Trevor Downs Esquire!!

On Tuesday December 8, 2009... Trevor Downs became: Trevor Downs, Esquire. He was officially sworn in by Judge Hansen at the Murrieta Courthouse. He is now an attorney!! After all the years of school and hard work, it has all payed off! I am so proud of him! It was crazy, he walked into the courthouse a man... and walked out a LAWYER!!!! Crazy!! Congrats Trevor! I love you & am so proud of you!

Trevor taking the oath to uphold the Constitution...

Congrats Mr. Esquire!!

Downs Family with Judge Hansen.

We are lucky to have such supportive family! Thank you to Luella & Tiffany for being there to support Trevor!!

Trevor Passed!!!!!!!!

Oh...my...goodness!! The day came... Friday, November 20th, 6:00 pm... The day of reckoning... one of the names on the pass list for the July 2009 California Bar Examination is... Trevor Downs!!! It was awesome to have so much family around when we got the news, they were just as excited as we were! After all the sacrifice and hard work, we have been greatly blessed. The odds were definitely against Trevor, the passage rate for the last bar exam was 37-40 %, add on top of that 2 kids, a wife, and plenty of external stresses. Why on earth they make the test practically impossible is beyond me! But who cares! Take THAT California State Bar Exam!! We shall NEVER see you again!

Brotherly Love... I think...

It all started innocently enough. Watching cartoons on the couch.

Then suddenly, something came over Max...

and he lept on Aiden!

He giggled and wriggled all over Aiden.

But, Aiden is a good sport. He just laughed the whole time!

Happy Halloween!

Max, "Saint Bernard" & Aiden, "Batman".

I'm Batman!

The Cullen Family. ...

Sorry... the Downs Family!

Trevor, "Edward" & Melanie, "Bella'.

I finally got Trevor to dress-up this year. The poor man agreed to do it before I told him what I had up my sleeve... it involved white face paint, brown hair dye, and glitter. Yes! I made Trevor go as Edward for Halloween and I was Bella. I'm sure he will never agree to wear a costume again! Trevor was a great sport! Aiden and Maxwell had so much fun Trick-or-Treating this year! Aiden ran from house to house screaming "light!!" every time he saw a house with it's porch light on... CANDY! Max was slower and easily distracted by the occasional decoration, talking bird, or dog. But we had a great Halloween this year and loved going out with cousins to Trick-or-Treat!

Pumpkin Patch!

We took the boys to a pumpkin patch this year. They loved it! We walked around, played in the hay, went through the corn maze, and made general nuisances of ourselves! Thanks to Paul, Tiffany, and their kids for making it a super fun night!

Maxwell & Aiden.

Max loved running around to all the little cut-outs and putting his head through them! He would barely stand still long enough for a picture before running off to the next one.

At the entrance of the corn maze.

Aiden, "lost" in the corn maze!

Tiffany, clearly unafraid of being "lost" in the corn maze...

Trevor & Maxwell bringing up the rear. Poor Max had an ear infection and croup when we went, but it didn't seem to bother him too much.

Hooray! Aiden made it out alive!!

Max surrounded by pumpkins.

All the kids.

Mason, Calie, Andrew, Aiden, & Maxwell.

-Calie was unhappy in the picture because the hay was itchy on her legs... the joys of being a girl sweetie!-

I'm a Big Boy now!!

We tried so hard to get Aiden to ride his bike without training wheels. He would never do it. One day, I was over at Tiffany's house making jewelry and Aiden and Calie were playing. After about 15 minutes they both came running in the house and Aiden said, "Mommy, I rode Calie's big bike!" "Yeah, that's great, go keep riding it." I said, not believing him for a second. 5 minutes later they both came in and said, "He's really riding it!" "Good, Aiden, keep practicing!" I said, again, not buying it for a second. 2 minutes later, Calie burst into the house yelling, "You guys Aiden in riding my bike for real!!!!!" Tiffany and I decided to humor them. As I walked into the back yard, Aiden zoomed right by me ON CALIE'S BIKE!!! He was so excited that he didn't want to stop to call Daddy, and I felt like a BIG MEANIE!

Off he goes!!

Here he comes...

And, there he goes!!

We are so proud of you Aiden!! Thank you Calie, for teaching Aiden how to ride his bike!

X-Box Live Playdate!

Aiden got to play Lego Star Wars on Daddy's X-Box with his friend, Hayden from northern California! They were both so excited to get to play video games together even though they are so far apart.

Oh, the blessings of technology! Our friends are never more than a video game away!

