The Martinez Family

Disney World!!

2010-07-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

We had such an amazing time at Disney World! The kids loved seeing their favorite Princesses. Even Reed loved it. It was just so fun! Thanks Christyn!

2010-07-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

2010-07-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

2010-07-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Photos from our trip to Philadelphia and Washington DC!

2010-06-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

2010-03-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

These two got a kick out of Mr. Potato Head!

Victoria has been waiting and waiting for her Princess Tea Party! We had so much fun preparing that she woke us all up at six AM with her dress on ready to go. We invited all the girls from her preschool and it they were all so cute dressed up in there Princess dresses. We had princess food, a kiss the frog game, jewelry box painting and a pinata. Victoria loved being the "hostess"!

Victoria really wanted another Princess doll cake like last year. So, I tried marshmallow fondant and it worked out pretty well. All Victoria cared about was the new Princess dolls.

March Madness!

2010-03-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

Victoria found this funny, small cow costume at the the Lutz Children's Museum and we couldn't get it off!

The kiddos in front of the beautiful Boston Temple.

Richard made this fun Cars cake for Reed's Birthday party. Reed loved it! We had lost "Chuck" , so Reed was happy to get a new one!

We had a fun time at the Providence Zoo with our friends the Ottley's over Richard's Spring Break!

Harmonica!

2010-02-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Reed was so funny with this harmonica. He made this up all by himself. (watch video below)

2010-02-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

Family Christmas photo!

Snow day Gingerbread Castle!

It was so fun! All these random cans were holding up the sides while they dried.

2010-02-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

Our first snow storm.

My mission companion Liz with her son Joshua and Victoria at the Thanksgiving balloons in NYC the night before Thanksgiving. We had so much fun spending Thanksgiving together.

Victoria found these press on Princess nails at the Target dollar aisle and she couldn't wait to put them on. I knew they would drive her crazy, and I told her so. She turned to me very seriously and said, " Mom, these are not going to make me delirious." They lasted about five minures.

Central park shadows.

Pictures!

2010-02-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

So, my sister informed me that I really should get over Halloween and post some more pictures! So, here you go! Photos of the last few months. We had a wonderful time over the Holidays. We spent a fun weekend with some friends in the Berkshires the week before Thanksgiving and then I got to catch up with my mission companion Liz Player for Thanksgiving in New Jersey. She is so amazing! Who would have thought we would get together nine years post-mission with our wonderful husbands and children. Christmas in San Antonio was warm and wonderful! It was so much fun to be with the Martinez family again. We headed straight on to Utah for New Year's celebrations. Victoria and Reed had so much fun with their cousins. We miss you all so much!

Halloween!!

2009-11-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

Victoria and Reed were literally bouncing off the walls when we got home from trick or treating! Normally we don't encourage bouncing on the couch, but they were having a ball trying to catch her in mid-air.

Checking out the loot after a busy Halloween night!

Trunk or Treat at the ward! We had lights and spooky music and were awarded scariest trunk! I also took home second place for my Chicken Tortilla soup!! Yeah!

Decorating pumpkins in one of Victoria's many, many costumes! Fairy Princess! There was no way she was going as just a fairy. She made that very clear!

Memories!

2009-10-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

I found a list of the funny things Victoria has said lately and I need to write them down. Some are old, but they are all pretty funny.

Victoria had on a princess dress that has sleeves, but none the less was a dress and it was cold. So, I said, "Victoria aren't you freezing?" And she said with the sweetest little smile, " No, cause I have this modest dress on."

Richard is always trying to convince me that we need some kind of a pet, preferably a dog. Victoria thinks we should get a cat or a PIG.

When Reed was crawling and Victoria was obsessed with the Barbie movie Princess and the Pauper one day she came walking in with Reed crawling beside her and said ''Say hello to my puppy Ruffy." "Oh, where's Ruffy?" I would periodically hear her say.

This one has been awhile, but when she was learning new words everyday and still trying to figure out exactly when to use them she said, "Mom, you look like a miracle." That made my day!

This one is a little more recent. Her and Reed have started wrestling and playing together, but every once in a while I will come in and Victoria will just be laying on top of him. One day I over heard her saying, " look Reed I'm the hot dog and you're the bun".

