Cute Kids, Smart Mom!

Spring 2010

Kyla 7yrs (2nd grade)

Camden 6yrs (Kindergarten)

Durham 5yrs (PreK)

So it was Spring Picture time at the kids school...not a very easy time for the pocket book! Some would say your kids pics are priceless, especially those that come around twice a year documenting the inevitable growing up of our babies. Although I am that sucker that countinues to shell out the cash, for the sake of tradition, to see my beautiful children captured in time with the awkward smile, forced uncomfortable pose, backed by some hideous background, and taken right after either lunch (stained shirts) or PE (red face and crazy hair) or BOTH, this year I decided to buck the system! After calculating that I would have to spend almost $100 and still not get enough pictures to share with family, and nothing larger than a 3x5 (seriously! ) I decided to "volunteer" on picture day, and instead of buying 3 packages, I just bought 1 big one and made them throw all 3 of my kiddos in it! I think it turned out pretty cute! My Elementary School babies! We'll see if I can squeeze Marshall in there too in a couple of years. :)

Missing My Hubby

Eric has been out of town a lot...I miss him! But, I guess I can start catching up on my blogs... I was going through pics and found some of this year's joint birthday celebration. We had such a great time, BUT it only made me miss him more. :( We went to San Antonio and stayed on the Riverwalk at the Westin...it was sooo nice. It was just a quick weekend getaway, we only stayed two nights, but it was so nice to just be together with no responsibilities and no schedule. We delayed our checkout time 3 or 4 times! :)

We took a took a ride in the evening on one of the riverboats, and got to see the sights in the evening light and all light up at dark--it was beautiful. It's funny how just being alone and only having to worry about the moment, can make everything seem peaceful and beautiful. I think too often we spend each moment stressing about the next, then life just passes us by...

One morning we got to sleep in (that NEVER happens) and had brunch at a neat little resturant on the river. We sat on the balcony over looking the river and passersby. It was so beautiful and so peaceful, and so yummy! I LOVE brunch!

We went up on the Hemisphere Needle in HemisFair Park and even though Eric is absolutely TERRIFIED of heights (and No it absolutely does not make him less manly :)...He says that when you are as big as he is safety railings don't seem quite so stable--silly boy!) He braved the walk around several times so I could check out all the views! Thanks babe!

We did it all--HemisFair Park, the RiverCenter, The Riverwalk, The Market, The Villitas, The Alamo...It was fun to have my own private tour guide. I don't know why, but I have never been to the Riverwalk as an adult, but being the SUPERNERD hubby that he is (a VERY SEXY quality) he knew everything about everything, the history of the Alamo, Texas, the architecture of the buildings, the development of the Riverwalk, the aquaphor--you name it he knows it! I always laugh when we watch the Big Bang Theory on TV cause that's HIM. Only cute and athletic too. I always tell him that he's the whole package, and he laughs (gorgeous dimples) and says I just have low expectations and was homeschooled for too long! I don't think so! Man I miss him, this blogging thing is only making it worse!

Happy Birthday to US!!!

What the Mach's have been up to. . .

Haven't blogged in a while, so I have some catching up to do...it seems that when too many things happen at once and I take too many pictures, I get overwelmed and just avoid my blog altogether!!! We've had fieldtrips, birthdays, a retirement party for Eric's Dad, Easter (pics still to come), Spring Sing, and surely there's been more. But between all the major events, we've made a little time for some fun "minor" events. . . The boys play in the water and mud almost everyday. They LOVE it, but it makes for lots of LAUNDRY!!! :(
Durham's favorite thing to do is SOAK little brother Marshall

Ashley has been practicing driving, and she's gotten a lot better! Although, I'd stay off the roads for a while! J/K :)

Pa let her drive his big diesel dulley--she loved it! She says she wants a Dulley Truck, um, have you seen the price tags on those babies??? Maybe not anytime soon!

The little girls have been busy making "Lemonade" stands! The actual beverage varies by the day, and Daddy put a big kink in their idea to set the stand out by the highway, but they've made a pretty good haul from parents and grandparents willing to empty their pockets for a half drank glass on koolaid! My little entrepeneurs!

They have all also been lobbying for animal rights causes...Kyla wants to be a vegetarian, except she says she'll still eat chicken :) and...

They want to keep ALL of the 5 kittens, AND the additional stray cat that showed up two weeks ago--that makes SEVEN cats! "What if someone tried to take one of us away from our family???" Smart girls, but mom has no pity for more mouths to feed, and more poop to clean up..AND Kyla wants a DOG for her birthday! Where am I, a ZOO???

So, to all who wonder, we are still alive and still having fun! Keep checking, lots more posts and pics to come!

