mattisonmadness

California for Kaylie's 16th Birthday

2009-05-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

We decided to let Kaylie go to California for her 16th birthday. She invited her friend Emily and Max and I went with them. We spent 3 days of just relaxing, playing and having fun.
Kaylie and Emily at the beach.

Max walking along the beach. He loves when I take pictures of him.

Kaylie and Emily in front of the Hollywood sign...

Yes!!! Those are the famous hot dogs from Pinks and they were sooooo good. We got the stretch with chili, the "Ozzy", and the "Today Show".

Kaylie, Emily and I at Pinks!!! We loved everything about it- other than when we parked there was an employee there taking everyones keys so he could move cars around. Max wasn't to keen on that and reluctantly gave the keys. We had to keep encouraging him that it would be all right. And in the end, our car was still there!!!

Snow Fun!!

2008-12-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

We decided to go up to Show Low, Arizona for a few days with just our kids. We had so much fun playing in the snow and just relaxing, reading books, playing games, and just being together as a family. What a fun way to end 2008...

Kaylie's Christmas Dance Recital

2008-12-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Here's just a few pictures from Kaylie's Christmas Recital. We had a good time watching her and all the other girls dance. Nan's said that this was one of her favorite concerts yet...

2008-12-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Kaylie and her dance team performed in Glendale at the Glendale Glitters celebration. This was their first performance for the school year and the did a great job. Kaylie just loves dancing (It's her life...) and we love watching her as she continually is improving.

Trenton's Birthday

2008-12-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Trenton turned 11 today. It's hard to believe that all my kids are growing so fast. We sure enjoy having Trenton in our family. He can always make us laugh and tells the craziest jokes. All he wanted for his birthday was a bike...and guess what....that's what he got

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Mattison Home. We were filled to the top with a kinds of wonderful food. Thanks to all the Mattison Gang, we had a great Thanksgiving.
Brenden, Joey, and Garron wrestling on the tramp

Trenton with his cool hair cut- eating pumpkin pie

Garron waiting patiently for his food

Kaylie resting after the big feast

Max and Lance back for seconds.

Trenton's Hair

2008-11-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

Trenton had to do an oral report in is Social Studies class, which was on St. Brendon. They wanted them to dress up like the person they were reporting on. Trenton got this crazy idea to have his hair cut like the monks used to do in - like St. Brendon. Not only did he think it was cool. He kept it that way for 4 more days. I had to draw the line when it was time to go to church...

Fun with Ali

2008-11-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun getting to spent time with Ali and her kids. They have grown so quickly and are cuties. Paigey is so funny. We went over to Kierland Commons to play in the water and have lunch. Paige didn't want to throw her gum away while eating lunch, so she kept it on her nose while she ate. She can always keep us laughing.
Trenton, Nans, and Mac at Lacey's soccer game

Ali and Piper

The whole gang!
We miss you Ali and family, and can't wait for Christmas to see you again!!

Happy Birthday Max

2008-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hey! Today is Max's birthday and I'm not allowed to tell you how old he is, but I will say that it's his last year in the 30's... I am so grateful for all that he has done for me and our family. What a great guy. (I know...getting all sappy...)
I love this picture of Max when he was a toddler

Max always drove a bug in high school. He even took you out in one, on my very first date when I turned 16. And the story ends...after the movies, we went out to the car and it wouldn't start. I didn't know how to drive stick shift... So I pushed the car while he tried to start it. What a wonderful first date.

Max scuba diving up at Saguaro Lake

Max in Maine, during our summer trip.

Doughnuts with Dad

2008-11-10T20:54:00.000-08:00

It's always amazing how the little things mean so much to kids. The school had an early morning doughnuts with dad. My 2 younger kids were so excited to take Max to the school and splurge on doughnuts. Max wasn't too excited about getting up early, but had so much fun with them. They were so excited to come home and tell me how the breakfast went.

Garron's Bike

2008-11-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of Garron. He found the bike that he wanted, which was quite expensive. We decided that if he came up with half the money we would pitch in for the other half. He was able to earn his half of the bike and yes after a LONG week for it to be shipped- his bike came in. Max helped him put it together and he has been on it since.

Halloween

2008-10-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

For Halloween, we had the Mattison Gang over for dinner--Chili beans and corn bread--- and then all the kids went trick or treating, while most of the adults sat outside handing out candy. We had such a fun time with everyone and look forward to many more...hint hint (new tradition?)

Happy Birthday Papa

2008-10-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

We are so grateful to have such a wonderful dad and grandpa!! We've had many great memories, and look forward to many more.

2008-10-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

As I was taking care of a patient in the ER, one of the nurses came up to me and told me I was getting a little one that was stung by a scorpion. I really didn't think much about it. I've had 3 of my children stung by scorpions. Lacey was just 3 when she was stung.

I could hear the little one crying in her room. As I started walking to the room, the charge nurse informed me we were going to a trauma room. They were going to put a tube down the childs throat because it was starting to close from the venom of the scorpion. It was a organized, chaotic moment as they were working on the child.

As I was there helping this child something kindof changed in me. You know those times when you feel like you are in a fog. But it just kindof hit me. And I looked over at this beautiful little child, breathing thru a tube and watched as the mother knelt beside whispering to the child while stroking the childs arm and my eyes began to water. What a beautiful image that was for me. For such a awful thing that mother had to have been going through, she was there to let her child know she was there. How inappropriate it would have been to take a picture, I stood staring- making my own mental image of such a sacred little moment.

It reminded me of how blessed I am to be a mother and to have a Heavenly Father that is there to whisper to me... I just always pray that I am not to out ...that I'll be able to hear what he is saying.

Lacey's Birthday Party

2008-10-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

For Lacey's Birthday she decided that she wanted to go and see the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahau. She invited 8 girls and they all dressed up in whatever cutsy costume they had and we all headed over to the movies. All the girls had a great time...me on the other hand... lets just say there was a lot of giggling and loud talking going on.

Soccer...

