Our trip- Part 3 (back to Spokane)

We headed back to Spokane on Monday. We had a nice dinner with Michelle, Steve, and Jack. Tuesday, Michelle, Kjersten, and I took the babies shopping. We also embarked on a futile search for Crocs for Kjersten. Found some for George, but there are none to be found in Eastern Washington for Kjesten. Argh!

Here's what I bought...

These will come in handy helping the little ones learn to swim. And they were clearanced for $5. Nice!

I was able to keep an eye on Cael all the way home with this handy (huge) mirror for the car. All he did was sleep, but I sure could see him snoozing with this one!
Yeah... I bought the mobile! After much debate... and a second trip to Babies R Us. I was debating ordering the "deluxe" model that includes a remote (for $10 more and not available in stores that I have access to...) Well, I decided whilst in Moses Lake that the non-deluxe model was more than sufficient and that's why we went to Babies R Us again once back in Spokane. (These are out of stock here in my town.) Anyhow, when we went back, there was a deluxe model with the remote on the shelf (right above the regular model's price tag). It was the only one. The others were the "regular" model. There was no different price or even a place for the fancy one. I thought, "Hey!!! That's $10 off and I don't have to order it! I'll take it!" We took it up front and the darn thing rang up another $7 less than the non-deluxe model's regular price. $17 less than regular price!!!! (It was obviously a return but we checked and all the pieces were there and hadn't been opened/ assembled.) How fun for me... I mean Cael!!!

Our trip- Part 4 (driving home)

Well, the end of the trip included 11 hours of travel AGAIN!!! Mostly because Jason got a flat tire. We spent some time at the tire shop while they put on the tire we had to buy because the flat tire was unrepairable. Bummer!

Kids behaved remarkably well again! Once again, Cael didn't fuss once until we pulled into our driveway at 11:15pm. Amazing!

Picnic with 10,000 people!

I love that our church sponsors this neighborhood celebration for the 4th of July!! Food, inflatables, games, face painting, and awesome fireworks at dark! All free (except the food for 25 cents for ice cream, cotton candy, soda, lemonade and $1.50 for BBQ hamburger, chips, and beans)!!!! You just can't find a better deal or a better time. About 10,000 people come to enjoy. What fun!!

Forth of July festivities

Rhys' martial arts school had a demonstration at the huge Forth of July picnic our church puts on... I didn't have a stroller for Ole (van is at the mechanic's and stroller is in the back of the van...) It was so hot! We walked around with Cael for a while but when Heather offered to hold him while we took the littles on some of the inflatables, I jumped on the offer. So... Heather is the "official 1st babysitter".

Here they are...


Here are some photos of the demo...

"Just waiting for my brother..."

Rhys throwing his friend who was impersonating a bully...

Guess what Cael lost?!

Can you tell? Here's the before and after...

Before:
After:

It might be too subtle for "anyone not the mama" to tell. He's lost that fat roll at the top of his nose. Who ever heard of fat rolls on the nose? He also has fat rolls on and behind his ears. Really! Gonna have to get a picture of those too...

Look what dad brought home...

NO! It's not a puppy! Jason took pity on the kids (and the mama). It's supposed to be 103 here this week and we have no sprinklers to run thru where we live... So, Jason stopped at Toys R Us on the way home and bought a little pool. It'll work well for the rest of the summer and give us an idea to whether or not we want a bigger pool next year.

It's getting dark and the water from the cistern is COLD, but the kids are happily playing in the water while the pool fills!

Baby Cael and his new toy...

I have my eye on a mobile for Cael. None of my kiddos have ever had one, but this kid surely "needs" one, right? In the meantime, this is what he has... Brennen spins around this one (cheesy little one on the playpen- isn't too colorful, doesn't spin, pretty small). Brennen spins it and Cael just laughs! He thinks the brother is as much fun (maybe more) than the mobile. Here's the mobile I think he needs!

Here, he's just being cute!

Chore chart update...

This thing is it!!! We love it. The kids are doing well with it. We've made some good behaviors into habits (washing hands after using the bathroom without being told) and some bad behaviors have diminished (being unkind to their siblings) with the use of the green discs/ red discs. Chores get done with no complaints (sometimes it takes a looooooooooooooong time) and their responsibilities have increased as well.

