Enjoying our Father on Father's Day

Maddy was voted by her peers in band most valuable for her sophmore class. She won as a Freshman as well. We enjoyed listening to her concert.

Field trip to Cat Tails, the only thing remotely similar to a Zoo in Spokane.

Barry being silly as he opens his birthday presents.

Birthday cake, yum. Chocolate Lasagna.

Maddy brings home lots of plants for the end of year of her horticulture class. She really enjoyed it.

Maddy researched terrariums and made three of them. They don't need to be watered.

Barry and Ben had fun at the father-son campout. Porter Rockwell rode up in camp to tell about his life experiences.

Breakfast in bed for Father's Day.

opening presents. Mackensey painted a sign that says, "DAD: a son's first hero, a daughter's first love."

Barry and I took a trip to California. We visited my parents, and Barry's brother and sister and their families. It was fun to see my parents new house finished and the old house remodeled for the new owners (members of their ward). After spending two days with family, we went to Laguna Beach for a business conference. It was at an expensive hotel. Barry spent all day in meetings, and I had all day to play. I swam in the pool, relaxed in the jacuzzi, then asked about the sauna. It was located in the ladies spa and there was normally a 30 min minimum session price required, but since it wasn't busy they let me in without charge. I had fun pampering my self with the sauna, steam room, tea room, etc. I even rested with cucumbers on my eyes. I spent the afternoon reading on the beach and when Barry was done with his meetings he met me on the beach and we looked at the tide pools.

These pictures are from Tuesday in San Diego touring the USS Midway with my parents. We arrived home Friday night and were glad to see that all had gone well while we were away. I didn't feel too out of touch with my children since I called and talked to them daily, and they posted pictures on Facebook almost hourly! I think they had a fun week. The only major mishaps were when Ben gave himself a haircut (I guess he bangs were getting too long so he decided to take matters into his own hands). Another minor mishap was when it was Mackensey's night to cook and she was making chicken nuggets. She asked Maddy, "I'm thinking 15." Maddy thought, "well, there are five of you, so that would only be 3 nuggets each" she told Mackensey, "why don't you make it 20." Mackensey's eyes got huge, but she did it. After dinner she told Maddy, "We were too full to finish our dinner. Mindy ate the most and she could only eat 12 chicken nuggets." She thought Maddy meant 20 chicken nuggets EACH!

 

Barry and I took a drive to check out the spot for this years ward campout. We heard there was a waterfall in the area so we brought along a picnic for a date night. We found the stream, but this 2 inch waterfall was all we could find. I snapped a photo, but it does not do justice to the beautiful surroundings we found ourselves in. The gurgle of the creek and my handsome honey made it a nice evening together.

The kids were disappointed when we told them that the sign for the lake we would be camping at for the ward campout said no swimming. They brought their swimsuits anyways and played in rocky boat launch area. Ben's friend (in the back) got a leach on his hand, so we think that is why it said no swimming. At least he thought it was "awesome" to have a leach on him.

Makayla and her friend Ryleigh.

Mindy and her friend Kiah.

Mackensey canoeing.

Maddy cuts up vegetables for lunch.

Barry fried up the meat for stew.

Finding a turtle.

We bought 2 gallons of pink paint to paint Mindy's room. She tripped going down the stairs carrying one gallon of the paint. It splattered on the stairs and walls. We were able to clean up the carpet, amazingly. It took six of us three and a half hours and a lot of water and a shop vac and a bissel. I'm sure we'll laugh about it in the future....

Have a great week!