Memorial Day at Rose Hills

We went to visit our dad's this morning at Rose Hills and attended the Memorial Day Service event which was beautiful. 

World War ll planes flying overhead. 

In the seats

Flag is half mast 

21 gun salute

Aaron hiding from aunt Jeannine's camera (for the last picture)

Release of white doves 

One dove stayed with us 

War jeep

At Veteran's cemetery where Arnold and Arthur Wills are buried.

Matt found a shady area under a nearby oak tree (California Roble)

Aunt Jeannine swinging Aaron

Aunt Jeannine swinging Samantha 

With Grandpa Arnold

Uncle Arthur with flowers from Jeannine and Esther's gardens. 

Daddy/Grampa Arnold

Movie night

Tonight, we had pizza, ice cream, cherries, milk and water to drink and a movie night. 

Aaron got a Venus fly trap a couple weeks ago at the Natural History Museum and seemed disappointed that it hadn't caught any bugs. 

It's Memorial Day weekend and my dad's been on my mind. He used to teach me to catch bugs off geranium leaves and to throw them into spiders' webs and then we'd watch them spin their prey. He did this to teach me to not be afraid of spiders and to have a respect for them because they keep the bug and pest population in check. 

Seeing my kids' disappointed with that carnivorous plant, I told them "the only way you're going to see it eat is if you feed it small bugs...go to the geranium plant that's growing into our yard from the neighbor's yard and pick the bugs off of it and feed that to your plant."  

They looked a little stunned but while I was heating the pizza, they went outside to the backyard for a long time. After a bit I heard Aaron say "why don't we just use the big ants?" And then Samantha yelled "we got one!" But by the time they got to the plant they'd balled it up to death and it rolled right through the Venus fly trap's clutches. The dumb thing closed up after it was gone. 

They went back outside and the next time they came back with a live one, put it in the center of the trap's wide open "trap" and this time they watched it close in on the bug. I showed them that you could see the bug through the trap's side because it's black. 

The kids were fascinated for a while but after dinner they went to the living room and built a fort stocked with supplies of food and ice cream (I didn't catch on to the latter right away, but in time). 

In the meantime, Matt flooded the kitchen and emptied the bird bath all over the dining area floor. I made him mop it up (he's very good at that) and then he was upset with me.  He left to his room. I tried to get him to join us for movie night but he refused. 

I came downstairs and found this :

There they are

Stash of food (I'd already put the ice cream back in the freezer)

I carried each one up to their beds. Matt fell asleep in his bed also. 

I'm now alone, watching the rest of the movie. 😊💓

Mardi Gras for Autism 2016

We went to Mardi Gras for Autism today, April 16, 2016, in Fullerton.  Samantha performed in the first Demo with American Martial Arts Academy at 11:50 a.m. 

Samantha with Nunchucks

Samantha with kammas in a group of 3

All done with Mr. Rigsby as Assistant Director. 

There were Star Wars characters today:

Matt and Aaron with Kylo Ren

Matt with Storm Trooper

We ran into Mike and Luke Voegele.  I would've walked right by and never seen them but Aaron saw Luke and yelled "Luke's here!".  I asked if he had another friend named Luke at school and then I saw them. 

Pictures by Mike

Samantha tapping on a Storm Trooper's uniform and he seemed oblivious. 

My pictures

The Director, Jason, at Cleta Harder was one of the Commanders. 

I allowed Matt in this picture with me and the Mos Eisley Cantina.  Cool!

Darth Vader appeared and everyone crowded around him and then formed a line to a side.  I was trying to get a good place in line but as I looked up, Matt somehow made it first in line. 

Picture from Mike

Mike and Luke left and we continued to watch a friend's dance performance (no pix) and then the kids went Bungee Cord jumping.  

Matt staying low on the Bungee trampoline. 

Aaron flying high

Samantha went high too, but no pix. 

Great day!

😊

Lol!

Star Wars!!!!!

Outside of the movie theater after buying tickets at 2:20 p.m. December 21, 2015

Aaron refused to be the elf (???)!

Sam Sam sola!!!

We were among the first in line, so we got to sit at the tables!  We got a large popcorn, pretzel bites, and Sprite and ate half of it all before going in.  They had free Lego magazines at the entrance, so Aaron and Sam were fixated and drawing at the tables!  Nice!!!

We got center/center aisle seats!!!

I lost Matt to the trailers!  😄

We finished all of the popcorn before the movie started and pretzel bites before entering the theater. 

The trailers were kid friendly (unlike yesterday at the 9:20 p.m. show with Lynn, where the trailers were all action scenes, some blasting and gore).  There's going to be another Transfirmer type movie.  

Samantha's Imperial Dance Studio Tap Recital

Very good dancers!  Always a great show!

Samantita is under "Jingle Bell Rock"! 

Waiting for the show to start!

Samantha and Cinny in bed

Last night, Samantha took her bird Cinny to bed with her and when she's done this in the past, she usually asks me to take the bird before she falls asleep. 

This time however she fell asleep cuddling with Cinny. 

I almost forgot that the bird was there but something in me reminded me so I checked on Samantha.  Sure enough, she was fast asleep but at first I could not see Cinny.  So I flashed my iPhone flashlight over Sammie and saw a wide open bird's eye underneath Sammie's hand. Sammie was lying on her back and her hands were folded on her chest over her heart and under her hands was a very still, very comfortable Cinny, lying completely facedown on Sammie's chest.  Her eyes were wide open however and when she saw me, she wiggled out from Sammie's embrace, stood up, shaked herself up, and walked toward me groggily, as if to say "I'm done. Take me to my bed".  

I put her in her cage and covered it and for the first time Cinny did not complain or flap her wings after I covered it. When I walked away she did not complain and beg me to take her with me (a lot of bed time specific squawks and I usually talk to her until she calms down).  Cinny stayed quiet in her cage and went to sleep.