superman / lily

In June we acquired a small, baby grouse.  Easton named him Superman, Keagan named her Lily.  Our neighbors cat got to the mother and the baby was wandering the neighborhood.  Parker and the kids were so excited.  Me?  Not so much.  I am allergic to any animal with fur or feathers, so I didn't think this would be a good idea.  It was actually a good, little bird.  It would climb in and out of its cage and just wander the backyard.  It would let the kids hold it and come to you when you tapped the ground.  We had it for a total of 4 days.  We went out and checked on it one morning and it was doing great, checked a couple of hours later and the neighbors cat was sitting in our fenced backyard...no baby grouse.  We told the kids that it got strong enough and flew to the lake and found another grouse family.  We then went and looked around the house and I saw it.  As much as I didn't want it, I was sad when it was all over.  I don't want to do it again with another animal, but glad my kids had the small opportunity.

little fishies

at the beginning of June, we did swim lessons.  my kids loved it.  they became little fishies and I would love to do another session in August if we have time.  they went for 8 days (monday - thrusday), for a 1/2 hour.  

cousin time

our California cousins came into town at the end of May.  one day we went to Kangaroo Zoo.  it was so hot out and the kids had fun in their air-conditioned place.  it was not busy at all either, so it was nice.  the pictures are not great, it is hard to get them to hold still for more than a half of a second.

spring break, continued

One day we went to the boardwalk and got ham and cheese croissants (so yum) and doughnut holes (extra yum) and went to a park to have a little picnic.  It was kind of chilly in the shade where the tables were, so Easton went to go sit in the sun.  Remy and Kasen wanted to follow him and be just like their big cousin.

 Sweet baby.  This one is so good, you almost forget he is there.

 We did Ooblek one day.  The kids thought it was so fun.

cali, children's museum

While in California we went to the Children's Museum there.  It was way crowded, because it was California's spring break also, but it was still fun.  

Shelley's car is big enough to fit all of us.  With her three in the middle seat and my two in the back seat, it was anything but a quiet ride, but it was nice to be able to drive all together.

 At the museum they had an Indiana Jones exhibit, which Easton loved, and outside in a little courtyard they had a huge bubble exhibit and then an awesome bubble magic show.  

 The kids got to meet Bob the Builder.

 After we were leaving, standing next to the bubble poster.

While at the museum, we were in the dinosaur section and the worst thing happened.  Easton got lost.  I thought he was right behind me, and with 5 kids 7 and under, and just me and my sister, it got crazy.  I noticed he was not by us, and the dinosaur section is not that big, so I started walking around looking for him.  I circled the dino section twice and started to panic.  A dad came up to me and said, "Are you looking for a little boy in an orange shirt?"  I said, "Yes!!"  He said, "We saw him crying and took him to a worker and they took him to the front of the museum."  I. felt. horrible.  The whole thing was probably not more than 5 minutes, but it felt SO much longer.

At least I knew he was safe, in the safety of the staff, at the front office, rather than all the horrible things running through my mind...  So I went to the front of the museum and he was standing in the office crying.  I just went up and hugged him and kept saying, "I am so sorry!"  worst feeling.  He stuck to me like glue after that and still now, a month later, won't let go of my hand in public.  I have scarred my child for life.  

spring break--california style

For the kids spring break we hopped in the car (kind of impromptu) and headed for California.  We stayed in Vegas one night, and then on to visit the cousins.

We did a beach day, always a favorite with my kids.

 The kids found a starfish on the beach.  We took quick pictures, and then put it back in the ocean....although I think it was already dead when we found it.

 We stayed from Tuesday until Saturday, which was probably too long for Shelley to host us, but it was nice to get away from the weird weather in Utah.  When we left it was POURING, and it was nice to have a calm, steady 75 degrees.

zombies and M&Ms

The kids were invited to a neighborhood Halloween party about a week before Halloween.  This gave us a chance to get our costumes ready.  Easton wanted to be a zombie, and we found some gross zombie temporary tattoos.  He loved it.  Keagan was a cute, super sweet M&M.  We got blue hair spray and did the Ms on her cheeks.  She looked very cute.

 Easton's school has an annual Halloween costume parade.  They can't wear their costumes to school, but they can keep them in their backpacks and change before the parade.  I brought Easton's with me, along with some tattoos to put on.  I was running later than I thought to meet him to help him with his costume, so ran through the hallway to meet him and he was sitting there in the hallway with his class...all the other kids dressed and ready and my child looking so sad and dejected.  Super Mom Award for me.  sigh.  I helped him get in his costume and did his tattoos and apologized profusely to him for being late.  This year the weather was so beautiful that the school did the parade outside instead of in the gym.  It was so nice.  We brought lawn chairs and the kids walked around the track.  I even got a little sunburned from sitting out there!

 My ward does a Trunk or Treat, which I have never done before....and to be honest had kind of ornery feelings about it.  But, we went and I am so glad, it was great for the kids, they got to see all their friends and we were done before 6:00.  Then we went home, went to a couple of neighbors houses and then over to my parents for an hour.  We came home and Daddy had made homemade pizza for us and we watched a Halloween cartoon while answering the door for some trick or treaters.  Then to bed before 8:30.  nice.

 my little helpers