AZ Trip Day 2 - Part 1 - 2012

8 children, 3 adults, 1 car = my fav part of AZ. Aunt Jen really knows how to show people a good time. We decided to head over to Jump Street. Oooooooh lala!

You wee one are a beautiful, predictable, little girl. At this stage of your life you still take two (sometimes 3) naps a day. The first at 9ish, the second at 1ish and the third around 5:30pm (for about 30-45 minutes). All you need if we are in the car is a tightly wrapped blanket, a pacifier and about 5 minutes to cry yourself to sleep (I wish there was a different way) and you are OUT like a light.

Jump Street is an indoor trampoline park. The section we mostly spent our time on was the 12 long trampolines connected side by side. It was amazing.

Madam A had a bounding good time.

Madam C wore herself out.

My main man L was totally into it. He was all about the tricks & wall climbing.

See? Told ya.

C was all about the back-walkovers.

Willsie was pretty resistive to the whole idea. Maybe a tad scary. It was a HUGE room. But that is where the Jedi mind trick comes in. I just decide it's going to be great - and it usually is....

He was totally into it after a little while and we ran and ran back and forth "One, two, three, gooooo!"

But daddy could not perform like the momma. 

Next up? Foam pit!!! Where's Luke??

After paying a few extra dollars (thanks Aunt Jen!) the kids enjoyed jumping off a mini trampoline into a foam pit. 

Was quite the workout and good fun.

I was determined to show Willsie a good time. We then ventured on the mega slides.

Hehehehe - he really looks to be enjoying himself huh?

After a few minutes I was sweating my butt off - those ladders are not for sissies.

Go Ava!! Being 6 really helps your independence skills.

You are a cutie mama.

So fun.....not gonna lie.

Madam S looooved to jump with her dadda.

One of my favorite things to watch was the way Carter and Ava interacted. Carter is 14 and treats his sister with such love and devotion. It's wonderful.

Day of Fun is off to a good start!!!

AZ Trip Day 1 - 2012

Arriving at Jen's is always exciting. 

Chataeu Jen - as we like to call it - is one of our fav spots in Mesa, AZ.

See this look? It's pure excitement. Char and I had a good scolding session to her stomach (yes. I really did bend over and wag my finger at her stomach) and told it to please behave on this trip. It was instructed that it wasn't to have any aching or pain on this trip or else! I am happy to report it is absolutely behaving like a champ. Most vacations are riddling with stomach issues for my sweet girl - which then proceed to ruin her (and my) vacation to a certain extent. I wasn't game this time.

Mr. Nate is quite the creator of ModernTechFurniture. Here is one of his creations....an old radio turned iPod docking station with a Kindle Fire screen. Love.

Jen's photographer friend captured some awesome shots of their fam recently. Loooove.

Lucas has been keeping Carter busy in airsoft wars. I don't really get the thrill of shooting AT each other - but I don't need to. Happy the boys are having fun.

Oh Mr. Boober - how did you become so sweet and cute? This is what you do when I say "smile!" Cracks me up.

I told Ava I needed to capture her missing teeth.

And then William said "Teeef Teeeeef!" and I was ordered to capture his as well.

Paige is a reader. A BIG reader....we don't see much of her - but when we do, she's lovely.

Jen is like Oprah - a lover of books. A facilitator of learning. A cheerleader of knowledge.....She has one massive library too. A girl after my own heart.

Love the modern tree this year.

Uncle Nate has a fizzy drink maker machine. The kids experiemented with grape juice. It was the highlight of Luke's evening.

And Willsie's

And Charlotte's......who serenaded us with a burp song.

Oh my - look at this missing top row! ;) 

On that note (get it?!) we ended our night. 

Excited for tomorrow! We love AZ!

Christmas jammies

I had the idea to get matching jammies for all the little babies between my longtime high school friend Lauren and I. 'Twas magic :) 'Twas cuteness extreme. 'Twas the mark of a new tradition.

