Lincoln's School Pictures

Lincoln has almost completed his second month at the preschool.  It's so much like regular school since it's done through the school district so there's, PTA, recess, scholastic book orders and school pictures. It requires much more involvement then a daycare/preschool but I think it's fun.  Lincoln's been putting on some pretty fun faces recently when we ask him to smile so we were a little nervous about what his pictures would ultimately look like.  I can see him as the class clown one day.  Anyway, I think they turned out nicely.

Note to self...only the top half of the shirt ends up in the picture so it didn't matter that his shorts or the bottom half of the shirt with the design were really cute! Maybe next time. 

The Simple Things

Red Vines: $1.00
Red Box: $1.12
Time with my hubby after a hard day: priceless

This is how I know my husband loves me.  Saturday went all wrong.  Our plans for a fun filled day went to pot when our boys decided to have one of the worst days they've had in a long time.  I don't know what happened except that we ended up being home all day and Rick and I were exhausted from dealing with two little grumpy boys that wouldn't eat or sleep. Later that evening, once the boys were in bed, Ricky went and picked up a movie and some red vines. It's the simple things sometimes that just make a terrible day suddenly a little better.

A Little of Everything

A couple weekends ago we went to Tucson to cousin Erica's 4th birthday party.  We just went down for the day and we had a lot of fun celebrating with her.  Lincoln had a great time playing with all the kids and Logan loved being in the backyard.  Right as we were about to leave a monsoon like storm rolled in.  Pee size hail dropped from the sky and the winds ripped through the area. Of course we ended up driving right through it for a couple hours.  The rain came so hard and fast that I'm sure there were times Ricky couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him. Since I couldn't sleep I kept busy trying to capture the lightning in pictures.  Pictures will never do it justice but it was sure exciting to see. 

Logan is loving school.  He is really happy there and has a lot of fun doing all of the projects.  His teachers commented on how well he holds the paint brush, crayons, etc. Good form, son!

Ricky spent a couple hours cleaning the car last weekend so that meant he automatically got two helpers.  Our boys cannot stand to be inside if daddy is outside working.  They think they need to be right next to him doing everything he's doing.  I can't wait until they get older and the two of them can do this project together without dad.  I'm sure Ricky will be excited when that day comes!

Conversations with Lincoln

Ricky and Lincoln were having some sort of a discussion that involved them looking at the clock.  I'm sure it was a conversation about bed time but I don't remember.  What I know is that Lincoln saw something pretty interesting.
Lincoln: "Look, Dad.  The big hand is making an 'N' with the 1 and the 1."
Ricky took note.  It was 8:55 which meant the big hand cross perfectly over the 11 and formed an N.  Good eyes, Lincoln!
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This morning I was eating some lucky Charms and sitting next to Lincoln on the ottoman in the living room. Logan was standing next to me (he likes to share cereal with me) and they were both watching tv.  I leaned over to give Lincoln a kiss on the top of his head.
Lincoln: "Mom, have you ever seen someone eating lucky charms and kissing someone before?"
How on earth was I supposed to respond to that?  The phrase, "have you seen someone...." is his new thing over the last week.
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10 Things About Me

I've been trying to get Ricky to finish up his list of 100 things he's experienced. He isn't the type of guy that will easily talk about himself or his experiences so I think that list will be really nice for the boys to have. In the meantime, I will just keep writing things about me!  haha. smile.  As I was cleaning out my office I found a list titled 10 Things About Me.  I don't remember why I had to write it, maybe for work or something, but I figured I should transfer the list here...just because.  Some may be a duplicate from my 100 Things list but oh well. So here it is...not anything extraordinarily exciting or interesting...just about me...and in no particular order.

1. I love ice cream.
2. I've always wanted to be a police officer.
3. I believe in justice.
4. I love to travel. Places I like to go include Fiji, Australia, Italy and Alaska.
5. I love Mickey Mouse.
6. I enjoy baking, cake decorating and making candy.
7. I played the clarinet, alto clarinet, tuba and percussion. I love all types of music.
8. "Common sense is under rated."
9. I've never been diagnosed but I might have a little OCD. just a little.
10. I love to dance.  I don't live with regrets but looking back I wish I would have continued dance classes.

Transitions, Adjustment and Growing Pains

This last week has been an interesting one at our house.  We all seem to be going through some sort of an adjustment.  Some being easier to deal with than others.  Over the weekend Logan bed went from a crib to a day bed.  It's an converting crib so the front panel comes off.  It got to the point that we were worried he would try to climb out of his crib and hurt himself.  We lined the floor next to his bed with pillows in hopes that they would break his fall if he fell out of the bed. Sure enough, he did fall out the first night (a couple times) and the pillows were there to cushion the fall.  The second night he did much better. I think he will adjust quickly.  It will be nice when we're confident enough to take away the pillows.

Lincoln is growing like a weed. I feel like once a week he wakes up in the morning and he's noticeably taller than the day before. Unfortunately with all of that growth, comes growing pains.  The poor little guy often wakes up crying because his bones hurt.  Daddy gives him some medicine and massages his legs. We always knew he would be tall, I just didn't realize that he would have to deal with growing pains. He takes a vitamin supplement that is supposed to help with bone growth but we'll have to figure out something else to help him as well. It's not fun for him to experience and it's hard for us as parents to watch helplessly.

