Grandpa and Ben Playing Air Hockey

Grandma and grandpa came over for Sunday dinner. Before dinner started, Benjamin took grandpa by the hand and led him to the air hockey table. Benjamin wanted grandpa to play with him. Grandpa willingly consented. Everyone else was busy getting dinner ready, so Benjamin was excited to have an enthusiastic opponent.

Benjamin tried every clever move he knew to win the game. Oh, such fun they had together.

Throughout the games, Benjamin had a grin of happiness and delight as he was playing air hockey with his grandpa.

First Day of School

Joseph, Allyse, Joshua and Angelina are ready for the first day of school in 2010.

Now in 2011, Joshua is one year older and ready for seminary and high school. This is the group of kids he drives with each morning to seminary: Kylie, Joshua, Christian, and Logan.

Joshua and Christian.

Allyse is now a seventh grader, Joseph is a fifth grader and Angelina is a first grader. It is exciting to witness the incredible growth of each child throughout the course of one year.

"I Can't!"

"I can't!" was what we heard every time Angelina got on her bike. "I can't ride my bike. It is too hard!" Julene kept reminding Angelina that if she practiced a little bit everyday that she would be able to ride her bike on the first day of school. Every night before going to bed, Angelina would practice. She would continue saying "I can't!" Until one night she rode her bike by herself without Julene helping her. Angelina was surprised! "I CAN ride my bike!" Angelina announced. She finally realized she was able to do a hard thing.

Nora's, Angelina's cousin, kindergarten teacher adopted the phrase "We can do hard things." After the teacher would give out directions she would ask "Will it be hard? The class would say, "Yes." Then she would say "But we can do hard things!"

I love this phrase! We can do hard things and Angelina finally learned this important lesson.

Benjamin is now tall enough to ride his Buzz Lightyear bike. He has been riding around the neighborhood with Angelina.

Dinner at Grandma's home

Over the river and through Las Vegas to grandmother's house we go! We always find the time to get together and eat at grandma's house.

This time Darleen came into town with her children, so of course we had Sunday dinner together.

Grandma had a bucket full of dress up clothes and so the cousins dressed up as princesses!

Benjamin, Ana, and Lucas jumped as high as they could on the trampoline.

Benjamin's favorite food is corn. It looks like everyone else loves corn too.

Such adorable cousins! Dinner together was short, but we enjoyed every minute of it.

Harry Potter Class

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows part 2 came out in movie theaters in July 2011. Joshua needed to earn money for scout camp, so Julene suggested to put on a Harry Potter class for kids. We charged each child $10.00 to attend.

Joseph and Joshua created wands with chopsticks and paper. The wands took a while to create so we made them beforehand. The end result was amazing!

We had two classes set up. We played wizard games, made acid pops with Pop Rocks, we painted wizard hats, we learned spells and made a potion. We listened to Harry Potter music and played "Nearly Headless Nick" with a barbie doll head.

At the end, Joshua had earned enough money for scout camp and extra to pay Joseph and Allyse for helping him.

Mammoth Creek August 2011

Stephanie and Jonathan invited our family to their cabin at Mammoth Creek. There was enough room for all of us. Those who came were Marleen and Spencer's family, Darleen's family, David, mom, Aaron's family and Stephen and Diana. The weather was perfect. The scenery was breathtaking.

There was a creek right next to the cabin which unfortunately was a perfect breeding environment for mosquitos. Thank goodness for bug spray!

Harrison smiled and talked with all of us.

Darleen and her new baby Chloe!

Stephanie made yummy Oreo shakes. Marleen, Stephen and Spencer could not resist.

The cousins had fun sleeping together in the big room upstairs, running around outside, throwing rocks in the creek, riding the Ranger and ATV's, playing on the jungle gym, laughing and eating together. Couldn't ask for more!

Joshua, Allyse and Brad enjoyed putting together a puzzle.

Sabrina and Joseph found two water snakes. Benjamin was not frightened of the snakes!

Aubrey and Ava

"Peek-a-boo!" Benjamin loved eating Oreo cookies, thus the black mouth!

Joshua and Allyse played tetherball.

There was a small slide outside the front of the cabin. The cousins found time to slide down it.

Allyse went fishing.

Joshua and Julene ran to Mammoth Springs, 6.2 total miles. Joshua is a much better runner than his mom. He finished first!

"I am coming!" puffed Julene

Running was great fun, but running together was priceless!

Benjamin explored the surroundings.

Beautiful meadow right by the cabin.

Benjamin had fun playing on the jungle gym.

The swing was one of Benjamin's favorites.