Spring Break...

For spring break, just like every year we went to Sea World!!! This is Kurtis' and I's favorite place on EARTH! This time we got to go to the new dolphin show and we are excited for the new Shamu show which should come out by the next time we go later this year!

This kids were pretty tired after a long day at the park.

We saw my favorite temple the San Diego Temple, which I think looks like the castle in NeverEnding Story. (Now you know why it is my favorite).

And we saw this awesome Marine truck which is very similar to the Army truck that Derick has driven. I took a picture for Kurtis to enjoy since he was asleep.

For Easter we had lunch at Derick's parent's house where we dyed Easter eggs and enjoyed some delicious food.

Then we had a wonderful Easter Sunday morning at church. Happy Easter!

The Beach....

We enjoyed hanging out as a family and going down to the beach to take a stroll. The weather has been great lately and it was really wonderful to just enjoy each others company!!

Kurtis climbed a tree....

Just look how happy he was he did it all by himself!

Then Sarah had to do it too!

Kurtis also got a hair cut!! It was getting a little shaggy!

Family, Friends and Fun in the sun!!!

The weather has been sunny and wonderful lately so we have been playing outside with our family and friends.

We went and visited Derick's parents, and had a great time seeing some of his siblings!

Three generations...Derick's mom is actually where our children get their hair, eye, and skin coloring from.

Kurtis loves to wrap Buddy up in blankets.

Sarah loves this dog!!

Kurtis' two bottom 6 year old molars are completely in so we are waiting for the upper ones.

Sarah and her friend Lolin have been really enjoying the dress up clothes that Sarah got last Christmas.

Derick has been playing basketball, and Sarah has loved watching every minute of it!

I have been enjoying the outdoors with the family and cooking some delicious treats!

Recently....

...we have done many many things!!!

We enjoyed some delicious ice cream with great friends at a wonderful ice cream parlor in Pasadena. Look at how big this sundae is, it was really so good!

While there we saw a real railroad crossing with the lights flashing and everything!!

Sarah's hair has been growing, I have been testing out new things in her hair just trying to get her used to wearing something in her hair!

She also had a double ear infection and was very dizzy because of it, she had a run in with the concrete wall on our patio...SAD SAD DAY!

Cousin TUCKER finally came to visit us and it was a terrific time!

We went to a Tongan Party with pig roasting and everything...it was great to hang out with Derick's family and the food was really really good! We were glad to have Devin back for a bit before he is deployed, we will miss you and love you Devin!

What's Up Doc???

Just to let you know what we've been up to lately; Kurtis is taking an in-line skating class because it his first step in learning how to play hockey(the street variety). He is learning really fast and his balance is pretty good. He is has definitely had a growth spurt, he is doing well in school, and loves to play with friends when his school work is done.

Sarah's sign language videos have helped her build her vocabulary, especially of late. We love to see her sign car because she gets so excited and shakes. We also love when she tells us the noises animals make especially a duck because she says it like her Daddy when he does a Donald Duck impression. She can say a lot of words some of our favorites are bird, dog, crayon, Pops, Gigi, grandpa, juice, cracker, and water. She talks all the time and the signing comes in handy at church or other places where we should be keeping our volume down. Some of her favorite things to do are to read with Kurtis when he gets home, get her toe nails painted, and color or paint.

Last Christmas Post

I forgot to post our experience visiting Santa...so here it is!!!

Kurtis has never cried, he has been a little scared but never cried...so this was a fun new experience for us this year!! Aunt Jackie captured the video of her saying Mommy, and looking around like who is going to save me.

OUR Christmas Miracle

Tonight I was surfing the web and started reading this story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110116/us_time/httpnewsfeedtimecom20110113pilotwhocaresthemostheartwarmingairlinestoryof2011xidrssfullnationyahoo

(go ahead and read, I will wait...)

Ok, now this brings me to a personal story. For Christmas we normally try to go and visit my family on the East Coast so I purchased tickets way in advance for the kids and I because Derick had to work on Friday but it was cheaper to go on the Friday. Anyways, I had checked in and paid for my bags which made everything so super easy when I arrived to drop off the bags in a separate line with no wait, I had a terrific driver (THANK YOU ANNE) that waited with the children while I ran in and turned in the bags and we flew through security, finally we arrived at the gate and had an hour delay. In my mind I thought thats ok I can still make it to my lay over. Then that hour turned into an hour and a half....now I was cutting it a little close, I only had a two hour layover. I loaded up on food for the kids to eat on the plane, boarded as soon as the plane was ready and prayed that I would make it. Then the taxi time took another twenty minutes...cue the stress!! My son was an angel on the flight...Sarah had slept waiting for the plane (which would not had happened if the plane was on time) so she was awake and screaming for most of the flight. We land, they say the local time, and then I realize I literally have two YES I SAID TWO minutes to get to the gate. Now with just me this might be possible but me ALONE with two children, my five year old walking and my one year old in a stroller not as possible that I am going to make it. Needless to say, I find out what gate I need to be at and I tell Kurtis we must run...does he complain...No he just starts to run and we fly threw the airport. I am sure people are looking at me thinking I am crazy but I am trying to make it home to my family and spend Christmas with them...did I mention this is the last flight out of Cleveland so if I do not make this flight it is me in the airport sleeping with my two children??? Back to the story: we make it to the gate but there is no one there I run to the counter next to it and explain the flight I am trying to make and the lady says oh that is the flight that is taxing out right now....then she sees the tears starting to flow from my eyes. She used the phone and called the pilot and what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds quickly came to an end when the pilot decided to taxi back to the gate and pick us up. Which leads me to why I am typing this...THANK YOU pilot, thank you for coming back for me and my two children to be sure that I made it to my family and did not have to sleep in the airport with my two children. Thank you to the other passengers on the plane who didn't say anything to me and make me even more upset.

Thank you all, I know my story is not as emotional as the story I linked to but it meant something to me that the pilot came back and I wanted to express that!