Then just the other day we were getting ready to go to Pumpkin Town USA with some other friends and Victoria came out all dressed in about five different patterns: polka a dots, stripes and flowers and boots. She turned to me with a very proud look on her face and said, "your friends are going to be so impressed." She turned and did a little happy dance. I felt a little like my Mom when she tells of a day my sister Amanda did her own hair and said "aren't you glad you have such beautiful daughters?"

Reed is talking so much and has such a sweet little voice. In the car on the way home from Salem Reed was playing peek-a-boo and laughing so hard. He even picked up on Trick or Treat as we visited some stores last night. Everyone thought he was so cute in his shark costume. He is climbing on everything and is such a boy.

2009-10-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Richard and Victoria changing the oil!

Victoria at the Ben & Jerry's plant in Vermont! She kep calling it Brent and Betsy's! We all loved the tour and ice cream!

We waited for an hour at their playground and the tour only took 15 minutes.

Sunday afternoon strolls!

More Fall Fun!

2009-10-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Halloween preview!

What a scary shark!

Reed and Victoria's purse! My purse!

I'm pretty sure Reed didn't setup these animals all by himself, but he sure looks sheepish!

Fall Fun!

2009-10-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

Victoria before church Sunday!

Picking apples at the Fall Festival at Buell's Orchard. We rode on a wagon to pick pumpkins and they had yummy donuts and carmel apples!

Reed looks so serious!

More Summer Pictures!

2009-10-18T19:53:00.001-07:00

Summer!

2009-10-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful summer and really haven't posted much about it! We were having too much fun! So here are some of our favorite memories!

The Hotdog Song!

2009-09-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I realize that it has been forever since I have posted anything and this video is fairly random and I still haven't put up any pictures of our wonderful summer in Ogden and our trip to Cancun, but this is the best I can do for today. I tried to get Victoria to sing this song for Grandma Donna over the phone but she wouldn't so I decided to record it. Enjoy! The hotdog song is right up there with Popcorn Popping in her book, so it must be good! Right?

I uploaded the wrong video, but this one is for Amanda!

Here is the hot dog song!

Happy Anniversary Rachel

2009-06-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

I just want to say how blessed I am to be celebrating a fifth anniversary with such a wonderful person and my best friend. We have had so much fun and our life together continues to be an adventure. Rachel has been such a blessing in my life and we have been blessed with a wonderful family with Victoria and Reed. I look forward to the many more years we have together.

Happy Anniversary Rachel,

I love You!

-Richard

Fun, Fun, Fun!

2009-05-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been super busy the last few weeks. Richard finished up with classes and his parents came to visit and we had so much fun showing them around New England. We visited Boston, Providence, the Mystic Seaport, and spent a few days at a resort in the Berkshires. We loved having them here and I know they loved spending time with Victoria and Reed and I guess they liked seeing Richard and I as well. Richard's brother Javier was able to come spend a few days with us also, as he was on his way to the Catskill Mountains to work as a rock climbing guide for the summer. It was so great to see him. Victoria couldn't get enough of him. She wanted to be right by his side.

Congratulations Richard!

2009-05-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend in Stamford, Ct. Richard represented UConn in a case competition and his team won! Congratulations! We also had a night out on the town (actually attended a UConn dinner) and left the kids with my cousin Nick and his wonderful wife Amy. Thank you so much!!

You can see more about the competition here:

http://www.business.uconn.edu/cms/p242/a467

Spring!

2009-05-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! Finally, after a long winter spring is here. We have been hiking and playing outside as much as we can. On this hike Victoria was hunting for beaver! We saw a lot of dams but no beaver. We still had lots of fun!
This picture just shows how busy Reed is. We literally just brought this chair in and sat it down, turned around for one second, turned around again and Reed was rocking this chair like a maniac! I have to keep an eye on him every second.
We brought Victoria's old car seat in to move her to a booster and Reed climbed in and made himself right at home. It was so cute!
This is a picture of Victoria two minutes before the Easter egg hunt. She was so excited. This year she finally got it and went crazy running around picking up only yellow and pink eggs! She wouldn't even touch the blue and green ones.
Reed is just getting so big! He just needs to start walking and I know we won't be able to catch him! He is such a happy, rough and tumble boy!

