The Pioneer Day Parade was a big event for our family this year. Richard marched with the Lewis Middle School marching band playing the clarinet. Austin tumbled with the California Gold Gymnastics group. Madelyn rode on a float with the Class Act Dance Pre-performance group while dancing with her arms to the Beach Boys' "Dance, Dance, Dance". She was on entry #159. It was a long parade! Caitlyn and myself were part of the Peterson Elementary School group, with a cute little red schoolhouse float (the first Pioneer Day Parade float for Peterson as far as I know. I helped put the float together in my garage, and it was designed mainly by Audra Stout with Shannon Marshall and Alanna Davidson helping. Alanna's husband Jayson drove his suburban pulling the trailer for the float. I wore the school's panda costume and Caitlyn wore her pioneer bonnet and a prairie skirt my mom had sewn, with her Panda shirt. We were supposed to do a line dance that the performing arts club kids had worked on for a few weeks, but the parade moved so quickly that it was almost impossible to do any steps except the 2-step moving forward. It was hot and sweaty in that costume, and I could hardly see a thing. I would not wear it again! I was really happy with how the float turned out and I think all the kids had a great time. I was just disappointed that I missed seeing Richard's band and Austin in his group. I did catch Madelyn's float passing by near the very end. Our town really has the pioneer spirit!
Here are some pictures of Caitlyn and friends, the entire float that we PTA moms put together, and another picture of the entire parade group from a different angle. Go Pandas!
Caitlyn's baptism day was on August 15th, 2009. Her birthday was the Sunday before, which was August 9th. She wore Camille's baptism dress, and hopefully Madelyn can wear it in two years as well. Here she is in front of our porch, just after we came back to the house.
Dan baptized and confirmed her a member of the church. She gave a talk today about ordinances and how being baptized and sealed in the temple as a family each bring us a step closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She has taken "baptism lessons" given by Dan a few times the week before her birthday, and she prayed and felt a good feeling about what she was learning. She is gaining her own testimony and has a good knowledge of the gospel principles and truths.
Lauren, friend, Camille, Sara and Holly pose after dessert
The food was great and the we all tried many new things. Here's Austin with the special heart chocolate mousse. We ate frog legs, tofu, escargot, duck, to name a few.
Madelyn and Camille at the cliff diving place in Mazatlan with their new sundresses
Mazatlan downtown at the cathedral, not a great place for families and small children.
Here we are at Puerto Vallarta (our first stop) getting back to the ship after a day at the beach. We didn't know where to go at first and walked the wrong way, looking for a beach with Camille and the Cliffords. We finally got a taxi at the Wal-Mart and he drove us to the hotel where our server at breakfast had told us all the workers love to go to because you can use the nice pool and the beach and all the facilities. We found it and it was wonderful, and we even found Camille, too.
Madelyn, Anna Clifford and Caitlyn in Puerto Vallarta at a hotel on the beach where peddlers would try to sell us everything and braided Anna's hair. It was beautiful and very warm. 
Caitlyn and Madelyn dressed for formal dinner night
Despite using sunscreen, the kids got really sunburned at Puerto Vallarta, Richard the worst!
Here she is reading tender messages from her grandchildren. I think Camille wrote a nice poem. Looking good at...75?
