Something I Don't Understand ...

This little sleeping girl is sooo RANDOM! First off she sleeps with so much STUFF all around her, how is that even COMFORTABLE???!!! Next off, she has DOZENS of blankets, but somehow she ALWAYS ends up, wrapped in one of Zachary's blankets. When I take Zach's blanket away, she won't let me cover her with one of hers ... Why? Because her blankets are all for different "purposes", as she puts it. One is for CRYING, one is for SNUGGLING, another is for COZY TIME, while another is for DECORATION, & the list goes on & on! Why none of them are for SLEEPING, I have NO CLUE!! I took this blanket away from her last night & gave it back to Zach. Emma was in TEARS! I heard them talking after I left the room & Zachary wanted her to have a blanket to keep her WARM. He said, "I want you to have this Emma, you are my favorite & I don't want you to be cold." So I guess he gave it to her. So very, VERY, VERY random, but what do ya do?!?!? Just smile, & walk away!!! :)Here is the STACK of non-SLEEP-able blankets ...Onto other highlights of the last little while ---

Last week we got our kids, much needed, new shoes.

All of them got new ones, but Kye wouldn't hold still so I could snap a picture ...My older 2 loved their shoes SOOOO much that they wouldn't take them off their feet for the WHOLE day after we bought them. YES, they even slept in them for naps & for bedtime!

SILLY Kidd-os!!!!Another note:

This little guy was sick much of last week ...So HEARTBREAKING!!!

He threw-up for one complete day. By nightime, he didn't even have strength to STAND ... so, so SAD!

I swear he lost 5 lbs & he DOESN'T have that to loose!

He didn't have much of an appetite even the following days, so he didn't have any strength those days either. What did that lead too??? A LOT of carrying him around. Although sometimes I found it annoying, it is good for me to SLOW down & spend more time enjoying the small things about life. Sickness tends to make life slow down a bit. Maybe that's why we get sick in the first place, because we're going TOO fast!!

Idk, just a thought!

He's all better now!!!! THANK GOODNESS!

Life is so much FUNNER when you don't have SICKIES!!!!

{ps I know FUNNER is NOT a word, & you ain't supposed to say it, but I DO!!}

Field Trip --- #5

Treehouse Museum---

This is one field trip that I have been excited for ...

I have been wanting to go to this place, but just haven't made the time to take my kids.

It was so much fun, & Emma thoroughly enjoyed herself!

I took WA-AAY too many pictures, but here are just a few:

1st is the Farm -

Complete with apron dress-ups & a cow to milk. Then there was the DRUM room which Emma LOVED!

The other 2 girls I was in charge of didn't appreciate the noise of this room, but I guess Emma is used to it since Al plays the drums in our house!

Then it was off to take care of the babies -

I just LOVE this picture ... The HUMUGOUS grin, the glasses, & with a baby, something she has always been fond of! She is such a cute lil' Mommy!

Of course she LOVED dressing up in ANYTHING she could-

These are all the girls I was in charge of: Seami, McKenna, & Emma, of course.

We had fun together doing all the "girlie" things the Treehouse had to offer.

One of the last things the girls did was play in the schoolhouse.

Emma sat down at the little desks & began drawing.

I was standing in the doorway for a little while, & finally decided to go over & see what Emma was drawing on her chalkboard.

& I'M GLAD I DID!!!

This is a picture of herself!

I LOVE it!!

I think she has the cutest, most creative ways of drawing.

I am going to print this picture

& hang in in her room!!! It was a fun time had by all!!

I love having these special times with just Emma!!

She is growing into such a wonderful little girl.

It's fun to watch her interact with the other kids

& see how much she has grown over the year.

I LOVE being her Mom!

She teaches me so much!!

Emma, I LOVE You!

I cannot believe my little girl is almost 5!!!!

The Weekend --- In Washington

I was totally looking forward to Saturday, I thought it would be an ENTIRE day of Daddy!! Well, as Saturday approached, I soon realized that Daddy need to go into work for part of the day. So me & the kids tried to enjoy the morning without him. Once he came home ... the FUN began! I went on a little run, while Daddy took the 3 kids to a park that was close by, it was FINALLY a sunny day!!! After a good run, & ALL 3 kids were WORN-OUT from the park ...... We packed up our exhausted kids & headed to Pasco, WA. I was SOOOOO excited for this little adventure!!! Our good friends The McGills, that we met when we lived in California, live in Pasco. It was only about a 2 hour drive!! We both have 3 kids, close to the same ages, & same genders. Emma and McKayla were both our first & we were pregnant together in Cali. It was so fun to meet their other 2 kids, Beckham & Liam, & catch-up on life!!! They are expecting their 4th child, a little girl, any day now!!! We wish them the best & hope that we'll get to catch-up with them again!!!!! My kids haven't stopped talked about "there friends in Washington."

