Fall Break - Part 1

Our fall break fell on the first two weeks of October.  We had our primary program on the 30th of September - the kids did well, and I was glad we pulled it off.  With 160 kids - it was no small feat but thanks to the help of teachers, our kids mostly had their parts memorized!  I thought it was pretty impressive.  Anyway...after Sunday meetings, we packed for our fall break trip to California (yes, I am last minute like that), and left the house the next morning.  It was a nice short 6-7 hour drive over, and Zane did pretty well on the drive.  We got there around 3 p.m. and had a relaxing evening!

Allie found it interesting that there was no 13th floor at the DoubleTree hotel.  We stayed on the 16th floor.   This was the view from our window.

Dinner that night was at Red Robin.  Zane was so funny and kept dipping pizza in ketchup.

Another funny - Kevin loves the Orange Whip drink from AM PM.  He and Allie went and sadly they were out.  He was so disappointed (ha!) and Allie took some good video about how he just couldn't believe that every time he'd go they were out.

En route to the beach the next morning, Kevin took us by the Newport Beach Temple. So beautiful!

The next day we went to the beach - Corona del Mar in Newport Beach, our favorite beach to hang out when we are in the area - nice and quiet, and very family friendly.  It was forecasted to be around 100 degrees that day but we had nice perfect weather, until 3 p.m. but of course we were on our way out.  Up til then the breeze was great and we felt neither hot or cold.  The water was warm enough (though not warm enough for what I'm used to), and the kids had so much fun playing in the water and the sand. 

Picture overload:

Zane went to town eating donuts at the beach!

Here he is trying to get another.

 

 It was Zane's first time at the beach and he did not like the movement of the water and sand as the waves crashed on the shore.  He just wanted Kevin to hold him, and as long as he had his Daddy's hand in his, he was fine - the theme of our trip!  Anyway... we packed donuts and Baja Fresh for lunch at the beach - so fun to eat by the ocean.  It was especially relaxing for me - I love the sound of the ocean - I wish I had a book to read while I was there.  Around 3 p.m. the sun started to pelt down, and the kids were done playing so we headed back to the hotel.  They were so tired that they all fell asleep on the drive back.

Helping Allie with her mermaid tail.

Helping Maddie get her tail done.

All fell asleep on the way back to the hotel.

That night we met one of FNF's Vp's for dinner - and Allie was throwing a crazy "hill billy" attitude" - this was how she wanted to act at dinner.  Crazy girl I tell you.  She ended up taking Zane out to the car since he was crazier and watched a movie with him so we could sit and visit with our dinner guests.  

Old Post: One September Weekend

09/2012

My heart is full of gratitude for my family and life in general.  Sure it is busy, but as Sunday came to a close, I thought, someday I would like to remember how a weekend around here typically goes.  It's our normal, and though chaotic at times (most the time) I want to freeze it in time.

Rewind to the first of the week:

Monday - school, dance for Maddie, piano for Allie and Collin, FHE
some funny tidbits:  somehow we were talking about our new baby, and Kevin referred to the time he is born as "when he comes out of the belly of the beast".  ha.  which I didn't hear, until the kids started laughing so hard.  It was too funny I wish I had captured it on camera.

Tuesday - school, preschool, gymnastics/cheer for Allie and Maddie, presidency meetings for Kevin and me, so this day is not over til almost 10 at night.

Wednesday - same old school, preschool, cubs scouts for Collin, mutual for Maddie, presidency visits and what not for me

Thursday - school, preschool, soccer practice for Collin, whew we are done at a decent hour.

Friday - the day I look forward to - dinner date with Kevin, and usually just a quiet night at home after a day of school, teaching preschool, etc.

Saturday rolls around - and this past weekend,  Kevin took the oldest three to tour the new Gilbert Fire Station.  The kids had fun!  They came home in time for them to go to Collin's first soccer game of the season.  It was Zane's nap time so Allie babysat while they were gone, and while I went to our Stake baptisms.  It was our ward's turn to host, and I got to give the baptism talk.  It is always so nice to get to attend those.

August Randoms

Life in August according to my phone.

 Maddie's bath head

Wii Party with cousins

Then I must be nesting, because I decided to tackle Allie's room redo, due for a while now!  My mom was in town for a week so I seized the opportunity to redo her room.  Now she has a teen room, which she keeps clean most the time.  We have a three strikes you're out in the hallway policy.  So far it's keeping her neat and tidy.  She really doesn't want to have to sleep in the hallway!

Painted the walls gray with two accent walls in yellow and white

An almost done room

Details

Fabric for her pillows from Caitlin Wilson Textiles.  Which I have yet to do.  Maybe tomorrow.

8/18  Some punks vandalized our two of our windows and front door.  

8/20 Maddie started ballet and tap dance.  She was so happy to see Isa there - and her friend Lucia too.  Mostly super excited to get to sit with Isa, her favorite.

