The Owens Family

Pumpkins and Power Tools

2011-10-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

According to my boys, pumpkin carving is much more fun with a power tool. I have to admit, we had a good time.
When Casey picked up the drill, with gunk removing attachment securely in place, we all cleared the room. The boy makes me nervous.

Kyla picked the tiniest pumpkin ever. She's got a soft spot for cute things.

I think we're ready for Halloween!

July 4th 2011

2011-07-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful family day celebrating the independence and freedom we have living in this great country. We had a great day on the lake then went home to enjoy BBQ, cornhole, and of course, fireworks. We even found a scared, runaway puppy and searched the neighborhood for her owners. All in all, another great day in the Owens family! Pictures speak a thousand words.....

My Babies

2011-04-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have really been reflecting lately on the lives of my kids and wondering where in the world time has gone. I can hardly believe that I have two teenagers. It feels like just yesterday that these two amazing young adults were babies. I long for those years, but I'm so excited to see who they will become as adults.

Kyla has progressed so much this past year. She's always been shy about sharing her artwork and creativity, but recently she's been working on multimedia presentations for a preschool class. She developed a website with a few of her stories. She reluctantly gave me permission to share the website with "grandparents, aunts, and uncles". If you aren't one of those people......shhhhh! :) I won't tell if you don't!

https://sites.google.com/site/multimediaowens/

We were extremely proud to watch Casey's induction ceremony tonight into the National Junior Honor Society. He was nominated based on his grades, character, and leadership qualities. The lighting wasn't that great for the pictures below, but maybe you can zoom in. I am so proud of Kyla and Casey for the wonderful people they have become. I thank God for the priviledge of being their mommy.

Snow Days

2011-01-23T12:56:00.001-08:00

We have been enjoying several days at home relaxing due to the snow. Other than a trip to the bowling alley and a trip to church this morning, we have been enjoying the excuse to stay home, play games, and be lazy!

Charlie LOVES the snow. He runs around in it so fast that it's hard to get a good, focused picture!

If you sit down at the computer desk, Skippy is sure to find your lap.

Setting up for a Wii challenge.

Minute to Win It!!!

2011-01-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2010

2010-12-29T16:59:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday with all 3 of my brothers and their loved ones. Unfortunately mom and dad couldn't make it this year, but we have lots of pictures to share to help them feel as if they were here with us. Most of my pics I posted to facebook, but decided to put a few here as well.

Cory's girlfriend, Kristen, gave Casey several hairstyles during the week, and this is one of them.

Cornhole, my new favorite game!!

Cory and Kristen

Gingerbread house decorating!

Jackson dressing himself for some outdoor play!

My man, Bran, home from Iraq in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So much fun with such a great family. It was a wonderful holiday season this year!

Better Late Than Never

2010-07-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Branson with Brandon's mom. It was our first time to Branson, and we had a lot of fun. Our first stop was the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum.

I knew I was short, but this is embarrassing!

Sexy!!

We also got to see the Dixie Stampede, but no pictures were allowed inside. This is everyone leaving the arena through the horse corral.

On the way home we enjoyed this beautiful double rainbow...this picture doesn't do it justice, it was gorgeous!

4th of july celebration in kansas city

2010-07-06T17:08:00.000-07:00

we celebrated the 4th of july in kansas city with brandon's family this year. it was very bittersweet enjoying the company, but without brandon there to celebrate with us. i'm very proud of him.
enjoying the sun in grandma and grandpa's pool is always a recipe for a good time

grant got to appear in liberty's 4th of july parade and he did such a great job!

casey and grandpa owens

sophia was able to ride home and spend a couple of days here at our house. she has been so much fun!!

4th of july celebration in nebraska

2010-07-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

we had a wonderful 4th of july visit in kansas city with bran's side of the family and in nebraska with my brother pete's family. this is my newest nephew, jordan.
casey and kyla had a lot of fun with their cousin, jackson. he turned 2 while we were there!

kyla and jenny made a delicious lemon ice cream cake for jackson's birthday.

jordan and i

we did fireworks on the night of the 3rd. jackson hated the sound but loved the light so he watched safely from behind the living room window!

blueberries

2010-06-28T14:42:00.001-07:00

we took at trip out to a berry farm with some good friends, and although it was extremely hot, even in the evening, we had a great time.
my friend josie and i

kyla and shannon have been friends since they were toddlers!

more blueberries went in casey's mouth or were tossed at his friend lori than went in the bucket, but we still managed to get enough to make ice cream, which was my reason for going in the first place!

the kids

casey and mike jumping off hay bales....good day! thanks josie for your company and for cheering me up!

visit with pete, jenny, and the boys

2010-06-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

we had a wonderful visit this past week with pete, jenny, jackson, and the newest addition to the family, baby jordan.

smiling!

our buddy, jackson (a.k.a. baby j) when i would leave the room i would hear jackson call out "misty oh misty. i love you!" or "misty oh misty, where are you" so precious!

casey with his cousins.

my nephews with their dad, my little brother pete

my awesome sister-in-law, jenny

vacation can be hard work! can't wait to see all 3 of my nephews and my niece next week....it will totally be worth all the the driving! love you guys!

week at grandma and grandpa's house

2010-06-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

we drove up to spend a few days with brandon's parents. it was a much needed getaway! kyla and casey were "saving" bugs as they floated past in the pool. i'm pretty sure grandma would have just let them die.....poor bugs. they are probably eating her shrubs as we speak. too much fun for one backyard

casey spent a good part of the afternoon imitating "fred" from youtube. if you don't know fred, look him up.....hilarious. ummm, i just asked my kids how to spell "youtube" and they called me an old lady.....ok, on to the next caption.....

my beautiful mother-in-law, linda

my awesome nephew, grant, who was quite witty this trip!

casey and sweet sophia, after he accompanied her to swimming lessons. thanks everyone for a fun week!

even charlie had fun!

casey the photographer

2010-06-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

casey has been really into the idea of being a photojounalist lately, just like his uncle cory, and has been lookin for willing "models" and things in nature to practice his photography skills on. dressed for church and with freshly curled hair (i'm trying one new thing each day with my gimp hand, and curling hair was today's challenge) he went to work. these pics are for bran, but i was impressed with the photography and lighting skills of my boy and decided to share.

once the dog decided to cop a feel and try to get himself into every shot, we had to shut down the operation, but it was way fun while it lasted.

the casinator, photographer extraordinaire!

incredible pizza

2010-06-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

we recently visited incredible pizza during one of our trips to the ortho center in springfield. the kids had a blast and it was fun seeing them enjoy it so much. i didn't get a picture, but casey's favorite attraction was laser tag. he's pretty sure that's his new favorite thing.

go carts!

fun in the arcade

say cheese :)

charlie and casey have been best buddies since bran left. someone had to take over the job and i was pretty sure it wasn't going to be me. charlie is also finally becoming friends with skippy, our cat. the other cat is another story! 1 out of 2 aint bad.

walking the dog

i finally got my pins out of my finger this week, and i am so happy about that. i still have a small splint because there were several little bones that are in the right places at the moment but could easily move. now onto the stage of physical therapy which is a delicate balance between getting the finger moving without causing further damage. i am very happy to be on the downhill stretch of recovery. i have a long way to go, but i'm pretty sure the hardest stages are behind me. thanks for all your prayers! i had a video for you but couldn't get it to publish.....you're probably better off that way!

god's grace

2010-05-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

i don't know why i've been putting it off, but it's been a really long time since i updated the blog. i guess maybe i don't want to be reminded of the past couple of months. brandon left for ft. hood, then iraq mid-march. this isn't our first separation by any means, but is by far proving to be the most difficult. i can't really describe the feeling of having to say goodbye to your best friend, knowing you will have to live without him for an entire year. that feels unbearably long.

