I'm always hearing people say they are waiting to go to Disneyland when their kids are older so they will enjoy the experience more and remember it better.  My opinion is that Disneyland should be attended often so it really is irrelevant what age you take them.

When we were heading off to go to Grandma Johnson's, Derek watched us pack up the car with our bags and sleeping bags.  When we got to the stoplight he said excitedly, "I going to Disneyland!"  He remembered!  He has said, "Let's go to Disneyland tomorrow," and once after we took Emma to school he wouldn't get out of the car because he was ready to go to the Happiest Place on Earth.  He finally agreed to leave when I told him we could go to Asher's house later that day.

Today he said, "I need a Disneyland paper."   He climbed up on the computer and drew a picture, cut it out and hung it on the fridge, replacing Michael's map he made from school.  When he brought me by the hand to see his new display he told me it was a princess.  I was impressed.

My Mom says that Disneyland is in our blood.  Maybe she's right.  I'm glad that all my brothers and sister has married people that agree so we can understand the need, especially this time of the year for some strange reason, to migrate south.

Derek is his father's son.  His favorite thing to eat any time of the day is cereal.

Long Underwear

Okay, I'll fix the pictures later.

It's been snowing all night and it's supposed to be in the single digits all week.  So at five 'o clock this morning I trekked out to Walmart to get my kids some long underwear.  They were pretty excited about it.

I thought the outfit Marian came up with was pretty cute.

(Marian is licking Carrie's yummy divinity off her fingers.)

Oh and it's a two hour delay, although I think we're all still hoping for a closure.

Derek is off and talking! Like yesterday when we visited the park and he poked his head through two bars only to realize his ears would only fit one way: "MA, I stuck!" He wasn't worried, he had a smile on his face and we both enjoyed the funny situation. I reflected later how happy I was that when he needed help he knew to call me.

Derek carried his "BABY DOLL!" with him all the time. (He says most things so loudly, I suppose that is because we have such a hard time understanding him.) He will put it in the baby backpack, making sure it looks comfortable and change it's diaper. Once he woke in the middle of the night screaming for it. Sometimes he will put up to four babies in the baby bed and carry it around. He is going to make such a good dad!

He'll make a great husband too. Yesterday when I was vacuuming he helped me move furniture, vacuumed with his little Dirt Devil, and then dumped his canister and stored the vacuum in the garage right next to mine. He puts his dishes in the sink and can often be found replacing the garbage bag when the kids take the garbage out.

He is so determined to be grown up and I'm glad the other kids are such great examples for him to live up to. Last night he rode/walked the three wheeler all the way to the park and back all by himself. I was surprised at how he kept up with everyone and, as I watched him play at the park, impressed by his miraculous body. I was in awe watching his muscles work to make him jump from place to place and grateful for such an amazing creation.


I love how he calls Eliza, "LYZIE!" (again, he rarely says anything quietly) and watches out for her.

I think Eliza is saying things like "cracker" and "I did it," but it has been so long since I've had a talker I could be delusional or overly optimistic. She loves everyone and everyone loves her. She also loves clothes and brings them to me to get her dressed.

Marian is enjoying Kindergarten. She gets to ride on the bus with Brennan. Megan is finding middle school easier than spectrum, as I predicted, even though she has high math, high English and AP pre-algebra for her elective. I'll have to be sure to give her more responsibilities around the house now that she has it easier at school. Emma and Michael have impressed me by doing their homework as soon as they come home with out being told.

Eliza knows she is a cutie. When we were at Michael's doctor's appointment the other day she was sitting on my lap until another lady came and sat by us. Then she hopped down and started walking around, looking at the lady the whole time. When the lady finally looked up from her Reader's Digest she was rewarded with a huge, adorable smile from Eliza. "You gotta love me, I'm the baby!"

She loves water. Yesterday we went to Howard Amon Park and played at the park and in the wadding pool. She had no fear, going chest deep towards the center. A couple of weeks ago I set her on the side of Grandma Lewis's above ground pool. She jumped right in and had a great time, with me holding her.

Derek loves showers and will hop in when ever he catches Nate taking one. Once he even hopped in with Emma and took charge of the hand-held shower head. I can't keep the kid off the counters! He is a sweet guy and is often seen carrying around two baby dolls. He is very clean. He'll come tell me when he needs a diaper change, get the stuff if I ask and lays down. Time to potty train! He doesn't like having his hands dirty and he puts his dishes in the sink. He cleans up the toys at nursery. He also has learned some of his letters and sounds. He loves to sweep and vacuum. He's always happy to lend a helping hand.

Megan is starting Middle School next week. It looks like it will be great. She has good teachers and is in the High Cap classes including a very special pre-algebra class. She has been babysitting Madalyn Walker twice a week. It's a great entry-level babysitting job and she is earning money for college, her American Girl magazine subscription, Christmas presents, and our upcoming Disneyland trip.

This summer has been so full of fun! swimming lessons, Seattle trip, swimming at Grandma's, Bookmobile, free movies at the theater, watching a movie outside at grandma's, the ward camp out, finishing our swing set, sleeping out on the trampoline, going to the spray park, Sonics' Happy Hour :) , and just being together as a family enjoying lazy days. The kids have been marvelous. Michael has written some wonderful reports and made awesome accompanied power point presentations. Everyone has pitched in to keep the house somewhat clean.

