CALIFORNIA / DISNEYLAND 2014

This past week we surprised our kids' with a trip to California and Disneyland. Oh my goodness, they were SO surprised ! I tried getting it on video, but it didn't work out. The surprise went something like this . .  we woke them up around 5:30 in the morning on Wednesday and told them to hurry and get ready for school. Once they were showered, teeth brushed, hair done and dressed, we sat them down on the couch and I brought out a big wrapped box. They were shocked. Here's that conversation . .

Me : Holy cow you guys, look what I found ( holding the big box ) !
Douglas : What ? What is that ?
Me : I think it might be a present we forgot to give you at Christmas. I guess you better open it and see
Douglas : How on earth would you forget a present that big Mom ?
Me : I don't know dude, you should just open it !

So Douglas and Josh hurry to start unwrapping the box ( Sarah was still asleep ) Once they unwrapped the box, they found another wrapped box inside ( the same thing we did for the Trampoline at Christmas )

Douglas : Oh no, not this again ! Is there like 20 boxes to unwrap here ?
Me : I don't know, but I guess you should get started 

So they unwrapped the next box and inside there was a note that said : Get Ready !

Douglas : Get ready ? Get ready for what ? School ? 
Josh : A note ! That's awesome ! 
Me : Hmmm. What would you need to get ready for ? I guess you should keep unwrapping to see !

So they unwrap the next box and in that box there is a note that says : Because we are going to . .

Douglas : What ? I am so confused. 
Josh : Ya. Me too Mom ( haha, it was hilarious watching Josh because he truly was clueless and was going off Douglas' thoughts )
Me : Maybe you should unwrap that last box

So they unwrap the last box which has a note that says : DISNEYLAND !

Douglas opened the " Disneyland " note, laid it in order with the other notes and careful read it out loud

Douglas : Get ready, because we are going to, Disneyland. What ? No we're not. You're lying
Me : Nope. We totally are. Right now !
Douglas : No way. I don't believe you
Josh : No way Mom
Me : No really, we are. Dad's packing the car right now
Douglas : Oh my gosh, are you serious ? We're going to Disneyland ! 
Me : Yup ! 
Douglas : Oh my gosh, that's awesome !
Josh : That's awesome !
Douglas ( very concerned ) Oh wait. So does that mean we'll be missing Father's and Son's this weekend ?
Me ( rolling my eyes ) Yes Douglas. But that's okay because we don't do big stuff like this often. Besides you will be spending lots of time with Dad
Douglas : I know. Holy cow I am so excited ! 
Josh : Holy cow !

Then they ran out of the house screaming as loud as they could. It was hilarious and such a fun surprise. It was hard to keep that from the kids ( we've been planning it since February )


We stopped by the store on our way out of town to grab a few last minute things and then we were on our way. Roads trips with our family always include lots of stops for Douglas to cath and refill on water and for Josh to stretch his legs. Sarah cried on and off most of the time but she did her best. We all wore ourselves our trying to entertain her ! It was a looooong drive but I don't think road trips with little kids' is ever super fun ; ) We got to California Wednesday late afternoon and we checked into our hotel :

The hotel we stayed at was really nice and the staff was great. We were on a floor with lots of kid friendly suites so there wasn't a lot of pressure to keep the kids completely quiet. We ran into lots of other families going to and from Disneyland and the beach. We were in an awesome family suite that separated the parent's room from the kids' room. The kid's had bunk beds which they have at home, so they loved it.

As soon as we were checked in, we changed and headed to Huntington Beach. It was super, super windy so it wasn't that fun but we did our best to enjoy it. The kid's had a blast though ! This was Sarah's first time at the beach. She did great and ate about a fist full of sand. Yummy ! Douglas and Josh ran around the beach together while Sarah struggled to keep up. It was a fun day . .

After the beach, we went back to the hotel, cleaned up and let the kid's run wild. We made dinner and then we all crashed . .

Disneyland on Thursday started with an early morning. We got the kid's fed, bathed and dressed. Then we walked the 10 minutes from our hotel to Disneyland. It was such a fun, exciting morning ! Disneyland was pretty busy but not unbearable. The kid's were so anxious to see what Disneyland was all about. Josh was so excited - he kept squealing something like " Oh my heck, this is awesome " That made my day for sure ! The picture at the entrance of Disneyland isn't as magical as I would have liked it to be. The kid's were anxious and the crowd's were swarming us. Maybe next time . . 

