May 2016

The next phase of Nicholas' Eagle Project:
Digging the post holes for the fence and putting in the posts.
Mike (as usual) giving "helpful" advice to Maggie McKibben.

Mindy and Garrett McKibben help cement the posts.

Garrett trying to finish as it gets dark!

Another preschool day: painting egg cartons to make cute caterpillars.

Sadie, Kinsley, Eleanor, and Gabe

The school invited all the moms to come for hot lunch!
And a photo booth.
With Gabe (3) and David (7)

And Brooke (10)

Gabe having fun with Cooper Jensen.

After skipping a year of baseball, David was interested in playing a 2nd year.
(He's at bat.)

He was usually able to hit the ball, and even got a chance to pitch a little.

Heading home from 3rd base.

David is on his knees, second from the right.

Preschool field trip to the zoo!
Gabe with the black bears.

And the polar bears

And the monkeys

Gabe, Kylah, Sophia, and Kevin in the "eagle's nest"

The FINAL phase of the Eagle Project!!
Putting in the chain link fence and assembling the arbor.
Zach, Garrett, Clint, Nicholas, Warren, and Joe

Garrett McKibben, Mike and Clint Michael getting the fence just right.

Nicholas being the natural leader.

Finishing touches on the arbor.

And it's DONE! HOORAY!!
Mike, Clint, Zach, Warren, Joe, Nicholas, and Garrett

Freshly called into the Young Women's presidency, all the youth in the ward went on a 6-mile hike up Multnomah Falls to break in their shoes for trek.
Rosie, Ashlee, Myah, Nicole, Kayla, Nora, and me at the top of the falls.

Warren (far right), Nicholas, Joe, then I can't really tell who is who...

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Zach and I at another waterfall - so close to the end!

Just classic, gorgeous, Pacific Northwest.

Zach (12) pinning on another Mom Pin at a Court of Honor.

I set up a group date of dinner and bowling with these good friends from the ward:
Brauns, Klinglers, Browns, Crocketts, Noels, Clements, McKibbens, Allens, and us. 

Brooke's teacher, Diane Dow, was retiring and someone set up photoshoots of  at least one student from each year she taught, and the year they were in her class.  This was a photoshoot Brooke happened to be in with a member of our bishopric, Todd Braun.

I got to join the 2nd graders on their field trip to the zoo!
David and his friend, Mason with the black bears.

And the flamingos

Larissa, David, Ji-uk, Joe, Josiah, Hannah, Mason, Makaela, Damaris

I caught David reading a story to Gabe. So cute.

Memorial Day Program in Forest Grove.

OMSI field trip with the preschool kids. (Thank you, Intel, for that membership for a year!)
Gabe and Eleanor

Kylah, Sophia, Eleanor, Kevin
Gabe, Nikki

April

I only got to teach this group of 11-year-olds for about 6 months before being released to serve in Young Women's.
 I wasn't ready to leave them! Due to good behavior in class, they earned a party at my house with food and games.
Clockwise from top: McKenzie, Jared, Jessica, Nora, Dante, (Dante's cousin), Avery, Nicole, and Lilly.
Fortunately, I'm not "losing" the girls since they are all heading in to Young Women's!

Zach at the Salt Lake City Conference Center getting ready to head in.

Zach and Mike got to go to General Conference together! 

While David, Nicholas, and Gabe had a little brotherly love at home.

Homies!

Brooke is TEN!!

Hooray! Her own soccer ball!

Candy, Cocoa Puffs, Rainbow Loom, Rubber Bands, and a Capri Sun from Gabe.

Nicholas' Eagle Scout Project has begun! Aaron Nissinen was generous to let us use his shop to assemble 3 garden boxes.
Aaron, Nicholas, Joe Nissinen, Mike

Getting ready to permanently place the garden boxes at Free Orchards Elementary

Here comes the dirt to fill the garden boxes.

And lots of bark to spread around to keep the weeds down.
(This is my favorite picture - my hardworking boys.)

Many hands make light work! Lots of friends came to pull weeds in the fenced-in area.

Lots of weeding.  Since this is school property no chemicals can be used on the weeds.

Filling the garden boxes with dirt.

Excess dirt being hauled away

Hooray! This phase is done!

Boxes in, filled with dirt, area weeded, and bark spread.  (Need more bark - the Young Men did that later. Also need to finish the fence and add a archway.)

Brooke's birthday party. Doing art.
Clockwise from bottom left: Elizabeth, Sarya, Isabel, Brooke, Hailey, Lilly, Amaya, and Keira.

Girls making a t-shirt bag

Brooke's turned out cute

Brooke always like cinnamon rolls instead of cake

And for some reason she wanted her friends to push her face into it!

Not done with the sugar yet, time for donuts on a string!

Brooke, Hailey, Paige, Isabel, Amaya,
Lilly, Keira, Elizabeth, Sarya

My turn to teach Gabe's preschool! Playing a color matching game.

Kinsley was so happy to get a match!

More color games
Eleanor, Kylah, Kinsley, Sophia, Sadie, me, and Gabe

Puzzle time

Popcorn day!

Popcorn craft with green dyed popcorn kernels

Popcorn field trip to the movie theater

Gabe, Matthew and David on top of Zach

All lined up, ready for church!
P.S. It was not easy getting this picture - usually someone is still getting dressed in the car as we drive to church.

Look at all the treasures I found under the stove!

I thought David might have passed up Brooke, but it looks like she still is a smidge taller

Zach's dream was to ride a Segway! Lucky for him, I found a deal on LivingSocial.

It felt really wobbly at first, but it only took a few minutes to get comfortable.

We got to tour downtown Portland.

Portland State University

Steel Bridge
We saw some cool things around Portland and had a great time!

Brooke, David, and Gabe with all the Primary kids in the Council Creek Ward.