New York Cousins

My newest nephew, Luke. He started smiling while I was out there, of course, because he loves his favorite Aunt Jen. :) SO cute. I just wanted to hold him the whole trip. Which I did.

The very energetic and hilarious Tyler. He is two, just a couple of months older than Megan, but is much taller. He didn't know what to think of me at first, but he warmed up and we had lots of fun. His giggle is very infectious, loves to watch movies on the computer and drink "choc'late milk."

Ben (7) and Kenzie (almost 5 in these pics). I had lots of fun talking about books with Ben--he is a HUGE reader--and Kenzie would crack me up with all of her songs and poses, both of which she does all. the. time. She sings everything which drives Ben crazy. And when I say everything, I do mean EVERYTHING from what she is picking up off the floor, to what the kids are doing, to just random noise. It was hilarious to listen to.

At the Children's Museum in Syracuse. Gross (which is what he was going for I think) but very funny.

New York Palmyra Pictures

Entertaining ourselves in the backseat on our way to the Hill Cumorah pageant.

(McKenzie, Ben & me)

At Hill Cumorah. They have a huge stage (all the stone steps) that is set up on the hill and looks like it's been there forever even though they put it up and tear it down each summer. It was amazing the number of people who come--regardless of religion--and from how far. Before the pageant starts, all the actors and a zillion missionaries walk around handing out Books of Mormon and pass along cards and talking to the audience.

With it being so dark and my dinky little camera, it was difficult to get any good pictures of the actual Pageant. Besides the fact that my flash going off irritated all those around me. Oops!

But this is a scene of Lehi's dream with the Tree of Life. The special effects they use are amazing, there's water, fire, besides just lighting. And everytime Jesus was part of it, my cute little nephew Tyler would yell out "JESUS!" and "ooohhhh" and "ahhhh". Very entertaining.

Later that week we went back to Hill Cumorah and Palymra to check things out in the daylight.

Monument at Hill Cumorah

Palmyra Temple seen from Joseph Smith's farmhouse.


Palmyra Temple up close.

Pathway from Smith home to Sacred Grove.

Smith's farmhouse (where Joseph Smith grew up)


Probably my favorite picture of the entire trip (and I actually took it with my dinky point and shoot camera). I absolutely love the lighting and the trees.

The Sacred Grove

Niagara Falls (pics, pics oh and wait..more pics)

Niagara (pronounced NI-ah-guh-ruh as we were told many times throughout the tours) from the view tower:

Our beautiful scraggly selves, in beautiful blue trash bag ponchos, after the Maid of the Mist tour where you ride in a ferry around the bottom of the Falls. Pretty cool.

These next two were taken while on the ferry ride. All the mist coming off the Falls could be seen miles away--from the freeway it looks like smoke billowing up from a gigantic fire.

Rainbow Bridge that crosses over to Canada. Sooooo close to going international.






Absolutely soaking wet after doing the tour where you walk at the bottom of the Falls on a deck and can actually touch them. Very cool--amazing power from the Falls. They waves crashing onto the deck would push me and my sis Melissa across the deck a bit. It was awesome.

Those crazy people in yellow? That's the Tour at the bottom of the falls. Freakin' awesome.

Me in front of Canada. :)

Melissa in front of Canada.

The amazing and kind of awful truck/limo we saw coming home.

Summer Confusion

The weather lately has been difficult for my children. I LOVE the rain. I could live in Seattle (oooo, or FORKS...hello Edward...) cuz rain is fun for me. However, with the first two weeks of summer vacation for my kids being doused in rain, times have not been perfectly enjoyable over here, because they have been trapped inside our house for the most part. This week however, it has been beautiful!! The sun is shining, we started swimming lessons, played at the park, had picnics, ride bikes, all things summer.

So this afternoon as I'm listening to my children run all over the house, screeching like banshees, I tell them to go play outside (where their screeching doesn't make me want to eat a whole bottle of ibuprofen and wash it down with a bottle of something stronger than Pepsi). Do my children dash outside to play in the sun ready to jump and frolic? No. I have a mutiny. They don't want to go outside, they don't want to play.

Whatever, I think and I send them outside. Surely they will get out there and start messing around and have some fun so I can make dinner.

