WE'RE BAAAAAAAACK!!!!

So, like I've been gone, well let's face it...like forever!!! My bad!!! Life just gets in the way sometimes!First and most importantly...Devin is home...HIP HIP HOOORAY...WOOT...WOOT!!
Yes, we welcomed him home on August 6th. Now, our life is complete yet again, and we are looking forward to getting settled into the crazy busy life we have created for ourselves and adjusting to being a FULL family unit again. Yes, we couldn't be happier...so, I will be posting up pictures and events, from that last 6 months, since that's how long its been since i've done anything on this blog! So stay tuned!!! Hope all is well with everybody...until next time, be good to one another, we'll talk to y'alls later

G. Papa and G. Gramma Alderete

Christmas 2007

Our last Christmas with Great- Grandpa Alderete

Grandma's House... 1 Year later...

So last weekend was the 1 year anniversary of my grandpa's...descent to heaven...so to speak. My folks, the kids, and myself, thought it would be nice to visit my grandma since we knew it would be a hard weekend for her, and also to visit with her as well!We went to the Rolling Hills Cemetery in San Pedro , California...not too far from where we live...just about 1 hr 30 min south of us...so not too bad. The weather was beautiful!! And fitting as well...we know that grandpa is no longer in pain and is home in heaven, with his father and savior...Jesus Christ. So, a beautiful day on the anniversary weekend was just perfect and peaceful...so to speak! The way grandpa would have liked it to be for us coming to visit.
We ALL love him and miss him dearly...


He was probably the best man you would ever meet...lets just leave it at that!



Grandpa,
I think of you daily and miss you! I have lots of beautiful memories and I thank you for them. Without you, I would have never existed. I would have never had the chance to have the three beautiful children that the Lord has blessed me with. So thank you for falling in love with my grandma and showing my father the love he should have for his family...because of you, I have the Best dad!!
Love you and miss you,
Your granddaughter,
Sarah

Grandma and I having a moment

Photo Sessions with Grandpa (My Dad)

Arial and Grandpa

Logan and Grandpa

Paige and Grandpa

(pretending to talk to daddy...one of her fav games)

Me and the Kiddos




We did end up taking the kids to see the Korean Bell (also in San Pedro) When we were kids mom and dad would always take us some where on the weekends...the Korean bell was a popular place with us( my bros and myself) there was plenty of room to run...lots of HUGE hills to roll down...and a view of Catalina Island. When we would go up there we always kept an eye out for migrating whales and dolphins. It was a nice visit...and a nice weekend...I'm just sad that Devin wasn't there with us!

Moms...Pops...Me...The Kiddos

WE LOVE YOU GRANDPA ALDERETE

Breaking News:
Victorville woman has another 8 months to live without heart!!
That's right...it has been reported that 29yr old Victorville woman has discovered her heart is M.I.A. Yes, driving away from Ontario Airport(after dropping husband off), Sarah Price, resident of Victorville, California realizes her heart has been missing since July! That is when her husband of 8 yrs left on a deployment to Iraq. Her heart did indeed come back for a short while when her husband came home on his 14 day leave. He is on his way back to Iraq where he will be serving another 8 months before getting to come home for good! But not to worry...he has had Sarah's heart in his possession for the last 10 yrs and he knows how to protect it and keep it safe! Her heart is right next to her husbands where it belongs....Baby I miss you!!!

Okay, okay...that was korny! But then again...
so am I!!! Well Devin did indeed get to come home for his 14 days of R&R. We are now at the " half way" mark of his tour of duty! Only 8 more months to go...YAY!! I know, it still sounds so long but hey it's better than 18 months, right? While he was home we had lots and lots of good times...the kiddos have been missing their daddy so much and just to see the little looks on their faces when they saw their daddy, was priceless! Imagine going to bed knowing that mom is going to be picking daddy up from the airport and when you wake up daddy will be there!!

Devin left Iraq to come home Jan 23rd and finally arrived Jan 26th after long and exhausting flights and delays. He was pooped!! Can you imagine, after at least 36 hrs of flights and "what not" being able to come home and sleep in his OWN bed, in his OWN house with his family within his physical reach. Not just on his mind, the way it has been, since July. While thinking of them as he lays there in a war zone, but actually right there. If you ask him he says it felt like a dream. In fact, he thought he was having a dream. That is until at the "butt crack" of dawn two kids ran into our room squealing in delight and jumping right on top of him!! It was precious...a great reunion! We really enjoyed our time...you know, sometimes, you realize, just how precious family time is...it only last for a short while... so treasure each and every moment you have with your loved ones. Who knows when your last moments as a family will be...make memories they'll last forever!!

