Category Archives: preston

Apr 6 2012

Colorado Day 3: Part 1

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Denver's Museum of Nature and Science

Day three started here at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  Day three was so busy I had to split it into a couple of post.  This museum is huge.  We didn’t go here to tour the museum though.  That’s going to have to be another trip.  We did, however, go here to see an IMAX 3-D movie.  The movie that we watched was “Flying Monsters.”  This movie was about the tarasaur.  This is the first 3-D IMAX  movie that our little family has ever been to.  The first impression I had was wow this is really neat.  The second impression was we should do this more often.  Then things began to change about 30 minutes in I started to get a little motion sick.  By the time it ended my vertigo was off and I felt nauseated.  The kids loved it but my first and second impressions were quickly dismissed by the end.  They can go again but I think I might have to pass.

The escaltor in the museum

the entrance into the theater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting to be let in the theater

Sitting in the theater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophia with her 3-D glasses on

The museum has a little discovery center around the corner from the theater.  After the show we decided to take the kids in there to explore a little.  They had fun with all the cool stuff to do.  One of our favorites was the wall with mirrors on it.  Preston enjoyed making his arm look like a wing.   There was a skinny mirror that I wouldn’t mind having in my bedroom.

Sophia playing with some blocks

Levi and Grandpa doing the smelling test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preston our paleontologist

Preston making his arm a wing at the wall of mirrors

Dec 24 2011

Christmas Letter

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I think it is sad how more letters are being emailed/posted every year.  I love to display the letters we get on our hall wall.  It has been a really fun tradition that I have carried on from my childhood.  Unfortunately last year we received so few letters that I didn’t even hang the line up.  I made it work this year but it seems it’s starting to look more and more pathetic each year.  I know it’s easier to send via email or other electronical means.  So I really appreciate all those who took the time to send us a card this year.

I did send out letters this year to a select few.  I like to make my own cards and it can be very time consuming.  I had only made 26 this year so I’m very sorry if you didn’t receive one.  I try and send a letter to all those who sent me one the year before but inevitably we always miss one or two people.  So if you didn’t get one from us this year here is the link to a copy of the letter that went out with the cards.  I’m sorry and I’ll try and send one for you next year.  Although if you follow this blog you probably already know everything that is going on in our lives so this might be a repeat.  I hope you all have a very wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Letter 2011

Nov 5 2011

Straw Maze

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One of the things I love about fall are the corn and straw mazes.  Corey and I used to go to corn mazes and we always had fun.  One year we decided to try the local straw maze.  It’s in Archer Idaho near Big Juds (If you’ve ever lived around here you know about Big Juds).  We found that we enjoy the straw maze much more than the corn mazes.  So that’s been a tradition for us for a few years now.  We like the straw because it’s nice and soft to walk on and you don’t have rows that you keep twisting your foot in.  We also like how it muffles the sound and you really don’t feel like anyone else is in the maze until you round a corner and wallah there they are (I bet it’s pretty cool at night).  Also you can’t really tare a part the bails of hay like they do the corn.  So the maze looks the same the last day as it did the first.  This year they had some tunnels built into the maze which the kids absolutely loved.  If you haven’t tried the straw maze you should.  It can be a little claustrophobic at times so if you have trouble with that maybe you don’t want to try this.  Each of us took turns leading the way through the maze getting hopelessly lost and when we got to the finish we started it all over again.  This is a great family activity.

Nov 1 2011

Pumpkin follow-up

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Our Three Pumpkins

I told you I would give an update on the pumpkins that we grew in the garden.  That’s right I said pumpkins.  Last time you saw one of these it was just a blossom.  I hand pollinated 3 more for a total of 4.  One pumpkin got the size of a baseball and then shriveled up and died.  These pumpkins kept growing and growing and growing.  I had to pluck them off the vine while they were still green.  I then put them on my porch and let them turn orange.  They all still have green on them but the kids didn’t mind.  They are  27lbs, 24lbs, and 19lbs.  These were the biggest pumpkins our family has ever carved.  Definitely going to try growing pumpkins again next year.  I just hope we get some blossoms about a month earlier than we did this year.

I let each kid design their own pumpkin.  Preston decided he was going to name his count pumpkinstein.  Corey had a little trouble with all the teeth Levi wanted on his.  Sophia likes the circle (hers was nice and easy to carve).  They turned out pretty cute and the kids had tons of fun scraping out the guts.

So being the forgetful person that I am I forgot to take pictures of the kids in their costumes 🙁  Preston’s was the most creative.  He wanted to be an ice cream man and unfortunately I don’t have a picture of him.  Sophia wanted to be a fairy.  Levi wanted to be Dracula. There was one day last week that Levi had a School Program and we got pictures of him and Sophia dressed up.  We went trunk or treating at our church and then Corey took  Sophia and Levi around the block some more.  Preston is getting so big, he wanted to go with his friends this year.  One of the other parents went with them and they really scored on the candy.  Pretty soon he is going to be too old to go trick or treating and I ‘m having a hard time coming to that realization.  When did he start getting so old?  I haven’t aged any so what happened here?

Corey Carving and Levi being a goof while Preston watches intently.

The kids in front of their pumkins

Three little pumpkins sitting on a bench.

Pumpkins all lit up

 

Levi and Sophia in Costume. Levi is sad because his dracula teeth hurt his mouth.

Sep 2 2011

Survived the first week of school

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Sophia didn't want to be left out. Can you see the anxious look on Levi's face?

