Tales Of Us

A new baby and more

2011-02-28T14:23:00.000-08:00

February is just about gone! How did that happen so quick? I'm really testing my memory here in my efforts to keep up with this blog. I really must not allow to much time to go between posts. I swear I can not keep up with time. So to the best of my ability here are some of the events worth remembering from the past month:

Activity Day Talent Show. This one actually took place the end of January. It was such a cute show! The leaders did such a good job. They had a red carpet and created a mock stage. I'm sure each of the girls felt like stars that night. Shelby and Lauren did a dance together. Fun night!

Valentines Day. For the last years or so this has become more a family celebration. Kerry and I have forgone the romantic dinner for two in order to spend it with the kids. I imagine that someday before we know it, it will be back to just the two of us; but for right now we don't mind making it a family affair. As tradition has become, we had a nice dinner set with Valentine decor. This year we bought the kids a few new Wii games and packed a few treats to boot and enjoyed a game night together. It seemed to be a big hit which made me very happy considering that it has become very hard to find a group gift that fits both the gender and age gaps between my kids.

Birthday lunch and shopping My mom, grandma, and aunt all have birthdays in February. My sisters and I like to take them out for lunch. A few weeks ago we got together for lunch at PF Chang's and a little shopping to Rod Works. At lunch, we had the nicest waiter who turned out to be a member of the church. Towards the end of lunch and after overhearing bits of our conversation, he said, "I thought you were a bunch of Relief Society sisters." Nice to know that he suspected that of us. I am so lucky to have such great women in my life and live so close to each other. It was a great day! I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture of this. I really need to invest in a little camera that fits into my purse!

Lion King and Texas Brazil. We took Brayden to see the Lion King for earning his Eagle Scout. It was such a great play. I'm so glad that we saw it; I hear that it is closing sometime this year. Brayden has been wanting to try the Texas De Brazil restaurant so we went after the play. It was packed. It was a good thing we had reservations. It is not a place for vegetarians even though the salad bar is fantastic. You are given a little card that had a green and red side to it. As long as your card is green, an endless supply of meat could be brought to your table. We had to make sure to turn our cards to red before our plates were filled with more than we could eat. Brayden seemed to enjoy the night. We are proud of him for getting his Eagle.

Last but not least, we have a new baby in our house. Brayden is definitely the most excited about it. Thankfully it's not the kind of baby that wakes me up in the middle of the night. We found it on Craig's list. Actually Brayden found it on Craig's list. His teacher told us months ago that we should consider upgrading pianos. I have to say, I did not see this one coming. I guess that's what happens when you don't play yourself. I was so nervous about trying to buy something like this. To be honest, I just put it off; then Brayden found this one and wrote the phone number down and asked me to call about it. I told him I would try to get to it (not sure that I really would). Kerry called me during his lunch and asked if I had called. I had not, of course. He said that he thought that I should just call. I guess that was the push that I needed and I made the call. I found out that the man was moving in two days and needed to sell it buy then! There was no way I saw us buying the first piano we looked at in just a few days. I totally blew it off, but something kept pressing me. So I called the man who tunes our piano. He also restores pianos and knows quite a bit about them. He immediately looked up Craig's list to see the piano. He expressed some minor concerns and preceded to see what else was for sale. He saw another piano that he thought might be a better buy and said that he would take a look at it after he finished work. I certainly didn't expect him to go that same day but he reassured me that it was fine. After seeing the piano, he called and said that it was fine but nothing special. We decided to wait. Then we received a phone call about a half hour later from him. He made a last minute decision to visit the piano that Brayden had first seen. He told us that he had been wrong about it and that it was an unbelievable buy! We jumped in the car and took Brayden to see it and the rest is history. The man who owned it, did not play and so it sat unplayed. Now it gets played and boy does Brayden play it. I hope he will get every benefit from it.

star of the week

2011-01-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

Her turn finally came! Claire was the star of the week in her first grade class. She was quite pleased when she came home a week ago with the letter informing me that she was going to be the star of the class. We spent the weekend getting prepared, answering questions, writing letters and gathering pictures. Every day when I picked her up and asked, "how was your day?", her answer was always the same, "It was great!!". Each day she got to share something with the class. The cumulative point came on Friday when she got to bring some of her favorite things and a treat to share with the class. Among the favorites was her violin and snicker doodle cookies. She got to be the star of her class for a week but in our home, she is a star everyday!

Hello Blog It's been a long time!

2011-01-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

According to my blog, life ended in the fall of 2009. I can't believe how fast time is going! It's almost scary. Life really did not end for us, in fact I think sometimes that we are too busy. Perhaps that is my excuse for not finding the time to write about our happenings; however, the biggest reason lies with the fact that I have never been consistent at journaling. I have recommitted myself to this blog and hope to capture most of 2011. Thanks in part, to a little probing from my grandma, I have started back.

Here are some of the highlights ( that I can remember) from 2010

1. Birthdays: Brayden's 14th, Shelby's 11th, Claire's 6th, & Spencer's 2nd.
2. Trip to one of our favorite places, Newport Beach, where we played in the sand, rode the waves at the beach, took in an Angels game and spent the day at Knotts Berry Farm.
3. Another great Women's Conference in Provo.
4. I climbed to the peak of Mt. Charleston
5. 4th of July in Prescott
6. First Halloween spent in Utah at grandma's house. (We got hailed on!)
7. Brayden completed his Eagle Scout project. (collected items for the Ronald McDonald House)
8. Shelby made the cheer team and got to go cheer camp in July
9. Claire started taking violin lessons
10. Spencer got to go to nursery and loves it!
11. Another wonderful Christmas season spent with family and friends.

Halloween 2009

2009-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

It's going to be Christmas soon and we've been busy. I must post a few Halloween pics before it seems too late.

Our little witch with her cousins Mulan (Delaney) and Nemo (Avery)

Our little lion cub

The Countness of Darkness. Makeup job courtesy of her Aunt Lori.

Jack Sparrow's pirate sidekick (Braxton), Elphada (Jaden), and Tinkerbell (Kayelyn) visiting at the ward trunk or treat.

These are some of the cute faces of our family's Halloween

One!

2009-11-13T14:20:00.001-08:00

One birthday party
One birthday cake
One special boy
One great year
"One"-derful You!

