MOTHER'S DAY 2010

Mother's Day was lovely this year. Sweet and simple and spent together as a family. Gavin is such an amazing boy and I am so lucky to be called his momma.

Gavin potted this pretty little flower in primary and gave it to me with such pride and excitement. His grin reached from ear to ear. It was definitely the highlight of my day.

THE LITTLEST FIREFIGHTER

The firestations here did an open house for the public a while back and we just had to bring Gavin. A few days earlier I had locked my keys in the car and the firemen down the street quickly came to our rescue and had our keys back in my little hand within minutes (and told us about the open house). Gavin was just thrilled to see the firetruck and all the fireman 'working' on our car. I knew he would flip out to see the firetrucks again and sit inside. And he did.

He's been practicing for this moment his whole life!

The rear steering wheel way up high.

They let everyone climb all over the trucks and walk along the ladders on top to go sit way in the back at the rear steering wheel. It was like a jungle-gym for the young and old. I don't know how many times Gavin walked across it.

They even had a dalmation, who of course was named Smokey.

Checking out the gear.

Just finishing his hot dog lunch grilled by the fireman themselves.

DISNEYLAND MAY 2010....WITH DAD!

This was my third time to Disneyland with Gavin and finally poor Curtis got to come! We were so excited to go together as a family! Despite Gavin throwing up from a chocolate milk overdose and it being pretty hot outside that day we had a fabulous time!

No, the tea cups had nothing to do with Gavin getting sick.

Although Curtis and I both got totally motion-sick from the Star Tours ride and weren't the same the rest of the day. Curtis was so bad off that he sat out all the rides afterwards, even Dumbo! Too bad Star Tours was Gavin's favorite ride of the day because I will NEVER do that one again.

Gavin with his new Woody doll he just bought. Poor Woody didn't make out too well in the throwing-up incident. He was only about an hour old when he got 'initiated' into Gavin's toy world. They both cleaned up pretty well though.

A TRIP TO COLORADO

Ever since our good friends Debbie and Dave moved to Colorado Springs eight years ago Curtis and I have been meaning to go visit. Finally just Gavin and I were able to make a trip there and spend a week hanging out with them and their two cute boys, Dallin and Dawson. It was a jam packed week filled with lots of outings and a few meltdowns, but we had so much fun! So thank you guys for having us and showing us around your neck of the woods! We can't wait to do it again!

The boys.

Aren't they so cute together?

Two peas in a pod.

Sporting the lion suit.

Garden of the Gods.

Another view of the Garden of the Gods park.

Although we took the boys out for a little hike earlier in the week Debbie and I decided it would be nice if just the two of us could get out and hike together. This was by far the highlight of my trip. I really could have spent all week there and I can't wait to go back and show Curtis.

More from our hike in Garden of the Gods.

This place was just incredible and overwhelmingly beautiful. Very much like Sedona or Moab, but just 20 minutes from their house. I couldn't stop taking pictures.

Another highlight of the trip was a tour of the Olympic Training Center. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a little obsessed about the Olympics. So I was just thrilled that we were able to take a tour and see where all the hard work and training takes place. It was awesome to see athletes walking around in their USA gear and see some of them actually training. A very inspiring place filled with lots of talent. Sigh. I can't wait to watch London 2012.

During the Vancouver Winter Olympics we watched all the various events every night and occasionally Gavin would stop playing and sit and watch with us. We started realizing that the event he kept stopping to watch was the bobsled competition. He commented on how fast they went and the sharp turns in the track and he even pretended to be a bobsledder in a cardboard box. So when he saw this bobsled on display at the training center he was all over it. He actually climbed up there and smiled and said 'Mom, take my picture!' Trust me, those words have never come out of his mouth before (or since). The boy really likes bobsledding. Who knows, maybe we will have an Olympian in the family some day.

Another stop on the tour of Colorado was the Airforce Academy. This place was also so amazing. Just a beautiful setting with modern achitecture, some cool planes, and lots of talented young people as well. We let the boys out to run around this B-52 bomber before heading to the chapel and giftshop.

This is the chapel. Isn't it so cool looking? It has three different levels of worship so that everyone could worship under one roof. One level for Protestants, one for Catholics, and one for the Jewish and Buddhists.

The stain glass windows are really the amazing part of it though. I have never seen a chapel so impressive in my life, with maybe the exception of Notre Dame, as this one was. The neon lines they create are so geometric and almost seem futuristic. I was in awe.

In the gift shop.

So thanks again D,D,D,and D for the awesome week and taking the time to show us around and turn your house upside down for a few days. We can't wait for your trip here to Disneyland and to return the hosting favor. Thanks again!

EASTER 2010

We were so excited to all be together as a family this year for Easter. We made sure to make the most of it. Hunting Easter eggs, dying Easter eggs, eating Easter eggs (and candy!), holding real Easter bunnies, and listening to Conference made for the perfect Easter holiday!

This particular egg hunt decided to scatter plastic egg halves seperately to have more of them to collect for all the kids. The only problem on our end was that Gavin was way more concerned about putting egg halves back together then he was collecting them. By the time he would match a set all the rest around him would be gone. It was pretty funny watching this play out.

Eventually he ended up with quite a few and got to turn them in for some candy!

Easter morning.

Inbetween conference sessions we made our cute little 'bird nests' complete with peanut butter eggs. Gavin was very pleased with his creations. Thanks Sara for the cute idea!

Dying our Easter eggs earlier that weekend. Curtis was in charge of this project this time round and I am happy to say that no fancy rugs were stained in the process, unlike last year.

The final product.

I think Curtis will have to be in charge of egg dying every year.

That weekend at the park a little boy and girl brought their pet bunnies with them to play. Gavin and the boy made an agreement to temporarily trade his radio controlled car to hold the bunny. Gavin sat there with that bunny for almost an hour and then followed them around the park for another hour. He wanted to do nothing else but hold that rabbit. He was smitten.

Gavin and his Easter bunny.

He wouldn't go near that guy in a bunny suit this year, but the kid does love a real little bunny. And they were the sweetest little rabbits you've ever held. They were like toy dolls. Someday we will have lots of bunnies and chickens and maybe even a goat for good measure.

WATCHING THE PLANES COME IN

One of our new favorite activities to do here in LA is to head over to In-N-Out for a double-double and sit and watch the planes come in at LAX. Gigantic 747's fly in from all over the world and literally land only feet away. It is awsome!

Some of these planes don't look very big or close in the pictures, but they really are so close that you almost feel like ducking when they fly over. And you definitely feel a strong blast of wind as they go by. Obviously, Gavin loves watching them.

Sometimes he makes a friend or two.

This was a cool flower that got blown off of one of the trees we were standing under when a particularly large plane flew by.

If you're ever landing at LAX, look out your window and see if you can spot an In-N-Out right next to the runway. If you can, maybe we are there watching you fly in.