Memorial Day

For the first time in a few years we got to spend Memorial Day up north with family.  This is always a fun weekend to see a lot of people and eat good food :)  Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, but this time we had a window of exceptional conditions!  It rained nearly the whole weekend - except during the get-together.  In fact, at times it was pretty hot out in the sun.  What luck!

Grammy put together some Minute-To-Win-It games, such as this one.  Carrying a can with a spaghetti noodle - NOT an easy task!   The noodle breaks quite easily.

Ed and Emma had a very creative strategy - he picked her up to transport the can over to the bench!  Brooke and Miranda did really good as a pair - I think they got 3 or 4 cans, and Judy and Jay had a great system and I think they won!

Cousins.  I have many cousins and I love seeing them!  This time there was only three of us together, Brooke, Matt and myself.  Then Emma photo-bombed us at the top!

Emma goofing around with her cousin!  Love the gnome hair.  I thought, what would it look like the other way?

Swinging and singing "Call Me Maybe"!

Four generations, love!











Emma and Daddy doing a lightsaber duel.  It looks really cool as it gets dark outside!

Uncle Bruce wanted to play too, but he put on his chainsaw gear first!  He really had Emma cracking up.

Dozer Days

Today Emma and I headed up to Vancouver for "Dozer Days."  It's located in a huge quarry, and they fill it with construction equipment and other "mighty machines."  The children get to drive tractors, cranes, bulldozers, etc.!  Talk about exciting!!

Today was quite a rainy day, but we were there for a good amount of time between showers.  By the time we left, it was really a downpour!  All worth it though.  The first thing we walked by was a fire truck, and yes, it was our first stop!















Then we saw this cool Perry the Platypus car!

The crowds were huge.  We waited 1 hour, 35 minutes (but who's counting?) for Emma to drive this bulldozer!  She loved it though.  I told her we would start with the machine she really wanted to drive, to make sure we got to it in case it became too stormy to stick around.

This is what we do while waiting in line :)
















Next up was a tennis ball cannon.  There were three tipped over cones on the hill, and if you shot a tennis ball in one of the cones, you'd win a pair of Keen shoes.  We didn't know about this until we got in line; Emma was just interested in shooting the cannon!  She actually got fairly close a couple of times!

She wanted to operate a garbage truck, this was quick but fun!

Then she got to excavate!

Oh - Papa John, Emma said that now she knows how to drive your backhoe, so call her if you ever need help digging!!
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Bug week

Okay it doesn't sound as exciting as "Shark Week," but this week at school Emma is learning about and studying bugs (even dead ones under a microscope!).  You'll never guess what she came home as today!

Well, maybe you guessed it after all :)
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Singing

Today at our Bible study, the children performed Bible verses and praise songs that they've been practicing for several weeks (and they always include sign language!).  They do this twice a year, and it's something us parents really look forward to seeing!

Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  (1 John 4:7)

Jesus said "I am alive!"  (Revelation 1:18)

Jesus loves the little ones like me, me, ME!  This is a really fun song to hear and sing along with.  You can't help but smile!

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!

As always, more special memories to add to the collection :)
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Happy Mother's Day!

On Friday, I got to go to a special mother's day party at Emma's school.  Emma made a flower necklace for me, and then the kids performed a montage of songs. 
















They had painted special picture frames to give us too.  It's made of puzzle pieces and says "I love you to pieces!"















Today Emma helped me plant all sorts of vegetable seeds in the garden!  We should have a tasty harvest in a couple of months.  Then, in perfect timing it began to rain.  Me and my girl!

Then came the goofy face...

BB Queen

Today we went to the farm and Emma got to try shooting her *pink* BB gun for the first time.  Ed was very thorough in teaching her safety rules first and foremost.  She was frustrated at first with getting a feel for it, but then she would get excited when she'd hit the target.

She loves her little camo clothes.  I thought the safety glasses were the perfect accessory.  Of course, she did say she wished the BB gun was camo instead of pink :)

Star Wars

Since today is May 4th and also known as Star Wars Day ("May the Fourth be with you....") this is a perfect time to do a post about Emma's experience with Star Wars at Disneyland!

First of all, she absolutely loved the Star Tours ride.  They have updated it since the last time we'd been, and the movie they show on your "tour" has up to 54 possible combinations, so it feels like a different ride each time!  This is your vessel - the Starspeeder 1000.  C-3PO is the pilot, with R2-D2 helping him fly!

One day we were in Tomorrowland and pulled out the daily show schedule.  I mentioned we were right by the Jedi Training Academy show that was about to start, so we scurried over to see it.  I told Emma if she wanted to be a volunteer she would have to raise her hand.  So she, along with many other kids, raised their hands, and she was chosen!  "Yes, the lady in the sunglasses" he said when he called her.

We hadn't seen the show and had no idea what it would entail.  When I saw what side of the stage she was on, I hurried over to the other side to get pictures/video of her.  Each child was given a brown robe and a lightsaber.  The Jedi Master taught the kids how to draw their lightsaber, and different moves (left, right, DUCK!).  She was having fun swinging that lightsaber around on stage.

Now that's a fierce face!











Then, THEN, the stage lifted up and who should appear but Darth Vader and two Storm Troopers.  Whoa!  Darth Maul also appeared down in front.  Darth Vader kept trying to convince the children to come to the dark side, to which they shouted "Never!"  Each trainee got to go up against either Darth Vader or Darth Maul and practice their lightsaber moves.  We couldn't believe our eyes as we saw Emma up there dueling with Darth Vader!!



Darth Vader isn't too happy when he doesn't win!

The kids received certificates that they are now Padawans, students devoted to the ancient training of the Jedi knights!













Later that day we spotted some Storm Troopers nearby.  They don't stop for pictures because they are always roaming around, looking for rebels!!  Emma snuck up near one for a quick picture.

The next day, Papa got Emma her very own lightsaber souvenir.  They have a build-your-own station where you can customize it in many different ways!  This was very exciting :)

After all this, Emma is now a big Star Wars fan.  We have watched the first three episodes, only three more to go.  That way when the newer films come out, she'll know the whole story!
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Princesses

At Disneyland, Emma got to meet a few of the princesses.  We passed by some others in the park, but they were on their way to shows.  She is not so much a princess girl, but she did say that Cinderella is her favorite!

They have a new attraction called Fantasy Faire.  There is a theater with fairy tale performances, and a Royal Hall where you can go inside and meet certain princesses.  Another great idea - out of the sun and air conditioned!  They move the line very quickly and it was a great experience.

First up was Cinderella!  Emma later told us that she was "So so nice!"

I absolutely love this one - super sweet!















Then we met Tiana, from The Princess and the Frog.  She definitely sounded like she was from New Orleans!

The last princess we met in the Royal Hall was Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty!

We were on our way to meet Merida, from Brave, but she was leaving to get ready for the parade.  They told us we could high five her on the way by, so this is actually a post-high five that Emma gave her!

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