We Moved!

I know some of you already know and I apologize for the long lapse in posts but we have been a bit busy. About 7 weeks ago we stumbled on a home that has everything one can imagine and then some, and it was a need to make a decision right now sort of deal. In between my business trips, which have been long and plentiful we bought a house and moved. We still have our other house which needs to sell. We are currently trying to balance both. I have attached photos for all of you who have been asking. These are a few, there are many more needed to be put on here but I just can't seem to find the time to take the pictures and get this done!


Front of the house


Living Room


Kitchen


D-Room


Theater / Safe Room (furniture on order)



Tanning room


Private office with seperate entry and bath


Patio area


Back view ... future pool right there in the middle!


Mom's entry and recently added dogs pens off of kennel room


Moms area is the orginal homestead they just kept building and building forever! (she will be moving too!)



Dogs new barn with runs


Playhouses (1) for each child Akins' comes complete with a zip line!


View of the pond

The Bet

The new soccer season was about to begin. Once again, Lorea is the coach. So, she lays the bet, one she is certain Akins will never deliver on because generally speaking he is not able to focus on anything long enough to pull it off. $100 if you score 5 goals! What does Akins do..... score 6!!!! The whole team and all of their family supporters were cheering him on.The boys just wanted to see Coach Lorea have to pay up and of course win the game which they certainly did, 7 to 1.

He chose the following items with his money:

A DS game for him. One that will help him read.
A DS game for Maima. A baby sitting game so she can take care of him really good.
A box of Blueberry Cereal for him.
A box of Corn Chex Cereal for Maima (her choice).
Two coconuts, one for him and one for Maima.
Dinner at the "place where they do tricks with fire". Tokyo Garden serves Hibatchi style where they cook around a Habachi grill. Best part Lorea catching the shrimp tail in her mouth, oh and the rice of course! Duh!

The Darndest Things

On Saturday I made Eggs Benedict....

Akins: "Mommy I think if you made this on the competition you would go to Hollywood".

On Sunday we decided to give Lorea three surprise ingredients and she had to make something from them. We choose mayonnaise, red vinaigrette sugar free dressing and cocoa.

She made two different cupcakes. The first a chocolate mayonnaise cake with almond, cherry and vinaigrette frosting. Topped with a cherry. The second was a chocolate mayonnaise cake with pumpkin seeds, vinaigrette and Chinese Chile frosting. The kids voted that Lorea would go to Hollywood on the spicy one.

Okay, so perhaps we watch the Food Network too much. I also think American Idol is mixed in here somewhere.

Redneck Olympics

While some people watch the Superbowl on this glorious Sunday, others (us specifically) make best of our blizzard of 2011 conditions and engage in "Redneck Olympics". We head off to the local ski resort where we sled and snowboard!


The local ski resort boasts the most terrifying "Overpass Trail"

One thing missing is the tow rope and/or ski lift

Cars whizzing by on the highway above just add that much more spice to the event

Our sled seems to always out run the inner tubes! First place goes to....







Then there is the snowboard event

and they are off!

Mush Lorea Mush!

Wipe Out!

The tables turn and now Akins gets to be the human dog sled

Mush Akins Mush

and the tow rope grand prize goes to Team Ybarra

Or maybe Team Knupp?

Christmas 2010

As if our family vacation was not enough (see previous post)I made the fabulous decision to take us all up to Tammy's house for Christmas this year and surprise my sister. Ten hours in the car with 2 kids, 3 adults and a 10 week old puppy (X's 2 that would be 10 hours ... each way). We survived as is apparent of this post. On Christmas day there were 8 kids to open gifts and 11 adults. Pretty full house, beds full end to end and wrapping paper everywhere. The noise level LOUD and yes Tammy was surprised.

Amanda stashing a few last minute gifts under the tree.

Tammy, Maima and Grandma all checking out some gifts.

Christmas morning Bubbles getting the first wrapper off.


Travis giving Grandma a hug

Of course once you get a piece of wrapper off you must eat it!Duh!

Maddie giving Akins a helping paw.

Tyler in his football gear! He is ready now!

A sample of the chaos - wall to wall bodies!

Gotta get a little play time in too!

After all of this you just got to take a nap!

Vacation Recap 2010

Family vacation. Who's idea was this exactly? I would love to meet this person and try to get a really good understanding of the sadistic mindset that led to this annual tradition. Family vacation, set to the tone of relaxing, fun and exciting. Is really, stressful, tiring and for kids like mine over stimulating and therefore CRAZY! We went to the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana boasts beautiful white sand beaches and tranquil tourquoise water. This is the extent of the relaxing part of the trip. The rest was frought with a pouting temperament by one child or the other at any given time. Lorea and I vowed this to be the last family vacation for a while. We would rather reward Grandma monetarily in a large sum and go on a couple only vacation next year. Here are a few of the better moments of the trip and when I look back at these it would appear that we had a blast. I have not gone through child birth (one obvious reason to adopt) but I am guessing family vacation is much like giving birth. The pain of the moment fades with time.


Enjoying the pool.

Akins skipping off for a dip.

Akins first stop the swim up bar for a cool one.

Akins always makes friends and speaks the international language of PLAY

Maima is a typical pre-teen and can sleep any time of the day any where

Akins always finds coconuts and is plotting how to open it

We rented buggies and spent half the day getting really dirty!

How on earth he could sleep during this is a question never to be answered

Okay slightly awake again!

Cruisin' on down the road!

We all made a friend

Had to make a quick stop at Wal-Mart

Everyone but Lorea took a nice cool swim in the cave

The kids loved it!

Again he sleeps. This time at dinner.

He finds another coconut!

The evening shows were especially fun. Akins getting in on the action.

Dinner on the beach.