End of School, Memorial Day and Micah is 3!!!

 No more lunches to make for a while!

I'm thinking of the positives. In reality, summer is hard for me. No breaks and over time work.

I do; however, look forward to long warm days at the Carmel Valley Pool and getting to take extra long runs in the mornings.

To celebrate the end of school, one of the things Gavin's class did was a square dance/ice cream party.

 For Memorial Day we went to the Monterey Cemetary by Dennis-the-Menace Park to visit my Grandparents grave and take flowers and see the breaktaking display of flags.  It was beautiful.  We talked about our gratitude for our freedom and also about the role Grampa Neufeld played in World War 2. We met up with the Snyder family and talked about how Grampa's life was miraculously spared. Apparently he needed to be on Earth a bit longer. I LOVED seeing all the huge flags lining the driveways and the small ones at each military gravesight. I want my children to know why we have a holiday for Memorials Day and that its not just a day to play only.

 Here we are with my sister's family. I wonder if my grandparents knew we were there. I miss them. I bet they did.

 Today is also Micah's 3rd birthday! He has been waiting for this day for months and months.

Unfortunately he had a cold but he still had a great day.

Jump-N-Around was his choice and he wanted his cousins to be there.

 Then we came back to our house for some cake and ice cream and presents.

He was surprised this morning with a tricycle. Then this afternoon he got some kitchen/food items, cool light up cars, a xylphone, a water toy that hooks up to the hose, dinosaur magnet toys, a car carrier that hold little airplanes and a puppy to take for a walk.  So fun.

 His cousin, Maila, shares his birthday! She turned 9 today! She helped him blow out the candles.

Love this little guy and so glad that he's in our family. Three years have gone by way too fast.

Albert's Hurt

Albert hurt his knee...badly.  It's been 3 weeks I think now.

He was playing soccer, playing on a team in a league game and was running for the ball. He was kicked full force behind his knee and he went down hard. I saw him laying on the gound moaning in pain and I knew it was bad. Poor little Gavin was saying, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy..." He had to be carried off the field and when we made it to the emergency room he was seen quickly, as his pain was intense. After an MRI we found out that his ACL and MCL and Meniscus (spelling?) were all torn as well as a bone fracture.  He was stuck on the couch for a week (thinking he needed a little bell!) and then slowly began recovering.  He could drive after a little over a week (because it's his left knee) and now is doing physical therapy. Surgery looks inevitable but we will see. Our insurance will only pay for a teeny tiny portion of it. He is exercising so well to keep his body strong and improve the movement and healing.  I'm so proud of him for that.

Easter Sunday (I know, it's about time...)

Easter morning started with a visit from the Easter Bunny

I wish I would have gotten a picure of everyone in their Easter dress clothes but that didn't happen.

Then after church, a hunt for chocolate Easter bunnies that Grampa Jim left. I have fond memories of finding our chocolate Easter bunnies and wanted to do that with my kids.

Gavin found his!

Then we went across the street to play some wiffle ball, one of our favorite family activities.

Go Linnea!

Favorite Things

My son was worried about the thunderstorms that were in our forecast and played out last night. (He ended up sleeping through them anyway but I didn't.) I sang him the song from The Sound of Music, "Favorite Things". I need to make my kids watch that movie. I feel like they won't grow up to be well-rounded, well-adjusted adults without it. I know its silly but one of these Sundays we are just going to watch it. "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...." Anyhow, singing that song has made me start thinking about my favorite things. So this week what I've thought of is:

I loved the movie. I wanted to re-read the books since it had been quite a while since I read them. So good. I love a good book. One of my favorite things is curling up with a good book at the end of a long day.

My favorite breakfast that I eat almost every day. So nutritious and yummy enough I'm tempted to think of it as dessert... muesli.

I love the rain and we've gotten quite a bit this week. Chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. Love them. too much.I like my new J Crew bracelet that I bought because it reminds me of my children's love of finding frogs.

We have been playing lots of wiffle ball and I love it. It brings back memories of my childhood and playing with my older brother. I love that we have such a great place to play right across the street. So fun.

Goodbye Carmel House

My Grampa has been passed away now for 6 months or so and his house was put up for sale. It's bittersweet I guess. It was put on the market and their was a full price offer the very next day. In this market that is amazing. And its selling will benefit all the beneficiaries such as the Hopi Indian children's school (my Grama always had a soft spot in her heart for Indian children and I grew up visiting this Hopi Indian reservation taking them books and computers and such), the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and others. However, I will miss this house fiercely. This was my favorite vacation spot as a child. I loved climbing in those beautiful oak trees and playing in the tree house my cousins built which has now been taken down. I loved swinging from the tree swing. I loved smelling the Eucalyptus trees and feeling that wonderful feeling of being somewhere where I was loved so very much. I loved all the holidays spent there and summers and time with my grandparents. I love them so much and miss them and I guess their house is just a symbol of them and the time I spent with them. I hope the buyer won't tear it down. I hope they will love that house that my Grama and Grampa built so many years ago.

Gavin's Baptism!

Gavin was baptized on Saturday! He has been waiting for what seems like a LONG time to him.

He was so excited.

He was baptized by his Dad.

Gavin chose the songs: Scripture Power, Army of Helaman and Praise to the Man. He loves those "get-up-and-go" type songs.

Morgan said the opening prayer and Tera said the closing prayer.

Linnea and I played a duet on violin and flute of Teach Me to Walk.

Grama Shirley gave a talk on Baptism and Jacen gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.

Chris and Jacen were witnesses of the Baptism.

Gavin said, "The water was cold but I still felt warm inside."

Gavin said, "I feel so clean!"

For those not of our faith, we choose to baptize at age eight rather than infants so that the child has an opportunity to learn about what they are commiting to and can make the decision. We believe that eight years old is the age that one becomes accountable to God.

Gavin was so happy to recieve his new beautiful black set of sciptures with his name printed on them.

Garet and Thor are Chris' two Autistic children. They are so much fun and love stuffed animals SO much! They found all they could in the house and took them down to the small landing in the stair case and played with them for the longest time. The bounce house was set up downstairs because it was raining outside so the other children were walking up and down past the "zoo" on the stairs.

The kids went across the street in the rain to look for frogs and found several and put them in a wooden box. They brought it home and set it on the counter. Thor came along and opened the box and let the frogs out. We found all but one under couches and behind furniture. Then a while later Chris, with a mouthful of broccoli reached down to pick up another piece and almost picked up a frog. He didn't eat any more broccoli. (: Can you find it?