Disneyland Trip

We just got back from spending four days in southern California with all the Pauls, Halvorsens, and Teeples (Ryan's family). We had a great time! Three days were in Disneyland. The first ride we all went on was Thunder Mountain Railroad. Even Marina rode it (she said she had fun but did not want to ride it anymore). This was Lincoln's favorite ride of the trip - he liked other rides, but Thunder Mountain was always his favorite. We rode through the Haunted Mansion, which was decorated like the Nightmare Before Christmas. Marina called it Jack's House. She was so excited to go in there, but from the first room, she hid her head in my shoulder and cried. She did not want to leave, but she would not stop crying for the whole ride. I worried that she had not liked the ride, but at the end of the day (and the end of the trip), she insisted that Jack's House was her favorite ride at Disneyland. We also saw the parade that first day. Here are photos of Lincoln and Marina at the parade. They danced along and got to see some of their favorites (Mary Poppins!). Marina and Lincoln (and Grandpa) got to meet the Queen of Hearts (Marina was a little shy). Grandma bought all the kids Mickey Mouse Light Sabers, so there was lots of fun to be had with those after dark (and before dark too!). The second day in California, we went to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Lincoln got to go on a behind-the-scenes tour and see some shark teeth and feed some fish. He already knew a lot about fish from watching Blue Planet, but he had fun seeing all the animals up close. His favorite animal at the aquarium was the striped archer fish. They can spit several feet above the water to knock their food into the water and eat it. It was amazing to watch! The aquarium had some very friendly birds - see photos! We also visited the Queen Mary. Lincoln is here posing with some of the big guns they had on deck. Grandpa sailed on the ship when it used to cross the Atlantic, so he shared some memories with us. They also had a ghost tour that Lincoln was not quite up for.


We then spent two more days at Disneyland. Marina wanted to ride It's a Small World over and over. She also liked the Finding Nemo ride, Soaring over California, and Peter Pan. She rode the carousel too and played in A Bugs Land too. She loved Alice in Wonderland and The Teacups too. She spun our teacup all by herself!

Lincoln got to participate in the Jedi Training Academy (with only a little help from some hand-made signs suggesting that he should be picked to participate). He trained with a light saber and then fought Darth Maul and helped defeat Darth Vader. He was awesome!


Grandma even bought Lincoln his own light saber, so he can continue his training. He has decided that he is going to be a Jedi for Halloween.


Grandma bought Marina a princess dress - Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. Marina loves to wear it, and has perfected chilaxing in a huge dress!

We are all home safe now - what a fun trip!

This and That

Lincoln is doing very well in school! He received 100% on all his spelling tests so far this year. He is also doing really well in completing his homework every night. He does math, spelling, and reads for 20 minutes each day.

Marina also does homework when Lincoln does. She is learning colors, numbers, shapes, opposites, matching, letters, sounds, and more. She can now write her name and most of the letters. She spends lots of time finding letters, numbers, and shapes all around her. She is very smart! Here are some of her words.

Marina says that when she grows up, she wants to be a spy, a mom, and a big sister. I am thinking not in that order. Marina does practice spy missions (usually tickling missions) pretty oftern to get ready to be a spy. Lincoln wants to be a biologist.

Labor Day Fun

We spent Labor Day weekend with the Pauls in Morgan (near Salt Lake). The kids had a great time. They have perfected a 'robot' dance, which they were eager to show as many people as possible.

We also got to celebrate Lincoln's and Ryan's birthdays while we were there. Lincoln got a birthday cake that looked like Lincoln Lake, and that was perfect, since the kids also spent lots of time playing at the lake with their cousins.

2nd Grade, 7th Birthday, and a trip to Salt Lake

Lincoln started the 2nd grade on August 20. Here is Lincoln ready to go to the bus stop on his first day of school. This is Marina who was very excited for Lincoln's first day of school. She can't wait until next year when she gets to go to school too. Lincoln is in Mrs. Jensen's class, and he has kept a perfect homework record for the first two weeks - let's keep that up!

Lincoln celebrated his birthday with his friends the first Saturday after school started. He wanted a pirate themed birthday party, but said it could be eclectic since he also wanted a bounce house (thanks to grandpa and grandma Paul!). The kids jumped and jumped. Then they had a pirate treasure hunt, decorated cookies, and jumped some more! Lincoln got some very fun presents - Indiana Jones Legos, a Wii game, and and Iron Man toy. He also got a snow cone maker that he can't wait to try out.


The next week, we went to Salt Lake City together. Ryan and Kami attended a fundraiser for the Davis Reads program. Ken Burns was the speaker, and he previewed his new documentary about the national parks. It looks really good, and Ken Burns is a very articulate speaker. We really enjoyed the evening. Ryan then had to go back to work, but Kami, Lincoln and Marina stayed in SLC with Grandma Valene and Grandpa Bob.

Lincoln and Marina had a cousin born while they were in Maine - Ella - they got to meet her for the first time and they became as instant of friends as a 2 month old can make.

We had so much fun in Salt Lake! We got to play with grandma Valene (she's pretty fun!) and play at a place called Jungle Jims. Here are some photos of all the fun they had there.

We all got to go Ella's baby blessing and their other cousin, Kyle's birthday party.

Then as if we had not been having a ton of fun, we went to the zoo. Marina loved the Giraffes, the zebras, and the tigers. I don't think it was just that she likes stripes - they also had babies to look at. She loves babies (of any species). We had a great time!

Welcome Home!

Lincoln and Marina had quite a week. They traveled from Owls Head, Maine to Cedar City, Utah in one day! They then had a great time rediscovering everything in Cedar City. Lincoln got bunk beds, so the favorite new game was to jump from the top bunk onto the love sac (giant foam bean bag).



































Lincoln and Marina flew with their aunt, Kara, and then Evelyn and Grandma Paul stayed for a few days in Cedar City. We all spent time at the Iron Mission Museum.














Marina went to the doctor for her four year old check up, and she had to have her finger pricked. She was very brave though, and got a bugs bunny band-aid when it was over.



















Lincoln and Marina also had fun discovering their new fish aquarium. They have two bala sharks (named scaley and hailey) two tiger fish (named tiger and tiger), and a sucker fish/algae eater (named rosie according to Marina, and named suckie according to Lincoln).















Marina wanted a pink cake with a rainbow for her birthday, and she got it when she got home (along with a Dorothy costume and some Wizard of Oz books). We'll get a photo of the costume soon for the blog.
















We had a welcome home party for the kids with their friends in the neighborhood. We had a bouncy house (thanks grandma and grandpa Paul!), and the kids had a great time!











































































Lincoln and Marina had a great week! They were exhausted when it was over!

Back in Cedar City . . .

While Lincoln and Marina have been playing in Maine, there have been some fun changes at home. First, are photos of Lincoln and Marina's carrots and cucumbers. They planted them before they left, and they should be ready to eat soon when they get home! The yellow flower on the cucumber plant is where the cucumber will grow. Here is a photo of Lincoln's new bunk beds in his room. The furniture is re-arranged so he can have the "love sac" (giant foam bean bag) in there too. Marina's room has not changed a lot, but now she has curtains on her windows and a ceiling fan for her light. We (the house, Ryan and I) are very excited for Lincoln and Marina to come home!