Painting ~ Day One

Now that the Parry Post is done, I can move on to other projects. Today we started painting Maysen's room. She chose two different yellow colors. Haystack & Candlelight. Maysen did a lot of the painting herself. We finished one wall today and it looks great.

Maysen

Paddle-Boating With the Girls

Mike took Maysen and Jorja out on the paddle-boat today. Maysen loved, loved, loved it! Jorja liked the boat, but did not like getting out for any hiking. They were really excited to see turtles swimming and diving in the lake. They definitely wanted to catch one and bring one home. Good thing they couldn't catch one. Maysen and Jorja also enjoyed naming all the different places around the lake.

Maysen & Jorja

They loved picking flowers
Maysen in front of "pirate cove"

Maysen on a rock

Playing with "skeeter" the submarine

"Crocodile Point"

Maysen named this "Maple Cove"

Research Projects

Mike and I asked the kids to do a research project this week. They were to learn about anything they wanted, and give us a presentation on Sunday. We asked Maysen to work on her research for one hour a day, Stockton for 45 minutes and Jorja for 30 minutes. We didn't help them at all and were excited to see what they came up with.

Jorja did her research on....frogs!

Jorja explaining the life cycle of a frog
Jorja's project
Stockton chose optical illusions.
He wrote a report and showed us a quick video.

Maysen chose Okapis. First she gave us a report.

Then we played Animal Jeopardy ~ the boys won.

My favorite fact was Okapis only sleep 5 minutes a day!

We were so proud of the kids! They have already picked out their research projects for next week. Can't wait to see them!

Movie at the Park

We took the kids to a movie at the park today. It was Hotel for Dogs. Before the show, they had all kinds of fun things to do. Volleyball, parachute, giant slide, limbo, etc. Of course, Stockton was very, very bored. He had fun, but it was a long time.

Preston

Jorja ~ I love the color of her eyes
Stockton
Maysen
Mike & Steph
Preston LOVED the slide

Maysen LOVED the grasshopper

Jorja LOVES the grasshopper too

Sisters ~ grasshopper hunting

Movie screen

We had a great time. I was watching Stockton at the parachute. They were having everyone pick a number. Stockton said, "10.5892 and a half". The girls spent most of their energy chasing grasshoppers. Preston stayed awake the entire movie. He spent most of the movie bonking all of us on the head with a balloon. I'm glad the kids tolerate him. Everyone liked the movie ~ even Stockton. The movie had something for everyone. Dogs for the girls & Preston, contraptions for Stockton. As we were packing up, someone got hurt. An ambulance arrived just as we were leaving. Scary.

On a side note, Mike and I went paddle boating early this morning. It was so nice. I don't think I have done that since I was pregnant with Jorja. I think Mike is planning on taking the kids soon. They will love it! (Except maybe Stockton)

Rainbow Cake

Maysen and I had our 2nd cake decorating class. We made rainbow cakes. Maysen is really enjoying this. I'm glad she has something she looks forward to. If I wasn't able to go to Lagoon, at least I had some quality one-on-one time with Maysen.

Will I Ever Be Finished?

Every time I put the Parry Post together, there comes a time when I wonder, "Will I ever be finished?" I'm wondering that today. I spent ever spare second I had on the Parry Post, and I'm not even half way done. Once I hit the month mark, I start feeling so anxious about it. I worry constantly about it not being done. It is a huge weight on my shoulders until it is finished.

That being said....I love the Parry Post. I love every issue, and I am always thrilled with how it turns out. Except I'm always critical of the mistakes I didn't notice before I printed them. We have been doing the Parry Post for 24 years now, and it is one of my most prized possessions. I'm so glad Steve & Sharon started this tradition.

I'm not tired of putting the Parry Post together. I still enjoy having control over the final product. It is just so much work! I love it, but today I wonder how it will ever get done!

Dragon Cake

Maysen wanted to practice decorating a cake before our class on Friday. Mike and Maysen decided she should make a dragon cake. No starting small for these guys!

Maysen icing her cake

Maysen's 1st cake

While we were busy helping Maysen, Preston & Stockton were goofing around. This can't end well.....

