Lin and Ariel's First Day of School

I'm so sorry for taking months to get back to blog.

I love my new job but it takes up most of my days and evenings.

Anytime left, I spend with the little ones.

Chunka looking chill. She knows it's summer time all year around when you're two!

Ariel and Lin prepare to cross from our home (See the Decker's home across the street.) They will walk pass two homes to the bus stop. Lins look so young! Ariel is a great big sister.

This year was a biggie at the Thompson home.

Lin started Kindergarten with Mrs. Stroh (our favorite). Ariel started 6th grade (a big deal at our elementary). Mandy started high school at Bellflower. Shauna started her last year at BYU. Mom started back to work. Lots of new beginnings.

Tag, you're it!

Tag, you're it!
Sorry Sarah, I know you tagged me ages ago. Life has been wicked busy! I promise to do better. Life’s got to slow down….right?

4 RANDOM THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY HUSBAND:
1. He sings all the time.
2. He’s got great empathy.
3. He is a team player
4. He still calls me his sexy girlfriend.

4 JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Pizza Hut (Waitress, Cook, Assistant Manager)
2. Long Beach Unified School District. (5 years of Special Education Resource K-5)
3. Magnolia School District (2 years of Special Education Resource K-6)
4. Huntington Beach City School District (First year of Special Education Preschool)

4 MOVIES I'VE WATCHED MORE THAN ONCE:
1. Strictly Ballroom
2. Ideal Husband
3. Across the Universe
4. Big Trouble in Little China

4 TV SHOWS I WATCH:
1. Dr. Who (Have you seen the new series? Love 'um!)
2. Pushing Daisies
3. Heroes
4. Torchwood

4 PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY
1. Sarah
2. Donna
3. Hapa
4. Tina

4 OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Everything Lin makes. I haven’t cooked in quite a while ‘cause he’s really good!
2. Hawaiian Island Cuisine (The best from each major ethnic group).
3. Japanese/Thai/Vietnamese/Korean – Pretty much all Asian food
4. Mexican and Italian

4 PLACES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:
1. Nate & Sarah in Germany
2. New Zealand & Australia
2. Hawaii
4. Japan

4 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR:
1. Shauna’s graduation! Yeah! Party time!
2. Sending Daddy in April & Shauna in the summer to Germany to see Sarah & Nate. We miss U!
3. Getting comfortable in my new job.
4. Getting my home as organized and clean as my classroom.

4 PEOPLE I TAG: Hey favorite people, I tag all of you :)

Photos of Grandpa Thompson

My niece, Kristen, asked for pictures of Grandpa Thompson. I hope you'll all enjoy these pictures of Grandpa I scanned this summer in AZ. Dad looks so much like Uncle Dave in this picture.
The cute short one is my husband, Linwood.
Dad looking dapper in his suit with little Roger and Lin.

Below you'll see them all dressed up. I hope Grandma can identify the man in this photo. This looks like a Thompson baby but which one? That face has been seen on several generations of Thompsons.
Remember to scan and label when you can. Old pictures are a priceless treasure.

The Renaissance Family Singers

Our summer adventures continued into the Labor Day Weekend with a trip to the Aspen Institute for Renaissance Weekend. Here are some pictures of beautiful Colorado. I just love the color of these flowers!
Ariel and Mandy practiced their ukuleles.
Ariel took Chunka (Laura) on a nature walk. Here you can see our gigantic Renaissance name tags. Love how big they are so you don't have to squint at people's boobs to read their names.
Laura at one of these ponds. The hotel and the manicured lawns were modern artsy.
Lin plays on a sculpture. I think I'll call this "Boy at Rest".

Renaissance Weekend was lots of fun. Renaissance has a policy against cameras, tape recorders, etc. in sessions since everything is off-the-record. You can find information and pictures of previous weekends on their website http://www.renaissanceweekend.org/ In fact, if you look at their photo album, you'll find a picture with Shauna, Mandy, and Lin on the last page :) Our friends, Julian and Rhona Frazen write hysterical musicals each year making fun of current trends and politics using popular songs and broadway hits. Only at Renaissance Weekend will you see a man wearing a John Edward's name tag singing "I Feel Pretty" or my daughters as canine back-up singers to a guy playing Leona Helmsley's dog. She left her dog millions of dollars so he's singing "If I Were a Rich Dog" to the tune of "If I Were a Rich Man". My daughters were both beautiful and hysterical. Here they are practicing in our hotel room.
Daddy and Shauna also had solo numbers and did well. I didn't get to see them live this year because Laura & Lin couldn't sit through dinner and the show. I heard the audience response was wonderful. The day before, Daddy entertained the lunch crowd with a humorous rift on the Founding Fathers and this year's election. He's so brave. They are a very intimidating crowd.