Who are the people in my family.

Jake was looking at a picture of our family and told me that both he and Rebecca were the smart ones, Sara is the silly one and Joey is the awsomest one.  

Free Time, What's That???

Well, school here in Clovis is back in session.  Rebecca is in 3rd grade, Sara is in 2nd grade and Jake is in Pre-K four days a week.  Joey is testing for Preschool and we should find out next week if he is in.  If Joey tests well then I will have 3 1/2 hours (4 days a week) to myself.  SO what am I going to do with all this free time. . . . . 

And the answer is: 

1. Work on Choreography for the classes I am teaching at the Dance Academy and Clovis Community College.  (By the way, I took the job at the college because they gave me the freedom to teach it any way that I wanted. . . (I think they were desperate) 

2. Start working on the online digital photography class that I signed up for.  

3. Write a primary program (we are trying to get reorganized after loosing our entire presidency (minus me) and almost all of our teachers this summer.  And our primary doubled in the three weeks that I was gone. )

4. Learn to toll paint.  I have a friend that is determined to teach me and wants to get together once a week and work on it.  

5.  Genealogy.   Our access to a temple is seriously limited so I have been feeling like I ought to do more of my own families work.  My goal is to learn how to use all of the programs that the church has to offer and start expanding my family tree.  

6. It would also be nice to work out without having to do it at 6 am.  

Okay so I guess I'm not very good at relaxing and enjoying my spare time.  Maybe one day I'll learn.  Hope you are all having a great week.  

Our Trip to California

Our first week in CA, Rebecca and (our friend) Joelle spent every day at Fusion Dance Studio in Torrance.  They worked hard learning routines in ballet, jazz, modern, musical theater, and hip hop.  The instructors were awesome and the girls had a really great time.  

Before the first week ended, we decided to go see "Wicked" at the Pantages theater in LA.  Joelle had never seen a musical before and so we thought this would be a great first time experience.  We loved Wicked when Chad and I took the girls and saw it last year, and this year it was equally impressive.  The cast may have changed, but the talent and energy of the performers remained the same.  If you haven't had the chance to see Wicked, I highly recommend it.  (Get seats on the floor. . . it's worth every penny)

Week two we went to Legoland twice and hung out at Grandmas.  (Grandma took pictures at Legoland, so I don't have those yet.)  We had a lot of fun back to school shopping, going to the pool and just relaxing.  I was able to visit with my friend Brynne which is always a treat and get to know Rich's new wife Rachel a lot better.  She's a great girl and Joey (when looking over all our pictures from the trip) kept pointing out Rachel.  Rach you definitely made an impression. Thanks again for coming with us to Legoland the second time around.  

On Saturday after crazy plane mishaps, Chad arrived and we were able to spend Sunday together before leaving for Lake Nacimiento on Monday morning.  Our family has grown so much over the past few years that we needed to rent an extra RV trailer for our family to sleep in.  

We had a blast at the lake with everyone.  It has been a tradition to go to Lake Nacimiento with my Uncle Dave and Aunt Wendy for years now.  It doesn't happen every year, but it is always a treat when we can go.  Between all the kids, cousins and grandkids, everyone has a friend.  Ohh, and don't forget Nick.  I think we adopted him into our family awhile back and he is always fun to have around too.  

After wake boarding, knee boarding, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and playing, we packed up the van and began the 17 1/2 hour drive back to Clovis.  We were sore and  sunburnt but smiling.  What a great way to end our summer vacation.  

Visiting Grandma & Grandpa Brown

So, here we are at grandma and grandpa's house, and this last week has been an absolute whirlwind. Rebecca and her friend Joelle signed up to take a summer dance workshop at Fusion dance studio in Torrance, CA. They had a lot of fun and it was well worth the investment, but it meant driving to LA every day last week and twice on Thursday, because we went to see "Wicked." (The drive took about an hour and 20 minutes each way)

As soon as I am able to download some pictures I will, but until then, if you are in So. Cal, we would love to play. We go waterskiing on the 11th of Aug, so give us a ring sometime this week.