Hewitt Family Scrapbook

Last Week (Do we have to go home?)

2011-10-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

Lunch at Eddie's one last time.

Irish Trash Can please! Three years in a row. Can't wait until we have the fourth one.

Spider Cheese!

Papa had a couple adventures on this boat.

Papa and Brady

Hanging With the Coopers

2011-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

YEAH! They are finally here!

I think Scarlet likes the boat.

Swimming at Eddie's.

Derailed!

Looks like trouble! Where do I begin the story about the blue paddle boat...

Finally! We see the moose hanging on the island.

Get me off this thing.

The new toy is up and running.

Tristin Cooper (AKA The Duck Hunter)

Little Syd's first fish ever, caught on her birthday!

Many adventures this week of the trip. Basically many stories we will never forget and have laughed very hard about since. Why would the Sheriff and the Auxiliary Coast Guard be on the Island and patrolling the waters by our house? Well... you have to ask Little Syd and Brady about that. Why did there used to be eight little ducklings in the duck family that lives across the river from our house and now there are only seven? Well... you have to ask Tristin about that. My lips are sealed.

Surprise Visit

2011-10-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Alicia, Pam and Tim came to visit next.

Bailey'a Boat Ride

2011-10-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Bailey was so happy to come with us and not be left at the house. We love our old dog.

Riverfront Park Spokane

2011-10-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to the falls in Spokane for a day in between house guests. We discovered Brady is not fan of heights. He was not happy stuck in the people mover that had a glass bottom that hovered 50 feet over the falls. Sydney had a fun time torturing her brother swinging the gondola so it felt like it would fall down.

Couer d'Alene 2011

2011-09-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

The first visitors to head our way, were Dana, Larry and Tanner. So much fun family time. Thanks Uncle Larry for helping to build our new fire pit. I never got a picture of the finished product. :(

Happy Birthday Brady

2011-09-28T19:39:00.001-07:00

Brady is six. Wondering where the time has gone...

Patriots Baseball

2011-09-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Brady had a blast with his Patriot's team this season. His young tournament team did not bring home any trophies, but they did improve and they definetely had fun. These boys are some awesome little ballers and I can not wait until they are the big six year old's next season.

Simi Elite 8U Gold

2011-09-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

So the Simi Valley Softball All Star season came and went this year. (I have been doing a poor job of keeping up with the Hewitt Family Scrapbook.) It was so long ago, I may not even be correct in stating the number tournaments we won... I believe we took first place in the Thousand Oaks Memorial Day Tournament, second place in the Simi Valley Father's Day Tournament, and second place in the Escondido Freedom Tournament. All I can say, is none of those wins or loses matter to me. My eyes still well up with tears when I think about what my daughter accomplished this season. She played in 27 games and threw 1,790 pitches. She had an ERA of 1.93 and a batting average of .500. She even had a home run. Sydney does not get rattled. I have yet to see her get nervous. The mound is hers and good luck trying to hit the ball if you are at the dish. Her pitch can be over 50 mph and her change up is sick. She would be horrified if she knew that I said these things on a place where other people had access. She is very modest and even has a hard time telling her pitching coach that she threw well in a game, because she hates to brag. (I obviously do not have the same problem.) So this is the one place that I will document how she did this season. So one day she can look back and say... I did that.

I can tell you that my heart almost burst on Fathers Day, also Craig's birthday, in the stands at Apollo park, watching my baby hit the winning run, during an intense double international tie-breaker. As her Daddy, who was the first base coach, lifted her onto his shoulders after she rounded first, because the game winning run came in... I lost it. My eyes filled with tears as I watched them. The pure joy on my daughters face is something I will never forget. All the practices, all the traveling, everything is for moments like that. All that hard work had paid off for that moment. Thank you God for the gift you have given my daughter. It has given her self confidence and so much more. The friends she has made can not be replaced.

The Graduate

2011-09-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

Don't call him a pre-schooler... Brady is officially in kindergarden.

High Honors

2011-06-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

So impressed with our Sydney Paige who received High Honors all year with a 4.0 grade point average with four of the As being A+. Keep up the magnificent work, Sydney. You make me and Daddy very proud everyday.

I am now officially the parent of a fourth grader. But first, let the summer fun begin!

Let's Go Bruins

2011-05-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

No one was happier than my Mom to hear that Brady's baseball team this year was the UCLA Bruins. (Maybe next year he will be a Gaucho.) Cutest thing ever to watch these Shetland boys play ball. I know I will miss these slow, stress free games in two years. Everyone bats every inning and each game is a tie, however Brady will tell you the Bruins won every game except one. Baseball is his favorite game. His favorite position is catcher.

Easter 2011

2011-05-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

We went to visit Nana and Foofoo in Big Bear for Easter. Great time as usual.

Trikathon

2011-04-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Brady was part of the annual trikathon to raise money for St Judes Childrens Hospital at Phoenix Ranch. The preschoolers raised over $2500. He thought it was great fun to ride his bike around the school parking lot. He loves riding that bike.

