Highlights of 2008: The Salerno Scoop

Well, our dear family and friends, another year is about to end and the new to open up before us. We wish all of you a very Happy Holiday season and hope this blog post finds you healthy and happy with your loved ones. These next several posts include the some of the many memories we have made during 2008. We had a very memorable family vacation this summer and really enjoyed spending time together as a family and extended family.

Robert had some great flights around the country. He truly feels blessed to be able to fly. It has been a great way for him to do something he has always been passionate about. He averages 1 flight a month, so it doesn't cut in too much with running the business or being away from the family. The kids were thrilled to go up with dad for a ride in Oct.

I have always wanted to go to Education Week and was able to have all the comets align so that I could fly up and hang out with my great cousins, amazing parents and have time to see some old friends, as well. (I don't mean "old" of course!) It truly was a life-changing experience and I hope to go every year!

Natalie turned 8 and was baptized! We are so proud of her. She is an amazing little girl and brings so much laughter and joy to our family!

Definitely a highlight... the Mira Mar Air Show. It was fun to hang out with the cousins and even cooler to see AND hear such amazing, powerful jets!!! WOW!

Please scroll through the next several posts and see what our family has been up to!!!

We love you all!

Making Memories at the Happiest Place on Earth

How many times did we go to Disneyland this past year with our annual passes? Hmmmm, one can't be sure, but we sure did use them and had a blast doing so! It's so close (20 miles) and up until this June, we have had year-round school schedule and were able to go while the kids were off track and could avoid the crowds. So spoiled, I know. Sometimes we'd leave Averie with Aunt Riki and go on all the "fast rides", running from ride to ride, other times we'd all venture out and go to the shows, etc. This fall, Averie and I would go while the kids were in school and go on her favorites. Our passes expired last week and we will miss them... Unless, we renew them!? Hmmmm..... Averie seeing the world from up high! She loved hanging out in her letter "A"!!

Standing in front of the newly-remodeled "It' A Small World". Much improved, I might add. It's always so colorful this time of year! Amazing lights EVERYWHERE! Natalie wondered what their electricity bill is? Inquiring minds want to know.

Big kids standing in front of the "biggest Chritmas tree they have ever seen". I do believe they have said that every year, however. Ah, yes, this time of year at Disneyland is magical! Fireworks, the parade, bubble snow on Main Street. Magical.

Scenes from the Soccer Field and Parties

It was a great soccer season for our two soccer players. Demerie really made great strides and was a success at both offense and defensive positions. She really loved her coaches and was very happy to have cousin Gianna on her team! Mom was very happy also to carpool with Aunt Riki! Demerie had practices Mon./Wed. and Robbie practiced on Tues./Thurs. Then game day on Saturdays! It was crazy but enjoyable!

Robbie enjoyed being on the "Aqua Sharks "

He anxiously awaited all season

for the end-of-the-season party to finally receive his SOCCER TROPHY!
GREAT JOB, ROBBIE!

Julie's Latest Little Hobbie

Well, yes, I wanted something else to fill my many free hours I have each and every day.... Oh, wait, just kidding, I actually really am fairly busy most days, but I wanted to find some time to hang out with my sister, photographer extraordinaire, Wendy of BlueLily photography. She recruited me last year to be her 2nd shooter for weddings and I absolutely loved it!! Yes, it was overwhelming and scary at first, and has its stressful and challenging moments, like when she sends me to a second locale by myself to shoot, it is a blast. I've always loved photography, yet never really acted on it.

Well, these past couple of months found me using various friends and family as "guinea pigs" or practice and it was fun! Thank you all again, by the way...

Here are a few of my favorites...

Happy Halloween 2008

What a fun Halloween this year! Even Averie was in on the fun... and of course had the rite of passage of wearing the beloved bumble bee costume of years past!

Robbie was an astronaut, Natalie wanted to be (and actually wants to be) a pop star diva (well, maybe she doesn't want to be the diva part) , Demerie was a creepy and scary ghoul! Yikes!

Our neighbors, Evan and Brooke joined in with the fun evening of Trick-or-treating. Averie of course came home with the most candy because everyone gave her twice as much candy for being so darn cute!

Birthdays in 2008

Demerie turned 9 in April. She is now in 4th grade and is an honor roll student. She is an animal enthusiast and loves playing with her menagerie of animals here at home, (most being of the stuffed toy variety). She is very helpful around the house and an excellent baby sister entertainer! She really enjoyed soccer this year and her team made it to the playoffs! Robbie turned 6 in March and recently lost his two top teeth. We were sad to see them go, but he still is quite a handsome boy, just talks kind of funny! He is in first grade and loves his teacher. Robbie is always on the go, whether it be scooter, bike or skateboard. He loves to put on shows with his friend Evan. Mom kind of cringes in fear when he does his jumps! He loves to fly r/c airplanes and helicopters with dad! He enjoyed another year of soccer this fall, as well.

Oops, the pics are out of order, sorry Nat! Our Natalie is now 8 and was baptised in Oct. We blogged about the big day a while back, if you want to read about it! What a fun and memorable time. She is in 3rd grade and also on the honor roll! Natalie is still our songbird. She sang a solo, "I Miss You" for the church talent show in Nov. and was amazing. So brave and everyone was amazed at her performance. She and Demerie continue to take piano. It's fun to hear Natalie play and sing her own songs she makes up.

