March was bike and family month

This is a little blurry, but it was the only evidence of the one big rainstorm we had during the rainy season of 2013-2014. The kids tried to dam the runoff from one of the nearby rain gutters and had a lot of fun in this rare desert rain. 

A new bike/walkway was completed that runs toward the elementary school we attend, so one day we decided to ride bikes the 1.25 mile distance. 

 Jilly and her best bud Joseph at recess. I snapped the shot as I was leaving my volunteering gig in Evelyn's class. 

 Grandpa Chickens was in town for work and read with the kids one night after dinner. It was "The Horse and His Boy" from the Chonicles of Narnia. 

 Gordon and Max pretending to be Spiderman...I think. 

 We went up to Uncle Dan's and had late breakfast one morning. Evelyn was just learning how to cook scrambled eggs at this point.

 A Sunday afternoon bike ride to the top of the parking structure to see the view. 

 I also became the proud new owner of a road bike, and this was one of the first rides. Gordon rode the tag-along behind Ben and we went around the Newport Back Bay. It is a popular bird watching location. 

 Lyndsey and Ryan came to visit and see the Disney parks with us. 

 Spent one afternoon at the beach and employing Ryan's awesome digging skills to dig deep holes. 

 After church at Corona Del Mar. 

 Pandemic, the board game that became a family sensation. 

 Silly Symphony Swings.

 Jilly being emo while waiting for lunch. She looks like a celebrity. 

 I think we had to wait for a little bit for Flik's Flyers to start, so we started pulling faces. 

And kissing. Ew. 

February

 Ben took the kids to California Screamin' by himself one evening, probably because I had to work. 

 Cars Land. 

 Valentines Day flowers for the girls and I from Dad and Gordon. 

 My good friend and neighbor Emily got hers too. Ben and Jared had gone together to get them. 

 Gordon had to spend time with Ben at his office one day. 

Playing with a few of the toys Dad has at his office. 

 Playing on the tablet. 

 I got a road bike!

 Getting ready for church, and Evelyn already trying to take a selfie. No!

Gordon and his self-styled mohawk. 

 Gordon figured out you can grab big boxes at Costco and make cars out of them. 

 One of the first rides on the bike, going around the small lake in Woodbridge. 

 Jilly got an award at school and we were there for an assembly where she was presented with it. So cute how they were all walking together. 

 A picture of the photographer trying to photograph the kids. They kept making goofy faces. 

 Like this. 

 This was one of the first times we explored Tom Sawyer's island. It was a fun place to run around and burn off some energy. 

 One of the very few characters Evelyn would pose with. 

 The lights on the Teacup ride at night are so pretty. 

 We stayed late this night, even though it was a school night. 

 A rare rainy day. 

The kids made and ate their snack inside that day. They may have been playing restaurant. 

Christmas

The Bible Study group I joined for the 2013-2014 school year had a very fancy Christmas tea, just the sort you'd expect from Newport Beach. 

I accompanied Jilly's first grade class to a production of The Nutcracker, and bought Ben and Gordon tickets so they could see it at the same theater at UCI. Evelyn had seen it in a previous year. Everyone enjoyed it. 

Gordon loved riding the bus with Dad. 

The University Hills ward Christmas Party. Jilly was afraid of Santa again. 

Gordon using the box Grandma and Grandpa Cows shipped their Christmas gifts in as his seat to watch "Whit Christmas." The kids have loved this movie ever since they were very small. 

Decorating the gingerbread house that Grandma Chickens sent us. 

Christmas Eve picture with our skinny tree. Uncle Dan spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us. 

Enjoying their new set of paints. 

And a contract that Mom and Dad need to remember as the kids become teenagers. Mom told the kids the story of how when she was 10 or 11 she told Grandma and Grandpa Cows she wouldn't be a bad teenager and they wrote up a contract and had her sign it. Mom did remember as a teenager that she had signed it, and that helped her remember to not be a naughty teenager. 

Merry Christmas From Lego Santa and Gordon

More to come soon.