Just gotta dance

2009-11-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

So much to blog about, so little time to do it. for now here's a cute video of Spencer. Claire was given this birthday card from her little friend Brooke several months ago. It has a cute tune and has become Spencer's favorite toy. Even though the start and stop of it all can be a bit annoying, I love the way he moves to it and if you listen carefully, you can even hear him hum the beat. It makes me smile!

Not as planned.

2009-08-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

School starts back on Monday and I have to report to Jury duty. I was so hoping that My number would not be called. No such luck. Kerry gets to play stay at home dad while I hang out at the courthouse. It's times like these that I realize how much I enjoy being a stay at home mom and taking care of my kids. Now if only I could remember that when they drive me crazy!

This is what happens...

2009-08-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

when you have two older sisters! Who knows what torture lies ahead for this poor boy.

Before it's gone

2009-07-31T13:27:00.001-07:00

July is always a busy time. Birthdays, anniversary, vacation, camp and more. Here's a recap of what we've been doing this month.

Shelby turned 10. Happy Birthday. She had a game party with many of her friends. They painted toe nails, Played pictionary and the present game and ate lots of junk. I wish the pictures came with sound effects. If they did, you would hear lots of giggling. Shelby is lucky to have so many good friends. Can't believe she's 10 already!

The next day, Shelby headed off to Utah for gymnastic camp. This was her first experience away from home. She was able to go up with her friend Lindsay's family and stay the weekend at her grandma's home before camp started on Monday. She had a great time. Some of the highlights included: makingnew friends including her counselor. Games, pizza and late nights in the dorms. Jamba Juice. Having a cell phone to use, And learning the back hand-spring. She hasn't stopped tumbling since she came home.

We decided to stay and spend some time with Kerry's family over the 4th after picking Shelby up from camp. I LOVE Utah in the summer. The weather was so nice and I think it was the prettiest I've ever seen it up there this year. Soooo green! Just like other kids, mine have a blast playing with their cousins. It was hard to come home to the heat.

Claire turned 5 this year. She had a Hello Kitty party and invited her family and friends. All she wanted was a pinata, so in a 110 degree weather, we set up a pinata. The rest of the party took place in the air condtioning. Claire is so excited to be five even though we keep telling her each year that this had to be her last birthday because she's not allowed to grow up. She is looking forward to starting school in the fall and asks me vertually every day how much longer before she can go.

On the 17th, Kerry and I celebrated 16 years of marriage. It has been 16 years of happiness. I couldn't have married a better man who would treat me any better than Kerry does. I feel lucky to have him.

Shelby is almost finished with school. She has been in Ms. Dattero's 4th grade class and loves her classmates and teacher. At the awards assembly this morning, Shelby was awarded for A honor roll, citizenship, and she also earned the Nevada citizenship award. We are so pleased with her good work this year in school. She'll have a few weeks of break and then off to the 5th grade.

Life's a dance sometimes

2009-06-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

The girls had their dance recital this weekend. It ended a year long class for each of them. Shelby took ballet and Claire took ballet and tap. They both did a great job and the recital was fun to watch. Shelby and Lauren

Claire's preschool graduation was last month. She loved going to preschool. She looked forward to Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I even used it as bribery sometimes. I figured I had to use it while I had it. How long will I get away with that? School is only fun for so long. She will be going into kindergarten very prepared and we are very happy about that.

With her teacher Mrs. Smoot

Summer's here and the weather's been great. It won't last long though, trying to soak up everyday while it lasts. I've been doing a lot of grilling and we've been eating out on the patio. Brayden is out of school and Shelby starts track break this week. We're going to enjoy the lazy days of summer while we have them! Hope everyone else has a great summer.

Is'nt He

2009-04-13T17:39:00.002-07:00

CUTE!!

5 months old.

Shelby and Specner

They seem to like each other ALOT!

Easter

2009-04-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

We started our Easter celebration on Friday afternoon. Instead of an egg hunt this year, we invited the cousins over for some egg dying and a craft that my mom saw in a magazine while waiting for her dental appointment. It just so happened that it was in one of the few magazines I get. The kids made little Easter chicks. We wanted the kids to focus on others and so we asked them to think of someone they could give their craft to.

We spent about an hour on Saturday delivering Easter chicks to various friends and teachers. My kids seemed to enjoy this but still asked several times if we were going to have an easter egg hunt even though I had told them many times that we were doing this instead. If ever I wonder that they get tired of doing the same thing year after year, THEY DON'T especially if it involves candy.

The Easter bunny found his way to our house again. I thought he was pretty smart this year for bringing the kids new swim suits. How did he know they needed them? (Ha Ha).

At church, Brayden gave his first talk in sacrament meeting. He did a great job. He took this assignment very seriously and spent alot of time writting it himself. If he was nervous, he didn't show it. He has never ceased to amaze me with how he handles this kind of pressure. All of the talks on Sunday were so good. It made Easter really nice. I'm so grateful for my knowledge of the Savior and to know the true meaning of Easter. We ended the day at Mom's house for a family dinner.

I'm still alive

2009-03-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

I told myself that I would post something before the end of March. I can't believe that I haven't posted ANYTHING this year. It's not because I have nothing to say. I just can't seem to find the time lately. The few times that I have gotten on my blog, I've started off by catching up with all the blogs I love to read. Before I know it, I've spent too much time reading others and have run out of time to post. I am grateful to all my friends who have blogs. I haven't had the time to make comments but I'm inspired by your lives and enjoy seeing how your families have grown!

Here's whats happening with us:
My baby is getting so big. Even though I can't imagine how I could love him more each day, I do! He has gained the title of our easiest baby. He is so fun to have! He is much bigger than he was in this picture. It's time to get the camera out. He weighs about 16lbs now. He has chubby little cheeks that get kissed to death and all those lovely rolls perfect for squishing. Can you tell that I eat him up? Anything silly makes him laugh even the slightest change in facial expression. He's been drooling now for months but no teeth.

Brayden's band teacher discovered that he plays the piano so he asked him to join the jazz band and play the piano. This has meant that he has to be to school an hour early. Thankfully, Kerry has agreed to take him to school. I'm looking forward to hearing him as a jazz pianist at his next concert. He continues to do well in school. He has been invited to join the honor society for next year. I am so glad he is liking middle school. I worried a little bit about it.

