Family Pics 2008

Hi Everyone - sorry it's been so long. I have about 50 pictures I should post, but thought I would start with some family ones. I tortured the kids with matching shirts and made them take baths and everything! In case you're wondering, I took over 100 photos and there are only about 5 with everyone looking in the same direction. I don't know how professionals do this, but I clearly need some tips :)

Hope you're all well - I hope you enjoy these pics of our family.

Facelift

I read Amber's blog this morning and saw that she had a great new look....that prompted me to do some research and who knew there were about a million free blog backgrounds you can get????

So, welcome to the new and improved Deaton Family Blog.

Thanks for such a great idea Amber!!!

Meet Your Match....

I thought there was nothing more terrifying than Dominic starting high school. Not terrifying for him - terrifying for me! Dominic in high school? If that's the case that means I am older than I ever thought I could be :)

The Mustang's took on the Panthers from Anthem for Homecoming this year and lost. Unfortunately, it's pretty typical of our Varsity squad. The freshman squad lost their game but the JV squad pulled one Homecoming win out for the Mustang's!

Meet Your Match was the theme of Homecoming this year. I just hope they were talking about football, not chicks! Dom decided to go with a group of friends because it was just too hard to pick one girl to go to the dance with. You have to dress up, shower (God forbid!), pick a corsage, take some pictures, plan dinner. Oy vey. Too much for him, so we dropped him off and picked him up.

Enjoy my "baby's" first Homecoming pic......

Happy Halloween!

I know, I'm a bit behind but better late than never, right?

My dearest friend on the planet came to visit last week and we had a great time! Shannon and her beautiful son, Porter arrived on Halloween. We were all so excited to see the both of them that Halloween day was especially exciting. Porter was a puppy, Zane was a spider and Noah was a 3-eyed monster (Dominic has decided he is way too cool for Halloween, so no costume for him).

Once I got home from work we all quickly got ready and headed over to my friend Julie's house. A couple of years ago Julie and Mike started grilling hot dogs for their neighbors. In the colder years (anything below 75) they made gallons of hot chocolate. This year they were disappointed that they couldn't be home on Halloween because their son Christian had a football game. Our bible study group decided to keep the tradition alive and come over a grill hotdogs for them. We made over a 100 hotdogs that night for their neighbors and went through about 6 bags of candy. It was so great to see the expressions on people's faces when they realized the "hot dog house" was still there. Thanks so much to Julie and Mike for making us all a great dinner (chili and cornbread) and to Tim and Shannon for grilling with us.

We took turns grilling so we could take the boys trick - or - treating around the block. They had a great time and Zane learned how to say trick-or-treat and said thank you after each house. Noah had a great time running from house to house. He was especially intrigued by the house that had 4 quads in the garage. Not Halloween decorations. Quads. He and Zane both were ready to ride. And, quite unhappy with us as a result when we left.

In any case, we had a great time this year. Hope you all had a great Halloween as well!

Noah the three-eyed monster

Zane the spider

Daddy and Noah

Daddy and Zane

Porter the puppy


Shannon (complete with great new haircut!) and Porter

Mustang #13

Dom's last football game resulted in another Mustang loss, but Dom made a great play.... and being the great Mom I am I forgot my camera. So although I have no photo to prove it, you'll have to take my word for it when I tell you he made a spectacular block for the WR...he drilled this kid. I'm not sure I should say that with so much pride - violence and all - but honestly, I don't know that I've ever been so proud watching my kid hit someone so hard!

I did remember to get a picture of him in his different jerseys, so I guess these will have to do. The Mustangs finished the season 1-9, but I loved watching Dom play. He really loves this game and as much as it terrifies me it's great seeing him do something he loves to do.

Next up? Soccer. Yeah.

Congratulations Jason!

Many of you know Jason and I have been attending CCV (Christ's Church of the Valley) for about a year now and have found a great church home....I never thought I would say that but I am loving what I'm learning and the new friends I'm making there. We've recently joined a small neighborhood bible study and have made some great friends....we just feel so blessed to get to know everyone, as we take something away from them every time we meet.

Jason took a huge step in his faith over the weekend and was baptized! He asked Dominic to baptize him (Dom was baptized over the summer but I forgot my camera!!) along with one of the pastors at the church, so it was a really special moment for our family.

Thank you so much to all our friends who showed up to support Jason....Michelle, Keith, Mike, Julie, Tim, Shannon, Jeremy, Rachel, Darryl, Chris, Xander, Dominic, Melissa, Don and Kaitlyn. We really appreciate your love and support. We love you!!!!

Jason, Dominic and two of the pastors at the outdoor baptismal pool....Jason said the water was a bit chilly as the heater wasn't turned on! We're such weenies - it was about 100 out already!

It's official! He's been dunked, and his name recorded! Congratulations!

Rachel, Dominic, Jeremy, Jason, Michelle, Rhonda, Keith, Julie, Shannon, Mike.

