Fireworks in Cameron Park

Our friend Ryan is a pilot, and so the past two years we have been invited to watch the fireworks in Cameron Park on a small runway. The fireworks lasted 30 minutes the show was FAB! I had Erika snap some photos of us. I rarely have photos of the whole family. We had such a fun night we even saw a little fox.

Tanner's Visit

Addie & Tanner

The night he arrived

The water fight

 getting soaked

 cooling off in the bucket

Josh enjoying the action

Next the sprinkler

i liked this photo

River cats game

Go Carts

Concert in the park

swimming ahhh

 Cafe Rio imposture  (can't think of Cali. name)

this is how Tim golfed funny

 Way to Go HOLE IN ONE!!!

My nephew Tanner got to come to California for a visit. We had such a great time having him here. 

Father's Day

Addie said I love when my dad takes me to kings game and we get cotton candy.

Who'd have thunk I'd have my kids make a shirt like this hilarious. Addie is so proud of it & the red tie above she was adamant he wore them.

Brother and Sister

two little sweeties

memorial day

 ready to swim

ready to relax

something yummy to drink

I think that memorial day is different for me now. I saw a couple of images with the caption Memorial Day in case you thought it was national BBQ day it really made me think. Perhaps it's because death is so fresh here (still). I think it will always be that way time just dulls the pain, and seems to turn down the volume of the loss and heartache we have felt. I think having been through this makes honoring those who have died for our country more real. Because you know how real the sacrifice of a life is, and you've felt the grief they feel. However, it's not a bad thing it's good to have a day that reminds you (at least it is good for me). Remembering is important. My sister wrote this in a note she gave me after it happened which I will forever cherish: A wife who looses a husband is called a widow. A husband who loses a wife is called a widower. A child who loses her parents is called an orphan. But... there are no words for a parent who loses a child, that is how awful the loss is. It has slowly gotten easier. But I have been forever changed. Did we celebrate with a BBQ & pool party YES! But in my heart it's different. I am more grateful for life, and therefore also the sacrifice of others. 

We still go to the cemetery often... we will now visit 4 spots when we go all children. (Daniel & Savannah are right next to each other) Last time we went Adeline wanted to fix all of the flowers that had fallen over. I mean each, and every one on our walk to the other spot we were visiting. There were a lot of fallen over flowers because it was 6 days after Memorial day. This probably sounds weird, but she always fixes those in the baby land (there's one area where babies are buried), and now as we ventured out further she felt it was important to fix all of the others. She'll probably think this is creepy years from now when she reads this. I didn't know what to do so she fixed them.

5 months

He loves to roll to get to places. He is still teething will those teeth ever come through. It's messing up his schedule & sleep. I've wondered if he has acid reflux... because he hasn't been feeding a full feeding at a time, and then he'll want to eat later on. He'll also get fussy, and he spits up every time he eats. But he is growing. He LOVES hair. He loves to grab it, pull it & eat it. He can scoot a bit, but hasn't been rolling a lot from his belly to his back. He still has the biggest smile. Josh seems to LOVE to be at home. He is always happy at home. It makes me laugh, but I do wonder if he will end up being a bit of a home body.

Daddy Daughter Dancing

squeeze

dancing- she insisted on standing on the little table

-she did not like it when I danced with Tim

We love to dance. Addie loves to dance with her daddy. She say's mom you dance with Josh. From the time I remember we found out we were having a girl... I remember Tim downloading all of these daddy daughter songs. It's sweet to see how much she adores her dad now that she's getting bigger. From when I can remember asking her the first time who she was going to marry she always answers dad. I tell her each time I'm married to him. She just responds a little annoyed, "no I'm marrying him". Sometimes she'll tell me to marry someone else. I just laugh and remind her we already got married in the temple. I'll tell her he's my husband. She just says, "no he's my husband". too funny!

Lunch with Dad

 Addie & Tim

Joshua

Nothing is more fun than meeting dad for lunch. We'd been at the water park, and drove by to have lunch with Tim. Addie was so happy. The sweet lady who works there held Josh while we ate. She LOVES Tim. This European Bakery in El Dorado Hills has the yummiest food, and pastries. Addie was sad we didn't drive together... so we drove to her dad's work, and he brought her out a lollie (lollie pop/ aka sucker) one perk to working at a bank.

Graduation

 Enjoying the graduation party (from year 1 of pre-school)

 getting her award- just get over not wanting to get your photo taken you're almost 4!!!

                                                                                             all of her classmates

JJ, Anna, Pailsey, Addie, Andrew & Ethan  

Addie said her favorite colors are : pink & purple

favorite food: cucumbers

favorite subject: being alone

favorite book: tangled

We're so proud of you!

