5-state water trip. You name it, we swam in it.

We spent two weeks this July traveling from home to the north-east corner of the country and back again.  Zach had to work, so I piled the kids in the van and told him he had two weeks to clean without anyone undoing his work. (And wished out loud we could trade places because that's kind of been a dream of mine since my oldest started crawling... ;D)  The main idea was to get away from the incessant noise from our neighbor's dogs, and to visit my sister who lives near Seattle.

Our first water stop was in Utah.  Grandma Van made this awesome waterbed to jump on.

 Kael got to celebrate his 4th birthday surrounded by family at Chuck-E-Cheese- HIS dream come true.

 Got to visit with my "oldest" best friend.

 We met our new cousin, Brennan!

 Then we left for WA.  We stopped in Idaho at my cousin's house for the night.  Saw her for the first time in about seven years.  Too long!

 We got to Washington before the sun went down and set up our tent in Lara's landlord's backyard.  The next day was Kael's actual birthday.  He wanted to swim in the creek with me, so we went down while the baby napped.

The girls got to participate in a kid camp that the landlord runs every year.  They learned a bunch of fun games and had a blast playing with fake battle equipment.  That was the highlight of our stay there- it wasn't a very little-kid friendly place.

  

 We went to visit a farm in Duvall where Lara is now working with her new boyfriend.  We noticed a stark contrast between the overgrown "rainforest" we'd just left and the well-manicured lawns and rows of perfectly plowed and weeded gardens.  It was a much cheerier environment for the boys, and consequently for me.  We got to spend the evening with La and her friend May, who owns the farm.

  

The next day we drove over to the Olympic Peninsula.  We stopped in Port Angeles on our way to Forks for a do-it-yourself Twilight tour and to go to the Quileute Days Festival that weekend.  The kids were excited to see the ocean for the first time, too.

Restaurant in the book

"I don't buy any of this vampire stuff."

Fountain on the corner after we stopped at a Cafe I HIGHLY recommend: The Cornerhouse Restaurant.  VERY kid friendly, with great, inexpensive food.  Bella Italia didn't open 'til 4, so we asked around and were pointed there.

We stayed in a house in Forks that Lara found on airbnb. It was right in the middle of town, which is pretty much all just on one main street.  (I took tons of video of this vacation, including a drive down the main street, but it's all on a card I can't find.  I'm sure there are pictures on it, too.... it's driving me nuts.)  She and Charles were such gracious hosts, and so helpful with the kids.  Charles babysat the kids while Declan napped and Lara and I ran out to do a quick sight-seeing tour.  Our house was a few blocks away from "Bella's house."

We weren't sure we were at the right house, but then this pulled up.

The people who live here just volunteered their house to stand for Bella's.  It has absolutely no connection to anything- just the designated tourist spot.  Hilarious. 

On our way to La Push for Quileute Days

A "wolf girl."

Lara's boyfriend scoring major brownie points with the kids.

I was so proud of these kids throughout the whole trip.  For the most part, they were just nice to each other and patient.

Lobster traps?  First Beach

Huge leached logs on tiny, multicolored smooth rocks.  For never having been there, Meyers was amazingly accurate in her setting descriptions.  

Kael and the girls had SO much fun running from waves.

Declan is the first of my kids to love the sandy beach.

Kael was super excited and jumping for joy

The water was numbingly cold- I don't know how they stayed out in it so long!

Now you see him

Now you don't.  Unless you look closely, you can see the corner of his little heel above Bree's shoulder.

Declan comforting his poor waterlogged brother.

Glad the kids got to spend some time with their Aunt Wa

After this we spent the night at a terrible hotel in Portland. I should have just had us sleep in the car, it was that bad.  On our way to the "good hotel," we drove past this candy store.  I was trying to get back on the freeway, and we still had an hour before lunch time, but it looked so cute, and it was right next to a Subway, so I flipped a U.  An older couple watched us as we walked in and I instructed the kids which bins they could choose one piece of candy from.  They were so excited to choose, I chatted with the couple while they looked.  I told them about turning around because their store was so cute, and they found out we were heading to Subway for lunch.

We walked over to the Subway, and after we'd finally gotten our food and started eating, the lady from the candy store came in and gave me a container full of fudge she said she'd just made fresh.  She chatted with the kids a bit more, said she was on her way to a pot luck for lunch, and left.  After the stressful night we'd just spent, I was super touched.

Another fortuitous stop.  Completely hidden from the road, I happened to see the sign for a rest area in time to pull off.  It turned out to be a gorgeous and well-kept park bordered by a pretty stream.

Been in the car all day, and still getting along

We made it to the "good hotel" a Super 8 in a small Oregon town, in time to swim a couple of times that evening.

Another stop in Oregon on our way to Bear Lake.

Declan's first time at the lake!

