San Diego

I love summer, and I totally loving this summer break so far (ask me in 6 weeks if I still feel the same).  I could do expansive blogs about the daily activities we do and have done.  There is always room for fun, and so much to do!  There's never a dull moment, and if there is, it can easily be filled with a chore!  :-) I love being able to go to the beach whenever we want, go swimming nearly every day and at a different place each time.  I love the chance my kids have to just play together, to build on their friendship and nurture their relationship.  I love how they (and we) can play all day together and don't have the total need to have a friend over.  I love how we do have friends over often, and often they stay for dinner or sleep over.  I love not being booked with summer camps so we can go to a movie if the mood strikes (we saw "Kit" today - it was sooo good!), or accept another swimming invitation.  I love how I can stay home and enjoy all of this without having to send my kids off to summer camp.  This is my vacation, too!

I love taking these mini-vacations, especially when they are at such wonderful locations and luxurious hotels!  We stayed at the Hyatt Grand Manchester right at SeaPort Village.  

This is during breakfast on Thursday morning.  John had a conference call, so he had to step out into his 'office'.  I just had to snap a photo of this - it's a classic shot of modern business!   This is his work day . . . gotta love the flip flops!

The kids loved all the beautiful boats and yachts.  I loved going for a run both mornings along the harbor. 

There were many street vendors.  This guy was great!  He posed as a statue and would start entertaining if you put money in his bucket.  Freaked the kids out when he first moved!  It was hilarious!  Madison was the only one brave enough to play along. 

The pools were gorgeous and overlooked the harbor

Brooke tried to be brave and feed the birds.  

Madison loved all the beautiful birds

I took the kids on one of those cheezy SEAL tours where it goes on land, then drives into the water and turns into a boat.  It was actually fun and quite informative!  Did you know that San Diego has the largest number of military bases in the world?  Should we be afraid to be there?

Another street vendor at SeaPort Village.  I had the kids' portrait done.  

It turned out really cute, but Christian says he looks like a girl.

We ended our Anniversary (sans the groom) with a Cinderella style horse drawn carriage ride and fireworks off the USS MIDWAY, while sipping hot chocolate.

We got back to our hotel room after 10pm, just minutes before John got back, too.

It was a fun mini vacation . . . now home to throw my niece Renee a bridal shower, then go camping at Carpinteria next week!  Yay!!

I love summer!

Our Family's 15th Birthday!-

John had some business in San Diego so we decided to tag along. 

We left at 6:00 Wednesday morning and went straight to Sea World!

The weather was perfect and the kids were all excited to go again.  We were grateful that John was able to accompany us and considered it our anniversary celebration since our anniversary is the next day.  We do like to celebrate each year with the whole family since it is the birth of our family!

Christian got tired toward the end of the day.  It's hard going all day when you've been up since the crack of dawn!

The Atlantis  -  get ready to get wet!  I stayed out with Ashlyn and John took the kids.  Christian was so excited to go on his first big roller coaster (if it can be considered one). 

What's Sea World without the Shamu Show?

I should have taken the Atlantis turn . . . instead my turn was on Shipwreck Rapids . . . and man was it wet!  I was soaked to the bone and highly uncomfortable.  Of course by the time we did that ride it was later in the afternoon and starting to get chilly -- or just chilly if you're soaked! 

Madison and Christian

I just have to write about this.  

Madison and Christian have always seemed to have a special relationship.  She naturally gravitates towards helping him, enjoys being with him, and are all-around buddies. 

During "Camp Merrill" week, I asked her to brush his hair and teeth so we could leave for one of our activities.  She willingly did it (she likes helping him!) and I overheard our little friend Izzy comment how she feels so bad for Madison because she has to do so much.  

I thought about that a lot and wondered if I do have her do too much.  I personally think kids are spoiled now-a-days and don't have to do half the stuff I had to do growing up.  I told Madison about Izzy's comment and Maddy was blown away that anyone would think helping her little brother was a burden!  I am so grateful for the relationship they share.

This is the picture that started this post.  During our little 'summer school time' (while Ashlyn is napping), the kids were using the white board to do math problems and spelling, etc.  I went in the other room to help Brooke with her piano practice while Madison played school with Christian.  I came back to find this:

Dear Christian,

Thank you for being a wonderful brother.  I love you so much.  You are the best brother in the world!  You are so nice.  You are so so so so so loving!

Love, Maddy

Precious!

Precious!

Precious!

Unto All Nations

Youth Conference '08!!

Look at this great bunch of kids!

I chaperoned, along with another lady and two men,

this wonderful group of guys and girls. 

We were assigned to a "country" and ours was Russia.

