Gabe goes to Science Camp!

Gabe waits anxiously in the cafeteria for the buses to arrive. It's almost time to leave for SCIENCE CAMP! (I'll let Gabe tell the rest of the story...) This is my bed in my cabin.
This is my cabin, the Pelican Cabin.

What I learned in field class about the "FBI"--fungus, bacteria, invertebrates.
This is a picture of the fungus.

This is the "campfire" program on the first night, with our 6th grade teacher, Mr. Winchell, on the bass.

The beautiful, big campus of Walden West.

The Garbage Gator, trying to eat Chunky the No Waste Monkey...
he's been chewing on Funky the No Waste Monkey's tail for the past 11 years!

Chunky the No Waste Monkey teaching us not to waste food, so that he doesn't get eaten by the Garbage Gator. This was a cool program during the week in the dining hall. We were careful, and Chunky was safe!

The food I had in this dining hall was AWESOME! I even wrote home to brag that the food I was eating at camp was WAY better than Mom's cooking. I am lucky that Mom loves me, otherwise, I would be going hungry today.
My favorite dinner was tacos!!!

This is the outdoor amphitheater. We met here after every activity to see if everyone was "with the program".

This was my last day in camp. I was sad to leave camp, but I was happy to be going home. I came home very dirty, because I had become a member of the "dirty butt" club, and had also crossed a creek in knee deep water, and so I had used up all my extra pants. All I had to come home in was my pajamas.

It was a great experience!

-Gabe Piper a.k.a Viper

(all the kids chose a "nature" name and Viper was what Gabe chose. He even told all the kids that they had to say it in a cool whisper voice...what a kid!)

Lizzy and the Firestation Field Trip

Today Lizzy's preschool had a "field trip" to the local firestation. For the last week she has been learning all about fire safety and what to do in an emergency. I totally forgot the camera, so I don't have any pictures to share, but I had to write some of the funny things she said!

Fire Captain: If there is a fire, do you save yourselves, or your toys?

Lizzy: My toys!

Fire Captain: (trying not to laugh) Tell you what, you save yourself, and I'll buy you a new toy.

Lizzy: But I have a bathtub Dora toy. (as if that explained it all!)

Lizzy also was lifted up to test the smoke detector by a big fireman without a shred of fear. But when that same fireman put on his fire gear, including his mask, she was afraid. She was very afraid! One of the other firefighters asked the kids, "So when you see someone dressed like this, do you run to them, or do you run and hide?" Lizzy's reply, "run and hide!"

Lizzy got to sit inside the fire engine as the grand finale of her trip, and all in all, it was a fun outing, even if she stuck to me like glue after the man in the fire gear appeared.

Lizzy-isms

Yesterday Lizzy had been turning the fireplace on and off all day. In the afternoon, I heard a cry from downstairs. Yep, you guessed it, she had touched the fireplace! OUCH! It didn't look too bad, but it was hard to tell. I told her it may become a blister.
Today she came to me in a panic saying "there's a hole in my finger!" Two of her fingers had indeed blistered, and one of the blisters popped, leaving what looks like, for all intents and purposes, a hole. Poor girl!

Lizzy: Will the Tooth Fairy be mad if I don't wash my hands?

(I hope this is what Lizzy was picturing when she asked the question...)

Me: Ummmm....yeah.

(...but I'm pretty sure THIS was what she was picturing when she asked the question...I'd be afraid too!)

Happiness is...

...a new pair of shoes!

(shallow, I know...)

A conversation with Miss Lizzy...

Lizzy: "I'm angry!"
Mom: "Why are you angry?"
Lizzy: "I'm the mom!"

Once there was a snowman...

Snow here in California is, well, not anywhere near where we live. So we have to be creative to make snowmen of our own. This was what I came up with...Ice Cream Snowmen!

I used a regular sized ice cream scoop for the bottom and the small scoop that I use for cookie dough for the top. I had cute snowman muffin papers to scoop the ice cream into. Then I popped it all into the freezer until it was time to decorate!

Lizzy used butterscotch chips, marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips to decorate with, and a mini peanut butter cup for the hat.Yummmmmm! And for a more healthy version we used bananas, pretzel arms, and an apple/grape hat all on a bamboo skewer. We did add some mini chocolate chips, just for decoration. ;)

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Amazing. Well written. Enthralling. And slightly disturbing. Great story!



View all my reviews

Another year gone...another to look forward to!

Highlights of 2010!

Brennen: Receiving the priesthood.

"The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and opportunity to bless the lives of others." -President Thomas S. Monson

Gabe: Making a great friend who lives just down the street. We spend every afternoon together as soon as homework is done.

Tim: Going to Disneyland. I was finally tall enough for California Screamin'!

Lizzy: Going to Disneyland with Grandpa, Auntie Autumn, Amelia and Uncle Gabe.

Jeffrey: 2010...that's tough since I barely remember last week...

Tami: Getting to play a mean old witch in SVCT's Into the Woods. (This is a picture of after the witch becomes beautiful...but I still got to be mean!)

Looking forward to in 2011!

Brennen: Turning 13, so I can use all that teenager attitude legitimately (and see PG-13 movies...if mom and dad will really let me!)

Gabe: Getting an iPod touch (mom and dad won't let me get one until I turn 11. I only have $40 more to earn!)

Tim: Turning 8, so I can be baptized.

Lizzy: Going back to preschool with Miss Cindy!

Jeffrey: Planning a really great family vacation!

Tami: Getting the house organized, and maybe spending a little more time with my sewing machine.