Let's go to the Zoo!

Last week Cullan's class went to the zoo and I went along as a chaperone. 

 It was a cold and a rainy day. But we tried to make it as fun as possible. 

 Here is Cullan hanging out by the giraffes. 

 They were all inside because it was so yucky outside that day. They had a new baby that we were all excited to see. 

 This guy was just reaching up to have a little lunch. 

 Cullan and his new friend smiling for a picture. 

 We hung out with another mom and her group as we went around the zoo. The kids were so good. 

 Here they all are hanging out by the polar bears. 

 Cullan and I hanging out after lunch. Trying to stay warm and dry. 

 Cullan as a peacock. 

 I love all the color on these birds. 

 The kids got to check out this cool shell and touch it. It was pretty interesting. 

 Then they all hoped on this boat to check out a video. 

 Some turtles...just hanging out.

 Cullan with some extra long arms... with some help from his friends. 

 Cullan by a waterfall. You just cant see the waterfall. :O)

 The camels were the last stop...

then on the bus and off they went to head back to school.

It was a really fun day despite the yucky weather. I feel so lucky when i get to go on field trips or do things at school with the kids. I always really enjoye it. 

Spring Sing!!

The boys school put on a concert every year and this year they did it in the spring instead of around Christmas time. 

I was not able to go because Ayla was sick, so Garran took the boys and lots of pictures and videos so I would not miss anything. 

 Here is Kael waiting for the concert to start. 

 All the kindergarteners singing. They did a Lion King theme. 

 Kael really loves to sing. He is always walking around the house singing songs or humming to himself. 

 Then it was the first graders turn. Cullan is towards the end with a plaid shirt on.

 This was both Kindergarten and first grade singing together. 

 I am not sure what they were singing bu tI love how Kael is right up front!

Cullan in the back on the top row. He did an awesome job as well!

Sugar

So, I was going to post this on Facebook, but decided not to because B is only in her underwear in it. But it is so funny, I wanted to put it on her since this is a family journal of sorts.

I just crack up every time I watch it.

Hospital

 Today the kids were playing hospital. Here is Ayla on the stretcher. It was so funny. 

Later they brought in Briea on the stretcher. (Really one of those bed rail things)

After they brought Briea in on the stretcher, Cullan had the following conversation with Garran. 

Cullan: Doctor, (addressing Garran) We have done her X Rays and her brain, stomach and lungs are fine, but we found that half her brain is missing!!

It was so funny to watch Garran try and keep a straight face. 

I love the funny things that kids come up with. 

A Change...

Well with Grad School coming to an end and changes needing to be made, a move was inevitable. 

We looked all over for jobs in different places, but we finally made a decision. 

Our next stop in this Gillespie Family Adventure....NC!

I feel really good about this move for our family.

Of course we are sad about leaving all the grandparents, but it is exciting to be moving near cousins that the kids can play with.

Everything has really just fallen into place. We have a place to live that some friends of ours rent out. It's a cute little house that i think will be perfect for our family!

I will keep everyone updated with pictures and info. 

For now, we will be headed out the last week of May. 

So let the packing and cleaning begin!

Garran's MFA show

Well after three years of Grad School... We finally made it to this big event. 

 Garran's MFA show.

I was so excited and proud of him all rolled into one.

Don't touch paradise was the name of Garran's show, but it came from an encounter that he and Kael had on the stairs one day. Kael was coming down and Garran was going up. Garran patted Kael on the back and Kael turned around and said, "Don't touch paradise, and this is Paradise!"

Since Garran's show was about fatherhood, it only seemed right!

 Kael is the fly whisper in our  house and he had a pet fly for two days that would just sit on Kael. It was the strangest thing we had ever seen. He named it Remarco and so this is Kael and his pet fly. Remarco!

 Garran did a series of drawings in which he took the kids art work and did his own interoperation of it.

I just loved them.

 This was a drawing Kael did of a girl. Garran made it Briea.

 This was a Cullan drawing of all of us. Garran just did the four kids and added a few extra touches.

 another Cullan drawing.

 and this last one was a self portrait Cullan did and then Garran went off that.

 These were another series that Garran did. He made portraits of each of the kids and then grafted his own skin onto them. It was about what we pass down to our children.

 Cullan

 Briea

 Kael

 Ayla

 This is a print of Kael called "The Legacy" touching on myths of our religions.

 "the Gift" is of Cullan and other myths of our religion.

 This was the entrance to the show! It looked so good.

 I forgot to get a picture with Garran the night of the show, so we went back the next day to get one together. We were much more fancy the night before :O)

 We took the kids with us to see the show the next day as well. They LOVED IT! They thought it was so cool to see themselves and parts of their work hanging up!

 These are just some gallery shots that i took.

It was a great night and so many wonderful friends and family showed up to support Garran. I could not have been happier with how it went. I know it was a lot of hard work to get to this point and I am proud of every minute he put into it.

Here is a walking tour of the show. Please excuse my lame commentary!!

Happy 9 Years!

Well yesterday, April 10th, was Garran and my 9 year anniversary. 

It was kind of just an ordinary day becuase both of us having crazy busy schedules. 

I guess that is what happens as life goes on and you have kids and school etc. 

So Garran called me and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch. 

I said yes but that I was still in my work out clothes. 

(That's how you know it is love, when he still takes you out stinky and work out dressed!)

We just ran to Panera to grab a quick bite to eat because he had to get back to school and we had both girls with us. 

 Briea had picture day at school that day and so she was being all cute for us. 

 After lunch, the girls got to share a treat. Briea was in Heaven. This girl loves chocolate. 

Here is Ayla. 

Being sweet and naughty all in one. 

It was nice to have lunch together and get to spend a couple hours of our anniversary together. 

Happy 9th Anniversary Garran!

I love you more and more each year!

OH this Girl..

She is so sweet and cute. 

Someday she will break hearts. 

I sure love her.