Final Skinner Days

Every time our kids get together with the Skinners they always have a great time. This was sort of a sad gathering since it was also good bye because the Skinners are moving to New Mexico. It was always nice that everyone had a buddy. Not always who you would think either. Towards the end, Hailey became quite attached to Logan. He was great and played along with it! Hopefully we will still keep in touch and be able to see them again!

The girls made sure Colby felt like he had a place as well.

Cooper's Encounters with Colby

I always crack up at how much Colby adores Cooper. He has gotten a little better about handling him. He at least doesn't throw him when he sets him down anymore. I thought I would share some of Cooper's encounters with Colby so you can see a smidgen of what we see daily!- There is a few clips but they are all fairly short.

Hailey's Preschool Fieldtrip to the Fire Station

Every year Lighthouse Preschool takes their Pre-K class on a fire station field trip to teach them about fireman and fire safety. This was Hailey's year. It is always fun to see their reactions to the fireman all dressed up in uniform, trying to teach the kids not to be afraid if you see someone dressed in those clothes coming toward you. Hailey hung pretty close to me and Teacher Cindy, but I think she got the idea. Of course the fireman hats they all got at the end was her favorite part.

WE HAVE A PET!

Finally after years of asking for a pet, our kids finally got one. Although I think Brian was just as excited about if not more. We learned about the Tortoises on a Friday night when we went with our friends Ben and Holly to pick up theirs. Brian asked what they needed to survive, and when Jack (the breeder) said if you left them, they could survive at least a year as long as there were weeds in your yard, we knew that this was the pet for us. It was all I could do to keep Brian from buying one right then and there. With serious effort I finally convinced him to at least wait until the next morning so we could come back and pick one in the day light were we could see them all and choose. He was a kid in a candy shop. So Saturday we went back to Jack's house to pick out our tortoise. Luckily my mom had stayed overnight so she stayed at the house with the kids while we went. When I saw Cooper (as he is now named) I knew that he was the tortoise I wanted. He was still fairly small, but big enough to handle Colby. Jack said that at his current size he could get stepped on by an elephant and still survive. - Yes- but can he withstand Colby?!? He was out cruising around when we saw him and he didn't seem as shy as some of the others. Plus I liked how his shell was 3 layers of color. Anyway- now we have a pet. Now I don't have to feel so bad when my kids bring home those dumb questionnaires from school that ask you all about yourself- your likes... dislikes... pets...- I always felt guilty when I told them to just put (N/A)-not applicable. Now we have joined the ranks. We Have A Pet!-

Check out some of the footage of our first moments with Cooper!

Vinyl Weeding Isn't For Everyone

So many times when people have wanted vinyl and they know I am already busy they always offer to help. When I explain the process they usually ask "Can I just weed it myself?" (Weeding is were you pull off the reverse of the image that was cut by the plotter) Anyway- I usually laugh, because it is never as easy as it looks. Just check out Kristin's intense weeding pose. And this was about an hour or so into the project we were working on. Kristin Skinner began weeding with me when I first got started in the vinyl business, she has literally been there since the beginning! While watching her weed I remembered why not just anyone can do it. I don't even think I could hold that pose for very long.- She swears it gives her a better lighting angle to see the cuts. - O.K. -

Summer Weather???

Warm weather and water always go well together right?!? After Savannah Pace's baptism, we all gathered at the Pace's home for a BBQ. With the wonderful warm weather somehow all the kids ended up in swim suits getting hosed down on the trampoline. Colby was a little timid of the blast of the hose, but thrilled when he found a bucket of water and a bubble wand! They had a blast, but I am not sure I am ready for summer just yet.

Who wants to sit on Papa's lap?

BEING A PAPA;

What does it mean to have all your grandkids in the same place. It means that you have no lap left to sit on.

Poker Flat Park with Nana

So believe it nor not, there are one or two other things to do in Copperopolis besides play in the water. So today Nana wanted to take the kids over to one of the parks in Poker Flats. It’s always a good idea to get the kids outside in the fresh air to help get some of their energy out. And what kid doesn’t love playing at the park, especially one that is new to them. They love having new and different toys to play on. Even Nana got into the action. After all we’re all kids at heart right? The “little” kids got a kick out of having Nana bounce, swing and play with them. While parks are always fun, having a Nana play with you makes it even better!

