2023 Recap

Early on last year, Jacob left a cup on water near the family laptop and Nacho decided to pour water on it...and it's taken us a year to send it in to get fixed. Since that is the laptop I use to write in the family blog, we have missed an entire year of updates. So I'll do my best to update on the important things that happend in 2023, no particulary order about each of us. Lily highlights: We went all in and had her competeing in the various competitions available to her. She competed in a total of 5 meets, and she did an awesome job in all of them. She competed in National Championship meets for both Olympic weightlifting and Powerlifting. Lily and I traveled to Colorado Springs, CO in June for USA Weightlifting Youth National Championships. It was a fun adventure together, I was nervous to travel to somewhere without Mark as I haven't done that since my mission, but having Lily with me and knowing how much this ment to her made me put my brave mama pants on. We had a blast. And she did an incredible job! She recieved 1st place for her age group and weight, competing against 4 other girls, plus all the others before then to qualify for the event. She placed 11th overall in the country for U13 youth weighlifting and 2 gold medals. She was pumped and had such a fun energy out there. No nervousness, just excitement which is what makes her so fun to watch. I could hear others in the audience watching and comentening on how happy she looked and how much confedence she had out on the stage. She is such a strong girl. She competed here in AZ for the National Powerlifting Championships. This one was a bit harder since most of her focus in practice has been Olympic lifting. She had to perform deadlift, bench press and backsquat. She is incredibly strong in these movements, bench is not her strongest lift. She achieved one of her three attempts, but the others were not successful lifts. She got third place, which we are all very proud of her for achieving. Overall it was a fun meet, definitly a different atmosphere then Olympic lifting. She plans to compete in all the same meets for 2024. She has already qualified for 2024 Olympic lifting Nationals which will be in Pittsburgh this year. We have a lot of fun supporting our Lily bean in her adventure being a total Bad A, strong as heck youth. She is still a smarty pants, and did really well in school achieving honor roll all four quarters. She is such an easy kid. We never have to ask her to complete her tasks. She very busy with lifting, but also managed to fit in other sports and activities. She played basketball for the Junior Suns and her team won the east valley championship and got to play a the Suns arena. Really cool experience for her! She also played girls flag football with her school and they won 2nd place in the regional championships. She plays golf and Piano as well. We ask her if she wants to continue with these activities and she is always up for staying active. She has no quit in her. She is getting older, maturing and mellowing out more and has a really fun group of girl friends that she enjoys chatting with on the phone. She loves to do art on her tablet while jamming out to music, she is still a very talented artist. We have always been proud of Lily and are excited to see how much she grows this year as she starts YW and continues with her school, sports and activities. She celebrated her 11th birthday earlier in the year and we had an 'amoung us' birthday party with all her friends. It was alot of work, but totally worth it for all the fun we had. Love that amazing girl so much! Jacob hightlights: Jacob was baptized this year. He is looking so much older everyday and looking more like a big kid then a little boy which makes my heart hurt. However, he's still my beautiful baby boy. Mark baptized him August 12th 2023, and he was confirmed a memeber of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. Aunt Nanita and her family attended in support, as well as a few of his favorite friends. He told me that after he came out of the water he could feel that his spirit family was proud of him and he felt lots of peace and happiness. He is my senstive, loving heart and I know he will do amazing things as he learns to love and serve as the Savior taught us. He always has so many questions for me everyday about obedience to commandments, asking me my own spiritual experiences and asking about gospel principles. I had a few good cries taking his pictures for his baptism. I saw him as a future missionary, and the amounnt of love he will give to the people he will serve. They are going to be so lucky to have this boy serving them, he gives with all his heart. And I will cry like a baby everyday because i miss him so much. Love that boy with all my soul. He had a fun 8th birthday, we were in Utah at the time and he was able to celebrate with the marshall family. Then, 5 months later, we got to celebrate with friends with an epic glow nerf war party. There were a total of 18 friends that came and it was a total crazy house! Totally worth it to see Jacob with his friends. we put up glow tape, black lights, a disco ball and glow sticks. Everyone recieved a nerf gun with glasses, amo and a bag. It was two hours of fighting and dancing, it was a really fun party...not sure if I'd dod it again, but it was definitly fun. Jacob had a wonderful teacher for 1st grade, Ms. Marquez and made lots of new friends. He did great in school acheiving honor roll 3 out of 4 quarters. He played basketball for the Junior suns, and played flag football. He went to Brick fest with Mark and collected lots of new lego sets and figures. He is still obsessed with toys as well as Fortnite, Sonic the Hedge hog and all the weird games like Poppy playtime and Five nights at freddys. He is a very creative thinker and loves to read the I survived book series. Overall it was a good year for Jacob. Nacho highlights: Awe Nacho, he is just perfect. He is talking so