MARCH 30, 2009

Durham's 1st Birthday
Handsome Boy

Durham's 3rd Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DURHAM

4 years old

DURHAM'S STORY:

Durham comes in number 4 following THREE sisters!!! I still remember when we went in for the ultrasound and the tech said, "it looks like a boy"! Eric and I just stared at each other like "did we hear her right? Surely she doesn't know what she's talking about--we only have GIRLS" We had already decided he was going to be a girl, and we'd have "The Mach Girls". Eric said he loved the girls, and it didn't matter if he ever had a boy! Well...I think he told at least three people on the way out of the hospital, and the usually shy Eric would strike up conversations with strangers just to tell them he was having a SON! Since then, EVERYTHING has CHANGED in out family dynamic!! Our calm pink inspired and Barbie cluttered house is no longer!!! Durham has brought balls, trucks, noise, and chaos into our family, and we love every minute of it, wall almost every minute! :)

My first boy, I love doing his hair--for the first couple of years I spiked it all over, it reminded me of a little lion! The boy was known for his hair, I cried when I cut it, but Eric said it was "out of control". Now, per Durham's request, I only spike the front! He says he likes it "cool"!

He is VERY SMART! He is definately a thinker! I am always asking him how he knows the things he knows, to which he assures me, "Because I MART!" He loves to talk and tell stories, he speaks v e r y s l o w l y so we can be sure to understand him clearly, but FYI, DO NOT INTERUPT!!! Any interuption will result in him having to "START ALL OBER"! So before you start a conversation with out sweet boy, make sure you have plenty of time to listen.

He is ALWAYS jumping off of things, tons of energy! He just got a new bike, and he launches himself down the hill full speed, whereas the girls still try to avoid the hill all together.

He is a very sweet boy, when we put hin to bed at night, I always say "goodnight handsome", to which he replys "goodnight butiful"! He always offering hugs and kisses, and when we drop the girls off at school he make sure he tells each off them "Have a good day, I love you!" The ladies in the drop off lines think he's a doll!

My precious baby boy, I love you so much and you bring so much joy into our family!

HAPPY 4TH BIRHTDAY1

Durham's 4th Birthday Party

Durham decided that this year he would have a Thomas the Train Birthday. He loves his trains, in fact he has had a Thomas birthday before, but you can never have enough trains!!!

He wanted a Thomas cake, but when we went to order, they didn't have Thomas stuff, but not to worry he searched through the book and found a really cool TRANSFORMER cake. But alas, it was not to be, no Transformer available either...sooo, we found a cool MACH 5 SPEEDRACER cake!!! Yeah, we are MACH'S, that will be awesome--we ordered it, and headed to Party City to get the decor--evidently Speedracer is too old, no Speedracer wah, wah,wah :(

Mom to save the day, we just ordered the Thomas cake somewhere else, duh! On with the show! Thomas the Train Cake and PRESENTS!

What do teenagers do at a 4 year old's birthday party??? Make faces in the camera, vulture around the snack table, eat all the strawberries, and make faces into the camera! But they wouldn't miss Durham's Birthday!

ALL ABOARD!!! The party favorite was the "train station"! The kids were constantly lining up for a ride on the train--Durham decided that since he was the birthday boy he never had to get off the train, so he road again and again and again. What a great Dad for making the rounds!

Durham did an AMAZING job hitting the mark on "pin the number on Thomas". Did he peek??? We'll never tell :)

Taking off the blind fold to admire his mad sticking skills

Dad, Mom, and the BIRTHDAY BOY!

Daddy and his first born son, the son he thought he'd never have!

Durham on the tree swing

Dad was working all the rides, perhaps he has a future with one of those traveling carnivals? "Eric the Carnie"

The kids really liked the jump castle too...when the train rides where closed.

Marshall thought the cake was pretty good! He's just saving some frosting for later.

Durham and his friend Max enjoying the cake and icecream.

Blowing the candles--MAKE A WISH!

It was a fun party. This was the first year that Durham really had an opinion about how he wanted his party to go. He loved having so many of his friends over and being the center of attention. He deserves it, He's a really good kid! I love you Durham, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Announcing Our Newest Arrivals...

Our house has attracted cats that seem to mulitiply before, so we were not suprised, but when we finally were cat free and loving it, we came home one day to the cutest little baby kitty at our door. She warmed our hearts with her sweetness. The kids codddle and care for her and she follows them around the yard like a puppy. They named her "Socky". We decided to keep her, but procrastinated a little too long before taking her to the vet to get "fixed" She grew plumper and plumper--I felt sorry for her, I've been there!

Well, the very much anticipated time has finally arrived, anticipated by everyone EXCEPT Mom! Our, or should I say "the" so as not to accept ownership, stray cat decided that she would bless our home with five little kittens--FIVE!!!

The girls were soo excited!!! They made her a little box to sleep in with her kittens and decorated it with stickers and polk-a-dots
FIVE! What a convenient number...five kittens, five Mach kids! They each picked out their favorite. Dad thinks it's pretty cute, Mom thinks she already has enough to feed and clean up after!!! Anyone need a Kitty???

Where have I gone wrong?

