Strawberries

Aunt Sheila asked if we wanted to go strawberry picking at our favorite place: Remlinger Farms. We said yes...and then realized what a H-O-T day it was going to be. We barely made it through the hour it took us to gather our 5+pounds of strawberries. But the kids were troopers and endured the heat better than I did! I whined way more than I should have...but I hate having a sweaty, drippy back. yuck! We got ice cream and some other treats at the Shop and then headed home in our air conditioned van.

I was able to make the freezer jam very quickly after we got home (the kids headed straight for their swimsuits and the slip n' slide), and shared some with a few neighbors. I wish it hadn't been so hot...I really love berry picking ~ and the homemade jam that comes with it.

Mud Mountain Dam

I was excited when Becca called this morning and asked if we wanted to join her and Maria (and their kids, of course) at Mud Mountain Dam. It was the PERFECT day to get away from home. We L-O-V-E going to Mud Mountain Dam! It's not far from home, the facilities are clean, people are usually pretty nice, and the kids always have a great time splashing in the wading pool. Dana loved sitting at the edge of the pool and dangling her legs in the water. She got in a few times, but was mostly happy to just sit and get splashed. Laurel and Malcolm and Aubrey ran around and played with Tommy, Ethan and Audrey -- and even a few new "friends" they met. I really liked just sitting and talking to grown-ups. But I especially loved watching my kids have so much fun.

Dana and David couldn't get enough of the chips...they were so cute! Next time we go, Becca and I decided it would be fun to go later in the afternoon and stay through dinner...Hooray for summer!!

Soccer Camp - take 1

Each day for the last week Laurel was at the high school where the Girls Soccer team helped run a Soccer Camp. Each day had a fun theme...Friday was Hawaii day and Daddy took her to get a cute hula set. Her favorite part was the water fight that ended a fun week of Soccer!

Laurel loves playing and really wants to take her skills and soccer knowledge to the next level. She'll be playing in a new league this fall, and we're excited to see how much she improves!!

Tin Can Alley

When Doug was growing up, he asked Santa for a Tin Can Alley -- two years in a row. And two years in a row he was disappointed on Christmas morning.

So imagine his delight earlier this week when Malcolm chose to exchange a duplicate birthday present for an updated version of Doug's favorite-though-never-owned-toy.

We've all taken a crack at it, and it is F-U-N! :)

Cheer Camp

She knows she'll be attending Summer School all through July, so Aubrey was pretty convinced that this summer would be no fun for her. But this week Aubrey got to attend a Cheer Camp with her bestest friend Audrey...and they had a GREAT time and loved learning the cheers and a short dance routine. Aubrey was especially proud of the fact that she got to be the top of the tower they made. The group that sponsored the camp handed out giant Tootsie Rolls (wrapped like firecrackers) and ice-cream as we left -- a perfect ending to a fun week!

the reason for the Sabbath

postmarked 23 April 1973

addressed to:
Melissa & Cindy [sic] May
315 So. 3rd West
Rexburg, ID 83440

Dear Melissa and Cindy [sic],

Have Daddy tell you the story of the Las Supper so you can sit quietly during Sacrament. You can think about this picture and it will help you to understand why.

Love,
Grandma May
Doug
Brian

My Grandma (dad's mom) sent this to me and my sister Cyndie (she was only sister at that time). We were living in Rexburg, ID and the rest of our extended family was still in Washington (with a few exceptions). It's hard to tell from the scanned image, but this is a 3D postcard. It's got some scratches and other expected damage from the years. But it is a treasure.

Helicopter Training

some background: When we lived in New York, Doug worked as a television photographer, editor, and producer. He spent 4-1/2 years at NY1 News covering everything from downed airline flights to JFK Junior's plane crash to New Year's Eve in Time Square and lots of other things in between. But his favorite assignment was working for the sports department. One of the perks was traveling with the NY Yankees, the Mets, NY Giants, the NY Jets, NY Knicks, NJ Devils and the NY Rangers. The Yankees had a great run while he was there and he was in the locker room after they won several Division Championships and even the World Series!

After NY1, he worked as a microwave truck operator at CNBC for almost 4 years. He covered minor and major financial news stories, and even spent several months after 9/11 covering the clean-up progress at Ground Zero. When we moved here he had decided to change careers...we didn't know what he would do -- we just knew that he wasn't going to be a photog anymore.



Fast-forward 4-1/2 years. He realized he wasn't happy with the career change and that he really missed being a TV photographer. So he quit his job in February and started looking for work in TV. In mid-April, Doug started freelancing at FSN (mostly covering Mariner's games at Safeco) and KING 5. He's happy to be back at it...but yesterday and today were especially exciting. He trained as a helicopter photographer and got to fly in SkyKing!! He loved it and is hoping to get booked to do the helicopter more often.

NOT ho-ho-ha

Dana decided that she didn't like the clothes I dressed her in today. "No fi-cack-ew Mom, no." So she wore a pink t-shirt over the Lil' firecracker shirt. Apparently she didn't like the shorts either. She managed to get the first pair of tighty-whities on herself, but needed Laurel's assistance for the second pair (always prepared, I guess). When we started laughing she screamed at us, "NOT ho-ho-ho. NOT ha-ha-ho!" I guess she doesn't like us laughing at her.

And yes, she played outside in front of the house dressed like this!