My son the Mustang - #13

Dominic has been so excited to play football this year. He went to weight training over the summer at 7 a.m. every day, practiced with the older kids and spent time learning the plays. The coach has put him in as the kicker, first string corner back and second string wide receiver.


This is Dom's first kickoff in a game - Sunrise Mountain Mustangs (Dom's high school) vs. Deer Valley High. The video below shows nothing you can really see unfortunately...the sun was facing us and my camera doesn't have a setting to offset the sunlight. Although you can't actually see him or the ball due to my photography skills, you can hear the two girls vying for his attention right now - both the cheerleaders in the corner of the video. The new object of his affection is Lexie - the brunette. He's kicking about 30-40 yards pretty consistently which is pretty decent for a freshman kicker from what I understand. They don't kick field goals at this level....apparently there aren't many kickers that can actually kick field goals, so the teams always go for the 2 pt. conversion.


We lost this game pretty miserably.....I think the final score was 60-30....tough loss for the boys but they get better every week. The amount they lose by decreases every week, so I suppose that shows improvement, right?

Dom's first day of high school

The presence of these pictures almost brings you up to date. Below are the pics from Dom's first day in HIGH SCHOOL. Yes, he's a freshman. Yes, it is impossible that I have a child old enough to attend HIGH SCHOOL, but he went and defied me and did it anyway :) You would have been proud - I kept my tears in check and sent my baby off to play with the big kids - literally.

Dominic - so handsome!

Lookin' good for the ladies!

Kevin and Dominic

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

So, I've been singing Twinkle Twinkle to the kids since the day they were born. Really only because as a new mom it was the only thing I could remember. It seems as though every nursery rhyme I had ever heard disappeared from my memory. It was twinkle, twinkle or nothin'. And, I didn't sound "pitchy" when I sang it!

Noah sings to himself every now and then, but it's usually the ABC song. I guess he must have been listening this whole time - who knew he knew the words? Turn the volume up and enjoy. This is Noah's debut as a singer :)

Look at the big boy....

Guess who figured out how to climb out of his crib....apparently Noah was a great teacher. Needless to say, the big boy beds have made their arrival. Big boy beds are just as hard to keep them in in the beginning, but Zane is getting the hang of it. Noah is obsessed with Lightening McQueen so he was more than happy to go to bed. Zane goes to his room and makes the "ka-chow" noise from the movie. How is my baby big enough for this?

Checking in....

Hi all - It's been a couple days and I have fallen off the face of the earth. I'm back now, and laughing at life. We've had an interesting week....

First, we found out we have termites. Not such a big deal considering the climate we live in, but a pain and expensive to deal with. And gross - have you ever really seen a termite? Although small, those things are creepy looking!

Next, my car broke down. I figure no big deal because I've never really had to spend a whole lot of money on my trusty little Honda. Bad starter. Oh well, I think to myself. Replacing it now means I don't have to replace it for another 6 years, right? Then came the big one....

Labor Day dawned nice and sunny. We took the boys to the Zoo as it was only supposed to be 102 outside (which in comparison is cool compared to the humid 110 we've had recently). We spent the better part of the day lounging in the sun and came home exhausted to a very warm home. Turns out our A/C unit died. A long, costly, painful death. After 3 days of no A/C (did you know your house can be hotter inside than out?) we were able to get the unit replaced. We are now living in the lap of A/C luxury.

I suppose I bring all this up not to make you feel sorry for me, but as I spent the better part of a week feeling sorry for myself and all my misfortune I realized it could be so much worse. I have so much to be thankful for, and so many people to say thank you to....but each day passes without saying the words.

I read an article on azcentral.com (http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2008/09/08/20080908nie0908-CP.html) today about a woman who uses this very blogging site to keep in touch with her family (nienie diologues.blogspot.com) For whatever reason her blog has a little following....she's a mom with 4 kids and loves being a mom. Life for her is crazy, but she blogs about indulging in the little things for her kids. Unfortunately, her and her husband were in a plane crash a month ago - and survived. Both are in critical condition with severe burns, but are expected to live. In an instant their lives changed. Reading this woman's story - and visiting her blog has shown me how fast life can change. Talk about wanting to change your life and living it with real perspective. This story - and the stories of others close to me have made me want better...for everyone.

So, to all my dear friends and family - I love you. I thank you for your love, support and friendship. I hope in some way you find the same peace I am learning to find as we navigate our ways through our crazy lives.

I'll post some more pictures soon - but only because I promised Shannon and Amber :)

I love you!
Love, Rhonda

Cannonballs with the Boys

It's always a ton of fun to let the boys go swimming.There is definitely ZERO fear of the water in my house with these boys. Zane is learning how to cannonball from his big brother. His technique leaves a little to be desired, but with hard work he could be ready for the back yard Olympics (2012) soon!

