May 21, 2008
No Mo-Mo Idol
Now...we move on to Christian's favorite show...So you think you can DANCE!!
...Shawna out!!
May 18, 2008
Beach to Babe

My Cheering section at the end of my length

5 of 6 of the Team...not the best but its all I have!
Saturday was a beautiful day here in Corpus...slight breeze, low 70s, mix of sun and clouds...a perfect day to RUN. A bunch of girlfriends from our ward and I ran the Beach to Bay Relay Marathon. It was a total marathon length, broken up into 6 legs. I ran the 4.8 mile length from the front of the Air Station to the back gate of the Air Station. It was such a neat experience to have with our new friends here in Corpus. And, I have to mention, I did run a personal best for races. I am NOT a speed runner. So my 7.9 min/mile was definitely a record. Plus, it was my longest race so far. Thus far, I have been perfectly content with 5Ks. It seems my next feat will probably be a 10K...maybe after the summer heat is over I can look for a fun location!
So- thanks ladies for making a fun memory!
As a side note...we forgot our camera (of course) so the only pics we have are from our cell phone cams with great quality...but they're better than nothing!
May 13, 2008
Worth the wait...
May 12, 2008
Year of a Million Dreams...
This year has already been a grand treat of many fun things...our trip to Orlando was truly magical! Does it get much better than Disney, family and beautiful weather?!
We met all Gav's family there in Orlando where we stayed at Orange Lake Resort(thanks to Gav's parents). It was an awesome set up where we all stayed in 2 HUGE 3-bedroom condos.
Our schedule went like this:
Day1- travel to FL
Day2-had to try and re-issue our thrown out tix (disney was SOOooo accommodating)... then a full day of MAGIC Kingdom
Day3- Animal Kingdom
Day4- Relaxed at the Resort and enjoyed all the amenities...lazy river, multiple pools, gym...
Day5- Hollywood Studios
Day6-Epcot- WARNING: I made the mistake of closing my eyes on MISSION SPACE- a flight simulator mixed with G-force spins....not such a wise choice. I was a bit green!
Day 7- MAGIC KINgdom Take 2...we split the big group and went on some of the smaller rides for Shaney. Then met up at Rainforest Cafe for a Finale dinner, where I kids fit in quite well with the local animal noises!
Day 8- Played at the pool until we left for the airport.
So, Gav flew with us until Houston, then I took the boys on the last leg of the trip while he turned around and went back to FL (Ft. Lauderdale this time) for an ophthalmology conference. After all of the exhausting fun in Orlando, I got to pull us all back together to get back into normal life.
We had been to Disney World twice previously and I have to admit I was a little less than enthusiastic about making yet another trip, in a year's time. But,I have to admit, this was a trip my children will remember for a lifetime. To get to spend 8 Magical days with their cousins and grandparents was truly priceless (okay, actually quite priceY but well worth every penny). I also have to admit that I was a little nervous about being in such a large group for an extended period of time....and I was so pleased to have walked away with such positive memories of the trip. We love our family and miss being close to them while we pay our dues to a medical career. Hopefully, this trip was a good bridge to close the gap our kiddos sometimes feel between all the fam, that get to see each other all the time, and us, who have lived various places outside of sweet home SAN DIEGO.
Apr 29, 2008
M-I-A
These last 3+ weeks have been such a whirlwind of fun and celebration and craziness...hence my missing in action on the blogging board. I had a wonderful birthday...above is a pic of some of what we did. Gav took me away to San Antonio for my birthday weekend. We stayed in a beautiful hotel on the RiverWalk, ate at one of my favorite restaurants, took a 4 mile run Sat. morning along the RiverWalk, then played at Six Flags. My actual birthday was equally great just being with my little family. I was overwhelmed by the well wishes...and mostly by my sisters tribute on her blog. So, now that I am another year older, and maybe wiser...the next two weeks we went to Orlando for 8 days with Gav's whole family (which is a whole other post...to come!) and then Gav had to go back to FL for a conference. So, I have been a single mom for 6 days! He comes home tonight...and we are all a bit excited. Just keeping up on everything by myself has been quite a task. And trying to recooperate from DisneyWorld....well, that just hasn't happened quite yet. Yep, still have a half full suitcase on the floor. I am such a procrastinator unpacker...I just pull the dirty stuff out, wash it and then pull from the suitcase until I have worn the remainder of the clean....efficient?? Probably not the best approach.