Shelby just went back to school from her track break. It was lovely having her home. She kept her little sister occupied. There are a few kids on our street that were also on track break. They spent almost everyday playing outside together. Shelby had to pick a "great American" to do a report and speech on. She picked Beverly Cleary. She read one of her books for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. We have been learn all about her life and books lately. She had to dress up as her (kinda hard) and give a speech. We managed to pull something together. She did a great job. I'm going to bring my camera to school on Thursday to get a picture of her at the living museum the school is doing.

There's always something to be done around here. I do not lack for spare time. It's been a busy month. We lost our sweet grandpa earlier this month. He was a good man, someone I could look up to. He is the first of my grandparents that I have lost. I am very fortunate to be able to know each of my grandparents. His funeral was very nice. We will miss him but know that we will see him again someday.
Spring is here and it's beautiful outside. My rose bushes are full of blooms that I will soon enjoy. I planted some flowers a few weeks ago. loving the way my backyard looks smells right now. I only be able to enjoy it for a few months before it gets too hot.
I guess that's all I have time for now.

December 2008

2008-12-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

It's been an extremely busy month and I've had so much to post about but I've struggled to find the time. Before the month is over, I need to write a quick recap of all our doings.

Spencer's blessing day Dec. 7th

Shelby's class studied various Indian
tribes. She was assigned the Hopi tribe. She gave a little speech about them and with Aunt Lori's help, made a house out of a cake. She did a great job.

Our little dancer at her open house recital.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We had another wonderful Christmas. Having a new baby
made it even more special. Santa made his way to our home. The happy looks on my kids faces made all the work worth it. In between feedings and diaper changes, I managed to get all the shopping, wrapping, decorating, and baking done. I did have a little help so I can't take all the credit. We spent Christmas with my family. I'm so blessed to have them so close. My mom is a fabulous cook. She makes a mean filet mignon among other things. It was delisious and I enjoyed every bite. I made my grandma's famous Christmas cookies and my mother in law's yummy fudge. Growing up, I always loved going to my grandma's house on Christmas night. She would tape her Christmas cards to one of her closet doors. By Christmas night, her door was full and I enjoyed looking at all her Christmas cards and reading all of the nice messages in each one. I remember thinking that I wanted to have a door full of cards when I grew up so I adopted the same tradition. It is one of my favorite parts of the season. I
Love getting the mail in December. Kerry and I have friends that we have kept in contact with through a Christmas card once a year. My door isn't full yet, but maybe it will be someday. Here's a picture of my pantry door turned Christmas decoration. The best part of the holiday season is having a wonderful family to share it with. I'm so grateful for all of my blessings.

Is it time for school already?

2008-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Spencer is like most newborns who have their days and nights mixed up so we've been doing laundry together late at night. I put him in his bouncy chair and place him on the dryer while I wash and fold clothes. I think its the combination of the sound, vibrations and warmth of the room that make an otherwise fussy time more content for him. It works and we do what works! So the other night we were at it again. I've never been more caught up on laundry in my life. Some nights I'm actually looking for things I can wash. Earlier this year, I taught Brayden how to wash his own clothes. I knew he had dirty clothes in his hamper. It was about 11:00pm when I entered his room to remove his hamper. He heard me and woke up. I told him that he might have to look in the dryer to find his clothes if I didn't stay up long enough to get them out. He obviously was not fully awake. The next thing I knew, he was in the bathroom. Of course I thought nothing of it until I heard the shower turn on. I'm thinking, "is he sick?" So I knock on the door and ask if he is ok. He cracked the door open and says somewhat irritated, "Mom, I'm getting ready for school." I said, "at 11:00?" He said, "It's what time?" I reapeat. We both started to laugh and he says, "you got to be kidding me, I thought you were getting me up for school." It was a good laugh. I wish I could have a good laught like that every day.
Thanks Brayden.

Our new little one.

2008-11-11T12:35:00.000-08:00

Spencer is doing great. I think he might be my easiest baby. I'm half afraid to admit it for fear I will jinx (sp?) myself. I can't believe it's been two weeks ago since I had him. I have to say Centennial Hills Hospital was fabulous. It was so nice not to have to drive to Summerlin. My doctor scheduled me for a 2:00am induction and I had to ask twice on that time to be sure I heard it right. Evidently that is a popular time for inductions. The idea is that the mom will likely have her baby around 9:00am before the doctor starts the day. Unfortunatly for me, instead of being the first one the doctor saw, we were probably the last one of his regualar appointment day as Spencer was born at 4:50pm. Hey, at least we cooperated very well. I hope Dr. Volker appreciated that. I was the ONLY one on the labor and delery floor that night and got my fair share of nursing care. That was wonderful. I have not always had the best postpartum care in the past and loved having the labor nurses help the first night. Besides the good nursing care, the next day, I was given a foot massage, Kerry and I were brought a celebration lunch that was actually very tasty, and a sweet little old lady brought us peppermint tea and cookies later that day. I loved the cookies and tea so much, I made Kerry go buy some more when we got home. FYI, Knott's Berry Farm Raspberry shortbread cookies and mint tea are a perfect combination. Even though this hospital stay was my best, I was happy when it was time to go home.

We are so grateful that Spencer is a happy healthy boy. I think he is done being poked and prodded for now. He takes a bottle great, something that my other three never did. Everyone has enjoyed taking turns feeding him. This has been very helpful to me. He looks so much like his dad. He has the Walters nose and his dad's dimple in his chin. WE LOVE HIM!

IT'S A BOY!!

2008-10-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Spencer Kerry Walters made his arrival into the world yesterday at 4:50pm. He weighed 7lbs. 9oz. We are so thrilled to have him and think he is perfect! Much more about him to come later.

Nothing better

2008-09-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

There's nothing better than homemade bread right out of the oven and garden tomatoes. This is what we had for dinner tonight thanks to my sweet husband who brought back tomatoes from Utah this weekend. He makes the bread too! So delish! I haven't bought a loaf of bread in months. Thanks Kerry!

P.S. the picture doesn't do it justice. I would never get hired to take photos for a recipe book.

