week 9

All but one picture this week was taken with my camera phone.  I was busy getting ready for Disneyland.  This is what happened before we left...

Jessi is loving this big container of bling I bought at Hobby Lobby.  She is making all sorts of projects with it.

Christian beat me to the punch and made his own lunch.  He didn't want to waste time at lunch peeling his clementine, so he did it ahead of time.  He also frosted a sugar cookie and threw it in a baggie.

Jessi's story problems are always so indicative of her interests.  This one says "Jessica has 100 Barbie dolls. She cuts 71 of their hair. How many dolls still have there hair?"  (I had just discovered two Barbies with serious bob cuts earlier that day.)  Other story problems have been about tumbling, makeup, food and hair bows.

She made herself a blingy mask.

Meet the Masters this week was about Edgar Degas.  I taught Jessi's class so I had to make an example.

Jessi in class for art day.

Bev took this picture of Tiger with my iPad.  Tiger is her and Jessi's favorite model and I often find many pictures of her on my phone and camera.

It was a read-a-thon at school, so the kids took blankets and pillows and treats and books.

Christian does not like wearing shirts.  He said that they are "too restrictive."  I asked him to pull out some of his favorite books from when he was little.  Bev immediately sat down to listen to him read.

Mike got home from his late soccer game and took this picture.  This is not an uncommon occurrence, it just usually does not involve this many kids.  I had listened to them read and then this happened.  Mike took them all to bed so he had room.

I helped at Christian's class store.  I can appreciate that it helps kids learn about money, buying and selling things, etc.  But, I dislike them bringing more junk into the house.

He is always so thoughtful and gets his siblings something.  Today, he got the girls purses.  (Yay, more purses.  We didn't have enough already;)

I did Dr. Seuss Day for Christian's class.  We made little Cat in the Hat treats out of cookies, frosting and marshmallows and then I let them vote on the books we read.  I finished it up with my favorite, "What Was I Scared of?"

Then on Friday I stayed up most of the night cleaning the house, doing laundry and packing for Disneyland.

week 8

This week started with Drew pulling an early April Fool's joke.  Every picture of people in the house, with glass on top (thank goodness he avoided the canvas ones) got handlebar mustaches.  

I did this one year, on these pictures.  Jessica did not like hers and wiped it off.

He even got our wedding picture in the curio cabinet.

Every time I turned around I saw another picture with a mustache.

Science Fair time is sort of like Hell Week for me.  Thank goodness it was only one child that had to do one.  Bev chose to test stain sprays.  She tested them on spaghetti sauce, grape juice, mud and motor oil.

In case you are interested, Tide came out the winner.

She decided to splatter paint "stains" on her display board--we had the best time channeling Jackson Pollock.

The kids are a little obsessed with Amazing People on Youtube.  I have to say that those people are pretty amazing--that, or they have a death wish.

Mike took the kids for one last ice fishing expedition.  Jessi opted to stay home with me in the warm house.

Mike got them all packed and I sent them off with some warm oatmeal.

I got a call from Christian at school telling me he needed to "come home and take a shower."  I asked if I should just bring a change of clothes. He said it was probably more of a shower-type situation.  I asked him if had an "accident."  He got offended and explained that he had slid on the wet grass while playing soccer.  He was 75% wet and muddy, and did indeed need a shower.

Sweet Katie called and invited the kids to got to Classic Skating.  They are so lucky.

Mike cooked up some steaks for dinner, and Freddy was right there.  I am trying to not feed him in the kitchen, and make him stay out of there.  I have almost stepped on him numerous times.

Drew was playing the piano in the piano room, so Bev brought her violin out and serenaded Mike and me while we were talking.

I loved this picture of the Nativity in the BYU Magazine.

Doing a little test to see how Little Miss does with a stimulant.  No effect noticed.

Kiki is liking--for as much as he can like a book--the Beast Quest books.

The three youngest kids have these "cubbies" on the kitchen desk.  They are for schoolwork, but without fail, Jessica's (the bottom one) gets filled with wrappers and trinkets and "treasures" that have to be cleaned out after she goes to school.  I have to do the cleaning when she is gone or she goes into hoarder mode and has an intended purpose for every item in the cubby.