That’s right school started this week.  On the first day Preston and Levi were so excited.  They were up and dressed before the sun was.  We all made the trip to the bus stop only to find out that the bus was early.  It is a few blocks to the bus stop from our house and when we rounded the corner the kids took off on a mad dash.  The bus waited for them and they made it on just fine.  They got on the bus before I could even wish them luck and say goodbye.  Since the bus was there so early it waited for a while.  Corey and I were able to catch up and wave to the boys through the windows.  I could tell Levi was a little anxious and was on the verge of tears.  Later that day he told me he cried when Corey, Sophia, and I walked away.  You can see his silhouette in the bus picture on the top right window.  Other than that everything went without a hitch.  The kids love their teachers and are excited about getting back to work.  Preston has already started and finished a book and has started a new one.  It has been really nice and quiet around here with just Sophia and I (and sometimes Corey).  I seemed to have acquired an extra shadow.  Sophia doesn’t have her brothers to keep her busy so she just follows me around all day.  It is funny to see how she plays.  Just today she was saying “I love you” and I told her I love you back.  Then she informed me that it was her elephant talking to her not her talking to me.  The kids are loving school.  I’m loving the alone time with Sophia.  Corey is liking the quiet time he has for work.  We are all happy! Yay for school!

Preston going into 4th grade

Levi going into 1st grade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking to the bus stop

Goodbye bus

Jul 14 2011

Reed’s Dairy

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We are so fortunate to live so close to Reed’s Dairy.  It’s our favorite place to go on a hot summer day with the family.  Last night was especially great because Reed’s was celebrating that they were voted #1 in the area.  Reed’s gave out free ice cream and cake.  They started to hand out the cake and ice cream at 6:00 pm.  So we headed out after dinner and got there around 5:50.  A line had already started but it wasn’t too long by then.  We got our cake and ice cream pretty quickly and were able to beat the crowd.  We sat down and enjoyed.  I didn’t tell the kids we were going there so it was a nice surprise for them.  I love these moments I have with my little family.

enjoying the cake and ice cream

Having fun

 

 

Jul 5 2011

4th of July

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I hope everyone else had a great 4th like we did.  It ended up being a pretty busy day.  Corey was gone before I even had a chance to wake up.  Every year the city puts on a 5k fun run that runs the parade route.  This is Corey’s second year of doing traffic control for that event.  He was gone by 6:30 am.  He made it back just in time for us to head out and see the parade.  We had a great time at the parade.  Sophia looked so cute dressed all patriotic.  After the parade we went home and packed up a lunch and headed out to meet some friends at Gem Lake.  The kids loved eating and swimming with their friends.  We spent a good 2 hours there.   When we got home we finally had some time to relax.  The kids and I watched a movie while dad took a nap.  After dinner it was time to head out to the firework show.  Idaho falls has a pretty big show.  It’s actually the biggest firework show I have ever seen.  They light them off at the greenbelt and since we don’t live too far from there we only have to go a couple of blocks to get a great view of the fireworks.  By the time we got home it was around 11:00 pm and the kids were beat.  We had such a wonderful day and I feel such a great gratitude for all the men and women in the world who have made it possible for us to have the freedom that we do.

Sitting and waiting for the parade to come

Sophia waving her flag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids swimming at Gem Lake

Amy and I watching the kids swim

 

 

 

 

 

 

playing frozen bubble while waiting for the fireworks

fireworks

Jun 29 2011

Summer!!

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Yay!!!  Summer has finally reached South East Idaho.  We have had a very long winter followed by a very wet and cold spring.  It is starting to look very promising.  On Saturday June 25th the sun was out and it was warm.  The kids asked if we could get the slip and slide out.  They ran and got their swim suits on and out they went.  It took them a while to figure out how to slip on the slip and slide, but that didn’t stop them from having fun.  Corey had the idea of pulling them with a rope along the slide and they loved it.  It was nice and refreshing on a warm summer day.  Hope we get a lot more of these.  It’s been cold for too long.

Preston being pulled with the rope (sorry it's blurry)

Levi playing with the water spraying out the end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophia Sliding

Cheeeeese!

Jun 28 2011

Playing at the Park

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One of our favorite things to do in the summer is play at the park.  We are lucky enough to live close to a park.  We do spend a lot of time there but sometimes we like to explore new parks.  This particular day we went to Tauphaus park.  We have been spending a lot of time here lately because Preston also has tennis lessons at this park and instead of just dropping him off.  Levi, Sophia, and I go and explore the different playgrounds at the park(there are 4 just at Taphaus park). There are so many parks around Idaho Falls that I hope we get to explore all of them this summer.

Sophia ringing the bell

The boys monkeying around

Sophia going down the slide

Preston going down the slide

Levi and Sophia in the tube

Jun 26 2011

Free Fishing Day

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The second Saturday in June is free fishing day in Idaho.  We have made it a tradition and like to take the kids somewhere and fish as a family.  This year we tried a little pond just south of town.  It was pretty crowded and we fished for about an hour and didn’t even get a nibble.  All the while we are hearing the people just down from us whooping and hollering about catching fish, after fish, after fish.  Even though it is fun and exciting to catch a fish it is also nice to sit and enjoy the nature around you.  The kids had fun and it was a nice evening to relax.  We did see a turtle in the water.  I wasn’t quick enough to get a picture but it was pretty exciting.

Levi, Sophia, and I casting out.

Just your average fishermen