So Kyla, my sweet but notheless sassy 6 year old has been having a hard time lately. Whenever I pick her up from school she throws a fit because some kid brought a dog to show and tell..."It's not fair, why does EVERYONE have a dog except me? All I have is a cat, and she doesn't like it when I walk her. I WANT A DOG!!!" or she wants a neighbor "How come I can't go to a friends house, why do I not have neighbors, it's NO FUN!" or she wants a slush "Can we go to Sonic? Why not? Why do you never have any money? I want to go to SONIC!" all followed by the most horrific whining any human being could possibly stand without just throwing themselves off of a cliff!!! I can't figure it out, except maybe it is time for SUMMER! Then again, will that just mean I have 8 more hours in the day to listen to the complaints?

Anyway, today when I picked her up, and endured the "Why did Camden have to come too?" and the "I want to go to Jade's house" and "I don't want to go to gymnastics, I want to quit!" I got to glimpse her folder...where there is normally a proudly displayed sticker signifying a great day at school, there was the words written in disapproving black ink:

FIGHTING ON THE PLAYGROUND

What???? This is the FIRST GRADE, has my precious girl gone juvenile delinquent on me???

After the shock wore off I asked Kyla what happened, and with whom she was fighting? She said she was "wrestling" with Dylan and she didn't know that she wasn't supposed to. I've got to check this story out with the teacher tomorrow, but I'm not sure which is worse, fighting or wrestling with a BOY on the playground. Does anyone have their copy of the Parenting Handbook, I seem to have misplaced mine?!?!

Spring Break Part 2: Jetskiing

We went back to the lake Saturday. We had the boat and both jetskiis out again, this time it was even COLDER!!! I didn't get a lot of pics, water and cameras don't tend to mix too well, but we had TONS of fun!!! Daddy and Durham

Everyone rode the jetskiis, this time I was wearing a wetsuit--much more enjoyable!!! Especially when my little brother TYLER was on the other jetski trying to splash, play chicken, or just out right CRASH into me (not safe!!!) to get me to fall off and WET. We all had our share of time floating in the freezing water, and getting back on these things in the middle of the lake is NOT an easy task! However even Hypothermia can't stop the Mach's from enjoying SPRING BREAK 2009!

Why Blogger, WHY???

Why Blogger do you refuse to let me post more than 5 pictures at a time??? Do my pictures not look cute enough?

Why Blogger do you torment me with picture posts that never come out in the order I think they are going to? Do you have a secret shuffle button just for fun?

Why Blogger do you not allow me to preform the simple function of moving my pictures around in my post, then I least I would be able to forgive the shuffle button?!

Why blogger do you make it impossible for me to post a single post in less than 2 HOURS? I really would rather spend that time making more memories to post!!!

I LOVE my blog! I love to look back at all the memories made, but I swear one day blogger and I are going to have to throw down!!! OR...perhaps I'm just an idiot!!!

Spring Break

Okay, let me just vent!!! This picture was set in the middle of this post, then when I was trying to delete all the spaces that love to appear for no reaseon in the post the pic got deleted, and of course I can't put it back where it goes because blogger cannot seem to perform the basic function of moving pics within the document, sooo if anyone knows any tricks, PLEASE tell me, because I am about to pull my hair out and it shouldn't take all day to post one blog!!!!


That being said, we had a fabulous first half of spring break. This is a pic of the kids tubing!

Monday night we decided to join my family up at Lake Summerville. We packed up and arrived at the campsite in just enough time to set up camp and go to sleep. Setting up tents in the dark isn't exactly the most easy of tasks but we had fun! It's been a while since we went camping and our family has grown--we discovered we don't all fit in our tent anymore, or at least not unless we pack in like sardines. So the first night we were the Mach Sardines! We had two queen sized air matresses and a port-a-crib for Marshall.
The three little ones slept on one matress and Ashley and Mom on the other...Dad ended up on the floor after Ashley got stung by a bug and refused to sleep alone!

So the next night Ashley and Mckenzie slept in Ashley's 3 man tent which worked out well, but we missed having her snuggled up with us. That morning the boys thought they were sleeping in too late and decided to take down the tent while they were still in it!!! Not happy campers!

What a cute couple!!!

Ashley hauling down the tube...AGAIN.

Mister Marshall Man

Durham spent most of his time digging in the sand

Camden smiling for the camera

Kyla collected shells, and carried them around everywhere in her little blue basket.
Now we have a bucket of sandy shells proudly displayed in the house

"THE BOAT"

This bad boy seats 18 people and has tanks that fill up to make the wakes bigger for death defying wakeboarding and terrifying tubing...it's a BLAST!!!

Mom and the little girls tubing with Quinten and August

Ashley and McKenzie excited to be on the boat

Beautiful Beach Babes

The boys LOVE being on the boat, I think it's funny they look so disgruntled in this pic, maybe they wanted to go tubing?!?

That's better! However, note the sweaters...it was FREEZING cold!!! The sun did not decide to come out until almost 2pm! But we didn't let it deter us from having fun!

Captain Pa

****THIS IS WHERE THE TOP PICTURE BELONGS!!! UUGH!!!****

Teenage Tubing Mania

(August,Tommy,Tyler,McKenzie,Ashley,Quinten,Kyle)

Ashley narrowly escaping a freezing cold dunk...run Ashley run!

The Mach kids enjoying the sun and sand!
Lake Summerville