Rise and Shout, the Cougars are out!!

The BYU Cougars played San Diego State at Qualcomm Stadium. So, we got to see BYU play for the first time in a few years! Aiden was so excited! He got to see BYU play "for real, and not on TV!" The whole Downs clan was there and we all had a blast! The best part is that BYU won!!

Emily and Aiden, ready for the game to start.


Mommy and Maxwell.

Max and Corinne, she got a hold of him with the face paints, can you tell?

Melanie, Aiden, Trevor, and Maxwell.

The Downs Family.

Christopher, Trevor, Maxwell, and Aiden(hidden by Trevor), hi-fiving the whole Cougar football team!

Max Hall #15, after Aiden got to give him a high-five!

Dennis Pitta #32, after high-fiving Aiden!

Woo Hoo! So excited after giving "Max Hall and BYU" a high-five!

Aiden decided that Max Hall was named "Max Hall", but the rest of the team was all named "BYU"... apparently they don't deserve names...

Melanie, Aiden, Trevor, and Max. After the game...

Yeah! We Won!!

Maggie Bell Jewelry

Ok. I finally did it. I, Melanie Downs started my own business. I'm making earrings and selling them on-line! And, yes, I am using my blog to advertise. www.MaggieBellJewelry.etsy.com Tell your friends, tell your family, tell yourself, tell everyone! I don't have much on the site now, but in the next few days I hope to have more!

TrApPeD!!

I came into the Family Room and found Maxwell, happy as can be, playing with a laundry basket...

Just sitting on top of it and bouncing...

Wait a minute...

Aiden is IN the laundry basket!!

He was in the basket completely folded in half & not saying a word.

No Joke...

Paybacks.

Golfing Buddies!

Aiden got golf clubs for his Birthday from Trevor and I. Trevor decided to take him to the driving range today. Aiden was soo excited! He got to go with Daddy all by himself!

Ready to go Golfing!! Daddy & his boy.

Doesn't he look so big?!

When they got home from the driving range, Aiden was so excited. Trevor told me that when they got there he asked, "Is Tiger here Daddy?". Poor kid, so disappointed. Then later he saw a man in a red shirt and asked, "Is THAT Tiger Daddy?"... Trevor, you should be so proud of your brainwashing skills!!

Cousin Corinnie, is my favorite & my best!!

Aiden had been sick forever. He was soo bored. Corinne got sick too, so she came over to be in the "sick house". Aiden had so much fun playing with her! They danced to Backyardigans, ran around, and played in Aiden's tunnel! Corinne, you're the best, you brightened up your sick little cousin's day!!

Corinne, going through the tunnel.

Corinne, finally through the tunnel... It's a workout, trust me!

Aiden chasing Corinne IN the tunnel!!

Go "Timber"wolves!

In Kindergarten, each class has a backpack that the kids take turns taking home. It has an activity that they complete and bring to class the next day, and a stuffed wolf (the school mascot is a Timber wolf). Aiden & Emily happened to get the backpack on the same day! They were both very excited, as you can tell. Aiden's was named "Timber" and Emily's was named "Wolfie". They rode bikes with them, ran around, and even jumped on the trampoline with them... until "Timber" ended up in a tree and Mom had to rescue him! Kindergarten is the greatest!!

Aiden & "Timber", Emily & "Wolfie".

Aiden, so excited he's squeezing poor "Timber" to death...

????

I've seen some strange things in my life. But my children never cease to amaze me. I went into the bathroom, and this is what I found sitting on the ground by the toilet:

Just in case you get thirsty while you're going potty...

I mean Really!!! Who's kids do these things... MINE!!! My life is never dull. And I'm never thirsty while I'm taking a pee.

Happy 29th Birthday Trevor!!

We celebrated Trevor's birthday this Sunday, as well as our niece Corinne's birthday. They got to pick what we had for dinner; London Broil, rice pilaf, rolls, asparagus, & strawberry shortcake... Thanks Corinne & Trevor!

Happy Birthday Trevor! I love you!

Trevor reading a card... I know, it's thrilling!

Corinne looking at Trevor with the "You're so lame" look.

Maxwell throwing a fit because Daddy isn't holding him.

Trevor and his Under Armour... Underwear for his birthday, does that mean he's getting old? Nope, Never Baby! Just as young and handsome as the day I met him!!

Corinne and her awesome shirt!

The birthday kids!

All the grandkids. Note Trevor's face... his bubble is being invaded in a real and serious way!

Blowing out their candles! Corinne won! Does that mean she's full of more hot air than Trevor?