This year Addie attended two different pre-schools for 7 months she was in Miss Sue's class who we love.  It was a 4 day a week program, and you would work in the class one day a week. My friend Denise would go for me while I was working. Mixed feelings about this grateful she could be there, but hard not to be able to do things at the moment you've always wanted to do. After Josh was born we switched things up. I thought 4 days a week was a lot to have her gone... I just wanted to enjoy her. Working in the class with a newborn was hard to leave him twice in a day (because I went back to work 20% of a contract teaching one period a day the last class each day).  So, now that I wasn't working full time we decided to join a joy school group. They had an opening (which was a miracle/sign that it was the right thing to do). I debated both ways funny how silly it seems, but Addie still asks about Miss Sue, and her friend Ria.

However, having joy school at our house was fun. The first day wasn't my favorite... Addie was a bit of a handful. I just remember her wanting to go in her room, and not listening perfectly during circle time. The next few times were much better. Addie liked playing with the boys I noticed it seemed she was trying to impress them the first few times it was at our house. She was showing them where all of the boy toys were... it was funny. She loves to pretend the girls were princesses at my house and the boys were super heros. She would want them to come and save her. Each day she would come home to tell me who was misbehaving (so and so had to sit on the calm couch). She never mentioned she was one of those. I find that curious! Ethan, Addie and Andrew were all high energy silly. The two boys loved doing potty talk, and now Addie thinks it's the funniest thing ever to say poopy diaper, stinky whatever etc. Hilarious! Addie liked pretending with the girls. She is very much a leader (bossy) sometimes having trouble when her friends didn't want to do her pretend game, or whatever she'd come up with. Usually it wasn't them not wanting to join her it was me telling everyone to change activities, and she wouldn't always LOVE that idea of me breaking up her fun. I am sure she was a bit of a handful at the other ladies houses because she likes to push the limits. The children listened really well cute little class.

Swimming Lessons: Phase 1

 Christina & Addie

Lucy, Boston, Christina & Addie

Addie has started swimming lessons. At first she did not like it one bit. She cried the first day, and didn't want to go back. They use a method called put your face in the water (i'm not sure it that's the official name), but she didn't like that. She wanted to wear her goggles like the kid who was. They don't let you until you can swim.  She doing great loves to put her face in, and she's so proud of herself.  She jumps in, and now needs to get the kicking down then they'll work on arms and we'll have ourselves a swimmer. However, my one concern is she gets a little anxiety at the start sometimes. It's early so maybe that's whey, but she's totally fine after and during just the starting anxiety for some reason.

Water Play date @ the Gilbert's

 Ready to GO

 Cheese

 Having FUN

 Cooling OFF in the pool

 Splash Pad

 Up Close on the water pad

 Check out her watermelon cheeks & stained neck and chest

The back of her neck is a blueish purple- from the  treasure/jewels they were finding in the pool

Such a fun day with friends. Chelsea made everything really special for the kids splash pad is a tarp folded over the sides duct tapped together, and filled up with water. There were also sponge balls to toss. To top it off watermelon. Addie ate about seven big pieces. Her face is hilarious above- stained with watermelon. I love summer.

I LOVE them because...

always so happy-love that he LAUGHS out loud all the time

-love that he loves to read books - i can read him a ton of books before he's bored

- love that he loves the water @ bath time

-love that he loves being outside

-love that smile

-love those chubby cheaks

-love it's my fav when he talks like a little bird cooing so cute

she's a rock star- love that she can be a big helper by setting the table & putting the silverware away

-love that she likes to pretend- very intensely & play dress up (when do kids grow out of this)

-love that she's started eating better & trying new food groups

-love that she loves her friends & playdates

-love that she loves pre-school

-love that she loves doing crafts

-love that she loves princesses & cowboys her FAV the wizard of oz

-love when she says mom I am choosing the right ... or "mom sometimes I make mistakes"                    I'm still learning

BIG SIS

                                                               addie       &           joshua

This is the two little ones having some fun outside. I've told Addie she needs to spend some time each day playing with her brother. So, at random times throughout the day she'll come to me and say, "mom is it time for me to play with Joshua?" It makes me laugh. The other thing BIG SIS does is when she hugs him she gets right on top of him, and nuzzles her head right in between his head and shoulder. He LOVES it. So, fun to see them play together.

Family Home Evening on Manners

 Addie & dad @ Cheesecake Factory

Joshua

We used my mother's day gift card to Cheesecake Factory, and did a night on manners for FHE. Addie was great. She got the the table, and  removed her napkin to put on her lap. The hostess was trying to give her another one because she thought she didn't have one.