Marcus' last Soccer Game

June 13, 2009

Here's the proud Popi and Marcus after Marcus' last game. He played very well the last game and even scored his first goal! After the previous week of him just mopping around the field it was good to see him have fun out there and get in to the game. We had 2 of Marcus' cousins sleep over Friday night last weekend for a boys night, thought it would be perfect because then we could take them both to his last soccer game. In honor of Marcus' last game and boys night I made him a soccer cake and cup cakes which even had little soccer ball stuff on the cupcake holders. I had lots of batter left from the cake so I made cupcakes and told Marcus he could take some to share with his team mates because I thought it'd be fun for him and because I wanted to get rid of them because we didn't need that much cake around. It was pouring the rain when we were getting ready and so in my head I'm thinking man, we can't take the cake and cupcakes because the cupcakes would be lame without the cake and if I take the cake they will get ruined from the rain. When we left it had cleared up but I was rushing trying to get everyone and every thing there and on time I ended up leaving without it. Such is life, we were the only ones to enjoy it and Marcus was so proud of his cake all day. We served it as part of Jessie's birthday dessert so it's all good and his other cousins got to enjoy it as well!
He was so proud of his cake...we were all bummed we forgot it but it was made for him so at least he got to enjoy it! While I was decorating it Friday night the boys would be running around playing and then come in and check up on my progress. They would say, "Don't forget the white Jana." [I did the black icing first so they were worried I would forget the white I guess.] "You are doing very good at that." They cracked me up and made it even more fun for me to do.
It would figure...with our little munchkins and 2 of my nephews to get ready by the time it was time for me to get ready, there was no time for me. Plus it was pouring rain so I figured if it was like the last game where it poured I would just wear grubby clothes and then get ready for the day after the game so I didn't feel like a drowned rat....the one time we take a picture together I look like a bum who crawled out of bed...and Elaina isn't even in this one. Oh well, here we are with our awesome little soccer player. Manny was rushing us though it b/c the next team was getting ready....and we didn't get Elaina in the picture...sorry Lainey!
Taking a minute with his proud Popi...they are like two peas in a pod those two! Manny is such a great Daddy!

Playing hard. Several times, Marcus would push [tackle] the other kids...we try to tell him he's not playing football...Manny finally pulled him aside and told him to stop pushing the other kids that it wasn't nice. It broke his heart that Dad 'scolded' him but he bounced back from it and was much better after that about plowing the other kids over. What a brute! I think one day he will make a perfect football player. :)

Marcus' smallest cheerleader! Elaina LOVES her big brother and thinks the world of him!

Getting ready for kickoff! [Man, the pictures are backwards again..this one was suppose to be on the top....will I ever get it right?]

Celebrating 2 Short Years!!

June 9, 2007 The day we began our journey together as husband and wife.

Park City, Utah 2009

The year we got married we stayed in Park City the first two nights because Jessie and Jason's wedding was the following Saturday and we couldn't be too far away. I didn't want to go back to our apt our wedding night so we stayed in Park City and had a mini honeymoon, came home for family reunions and a wedding and then left to Oregon on our 'real' honeymoon. Since our anniversary falls on a Tuesday this year...we decided to go to Park City overnight to celebrate our anniversary the weekend before and re-live, sort of speak our 'first' honeymoon. Marcus was with his mom that weekend and Elaina had her first sleep over at her cousin Justin's. Jessie and Amy watched her while Manny and I left for some R&R. I was REALLY dreading leaving her but I was also REALLY looking forward to some quality time with just Manny and I. I told Manny, I wouldn't change being a mom or step mom for the world but I forgot how nice it was to spend just time with the two of us...our own space, no kids interrupting every 5 minutes, no one waking up in the middle of the night crying and bringing you out of your shallow slumber. We did some shopping, went out for dinner and enjoyed our very own hot tub for two. Above is a picture of Manny and I before we left our hotel Sunday.

Our family today.

We are blessed to have two beautiful children. It's funny how much has changed in two short years. After we got married Manny wanted another baby but I was set on finishing school. I told him not so soon that we needed to get a little more financially stable and pay off debt and work on our education. In September [yes, just 3 short months] I kept getting the impression that it was time to have a baby. When I told Manny about my change of heart - of course he was all for it but I told him since it was such a life changing event I wanted to wait a month or two and see if we both felt we should at that time. I was scared to and didn't know how we would work things out and worried about school, child care, and everything else but knew it was time and couldn't deny or delay Elaina's arrival any longer. So we started trying and 2 months later, our little Elaina was on her way. I was surprised we got pregnant so quickly but we were both emotionally ready and so I knew the rest would work itself out...eventually. :) It has been a roller coaster ride since but one of our greatest blessings. We wonder how we ever lived without her before....she has been such a blessing to our lives. It has been so fun for Manny and I to watch Marcus take on the role of a big brother. He is so sweet, caring, and protective of his little sister. Marcus and Elaina are both special to Manny and myself. They both bring their own unique ways of how they bless our lives and our family. We are so grateful to have them both.These pictures of our wedding day were suppose to go on first, but after trying 3 different times to download pictures from 3 different media sources while being interrupted by a teething baby off and on, I decided I don't care if they are in order anymore. Here is a brief look back at our wedding day.

Manny and his best 'little' man. They look so sharp! Marcus was so little he didn't know what was going on. His mom barely let him come for a couple of hours so we barely have any photo's of him. It still makes me so mad and sad but we still had a wonderful day despite her trying to ruin it for us.

"I do."

Posing for the photographer.

Our wedding day was completely insane. Hindsight, I would have done our ceremony earlier in the day and not back to back to the reception because it was too much too close and some of the little things that are little but important got over looked...but we had family coming long distance and wouldn't be here til early afternoon and I couldn't have them miss the ceremony since they came all the way out here, plus arrangements with Marcus complicated things as well. In the end, it was a beautiful, perfect day and when some of the little things didn't go as planned, I took the advice of my sister and let the 'little things' go and enjoyed our day together. We still got married, had many family and friends come to share in our day and overall....it was a beautiful, intimate wedding. One funny memory I had is my gorgeous little flower girls walked down the wrong side of the pool...they were so broken hearted I didn't get to walk on the rose petals, How could I be upset with them? I had been to a wedding the Saturday before mine and the flower girl only dropped a few flowers, so I told them, their job was to have empty baskets by the time they got to Manny. When they came up to me they said, "We are so sorry Jana, but look our baskets are empty." I could only laugh it off and thank them for doing a great job!

Mr. and Mrs. Montes [that use to sound so funny to say, now I think, oh yeah, I was a Bogenrief for 26 years....]

I am so grateful I got to marry my best friend. It has been said that "Love is friendship on fire." I think that completely describes Manny and I. We are completely and utterly in love with one another, it's amazing to me that I love him more today than I did on our wedding day. Sometimes we drive each other crazy too and we aren't perfect but our love and friendship always prevails over all else. We've had our share of struggles and been blessed with opportunities to grow as a couple and as individuals, but I can honestly say that while we've only been married 2 years, it literally feels like a blink of an eye. Thank you for walking by my side through it all and for blessing my life with you, an amazing step son, and a beautiful daughter. I look forward to many more years of walking by your side, hand and hand, from here to eternity mi amore. My love forever. XOXO