Random happenings and pics!

Hey guess what?   The grass is green, the sky is blue and it is a beautiful day.  I'm taking a brief break from all chores and updating the blog. (I'm trying to be better)  Emma and James are playing outside and enjoying digging up the grass...  So much has happened this past few weeks, I'm just going to throw out a few things for your enjoyment.

We enjoyed a nice visit with the Aldrich Grandparents.  They came for a week.  The weather was rainy at the beginning but cleared up by the end of their visit.  We were able to go to the zoo as a family and enjoyed seeing all the animals.  Emma really like the gibbons (sp?) Monkeys.  They were hooting and putting on quite a show.  I had to carry her away from that exhibit.  She kept going back to it.

Kathleen and Annie

We stopped and had a picnic lunch at the zoo.  Emma zoomed in on the cookie bag...

Well you know the rest of the story!  She shares nicely though..

David

 

Emma and Grandad Aldrich

Grandma and Grandad Aldrich , I love this picture of them!

 After the zoo, we drove home and stopped at the Pali Lookout..  It was super windy and chilly but the view was incredible. 

The next day, we got the great news that Carina had won a scholarship from McDonalds! 

Hip Hip Hooray for fast food!!

Carina got the letter right before she had to head off to work. 

We are so excited and so grateful!

David and Peter had a court of Honor.  Peter has achieved the second class scout rank and David earned a few more merit badges.  Afterwards, the kids enjoyed figuring out Granddad's new Ipad.

Here are some cute pictures of Kathleen.  She is developing into a beautiful young lady.

Carina in her suit

After the grandparents went back home to St. George, I got busy doing some more sewing.  I made Carina a suit for her We The People competition in Washington DC next month.  We had tried buying one, but it just didn't fit right, so I decided I would make one for her. 

Carina trying on different combinations... I like this one.  

 

 

Jared

Emma in her Sunday dress.  Such a cutie.

PROM!

Carina is going to her Senior Prom.  She is so excited.  We made her dress and picked out her jewelry.  Than we practiced hairdo's and did her nails.  This has been very exciting for all involved.  Carina has grown up to be a beautiful young lady. 

Carina all smiles before Prom

Carina and Dad

Carina and Mom... (I'm feeling short)

Mom, Carina, and Dad

Grandma Aldrich, Carina, and Grandad Aldrich

Carina and Justin Chu

Carina pinning the boutininere on Justin

Carina's group promenading to the prom mobile..

Group picture at the temple

Riding to the prom in our decorated van (prom mobile)

 Meet our preschool playgroup.  James has a few friends his age in the neighborhood and the mom's all take turns having a little preschool playgroup.  They boys usually get along and we are enjoying the experience.  This week, we talked about fire fighters.  We made fire hats and colored firefighter's badges.  Than we practiced STOP, DROP, and ROLL.  They loved that!  We practiced for a while!

James and Everick practicing STOP, DROP, and ROLL.

Charlie, Everick and James still rolling!

Emma wants a turn!

Cutest fire fighters on the block!

A morning adventure..

Once upon a time, a queen was taking her morning shower when she heard a knock on her bathroom door.  So quickly wrapping a towel around herself, the Queen opened the door.  To her surprise, it was the oldest Princess.  The Princess informed the Queen that while she was eating her breakfast, she saw a gray mouse.  Extremely dismayed at this piece of information, the Queen asked why the Princess had not told the King since the Queen was showering.  The Princess' reply was that the "King was sleeping."  To which the queen replied, "But I'm naked!"

So the King had woken up by this time and accompanied the Princess downstairs to see the mouse while the Queen quickly dressed and put on sneakers as an extra protection!  The mouse was no where to be seen when they arrived.  The king discovered that the mouse had feasted on two loaves of bread, plastic bag and all.  He also discovered where the mouse had eaten his way into the house through the window screen.  The Queen quickly came downstairs and went and got brooms.  Then the oldest Prince was woken up to help with the search.