The first ride we went to was the Dumbo ride. Every ride has at least a 20 minute wait in line ( booo ) so while I waited in line with Josh and Sarah, Tyler and Douglas would run and grab the fast passes for all the bigger more popular rides ( Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, the Matterhorn, Star Tours, etc ) Thank heavens for Dum Dum's because they kept Josh and Sarah happy as we waited in each line. We all rode the Dumbo ride together. It wasn't too fun for Tyler and Douglas but Josh and Sarah loved it - and that made it so fun for me. I sat with Sarah on the Dumbo ride and it was hilarious when she gripped my hands for dear life : ) She had no idea what was going on !

After we rode a few kiddie rides that Josh and Sarah could go on, Tyler and Douglas went on a few of the bigger rides while I waited with the little ones. I didn't mind missing out on the bigger rides because I had the best time watching my kid's and my Husband have fun. It was honestly the best thing ! I rode a few rides with the kid's but I think my old age has made me more cautious ; ) One of mine and Douglas' favorite rides was The Haunted Mansion. We rode that as a family a few times. Josh was a little scared but it didn't phase Sarah at all. She kept trying to grab all the ghosts and was squealing and laughing through most of the ride. Here are some pictures from Thursday and Friday at Disneyland . .
  

Douglas : he was such a good sport. He did a lot of little kid rides that were too young for him because he knew they would be fun for Sarah and Josh. He stayed by us the whole time and did his best to have a good attitude. Douglas' darn Kidney Disease caused some problems this trip though. It was record breaking heat on Thursday and Friday in California so it was hot, hot, hot. Douglas was constantly thirsty and had a pretty bad headache on and off both days. But we brought a huge water jug just for him that we kept full of ice old water. He stopped every few minutes to take a few gulps.We also stopped frequently in the shade so he could rest and cool down.

Josh :  I thought we were a bit crazy taking a 4 year old with Sensory Processing Disorder to Disneyland ! It was interesting with Josh but I will start off with saying there weren't too many huge meltdowns ! He tried really hard and did his best. Josh is normally an active kid who is bouncing off the walls, but one thing I realized this trip is how uncomfortable large crowds make him. Unless he was riding a ride, trying to smile for a picture ( which was a challenge and that's why there aren't a whole lot of just him ) playing or eating, he wasn't too happy. I think he liked Disneyland because he would randomly comment on how awesome it was but when we were walking through the crowds, he would sink back in his stroller and become a little anxious. He was a good sport as well and was as patient as he could be . .

Sarah : This cute girl celebrated her FIRST BIRTHDAY at Disneyland on Thursday ! What a fun birthday. She was such a good girl and even though she hated sitting in her stroller, she was so fun and seemed to enjoy some of the rides. I was happy she was able to go on a few. She got to eat some cake for her birthday and we bought her a little princess wand that lights up . .

The boys : Douglas and Josh were such good kids ! They played well with one another and only fought a little ; ) Josh adores Douglas and follows him around constantly. He wanted to do whatever Douglas was doing. Josh even went on a few of the big rides with Tyler and Douglas. I was proud of him ! I was proud of Douglas keeping an eye on Josh as we navigated through the large crowds and helping calm Josh down when Josh was starting to meltdown. I am proud of Josh for giving up his stroller a few times so Douglas could sit for a while and rest his feet. Such sweet boys . .

Tyler and Kami : Man oh man were we tired after day one at Disneyland. We were even more tired after day two. Two things we realized this trip are 1. it doesn't matter how tired we are, it's totally about the kid's enjoying it. We loved watching our kid's have fun. It's just the best ! And 2. we won't be doing Disneyland for a few more years ! Taking a child like Josh and a baby to Disneyland was a lot of work. I think we'll wait about 4 more years : ) And yes, I took a selfie. Ugh, awful I know ! I was waiting for Tyler, Douglas and Josh to get off a ride so I took my picture. It's ridiculous but it proves I was there !

Oh and it also proves I am getting old. I have wrinkles ! ! !

We sat through the Disneyland parade which was a lot of fun ! The parade is much better than it was when I was younger. Our kid's loved it . . 