Sandlot 10U 2011

2011-03-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

Let the games begin. Go Sandlot!

Flying Flags 2011

2011-03-10T13:54:00.001-08:00

So our annual camping trip was hectic. Brady had a baseball tournament that we were driving back and forth to, but it was great to come and relax all evening with our friends. Brady is not in one picture, because he was gone the second he would hit the camp site every afternoon... off with his buddies getting into trouble. Kids were everywhere...playing baseball, riding their bikes, at the arcade, at the play yard or playing in the pool. The adults were watching the NFL playoff games or eating all the wonderful food at Gogo's. We even had a movie night under the stars and you can't forget John's fires. OUT OF CONTROL. Good times with good friends.

All I Want For Christmas

2011-03-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas is always a special time for our family. We celebrate the birth of Jesus from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day and the birth of my Mommy on Christmas Eve (and Christmas, her actual birthday). The kids only want to listen to Christmas carols in the car and the house is filled with smells of pine from the tree, cinnamon from the scented glittered pine cones, and what ever food I am making or baking. Both Brady and Sydney received exactly what they asked for from everyone. The top items, where the ipod touch for Sydney and Little League World Series Baseball for the Wii for Brady. All I want is for Christmas to come much slower this year. Time is going by way too fast. Is it March already and I am finally posting about Christmas 2010.

Thanksgiving Vacation!

2010-12-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2010 will be one to remember for a long time. There was no cooking for 20 people, no turkey, no cranberry sauce, no pie... we just had sun, palm trees and pina coladas. It was the first time Craig and I had been to Oahu since we were teenagers and we had a blast. We took the kids to Pearl Harbor for some history, but then the rest of the trip was just nothing but relaxing. We stayed in Waikiki and Turtle Bay! Turtle Bay was fantastic fun! Thanks for coming with us Grammy.

Brady Bomber

2010-11-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

Now it is Brady's turn to play after watching his sister and waiting and waiting to finally play all the sports he loves. Fall 2010 Brady played flag football for the first time. He also played in his first baseball tournament in addition to playing winter baseball. He had a couple touchdowns and his first in the park home run. So cute to watch. Can he stay this age forever?

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T21:27:00.001-07:00

Lots of parties and too much candy!

My Baby Brother FINALLY Tied the Knott

2010-10-31T17:02:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day in Greenville Texas. This was definitely the most unique wedding I have ever been too. What a beautiful tribute to the brides family for it to be on the ranch that has been in her family for over 100 years. It was a beautiful setting, a touching ceremony, and a great party. What more can you ask for? I love you Jay and Tricia. Jay, you are a lucky guy to have this woman in your life. Welcome to the family, T!!! :)

The Rehersal

2010-10-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

A brilliant dinner and then some karaoke at the Brass Rail. I will never forget that place. I do not do karaoke, but my new sis Tricia sure can belt those songs out.

Yeehaw!

2010-10-22T15:01:00.001-07:00

Our first stop in Texas was the Fort Worth Stockyards. We loved the long horns, but didn't think much of the steak. Sydney Paige is a steak connoisseur. She did love the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze and the huge candy store.

20th High School Reunion (Not Mine)

2010-09-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

I am way too young to be having my 20th High School Reunion, but Craig just had his. Most people probably wouldn't enjoy going to their better half's reunion, but I say... it's a night out without the kids! Woohoo! That hardly ever happens. We take those little people everywhere. Not to mention the fact that some of my bestest friends in the whole world were going to be there. YEAH! So we kicked off our shoes and danced the night away and had some terrible food. See you again in ten years Chatsworth High School Class of 90... See you in two years Chatsworth Class of 92!

Last But Not Least

2010-09-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

The last week of our trip the Hayden's came for a visit. I hope you all had fun and will visit again. We had a blast. What a great last week of our trip.

Family Visits us in Coeur d'Alene

2010-09-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

We were so excited when we heard that Uncle Mark and Nancy and Nana and FooFoo were coming for a visit. Did we play poker every night? Is it bad when your eight year old knows how to play poker? Anyways... Everyone looked pretty relaxed when they left after a week of nothing but floating, boating, tubing, jet skiing and fishing.

Goslin Visit to the Lake House

2010-09-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

The second week of our trip, the Goslin family arrived. Fun was had by all.

Couer D'Alene 2010

2010-09-05T09:53:00.001-07:00

We had so many visitors to the Hewitt Lake house this year. We were alone for a total of three days, but the rest of the month the house was filled with people. We did the usual...bringing all the newbies to our favorite CDA spots. There was a lot of relaxing, water sports and good eating. Can't wait until next year. Only eleven more months to wait. Here are some pictures from the Nash portion of the trip. Thanks for taking the long drive with us guys. We think it is worth it. Hope you did too. Akina is a trooper.

