Family Pictures

   At Avery and Harper's piano recital they held a silent auction, so we bid on a photo shoot and won.  Back in January I believe we did the photo shoot.  Unfortunately this was when Avery had her mumps scare, but at least we got family pictures done this year.

Harper, Avery, Emery, and Luke

Harper, Luke, Emery, and Avery

Starting from the top: Avery, Harper, Luke, and Emery

This sums up Emery's energy pretty well.

Avery hugging Emery and Harper.  

It had been lightly raining that morning.  One of the hazards of picture taking in the Seattle area.  Daryl and Avery together.

Daryl and I.

Avery, Harper, and Emery

Daryl and I

Harper found a throne.

My favorite son and I

Emery

Luke

The whole family.

So Long Rainbow

     When we got home from Disneyland we found that Rainbow, Avery's Kindergarten beta fish, had died.  He was four and half years old, and we had noticed he didn't seem as active as before.  It wasn't a surprise to Daryl and I that he didn't make it.  Honestly I am fine with him being gone because the cats kept jumping up on the kitchen counter to drink out of his fish bowl, frequently spilling water all over the place. 

Daryl burying Rainbow under our deck in the backyard.

Emery pointing out the final resting place of Rainbow.

The memorial Avery and Harper made for Rainbow.  They also taped some of his tiny fish kibbles to it, so they could better remember him by.

Bye Rainbow.

Disneyland Part 2

 Here's the rest of the pictures from Disneyland.  We had a character breakfast where the kids met Stitch, Daisy, Minnie, and Mickey.  The girls really loved it.  Also we really lucky and pleased to meet my aunt Dianne and cousin Lisa at the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney for lunch. It was so great to see them.  We just wished it was a longer visit.  It was a lovely trip, but exhausting.  We were at the park when it opened every day.  It took Daryl and I almost a week to feel normal again after we got home, and we were only at Disneyland three days.

Avery and Stitch

Harper and Stitch

Emery and Stitch

Luke looking adoringly at Minnie and Avery.

Emery and Minnie

Harper and Minnie.  Hey a picture of me made it to the blog!

Emery, Harper, and Avery with Mickey

Mickey and Avery

Luke not wanting to interacting with Minnie.

Luke deciding to spend the rest of the character breakfast under the table.

Zander joining Luke under the table.

Harper, Luke, Emery, and Avery in the lobby of Paradise Pier.

Harper being really goofy with Goofy.

Daryl hanging with Stitch.

Aunt Dianne, Emery, Avery, Harper, and Luke.

Aunt Dianne, Emery, Avery, and Harper showing off the toys Aunt Dianne bought them at Rainforest Café.

Harper, Emery, Lisa, and Luke.

Emery inspecting a picture of herself on Aunt Dianne's phone.

Luke clutching the cars Aunt Dianne bought him.  They now sleep with him every night.

Harper needed to see pictures of herself as well.

Luke still clutching his cars and wearing Minnie Mouse ears that he insisted on trying on just like his sisters.

Harper and Emery with their ears.

Disneyland Part 1

   Well Daryl and I had a moment of temporary insanity decided to take the whole family to Disneyland during the kids' mid-winter break this February.  Our friends Ben and Christie came with their kiddo Zander too who is about Luke's age.  We had a pretty good time, and it was fun to watch Luke and Zander be silly together.  Here's the photos of half our trip.

Luke really enjoyed the bus ride from the parking garage to the airport.

Here's Harper, Daryl, and Emery.

Avery with a less than enthusiastic Luke. 

The joy of traveling with older kids.  Avery was fine the whole time playing Nintendo.

Luke was really good too.  He colored and played with his cars for a long while before we got the iPad out for him.

Daryl was also a good traveler.

We had a layover in San Francisco on the way down and the kids loved playing at play area in our terminal.

San Francisco also had a really cool display of Maneki-neko cats.  The kids loved it too.

The first day Emery rode Space Mountain with Avery and I.  She did not want to ride it again.  Avery and I rode it every morning on the other hand.

Luke, Zander and Ben taking it easy on Ariel's carousel.

Emery with Christie in the background.

Harper wanted Daryl to ride next too her.

Luke getting ready for Midway Mania in California Adventure.

Harper, Avery, and Emery

Emery was tickled pink to meet Mickey Mouse.

Luke was too shy to get any closer to Mickey than this.

Luke, Harper, and Emery meeting Minnie Mouse.  Luke once again feeling shy.

Luke happy to see Mickey.

Luke, Harper, Avery, and Emery trying to pull the sword in the stone out.

Avery and I are in the front.  Avery is wearing her gold Shopkins jacket.  She did not want to ride Guardians of the Galaxy again.