...dares to hold on with only one hand...gives slobbery baby kisses...makes high-pitched bird noises...sprouted six teeth (for a total of seven) in one month...and loves food!

Going for the spaghetti!

He loves both of his siblings but I think he adores Des the most...even though Des does not return the feeling! I can see it now - big brother turned around with a scowl on his face while little brother follows him around, grinning madly :D

Linc has also formed a special bond with his dad :) No one can make him smile and giggle like his dad can, or get him to relax without first putting him in a milk stupor!

I can't believe that, in only 4 months, we'll be celebrating his birthday, too!

Aislin the Kindergartner

It's been a long five years...but we finally got her out of the house :D What's even better is that the Mesa School District has full-day kindergarten! It's not the optional program, either, for parents who need childcare after school, but the program. It's marvelous.
Over the summer, she attended a three-week part-time summer program at her new elementary school. It's an awesome program intended to introduce our little ones to kindergarten and prepare them for the coming school year. Her summer teacher was a caring and energetic woman who kept parents very involved in the whole process, and provided tons of free materials (games, flashcards, etc.) that parents could use throughout the summer with their kids. The best thing about her was that she later became Aislin's kindergarten teacher, too!
School started on August 7th... Aislin chose to ride the school bus, so every morning she and I walk down the road and around the corner to her bus stop, and in the afternoon the boys and I drive that short distance to wait for her in our car. (What?? Afternoons are hot in Arizona!!) So far she's had her birthday celebrated in class, and the boys and I got to visit that day with brightly-colored cupcakes in hand; she and her class did the "Gingerbread Man Search" around the school before finding him perched atop a shelf in their classroom; she participated in "Color Days" where her class would focus on a different color each day (over the course of two weeks) and show their participation by wearing the day's color or using it in some way.
Aislin is enjoying school and learning so much every day. She's changing and growing before our very eyes. Tim and I are also enjoying this experience of having our first child go to school, and of being involved at her school. We're so proud of our little kindergartner :)

This pic was actually taken during her summer program, and the lady right behind her is her kindergarten teacher!

This was taken on the first day of school after she had come home. Although most parents take pics with their kids posing in front of their home or their school bus, or in their new classroom and sitting at their desk...I didn't :P It all just happened so fast, but I guess it's better than no pic at all :)

Finally Five

Aislin spent all of her pre-K school year watching her friends turn five. On August 3rd, the wait finally ended!

Happy Birthday, my restless, weird, witty, outspoken, strong-willed, protective, thoughtful, adventurous little girl. We love you and all of your countless eccentricities :)

Who doesn't love Brave??

 Thank you, Dairy Queen!

The big finale to her birthday was taking her to her very first movie - Despicable Me 2! She had a blast. I loved hearing her burst out laughing during those hilarious scenes :)

All Settled In

From a boxes-unpacked-and-pictures-on-the-walls perspective, we've been settled in for a while now...but from a broader perspective, you'd know we're settled in because a) Tim and I both got callings at church, and b) we've committed to a few new projects.

I think Tim may have beat our ward's record for shortest calling when he was sustained as a ward missionary before being released - two days later - and called as Elder's Quorum First Counselor! He would have been a fantastic ward missionary, but his current calling seems...right :) He may have felt a little nervous or even confused as we left the Stake President's office, but I know that with his willingness to serve and help others, he'll do a wonderful job :)
I've been called as a Cub Scout Den Leader for the Bears. I know - whoa! I was a deer in headlights in my first couple of weeks, but thankfully I work with a sister who has years of experience and volumes of scouting knowledge. I may have been a little nervous at first, and felt out of place at the first few meetings, but now that summer's over and den meetings have started up again, I've been able to get to know my own den and steadily know the pack. Every week has been a fun experience, and this week was my first time to lead an activity. It went well, and I was grateful for that time getting to know the boys :)

As for those new projects I mentioned...they include me joining a gym and hiring a personal trainer, Tim buying a weight-lifting set and starting a powerlifting regimen, Tim starting his own business called Ornery Development, and me joining the PTO at Aislin's school, volunteering as a Parent Helper in her classroom, and taking violin lessons (again).

