Mickie Grove Zoo

During our week of non stop fun we took the kiddos to the Mickie Grove Zoo to see the animals, have a picnic in the nearby park, and then back to the zoo to feed the Lorikeets.

Auston, Zoe, Kaylee, CJ, Addy, Stetson, Ashley, Aidan

some of the Lorikeets were so beautiful! (picture taken by Brittany)

Ashs new haircut by Aunt Starlene makes her look so much older! She definitely isn't my little girl anymore, she is definitely a "Tween"

Polly want a cracker???

(or more accurately a little cup of nectar)

Several lorikeets landed on CJ, arms, head, shoulders, and mohawk! I bet you cant guess what the lorikeet did next!...

The first time around the lorikeet habitat Ash didn't want a cup of nectar because she said the birds were going to pee on her so she just watched... until a bird flying over her peed on her arm she grimaced, cleaned off with soap and water, then said "Buy me a cup, since i've already been pee'd on!"

I highly recommend visiting (and feeding) the lorikeets, it was so fun.

Church Cleaning

Our family has partied so hard this week that before the wedding even happened all the adults and children were exhausted. The Tunquists, Berrys, and Crandalls learned that it was our family's week to clean the church the next morning. Knowing how tired everybody in the family was our 3 families went to help so we could bust it out fast and be done so we could rest (actually get some lunch and then go swimming at the Henry's- like I said we played hard). After we got the church done Gpa Stone surprised the grand kids with a treat of "3D Super Mario fruit snacks". They were excited and kept announcing when they had a mario, yoshi, luigi, etc.

Grandpas Rock! Sarra Crandall, Gpa Stone, Adian Stone, Stetson Berry, Addy Stone, Kade Henry, Kaylee Berry, CJ, Ash ... and of course the Super Mario Snacks!

Ash painting a canvas for her dad

This year for fathers day Ash wanted to paint her dad a picture. Ash and Gma Stone flipped through art magazines till she found one she liked, bought a canvas, and started painting. It was like pulling teeth getting her to come home at the end of the lessons she was having so much fun. Gma even taught her how to gold leaf her art! (that was Ash's favorite part)

Outdoor Movie Night

Our family has a new tradition in the past few years of during the warm summer nights we all gather our sleeping bags, pillows, lawn chairs, tents, etc and watch a movie on the TPD trailer with dads projector on the front lawn. It is even better than going to a drive in theater! You get to cuddle in your sleeping bags, the kids can run around if they want, fresh popcorn from Gpa & Gma's popcorn machine, and after the movie you get to sleep under the stars! I'm really glad we aren't one of those families that play advanced chess for fun!

We laughed our way through "Gnomeo & Juliet"

I don't know why Ash looks scared, it was a kid movie!



Crystal, Kat, and Lexi



Lexi couldn't find her beanie so she decided a clown wig would keep her warm...



Lexi, Addy, Ashley, Auston, Kade ready for the movie

At "O'dark:30" the next morning when all the sane people were sleeping the kids all climbed into Kade's tent and played thier DS's.
Calin, Auston, (2 Buell friends), Ashley, Kade, Addy

Nummy, Nummy, NUBI!

We love to go to NUBI Yogurt! The kids love to stick an equal amount of toppings and ice cream into their bowls. While Ash favors the fruit and crumbled cookies toppings CJ loves the sprinkles and gummy worms.

Cousin Addy & Ashley

The kids always eat their ice cream on the water fall outside the store.

I know I'm biased, but i think she is just the cutest thing!


Cousin Aidan & CJ

Thank you Aunt Leslie & Uncle Mike for the birthday Nubi cards! We love putting them to good use!

Ashley's 10th Birthday Party

Ashley is 10, she is growing so fast!

The theme for Ashley's birthday party this year was "Glow-in-the-Dark". It was an overnight sleepover so we could play games after it got dark.

Ashley's happy birthday sign even glowed in the dark! It was so cool!

Before dinner the kids played on Gpa Stone's swings in the front yard.

Mike BBQ'd some delicious cheeseburgers for dinner

Ashley got so embarrassed when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her

Ashley didn't want a regular cake for her birthday she wanted "Faux Sushi". They were so yummy! I even made candy wasabe and ginger to go with their dessert sushi.

Ash got so many great presents from her friends

Ash wanted her friends to take home a souvenir from her party so we bought hats that they decorated with glow-in-the-dark puff paint. They all turned out very different. Some dried pretty quickly and some took over 24hours!

Can you see us??? The kids played tons of games with their glow-in-the-dark sticks, bracelets, necklaces, balls, etc. The girls even had flashing "braids" that they put in their hair to add to the sparkle! We went through at least $40 worth of glow toys and it was awesome!

I got the kids to stand in a line and wave their glow sticks around for a picture.

The kids came inside for movies. We watched "Kung Fu Panda 2" (thanks- you know who you are!) and Gnomeo and Juliet.

CJ was the 1st one to fall asleep. He helped set up the party and played really hard during the party, he was exhausted. He didn't even wake up when the other kids were yelling and bouncing around using their glow sticks as light sabers (they were sticks that were 14" long and 3/4" wide, they made perfect looking light sabers!)

In the morning Uncle Jeff flipped pancakes onto their plates for breakfast.

All the kids were exhausted the next morning but surprisingly cheerful!

Here are some of the kids in thier hats.

Alexsis (from school), Ashley, CJ, Cousin Kade, Cousin Addy, Makayla (from church), Cousin Adidan, & Cousin Auston

CJ only wanted a single football on his hat

Ashley designed her hats with dashes and dots.

Thank you everyone who came to the party and everyone that helped out! The party was fantastic! Ashley had a great time!

End of 1st Grade for CJ

This year in class the kids watched caterpillars grow and turn into butterflies. They learned about the cycle they go through to become beautiful butterflies.

On the 1st day of school the kids made a self portrait.

CJ made this beautiful butterfly (above his head)

One of the last projects the kids made was decorate a flower pot and put flowers in it to go with the card the kids made for their mothers for Mothers Day.