Good Ol' Willie

2009-05-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, Rachel and I attended a Willie Nelson concert a couple of weeks ago. A professor was unable to go and gave me the tickets. Needless to say the crowd was very "interesting!" To our surprise, Billy Bob Thorton and his band, The Breakers was the opening act. As I have seen Willie in concert a few times, I never thought that I would have to move to Connecticut for Rachel to attend her first (and probably only) Willie Nelson concert. We had a fun eveing and we enjoyed many of his classic songs.

- Richard

Naps!

2009-04-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am a little bit nervous. Victoria is slowly giving up her naps. Somedays she sleeps a good two hours and others, like today, she just messes around in her room. She has been in there for about a half hour. I went in a few minutes ago and she had all of her animals sitting on books and she was reading to them. Now I can tell she has gotten out of her bed is playing with other toys. It is now 2:30 and I don't know if I should enforce "nap time" or let her stay up. Richard ran for an office in the Bussiness Association here at UConn and we have to go to the "Awards Night" and we actually are leaving the kiddos for the second time since we moved here in August!! I am excited. I really don't care if he wins or loses. At least, it gets us out alone! At least if Victoria doesn't nap she should go to sleep easier for the babysitter.

Reed is finally sleeping through the night. He goes down around 6:30 and sleep until 6. After getting up with him 2-3 times a night all year I am very excited to be sleeping again! He is getting so big. He still isn't walking at 13 months, but he has mastered crawling. He has started saying quite a few words. They include baby, momma, dadda, no, thank you (kind of) and various animal sounds. We visited the Horse Barn here at school and he heard the sheep, baaing and mimicked them. Now whenever he sees an animal, any animal he makes that sound. He also makes a funny growling sound every time he stuffs food in his mouth.

I want all of our family to know that Victoria still remembers all of you. She says the funniest things about all of you from time to time. It's like she remembers things and has heard things we have said about you and mixes them up. After visiting the horses I think I mentioned that Grandpa Steven used to ride horses and now she keeps saying that Grandpa Steven rides horses all night long. She is always bringing up Aunt Melissa and Silvio. She wants to know if he is bigger!! Whenever we talk about preschool next year she asks, Oh, like Grandma Donna's school. Whenever I can convince her to wear the cute leg warms Aunt Emily gave her for Christmas she remembers Emily gave them to her. But she always says, they are kind of scary though, right Mom!?

Sorry this post is pretty slow, but I just want to remember what these two are up to these days!

Happy Birthday Victoria!

2009-03-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well, one week removed from Reed's first birthday was Victoria's 3rd birthday on March 14. Our little girl is growing so fast. We had a wonderful magical princess party for Princess Victoria. A few friends from Richard's program and church came over to help us celebrate Victoria's special day. All the girls were so cute in their princess dresses. The two main highlights of the party were the pinata and the Belle birthday cake. Victoria was so proud and happy of her Belle cake that she didn't really want to eat it! We have been so blessed to have Victoria and Reed and are very excited to make them so happy during special days like these. Happy Birthday Victoia!

Happy Birthday Reed!!

2009-03-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Reed turned one today and I don't believe how fast the time has flown. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing home in San Antonio and now he is turning one in Connecticut. Where does the time go?!
He sure is a joy! He is such a sweetheart. He has such an easy smile. If he catches your eye he just beams. I just can't imagine our life without or sweet Reedie pie.

Watch out for your toes!

2009-03-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

Reed is dangerous! I have found that your toes are never really safe with Reed around. It has happened a couple of times now, Reed biting my toes! He does it when you least expect it; sitting on the couch working on the computer, reading books with Victoria on her bed, sitting on a chair at the table. There really is no safe place. I thought placing my feet firmly on the ground wouldn't entice him, but the next thing I know he is on his belly gnawing like a puppy! He thinks it is pretty funny. He hasn't really gotten a good bit off yet, but he thinks it is hilarious when you yank your foot away and shriek.
He is really getting to be so much fun. He crawls around and gets crazy when Richard and Victoria race down the hall. When they turn around and run back toward him he sits on his knees, hands clasped and swings them back and forth fast in front of him. It is so funny!
He is pretty smart. He knows where I am at all moments. I can't even escape to the bathroom without him pushing the door open! As many of you Moms know! Your privacy is gone!
I love my sweet Reed! He is almost a year old and I can't believe how fast he has grown! He is such a joy! I will post some then and now pictures in the next few days!

