Jimmy's graduation from Ohlone College!

Congratulations Jimmy!!

Here we are all waiting anxiously for the graduation to begin.

After the graduation they had a reception with cake and all kinds of fruit, vegetables, crackers and dips for the graduates and their families and friends which was really nice.

Here are some pictures of the recent Graduate!

After the reception is was back home for pizza !

This is a picture I took on Sunday night. Grandpa with the grandson's watching TV and eating popcorn!

A Trip to New Jersey!

Southwest had a deal we couldn't pass by! We scheduled a flight to New Jersey to see Stacy and Jason and their family. We flew out on Tues. May 12th and flew home on Tues. May 19th. What a great time we had. It is so fun to visit with Stacy and Jason...and especially Ben, Sammie and Cailin! We just wish that they were a lot closer to California so we could see them a lot more often!

Our first full day there we had to go and see Fort Mifflin...the small fort that saved America. It was a beautiful day and everything was so green. Jason had to work and Ben had school so it was just Stacy, Cailin, Sammie and Mike and me.

Here is a picture of one of the rooms in the Fort...they were underground and pretty dark and scary.

This a picture looking out at the Delaware River from the Fort. There was a moat around the Fort...I thought it was very pretty.

Here are some of the buildings.

Mike, Stacy and Cailin in one of the underground rooms.

Sammie had fun running across the grass.

That night we got to go to Ben's T-Ball game. It was really fun watching Ben and the other little boys play. They were really cute. When Ben got up to bat and hit the ball and ran to first base he stood on the base and had a stare down with the first baseman. At first we thought that he knew the kid from school or something. They just stood there staring at each other for the longest time and not moving. Then we could hear the first baseman say "you blinked"! We asked Ben afterwards if what they were doing and if he knew the kid. He said they were having a staring contest and he lost and that he didn't know the kid. It is so funny how they would both decide to do that without any words being said!

Here is a picture of Ben...his team is the Red Socks and he is number 32. Here he is running after the ball. I didn't get any shots of him batting.

Cailin's 2nd.Birthday Party

While we were in New Jersey we got to be there to celebrate Cailin's 2nd. Birthday! Her birthday was Sunday...mother's day...but Stacy and Jason waited to celebrate it while we were there! Stacy made the cuttest cake...and it was delicious too. The frosting was a fondant that she made...it was like eatting a candy cake!

Here Sammie is helping out a little!

Stacy and Jason ordered a Little Tikes playhouse for Cailin . Jason got home from work in time to start putting it together. He did as much as his allergies would let him and then Grandpa put the roof on. Here is Grandpa in the playhouse securing the roof...that is what he said anyway but I think he just wanted to be the first to play in it! That is Sammie waiting for Grandpa to get out so he can have a turn!

Getting ready to unwrap the presents!

Cailin loved the playhouse...especially the phone. She would walk around doing things with the phone on her ear...a multi-tasker!

Then came the cake and Ice-cream!

I can't believe tiny little Cailin is 2 years old now! She is such a happy little girl. She always has a smile and a squeal. She goes to bed happy and wakes up happy. Happy 2nd. year to Cailin!

The Jersey Shore

On Friday we decided to visit the Jersey Shore! Even though they were predicting a chance of rain we decided to chance it. It was cloudy but not cold or windy. We had practically the entire beach to ourselves. We had a great time. I found a large horse shoe crab that the guys all had a great time photographing and poking. I think there might have been an actual autopsy done on it! It provided a lot of entertainment.

Those of us who were not involved in the autopsy found fun in collecting shells, digging in the sand and chasing the waves.

Here is Stacy and the kids. At first Cailin was afraid to put her feet on the sand but she warmed up to the idea as long as she had her shoes on.

Digging a pit!

I had a lot of fun trying to outrun the waves with Sammie and Ben. They caught us a few times!

After our fun time at the shore we washed off all the sand we could and put the kids in clean sandless pants and headed for the zoo. It was a free zoo. I couldn't get over what a nice zoo it was and it was free!

At the Zoo!

Off to Philadelphia for some sightseeing!!

On Saturday morning we went to Ben's T-Ball game. Ben was great...he hit a good one and flew to 1st. base...(they only let them take one base). After the game we packed up the kids and went off to Philadelphia to see some sights. We had to leave Jason in New Jersey attending pre-stake conference meetings all day. He was called to be a High Councilor awhile ago so he had to attend about 3 0r 4 meetings on Saturday.

Here is Cailin ready for the adventure!

Ben looks less excited to be back in the car again! And Sammie...well Sammie is up for anything! Here we are in Philadelphia ready to see all there is to see! Ben is ready! We got to see the Betsy Ross house this time in Philadelphia...it wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be. They didn't let us go into very much of it. But is was historic that's for sure. It was fun to be in such an old building. The people were much smaller in those days I think! Everything is so small. Here we are in front of the Betsy Ross house. Here we are walking down the first neighborhood ever in Philadelphia where people still live today. The street was very small and narrow and the houses were tall and skinny. They were so cute though.On Sunday we got to go to Stake Conference with Stacy and the kids. Jason had to go to a Spanish Branch. The conference was a video broadcast. It was a very good conference. The kids were good even if they did turn the lights off so they couldn't see their coloring books and toys. Cailin got tired and tried to get comfy and couldn't...she went over to Grandpa and put her arms out to him and said "night night". Grandpa picked her up and she fell fast asleep...Grandpa said it was one of the best things ever!

On Monday we did some hanging out and shopping at Ikea and Home Depo. Grandpa got the supplies to take down a half wall in Stacy and Jason's kitchen that they wanted down. After getting back Grandpa completed the work and we were all impressed at how large and nice the kitchen looked without the wall.

This picture of Cailin was so cute... I couldn't resist showing this! Here is Ben playing Wee-fit...( I don't think I spelled that right!) So after a lot of fun with Stacy and Jason, Ben, Sammie and Cailin we had to get on the plane on Tuesday morning and head for home. We had a lot of fun and feel so blessed to be able to spend time with our children and grandchildren...Thank you Southwest for your super special flights! We were actually able to fly to Philadelphia for less than we usually pay to go to Utah. Off we go!! Alright just a couple more cute pictures!

MOTHER'S DAY...A MIXED BAG...HAPPY AND SAD!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with family. I got calls from Stacy and Shawn wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and got to spend the day with Christy, Jimmy, Cory and his family and of course Mike! I felt very loved. I felt very blessed to have such wonderful children and such a great family! The sad part was that my own mother was not here to wish a happy mother's day to. I hope she knows how much we all love her and are appreciative of all she has done for us. I miss her very much and know that it will be a great reunion when we see her again.

Here are a couple of the last pictures I took with mom in them. Thanks mom for the fun times we had at your home!

Thank you Mike, Cory, Kristal (and the kids), Stacy, Shawn, Christy and Jimmy for the wonderful Mother's Day!

Lots of my favorite goodies!

After a very filling dinner we all went on a walk so we would have room for dessert!

Then it was time for Balderdash (the game)!