Preschool Graduation

Brody's preschool graduation was this morning. He and his friends put on a short program and then we read Dr. Suess' "Oh the Places You'll Go" The kids topped off the party with hot dogs, cheetos (a class favorite - they'd always talk about them at lunch, but I never buy them because they are so messy -- but it was a special day) and graduation hat cupcakes. They ate and got to play in the backyard. The weather was perfect! I have loved being able to get to know these kids and their moms better through doing preschool. Brody is very ready to start Kindergarten. We are very proud of all he has learned and all the new things he is willing to try.

Class of 2011: Ashlyn E., McKayl C., Alli B., Spencer L., and Brody B.
Our little graduate!

Mullin Easter Egg Hunt

My family is so great! They postponed the annual Mullin Easter Egg hunt until we came to California for the wedding so that my kids could do it too! This is a tradition that has been going on since my cousins and my sisters and I were little! Honey and Gramps deck out the backyard with hundreds of eggs, some color-coded by kid and some that are fair game for any of the egg-hunters. There are 6 gold eggs and 2 silver eggs too with extra special prizes inside. My kids LOVED this egg hunt! We are glad we were able to re-create Easter again with all our California family.

Brody was showing me all his green eggs, plus a bunch of Diego Eggs and a few blue ones (because thats his favortie color)

Ella was a lucky girl! She found a gold egg with $10 inside! She loved being able to find all her pink eggs too.

Swimming with Friends

On Cinco de Mayo we spent the afternoon swimming again and then had dinner with my Aunt Leigh and her family. We were so fortunate to get to spend a lot of time with our family and friends this trip. Brody and Ella LOVED playing with their cousins and friends (and I did too!)

Leah, Hannah, Molly, Brody, Avery, Ella and Ryan

The Orange County Great Park

On the morning of Thursday May 5th we decided we would go with Aunt Amy, Aiden and Liam to the Orange County Great Park. It is a work in progress still, but it is really neat & the best part is everything is FREE! It is on the old El Toro Air Force Base and there is still all the old runways. It is slowly being converted but for now it is just the big orange balloon, a little park and the carousel. We got tickets for the balloon ride and then took our turn on the carousel while we waited.

Then we played on the park for awhile. They had all sorts of fake rock formations turned into slides and caves - perfect for kids like mine to climb on, run around, jump off and hide in.

Brody showing off his muscles!

Ella doing her little "hip" thing

Then it was our turn to ride the balloon!

You can see the balloon in the back. It is helium filled and goes up 600 feet and then you stay up there for a bit and then comes back down. It is attached to a cable so it goes straight up and straight down (it does move to the sides with the wind a little, but not much.) If it gets to windy they don't offer rides.

Here are the kids in the basket gettting ready for lift off! While we were at the top Brody said that he could see Texas from up there.

Aunt Amy with Aiden and Liam on our way up in the balloon. The kids were able to walk all the way around the basket and see the whole area. It was a really cool thing to get to do.

Swimming at the Hrabiks

The first chance we could we went swimming! We met up with cousins and friends at Aunt Leigh's pool and played and played and played! It was the first time this season, so I was anxious to see how much Brody remembered from swimming last year and what Ella would be willing to do this year. They both did pretty good, it is going to be a fun summer!

Aunt Amy with Ella


Amy with Ella and Aiden

Brody was really into the boogie boards

Ryan is such a dare devil - we would jump off himself, but Lindsey was helping so that he got out far enough from the rocks

My handsome little fish.

Balboa Beach & Pier

Before Brandon left to go home we made a trip to the beach to walk on the pier and see the water. Brandon and I loved going to the beach when we were dating and we got engaged on a beach in San Clemente. It was fun to take the kids and enjoy the weather. We even got to see a Sea Lion off the pier...something I've never seen in Southern California before.
This is Ella peaking her head out....Brody would have nothing to do with it. He was so scared of falling. He kept wanting to walk back and get off the pier.

The Newest Burtons

Wedding festivities for David and Emma kicked off with a family and bridal party dinner the night before the BIG DAY...Mike gave his "traditional" salt toast to the soon to be Bride & Groom
April 30th David & Emma became the newest Burton's at the Newport Beach Temple. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.
Ella was in less than a good mood...she was a little sad she didn't have flowers to hold. Great Grandma Burton picked a rose bud out from the flower beds and gave it to her to cheer her up.
It worked for the most part!
After lots of photos at the temple we re-grouped with all our family at the hotel and celebrated some milestone birthdays...Happy 50th to Aunt Sally and Happy 60th to Aunt Marilyn. We then got dressed up again to head out to the reception for dinner and dancing.
Ella ordered the beef...

So did Grandpa.

After dinner we hung out waiting for the guests to arrive. Great Grandpa Kimbrell (affectionately known as "GP") took his princess out on the dance floor. He always calls her his princess, and I LOVE it, and Ella does too! Girls are few and far between in the Kimbrell clan...and so far Ella is the only great grand daughter. Everyone was touched to see GP out there dancing with Ella, and Ella was loving it!

Great Grandma Burton (a.k.a. Nana) was led to the floor by Brody...what can I say, my kids are quite the charmers.

Once GP was out of energy, Grandpa took over dancing with Ella...

Once Grandpa couldn't dance anymore Uncle Kevin took over...(do we see a pattern developing??) My kids loved the dance floor. They were even territorial with their partners. Some good friends of ours came down from Sacramento for the wedding and their daughter Izzy became fast friends with Brody, and he wasn't about to share her with any other boys. (I need to get those pictures from Brandon's phone!)

David and Emma cut their cake, and only then did the kids take a break from dancing to try the cake...half red velvet with cream cheese frosting and half yellow cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberrries...yum

Congratulations David and Emma!

Easter

My two cute kids before church on Easter morning...they are so affectionate with each other (between arguing over toys and whose turn it is to pray)...Daddy had meetings all morning at church, so we met him there and came home together to find that the Silly Easter Bunny had been to our house while we were gone.

Ella...in her room looking for her basket (which is right in front of her dollhouse)

She was so excited to see the movie Tangled amongst her other goodies

Brody began frantically searching for his basket...we have video I'll need to get off Brandon's phone, because it was FUNNY to watch him look!

He finally came across the basket and was thrilled to find the Little Engine that Could movie. He has been talking about this movie non-stop since seeing it back in March. Thank goodness the Easter Bunny came and relieved us all...I don't think we'd have been able to wait for Santa!

Time to find some Easter Eggs!

Ella chose to leave her basket on the grass and find the eggs to put in it...until we realized that her basket was now full of fire ants. We dumped out everything and got her another basket to start over...all without being bit.

The kids enjoyed every bit of Easter. We went to the Burton's that night and had a nice Easter dinner with both Brandon's parents and mine. We are very blessed to have so much family around us and be able to celebrate together.