Oil Museum

We went to the Oil museum this week trying to get some culture into our lives and expose the kids to it as well. My grandma would be very pleased. We live in the middle of oil country and there were lots of displays of OLD trucks and pumps they used. It was fun, but it's getting pretty hot outside too. Great for swimming, not for walking around outside at a museum.


Here were are in front of an old oil truck.


Kennedy by the pump.

Busy Day

Last week MacKenzie and I went to pick up Bruce, Kathy, Jordan and Heidi from their trip to Europe while Justin went to his brother Jacob's graduation. It was a busy day for everyone. Kathy found LOTS of cute things the grandkids "needed", but cutest of all are these gold ballet slippers! Kennedy already was unloading the suitcases of clothes and found the socks or leggings i guess and then put the slippers on over them and I couldn't stop laughing at how funny she is.


Here's a picture with the CSU Bakersfield grad! He the first on Justin's side to complete his bachelors and finished with an accounting degree. Now he gets to find a real job. Good job Jacob!

MacKenzie's Pony Tail

Here's our cute little baby that's turning one at the end of the month. Her hair is just long enough to make this goofy looking pony tail:) She's growing so fast!



This is the "I'm getting mad" look. There's a whine that goes with it and lucky for you you can't hear it on the picture, but it is funny.

Tractor ride

Here we are at the Brown's who live about 40 minutes away from Derby Acres in a place called Cuyama (Kweee-yah-mah). Justin and I had never been there before, but we couldn't miss it, right off the highway the only house with a VERY large windmill. And I forgot to take a picture of the windmill because I was so excited about the tractor! :)



MacKenzie didn't care that she wasn't riding the tractor. She's such a happy girl.


Here's a little family shot.

Toothpaste

It seems like I'm only taking pictures of Kennedy and the toothpaste and the lotion, but that's what she does all the time. Maybe we will get to locking drawers someday. Anyway here she is...again!!

Staying @ home...

When we're at home we find all kinds of things to get into. MacKenzie is now slithering around and Kennedy is potty trained. This means I let Kennedy stay in the bathroom for long periods of time as she likes to have the door shut when she's going #2. Sometimes she likes to get into other things when she's finished. The other day she climbed on the counter and took a bath in soap. If it's not soap it's toothpaste.

We found a cute little rocker unfinished for $15!!! had to get it!




Pool time after Aunt Heidi's dental hygiene graduation. Good job Heidi. Kenney liked being on the floaty and macKenzie liked just being in the water with Uncle Jordan.

Coloring the eggs

Or dropping the eggs. We ended up making deviled eggs out of the cracked ones.

Ummm... yummy crayons! MacKenzie made sure everything was up to taste.


So cute under the table. Nothing funnier than eating with everyone around the table and then someone jumps up wondering what is licking their feet... and it wasn't the dog:)

Easter

From L-R Madelyn, Kennedy and MacKenzie pose in their cute Easter dresses made by Grandma Pollock.

Here they are in Jacob's new wagon and note the little chicken in Kennedy's arms. She loves her chickens!

And here is what happens when you hold the chickens too long :)

Ventura Beach

Justin & I planned to visit Ventura to see his sister Katelyn a few months ago and they closed the grapevine on us!!! The other day we decided to try again and it was a blast. The girls had never been to the beach and Justin was dying to get in the water. Me... I like to let the water heat up A LOT before getting in. Here's a picture of Justin and Katelyn preparing to go snorkeling... yes in the Pacific. Didn't see much, but had fun doin it.

Kennedy is a girl after my own heart. She wasn't so sure about the freezing cold water but loved holding the crabs her Grandma and Daddy found.

And our sweet little MacKenzie... she had fun watching it all. She even took a good nap:)

Sounds of silence

I think many moms can relate to the deafening sound of ... quiet. Kennedy found her way out to the mounds of dirt which used to be in the front yard:)

Jacob's Birthday

Every year around St. Patrick's Day Justin's mom makes corned beef and cabbage. I never had this until i joined the family... and I love it, but not as much as Justin LOVES it!!! So for his brother Jacob's birthday we celebrated yesterday with all the fam minus Jared & Kami, by eating yummy corned beef, visiting and taking a stroll down to the park to play. I wasn't sure who was more excited about going, Kennedy or Katelyn and Jordan.

From L-R Justin, Jacob, Heidi, Katelyn and Jordan. We were missing Laura & Maddie who we home feeding and the grandparents who were enjoying the few minutes of quiet.

Then we have our cute little swingers :) Makes it easy to push just one swing. They love it!

Derby Acres

Justin is getting ready to go into the CHP academy and we moved in with his parents in Derby Acres. Look @ the population on the sign... I love it and we are having a great time. We moved in 2 weeks ago and Kennedy misses her friend Austin, but loves to be able to run wild in the country. We have been swimming in the spa everyday waiting for the pool to warm up so we can jump off the diving board. We have looked for worms... no worms out here. Imagine Middle East climate. Only thing out here are oil fields and it's beautiful in its own kind of way.

