Beach Photos

One way to get some great photos:  keep you kids cooped up in the car for several hours, then let them loose on the beach at sunset!

One problem with this method is: they might not be interested in facing the camera, or holding still for very long!

Sarah has become so mature and responsible the past year, it was fun to watch her romp gleefully with everyone else!  She was more interested in creating sculptures with the sand and shells than jumping over the waves.  She thought it was amazing that the waves actually wash sea foam up on the beach.

Two of my handsome guys!

Joan would barely let the waves touch her feet, then squeal and run back.

Ammon did not care for the feel of the sand on his feet!

But he was still boy enough to figure out that sand is good for throwing!

Every time we are expecting, we wonder how the next baby could possibly be as cute as the last!

I am certainly wondering that this time, but it seems they keep getting cuter!

Dunes Village Vacation & Visiting with Jim and Fern

John and I decided to go to Dunes Village this year for the kids for Christmas.   Dunes is a kid-friendly, on-the-beach hotel with indoor swimming pools and water slides, that we heard about from Kim.  We invited Jim and Fern to come along, since John would be taking several days off.  We also got a sweet deal on a gorgeous hotel room, their fall and winter rates are very low!   We wanted to get to see Jim and Fern, and thought this would be extra fun for the kids.

Ammon took a few days to warm up to Fern.   She is the sweetest person around, so we think he was a little leary of her due to her habit of wearing curlers most mornings.   Kate and James thought her curlers were fascinating also, and wanted permission just to sit and watch her put them on!  They enjoyed just hanging around and talking to Fern in general, especially Kate.  Fern helped her make a little book out of note paper that Kate treasured.

Joan and Ammon hit it off with Grandpa Jim right away- I think due to him tickling them/ playing peekaboo on the first day.  Joan seemed to know it was her particular right to come and sit on his lap whenever she wanted and get extra attention.  She really liked Grandpa Jim hugging and teasing her.

Noah also really enjoyed doing crossword puzzles with Grandpa Jim.  He wanted to spend all day getting the answers out of Jim and writing them down.

We mostly just hung around our house the first few days they were here, while I panicked and packed for the trip.  They did get to go to Grady Barnes' farm, one of Jim's (and mine!) favorite places.  They also got to go to a bagpipe concert that Grandpa Mark was in, and got to see our kids in the practice run for the primary program.

On our way down to the beach, we did have an education excursion and stop by the Fort Fisher aquarium.  They have a shark touch tank that all of the kids really enjoyed.

The lady at the other touch tank also taught them how to flip over the horse-shoe crabs, which the kids got a kick out of.

There was a very nice playground at the aquarium that the kids were thrilled to run around on as a break from the car.  It is new, or I just never noticed it on our previous trips.

The kids had a blast a Dunes Village.  It was a little too cold outside for Fern to enjoy walking on the beach very much (high of 60).   John and I were happy with how well prepared we were in our packing (made several casseroles so we wouldn't have to cook while there) and how nice the hotel room was.  

Our favorite part was the view.

Our hotel room was on the 11th floor, with wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows.  Maybe John and I are easily thrilled, but that was our favorite part.  Watching sunrise and sunset on the beach.  I even caught a short glimpse of dolphins.

The kids loved the beach, the older kids seemed to not care that it was FREEZING! (Note to self-  come in Sept or mid Oct next time you catch their fall deals!)  We only had 2 brief beach excursions.  I was surprised at how much even the bigger kids just loved jumping up and down. (Got some great photos, different post).

The kids, of course, LOVED the indoor pools and water slides!

Most of my photos turned out like this:

And I was too busy having fun and dripping wet to work with the camera much at the water park.

The bigger kids loved the big slides, the lazy river, and just swimming in general.

Ammon wanted to have nothing to do with it.  He is usually very calm and good natured, but this seemed to be too much NEW for him at once.  He uttered low moans and groans all while I pushed him in a dolphin car around the lazy river, as if I was out to get him and was torturing him.  I took him into the jacuzzi, and pointed out that it is like a BIG BATH with BUBBLES  (two of his favorite things).    He stopped whining, and reluctantly poked at a few bubbles with a petulant scowl on his face (This MIGHT be fun, but I will not admit it.).   John and I took turns watching him the first day.  He put up with it without whining the 2nd day, but was still not thrilled, and thankfully Fern watched him at the hotel room so we could have fun with the older kids.

