Sunday, April 13, 2014

Spring Break

 

Spring Break this year was simply perfect. It really snuck up on me and Jeff worked a lot of it since we are just getting into his busy schedule but I really don’t think it could have been any better.

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Monday I Braxton watched Dawson and Grady, along with my three other kids. Seriously, I got so much done that day you would have never known that I was taking care of 6 kids! Braxton is so awesome and when he is around he entertains all the kids, without even knowing it. So that was just great.

That night we got together with friends at Hovander for a pick up Ultimate Frisbee game. It was awesome. The weather that day was perfect and it was so nice to be in the fresh air with lots of friends and kids.

The boys organized and ran their own football game and the girls played on the park and in the tower.

Us parents rotated in and out of the game all night taking turns and taking breaks. It felt like summer. Hopefully there will be many more of these games in the near future.

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Tuesday morning I drove my mom and Adelle to the Bellingham Amtrack station where they boarded the train to go down to Vancouver, WA. It was April Fools Day so of course my mom took the opportunity to be silly and wear  a wig and Adelle was game. They are really two peas in a pod those two!

Adelle loved every part of the train. She took tons of scenery pictures to show me. She saw a couple of her teachers from school on the train. She loved the cheeseburger, the cookie, watching Frozen on the laptop… she was really in her element. When they made it to Vancouver and she met Corbin she was in love again. Such a sweet sissy.

The boys and I had a great day too. We met friends at Boulevard for a picnic. Again, thanks to Braxton he and Emmett were able to play on the playground while I was down at the water most the time with Gage. It was a beautiful day again and fun to be with the boys although I kept counting, “1, 2, 3… where’s Adelle?” Really, a little weird not having my girl there with us.

That night my dad got to go to Braxton’s baseball practice with Jeff and Brax which was fun and then when they got home the boys and I watched a movie while Jeff and my dad went and checked out some property.

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Wednesday we walked across the street to the school and met some friends for a playdate. Then that night we hosted other friends for dinner and games. Braxton is working on earing his wolf rank in cub scouts so he picked the meal and helped prepare.

In between we just hung out in our yard in the sun. Some of us got up on the roof and cleaned out gutters. Some of us laid on the earth and watched the snails. I think I literally watched the tulips bloom before my eyes. Spring is just so wonderful!!

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Thursday I stayed in my yoga pants all day. I made bread and did a lot of laundry and watched my sisters kids so her and my mom could run errands and go on a lunch date. It was really nice. The kids played and were happy most of the day in the backyard.

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Friday we went roller skating. Braxton had gone with a birthday party a couple months ago and couldn’t stop talking about it. I have been wanting to take my kids there for a while but hadn’t had a good chance. When I saw that they were having a spring break 2 for 1 deal I decided we should go. We met some of our friends there and then my sister ended up being in town so they came along with my mom and two of my aunts. Then when Jeff finished his work for the day we were still there so he came out and met us. It was so, so, fun.

Roller skating brought back so many good memories for me. Growing up my mom took us to the skating rink all the time. We even took lessons.  I remember those fun times like they were yesterday. My mom has always impressed me on skates. She is an amazing skater, so fluid and graceful. I am not so much that way but I can get around the rink and I even broke one of the rules and skated with Gagey on hip until I got called out on it.

Of all my kids Emmett was the one who enjoyed it the most and who keeps asking me when we are going back. He was the most determined out there too and was such a sport.

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Saturday and Sunday were both spent watching General Conference and then playing at the Bay and eating big family dinners.

Saturday was so funny the boys and I were out on this spit because the tide was so far out and all of a sudden we were surrounded by water. We had been so busy digging for clams that we neglected to notice the water that was getting closer and closer. It was exciting and fun hauling all the boys into the shore, as my sisters is videotaping. I felt like I was starring on Bay Watch.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

the wheels were turning

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Last weekend Gagey and I hit the road to drive down to Vancouver to visit Lesha and her family and meet new little baby Corbin.

I always wonder what’s going through my little kids’ heads. Like driving down there my sister in law Chelsey was with us for a bit of the drive and I felt like Gage was just thinking, “What is going on? Where is my dad and my brothers and sister?” He kept giving me this blank, concerned, confused look every time I turned around to see how he was doing.

When we got there he knew for certain that he was not sleeping in the play pen that my friend had lent me. He was not leaving my side that night so we slept together on the air mattress.

The next day was easier and the day after that he was even more comfortable. He still wanted me to be within sight but he had so much fun jumping on the trampoline with the kids, playing all day with Kate and he was fascinated with Corbin. He loved that baby so much; always wanting to hold him and touch him and be close to him. It was really sweet and cute.

I had a great time too, playing auntie. It’s something that I don’t often get to play. Usually when the cousins are around, my kids are there too so I find myself playing the mom role and not the auntie role. This time, being there in Lesha’s home, I felt like the auntie. It was awesome. Corbin was so sweet and cute and I found myself being in total relaxation mode the whole time, even though I was helping it wasn’t overwhelming or busy. Just nice. Plus the fact that it was really sunny and I got to wear my swimsuit one afternoon!!

The last picture of Gage was when we pulled into our driveway the night we came home. He had slept a lot of the way. Tired, worn out boy!