The Lee Clan

I now feel that we are truly at the next step in our lives. I received a phone call last night from Dylan's mom, they are going to use their cousin that lives right around the corner from them as their babysitter instead of me. I am sad, but completely respect their decision and understand why they are doing this. I have now filled out an application for Receptionist or Lunchroom Assistant at the girls school Cooperwood Elementary in the Peoria Unified School District. I am scared! I again ask that you pray with us as we try figure out the best thing for our family. Thanks again, and much Love, Alyssa

I cannot believe that we are at the next stage of our lives. Jodi will be starting school this next school year, and Jared and I have always discussed that when all of our children are in school that I would go back to work and work in the school where they attend(so that I will have the same hours that they have, and still be home for them when they are home). Now that the time is here I am excited and sad and confused all at the same time. There is a possibility that I will be loosing Dylan, due to changes in their lives. I am sad that this could be happening, I have had Dylan since he was 6 weeks old. I will miss him and his sister Tatum (I have her during the summer). But I understand where they are coming from as Parents of these 2 beautiful and wonderful children. I am sad that my baby, Jodi is starting Kindergarten, but I am also excited for her because she is ready for the next step in her life. I am confused because I am so scared to be possibly heading back to work. I have not worked for over 10 years now. I have a wonderful husband who made it possible for me to be at home with our girls. Thank you Jared I am truly blessed to have you in my life. I LOVE YOU! Please pray with us as we try to figure out the best thing for our beautiful family. Thanks and Much Love, Alyssa!

I thought that I would share this cute moment with everyone. When I was getting out my camera to take a picture of the girls and Jared. Dylan (the little boy I watch)instantly got this cheezy grin on his face and said "Cheezzzzzz" and wouldn't stop until I took his picture. Way Cute!

This afternoon the girls kept telling me that they were bored, and couldn't find anything to do or watch or play(you get the picture). So I put them to work scrubbing the grout in the kitchen. I told the girls to go and get their tooth brushes and start scrubbing the floor. The look on their faces was priceless. Then Candace finally asked if she had to brush her teeth with the tooth brush again. I of course wanted to say yes, but I controlled myself and told them that I would give them new ones. I LOVE my tile floors but I HATE grout. They then told me that working together as a family like this was fun. I do believe that those were the wrong words to say. I will remind them of this every time that they give me a hard time and don't want to do chores. When Jared was done on the computer he even got on the floor and scrubbed for a little bit. We got about 1/3 of the floor done, and I told the girls that they had better get the whole floor done by Friday when Aunt Kerry picks them up for a sleep over. Yep, Jared and I will be alone for almost 24hours. I am just as excited as the girls are.

We have been busy, and still are busy. I will start now and maybe finish later. Last Wednesday the 18th we were able to go back to Aunt Kerry's work and swim in the water park. News Channel 3 was there this time. We had a blast! We were able to get our pictures taken with Brad Perry(when I get that photo from my friends mom I will post it)! Our friends the Livingstones were able to come with us this time. And they brought Allison's Mom and her sister. It was allot of fun. The picture up above is of Jodi, Breanna, Amber and Tessa. They were on the Zuni River. Thanks again Aunt Kerry! We love being able to help you out. We are looking forward to this Friday and Saturday! Can't wait.

Then Thursday was our last day of swimming lessons. Candace isn't in these pics, she stayed home with an upset stomach. I think that she was sick from being out in the sun most of the day the day before.
This is Breanna working on her Elementary Back Stroke!Amber working on her Elementary Back Stroke!Jodi working on floating on her stomach!
We got home from swimming lessons, and I finished cleaning the house because my parents were coming in from Colorado, and my brother Miles his wife Tam and their 2 girls Maddie and Emma came from Maryland. We had a nice visit. A friend of theirs got married this last Saturday in the Mesa Temple. The funniest part of them visiting us was that Emma who is 3 (and was potty trained at one time) when I was changing her pull-up I asked her why she didn't poo in the potty she proceeded to tell me that it was her day off. I was laughing so hard. On Friday my parents took us out to eat at Famous Daves. They have really good BBQ. Then Grandma and Grandpa took the girls to Build a Bear to buy them new outfits for their bears that they bought them at Christmas time. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa. Then of course we had to hit Cabella's. My dad really likes the store, and since I live less than 20 minutes from the store we went. I wish that I had more pictures of this weekend. But it was so rushed that I kept forgeting to pick up the camera. On Saturday Miles and Tam left for the wedding and the girls stayed with us. Grandma and Grandpa and Jared and I took all 6 girls swimming on Saturday afternoon. Grandma got pics of that but not me. All of my family left this morning. I was sad to see them go, but I had a wonderful time visiting with them. We love you guys!

