Father's and Son's Campout

This weekend was our ward's Father/Son's campout. Kirk borrowed a tent and supplies from our friends that just had a baby on Wednesday, so they couldn't make it this year. Is the tent huge enough for just the 2 of them? He says that everyone referred to it as the spacious building. Ha! They left home at about 4:00 and stopped to get some dinner (no cooking over a camp fire for the Sumida guys!) and pick up some treats. After putting camp together Justin met up with his friends and played some baseball and I heard they had a great time.

After dark they had smores at one of the camps. I can see in Justin's eyes how much he's enjoying himself.

Then it was time for bed in their hotel size tent. Kirk said they laid there and ate chips and visited before finally going to sleep at 11:30.

They woke up at a very early 5:00 or so in the morning (ugh!) and waited for a bit until others were out and about and then the kids were able to go play at the play around for a bit. Only men would let kids go play at 6:00 in the morning hoping they don't wake up other campers! Glad it wasn't me. I'd feel too quilty.

Look at my guys. Aren't they handsome? This was taken before leaving camp this morning. It was a short trip, but they had a very good time. It was Justin's first time camping and I do believe he loves it!

Avery's lesson and Devin's session

Avery started swimming lessons this week. She's 5 now and it's time that she learns to swim without floaty's if I'm ever going to be able to take them all to our pool this summer. I just don't feel comfortable having 2 non-swimmers. She's in level 1 right now and is doing great and having a ball. We signed her up for level 2 in mid June when school is out so that she can get it down pat at the beginning of summer. Justin is also signed up in a refresher course in Level 3 after school is out. He swims, but it's always good to be reminded of the correct strokes and all that. :-)

I also wanted to put these pictures of Devin in here. This morning I was up watching his session and I always get such warm fuzzies when the therapist tells him "let's have quiet hands" before she begins the next task and this is his response. I don't know too many 2 years olds that have such compliance. It's just so darling to watch and he looks so grown up to me today! Gosh, I love this little boy of ours!

Happy Mother's Day

Well, this was a nice weekend. Kirk and I decided to make it a weekend at my parents in Huntington Beach instead of just a day. So, Saturday straight after lunch we headed over. The kids were so excited to spend the weekend at Grandma and Grandpa Winn's. We haven't done it in a very long time. When we got there they went straight out to the sun room and it quickly became a toy store with toys scattered all over. We visited and had a very nice time. Kirk had a gift certificate to PF Chang's that his brother had given him for his birthday, so we took advantage of my parents and left the kids and had a nice date night. A yummy one too! We got done with dinner a little early and headed over to Target to buy Avery some much needed new shirts that fit. That night after everyone was in bed my mom and I stayed up and visited. I love those times when it's quiet and it's just the two of us. I will remember them for years to come. Sunday we went to their ward. It's not only the ward I grew up in, but also the one Kirk and I attended when we were first married. So many great people. I always feel so at home and such love when we go back to visit. We miss it a lot. They gave us lei's and Dove candy bars for Mother's Day. After Sacrament we headed back to my parents and the guys barbecued steaks for lunch. They were so good! We visited all afternoon and then left about 4:30. It was a great Mother's Day! Thanks for having us, Mom. And thanks for being MY mom! I love you!

My girls

Sunday was Allyson's birthday (in red), so it was out to dinner for us on Saturday night. I didn't take any pictures of that night and I never do, but I do have this picture taken 4 years ago of the four of us. I've known these girls for about 10 years now...maybe 11. Time does fly. I am so lucky to have them as some of my closest friends! We usually have dinner and stay for dessert losing track of time and staying for about 5 hours or more. Then when we figure out the place is closing we move to one of our cars in the parking lot to talk some more. Oh how I love these girls. Unfortunately Charity (far right) moved to CO last year, so we don't get together with her quite as often, but we make it a priority if she's in town and we still chat. These girls know my life. It's such a wonderful thing to have women to confide in, get advice from and just be silly with! Even though Colleen won't see this post (she's pretty anti-internet) and Allyson won't post a comment because she's too concerned with people reading what she wrote and Charity is so busy she can't even update her own blog let alone check mine I just wanted to write about them and tell them each I love them dearly!

Happy Birthday Kirk!

Today Kirk turned...well, let's just say he's a year older. Anyone brave enough to guess how OLD he is now? :-) When I got up this morning he was gone and I figured he was at the gym, but come to find out he was at the church building helping out in the cleaning. What a guy! He then got in his beloved workout at the gym. Then we headed over to his parents house who only live about 20 minutes from here to meet up with his brother and family for lunch. We had a really nice day visiting and eating. Kirk and his brother took the kids over to hit balls at the local range. Justin has been going with Kirk for a few years now and his form has improved a great deal. Avery just started this past year and really enjoys herself. We may have to explain the difference of baseball and golf again. Ha. It was very HOT today (around low or mid 90's), but they still had a great time. We headed home after they got back and the kids cooled off in the backyard blow-up pool. It was a very nice day. Happy birthday Kirk!

Creative Hat

Imagine my amusement when I picked up Avery from preschool and she and about 8 other children walked out in similar hats. She said she had a really fun time making this and I know how proud she is of it because yesterday on our way home after school she was trying to explain the flowers on it and how they made them. She told me how much I will love it and she was right!

SPRING IS HERE!

It must be spring because I got in the mood to garden. I'm not a huge gardener, but I do get the itch every Spring. This year I was determined to plant tomatoes. So, today Avery and I got started only to get held up by the incredibly hard dirt that I couldn't dig in. Yes, I'm weak. I admit it. Kirk to the rescue. We needed his muscles bad. What took me 1/2 hour to do took him only 5 minutes to finish. I was surprised at how much Avery enjoyed herself. She really got into it. Now we get to feed it and watch (and hopefully eat) the fruits of our labor.

Getting started. The finished project.

Family Get-together

Saturday was our yearly "Spring Fling" with all my cousins, aunts and uncles on my mom's side that live in California. This year it was hosted by my cousin Ken and his wife that live in Yucaipa. Kirk couldn't make it this year because he had a weekend class to attend to prepare him to take his electrical license test soon. It was a very fun day, although a hot one, playing badmitten and visiting with my wonderful family. I feel so lucky to have such a loving group of family around me. I prepared a lesson for my young women that I teach at church a couple of weeks ago that was on the blessings of extended family. I know, first hand, what a blessing it is to have extended members of my family that keep in touch. We get together every Christmas season too. Usually at that time we are lucky to have more family from Utah join us as well. I have wonderful cousins that I love dearly and am grateful my children are growing up knowing them too and hope that this tradition of these great get-togethers will continue even after Kirk and I are gone. Here are some fun moments of our day. I was pretty busy chasing Devin around making sure he wasn't going to tear their house apart, so I wasn't able to get a whole lot of pictures, but at least I got a couple.


I had to put this bottom one in of just my kids. I took it as we were walking out the door to leave. Devin hates having to pose for pictures, but at least he sat and let me do it.