Summer

Whoa... we haven't done on update for a while. This summer has been awesome! Our cousins from Texas came to visit us and our cousins from Illinois just moved about 5 minutes away! School starts next week. Aly starts school on Friday- all of the seventh graders are going a day early so they can get to know what to do at a new school. A few weeks ago, Aly entered a contest, Celebrity Competition. 6 nights out of the summer, 15 people sing with a band that they have never performed with and 3/15 people of each night move on the the semi finals. If she makes the next round, she and 5 other contestants will open for the Boyz II Men concert. We are happy to say that she made it into the next round. She will be performing prior to the event, Dancing Under the Stars, on August 22nd, 2008. The important guests going to Dancing Under the Stars are Louis van Amstel from ABS's Dancing with the Stars; Chelsie Hightower, Gev Manoukian and Matt Dorame from FOX's So you Think You Can Dance; Hefa Tuita from Nickelodeons Dance on Sunset; Jason Celaya from the TV Broadway casting competition Grease: You're the One that I Want; Tre Hollaway- the nationally known choreographer and a featured dancer in High School Musical 3, and many more surprise guests. This summer has been great, but we're ready for school to start.

Post Trip

The California trip was so fun! We arrived in California around 9- CA time. We drove by the Kodak theatre where they film American Idol. When we drove by, there were people dressed up as Kiss, Cat Woman, Superman, Homer Simpson and other crazy costumes. We bought a map of star homes:). Aly decided to see Simon Cowell's house and Sam wanted to see Elvis' house. Both pretty big. Elvis' was huge and there were leaves and trees surrounding his house. Disneyland was amazing. Anna saw Pocahontas, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Snow White, Mulan and Jasmine. Aly's favorites are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Matterhorn. Sam loves California Screamin', Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Matterhorn. Mom and Dad like Indiana Jones, Tower of Terror and some rollercoasters. It was fun to go to California but it's hard to come back with the 'post vacation blues'.

The Trip

Mom and Dad LOVED their welcome home- hope you liked Texas- gift which was this blog. It's great to have them back. On May 3rd, the family is flying to California. Anna is ecstatic for DisneyLand to see the princesses, Aly is excited for the beach and Sam can't wait for DisneyLand to go on Splash Mountain and come off drenched. We are flying on an airplane and Aly got in Anna's head that 'on the airplane, people are gonna give us chips and coke and water and we can watch tv!' Now, when you ask Anna if she's excited for the airplane, she gets a big grin on her face and says, 'im gonna get chips and wah-deh (water) and coke and i could watch the Doodlebops!' Mom and Dad are just excited to get on vacation!

WELCOME HOME!!

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE HOME! We are nothing without you! We knew you got us presents, so this is our present to YOU. Hope you had an awesome time toghether in Texas. We missed you and it will be great to have you back. Thanks for all you do:) We love you!

~Aly, Anna and Sam