Joan LOVED the hot bubbling jaccuzis (there were several at each building).  She also went down the smaller slides a few times, but that was enough for her.

Kate loved the big curving slide, much to my surprise, and spent at least an hour running up the stairs and going down the slide, non-stop.  We knew she would fall asleep quickly that night!

The only place we ventured out (besides some simple shopping) was Mr. Fish.  The food was good, the staff was friendly (although a hush settled over the crowd as we stood in the doorway with all of our kids).  the kids were very good (we even got a compliment), but we left quickly once Joan and Ammon ran out of french fries.

 Mark came down with stomach flu right as we pulled up to the restaurant (the first time he has had stomach flu since we lived in Mesa- I think drinking chlorinated water makes you susceptible), and spent the visit sitting in the car with a bucket.  Which might have been a good thing, as there were a few nude pictures up on the wall (I faced most of the kids the other way).   Mark caught a glimpse of them before he went out to the car, and was disgusted that John and I stayed.

Much to our merriment and slight dismay, as we were on our way out of the restaurant, Sarah asked one of our neighboring lobster-feasters if he was "done with his claw".  He was, and obliged her, and we came home with a lobster-claw momento.  :)  I wouldn't allow it in the house, and the neighbor's dog ate it a day or two after our return.

Overall, it was a lot of work and not really a 'vacation' for me, but I think the kids will have some great memories, and I would happily do it again! 

A Great Week

I had a great week, and this is why:

Grapefruit?  Is it because grapefruit is delicious and John's parents sent us 2 boxes fresh from their backyard?  That is a good reason, but... I cleaned the top of the fridge off!  Does that make me happy?  Very much so!

Ammon is also sleeping through the night!  (7pm to 5am - he nurses from 5-6 am (can you tell?) and I am fine with that!)

Are these two fabulous things related?  I think so.

I think Heavenly Father is blessing us for the extra effort we have put in to going to bed on time (in case Ammon decides NOT to sleep through the night!).   

Another event that I think is related is Ammon's ability to teleport  between me and the fridge when I open the door.  He has also been unravelling toilet paper, bending blinds, etc.   Babies brain cells must perk up with more sleep, also... his crawling shifted into 5th gear this week!

Mark is gleeful because he thinks he is scaring Joan.  But she is grinning.  When he showed this to me I said "Oh, how cute!  You put hair on it with pine needles!"   He said  "MOOOM.  It is a SHRUNKEN HEAD!"

Sarah and John went to a Daddy-Daughter Dance.  There was lots of dancing, and lots of great people from our ward, plus our neighbor friends.  John and Sarah had a blast, stayed late to help clean up.

Sarah is gorgeous and creative.  This outfit was pretty amazing- we just bought sun hats that day, and she used a flower hair clip they made in activity girls.

I braided her hair ( a french braid on each side, put in a pony tail bun and flipped through).  It was fun to do, and made her hair oh so lovely in a wavy way for Sunday.

Another fun thing of the week - Grandpa Mark went with us to Target.  He let Kate pick out a toy for her birthday (my little ponies- the majority of the kids spent a lot of time playing with these...this also probably helped out my week...).     

John and I also watched a new-er BBC version of Emma.  I don't like to watch much TV, but John lured me in with this.  We finished it in one week...  It is one of my favorites!

Superbowl and Valentines

John took the older kids to Grandma Cici's house for the Superbowl.  The kids had a great time snacking.  He let Sarah use the camera.  

This one of her cousins is my favorite:

We were invited to a homeschool Valentine party.  I thought it would be fun for the kids to hand-make Valentines.  It WAS fun, but I didn't know what I was getting into!  They each had about 17 Valentines to make, and were spending around 30 mins for each one!   

They had a blast, and made many darling, thoughtful valentines!   Mark drew mazes on the backs of his, Nathan drew things like a boy being chased by an alligator "Don't let love bite you".

Joan colored her paper, colored her face, and was done, except for when she came back for a bit to play with the edge scissors and made a few snips out of some of Noah's Valentines.

Noah worked very hard on his Valentines!  He is a super-sweet kid.   He had a great time!  Can you figure out what his valentine says?  (suggestion- start on the bottom line)

The kids had a great time at the party, getting their own valentines, and especially eating Aunt Kim's treats and getting lollipops and candy and glow sticks in their valentine bag!

Some cute things this week:

Joan did not want to go to bed, so I was telling her about what we would do tomorrow- get dressed, go to nursery.  She looked at me with delight and clasped hands “And SPIN?”  (in our pretty dresses)

 The nursery leader told us that one of the kids in nursery was being mean to Joan, and Joan leaned toward her.  The nursery leader thought she was going to bite the other child, but she kissed her twice on the head and walked away!

Noah sat in on pack planning meeting with John.  They were trying to figure out what to do for the welcoming activity for the blue and gold.   After  awhile, Noah said in a quiet monotone:  “My dad can twist balloons.”   They said “What did he say?  DID HE SAY YOU CAN TWIST BALLOONS?”  John is twisting balloons for the blue and gold.   J

Ear aches and oh, yeah, Kate turns 5!

Ammon's ears were hurting this week.  We were very blessed that he mostly slept through the night, but I spent a lot of time holding and worrying about my babe.

I love taking care of sick people (when I feel like I know what I am doing and I am being helpful)!  This picture was on day one, when I was confident in my nurturing abilities!  Note I am already struggling to prop up my eyelids.  A few days later... we won't go there.  But today- 4 days later- he was all the way better!  Whew!

Katie turned 5!

She is so fun and loving, she brings lots of sunshine to our family!

She wanted to eat popsicles and watch fireworks at Grandpa Mark's house for her birthday (she must have some great 4th of July memories!).  Grandpa Mark obliged, and the big and little kids had a great time making lots of noise and smoke with him!

She started tantruming first thing on her birthday.  MAKE MY BED?  Are you serious?   She wouldn't have been surprised if she woke up and we were dancing and playing tambourines and eating ice cream all day, but I explained we would be having her favorite things for dinner, the dessert she requested, presents, and a princess movie, and she was willing to accept the reality of the rest of the day!

 We went to Lake Rogers on her birthday.   I had clear boundaries this time, brought candy to back me up (more importantly- they KNEW I had candy.  I wasn't willing to have a learning experience that day), and we had NO mud escapades...

This monkey bar Noah is swinging on is the BEST!  You run and it lifts you up in the air (a little bit if you are tall, a LOT if you are little!) and the other side lowers down toward the ground so you can run along and then get lifted up again.  It is an excellent arm work-out!

Mark and I had a great time playing king-of-the-mountain on a bouncy triangle there.

Other highlights of this week:

 Sarah discovered my calligraphy pens and enjoyed exploring that art.

Mark practiced magic tricks.  He did a great job on the magic, but I was even more impressed with his resilience.  He didn't get discouraged when he messed up, even if Sarah was giving him a rough time.  He just kept practicing.

We finished White Fang and are reading Heidi.

I went on a hike in the woods, and the kids were concerned I might get lost, so Nathan went along as my guide.  He was quite the gentleman and host!  He brought a long stick so he could point out where NOT to step- he pointed out that wherever there was a fallen tree, there would be a pit, because that is where its roots used to be.  He showed me the best spots to cross the creek at, and letters that had been carved into an old tree a long time ago.  He pointed out trees that were rotting, that he thought were turning into petrified wood.  We saw a cocoon-shaped wasps nest, and looked at crystals embedded in the roots of an old tree tipped over.  I pointed out a purple one, and he has praised me several times for my rock finding skills!  I don’t mind saying- he is a fantastic young man!  He was very protective and kind to me.

The kids favorite part of the week- John put new speakers and MP3s in their rooms (he found inexpensive ones with good reviews)!  Now they can listen to 'audiobooks'  (John is trying to train me to quit saying 'books on tape'!) in style.   John enjoyed setting it up for them, and they were thrilled.

Talent show, mud, and a happy dance.

I don't have any pictures this week, because the camera battery died and I kept forgetting to ask John to re-charge it (I am so glad I have him!  Not only does he earn all the money, pay all the bills, do all the grocery shopping - he also rescues me from our gadgets!).

