So Proud of Avril!!

Indian Hills has a program called the Excellent Eagle Award.  The kids have to choose from a variety of goals and accomplish these throughout the year.  Avril started the school year late, so it was quite an accomplishment for her to have achieved the Excellent Eagle Award.  Some of the things she had to do included memorizing her address and phone number, tying her shoes, writing a list of 100 words, counting to 100, learning a series of math arithmetic problems, doing a service project, etc.  She is one smart girl, and I am one proud mom!  I got to see her receive her award at a special ceremony.  Way to go, Avril!!

She is such a joy

A pretty smile for the camera...

Avril walking back after receiving her Excellent Eagle Award

Avril with her water bottle and medal

I am so truly proud of Avril.  She is always so determined to do her best and she just loves to learn.  She is such a delightful child and I couldn't be a prouder mom.  Love you, Avril.

Zoo with the Triplets

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Aunt Trish invited us to go to the Hogle Zoo with Parker, Edison, and George.  We rarely turn down an opportunity for the zoo!  So here we are, on another zoo adventure...

The girls love to climb the fake animals.  Its almost as fun as seeing the real ones...

McKel climbs atop the lioness' head

Avril also atop a lion's head

McKel and Parker touching the giant wet ball!

Hi there Mr. Giraffe!

The lions were relaxing right up against the window.  Massive and beautiful animals!

Avril escorts George around the park

Avril, George, Parker, and McKel, all holding hands.  So cute!

A little fun ring around the rosy!

this ball is just so fun to touch!

Goodbye to all the zoo animals...until next time!

Aquarium

So many times I've driven by the aquarium in Draper and wanted to take the girls there.  So when Sara and Matthew invited us to accompany them on an aquarium trip I thought that sounded like a great idea, and so did the girls!  So many cool sea critters to see!!

A beautiful, smiling girl, visiting the turtle exhibit

McKel watches the majestic creature

Look mom!!

Sweet McKel

Matthew enjoyed seeing all the fish

The girls were excited to cross the rope bridge...

They even worked up the courage to touch the sting rays

Don't fall in!!

sleek and smooth

That brings us to the end of our fun day at the aquarium... :)

Soccer Girls!

Admittedly, being a soccer mom is pretty cool.  I love that the girls get excited to go to soccer games on Saturday.  However, I'm not so sure that soccer skills are truly being acquired.  The games are pretty chaotic, and I'm never quite sure which team is winning.  It is fun to see the girls playing a team sport.  McKel is on the turqoise team and Avril is on the purple team.  They both make an effort to get to the ball and kick it, whichever direction it may go... Here are a few pictures I captured from their season finale games:

Sooo cute!!  McKel gives a 'good game' shake to her opponent team player after the game

Gimme 5!

McKel with her teammates and soccer coach.  She is the only girl :)

McKel proudly displays her soccer trophy

Avril gives a high 5...

Avril also proudly displays her trophy

Great season, girls!!  :)

QianQian

At the daycare here, the girls bonded with a little Chinese girl by the name of QianQian.  Avril and QianQian have become the best of friends.  Unfortunately, it was time for QianQian to move back to Shanghai, China.  The girls were devastated by the news.  There were many long, drawn out hugs and tears.  The girls keep asking if we can go to China.  I am sure they have no idea how far away it is... it looks pretty close on the little map we have!  We took some pics of the girls to remember each other.  So sweet.

I am not sure who the little girl giving bunny ears is.  She was playing with them in the playground.  Avril and QianQian sharing a tender moment.

Maybe some day we will make it to China... they can always be pen pals!

QianQian gave Avril this gift to remember her by, before she left to China.

Hogle Zoo

I have become quite a fan of living across from the zoo... it gives us something fun to do and it's always a good time.  The girls brought their friends to join and just loved it.  Their favorite part was climbing on the dinosaurs.  What?  They have dinosaurs at the zoo??  The Hogle Zoo has a Zoorasic Park feature going and has dinosaurs throughout the park that even move!  Pretty cool!

All the kids climbing the dino

McKel seats herself on the dino head!

And just for fun...  :)

McKel hatching from a dinosaur egg!

Fun day at the zoo!

Fat Cats!

We finally put Avril's coloring contest win to good use and took the family and friends to Fat Cats!  They had glow mini golf, bowling, arcade games, and pizza!  The girls brought their friends Ella and Rachel.  Even Nana and Papa came along.  They had a blast, of course!

Golfing was more about the cool lights, we definitely did not play by any rules...

Rachel, Avril, and Ella

Papa attempts to help McKel with her golfing technique.  May have been futile :)

Pizza and bowling!

Rachel and McKel try out some motorcycles...

McKel and I shot some bulls!

The girls had such a blast playing together. On our trip back from Fat Cats... at the gas station... this happened: and more singing girls back at the apartment: