Kylee's birthday

Since it was Kylee's 14th birthday and she is now legal to go to church dances, Matt decided to make a disco ball and dancing cake.  

A few things about Kylee

Favorite books - Harry Potter, Maze Runner Series, and Aragon Series
Favorite color - Turquoise
Favorite Food - Chicken Rolls
Favorite Dessert - Brownies
Favorite TV show - Psych
What do you like to do in your free time? have friends come over, spending time w/cousins
What are your hobbies?  Drawing and Reading
What makes you happy? summer
Where would you like to visit? Italy and Hawaii
Who are your friends at school? Kathryn, Abby, Sofia, and Molly
church? Stephanie

She likes to be on pinterest and always finds beauty ideas she wants to try.  For one of her presents she got a free makeover at Sephora with $50 worth of makeup.  She is excited about it.

Yard Work

Apri 21

Matt had someone come and terrace our backyard, so it could be more functional.  They did a great job.

May 24

Matt had a truckload of mulch delivered at the top of our yard.  The kids helped with wheelbarrowing it down to the two sections that had been terraced.  They also did some planting on the sides.  The kids friend Quatro even helped.

June 14th

We all helped to clean up a rock bed that had overgrown with grass. It meant taking out all the rocks, getting rid of the grass, putting a landscaping cloth down, and filling the rocks back in.  It looked so much better afterwards.   Blake helped with dancing entertainment, and Julia pulled Asher around in the wagon, and Brayden dried to make rain angels when it started to sprinkle. 

August 22

Matt had a vision of making a wood walkway going down the hill. He started working on it at the end of the summer.  It looked great.

Money Desktop Package

Matt received a package for the kids while we were gone in Mexico, so they opened it the morning after we got home.  When we visited Utah the kids were so excited about Money Desktop and Brayden was asking if they had money desktop items, like shirts.  So, the kids were super excited to get a package from Uncle Ryan and Uncle Nathan.  They were so excited to put on their shirts and shoot their guns.  It provided many hours of fun that turned into fights for getting hit in the face or for bullets lost.  There was even a special bag for Asher with a sippy cup, baby snacks, and a bubble blower.  The older kids got a gun, green gumballs, a shirt, glasses, and a glow stick.

Carlsbad Caverns

Matt and I had been talking for years about stopping by Carlsbad Caverns on one of our trips between El Paso and San Antonio.  We both enjoyed going when we were younger.  I had looking into going to caves here close by and they were so expensive and not nearly as large as Carlsbad.  We decided that on the way back from our trip to Mexico would be a good time to go. Everyone thought it was really neat and enjoyed going.   

Dallin's Birthday / Thin Air

The Gaspar de Alba family came down our way for the wedding of Monica Gaspar de Alba (Joey's sister) in Austin.  Camille tagged along with her boys to hang out with us.  It was Dallin's 12th birthday so Camille decided to celebrate by going to Thin Air with the cousins.  Gabbi had gone recently with a date and thought it was really fun.  The older boys ended up spending most of their time in the dodge ball area and the rest spent most of their time jumping, flipping, and falling into the foam pits.  It was fun for everyone.  

Camille asked Matt if he could make Dallin a cake.  Matt was a little reluctant because he didn't want it to turn into a expectation with so large an extended family, but he relented and made a Raymond Raving Rabbids cake for him surrounded by onlookers.  It turned out pretty good and Dallin liked it.  

Computer Finders, Keepers

A family across the street recently moved out of their rental house.   We heard from other neighbors that they hadn't left things very nice.  Brayden was exploring the area behind the houses around that same time.  He kept asking the random question, "Say there were computers in the alley way, would we be able to get them and keep them?"  I didn't quite understand what he was getting at, because of course we wouldn't expect computers to be left out around the neighborhood.  He also asked Matt who gave him the go ahead.  He left early in the morning with Santiago and together they lugged back their loot.  I figured out that the renters had just dumped them over their back fence when they left.  

Hurricanes Summer 2014

1st Swim Meet - June 9, 2014

Hurricanes vs. Colonies

3rd Swim Meet - July 1, 2014
Hurricanes vs. Northwest Crossing

Swim Team Party - July 7, 2014

At the swim team party they called them up by age group and gave them their trophy for being part of the team.  We ate pizza and salads and they got to swim in the pool for fun.  

Championship Meet - July 12, 2014
Northside Aquatics Center

Blake 6 yrs old

100 yard free relay - 6th -2:44.60

6&U 25 yard freestyle - 14th out of 25- 40.99

Boys 7&U 25 yard freestyle - 18th out of 21-38.29

Julia - 8 yrs old

Girls 8&U 25 yard Freestyle - 9th out of 21- 25.27

Girls 8&U 100 yard Freestyle Relay - 5th - 1:49.74

Brayden - 11 years old

Boys 14 &U Medley Relay (breaststroke) - 4th -1:17.85

Boys 11& U 25 yard Breaststroke - 2nd-22.37

Boys 11&U yard Freestyle - 5th - 18.17

Boys 12 &U 100 yard Freestyle Relay - 4th - 1:12.43

Kylee - 13 years old

Girls 13 & U 25 yard Backstroke - 2nd - 21.09

Girls 13 &U 25 yard Freestyle - 4th - 15.78

The Hurricanes won the Championship swim meet.  They swam against Northwest Crossing - Dolphins, Colonies House- Dolphins, and Dominion.  In the championship swim meet they usually swim 2 individual events and 1 relay, with the possibility of swimming 2 relays.  The entries were not entered in correctly.  There was a lot of mistakes.  Kylee did not get put in any relays, which they mistakenly overlooked her.  They forgot to put Julia in  her other individual event.  Blake was put in the same event twice in a different age group.  The second time he swam it, he dropped 2 seconds.  They forgot to put him in the Backstroke.  At least they got to swim because there was some swimmers that were mistakenly not added in any events. It was fun to do the season with the Herreras and I enjoy the opportunity for the kids to get better at swimming.  The summer seems to go quickly because they stay busy in the pool.