2008-10-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Soccer season is here- between practices and games it's keeping us a little busy. Lacey's team is called the Pink Panthers and so far they have won every game. This was last Saturday's game where Lacey scored 3 goals and their team won 7-1.

Trenton's Arrow!

2008-10-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of Trenton. He put a lot of work in to get his "Arrow of Light". We also have to thank all of his scout leaders for putting up with him and being a part of his progress in getting his award.

Trenton was sad that his dad wasn't able to make it, because he had to work. But he was glad that his Papa and Nans came to support him. Thanks Papa and Nans- We Love You!!

Our Special Nammie's Birthday!!

2008-10-12T16:33:00.001-07:00

Nammie is always there for all our special moments- like Lacey's baptism... (she remembers everyone birthdays and is usually the first to call to wish us a Happy One)
At Nammie's house- we found some of her Avon samples that we all had to try on.
Nammie up at the YMCA camp near Young, AZ for our Larson Reunion
Nammie and Lacey in the Go-Carts. Yes that is Nammie driving!! What an amazing woman.
Nammie with her #1 granddaughters kids!!!

2008-10-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

OK I know that I have totally been slacking on my blog. I'm not used to working full time and it has really got me out of whack. But I finally have a few days off so I promise to update...

Lacey is 9 today!!!

2008-10-10T12:22:00.001-07:00

It's crazy to think that my "baby" is already nine. That really makes me feel old. We sure love having her in our family.

Happy Anniversary Papa and Nans!!

2008-09-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

wow! 39 years of marriage and they are still like newlyweds....(well mostly!!) We sure love you both and hope that you have a great day celebrating all your wonderful memories... especially those first few years with your wonderful first daughter!!

A day I'll never forget

2008-09-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today while I was driving around I noticed many neighborhoods with flags in their front yards. What a beautiful sight to see a street lined with American Flags. I then realized the significance of those flags on this days 9-11. I was sitting watching the news while doing my daughters hair for school. The images of that airplane crashing through the tower will always be in imprint in my mind. Max had worked a late shift, so he was in bed asleep. I ran in and woke him up and urged him to come and watch what had just happened. I sat glued to the TV all day watching all that transpired that day. That day changed every Americans life. The shot above reminded me of how fortunate I am to still have my freedom and all those that are serving my country so my children can experience that same freedom.

A JOB!!

2008-09-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! I feel like a teenager. It was so strange handing out resumes and going to interviews, but I finally have a job. I am going to be working at Banner Gateway in the ER. Max is so excited, he thinks that he will be able to quit his job and live off his wife...WISHFUL THINKING!!!

Welcom Baby Arnett

2008-09-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

My sister Kandance had her baby last night around 6pm. He weighed in at 8'4" and 20" long. He has beautiful brownish blonde hair and is just the cutest little guy. They haven't decided on a name yet- but hopefully, they will have something picked out by the time they leave the hospital. Nolan was saying that it was Ricco at the hospital (but I don't think Kandace is going for that). Kandace did a great job- and is feeling pretty good.
What a cutie!!
The Arnett Family- Jeremy, Kandace, Mallery, Karson, Shaye, Nolan, and baby Arnett.
The kids with their new baby brother.
One proud aunt.

Rogers Campout!

2008-09-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

We went camping up near Clint's Well, just past Payson. We had so much fun. Most of the Rogers Gang came up (except Kandace and her family and Ali and hers). We also invited Dale and Andrea (my dad's brother).

Chase and Shalyse and baby
Mattison Crew
Nate, Mandy, Beau, Brady, Ellie, and Lizzy

Dale and Andrea Family ------Chase going down the zipline.

Drew, Hailey, Jonas, Noah, Gracie, and Emma

Trenton playing baseball.

Brandan, Catherine, Lauren, Michael, Luke, Sydney, Nick, and Oliver

Monsoon Weather

2008-08-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

The storm that we had last night was amazing. I had to pick Kaylie up from dance around 9:30pm and after waiting 5 minutes, as it was pouring, our ride home was across some major puddles. There were times when I couldn't even see the curbing because the water was so high.

When we got home, we went out back and watched the lightening- that just lit the sky up. The thunder was a constant rumble for almost 40 minutes. It sounded like an airplane overhead. I have never seen a storm to that extent- it was just breathe taking. I just sat and watched the sky, while Kaylie danced in the rain. What a fun night.

2008-08-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Swimming

2008-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Lacey woke up this morning and decided to have a swim party with her friends. She called all her friends in the neighborhood and was able to have two of her friends that could come Emma and Elsa. They swam, ate popsicles and painted their nails. She informed me that she was going to have a swim party every saturday.... hmmm......
Emma, Lacey, and Elsa on the waterfall.

Elsa- Lacey- Emma
Trenton and his friend Jacob swimming and goofing around.

Mom's Birthday Party

2008-08-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

For Nan's Birthday, all the kids (except Ali and Tyler) met at Texas Road House and surprised her at the restaurant... I know we go all out for surprise parties.
Of course, we had to put her on the saddle. She was so excited for that.
The gang at the restaurant.
After dinner, we went back to my parents house and put my mom on the "Truth Chair" a game that we played a lot while growing up (my parents sneaky way of getting information out of us kids). We had questions in the jar like "If one of your DVD's were missing, who would you call first? and Have you ever tasted alcohol or drank beer? (and if you want to know that answer to that.... she has not! What a great example) We had a great night. The only thing that would have made it better was having Ali and Tyler there.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-08-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

Well, it's finally here. Nans (Mom) has grown one year older and wiser too. She is 15 X 4 today and loving every minute of it. She is one great mother, grandmother, etc. Thanks for making all of our lives special. These were a few pictures that I'm sure she would love for everyone to see.

We love you mom and hope that you have a wonderful birthday.

First Day of School!

2008-08-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yea, it's finally here, the first day of school. The kids weren't as excited as they used to be when they were younger but they did know what they were going to wear for the first day and their back packs were ready to go the night before.