We are the Russian Family.

Thursday night we got our assignments (my niece Domonique is in my group) and $25 cash to spend any way we liked on food that represents our country.

All of us went to Albertsons and picked ingredients to make potato pancakes and Neopolitans, then headed to our host home (below) to get cooking!  They did great!  While we were finishing up, the kids jumped in the pool and then at 9:30 p.m. we headed over to Victory Gymnastics (where my kids take gymnastics and the Stake YM Pres owns it).  There was a ton of food, a bazillion boxes of pizza and hours of gymnastics crazy fun.

After gymnastics, 12:30 a.m. is way too early in the night to go home, so we went to a 'party house' and the kids swam, ate, and hung out until 3:00 a.m. with other countries.  We then headed to our "girl" host home and tried to get a little sleep which for me was cumulatively only 45 minutes!  ughhh!

Friday we had workshops at the church at 9:00 a.m. then headed to a park for water fighting fun.  It was such a hot day that nobody had any problem with getting soaked. 

Then . . . off to Dodger Stadium!!

Here is a picture of my girls (minus one) watching The Sound of Music on the way to L.A. 

why does this keep underlining??

Our fun group of girls on the way into the Stadium with my co-chaperone Jenelle Smith.  I'm missing Emily because she went in the boy's car so we could all fit in my car (save gas and parking fees!)

The heat never did wear off.  It was in the 90's at 10pm.  Crazy!!  We all left the game early to head over to the dance.  They danced the night away until 1:00 a.m. and of course that was too early to go home (even though we're deliriously exhausted), so we went over to the Gates' house for more swimming fun.  Another three-o'clocker! 

Luckily Saturday morning didn't have to start until 10:00 a.m.

We had an awesome devotional about service and kicked off our service project which was helping an orphanage in Malawi.  A member of the Stake YM Presidency is from there and his mother has opened 7 orphanages/schools and is in desperate need of help.  There are 1 million orphans within a population of 12 million people.  So tragic!

I had to get this picture of my nephew Shaun using a sewing machine! 

Here's my cute Russian daughter Emily cutting fleece blankets

Here are two more people in my Russian family:  Domonique and Thomas Lang (Jake's son). 

I made them squish together for the photo . . . they really weren't cuddling up. 

It was an awesome service project.  Veta Chipembere's mom is going to video the children receiving all the stuff and we'll have a fireside to show the youth how well it was received.  They are going to be blown away!  

After the service project was an awesome, traditional, 3-hour testimony meeting.  Always full of emotion and wonderful to see that side of these crazy teenagers!  

I got home at 7pm and was so happy to see my little kiddies, and even happier to get some sleep.  Completely exhausting.  Completely fun.  Completely worth it. 

Camp Merrill Wrap Up

Wednesday:  We had piano lessons in the morning.  My neighbor asked if I could watch her little girl, too.  Because of Ashlyn's eye still being swollen shut, and Madison and Christian came down with bizarre bumps all over, we went to the pediatrician's office yet again.  This time with 6 kids in tow.  The doctor couldn't figure out the problems, may be weird bug bites, something from the pool or beach, but doesn't make sense!   

After lunch, we painted mugs and cups (darn! no picture of the artists at work!).  

Then in the evening, we went to get the car washed (I need it clean for youth conference tomorrow), had dinner at Panera, and stopped at the water play area and let the kids play until it got late.  The only thing I like about this heat wave is the ability to play outside at night without getting cold.   Man!  Is it hot!  

Watch Out Ashlyn . . . It might get you!  and it did!

They had a blast and could have stayed there for hours.

Thursday: My last day with Izzy. We went swimming at our friend's house and the kids had a blast. I even got in and went down the slide a few times. It was too hot not to swim. It was my first time swimming without contacts! NICE! It was so great to not have eye issues every single time my face got wet. 

 

After a fun lunch at a little local joint, it was hurry home so I could pack for youth conference!  I am chaperoning . . . so much fun!  John got home from Austin about an hour before I had to leave for the weekend.   Now it's his turn to take over with Camp Merrill!

Camp Merrill - Tuesday

What would camp be without crafts?

We made yarn dolls and pom-poms. 

How weird is this?  Ashlyn awoke this morning with her eye nearly swollen shut!

What now?  We were just at the pediatrician yesterday!

Since it's horse week, we went horseback riding

at our local ranch.  

Izzy had never been on a horse before and was too nervous to go out in the hills with Madison and Brooke, so she stayed with me and took turns with Ashlyn and Christian.

Madison and Brooke take off for their adventure!

Ashlyn couldn't get enough.  "My turn ride horse"

After a warm, dusty ride, what could be better than a cool dip in a pool?