Our traditional stop at Merlin's to get shakes

Baby bear

Collecting shells

We got back to Sandy in time for a Pioneer Day party at Grandma and Grandpa Van's.  Kael had a miserable 4th of July after our "bad neighbor" shot a roman candle at his head.  He spent the rest of the evening inside crying at the noise.  So Grandpa found some ear protection in his gun stuff, and Kael was able to ease into the pop-its.  He's never been able to handle them before, so that was fun.

Grandma Marge is always so attentive to the little ones.

Grandma Cork and her sisters playing lilac leaves.  I had a video of this, too...

Right before we left for home.  Still in six pieces!

Fun week

Valentine's Day!  We had Zach's sister's family over on their way back from Disneyland, and they stayed and helped us get our party together.  Our friends who are also in the surgical program came too, bearing more decorations and Valentines.  Also in attendance were 7 or so kids from our homeschooling group. Our third and probably last Valentine party!  From now on they will do parties at school, I'm sure.

This group is one of the last pictures I took with my almost-dead Fuji S2.  I have missed so many sweet shots because of that poor old thing's failure to shoot.  Declan's first smile, first step. Smiles on Halloween, Christmas.  It was like shooting with a cell phone-- waiting for the dang thing to finally click.  Zach took pity on me and used what was left of our tax refund to get me a new camera!!   I've been drooling over images I've seen posted... I could tell technology had far surpassed what I could eek out of this 10-year-old Fuji.  Everytime I saw images I was really impressed with, I asked what they were shooting with.  Always the Nikon D7000.  So we got a used one, and I am in heaven.  And chomping at the bit to shoot people.

Like this kid! He is 15 months old today!  Our first climber. If you come to our house and see toddler chairs turned upside down, now you'll know why.  He has learned how to take off his pants so he can get better traction and climb up the slide.  Doesn't know how to slide down yet, so that's fun. :b  He did learn how to go down the stairs on his own, however, so that's a little less worrisome spot of the house for us.

  My biggest fear now is the couch.  He climbs right up, and looks like he'd climb right over the back if we let him. ( I knew I'd be less than thrilled about our tile for this very reason.  Oh, well someday we'll be able to afford a place with linoleum- haha.)

Is this camera not amazing?!?!  I just can't get over it.

Sagebrush Ranch Kids Camp, Monday. When we went last year Bree got so sunburned after three days we couldn't continue, so instead of a refund they gave us credit.  It worked out well, since we were the only ones who came to camp this day.

  I am in no way endorsing this place- the help is extremely unprofessional and inattentive.  They do make sure to use the right equipment and are extremely cautious about where and how they ride, so I felt comfortable letting the kids stay, but they have no business calling it a teaching experience.  If the horses weren't so old and docile they'd be in big trouble.

On the flip-side, when you have more laid-back authority, you get more autonomy.  So when they weren't being ignored, the kids got to ride on their own, instead of being led around while adults held the reigns.

 (Notice how there are no adults in this picture.  The pre-teens who seem to be running the place thought I'd left, and walked so far ahead of the girls that they were out of sight.)

 It was worth it. :)

Summer's over!

We've had a busy bunch of weeks!  Mia started 3rd grade, and Anya and Bree started 1st on August 26th.

This monkey finally started preschool the week after that on Sept 3.  We're doing JoySchool with five other ladies in the ward on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We've really been looking forward to getting him out of the house and into a big group of buddies- it is already working wonders after just two weeks.  The days he goes, he is on cloud nine, he doesn't scream or hit anyone, uses the potty consistently, and is his usual, snuggly self.  We've missed this boy since the baby was born. 

 He really got the short end of the stick when I was dealing with homeschooling two Kindergarteners and a second grader and nursing an infant every three hours.  Aside from our little nighttime ritual, whatever attention he got he really had to fight for, I'm afraid.  Things are definitely looking up.

Zach scheduled his second vacation of the year to coincide with our anniversary, since they wouldn't give him Christmas or Thanksgiving. :b   After watching the unpredictable weather for days we decided spontaneously on the 4th to go camping, which made Kael miss his second day of preschool the next morning.  

Enlarged: Kaelicus weirdicus.

Declan's first camping trip

 Then that next afternoon we used our saved-up Labor Day vacation time from school and decided to go to the lake!  We spend about 20 minutes scrambling for swimming supplies and made the 45 minute drive.  It turned out really fun.

First time at the beach!

He sat splashing in his tube- happy as a clam the whole time.

Friday the 6th was the 11th wedding anniversary of Zach and I.   He surprised me with tickets to "O" at the Bellagio.  

And Thursday the 12th was the girls' first day of soccer.  

This pic made me laugh.  This was their reaction to me saying "Love each other!"  Ha- my corny kids.

