Summer of Learning

Madi learned many new things this summer. She taught herself how to swim. It was fun watching her swim all the way across the pool. But, we are still practicing on taking a breath.

Madi saw her cousins swimming and she was very determined to do it herself. Here is a little bit of an idea of her swimming skills.

I wanted Madi to learn how to tie her shoe before she goes to kindergarten. I dreaded teaching her. I thought it would be hard, but I walked it through with her twice, then watched her do it a few times, now she is doing it all on her own. I am very proud of her. Payton now wants to learn. I walked in on Madi trying to teach Payton the other day.

Madi is reading sight words. You know, the simple words that you see and can't sound out. For example, is, and, the. She can read the sentence dad is the best. I did have to help her with the word best. We practice reading sentences and she is pulling out board books and reading them aloud. We had fun reading her name on many signs all over the country. Madison is written a lot. We did go through 7 states, so I would say we read it about 5 times. On street, park, building, city or county signs. It was fun for her.

Madi also learned what a Port-a-potty is. She had to go to the bathroom BAD! That is what she said. Really she just wanted to see the "new" bathroom. I helped her get on the toilet and then walked out, for all known reasons. She was just taking so long, so I opened the door and there she was pants pulled back up and she was rubbing her hands around the toilet seat. I freaked out! She had to scrub her hands for a long time after that. She is 5 and still eats crayons, licks rocks or walls, and rubs her hands on toilet seats. That is my little girl for you. I just have to love her.

This summer we have also practiced saying prayers. The girls have been saying family prayers, but it dawned on me the other day that they were not saying there individual prayers. So we have been working on that. Madi really seems to be saying it. Payton on the other hand is having a hard time. That is OK though, we are still practicing and she is still young.

I am so proud of Madison and I am excited for her to go to kindergarten and learn new things. I love you Madison!

A Summer of Museums, Zoos and Aquariums

Portland Children's Museum

We took almost a week out of our month in Washington to visit my sister Anna and her husband Sterling. It was an exciting time. We went to the Children's museum in Portland. It was very fun for the kids.
They had a stage, a water area, actually, if you have ever been to the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, it had almost the exact same things.
Payton loved this "store" area. She played in it for over an hour.

Portland Zoo

The Portland Zoo was very fun. We spent a long day there. Here are the girls in a petting zoo. They got to pet goats, sheep, birds, and rabbits.
The girls are sitting in a human-size eagles nest.
There was an elephant museum, inside the zoo. This is an elephant tricycle. Can you imagine training an elephant to ride this tricycle?
Here we are in the penguin exhibit.

Monterey Aquarium

This aquarium was a lot of fun for the kids. There was a huge section with kids activities, play area, dress-up, etc. Payton looks happy doesn't she? Remember the nap on the chair post? That nap took place only hours after this picture. I told you see was tired.
We sat and watched a live feeding. It was fun to watch. This is a school of sardines. They were so cool to watch. It was just like the scene from Finding Nemo were the school of fish move together in a group. We were waiting for the fish to form into an arrow, didn't happen, but it was still cool.
Here we are in front of the huge whale on the ceiling.
Here we are at the wharf after the aquarium. So many interesting facts, so many interesting animals, so little time.


Here are the girls feeding a bird at the Portland Zoo.


Here is Madi walking across the monkey swing at the zoo. She was so proud of herself when she was done. She had tried three times before she was able to do it. I am always calling her my "little monkey."

Monterey Beach House

We spent some time at a beach house in Monterey, CA. It was fun. All of the McClellan family were there, except Greg, of course. It was cold in Monterey. It was 65 degrees which meant the water was freezing. Here are all 17 grandkids in this tree. The tree was in the front of the beach house.

Here is the beach side of the house.

The guys dug this tunnel for the kids to go through. They loved it.

We buried some of the grandkids after the tunnel was demolished. They had a blast.

I was content on sitting on a chair reading a book. That is my new idea of a great vacation!

Of course the kids did not mind the cold water.

The guys dug this hole and the little kids kept digging long after they stopped. Madi wanted me to take a video of her. She said she was buggy (sp) boarding, which I know she wanted to do, but she was too young to.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

Part of a day in Monterey was spent at the Santa Cruz boardwalk. It was fun. It is their 75th anniversary, so all rides were 75 cents after 5PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. We had fun riding the rides and eating 75 cent cotton candy and corn dogs.

Madi and Payton riding with their cousins!

I get very sick on rides that go in a circle. Papa Larry agreed to go with Madison.

Steve and Emily's wedding

A week ago we were in Fresno at my brother-in-laws wedding. All 17 grandkids were together. It was fun. Steven and Emily got married in the Fresno temple.

Here is my little family in front of the temple. We wish daddy was here with us.

Here is Steven and Payton. Payton cried during the pictures. She was very tired.

Here is my new sister-in-law, Emily. She is a great addition to the McClellan family.

Madi loved the lemonade at the reception. It was a fountain, so she kept going back for more because she could get it on her own.

Payton and Madi enjoyed dancing with their cousins. This is a short video because by the time I got my camera, they had separated, but I still thought it was cute.

The wedding was fun. After the wedding the girls and I headed home. It was a great month of July, but being gone for two months was tiring. We are thankful to our family members who helped us this summer. We had a blast! We will have to see what happens next summer! :)

July Part 1

July was a lot of fun. We swam, went to a zoo, an aquarium, a children's museum, the beach, drove, read books, went to the movies, shopped, ate lots of great food, went to a wedding and spent lots of time with family. After it all, we are exhausted. We have taken a nap every day since we got back. Here is a video of Payton sleeping in a restaurant in Monterey Bay. It was a less then a week before we came home, so it was near the end of our trip. Poor girl was tired!

Friends

I have been gone for the last two months visiting family. It was the best summer I have had. I will definitely write more later. But for now I have to explain why I have the best friends ever....



We had just walked in the house and I was unloading the car. I was talking to my mom as I unloaded. Madison comes running down the stairs yelling, "Mom there is something wrong with your room. Hurry come upstairs!" (She is really panicked) In the five seconds it took me to go upstairs my mind was racing. "The downstairs is fine, why is the upstairs 'wrong?' there is definitely nothing in my room to steal. It can't be torn apart. Maybe my friends put up welcome home signs, but why in my bedroom?" (yes, that is the inner workings of my brain) I walk in my room, remember I was talking to my mom, I immediately start to cry. My mom is yelling at me "Michelle, what's wrong, why are you crying, what happened!" I can only choke out, "mom...my...room...is...beautiful!" My mom is then very confused. I am walking in circles looking at everything crying. I could barely explain to my mom what my room now looked like. My room is the only room in the house I did not do something to. It was a mess. Miss matched hand me down furniture, etc. Now my room looks like this...

Bathroom, new pictures

New bed cover and pillows, beautiful mirror, collage of picture frames on the wall.

That is my old dresser, but it is now clean with a cork board over it. Megan made the cover for my hope chest.

My mom bought me the curtains last Christmas, but the vase and bookshelf are new.

Another angle of the bookshelf. Greg's military things made it up on the walls and bookshelf! :)

Another angle of the room (per Anna's request)

I am so happy with the room! I cannot believe how perfect it is. I just cannot stop thinking about it. I have the best friends anyone can ask for. This summer I have been talking to my family about how I have the best friends that help me in times of need. They have completely over done themselves. I am so grateful for them and all of my friends who help me when I need them. I am grateful for the opportunity to live my life in Vegas. I feel that I am were I need to be and I could not imagine being anywhere else. Living in Vegas is bearable because of my friends; past, present, and future.