Family Time

As I mentioned in my last post, we got to spend a lot of time with our families this last month and it was great!

In Fallon, we got to see Mom, Dad, Holly, Ashlyn, Gram, Grandpa, Nana, Papa, CD, Ash, Slade, Uncle Gary, Aunt Laura, Gabriel, Arianna, Gianna and Katelyn. Not to mention a visit from Nikki, Aaron and Parker Glass! And of course the pups: Lily, Paco, Sasha, Caddy and Mo. It was a great week full of good food, softball games and lots of just hanging out and catching up. I hadn't seen Nana & Papa and the Pinedas in almost a year, so that was really nice.







Then, after we returned to Colorado, Stephen's parents and sister drove out from Nashville to spend a couple weeks with us. Dan and Brandi came down from Craig so we had the entire Rabon clan together for the first time since our wedding, I think. We left Texas at Christmas the day Dan came (we only saw each other in the airport) so that doesn't really count. We all got to spend 4th of July weekend together-- playing softball and volleyball and enjoying catching up. Then the next weekend Dan came back and Mike, Marcie, Dan, Matt, Stephen and I hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park to Mills Lake. It was a great visit and even though Stephen and I worked, we got a good amount of quality time.







And now, despite the fact that it's only July, we're a mere two weeks away from the first week of school. Our staff week is the first week in August (setting up classrooms, etc.) and then the kiddos return on August 9. It's been a crazy busy two weeks at the school getting all the supplies ordered and class lists made and finding a new teacher as one from last year has decided to move on. The transition has been a lot of work and craziness but I think that we're going to have a great year with the set up we have now. I'm really excited to see some of the kids who didn't come to our summer program and get to know the new children. It will be here before we know it and I'm looking forward to my second school year there.

For those who don't already know, Stephen was promoted at the end of June to Store Manager. I, of course, am very proud of my husband and how hard he works to provide for this family. He's going through transition at work, too, and so has been working very hard to get everything set up and ready to go. He's doing an amazing job (but really, did anyone doubt that he would??) and he's learning the ins and outs of the new position. He's very humble and didn't want to make a big announcement, so I'm just going to brag about him here :) I'm pretty sure it's my job as his wife and I love doing it.

Stephen will be going to Vegas at the end of August again with the SuperMan League to draft for Fantasy Football so I have been in talks with Sandi to get her out here for another visit. She's got the time off and Chris' blessing and has been looking at plane tickets so I think it's a go! I'm VERY excited about this. Catching up and mischief to follow!

Summer time and the livin' is easy...

Wow, it's been months since I blogged, which seems weird to me, but time is just passing by so quickly. I feel like New Year's just happened and it's almost mid-June. I know they say time goes by faster the older you get but geez, I'm not THAT old yet! It's amazing for me to think that I've been in Colorado almost a year (less than 2 months to go!) and that I've worked at Parker Montessori the majority of an entire school year and a few months shy of a year (September). Life is funny like that. I feel like I'm still new to the area but at the same time also sometimes forget that I've moved until I see a freeway sign saying Denver is north and Colorado Springs is south. I guess that means that I'm comfortable here. I know how to get to all the important places, anyway, and I've developed routines around the places, people and events here. It still sucks to be far away from our families and some of our closest friends, but life is still good.

Warm weather is finally upon us and I couldn't be happier about that! That snowing into May thing is not really my style. Give me a few 75-80 degree days in a row and you've got one happy girl on your hands. Now if we could just turn this darn wind into some gentle breezes we'd really have things in order. Overall, though, I'm looking forward to enjoying the warm months and the green trees and grass that have finally emerged from their hibernation.