First Day of Preschool

Then preschool started for this little one.  So sad it is her last year in preschool!

She is really taking off with Math and Reading:

She was so excited to finish the iPhone version of the hundred board.

She can now also read Dick and Jane!

Mornings and/or night scripture study with the two older ones reading out loud, sometimes Maddie takes a turn:

Allie thought fighting like dragons was interesting

After Kevin mentioned how we might visualize how Moroni fortified the Nephite cities, this is what Collin came up with - heaps of dirt, timbers, pickets on top, and a tower for looking out

Allie obviously needs to have more activities to do - she painted this Barbie with nail polish one night.  Next week she starts cheer and piano. 

Maddie prepping our flower beds for planting.  Her idea.

Maddie loves to take photos with my phone. This is just one of them.

And life wouldn't be the same without chores, unfortunately, according to Allie and Collin.  Allie has kitchen duty MWF, Collin has it TThS.

And this is Maddie on a library trip + custard treat with me on Saturday. 

Baby Bump!

And last but not least for those that didn't "get" our announcement last time - here is a more obvious one - we are expecting Zane's partner in crime and 5th child in December.  I know, crazy month already with 2 birthdays, an anniversary, and Christmas!  I am now 25 weeks along and past the "sick" months.  So far so good, and I am in a serious organizing and nesting phase.  Which I am grateful for.  I have three more rooms to redo in my house, 4 or 5 if I can muster up the time between Primary, preschool, and normal day to day stuff!

Zane - 20 months

Zane is as busy as ever.  Here are a few shots I took of him this last month:

He loves this little blanket - mostly the satin part.  He found one of maddie's night gowns which was satiny and laid on it like it was the best thing in the world.  He goes around the house with this blanket all the time.  

Bedtime is quite interesting nowadays too.  Zane likes to climb out of his crib.  This month he has just been non-stop to where we have to lock his door whenever we put him down for a nap or bed.  Except when he is super tired, he is usually talking to us through the door.  He falls asleep in 10 or 15 minutes, I just go back in and lay him back down in his crib.  In the daytime, he sleeps one long nap - I got him on a schedule to go down when preschool is in session.  Hopefully he will keep napping for 2.5 hours until the school year is out (crossing my fingers).

Zane loves being outside.  When he gets up in the a.m. he asks to go "OUT" or "SIDE".  He's kind of a one-syllable kid, except for a few words that he will do two.  Funny.  Anyway, he likes to go out and is content to be barefoot and push the little cars around.  Or drive the jeep around.  He has figured out to get up on the trampoline using the Cozy Coupe (above).  Once he gets his fill of the outdoors, he comes back in on his own, and then he eats breakfast if he hadn't yet.  Then he knows it's bath time.  He will usually be ready for his nap after that.  

One night I peeked in his room before I went to bed, something I usually do just in case he was on the floor.  This one night, he had all his shutters open, had all his books lined up on the window sill,   and he was in the drawer, asleep.  It was the cutest thing.  My super busy body fell asleep playing. No shirt as usual.  He never likes being dressed, spending his time being in his diaper only - and lately, he's been going around without his diaper on. I have to keep a close eye on him - it got so bad one day I had to use duct tape to keep him from stripping. 

This one was a random funny - I guess he wanted to wear Maddie's pajamas one night while I was gone to meetings, and I woke up the next morning to him calling "Mama" dressed up in this night gown.

And here is Zane's last month according to my phone:

First time ever that he fell asleep in his high chair - waiting for his afternoon snack.  

Enjoying the morning rain.  He loved being soaked in it!

Once again I cannot believe he's almost 2.  It doesn't seem that long he joined our family.  Love this little boy!

Jasmine's Baptism

OK so I realized it's been a month since my last post - August flew by!  It was a busy but good month (what's new, right?) and we haven't even started our sports and piano classes - those all start up this week.  I finally got my preschool blog updated to the most current week - and now our family blog needs updated.  Thank goodness for this short 3 day weekend for me to catch up on things.

First off, at the beginning of August we took a short trip up to Kingman for my niece Jasmine's baptism.  She asked me to give the baptism talk.  I took a few photos of Jazzy - she wore this pretty dress to get baptized in!  Allie did her hair that day - she did a great job - I am glad I won't have to worry about Maddie's hairdo when the time comes.  Allie is so good at doing hair - she actually does mine too (when it's curled, that means Allie did my hair, ha ha! This is just one thing I don't like to make time for.  I spent maybe a total of 5 minutes on my hair each day, not even exaggerating, I sure wish I had Allie's patience for hair).

Jasmine and her parents

Us in front of this old Stake building

I gave Jasmine a journal and cute pens to write in her feelings about her baptism and start her very own journal.

Jasmine's family (both sides)

Allie got this thing stuck in her leg that I had to pull out!  Kingman has dry brush all around.

We drove home in time for Church on Sunday.  It was short but glad to have been a part of a special day!