Preschool Graduation

This was mclayne's last week of preschool, so the class went to the Denver Aquarium (mclayne's favorite place) one day and had a picnic/ceremony yesterday. I didn't bring my camera to the aquarium, but luckily Rochelle (aka mclayne's future mil) snapped a few of Mclayne & Chase.


















Park Day
I did remember to bring my camera, but most of the pics turned out blurry. So, once again I borrowed a few from Rochelle.
Can you see a theme? These two are quite fond of each other and talk about getting married a little (lot) too much. Chase even drew a picture of mclayne & him holding hands in his preschool journal and offered to catch bugs for her. He's got skills for a preschooler!
Love this funny face pic...especially the photo-bomber Cole.



Getting her diploma and stuffed animal. She later traded it to a classmate who likes elephants. More proof that Mrs Holly is a miracle-worker...she has come along way!




Just 68 days until KindERgarten...

Pets

A while ago Mclayne recorded this video of her pets...


Not as funny as her other video, but impressive that she 1) didn't say "this video is going to be awesome" once, and 2) she still considers herself a great owner!?

Anyway, the caterpillars in the video transformed into butterflies and we released them yesterday. She was very ready for them to be let free into the wild. That is until one of them lingered on her finger for a minute too long and the "Darla" instinct came out. I'm not sure how she became so attached after literally 2 minutes holding the butterfly, but she was heart-broken when it flew away. In the saddest little voice she kept saying things like
"I'm trying really hard not to cry"
"I hope it comes back to visit every day"
"Why did we have to raise butterflies anyway"
A few minutes later, "Darla" faded and green earth-loving Mclayne was back. The momentary heartbreak was worth her being licked by the butterflies freakishly long tongue/sucker. I highly recommend it.



"All of our recent pictures/videos were taken with Laynie's camera, so they're not the best. But I did have fun with Picnik on this one.


As you can see/hear from the video, Cole is busy watching (and then falling asleep to) garbage truck/car movies.

DL Makeovers continued

The Fairy Godmother {mclayne} also gave Cole a princess makeover...

Disneyland

Some of our favorite parts of the trip...
Fantasmic show/fireworks
The Jungle Cruise(the kids)
Nemo Submarine
Buzz Lightyear(me)
Rapunzel makeover...
...and using the extra makeup for her own makeover
Having family to share all the "fun" with
3 days in St. George
Washington rec center
Early easter egg hunt
Finding out we're having a BOY the day after we got back!

Some of our not.so.favorite parts of the trip...
the drive - yes, we drove from Colorado!
Breakfast at the Park with Minnie Mouse
Cole's meltdown at the Haunted Mansion
Giving mclayne a piggy back ride from DL to our hotel one day
Me having a horrible stomach bug for 2 days

Overall it was a great, but exhausting, trip. I did a search online, and based on pedometers, people averaged between 5 and 10 miles per day! I think we'll be ready to try it again in 5 years.

Mclayne had gymnastics for the first time today, so I snapped some pictures before we left the house. Ryan also got some video during the class, but since it was her first time {and she had to go the bathroom the WHOLE time} I think I'll wait and post video from next time.

This pose was inherited straight from Ryan. I think he pulled a variation of this pose in a lot of pics as a kid. Good thing that trait was passed on! Goofy pose and all, I love mclayne in her new leotard/onsie. {And I also love my new Valentines/Forth of July/Christmas/Ute wreath and Mclaynes "new" purple clogs from Salvation Army.}




I can never take pictures at the front door without Cole joining in. I wouldn't have included it, but I think he looks just like my older sister when she was young. I've never noticed it before, and sometimes I way off with resemblances, but I see it in this one.

Not your normal Valentine's post

One of Mclayne's favorite christmas presents was/is her new camera. We decided to buy her "one like mom's," since it wasn't that much more than a kid camera. For the price I didn't expect it to have video, but lucky for us we discovered it does. And it hasn't been on still mode since. Here is a small taste of what mclayne has been busy recording. It was hard to pick just one. Other condenders included the one about BJ...her stuffed dog and an episode of iLaynie(unfortunely she still remembers iCarly even though she is no longer allowed to watch).