One of my favorite things...

One of the things I love the most about when the weather gets warm is looking outside and seeing my family playing in the yard. I love it that sometimes upon getting home from work, Brian sneaks in the backyard when he hears the kids playing, and I look up from the window and there he is just one of the kids. He is such a great father. I truly love seeing him love and play with our children. I am truly blessed with a great family!

Nana's idea of fun

Nana is very creative and one way she like s to show her creativity is coming up with ways to tease the kids. This particular afternoon Colby and Dax were playing in Nana’s kitchen, when she decided it would be funny to attach some multicolored plastic clothes pins to the boy’s shirts and pants. She liked putting them where they could feel it, but they couldn’t quite reach to get it off. Of course if one of the boys has something the other one wants it too. So eventually they both wanted all the pins and didn’t want the other one to take any. Then to really add dimension to the effect Nana stuffed a couple of toy balls up their shirts. They thought it was hilarious. They were chasing each other in circles, trying to take the pins off the other one and hit their ball out of their shirt. They had a good time doing it with only a few minor tantrums of frustration. After all Dax is 2 and Colby is almost 2. Of course Nana got a kick out of watching the masterpiece of chaos she had created. Were going to have to watch out for that Nana!

THE EASTER HUNT

Easter was fun- it was about the kids as always! But that's what makes it fun! Colby wasn't interested in the eggs at first- he thought we let him outside to find Cooper. But then when he realized there was candy inside the eggs, he got excited.- The girls were really sweet to help make sure Colby got his share of the eggs.
We had a nice dinner as well. My Mom and Dad and Great-Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Mac and the Garcia-Young Clan joined us for the celebration. It is always a fun time to gather with family and friends to celebrate the blessings our Savior has given us!

EASTER MORNING!

I just love these pictures, because to me this is the classic Easter morning with all the little girls in their pink sponge rollers. I am grateful that my girls let me carry on the tradition of Easter sponge rollers. My Mom did it to her daughters and now I get to do it to my daughters. Aren't they so lucky! It's just not Easter without them!- Well... that and the Easter Bunny and baskets of course.

We Love To Read! well...most of us do...

One of things things I love most about my children is that they truly love to read! They will sit and read for hours with anyone who will sit with them. I have watched their reading skills improve so much over this last year, they really just amaze me. In this case the captive audience just happened to be Nana and Papa and Daddy. Then of course Colby had his own show he was putting on with Papa. (check out his little clip)

Cambrie turns 7!

This is Cambrie's off year for birthday parties, although you would never know it by all partying she had with friends. Coming home from Disneyland was her actual birthday, so we stopped with the GY's for some ice cream.


Then the next day we had sort of a friends and family party for her. Even just a coulple families with kids ends up being a pretty huge party. She's just lucky I guess! Cambrie I hope you had a wonderful birthday! We love you so much and are so lucky to have you be a part of our family.


JUST LOOK AT THAT SMILE!!!!!

Our Young Padawan- Cambrie- fights Darth Vader

While we were at Disneyland, Cambrie got chosen for the Jedi Training Academy. When he chose her, he said the force was coming to him in the form of a high pitched scream, and the person making that sound must be chosen. (She really did have quite a piercing scream, but we told her if she wanted it she would have to make some noise and she did!) It was a lot of fun to watch! She took it quite seriously too! Her friend Emily got chosen as well. Jade and Hailey didn't even want to do it, but they were cheering Cambrie on all the way!

FANTASMIC!

I had seen bits and pieces of the Fantasmic show and it always looks so neat, so it was the one activity I wanted to hold out for, but as you can see not everyone else was able to hold out, so here are some cool little clips to share with you from FANTASMIC!

Happy Birthday Brian!

This year my parents decided they would start a new tradition for adult birthdays. They take out the birthday person and their spouse to dinner and they get tickets for a movie. I love the idea! So this was Brian's birthday dinner. We went to Chili's because we like the food and the variety! We had good service, good food and good company! Thanks Dad and Mom! Happy Birthday Brian!!!