Memorial Weekend

This past weekend we all packed in the van and went to San Francisco.  Ben and his soccer team were playing in a tournament in the South Bay area, so Saturday and Sunday we cheered him on!

We went down to Pier 39 Saturday evening and had a good time wandering around and getting dinner at Bubba Gumps.

Sea Lions

The Sea Lions have made these docks home base since 1989 - at one time you could see hundreds of them bathing in the sun, barking at each other, and dipping into the water to cool off!  The numbers are way down now, it is speculated that most of the sea lions they have moved to a new location, possibly on the the Oregon Coast.

Aquarium by the Bay

A small aquarium right on Pier 39

When they didn't advance into the finals (and more games on Monday) we decided to drive down to Monterey and visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium!  This is one of my favorites places to go ... and Sam couldn't remember it.  So it was fun to see how excited he was to see all the fish, sharks, and other marine creatures!

Feeding Squid to the Bat Rays

 The Jellyfish exhibit

 A Hammerhead Shark in the Deep Sea exhibit

 Sea Otters in the bay

(the larger clumps are little groups of otters laying on their backs)

A spotted Sea Lion

Amazing!

You could spend days and days seeing everything at the aquarium, so we will have to go back soon.

Of course a trip to Monterey isn't complete without a stop here ...

 Yum!!

Biking

National Bike Month Artwork by Illustrator Carolyn Vibbert

Steven G. has joined the bike movement!

He has been biking to work most days and enjoying the exercise ... 

Celebrate!

We celebrated the end of our Girl Scout year last night.

  

Awards!

Ice Cream!

Video Show!

Fun!
[Whew! ... a huge sigh of relief for this leader mom :)]

Pinning on Susie's 8th year star (with a special 100th anniversary disc)

 The girls of Troop 2061

Pre-School Graduation

Sam graduated from pre-school yesterday!

I am sad that my baby is growing up so fast.  I wish I could just freeze him at this age!

I asked him what I was going to do while he was gone to Kindergarten every day and he said, "well, I'll be home for two months in summers Mom"  LOL.  He has a nonchalant answer for everything!

Anyway ...

He was darling in his graduation cap, singing songs with his friends and getting his diploma.  

Looking handsome in his outfit.  

(It was a battle ... but mom won in the end!)

He loved every minute of pre-school with Miss Christi and Miss Kirsten!!

Best Buddy Brody!

Early Mornings

This entire school year Steve has been in charge of taking Ben to early morning Seminary and then school.   They have their routine down pat ... but, a few weeks ago Steve went out of town for 2 weeks and so that job became mine.

Now I am NOT an early morning person, or even a morning person for that matter ... So I set my alarm to 5:30 AM (actually I set 2 alarms and Ben set 2 alarms {he didn't think I would be able to do this!})  

I am happy to report that I did it, we did it!  I woke up, woke ben up!, made him breakfast and lunch and dropped him of at the church that they have seminary in.  I was pretty tired the first few days, but then I got used to it and I found that it was nice to have those few moments with Ben before his day started as well as to see his dedication to attending every morning.  I am proud of him ...  I had released time seminary in UT and I am not sure I could have gotten up early every morning with such a good attitude :) I believe his decision to attend Seminary gives him strength and support as he goes to school, interacts with friends and practices soccer!

In a recent New Era article it says:

"You are not alone in your decision to attend seminary. Throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of youth make seminary a part of their lives, reaching their classrooms by bus, canoe, bicycle, and more. Some youth wake up early and travel long distances to arrive in time, others make the journey in the evenings, and still others study at home for several days of the week.

Attending seminary requires sacrifice, but youth throughout the world are finding that seminary participation is worth every effort. And those who participate have something in common: their seminary experience brings them closer to the Savior and to our Heavenly Father."

Explore

Susie, Sam and their friends have been having lots of fun catching tadpoles in the marshy swamp at the end of our street.  

Rain Boots On!

Plastic Jars!

Explore!

(Katie has a place for them at her house and they watch them grow into frogs!)

Mother's Day

I hope all the mom's I know are having a truly wonderful day!
I wish I was with my mom, sister and grandma to give them big hugs ... we will Face Time them in a little bit!

I know my family is spoiling me today ... [ my kids are all doing everything I ask ;) ]
That is how I got this picture ... which I already love!

I was treated to breakfast, a new yellow purse!, a necklace (homemade by Susie), and lots of sweet cards.

This made me smile:

My interview about MY MOM, by Sam
(He did this at preschool)

1.  What does your mom look like?
She has tall hair and brown eyes.  (What is tall hair??)

2.  What does your mom do all day?
Goes exercising and drops me off at school  (When I asked about this, Sam looked right at me and said how am I supposed to know what you are doing ... I am at school ... this boy!)

3.  What does you mom like to make for you?
Raspberry shakes { No I do not ... because then I have to pull out the blender and have extra things to wash up :) ... but they are his favorite, so I make it kind of like Cold Stone, and just mix the berries into the ice cream by hand }

4.  What does your mom love to play?
She plays pirates with me!

I love my mom because ... she lets me go outside and play with my friends!

So sweet!