Random Disneyland pictures . . 

Note to future Disney travelers : if you are planning on going to Disneyland with your little one's for the first time, do yourself this favor - just go straight to Toon town ! 

This was the end of day two. We were all tired, sunburned and not looking at the same camera. 

Haha, better luck next time : )

 We checked out of the hotel on Saturday and headed to the beach in Oceanside. We packed the kid's suits so they just played in their clothes. No worries : ) Tyler and Douglas found a few live Sand Dollars, so we dried them out, took them home and Douglas is going to give one to his teacher as a gift. Such a sweet boy !

After playing at the beach, we walked the pier and then stopped for some awesome salmon taco's at a fish taco stand. Holy delicious !

We stopped by Seaport Village in San Diego on our way home. We shopped at the little stores, walked around the water and visited the Navy ships and monuments. I think one of the best parts was seeing a huge group of Asian tourists trying to recreate the historic statue of the Sailor kissing the girl. Hilarious ! 

 

I am not going to lie. The drive home sucked big time. At one point, Sarah was crying because Josh was crying. Why was Josh crying ? Because Sarah was crying. Oh man, it was rough. There were a few spurts of silence but lots of crying and complaining. Tyler went as fast as he could without totally breaking the law ; ) We got home around 10 pm and couldn't have been happier to escape the screaming kids. All in all, it was such a fun trip and even though the kids had varying degrees of total joy and complete exhaustion, they loved it. I am so happy we did it. And I am so happy to be home : )

EARL THE PEARL

I've been thinking about my Dad today. It's amazing how even 5 years after he died, I still get teary eyed just thinking about the little things. Things like his smile, the sound of his deep deep voice, how he would spend an hour or more every morning and every night saying his prayers. He would pray for each one of his children and he would go into detail about the things we needed. I miss the blessings he would give us - there is nothing sweeter than a Father's blessing. I miss his totally lame jokes : ) I miss him calling me his favorite blonde ( yes, I used to be blonde ! ) I miss the hilarious way he would lift his eyebrows. He wouldn't just lift them at the same time, he would lift one and then the other. I still have never seen someone with that level of eyebrow flexibility ! But one thought that came to mind today that made me laugh was this : those of you who knew my Dad knew that he was in a wheelchair. He had been injured in Vietnam at the age of 21 and was instantly paralyzed from the waist down. Shortly after that, he had an infection that cause both his legs to be amputated from the knees down. Well, kids would always stare at my Dad. They couldn't stop staring. It never bothered me and I don't think it ever bothered him. But one day, he started looking at those kids square in the eyes and he would point to his legs and whisper " this is what happens when you don't stop biting your toe nails "

Oh pops, I sure do miss you. I never liked your lame jokes but what I wouldn't give to hear them today. Hug your Dad's. Cherish them. They'll be gone someday and it's really sad when they are.

FEBRUARY

Here's what we've been up to this month . .


1. My Husband, Sarah and I were sick and it sucked big time ! I caught a cold, then Tyler caught that cold and a horrible GI bug on top of it. After he was done with his GI bug, I caught the Flu and a Bacterial Sinus infection. Tyler immediately caught the Flu as well. It was the first time in our 11 years of marriage that we were actually sick at the same time. Our kids loved it though because they ruled the roost for a while. They got to eat whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it. Sarah caught our cold and a double ear infection. Trying to take care of a very sick baby when you yourself is very sick is not easy. Everyone is healthy and back to normal now, so the kids are back to having to be obedient ; )

This temp became the " normal " in our house for a few weeks

A random case of hives while I was sick

 

2. New stuff ! We had some nice couches that a sweet friend gave to us a long time ago but they were slowly wearing down and we wanted new couches. So we passed these old couches on to another friend who needed them and bought new couches off Craigslist. We love them ! And the kids love them because they have lots of extra decorative pillows - which makes for a great fort. We also bought some new bar stools to add more sitting space for our family. Our kids enjoy eating at the counter now : ) I also stopped by Hobby Lobby and bought a few new cute home decor trinkets. I added a few bird cages as well ( not pictured but super cute ) 

Out with the old . . 

 In with the new . . 