Diamondback Sleepover

2008-08-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Max was given 4 tickets to go to a Diamondback Sleepover Party. So Garron, Trenton, Max and their cousing Joey went to the stadium. They had dinner, played tons of baseball, and slept on the baseball field. Garron and Joey's favorite thing to do was follow the camera crew around and try to get on TV as much as possible. Which we did get to see a lot of them on TV. At around 1AM they turned out the lights for everyone to sleep and then around 5:30AM they began opening the stadium roof and woke everyone up at 6AM for breakfast. The kids and Max had a great time.

One of the things that they did was to hit some balls. There was a "hot" young lady that was handing the kids the balls. When they were done, she would give the kids a high 5. Well, when Garron finished she went to give him a high 5 and he said I want a hug. So she put down all the balls she was holding and gave Garron a hug.... HMMMMM.... I think I need to worry a little with that kid.

Camping with the Mattison Gang

2008-07-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

We went camping with all the Mattison's over the week-end. We camped up near the Rim off the Young turn-off. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins, shooting guns, and riding the quads. The weather was beautiful- the perfect mixture of rain and sun. If only I didn't have to pack up to go camping and unpack when we returned.
Garron and Cole
Kaylie climbing in the trees
Brendon
Allen's truck got stuck in the mud (it was quite muddy when we first arrived). Keith also got his vehicle stuck too (twice!!).
Lacey in the tree...
Max teaching all the kids how to shoot.

We all enjoyed riding the quads.
Hannah, Lisa, Lacey, and Noah off for a ride.

Garron and Brendon Keith and Ben
Karlee, Jeff, and Cole
Lisa and Kalli
Max Mattison Family with Harley Dog.
Gail and Allen Mattison
Trenton was in a quad accident. One of the kids was driving and Trenton was on back. The quad ran into a tree, flipping the quad over. Trenton was pinned between the tree and the quad. We were grateful that he walked away with only scratches and bruises.

Dawn's birthday!

2008-07-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, I went out for a girls day with my mother-in-law Gail, and my sister-in-laws Penny, Tara, and Lisa. We had so much fun. We went to lunch and Aribbas Mexican restaurant in Ahwatukee and then went and got pedicures.
I forgot my camera when we went- so this picture was taken later (Tara wasn't there. so she owes me a picture)
Our cute pedicures.

Heywood Reunion

2008-07-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

A few day after we got home from our trip, we were back on the road. We had a family reunion up in Snowflake. Max had to work and Kaylie had dance practice, so I took the rest of the kids up. We stayed at my parents cabin in ShowLow. The reunion was at the Stratton's House and it was so fun getting to see all our cousins again.

Garron and Trenton at the Pioneer Day's Parade in Snoweflake trying to scoop up all the candy.
Pops and Nans at the Stratton's house.
Lacey out in the field at the Stratton's.
Kandace and Mallery Arnett
Garron with his cool cousin Nolan Arnett
Trenton out in the field.
Garron playing with badminton with the kids at the park in Show low. We met up with the Stuart's (Cynthia, Cara, and Cia with their kids) and had a little picnic at the park.
Karson playing badminton.
Shaye Shaye Girl playing at the park.
Trenton and Lacey climbing trees.

We stayed up at the cabin for 5 days. I enjoyed all the afternoon monsoon showers and the kids enjoyed playing with the Arnetts. While I was up there, mom took me to get my birthday presents and also took Kandace and I out to lunch. We had a great time just relaxing and playing hearts with Pops. We were especially glad when we finally beat him!!

Day 16 of our trip

2008-07-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

The final day of our trip had arrived. We were all a little excited to get home. We had had such a fun trip and made some great memories, but we were ready to be home and the kids were missing their doggy "Harley".

Our flight wasn't until 6pm, so we weren't in any of a hurry to get moving. So we took our time getting packed up, said our goodbyes to Trace, Tank, and Ruby, and headed out to the subway. Our last stop was in Jersey, at Rutt's Hut where they make the famous "Rippers" (hot dogs that are deep fried).

Garron, Lacey and Max in front of Rutt's Hut.

After lunch, we started our drive back to the Newark Airport. We turned our rental car in and headed to the airport.
Max sitting at the airport, probably thinking "I wonder how much our credit card is at now!". On our flight home we had a little mishap- or I'm not so sure what it was but... Lacey was doing the "I need to go to the bathroom" every 1/2 hour and I was getting a little bugged. After the second time going, she sat down and not even 30 minutes later she says to me, "I think I need to go again". I tell her she can hold it for awhile and do something else for awhile to distract her. Well, about 30 minutes later she informs me that she couldn't hold it and went a little in her pants. I tell her to get up and go to the bathroom, but as she gets up I notice that she didn't go a little in her pants - but a lot!!! The whole chair is soaked and her pants are drenched. To make a long argument short.... she had to sit it her wet pants for over an hour while we waited for the plane to land. What a way to end the trip. I really felt bad for the flight attendants and whomever was suppose to sit in that chair next!!

Well, we finally made it home and were able to sleep in our own beds.... YEAH!!! But Man, Arizona is HOT.

Day 15 of our trip

2008-07-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

We had quite an eventful day today. We somehow had to fit everything we wanted to see in Manhattan in one day. We started out early and took the metro to battery park and to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Trenton in front of memorabilia from the World Trade Center that is on display at Battery Park.
Trenton and Lacey picking the Wall Street Bull's nose.
The construction site where the twin towers were located.
The kids on the ferry going to see the Statue of Liberty.

After we toured Ellis Island, we headed down to Wall Street and to where the World Trade Center was located. We took the metro once again back up to 45th street so Kaylie could attend a dance class at the Broadway Dance Center. She was able to take a Hip Hop Class and loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time so she was only able to take one class. She can't wait to go back to take more classes!

Kaylie outside the Broadway Dance Center!
The Kids and I at Time Square. We were able to see the Naked Cowboy, the huge Toys R Us store, and the 3 story McDonalds.
Trenton inside the Toys R Us store.
Trenton and Lacey posing by the indoor carousel.
Trenton loved all the Legos that they had on display- especially this one of Pirate Jack.

We then headed up to Rockefeller Center and to another toy store the famous FAO Schwartz.

