Summer time Start

This is the start of my summertime posts. I am sure they will all be lengthy as I will only have a few days here and thee to update and the pictures and memories will continue to accumulate whether I post them or not. So here is my best shot at the first month.....

This post is making up for the last one that didn't have any pictures..... this post has a TON!


On Memorial day we decided to go check the "new-er" Wildlife Zoo that is over in Glendale (far far away). It was a really neat place. We had a few "buy one get one free admission" coupons that we got from our egg carton, so we took us and Brandon + Allee, and Rachel + Angie, and her two boys and Maycee were free! I would highly recommend it to any family. They had several animals that the Pheonix Zoo doesn't and their habitats are much closer to the public so you can actually see the animals!

Here we are with the flamingo's!!!

One thing that made the zoo so enjoyable was watching Maycee get so excited about each animal see saw! She would point and make the cutest "oo" sound. Almost like she was trying to talk to them. It was so fun to watch her! Here she is pointing at the ostrich.

Maycee really got excited to see these things, I couldn't tell you what they are called now but she was thrilled!!! Maybe it was the horns....

looking at more animals.....

Pointing some more.....

And again......

Then we came upon these creatures, we weren't quite sure what they were but they were making strange noises. Allee and I thought they were almost talking and saying things like "feed me!" or "help me, i'm stuck!" We quickly moved on. :)

Here is a close up of one of them. Just look at those teeth!

Since Maycee was so excited about each of the animals she was seeing we were very excited to take her into the petting zoo. However, I think we were a little let down. A s soon as Maycee got close and we put her down it was like all the sudden she was scared of the animals. She didn't really want anything to do with them. I don't know what it was. We'd step back and she would be okay, then get close and she would hold tighter. this was one of the only times she reach out to touch the baby goat by herself.

This was funny. This huge pregnant looking goat came right up to Blake and just starred him down. I was just sure that that goat was going to decide to all the sudden just charge right into Blake. But nothing, just starred. Like it was a contest or something.

Another goat really liked the way Blake's shirt taste. This goat came back several times to nibble on his shirt.

Maycee and Daddy with the white tiger! This Tiger was so close you could almost put your arm through the cage and pet it!

Let me know if anyone is interested I have plenty of coupons left :)

In June my mom turned 50!!!! Im sad to say I did not take out my camera at the event, I was much to busy. Busy singing a song with the other children that we changed words to and had actions. Or busy keeping the cupcakes stoked. They were all made to look like Super man symbols but it stood for Super mom instead. or busy presenting her with a home made super mom cape for her to wear for the evening. Or busy watching a super mom viedo that Angie spent several hours putting together. It included pictures through out her hole life and clips of her children saying things that they loved about her. It was a fabulous night and it turned out really great. (you can see pictures on my mom and dads family blog. Just click on the Mickelson Clan on the side bar)

During the month of June I also had the opportunity to go to NEW YORK!!!! Now before you get to excited, a few things. I was going to visit Angie, who live in Albany, so this is not pictures of the city life and everything. Don't get me wrong it was still a blast but just probably not what you think when you hear somebody say that they went to NY. And second, my battery died the third of seven days I was there :( I was so mad!!! So you only get to see half the trip :(

On the way home from the air port Angie droves us around so we could see a few things. This is where Duane works, Albany Medical Center. Its only about a mile away from where they live.

The first full day we were there, Wednesday, we went to a park. Well actually we went to a new park about everyday. It seems funny to go to so many parks but thats whats their in Albany and they are all really neat and really fun. We found out Maycee does not like to swing. Look closely at her face. its not just this swing. Any swing we put her in she would freak out! We think its just the fear of falling because she doesn't like it when you through her in the air either.

Again the face....

Angie and Tristen liked there turn.

All the cousin's with Aunt Rachel. Rachel was such a help out their with the kids. It evened the playing field. Since Duane worked most the time I was there it was three adults to three kids.

Through out my stay we had several people ask us how old the "twins" where. They were shocked when I told them they were 4 days apart. I had to explain that they were cousins and not twins. Still, to see there faces when I said that-it was pretty funny.

They weather their was funny. Sometimes it would rain and then the clouds would part, the sun would shine and you only knew it had rained because of the puddles. this was Maycee playing in the driveway with the puddles, she loved them!

The next morning Kalvin made eggs, he actually did a really fabulous job. The Ellsworths like to put a little lemon pepper on their eggs. its actually really good, you should try it sometime. (Elder Mickelson, I do apologize if you find this picture offensive. I figured since he was a boy it would be okay. If not then just scroll down really fast!)

Since there was two babies and just the one high chair they took turns. It was realy cute, anytime one was up inside the other would tickle their feet. In both pictures their faces aren't saying much, but they both did get a kick out of it.

Friday, we went to this really neat place called, Indian Latter Farms. Im not quite sure what the name had to do with it but it was a neat place! They had a small petting zoo and all sorts of berries that you could pick. Strawberries, bluberries, cherries, and in the other seasons they had pumkins and apples and a few other things that i'm sure I didn't know about. When we went they said that the bluberries were most plentiful and most ripe. So thats what we paid to pick :) The kids LOVED it. i rather enjoyed myself too.

I showed Maycee once and then she had it all figured out. Pick the fruit and then pick where you want to put it, your mouth or the bucket.....

She even ate the greens ones, like they were candy!

Kalvins ucket was filled and emptied many times. For about the first 15 minutes he would pick about 20 and then eat them all before he picked anymore. I think we finally took it away so that we could get it filled and move on, it was starting to get warm.

This is when we ventured to the goats, it was HILLARIOUS! Maycee was so excited to see them (just like at the zoo) she even got close. They had a candy dispenser filled with corn that you could feed the goats for a quarter. We tried it out and Maycee's reaction was almost beyond wards. She thought their tonuge licking her hands was funny but she was terrified of what they were doing. So she would let out this laugh/scream. I don't know how better to put it. Watch the video at the bottom.

See how she has her head turned away, she is freaking out at this moment.

This is another time we were driving around. In Albany most of their tax dollars go towards schools. They take very much pride in their education their. All of there schools lokk like castles and most of them are actually Academy's not Jr. High or High Schools. This is the picture of the columns that wrap the entire length of this huge building. Anybody wanna take a guess at what this building is for??? It is the Albany State Education Building. I have no idea what it is used for......
I had to get a picture because I studied all about these kind of columns in college..... kinda weird but I thought they were beautiful!

The Hudson!

All in all the trip was a blast and I'm so glad that Maycee and I got to go. I can't wait for Blake to be able to come with us next time!