After a quick lunch at home, we stopped at Izzy's house to swim a bit.

Ashlyn couldn't get enough and jumped into the deep end before anybody else.  No fear this one has! 

Then home to nap Ashlyn, play some more games, and make jam out of all the berries we picked. 

Another fun day at Camp Merrill

Camp Merrill - Monday

Welcome to Camp Merrill!

I have our little friend Izzy here all week to join in the fun at Camp Merrill.

Many things are planned and in store for our first week of summer.

For starters, 

Monday is housework and laundry day.  WooHoo!

I need my Izzy Busy here every week!  She's a little worker bee.  

Those kids scrubbed walls and baseboards and stair rails and cupboards

until their little arms ached.

And she always asked, "What else can I clean now?"

After that, we had an appointment at the pediatrician for 

Brooke because she was up in the middle of the night with an earache. 

So, off to the doctor with 5 kiddies in tow (the office must have loved that)

Brooke had a bulging ear infection, 

and Ashlyn (doc, can you check her too? She's been sooo fussy!)

Sure enough:  double ear infection.

Then on to the pharmacy

and on to 

In -N- Out Burger for a quick drive-thru lunch.

Than nap time for our little destructo and time for the bigger kids to play games like Clue

THEN - off to the library to pick up books for our weekly theme:  horses! 

and then . . . 

over to our friend's house to pick buckets of blackberries. Yum!

I wish I had a picture of all the littles in their gloves and the bounty.

There are certain moments that come to make it possible to make it on to the next day.

This is one of them. 

It is very rare for Ashlyn to be still for any length of time

and to not be getting into something

and to find her snuggled up to her big brother 

and him spontaneously and lovingly stroking her hair and back.

Precious

Precious

Precious

Father's Day

Sleeping in  . . . 

until . . . 

 6:30 a.m.(what??!!!!)

Well, we tried.  Some little ones in our house had other ideas.  

So much for breakfast in bed.

It's too hard to eat with some littles jumping around anyway, right?

John did have a nice day and we had our families over for a

BBQ (of course) dinner.

Adam (my BIL) played the guitar while Madison played the piano and Brooke danced.

Now THAT'S entertainment!

Dads (and dad-to-be someday) and Kids!

Happy Father's Day!

SUMMER!!! and a Father's Day Preview

For our family

SUMMER 

HAS

BEGUN!

Today is the LAST DAY of SCHOOL!!

The kids got out early

Madison went straight to a swim party

Brooke brought a friend over

Tonight we might go to the movies

and 

tomorrow

we 

go 

to 

the

BEACH!!!

add on since Lisa requested a picture: 

FATHER'S DAY

arrived early at our house.  

We have been needing a new grill

and John had his eye on one

so I surprised him . . . 

When he got home from work, it was

completely set up and hooked to the gas line

and 

ready 

to 

go! 

We had amazing grilled mahi mahi

for dinner tonight!

We didn't make it to the movie tonight.  Instead, in full summer tradition, the kids are still outside playing

and our neighbor friend Hannah (my 5th child) will be sleeping over.

Swimming Lessons

For the past month, we have been going to swimming lessons nearly every day. 

Christian has been somewhat afraid of the water and had no desire to attempt swimming at all. 

He was totally content sitting on the step playing, or floating around with water wings.  He was pretty easy to watch since he never tried anything dare-devilish, unlike Ashlyn, who will RUN and JUMP into the deep-end.

At the beginning of Christian's lessons, he didn't even want to put his face in the water. 

He had to learn the very basics, even of blowing bubbles. 

By the the end of the two-week session, he was totally swimming.

Now he can use his arms and even jump off the diving board. 

He loves swimming and now wants to be in the water all the time. 

Ashlyn uses any opportunity she can get to be in the water.  She has no fear.  It is really scary and I can't take my eyes off her for a second!  In that regard, I'm glad we don't have a pool. 

She cracks me up how she wanted to wear Brooke's goggles.

"Oh how I wish it could be ME in that water!  I have to wait and watch every day.  Life is so unfair."

Christian in his little swim class at Erin Chapple's.  She is an amazing teacher! 

Here is a short video of him "getting it".  It's so cute and fun to see the progression in such a short period of time.  It cracks me up how his teacher still wants to call him "John" (she has known John forever). 

Now we are at swim lessons for 90 minutes every day for this 2-week session since they have back-to-back lessons.  Ashlyn loves it on the days she gets to swim in the spa while the lessons are going on in the big pool.   Madison is doing great polishing up her skills.  She's ready for the swim team!  Brooke is learning to dive, and many of the necessary strokes.