Ellie's 2nd Birthday

Where do I begin with this precious little girl. She turned 2 on July 12th. We spent her 2nd b'day in Hawaii. She is so fun and already has such a personality. :D Did I mention how much I love her cute 2 year old body. I think it is so cute how she moves around and handles herself.

Last week she woke up two days in a row with a dry diaper. I got her on the potty so fast and she went first thing. She loved it! She likes to be a big girl. Really she likes to do and be what her siblings are doing. Monkey see, monkey do around this house.

Ellie has a mind of her own. She does not like to have a picture taken of her unless you really catch her off guard. She will not turn and smile big for any camera. She wants to be holding the camera. She is very good about eating (just discovered she loves broccoli) and sleeping. She loves to cuddle and be rocked. She sucks her right thumb and loves it. I'm so glad I have pictures of her sucking it. It will be fun to look back on in years to come. She loves her mom and dad. She is a great sleeper and so far has always been. She takes a big almost 3 hour nap during the day and still goes to bed very well at night. She has a favorite blankie and nothing can replace it. She pushes any other blanket away if we try. She is the only one that has done that. It's cute. She will lay on it and carry it all over the house. Everywhere if I let her take it. It stays in the car if it gets that far. I do have limits. She loves to get into my bathroom drawers and bring me things. Isn't everything cute when they are the last?!! :D

She is becoming more and more independent. She loves to sit up to the counter and color in a coloring book. She feels very big I'm sure. She can climb and buckle up in her seat at the table, she is talking more and more, she can drink out of a big girl cup very well, she gets mad when I say no to something and then will go and hit it or stomp on it, she loves to take a bath, is not afraid of the pool and loves the water, loves her car seat and doesn't give any hassle when she has to get in it, and loves shoes. She has to show everyone her shoes by lifting her foot to anyone she meets. It's very cute. Her feet are oh so small.










If Ellie gets hurt, she loves to say it was Casey who did it and then laughs. He did something one time and now when we ask her, "what happened" or "who did it" she will say Tatey (Casey). Casey thinks it's really funny that she can tell on him. Ellie tells for sure! She is a fun little gal to have in our family. We all love her and enjoy her 2 year old isms. She is by far the easiest one of the bunch. Ahhhh!

Her most recent thing was sticking a tic tac up her nose. It's been abut a month ago now. It went up so far that when she sniffed it went all the way up to where I couldn't see it anymore. Of course, I was worried and didn't know what to do. Her nose started running out of that one side and the smell was sooooo.....minty. :D I had tried getting it out but it is about the exact size of her nostril. I wasn't making progress and she was fussing so I decided to call Todd. He was in a bishopric meeting and they so kindly stopped to help me out. We have a couple of doctor's in our ward and one being a retired pediatric surgeon so the bishop said he would call him for me. In the meantime, she is sniffing and I'm just wishing I could easily ask her to blow her nose and the issue would be solved. All of sudden Casey said, Mom, it came out and as I turned to see, he was handing her the tic tac again to eat. She ate it. The dr. in our ward said it can be a very serious thing and you do want to make sure that it comes out (at some point either by taking her to the emergency or myself). The other dr. the bishop called said for me to call him in the future because he has so many tools for retrieving food or objects. It was pretty funny to think about after the fact. Some of the men who were in that meeting started calling her tic tac.

She loves her brothers and sister and will hug them. She is a precious daughter and we are so blessed to have her in our family.

Happy B'day Miss Ellie Jayne girl!!

We're Home & Not Loving Reality!!

So much seems to have happened since I last wrote. We enjoyed 10 days in Kauai. You can't beat the awesome weather and the temperature of the water over there. It is so nice! What a beautiful view we had for 10 days. Getting back to reality has been a bit rough this week.

For those 10 days we enjoyed day after day of swimming in the pool, hitting the waves at the beach, boogie boarding, Coconut smoothies with chocolate swirl, strawberry smoothies, fruit galore (especially honey dew and pineapple), great tasting Opah (fish), salad bars, best tasting hummus, great fitness center, beautiful sunshine every day, laying by the pool in our cocoon( it was like a bed with pillows and cushions to lay on by the pool), getting a nice tan, a dinner out just Todd and I and the nice weather in the evening that allowed us to walk along the beach and see the gorgeous moon every night. Just writing this is making me sad that we still aren't over there.

Ellie had her 2nd b'day while we were there. It wasn't the typical b'day celebration that we are used to and so we will celebrate with candles and cupcakes this week some time. She had chocolate mousse with a strawberry on top for her b'day dessert. She is so dang cute. I will have to write a post all on it's own about Ellie turning 2.