New Pictures!

2009-02-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Victoria lined up all of her animals to watch a movie!

Richard often lets me sleep in and I wake up to breakfast in bed! Victoria helps out!
Reed pulling everything out of his toy box!
Victoria started dance class this month and she loves it!

Update!

2009-01-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a while since I have posted anything, and now is as good a time as any. Reed and Victoria are both napping, which really is rare!

Since we returned from Christmas vacation, we have been busy! We were home for one week and then moved closer to campus. We didn't get any snow during the move, which was lucky, and Richard and his good friend from UConn moved the "big stuff" in under four hours. Richard and I made quite a few trips alone and Richard did quite a few by himself, not to mention that he basically cleaned our old place on one trip without telling me. He really is a hard worker. However, he said next move he is just going to pay someone to do it! I said let's just burn it all and start over! kidding. We remembered how when we moved right after getting married that we only needed to make one trip! Kids require so much stuff!

That weekend was also Ward Conference, which was a bit stressful for me being the Primary President and I also was asked to speak in Sacrament meeting as well. So, we are glad that's over!

All in all we love the new place. It is larger, closer to campus, has a sidewalk and a playground and has lots of "friends" for Victoria once it warms up a bit!

Reed has really started crawling and is super fast. His favorite place is in the bathroom pulling out the wet bath toys. I try to keep the door closed, but I think he has a sensor telling him when it is open. I can hear the beginning of new words. He already says Mama and Dada and now I can hear "more" and "no", accompanied with a head shake! I don't know how I feel about that last one! He and Victoria are starting to play together and I can see how much fun they are going to have in the future.

Victoria is a character and comes up with the funniest things. The other day I was sitting on the couch and she was sitting next to me, the next thing I know she was trying to like cradle me and saying " come here little fella"! The things she comes up with crack me up. She is always asking for things Reed has "told" her he wants for her self. Like she'll say, "hey Mom, Reed wants some crackers!" I usually give her a handful of crackers even though I am pretty sure Reed didn't ask for them! One day she was telling me that she is like chicken nugget, I am like a shake and Reed is like french fries. I don't know exactly what she was talking about, but she says french fries so fast it's funny!

Rachel Turns 30! (Belated)

2009-01-12T20:31:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to congratulate Rachel on turning the big "3 - 0" on December 22. Happy Birthday Rachel! As you all know, Rachel is such a wonderful person and has been such a great wife, friend and a phenomenal mother. Like most women, she wasn't too thrilled in leaving twenties and entering her thirties. How easily she overcame the transition! As much fun as we have had in her twenties, we are looking forward to many more decades of fun and adventure that are yet to come. We love you Rachel!

- Richard

Martinez Christmas Vacation

2009-01-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

Well we just returned from a 3 1/2 week holiday vacation to Utah and Texas. It was a wonderful Christmas celebrating Reed's first Christmas and celebrating Rachel's 30th birthday. Reed and Victoria really have many people that love them in Utah and Texas and we traveled home with much more luggage than we left with from CT! We enjoyed spending time with both the Crane family and Martinez family. We had a great time shoveling (what seemed about 10 feet of snow), sledding, paying basketball, skiing (Richard) and spending time with family in Utah. In Texas, we enjoyed spending time with family, playing basketball, staying at a Texas hill country resort, watching movies and the 70 - 80 degree weather. It was great wearing shorts, flip-flops and a t-shirt before our return to the frozen tundra that is New England. Although we are excited to be back home in Connecticut and getting ready for the Spring semester at UCONN, we truly cherished the time we spent with our families over the holidays. We wish you all a wonderful 2009!

- Richard

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe that it is already December 13th and I am barely getting my Thanksgiving pictures up.

We were so lucky to spend Thanksgiving with family! My sister Amanda's in-laws invited to their beautiful home in Philadelphia! They are so wonderful and we felt so welcome. You will see from the picture that we made ourselves quite at home, especially Victoria! Thank you Pope Family for the wonderful vacation!