A new friend

2008-09-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Claire and her little friend Kade found the tiniest little caterpillar in the backyard last week. Unfortunately, it became her new pet. She created a home for it in one of my Rubbermaid containers and she's been carrying it around in her hand. Anyone who came to our house had to see it. We had a few close calls when she dropped it in the grass. I was somehow able to find it before she completely fell apart. With a lot of effort, I convinced her to keep it on the back porch. This morning, she went to check on it and discovered it was gone. As I quickly tried to come up with something to tell her to help her from having a complete meltdown, she said, "Mom, I know what happened. It turned into a butterfly last night and flew away." and my reply was, "Yes Claire, I think it did." So for right now, caterpillars magically turn into butterflies over night.

Here's the best picture I could get of it.

Another School Year

2008-08-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

has started. I didn't get out the camera this year and take pictures of them in their school attire but backpacks in hand they were excited and ready to go. Brayden is in the 6th grade and attending Cram middle school. Shelby is starting 4th grade and Claire will start preschool next week. Both kids came home happy about how their day went. They were both very talkative. Couldn't wait to tell me all the details of their day. It has been nice to have a little break, but it is also good to get back into a schedule again. Back to homework, piano, dance. and all the other things that keep us busy. Ready or not here we go!

We're back.

2008-08-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone was a great trip for our family. It went by very fast as all of our vacations do. For memories sake here's a brief recap .

Our trip started off at grandma and grandpa's house in Utah for a few days of fun with cousins and then it was off to Idaho. Cousins!
Tanner, Brayden, Mary, Isaiah, Jacob,Mason,Maddie,Claire, Porter,Shelby,Ryan, Michell, Hannah, Andrew,Danielle, Allianna.

We stayed the night in Idaho Falls, woke up at drove to Rexburg to visit a place called Bear World. This was one of the favorite spots for our kids. They had a variety of animals to see besides bears. Our kids were able to feed adorable baby bear cubs. A little fawn decided to befriend Claire while we were in the petting zoo. He chased her around and tried to buck her down a few times. Good thing Claire is not afraid of animals. We found this funny because she's usually the one chasing the other animals around who want nothing to do with her. They had a few rides for the kids with no lines. Yea! We also had the best fudge there which I've been craving ever since.

We gave each of the girls a disposable camera. They both used up all the film at our first stop.
claire especially loved taking pictures.

Touching the velvet on the moose's antlers.

The playful fawn who befriended Claire

We then stopped by Kerry's aunt Carol and uncle Lamar's home for a short visit. Carol is an accomplished pianist and Lamar an accomplished violinist. Brayden was able to play a piece for carol on her beautiful piano and Lamar shared pictures of when they lived in Vienna. Brayden especially enjoyed this visit. We are grateful to know them.
We made it to the park by afternoon. First we took the kids to see Old Faithful (have to do that). As we drove around the lower loop, we noticed a group of cars parked off the side of the road. We got out to see what causing all the attention and noticed a grizzly bear munching on some brush across the river. Grizzlies are not seen as often anymore so we felt lucky to see one. Before we left the park that night we also saw a busy beaver aside the road and elk grazing their evening meal in the meadows.

The best shot we could get of the Grizzly bear.

On Tuesday, we spent the day in West Yellowstone. Took the kids to the the bear and wolf discovery center, the Imax theater to see a movie on Yellowstone, various gift shops for souvenirs. Later that night we saw Oklahoma at the Playmill.

Wednesday, we got up early and headed back into the park. We took the less traveled upper loop. Leaving early paid off for seeing wildlife. Again we saw some Elk, this time with lots of babies and a big bull who appeased us by walking near the edge where the road meets. There he sat to pose for a few pictures. it was almost as though he knew the routine and was obliging all of the tourist. After driving the upper loop, we decided to go around the lower one more time. We had a picnic near the lake and made several stops at the various geysers and mud pots along the way. One area of geysers was especially smelly. As they were walking, Claire looked up at her dad and asked, "why are they tooting Dad? " Again we saw more buffalo. Many of them had babies by their side. We saw a mother and her baby crossing the river. The mother stayed near her baby as they crossed blocking the current of the river so it could cross. We tried to appreciate all the little things we saw there. Another highlight was seeing a wolf in the wild. At the same time we saw the buffalo, we noticed a park ranger pull off the side of the road, quickly get out of the car and chase a wolf back who was curiously scoping out the buffalo. It was a long day of driving and we were all very tired of walking by the end of the day, but well worth it.
Kerry and I were very pleased to hear our kids make comments of how cool this vacation was and can we come again. The fun of Yellowstone is that you never know exactly what you will see and for a family who dwells in the desert among dirt, rocks, sagebrush, lizards and bugs, it was exciting for my kids to see things they've never seen before.

Released

2008-08-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

from my calling on Sunday. It's a bitter sweet moment for me. Maybe more bitter than sweet. I have really enjoyed hanging out in primary each week and I've loved working with my presidency! I will miss it all. For anyone who hasn't served in primary, I hope they get to some day. It's the best place.

Getting ready

2008-07-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to leave for our summer vacation. Lots of laundry and packing to do. We leave for Utah on Friday for a few days to visit with Kerry's family and then it's off to Yellowstone. I hadn't planned on being 6mos. prego when we planned this trip. Just glad we're not camping! I'm looking forward to getting out of the Las Vegas heat. More to come later.

Claire

2008-07-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

celebrated her fourth birthday last week. She anxiously waited for her day to come. Having an older sister with a birthday a few weeks before her made the anticipation more intense.
She made up her mind that she wanted a pool party. When I took her to the party shop to let her choose a theme, I was surprised when she didn't choose anything I had expected her to. When I asked her if she was sure that she didn't want Hello Kitty or Disney Princess or something like that, she replied, "No Mom, I want a pool party." Somehow she thought if she picked one of those, she wouldn't get to have a pool party. I can't complain though, because she choose some butterfly stuff that was on clearance. All of her little cousins came and happily swam I had to work at getting her out of the pool to open her presents. She was two weeks old when we moved to our home in North Las Vegas. I can't believe how fast it seems time has gone by. Claire has grown so much and is such a joy in our lives.

Good job kids!