much. I can understand almost everything he says to me, and he is so much fun. I love our one on one time everyday while the kids are at school. He loves to cuddle watching shows with me, working in the garden and going to the gym to play with his friends. He loves to go on walks, play on the play ground and play golf in the backyard with dad. He had a funny looking on command smile when we'd take pictures when we'd say 'cheesy smiles', and one day lily said 'he looks like Chucky from Childs play', She was spot on! After that we knew the smile as the chucky smile. So, naturally for halloween he was Chucky! he was the cutest chucky ever and would give his cheesy smile or chucky smile while trick or treating. He loved Halloween this year, and loved looking at all the creepy decor. He was not scared at all, another Halloween loving kiddo to add to the family. He loves blippi, paw patrol, bluey, sharks, dinosours, monster trucks and utility vehicles. I honestly think he may have aged 4 years because he is so smart. He knows exactly whats going on all around him, asks questions often and we have actual convo's. He joins in on the fun when it comes to his older siblings and does not see his limitations. He is such a fun kid and brings our family so much joy everyday. Mark highlights: Mark got to start the year seeing the superbowl trophy in person. lol. We attended a superbowl pre celebration at the PCC where the kids got to participate in fun football activites, and Mark got to feel all the feels seeing the superbowl rings and trophy upclose and personal. It was probably the highlight of his year. jk. He also got to go to San Francisco for his cousins bachelor party, and be one of the grooms man over the summer for their wedding. His mom also got married this year. He has been doing very well in his position with Republic Services, they have been a great company to work for. He was even promoted to Manager of External reporting the end of the year. He is having to work more, but he appreciates the opportunity and so far is doing great. He is also the Elders Quorum President for our ward, so that has also filled him with love for serving in the church. He has grown a deeper appreciation and love for serving the elders of our ward and that has helped him in many aspects of his life. Mark is a dedicated father, husband and a really hard worker. We love him, and appreciate him everday for all he does for his family. Me, not much to report. I got to attend some concerts this year. Imageon dragons for valentines, they were amazing and such a great show. Then Mark and I got to go to Foo Fighters concert finally. We had planned to attend in 2020, but then covid ruiend that dream. But I was so happy to attend this concert. They have always been my favorite band, and seeing them live made me all emtional...seriously I cried alot. I really enjoy going to concerts, hopefully we can attend more this coming year. I'm still doing crossfit, but have faced some injuries with my shoulder and left knee. So, its been an up down cycle between babying my injuries and acheiving physical goals. I planted a garden this year and had lots of zuchini and jalepanos. I definitly want to plant more next year. I was busy church callings teaching CTR 5 and over Primay Activities for lilys age group. I loved serving these kids. Every sunday and Tuesday made me so happy to get to see my little friends and hear their stories. Primary really is the best calling. I totally understnad why the Savior wanted to spend his time amongst the children. They really are a source of pure joy. Later in the Year I was called to be the Stake Relief Society Secretary. So far it's been great and I know the lord needs me to gain a greater appreciation for the sisters in the stake, especially since i've been in primary for 8 years now. I do love serving in the church, I am learning alot and am excited to learn more. I've been working on a goal of reaching 8,000 steps or more a day, and have managed to be consistant. I love going on walks, it brings me so much peace to be outside and looking at the world. My mom celebrated her 70th birthday, and my siblings came down to her house to surprise her and celebrate. It was such a fun surprise for her, she deserves everything for the wonderful mother she has been to us. As a family, we spent lots of time going on nature walks togehter, playing at the Seville Pool during the summertime months (which sadly we decided to cancel a the end of the summer, time to move onto other adventures) and having movie marathons like Star Wars, Harry Potter during the fall which we'd make a treat every sunday that went along with the movie, and our Marvels marathon which is still going on because we are doing the the series shows as well. We went up to Utah this summer and spent all of June at Nanita's house with their family. We had lots of fun playing in the beautiul nature, enjoying the pools and ice cream places their. We always love our summers in Utah. This coming year will be a little different now that Mark can no longer work remote everyday, but hopefully we will still get some time with family up there. We also went back in the fall for break and enjoyed going to corn mazes, spending time playing with family from both sides and spending lots of time in the mountains admiring the fall leaves. Lily says that's where she wants to live someday. Mark even applied for a job in Utah, but the one in Pheonix was a better offer. Guess it's not time to move there just yet, but it's definitly in the plans still. We just love it up there and being with our families, makes it even more desireable. Overall 2023 was a wonderful year. There were some downs, as there always will be, can't know joy without sarrow...but I just can't think of any for right now! Our family was healthy, happy, loved and served. And that is just about all we can ask for. Here's to the end of a 2023 and the hope that 2024 will be just as great, if not better.

