The Children's Museum

We decided to go downtown to the Children's Museum in San Diego with the Gardner family on Valentine's Day.   It was something different to do.  We thought the girls would have fun.  There was a teen room in the museum, but it was closed for renovation.  So Mack got to hang with the rest of us and do all the little things that ended up being so fun.  On our way to the museum we stopped at Mack's new favorite pizza place.  We grabbed a pizza for a picnic in front of the museum.  Meredith Gardner had spent the night at our house and so she was with us for the drive down to meet her parents.  Mackynzie had spent the night at Emily's house.  They all had stayed up pretty late and were ready to eat some yummy pizza by the time we arrived at the park downtown.

Mackynzie had asked what dad had done for Valentine's Day.  It was strange, because not everyone was home for the morning so our surprises were going to have to wait until the afternoon, when we could all be together at home.

Inside the Children's Museum

The Paint Gallery - Bug Style

The Giant Chalk Board

Notice the "I HEART Karyn" from Sean, that was my special Valentine's!

The Climbing Wall

The Pillow Fight Room

What a way to spend Valentine's Day! It was awesome.

Taylor Holt's Creation

My niece Taylor Holt created this poster to depict the 2009 Theme for the Young Men and Women Program.  Her ward wants to display this each week to remind the kids of the theme this year.  I am so proud of her.  It is a beautiful and uplifting display!

Sean

Sean has been with Kofax for a while now.  He is loving his job as the Vice President of Global Marketing.  He enjoys the people and experiences it is providing him.  He really enjoys working with his boss, Andrew Pery.  He thinks he is the nicest guy in the world.  We met up with Andrew and his wife for dinner at the Studio Restaurant at the Montage in Laguna Beach.  It was a beautiful place with a lovely view of the sunset.  It was a great night.

It is nice to see Sean happy and in an environment that he enjoys.  He works hard and makes great sacrifices for his family.  A few weeks ago, I had a little accident with his car.  Since it is in the shop getting fixed, I have been driving him to where he grabs the train.  I got to see first hand the sacrifice he makes every day!  His routine consists of dropping Mackynzie off at seminary and then going to catch the train.  It is a bit of a commute to just get to the train.  However, he enjoys the people on the train.  Many people from work ride the train so it is fun for him.  He is way calmer riding the train then he when he was driving to San Diego in a car.  Seeing the time spent taking Mack and going to the train just really made me appreciate his efforts.  He is a great husband and dad.  I do appreciate his efforts and contributions to the family.  Thank you Sean for being so wonderful.  Love You Tons!

The 5th Grade Science Center Field Trip

Kayla and her 5th grade class were able to attend the Science Center as a field trip.

I was able to help chaperon the field trip and ride the bus.  That is always a fun and noisy experience.  I loved spending the time with Kayla.  It was a great day.  I am grateful for the blessing to be home with the girls and to be able to take advantage of these opportunities.

There was quite a crowd of kids.  All these kids just equals two classes, now that is crazy!  We have such big class sizes here in California.  In Kayla's class, Mrs. McCarthy has 34 kids.

Kayla and the other kids had a fun time playing around in the museum part of the Science Center.  There were all kinds of experiments that the kids could use and test out.

They were able to take a realistic Mission Control mock up in a 21st century Space Station.  They worked as a team, using new technology, hands-on simulators and high tech hardware and computer software.

Starting the Morning Right

Today Kayla and I were at the breakfast table reading the Book of Mormon when Kayla said, "Wow, look how pretty the sky is."  It was great to be at our table and get a gorgeous view of pink clouds and blue skies.  Usually we don't see the sunrise from our table.  I believe that was a little someone saying HELLO!  Years ago Lisa gave each Macdonald family a book entitled Sara's Cloud.  It was a story of a little boy who lost a sister.  His Grandmother relates how seeing beautiful clouds in the sky reminds her of loved ones who have moved out of this world into the next one.  I always love to see pink clouds now, it just adds peace and beauty to my day.

