So the day after we get home from New York we head down south to Gardner, KS for the annual Kansas City Balloonfest. Unfortunately Mike was on beeper call that day and lo and behold they called him in literally the minute we had our chairs set up and ready to sit down. So the girls and I were the only ones to see it. We have never seen the one in Albuquerque and I am quite certain that this doesn't even come close, but it was still pretty amazing.
Because we liked Madagascar so much we wanted to go see what the Central Park Zoo was all about. The only animals from the movie that they have are the lemurs and penguins. However, the polar bear was pretty amazing. VERY small zoo. It was SO hot that day. We decided to walk back to our condo since it was only 6 blocks and had lunch at a little deli call Delissimo. I decided on a huge fruit bowl....nice and cold. Saw the new Shrek 3 movie at the theatre also across the street from condo. Pretty unusual going UP five flights of escalators to the theatre. Hit the local Jamba Juice and Johnny Rockets.
Our family was fortunate enough to go to New York City a couple of days after school got out. Mike attended a conference relating to work so airfare for the three of us is what we just had to pay. Since our flight left so early in the morning I decided to get a night at the Marriott up by our airport so we wouldn't have to get up so early or fly so far. (On a good day, we can get there in 30 minutes). So we did some swimming and hot tubbing then had dinner at Houlihans.
Savannah will be going to middle school next year. She is SO excited. Cedar Creek Elementary Graduation was held on May 18. She looked very grown up. Mrs Pritchard the principal gave a short speech, then her teacher Ms Olberding handed all her class their certificates. We decided to give her flowers at the beginning so she'd feel special. A slide show of the kids in different activities and classes from Kindergarten on up was shown. Each child was then given a balloon (Mission Trail colors) and they were released into the sky outside. We were able to get a picture with our cute neighbor girl Kimberly and then Savannah's friends from class; Mia and Jenna.
Cedar Creek Elementary hosted an evening of celebration. Parents and children came to see various art work and projects from the students and to hear from the school's music department. Haylie's poster report was chosen to be on display. The students participated in a shark project and we chose the ugliest shark we could find. Hadn't even heard of a Goblin Shark. Wiki it.... its pretty nasty looking. Then Savannah participated on her violin with the Strings. We also were entertained with the band and choir. Treat time afterwards at Johnny Bruscos New York Style Pizza and Ice Cream Parlour.
Mike had Daddy/Daughter Date Night yesterday. He took her to Borders Books to use the gift card she got for her birthday. Dinner at Fritz's which is a telephone call-in system and then a train brings your meal. Then they spent the rest of the time at PowerPlay Family Entertainment Center. I took Savannah on Mama/Daughter Date Night. She choose to get a pedicure. Dinner at Subway and then hot fudge sundaes at Baskin Robbins.
For some reason I didn't get pics of the girls on Easter or hunting for eggs or dinner. I was about to get dressed up on Conference Sunday when i can watch it from the comfort of my own home. So all we got was the activity on Saturday but on by a local christian church. They had inflatables, games indoor and out, an egg hunt for three different age groups, face painting, crafts, and free food!
The month of March in Utah is not my idea of a vacation, but we decided we needed to grant Haylie the same benefits as we did for Savannah. We have been living in Kansas as both our girls have turned 8. So in order for our extended family to participate in their baptisms, we have made the trip to Utah. Even though Haylie turned 8 in February, we waited until they were off of school for a week for Spring Break in March and did it then. The first thing we did was drive to Logan. I wanted to show the girls my apartment and where I went. We had to go to the bookstore and get them some Aggie gear of course. Oh, and that great Aggie Ice Cream too. Is anyone out there a "true aggie?"
Savannah participated in the Olathe Northwest Orchestra Festival at the high school. She wanted to try the violin this year at school and has liked it so far. They had groups from the district schools perform. We decided to get her picture also with our favorite sitter Sarah, who plays violin in the Prairie Trail Jr High Orchestra. Cute girls!
My baby has now reached the age of accountibility. How time flies. She wanted to have her party at our local skating rink: Skate City. We invited her 2nd grad class and about half showed up. A fun time was had by all.
I had to wait until I was 12 to get my ears pierced. Remember this was back in 1978 and it was a bit more "taboo" than it is today. My sisters children follow this rule. However, I had changed my mind and said my girls could do it at 8 when they get baptized and are accountable for their decisions. Haylie has been talking about this for months. She is so tired of buying clip-on earrings at Claires. But whoa is Haylie. We have been having issues with her stealing ("borrowing in her mind") from others for quite awhile. Nothing seemed to be important enough for her to stop, not treats, not cash, not grounding, not taking away privileges, not anything. We couldn't find something that she felt strong enough about. Until the ear piercing. Her 8th birthday is in 16 days. And she is not going to have the privilege of piercing her ears. See, I don't feel this is a "right" just because you are a girl. This is a privilege that has to be earned. So she now has to go 6 months without taking anything. It can't be from me, her dad, her sister, her friends, no one. We have made her a 12 month calendar and will mark off the days until that 6 months is up. Each time she comes home with something that does not belong to her, an additional day will be added. And fortunately for us, we know all her hiding places. I hope that this will instill in her the seriousness of her actions.