I also have to add that this was the first time I met Amanda's new boy, Baby Asher! He is exactly as cute and sweet as I imagined! He is Amanda's son for sure, crocked sweat pants and all! He doesn't give out smiles that often but if you get one it makes your day! So cute!

I am so grateful for all of my wonderful family, Crane and Martinez! You are all so wonderful! We can't wait to see you all soon!

Reed it's only 4:45 go back to sleep!

2008-11-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

I love my little Reed, but he is killing me! Seriously, this whole week he has been starting his mornings super early. I was just getting used to his 6 am habit and now he has turned it up a notch to 4:45 or 5 this week. I don't understand why neither of my children think they need to sleep. They must get it from Richard, not me! He wakes up happy and ready to start his day. He is not quiet. I have been trying to leave him in his bed in my room, as not to encourage the habit. But he is just too loud. I have to take him down stairs and try to silence him or else Victoria will be up and there goes my day.
This morning I tried to drowned him out with a white- noise machine and I left him in bed with a sippy cup of water and that worked until I heard Victoria trapezing around at 6 AM.
I am hoping this is just a pre-crawling phase. You know how they get all out of whack right before they cross a huge developmental stage, well he is trying to crawl. He gets his bum up in the air and is on his toes army style. It won't be long. He sure is a sweetie though.

Old Fish!

2008-11-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

I just wish each of you could play Go Fish/Old Maid with Victoria. For Halloween, Moe's Cantina gave her a deck of "Old Moe" cards and since then all she has wanted to do is play "old fish". And believe me it is like playing with a professional poker player. Tonight, I kid you not, I saw her cheat a little. I caught her sticking a card down her night gown. She didn't say a word when I caught her, she just kept chewing her wad of gum as if nothing had happened. And I thought to myself, "hey wait a minute, I thought I banned her from chewing gum ever since I had to cut a piece out of my hair on Halloween".
It really is funny how excited she gets when she gets a match. She high-fives and says "oh thank you" when you hand her your card. She says "Me?" every time I say "go fish" like I hadn't said it a million times. She really is a crack up!

Happy Halloween from Connecticut.

2008-10-31T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well we just finished our first Halloween here in Connecticut. It was a gorgeous Fall day here in New England at 61 degrees. The highlight of our day of course was watching Victoria yell "Trick or Treat" for herself and Reed. She really scored like a bandit in the candy department however, judging from her basket it seemed like she double-dipped a few times. She was so cute as a Bumble Bee this year and her younger brother was, in her words, a "baby chick." We later met up with their friends for a Trunk or Treat. It was a fun night to see the Bumble Bee and her Baby Chick trick or treat.

Victoria!

2008-10-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

Mommy, you better hide. I'm going to seek you.

Reed is ready for SPURS Basketball

2008-10-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

As we are preparing for a fun UCONN basketball season, we cannot forget about the NBA season starting on Tuesday. Th 2008 -2009 season is an odd year and is time for the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA championship again. As I am excited for the season, No one is more excited than Reed for his first NBA season. I came downstairs one evening to find Reed watching a Spurs preseason game with his buddy and wearing his Spurs gear. Although we live in Boston Celtics territory, he is smart and true to his colors. That's my boy! Go Spurs Go!

- Richard II

Victoria loves UCONN Basketball

2008-10-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of living in UCONN country is their awesome sports teams. The Mens & Womens basketball teams are predicted to be awesome once again this year. The Women's team is ranked #1 in the preseason polls and the Mens team in the top ten! Aside from basketball, both the soccer teams are nationally ranked as well as the field hockey and ice hockey teams. We have been to a couple of football games and soccer games, which Victoria really enjoys but most of all she loves going into Gample Pavillion to watch basketball practice. Gample is right across the street from the business school so every time she visits daddy at school she wants to go over and "check out basketball." We are excited about the upcoming basketball season.

Autumn!

2008-10-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

This picture just doesn't do Fall in Connecticut justice!

If you can't make it to the grocery store here in Ashford, you might do your veggie shopping in this trailer parked along the road. They leave the corn, tomatoes, etc. and you leave the money.

We had a fun walk around the Mansfield Hollow Dam just down the street.

It was a beautiful warm October day.

Weekend Pictures!

2008-09-21T19:42:00.001-07:00

After church pictures!

