Ahhh! Vacation

When last I left off, we were getting ready for our California/Disneyland trip.  Of course we went with all of Utah and Gilbert,AZ school district because we chose to go over fall break.  It also happened to be Columbus day that week which was good and bad.  Good because the park was open later on one of the days, bad because there were more people there that day.

We stayed in a beach house at Surfside which is right by Huntington Beach. The minute we got there clothes were thrown off and swim suits were pulled on. The weather was nice, but not warm enough for me to get in the water. I am a cold wuss.

The beach we played on.  The girls loved the park on the beach because they didn't have to wear their shoes.

Kelsey

 

Braden.  I was crossing my fingers that a rogue wave didn't come and drench him.

Loving the water.  He also loved the sand.  He and Macy are beach lovers.  They have been that way from the first moment they stepped onto a beach.

Kelsey boogie boarding with the help from dad.



Macy catching some waves.  The girl is an animal at the beach.  She loves everything about the beach.

 

Too cute not to post.  We were enjoying the sunset and Braden was enjoying the glass railing on the deck.



First night's sunset.

We spent 2 days at Disneyland.  The final verdict from me: that is not enough time.  Brian was probably okay.  I wanted one more day so the kids could go back and hit there favorite rides again.  It would have been nice to see some shows too.  We missed the new one Color my World.  We planned on going until we saw the hour + wait that formed the minute California Adventure opened.  And that was just for the fast pass and the show started at 9 PM that night.  Next time.

Macy was able to go on every ride and she loved them all.  I think she loved being a big kid.  Her favorite ride was Indian Jones.  Somehow she finagled a way on to the ride two times.  She tried for a third with her dad but the park was closing and the wait was still an hour long.  She loved all the big rides.

Kelsey was able to go on all of them except for Indian Jones.  We scared her on Tower of Terror and Space Mountain.  She started crying the minute Tower of Terror started.  Her favorite rides were Soarin' over California, Big Thunder Railroad and It's a Small World.  She also liked Go-go Gadget's Coaster.  Her big story was when she grabbed this huge leaf in Bug's Life.  Being a kid she tore it into pieces.  Well the sap caused an allergic reaction and her palms stung and itched tremendously.  After a trip to the first aid station, washing for five minutes continuously and then washing with calamine lotion for five minutes and then forgetting about the itching, she was fine.  Hopefully she will quit destroying leaves.

Braden was just the best kid and was really quite pleasant despite not having naps.  The second day we pushed him hard.  We hit Disneyland at 9 AM and left at 11 PM.  When it was naptime that day, stubborn met stubborn.  I pushed him back and forth in the stroller along Cannery Row in CA Adventure for a straight 20 to 30 minutes until he fell asleep.  I thought the cobblestones would help bump him to sleep.  He only had one major meltdown and that was in the hour + wait for the new Toy Story ride in California Adventure (loved it by the way, but they need a fast pass for that one).  This melt down started to occur when we were only 10 minutes from the front of the line.  It included throwing himself onto the ground.  It was grand.  To end the misery my dad slipped out of line and grabbed his blanket and then slipped back in somehow and then all was well.

It had been years (at least 15) since I had been to Sea World.  So we made the drive.  Kelsey loved it.  Macy wanted more rides.  My verdict: save your money and go to an aquarium.  We have been to the Long Beach Aquarium, which is just up from Huntington Beach, and it was so much better.  You can also do that in a half day for a third of the cost.  There is a whole lot more fish and a lot more to learn.  You do miss out on the dolphins and the whales at aquariums.

My mom filming us as we get off the Matterhorn.

 

Notice my mom still filming.  I think she filmed everything at Disneyland, including the rides.  She even filmed the entire time on the tea cups.  Anyone want to watch some home videos?



Finally crashed and burned right as we were leaving the park.

Waiting in line for the "Tower of Terror"



Coming out of the "Tower of Terror" and she is not going to let go of dad.



After the meltdown at Toy Story Mania. The blanket and glasses made him feel better.

Our only family photo and it was taken right after Brian dropped the camera.  It is broken and part of my excuse for taking so long to get this post was I could not get my pictures off the camera because of the accident.  Somehow my mom managed to get the camera to work long enough to snap this photo and a few others.

Finally getting her Minnie ears.  She had been begging all day.

Holding up the line.  Braden and I snuck in to catch up with the girls and the employees weren't thrilled but I don't think they understood we had gotten seperated.

