Summer Fun

We have been trying to keep ourselves busy this summer here are a few of our fun adventures...

Playing with friends

We celebrated the Fourth of July with some family time and fireworks.

I have been busy trying out crafts for Super Saturday...which I have been put in charge of.

We have done the summer reading program, enjoyed free Slurpees for 7-11's birthday, done art at our local Michaels, and Emma grew enough to be able to sit in a booster seat.

I was tired of my girls telling me they were bored so I made a boredom buster jar. It has lots of activities and ideas for fun so when they say I am bored they get to pick something out of the jar. One of the first one said turn your room into a forest. They decided they wanted to turn their room into pixie hollow instead. They gave their polly pockets wings...one of them even flew around on the fan.

We made a temple out of sugar cubes.

Emma and I had fun at a park while Allison was at dance camp. We love summer but the countdown to school has begun...Allison can not wait to get back.

Utah Part 2

For the second half of our Utah Trip we visited the Smurthwaite side of the family.

We played at parks and had lots of snowcones...seriously snowcones with cream are so yummy.

We went to the Zoo, the girls get a little disappointed at other zoos since the San Diego one is so great. But they thought the dinosaurs were awesome at the Hogle Zoo.

We played red rover and duck duck goose the girls had a blast.

Heartbroken

One of my favorite places in the world as a child was my grandparents house. To me it seemed to be the most perfect place in the whole world. I remember running and playing all over the barnyard and the little forest just behind the house. Late Spring was a special time when we got to feed bummer lambs and all my grandmothers Irises would bloom. Then in the summer the milkweed plants would be filled with caterpillars and we would be getting our float ready for the twenty fourth of July parade.

My grandma was always baking something cakes, pies, cookies, etc. Her apple cookie jar always filled when the grand kids came. Tea parties and homemade Popsicles were some of my other favorite treats. I loved shucking corn with my grandpa out of the front lawn and sitting and listening to all my relatives tell stories around the bonfire. My grandparents house was a magical place one Easter my grandma put muddy footprints through her house to make us think the Easter bunny had really been inside hiding our eggs. The yard was always beautiful with lots of flowers and huge trees. I remember all to well picking up endless pine cones so the lawn could be mowed.

This summer I visited my grandparents for a few days. I knew the house and yard have been going steadily down hill but I was not prepared for what awaited me at my favorite place in the world.

I was heartbroken. The green lawn where I once gathered pine cones and had water fights is now a dusty and dead parking lot/ junk yard. The big trees have died and lay in a big heap of cut wood. Numerous broken snowmobiles and lawn mowers adorn whats left of the lawn. Junky cars are plentiful and so are their owners who lounge around my grandparents house all day doing nothing and paying for nothing. I love my uncle, cousins and their children because they are my family but I literally want to shake them and say" HOW DARE YOU...How dare you turn this magical place into pile of filth!"

I love my grandparents and I tired to make the most of our visit. We sat on the lawn under a tree and visited. The girls danced while Ben played the Piano and sang which my grandpa loved. My grandparents smiled as they visited with us and I knew for a few moments they were happy. I can only imagine that they are heartbroken too as they watch what they spent their lives building crumble around them. There is plenty of blame to go around but I am tired of the drama I just miss the home in my memories. I miss that magical place where I grew up.

Trip to Utah

From Washington the girls and I drove with my mom to Utah. But on the way we stopped at my sisters in Idaho. We spent the night and got to witness and awesome thunder and lightning storm.

The kids got to play with their cousins and cool off in the kiddie pools.

My sister and her kids loaded up in there car and headed to Utah with us. We stayed at our cousins house and the kids loved all the ride on toys.

We visited my grandparents. My girls loved the kittens.

We spent one day at the pool...it was fun to have our cousin Justice tag along.

My aunt invited us to a carnival where she was painting faces (and arms) it was to raise money for Make-a-Wish foundation. The kids loved using their tickets to win prizes and Emma got to ride a pony.

We came home with lots of stuffed animals the kids had won.

On Sunday we went to my aunt Wendy's for dinner...it was yummy. Then we headed over to Temple square to look around.

Here is a group shot of my girl, my sisters kids, and our cousin Justice. Ian looks thrilled to be in the middle ;)

Allison's Birthday

Allison turned six at the end of June. It was her year to have a family party but she lucked out and had several family parties while we were on vacation. First we celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa Thomas and my friend Katteri.

For her other celebration we had a dress up party with cousins. They did a treasure hunt and had a tea party.

I can't believe my little girl is 6...I am feeling a little old. :)

A Vacation Just For Me

My Aunt Emilee was kind enough to take me with her on vacation to Victoria, Canada. (Thanks Em) Early Friday morning we jumped in our lime green rental car and headed for Port Angeles to catch the ferry.