support came in a hurry and we were blessed by many visits from the people we love. my mom actually left her job twice to come out and help us through the most difficult transition.

my brother, dustin, came out and we've also been able to meet him in st. louis for some fun as well.

my wonderful mother-in-law also came down several times in the last couple of months to help us out for different reasons, and even brought the old man with her once to help mow the yard and do some other things around the house.

my adorable nephew jackson, my brother pete, and sister-in-law jenny were also much welcome visitors to our home. unfortunately, an unexpected surgery caused me to miss a visit up to see my newly born nephew, jordan. that problem will be rectified asap!!

with the help of my mom and mother-in-law, i was able to fly out and see brandon in texas one final time before he flew to iraq. very bittersweet to see him and be with him, but have to say goodbye yet again.

i want to thank not only the wonderful family that has been to the house, but all of the friends and family that have supported and continue to support our family from near and far. we are making steps in the right direction with god's help and i know he has a wonderful plan in mind for my family.......i started to doubt it when i continued to struggle with panic attacks, continued back problems, a badly broken finger, and backing our new aspen into a telephone pole, but god is good and has humbled me and taught me many lessons through these trials.

i am blessed beyond words for two children that love me despite my many flaws and help me daily to reach a place of peace and contentment. i'm not there yet, but i know i'll get there. maybe it will take a year to get there, but i trust in god to care for brandon overseas and care for us at home. i know i can do all things through christ who strenghthens me.

Happy Birthday Casey and Sophia!

2010-03-03T10:40:00.001-08:00

My baby boy turned 12 this past weekend! He's grown a few inches taller this year and is sporting a deeper voice. Casey and his cousin Sophia have birthdays only one week apart so this year we had a little celebration to honor them both.
Grandma Owens ordered a delicious cake.

Casey, Sophie, Grant, and Aunt Sheryl checking out the new gifts.

I couldn't resist adding this picture........beautiful Sophia.

It was a wonderful birthday weekend! Happy Birthday Nate-Nate!

Just one good picture

2010-02-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

Just one decent family picture before Brandon leaves for Iraq. Is that too much to ask? Yeah, a "sort of nice" family picture......finally. Look below to see the process. Do you see what I have to deal with?
Dork Dog

Seriously??

Nice double chin, lady.

Huh, did it click yet?

This is painful.

Gearing up...

2010-02-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, Brandon picked up his deployment gear from CIF today. It's only a few short weeks away from his trip to the sandbox. Although we aren't looking forward to the separation, the kids decided to have some fun and gear up to see what it would feel like to wear all that poundage. Even empty, this ruck sack nearly pulled Kyla over backwards.

Suiting up.

Some pictures from family game day.

New Year

2010-01-03T17:13:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!! Our new year started with a sleep deprivation experiment that Casey is working on for the science fair. This is a picture of him struggling through a timed math test in the wee hours of the morning.
We did quite a few home projects during our two week break including caulking the tub, fixing the jetted tub pump, blowing over a foot of extra insulation into the attic, cleaning the garage, ordering new bedroom linens, and installing new hardware on the kitchen cabinets and drawers. Owning your own home is both rewarding and exhausting! Here is a before picture of our new cabinet hardward.....

....and after. Simple and functional....we love it!

Kyla and Casey modeling their new glasses from Grandma M.

We got a little bit of snow today. It was enough to have a little fun with.

Our snow bunny.

The kids quickly realized our back yard has way too many trees for sledding and they headed out through the neighborhood in search of the perfect hill.

Even Chobie loves the snow!

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Memories

2009-12-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year and it all started with a visit from the Fergusons and Brandon's parents. No family gathering at the Owens' house is complete without a few rounds of guitar hero. Casey was sporting his new hairdo for the event.
Casey and Sophia rocked it out. I didn't get Grant in the picture singing, but he had some lungs!

Opening presents.

Gingerbread house making was lots of fun and the kids got very creative.

Grant made a mall, Kyla made a restaurant, Sophia made a house, and Casey made a church.

Best buddies.

The relatives went home on Christmas Eve day due to nasty weather conditions so we woke up on Christmas morning, just the 4 of us. There was a beautiful layer of white on the ground and ice crystals floating around in the air. It was a perfect setting to a wonderful morning with Bran and the kids. Since Brandon will miss next Christmas, it was extra special to us to spend this time together.

.......and no Owens blog is complete without a dog picture......there ya go. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas family and friends! I know many of you check our blog often, but for those that are visiting for the first time this year, a family update is in order. This past May, we were stationed to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and in many ways it was like coming home. This is the place where Kyla was born and the place where our children spent many of their childhood years. It will be the place where Kyla graduates high school in a few short years.
Casey started 6th grade this year and has been working on his big Science Fair Project. He is a precious boy, kind-hearted in every way. Casey has been enjoying building new relationships at his new school.

Kyla started her first year of high school this year as a Freshman. She has been researching colleges and looks forward to learning to drive next summer. This beautiful young lady is growing up to be everything we hoped for.

Brandon is working at the MP schoolhouse developing curriculum for the CID courses this year. Unfortunatley, we got the news that he will be deploying this spring to Iraq for a year. We are confident that God has a special plan for our family and I know that our prayers for peace will be answered as we work our way through this challenge. Although we aren't looking forward to the separation, we are proud to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and looking forward to the newfound strength that we are sure to find through the hardship.

I am teaching this year in 4th grade and really enjoying the challenge, much to my surprise. It's a blessing to be at the same school as Casey this year. I was hesitant to leave the little guys in 1st grade, but find this new age group interesting and fulfilling.

The newest addition to our family this year was our Golden Retriever puppy, Charlie. After losing our good friend, Jake, a year ago, it was a blessing to have Charlie join our family.

I am grateful this year to celebrate the birth of the Savior that eventually led to the death of the Savior, a gift of grace to us all. Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year!

Love, The Owens Family

Thankful

2009-11-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

Our family has been incredibly blessed this year in many ways, and I am very thankful for these blessings. I am thankful for our new home, a good new job that helps support my family, great children that never cease to amaze me, and a husband that I couldn't imagine going through life without.....oh yeah, and Charlie. :) Unfortunately, we found out recently that Brandon will be deploying to Iraq for a year next March......maybe that's why I'm feeling so sappy! We ask for prayers as we work through this challenge and also prayers for Brandon's safety.
Kyla and Casey have been growing and changing in many ways this past year. They have stepped up to become more active members in decision making and taking care of the house. They are responsible and amazing. I am thankful beyond words for these two wonderful people.

Adding to the list of things I'm thankful for is my extended family. I have two wonderful parents and 3 brothers that I love dearly. My parents in-law are and have always been great friends to me. I am also thankful for the brother-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law that I consider my siblings. I am also blessed to be the aunt of 2 nephews and a niece.....I can't imagine life before they were here! Unfortunately, we don't get to see all of our family each holiday, as we are spread so far out, but we were able to spend some quality time with the Owens side of the family this week during Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but here are few.

Brandon and his dad, Will. Two peas in a pod.

Despite the age gap, the kids always find a way to have fun together. This is Kyla, Casey, and Sophia dressing up.

We had a nice visit from Brandon's cousins, aunt & uncle, and grandma as well. Everyone brought a dog and Casey and Sophia kept charge of them. I think there were 5, but I lost count after 4.

Charlie and Maggie.....new best friends.

Fifteen

2009-11-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

Kyla turned 15 this week, and I can barely believe how quickly the time has passed. We had cake and presents on her actual birthday, and went to St. Louis to celebrate further this past weekend.

Walking Charlie downtown St. Louis before the big night out.

This is a cool view of the arch from our hotel. Casey was a gorilla and Kyla was a Japanese anime character that she made up herself.

Outside of TGI Fridays where we had dinner.

We went to the St. Louis City Museum, and it was about the strangest and coolest place I've ever been.

This is an indoor skatepark, but there were no skateboards. Instead, you swung on ropes, explored tunnels under the ramps, and slid down them.

