Thursday, April 5, 2012

OTHERS April 2012

The McKandas: 
We had a very exciting month with Macy celebrating her first birthday! We had an Under the Sea party with lots of fun decorations (McKay is preparing a birthday video to be completed soon!) Macy decided that cake is overrated but ice cream is where it's at.

McKay is beginning his 8th month as a freelancing motion graphics artist/director and is loving the ability to set his own hours and work from home most of the time. He is wrapping up a big project with Nike and Footlocker, and then it's on to a project with Red Box.

Amanda is busy with all that comes with chasing a toddler, as well as a few photography projects here and there. She is planning her first overnight girls trip with a few friends for later this month and looking forward to sleeping in and shopping without a stroller!!

We are looking forward to a fun spring and summer! Lots of traveling and time with family- can't wait!

Lots of love to all,
McKay, Amanda and Macy




Daily Duran 
Clare is working really hard to surpass Bella is everything the two of them do. So far she can eat and drink more, poop more, make bigger messes, and sleep a lot longer. Sometimes Clare will sleep in so long we have to wake her up so she can eat lunch. She really is a ball of energy. She loves to play with bouncy balls and squeals in delight when you roll one to her.
Bella has a great time playing with all her friends and Clare every day. They go to different parks and each other’s houses almost daily. She loves to wear her Cinderella dress that her Grammy Berry helped make for her. Whenever we tell her to get dressed so we can leave she runs and puts it on. She is a good big sister playing and dancing all the time with Clare.
Amy is always busy with the girls, church, and her friends. She got to go to a movie one night with her friends. She had fun being without anyone to take care, but she probably still had a full change of clothes for an army in her purse. She decorated for St. Patrick’s Day for one day then took it all down the next to put up the Easter decorations. She did a lot of work for Thomas designing multiple flyers, name badges, and business cards. She has kept up with running too. She goes a few times a week and will do up to four miles!
Thomas started the month off with an emergency management conference in Oakland. It was a one day there and back not too fun. He has been slowly getting the backyard in shape by putting in a few more fruit trees and prepping the ground for some sod. He spent a lot of time setting up the play set for the girls.


WARD WIDE WEB
TREVOR's sport this season is swimming. He swam in his first few meets last month and did well. He has always been a strong swimmer - a natural fish :) Trevor's Destination Imagination team (The Return of the Super Smart Alakazoo Airhead of Doom) took 3rd place at the Regional competition and then competed at the State Finals last month. They did not win a medal, but had great teamwork and a great experience.

LOGAN's sport this season is volleyball. He got to play on the varsity team even though this is his first season of volleyball ever! He is our natural athlete - good at everything. :) Logan's Destination Imagination team (The Return of the 7 DIwarfs) took FIRST place at the Regional competition and then competed at the State Finals last month. They were SOOO close to getting a medal - 4th place - only 4 points difference from the 3rd place team! They did really well this year.

LIZZIE also got to do Destination Imagination this year. Her team name was The Super Slimey Gummy Bear Luchador Explorers. (Yes, the kids get to make up their own team names - hence the silly quirkiness.) Lizzie's team took 2nd place at the Regional competition and then competed at the State Finals last month. Their entire skit was performed in the dark. They had to create their own light source - it was very cool. Her team did not get a medal either, but had so much fun working together. She can't wait for next year!

JACKSON got to go skiing for the first time this season. He went only twice up to Badger Pass in Yosemite. On his second trip he was skiing down the mountain completely on his own! No assistance required! He worked really well with Jeremy and learned how to control his skis without using any poles. 


JEREMY & JENNIFER are recovering from a super busy month. We coached Logan's DI team - practices on Friday nights (sometimes Thursdays as well) with the competition ALL DAY on Saturday. Throw in Scouts and evening meetings at work for Jeremy, Stake Musical practice and Relief Society meetings for Jennifer, swim meets, volleyball games, carpooling, teaching piano lessons - it was a whirlwind of a month! It was a special treat to have General Conference land at the end of this month. It was a perfect day of rejuvenation - just what we needed. :)