Fourth of July and Sea World

2010-09-04T12:08:00.001-07:00

Our last All Star tournament of the season brought us to Escondido as usual. And the place we celebrated Fourth of July was...Hooters!! Can you believe it? Simi Valley All Star teams of all ages took over the place and played games and hula hooped and had some great wings. We watched the fireworks from the parking lot. Fun Times. Then we were off to Sea World the next morning. Everyone had a blast! Sydney and Brady's favorite show was the dolphin show.

Domin8U Gold All Stars

2010-09-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

What a great balance of hard work and fun. All the girls hard work paid off ... they walked away with a ton of hardware from the tournaments. What a great group of girls!!

I am so proud of you Sydney Paige. Your focus is amazing, and you are never rattled. Truly you amaze me. I hope you always love the game as much as you do now and I hope it always brings you as much joy. Great job!

More Syd Vicious from the 2010 All Star Season

2010-09-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Syd Vicious at Work

2010-08-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-17T09:04:00.001-07:00

An early happy Father's Day to my Daddy. You are missed everyday.

Dirt Dawgs Take Second

2010-05-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of how well you are performing this season Sydney. All the hard work is paying off. Way to go Dirt Dawgs for taking second place this season! Thanks Coach Mike and Coach Craig.

Here are some pictures from Closing Day, Sydney getting her trophy, Sydney up to bat at the championship game before a great hit, the Dirt Dawgs last time singing "Pump pump pump it up," how Brady entertains himself during Sydney's games, and Sydney getting her "war paint" on before the big game.

It was a fun season because of the coaches, parents and all the great girls. Thanks everyone. See you at the team party next week!

Spring Break in Big Bear

2010-04-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

It is always such a wonderful break to go up to Big Bear and stay with Nana and Fufu. It is so relaxing. You guys pamper us so. It was fun to see Uncle Mark and Nancy. There is always poker involved when they are there and the tournament was so much fun. There were snowball fights and sledding and we even got over to the Alpine Slide. We hope you had a good weekend with us Skylar and didn't miss your parents too much.

Celebration of Life

2010-04-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

Easter this year was fantastic. After hunting for eggs and church, we went over to a wonderful Easter party at Gloria and Jerry Goslin's. There were so many people, so much wonderful food and so much to do. The kids died eggs, there was a ping pong tourney, another egg hunt, a pinata, an egg toss and lots of laughing. I told Gloria what a wonderful time we had and she said it best..."It was a celebration of life!" Indeed it was. Thanks for the wonderful memories, Goslin family!

Dirt Dawgs Win 3 to 2

2010-03-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

The Dirt Dawgs are doing great so far this season. Syd Vicious is on fire. Keep up the great work. She won the game Saturday for Cameron Nash, whose name she wrote on her shoe. You will be missed, baby Cameron.

Bring Your Parent to Preschool

2010-03-14T13:09:00.001-07:00

Once again my accounting career has been overlooked and Brady asked Daddy to come and talk to his class about being a detective. I really do not mind, because doesn't this look like more fun? :)

The Royal Family

2010-03-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

We went to Medieval Times with the Hayden's last weekend. Brady was in awe of the sword fighting and jousting. So much that he didn't want to leave to go to the bathroom. Sydney enjoyed eating without utensils. Go Blue Knight!

Camping Lake Casitas January 2010

2010-03-13T13:59:00.001-08:00

We went camping over a month ago and I am just getting around to getting some pictures up. Sydney was so happy to bring her friend Chaela. We were camping with fifteen other families and had a huge potluck one of the nights. We were really roughing it, watching all the football playoff games on the big screen TVs. We also brought Bailey this trip. I think she had fun on her first camping trip.

A Long Time Coming

2010-03-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

Brady has been waiting a long, long time to finally be on a baseball team. Every year he has watched his sister play and his time has now come. He was so excited for opening day and his first game. Currently his favorite position is catcher. Here are some shots from his first Shetland game.

Sydney's Sleepover!

2010-01-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

The sleepover was a success. There was a make your own english muffin pizza bar, make your own sundae bar, an Uno tournament, movies, snacks, no sleeping and hardly any drama. I wonder if this will ever happen again, though...

Thanks for coming to celebrate with us Sophia, Chaela, Sierra, Skylar, Mana, Cate, and Callie.

More Pics From November and December

2009-12-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning.

Sydney and Chaela having tea at the American Girl Doll store in Hollywood. Most likely the place Sydney will have her birthday in a month.

Jodi and Ray's visit. Love this picture because it clearly demonstrates how tall my hubby is compared to my little friend.

Michigan/Ohio State Game with the Goslins' and Dellibovis'

Our favorite Irish Pub with Ray and Jodi. Were the Car Bomb all started.

WHAT A YEAR! (Good, Bad, and mostly quite ugly)

2009-12-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

While we are coming to the last days of 2009, I am seeing I have not written or posted much to our blog in the last months. Probably due to taking on too much and being so very busy since October. I am happy to report that our family has had such a blessed year and we have been witness to many joys such as new pregnancies, new adoptions and new births. With the joys came a lot of sadness and heartache too. It has been an unusually unhappy year for many of my closest friends, and I am in constant prayer that 2010 will bring joy to everyone of you. Merry Christmas to all and a very Happy New Year!!!

