Multi-Purpose Salsa

So I have found a new purpose for Grandma Pearl's famous salsa. Not only is it the most delicious salsa to eat, but I have found it to be an amazing replacement for hand weights. Spencer snuck up on me to catch this horrid picture but since I'm trying to be better at including myself on this blog, here it is for your laughing enjoyment! I'm currently alternating between "Denise Austin Boot Camp", "Tae Bo Fat Blasting Cardio," and "Crunch Pilates" all of which are extremely intense but little by little I am seeing results. I have found that I have much more energy, am getting more confidence and am finally getting toned. Slowly we are saying "good bye extra baby fat"!

Off Duty and Still a Hero

Spencer rescued another puppy the other day but this time it was roaming lost in front of our house. He brought her in and fed and played with her until someone came to hopefully return her home. She was a cute little thing so for a split second I may have considered keeping her but we feel enough love from the animals that we already have!

Scooter Races (in the house)

The kids love racing their scooters, even in the house. I don't mind since most of our main area is tile and it gives me a chance to get stuff done while watching them be crazy. We spent a lot of the summer on rollerblades inside so I guess this was an extension of that. The girls love to race while Gavin enjoys riding along.

Handsome Haircuts

The boys got haircuts yesterday and are looking more handsome than ever! Gavin wasn't too thrilled at first but after sitting on daddy's lap and popping a sucker in his mouth, it was mostly smooth sailing from there. This will have been his 5th haircut already. It's amazing how fast his little hair grows!

1000 Flags Over Mesquite

The kids and I visited the 1000 flags as a tribute to our veterans last Saturday. The kids enjoyed running through the rows and rows of American flags and taking a moment to look closer at some of them. Most were in honor of those who have served our country, some of which gave their lives in the process. Many included sweet poems, stories and pictures. We were then able to attend the closing ceremony where Spencer and his fellow firefighters retired an American flag. It is always an amazing thing to witness and with the taps playing in the background, it's enough to make you want to cry. We are so lucky we live in this country of freedom and where there are good people who risk their lives fighting to keep us safe.

Hiking in the Hills

We have found a new favorite hiking spot here in Mesquite. Since there really aren't any mountains super close we try to find fun dirt hills to hike up and around. There are some tall places with fun canyons for the kids to explore and the dogs to barrrell through while playing fetch. Eris brought a friend and we all enjoyed spending time together atop some of Mesquite's finest hills last Friday!

Helping in the Kitchen

The kids love to be big helpers in the kitchen. Eris is cooking up her specialty, eggs with the yoke broke, her ultimate favorite dish to make! She cracks, seasons, breaks and flips them all on her own. Gavin loves to help do the dishes. He thinks he is so helpful by taking the utensils out of the dishwasher to be washed and throwing them in the sink, then proceeds by dumping water on the floor or slapping it on his head. It's always entertaining to have him in the kitchen while attempting to do the dishes. Shayla on the other hand is surprisingly quite helpful. She helps scrub and put dishes in the dishwasher. She also loves to wash the sink afterward, usually with a little too much soap but she gets the job done!