The kids with the FAO Schwartz entry guard.
Playing on the famous "Big" movie piano that is in FAO.
Garron with the hulk at FAO.
The kids at central park.

Lacey holding "Ruby" my Aunt Tricia's dog that Trace was watching while my cousin Ashly was away. Trenton with Tank. We loved watching Trace get Tank revved up. Trace would put his hand up and act like he was going to hit whoever was holding Tank and Tank would start barking and go ferocious on Trace. The kids thought that was so funny. They would beg Trace to do it over and over again. Sorry Trace, poor Tank is going to need some counseling now.
We had dinner that night at "Patty's", a restaurant across the street from Trace's Apartment- which was delicious. Then, of course, we went next door to have one last night of ice cream. Trace was such an awesome host and we so appreciated him for letting us crash at his place and spend time with him. Kaylie informed me that Trace offered to let her stay there and she could take more dance classes and they could be roomies...Trace, you shouldn't offer things like that because she might just take you up on that. We were sad to see the day come to an end, knowing that we were leaving the next day.

Day 14 of our trip

2008-07-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

We started the day off by just relaxing and slowly getting ready. We were a little tired and the kids wanted to sleep in. We left Lake George around 10 and drove down to NYC. Our final stop was at my Uncle Trace's place in Manhattan. We parked our car in Jersey and took the subway over to Manhattan. This was the first time that the kids had been on the subway- they thought it was so cool.

Garron and Lacey on the subway. Garron is Sooo Excited!!
Kaylie, Trenton, and I on the subway. Trenton was so excited to carry the Metro card.

We finally reached Trace's Apartment around 4pm. We unpacked our things, played with his dog Tank, and then headed out for a night in the Big Apple. Trace took us down to China Town and we ate at a phenomenal Vietnamese Restaurant. Afterwards, we walked around China Town to see all the shops and vendors. I was shocked to see so many places were closed down and signs posted everywhere saying that these places were shut down due to police operations. But the kids thought it was neat just seeing all the tall buildings around us. As it started getting late, we headed back to Trace's Place and had to stop across the street at the ice cream place for ice cream... it was sooo good.

These are pictures that Kaylie took from Trace's Apartment. This is the Empire State Building. She also thought that the steam coming from the man holes were neat...
Another picture from Trace's Apartment of the Empire State Building in the day.

Day 13 of our tirp

2008-07-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Six Flags Great Adventure is New York (near Lake George). I would have to say that this was not one of our favorite parks. The rides were so-so and not very many of them. They did have a water park and the kids spent most of the afternoon there. We decided to stay the night at the Great Escape Lodge next door, which had an indoor water park also. So the kids stayed in the water til about 9pm.
The kids with Scooby Doooooooo
Lacey and Kaylie floating down the Lazy River.
Do'in the rides

The indoor waterpark at the Great Escape Lodge.

Day 12 of our trip

2008-07-12T21:46:00.000-07:00

We thought it would be fun to take the kids up to Canada, so they could say that they had been to a different country. What made it even more fun was that we went to Montreal where they speak French, so the kids really felt like they were in a different country.

I had looked up the border sites on the Internet to see what we needed to cross into Canada. We were told that all we needed were our drivers licenses. So I thought COOL, it will be an easy cross. Well... when we got to the border, they were OK with Max and I crossing- but I didn't have any identification for the kids. Max had his work badge on him which gave him a little power and they let us cross (after questioning the kids a little bit- making sure that we didn't steal them!). Well, it didn't hit me until we started to drive back to the US border that we were going to have to go through this again- which we did (and they were actually a little bit irritated with us...dumb Arizonans don't know what we're doing!) Thank goodness they let ALL OF US cross back over.
The kids in front of the LDS Montreal Temple. As you may be able to see in the next picture, this temple is very small. It had a church building next to it which was twice as big as the temple.

Garron's biggest request was to stop at Taco Bell in Montreal. He loves Taco Bell, especially their hot sauce. So he thought it would be so cool to get the hot sauce with French writing on it. So we planned our whole stay in Canada around us stopping at Taco Bell. The irony of it was that when we walked in, they just announced that they would not be serving any taco bell items, only PFK (KFC for all the Americans)- But Garron did get his Taco Bell Sauce in French!!!! Our Chicken lunch ended up costing us $70.00US dollars... for chicken WOW!!

Chop Sticks for your chicken!!! What is that all about?

The word 'shup' was carved into the table and also on the wall. We have no idea what the word is or means, but it became our new word for the day. We made fun of it throughout the rest of our trip. "Shup Garron" - Now that I think about it... it is probably not a nice word.

After we were finally able to cross back over to the US, we drove over to Alexandria Bay and Thousand Islands. It is very beautiful country there.

We took a ferry out to see the Boldt Castle, which was on a secluded island. Mr. Boldt (owner of the Waldorf hotel in ny) was building this beautiful castle for his wife around the 1920's, when she suddenly passed away. He never returned and just left it sitting there. It is an amazing 6 story castle with breathtaking views out of every window. The kids liked the children's quarters- it even had a bowling alley. Pretty amazing for the 1920's.

After we left Alexandria Bay, we began looking for a hotel. There was a huge lacrosse convention going on there, so we couldn't find a hotel anywhere. We drove 1 1/2 hours to find something and we ended up at the 'Bate's Motel'- that not what it was really called-BUT it is exactly what it looked like. So we were a little jumpy that night. But we all lived and even took showers the next morning. Max said it was the best shower he had on the trip. (Old shower head with great pressure!)

Day 11 of our trip

2008-07-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

This morning, we went out to explore the beaches of Maine. There were little sudden differences: like the sand was harder, the water was colder, and the waves weren't as big. It was a beautiful beach though.

The weather was perfect! A light breeze to keep us cool and the sun out to keep us warm! That made for the perfect temperature.

Hanging out on the beach!!

Our next stop was New Hampshire. We decided to take a scenic route down Mt Moosilauke Highway. We stopped at a little grocery store and got supplies for a picnic.

Trenton, Kaylie, and Lacey at the grocery store we stopped at.

