Getting ready for summer!

It's the home stretch...only 9 school days left 'till summer. I approach this time with equal parts of dread and anticipation. Don't get me wrong, I love summer! Well, in theory anyway. The reality of it is having 4 kids at home with 4 ideas of what to do makes for at least 3 unhappy kids and 1 very frustrated mommy! My solution? Lists, schedules, and rules. Yep. I'm that mom. So summertime will include (even if it kills me!) scripture time, jobs, and *gasp* LEARNING! And we can have some fun along the way too. So I made a list of some family activities and had the kids rank the activities. Here are the results:


Brennen
1 Giant's Game
2 Jelly Belly Factory
3 Free concert series
4 Yosemite
5 Dennis the Menace Park
6 Berry Picking
7 Beach
8 Mall
9 Monterey Bay Aquarium
10 Golden Gate Park
11 CRC-basketball
12 CRC-swim
13 CRC-workout
14 Wii Game
15 Drive-in movie
16 Pinnacles-hiking
17 Harvey Bear-hiking
18 Aquatic Center
19 Neighborhood pool
20 Campout in the backyard
21 Park
22 Picnic
23 Try a new recipe
24 Gilroy Gardens
25 Science Experiments
26 Library
27 Board Game
28 Art Project
29 Storytime @the Library

Gabe
1 Jelly Belly Factory
2 Yosemite
3 Campout in the backyard
4 Mall
5 Harvey Bear-hiking
6 Pinnacles-hiking
7 Drive-in movie
8 Dennis the Menace Park
9 Monterey Bay Aquarium
10 Golden Gate Park
11 Berry Picking
12 Aquatic Center
13 Library
14 Storytime @the Library
15 Try a new recipe
16 Beach
17 Park
18 Picnic
19 Giant's Game
21 Art Project
22 Board Game
23 Science Experiments
23 Wii Game
24 Neighborhood pool
25 CRC-basketball
26 CRC-swim
27 CRC-workout
28 Gilroy Gardens
29 Free concert series

Tim
1 Yosemite
2 Giant's Game
3 Drive-in movie
4 Campout in the backyard
5 Monterey Bay Aquarium
6 Free concert series
7 Wii Game
8 Jelly Belly Factory

Lizzy's #1 was Gilroy Gardens with Berry Picking a close 2nd.

Can we do it? Well, anything's possible, right?!

Spring Break - Highlights

If a picture is worth a thousand words, no one's going to read this...seriously.
Ok, ok, I got a little bit picture happy. So sue me.

Spring break in San Diego with lots of family, lots of walking, and lots of FUN!

Tim and his daddy get ready for the flight simulator at the Air & Space Museum

Flight suit dress up time!


Yep...that's an elephant's behind. Don't know what got into me...

Tim & Lizzy atop a prehistoric lion.

Cousins!

(Is there anything better?)

Autumn was all for packing this little guy in her suitcase!

And we actually got a shot of just the two of us, thanks to our Gabe!

How surprised was I that THIS was the only thing Gabe wanted? Not very.

And the best part of our trip? Having our big crazy family all together! (And when I say crazy, I mean the extended part of our family...'cuz we're totally normal! ;o) )