Southern Nevada Regionals....

Yesterday was the SNWA regional championships. As a team we had an awesome day! Out of the 35 wrestlers we took 20 of those were 1st place champions.
Once again Brandon wrestled in the 50 pound bantam bracket going up against kids who outweighed him by a good ten pounds. His championship round was against a boy who had beaten him all season in this bracket. After a pep talk from coach daddy he finally let go of the fact that the boy was just stronger then he was and used his technique and he won! This makes him a 3 time regional champion! Of course to us he is always a champion.

Diva..

Alyssa...

I'm so excited to share this. We were waiting to see how she would do and if this was something she was ready for...and she is. So, Alyssa is taking private dance lessons with dancing genius, Rick Faugno. He's the leading man in Jersey Boys at the Palazzo and has an extensive back ground in dance. He made his Broadway debut at 12 years old. Google his name...he's an amazing performer.
We are VERY excited for the opportunity and hope this is a stepping stone that will allow Alyssa to nurture her passion for dance and achieve her dream.

Alyssa...

I saw this and thought it was so funny and so true on some things. The "home" one is my favorite. Just ask my kids. I've done my fair share of hiding and I'm not afraid to admit it. :)

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Child

- Your Clothes:

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

- Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember breathing
didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

-The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and
fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean &discard
only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

-Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up
the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when their wails threaten to wake your
firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical
swing.

-Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you
can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with
some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

-Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need
it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain
about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

- Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby
Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

- Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call
home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a
number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
blood.

- At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older
child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

- Swallowing Coins:

1st child: when first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: when second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for
coin to pass.
3rd child: when third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
allowance!!

California Super Tournament

On Friday Jeff, Brandon and a few boys from Team GV headed out to Southern California for the California Super Tournament.
Brandon wrestled yesterday and took 1st place!
He has been training hard for this for the last few weeks. Not only has he been hustling in practice but he's been working at home with daddy and Alyssa and running on the treadmill. He really wanted his belt...and as you can see from the picture, he got it!
I'm always proud of Brandon. Winning or losing he always gives it his all. He's my little champion and I am so proud of him!

Lent...

The season of Lent is here again. I like this time of year, it always makes me stop and think and usually centers my life once again.
We struggled this year with making the decision on what we should give up. Video games, Starbucks, fast food, cell phones. The kids and I talked in great lengths about doing something that would, if even in a tiny little way, be our thanks to Jesus and the ultimate sacrifice that he made for us. Let's face it, nothing could really pay him back for that.
This year we have decided to read from the bible. Every night. As a family.
We've become so busy and tangled in this web of hurry up and go that somehow we have lost sense of what is real and important. It will be tough some nights. Mainly on my part. Some nights, after I have been away from the house for 14 hours, I get home and just want the kids to shower and get in bed. My endless list of chores is almost always calling my name and I just want to be left alone.
I'm hoping that we can carry this tradition even after the 40 days of Lent. I miss my nights of reading to the kids and not feeling so frazzled. Though I know it will be an adjustment for us I feel like this is a good way to celebrate the season.

What a week...

I do try to keep my blog updated. Even if it's just stuff that is important/interesting to me and my family. I use this as a way to look back and remember things that I may otherwise forget...
That being said, here is a recap of our last week.

Alyssa-
She went on her special school outing Friday. They went to Sunset Station to go bowling and eat lunch at the buffet. All the kids who made straight A's were invited. She had a great time. What an awesome (do kids still use that term?) reward for all her hard work!

