The Gabrielsen Seven

The Gabrielsen Seven

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Joel Flake Family Reunion 2013

 Grace's best friend Catalina (and her sister Connie) came over to give the girls goodbye gifts. We'll miss our Chilean friends!
 Empty bookshelves are great to sit in.
 I packed the girls some dinner for the road.
 The reunion was at Joel and Melanie's in Horseshoe Bend, ID. Alice spent time with Grandpa in the hot tub.
 Charlie loves Aunt Cassidy!
 Mom and Dad got their mission call to Panama City!
 Dad was excited to show the grandkids on the map.
 Grace and Alice loved having Savannah sleep between them for two of the nights.
 Family reports. Kelsey/Justin, Heather/Austin, Greg/Haley.
 The Hoseshoe Benders.
 Charlie crashed our late-night visiting, but Grandpa didn't mind.
 Thanks to Ammon and Preston for letting us sleep in their room!
 Charlie and Uncle Austin - both big for their age.
 Alice and Eliza.
 Aunt Haley/Grace, Grandma/Alice watching the horseback riding and calf chasing.
 CowBen.
 Daddy/daughters.
 We visited Grandma Emery. She seems to be doing pretty well.
 Back in the hot tub with Savannah.
 Derek.
 With Ammon.
 Paul and I ran a kid activity doing bubble science experiments. Natalie liked this bubble wand.
 Justin even came to learn how to blow huge bubbles on a tablecloth with straws.
 A group effort.
 Meanwhile, Alice and Cheyenne got all glittered up.
 Sparkly!
 I think Kelsey actually looks good with that make-up on!
 And for sure Grace does!
 Savannah, Grace, and Alice were best buds this reunion.
 Holding hands at the beginning of the long hike.
 It was tough, but we made it. Paul carried Charlie all the way, and Alice part of the way.
 Charlie loved getting out of the backpack!
 Yee haw, Kelsey!
 Grace did awesome and never had to be carried.
 A well-deserved rest.
 Mom even made it up (with a lot of help) - everyone cheered when she got to the top!
 Horseman Joel.
 What a view!
 Kelsey volunteered to carry Charlie on the way down. He fell asleep...until Kelsey fell head first down a small hill. Neither one of them got hurt.
 Charlie was ready for a nice swim after all the excitement. "Hard hike? Haha, don't make me laugh!"
 Man, that's a cute baby!
 He loved his floatie. (Joel and Melanie, we left it at your house - please return it if possible - thanks!)
 The men played pool basketball after much roughhousing over king of the hill.
 Cassidy and Charlie ready to see the play.
 Dinner with the Kramers.
 Derek had the little boys mesmerized with his stories and jokes.
Grandpa and Charlie after the testimony meeting. Fun reunion!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

7-year anniversary and the end of kindergarten

 At the bus stop on the way home from school. Our car was in the shop.
 Sponge curlers + smoothie = cutie.
 I LOVE this picture!
 Rahr!
 Pyramid?
 The quintessential photo op at the sign. Happy graduation!
 The view of Santa Cruz.
 For our anniversary, a friend watched our kids, and we did what we've always wanted to do since we got here: walk along the beach without our kids. We actually got to go at our own pace and hold hands and have free reign of the binoculars - all things we can't do with the kids. Then I looked out and saw what I thought was a shark fin.
 Soon, a lady biked by, saying there were dolphins out there! I couldn't get very good pictures, but we ended up seeing 4 of them!
 It was so amazing! We saw them jump out of the water and everything!
 Sorry I couldn't capture it in the pictures, but we were so excited, and watched them for a long time. It was REALLY cool!
 Aside from the dolphins, Paul loved watching the waves, and I loved all the huge pelicans.
 Then we went to dinner at a Middle Eastern place with a courtyard filled with plants and vines and lights and outdoor heaters. It was so fun!
 Paul got the beef kebab with saffron/basmati rice.
 I got chicken in pomegranate sauce with roasted potatoes and broccolini. Yum!
 Fun anniversary date!
 Thursday was Grace's last day of kindergarten.
 She and Alice both got cute with sponge curlers.
 Can you tell it's cold and sunny?
 We all took Grace to school for her last day.
 Ellie and Grace.
 Alice.
 Grace.
 Charlie.
 Final circle time.
 Alice.
 Grace.
 Then the whole class went on a field trip to the park. Alice and I protected ourselves from the sun.
 Grace LOVED Ms. Allabach. If you're worried she didn't challenge the kids enough, just ask Grace all the parts of a plant, or about rectangular prisms.
 Alice is a cute kid.
 Catalina and Grace.
 Laeti, Grace, and Amos. She said her goodbyes, and kindergarten was over.
 Charlie's first banana. He wasn't that into it.
 We went to a princess/pirate birthday party on Saturday for four kids in the ward turning 3 within 6 weeks of each other.
 Grace dressed herself.
 Alice wore this dress all through the party, but insisted on riding home naked!
Pirate Charlie.