Summer time has also brought changes at work. While we do have summer camps going during June and July, we have a significantly lower enrollment during those months. It has a lot do with our clientele-- we have a lot of stay at home moms or families with nannies so the majority of the children that we have during the summer are our students with two working parents. We get a few from the SAHM families, but only like 2-3 days a week and only for the mornings. Just a little time for the kids to learn and retain from the school year, have some socialization and give Mom a chance to run errands, etc. Because of this, my hours have been cut back significantly. I'm working just under half the amount of hours per week that I worked during the school year, which has been quite a change for me. I'm not liking the pay cut at all, but I'm trying to make the best of the extra time off. I've been reading a lot and I'm looking into starting to volunteer at a local food bank in July (I'll be gone and they'll be closed the remainder of this month). I spent an hour laying in the sun reading on Wednesday and that was pretty fantastic. I also gave blood, which I've been overdue for. Speaking of overdue, I finally took Josie in for a recall notice I received from Toyota in March... I know, horrible car owner. They had to order the part, so I'll need to take her back in, but at least I've got the time now. Maybe I'll even go to the dentist... super overdue for that one! So maybe summer will come in handy to catch up on some things... and hopefully make it to a few Rockies games!

On Wednesday, Stephen and I are headed to Fallon to see my family. I can not possibly tell you how excited I am for this trip, for a couple reasons. #1. I get to see so many people who I love and miss like crazy! #2. An entire week with Stephen, where neither of us works! That's amazing! It's going to be so great to see everyone, and I'm so happy and blessed that so many people are making the trip from various places to see us :) It's going to be Dad, Holly & Ashlyn in Fallon, Mom, Gram & Grandpa from Vacaville, Nana & Papa coming up from Victorville and CD, Slade & Ashleigh from Pleasanton. I'm even trying to get in some Nikki Glass time :) It's going to be a full house and a crazy week but I am looking forward to seeing everyone so much! We're hoping to get a group family picture in while everyone is there-- yes, everyone in the picture!-- and I can't wait to see it and have it and show off how amazing our family is. Divorce has not torn the two sides of my family apart and I can't express how much I LOVE that about my family. There's going to be so much family, fun and food that I'm taking my running shoes with me so that I don't gain 100lbs. I've already plotted a course on the streets by Dad's house. Maybe I can even get one of the 6 (yes, SIX!) dogs that will be there to run with me. Yes, we are crazy. 13 people, 6 dogs, 1 house. Oh dear.

Then, we'll get back to town, have a little over a week and then Mike, Marcie and Rebekah are headed out from Nashville to stay with us for a couple weeks! We've already got Matt living with us for the summer and Dan comes down from Craig from time to time so we'll have a house FULL of Rabons :) They'll be out here for the 4th of July (and the block party that comes with it) and then will spend the next couple weeks having some quality time with us, their friends here in CO and enjoying being "home." It should be a great time. I'm sure that Dan will probably come down with Brandi at some point so that should be fun for everyone to be together! My "relaxed" work schedule will be a definite advantage during those weeks to maximize the amount of time I'll get to spend with everyone. Looking forward to that!

This summer is going to be filled with family and I LOVE that.


And, because a blog post is kind of boring without photos, here are a few from recent family fun in Colorado:



The Rockies game for Dan's birthday -- beat the Cardinals 15-4!


From Mom's Easter Visit!


From Gram & Grandpa's Mother's Day visit!

Family Milestones

Since we've been married, our family has had so many big things happen.

In May, both of Stephen's brothers celebrated huge accomplishments. Dan graduated from Colorado State University, Fort Collins with his bachelor's degree and a job all lined up with a company that he interned for last year. Matthew graduated from Rock Canyon High School and has been accepted to Vanderbilt University to start this fall. Stephen was able to fly home and spend some time with the whole family to celebrate both of these big events.

Last weekend, Mom and I were able to attend my baby cousin's graduation party in Victorville. Joey graduates this Friday from Victor Valley Christian School. Here are a few pictures from the trip (taken by my Aunt Susan- unfortunately Joey isn't in either)





Speaking of milestones... I can't believe that my little cousin Gary has a baby! (See above pictured adorable baby, also named Gary) Which also means that both Tori (pictured, blue dress) and I are aunts. How weird is that? It seems like just yesterday that all of us cousins would spend every summer in Nana and Papa's pool...convincing Papa that we needed to go Elking... living off samples at Costco...

More changes and milestones are coming soon but we're blessed to have been able to spend these precious visits with our families.