The forts. They look small, but are pretty cool on the inside : )

3. Crappy weather. I know, I know . .  I should enjoy it and be thankful for it since half the Country is under a " Polar Vortex " But excuse me if I say that I am not thankful and that I absolutely despise the fact that we are pretty much in the 90's right now. I am not ready for summer. That's the one thing I hate about living here. We totally got gypped this winter ( insert mad, pouty face here )

 4. A change. We have changed the way we eat around here. At the end of December I had a revelation about our health as a family. We aren't horrible eaters but we could do better. I am done having children and it is not my time to work on me - so I felt like I knew where to start. Since January 1st, we have been eating cleaner, healthier and more organic. It's awesome ! I feel so much better and have even lost some weight. My kids are enjoying the healthier eating and are always surprised when something healthy tastes good. My Husband is on the fence, but is a good sport : ) We aren't perfect and we still have days where we mess up ( specifically on days when my Husband makes his homemade fettuccine noodles and homemade, buttery, delicious Alfredo Sauce with Steak on the side . .   mmmmmmm ) but we continue to try. It's not a race, it's a new way of life. I shop mostly at Trader Joe's now. I have switched from normal corn dogs and ketchup to Turkey Corn Dogs and Organic Ketchup. Corn Dogs are a staple in our house. Our kids love them, so I was happier when I saw I could change it for a healthier option. I love the Guilt Free Skinny Popcorn. I snack on it daily and it's delicious. We are changing for the better !

 

 

5. Piano Lessons. We bought an awesome Electric Piano. It wasn't working 100 percent when we bought it so my Husband, being amazing and handy, took it apart and totally fixed it. We're talking re - wiring it in some spots. Like, the real deal ! He is amazing and I am in awe of his ability to just fix things. So the Piano works perfectly now and Douglas is enjoying his lessons



  
6. Josh gave his first talk in Primary ! You couldn't understand a word he said and he whispered the whole thing - but he got up there and did it. And he looked awful cute doing it too : ) Josh's Pediatrician said she is concerned with Josh though. He is 4 years old and although his speech is coming along and he is improving, he is still very very delayed in some areas. For example, he can't tell you he is 4. If you ask him, he looks at your very confused and usually responds with something like " I'm Josh and I'm nice " He is adorable and happy and so sweet but he has some delays and some behaviors that are concerning to his Doctor and to us. My Motherly instincts have been on fire for a long time with Josh and I know there is something not right. And my Motherly instincts haven't been wrong this far, so I will continue to pay attention to them. We are having him tested for a few different things : Autism and ADHD are just two of those things. Regardless of the outcome, Josh is our sweet little boy that we adore and will love no matter what. If he is diagnosed with something, I will do my very best to make sure he gets the care he needs to help him throughout his life

7. Elizabeth's special day. Elizabeth would have been 5 years old on January 9, 2014. It's so weird to me that she is 5 already. We brought her some flowers and had cupcakes in her honor. Also, in her honor, we did 5 random acts of kindness. We will continue to do that every year as I feel like it's the best way to remember her and her sweet Spirit. We love you Ellie and we miss you so much.

 

8. The Pinewood Derby ! Douglas had his first Pinewood Derby and it was so fun ! My Husband is the Scout Master in our ward, so he had to be there but I wanted to support Douglas so I brought Josh and Sarah and we watched while Douglas competed. Douglas made his car ( unlike some of the kids - it was pretty obvious which kids had their parent's build their car. Pretty annoying, but oh well ! ) Douglas sanded it, painted it and put the wheels on. I did the white vinyl number and stripes for him. He was so proud ! He didn't win but he did really good. His car won more rounds than he lost but overall, he wasn't the fastest car. He did win " Shiniest Car " though : ) He is loving Scouts. He has earned his Bobcat and has almost earned his Wolf

9. I love to see the Temple. We took Douglas to the Gilbert Temple tour. Oh my goodness, it is amazing and gorgeous and fantastic and awesome and and and . .  well, you get it ! The tours are over but if you want to go in and see it again - become a member and get a Temple Recommend ; ) I am excited to go through with my Husband after it's dedicated. Douglas was in awe. He couldn't believe how beautiful it was and he walked out saying " Mom, Dad I have never felt so good before. I loved being in there " We were so happy he recognized that feeling. We took that opportunity to explain the purpose of the Temple. It was a special night