Anyhow, Gav has the laptop and all the pics from Disney....so we will do a big post when he returns and I can think again!
Apr 9, 2008
Take me out to the ball game...
Its what we do at least 3 nights a week, its the white pants I am washing every other day, its the practicing in the backyard sometimes for hours on end,its the discussion of how to be good enough to play in college, its the pride in Gav's eyes when Christian chases a kid a head taller and tags him out...it's all for the love of the game!
Apr 2, 2008
I know God loves me because...
He gave me...a best friend...a shopping buddy...a playmate...a soundboard...someone who loves me unconditionally... A sister!! My sister(most affectionately called "De" in our house) and I are super close. We were born only a year and 13 days apart. We have almost always been the best of friends. As we got older and she moved away, I vividly remember being devastated thinking how do I function without my other hand. We have both since found our better halves, our hubbies...but to me she is still my female bestest friend. She continually amazes me at all she has accomplished and by the girth of her hidden strength.
She came to visit us here in TX on a surprise birthday present from her cute hubby. We had a GReat time. We shopped our little hearts out and loved just hanging out. I love that she got to see what we're all about here in Corpus. And even got to relax a bit from her usual hectic schedule.
Anyhow...Happy Birthday De...we love you soooo much!!
Mar 29, 2008
Here we are a week past Easter and I am finally posting about our festivities. I took part of the week to recoop from cooking, cleaning and preparing. And the rest of the week to do the things I neglected the week prior. Right now, it seems a bunch of my life is also centered around baseball games and practices and pictures...you get the point.
So Easter was fabulous...thanks to our friends here in Corpus. We were filled spiritually by all the wonderful talks and lessons at church. Then we came home to a backyard visited by the Easter Bunny....Christian must have behaved at church because he knew the Easter bunny doesn't come to irreverent children. Then...we had 3 families over for an Easter egg hunt and Easter dinner. It was quite a crowd...but I like it that way. And each of the families have really become our family away from family. Shane had his buddies Cooper and Sophie. And Christian had his favorite babysitters, Kurt and Sally, and his buddies Lucy and Ben.
However, after doing 2 Easters in a row...I call dibbs to NOT host Easter next year!!
Mar 17, 2008
What we do with our time, says everything about us...
Its beach time again--well, off and on!!
Shaney's favorite "goggie"
I have become one of those bloggers...the kind that slack off for a month and every time you check their blog you see the same old post. I apologize and will do better!!
Our lives have been somewhat busy over the last several weeks... with Christian's baseball practices, Youth fundraisers, Youth Temple trips, school activities celebrating Texas**, Ear doctor visits for Christian, yard projects...and I'm sure there's more. Plus, the weather has perked up a bit lately causing for some family beach time...
Today we took Christian to the ENT specialist for the 4th time in the last month...he is still struggling with his tubes. Hopefully, it will slow down. We fitted him for custom earplugs today, which we are hoping will elevate the main issue--moisture in the ears. Then we took the boys to see Alvin & the Chipmunks in the Dollar Theater....Shane was hilarious. Who knew he loved the "bow-wow chicka wow-wow" so much! And their Christmas song...Shane sang right along at the top of his lungs mimicking Alvin. Over- and over throughout the whole movie! We tried to cover his mouth, but he pushed away and rocked on. Watch out American Idol....Shane's the new Idol in the making!!
On the note of cute kiddo moments--- Christian was snuggling me before we put him to bed one night. And he starts up a conversation saying:
C: "Mom, so I get to see you every day of my whole life, right?"
M: "Well...I don't know about every day. When you go on your mission I won't get to see you for 2 years."
C: " Awww...man!!! I wish I was a girl" (so he wouldn't have to leave for 2 years)
M: " Well, and when you get married, I probably won't see you EVERY day."
C: " Oh...no...I am going to live right by you so I can see you every day.....(long pause)....well, if my wife lets me."
On days like that, I feel I have accomplished all I could ever hope for as a mom...my son wants to be with me forever! I must have done something right to earn that. And on those bad days, which I am sure will come when he's a teenager and I have to tell him no, I will have to remind him how much he wanted to see me every day of his whole life!
** Just as a side note: you know you are not from Texas when....the first dozen times I see a t-shirt that says ATM....I thought it stood for the thing you get cash from....and my Texas friends cringe and explain the all importance of Texas A & M...sorry guys, I'm from SoCal!!
School-wide Family Picnic
Chef in the making--testing the cheesecake!