This Lenten Season

Matthew is in RE (Religious Education) and has a fantastic teacher! He comes home from class and wants to know what "sacrifice" we are going to give up for Lent this year. Last year, I did nothing and Matthew gave up his favorite, chocolate milk. This year, well...thought it was time to actually give something up. Matthew has given up ice cream (really not that big of a deal for him. It's not like he had it everyday), but who am I to tell him what he should "sacrifice". TJ, well his lenten journey is to give up over indulgence. He is a very extreme person. His explanation is long and thought out so I won't even go into the details on that one. If you would like to discuss with him his "sacrifice" e-mail him at tj@udallcaseycpa.com . What did I give up? The most extroidinary sacrifice one could give up, well next to giving up one's life for us, Diet Coke/Diet Dr. Pepper! Yes, this is true. I did it and I am going on 5 days clean. Hi! My name is Jennifer and I am Diet Coke/Diet Dr. Pepper Addict!!!! Haven't really had any problems until today! Thought if I shared my heroic venture it would make me feel better, but I must say...I WANT A DIET DR PEPPER!!!!! :-)

I'm Back in the saddle again!

I am gearing up for another busy tax season. Need to start posting again so I can keep up with everyone. Trying to get some pictures uploaded tonight from our trip to Disneyland, Christmas, & Matt's 8th birthday party.

But for now here are some of the Chistmas card picture rejects. What? You didn't get our Christmas card? That's odd? I will take that up with the post office! :-)


This just makes me smile...or laugh hysterically!

It just seemed weird to have our Christmas picture in a sleigh when it was 80 degrees outside.
This is just one of the many funny pictures in my "2009 Memories"...
I made Pluto get down next to Luke because we paid for his dinner and the little S _ _ _...I mean scoot (as my Mom calls him) fell asleep at the very beginning of dinner! I want to show him this when he is older! :-)


This was last Easter. The boys had the flu. They had gotten a movie from their Grandma Casey for Christmas and I can rarely get them to sit still. They didn't move. In fact shortly after this picture they fell asleep. Bummer of an Easter for us! :-(

This was taken in Florida on our summer vacation to Disney World. I will look at this picture and remember what it felt like that week when it hits 115 degrees here in AZ. I LOVE the Dry Heat!

Squirrel...

One of the few family pictures we have. LOVE Luke's shirt! Isn't it funny!

Showing off our Cardinal pride!!! (And my LOVE for Kurt Warner!!!!!) For some weird reason TJ wanted that stuffed reindeer in the photo. Things that make you go hummmm?

And my #1 reject....

Need I say more? I guess it doesn't look so bad when I preview, but TJ's eyes look like they are going to pop out. It probably isn't that funny to everyone since you can't see it close up. It reminded me of his "military picture." I wish I had a copy of that to share so you all could laugh with me.

TJ's Birthday Gift

I have once again waited until the last moment to work on his gift. I find it so hard to buy for him since he can NEVER wait to get something that he wants. Therefore, I usually try and make something for him. This year I decided to take the boys pictures holding the letters that spell out DAD. I was having such a hard time deciding between black & white photos or color ones. I finally went down and asked him which ones he liked.

This what he ended up choosing:

Matt's was easy. We just had to decide which cheesy smile to use. I had to take several of Luke because you never know how they will turn out since he doesn't sit for more than 1/10th of a milisecond (I really don't know how long that is, but it adds humor to my story).

Anyways, this is one of Luke's that I/we liked also:

These are the black and white pictures that we chose and also a different one with the "A"

I think he will enjoy the gift. When I thought of doing it I wanted to have it for home, but then I thought he might like it at his office so I guess I can use these other pictures for that.

Surprise!

I finally decided to sit down and update my blog! Can you believe it? I haven't even checked other blogs because I know I am so far behind that I will never catch up...so I am just going to start fresh!

Matthew started school this past week. He is now in 2nd grade. He has enjoyed it so far, but they didn't have any homework last week....it will be coming this week though. I am glad to have him back in school so we can get back on to a routine. I find it hard during the summer when there are no routines. We are looking forward to a great new year for him.

Here is Matthew on his 1st day of 2nd grade...

And here was Matthew on his 1st day of 1st grade...They do grow up too fast, don't they? sniff! sniff!

Our Day Off!!????