Here are some random pics from the last couple months: Visit to Santa, Brady not singing in the Christmas show, Thanksgiving, Sydney's award at school and Halloween.

Halloween Has Begun

2009-10-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

So we got a night out without the kids and went to Universal Halloween Horror Nights with the Crowders', Coopers', and Rodriguezs'. The haunted houses were creepy and I especially hated the dead carnie's. Dead clowns are spooky. Loved the War of the Worlds set we got to walk through.

FUN FUN NIGHT!

And Sydney, no you can not go next year... or the year after... or for several years after that, even though you are dying to go. Nick says you have to be at least 20. He is hoping he is not as scared next year. I got a little jumpy towards the end of the night, too, Nick.

My Weekends Consist Of...

2009-09-14T14:11:00.001-07:00

My weekends consist of winter ball, soccer and then some more soccer. Love it!

First Eclipse Tournament

2009-09-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

You did great Sydney!

Meet The Newest Member Of The Hewitt Family

2009-08-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

This is Keiki Whiskers Hewitt. He adopted us about a week ago and we have officially adopted him back. (Jodi, we will need some tips on how to drive across country with a cat.) Whisky is a beautiful Chocolate Point Siamese that is not afraid of anything, including Bailey, and follows us around like a puppy. He sleeps with his tongue out, hardly meows (we heard his voice once) and loves the kids. We are very lucky to have been found by him.

I Can't Believe He Is Four!

2009-08-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Brady had a great fourth birthday. Although he wondered where Tanner was all day, he had a great time bowling. He has officially learned how to swim without his vest and showed off all day. A few days later, he continued to impress by learning how to ride his bike without training wheels. So far four has been filled with new adventures. I love you Brady!!!!

Couer D'Alene 2009

2009-08-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time in Idaho. This year we have shared our fun so far with Stacey, Barb and Kathy. (My Mom is coming in a couple days.) We have found a new place to dock the boat and have a drink and a bite. Our new favorite hot spot...Eddie's. They have great food, outstanding service, fun ambiance, and spectacular views. The kids can play on the sandy beach while we eat, so they love it too. We have done a lot of relaxing, tubing, grilling, kayaking, fishing and boating... and, two more weeks of fun to go!

It's Over

2009-07-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Our All Star season is over. The Bombers ended the season with a bang, going to the Championship game in our last tournament. They won two second place trophies this season and Sydney received player of the game four times. It was a blast and this summer will be remembered always because of the friendships we made and fun we had. The girls worked so hard and improved so much by season end. I am so proud of you Sydney, our dirt diva, who picked up a strange habit of tasting the dirt at each field we played. I hear the best dirt is in Simi.

Things to remember... our water balloon fight, team picnic, the pool in Escondido, 4th of July, the whiffle ball tourney, sleepovers, Craig's birthday party, and our girls got the coaches with whip cream after the last game. What fun!!!! I want to thank our awesome coaches (Mike, Sam, Craig, Todd, and Kelly) and a special thank you to our manager, Mike, and team mom, Tristin. The season was great, because of you guys.

In The Zone

2009-06-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

Sydney pitching.

Remembering Jim Stodel

2009-06-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is one of my Dad's Memorials written by my Mom (Blakely Pallock) three years ago. Happy Fathers Day Dad!

Jim Stodel died Tuesday morning, December 13, 2005, either at Andee's or shortly after being taken by paramedics to Emergency. I choose to think he breathed his last in his sleep on the sofa at Andee's. These are my memories of him.

I have known Jim since I was 16 years old. When I close my eyes, that is how I always see him -- as a slender, impish teenager with great big dimples and a love of rock n roll. We met in a high school drama class and were close friends for 41 years. For 7 of those years we were married. People have told us - many times - that it is unusual, almost weird, for us to have stayed so close after our divorce. Maybe so, but it seemed natural for us. You see, I think we were bonded together because we shared so many early moments that shaped our lives and affected who we would become as adults.

We were both only children who grew up within 5 miles of each other. We shared a love of theatre and film and music and an optimistic spirit. I was his friend when his mother died. He convinced me to go to UCLA instead of UC Santa Cruz because he didnt want us to be separated during college. I convinced him to switch from his Math major to Television when he transferred to UCLA, and it was I who urged him -- well, practically forced him -- to apply for work at the UCLA Media Center when he graduated. He was close to my parents -- went camping with us in the summer and even lived with them for awhile when I was living on campus. He wrote me funny, personalized lyrics to Broadway songs and began what later became one of his trademarks -- he put together elaborate audio tapes for me of songs and sayings and silly recordings that would be waiting for me when I returned home. He introduced me to the Davison family, and it was through them we met Mark. So many moments that shaped our lives.

Jim and I were married in 1969. We were 21 and still in college. We were poor but surrounded by friends, many of whom were close to him his entire life. We were season subscribers to theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center, and he began to collect an alarming number of records even though we couldn't afford either hobby. We discovered we had a passion for travel, and we couldn't afford that either, so we took long driving trips together and short vacations to Lake Tahoe and San Diego with friends. We began our careers together at UCLA.