Olathe School District is changing from 7/9 junior high to 6/8 format for middle school next year. I think I am more excited than Savannah is. She is anxious for her own locker and lunchtime. Go Timberwolves!
I love this article. We get a paper called the Mormon Times delivered with our weekly Church News and this article was in it so I thought I'd share it will all you mothers out there. It was specifically aimed toward male missionaries but it is a valid arguement for any child to make them be a functioning (and independent) member of society. I won't bore you with the entire article just the points I thought were awesome. "The best way to help prepare a young man for a mission is to stop doing his laundry, cooking for him, and cleaning up after him. So says a Mormon cleaning guru who's built a successful career on correct cleaning principles. Don Aslett, a former bishop in the Marsh Creek Ward in the McCammon Idaho Stake - who at 74 has more than 50 years of experience teaching people to clean efficiently and well - said it does missionaries no good to be babied. One year before their mission, quit doing their laundry, cooking their meals, clipping their toenails. Cease all tending to their every need. The worst thing you can do is protect and insulate them. Change the meaning of CTR to Clean The Room. Those who keep their physical house in order keep their spiritual houses in order. The Holy Ghost doesn't want to stick around where it's messy and dirty, there's a huge carryover from clean to conduct. If you're big enough to make the mess, you're big enough to clean it up. If they are taught from childhood to be responsible for themselves, they have much more successful missions and marriages. Teach your children that "I am responsible for my own outcome in spirituality, finances, health, everything"". The only thing I don't agree with is the timing. I was responsible for doing my own laundry once I hit high school, and my daughters who are 10 and 7 help me cook dinner fairly often. My oldest can make a dinner meal from start to finish on her own. So I feel all the laundry, cooking, and cleaning needs to stop WAY before they hit missionary age.
I know it is way early to blog about something like this, but I am so excited. I am finally going to be able to be at Disneyland during the holidays when they have all their Christmas decorations up. We always go in Sept because there are no crowds. However, we have done the Halloween thing once and the park is spectacularly decorated, but I've always heard that with their Christmas decorations its just all the more magical. So in deciding what we're going to do with my husbands 7 weeks of vacation this year we decided going during Thanksgiving would work. Disney has their holiday decor up from the 2nd Saturday in November until the 1st Sunday in January. So not only going during Thanksgiving week we get to experience the magic but the girls would only miss 2 days of school as opposed to 5. What a bonus. So let the countdown begin! --->>>>>
We braved the weather on Saturday and went to see A Christmas Story The Musical. It was really cute. They had these cute displays set up in the lobby and we couldn't pass them up. Dinner afterward on The Plaza at PF Changs was excellent as always. This was a Christmas to remember. It has not snowed on Christmas Day in Kansas City since about 1969. And total snowfall in our area.......14.5 inches!
We tweaked our family tradition a bit by deciding to sleep by the tree on the 23rd instead of Christmas Eve. Last year Santa almost missed our home because two little girls kept waking up.
This was the white Christmas we woke up to on Friday. In fact we were actually snowed in. The plows hadn't gotten to our cul-de-sac so we had to cancel our movie plans. We were worried that we wouldn't make it to the musical and dinner on the 26th either, but thankfully the plows showed up. However, church was cancelled on Sunday.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refridgerator, and I learned we take pride in our work. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to take care of each other. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our home and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but its all right to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up. When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.
Participated in our Lenexa Ward Christmas party on Friday. Excellent food served "family style" and a small program of the music talent on our ward. Savannah asked Santa for some huge Hannah Montana hotel thing and Haylie thinks she's getting either a laptop or a cell phone. Good luck with that!
This was our minivan we bought hot off the factory line in February 2001.
And today; 8 years and 10 months after that purchase I hit 100,000 miles! Just an average of 11,320 miles per year. Not bad.
And now in February 2011 I get to purchase this bad boy.....
My mother came for a visit over the Thanksgiving holiday and I decided to take the girls to Wamego, KS. There is an awesome Oz Museum with over 2,000 artifacts from 1900 to today. It offers everything imaginable from the earliest Baum books and Oz Parker Brothers board games to todays collectibles. Auntie Em even has her own gift shop.