Not sure what those looks are supposed to mean.

Kelsey feeding the seals real fish.  Macy wouldn't touch the fish.  I don't blame her.

These beggars were so funny.  These were the guys Kelsey was feeding.

The whole family petting the rays except for me and Macy.  Not my thing.  Braden tried and tried but they were always just past his reach.  Then he just wanted to splash in the water.

Fall Fun

Here is our pumpkin princess, unless you hear her speak.  Last weekend we went down to Thanksgiving Point for Cornbelly's Corn Maze.  I took a gamble in thinking the girls would be old enough to enjoy a corn maze.  I found some cheap tickets to help me make that gamble.  It paid off.  This place was more than just a corn maze and the kids loved it.  We met the Pumkin Princess and Kelsey sat in Cinderella's pumpkin carriage.  Macy cheered on a pig in the pig races.  Braden played in a water pump meant for racing rubber ducks.  They slid on slides and jumped on large bouncy things.  We even took them into a haunted house. We didn't realize what it was but thought it would be okay because the spooks that would fill it weren't coming until the next weekend.  The guy at the entrance said it was just a dark walk (we walked through after dark).  Well I was definitely a haunted house set up.  The first bit was so dark that you didn't know which way was up.  I held unto Macy and Kelsey's hand to try to help keep them brave and so I wouldn't lose them.  Macy must have been touching the wall because she led us into the next room complete with strobe light and maze like partitions.  At this point Kelsey is starting to cry and Macy is thinking this is neat.  Luckily we find an early exit because Braden was starting to whimper.  We get outside and Macy wants to come back when the ghouls are there.  I was praying the rest of the night the girls wouldn't wake up with nightmares. 

Brian and I could barely pull them away to actually do the corn maze.  Macy really enjoyed the corn maze.  Her drama came out along with the attitude "I know which way to go and you don't so you better follow".  When we would take a wrong turn she would say it was her fault.  We spent 40 minutes to an hour in the maze.  We cheated to get out mostly because it was about 8:30 and Kelsey was so tired she wasn't having fun and Braden was loopy because he needed sleep.

Check out the last entry.  I added a photo.

Join us for Dinner

I bet you are all dying to know what dinner is like at my house and wondering if dinner at my house is like dinner at yours.  Well I wanted to remember because the other night as I was eating I caught the hilarity of it all instead of being frustrated and ready for it to end.

Most of the time Brian is not home for dinner.  This in of itself can be bothersome.  Usually the kids finish right when I take my first bite and they are ready for seconds or in need of something that requires I get up.  I have decided to incorporate some manners into this household and no one is to eat until everyone has been served.  This requires a lot of patience to starving children who only had a snack an hour ago.  Braden is also a picky eater and throws most of his food on the floor.  I grumble most of the time I am on my hands and knees wiping up.

This particular night I ask Macy about her favorite thing today.  Kelsey pipes in "How come you always ask Macy first?"  Macy's favorite thing was her substitute teacher.  Usually it is the number of recesses she got that day.  Throughout dinner she eats 3 helpings and makes it to a fourth.  I ask Kelsey the same question and she says "going to the bathroom" and then laughs with her witch cackle.  She then continues yaking and adds the word "toilet" into her answer at least 3 or 4 times laughing the entire time.  She wants more punch and I have to tell her to eat more than one bite before I will do this.  Five minutes later and she still has only taken one bite.  Then in her wicked laugh she tells me to look because she ate it all.  She did not have seconds nor did she come close to finishing her first serving.  At one point I turn to Braden and he has taken to eating some of his food like a dog.  He is bent over with his face to his tray.  Another point I look at Braden (I think after Kelsey's potty talk) and he is sitting back all relaxed, ankles crossed and his finger up his nose.

Here is a picture of what happens when Braden eats like a dog.

Anyone want to join us for dinner?

The Dreaded Task is Done and Now I Can Pick Back Up

I am alive and have been stalking my friends and family through facebook and blogs, but have not let them have a glimpse into my glamorous life.  I didn't want them to be too jealous.  Well the time has come for me to sit back down to the computer and quickly lay out what we have done.  Mostly it will be told through pictures since my memory is terrible and can sometimes be helped with pictures.

Favorite quote that I can remember from the summer was given to us by Macy.  At my parents she was eating the candy "Nerds".  She starts singing "Nerds, nerds. I'm a nerd".