Bev went to an ice skating birthday party at the Olympic Oval.  She did a face-plant and ended up with quite a bruise.

She finally decided on a comforter for her new room in the basement. Looks like we are going with bright colors:)

Mike and I battled the rain at Costco and got her new full-sized mattress into the back of the van.

She spent that night in her new bed.  The headboard is in the works.

A co-worker of Mike's gave us this Jasmine topiary at Christmastime.  I just love it.  When I am not attentive for a few days, I all of a sudden notice it growing around the shutters.

In order to improve their writing skills, and keep their histories, I am having the kids write in their journals a few times a week.  I love reading what they write about their lives.  Bev is still soaking those darn toenails.

Sometimes you just have to make sugar cookies.  Thank goodness I have a sous chef to help.

Bev received notice that she made it into the honors program for Middle School and Jessi was the Student of the Week.

Disneyland Wrap-up

Now that we have been home from our travels, I am trying to catch up on my blogging.

Before we left, I finally went and got the supplies I needed for my plantar fasciitis.  I slept with a sling thing every night and wore a special compression sock.  My new shoes also helped.  With all the walking we did, I had very little pain.

Day 1 at Disneyland and I had to get the entry shot.  I think the adults were as excited as the kids to be at the happiest place on earth.

As we waited for the ropes to come down, the kids planned out our strategy.

They searched those maps and let us know the rides they wanted to ride first.  The first thing we did was send Mike for fast passes at Space Mountain.  The rest of us headed to Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours.

I loved experiencing Disneyland with a 2 year-old and a 4 year-old.  We have done it a few times before, but it was so fun experiencing it with Max and Henry.  It was magical for all of us, but watching these little guys experience it made it extra magical.

Jungle tour.

I just love the parades at Disneyland.  The the kids seeing their favorite characters, the music, the performances and costumes and floats--pure magic.

I glanced over at Jessica just as she got a wave from Tiana.  It made her day.

Waiting for the Jedi Training Academy (and hoping two particular kids get picked.)

Christian was chosen and later, Jack--yay!

Christian battled Darth Maul.

Day 2: planning our strategy for California Adventure.

After the 90-minute wait at Cars Land, these two were pooped.

Another great parade in California Adventure.

I just love that she still waves at the characters.

Every time we are there, we have to take a picture of Beverly outside The Beverly.

Jessi asked several times why we didn't bring a stroller like last time.  I told her it was because she is big enough to walk.  Aunt Mimi let her ride in the stroller a few times.

At the end of Day 2 we had dinner at Goofy's Kitchen.

Henry loved the characters, especially Minnie.  He gave her lots of hugs.

Then we walked through Downtown Disney.  The legomaniacs loved the Lego Store.

Day 3 started with the group shots.

Christian had been asking when we would get the turkey leg.  While he was gone on a ride, we hit the turkey leg stand.  I can handle about one bite, then I am ready to be a vegetarian. 

Everyone got a bite or two, but this carnivore finished it off.

Camille and I came prepared with ponchos for Grizzly River Rapids.  (We learned from previous experience.)  The best part was having dry kids for the rest of the day.  The second best part was being able to make somebody else's day by giving them our ponchos.

Christian and I watched the little guys while the rest of the gang did Screamin'.  (We had gone a few times and were done.)  We were trying to get Max to take a nap.  Christian turned to me and said, "Man, being a parent is hard work...and you have to be tricky."  He was telling Max that he would give him a treat if he closed his eyes for 2 minutes.

 Christian got his souvenir--a double, make-it-yourself lightsaber.

Saying goodbye to a really fun vacation.

Cousins.

I just love these guys.  We had such a great time with my parents, who are such good sports, and Camille's family.  Seriously, a great time was had by all.

When we got home, I cleaned out my backpack and immediately wanted to start planning our next trip back.  Now that I am typing this, I miss it again.  It really is one of the happiest places on earth.