My soldier returning home

This is Sean catching a ride out of there. This was the first of many rides to get him home. We are thankful that he made it safely.

Rumors are true

Yes the rumors are true that Sean is home at last. He thinks that he needs to get some sun before we go to the beach this weekend. So we have been working on our tans this week.
Sorry its been awhile since I posted. I'll try to do better for the rest of the summer.

I've been away

Okay, maybe to say that I've been away is a small exaggeration. Really I've just been lazy and haven't updated my blog. However, now I have a reasonable excuse. And yes I realize they are all just excuses. So I had to bring Gavin up to Germany to see the doctor at the last minute. I don't think that I've ever had to fly to a doctors appointment before. Just so you know that I'm not still ignoring you all I'm post when I get home from our trip.

First Day of Swimming

It's Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend and the kids wanted to be the first in the pool. It's been raining on and off for several weeks. I guess we got lucky on Saturday with no rain.

Christian, Jessie and Haylee are having a blast.

It was great in the pool. But once they got out they needed to get covered up quick.

Gavin and Trent are hamming it up.

Jessie...hum...I just don't know what to say. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

Charlie and her other half aka Rachel.

Christian and Terrilee are hanging by the pool. Chad (Terrilee's husband) came for about 5 minutes but then got called away to work.

Taylor and her friend Jessica. They had fun teasing the boys.

Charlies Trip to Bolca

Charlie's class went on a field trip on Monday and I got to go with her. Let me tell you it was great. We went to Bolca where they have an archaeological site. We got to look for fossils. When we met at the school the parent volunteers got assigned a group of kids. So Charlie picked her friend Rachel and the three of us had a good time. This is Charlie and Rachel on our 1 hour bus ride.

Our first stop was at the museo dei fossili. It was all very interesting to me.

Instead of having us watch a video in Italian (which most of us wouldn't understand anyway), we got a tour guide to explain about the area and what sort of fossils area found in the area. Tropical, if you can believe it. Charlie and Rachel mostly listened, except when they were talking.

This is a fossil of some plants that were found. All the fossils are very impressive.

They had a wall depicting what the area used to look like millions of years ago. Charlie found a vine to swing on. So she and Rachel went for a ride.

These fish are like some of the fossils that were found in the area.

These are some shell fossils that were uncovered. The girls thought that it looked like an upside down ice cream cone.

At the end of the walk through the museum there are fish tanks with tropical fish and plants. The kids really liked to see live fish.

Then we rode on the bus to the entrance road of the archaeological site.

We had to walk down this road for about 1 mile. It wasn't fit for the buses so we hiked. The girls really liked the walk.

I didn't get any pictures of lunch. I think I may have been to hungry. After we ate, the kids looked for fossils. I didn't ask but I assumed that all the rocks came from the cave that we went into last. The girls really had fun trying to break open the rocks looking for fossils.

They got smart and went and asked the man that works there for some help. After that they would hammer on the rocks for a few minutes but in the end they always just took the rocks to the guy and volia fossils. They found about 10 fossils between them.

This is Rachel looking over the edge of the hill. It was a pretty good drop.

Then it was our turn to go in the cave.

I didn't see as much as I would of liked. The girls were just ready to get out of there. I think they felt like they were in jail.

After the cave we had ice cream and then the long hike back up to the buses. This is Charlie and Rachel with Lexi and Toni (our neighbors).

All in all I think that the kids had a good time. I'm really glad that we live where Charlie can have this kind of experience.

My Mothers Day

Mothers Day this year was great. We had a full day and I loved every minute. The kids made me breakfast. And gave me lots of presents.

Taylor pick out this great nicknack.

Charlie made me a pineyata(?) at school.

And this is what was in it. It was a poem and chocolate. The Best.

Jessie wrote me a great poem.

And made me a bouquet of flowers with her hand prints. They are so cute.

I really enjoyed my breakfast.

Picnic at the Park

We went to the park with members from our branch after church for a picnic.
This kids played horse shoes, frisbee and soccer. Also they chased the birds and watched the turtles. And of course the eat a lot.

Taylor was napping.

Jessie of course was just happy to be with friends. This is Sydney.

There was also an fitness course that the kids begged to go one. More than once.

These kids (Trent, Christian, Haylee, Grace, Jessie, Charlie, Ellie, Sydney and Kira) went on the last trip around the fitness course. They had to show off their stuff.