Last Week of School 2015

With baseball for Eli and Jonah and end of the year projects and concerts it has been pretty hectic! What a great year for Eli, Jonah, and Janie. They all had teachers who saw the best in each of them. We are getting to know 'Hale the Jail' better and feeling invested in what is happening. It's a good feeling especially because we have been the new family at so many schools! Ethan had a good year at Stapley, really enjoyed choir and woodshop. Ethan is learning how to study and work hard in new environments. He has moved schools the most and has learned lots of different ways of doing things. I think that will be valuable for him. Love these cute kids.

 Jonah and his teacher, Julie Hagar, on the lat day of school. Jonah said that Mrs. Hagar was his favourite teacher. Pretty sweet.

 Boys had a piano recital. All 3 of them did a great job performing. Camille Green is their teacher and we enjoy her alot.

 Ethan played soccer for Stapley this spring. It was a short season, fun to watch him play.

 The Kindergarten concert was absolutely the best! Janie learned so much this year!

At Miramar Ward's Court of Honor. Ethan got his star. He is moving quickly with Curtis' help!

 Spent alot of time at the baseball fields watching Eli and Jonah. They both progressed alot. They had excellent coaches and really loved it. I hope they'll do it again next year.

 Eli was Walt Disney for 5th grade Wax Museum. He got 100% across the board on his paper.

 Mrs. Knoles class was so fun. I did treasure box every other week so got to know the kids.

 Yes it was panama day.

 This is perfect wedding video material. Navy socks completed this ensemble.

 Eli got a triple at one of his last games. I was late and missed it! He felt really good about it.

 And got the game ball! He had alot to learn, the last time he played baseball was 1st grade. He did great and got alot more comfortable with it. Proud of him for sticking it out.

 The Mariners (Eli's team) went to the Final game. They played the Tigers two games in a row. Won the first game, lost the second. Had a snow ball fight afterward. It was disappointing but a good season. So happy Eli had this opportunity.

 Paul turned 30! And we ate chocolate cupcakes!

Sadie and Dad

Sadie in her piggy buns is the most delicious thing I have ever seen. I love this little blonde girl with the stubborn dark drown eyes so much. She is pretty sassy at 3, almost potty trained, and gets pretty much whatever she wants. There are two reasons for this- 1. She is so stinking cute, 2. The wrath of Sadie if she doesn't get what she wants isn't something you want to see. Love this Sadie Grace.

September 10-14-A trip to NYC!!

We have totally loved getting to know some new families in our neighbourhood and ward. This trip turned out to be super fun! Mel and Dana Faraoni and Curtis and Laura Chipman were the fun peeps we planned...ok well to be honest Dana and Curtis Chipman planned the whole thing and did a great job. 

We got in early afternoon and walked around Times square. Saw the naked cowboy! 

Met up with The Faraoni's and Chipmans who came in a little later than us.

These are a little out of order but one day we rented tandems and rode through Central Park. It was a gorgeous day and it felt different being on a bike in the city. It felt a little like we were all taking our lives into our own hands! I was sure glad that Curtis was driving and I was just providing a little leg power… and sometimes I wasn't even doing that!

We rode up to St. Paul's cathedral. Ok that may be wrong,  I better google that… St. Paul's church. There were two giant dragons hanging inside made of recycled stuff that I felt really detracted from feeling of this beautiful church but we walked through and enjoyed it. I am always amazed by the architecture of these houses of worship. The attention to details is amazing in a time when they were built by hand. The time it would have taken boggles my mind. 

Sassy's was awesome. I'm so glad Dana called ahead and got us in. Peanut Butter Frozen hot chocolate is all I remember from that meal.

One day… in search of an authentic Chinese experience, Mel led us over to Prosperity dumplings in Chinatown. It was literally a bunch of Chinese mamas in this tiny little hole in the wall, and when Curtis paid he said it was money in a shoebox. Those dumplings were so good. We ate them as we walked over to Little Italy in search of a second dinner!

One night, we had reservations for a guided tour of the 911 museum. Sobering experience to recognise the loss of life that day. My eyes welled up with tears more than once.

Stairs that many people came down as the ran out of one of the towers.

The colours of the sky that morning.

A steel girder bent back on itself from the weight of the building.

This got me. The few days after the towers collapsed, families of missing people would put pictures of their loved ones on this cement column. The area we spent the most time was a loop that sequenced the attacks on September 11. There were news clips, and just anything you could think of from September 11. It was interesting to relive that day a little bit. I remember that morning so well. It was my late day at work, so I slept in that day. Curtis had gone up to a class at the law school, but was sent home. We sat and watched the news and I felt this horrible, overwhelming feeling of sadness and helplessness as we watched one of the towers collapse. I wondered what the world would be like in April when our first baby would be born. We were in the museum for more than 3 hours, and finally got kicked out as it was closing. 

The two fountains where the towers stood are beautiful.

Little Italy just plain awesome. We heard there was a street festival going on so we took the Subway down there after we left the 911 museum. There were lots of people out and lots of food. I have said it before, but it is absolutely true- the Italians got it right when it comes to food! Pizza, pasta, mozzarella, gelato, it doesn't get better.

Subway tile

Carnegie Hall

On our second to last day we took a boat tour around the tip of Manhattan. We saw our former state of residence, NJ, as we paddled along. The Statue of Liberty is amazing rain or shine.

I think this is the night we saw "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder."

Top of the Rock

Empire State Building at midnight! Fun b-day treat. Riding home in a limo was the icing on the cake!

I love NYC! Wonder when we will be back again!