This place was a series of underground and above ground wire tunnels and tubes. This is Brandon squeezing through one of the tubes, and this was not the tightest one! Some of the tubes went high into the sky over the parking lot and others went down underground.

We had a wonderful weekend....thanks Kyla for picking a great place to spend your birthday!

This and That

2009-10-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is just a hodge-podge collection of pictures from our family over the last couple of weeks.
Me and my good friend, Steven Jackson, just hangin' out.

My mom made these awesome curtains for my classroom and I couldn't be happier! The picture doesn't do it justice....they have a cute gingham background in the pleats that you can't see from the pic. I've had so many compliments on them....thanks mom!!

Casey and I headed to school....GO TIGERS!

Chobie, bobie, puddin' pie.

I was tickled pink when my 14 and 11 year-olds agreed to ride the cows.....what good sports!

Kyla and daddy waiting for Casey to finish up in the haunted house. Kyla drew the line at a blow-up bouncy house.

Pumpkin decorating.

The baby.

Kyla and Casey made a chocolate cookie haunted house....and it was delicious!

Go Rams!

2009-10-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I treated ourselves to a Rams game for an early anniversary present to each other. I can't think of a better way to spend time together with him...we were in heaven! For those that aren't football fans, you'll have to bear with me on this blog post.

We took our autograph ball hoping to meet one of the players, but they were a little busy.

From our seats on the 40 yard line.

The highlight of my day....Leonard Little. Love that guy!!!

The Rams Cheerleaders...well, a few of them.

Steven Jackson.....easily the toughest guy on the field, even in pink.

Coach Spagnulo giving Chris Long a pep talk.

Huddle

I hate to do this, but here's a picture of the enemy, Brett Favre (and Adrian Peterson in the background) practicing before the game. Even though they killed the Rams, it was still fun to see them too.

The Mendenhall Gang

2009-09-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Wow....what a great weekend I just had! I absolutely love getting together with my Mendenhall family because we always have such a good time. This is the best family shot we could muster....gotta love the Charlie profile and the blue "finger" that seemed to mysteriously make it into every shot.

I would not be complete without the relationships I have with these 3 boys. My brothers rock my socks off!

Here is a picture of us girls (we were horribly out-numbered). My mom is so very special to me and my sister-in-law fits right in to our group with ease. Congrats Jenny on baby #2!

No weekend would be complete without a moustache growing contest.

Grandma and the grandkids.....and yes, Charlie considers himself a grandchild.

I've never met such an easy going baby as my nephew, Jackson. He is so much fun and easily the life of the party. I love that little man!

Casey and Jack bonding.

Better Late Than Never!

2009-08-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

To those that are loyal followers of our family blog, I apologize for not updating in such a long time! Things have been a little crazy around here since school started. These pictures are a couple of weeks old, but this is the first chance I've had to post them. The weekend before school started, we took the kids to St. Louis.

We love the St. Louis Zoo and spent most of our day there, enjoying the animals.
We stopped by the Science Center for a few hours, which is always a good time! It hadn't changed much since the kids were little and we enjoyed the familiar exhibits.

First day of school! Ok, so it was a couple of weeks ago, but better late than never!

Most of us were thrilled to be going back to school.

Kyla absolutely loves high school and the whole academic part of it. She's still not sure why people think they need to socialize while they are there, but she gets along fine when she has to. Yep, that's my girl on the first day of school, hiding behind the mailbox while waiting for the bus. She's over the hiding thing now and at least makes it to the same side of the street as the other kids. Both kids have made a lot of progress since the first day and both love their teachers and classes. We are blessed to have such great kids that adapt so well to new surroundings. Hopefully this will be the last move for them for a long time!

Better late than never

2009-07-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

We finally got around to planting flowers, weeding, and doing all of the other things that most people do at the beginning of summer! I look at it as a head start for next summer! The kids are great helpers and always look for an excuse to get them off the computer and get some fresh air!
The boy doesn't like dirt, what can I say? He takes after his momma.

Well, I got a new haircut and a new job all in the same day!! I may look cross-eyed in this picture, but rest assured, it's a happy face! I feel very blessed and thank all of you for the prayers this summer through the interview process. Love you all!

Fun with the kids

2009-07-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

This week we had a wonderful visit with our niece and nephew. Unfortunately they had to go home a couple of days early because Uncle Brandon got sick, but we sure had fun while it lasted!
The kids had fun playing at the water spray park. Sophia was really excited that she got her face all wet without crying!

Walking down to the river.

The kids had fun wading in the river and throwing rocks.

Grant is an amazing little man with so many talents. He can tell time better than most kids his age that I've known. It was exciting to see him create and have fun.

Planting a flower for mommy.

Casey painting a dinosaur statue.

4 of my favorite people!

My guy

2009-07-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that I am married to the greatest man alive, and this week just happens to be his birthday.
First, we enjoyed a nice visit with Brandon's parents over the weekend.

My camera ran out of batteries for the "blowing out the candles" shot, but at least we got this picture of the delicious cake Kyla made for the occasion.

No party is complete without silly string.

Kyla waited until everyone else was almost out of string before she made her attack.

My guy. Happy Birthday Bran. We love you.

When momma's happy, everyone's happy!

2009-06-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

I just have to take a few minutes to brag on my family. I've been laid up for a few days from a little accident I had last week and have been so impressed with my family pitching in to take my place. Bran spent all day washing and sanding the deck (no...he wouldn't let me take a picture of him bare chested in knee pads and safety goggles) and the kids have been taking over all the indoor cleaning and cooking. Casey is now the laundry expert and even washed a blanket that Charlie had a little accident on!
Kyla is always baking up a storm, but she's been doing more than usual in the kitchen from baking, to cleaning, to dishes.

Casey has taken over dog duty and patiently takes Charlie out to use the bathroom and walks him around the block several times a day to get the exercise his little puppy body needs.

My other "son" is no help at all but he starts puppy classes tonight, so I'll be able to brag on him too in no time! I LOVE my family.

Father's Day Weekend

2009-06-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

This is the weekend that we celebrate all the wonderful daddies of the world. I am blessed that my kids have such a wonderful daddy. This is a hamburger ice cream cake that Kyla made for Bran to celebrate the occasion.

Casey got all the credit this year for picking out the gifts for dad. I was fresh out of good ideas so I left it up to him!

No family weekend is complete without a board game or two. Charlie thinks he should be allowed to play, too.

We started the weekend off with some new fishing equipment and lessons from dad on how to fish.

What a wonderful weekend with two great kids and an awesome husband!

Dog in the water = no fish

Charlie is "Bad to the Bone".

Just Us

2009-06-15T18:00:00.001-07:00

Posing for a quick picture before heading out the door to church.
Of course no trip out of the house is complete without Charlie taking a potty break first.

My family!

This is an actual, non-posed picture. I thought it was funny to see all 3 of them texting away at the same time! Bran was showing them how to use their new phones. We opted for a family cell plan rather than a land line. I obviously won't be posting the kid's new cell phone numbers online, but if you'd like any of our new numbers for your address book, let me know. We are officially available!

LiFe at HoMe in WaYnEsViLle

2009-06-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

We went for a little walk at the Waynesville City Park and Roubidoux River.

There's a new mini waterpark that Casey had to try out.

Charlie doesn't realize he's a golden retriever yet, so he's a little nervous about the water. Once he gets brave enough, we'll never be able to keep him out!

Casey enjoying his new loft bed.

Here's a partial view of Kyla's new room, too. They are both really enjoying their new rooms and home.

Charlie....or is it??

2009-06-05T08:25:00.001-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to the new addition to our family. This is Charlie, a 5 month old golden retriever. We lost our friend, Jake (another awesome golden), last year after 12 wonderful years of companionship. We are so excited to start this new chapter in our lives with a new friend that reminds us so much of Jake.