Sundays are our only day off these days. The last month or so TJ has been taking Matthew to some spring training games. The Cleveland Indians (one of TJ's favorites) started playing spring training here in AZ...not usually a good time for a CPA to go watch games. However, he wanted to spend his day off going to see the Indians play. I couldn't say no. He even took Luke to a game one Sunday. He has asked me to go before, but I have passed because this is the day that I get my laundry caught up (well kind of-it truly never is done), clean house (at least pick up) go grocery shopping (I have my MOMMY helping me with this...she has been cooking me dinners once in a while. I have her pick up the boys then I come home from work and she feeds us. Then I (try) and help her clean her kitchen). Anyhoo, I decided that I should do the "good wifely" thing and compromise ONCE so I said I would go today since they were playing the Cubs here in Mesa. Soon after I agreed to go (and he bought tickets) I realized I needed to have a den meeting for March and this Sunday was the only free day. So we went to the game-left at the end of the 6th inning and then came home to have a den meeting. We are preparing for the boys to participate in a cub mobile race. So everyone got to have a turn at riding the cub mobile. Luke was patient for a while then started to get a little ticked when he wasn't getting a chance ( I have 10 Tiger cubs in my den). Finally he had his chance and he was happy again. He is such a drama "queen"!!!! I don't know where he gets that! I just pout - so must be TJ! :-)

TJ and Matt go super early to try and get autographs. Today he got Johnny Peralta's autograph.

The Sports nuts!LOOK! A picture with me and my 2 boyz! This might be a collectors picture! These are very rare!

How cute is this??? This is Matt's hat. He won't wear his own hat, but he will wear Matt's. I think he does it because he knows it bugs Matt. Do you really think that he thinks like that at 2?

How do you like Matt's pit crew?

After dinner Luke and I got in the jacuzzi! It was so relaxing! (but still need that massage!)

So we had a GREAT day off - had some beautiful weather and now I am getting ready for bed to start the work week again! But, only 16 days left (and counting!)

Penguin Day

Matthew's class has been learning about penguins. The first graders had a program for parents to come and see what they have been learning and they had a little program at the end. It was so cute. One of his friends dressed up in his black pants and a white dress shirt and a little black bow tie. It was so cute. I had forgotten my camera, but my friend Brenda had hers! YEA!!!! It was a fun time and so cute to watch them waddle like penguins. They had a BLAST having their parents in their classroom too.

PS- I am still alive, but very tired and am really ready for April 15th to be here!!!! I need to get better at hiding it because Matthew keeps asking if I am "STRESSED". I just tell him that STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards so lets go get a treat! Thank goodness that tax season is almost over! I give in way to easy these days. I am not up for the fight! :-)

Only 24 more days!!!!

Luke

I sat here for what seemed like 5 minutes trying to come up with a title for this post. I really couldn't come up with a good one. Yesterday, Chad, Amanda, her sister Bri, and Brynn, invited Matthew to go to the Wildlife zoo with them. I was working so I thought it would be a lot of fun for him to go. And to be fair, Amanda did offer to take Luke, but I laughed and said "No way" would I let them do that. He is a handful! Little did I know.

Last night when they were dropping Matthew off, we were downstairs chatting and Luke went up stairs. I didn't think anything of it. I thought he was looking for his "blue" (his blankie) because I knew he was tired and ready for bed. He had been up there for a while so I started up stairs and just as I turned the corner up - Luke jumped up and started to run away...he left behind an open container of bag balm. Most of you reading this will know what it is and those that don't...well it is the midwest's version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding's windex, our cure for cuts, burns, etc and it is in a way like vasaline. Anyways, I found him in my bathroom with bag balm in his hair and some in his ears. I am so thankful that he didn't get any in the carpet! For the next hour Amanda and I tried to wash it out. I used his baby shampoo...it didn't work. I used Matthew's shampoo...that didn't work. I tried TJ's shampoo...nope didn't work either. Then I tried my shampoo (it had to work! You should see all the product I put in my hair daily)...Nope didn't work. Then we tried our dish soap....it helped a little, but ultimately I knew what was going to happen when TJ got home.






YUP! Luke got shaved! I don't have a current picture of Luke with his new do, but have this video that I will try to post here. In the meantime...enjoy these pictures. I guess this is just the beginning of my "toddler" years with him! God help me! Please pray for Luke's survival!

I know he looks innocent, but those are the ones that you MUST keep your eyes on!