Okay, I know I've said it before...I'm back. I'll be better this time. Sadly journaling and the such are not my strong points. C'est la vie! A new school year has begun and it's been over a year since I blogged. What has happened? It's been a blur, so actually I'm not quite positive.

We completed the last year of school, spent almost the entire summer relaxing or driving back and forth to California or the beautiful & luxurious Algodones, Mexico. Yes, sarcasm was used there. It's a nice town, don't get me wrong, but going to the dentist has never been a favorite hobby of mine, and now it's definitely not the girls' first choice either...So we now have two members of the family with braces, and cleaner teeth. Yay!



The good thing is that we turn every trip into a mini vacation and get to stay the night at a hotel, swim & eat, then get our tooth work done. Trust me, us MacNeilles don't neglect our fun time. Maybe we are even a little guilty of too much fun? Nah.
The two oldest had a super fabulous time at CIMI sea camp this summer-can't recommend it highly enough!!! They have great counselors, great adventures, and make great friends. 'Nuf said.




Needless to say, while those two were away for a week, my Magpie & I hung with BFF Mindy in HB-always fun. Got to spend time with the little Deckies and lots of quality time with my own little sweetie. We even went to the "happiest place on earth" (their words, not mine)





The MacDaddy came out on weekends and worked during the week so we could maximize our crowded crazy summer. Made a stop at the naval destroyer in Seal Beach on Fathers day & hung out. Those things are amazing!



We spent the 4th with the little Deckies and their Daddio, and the-always-fun-Del & Steph & kiddos. So fun! Such an amazing campsite, well worth the drive! Was it near Temecula? Yep, think so. Loved it!!! Hiking, biking, waterslides, & oh yes, a family favorite that we don't get to do as much as we like: horsie riding.





Went into San Diego for the fireworks & hung out on an aircraft carrier. That was pretty cool. The part with the ship, that is. Probably never do it again, but it was worth doing. And don't forget the grilled burgers & other food you can spend $60 on for your family-aaaahhh! Crazy, but part of the experience I suppose.





Finished off July with trips to Universal Studios, Sea World, Six Flags, the beach, Show Low for Kade & the extended MacNeille clan, and of course, more Mexico dental. Yay!!! Yes, again, sarcasm on that last one. It was a crazy packed summer, don't know if we will ever have an opportunity for so much in three months again, but it was definitely a ton of fun family time. That's what matters most. I love them so much. :)

I'm Baaaaaaaack!

Ugh Finally! I haven't been anywhere, but apparently I've been busy, bored, or something! Most likely uninspired.
I'll try to be better at this blog-writing thing....
Well summer is winding down sort-of, we're in the back 9 (eew, golf reference) and only have 28 days of sleeping in, constant swimming, impulse vacations, and skipping the shower... All which equal some sort of freedom without schedules and responsibilities.

We've been to Huntington Beach, Ca, the girls have been to summer camp on Catalina, Show Low on the 4th with a detour to Fossil Springs. This has been a busy and eventful summer and I have yet to get the suitcases put away in their spot knowing that I'll just need to pull them out again.



Work is keeping the MacDaddy busy so we don't see him much more than usual except for the fun little escapes to Big Surf or Sunsplash thanks to our season passes which thankfully we've gotten our money's worth 8 times over so far...;)


Our family is also growing (no don't get too excited). We've added our pup (an adorable to us-yet terrifying to strangers american bulldog), and 12 adorable little 7 day old chicks. Well, by today, they are now 15 days old and still alive (miracle of miracles)!






The girls are learning to wakeboard (or skim board actually) with Dad! We FINALLY took the boat out and are trying to make a resolution to do it at least once a week. :) Except for the fact that I'm not a good enough driver (too close to the edge, too far in the middle, too slow..etc) it's super fun (When MacDaddy drives)! I still got it! Alright, I was never so great on the wakeboard, but at least I didn't lose too much skill over the last couple years of negligence. I guess it's like riding a bike (for normal people), I tend to fall when I get back on a bike-even better that it happens in front of a bunch of people...yeah, I'm so awesome...*sarcasm*



Well, somehow it is dinnertime again. I'm not sure how it keeps sneaking up on me everyday, but it's time to channel my inner domestic goddess and get dinner going for my man. :)

Whew! Now that that's over with...