We had a talent show at our house for the homeschool group.  I had spent the morning the day before making chocolate chip cookies to serve, much to the kids delight.  Mark and Sarah did a skit, Matty told jokes, Elijah did taekwondo, Kate told a poem, Ethan showed off his rock collection, Liam showed a video of how he could hang from the pull-up bar, his little sister had cute scripture-poems memorized (she said to me, with the cutest baby-voice "I used to be a baby, until last week."  !).  We also had various, spontaneous dances from Joan "My turn!"  and turning of summersaults from little kids.   Nathan had made a large cube encrusted with jewels in the backyard the day before ("It's arts and crafts, mom!").  He got covered with our lovely orange clay.

I played the opening song.  This was a big deal for me, because I usually get very nervous and mess up when people are listening, especially singing along, but I have been practicing for my family.  So, I didn't mess up, but I did chicken out and stop after one verse!

Mark has been helping A LOT around the house lately, and it has been fantastic!  He keeps Joan busy, switches out the laundry and puts it away, loads and unloads dishes, sweeps, cuts veggies (not his favorite).  Not all of those things on the same day, but pretty much whatever I need him to do, he has been an extra pair of hands!  He has also been cheerful and great company, although he does enjoy debating when he gets the chance!

Instead of being satisfied and resting on my laurels, I am fascinating about how clean and gorgeous our house could be....

We went to a play ground next to a lake yesterday.  The weather was GORGEOUS, and it was exhilarating to stand on the pier.  The kids were thrilled with the playground, it had a spinning monkey bar.

Nathan was fascinated with the 'beach'.  There were clams there.  John and I decided they could only go on the beach if escorted by an adult, but this just whetted his appetite (he found several clams).

John took the girls down the pier one more time, and Nathan took a 'short cut' across the beach and got stuck in very gooey mud.  I stopped swinging Ammon and took him to go and stand with Joan on the pier so John could pull Nathan out.

I got a great view of John leaping deep into mud, yelping and leaping again.  He thought it was going to be a slow sink and he could leap across the top.  John and Nathan both had mud up to their calves, but this must not have been a new thing at this pier as there was a convenient washing station...

Noah got to talk to Caitlyn on the phone the other day.  When he was done, he did not hang up, but just walked with the phone swinging in his hand.  John instructed him to push the off button when he was done, and he did and said "I pushed the off button!"  and did an energetic happy dance.   When I am not feeling satisfied with what I am getting done, John has said to me "Remember Noah pushing the off button?"

Fun in January

Mark LOVES to read, especially adventurous books. 

He likes to make up his own adventure stories, as well as jokes and riddles.

He also spent many hours working on Saturday building a TMBG car out of cardboard.

Sarah loves to sew!  She has wanted to get at my sewing machine for a long time!  I required that she finish her knitting project first (mitten strings on a mushroom loom- she was super excited to do that until she got into it and figured out knitting is very repetitive.  Mark helped her finish a bit.)

I had to re-learn how to use the sewing machine myself (nasty creatures), and show her how to do it, and then let her go.  She came to me several times saying she had broken it, but was just having issues with not holding onto the threads when she first started.  THEN she said she had REALLY broken it, and I did not take her seriously, and sat down to do some sewing myself (we are making doll diapers for her friend), and ended up wanting to swear.   It seemed that EVERYTHING was doing something different than what it was supposed to.  The foot fell off (figured that out), there was some weird thread in the bobbin area (got that out with tweasers and lots of maneuvering), and then the knobs were turned to things that were making it too loose or something, and I had to figure that out.   SIGH!  And then my time for sewing was up.

But now, with a few stipulations (don't touch THIS or THIS or THIS unless you ask me) she can use the sewing machine by herself!

That lovely organized sewing kit is her work ( a gift from my mom. The sewing machine was, also.).  With me, it was all jumbled up.  Everytime she uses it, she puts it into gorgeous order.

Joan is growing up!  She is anxious for some things to do that feel BIG.  She enjoyed this activity (filling the pepper grinder).  

I said to Joan, as I swung her around cradled in my arms- “Are you my baby?  Are you my big girl?”  She said “I NOT a baby.  I NOT a big girl.  I LIKE my diaper.”    Hey, sister!  I wasn't even trying to go there!

