Melia's Surprised 29th Birthday

My birthday started by taking Alana to school then Daniel had a dentist appointment and told me to wait for his police bike to get here which was suppose to come around 9-10 but I had to leave by 10:30 for Ian's speech. Well I waited and waited and waited and Daniel kept calling me "is it there yet" finally at 10:30 I saw a white van pass and thought that's it until it drove past my house then it came back and parked in front so I opened the door, Yelled at the guy " I'll open the garage" he looked at me funny as I shut the door ran to the garage to open it then ran back to the front door to make sure the bikes being place then I see the guy walking around and I'm thinking you dummy what are you doing get the bike in the garage because I have to leave then I see a string and flowers and it hit me "I was fooled" first thing that came out of my mouth "what a nerd". Then I brought the balloon and flowers inside and went to the garage not sure if the bike was there or not and looked in and sure enough it was sitting right there in the garage

Then my love took me to lunch at my new favorite restaurant My Big Fat Greek Restaurant and I got a phone call from my best friend and she asked if she could take me shopping for my gift I had to ask Daniel to make sure it was not going to interrupt any of his plans and he said Yeah go ahead I'm going to do some yard work while your gone with my brother Bryce who came to help him. So I go shopping and Kelly (My best Buddy) keeps getting text but she tells me its her friend so I think no big deal. Then Daniel tells me after about 45 minutes that we need to come home now because we are going bowling as a family activity and he said he had the lanes reserved. So Kelly kept on getting text and says well don't worry about it we can come back on Saturday and go shopping and say OK. We get home and were chatting in the car for a few minutes as Kelly is texting.

So then I walk up to the door thinking that Kelly and Me are going to take some pictures together for my birthday, well I open the door and see it decorated and its dark inside so I was thinking Dan and the kids are outside but as I walk through the door I hear a surprise and the light go on and blah blah, I was Shocked and happy of course I thought everyone forgot. And I thought my husband could never keep his surprises for long but he showed me. So Kelly was involved in the whole thing .

Daniel was the Master Mind of the whole thing. And I took a picture of us and my brother Bryce stuck his face in it, I would have deleted it but its funny.

So Here is my family and you can see all the decorations that the kids helped put up.

I turned 29 but man did I get teased about turning 30 next year, but I'm going to enjoy still being in my 20's :)

Opening Presents

AZ Wild Life Zoo, were acting like an animal is O.K

About two months ago we went to the wild life zoo over on the west side of town, and as far as the drive I wish we stilled lived over on that side to make the trip shorter, but oh well. Its a cool zoo because the animals are much closer to the people, so much that well lets hope Ian did not kill one of them. He throw a paper close to a monkey cage and the monkey came over and grabed it and ate it. OOPS Just take a look at the video and see for your self. Sorry about the bad movement of the camera.

The zoo is really cool because it has tons of rides we went on the Sky Ride, Log ride, and aquarium. As Seen in video's below :) This zoo is hands on close views of everything.

And while we were there just about to leave we saw Alana's favorite Movie Star Jack Hanna: she told him that she had all his movies and he said at least someone does, she was happy to see him, I thought out of all the things to say to your litte fan would be something better but she was proud to have met him and thats good enough for me, I guess.

Finally The Swing/Play Set is DONE

And to think this play set would actually make the kids play nice together WOW, we should have gotten this sooner. HAHAHHA

So Finally after 3 days Daniel finished this wood swing set that we got at Costco. The kids love it and all are welcome to come on over and have fun with us (of course call first). Special Thanks to Everyone who helped him get started like Eric and the boys, Jon and the girls and Yes, I did say Jon :)

Opening Presents on x-mas

Dad handing out presents to the kids

The after math of opening presents. Who wants to help clean. Not me.

Opening Grandma & Grandpa's Collins Presents

At Abuela's house opening presents

Christmas Eve Party at our house

We acted out the Nativity:

Mary & Joseph Delivered their 1st born
The Angel appeared

And the they were scared and followed the star to the new born king.

Working hard to keep the houses standing.

Alana's & Amanda's gingerbread house before it fell apart.

Alana's 6th Birthday in Flagstaff

For Alana's Birthday we decied to go to Flagstaff to play in the snow. So after we picked her up from school for Dan's graduation we came home packed the van and took off for Flag.
At the hotel opening presents and then enjoyed her birthday cake.

now 6

Dan's Graduation from ASU

Graduation Starting by the boring long walk to the seats
Dan's thinking, keep moving people

Calling Daniel's Name

The Shake of someone no one knows.

Finally, school is done

Future Graduate

A Visit from Santa

Dan's squad had a x-mas party and well Santa came to visit all the kids & give them special treats & of course Ian cut in front of every kid that was waiting & went first. Oh well he's 2. Wow look at the wild hair.

Ok so we got in on the fun to were young we can do that.

Alana's Playing Soccer

We had cousins on our team

Team Picture

Alana Playing Goaly (She never let any ball go past her)

Alana's class Pictures 08

This class picture is from the 1st semester only because last year a bill passed that if you spoke spanish you were excluded and transfered to a seperate class from those non-speaking spanish kids, so Alana along with 90% of the kindergarten class and the rest of the grades has changed teachers. We hate this idea along with many other parents but the law passed to discrimate against those who speak spanish as a second language, funny because its the parents who only speak spanish only, the kids speak both english and spanish but if at the first of the year they marked English as a second language then they have to be in a class only with ESL kids for the rest of Kindergarten through High School with standards different from the other students and much much lower. Its sad that they have to be discriminated against because of their first language.

2008 Family Pictures

Iand did not want to be there
This was the only good picture of him

At least he sat down at least for a little while