{What else was on the camera}

These are the "other" pictures I found on the camera when we got home....mostly taken during the time we were waiting for the World of Color show to start in California Adventure....

This is what 2 boys find is important to document while on vacation...........

 I call this the many faces of E in boredom!

 Very important to remember the hard concrete we were sitting on waiting...

And to finish off the collection pictures of the "map" and the front of the map in case we ever lost them I guess...

{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 3}

DISNEYLAND!!

We got up early this morning to get in line to get fast passes for the new Star Tours ride. When we checked in the day before the wait in line was 90 minutes and there were no fast passes left so we decided to get there as fast as possible to get the passes.

We were in the park at 8am and got fast passes that weren't good until 3:35!! and the wait time in line was already 65 minutes. It was crazy but it was the one ride the boys weren't going to miss. So we spent all that time that day riding rides and exploring places we haven't been too before. The park was more crowded than the day before and it was hotter but it was still fun.

waiting in line for the rockets

 waiting in line for the roller coaster in toon town

 K. playing Mickey's Piano

 E relaxing in Mickey's Family Room

 Teacups...a family favorite

 Driving...another favorite

What a fun three days it was! We rode the same rides over and over because the boys love them so much and even got into the Star Tours ride which they also loved. The tally is something like this...

Buzz lightyear 3 times

Rockets         3 times

Star Tours      1 time

Autotopia       2 times

Pirates            1 time

Haunted Mansion 1 time

Teacups          1 time

Soaring over Cali 1 time

Rafting             1 time

Rope course    2 times

Ferris wheel     2 times

Toy Story        1 time

Bumper cars     1 time

Flying ride        1 time

Rocket ride in Calif adv 1 time

Exploring the games of the future area 1 time

Tarzan tree house 1 time

Toon town roller coaster 1 time

Rodger Rabbit Ride 1 time

Chip and Dale's Tree house 1 time

Mickey's house  1 time

and that's all I can remember but I 'm sure we are missing some!

What can we say we love going there for some family adventures together!



{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 2}

California Adventure!!

We got great tickets for 2 days in California Adventure and Disneyland. We decided to hit California Adventure first since we ddin't get to go there last summer. It was a beautiul day and not very crowded at all. We hit all the rides we wanted and didn't have to wait in too many long lines!

outside Toy Story Ride

Climbing the rope bridges

 Bug's Life Bumper Cars

Bug's Life Spinning Ladybugs (think the teapot ride)

The Newest Toy Story action figures!

The White Water Raft Ride

(where we ALL got SOAKING wet!)

Not pictured is the horrible, no good, very bad, makes you sick Tower of Terror Ride. None of us liked it and E and I will NEVER EVER go on that ride again!!

Waiting for the show to start

At night we got fast passes to sit up close to the water/laser show. and it was AMAZING!! Water shoots up with colors in it and "dances" with the music and they show clips of different movies on it and there is fire and everyone is wet. It feels like it is raingin through the whole show. We were the section groupo f poeple back and we were very wet by the end. When they say you will get wet...believe it!

If you ever go you have to make sure to get the pass to get up close and towards the middle of the viewing area...you see everything from there and they turn off all the lights in the area for a spectaular show. We LOVED IT!

{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 1}

We headed to the beach early Sunday morning so that we would get to spend the day on the beach.

We had never been to Newport Beach but found a spot and even with all the clouds and cold water we had a nice relaxing day!

It was so cold E's lips were blue!! He is after all our desert rat.

{Tournament of Kings}

This year Grandma and Grandpa Apo gave us tickets to this show for our birthday presents.

It was lots of fun and we were right in the middle of all the action. So close to the action we got dirt on us from the horses running by.

{100 Balloons}

So we have a trusted and loved babysitter who graduated from high school this week. So since our school gets out a week earlier than public school we had the perfect opporunity to do something special for him for a grad present, this leads to the.....

100 Balloons!!

So we spent one afternoon blowing up all the balloons and stuffing each one with a small gift for him.

The next morning we headed to his house and took over his bedroom while he was at school....balloons, streamers, posters, grad decorations....it was wonderful!

 The boys loved doing it and our babysitter was totally surprised and schocked! (he headed straight over after seeing his room to tell the boys thanks!)

{the Last Day}

The Last day of school is always fun (because it is a party day!)......

.....and hectic (my class, K's class, and E's Class all have awards and parties!) ....

.....and tiring (did you read the last two things...3 parties and 3 awards and one set I have to plan and run for my class) .....

.....and the most anticipated day of the school year (really it's the last day of school what would you expect?)!!

So K and E were both recognized by their teachers after participating in a small class presentations. We enjoyed both of their teachers this year and feel so lucky to have had wonderful teachers that worked with each boy at their level challenging them every step of the way but not pushing them over the edge.

K and Mrs. Walker (5th Grade)

E and Mrs. Curtis (2nd Grade)

It was a great school year and we are READY FOR SUMMER!!

Father Sons Campout

Well, I know I shouldn't make a habit of this as N is the seasoned veteran blogger of the family and I'm just a rookie (and quite frankly I like it that way) but I figured I should be the one to post something about the father sons camp out from this year as the pictures are on my phone and it was only the boys there.

 After taking the boys out of school a little early, we finished getting ready and then N attended the school's art auction while they boys and I headed up the mountain to claim our camp spot.

 The first year that E went of father sons camp out he enjoyed it quite a bit but the second year our tent blew away and he didn't have a very good time. Ever since that year he has never stayed over night. I have always either packed us all up and headed home or I've put them both in the car, headed home to drop E off late at night and then gone back with K to finish the camp.

 I love camping so I've always wanted both my boys to enjoy it and was a little apprehensive about how it would go this year as we made a big deal about whoever went had to stay the whole time. I was worried enough that E wouldn't have a good time that I went looking for bows and arrows as both he and K enjoyed that at a recent scout day camp. Well, no luck on cheap bows and arrows so I ended up getting three sling shots instead. The boys were pretty happy about that and it made for a fun time shooting things and showing them how to use them.

We had planned on hot dogs for dinner  so we took turns digging out a fire pit so that we could cover it back up afterwards and make sure the fire was completely out. After I dug a bit. E took a turn ...

followed by K as I don't think he wanted to be shown up by his little brother ...

but every chance he got, E jumped right back in and really went to town on the pit. He seemed to really enjoy that and I think that made him feel more a part of the whole camp out experience, especially because K was the main help (though E helped too) on setting up the tent.

Who knew that in order to get both the boys to enjoy it I just needed to let them help a little bit and not do everything for them. They ended up both really enjoying it and I think they'll even be up for another camping trip with me this summer.

We ended up getting back home earlier then N had anticipated on Saturday ('cause that lime green tent gets mighty bright by 5am) so she put the three boys to work and we got spring cleaning done in no time. Had the boys (all three of them) realized what they were going home to we might have stayed out longer but it was a fun camp and it was good to get back and get the chores done that we needed to.

{Fine Arts Week}

At our school we celebrate the Fine Arts every spring.

This year both boys gave reciations with their class and made a class project for the art auction.

 This is E's Class quilt that his class made. On the back were hand prints of each scholar with a sentence each scholar wrote....E's says "Even though we come from different families we are kids of God!"

The quilt was my favorite item of the auction and wished we had the extra cash to win that piece....