"The Whole Gang"McKayla & Emma {age 4 ... almost 5!!}Liam & Kye {both a little over a year}Beckham & Zachary are 2 MOVEABLE boys!! They wouldn't hole still for a picture, but they did long enough for the GROUP shot, so that's what we'll have to ENJOY!!! {Beckham is 3, & Zachary will be 3 at the end of May}

It was SUCH a blast to hang-out with them!!!

We have such AMAZING friendships that we made in California. That time will ALWAYS be such a treasure in our lives!!!

----

On Sunday, it was a nice jacket weather day, so we ventured to a park that the McGill's clued us in on. Alan asked some of his workers & they told us EXACTLY how to get there ... using the good 'ol bar route. {they told us each & every bar to turn at so we would get to the exact location we were looking for. I found it kinda funny they didn't know street names, but new the exact names of all the bars downtown!! :)}

First stop at the park was this very UNIQUE slide ...My kids LOVED it!!!{click on the picture of Kye & Daddy going down the slide ... check out Kye's HUGE grin!!}They had fun climbing all over these blocks ...& THIS was the true HIT of the day!!!It's a goat that turns on & SUCKS up stuff. Leaves, garbage, rocks, pine cones, whatever you put close to it's mouth. My kids all had HUMUGOUS grins while playing with it. It was quite entertaining to watch all the kids around scamper for some useless thing to put in the goats mouth.

We did a lot of walking by the Riverfront ...And then we let Emma & Zachary enjoy a carosel ride ...This was Zachary's first time on a carousel that he can remember. He was THRILLED to ride on the LION, & I NEVER, EVER wanna forget how he ROARRRED on the lion during the ENTIRE ride!!! Soooo, STINKIN' cute!!!!

That night Uncle Davey flew out to Washington to drive home with us the next day ...

WHAT A LIFESAVER!!!!

He truely is such a SWEET brother who does anything for EVERYONE!!!

We got all packed up & left the dingey, dirty apartment for GOOD!!!3 Happy Kids was WONDERFUL!!!

Especially when we reached Daddy's job site & our car battery DIED for the 2nd time in 2 weeks!!! :)

Lucky for us, the battery died AT THE JOB SITE & not in the middle of nowhere!!! We had tools, stores close by to get a new battery from, & a sexy handy-man to change the battery!!! After an hour delay, my kids were not as delightful to START our journey,

BUT because we had Uncle Davey to entertain, pass out treats, & settle little squabbles it was quite a PLEASANT 12-hour drive!!

(ps. who knew you would get stopped in the middle of no-place-Idaho for a brush fire in the middle of winter!!! I NOW KNOW!!!!!)

It was such a GREAT week with Daddy!!!

We loved being there with him & getting to check out a NEW place for us all!!!

Thanks for entertaining us Daddy!!!!

Although the week was fun, I think we were all so GLAD to have some place to RUN & be LOUDER & not STEP on each other!!

*****

side note: When we got home & got Kye outta his car seat, his legs were a little wobbly. They were kinda like a little baby lambs legs are when he takes his first steps, at least that's how I imagine it. It took him about 10 minutes to REALLY have his leg strength back & not just fall to the floor after a couple of steps. It was kinda sad, but kinda funny to watch all at the same time!

Washington --- Day 3-5

On day 3 we ventured to Target of Spokane & scored these AWESOME masks ...I was bummed that they didn't have anything grand in their clearance, but these masks provided good entertainment for my children.

In a 250 sq. foot, one bedroom apartment we did get some noteworthy fit throwing from all 3 of my children. But no one is cute doing it except Kye. All-in-all my kids do REALLY well at keeping quieter than normal,

being content to color, & play games with Mommy.

I tried to spend as little time as POSSIBLE in that old, dirty apartment, but sometimes we just had to be there. We made the most of the time we had together!

I was able to go on a couple of runs while in Spokane.As you can see I made Alan follow CLOSE behind me!!!

The area we were in was GHETTO!!!

I mean REALLY ghetto!

I was terrified to run by myself even with my mace, so Alan was a good supportive husband & followed close behind so I could continue my training.

Oh, I love that guy!!!

My runs always cosisted of some really PRETTY views as part of my run.

It was really kinda fun to run in a new place, with HILLS right around EVERY corner.

On day 4 this little boy was SICK & TIRED of being strapped into his car seat!!
We stayed home for the majority of the day & yes, WATCHED movie, after movie!Maybe NOT the best thing, but my kids were THRILLED!
We had popcorn & treats & truely enjoyed our MOVIE day!!!After a day full of watching movies some of our hair looked a little interesting!That night we visited Daddy at work & had fun playing around at the job site.

Day 5 was filled with running needless errands just to GET OUT!

That night we visited the Spokane Temple.

It was GORGEOUS!

My kids wanted to play, IN THE DARK & FREEZING COLD, on the temple grounds.

They had no desire to leave, but I quickly assured them to the car, so we didn't FREEZE into Statues!

Now to look forward to a wonderful weekend with Daddy!