Forts and Ear Infections

My kids built forts this weekend and slept in them on Sunday night. Tyler didn't really care, so he just slept in his bed. Dallin didn't much care either - he is fighting an ear infection and fell asleep holding his ear - yes he is on an antibiotic. Great thing about the forts is, I told the kids they could sleep in them if they got them cleaned up first thing in the morning (after all they used most of my table chairs and I needed them back) - AND come morning I got up after they did and it was all cleaned up. What good kids!

The Smell of Rain...

Sunday was a gorgeous day here. It was a bit breezy in the evening and there was one cloud that shed a few raindrops every few minutes. It was literally a bit of heaven on earth that night. We took our kids on a walk and then came home and let them fly a kite for a bit and just enjoy the smell of rain...you can tell that for me it was a perfect moment because I took a lot of pictures. We were all bare footed - happy and together. If I could've freezed time, I would've. There are not enough days like this one.

Litte Boys and "Stuff"

What is it with little boys and stuff? I mean really...I don't understand collecting pop tops, or rolls of paper off of fruit by the foot, old papers, cards, etc. but little boys love it. I went into Hunter's room this morning to find on his floor a pile of sticks laid in some sort of order - they weren't there yesterday,which means he likely brought them home from school and laid them out exactly as he needed them to be. I had to sanp a shot. A few months ago I bought him a rubbermaid tub to put his "stuff" in- it holds a collection of small things: plastic balls, tops of glass root beer bottles, pokemon cards, lego instructions, wadded up kleenex, bottle tops, etc. I have asked if we could clean it out, but everything is very special to him. So, here it remains, little boys and thier stuff....I love the kid!

Tyler is the same way - he doesn't collect so much as he always has something in his hand: dinosaurs, cars, something small so he can sleep with it.

The Calm

For the last few weeks I have been in a real frazzle. I can't concentrate, I am super stressed, crying constantly, yelling at my kids, crying in line at the store when people take too long to check out and I have to wait, etc. etc. Anyway, I have felt horrible about it and wondered what I could do to get out of the slump - now don't get me wrong I believe I have a legitimate reason to be in a slump - there's a lot happening in my life right now that is completely out of my control, but I can't continue taking it out on my kids and other patrons at the supermarket.

So on Mother's day, mom and dad invited Tricia's family and my family to dinner...it was lovely, we ate outside! Anyway, after dinner we got talking (Tricia, Me, Mom, and Dad) while the kids were playing and Travis and Matthew had gone for a few moments, and Tricia and I both got on the subject of going to the temple...we decided we were going to go -THIS WEEK. So, mom and dad said they would divide and conquer our kids - dad came to my house and mom went to Tricia's house. We went to the temple Tuesday morning and did one endowment session.

Can I please tell you, my day yesterday (day of the session) was so much better than days passed. There are still the stresses I mentioned above, however, there was a calm about me that made the day great. I was more patient with my kids, I just didn't seem so disjointed. I am glad we made the time to do it- it has literally calmed my soul - there was nothing spectacular about the session, nothing awe inspiring (Except the little old man's constant hearing aid beeping during the session), it was just exactly what I needed to have a little peace in this storm that I am currently weathering.

Thanks mom and dad for watching the kids, thanks Trish for going with me! The calm has come and hopefully will last until we go again next month. I can't go that long without going again...it's too big of a price to pay.

Dallin -9 months

2500 Miles Later...

We just got back from a great trip: we started out and went through Orem, UT (Stayed with my grandparents), then went to Queen Creek, AZ and saw GM and GP Chesley, then onto Irvine, CA to see Aunt Lynn and her family.

It was a long road trip and the car was transformed so that on non-freeway roads the kids could get out and stretch a little. You'll see a few pictures of that in this post.

There are a few things to highlight from this trip:

• Traveling with 4 kids, no matter how well behaved is hard. They are loud every where you go. People always say "wow, you've got your hands full." We must really look like we need help.
• We eat way too much fast food and junk food.
• Staying in a Hotel (which we did only one night) is so hard with an infant - he was up every 2 hours (So not the norm- but I couldn't let him wake up everyone else, so I was up every 2 hours as well).
• Regardless of the relationships siblings have, when you are in a car for that long of a time, they will fight and tattle way more than normal.
• The Lord protects you always, we passed a truck pulling a trailer full of crates as we left southern CA and one of the crates was starting to fall off just as we passed it - it would've shattered our windshield or come strait through and hit me - but Travis saw it and swerved. Traffic behind us, was not so lucky, it came to a screeching halt.
• Sunburns are horrible - I've never had one so bad.
• Hunter loved collecting sea shells with Travis on the beach.
• We watched Twilight at least 482 times....
• Why is it when you are looking for a fast food with a play area you can't ever find one...?
• I love hanging out with my family and having no real plans - just hanging out....at home I have to clean and run errands.
• Sisters rule....we can laugh at anything any time.
• My kids loved playing on the Deck and Lynn's
• Dallin came leaps and bounds while we were at my in-laws - eventually someone else could hold him while I was in the room and he wouldn't cry...it was glorious.
• My kids loved swimming at the pool at the "Hotel" where Aunt Lynn lived.
• Dallin started scooting more this trip...almost crawling.
• I learned BK has a veggie burger.

Here's the first leg of the trip- Dallin playing in the back, Texas asleep on the bed in the back and Hunter and Gwendalin watching a movie.

We went to Marie's Sunday afternoon and had lunch and the kids pulled weeds in her "Yard" for money....Tyler napped there while we went to see Scott and Brittany...it worked out perfectly.

I got to meet my newest nephew, Jackson, and see Scottie and Brittany....it was fun to chat with them. My kids enjoyed fudgecicles at their house.

Monday night Travis and I went out on a date, Marie took Tyler and Dallin to her sister's house for us and Hunter and Gwendalin stayed with GM and GP. Tyler made best friends with Aiden.

This is the kiddos and GM watching "Bridge to Teribithia" - Hunter hated it, it was too sad.

Dinner at grandma and grandpas. The kids love sitting at the bar.

always always "kisses" from Grandpa.

Playing at the park with cousins and Uncle Aric.

The ride to Aunt Lynn and Uncle Jake's.

Travis with Annabelle and our kids reading a book they got from Grandma.

Disneyland - waiting for tickets.

Buzz Lightyear: Travis is really good at this ride...his score is through the roof....Gwennie loved the "Pew pew" game that this was.

Bribing Tyler with cotten candy since he couldn't go on the roller coaster.

Small World: Hunter hated it too boring - but the little boys loved it

Dumbo - this was the longest wait in line.

The beach was on Friday and my kids adored it. It was so fun to watch them play in the water and the sand. Travis got a horrid sunburn on his feet only - I burned everywhere on top of the burn I already had at disneyland and then we went to Lynn's pool after we got home and I burned some more....I'm still paying for it.

We went to the mall with Lynn and rode the Ferris Wheel - it was very cool.

We had very tired little ones at the end of the day at Aunt Lynn's house. Annabelle (or Belly Buskin as we know her) didn't even make it to her bed....she crashed in the car. My kids all shared one room, Tyler preferred the crib and Gwendalin and Hunter shared the air matress...Dallin enjoyed his own space in the laundry room.

The kids had to have crowns when we stopped in Vegas at Burger King...I knew they'd get smushed during the ride home, but they were free and they made them happy.

This is the Dallin boy just before we went swimming at our hotel in Ely, NV...he sort of liked the water...

The Gwennie girl fell asleep on the final stretch home....she was like this for like 30 minutes...woke up crying because her neck hurt.