We've been calling this little guy, Charlie, but haven't settled on that name yet. The name he came to us with was "Comet", but we aren't sure about that. We also like "Blue", "Ben", and Casey's suggestion, "Jake Junior".

Charlie (for the sake of calling him something) loves his little orange friend and his bed.

We bonded with him right away, and he with us. The cats don't even seem to mind him too much (although they are a bit jealous to be honest)! The kids are at grandma and grandpa's house for the week and we can hardly wait for them to meet him!

Rock Sanctuary

2009-05-16T16:39:00.001-07:00

The kids and I spent the day at the "Rock Sanctuary" to do some rock climbing.
Kyla has some experience climbing from a field trip so she was given permission to train me how to belay and to strap us all in.

The pictures don't do it justice.....some of those walls were REALLY high! Casey was up in the rafters on this one!

Tight rope walking.

Another fantastic day with my wonderful kiddos!

Final Weeks

2009-05-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

The kids and I are enjoying our final weeks here in beautiful Monterey. We went to Kyla's school last night for her final Open House.
Kyla loves to cook so she chose a project that involved, what else.....cooking!

Casey enjoyed watching the science teacher demonstrate an underwater robot and show off some dry ice experiments.

Kyla and Casey have been great helpers this week getting my classroom cleaned out and organized. I'm very blessed to have such great people in my life.

26.2

2009-04-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

Brandon got up bright and early at 3:15 a.m. and I drove him to the Embassy Suites where he caught a bus to the starting line of the Big Sur Marathon. He waited around with the other anxious runners for over an hour in the cold until 6:45 when the race started. The kids and I waited for him at the finish line in Carmel.
Brandon ran 26.2 miles in about 4 hours 45 minutes. This is him coming out of the post-race munchie tent.

I am more proud of Brandon today than I have probably ever been before! He is so strong mentally and physically and I really admire him for this amazing accomplishment.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

We got dressed up in our California best (T-shirts and jeans) and headed to church this morning which was held at the highschool football field. We enjoyed a very wonderful Easter service on the metal bleachers together! We were blessed with beautiful weather and a wonderful message..... He is risen!!
The kids enjoyed dying eggs and we had a fun indoor egg hunt. Happy Easter everyone!

Fun with the Smiths

2009-03-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

We had an excellent visit with Brandon's aunt, uncle and mom this week. Here are a few more pictures of our visit. This a picture of us waiting for the sunset at Carmel Beach.
Brandon and I clowning around.

Casey and dad flying a kite.

My sweet boy.

Kyla and her uncle Kevin.

Family Time

2009-03-25T15:59:00.001-07:00

We have enjoyed a busy couple of weeks with family. We flew to Missouri last week to close on our house and were able to spend a few days with the cousins. This is Casey and Grant with their matching jammies.

Casey and his cousin Sophia have a special bond. They are so much alike and it's fun to see them get to know each other better.

My girl enjoying a nice bowl of popcorn in sweats and heels. Classy.

This week we are back in Monterey enjoying a visit with Bran's mom, his uncle Kevin and aunt Tammy.

Asilomar Beach...the fog finally broke just in time for us to leave the beach and find some lunch!

Birthday Boy

2009-03-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Our precious baby boy turned 11 this weekend.

Kyla worked hard at making Casey's cake as her birthday present to him.

Present #2, an original drawing from Kyla. This will be worth money someday!

Casey opted to have a special day out with a friend rather than a birthday party. We spent the day in Santa Clara at Dave & Busters with Casey's best friend.

Home Owners!

2009-02-05T19:55:00.001-08:00

We are so excited to FINALLY be home owners! Here are just a couple of pictures of the beautiful new home that we are so proud of. We will spare you the dozens of pictures we have saved on our hard drive! I wish I didn't have to wait 5 more months to move in!

A few more Christmas week pictures

2009-01-10T17:42:00.001-08:00

We haven't done a whole lot of picture worthy activities since my family left, so here are a few more pics I found from when they were here.
My boy.

Baby Jack giving Pete and Cory some wet willies.

Thanks for the jammies, grandma!

The girls at the beach.

2008-12-27T16:29:00.001-08:00

Family Pictures

2008-12-27T16:19:00.001-08:00

Cory (with his endless patience) took family pictures for us at Toro Park. I think he did an excellent job!

Adam and Eve reinactment

Left to Right: Cory, Misty, Brandon, Kyla, Casey, mom holding baby Jackson, Jenny and Pete below, grandpa in the tree, and Dusty

Dad and mom with us 4 kids

Fun with the Mendenhall gang

2008-12-24T10:59:00.001-08:00

We have been having such a fantastic time with my family this week. I have so many pictures I want to share, but I will just start with a few. Dusty and Cory were able to come in a day or two before the rest of the family and we had a wonderful time hanging out downtown. This is Cannery Row.
We had fun going around to all of the old hang-outs and houses where we used to live as kids and took a few pictures. This is a lake we used to ride our bikes around and eat wild raspberries.

This is my nephew, Jackson. This is the first time that most of us have met him and we love him to pieces. He's the greatest. This is a pic with Jack and uncle Cory. More pictures to come!!

What's up with the Owens'?

2008-12-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

Poor Casey had a run-in with a patch of poison oak recently. He's the only boy in 5th grade wearing a tank top in the middle of winter (easy access for applying globs of creme). He's finally starting to show signs of recovery much to our delight! Kyla joined the Seaside Aquatics Club this week and has been impressing us with the skills she is learning. She refuses to let me take a picture of her in a bathing suit and swimming cap (I can't imagine why???), so you'll just have to do without this time!
Brandon and the boys had a long day and decided to take a nap.

Our babies

Charleston

2008-12-06T13:18:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dancing Owens'

2008-12-06T13:12:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Look at that smile!

2008-12-01T19:53:00.001-08:00

Kyla got her braces off today...finally!!! We decided to have a "braces off" party to celebrate the occasion. We stopped by the PX after school and loaded up on as many hard, gooey, sticky treats as we could find (uugghh... I don't feel so good). Bubble gum was probably the biggest hit of all.
The kids enjoyed their treats and apple-mango cider while we watched Kung Fu Panda. Casey was excited for any excuse to load up on sugar.

Fun with the Folks

2008-11-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful visit with my parents over the Thanksgiving weekend. Here are a few pictures of the fun we had together.

This pic got out of order but this is Brandon at the Carmel River Beach.
We visited the beach in Seaside right after the sun set. Kyla and Casey love their grandma and grandpa!

Casey and grandpa enjoying a walk on the beach.

Casey and my mom played a game to see who could get closest to the water without getting wet!

Carmel River Beach

My parents introduced us to their new hobby, geocaching. If you haven't tried it, you should...it's a blast! We treked all over the peninsula using the handheld GPS to discover hidden treasure. This is a cache that Casey found hidden in the pine needles under a tree.

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!

2008-11-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying some nice 80-85 degree weather this week. No one on the peninsula has air conditioning, so everyone pretty much spends their days at the beach when it's this hot. This is the Carmel River Beach where the river runs into the ocean.

The kids are hiking up to the cross on the hill.

School pics for downloading

2008-11-13T18:11:00.001-08:00

I will be putting the kids school pictures in Christmas cards next month, but here's a preview. Aren't they beautiful?

Proud parent of an honor roll student

2008-11-13T16:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry these pictures are so dark, but this is Kyla showing off her Honor Roll Certificate and Perfect Attendance Award.
Kyla received her awards and bumper sticker from her Vice Principal.

Kyla read her award before enjoying a cookie and punch party to celebrate her achievements. We are so very proud of our daughter!

Here is the token kitty picture of our baby boys.