Jared got really lucky this year for Fathers Day. I bought him a new dirt bike. It is a 2003 CRF450r. But the funny thing about it is that he got it around Mothers Day. This is the nicest bike Jared has ever owned. He really loves it, and can't wait to finish converting it back to dirt bike from Supermoto bike.
This is Dauv a Supermoto racer who we bought the bike from. Jared had to go clear to CA to pick up the bike. Enjoy your bike sweetheart. I want to tell Jared how much I LOVE and appreciate everything that he does for us. He is a wonderful husband and father. I am thankful that he allows me to be a SAHM with our daughters. I love that the girls look forward to him waking up in the afternoons. I am truly thankful that he is a worthy priesthood holder and that whenever the girls or I need him he will be there for us. I Love You Jared.


I also want to tell our fathers Happy Fathers Day! We love you guys!

Well, where do I begin? On Saturday the 7th of June Justin and Tahna came up from Tucson to attend the Temple. Their children Mason and Lenika wanted to stay and play with the girls, so of course I said yes. Jared got home from Scout Camp at about 3:30pm to 7 children in the house instead of just 4 girls. He was a great trooper. So Mason and Lenika stayed until Tuesday when I drove them 1/2 way to Tucson and met their father Justin at the Flying J. The girls had a blast with their cousins here. On Saturday they all went up to Aunt Denee's and Uncle Robby's home while Jared and I went to a Wedding Reception for a dear friend of mine, Haley Jensen-Ward. CONGRATULATIONS! Then on Sunday we went to church and then to Grandma and Grampa Lee's home. On Monday the girls started swim lessons, so we walked over to my friend Azure's home where they are taking swim lessons. Why you ask, when it is 103 degrees outside? Well, not only did I have my 4 girls plus Mason and Lenika, I also had Dylan and his sister Tatum. Did you count them? 8 children, and Jared had to sleep. My plan worked, get them HOT and TIRED, and they will lay down and veg in front of a movie for part of the afternoon. It was actually kind of relaxing. We had allot of fun with the cousins here, and I wished that I had taken some pictures, but we do have the video from the water park, because they were there with us. Love you Mason and Lenika!

She wanted me to let you know that the water park was not her 1st time on TV with Cory from Fox 10 News. He came to the girls school this last year for Whirlybird Wednesday, and Amber was in the cartwheel contest. It is the last video, and she is wearing a brown and pink jacket.

MyFox Phoenix Whirlybird Wednesday

You can click on the link below and it will take you to the page on My Fox Phoenix and you can watch video clips of the news that the girls were in. Jared's Aunt Kerry works for Arizona Grand Resort, and they have a Water Park there for guest, and Cory the wheather man from Fox 10 news is trying to find the fastest water slide in the valley. The resort needed children to be in the shots so she invited the girls to come down and play. The one and only time we will get to do this without staying at the resort. Thanks Aunt Kerry, we had a fun time. See if you can find the girls. Jodi is the only one not seen.

MyFox Phoenix Oasis Water Park

Can you guess why? It was 5am this morning!

I want to wish my Dad a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Thank you for being such a wonderful father . I am grateful for the example that you set for me, and the guidance that you give me. I love you!

I'm so glad that the week is almost over. Jared comes home Saturday morning or early afternoon. We have had a productive week. When Jared is here I can only get certain things done while he is sleeping, and only have so many hours to work while he is awake and before the girls go to bed(he is still working nights). Many things have fallen behind when it comes to housework. But we have been catching up this week, washing baseboards and walls, cleaning out closets, cleaning vent covers and ceiling fans. Going through stuff and sending some to DI and throwing some stuff away. I am feeling good about having house guest in a couple of weeks(Tam and Miles!). The girls haven't been to thrilled about having to clean though. But I keep telling them that we are a family and families work together. (I'm not cleaning up their mess, when I have taught them how to put things away properly!) I am dreading cleaning the grout in the tile. I do not like grout!!!!

Well, the workers next door didn't even come to work on the house today. Yea, my girls got to sleep in. Oh how I enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

I am all for my neighbor (who's house burnt) to get his home fixed but this is getting old. Everyday this week I have been woken up before 7am in the morning. School is out, I don't need to be up before 7am. They have started work on the home next door. Monday at 6am they delivered a big trash bin, then the guys started working on the home immediately. Tuesday they were there at 6:30 am. And today they were there at 5:45am getting a new trash bin. I guess for me the worst part of it all is that they not only wake me up but they wake the girls up. So this morning at about 6 I went out to talk to the guys who are working on the house and asked them if they had to do this this early in the morning. They proceeded to tell me that they have a job to get done. I told them that I had children that needed sleep and that they have woken us up every morning this week. Then they had the audacity to say "You can hear the pounding in the house?" They are Mexican so they speak little English. I was like yes we can hear the pounding. These guys are gone by 2 to 2:30 in the afternoon. My thoughts are they can start 1 hour later and stay 1 hour later. It hasn't even hit 100 degrees this week so far. I told them that there are noise laws and they can't make noise until 7am. I am so tired.

Sorry just had to vent. I can't vent to Jared since he is gone. I wish that I had my camera, (Jared took it to Scout Camp)there have been a couple of times when I had some cute photo opportunities with the girls. But oh well, what am I to do?