For five years we played. In 1974 we had an amazingly beautiful baby girl, Andee, who we named for his dad, Andrew, and who looked just like Jim. And then we hit a rough two years that split us apart. But even during our divorce we remained close, first for the sake of our daughter and later for ourselves. Even after I married Mark and our son, Jay, was born, Jim remained a member of our little family, spending birthdays and Thanksgivings and Christmases with us. We never had a formal visitation agreement. He took Andee whenever he wanted and even occasionally included Jay in their outings because he said he didn't want Jay to feel left out. He was fun to be with. He teased us all without mercy. We lived separate, very different lives, but together we celebrated milestones and graduations and eventually mourned the illnesses and deaths of our parents.

Five years ago, Mark and Jim both walked Andee down the aisle and the three of us sat together in the front pew, Mark and Jim with me in the middle, holding hands and passing a Kleenex while Craig and Andee were married. At the reception, Jim changed from tux to Hawaiian shirt and displayed his goofy sense of humor -- he cut in to Andee and Mark's father/daughter dance to dance with Mark! It's a great picture, to see those two Dads dancing a slow dance together with Andee off to the side, dissolved in laughter watching them. He wasn't perfect. Who is? He could be moody and a hard-core procrastinator. It was hard to have a serious conversation with him, especially about faith and eternity and how important God's presence is in my life. But he was always funny and creative and generous. I guess we did have an unusual relationship for a divorced couple. And I thank God that Mark understood the depth and importance of our friendship and not only encouraged but insisted on Jim's participation in our lives. When our granddaughter Sydney was born, we were all three overjoyed. And when Jim got sick and we knew what lay ahead, Mark was as devastated as anyone. How blessed am I to have been loved by two such men!

In July of 2005, Jim and I stood alone together in Neonatal ICU looking down at our newborn grandson, Brady James. Jim said Brady looked just like Andee when she was born. He was never one for being sentimental, but in that moment he looked at me with a clear awareness of all we had been through together.

Two months later I spent the afternoon with him watching a DVD he wanted me to see of the musical The Bandwagon. He became animated for the first time in a long time, telling me insider stories about the filming of the movie. We reminisced that we had first seen that movie together as students at a film class at UCLA. He told me that afternoon that he would stop the cancer treatments when they got to be too much. We were together many more times after that -- but there was a sweet finality to that day. As I was driving home I thought how much it seemed that we were coming close to completing the full circle of our lives together.

All of us of course will face death; our days are numbered and only God knows how many we have. That's why it is so important to seek Him out now, while we can, so we can enjoy the fullness He brings to life and the help He offers when life gets tough. Jim wasn't a fighter by nature, but in this cancer battle he fought valiantly to have as many good days as possible. That fight allowed Andee to have many more memories of the father who loved her so dearly. It was a gift he gave to us all.

Two additional thoughts --

First -- The most comfort we can have at the death of one we love is to know he is safe in heaven at the throne of the living God. Peter says Jim once told him he believed in Christ. We never knew for sure the state of Jim's salvation, but I take great comfort that, at the moment he was dying and I was about to leave Bible study to race to Andee's, my friend Cindy Fahy offered this prayer:

Lord, your ways are so much higher than our ways ... we know it is your will and your word that NONE should perish, but all should know everlasting life. Just as you came to the thief on the cross in his final moments, we trust you Father, to come to our brother Jim even in this moment ... that nothing is impossible with You; that you, the Good Shepherd, would leave the 99 to seek and find the one that was lost.... to pick him up in Your arms, and carry Him to safe pastures. We trust you, Good Shepherd, to lead, protect, and carry our brother ... and our precious friends who loved and and cared for him, in Your mighty and everlasting arms of love.

Second -- Thank you, Jay, for coming down for the day. It meant more to me than I can express to have you there with us. Bernie said yesterday the more Jim liked someone, the more he teased them. Jim loved you a lot.

I Hate Goodbyes

2009-06-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends is moving far far away in a couple of days and it is really getting quite sad.

Jodi, this is not goodbye, but rather the beginning of our long friendship. So here are some pics from our crazy night out.

Thousand Oaks All Star Memorial Day Tournament

2009-05-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

Sydney's first All Star Tournament: Wins/1 Losses/2. The Simi Bronze Bombers did a great job for their first tournament. Sydney made some great plays and we are very proud of her. She was Player of the Game for their first game. Way to go Syd the Kid!

Easter Holiday in Couer D'Alene

2009-04-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

The rest of our trip up to Idaho was fun filled. We went go-carting and hit an indoor water park.

This is Brady and Sydney's favorite tree house park.

We also hung out outside even though the river was not up yet and skipped rocks...

fished...

and found frogs.

We can not wait until summer to go back.