Our flight to and from was much better than I thought it would be with all 4 kids. I was well stocked with all of the kids favorite snacks. The morning of our flight to Hawaii was a bit hectic. We stayed at the Marriott next to the airport the night before so we would be close. As we were loading the shuttle with all of our goods, I realized that the boarding passes were in the car so Todd ran to go get them. The shuttle driver then said we have to leave. I said well, my husband is getting our passes and I can't leave without them. Mind you all of my kids are sitting on the shuttle with our luggage in the there waiting to leave. I ended up having to get on with the 4 kids, all of the luggage and head to the airport without Todd. I was a bit nervous as to how well the kids would listen to me at the busy San Francisco Airport. It was quite interesting how I just went into survivor mode and got the job done somehow, someway. I knew Todd would be getting the next shuttle over so no big deal on meeting up with him. The problem was that I had six bags, 2-3 carry ons and each child had a back pack on that I had to manage getting from the shuttle drop off into the line for check in. It was interesting but we did it. I had to fill out little tags for every piece of luggage while the kids sat patiently. The kids were so good. I was so happy that I wasn't having to chase Ellie anywhere and that the older ones kept a watch out for me. Todd met up with us while waiting in line. My body was physically shaking once I got rid of all of the luggage, put Ellie down and was able to catch my breath. Everything was just too heavy to handle myself but I managed. The boys and Emily were a big help!!

We then were able to board the plane and get situated. We took Ellie's car seat which was the best thing we have ever done. She loves her seat and climbed right in. We were to leave at 9:30. The captain came on at 9:30 and said they were going to have to repair a seal on the engine and that it would be a while. Todd's face was priceless. He doesn't like the flying part of the trip and wasn't thrilled to say the least to hear that kind of information. Poor guy. It ended up being an hour and half sitting there in the plane waiting to take off. The kids did well. Ellie didn't want to get out of her seat. She stayed in for a long while and then got out. She does really well. Once we got into the air, we discovered that the boys had left all of their DS games in the truck. We happen to have one game that they could share. Another bummer was that the 2 dvd players that we brought that I so diligently charged the night before were dead and not able to play a movie. The power button got switched on and ran down the battery. I thought what in the world are we going to do with these 4 kids for 5 hours. Casey pretty much ate his bag of snacks in the first 30 minutes. The poor kid was bored stiff. Ellie did sleep for about 2 hours of the trip. She was manageable and did great. The kids love flying! It was a bit stressful for me because the people that were sitting in front of the boys were so not kid friendly. I could hardly stand the looks that they would give when the boys would put down the trays (it would move their seats and apparently they didn't like it one bit.) It was killing me.

We got there and enjoyed our stay at the Kauai Marriott. I was able to get a massage on the beach under the cabanna the day before we left. WOW!! I have never had a massage and this was the life. I can see why people get them often. It was so incredible. I was so relaxed and enjoyed it so much! I've got to figure how to get them here at home often. :D
The hardest part of the trip was dealing with the kids and the lack of sleep that they were getting. My kids don't sleep in and so they were up so dang early every day. It was a bit taxing to deal with the irrational little ones day in day out. It was nice to get out and go to dinner just Todd and I. We enjoyed a nice view of gorgeous trees, ocean, tiki torches lit up, and wonderful food. I realized how often I can't enjoy my dinner when the kids are with us. It's just too busy with all of them to really stop and enjoy my food. I can't complain. I had a wonderful time and can't wait to go back. :D

Here are some photos............The beach scenes were the view from our room. It was so nice to just sit and watch the waves. At night we would open the doors and listen to the waves crash as we laid in bed. It was a little bit of heaven and I loved it. One of these pictures was the view of our pool that we sat at and swam in every day.










Here is Emily and her friend that she met on the plane. It was so funny how Emily was so comfortable with this lady and pretty much acted like she was her grandma. What was funny is that this lady named Pat told us she had 3 grandsons and so she was having a ball with Emily. At one point, I looked over and Emily was putting Pat's glasses on Pat's head. I just about died. Emily was talking non stop but they had a great time. Emily would be up on her knees talking to Pat so up close and personal. Emily would come to my seat and make pictures that she told me were for her friend Pat. It was pretty cute. The lady wanted Emily to put her name on the picture. Pat switched seats so that Emily could look out the window at different times. She was awesome. Pat saved us!! She was great and so I had to ask if I could get a picture of her with Emily. She was more than happy to.


More photos........

