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2022

IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME SINCE I WROTE IN HERE. KEEPING TRACK OF A TODDLER IS WAY HARDER THEN IT USED TO BE (I'M FEELING OLD). SO WE ARE JUST GOING TO WRITE IN THIS EACH QUARTER, JOURNALING TAKES TIME. SEPTEMBER MARK ENJOYED HIS 36TH BIRTHDAY AND WE CELEBRATED OUR 13TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. I HAD BEEN PLAYING GOLF WITH MARK IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, SO FOR HIS BIRTHDAY WE PLAYED A ROUND OF GOLF TOGETHER. I DON'T THINK THAT IS ORIGINALLY WHAT HE'D PLANNED TO DO, BUT HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE ME TO PLAY. WE SURE DO LOVE MARK. HE IS SO PATIENT, FUNNY, AMBITIOUS AND HARD WORKING. AND HE SHOWS HIS FAMILY LOVE BY ACTION. NOT A MAN OF A LOT OF WORDS, BUT YOU KNOW HE WILL ALWAYS SHOW UP TO LOVE AND SUPPORT US. HE'S PRETTY DANG SPECIAL. ANNIVERSARY WE WENT TO TUCSON AND MARK AND I HIKED OUR FAVORITE SPOTS AT SABINO CANYON AND ATE YUMMY MEXICAN FOOD. PERFECT FOR US, ATHLETICS AND FOOD, IT'S US. OCTOBER WE WENT TO UTAH FOR FALL BREAK TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR UTAH FAMILIES AND CELEBRATE MY SISTERS 50TH BIRTHDAY. WE HAD LOTS OF FUN GOING TO THE HAUNTED FORREST, PUMPKIN PATCHES AND VISITING SUNDANCE TO SEE ALL THE AMAZING FALL LEAVES. SO BEAUTIFUL. NANITA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY WAS A LOT OF FUN AND I HAD FUN PLANNING IT. THEME WAS 'THAT'S SO 70'S' AND WE ALL HAD TO DRESS 70'S STYLE. WE DANCED DISCO AND PLAYED 'AMONG US IN REAL LIFE', IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND I'M GLAD MY SISTER COULD BE CELEBRATED AS WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. SHE IS ALWAYS SO THOUGHTFUL, AND SHOWS SO MUCH LOVE TO US, THE LEAST WE COULD DO WAS THROW HER A BIG BASH. ON OUR WAY TO UTAH, WE STAYED IN ST. GEORGE FOR LILY TO COMPETE IN HER FIRST EVER LIFTING MEET. SHE DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB! HER FIRST SNATCH SHE DROPPED, THOSE JITTERS ARE FOR REAL! AFTER THAT SHE FELT MORE COMFORTABLE AND ENDED UP LIFTING A 24KG SNATCH AND A 29KG CLEAN JERK. CAN'T BELIEVE SHE HAD ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO MONTHS AND KILLED IT! HER COACH WAS VERY HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING, AND SHE FEELS SHE HAS FOUND HER SPORT. SHE ENDED UP WINNING GOLD FOR HEAVIEST LIFT U11 FOR ALL MOUNTAIN SOUTH REGION. GO LILY! HALLOWEEN WAS PRETTY CHILL FOR US THIS YEAR. WE WENT TO TUCSON FOR TRUNK OR TREAT, FUN TO SEE SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND MY TIA RAQUEL WAS VISITING FROM CHILE. THEN WE HAD FUN TRICK OR TREATING ON HALLOWEEN AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE MIDDLE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DOES A GREAT JOB KEEPING IT FUN AND SPOOKY. I LOVE FUN PEOPLE. LILY WAS A LITE OF STICK MAN, JACOB WAS PURPLE FROM RAINBOW FRIENDS AND MARK AND I AND NACHITO WERE THE INCREDIBLES. NACHO LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE JACK JACK! I'D PLANNED HIS COSTUME BACK IN JUNE, AND IT WAS PERFECT. WE ALSO WENT TO OUR FIRST SUNS GAME AS A FAMILY. NACHO WAS NOT HAVING THE PRE-GAME COURTSIDE PRACTICE WE GOT TO WATCH, IT WAS JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE AND I THINK HE GOT OVERWHELMED. HE AND I SPENT SOME TIME IN A STAIRWELL UNTIL HE CALMED DOWN. ONCE THE GAME STARTED, HE WAS ALL GOOD AND WE ALL HAD FUN. NOVEMBER WAS THANKSGIVING.THE MARSHALL FAMILY JOINED US IN TUCSON AND AMMAS. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH FAMILY THE NEXT DAY GOING TO THE U OF A VS ASU GAME. WE SAT IN THE STUDENT SECTION. THE CATS WON AND MARK, THE KIDS AND BEN RUSHED THE FIELD WITH THE OTHER FANS. TRADITIONS ARE GREAT. lILY AND JACOB PLAYED FOR THE JUNIOR SUNS THIS YEAR FOR BASKETBALL. LILY PLAYED COMPETETIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HER TEAM DID AMAMZING. THEY ENDED UP GETTING TO PLAY AT THE PHEONIX SUNS ARENA AND WON SOUTHEAST CHAMPIONS. I KNOW I SAY THIS OFTEN. BUT LILY IS TRULY AMAZING. HER SKILL SET WAS NOT AS ADVANCED AS HER ALL BOY TEAM, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP HER. EVERY PRACTICE I'D ASK HER IF SHE REALLY WANTED TO CONTINUE OR FOR US TO FIND HER AN ALL GIRL LOW KEY TEAM. SHE'D ALWAYS SAY NO AND THAT SHE WAS LEARNING SO MUCH. I AM SO PROUD OF HER FOR NOT LETTING INTEMIDATION BE SOMETHING THAT HOLDS HER BACK. SHE ALWAYS WANTS TO PROVE SHE CAN RUN WITH THE BIG DOGS, AND SHE ALWAYS SUCCEEDS! SHE IS SO SURE OF HERSELF IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES. I PRAY THAT NEVER CHANGES, CAUSE SHE IS TRULY ONE IN A MILLION. dECEMBER WE STARTED OUT WITH JACOBS FIRST SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. HE HAD A THE LONGEST SPEAKING PART IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHERS 'HE IS SO ARTICULATE.',HE DID AN AMAZING JOB WITH HIS LINES, REMEMBERED ALL THREE OF THEM WITH EASE, YOU'D THOUGHT THEY WERE WRITTEN BY HIM! HE IS SO AWESOME AND ALWAYS EXCELS AND THE THINGS HE SETS HIS MIND TOO. WE WENT TO ENCHANT IN SCOTTSDALE AZ. IT WAS A LIGHT MAZE AND FESTIVAL PUT ON BY THE HALLMARK CHANNEL. IT WAS WHERE REPUBLIC SERVICES WAS HAVING THEIR COMPANY CHRISTMAS PARTY. WE WENT INTO THE LIGHT MAZE, VISITED WITH A TOTALY LEGIT SANTA AND BEST OF ALL SPENT MOST OF THE NIGHT ICE SKATING ON A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR ICESKATING RINK. THE KIDS LOVE ICE SKATING, JACOB BY THE END OF THE NIGHT WAS A PRO AND LILY WAS STARTING TO GET THE HANG OF IT BUT HAD A FEW PRETTY BIG FALLS SO WAS MORE CAUCIOUS AFTER THAT. WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME AND FULLY PLAN TO RETURN NEXT YEAR IF THEY HAVE IT. NACHO ENJOYED ALL THE LIGHTS DISPLAYS 'WHATS DAT??' IT WAS SO FUN THIS YEAR TO SEE THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS TRHU HIS LITTLE EYES. THIS YEAR HE WAS STARTING TO RECOGNIZE THE FUN AND ENJOYED PUTTING UP ORNAMENTS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREEE AND DECORATING SUGAR COOKIES. WE STUCK TO OUR USUAL TRADITIONS, GIVING TREE, VISITING THE MESA TEMPLE LIGHTS, DOING LOOP OF LIGHTS THREE TIMES A WEEK AND VISITING AS MANY NEIGHBORHOOD LIGHTS DISPLAYS AS POSSIBLE. BY THE TIME CHRISTMAS COMES YOU'RE EXHAUSTED FROM CHRISTMAS, BUT THEN ONCE IT'S GONE IT CAME AND WENT TOO FAST AND WE'RE SAD. WE HAD CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE, THE GRANDMAS AND TATA CAME, DARLA AND HER BOYFRIEND AND MY DAD. AUNT T HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL VERY SICK SO IT WAS SAD SHE COULD NOT BE WITH US. CHRISTMAS DAY WE WENT TO TUCSON TO SPEND IT WITH AUNTIE CLARICE, BUT SHE WAS SICK TOO...SO IT WAS A BUMMER. MY FAVORITE PART OF CHRISTMAS IS WATCH ALL THE FUN THE KIDS ARE HAVING. SO MUCH WORK GOES INTO CHRISTMAS SEASON AND ALL IT'S MAGIC, BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT TO