Breaking news!!! Maryann is (finally) engaged!

After celebrating five years being together today, Ryon popped the question. Of course the answer was YES!~ We are all really happy for them and I am sure they will live a long happy life together. Can't wait for that lovely beach wedding!




I loved to dress her up when she was younger..


Big time Cowboys fan!



Good times we had on the Riverwalk when she came to visit.


The family- Ryon we will get you to come to Texas one of these days.





The lovely couple!

Just sharing a few lines I found on the web that seem soo true..

I don’t know if anyone has truly found the secret to a successful marriage. It may be that you should always put the other person’s needs ahead of your own. Or maybe you should vow to spoil each other with time, attention, and intimacy.
Whatever the secret is, don’t rest until you find it. Love each other with every thing you’ve got and don’t let anything or anyone separate you.

Ryon and Maryann-Congratulations on your engagement and we wish you all the pleasures that love and marriage brings.

missing my mischievous little monster

Of course I am talking about Ricky! He keeps me busy thats for sure. He has been at camp for a week doing all kinds of exciting activities. The things he looked forward to most were the "boy stuff" shooting, canoeing, fishing, etc. I sure missed him but knew this would be a good experience for him and hope he liked it enough to go back every summer. I tend to baby him as I am told. Can't help it! He's the youngest. He reminds me from time to time that he is NOT little anymore. His teacher wrote in her little thank you note that Ricky is a hard worker who has a very kind soul. So under all that mischief he is just a sweet little boy. He came out this year with all A's and B's this year after some adjustments in the beginning of the school year. I am so thankful that he had a teacher that was so patient and kind. So proud of you and your hard work this year Ricky! I am off to pick him up in a few hours. Then it's back to the grind over here with him and All Stars. Three tournaments coming up and of course lots of practices to go along with that. Tomorrow evening is another special event for Ricky. For doing well in school as part of his gift I got him tickets to WWE tomorrow night. He is big into wrestling. He will be going with Marc and they are both really excited..
Attached are just a few pics of Ricky. Had to enclose the last one- he is always up to something!

So in love

Posting alot today..
Lots of things have happened since June 8th.. Took Justin to camp- He stayed there all week. Picked him up on the 14th. He had an amazing time. Reminder for next year is to send him with a real digital camera instead of a throw-away.. The pics came out horrible. Justin captured a few of Colt McCoy working out but they are pretty blurry.. I went once during the week to check on him bring him whatever he might need, which was his football cleats.. My first impressions of the campus are really nice.. I sure hope my kids keep up their drive to go onto college!
Next big event was sending off Ricky to his first sleepover camp! He has been there since the 15th and is over tomorrow. I hope he enjoyed it enough so that we can send him again next year. The activities they do at camp are well worth the experience for these kids!
The last thing I want to update is a pic of Ricardo that he sent to me.. I have been soo down and out since he left and really trying to get out of this funk I have been in since he deployed.. It has been harder than the first time when he left in 2005.. Different emotions have come about.. It's ok though. We have had some difficult times throughout the military career and I truly feel that this depolyment has enriched our lives in soo many ways.. We have had a roller coaster of a ride throughout the military, but of course everything happens for a reason... I just want to express on here how much I love Ricardo with all of my heart and soul..
I hope that the love that has been felt throughout this deployment can be expressed within our family upon his return and through the rest of our lives...

Good title for this one- Moody Mom!

Oh I am so glad this weekend is coming to an end. Full of moods left and right.. I tell you kids sure know how to push your buttons at times.. You know if they would only cooperate and do as expected life would be wonderful. But noo-- not so! Parenting as we all know is no smooth ride- its like a roller coaster I guess full of ups and downs. You know how true that saying is at times when you were told "just wait till you have kids!" Yep it was one of those weekends for me.. Kids defying rules, chores not done promptly, etc.. I am sure a little- ok maybe alot of it has to do with Ricardo being gone and I am the only enforcer of rules in the house. Not such a fun job being a single parent! Had to give them the news that their allowance will less since chores werent done as asked this week-- So therefore I am the mean mom I guess-- Hey no work-no pay/no play.. That's life.
Ask me today how this deployment is going and I'll just say I have had better days that's for sure! I wish we were at the end of it already..

Today Ricky and I took Justin to his camp at the University of Texas.. Justin is staying in some of the dorms there- the campus is HUGE! He was pretty excited to go- and ready for me to leave once I took him to the dorms- (did I mention it was a stressful morning here ?!) Checkin was in the athletic complex- those guys have an awesome workout facility! I sure hope he gets alot out of this and appreciates the fact that we were able to send him. He will be there all week- I am sure he will be worn out when I pick him up..

Ok heres to hoping my week goes a bit more smoothly as I am sure it will. Having two kids at the house instead of three wont be soo bad.. The boys usually behave well when its just two of them-noone to gang up on.. I get the pleasure of having some kind of peace three weeks this summer as the boys are going to their camps at all different times.. yippee!

Heres a few pics of the good ole days- when the boys were angelic and knew nothing about backtalking! haha..
Marc, then Marc and Justin- in one of their sweet moments, then Ricky..

Schools out for summer!!

The boys have waited for this day to come.. Some days it felt like the year was dragging on but as it got closer to the end of it seemed like it just flew right by.
Awaiting report cards from Marc and Justin as they will get mailed to me within the week. Given that they did really well throughout the year I am sure the final report will be a good one. Ricky got all A's and B's. He's pretty happy about that. Even though school is out the days of sleeping in for the boys aren't fully here yet. Justin has two camps this month and Ricky has one. They're not too fond of having to wake up so early in the summer but it will be well worth with all they fun they will have at them. Here are their school pics from this past year. Marc will be going in the 10th grade, Justin in the 8th and Ricky in the 4th.. Where has the time gone?!

Justin Justin Justin

Yes its all about Justin-- the middle child- the one who gets left out..
Well lets just say that he has proven he is the "middle child" by having to prove himself in every aspect out there.. When he was first assigned to the "b" team I realized then just how competitive football was in Texas. Not to brag or anything but I think Justin has some real skill here when it comes to football...So when he made made "b" he was a little dissappointed but it turns out I think that he got more playing time that anything being in the second string... What I am getting to is his upcoming football camp at the University of Texas. He is going from June 8-14th.. He is extremely excited about this knowing that its good to start getting recognized by the college he hopes to attend(potential scholarships!)One teamate commented in the yearbook that Justin Garcia is the best football player on the team.
He is my very social child.. I am constantly these days calling him, keeping tabs on him.. he has a girlfriend and one that he has had almost this entire school year! I gave him a camera for him to take pics since they went to the movies but he wouldnt do it.. I will just have to capture them myself one of these day!
We are really proud of Justin- his strong strong personality, his vibrant spirit, and his drive to succeed! I just hope that all of this continues!
We love you boy!