Mesa Drive-in - Monsters University

    Ashlyn and Dawson's Uncle Adam stayed with us all last week.  It was a very special treat because he lives in Texas and we don't get to see him often.  The kids could not get enough of Uncle Adam.  They constantly wanted to be around him.  They played football, wrestled, played games, and watched movies.  Ashlyn kept saying she loved her Uncle Adam because he kept her very good company.  She has not stopped talking about him since he left and he said she wishes Uncle Adam and Aunt Jane lived with us.
    On the final night that Uncle Adam was here, we decided to make a trip down to the drive-in.  We hadn't been yet this summer and wanted to go.  We decided to see Monsters University since we all had really been wanting to see it.  Jacob and Nadia also came along.  The girls has such a fun time together.  Part of the fun of the drive-in is playing around while waiting for the movie to start.  We got there early to get a good spot.  We didn't think of it when we planned the drive-in, but it happened to be the longest day of the year, so the movie didn't start until pretty late.  All the kids made it through the entire thing.  It was a really cute movie and a great follow-up to Monsters Inc.  The kids and I all fell asleep for the whole ride home.  They both even slept in the next day which is very unusual for either of them!

Ashlyn and Nadia

It was very smoky and hazy down in Pueblo.  This was what the sun looked like.  The good thing was that it didn't smell like smoke. 

Waiting for the movie to start

Ashlyn and I

Jacob and Nadia

The boys

Uncle Adam

Jacob surprised the girls with these glow stick suckers that they thoroughly enjoyed. 

Reading Rewards

   Ashlyn and I have been working everyday to get her ready for kindergarten.  We work on reading and do workbook pages every day.  She is just so smart.  My new fear is I have prepared her for 1st grade and not kindergarten.  All the kindergarten workbooks have become way too easy for her.  I'm really hoping she is challenged enough in kindergarten.  I do not want for her to become bored.

    We used to read lots of picture/young children books before bed.  Before school got out, I took home some Junie B. Jones book from my classroom library.  I read the first one to her and she was hooked!  The series consists of chapter books about a very spunky kindergartner named Junie B.  I think I enjoy the books as much as she does.  My mom was able to find the whole series for her so we are working our way through the whole series.  I just can't believe my little girl is old enough to sit their and listen to chapter books. We have a great time discussing the books and talking about our favorite parts.  We sometimes draw our favorite scenes and compare them.  I know it will be a matter of time before she reading them to me.  

    Ashlyn has really become an great reader.  She finished one series of beginning reading books.  I got out a Hooked on Phonics set that we bought a few years ago at a garage sale.  Hooked on Phonics is really a great program for teaching kids to read.  I think it does a wonderful job introducing sounds and skills in way that makes sense for early readers.  The set came with chart that she could mark off each time she finished a book.  I told her that she could pick a reward for when she made it to the top.  She picked going to Chuck E. Cheese. She worked so hard to get her reward.  She insisted on reading two books a day so she could complete her chart even faster.  She impressed me one day by informing me that if she read two books a day, she would be finished in five more days.  Last week, she finally finished the and made it to the top.  We were so proud of her.  She picked to go to Chuck E. Cheese on Thursday.  She asked if we could take Ella, and of course we said yes. Her trip was even more special because Uncle Adam was in town and came along too.  She had a great time and I was so happy to be able to reward her for all her hard work and determination. 

Showing off her finished reading chart.  Each star represents a book she read. 

They all really liked this dance game. 

They always love a carousel ride

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This was Dawson's favorite ride and he stayed on it for a long time.

Riding the horse

Some skee ball fun

Practicing throwing the ball

Dawson trying out this driving game

Ella getting to drive

Dawson driving with his Uncle Adam

The girls really liked this water game

Feeding the ticket machine

Pizza time

Ashlyn showing off her prizes.  The watch is a lip gloss watch.  It broke in the car ride home.  Ashlyn immediately declared it a waste of tickets.  lol

Ella showing off her bracelet

After Chuck E. Cheese, we decided to take Uncle Adam to out favorite park for some play time. 

They love running in the grass. 

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

     Last Wednesday, my sweet nephew Jameson turned one!  I can't believe how fast this year has flown by.  Ashlyn is especially upset because Jameson is her special little boy and she doesn't want him to get any older.  Unfortunately, we can't stop time so all we can do is celebrate the fact that he is turning a year old.

    On his actual birthday, we decided the perfect way to spend it would be at the zoo.  We haven't been to the zoo in awhile but that will be changing because we purchased a membership for the next year.  Our zoo is truly amazing.  It is in the mountains and they have done such an amazing job with all of the exhibits at the zoo.  They just opened a new African area that is very neat.  

    We had an awesome time at the zoo.  Since it was Jameson's birthday, we took advantage of all the fun the zoo has to offer.  They rode the train, got their faces painted,fed the birds, fed the chickens, and rode the carousel!  Whew!  What fun was had by all.  We can't wait to go back again and have some more zoo fun. 

On Monday, we went up to Denver to do some shopping for my sister's birthday.  Ashlyn's Gram took her to the American Girl store.  She let Ashlyn pick out some stuff.  She got this hiking outfit for her doll.  She also picked out this bird and birdcage.  I thought it was a very random choice but she loves that bird.  She has named her "Tweet" and she goes everywhere with her. 

They just started holding hands all on their own.  So sweet!!!

There is a really steep hill at the zoo.  Dawson really impressed me by running up the entire hill.  Maybe he will be a runner one day?

The new elephant area

Checking out the meerkats

The elephants

This is the view from the elephant area.  I swear I don't think there is another zoo with such amazing views.  You can sort of see how hazy the sky was from the smoke. 

Always running

Ella checking out the mountain lion statue

Riding the train.  Dawson hopped right in the conductor seat

Dawson loves riding any train.

Jameson wanting to touch the bird

Ella and a bird

Ashlyn and a bird

She just loves birds. 

The peacock Ashlyn got on her face.  They have kids that paint faces for donations. 

Ella and her butterfly face

Petting a turtle

Riding the carousel

We had to stop and take a look at the hippos which remain to be Ashlyn's favorite. 

Feeding the chickens

Posing with the gorilla