Trenton and Lacey at the grocery store.

We found a beautiful creek while driving down the highway. So we stopped, had a picnic, and played in the creek.
It was so beautiful. This picture doesn't do it justice.

Garron rock jumping!
Yeah! That looks like it hurts!
Lacey and her stick!

Trenton, shockingly, fell into the creek and go a bit wet.

After our picnic, we continued our journey to Vermont- and the Ben and Jerry Ice Cream Factory!

Lacey posing with the cows!
Garron just wanted ice cream!

At the end of our tour, we all got a free scope of Cinnabon Ice Cream (I think that's what it was called) and it was soooo good. Kaylie found some socks with cow spots that she had to buy (yes she has a thing for socks- she also got socks from the us mint, gettysburg, and FAO Schwartz in NY)

After the tour we were quite beat, so we found a hotel and crashed (well must of us. I had to do laundry...)

day 10 of our trip

2008-07-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

We headed out this morning for Boston, Massachusetts. I'm a little fanatic about having some sort of picture in each state. So as we were driving through Rhode Island, I had Max stop so I could take some pictures. These wonderful shots were next to Burger King.

When we reached Boston, it was a humid, warm day. Our first destination was the freedom trail. We did stop at Boston's very own Dunk'in Donuts to get the original Boston Cream Donuts...They were so good.
The kids sitting at the beginning of the freedom trail line.
This was the red brick freedom trail that we followed throughout the city. It was so different seeing historical sites in the middle of a big city.
Some of the highlights of the Boston Sites were Paul Revere's home, the church that Nicolas Cage was on, and well everything else that the kids could relate to the movie National Treasure. Thanks to that movie, my kids were able to enjoy Boston.
Lacey in front of the State House.
As we were walking through the town, we saw where Lacey lives. She wanted a pictures so everyone would know for sure where she lived.

Around 2pm we were tired and sun burned. The kids all voted to move on the our next stop- Maine. We drove up to Maine near Portland and just swam in the hotel pool and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Day 9 of our trip

2008-07-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

We started our day by driving up to Atlantic City. When we got there we realized that it was crowded. Max and I were just not up to dealing with crowds. So we drove by some of the hotels and then headed on to our next stop- Coney Island.

As soon as we drove into Coney Island, I wouldn't say that we were afraid for our lives- but it must have been crazy person day. There were just strange people everywhere there. When we got to the amusement park, Max and I both looked at each other and said, "you ready to move on to the next stop?" So this day of our trip wasn't looking so great so far.
Our next stop was Max and Mina's Ice Cream Shop. If you noticed from the picture, they offered so strange flavors like: wasabi, horseradish,.. Trenton ventured out and tried corn on the cob ice cream and he loved it. I did try a sample of the wasabi and I have to say that it tastes just like wasabi...nasty!!

After we finished with our ice cream, we got back into the car to find that our computer decided to crash on us. It had our whole itinerary on it and the programed GPS of our entire trip. So we decided to do it old school....MAPS! I can say that we never got lost either.

That evening our final stop was in Connecticut at the Mystic Pizza Restaurant. Many of the older generation would recognize the name from one of Julia Roberts movies "Mystic Pizza". They had the movie playing on the big screen while we ate and memorabilia from the movie everywhere.
The gang eating our delicious "Mystic" pizza. It was actually very good pizza!
Trenton in front of the delivery scooter.

Day 8 of our trip

2008-07-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

We started our day by packing the car early and just heading out to the beach. We went and got lunch at subway and had a little picnic on the beach. The kids really enjoyed Ocean City Beach and Garron said that they had the best waves. They weren't too excited when we decided that we needed to get back on the road.

Having fun on the beach!!
This was the expensive hotel that we stayed at. You would think that it would be reasonably priced since it was a Holiday Inn. Well guess again!!

Garron looking for the perfect wave to body surf on.

I saw this restaurant as we were driving out of town. I had to take a picture of it. Interesting Name!!

We decided to take the ferry from Maryland to Delaware thinking it wouldn't cost too much. When all was said and done our final cost to cross on the ferry was $65.00. A little more than what we had expected. But now that we had gotten this far, it would have cost us more to back track and go around. So we ended up just paying and crossing on the ferry.

While we were crossing, Lacey came up to me and asked me how long are we going to be on "Charlie"? I didn't quite understand what she was talking about. She said, "Mom, Duh- Charlie the boat, How long are we going to be on it?" Kids can say the funniest things sometimes.

Lacey on the "Charlie"
Trenton with another one of his great faces!!!

After we crossed the 'Charlie' we drove up to the beautiful town of Cape May, New Jersey and got a quaint little hotel just off the coast.

Yep! That the kids posing in the Cape May boat.
We got out to the beach around 5pm and the kids just had a blast. We couldn't get them to leave. I couldn't believe that they were getting in the water. I went and just put my feet in and couldn't believe how cold it was. I thought it was colder than San Diego.

Kaylie and Garron got pretty beat up from the waves. They were getting knocked around and they would just keep doing it over and over again. This was Garron's new favorite "Wave" beach.
Don't worry! These are well trained life guards!!
The beautiful houses that lined the coast line. It was just a picture perfect town. This is on my list for a repeat vacation spot.
That evening a nasty storm came in. We went and ate at a small dinner. We had hamburgers and hot dogs. Afterwards, we went next door to a small theatre and watched Hancock while it stormed outside. We then took the kids back to the hotel and got them ready for bed. Max and I decided to take a evening walk and went down to the boardwalk and visited all the small coastal shops and had ice cream. Cape May was such a beautiful place. I wish I was rich and had summer home there.

Day 7 of our trip

2008-07-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Today we spent all day at Busch Gardens in Virginia. It was a beautiful day. Most of the day was sunny, but yet with all the trees covering us, it made for a great amusement park day. I would have to say that this was one of my favorite parks. When the roller coasters would dive down into the trees made the ride more intense.

Max "posing" in front of the roller coaster.

Waiting in line for the ride "Dark Castle".

Max and Trenton in the people mover.