 I came downstairs in my long silky nightgown yesterday.  It is a frumpy grandma type nightgown, but Joan was impressed and insisted that I twirl and "Sing.  SING!"  I scooped her up and complied.

Joan has a pair of frog boots that she loves.  She likes to wear them everywhere.  This Sunday, Kate plead on bended knee that she would wear her sparkly diamond dress shoes.  Joan replied  "No, thanks.  I like my boots."

John and Nathan on a campfire date.

Mark and Sarah built their own campfire and spit, even punctured holes in a food storage can (with permission) to dangle over it.

John made pool noodle swords for the boys.  We have enjoyed SPECTACULAR weather this winter, off and on  (note the bare feet).

This is what the boys spend most of their free time doing.  They have invented various baseball time games with names like "Phoenix ball".  But most of it is down and dirty sword fighting.  Nathan gets the brunt of Mark's energy, comes and tattles, then runs right back into the fray to pay Mark back.  I have fought with them, and they are getting really good!  They 'cut' my arms off before I can do anything.

Ammon was in heaven here- his fav toys AND the stairs.   We sing songs every morning in devotional while John plays the piano.  Ammon likes to 'sing' and play the piano.

Sarah peels a lot of carrots.  This isn't fun for her, but it is fun for me!  She doesn't mind it as much when she gets to listen to books on tape.  She likes to listen to conference (!!), John Bytheway, hymns, the Book of Mormon, and plenty of classic fiction.  

She asked me to braid her hair like Laura Ingalls, one of her favorite books.

 John loves me A LOT!  He took me and Mark and Sarah contra dancing in Chapel Hill this Saturday.  In his words "I had a lot more fun than I thought I would, dancing with other guys."  Life is sweet with John!

It was a family dance- there were a lot of little kids and their parents.  We had a lot of fun, but it was a bit awkward since the partners were not boy-girl.  It was fine swinging around the circle with little kids, but with other adults?  Smile...don't smile TOO much...???  I hope we will get to go to a grown- up dance sometime, and then John won't get cooties.  :)

Nativities

Our family got to be in two nativities this year.

The first was at the Stake Center. They had hundreds of little and big nativities on display, a "Life of Christ"room, and musicians and singers. John's favorite was when we were told about various paintings of Christ, especially one painted by a man who was imprisoned. The kids actually listened very well. We got to see people play the bells. Probably the kids favorite nativity was one made out of chocolate.

And we got to be in the live nativity!

Jocie's parents did their traditional nativity on Christmas Eve. Grandma Cici set up the scene gorgeously.

Grandpa Mark keeping the babies busy by blowing raspberries on their cheeks while everyone else was getting ready.

Angel and Baby Jesus.

Mary and Baby Jesus

(Ammon is usually a calm baby, but after 5 minutes of being stuck in a basket with his feet up in the air, in the dark, being hovered over by costumed children, he decided he had enough, and his substitute was brought in.)

And, of course, the wise men beating each other up.

Fall Leaves and OTHER Cute Kids

Ammon gets his own post for cuteness, but I will lump everybody else into one!

John organized all of the kids into a big leaf-raking project. They worked together very well, and the yard looked fabulously clean!

The orange hats? It is hunting season here, and orange is the IN color if you would like to go OUT side at our house! I have only seen a hunter in our woods once, but once was enough. We did have hunting dogs run through our neighborhood. They had antenna's on and numbers spray painted on their sides. I guess they lost track of the deer they were looking for, but thought John putting up Christmas lights and kids running around the yard were interesting.

Is it Summer Yet?

Mark and Sarah made earrings and necklaces out of bark they peeled off of a (dead) tree. Mark was hoping to sell them at the Village of Yesteryear at the fair. He gave some to his aunts for their birthday.

Kate loves to help cook and clean!

Sarah and Kate and I went to the Nutcracker with the homeschool group, thanks to Kim (and CiCi for watching the other kids!). We loved the dancing truffles and the gingerbread kids.

Nathan needed his two front teeth this Christmas! (I am pretending to sleep so John won't take my picture. I have tried protesting when he takes my picture, but those don't turn out very well!)

Nathan enjoyed making 'diamonds' in our backyard (granite?).

Does John count as a cute kid? He was very happy to get the propane tank hooked up and the fireplace turned on, in case we get snowed in.