Summer Vacation 2011

I try to keep the kids busy during the summer with fun things to do. I don't always have my camera to document these activities, but I will do my best to add them to this post...so check back often so you can see what kind of fun things we've done this summer!

WATERFALL PARK...

ROLLERSKATING...

CHUCK E CHEESE (Where a Kid can be a Kid)!


(Dancing with Chuck himself!)

GYMNASTICS (Carly)













SWIMMING (These photos are from the 4th of July, but we swam a lot and the girls have the tan to prove it!)

GIRLS CAMP (Raya: Own post to come)

SILLY HAT MAKING WITH GRANDMA











OLD SACRAMENTO TRAIN RIDE & ICE CREAM FAMILY TRIP































PROMONTORY SPLASH PARK WITH FRIENDS



















LAKE FOR GRANDPA POINDEXTER'S BIRTHDAY

























FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY PARTY















CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR

The ride above was an actual ride that Michael Jackson himself owned and operated on his Neverland Ranch. There were many rides that were previously owned by Michael Jackson at the fair this year.

SUNSPLASH WATER PARK












HANGING OUT WITH COUSIN ANTHONY



MAKING MESSES



SILLY FACES



FIXING THINGS



THROWING TANTRUMS



SAYING GOODBYE TO A REALLY GOOD FRIEND:


MARINE WORLD SIX FLAGS

(The kids all sat in the "Splash Zone" and got soaked by Souka the Killer Whale)

The dolphin show was amazing. We got splashed but not too bad by them.

We went with the Miller's and their family. Kristine Miller's mom bought Carly this Sea Lion because she couldn't go on most of the rides the other kids were going on.

This is a roller coaster called "Medusa". Malia enjoyed going on it with Ethan Miller as well as many other "crazy" rides. Raya chose to hang out with the 6 year olds and was really helpful with them. We had a blast and ended up only spending $35 the entire day and $30 of it was for dinner at the local Carl's Jr. across the street. Thanks to the Millers for getting us into the park for free!

We had a blas this summer. We tried to keep busy but there were many days of lounging around the house doing nothing. Hopefully next year we will have grass and our trampoline up for the kids to enjoy being outside a little more. I was getting annoyed with all the dirt that was tracked in this summer.

We are now ready for school to start!

You Mess With The Best...

After 14 years of marriage, I've learned that in order to keep things interesting around here, I've got to mess with Patrick just a little bit. My skills have gotten pretty good over the years so much so that I've gotten him to believe he was 3 years older than he really was. THAT was funny!

So my current mess has to do with this:



I think I've mentioned before that Patrick is very particular about the way a new roll gets put back on the holder. He uses it like once a day...why would it be that big of a deal? I use it like 20 times a day and I don't care!

Anyway...

As tempting as it is to purposely put the roll on the opposite way he likes, I've decided that it's no fun anymore because he actually gets mad about it. So to spare angry feelings I don't do that anymore.

So, the other day I was trying to use the restroom in peace but as many of you mothers know, if it's not your kids barging in on you, it's your man. The toilet paper had run out and I had grabbed a new roll as I sat down. I hadn't had the chance to put the roll back on before Patrick made some comment about me NEVER putting the roll of toilet paper on the holder. Apparently he doesn't realize that with four potty trained girls in the house, we go through almost a roll a day and 99% of the time, the toilet paper is hung properly to his specifications on the holder.

I've learned over the years to pick and choose my battles and have gotten really good at biting my tongue, but duuuuuuuude....he caught me at a bad time. So, I "nicely" told him that I do put the roll on the holder almost daily and that from now on, I will NOT do it so that he can see how often I DO do it.

If you decide to come visit us, don't be surprised to see the roll of toilet paper off the holder because every time Patrick puts the roll on the holder...I take it off.

You mess with the best...well, you know the rest!