Trenton loved to make the best faces. If you haven't noticed by now, he could not just give me a normal smile. He was either doing a pouting face, crazy face, mouth open, etc. That's Trenton!!

Lacey, unfortunately, wasn't tall enough to ride on a few of the roller coasters. So we would go and find different rides or go exploring. As we were walking around, we found an "Eagle Family" that was staying at the park. Lacey thought it was amazing that they just stayed there and she wanted a picture to prove that there were really eagles there.

Trenton, Garron, and Lacey are standing with two of the performers for the nightly show that was performed every night in the park. What made it an even more exciting show for me was the fireflies that buzzed around the stage. Man, those little bugs are neat!

At the end of the day, we decided to let the kids sleep in the car awhile and we would drive a bit. As we were driving up the Virginia Coast, we pasted a Semi-Truck. For some reason it made him mad and he must have seen the Hitcher movie or something, because he went crazy on us. He was driving right on our tale, revving his engine, and just being creepy. Soon another car passed him, which mad him even more mad. He was swerving back and forth trying to get around that car to get back to us. So, needless to say, we were a little freaked out. It was in the middle of the night and if any of you have driven that coastal road...there is nothing there. We drove for 2 hours with only 2 hotels (I think they were both Bates Motels though). We lost sight of the trucker, but we kept psyching ourselves out by saying things like, "What if his Headlights all of a sudden turned on behind us" or "He's watching to see where we stay". So we drove clear to Ocean City, MD around 2AM and got a hotel there. We paid good money for that room, because the Beach Boys had just ended their concert as we pulled up.

Day 6 of our trip

2008-07-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

After 5 days of none stop adventures, we were a little worn out. We decided to divert from our original plan of going to Six Flags and just have a relaxing day at the beach. We got an ocean front hotel on Virginia Beach and just played on the beach all day. Later in the day, Max and I went and did the laundry, while the kids stayed in the hotel and watched a movie. There was quite a wicked rain storm when we left to do laundry. The lightening was quite close and it was pouring. So Max and I were soaked by the time we got to the car. But in the end we were able to get the laundry done and the kids survived while we were out.

That evening we ate at Planet Pizza, where we got a free shirt that said on the back "Planet Pizza- You Bet Uranus it's Good". Garron loves wearing the shirt and making sure people read it- to get the shock factor (especially from Nan's).

Day 5 of our trip

2008-07-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to see the sites of Washington DC. We really weren't thinking about what day it was (the day after the 4th of July). So it was very crowded.

Our first stop was the Holocaust Museum. This stop was mostly for my benefit. I've always wanted to see the museum. Walking through each of the rooms and seeing everything that happened to the Jews and those under Hitler was heart wrenching. When we walked into the rooms with shoes everywhere and the piles of hair were the most memorable for me. I would love to go back someday (without the kids) so I can see and read everything.
Lacey and Trenton at the Air and Space Smithsonian.

We went to the Air and Space Smithsonian. We had lunch there and walked through a "rocket". Unfortunately, we didn't stay very long. Max was a little disappointed because he wanted to stay longer, but the kids were getting tired and anxious to leave.
Max and the kids with the White House behind them.
Museum of Natural History, where we saw the Hope Diamond. It was beautiful- but wasn't half as big as we were expecting. The kids enjoyed looking at all the different animals that they had on display here.
Garron holding up the Washington Monument.

Trenton, Garron, Lacey, and Kaylie in front of "ARIZONA" at the WWII Memorial
We were amazed at all the people sitting around the WWII memorial, soaking their feet in the water. It was a very muggy, hot day and I'm sure they were relieved to have their feet cooled off.
The reflecting pool was closed off. But you can see that the ducks didn't follow those rules. They were messes everywhere from those "Cute Ducks".
Garron in front of the Vietnam Memorial. Trenton was curious why people were scribbling over peoples names with paper. When we explained to him what they were doing (penciling over the engraved names) he thought that was cool and wished he knew someone that he could get a pencil scribble of.
In fron of the Lincoln memorial. Did you know that the sculpturer, put his profile in Lincoln's hair? (I don't know how true that is. But if you look at Lincoln's hair, you are able to see a man's profile.)

Garron holding the "Flaming Sword"

We ended our day by driving down to Viriginia and stopped at a BBQ restaurant called Red, Hot, and Blue- Very good BBQ!!!

Day 4 of our trip

2008-07-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! For the 4th we decided our children would understand liberty better by watching the Gettysburg reenactment in Gettysburg, PA. It was such a neat experience. The kids were enlisted into the army. Garron was shocked how heavy the uniform and gun were.
It was amazing how they made you feel like you were really there. All the soldiers had their own tents. Many of the wives were their to help their husbands by feeding them and cleaning their clothes. They had a church service and different demonstrations like the cannon shooting and band concerts.
We were right in the front so we were able to see everything. The cannons were so amazing and loud. The kids liked how they made rings of smoke after they were fired.

After leaving Pennsylvania, we came to our first covered bridge. So, of course, we had to get out and take pictures. They are so beautiful and old fashion.

Kaylie, Dawn, and Lacey in front of a covered bridge near PA. That night we stopped in Washington DC (well, just outside of it, in Virginia). We watched the fireworks on the lawn near the Key Bridge. We were going to go over to the national mall, but thank goodness Max talked us out of it. Just being on the Key Bridge was crowded. What made it even funner for us were all the fireflies that were out. They were so fun to watch. I think that I was more mesmerized with the fireflies then the fireworks.
Kaylie, Max, and Garron watching the DC fireworks.

I did make a comment about chiggers being in the grass. Garron thought that I was talking about a couple next to us, not the actual bugs, and he was shocked that I would say that. After I explained what I was talking about he couldn't stop laughing. So throughout the rest of the trip we heard the word chigger from Garron quite a bit. Washington DC fireworks!!!
Trenton, Kaylie, and Lacey watching the fireworks on the lawn near the Key Bridge.

