Summer Fun

Over Memorial Day weekend, we made a trip to eastern Idaho to see grandparents. We spent the first half of the weekend in Sugar helping Grandma and Grandpa plant flowers and move some of the sprinklers that had become overgrown by the growing pine trees. Mikiya was great at adding the fertilizer water to the holes before the flowers were placed. Quaid simply enjoyed riding the lawn tractor or wagon and playing in the dirt. Mikiya's garden tools were conveniently being stored at Grandma's, so she used her own tools for the project. Mikiya also learned about bees and how they use tree blossoms to make honey. And of course, they had to swing and jump on the trampoline.

On Saturday evening we continued on to Island Park to spend the rest of the holiday with Grandma and Grandpa Walton and the Gardners at the cabin. The cousins enjoyed playing together. Mikiya and Kaelie started calling the upstairs kid room their "tree house". The only downside was that Rafe wasn't allowed to follow up the stairs. He was very persistent, even climbing over a large duffel bag that was intended to block the stairs.

On the way back, we visited some of the great grandparents. Quaid was happy to see he still fit in Grandma Belnap's doll chairs. He started out dragging it to the screen door. And then we decided to go outside, and both kids had a great time sitting right by the fountain dangling their hands in the cool water. They also had fun exploring the different paths and sections of Grandma's backyard.
Since getting out of school, we have had a trip to the zoo, a Primary activity at the temple, a movie with the Mountain Home cousins, a trip to the hospital to welcome Alonzo to the family, and a visit from Lloyd, Kristin and company; which meant finally meeting Madeline. She is one smiley little girl.

Graduation!

Mike graduated on May 16. We are so thankful that he's had this opportunity to go back to school. And now I'm even more thankful that he's finished. We had good seats for the ceremony which let us see Mike periodically. We are also very thankful to both our parents, Grandma and Grandpa Gallup, Rudy and Deanna, Wayne and Natalie, and Emily for coming to help us celebrate. The kids especially enjoyed getting to play with everyone at the park afterwards.



One of the speakers told a great story I would like to share. I don't remember all the details, but it was about a lady who had cancer and was going through chemo. When she got down to three hairs left, she said , "Oh! I think I'll braid my hair today." The next day it was only two hairs, "I think I'll part it down the middle today." And the Next day with only one hair, "I fix it in a pony tail today." Then the next day, when all of her hair was gone, she cheerfully spoke, "Hurray! I don't have to do my hair today!" You can pretty well take the message right out of that one. I was just touched and reminded that attitude effects a lot of things around you.

Mikiya got a kick out of putting on Dad's silly hat.

Quaid loved being packed around by Daddy!

To play Where's Waldo or rather Where's Mike and Quaid, follow this link to a Boise State slide show of the event.

Books!

Mikiya is very excited this week to have gotten her own library card and doesn't have to share with me anymore.

OK, so it's been crazy trying to get my classes finished up and I have neglected everything else I do. However, I did finish up and am quite excited about it. The Bookmaking class was my favorite and Mikiya had a wonderful time helping me decide what to put in my final project. It's a flip book and there is something fun under each flap. Our favorite are the kids inside the school bus.

This is just another book I made with the class. I haven't decided yet what I want to put in it, but I really like the pockets and just think it's fun.

Happy Easter!

While I was enjoying my first trip to General Conference with the youth from our ward, Mike and the kids had an adventuresome day. Their favorite part was chasing the geese around the park.

We enjoyed our Easter trying to teach the kids about the Resurrection and why it's important. But at this age, I don't think it meant very much. Quaid did however want to wear something different to church, Mike's tie. He's always wearing them around the house, but I guess his own wasn't Eastery enough. It actually worked ok.

The active Easter festivities included Mikiya and I coloring eggs, which she loved and could have done the whole carton if I would have let her. I'm a mean Mom I guess. The highlight was probably blowing bubbles and enjoying a day of sunshine and warmth.

The big number 5!