In the midst of it all...we happened to get some one on one time...first we had a delicious dinner date with our good friends Sean and Wendy Wilkie. Sean is on deployment with Devin and has really been a good friend for him. Thank you Sean!! We had dinner at the Castaway Restaurant in San Bernadino, it was beautiful. The next day the 4 of us got to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain, it was a blast!! You know, I hadn't been on a "real" roller coaster since before I had Arial...that's 5 yrs ago!!
We did just spend alot of time just relaxing at home. Well...I was relaxing! My wonderfully thoughtful husband took care of me and let me sleep in everyday!! He was the one who got up when one of the kids woke up in the middle of the night, he was the first one up in the morning making us breakfast, and he even finished all the "Dos" on his list!! Impressive, eh? I thought so!!

We even had a chance to get away for our anniversary for 2 days! Traci and Cameron came up to our place and watched the kids for us!! Yeah...5 kids all together, when you count their 2...4 in diapers...Brave Souls!! Dev and I were thinking we should make it a tradition and trade off. We'll watch your kids for your anniversary and you guys can watch ours! We really appreciated you guys doing that for us, Thanks again!! (yeah, that's a shout out to y'all Traci and Cam!!)

Like always, please keep Devin and Sean in your thoughts and prayers, as well as all the other service men and women overseas, with the weather changing over there in Iraq, the action is starting to heat up as well! We love you all and thank everybody for your continued support. Until next time, be good to one another we'll talk to y'all later....P.S. here are some of my favorite pictures we took while Devin was home.......

Dev lovin' up on me at Magic Mountain

At the airport waiting for our Soldiers to arrive

Dinner at The Casaway Resturaunt in San Berdo

This is Sean and "My" Wendy just goofin' off at the mountain!

This is the children reacting to daddy's homecomming!

As you can see....they couldn't be happier! They attacked him....dogpile on Daddy!!

Awww...Priceless!

Bathtime with Daddy!!

Two of my favorite guys in my life!

Awww...precious! Think I'll save this one for her wedding!

Assisting dad with "Paige Proof " locks!!

He looks like his daddy!!

Breathing Treatment time!

My Favorite Soldier!!

Playing Kissy Kissy!!

Daddy's Girl!!

Their very own "Dog Tags" a gift from daddy!

A New Year and A New Do?!!

Arial wishing she wouldn't have cut her hair afterall!!

"Not another picture, come on Mom??"

"Don't I look sassy?"

"That kinda tickles!"


"It's not easy being so cute!"

"Um, what are we doing again...Ma?"

"WHY ME? WHHHYYY?"

"Are we done yet, I do get a balloon, right?"

FIVE...FOUR...THREE...TWO...ONE...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I know...Iknow...that's like about a month late! Yeah, but if you know me...that would be considered good!! Okay, maybe not! But I've seriously have started this stupid blog, like, 4 times now and every time I go to do the pics, I lose the whole thing! Anyways, back to the post...

So, New Years...you got to love it!! The feeling of a fresh start. Wiping the slate clean. Leaving the old starting new. New Year Resolutions...to be kept...or not! Yes, so I'm a list person. Gotta have a list so naturally, I started one for 2009. All about getting organized...now that I'm a stay at home mom, I can finally get to all the monotonous jobs I've been putting off! Yes, I think I like lists because as you're accomplishing the "to do's" you get to cross them off. I also like to give myself a deadline and challenge myself to get things done. I definitely get that from my dad.(mom, I really don't see it as a bad thing!) But, why would it be any different for my New Years Resolution lists...it's not! So, since we all know that I'm such a "punctual being" (yeah, NOT!!) I am making my resolution "NUMERO UNO" to TRY to be on time! Okay...okay... you can stop laughing now! No really, Dev...mom...dad... stop! I'm serious! I am really gonna try harder than I have for the past 10 years that I've had it on my list! (YIKES 10 yrs...keep ur fingers crossed!!) My second one, even though I've got my hands pretty full with just the 1st one, is to get more organized. House, closets, candle stuff, decorations, things in the attic...okay, now I'm having an anxiety attack! Maybe I'll just stick with number one. You have to admit, that's a lot for me!