Well, the little spark plug turned two in Sept. She is so much to hang around with during the day when the kids are at school. She lives for her Daddy and loves to yell "Daddy" when he comes home. Everyone feels like a star when Averie is around. She is so friendly and makes everyone feel so loved! She still loves to nap and enjoys her pacifier more than ever! :(

What's that you ask? Did Robert and Julie have birthdays and get a year older? No, we found out how to get a year younger each year!! Want to know how??? .....

Summertime 2008

This summer found Julie at Young Women's Girls Camp! I was the secretary and spent many hours since January planning, e-mailing, attending meetings in attempt to plan an amazing camp for our girls in the stake. It paid off and everyone had an awesome experience. This pic. is frome the 3rd year hike.

Long and warm summer evenings make great memories in the backyard! Even little Averie gets to join in every now and then! She gets so excited!

Averie loves baths... she has to be the cleanest babe on the block. Sometimes having two baths a day! Hooray for bath time!

We had many fun trips to the beach! This particular day everyone was being buried up to his or her neck in sand! Yikes! Natalie was one of the first to volunteer! We got some great laughs that day! Nothing like the cool beach breeze on a summer day! Reminds me of those days growing up in Carlsbad...

Summer Fun in Utah

The end of June, we traveled up to Utah for a couple of weeks of fun with cousins and friends. Julie had lots of opportunities to take some pics of the kids!
Have you ever noticed that my kids like to hang out in trees? Need I say more?

Uncle Brent made the hugest slip and slide you ever did see in his backyard! Talk about hours of fun! His yard was made for this! Everyone had a blast...even GrandB went for a few slides!!

Trip to Utah/ 4th of July 2008

On the 4th of July, we went up to BYU campus and had a giant picnic with Julie's family and some cousins, Aunts and Uncles. It was a giant family reunion-like fun fest. Grandpa gave rides to all the grandkids in his little convertible and we had a huge water balloon fight on the grass. After eating and playing games on the grass, it began to get dark and the fire works began! What a show!

We had some going up the canyon and having picnic along the river! It's so beautiful up in the canyons in the summer!

We took the older 3 kids up to Snowbird for the day and took the tram up to the top of the mountain and hiked around! Gorgeous views! We also had a blast on the alpine slides, bunjee trampoline and zip lines.

We also had a family reunion with the Barson family. Julie and her sister Wendy and brothers, along with Mom and Dad all had a blast staying in a Cabin up in the mountains by Heber. We had a Moose cow and her 2 calves right out in our "backyard" every evening. What a fun way to observe wildlife!

Horse Camp 2008

In July, Demerie attended horse camp for a week. She has always enjoyed riding and being around horses. She is an animal lover for sure!

Such a Smartie ... and a cutie!!

Natalie received a Roughrider Award for academics in October! Way to go Nat! Keep up the great work, sis!

Well, ok, for those inquiring minds who want to know why I suddenly abandoned my blog after such a few short weeks of faithful posting....well, where do I start? I've been intending to post Halloween for, well, since Halloween! So, I'm now going to follow with a short burst of photos and info of our past couple of weeks here in the singed hills of Chino Hills. Here we go...

Meet Our New Pet

Yep, this is him, or her! Well, let's just say he's our pet for now! Robbie found this cute and cuddly guy traveling, ever-so-slowly, across the street and a couple of houses down, the other day. He came running back towards the house shouting, "hey Mom, I found a turtle, I found a turtle!!" We all looked over and see him barely being able to lift up this HUGE Tortoise up to his chest! Whoa!
Well, we still have the tortoise! After putting up, "Lost Tortoise" signs around the neighborhood and having not heard from anyone as of yet, he's staying for now! Add him to the list of odd pets at our house! We currently have one of the two snakes we hauled back from Utah this summer, (one escaped and we believe it is currently having a vacation in the backyard), lizards, 2 dwarf frogs and a myriad of insects and creeping things that have short life spans, (thank goodness!). I am often puzzled that I have such creature-loving children. I was (and still am!) the exact opposite! Hmmmm... ?
Robbie feeding the little guy lunch. Delicious! He's a great pet so far, appears to be healthy and is very quiet! My kind of animal!

Please Enjoy Your Flight!

Robert and I decided to surprise the kids, very last minute, and have them go up in the jet with dad on Saturday. They had been inside the jet and have seen Robert take off and land in Provo this summer while we were visiting GrandB and Grandpa, but never had flown in it! The jet had been in Long Beach for the week for required and scheduled maintanance and was to be flown to Van Nuys, where it is hangared. Alex, our friend, who is the "Captain" (1st pilot), gave the go-ahead to let the 3 older kids along for the ride! Yes, I was a bit nervous at first, but they were so excited when we drove up to the airport, had them sit inside the jet, then tell them the news!Robbie "helped" Dad do all the pre-flight checks and arrangements. He was on cloud nine, need I say more?
The girls kicked back and prepared for the ride! Averie was so excited to be with the big kids! I was relieved when we said our good-byes. She didn't realize that she wasn't going to be able to go, or what she was missing for that matter! She and I were the caravan patrol, driving to VanNuys to pick up the crew and take us all home!

Robbie's dream come true... if only he could REALLY fly it!!
Needless to say, Robert and the kids beat us to VanNuys airport. They had such a great experience! Robert and Alex gave a "narrated tour" of the sites as they flew over them. Definitely a trip they won't forget for a long time! What a fantastic flight!!