Staycation....

Well....we had planned to head to San Diego for our annual beach week but, everyone except me got very sick....Jack was already in San Diego with my parents....he was sick, my mom got sick, and my dad had the beginnings of a sore throat....Meanwhile here in Vegas RJ also became very sick....so I headed to California Tuesday to fetch Jackson and Turned right back around on Wednesday and came back to Vegas....When we got back to Vegas Jack was feeling much better, and RJ was starting to feel like himself again....so we decided to have a Staycation on the Strip just in case anyone needed to go to the Dr. or wanted to come home and rest....We decided to get a room at the Golden Nugget for two nights... They have a really cool pool area....They have this enormous Shark tank and a 3 story slide that goes right through the Shark tank....the part that goes through the tank is clear...so if you slow down you can see the Sharks....VERY COOL....We must have gone down the slide about 100 times....So much fun! We kept our room keys so we will definitely be going back there again soon....Can't Wait! Upon returning home Jack was not feeling well again....so we took him to the Dr.....He had a double ear infection! oops guess we should not have done all that swimming....all is well now...we are just enjoying a few quiet days at home...Enjoy the pics....


Jack with the World's Largest Golden Nugget....



Jack coming out of the slide.......
Me coming out of the slide.....
Jack enjoying the waterfall.......
RJ enjoying the waterfall........
Umm...does he need anger management classes????

We Have A First Grader

Well.....It's official we have a first grader.....Jack graduated from kindergarten this week.....He is so excited to be starting first grade in Three Weeks.....His class sang and danced to several songs and Jack was just as cute as could be.....He did very well, with an occasional embarrassed look on his face....which was priceless....he told us later that Mackenzie was embarrassing him.....so cute....My mom and dad came up from California for the festivities and took Jack back to California with them. RJ's mom also came to the graduation, along with the Brodersen Family......Jack was so excited to have his family there to watch him...Now we will enjoy the next couple of weeks off and try to stay cool...RJ and I will head to San Diego next week to collect Jack and enjoy the beach for a few days.....Enjoy the pics.....

Walking into perform......
Jack: "We will now sing America the Beautiful for your enjoyment"
Little Ham.....
Loves to sing and dance.......
a little embarrassed......
Happy Boy.....
MeMe, Pops, Mommy, Jack, Daddy, Grandma.......
Omi(Jack's other Grandmother),
Jack, Matthew and Mackenzie(AKA, Brother and Sister)
The End.....See you in First Grade......

Graduation Preview.....

Jack is graduating from Kindergarten in a couple of weeks.....here is a preview of him in his cap and gown......

Midwest Vacation......

Jack and I just returned from a two week vacation to the Midwest...We visited family and friends in Missouri and Illinois...We flew to St. Louis where we were greeted by my mom and Aunt Reva. We spent a couple of days in St Charles and even got to see some old friends from San Diego who now live in Missouri.
Next, we headed to the big town of New Canton, Ill.(population 300) to visit my Grandmother. She fell and broke her ankle and is currently staying in a care center. We stayed at her house and made several trips to see her. We discovered on this trip that Jack does not not like little old ladies in wheelchair or Nursing Homes...One morning when we were getting ready to go and see my Grandma, Jack says to me: "Could you please get me some nose plugs? That place has a stench of old ladies." I don't know where he learned the word stench...but I could not stop laughing....so each time we went to see Grandma we wheeled her out so Jack did not have to go inside. Poor Jack could not escape the wheelchairs and care centers. We went to take my Aunt Geraldine out to lunch and to the bank....Of course she lives in a care center and is in a wheelchair. Jack survived and enjoyed meeting her from afar....didn't want to get to close....A trip to Illinois would not be complete with out a trip to see my favorite Great Aunt Margie and Great Uncle Calvin Dale....I love them so much and was so happy that Jack loved them too....He enjoyed going to the family cemetary with Calvin...in fact Jack liked all 6 cemeteries we took him to....guess he gets that from my mom....While in Illinois my mom took some of her high school classmates out to lunch and we tagged along with her....I loved meeting them and enjoyed their company, they were all just as cute as can be...

Soon it was time to say goodbye to Grandma and head back to Missouri....We headed back to St. Charles to get ready for a trip down to Branson and Springfield....While in St Charles we took Jack to a really fun water park...and one of the most amazing Children's Museums call The Magic House.....The Magic House was one of coolest places I have ever taken Jack....mock Oval Office and all! After a day regrouping and repacking we headed down to Branson, Mo....While in Branson we took in a show, swam, swam and swam some more and played a Little mini golf....One evening my cousin and his family drove up from Springfield to join us for an evening of swimming....Kris's son Kameron helped Jack catch some toads and frogs and I think that was the highlight of Jack's trip....The next day on our way back to St Charles we stopped at Kris's house for a little lunch and some yummy cocktails...Jack had a blast with his cousins Kameron and Taylor, and my mom and I enjoyed catching up with Kris and his wife Michelle....Soon it was time to head back to St. Charles and prepare to head home to Las Vegas.....

Jack and I had a wonderful time and really enjoyed catching up with old friends and family.....What was even better....I came home to a clean house and detailed car!!! Thank you everyone for all of your hospitality and love......Enjoy the pics!!!!!

On the plane....heading to St. Louis.......

Jack and Aunt Reva on Go Carts...........
Mom and Aunt Reva playing Ms. Pac Man.....
Jack with Aunt Reva and Uncle Herb's puppy Checkers.......
Playing with Checkers.....
In front of our favorite St. Charles, Mo Restaurant

Miss Aimee B's Tea Room......

Old San Diego Pals.....Matthew, Dee Dee and Charlyn

Matthew, Dee Dee, Me, Aunt Charlyn, Mom, Reva, Jack

Jack and I walking around New Canton

takes only about 20 minutes......

Enjoying Homemade Root beer in Hannibal, Mo...
Huckleberry Finn's house, Hannibal Mo.
Jack in Mark Twain's Bedroom, Hannibal , Mo.....
In handcuffs.........

Jack in front of the Mississippi River........ Reva, Aunt Margie, Mom...Perry Cemetery, Perry, Ill.
Aunt Margie, and Jack.........................
Me and Aunt Margie.........................
Jack and Aunt Reva having a stick fight....
ahhhh Jackson St.....Clayton, Ill.....
Mimi and Jack at the ice cream shack........
Mimi and Jack playing keep away........
Jack, Aunt Geraldine, and Mom......
Reva, Grandma, me and Jack........
Swimming in Hannibal......
wanted to have a towel on his head like me........
Mom relaxing.........
Jack enjoying the water park in St Charles, Mo.
Climbing the three story Jack and the Beanstock at the Magic House.....
Made it to the top!
Recycling Center......

On the back of the recycling truck......
Raising the flag in front of make shift White House.....
Jack pretending to be Abraham Lincoln in the Oval Office...

Didn't have the heart to tell him Lincoln didn't have a phone....

Jack and Reva Fishing........
Walking in beautiful Branson woods.....
Jack and Reva playing Miniature Golf....
My cousin Kris with his amazing wife Michelle and adorable

daughter Taylor................
mom, Reva, Kris's son Kameron and Jack enjoying lunch on the deck...
Jack and Kameron.......