Cupcakes Anyone??

Madelynn had her cousins Aurora, Lizzy and Sarah over and instead of doing the usual swim all day long routine, I decided to mix it up by having everyone decorate cupcakes.

Okay so this wasn't today, it was about two weeks ago, but I will pretend it was today. I would rather remember this day than the one I am having.....I have a summer COLD!!! WE AREN"T SUPPOSED TO BE SICK IN THE SUMMER PEOPLE, will someone please try to explain that to this horrid cough and make it go AWAY!!! THANKS ;>)

Anyway, so here are the pictures of the beautifully decorated cupcakes, aren't they lovely? I was so focused on taking pictures of the cupcakes that I didn't think to get any of the kids....oops! But I did get some of Katherine enjoying hers.....she is so cute!!

Santa Barbara Zoo

One of our adventures so far this year have included 3 days in Ventura where we went to the beach, spent lots of time in the hotel pool, went shopping, and went to the Santa Barbara Zoo. I sadly did not get any pictures at the beach, or anywhere else for that matter, but I did get some at the zoo.

We went to the beach on Tuesday with Uncle Justin and Auntie Liz, Uncle Jared and Auntie Kami, Auntie Katelyn, Grandma, and all of the Pollock cousins: Kennedy, MacKenzie, Grayson, Ian, Quintin, Madelynn and Katherine and of course Mommy.


This is how we started our day at the Zoo. Madelynn wasn't a happy camper to start, but once we started seeing some animals she brightened right up.



Otters


Flamingo's and the Turtle


The Elephant and Madelynn


Katherine's catastrophe, notice that bump wasn't on her head in earlier pictures.


We got to feed the Giraffe's, it was pretty cool!!




Madelynn & Cousin Ian


The Lion
The picture of the lion wouldn't upload. While we were waiting to feed the giraffe we could hear the lion's roar. It was so load and went on for a while. Grandma and the kids ran over to get a look at it and said it was pretty cool!!!

Monkeys


We brought a monkey with us to the zoo, but they wouldn't let her join the other monkeys at the zoo....darn!



Playing on the grassy hill.


Katherine's turn.


Madelynn got an owie back at the pool. She kept going back and forth from the hot tub to the pool and on one of her trips took a tumble. She landed right on her ear and smashed it. It even oozed blood!!


She insisted on applying the bandaid herself......all better!!


Auntie Katelyn gave Katherine her first ponytail, isn't it so cute!!!

The Tomato Fairy Princess

Madelynn just helped Auntie Hollie harvest Nana's tomato garden.

Today we made bread & butter style pickles out of zucchini and patty pan squash. It turned out very well and is actually quite tasty.

This is the mixture in the pot ready to be cooked.

And here is the finished product!!

Random Pictures!!

Jacob at Disneyland!!

There are those who would say that Jacob is a really funny guy.....they would be right. These stories were so funny that they deserved their own blog entry apart from our Disneyland post.

While venturing through New Orleans we happened upon a performance of the "Queen of New Orleans"


A very entertaining singer, she is lots of fun to watch. Well, we were standing there watching her and minding our own business when she comes and snags Jacob from the audience. Yep, pulls him up on stage, in fact crowns him the "Kind of New Orleans." She asked him to teach us a new dance move. And of course all of his loyal subjects had to oblige him and follow his new moves.


He pulled his little princess up on stage to dance with him too.




It was lots of fun!!!


Then, not even three minutes later, we enter Adventure Land and they are just starting a show, so we get comfortable. There is the Mayor and his Depute who are discussing the arrangement of the marriage of the Mayor's daughter. You see, the deputee had said that he would marry the Mayor's daughter, that is until he met her. She won the harriest chest in the west contest, and other very lady-like things like that. Anyway, they pulled three men from the audience and asked them various questions about Mary-Lou, the lovely bride, but she didn't like any of their answers and sent them all running back into the crowd. As Mary-lou was leaving she saw Jacob and said "WOW, I think I just found contestant number four!!" The Mayor then said "No, no, Mary-lou, you can't pick him, he has a baby" Then Mary-Lou went up to Katherine and said "BABY, MEET YOUR NEW MAMA!!" It was really funny.....or so I heard, I went to the bathroom and when I got back my cousin, Amy, said "I know why Jacob likes to watch the shows, he always gets picked!!"

Disneyland!!

On Saturday, July 11th, we went to a work party for my dad's work. It just happened to be at the happiest place on earth....Disneyland!!!

We had a blast. Our group included: My Parents, Shaun, Jacque and their kids Aurora, Lizzy, and Sarah; Jacob, Me and our kids; Hollie & Carlos; Ben & Terryn; my cousins Samantha and Amy with Amy's kids, Keiran and Niamh; and Jacob's co-worker Monica and her daughter Lily.

This was Carlos' first time going to Disneyland. It was as much fun watching him as anything else there, he was so excited.

Group Picture


Family Picture after meeting the princesses. We waited 45 minutes in line to meet the princesses and when we were three people out I turn to Jacob and Katherine was asleep in his arms (ARGH!!!) Oh well, Madelynn enjoyed meeting them. You might notice the expression on her face, it didn't change all day. As Grandpa Bruce said the other day "If you want to take on a challenge, try to get a picture with Madelynn smiling in it..." He is right, it is a VERY tough thing to do.


Maddy in dress


Jasmine

Ariel

Bell


Niamh (Neve)


Katherine sleeping right before we met the princesses. She fell asleep again during the day and I bet you would never guess where we were......in the line to meet Mickey Mouse....go figure!! But that is why she is not in either of those pictures.


Mickey Mouse


Madelynn loves Tomorrow Land because of the Rockets and Buzz Light-year. She went on Buzz at least three times. Here is a picture of Jacob and Madelynn riding the rockets.



All-in-all it was a really fun day. The best part was being with friends and family that we love!!

Madelynn's Birthday

Madelynn is officially 3!!!

She has been waiting for this day since her friends Riley and Andi turned three over 6 months ago. We celebrated with a Princess party. We had two prince's show up and when Walter walked in the room he said "Wow, there is a lot of princesses in here!!" and turned around and walked out, it was really funny.


RandiSue made her cake. Isn't it lovely?? Madelynn was so excited that she had princesses on her cake. She told RandiSue who each one of them were and thanked her over and over, she LOVED IT!!!


Here she is blowing out the candles.


Opening presents, she got lots of fun princesses stuff and a ladybug game, she loved it all!!


Here is a group picture, some of the kids are missing, but we got what we could.


This was taken on her actual birthday. Grandma got Ding-Dongs to celebrate and they were a hit, she at two!!

Auntie Manda's Graduation