The Bailey's

Hi, my name is Cindy. And I'm a blog-not-updater-a-holic. I'm long winded when it comes to writing in my blog so it takes me forever to update it because I know it will take a while and I can't seem to find the time. Or more like I choose to do other less productive things. But the end of my procrastination has arrived. Today I will finally update you on another part of our trip to SLC that we took back in APRIL! I told you, I procrastinate.

On our way there and on our way back we stopped and visited our friends the Bailey's in Logandale NV. Not sure where it is? Don't worry, neither did we! But let me tell you, it is such a cute small community! It makes us want to move there. The fact that the Bailey's live there helps that desire grow. Jono Bailey served with Dave in his mission in Mexico. He was Dave's favorite companion. I can totally see why, he's a riot. And Becca is his beautiful, totally cool wife. They have 5 kids, 3 boys & twin girls...who are SO DANG CUTE! We had so much fun visiting with them, so much so that David & Parker STILL talk about it over 2 months later!

The main reason is the 'Bailey Compound'. They have a backyard that every little boy who's looking for adventure would call their dream! It comes complete with a mysterious toppled over building/shack, cool climbing trees, 'poison water' river and HUGE hills to scale and deserted rail road tracks to follow. Our boys had a blast! And Zach showed us how to descend from a tree using only a vine! Way cool.

This is Maddy & Abby. When I was there I could tell them apart, slightly, but not so much in the picture. Aren't they so stinking adorable!?

These trees were so cool, even I had to climb them!

Dino, giving me a sad 'puppy' face because he wanted me to let him take that dog home.

David & Zach up a tree.
Tarzan (AKA Zach) descending from the tree.
Throwing rocks into the poison water and watching them disintegrate. Okay, so maybe the last part was just our imagination.

Waiting for the train.
Taking the road less traveled.

Joey, Parker & Dave on top of the world!

This is as close as I got to getting all 5 boys in one pic at the same time. (L-R: David, Danny, Parker, Zach & Joey)

I took this pic for Dino so he can remember Taysha. hehe.

We LOVED visiting the Bailey's! Now we're ready to have them come visit us!! The beach is calling your name!!

Disneyland...again!

Our fun friends, The Bartholets, were going to Disneyland for a few days (they live in AZ) so we decided to join them! The Stockdales (minus Jimmy who had to work) also went. It was a fun, energy filled day with 3 five year old boys, 2 three year old boys, 1 three year old girl and one 8 month old baby. We were outnumbered, but we still had a blast!



David & Parker descending from Tom Sawyers Tree house. Dave & I haven't been on the Tom Sawyer Island for a very long time, and the boys had never been on it. It was awesome! Lots of adventure filled things for kids to do. But parents beware, very easy to lose 3 year old's there, as Sophia & Parker found out.

On the look-out for scurvy pirates!

It must take team work! Clockwise from the top: Jackson, Cannon, Cullen, Parker, David & Sophia.

I love this pic. Sophia's face is so determined!

Waiting for the Tea Cups to start.

Parker & Sophia are BFF. They play SO well together and are always so excited to see each other.

I loved Parker's reaction to the fast turns, I had to snap a picture of it.

David just sat back and enjoyed the ride!

Sophia is more of the thrill seeker of the two...haha!

It was a another great day at Disneyland! Thanks Bartholets for coming out to play!! We had fun!

Surprise, Surprise!

One nice relaxing Monday, Dave & I went to the gym. (Monday is Dave's day off so it's like everyone else's Saturday.) On our way home he told me that he was thinking of buying me the coat & shoe rack I had been wanting from ikea (this is before I finished my armoire). I was in SHOCK. More then shock, in disbelief. I didn't know what had gotten into him, but I was going to roll with it! We got home and I immediately got showered and ready to drive down to Burbank. But Dave kept stalling. I didn't want him to change his mind so I didn't rush it. I figured we'd leave when he was ready. But the day kept dragging on. Then he said we had to wait until Dino got out of wrestling practice, at 5 PM, so he could go with us. WHY!? Why would Dino want to go to ikea? He said he'd never been and wanted to see what the fuss was all about. FINE! So we waited. Finally, 5:15 pm, we're on our way. I, like always, fell asleep on the way there. (Any car ride longer then 15 and I'm out. I'm like a child that way) I wake up, not sure how much later, and we are no longer on the freeway. I ask Dave why and he said that the traffic was bad due to the rain so he was taking side streets. Since it was so something he would do, I didn't question it and closed my eyes to resume my slumber. A few minutes later I awake to him on the phone asking someone exactly how to get to the place 'he was going to that night'. I assume he was lost and was asking Matt Kabel for directions (since Matt lives down the street from ikea and was going to try to meet us there). So, again, I close my eyes. Not even a minute later I open them because we are pulling into a parking lot....and it wasn't the ikea parking lot! Um, what the heck? Where are we? Dave tells me he had to stop because there was something he needed to pick up for work. Detour? Fine, hurry up! Then he comes around to my side of the car & starts unbuckling Parker....who by the way was sleeping! And here is the conversation that followed:



Me (annoyed): What are you doing? He's sleeping... leave him alone...don't wake him until we get to ikea... I'll stay in the car with them.
Dave (calm as can be): No, I want him to come with me.
Dino is just laughing at me to someone on the phone.
Me to Dino: What are you laughing about? What's going on?
Me to Dave: leave him alone! Your gonna make him grumpy!
Dave: I think we should all get out.
Me (even more annoyed): what!?! Why?!?!

