Putting Family First: April 2016

We've started a new tradition for our general conference weekend and I love it! We make pasta sauce!!! When Jaren served his mission in Italy he would go to an elderly ladies home in his branch and make pasta sauce for her. Her name was Sorella Manetti and she would have Jaren and his companion go and buy all the ingredients and then they would head back to her place and she would sit and tell them what to do. So now on the Saturday of general conference we head to Central Market and buy all the ingredients we need and then on Sunday we make the sauce. It's pretty much an all day activity. We make enough that we can bottle some and then when I need an easy meal I boil some pasta and heat up some super delicious, high in protein, loaded with veggies homemade pasta sauce! It lasts us about 6 months until the next general conference!

The boys chopping celery early in the am. Getting it ready to toss in the big pot.

Wednesday April 6th we pulled the boys out of school early and headed to the Rangers game. Earlier that morning at work Jaren ended up getting the firm seats to the game so we sat right behind our very own Texas Rangers and their dugout. It was so much fun! Austin even caught a ball!

The mascot came and sat by us for a long time. He had a lot of fun with the boys. Caleb sat in his lap for awhile. He played around with Austin and pulled on his ear during one of the pictures.

Sitting on the dugout!

Saturday April 9th was Jaren's birthday as well as the firm's spring family event at the Dallas Arboretum. His firm did an amazing job, we had such a good time! Thank you Vinson & Elkins for such a fun filled morning.

After the family party was over we stayed and walked around the arboretum for a few hours. It is so beautiful this time of year! We ended up playing a game of family hide and seek. Caleb ended up with he best spot ever. Jaren never would have found him had he not been giving hints.

Now you see me!

Now you don't!

After the family party we came home and Jaren got to open his presents. This year he got the coconut scented pillow he's been wanting for a while, some new headphones, a wake boarding weekend with the Fish in Waco and some homemade books and picture frames the boys made him.

He loves his pillow! And I love the subtle coconut smell you get when you walk in our room!

On Saturday April 16th I went to the March of Dimes walk to walk with our good friends the Fish while Jaren and Ron took the boys fishing! For Christmas Ron got the boys a guided fishing trip and that was the weekend they got to cash in for their trip.

We walked for baby Caleb Fish! Our shirts say Caleb's Courage. You're gonna hear me roar.

Okay I had to take a picture of this. Because the boys had to leave so early for their fishing trip that Saturday we decided to just spend the night at Ron and Lisa's house and for our entertainment that night we visited a local movie rental store!!!! Can you believe it? There is at least one left in the country! I had forgotten how they have al the new releases lined up against the outer wall in alphabetic order. We chose Bridge of Spies, very good movie!

First Day of wake boarding this year! It was just Jaren and Caleb who went while I took Austin to a friends birthday party.

Check out this video of little Caleb going off of this kicker! He gets quite a bit of air!

The following Saturday was my trip to the zoo with scouts. Thankfully Melissa Crumley said she would come with me. We had a good time but when we were done we were all hungry, thirsty and hot! We were ready tom come home!

Top Row: Tyson, Cole, Ben, Ethan
Bottom Row: Tred, Javanni, Jace, Austin and Me

Austin is five penguins high

He got so close to us and he was so big!

After our zoo trip and Austin's soccer game that day we headed over to Ron & Lisa since Jake, Kira and baby Mckynlee were in town and it was our very first time to get to meet little Mckynlee! She is a doll! And I got to hold her for so long!

The boys were out of school one day and we headed down to BSR for the day. We picked up Tai and he got to come with us. It was his very first time wake boarding and he did such a great job. He even got to transfer from the small beginners course to the big lake! We were all proud of him. He was a natural and I hope he comes back with us some time soon.

Tai getting his first lesson.

What? Already at the big lake! On your very first day? Way to go Tai!

Learning what it feels like to get pulled from the starting position.

Jaren and I are huge ... family people? Home bodies? No, that doesn't work. I don't really know what to call us. Independent? No word is really coming to mind. But my point is this, we don't do very many things with other people. We have our boys and we have a blast with them and for us that fulfills us. But we are good friends with and love the Fish family. And since we love to wake board and they love to wake board then we spend a lot of time together in the spring and summer months. And since it's pretty much wake boarding season I'm sure these will be the first of many pictures of the Fish family be seen on our blog. I am so thankful for Zeb and Leah and the wonderful friends they have been to us over the years.