Now back to reality.....scout camp is going on this week 8-3:30 every day for Mitty. It's been pretty brutal having to get the other kids out of bed to take him. Another issue is having to drive 80 miles a day to get him there and home. Oh boy. I hope he is really loving it and having a good time. :D We are just getting back on CA time. It's been a bit rough the last couple of mornings but oh well the vacation was well worth it.

This has taken so long that I have to end and get to work around here.

SPT-Sun

I don't think I have done an SPT since school started. When I saw the subject for yesterday,"the Sun", I just couldn't resist. :D I love to be out in the sun during the summer. I will regret it in years to come when I see all of the nasty wrinkles but I really do try to use sunscreen and wear a hat. This has been my uniform for the past few days this week as I sit out by the pool and watch the kids at their swim lessons. Thank goodness it has been warm.



I remember laying out as a teenager using baby oil like crazy. If we didn't have any, that was a mandatory stop off at the store to get before heading down to the beach. NUTS I know. Fun times that will never be forgotten.

I am just getting ready to head off for a vacation in the sun next week. Kauai here we come!! :D

SWIM LESSONS HAVE BEGUN :D/Summer activities

I know it has been forever since I last posted. It is just too busy around here keeping up with all of my responsibilities to sit down and post here on the blog. I don't think I can go back and play catch up. Too many things to write about. I'm starting fresh.

The kids started swim lessons today and were so excited to go. I love that. It has been awhile since we were last in a pool. The kids did great. Mitch was complaining a bit afterward how tired he felt. He is in level 5 which has the kids swimming massive amounts of laps across the pool. Oh, it's good for him. Casey did great and Emily of course was a fish loving to be there. It was so fun to see them all up a level from last summer. I love to see improvement. I think what it really makes me feel is that these little kids are getting older. AhHhhhhh! For me, having 4 children close in age and all little at the same time, really appreciate the moments when I see/feel the children getting older and more independent. The sun came out and it was beautiful for their lesson. It stays foggy for most of the mornings here in the summer. I am excited for the next two weeks. Ellie was good for me at the pool which made it very nice. It was nice that Emily knows the 3 other children in her class and Casey has a few that he knows and Mitch has a few that he knows. That is what I love about small town stuff. I hope Mitch has a better attitude about swimming in the morning.

I'm off to make some bread. I made a couple of loaves of Honey Wheat bread last week and they turned out great. I love making bread.( No bread machine....all by the sweat of my brow. :D haha) I told the kids I would make some white bread so we'll see how it turns out.

Emily broke the arm of her glasses on Saturday night and so now I'm in a desperate rush to get her new glasses so that we will have them by the time we leave on our trip (10 days and counting). We are going to pick some out tomorrow. She is so excited.

Some other news is that we planted some veggies and made a little garden last week. I am so excited. Todd and I are so excited to see anything grow that we are out there every evening inspecting the plants for new growth. We planted green onions, serrano chili peppers, fresno chili, squash, cucumbers, 3 tomato plants, oregano, rosemary, and basil. I am in heaven with our garden. We have most of them in containers and the bigger plants (squash and cucumbers) in the ground. The oranges on our tree are getting bigger. It's so fun to watch. I can't wait to pick fruit and veggies in my own backyard and eat them.

I hope to post more often but no promises can be made on that.

Last Day of School/Preschool Graduation/Father's Day/Summer

I started this post days ago. Let's see if I can really get it finished and posted... :D
Ahhhhhhhhhh!! We made it through the week. It was busy but manageable. Here is a pic of Mitty and Casey on their last day. I need to go back and look up their first day picture. Casey was being funny and then all smiles. He is a character that keeps this bunch on their toes.



The boys have had a fun last week.....bingo playing in the classroom, ice cream sundae party, pancake making party, auction (buy different items with money that they have earned in the last few months), watch the teachers/6th graders play softball, get their yearbooks, awards assembly, pizza party today, etc.

I went to the awards assembly to see MItty get a certificate for PE. He loves PE. It's too bad that the kids only have PE on 2 days out of the week. I remember having it everyday. :D You hear so much about childhood obesity....why do they cut out PE? It boggles my mind. It was a cute assembly. Ellie was all over me and fussing almost the entire time.


Emily's graduation was very cute and fun. She wore a cap and got her preschool diploma. We had a light lunch afterwards there at the school which is always fun to sit and chat with friends. The kids played on the playground and ran around. I really can't believe that Emily will be going to Kindergarten in the fall (2 months). This year went faster than I ever thought it would. Ellie is going to be 2 in about 3 weeks. That is just crazy. Emily is excited to be moving on. She had her shots last week and then asked on the way out if we were going to kindergarten now. She can't wait! She did great with her shots. I had no idea she needed 3 separate shots. OUCH. She didn't even shed one tear. Brave girl!