Holy cow, is it just me or did the Holidays this year come and go waaaay too fast? Well, we survived Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Years, various church parties/activities, school concerts, a baptism, a farewell, a funeral, and the most important one of all: The MacDaddy's big 4-0!

After all the brainstorming the last few months figuring out what kind of party to throw, who to invite, how amazing it could and would be...How did we end up spending it? Oh yes, sledding with the kids in Show Low. :) I felt like I let him down, but he assured me, it was the laid back day he wanted. I'll believe him, it was pretty fun, he loves the snow and loves driving on the ice even more (crazy).
While we were up North, we said goodbye (for now) to our nephew who left for his mission two days later. Awesome kid, if ours turn out half as good and virtuous, I'll truly believe in miracles. ;)

I had to include a pic of the cake I ordered for my Foxy hubby's Bday, it was made by Mandy at Sassy Cakes. She's just the sweetest person and is sooo talented! Oh, besides being a really cute cake, it was yummy too!

REST IN PEACE FUZZBALL

~Sigh~ Our sweet little gerbil had a short and traumatic life... she is now in a better (and SAFER) place. Under the big trees in the front yard. We had a nice graveside ceremony. Even the Mac Daddy came and showed his support (and didn't roll his eyes too much at us silly girls). Sadly, the little blonde snuggler did not know her own strength. Poor, poor Fuzzball.

OH YEAH!

Have I told my husband lately that I love him?

Sadly, this beauty isn't ours...but I did get to drive it home...if only money were no object. (Mine would be in my signature color of black though, of course.) I'd settle for this one. :)
How ridiculous, I couldn't stop sighing and smiling on the way home...hmmm, perhaps I'm a lot more superficial than I thought! Bummer!


On a more normal day note, our beloved gerbil that is the almost newest addition to the family, (only next to Bob the ginormous black cat that we've adopted) was almost eaten today by that very cat.
Sigh, I think little Fuzzball will make it, but not without MUCH trauma and therapy. Well, my breathing has finally calmed after such an exhillerating day of rodent rescue and divine driving...

W O W this has been a busy month!!! Okay, I'm talking about October, but apparently I'm a bit behind...

Hadley's birthday, baptism, a Colorado trip, my birthday, Megan's birthday, an enrichment activity at my house, and of course, Halloween! If only I could buy storebought costumes, that would be a huge help, but it's one of my obsessive/compulsive things that I must make them, and birthday outfits. Time to relax and start thinking about Thanksgiving! What a relief!

Here's a couple pics of my beauties and the random stuff we did this last month!
My middle child has been asking since last year's birthday for a gerbil or hamster, well finally it happened. We have a sweet little girl gerbil named "fuzzball". She's only gotten out a few times, and thankfully been caught each time by a human and not the cat.


Our Ouray, Co trip was so fun and active! We took a huge hike the last day - OY! So fun, but sOOO happy when it was over! :)


Haddie's baptism was next on the list, of course, I had to make that dress too. I'm a glutton for punishment! My parents came and we went out to lunch afterward for my birthday/her big day's lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. I had to keep taking pics of her, she had a beautiful glow to her, or maybe it was just my imagination...

Magpie's 6th birthday was her first "real" birthday party (quite an event!) She had some friends from school and her fav. cousins over and had as much fun as possible! We had sugar, sugar, and more sugar, cupcakes, sugar cookies, my awesome homemade frosting (with the homemade cookies, of course) and was there something else? hmmm.... probably more sugar!


We capped off the month nicely with a Ward Halloween party/BBQ at the park (a tradition) and went trick-or-treating in a few different neighborhoods. Fun! Our little divas this year were "Hanna Montana", "the Corpse Bride", and Hannah's friend "Lilly/Lola".

The Magpie only changed her mind 40 or 50 times before Halloween arrived, so thankfully she settled on one with enough time to spare! Uncle Scott & cousin Shanna went t-o-ting with us and even Ernesto, who works for my Hunka Hunka burning love brought his gang to join us! We saw friends, met neighbors, and all while wearing short sleeves...ahhh Arizona...


Until next time, be happy!