Mikiya's birthday was last monday. The poor girl was sick on her birthday and was worried about missing it. Luckily, she was feeling a bit better as the day went on so she still got to open her presents. The video phone call from Grandma and Grandpa Walton really made her day, along with Grandma Gallup stopping by on her way through and phone calls from other family members.

She did get to have a birthday party with the Beltran cousins on Friday. She was completely excited and helped make her cake. She debated forever on what kind she wanted, but finally saw a picture of a cake with a pony on it, so we did our best to duplicate it. She loved it. Now she is eagerly awaiting kindergarten and asks when school will start.

Home again, home again jiggety jig

We've had a very busy week and are glad to be home. Well, most of us. Mike wouldn't mind becoming a permanent Californian. For Christmas Mike's parents took us on vacation, of course it was last week during spring break.


We spent Mon. at Disney's California Adventure where the kids enjoyed the rides and being out of the car. Mikiya's favorite ride was the jellyfish which goes up and down. The girl like heights. We also found out that roller coasters are a bit frightening, but she loves them. We attended Disneyland, SeaWorld and Legoland throughout the week where she wanted to go on every roller coaster possible.

At SeaWorld we got to see the Shamu show (and yes, we sat in the "Soak Zone"), dolphin show, pet's rule show, see penguins, pet bat rays, hold star fish, and Quaid's favorite part, watch the walrus.



Quaid has been a little sceptical of the rides, but if you ask him if he had fun he says yes. However, he absolutely loved the characters we saw. My favorite part was the hug he gave Mulan and Cinderella. Cinderella told him he must be Prince Charming. As we walked away he blew her kisses, waved, walked a couple steps and repeated the farewell again and again. I wish I hadn't have already put my camera away!



We got to eat at a sea food restaurant over the ocean and then played in Mission Bay. The kids loved the splashing and sand footprints so much that Quaid was not happy with me when it was time to go.



We got to visit my family before the trip for a couple days, and spend Sat. with Chelsea and Steve which added to the fun break. We enjoyed the sunshine, warm weather and beautiful flowers of California. It was a bit of an adjustment on the trip home to getting stuck in a snow storm and parking on a closed freeway for a while. Big thanks to Mom and Dad for taking us and to the Hurdsmans for helping us with tickets. We had a great time!

Kindergarten Registration

Mikiya had kindergarten registration this week. She was afraid at first because she thought she had to go to school from then on and wasn't ready to do that. Now she can't wait and asks every day when will be time to go to school. It was really cool, they had some demonstration tables set up and then gave each family a bag of stuff to help the kids prepare, including magnet alphabet and numbers, scissors, crayons, a pencil grip to teach the correct way to hold a pencil, a laminated paper and overhead marker so she can practice writing her name, and a t-shirt from the school district. She already does everything they said to help her work on, but there is always more room for practice and more to learn. We also got to spend some time in the kindergarten classroom, which both kids loved. Mikiya did not want to leave.

Quaid is hilarious as normal! He thinks he can do anything Mikiya can do, and he puts forth a good effort. However, he's still only twenty months and needs some help. For example, Mike set the blender picture full of smoothie on the table and walked away. Quaid thought he could pour it himself resulting in most of it on the floor. He is also trying to go to school. Anything preschool type I do for Mikiya, I have to do for Quaid also.

For mutual this week we went just over an hour away from here to a state park and sand dunes. We were there to take part in the observatory. They had a huge telescope and we got to see Venus, a nebula thing off Orion, and some other stuff. The people that stayed late also got to see the moon, but we needed to leave. Right before we left they got it set so we could see Saturn. It was so cool! I could see the rings around it! I haven't been able to see the stars so bright for a long time. I always love looking at them even though I don't know much about constellations. It's then that somehow strengthens my testimony of creation and our Heavenly Father. It does boggle my mind a little thinking of all there is that I can't see, but amazing that comforting peace that our Father loves us and we are a part of a plan.