Crispy Bone Scones

Jorja wanted to make Crispy Bone Scones for dinner. It is the favorite food of one of her webkinz. Jorja came up with the entire menu and helped Mike make scones and steak for dinner. Preston wouldn't dip his scones in the honey butter until I told him it was scone ketchup.

Playing at School

For Family Home Evening today, we packed a picnic and took it to the school playground. We also brought our bikes and rode around the parking lot. It was great. Stockton passed off several scouting items while we were there. The kids loved being at their playground all by themselves. Stockton was so excited. He said, "Now we can do all the things the teachers won't let us do!" Oh boy....

Family picnic

Preston
Jorja ~ scared me to death!
Maysen & Stockton

Stockton enjoying 'no teachers'

I have been regretting that I didn't take a picture in front of the Mirror Lake sign every year before they started school. I think it would be cool to see a picture of them each year. I decided, I might as well start now, even if the kids were all sweaty from bike riding.

Jorja, Stockton & Maysen

Jorja ~ Kindergarten

Stockton ~ 3rd grade

Maysen ~ 5th grade

See ya later Mirror Lake, it was fun while it lasted!

The kids were so tired when the got home. They didn't even complain about the bath and bed. Now that's tired!

Any Ideas?

We've decided to let Maysen have her own room. This was a hard decision for me. I love Maysen & Jorja's room. It looks perfect with their letter above each of their beds. All of their furniture looks beautiful together. They have a butterfly room that is just lovely. If Jorja weren't sleeping right now, I would run up and take a picture. But, now that Preston has moved in with Stockton, we have an extra room. That extra room also has it's own bathroom. Perfect for a girl about to go to middle school.

What I need help with is, how should we paint her room. Maysen's bed and nightstand are white. Her bedspread is light purple, lilac to be precise. We can't buy her new bedding at the moment, but we do want to paint the walls with her. What would look good with purple. I'm trying to talk her into light blue, like the ocean (hope it would look okay), Maysen is leaning toward yellow. I know yellow and purple are contrasting colors, so I'm worried we could mess that up easy. Also, she has bought a few seashell things for her bathroom. I don't know if she would like seashells in her bedroom as well.

If anyone has any great ideas, we could use them all!

What's Happening?

I am wondering what is happening with our old ward in Washington? Seriously, it seems like it is one thing after another. My former bishop's wife has been dealing with breast cancer, the new bishop of the ward just had a heart attack, Claudine's house burned down and now I find out Cheri has epilepsy? I guess the way things are going, Mike and I barely escaped!

My former visiting teaching companion, Claudine and her family have been living in China for 6 months. Out of nowhere, her house burns down. It must be horrible, and we have been praying for her family everyday. I am also very annoyed that I don't have any pictures of Claudine and I together. We spent A LOT of time together when I lived in Washington. She is one of the people I miss the most, where are all our pictures? Claudine is the most generous person ever. She just can't be described. My heart aches for her.

Claudine at Stockton's baby shower

Claudine's kitchen

I was talking to my friend Cheri today. She was telling me how she had a grand mal seizure in March and has now been diagnosed with epilepsy. I didn't see that one coming and certainly wasn't expecting that to be the answer to "What's new?" Cheri is one of my very favorite people on this entire planet. She just gets me. Mike loves it when I talk to her because she always makes me so happy. She is so stinkin' funny. My tummy aches by the time I finish talking to her, I'm always laughing so hard. Another cool thing about Cheri is our kids are almost exactly the same age. Maysen and her daughter are 3 months apart. Stockton and her son are 2 weeks apart. Jorja and her son are 10 days apart. Preston and her daughter are 5 months apart. It makes me sad that we moved away from them. Our kids would be such good friends right now.

Cheri & I with our kids before we moved from Washington

For awhile Cheri and I served in the primary presidency together. We worked hard, but had the best time. I still have this next picture in my bedroom. I sure do love these girls.

Cheri, me, Cindy & Cynthia ~ Primary Presidency 2001

So, that's about it in a nutshell. Maysen and Stockton fasted today for the Gallacher family. (Stockton also fasted for the Knopf family and April Evans). I couldn't bring myself to tell them about Cheri...... Crazy, crazy world.