Day 3 of our trip

2008-07-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

On our 3rd day of our trip, we went to Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. It was such a nice day. There were no long lines (except the water ride that we waited in line for over an hour and as we sat down on the ride it began to rain and they shut the ride down). The park had a nice waterpark inside that the kids really enjoyed. When you enter the park they measure your height, Kaylie and Garron were Jolly Ranchers, Trenton was a Twizzler, and Lacey was a Hershey.
Lacey and Trenton at the waterpark.
Kaylie and Lacey before lift-off. Lacey took me on this ride earlier in the day. I didn't realize that I went so high up in the air. As I began rising (quite high) and was saying under my breath down look down- just look at the trees. Lacey thought was so funny and kept telling me, "it's not that far just look". What a nice, sweet daughter.
Garron and Trenton before lift-off also.
In front of the factory, where we went through a tour of the factory and got free chocolate..... mmmm it was good.
The kids posing with one of their favorite candy bars...

This was Kaylie and Garron's favorite park on our trip. I would love coming back to this park, very clean, shady, and tons of fun things to do.

Day 2 1/2 of our trip

2008-07-02T21:58:00.000-07:00

We traveled thru Amish Country and the town of Intercourse. How could you not go thru a town that has a name like that. The kids were quite amazed by how the people lived there. Garron said he would like that kind of life (until he heard how much work they had to do compared to what he does now!) The country side was beautiful and we saw a lot of horse and buggies.

I think that we wore the kids out today. I looked back in the car and all of them were asleep. They looked so uncomfortable- couldn't resist taking a picture though.

We all had our first taste of homemade "Shoo Fly Pie" that we purchased from an Amish Market in Intercourse, PA. We all really enjoyed it. Max said it reminded him of pecan pie without the nuts.
Kaylie eating Shoo Fly Pie- Yeah she liked it!

Day 2 of our Trip

2008-07-02T00:39:00.000-07:00

Our first stop of the day was Philadelphia. We went to Independence Hall to see where George Washington sat, where the declaration of independence was wrote, the old court house room, and the original declaration of independence (unsigned).
We also saw the Liberty Bell. It was a little let down for the kids, they expected something a little bigger. But hey, now we can say we saw it.

This is the kids with Betsy Ross. She showed us how to cut a star with only one snip of her scissors. While the kids were getting their picture taken. I put a dollar in her cup thinking it was a tip jar- but no it was just her drinking water. Max and the kids laughed about that all day (and still bring it up!) We toured the home Betsy Ross rented, which was very small for so many people leaving in it.

We also went to the US Mint to see how coins were made. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of our favorite stops. There wasn't much to see. A lot was blocked off, either for protection or remodeling (not quite sure) but none the less we weren't to impressed with the mint.

Day 1 of our trip

2008-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Our first day we landed in Newark around 8pm. We picked up our rental car and headed out to the beautiful town of Trenton. This was the only thing that our son Trenton wanted to see. He was excited to be in a place that had the same name as he did. When we stopped to take his picture, I would have to say that it wasn't the best part of town. So we quickly got out, took pictures, and quickly got back into the car.

Our Summer Trip

2008-07-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

This was the first time for all of our kids to fly on an airplane (except Lacey). They were quite excited and nervous, but the flight to Newark, New Jersey was on time and smooth. Lacey had to use the bathroom 5 times in a 5 hour flight. I don't know if it was because she liked walking back to the bathroom or she really had to go. Either way, it was driving me crazy.
Kaylie wanted to know what the button on the side of the chair was. I told her it was an ejection button. She said, "Really?!". From then on it was an ongoing joke throughtout our trip.

2008-06-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

I did it! I passed my nursing state boards. I am now officially a RN!!!! It's hard to believe that it's actually all over. I get to go on our family vacation with any books. This vacation is going to be awesome.

2008-06-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

I always wonder if all my studying will pay off in the end. I feel like I have been living with books constantly in my hands for the last two years. I took my nursing boards today and I don't feel very good about it. When I first started the test, I decided to mark how many I felt like I knew was right. When I got to question 75, I had only marked 7 questions- and then it turned off. That's not good. But I guess I'll know for sure in a few days.

Vegas Nationals

2008-06-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

Kaylie's dance team qualified for nationals, which was held in Las Vegas. Max and I decided to make a trip out of it. So we rented a room at the MGM Hotel for 4 days and got sitters for our other kids. We had the wonderful opportunity of taking Kaylie's friend along with us- Madison Curtis- who kept us laughing. We will forever thing of her when we hear the song "Pocket full of Sunshine" (or the dance actions).

Kaylie and Madison at the Hoover Dam
The MGM Lion in front of our hotel.
Posing with Mr. Yellow at the M&M store in Las Vegas.
Kaylie and Madison with their lute that they won at the Excalibur Hotel. They also went to NY NY Hotel and rode the roller coaster. Kaylie rode it 3 times... yeah she likes her coasters.
Kaylie with her dance team and coach Jessica.

Kaylie and Madison
The whole Precision Dance Teams with their awards. Kaylies group got 1st place for their Hip Hop Dance, Sparrow recieved 2rd, Sweet Dreams got 3rd, and Mama I'm a Big Girl Now got 1st. They did very well with all their dances. I really enjoy watching her dance. Great Job Kaylie!!

Pioneer Trek

2008-06-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

Garron and Kaylie went on a pioneer trek for one of their young adult activities. The trek was 3 days up near Springerville, AZ. They said that they walked a lot and that the food was not that great.
Garron and Kayile getting ready to leave on their big trek.
Be Afraid!!!

Kaylie after the Trek. Yes! That is dirt! Kaylie's leg when she got home from the trek. They were both just filthy. Whoot!

Kaylie's favorite part of the trek was the feast at the camp when they finished their hike. Garron's favorite part was when they stopped hiking!!!

Kaylie's 15th Birthday

2008-05-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kaylie! I have a 15 year old daughter. She was at dance on her birthday (team try-outs) so I decided to bring the cake to her. She loved wearing her tiara (Not Really!) but all the dancers talked her into it for her special day. We sure do love you Kaylie and are so proud of all that you do.

Kaylie's Birthday cake...

Hollywood Vibe Competition

2008-05-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Kaylie's dance group competed at the Hollywood Vibe Competition in Phoenix, AZ. They got 1st place in their Hip Hop, and Mama I'm a Big Girl. They also got 2nd and 3rd with Sweet Dreams and Sparrow. Kaylie loves competing and enjoys being with all her dance friends.
Part of the dance gang at the Competition.

Kaylie and Mom at the Vibe.

Dance Recital

2008-05-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Another dance rectial has come and gone. Both Kaylie and Lacey did great jobs. Kaylie in her production number. A song they did about the devastation that happened in Louisiana with Hurricane Katrina.
Kaylie doing her Sparrow routine. Kaylie doing her Sweet Dreams routine
Trenton waiting on the stage- he's so happy to be here.

Lacey giving us her big cheer out.
Lacey cheering.
Kaylie's Hip Hop number.
Kaylie performing her Mama I'm a Big Girl dance.
Another Sparrow picture.

17 years

2008-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed to think that we have been married for 17 years. I feel like I have been with you forever, but when I look back on it- it shocks me to think that 17 years have gone by. I have had so many wonderful memories with you and I look forward to many more. I love you Max.

Garron's Choir Concert

2008-05-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Garron had a choir concert for his school. He had to sing a solo (the Lion Sleeps Tonight Song). He also had to do some choreography, which he did very well. He really hates to be in the public eye...NOT!
Garron with his friends Preston and Eddie. (Nice pink jacket Preston)
Garron rocking out!
While am I the only one singing?

Larson Hike

2008-05-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Uncle Tony set up a hike for all the Larson Clan. We hike the old road just outside of Miami, AZ. It was about a 3 mile hike. After we finished the hike...and we did finish the hike (I can't say that for everyone!!) we made hobo dinners and s'mores. We had such a fun time. Thanks Tony!!

The Larson grandkids at the start of our hike.
Amy and Annie Skousen.
Nans holding Carter Grandkids by the fire.
Garron and Kaylie in the car getting warm...it was a bit windy.
Garron climbing the rocks.
Garron playing on the cattleguard.
Kaylie on the rocks.

Papa and Kaylie
The hike Garret Larson and Cass Carter with some of their kids.
Trenton and Lacey by the camp fire.

Max and Trenton on the hike.
Max and Kaylie in the wind.

Graduation

2008-05-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

I finally did it- I graduated from college. I received my nursing degree and associates and it only took me 20 years.

The Mattison Gang- so happy to see their mom graduate.
My mom, me, Kandance, and Mandy at my nursing pinning ceremony.
My greatest support. I couldn't have done any of this without him.
Max, me, and my mom-in-law Gail.
I did it!!

Kaylie and I after the long graduation ceremony. Kaylie loved texting me throughout the ceremony with little funny comments. She loved the song that they sung ----talk about love (625,600 minutes).
My Parents and I after sneaking in lunch at Texas Road House before my actual graduation ceremony.
Max and I after the long ceremony.
Me, Nigel Thomson, and Karen Herzog- my nursing school support team. We put a lot of study time in.
The Graduates!

Easter

2008-04-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

We went up to the cabin for the Easter weekend. We painted eggs and had an egg hunt while we were up there. Unfortunately, we all had to get back on sunday for Easter "church" things to do, so we all left late Saturday evening. But we had so much fun being with Papa and Nans, Mandy and family, and Chase and Shalyse.
Garron decorating the COOL egg!
Kaylie experimented with foil paper on her egg.
Lacey made some amazing eggs with stickers, tye dye paint and crayons.
Trenton went for the quick route... he wanted to play.

Beau decided to paint his egg.
Ellie liked putting all the eggs in the holders that came with the kit.
The kids right before the egg hunt. Papa hid a 10 dollar egg, that all the kids were dying to find.
Trenton was the one to find it. It doesn't look like he was too excited to find it- but he really was. He just didn't want to stand for a picture...what a little stinker. I should take his money away.
Papa also hid a 50 dollar egg for the adults. Unfortunately, Mandy found it... she so cheats!!! But we had a good time. Papa gave us riddles as clues and the hiding spot was half of the gold egg attached to the door knob in the bathroom. Great hiding spot...cuz the door knob was gold also.

Hunting for eggs.
Once we got home- the next day was Easter. The Easter Bunny came and hid more eggs and their Easter baskets.
Kaylie got the funny bunny that poops jelly beans.
Lacey with her Easter Basket.
And of course, Trenton with CANDY!!!

Pinewood Derby

2008-03-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's hard to believe but this is our last time doing Pinewood Derby. Trenton is a Webelo this year and will be moving up to 11 year scouts in December. So I'm sure Max is really disappointed in that he won't be helping out with making derby cars anymore. Trenton's car didn't come in first, but it did pretty good and of course it looked awesome (with special help from his Daddy!) Trenton with his friends waiting for his car to race.
Trenton with his cool pinewood derby car.

Yeah!! Trenton's car took first in that heat. Trenton won an award for the most futuristic car

Sea World Competition

2008-03-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Kaylie's dance team had a competition at Sea World. We were fortunate that Brandan and Catherine let us use their beach house to stay in while we were there. We also had Madison Curtis come with us. We had such a fun time going to the competition, walking on the beach, and having a TV picnic at the beach house.

We stopped at IHOP on our way up to San Diego for dinner. Kaylie and Madi were giggly they whole time we were there. By the end of our trip the phrase for the weekend was "I Love That" started by Madison- because she loved everything.
Kaylie and Madison on the roller coaster.
Kaylie in the Polar Bear Cave.
Aren't we so cute!
Getting ready for the competiton with her team mates. Their dance took first place for Sweet Dreams.

Kaylie and Kyle Price
K-OS team
They each got to pick a name to put on the back of their jersey's. Kaylie picked Flexxx

Kite Flying

2008-03-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

It was a nice windy day, so we decided to go to the park and fly our kites. Trenton invited his friend Jeremy and Lacey invited her friend Ashlyn. We had a fun time, especially when we finally were able to get the kites aflying.