2008-07-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

I couldn't be more pleased with my kid's performance in school this year. More than anything I want my kids to grow up to become great people. I am just as desirous to see them excel socially and behaviorally as I am to see them exceed academically. I am so grateful to say they are doing both. Each of them were recognized today in an awards assemblies. They both have had a good year in school and have done very well. Brayden worked hard and earned A's and B's, participated in two plays where he learned and memorized many lines, earned the Great American Award, accepted the assignment of being a peer mediator, and made many friends. Shelby earned straight A's this year, improved so much in her reading, and made many friends. Brayden moves on to middle school next year and Shelby with be a fourth grader. I am grateful that my kids can go to school. It's easy to take that for granted.

Happy Birthday America!

2008-07-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

For the fourth, we celebrated quietly at home. Lori and her family came over and swam. We grilled the good old American hot dogs and hamburgers. Kerry bought the kids a few fire works that we lit on the street. Our neighbors provided us with a great illegal show to accompany our small but legal firework extravaganza. In all seriousness though, we are truly grateful to live in this country with the freedoms we enjoy.

Happy Birthday Shelby

2008-07-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

Shelby turned nine years old this week. She is growing up to be a beautiful girl and we're so glad she's ours. She celebrated this year with some of her favorite things. Krispie Kream doughnuts for breakfast to share with her third grade class, a new shirt from Justice (had to be blue because the birthday student gets to decide what color every one wears that day), Subway sandwich for lunch, a family barbecue/swim party for dinner, and can't forget the so desired ipod she's been wanting so bad. She shares her birthday with her Aunt Lori who turned that magical age of 29 that we all want to hold on to. Instead of cake, we did ice cream sundays. We ended the celebration by taking her and her friend Lauren to see the Kit movie from the American Girl book series on Friday. Shelby has been reading the books from this series. I think they are great for young girls. It has given Shelby an understanding of American history in a way that she has enjoyed. We hope she had a memorable birthday. We love you Shelby!!

The Great American Award

2008-07-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Brayden earned this award this year. We were very pleased with him for choosing to do it. It is something that the 5th grade students can do if they choose to. Brayden was one of only 22 students that earned this from his school. He had to memorize the pledge, the preamble to the constitution, the Star Spangled Banner, the states and capitals in alphabetical order, the US presidents in order, and the Gettysburg Address. It was quite the undertaking. I was especially pleased with him because among this, he was memorizing lines to a Shakespeare play he is in this summer and numerous piano pieces. Good work Brayden. We're proud of you!!

What are we having?

2008-06-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've had so many ask me what I'm having. I realized that I haven't made it clear (on my blog at least) that I don't know. We have decided to keep it a mystery. So my answer to this question is "I'm having either a boy or a girl." Ha ha. I don't even try to guess because we didn't find out with Shelby and I swore that she was going to be a boy.

Sonogram

2008-06-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

I've had my fare share of ultrasounds lately. Here's a few pictures. There is a bright white spot in the baby's abdomen that the doctor's have been concerned about. The picture below shows it. A fetal cardiologist looked at the heart this week and said all looks good. The white spot has not grown and the doctors are less concerned. We are very relieved at this news. I've reached the halfway mark. (20 weeks). Hooray!!

Visitors

2008-06-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Kerry's sister Sherri and her family came to stay with us last week. They were the best guests and we really enjoyed spending time with them. If we weren't eating to our heart's content, we were in and around the pool. The weather was about 10 degrees cooler than it it this week, so I'm glad they came when they did because they were already experiencing a 30 degree increase from the weather they left in Utah. Sherri and I shared the cooking. It was great not having to do all the cooking. Sherri even brought her famous Belgium waffle maker down! I think I gained 5lbs eating her yummy food! The adults got away one night for dinner. We also took all the kids out to visit M&M world on the strip. If you haven't been there, you're not missing much. It was an adventure taking out eight kids in the Las Vegas heat, but we survived. The kids can say they did something away from the house. As I observed it, swimming in the pool and playing the Wii were the big hits. We managed to avoid any injuries until poor little Jacob fell on the stairs and landed right on his eye. He was just a smidgen away from cutting it right open. Instead it swelled out like a golf ball and became black and blue. We called him "Rocky" the rest of the time. You know you have great guests when the sheets and towels are all laundered folded and put away before they leave. Thanks guys. We loved having you. Come again!!

Swim lessons

2008-06-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Claire went back to the swim school that I took her too last year. It's amazing to me what is accomplished in eight twenty minute lessons. I think the secret is in the one on one training. Claire reluctantly went to each lesson. By about the last lesson, she started to act like she liked her teacher. In spite of that, she is swimming great. we are amazed at how she swims all over the pool. The other night, something was left at the bottom of the pool. Claire was determined to dive down and get it. She tried over and over and almost got it. I began to worry that the poor girl was going to do herself in trying so I asked Shelby to get it, but Claire was really close!

Finished!!

2008-06-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

We've finally finished our side yard project. It ended up taking more time, money and energy than Kerry and I had expected. It wouldn't make the cover of Better Homes and Garden, but it is so much better than what we had and so much more useful. Here's a few pictures of the final product.

Memorial weekend at the cabin

2008-05-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

We went back to the cab in again this year. It is located just outside Zion Nation Park. It was built last year and we were the first family to stay in it. It is done in a cowboy theme and because it's new, it's really nice. It has plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms for all of us. This year, the owners added a ping pong table and a playhouse that we enjoyed. It is fun for us to get all of our families together for a few days. The best part for me is watching the pure joy the kids have playing together. They spent most of the time playing outside the cabin in the dirt. The adults and my older kids kept busy playing ping pong, and games like "are you smarter than a fifth grader" (the only game we can get Dad to play). The guys went golfing and we took the kids to an animal sanctuary where they saw lots of parrots, some horses, sheep and goats. There is also a dog, cat, bunny and pig house that that we did not see. Something left for next year. The kids also loved going on ATV rides, making s'mores, and being creative with paint. I took lots of pictures to capture some of the fun.

I saw this idea in a magazine. The kids decorated an egg carton. Different colors are painted inside. After they dried, the kids went on a nature walk and looked for things that matched the colors in their carton.