We're definitely settled in, and busy!

Reunited

(Note: this post is completely out of order and should have preceded the post "Why Arizona?" I thought I had posted it but given the chaos of this summer, one of the most important events had been left out. So without further adieu...)
Back in May, just days before we left Washington, Tim's Aunt Betty and Grandma Annabelle (his dad's sister and mom) came to visit...after over a decade of separation. They had found each other on facebook after his dad passed away and kept in touch every since. We certainly didn't mean to move just hours after taking them to the airport, but it was still such a blessing to have them visit...and their help during the move was paramount!

The kids may never have met them before their visit, but they took to them right away as if they'd known them since they were born. Desmond had formed a bond with his great grandma, and Aislin took to Aunt Betty so well that she couldn't stop from crying when she and Tim left the airport. 

We love those two ladies so much and are grateful to have finally met them!

The amazing quilts that Aunt Betty made for the kids!!

Told ya she loves this lady :)

The kids with Great Grandma

This was our last visit with my family and the first time they had ever met (in person) anyone from Tim's family. It was a very special day, indeed :)

Our Very FIRST Family Vacation

San Diego, California...
...is a 5 hour drive from Chandler, Arizona
...has SeaWorld
...has the San Diego Zoo
...has this castle-like temple:

...and is a part of Tim's history. 

So we went there and had a wonderful, memorable family vacation :)

Day 1, July 4th:

We checked in at our hotel on Shelter Island where our room was just across the street from the bay. Afterwards, we headed straight over to the San Diego Zoo!

Notice the hotel pass on the dashboard :P Since it was the 4th of July, parking was expected to be filled hours before the fireworks were scheduled to go off. So, in anticipation of the madness, Shelter Island warned everyone that the road would close at a certain time...so Best Western gave passes to all of its guests just so we could get back on the island!

 This guy was so passed out against that rock that he just couldn't keep all of his legs on the ground!

The star attraction :) His face is almost as priceless as the one below it...

I can't remember what anymore, but the kids even named their pandas hahaha!

The hotel was a fun place to eat...

 And later that night, the show!

Day 2, July 5th:

Sea World!

I had never been to SeaWorld before and was therefore ignorant of the awesomeness of Shamu. When this first whale jumped up like that, though...I was just like one of those kids with their noses up against the tank wall! Glad it wasn't or else I might have missed this awesome moment :)

Yes, Aislin was with me on this ride, and yes, it was a bad idea. As her mom, I knew better than to let her get on this ride, but the kid in me who was on vacation thought otherwise... 

I looked at her tiny frame in that adult-sized seat and worried she'd fall right out. I kept thinking, where's the 5-point harness?! Alas, my arm would have to do.

Favorite picture. Ever.

Fun never fails to wear kids out!

Later that evening, we went down to Tim's old neighborhood! It seemed like most of it hadn't changed because he still remembered where everything was - the alley where he used to play, the small grocery store he used to walk to, and the building that had once been a video arcade. It was a surreal experience for me, having never seen the places he grew up, and probably just as surreal for him, too! I'm grateful for this part of our vacation...

Tim's old school!

Just beyond that gate is the house he and his mom had lived in :)

Day 3, July 6th

We headed out to the San Diego Temple, and the whole time we were there Tim and I kept thinking, Next time we come here, we need to travel with another family...so that they can watch our kids while we're in the temple and vice versa!

~Families are Forever~

We had the rest of the day to do whatever we wanted, so we went to a beach (of course)!

Coronado Beach...

Thank you, San Diego. It was a much needed vacation after the events of the last couple of months, and a welcome reprieve from the Arizona heat! We'll have to do this again. 

Love, the Sweets