Like anything else, it only works well when I actually use it! (Like the treadmill. Somehow, I actually have to get on the thing and run to get in shape. Weird! By the way, I'm actually training for a very short fun run in August to appease my husband. He really wants someone else to like running like he does. I don't. But, I can run and it makes him very happy. This works out well for me!)

Here's the chart and here's the link:

Kjersten's creation...

I don't know what it is... but she is quite proud.

Ewwwww... (don't bring that in the house!)

I don't do bugs. Any bugs. Ever. Not even butterflies (just bigger, colored moths...) I think they're all nasty.

Here's what our friend Amy's son, Tayler, brought us after cutting out bushes and borrowing our truck for a dump-run. This was tagging along on his shoe. Yuk!

The kids love it. It's living in a box in the shade outside- until it mysteriously escapes to freedom... far from my doorways!

It's not a blurry photo. The caterpillar is just that fuzzy! Gross!

Rhys...

The kid is ever-creative with the ways he asks to play on the computer or video games... As if asking in alternative manner will improve the chances of a "yes".

Here's his bid for some time on Lego.com

Didn't work, but he gets an "A" for effort!
Notice: his fingers are crossed in hope! (He just pointed that out to me... I didn't notice either!)

Words of wisdom...

My dad sent me this site (click the link). Good stuff.

Our verson of "Twister"

This is the rug in living room. When I need to entertain all three kids we play like this...

Playing with Lou...

Ole doesn't seem to need me as much as I thought...

Or hoped! I got up this morning to run (gasp!!!! really!) on the treadmill. After feeding baby, I headed downstairs. I turned that iPod up so that I wouldn't hear Jason and baby (in case either one was fussy!). I had a great time running. I came upstairs- expecting to be welcomed with relief and open arms. Uhhh... no! They were both sound asleep!

Jason got up and ready for work. I ate breakfast, read e-mail, worked on the grocery list, took a shower, dressed... and guess who is just now beginning to miss me. Yes, I know... it's a good thing.

Here's a picture of Ole just waking up. (Yes, I'm one of those co-sleeping mamas! At least for the first few months. Makes nursing so much easier and who doesn't want to snuggle this little guy?!)

Fractions...

Turns out, Rhys really did learn fractions last year! He just told me that Kjersten scared him 3/4 to death! Ha ha!!!

Maybe Cael likes daddy after all...

Seems whenever I state something lately- I am immediately proved wrong! Like me telling the lactation consultant that Cael is sleeping 4 hours at a time at night! Until last night... Like me telling someone yesterday how well Brennen naps in Rhys' room. Until today...

Here we go again. At least this is a good one to be wrong about!

Two videos my kids watch over and over and over...

They find both of these very funny!

Taters and The Llama Song (which George calls the "lolly Elmo" song. Llama must be a hard word to remember!!!)

"Timberfalls"

Wow! Three year olds are always getting hurt!!! Scrapes, bumps, bruises, scratches, etc... Good thing they're so quick to heal.

Yesterday, I was talking on the phone with my friend, Cynde. Brennen took the opportunity to bounce on the couch. He bounced and over shot the end of the couch. Off he went. Head over heals. I didn't see him land, but I could see HOW he was going to land. On his head, with his next hyper-extended. Oh... my heart stopped! He landed and made no noise. Didn't move. Didn't cry. Although I'm not usually prone to exaggeration (LOL!), I just knew he was dead! He wasn't. Just a bit of "hardwood-floor-rash" on his forehead. (I called Cynde back to update her. Didn't want to leave her wondering, like I did to Cindy the other day when Kjersten rolled over Cael!!! Yes, she really did. Yes, he's fine and she's still grounded!)

By the way, when I explained to George that he wasn't allowed to do somersaults on the couch and this was one reason why, he said he wasn't doing somersaults. He was doing "timberfalls". Huh? "Timberfalls, mama!" Huh? Rhys had to explain. "You know, mom... When he yells, 'timber' and falls down." Who knew? Guess they goof around on the couch more than mama thinks!

Some photos of George's various owies...

Jason seems to think Cael doesn't like him...

Why? Because this is Cael's usual reaction to Jason. Poor daddy! (He knows it's just that Cael isn't impressed with anything that doesn't look/smell/ sound like mama a.k.a milk)