They sit on the stairs, with their arms folded, bottom lips sticking out, anger lurking in their eyes. What?!? So I give them a choice. They can play outside, in the sunshine, ride their bikes, play in the yard, whatever! OR, they can come in and clean their rooms.

The results:
Their rooms have never looked so clean.

Abby's New 'Do

Abby's hair has been growing uncontrollably, and since the poor girl was bald until she was two, we've had a difficult time wanting to cut it. Actually, Bryson has shown no such restraint as he cut it twice when she was two, thus delaying hair growth even longer! Obviously you can understand our hesitancy in cutting our dear Abby-girl's hair. Unfortunately, the hair had overtaken the girl and I finally convinced her to get it cut for summer. We love being able to do fun things with her hair, but the tangles and heat, not to mention the crying when we tried to comb her long hair, well, it was time.

BEFORE

Abby was very willing to tell the hair stylist EXACTLY what she wanted, which was very cute, and expressed her interest in having bangs. I think the stylist was a little suprised I was willing to cut off a good 6-8 inches of hair on the whim of an almost six year old, but she was willing, especially when Abby said she wanted bangs just like the stylist's cuz they were so pretty. :) My charmer--turns those big brown eyes on people and you just can't help but succumb.

AFTER

Needless to say, we love her hair!! So much easier to do in the morning, plus it just suits her sweet personality. And of course we had to put the whole picture thing on the blog because, as Abby informed me, people just want to KNOW. Now you're in the know. Your welcome.

Graduating Kindergarten

I've just been on a blogging roll the last few days! This will be my 3rd post in as many days, and I'm pretty sure a blogging medal should be handed over. I'm all over patting myself on the back. My house may not be perfectly clean but Facebook status and blogging is up to date!!

ANYWAY. Like many of you with kindergarteners, we had a graduation program to go to. My firstborn didn't have one when he was in kindergarten. I feel slightly gyped. Ok not really. But Abby's class had a short one along with a singing program which was just cute and hilarious.

Here's Abby realizing I've pulled the camera out to take pictures.


Completely enthralled by their sweet teacher, Miss Tensmeyer.

For every song the class sang, between 3-5 of the children would get up and act out the song. Abby got to act as a rosebush (perfect for my pretty and shy girl) for a song about a puppy that sniffs a rose and gets stung by a bee on his nose. Very cute.

Again, realizing that I'm taking a picture. :)

After the singing portion, Miss Tensmeyer, that is her on the right handside in the white dress, passed out the graduation certificates. She is very petite and makes all the kindergarteners look huge. I'm not exactly a tall person by any stretch of the imagination, but she is a good five or six inches shorter than I am. She comes to just past my shoulder. I really need to hang around her more--not only is she an incredible teacher, but one of the few people on this earth older than 12 that I am taller than. FABULOUS.

So, Abby got her certificate and didn't even look at the camera. She looks like she's stalking away, but really, it was more like a graceful glide. She gets that from me, as I am amazingly graceful (just ask my family). *smirk* :) Abby also won the citizenship certificate for the top girl in her class that befriends and is kind to any and all. Yay for Abby-girl!

I can't hardly believe she's out of kindergarten and my kids are home for the summer. I love them being home--hopefully we won't all be driving each other crazy by next week. :) Next stop, FIRST GRADE!

Underwears

I'm sitting at the computer, playing on Facebook (because for the life of me, I just can't keep myself away when I'm bored), when Meg walks in wearing:

Yup. Garrett's new soccer underwear. She found a pair downstairs in his drawer and managed to get them on, over her capris, backwards, all by her smart little self.

She refused to take them off. Ever. In fact, she is still wearing them. Just kidding, cuz that would be seriously gross as this was last Tuesday. But let me tell you, it took the bribe of a bubble bath AND a treat that night in order for her to willingly take them off and exchange them for pj's. However, what particularly cracked me up was that she kept hitching up her red shirt in order to show me "Raret's" underwear. She was incredibly proud, and aren't we all? Look, my baby is dressing herself. Perhaps not her own clothing, and backwards, and ok, wrong gender really, and to be perfectly picky not in the correct order and all, but she's dressing herself. She's a genius.

I'm totally taking this as a sign that potty training is going to be a breeze. Not that I plan on doing that any time soon, but underwear? Before two? Come on people, that's just brilliance waiting to be bragged upon.