Victoria at the Ashford Family Fun Day! Yes those are lizard tattoos on her arms! She just had to have them!

Fun at Cabela's before UConn Football Game!

UConn vs. Baylor

Richard is 31!

2008-09-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a few minutes to wish Richard a Happy Birthday! He is 31! WOW!

I love him so much and I am so grateful for all that he does for me and our family. He really is a wonderful husband and father. I know that he would do anything for me and for the majority of you readers! I don't think he has ever turned down an opportunity to serve and typically he is very thorough and efficient. His Type A personality comes in handy frequently and compliments my not-so Type A personality. We balance each other out very well. He is an early riser which comes in handy on Saturdays. He always lets me sleep in and feeds and plays with the kids. I love to listen to the fun they have together. Richard is fun! I remember the first summer I met him in Alaska was one of the funniest I remember. However, most of the jokes were at my expense. That hasn't changed much! I tell him all the time that he needs new material!!

I love Richard for numerous reasons and I feel very blessed that he loves me back!

I hope you have a wonderful day and I am so lucky to have you as my husband!

Photos!

2008-09-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Steven would be proud!

Mystic Seaport

Who knows what she is doing!

One of Reed's first feedings!

This never happens!

2008-09-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Usually Reed is sleeping and Victoria is wide awake. Victoria rarely falls asleep anywhere but her bed and car seat.

Memorable Moments!

2008-09-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Victoria's smiling face as she exclaimed, "Reed thinks I'm funny!" It doesn't matter how many times I have told her she is funny. She only cares if Reed thinks she's funny.

While I was on the phone with Amanda, Victoria walked up to me and said, "excuse me, excuse me, will you dance with me?" Mind you she had her Beauty and the Beast dress on and she kind of had her hand extended in a funny way!

Victoria gives the following responses to these questions:

Who is the boss? Mommy.

Who is the best driver? Daddy

And of course she gives the appropriate responses to:

Who is the Queen, King, Prince and, of course, Princess?

I need to add that the only reason Victoria thinks Richard is the better driver is because I got lost the other day and she started getting nervous. We were looking for a Petting Zoo Farm and I had my friend giving me directions, but she just kept saying, "Mom, please, just call Daddy".

She has taken it upon herself to take care of Reed. If he fusses at all she really does give the appropriate response. Sometimes she gives him a toy, sometimes she says "no Reed" and sometimes she says, "Mom, just nurse him". I have also seen her retrieve toys other babies have stolen from Reed and returned them to him. If anyone gets to close to him she weasels her way in between them protectively. Her first question in the morning is, "where's Reed". Followed quickly with, "where's Daddy".

I love these two! I think they are going to be great friends!

Connecticut!

2008-09-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally have a second to sit down and relax and add to this blessed blog. I actually don't have a second, but I really feel like this is kind of my journal and it needs severe updating. So here we go.
So, finally we are a little bit settled in Ashford, Connecticut. After a month and a half of transition we are finally here. We spent a few weeks in San Antonio with Richard's parents after we moved out of our place. Then we packed up a Uhaul trailer and headed out in separate directions. Victoria, Reed and I headed to Utah for Maren's wedding and Richard and his father headed northeast 2000 miles to Storrs, Connecticut, home of University of Connecticut.
After two very exhausting days of driving(800 miles one day and 1200 the next), Richard pulled into Storrs. He called me right away with doubts about our decsion to pursue his MBA at UConn. There really isn't much to Storrs on the initial glance.
He found a place and moved our stuff in that same day. He really is amazing! I on the other hand was enjoying myself in Utah with my family. We missed him very much and were so grateful that he was willing to make the trip without us. Let's face it though, who wants to drive 2000 miles with two kids in the back seat. I think they would have added a week!
Now that we are all back together we are enjoying the area very much. We are in such a great spot for day trips. We have already taken a trip to the coast of Connecticut visiting the Mystic Seaport and the next weekend we visited Providence, Rhode Island. I enjoyed the strong Portuguese area in Providence. We found a bakery and restaurant that were awesome. Both Providence and Mystic are less than an hour away. We may try to hit Boston this weekend.
Richard hasn't been too busy with his classes yet so we have taken advantage of all the fun activities near our home. We found Whispering Horse Farms and picked our own apples and peaches for cheap. Victoria just about took a bite out of each one she picked. Today I spent the morning at another farm with a petting zoo and hiking trails. We really are enjoying all of the fun small-town activities here!
Victoria and Reed are in the same room and have adjusted well. Victoria says Bneticut for Connecticut and each time she sees the UConn logo she says, "Go Huskies".
All in all I think we are going to enjoy this chapter of our lives! Cheesy, but true!