10. Sarah. Oh Sarah. Amazing, wonderful, sweet, beautiful, CALM, loving, happy Sarah. I can't get enough of my sweet daughter. She lights up our lives and we all love her so much. Her brothers' adore her and want to spend every moment with her. Douglas has a hard time leaving her in the morning when he goes to school and Josh enjoys playing with her during the day. Her Dad is smitten and lights up when he sees her. She loves her Daddy. She says Mamma, Dadda, Baabaa and Num Num. She is just awesome. Holy cow I could eat her - but I won't : ) I decided I am putting her in Ballet as soon as she can walk ( which will be very soon ! ) This girls always, always has he little toes pointed and she is more flexible than any baby I have ever known. I think she would make a beautiful ballerina. She is very sweet and calm and graceful. She has enough hair for cute pig tails. Her brothers don't like her pig tails though - they say she looks like a bug. I tell them to shove off ; ) 

Oh Sarah, we just love you so much.

2013

Hi, my name is Kami and I am a Blog slacker. There, I admitted it ! The Holidays always consume so much time and energy that Blogging becomes the last thing on my " to - do " list. Add 3 crazy kids on top of the Holidays and Blogging then becomes non existent on that list.
Booo, I suck. I know : )

But here I am. Back in business ! I am going to do a mass post of what has happened in our lives since Halloween. But be warned . .  there won't be much : ) We're not that exciting.



Thanksgiving was fun and b u s y ! We had lunch with my Husband's family and dinner with my family. The cousins played, everyone got stuffed and we all enjoyed ourselves. And I made yet another adorable creation on my chalkboard. Oh my sweet chalkboard - how I love thee !

A few days after Thanksgiving, we started decorating for Christmas. My favorite time of the year !

 

 

 

 

 And then we did the Christmas shopping. I have a love / hate relationship with Christmas shopping. I love it because it's fun . .  but I hate it because it's always so expensive !

We had a few family parties and cousin get togethers. I only took one picture. Can you believe it ? I know, I can't either : )

 

December 13, 2013

This marked 5 years since my Dad passed away. I miss him so much. 

Christmas 2013 

 

 Santa came and enjoyed some store bought cookies : )

The kids each got about 5 toys and other little trinkets and then we surprised them with a huge trampoline ! They were beyond excited. 

When they woke up Christmas morning, there was only one big box under the tree. We wrapped a big box and in that box was a smaller wrapped box and then a smaller one and a smaller one. In the smallest box was a note that said " Go look outside " When they went outside, they saw the trampoline - with all their presents and stockings on it ! Oh my, it couldn't have gone any better. We bundled up in our blankets and opened Christmas presents outside on the trampoline. Best Christmas ever !

 

 

A few days after Christmas, we went up to Payson for the day and hung out with my Brother and his family. They finished building their cabin this past year and it is amazing ! It's gorgeous inside and out. We had a lot of fun spending the day with them. We went quading, played in the snow, hiked, had a BBQ and shot some beebee guns. 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday !

Josh turned four on New Years Eve. Our super special, awesome, fun, energetic, sweet, cute Joshie. We love him so much !

 

 

Other things that have happened since Halloween . . 

1. Sarah is 8 months old now ! Little Miss walks holding onto furniture and is getting closer and closer to letting go and walking. She is eating lots of food. She has stopped nursing - which makes me so sad. I nursed her until she was 8 months old but had to stop because Miss two teeth won't stop biting me. Ouch ! She is such a sweet girl who is naturally very happy and content. She loves to cuddle and play with her brothers. She's seriously the coolest chick ever !

 

 

 

2. Another cute chalkboard creation : )

3. We've been fighting colds, pink eye, ear infections, etc, etc, etc, e t c ! 

 

 

4. Douglas has a girlfriend and the whole 3rd grade knows it . .  and I may or may not tease him about it often : ) He's also doing really well in school. He gets lots of 100 percents !

 5. Lots of family time outside snuggled up by a fire, roasting marshmallows and hot dogs

 6. Fun Cousin get together's

  

7. Sarah hates shoes : )

8. Josh makes a pretty awesome Batman

And last . . 

9. Here is the video of the kids' waking up on Christmas morning and opening their present. Priceless !