The end of a Season

July 20, 2011

My Mom drove up to Porterville today and we met at the Blueberry patch about 2 miles from our house. We stayed for about 40 minutes picking blueberries until we couldn't pick any more. The season is almost over so the blueberries were really big and sweet.
After the harvest the kids watched the huge goldfish swimming and hiding in a pond while My Mom and I paid for the fruit.
We headed home, ate lunch and worked on a painting project while the kids shared a basket and watched Up.

Tae KwanDo

July 19, 2011

Like most/all boys Caleb has a lot of energy. Cory and I decided to see just how much so one day we took him on a run. He ran 1 mile straight and then walk/ran another mile. When we got back home he was calm, pleasant and relaxed. I thought to myself, "Oh boy... I'm in trouble. This kid has way more energy then I thought." When we moved to Porterville Cory and I looked for things Caleb could do to burn some of that energy. After going grocery shopping one day I drove the opposite way out of the parking lot passing by all the shops to see what else the shopping center had. A bright yellow sign caught my eye, Tae KwanDo 2 week trial. I signed Caleb up that week and he has been going now for 2 months. When ever we drive home after his class, he looks out window, calm, pleasant and relaxed. "Ahhhh, Yes I love Tae KwanDo" I say to myself... everytime!

Garden, Grandma and Going Away

July 18, 2011

Yes, we got dirt and filled up our box garden and it is full of green and growing things. I have definitely gained some knowledge with this first attempt. I will do a few things different next time that's for sure. But there will definitely be a next time. It is great picking vegetables from a garden grown and cared for by your own hands.

A couple from the ward is moving away. So a sweet family in the ward threw them a little party. Caleb loves Luke (Above) and didn't want to leave. Connie came for a visit today and Cory and I talked her into coming to the party. We knew our friends wouldn't mind... I mean it is Connie after all.

Blue and Purple

July 11, 2011

I put all of Caleb's balls, baseball glove and bat other outside sport stuff in a big tub outside hoping they would get used more than they were in a toy box in his room. The kids like having them outside but they really liked being inside the box themselves more. Do you like the total disregard to the warning on top of the lid? Opps!
Hannah is now in her own room enjoying the fruits of a big girl bed and I'm glad to finally put the blanket I made to use, even if it is just folded up at the foot of her bed.
Hannah playing with her dolls and bears.

Visit Nono and Nini

July 8, 2011

This week has been the "Bakersfield week". We have made 3 trips to Bakersfield and loving it every time. This time we stayed the night at my Parents and watched movies and played in their backyard. The best part was that my Dad got to spend time with them too. He works kind of late most nights and when I stay for only a day we have to leave for Porterville before he's home from work.

At home

July 6, 2011

We didn't have time to light the fireworks Connie bought on the 4th so she sent them home with us and we lit them tonight. A few cars slowed down as they drove by probably thinking we were a little confused. We didn't care. The kids were too happy for us to care.

America

July 4, 2011

We spent the night at Connie's last night so we could go the Monica Ward Pancake breakfast. It was really awesome to see all of our friends. I have missed them. I have missed seeing them every Sunday and catching up on what's gone on during their week.
After the breakfast The Moreno's and the Cola's came over to Connie's and we swam and swam. The girls needed a break after an couple hours.
We had hot dogs for lunch and then it was back to the pool for more swimming.
At about 9pm we heard the first BOOM from the fireworks show just down the street. Hannah screamed with delight and it took two of us to keep her still long enough to get her shoes on. We watched the fireworks from the street picking our favorites and enjoying every minute.

Pizza night and a new friend

July 1, 2011

Every Friday night is Pizza and a Movie night. I love this night because I don't have to cook! and the kids love it it because it because it's a tradition.
Caleb loves swords or anything that resembles one... like this stick. Hannah is loving the Regatta we finished recently.
Mr. Brown is gone, but Ms. Brown (as we've named her) is here. She waits for us in the evening for carrots and on Saturday morning when were in the front yard she gallops to the fence to say "Hello." If we don't acknowledge her right away she makes sounds until we do.