Sweet Reed!

2008-09-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

I just want to write quickly about how sweet and smiley Reed is. He is such a great baby. He rewards all attention with a quick, easy smile. You don't have to work hard to get him to smile. I often look up at him and he is smiling at me as if to make me smile. He laughs on a whim and it is just so sweet. Often Victoria gets a little too close or hugs him a little too tight, for my comfort, but he doesn't seem to mind. Victoria often looks at me like Mom why are you messing with me, clearly Reed likes this. She spins him in his gym thing and he just loves it. After he is fed he just smiles sweetly up at me like I am the greatest! I sure love this little Man.

Moving!

2008-08-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we are in the midst of moving again! Really, you would think we would settle down already, right? We received some good news a few weeks ago and it means we are headed 2000 miles northeast. Richard was accepted into University of Connecticut's MBA program for this fall. So, we packed up our old apartment and moved everything to Richard's parents garage.
Now in a week everyone will shoot off in different directions. Rosalie and Melissa are heading to NYC. Victoria, Reed and I are heading to Ogden for Maren's wedding. Richard and his Dad are driving, Uhaul in tow, all the way to UCONN. Crazy!
So we are ready for the cooler temperatures and beautiful fall! Victoria already chants, "Go Husky's"!!

Victoria!

2008-07-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

Memories

Yesterday was kind of a long day and after zipping up her "underwears" package for the millionth time I must have made a frustrated sigh because Victoria looked at me and said, "I driving you crazy mommy?" It made me laugh. However, it also made me realize how perceptive she is becoming and that I need to be more careful. I don't ever want to think I am frustrated with her.

Victoria likes privacy in the bathroom. She won't let anyone stick around. "Go out please, and close the door."

Thank you Winnie the Pooh!

2008-07-09T11:40:00.001-07:00

So I guess I should mention that Victoria is potty trained. I need to thank sweet little Sister Benevidas from our ward. She is a single Mom with 8 wonderful children. Anyway, I invited her and her family to come swimming a couple of weeks ago. With her she brought Estrela's old Winnie the Pooh potty. At first I thought oh no what are we going to do with that. I didn't think Victoria was quite ready and I knew she wouldn't be able to resist the fake flusher on this potty for very long. I think it says "Great Job" or something like that. I should know, but somehow I can't remember despite the millions of times I have heard it since that fate-full day.

Well, we took her to the store and she picked out some Princess "underwears", as she puts it, and there hasn't been any turning back. The first time she went she did her business, emptied the Pooh toilet into the real toilet and flushed before I even realized she was gone. She is pretty amazing!

She is however quite particular about which underwears she is wearing. She prefers Belle, which is a little tricky since this pair has Belle all over, not just in the front. She ends up with them backwards a lot and ends up with a permanent snuggy. This slows her down a lot at the park on the slide. Literally slows her down if you know what I mean!

Anyway, my little girl is turning into a big girl!

Mommy Reindeer!

2008-07-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, my daughter is crazy. For some reason lately Victoria has been waking up and calling for "Mommy Reindeer". I hope she is referring to me. It is so funny. It is like some kind of inside joke that only she gets. Every once in a while she calls Reed "Baby Reindeer". Who knows!

The Cranes visit San Antonio!

2008-06-29T19:43:00.001-07:00

Last week we were blessed with a visit from our family! Grandma and Grandpa Crane, Emily, and Gardner and Crista and their family all came to visit. We had an awesome time with them. We enjoyed the Alamo, RiverWalk and Gruene, Texas. We also spent a day at Six Flags Fiesta Texas! It was hot and no one even complained! They were all such good sports.

The real reason they all came was to support us as we blessed Baby Reed. We were so grateful that they were all here for such a special event.

We love and miss our family so much! Thanks for visiting us!

