Legoland

We recently went on a trip to Huntington Beach! It was a blast.

Nice weather, family (Travis and Nat were also there + Jolayne),

the beach, and did I mention nice weather. Today I think that anything

under 100 F would be classified as nice, and I wish I would have

appreciated it more. While we were there we went to Legoland.

My boys were over the top excited about it! We went on a Monday,

and it really payed off. There weren't very many people and the

weather was beautiful in the high 60s! Bliss!!! Much to my suprise

Gracie, Jaxon and Conner were tall enough to go on every ride except one.

Conner was too short! He was very upset. I told him he needed to eat

all of his food so he could grow really tall and be able to go on it next

time we came. It worked for a day. We got there 20 minutes prior to it

opening and left as they were closing the gates. Gotta get our moneys worth,

even if it puts you in a bad mood right? It was a little much for

Olivia but she managed! We had a lot of fun and the kids loved it too.

Im thankful I can do fun things like this with my family!!!!

Outside of Legoland bright and

early. Jaxons really pumped

They had this great station for the kids to stop off and build lego cars.

They give you the wheels at the entrance and you design a car.

The coolest part is that you get to race your car to see how

fast it is on one of the fancy pinewood derby tracks. I think

we were there for close to 2 hours. Jaxon just kept going and going!

This ride obviously wasn't as scary as it looks judging by the expression

on my face. I really need to get out more!

He looks like he is trying to be cool, but he was telling me

how many times she had splashed him. He had to go

with all the kids one at a time because it was a water ride.

He went with Conner first then Jaxon without getting wet.

Gracie had a good time getting him soaked!

She is too pretty!

This is how Liv passed the time that day.

I dont know who she thought she was talking to on her

Lego phone but she was very entertained

She is oooey gooey deliciousness if you ask me!

Thats right! Conner passed his driving test!

The roads are now officially unsafe

Jaxon driving a boat

Worst ride ever!!!!!! That post deserves its own, soon to come.

I really want to know where the boy in seat 6 gets his

excitment for life, and if he could give me some of it!

He was hysterical to watch!

At the end of the day, we were tired and achy and ready to go home

Legoland.....Day 2

The 2nd day back to Legoland didn't start off very well.

Conner rubbed sunscreen into his eyes with 30 minutes left in the car.

That being said you can imagine what we all had to endure for a grueling half an hour!

I have to admit I had forgotten how bad this burns your

eyes so my sympathies weren't what they should have been.

Later that day I got it in my eyes. Karma! So Bad, I had to wash

my eyes out in the sink of a public restroom.

No pink eye. Lesson Learned! Needless to say we had a lot of fun

at the new water park there and Sea Life Aquarium.

No pictures were taken at the water park because I was

temporarily blind!

First picture of the Day!!!! Conners still at it...poor kid!

Looking into the Aquarium of sharks and Rays

from below. It was pretty cool!

Frightening! Even with a thick wall of glass between me

and my 2nd greatest fear (1st being a Cockroach) I still

hear the Jaws theme playing in my mind.

Cute Kids! I must say!

Ummm! This is the only picture we got of Olivia

smiling for the camera that day so Enjoy!

She sure is cute

And that is why I do not casually wade through the ocean!

For all of you who do, chances are your foot has

brushed along a very big, very gross slug!

What if Conners nose really looked like that! HAHA

She lost her patience pretty quick!

I had to change the color of this photo to make

my legs a bit darker. It seriously would risk a possible burn

to the cornea.

Quote of the Day!

I love this....and far too often I find myself with this sort of

attitude or mindset. I am thankful for all of my wonderful

blessings, no matter what my struggles are. I have amazing

kids and the most wonderful husband, who I love to pieces.

Life is good, regardless of the bad!

“One’s life…..cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free.….

“Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, ‘Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!’ …“Real faith.….is required to endure this necessary but painful developmental process.”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Camping!

We went camping this last weekend. It was the first of many

trips up north that we usually take in the summer.

The kids had a good time as usual. They love being

outdoors and riding their quads! It makes

me happy that we have something that we all love to

do as a family.

