Back to School 2012

Back to School

Cherilyn entered 11th grade, her Junior year.

 Allison, 9th grade, the BWOC at the junior high.

Erica is in 6th grade with Mrs. Pando.  It is her last year at elementary school.

Ethan is in 3rd grade with Mrs. Bosen.

Eli started all-day school this year as a first grader in Mrs. Nilson's class.  He has already had a field trip -- a hike to the Grotto and activities at the park (locally known as Beer Can Flats).

Joshua is going to "school" Mondays and Wednesdays with kids in the ward.  He is looking forward to when we have school at our house.

Other news:  Eli played soccer.  Joshua started to play soccer and then decided he will play when he is seven.  Eli got an expander.  Cherilyn went to Homecoming (see picture below).  Ethan got braces on his top teeth.  Allison got her braces off on October 2nd.

Girl's Camp and Youth Conference 2012

The Last Summer Post

Here is the last catch-up-from-summer post.

June 27th-30th we had ward Young Women Camp.  All three girls and I went to Payson canyon to our camp leader's family property.  The boys went to Grandma's and Laurie's house while Dad worked.  Dad took them to DQ after baseball games, ordered pizza one night and bought new water toys for Saturday.  They were fine without us.  (Joshua was more willing to let Dad help him after that too.  (He is a momma's boy.)  An added bonus.)  During camp we set up tents, made journals, necklaces and bracelets; had great speakers; spent the day at Payson Lakes; and hiked the Grotto trail -- a short hike to a waterfall.  The water trips were great for cooling off.  Our speakers really brought the Spirit which is what Girl's Camp is all about.

Young women and leaders from our ward at the end of the Grotto Trail hike.

The week before school started (August 14th-16th) was Youth Conference.  I went up the second day and night and then drove home.  Again there were great speakers who taught well, good food and fun activities.

Seattle!

July 5th (4:30 am) we left for Seattle.  We had been planning to go to Seattle since January.  Sam and family were able to caravan with us.  We all stayed at Ralph's house in beautiful West Seattle.  One of our favorite activities (Charles and I) was walking around West Seattle.  We have many memories of the area and we admired the big trees and unique homes.  We decided to get a City Pass while there so we took advantage and saw many popular Seattle sites.  We also spent time at the beach and hanging out at Ralph and Catha's.  They were very hospitable hosts.  Between Cherilyn, Allison, Charles and I, we have over 1000 pictures of Seattle.  Here is a sampling.

Day 1:  Seattle Aquarium -- Cool wall size aquarium when you enter.  Seals and otters who seemed to perform for the visitors.  

Ivar's --  fed the seaqulls, ate Clam Chowder and fried food.

Harbor Cruise -- This was part of the City Pass that we wouldn't have done otherwise.  We all enjoyed it and learned things about Seattle that we didn't know before.  

Seattle skyline behind while on the cruise.  Seattle had beautiful weather while we were there.  It was sunny and clear until the day before we left.

Day 2:  We went to Woodland Park Zoo with Sam's family, Ben's family and Zach.  The hippos were one of the favorites because they were moving around.  We also liked the lions and bears.  Cherilyn took pictures of nearly every animal.

  This picture shows most of the kids that were there and Ben and Stacy.

Day 3: Attended sacrament meeting at Seattle 2nd Ward.  Visited with people we knew.

The cousins, minus Luke, on the back porch.

Day 4:  Ethan was eager to go to the Science Center because he wants to be a scientist.  One of the favorite areas there was testing strength, hand-eye coordination, and flexibility.  Erica had one of the longest reaches. We also watched a demonstration on electricity, played strategy games, went to the butterfly house and watched an Imax movie about mummies.

  

Allison, Ty, Joshua, Connor and Ben in the butterfly room.

Eli trying to lift the weight behind him.

Ethan and Spenser outside the Science Center shooting big water guns.

After the Science Center we went to the Space Needle.  There were cool views, but other than Cherilyn and Allison they were ready to go quickly.  It had been a long day and a couple people didn't like the height.

Cherilyn's cool pictures of the Science Center arches and the Space Needle.  The top of the Space Needle was painted Galactic Gold for its 50th anniversary.

Day 5:  Trip to Ocean Shores.  We love the long, wide beach there.  It was cold so we wore jackets or wrapped in towels while eating lunch.   Everyone still enjoyed playing in the ocean.  

After getting wet we all moved back on the sand where it was warmer.

Eli's typical face when asked to smile for a picture.  Joshua is often found with a water bottle.

Allison (and Ty) laid down in the water.  "It was freezing cold, but it was fun.  I had sand in my mouth."  said Allison.