Big Sur Half Marathon

2008-11-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I ran in the Big Sur Half Marathon this morning. We took our camera in the car, but the battery went dead, so here's a picture of us once we got home. It was so much fun and we can't wait to run our next one. I was so proud of myself that I didn't have to stop and use the bathroom halfway though....that was my greatest fear!! We didn't get our official chip time yet, but by Brandon's GPS watch, we did the 13.1 in 2:25. Brandon will be running the full marathon in April....I think I'll just cheer him on from the sideline!

My Mini Politician

2008-11-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

I'm always proud of my kids, but I have to say that I have been extra impressed with Casey's quest for knowledge lately. For the past several weeks, he has been very interested in the election coverage and we always spend our morning ride to school in a political discussion....prompted by him. He always has so many questions and wanted to know every detail about what the candidates thought about issues that are important to him. With a dad who is always in danger of going to Iraq at any moment, it's especially important to him for that reason. Casey patiently sat and waited as the electoral votes were counted tonight and jumped for joy when it finally reached 270. More important than who won, he was just proud to be a part of the process. When the message was posted, "Obama Elected President" Casey's exact words were, "we're making history here". I couldn't agree more.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

The alien and witch prepare for trick-or-treating.
Kyla had decided earlier in the week that she was too old to trick-or-treat, but changed her mind once she saw how excited "the alien" was.

Daddy decided to sport a glow-in-the-dark necklace and bracelet for the occasion.

What a haul!

This is Skippy Jon's fancy face. He is seriously rocking the bow tie in this picture. This is another one of his many costumes.

Kyla tried on the fancy face too. We had a fun night...Happy Halloween everyone!

Happy Birthday, Kyla!!!

2008-10-30T19:54:00.001-07:00

Our baby girl turned 14 this week....that's right, I said "baby girl". I'm having a little trouble cutting the apron strings!
We are so proud of our precious girl! Her main request this year was for a skateboard, so she has been enjoying trying out this new hobby.

Casey dressed up the cats in their fancy halloween costumes. A few scratches and bites later, we finally had the chin strap fastened. What a cute little punkin head (the cat doesn't look half bad either).

Ollie was having none of the costume action, so poor Skip had to model both costumes. What a good sport.

Great America

2008-10-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Kyla decided that instead of having a party this year, she would rather go to Great America with the family. She has to wait until her real birthday, on Tuesday, for cake and presents!
The park was all decked out for Halloween.

Casey loved playing in the bubbles....we almost lost him. I couldn't help but think how much my nephew, Grant, would have loved this....he's LOVES bubbles more than anyone I know!

The Nickelodeon characters were on site for pictures and to pass out candy.

Kyla tried on a few new hairstyles in the arcade. We had a great day!

Can you tell it's almost Halloween?

2008-10-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

One holiday that our kids absolutely love is Halloween. They have been searching high and low at every store imaginable for just the right costumes. We haven't found them yet, but here are a few dress-up photos in the meantime. Casey and his friend decided to dress up in their best spy gear. Notice the yellow ear phones (made of Lego); that's my favorite!
Kyla the skeleton is just taking in a TV show, minding her own business....really, this IS typical behavior in my house during the month of October. I'm sure there will be more candid costume photos to come!

Our cats are really growing, but still act like kittens. They love the laser pointer. Ollie almost got it!

Two boys hangin out.

Tag

2008-10-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

I agree with Nikki, these tags can sometimes be time consuming, so I'm shortening mine from 7 to 3.

3 things I can do:
Run
Teach
Love unconditionally

3 things I can't do:
Ride in anything without getting sick (boat, plane, roller coaster, etc.)
Hold a frog
Eat sweet potatoes

3 things that attracted me to Brandon:
Sense of humor
Unconditional love, admiration, and life goals
He was a "bad boy", or at least looked like one ;)

3 things I say most often:
Am I in the twilight zone?
What the heck?
I love you.

3 people I admire:
Brandon (one of the most amazing people I know)
My parents and brothers (and I always will)
My kids, especially Kyla for all of the "extra" challenges she faces every day

3 favorite foods:
cheese
ice cream
chocolate

3 tags:
Mom
Jenny
Nat

Fall

2008-10-10T18:01:00.001-07:00

One thing that I really miss about the midwest in the fall are all of the beautiful colored leaves. We don't get much of that here, but we have our own beauty to enjoy here on the bay.
We enjoyed a nice warm day on the beach this week with Bran's mom. Brandon and Casey have been working on Casey's arm for that college football scholarship. Brandon's winding up for a long bomb to the boy.

On one of our last days with Bran's mom, we took a trip out to the pumpkin farm.

We had to borrow a wagon to wheel in our perfect pumpkins. Hopefully they are still perfect by the time Halloween rolls around!

We also took a drive out to Toro Park where Casey is showing one of the many trees that were "decorated" by the woodpeckers. You can't see it, but there are acorns stashed in each of those little holes! I think the squirrels and the woodpeckers are working together.

We were very sad to say goodbye to grandma today, but were so happy to have her for a week. After dropping her off at the airport in San Francisco, we stopped by Golden Gate Park to visit a remodeled children's play yard called Koret Children's Quarter. Kyla and Casey decided they were probaby too old for this park, but we had fun anyway!

Grandma's here!

2008-10-06T17:21:00.001-07:00

Brandon's mom came to town last Friday for a week of fun. We are really enjoying our visit. This is only day 3, so there are sure to be more pictures to come! These are a few photos of us enjoying Lover's Point and Asilomar beaches.

I like searching the tide pools for something interesting.

Yep, I found my treasure for the day.....a dead crab. At least it didn't pinch me.

King of the mountain....I mean, the rock.

Kyla enjoying the peaceful sound of the waves from a ledge that is much too high for my liking!

Who can throw a rock farther....Casey or grandma? Who's that bum in the background?

My great kids

2008-09-29T15:27:00.001-07:00

Kyla and Casey have been doing some really great things lately.

This week, Kyla had the opportunity to attend a question/answer session with Sandra Day O'Connor. It was such an honor for Kyla to meet her and she came home that day sharing lots of great stories about the event. Kyla was chosen along with 50 other honor students from her school to attend . Smart and beautiful? If we all could be so lucky!

Casey has taken up the trombone! He is having a great time learning something new, and doing a fantastic job at it. He's trying it out this year to decide if he wants to play in middle school next year. What a musician!

Tagged!

2008-09-28T19:46:00.001-07:00

Sorry it took me so long to get this up, Ann and mom. I've been laid up with strep throat all week, eeww! If your name appears at the bottom, you've been tagged and it's your turn to answer these questions on your blog.....here it goes.

3 names I answer to:
1. Mom
2. Siener
3. Mrs. Owens

3 restaurants I like:
1. Elli's
2. PF Changs
3. TGIFridays

3 trips I have planned for this year:
1. Great America for Kyla's birthday
2. So. Utah for Thanksgiving
3. No where else, everyone is coming to us....yeah!

3 things I really want:
1. To be more assertive
2. A home of my own
3. An amazing future for my kids

3 pets I have/had
1. Jake (the best dog ever)
2. Abby Boy (the coolest cat in the world)
3. Skip and Ollie (our new kittens)

3 things I did yesterday
1. Sleep, sleep, sleep
2. Write more sub plans for Mon.
3. Watch too much TV

3 things I ate today:
1. Mashed potatoes
2. Vanilla ice cream
3. Popcicle (can't wait to get back to real food!)

3 fears I have:
1. Panic attacks
2. Frogs
3. Confrontation

3 things I plan on doing today:
1. Sleep
2. Football
3. Play a game with my kids

3 things I plan on doing tomorrow:
1. Play hookie for one more day from school
2. set my fantasy football lineup for next week
3. read in the tub (aaahhhh!)