Easter 2009

2009-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

We went up to Couer D'Alene for Easter again this year. After getting off the plane late on Saturday evening we went to buy all our Easter eggs and dyed them just in time before the Easter Bunny came later that night. Hopefully we found them all and wont find a nice smelly surprise upon our return in the summer.

More Casitas Camping Fun

2009-04-07T13:37:00.001-07:00

Lake Casitas Camping

2009-04-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

We had a great time camping last weekend. The main event was the horseshoe tournament. The ER/ICU Crew (Craig Hewitt and John Goslin) were the undefeated champions. Which is unbelievable given they were the only two players who were in the ER or ICU just a week or so prior. Did anyone even come close? There was a lot of eating, fishing, chatting, listening to the awesome guitarist around the campfire, smores, and of course the talent show. Thanks to all the families for the perfect weekend get away (Goslin, Delibovi, Mager, Dunbar, and Moore). Hopefully we can all do it again soon.

Fairy Tale Ball

2009-03-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today was the Fairy Tale Ball at Sydney's school. Their performance and dancing was great and Sydney was so happy that they just played all day and did fun crafts. Instead of their normal rotations which usually consists of reading and math, they did classwork involving decorating gingerbread men, measuring giants, and making shields, crowns, and wands. Sydney thought, besides her birthday, this was the best day of school yet!

Santa Ana's

2009-03-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

The Southern California Santa Ana's do not usually bring me much joy. It tends to knock over planters and outdoor furniture, makes a mess of the pool, makes soccer and softball games slightly unbearable, does a number on my hair and of course brings the firestorms that come roaring over the hills just inches from our house. Today was different...the wind made both Brady and Nana (and me) very happy as it tossed and turned their kite up and down our windy street. Thanks, Nana, for a fun day.

Father Daughter Dance

2009-03-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Craig and Sydney went to the Simi Valley Girls Softball Father Daughter Dance tonight and they looked so cute. It was a 50's theme. Mark offered to drive them in the Edsel, but they already had a ride.

Bring Your Parent to School Day

2009-03-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Sydney did not ask her accountant mother to come and talk to her class about what an accountant does at work...she wanted only her Daddy! I guess police work is a little more exciting than crunching numbers all day. The kids were so excited to try on the bullet proof vest and helmet. The class was even more excited to jump in the police car, hear the radio calls and see the lights go.

Opening Day

2009-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Today was the first time Sydney pitched in a U8 game. She was very focused and had the best time. It was their first game and their first win of the season. YEAH!

Sydney is Seven

2009-01-31T09:53:00.000-08:00

Sydney had a great time at her birthday party at Big Z's. She was so happy that all her friends came to celebrate with her.

Timeline of Sydney's Life

2009-01-23T15:34:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day for the first grade project "Timeline of My Life" to be due and presented for Sydney, since it was her birthday and the start of her seventh year on the timeline. Great work Squid and Happy Birthday! I am very proud of you.

Love the birthday crown.

HAVE YOU SEEN ME

2008-12-31T14:54:00.001-08:00

LOST

Name: Bunny

Owner: Sydney

Bunny please come home wherever you are. We miss you!!!

Please call Andee if found... for her sanity.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T09:21:00.000-08:00

Brady and Sydney's Christmas was a success. They received everything they asked for from Santa. They must have been REALLY GOOD kids this year.

All We Want For Christmas...

2008-12-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

We went to Sydney's first grade class to listen to them sing "All I Want for Christmas are My Two Front Teeth."

Christmas Carol

2008-12-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

Brady, Raymond and the other preschool children sang for us in Bible Study today. They are always so darling. Brady would rather be playing cars than singing, he exclaimed as I was getting him dressed this morning. He looked very bored as he yawned through most of the songs. Raymond preformed other songs on the way home in the car for Jodi and I.

Knott's

2008-12-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

We went to Knott's Berry Farm with the

Hayden's and the Moore's and had a great time. Sydney was too tall for a couple of the rides in Camp Snoopy. We can't believe it! Her favorite ride was Boomerang. Brady's favorite ride was the Race Cars.

Wii

2008-11-30T20:24:00.000-08:00

Sydney and Brady saw Santa today. Sydney asked for a Wii and Brady asked for a big Lightning McQueen.

Turkey Day Tease

2008-11-29T18:10:00.000-08:00

Brady, as many may know, is not interested in being potty trained at three years and four months. I have tried almost everything and am hoping he will decide very very soon that he would like to be a big boy. He is pretty good about the peeing... it is just the pooping that is the main problem. He would like nothing more than to find a nice quiet spot to hide and do his business. Lately, I have been trying to reason with him. Telling him, "If you can take the time to go and find a nice hiding spot, then that gives you more than enough time to go find the bathroom and get on the potty." So on Thanksgiving Day I found him doing his business in the privacy of the downstairs bathroom, with the door closed, but NOT on the potty.