As for Cole, he went to his first Monster Truck Jam on Saturday and pooped on the toilet for the first time today. I guess that officially makes him a BIG BOY!

Snow Day

We finally got some snow in Colorado(after mild winter and a week of 60-70 degree weather)! We figured we should get out there and enjoy it while it lasts.









Everything was literally picture perfect until the last run. We finally hit the big jump that mclayne and cole had tried {unsuccessfully} to hit all day. It was a little too much. And it probably didn't help that by this point we had gotten very creative with positioning...mclayne was laying on her stomach head first with cole sitting on her bum and me on my knees straddling her legs. It's the one we really needed video of!

it's a lime

Yay...we made it to 12 weeks! Not too much sickness and I feel my energy coming back. Now maybe I can finally get all the things on my to.do.list DONE!

Christmas and Birthdays

We were in Utah from Dec 19 to Dec 26 for Christmas this year. I wish I had done two things differently...
1. stayed LONGER and
2. taken more pictures.
Here are at least a few to remember the trip. We were able to meet the newest Bergstrom baby, Olivia. She reminds me a little of a mix between mclayne and cole as newborns. But she definitely has her own look and is gorgeous!
We also went to see the lights on Christmas Eve. Luckily, it wasn't very cold, but we did miss our red tree.












Once we were home it was time to get ready for the two birthdays. This year we kept it simple for Cole and just went to dinner. He did get PLENTY of presents though, and that's really all he cared about. I was going to take him to Chuck E Cheese for the first time also, but mclayne got sick, so we had to postpone it. I can't wait.;)
Cole at Mclayne's party (with Laynie's camera)

Since Mclayne turned five, we decided to do a big Tangled party for her. It turned out better than I could have expected (especially the cake), and everyone had a great time! The best part was we had it at a bounce place, so no cleaning! We had 22 kids and three days later still haven't opened all the presents.
I also loved that when they called her up at the beginning of the party she was SO shy...reminded me so much of my niece Kylee. The big hug she got from Kyle at the end was pretty cute too!
The big 5 year old

The whole group (minus 4 kids and 1/2 of Kyle's head)

Waiting for pizza.



We lit the candles and then the helper walked the cake to Mclayne at the thrown and she blew out the candles. What a princess.

October 2010

This was our October.
Visitors, zoo, museum, football(and a trip to see Big Al), soccer, more visitors, dinner downtown, the end of soccer, more football, oh... and
Halloween.*

During their first visit, we went fishing with Lori + Steve so Mclayne could re-catch her turtle. After a nice picnic on the dock, but no turtle or fish, we decided to fish for crawdad instead. I'm not sure who liked it more, Mclayne or Gpa Steve. We caught around fifty and Mclayne even held them!

Mclayne had a love/hate relationship with soccer, so pretty much the same as everything else. But through the highs and lows, she hustled(even though playing a year up), scored 2 goals, and got a trophy and ladybug soccer cupcake-cake to end the season. So, I'd call it a success. GO LADYBUGS!


This month three Utah games were within "driving distance," so Ryan and his parents went to Iowa, and all of us went to Wyoming and Air Force. They always put on a show at Air Force, with planes for the kids to sit in, parachuters, jets, and a live falcon half-time show. We love that stadium. And even better, Sarah + Kurtis and Jed + Ashlee joined us for the game, too.


Which bring us to Halloween. I woke up with absolutely NO voice on Sunday, so put a note and bowl of candy at the door and went trick or treating with Ryan and the kids. Halloween is my moms favorite holiday, so I'm used to over the top halloween decorations, but I was blown away by our neighborhood. We're talking cemetaries, black lights, smoke machines, blow up haunted houses, and on and on! It was so much fun, I decided to save my note for next year!

*not included in the list, but couldn't be left out completely are

1.the honoring of two Bergstrom traditions - at least one buffet during any vacation and Gma Lori offering to take the kids so Ryan + I could go out and then Mclayne throwing up.
2.on Monday we did go to Denver Children's Museum too, but it was technically November. i know, what?!