3 holidays I love:
1. Christmas
2. Halloween
3. Thanksgiving

3 beverages I like:
1. Diet Pepsi
2. Green Tea
3. Coffee

Tag, you're it.....
1. Sheryl
2. Linda
3. Ross

Fun Run

2008-09-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

We had a fun morning at Marshall School running together in a 1.5 mile run. I was so proud of the kids because even though it was hard for them, they didn't give up. Kyla surprised us all by leaving us in the dust with those long legs and meeting us at the finish line. When the three of us got there, she was standing there with her arms folded and said, "Where were you guys, I've been waiting here for like 5 minutes!"

What would a blog entry be without a picture of the two most adorable kittens ever.

An Apple a Day...

2008-09-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love fall when the weather turns crisp and you spend more time outdoors. We went apple picking this weekend.

Kyla loved the red delicious apples.

My Casey.... may he always be mommy's little boy!

The kids stopped for a picture after picking some golden delicious apples....they were our favorites!

It was a long haul down the road, and my little gentleman carried the bucket for his momma.

After picking apples, we went back to the barn and ordered some hot apple pie, a la mode. The kids played on the hay after enjoying some pie.

I made her pose.....she hates posing. What a good sport, and even a smile to boot!

The kids tried to figure out how to crank up some old farm machinery. We had a great day at the farm picking apples and can't wait until pumpkin season!

Outdoor Theater

2008-09-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time last night at the Outdoor Forest Theater at Carmel-by-the-Sea. The production we went to see was "The Wizard Of Oz", the musical. By the looks of the theater (dirt floors, uncomfortable wooden benches, etc.) you would think this was a small camp like atmosphere, but this is Carmel after all. Once folks got seated, everyone began to pull their fine china and wine glasses out of their backpacks. You could see everything from expensive wine and brie to gourmet olives being consumed all around us. It was the most hilarious thing I have ever seen. Luckily we got a heads up and were able to bring our own gourmet food, Owens style (smores, cheese and crackers, etc.). It was a great experience!
We weren't allowed to take pictures during the musical, but here is a picture of the kids waiting for the sky to get dark and the show to start.

And now, a complete change of subject......

What is that you say? You ask, is that Brandon with an authentic Rams football helmet on? Is that two TV's set up in the living room? Is that a laptop ready to tally up fantasy football points on the live Game Center? Is that a Rams signature football on the coffee table (just in case Steven Jackson or Torry Holt run through our living room)? The answer to all of those great questions is.....yes! It is football season, and to the Owens family, that is reason for some serious celebration! Please don't take offense if you call us on a Sunday for the next several months and your call goes straight to the answering machine. We'll call you back on Monday. ;)

Skip and Ollie

2008-08-23T17:29:00.001-07:00

Losing Jake and Abby boy all in the same year was pretty tough on our family. We thought we would try having no pets for a while, but that didn't last long. The house was too quiet, and before we knew it, we found ourselves at the animal shelter peeking at kittens. Meet our new babies, Skip and Ollie.

Oliver (Ollie) came home first. This little guy is the most beautiful cat you've ever seen with the personality of an angel. He is so lovable and the calmest kitten I have ever seen. He loves to cuddle, but hates kisses!

Skippyjon Jones (Skip) joined us a few days later. For those of you that know the book series starring the character Skippyjon Jones, he has exactly the same personality! He had to have surgery, so he wasn't ready right away. He is full of energy and a joy to have in the house. It's hard to get a picture of him straight on because he's always so busy! He does a great job getting Ollie up and about, and they love exploring the house and playing together.

These two cuddle bunnies aren't natural brothers, but you wouldn't know it by how much they already love each other. No pet will ever replace Jake and Abby, but we are so excited to have these two new little boys!

In Memory of Jake

2008-08-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

We had to say goodbye to our precious dog, Jake, on August 13th. It has taken us this long to make a post because we couldn't stand to look at pictures of him until now because we loved and miss him so much.

He has been a part of our family for nearly 12 years, and it was really hard on all of us to say goodbye, but we are glad to know that he is no longer in pain.

You can't replace a dog like Jake. You can just remember him fondly and be glad for the time we had together. He was more than a pet to us....he was family.

Memories

2008-08-10T14:41:00.001-07:00

I have been having a great time going through some of our old family photos. Here are a few oldies of the kids that I thought I'd share.

This is a super hero costume designed by Kyla.

What a great fashion sense!

This will make a great blackmail photo when Nate gets older!

So beautiful.

These two have loved each other since day one. I've never seen siblings with so much compassion for each other. What a blessing.

The Casinator!

I love this picture. Look at those beautiful blue eyes!

First day of school

2008-08-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Here are my babies off to their first days of 8th and 5th grades. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday that.........
.....well, you get the picture. Some things never change. ;)

I think I really do still see them this way! It's hard to let them grow up, but I'm reminded every day of how independent and mature they are becoming right before my eyes!

Kyla loved her first day of 8th grade. She was really itching to get back. She is very excited to be one of the oldest kids in school. Kyla got to have lunch with some of her old friends from last year and you all can look forward to more pictures of her next dive in Monterey Bay in a couple of weeks!

Casey was not quite as enthusiastic as Kyla to start school back up, however, it didn't take him long to make a new friend and bond with his teacher, and he literally ran into my classroom after school full of stories and excitement for his new class!

Grant, Sophia, and Jackson

2008-07-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

I am a proud aunt. I hope my brothers and sisters don't mind me posting first names and pics of my beautiful niece and nephews, but I couldn't resist! I have been thinking about them a lot lately and missing them like crazy. Our sweet Grant turned 6 years old today. Happy Birthday Grant!
This is an old picture, but I couldn't resist posting Sophia showing off her "cute face". I happen to think ALL her faces are cute!

Sophie and Brandon last summer.

This is the newest addition to our family, Jackson! He hasn't met his daddy yet who is training up with the AirForce in Mississippi, but they will meet very soon! You did well, Jenny! I love this picture of him sleeping.

Sweet baby Jackson

A few more belated vacation pics

2008-07-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Sea World. Poor Brandon's face is covered up, but it's the only picture of all 7 of us together so I wanted to post it!
We sat on some rocks right at the edge of the water to watch the July 4th fireworks. Casey decided to sport some gel for the occasion.

We love dinosaurs!

Here is the birthday boy showing off his Shamu birthday pin.

Unfortunately it was too cold to really enjoy playing in the water, but we enjoyed some beautiful coastal scenery.

Grrrrr! (Universal Studios)

My boy

2008-07-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Since we only have a year left in Monterey and we couldn't afford to fly anywhere, we decided we should check out southern California and take advantage of the special discounts and offers for active duty military.

We started off by visiting the Natural History museum and the Science Center in Los Angeles. The kids got a kick out of the dinosaur bones.
We went to Universal Studios and got to ride some cool rides, check out some awesome shows and even tour some Hollywood film sets, including this one from War of the Worlds. We also went to Hurricane Harbor, a waterpark, but we didn't take any pictures there.

On the 4th of July, we headed down to San Diego and met up with Misty's parents and brother, Dusty. Brandon toured the deck of the U.S.S. Midway, an aircraft carrier that saw quite a bit of combat action during Vietnam.

Later, we watched an impressive fireworks display over the San Diego bay. We sat on rocks right on the shore as multiple firework shows lit up the bay. Several docked Navy ships added to the patriotic setting.
The San Diego zoo was very impressive and we thought it lived up to its reputation as the best zoo in the world.
Our last stop was Sea World - see the killer whale in the background? By the time we finished up with Sea World, we were all pretty exhausted and ready to head home.

Summer Camp

2008-06-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

Kyla and I drove Casey up north yesterday, to a beautiful christian camp called Daybreak. He has been really excited to join his friends from church for a week away from home. I took this picture because there is a deer in the background to the left of the sign...not sure how well you can see it. Kyla and I spent the first few hours at the camp helping Casey get settled in and checking out the facilities. I was amazed at how many great activities were planned in just the first few hours! Kyla and I had planned to stay the first night, but once I realized I was the only mom left there, we decided to say our goodbyes after dinner.

