San Diego 2011- Point Loma

We down early one morning to see Point Loma. There is a beautiful light house and amazing tide pools there as well as some sea lions/seals. The tide pools were the best thing. The sea life comes up in the tide pools and can live in the rocks and then go back out when the tide comes up in the evening or next morning. We all loved it. You can go down trails and climb up and down the rocks all while hearing the crashing ocean and with the best breeze blowing on you.

It is simply amazing how the ocean tides come in. One minute you can see an entire bolder with crabs and star fish crawling on it and then the next you would be swimming in five feet of water. I tried to get Lucas to stand on a rock and that happened to him, it was so funny.

this was our first attempt at it, he could not believe I made him do it again. I thought it was a cute picture and really he had to love it.

Here we are looking over the cliff at the tide pools

Can you see the crab?

Walking along the edge

This is a pretty good picture of one of the tide pools although you can't see what animals are in it.

Here is my attempt to get a good picture of these crazy people.

Disneyland 2011

We took our family vacation in San Diego this year. We flew out of a very busy KCI on a Saturday morning and were in San Diego in time for breakfast. One day we went an had a wonderful time at California Adventure land in LA. It is close to what Hollywood Studios would be like in Florida but with its own California touch. We went to Disneyland a couple of years ago so we though we would try this one day. Everyone had a great time. I did not get to use my camera all day so we don't have any pictures of Mickey or Buzz here but we did get to see them. I wish I could of taken my camera on the tower of terror because Addi Jo went on it with us. It was our first ride of the day and she loved it, even though she openly admitted she was scared. I am not sure she will be eager to get into line again but she did love it. It amaze me how much fear she does not have!
After that we rode on some smoother rides for a while before hitting our all time favorite Toy Story Mania.
For the record, Jeremy did have the highest score out of our family and the highest score for the group. Obviously I cannot let this stand for long so we will have to go back to Disney in a few years to correct that crazy title.

Here are some pictures of bumper cars and flying bug rides

Addi and I rode together, she was the driver and we did really good going in circles.

Here are the leaders of the ladybug dizzy, it is like the tea cups at Disneyland. They love the spinning.

Here we are in line for tower of terror

A Disney day is not complete without a parade. Luke participated in the Pixar parade and Addi screamed whenever Sully got close. I think we are going to have to watch monsters again so she can remember they are funny not scary.

2011 Rascals

Remodeling

So before Jeremy and I could move downstairs we knew we would want to re-do the bathroom because the layout would just not work for us. This year has sort of been a blur and a ton or stress has caused me to almost fall apart at times. This is mainly because I try to work out way to many things in my head and don't really have the ability to work through issues one step at a time. I really am more of a five to seven steps at a time type of person. So remodeling this bathroom was somewhat therapeutic for me as well as stressful all at the same time. Since I like to do thing at a time I managed to stretch a bathroom remodel into an entire house paining job both inside and out. Talk about adding stress.

So here are some before and after pictures. The vanity stayed although it was re-painted. The mirror was taken down but put in our closet and the lights are history. The general layout is different. The giant jacuzzi tub is gone and there is a double shower with a brand new wall.


See ya later ugly pink and teal marble tile and useless tub.
Oh and the half wall had to go just as a general casualty





Welcome new bathroom.
Everything was done around the pebble floor in the shower. I knew I wanted that and then found this great stone to go with it. We have double showers and the bench in their that is wonderful.

We got double sinks and mirrors with the facets I wanted so bad.

We have slate heated floors and it is wonderful to have them pre-heated for your toes in the morning.

So the bathroom is done and we have moved every one's bedroom around and only have to replace some carpet (look for the call Uncle Randy) I feels like a brand new house to us which is good and weird all at the same time.

First Dance Recital

Addi had her first dance recital in the auditorium at Harrisonville High School in June. She did amazing! Addi loved every second of it. We did her hair up all nice and curly and put on make up and the costume was perfect for her!

No help needed for the pose

She even wanted to take one with her brother who was kind enough to participate.


Addi's class did three dances. Two ballet and one tap. This is the last dance they did in their pj's. I think you can see her excitement in doing each step. My pictures did not turn out the best but I was able to grab a few.

The closing number.

Here they are during the tap number. Addi was the first on the stage and the last one and made sure everyone else was off before she left. Talk about the perfect job for a little boss!

Addi will be dancing again this fall so more recitals are yet to come!

Luke baseball pictures

Up to bat

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

This year for Memorial Day weekend we went with Chrissy and Kalon to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Connie and David have a lake house their. To say it is perfect might be an understatement!! It is so beautiful and peaceful and the water is amazing! That does not even take into account the amazing hosting done by Connie and David. It was such a wonderful weekend. Jeremy and I had to return to work on Tuesday but we left Addi and Luke with Chrissy and Kalon so they could soak up a few more days of lake fun. They had a blast and I think they were all pretty sad to have to return home at the end of the week.

Addi loved jumping off the dock onto a green floaty or to the tube or just into the water. I think she did it no less then 1,000 times. What amazing exercise.

Lucas tried his hand at water skiing. He was not able to get up but did manage to wear himself out trying. He is close so I think on our next trip down he will get it all together. David and Connie have the awesome skies where they are connected to each other so it is so much easier to learn this way then when I had to learn to do 100 things at once. Keep the rope between your legs, stay behind the boat, keep your skies level and close together, but not too close together. I can't wait to see Luke get up!

Aunt Chrissy did manage to get up!!

We did a ton of tubing. So much tubing that it became difficult to climb up on the tube when you fell off. It was a blast! Addi was so cute on the tube with Emily and we all took turns riding with everyone else and it was so much fun.

It was so much fun apparently that I failed to take one single picture of it at all. That is so sad because we had such a great time but hopefully next time we are down I can stop laughing long enough to snap a few pictures.

Here is Captain David. David did such a good time driving us around the lake in the boat and pulling up skiers, tubers and wake boarders! Way to go Captain David!!

The end of every great weekend you have to have the annual photo so here is ours.

Addi Jo just fell in love from Friday night on with Emily. Emily is 14 and so kind to spend almost every waking minute of her weekend with Addi Jo. I am not sure what it is about the name Emily in general that Addi loves but she has even asked us several times in the last year if we can call her Emily. Everything is named Emily, every doll, her hamster (was) and her imaginary friends. So Emily had that going for her on sight. Then Emily still has her Barbie collection from her younger years still and let Addi hand pick one to carry around all weekend. Super bonus. Then there is the icing on the cake. Emily is super sweet and kind. Addi was in love. It is so cute that Addi still asks about Emily every week.

Luke's baseball

Luke and his team did great at baseball this year. The Rascals were one of the youngest if not the youngest team in the division this year and finished the season 15-5 including the tournament they went undefeated in. it was wonderful to watch them improve and the winter practice really paid off.


Addi also had a great time this season because a couple of the boys have little sisters that are about the same age as Addi.

Yes I am back

Well it has been almost forever, but I am back. I will get you updated on everything that we have been up to but it is going to take a bit because we have been doing so much. School is out!! Actually I have been gone so long school is almost back in. It will be a month from this weekend that we will be back in school. Dance is over for the summer. Baseball is over for the summer. Lucas is not going to play football this fall. Summer Camp is going great!! We have been on vacation to San Diego. The house is almost back in order and I think I may go on with life without a nervous breakdown or pulling out all of my hair. That last one is still somewhat day to day so we will have to see.