New Photos!

2008-06-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

New Photos!

2008-05-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Victoria with her headlamp while caming!
Reed Sure is Smiley!
Watch out Reed Victoria is going to get you!
Victoria's new bed. It now has Princess sheets and she still perfers her crib!

Old Lady!

2008-05-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Victoria doesn't miss a thing anymore. The other day I told her to start calling Richard "Pops". She just kept saying"You Pops Daddy?" Well, Richard whispered to me maybe he should have her call me "Old Maid". So that night when she didn't want to go to bed she starts yelling from her room " I want Mommy. Rachel. Old Lady!" It was so funny!

Today in the car she stuffed her Teddy Bear Gilmore under her blanket and said "I'm feeding Bodie". Bodie being the name she made up for Gilmore even though we all call him Gilmore.

She is just so entertaining!

Utah!

2008-05-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got home from a wonderful trip to Utah. We were able to spend lots of time with friends and family. It was so much fun to get Victoria with her cousins Cameron and Addison. They were so sweet to her and she in turn learns from them. They are both so sweet and she is kind of a little bully. We often heard complaints that she was pushing or shoving, but all in all they got along great. Victoria just wanted to follow them around and do everything they were doing.

The weather was beautiful! I love it when it is almost the same temperature outside as in. We miss Utah often, especially when it is already 95 degrees in San Antonio.

Thank you to all of you that made that trip so special!

More Random Photos!

2008-05-04T12:08:00.001-07:00

Richard and Victoria at the Spurs game. She didn't make it on camera, but she sure looked cute in yet another cheer leading outfit! She clapped a cheered as she actually paid attention to the game. Her highlight was the Coyote. When he went away she would say, "it's okay he'll be back".
After the game Richard took off her outfit, all but her shoes, and I said it looked funny. It was quite late and she got giddy dancing around in only her shoes. She loves to make us laugh!
We had fun at the Komen's Race for the Cure event!

Reed sure is a cutie!

Random Pictures!

2008-05-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Easter! Who knew a girl needed four Easter baskets!

At Fiesta Texas, Victoria ran right up to Bugs Bunny and took him by surprise!

Aunt Laura gave Victoria this Cowboys cheer leading outfit in her Easter basket. Funny, I think she is Cowboys fan, we aren't so much! But she still looks really cute in it!

Strawberry Picking!

2008-04-24T13:05:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we spent the day in New Braunfels, a little German town a half hour away. We shopped at Main Street and had lunch and then headed on to the real reason we had come.. Strawberries! We got our basket, found out where the best strawberries would be and headed out. Victoria was trilled. She doesn't love Strawberries, but was really excited to pick them. She eventually got down the technique and was off. I caught up with Richard and her and these are the outtakes. It took like five tries to get a decent smile. It drives Richard crazy when she makes silly faces. You can tell which one he is saying "knock it off" in.

Memories!

2008-04-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

I have decided to use this page to remember funny things that Victoria and Reed are saying and doing! Richard really worries about my memory! So I have decided to record these moments as soon as they happen lest I forget.

1. Yesterday Victoria used all of the tricks I use on her to get her to eat on me. We had Reed on the floor on his belly and she was eating some grapes. Let me mention these grapes weren't of the highest quality. In fact they were on their way to the garbage when Victoria spotted them. Mind you I have spent the last week trying to get her to eat them and now she wants them. Anyway, this was the dialogue, tell me if it sounds familiar to any of you moms.

V- Here Mom.(Forcing the grape in my face)
Me- No Thank you.
V- Taste one.
Me-That's okay.
V- Open, Open.
Me- Chewing the soggy grape.
V-That's yummy, right?

It was so funny! She has taken on a little bit of a motherly role lately. I wasn't feeling very well yesterday and she brought me her blankie and binkie. Then she cuddled up with me, which she doesn't do very often, so I was pleased.

The Year of the Alphabet!

2008-03-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have been inspired by my friend Laura and her blog to do a sort of preschool here at home for Victoria! I don't know exactly how it will work, but I want to do special activities with her each day. I want to post the ideas and activities here. Wish me luck!

First Time!

2007-01-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

This Blog is a trial! We'll see how it goes! We just want people to check out how our family is growing and every beautiful thing in our life!