goodbye, a chair and a sleepover

June 30, 2011

This is my cousin Kelly. She is the receptionist at the hair salon my Uncle Time works at. She is moving to Washington next week. I knew the day was coming. Every time I came in we would catch up each other on the latest thing going on in our lives. But today was her last day at work and most likely the last time I would see her. I felt sad. We took a picture together hugged and wished each other good luck.
I saw this chair at home goods and bought it. Isn't it darling?
We spent the night at Connie's and she made, "waffles, with real butter and syrup." (from the movie All Dogs go to Heaven)

Fishing

June 29, 2011

We dragged our camping chairs to the pond to fish. I didn't know how to fish but I thought, "How hard could it be?" When we got there I quickly realized just how "hard" it could be. I grabbed a worm and then made myself stick it on the hook. That was tough. Then it was time to cast... uhh... fail! I didn't know how to. I tried a lot of methods but in the end the hook was caught on various things (no human casualties thank goodness!) and I loosened the fishing line manually and dropped the hook into the water basically right next to the deck. We got one bite but never actually pulled the fish out. It was a blessing in disguise because the fish probably would have suffocated before I figured out how to get the hook out of its mouth.

Sunday

June 26, 2011

We went to Cory's cousin Sams' homecoming this morning and then headed over to Aunt Patty's for a nice yummy lunch.
Patrick is a little ham.
Sitting around chatting.

The reason for the trip

June 24, 2011

We went to Utah this week for a funeral. Cory's Grandpa Gene died on Father's Day last week. He is the nicest man and after listening to all the wonderful things his grandkids and great-grandkids said about him he seems even more wonderful. After the service and burial we met back at the church and enjoyed a wonderful lunch, but before that Caleb got to ride a horse in the church parking lot. I think Grandpa Gene would had loved that.

Last night

June 25, 2011

This picture pretty much sums it up. The trip was a blast especially for the kids (or any one that wanted to act like one). We all met up in a camp -like setting tonight and had lots of fun. We enjoyed a fire, hot dogs, s'mores, entertainment and each others company. I love being around the Orton side of the family... everyone is crazy about each other.

Pet store and Swimming

June 20, 2011

We found a pet store today and decided to go inside. The store had kittens, dogs, bunnies, fish, reptiles and rodents.

Tonight we went to the Suorsa Family's house for dinner and FHE. We swam and ate burgers and the best corn on the cob I've ever had: it was so sweet! Caleb loves Luke. He is a year older and one of the funniest kids I've ever met. I don't know where he gets the stuff he says. Cory and Tim (the Dad) serve together in YM and Louisa (the Mom) is Hannah's Nursery teacher.

Service with a Smile

June 18, 2011

Our Stake's big Youth Conference was this weekend. We had 4 boys from our ward spend the night. And then in the morning I made a breakfast casserole that was really good. The problem was that it took 30 minutes longer than I thought it would and the boys never got to actually eat it. They had cold cereal instead. Dang!
Later that day we went to the Stake center to see if there was anything we could do. The men and women were setting up the tables and chairs outside for dinner. Caleb followed Cory down to help. Instead of playing and with out being asked Caleb dragged the chairs to the tables and helped set them up. He saw a man pushing a cart with chairs and immediately stopped what he was doing and helped him. It was one of those rare and special moments that a Mother gets to witness and know what it really means: that it is all worth it.
Hannah, on the other hand, slept.
Afterward we went to McDonalds to eat and play.

Boy Scouts and Boxes

June 13, 2011

My Mom loves to go thrift shopping. She loves discovering treasures and bringing them home for all us to enjoy. This time she brought home an awesome Cub Scout shirt fully decorated. The troop patch was from Salt Lake and even has a Faith in God medal pinned to the front. Whoever this shirt belonged to worked very hard to earn all of the patches and pins. Caleb found the missing Wieblo patch in the breast pocket. What a great find!
Cory's boss got new office furnitiure as part of the remodel project that is under way. Cory asked the delivery guys if they would have time to drop off the boxes at our house on the way back into town. They said, "No problem." After the boxes were delivered I cut out doors and windows and the kids used crayons to make them their own.

We had one extra box so we brought it inside and the kids rocked back and forth in it until it fell apart. Okay... what are we going to do tomorrow?

Water plus dirt...

June10, 2011

Makes mud! The kids made a huge mud mess and at first I didn't care but then they turned simple mud pies into house painting.

Don't they look happy? Connie told me one time that Walt Disney's mother let her son make a big mess for the sake of creativity. He turned out all right didn't he?
Either way, It was shower time right after the clean up.