Emus!!! "Moo-ove like an emu moves" Kennedy keeps calling them peacocks :) And check out the stroller we found for free on the side of the road! Free is always a good price!

Cute little sheep and a goat.

The Old Gage House

As we were out in the sticks of Fresno a month ago we went by this old house. It used to be my great grandparents house and I remember going there Sunday afternoons for dinner with ALL the family (2nd cousins, 3rd cousins...) It looks excatly the same minus a few trees and veggies:)

Tumbling & Rolling

Here's what happens when you leave the laundry room for 1 minute! :) And if you look closely you will see Frosty the Snowman in there with her... it's not Christmas, but every time I try to hide him she gets him back. Frosty can be found sitting next to her on the couch and is a fabulous dancing partner!

Kennedy is still learning how to pedal, but she loves her birthday bike and wants to wear her helmet while she rides just like Daddy!

Anziano Phillips

I remember these days on the mish :) Lots of work, some sleep and still... no one to teach! I think the Lord sends out the young because the older would've gone home after the first few weeks :)!! Here's Benjamin my brother on his mission in Italy. He is currently in Torino, but is getting transferred to Milano. Good luck Anziano Phillips!

Birthday for Daddy

He's 26! And we were a day late blowing out candles, but we celebrated Justin's birthday and for his birthday surprise I took him diving and I got to swim! We love the water and it was so nice to get in and play around for a little without worrying about kids. Here's Justin blowing out some candles last night as we had dinner with mom and Manuel.


MacKenzie was all ready for the celebrations as she has decided to sit up all by herself now!!!Yay for MacKenzie!

Family Home Evening

We had Family Home Evening this Monday and it was by far the cutest one ever. We had a short lesson which consisted of looking at pictures of Jesus, the prophet and temples. She knew all the pictures and so I had her repeat after me:

Jesus came to earth.
He died for us,
so we could return,
to live with Him,
and Heavenly Father.

The prophet
helps us learn
about Jesus.

In the temple,
we can learn
about Jesus
and be sealed
as a family
forever.

She repeated everything like a champ and then Justin & I decided it was time to see if she would say a prayer all by herself. She was a little confused at first because she is used to us praying, but once she realized she could pray she repeated the words after me again and did such a good job!!! Our little girl is growing up and we are so happy! That's probably the first prayer that has ended in big hi-5's from everyone including MacKenzie!

I'm 2!

Can you believe I'm 2 years old!!! Neither can my parents! Here I am with my super cute outfit my grandma Pollock made for me. I wore it to church on Sunday and kept my hat on for 2 hours!! That's a record for me.

Here I am opening some presents. Funny how I would be happy with just one, but when I find out there are more I don't know what to do.

Some of my friends and cousins. Almost everyone was from Bakersfield.

Trying to take a group picture didn't really work. The boys were having too much fun :)

The girls of the group. From L-R MacKenzie, Gracie, Madelynn, Sara-Jane and Kennedy. We're all realated and soo cute!

Sunglasses

"Sunglasses?... More?" I cleaned out the car and found 2 pair of sunglasses I thought were lost! Kennedy "needed" to try them on.

Chocolate

Uncle Jordan got Kennedy this cute little shirt that totally describes our little Kennedy... a chocolate fan :)

Our Trip

The day after Christmas I got a call from Dad and Pennie asking if I wanted to go with them to Portland to pick up Scuffy (her dog) and then on to Idaho to see my sister Khristie. Obviously I wanted to go and asked when they were leaving. "When you get here and we pack you in the car." So off the kids and I went and left Justin at home to work and sleep, don't feel too bad. Justin had plenty of dinner offers and he took them up on it.

Here are Khristie, Dad and I in Meridian, Idaho! She is working as a dental assistant and I'm sure the dentists are not used to such an outspoken assistant.... that's why they keep her around! =)

Can you see how sad Kennedy is to have a new doggy friend? She thought it was the funniest thing to stick her face in Scuffy's until she got a doggy lick!

While on the road we decided to swing on down to Utah and visit my other sister Rebecca in Eagle Mountain. Here are the only girls of the 1st cousins. The 7 boys were running around playing. Sierra, Kennedy and MacKenzie

As we got closer to Utah I made a phone call to Rebecca and found out Julia was visiting also. So here we are Rebecca, me and Julia.

On the way to Portland and then on the way home Kennedy decided to throw up all over the place. She sticks her fingers down her throat and then lets me clean up what's left over from the gagging. YUCKY!!! Anyone want some hot dog? Lucky for us we were near a truck stop and they had some Lysol, but man... gross!!!!