If you're having difficulty seeing the photos just click on the view all images button and you can see the slideshow there....I haven't fully figured out how to work photobucket yet I guess....If for some reason the view all images button doesn't come up you can go to the link below and see the slideshow there :)

http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm144/rhondadeaton/?action=view&current=24dd2ed1.pbw

Monsoon August 29, 2008

We got hit with a crazy storm tonight...it only rivaled the one we had last night. On the way home from soccer there must have been at least 50 lightning bolts per minute. They just coming down one right after the other. By the time we got home the sideways rain had started and it poured a 1/2" or so in the first 10 minutes. We stood out on the back porch just in time to watch 2 giant bolts hit in the park behind our house. The thunder that cracked was unbelieveable. It set off all the car alarms in the neighborhood. The poor babies couldn't figure out what was going on....they definitely do not like thunder. Check out the video clip I took with my camera below - you can hear how loud the thunder and rain are (make sure your volume is turned up).

My camera isn't fast enough to catch the lightning bolts but it sure lit up the sky like it was daytime. Take a look below....if you want to see some great storm pictures (giant trees ripped out of the ground, 80 mph winds, planes flipped over) go to http://www.azcentral.com/ and look at the photo gallery. There are some pretty crazy things there.

Brotherly......nakedness?

I love this picture of the boys! I'm sure they'll hate me when they're older and I bring this baby out to show off to their girlfriends, but I just can't help it. The boys love to run naked after the bath....this night was no exception.

Graduation Party

My dear friend Beth and I threw a graduation party for the boys (her son Collin and Dominic). There is nothing like a house full of teenagers, let alone boys sprinting from one side of the house to the other. Beth has a great house for kids - pool, trampoline, swings, lots of property.... everyone had a great time. Again, the crappy camera didn't get any great shots, but here are a few that are legible enough to share...

My good friend Beth

All the kids on the trampoline

Noah holding Beth's dog Gracie

Collin, Dominic, Ethan, RJ and some blurry kids!

Promotion

Aaahhh....8th grade promotion. The day your whiny 8th grader goes from being the "big man on campus" to a whinier version of his former self. Some call them freshman; I call it adolescent hormonal craziness - freshman for short. Dom's last day of school (below) and his graduation thereafter. You'll notice I didn't have a nice picture of him at the ceremony. Many of you know the story, but for those of you that don't, let me sum it up for you.....Dom behaved like a 5 year old and refused to allow us to take pictures. This was also the day we discovered that I have a crappy camera that only takes pictures of things that hold still...not so good for toddlers or teenagers on the move. So, we're back to one crappy picture. Those of you who know me know that it breaks my heart to not have a nice photo of him but.....c'est la vie.

I was incredibly moved by watching my son move on to the next phase of his life (I couldn't let him see that I was watching of course, as I AM the dumbest person on the planet). The kids his age have this pseudo - adult relationship "thing" happening where they are still kids but desperately seeking their adulthood. They shake hands and pound knuckles and pat backs and cry at soon to be forgotten friendships.....all with the idea that being 16 and driving or being 18 and out on their own will be the best thing to happen to them. If only they knew the things in life that were coming...they would slow down and enjoy.

Hope you enjoy these. More to come soon (I promised Shannon to post more often!)

Dom's 8th grade dance

I volunteered to help coordinate the dance for Dom's graduating class....what an experience. I am not a good PTA mom. I thought high school had drama - I was in no way prepared for what I encountered! Lots of moms with lots of time on their hands.....oy vey!

The best part about volunteering was allowing Dom to think that Jason and I were going to chaperone the party....he was mortified to say the least. In fact, he refused to go to the dance until the day before when I finally told him I wasn't allowed to be there.

The theme as you can see was Bon Voyage. It's interesting work decorating a gyma-caf-atorium :) We had some great ladies that were incredibly organized and did a great job with the layout and decorations. The lifepreserver was made out of foam and provided a backdrop for the kids to take pictures under. We had deck chairs and umbrellas set out for seating arrangements, twinkle lights (you have to set the mood), and lots and lots of donated plants. The dance floor was roped off with nautical rope and wound through pylons made out of foam.

It's hard to photograph the final outcome because of the lighting, but it turned out really good. The kids said they had the time of their lives.....but they're only 14, so really - what do they have to compare it to?

The reason for the first haircut....

I don't know that much more needs to be said. This is the reason my husband made me cut my son's hair! I couldn't find this picture yesterday to go with the photos (there is so much pressure to update this blog every day!) from Zane's first hair cut, but I love this one and wanted to share.

Zane's First Haircut

Here is the little man's first haircut pics. He was thrilled with the car...not so much with the lady cutting his hair. He had about a 4 minute tolerance for her and she far exceeded that time limit. I hated to cut his hair....it's like giving up the last baby part of him. But Jason thought he looked like a girl, so off went the hair. Although I would never admit to Jason being right about something (!) he does look great with short hair.

Look at me Mom, I'm driving!

Mom, please! Make her stop!

Thank God it's over! Daddy's got me :)