Favorite song to dance to: "All the Single Ladies" but Macy sings it "I'm a single lady. I'm a single lady."  Because of my sisters the girls know most of the words.

In July Brian's family went to a cabin for the weekend.  We played games.



Saw lots of animals.  We weren't there the first night, but Brian's parents said they saw 8 moose, a porcupine, a fox and deer.

The girls played with their cousins.

Of course they had to ride the 4 wheelers anytime they could.

We even took an afternoon rafting trip.  The water was chilly, but Macy and I got off the raft and swam a bit.  Nobody else did.

In July we stopped by my grandma's house to pick raspberries one last time.  The girls loved this so much last year.  Sadly the sprinklers had broken sometime and without the water the pickings were slim.  That and the neighbor boy would come through the fence while playing and eat the berries as soon as some would ripen.

In August the kids and I went up to Cherry Hill for my mom's family's annual gathering.  I don't have pictures because I forgot to take them.  My mom took lots but I keep forgeting to get them from her (which has been my excuse for not doing this post).  One day I will add the pictures.  We stayed Wednesday through Saturday in the motorhome with grandma.  I really enjoyed it and enjoyed spending time with my Aunt Dru and Uncle Mat.  They stayed up there the entire time too.  The others came and went throughout the week.  Macy loved playing with my cousins kids.  She got to be a big girl and ran off with anyone that would take her down the slides.  She loved the freedom and feeling big.  She had a great time with Isaac and Olivia.  Isaac and Olivia had so much fun that they convinced their mom to come up a second day so Macy wouldn't be sad.

In August we moved out of Brian's parents house into a home that is way too large.  I hate cleaning it.  However there is plenty of room to spread things out so it feels less cluttered.  The day we moved also had record rainfall.  Believe me I know.  I got stuck in the back of the moving truck for 30 minutes waiting for it to pass at the storage unit.  If I had gotten out I would have immediately been soaked.  When the fridge slipped down the loading ramp the moving guys said they better reschedule for the next day.  Needless to say we are settled (except the computer room, I am sitting amongst boxes that I just don't have a desire to unpack).  We like our ward and have met some great people.  Macy has a new friend right next door that is in her school class.  He comes over everyday because he is so excited to have a friend next door.

August also brought the first day of school.  Of course I didn't get a picture of Macy's first day of school, nor the second day or the third.  After the first week I said bag it.  She really enjoys riding the bus (mom likes this too).  She doesn't like hot lunch.  The second day of school she begged for hot lunch.  I paid for 10 lunches.  She comes home that day and says she hates hot lunch.  She also loves recess.  One day she claimed to have 6 of them.  She then changed the story to 3.  I think she is including PE as recess.

Kelsey started preschool the day after Labor Day.  She is enrolled in the Granite District's program.  I love it because it is 4 days a week for 3 hours.  She loves it because it is something to do.  Life without Macy or the circle full of friends is boring.  She has really grown up recently.  She is still shy but is growing out of it.  There was no problems leaving her at school and she has gone to a new friend's house without hesitation.

September came and we went to Swiss Days for the first time ever.  It was really crowded and I don't recommend taking your kids to it, especially if one of them is in a stroller.  We made it to the parade and saw lots of tractors and lots of people campaigning. The kids were excited to get a lot of candy.  I did buy some of the best fruit syrup and jam.  Delicious.

In September we also visited Sandy City's Healing Field.  Ever since 9/11 the city has stuck up thousands of flags in honor of those victims and those killed in the Iraq/Afghanistan war.  I tried for a family photo op thinking it would be neat with all those flags.  It didn't turn out.  The kids were a mess and the camera didn't cooperate and then I saw my hair.  I feel like I always have a problem with my hair in pictures.  This was the best shot.  Not Christmas card quality, but if we don't get anything worthy soon it might be the default.

Here is Macy being cooool.



Up next: the State Fair

Summer fun and the Fourth of July

Let's see.  What have we been up to?

My sister Calee got married at the end of June.  Braden was the ring bearer and he did make it down the isle with a little bit of prodding to leave the plants alone (the wedding was outdoor in a garden).  Macy and Kelsey were the flower girls.  They all looked magnificent, but of course I left my camera at home.  I know plenty of others who remembered their cameras so I am safe.  I just don't have them today.  Calee and her husband moved into an apartment with a pool.  One day Macy asks Calee if she will be home tomorrow.  Unknowingly Calee says she will be.  Macy then replies "Oh good.  We can come to your house to swim tomorrow."  She cornered Calee.