I have set a goal to read the Book of Mormon again this year.  I am following a plan that our Stake RS President presented to us.  I don't have a card to know exactly what the reading plan is yet.  But I have been reading and getting a good pace going for the year.  I read to the kids in the morning and then I continue on in my personal study - anytime that works for me.  I try to do it in the morning, but sometimes it works better later in the day.  I know this will continue to bless my life.  

Last year I was given a LSM Ward Covenant Concepts card from the Stake President that was given to each family in the stake and it has been a blessing to apply these steps into my life as well.  These four goals have been hanging on my fridge for the past year.  I am still working on number 3, but I will get there eventually:   

1. Remove something specific in your life that holds back the Spirit.

2.  Daily Personal/Family Prayer and Scripture Study.

3. Double your Temple Attendance.

4. Once a month do something with someone not of your faith.

It has been a blessing to have the gospel be a major influence in my life.  It provides me with a direction and a place to go where answers can be found.  I have been able to influence my children for the good.  It is nice to know that the things I am doing are helping my kids grow and develop.  It is also great to know that they feel loved!  Kayla had a church project that had her list out traditions or things that her parents do that she would want to do for her kids.  It was fun to see what she wrote down and see what she really appreciates in her life.  I love my kids and I am grateful for them in my life.  Even though there are only two they are the best two I could ever ask for.

Mackynzie Making a Candy Card

Mackynzie wanted to come up with a creative way to help celebrate her friend's sixteen birthday!  I told her about the candy board and how it was a big thing to do when I was younger.  She asked me to grab some good candy from the store and this is the clever poem she came up with:  "I hope that you a have a rock-n-roll birthday.  You are such a sweet-heart and it is a skor to have you as a friend.  At times you are such a nerd and teach me not to use words like chill.  However, it just adds to your big hunk and red hot personality.  Now that you are in the big league of 16 make sure you don't crunch your car and that you enjoy your payday!"

This is the year most of Mackynzie's friends are turning sixteen.  Of course turning sixteen is a big deal to any kid!  Oh the freedom being sixteen provides........at least that is what kids like to think.  I know they soon realize that it is not as much freedom as they had hoped for.  However, I have always heard kids secretly love their parents rules and still want all those rules to keep them in line.  Those rules are their safe path to follow in a world of crazy choices.  

Mack had a lot of fun doing some special things for her friends.  It was fun for her to make them feel a little special.  This creative idea was for Chuck Bager.  She came up with a few different things for different friends.  She heart attacked Zack Carter's house for his birthday!  She did miss having a buddy to go with her. I drove her, but she decorated the door and lawn on her own.  That is when Mack decided she missed good old Shannelle.  Shannelle would have done the heart attack with her and it would have been a bit more exciting.

I drove Mackynzie to go and drop off the poster at her friend Chuck's house.  She is a darling girl who is so kind to so many people.  I pray every night that Mack is happy and will have a bunch of good friends to help her survive the high school experience, but at least she has us and for that I know she is grateful.  Sean and I try really hard to make it this area a safe and positive place for her to grow up.

Happy Birthday VERA LEEPER

Vera turned 95 years old on February 1, 2009. We had to go and visit with our favorite Aunt on her birthday. She is hanging on and is still a great joy to be around. It was just Kayla, Sean and me that went to visit her. Mackynzie had a training meeting for Young Women she had to attend. Mack was so sad to miss the visit, but we gave Vera a hug from her.

We had a great time playing Chicken Foot with Vera. She couldn't remember the rules and we had no intension of telling her she was making any mistakes. Sean, Kayla and I would just laugh and glance at each other with big smiles on our faces as she would lay things down. I think she was confusing Chicken Foot with Dominoes. We just loved her excitement about us being there playing with her. She appreciates the visits so much.

WE LOVE YOU VERA!