(I get out of the car only because Dave has Parker out & Dino was getting David out.)

We start walking towards MB2, a go cart raceway and I ask Dave why we are there. He then informs me that we are there to race for my birthday and that the whole family & my friends were on their way there too. He had planned me a SURPRISE party!!! How sweet is that?! I was SOOO surprised. I really had NO idea. It was great. I've never had a surprise party before. Heck, I've only had 1 birthday party in my whole life and that was 20 years ago when I turned 10!! So, need less to say, I loved it. We had a blast. And even Carlton Banks showed up. ;0)

Everyone who came out on a rainy Monday evening to celebrate My 30th with me.

The boys were too young (and short) to drive so they had to sit it out and watch.

But they got some race time in the arcade area.

On the left is James Stockdale getting scolded by one of the workers because he messed up the barriers, see pic on right. He tried to illegally pass someone and hit the side.











I told you Carlton Banks Showed up!

Cute Cake!

As if taking me to an awesome concert wasn't enough...Dawn made me this totally cute cake! It's it adorable!? It was a surprise, so I didn't get it until a few days after she made it. But I still ate some of it! C'mon, it was CHOCOLATE cake! Do you really think I wouldn't eat it?

Never too Old for a SKA show!

So Dawn calls me up and asks me if I want my birthday present early. To which I reply, "Hello, do you know ME!?! Of course I do!" She tells me okay, but that it's not ready yet. A few days later she calls me again and says I have to come over because my present is ready and she wants to give it to me. She says she can't bring it to church because I'll probably scream when I see it and we can't have that at church. I try my best to think of what it can be but no clues come to mind. When I get to her house she hands me an envelope and says, "Happy Birthday." I open it and whatta ya know, she was right...I screamed. It was 2 tickets to the 'Ska is dead 4' tour. This stop of the tour included The Toasters, Buck O' Nine, Voodoo Glow Skulls and two other bands we hadn't heard of but turned out to be really good. I was so excited! Do you know how long it has been since I've been to a show?!? Me nether! I seriously cannot recall the last one! I can recall many, but most of them were YEARS ago. The show was on a Tuesday at the House of Blues at Downtown Disney. So that day we loaded up our families and headed to Disneyland for the day. We had a blast. Then the men (what great husbands they are) took the kids home and Dawn & I headed to the show. We were so excited! I loved that when we got to the door the bouncer asked if we were over 21. Seriously?! AWESOME! We informed him it didn't matter because we weren't drinking anyway, and Dawn told him I was turning 30 and I told him we had kids to carpool around the next day...but thanks for the compliment dude! Inside the show it felt like old times. Everyone really friendly to each other and there were people of all ages. And by all ages, I'm not kidding, there was an old man that could have been in his 60's there. Goes to show, ska knows no barriers. It was a great show, Dawn and I danced like crazy, and she even got it the pit! I guess I'm losing my guts. Maybe next time. Oh, there WILL be a next time. I'll never be too old for a ska show!

Snowed In! (well almost)

The week before Christmas an awesome thing happened. It SNOWED! I was so excited. I haven't seen snow like that in the AV since the early '80's! (No cracks about the age, please) Seriously, if you lived here long enough you remember the last time very clearly! It was a huge event, as was this time! I'm so happy my boys got to play in the snow in their own front yard. The first day we went to Ana Verde to sled with Uncle Jeremiah and his family. The boys had a blast! Okay, so did we 'grown-ups'. We had snow ball fights, made snow angel's and sled down a hill. We came home, I made cookies and we just watched it come down! It snowed ALL DAY LONG! David even wanted to sleep with his window blinds open so he could see the snow. First thing he did the next morning was look out the window to see if it was all still there. And IT WAS! We made a snowman in our front yard that day then headed out to sled with the Stockdale's. It was a great 2 days!

Dave & David making the base for a snowman at the park.


Parker & Me, nicely bundled up!

Parker making a snow angel in the front yard.

Helping Dad make the snowman.

The boys and our snowman. (David being silly)

Dave & me & our snowman.

Here's a video of Dave & Uncle Jeremiah going down the hill together. The still think they're 10. ;0)