Last but not least, Mia's birthday party was yesterday.  A few weeks ago I asked her what kind of party she wanted.  First she gave the standard answer "Chuck-E-Cheese."  I've tried to indulge their reasonable birthday fantasies, but Chuck-E has been done to death at our house and I'm sick of him.  So the next thing she said was "A snake party!!!"  I almost put Chuck-E's back on the table.But I'm glad I didn't.  I gave a Facebook shout-out to all my Vegas friends to see if there was anyone who knew anyone with snakes, and some friends from Zach's residency came through.  This gal is in their ward, and is a total snake lover.  She came with her husband and two girls, and was just so fun to have.  She was very informative, helpful, friendly, professional, and my favorite- affordable. ;D  They spent over a half an hour letting the kids play with snakes and ask questions.  I only full-body shivered three times.  The second was when they pulled this sucker out:







But it was worth it to get this girl smiling so big. Thanks to grandmas for contributing to the party expenses!

Moving Along

We've been to Utah every month for the last four months!  On our first trip I was venturing out of state on my own with five kids for the first time.  I'd been looking forward to it for a while, since I missed going up for Christmas. I'd also been a little anxious about driving up on my own with an infant.

When we moved to Vegas in the first place, I didn't dare drive down on my own with four kids!  I had my brother drive tandem with us.  Granted- I had a lot of packed boxes and luggage I needed help with once we arrived, and I'd never seen the apartment we were headed to.  But I think it takes a lot more to daunt me two years later.

We ended up fine.  The weather was nice, so I could nurse in the car while the kids watched a movie and ate their lunch.

 Dealing with the baby only added an hour to the drive.  That, and stopping to get a speeding ticket. :b  I'd been going down a hill and pointing out  Mount Timpanogos to Mia.  I didn't even notice how fast I had gotten until I noticed the lights behind me.  In my get-a-warning attempt I told the officer what I'd been up to.  He looked at the mountain closest to us and said "Actually, that's Mount Nebo."

 "Oh, is this big one Nebo?! I didn't know that." And here's where I really earned my ticket:  "I was actually pointing to the one off in the distance- isn't that Timp?"  DOH! Broke cardinal rule #1 of dealing with a police officer:  You know nothing, they know everything.
  Tick-ehhhht!

Four months later, I drove everyone up alone again without blinking an eye.  My peace of mind no doubt amplified by the fact that my dad had given us his much newer mini-van which wasn't going to overheat even in the 104 degree weather.  (Thanks, Dad!!)

It was perfect, and uneventful. We stopped to grab burgers and bathroom in Saint George, and at the Maverick in Fillmore where the kids played on the shaded playground and I sat in the air-conditioned car and fed the baby.  After that we went straight to Sandy without any stopping for cops.

During our visit I went to run an errand downtown and the kids all saw the Salt Lake Temple down the street.  We'd pointed it out from the freeway during our Utah visit the month before, and said we'd go there some day to look around.  Of course "someday" to them, meant the next time we saw it- regardless of the fact that I was the only adult in the car.  I told them we could drive around to see it up close, but we probably wouldn't get out.  I decided if I could find street parking near the entrance, I'd take them in.  There's a parking spot for every public destination that my side of the family, for good reason, jokingly refers to as "Dad's spot."  He gets the closest one every time.  It's uncanny.  Well, Dad's spot was open.  So we went in.

We went to the visitor's center.  While I fed the baby, Kael took his shoes off and took a lap around the foyer by the restrooms.  The girls all giggled and took off after him.  I wondered for a minute if I was in over my head and was just in denial.  Some sister missionaries walked toward them and effectively herded them toward me.  When I was done with the baby we actually had fun!

For the last six months or so, I've been acting the same way I have about every eight years.   I sense the end of an era and I get this premature nostalgia.  The last day of fifth grade, I knew that I was about to lose being able to plop down and read whatever I wanted, as long as I wanted. I was baptized and accountable for my actions... I knew I wasn't a little kid anymore.    

My sister, Megan, posted this photo of my sibs and me on Facebook and labeled it "Back in the day." 

 Ten years later I spent the last half of my senior year fretting how I'd never be in a place where I'd see so many of my amazing friends every single day once I left high school.  During the last trimester of my pregnancy with Mia, I knew nothing would be the same once I became a mother.  Every time the end of an era nears,  I get wistful and don't look forward to the next step because I'm sure I'll miss what I've enjoyed so much about the current one.   

I can't say I regret giving myself a few months to grieve every time I knew a life-change was coming.  I think it's just something I needed.  But this time around I'm not just trying to console myself with the hypothesis that the next change will be just as enjoyable.  I really believe it now... and it makes the change a little easier.

I was studying this picture of the kids and realized it is going to be just as reminiscent for them someday as Megan's is for me.  

Just since I took this about a week ago, Anya has lost both her front teeth.

Kael has stopped wearing diapers during the day, Declan has grown his second tooth, started speed-creeping and trying puffs.  I've made invitations for his first birthday, and Mia's impending baptism- both in November.

 

 Four months or so, and the baby era will be over.  This has been the hardest one by far.  The hardest, the worst, and undoubtedly, the best.