A few days ago Ricky and I decided that we were going to try and live on a budget. That's not to say that we weren't before but this time we were going to be more aggressive with it than we've been previously. I don't like when people talk money on their blogs but since this is my journal and an adjustment for me I figured I should capture this time for memory sake.
We had a great summer but now with birthdays (all four of ours) and the holidays coming up, we decided that we need to be more careful about where our money is going.  We've always been good about not carrying debt - outside our house and car.  That's been important to both of us and sometimes that means we go without some of our wants in order to make that happen.  Debt can so easily get out of control and we've been able to manage it so that we don't put ourselves in that situation. I truly believe the way one is raised will greatly impact their financial choices for the rest of their life - good or bad. Living on a strict budget is hard for me. It's not a secret that I didn't have a lot of extras growing up. I don't think I've ever been reckless with money and I do good to use coupons or discount codes if I have them, although I don't allow that to necessarily dictate what I buy.  I've worked hard and established my career to ensure that I can provide for my family. The hardest part for me is telling my boys (hubby included) no when it comes to something they want. (Although, that is just another reason why this exercise is good for our entire family. I do have spoiled boys!) Bottom line is that our needs are met so I'm very grateful.  We've been blessed. I am in no way complaining. I know it's a temporary adjustment and won't last forever but it's a good exercise for us to go through for now.

Discipline

I wish there was a book that would cover this topic.  Not in a general context but specifically - for my boys.  That is one of the hardest parts of parenting.  I want to ensure that the appropriate consequences are imposed without going overboard.  How do I do that??  I guess we learn as we go.
I don't know what's gotten into my sweet Lincoln but on Friday he broke a kids necklace at school because the kid did something Lincoln didn't like and today he punched a kid that was being mean to him. We've done the writing a sorry note, he lost TV privileges last Friday and today he spent time in his room. I'm not sure what, if any of it will work.  He clearly didn't learn the lesson from Friday because he hit a kid today!
I have to admit on one hand I am a little happy that he's not afraid of kids and willing to stick up for himself but on the other hand I don't want him to be a bully and he knows he needs to use his words and tell his teachers.  I'm just hoping he gets this all out of his system now so we're not dealing with it when we're in kindergarten and grade school.  Oh what to do?!?!

I Lost!

I guess everyone has to lose once, right?  That's what I'm telling myself because tonight was that night for me.  I lost my first tennis match....and it sucks!  I played with a new partner and for some reason we just didn't play our best.  I don't think it was because the other team was better (does that sound bad?) but I think we beat ourselves with unforced errors.  Our scores were 6-7 and 3-6, so we didn't get walked on. If I played my best and still got beat, then I don't think I would feel bad about it.  Luckily our team came through with the 3-2 match victory! I'm on a new team and really enjoy it.  So far so good and I look forward to the rest of the season.

Just Because...

...they're cute!  A couple days ago we were getting ready to go out and I realized how incredibly cute my two boys were in their matching outfits.  It's also super cute to watch them play together. It's almost impossible to get them both to look at the camera at the same time but we did our best.

Brothers Are Best Friends!

Logan - First Day in "School"

On Tuesday Logan started a daycare/pre-school type class that he will be attending three days a week.  He was so excited to get into his new class and see the new toys and kids.  We are really excited for him because I think he was starting to get bored being at home and the structure and time away from mom and dad will be really good for him.
It was a year ago that we started Lincoln there and it was perfect.  He excelled and I expect that Logan will do the same. I know I always say that time flies...but it does!  Logan is growing up so quickly and I think being in school will help with that process. Soon enough he will be potty trained and then we will be out of diapers!! With both boys in school for a few hours, Ricky finally has a couple hours to himself a couple days a week, during the day, and he is REALLY happy about that.  After dropping Lincoln off he came up to my office with the biggest grin on his face.  Bottom line...it's good for everyone!

 Big boy on the morning he first went to school! 

 Daddy has the boys schedule down and is making trips all over town in the mornings between two different schools and the gym. 

Lincoln was excited for Logan and was trying to talk to him about school.  Then he got silly.

Indianapolis - Day 5 and 6

Race day had finally arrived. We got to the track early to watch morning warm ups and then planted ourselves in the shade of the bleachers for several hours until the race began. Prior to the race I went to the bottom of the grand stands and was maybe 10-15 feet away from the riders as they lined up on the starting grid.  It was quite the scene to watch as the crews got the bikes in proper order and the racers went through their routine getting them focused and ready to race. 


After the national anthem was sung by American Idol Finalist, Amanda Overmyer, two A-10 Thunderbolt fighter jets flew over the track and then the race was off!  Spies didn't have a great start and after the first lap was in 9th place.  We were really hoping he would win but it didn't look good.  Watching the race that close and with thousands of other fans is really loud and exciting, and a little nerve racking.  Because we were there I couldn't just check the results on Speed.com like I normally do before we watch the race.  Spies was able to come back and secure a third place finish, allowing him a spot on the podium. 