Other than that, Thanksgiving was terrific. We had almost the whole immediate family over except for Uncle Jay and Tricia. Grammy, Mark, Nana, Phyllis, Barbi, Kathy, Dana, Larry, Tanner, Papa, Kim, Cheryl, Sylvia, Ray, Jodi, Morgan and Raymond came to dinner at the Hewitt's. Mark successfully fried the 24 pound turkey in the backyard and for the third year in a row, did not burn my house down. It was the yummiest yet. Thanks everyone for celebrating with us. It was a wonderfully joyous and warm day with so much laughing that my belly still hurts... or maybe that is due to the extra plate of turkey I ate. AND... I need to reiterate that I DID NOT KISS CRAIG FIRST!

Thankful

2008-11-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

I am thankful that I have a daughter who is thankful for so much and for the important things. When asked to write about what she was thankful for at school she listed so many things that she ran out of room on her paper. She was thankful for her mom and dad, for her brother, for her teacher, for having food everyday, for the sky, for the trees, for the sun, for her friend Morgan and for her dog Bailey. I am truly blessed by God for having such a positive daughter who appreciates people more than things... and necessities more than her toys. Thank you!

More Soccer

2008-11-09T12:01:00.001-08:00

Gold Super Stars

2008-10-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

Another season of soccer is almost over. Here are some shots of Sydney, Coach Craig and Brady dreaming of being on the team next year.

Halloween Party 2008

2008-10-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I was sick with the flu, but the rest of the family went to the Hayden's Halloween party. Yes... that is my husband... and he is all mine! Please...do not be jealous... of the mullet and beer belly. Thank goodness you were there Jodi to keep the ladies off my man. How do you explain what he is to the kids?

Brady was a pirate this year and Sydney was an 80's diva.

Puggles Please

2008-09-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

We had a blast camping at Lake Casitas last weekend with, Ryan, Pam, Megan, McKenna, and the newest addition to their family Diesel. Pam, I would love to take him off your hands next year, as soon as he is finished with the chewing stage. Just let me know. :)
This picture does not do him justice. He is adorable. If I ever get another dog, this is what I want...when he or she turns two.
Can I handle the puppy stage again? Actually I could handle it, but do I want to, is the appropriate question. I do not think the kids would be happy with all the eaten toys, but maybe then they would put them away. Hmm, I need to think about this...
I also remembered this weekend that I am horrible at horseshoes and I apologize to both Pam and Craig for my terrible performance.

Idaho 2008

2008-09-01T21:32:00.001-07:00

We had a great time on our trip to Idaho. It was nice to be there and actually take a vacation, since I normally work when we go.

I have to say that I think our dog, Bailey, might have had the best time of all of us, since this was officially her first vacation. She enjoyed swimming and boating and running around the neighborhood and chasing ducks and laying on the dock sunning herself.

We did all the usual things, but it was great to share it all with our friends that came up with us, the Douglas Family.

My favorite part of the trip was the biking, since it was the first time we went on the Trail of Couer D Alene. The trail is a 73 mile bike path that runs through the pan handle of Idaho, basically from Washington to Montana. It was beautiful... running along streams and fields and lakes. We even saw a moose. Brady and Raymond racked out after the long ride on the back of the bike, after a good fist fight first. Aren't they cute? I know you are all wondering if I road my bike

for all 73 miles and if you know me... then you know the answer to that question.

We Made It!

2008-08-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

We drove until 2 am the first night due to a late start and then drove 12 hours the next day. The drive was long, but the kids and the dog were great.

Road Trip

2008-08-06T20:29:00.001-07:00

We are leaving today for our road trip to Idaho. I am beginning to have second thoughts about deciding to drive rather than fly. I am remembering not really liking road trips as a kid. I remember a lot of cows and a lot of whining about my brother bothering me and then me torturing him in return for kicks. This is probably the reason why the longest road trip we would ever go on would not be more than eight hours. How nice it would have been to have the DVD players, ipods and PS2s back in the day... I will let you know how it went in 19 hours. We will be stopping tonight for a siesta and then driving all day tomorrow. CDA or Bust!

Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-08-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Miss you.

Brady is 3

2008-07-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Brady turned three and wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese for his party. David, Emily, Raymond, Morgan, Sydney and Tanner all came to help him celebrate.

Camping at Leo Carillo

2008-07-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

We went camping with the Hayden's this weekend. There was tons of climbing, biking, boogie boarding, scooter riding, sand castle making, swimming, body surfing, and s'more eating all weekend long. We found hermit crabs in the tide pools and we warned Dave of the evil sea urchin lurking next to one rock so he would not relive the same traumatic experience from Cancun. Luckily we all avoided stepping on one this trip. The kids were filthy all weekend long and loved every minute of it. Maybe one day we will figure out what type of animal was lurking around the camp site around 2:00 am. Oh, and a big thanks to Nathalie for saving me from the hornet in the donut bag this morning!

Last Day of Metro :(

2008-07-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations John and Craig on your promotions!

Detective Hewitt

2008-07-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that Craig has finally taken a detective spot! He was officially promoted this week and will be moving to Mission Narcotics on Monday. I am sure the leave is bitter sweet, as he is leaving the Metro job he loves and leaving his partner of three years :( , but it is just time. Congratulations on the much deserved promotion, babe. I am so very proud of you.

