Die Hard Fan
Emma has now read the Harry Potter series 3 times! She loves all things related to the story and loves many of the characters, not just Harry. After she finished reading the series the first time, our family had a Harry Potter marathon and watched all of the movies in one weekend. Her favorite character is Ginny because “she is a tough girl, and not so frilly.”
Emma has decorated her bedroom to look like a Griffindor dorm room. In the attached picture you can see pictures of the characters from the movies posted on her wall, and a reading corner with books, quill, and “parchments.” She wrote her own spell book based on what she found in the books, and made a “shelf” on the wall for “potions” she has crafted with paper and glitter etc. For Christmas she got a wand from her grandparents that came with a book which she adores. Emma just recently started saving her money for tickets to the Harry Potter park in Orlando. Because we live on the West coast, she has a long way to go before we can get our family of six there. She is determined though, and has all of her savings ($70.00 or so) in a canning jar bank in her bedroom.
Here is a more recent picture of her in her room.
Mission San Luis Rey
Emma and I went with her class to tour the California mission in Oceanside. It was a beautiful day to learn some history and be with my cute girl! It is the largest of the missions, and we enjoyed this area where there was a laundry and water system.
Read MoreReaders Digest – August 2009
Swimming lessons for all four kids!
They passed!
Emma took an acting class, and had a great time in the 70s.
First Day of School!
Emma starts 4th Grade
Hunter’s in here somewhere. He was so fast I missed the picture of our 6th grader.
Hannah’s first day of kindergarten required lots of curls.
Sabrina also started a co-op preschool called, “Princess Academy.”
Also this month was a family reunion:
Reader’s Digest July 2009
Hunter started performances for Pageant of the Masters.
We dressed up in our patriotic best and went to the local Fourth of July bike parade.
Emma rode in the parade and the rest of us watched and waved.
At home, the girls put on an American Girl parade of their own.
Here are the girls outside the movie theater after we went to one of the free family summer movies.
Hunter and Emma both continued reading the Harry Potter series. By the end of the summer, Emma finished them all.
Sabrina had her very first dance class.
Hannah was able to be in the same class, and loved every minute of it.
They also spent some time in tap shoes and were so graceful.
We spent a week at Hero Camp. This year’s theme was “Feel the Joy.” The day I helped with was a Christmas theme and I put together the fireplaces for the lesson rooms.
Hannah’s class learned a fun sheep song complete with puppets.
There were lots of activities and crafts to go along with the themes each day. Emma and her friends were serious about this cookie decorating one.
On the last day each class performed a song. Hunter’s class song included sign language, which was really neat.
We went to the circus and saw these women blown out of cannons.
And our Daddy had a birthday!
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Readers Digest- May/June 2009
May 2009:
There is a long story behind this new television. Since this is the Reader’s Digest version, I’ll just leave it at this: Bought an old CRT TV at an auction for $180.00; Found out there was a class action lawsuit associated with it; Got this beautiful plasma TV at no extra cost to us. Best deal ever!
Hunter designed and made his last pinewood derby car- a Lego racer.
Check out the helmet and the Webelos logo on the top. Impressive!
Celebrated for Hunter’s birthday at Disneyland/California Adventure. This was when they drained the lake to build a new Fantasmic-like show.
Everyone loves the teacups… Except Mommy. I hate them.
June 2009:
Hunter became a candidate for student body office…
and ran a fun, clean campaign. (He won too!)
Hunter in his birthday-boy crown
Me and Hannah- We just loved going to Ruby’s Diner
Rob, Emma, and Sabrina- When we would go to Ruby’s we would always check in next door at the Barnes & Noble too. We love both milkshakes and books!
Hannah starred in her first how-to video.
Hunter left behind Cub Scouts and was welcomed into Boy Scouts.
I spent a week at Girls Camp (Here’s me with the other leaders). We were supposed to pick a source of light to go along with the theme, and the girls chose Lava Lamps. Groovy!
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Readers Digest- Mar/Apr 2009
March 2009:
Hunter’s grade did a Colonial Day where they spent all day doing things like they were done at the beginning of our country’s history. I worked this station helping the kids with calligraphy.
Here Hunter is putting together a corn husk doll. They also whittled soap, made wooden hand games, did square dancing, quilted, punched tin, and some other things I can’t remember now.
I borrowed this dress for the occasion, and tried to make myself look old fashioned.
Emma took her first acting class, and played the baker in “The Gingerbread Boy.” She was fabulous dah-ling!
I took this picture to do a post, and then never did it. The gist of it was this: How do you manage the socks in your house? I have one laundry basket filled with non-matched socks, and every couple weeks I pay the kids a nickel per pair to match them up. All of the matched ones are mixed together and kept in the same basket. Seems to work ok, but any other ideas?
Emma dressed up for a biography report at school, and was just beautiful.
School Jog-A-Thon Day
Sabrina agreed to model for Emma’s first fashion photo shoot. Emma’s got an eye for photography already.
This is one of my favorite photos Emma took that day.
April 2009:
The kids had fun with this April Fools joke: Try to pick up the coins- They’re really stickers!
We got Hunter to smile in a picture- Happy Birthday to me!
Rob surprised me by arranging for Nana & Papa to take the kids while we spent the weekend at Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. Who knew that in six months we would be moving nearby?
I was called into the Young Womens program and got to spend time with teenagers doing stuff like this. I loved it!
Sabrina started a preschool/playgroup we called “Princess Academy.” Hannah got to join in sometimes too.
Hunter gave ice hockey a try at the Discovery Science Center.
The girls took a “ride” on the Magic School Bus.
We made tie-dye cupcakes for a Girls Camp fundraiser. So yummy!
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