Allison, Cherilyn, Spenser, Katelyn and Connor went back to the Space Needle for the night view.

Day 6:  Went to Lincoln Park and Hiawatha.  Unfortunately the wading pool was closed both times we went to Hiawatha.

Ethan jumping from rock to rock at Hiawatha.

Throwing rocks at Lincoln Park -- trying to hit a stick in the water or the rock thrown before.

Day 7:  Spenser's baseball game in Bellevue.  Alki Beach for volleyball, frisbees and playing in the water and sand.  Back to Ralph's for ping-pong, bike riding and dinner. 

Day 8:  Charles, Monica, Sam and Erin went golfing.  We went to the driving range during the morning storm (lightning and golf clubs not a good mix) then went 9 holes.  That evening our family went to Ben and Stacy's for an amazing dinner and nice visit.

Cherilyn, Allison, Noelle, Lucie, Joshua, Eli and Ethan.

We also played kickball in the backyard.  We loved their big trees.

Connor, Allison, Spenser, Cherilyn, Katelyn and Zach went on the new Seattle Ferris wheel on the pier the last night we were there.

Day 9:  4:30am left Seattle.  The kids did not want to leave (even if it had been a more reasonable hour).  It was a good vacation.

Summer Birthdays

Joshua turned 4!

We have no pictures from Joshua's birthday, only videos that won't upload.  Joshua loves to play outside, ride bikes, play with his brothers and watch shows (especially Team Umizoomi).  He likes to write his name and color with a highligher.

Cherilyn turned 16!

Yes, she can drive and has been on her first date.  Cherilyn is a very careful driver always coming to a complete stop and driving the speed limit (to the annoyance of some of her passengers, especially Allison).  She was invited to Homecoming.  She was asked by picking up a T-shirt in the office that said "Will you go to Homecoming with ...?"  The back of the shirt had several names on it, including Justin Bieber and Red Power Ranger and "wash to find out."  at the bottom.  She borrowed a pretty red dress and jacket.  We don't have pictures yet, but will post when we get them.

Eli's 7th birthday!

 Eli enjoyed these candies of his own.  He was happy he was able to finish them before he got his expander. Now they are against the rules.

Eli likes to ride scooters or his bike, play with friends, and play the Wii or computer.  He started reading Harry Potter this summer.  He is our tannest boy and likes to cool off by getting his hair wet and spiking it or making it a mohawk.

Redwoods

In April Charles and I drove to Eureka, California.  It was beautiful to be in the Northwest again.  It rained a little each day, which we enjoyed.  We went to Redwood National and Humboldt State Park and saw some big trees.

Here is Big Tree and Tall Tree.  (Fitting names.)  I am standing at the base of each of them.

Charles standing by a fallen tree.

Charles and Corkscrew Tree.  It twists all the way up.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

We drove along the ocean and through two streams to get to the trail for Fern Canyon.  The walls of the canyon are covered with ferns and other plant life.  There is a stream that runs through it.  A pretty place.

This picture shows an area where large trees have jammed against the side of the canyon.  The sculpted looking trees in the back are actually the roots of a redwood.

Charles flying a kite at the ocean. 

We had the golf course to ourselves in Eureka.  The whole course was a puddle.  We were still able to play and the sun was out for part of the time.  When we got to the 17th hole it started pouring, so we skipped the 18th.  We were soaked, but it was fun.

 This is the deck and landscape of the cabin we stayed in.  It was a very nice place with great views from every window.
We enjoyed sitting and listening to the rain, eating in and watching movies.

End of School

Yes, I know that school has just started, but I should catch the blog up to date.  So we go back to when school was just getting out.

Ethan had a field trip in May.  We went to the Planetarium at BYU and two BYU Museums.  Here is Ethan at the Dinosaur Museum.  The other museum was the People and Cultures Museum.

 Eli had the traditional kindergarten field trip to the zoo.  Joshua and I drove up and spent the day with him there.  Here they are climbing on the gorilla statue at Hogle Zoo.  They enjoyed seeing the animals, riding on the merry-go-round and eating lunch there.

 Eli was the one who did not want school to end.  He loves school.  Here he is at Kindergarten Graduation.

 Lest we get to relaxed with summer coming we had Eli's T-ball and Ethan's coach pitch games every week.
Allison took these pictures of them playing.

Here are some of the fun things we did as a family in May.

This is our croquet obstacle course.

Here is our game board (Formerly known as our homemade clock.  It fell and broke.)  We were at the end of Seven Wonders, a new board game that we have played with many of you.

This is Hyper Dash.  The targets are spread around the yard.  We took turns and also played on teams.  Allison is the runner here.