May

2008-05-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

May for me in a nutshell:
1. Women's conference. Went with Tonya and Brenda. Had a great time. I was motivated to be a better Mom and got to hear the prophet speak.
2. Mother's day. I've been blessed with a great Mom and blessed to be a Mom.
3 Two ultrasounds and two doctor appointments due to belonging in the 35 and older club. They want to do more tests on me than I will consent to, so in compromising, I am agreeing to the extra appointments and ultrasounds.
4. School and Primary carnivals. One day apart. (whew)
5. Activity day recognition night
6. Kyra's baptism
7. Piano recital. Brayden was nominated for a scholarship and got to play in one of the music halls at UNLV. He did a great job! Even though he did not win, he was a winner just for being chosen.
8. Memorial Day weekend (that will be a separate post)
9. Swim lessons. I'm taking Claire back to the swim school she went to last year. She had her first lesson today.
10. Still working on a backyard project that is getting closer. Hope to post pictures soon.
In addition to this list, life as I know it continues (cooking, cleaning, driving kids around ect.).
I'm happy though, to be feeling good enough to be doing all of this.

Easter late

2008-04-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

Easter was a month ago. I'm finally getting around to posting some picture so that we have some memory of it. I felt lousy that morning so Kerry played photographer. I've sure relied on him a lot lately.

At our house the kids each have an easter basket that they use every year and just like a Christmas stocking, they set it out for the Easter Bunny to fill. Every year the Easter bunny hides the baskets for the kids to find. Not sure how much alike it is in other homes, but this is how the Easter bunny does it at ours.

backyard project

2008-04-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Our backyard has a unique shape to it. We've not known how to best use our side yard. We had a pathetic patch of grass there and a planter in the corner that we've never really liked. The area's not big enough for a swing set. We toyed with the idea of a trampoline but I wouldn't be able to see it from the sliding glass door. (too afraid that kids would be doing crazy things that I wouldn't know about). After going back and forth with various ideas, we finally decided to expand the pool area. We think this will be a better use of the area. My brother is helping us with the planters and the pavers. We are going to have tear down part of the pool gate and build a new one. Cross our fingers, we hope it will turn out nice and be space better used. I decided to take some before pictures. this is what its looking like now. The pictures aren't very great, but neither is this side of my yard. Hope to be able to post some after pictures soon.

good news

2008-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Decided it was time to tell my kids why their mom has been laying around a lot and why their dad has been doing all of the cooking and shopping lately. We are expecting another baby. I figure once my kids know, everyone else will too. I was very surprised to find out I was pregnant, but we look forward to having another member join our family. Had an ultrasound last week and learned I'm 10 weeks. This is two weeks further along that I thought. I have to admit, right now I'm more excited at the idea that I have two less weeks of morning sickness to deal with. I've heard of so many surprise pregnancies lately and it makes me wonder if there's an urgency for spirits to come to Earth. Brayden is hoping for a little brother and the Shelby and Claire say they want a sister. We just want a healthy baby.

getting healthy woes.

2008-03-09T20:52:00.000-07:00

Kerry recently found out that his cholesterol is high. The doctor recommended he go on medication feeling that his lifestyle probably didn't contribute to the high numbers. Taking medicine each day seems kinda scary to us so that pretty much leaves us at eating better and exercising more. We've been eating more fish which Shelby is still convinced is going to kill her and more vegetarian dishes. I never realized how much cholesterol is in my cooking! No wonder Kerry has a cholesterol problem. My kids like to eat my chicken parmesan. Tonight I decided to make it just the same but instead of using chicken, I used eggplant. I knew that if I told them what I was making, they would not even try it so I told them it was chicken parmesan. I was hopeful that I could pull this off. Plated up the dishes and Shelby dug right in. Brayden took one bite and asked if I added giant mushrooms to it. I assured him there were no giant mushrooms. Shelby then answered, "Brayden, it's chicken." Brayden didn't buy it. I finally admitted it was eggplant. I figured at this point it was going to be hard to get Brayden to eat it, but I hoped that Shelby had eaten enough to decide that it was still good. The moment she found out, she did not take another bite. It instantly turned into something gross. Why does the bad stuff have to taste so good?

Rainbows and more

2008-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Took this picture a few weeks ago on a Sunday morning. Think this is the most beautiful rainbow I've seen here. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Had my sister's kids over this afternoon. Took a few pictures.

LOVE

2008-02-28T18:51:00.000-08:00

Since February is the month known for love (at least for most), decided that my one post for this month would be on this topic. There are lots of things that I love. Here's my short list:

1. My husband. We spent our 15th valentines together. Went out to dinner and a movie. Neither one were the greatest, but it really didn't matter because we both still like each other and enjoy alone time together. Kerry has to rank pretty high when it comes to best husband. I'm not sure there's a better one out there.

2. My Kids. since the husband came first, the kids are listed second. I have three great kids. I began loving them the moment I found out I was pregnant. Nothing makes me happier than to see them happy. My kids are good to the core. Not to say they are perfect. They're not, but they really have a sense of compassion and respect for others. I LOVE that about them!

3. Animals. Always have. I have a few nieces and nephews that are petrified of animals since the time they were babies. I wonder, are you either born an animal lover or not? I'm sure there are some that are in between these two extremes. If I could make it happen, I would have more land so that I could have dogs, cats, goats, chickens and maybe a few others too. Right now, I'm settling for a dog and a cat. I'm not complaining though, because most days I do well to take care of my three kids.

4. Sports. OK I like to play some sports, but mostly I just end up watching them. My favorite to watch is college sports. I love it when I know a good game is coming on. I will look forward to that all day. The crazy thing is, my husband isn't much of a sports fan. I have friends that hate that their husband always wants to watch sports. Me, I usually watch by myself unless it's a golf tournament. Then Kerry watches with me.

5. Good Food. Who doesn't? I'll leave it at that. If I tried to list all the foods I enjoy, the list would be entirely too long.

6. Laugh. I love to listen to funny people. Laughing makes me feel good. My family sometimes says that I lack a sense of humor. That may be true, but I still love to laugh.

I have to end by saying that I Loved the weather today! The news has been reporting blizzard like conditions in other parts of the country. It's hard to even imagine that when you walked outside today.

A lesson for Claire.