Willsie and Owen (or Oweeeeen as Will calls him) LOVED the fact that they were matching. It was so ridiculously cute.

And they both HAD to be holding motorcycles. 

Lauren said "Owen do you want to give Will a kiss?" And it was like a cheek to back "kiss" which they both totally got a kick out of.

Lilly was scrumpy and Savannah wanted to eat her.

Non stop - we had to hold her back. hahahaaa

When it was time to go Wills had a mini tantrum as is par for the course these days. He really loves "Oweeeen's Hoouush" 

(Owen's house)

Pearly Whites

My dumpling darling bunny butt,

    You have been popping teeth like Willsie likes to pop tictacs - read: A LOT! Seems they are coming 2 and 3 at a time. Oi vey! You are being a good sport about it - as long as you are being held every minute you are awake. Double oi vey. This makes for a lot of fried eggs and pancakes for dinner - or other simple things that can be prepared with one hand. 

   As you can see here you are in the process of getting your second big ol' honkin front tooth, along with two others. This makes for very small amounts of sleep for me. (ouch!)

But with the smile like that it about makes up for it (almost).

xoxo

Christmas Cheer

If there's one thing that gets me in the Christmas mood - it's creating our annual card. I love it beyond words. Maybe too much. Countless hours spent - but all totally worth it.

There's no real way to post it here but here's a little collage of the pictures we used :)

Holiday Decorating

While most responsible families probably do normal things like keep live lights away from babies - we like to let the kids test them in their mouths first. 

Wow. Seriously superb parenting on my part. Hmmm.....Well the point was to admire the cuteness of my babies. Can we move past the other topic and do that? I hope so......eeeek!

Hello there Willsie boy. Whatcha doin'?

Oh you're a mouth tester too? Sheesh!

You look so cute here, you had a good time decorating and helping to untangle the lights. What IS IT with lights getting tangled?! Even when you straighten them out they get tangled!

You started to scold me and baby for letting her mouth the lights. Good call buddy.

And then you mugged the camera - LOL. This pic still kinda freaks me out - creepy face!

Sweetest xmas memory ever

Awwww - my sweeet baby - happy 1st Christmas!

You did a great job decorating the tree little man. Only 3 casualties. Yes our tree is on the homeschool table, yes I am trying to eliminate the 77 other casualties that would happen otherwise.

I love you little helper boy

Milestones

Crusing - check.

Pulling up on things - check

Standing in crib - check

eating everything that touches your lips - check

sleeping really well - check

First Road Trip - Check & Check

First 4th of July - check

First Halloween - check

First Thanksgiving - check

First Christmas - coming soon!

Nurse

Dearest children,

I have been doing barf laundry and doling out homeopathic medicine for the past 7 day and nights.

So forgive me if I sound......dark.

I am supposed to have Saturday AMs off - completely off to do whatever I want (this is a new thing! First time in my whole marriage! WOOHOO) but due to one of John's guys being super sick he had to take over.  When sharing the bad news he says in mock seriousness:

"You know I would much rather stay here and be with the sick kids" at which point he loses his control and we both start cracking up. With your father gone this leaves me once more with a house full of sick children. Here's my humorous conversations with a sick but demanding Charlotte:

8:07AM - I am calming a sick Savannah while carrying her in baby carrier while Willsie just woke and is demanding things from me:

Charlotte: Mom - will you make me biscuits?

Moi: Sure

Moi: Biscuits are ready

Charlotte: Can you melt some butter for them?

Moi: Sure

Moi: Butter is ready

Charlotte: I don't want to tell you this but I don't want them anymore. Actually the smell is making me need to throw up. Can you put them away?

Moi: Sure

Charlotte: I don't mean to make you exhausted but I kinda need you to make my breakfast quick. And I need you to put salt and pepper on my eggs"

Moi: Alrighty

Charlotte: And toast.

Moi: Laughing