Field Trip to the Fire Station

Camille had her first Preschool field trip - to the fire station.  Max was definitely more excited about the adventure and thus will be a fireman for Halloween this year. (When we got the costume, he put the hat on and didn't take it off for the rest of the evening.)  Each of the kids got to squirt the hose, which was the highlight of the day.

Fresno Fair Fascination

Call me crazy, but I love to go to the county fair.  And for the past 15 years, I've had a child at an age where she/he has been mesmerized by the livestock.  I wish I could get good pictures of the interaction with the huge cows or truly ugly pigs or baa'ing sheep but those darn gates get in the way.  I always have to load up on allergy meds just to take the kids through the livestock but it's worth every minute.  We then hit the gem display and buy our $1 grab bag of polished rocks.  My grandpa had a collection of polished rocks so this trip holds some sentimental feelings for me.  Being from a tiny rural town, we have to visit the agriculture display of fruits and vegetables produced in the San Joaquin Valley.  The bottom picture is in front of Kerman's display (look at all those ribbons posted on the wall).  Of course we indulge in unhealthy treats and buy overpriced trinkets - all part of the experience.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney came to Fresno for a fund raising event and we were fortunate to be able to attend. So here is Natalie and Allyson with possibly our next president.

Cheerleading

In 6th grade anyone who would like to be a cheerleader has the opportunity. It totally takes out all of the unpleasantries of the sports and makes it a fun experience for all involved. So this year Allyson is giving it a go and having a wonderful time.

Splash Time

This is the new routine. (and see the next post as to why this bath was so necessary)

What was I thinking?

I gave the kids ice cream cones as an after school snack. Max included. Except he does not want to sit in his high chair anymore. He wants to be big like his sisters. You should've seen the melted ice cream on my floor. And can you see the droplets on his legs? He was one STICKY BOY!

The joys of a boy

Everyone always asks me if I'm handling all the differences of having a boy. Well, I have to admit that there haven't been too many differences yet. At 19 months old, Max's favorite things to do are look at books and color. He will sit for hours watching Sesame Street. He rarely climbs or gets into things. He screams with delight and does so while pretending to shoot a gun (aka the garden hose or a stick). My sister tells me I have a mutant. Here he is sitting nicely on my bed sorting toys. What am I doing wrong?

LONG TIME NO BLOG

Hi! I just went crazy and posted our whole summer so don't stop here. Keep hitting the "older posts" until you see it all. I'll try to be better.

Gilroy Gardens

Yesterday we experienced the joys of Gilroy Gardens, a little amusement park nestled in the hillsides of Gilroy. The kids loved it, which made for a great day for this mom. Max was able to ride on many rides by himself so he thought he was hot stuff. Camille was a little dare devil and went on any ride for which she met the height requirement. There were even a couple of larger roller coasters so Allyson could get a thrill. We went with 2 other families and had a fantastic trip. We will definitely go there again. Anyone wanna come?

Cinderella

Allyson & Amanda participated in another play. This summer they performed in "Cinderella". Amanda played the part of a mouse and Allyson was one of the narrators. Darling show and such a fun experience for these girls. They practiced from 9-12 every morning of the week for 6 weeks then had 4 days of intense technical rehearsals and now are wrapping it up with a total of 9 performances. We'll be done on Saturday and be able to go on a little vacation.

Fun in a box

Why do we buy toys?

Milk

This bottle's too little...........

Just give me the jug instead.

HORSES!

I am extremely allergic to horses - but do not fear - I am married to an allergist. So after getting properly medicated, I took Max and Camille up to see my friend, Carrie Coit Hodgson. She is living her dream on a horse ranch and my kids were in heaven. Feeding the horses carrots was the highlight (except Max wanted to eat his carrot instead). What a fun day for all of us!

Folsom Zoo Fun

My friend, Carrie.

Daughter Camille

Little Jack (Ali's son)

Bri (Carrie's daughter)

My best friend from Elementary School lives about 3 hours away. (And her sister was my sister's best friend). So all of us sisters decided to get together for a day. Carrie arranged for a fantastic behind-the-scenes zoo tour at the Folsom Zoo. The zoo was closed and we got a private tour with the zookeeper! What an amazing experience. I think the adults were more thrilled than the kids were. We got to see the kitchen, the zookeeper's office, a bathtub for the bears, etc.

Little Boys are GROSS!

Daddy Daughter Day

Troy took Allyson & Natalie to Magic Mountain for a day. They had a blast riding all the roller coasters and just having that special time together.

A new cousin

Yes, we have a new cousin in the family. Seth Edward was born last week (4 weeks early). This is my sister Ashli's third child and he came out with RED HAIR. Out of the 13 grandkids, Allyson has been the only one with red hair so far. We're all thrilled about it (especially Allyson). Such fun awaits this little guy with this group of cousins living so close together. And how fun to have another little baby to hold.

Sprinkler fun

Grandma's pool had to get chemically zapped so Aunt Cyndi picked up a $5 sprinkler toy at Target. The kids were in heaven! They were so funny running about. Max thought he was one of the big kids and joined right in. My parents grass was a swamp by the end of the evening but with Fresno heat that was dried up within hours. Best $5 ever spent.

Piano recital

Another year completed for piano lessons - the one thing my kids don't have a choice about (and surprisingly they have not ONCE complained about taking piano lessons!). So here are the photos at the keys.

One Happy Kid

This little boy is happy and content the majority of the time. And if you interact with him, he can't help but smile - even while drinking his bottle. He's just started to experiment with climbing though he's a very cautious child so I don't have to worry too much about what he's getting into. However, he's very tall for his age so he can get into any drawer. I lost my mascara and found it in the hall closet a couple weeks later. I find all sorts of toys and such in the kitchen sink because he can reach high enough to drop things in. Hopefully we don't lose anything of too importance.

Amanda's Baptism

Last Saturday was a big day for Amanda. Being 8 years old, she was now old enough to be baptized. We filled the room with family and friends. The service was very spiritual and special. Amanda has always been an incredible child - intuitive, intelligent and motivated. She took this step seriously and paid attention to the covenants she was making. She internalized the importance of both her baptism and her receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. There aren't many times when you can check how you're doing as a parent but this was definitely one of those times and I must say that I am very proud of this child.

Time with Grandpa & Grandma

Troy's parents came out for a few days and we had such a nice visit with them. Living on opposite coasts from one another sure poses a challenge in being able to see each other. So we really have to make our time together count. The kids had a great time and you should've seen our incredible game of Pictionary. Thanks for flying out to California, Mom & Dad.