School Pictures

It's fall and that means school picture time. It's usually a battle with Mason over wardrobe selection and hair style but Trevor was home on picture day this year and handled all the details. I remember last year Mason wanted to wear his Frogs baseball jersey and I finally convinced him to wear a nice polo shirt over it for the pictures, which he could take off afterwards. Well the school pictures came in and much to my surprise as I opened the packet, there was my smiling kindergartner in his Frogs jersey. You win some and you lose some.

Mason Evan Neville
First Grade - Age 6
Mrs. Slater
Givens Elementary School

Emma is also difficult when it comes to picking out her clothes and styling her hair but with a little negotiating we pulled it off this year and everyone was happy. She used to attend Shadow Hills Pre-school and had her school pictures taken there but this year was different. She's home with me and I thought it would be fun to stage a little photo shoot so she could have school pictures too. She was a trooper as I posed her in the backyard and snapped a few shots. It also helped that I promised her a piece of candy after we finished. I love how pictures capture these moments in time and bring back the happy memories associated with them...I love you my little 'Frog' and backyard 'Fairy'!

Emma Nadine Neville

Pre-K - Age 4

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt



Go Vote

It's mid-term election day and I'm proud to say that I voted! This year, fewer than 40% of voting age Americans will actually vote. I find that a little sad.

Voting is actually quite easy not to mention free! Today I can even add fast to that list, I was in and out in under ten minutes. But the sad thing is that so many people are fed up with politics, and specifically politicians, and so they think that by not voting they are teaching the politicians a lesson. The fact is the very politicians you are trying to send a message to are the ones who don't want you to vote. If they can turn you off enough not to vote, then mission accomplished, one less vote for the other guy or gal.

The simple truth is that everyone should vote. Even if you're disgusted, go vote. Vote for your least unfavorite choice (I did). But go vote.

Lesson of the Day: Mason's elementary school is a block from our house and was my polling place. School was out for staff development and so I brought Mason and Emma along. Afterwards I was thinking how nice it was for them to see people in our community getting out there to vote. My hope for them is that when they are of voting age, the nasty political ads and telemarketers won't turn them off and they too will exercise their right to vote.

"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter." Dwight D. Eisenhower

October Outings

Welcome to Neville News Flash! This is our first adventure in to the blogosphere, please be patient as we learn the ropes. We'll be adding family photos and updates to document some of the laughter and chaos that fills our hearts and our home.

To kick things off here are some of our fun October Outings.

Disneyland gets in the Halloween spirit

Here we go on the Matterhorn

An unexpected surprise - meeting up with cousins at Disneyland

My beautiful cousin Janet

The boys waiting in line for a ride

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad here we come!



The end of a great family trip

On our way to the school's Halloween party

Mason as a zombie skeleton

Emma as a fairy princess and her friend Scott

Taking a break from trick-or-treating for pizza

Emma, Mason, Kylynn & Kendall dressed up for Grizzlies After Dark

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” -John Bowring