2008-01-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

Last week Jake and Haley came over to play with claire. While they were eating lunch, claire started teasing Haley about the fact that she did not get the pink cup. This is how the conversation went:
Claire: "nanny nanny boo boo I have a pink cup and you don't.
Haily: "Claire, that's bad words to say"
Claire repeats "nanny nanny boo boo.
Haily turns to Jake who is sitting in between them and says: "Jake, Claire is saying bad words to me."
Jake turns to Claire and says: "Claire, don't say that to my sister. Jesus will be mad."
Claire: "They're not bad words. I say them all the time."
Jake: "Yes they are and Jesus will not let you say them."
Claire: "No they're not and I say them all the time!"
Jake (getting very frustrated at this point) says "Claire, You're being like a wicked Lamenite! A VERY wicked Lamenite!"

Even though I was not happy with Claire's behavior, I just wanted to bust up laughing hearing this conversation. Jake said it better than I could have ever put it! Claire learned a good lesson that day from her little friend Jake.

catching up part 2

2008-01-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

Here's some photos from the school play in December.
Brayden played the part of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.
Unfortunately he got sick the day of the play. He had to dig deep that day.
We thought he did very well in spite of feeling miserable.

catching up

2008-01-15T13:21:00.000-08:00

Lots to say in the past month since I posted. Where to start? The kids had a six week break from school with both track and winter break combined. I knew the only way for both of us to survive it was to stay busy. We took them to Utah during the first part of Dec. Winter was making it's arrival there. It was beautiful! The best part about it was we managed to avoid driving through a snow storm. The kids went sledding with their cousins and had a blast.

We took the kids to see Santa at the University Mall in Provo. Claire sat on Santa's lap for the first time. Another evidence that my baby is growing up. I'm trying to enjoy each moment.

We had our annual family gift game party. We started doing this a few years ago and it's become a tradition. We hosted it this year. We had yummy soup in bread bowls and every one brought a gift. We have a few "gag" gifts that have circulated through each year. It's fun to see who will take home the famous coin belt buckle or the singing pooping reindeer. Of course, there's always a few good ones for the grabbing.

Christmas 2007 was yet another wonderful time for our family. We have all remained close and enjoy each other's company. We spent Christmas eve at Mom and Dad's. Mom has always prepared a spectacular Christmas Eve dinner. I wish I had thought to take a picture of the beautiful table she set. It was something out of a Martha Stewart magazine. Ever since I can remember, she has always gone out of her way to make every detail extra special. I'll have to take one next year so that we can preserve her hard work.
Santa made his way to our house. He made each of our three children very happy. Shelby assured me that it wouldn't be a problem to receive two large gifts for Christmas because Santa could bring one and We could provide the other. Her believing spirit won out when she woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa had brought her a Karaoke machine and a new bike from Mom and Dad. Brayden jumped for joy when his box began to ring as Kerry called his new cell phone. and Claire was most happy with her princess makeup. It's always fun to see the smiles on their faces as they open gifts. Making all the work of the saving, shopping and wrapping worth it. Travis and Ashlee invited us all to their house for breakfast. It was literally a breakfast buffet. We all got together again for dinner games and gifts at Mom's house on Christmas night. I wonder if there are times when my mom wishes that we lived a little further away. Now that they are close we make our way over a lot!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2007!

I forgot to mention Brayden's play among other things, but I'm out of time for now. There will be more to come on catching up.

sleepover!

2007-12-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

There's something about a sleepover that is so appealing to my kids. Kerry and I are not exactly keen on them and so most of the time we compromise and do what we call "late-overs". Occasionally, we make exceptions for sleepovers with cousins. Since Brayden had his first camp out a few weeks ago and was going to be gone overnight with his Dad, we invited Kayelyn and Delaney to came over for a sleepover. They made a big bed with blankets on the floor in the bonus room. Being the oldest of the girls, Shelby is admired by all her little cousins and baby sister. She's good to them and it makes them happy. Claire was so happy feeling like a big girl that night. Shelby, as usually happens, was the first to fall asleep. Delaney stayed up the latest until 12:30am! Pretty late for a 4yr. old. I hung in there, but was glad when she finally fell asleep. I'm so glad that my kids live so close to their cousins. They have a lot of fun together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAYDEN!

2007-11-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

Today is Brayden's birthday. I can't believe I had my first baby 11 years ago today. The years have flown by.

11 things that we love about Brayden.

1. loves music and playing the piano.
2. Very smart and does well in school
3. figures out how to do things on his own
4. makes his own lunch for school everyday
5. shakes his hands back and forth whenever he's excited (done this since he was a baby).
6. Loves to surf the net for the next best hotel and vacation spot
7. very inquisitive. Watches the news every morning.
8. Has big brown eyes
9. loves to have fun and go on family vacations
10. likes to do crafty things
11. loves the church

Trick or Treat

2007-11-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

The last hoorah for Halloween. Trick or Treating in the neighborhood for awhile. and then off to Grandma's house to see cousins. We had quite the busy neighborhood this year. The streets were lined with cars from people who had left there neighborhood to trick or treat in ours. We must have a reputation that I was unaware of. I felt bad leaving to go to my mom's with so many trick or treaters around, but a grandma wants to see her cute little grand kids all dressed up for Halloween. She was smart and bribed us with dinner.

Halloween Fun with Friends

2007-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Co-op has been the greatest thing. Whoever thought up this idea is a genius! Thanks to my friend Melissa for starting it up in our ward. We've been doing it for over a year now and the kids and the moms have really bonded. Here's a picture of most of them at the Halloween party.

TRUNK OR TREAT!

2007-10-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Took the kids to the annual trunk or treat at the church's parking lot. Lots of cute costumes! I love to see them all. So many cute ideas! The girls decided to be cowgirls and Brayden wanted to be some scary chainsaw guy. Claire was excited to have her cousin come. Before opening her bag for a treat she would say, "this is my friend laney". She must have said this at every car they went. We are glad she considers her cousin her friend. Everyone came home with a bag full of candy. I think Claire had her bag have eaten before we made it home. Except for a bite of a hot dog, candy was her dinner. Scary! Why does sugar have to taste so good?

Daddy's girl

2007-10-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today Claire went to a friend's house to play. As we were leaving, the Dad of that family unexpectedly came home for lunch. This must have impressed Claire because she said to me as we were leaving, "I want my Dad to come home and see me too". No doubt she loves her dad.

FHE at the pumpkin patch

2007-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Met my sister and her family last night at the pumpkin patch. Here's a few pictures.
HAPPY FALL!

