Ride Ride

Paxton calls our Polaris "Ride Ride" so now we all call it  We bought it last year and its been so much fun having it. Our kids just love it and so do our neighbor kids that we take on rides with us sometimes. Sometimes we use it to get Hayden from his bus stop and all the kids want a ride home too, they love it. Tonight we took a family ride. Even though we are getting into summer the weather was awesome this weekend! The ride tonight was nice and we felt a cool breeze while driving. I tried to take it all in because I know this weather will not last. We live by several homes that have horse property and have small farms and other animals. Its fun to drive around and check out all the animals we can see from the road. One house has these peacocks that roam around their yard, they are so neat to look at. And another house by us has a ranch of mini horses, they are so cute. Who needs a Zoo??? Today when we pulled over to look at this one horse I got a quick picture. Good times!

Emmie's Preschool Graduation

Since Emmie was 3 she started preschool at a near by Elementary school. She got to go for free since she was delayed in speech. This last February they called me in for a meeting and told me she was passing everything so well that she didn't need their services anymore. She could stay their to finish the year but its was almost $300 a month so I thought I would look somewhere else.  We wanted her to stay in preschool because she loved it and we didn't want her to have a huge break until Kindergarten started. So I contacted Hayden's old preschool teacher to see if she had any room for her by chance.  She did, a girl just moved so I was excited to have Emmie go to her. She is a great teacher!  Emmie was excited to go to a new class and loved it so much more right away.  Her teacher said she fit in and made friends on the first day so it was an easy transition.  It's only been over 2 months for Emmie going to Mrs Gillespie's preschool but it was full of fun and she loved it.  And this is where she officially graduated from preschool! She is super excited for Kindergarten!  She asks us all the time when it starts and can't wait to be in school with Hayden.

This is Emmie's preschool Graduation. Emmie's teacher took this picture of her for the program.

The kids made these shirts for Graduation. The last month they studied Sea Life and even went to an aquarium for a field trip.

Emmie graduating

We got a CD of Pictures taken by her teacher

Mother's day pictures

Class Garden

Aquarium field trip

Mother's day party

End of year swim party

Hayden's Let's Play Music recital

Hayden just finished up his 2nd year of Let's Play Music and just had an end of the year recital.  The classes run when school does. Hayden has one more year of Let's Play Music so he just graduated to 3rd year.  Most of the kids in his class are friends from school and/or ward members so he has lots of fun with the other kids and his cousin Karlee who is also in his class. His teacher lives right behind us and is in our ward so its nice to have her so close.

Hayden had to play the keyboard for a few songs and then sang along with the rest

Hayden getting his award for graduating to a 3rd year

Karlee (Hayden's cousin) and Hayden are in the same class. 

Hayden with  his teacher Adele Heslington

Our Vay-Cay in LA

In the middle of Tax season Aaron asked me where I wanted to go when tax season was over. Last year we took the kids with us to our vacation after tax season but this year we wanted it to be just us, its been almost 2 years since our last vacation alone. Aaron mentioned Vegas and I said I wanted to come to LA. When Hayden was almost 2 we came her to go to Universal studios and saw that you could go to show tapping's but kids weren't allowed. We thought it would be so fun to do those but would need a sitter in California or leave the kids at home. So for years coming back to do shows has been in the back of my mind so when Aaron mentioned getting away I thought this was the perfect time. Its about the same driving distance as Vegas so it wasn't like it would cost a lot more to choose LA. So once it was decided I went to different show's site to request tickets. Before coming we got 3 shows tickets... Jimmy Kimmel Live, Chelsea Lately, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. We were both excited that we got these tickets and to make it even better show tickets are Free. So we chose a hotel around LA and Aaron found one in Redondo Beach that was good. We are right across the street from the ocean but it isn't a beach area. It's a pier and boat docking place but still so nice to be by and the Pier has lots of neat things to check out. Lots of boat, fish markets, people fishing, sea lions, shops, restaurants and so on.

Pictures of us hanging out on the Pier

Biggest Pelican I have ever seen in person

So Monday was our 1st show, Jimmy Kimmel Live. Its right in Hollywood where the stars are on the sidewalks. We didn't hang out there more then a minute because we wanted to get into line for the show. But the little time we were on the sidewalk it was crazy. Its full of people and full of a lot of weird people.  The taping of the show was fun. We got pretty close seat and the set was so small and close to the audience. On the show was Vanessa Williams, and another guy I can't remember but he is in the new Tim Burton Vampire movie .  At the end they asked us to watch a singer play that will be on Wednesdays show.  As Jimmy introduced the singer Aaron got to stand right behind him.

At home I recorded the show I knew you could see Aaron on then took pictures. I had to take pictures of Aaron acting like a dork on tv! :)

The next day we went to Chelsea Handlers show, Chelsea Lately. I am a fan of this show, I tivo it and watch it everyday for since it began.  I went to her show taping once before a few years ago with my friend Corntey and remembered how much fun it was so really wanted to go back. This time the experience was much nicer too.  They staff/guards we dealed with before the show were so much nicer and we didn't have to stand outside for hours, we got to stand inside and maybe for 45 mins.

It was a fun show and I was happy to see Kathy Griffin too. I watched them take this picture and got it off of Kathy Griffins Facebook page. I was excited to hear Kathy is having a show again on TV

Aaron caught one of Chuy's balls that he threw into the audience. After the show we got to meet Chuy. He sat at a little desk and we got to shake his hand and get his autograph. He even gave us one of the ball he threw. He is so funny! The whole experience was Borderline Amazing!

The last show we went to was The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I took this picture before we stood in line to get in.

Inside about to watch the taping (taken off of Jay's Facebook page)

These pictures are from the show we watched, I got the photos from his website.

Jay with Blake Shelton and Scarlett Johansson during commercial break.

As we were leaving Aaron said "Look Jay Leno is in front of us!" I told him to follow him, because I wanted a picture. We ended up right behind him

We hit a red light so we pulled up next to him. We waved at him and took some pictures. He was so nice even though I felt like the paparazzi snapping pictures of him. He smiled for the camera and honked his old fashion horn. We yelled "we loved the show" and he said Thank you. It was so cool!!!!

Besides shows we had fun going out to eat, trying new restaurants and shopping.

Aaron wanted to go eat at this Argentine Restaurant. They served Empanadas.  They were so good, we were excited to have found this place and got to eat there. We will definitely go there again someday.

We're like kids in a candy store at Sugar at City Walk Hollywood