Volunteering for Earth Day

This year for Earth Day the girls and I went to The Living Planet Aquarium and cleaned up trash.  We started at 3:15pm and ended at 5:20pm.  My girls worked so hard and were the youngest kids there.  The other kids were all in jr high and high school.  It was a great experience for all of us.  We all split up into groups and my little girls picked up 3 bags of trash; weighing 23.5lbs, 14lbs and 5lbs.  We picked up over 50 cigarette butts and so much other trash.  Victoria said that it was the best day ever.  After we cleaned up we had a snack and then went through the aquarium.  It was just a lot of fun meeting these other kids and the volunteers at the Aquarium.  What an experience it was for my girls.

Before cleaning

The girls with Kim (aquarium volunteer)

Weighing a trash bag

In a ravine picking up trash and snail shells

Aquarium volunteer

Our group....awesome group

The Leonardo Museum

We purchased a membership at The Leo.  It is the best hands on science musem ever.  The girls get to animate, walk in prosthetic legs, draw on the computer using paint brushes, see how their skeleton moves on a TV screen with their bodies, visit different places on Earth, look at demographics in Utah and then they have an art studio where they are resident artists.  They held a members only Graffiti Art demo.  The resident artist at The Leo and an street artist came in to show us different types of graffiti.  It was awesome.  Louis was helping Elizabeth with her art so he did not do one with us.  It was a lot of fun to do this activity with our family.

Out of this world opportunity

Because of the girls being on TV making a plight to Utah viewers on KSL about saving endangered animals...Utah's Hogle Zoo invited the girls to feed the Giraffes.  When I told Victoria at first that the zoo had something special for us she said, "are they giving us money for the World Wildlife Fund?"  She never asked for anything for her just for the animals.  I love this little girl.  So, we met Holly and she introduced the girls to Riley (male) and the 3 females; Kipenzie, Daffney and can't remember her name (she was not very friendly).  They had long tongues and would use them to get the crackers and bread.  The girls were a little scared of their tongues at first and then it was all good.  Holly showed them a skull and talked to them about awesome facts.  A Giraffe tongue is purple so it does not get sunburned.  We are hoping the Kipenzie is pregnant with Riley's baby again.

Riley

Riley

Kipenzie

Daffney

Cookie College

Gardner Village had a cookie college that the girls got to attend. Mrs. H, Owner of Neighborhood Bakery, gave the kids a tour of the kitchen and equipment. They got to roll out cookies, eat lunch and then decorate their cookies. At the end they all got a diploma stating they graduated and got to take home all their cookies. My girlfriend went with us and her two little girls. We all had so much fun and it was fun to make a mess in someone else's kitchen and not mine.

Victoria's Elizabeth's

Special Agent Victoria turned 5

I cannot believe that 5 years ago I gave birth to my long awaited first born child. I still remember the feeling I felt when I found out we were pregnant, seeing our baby on the ultrasound, hearing our baby's heartbeat and then finally giving birth to a.....surprise it's a girl.
She has grown up so much and I see no end in sight for this girl. She may be 5 in body years but her mind is that of a 20 year old. She keeps me going everyday and there are times that I am just plain tired of keeping up with her brain but I would not have it any other way.

So, we had an FBI party. I made my girls' an FBI shirt. My mom made all the 'breifcases" that were filled with all the tools to solve a crime. Our neighbor, who is an officer, Officer Bailey came and helped the kids complete their training and graduate. They lifted weights, walked on a balance beam, had to jump rope and then ran a lap. While they ran a lap a crime had been committed and clues were left behind....Victoria's presents were stolen. They finger printed all the adults and with the help of Office Bailey they compared them to the ones at the scene. They found their theif with the help of other clues left behind but she had disappeared. They had to hunt her down and then she had 2 sets of handcuffs placed on her. The kids had so much fun. We ate pizza, sandwiches, chips, fruit salad and cake pops (I made). She got a ton of gifts and she is so loved by all her friends and family. So thankful for the love that we get and that is shared on these special days. I love throwing these parties for my girls and to see the fun they have and the memories that are made.

Winter sings at school

Every winter the classes put on a sing and I love it. I love watching the girls sing their little hearts out and do all the actions. Usually we just go to their class rooms but this year Victoria got to sing in the multi-purpose room. Just love watching my girls.

Nutcracker Ballet recital Dec 2011

Swan Studios put on, again, a fantastic ballet recital. Elizabeth was a Mouse and Snowflake and oh my she was a ham as uaual. She waited on stage and after the mouse king fell to the ground she went to grab the sword. During her snowflake dance she was worried about her snowflake crown falling off. She was so dang cute running abound the stage. Victoria was a baffoon daughter and snowflake. She came out under Mrs. Melissa's skirt and the girls had partners that they danced with. Victoria's hat was over her eyes most of the dance but she kept dancing. She was a beautiful snowflake and she was in the older class so she was responsible for the young snowflakes and making sure they knew what do to. I honestly just love to watch my girls on stage. They are so beautiful and make me laugh.