Brandon-
Much to his dismay, we skipped out on the tournament Saturday. He has quite the cold that I'm sure he picked up from Gabriella. (more on that in a second :) ) He was pretty bummed out, but I pulled my mommy card and made the call to stay home. I'm sure one day soon he'll forgive me.
Daddy and Brandon are heading out Friday for a big tournament in California. The girls and I will stay back and go shopping. :)

Gabriella-
My poor little girl. First her hand and now...she’s sick. Last week she came down with a horrible cold. A trip to the doctor revealed double ear infections and a nasty case of RSV. She's on the mend now and back to her normal self.
Yesterday she found one of Jeff's GIANT black Sharpie markers and drew a beautiful mural on my living room floor. What a special surprise. Thanks to Mr. Clean and his Magic Eraser...it's pretty much just a memory now.
Her hand is coming along. I was lucky enough to take her to her therapy appointment yesterday. It was nice to see for myself the progress (or lack of in Gabriella's case) The scar tissue is coming back, which is not uncommon. Unfortunately it's pulling her finger down again. We'll continue to keep it in a splint and see the therapist on a weekly basis and wait and see what the surgeon has to say in the next few weeks. Thankfully she is an outstanding patient and just allows what needs to be done get done. If only we could figure out a way to get her to keep that darn splint on her hand!

I also have to give props to Jeffrey. For Valentines he got me a beautiful charm bracelet with three charms. A ballerina, a wrestler and a sun. The sun, in case you have no clue, is to represent Gabriella. I've sang the song You are My Sunshine to her from the time she was born. I love it! So thoughtful :)

That's about all the excitement. To sum it up our week was full of sick kids, antibiotics and breathing treatments. I made it through...in one piece and I have lived to do it all again. I'm a lucky girl!!

2/6 Wrestling....

It wouldn't be a weekend without wrestling!
On Saturday Brandon wrestled. Once again Jeff put him in the 50's bracket. This week he had 16 kids in his bracket...
He took 1st place!!
He had some really tough matches but still pulled it off. I am so proud of him. He works so hard all week in practice, keeping up with the "big" guys and his effort pays off.
Way to wrestle, Mambo!!

YAY Alyssa...

I know it seems during wrestling season Alyssa gets pushed aside. Let me reassure you...that is not the case. She's been busy doing dance and dance and even more dance! She's had some exciting experiences the last few weeks as well. She's an incredibly gifted dancer. I'm sure she got that from me. :)

I am also proud to say she made all A's again last semester, with doing so she was invited to go for a day of bowling and lunch with the school. Of course she is very much looking forward to going. What a great reward for working so hard. I know it's been a juggling act for her to keep her grades up with the schedule that she has, but she has managed to do it! Way to go Peanut!

Gabriella Update...

Today was Gabriella's first day of physical therapy for her hand. It's healing...
as you can imagine making a 2 year old keep a splint on her hand is a challenge. Hopefully it won't be much longer. She will continue to see the physical therapist on a weekly basis until who knows when.
We're also experiencing the wonderful stage known as terrible twos.
It's been awhile and sometimes I wonder if Brandon has really ever out grown this stage...but I don't remember any of my kids ever being as....hmmm, trying to think of a politically correct word...demanding and moody as Gabriella. Waking up after nap is the worst part of the day. She will cry and carry on for a good half hour and leaving the room and ignoring her does not help. She'll just follow you and bring her attitude right along.
Aside from those moments where I swear I'm going to tear my hair out she still is a sweetie. She knows what she wants and she knows how to get it.
Her current favorite activities is playing in her Rose Petal Cottage, playing little people, pushing Olivia Pig around in her stroller or shopping cart, whatever the occasion may be, she also enjoys coloring on her legs. The latter of the two seems to be her favorite of them all.
Ahhh, the sweet life of raising a toddler!

Just Because

Gabriella Update

I know you all know that Gabriella had her hand surgery last week on the 25th. We are now a week out, besides the dressing that still covers her poor hand she's good as new and back to her old self. That medication sure did a number on her mood.
I still can't believe that the entire incident even took place, I'm so thankful for how things have turned out. Though she ended up needing surgery and will for the next several years to come we're grateful that she has her hand in tact. It's not her writing hand and most importantly not the thumb sucking hand either. Thank God for blessings both big and small.