Old Friends

2008-07-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

I was blessed to reunite with two of my three best friends from junior high over the weekend. This is Lisa, me, Andy Panda Bear (which was one of my nicknames at that time), Carrie and Julie on a trip we took together after high school graduation. We have not all been together in about sixteen years. Lisa was unable to make the trip to California due to surgery, but it was great to visit with Carrie and Julie and have our kids play together.
The next pics are of us now. :)

4th of July

2008-07-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the annual 4th of July party. It was fun as usual. What's with the baby boom this year? There were ten babies at the party. A little crazier with the fireworks too, thanks Mike. They definitely were not safe and sane. Luckily the house did not burn down or the brush near by. Margarita machine and taco bar were a big hit and the Simi fire works show was great. There was a power outage as the last party goers left at midnight. I hope you made it home in the dark ok, Ray and Jodi. See y'all next year.

River Run

2008-06-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

We spent a week in Coeur D' Alene and it was interesting hearing all the flood stories from the neighbors. We have wonderful neighbors that protected the house while we were oblivious in California. They called us after it was over. I guess the record snow fall this year, along with a lot of rain, followed closely by a heat wave that melted the adjacent mountain snow, caused a swelling of the river in our backyard. It was the first flood since 1996 and hopefully the last for another decade or more. The first couple days we took down sand bags and did a lot of clean up, but we had a great time the rest of the trip. Grammy stayed the whole trip and Grandpa Mark came for a few days too, but had to go back to work. It was a great time had by all.

Metamorphosis 2008 Company Conference

2008-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is my boss. Isn't she cute? This was our 2008 company conference on her sail boat. What a fun day on 'Beauti-ful Day.' I love you Kim and Theresa. Meta-morphosis should be one of Forbes top 10 companies to work for. I am certainly blessed to have the job I do and work with two amazing, strong and intelligent women. Can't wait until next year. Next year I promise not to be sick (stupid flu)and... YEAH... I did not throw up . I do have a dorky tan though, thanks to the sea sick bracelets. I am sooo cool. (Theresa just pointed out that Steve is questioning why he let you drive, Kim, in the second pic.)

Father's Day Rememberence

2008-06-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is very hard for me, as I am sure it is for many people I know who are missing their Dads. It seems like just yesterday that this picture was taken on Father's Day 1996. Happy Father's Day, Daddy Mark, and thanks for always being there for me since I was three and raising me to be a little like you. I am glad I get to see you later today. Happy Father's Day, Daddy Jim. I miss you every day, but am blessed that I see you everyday in Brady. You would not believe how much Brady is like you in personality. It is amazing how much he looks like you, too. I love you both. :) Love, Andee

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day Daddy! Thank you for teaching us sports and being our coach in soccer and softball, riding bikes with us, teaching us to swim, taking us for slurpees, letting us ride in the police car, protecting us from bad guys and for being the best dad in the whole world. We love you the mostest. Love, Sydney and Brady

Last Day of Kindergarten

2008-06-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

Sydney's last day of Kinder-garten was today. I can't believe it. At the last Phoenix Ranch Assembly of the year the Kindergarten class explained that everything they need to know in life they learned this year. It was very cute. We will miss our kindergarten teacher Mrs. Grimes. She was absolutely wonderful. She told me today she is looking forward to having Brady in her class in three years. She also said she will miss having Sydney come over to her almost every day during rotations and whisper in her ear that she was a great teacher. Now it is time for Vacation Bible Study and Phoenix Ranch Summer Camp...YEAH!

Disneyland

2008-06-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

Sydney showed her little brother Disneyland for the first time last month. We invited Nana and Fufu to come too. What a fun day. Sydney can go on every ride now and the faster and scarier the ride... the better. Her favorite rides are Space Mountain and Indiana Jones. Brady, on the other hand, does not like any ride that is inside and especially hated Pirates. We hope he likes them next time. The Hewitt's love Disneyland! We love it so much we went back, but to California Adventure a month later with Grammy. Can't wait to go again.

Emergency Room

2008-06-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, I was in the emergency room today because Brady thought it would be a good idea to swallow a QUARTER. How does a two year old swallow a quarter? I don't think I could swallow a quarter. SHEESH! Brady was at my Mom's house, and she left the room for a moment. My Mom was beside herself, as she got through raising two kids and a granddaughter without anyone swallowing anything they shouldn't.

I am not a worrier, as most of you know, and so I was not worried, but my Mom wanted me to call our doctor since Brady was whining a little and said his belly hurt. For safety reasons the Doctor suggested we go to the ER to have x rays done, to be sure the quarter had made its way to his stomach. When my Mom told Brady that he was going to the doctor, he immediately informed her that his tummy no longer hurt and that he was fine. She took him anyway.

Brady was a very good boy at the ER and did everything the nurses and doctors asked him to, even though he was a little scared. He is a very brave boy.

So, now I joyously get to look through his diaper each day to see if the quarter comes out. Yoohoo!