Memorial Day

Kindergarten Graduate!

Mckinsey graduated from Kindergarten yesterday.
















She was so cute as she marched up to the stage and received her diploma. She kept waving to us as the program went on, and she was in the front row singing her heart out and doing so with her little sister yelling at her, "HI McKINSEY!"

Reader of the Month

Kinsey has come a long, long way since the begining of the year. From struggling to almost to the top of her class. She has worked VERY hard practicing her spelling, reading her books, and working on her math. She is now the go to girl when other students are struggling with their math. We couldn't be prouder of the work that she has done and what she has accomplished this year!!!

"I am growing up"

Kinsey lost her first tooth. She was eating cereal and it came out in her breakfast. It had been wiggly for a long time and she just didn't understand why it hadn't come out yet. So when it finally came out she was so excited she just shrieked "I am growing up, I am growing up"!

Star of the Day!

Kinsey was Star of the Day. That generally just means that she gets extra special treatment, but she also got to take a toy to school. She wanted to take her FurReal puppy, but of course we couldn't find it that morning so she settled on one of her baby dolls. Either way she was happy, and we did find the puppy later that evening. (just how life goes)

Run for the Reef

They are building an aquarium in Fresno and as part of their fundraising and community awareness they sponsored a race.

Dad has been training for well over a year now and has started running in these 5k races.

But this race had a carnival for the families of all the participants.

So after Dad ran we played, and played, and played. We didn't go home till we all were a bit sunburned.

We Celebrated with Teppenyaki

After a particularly special day we took the whole family "crazy us" out to a Japanese steakhouse.

The kids thought the chef who cooked right in front of their eyes was awesome and I guess there is something about watching your veggies be cooked...

because I didn't have to fight with anyone to finish their veggies. We had a spectacular evening.

Spring Awards Assembly

Awards for the spring trimester... Never a shortage there. I tried to get a "serious" snapshot of the two of them after the awards, but they were feeling extemely corny. Brendan wanted to wear shorts on his head and Kinsers wouldn't look at me full on. We get what we get.

Kinsey

Kinsey is so funny.

"I am so pretty, can you take a picture of me?"

Girls Night

The girls had mani's and pedi's, then went out for a night on the town. (The princess and the frog and ice cream)

Easter

Due to a egg accident brought on by myself we were unable to dye easter eggs, instead the kids frosted egg cakes. Slightly less messy and much more tasty.

Who knew Easter bunnies were little blonde hoppers???

Cousins came in early from Oregon, so we had an early easter egg hunt.

Our Easter egg hunt on Easter was wonderful, but my pictures were all blurry. Children moving way to fast.

The Zoo!

"Oh it's the amingo's"

Crawling through the jaws of death.

Intent listeners at the Birds of Prey exhibit

Outside the ugly Anteaters

Sting Ray Bay

The kids were able to touch the Sting Rays and little baby Sharks

Our Spring Break plans were thwarted by a quick but violent bout of the flu that swept through the entire family, and of course we couldn't all get it on the same day, each day someone new got to take their turn hugging the toilet. Never the less, Spring Break was more than half over before everyone was feeling better. So we traded our bigger plans for a few small ones. The zoo being the biggest hit.

The Yummy Mess that is Divinity

When I was little almost every Sunday my dad would make Divinity. Sugar, more sugar, and whipped egg whites. If I do it right it is a sumptuous light airy melt in your mouth that is for lack of a better word divine. Needless to say I didn't boil the syrup long enough and it didn't turn out. It was an oooey gooey tasty treat. So before I dump my failure down the sink I gave the kids each a spoon and let them go at it. MMmmm...

Ballerinas

My pretty ballerinas. I bought the girls dance outfits mostly just for me. Allison had been pretending to be a ballerina since we watched "The Nutcracker" during Christmas so I wanted to get some for her and I thought I would get some for all of them just because. But I would have never guessed how beautiful a ballerina outfit would make a girl feel. They were such a huge hit I think I am going to pick up a few more outfits. I bought them maybe a week ago and every day after school after everything else is finished they don't ask to play the x-box or watch tv, they ask to put on their ballerina outfits and they flit around the house and feel lovely. A few dollars is not to much for my girls to feel beautiful.

He Came!!

I guess they all went to sleep, because in the morning their stockings were full.

There were presents around the tree that had been bare the night before a couple of scooters, a little bike, remote control cars, barbies, necklaces, earrings, Lego's, and an art easel for out little artist.

Of course, Santa left pretty Christmas dresses for my princesses. (the boys got dress pants and sweaters)

I didn't take any actual "Christmas Morning" pictures because excited little people were trying to get me up at 4 AM and when I finally pulled myself out of bed I was one grouchy mom. It was all I could do to plaster a tired smile on my face as they showed me each treasure.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we went to Nana and Grandpa's for our annual Bethlehem supper. We sit cross legged on the floor and our meal consists of fish, olives, grapes, flat bread, dates, raisins, cucumbers, hummus, and honey. All eaten with our fingers. The idea is to try and pull away from Santa and focus on Christ to get the kids to think about what life might have been like in Christ's time.

The kids dressed in robes or had a scarf tied around their head. It is always a really successful evening despite the "weird" food and the nontraditional accommodations.

Kinsey was an angel in the Nativity that the grand kids put on.

When we got home the kids got to open their one gift that we open on Christmas Eve... their Christmas pajamas. We then read our last Christmas story of the year while drinking hot coccoa with marshmallows, made sure that cookies were set out for Santa and then we went to sleep probably quicker than we ever go to sleep. Because of course, Santa doesn't come while babies are still awake.