I know it's almost time for school to start. The days are shorter and more golden. They shadows are longer and the air is colder. The backpacks are packed and new clothes are bought (except for shoes, gotta go do that!), but I'm not ready to give up summer or my kids yet. We'll see how much we can pack in the next few days. Whenever I start wishing for more summer I just remember we'll be going to Disneyland soon and that time is passing so quickly, it won't be long until next June!

Seattle Trip

By: Everybody

We went to Seattle. We had a blast!

On the way there we stopped in Ellensburg and had a picnic dinner at the park on Manitoba. At the park there was a swing that we could all sit on.



The hotel had a really cool swimming pool. It had two sprinklers and a really deep end and a really not deep end. It went from nine inches to four and a half feet. Derek and Eliza mostly liked playing in the shower. The food was great. There was waffles for breakfast and lemonade and sandwiches for dinner. They also had croutons. Michael liked watching Sponge Bob. Our hotel had a personal bathroom and a bed in the couch that Emma and Megan slept on. Michael and Merian slept on a blow up mattress and Mom and Dad slept in the KING bed with Eliza and Derek.

On our first day there we went to the Seattle Aquarium. The otters gracefully swam. There were seahorses. We saw a presentation with a scuba diver! We also saw the octopus being fed. We touched starfish, coral reef stuff, and crabs. There were also tiny sharks in a dome room with a lot of cool fish. They also had an activity where you could rub impressions of animal foot prints.

After eating PB&J in the car we went to Tukwila park. There was a playground and so many plants! We went on a little hike on a path.

That night we went to the Rainforest Cafe. There was pretend lightening and the animals moved. There was a statue that had a sign that said, "save the rainforest." We shared two volcanoes that had a sparkler on top and when they brought it out they yelled, "volcano!" There was a tree with a face carved into it with eyes that moved and it talked.

The next day we went swimming and to a park that had a giant spider ball to climb in. It also had a slide that had a cool way to climb up. We also took a walk around the pond there.

At night we went to the Seattle Center and saw Laser Beatles at the Pacific Science Center. Laser images were projected on the ceiling while Beatle songs played. One of Michael's favorite ones was "It's Been a Hard Day's Night." It showed an owl that found a earthworm and did nice things. He also liked "The Yellow Submarine" that showed pictures of a yellow submarine.

We also saw the Space Needle and we touched it!

The next day after swimming and checking out of our hotel and eating lunch at a park we visited the Defiance Point Zoo. There were lemurs, meerkats, and puffins. The beluga whales always smiled. The walruses were huge. So enormous they are hard to imagine. They would swim right by the glass. We saw a zoo keeper holding a tarantula, another one holding a snake, and another holding an owl. We saw huge sharks and sea dragons! They had a playground with a climbing spider web. They had crab shells so you could pretend that you were a crab, a nest and a coral reef thing.


Then we picked Dad up at his training and went camping at Zion's Camp. Everyone did a good job helping set the tent up and we sang songs and roasted marshmallows at the camp fire before going to bed. The next morning Michael, Emma, and Merian kept the fire burning bright. Megan discovered a few ripe blackberries and sent the kids on a hunt.

We played at the playground at the big rope swing and barrel swing. Merian found a secret room at the tree house. Then Dad took Megan, Michael, Emma, Merian and Derek out in a row boat. The water was so clear that sometimes you could see the bottom. Marian thought it wasn't safe to go but she did it and it was fun. We ran into a rock. Michael put a fishing bob from the boat in the water and later Emma caught it. Megan, Emma and Merian carved pictures into tree bark. Michael, Emma and Merian learned how to skip rocks and they swung out over the lake on the rope.

After we left Zion's camp we visited Port Orchard and ate lunch at Sidney Glenn where Megan went to Kindergarten. She remembered a huge rock covered by moss and surrounded by trees, but it wasn't quite how she remembered it. There was a huge slide on the hill and a playground.
We also went on a quick hike at South Kitsap park.

After driving around we went to Bremerton to catch a ferry. Michael almost got sea sick but really liked hanging out on the deck. He liked watching the water. Megan, Emma and Merian collected travel brochures. Merian remembers the water fountains at Bremerton's ferry dock. We saw star fish but Megan was disappointed she didn't see any jelly fish like she had as child.

Michael thinks this trip was "specticalelar!" because the food was great! Merian thinks the best part was finding the secret room in the tree house with the benches and table and the cement head. Emma liked seeing the seahorses and sea dragons. Megan liked not having to wake up at 6:30 to go to band camp. Dad's and Mom's favorite part was being together as a family.

Mexican Bakery (Panderia)

By: Master Mike

The whole family went to a Mexican bakery today. We all ordered some pretty wild donuts and a little pan dulce. We learned that "Quisiera pan dulce, por favor" means "I would like some sweet bread, please." While we were there we saw some pretty awesome cakes. The donuts were huge!

Megan was excited while Emma was nervous. The food was great. We all had a good time together with our family at the bakery.