Every day the kids will participate in a praise and worship service with lots of singing and a bible-based message from Pastor Matt, our youth pastor at Calvary Chapel. It was great to see the kids eagerly digging into their bibles and listening to the word of God. This year they called the experience "Camp Rock". I'm excited to see Casey grow into a deeper relationship with our Savior this week.

The camp is situated in a small redwood forest. These aren't the biggest redwoods I've ever seen, but they sure beat the trees we see around the peninsula.

Casey and the other boys in his cabin, the "Blue Sapphires", decided to build a bridge out of fallen sticks during their free time this week. I can't wait to see what it looks like by Friday!

After check-in, Casey tried out the pool. It was nice to take a dip since it's about 15 degrees hotter in Felton than we are used to here in Monterey.

A super-soaker water gun was one of the needed supplies on the camp packing list. Casey and the other boys in his cabin made good use of them right off the bat. It's only Tuesday and I can't imagine being away from my little man until Friday, but I am very excited about the opportunity for him to develop some independence and grow spiritually.

Busy kids

2008-06-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a really long time since we've posted! Our kids have been very busy during their last week of school. Kyla recently competed in a swim meet with her school and came away with several ribbons! She won 4th place in the backstroke, 3rd place in the butterfly stroke, and 1st place in the freestyle! We are so proud of our little mermaid.
Casey thought he won the jackpot when his teacher chose him to take care of Gizmo, the bearded dragon, for the summer. She has been lots of fun, and we are really enjoying having an extra pet in the house for a couple of months.

Jake has taken to Gizmo as well. He's a jealous little puppy, but doesn't mind sharing the limelight once in a while.

Field Day

2008-06-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

We decided to have a family field day over the weekend. We took to the field with frisbee horseshoes, jumpropes, a basketball, and of course, the football.
Despite the wind, we had a lot of fun throwing the frisbee horseshoes. This day it was "brown eyes" vs. "blue eyes".

Casey and I, also known as "blue eyes", held our own. Casey was the big scorer on this game!

Kyla schooled us all in a friendly game of horse, but Casey showed us a few moves as well.

Olympic Games

2008-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I were able to go with Kyla this year to the Monterey County Special Olympics. Kyla spent her time between events interviewing other athletes about their experience.

Kyla's first event was the standing long jump. Here she is mid-jump!

Getting measured...

Kyla's second event was the softball throw. She has quite the arm!

Here is video of Kyla's final event.....the 100 meter dash. She is the second from the left. I don't think anyone had a chance against her long legged best buddy, Xavier, but she held her own! We were so proud!

Carmel River Beach

2008-04-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

We decided to enjoy the unseasonable 80 degree weather at the Carmel River Beach. This is a beautiful area where the Carmel River runs into the sea. There is usually a lagoon that the kids love to swim in, but we were surprise to see it all dried up! Hopefully it will return soon! The kids had fun being able to walk across the river since it was so low.

Kyla and Casey rode their air mattresses down the river.

Kyla drifting out to sea..........

She saved herself!

Caseynator, el Luchador

2008-04-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Weighing in at a stout 70 pounds of muscle and hailing from Monterey, California, is the fearsome luchador, the Caseynator.

Taking inspiration from the wrestling epic, Nacho Libre, Caseynator emerged to take on any who would oppose his wrestling prowess. As one takes in his awesome form, all must wonder, "Who is that masked man?" Does anyone dare challenge him?

Kyla was the first to take on the Caseynator.....poor girl. Don't worry, she is recovering.

Another masked man emerged to challenge the Caseynator, but he, too, was soon left begging for mercy. The paparazzi are in love with the Caseynator. An exclusive and rare clip of the Caseynator appears below.

Fun with the Owens Clan

2008-03-27T12:28:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun with Brandon's parents and his grandma this past week. Here are a few more pictures to highlight some of our good times.
Casey makes it look a lot warmer than it actually was!

Kyla and Casey enjoying some quality time with grandma.

The kids with their Great Grandma Smith at Asilomar Beach.

Jake decided to come along and take a swim in the ocean.

Seaside Beach

2008-03-26T15:55:00.001-07:00

Our beautiful girl.....

We are having a WONDERFUL spring break visit with Brandon's parents and the grandma we lovingly call "Smith". We went out to Seaside Beach to watch the sunset.
This picture is 'so' Casey. From the sassy look on his face to the dirty legs....that's my boy!

Relaxing and taking it all in.

One, two, three......kick up!

Trek to Utah

2008-03-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

I just recently returned from a trip to Utah. Sadly, I returned for the funeral of my dear Grandpa Mendenhall. He died at the age of 91 after a long and fruitful life. I am saddened by the occasion of my return home, but thoroughly enjoyed the time I was able to spend alone with my parents.
This is my Grandma and Grandpa Beardall. (ignore me in my PJs!)

My beautiful, vibrant mom and I took a drive up to Zion National Park and hiked up to see the three Emerald Pools. It was such a blessing to spend time with just her.

It was a beautiful hike and a great time to rejuvenate my mind and soul.

Double Digits

2008-02-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

Our little man turned 10 years old today!

Kyla made Casey an oreo ice cream filled chocolate cake for his birthday. She could give Dairy Queen a run for their money!

Casey showing off some of his loot!

A boy with a credit card......thankfully it has a limit!

CW3 Owens

2008-02-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time on this blog bragging up the kids, and now it's time to brag up the daddy! Brandon amazes and inspires me on a regular basis with the way he lives his life. Not only is he the most loving husband and caring father, but he is always working toward bettering himself as a person. Brandon was promoted to CW3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) this week, attaining yet another goal that he set for himself. I am so proud, and wanted to share some pictures of the ceremony with you!
This is Brandon's Operations Officer from the battalion in Fort Lewis helping me pin on the new rank.

Congratulations Bran....you earned it!

Short update

2008-01-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I have been extremely busy the last couple of weeks at work and have not being doing very well at keeping up the blog, so I just wanted to post a few quick pictures to let you know what we have been up to. Kyla won the Principal's Award at school along with only a few other students......4.0 baby!

Grandpa Mendenhall sent the kids some really funny stories he wrote for them, and it was the highlight of the their week. They worked on writing some comic strips to send back to him.

Casey reading his story from grandpa.

Kyla has been a sushi lover for the last couple of years, and it's her favorite treat for a special occasion. We usually go the mild route, but got very adventurous the other night with some raw eel, tuna, salmon, and some other interesting things. I made a point of telling Casey he didn't have to eat it all, but I wanted him to at least try a small bite of each type. Turns out, he was much braver than I, and ate everything on his plate!

We took another hike through the forest and along the coast at Point Lobos. We have really come to enjoy the beauty of that place. The kids found a natural seesaw.

Brandon and I found a cave. That's our last couple of weeks in a nutshell! We miss you all.

Christmas Time

2007-12-26T09:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas time in our house is usually a mixture of many different things. Above all, we celebrate the birth of our Savior and the amazing gift of grace that he offers to all of us. We watched "The Nativity" on Christmas Eve, and it helped put our minds in the right place for the holidays. We are blessed in so many ways, especially for having each other. We also enjoy some other fun traditions of Christmas time. Even though our kids are passed the age of believing in Santa, we still have fun pretending and making cookies to set out for him on Christmas Eve. Can you believe that pig ate them all?!?

It has been a tradition for as long as I can remember, since having the kids, for the Owens grandparents to send them a pair of pajamas for Christmas, and we always let them open it on Christmas Eve. Here is a picture of this year's models! Kyla loves her footie pajamas, and believe it or not, Casey actually fits in a size 12/14!

A little excitement at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning (that's right.....5 a.m.).

Kyla showing off gifts from both sets of grandparents.

The kids made gingerbread houses on Christmas Day. As soon as Casey was finished, he asked when he could eat it. He's been a little sugar baby this Christmas season....time for all of us to detox!