He's the Rabbit

2007-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

The school is doing Alice in Wonderland in December. I hinted to Brayden that we are very busy right now and the play in the spring would be a great play to participate in. He quickly replied, "I'm trying out for that one too, mom." Well, he really loves it, so in spite of an already crazy schedule; we have added drama to it. He got the part of the white rabbit. We had to buy the movie. It must have been the only one we didn't own (of course). He's learning his part and listens to the music every night before bed. I'm sure he will be great and can't wait to see it!

Running with Dad.

2007-09-24T14:17:00.001-07:00

Brayden and Kerry have been running together for the past few months. At first, Brayden wasn't all that excited about the idea. I was sure Kerry was ready to give up some days, but I think they are both starting to see the fruits of their labors. Brayden ran over two miles on Saturday. They are now looking into running a 5k together. Brayden seems excited.

My poor cat!

2007-09-21T15:07:00.001-07:00

Been so busy with life that I haven't posted anything about life lately. I can't believe that September is about over; however, before it's over, must write about my poor cat, Bunny. I came home from work about 13yrs. ago and heard a little kitten meowing from the bathroom. I opened the door and there she was. A cute little gray kitten! She was Kerry's Easter gift to me. You know a man loves you when he, who is not an animal lover, brings home a cat. Just one of many thoughtful gifts from my husband. Bunny has brought me, but especially my children joy over the years. A few weeks ago, we had company stay with us. I got up early to take care of a project in the garage. I pulled the car out, and took some things out that I needed. When I was done, I left the car parked in the driveway because I was planning on taking my sister-in-law shopping. I ended up taking Kerry's car instead and my car remained in the driveway. Later that day, Kerry left to run an errand. He opened up my car and heard Bunny pathetically meowing from inside the car. She must have jumped into my car that morning and had been locked in for several hours! Not to mention the temp was well over 100 degrees that day! We rushed her to the vet. Her internal body temp. reached 107! They took excellent care of her and I had her back the next day. Not a bad recovery for a 13yr old cat. Claire seems to love the cat the very most. A few months ago I took some shots of her with the cat.

They got the keys!

2007-09-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad finally got the keys to their new home today! I don't think my mother will ever move again. This has been a long haul and today she spent the afternoon running around copying, signing, and faxing papers. We helped them move some of the little stuff tonight. She's having movers come take care of the big stuff tomorrow. Thank goodness! It's going to be nice having them close.

Back to School!

2007-08-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

Another school year is upon us. The day got off without a hitch, rain and all. I think this is the first year that their school year started with a rainy day schedule. I didn't even get out of the car. Just wished them a good day and off they went. This year, Brayden is a fifth grader and Shelby is a third grader. They both came home from school happy. I hope they have a good school year!

No more cups!

2007-08-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

I finally did what I've told myself that I would do for a while now. I threw away all of Claire's cups. She started using these when she was about a year old. At first I thought is was great that she was taking a cup, but after a while she became very attached. We did not leave the house with out one. When she was happy to take them empty, it was obvious that they were mostly a pacifier. She would stroke her ear with one hand while holding the cup in the other. Everyday she would put herself to sleep this way. I have to say, these cups sure made life simpler for me. I knew taking them would be just as hard if not harder for me than her. She cried several times the first few days. In desperation, she went on a cup hunt and managed to dig up a few more. I thought I had found all of them. A few nights ago she started fussing for a "baby cup". I told her that she was a big girl and didn't need them anymore. She looked up at me and asked, "can I just have one more?" She reminded me of an alcoholic begging for one more drink. We are on day five and she's doing great. I think this was more my addiction than hers.

Great to be Eight

2007-08-12T19:08:00.001-07:00

Shelby was baptized Sat. Aug. 4th. She shared this day with many family members and friends. She looked like a little princess in her white dress. She is growing up before our eyes. I saw what I hope is a glimpse into her future as I looked at her in her beautiful white dress. So far, Shelby has been such a good little girl. Her testimony is growing and she understands the importance of following the Savior. We have high hopes for her future and hope that she will always remember this day.

Five things about Shelby:
1. likes gymnastics
2. lives to play with her friends
3. likes mashed potatoes and gravy, chili cheese fries, and hot Cheetos.
4. favorite color is turquoise
5. favorite TV show is Hannah Montana

She's swimming!

2007-08-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

I learned about a swim school that several friends have used to help teach their children to swim. I figured that I for sure had waited too long to get Claire in for lessons. I decided to call them and was pleasantly surprised that they had openings for lessons. She went four days a week for two weeks. She screamed the whole time on the first lesson. At first it was very scary for her to go with a stranger into the pool. By the third lesson, she was a different child, She was a little reluctant to do everything, but she was happy. By the end of the lessons, she was not swimming,but she was kicking her feet and putting her face in the water. One day after we got back from vacation, she decided she wanted to swim to Brayden and Shelby. She took her floaties off and off she swam! I couldn't believe she did it. She certainly surprised her brother and sister too. She's not ready for the Olympics, but she's swimming great for being three years old. Those swim lessons were worth every bit of money spent. I'm so glad she did them.

summer vacation

2007-08-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

We went to Newport Beach for a week this summer. We bought a timeshare here two years ago and finally tried it out. We really enjoy this area because it is central to many fun locations. This year we spent a day at Sea World and a day at Universal Studios. Brayden and I went to see Wicked in L.A. The rest of the days we spent either at the pool or the beach. It was wonderful spending time together as a family. As is usually the case with vacations, the week went by very fast.

Eating nachos at the bar.

Pool time! Shelby poses for just a moment before jumping in. The property has four pools to choose from. This picture was taken at the main pool.

Getting ready to leave to see Wicked!
Kerry and I saw this play in June and knew
Brayden would love it. I learned first hand
how terrible LA traffic is. Unfortunately, we were a little late but Brayden loved it. I bought him a CD of the music. He has listened to it so many times that he has memorized all the songs. Now he is asking for the sheet music so that he can play the songs himself.

Little Lola Claire obliging her mother for some cute shots.

Sea World was a highlight of our trip. We were able to spend some time with a trainer and one of the dolphins. The kids got to touch and feed the dolphin. Here, we're giving the dolphin the signal to wave. The kids enjoyed all of the exhibits, rides and shows.