Jaxon riding his quad! Everyone always comments on how

talented this boy is on a four wheeler. He has always been way

too brave on one in my opinion. I remember back when we

first moved into our house he would go across the street into

the plot of dirt and ride while I sat in my driveway watching. He

would put his knees up on the seat and stick his leg out like he

was flying, and spin broadies (sp?) when he was a three year

old. It has always made me nervous. He just recently discovered

dirt bikes. His first time on one he found a dirt mound and started

launching himself off of it to jump. Well everyone

knows that if they're too brave they will wind up hurt.

Low and behold, he crashed 2 times on this trip.

Luckily no broken bones just an insanly bad bruise.

I told Colyn he wont be getting back on until we invest

in a whole get-up of protective gear. The kid is too much

like his dad, I cant believe he would even want to get back on!

Conner is also getting really good on a quad!

Much more timid than Jaxon, thank goodness!

Gracie just hangin' out! She drove Olivia around in circles

in the Ranger almost the entire trip. She is such a good sister!

Conner and Jax buckling up for a ride! They love the Ranger rides,

Jaxon still hasn't gotten over it being pink but he still

loves it deep down! I know it!!!

This is the way Olivia looked pretty much the entire time!

Sometimes worse. She really loved spending her time in the dirt.

Giving her typical dirty look!

Jaxon's Kindergarten Graduation!

Jaxon Graduated from Kindergarten! For this special event,

the entire kindergarten puts on a concert! I thought it was

great, Jaxon....not so much! To explain I'll back my story up

to earlier that day. Jaxon came home with a yellow light from

school. He is usually really behaved at school, hes only gotten 2

other yellows this year. We asked him why he got a yellow? He

said to us "Because I wouldnt sing!" I said "Why wouldnt you sing

Jaxon?" He wouldnt answer me! Later that day we got in the car to

go to the Performing Arts Center at the High School and he was

really quiet in the car. I could tell he wasnt thrilled about

performing! He is quite the shy kid and doesnt like to get out of his

comfort zone. On our way in to the PAC I ran into his teacher

and asked her what had happened. "He was stomping on

everyones feet on the risers and goofing off, and every time the

music teacher asked him to sing he would yell NO!" Great! I

thought. Worried that would be his reaction during the real thing

we had a pep talk! He seemed excited. So when it was time to

perform he ran up there with a smile on his face. As soon as the

music started he got this really mad look on his face and wouldnt sing.

In a way it was funny I guess. He stayed there with his arms crossed

almost the entire time, and as soon as it was over he was back to

being happy Jaxon! He is thrilled to be a BIG first grader!

Jaxon has really excelled this year. He went from being

in a smaller self contained class (because they thought he

would need a lot of one-on-one attention) to being put in a

traditional class setting within the first week of school.

He continued with being pulled out daily for reading, writing, and

speech. After the first half of the year I was called to have an IEP

meeting with the Principal and the teachers that all worked with

him. I have to admit I was a little worried even though he seemed

to be doing really great! They told me that he would be passing

out of speech and that he was at the top of his class in reading

and math! He no longer needed their services. I was pleasantly

surprised! For years I have had therapists tell me that he would

struggle in school, probably learn to read a few years later than the

rest of the kids, and always be in special ed. I always knew he was

smart. They always told me he was gifted in areas most kids weren't

but that he learned very different. They doubted, I doubted.

He has proved everyone wrong and I'm so proud of him!

Congratulations Jaxon! I love you buddy! You did it!

I Heart Pink......Bridal Bouquet!

This one was for fun....but still! It was worth the time to put it together!

Im getting ready to help with a wedding in a month so I thought I would practice.

In this bouquet I used white and antique colored roses, a pink garden variety

and some white mini callas.

I also added some snap dragons for texture!

SO PRETTY!

Family Get-Together!

Well, I wasn't actually there but wanted to post

this one for memory's sake. Mostly because this happens once in

a great while, and it will probably be a while before it

ever happens again. Colyn had a lot of fun getting together with

all of his siblings for the weekend.

I can say for all of us that married into this family what an

awesome family the Macdonald's are.

It is not very often that you find a family with this many siblings

that are all so close and love each other the way this group does.

I am thankful to be a part of it!