Happy Hollow

 This weekend Jen and I took the Jake, Brik, Kate, Gracie and Luke to Happy Hollow.  We hadn't been in a while, so we thought it might be fun to go check it out before school got out and the place got really busy.  We casually got our things together and made it down there by around 1:30 and went through the zoo....what we didn't realize was that the park closed at 3pm! 

 When they announced that the park would be closing in 30 minutes, we looked at each other and went into speed mode!  Hit as many rides as you can!!!!! 

 Luke had this face the entire time on the merry-go-round. You'd assume that he didn't like the ride, but when it was time to get off, he did the complete scream-arch-arch-your-back-flailing routine.  Guess I was wrong :)

We had a blast.  Bought the year pass, so we'll have to go back and spend a little more than just an hour and 30 minutes :)

Luke's First Day in Nursery

May 27, 2012

 I got a call from Tami K. Saturday night, welcoming Luke into Nursery the next day.  She wanted to know if he had any allergies... So sweet.  So shocking to me.  I knew it was coming.  All of our kids have entered nursery at church at 18 months.  But for some reason, he still seems like my little baby.  Maybe it's because he is... he isn't even walking yet!!!  Granted, he still has about 7 weeks to go before he is officially 18 months old, so why rush things?!

Joe said when he brought him into Nursery, and sat him at the table with all of the other little tykes, he got this look on his face like he had arrived :)  Don't think we'll have a problem with Luke being comfortable in there.  Thank goodness!  I love you, Luke.  I need to get your picture taken before I blink and you are 5 years old!!!

Kate's 1st Piano Recital--May 19, 2012

Kate has been taking Piano Lessons from Denis Lerch for about a year and a half.  She didn't participate in the recital last year, because she had just started.  She is Denise's youngest student, and she wondered if a recital would put to much pressure on Kate.  Coming from someone who messed up at practically every single recital herself, I didn't want Kate to put that kind of pressure on herself.  I just want her to love playing.  So we thought maybe she could just watch this year.  I casually brought up the recital and she started talking all about it.  She had her songs down.   "C" is for Cookie and Largo.  She even busted out Largo on the piano at Costco from memory.  It was classic.  I knew she'd be fine.  She looked so little walking up to that piano with her little feet dangling from the bench.  She was so cute.  Here are her two songs:

   

She did a GREAT job!!!  I was overly prepping her about how it's ok to make mistakes (I used to think if I did, I'd ruin the entire song, so when I messed up, I'd sweat and then bomb the whole thing.  It was bad.  Took me....oh....15, 20 years and a calling playing for our ward choir to get over that).  Anyway, she didn't even mess up once.  She just smiled and came back to her chair and asked when we'd get ice cream. 

Kate and Denise Lerch. 

We are so grateful for her!  She is so wonderful with Kate!!!

Little Hoops

I signed Jake up for a basketball class at Club Sport.  He was pumped. We've had two classes now. The first class, I told him it was time to get in the car to go to basketball and he said, "No Mom, it's Little Hoops." 

Here he is making his first 2 points! 

Way to go, buddy!  I hope you like the sport...you'll have the height to do something with it :)

"I'm Getting a Trophy!!!"

KUMON.  We love it and hate it.  Love it because it helps Kate strengthen her math skills and it gives her confidence in the subject.  Hate it because we whine about it daily.  So, back in February, when Kate came RUNNING out of Kumon with a huge smile on her face, I was a little surprised! 

 "I'm getting a trophy!!!!!"  What she didn't tell me was that she wouldn't be getting that trophy for 3 more months :)  But as I turned the calendar over to May, I found that she had taken the liberty to write down the exact day it would be happening.  I love this:

Sitting front and center, waiting for them to start the ceremony

Her brothers are so proud of her for being a grade level ahead in math

We went to Baskin Robbins to celebrate

I think everyone was thrilled with that request

Typical Berryhill

We are so proud of you, Kate!  You've earned your medals, but the joy of your first trophy!  And for something you have put SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT into.  Display that one with pride :)

Our First Father Son Campout

Joe took Jake the next weekend to his very first Father/Son Campout with our ward.  (We found out the week of that Joe (EQ) was in charge of the big breakfast on Saturday morning, so I made a mad dash to Costco on Friday.  I love Costco... but I digress.  Joe finally told Jake on Thursday night, that they would be going camping, and he was SO EXCITED.  Kate was ticked that she couldn't go, but I told her not to worry, we'd do something fun.

