Ollalaberries!

We had like a week straight of 110 degree weather. We almost died. We decided to take a break from it and drop in on my sister who graciously accommodated our whole family of six plus one big dog at her house. One of the days we drove over to Gizditch Ranch in Watsonville to pick ollalaberries. They are so good! We sampled a few. This picture was taken towards the beginning of our picking. By the end, most of the kids had purple faces and shirts! (: That day we drove back home to Clovis and upon arriving pretty late at night, I immediately froze enough for future pies and then made most into jam. If I had waited until the next day they would have gone bad. They were ripe and sweet! I LOVE ollalaberry jam. It's like a dessert to me on toast. After giving some away, I am savoring the rest and trying to make it last.

Happy Birthday Linnea!

Happy 13th Birthday to my sweet daughter, Linnea!

She woke up and went out with her Grama Shirley and Grampa Jim shopping and seeing some sites in Fresno. Then she spent the afternoon with a friend that came all the way from Pacific Grove to see her. Then peanut butter cake and ice cream with Grandparents and Chris and his family and lots of Just Dance. A fun day!

We love Linnea so much and are so glad she is in our family!

Swimming With the Dog!

 I am SO very sad that I didn't wait out for a house with a pool. I love our house but NEED a pool. Thank goodness we are making friends with pools. I also think we will add a pool but for now we got a kiddie pool to keep the kids happy. Our newfie just  had to get in too. Newfoundlands are water dogs. They were originally bred to rescue people in the water and were kept as ship dogs on boats. Its in their genes. (I have also found him just sitting in a just-used shower.)

Linnea's Girls Camp (comments by Linnea)

 This is when my cabin went to rappel. There was a shorter, easier one, and a slightly taller one with a crack we had to jump over to make it harder. I went on the slightly harder one.

 This was the view of the place we rappelled from. 

 My cousin Morgan was really scared and is took a lot of encouraging from the whole cabin to get her to participate, but she did it and found out it wasn't that bad :)

 Here are three girls from my cabin (left to right): Claire, a Junior Counselor, Lexi, and Lauren.

 We hiked to this creek, 5 miles total. (2 1/2 there and back). After hiking in the hot sun if felt so good to put our feet the cool water.

 This is my whole cabin to a waterfall we walked to. I am on the bottom row, second from the left.

Happy 4th Birthday Micah!

 Micah's birthday is at a hard time at the end of May when school is getting out and graduations are happening and end of the school-year activities are in abundance. This year was even more difficult because his birthday was three days before moving. We celebrated a day early on Memorial Day and he was happy with the little party I was able to throw together. His favorite people were there: his cousins and brothers and sister. We ate chocolate cupcakes and hit open a pinata and played party games.

Yay! Micah is 4!!

Oh Henry!

 Micah and I took Henry on a walk tonight and we took these pictures.

He is such a sweet dog! I love Newfoundlands. They are smart, obedient, calm and sweet. Of course, they also grow huge and are expensive. I think its worth it.

May Happenings (thus far)

 This is Henry. He is now a 16 week old Newfoundland puppy. Isn't he cute?! He will someday be 180 pounds! Now he is 40 pounds.

 

 Pinewood derby was the beginning of May. Albert helped Gavin with making his car and it looked really sharp. It won a couple of races (better than last year when his didn't win any). Gavin was excited to be with his friends and eager to watch his car race. His cousin won 2nd place! Go Dallin!

below: Micah watching the racing festivities. You can't really see it but he wore his Curious George racing a car shirt just for this. (:

  

When Micah climbs into bed with us, this is how he sleeps. (: We have a Cal King size bed but if he is sleeping sideways and kicking, its still not big enough! He often brings stuffed animal friends with him too. This occasion it was just one squirrel. Once recently he brought about 15 animals. Needless to say, they all ended up "jumping" out of bed onto the floor.

 Linnea's Advanced Orchestra traveled to the Bay Area to compete in a music competition. Her orchestra won first place! They played very difficult pieces very well! Afterward they all went to Great America. Linnea is the third from the right (with the headband).

 Today is crazy hair day and Gavin looks a bit like Jack Frost. He's a cutie!

I WISH I had a picture of Jacen but I have to brag about him anyway. He had his Eagle Scout Board of Review last week and passed! He is an Eagle Scout!! SO much time and effort went into this and he is such a better person for doing it! I'm so proud of him. Especially at the end, he really initiated finishing up. We won't be able to have the Court of Honor before moving but we will come back and have one here later on in the summer so I will have pictures to post then.

We are moving next Friday and escrow still hasn't closed so we are on pins and needles! Lets hope we aren't homeless. I am busy packing up our house and also really busy with the end of the year activities of the kids. Wish us luck!

April Go-ings On

 We have had several beautiful weather days for the beach. I have wanted to take advantage of them because we will be moving in another month away from the ocean. That part of the move is oh-so-sad.

 Linnea had a field trip for school. They went to San Francisco to the Academy of Science and the De Young Museum. She had a great time. Below, the picture was a huge room simulating a rainforest. 

 Below, a butterfly landed on a parent's head in the rainforest room. Linnea said that they were checked for butterflies before leaving.

 Below is an odd-looking creature...

 Below, the picture is taken from the roof of the observatory of the De Young Museum. Linnea said they had quite a view of San Francisco.

We have also been busy with tons of baseball games (Gavin) and finally got the paperwork in finishing up Jacen's Eagle Scout Project (Yay!) I will post baseball pictures later and hopefully soon a Court of Honor for Jacen's Eagle. We hope to be able to have that expedited and have the court of honor before we move but its not likely. We will probably need to come back for it. That's okay, we'll wait until the worst of the summer and then welcome a break from the heat when we come back. I have been busy sorting through closets and cupboards, taking tons of trips to Goodwill, and even have packed like 15 boxes. Our move date is May 31st/June 1st. Escrow should be ending in the next week to two. Busy, busy!

February and March

 I'm playing a bit of catch up. Here are Gavin and Micah on Valentines day decorating cookies. They love this! It makes me a bit nervous.

 Below, Jacen's birthday dinner on his birthday.

 Sushi

 And I actually made steak. He said it even tasted good.

 Angel food cake with strawberries and cream for dessert. Jacen, look happy! (:

 Gavin's cub scouts had a blue and gold dinner in which each boy was to submit a cake. Dallin and Gavin made one together. Their is a button on the tent that lights up the inside of the tent.

 All of the sudden my very neat eater has gotten messy on me. ): I think he is just enjoying playing with his food too much.

 Then Gavin had a birthday and turned 9! Here he is with his bow and arrows. Too fun.

 Happy Birthday to my sweet boy! Jacen was slightly more lively then he looks. (:

 I didn't have time to make sugar cookies for St. Patricks day to decorate so I reluctantly bought some from Whole Foods. They didn't taste anywhere near as good but the kids were still happy.

 Gavin with his sugary creation (and wearing his baseball shirt! -it's started!)

 Funny Micah. (:

 We went out to Sapporo's with Tera's family to celebrate both Jacen and Gavin's birthdays together. Here Carter is catching a piece of meat in his mouth.

 Then we threw together a little kid party for Gavin as well with a few friends from school. We played balloon games and had a pinata.

 I expected some wildness. It didn't disappoint. SO much energy!

Our nice and calm water balloon toss quickly turned into complete craziness!

 Plenty of sugar here. Yikes.

 I had to include this uncharacteristic picture of Micah. He is cute.