MARCH 2014

MARCH 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:  A late celebration of Grandma and Grandpa's birthdays with our Alaska cousins

LITERATURE DAY:  Elaina dressed up as Fancy Nancy. Notice her hair.

DISNEYLAND FAMILY REUNION:  We all got to meet up with Liz and the extended family at California Adventure land.  It was fun.

AUBREY ON THE MERRY GO ROUND:  She became a new fan of the little Mermaid after this trip.

 BUGS LIFE THEATER 

CARS RIDE

PIRATE TREASURE:  Elaina got in trouble and sent to time out for knocking another off of the top of the treasure mound.  Maybe Elaina is a priate in training.

SALT CREEK BEACH AT DANA POINT:  Pam and Neil at one of the prettiest beaches in Southern California.

ELAINA AND MAREN

SAN DIEGO ZOO:  We went to the zoo on a Friday afternoon for 3 hours, which is just the right amount of time.

AUBREY POPS ABOVE THE ICE LIKE A SEAL:  She kept climbing on the ice and going down the hole over and over again.

SETH GIVES AUBREY A HUG:  Look Mom, Seth can pick up Aubrey.  That is pretty impressive since there is only a 10 pound difference in their weights.

THE DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE:  Daddy had a great time with his little princess Elaina.

ELISHA AND BEN GET SEALED TO KENNY AND CHLOE:  We all met at the Newport Beach temple to celebrate this big occasion.  After much prayer and a lot of red tape the adoption went through.  We are glad to have 2 more 2nd cousins to play with. 

MASON REGIONAL PARK IRVINE: Batman feeds the birds. Seth enjoyed feeding the ducks. 

ELAINA POSES AS THE LITTLE MERMAID:   We went to the beach and happened to be there when people were participating in a half iron man triathalon.   Aubrey couldn't find me for a minute at the park and, asked a lady to help her find her mother.  The lady asked what does your mother look like?  Aubrey replied, "She's white."

FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY 2014

CALICO :

Seth shoots a gun for the first time.

SETH AND DAD AT CALICO GHOST TOWN AFTER THE ELDER'S QUORUM CAMPOUT:

AUBREY SITS IN THE 2 GALLON MILK BOX:  It is amazing how many different small compartments she can fit in.

 PROGRESS ON THE GARDEN

THE POT GARDEN GETS MORE POTS

THE MAN FROM YUMA:  Or Seth hiding in the grass near the Chipotle in Yuma

 THE GILBERT TEMPLE:  another family picture where not everyone is looking at the camera.  The open house went well, except Aubrey wanted to walk around freely and couldn't.

STANDING IN FRONT OF THE GILBERT TEMPLE:  I have a similar picture of me in front of the Oakland temple when I was Elaina's age.

TEMPE, ARIZONA AND TEMPE TOWN LAKE:  We stopped to check out the civic center and the Valentines day activities.  This was probably our favorite place that we visited.

 THE GRAND CANYON:  We enjoyed looking at it from inside the viewing room.

 SMILES

THE GRAND CANYON:  Elaina and Seth kept saying the same phrase over and over again.  They truly enjoyed the hike.

THE GRAND CANYON

THE COLORADO RIVER AT LAUGHLIN:  Throwing rocks in the river is one of a kids favorite things to do.

JANUARY 2014

JANUARY 2014

VEGAS:  

We always have to visit Vegas on the way back from Utah.  Here is the Paris and the Bellagio fountain.

PICTURES WITH A MINION:

SITTING IN FRONT OF THE PALAZZO FOUNTAIN:  We took this same picture a few years ago.

PLAYING AT MOONLIGHT BEACH PLAYGROUND:  Elaina and Seth play well together.

AT THE GRAND DEL MAR: For my 45th birthday.

NEIL AND I AFTER DINNING AT THE AMAYA:  It is wonderful that my birthday always falls on restaurant week.

 THE ANNUAL COMMEMORATION OF THE MORMON BATTALION ENTERING SAN DIEGO:  Elaina and Seth stand in front of the flagpole in Old Town San Diego.

AUNT KELLY'S TRAIN:    It's my kids' favorite Christmas decoration.  Kelly has to keep it out long past Christmas.

DECEMBER 2013

December 2013

FAMILY PHOTO:  Failed attempt number 62, still produced no positive results.  We just can't get everyone to look at the camera at the same time, so we chose the picture the adults looked good in.

AUBREY LOVES CLIMBING TREES

DECEMBER NIGHTS,  BALBOA PARK: An old woman gifted Seth this snowman spoon.  If she only knew how much Seth loved it.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT THE SAN DIEGO MORMON TEMPLE:  Another failed attempt to get everyone looking at the camera.

SETH'S FIRST CONCERT:  Seth started pre-school this year.  He loves his teacher Mrs. Craven, but he seems a little nervous to sing in front of people.  The antlers were great.  It made him easy to spot in a crowd. 

CALIFORNIA SNOW:  If you go to the mall in Tememcula and are standing outside the escalators at 8pm, snow falls.  It looks like snow, it falls like snow, but it is made of suds.

AN UNEXPECTED SUNSET:  (above) We made a bad turn on the way to the boat parade and got to see a sunset that looked like molten lava.  Not all bad turns are bad.  (below) SAN DIEGO CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS

CHRISTMAS EVE:  Seth and his cousin Thomas had fun together roaming around the Americana mall in Glendale, CA

AUBREY IN FRONT OF THE FOUNTAIN AT THE GLENDALE AMERICANA MALL

Grandma and Grandpa Ricks at the Americana Mall with the clock tower in the background.

ELAINA THE CONDUCTOR:  Elaina pretended to conduct the fountain at the Americana Mall and was so enthusiastic that she fell in.

SETH AS SPIDERMAN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING:  Superhero toys and clothes were Seth's favorite this year.

AUBREY AS ARIEL ON CHRISTMAS MORNING:  The girls both got princess nightgowns for Christmas.

THE LUXOR, LAS VEGAS.  We always stop at a different hotel on our way to Utah for our post-Christmas trip.  The kids love the different bizarre decorations such as this colorful sphinx.

AUBREY "I CAN'T MOVE MY ARMS" AT CHRISTMAS VILLAGE, OGDEN, UTAH:  We had to bundle our kids up like the little boy in "Christmas Story" to keep them warm.

2ND CHRISTMAS IN SANDY:  Aubrey approves

UNCLE PAUL, AUNT LISA, AND COUSIN MADDIE

"DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOW MAN?"  Someone built Olaf so I had to take a picture of him on my jog.












TEMPLE SQUARE:  I served my mission here and it looks fabulous at Christmas time.