We finished the school year and celebrated by taking the kids to Yogurt Creations. They were happy and it seemed the thing to do because just as we were leaving so many kids from school were arriving.

Closing ceremonies for baseball were on Saturday and so we celebrated with their team at the park. It was so dang cold. Our weather is strange. We mingled with the other parents, kids played on the playground, the boys got their trophies, everyone ate pizza, chips and cupcakes, and we called it a year. The boys had a great year! Casey just told me the other day that he wishes they could have a 100 more games to play. He is cute. He was really rolling by the end of the season. He was doing really well. I had fun taking the girls to the games and watching them play. It turned out to be a fun season with great parents and a good coach. Go Dodgers!!!!







FATHER'S DAY!!




Father's Day turned out to be a nice day. I got up with the kids and made Todd breakfast. The boys wanted to make coffee cake and Emily wanted to give dad sausage so that is what we did. I threw in some cantaloupe and grapes which the boys put together. It is so nice to have the older ones help with real tasks. Mitch and Casey put the cantaloupe and grapes together. They had a blast. Here are some photos that they took.. They must have felt real proud of their fruit bowl to take a picture of it on the table.



Todd was free of any meetings and so he was home all morning. It is nice having him around on a Sunday. It's been a couple of years now that he has been gone most Sundays. He wanted lasagna for dinner and so he got to make his own sauce. Don't worry...he loves to do that kind of work. Veggie lasagna no less. Can you believe it?? Maybe I'm rubbing off on him just a tad. ha ha . :D I put it all together once we got home from church and threw a nice salad with gorgonzola cheese together. It was tasty. I pretty much drank 2 cups of the sauce. I love a good veggie red sauce. Todd knows just what to add to make it delish!

The kids gave him all of their gifts...pictures, key chains, clips and cards. He got a new pair of shoes from me. Of course, no picture but much better than what he was wearing. AHhhhhhh!

I am so thankful for Todd and the kind of father he is to our children. He plays and makes time for each one. He cares about them, wants the world for them, wants them to be happy, and loves them so much. He teaches them, helps them, reads to them, kisses and hugs them, etc. He shows it in many ways and the kids know it. They know that dad puts them and myself before other things. I'm so grateful for that.

Now, we are currently into the 3rd day of summer and it's going fine. I bombed Monday telling them that I would take them to the library and the library is closed on Mondays. Bummer. We did the library on Tuesday and the kids picked out many books and movies. Mitch was excited to use "his" card. Very fun for them. We stocked up on some really cool educational videos that the boys were familiar with from school. They are very interesting. Mitch is so into the TV show Most Extreme on Discovery or Animal Planet. He told me today while we were sitting on the beach that our toothpaste comes from kelp. Thanks for that.

I took the kids to the beach today. I knew it was a beach day when it was 60 degrees at 5:30 in the morning. It reached 102 at Avila beach today where we enjoyed ourselves. I found a great part of the beach that isn't packed, parking is free, easy and right next to the sand. It's 15 miles from our door step and takes 15 minutes. Does it get any better? Ellie had a good time. She is the best. She did take a short nap while we were there which helped. Mitty, Casey and Emily played for 3 hours in the water. They absolutely loved it. I wish I was going back tomorrow but our skin color is a bit pink tonight. I missed a few spots on Mitty and my body is a bit red. Not bad at all but definitely needs a day of rest from the sun. As we drove home the temp went down but not much. My car was reading 95 degrees here at 3:00. It was one of the warmest days since we have been here. I hate it when the bedrooms just won't cool down. We don't have AC which we don't need but for these few times throughout the year. I'm so mad that I didn't bring my camera of all things. I was so prepared to leave early with everything in the car, lunches made, snacks, fruit, drinks, licorice, chairs, towels, you name it except the darn camera. The boys were happy with our beach day and so now what next. Ayyyy.

Here are just some random shots. They are too cute of Ellie in her flip flops. She will wear them any way that she can just to have them on her feet. She hangs on the bread board and many other things just to swing. She is strong. I love her in my flip flops. She is a fun little girl. She has a lot of personaltiy and a lot of pistol in her. :D She and Emily will be quite a twosome. I am scared already.




I'm not sure how well next week will go but it's a change having them all home every day all day. There is no break. UGH.

So sorry to make this post so long but that is what happens when I wait 9 days to post.