HPTB summer picnic 2009

Daniel had to take the kids down the BIG slide and they LOVED it! I am grateful we have such a FUN dad.


The highlight of the day was body painting.



The food was great, as you can see, it is all over their faces.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

The Fleet science center has a lot of good memories for me. My parents would take my sisters and I there when we were kids. It still is a great place to take the kids. We went to watch an IMAX movie about California. This IMAX theater is different than most IMAX films because it is shown on the inside of a dome so you feel completely surrounded by the movie.

After the movie we played by this fountain and let the kids run around.

Happy Birthday Kira!

Kira's birthday was full of fun. We spent the morning at the beach.


It was fun for even those who did not go in the water.

And those who did get wet had fun, fun, fun.

After the beach everyone was so tired. Sam and Barbie played a game and Chloë for once took a nap on my lap!



That night Olivia, Kira, Barbie, Mike, Leslie and Jim went to Sea World to see the Shamu Rock show. I hope Mom will email me a picture.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa Mike. Our Dad had to stay in Mountain View, we miss him!!

Here is Kira seasoning the meat!

Sam helped make the mushrooms.

Here is our famous from with beautiful yellow sunflowers.

Below is Grandma Mimi with her great grand-daughter, Madeline.

love-love

It is tennis time in Phoenix. It was REALLY hot, but we had a great time. Kira, Olivia, and Sam thought it was just as fun to pick up the balls as it was to hit them.

Sam was pretty good. He had a LONG attention span. He would just stand there and hit ball after ball after ball.



Olivia also had a good time. She got much better as the hour went on.

the morning with Kate

One of my closest friends from high school, Kate, lives in Mesa. I called her to see if she and her kids wanted to come swim during the morning. It was fun to see her. She has 2 boys and a little girl. They are great kids. I hope we can have them over again. I would like to talk with her more.

Chloë had fun pushing Paige in the swing. I hear Paige can be a real terror. I bet she and Choë would get along just great!!!!

Here are Kate's boys and Sam and Chloë eating their popcicles.

Madeline was over also. She was very popular!

Phoenix Zoo

Here we are back in Phoenix and off to the Zoo. We did go on a train ride around the park to see the animals, but only after spending some time at the water park.

There was a small fountain that Chloë was getting close to, but a little afraid of!

This was a great water play area. It was a big mountain with water running all over and through it. Inside there were some "caves" and sides.

Sam found a peacoak he had to follow around.

Chloë liked sitting next to Poppy for the train ride.

Just before we left we went on a carousel ride. Chloë thought she liked it, until the ride really got going. She finally relaxed and enjoyed watching Leslie on the bench off the ride.

Historic Monument #1

My dad drove the kids and I to Phoenix so Daniel could keep working. I told my dad I thought it would be nice to stop by some monuments off the freeway. We always pass them, but never stop to appreciate whatever they may be. So of course he stopped at the first one we passed. It was for the San Luis Reservior off the 152 Highway.

We learned about this reservior that was constructed to collect all the water from the delta in the area.
We learned that it takes 698 1/2 gallons of water to make 1 hamburger. (At least that is what the vegetarians would have you believe. They are in league with the environmentalists to reduce infrastructure projects like building dams, reservoirs, and power plants, so that they can artificially create a water and energy crisis in order for government to step in to "control" consumption, thus forcing you to live their lifestyle.)

Jack and Rosie

We have two new members of our family.

Jack and Rosie. Jack is the fat black fish and Rosie is the white fish with a red head. Very cute.

SCHOOL IS OVER

Well, school is really over. The kindergarten class had a singing program for the parents. It was fun to watch.

On the left is Olivia's self portrait at the beginning of the year. On the right is her self portrait from the end of the year. You can see the difference. She has really progressed.

Joy School Graduation

Joy School graduation was a big hit with everyone in the family. We made a family flag, which Sam designed. He wanted a satellite. So I tried to think of qualities our family wants to have that a satellite has. That took some stretching to make a connection!! So here it is: our family- communicates between each other, is always learning, is actively moving and is happy (get it-not a sad light=sat lite)

Below is a better picture of our flag, but little. These are all the Joy school kids.

Sam is so CUTE!

Olivia's last day of gymnastics

Birds

This morning was very exciting at our house. A bird flew in the front door. Of course I screamed and Dory said, "What is the matter?" When I told her, she walked over to the little bird and picked it out of the horizontal blinds and gave the bird to Sam. You can see by the look on his face, he was very pleased to be holding this little bird. His eye is droopy but his smile says how excited he feels.

Chloë was also excited. She kept saying "Look Bird."

I was a little afraid that Sam was going to hurt the bird, but Dory said in the Phillipines on Sundays the kids would go buy these little birds called Mayas and play with them.

Guess who??

Maybe it is Daniel's bottom half of Lula's face

and the top half of my face

Field Day 2009

Today Olivia's class participated in Bubb's Field day. There were many fun events.

Such as bowling, hula hop races, gunny sack races and more!

This is Olivia's team getting ready for the hula hoop race.

Here is Cate and Olivia getting ready for the 3 leg run.

artificial marshmallow

Until this afternoon I have never had a Hostess SnowBall.

I am here to tell you, if you have never had a Snowball,
GO GET ONE!
I just loved it, but I also love the marshmallow chocolate pinwheels.
It must be the artificial marshmallow!!