When we arrived we did some exploring before checking into our room at The Empress.

The hotel is historic and beautiful and it was fun to stay once. It is pricey and they charge you for parking which I will never understand why hotels do that, but I really enjoyed my stay.

We took a harbor tour on one of those cute little water taxi's, our driver was a funny old guy who made it very enjoyable.

We also toured Craigdarroch Castle. The stained glass was so pretty and the woodwork was fantastic...they just don't make buildings like that anymore.

Butchart gardens was so amazing! I have been at Christmastime before when nothing is blooming and it was still gorgeous with all the lights but to see it in summer was lovely.This beautiful sunken garden used to be a rock quarry. It is stunning and it was the vision of one woman Jennie Butchart. She looked at an exhausted limestone quarry and saw the potential for beauty. That is inspiring to me!

There were so many beautiful flowers. I loved the Iris and the giant poppies in all shades of orange, red, and pink.

The bottom middle picture is of a HUGE hedge. It was so massive, truly impressive.

We went whale watching while we were in Victoria and it was amazing...and very wet. I chose to sit on the top of the boat that wasn't covered while we headed out to open water and by the time I came back inside I was soaked.I wish I had a picture because I am sure it would have been awesome. I literally looked like dozens of buckets of water had been poured on me. But it was still exciting and fun. Seeing an Orca in the wild is pretty spectacular... I wish I had a super awesome camera that would have taken better pictures but I have my memories. We also got to see Seals and bald eagles.

We drove home along the coast and it made me miss Washington. It is so beautiful and peaceful and it was the perfect end to my vacation.

End of School...Start of Vacation!

Allison had a wonderful year in Kindergarten and she was sad to say goodbye for the summer. The principal of her school as well as the PE coach will not be returning next year and we will miss them terribly. Allison is glad Ms. Stevenson will still be her teacher next year in first grade.

School let out at 12:30 and we left on a plane at 4:30 the same afternoon.

Emma was tuckered out from a long day of traveling.

The next morning we woke up and went to my mom's kindergarten class. They were having their end of the year field day. This year her theme was explorers and my aunt made cute explorer bags for all the kids. My girls had fun after school exploring grandmas backyard.

They also enjoyed making aunt Emilee's hair fancy!

Exhibition

Allison school had their exhibition night last week. The children had the opportunity to show off all they have been learning. They rotated through the room taking turns presenting to the parents about their projects.

We absolutely adore Allison teacher and we are so excited to be looping with her next year in first grade. And then hopefully Emma will get her for the two years after that.

The kids made clocks out of paper plates in art class, it was fun to see all the different ideas kids have for the same project. Allison's class has been studying plants and insects this year learning all about life cycles and metamorphosis. I am amazed at how much the kids have learned they did actual research and lots of hands on learning.

The big bean stock was a big hit, the kids got to draw and water color the big leaves and bean pods. It has been a great year in Kindergarten and Allison is actually sad for summer vacation, she loves school.

What we have been doing lately...

The girls are both getting ready for their dance recital this weekend. And Allison got her hair cut last month.

The girls took swim lessons in May and they have been loving going swimming. Emma knows just enough to be dangerous...we will be taking more lessons later this summer.

She cracks me up in her goggles....silly girl!

Allison went on a field trip to the Strawberry patch and a butterfly vivarium. It was lots of fun but I got a bit sunburned. I always remember to sunscreen the kids but usually forget myself.

I cut my hair a couple weeks ago and I love it. I cut 8+ inches off...I should have taken a before picture but I forgot.

I have also been doing lots of random craft projects. Baby onesies for baby showers, embroidering just for fun, and a sunflower quilt for Allison's principal who is retiring this year. There is a sunflower wall painting at her school and we tried to mimic it in fabric.

Chula Vista Nature Center...and the zoo.

We got a Groupon to go to the Chula Vista Nature center so on memorial day we went to check itout. My favorite thing was the Sea Turtles.

We had fun checking out the walking trails, petting the bat rays, and looking at all the cool birds.

Allison loved how the puffer fish looked like he was smiling.

The Zoo.....

Can anyone guess what this animal is?

This is a Pangolin. It isn't really related to anything. It has a tongue like an ant eater and can hang by its tail like an opossum but it has protective armor like an armadillo. It can also swim and its scales are like fingernails. It was so cool to see such an unusual animal at one of our last zoo visits.
Allison drew a picture of the pangolin when we got home. Emma just loves the meerkats and we got to see the lions get fed...see him licking his lips....yummy!