SEE HOW HAPPY THEY ARE. JACOB WAS REALLY CONCEREND THIS YEAR THAT SANTA WOULD NOT VISIT HIM (HE IS VERY SENSITIVE AND HAS A GUILTY CONSCENCE LIKE ME) HE IS SUCH A GOOD KID, OF COURSE SANTA WOULD VISIT HIM! HE LEFT A NOTE ASKING SANTA 'HAVE I BEEN WATCHING BAD STUFF AND DOING BAD THINGS?' LOL, HE'S SO SILLY. THE KIDS ENJOYED THE THINGS THEY RECIEVED, JACOB GOT SONIC FORCES, LILY A LONG BOARD AND NACHO A BIKE. OVERALL WE WERE ALL HAPPY WITH OUR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. NEW YEARS EVE LILY HAD ANTHOER WEIGHLIFTING COMPETITION, THIS TIME TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS. AND SHE DID IT! SO, COME JUNE WE ARE PLANNING TO HEAD TO NATIONALS IN COLORADO SPRINGS, JUST SHE AND I...I'M NERVOUS! AND OFCOURSE SHE'S PUMPED. SHE GOT 38KG CLEAN JERK AND 29 KG SNATCH. OUR NACHITO IS GROWING SO MUCH! HE IS MY LITTLE TORNADO AND GETS INTO EVERYTHING. NO CUPBOARD IS SAFE, NO ROOM STAYS CLEAN. KEEPING ME BUSY. HE IS TALKING A LITTLE WHERE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND 'MAMA, DADA, LIL'LIL, WHAT'S THAT, I WANT NUM NUMS...' BUT HE SPEAKS IN FULL BABY BABLE SENTENCES LIKE WE UNDERSTAND HIM. HE IS THE AIR THAT I BREATH. HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT, MOST OF THE DAY I JUST WATCH HIM AND WONDER HOW I LIVED LIFE WITHOUT HIM. HE IS SO SMART AND LOVES TO PUT THINGS TOGETHER. HE CAN FIGURE OUT TODDLER PUZZLES AND HOW TO PUT TOGETHER LEGOS. MARK THINKS I HAVE MOM GOGGLES ON, BUT I REALLY DO THINK HE IS EXCEPTIONALY SMART FOR A BABY. HE THROWS AWAY THINGS WHEN I ASK HIM TO, HE FOLLOWS COMMANDS AND UNDERSTANDS THE THINGS I SAY TO HIM. HE LOVES TAKING BATHS, READING BOOKS WITH ME AND PLAYING OUTSIDE. WE LOVE HIM SO INCREDIBLEY MUCH! I LOVE MY FAMILY SO MUCH, I GET ANXIOUS ABOUT THE WHAT IF'S. LIKE, WHAT IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY OR TO ALL OF US. IT CAN FEEL CRIPPLYING SOMETIMES TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE THOUGHT CAUSES ME PAIN DEEP IN MY HEART. I AM WORKING ON LIVING IN THE PRESENT AND NOT FOCUSING OF THE 'WHAT COULD BE'S'. I JUST PRAY THIS YEAR KEEPS MY FAMILY SAFE AND HEALTHY. THE FUTURE ALWAYS SCARES ME. I JUST HAVE TO LIVE FOR THE MOMENT.

Nacho is One!!!

Oh how time fly's when youre enjoying the most yummy, sweet and beautiful baby in the whole universe! I can't believe a year has already passed. He is honestly the sweetest boy. Always smiling and so easy to read. You know exactly when he is tired of hungry which has made being in the baby stage again so easy. he loves to eat his 'nom noms', play with his toys, wrestle with his big brother, dance with Lily and cuddle with his mama and dada. He's walking more and more every day! Especailly loves to give his cheesy smiles showing his now five teeth. He loves to play chase around the house, talks to me with his baby babble and does so good with independent play. he is truly a veautiful human (not just cause he has amazing lashes). He is such a joy to our life, I don't know how we ever survived without him. For his birhtday, we went to Tucson to be with the mom's and the Aunts, and the Gardner family joined us. We had a 'Nacho Party' so you can guess what we served. He had his first taste of cake, which he didn't really know what to do with it. He got birthday pancakes in the morning, lots of toys and cuddles from his family. He is the best and I pray this year brings more joy and achievments. Love you our bae bae!