San Juan Bautista

2007-12-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

Casey has been working on a project in school researching, writing, and making a model of Mission San Antonio de Padua. He presented his project to the class this week and did very well. He had lots of help from his big sister on the model. This is Kyla in her "weekday" glasses, as she calls them. She looks adorable in them and is already used to wearing them with no problem.

This is Casey with a partial view of his completed project.

I was able to take the day off and go with Casey and his class to the San Juan Bautista Mission. It was an amazing place and we had such a great time together!

Casey and his teacher in front of the mission.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We finally have all of our Christmas decorations up and most of our shopping done. We decided to do something new and different, and start a tradition of having a white tree. I remember many Christmas holidays spent in Cedar City, Utah at my grandparents house. They had a huge white tree that was always decorated in blue and silver. I loved that tree! Hopefully our kids and grandkids will look back fondly one day on memories of our own family traditions, just as Brandon and I look back fondly on ours.

We had a busy weekend trying to catch up on some chores and decorating. Brandon took Kyla to the optometrist this weekend, and it looks like she's going to need glasses. She is very excited about it and picked out two cute pairs.....pictures to come.

While Bran and Kyla were at the eye doctor, I took Casey to a skating birthday party. Funny story. Casey was skating along when he decided to take a break at the table where the party was being held. The other kids were still out skating. One of the adults at the table offered Casey a piece of cake. He never turns down a piece of cake, especially if it's Oreo flavored. He politely took the plate and proceeded to eat the entire piece, then he said "Thank You", and went back out to skate for a while. When he returned to the table later with his friends, he realized that the table where he ate the cake was the wrong party.....he had sat down to eat cake at someone else's party! He said that he had never been so embarrassed in his life! I wish I had been there to witness it. He happily ate a second piece of cake....this time at the right party.

We hope that everyone has a very blessed holiday season this year! Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2007-11-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

We had a nice, quiet Thanksgiving this year with just the four of us. We missed all of you terribly, and wish we could have come home, but we sure do enjoy spending time together with our beautiful kids. We had an excellent day of feasting, football, and family fun. Brandon cooked the turkey.....all by himself.
Kyla made the pie.....all by herself.

Casey waited patiently until all the food was ready, then tore through a turkey leg like a champ. Don't worry, I made him eat his veggies too, even though the evidence suggests otherwise!

We had lots of fun as a family this Thanksgiving weekend. One of our favorite things to do now that the kids are older is to play family games. Casey won this particular high-stakes game of Monopoly.

San Francisco

2007-11-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

Knowing that we will only be in California for a year and a half more at most, we have been trying to get around and see the area as much as possible. We took a trip up the coast to San Francisco for the day. It was a beautiful, clear day and we were able to see all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge.

We decided to take a walk part way across the bridge, and if you zoom in, you can see Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge in the distance.

After our walk across the bridge, we stopped at the San Francisco zoo. Kyla kept her distance for this exhibit because she thought the giraffes were way too close, and Mr. Adventure savored the moment as the baby giraffe in the distance ran down the hill to her mother.

Casey and Kyla spent some time feeding, petting, and brushing the farm animals.

Brandon was trying to fake this guy out with a handful of nothing. It worked.

Happy Birthday, Kyla!

2007-10-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened. Our little, baby girl turned into a teenager this past weekend. Kyla is officially 13-years-old. I'm shocked at how quickly time passes us by.
This year, Kyla chose to have a party at the house with friends. She had set in her mind that she only wanted to invite two guests. I tried for weeks to encourage her to invite more people (for fear the two may not show up), but she stuck to her guns! Her two good friends from school were both able to come and spend time with Kyla. It was simple and quiet, just the way Kyla likes it!

Kyla chose to have a Halloween themed costume/movie party.

Kyla was spoiled this year with some wonderful gifts, gift cards, and cash to spend on what she wanted. Thanks so much to everyone that sent her something and everyone that was thinking about her on her special day; she really appreciated it!

Point Lobos

2007-10-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

As I posted these pictures and prepared to tell you all about my visit to Point Lobos with the kids, I was struck with how incredibly blessed I am to have these two people in my life. I am amazed every single day with how wonderful Kyla and Casey are. Just look at those precious faces! The kids are at the age now (9 and very soon to be 13) that we can do just about anything with very little plan time or preparation. I love it! With our possible move next summer, I decided I want to make sure I do and see everything I can in California before we leave. First stop...Point Lobos.

The kids and I spent our last day of fall break at one of the most beautiful places I have been to in a long time. We had a nice picnic and then hiked for a couple of hours along the coast of this beautiful nature preserve.
We spent a little time watching patiently for the fluke or spray of a gray whale, which are migrating along the coast right now. We didn't see a whale, but definitely saw plenty of seals, lizards, and other creatures.

Well, I knew it was time to head home when I viewed this picture Casey took of Kyla and I. Good fun like this can only last for so long!

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

We had a fun visit to the organic farm to pick out pumpkins, see the animals, and grab some of the most delicious tasting strawberries I've ever had. Casey was on a mission to find the biggest pumpkin, and Kyla was on a mission to find the most perfectly round one!

We invited a few friends to come along.

Kyla sat near her perfect pumpkin for most of the

afternoon to make sure no one else would take it!

Casey was admiring the piles of pumpkins and gourds.

Great America was... GREAT!

2007-09-05T19:52:00.001-07:00

We were given some tickets to Great America (thank you Sheryl and Travis!!), so we made good use of them this past weekend. We escaped the cool weather of Monterey for a trip up to 95 degree Santa Clara for a day at Great America.

We had a great time riding lots of family rides and even tried our luck on some of the roller coasters. I nearly ruined my day after riding "Top Gun", but I'm still alive!

We stopped at the new water park after getting all sweaty on the regular rides. The kids loved the wave pool and played at the deepest end for most of the afternoon.

Kyla and Casey's favorite ride was the swings. They rode it a couple of times and couldn't seem to get enough. Although this used to also be my favorite ride as a child, I just sat and watched this time to save my stomach! It's amazing how much more "action" you can handle when you're a kid!

Diving in Monterey Bay

2007-08-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

Kyla had an extraordinary opportunity last week. She was selected, along with 3 other students from her school, to go for a surface dive in the protected tide pools of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She had her own personal dive instructor that helped her from start to finish.

Kyla had fun putting on all of the gear and wasn't nervous at all about using a regulator or putting her head underwater.

Kyla got to see starfish, decorator crabs, sea cucumbers, and other various types of fish. She was having lots of fun until a flounder moved unexpectedly below her! She was pretty much finished after that!

Kyla was very brave and had a wonderful day with her dad and her friends at the aquarium. The organization that sponsored the dive, Accessible Events, will have more pictures and video of the dive on their website soon, so I will post the link once they get it set up.

Ladies Man

2007-08-19T19:02:00.001-07:00

My little boy takes great pride in being a real ladies man. His friends, Mackenzie and Manon, showed up at the door the other day with a surprise birthday party for Casey. It didn't matter that his birthday is actually in February, they just wanted an excuse to surprise him with a shower of balloons.

The "party" was complete with lots of goodies! Even after they went home for the day, they called and talked on the phone with Casey for a while. I am not ready for this!

Back To School

2007-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am the mother of a 7th grader and a 4th grader! It really does blow my mind and I have no idea where the time went! The kids were a little nervous about starting school this year, but once the first day was behind them, they felt much more secure. Both kids got to see friends from their classes last year, and are already making many new friends. It helps tremendously to have daddy home now as well!

Not a bad picture for a delayed timer with a bunch of 6-year-olds! I am blessed to be teaching up at the same campus where Casey goes to school. You can actually see his classroom from mine, so I get to see him all day long and keep a really close eye on him! I think he's still trying to decide whether that's a good thing or not!