Armed with flashlights and brooms, the furniture was moved and shined under very gingerly.  Success!  The mouse was under the piano. At this piece of news, the oldest princess decided that she was needed to get the younger kids dressed upstairs and vanished.   The piano was moved, but the mouse moved with it.  Finally, the mouse was shooed out the back.  The mouse ran toward the Queen and she boldly whacked at it with the broom all while shrieking and trembling visibly!  She succeeded in keeping it from leaving the room.  It next ran under the couch and then ran under the computer armoire.  The next younger prince had woken up from the Queen's shrieks and came out to see what was all the tumult.  He was handed a dustpan and told to shoo the mouse toward the back door if it came his way.

The flashlight did not disclose the mouse under the armoire, but undetered, the armoire was moved and the mouse took off.  It ran toward the younger prince who instead of blocking its way, leaped onto the table.  The Queen chased it around the dining room and off the walls and finally suceeded in pinning it under her broom.  The mouse was terrified and squeaked very loudly as it tried to escape.  The Queen was unmoved by the squeaking and kept the mouse firmly pinned.  The oldest Prince, ran and got a rubbermaid container and placed it over the mouse on the floor to keep it contained.  Than the King got a piece of cardboard and we slid it under the container so the mouse did not escape.  After showing it to the younger siblings who wanted to know what the excitement was about, a merciful release was granted.

So the King drove the oldest prince to a good spot a few blocks away and the mouse was released to find a new home and never more visit the castle.  Later that morning, the King went to the hardware store and bought some new screening and the Queen replaced the screen, threw away the bread, and got her heart rate back down to normal!

And this my friends is a true narrative of all that expired today!  I hope you enjoyed!

President Uctdorf!

Greeting President Uctdorf!

It was so exciting!  President Uctdorf was vacationing with his family in Oahu and took a day to drop into BYUH to see the new exhibit in the McKay foyer and also to see an artifact that he had donated to the BYUH Archives.  It was a quick little visit and we couldn't tell anyone he was coming to protect his privacy on his family vacation. (We didn't tell our kids until after we got home.)   Michael and I got to meet him and some of his family.  Sister Uctdorf is a fun lady and translated for her grandkids who didn't speak English.   President Uctdorf is very friendly and engaging and we were thrilled to meet an Apostle in person!  It was a very special treat for us!

Michael looking on while Sister Uctdorf translates for the grandkids

Chatting with President Uctdorf outside and McKay foyer

President and Sister Uctdorf talking with us.

Group Picture with President Uctdorf!

Malasadas

Michael and I have discovered a delicious treat here.  It is called Malasadas!  They are sold on food trucks and one was in Laie for a few days.  Malasadas are a portugese doughnut.  You can get them filled with various fillings.  They are soo good.  I bought a box and dropped one off at work for Michael than took the rest home.  As you can see we enjoyed every drop of hot, sugary goodness!

Kathleen

Emma

Mama

Carina

Annie

Peter

Jared

David

Back to School!

High school and intermediate school group!

Morning yawns from Carina and Kathleen 

School started on August 1, 2011!  It was a fun hectic morning as we got the last minute details off and took back to school pictures!  I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves!

Kathleen - 7th grade (she was fighting a stye)

David- 10th grade

Carina--12th grade

Elementary School kids

Jared--1st grade

Annie--3rd grade

Peter --6th grade 

Stay at home bunch- James and Emma

Emma

James at his little preschool

Emma

As I was uploading pictures I found this one from last year when we were waiting for Jared to get off the bus.  It's amazing how much bigger the kids are this year!  Wow!!

Ward Camp

We went to ward camp this year at Kakelas beach park.  We were only able to camp for one night instead of all 5 due to a nasty stomach virus that hit my hubby.   But I drove everyone back and forth to camp to participate in the activities that the ward hosted.  

It was lots of fun.  We tie died t-shirt and ran obstacle races, played volleyball, ate good meals, etc..

We are looking forward to camping next year with the ward again!