Monday - Characters

We had the BEST luck when it came to seeing Disney characters - we always seemed to be the last allowed in the line to see them and JUST get in - it was great - our first full day and we see Mickey right off! Love the Mouse!

Jungle Cruise
Tarzan Treehouse (formally the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse)
We just missed Pooh but got Tigger and Eeyore
Small World
As you can tell, since I don't know which pictures to share - I am putting each day into a slideshow.

Goofy - just in time for a picture but no autograph til later in the week
Minnie and her house
N and I go on Casey Jr.'s little train - he couldn't wait to get in the cage
California Adventure's World of Color - very pretty!
Disney fireworks over the castle!
Buzz Lightyear adventure - try and shoot Zurg - loved it - we went around and around again and again. Best time to get a lot of rides if AFTER the fireworks when a lot of people leave - and yes a few nights we were all out til midnight - closed the park down!
Autographs with Pluto and the Evil Queen - O was not very happy about her and didn't care for autographs for a few days - she always wanted to be held after that. Some pictures are darker since it's at night - the lighting was not very good.

Sunday - Visiting the Temple

On Sunday we decide to drive up to the L.A. Temple - it is beautiful! and very large.
It is on Santa Monica Blvd. We had to sing the song.
Then we went to Venice to visit my cousin - can't believe I didn't take any pictures.

Saturday -

Picture slideshow of us arriving at our WorldMark in Anaheim, CA and heading to Disneyland that evening. We had a view of Disney from our room window, we took the ART to Disney, and have a great time!

Disney Surprise!

We tell the boys that we are going to Vegas for a week - so we take off after school and stay the night - the next morning, Saturday, we get up and send the boys on a scavenger hunt to find a red box to find out what we are going to do for the day!




They were a little sad that we weren't staying to go swimming.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stephaniesummers1

No Yelling

So I watched Studio 5 (a news show) yesterday and it had a speaker talking about how to make your home a safe haven. Make it peaceful and calm. And I have needed that for some time now. Too much grumpiness around here for me lately.
So I sat the boys down last night and told them what we were all working on. I even made little stop signs that said "No yelling" on them to post in the house to remind everyone. They loved that and ran around the house posting them.
So far, since last night, it's been better, yeah! Then the b0ys starting fighting today, calling each other "Stupid." Not liking that, but they weren't yelling it either, hmmm... I'll take a victory any way I can right now. :) Go boys! (Yes, I think I know what the next goal is...)

The holidays are almost upon us. Here's hoping you and yours have a wonderful Christmas this year filled with the spirit and the true meaning.

Loving the fall weather!! Can't wait!!

School Again, School Again

Backpacks and lunch boxes have been bought.
Only 2 more days :)
Everyone is excited to see what school has in store for them.
Hope everyone else enjoys as well!

Having fun getting onto FB and finding old friends! I've liked that I've found people I haven't seen or talked to in 20 years and they just jump on and we talk. Thank you!
It's also been fun to check out their blogs and hear positive things! Thank you for your good examples! I needed it!

Trip to Depoe Bay, Oregon - Days 1-3

We just finished a trip to Depoe Bay, Oregon with my dad and sister and her family. We had a great time - here are some highlights from our trip.

Day 1 - Drive to Boise, ID - stop at Twin Falls temple on the way for family photo. Stay the night in Boise.



Day 2 - left Boise and stopped by Boise Temple in morning for pic with family. Arrive in Oregon - stop at visitor's center, John Day Dam, Bonneville Fish Hatchery and feed the trout, Multnomah Falls. Stay the night in Portland.

Day 3 - Stop by Portland Temple in the morning for another family pic. Noticing a theme? :) Trying to see how many temple family pictures we can get. Finally arrive at WorldMark Depoe Bay, Oregon. Yeah! So excited to be there.

Days 4-6

Day 4 - Go to Sacrament meeting, explore WorldMark, make Depoe Bay t-shirts (my sister's idea), see sea lions and relax for the day.


Day 5 - Go to Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Newport. Go to Beverly Beach to introduce the beach to the kids. COLD! They had a great time running in it. Go back to Yaquina in evening to visit tide pools - fun to see so many starfish and sea urchins. Loving taking pictures


Day 6 - Oregon Coast Aquarium - lunch at Chowder Bowl for seafood - Aquarium Village (apparently it's businesses are closing down, if it were up and running it'd be a really cute place).

Days 7-9

Day 7 - try to see whales, tell us water is rough so we don't go - rest of family tries to see whales and gets sick whole time - sees no whales - sounds like a good call on our part. So we look at shops and go swimming while they recoup.

Day 8 - we go to Sea Lion caves in Florence (about 1 1/2 hrs. away). Sister's family goes to beach. Fun, windy, chilly. Couldn't believe how close they were and how many. Unfortunately you couldn't use flash so the pictures don't do it justice. Neal and I go to dinner at Tidal Raves for anniversary - yum! Good place to eat.
Day 9 - Go to Fogarty beach north about a mile - good idea, not windy and actually got to wear shorts. Water rough but had good time playing on edge of water. Grownups go to dinner at Sea Hag for seafood - gotta love Alaskan King crab legs. Come back and make s'mores. Perfect way to end the week! Had beautiful sunset too.


Wow I seem to eat a lot - but boy was it good!!!!!

Days 10-12 - the End!

Day 10 - leave Depoe Bay to go to Klamath Falls - stop at Crater Lake on the way - beautiful, worth the stop, couldn't believe how blue the water was. It was also funny to be up in the snow when we were just at the beach. From Summers 2010 in the sand to the snow.

Day 11 - leave Klamath to stop for in Winnemuca, yes Winnemuca - enjoyed doing nothing but rest so we don't have such a long drive.
Day 12 - leave for home.

Other stuff -
had fun, whole week was windy, in mid-50s, and ate LOTS of ice cream at Fuddy Duddy Fudge. Gotta love Tillamook Mudslide! Lots of seagulls. Relaxing time.

Wait for it!

3rd time's a charm!

Tulips in the Garden...

Yeah! My first tulips I've ever planted and here they come!





But wait, there's more!!

I love Nature!

I took this one on our back porch - it's on our Aspen tree!

Science and weather - one of my favorite things! EVAPORATION at work!
This is in our backyard.

It's March Madness I Tell You!

Next...

Part 2 of?

Well, Heather got all excited (as she should) and put the gingham border around 2 squares to see what they would look like. Isn't it cute? I'm so excited for her.