That night we ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Qboada.  It's similar to Chipole and I would recommend it.  The next day we slept in and did some shopping at a mall on our way to the airport.  We got back to Arizona about dinner time and we were home in time to see the boys before bed.  It was so nice to see them and give big hugs and kisses after not seeing them for five days.  They were so excited to show us all of the things they did with Grammy and all the treats she showered them with.  They had a great time with her, which in itself was a great treat for them.  


I love to travel!  I especially love to travel with Ricky. I look forward to when the boys get older because it will make traveling with them a little easier.  In a couple years there will be a new MotoGP race track in Texas and I think we will take the boys with us to that one. I can already see Lincoln having a blast!

Ricky sporting his Ben Spies attire.   We watched warm ups from this section.

Turn 16 coming into the front straight. 

 Spies trying to focus and talk to his crew about the bike. 

Spies and Lorezo 

 Starting grid.

 Stoner and Spies just seconds before the green light.

This one is for the Rizzo's.  Rossi was in 14th place but came back to finish 10th. He was the only crash in the race.

 Final results.

We sat right across from pit lane so we watched all the riders and their crews in the pit. 

Nicky Hayden ended up wearing out his tires with two laps to go so he ended the race early.

Spies is on the right. We were pretty far away. Next time I go to a race I will invest in a telephoto lens first!

Indianapolis - Day 4

Saturday we slept in and made it to the track in time to watch qualifying. Spies qualified in second so we felt like it would be a really good race. 


The Yamaha riders (Lorenzo, Spies, Edwards and Crutchlow) did another longer Q&A session with the fans.  I got a front and center seat (I was actually standing) but was right in there with all the action.  I got a shirt from Colin Edwards and Jorge Lorenzo and gave them both a high five. Ricky wasn't there because he went to the pit walk about to see the riders bikes.  He came a little late and saw the last half of the interviews. He also got to give Jorge a high five, pat him on his back and tell him good luck. It was fun to see the riders in a more playful, less serious and competitive mood. They were all quite funny and gave great interviews. Two of the four are americans so it was fun to cheer them on in their home country. 

 Valentino Rossi

 Ben Spies

Jorge Lorenzo 

 Ben Spies

 Corner 8 of the track. 

 Colin Edwards

 Ben Spies

 Jorge Lorenzo, Ben Spies, Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow.

 Ben, Colin and Cal being interviewed.

Jorge and Ben are teammates on the factory Yamaha team.

Indianapolis - Day 3

Our first day at the track was pretty fun although it was really hot. The track was huge but not exactly what I expected it to be. It was old like the rest of the town. We watched two practice rounds from different spots on the track. The sponsors of the bikes, riders and event have big tents up with different activities and things for sale so we walked through and saw everything. 
We sat on one of Jorge Lorenzo's race bikes - which is what Ben races also. 


My favorite part of the day was meeting Ben Spies. He's our favorite rider. I happen to think he looks a little like Ricky - so of course, he's cute!   Even Lincoln really like him.  Anytime he does something fast like run, ride his bike, race Logan, he always says he's Ben Spies.  Anytime he sees the number 11, Lincoln says, "Look, a 1 and a 1 like Ben Spies!"  We are a Spies fan club family.  


That day was the premiere release of his new biography, Taking it to the Next Level. He signed books for a limited number of fans and we happened to be second in line. We got a lot of pictures and told him that Lincoln says he's fast like Ben Spies, and that his number is a 1 and a 1. Ben seemed to appreciate that; although I wish Lincoln was with us to meet him. We also met his mom, Mary.  She was really sweet and talked to us for about five minutes telling me a story about when Ben's grandmother passed away and he was just really young and riding the tractor on the family farm in Texas. 


That afternoon we watched a Q&A session with all of the riders and also attended a charity auction, but we didn't buy at it.  We got a pretty good sun burn but still really enjoyed our day at the track. 


Later that evening we walked downtown and ate dinner at Weber Grille.  We wanted to try new places and it was delicious. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Besides great food, we saw Nicky Hayden (another rider) there eating with his family.  I would like to point out that I'm the one that recognized him and told Ricky.  Ricky shook his and and told him good luck. He was really nice and appreciative.  All in all, it was a great day.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda

Ben Spies...

He wasn't taking pictures with anyone which was a bummer but Ricky was a great photographer and captured some great shots for me.

I read half the book on the way home and it's pretty interesting. I've learned a lot about Ben, his mom - who is a major factor in his success and also about the sport in general.

Mamma (Mary) Spies

Ricky on Jorge Lorenzo's bikes.  I'm pretty sure he could've been a racer.

Ricky at the dealership tents. 

Valentino Rossi - I'm not a fan of his. I think it's just trendy to like him. I will say though that the more I've heard his interviews off the track, the more I seem to like him.  (Ducati Rider)

 Nicky Hayden - He is very fan friendly and an all American guy. (Ducati Rider)

Ben Spies - As previously mentioned, my favorite. (Factory Yamaha Rider)

Nicky Hayden in the Red shirt, and his also famous racing brother, outside of the restaurant.