The day after the wedding my family needed to unwind so those of us who were around drove up to the lake.  My brother was dying because it was the first outing of the season and June was almost over.  He couldn't blame it all on the wedding because the weather wasn't too warm in June.

Macy finished up kindergarten on July 2.  She did outstanding so they recommended her for first grade.  Before school let out the school had an egg drop.  Macy wanted to participate.  I was planning on it but then forgot to work on the project the day before.  Morning came and Macy remembered all about the event.  So I had to whip up a container that would protect an egg from cracking when dropped from the roof of the school.  Of course we woke up late that morning too so I had all of 10 minutes.  Luckily the angels were with me that morning I figured something out.  When Macy got home that day she was so excited because her egg was the only one in kindergarten that didn't break.  Way to go me!  Not the precedence I wanted to start with mom doing her school projects but she was only in kindergarten.

Macy also gave her first report.  It was to chose an animal, make a picture and present 3 facts.  She chose a parrot.  Somehow the note for this assignment never made it to me.  One day Macy makes the diorama saying it is for her report.  She did it all by herself.  I don't even know how she came up with idea.  She must have seen it at school.  She chose a parrot and below is a picture of her display.  I did help her find her three facts about parrots.

We celebrated the Fourth of July all weekend long.  Saturday we met up with our friends, the Cranes, at Provo's Freedom Festival.  We met them in Arizona, but right now they live in Virgina while Bret is getting his Ph.D.  We had a great time catching up, riding rides, and making crafts in the kids area.  We couldn't have asked for better weather for the day.  Now at night I could have asked for a little warmer temps for the fireworks.

That night we came back to the circle we live in and had a BBQ with the neighbors.  Luckily they purchased fireworks to light when it got dark.  We originally planned on heading out for fireworks but the little man had been up all day and I felt guilty for making him stay up until 10 PM to see fireworks.  Maybe next year.

Sunday was dinner at my parents home.  We played backyard games and lit more fireworks.

Monday we started to crossover to Pioneer Day which is a Utah holiday that falls on July 24.  We went to This is the Place State Park.  The park has old homes and replicas of homes used by the early settlers of Utah.  They even had a small area for the Native Americans who called Utah home before the pioneers called it such.  In these areas they have activities and information about these early settlers.  If you haven't been in awhile and want to know about the olden days, make sure you stop by.  They have added so much since I was last there (10+ years ago).  We didn't see everything.  We did get to see some mutton bustin'.  The park had a little kids rodeo going on that day to let city dwelling kids get a taste of being a cowboy.

At one building the kids made bald eagle puppets and learned that Benjamin Franklin originally wanted the National bird to be the turkey.

Here the girls are learning how the pioneers washed clothes.  They learned some pioneer games and got to try out some of the chores back then.

We went to the school and learned the rules and punishments used back then.  Macy forgot her homework that day and had to wear the dunce cap.  We also learned about the Deseret Alphabet and how to write our name using it.
The day did not end there.  After the park the kids wanted to go swimming so off we went to my sister Emily's pool.

And finally we get to yesterday.  My family went on their second boating trip of the season.  We couldn't have asked for a better day.  Good water, no other boats, a tremendous wakeboarding run, and an exhilarating water ski.  If only we weren't low on gas and maybe I could have taken another run.  But then again my arms may not have made it.  I am a little weak in the arms.

Above Macy thought she was so cool because she got to hang out with my brother and his friends.

New life jackets for the girls.

And the little man enjoying the day.  He is so good about wearing his hat and life jacket.  His hair is still a little sparse so I worry about burning his scalp.

My Big Surprise

Saturday morning I woke up and heard happy whispers coming from Macy and Kelsey's room.  I let them be because there was no blood curdling screams coming from behind the door.  They soon emerged dressed and said they had a surprise.  They opened the door to show me.  They had dressed themselves, made their beds, picked up their room and put their pajamas away without me asking!  That was the greatest surprise to wake up to.

Many Faces of Braden (and other camping faces)

Happy

I want that.

Ewww!

Fun House Mirror

Huh?

sad

GQ

Excited/showing off

Give me food or I eat you

Holy (she lost another tooth while camping)

Hairy