Memorial Day Weekend

For Memorial Day this year, we were lucky enough to be in Utah. Grandpa Oz and his sisters, Pat and Lois, were making the rounds at all the family graves in Salt Lake and we joined them for the last stop at Grandma Susie's grave.

Grandpa and Emma trimmed the grass and made sure the headstone was beautiful.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day.

From left to right: Matt, Lois, Phil, Malia, Pat, Kim, Lucas, Michael, Me and Emma

Graduation PARTY!

For the post graduation party, we decided to head over to the beach in Ventura. Along the way, we found a little merman...

The kids had a blast playing in the sand...


Lucas found some swings and was in heaven!


While Emma played and played and played.


It was a little chilly so Malia was a little bundle of gray.


We LOVE being only an hour and a half from the beach!!

Graduation!!

On May 22, we became the proud parents of a Preschool graduate!!

I thought it was so cute that they went all out and had the kids in caps and gowns (plus it makes for an easy Halloween costume this year). The kids all had to wait until their names were called to come down the aisle. They were all carrying flowers and a poem with their handprint on it to give to their parents who were waiting for them at the front of the chapel.

Isn't she so cute?? Emma did so good in Preschool! It really helped her blossom and grow in ways I never would have been able to get her to do if she had stayed at home. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard the phrase, "Well, Mrs Sarah (her teacher) says...." I would be a rich woman right now! We are hoping that having that whole experience will help alleviate some of her Kindergarten fears and make the transition a whole lot easier.

Family Pics

Over a month ago we got word that my Grandpa Hulse had fallen and was going to have to be moved into a nursing home. He has been sick for quite a few years and has been having a tough time for a while now. To help bolster his spirits, my mom suggested that we get all the grandkids together so we could take some pictures to hang up in his room. One of Damon and Clarissa's friends was awesome enough to volunteer to take pictures of our group.

Of course, I am a little biased and I think that my kids are the most adorable!!

The kids did really good!

Damon and Clarissa with their crazy girls.


Kaela did her own hair and I think she did a great job!!

Joel and Kim with their rug rats.


Boys will be boys...

Emma Claire

Lucas Phillip

Malia Ann

Me and my "bothers"

Don't we all look so grown up and responsible? HA!! HA!!

Malia's Blessing

Since Michael's Dad is an accountant, and January is a VERY busy time for him, we decided to wait to bless Malia until he could be there. That meant we had to wait until the end of April when tax season was over. It worked out perfectly for my Dad too and he was able to make the trip out as well. Little did we know just how busy that weekend would turn out to be. We actually ended up moving while everyone was here. I did have visions of going to the beach that weekend to play in the sand with everyone but instead we ended up moving box upon box from one house to the next. I am VERY grateful that everyone was so willing to pitch in and help with little or no complaints.

Anyway, Malia was a doll in her dress!

I LOVE this picture of her little toes. At first, she was not happy to be posing for her pictures but after a few minutes she warmed up and was a happy little girl.

I still have trouble believing that I am a mother to three beautiful little kids. I am overwhelmed at times with the responsibility of raising these little angels to become normal and functioning adults in a crazy society. I love watching each of them learn and grow in their own little way. Each of them is so different and yet so very much the same. As much as I get frustrated sometimes with them, I really have been blessed to be able to be a mother and a friend to my little cutie pies!

Wildflowers!!

For Easter this year, we headed up the mountain to the Antelope Valley Califonia Poppy Reserve. The flowers were out in full force and I was in heaven!

I tried to get some pictures of the kids but it was too cold to even try seriously.

It was so cold and windy that we ended up having a picnic in the car. Lucas enjoyed it no matter where it was!!

Home Sweet Home aka THE ZOO!!

I felt that it was only appropriate that while all our family was together in South Carolina that we chose to go to the zoo for the day. We had debated on going to the beach but Columbia was quite a bit closer and Kat told us that the zoo was great. I have to say that I wasn't expecting much from the Riverbanks Zoo but was pleasantly surprised at what they offered.

First up was the flamingos. I don't know if it was too cold for them but they were incredibly active and kept fluffing their feathers up. I have never seen a group of flamingos more active.


I swear this penguin has a head...I just don't know where it is...


Two of the wild animals they keep a VERY close eye on...the older one has been known to beat her chest and holler at her young...much like a gorilla! :0)


I love this picture of Kat and Paul. They got to spend the day after their wedding at the zoo with family....like I said, I think it's a bit appropriate!!

See..I told you he had a head!! There it is!!


We caught cousin Fred taking a little nap...

Oh my gosh!!! Who let the monkeys out!! They were all over the place!!!


This guy was so generous! He was so willing to share his beak full of mice with all of us!! Isn't that sweet??



Just don't get in their way, ok?



Like I said, monkeys all over the place!!


I know, right? Giraffes! I bet you have never seen those at a zoo before!!

Nobody could figure out why this flip flop was floating in the pond until we saw...


...this guy sitting in the sun catching some rays (and apparently a few extra people running around).

Speaking of monkeys flying thru the air...this guy was all over the place!


All kidding aside, this was the coolest thing we did. We bought some nectar and held it out for the birds to eat. They were all over it!! Even after we ran out of nectar, they were still swarming us and trying to eat some more.

They were everywhere!!

After we had our fill of the animals, we headed over to the botanical gardens. They were so amazingly beautiful!

The colors were so vibrant and abundant!

Lucky for you, my camera died at this point or there would be lots of more pictures of all the gorgeous blooms!!

And then there were these two yahoos, talking on their phones and missing out on all of it. Oh well, I guess it's their honeymoon (kind of) and they can do whatever they want, right?