Anyways, what would a New Year be, without a new hairdo? It would be boring that's what, and I wouldn't have been able to tie the pictures in!(tee hee) I took the kiddos to get their hairs cut the first Sunday of the year. Arial and Logan are pros at this by now...they just climb up into the "big kid" chairs and let the stylist, style away! Paige on the other hand...no so good!! You see it was really her first time( I've trimmed it up, but 'snot the same) and she was all smiles! That's until the stylist stepped in front of her...she screamed her little head off! It was kinda funny!! My mom, like always, was such a good sport. She was the lucky one who got to contain the screaming child so that I could be able to take pictures and document all the pain and the suffering I inflict on my children! I got some really great shots, thanks gramma!!

Yes, pictures of their pain and suffering. You may think to yourself why is Sarah so mean to her poor children? Hey child hood is painful! No, I'm just kidding. Seriously, its been said that it is never too early to start planning and plotting ways to get even with your teenage children! Can you say,"Blackmail?" Yes, I'm staying ahead of the game...getting ready for the dreaded teen years! Hey, I remember how I was as a teenager!(sorry Mom and Dad!) I can even top that, I remember what Devin was like as a teenager!! Yeah, thought that would make you understand!!

They do say," Teenagers either make or break a marriage!" Let's face it, we as parents, don't stand a chance. I'm soooo not looking forward to those trying times! What, They're 5yrs..21/2yrs.and 14 months old now, and they drive me crazy!! My mom calls me up sometimes to see how my day is going and I answer back,"Oh, it will be fine...as soon as I choose between slitting my throat or cutting my wrists!" My brother, Adam, likes to remind me when I'm soooo done, that what did I expect...with my deviled eggs and Devin's demon seed...how could they be perfect angles? They are just kids and I do expect a lot from them cause for the most part, they are GOOD! They, like all other children...have their moments. And I love them dearly and would not change one thing!! (except for whining! drives me bonkers!!)

So Paige made it out of the salon alive and laughing too!! Oh, the wonders of balloons...they make life better! For Logan, we buzzed his hair short so we could spike it. He looks so cute, such a big boy! they grow way too fast...what happened to my baby? For Arial, well, we were growing her hair out. Like most daddies, Devin loves long hair. So when Arial, accidentally, cut her hair...again...the threats started! I told her that accidents don't happen 5 times and that we're just gonna start buzzing her hair like daddy's and brothers! She cried...then I laughed...she cried harder...I laughed louder! Who said parenting wasn't any fun? After all the "drama" of throwing herself and wallowing all over the ground, we decided to even things out. We got a short little "A-line stacked"bob!! It is just adorable!! Arial loves it and it's growing on Devin now...I told him,"hair grows, get over it!"

Well we want to wish everybody a happy, love filled , prosperous 2009!! We,"The Price Family" have a lot of exciting things coming this year. In the Spring, Arial and Logan will be playing their 1st seasons of tee ball...YAY!! In the Summer they will play basket ball, also their 1st seasons, and Soccer in the fall, Logan's 1st and Arial's 2nd. You guys should come on out and watch...the kids would love it!! Arial will also be continuing her dancing (tap and ballet) She'll be having some recitals coming up soon, I'll keep you posted! The most exciting thing happening this year will be the much anticipated return of our "DADDY"!!!! (woot woot!! Hooah!!) Devin will be coming home for good in Sept 2009. He's doing well, a little homesick, due to the holidays. He stays busy with all of his "missions". When he has down time, he likes to spend his time playing basketball(surprise, surprise!) and weightlifting. He's so proud that he's lost weight and can tie his shoes while breathing still! I say," Baby, I love you no matter what...in shape or heavier...doesn't matter to me as long as you make it home to me in one piece...with your mind and your heart intact! I miss you like crazy and can't wait to see ya again!"

Please keep Devin and all of our troops overseas in your thoughts and your prayers. Prayer is probably the best thing we can do for them. They are all in our Lords hands fulfilling their promise and duty to our country!! Freedom certainly does not come free! Just look at all of the sacrifices our brave men and women in uniform and their families are making!! I know first hand, and I thank each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart!! I couldn't be prouder to be an American!! No matter who is in the white house!! It's Gods will and everything will work out, just keep your faith and trust in our Lord!! After all, we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD...aren't we?? Until next time, be good to one another, we'll talk to y'all later...