Twenty Years from Now...

by Malcolm Dillon

In twenty years from now I will have a Job. I will be a racer for 4-wheel's. I will have two kid's and a wife. avrey Friday nihgt is going to be boling nihgt. On Thursday nihgt it will be root beer nihgt. We will have rootbeer floats for dessert. On Wednesday nihgt it will be Jawa nihgt. We pretend to be little people and sell droids. Ian's family will always come join us on these nights. On Tuesday nihgt it will movie nihgt. We will watch Indiana Jones movies. We'll have carmel popcorn. On Monday it will be Indean Jones nihgt. We will play a lot of game's. At 8:00 o cloke Ian's family will have to go home. Than we will clien up and go to bed.

I found this buried in Malcolm's pile of 2nd grade papers. Doug and I laughed and laughed at it. It's so hard to get a mind's eye view of Malcolm in twenty years. He'll be 28 years old! And we'll be even older!

Ian has been in Malcolm's school class for the last 2 years. I think if you lined them up and paired off friends, this friendship might very well be one of your last guesses. Both boys love having fun. But Ian is more of a thinker and Malcolm is more of a doer...but despite their obvious differences, they love spending time together. When Malcolm got a dinosaur kit for Christmas he couldn't wait to call Ian and invite him over to play with it. "Ian knows EVERYTHING about dinosaurs, Mom!"

We were all overcome with emotion when we learned that Ian was diagnosed with Leukemia this last Friday. He's started his chemo treatments, he's in very good care, and he has many family and friends praying for a full recovery.

I can't wait to visit Malcolm's and Ian's little families on a Wednesday Jawa night twenty years from now. I hope he's having rootbeer floats AND caramel corn!

Leaving 4th Grade & Entering 5th Grade

Laurel is no longer a 4th grader...come fall she'll be rulin' the school with the rest of the 5th graders! That is something that I have a hard time wrapping my head around. Laurel was thrilled to find out that 4 of her girlfriends (and several boy[pause]friends) will be in her 5th grade class...she was also very excited to find out that she will get the teacher she really wanted!!

Laurel remained a strong student this year. One of the things her teacher wrote about her over the year..."Words to describe Laurel include kind friend, engaged learner, trustworthy student, and eager classroom helper." One of Laurel's proudest accomplishment this year was earning a 95% on the winter math core test!!

Last day of 2nd grade...

Malcolm had his last day of 2nd grade today. As you can tell, he had mixed emotions about leaving his teacher and entering 3rd grade (where you have to work even harder than in 2nd grade). Malcolm is following in Laurel's footsteps and will have Mrs. Garmey next year for 3rd grade. He's VERY excited ~ especially since 4 other students/friends from his 1st & 2nd grade class will be with him in 3rd grade! (he was also very excited that Beary was released from Toy Jail today)


Malcolm showed huge improvements this year with his reading and handwriting. He worked hard in math, and his scores improved there, too. Malcolm struggles to sit still and really knuckle down...but with the help of his teacher and the Dean of Students (Vice Principal), he has been practicing some coping skills that we hope will continue to help him next year.

PS to Aubrey's last day of school...

After school she hopped off the bus, ran down the street, jumped into my arms, and then ran in and got her swimsuit on. She and Audrey (along with Dana and David) had a great time "swimming" on the slip 'n slide. Those kids were born to be in the water. Becca (thankfully) brought her camera and took some great pictures (of course).

last day of Kindergarten

Today was Aubrey's last day of Kindergarten. She was nervous and excited all at the same time. She was so excited to find out who her First Grade teacher will be (Mrs. Chapman)...she's subbed in Aubrey's class several times during Kindergarten and Aubrey loves her! She's also excited that her new friend Brooke and her old friend Jared will be in her class! It will be weird for our family NOT to have Ms. Piche as a teacher next year...we've spent the last 4 school years with her and we love her! Good thing she's not going anywhere...maybe Dana will have her.

Aubrey says: I love Kindergarten. I loved meeting all my new friends, going out to recess and PE, and make-it/take-it and housekeeping.

Aubrey worked really hard this year in Kindergarten. But she was struggling to learn even some very basic Kindergarten curriculum. During our Parent/Teacher Conferences we asked to have her tested for an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), but met some resistence ~ some of the "signs" that a student needs help didn't point to Aubrey. Fortunately, however, they tested her and the results showed that she has some pretty serious learning disabilities. She "earned" an IEP and started visiting the Resource Room in February (as a matter of fact, I think the day she started was the day that Doug quit his job). Mrs. Cloud (who was Aubrey's preschool teacher) tutored her once a week and really helped Aubrey with her numbers. She can write her whole name, count from 0 to 13, recognize a handful of sight words, and she is slowly learning some letters and their sounds.

We are very grateful that we have discovered this so early. We are hopeful that we'll be able to find out "how" Aubrey learns so we can help her be successful at school!

Happy Father's Day!

We love our Daddy, oh yes we do.
We love our Daddy, and that is true.
When we're not with you, we're blue.
Oh Daddy Dillon, we love you!

Just four reasons I love my husband (there are more, but not for you to read):

1. He had such a high energy level as each of the kids were born. I loved watching him hold our newborn babies in the hospital for the first time...he seemed very much at peace. I also love that he's never taken offense to diaper-duty.

2. He found (and returned to) a career that he loves. It makes him happy and that has brought our family much peace and happiness.

3. He appreciates a good cat nap more than anyone I know.

4. He likes fun family traditions ~ like Slurpee 11 on Christmas Eve, and camping at the same place each year.

We love living in a small town!

Here are some reasons why...

front row seats

free toilet paper

the parade stopped for a photo-op

Sparky stopped to shake hands

free balloons AND a balloon 'sitter

a fun ride (paid for by a stranger)

lawnmower races