Things We Did in May

Okay, so my camera is really on its last leg so some of these pictures are pretty awful, but at least we have something to document the fun things we've done in life. May has been full, and I do mean full, prepare yourself for a marathon post, of fun things for us. Here are a few:
First up, I talked Jarom into taking me to Boise to see Wicked. Oh it was SO good! So. Good! I have been wanting to see this for a really long time. Even Jarom was impressed by it. And Boise is BEAUTIFUL this time of year. Trees and flowers in full bloom, and perfectly warm weather. Makes me miss living there something awful...but then I remember the hot hot summer nights and I'm perfectly content with knowing the warm summer days and cool summer nights of Idaho Falls are just around the corner.

We had booked our Wicked tickets months ago and then found out that the same night as our Wicked performance, Alyssa was graduating from D.A.R.E.(Drug Abuse Resistance Education). Talk about guilt. But Grammy went and recorded it for us so that we could see it when we got home and Alyssa was such a great sport about it. She got an award for "Nicest Kid" and also was elected to read her D.A.R.E. essay aloud that night. She wrote it in poem form and I think it turned out great.

Why I Want To Be Drug Free By: Alyssa Manwaring

Why I don’t want to do drugs is easy you see it’s almost like counting one, two, three. Drugs are so bad they can even drive you mad, or give you horrible diseases. You might get teases about not doing drugs, but on the inside know that you’re defiantly cool enough.

The boys might think they are so cool with their drugs and such. The girls think they are more beautiful. But really they boys are becoming less and less cool the girls getting less pretty.

All the bad things drugs can do to you. I can only name a few. There are disease and sickness, losing your family, and your friends. Don’t even try once you know what it can do to others, and especially you.

Oh, you’re the tough one, you’re the smart one, and you’re the coolest of them all. If all you do is be drug free. Just be tough it could be rough, but just think of all your drug-free possibilities.

We are very proud of Alyssa. She is such a great kid!

My family with Kaylee and Moses from Biggest Loser. The Biggest Loser Finale aired about a week ago. Neither Kaylee nor Moses won, but they are both so much more healthy and happy with life that it doesn't matter. We've gotten SUCH a kick out of watching our friends on t.v. these past few months.

My kids particularly enjoyed the boxing bits. Photo courtesy of www.kayleekinikini.com.

After an intense scene of Kaylee boxing with trainer Kara, Kate came upstairs dressed in her boxing get up. Complete with head gear. (It's a swimsuit bottom.) So funny, and I love it when my kids use their imaginations.

We wish the Kinikini's further health and happiness as they continue on their road to a healthy lifestyle.

Also in May, we made a day trip to Yellowstone National Park. It was a hot animal sighting day and we had a great time. Don't confuse that with a "hot day" because there is still several feet of snow in places in Yellowstone.

Included in the sightings were this mama moose and her baby.

Several baby bison; they are freshly born this time of year and so tiny. Can you see the tiny one snuggled up to its mama on the ground behind Kate? Hard to believe they will grow into the massive adults that roam freely in the park.

This is the time of year where they shed their winter coats and this poor guy had a very itchy belly.

We also saw a grizzly, but it was tucked up in the trees a little too much for a good picture, a Rocky Mountain Bluebird, lots of Elk, and a swan. BUT the coolest sighting of all was two wolves....right on the side of the road. I've seen wolves in Yellowstone before, but always a far distance away and have had to use binoculars to really get a good look at them. But these wolves were only about 50-100 ft away. They are so big and move so fast. I can only imagine how dangerous a pack of them would be.

I got some GREAT video of the wolves running along...or so I thought. Apparently every time I thought I was turning the camera on, I was actually turning it off and vice versa. So...I got ZERO images of the wolves and lots of video of my lap and the floor of the truck. BOOOOO!

And last but not least for this May recap post, is Kate graduated from preschool! She has LOVED preschool. She is my only kid to attend a "real" preschool and it has been such a good thing for her. I really think it has helped her with her shyness....maybe even a little too much. ;) The girl can talk your ear off if you let her.

She is going to miss Miss Kris so much!

Don't you worry, there are a few more fun things from May to talk about but we'll end this post here. More to come soon.

The Royal Wedding

I am fascinated with the Royal family, as is the rest of the world. I have been ever since I was a little girl and remember Princess Diana and Prince Charles getting married. I remember finding out they had had baby number 2 and named him Harry; I thought it was the most horrible name ever. Now of course the name is much more common in the States, and I even wanted to name my own child Harrison, (not caring if he got called Harry, but "Harry Manwaring" sounds like a sentence so we opted for Carter).

Anyway, I've been anticipating the wedding of William and Kate and set the DVR to record the event. I watched it early the next morning, with my own "Princess Kate" by my side. I was trying to fast forwarding through the long walk up the isle and the speeches, and Kate said to me, "Mom! Quit skipping the movie!" I said, "I'm just trying to get to the good parts." She said, "These ARE the good parts!" Kate sat and watched the ENTIRE wedding, glued to the t.v. She is a true romantic and LOVES a good fairy tale story, especially if it includes a prince and a princess, and even more so when the princess is named Kate.

My friend, Cherie, posted the BEST Royal Wedding Recap, and I hope she doesn't mind that I copied her pictures and some of her words right off her blog. Thanks Cherie!

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl who dreamed of becoming a princess.

The handsome Prince Charming fell in love with the beautiful girl.

There was an evil step mother, (I'm sure she's really not evil, but it makes the story fun.)

and two ugly stepsisters. (Okay, not really William's sisters, but cousins. And those hideous hats qualified them for the ugly stepsisters role.)

And of course there was the Queen.

The soon to be Princess Kate, kept the dress a secret.

The crowds cheered as Kate and her beautiful sister, Pippa, revealed the best kept secret in the world. It was simple, elegant, and modest which suited the lovely Kate most beautifully.

The wedding party began the long walk down the isle of Westminster Abbey.

They walked,


and walked,

and walked, until Kate met her handsome Prince William at the alter in the very front.

The choirs sang, the church bells rang, and the vows were exchanged.

And then, the newly married royal couple, began that long walk to exit the Abbey.

The wedding party followed behind.

Until the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made it outside,

where they boarded a carriage to ride to the palace.

They waved to people,

escorted by guards on horses.

They looked so in love and very happy.

Upon arriving at the palace, the handsome couple walked onto the balcony and greeted the people.

Thousands and thousands of people. (Not to mention all of us at home watching from our "tellies".)

The crowd begged for a kiss and were surprised with not one, but TWO kisses. (This was my Kate's FAVORITE part.)

And the prince and princess drove away to live happily ever after."

Yep, I might be a sap, but that wedding was regal, elegant, and "loads of fun" to pretend to be part of!