Friday morning, Jake was still asleep, and I ran out to the car to grab something in the car.  I walked back inside and locked the car.  All of the sudden, I saw Jake, wild hair and all, come bolting out of his room.  He had heard the beep of the car.  "Dad's home!  Dad's home!  We can go camping!!!!"  I hated to break it to him that he had to wait 10 more hours. 

Luke really wanted to go. 

The boys ended up going on 2 hikes and had the best time together.  Jake needed that one on one time with Joe.  He is so much happier when he has spent quality time with his Dad.  It is so good for him.  They were crawling into their sleeping bags that night in the tent and Jake looked at Joe and said, "Dad, I love it here.  Can this tent be our new home?" 

Jake slept like a log.  Joe was up at 3:30am.  Apparently his back has gotten a little soft because the rocks under him weren't melding into him too nicely ;)

Owl Prowl Day

We got home from Hawaii late Friday night, and Saturday, May 5th, we had been looking forward to an Owl Adventure that my Uncle Dick had organized for all of the grandkiddos.  We drove up to the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, California.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  There, we were educated all about the different types of owls, and we met some owls that were rescued and are now in captivity.

Jake and BG during our lunch break

Cammie, Lynne and Tyler

Unlce Dick, Aunt Laurie and JJ

JJ, Tyler, Cammie, Jake and Kate

One of the owls we got to meet 

Some baby owls that had fallen out of their nests--they were rescued and we watched them being put back into the tree.

Kate and Cammie were so excited as we watched the baby owls...

We also went out into the wild and found owls that were perched in their nests.  What a great adventure!  Here's one of the facts I learned from that day.  Owls eyes are about the same size as humans, but because they have no muscles around their eyes sockets, they have to turn their heads around to see. 

It was a gorgeous day and we learned so much!  Thanks, Uncle Dick for planning such a fun day for all of us!

  This is how I found Jake when we got home.  Joe had given each of the kids his Swiss Air Business class goodies the night before when we all arrived home from our trips.  Jake must have figured he'd need them for the owl trip.  Good thinking, buddy. 

A Little Aloha

My parents called and invited us to head to Oahu with them the first week in May.  Joe looked at his calendar and said, "Naaa...I'll be in Switzerland that same week for work." 

 "Why don't you and the kids come, Julie?"  They asked.  "OK!  Sounds good to me!"

 We started off a little rough.  I forgot Luke's FAVORITE blanket and were scrambling to find something at the airport for him to snuggle with.  We managed one of those soft neck pillows, but found that BG's sweatshirt worked way better.  Everyone did great on the flight over. 

 We had SOOO much fun with Mom and Dad.  I loved the fact that I could read every night until super late and not have to worry about getting up to do the regular tasks that call to me when we are at home.

 I loved that the kids got to go on hikes and play at the beach and in the water with Momo and BG.

 BG took Kate on their own hike up to Diamond Head and the old highway... She had complained last year, and wanted to redeem herself as a true hiker this time around.  She practically ran the entire way up the mountain.  BG was so proud of her!

 Luke loved looking at the fish and LOVED the water...especially the hot tub.  Oh, it felt so good to him.  He'd just snuggle in and before I knew it, was ready for an afternoon nap in the shade. 

 We realized we were exactly 12 hours apart from Joe.  He headed East while we went West.  Two breathtaking locations at the very same time.  How'd we get to be so fortunate?!

Lots of shell finding, shopping, malasadas eating, swimming, splashing, napping, popsicle licking, movie watching, reading, laughing and having a wonderful time with Momo and BG.  THANK YOU SO MUCH for spoiling us silly.  Even Luke screaming for almost the entire trip home didn't seem to ruin it for me.  Even when he was blowing raspberries on the women who had decided to sleep in the empty seat in front of us (unbeknownst to me) and she shot up asking why it was raining...Sigh...  We all struggled jumping back into reality.  It was more like crawling...Wonderful memories made.